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 Stroganoff

Stroganoff to my correct knowledge is a mid 19th century Russian dish cook with beef which I have made before. 

See recipe - http://chefshamsher.blogspot.com/2014/12/beef-stroganoff.html ignore the stupid origins.

I don't feel like cooking these days but I have to feed myself and one other so I turn to things which are nearly effortless to make.

We all love effortless things don't we?

Well here is one effortless dish for you and the recipe is a lot different than the beef stroganoff.

This is chicken so it's cooked early and the method is very easy like you all want your lives to be.

Recipe courtesy - Nida Noor Shazib

Ingredients

500 grams chicken cut in strips

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1  cup sour cream

1 can of sliced mushrooms

1.5 teaspoon of salt (divided in 3 1/2 teaspoons)

1.5 spoons of black pepper (divided in 3 1/2 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

1 teaspoon of red chili paste

1 teaspoon flour

It depends on you how you want to eat it with pasta or rice. I made both and wasted both of them as well.

Start by frying the chicken strip in a non stick pan until they are cooked. Add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and salt while frying them. Take them out separately.

Now you fry the chopped onions and sliced mushrooms on high heat for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and salt while frying them.

Now add the fried chicken, chicken broth, soy sauce, tomato sauce and bring it to a boil.

Mix a teaspoon of all purpose flour in the sour cream until smooth and add it in the mushroom chicken mixture. Add the red chili paste. Simmer on low heat until your desired thickness of sauce.

Stroganoff is ready and all set to be served now.

Like I said its up to you to whether to eat them with pasta or rice but I have tried my best to display them in both ways.

Ladies and gentlemen throw your hands in the air like you just don't care for Chicken Stroganoff.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Friends for a meal are easy to find, friends until end of life are difficult to find. - Thai Proverb

Who gives a damn about friends. There is no concept of friends and love in these modern times.

Anyway

The Thai proverb was just my lame attempt to start this Thai recipe that I picked up from my good friend Mehvish Abubaker's blog journalofafoodaholic.blogspot.com which I don't know why she has abandoned.

Thai Red Curry Chicken is name of this spicy recipe. If you want to burn your whole existence or if you want to set your loved ones on fire I will suggest you to make this crimson delight for them.

It's extremely easy to make if you have Thai Red Curry paste but what will ease bring you humans?

Let's make Thai Red Curry paste first.

For Thai Red Curry paste you need:

Dried red chili 15-20

Onion 1/2

Garlic Paste 1 teaspoon

Ginger Paste 1 teaspoon

Salt 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin 1 teaspoon

Coriander whole 1 teaspoon

Black pepper crushed 1/2 teaspoon

Water 1/2 cup

Soak the red chilies in hot water for an hour.

After that drain the water and add the chilies plus all the mentioned ingredients in a blender. Grind until it becomes a fine paste.

Take out the paste and put it aside. Let it cool down.


Remember whenever cooking Asian cuisines  with rice, always cook rice before the gravy because the rice will stay fresh for a longer time than the gravy.

Now let's get down to our Thai business.


Ingredients:

Chicken 1/2 kg cut in cubes or slices

Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon

Coconut milk 1 cup

Sugar 1 teaspoon

Salt 1.5 teaspoon

Red curry paste 1/2 cup heaped

Fish Sauce 1 tablespoon

Oil 1/4 cup

Green Chilies 4-5 slices

Add oil to a non stick pan. Fry the chicken on high heat until its completely cooked.

Add the Thai red curry paste and stir fry it for 2-3 minutes more.

Add salt, sugar, lemon juice, fish sauce and coconut milk. Cook it to your desired gravy thickness.

Add green chilies and cook it for a minute. Thai Red Curry Chicken is ready to be served now. Easy lemon squeezy.

Set up a nice plate for someone you love.


Ladies and gentlemen shake your taste-buds for Thai Red Curry Chicken.