Chicken Tagine

 Chicken Tagine 

A certain mystique still surrounds the Tagine, its magical charm continues to enchant the foodies of the world. What was once concentrated in certain corners of the world is now flowing freely everywhere. It is being promoted, its mystery being unveiled by many top chefs. It is being adapted in fusion cuisine and the presence of tagines are  being felt very strongly in the culinary world. An elegant way of presenting your food, a healthy way of cooking it, simplicity and glamour all rolled into one.

1 kg/ 2.2 lb chicken pieces, bone -in that are patted dry. 

Dry Spice Mix

1 stick of cinnamon

10 to 12 cloves 

10 to 12 black peppercorns 

1tsp paprika 

2 long dry red chillies 

½ tsp saffron, dry roasted 

1tsp salt 

¼ tsp brown sugar 

2 +1 tbsp brown butter -smen

4 thinly sliced garlic cloves 

1 small fresh piece of ginger smashed

1 tbsp honey 

1 dry bay leaf 

1/2 cup fresh herbs coriander and parsley work best. 

57 g/ 2 oz olive oil

1 cup of chicken broth 

1 finely chopped fried onion 

A preserved lemon 

125 g/ 4 oz fresh green olives 

 

 Dry roast in a pan the dry spice mix -  grind until fine and then add the dry roasted saffron, salt and brown sugar. 

Prepare the Marinade  

In a bowl make a paste with ground spices adding the brown butter  -smen, garlic, ginger and honey .

Apply the marinade liberally to the chicken pieces and leave to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

In a skillet heat more smen brown butter, and a little olive oil. Fry the chicken pieces; (try to keep the marinade in the bowl until later as it burns easily). 

Add the left over marinade, plus a bay leaf and the finely chopped herbs, The chicken broth, fried onion, the preserved lemon and the fresh green olives. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to the tagine ready to reheat and serve. 

Sprinkle with additional coriander and parsley. 

Tips

You can cook the chicken in the Tagine in your oven covered for the last 30 to 45 minutes on a 350F/180C oven instead of the stove top after it has been browned. 

Saffron is generally crushed and placed in a little warm water to blossom before adding. Alternatively you can dry roast it - be extra careful as it will burn easily.

While its wonderful to be generous, excessive saffron can bring a bitterness to the food. Store saffron in the refrigerator. 

Smen is a very important part of the flavour. Preparing smen; melt a stick of butter over the stove on a low simmer for 30 minutes. The butter will separate and there will be brown residue. Pour into a glass bowl or measuring cup and use as needed.  This will keep well in the refrigerator. Use the remainder in your soups, rice and other cooked foods.

Lemon pickle is available in larger supermarkets in the deli section. It can be a whole lemon or just pieces. If you wish to make it yourself it is best to pick the smallest lemons available. For best results buy the lemon with thin skin. Add 1 tsp of salt to the bottle, tightly seal and leave it to cook in the sun. Shake it daily. This will take a week. Refrigerate and use as needed. If you do not have access to it, used the zest of a lemon for flavour.

From Niloufer's Kitchen: Moroccan Cuisine

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken

An easy recipe that will always be successful.

The key to it is the fresh whole chicken. Get a free range one, get it with the skin, get it organic if you like, but increase the cooking time for the organic one. 

A Sunday roast prepared at the very last minute, improvised with "something in the fridge"-a wheel of soft cheese, Boursin. This cheese is made up with ingredients that flavour the meal—garlic, herbs and cream, salt, pepper, and soft cheese. What more can one wish for on a simple roast chicken? It's subtle enough to serve it with sides, yet tasty enough to eat by itself.

I served this delicious chicken with a mushroom gravy, tartiflette, some roasted caulilini and a salad. It worked well, as I placed the chicken in the preheated oven, and then calculated the timing to place the potatoes and caulilini at the right times.

Preheat the oven to 180C | 350F

Serves 6

1.5 kg/ 3.3 lb free range chicken-whole with skin on

150 g/ 5.29 oz wheel, Boursin, garlic and herbs, soft French gournay cheese.

