Chicken Meatball

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time         : 30 mins

Yields                       : 20 pieces

Ingredients:

• Ground chicken or keema - 500 grams
• Onion                                     - 1 medium, finely chopped
• Green chilli                           - 3-4, finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves                        - 3, finely chopped
• Ginger                                    - 1 inch, finely chopped
• Green Coriander chopped  - 2 Tbsp
• Red chilli powder                - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder                     - 1/2 tsp
• Panco breadcrumbs            - 4 Tbsp
• Egg                                          - 1
• Salt                                          - As per taste
• Oil                                            - For deep frying

Method:
1. In a big mixing bowl take all the ingredients except oil. Mix together till well blended.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan for frying. When hot add 6-7 pieces of meatball into the oil. Fry in medium heat till each side turns golden in color. 

3. Remove from oil and place in a kitchen towel.

4. Serve hot meatballs with ketchup and dip of your choice.

Chicken seekh kebab

Preparation           : 15 minutes

Cooking time         : 25 mins

Serves                      : 2-3

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken                       - 400 grams
• Ginger paste                               - ½ tsp
• Garlic paste                                - ¾ tsp
• Onion                                          - 1 Tbsp, grated or very finely chopped
• Red chilli powder                      - 1 ½ tsp(Adjust as per your level)
• Cumin powder                           - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder                     - ½ tsp
• Garam masala powder             - ½ tsp
• Black pepper powder               - ½ tsp
• Cilantro                                       - 1 Tbsp, finely chopped
• Oil                                                 - 1 Tbsp
• Salt                                               - to taste
• Skewers                                       - 3-4

Method:

1. Wash the chicken properly and pat them dry using a kitchen towel. 

2. Cut them into small pieces. Put the chicken in a mixer and grind lightly into semi smooth paste.

3. Add the ground chicken in a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients except oil. Mix well.

4. Wash the skewers well. 

5. Dip you fingers in water to make wet. Now take a portion of chicken and place it around the skewer evenly. Do the same for rest of the chicken.

6. Keep the skewers in fridge for an hour.

7. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a iron skillet or frying pan.
8. Put the chicken skewers gently on oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

9. Brush little oil on top and then gently turn them. Cook on each side until they turn brownish.
10. Once cooked from all sides, remove from pan.
11. Serve hot chicken kebabs with green chutney, onions and lemon.

Chicken Tangri kebab

Ingredients:

• Chicken drumsticks(Tangri)   - 6 pieces, skinless
• Yogurt                                          - ½ cup
• Ginger paste                               - ¾ tsp
• Garlic paste                                - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder                      - 1 ½ tsp(Adjust as per your level)
• Cumin powder                           - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder                     - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder             - ½ tsp
• Black pepper powder               - ½ tsp
• Oil                                                 - 2 tsp
• Salt                                               - to taste

Accompanying salad:

• Cucumber          - 1 medium sized
• Onion                  - 1 medium sized
• Tomato               -  1
• Green Chilli       - 3-4
• Lemon juice       - 1 tsp
• Cilantro              - handful
• Salt                      - to taste

Accompanying Chutney:

• Cilantro         -  1 cup
• Garlic cloves - 4 medium sized
• Green chilli   - 4-5
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Salt                - taste

Method:
1. Wash the chicken drumsticks properly. Pat them dry with kitchen towel. 
2. Using a sharp knife make few slits on the drumsticks, not too deep.
3. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except oil and mix to a smooth marinade.
4. Add the chicken drumsticks and marinate uniformly so that all pieces are coated well with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. (Overnight is better)
5. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
6. Brush the oven rack with oil. Place the chicken drumsticks on oven rack. Brush oil on top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn the side and bake for another 20-25 minutes until lightly charred. 
8. Broil each side for 1-2 minutes until you get desired charred texture.
9. Prepare salad and chutney as given below. Serve chicken tangri kebab with accompaniments.

Accompanying salad:
Cut all the vegetables in thin long slices. Add salt and lime juice. Mix well.

Accompanying Chutney:
Put all the ingredients in blender and make a smooth paste. 

Chicken stuffed braided bread

I was waiting for something special to publish on my 100th post. But time was not really allowing me to do much of cooking since my little angel daughter was born in September last year. The 4 months old demands all attention from everyone at home and thus the over caring daddy hardly gets any time in hand to do anything in kitchen. But anyways tried to manage some time to make my 100th post. Yay!

The chicken stuffed braided bread was an awesome try and turned out really well satisfying every taste buds of everyone who devoured it. The filling could be anything of your choice, fish, paneer, vegetables or even just plain Nutella. The chicken filling is something I thought would go well for my taste and it genuinely did justice to my thought and taste buds too.

