Peri Peri Rice with Peri Peri Chicken - Nando's style

          Try this amazing South African Nando's style Peri Peri Rice in the comfort of your kitchen. It is such an easy and a super quick recipe, where you can use any leftover rice to dish out this yummy meal. Just a slight stir fry with few chopped veggies and some peri peri sauce, you are done. Enjoy this flavorful rice with Peri Peri Chicken. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare them.

          I became a great fan of peri peri rice and peri peri chicken after I tasted it at a Nando's outlet here. So decided to give it a try in my kitchen. It is absolutely an amazing dish. So if you're craving for a Nando's meal, you know what to do. Just change any leftover plain steamed rice into a flavorful Peri Peri Rice by just adding some chopped veggies and of course peri peri sauce. 

           I used a store bought one. But you can always make this sauce at home. Will definitely give it a try next time. Once you are done with dishing out peri peri rice, go ahead and prepare the peri peri chicken. It is very simple as all you need to do is to marinate the chicken breast with the peri peri sauce overnight and then pan fry them till done. So now you have a perfect and a hassle free yummy meal - Nando's style at home.

Peri Peri Rice - 

• 1 cup rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 capsicum, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 fresh green / red chili, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 3-4 tbsp. Nando's peri peri sauce
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

Peri Peri chicken - 

• 2 chicken breast, scored
• 3 tbsp. Nando's peri peri sauce
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp. butter 
• Extra sauce to garnish 

Peri Peri Rice - 


          Cook the rice till done, drain and keep aside. 

          Heat butter in a pan. Add the onion and fresh chopped chili. Sauté till translucent.

          Add the tomatoes and capsicum. Sauté for a minute. Add the sauce and mix everything well.

          Now add the rice. Give it a stir and add all the dry spices. Combine everything well and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

          Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with Peri Peri Chicken.



Peri Peri Chicken - 

          Marinate the chicken breast with the peri peri sauce and olive oil overnight. 

          Heat butter in a grill pan and fry the marinated chicken breast on both sides till done. 

          Drain and slice as desired. Drizzle some more sauce over them and serve with peri peri rice. 

                       Heat butter. Add onion & fresh chili. Sauté till translucent.

                       Add the tomatoes & capsicum. Sauté for a minute. 

                        Add the sauce and mix everything well.

                       Now add the rice and give it a stir. 

                        Add all dry spices. Mix everything well & stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

                        Marinate chicken breast with peri peri sauce & olive oil overnight. 

                     Heat butter in a grill pan & fry marinated chicken on both sides till done. 

                       Slice as desired and serve with peri peri rice. 

                 Garnish peri peri rice with coriander leaves & serve with peri peri chicken.

Saffron Rice - Persian style

          There are many versions to this lovely Persian style flavorful rice. Each individual / household have their own secret recipe. Whatever be the reason, it is a perfect easy rice preparation that is flavored with saffron and enjoyed with any grilled stuff. This method is very simple and I made some grilled chicken to go with it. Any leftover rice can be turned into this simple flavored delicacy. 

• 1 cup basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• 1/4 tsp. saffron, crushed
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2-3 tbsp. hot water
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios, almonds and dry rose petals 

          Cook the rice (either in plain water or any stock) till it is almost done. Drain and keep aside. Soak the crushed saffron, sugar and water for 20-25 minutes.

           Mix the rice with the saffron water and salt. Heat the butter in a pan and spread the saffron rice over it. Drizzle the rose water. 

          Cover with a tight lid and cook on dum for 4-5 minutes on a low flame. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped pistachios, almonds and rose petals. 

          Enjoy with any grilled stuff. I served with some homemade grilled chicken. 

Omelette Curry

           This is a very easy and a homemade style curry where the omelette is cut into desired pieces and cooked in a tomato-onion-cashew nut based gravy. A lovely side dish to your rice, any flavoured rice or any type of Indian bread. This is a perfect quick dish if you are looking for something simple, yet yummy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

           I like mine a thin gravy type as I like to enjoy it with steamed rice. Thicken the gravy as per choice if having with ay Indian bread like naan, kulcha, paratha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati. I kept the gravy simple, mildly spiced and cooked in less oil. Do make it spicy, creamy and greasy as per your preference.

