BBQ Chicken

I made this Grilled Platter some days back for us at dinner time...We both loved this..it was simply collection of Seekh kababs,Grilled chicken,Shami kababs and some fresh salad !! its really a great way to enjoy something other then regular meal 

Here i am sharing BBQ style Grilled Chicken. Will share Seekh Kabab Recipe in my next post...

INGREDIENTS


4 pieces Chicken prefer thigh n legs)
1 Onion
1tbsp Tomato ketchup
1tsp Garlic paste
1tsp Soya Sauce
1tbsp Vinegar
1tsp Chili flacks
8 Black pepper (crushed)
1/2tsp Woshershir sauce
1tbsp BBQ Sauce*
1tbsp Oil
1tsp Salt



DIRECTIONS

• Mix all sauce with garlic,black pepper,chili,salt properly.
• Make 2-3 slits on the chicken thigh with the help of knife.
• Take chicken and onion pieces in bowl and mix in 3/4 of marinade. Seal the bowl and let it marinade in fridge for at least 2 hours(prefer overnight)
• Heat grill pan or simple pan.Take chicken out of the marinade and fry on pan 7-10 minutes each side.
• Baste it with remaining marinade and fry for further 3-4 minutes each side.It will help to get caramelize the skin.
• Serve hot with some salad.

* Home made BBQ Sauce: (3tbspDark Brown Sugar + 2tbsp Ketchup + 1tbsp Red Wine Vinegar + 2tbsp   Water + 1/2tsp Worcestershire Sauce + 1tsp chili powder + 1/2tsp Salt +1/4 tsp Black Pepper)

# BBQ Sauce can be stored in fridge up to month.

## Discard the marinade after taking out the chicken from it.DON'T use that while grilling.

Spicy Pan-Fried Okra

This dish,also known as  bharwan bhindi (भरवां भिंडी), is very popular in north India..At weddings there is always a stall of pan fried veggies like potatoes,tomatoes,capsicum,okra etc.there are several other versions of this..but,the recipe here is from eastern UP..People crave over for this... 

Also,This spice mixture can be used for making any pan fried vegetables ...this is one of many spice powder mixture you can find in our kitchen along with Garam Masala,Sambhar Masala..

Steaming hot over the Pan,ready to be served ! 

INDREDIENTS

250 gm Okra/Bhindi(medium size)
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Indian five spice/Panchforan*
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Dry mango powder
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Oil


DIRECTIONS

• Wash and pat dry the okra.Cut the head and tails of all and keep aside.
• Dry roast cumin seeds and five spice on low heat in pan for minutes(until it starts crackling).remove it from pan and let it cool down for 2 minutes.
• Crush and make coarse powder of above spice.
• Mix in the all spices together in bowl.
• Make a slit in each okra and remove seeds and middle white cord carefully without tearing apart the okra.
• Stuff the some spice mixture in each okra slitting.
• Heat oil in frying pan over high heat.Fry 6-7 okra at a time for 1 minutes each side.Once all okras are fried.Place all okras over pan and switch off the flame.It will make the skin crispy.
• Serve hot as side dish with your main coarse.

#Sprinkle remaining spice mix over fried okra while serving.

* Panchforan : Its a mixture if five spices.. Fennel seeds+Nigella seeds+Mustard seeds +Fenugreek seeds+Cumin seeds in the ratio of 1:1:2:2:2

Vampire's Bread

I made this some days back on Sunday ..usually we use have bread jam as breakfast way back in childhood time..n we still love them.This time i just thought,why not make bread with jam stuffing !! then as a dare i decided to make braided one..  

Right from the beginning,i was thinking of the appropriate name for this but as soon as i cut this freshly baked bread and melted red jam started oozing out,i got my name VAMPIRE'S BREAD !! 

I used my usual bread recipe.While making this main thing to keep in mind is that bread dough must not be too thin while stuffing otherwise jam will ooze out while baking and will make it messy.(its ok if little bit crack comes while baking like mine ).

INGREDIENTS

1.5 Cup All purpose flour

1 tsp Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Cup Jam(i used mixed fruit)

2 tbsp milk or 1 egg white for brushing top

DIRECTIONS

• Mix yeast in luke warm milk and leave it for 10 minutes.than add sugar and oil and mix well.
• Mix both flour and salt in a bowl,make a well in center.Add milk mixture and make a soft dough using greased hand.Leave the dough covered in kitchen for 1 hour.it will become double in size by this time.
• Divide the dough in 3 equal parts.Take one at a time,roll it into (1 inch thick) log shape.Spread 1.5 tbsp jam in center and seal the edges using some water.
• You will get 3 jam filled logs.Now stick their 1 edge together.then loosely braid them carefully and stick their another edge.(pictorial presentation is in below picture)
• Place it carefully on baking pan,brush the top with egg white or milk and bake for 20-10 minutes on 170'C.
• Let it cool down completely before cutting.

