Chicken Pulao with pickled onions and tomato, raita and parathas

This is an excellent menu for those catering for a mixed bunch, some of whom like it hot and some who don't......but worry not - if everyone is up for the spice, feel free to crank up the pulao!

This Pulao is a combination and adaptation of multiple recipes actually - inspired of course by Mr Stein. Parathas and raitas can be found elsewhere on the blog - or simply invent your own spiced yoghurts. I suppose parathas aren't really necessary with a pulao....but hey, I was peckish.

Chicken Pulao, Paratha, Raita and Pickled Onion & tomato relish

Ingredients

Marinade

2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp salt

4 cm / 20g ginger

4 cloves garlic

4 tsp lime juice

2 tbsp natural yoghurt

Pickled onions

2 medium red onions, halved and sliced as finely as you can with a knife, or mandolin them

1-2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, medium chop

2-3 fresh green chillies, finely chopped in rounds, seeds in

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

Handful coriander, chopped, to serve

Stock

1 litre water

3 dried kashmiri chillies, ripped up into 3 pieces or so each

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg and/or 2 blades mace

2 indian bay leaves

2x 4cm cinnamon quills

4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised

2 black cardamom pods, lightly bruised

4 cloves

1/2 tbsp (yes, tablespoon) fennel seeds

8cm/ 50g ginger, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

Chicken Pulao

4 good sized skinless chicken breasts, cut cross grain into 2 or 3 pieces each

3 tbsp/ 15g ghee or vegetable oil

10 black peppercorns

2 medium red onions, finely chopped (or sliced if you prefer)

400g basmati rice (rinsed through in warm water 5 times and drained)

750ml stock (the one above - if you reduced too much, add water to make up 750ml)

Pinch saffron infused in 2 tbsp warm milk for 15 mins

55g cashew nuts fried in ghee until golden, to finish

Method

Place the yoghurt in a Nutri-bullet or similar mini food processor along with the garlic and ginger and blend. Transfer to glass bowl and add remaining marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces and mix thoroughly. Cover and place in fridge for at least an hour or preferably 3.

Next make the stock. Place everything in a pan, bring up to almost a boil, then turn down and simmer for 20 mins. Turn off heat, leave to cool and then strain, reserving the stock and discarding the sieved spices and onion.

Next, the pickled onions. Mix everything together in a bowl except the coriander. (Mix that through just before serving). 

Onto the Pulao! Heat the oil in large heavy based pan over medium heat. Fry the peppercorns for about 1 min then add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the chicken with the marinade and cook for 10 mins. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil, then add the stock. 

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low-medium simmer, cover with well fitting lid (or double up with foil as well as lid) and cook for 15 mins.

Use this opportunity to mix up your raita, cook your parathas and keep them warm.

Remove the Pulao from the heat, add the saffron milk, cover and rest for 5 mins.

Scatter with the cashews and coriander, and serve.

Chicken Passanda (With Tarka dal & Mushroom Pulao)

Chicken Passanda (With Tarka dal & Mushroom Pulao)

I have come to the conclusion that it will take some doing to prevent me from marinating all chicken dishes in variants of the one used for Butter Chicken etc. So, whilst this recipe didn't call for it, I did it anyway and thoroughly enjoyable it was too. 
(You can find the Tarka Dal elsewhere on the blog)

Chicken Passanda with Tarka Dal and Mushroom Pulao

Onto the method then:

Chicken Passanda
Marinade 1
4 skinless chicken breasts cut cross grain into 2 or 3 good sized pieces
Juice 2 limes
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp salt.
Put chicken in bowl & mix all the other ingredients well together. Cover and place in fridge for an hour.
Marinade 2
50g Natural Yoghurt
50g Double Cream
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Dhania Jeera
In a Nutri-bullet or similar small blender or food processor, mix the yoghurt, cream, garlic and ginger. Transfer to glass bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients.

Add to the marinating chicken, cover and return to fridge for as long as possible but at least 3 hours. (I have let this go overnight without problems)

3 tbsp/ 15g ghee or vegetable oil (or mix)
5 cm cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom pods, slightly bashed with rolling pin or similar
2 red onions, finely chopped
3 cm ginger - pulped or finely grated
4 gloves garlic - crushed
1 tsp Gound coriander or dhania jeera also fine
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp salt
100ml water
Handful toasted flaked almonds
Handful fresh coriander, chopped

Method:
Heat oven to 240c or max. Place chicken pieces on oiled wire rack over tray or thread onto oiled metal skewers. Roast for 30 or so mins until almost cooked and lightly charred in places.
Remove and set aside.

