Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Easy Indian Chicken Curry

13 | 12 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

The recipe I have for you today is easy and absolutely delicious!It is a baked Chicken Curry recipe without all the effort to make you enjoy a curry in a far easier and quicker way than the traditional method without compromising on any of that delectable taste.The flavors combine beautifully in the oven, while you can sit back and enjoy a glass of wine or any drink that you prefer.The only process that needs to be taken care of is the browning of the onions.That can take a few minutes, but makes all the difference in a good curry.So here it is, my Easy Indian Chicken Curry!

Easy Indian Chicken Curry

Easy Indian Chicken Curry

Print this RecipeIngredients:Skinless Chicken Thighs with/without bones or Breasts-6 piecesOnions-2 Medium chopped

Ginger Garlic paste-1 tbsp

Tomatoes-2 medium chopped

Ground Coriander-1 tbsp

Ground Cumin-1 tbsp

Turmeric- 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder/Cayenne-1 tsp(depending on your heat preference)

Garam masala-2 tsp

Water-1/2 cup

Oil-3 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Process:

Preaheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a skillet heat oil and add the onions.Cook until golden brown.Then add the Ginger garlic paste.Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the tomatoes.Follow with salt and all the dry spices and cook until the spices release their aroma (about 5-10 minutes on medium heat).You have the basic curry masala ready.

 

Now puree the mixture in a blender/grinder.Transfer into an oven proof dish and add the chicken pieces.Mix them properly.Add water and bake them covered in the oven for about 35-40 mins until all the chicken is fully cooked.Boneless pieces will take shorter time.Adjust the seasonings.

Enjoy with Rice or Rotis/Naans!



Goan Style Shrimp Curry

06 | 12 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

Every region in India has its own unique method of preparing dishes.This dish here is inspired from Goa that is popular not only for its natural scenic beauty but also for its spicy Goan cuisine with the use of coconuts, vinegar,tamarind and red chillies.Being a spice buff, I’m quite fond of Goan dishes and was looking for an easy recipe for some time.

I stumbled upon this one during one my many internet searches.Its adapted from Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur’s Devi (their restaurant in NY) and featured in NY Times.Glad to have found this because, its very easy, quick and delicious to say the least.I have made some minor changes, like adding tamarind  and using a little vinegar, but if you don’t have those ingredients you can omit them and still enjoy this recipe.

The aroma is unbelievable, while I’m cooking this.I wish you could smell my kitchen right now!!The heat from the red chillies is balanced by the tanginess of the vinegar and the sweetness of the tomatoes and coconut milk.You can substitute chicken, vegetables or any other fish instead of shrimp.It will surely be a crowd pleaser at your next gathering.Go on give it a try!

Goan Style Shrimp Curry

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Ingredients:

Large Shrimp peeled and deveined- 1 1/2 lbs
Ground Black pepper-1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Cayenne pepper(red chilli powder)-1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Canned Tomato- 2 cups
Onion-1 finely chopped
Dried Red Chillies- 4
Ground Coriander-2 tsp
Curry Powder-1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp-1 tsp
White Vinegar- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Coconut Milk-1 1/2 cups
Fresh Coriander(Cilantro)-for garnish

Process:

Place Shrimp in a ziplock bag and mix with some salt, cayenne.Mix well and refrigerate.
In a deep skillet, heat oil.Add the dried red chillies.Stir for 1 to 2 minutes.Add black pepper and cook for another minute.Add onions and saute for a few minutes, until translucent.Add ginger garlic paste, coriander, turmeric and cook for  a few more minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and add the tomatoes and keep stirring often.Increase the heat to medium high and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.Add the tamarind pulp and vinegar.Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute.Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and add the Shrimp.Bring to a simmer and cook unitl the shrimp is opaque about 3-5 minutes.Garnish with cilantro.Serve hot with rice!

Source-NY Times

Elegant Indian Inspired Thanksgiving Menu

20 | 11 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

I’m not a big Turkey fan, something to do with an unpleasant aftertaste every time I eat it. Hence I normally cook Chicken instead of Turkey during Thanksgiving.This time I’m inspired to give it an exotic Indian touch,something I haven’t done before.Yet I don’t want to spend the entire day cooking in the kitchen, instead, enjoy the Holidays with my family.That said, food still has to be top-notch.So I came up with idea of keeping it simple yet elegant at the same time, sort of “East meets West”.

I am making Indian style Spicy Couscous with Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds served with Indian Spiced Roast Chicken.Sounds tempting?Wait till you try it.The combination of sweet with the spicy gets your tastebuds dancing.You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to make these dishes. You can make them any time of the year.You can also serve the chicken as an appetizer with some chutney, or you can use it on a bed of rice with salad as your weekday or weekend meal.Enjoy!

