No-oil Murg Malai Tikka

It’s official!!! There’s no denial that both me and my hubby are die-hard fans of kebabs and tikkas. We literally gorge like greedy gluttons as soon as a kebab platter hits our table in the restaurant.

Though we like virtually all types of kebabs, it’s the Awadhi & the ones having their roots in the North-West frontier region, are our most favorite. Of these, I’m particularly fond of the fair-complexioned Murg Malai Tikka.

No over-powering tandoor spices, no artificial color…….only pure, aromatic & succulent pieces of chicken, which melt in the mouth so easily. To make it more guilt-free and healthy, I tried out this version which is absolutely oil-free. The credit for this recipe goes to Santanu da, my brother-in-law from Dubai, who keeps on re-inventing recipes. Thank you Dada for this wonderful version of malai tikka.

In case, you overlooked the last sentence, let me take the privilege of introducing a complete no-oil Murg Malai Tikka, which is no less in taste & flavor. In fact, when I tell this fact to my guests after they have had a couple of tikkas, they find it so hard to believe that you can actually make  such a tasty kebab without using a single drop of oil.

Ingredients
Chicken thigh – 750 gms, boneless cut into 1.5 inch pieces

For 1^st marination
Lemon juice – 2 tsp
White pepper – 1 tsp

For 2^nd marination

Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Fresh/canned cream – 350 gm
Mozzarella cheese – 150 gms, crumbled or shredded
Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Coriander leaves – 1 Tbsp, finely chopped
Green chilli – 1 to 2 chilies, finely chopped

Method
Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towel. Prick them with a fork so that the marinade can go deep inside.

Marinate the pieces with the 1^st marinade items and keep it covered for around 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, mix all the items of 2^nd marinade with the chicken, cover it and keep it refrigerated for at least 1.5 - 2 hours.

Pre-heat the oven in 360 ^o F or 180 ^o C temperature. Line up the base of a oven proof flat container with 2 folds of aluminium foil. Put the marinated chicken pieces on the foil, neatly separated from each other so that they don’t overlap with each other.

Cook the chicken in grill mode for around 15-16 minutes, turning them with a tong after 10 minutes. Put the oven in broil mode and cook it for another 4-5 minutes for getting the nice burnt color.

Enjoy deliciously succulent pieces of Murgh Malai Tikka with your favorite dip and salad.

Healthy Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken or Murg Makhani is, undoubtedly India's best culinary export to the world. There are not many Indian restaurants around the globe which don't serve Butter Chicken. It is a thick yoghurt-tomato based gravy preparation of chicken, best enjoyed with either Roti, Naan or Pulao.The origin of this dish is credited to a  certain Kundan Lal Gujral, who had started preparing this in his Moti Mahal restaurant in Peshwar of pre-independent India. After partition, he shifted to Delhi and opened Moti Mahal there. This preparation was particularly popular with the Sikh/Punjabi community who is said to have made it popular through their diaspora in UK, USA, Canada et al

Though Butter Chicken is known to be a high-calorie dish, I have tried to reduce some calories by giving it a healthy twist. Instead of frying the chicken pieces, we would be  grilling them in the oven and also using very little oil & butter during cooking

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg, either boneless or with bone cut into cubes

Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Onion paste - 2 tsp

Tomato –  2 nos, made into puree

Oil – 3 to 4 tsp

Yogurt - 1/2 cup, beaten

Fresh cream -1/2 cup

Cloves - 2

Cardamom - 4 to 5

Cinnamon sticks - 1 piece of 1” size

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi) - 1 Tbsp

Salt - according to taste

Sugar – ½ tsp

Butter - an 1" size cube

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Marinade

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Red chili powder- 1 tbsp

Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Hung yogurt – 2 tsp
Garam Masala powder – ½ tsp

Salt- according to taste

Ginger paste- 1 tsp

Garlic paste- 1 tsp

Lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Salt- according to taste

Oil- 2 tsp

Method

Clean and wash chicken pieces and drain out excess water completely

In a bowl add chicken and all the marinade ingredients together. Mix well and let it marinate for minimum 5 – 6 hours or overnight

Pre-heat the oven in 425^o F/200^o C. Put an aluminium foil on a tray, put the marinated chicken pieces on that. Place the tray on the top rack and grill for 18-20 minutes. Half way through, baste the chicken pieces with oil and turn them around

In case you don't have an oven, you can pan fry the chicken. Spread very little oil in a non-stick frying pan and put the chicken pieces, brown both sides by quickly turning in high flame. Reduce the flame, cover the pan with a lid and cook for around 7-8 minutes, turning the chicken pieces in between, to evenly cook them

In a heavy bottomed wok, add oil and heat. Now add whole cardamom, cinnamon stick and clove to the hot oil

Add ginger-garlic paste and onion paste. Fry till it turns golden yellow. Now add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and Cumin powder. Add a little water and fry till oils start separating from it. Now add tomato puree and again stir for couple of minute in high flame

Reduce the flame and add beaten yogurt  Stir a little and add salt and sugar as per taste. Stir the thick creamy gravy and then add grilled chicken pieces slowly. Wrap the chicken pieces with the thick gravy and add half 1 cup of water with garam masala powder. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes

Now add fresh cream(optional, used to make the gravy richer) and Kasoori methi and stir slowly. Cover it again and cook for a couple of minutes

Garnish it with Coriander leaves and the cube of butter. Serve hot with Roti or Naan