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Preparations with white meat that can liven up the palate

It’s ubiquitous but that doesn’t mean it’s boring

Durri Bhalla Published 17.09.23, 09:59 AM
Chicken And Shrimps Wonton Basket

Chicken And Shrimps Wonton Basket Bhubaneswarananda Halder

Chicken is the most common form of meat consumed in many countries and often taken for granted. In the US, however, September is the National Chicken Month and it aims to bring the humble chicken off the back burner and into the spotlight, highlighting the versatility, value and importance of the original white meat.

A 2003 study estimated that more than 25 billion chickens exist the world over. That makes the chicken the most populous bird on earth. The colour of a hen’s egg is determined by its breed — and most can be predicted by their earlobes. Chicken with brown lobes will lay brown eggs and white lobes will lay white eggs. One certain type of chicken (Ameraucana) produces blue eggs.

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Imbibing the US spirit, here are a few dishes that you can make through this month. Enjoy!

CHICKEN AND SHRIMPS WONTON BASKET

This amazing sweet and tangy appetiser is a total crowd-puller.

INGREDIENTS

For the basket

Wonton wrappers, 5-inch square in size

Vegetable oil: For deep-frying

For the filling

Unsalted cashew nuts: 2tbsp, toasted and crushed

Chicken: 250g, cut into tiny cubes

Shrimps: 150g, shelled and deveined

Fresh ginger: 2tsp, grated

Red chillies: 2 small, chopped finely

Spring onions: 4, chopped fine

Soya sauce: 1tbsp

Fish sauce: 2tsp

Honey: 2tsp

Lemon juice: 2tsp

Beansprouts: 30g

Carrot: 1 small, cut into thin strips

Coriander leaves: 1tbsp, chopped

Oil: 1tbsp

METHOD

For the basket

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Place 2 wanton wrappers diagonally one on top of the other so that the corners do not match.

Shape wrappers around the base of a small ladle, lower into the hot oil and cook till it becomes golden brown. During cooking, keep the wrapper submerged in oil by pushing down with a spoon to form a basket shape. When cool it will come off easily and lace on absorbent paper. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

For the filling

Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Add chicken and stir-fry till nearly cooked.

Add prawns and stir-fry till no water remains.

Add ginger, red chillies and spring onions and saute for few seconds.

Add soya sauce, honey, fish sauce, carrots, beansprouts and coriander leaves. Stir-fry for a minute or 2 minutes or till the carrots are slightly soft yet crunchy. Check for seasoning.

Spoon filling into the baskets and sprinkle cashew nuts.

STUFFED CHICKEN MINCE STEAK WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

(Serves Four)

INGREDIENTS

Chicken mince: 300g

Onion: ½ big, very finely chopped

Ginger-garlic paste: 1tsp

Bread: 2 slices, crust removed and ground in a mixie to get fresh crumbs

Worcestershire sauce: 1tsp

Salt: 1tsp, or to taste

Pepper powder: ½tsp

For the herbed cheese filling

Cheese (mozzarella or any other): 6tbsp, grated

Oregano: ½tsp

Parsley: 1tbsp chopped

For the mushroom sauce

Butter: 1tbsp

Mushrooms: 4-5 finely chopped

Flour: 1½tbsp

Chicken stock: 1¼ cup (or hot water mixed with 1 stock/seasoning cube

Salt: To taste

Pepper: To taste

Worcestershire sauce: 1tsp

Tomato sauce: 1tbsp

Tomato puree: 1tbsp

METHOD

In a bowl combine the chicken mince, onions, ginger-garlic paste, fresh breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and form 4 large balls.

Flatten each ball and put a tablespoon of herbed cheese inside in the middle. Shape into a ball again. Then flatten to form steaks. Refrigerate till cooking time.

To prepare the sauce fry the mushrooms in butter until golden brown.

Add flour and fry on low heat until it turns slightly brown.

Remove from heat and add the chicken stock. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and the puree. Return to fire.

Add pepper and stir continuously till it is cooked and becomes a little thick. Check for salt.

For cooking the steaks

Heat 1tbsp oil on low heat in a non-stick pan. Gently add the steaks and cook for 10 minutes flipping gently and pressing lightly till it turns brown on all sides. Remove and keep aside.

