Nigella Lawson Chicken Apricot Masala Recipes

CHICKEN AND APRICOT MASALA

Steps:

• Soak apricots overnight in 2 cups cold water, or cover with 2 cups hot water and soak until swollen and softened, 2 to 3 hours.
• Prepare masala: In a small bowl, combine hot pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, garlic and ginger. Add 1/4 cup water, and stir to make a paste. Set aside.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat oil and cinnamon stick. Add onions and salt, and sauté until onions begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add masala, and stir. Add chicken, and stir for about 5 minutes. Add apricots and their soaking liquid, diced tomatoes and diluted tomato paste.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Check cooking liquid about halfway through; if chicken is covered with liquid, remove cover for remainder of cooking. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

NIGELLA LAWSON CHICKEN & APRICOT MASALA

Steps:

• Soak apricots overnight in 2 cups cold water, or cover with 2 cups hot water and soak until swollen and softened, 2 to 3 hours.
• Prepare masala: In a small bowl, combine hot pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, garlic and ginger.
• Add 1/4 cup water, and stir to make a paste.
• Set aside.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat cinnamon stick.
• Add onions and salt, and sauté until onions begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add masala, and stir.
• Add chicken, and stir for about 5 minutes.
• Add apricots and their soaking liquid, diced tomatoes and diluted tomato paste.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Check cooking liquid about halfway through; if chicken is covered with liquid, remove cover for remainder of cooking.
• Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

TAGLIATELLE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub the chicken with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper, then place it breast down in a roasting pan and roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until well browned, turning it over toward the end to brown the breast. It's done when the juices run clear, not pink, when you cut into the thigh. When the chicken's nearly ready, put abundant water on for the pasta, salting it when it boils.
• Take the chicken out of the oven and take the meat off the bone, leaving all that glorious burnished skin on, and cut it into small pieces. I do much of this by just pulling, without a knife, but if you haven't got asbestos hands, use a knife and fork or wait until it is cooler.
• For the sauce, pour all the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan. Add the rosemary, the drained sultanas and the pine nuts. Begin to simmer the sauce when you are ready to cook the pasta.
• Cook and drain the pasta, and toss it with the sauce, chicken pieces, and parsley in a large warmed bowl.

ONE-PAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Get 2 baking dishes and pour in some olive oil to coat. Arrange the pieces of chicken, the potatoes, onions, garlic cloves, and peppers on them. (If you want to use 3 dishes and have got the room, do; the less packed everything is, the crispier the potatoes will be.) Then drizzle some more oil over, making sure everything's glossy and well slicked (but not dripping), sprinkle with the salt, and bake for about 45 minutes.
• When done (and test all the component parts), strew over the parsley and - I always do this - serve straight from the baking dishes.

MUGHLAI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili into a food processor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
• Add the spices and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook them until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid sticking. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, half a cup at a time stirring it in to make a sauce, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.
• Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through.
• It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day.
• So either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

NIGELLA LAWSON TAGLIATELLE W/ CHICKEN FROM THE VENETIAN GHETTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Rub the chicken with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper--then place it breast-down in a roasting pan and roast for about 1 1/2 hours or until well browned, turning it over toward the end to brown the breast.
• Prepare the pasta, salting it when it boils (a bit of olive oil helps too).
• Take the chicken out of the oven, let it cool for about an hour, then pull it apart.
• Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet, browning them slightly.
• For the sauce, pour all the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan. Add the rosemary, the drained sultanas and the pine nuts. Begin to simmer the sauce when you're ready to cook the pasta.
• Cook and drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, chicken pieces and parsley in a large warmed bowl.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• In a large heavy-based saucepan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add onion slices, and sauté until softened and deep golden brown. Remove half the onions and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add turmeric, cumin, coriander, cloves, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add salt, and season with black pepper to taste.
• Combine lentils and rice in a fine-meshed sieve, and rinse well with cold water. Drain, then add to pan. Add 4 cups water, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Water should be completely absorbed; if not, remove pan from heat, remove lid and cover pan with a kitchen towel, then replace lid and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• To serve, fluff pilaf with a fork, and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with reserved onions.