CHICKEN MAPPAS

CHICKEN MAPPAS

(Recipe verbatim from Marias Menu)

Chicken – 1/2 kg, cut into medium size pieces

Onion – 3 medium, sliced very thinly
Ginger & garlic – 2 tbsp each, chopped
Green chili – 2
Coriander powder – 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp
Garam masala – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Chicken masala – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Tomato – 1, medium

Medium thick coconut milk – 1 1/2 – 2 cups
Thick coconut milk – 1 1 /4 cup

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Small onion – 4

Salt
Curry leaves
Coconut oil

METHOD

Marinate the chicken pieces with onion (1 1/2), ginger & garlic (1tbsp each), green chili (1/2 of the total qty used), coriander powder (1/2 of the total qty used), garam masala (1tsp), turmeric powder, chicken masala, curry leaves & salt. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Cook the marinated chicken in medium thick coconut milk, till the chicken becomes tender.

Heat oil in a pan & splutter mustard seeds. Add small onion, remaining portions of the sliced big onion, ginger & garlic, green chili and curry leaves. Sauté it till the onion becomes soft. Add remaining coriander powder & garam masala. Fry it till the oil starts appearing. Add the sliced tomatoes. When tomato becomes soft add cooked chicken along with the gravy. Combine well. Add thick coconut milk and cook for 5-7 minutes.

PHIRNI WITH STRAWBERRY

Ok...It's been a while since I started designing and re-designing my place, not knowing what to blog about.


Starting off on a sweet note, here's a dessert I discovered on one of my blog hopping journeys :)


PHIRNI WITH STRAWBERRIES


For the semolina pudding
 1/2 cup fine semolina/ rava
 1 tbsp butter or ghee

2 cups evaporated milk

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp white granulated sugar 

2 tbsp rose-water 

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 cup chopped pistachios & almonds  + Extra for garnish.

For the strawberry sauce

3 cups chopped strawberries [fresh or frozen]

3 tbsp white granulated sugar

METHOD

For the Strawberry Sauce:-

In a sauce pan, bring the chopped strawberries and sugar to a boil and let it cook on low heat for 5 - 8 minutes till they become mushy. You can either mash them with the spoon or blend it to get a smoother consistency. After they are cooled, transfer it into the serving glasses or bowls and chill.

For the Phirni :-

In a skillet, on very medium heat, toast the semolina flour along with ghee till its light golden in color. Please ensure constant stirring, taking about 5  - 7 minutes. 

[While the semolina flour is toasting]

In a wide-mouthed, heavy bottomed utensil, let milk come to a boil on medium heat.Stir once or twice midway to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of the utensil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and start adding the toasted semolina flour to the boiling milk. Whisk thoroughly with the other hand. This is a very important step, if you do not whisk continuously, semolina will form lumps within seconds.

Within 5 minutes you will see that the milk starts to thicken as the semolina granules swell up and absorb milk. Continue whisking for about 3-4 minutes until you get a thick but runny consistency.

Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.Add the granulated sugar, nuts, cardamom powder and rose-water to the semolina-milk mix and combine thoroughly.You will see that as the sugar dissolves the pudding will thin out. Note that it is important to add the sugar while the pudding is still warm.

Let the pudding cool to a room temperature and then add it on top of the already cooled strawberry sauce. Cover the bowls/glasses with cling film to avoid formation of skin on top and let set in the refrigerator till set [About 2-3 hours] 

Garnish with chopped nuts or strawberries and serve chilled.