Jalebi Indian Desert #NorthIndianDish #SweetDish #sweettooth

Ingredients

for jalebi batter:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida) or 125 grams maida
• 2 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 pinch baking soda Or ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water or 250 ml water
• 1 to 2 tablespoon all purpose flour (maida) to be added later after the batter has fermented

for sugar syrup:

• 1 cup sugar or 150 grams sugar
• ½ cup water or 125 ml water
• ¼ teaspoon saffron strands (kesar)
• oil for deep frying (you can also use ghee for frying)

Instructions

preparing jalebi batter:

1. in a mixing bowl, take 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose flour or maida. add 2 tbsp besan or gram flour, a pinch of baking soda and 1/8 tsp turmeric powder.
2. mix all the above dry ingredients with a spoon or spatula.
3. then add water. the amount of water to be added depends on the quality of flour used. i added 1 cup water. depending on the quality of flour and besan, you can add from ¾ to 1 cup water.
4. with the spatula or spoon, first mix. break the small or tiny lumps with the spatula or spoon while mixing.
5. then in round circular directions stir the batter briskly for 4 minutes. this adds volume to the batter and makes it even and smooth.
6. the batter should have a flowing consistency. cover and keep the batter to ferment in a warm place for 12 to 15 hours. i kept for 15 hours. if you live in a cold climate, you can keep for 20 to 24 hours.
7. this is how the batter looks the next day. you will see small bubbles on the top.
8. stir the batter and if you carefully see, the batter would have become thinner than what it was before fermentation.
9. so to thicken the batter again, add 1 to 2 tbsp of all purpose flour.
10. with a spoon mix very well.
11. now pour this batter in the squeezy tomato ketchup bottles that we get in the market. you can also use coconut shell and make a small hole in it. you can also use a piping bag or make your own with butter paper. depending on the capacity of the bottle, you can pour less or more in it.

preparing sugar syrup:

1. take 1 cup sugar in a pan. add 1/4 tsp saffron strands to it. do add saffron as it gives a nice orange yellow color and also its aroma to the jalebis.
2. add 1/2 cup water.
3. keep this pan on stove top on low flame and begin to stir, so that the sugar dissolves.
4. on a low to medium flame, cook the sugar syrup.
5. cook till you get one string consistency in the sugar syrup.
6. once you get the one string consistency, switch off the flame and add 1/4 tsp lime or lemon juice. stir well. keep the sugar syrup on the burner itself so that it remains warm when you add the jalebis in it.

frying jalebis:

1. heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. you can also use ghee or half-half of oil and ghee. ghee gives a better flavor.
2. to check the temperature of oil, add a tiny amount of batter to the oil. if it comes up quickly and gradually the oil is hot enough for the jalebis to be fried. the frying temperature is 350 degrees fahrenheit/176 degrees celsius.
3. now squeeze the bottle and make concentric rings with the batter.
4. either start from the center and move outside or vice versa. be careful while making the jalebis as the oil is hot.
5. you won't get perfect shapes as the jalebis keep on moving while you make the circles. this does require practice and it also depends on what equipment you are using to make the jalebis.
6. when one side is partly cooked, turn over and fry the other side.
7. some jalebis will be cooked faster than others.
8. fry till the oil stops sizzling and the jalebis are a light golden. remove with a tongs or a bamboo skewer. while removing shake to drain the extra oil.
9. then immediately put the fried jalebis in the sugar syrup. the sugar syrup should be slightly hot or warm when you add the jalebis in it.
10. turn over after after a minute so that both sides are coated with the syrup.
11. keep them in the syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes. if you keep for two minutes, they will be lightly colored and if you keep for 3 minutes, they will have a deep color.
12. remove with a wooden skewer or tongs. shake lightly so that the excess sugar syrup falls back in the pan. place them in a plate or tray lined with a foil or butter paper.
13. prepare all jalebis this way. its better to have a help while doing so. otherwise its kind of multi tasking.
14. serve jalebis hot, warm or at room temperature. the leftovers can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated.
    

    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    

Fried Mughlai Chicken

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breast 1/2kg (cut in cubes)

Plain flour 1/2 cup (for coating)

Onions 1 large (grind to a paste)

Tomato puree 1/2 cup

Thick greek yogurt 1/4 cup

Ginger & garlic paste 1tbs

Dry milk powder 1tbs

Green chilli 4 (grind to a paste)

Cashew nuts 8 (grinned)

Cream 4tbs

egg 1

Black pepper powder 1/2ts

Red chilli powder 1ts

Salt 1ts

METHOD

Take the chicken pieces and coat them with plain flour.

Heat oil and fry the chicken pieces till golden on medium flame and keep on paper towel.

Heat oil 1/2 cup add grinned onion, ginger & garlic paste, green chilli paste and fry on high flame till light golden.

Then add tomato puree, yogurt, cashew nut, dry milk powder, salt, red chilli powder, black pepper mix and cook on  medium flame till the oil comes on the surface.

Beat the egg and add to the curry and cook it.

Now add the fried chicken pieces mix and cover, simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.

Then add fresh coriander, cream mix.