For the plating

Put a steak on a plate. Pour mushroom sauce over it. Surround it with mashed potatoes, beans, broccoli, honey-sautéed carrots, etc.

Serve alongside it some crusty garlic bread or buttered sourdough bread.

INTERNATIONAL CHICKEN STEW

Each country has its own version of chicken stew. The world over, stew is a comfort as well as a wholesome meal. Everyone has their own way of making this hearty dish. Here I have given my version of this.

INGREDIENTS

 Chicken: 1 small, curry cut

 Bay leaf: 1

 Butter: 1tbsp

 Oil: 1tbsp

 Cloves: 3

 Peppercorns: 6

 Ginger-garlic paste: 1tsp

 Water: 1½ cups with 2 chicken

For the gravy

Milk: 1½ cups approximately

Butter: 2tbsp

Flour: 2tbsp

Carrot: 1, cut into chunks

French beans: 5, cut into 2-inch pieces

Peas: ¼ cup

Salt: To taste

White pepper: 1tsp level

Cream: 3tbsp

Parsley: Chopped, for garnish

METHOD

Heat oil plus butter in a pot. Add bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves. Saute for a few seconds.

Add the chicken pieces. Saute for at least 5 minutes. Then add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add the chicken stock. Cook on low heat after the first boil for 15 minutes. Then discard the bay leaf and cloves.

Now add milk to the chicken stock.

Now heat 2tbsp butter. Add flour and stir till lightly brown. Add ½ cup milk. Then pour into the stock mixture.

Add the vegetables and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes till the vegetables are cooked.

Check for seasoning and consistency of the stew.

Add cream and chopped parsley and remove from fire.

Serve with a crusty buttered bread.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE

Everyone has heard of Fish Florentine. Here we are going to make Chicken Florentine, which is extremely delicious and is served mainly at high-end Michelin-star restaurants.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breasts: 3 (flatten it between two sheets of transparent plastic with a meat mallet till it is very thin. Do not tear the chicken).

For the stuffing

Spinach (baby spinach is ideal if you can get it): 2 cups finely chopped

Onion: ½ cup, finely chopped

Feta cheese crumbled: 1/3 cup

Fresh lemon juice: 1½tbsp

Olive oil: 2tbsp

Salt: To taste

Pepper: To taste

(Mix all the above ingredients well.)

Sauce for the chicken

Butter: 2tbsp

Flour: 1tbsp

Chicken stock: ¾ cup plus any juices from the cooking of the chicken

Light cream: ¾ cup

Lemon juice: ½tbsp

Fresh dil or chopped parsley: ½tbsp

Lemon zest: ½tsp

Salt: To taste

Pepper: To taste

METHOD

Put little amount of stuffing in the middle of each flattened chicken breasts. Fold the sides then start folding from the top downwards to make a nice roll.

Sprinkle dome oregano and chilli flakes on top of each roll.

Now you can either bake it in an oven or put in a skillet with 2tbsp oil. Cook on medium heat till slightly brown on all sides and the chicken is cooked nicely. Remove and keep aside. Reserve any juice left in the pan.

For garnishes use the following:

Baby potatoes boiled and sautéed in butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Asparagus sautéed in olive oil till done yet crunchy.

Red, yellow and green bell pepper thinly sliced and sautéed in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Sauce for the chicken

In a pan melt butter. Keep the flame on medium.

Add flour and cook till it gets a pale golden colour.

Then pour the chicken stock, juices from the chicken and cream. Cook till the sauce thickens a bit.

Now add the lemon zest and parsley and cream. Mix well. Check for seasoning and consistency of the sauce.

For the plating

Put a few potatoes in the middle of the plate. Flatten it little with the back of the spoon to make a bed.

Now place 3 asparagus sticks over it.

Place mixed peppers over the asparagus.

Now take one packet of chicken. Slice at intervals but not till right down. Open it like a fan and place on top of the peppers.

Pour some sauce over it and place honeyed carrot sticks on the side. The dish is complete.