Spicy Couscous with Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds/Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

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Ingredients
  

For the Spicy Couscous

  • Couscous- 2 cups
  • Water- 2 cups
  • Oil-2 tbsp
  • 1 medium Onion- chopped finely
  • 3 Green Chillies Jalapeños-chopped finely
  • Black Mustard seeds-1 tsp
  • Curry Leaves available in Indian stores- 3
  • Sweetened Cranberries- 1 cup
  • Raisins-1/4 cup
  • Slivered Almonds- for garnish
  • Salt-to taste

For Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

  • Drumsticks and Thighs-8 pieces
  • Oil-1 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste

For the Green paste

  • Coriander leaves chopped-3-4 cups
  • Ginger-1 inch chopped
  • Garlic-4 cloves
  • Turmeric-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-2 tsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Red Chili powder or Cayenne pepper-1 tsp

Instructions
 

Spicy Couscous:

  • Boil 2 cups of water with some salt.Once it starts to boil add 2 cups of couscous.
  • Turn off the heat and cover the pan.Leave it for 2 minutes.Your couscous is cooked.
  • Gently stir it with a fork.Keep aside.
  • In a skillet, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves
  • Once it splutters add the onions and green chilies. Saute until onions are light brown.
  • Mix into the couscous along with cranberries and raisins.Garnish with slivered almonds.

Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

  • Start by preheating the oven to 420 degrees F.
  • Make the green paste using all the ingredients above.Once the paste is ready,place the chicken along with oil,salt and green paste into a ziplock bag.Seal firmly and mix the contents together.Leave it in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
  • Place the marinaded chicken pieces on an aluminum foil on top of a baking sheet.Bake for about 40-45 minutes, turning the chicken once so that both sides are golden brown.
  • Once ready, let it rest for a little while before serving.

 

Keema Matar(Indian Style Ground Chicken and Peas)

25 | 10 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

Keema Matar has been traditionally made using Mutton in our family.I use ground Chicken many times since the Hubs does not eat red meat!Its also a healthier option for those trying to cut back on red meat.This is a very easy recipe and goes well with Rice, Rotis or Naan.Since we’re using ground meat, the cooking process is fairly quick.The peas in this dish gives it a vibrant color and fresh taste.
keemaMy kids absolutely love this dish and its a weekly staple in our family.The house smells of all the fragrant spices used here and the end result is a flavorful, rich and delicious meal that your family will enjoy!

Keema Matar(Indian Style Ground Chicken and Peas Curry)

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Ingredients
  

  • Chicken mutton or lamb mince-500 gms
  • 2 Onions-Ground to a paste
  • Frozen Peas-2 cups
  • Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
  • 2 Tomatoes-Chopped or Pureed
  • Turmeric-1 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander- 1 tbsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tbsp
  • Garam Masala-2 tsp
  • Oil- 3 tbsp
  • Bay Leaves-2
  • Water-1 1/2 cups
  • Salt-to taste

Instructions
 

  • Grind the onions to make a paste.
  • Keep aside.In a deep pan heat oil and add the bay leaves.
  • Add the onion paste and fry for a few minutes until the paste changes to yellowish color and the raw smell of onions has gone.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste.Fry for a few minutes and add the tomatoes, and all the dry spices except garam masala.
  • Add salt and fry until oil separates.
  • Add the chicken mince and continue to cook for few more mins until you see it changing color.
  • Add the peas followed by water, let it boil on high heat.Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes until all the meat has cooked.Check the seasonings,
  • Add the garam masala.Mix well and serve hot with steamed rice, rotis or naans.








Aloo Gobhi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)

21 | 10 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

Its the season to eat, eat and eat some more, but don’t look down that region called the “midriff”.Just pretend it doesn’t exist or just block it off from your memory for sometime.At least that’s what I do! I must admit that I’m a foodie and to be honest its not my fault, it runs in my family.My parents are the most amazing cooks I’ve known, my mom an amazing vegetarian cook, who also cooks the most delectable fish curries and my Dad, the ultimate authority on mutton dishes that are absolutely divine, so food has been a big part of my life 🙂

Marriage hasn’t changed me one bit, since DH is a food lover just like me!He likes to whip-up his own creations every once in a while.We love food from around the world and are always looking to try out different cuisines wherever we go. Most of the traditional North Indian food I cook,I’ve learnt it from my parents with slight variations here and there to make it easier and quicker, more suitable for our fast-paced lifestyle without losing the essence of the dish itself. 
My Aloo Gobhi is one such dish and it comes together quite effortlessly and packed with lots of flavor.It pairs really well with some Roti or Rice.

Aloo Gobhi 3

Aloo Gobhi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)
Ingredients
  • Potatoes- 1 cup (Peeled and Cubed)
  • Cauliflower- 2 cups (Cut into florets)
  • 1 Medium Onion-Sliced thinly
  • Garlic paste-1 tsp
  • Ginger paste-1 tsp
  • 2 Tomatoes-Chopped
  • Turmeric-1 tsp
  • Coriander Powder-2 tsp
  • Cumin Powder-2 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Oil- 3 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
Instructions
  1. In a deep skillet heat about 1 1/2 tbsp of oil.
  2. When heated add the cut vegetables and fry them with a pinch of turmeric until they are a little brown on the edges.
  3. Take them out and in the same pan add the remaining oil.Drop in the onions and fry for abt 2 mins until soft.
  4. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for another minute.
  5. Add the chopped tomatoes and all the dry spices and cook until oil separates.
  6. Now add the fried potatoes and the cauliflower and mix well with the rest of the spice paste(masala) in the pan.
  7. Cook until potatoes are soft and cauliflower is cooked but firm and not mushy.
  8. Serve hot with Naans,Parathas, Puris or Rotis (Chapatis).Enjoy