PEPPER CHICKEN

 

Lately, I’ve been cooking chicken quite often, all thanks to the Puppy. When I order meat for him, I pick up extra for ourselves. The Puppy however, like Skip, is more excited about eggs, curd and fruits!

The other day Skip and I were discussing the food we missed eating the most during this lockdown and the conversation moved on to unconventional chocolate fusion dishes. I told him about chocolate on pizza. He gave it a thought and said he was open to try it as it would in all likelihood taste like pancakes. I next told him about the chocolate samosa. Skip gave me a weird look and then said, “Mamma, that’s called a croissant and not a samosa!” He shook his head in disapproval and walked away with his nose stuck in the air.

Look at that gorgeous colour of the chicken! I was looking for a dry(er) pepper fry recipe but this tasted delicious as well. It is mildly tangy and spicy and makes you want to lick your fingers when no-one’s looking.

Recipe is from Tasty Recipe Hut.

For more such chicken recipes, stay home, stay safe and follow me on Facebook and Instagram (Lucidlucent).

PEPPER CHICKEN

 

Ingredients:

Kashmiri red chilli – 6  

Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Black peppercorns – 2 tsp\

Onion (medium sized)- 3

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Chicken ( I used curry cut) – 500 gms

Curry leaves – 12

Additional curry leaves, coriander leaves (optional)

Salt – to taste

Water – 2/3 cup

Method:

1. Toast the dry red chillis on low flame for about 2 mins and keep it aside.

2. Toast the coriander seeds for a minute, to this add the cumin seeds and black pepper and toast till aromatic.

3.     Let the above spices cool and then grind into a fine powder.

4.     Slice the onions and fry them in oil until they brown. Once cooled, grind it into a fine paste and set aside.

5. Fry the ginger garlic paste for a minute and add the chicken pieces to it.

6. Fry the chicken till they slightly brown. Add the ground spice powder (the mixture may appear to be a lot, but it’s the right quantity for 500 gms). Mix it well until the pieces of chicken are well coated with the powder.

7.  Add the curry leaves and the ground onion paste and mix well.

8.     Add salt and mix well.

9.     Add 1/3 cup water, give the chicken a good mix and add the remaining water.

10. Cover and cook until the chicken is fully cooked (for about 15 minutes).

11. Add curry leaves, coriander leaves and some powdered pepper ( if you like it spicy) and give it all a good mix.

12. Done.

 

 

 

 

 

MATAR PANEER

22.10.2020: A paneer recipe after ages! When I started the blog, I was worried I’d be pegged as a Paneer Recipes blog as that was all I ended up posting initially. Here are some of the Paneer recipes on my blog – Chilly Paneer, Paneer Jalfrezi , Paneer Butter Masala, Paneer Bhurji , Malai Kofta, Shahi Paneer, Masala Paneer, Cottage Cheese, Corn and Broccoli Salad, Paneer Rasmalai.

I have been cooking paneer dishes all this while but the thought of clicking pictures just before dinnertime is *sigh* such a drag. The other day I asked R not to cook dinner. I wanted to try a new dish I had seen online. I later changed my mind and said I would make it for lunch instead, on a weekend. I had to click good pictures you see and that doesn’t happen post evening.

This recipe is adapted from Sanjyot Keer’s recipe.

The gravy is a bit chunky as the onions aren’t ground to a paste. The golden brown onions lend a mild sweetness to the gravy which is perfectly balanced with the tanginess from tomatoes. Roasted besan thickens the gravy. This goes best with rotis. We had this gravy with laccha paranthas and masala egg fry.

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MATAR PANEER

Ingredients:

Paneer – 250 gms

Tomatoes (medium sized) – 5 -6

Ghee/Oil

Onions (medium sized)- 2-3

Jeera (cumin)- 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Green Chilly – 1

Turmeric powder –1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder-1 tbsp

Besan (Gram flour) – 1 tbsp (roasted)

Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Green peas – 1 cup

Water – 200 ml

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsps

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.   Blend the tomatoes into a fine paste and set aside.

2.   In a pan, heat some oil/ghee. Add jeera and sauté until it splutters.

3.   Add finely chopped onions and cook until it turns golden-brown.

4.  Add ginger garlic paste, finely chopped green chilly and turmeric powder. Cook for about 2 minutes.   

5.   Add the tomato puree. Add salt to taste and cook for a minute.

6. Add besan, chilly powder, coriander powder and cook till oil begins to leave the mixture.

7.  Add green peas . Mix well, cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 5 mins. If the mixture is too dry, add a little water.

8.   After 5 minutes, add about 200 ml of water and bring the gravy to a boil.

9. Add the paneer pieces and cook for 5 minutes more.

10. Add the garam masala and kasoori methi. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on top.

11. Done.

 

Recipe notes:

·       In the original recipe, the pieces of paneer are fried in butter along with slices of ginger and chilly. I have skipped this step as I don’t like fried paneer.