Low fat ( Zero Oil ) Chicken Popcorn

The zero oil small bite sized juicy chicken, breaded and baked to perfection, chicken popcorn is my boys all time favourite snack that they can munch on any time of the day. I usually half cook and freeze so that whenever they feel the craving of popping it, they can airfryer for a couple of minutes and enjoy it guilt free. This healthier version of the conventional chicken popcorn tastes amazing that can be equally relished by people of all ages.

Ingredients

Chicken breast : ½ kg

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tsp

Curd : 2 tsp

Schezwan sauce : 1 tsp

Red chilli sauce : 1 tsp

Tomato sauce : 2 tsp

Black pepper : 2 tsp

Salt as required

Bread crumbs : 100 gms

Step 1

Slice the chicken breast into bite sized pieces and wash thoroughly. Squeeze the excess water. Add ginger garlic paste, curd, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, Schezwan sauce, black pepper and salt. Mix well.

Step 2

Marinate and keep it aside for a couple of hours or overnight.

Step 3

Roll each piece in the bread crumbs.

Step 4

Place each one of them separately in the airfryer and brush with oil.

Step 5

Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes at 200 degree Celsius until the crust is crunchy and the chicken is tender.

Or

Shallow fry in a thick bottom pan.

Step 6

Enjoy the chicken popcorn with sauce or mayonnaise of your choice.

Tip

Bread crumb is one of the key ingredients and so use the best one.

Sprinkle your choice of seasoning to make it even more tastier.

 

Murg Mussallam

There are several variations of murg musallam and almost every family has its own take on this traditional whole chicken recipe. For me, murgh musallam means taste of nostalgia since for generations it has been an integral part of our family wedding menu. No wedding reception till this day is complete without our very own murgh musallam. And it was originally cooked by a proficient muslim cook named khudoos and later his son murshid who had an expertise in old mughlai khana. Although they are no more, but luckily my family managed to document the recipe though they were very secretive about the same. Murgh mussallam is a mughlai style whole chicken recipe stuffed with boiled egg and dry fruits and slow cooked in curd and onion based sauce. It is an incredible dish to pamper your family and friends for those special occasions. It takes a little time and patience but believe me it is so rewarding and delicious.

Ingredients

Chicken : 1 whole ( remove all the integral organ from the cavity of the chicken)

Marination

Curd : 1 cup

Ginger paste : 2 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 2 tsp

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Salt : as required

For the stuffing

Hard boiled eggs : 2 (shell removed)

Fried onion : 2

Khoya : 100 gms

Kaju : 10

Kishmish : 10

Green chilli : 5 to 6

Mint leaves 

Coriander leaves

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Salt : 1 tsp

Step 1
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Wash the chicken thoroughly from outside and clean the cavity by placing it under running water.

Step 2
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Make deep incision with sharp knife.

Step 3
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In a bowl whisk together curd, Ginger paste, garlic pastel, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Step 4
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Marinate the whole chicken along with the cavity evenly with the curd mixture. Refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Step 5
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In a separate bowl, mix the fried onion, khoya, dry fruits, mint and coriander leaves, garam masala along with eggs and salt.

Step 6
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Stuff the cavity with the egg mixture.

Step 7
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Tie the legs of the chicken using a kitchen twine.this will help the stuffing from falling out.

Step 8
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Heat 4 tsp oil in a thick bottom pan.

Step 9
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Layer the sliced onion over it.

Step 10
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 Top it with the chicken along with the marinade and kashmiri red chilli powder.

Step 11
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First let it cook on high flame for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Flip the chicken gently to the other side.

Step 12
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Lower the flame and cover the lid. Let it cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes and after every 5 minutes make sure to rotate the chicken onto the other side for even cooking.

Step 13
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After half an hour flip chicken and pour the sauce over it and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 14
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Switch off the heat and let the chicken rest in pan for about ten minutes. Now gradually transfer the murgh musallam into the serving dish and pour the rest of the masala over the chicken.

Tip

For a perfect soft and tender chicken try to marinate the chicken a day before the actual cooking.

Fish Ball

I have a great fish ball childhood memory . It was indeed a fiesta every time a fish ball was cooked in my mom’s kitchen. And now I cook the same for my children since this is the only form of fish that they relish and enjoy. Fish balls are made with fish boiled in its broth and then deep fried. The only difficult part is removing the bones from the fish. But since the end result is so outstanding that one would definitely forgo the tough part. It is worth every effort you spend making it. Enjoy the fish ball as a snacks or a main course along with tarter sauce or any other chutney of your choice .

