#163 India's Murgh Makhani/Butter Chicken

I first tried butter chicken at my client's restaurant. I really liked it and since then I have been looking for a simple recipe to use. Now I found it! 

In this dish, the chicken is cooked in mild curry sauce. It is known to be developed by the Moti Mahal Restaurant in Delhi, India in the 1950's. The chicken is flavorful because it is marinated for several hours in the fridge before cooking. The house smelled like delicious curry and I am getting hungry just thinking about it! :)

My first butter chicken is not that thick because I didn't use cashew paste or any flours for thickening. I used yogurt and cream. I had to omit peanuts, because I am very sensitive to it. It is very interesting how I have developed sensitivity to it after many years of not ingesting it due to my daughter's peanut and tree nut allergies. 

After much anticipation, this butter chicken recipe turned out to be so good, it is super creamy..rich in flavor and uber simple to prepare. I ate it with Quinoa, but this dish goes perfect with basmati or brown rice.

Although I listed "organic" ingredients which just means I used organic by choice, you don't have to buy and use the organic variety for the ingredients. I'm sure it will still taste as fantastic as this dish!

MURGH MAKHANI or INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 full-fat organic Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons organic lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons turmeric powder

2 tablespoons garam masala

2 tablespoons ground cumin

3 pounds organic chicken thighs, on the 

1/4 pound unsalted organic butter

4 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium-size organic yellow onions, diced

4 cloves organic garlic, minced

3 tablespoons organic fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 medium sized organic tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

salt to taste

2/3 cup organic chicken stock

1 1/2 cups organic cream

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons ground almonds

1/2 bunch cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large steel or glass bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin. Mix thoroughly. Add the chicken, mix well, until fully coated with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. You can make this ahead and cook the next day too, do not refrigerate for more than a day.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. 
3. Add onions, and cook until translucent. 
4. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds.
5. Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, jalapeños, and salt and let cook for about 10  minutes.
6. Add the chicken and brown, then add the marinade to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add chicken stock and bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.
8. Add the tomato paste and stir. Simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes.
9. Add the almonds.
10. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
11. Enjoy!

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#161 Chicken Tikka Masala

"Chicken tikka masala is a dish of roasted chunks of chicken (chicken tikka) in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured."

I enjoyed making this dish. It turned out great! I needed to be a little careful handling the kitchen, I used disposable gloves  since I had to thread it onto the skewers before broiling it in the oven. I was too lazy to fire up the grill! Well actually, I didn't want to grill the chicken, I do not enjoy working with the grill, too much smoke gets into my eyes and heat on my face all the time..and so I decided to turn to the oven. I can get very creative in order to make things happen, as you can see in the photos below, I used a glass baking dish to hold the skewers and catch the juice.  Suddenly the dreadful task of grilling became easy, thanks to the oven! When you start making this dish, you will need a lot of patience, just know that in the end, you will have an out-of-this-world yummy dish! I was easy on the cayenne and the fresh jalapeño peppers, but that's just because I am not a fan of too much heat in my food anymore. You can add more if you want firecrackers in your mouth with every bite, I'm pretty sure it will be spectacular.

Here are a few fun facts I found on the internet about this delicious dish, with links provided to the source:

In 2001, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook declared that "Chicken Tikka Masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences." He went on to explain that "Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The Masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy."

The claim that Chicken Tikka Masala is a British "National dish," however met with both acclamation and skeptical opposition.

A 2012 survey of 2,000 people in the United Kingdom claimed that it is that country's second most popular foreign dish to cook, after Chinese stir fry.

Source HERE 

Ready to make your own?   

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA 

Ingredients 

Marinade:

• 1 cup organic yogurt (Greek)

• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons ground pepper

• 1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/8 cayenne pepper

• 3 boneless organic chicken breasts

• bamboo skewers

Sauce:

• 1 block of organic butter

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (I used 1/4)

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 can tomato sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream

• salt to taste

Garnish:

• fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large glass bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients, and the chicken, mix thoroughly. Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Thread chicken onto skewers
3. Broil chicken in the oven, or grill--oil the grate to make sure the chicken does not stick onto it. I broiled it around 5 minutes, or until you achieve that "grilled or broiled look--see pic above". 
4. Once chicken is cool, remove the chicken from skewers.
5. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium low heat,  add garlic until brown and jalapeño.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients, simmer on low heat.
7. Add the grilled chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes.
8. Check salt and heat, add more according to your taste. 
9. Enjoy!

