Kozhi Nirachathu Malabar Style/Stuffed Chicken Roast in Spicy Gravy Malabar Style

I had been planning to post the recipe of this wonderful dish from not sure how long, every single time I make this delicious Kozhi Nirachathu/Stuffed Chicken, I take pictures and save them but then compiling and editing pictures and composing this post took me for ever. Better late than never right?? 

Kozhi Nirachathu is one of the most popular dishes of Malabar region of Kerala (Northern Kerala). The whole chicken is first marinated in spices and then either braised or broiled(even pressure cooking works). The broiled chicken is then stuffed with some boiled eggs well coated with sauteed onions, raisins and cashews. OK.. mouthwatering isn't it? The process is not done yet.. The whole chicken is then cooked in spicy onion tomato sauce to perfection. Now without delaying further let me go ahead a post this very delicious, Malabar Special Recipe - Kozhi Nirachathu - Akka Stuffed Chicken in Spicy gravy.

Ingredients Used : -

To Marinate:

1. One Whole Chicken ~ 2.2lbs/1 Kg (or use two small Cornish hens)
2. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
3. Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
4. Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
5. Salt - 1tsp
6. Lemon/Lime juice from 1 lemon/lime

For Filling:

1. Boiled Eggs - 2
2. Raisins few (optional)
3. Cashews few(optional)
4. Onion sliced fine - 2
5. Greens chilly chopped fine - 2
6. Freshly crushed Ginger-garlic - 1tsp
7. Raisins, cashews - 1 tbsp each (optional)
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Black Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp(or red chili powder)
10. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Garam Masala - 3/4 tsp
12. Curry leaves few
13. Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
14. Coconut Oil/Veg Oil - 2 tbsp

For Gravy: 

1. Red Onion Sliced fine – 3 (~3 Cups)
2. Tomato – 2(~2 Cups)
3. Ginger chopped fine - 1tbsp
4. Garlic chopped fine –1 tbsp
5. Green Chilly slit into halves – 3
6. Curry leaves – 3 to 4 sprigs
7. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
8. Chili powder – ¾ tsp (optional)
9. Crushed fennel seed – ½ tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Garam Masala – 1tsp
12. Coconut Oil/Veg Oil

 Preparation Method:-

1. First step is making the chicken ready for the preparation. Take out the chicken parts/giblets packet that comes with whole chicken from the cavity and set aside.
2. Peel off the skin and make incisions on the whole chicken especially on chicken breast and legs.
3. Squeeze a lemon/Lime, add a spoon off salt and apply all over the chicken. Wash the whole chicken one or two times and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Make a marinade of items listed under marinate list. Marinate the whole chicken by rubbing  all parts of the chicken and making sure the marinate get inside the incisions. Set aside for 1 or 2 hours.
5. Now you can either braise(fry or slow cook in reduced heat) the chicken or  pressure cook it according to the time availability. Pour coconut oil in a deep and wide pan big enough to hold the whole chicken. Add Curry leaves and saute. Now add the whole chicken
6. Reduce the heat to medium and Cover with a lid. Let it cook for seven-nine minutes. Open the lid and turn over the chicken slowly making sure the chicken don't stick onto the pan and start breaking.
7. Cover and cook again for another five-seven minutes or until chicken is well cooked inside. Take off the stove and set aside.

Egg Masala for Stuffing:-

1. Heat up another frying pan, add coconut oil to it, add raisins and saute till it pop up, strain and set aside. Add cashews saute till golden, strain and set aside.
2. Add curry leaves and saute for few secs, add onion, ginger, garlic and salt and saute till onion turns light brown.
3. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and saute well to blend everything. Add the garam masala and saute well to combine.
4. Add the boiled egg, fried raisins, cashews and combine well to coat the boiled egg with masala. Set aside to cool completely
5. Stuff this egg masala into the braised chicken cavity.

Chicken Gravy:-

1. Heat up a kadai, preferably the same one used for braising so that the gravy gets all the chicken flavor. Add more oil if required, add curry leaves, onions, ginger-garlic, green chilies and saute well till onion turns golden color.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they are fully mashed up.
3. Add turmeric powder, crushed fennel, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and saute well till everything is combined.
4. If the masala is very dry add some water or coconut milk to add gravy and let it come to boil
5. Now add the braised whole chicken and spread the gravy  on the whole chicken. Cover and cook on medium heat for three-five minutes.
6. Open the lid and turn the whole chicken over. Stir the gravy making sure not to stick on the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook again for three-four minutes. Remove from the stove. Sprinkle some more curry leaves and keep it closed until ready to serve
7. Drizzle some lime/lemon juice just before serving.
8. Serve warm with Rice/Roti/Chappathi. Enjoy !!

