MALAYAN CHICKEN ROTI CANAI

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken legs, bone in. (Or use boneless chicken thigh pieces as the breast will get too tough.)
• 1 400ML can Coconut cream (slightly thick) . Do not use the sweetened variety
• 2 stick of cinamon
• 2-3 cloves
• 4 Potatoes, cut into large pieces
• 2 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp red chili powder (do not use if you don’t want it spicy)
• pinch sugar
• salt to taste. About 1 ½ – 2 tsp
• 1 cup water. (or more as needed)

For the Malaysian Spice Paste

• 15 dry chillies soaked in boiled hot water for 30 minutes
• 2 medium onions
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 ” Ginger
• 2 ” Fresh Turmeric root
• 1 tsp –  Belachan –  shrimp paste
• 3 Tbsp Coriander Powder
•  1 tsp cumin – adjust according to taste. We prefer only ¼ tsp
• 1 tsp fennel
• 3   cashews
• 2 tsp  soy sauce
•  2 Tbsp Oil

OR USE

 Malaysian chicken curry powder packets from Malaysia, brands such as Baba’s meat curry powder or Alagappa curry powder (made in Penang). Or any other Malaysian curry powder brand available.

Mix this in 2 TBS oil and stir well.

USE ABOUT 5 TBS OF THIS READY POWDER OR MORE ACCORDING TO TASTE.

 

Method:

• Process the ingredients for the Spice Paste to a smooth paste along with oil. Do not add water.
• Wash and drain the chicken pieces well.
• To a non-stick wok, add the the spice paste and heat on medium low heat. Stir continuously till it sizzles and becomes nice and aromatic, with no more of the raw smell. Add bay leaves and the whole spices (cloves,star-anise and cinnamon)
• Add chicken and mix well with mixture.
• add potatoes
•  add the coconut cream,
• add the water 
• Mix in the salt, sugar 
• Add a little water if needed 
• Cook covered on low till chicken is cooked through OR transfer to the pressure cooker. Now pressure cook on medium heat for 12 to 14 minutes
• Allow to cool before opening.
•  Serve with Plain White Rice  or Malaysian Roti Prata.

• IF USING READY CURRY POWDER, THEN GRIND ONIONS , GARLIC, GINGER IN BLENDER AND FRY TILL LIGHT BROWN. ADD THE CINAMON, BAY LEAVES, STAR ANIS.
• COAT THE CHICKEN AND POTATOES WITH READY SPICE MIXED WITH OIL WELL.
• ADD IN ONION MIXTURE AND FRY FOR 4 MINUTES.
• ADD COCONUT MILK/CREAM
• ADD POTATOES
• ADD WATER
• SIMMER TILL COOKED OR COOK IN PRESSURE COOKER.
• ENJOY!!!!

PATRA NI MACHI. ( Fish wrapped in banana leaves with green coconut chutney)

PATRA NI MACHI. ( Fish wrapped in banana leaves with green coconut chutney)

A parsi cuisine favorite! This dish is served and relished at most Parsi weddings and Navjotes.(Thread ceremony)

As a child and even now, I look forward to going for These functions, for the food!

After moving, I had to  learn how to re create these favourites!

This dish tastes best with Pomfret, but since I cannot find that here in Miami, I used Tilapia. It tasted good!

INGREDIENTS

6 Fillets of Tilapia, washed and salted.

1 big banana leaf cut into 6 pieces to wrap fish

thread to ties leaves

ingredients for coconut chutney.

1/2 a packet of the frozen shredded coconut. Or use fresh grated coconut.

1 large bunch coriander leaves

6-10 green chilies, depending on your tolerance for spices

2 ts roasted jeera seeds (cumin seeds)

3 tbs brown sugar (add more according tautest)

1 tbs tamarind paste.(add more according to taste)

8-10 garlic cloves

salt

juice of 1 big lemon

METHOD

Grind all the chutney ingredients in a blender with very little water, it should not be too dry as the steaming will dry it out more, but also not too wet and runny. If too wet or runny, add more coriander and coconut to thicken.

Taste, and add more sugar, tamarind, chillies or garlic and salt according to taste.

 Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Place steamer on top.

Place a slice of the fish on a banana leaf, coat the fish with a thick layer of chutney. Flip and coat other side too.

Wrap this into a parcel in the banana leaf and tie with string.

Repeat with all 6 slices.

Arrange the fish in a single layer on the steamer basket, do not over crowd.

