Chicken Tikka Biryani

Chicken Tikka Biryani is served ... Come join us :)

Had been meaning to make this since ages.  Just never got round to it. So finally decided Friday was a good day for such a lavish meal :) Here goes the recipe:

For the Tikka spice:
There are many variations of this powder.. some a lot simpler and some even more complicated. Its up to you - I usually have all these spices in my spice rack, so its not an issue for me. But if you need to drop something lemme know and I'll tell u what to substitute for it 

3 tblsp ground coriander
3 tblsp ground cumin
3 tblsp paprika powder
3 tblsp mango powder
1 tblsp garam masala powder
1 tblsp garlic powder
1 tblsp ground ginger
1 tblsp dried mint
1 tblsp Kasuri methi
1 tblsp red chilli powder
1 tblsp orange food colour
1/4 tblsp nutmeg and mace powder

Make sure the coriander and cumin are freshly ground. If ure really into spice making, like I am, then use home made garam masala :)

Keep the spice well labeled in a glass jar.. airtight and away from moisture ..

Prepare the Tikkas first
This is one chicken, cut in 4 pieces.
Slit a few cuts on the pieces
Make a paste with
3 heaped tsps tikka powder
1 level tsp salt
3 tblsp vinegar
2 tblsp ginger garlic paste
Oil to make a thick smooth paste
Apply 3/4 of that generously on the chicken pieces and cover and set aside.

For the biryani
1 kilo boneless chicken cubes
1/4 of the tikka paste
1 bowl or 250 gms yogurt
puree of 2 medium onions
puree of 4 tomatoes
1 tblsp fried onion paste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
1 heaped tsp ground coriander powder
2 tblsp gg paste
150 ml cream
2 small lemons, sliced very thinly

1 kilo white rice, boiled with a stick of cinnamon and drained, set aside

Marinate the chicken cubes in the remaining marinade for the tikka and the yoghurt. Set aside.

Put the tikka pieces on foil on a baking tray. Add 1/2 cup water and 4 tblsp oil.. Cover the tray with foil and set it in  the oven on high heat to bake. Once it looks done, uncover and let it get some colour... Do check to see whether its done before u uncover!

Meanwhile..

Brown the onion puree in oil and once it catches colour
Add the spices.. saute more. . careful not to burn..
Add the tomato puree
Saute it till it leaves oil...
Tip in the marinated chicken, bhunofy, cover and let cook.
Once the gravy looks done, add the gg and bhunofy more. Test for spices, set aside.

Layer the biryani as you would normally... and in each spread the cream as evenly as possible. Place the lemon slices on top and cover with the next layer of rice..

Serve the tikka pieces on top separately.. or you can place them on the rice once it has gathered steam and open at the table...

The tikkas are very very yumm on their own as well .. so you can just make them and serve with salad, naans, the works.. Do give it a try, inshaAllah u'll love it :)

Yummy Gooey Pull-Apart Bread

This bread is also known as the Monkey Bread.. but I dont like using this name.. it is afterall food na so I use its other name - the Pull-Apart Bread ..

 

There are a lot of recipes for it, usually with premade dough.. you know those crescent roll thingys.. but whats a bread if not from scratch?

So here is how I made them. Quite simple and not too lengthy.. but the taste is just awesome, especially when fresh out of the oven..

2 and half cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsp active dry yeast
4 tablespoon sugar - if its not fine sugar, grind it
4 tablespoon melted butter
4 tablespoon dry milk
Pinch salt
160ml warm milk
1 egg

For the coating
1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar - granulated, not ground!
1 tblsp ground cinnamon

Here's what to do with it all:

Froth the yeast with a little warm water and 1 tsp sugar
Mix together the flour, milk powder and sugar
Combine warm milk, butter and salt in a small bowl.
Beat in the egg
Gradually add milk mixture to the dry ingredients and knead a soft non-sticky dough with ur hands. Dont use the machine... you need to feel the dough. If it sticks, dont use more liquid, just touch hands to a little melted butter and gather the dough..

Cover and let it rise for an hour and half.

Meanwhile, mix the sugars and cinnamon in a plate
Place the melted butter in a small dish
Break off small balls of the dough, roll them smooth and dip them in the butter
Roll the balls in the sugar mix and place them in a baking pan
Use the bundt pan - you know, the one with the - ah, whatdya call it? uff. You know na, the name eludes me..
So once the balls are all buttered and sugared, mix the remaining butter with the remaining sugar and pour over the bread
Cover and rest for half an hour
Preheat oven at 220 for 5 minutes
Bake the bread at 200 for 10 minutes
The bread will have risen and look done by 10 to 15 minutes
Turn off lower heating and turn on upper grill.
As soon as the bread has some colour, remove
Let it rest for five minutes
Place a plate over the baking dish and turn upside down.. the lovely goey sugar and butter will have formed a beautiful crown on ur bread..
Enjoy warm ...

Murgh Malai Handi

I cant take a pic to save my life, as you all know... but I couldn't take a pic that would do justice to this taste anyway ...

Here's how to enjoy this:

I find a handi, a clay pot to be absolutely essential to its taste.. though of course, any pot or pan will do..

you need

1 whole chicken, cut in 14 pieces
2 large onions, chopped very very finely
1 tblsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 bowl or 200 gms yoghurt
1 tblsp vinegar
salt to taste
1 tblsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek)
1 level tsp red chili
1/4 tsp haldi powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 heaped tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp zeera powder
100 ml cream

Heat some oil in the handi and fry the onion to a light golden brown
Add the chicken, the GG paste, methi, garam masala and vinegar and bhunofy
Bhun it until the chicken smell is gone and ur chicken is nicely coloured
Mix the salt, haldi, dhania and red chili in the yoghurt
Pour over and keep stirring until the yoghurt mixes in well
Check for spices and adjust if needed
Add the cream and the zeera powder.
Mix in well and reduce heat to lowest
As soon as the dish starts bubbling, its ready...
Serve hot with buttery naan or parathas..

