Do you need something else than a traditional turkey? Try this whole roast chicken! Perfect for a couple or a dinner for two at home! The delicate flavors of the spices with the whole chicken make this a one of a kind dish that is just right for a special occasion like thanks giving. This dish calls for a very pretty presentation! Although it is slightly labor-intensive, the outcome and the visual appeal of this dish, more than make up for the difficulty of its preparation. I used to make this for festive family gatherings sometimes wrapped the whole chicken in banana leaf. This is also best served when you want to impress and surprise someone! Serve this with a side of roasted potatoes, veggies and a bow of steamed rice.

Serves 6

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon salt

1 (4-lb/1.75-kg) whole chicken

1 tablespoon oil

2 large onions, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

5 green chili peppers, minced

3 tablespoons ground almonds

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

3 cups (120 g) fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

3 to 4 tender banana leaves optional.

1. Rub the lemon juice and salt all over the chicken very well.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook until the they start to brown. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili peppers and cook for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the almonds, paprika, turmeric, and garam masala. Cook, stirring frequently, for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and allow the onion mixture to cool completely.

3. Place the cooled mixture in a food processor along with the chopped fresh coriander, and grind to a smooth paste. Rub the paste thoroughly all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Tie the legs of the chicken together to keep them in place. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

6. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and tender. Make sure half way thru the baking, turn around the pan even cooking.

7. Baste the chicken with some of the pan juices and return it to the oven for 10 minutes or until brown and the skin roasts well.

8. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Serve hot, and carve table side.

Some Tips for Left Overs-
-Left over cooked vegetables can be mixed togethere in pasta or rice or cous cous and drizled with some dressing of your choice
- Grilled chicken can be chopped up and tossed in some salad greens or make a flavorful chicken sandwich with some indian spices.
- Left over lentils (dals) can be used as heartly soup for lunch along with a side of bread.

One time saving tip -
If you plan to use dinner left overs in tomorrow’s lunch, pack the leftovers directly into the lunch container as you clear the table.

Want to take it a step ahead – Make a box lunch using a bento box or a tiffin carrier. There are some amazing bento tiffin boxes available which i use often.

With a main meal put some mozzarella and tomato with basil, some baby carrots and hummus dip. Wrap a whole wheat roti or tortilla around some left over grilled chicken or turkey with lettue and avacado (my favorite). Dont forget some fresh fruit to finish the meal and make it a filling yet healthy lunch.

Some simple recipe ideas below

Tips and ideas when cooking with skewers:

When using wooden skewer, make sure you soak them before you cook.

Skewers can be done ahead of time: simply marinate overnight

Experiment with different mediums such as rosemary or lemon grass to skewer meats or vegetables

Create a colorful contrast and flavor by adding cherry tomatoes, peppers or mushrooms between layers of meat

Create a grilled dessert by skewering pieces of your favorite fruit

“Double up” use 2 skewers so that it is easy to cook and the meat will not roll over when flipping.

Do not have a grill a cast iron char grills with handles which fit over two burners is perfect for those crosshatch lines on grilled meat, seafood and vegies.

Stay tuned for interesting recipes………

Above images clockwise

Green Chili and Thai Basil Marinade
Chicken Tikka Skewers
Lemon and Sage Chicken Skewers
Cheese and Vegetable Skewers

There is no single right way to cook any Indian dishes, nor is there a single proper way to serve an Indian meal. The Indian recipes can be made using a variety of techniques – experimentation and practice are the keys to success!

Spices are to Indian cooking what basic stocks, sauces and dressings are to the Western cooking.The exotic spices add warmth, pungency, heat, and subtlety to dishes. Cooks are judged on their skills in blending seeds, powders and pastes. Adventurous chefs may juggle a dozen or more spices in one dish, but most good Indian home cooks do just fine with around six mainstays, although you may want to keep other spices handy for adding extra flavor dimensions to particular dishes.

Essentials

* Chilli powder
* Cumin seeds
* Garam masala
* Coriander powder
* Turmeric powder

Handy spices

* Black peppercorns
* Cinnamon sticks
* Cloves
* Coriander seeds
* Fennel seeds
* Fenugreek seeds
* Nigella seeds
* Nutmeg and mace
* Dried red chillies

Buying and storing spices
Spices are at their best when used within three months of purchase. To ensure maximum freshness, buy whole spices rather than powders, and grind only what you need. Buy spices from an ethnic grocer rather than a supermarket. Prices are surprisingly low and quality is top-notch. Store whole spices in tightly lidded jars or in the freezer.

Cooking with spices
Toasting whole spices before grinding them intensifies the flavors. To toast, or dry-fry, heat a griddle over a moderate heat, add the spices, and shake the pan until you catch a warm, nutty aroma – it doesn’t take long, about 30 seconds. Similarly, dropping whole spices into a spoon of hot oil also releases essential oils – ‘Tadka’

We all love a good bottle of wine! You’ve just had dinner with your significant other, and the half-finished bottle of wine remains on the table. It’s late, and you both have work in the morning, so you’re not thrilled with the idea of polishing it off right away.

But it’s a good wine, and cost a lot more than the bargain bin selections at the local wine shop. So how to ensure that the aroma, taste and character of the wine remain consistent for days – or even weeks – after opening?

There are several options these days to keep your wine fresh after it’s first opened, from high-tech preservation systems to simple tricks. “If you’ll be finishing the bottle in a day or two, simply re-cork it and refrigerate it and you’re good to go. In fact, aerating wine can actually improve the flavor after a couple of days.”

But if you’d rather save the remaining wine for weekend entertaining or beyond, here are a few things to know:

Re-pressurizing the bottle is a must. There are several ways to do this. Manual pumps that stick through the cork like a syringe will suck out the oxygen and create a vacuum inside the bottle – necessary to stop oxidation. Simply pump until you feel significant resistance, and you’re done.

Automatic vacuum preservers take out the guesswork. These high-tech devices cost anywhere from $30 to $100. Just press a button, and in just a few seconds they’ll remove the excess air in the bottle before inserting a wine stopper, creating a vacuum that will preserve the bottle for as long as 14 days more than simple re-corking.

Insert a wine preservative. Just point the straw into the bottle, spray a couple of blasts and re-cork. Comprised of a safe, odorless and colorless mix of inert gasses, usually Nitrogen and Argon, these preservatives create a barrier between the wine and the air remaining in the bottle.

Go pro. A new breed of restaurant-quality wine-preserving systems are trickling down to the consumer market. These systems allow upright display, on-tap-style dispensing and Argon gas preservation of three to eight bottles, so there’s always a variety of choices on-hand and ready to serve. Wine Saver Pro offers a classy looking, chrome and black, five-bottle model for around $1,000 and a three-bottle version for $800.

These above tips were taken in conversation with a wine expert and a good friend Dan Soskin, founder of PINOT , the wine accessories superstore in Philadelphia’s historic district. A must see!

Also visit an interesting site www.indianwine.com