Quick and Ezee Chicken Curry In Sauteed N Ground Onion Tomato Masala

We have many names for chicken curry, like chettinad chicken, butter chickn, chicken tikka, chicken masala, kadai chicken etc... I'm not sure what to name this chicken curry, all I know is this is a very simple and easy to make chicken curry that can be made in a jiffy without much pre-planning required. You get a very rich and delicious gravy without any lumps of onion, tomato bites and goes very well with rice, roti, dosas and Appams. Make this home today and relish with your loved ones!!!

Ingredients:-

For Marination

1. Chicken with bones ~ 2.2 lbs(1 Kg)
2. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
4. Salt - 1 tsp

To Sautee for gravy:-

1. Onion chopped roughly  - 3(~3 Cups)
2. Tomatoes chopped - 2 (~1½ cups)
3. Ginger chopped or crushed - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic chopped or crushed - 1 tbsp
5. Cinnamon stick - a small piece
6. Curry Leaves few
7. Oil - 2 tbsp
8. Salt - 1 tsp

Additional ingredients to add while you cook chicken :-

1. Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
2. Chilly powder - ½ tsp
3. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
4. Chopped cilantro/coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
5. Curry leaves a sprig
6. Garam masala -1 tsp
7. Water - 1 Cup + more if required

Preparation Method:-

• Add some salt and lemon/lime juice with chicken and apply all over. Wash and rinse the chicken two-three times.
• Marinate the chicken with salt, turmeric powder and chilly powder and set aside for atleast 30 mins.
• Heat up a wide kadai, pour oil. Add cinnamon stick followed by chopped ginger and garlic, saute a minute till raw smell is gone
• Add chopped onion and salt and saute well till golden brown color.
• Add tomatoes and saute well till it break down the pulp and releases the juice. Put off the fire and keep aside till it cool completely.
• Grind the sauteed tomato onion mix.
• Heat up the same pan in which you sauteed the tomato onion mix. Pour the ground mix, add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder and saute to combine.
• Add the marinated chicken and gently mix with a spatula or spoon and spread the mix evenly with chicken. Pour some water as required.
• Cover with the pan and let it cook in medium heat for ten-fifteen minutes stirring occasionally.
• Check for the salt and seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add garam masala and mix well to combine.
• Add few curry leaves and a tsp of coriander leaves/cilantro, stir to mix. Cover and cook for another two-three minutes
• Open the lid and check if the chicken is well cooked. Add some more coriander leaves and put off the stove. 
• Serve warm with Rice/Roti/Appams/Dosas or anything of your choice. Garnish with more cilantro/coriander leaves before serving.

Methi Murgh/Methi Chicken/Chicken with Fenugreek leaves

Methi leaves is one of his favorite, he had gown up eating them I guess. When I was in Mumbai after our marriage I was so amazed to see these fresh bunch of Methi leaves that was so abundantly available in the market. I do like Methi but mostly when combined with something else like I love Aloo Methi, like Methi Dal and this Methi Chicken is one of my favorite chicken dish. You don't feel the bitterness of Methi leaves here, instead this chicken dish have a nice flavor of Fresh methi leaves. This recipe is for all the Methi Leaves lovers like my hubby, Try them at home, Enjoy the meal :)

Ingredients:-

1. Onion chopped fine - 2 Med(~ 1 ½ to 2 Cup)
2. Tomatoes chopped fine - 2 small
3. Ginger and Garlic finely chopped or crushed - 1tbsp each
4. Green Chilies chopped - 3
5. Turmeric powder ~ ½ tsp
6. Chilly powder -   ½ tsp
7. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder - 1tsp
9. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
10. Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
11. Bay leaf - 1
12. Cinnamon stick - 1
13. Oil -2 tsp
14. Methi leaves - a bunch(~ 2 cups after discarding the stems)
15. Salt ~ ¾ tsp

