Murgh Yakhnee Pulao

Ingredients :

16 nos - Chicken drumsticks

For the marinade:

250 gms - Curd, beaten
30 gms - Ginger paste
15 gms - Garlic paste
1 tsp - Chilli powder
8 nos - Cardamoms
4 nos - Cloves
3 nos - Bay leaves
1 no - Cinnamon stick
60 gms - Sliced onions, fried
1/3 cup - Mint leaves, chopped
2 tsp (30 ml) - Lemon juice
A few strands saffron, crushed
70 gms - Desi ghee (clarified butter)
Salt to taste

For the rice:

300 gms - Rice
240 ml - Milk
6 nos - Cardamoms
3 nos - Cloves
3 nos - Green chilies, slit lengthwise
15 ml - Lemon juice
Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions :

- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and rub the chicken with this mixture. Keep aside for at least an hour.
- Wash and soak the rice for 45 minutes.
- Boil 1.5 litres water in a pan. Add salt, cardamoms, cloves and green chilies. Stir well. Remove the pan from heat. Add rice and bring to a boil. Add lemon juice and stir well.
- Remove half of the rice and spread over the marinated chicken. Continue to cook the remaining rice, stirring occasionally, until half cooked.
- Drain and spread over the initially cooked rice. Sprinkle milk over it. Cover with a lid and seal with atta (whole wheat) dough.
- Pre-heat the pan over medium heat. Put the sealed pan on the pre-heated tawa and cook over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Break the seal and serve from the pan itself with dahi ki chutney.

Chicken Shorba (Chicken Soup)

Ingredients :

500 gms - Chicken bones
100 gms - Boneless chicken
1 ½ tsp - Refined flour (maida)
½ tsp - Cumin seeds
1 tsp - Chopped garlic
White pepper powder
1 tsp - Butter
1 tsp - Oil
1 ltr - Water
Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions :

- Clean and wash chicken bones.
- Clean, wash and cut chicken into very small pieces (1/2 cm cubes).
- Put chicken bones in a pot with one litre of water, chopped garlic and cook till water is reduced to 600 ml. Strain and keep aside.
- Stir fry chicken pieces in butter till tender and keep the stock aside.
- Heat oil, add cumin seeds and refined flour, cook for a minute, stirring continuously. Then add the reduced chicken stock, chicken pieces, white pepper powder and salt.
- Cook for some time and serve hot.
- You may add half a cup of fresh cream just before serving to make it a little rich.

Chicken Kandhari Kofta

Ingredients :

500 gmS - Minced Chicken
¾ cup - Boiled onion paste
1 tsp - Ginger-garlic paste
½ cup - Tomato puree
2/3 cup - Cashew nut paste
2 tsp - Pomegranate syrup
½ cup - Fresh cream
3 tsp - Oil
1 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
½ tsp - Cinnamon powder
½ tsp - Garam masala powder
Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions :

- Mix cinnamon powder, one teaspoonful of salt and minced chicken thoroughly. Divide the mix into twelve equal portions. Shape them into balls (koftas). Keep the koftas aside.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add boiled onion paste and cook till onions turn pink, add ginger-garlic paste, saute for a minute, then add coriander powder and red chilli powder.
- Stir in tomato puree and cashew nut paste dissolved in a little water. Cook for five minutes on a high flame, stirring continuously.
- Add one and half cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add chicken koftas and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garam masala powder and pomegranate syrup. Correct seasoning. Simmer for five minutes. Stir in fresh cream, Serve with naan or parantha.

Make cashew nut paste by soaking half-cup cashew nuts in water for half an hour. Grind it to a smooth paste. You do not need to use expensive full cashew nuts, you can use cashew nut pieces (tukda).

Seekh Kabab

Ingredients :

450 gm - Lamb mince
2 nos - Onions
5 cloves - Garlic
1.5cm - Ginger
2 nos - Green chillies
4 sprigs - Fresh coriander

Dry Masala:
3 Nos - Cardamoms (small, green, ground)
2 Nos - Cardamom (Black, ground large)
1/2 tbsp - Chilli powder
1/2 tbsp - Salt
1/2 tbsp - Garam masala
1/2 tbsp - Cumin seeds (whole)
1 tbsp - Dry coriander

Cooking Instructions :

- Put all the mince lamb in a large bowl and add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, chillies and coriander.
- Then add whole of the ground masala and mix thoroughly with either your hand or a wooden spatula.
- Take a large hand-full and make into a long kebab using the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Put foil on to your grill and put your kebabs under a hot grill. Cook on all sides until brown.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce. Garnish with tomatoes, onion rings, chillies and coriander.

Chicken Hazaarvi

Ingredients :

8 pieces - Chicken breasts (boneless)
2 tsp - Ginger paste
2 tsp - Garlic paste
½ cup - Cheese (grated)
5 Nos - Green chillies
¼ tsp - Mace powder
¼ tsp - Nutmeg powder
2 tsp - Chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp - White pepper powder
Salt to taste
1 no - Egg

Cooking Instructions :

- First cut the chicken breasts into roughly two-inch cubes. Then apply paste of ginger, paste of garlic, white pepper powder and salt to the chicken breasts cubes.
- Mix them properly and keep aside.
- Next, mash cheese to make it smooth. After that add chopped green chillies, nutmeg powder, mace powder, corander leaves and salt.
- Add egg and then mix it well and then add chicken to the mixture of cheese. Add fresh cream and mix delicately.
- Keep this for 2 to 3 hours in refrigerator.
- After 2 to 3 hours take out the chicken and put onto the skewers
- Now cook in a moderately hot tandoor or a pre-heated oven (200 degrees Celsius) until it is just cooked and slightly coloured.
- Apply a little butter for basting and cook for another 2 minutes till the chicken is completely cooked.
Serve this Chicken Hazarvi as a snack.