Chicken Sambhar Recipes

CHICKEN SAMBHAR

Steps:

• Cook the split yellow pigeon peas(yellow lentils) in a pressure cooker.
• Roast the coriander seeds, the split chickpeas and chillies until the chickpeas start turning brown. Ensure not to over-roast as it will result in a burnt taste.
• Ground the above roasted ingredients into a fine powder. This is fresh Sambhar powder.
• Add water into a wok and add the potatoes, salt and turmeric and set it on medium fire. When potatoes start turning soft, add the onions and the chicken.
• Once the water starts boiling again, add the tamarind concentrate and cook for 10mts. on medium fire.
• Add the Sambhar powder, brown sugar and salt and let it simmer for 15-20mts.
• Add some water to replace the water absorbed by the Sambhar powder. Do not add too much water as it will make the dish very runny. (The consistency should be same as that of a pasta sauce.).
• Add the brown sugar.
• Fry the mustard in oil and when it starts spluttering, add it to the wok.
• Serve with boiled rice, roti or naan (Indian breads).
• Papadam/Papad (roasted or fried) will be a good accompaniment.
• Bless the chef.

CHICKEN SAMBAL

Steps:

• For the basmati rice: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until well coated, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about 12 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
• For the chicken sambal: Whisk together the ponzu, sambal, brown sugar and fish sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts and thighs liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In two batches, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, about 6 minutes; flip and sear on the reverse side, another 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the onions, garlic, lemongrass and galangal. Saute until the onions have softened and the garlic, lemongrass and galangal are lightly toasted, 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the sambal mixture; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot, skin-side up, and simmer for 20 minutes to finish cooking through.
• Serve over the rice, garnished with lime wedges, scallions and cilantro.

SAMBAR - SPICY INDIAN CURRY

Steps:

• Place 2 cups water, cabbage, carrot, green beans, bell pepper, and yellow split peas in a pressure cooker; lock lid. Bring cooker up to pressure and cook until peas are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. If your pressure cooker does not have a quick-release function, reduce cooking times slightly as food will continue to cook while pressure releases slowly. Drain and reserve excess liquid; set vegetables aside.
• Mix ground coriander, sambar powder, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon water in a bowl to create a paste.
• Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir cumin seeds and mustard seeds until seeds sputter, about 1 minute; add asafoetida powder. Stir in the sambar paste; cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Season with turmeric, and stir in vegetables. If vegetable mixture is too thick, stir in reserved cooking liquid.
• Mix cilantro, coconut, tamarind pulp, brown sugar, and salt into vegetable mixture. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.