Chicken with a taste of fennel

What you will need:

• Chicken - 1 lb (1/2 kg)
• Onions - 1 large, finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Green chillies - 2 to 3
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ginger - 1 " piece
• Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves
• Coriander leaves - 3 to 4 strands
• Cinnamon stick - 1 " piece
• Cloves - 4
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

How to prepare

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cinnamon, cloves, green chillies, fennel seeds, chopped ginger garlic. Saute for about a minute. Let it cool and then blend it with the chopped tomatoes into a fine paste.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions until light brown. 
• Now add the turmeric powder, salt and chicken pieces and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to medium and add the blended tomato mixture.
• Cover and cook well until the chicken is done. If the mixture gets dry while cooking, you can sprinkle some water from time to time.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with either rice or chapatis.

Capsicum Chicken

What you will need:

• Chicken - 1 lb (about 1/2 kg)
  
• Capsicum - green and red, sliced ( also yellow and orange if you can find them)
• Onions - 2 medium, sliced
• Tomato - 1 large, finely chopped ( or you can use store bought tomato paste - use 2 tbsp)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 strands, finely chopped
• Mint leaves (optional) - 3 to 4 leaves, finely chopped
• Oil - 1 tbsp  

For the marinade:

• Yogurt - 2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

How to prepare

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken and keep aside in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. 
•  Add the chicken with the marinade in a pressure cooked and add 1/4 cup of water. Cook until 2 whistles. The chicken actually looks weird when cooked this way. This is because the water from the yogurt separates and forms little lumps, but it still tastes great and the chicken is cooked really well.
• Instead you can heat oil, add the marinated chicken, fry for 2 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook until the chicken is done.
• Heat oil in a separate pan. Add cumin seeds. When the cumin crackles, add sliced onions. Fry until transluscent.
• Add capsicum/green peppers and chopped red peppers and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomato ( or tomato paste). Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. 
• Now place the cooked chicken on top of the capsicum mixture. Cover and cook on a very low flame for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken sit in the mixture for some more time to let the chicken absorb the flavor of the capsicum.
• Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Chicken Biryani

What you will need:

For marinating the chicken:

• Thick Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Green chillies - 4
• Peppercorns - 1 tsp, slightly crushed
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Whole garam masala (bay leaf, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon etc)
• Salt to taste

Rest of the ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Chicken - 600 gms
• Onions - 2 large, sliced and deep fried
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Saffron soaked in warm milk - 1 tsp
• Oil/Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

How to prepare
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade with the chicken and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Boil 4 cups of water and add 1 tsp of oil and some salt. Add the basmati rice. When it is 75% done, turn the heat off and drain all the water.
Heat a thick bottomed pan. Pour 2 tbsp of oil. Add the chicken with the marinade. Spread half of the rice on top of the chicken. Spread some fried onions, mint and coriander leaves. Spread the rest of the rice. Add the saffron soaked, rest of the onions, mint and coriander leaves. Cover and cook on a low flame for about 40 minutes. Serve the spicy chicken biryani with raitha.

Murgh Do Pyaza (Chicken with onions)

What you will need:
750 gms chicken
2 Large onions - sliced
Ginger - 2" piece chopped
Garlic - 4 big pods, finely chopped
Tomato paste - 3 tbsp or 2 small finely chopped tomatoes
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

How to prepare
Heat ghee. Add sliced ginger, garlic and sliced onions. Fry until the onions turn brown. Add the tomato paste/chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Now add the chicken pieces, salt and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook until the chicken is done. Add garam masala powder and mix. Turn the heat off.
Serve hot with naan, parantha or chapati.

Murgh Musallam

What you will need:
750 gms Chicken
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3-4 green chillies
1/2 tsp red chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 small onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped or 4 tbsp tomato paste.
5-6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds
1" cinnamon
4-5 cloves
Almonds - 10 soaked in water
Fresh Cream - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 4 to 5 strands
Oil - 2 tbsp

How to prepare
Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chopped green chillies and salt. Remove the skin of the soaked almond and make a paste.
Heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds and peppercorns. Add chopped onion and fry until the onions turn brown. Set aside and allow it to cool. After it cools down, grind it into a smooth paste.
Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion paste and saute for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes get mashed up. Add the marinated chicken and almond paste. Cover and cook until the chicken is done. Add the fresh cream and cook for one minute. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan, chapati or rice.

