Singapore Chicken Satay

One of the most famous Malay dishes in Singapore, Satay is a must-try. It is made of skewered meat grilled over charcoal or a grill, to an irresistibly smoky, savoury finish. This meaty delicacy is served with a velvety peanut-based sauce and accompanied with cucumber, chopped onion and steamed rice. I had some lemon grass left over and so made a fried rice with mixed vegetables and was amazed at the flavour the lemon grass infused into the rice. Do try it.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the Chicken Satay
1 Kg Chicken breasts/boneless chunks
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts or cashewnuts
10 shallots or 1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemongrass (use only the root)
1 cm slice galangal or blue ginger
1 cm slice fresh ginger
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
50 grams jaggery or palm sugar
2 tsps tamarind pulp
1/2 cup water

For Satay Sauce
40 grms to 60 grms tamarind pulp, 2 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup toasted skinless peanuts ground till fine
1/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy)
1 stalk lemon grass
1/4 cup sugar or equivalent jaggery
3/4 tsp salt

Spice mixture for Satay Sauce
3 candlenuts or macadamia nuts or cashewnuts washed and drained
15 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water till softened
3 cloves garlic
30 g shallots or 1 large red onion
1 tsp shrimp paste or belacan (optional)

Method :

Satay Sauce
Mix tamarind pulp with water and strain, discard pulp. Pound or grind spice mixture until fine. Fry spice mixture in hot oil till fragrant. Add tamarind liquid and remaining ingredients. Boil for 15 minutes, stir well. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Satay Chicken
Dry fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds till fragrant and grind till fine. Pound or grind candlenuts, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and ginger till fine. Mix the tamarind pulp with quarter cup of water, then knead and sieve. Mix the jaggery/sugar with quarter cup of water and dissolve over low heat.

Mix the shallot mixture with the ground seeds, turmeric powder, tamarind water, sugar/jaggery syrup and salt. Marinade meat in this mixture for 6 hours. To grill, skewer 3 or 4 pieces of meat on each skewer, bush with oil and BBQ till golden brown on both sides.

Serve with Satay Sauce and steamed rice/fried rice.

Fowl Vindaloo

Vindaloo is a dish that needs no introduction.   A famous,  often fiery, red curry from Goa, Vindaloo has made a name for itself  and is even listed in the dictionary.  It looks serene and appealing on the surface but oozes with depths of flavor and spices.

There are many variations of a Vindaloo paste,   though the original was mostly a mix of  chillies and red wine.   When wine was not available it was substituted with vinegar.

Vindaloo is mostly made with Pork,  though Chicken and Lamb are also used.  This Vindaloo has a touch of ‘Mangalorean’ to it because it also has a bit of coconut in it.  I was apprehensive of using coconut;   but then the result  was a well balanced, spicy and tangy flavour;  and I was happy with it and thought of  sharing it with our readers.

This is another special from the cook book of Roseline……. those who have tried her earlier recipes cant stop raving about them;   now its your turn.

So on your marks, get set…go…………..to the kitchen…………………. and experience it for yourself.

Recipe :

Chicken – (full cut into 12-16 pieces  – I used 4 chicken breasts cut into cubes)

Grind extra fine the following and keep aside  :-
½ coconut grated
12 red dry chillies
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 garlic flakes
3 onions
1 teaspoon cumin
10 pepper corns
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1” stick of cinnamon

Put  ghee in a large bottomed pan and add 2 bay leaves and then the chicken pieces and let all the pieces be coated with ghee.  Add garlic paste (1 tablespoon) and let the chicken brown well.  Remove and keep aside.
In the same vessel add the ground masala and fry for a long time till the colour of the masala changes from a deep red to a reddish brown.  Add the browned chicken and 2 slit green chillies,  few slices of ginger and 4-6 garlic cloves cut into thin slices.  Fry on a slow fire till you note the ghee brimming to the surface.  Then add a little water, vinegar, salt and 1 tablespoon (or less) sugar.  The gravy should  be very thick and not runny.  Let it simmer on a slow fire for 15-20 minutes,  stirring now and then.

Serve hot with chapattis or rice and have some fried potato wedges on the side.

