Dhaba Style Chicken Karahi

Dhaba Style Chicken Karahi

Being a Pakistani, we all love Chicken Karahi; a spicy and fragrant curry in which stir fried chicken pieces are cooked in large chunks of tomatoes, simple freshly ground spices and finished with green chilies and ginger. 'Karahi' is an Urdu term which means 'Wok". So mostly this dish is cooked and served in a wok, but any kind of pan / utensil is adequate.

Dhaba version is the typical roadside cafe version. This is cooked in simple roadside cafes (especially by Pathans) and you can find this amazingly flavourful dish being served in little hotels while going to hilly areas like Muree, Swat & Kaghan etc.

After eating this wonderful dish in several restaurants & hotels, I reckon that Dhaba version is the best! And in this video recipe, you'll see why!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3/4^th cup oil
• 500 gm Chicken pieces (with and / without bones)
• 500 gm tomatoes, sliced in big chunks
• 5-6 green chilies, slit in halves
• A ½ inch piece of ginger, julienned
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp coriander seed, freshly crushed
• 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp freshly ground white cumin
• A dash of garam masala powder

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok.
• Add chicken and salt and stir fry till chicken in golden on medium-high flame.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry a bit more.
• Add tomatoes, mix and cover the wok till tomatoes are tender. (after that you can remove their skin if you wish)
• Remove the lid and add red chili flakes and mix well.
• Add crushed coriander seeds, black pepper powder, white cumin powder and mix well.
• Now add green chilies, ginger and a dash of garam masala and mix thoroughly.
• Serve hot in a serving wok / bowl with Naan bread.

~ Enjoy!

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi

A flavourful recipe for a fresh tasting, homemade chicken jalfrezi; a spicy South-Asian curry dish in which marinated chicken is cooked in a tomato gravy, then stir-fried with big chunky onions & peppers and is finished with garam masala & chopped coriander.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, diced up
• Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp ginger powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ large onion, cubed
• 2-3 green & red chili peppers, sliced
• 1-2 green / red / yellow capsicums, cubed
• 2 medium tomatoes, cubed
• A handful of fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 2-3tbsp oil
• ½ cup of water
• ½ cup tomato puree

Method:

• Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in all the ground / powdered spices and ½ of the ground garam masala.

• While chicken is marinating, dice your vegetables in cubes.

• Heat oil in a wok and fry marinated chicken cubes in it for 2-3 minutes.

• Add tomato puree and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

• Add 1/4 cup of water and cover the lid and let the chicken simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

• Remove the lid and add all the vegetables.

• Stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

• Add in ½ cup water and let it simmer till vegetables soften a bit.

• Just before you dish it up, stir in the garam masala & chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve with boiled basmati rice / fried rice / naan bread.

¬ Bon Appétit!

Chicken Patties / Chicken Puffs

 Chicken Patties / Chicken Puffs

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Puff Pastry sheet / block (bought from bakery / store)
• 300gm chicken, boiled, shredded
• 100mls double cream
• 1 large garlic clove, fine chopped
• 1tbsp butter
• Salt, black pepper & red chili powder, to taste
• 1 bell pepper, fine chopped
• 1 spring onion, fine chopped
• Egg / milk wash
• Two size round, crinkled pastry cutters
• Baking tray, lined with butter paper

Method:

• Pre-heat oven at 180’C.
• If you haven’t bought pre-rolled pastry sheet, then you would need to roll the block with a rolling pin till you reach desired thickness.
• Now using the larger pastry cutter, cut whole pastry sheet into even number of circles.
• Half of these circles will be used as base of patties. Place them on baking tray lined with butter paper and brush these with egg / milk wash.

• For remaining half of circles, take smaller pastry cutter and cut a hole. We have to use the circle left around this hole.

• Place this circle on round base of patties and brush it egg / milk wash.

• Prepare all the patties like this and place the baking tray in pre-heated oven for 15-20 mins (or more depending on your oven) till patties are golden and puffed up. You will see that the second hollow circle has risen to make a round wall on the puffed up base.
• Meanwhile prepare the filling.
• Sauté garlic in melted butter till transparent.

• Add chicken and spices and fry a little.

• Add chopped bell pepper & spring onions. Stir till vegetables are a bit tender.

Add cream. Mix well.

• Take the baking tray out with your nice golden puffed up patties and spoon the chicken mixture into the puff pastry bowls.
• Place the tray back into oven and bake for further 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot, garnished with spring onion greens and with sauces of your choice.

~ Enjoy!

Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Try this recipe of aromatic, creamy & delicious "Thai Green Chicken Curry" by #FlavourEssence and bring unique & authentic flavors of South East Asian cooking at home through your own kitchen.
(* Tips to replace hard to find ingredients in Pakistan are at the end of recipe.)  

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 750 gm boneless chicken
• Few tbsp vegetable oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300 gm mixed oriental mushrooms
• 1 x 400 ml tin light coconut milk
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 200 gm  mangetout / green beans
• ½ a bunch fresh Thai basil
• 2 limes
• 400 ml of boiling water

For curry paste:

• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 shallots
• 1 2 inches piece of ginger
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ bunch of fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

Method:

• To make the curry paste, grind / blitz all the given ingredients for paste until smooth.
• Slice the chicken into strips / or cut into cubes and place into a large pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just turning golden, then transfer to a plate.
• Tear the mushrooms into even pieces. Return the pan to a medium heat, add the mushrooms and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Saute garlic in the same wok till translucent.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the Thai green paste for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add chicken and crumbled chicken stock cube and mix.
• Add mushrooms, green beans, lime leaves, green chilies and stir fry,
• Pour in the coconut milk and 400 ml of boiling water.
• Turn the heat up and bring gently to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced slightly.
• Season carefully to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Pick, roughly chop and stir through the basil leaves and remaining coriander leaves.
• Serve with lime wedges and steamed rice.

For replacing hard to find ingredients in Pakistan, replace:

~ Oriental Mushrooms with simple edible mushrooms

~ Thai basil with simple basil

~ Kaffir lime leaves & lemon grass with lemon zest & lemon juice

~ Shallots with small pink onions

~ Fish sauce with few drops of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

Enjoy! 

Pasta Alfredo with Pan Fried Shrimps

Pasta Alfredo with Pan Fried Shrimps

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Pasta:

• 75 grams Penne pasta per serving (or more if you have a big appetite)
• 200 mls of heavy cream per serving
• 2 garlic cloves
• A handful of basil leaves
• A small cube of butter
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan per serving

For Shrimps:

• 1 cup cleaned shrimps
• 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Knorr Aromat Seasoning (it is a mixture of salt, garlic powder, turmeric, powdered cloves and bay leaves, celery seeds and mushroom powder. So if you don't find Aromat seasoning then combine the easily available given ingredients youcan find)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder

Method:

For Pasta:

• Finely chop garlic & basil leaves and set aside.
• Boil penne as per directions on the packet.
• Melt butter in a hot pan.
• Saute’ garlic in butter till lightly browned / soft.
• Add salt & pepper.
• Add heavy cream and stir till simmering.
• Add pasta and stir till coated.
• Add Parmesan and stir till smooth.

For Shrimps:

• Marinate shrimps in ginger garlic paste, Knorr Aromat All Purpose seasoning, paprika and black pepper for 15 minutes
• Shallow fry while stirring in 1-2 tbsp oil in a frying pan till prawns are pinkish white, around 5-7 mins (do not over cook the shrimps else they turn hard & rubbery and lose their succulence).

~ Serve & Enjoy!