Grilled Chicken Kabab

What you will need:

• Chicken - about 4 to 5 pieces
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 4 tsp
• Thick yogurt - 1 tbsp, drain all the water
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Butter/Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

How to prepare
Mix all the ingredients except the butter/oil. Make a paste and marinate the chicken pieces in the paste for about 1-2 hours. Apply butter/oil to the grill and grill the chicken pieces until they are done. Serve hot.

Chicken Sukka

What you will need:

• Chicken - 12 pieces, cut into small cubes
• Whole dry red chillies - 12 to 15 (or less if you do not like it too hot)
• Onions - 2 medium, finely chopped
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coconut grated - 1.5 cups
• Clarified butter / Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Tamarind - lemon sized, exctract a thick juice
• Garlic - 12 - 15, finely chopped (Use 6 - 8, if using american garlic)
• Curry leaves - 2 strands
• Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
• Black peppercorns - 6 to 8
• Caraway seeds (shahi jeera) - 1 teaspoon
• Green cardamoms - 2 to 3
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

How to prepare
Dry roast poppy seeds, black peppercorns, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, green cardamoms, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Cool and grind with coconut and 12 red chillies to a coarse paste, adding the tamarind juice. Add the cumin seeds and grind coarsely. The coconut mixture should be dry and coarse.
Heat half of the ghee in a pan. Add chopped garlic and 2 whole dry red chillies. Add salt and turmeric powder. Now add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is almost cooked on a low flame without adding water. Add the coconut and spice mixture and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is completely done.
Heat the remaining ghee in a pan. Add the curry leaves, stir-fry briefly and then add the chopped onion. Fry the onion until golden brown and pour it over the cooked chicken. Serve hot.

Tandoori Chicken drumsticks

 

 

Chicken drumsticks made in tandoori style by baking in an oven is a very healthy way to cook chicken. Also it is a must-have if you are having a party at your place because you can marinate it ahead of time and then just put in the oven when the guest arrive and serve it nice and hot from the oven.

 

What you will need:

• Chicken drumsticks - 4 pieces, skin removed
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Yogurt - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

How to prepare

Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth to remove all the water. Mix the yogurt with ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, tumeric powder, lemon juice, coriander and cumin powders and salt.

Leave it to marinate for atleast an hour. If leaving it for longer, put it in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven at 400F. Place the chicken drumsticks on the baking tray and pour some olive oil over the drumsticks. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn them over. Bake for another 15 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Butter Fried Chicken

What you will need:
Chicken - 1lb (pound), boneless, cut into pieces

Chilli powder - 3 tsp

Tamarind juice - 1/2 tsp, thick

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Butter - 2 tbsp, melted

Fresh curry leaves - 2 strands

Salt to taste

How to prepare

In a bowl, take 1 tbsp of butter and mix it with chilli powder, salt, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste and tamarind juice. Poke the chicken pieces with a fork so that it can absorb the marination well. Apply the paste to the chicken pieces and leave it to marinate in the refrigerator for atleast 4 hours or overnight.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a pan. Add the curry leaves. Now add the chicken pieces with all the paste. Cook until the chicken is done.

I did not make too much masala , but if you want more gravy, just increase the amounts of all the powders to 1.5 times.

Spicy pepper chicken

What you will need:
Boneless chicken - 1/2 pound ( or 250gms)
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Curd/ yogurt - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

How to prepare
Cut the boneless chicken into cubes. Mix the lemon juice with red chilli powder, salt, ginger garlic paste and yogurt and rub it to the chicken pieces and leave it to marinate for atleast 2 hours.
The longer you marinate, the better the flavor of the chicken. I sometimes marinate it and leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat oil in a pan. Add curry leaves. Now add the chicken pieces and the pepper powder. Cover and cook. Make sure the chicken does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a little water if required. Cook until the chicken is cooked.
Sprinkle some pepper powder on top and serve hot.