Pepper Chicken Curry

 This recipe is courtesy of Spice Eats (Variations are mine)

Chicken Marination & Cooking

• 500 gms Chicken Curry Cut
• 2 tsp Pepper powder (adjust as per the need)
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Jeera Powder
• 2-3 tsp Oil 
• Salt to taste

1. Mix all the above and keep it for 30 minutes. 
2. After 30 minutes heat 1tbsp oil in a large pan. Once the oil is hot, add chicken to the pan and let it cook on high heat for 5-6 minutes
3. Turn the chicken over and let again cook for 5-6 minutes
4. Cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken cook until succulent
5. Take out the chicken and keep it aside

Onion-Cashew Paste

• 3-4 Onions (Small) - Sliced
• 1” piece Ginger - chopped
• 6-7 Garlic cloves
• 2-3 Green Chillies
• 8-10 Cashew nuts

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Put Onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until Onion changes colour
2. Put Ginger, Garlic, Cashews and Chillies and fry for 5 minutes in medium flame
3. Once everything is fired, take them off the heat and let it cool for some time
4. Put these in a blender and make them into a fine paste. Add water if needed to make a paste

Main Curry

• 2-3 Cardamoms
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Everest Garam masala (adjust as needed)
• 2 tsp Everest Kitchen King masala (adjust as needed)
• 1 tsp Turmeric (Haldi) 
• 1 cup of Curd/yoghurt beaten and mixed with 1/2 cup of water

1. Take Garam Masala, Kitchen King Masala and Haldi and put in a small bowl and put a 1 tbsp of water to make a thick masala paste and keep it aside
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan. Put the Onion-Cashew paste in the pan and let cook in medium heat for some time until it changes colour
3. Add chicken to the pan and mix well. Add Curd and the masala paste in point #1 and mix well. Let it cook for some time until oil starts separating,
4. Cover with a lid and cook for some time, stirring occasionally.
5. Once the gravy has attained consistency, Add some water and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and garnish with Green chillis and Coriander
7. Server with Rotis

Rajasthani Jeera Chicken Curry

 This recipe is courtsey my colleague Sana Quazi, who is from Udaipur.

Ingredients For Marination

1. 1 kg Curry Cut Chicken
2. 3 tsp Jeera (Cumin) powder
3. 1 tsp Dhaniya (Coriander) powder
4. 1 tsp Kashmiri Mirch powder
5. 1 tsp Ginger Garlic
6. 1/2 Cup Yoghurt (Dahi)
7. 2-3 tsp oil

Marination - Mix all the above and leave it for 30 mins

Ingredients For Curry

1. 2 Medium Onions roughly Cut
2. 4-5 Garlic Cloves
3. 5 tsp Jeera (Cumin)
4. 7-8 Dry Red chillies (Non-spicy ones) (Sookhi laal mirch)
5. 1 tsp Amchur powder
6. 1 tsp Jeera powder
7. 1 tsp turmeric powder
8. 1 tsp Kashmiri mirch powder
9. 2 cups Hung Curd (Take a clean cloth and hang the curd for few minutes to remove all the water and mix it well)
10. Salt to taste

Method

• Put Cut Onions and Garlic Cloves in a microwavable bowl and heat it for 1 minute. This is to take out the raw smell
• Remove water and put it in the blender and make a paste. Keep the onion-garlic paste aside
• Put Jeera, Amchur powder, red chillies and 1 tsp salt in a blender jar. Put half a cup of water and blend it into a fine paste. Keep Jeera-Redchilli paste aside
• Heat oil in a pan and put the onion-garlic paste and saute till it becomes slightly brown. Add 1 tsp jeera powder, turmeric powder and Kashmiri mirch powder and saute until oil starts to leave. 
• Turn the heat to high and Add Chicken and cover the lid for 2-3 minutes
• Reduce the heat to medium and turn the chicken pieces on the other side and cover the lid.
• Let the chicken cook for 10 to 15 mins with the lid covered- keep stirring them occasionally.
• Add Jeera-Redchilli paste and stir well. Let it cook for another 10-15 mins on low heat. Stir regularly. Add Salt
• Add Hung curd and mix well. Let it cook for 10 mins on low heat until Oil leaves from the mix and the gravy thickens.
• Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil and switch off the gas.
• Garnish with green chillies and Coriander leaves

Serve with Roti or Naan!

