Sunday, 29 September 2013

Sunday Special – Chicken Cafreal



It is Sunday and something special for lunch is a must. At the same time, I am sure no one wants to spend lot of time prepping for this. After all its weekend and you are tired from all the endless hours you spent in office over the week. Chicken Cafreal, a Goan delicacy will serve the purpose. It will definitely make Sunday lunch extra special and it takes very little time to cook.

My hubby is a Goan and loves everything about Goa. Now I do too. He took me to this restaurant Viva Panjim for our first official dinner date as ‘man and wife’ (Ah!!... memories). That is where I came across Chicken Cafreal.   I call this good mood food. It’s got the ingredients that will elevate your mood. Believe me its lip smacking delicious.

Ingredients
Chicken - 1 Kg
Green Chilies- 6 to 7 (the spicy ones)
Coriander leaves - a bunch (medium)
Jeera – 2 tsp
Khus Khus – 2 tsp
Pepper Corns – 4 to 6
Turmeric Powder – 2tsp
Cinnamon – 2”
Cloves -4
Ginger- 3”
Garlic - 16 to 20
Tamarind -a small ball

Method
1.       Grind all the above ingredients to make marinade.
2.       Marinate the chicken in it for 2 hours (the more the better)
3.       Heat oil in a wok. Add the marinated chicken.
4.       Serve hot with pav, onion and a lemon wedge.

Note :. I like spicy food ,hence add more chilies. Adjust the spice as per your taste

Friday, 27 September 2013

Ginger Chicken with a spicy twist


 

Chinese cuisine or Indo Chinese cuisine to be specific makes me salivate. My first memories of having Chinese go back when I was 6. My dad would get Chinese from a restaurant in my hometown. A Chinese couple ran the place and they altered their recipes to suit the Indian palate. Sadly, they closed down after a few years later. I fell in love with Chinese food at that tender age and continue to. Each time I have to select a restaurant to dine, I end up choosing a Chinese one.

But when it came to try this at home, I never fared well. This time I got a recipe from aunt and this one worked like a charm.
Ingredients:
For the Marinade
Boneless chicken – 500 gms
Pepper powder – ½   tsp 
Red Chili Sauce – 2 tsp
Ginger paste – ½ tbsp
Cornstarch -2 tbsp
Salt – ½ tsp

For Gravy
Onion – 1 big onion
Garlic – 2 cloves finely chopped
Ginger – 1 ½ tbsp chopped
Green chilies – 2 slit
Capsicum – 1 small (optional)
Tomato Sauce – 1 tbsp
Soya sauce -2 tsp
Red chili sauce – 3 tsp
Maggi cube -2
Corn starch – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – a pinch


Method
1.       Cut the chicken into small pieces and marinate in the mentioned ingredients for about 1 to 1 .5 hours
2.       Fry the chicken and keep it aside.
3.       In a wok, heat oil and add onion. Sauté it until it is translucent
4.       To this, add green chilies. Fry for a minute. Then add garlic and ginger. Sauté for another minute or so. If you are using capsicum add that as well.
5.       Add soy sauce, red chili sauce, crushed Maggi cubes ,salt and sugar.
6.       Add water and bring to boil.
7.       Lastly, add cornstarch mixed in water and cook till thick.
8.       Finally add the chicken.

Note :
Fry the chicken on a low flame so that it is cooked thoroughly.
You can optionally add egg to the marinade. For 500 gms of chicken, add  1 tbsp of beaten egg.
Change the measurements to suite you taste.


Thursday, 26 September 2013

Charbure Undo (Puffed rice laddoo)



Puffed rice laddoo is probably one of the easiest snack to make at home. It requires very few ingredients and is ready in a jiffy.   This  always makes me nostalgic. My grandma, aunt and mom would sit together to make these. I wasn’t allowed to try making one because the mixture was hot and it’s not child’s play.  Ah!!! …those were the days.


The most important point to keep in mind is to work when the mixture is hot. Once it cools down, it becomes difficult to mold them into balls.  Secondly the jaggery used should be the sticky one. The reason I am emphasizing this is because apparently there are two types of jaggery, one that is sticky (used to make sweets) and another that is not.

Ingredient
Puffed rice – 2 cups
Jaggery -  ½ cup
Cardamom – 2 crushed
Ghee – 2 tsp

Method
1.       Heat ghee in a wok.
2.       Add jaggery to it and allow it to melt.  To this add crushed cardamom.
3.       Finally add the puffed rice and mix thoroughly.
4.       Mold into balls.
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Kothu Chapati


Kothu means chopped roti in Tamil. Kothu chapati is made with chopped chapati, spices and veggies. When I moved to Bangalore for my first job I came across this tasty dish. It was a regular on the menu in the Dosa corners. However parathas where used instead of chapatis . 

It’s the best way to use up left over chapatis. You can ready in an instant and doesn’t really need any special ingredient.  You can optionally use egg ,grated paneer /cheese  and chicken .

Ingredients
Chapati – 2 medium sized
Onion -1
Tomato -1
Green chilies – 1 slit
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder -2 tsp
Cumin Powder – 2 tsp
Grated Paneer
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Method
1.       Chop the left over chapatis .
2.       Heat oil in a wok. Sauté onions .To this add green chilies
3.       Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder.
4.       Add the chopped chapati.
5.       Grate paneer over it
6.       Garnish with coriander leaves.

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