Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev

Dinner of the week & my culinary masterpiece so far; Chicken Kiev. 

Chicken Kiev is a Russian dish in which boneless chicken breast is carefully rolled around prepared garlic-parsley frozen butter bar and is first fried then baked till breadcrumbs are golden-brown.

When you cut this chicken which is crispy outside and succulent inside, you witness a most beautiful culinary sight when the melted aromatic garlic-parsley butter comes flowing out in the form a fragrant, molten & golden richness!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

For butter:

• 2 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley (you can also add tarragon and/or chives)
• Pinch of salt

For chicken:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each.
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup flour with chicken stock granules mixed in
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

• Add garlic cloves in a mortar with a pinch of salt to help it grind. Give this garlic a thorough smashing.
• Add chopped Italian parsley and give one minute pounding.

• Add butter and pastel it till it’s thoroughly mixed with garlic and parsley. This will give the butter sharper, stronger and intense garlic flavor and also beaten parsley will give the butter a glorious color.

• Transfer this butter on to a piece of plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge to firm up a little bit while we prep chicken breasts.

• If chicken breasts have that finger like tender loin piece attached, remove that.
• Put one of these chicken pieces on plastic wrap, cover it and pound that out with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer into a thin fillet.

• Unwrap the plastic and season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Now take that refrigerated butter out, cut it into two halves.
• Place one half on the center of flat chicken fillet, on the slightly wider end. 

• Now flip flap the flat ends of chicken over the butter to cover it completely.
• Gather all the edges of chicken piece and trap the butter in the chicken securely. Gather the meat up and it should appear like a ball in which butter is trapped, and this ball is like with a very rugged bottom (where you have folded the chicken flaps) and a very smooth top.

• Wrap up the plastic around this ball and gather the edges of the plastic on the bottom side of the chicken and give it a little twist, enough to keep the chicken fairly together and wrapped.
• Prepare both chicken breasts like this and pop them in the refrigerator for about ½ hour, until they just start to get firm. We don’t want them solid, but firm so that the bottom is together.
• Take these out after ½ an hour. If the top side feels a bit soft, it’s ok. The bottom rugged side should be firm enough.
• Roll one chicken ball gently on seasoned flour; all-purpose flour + salt.
• Pop it in egg wash (beaten egg).
• Roll this flour and egg wash covered chicken ball on bread crumbs and make it thoroughly coated.

• Once you have prepared both chicken balls like this, place them on a plate having few extra bread crumbs and place this plate in fridge for 15 more mins to firm them up before we fry them.
• While chicken breast balls are in the refrigerator, heat up the oil and line a pan with foil.
• Take out the chicken after 15 mins and place one chicken breast ball in the frying pan with seam side down. Fry this side for exactly one minute.
• Now flip it over gently and fry the other side for one minute too.
• Remember, we are not cooking this chicken ball in the oil; we are just sealing it till it starts to crust. Don’t be scared if some of the seams look like they’re opening up it’s OK. The butter is not coming out
• Pull the chicken out, let the excess oil drain thru deep frying skimmer.
• Place the fried chicken on foil lined pan.
• Prepare both chicken breast balls like this.
• Sprinkle little extra salt on the top of and a bit of cayenne pepper.

• Now chicken is ready to go into 400’F oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
• Check after 20 mins, they should be beautifully golden brown.
• Take the tray out; let the chicken rest for 5 mins. THIS IS CRITICAL, as during this time, chicken breasts will finish cooking perfectly on their own.
• Transfer them onto plates having pre-prepared mashed potatoes & assorted vegetables.
• Now cut the chicken breast ball into half, and witness the most miraculous sight; when the gorgeous piece of chicken, crispy on outside, moist and tender within and with that amazing herb garlic butter pouring out, running over everything.

It’s truly an amazing meal! Takes a bit of efforts, but TRULY WORTH IT!

Bon Appétit!

 

Garlic Chicken Breast Fillet with Parsley Sauce

Garlic Chicken Breast Fillet with Parsley Sauce

Recipe:

Chicken Breast Fillet

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breast fillets
• 2 tsp Worcester sauce 2 tsp
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp or to taste black pepper powder
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

• Place the chicken in a plastic bag and beat it with rolling pin or meat tenderizer to make it flatter & thinner.
• Marinate the chicken in the above sauces and spices for at least an hour.
• Heat nonstick frying pan, add olive oil and place the chicken on it for 8-10 mins each side or till done.
• Drizzle over with creamy parsley sauce and serve with mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables.