I often use a wheel of Boursin fig and balsamic which is deliciously different.

Pat dry the whole chicken. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment. 

Gently loosen the skin all over as best as you can, being careful not to tear it apart. Starting with the breast side, generously apply the cheese under the skin , and place the remaining in the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken breast side down.

Cook the chicken for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove this from the oven, loosely cover this with some foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Serve.

Tips

The free-range chicken should be cooked for approximately 20 minutes per lb. But it is important to note that organic chickens need more time to cook. 

To achieve the right balance, increase the amount of cheese to match the larger bird. 

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is an award-winning book. It was self-published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking: Reviving an Ancient Cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through Amazon Book Depot, Book Depository, and from the publishers.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

Chicken in Balsamic and Mustard

 Balsamic and Wine Chicken 

An easy to prepare chicken dish with lots of garlic, leftover wine, mustard, and the star ingredient, balsamic vinegar. This can be prepared with rabbit and beef too. The dish is hearty and best served with garlic bread to mop up the delicious gravy.

Serves 6 to 8

2 kg/4.4 chicken, in pieces
Salt and pepper to season
50 g/2 oz butter
A whole pod of garlic
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large finely chopped onion
1 tsp tomato puree
1 cup of white OR red wine
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (or parsley)
1 1/4 cup cream
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup water

 

    

Season the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

In a pan, melt the butter. Fry the chicken till golden brown. It takes about 15 minutes, skin side down. Add to this all the cloves of unpeeled garlic and keep cooking for yet another 10-12 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes.

Now add the balsamic vinegar and let it bubble vigorously. Remove the chicken and keep it aside.

In the same pan, sauté the finely chopped onion for a few minutes until it begins to color, then add the tomato puree and mix. Pour in the wine, bring it to a boil, and cook until it has been reduced by half. Add to this fresh coriander and finally the cream. Now, with a fork, press out all the garlic and stir it into the sauce. Finally, add the mustard and water and give it all a good stir. Put all the chicken back into the pan and heat it on a simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

Serve with a tossed green salad and crusty French or garlic bread.

Tips
Use a tbsp or two of fresh chopped chives to finish the dish. If you don't have any, sprinkle with fresh coriander or any other fresh herb. 

It should not be cooking wine, but whatever you enjoy drinking. 
The colour will be lighter or darker depending on the wine. 

You can replace olive oil with butter, or use half butter and half oil. 

I generally do not use chicken with skin on, but this recipe does seem to be the exception. If you prefer skinless, it all works, but bones are important to the flavour. 

Buying a whole roasted chicken, removing the skin, cutting it into pieces, and adding the pieces to the sauce to infuse is another option too.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Samosa

Samosa

Originating in Central Asia, there are many many variations of the word Samosa/samoosa, sambhusa, samsas. Derived from the Persian word "sanbosag", legend has it they were first prepared in the Middle Eastern Region. 

As it spread to every country in the region, its influence was felt as far west as Portugal (thanks to them being the colonisers in Goa, India). 
From fillings of meat being popular in Northern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, to the commonplace potato-pea mix in the vegetarian states of India, it is one of the most versatile snack foods in the Asian world. While the ancient civilisation referred to as the area of the Levant, i.e. Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, like to fill their filo samosa with cheese and herbs, often changing the shape to cigars rather than triangles, the Central Asian states of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan prepare it with a bread-like dough instead. This dough-filled delicacy is baked in a hot tandoor and not fried like the samosa as we know it. Larger samoosas with a very thick, crisp fried casing are called kachori and are native to India. 

Deep fried samosas are the most commonly found and generally appear in two sizes; cocktail and regular. They are wrapped in thin filo-like wrappers which are specially prepared for samosa and available in most Indian stores. With the food world becoming closer than ever before and fusion food being the norm, it is left to one's imagination to enjoy a favourite combination of choice. Supermarket shelves across the globe are stocked full of prepared frozen samosas of all sorts. 

I am going to share a recipe that is my version of something I enjoyed while I was residing in Dubai. It is a fusion samosa of spices, chillies, and cheese, with or without chicken. I hope you enjoy them too!

