Chicken Fried Rice

This is one of the first fast food started in Chennai. Trucks parked on the street used to sell  hot and spicy chicken fried rice....My dad, my little sister and myself used to gobble these up whenever we get the chance. I never dreamt that these can be made at home nor did I think that I would be making these one day.

This is one of the first recipes that I learnt after marriage. During those days whenever someone comes home for dinner or lunch this dish will surely be on menu. Its a very simple and easy recipe. Not to mention it is a favourite dish for many people!!! Now lets get onto the recipe....

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken - 350 g
Rice - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups + for cooking chicken
Eggs - 4
Ginger - 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 cloves (finely chopped)
Green Chilli - 2 (finely chopped)
Carrot - 1 ( shredded)
Beans - 7 (shredded)
Cabbage - 1/2 cup (shredded)
Capsicum - 1/2 cup (shredded)
Spring onions - 1/2 cup (1/4 cup +1/4 cup) (finely chopped)
Pepper - 3 tsp (1 1/2 +1 1/2)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp +1 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 1/2 tsp

METHOD:
1) Wash and soak rice in water for 15 minutes. Drain the soaked rice and toss them lightly in a kadai (pan) with 1 1/2 tsp ghee ( or oil ) without breaking the rice for 30 seconds. Now cook the rice in a rice cooker by adding the 4 cups water and salt. For cooking rice in pressure cooker refer NOTES.
2) After the rice is cooked, spread it on a plate to cool. Pressure cook chicken with 2 tbsp water and salt for 3 whistles ( there will be some water after pressure cooking as chicken will let out water, if you are not making any gravy you can cook the chicken to make it dry). Remove bones if there are any and shred it into pieces.
3)  Next we need to prepare scrambled eggs. In a kadai heat 1 1/2 tsp oil and add the 4 eggs along with salt and keep stirring till you get scrambled eggs.
4) Now with all the preparations done, we just have to fry everything in a kadai at HIGH flame. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a kadai, add chopped garlic and ginger and toss it. Next add chopped green chilli and toss it well. Next fry onions lightly (don't cook till soft ), followed by carrots , beans and cabbage.
5) Now toss in capsicum and add salt and 1 1/2 tsp pepper. Next add 1/4 cup spring onions and mix well.
6) Add the shredded chicken and scrambled eggs and mix well so that chicken incorporates all the flavours. Now add the cooled rice along with remaining 1 1/2 tsp pepper and salt and mix well without breaking the rice. Lastly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup spring onions.

Yummy, hot chicken fried rice is ready!!!

Serve hot with tomato sauce or your favorite manchurian....

NOTES:
1) To cook the rice in pressure cooker, for 1 cup rice add 1 3/4 cup water. Cook for 1 whistle and then keep it in simmer for 6 - 7 minutes.
2) Frying the rice before cooking adds a nice flavor to the rice.
3) Allow the rice to cool after cooking to get nice separate grains.
4) Always cook on high flame to get a nice flavour and don't overcook the veggies.
5) Add salt carefully as it is added in various stages.

Cheers,
Sindhiya.S

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Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram

Want something new and different with the Idli / Dosa batter??? then try these kara kuzhi paniyaram. Soft, fluffy with the nice little crunch from cashews and chana dal these cuties can win any heart...These are so good on their own that my MIL will have them as such without any chutney!!! However you can serve them with coriander or mint chutney or even the regular coconut chutney...

My younger sister had these once when she came here to see me and loved it totally.....Back in chennai she started bickering my mom to make these for her...Its mainly the chana dal that makes it so authentic, so do try and tell me how it turned out. Now onto the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:

Idli / Dosa Batter - 2 1/2 cups
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal - 2 tbsp
Cahew - 7 (chopped )
Green Chilli - 2 ( finely chopped )
Onion - 1 cup ( about 2 onions finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - few (finely chopped )
Oil -1 tbsp +4  tsp ( or as reqiured )
Salt - to taste

METHOD:
1) In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and temper with mustard. After it splutters add urad dal, channa dal and cashews. Toss a little and then add green chilli and curry leaves and fry till dals turn golden brown and nice aroma comes.
2) Next add onions and toss a little till it all gets mixed (no need to cook till soft ).
3)  Lastly add salt and combine well and switch off (Take care in adding salt as the idli / dosa batter has salt already ). After it cools down a bit, add it to the Idli / Dosa batter and mix well.
4) Heat the paniyaram pan with few drops of oil in each kuzhi (hole). Spoon the batter in each hole ( a little less than the rim to avoid overflow ). Keep in medium low flame and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes ( or until the sides are all cooked like the photo below ).
5) Flip them using a knife or a spoon and cook till golden brown ( about 1 minute )
Yummy and tasty kara kuzhi paniyaram are ready!!!! Serve hot with chutney of your choice...

These paniyaram make a wonderful breakfast or even a good evening snack...

NOTES:
1) You can even add grated carrot for a different flavour.
2) It goes well with spicy hot tomato chutney too ( which is my sister's favourite ).  


Cheers,
Sindhiya.S

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Poori Masala Recipe (Potato Masala for Poori / Puri)

During my school days, my mom used to make poori with its masala combo only monthly once especially on sundays ( since they are deep fried ). I used to eagerly wait for those to get a nice break from the routine Dosa!!! I love Dosa but still, the food we get rarely is the food that we crave upon (don't you agree????) Now my daughter follows me in this. Poori with potato masala is the only breakfast( or should I say one and only food) she eats by herself without any complaint. Cute little pooris with this potato masala for her school makes her day...

This recipe yields a creamy, semi-gravy type poori masala (not too dry and not too watery). This is the way I like it.

INGREDIENTS:

Potato - 3

Onion - 2 (lengthwise thinly sliced) 

Tomato - 1/2

Garlic - 4 pods ( finely chopped)

Ginger - 2 tsp (finely chopped)

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Green Chilli - 3 ( split lengthwise) 

Curry Leaves - few

Oil - 1 tbsp

Coriander Leaves - for garnishing

Salt - to taste

METHOD:

1) Pressure cook potatoes  ( by cutting into half ) for 1 whistle and 10 minutes simmer. Cool and peel off the skin.

2) Take 1 potato (2 half pieces) and mash well with 1/4 cup water using hand or a mathu / potato masher. This step helps in making the gravy thick and creamy. Cube the remaining 2 potatoes ( 4 half pieces ) or just make big and small sized chunks roughly by hand like me. Keep that aside.

3) In a pan heat oil and add mustard. After it splutters add urad dal, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic and fry till nice aroma comes. Then add split green chilli and curry leaves and saute for a minute. Next add onions and toss for another minute.
4) Now add tomato and turmeric and fry till tomato gets cooked and turns mushy. Next add potatoes and mix well till it all gets combined.
5) Lastly add 2 cups of water along with salt. Let it come to a boil. Close and keep in medium low flame for 10 to 15 minutes till it comes to your preferred consistency. Switch off and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.


Yummuy tasty Poori masala / Potato masala is ready.

Serve hot with fluffy Pooris!!!

NOTES:

1) Adding ginger and garlic gives a nice flavour, plus it also helps in digestion.

2) Leftovers can be made dry by stirring in a kadai and be used as a stuffing for masala dosa.

Cheers,

Sindhiya.S

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