Creamy Parsley Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 1tbsp butter
• 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp single cream
• salt and freshly milled black pepper or white pepper

Method:

• Melt butter in a pan and add flour, stirring continuously.
• Add into the pan whisking continuously with a balloon whisk until the sauce has thickened and is smooth and glossy.
• Add cream and stir gently.
• Add parsley and seasoning.
• Stir for 15 – 30 seconds and drizzle over chicken breast fillets you just prepared.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 large Peeled boiled potatoes
• ½ cup Half-and-half (cream and milk)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp butter

Method

• Potatoes were mashed with half-and-half (milk & cream), butter, salt and pepper.

Assorted Vegetables

Ingredients: 

• Your favorite veges, diced
• Knorr Aromat seasoning, to taste
• 1tsp olive oil

Method:

• Steam veges for 10 mins.
• Heat oil a little in a pan (we don’t heat olive oil much) and add the veges.
• Add seasoning and stir-fry for 1-2 mins.
• Serve with steak & mashed potatoes.

~ Bon Appétit!

Szechuan Style Hot & Sour Chicken Soup with Sliced Boiled Egg

Szechuan Style Hot & Sour Chicken Soup 

with Sliced Boiled Egg 

Its the same recipe of my Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup except that instead of adding egg in the soup, I boiled it, sliced it and served with the soup. And personally I like it more. :)

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Serves: 4 

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small cabbage finely sliced
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 slices chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 500g boneless chicken - cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons corn-flour
• 2 eggs, boiled & sliced
• 1-2 Knorr chicken cubes
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon black / white pepper powder
• Chili sauce - to taste

Method

• In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock, water, cabbage, carrot, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, crushed chilies & Knorr cube/s (be careful with salt in chicken stock, as Knorr chicken cubes and soy sauce both contain salt).
• Bring to the boil, then reduce the flame to low, cover and simmer while you work on chicken.
• Place the chicken strips into a bowl and toss with the sesame oil to coat.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the corn-flour and vinegar, and set aside.
• Returning to the saucepan, increase the flame to medium-high until its boiling again.
• Add the chicken.
• Return to the boil and stir in the vinegar & corn-flour and chili sauce.
• Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and the stock has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Garnished with chopped scallions, sliced boiled eggs and parsley and serve with rice / prawn / fish crackers.

~ Enjoy! J

Chicken in Garlic Sauce

Chicken in Garlic Sauce

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp corn-flour
• 1 egg, whisked
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3-4 green chilies, finely diced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Knorr chicken cube
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• A handful of chopped spring onions

Method:

• Marinate chicken pieces in salt, black pepper, 2 tbsp of whisked egg, 1 tbsp oil and 1.5 tbsp corn-flour for 15 mins
• Fry this chicken until golden brown and set aside.
• In the same pan, reduce the quantity of oil to 1tbsp and add finely chopped garlic and stir-fry it till aromatic and golden.
• Add soy sauce, chicken cube, half of green chilies and black pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute.
• Add fried chicken pieces and toss them till sizzling.

• Dissolve remaining corn-flour in 3/4^th cup water and add to the pan stirring continuously.
• When the sauce is transparent, garlic chicken is ready. Add remaining green chilies & spring onions and mix through.

• Serve with fried rice

~ Happy cooking! J

Khichri

Khichri 

This is my mom's homely recipe & my true comfort food 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Rice
• ¼ cup yellow split lentil (moong daal)
• ¼ cup red lentil (masoor daal)
• 1 big onion, thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves finely chopped garlic  
• 1 inch piece finely chopped ginger
• ¼ - ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf 
• 3-4 cloves
• 3-4 whole black peppers
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon 

Method

• Mix rice & lentils and wash till water runs clear and soak them for 30 mins.
• Heat oil in a saucepan / pot and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon.
• When cumin seeds start to sizzle and spices become aromatic, add onion and sauté until onion is browned lightly.
• Take half of fried onion and keep aside.
• Add chopped ginger & garlic and saute for 30 secs.
• Add turmeric powder and salt and stir for 15 secs.
• Add 2 cups water and cover the pan till brought to rolling boil.
• Add the rice and lentils and mix everything well.
• Cook on medium-high  heat until rice become 80% cooked and water is 80% dried.
• Turn the flame to low, sprinkle fried onions over rice and cover the pot. Rice will cook now in steam for 5-7 mins.

• Remove the lid and fluff the rice.
• Serve with raita, salad & mixed mango-carrot-chili-lemon pickle. 

