Mirch Bhajiye

Mirchiyon ke bhajiye, or stuffed deep fried chillies in a thick chickpea flour batter is a very common sight as a snack item loved my almost all Indians. Its one among the top rated street foods dear to every Bharatiya.

Mirch Bhajiye – Stuffed Deep fried Green Chillies

In this cold and chilly weather, I had prepared these as a snack. Actually I was missing Hyderabad so much and felt very nostalgic. It was necessary for me to have Mirch Bhajiye atleast once weekly, or even better more than that when I used to live in Hyderabad. My Ammi used to prepare them for us all, or we used to get them from the Chaat-Walas while shopping at Abids along with the chutneys they offer.

Slit Serrano chillies

I use serrano chillies for preparing these bhajiye, you can however use any kind of long fat and straight green chillies that you like.

Mirch Bhajiye – Stuffed Deep fried Green Chillies

Ingredients:

• Serrano chillies – 12, straight
• Oil for deep frying

For the stuffing-

• Roasted coconut paste (refer below for recipe) – 1/2 tsp
• Roasted groundnut paste (refer below for recipe) - 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Coriander powder (refer below for recipe) - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind concentrate – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

For the batter:

Besan Batter

• Chickpea flour/Besan – 300 gms
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Ajwain – 1/2 tsp
• Water

Method:

• Wash and pat dry the chillies. Slit them with the tip of a knife and carefully remove the seeds from inside. (Be careful with your hands while you do this. Do not rub you eyes with your hands while doing this or else they will burn. When all the chillies are done, wash your hands well in warm soapy water)

Stuffed Chilli

• In a mortar and pestle, add all the ingredients for the stuffing and make a paste. Stuff the chillies with the prepared stuffing and keep aside.
• In a seperate bowl, add the flour and spices and mix well with a fork. Add water, just a little at a time, to make a thick and smooth batter. (Make sure the batter is not thin)
• Heat a Kadai or Wok at medium heat. Gently dip the stuffed chillies in the batter to cover them completely and slowly drp them into the hot oil. Deep dry until golden brown in color. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy this snack along with any chutney of your wish.

For my convenience I stock up on a few roasted spice powders and pastes that usually last for almost a month or more. Heres how I prepare and store them.

Roasted Cumin and Coriander powders:

Dry roast cumin and coriander seeds seperately, let them cool down and powder them in a spice grinder until very fine. Store the seperately in small glass air tight jars.

Roasted Coconut paste:

Dry roast shredded coconut until golden brown and a beautiful aroma fills. In a grinder, add the roasted coconut and process until the natural oils are released. Keep scraping the sides and process until it is a fine puree. Store refrigerated in small glass air tight jars for future use.

Roasted Groundnut paste:

Dry roast split peanuts until golden brown and a beautiful aroma fills. In a grinder, add the roasted peanut halves and process until the natural oils are released. Keep scraping the sides and process until it is a fine puree. Store frozen in small glass air tight jars for future use.

Wishing every Indian a very Happy Republic Day. Mera Bharat Mahaan!

Luv,
Mona

Fish Manchurian

Earlier, authentic dishes like Luqmi-Kawab, Mirchi Ka Salan, Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and desserts/meetha like Double ka Meetha and Gajar ka Halwa were a sure sight at any Hyderabadi wedding on the dinner tables. With passing time and generations, this has changed. A modern take on several authentic dishes and innovative techniques to present them is todays mantra. Among them, ‘Apollo fish’ is a seafood manchurian type of dish that is getting very popular nowadays, which more and more Bawarchis are prefering to include in the menus, and quite liked my common.

Apollo fish (or) Fish Manchurian

The below recipe is my imitation of ‘Apollo Fish’. I do not know why is it called particularly as ‘Apollo’ fish, but I sure am among those ardent lovers of this Hyderabadi seafood dish. Your friends will definitely enjoy this very light and tangy platter of fish.