Heat oil/ ghee in large heavy pan over medium heat. Add cinnamon and cardamom and fry for 30 secs, then add onion and fry until golden brown. Stir in Ginger and garlic and fry for a further 2-3 minutes then add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and fry for 30 secs.
Add the chicken, ground almonds, salt and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked. You can add a dollop more plain yoghurt if you like.

Scatter over the toasted almonds and chopped coriander to serve.

Mushroom Pulao
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 bruised green cardamom pods
5 cm cinnamon quill
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cm ginger, finely grated of pulped
3 cloves garlic, finely crushed
50 g dried mushrooms - soaked in boiling water for 30 mins, or use fresh mushrooms of any type you choose. (I tried it with dried porcini and whilst the flavour was good, they were a bit on the chewy side)
1 tsp salt
350g basmati rice, rinsed through 5 times in warm water and drained
500ml water
Handful fresh chopped coriander
3 green chillies, chopped (seeds in)

Method:
Heat oil in large heavy based pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cardamom pods and cinnamon and fry for 30 secs. Add the onion and fry until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic, frying for another 2 mins or so, then add the drained mushrooms/ fresh mushrooms and salt. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil. Pour int he water and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with lid. Cook for about 8-10 mins or until all the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove from heat and leave to stand for 10 mins with the lid on.
Scatter with the chillies and coriander and serve.

Stir Fried Beef with Black Beans

Stir Fried Beef with black beans

This one is based on Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey dish, but to be frank, as a stir fry, you can depart as much as you like from the recipe and make it your own. I usually have omissions and inclusions, some of which I will highlight. Despite the length of the ingredients list and methods, this is extremely quick to prepare and cook - even more so when you get the idea of the various tastes. 

Ingredients
Steak - c. 500g of rump, Sirloin, frying steak or even fillet - trimmed of all fat and sliced across the grain into strips between 3mm and 5mm. (Note - this is made easier by putting your steak in the freezer for about 15-20 mins. once sliced though, bring back up to room temp before cooking)
4 tbsp Chinese fermented salted black beans
4 tsp Palm sugar/ Jaggery
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
2tsp cornflour/ Arrowroot powder (ensure you slake this in a cup with a little water before adding to hot stock to ensure no lumps)
6 tbsp Infused Chicken Stock (*See below)
3 tbsp vegetable oil/ Peanut oil/ Groundnut oil/ Coconut oil
50g peeled ginger, finely shredded
20g garlic, finely chopped
2-4 red chillies, chopped
4 stalks lemongrass, core finely chopped
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
Supermarket pack of two bok choi/ Pak choi, cut across into 3cm or so slices
225g bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed and sliced
2 tbsp kecap Manis (*See below)
Optional extras - Any other greenery you fancy - e.g. Spring onions, mange tout, halved, green beans etc; Noodles - either straight to wok type or prepared separately as per Vietnamese Pho Bo recipe on this blog; 
Fresh squeezed Lime Juice to taste
Chopped Coriander to serve (you can also include chopped thai basil or mint if you like)

Infused Chicken Stock
If you have time, by all means do the job properly and make Rick's Asian Chicken Stock. If not however, here is a speedier and easier alternative which does the job and you can freeze ahead of time. 
This makes 500ml. 
Take 1 decent chicken stock cube (I use Kallo organic) plus 1 tsp Bouillon vegetable stock powder and crumble into pan. mix 600ml boiling water and put on low simmer.
Add 2 bruised cloves garlic; 4cm fresh peeled ginger, sliced and bruised; 1 star anise; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns.
Optional - I also add 1 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass core, 2 chopped green chillies and 1 tbsp fresh green peppercorns. PLUS - a dash of nam pla.
Add all the above into the stock and bring to the boil. Cover, remove from heat and leave to infuse for as long as you can but at least 30 mins.

Kecap Manis - Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce
In a small saucepan bring to the boil 3 tbsp Soy sauce with 5 tbsp Palm sugar/ soft brown sugar (1/4 cup Soy sauce with 1/4 + 1/8 cup Sugar). Reduce to consistency of maple syrup - although not too much as it will thicken as it cools.

Method

• Mash the black beans, sugar, sesame oil and shrimp paste into a coarse paste in a bowl with back of a spoon
• Mix the cornflour/ arrowroot with the stock and set aside
• Heat up the wok until smoking. Add vegetable oil
• Add Ginger, garlic, chilli and when starting to colour, add the bean and shrimp paste mixture and stir
• Add the beef and lemongrass and stir fry for a minute
• Add the rice wine, bamboo shoots and the harder greenery such as beans if using and stir fry for 30 secs
• Add the bok choi (and spring onions if using) and stir fry for a few more seconds until bok choi is wilted
• Add the kecap manis and cornflower & stock mixture (and the noodles if using) and toss together until the noodles are coated and the sauce has thickened
• Adjust seasoning to taste - it should be salty and sweet plus add a little more stock if your dish is a little dry
• Serve immediately, With some wedges of fresh lime and chopped coriander. 

