We Provice Recipes

2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil or olive oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
nonstick spray coating
2 1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks),skinned
1 8 ounce carton plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped green or sweet red pepper
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
parsley sprigs

In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil till onion is tender but not brown. Stir in cooked brown rice. Spray a 12 x 7 1/2 x 2 inch baking dish with nonstick spray coating. Spread rice mixture in baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces atop rice. In a mixing bowl stir together yogurt, flour, cumin, ginger, and 1/2
teaspoon salt. Stir in chopped green or sweet red pepper. Spoon over chicken in dish.Bake, covered, in a 350º oven for 50 to 60 minutes or till chicken is tender.
Serve with chopped tomatoes. Garnish with parsley.

This is a classic and popular soup in Chinese restaurants everywhere. Usually its made with canned or frozen corn - and no reason why not - but it is much more delicate and delightful made in season with fresh corn.

Im a little vague about how many servings this makes, because it depends upon what else you are serving. Mr. Ferdzy and I actually ate it all, 2 full bowls each, but it was our entire lunch. As part of a larger feast it would certainly stretch as far as for 8. Since it was our full meal, I was a bit more generous with the chicken, but if I made it as just one component of a larger meal I would use the lower amount. 

Really, this soup is very flexible. You could use fish broth and whitefish instead of chicken, or you could make it vegetarian by omitting both fish and chicken and using vegetable broth and an extra egg. I would probably like to add some finely diced lightly fried tofu to give it a little more textural interest in that case. And finally, to make this all year long, use a can of creamed corn and a handful of frozen corn instead of the fresh corn. Reduce the water to 1 cup in this case. 

Quick and easy as this recipe is, its important to keep the temperature just right - it should be just simmering from the time the chicken goes in until it gets served. Dont let it boil hard, and dont let it get too cool to keep the ingredients cooking as they are added.

4 to 8 servings
40 minutes prep time


4 cups chicken stock
1" x 1" x 1" piece of fresh ginger
200 to 300 grams (1/2 pound) skinless boneless chicken
2 large cobs of corn
2 cups water
1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 or 2 green onions OR 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Put the chicken stock into a generously sized pot (as more will be added) and bring to a boil. Peel and slice the ginger, and add the slices to the stock along with the piece(s) of chicken. If you use the green onion, mince the white parts of the onions and add them now too. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and let them cool enough to handle. Remove the slices of ginger and discard them.

Meanwhile, husk the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs. When the chicken and ginger come out of the soup, add the corn, along with all the water except for about 1/4 cup of it. Mix the starch and soy sauce into the remaining water, and add it to the soup, stirring constantly until it is slightly thickened. Keep the soup at a bare simmer throughout the rest of the cooking process. 

Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it well with a fork. 

Finely chop the chicken and return it to the soup. When the corn has been in the soup for about 5 minutes,  take the fork from beating the egg and use it to make the same beating motions in the soup. Pour in the egg, beating it into the soup until it forms small, set strands. Mix in the sesame oil.

Serve the soup, with the minced green onion tops or chopped cilantro sprinkled on top.

Baked Beans
1 can vegetarian baked beans (I prefer Bushs)
1 ancho chili, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 pieces thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/4 pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup water 
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon in medium sized oven proof sauce pan and cook over medium heat to render fat.  Add ancho chili, and onion and cook until softenend.  Add minced garlic and cook a minute more.  Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Place pot of beans in the oven and cook until bubbly, or about 30-40 minutes. 

Cole Slaw with Lime Vinaigrette
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine sliced cabbage with remaining ingredients and toss well.  Cover and refrigerate for approximately one hour.  
    

Have you had this before?  I had it for the first time a few months ago and loved it.  My mom came into town and took us out to an Indian restaurant for dinner.  It was delicious!  I knew it was something Id like to try at home.  The flavors were so complex.  I really enjoyed this recipe.  It was a little involved, but it was something fun to try and will be something we make again for sure.  The sauce got better the days following when we ate the leftovers, so I would even recommend making it ahead of time.  The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and then just gently reheated before you add the chicken the day of.


*Note: I read up a bit about garam masala - the spice used in this dish (and many other Indian dishes).  There is a great variance in what is in it, so this may alter what your end product tastes like.  I went to an Indian food store here in the city (so cheap) and asked the ladies there what they recommended.  They showed me one they liked and so I got it.  After we tried it, I felt like the dish needed about twice as much, so thats why there is a range there.  Taste the sauce as you go, and add more as you see fit.  Also, if you cant find garam masala, the recipe indicates that you can combine 2 tsp. ground coriander, 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper and use that as a substitute.


Chicken Tikka Masala
(serves 4-6)

CHICKEN
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 c. plain whole-milk yogurt
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

SAUCE
3 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile, ribs & seeds removed, flesh minced
1 T. tomato paste
1-2 T. garam masala*
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. sugar
salt, to taste
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

For the chicken:  Combine salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne in small bowl.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres.  Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, oil, ginger, and garlic together in large bowl and set aside.

For the sauce: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, serrano, tomato paste, and garam masala and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in cream and return to simmer.  Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

To cook the chicken:  While sauce simmers, position oven rack 6 inches from heating element and heat broiler.  Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.  Discart excess yogurt mixture.  Broil chicken until thickest part registers 160 degrees and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10-18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest  minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce).  Stir in cilantro, season with salt to taste and additional garam masala if needed, and serve over rice.  (Sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days and gently reheated before adding hot chicken).

Mmm, another salad. This one has a great combination of flavors. BBQ chicken (well, shredded chicken mixed with BBQ sauce) and a tasty avocado ranch dressing with cilantro and lime juice. Its kind of southwestern-y too and I like it. :)


BBQ Chicken Salad

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup bbq sauce
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar
crispy tortilla strips*

Stir shredded chicken in with the bbq sauce until well coated. Toss all but last 2 ingredients together or let everyone pile their own salad together. Top with cheese and tortilla strips. Drizzle avocado ranch dressing (below) over the salad and enjoy!

Source: Sisters Cafe

Avocado Ranch Dressing

1 ripe avocado
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
1/8 c. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
handful of cilantro

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Chill until ready to serve.

Source: Modified from myrecipes.com

*To make crispy tortilla strips: Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Chop corn tortillas into thin strips and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy. Watch carefully and do not broil. You may start a fire! (Trust me, I know from experience). :)

How to make Butter Chicken/Murgh Makhani

Butter chicken or murgh makhani originates from the Mughal Empire in India and is eaten through out the world today.

There are different variations of butter chicken but the basic principles of cooking butter chicken are marinating the chicken in yogurt and spices, then cooking the chicken in butter and adding the cooked chicken to a smooth aromatic tomato based sauce.

Chefs tasty butter chicken recipe is very aromatic and easy to prepare, there are a lot of ingredients used in this recipe but do not worry, it is simply a matter of marinating the chicken, cooking a sauce then refrigerating both, then after a few hours the procedure of cooking the butter chicken is easy because the two main parts of the recipe have already been done.

Cream can be added to the dish at the end of cooking, Chef adds evaporated milk instead, the option is yours.

This butter chicken recipe will impress family and friends and make them feel like they have eaten in a restaurant.

Simply follow Chefs easy step-by-step instructions and enjoy this delightful and aromatic dish.

Or see Chefs How to make butter chicken/murgh makhani video recipe