• 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and make an omelette with the beaten egg. Slice as desired and keep aside. 

          Grind together onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, cashew nut and turmeric powder into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Add the paste and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

          Add all the dry spices (except garam masala powder and salt)) and sauté for a minute. Add 2 cups water and salt. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

          Now add the omelette pieces and green chilies. Mix well and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes more.

         When done, add the garam masala powder and ghee. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice or chapatis. 

                     Heat 1 tsp. oil & make omelette with the beaten egg. Slice & keep aside. 

                      Heat remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, 
                      cardamoms and cloves. Add paste & stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

                        Add the paste and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

                     Add all dry spices (except garam masala powder & salt)) & sauté for 
                     a minute. 

                      Add 2 cups water & salt. Bring to a boil & simmer for 4-5 minutes.

                     Add omelette pieces & green chilies. Mix well & simmer for 2-3 minutes.

                      When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Stir & switch off flame. 

                       Garnish with coriander leaves.

                                Serve with plain steamed rice or chapatis. 

Achari Tel Ilish

          Ilish Mach (Hilsa Fish) is an all time favourite of mine and most of the Bengali crowd. So let me share a very simple and an easy Hilsa Fish in mustard oil gravy, but with a slight twist. Some pickle masala is added to the traditional recipe to give an achari taste. To sum up it is pure divine and a must try recipe. It is best enjoyed with only plain steamed rice. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Achari delicacy. 

          Came across this unique recipe in one of the cookery shows and so decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed as it turned out very yummy. You need it to try it to believe what I mean. This yummy preparation has minimum of ingredients. 

          The base of the gravy has only turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and pickle masala cooked with a tempering of nigella seeds and green chilies in mustard oil. So less effort but the end product is just mouth watering. 

• 2 pieces of Hilsa fish, cleaned
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 tsp. any pickle (I used mango pickle)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Make a paste with the turmeric powder, red chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.

          Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

          Heat oil and fry the fish pieces slightly on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the paste and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add salt, pickle, 1/2 cup water and the fried fish. Bring it to a boil.

          Simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice.

                     Marinate fish pieces with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 10 min.

                      Heat oil & fry fish slightly on both sides. Drain & keep aside.

                     Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & green chilies. Saute few sec. 

                       Add the paste and sauté for a few seconds. 

                     Add salt, pickle, 1/2 cup water & fried fish. Bring to a boil. Simmer on
                     a medium flame for 2 minutes. 

                      Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with plain steamed rice.

Double Egg Sandwich

          Sandwich is a wholesome meal-on-the-go as it is super easy to prepare. You can mix and match with various ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, snacks or as a lunch box meal. 

          So calling all egg lovers, you will simply love this double egg sandwich, where the bread slices are first dipped in beaten eggs and shallow fried. They are then stuffed with a mix of grated boiled egg, hung yoghurt and few basic seasonings. So simple and at the same time healthy and very yummy. So do give it a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 4 bread slices (I used brown bread)
• 1/2 cup hung yoghurt
• 1 boiled egg, grated / mashed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped (opt)
• salt to taste
• 2 pinches of pepper powder
• 2 pinches red chili flakes
• 2 pinches of roasted cumin powder
• 1-2 tbsp. oil

          To the beaten eggs add half of the coriander leaves, green chilies, salt, pepper powder, chili flakes and cumin powder. Mix well and keep aside.

          In a bowl, mix together grated boiled egg, hung yoghurt and remaining coriander leaves, green chilies and dry spices. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a grill pan. Dip a slice of bread in the egg mix and fry on both sides till light brown in color. Drain and keep aside. Similarly fry rest of the slices.

          Spread some butter on one side of the fried bread slices. Then spread the egg-yoghurt mix. Cover with another sliced bread. 

          Similarly make another sandwich with the remaining slices of bread. Serve just as it is for breakfast or snacks.

                        Heat oil in a grill pan. Dip a slice of bread in the egg mix.

                        Fry on both sides till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                        Spread some butter on one side of the bread slices. 

                       Then spread the egg-yoghurt mix. 

                       Cover with another sliced bread. 

                       Serve just as it is for breakfast or snacks.