Roasted Chicken

Feel the cold wind blowing-winter’s coming on
‘Tis the season, so they say
If you need help believing ’cause your spirit ain’t
Too strong
Hold my hand – we’ll push that cloud away

Put a little holiday in your heart
It’ll put a little shuffle in your step
Give you a song that you can sing
With a melody you can’t forget
And if you wanna join in a little harmony
To keep the world from tearin’ apart
Well you know where to look
Yeah – you gotta put a little holiday in your heart

Hello everyone.   If you cant have “Turkey” for Christmas…you better not pout !!!.   Go for the second best……. ‘Chicken’.   The pictures may not do justice to this lovely Chicken Roast;   but trust me this is GOOOOOOOOD and yummy.    Here is a recipe for a fairly simple  “ Roast Chicken”.

Ingredients Needed :

A plump chicken  (about 1800 grms or more)
2 -1/2 cups of curds
3 tablespoons of Tandoori Masala
1 tablespoon of chillie powder / bafat powder
1 or 2  Lemons
Butter -  3 tablespoons  (softened)
Ginger & Garlic paste  (made from 1 pod garlic and 2-1/2 inch ginger)
Fresh Pepper – 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon – oregano
Salt
Olive oil or plain oil or melted butter (5-6 tablespoons)
(mixed vegetable chopped roughly  into chunks -  Potatoes –with skin on, carrots,  onions –choped into 4-6 pieces,  French beans-strung and left whole,  2 garlic pods –skin on,  tomatoes chopped into chunks,   & capsicums – you can use more other veggies of your choice)
For garnish – lettuce and cherry tomatoes

Clean and wash the chicken.  Keep skin on.  Dab with kitchen paper till it is dry.    In a large platter mix in curds, tandoori  masala,  chillie powder, ginger/garlic paste,  oregano,  little salt  (go easy on the salt as the tandoori masala also has it and the chicken will be rubbed with salt as well) and keep aside.

Cut the lemon into halves and rub the chicken  all over (inside and out) with the lemon halves,  pressing the lemon gently so that the chicken is covered all over with lemon juice.  Rub salt and pepper  in the cavity of the chicken as well as the outer side.

Take softened butter and  rub on the chicken – in and out.

Toss the chicken in the marinade and apply the marinade all over the chicken.   Keep aside for 2-3 hours – turning the chicken over  now and then.

Just half an hour before putting the chicken in the oven – add all the chopped veggies to the marinade and mix.

Take a large roasting tray and  put olive oil or butter in it….  Put the chicken in the center and surround all over with the chopped vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.  (I used the Convection  oven on my microwave and set it for 2 hours– yes I have a large one – and as it rotates – the chicken gets evenly brown).    You can use your normal oven as well – but then you will have to change the direction of the  roasting pan  every 30 minutes or so – to ensure even browning.

Baste the chicken every 20 minutes with the remaining marinade and toss the vegetables with a spoon – so that all of them get roasted well.   After one hour – the chicken will start releasing its juices  -nothing to worry…. by now the reserve  marinade will be over.   Just toss the juices on top of the chicken to keep it moist.   I kept the chicken in the oven for roughly two hours -  for the chicken to be roasted well and brown all over– the vegetables well cooked, and all the juices in the pan nearly dried out.

Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter.   Cover  the hot chicken with a foil and keep it for 10 minutes.

Spread lettuce leaves on a large oval platter,   put the chicken in the center and surround it with the roasted vegetables.  Toss cherry tomatoes all over.   Brush melted butter on the chicken and on the veggies….. carve the chicken and serve along with roasted vegetables.

Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:Two chicken breasts – slice vertically into two or three slices– and beat with a meat-mallet till very thin.
Make the following three batters and keep in separate plates.

1st Batter :
2-3 tablespoons hot sauce or chilly sauce
Ginger/garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons
Mix and keep aside.
2nd Batter :
1 Cup flour (maida)
1 tablespoon chilly powder
Salt to taste (already put salt earlier so go easy on the salt)
Black pepper
Mix and keep aside
3rd Batter/Mix :
Breadcrumbs
Little oregano -1/2 teaspoon

Preparation :
Add just a little salt/pepper to chicken breasts and keep aside. Dip the chicken breasts in 1st batter, then 2nd and then once again in 1st batter and 2nd, roll in the 3rd batter once and shallow fry.

