Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Pizza

When your kid is a picky eater, you got to come up with creative ways to get them to eat meat and veggies. And this recipe is one of them. I started out with just plain chicken an cheese, once my son was eating that well, I experimented with spinach and it was a success too. This is a very convenient recipe and a go-to one for me when I don’t have time to cook; cause you can make the chicken ahead and store in the fridge or use any left over cooked chicken. And spinach takes just few seconds to cook. I hope your children/family likes it too.

Ingredients:

• whole wheat Tortilla - 1
• Yogurt or yogurt based dressing : 1 tblspn (can use Mayo too)
• Spinach - 1 hand full, chopped
• Cooked/baked chicken - Chopped, enough to cover the tortilla
• Cheese - your choice, grated, enough to cover the top
• Salt - as needed
• Oil - 1tsp

Steps:

• In a pan (large enough to fit the whole tortilla) add oil, when hot, added the chopped spinach and sauté. Sprinkle some salt on it while cooking. when the spinach wilts, remove from the pan.
• In the same pan, place the tortilla, reduce the heat to medium high. Spread yogurt on the tortilla.
• Next, spread the cooked spinach with a spoon all over.
• Then add the chopped chicken on top.
• Next add the shredded cheese on top.
• Turn off heat. Slide the tortilla on to a baking sheet and broil on high until the cheese melts (keep watching while broiling to avoid charring).
• Cut and serve.

Oven baked Tandoori Chicken (Whole)

Thanksgiving (Canadian) is usually celebrated with turkey, but my husband and I are not big fans of turkey meat, so we decided we will start a new tradition of an Indian thanksgiving with Tandoori chicken :) . I've always wanted to roast a whole chicken instead of cut pieces and this was a good opportunity for me to try it, and it was awesome. Its real simple. Just marinate and bake.

Here are some things you need to know before you start: 

• You have to marinate the whole chicken over night for the best result.
• Use yogurt (Curd) that is thick. 
• You need at least 1 hour to bake, so plan before you start. 

Ingredients:

• Whole chicken skinned - 1

Initial rub:

• Salt - 1 Tspn
• Lemon juice - from 1/2
• Chilli powder - 1 Tspn (optional, if you like it spicy)

For Marinate:

• Yogurt (Curd) - 3 Tblspn
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tblspn
• Tandoori chicken masala powder* - 2 to 3 Tblspn based on how spicy you want it (I suggest you taste the powder first, yes! taste it, to see how salty and spicy it is)
• Coriander powder - 1/2 Tspn
• Salt - 1/2 Tspn 
• Corn flour - 1 Tspn + 1 Tspn (For top coating)
• Oil - 2 Tspn

* Or use 1 tspn each of cumin powder, chilli powder, garam masala, dry fenugreek leaves and 1/2 tspn of red food colour.

Final Touch after baking:

• Lemon juice - from 1/2

Steps:

• Clean chicken well and pat dry with a paper towel or clean dish cloth.
• Pierce the chicken with a knife, push it really well into the chicken, not just the surface so that the marinate will get into the flesh. You may want to do some deep cuts in the chicken's breasts as they are white meat, the toughest.
• Mix the ingredients of the initial rub together and spread all over the chicken and into the cuts and pierces.
• Next mix the ingredients of the marinate.
• Spread the marinate well all over the chicken again and inside the cavity too. Cover and refrigerate over night.

Next day:

• Take out the chicken from the fridge and keep it out for about half hour at least to come to room temperature (preferably 1 hour)
• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Now, dust the marinated chicken with corn flour using a stainless steel strainer for even coating. This will give you a nice crisp layer on top. 
• Drizzle oil all over the chicken.
• Place chicken breast side down on a rack* and bake. This will ensure even cooking all over at the same time.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then flip the chicken around and bake for 20 minutes. Then again flip it and bake for extra 20 mins.
• After the 65 mins, raise temperature to 425 F and bake for 5 mins for the final browning on the top. Not for too long or you will dry out the chicken.
• Remove from the oven and squeeze a fresh lime or lemon all over the chicken.
• Cover the cooked chicken with aluminium foil for 5 to 10 mins to rest before you serve.

* - I used a cooling rack, I placed it on a foil covered baking pan so that the dripping does not stain the pan. If you have a roaster with a rack at home use that. 

If you do not have a roaster or a cooling rack to bake on, don't worry, place chicken on a foil covered pan and remove the drippings from the chicken each time you turn.

Kerala Chicken Stew

Kerala is a state in the Southern part of India known for their beautiful cities and aromatic cuisine with coconut. My introduction to Kerala's cuisine and culture was through my Uncle who was born and brought up in Kerala. My aunt used to make Syrian beef and Kola puttu often because of his influence. But my real experience in tasting authentic Kerala cuisine was when we visited my uncle's family in Allepey, Kerala. His mom and sister were amazing people and wonderful cooks. It was then I first tasted chicken and beef stews, Pariappu biriyani, beef stuffed parotha and lots more. 

Honestly I had forgotten about the stew until today. Luckily I remembered it when I was wondering what I could do different with chicken rather than the usual curries. Chicken stew is real simple and tasty, hope you enjoy making it. I have made slight changes to the traditional recipe, usually it is very thin (watery), I just made it a bit thicker and added a bit more flavour by adding ginger garlic paste and coriander powder.