Chicken Biryani

First off - posting a recipe for a Biryani is similar to posting recipes for Paellas, Cassoulets and so on - there is always going to be huge disagreement. So I ask you to bear with me, and either try this, or go with your own recipe!

I can tell you that this particular recipe, which combines elements from Mr Stein, Kaushy Patel and myself did not disappoint - learned some lessons along the way which I shall incorporate into the method section!

I've made this Biryani with cumin infused rice - which I liked because it adds further caramalised onions into the finished dish, and I like onions. (I inadvertently ate too many of the crispy onions whilst cooking the rest of the dish so worked out for the best)



Chicken Biryani with cumin infused rice and hot mint raita


Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts/ 500g thighs etc

Marinade
250ml natural yoghurt
6 cloves (30g) garlic, finely pulped
6cm (30g) fresh root ginger, finely pulped
4 fresh green finger chillies, finely sliced in rounds, seeds left in
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp Dhania Jeera (or 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin if you don't have this made - spice mix elsewhere on this blog)
1 tsp Tumeric

Crispy fried onions
300ml sunflower oil
3 medium red onions finely sliced, plus 3 echalion/ banana shallots finely sliced
10 whole cloves
6 cm piece cinnamon stick
8 green cardamom pods, bashed slighly with pestle but still intact
2 or 3 indian bay leaves - note that ordinary bay leaves are NOT a substitute - if you don't have these, try adding a tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp salt

Rice
300g Basmati rice
75ml sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, finely sliced
3 echalion shallots, finely sliced
1 tsp salt

To assemble
100g ghee, clarified butter or 100ml sunflower oil/ coconut oil
About 4 or 5 strands saffron soaked in 4 tbsp warmed milk for 15 mins
2 tsp rosewater
Handful plain cashew nuts, dry roasted in pan
Handful plain pistachio nuts, dry roasted in pan

Raita
250ml Natural Yoghurt
2 tbsp Hot Mint Jelly *See elsewhere on blog

Method

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add in the chicken pieces and toss with your hands until thoroughly coated. Cover with cling film and marinate for at least an hour

Now make the onions: heat the oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 10-15 mins or so until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and place on kitchen roll to drain. Set to one side and try not to eat them.
Pour most of the excess oil into a jug, leaving about 3 tbsp remaining in the pan.

Next, add the whole spices to the pan and fry for about a minute, then add the chicken with all its marinade, and ground cinnamon if you didn't have Indian bay leaves.

Bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes and salt. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins until the chicken is just cooked. Keep warm.

Now for the rice.
Rinse the rice twice in a sieve under warm water then drain. Heat the oil (use the left over oil from the onions) in a fairly large pan for a minute on medium heat then stir in the cumin seeds. Watch them carefully to ensure they don't burn - when they start turning brown, stir in the onions.
Increase the heat to high and cover the pan. Cook for 2 mins at a time, stirring each pause until the onions are dark brown but not burnt. This should take about 8 mins total.
Add in the rice, stir gently, add the salt and 900ml boiling water. Boil, uncovered for 7 mins until the rice begins to look dry, then place foil tucked round the edges of the rice within the pan, then put the lid on, turn the heat down to minimum and cook for further 7 mins. Remove from heat and you are then ready to assemble the next phase. (Do not allow to cool too much - you want to crack on at this point)

First put about 3 tbsp water and half the ghee/ butter/ oil in the bottom of a heavy casserole type pan, and spoon in about a third of the rice. Sprinkle over about a third of the saffron milk and rosewater, followed by half the chicken. (Note: If your chicken still has a fair amount of "sauce" still in the pan, use a slotted spoon to transfer into the casserole dish to ensure not too much liquid comes with it. This will make the rice too soggy).
Then add a a layer of about a third of the crispy onions. Repeat the above then finish with the last of the rice, splash over the remainng saffron milk and rosewater. Set aside the remaining onions though - you'll want them to garnish later.

Drizzle the remaining ghee/ oil around the edge of the pan (you may find it helpful to run a spatula around the edge first so the oil runs down the inside of the pan)
Put over a high heat until you can see steam rising from the water and ghee - then tuck foil around the edge of the rice, followed by the lid. Turn down the heat to minimum and cook for 30 mins.

Spoon out onto large platter, scatter with the remaining onions, the roasted nuts and some fresh chopped coriander. Serve with the raita.