~ Enjoy! :)

Capsicum & Cheese Omelette

Capsicum & Cheese Omelette 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 heaped tbsp each of red, green and yellow chopped capsicums (you can add more vegetables of your choice)
• 2 tbsp milk
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp or to taste black pepper
• ½ tsp or to taste red pepper
• 1tbsp oil
• 2tbsp full of grated cheddar
• Crushed dried parsley 

Method:

• Whisk eggs with powdered spices and milk.
• Heat oil in frying pan.
• Add peppers and stir-fry for 1 min and spread them uniformly over the pan.
• Pour in whisked eggs and spread uniformly over bell peppers.
• Fry on one side for 1-2 mins.
• Use a spatula and flip over the omelet and fry the other side for 1 min.
• Now cover half of omelette with grated cheddar and flip other half over it.
• Press the omelette with spatula.
• Flip over to other side and press it too with spatula.
• Now sprinkle some extra grated cheese & parsley on top.
• Serve with your breakfast. 

~ Bon Appétit!

#FlavourEssence

Baked Chicken Tikka with Cheese Pasta

Baked Chicken Tikka with Cheese Pasta 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Fusilli / macaroni / penne / rigatoni / rotini
• Boneless chicken, boiled and shredded
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Shan / National chicken tikka masala
• Chili garlic tomato sauce
• Red pepper powder
• Salt
• Black pepper powder
• Three color bell peppers, chopped / sliced
• Oil
• Finely chopped / crushed dried parsley

Method:

• Preheat oven at 180'C.
• In boiling water with some salt, boil pasta till its reasonably tender. Then drain.
• Fry shredded chicken pieces in few drops of oil with chicken tikka masala according to taste.
• Keep chicken aside.
• In the same pan, add a little oil and add pasta. Stir it.
• Add chilli powder, chicken tikka masala and chilli garlic tomato sauce according to your liking. (I don't put a lot of tomato sauce).
• Add half of bell peppers.
• Stir-fry.
• Lightly grease an oven proof casserole dish and pour in pasta.
• Add chicken in layer.
• Add a layer of remaining bell peppers.
• Sprinkle lots of shredded cheddar cheese.
• Sprinkle a bit of finely chopped / crushed dried parsley and black pepper powder.
• Bake for 12-15 mins till cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.

~ Bon Appétit!

Classic British Cottage Pie

Classic British Cottage Pie 

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 300gms Chicken mince
• ½ tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 cup Chopped onions, garlic, carrots, red, green and yellow bell peppers
• 2-3 tbsp Oil
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup tomato puree 
• 1tbsp Schwartz chicken mixed spice (or any chicken masala mix) 
• ½ tsp rosemary
• ½ tsp Thyme
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 3/4^th cup grated cheddar & parmesan
• Coarsely grated cheddar and parmesan cheese
• Mashed potatoes (see recipe below)

Method:

• Preheat oven at 200'C. 
• Prepare mashed potatoes as in recipe below.
• For chicken & vegetable base, sauté Chopped onions and carrots till they begin to color.
• Add garlic and stir. 
• Add chicken mince, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approx 3 minutes. 
• Sprinkle the mince with flour and toss to coat, continue to cook for another minute.

• Add Peas and chopped red, green and yellow bell peppers and fry with chicken and carrots.

• Add tomato puree. 
• Add seasoning; Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, crushed red peppers, Schwartz chicken spice mix and stir to combine.
• Add chicken broth. 

• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let it simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
• The chicken & vegetable mixture is placed evenly in baking dish. 
• It is topped with mashed potatoes. Roughen up the surface of mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that would get well browned.
• Sprinkle coarsely grated parmesan and cheddar cheese and seasoned lightly with black pepper on top. 

• Baking dish is placed in middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or just until the peaks of potatoes begin to get deliciously brown and crispy.

Mashed Potatoes for Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 large Peeled boiled potatoes
• ½ cup Half-and-half (cream and milk)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp butter

Method:

• Potatoes were mashed with half-and-half (milk & cream), butter, salt and pepper.

Bon Appétit! 

Breakfast Bread Baskets

Breakfast Bread Baskets

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ chicken breats or any other equal nboneless piece, cut in small cubes
• ½ cup shopped green, red and yellow bell peppers (or any other vegetables of your liking)
• ½ cup grated cheddar
• 1 egg whisked with salt & black pepper to taste
• ½ tsp Knorr Aromat all purpose seasoning
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 bread rolls (round or square or of any type and any size of your liking)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Method:

• Pre-heat oven at 175’C.
• Marinate chicken for 10 mins in black pepper and Knorr Aromat all purpose seasoning and then fry it in few drops of oil.
• Cut thin layer of bread roll top and scoop out all bread inside carefully.
• In the emptied bread, first pour melted butter.
• Add grated cheese.

• Place fried chicken pieces.

