EASY CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI

Hello everyone 

I am not too fond of nonveg dishes but also don't dislike, so use to cook occasionally. When it comes to biryani, I always choose to veg biryani . But both my brothers and hubby too ,like chicken biryani over veg version. But as we know skinless chicken breast is low fat and a good source of protein also ,So after making up my mind for long , finally I gave it a chance too and viola it was a hit. Though my way of cooking don't call for too much oil or butter hence this one is also one of the low calorie biryani compared to regular ones. This is also simple to cook and don't need any special utensil or technique, even then you can get quiet authentic taste. Step wise recipe is given below hope you all will definitely give it a try.

EASY CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI 

Serves: 4-5

Time: 1 hr

Ingredients 

For chicken:

1 kg boneless chicken breast, cubed

3 medium onions, thinly sliced 

3 green chillies, broken in halves 

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste or minced ginger garlic 

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp curry powder 

1 tsp biryani powder masala

1/3 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 

2 big tomatoes, finely chopped 

3/4 cup fresh thick yoghurt (curd), beaten

Salt to taste

For chicken Tempering:

3/4 tsp cumin seeds 

3/4 tsp fennel seeds 

4 green cardamom 

4 cloves 

8-10 black peppers

2 inches piece cinnamon 

1 inch thin piece mace

For marination:

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp biryani powder masala

1/3 tsp turmeric powder 

For rice:

2 1/2 cup basmati or biryani rice, soaked for at least 30 mins

2 tsp ghee

3 1/2 cup water

1/3 tsp salt

For rice tempering:

1 star anise

4 green cardamom 

4 cloves

2 inches piece cinnamon 

For layering:

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped roughly 

1 tsp Kewda or rose water

Few strands of saffron or red and yellow edible colors 

1 big onion, thinly sliced and deep fried till golden brown 

Method:

First of all marinate chicken with ingredients given under marination section. Gently rub it on all pieces and let it rest for 20 mins minimum.

Now heat 2 tbsp oil in a thick bottom wok and deep fry onions given under layering section, till golden brown and drain it on a kitchen towel or paper to get rid of excess oil. I grilled these onions in microwave till golden brown to avoid this excess calorie in my dish. You can use any way you prefer.

Now add some more oil in the wok and heat it. Add all the chicken tempering spices and saute till aromatic, nearly 2 mins, avoid burning. Now add sliced onions and green chillies, fry till golden then add ginger garlic mince or paste. Saute till raw smell of it goes off.

 Now add marinated chicken cubes and fry on high flame for 5 mins or till it get white from all sides ,stirring constantly. Now add all powder spices and saute for 4-5 mins till spices get fried well. Now lower the flame , add some salt and cover it with lid. Cook for 10 mins or till chicken get completely cooked and tender, stirring occasionally.

In the mean while start preparing rice too. Heat ghee in a wide wok and add rice tempering spices,saute for 2 mins and add drained rice again saute for 2 mins ,add salt and water . Let it cook till nearly done but not completely soft. Don't overcook otherwise you will end up with chicken khichadi. Use water as per requirement, as different rice needs different quantity of water. If you like to boil rice in enough water and drain, then you can do as per your comfort. But I don't drain as I think all the flavour of spices will goes off with it, so I use only required amount of water.

When chicken is tender, add chopped tomatoes and fry on high flame till they get mushy and cooked now add beaten curd and cook stirring constantly to avoid cuddling of curd.

 Cook it on high flame to get nice semi dry chicken . Adjust salt and it's done.

Now for layering, divide chicken and rice in two equal parts. Spread one layer of chicken with some curry in base then spread 1/4 of mint leaves all over it then sprinkle, red color or saffron strands soaked in milk. Now spread half of rice on it evenly so that it cover whole chicken. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of milk on it, then sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Kewda or rose water, spread half of fried or grilled brown onions and 1/4 of mint leaves on it. Similarly make another layer of chicken on it and finally rice layer.

Finally cover it well with an aluminum foil so that it can be put on dum. You can also seal it with dough.

Now keep a tawa on low flame and put this biryani pot on it and dum it for 10 mins. Switch of the flame and let it rest for at least 10-15 mins so that all the flavours and aroma of spices and essences get infused in whole dish. 

Your aromatic,easy, yummy and flavour full biryani is ready to be served with tomato onion raita.

Always try to cook rice and chicken simultaneously so that you will get nice fluffy biryani. Never cook rice too early otherwise it may stick. If it's not possible to cook both at a time then first cook chicken then go to rice.

Never mix biryani with spatula, always use a fork or best to flip it by tossing.

It's a one pot meal that none of the nonvegetarian can refuse. Its aroma is sufficient to bring you to the dinning room. This can be a hit dish for any get together or family party. You need not to serve too many dishes with it only simple raita is enough to accompany it.

Hope you will definitely give it a try, it might be looking a long recipe but believe me it will not take your much effort and time . At last you will never regret for trying it, it's a must try recipe for all biryani lovers.

Please stop by and pour your valuable comments and suggestions here, they meant a lot to me.

Happy cooking....

HOME STYLE BUTTER CHICKEN

Hello everyone 

Butter chicken.....this name brings first of all strong craving for it then comes lots of butter and cream in mind and finally make us to go on back foot , if you are calorie conscious and loves healthy eating. Why only others have all the fun 😉 why not we healthy eaters too have all that fun of lip smacking gorgeous dishes. So here is scrumptious butter chicken recipe with almost less than half calories, than regular recipe. Hope you all will appreciate my this initiative, step wise recipe is given below.

HOME STYLE BUTTER CHICKEN 

Ingredients 

1 kg boneless chicken breast , cubed

3 big onions, very finely chopped or grated

2 big tomatoes, finely chopped or purried 

1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder 

1 tsp kitchen king masala

1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 

2-3 green chillies, broken in halves

1 cup thick yoghurt (curd), beaten

10-12 almonds, soaked and puréed( optional)

1 tbsp kasoori methi leaves, crushed

1 tsp sugar ( completely optional)

Salt to taste

For tempering:

2 bay leaves 

2 big cardamom

4 cloves 

4 green cardamom 

2-3 inches cinnamon sticks 

Method:

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a big wok, add all spices of tempering section, saute for 2 mins till they become aromatic. Then add onions and little salt. Saute till onion become light golden, add ginger garlic paste and broken green chillies and saute for 2 mins. 

Now add chicken cubes, turmeric powder and some salt , fry on high flame for 5 mins stirring continuously to avoid sticking to bottom, till chicken get white from all sides. Lower the flame, add chilli powder, coriander powder and kitchen king masala. Saute for 4-5 mins then cover the wok and let chicken to cook for 12-15 mins , stirring occasionally. 

When chicken become nicely cooked and tender then add tomatoes and almond paste ,fry on high flame till raw smell of tomatoes goes off. Then add beaten curd and saute on high flame for 5 more mins stirring constantly to avoid cuddling of curd.

 Now add water as per your choice of gravy consistency, adjust salt, add sugar. Let it boil then add kasoori methi and simmer for 5 mins, and done. 

Your yummy home style low calorie butter chicken is ready to serve with roti , naan or rice.

Always use fresh yoghurt (curd), otherwise you will end up with sour gravy.

Hope you all will like my little initiative towards healthy and guilt free cooking so please pour your comments and suggestions, they meant a lot to me.

Happy cooking....

KADHAI CHICKEN WITH HOME MADE KADHAI MASALA

Hello everyone

Today is my second non vegetarian post for all chicken lovers. As I am not to fond of non veg dishes but still love to dig in boneless chicken curries. So in my chicken dishes I prefer boneless chicken breast or chicken drumstick pieces. Today's dish is very simple and delicious KADHAI chicken with home made kadhai masala. And as you know I always try to cut extra calories in my dishes so avoided adding creams and extra oil, yet you will find it as delicious as you find in restaurants. Hope you will like this simple dish with no more hassle.

Recipe is given below just try once you will absolutely love it.

 KADHAI CHICKEN WITH HOME MADE KADHAI MASALA

Ingredients 

1 kg bone less chicken breast , cut in cubes( you can use any pieces)

2 big red tomatoes, finely chopped or puréed 

2 big onions , finely chopped 

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

1 capsicum, diced

1 big onion, diced

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

3 tbsp kadhai masala

2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 

2 green or dry red chillies, broken in half 

1 tsp kasoori methi leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp green coriander leaves, finely chopped 

Salt to taste

For kadhai masala:

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black pepper 

1/2 tsp fennel seeds 

1/2 tsp kasoori methi leaves 

2 big dry red chillies 

10-12 almonds

Method:

First of all dry roast all masalas in kadhai masala section except kasoori methi and almonds, till aromatic. Then add kasoori methi and almonds ,switch off flame and let it cool. Grind it to a coarse powder. It will yield nearly 3 tbsp of kadhai masala, which is needed.

Now marinate chicken with 1 tbsp kadhai masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste. Let it rest for at least 15 mins or max overnight in fridge.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and let it crackle then add chopped onions and broken chillies. Fry till golden, add turmeric powder and saute for 10 secs. Then add marinated chicken and fry at high flame for at least 5 mins till it become nice white from all sides.

 Now lower the flame and cook it covered for 12-15 mins stirring occasionally till it get nicely cooked and tender. Now add 1 tbsp kadhai masala and  Kashmiri red chilli powder , let it cook for further 5 mins. Add purried or chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 mins till raw smell of tomatoes goes off and it get nicely cooked. 

Now add remaining kadhai masala and diced capsicum and onions , adjust salt & gravy consistency as per your liking by adding water . 

Let it boil on high flame and switch off flame. Add kasoori methi leaves and green coriander leaves, mix well.

Your delicious kadhai chicken is ready to serve with roti, naan or rice.

You can also soak and make paste of almonds . Add it while adding chicken for frying. You are not going to miss cream in it. But if you like more creamier gravy then add 2 tbsp cream in it while adding capsicums and onions.

I added capsicum and onion at last to retain their crunch as we get in restaurants. If you like nicely soft veggies then add while adding chicken.

Hope you will definitely give this dish a try and you will never regret. Please pour your valuable comments and suggestions here, they meant a lot to me.

Happy cooking....

LOW CALORIE ALMOND CHICKEN

Hello everyone

My today's recipe is dedicated to non vegetarians who are equally health conscious too. Generally chicken, mutton, fish etc calls for extra oil than regular cooking that's why people hesitate to try curry dishes and end up with grill or baked ones. So I tried to come up with some healthy and lip smacking chicken curry recipe to be indulged without guilt.

Step wise recipe is given below and hope you all will like it.

LOW CALORIE CHICKEN CURRY 

Ingredients 

900 gms boneless skinless chicken breast , cubed

1/4 cup beaten thick curd

1/2 cup soaked almonds

1/2 cup green coriander leaves

2-3 green chillies

4 medium tomatoes, de seeded and purried 

1 big onion thinly sliced

2 tbsp onion powder or paste of fried onions

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1 1/4 tsp garam masala powder 

2 1/2 tsp chicken masala 

2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder 

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp ghee

For tempering 

2-3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

7-8 cloves

4 green cardamom 

1 mace piece

2 inches cinnamon stick

Method:

First of all make thick paste of almonds , green chilies and coriander leaves using little water. You can also peel almonds, I skipped it as it's not affecting texture and flavour of dish anyhow.

Now heat oil and ghee in a big vessel and add all tempering spices. Fry till aromatic but don't burn, then add sliced onions and fry till nice brown. Now add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few minutes. 

Then add purried tomatoes and fry on high flame till it get cooked and dry. Then add all dry spice powders and fry for 2 mins on medium flame , take care while frying so that spices don't get burn. Now add almonds paste and fry till it starts leaving the edges of vessel. Then add onion powder or paste and saute for 2 mins. 

Then add chicken and some salt , fry on high flame to retain moisture in chicken stir repeatedly to avoid sticking to bottom and burning. Add beaten curd and fry till chicken get fried from all sides and looks evenly white. Now 2 cups of water and mix well. Adjust seasoning and let it cook, covered till chicken become tender.

Now your tempting, lip smacking chicken curry is ready to serve with roti, naan or rice.

You can increase or decrease water in curry according to your preference of consistency.

This is very simple yet delicious dish , a must try for chicken lovers. I bet you will not get disappointed at all.

Enjoy it and please shower your precious comments and suggestions to this dish. I'll always appreciate your efforts to encourage my lil steps toward healthy cooking.

Happy cooking....