Preparation           : 1.5 hours

Cooking time         :  40 mins

Serves                      : 2-3

Ingredients:

For dough:

• All purpose flour  - 1.5 cups
• Dry Yeast               - 1 tsp
• Sugar                      - 1 tsp
• Salt                          - 3/4 tsp
• Baking powder      - 1/2 tsp
• Egg                           - 1 
• Oil                             - 2 Tbsp
• Warm milk              - 2 Tbsp
• Lukewarm water   - 2/3 cup 

For filling:

• Chicken(cooked and shredded)   - 1.5 cups
• Onion                                                - 1 small, chopped
• Ginger                                               - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
• Garlic                                                 - 3-4 pods, finely chopped
• Green chilli                                       - 2, finely chopped
• Cilantro(chopped)                          - 1 Tbsp
• Oil                                                      - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder                            - 1/3 tsp
• Salt                                                     - to taste

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl add yeast, sugar and milk. Mix well and keep aside for 15 mins for the yeast to get activated.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients for the dough in the bown. Using hand knead to form a medium soft dough. Shape the dough into a ball, apply 1 tsp oil over it. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep in a warm place for the dough to rise, about an hour.
3. For the filling, heat oil in a pan. When hot add chopped ginger and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. 
4. Add chopped onions and green chilli and cook until onions turns translucent.
5. Add shredded chicken, add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook till everything is blended well. Add chopped cilantro and mix well. Remove from heat and keep aside.

6. Dust the rolling surface with flour. Roll the dough into a long oval medium thick sheet. Transfer it into a baking sheet or baking tray.
7. Add the chicken filling at the center.
8. Using a sharp knife make slits in the rolled out dough, refer to the picture.
9. Take a strip from top, pull it over the filling across to the other end. Do it for another strip from the other side. Complete the braid in this fashion till end.

10. Apply egg wash(mix 1 egg, 1 Tbsp water) on the bread. 
(You can sprinkle some sesame seeds or cilantro on top.)

11. Pre-heat the oven at 350 F. Bake the bread for 15-20 minutes, till it turns golden brown on top.
12. Remove from oven and serve hot with dip or sauce of your choice. 

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Got this recipe from Hebbar's Kitchen. A great appetizer. 

Ingredients:

For bread dough:

• Maida/All purpose flour        - 1 cup
• Warm milk                                - ¼ cup
• Dry yeast                                   - 1 tsp
• Sugar                                          - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves                             - 3 fat ones, finely chopped
• Chilli flakes                               - a generous pinch
• Oil                                               - 1 tsp
• Butter                                         - 1 tsp(at room temperature)
• Salt                                              - 1/2 tsp

For Garlic butter:

• Butter                                      - ¼ cup melted butter
• Garlic cloves                          - 3 fat ones, finely chopped
• Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp

Other ingredients:

• Cheese                   - 1/2 cup(Any type of your choice)
• Chilli flakes          - 1 tsp
• Oregano                - 1 tsp
• Maida                    - for dusting

Method:

1. To prepare the dough, take warm milk, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes for the yeast to get active.

2. Add salt, chopped garlic, chilli flakes, butter and maida. Knead well.

3. Apply some oil to the surface of the dough and keep aside for 2 hours.

4. Prepare the garlic butter by mixing melted butter, chopped garlic and chopped coriander. Keep aside.
5. After two hours knead the dough lightly. 
6. Roll the dough flat. (Do not make it thin, it should be thick enough).

7. Apply garlic butter to the rolled dough. Sprinkle some chilli flakes and oregano.
8. Add cheese. You can use any cheese of your choice. I used Parmesan.

9. Fold the dough and seal the edges properly. 
(Make sure the sealing is done well, else cheese might melt and come out)

10. Apply some more garlic butter on top. Sprinkle chilli flakes and oregano.
11. Make thin slits not too deep.

12. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 15-17 minutes till it turns brownish.

13. Serve With dip of your choice.

Chicken Strips

A very easy but an ace appetizer. Crispy from outside and tender from inside, its a treat to chicken lovers.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast             - 1 Lb
• Lime juice                   - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder         - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves                - 3-4 fat ones
• Bread crumbs               - 1/2 cup
• Corn flour                    - 2 Tbsp
• Egg                              - 1
• Salt                             - to taste

Method:
1. Cut the chicken into thin strips of 2 inch length.
2. Crush the garlic cloves in mortar pestle. 
3. Marinate the chicken with Lime juice, salt, red chilli powder and crushed garlic. Keep aside for an hour.

4. In a bowl break in the egg. Add 1 Tbsp water and mix well.
5. Keep the bread crumb in another plate. 
6. Dust the marinated chicken pieces with corn flour to have a light coating.
7. Take a piece of chicken, dip it in egg, roll it bread crumbs to have a uniform coating. Do the same for all the pieces.
8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

9. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan.
10. When hot add chicken pieces few at a time and fry them in medium heat till golden brown and crisp.
11. Remove from oil and place in paper towel.

12. Serve hot with dip of your choice and green salad.

Spicy Hot Chicken Fry

Wifey was under the weather last week and she wanted to have something spicy, very spicy and "hot". Her level of "hot" is - you put 2 green chillies in her curry, after few nibbles she will jump around the house, sniffing and shedding tears, drinking a lot of water and gobbling down anything that tastes sweet or for that matter anything that even sounds sweet. 