Samosas with a thin crispy wrapping freshly fried

Approximately 36 to 48 samosas

Filling
Mix together in a bowl

1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
12 finely chopped green chillies
1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream/milk to bind everything together

Optionally
1 cup cooked diced chicken 
add a few fresh mint leaves, 
dry red chilli flakes or ground black pepper. 

Mix it all together to make a big lump. Fill 1 generous tsp in each samosa patti (a wrap to wrap the samosa in); this can be found at your local Indian store. 
Repeat and prepare the rest of them. Place it in the refrigerator until ready to fry. 

Heat the oil to approximately boiling point 175-190 C | 350-375 F and deep fry three at a time. It will take about 2 minutes per batch. Place the fried samosas on white kitchen paper to drain. 

Serve immediately. You may enjoy some tamarind and date chutney or green coconut chutney to dip them in. 

Tips

If you prefer to make meat samosas, try the kheema recipe in The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders- Ensure all of the liquid has evaporated before you fill the samosa. Leftovers from the Parsi Lagun nu stew(also in this cookbook) is a vegetarian option that is simply delicious. 

If the samosas are not tightly sealed, the filling will leak and the oil will start burning. 

To deep fry, the oil must be at the correct temperature. If its cool you will get oily samosas, if its too hot you will get them burnt ones.  

                                                                Zoom demo 2021

You can freeze the samosas if you wish. While frying them, make sure that they are not wet or sweaty. To avoid that, open up the packet and allow it to air dry or lightly pat it dry with a dish towel.

For more fun recipes including a minced meat that can be filled in samosas click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy from read.amazon.com

Khow Suey

Khow Suey or Khause

The dish is correctly spelt "Ohn no Khao Swe" or simply Khao Swe, and sometimes "Ohn no khauk Swe." It refers more to coconut noodles and is a tad different in the present day from its Indian cousin, which has many more spices and is called Khow Suey. 
Whatever the spelling may be, or the pronunciation, it is agreed that the meal is stunning to present at the dining table and fun to make up by each one individually. It is full of flavour and is no longer just locally available in Burma. It is easily found on menus all over the world in Thai restaurants, Indian regional restaurants, and even versions of it are available on supermarket shelves! 

Here is my version of it. Just a heads up that my ancestors were Persian, Indian, and Pakistani, and I am sitting here in Canada eating this delightful dish!

The Chicken curry, egg noodles, perfect soft boiled eggs, green spring onions, fresh ginger, sliced garlic lightly fried, fresh coriander leaves, lemon wedges and crisp fried onions.

Marinate for an hour or more

1 kg / 2.2 lb de-boned chicken, in strips or small pieces

The marinade

1 ground onion

6 green chillies

6 cloves of garlic

1 inch piece fresh ground ginger

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Heat a little oil in pan and sauté the chicken until the colour changes.

Add salt to taste.

In a pan roast/toast 2 or 3 tbsp gram flour (channa atta) and add 2 cups of chicken stock mixing it till it is smooth.

Bring to a boil, leave the pan uncovered, medium high flame, cook the chicken in this until half the gravy evaporates and then add

400-500ml  can of coconut milk

1 small cinnamon stick

3 cloves

Pinch of turmeric

1 tsp cumin powder

½ tsp crushed red chilli flakes

Pinch of brown sugar

1 whole cardamom, lightly bruised

Cook for 10 minutes, uncovered and leave to cool.

It tastes best if left to mature overnight once cooked.

Serve with egg noodles and condiments.

Condiments

Thin strips of fresh ginger

Thin slivers of fresh garlic, lightly fried

6 – 8 green onions thinly sliced

Chopped fresh green coriander

Red chilli flakes

Prawn achar/pickle

4 boiled eggs finely chopped

Crispy fried onions

Lime or lemon wedges

Tips
Generally a chicken dish it can be made with meat as well.
I would also encourage you to try it with Prawns.

