Chicken Vindaloo

Ingredients:

500g (1/2kg) chicken boneless diced

2 medium onions (1 1/2 pureed & 1/2 chopped finely)

9 small cloves garlic

1 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

3 cloves

1 tblsp vinegar

1 tblsp jaggery

2 tbsp oil

2 medium potatoes diced/sliced

Salt to taste

Method:

• Roughly chop 1 1/2 onions, combine in a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients listed except for chicken, potatoes & coriander. Blend until smooth.
• Combine chicken in a bowl with spice mixture. Marinate for about 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Slice remaining onion. Add oil in a saucepan and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add marinated chicken pieces with the masala & potatoes. Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked & tender, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with coriander and serve with Naan or rice!

Caramel Custard Pudding

Ingredients:
4 cups full cream milk (approx 1 liter)
7 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

Preparation:
Prepare a mould/ pudding cups for the custard by greasing very lightly with butter.
Heat 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 tsp of water in a pan till it melts and turns golden brown. Pour this caramelised sugar into the pudding mould/ pudding cups and swirl to coat the sides of the mould. Keep aside to cool.
If baking, preheat your oven now to 180 C.
Mix the eggs and remaining sugar together in a large bowl and blend till all the sugar has dissolved. Now add the milk, vanilla essence and nutmeg and blend again.
Pour this mixture into the mould/ pudding cups you are using, to fill them 3/4 of the way to the top.
If baking: Place the mould/ pudding cups in a large, deep baking pan. Pour hot water into the baking pan till it is about 1" below the rim of the moulds.
If steaming in a pressure cooker: It is advisable to use one mould in this case. Place the mould in the pressure cooker - elevate the mould with a pressure cooker ring (or overturned flat-bottomed metal bowl). Pour water very carefully into the pressure cooker till it is about 2" below the rim of the mould.
If baking in an oven: Cook for about 45 minutes or till the custard is firm. Test by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean the pudding is done.
If steaming in a pressure cooker: Cook for half an hour and then check for doneness as above.
When cooked, cool the pudding and then chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
To serve, place a plate over the mould/ pudding cup, hold firmly in place and turn over gently. The pudding will turn over onto the plate, caramel side up! Pour some of the remaining caramel (if any) over the pudding and serve.

Chicken Bhuna

Ingredients:

250g of skinless boneless chicken diced

3 tablespoons oil

1/2 tablespoon garam masala powder

Tomatoes: 100g puree and 1 diced finely

1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

1/2 garlic paste and 3 cloves chopped

2 medium onions: 1 pureed and 1 chopped finely

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

2/3 teaspoon cumin seeds

Fistful fresh finely chopped coriander

1 teaspoon paprika/red chili powder

3 whole cardamoms crushed

Salt to taste

2 small green chilies, deseeded and chopped

Method:

• Rub garam masala and little salt over chicken and leave aside to marinate for few minutes while you prepare other ingredients.

• In a pan, heat oil in which add the chicken, fry for a minute, remove excess oil leaving only about one tablespoon in it, simmer the flame add half of the tomato puree and let is cook on simmer, cover the lid and keep stirring every 5 min.

• In another pan,  add the excess oil from frying chicken add cumin, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped tomato and sauté it after adding every ingredient for few seconds. 

• Add the turmeric, paprika/chili powder and cardamom pods and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

• Add pureed tomato, onion & chopped coriander stir it. Add water as needed to have the curry thickness of your choice.

• Reduce the heat and simmer stirring regularly

• Add the salt to taste
• Add the chicken pieces cooking in the other pan along with tomato puree and cook together until they mix well.

Serve hot with rice or naan! Bon apetite!