Ingredients:

• Oil - 3 Tblspn
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 5 or 6
• Bay leaves - 2 (Fresh or dried)
• Cardamom - 3
• Whole pepper corns - 1 tspn
• Chicken -  1/2 kg or desired amount
• Onion - 2, chopped
• Green Chillies -  6 or more, slit
• Ginger Garlic paste -  1 tblspn
• Potato - 1 Large or 2 medium ones, chopped into big chunks
• Carrots - 2 or 3, chopped in semi-circles
• Coriander powder - 1 tspn
• Pepper powder - 1 tspn
• Salt - 2 tspn or more
• Curry leaves - 2 strands
• Coconut Oil - 1 tspn
• Thin Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cups (just milk, use canned or squeeze out the coconut and use milk alone mixed with a little water)
• Think Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
• All purpose flour - 1 tblspn
• Water - as required 

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pan, when hot, add the whole spices. Then add the onions and green chillies and sauté well. Add salt.
• When onion slightly change colour, add the ginger garlic paste.
• Then add the coriander powder and sauté well.
• Next add the chicken and stir well. Then add the potatoes and carrots.
  
• Add the thin coconut milk and 1 stand of curry leaves and let it boil. When the broth starts to boil, lower heat, cover and cook till the the chicken and veggies are done, maybe 10 to 12 mins.(Your kitchen will be filled with wonderful aroma from the boiling coconut milk :))
• Add this point, add more salt if needed and add the pepper powder. 
• Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, dissolve the all purpose flour in 1/4 cup of water and add to the stew. Let it boil well. Add more water if the stew is too thick.
• Now add the thick coconut milk, stir and bring to a boil for a min or 2. Turn off heat add the coconut oil and one strand of curry leaves. Let it rest for a couple of mins before you serve.

Quick & Easy Chicken

I've realized that my brain works best when in a hurry :) Here's a really quick and easy chicken recipe I made on the fly this Sunday. I did not have the time to chop onion or tomatoes so I just threw in some ginger garlic paste, salt, chili powder, a spoon of yogurt (curd) for some body and a dash of lime juice stirred in the chicken and let it cook. And the result was a super tasty chicken. 

Here's what you need

• Oil - 2 tsp
• Chicken desired amount (I used boneless)
• Ginger garlic paste - 2tsp
• salt to taste
• Chili powder to taste
• Chicken masala - 1tsp if available
• Yogurt/curd - 1 tsp
• Juice of half lime (optional - for a tangy taste)
• Water - as desired.

Method:

• Heat oil in a large pan (larger the pan, faster the cooking time). When hot add the ginger garlic paste, salt, chili powder, chicken masala and stir.
• Add chicken and keep stirring till all pieces are covered in the mixture. Add yogurt and stir.
• Add a splash of water and close the pan. Let it cook. 
• Open add the lime juice stir and close. Add a bit more water if the dish dries up before the chicken is cooked.
• If you need gravy just add more water and cook to the desired consistency. If you like it dry like in the picture, just let it cook without the lid till the water evaporates and dries up.

It goes really well with rice and sambar :) Or make it as a gravy and enjoy with rotis.

Pepper Chicken

 Pepper chicken and rice has been our Friday night regular for quite a while now :) The love for pepper chicken began after we had it once at Wang's kitchen. Its a Hakka (Indo-Chinese) cuisine restaurant. I've always loved Wang's Kitchen, cos my hometown in India has its franchises too. Even though I would not mind eating pepper chicken from Wang's Kitchen every week, I have to admit it may not be the most healthy choice with the deep fried chicken, high sodium content and MSG. So I came up with my own relatively- healthy version of Pepper chicken. It is easy, simple and quick. The steps may seem long, but once you get the hang of it, its easy. Its almost like a 1 pot cooking. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinate:

•  Boneless chicken - As required, chopped into bite size pieces. I use boneless thighs.
• Corn starch (corn flour) - 2 Tblsp
• Low sodium Soy sauce - 1 Tsp 
• Salt - 1/2 Tsp
• Pepper Powder - 1/2 Tsp

For Sauce:

•  Oil : 2 Tblsp
• Chilli sauce - To taste
• Pepper powder - To taste
• Salt - To taste
• Corn starch (corn flour) - 1Tblsp
• Low sodium Soy sauce - 1 1/2 Tblsp
• Onion - 1 Chopped (half finely chopped, half of it cubed)
• Ginger - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
• Garlic -  3 cloves, finely chopped
• Green peppers (Capsicum) - 1 or 3/4th chopped, depending on the size. Should not be more than the chicken, can be equal amount.
• Water - As required.

Steps:

• Mix the boneless chicken with 1tsp soy sauce, corn flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2tsp pepper powder. make sure all the pieces are coated with corn starch.
• Heat Oil in a pan on high heat. When oil is hot gently drop all the chicken and fry till all sides are brown. We are not deep frying here, just shallow frying. Just cooking the chicken 3/4th. The aim is to create a brown coating on it.
• Remove the chicken from the oil. In the same oil in the pan, add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for a minute.
• Add onions and green pepper and saute. Add a tiny amount of oil, if you think its drying up.
•  Now add soy sauce and chilli sauce and saute well till the raw soy smell is gone.
• Add the fried chicken and saute.
• Add a splash of water and cover immediately before the steam escapes. Cook for 3- 5 mins.
• When the chicken is cooking, mix the remaining corn starch with 2 tblsp of water.
• Now remove the lid and add the cornstarch liquid and stir well. Add pepper powder to your liking.
• You have 2 choices now. To leave it as a dry dish without gravy (sauce) or to make a gravy (with sauce, like in the pictures). 
• For a dry dish, saute till the corn starch is cooked. remove from heat without adding any extra water.
• To make a sauce just add about half cup of water or more and let it cook to the consistency you like. Don worry about adding too much water, it will thicken up because of the corn starch already in it.