Anyways, to cater to her request for spicing her mood up I came up with this recipe using a lot of peppers and chillies available on this earth in any form. And to my surprise she really enjoyed it a lot. There will be separate post though on her running around the house and sniffing and shedding tears and gobbling on sweets after she had this. 

Well here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Chicken                          -  400 grams of breast piece
• Onion                             - 1 big, sliced length wise
• Ginger                            - 1.5 inch, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Garlic cloves                 - 6 fat ones, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Green chilli                   - 6-7, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Curry leaves                  - 10-12
• Turmeric powder        - 1/3 tsp
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder      - 1 tsp
• Red chilli                      - 3-4
• Black pepper corns    - 10-12
• Salt                                - to taste
• Vegetable oil               - 2 Tbsp

To Marinte the chicken

• Ginger garlic paste     - 1 tsp
• Lime juice                    - 1 tsp
• Vegetable Oil               - 1 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder        - 1/3 tsp
• Salt                                - to taste
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Cut chicken into small pieces.
2. Marinate them with the ingredients mentioned for marination. Keep for an hour.
3. Heat oil in a pan. 
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook in medium heat. At this point chicken will release water. Drain the water and keep for later use. Fry the chicken till golden brown in color. 

5. Remove from pan and keep the chicken aside.

6. In the same oil(add more if needed), add red chilli and pepper corns. When red chilli turns brown in color add chopped garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.
7. Add chopped onion and green chilli. Saute till onions are cooked and translucent.

8. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute till masala is cooked.

9. At this point add the friend chicken pieces. Mix well.

10. Add the water that we kept aside at step 4. Add another half cup warm water. Add salt. Mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in low heat till gravy comes to a boil.
11. Remove the lid and cook in medium heat till gravy thickens and almost dries up.

12. Serve with rice or roti. Or serve as an appetizer. 

Dimer Devil - Egg Devil

Dimer Devil or Egg Devil. A very popular snack from Bengal. Well I am not sure why such an angel dish is given the name "devil". Is it because of its alluring nature? Or is it because you can hog umpteen number of them and still crave for more? Or is it because your taste buds get so high on them that nothing else really appears as good as them? I really don't know the answer. All I know is I enjoyed preparing them as much as I enjoyed devouring them. 

There could a variety of this dish. It can be made using chicken keema or fish or potato. My version is done using potato. So this is an Eggetarian friendly recipe. :)

Ingredients:

• Eggs                            - 4
• Potato                         - 3 large
• Onions                       - 1 large, chopped
• Green Chilli               - 3, finely chopped
• Ginger                        - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves      - 1 Tbsp, chopped
• Turmeric powder     - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder     - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder          - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala           - 1/2 tsp
• Salt                              - to taste
• Oil                                - For deep frying

For coating:

• All purpose flour        - 3 Tbsp
• Eggs                              - 2
• Bread crumbs             - 3/4 cup

Method:
1. Boil the eggs. Remove shell. Cut into halves, sprinkle a bit salt and keep aside.
2. Boil the potatoes. Peel them and keep aside.

3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. 
4. Add the chopped ginger and saute for a minute. 
5. Add chopped onion and green chilli and saute till onions turn translucent.

6. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder. 
7. Mash the boiled potato till smooth and add.
8. Add salt, chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Sprinkle garam masala. Cook for another minute. Remove from pan and allow it to cool.

9. Take an egg half and wrap it up with the potato mix evenly and give it a shape of egg. Do the same for all the egg halves.

10. In a bowl break in the two eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp water and mix well.

11. Roll the egg devil in all purpose flour. Then dip in egg mix. Then roll in bread crumb. Shake off the excess and keep the devils in a plate. Do the same for all the pieces.

12. Refrigerate the egg devils for 30 minutes.

13. Heat oil for deep frying. 

14. Fry the devils one by one in medium heat until golden brown.

15. Remove from oil and place in paper towel.

16. Serve hot Egg Devil with chopped onions, ketch up and kasundi.

Chingrir bora - Shrimp pakora

I got this awesome recipe from Bongmom's Cookbook. It was worth taking this risk with the shrimps. I usually don't like experimenting with shrimps for some reason, probably because they are my favorites. Anyways, I did not end the recipe with the bora(pakora). I made a curry with half of these boras and named it chingrir borar daalna. I will post the recipe later. For now enjoy these hot shrimp boras.

Ingredients:

• Shrimps                - 10-12, medium
• Red Masoor daal   - 1/3rd cup
• Onion                   - 1 medium, finely chopped
• Green chilli          - 3-4, finely chopped
• Salt                      - to taste
• Oil                       - for frying

Method:
1. Soak masoor daal in a cup of water for half an hour.
2. Chop the shrimps into small pieces.
3. Put daal and shrimp in a blender and make a smooth paste.
4. To the paste add chopped onion, chopped green chilli and salt. Mix well.

5. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, using a table spoon add small scoops of mix in the oil.
6. Fry in medium heat for a minute. Flip the side gently and fry the other side. Fry till both the sides turn golden brown.

7. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to get rid of the extra oil.

8. The tasty yummy shrimp pakora is ready to serve. Serve with chutney or sauce.