Quick and simple Chicken Pulao

Nowadays I am not getting enough time due to my cutie’s school and also some part-time commitments during the day time. So I am finding it really difficult to spend quality time on blogging.

Keeping in mind the morning time office-school hurry, nowadays my recipes have also become more of quick and no-fuss preparations. This time I am introducing you to a pulao which you will find equally apt for a working day lunch box or a lazy holiday brunch :-)

Chicken pulao is a dish which I cannot resist any time. This is yet another easy and simple dish which can be made within minutes with very little effort. We can also add vegetables as you may like. This is a colourful and flavorful one pot dish. In this dish the rice is flavored with spices and cooked along with marinated chicken. This tastes exactly like biryani but is much simpler and easier to make.

Ingredients:
For marination:

1. Chicken- ½ kg
2. Curd- ½ cup
3. Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
5. Salt- as required

For pulao:

1. Rice- 2 cups
2. Onions (sliced)- 1 no
3. Tomato- 1 no
4. Ginger and garlic paste- 1tbsp
5. Green chillies- 2 nos
6. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
7. Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala powder- ½ tsp
9. Coriander leaves (chopped)- 2 tbsp
10. Ghee- 1 tbsp
11. Oil- 1tbsp
12. Salt- as required
13. Cloves- 2 nos
14. Cardamom- 2 nos
15. Cinnamon- 1 stick
16. Star Anise- 2nos
17. Bay leaf- 1 no
18. Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
19. Water- 2 ½ cups

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with the above marinade and keep this in refrigerator till we are ready with the remaining ingredients.
2. Heat cooker, add oil + ghee. When it is hot, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, star anise and onions, fry till translucent. In this add the chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell disappears.
3. In the above add chopped tomatoes and mix till it blends well.
4. Add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and coriander leaves and mix well. Add the marinated chicken and let it cook for some time.
5. In the above add the soaked and drained rice and mix till everything is well blended. Add water and close the cooker and pressure till one whistle and simmer for 3 more minutes and switch off the flame.
6. When the pressure goes off, open and mix the lemon juice till blended well. Serve hot with beetroot raita.

Beetroot Raita:

1. Beetroot- 1 no
2. Green chillies- 2nos
3. Curd- 1cup
4. Salt- as required

Method:

1. Grate the beetroot in a food processor. Mix this in curd along with green chillies and salt.
2. A nice pink raita is ready to serve with pulao.

Kodi guddu pulusu / Egg in tangy tamarind gravy

The ideal way to start a day is with a healthy breakfast. Egg is a very common ingredient in the breakfast menu. Today I am going to introduce an authentic andhra gravy which can be served with rice and chapatis alike.

Boiled eggs in tamarind gravy is my all time favorite curry along with steaming rice. Since I spent most of my life in Andhra, I love the authentic andhra flavors. Pulusu in andhra means spicy tamarind gravy. With less ingredients and within no time we can prepare an amazing side dish for rice.

Boiled eggs fried in oil

This is a classic dish in which boiled eggs are cooked in yummy tamarind sauce and other spices. This dish is a package full of flavors. To balance the tanginess by adding little sugar or jaggery. Different varieties of pulusu can be made using bitter gourd, ladies finger, and so on.

Ingredients:

1. Egg- 3 nos
2. Oil- 2 tbsp
3. Onions (chopped)- 2 nos
4. Tomato (chopped)- 1no
5. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
6. Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves- few
8. Green chillies (slitted)- 2 nos
9. Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
10. Coriander powder- 2 tsp
11. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
12. Tamarind- Lemon sized ball
13. Water- 2 cups

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water.
2. Boil the eggs and remove the shell. Using knife make slits in the boiled eggs and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn golden brown in colour. Add chopped tomatoes.
4. In this add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and stir till the raw smell disappears.
5. Meanwhile fry boiled eggs in little oil for some time and keep it aside.
6. Add the tamarind water and salt to the above mixture and let it boil for some time.
7. In this add the fried eggs and let it boil for another minute and switch off the flame.
8. Enjoy tangy yummy gravy along with hot steaming rice.

