In almost 10 years of married life I have become used to my husband walking home from office with a friend or two and announcing (very sheepishly of course!! ) that they will be staying for dinner.Earlier I used to just freeze, not knowing whether to laugh or cry...but now I’m some sort of an expert at handling such situations. It is slightly difficult when the un-invited guest is a vegetarian...but I have managed to end up with pretty decent meals almost every time.
So, here I go...with a few of my recipes that never go wrong!!
Let me start with some chicken recipes :
Take about 8-10 medium size pcs.of chicken, two roughly chopped onions, 3/4th tsp.of grated ginger, 1tsp.of garlic paste, a little turmeric pwd., 1/2 tsp.of red chilly pwd., crush together 1 inch pc.of cinnamon, 3-4 cardamoms, 3-4 cloves and salt to taste.Mix all the ingredients together and let it marinate for 1 hour.Put this in a pressure cooker and cook till you hear the 1st. whistle.
In a frying pan, pour little oil. Take out only the chicken pcs.from the cooker and shallow fry all the pcs.till they turn brown.Next put the cooker on the flame once again...it has the onion masala in it...and cook till all the water dries up.Now pour this onion masala over the fried chicken pcs.and cook for another 2-3 mins.And VOILA...you have the most amazing masala chicken ready to eat!!
Next I have Chicken Biryani recipe which is simple to make and is absolutely yummy!!
For this, take about 750gm.of chicken, about 250 gm.of thick yoghurt, 1 tsp.each of ginger and garlic paste, 1 tsp.of powdered garam masala and salt.
Marinate the chicken in all the above written ingredients and keep aside (the longer you keep it, the better it turns out...if you have time on your hands, leave it overnight in the fridge).
Slice about 3 medium size onions and deep-fry them.Next, in about 1 tablespoon of oil lightly fry 2 cups of rice.Now in a pan, pour the chicken mixture and cook till all the water dries up.
In a pressure cooker, spread a layer of rice, then a layer of the chicken, then the deep fried onions and keep repeating it.Next add about 3&1/2 cups of water and put it to cook.Switch it off after the 1st whistle.Sprinkle some slices of deep fried onions and kaju on top and serve.
Imp.tip:use the same cup for measuring both rice and water.
My hubby and sons just love kababs and grilled chicken and I have become some sort of an expert on making them at really really short notices.
This one turns out better if you use boneless chicken.Marinate about 1/2 kg.of boneless chicken cubes in a mixture of 2 tablespoon vinegar, a little salt, 1/2 tsp.of kasoori methi leaves.In the meantime, take 4-5 egg yolks and beat them, add a pinch of salt to it.In a tray spread bread crumbs.
When the chicken has been marinated for about 15-20 mins.take out each cube, dip it in egg yolk mixture, roll it in bread crumbs and put in a skewer.Then put all the skewers on the barbeque or the oven and grill it.You will have to baste it with butter or ghee from time to time.It doesn’t take very long to get done. Enjoy it piping hot!!
Then I have a recipe for the days you don’t want to cook but want something wonderful to eat.
Take a large sheet of aluminium foil...on it place 4-5 chicken legs, squeeze half a lemon on it, pierce the pieces with a fork, add salt and rub it well so that the lemon juice and salt gets into the chicken.Leave it aside for 10-12 mins.Then add all the powder masalas, viz.tumeric, red chilly, cumin and coriander and rub it once again.Add a tablespoon of ghee and wrap the foil and put in the oven.This takes about 30-35 mins. to cook.
I have another easy chicken recipe.
Take about 750 gm.of chicken(big pcs.are better), 250-300gms.of thick yoghurt, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/2 tsp.each of ginger and garlic paste, 1/2 tsp.black pepper pwd.Add all this and leave it to marinate for 30-40 mins(again, longer the better).Next take out the chicken pcs.and put them to grill in the oven, basting with butter or ghee from time to time.In the meantime, cut two large onions into round slices and separate the rings.Shallow fry these slices in oil, when they start turning pink, add the yoghurt mixture and fry for another 5-7 mins.When the chicken pcs.are done, add them to the pan and fry for another 2 mins.
Now before the vegetarians boycott and blacklist me, I’ll tell you what I do when we have a last minute veggie guest.I do the simplest thing and get showered with praises....I rely on the simple poori-bhaaji.
In Bihar, they make their bhaaji in a particular way and since I am a proud Bihari I love it just that way!!Yes, I hail from Laloo-land.
Take 4-5 medium size potatoes and cut into long pcs.In a kadaai, heat oil and add cumin seed tadka and a few green chillies.Now add the potatoes, add salt and stir well.Cover and let it cook on minimum flame till it is half done.Then add 1 tsp.of garlic paste, tumeric pwd.red chilly pwd.and cover and let it cook till done.When the potatoes are done, increase the flame to HIGH and fry them till they become brown and crispy.These go very well with pooris or even simple rice and dal.
I think I should end with a wonderful dessert that has everyone asking for more!!
Take 1 litre of vanilla ice cream, leave it to melt.When it turns into liquid, add 1/2 a tin of condensed milk and mix well.Now add cut fruits to it like bananas, pine apple, strawberries, grapes, oranges, lychees, mangoes and refrigerate. Serve chilled to your guests and get prepared to be showered with praises!!
All these recipes are tried and tested, you can use your imagination and improve them.