Roast Chicken in Olive Oil With Shallots, Beans and Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

400 gm of Chicken Thighs
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
100 gm of shallots
5 cloves of garlic
200 ml of chicken stock
1 tbsp thyme leaves
salt and pepper of taste 

METHOD

Pat chicken dry and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a medium pan over high heat, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When oil and butter barely begin to smoke, lay thighs skin side down in pan. Brown well on all sides until a rich amber color, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Use the unwashed pan to medium heat, and add 2 remaining tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add shallots, garlic & thyme. Stir gently (so garlic cloves don’t lose their peels), until shallots and garlic are lightly browned. Raise heat, add chicken stock, bring to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat, and set aside at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Return pan to high heat. When liquid begins to simmer, rest chicken thighs skin side up on vegetables. now, move it to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer garlic cloves to a small plate. Separate cloves from their skins, and discard skins. Mash cloves with a fork, and return to sauce, stirring to mix. 

BBQ Chicken with Pickled Veggies in Lemonade "Dish From Master Chef Australia"

INGREDIENTS:

60ml soy sauce
500g skinless chicken thigh fillets
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Red pepper, Cut into fine match sticks
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped 
125 ml lemonade
1 Lime juice
125 ml Vinegar
1/2 cucimber, cut into fine matchsticks
3 cm piece Ginger, finely chopped
1/2 bunch coriander
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Place the lemonade, soy sauce, lime juice and pepper, to taste in a bowl and stir to combine. Add chicken thigh fillets and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.

3. Place chopped carrot, cucumber and red pepper in a bowl and pour vinegar mix over. Add ginger and garlic and stir to combine.

4.Place griddle pan over high heat. Once hot, lightly oil, sprinkle chicken with sugar and fry until caramelised and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to rest.

5. To serve, place some coriander on each serving plate. Cut chicken into strips and lay over coriander. Drain pickled vegetables and place on top of chicken.

Crispy Cumin Chicken with Crispy Ginger - My version of Master Chef Australia Dish

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Thigh
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp pinch cumin seeds
salt and pepper to taste
20 g knob ginger
300 ml vegetable oil

Steps:

For Crispy Ginger

Step 1 : Heat Oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Step 2 : once hot, add ginger and fry until crisp and golden for about 2 minutes. 
Step 3 : Remove from oil abd set aside on paper towel to drain.

For Crispy Chicken

Step 1: place chicken thighs into a bowl and add grapeseed oil, cumin seed, salt and pepper. Toss to coat chicken pieces evenly.
Step 2: Heat a large ovenproof  frypan over high heat and add chicken pieces and fry until crisp for about 6-8 minutes.
Step 3: Turn chicken pieces over and transfer frypan to the oven to bake until chicken is cooked through for about 12-15 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from oven and set aside to rest for 8 minutes.

Chicken is ready to be served and to be enjoyed. 

Chicken Mince / Chicken Keema

Ingredients;
1/2 kg minced chicken
200 gm / 2 medium sized onion
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 finely chopped green chilies
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
100 gm / 2 small chopped tomatoes
100 ml cooking oil
1/2 tbsp - pepper powder
1/2 tbsp - garam masala
a pinch turmeric powder
1/4 tbsp : roasted coriander powder
Salt to taste


Steps:

1.  Heat oil, fry onions until transparent, add ginger garlic paste.
2. Add all dry masala and suate at low flame  until oil seperates.
3. Add miced chicken, and fry untill all liquid dries.
4. Add tomatoes, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until mince is tender.
5. Add green chilies, fresh coriander and cook until oil separates.

Keema is ready to serve. Enjoy with Paratha or roti.  

Chicken tandoori

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut in 12 pieces

1 packet of chicken tandoori masala(gagani)

12 tbsp of heavy curd

3 tbsp ginger garlic paste

5 tbsp of kasuri methi 

2 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp salt

3 tbsp chilli powder

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 piece of coal 

5 tbsp of vegetable oil

Method:

Mark deep cuts on chicken pieces.

Rub the full packet of tandoori masala, rub it properly so that the powder is immersed into the deep rashes.

Now add all the other ingredients- curd, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, salt, chilli powder, lemon juice and crush kasuri methi.

Marinate the chicken for atleast 4-5 hours and keep it inside refrigerator.

Now pre heat the over for 15 minutes.

Oil the nonstick oven pan with few drops.

Pour the marinated chicken on the pan and evenly distribute the chicken piece on the pan. 

Pour the remaining marination on the chicken and put it in oven for 20 mins at 160 degree C.

Now take out the chicken, as of now the chicken must have left loads of water on the pan, no need to panic, its usual.

Now turn the pieces and put it back in oven for 20 mins at 160 degree C. 

After 15 mins check if the chicken has start leaving the bones if not let it cook for 5 more minutes, if yes then increase the temp to 180 degree C  for 2 minutes.

Now take out the pan out of oven. 

On gas burn the coal, till it turns red. Pick the coal with plucker and keep it on foil in between the chicken pieces and also pour 2-3 drops of oil over the coal. 

Now cover the pan and let chicken pieces absorb the smell of coal.

 

After 5 minutes remove the cover and serve the tandoori with onion salad and the masala left in the tray.