Lemon Mint chicken is a Indo - Chinese chicken recipe that can be served as a starter or as a dish with rice dishes or roti. Lemon mint chicken is bite sized chicken with high flavors of lemon, mint and spices. 

Serves - 3 -4
Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the margination

​Chicken ( boneless, bite size pieces) - 250 grams
Ginger - 1 teaspoon ( minced)
Lemon juice - 2 tablespoon
salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Crushed red chili flakes - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1/2 tablespoon

For the masala

Onion - 1 ( medium) ( chopped)
​Garlic - 1/2 tablespoon( minced)
Ginger - 1 tablespoon ( minced)
Soya sauce - 1/2 tablespoon
​Mint leaves - a handful ( chopped)
​Green chili - 2 ( slit lengthwise)
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tablespoon

​Lemon zest and mint leaves for garnishing

Method

​1. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients from the margination section and keep it aside for at least 2 hours. 

​2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the ginger and garlic and fry till the smell is gone.

3. Add chopped onion, slit chilies, salt and sugar and fry till the onion is translucent.

​4. Add the marinated chicken and stir fry the chicken till its 80% cooked.

5. Add garam masala powder and stir for few minutes.

​6. Add soya sauce and mix well and cook till the chicken is completely cooked and is evaporated.

​7. Add the chopped mint leaves and cook till they wilt.

​Garnish with lemon zest and mint leaves and serve warm.


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The recipe is adapted from here. Butter chicken biryani ....should be simple isn't it as the name suggests - basmati rice layered with creamy butter chicken. Well not completely right its butter chicken layered with Malaysian Ghee rice or "Nasi Minayak". This is kind of Singaporean version of the Indian Butter chicken Biryani. Singapore, Being a cultural melting point, Singapore has a lot to offer in food scene. There are many local delights as well as many cuisine - fusion varieties. 

Serves - 2 - 3
Cooking time - 1 hour

Ingredients 

For the rice

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Cloves - 3-4
 Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cardamom - 3 -4
​Clarified butter / Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Tomato puree - 2 teaspoons
​Saffron - few strands soaked in 3 tablespoons of warm milk
Kewra essence - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

For marinating the chicken

Chicken - 300 grams of bite sized boneless pieces
Garlic - 1 teaspoon ( minced)
Ginger - 1 1/2 teaspoon ( minced)
Lime juice - 1 tablespoon
Red chili powder - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

For the butter chicken curry

Onion - 1 medium ( thinly sliced)
Garlic - 1 teaspoon ( minced)
Ginger - 1 teaspoon ( minced)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
​Fennel seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 heaped teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/8 teaspoon
​Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
​Tomato puree - 3 -4 tablespoon
Chick pea flour - teaspoon
Fresh cream - 2 tablespoon
Butter - 1 tablespoon
salt - to taste
​oil
Coriander leaves - few  ( finely chopped)

​Raisins and cashew nuts - few fried in ghee/ clarified butter for garnishing

Method

For cooking rice

​1. Soak the basmati rice for approximately 15 minutes and drain and keep it aside.
​2. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the shallot, ginger and garlic for some time.
3. Add the whole spices and fry them
​4. Add the tomato puree and roast well till the oil separates.
​5. Now add the drained rice and fry for few minutes. The add the required amount of water ( as per instructions) and salt and cook till the rice is 90% done.
​6. Spread the kewra essence and the saffron solution immediately and toss well from the bottom with a fork or a spatula till the color is evenly distributed.

For Butter chicken

​7. Clean the chicken pieces and marinate with all the ingredients under the margination section and keep for about 30 minutes
​8. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken in medium high heat till all the liquid evaporates. Stir occasionally. Then continue to toss the chicken till lightly fried. This will take around 5 - 8 minutes.
​9. Add butter and allow to melt through. Use a strainer to remove the chicken and returned the strained oil to the pan add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat.
​10. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, ginger and garlic and allow to sweat.
​11. Add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds and sauté
​12. Add the black pepper powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and roast well.
​13. Add the tomato puree and roast till the oil separates.
14. Add the fried chicken and toss in the masala for a minute.
​15. Add about 1 cup of water and salt.
​16. Mix the chick pea flour with 2 tablespoons of water without any lumps and add this to the gravy and big it to boil. The chick pea flour mixture will allow the gravy to thicken.
​17. Now add fresh cream and stir briskly to avoid curdling.
​18. Sprinkle the cumin powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves.
​19. In a thick bottomed pan, layer the rice and the butter chicken alternatively. Sprinkle the fried raisins and cashews on top and close with a well fitting lid,. Keep it for dum for about 5 minutes or till the steam tries to escape.

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 Serve warm with raita and pappad.