Oven-baked Chicken Biryani

A simple and quick to prepare Indian rice dish which does not involve any pounding or blending of rempahs.  In this recipe, there are no instant rempahs used except the minced garlic & ginger paste which you can buy from any Indian or Asian shop.  No ghee was added as I find that it makes the rice dry.  Instead, only normal cooking oil is used which resulted in the rice having a moist texture.  The next time I prepare the chicken gravy, I will serve it with baguette or roti as the taste is awesome!

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
1 kg (4 pcs) chicken legs (boneless & skinless)
2 large onions, to be peeled & thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 tsp minced garlic & ginger paste
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tsp (level) salt or according to taste
150 g yoghurt

Dry Spices:
2 pcs star anise (bunga lawang)
4 pcs cloves (bunga cengkih)
3 bay leaves (daun salam)
1 pce (thick) cinnamon stick (kayu manis)
6 pcs cardamon (buah pelaga)
1 pc black cardamon (buah pelaga hitam) - optional
12 pcs black peppercorn
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jintan)
Note:  If you hate your spices loose, put them in a teabag and secure with a kitchen garn.

3 tomatoes, to be washed, dried & cut into huge chunks
a small handful of fresh mint leaves, to be plucked
a small handful of fresh coriander leaves, to be plucked

3 cups Basmati rice, to be washed, pre-soaked (15 mins) & drained
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 pcs green cardamon
2 tsp salt
orange food colouring

Garnishing:
chopped mint leaves
chopped coriander leaves
fried onion rings
cashew nuts
fried papadums

Method:
Wash and dry chicken legs.  Cut each leg into four portions.

In a wok or pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.  Add sliced onions and shallow-fry until golden brown.  Remove half of fried onion rings for garnishing.

Add minced garlic & ginger paste and stir-fry until fragrant.  This will take about 2 minutes.  Then, add chicken pieces and stir-fry until the colour changes.  Add dry spices, chilli powder and turmeric powder.  Mix well and then add yoghurt.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until oil appears on the surface. Check seasoning.  Preheat your fan oven to a temperature of 160° C.

In a large pot, add enough water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, green cardamon and salt. Bring to a boil. Add pre-soaked Basmati rice and cook until about 3/4 cooked - cooking time will be about 5 minutes. Do not overcook.  Pour rice into a sieve and drain completely.

In a large baking tray, add chicken & its gravy and spread evenly.  Add chopped tomatoes, mint and coriander leaves.  Spread evenly.

Add cooked rice on top and spread evenly.  By using the handle of a spoon, make indents in the rice in order that steam can escape during baking.  Sprinkle a few drops of orange food colouring and seal tray with aluminium foil tightly.  Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

Once done, remove from oven and by using a large spoon, mix rice gently.

Before serving, garnish with chopped mint & coriander leaves, fried onion rings and cashew nuts. Serve with fried papadums.

Bon Appetit!

Green Chillies Chicken Curry

If you are looking for a simple chicken dish to eat with Naan, Roti Prata or rice, do try this recipe out. Do not be alarmed by the amount of green chillies which I added.  You can adjust the spiciness by de-seeding some of the chillies.  I prepared this dish together with Naan & Spicy Cucumber Raita for lunch yesterday and my two boys really love the taste, taking into consideration that our son dislikes anything which is green in colour.  An excellent dish to serve as a side dish as well.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 kg chicken thighs (without bones), to be washed, dried & cut into bite pieces
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp salt

Ingredients to be blended:
8 to 10 green chillies, to be washed, dried & coarsely chopped
(Note:  De-seed the chillies if you want your curry to be less spicy.)
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled & coarsely chopped
1 pip garlic, to be peeled & sliced
5 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled & sliced
50 g coriander leaves
20 g mint leaves
2 sprigs of curry leaves

Ingredients to be sautèed:
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled & finely sliced
a sprig of curry leaves
150 g yoghurt
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter

Method:

In a bowl, add chicken meat, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt.  Mix well and set aside.

Add the blended ingredients to chicken mixture and mix well.  Leave aside for about 20 minutes.

In a medium-size pot, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion & curry leaves and stir-fry for about 2 or 3 minutes.  Then, add chicken mixture and mix well.  Lastly, add yoghurt and mix well.

Slowly simmer chicken without lid until the gravy becomes a bit dry.

Serve with rice or any Indian bread!

Bon Appetit!

Dalca Ayam (Chicken Dalca)

Dalca originates from South India and is a nourishing dish containing lentils, meat and vegetables with a pleasant curry flavour.  It can be served with either rice or roti prata.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6 persons):
1 chicken (about 1.3 kg), to be skinned and cut into portion sizes
2 tbsp meat curry powder

200 g dhal, to be washed and drained
2 stalks green chillies, to be washed and halved
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick (about 5 cm long)
3 cardamon
a stalk curry leaves, to be plucked
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1.5 litre water

6 medium-size potatoes, to be peeled and halved
2 carrots, to be peeled, cut into 5 cm lengths and quartered
1 tbsp fresh tamarind, to be mixed with a little water and strained
4 tbsp coconut milk
Note:  Other kinds of vegetables can be added i.e. brinjals, etc.