Stuffed Chicken Masala Bun

Sometimes when we think about snacks, we get all kinds of snack ideas into our mind. Here in this recipe, I am introducing you to a mouth watering snack, Stuffed Chicken Masala bun. These buns are best enjoyed if they are made at home.

Though it is little time consuming to make but the taste and crunchiness is worth the effort. This is a perfect snack for kids when they come back from school.

Baking with yeast will be a real headache for most of us, but using a perfect yeast like the active one will yield good results. Stuffed buns can be made with different varieties of stuffing.
I saw masala stuffed buns from Rak’s kitchen and was very sure that I am going to try this and instead of vegetables, I added boneless chicken pieces. These can be served as a breakfast dish, a lunch box item or an evening snack. In whichever way you want, this is a perfect treat to eat at any time of the day.

Ingredients:

1. Onions- 2 nos
2. Tomatoes- 1no
3. Boneless Chicken ( boiled and cubed)- 1 cup
4. Jeera- 1 tsp
5. Garam masala- 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
7. Red Chilli powder- 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
9. Oil- 1tbsp
10. Salt- as per taste
11. Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

For the dough:

1. Maida- 1 cup
2. Yeast- 1 tbsp
3. Salt- as per taste
4. Milk- ¼ cup
5. Sugar- 1 tsp
6. water- as required
7. Oil- 1tbsp

Method:

1. Warm the milk and add sugar, yeast. Mix well and keep it aside.
2. Take flour, salt and oil in a bowl and add the yeast dissolved milk and mix well. Add water little by little and mix well to form a dough.
3. Cover this smooth dough with a cling wrap or a wet cloth for about 1 hour.
4. In the meanwhile we can prepare the stuffing by heating oil in a kadai.
5. When it is hot add cumin seeds, chopped onions and fry till transparent.
6. In this mix in the cubed chicken pieces and tomatoes. Add the garam masala powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and switch off the flame.
7. In this add the lemon juice and stir well.
8. After 1 hour the dough will be double the size of the original dough. Take it on a floured surface and give it a nice knead for some time and divide this into eight equal balls.
9. Place these balls on a greased surface for 10 minutes and in the meanwhile divide the stuffing into eight equal balls.
10. After 10 minutes, spread the dough ball in hand and in the middle, place the stuffing and pinch all the ends towards the center to cover the stuffing.
11. Repeat this for the remaining balls and arrange them in lined baking tray. Keep the joined side down and brush them with oil.
12. Press some sesame seeds on top of each bun.
13. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and bake the buns for 20 minutes or till the top turns golden brown.
14. When it is done brush some butter or olive oil on top and serve them with tomato sauce.

Vegetable Stew- a normal day delicacy..

Vegetable stew is a perfect accompaniment with appam, chapatis and so many other breakfast items. Stew can be made with chicken and mutton as well. This mild and creamy curry can be made very easily.

I learnt this from one of my close friends. After marriage, I was not very good at cooking and my friend helped me with this easy and simple curry for chapatis. In this recipe, instead of coconut milk,we can also add regular milk and an amazing curry will be ready within minutes.

I love the subtle flavors and also the thick and creamy gravy. With simple ingredients we can make a dish which will be loved by all. So, without wasting any time I am into the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Carrots (chopped)- 2 nos
2. Potatoes (chopped)- 2 nos
3. Onions (cubed)- 1no
4. Green peas- ½ cup
5. Ginger (crushed)- 1 tbsp
6. Peppercorns- 1 tbsp
7. Curry leaves- few
8. Coconut milk- ½ cup
9. Cloves- 2 nos
10. Cinnamon- 1 small stick

Method:

1. Boil the vegetables, ginger and peppercorns in pressure cooker by adding little salt and keep this aside.
2. When the pressure is gone add the spices and let it cook till all the water gets evaporated.
3. In this add the coconut milk and curry leaves. Simmer for one minute and serve this with appam, idiyappam or with chapathi.