indian food
Most Indian dishes are related by similiar usage of spices. Often, Indian cooking is distinguished by the use of a larger variety of vegetables than many other well-known dishes. Within these recognisable similarities, there is an enormous variety of local styles.
Modern India is going through a period of rapid culinary evolution. With urbanisation and the consequent evolution of patterns of living, home-cooked food has become simpler. Old recipes are recalled more often than used. A small number of influential cookbooks have served the purpose of preserving some of this culinary heritage at the cost of homogenising palates. Meanwhile restaurants, increasingly popular, encourage mixing of styles. chicken varieties are immediately recognisable by many Indians in cities.
The famous delicious Indian Butter Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 kg boneless chicken skin removed* Juice of 1 lime
* Salt to taste
* 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
* 1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
* 2 tsps garam masala
* 2 tsps coriander powder
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
* 8-10 peppercorns
* 6 cloves
* 1" stick of cinnamon
* Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
* 2 bay leaves
* 8-10 almonds
* 2 onions chopped
* 2 tsps garlic paste
* 1 tsp ginger paste
* 1/2 litre chicken stock
* 3 tbsps vegetable/canola/snflower cooking oil
* 3 tbsps butter
* Salt to taste
* Coriander leaves to garnish
PREPARATION:
* Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a bowl and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
* Roast the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly and then grind into a coarse powder.
* Mix the yoghurt, whole spice powder and all the other spices together and add them to the chicken.
# Allow to marinate for another hour.
# Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry till golden brown and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
# Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque).
# Now add the chicken stock and remaining part of the mix to the chicken.
# Cook till the chicken is done and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
# Melt the butter and pour it over the chicken.
# Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with naans and Kaali Daal.
# For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: Heat a briquette of coal till red hot and when the dish is done, put the coal in the pan and cover immediately. Remove just before serving.