Spicy Alu Poori ..

Seriously, one of the most tastiest type of poori there is.. well maybe its because I love everything to do with potatoes.. but phir bhi :)

Just a few things:

Make the dough at least 1 hour before you want to fry the pooris.

Do make sure the dough is not too sticky

Of course you can make large pooris.. the little ones just look better

Roll them thin!

Oil must be hot - if it cools down, the pooris will not puff up

So, the dough:

2 medium sized potatoes, boiled very soft and mashed as soon as boiled, so that they dont soak up steam and become watery

2 mugs - around 400 gm - flour = maida

2 tsp kalongi

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red chili flakes

1/2 tsp roasted, ground white cumin = safaid zeera

2 tblsp oil

lukewarm water to knead

Here's what to do:

Sift the flour with all dry spices

Add the mashed potatoes and knead a soft non-sticky dough with water

Add the oil right at the end, to make the dough non-sticky

The dough must be soft.. but not sticky..

I'm repeating the 'sticky' issue since it really will make a difference.. so do watch that

Once done, cover and set aside

When needed, heat the oil..

Divide the dough in half

Roll out one half with the help of a little oil so it doesn't stick :)

Cut out with a large cookie cutter or a sharp glass - I used a steel glass

Let them rest while the oil heats

Before throwing them in, roll a bit, to make thinner if they're not thin enough

As soon as u put one in, pat it gently with a slotted spoon to hold it a bit under oil. This is done to make sure the poori puffs up...

Turn and fry to a nice golden from both sides..

Remove with a slotted spoon and keep covered till needed

Best make them fresh

They went great with the dahi phulki.. but even simple achar is a good combination

Chana Daal and Palak with Phulkas...

I've not made this combination and so was hesitant to make too much. So I made the chana daal separate and the palak separate as two salans and then combined a bit of each..

The family was a bit unsure too but Alhamdolillah it tasted really very good.. SO I'll write both recipes and then u do as you wish :)

Spinach/Palak

I keep a batch of frozen, pureed spinach in the freezer - you can buy urs or make your own.

Just saute fresh spinach in some ghee and a little salt. Once wilted, puree with a little water and cool down. Freeze in portions.

To cook, heat some more ghee and fry 1 tsp white zeera and 2 cloves garlic in it. Saute two chopped green chilies.

Add the spinach. Add salt and black pepper. Mix and let it cook. It will cook and reduce.. Once its nice and bhunofied, set aside.

Chana Daal

Clean wash and soak the daal for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Heat 2 large chopped onions in ghee and add 4 red round chilies and 2 cloves of garlic

Saute a bit.

Add 1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 red chili flakes
1/4 tsp haldi
1 level tsp garam masala
3 or 4 crushed curry leaves
1 level tsp roasted white zeera
Saute the spices and add 5 to 7 washed dried plums (alu bukharas)
Add the drained daal
top up with enough water to cook the daal

Its cooked when the daal is completely soft. Dry off excess water.

Now in another pan heat very little ghee and mix 2 portions daal to 1 portion spinach.

In the ghee saute 1 green chili, chopped and then add he daal spinach mix. Saute well and let it cook on medium low heat.. until the ghee separates.

The alu bukharas are great for the taste.. ghee is a matter of personal preference.. you can use oil but the real taste will come out with ghee..

Serve with phulkas .. though pooris are great too.

 

Oven roasted chicken with blobs of butter ..

My kids love roast chicken.. I guess all kids love such things.. its generally easier to make this in the pan.. but the oven roasted touch is a great fragrant variant.. 

Marinate chicken a night before for best results.

1 whole chicken, cut into 12 pieces or as u wish..
1/2 bowl dahi
1 tbls garlic paste
1 tsp full paprika powder
1 tsp red chili flakes or to taste
1 level tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1/2 tsp aamchoor

Mix all and marinate the chicken in this. Coating well with ur hands so as to reach all sides well.

Next day, preheat oven on 180.

Add 1 tsp papaya paste to the chicken and let it rest 10 mins. Put the chicken on a tray and pour over 1/4 cup oil. Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 200 foe 30 mins. Dont touch it.. just let it be.

After 30 mins remove and check. If its done, wonderful. Just baste with the gravy in the tray and let it get some colour under the grill without foil.

If not, turn chicken pieces over and cover again and bake for another 15 mins. By that time it should be done.. inshaAllah.

Remove and let it stay covered for a few mins before serving..

One-bowl Potato Pizza ... Delicious and Quick .. Unbeatable combo :)

This pizza is one of my children's most favourite.. its very versatile, you can adjust it any way you like and above all, its quick - no rising times and no sauces ..

The basic combination is this:

In a large bowl mix together
1 cups flour = maida
1 and half cup yoghurt
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup grated cheese - cheddar works best
2 and half tsp baking powder
salt to taste
1 heaped tsp paprika powder
1/s tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
1 heaped tsp oregano
1 finely chopped onion
2 finely chopped potatoes

This is the basic. Now you can add to it:
finely chopped paprika, broccoli, olives, mortadella...red chili flakes and other spices if you must. Though I'd advise to keep the basic spices.. the taste is simply different.

So mix mix all of that together. Oil an oven tray, and spread it out over the tray with a spatula...The batter will be thick and a bit yeasty looking.. but still spreadable and soft..

Stick it in the preheated oven at 180. For around 15 mins. Once done from below, turn on upper grill and give it a golden colour from the top. Remove and slip out on a jali so it doesnt get soggy from below..