More curry available in
Niloufer's Kitchen: Autumn download it now from Amazon.com

The Reunion Chicken

The Reunion Chicken

Walking into a charming Bistro in London's Covent Garden, I happened to order a delightful chicken on their plat du jour. On my return home I decided to recreate the dish in my own Kitchen. One thing led to another and it landed up being picked to be served and shared  with 350 guests at my own School Reunion. The Grand Banquet Hall here in Mississauga did a good job of replicating it!!

This chicken recipe relates rather well to my recent  article in Huffington Post  The French In My Food. 

Moist, tender chicken breast with fresh bold flavours 

You will need 3 bowls and 3 spoons to prepare this.
The Marinade
Bowl # 1

Mix together
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 lemon juiced

Bowl # 2
In a bowl mix, keep aside
in another bowl mix and keep aside
1 3/4 cup chickpeas; Canned, rinse in cold water
1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes; slit in half
1 cup fresh chopped corriander salt
1 tbsp of the marinade ( bowl # 1)

Bowl # 3
In a bowl mix, keep aside
1/2 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
salt
1 tbsp of the prepared marinade ( bowl#1)

Method
Prepare 4 chicken breast halves with or without bones sliced horizontally in thin slices or whole.
Salt the chicken breasts and then apply the marinade generously all over.
Place  the chicken in a tray. and keep ready to bake.
When ready to cook, pour the chickpea mixture all around it but NOT on top.

Preheat oven to Hot; 400-450°F/ 200-225C. Cook this for 15 minutes if the chicken breast is sliced and  thin or 22 minutes if the breasts are left whole and thick.  Check to make sure it is cooked through. Serve with yogurt sauce(bowl #3). Do not over cook the chicken or it will be dry.

Plated, elegant and simple a meal in itself.

To Assemble
Place the cooked Chicken on a platter,spoon the yougrut mixture from bowl # 3 and top with the chickpea and tomato juices from the cooking tray.  Optionally, sprinkle with olive oil and paprika for presentation.

Tips

While preparing the 3 bowls  be careful not to mix anything with the spoon used in the bowl with raw chicken. 
If you prefer to use boneless thigh chicken cook for 30 minutes;It will taste just as great.
When checking the chicken for being perfectly cooked, always pierce the thickest part of the breast to release the juices. If the colour of the juice is pink it is still slightly raw. 
This recipe does not reheat well. Cook just before you are going to eat it.
 Ancho chilli  is a good substitute to Paprika or chilli flakes.
Parsley can be replaced for Corriander leaves if preferred. A few finely chopped mint leaves can be added optionally.
Use "fresh" yogurt and not an old one gone  sour as it will ruin the taste of the topping.



For more amazing Moroccan recipes click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Moroccan Cuisine 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GP0CSBI


Reader Comments

Dosi A	11/15/12
to me

Hello - made the dish yesterday to try it for a party on Saturday - turned out REALLY well.

Thx again.

D

Chicken Piquant

Chicken Piquant

Pronounced pee-kahnt, with origins from the Italian word piccante, it simply means sharp, tingling and tart; yet agreeable to the palate. The flavours of this chicken recipe will be all of the above.
An everyday family meal can be prepared very quickly. Serve this with Chinese fried rice as it will compliment the meal.

Chicken Piquant has a thickish gravy which is not visible in the photograph

Ingredients

1 kg/2.2 lb chicken pieces
1 tsp oil

1 cup onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1 cup of sliced peppers of choice

The marinade/sauce
1/4 cup salted melted butter
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard
3/4th salt
1/4 tsp chillie powder
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 cup balsamic ketchup
pinch of brown sugar
1 small crushed onion

In a deep flat ovenproof skillet  heat the oil and fry the pieces of chicken, until lightly brown on both sides. If there is any fat on your chicken it will all  melt away, you can tip the pan over and allow the fat to drain. 
Pour the marinade over the chicken and place the onions and peppers on top. Cook in a preheated oven 350F/180C for 45 minutes until cooked through. Do not cover the pan. Turn it once halfway if you wish. Before serving spoon the gravy over each piece of chicken before serving.

