Anjappar Style Chicken Biryani

Tags

Biryani, Chicken Recipes, Rice Recipes

Anjappar Style Chicken Biryani comes from an Authentic Chettinadu Restaurant Chain based in Chennai, India but have restaurants all over South India and Several Countries.

The aroma and flavors are too good not to give it a try. This biryani has become one of the favorites for our family.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Marinate Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 40 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

To Marinate:

Chicken: 500 gms with bones

Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon 

Salt : 1 teaspoon 

Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon 

Yogurt/ curd : 1 tablespoon

Lemon juice: 1/4 teaspoon 

For Tempering:

Cloves: 6

Elachi/Green cardamom: 4

Cumin: 1/2 teaspoon 

Cinnamon: 2″ stick 

Fennel seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Bay leaves: 2

Marathi Mogga : 1

Others:

Basmati rice: 2 cups 

Onion: 2 sliced

Green chilies: 3 slit 

Tomato: 1 large diced

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Cilantro/ coriander leaves: 5-6 sprigs chopped 

Mint : 5-6 sprigs chopped 

Water : 3 1/2 cups 

Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon 

Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon 

Biryani masala: 1/2 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Take all ingredients listed under marinate, mix well and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the ingredients listed under tempering.

Add green chilies and onions and sauté till golden brown.

In meanwhile, drain rice. Heat 2 teaspoons of ghee in a pan and add drained rice. Keep frying the rice until it changes the color to light yellow.

Add ginger garlic paste to the onions and mix well. Fry for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.

Add cilantro and mint leaves mix well.

Add the chicken mix well and fry for 15- 17 minutes until the chicken is done by mixing in between. 

Add water, garam masala, biryani Masala, red chili powder, salt mix well and bring it to a boil. 

Add the rice, gently mix and close lid. Simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes until the rice is done. 

Let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid, fluff up with a fork and serve hot with gravy or raita.

Chicken Noodle Soup in a Slow Cooker

Tags

Chicken Recipes

It’s cold outside that means it’s perfect time for some hot soups.

Chicken Noodle Soup is a simple yet filling soup. When made in a slow cooker, you just add all the ingredients and forget about it for 8 hours. 

The chicken is really tender and soup is delicious.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 7-8 hours 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Chicken Thighs Bone in: 2 pounds

Carrots : 3 diced in 1″ pieces 

Celery : 1 diced in 1/2″ pieces 

Onion : 1 diced

Bay leaf : 1

Rosemary: 1 sprig ( fresh or dried)

Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon 

Dried thyme : 1/2 teaspoon 

Parsley: 4 sprigs + 2 sprigs to garnish 

Black pepper: 1 teaspoon 

Chicken Broth: 2 cartons or 8 cups

Salt to taste 

Egg Noodles : 3 cups

Method:

Add the veggies, place the chicken on top of them, add spices and pour the broth. Place lid and set the slow cooker for 7-8 hours. 

In the last 15 minutes, take out the chicken pieces and add noodles. 

With two forks, shred the chicken and put it back in the soup.

Once the noodles are cooked, garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Caramel Macchiato

My Hubby is on a Coffeehouse style coffee kick these days either it’s hot or cold coffee. 

I’m not a coffee drinker but I love the smell and the taste of specialitycoffee.

So, here comes caramel macchiato.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Heating and Mixing time: 10 minutes 

Serves : 1

Ingredients:

Medium to dark roast coffee grinds: 1 tablespoon 

Water : 5 oz

Milk : 1/2 cup

Vanilla syrup: 4 tablespoons 

Sugar : 1 teaspoon 

Caramel sauce : for topping 

Method:

Brew the coffee.

Take the milk in a large cup or a bowl and microwave it on high 1 to 11/2 minutes until hot but the milk should not be boiling.

Take a milk frother or hand mixer and beat it increasing the speed as milk thickens for about 2 minutes. Steamed milk stays on the bottom and foam rises to the top.

Take the brewed coffee, mix in vanilla syrup and sugar. Microwave for 20 -30 seconds. Add the steamed milk and mix well.

Take the foam and top it off in the cup.

Add the caramel sauce on top of the foam and serve immediately.

 

Chocolate and Toffee Cookies

Toffee has a nice crunch and I wanted to try adding them in the cookies along with loads of Chocolate as my little one loves Chocolate chip and Chunk Cookies. 

I used light brown sugar because of the toffee.

They came out so good and tastes delicious.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Bake Time: 18 minutes 

Makes : 14 large Cookies

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 1 cup

Light Brown sugar : 1/2 cup (You can use dark brown sugar if you have that on hand)

White sugar : 1/4 cup 

Butter : 1 stick or 8 tbsp 

Egg : 1

Baking soda: 1/2 tsp 

Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp 

Salt : 1/2 tsp 

Chocolate toffee chips : 1 cup

Chocolate Chunks: 1/4 cup

Method:

Take the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy.

Add both sugars and beat till smooth again.

Add salt, vanilla extract, egg and beat till smooth and fluffy.

Sift the flour and baking soda. Add that to the butter mixture and beat till smooth and fluffy.

Fold in the chocolate chunks and Chocolate Toffee chips.

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a cookie sheet, put parachment paper on it, take a ice cream scoop full of dough and place it on the cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes.

Cook on the cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: If you are using dark brown sugar, reduce the toffee to 3/4 cup.

Indian Curry Powder

A lot of my friends have been asking for a homemade Indian Curry Powder that they can use in making curries. As majority of the grocery stores sell the curry powder here in US but it doesn’t give the Indian flavors.

Here is the recipe guys….