Thoran ~ Dry curry of Cabbage, Carrot & Coconut

Of course, the recipe is for Cabbage, but you can use whatever you have avaiable. I mixed Curly Kale and Savoy Cabbage.
This is another Keralan dish from Rick Stein's India.

Tarka Dal top, Thoran below.

Ingredients

3tbsp coconut oil (readily available online) or you can use Sunflower, Rapeseed, Peanut etc
3 tsp black/ brown mustard seeds
2 tbsp fresh curry leaves* (I use 2 tsp Curry leaf powder - dried leaves don't seem to do much)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 or 3 dried kashmiri chillies - ripped into 2 or 3 pieces each
30g/ 6cm piece root ginger, finely grated
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped and mashed to paste (*Optional)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Greens! I used 1 medium savoy cabbage, chiffonaded to about 5mm and half a typical supermarket bag of curly kale
2 carrots, diced to 1/2cm or so
2 fresh green chillies, sliced into thin rounds, seeds left in
100g fresh or frozen coconut, finely grated

Method

Heat the oil over medium heat in heavy based saute pan. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, followed by the fresh curry leaves (if using), cumin seeds and dried chillies. Stir for about 30 secs, then add the ginger, (and garlic if using) followed by the curry leaf powder (if using), turmeric, salt and black pepper. Fry for another 30 secs
Stir in the cabbage/ greens and carrots and cook, covered over a medium heat for about 5-7 mins, until the vegetables are tender - you can add a splash of water if required
Stir in the green chillies and the coconut. Heat through for a minute or so, then serve.

I like to make this with quite a kick so used some pretty powerful green chillies. If you are using ones from supermarkets make sure they are finger chillies/ birds eye rather than the fatter "medium" ones. (Or just use more medium ones)

Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani

The Christmas Break is over, and I now have time once again to devote to this blog - apologies for the lack of posts recently!

We commence with Butter Chicken - this recipe based on Rick Steins India version - and it is fabulous if made with care!
Complimenting this was the ubiquitous Green Coriander Rice, Tarka Dal and something new - Thoran - which I will post separately.



Butter Chicken, Lila Dhania Baath, Thoran & Tarka Dal



A great feast with great friends!

SO, to the Butter Chicken:

Ingredients

4 large skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 2 or 3 big chunks

Marinade 1
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 tsp Salt

Mariande 2
50g Natural Yoghurt
50g Double Cream
20g/ 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
25g/ 5cm root ginger - finely chopped
1 tsp Garam Masala - see elsewhere on this blog
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Dhania Jeera (See Masala dabba) - or half and half ground coriander and ground cumin

Sauce
50g Ghee / Unsalted clarified butter / Sunflower or Coconut oil
25g/ 5 cloves garlic - finely crushed
25g/ 5cm root ginger - finely grated
400g Tomato passata
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 1/2 tsp Dhania Jeera -or half and half ground coriander and ground cumin
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tsp salt
200ml water
25g cashew nuts (Plain)
25g pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves/ 1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 1/2 tsp Curry leaf powder
1/2 tsp caster sugar
50 ml Double cream

To finish
Pinch of Chat masala (elsewhere on this blog)
Big handful of fresh coriander - thin stalks very finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
15g/ 3cm root ginger - very finely shredded

Method

Mix the first mariande ingredients in large bowl, add chicken, stir around, cover with cling film and place in fridge for an hour or so

For the second marinade mix all the ingredients together - in a food processor if you like but I left as per ingredients list. Add to the chicken bowl and mix well (get your hands in there!). Cover and return to fridge for at least 4 hours

Preheat oven to 240 degrees C/ Gas 9 or as high as oven will go. Or boot up the BBQ.

Using either skewers or a grill rack, you want to lightly char all the chicken pieces but not cook them through and certainly not drying them out - they finish cooking in the sauce later

For the sauce: heat the Ghee/ oil of medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a minute (take care not to let this burn), then add the tomato passata and bring to a simmer for 5 mins. Add all the spices, coconut, salt and 100ml of the water and simmer for a further 10 mins. In a mini blitzer/ food processor, or using a pestle and mortar, blend the cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds and boiling water into a paste. Stir this into the sauce, followed by the chicken pieces and another 100ml water.
Simmer for 10 mins, check the chicken is completely cooked through, then stir in the fenugreek, sugar, cream and the coriander stalks - simmer for a further 2 mins. Sprinkle with the chat masala, garnish with the coriander leaves and the shredded ginger, then serve.

PS: I confess to using more cream than the recipe. I also made this again the following day using some beef I had (I've never heard of Butter Beef but the sauce is so good.....why not!). I caution that if using beef, you must leave simmering much longer and using more water in the stages prior to the final cream addition.