Grilled veggies salad with chicken

Its warm here already and it's grill season :). Love how fast everything gets cooked on the grill and  not to mention the mess free kitchen !
This salad was made in the "what is in the fridge" style, so be free to modify the ingredients in the same manner :)

Ingredients:

4-5 leaves from Roman, iceberg  salad or spinach( use one or the other )
3 radishes

1 cup broccoli
1  cup cauliflower
2 big carrots
4-5 mushrooms
1 onion
3-4 small potatoes

2-3 chicken breasts

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinaigrette (balsamic, red or any other you have) or lemon juice
salt and black pepper on taste


Directions:

Wash all veggies. Cut the onion in half and peel the top layer of the skin. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower in big pieces. The mushroom, potatoes (if using big you will need to cut them in 4 big chunks) and carrots can be grilled as they are and will cut them afterwards.

Wash and season the chicken with 2 tablespoons oil and some salt.

Once the grill is ready place the chicken, veggies and grill them until ready. The mushroom, broccoli and cauliflower will be done first, then check the onions and carrots. Potatoes will need some longer time, make sure you turn them and grill on both sides, same with the chicken.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper.

Meanwhile wash, dry and cut the romaine or iceberg salad and mix them with cut radishes. Season with some of the dressing.

Once all is ready, cut the whole vegetables in big pieces and combine well. Season with remaining dressing.

Slice the chicken breast.

To combine the salad, place some of the salad leaves on a plate, top that with some of the grilled veggies and  then arrange the chicken pieces. Add some fresh herbs and enjoy a healthy meal !

Dry chicken with whole spices

This is a recipe I made few times based on what whole spices I found in my cabinet and it turned out great. I am not sure if there is a original recipe like this and what its called, but here it is with my own name and ingredients:

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 big onion, sliced
1 Table spoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
3 cloves
3-4 black peppers
2 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
oil to cook
chopped cilantro to garnish - optional

Method:

Heat 2-3 table spoons oil. Add cumin, cardamom , cloves, peppers and let them cook for 2-3 mins.
Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a few more mins and add the onions. Cook until onions softened and change color to yellow.

Here add garam masala and chicken. Cook on a low heat until chicken is ready. Adjust the salt according to your taste.

The dish should be without any gravy and dry.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or rotis.

I do have some panir salad  on the picture, but that recipe will be in a different post coming soon :)
Enjoy!

Chicken Handi

This recipe was modified by me according to a few variations I heard or saw somewhere on the net years ago.... It' easy to put together and with adjustment to the chilies you use is kid and adults favorite!! My "no spicy food eating" son liked his plate last time I made this :), this is proof to me this dish is delicious!!!

Ingredients:

1 big whole chicken or 4 big chicken breasts.
2 Tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
4 tomatoes
2 onions
10 small green chilies or 4-5 if they are longer or thicker
2 tablespoons red chili powder
2 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Chinese salt ( optional)
6 Tablespoon yogurt
3 Tablespoons dry methi (fenugreek leaves)
1/2 cup cream
1  Tablespoon ground black paper
1 table spoon Garam masala
oil for cooking


Directions:

Wash and cut the whole chicken or chicken pieces ( from a chicken breast)
Heat 4-5 table spoons oil and add the ginger-garlic paste, fry for about 2-3 mins and add the chicken to it. Cook together on a low heat for additional 10 mins. (he bigger the pan the easier is to cook evenly all chicken pieces.)
Meanwhile wash and grind together onions, tomatoes and green chilies to a paste, use around 1/2 cup water to make it easier to blend all ingredients.
Transfer the chicken with its juice to a dish/container or anything you have handy and keep aside.
In the same pot add 4-5 spoons oil and cumin seeds. Wait for a few mins until the cumin seeds release a smell and add carefully the onions -tomatoes- chill paste. Mix well and let it cook until the oil is separating from the paste ( 15-20 mins or so). Now add the chicken with its stock, red chili powder and Chinese salt if you are using. Cook on a low heat for a while (aprox 15 mins) and keep the grave thin. Beat the yogurt before adding to the gravy to prevent curdling and mix in the fenugreek leaves (methi). Pour this to the chicken and mix well. Cook on a low heat until the chicken is ready. Add salt, black pepper  cream, garam masala. Give it a boil and its ready to serve.
Serve with rice or any Indian roti.
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TIPS: if you are using chicken breast pieces the chicken will cook faster than the bone chicken. In that case cook the chicken in the beginning for 6-7 mins just until it changes its color.
This dish will come spicy with the mentioned ingredients!!! If you want it mild reduce the green chilies to a half or just use 2 of them :).
Top the dish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Enjoy!

Hara (green) Masala Chicken

Here is my way of making this delicious chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

For masala:

Use  1 1/2 tsp of this masala

4 green cardamoms

5 cloves

1 black cardamom

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 stick cinnamon

1 anise star

For the meal:

1/2 kg chicken
1 medium onion 
2/3 cup yogurt 
1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

6 curry leaves 

3 tbsp coconut
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 green chilies
3/4 cup mint leaves 
1/2 cup fresh coriander

Method:

Separately, dry roast each of the whole spices in a pan. Let them cool down and grind to a fine masala. You will need only 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of it. Remaining masala can be stored in an air tide container.

Combine green chilies, mint, coriander and grind to a paste with 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.

Chop onions and cook them in 3 tablespoons oil until just transparent.  If the onions are fried to brown it can effect on the green color of the meal.

Remove onions from the pan and add cumin seeds for a few mins. You will know they are ready once they start popping and releasing their flavor. Add ginger garlic paste and curry leaves. Cook for a 3-4 mins and stir to avoid burning.  Add onions, chicken pieces, black pepper and masala. Mix well and let the chicken get partly coked from all sides. 

Pour in the green paste, yogurt, add coconut and salt mix well again and cover to cook on a low flame until the chicken is done and the sauce is thicken.


In case you don't like hot food,  use only one or none chilies. If you like hot food go ahead and use 2 chilies :). The most chilies I used for this recipe was 3 big ones and it was hot, but yummy !!!!

Enjoy!