  

That was lovely, so much fun learning to cook a new favorite! (^.^)

#136 Mung Bean and Spinach Soup

I ate a lot of Mung beans growing up in the Philippines, we call this dish  Ginisang Monggo or Munggus (Mung Bean Soup), it is cooked with vegetables like malunggay, yellow squash, bittermelon and  meat or dried fish. Here in the US, I learned how to make and  eat it with just very few vegetables and I like it better. The flavor of the Mung  bean is delicious enough, it is high in protein and so I feel that adding meat is unnecessary. I make this simple dish with just garlic, onions and spinach. Very simple yet delicious and highly nutritious! 

Yield: Serves 6 or more

MUNG BEAN and SPINACH SOUP

Ingredients: 

3 cups of Mung Beans

6 cups of water, or more

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 stalk green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp ginger powder

3 cups of chopped fresh spinach leaves

2 teaspoons vegetable or chicken base

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Boil and then simmer 3 cups of Mung beans in six cups of water, adding more water when needed until cooked. Cooked mung beans will crack and has a soft texture. (see pic below) It should absorb most of the water when cooked, make sure you turn the heat off as soon as it is done.
2. In a separate large saucepan, heat olive oil, then add garlic until brown, add onions.
3. Add the cooked beans (undrained).  Add the vegetable base, ginger powder and let it boil at once. Reduce heat, stir in the spinach, until it is well mixed in with the beans. Turn the heat off and cover.
4. Serve warm, salt and pepper to taste.

The mung or moong bean (also known as green gram or golden gram or pesalu in Telugu) is the seed of Vigna radiata, has been grown in India since the ancient times, and mainly cultivated in India, China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Burma, Bangladesh, Laos and Cambodia, but also in hot and dry regions of Australia, Africa and Southern America. Mung beans are commonly used in Chinese cuisine, as well as in the cuisines of Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam, and other parts of Southeast Asia. Read more about Mung beans from Wikipedia

How healthy is Mung Bean? It is very low in fat, high in dietary fibers, protein, iron and magnesium. It also contains vitamin C, calcium and vitamin B6. This is why it is one of my favorite foods. It can be used for desserts too! Will post a sweet dish made of Mung bean soon.

This super healthy dish made of mung beans, spinach, olive oil and garlic. Delicious too!

#110 Tandoori Grilled Chicken

 

Tandoori Chicken is a delicious dish that originated in India, it's name comes from Tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven in which it was traditionally cooked. Nowadays, you can use the grill, the oven or an indoor electric grill. When using a charcoal grill,  you arrange the hot coals in either side, leaving an empty space in the middle. When using a gas grill,  you heat one side on medium high and leave one side unheated. And then the chicken is placed on the unheated surface and let cook for 90 minutes. I was thinking of firing up charcoals but I do not own a sturdy outdoor grill, nor a gas grill, just a small one that  has a plate where I can put the charcoals, and a wire rack above it. It was  very windy, I was scared that my tiny grill would start a fire because it's been really dry around here lately, and the house sits on huge oak trees and surrounded by Pine and many more Oak trees. So I thought, nah.. safety is a priority. But yeah, the photos would have looked better, and maybe it would have tasted more authentic.   I used a George Foreman grill to cook my first Tandoori Grilled Chicken, and I never doubt the power of this small grill. It  always works! It cooked the chicken really well,  and the meat was tasty and moist. This recipe is great, we loved the smell and the mint raita is a perfect accompaniment to the spiciness of the Tandoori Chicken. We used a blender  to mix the marinade and let the mixture and chicken sit in the refrigerator overnight. It turned out perfect. I learned that one should never omit the yogurt in the marinade, because it is a  meat tenderizer. I will definitely make this again. Next time, over charcoal and will cook it on the unheated surface for 90 minutes. Will post an update if it tastes better when cooked that way. :)

Yield: Serves 4
 
TANDOORI  GRILLED CHICKEN

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 (12-ounce) bone in, chicken leg thigh quarters, skinned


Directions:

1. Combine the first 10 ingredients in a blender,  and then process until smooth.
2. Pour into a large ziplock bag. Add chicken in the bag; turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Before grilling, remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for at least 45 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade.
5. Grill on an unheated side of the grill for 90 minutes, or on a heated part of the grill for 30 minutes, let it cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the inner part of the thighs registers 160 F.

 Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, 300-calorie main dishes.