# I filled mixed fruit jam as its our favorite..you can use any of your choice..

Mini Ras-Malai

This Indian dessert doesn't need any introduction ! Contrary to its popularity,people generally hesistate to prepare them at home as its bit time consuming process(with some muscle need too )
Well i tried them first time too...In Mathura we use have smaller version of them called Malai-Laddoo...As a kid we loved them as there were no account of how many we had them in single scoop 

On google you will get different version like with eggs,or flour (some even uploaded store brought Ras-gullas just dunked in thick scented milk as home made Ras Malai  )but i recommend this one as even if your balls doesn't comes out successfully (which have very less chance),you will be able to at least taste it 

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Paneer
2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
3 Cup Milk
1/4Cup Mixed Nuts(finely chopped)
2tbsp Condensed Milk
1tbsp Khoya(optional)
1/4tsp Saffron
1tbsp Sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Take paneer and blend it for few seconds.it will turn into dough like.Make small size balls from it.
• Take water and sugar in pan and boil it on high heat for 5 minutes.Turn heat to medium.
• Slowly slip paneer balls in syrup,don't touch and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk.
• Take milk in heavy bottom pan and place on medium heat.Let it simmer for 10 minutes.Mix in condensed milk,khoya,sugar and cook for another 5 minutes.it will turn thicker.
• Carefully take balls from sugar syrup one by one with the help of spoon and drop them in milk.Let it cook for another 5 minutes.
• Finally add saffron with milk and nuts.Remove it from heat and let it cool down with closed lid.
• Chill before serving.You can garnish it with some extra nuts and silver verk.

# If making bigger balls than make flatten disk like shape of paneer dough.it will help it to absorb syrup.

Saoji(Savji) Mutton

Saoji ( Sahukar word comes from this)is basically an Indian community who were from business (like silk n weaving),frequently based in Maharashtra  Gujarat and South region.Most of them are mainly non-vegetarian and They love their hot-n-spicy curries.This dish is very very popular in Maharashtra (in Nagpur specially).

While making this curry,freshly roast n ground spice mix gives it a very distinct flavor which will fill your whole home with aroma of it..Originally its like 10-15 red chilies is used but as its too much for us so I reduced to 6 (half d-seeded) ..Feel free to use as much as you like !


INGREDIENTS

1 Kg Mutton
3 Onion
10-12 Garlic
1.5" Ginger
2 Green chilies
6 Whole Dry Red Chilies
2 Black Cardamoms
5 Cloves
15 Black Pepper
3 Bay Leaves
1tbsp Cumin
1 Star aniseed
1tbsp Coriander seeds
2tbsp Coconut(shredded)
1tbsp Poppy Seeds
1/4tsp Nutmeg Powder
1 Blade Mace
1tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 Lemon Juice
5tbsp Mustard Oil
2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves


DIRECTIONS

• Marinade mutton with Turmeric,salt and lemon juice.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan and fry finely chopped onion till they golden brown.Drain them from oil and let it cool down to room temperature.
• Now fry all whole spices with coconut and poppy seeds in same oil for minute,drain and let it cool down too.
• Take fried spices and onions together in grinder and make fine paste.
• Make paste of ginger-garlic too.
• Heat the oil again in pan (or pressure cooker).Fry Bay leaves and ginger-garlic paste in it.
• Mix in mutton with chopped green chilies and fry for 10 minutes on high heat.
• Now add spice-onion paste and mix properly. Fry for another 2 minutes.
• Now add 3 Cup water and let it come to boil.
• Close the lid and let it cook for 30 minutes on low heat.
• Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.Open lid and mix in chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with Roti or simple boiled Rice.

# I d seeded the chilies,you can use whole if want even hotter curry.
## Oil seems much but important for frying mutton.So if you don't like this much just remove from top of cooked curry.

Orange-n-Jam Pancake

Some days back i posted here my Coconut Pancakes,which were too whole wheat ! this time i tried fruity version and served them with oranges and jam instead of honey or maple syrup.. it was loved by all...

I am gonna try different versions by using other fruits very soon..Right now i am just waiting for summer for Mangoes 

This is my way to have my pancake !!

