Kokur Yakhni (Kashmiri Spice System) - made on 18th Feb, 2012

What did I use:

8 medium pieces (about 800  grams) of chicken
1  cups water
2  cup(s) yoghurt beaten
1  teaspoon(s) each of cumin seeds and hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
1  teaspoon(s) each of dry ginger powder and cinnamon powder
2  teaspoon(s) fennel seed (saunf) powder
2  green cardamoms powdered
2  each of red chillies and cloves
2  tablespoons oil
salt to taste 

How did I Cook:

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.

Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Now add the chicken pieces and saute on a medium level for about 4 minutes or till it leaves the fat.

Add the salt, red chillies, fennel seed and the dry ginger powders. Fry for a few seconds.

Now add the cloves, cardamom powder and fry for a few more seconds. Reduce the heat and add the beaten yoghurt. Stir well and add the water. Keep stirring till it starts boiling.

Cover and cook on low level for another 20 minutes or till the chicken pieces are well cooked.

Sprinkle the hot spice mix, the cinnamon powder and keep tightly covered for a while to trap the aroma within.

Malvani Chicken Curry (Maharashtrian Kombi Masala) - made on 28th January 2012

What did I use:

8 medium sized chicken pcs.

1 coconut grated

4 onions chopped

1 tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder & 2 tsp spice mix (garam Masala)

8 green chili chopped

2 tbs ginger and garlic

3 tbs Oil

Salt to taste

How did I cook:

Grind half of the green chilies to a paste and mix it well with the ginger and garlic pastes. Make cuts on the chicken pieces, rub this mixture on to them well and marinate for about an hour at least.
Roast coconut shavings in a little hot oil till light brown. Cool and grind along with half the onions to a paste.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and saute the onions on medium level for about 2 minutes or till they are light brown in color.

Add the remaining chopped green chilies, spice powders and fry for a few seconds. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry on medium level for about 3 minutes or till they are lightly browned.

Chicken Masala (Tikka Masala spice system) - made on 26th January 2012

What did I use:

1. 6 Chicken thigh pieces (boneless)
2. 6 tbsp. Yoghurt
3. 1 tsp red chili powder
4. 1 tbsp Garlic past
5. 2 tbsp Ginger paste
6. 1 tsp Cumin Powder
7. 1 tsp Curry Powder (Garam Masala)
8. 4-5 tsp lemon juice
9. Salt to taste  

For Gravy

1. 2 Tomatoes(chopped)
2. 1 Onion
3. 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
4. ½ tsp. Cumin powder
5. ½ tsp. Coriander powder
6. ¼ cup Milk
7. 1 tsp Sugar
8. Salt to taste

 How did I cook

Cut chicken into smaller pieces. Drain the water after washing the chicken.

Mix all ingredients for the marinade and add chicken into it. Set aside for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil and add ginger, garlic paste. Fry a little and add chopped onions.
Keep heat on high to slightly caramelize the onions. Caramelizing onions enhances its flavors for this dish.
When onions turn golden, add chopped tomatoes and keep frying on medium heat until the oil separates.
Add cumin and coriander powder. Mix well. 
Add tomato and yogurt. And cook for 5 minutes.
Add salt and sugar and drop the marinated chicken pieces in it.
Let it simmer for 5 minutes on low heat and let the flavors mingle a little.
Increase heat to high and incorporate milk slowly. Stirring continuously.
Once the gravy is of right consistency, reduce heat to low. 
Prepare any garnish.
Serve with white rice.

Chicken with Gravy - made on 15th Jan, 2012

Chicken Biriyani (Hyderabadi Spice System) with Gravy & Chicken Shahi Kormaa without Grave - made on 30th October 2011

Murg Masallam made on 25th September 2011

What did I use:
2  tablespoon(s) each poppy seeds and cashewnuts
1  teaspoon(s) each of cumin ans fenugreek (methi) seeds
1  large onion(s)
2  flakes of garlic
1  tablespoon(s) chopped ginger
4  tablespoon(s) oil
1  cinnamon stick(s) of 1"(each)
2  bay leaves
2  teaspoon(s) red chilli powder
1  teaspoon(s) hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
2  large tomatoes pureed
salt to taste
9  medium pieces (about 500 grams) of chicken
6  tablespoon(s) thick yoghurt beaten till smooth
finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish

How did I cook:

Roast the poppy seeds lightly and soak it along with cashewnuts in the warm water for about 1 hour. Grind to a fine paste with the water.

Roast the cumin and fenugreek seeds lightly. Dry grind to a fine powder.
Grind the onion, garlic and ginger to a fine paste.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Fry the cinnamon and bay leaves briefly till aromatic. Add the onion paste and fry for about 3  minutes or till rich golden brown.

Add the cumin-fenugreek powder, red chilli powder, hot spice mix (garam masala), pureed tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10  minutes.

Increase the heat and add the chicken pieces and fry well for about 10  minutes such that the spice flavors permeated through the chicken.

Reduce the heat and add the poppy seed-cashewnut paste stirring well. Fry for about 2  minute(s).

Reduce the heat and add the yoghurt stirring briskly to avoid curdling. Simmer for about 5  minutes (stir once mid-way) or till the chicken is tender, the gravy is thick and oil has separated.

Butter Chicken with Parantha made on 13th August 2011

For Parantha: 
 
What did I use: 

• Whole wheat flour – 3 cups
• Water – as required to make dough
• Oil or ghee – 1/2 tea spoon for each paratha
• Salt – as per taste if required 

How did I cook:

• Mix flour, salt and make soft dough by adding water little by little as required.
• Apply one teaspoon of oil on the surface of the dough and keep it covered for 30 minutes.
• Now shape the dough into balls. You can make 12 to 15 pieces as shown in photograph.
• By using a chapatti roller and rolling pin, spread a dough ball in circular shape.
• Use dry flour for dusting to avoid stickiness while rolling.
• Apply oil or ghee on the surface; first fold it to a half circle; apply light oil again and further fold it to a quarter circle to look like a triangle.
• Roll it again to shape it to a larger triangular shape as shown.
• Now put it on a hot tava (griddle), cook on both sides by applying light coat of ghee or oil. (See the photographs to know how the surface swells while cooking in tava).
• Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls also.

 
For Butter Chicken

What did I use:
 

• 150ml plain natural yoghurt 
• 50g ground almonds 
• 1 ½ tsp chilli powder 
• ¼ tsp crushed bay leaves 
• ¼ tsp ground cloves 
• ¼tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• 4 green cardamom pods 
• 1 tsp ginger pulp 
• 1 tsp garlic pulp 
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 ¼ tsp salt 
• 1kg skinless chicken breast fillets
• 75g butter 
• 1 tbsp oil 
• 2 medium onions, sliced 
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 4 tbsp cream

How did I cook:

• Place the yoghurt, ground almonds, all the dry spices, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and salt in a mixing bowl and blend together well.
• Place the chicken fillets into a large mixing bowl and pour the yoghurt mixture over and set aside.
• In a large frying pan heat the oil and butter together. 
• Add the onions and fry for about 3 minutes. 
• Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in about half of the coriander and mix well. 
• Pour over the cream and stir in well and bring to the boil. 
• Garnish the Indian butter chicken with the remaining chopped coriander.
• Serve with parantha.    

Simple chicken...made on 22nd July 2011

Spicy Chicken - made on 30th June 2011