Cinnamon Cumin Corriander Chicken Food

COCHIN CORIANDER-CUMIN CHICKEN FOR PASSOVER

Steps:

• If using whole spices, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, anise seeds and cumin seeds; stir until the seeds start to pop, about 3 minutes. Grind them in a small blender, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle along with the nutmeg, turmeric and salt. If using ground spices, simply mix them all together in a small bowl. Rub the mixture into the chicken, transfer to a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and sauté until golden. Add the chicken and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, curry leaves, vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the chicken is soft and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• In a food processor, blend the ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint and 2 of the chiles. Taste and add more chiles if desired. Stir into the chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve over rice, if desired.

CORIANDER AND CUMIN CHICKEN PITA WITH CUCUMBER SALAD AND WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the chicken pita: Combine the oil, cumin, oregano, coriander, cayenne, ginger, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken thighs and rub with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and ideally 24 hours.
• For the cucumber salad: Add the dill, white vinegar, cucumber, tomato and onion to a small bowl and stir until the cucumber and tomato are evenly coated in the vinegar and dill. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
• For the white sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, white vinegar, garlic powder and onion powder to a small bowl and mix until combined.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and drizzle with canola oil before placing on the grill. Cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F, about 4 minutes. Slice the chicken about 1/2 inch thick.
• Toast the pita on the grill for about 1 minute per side and assemble the pita with the chicken, cucumber salad and white sauce on top.

LIME & CORIANDER CHICKEN

Steps:

• First, spatchcock the chicken so that it will sit flat on the barbecue. All this means is using a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp kitchen knife to cut down either side of the parson's nose to completely remove the backbone. Then, place the chicken, breast side up, on a chopping board and push down hard to flatten with your hands. Use a sharp knife to make lots of deep slashes in the chicken, about three in each breast and two in each leg.
• In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and peppercorns together to a grey, mushy paste. Stir the lime juice into the paste, then the chopped coriander. Put the chicken in a dish and massage the marinade into the chicken. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
• To cook the chicken, fire up the barbecue. When the flames die down and the coals are hot and glowing, lay the chicken on the barbecue, skin side up, and sprinkle with salt. You will be tempted to keep prodding it and lifting it up, but leave it alone. After 25 mins, the chicken will look like it's cooked through, but flip it over and give the skin side 10 mins to brown. Lift the chicken onto a chopping board and leave to rest for a few minutes.
• You can now carve conventionally but I like to get a cleaver and chop it straight down into thick slices. Pile it up on a platter and serve scattered with fresh coriander and lime wedges.

CUMIN-SCENTED CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Pull the skin off the chicken using kitchen paper to get a good grip. Set the chicken aside. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat - a wok is great for this. Fry the cumin seeds for just a few secs until they give off a lovely nutty aroma, then tip in the onions and turn the heat down low. Cook with the lid on until the onions are soft and squidgy, but not yet starting to colour - 10 mins.
• Scatter in the ginger, garlic and chillies and fry for a minute or so, then sprinkle in the turmeric, garam masala and paprika. Stir in the chicken and peppers and continue frying for about 10 mins until the spice mixture clings to the chicken and the onions turn russet brown. Add a splash of water if they start to catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Stir the tomato purée into the yogurt, turn down the heat a fraction and swirl the yogurt into the pan followed by 125ml/4fl oz cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently without a lid for about 30-35 mins until the chicken is tender, stirring in a little more water if the sauce becomes dry - it should thicken and take on a warm reddish tinge. Add salt if you want to. (Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.) Reheat in a covered casserole in the oven at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for 20-30 mins or until bubbling (you may need to stir in a splash of water if the sauce is too thick). Scatter over coriander before serving.

CHICKEN LIVERS, WITH CUMIN AND CORIANDER

Steps:

• Dredge the chicken livers in the flour and brown them in the butter and oil. Remove and set aside.
• Saute the garlic and shallots for two minutes. Add the cumin and coriander. Return the chicken livers to the pan and add the cream, salt and pepper. Cook until the livers are pink in the center and the sauce has thickened.
• Garnish with coriander and serve.

FRAGRANT CHICKEN, CORIANDER & COCONUT CURRY

Steps:

• Whizz together the coconut milk and coriander (leaves and stalks) in a food processor, then tip out and set aside. Quickly wipe out the machine, add the garlic, ginger and chillies, then whizz with enough water to make a paste.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Brown the chicken well on all sides, then remove. Add the onion, cloves and cinnamon and fry until lightly coloured. Add the chilli paste to the pan, then cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Return the chicken, then stir in the powdered spices and coconut paste. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, then cook for 40-50 mins, removing the lid halfway through cooking so the sauce can thicken. Check the chicken is cooked, stir in the tamarind paste, season to taste, then add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
• Whizz together the coconut milk and coriander (leaves and stalks) in a food processor, then tip out and set aside. Quickly wipe out the machine, add the garlic, ginger and chillies, then whizz with enough water to make a paste.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Brown the chicken well on all sides, then remove. Add the onion, cloves and cinnamon and fry until lightly coloured. Add the chilli paste to the pan, then cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Return the chicken, then stir in the powdered spices and coconut paste. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, then cook for 40-50 mins, removing the lid halfway through cooking so the sauce can thicken. Check the chicken is cooked, stir in the tamarind paste, season to taste, then add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

CORIANDER LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil and brown the chicken, you might have to do that in batches, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the garlic to the same oil, when that starts to brown lower the heat to medium and add the ginger/water mix, fry this for 1 minute Then add: coriander, chili, cayenne, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt, cook for another minute and mix well.
• Return the chicken to the pan, with the accumulated juices, add the water and the lemon juice.
• Stir, bring to the boil, and then cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, depending what chicken meat is used.
• When cooked and you find the sauce too thin, uncover the pot and reduce the sauce by using some higher heat.