Tips

If your chicken pieces are very small or boneless it will take less time to cook.
Substituting the chillie powder for paprika is an option. You can also add a couple of drops of Tabasco Sauce and omit the powders.
If you cannot find balsamic Ketchup use regular ketchup available and add 1 tbsp of vinegar to it.
Mustard can be powder or ready made.
Using large green chillies thickly sliced is an option to peppers if you prefer.
Using baby pearl onions is an option; ready to use onions are available in the frozen sections of some supermarkets.
Adding small pieces of potatoes is also another choice. Place them on top allowing them to roast. 

For more interesting recipes, tips and trivia to prepare for a family meal click on
Niloufer'sKitchen: Quick and Easy
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HBSBLI4

Chicken and Chickpeas

Reunion Chicken and Chickpeas

Sitting in the Covent Garden one sunny afternoon many moons ago, I tasted something similar to this. Having thoroughly enjoyed the flavours and freshness of this dish I decided to come home and give it a try. It is perfect for a summers day lunch on your patio. It is my 'version' but I love it and I share it.
Years later at our Mama School reunion,  the banquet served this recipe and it was a huge success.
It is simple to make and great for a crowd. Positive reviews have been received from friends. I could only trace back one, which I post below.

Marinade.......
Step 1
In a jug mix together

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 lemon juiced

Step 2
First bowl
1/2 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
salt
1 tbsp of the oil mixture

Step 3
Second bowl
14 oz can of chickpeas rinsed out
12 ozs of cherry tomatoes slit or 1 full tomato diced
one small bunch of fresh coriander chopped
salt
1 tbsp of the oil mixture

Method:
Marinate 4 chicken breast halves with or without bones sliced horizontally in thin slices or whole
salt the chicken breasts and then apply the marinade generously all over.
Place in a tray ready to bake., Do not overlap the pieces. 
Preheat oven to 450F/200C degrees. Pour the chickpea mixture all around it not all over it.

Cook 15 minutes for thin sliced breast pieces and 22 to 25 minutes  for whole breasts. Serve with yogurt sauce. Do not over cook.

Tips
Chicken cooked at room temperature tends to stay moist and cooks evenly.
Avoid the crushed red chillie if you don't want the spice. 
Add fresh mint to the chickpea mix.  
If you prefer to keep the chickpea mixture "uncooked", simply warm the tossed tomatoes, chickpeas, fresh coriander in the marinade and warm it in a pan for a few minutes before spooning it on the chicken before serving. The photograph above is done like that.
Serve  on a bed of couscous if you prefer.

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  

For more  Moroccan recipes from Niloufer's Kitchen: Moroccan click http://amzn.to/NKMoroccan

Comments

Dosi Anklesaria	11/15/12
to me

Hello - made the dish yesterday to try it for a party on Saturday - turned out REALLY well.

Thx again.

D

Glazed Chicken

Chicken 1...2,...3  This chicken is all about building flavour, substitutes are easy to switch around. Cooking it in larger quantities is easy too. A dish the whole family can enjoy.  really simple.

Serves 6  Wash 1 kg / 2.2 lb of skinless chicken with bone in  The Marinade; Mix together 4 oz red wine 1 tbsp. mustard 1 inch freshly grated ginger 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar Put all the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 170°C |  350°F. Roast uncovered for 60 minutes until cooked through. Turn once to avoid drying.  Rest for 10 minutes.  Marinate for up to 24 hours; covered and chilled. The chicken is best cooked at room temperature.  You can use half a cup of orange juice instead of red wine. If you have neither, use some chicken stock with 1 tbsp. Port Wine. Replace the rice wine vinegar with any other vinegar you have on hand. Instead of sugar, you may use honey, agave, or maple syrup.  If your chicken has a skin on, allow it to roast for 10 more minutes.  Use a dish where the chicken fits tightly. This keeps the pieces submerged in the marinade and steams them well. Place a parchment paper first in your glass dish to avoid scrubbing it later The chicken glaze served on a bed of egg noodles. For wonderful recipes on Parsi food and cooking click to buy the cookbook The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine. For more delicious recipes click Niloufer's Kitchen: Moroccan http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GP0CSBI Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka