Pan Roasted Chicken.

When you say roasted chicken to a westerner, an entirely different picture will be in their mind. Thats because the roasted chicken dish prepared in western countries look entirely different from what we prepare in India. In India we pan roast it in a stove whereas in western countries they roast it in oven. When westerners use herbs & very mild spices to roast the chicken, in India its roasted using more spicy masalas. Chicken is roasted along with onions, chillies, sauces & spices. This is a great accompaniment with Chapathi/roti.

Parippu Vada/ Daal Vada/ Masala Vada

Parippu Vada is a very popular snack relished in the southern parts of India. A snack that was popular in the tiny rural cafes in Kerala has now found its way to the big urban bakeries & five star restaurants due to its popularity! Eventhough it has got its own variations depending on the location, the base ingredients remain similar. It uses daal which is soaked for few hours & then coarsely ground. This is then combined with onions, green chillies & spices to increase the flavour. Parippu vada is an evening snack which is usually enjoyed with coconut chutney & a cup of hot tea.

Chicken Cutlet

Chicken cutlet is a very popular snack in India. Even though this is a deep fried snack, it can also be shallow fried or baked. There are many variations of this popular snack: Vegetable cutlet, Fish cutlet, Mutton cutlet, Beef cutlet etc. This is a must have menu item in most bakeries & cafes in India. This is usually had with tomato sauce & a side of salad mainly consisting of Big onions, Carrots & green chillies. You can be creative here. Cutlets may mean different in different countries. But in Indian cuisine cutlet is made from cooked meat thats coated with bread crumbs & deep fried in oil. The minced meat/poultry itself is cooked with onions, mashed potatoes & spices, which gives it a beautiful flavour & aroma. This is then rolled into desired shapes & then dipped into egg whites & then bread crumbs which are then deep fried. In the vegetarian version, meat/poultry is not used. Instead its made with vegetables & prepared the same way as a chicken cutlet. Fish cutlet is made in a similar manner using fish.

Happy New Year 2014