JAPANESE GRILLED CHICKEN DONBURRI WITH TERIYAKI SAUCE AND STICKY RICE

(Serves Two)

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breast: 2

Good quality teriyaki sauce: 50ml

Basil leaves: 6, chopped

Garlic: 1tsp chopped fine

Ginger: 1tsp chopped fine

(Mix all the above ingredients for marination.)

Mixed vegetables of your choice (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, peppers): 30g

Salt: To taste

Pepper: To taste

Sugar: ¼tsp

Light soya sauce: 2tsp

Eggs: 2 soft-boiled and sliced for garnishing

For the sticky rice

Japanese sticky rice: 150g

Water: 300ml

Rice vinegar: 25ml

Salt: 1tsp

For pickled carrots

Carrots: 100g thinly sliced lengthwise

Rice vinegar: 200ml

Salt: 1tsp

Sugar: 150g

(Mix all the above ingredients for the pickled carrots and keep aside for 1 hour)

For teriyaki sauce

Ginger: 1tsp, grated

Sesame oil: 10ml

Teriyaki sauce: 150ml

Red miso paste: 2tsp

Salt: To taste

Pepper: To taste

Red chillies: 2, chopped

Honey: 2tsp

METHOD

A day before, marinate the chicken breast with the marinade in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Just prick the chicken breasts a little so that the marination goes into the meat.

Thirty minutes before serving, cook the rice with the ingredients mentioned. See that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. So after the first boil keep the flame low and cook. Keep checking.

Make the teriyaki sauce by sautéing the ginger in sesame oil. Add the teriyaki sauce and red miso paste and cook for 3 minutes.

Add water, salt, pepper, chopped red chillies and honey. Adjust for seasoning.

Pan-fry the chicken breast until cooked. Slice it thinly.

Heat olive oil. Add diced vegetables; hard ones first then the soft ones. Toss for 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, light soya, a pinch of sugar and toss for few seconds.

For the assembly

First place the rice on a serving platter. Then place the chicken. Place pickled carrots on one side. Place the other vegetables around the chicken.

Pour the sauce over the grilled chicken.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over it.

Place 2 soft boiled eggs sliced

Cooked Bok Choy also goes very well with this dish

CHICKEN NARGISI KOFTA WITH A SPICY GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

For the kofta

Chicken: 500g minced

Garlic: 5 cloves

Ginger: 1-inch piece chopped

Turmeric: ¼tsp

Red chilli powder: 1tsp

Green chillies: 6, chopped

Onion: 1, grated and water squeezed out

Besan (chickpea flour): 2tbsp

Coriander leaves: ½ cup chopped

Salt: To taste

(Grind all the ingredients in a blender to make a fine paste)

Eggs: 6

For the gravy

Onion: 1, grated or minced

Ginger-garlic paste: 2tsp

Tomatoes: 2, pureed

Salt: 1tsp, or to taste

Coriander powder: 1tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1tsp

Hot red chilli powder: 1tsp

Garam masala powder: ½tsp

Turmeric powder: ½tsp

Curd: ½ cup whisked

Water: 4-5 cups

Cumin powder: 1tsp

Coriander leaves: For garnishing

Black cardamom: 1

Green cardamom: 5

Cinnamon: 2 sticks

Bay leaves: 2

METHOD

For the koftas

Hard boil 6 eggs. Peel and keep aside.

Make 6 balls of the chicken mince. Flatten and put an egg in it and cover with mince.

See that the egg is well coated and smooth on all sides. Refrigerate for minimum 30-40 minutes to let it set.

Heat 1 cup oil and slowly and gently put the koftas in the oil and brown on all sides. Remove and keep aside.

Strain the oil.

For the gravy

Heat half the oil which was used for the koftas. Add 1 black cardamom, 5 green cardamom, 2 sticks cinnamon and 2 bay leaves. Saute.

Then on medium heat add the onion paste. Saute till slightly brown and the water has evaporated.

Now add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw flavour goes.

Now add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala powder.

Saute till oil floats on top. Then add the curd and keep stirring. Then add koftas.

Now add 3 cups water and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat. Check the required consistency of the gravy.

When serving remove the koftas and gently cut in halves.

Pour the gravy in a serving bowl. Place the cut koftas and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot rice or parathas.

Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @ Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube

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