Chicken Tinga Tacos

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.

Onion - 1, sliced

Garlic - 4 cloves, minced

Cumin - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Chicken Stock - 2 cup

Tomato - 2, pureed

Oregano - 1 sprig

Bay Leaf - 2

Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks - 6

Tortilla - 12

White Vinegar - 3 tbsp.

Salt & Pepper

Cilantro

Lime wedges and Onion slices - for garnish

Heat Oil in a large pan. Temper Cumin seeds. Add the Onion and Garlic sauté until softened. Stir in Corinader powder and cook until the raw smell goes away. Add the Stock, Tomato puree, Oregano and Bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add the Chicken, cover partially and simmer until cooked, 35 to 40 min.

Remove the Chicken from the sauce and shred the meat. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the Bay leaves and Oregano sprig. Stir in the Vinegar and season with Salt and Pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Fold the tortillas in half and stuff them between the cups of an inverted muffin tin to form shells. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp.

Serve the Chicken in Taco shells with Cilantro, Lime and Onion.

Bhindi Masala

For sautéing

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil – sunflower oil or peanut oil or any neutral oil

• ▢ 250 grams okra (bhindi or lady finger)

Other ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil – sunflower oil or peanut oil or any neutral oil

• ▢ ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium-sized onion

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger and 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed in mortar-pestle

• ▢ 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes 2 medium-sized tomatoes

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder or ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper

• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ▢ ½ teaspoon fennel powder (ground fennel), optional

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Garam Masala

• ▢ ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as required

• ▢ salt as required

• ▢ ½ teaspoon kasuri methi – crushed (dry fenugreek leaves ) – optional

• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

• Rinse the bhindi (okra) well in water for a couple of times.

• Dry them on a large plate on their own or wipe with a kitchen towel. Make sure there is no moisture or water on the okra pods.

• Remove the base and stalk while chopping them. Chop into 1 or 1.5 inch pieces.

• Also chop onions and tomatoes. Keep aside. 

• Make a paste of ginger and garlic in mortar-pestle and keep aside.

Sautéing bhindi

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai (wok) or pan.

• Add the chopped bhindi and sauté stirring often till they are completely cooked. You will have to keep an eye on them and stir in between many times.

• Taste the sautéed okra and if the crunchiness is not there and the bhindi have become soft, it means they are cooked. Keep the sautéed bhindi aside.

Sautéing onions, tomatoes, spices

• All the oil will be used up. So add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan.

• Add chopped onions and sauté stirring often on low to medium heat till they become translucent and are softened.

• Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté on low heat for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.

• Add the chopped tomatoes and saute stirring often till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

• If the tomato mixture becomes too dry and starts sticking to the pan, then add about ¼ cup water. Mix well and continue to cook.

• All the above cooking is done in a open pan and you don’t need to cover the pan with the lid.

• Add all the dry ground spice powders one by one.

• Mix well and saute for a few seconds on low heat.

Making bhindi masala

• Add the sautéed bhindi, crushed kasuri methi, salt and mix so that the onion-tomato masala coats the okra well.

• Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in between. 

• Then turn off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.

• Serve Bhindi Masala hot or warm garnished with a few coriander leaves and accompanied with chapati, roti or naan.

  It can also be packed for lunch box. It also makes for a nice side dish with any North Indian meal.

Chicken Boti Kebab

1 Pound Boneless Chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1.5" pieces

¾ cup Greek yogurt

¼ cup Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

¼ cup Extra Virgin Oil

½ tbsp Chilli Powder

½ tbsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala Powder

½ tsp Nutmeg Powder

¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder

2 tbsp canola oil for roasting

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt (to taste)

1 Charcoal

1 tsp Ghee (or clarified butter)

In a clean dry bowl add the thick yogurt and the mayo and whisk well until fully combined & smooth.

Next, add the mustard oil, the spices, ginger garlic paste, salt, lemon juice to the bowl and whisk everything well until fully mixed & smooth.

Now, add the beet root powder. You may increase or decrease the amount as per your liking. Mix everything well..

Add the chicken pieces and mix well until all the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade.

Cover the bowl with a cling film and allow the marinated chicken to rest for 30 mins to 2 hrs. in the fridge. You may also leave it overnight in the fridge.

Next, skewer the meat in the metal or bamboo skewers and set aside.

Heat a griddle or non stick skillet over medium heat. When the pan becomes moderately hot brush it with oil.

Next, place the skewers and cook over medium heat rotating sides from time to time. The meat will be fully cooked in 15 mins.

Now, turn the flame to the highest setting and cook all sides of the chicken boti kabab for that beautiful charred look. Set the chicken boti kababs aside on a plate.

Take a small pot about 2-3" inches and place it in the middle of the plate containing the Chicken boti kababs.

Next heat up a charcoal over high heat until burning red. Be careful and hold it with the help of a tong.

Once the charcoal becomes raging hot quickly place it in the small steel container that you placed in the middle of the kabab plate.

Immediately pour about 1 tsp ghee or clarified butter over the red hot charcoal and quickly cover the whole plate with a glass lid. There should not be any gaps between the lid and the plate. Otherwise, the smoke will escape.

Allow it to rest for 10-15 mins. The smoke from the charcoal will get infused in the chicken boti kabab making them so flavorful & giving them that authentic tandoor taste.

Serve hot , Enjoy!

If using Bamboo skewers do not forget to soak them in water for at least 10-15 mins. This will prevent the bamboo skewers from getting burnt.

For that extra juicy & tender texture keep the cooked chicken boti kababs loosely covered with a parchment paper or aluminum foil.