We ate this with a delicious Mint Raita . Satisfying dinner!

#109 Mint Raita

A great tasting sauce or dip, it is very popular in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and there are many variations. I liked this one very much because of the mint and cumin combined. At first, I did not understand the taste because it was very new to me and because of the overpowering flavor of ground cumin, but on the second, and third time I dipped the fork to taste, it's wonderful flavor comes out and  blended beautifully with the Tandoori chicken that I made too. Sooo good!

MINT RAITA

Ingredients:

3/4 cup  plain fat-free Greek yogurt
3/4 cup chopped seeded cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill until use.

Aside from the delicious flavor and aroma that fresh mint leaves add to foods and drinks, here are other great reasons to eat and grow it:

• It soothes aches and pains. From digestion problems to menstrual cramps, it does wonders.
• Mint possesses astringent, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties.
• You can  mash  and add it with some oil and apply topically to relieve headaches and migraines.
• Mint tea is a great decongestant and stress reliever.

#13 Mini Me's Whole Wheat Roti

Hello everyone. It's been a while! The Thanksgiving holiday was too just busy for us! A lot of good things and changes happened. We had a great holiday indeed. After the holidays,  December 1st, I got so sick that for 5 days I was in so much pain and so weak to do anything but lay down and rest. But I am back and cooking again!
During the holidays, we did cook :) I will be posting 2 dishes tonight. I am starting with the Whole Wheat Roti that we had to have with our lentil soup that I previously posted. This is one of my favorites since my 7 year old did most of the work! Oh how hard did she work on every roll! :)

WHOLE WHEAT ROTI 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 pinch salt

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup water


DIRECTIONS:

Sift the flour and then mix it with salt in a bowl. Add in the olive oil and water.

Knead until firm and elastic. Take a handful and form into a ball.

Then using a rolling pin, roll as flat and thin as possible.

Cook the roti on both sides on a non-stick pan over medium high heat.

I must have tried it once when my friend from India briefly lived with us.  But  I honestly do not remember what it tasted like. And because of this, I thought it was pretty good! I ate a lot to show her how I loved her flat bread! 

I learned that Roti, which originated in the Indian subcontinent has many variations. Since this is a thinner roti, then it is called Chapati.  It is also widely consumed in South Asia and some parts of the Carribean. We enjoyed it with the Lentil Soup. My mother, who was visiting for the holidays, tried it for the first time and she liked it too. It was a nice morning activity for us since she had no school for the entire week :)

#12 Indian Lentil Soup

Many of our friends celebrated "Diwali" or "The Festival of Lights" last week. It was a happy day. My little one's classmate's mom wore a beautiful traditional dress and gave us a present at her school. As she inspected her present in the car on our way home, she asked me a lot of questions about India. I promised that we will "visit" India soon :) I am glad we did it on Monday this week. It was great! Oh, how I truly miss a good home cooked Indian meal. I am now a big lover of Indian Cuisine because of my dear friend Rekha, my former good boss, Usha and former wonderful neighbor, Ashwini. They always made good food. It's delicious and so healthy. Growing up in a home where the pantry had only the following sauces and seasoning all year: soy sauce, fish sauce, bay leaves, salt, pepper and vinegar, Indian cooking can be too complicated for me. I will definitely need a lot of practice to master the art of mixing different spices, and to make a great Indian dish without using measuring cups and spoons. Thanks to recipes online!

We found this recipe by André Grisell for Food.com

INDIAN LENTIL SOUP (DAL SHROVA)

INGREDIENTS:

1- 1/2 cups red lentils

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cardamom

2-3 curry leaves or bay leaves

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 tbsps. vegetable oil

2 tsps. mustard seeds

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

salt & pepper

1 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse the lentils.

2. Bring to a boil with the stock, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, cardamom & curry/bay leaves.

3. Let simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are very soft ( 30 minutes).

4. If using bay leaves, remove them now. Curry leaves can be left in the soup.

5. Mash the beans with a laddle.

6. Sauteé the garlic and mustard seed in oil and add to soup.

7. Let simmer for another 5 minutes.

8. Add salt, pepper and squeezed lemon to taste.

9. Serve hot.

This recipe is SO good! So inexpensive to make and so filling.

 Image via travel.allwomentalk.com

We enjoyed reading about the wonderful meaning of the celebration, and we looked at so many beautiful photos of the "Diwali" and of India. Up next, we made ROTI to go with this soup. We had fun.  ^__^