ADRAKI MURG / GINGER CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken pieces of your choice (with or without bones )

1"stick of cinnamon

5 cloves

4 pods green cardamom seeds removed

8 black peppercorns

1 large bay leaf

1 star anise

4 tbsps fresh yogurt

2 tbsps coriander powder

2 tbsps cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp mace powder

1 large onion chopped very fine

2 medium tomatoes chopped fine

1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

4" piece of ginger cut into julliennes

3-4 tbsps vegetable cooking oil

Chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Preparation:

Gently roast the whole spices in a flat pan on a medium flame till aromatic. Keep stirring while you do so.  Remove from fire and cool.

Grind the spices to a fine powder and mix with the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli and mace powders.  Keep aside.

Put the yogurt in a large mixing bowl and beat with a whisk.  Add the powdered spices to this and mix well till blended. Add the chicken to this marinade and mix to coat on all sides. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a deep pan on a medium flame. Add the onions and fry till they are pale golden in color. Now add the tomatoes and fry till they are pulpy.

Add the chicken along with the marinade and stir fry for 10 minutes till the chicken is sealed and browned on all sides.

Add about ½ cup water, stir and cover the pan. Reduce the flame to simmer and cook till the chicken is almost done.

Add the ginger (keep some little aside for garnishing), stir and increase the flame to medium.

Keep stirring every 2-3 minutes till most of the gravy has dried up.

Garnish with remaining ginger and chopped coriander and serve with hot Chapatis

Chinese Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
200 gm boneless chicken – cut into 1” cubes

For the marinade:

1 tbsp soya sauce

¼ tsp salt

Batter:

1 egg, beaten

1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

oil (for frying)
Sauce:

2 tbsp sugar
1 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp cornstarch
1tbsp lemon juice
½  tsp salt
2 slices of lemon (peeled)
2 tablespoons oil
yellow food coloring (optional)

Vegetables: 

1 pod garlic- crushed

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 spring onion

A few slices of capsicum

Method

Pat dry the chicken pieces and put them in a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

 To make the batter – beat the egg with the cornstarch, a pinch of salt and baking powder.  Coat the chicken with the batter.
Heat oil in a deep pan.  Coat the chicken with the batter and deep fry in hot oil first and then lower the heat until the chicken is fully cooked. When the pieces are golden brown, remove them and drain on paper towels and set aside.
Now, to make the lemon sauce – combine the sugar, cornstarch, chicken broth, lemon juice, and salt and food coloring if using it. Mix until well combined and add 3 slices of lemon to the sauce mixture.
Assembling the dish:

Heat oil in your wok.  Add the crushed garlic, and when brown, remove it.  I prefer to just impregnate the oil with garlic for a mild flavor.  Too much garlic will take away from the bitter sweetness of the lemon!!  Now add the vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute.  Now stir in the lemon sauce mixture and heat until well mixed and sauce becomes clear. Remove the lemon slices and pour the sauce over the chicken and mix.

This dish is best served with rice.

Date & Walnut Cake

Ingredients
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup boiling water
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method
Soak the chopped dates in the boiling water with 1/4 tsp baking soda till ready for use.
First heat the oven to 180o.  Grease a 7" round cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper and grease again, for easy removal of cake.
Place the butter and sugar into your food processor and churn till light and fluffy.  Alternately you can beat them together in a large bowl till light and fluffy.
Add 1 beaten egg and the vanilla and churn again.
Sift the flour, salt and cinnamon together and add this to the butter mixture alternately with the date mixture.
Sometimes I pass this through the mixie to give it a smooth finish, but the small pieces of dates and the walnuts give the cake a real crunchy taste.
Now stir in the walnuts
Spoon the batter into the greased and lined baking tin.
Garnish with more walnuts and bake for about 1 hour.
Cool the cake before removing it from the tin