To Marinate:-

1. Chicken - 2lbs(~ 1 kg)(I used bone-in chicken pieces if using boneless chicken pls use thigh meat)
2. Turmeric powder ~ ¾ tsp
3. Chillly powder - 1tsp
4. Garam Masala - 1tsp
5. Yogurt/Curd - 2 tbsp
6. Salt ~ ¾ tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and clean the chicken two-three times, drain water completely and keep aside.
• In another big bowl add yogurt and make the marinade by adding all the ingredients of 'To marinate'. Marinate the chicken well with this marinade and set aside for at-least half an hour(or marinate and keep refrigerated overnight)
• Mean while cut and discard the stem part of Fenugreek leaves bunch, pluck the leaves discarding the stalks. Soak the leaves in wide bowl of water for a minute, clean well to remove all the sand. Repeat the cleaning process again for one or two times.
• Drain the water completely in a colander. Chop the leaves and set aside. 
• Heat up a kadai or non-stick pan, add oil followed by Bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Saute for few seconds. 
• Add Jeera/cumin seeds, when they sizzle add the onion and salt. Saute very well in medium heat till the onion turns golden brown(don't get it to dark brown).
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, saute for a minute.
• Add tomatoes, saute well till the tomatoes are mashed up. Add the methi leaves, saute well for four-five minutes till methi leaves becomes soft and is combined well with the tomato onion mix.
• Add the marinated chicken and saute well to mix. Cover and cook in medium heat for 15-20 minutes or till chicken is almost cooked(not fully cooked).
• Open the lid, add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves and stir well to mix. Cover and cook again for ten minutes or till chicken is cooked fully.
• Take off the stove and garnish with more chopped coriander leaves. Serve warm with Roti/Naan/Rice.

Note: -If you like more gravy, add a cup or more water after you add chicken to the methi masala ie before you cover and cook the chicken.

Sending this to The Master Chef Contest

Thalassery Chicken Biriyani/Malabar Chicken Biriyani

I have been getting plenty of request for Malabar Chicken Biriyani recipe but it got postponed mainly because I didn't have some good pictures. I don't believe I still have some great pictures but yes I'm always trying to click the very best possible with a normal Point and Shoot digital camera. I try to add the detailed description or step-wise pics if possible which kept me away from posting this awesome Biriyani till now. Even though I still don't have a really satisfying picture I thought of posting it at-least now since I've been planning to post this from so long, in-fact every time I make it at home I decide to post it immediately and that happens on almost every Friday eve. I know some of my best buddies are even a bit offended for not posting it till now (so sorry for posting it late Deeps). Now a days I see a lot of variations in Malabar Biriyani itself, I remember last time when I went to India, for my sis wedding the biriyani was made with brick red color chicken which looked like tandoori chicken(was fried chicken pieces with masala I guess, yet to find out the recipe), it was just awesome. Malabar Bistha Biriyani(Bistha is nothing but fried onions) is yet another delicious and well known Malabar Biriyani which I love to prepare for a change from regular biriyani.  

In Malabar and many parts of Northern Kerala, Biriyani is normally made with a small rice called Kaima Rice also known as Jeerakasaala Rice or Jeera Rice which is approx half the size of Basmathi Rice. I love to make biriyani's with Jeera rice which in itself have a very nice aroma and a very unique and great taste that adds the best taste and special aroma to make the authentic Malabar Biriyani.  Its hard to find this Jeera rice in USA(though some particular Indian stores have it), I use Basmathi rice instead to make Biriyani. You can make the Chicken masala in advance and make the rice at the time required. Don't make the rice first or make the rice and keep it for long time as it loose the freshness and the aroma of ghee and spices. Biriyani is always garnished with ghee fried onions, cashews and raisins(I fry onion in normal oil only). It is mostly served with raita, beetroot pickle and coconut-coriander chutney.

Not much spice powders are used in Malabar biriyani, it is very simple and straight forward recipe. Though many people don't marinate chicken before cooking I prefer to marinate fish, chicken and Mutton atleast with salt and turmeric as I believe with salt even the inner meat get a well balanced season and turmeric helps keep poultry free from any bacteria. Normally a generous amount of Ghee/RKG is used to make Biriyani and even onions are deep fried in ghee to get a better taste. Since I make it often I use minimal amount of ghee, you can increase the amount of ghee to add more taste or reduce ghee or even substitute with low fat/cholesterol free oil(like olive oil) if you are on any specific diet. Curd/Yogurt is not used in the preparation of chicken masala, tomatoes brings in the required sourness and I generally add some freshly squeezed lime juice as well. Orange food color is mixed in water or milk and is sprinkled on top of the rice to get a yellowish mixture of rice but I use Saffron instead. You can dum the biriyani either by layering the ghee rice and chicken masala alternatively or add the masaa at the bottom of the vessel and top it with the whole rice and then dum. Now off to the Malabar Chicken Biriyani recipe, do definitely try out and Enjoy the delicacy :-)