Slice onions into rings and separate them. Dip in the remaining batter and fry and serve alongside the chicken.

Serve piping hot with ketchup and mayonnaise dip.

Chicken Jeere-Meere (Cummin/Pepper Chicken)

From the kitchen of Roseline;  a recipe which not only looks good, but tastes good as well.  it’s a blend of Indian spices without coconut. It is an excellent accompaniment with neer dosa, appam, sanna or pulao.

 Preparation: Grind together 15 dry red chillies, 1 teaspoon jeera, 15-20 pepper corns, turmeric 1/2 teaspoon, onion 4 big, tamarind – marble sized.

Cut chicken into pieces, fry in two tablespoons ghee and remove aside. In the same pan, fry one sliced onion till golden. Then add the ground masala and fry for 15-20 minutes till the oil separates from the masala. Add the chicken pieces, salt and just a 1/4 cup of water and keep stir frying on a slow fire till the chicken is done.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Chicken Sukka (Kori Katchpu)

Owe this recipe to Mrs. Roseline Tauro;  or rather to her son Brendon Tauro.  When we were on a short holiday in Bangalore this year,  we were invited to lunch and I noted a much used, hand-written recipe book in the kitchen.  After enquiring,  I learned that it was a hand-written book by his mother.  Brendon kindly agreed to give me a copy and its a real treasure trove of lovely recipes and am going to share them with you, with all credit given to Mrs. Roseline Tauro.   Have made a separate folder titled ‘From Roseline’s Kitchen’ and after testing and trying them, they will find a place in this folder. 

So here is the first one…. specially for our readers.  I tried it at home and I have to steal KFC’s line and say… “It was finger licking good” !!!!!

Recipe :

1 Chicken – cut into small pieces (boil with 1 teaspoon of salt and keep aside)

 {Note :  this is what the recipe says – but I just sauteed the chicken pieces in a little oil – choice is yours}.

Grated coconut scrapings – 1-1/2 – 2 cups.

Grind fine  the following :

-8  red chillies

-1 tablespoon  coriander seeds

-1 teaspoon cumin seeds

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

-2-3 seeds of garlic

-8 pepper corns

-lime (small) sized ball of tamarind

-1” cinnamon

Take a wide bottommed non-stick vessel,  add a little oil and brown the chicken pieces in small batches.  Remove and keep aside, covered.   In the same pan add one sliced onion and fry till golden then add the finely ground masala and fry well. 

Then add the lightly browned chicken pieces, salt and saute for sometime.  Add little water –and grated coconut and simmer till the chicken is done and the dish is dryish. 

Serve  alongwith rice,   dal/rasam and a vegetable.

Chicken Lok Lak

Hi folks.  This is a delicious Cambodian recipe that I picked up when we were in Siem Reap. You can use Beef or Shrimp too.  It was a favourite with Devon, who liked to order it everytime.  If it was not on the Menu, it was a disappointed Devon that quietly ate whatever was served.   It is more like Chicken Stir Fry but ‘Lok Lak’ or Luc Lac’ is what it was called there.  It is usually served on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber and with steamed rice, potato wedges and a small bowl of Pepper Sauce on the side.   A piece of chicken is wrapped in a piece of the lettuce leaf, dipped in the Pepper Sauce and then eaten.  I barged into the hotel kitchen and watched how the chef made it.  It was done in a huge very hot iron wok and took less than two minutes to be ready.   When I made it,  I increased the cooking time and tweaked it a wee-bit to suit our taste.

Easy, quick and delicious….. now that’s what you looking for, right ?

