Pepper Chicken Masala

Yesterday, when it was time to cook dinner I was going through the contents of my fridge to find out what I could cook. As Cape Town is a place where not much of Indian vegetables are available, it is a daily hassle for Indian wives like me to bring up those beautiful smiles when food is served. My regular phrase is "Curry is a constant worry". Now going back to my fridge contents, I found a small chicken. The regular chicken curry is not exciting anymore so armed with Lekshmi Nair's Magic Oven Recipe book I started cooking Pepper Chicken Masala. It is a fairly easy and good recipe.

Ingredients:

1. 1 small chicken (cut into small pieces)
2. 1 onion cut into big pieces
3. 2 tomatoes (blend to a smooth paste)
4. 2 inch ginger
5. 6 cloves of garlic
6. 1tsp. chilli powder
7. 1 tsp. coriander powder
8. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
9. 2 tblsp. black pepper
10. 1 piece cinnamon
11. 5 cloves
12. salt to taste
13. 3 tblsp. butter or oil
14. a few curry leaves (optional)
15. 1/2 cup dhaniya leaves (coriander leaves)

Method:

• Grind onions, ginger, garlic, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and 1 tblsp. black pepper into a fine paste.
• Marinate the cut chicken pieces with this mix for approximately 1 hour.
• Cook the chicken pieces until it is 3/4 th done and the water has all evaporated. The masala must have covered the chicken by now. Keep it aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil or butter and put in cinnamon stick, cloves, and curry leaves.
• In this put one tablespoon ground pepper (it should be medium ground) and heat until it gives out a fried smell. Now add the tomato paste.
• When all the water has evaporated from the tomato and oil starts bubbling add the 3/4 done chicken and cook until properly done.
• Garnish with coriander leave and serve it with rice or rotis.

Source: Magic Oven Recipes by Lekshmi Nair

Chicken and Vegetable Mix

Ingredients:

1. 2 chicken breasts (boneless) cut into cubes
2. 1 inch ginger sliced thinly
3. 3 garlic cloves sliced thinly
4. 1/2 cup carrots cubed
5. 1/2 cup beans cut 1 inch long
6. 1 cup cauliflower florets
7. 1/2 cup green pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
8. 1/3 cup chicken stock
9. 2 tsp. pepper powder
10. 1/2 tsp. garam masala
11. Oil for stir frying

Method:

• Heat the oil in a wok.
• Add the garlic and ginger slices for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken cubes.
• Saute until the chicken is nearly cooked.
• Add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Add the pepper powder and chicken stock and cook it until done.
• Add the garam masala and stir fry for a minute more.
• Serve with rice or rotis.

Noodle Biryani

This dish is a very tasty and fulfilling dish. It has been appreciated by all to whom I have served. Egg noodles are available in most of the fruit and veg city shops in South Africa.

Ingredients:

1. 300 gms egg noodles
2. 1 carrot cut into julienne strips
3. 10 - 15 green beans cut into julienne strips
4. 1/2 a green pepper cut into julienne strips
5. 2 chicken breasts cubed
6. soya sauce as per taste
7. sweet and sour sauce as per taste (optional)
8. 1 tsp. pepper or as per your own requirement
9. oil for stirfrying
10. 1 tsp. chicken masala (optional)

Method:

• Boil the noodles in a microwave for 10 minutes or on a stove until it is cooked and drain the water.
• Meanwhile heat oil and stirfry the chicken (until cooked) and then the vegetables.
• Add soya sauce to the above mixture and then add the cooked noodles and mix. All this should be done on a low fire.
• Add the pepper powder, chicken masala and sweet and sour sauce. Remove from fire when everything has been mixed thoroughly.
• Your noodle biriyani is ready.