Apollo fish (or) Fish Manchurian

Ingredients:

• Gram flour/Besan - 4 tbsp
• All Purpose flour/Maida – 2 tbsp
• Corn Flour – 2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Roasted Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp
• Roasted Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Water - 1 tsp
• Egg – 1, large
• Any firm boneless fish fillets (I prefer Bass/Salmon) – 500 gms, cubed into bite size pieces
• Canola Oil – 1 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Fresh Curry leaves – about 20
• Green, Yellow, Orange and Red bell peppers – 1/2 cup, cut into strips
• Soya Sauce – 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
• Mint and Cilantro leaves - 2 tbsp each, finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

• In a bowl add the first 9 ingredients and mix them well to make a thick batter. Add the fish cubes and gently mix with a spoon so that each piece gets completely covered with the batter.
• Add a few drops of oil to a large non-stick frying pan at medium low heat and as soon as it gets warm, add the fish cubes in a single layer. Shallow fry them till they are golden brown on each side. Repeat until all the fish cibes are done. Remove in a platter and keep aside.
• In the same frying pan, add oil and throw in the ginger garlic paste. Stir fry it till it is golden brown. Add the curry leaves and peppers. Saute it for 2 minutes. Pour in the soya sauce and add the fried fish cubes. With a rubber spatula, gently mix them all. Cover the lid and let cook for 2-4 minutes.
• Add lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves and serve warm immediately.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy the manchurian along with roti, rice or as a snack.

Cheers,
Mona

Nihari

It snowed here very heavily this year on Eid-ul-Adha, and I thought it would be best to cook a warming and nourishing brunch for the next day in the morning. My father in law recollected his good old times while we were having Nihari as our breakfast and said at the dastarkhaan, that when he was a school going kid, his father would ask him to get up very early if he would like to join him for a breakfast of Nihari at Shehran Hotel, beside Charminar in Hyderabad. He also added he always loved the Nihari at Shahran and devoured it and still remember its taste.

Some of the traditional dishes prepared by muslims just after Qurbani on Eid-ul-Adha are Nihari, Maghaz Masala, Organ meat and various kinds of the red meat preparations from the Qurbani ka gosht.

Nihari, is a rich broth, made out the bones and meat of a sheep or lamb’s cheek and head bones and the tongue meat and shanks. It has a special mention in the must-taste list of travelers visiting the city around Eid. In Hyderabad, after the Qurbani, my father would take the sheep’s head and feet to the butcher for further preparations so that we could prepare Nihari. The butcher used to remove all the hairs from the skin of sheep’s feet and head, discard the waste parts and whack them up into pieces. These were then roasted in fire to kill all the disease-causing agents, if present, and also to intensify its flavors. The meat from the sheep’s cheeks is substantial and most tender and delectable. Its tongue takes a longer time to get cooked, but is a delicacy. The butchers here where I live remove the skin from the trotters and clean them, so I do have to fire roast the shanks.

Nihari prepared using fire-roasted lamb trotters with skin

Nihari is prepared by boiling or slow cooking the sheep bones and meat along with a range of ambrosial spices and herbs. Earlier, people used to slow cook it on coal in large pots the whole night long, until it was thick and enticing by morning, ready for the breakfast. Today, women, use pressure cookers to save time.

The Potli ka Masala or bouquet garni for Nihari contains a mixture of around 20 or more aromatic herbs and spices which are tied in a muslin cloth and tossed into the saucepan to infuse its flavors and a beautiful fragrance into the boiling broth. Its contains but is not limited to spices such as:

	English	Urdu		English	Urdu
1.	Coriander seeds	Dhaniya	7.	Black Peppercorns	Sabut Kali Mirch
2.	Bay Leaf	Tej Patta	8.	Chinese Cubeb	Kawabchini
3.	Sandalwood sticks	Sandal ki lakdi	9.	Spiked Ginger Lily	Kapoor Kachri
4.	Stone Flowers	Pathar Ka Phool	10.	Cardamom	Badi Elaichi
5.	Dried Rose petals	Sukhe Gulab ke Phool	11.	Salt	Namak
6.	Roots of the Betel plant	Paan ki jad	12.	Garam Masala	Garam Masala

Ready made Potli Ka Masala from a store in Hyderabad,
containing various aromatic dried herbs and spices

You do not have to go searching for all these herbs to make your own Potli ka Masala. It is available ready made at many specialty stores in Hyderabad, especially in the Old city, a 25 gm potli ka masala costs around 10 rupees per packet. Use any of the brands that you get your hands on. In the ready made Potli Ka Masala packets available in the markets in Hyderabad, there is again a small packet inside called as the Nihari Maala powder, which consists of the powdered masala  used in the second stage in the cooking process for Nihari.