- Chicken -500 grams (boneless and sliced into bite sized bits)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste (go easy on the salt –as soya sauce already has salt)
- 1-1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon  chilli sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon red chillies –coarsely crushed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon  Oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, chopped
- Lemon – 1 big
- Spring Onion and lemon grass –for garnish
- 2-3 tablespoons oil for frying the meat

For the pepper sauce:
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 large lemon

(For Pepper sauce – mix all together and serve in small-mini sized bowls)

Preparation

- Mix sugar, salt, pepper, oil, soy sauce, chillie sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, crushed chillies and garlic in a mixing bowl, add chicken and marinate for 1-1/2 hour.
-  Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to a wok or non-stick heavy-bottomed pan,  sautee onion until brown and add marinated chicken and stir fry on high heat 5 to 10 minutes, until done. It is meant to be dry, however if you need it a little moist, just sprinkle little water and stir-fry for some more time.

-Garnish with chopped spring onion and lemon grass.

Serve on a bed of cucumber , tomatoes and lettuce (I did not have it so managed without it); accompanied with  rice and potato chips/wedges.

For rice :

2 cups rice – boiled and drained.
1 teaspoon of soya sauce
Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon of crushed pepper
A bunch of spring onions- chopped along with green stalks
Salt to taste
Butter – 2 tablespoons

In a wok add butter and sauté the spring onions,  add crushed pepper, soya sauce and cooked rice.  Add in the lemon juice and stir.  Add salt if required.  Garnish with a few spring onions and serve hot.

Serves 3-4.

Chicken Achari

Hi folks.   Just back from a short vacation and still in a holiday mood.  Am currently drafting a travelogue on Cambodia and the amazing Angkor Wat.  I will notify you when the travelogue is ready – if you have the time please do hop over and go through it.  I have also taken the effort to learn some Khmer Cuisine  like Amok Fish, Lok Luk Chicken etc…..so do check in often.

Please excuse our absence on the blog and do hope we were missed.

Here is a Chicken recipe, if you like pickles,  this one is for you.

Chicken  (cut into small pieces) 1000-1200 grams
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic 1 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Onion- 2 large
Oil ½ cup
Green chilies 4 chopped
Yogurt 1 cup
Cream – ½ cup/3-4 tablespoons  (Optional)

Ingredients for achari masala – (blend coarse & keep aside)

• Onion/kalonjee seeds 1 tsp
• Fenugreek/methi seeds ¼ tsp
• Cumin seeds 2 tsp
• Fennel seeds/badeshep 1 ½ tsp
• Red chilies 6
• Mustard seeds ½ tsp

{If you dont want to make home-made Achari Masala,  ready-made packets of Achari Masala can be used.  You can use two tablespoons of Shaan Achari Masala, readily available at asian grocery stores)

Method :

Marinate chicken with salt and lemon juice for 1 hour.

Put oil in a pan and add sliced onion and fry till it gets golden brown.  Add ginger garlic paste and fry well.  Then add the marinated chicken and stir till the chicken is brown all over.  Add coriander powder, turmeric, salt to taste (if needed) and yogurt.  Cover and simmer with little water. Add the coarsely ground achari masala and simmer till the chicken is done.  Then add green chilies and simmer for a few minutes.  Just before removing off heat add the cream and stir thoroughly.

Serve with a Pulav or Tandoori Roti.

Kerala Chicken Roast

Owe this recipe to a friend of mine, Prasad.  While I slog away at work without a lunch break,  this dude goes home for lunch .  And whenever he sees that am a bit stressed,  on his way back he gets me a parcel of whatever ‘main course’ he wolfed .  I was recently at the receiving end of this Chicken Roast made by his lovely wife;  and after a couple of requests,  he got me the recipe.  And of course I had to make it at home to share it with my wonderful readers .  You will be surprised to know that only six ingredients are used for this flavourful chicken, coconut oil, corriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, chillie powder  and curry leaves.

Come with me to know the secret to this awesome Chicken Roast…you will be amazed at the flavour.  For best results, use a non-stick vessel (this I say from experience); or you will end up with ‘burnt chicken’ if you dont keep a watchful eye on the chicken.

Ingredients :  Chicken (1 Kg), coconut oil 5 tablespoons, coriander powder 4 tablespoons, pepper powder 2 tablespoons, chillie powder 2 tablespoons, turmeric powder 1 teaspoon,  curry leaves (a handful) and salt as required.