Ingredients:-


For Chicken Masala:-

1. One Chicken(bone in) cut into medium size pieces ~ 2.2 lbs(1Kg)
2. Turmeric ~ ¾ tsp
3. Chilly power ~  ½ tsp(optional, I add them mostly)
4. Salt ~ 2 tsp(Will have to check  for the salt at the end of masala preparation and adjust)
5. Big Onions finely sliced - 4(~ 5 cups)
6. Tomato finely sliced - 2(~ 2 ½  to 3)
7. Fresh Ginger crushed or finely chopped or paste ~ 2tbsp
8. Fresh Garlic Crushed or finely chopped or paste ~ 2 tbsp
9. Green chilies crushed or paste or finely chopped - 12 to 14 numbers(can add more to make it more spicy, I make it medium spicy)
10. Garam Masala powder ~ 1½  tsp
11. Coriander leaves chopped ~ ¾ cup
12. Mint leaves chopped ~  ¼ cup
13. Curry leaves two sprigs
14. Freshly squeezed Lime Juice from a Lime ~ 2 tbsp
15. Oil ~ 2 tbsp

For Ghee Rice:-

1. Jeera Rice/Basmathi Rice - 4 Cups
2. Water - 6 to 6 ½ Cups 
3. Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch size broken into halves
4. Green Cardamom Pods - 5
5. Cloves  - 8
6. Bay leaves 2(optional)
7. Whole Pepper corns ~ 10 nos(optional, I like to add them though normal recipes do not call for it)
8. Curry leaves a sprig
9. Ghee ~ 2 tbsp
10. Freshly squeezed Lime Juice ~ 1tbsp(optional)
11. Salt to taste ~ 2 tsp(check and adjust accordingly)

To Garnish:-

1. Cashews a handful
2. Raisins a handful
3. Finely sliced Onion - 1(~ 1 cup)
4. Oil to deep fry onion (~ ½ cup)
5. Saffron ~ 1 tbsp(can use orange food color instead)
6. Milk ~ ½ cup
7. Chopped coriander leaves ~ 2tbsp
8. Ghee/Oil ~ 2 tsp(used at the end for layering and doing dum)

Getting Ready:-

1. Deep fry the onion(using ½ cup oil mentioned) till golden color and set aside(don't fry till brown color as they tend to cook and change color even after taking out from the oil).
2. You can fry cashews and raisins in the same oil if you like or saute it in ghee before making rice.
3. Bring  milk to boil by adding saffron, simmer and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Take off the stove and set aside.

           

4. Clean the Chicken, wash well, drain of the water and pat dry. Marinate with 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder and set aside for 30 minutes or more if possible.

Preparation Method:-
Making Biriyani's Chicken Masala:-

• Heat up a thick bottom vessel, pour 2 tbsp oil, add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, remaining 1 tsp salt and saute in medium heat till onion turns translucent. 
• Add tomatoes and saute again well till they become soft and start to breakdown leaving its juice. 
• Now add the chicken pieces, stir well to mix everything, cover with a proper lid and let it cook till chicken is almost done in low-medium heat. It should be a slow cooking process where chicken will cook in its own moisture along with onion-tomato gravy. So always let it cook in low heat.(Chicken should not be fully cooked here, It takes around 10-15 minutes and will continue to cook another 5-10 minutes after adding other ingredients)  
• Open the lid, add the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, lime/lemon juice and stir well to mix. Add the garam masala powder and saute again to mix everything. Cover it with a tight lid and let it cook again so that chicken absorbs all the flavor of garam masala and other ingredients and is fully done. It takes around 5-10 minutes in low-med heat.
• Take off the stove and set aside till ghee rice is ready.

Making Ghee Rice:-

• Wash rice three to four times in water till you get a clear water, drain the rice fully and set aside. 
• Heat up a wide vessel, add ghee, saute the cashews till light brown and set aside. Add the raisins and saute till they pop up, take out and set aside. 
• Now add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, pepper corns and saute well till you start getting a nice aroma of spices. 
• Pour water to it, add salt, squeezed lime juice, few curry leaves and bring to boil. Add rice, stir gently with a spatula till the bottom of the pan just to remove any sticky rice from the bottom. Simmer the heat to medium, cover with an air-tight lid and let it cook until almost done.  
• Open the lid once the water is absorbed(rice should not be fully cooked, but will continue to cook during the dum process) and take off the stove.
• Let it cool for couple of minutes, say around 10-15 minutes, if you try to flip or toss the rice when it is very hot it will tend to break and stick. 
• Stir gently with a spatula when the high steam subsides, move to two-three platters so that they don't form lumps and don't stick together. This way you will get a very nice non-lumpy, non-sticky rice. Proceed for the final stage of layering and dumming :-)

Final stage: Layering and Dumming the Biriyani in low heat:-

• Now Stove top Layering can be done in two ways

1. very simple and my favorite way is:

• Heat up a thick bottom pan, add 2 tsp oil(or ghee), simmer the heat to medium. Now Dump the chicken masala to the bottom, top it with half the rice, fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, coriander leaves, drizzle few drops of saffron milk all over the rice. 
• Top it with the remaining rice, followed by cashews, raisins, fried onions, coriander leaves. Pour the rest of the saffron milk all over the rice. 