Pounded Ingredients:
3 pips garlic, to be sliced
3 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced

Stir-fry Ingredients:
2 medium-size onions, to be peeled and finely sliced
a stalk curry leaves, to be plucked
1 stalk green chillie, to be left whole (optional)
1 stalk red chillie, to be left whole (optional)

cooking oil
salt to taste

Method:
Add curry powder to chicken pieces and mix well.  Marinate for about 30 minutes.

In a pot, add dhal, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamon, curry leaves, sliced onion, pounded ingredients and water.  Bring to  a simmer and cook dhal for about 20 minutes or until they are almost tender.

In a big pot, heat 4 tbsp oil and add the sliced onions.  Stir-fry until the onions are light brown in colour.  Add the curry leaves and chillies, if using.  Then, add in the marinated chicken pieces and stir well.

Add in the dhal mixture and stir well.  Cover pot and cook over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken, potatoes and carrots are tender.  Then, add in the tamarind juice and stir well.  Lastly, add coconut milk and season to taste.  Serve with rice or roti prata.

Bon Apettit!

Chicken Biryani

One of our favourite family dishes is the Chicken Biryani.  This indian rice dish is normally served during special occasions i.e. at a wedding.  This dish is known for its layers of basmati rice and meat with gravy.  But in this recipe (serves 4-6 persons), I am preparing the chicken and rice separately.  I was taught by an indian chef who used "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala spices which are readily available in any asian shops.  So, if you want to avoid the tedious preparation involved for such dishes, this recipe is a fool-proof and tastes equally good!

Biryani Rice
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
4 cups of Basmati rice, to be washed, soaked in water for about 2 hours and drained
boiling water to cook the rice
salt

4 tbsp ghee
1 medium-size onion, to be sliced finely
2 petals of star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp garlic paste or 5 cloves of fresh garlic, to be blended
1 cm fresh ginger, to be sliced and blended
2 tsp of "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala spices

4 tbsp carnation milk to be mixed with 2 tsp rose water
orange colour

1 big onion, to be cut into fine rings and fried until golden brown
coriander leaves, to be roughly chopped
mint leaves, to be roughly chopped
raisins
cashew nuts

Method:
Bring a big pot of water to boil and then, add some salt.  Add in soaked rice and cook until the rice is half cooked.  Remove from heat and thoroughly drain the water through a fine sieve.

Add ghee to a big pot.  Once hot, stir-fry the sliced onion, star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic & fresh ginger paste and "Shan" spices until fragrant.  Then, add rice and stir thoroughly.  Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Then, spread carnation milk/rose water mixture over top of rice.  Sprinkle drops of orange colour over top of rice.  Do not stir.  Cover and cook over low heat for another 10 minutes.

Once done, sprinkle coriander & mint leaves, raisins and cashew nuts.  Stir well before serving!

Chicken Biryani
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
750 g chicken, to be cut into pieces
5 medium size onions (about 300 g), to be finely sliced into rings
4 medium-size tomatoes (about 300 g), to be chopped
3 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp garlic paste or blended fresh ginger
200 g plain yoghurt
ghee or oil
1 packet "Shan" Bombay Biryani Masala

Method:
Fry onions in hot ghee or oil until golden.  Add chopped tomatoes and fry until the oil separates.

Add chicken, garlic, ginger, yoghurt and Shan Bombay Biryani Masala.  Stir-fry for about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of water (a little at a time) and cook over low heat until chicken is tender.

Increase heat and stir-fry until oil separates from the gravy.  Serve with Biryani rice, Acar Timun (cucumber pickle) and Paceri Nenas (pineapple pickle).

Paceri Nenas
Ingredients:
500 g fresh pineapple (or canned), to be cut into 1 cm cubes
1 tsp fresh tamarind, to be mixed with 4 tbsp water

Blended Ingredients:
12 stalks dried chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked in hot water
2 cloves garlic, to be sliced
1 cm ginger, to be sliced

Stir-fry Ingredients:
1 stalk curry leaves
1/2 tsp biji sawi (mustard seeds)
1 medium-size onion, to be sliced finely
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

Method:
Add blended ingredients and tamarind water (without seeds) to pineaple and mix well.

Heat oil in a pot and add the stir-fry ingredients.  Fry until fragrant.  Then, add the pineapple cubes. Cook further over low heat until the gravy is slightly thickened.

Acar Timun (Cucumber Pickle)
Ingredients:
1 long cucumber, to be quartered, seeded and sliced into 4 cm pieces
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar

Method:
Add vinegar and sugar into a small pot and bring to boil.  Leave it aside to cool.

Add chilli, coriander, turmeric powders and salt to sliced cucumber.  Mix well.  Then, pour vinegar/sugar mixture over cucumbers.  Leave overnight.  Store in a bottle for later use.

Bon Appetit!