image: Priya Q

During my spinster days I either liked to cook exotic stuff and not cook at all at times! This is a non spicy chicken recipe which I used to make it quite often then. This dish will not only suit the taste palettes of my European friends but also my Indian friends who am sure are going to love it! So this weekend why not try out this recipe? …don’t forget to give me a feedback though!

Chicken – 1/2 kg (cleaned and cut into pieces)

Cloves – 4 nos

Cinnamon – 2 tsp

Green cardamom – 4 nos

Bay leaf – 2 nos

Star anise – 1/2 number (3 petals)

Dry red chili – 2-3 nos

Carrot – 1 no. big (cubed)

Beans – 50 gms (chopped)

Cauliflower – 3/4 cup (florets)

Bean Sprouts – 1 cup

Coconut milk – 100 ml

Cornflour – 1/2 tbsp

• Grind to a fine powder – cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, bay leaf and star anise
• Cook chicken along with 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and red chillies and ground spices. If cooking in a pressure cooker wait for 2 whistles and turn off the gas. Keep it aside to cool
• Except Cauliflower, add all the vegetables including sprouts to the chicken and cook on low flame
• Cauliflower takes less time to cook so add when the other vegetables are half done
• Add coconut milk and cornflour. Stir
• Add salt to taste
• Serve hot with rice

Till next time….happy cooking!

photo credit: Kirti Poddar

Come winters and the variety of vegetables that is available off the shelf is just amazing. The word pulao takes me back in time when hot steaming pulao used to make the freezing winters so very warm and enjoyable. That hot pulao and spicy raita enjoyed from the cosy comforts of home as you watched the fog… sigh! While I think about my good ol’ days…why dont you check out the recipe? …let me know how you liked it though!

Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Ghee – 3 Tbsp
Onion – 1 no. (big)
Carrots – 1 no. (cubed)
Potatoes – 1 no. (cubed)
Peas – 1/2 cup
Cauliflower 1 cup (cut into florets)
Salt To Taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cashew nuts and raisins – 2 Tbsp each (optional)

For Paste: grind the following ingredients
Ginger-1 Inch
Garlic cloves- 4-5 nos.
Onions – 1 no. (big)
Green chillies – 2-3 nos.
1/4 cup – Mint leaves
Cinnamon sticks – 1 no (big)
Cloves – 4 nos.
Cardamoms – 3-4 nos.

1. Soak rice for half an hour.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of ghee in a pan, fry cashewnuts and raisins. Keep aside.
3. Heat the remaining ghee in thick bottomed vessel and fry the ground paste for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and mix well.
4. Cook until the masala separates from oil and vegetables gets tender. Add turmeric powder.
5. Add rice, salt, four cups of water and stir well. Cover and cook until the rice is done on slow flame. Stir once a while .
6. Just before serving take the rice in serving bowl, add the nuts and mix well.
7. Serve vegetable pulao hot with raita*

*check category raita for ideas

if you are a vegan substitute the ghee with the oil of your choice!

Till next time… happy cooking!