Just before doing dumm, look at the saffron milk floating on the raisins n cashews :-)

• Cover it with an air tight lid or place a kitchen towel flatten on top of the vessel and cover to seal tight with the lid. Cook in low heat until you see steam releasing from the sides of the vessel. Its is the right time to take them off the flame, the rice will be cooked fully absorbing all the flavor of chicken masala and will be very light, fluffy with individual grains.

See the steam coming from the top sides of the vessel, not that clear though :-)

After the dum process, looks yumm right?

• You can gently move the rice with a sauce pan or spatula from the top to the sides, take the biriyani masala from the bottom and  move to the serving plate.

•  Now take a generous amount of rice with the saucepan/spatula and top over the chicken masala. 

• Spread some more raisins, cashews, onions, and coriander leaves and Serve with pickle, pappads and raita. Yummy yumm 

                                                                 OR

2.  Layer Rice and Biriyani masala alternatively and dum.

• Heat a wide vessel, keep in low heat, pour 2 tsp of oil, spread half the rice on the bottom of the vessel, top it with masala gravy and chicken, topped with fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, coriander leaves and few drops of saffron milk.

                                    

• Repeat the process with remaing rice, masala, fried cashews, raisins, onions and saffron milk. Cover with an air tight lid and cook in low heat till steam starts to release from the sides of the pan.

• Move to a serving plate, garnish with more raisins, cashews and fried onion. Serve warm with pappads, pickles and chutney.

Note:-
Conventional Oven Method:- You can do dum the biriyani in conventional oven also. Pre-heat the oven to 350 Degree F in baking mode. Take an oven proof dish or silver foil tray, layer with half the rice, top with half the chicken masala, nuts and onions. Repeat the same process alternatively. Seal it air tight with the oven proof lid or silver foil sheet. Bake around 30-40 minutes.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Jehanne at The Cooking Doctor

Walnut Chicken/Akhrot Murgh

Akhrot Murgh/Walnut Chicken is an ezee to cook chicken recipe which has a great taste with very less cooking time. I tried this recipe quite sometime back  from my favorite Chef  'Sanjeev Kapoor's' recipe collection and have been making it more often when ever I need to make some quick chicken curry. I have this in my draft from a long time, but never got a chance to blog. It was my sister you noticed that I've very less chicken recipes here. The reason being nothing but with my hubby n kids any chicken dish is always 'directly from the pan to the tummy'  ;)
Try this and I'm sure you'll make it more often because of its great taste and ezee cooking. Enjoy!!!

Ingrendients:-

1. Boneless chicken - 4 halves(cut into bite size squares)
2. Yogurt - 2 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
6. Garam masala - 1 tsp(add/reduce according to your taste)
7. Fresh Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tsp
8. Medium Size Onion - 1 very finely chopped
9. Tomato - 1(pureed)
10. Green chilly -4(finely chopped)
11. Curry leaves few(optional, was not there in the original recipe)
12. Walnuts - 1/2 cup(Blanched and powdered)
13. Fresh cream - 1/4 cup(optional)
14. Salt to taste
15. Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation Method:-

                     

• Wash and clean the chicken and cut into bite sized square pieces. Marinate with turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, salt and set aside for at-least 30 minutes.                    

                   

   

• Heat up a kadai, pour some oil add onion and saute well till golden brown.
• Add tomato puree, saute till oil separates.  Add green chillies, coriander powder, cumin powder and  marinated chicken and saute well and mix everything.

                      

• Cover and cook till done(till chicken is cooked properly). It took me around 20 mins to cook the chicken.
• Add powdered walnuts and garam masala and cook for another 3-5 mins.
• Add Fresh cream and cook for another three mins in reduced heat. 

• Serve hot with Roti/Naan/Rice/Bread or anything of your choice. Enjoy!!!

Note:

1. This is not a spicy chicken recipe, you can add/reduce Garam Masala/Green Chilly according to your spice level.
2. If you want more gravy you can add one or more cup of water before you cover and cook the chicken. Because of the walnut the gravy still remains thick even after adding water.

Sending this to Christmas Delicacy Event hosted by Julie @Erivum Puliyum