Cut chicken into approx. 16 pieces, wash thoroughly and put in a colander to drain excess water.  Then put in a large bowl and add all the ingredients, except the oil and curry leaves and leave aside for 15 minutes.

Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably non-stick and thick bottomed) and when warm add the curry leaves and stir, then add the chicken and fry for sometime.  When all the water evaporates,  sprinkle a tablespoon of water and stir and fry.  When it gets dry again then add another tablespoon of water and fry.  Keep on a slow fire and fry till the chicken is cooked, say approximate 25-30 minutes.  When done;  garnish with a few more curry leaves and stir.   Keep warm till serving time.

Chicken Tikka and Naan

Chicken Tikka are small pieces of boneless chicken, marinated in spices and yogurt and grilled or baked in an oven or grill. While being done they are brushed with butter and marinade at regular intervals, which keeps it tender and moist. If you don’t have an oven, don’t fret, these can be shallow fried on a regular pan as well. Usually served as appetizers; but if you team it up with the Naans (recipe given below), they can be a full and satisfying main course too. I had a beef side-dish ready as well; but after having a couple of skewers of Chicken Tikka and Naan; laced with Hummous and Garlic Cream; nobody wanted anything else.
Do try these Tikkas.. they are really finger licking good; never mind the extra little work involved.
I used Chicken Breasts and grilled them in the oven in the auto-kebab mode.
Cut the Chicken Breasts into cubes, wash and pat dry. Use the following as a first marinade. (2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt, paprika or red chillie powder -1 tablespoon, 1 tablespoon of ginger paste, 1 tablespoon of garlic paste and 1 tablespoon of grated onion. Keep the chicken pieces in this marinade for 20-30 minutes).
{For the second marinade you need about ¼ cup of gram flour/besan; which is to be roasted. So take a small pan and add a tablespoon of oil and add a teaspoon of crushed carom seeds/ajwan, then add the ¼ cup of gram flour and roast it till it changes colour and emits a nutty flavor.}
Ingredients for 2nd Marinade as follows [1 cup thick curd, the ¼ cup of roasted gram-flour above, ½ teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon crushed carom seeds/ajwain, 1 heaped tablespoon ginger paste, 1 heaped tablespoon garlic paste, little salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon red chillie powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, orange food colour, ¼ tsp saffron strands dissolved in 1 tablespoon of milk, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon 5 spice powder, 1 teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi, orange food colour].
Mix the chicken in the 2nd marinade and keep aside covered with cling-wrap for sometime. I did mine the previous late evening – so they marinated for 6 hours plus.
Start grilling/baking them just before the meal, so you can have them piping hot…straight from the oven. Keep basting the tikkas with remaining marinade and butter every 10 minutes or so. I grilled them for 10 minutes on each side. When done brush with lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. I soaked onion rings in white vinegar and water for 10-15 minutes and served them along with the tikkas.

Naan :
These soft and fluffy Naans were a huge hit with the family. Once you make them, you are never gonna contemplate buying Naan from outside. Enjoy.

2 cups of Flour (Maida)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oil
¾ cup yogurt
½ cup warm milk
Garlic butter (used Lurpak garlic butter)

Sift ingredients 1-5 in a big bowl. Add yogurt and oil and half of the milk and knead together. Add the remaining milk and knead for 5-7 minutes till you get a soft dough. If it is too sticky, sprinkle a little more dough and knead for sometime. You need to get a dough that is softer than chapatti dough. Keep in a warm place to rise for about 2-3 hours, covered with cling wrap.

After the dough has risen, roll into spheres (not too thin) and brush one side with water. Moisten it all over on one side only. (Naans are usually done in a hot clay oven;  in the absence of which you can also use a Tava or an oven- I used a Tava). Put the wet side on to the hot Tava, which has been smeared with a thin film of oil, (wet side down on the pan). Cover with a dome shaped pan-lid. After 30 seconds you will note bubbles formed on the surface…. Turn it over and with the help of tongs, put the uncooked side onto a direct slow flame or alternately you can just cook on the tava till its cooked. Brush immediately with garlic butter and serve hot from Pan to Plate.  Best eaten hot and immediately after it is done.