 

Ingredients:

Fish : 500 GM’s( Any fish of your choice)

Onion: 2 chopped

Ginger: 1tsp

Garlic : 1tsp

Green chilli : 6

Coriander : chopped

Garam masala powder :1 Tsp

Lemon juice :1 Tsp

Bread crumb : as required

Maida : 2 tsp

Oil : for frying

Salt : as per taste

 

For the broth :

 

Ginger : 1 inch

Garlic :4 to 5 pod

Black cardomom : 1

Pepper corn :8 to 10

Cinnamon stick

Onion :1 roughly sliced

Venigar :1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Step 1

img_20190228_080732409781023.jpgBoil the fish along with ginger, garlic, black cardamom, pepper corn, onion, salt, venigar and a teaspoon of oil for about 15 minutes.once done let it cool and then debone the fish and mash it.

Step 2

img_20190228_0859241455693405.jpgTake a pan and saute onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli along with salt and lemon juice.

Step 3

img_20190228_09023553300010.jpgOnce done pour it over that fish mash and sprinkle garam masala powder over it.

Step 4

img_20190228_090547953616812.jpgGive them all a nice mix and keep it aside.

Step 5

img_20190228_091142770326697.jpgApply oil in your palam and make balls out of it

Step 6

img_20190228_093426470850511.jpgIn a bowl make a semi thick batter of maida and salt. In a seperate bowl place the bread crumb and keep it aside .

Step 7

img_20190228_0944281301171735.jpgNow dip the balls first in the slurry and then roll in the bread crumbs.

Step 8

img_20190228_201021985178440.jpgPour oil in the pan and deep fry the balls until it turns golden brown and crispy.

Step 9

img_20190228_201923779854681.jpgTake it out and serve with sauce of your choice

Tip

Add a little extra oil while frying the onions as this will keep the fish balls moist.

One can also add pudina leaves to make it even more flavourful.

 

Potato PinWheel ( Aloo Nimki)

Nimki is a light refreshing nibbles that is highly popular in Bihar. Since the dough is the same as nimki but is stuffed with potato, we call it aloo nimki. Aloo nimki is a new spin to the traditional Indian samosa. In fact when I get bored of making samosas, aloo nimki pops up in the menu as it is perfect for anyone’s taste. It is a mouth-watering snack where the potato stuffing is rolled in a maida dough and shaped like a pinwheel. The kids in particular relish it more because of its crisp texture and interesting shape . It is enjoyed best with red or green chutney.

Ingredients :

For Stuffing

  1. Potato :  5 Nos.
  2. Onion :  1 small thinly diced
  3. Ginger paste:  1 tsp
  4. Coriander powder:  1 tsp
  5. Turmeric powder :  ½ tsp
  6. Red chilli powder:  1 tsp
  7. Garam masala powder:  1 tsp
  8. Aamchur powder:  1 tsp
  9. Oil: For deep frying
  10. Salt: As per taste

For the dough

  1. Maida: 300 GM’s
  2. Oil: 3 tsp
  3. Salt: 1 tsp
  4. Ajwain:  ½ tsp

Step by step instructions with photos

Step 1:

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Boil potatoes and peel them.

 

Step 2:

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Mash them coarsely

 

Step 3:

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Add oil into kadai . Once hot put the diced onion and saute it till the color changes. Add Ginger along with the rest of the masala .

 

Step 4:

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Saute the masala and then add the mashed potatoes.

 

Step 5:

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Saute it on high flame for couple of minutes till the potatoes and the masala blends together. Switch off the flame and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over the mixture.

 

Step 6:

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Spread the stuffing in a flat dish and let it be cool.

 

Step 7:

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In a shallow vessel knead  a tight dough along with salt, oil and Ajwain.

 

Step 8:

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Cover the dough and let it rest for at least ten minutes.

 

Step 9:

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Divide the dough into equal size balls. Flat the balls using the rolling pins and make large rotis. Use oil so that that the dough doesn’t stick to the rolling pin.

 

Step 10:

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Divide the stuffing into equal parts. Now spread the potato mixture evenly over the roti.

 

Step 10:

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Now place the another disc over the stuffing and repeat the process of evenly spreading of the mixture

 

Step 11:

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Gently roll the disc starting from one end.  

 

Step 12:

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Once done with rolling keep it aside.

 

Step 13:

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Take a sharp knife and cut the roll horizontally. 

 

Step 14:

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Each slice will be in a shape of a pinwheel.

 

Step 15:

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Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the nimki on medium flame turning occasionally .

 

Serving

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Take them out in an absorbent paper once it is golden and crisp. Serve it hot with chutney or sauce of your choice

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Tip:

Try to prepare the stuffing in advance and allow them to come to the room temperature. This will enable the pinwheel to retain its shape.