Chicken Tikka Masala

Today I'm going to tell you all how to make a desi dish which I never ate in Pakistan. Chicken Tikka Masala. Had it first time in Tulsa in an Indian restaurant and it was delicious.

So, I thought I should try to make it myself. When I read the recipe somewhere I thought it was too much work LOL but to be honest it is WORTH IT.

It's very different and unlike anything I've ever tasted before. Has a lot of rich ingredients. Not for weight watchers though.

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 1/2 pounds

Peanut oil 3 tbsp (optional)

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon paprika powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1/4 cup yogurt

1 1/2 cans of tomato puree

4 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup half and half or cream mixed with milk

1 big white onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

3 lemon juice

half a bunch of chopped cilantro or coriander

We'll start with marinating the chicken. Add lime juice, yogurt, 1 tbsp oil and ginger in a in the chicken.

Coat the chicken well in the marinade mix and keep it aside.

Its time to prepare the sauce now.

Take a huge wok and melt the butter on medium high heat. Add the chopped onion. Stir after every 2 minutes.

Cook onions till golden brown and transparent. Now add the ground cardamom, ground cumin, paprika powder, salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg and red chili powder.

Now add the tomato puree, water and half and half cream. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat to simmer the sauce.

Let the sauce simmer on low heat covered and we prepare the chicken on the side. Heat a deep pan on medium heat. Add a tbsp of oil and the chicken. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Note - if you want to cook the chicken thoroughly, you can cover it for 5 minutes.

Th e chicken is all done. Time to put it in the sauce mix and cook it for 5 more minutes.

   

Put chopped cilantro or coriander. It's all done and ready to serve now.

It's tangy and spicy on the milder side but indeed a Desi dish from the roots of Punjab. Eat it with Roti, Naan, steamed white rice. I've seen people eating it with a fork and yogurt. Chicken Tikka Masala everyone.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger

When someone asks me "Where to find the best burgers of Pakistan?" my answer is always Islamabad.

You will find top quality burgers in that city and the you also can find some of them in the DHA and Gulberg sectors of Lahore.

I'm just joking and if anyone's offended well good for them. The best burgers of Pakistan are made by me in my kitchen and I'm joking again.

Moving on with today's recipe which is Chicken Cordon Bleu. Wanted to make this from a while. Was a bit scared as it is a tad bit complicated but I think I did justice to it.

Ingredients:

500 grams minced chicken breast (will make 2 patties)

half cup all purpose flour

1 cup buttermilk

Chicken/turkey deli slices (1 per patty)

Cheese slices (2 per burger)

Salt (1 teaspoon for the patty and 1/2 teaspoon for the flour)

Black pepper (1 teaspoon for the patty and 1/2 teaspoon for the flour)

Paprika 1/2 teaspoon for the patty

Burger buns

Lettuce

Mustard

Canola oil for deep frying

Season the minced chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.

Making the patty for the Cordon Bleu is a bit complicated but I will show you. Just follow the pictures below and I will explain as well.

1. Form a patty hollow from the center.
2. Place a folded half cheese slice in the center of the patty.
3. Place the chicken/turkey deli slice on the cheese slice.
4. Cover the deli slice with the remaining half cheese slice.
5. Fold the sides of the patty to cover the hollow space and cover the filling.

I have 1 kg minced chicken so I made four patties.

Place the patties in the fridge for 15 minutes. My hand looks creepy.

After 15 minutes, cover your frying pan for half inch in canola oil. Start warming it up on medium low heat.

Season the flour with salt and pepper.

Place the buttermilk, the patties and the flour together.

Here is how the breading will be done for this patty.

1. Dip the patty in the buttermilk.
2. Take out the patty and put it on the flour plate.
3. Cover it properly with flour. Shake off the excess flour.
4. Add the patty to the frying pan.

Cook the patties til golden brown on both of the sides.

Take them out on a paper toweled plate.

Cover the patties with cheese slices while they are hold so the cheese melts perfectly on them.

Set up your burger by applying mustard on the bottom, placing some lettuce over it, place the patty covered with a cheese slice and that's it.

This burger is like a dream within a dream because it is filled with cheese, deli and more cheese.

GIVE IT UP FOR CHICKEN CORDON BLEU BURGER.

Penne Arrabiata‏ w/ Grilled Honey Lemon Chicken

Unlike people tomatoes are amazing.

You can't make ketchup out of people but you can definitely make some ketchup out of tomatoes.

Tomatoes have a very important role in the making of various pizza and pasta sauce.

One of the most famous and easy to make pasta sauces of all time is Arrabiata. Arrabiata means angry which I am mostly without no reason and it is originated from southern Italy.

Arrabiata uses a great quantity of tomatoes which makes it tangy, spicy and unlike anything you've ever tasted before.

I was unaware of this sauce until Zowha from Islamabad made a request; who also thinks I look like Umair Jaswal but people are blind and tomatoes aren't. I found it quite simple but never knew it tasted this amazing.

Add Penne Rigato pasta to it, top it with some Grilled Honey Chicken and let me tell you that you Mr. or Miss will be experiencing a pasta meal of your lifetime.

Ingredients For Penne Arrabiata:

500 grams of Penne Rigato pasta

920 grams of canned peeled tomatoes with juice (around two and a half cans)

4 cloves of garlic crushed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon of red chili flakes

2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley or coriander if parsley is not found

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

1 small onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon pepper or more for taste

1 tablespoon salt or more for taste

Ingredients For Grilled Honey Chicken:

Juice of 4 lemons

4 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Now first and foremost is boiling the pasta perfectly. For that you need to boil water in a pan, add a tablespoon of salt and add the pasta.

Stir occasionally and let it cook according to the instructions of the packet.

Meanwhile our pasta cooked, I prepared marinade for the chicken and marinated it for 20-30 minutes.

Add lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, paprika, salt, black pepper and ginger powder in a bowl and mix it.

Place the chicken in between a plastic wraps and flatten it by using a meat hammer.

Put chicken in a container, spread the marinade over it and rub it properly on the chicken. Put the container in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile the chicken is marinating we will make the pasta sauce.

Heat up oil in a pan on medium heat.

Add garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add chopped onions and stir around for 2-3 minutes.

Now add red chili pepper flakes and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes from the cans.

Add the herbs, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.

Mix everything properly and lower the heat now. Cover and cook for 20 minutes and your sauce is ready now.

Cover the sauce with the cooked pasta. Mix it properly till the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Set it aside so we can grill the chicken and plate everything later.

Brush some oil on a grill pan placed over medium low heat.

Place the chicken on the grill pan.

Cook for 4-6 minutes each side. Grilled chicken is all cooked.

It's up to you how you want to plate your chicken. I sliced it according to the idea I had of my presentation of both the pasta and the chicken.

Put the pasta in a bowl, sprinkle some chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese on it.

Place a layer of the sliced grill chicken and you're all set to go.

Ladies and gentlemen say hello to Penne Arrabiata‏ w/ Grilled Honey Chicken.