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Roasting Time: 2-3 minutes 

Grinding Time: 2 minutes 

Makes : 1/2 cup powder 

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds: 2 tablespoons 

Cumin seeds: 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Whole Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon 

Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon 

Dry red chilies: 2

Red chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon 

Ground Ginger: 1 teaspoon 

Turmeric: 1 teaspoon 

Salt: 1/4 teaspoon 

Method:

Heat a pan and dry roast all the seeds and dry red chilies for 2-3 minutes until you smell the aroma. 

Turn off the stove and cool them off for 5 minutes.

Take them into a coffee grinder or another small grinder and make a fine powder. Add the powders and grind for 30 seconds so everything is mixed well.

Store the powder in an airtight container for 1 month.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Tags

Chicken Recipes

Homemade pasta has a very good taste to it. This Cheesy Chicken Pasta is loaded with cheese and garden delight pasta. So, the pasta itself is made with vegetables. This adds a lot of taste as well.

This is an easy week night dinner recipe.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Garden Delight Pasta : 6 oz uncooked

Penne pasta: 2 oz uncooked 

Creamy pasta sauce : 1 cup ( Home made tastes really well but store bought works fine too)

Shredded Cheddar cheese: 2 cups

Garlic : 2 cloves minced

Milk : 3/4 cup

Pepper: 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Boil 6 cups of water to a boil and add both pastas in it. Add some salt and cook for 9 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Drain the water and add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil.

Heat oil in a pan and add chicken, salt and pepper sauté for 10-11 minutes until it’s completely done. 

Add cooked pasta, pasta sauce, milk and cheese. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted completely.

Turn off the stove and serve hot with some salad.

Note: you can use any kind of pasta.

          You can top the pasta with more Parmesan cheese if you like.

Sambar Masala Fried Rice

Tags

Fried Rice, Rice Recipes

Sambar Masala Fried Rice is made with couple veggies, Sambar powder/masala and shredded coconut. 

The flavors are going to be of South India because of the usage of Sambar powder/masala and coconut.

This dish is a good one for lunch boxes as the ingredients used are healthy yet simple and kids will love it.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Medium grain rice: 1.5 cups 

Onion: 1 sliced

Tomato: 1 large chopped 

Green pepper: 1/2 chopped 

Green chilies: 3 chopped 

Garlic: 2 cloves chopped 

Curry leaves: 1 sprig 

Cilantro/ coriander leaves: 1/2 cup chopped. ( small bunch)

Sambar masala/powder: 3 teaspoons

Coconut: 2 tablespoons shredded 

Salt to taste 

Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon

Method:

Cook rice and cool it off for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and add green chilies, garlic, curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds. Add onion and green pepper and fry for 2 minutes. Add sambar powder, coconut, cilantro, salt and tomatoes, mix well and cook for 3 minutes. Add rice, mix well and cook for 2 minutes on low flame. Turn off the stove and add lemon juice and mix well.

Serve hot with raita.

Tandoori Aloo Fry

Tags

Veg Curries

Tandoori Aloo Fry is Potatoes and onions fried with Tandoori masala. The masala brings a distinct flavor to the dish.

The dish can be served as a starter or a side dish. It goes well with roti too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 4 large diced

Onion: 1 large sliced

Tandoori masala: 3 teaspoons 

Garam masala: 1 teaspoon 

Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon 

Jeera/Cumin: 1 teaspoon 

Fennel seeds/Saunf: 1 teaspoon 

Mustard seeds/Aavalu: 1 teaspoon 

Kasoori Methi/ Dry Fenugreek: 1 teaspoon 

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, fennel seeds and mustard seeds. Fry for 30 seconds, add onions and turmeric. Sauté till they turn golden brown. Add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, add kasoori methi, tandoori masala and garam masala, mix well, close lid and cook on low heat for 8 minutes until the potatoes are completely cooked. 

Turn off the stove and serve hot.

Schezwan Fried Rice

Tags

Fried Rice

Schezwan Fried Rice is an Indo-Chinese dish with lots of veggies and Schezwan Sauce. 

The rice is a little spicy but healthy too because of all the veggies used.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Medium or long grain rice : 1 1/2 cups 

Cabbage: 1 cup shredded 

Carrot: 1 cut in julienne strips 

Green pepper/Capsicum: 1/2 sliced thinly 

Peas : 1/2 cup

Bamboo shoots: 1/4 cup (optional)

Schezwan Sauce: 3 1/2 tablespoons 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Cook rice and cool it off for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or a wide pan on high heat and add all veggies. Sauté them for 4-5 minutes until 

the veggies are done. Add rice, salt and Schezwan sauce and mix well. Fry for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. 

Turn off the stove and serve hot.

Fluffy Pancakes

My kids love pancakes and the store bought mixes have too many preservatives in it. So, Out of couple different trials, I was able to get a right recipe for a fluffy pancake.

The kids and Hubby loves these pancakes.

So, here it is…

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 3-4 minutes per pancake

Serves : 5-6

Ingredients:

Self Rising Flour: 2 1/2 cups 

Salt : A pinch

Sugar : 3 tablespoons 

Milk : 100 ml

Eggs : 4

Melted butter: 2 oz

Baking powder: A pinch 

Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon 

Method:

Add all the dry ingredients together and sieve well. 

Add eggs, vanilla and milk and whisk until everything is mixed.

Add butter and mix with the whisk again. 

Heat butter in a pan and pour a laddle of batter, cook on both sides until they turn golden brown. (3-4 minutes)

Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Alternative: fresh fruits and whipped cream.

Note: if you wish to add blueberries or chocolate chips, just add once the batter is poured into the pan.