Chicken Masala Balls

This is one recipe I have been wanting to blog this past month. I first tasted these delicious chicken balls at a friend’s place, whose mother-in-law is a cook par excellence. My queries on its preparation made Chandralekha Aunty invite me into her kitchen to share this recipe along with another dish, an Andhra sweet delicacy which I will also blog about soon.

Chicken Masala Balls

Boneless chicken pieces, onions, fresh coriander leaves, green and dry red chillis, ginger, garlic, cashewnuts and roasted spices are ground to smooth paste and shaped into bite sized balls and deep fried (can be grilled too). The grilled balls are absolutely perfect on their own and offer a healthy alternative but nothing to beat the crisp deep fried version..:)

Chicken masala balls have a hot and spicy aroma that fills the room while being cooked and a flavor that makes these party appetizers almost impossible to resist. I’ve made this recipe twice these past few days and I can tell you, it’s a keeper, guaranteed to add flavor to a festive day like Kanuma. Serve as a snack/appetizer or as a side dish with rice and curry.

Chicken Masala Balls Recipe

Recipe Source: Mrs. Chandralekha Sunkara

Prep & Cooking: 30-40 mts

Makes approx 30 balls

Cuisine: Andhra

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Ingredients:

1/2 kg boneless chicken pieces, cleaned and washed

1/4 kg onions finely sliced

8-10 fresh green chillis

5-6 dry red chillis (adjust according to your choice)

15-20 garlic flakes

3″ piece ginger chopped

small bunch coriander leaves, chopped

4 tbsps coriander seeds

1 1/2 tbsps cumin seeds

2″ cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

5-6 cloves

20 cashewnuts

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

1 Heat a tbsp of oil in cooking vessel. Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamom, red chillis and cashewnuts and stir for a minute till a nice aroma emanates the whole kitchen. Be careful not to burn the spices. Cool.2 First grind the roasted ingredients along with ginger, garlic and green chillis to a coarse paste. Next add the chopped raw onions, coriander leaves, chicken and salt and grind further to form a smooth paste like shown in the picture above.2 Add a tbsp of oil to the ground mixture and mix thoroughly before shaping into small lemon sized balls.3 Heat oil for deep frying. Once its piping hot, reduce flame to medium and place these balls in the oil and fry them to a crisp, golden brown color.4Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Thank you, Aunty for sharing your wonderful family recipe!

Note:

The green and red chillis can be adjusted according to your spice level. The chicken balls can also be grilled for a more healthy version.

INDIAN EGG BIRYANI RECIPE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ghee / oil
8 large eggs (hard boiled)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 flakes garlic (curshed)
2 bay leaves
1-inch cinnamon stick
1 brown Cardamom (badi elaichi)
4 green cardamom pods (chhoti elaichi)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder or to taste
2 cups Basmati (long grain) Rice
21/2 cups warm water
Salt To Taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
3-4 tomatoes (thickly sliced) to garnish

Preparation:

• Heat the oil / ghee in a deep sauce pan and fry onions and garlic together with the bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms, until golden.
• Carefully prick the eggs with a fork and add to the pan.
• Stir in turmeric, chili powder and fry for about 5 minutes.
• Add pre-soaked rice and stir slowly and carefully for 2 minutes.
• Pour in water and salt to taste, and cook over a modeate heat until the rice is tender and water is absorbed.
• Sprinkle garam masala powder over it.
• Garnish egg biryani with chopped coriander and tomato slices, serve hot.

BOILED EGG RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 to 4 Eggs
Water (enough to cover the eggs by 1 inch)
High Saucepan with cover (large enough to completely cover eggs) 

Preparation:

• Place the eggs in the pan with the help of a spoon and add cold water enough to cover the eggs by 1 inch.
• Bring the water to boil and then remove from heat. Cover the pan, and let sit for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Later transfer the eggs to a pan of ice cubes and water.
• Chill the eggs for 2 minutes. At the same time boil the water again in which the eggs were boiled earlier.
• Transfer the chilled eggs from the ice bowl to the boiling water pan & bring to the boil again. Let them boil for 10 seconds.
• Remove the eggs and place them back into the ice cold water. Placing them in the ice water agian prevents dark lines from forming . After 5 - 10 minutes take them out and use them accordingly

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA RECIPE

Ingredients:

Part A:
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup yogurt
3 tsp minced ginger
3 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Melted margarine (for basting)
Part B:
5 oz. tomato paste
10 oz. tomato puree
2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp green chilies
1 tbsp red chili powder
2 tsp cloves
8 green cardamoms
Salt To Taste
3 tbsp butter
2/3 cup cream
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tsp ginger, julienned
honey to taste

Preparation:

• Whisk all of the ingredients in Part A together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes.
• Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350º F. Bake the chicken for 8 minutes, basting with margarine twice. Drain excess marinade and bake for another 2 minutes.
• While doing this, make the sauce in Part B. Deseed and chop green chilies. Put tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree in a pot and add approximately 4-1/4 cups of water.
• Add ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, red chili powder, cloves, cardamoms, and salt. Cook over low heat until reduced to a thick sauce. Strain through a strainer and bring to a boil. Add butter and cream. Stir.
• If the sauce tastes sour, add honey to taste. Add fenugreek and ginger juliennes, stir, and serve with the chicken tikka masala