Avocado Yogurt Drink

If you love yogurt you will love this recipe. I have already posted my Avocado rose drink. Have tried Avocado smoothie too, but haven't taken a picture and so couldn't post the recipe here. This yogurt drink is similar to dhoog(middle eastern yogurt drink) in consistency but you can make it lighter by adding more water to it.

This is very refreshing and you can make it with fat free yogurt too.

   Give it a try and sure you would love this drink.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Yogurt

1 Avocado 

7 Sprigs Coriander Leaves

2" Piece Ginger

1 Green Chilly 

1/2 Tsp Jeera Seeds 

1 Tsp Salt

5 Cups Water

METHOD:

  Cut avacado into small chunks.Remove skin from ginger and the thick stem from coriander leaves.

  In a blender grind together green chilly, ginger, avocado, coriander leaves and jeera seeds along with salt. 

Then add the yogurt and beat well. Finally add water and pulse together.

Check for salt and serve in tall glasses over ice cubes.

Sambal Oelek Chicken Fry

 Chicken sambal oelek fry is a quick chicken fry made with fewer ingredients. I was browsing through and came across this recipe by Lakshmi Nair of Asianet. But I modified the recipe a bit according to our taste.

The ingredients reminded me of the Thai red Chilly paste I make at home and hence the name. The dried red chillies are really hot and the acidity in vinegar helps cut off the heat. It also helps soften the chicken meat because we don't marinate the chicken in this recipe.

Kashmiri chillies give the vibrant red color to the fry. If Kashmiri chilly is not available you can substitute 1 teaspoon of paprika while grinding the paste or just use dried red chilly. The paste doesn't have to be smooth, actually the coarser one is the better.

Corn flour helps hold the spice  paste to the chicken when dropped in oil.

This paste can be pre-made and refrigerated for about a week and frozen for atleast three months.

 Do try this recipe if you love fries and if you are a chicken fanatic.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs Chicken medium pieces

15 Dry Red Chillies 

5 Kashmiri Red Chillies 

10 Nos Pearl Onions 

10 Nos Garlic Pods

2 Tblsp Vinegar 

2 Tsp Salt

1 Tblsp Corn Flour

1/2 Cup Boiling water 

1/2 Cup Coconut/ Frying Oil

METHOD:

    Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces, wash and drain any excess water.

In a bowl soak the chillies in hot water for about 5 mins and drain.

In a food processor grind the red chillies along with shallots and garlic pods in vinegar into a paste. It doesn't really have to be a smooth paste. 

Add salt mix well and check for taste and add more salt if necessary.To this paste add the corn flour and rub this mix evenly into the chicken pieces.

Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the chicken pieces until dark red and crispy.

Chicken sambal oelek fry is ready and served as a starter or side dish.

Green Chilly Chicken Curry

It was a cloudy autumn day. It sounded so hard to get up and hit the kitchen let only to do a elaborate cooking.But the weather demanded something spicy and sophisticated. Browsing and brainstorming finally made me realize that something has to be made which would go with chappathi or plain rice without any further accompaniment. This recipe sounded easy and quick. So I decided to go for it.

  Actually the recipe asks for marination but to hasten the process, just add a tablespoon of vinegar to the marinade and instead of green chillies you can add jalapeños but lesser in quantity.

This dish can be both made dry or as a curry with gravy.

Green chilly curry chicken is definitely worth trying and a recipe to be saved.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs Chicken Pieces 

4 Medium Onions

10 Green Chillies/ 5 Jalapeños 

1 Cup/1/2 Bunch Chopped      Cilantro/Coriander Leaves

1/2 Cup/5 Twigs Curry Leaves

3 Tblsp Black Pepper Corns

11/2 Tblsp Jeera Seeds

11/2 Tblsp Ginger Garlic Paste

4 Tblsp Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

   Cut the chicken into small to medium sized pieces,clean and drain the water and keep aside.

 Grind together ginger garlic paste,curry leaves,coriander leaves and the spices along with 1 tsp oil and 11/2 tsp salt.

Rub this paste onto the chicken pieces and marinate for atleast an hour.

Cut the onion and grind it to a coarse paste.

Heat a deep pan over medium heat and add three tablespoons of oil. Pour the onion paste along with a pinch of salt and cook covered for about 5 to 7 minutes and then uncovered until it changes color to slight brown. Once done add the marinated chicken pieces to the browned onion and give a nice stir. Then along with a little water cook covered until the chicken is cooked through. Take care to open the lid and stir or add water in between making sure it doesn't get burnt.

Once the chicken gets cooked,remove the lid,check for salt and add more if needed, raise the heat and pour the remaining oil and fry well.If you prefer gravy you can skip the last step add a little water to desired consistency.

The green chilly chicken curry is ready.