INGREDIENTS
(4-5 Pancakes)

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1.5tbsp Baking powder
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Orange Juice/Water
1tsp Sugar
2tbsp Jam (Orange marmaled/mixed fruit)
1tbsp Oil
2tbsp Butter(melted)
Pinch of Salt
8-10 Orange Slices(d-seeded)


DIRECTIONS

• Sieve flour and baking powder together.
• Mix milk,oil and juice/water,make thick batter.
• Heat jam with 1 tbsp water for few seconds than mix in batter.
• Finally melt the butter and mix in.
• Heat non-stick pan,Place a ladle full batter in center and let it spread by its own.
• When it look cooked at edges,flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
• Serve hot with jam spread and orange wedges.

# Jam spread could be make by melting 4 tbsp jam with 2 tbsp water.

Beignet

Beignets are from French cuisine.its called square doughnuts too., I came to know about them from a TV show,n just hooked to them  .They were simple to make and end result was surprisingly light and fluffy.Its dough is similar to Chaux pastries,its just that beignets are deep-fried instead of baking.

Generally it is made in bigger size,but i tried bit size like we make our khurma/shakkar-para,actually we can call these french khurma too  !

As its visible from above picture how light they were,its like air pocket or something,which comes as surprise  for person who take first bite of it .It take very few time to prepare if you have dough ready..So,I recommend it to make and serve just at the time of serving otherwise it will loose its upper crust and become soggy.

I tried whole wheat version too,which turned out equally delish ..just in this case you need to use extra water/milk.

INGREDIENTS

(20 pieces)

1.5 Cup All purpose Flour

1/2 tsp Yeast

2 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Butter

1/4 Cup + 2 tbsp Water

4 tbsp Evaporated Milk

1/2 Egg

1/8 Salt

Oil for Frying

2 tbsp Powdered Sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Soak yeast in 2 tbsp luke warm water for 10 minutes.
• Boil remaining water with butter,salt and sugar.Mix in evaporated milk in it.Let it come to room temperature. Now mix this with yeast water.
• Take flour in a bowl.Make soft dough using above liquid.
• Add egg in the dough and mix with spatula until well incorporated.It will be sticky dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and Keep in fridge for a hour.
• Take a dough of big ball size and roll it into 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut into small square.
• Heat oil on high heat.Carefully slide square in hot oil 3-4 at a time.
• It will puff-up and come on top floating.
• Fry both side till turns golden brown in color.
• place them in paper bag and shake them with powdered sugar.Serve hot.

# Make sure oil is hot otherwise square will not puff up.

## You can store the dough in fridge and make some when ever needed.

### You can replace all purpose flour to whole wheat.

Grilled Butterfly Chicken

Whenever i think to make something special for dinner..its always have chicken somewhere on the table  ! I was planning to Butterflying the chicken from months ,n yesterday was the day...  its was really melt in mouth texture which makes it must try for all chicken lovers.

How to butterfly the chicken you can get pictorial tutorial easily over internet.Basically it means cutting the backbone and make it flatten,which look like butterfly..This helps to cook it in much lesser time with crispier skin.Any marinade can be use,this time i used spice n herb marinade...which turned out seriously tasty ! 

Just a Portion  

INGREDIENTS

1 Whole Chicken
12 Garlic pods
1 inch Ginger root
6 Cloves
10-12 Black pepper
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Chili flacks
1 tsp Oregano
3 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp dark Soya Sauce
Salt to taste
Oil for grilling


DIRECTIONS

• Wash and dry with cloth the chicken properly.
• With a sharp knife or kitchen scissor carefully remove the backbone starting from neck towards bottom.(ribs will be cut easily, at lower part you will need some muscle)
• Place chicken on board skin side up,press with firm hand to flatten it.Make 2-3 slits on breast and thigh using knife.
• Make a coarse paste of all spices and sauce to prepare marinade.
• Rub the marinade properly on all over the chicken.Keep it in fridge for at least 3 hours to overnight.
• Heat the grill or pan on high heat than low the flame to medium ,brush some oil on it. Grill the chicken 10 minutes each side.Again increase the heat.Press the chicken with some heavy ladle(i used pav-bhaji mashing ladle) and grill further on high heat 4-5 minutes each side.it will give nice crispy skin.
• Serve hot with salad and lemon wedges.(i grilled the lemons too)

# Don't grill for too long,it will make chicken dry.
## You can also serve grilled veggies with it.
### Don't discard the backbone.use it to make chicken stock.