Mughlai Chicken Nigella Lawson Recipes

MUGHLAI CHICKEN - NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili into a food processor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
• Add the spices and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook them until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid sticking. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, half a cup at a time stirring it in to make a sauce, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.
• Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through.
• It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day.
• So either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

RITZY CHICKEN NUGGETS

Steps:

• Cut off the chicken peg bone if there is 1, and put the chicken breasts one at a time into a freezer bag so that it lies flat. Bash with a rolling pin until the chicken is quite thin, and then take it out and slice into about 6 to 8 slices. Repeat with the other chicken breast. This is easiest done with scissors.
• Put the slices into a freezer bag with the buttermilk and leave in the refrigerator to marinade for up to 2 days.
• When you are ready to cook them, heat the oil in a large frying pan, or preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Tip the cracker crumbs into a wide shallow bowl, and then shake off the excess buttermilk from the nuggets and dip them in the crumbs. Coat them well before lying gently in the hot oil, and cooking for about 2 minutes or so a side until they are golden brown. Transfer to a kitchen towel on a plate to blot the excess oil.
• Alternatively, you can lay the crumb-coated chicken nuggets on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. They can also be frozen once marinated and crumbed. If cooking from frozen, add 5 minutes to the oven cooking time.
• Slice the lettuce into 1/2-inch slices across and put into a bowl. Add the diced gherkins and capers.
• Combine the dressing ingredients, whisking together, and then pour over the salad tossing it to mix. Arrange on a couple of plates and sprinkle over the parsley. Serve with the chicken nuggets.

ONE-PAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Get 2 baking dishes and pour in some olive oil to coat. Arrange the pieces of chicken, the potatoes, onions, garlic cloves, and peppers on them. (If you want to use 3 dishes and have got the room, do; the less packed everything is, the crispier the potatoes will be.) Then drizzle some more oil over, making sure everything's glossy and well slicked (but not dripping), sprinkle with the salt, and bake for about 45 minutes.
• When done (and test all the component parts), strew over the parsley and - I always do this - serve straight from the baking dishes.

MY MOTHER'S PRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• On a washable board, un-truss the chicken, put it breast-side down, and press down until you hear the breastbone crack. (As you may imagine, I like this.) Then press down again, so that the chicken is flattened slightly. Now cut off the ankle joint below the drumstick (but keep them); I find kitchen scissors up to the task.
• Put the oil in a large, flame-safe cooking pot (with a lid) in which the chicken can fit snugly: mine is about 11 inches wide by 4 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium heat and add the chicken, breast side down. Brown the chicken for a few minutes, then raise the heat and turn the chicken over, tossing in the ankle joints as you do so. Add the wine or vermouth and let it bubble down a little before adding the leeks, carrots, and celery.
• Pour in enough cold water to cover the chicken, though the very top of it may poke out. Add the bouquet garni or your herbs of choice, and the parsley stalks or sprigs along with the salt and red peppercorns or a good grinding of regular pepper.
• The chicken should be almost completely submerged by now and if not, do add some more cold water. You want it just about covered.
• Bring to a bubble, clamp on the lid, turn the heat to very low, and let cook for 1 1/2 hours, or 1 hour 40 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken with parsley leaves.
• Serve the chicken and accompanying vegetables with brown basmati rice, adding a ladleful or 2 of liquid over each shallow bowl, as you go, and putting fresh dill and mustard on the table for the eaters to add as they wish.
• Freeze Note: The cooked meat can be frozen, as soon as it is cool, in resealable bags or airtight containers for up to 2 months.

BUTTERMILK ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the chicken drumsticks in a large freezer bag, and add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of oil.
• Add the bruised garlic cloves to the bag with the crushed peppercorns and salt.
• Sprinkle in the ground cumin and finally add the maple syrup, and then squish everything in the freezer bag around to mix the marinade and coat the chicken.
• Leave the buttermilk marinated chicken in the fridge ideally overnight or out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag shaking off the excess marinade, and then arrange them in a roasting tin lined with foil.
• Drizzle over the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil, and then roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until brown, even scorched in parts, and juicily cooked through.

MUGHLAI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili into a food processor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
• Add the spices and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook them until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid sticking. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, half a cup at a time stirring it in to make a sauce, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.
• Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through.
• It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day.
• So either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

MUGHLAI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Boil chicken pieces in water along with 2 cloves of chopped garlic, ginger paste, salt and pepper.
• Once chicken is boiled, take the pieces out of the stock. Set stock aside.
• In a wok or deep cooking pan with lid, pour cooking oil and saute onions and garlic together.
• Once the onions and garlic turn golden brown, add cumin seeds, chicken pieces, garam masala, and red chilli powder.
• Stir fry this mixture for 4 minutes.
• Now add half a cup of stock.
• Also add yogurt to this mixture.
• Cover and let this cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.
• Check after 20 minutes to see if the oil is visible on the sides. That means you're done.
• You can let your chicken a little more to thicken the gravy or serve right away with rice or bread.
• Garnish with chopped corriander leaves.