Andhra Chili Chicken Curry

 Andhra Chilli Chicken Curry: Courtesy Spice Eats

(Tsp-Teaspoon; Tbsp-Tablespoon) - Chicken, curry cut with bones - 1 Kg Green Masala Paste: - Sautéed onions- small onion, thick slices (40 gms) - Sautéed Green chillies - 8 nos., halved - Coriander Leaves, chopped- 1 cup - Mint leaves- 1/2 cup - Curry Leaves- 10-12 nos. Tempering: - Cumin Seeds-1 tsp - Cinnamon- 2 pieces - Curry Leaves- 10-12 Other Ingredients: - Onions, chopped- 2 big ones (200 gms) - Green Chillies, slit- 3 - Ginger, crushed- 2 tbsp - Garlic, crushed- 2 tbsp - Tomato, sliced- 2 small (100 gms) - Salt- 2.5 tsp or to taste - Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup (120 ml) - Refined Oil- 5-6 tbsp - Coriander leaves for garnish- 2-3 tbsp

Spice Powders

- Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp - Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp - Coriander Powder- 3 tsp - Garam Masala Powder- 1 tsp Preparation:

For Green Curry Paste: - Peel and make thick slices of 1 small onion. Wash and cut the green chillies into halves.

- To make the Green Masala paste, take a frying pan & heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Add the thick onion slices and fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins till translucent. Add the green chillies, give a mix and fry on medium heat for 30 secs. Remove to a plate and let it cool.

- Chop the coriander leaves and take out the mint and curry leaves.

- Add all the ingredients for the masala paste into a blender/grinder and coarse grind it. Give it a mix and then blend it into a paste after adding 2-3 tbsp water. Set aside.

For the Curry - Chop the onions finely, peel and crush the ginger & garlic and slice the tomatoes.

- Slit the green chillies, take out the curry leaves and chop the coriander leaves for garnishing. Process: - Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon and curry leaves. Give a stir and then add the chopped onions & slit green chillies. Fry on medium heat for 8-9 mins till the colour changes.

- Add the crushed ginger and garlic and fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins.

- Add the sliced tomatoes and 1 tsp salt & fry on medium heat for 2-3 tsp till the tomatoes are soft.

- Add all the spice powders except Garam masala powder and mix and fry in medium heat for 2-3 mins till the spices are cooked and oil separates.

- Add the chicken pieces and 1.5 tsp salt and mix and fry on high heat for 4-5 mins. Continue to cook on medium heat for another 8-10 mins till the chicken is browned.

- Add the Green Masala paste, coconut milk and Garam masala powder. Give a mix, add 200 ml water and cook covered on low heat for 15 mins till the chicken is tender.

- Remove the lid, and add chopped coriander leaves. Add little water (if needed) for desired consistency of the gravy. Mix and cook for 2 mins on low heat.

Serve with roti or rice.

Shakshuka

 Shakshuka - Simple healthy breakfast recipe.

1. 6 - Eggs

2. 2 - Onions finely chopped

3. 2 - Red/Yellow pepper square cut

4. 1 or 2 - Tomatoes finely chopped

5. 1 cup - tomato puree

6. 1-2 tsp - Pepper powder

7. 2 tsp - Jeera (cumin) powder

8. 2 tsp - Coriander powder

9. 1 tsp - paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder

10. 4-5 - Cloves of garlic finely chopped

11. Coriander leaves chopped

12. Salt to taste

13. 1.5 tbsp - Olive oil 

1. Heat olive oil in a flat pan, add onion fry until translucent and bell pepper and let cook for sometime with covered lid.

2. Add pepper powder, jeera ppwder, coriander powder, garlic and peprika ppwder. Let it cook for sometime

3. Add tomatoes and tomato puree and salt and mix well, close the lid and let it cook until the oil starts to leave from the sides. Adjust the salt and spices as necessary. 

4. Flatten the cooked veggies to form a layer in the pan. Break 6 eggs in circle in the pan. DO NOT MIX THE EGGS WITH VEGGIES. Sprinkle little salt & pepper over eggs and sprinkle coriander leaves and cover the lid and let it cook for 5 to 10 mins on a low flame.

Once the eggs are cooked remove from heat and keep the lid on and let it cool down a bit. This will help in ensuring the eggs are properly cooked. Serve with garlic bread.

Note: You can also add chopped potatoes when frying onions to make it heavier.