Almost every household in Hyderabad prepares Nihari as breakfast or brunch at the second or third day of Eid. It is had by sousing soft and warm Kulcha‘s or Paratha‘s, or by dunking in crusty breads into the highly flavored and nourishing broth containing all the goodness.

Nihari, prepared using deskinned lamb trotters,
served along with warm Parathas in the Hot-Pot

Nihari is always prepared out the head bones, tongue & cheek meat and the shanks or trotters of a lamb or a sheep. The traditional Nihari is never prepared of boneless lamb meat or chicken. However people add the same Nihari masala to chicken and boneless meat broths to simulate the dish in other simpler forms.

Nihari – Aromatic Slurpy Broth of Lamb Shanks and Cheek Meat

Ingredients:

4 legs and a head of a sheep – cleaned (and fire roasted if using the trotters with skin), and whacked into pieces + a sheep’s Tongue/Zabaan – cleaned
Potli ka Masala – half the quantity in a 25 gm packet
Red onion – 1, large, roughly chopped
Corn/Gram flour – 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 1/4 tsp
Turmeric/Haldi – 1/4 tsp
Small green chillies – 3, slit half

For Tempering, Baghaar:

Canola oil – 3 tbsp
Yellow onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp

For Garnish:

Cilantro – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Ginger juliennes – 2 tsp
Lemon wedges – 1 cup
Saffron threads – a pinch
Lemon juice – 1/3 cup

Method:

1. Wash the sheep’s head bones, tongue and trotters in surplus water. Put them in a strainer for the water to drain away. Meanwhile, in a pressure cooker, add the roughly chopped red onion, the washed bones, tongue and trotters from the strainer and pour in 1 liter of water. Make a bouquet garni of the required amount of potli ka masala (not the powdered masala from the small packet, read about it above). Add this bouquet garni along with salt and turmeric and close the lid to pressure cook for about 35 to 40 minutes on medium low heat. Later, open the lid and add corn/gram flour (make sure it doesn’t form into a lump), red chilli powder and green chillies. Half cover the lid and let it slow cook for an hour more. Let it cool down just enough for you to handle it. Using a spoon, only remove all the small and large sharp bones from the broth, except the shanks and discard them. The broth is ready.
2. During that time, prepare the baghaar. Take a medium sized pan at medium high heat and pour oil into it. Throw in the sliced onions, and stir fry them until they are golden brown in colour. Now add the ginger garlic paste to the caramelized onions and fry it along for about 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from heat and keep aside.
3. Just before you are ready to serve it everyone, add half the quantity of the nihari masala powder from the small packet of the store brought potli ka masala, and the contents of the pan to the broth in the pressure cooker and boil it once. Remove the bouquet garni and squeeze it thoroughly. Discard it. Close the heat and pour the Nihari into a large serving bowl. Add lemon juice, saffron threads and ginger juliennes. Serve the lemon wedges in a separate small cup if anyone wishes for an extra zing. Enjoy!

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy Nihari along with warm Parathas for a sumptuous breakfast.

Luv,
Mona

Aloo Bonda

After a good afternoon siesta during the humid and sultry Indian Summer days, a few Aloo Bondas along with a cup of warm tea while going through the days newspaper would be perfect. It is also savored during the rainy days in India. Oh, it brings back many cherished memories..

Aloo Bondas – Potato Croquettes

Aloo Bondas are balls of mashed lightly spiced potatoes dipped in chickpea flour and deep fried till golden brown. They are the most loved snacks in India, sold in most of the ready made food stalls, and also as a street food by the bandiwalas in small carts by the road side.

I often prepare Aloo Bondas for Iftaar in Ramadhan. These are our favorite snacks.