Steam on full boil for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

DO NOT TURN OR FLIP THE FISH.

Serve hot with a little extra chutney on side and roti!!!

Yummy!!!!

Philips Air Fryer Fish

Cooking for my little ones is always a challenge. They want the same old things, but tire of them too!
I am always looking for different , healthier options for them rather that the store bought fish sticks or chicken nuggets.
I recently got the Phillips Air Fryer for christmas and decided to try it out by making fried fish for the tots. Turned out to be really good! Crispy from the outside, soft from the inside and moist! They polished it off in minutes and the best part.... I got the effect of a fried fish with NO OIL!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS

2 thick slices fish fillet
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
1/2 ts oil
3 tbs rava atta or semolina

METHOD

Pour oil on fish slices to coat.
Sprinkle old bay seasoning
Coat with the rave or semolina and keep aside.

Preheat Air fryer to 290 and when done, place the fish in basket and set timer for 10 minutes.
Pause half way through, flip fish, start again for balance 5 minutes.
Thats it! Done to crispy perfection!!

Don't cook for more than 10 minutes if the slices are thick. If thin, then only 8 minutes. Flip or turn over half way through.

BAIDA ROTI. ( MINCED MEAT STUFFED IN EGG WASHED BREAD)

The sights and smells that emerge from the lanes behind the Taj Mahal hotel, Colaba always remind me of my Favorite foodie joint... Bade Miyaan. No fancy restaurant, but the food is far better than most 5 stars!
I love that street food vendor. And though it is really hard to pick a favorite dish, the one I keep dreaming of is BAIDA ROTI!
After a few failed attempts, I came up with a version that is quite good. Hope you like it!

(makes 4 portions)

Ingredients for the filling

1 cup minced meat. chicken, mutton, turkey, beef 

1 medium onion chopped fine

2 green chilies

2 tbs ginger garlic paste

1 ts garam masala

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs meat masala shaan.

1 tbs dry crushed kastoori methi

2 big eggs

4 tbs chopped onions.

1/2 ts red chili powder

salt

ingredients for roti

2 cups maida.(all purpose flour)

1 tbs oil

1 egg

1|8 ts baking soda

salt

water.

2 eggs beaten and kept seperate.

(I USED THE READY MADE FROZEN MALAYSIAN PARATHAS FOR THE ROTI. I JUST LET THEM THAW AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, THEN PUT SOME ATTA OR FLOUR ON CUTTING BOARD AND ROLLED THEM OUT A LITTLE MORE INTO SQUARES. IT WORKED REALLY WELL)

Garnish

Sliced onions

chat masala

green chili chutney

Method

Mix the flour with the baking soda, egg and oil. Add water and make into dough.

The dough should be soft.

Break into 4 equal portions.

Cover and keep under moist mammal cloth for 20 minutes.

Roll out the dough balls into square shaped rotis.

Filling

fry the onions till brown. 

Add the ginger garlic paste.

Add chopped chilies

Add the meat and fry.

Add the masalas.

Add the caster methi

Add lemon juice.

Fry till meat is cooked and dry. It should not be wet.

Beat the two eggs in a bowl. Add the chopped onions and red chili powder.

Keep aside.

Oil a hot non stick tava or pan, place one roti square.

In the centre of roti, add the mince meat.

Add 2 tbs egg mixture with onions and red chili on top.

Now fold the roti into a square pouch , one corner at a time. Fold the roti into a package.

Add a lilies of the plain egg mixture on top.

Cook on low heat.

Flip roti, Baste with egg o other side.

Cook till roti is golden brown and cooked.

Serve with sliced onions and spicy green chili chutney.

You can also sprinkle some chat masala on top of onions.

FISH CUTLETS

FISH CUTLETS

3 fillets of fish. If bone in, please remove all the bones after boiling.

4-5 pods garlic smashed

1 big potatoe

Fist full coriander

1 ts jeera smashed cumin

2 green chilies chopped

Salt

Pepper

2 tbs mayonnaise

1 tbs mustard

1/2 cup grated cheese

Maida semolina

3 Eggs beaten.

Method

Boil the potatoes till soft.

Boil the fish fillets with garlic pods, coriander and green chilies and jeera.

When soft, remove from heat and mash together with potatoes.

Add more jeera and coriander and green chilies according to taste.

Mix in mayo and mustard and grated cheese.

Make into balls and flatten in palms of hand.

Dredge through rava. Both sides.

Apply egg on both sides.

Shallow fry till nice and brown and crisp.

Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney