Tag: Indian

Categories
METHODS

NAAN BREAD


500 g/1 lb flour
1 packet/10 g/0.3 oz dried yeast or 30 g fresh yeast

If you prefer to use fresh yeast and the recipe requires dried yeast, simply multiply the dry yeast quantity by 3, i.e. 7 g/0.25 oz dried yeast becomes 21 g/0.7 oz fresh yeast.
Another way to remember:
10 g/0.35 g fresh yeast = 1 teaspoon/5 ml dry yeast.

60 ml/¼  cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons/30 ml melted butter
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
1 teaspoon/5 ml sugar
¾ cup/180 ml warm milk
olive oil for coating the dough
garlic, finely chopped to sprinkle over the bread

You can add seeds of your choice, aniseed, poppy-seed, etc to give it a distinct flavor or brush with oil and garlic.

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water to activate the yeast., add the yeast and wait for it to froth.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and salt together in a separate bowl and make a well in the center. Add the melted butter, yoghurt and yeast, mix well, then knead it well until a dough forms. It should be quite elastic and may need a little extra flour, in which case, sprinkle over a little flour and knead again.  (This can be done in a food processor with dough hook attachment.)

Place the dough in a clean bowl that you have greased lightly with oil, also coat the dough with a little oil.  Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to 220°C/392°F.  Brush a baking sheet with oil.

Remove the dough, separate into 6-8 pieces and roll out into rounds or oval shapes, about 5 mm thick.  Place on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and garlic (your choice) and place in the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Fruit, spice and nut rice


450 g/16 oz Basmati rice
75 g/2.6 oz unsalted butter
1 tablespoon/15 ml corn oil
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns, crushed
4 green cardamom pods, crushed and husks removed
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
75 g/2.6 oz sultanas
50 g almonds, flaked (slivered)
4 cups/1 liter water

Wash the rice twice, drain in a colander and set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan, over low heat, and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and cardamoms, and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the rice, salt, sultanas and flaked almonds, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover with a tightly-fitting lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes then turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand, still covered, for about 5 minutes before serving.  When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf, and fluff up the rice with a fork.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

An Indian chicken dish delicately flavored with a selection of spices


Serve with Basmati rice, Poppadoms and a variety of sambals

BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE

Serves 4

This is a wonderful dish to make a day ahead as the flavor becomes more intense overnight, therefore making it ideal for entertaining. 

INDIAN CHICKEN DISH

The chicken:
6 free-range chicken thighs
6 free-range drumsticks
3 tablespoons/45 ml oil
1 ℓ/4 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons/60 ml plain yogurt
¼ cup/60 ml lemon juice
4 fresh green chilies, ribs and seeds removed, finely sliced
1 tablespoon/15 ml garam masala

 The spicy onion and tomato and mixture:
2.5 cm/1 in cinnamon stick
seeds of 2 large cardamom pods
8 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon/5 ml black cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon/5 ml chili powder
2 tablespoons/30 ml oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
salt to taste
250 ml/1 cup chicken stock

The rice:
(Adding the spices are optional.  Use plain Basmati rice if you wish otherwise make the Fruit, spice and nut rice)
450 g/16 oz Basmati rice
75 g/2.6 oz unsalted butter
1 tablespoon/15 ml corn oil
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns, crushed
4 green cardamom pods, crushed and husks removed
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
75 g/2.6 oz sultanas
50 g almonds, flaked (slivered)
4 cups/1 liter water

The garnish:
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh coriander, chopped
2 fresh green chilies, chopped (optional)

In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. Add the chicken stock and salt to taste, bring to the boil then  turn the heat down, cover and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the onion and tomato mixture.
In a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar, grind the cinnamon, cardamom seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds and chili powder.
In a saucepan heat the oil and over low heat fry the onions, ginger and garlic gently until golden brown.  Add the ground spices and fry a little longer,  then add the tomatoes and cook slowly until the tomatoes break up and a thick sauce is formed.  Keep on cooking whilst stirring regularly. When all is thoroughly coated (take care that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan), season to taste.  If it becomes too thick before the tomatoes are cooked, add the chicken stock.  

Add the cooked onion and tomato spice mixture (recipe above) to the chicken, mix through and let it simmer, covered, over low heat for another 15 minutes.  Check constantly that it does not cook dry.  Add a little boiling hot water if necessary.   When cooked,  check the seasoning and remove the pan from the heat.  Add the yogurt, lemon, fresh chilies and garam masala to the chicken and gently mix to heat through.  Do not cook again.

Meanwhile, wash the rice twice, drain in a colander and set aside.  If making the spicy rice, heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan, over low heat, and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and cardamoms, and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the rice, salt, sultanas and flaked almonds, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover with a tightly-fitting lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes then turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand, still covered, for about 5 minutes before serving.  When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf and fluff up the rice with a fork.

To serve:
Place a 10 cm (2 in) diameter pastry ring on the plate and fill it with the Fruit, spice and nut rice.  Arrange the chicken pieces around it with a generous helping of the sauce.  Lift the pastry rings off the rice and place some coriander and whole chili on top of the rice.  Serve the Sambals in small individual bowls for each guest and Naan bread and /or Poppadoms (available at upmarket super markets) on the side.