Aloo Bondas – Potato Croquettes

Makes -About 20

Ingredients:

For the Tempering/Baghaar:

• Canola Oil - 1 tbsp
• Split Black Gram/Urad Dal – 1 tbsp
• Black Mustard seeds/Rai – 1 tsp
• Dried Curry leaves – 6, crushed (optional)
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

For the Potato filling/Aloo:

• Potatoes – 4, medium sized, boiled, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
• Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
• Finely chopped Cilanto, Mint leaves and Small Green chillies/Hara Masala - 1/2 cup, loosely packed
• Roasted Cashewnuts – 1/4 cup (optional)
• Frozen peas (thawed) – 1/2 cup (optional)

For the Chickpea flour batter/Besan:

• Chickepea flour/Besan – 1 cup
• Water – 150 ml
• Canola Oil – to deep fry

Method:

Prepare Popato Filling/Aloo:

• Pour oil into a small frying pan at medium heat, and add the black mustard seeds, split dal and chopped ginger. Cover with a splatter screen. Saute for 30 seconds or until the seeds stop popping. Add the dried crushed curry leaves. Remove from heat. This is the ‘Baghaar’.
• Add red chilli powder, salt, turmeric and the prepared baghaar to the chopped potatoes. Also add the cashewnuts and peas, if using, and mix well. Take a little bit of the potato mixture at a time in your hands and shape them into walnut sized balls pressing them between your palms. Keep doing this until the whole potato mixture is completed. Keep them aside.

Prepare the Batter/Besan:

• In a bowl, add the chickpea flour, water, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric to it and whisk it till there are no lumps and it is a smooth, pancake or buttermilk like batter of pouring consistency.

Deep frying the Croquettes/Bondas:

• In a kadai or a wok at medium heat, pour oil and let the oil heat up. After a little while, drop about 1/4 tsp of the chickepea flour batter into the hot oil. If it floats on surface the oil is ready for deep frying.
• One at a time dip the potato balls into the chickepea flour batter. With the help of a tablespoon, bath them well so they are covered all over with the batter. (Note: The potato balls should be completely covered with the batter or else they will disintegrate during deep frying)
• Carefully drop them, one at a time, into the hot oil. Deep fry about 4-6 balls depending upon the size of the Kadai or wok. They need to be turned for even frying. Once they are golden brown in colour, remove them on a tray lined with paper towel. Continue doing this until all the potato balls are done. Discard excess chickpea flour batter. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy them along with Tomato ketchup, Kothmir-Pudina ki Chutney or any of your favorite Chutney as a dipping sauce along with a cup of warm tea.

Reminder: Send your entries to RCI-Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine before September 15 ’08. Only 5 days to go! Hurry!!

This goes to ‘Joy from feasting to Fasting’. Takecare everyone and enjoy your weekend!

Luv,
Mona

Tamate ka Kut

Tamate Ka Kut is an another Hyderabadi special dish. I love the rich red colour of this Sauce. Who wouldnt like to have a yummy rich Tomato sauce with Pulaos and Biryanis or as a side dish with almost anything..

Tomatoes, with their juicy subtle sweetness enhance the flavor of most of the dishes. I consider tomatoes as one of the most essential ingredients in Indian cooking, next to onions, dont you agree guys ?!

I like to have Tamate Ka Kut a little bit thick in consistency, not too thick though. I do not add too many spices to this dish, and like to have it only along with cumin and coriander seed powders as the main added spices. So, I suggest everyone also to keep the spices to the minimum. Yet, sometimes i end up adding a little bit more red chilli powder, as i love food when it gives a light kick on my tongue, tear in my eye

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, Vitamin A, B, C, and in minerals like Phosphorus and Potassium etc,. So they are beneficial for a healthy immune system and proper health.

Tamate Ka Kut is a saucy curry, loved and had mostly by Hyderabadis. Its a yummy Hyderabadi Dish side dish. You can add a dollop or cream to it just before serving as a garnish. Do try it out guys..

serves: 6-8

Tamate ka Kut – Rich Tomato Saucy Curry

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes – 10, large, red and ripe, washed and quartered (or) Canned ground/crushed tomatoes – 596 ml
• Besan/Gram Flour – 1/3 cup
• Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted Cumin Seed Powder – 1 tsp
• Dry Roasted Coriander Seed Powder – 1 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves/Karyapaak – 8
• Garlic pod/Lahsun -  2, whole, crushed
• Dried Red Chillies – 2, each split into two
• Fresh Cilantro/Kothmir – 1 cup, finely chopped
• Fresh Mint/Pudina
• Heavy Cream – a dollop(optional)
• Hard boiled Eggs – 4

Tamate Ka Kut – Rich Tomato Saucy Curry

Method:

• Put the quartered tomato pieces in a large non-stick sauce pan on medium low heat. Add a cup of water to it, mix, and cover with the lid. Let it cook till the tomatoes are mushy and soft. Keep giving it a stir every once in a while. Let it cool. Once cooled, pour into a blender container and add the gram flour. Blend till pureed. If you are using canned crushed tomato, add the gram flour to it and mix well.
• Strain this mixture through a wire mesh strainer back into the saucepan. Throw away the left over seeds and skin in the strainer. Add 2 cups water to it and let it cook on simmer.
• Pour oil into a small frying pan at medium heat and throw in the cumin seeds, whole red chillies, garlic pod and curry leaves when the oil heats up. As they start to splutter, remove from heat and add this to the tomato sauce being cooked in the saucepan.
• Add the cumin and coriander seed powder, red chilli powder and salt to the sauce and mix well. Bring it to a boil, and let it cook at medium low heat until the raw aroma of gram flour is gone. You can add a little water to it if required. Taste and adjust the salt and chilli powder according your likes.
• Take the eggs and make light slits on the egg on all 4 sides of it making sure the slits are not deep into the yolk, just on the surface. Add these to the simmering tomato sauce. Cook the tomato sauce until the raw smell of the gram flor is gone, about 30 minutes. Keep stirring it occasionally.
• Once it is cooked, just before you serve, stir in the chopped cilantro and mint. Pour it into a warm bowl. Drop in a dollop of heavy cream and serve it warm.

Note: For a good dark red colour, add a few tablespoons of canned Tomato paste.

Suggested Accompaniments: It is uaually devoured along with Chinese Fried Rice, Vegetable Biryani or Pulaos as a side dish. WE use this sauce to wet rice when we have it.

Luv,
Mona

Dahi Ki Kadi

I miss my uncle a lot whenever I prepare this curry at my house. He loves this curry to no extent and would always pour some tablespoons of the silky bright sunny colored yogurt gravy into his plate after he finished his meal to savour upon it in the end. I always enjoyed seeing him doing so. It feels so nice to see someone enjoy food to the last morsel.

Dahi Ki Kadi – Gram Flour Dumplings in a silky yogurt gravy

Dahi ki Kadi is an another dish prepared in most Hyderabadi houses very commonly. It is a simple curry with a thick yogurt gravy with a bright gold tint due the added spice especially for the color, turmeric. Gram flour is also added to give it a little volume. Be careful while you add turmeric to it, as too much turmeric will give a bitter taste to the curry. So be very careful while using this spice for color in this dish.

The dumplings are made of gram flour, chopped onions, spices and herbs. This is the customary method of preparing the bhajiyas for the dahi ki kadi. I sometimes substitute onion with cauliflower florets, and add the cauliflower fritters to the kadi for a new and different taste. You can try it, with different vegetables too.

This curry is usually is not reheated later. The left over is generally had cold from the refrigerator, with plain boiled rice or Khushka. I prepare this curry along with an another dry curry as a side dish.

Serves : 6-8

Dahi Ki Kadi – Gram Flour Dumplings in a silky yogurt gravy

Ingredients:

For the Kadi- (Kadi is the thick yellow coloured yoghurt gravy in which the Bhajiya are added later)

Yogurt – 750 gms
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Besan/Gram Flour – 1 1/2 cup, around 225 gms
Red chilli powder – 1/3 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp

For the Baghaar- (Baghaar is the Tempering. It is the flavored oil added to curries in the end for garnishing and flavoring the dish)

Canola Oil – 4 tbsp
Cumin seeds/Zeera - 1 tsp
Dried Red Chillies – 2, each cut into half, seeds shaken away
Garlic – 1
Curry leaves – 6
Canola/Sunflower Oil – 3 tbsp

For the Bhajiya- (Bhajiyas here are the fritters/dumplings added to the yogurt gravy)

Gram Flour – 1 cup
Water – to make paste
Red chilli flakes or Finely chopped small green chillies – 3/4 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Onion – 1, small, finely chopped
Cilantro - 1 cup, finely chopped
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Canola/Sunflower Oil – for deep frying

Dahi Ki Kadi – Gram Flour Dumplings in silky yogurt gravy

Method:

-In a bowl, whisk the yogurt till smooth and creamy and keep aside. Mix in the gram flour, turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder, and pass the mixture throw a strainer into a deep and heavy bottomed non stick saucepan at medium heat and let it boil once on medium high heat. Keep stirring it continously using a flat/coiled wire whisk until it comes to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer uncovered for about an hour until the raw smell of the gram flour goes away. Keep stirring it occasionally to avoid it getting burnt in the bottom.
-In the meantime, put a kadai or wok on medium high heat with oil enough to prepare the gram flour bhajiyas/fritters. Now, in a small bowl, mix together the gram flour, finely chopped onion, the ginger garlic paste, red chilli flakes/chillies, cilantro, salt and water just enough to make a thick paste.
-Drop teaspoons of this paste at a time into the hot oil,leaving space between them, and deep fry the bhajiyas/frittes till they swell up and are golden in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside on a paper towel. Make as many fritters as like like from the mixture in any shapes and sizes
-Now in a small non stick pan, pour oil and throw in the cumin seeds, crushed garlic pod, curry leaves once the oil is hot. Stir fry the seeds till they splutter and change colour for abour a minute. Add the dried red chillies, and remove from heat.
-Finally, check the deep pan in which the kadi has been cooking. If it has attained a consistency of a loose gravy, it is done (make sure it not very thin, and also not too thick in consistency or else later on when it gets cooled, it will become like a cake. If it has become thick, add a little water, and if it is thin, cook it for a little more time). Now add the fried bhajiyas to the kadi and give a stir to dip them in the curry. Pour the prepared baghaar over the curry and serve it warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Talahuwa Gosht and Chawal

Luv,
Mona

Chicken with Lychees

I just finished watching Transformers for the second time, and I have to say, that movie is awesome !!! That movie has now become the favourite of mine for the moment. I guess almost everyone has seen it and its doing a very good job at the box office. For all those of you guys who have not seen this movie yet somehow, here’s a suggestion, go watch that movie, you will love it to no end.

Just half an hour before the movie was gonna end, i got up to marinate the chicken to prepare this recipe for the day. Its a kind of sweet and sour chicken curry. I used boneless chicken breast pieces here, you can use the thighs, or any boned chicken pieces if you do not happen to have boneless breast pieces at home. I had it with Parathas and Rice.

This post of mine is for the event – A fruit a month’ AFAM, which the lovely Sig, of Live to Eat, has hosted for this month with Lychee as the fruit of the month. Many people do not know what Lychee are. Lychee is a fruit, mostly grown in China, and known for its sweet tart flavour. This fruit has a rose coloured skin when young, but as it matures, it develops a hard and leathery rind, which is inedible. It comes off easily leaving behind the jelly like, pearly white flesh with a single inedible seed inside. They are available fresh or canned in most asian stores. Anyways, here’s my entry for the event :

Ingredients:

Marination Ingredients-

• Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces – 500 gms, cut into 2 cm cubes
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Black Pepper – 1 tsp
• Canola Oil – 1 tsp
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp

Gravy Ingredients-

• Gram Flour – 5 tbsp
• Canola Oil – 3 tbsp
• Red Capsicum – 1/2 of a large capsicum, chopped
• Green Capsicum – 1/2 of a large capsicum, chopped
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2tsp
• Yellow Onions – 1, finely chopped
• Canned Lychee in Syrup – 1 can, 565 gms
• Tomato paste – 3 tbsp
• Water – 2 tbsp
• Red Chilli flakes – 1 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Chicken with Lychees

Method:

• Drain and reserve all the lychees and a cup of syrup individually in two bowls.
• Marinate the Chicken in the marination ingredients for preferably 30 minutes.
• Roll the chicken breast pieces in 4 tbsp gram flour and fry till golden brown. Make sure you do not fry them for too long as breast pieces toughen up too quickly.
• In a pan on medium heat, in a tbsp of oil, stir fry the red and green capsicum for about 7 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
• In the same pan add the remaining oil and fry the onions till light brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry it along.
• Add the reserved cup of lychee syrup to it and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
• Now add the tomato paste and the stir fried capsicum to it and mix well.
• Dilute the remaining one tbsp gram flour in a 2 tbsp water and pour this into the pan. Let it cook till the mixture begins to thicken up.
• Add the Chicken pieces and the drained lychees, chilli flakes and red chilli powder and give a good stir.
• Let it cook on simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Once ready, Serve it hot.