Kentucky Fried Chicken

When I looked at my stats for this site, I find many of my Gulf visitors are searching for Lekshmi Nair's magic oven recipes. Hence, I am trying to include some of Laxmi Nair's recipes to this site. Hope all of you find it useful. If anybody needs any recipe in particular from Magic Oven, I can put it up on this site, if requested, provided I have it with me.

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg. chicken cut into big pieces
2. 1 tblsp. ginger paste
3. 1 tblsp. garlic paste
4. 1 tblsp. soya sauce
5. 1 tblsp. tomato sauce
6. 1 tblsp. chilli sauce
7. 1 tsp. black pepper powder
8. salt as per requirement
9. 1 1/2 cup water

Ingredients for batter:

1. 1 1/2 cup maida (cake flour, all purpose flour)
2. 1 egg
3. 1/2 tsp. turmeric
4. 1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
5. 2 cups water
6. salt as per taste

Other ingredients:

1. Bread crumbs as per requirement
2. Oil for frying
3. 1 1/2 tblsp. cornflour

Method:

• Cook the washed chicken pieces along with ginger paste, garlic paste, soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, black pepper powder, salt and water (adjust the water in this era of frozen chickens).
• Drain the cooked chicken pieces and keep it aside. Keep the liquid separate.
• Make a batter with maida, egg, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, salt and water. The batter should not be too thick or thin.
• Dip the cooked chicken pieces in this batter and then roll it in bread crumbs.
• Fry the rolled chicken in hot oil and remove when they are of a golden colour.
• Now boil the liquid, which was removed earlier. Add the cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water to this liquid and mix.
• Remove this brown sauce when it starts to thicken. (You may add one big spoon butter to the sauce).
• This sauce can be used as a dip for the fried chicken.

Source: Lekshmi Nair's Magic Oven Recipes

Paneer Kheema Korma

Yesterday, I went and bought two litres milk from one of the big shops. When I made tea with it, I did not like the taste of it, so now I had a problem of finishing up this milk. After thinking for a while, thought of making some paneer with it. I made the paneer and kept it under the heaviest of things (my marble chappati stone), but after two hours also the paneer did not become solid and I could not cut small pieces from it. I had a crumbly paneer but the quality of the paneer was good.

I had to make something good out of this. How can I throw this away? Took some ideas from my older post and made my own Panner Kheema Korma.

Ingredients:

1. 200 gms paneer kheema
2. 1 medium sized onion cut into small pieces
3. 5 garlic cloves cut into small pieces
4. 1 inch ginger cut into small pieces
5. 1 tblsp tomato puree
6. 1 tsp. turmeric powder
7. 1 tsp. chilli powder
8. 1 tsp. coriander powder
9. 2 tsp. garam masala
10. 1/2 cup plain yogurt
11. 1/2 cup green peas
12. salt to taste
13. coriander leaves for garnish
14. 2 tblsp. oil

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and saute the onion, garlic and ginger until slightly brown.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala and saute on slow fire for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato puree and saute for 1 more minute. Now add the green peas, salt and half a cup of water and let it cook for 5 minutes (until the peas are done and water has evaporated).
• Now add the paneer kheema and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the plain yogurt at the end and cover and cook.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve it hot with rotis.

Shahi Chicken Korma

Mughals invaded India in the 16th century. Unlike other invaders the mughals settled in India and brought along with them their culture and cuisine. Mughals were basically a warrior group and made great contributions to architecture in India.

Mughlai cuisine is very rich and was especially prepared in the royal kitchens. They introduced the use of milk, cream, butter, nuts, dry fruits and exotic spices in curries in India. The use of these ingredients gave the unique aroma and taste to the cuisine. Mughlai food is cooked throughout India but is more common in the Northern parts. The Kababs, Kormas, Koftas, Biriyanis, pulaos and parathas all fall under the category of Mughlai cuisine. The spices used in this type of cooking are either ground or used whole.

Today, I am giving you the recipe for Shahi Chicken Korma.

Ingredients:

1. 4 chicken breasts (deboned) cut into pieces
2. 2 onions cut small
3. 1 inch long ginger cut small
4. 5 garlic cloves cut small
5. 1 tsp. turmeric
6. 1 tsp. chilli powder
7. 1 tsp. coriander powder
8. 1/2 cup cashewnut and almond mix (ground to a paste)
9. 1 cup plain yogurt
10. 2 tsp. chicken masala or garam masala
11. 3 tblsp. oil or ghee (as per your own taste)
12. salt to taste
13. Coriander leaves chopped for garnish

Method:

• Marinate the chicken pieces for half an hour in plain yogurt, salt and turmeric.
• Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the onions, ginger and garlic till light brown.
• Add chilli powder, chicken masala and coriander powder to the above mixture and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the cashew nut and almond paste and let it simmer for 2 more minutes. Don't let it stick to the bottom.
• Add the chicken pieces and marination, cover and cook on low fire. If needed add 1 cup of hot water and stir. This depends on how much water is given out by the chicken when cooking.
• Adjust salt as per taste.
• When done, garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Aloo Paratha (Potato Roti)

Yesterday, planned to make some Aloo Paratha for lunch. The reason behind it was laziness to cook another curry, if it was aloo paratha I could give some yogurt or sauce along with it, and children are happy. When I started to make parathas, by filling it with potatoes, it took more time than expected. I began to think of ways and means of making my life easier. The results of my thinking was this.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups atta or wheat flour
2. 1 cup boiled and mashed potato
3. 1 green chilli sliced small
4. 1/2 tsp. turmeric
5. 1/2 tsp. garam masala
6. 2 tblsp. onions cut into small pieces
7. Ghee or oil as required
8. warm water as required
9. salt to taste

Method:

• Saute the onions and green chillies. Add the turmeric, garam masala and salt and saute for half a minute more. Now add the mashed potato and mix. Remove from fire and keep it aside.
• When the above mixture is cold, mix the atta, 1 tbsp. oil, warm water and mashed potato and make it into a soft dough. Keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.
• Make medium sized balls with the dough. Roll it out into a circular shape of medium thickness.
• Add some oil on the griddle and roast these parathas until done.
• Serve it with plain yogurt, ketchup or curry as per your liking.

These parathas are easier to make and very filling too.

Chicken Roast

Ingredients:

1. 1 whole medium chicken
2. 3 onions sliced
3. 2 tomatoes sliced
4. 2 pieces of ginger sliced
5. 5 cloves garlic sliced
6. oil
7. 1 tsp. black pepper medium ground
8. 2 tblsp. fresh lime juice
9. 1 tblsp. chicken masala
10. a few sprigs of curry leaves
11. salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash the chicken thoroughly and leave it to drain.
• Mix a little salt, lemon juice and black pepper. Marinate the chicken all over with this and leave it for an hour to marinate.
• Heat some oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Put the whole chicken in it and turn the chicken in between frying to seal the chicken. Let it brown on all sides. Remove it from oil and keep it aside.
• Saute the onion, ginger slices, garlic slices, chicken masala, curry leaves until nicely browned. Add the tomatoes and saute further more until the oil runs clear.
• Add 2 cups water plus the water if any left from marination to the above mixture and put the chicken in it. Adjust salt according to taste. Cook the chicken on low fire, keeping it covered. Turn the chicken in between to cook on all sides.
• Leave it on the flame, until the gravy thickens and chicken is properly cooked.
• Chicken is ready to eat, unlike other roasted chicken, this chicken has a nice spicy taste even on the inside.
• To get a more filling dish, vegetables like potatoes, carrots, beans etc. may be added.