• Cover the chicken with chopped veges.

• Add grated cheese.

• Pour half of whisked egg over the veges (keep other half for second bread).

• Top it with more cheese, fine chopped chives & freshly ground black pepper.
• Prepare other bread at the same time.

• Wrap all the sides of bread roll in foil except the top.

• Place bread rolls on baking tray and bake for 20 mins.

Bon Appétit! J

Simple Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast with Peas Pulao

Simple Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast with Peas Pulao

Simple Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 Skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 3 cups cold water
• 3 tbsp table salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Olive oil 2 tbsp
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce of choice 

Method: 

• Pre-heat oven at 200’C or 400’F or the grill on high heat.
• Trim skinless boneless chicken breast of any trim-able fat. Make 3-4 diagonal slits on each side of each chicken breast.
• Mix brine of water, table salt, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Add chicken and submerge and allow to set at room temp for 15 minutes.
• Remove chicken from brine and rinse lightly under running water. Pat dry. Rub both pieces of chicken with olive oil. Brush lightly with BBQ sauce of your choice.
• Place over the broiler pan and pop it in the oven for 12-15 mins. Or in case you’re using grill, Clean and oil grates. Place over high heat or medium high if you have a hot grill.
• Take the pan out, brush the chicken pieces again with sauce and flip over the sides and put the pan back in oven for 10 mins or until done. If you’re using grill, flip chicken every 5 mins and bout 3-4 mins before done, brush both sides with sauce. Give it about 30 mins total grill time.

Peas / Matar Pulao:

Ingredients:

• 1 heaped cup basmati rice
• ¾ cup peas, preferably fresh or frozen
• ½ cup thinly sliced onion
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil
• 2.5 cups water 
• Salt as required
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 or 2 black cardamom
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 1 or 2 single strands of mace
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 5-6 whole black pepper

Method:

• Wash basmati rice till the water runs clear.
• Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pot / sauce pan.
• Add cumin seeds along with all the whole spices.
• Sauté till the spices release their aroma and become fragrant.
• Then add the sliced onions. Stir and sauté till onions are golden or caramelized. Skim half of fried onions out and keep aside.
• Add peas and sauté for a minute.
• Now add drained rice and stir gently.
• Sauté for a minute. Add water and salt. Stir.
• Cover the pot with its lid and cook the rice on high flame till almost all the water is absorbed and rice are around 85% cooked.
• Turn the flame low, remove the lid and sprinkle separated fried onions over rice and cover again with lid tightly and leave for five minutes to allow the rice get steamed.
• Fluff the rice and serve matar pulao hot.

Add sides of potatoes and raita as you wish.

Bonne cuisine! :)

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 500gms Chicken meat, biryani cut
• 2 cups Long grain biryani rice
• 1 pack Shan / National biryani masala
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, each cut into 4-4 pieces
• 1tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 or 2 black cardamom
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 1 or 2 single strands of mace
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 5-6 whole black pepper
• 2 potatoes, each cut in 4-6 pieces
• 1 big lemon, ½ of it cut into thin slices, rest is squeezed to get juice
• 3-4 green chilies, each sliced longitudinally into two pieces (if you don’t like much spice, don’t slice them)
• ¼ cup freshly chopped mint & coriander
• ¼ tsp orange food color dissolved in ¼ cup water

Method:

• Marinate chicken in biryani masala, ginger garlic paste and yogurt for 30-60 mins.
• Fry onions till golden brown. Separate half and keep aside.
• Add marinated chicken in the pot and fry till it starts to turn white. Cover the pot and let it cook till it’s done. Chicken will cook in its own juices. If you feel need of extra water, then add some.
• In a separate pan, add a little oil and fry tomatoes. When they turn soft, add potatoes and stir-fry. Cover this pan and let the potatoes cook till they’re 90% cooked.
• Mix potatoes with chicken and stir well on medium heat and then turn the flame off.
• Boil biryani / saila rice up-to 75% with all the whole spices (cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and bay leaf) and lemon juice. Drain the water when rice are 75% cooked.
• Now in a sauce-pan or pot, make a first thin layer of chicken and potato sauce, then second layer of rice, then third layer of mint, coriander, green chili, lemon slices & fried onions. Repeat these three layers once again.
• Add little water to emptied pan of chicken & potato sauce and gather all attached to walls of pan in this water. Sprinkle this spiced water on top here and there along with orange food color water.
• Cover the pot with its lid properly and keep it on medium-low flame first for 5-7 mins, then on very low flame for next 5-7 mins to steam.
• Mix the hot biryani layers carefully and serve immediately with raita & salad.

~ Bonne cuisine! J