Well, first thing first. In my last post on ‘Bread Upma Recipe’, I missed mentioning the original source, who introduced Bread Upma to my life. It was none other than my adorable and beautiful Pishimoni (she always insists on adding the adjective beautiful to her reference). Although, she did not know the name of the dish, and far away from knowing that it was already a prevalent dish down South. All that she knew was to add some variation to the boring breads, so that her children finish their lunch box without cribbing.
Cut to today’s post of Chicken Kosha and Pressure Cooker Pulao. Although the dish as well as the combination were not strangers to us, but it was she who introduced the idea of cooking the combination at home, without making the dishes unbearably rich. I believe, my mother started cooking Chicken and Pulao during special occasions at our home, after she tasted my Pishimoni’s recipe. Although, not sure, how Pishimoni used to cook the Pulao, but my mother always cooked rice dishes including Pulao in pressure cooker. And through her, I came to know that it was possible to cook perfect pulao with a pressure cooker.
Now coming to Chicken Kosha. Not sure it was my family who was foodie beyond belief, or it was me who was insanely gastronome, that whenever, whoever was cooking whatever special, it was me who remained the unchanged companion, heartfully present to taste their masterpiece. Thus, when my father used to cook chicken, I happily assisted him and hence, cooking chicken also came to me very easily when it was my turn. Although, Kosha was not something popular in my home, as the family could not push the gorash (morsel) without the runny jhol (runny sauce). So, after couple of practices, and with the aid of memories from childhood and strict supervision from my taste buds, I also managed to get the formula to acquire the delectable Chicken Kosha.
So, from memories to recipe, here is the step by step instruction to cook Chicken Kosha & Pressure Cooker Pulao.
Recipe: Chicken Kosha & Pressure Cooker Pulao
Preparation Time: 1 hour (in total) Cooking Time: 1 hour 25 minutes in total Equipment Used: Knife, peeler, cutting board, 3-4 bowls small to medium sized, 1 large bowl to clean the chicken pieces, 2 turner, 1 pan and 1 pressure cooker Yield: Chicken Kosha: Serves 5-6 people Pressure Cooker Pulao: Serves 3
Chicken Kosha:
Ingredients:
- 1 kg chicken
- 4 medium sized onions
- 1 garlic
- Half tomato (Use 1 full tomato, if the tomato is small)
- 2 green chillies
- 1.5 inch X 1 inch ginger
- ¼ cup curd
- 2 teaspoon salt (approx.)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar (approx.)
- ½ teaspoon jeera powder (or ground cumin)
- 1 and ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 tablespoons mustard oil
- 1 red chilli
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 4 potatoes
- 1 cup water
Method:
- If refrigerated, take the chicken pieces out from refrigerator 2-3 hours in advance before starting the process of marination, so that they thaw by themselves
- After the chicken pieces are thawed, clean the pieces properly and keep them in a bowl
- Peel the onion, garlic and keep them ready for grinding
- Grind onion & garlic, along with tomato, green chillies and ginger to a smooth paste
- Now add curd, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon sugar, jeera powder, garam masala powder, bay leaf, 2 tablespoons mustard oil, 1 red chilli, red chilli powder and the ground onion garlic tomato ginger chilli paste to the chicken pieces
- Massage the chicken pieces properly with the spices and leave them covered for marination
- In the meantime, as the chicken pieces are getting marinated, prepare the ingredients for Pulao (detailed directions under Pressure Cooker Pulao – Method section)
- After readying the ingredients for Pulao, take 4 potatoes, wash them, peel them and cut them into halves
- Rub the potato pieces with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat a pan and heat 4 tablespoons mustard oil
- Fry the potatoes on low flame, till the outer part is fried. The potato pieces need not be cooked completely
- When the potato pieces are partially fried (as mentioned above), remove them from the pan and keep them aside
- Now add another tablespoon mustard oil into the same pan
- Heat the oil and empty the bowl of marinated chicken pieces into the pan
- Stir the content of the pan and add the potato pieces
- Cover the pan and let the chicken cook on sim with occasional stirring
- Increase the flame of the stove to medium and start stirring continuously when the juice of the gravy starts reducing and the chicken pieces are tender
- Keep on stirring till the liquid evaporates
- Add a cup of water when the water completely evaporates and the oil separates from spices
- Cook till you acquire the consistency of gravy as per your preference
- Adjust salt and sugar
Clean the pieces properly and keep them in a bowl.
Grind onion & garlic, along with tomato, green chillies and ginger.
Add mix the chicken pieces with curd, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon sugar, jeera powder, garam masala powder, bay leaf, 2 tablespoons mustard oil, 1 red chilli, red chilli powder and the ground onion garlic tomato ginger chilli paste to the chicken pieces.
Massage the chicken pieces properly with the spices and leave them covered for marination.
Take 4 potatoes, wash them, peel them and cut them into halves.
Rub the potato pieces with turmeric powder and salt.
Fry the potatoes on low flame, till the outer part is fried.
Remove the potatoes from pan and add another tablespoon mustard oil into the same pan.
Heat the oil and empty the bowl of marinated chicken pieces into the pan.
Add the potato pieces.
Cover the pan and let the chicken cook on sim with occasional stirring.
Increase the flame of the stove to medium and start stirring continuously when the juice of the gravy starts reducing and the chicken pieces are tender
Add a cup of water when the water completely evaporates and the oil separates from spices.
Adjust salt and sugar and cook till you acquire the consistency of gravy as per your preference.
Pressure Cooker Pulao:
Ingredients:
- 1 and ½ cup basmati rice
- 1 carrot
- 1 cup chopped bean
- 1/3 cup peas
- 1/3 cup cashews
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons refined oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 4 – 5 small cinnamon sticks of 1.5 cm X 0.5 cm (approx.)
- 2-3 small pieces of star anise
- 1 and ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 and ½ cup water
Method:
- Rinse 1 and ½ cup basmati rice. Drain the water and keep it aside
- Chop carrot to the size of 1.5 cm X 0.5 cm (approx.) pieces
- Take handful of beans and chop them to the size of 1.5 cm
- Peel the peas. In my case, I have used frozen peas
- Rinse the cashews and slice each one to half
- Clean the raisins (if required) and keep them ready
- Place a pressure cooker on hob without covering it
- Add refined oil and ghee once the pressure cooker is hot
- Temper the oil and ghee with cinnamon sticks and star anise pieces
- Add cashew and fry them for a minute
- Add raisins, followed by the vegetables
- Stir the ingredients so that they mix evenly and add sugar and salt
- Add the rice that has been kept ready
- Mix the ingredients properly and add 3 and ½ cup water
- Cover the pressure cooker and pressure cook the rice till 1 whistle
Rinse 1 and ½ cup basmati rice. Drain the water and keep it aside
Keep the vegetables ready as per the Ingredient section and place a pressure cooker on hob without covering it.
Add refined oil and ghee once the pressure cooker is hot
Temper the oil and ghee with cinnamon sticks and nutmeg pieces.
Add cashew and fry them for a minute.
Add raisins and vegetables.
Add sugar and salt.
Add the rice that has been kept ready.
Add 3 and ½ cup water. Cover the pressure cooker and pressure cook the rice till 1 whistle.
Tips
- To avoid burning sensation, peel the onions in advance and keep them refrigerated
- While grinding, add water little by little to arrive at a smooth paste
- It is considered little risky to cook pulao in pressure cooker, as little more water will make the rice sticky and less water will lead to burning. For cooking pulao in pressure cooker, there are two important things – 1. Rice and water ratio and 2. Cooking time. The water level should be above the rice till the first line of your index finger, and the rice should be cooked only till 1 whistle
