Recipe(tried): Fruity Pullao, Masala Chicken, Nann

BudgetGal,

I made the chicken Tikka masala. Yes, it was very creamy & tasty, but it's differnt from the butter chicken we used to have. (Maybe they are from different regions?) Anyway, I used to eat butter chicken with Nann bread. (I will include the recipe below. That recipe desn't make the authentic shape--obling, but it is really delicious.) Here is a Fruity Pullao that my fmaily love. We eat it with the Indian Masala Chicken. Maybe you will like these two dishes as much as we do. My Indian friend's mother is going to give me her recipe of Nasi Briayni (sp?) It's a chicken rice dish. I will let you if it turns out well.
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Fruity Pullao
450g basmati rice
3 T.each: vegetable oil & butter
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
4 green cardamom pods
1 t. salt
75g sultanas (golden raisins)
50g flaked almond, lightly toasted (I tend to use pine nuts instead as my family prefer it.)
enough chicken stock (I make my own chicken stock. But if you use the shop-bought ones, you have to cut the salt accordingly.)

1. Wash the rice until the water run clear. Drianed and set aside.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat and throw in the bay leaf, peppercorns and cardamoms and fry for about 30 seconds.
3. Add teh rice, salt and sultanas. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until the sultanas are puffed and the rice turns translucent.
4. Add in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes. (*** I don't cook rice on the stove top. I transfer it to a rice cooker because it does a better job and does not use too much chicken stock.)
5. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand, still covered, for about 5 minutes . Before serving, stir in the toasted almonds/pine nuts.

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Indian Masala Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:
1.2kg chicken drumsticks ( about 8 pieces; or use small drumsticks as some people prefer this cut.)

Seasoning:
2 t. coriander powder
2 t. cumin powder
t. cardamom powder
t. hot chili powder
t. ground black pepper
t. ground cloves
1 T. oil
1 T. water
some salt to coat the chicken

Method:

Place all powder in a dry pan; stir over low heat until fragrant. Remove from heat. Add oil and water, stir until combined.

Make diagonal cuts, about 1cm apart, through to the bone of the chicken, on both sides of drumsticks. (If small drumsticks are used, this can be eliminated.)

In a shallow dish, rub salt on the chicken first then rub spice mixture all over the drumsticks. Cover, refrigerate 7 hours or overnight for best result.

Cook drumsticks on a heated oiled griddle pan (or barbecue or grill) on high heat until browned and cook through. (Turn the drumsticks while cooking.)

** I don't add any oil while grilling since the drumsticks has enough fat itself.
** Can be served with lemon or lime wedges.
** If the drumsticks are big in size or more amount is used, add more spice accordingly.----------
Naan

Ingredients:
2/3 cup (16ml) warm milk/water
1 t. (3.5g) dry yeast
1 t. sugar
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1 t. salt
4 T. ghee, melted (clarified butter; with the milk solids removed, this fat can be heated to a high temperature without burning.)
2 T. yogurt
2 t. kalonji ( also known as black onion seeds or nigella or black cumin seeds)

Method:
1. Whisk milk/water, yeast and sugar in small bowl until yeast is dissolved; cover (with damp clothe or cling paper), stand in warm place 10 min.

2. Sift flour and salt (3 times) into a large bowl; add yeast mixture, half the ghee and yogurt. Mix to a soft dough then knead, on floured surface, about 5 min or until dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Place dough in a large greased bowl; cover, stand in warm place for about 1 hours or until the dough is doubled in size.

4. Punch down dough; knead on floured surface for 5 min. Divide dough into 6 pieces; roll each pieces into a 20cm round Nan.

5. Cover oven tray with foil; grease foil. Brush Nan with a little of the remaining ghee, sprinkle with some of the kalonji; Cook Nan, one at a time, under very hot grill for about 2 minutes each side or until puffed and just browned.