Gongura Chicken

Gongura is widely used in Telugu cuisine along with chutney or relish.  while it has many culinary uses, the most popular is the pickled version.  Although Gongura is widely consumed all over Andhra Pradesh, Guntur Gongura is more popular in hotels, restaurants, eateries and food joints. In the Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh it is known as Puntikura Or Kuntikura. It is also available in Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh (north east region of India) and also some parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts region in Bangladesh (which is mainly a tribal people region). It is a very popular green vegetable in Chakma community and it is known as "Aamelli". Gongura is a very rich source of Iron, vitamins, folic acid and anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition.  Similarly, Gongura is popular in Tamil Nadu as well, and is called pulichakeerai in Tamil. The famous combination with pulichakeerai is Ragi Kali/Ragi Mudde, which once used to be a regular food for the people in villages (since these items are easily available in agricultural forms). In Marathi, it is called Ambaadi. It is known as Pitwaa in Hindi, Nalitaa Saaga in Oriya, Mestapat in Bengali, Amaari in Chhattisgarhi, Pandi/Pundi in Kannada, Anthur in Mizo, Sougri in Manipuri, Aamelli in Chakma, Sorrel Leaves in English, and Chin Baung in Chinese. It is a summer crop, and the hotter the place, the more sour the leaf gets.

Gongura comes in two varieties, green stemmed leaf and red stemmed. The red stemmed variety is more sour than the green stemmed variety. Gongura is popular in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and also Mizoram.A baby gongura leaf is a full leaf. As the leaf grows older, the leaf splits into four or more parts.

Gongura Chicken

Ingredients

•  1 kg chicken, washed and drained
•  4 medium sized onions, finely chopped
•  few fresh curry leaves
•  4 tbsp oil
•  1 tsp fresh garam masala powder
•  salt to taste
•  1 cup curd
•  1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
•  1/4 tsp turmeric powder
•  1 tbsp red chilli powder
•  1/4 cup water
•  2 cups fresh red sorrel (gongura) leaves 
•  3 green chillies (adjust)
•  1 bunch fresh coriander leaves (optional)
•  1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves (optional)
•  4 cloves
•  1 1/2" cinnamon
•  3 cardamoms
•  3 tbsp coriander seeds

Method

• Marinade chicken pieces in curd, turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd and ginger garlic paste and keep aside for half an hour.
• Lightly dry roast the spices under 'garam masala powder' for 4 mnts and let them cool. Grind them to fine powder, keep aside.
• Boil the water, add fresh red sorrel (gongura) leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies and mint leaves. Cook them for 3 mts and let them cool. Grind them into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add finely chopped onions, curry leaves and saute till light golden color on medium heat.
• Add marinade chicken, mix well, covered, cook on high heat for 5 mnts. Reduce heat and cook for another 20 mnts or till chicken more than half cooked.
• Now time to add sorrel (gongura) leaves paste and combine well. Place the lid and cook till chicken has turned soft and paste should mix well with chicken pieces.
• Finally add salt and fresh garam masala pwd, mix well, cook more 5 mts and turn off the heat.
• Serve hot with white rice or chapatis.

Read more »

Natu Kodi Pulusu / Country Chicken Stew

Natu Kodi Pulusu / Country Chicken Stew is one of famous dish from Andhra region.  It is widely used in coastal and southern part of the Andhra region.  this dish is widely used for morning breakfast either with Dosa or Idly. 

Natu Kodi Pulusu

Ingredients

• 1/2 KG Country Chicken cut them into big pieces
• 1 table spoon Lemon Juice
• 5 Green chilis
• 3 Tomato
• 1 1/2 tea spoon Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 tea spoon Red chili powder
• 1/2 tea spoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 tea spoon Coriander powder
• Tamarind (small lemon size)
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 seeds Cardamom
• 1 tea spoon Poppy seeds
• 2 Onion
• Salt ( as required)
• 2 table spoon Oil (for taste use Groundnut oil)
• 1 1/2 cups of water.

Method

• Clean and wash chicken pieces and add lemon juice, Ginger Garlic past, Turmeric and some salt and keep the pieces side.
• Include Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Poppy seeds, Tamarind, 1 Onion and grind all of them and into a smooth paste to make them paste include few water or oil.
• Take a Pan and heat them with oil
• Add few chopped onion once they trun into gold colour add some Ginger Garlic paste, turmeric powder, chopped tomato, red chili powder and coriander powder and stir for few seconds.
• After some time add grounded paste and fry till nice aroma come out and oil leaves the pan sides.
• Now add chicken pieces and fry for 2-3 mints in oil.
• Now add those fried chicken pieces into juices and stir in between approximately for 5-10 mints in low flame.
• Now open the lid ad add 1 1/2 cup water mix well and bring to full boil now cover and cook for 10 mint or till chicken become tender.

Read more »

Chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala is a curry dish of roasted chicken chunks (tikka) in a spicy (masala) sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured. Chicken Tikka masala has been found to be the most popular dish in British restaurants and it has been called "a true British national dish. 

One in seven curries sold in the UK is chicken tikka masala. The cross-cultural popularity of the dish in the UK led former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook to proclaim it as "a true British national dish" It is also widely served in India, especially in major cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi and Chandigarh. Some restaurants in Pakistan and Bangladesh offer chicken tikka masala, especially if they expect tourists from the United Kingdom as clients.

Chinken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method

• In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat a grill for high heat.
• Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Read more »

Murgh Musallam

History

Murgh Musallam it is mean chicken cooked with rice and dry fruits stuffed inside. This is not exactly an Indian cuisine but it is influence by Lahori cuisine it part of Lahore in Punjab.  Lahore is city with extremely rich food culture.  

Murgh Musallam

Ingredients

• 10 flakes garlic (crushed)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• Salt To Taste
• 1 cup curd or plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 chicken
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 3/4th cup shelled peas
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 cup ghee
• 2 large onions (finely chopped)
• 225gms/1/2 lb tomatoes (peeled & sliced)
• 2 cups hot water
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Spices

• 2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 8 cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 brown cardamom
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp saffron strands

Method

• Mix three-quarter of garlic with half the ginger, half the garam masala, 1 tbsp. salt, 1/3rd of turmeric, half of curd and the lemon juice and mix to paste.
• Make small cuts in the chicken flesh and rub the paste all over and in the cavity. keep aside for 2 hours.
• Half cook the rice with peas, remaining garlic , 4 cloves, peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. salt, brown cardamom and 4 bay leaves and water and use to stuff chicken.
• Heat the ghee in saucepan and fry the chicken until brown all over, being careful not to let the stuffing out. Drain the chicken.
• In another pan fry half onions in the remaining ghee with 2 bay leaves, remaining cloves and green cardamoms, until golden.
• Add the remaining turmeric and chili powder. Make a paste grinding together the coriander and cumin seeds and the remaining onion and grated ginger.
• Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate. add the remaining curd, the tomato and 1/2 tsp. salt.
• Add the chicken to the pan and baste with the spice mixture. Pour over 300ml/ 11/4 cups of water, cover and cook in a moderately hot oven (200 degree centigrade, 400 degree Fahrenheit, gas mark 6) for 1 hour.
• Steep the saffron in the remaining garam masala powder and coriander leaves before serving murgh musallam.

Read more »