Medley of roasts

Not many years ago, I started managing this young band As Night Calls . While the trio now live in different parts of the city / country, Dhruv the all- rounder still lives in close proximity. We may not catch up as often, but, it's Dhruv who is my 'go-to person', whether I want to learn a new instument, find the right kind of work-out, spirituality, food, or the right tattoo place (like I'm getting another one). That's him. A super soul. He's recently released a new track from his new outfit Almost Through and now there's a whole medley of ANC & AT soundtrack playing in my head.

Also. I have lived alone a lot in the past. And while doing so I had to find hacks to make most of the one time poultry purchase. I'm at the same stage right now with the rest of my family being vegetarian. Inspired by the playlists on this post, here's a medley of 3 chicken dishes made out of one roast. Not calling my friend chicken here (since they have one common Dhruv. Please don't kill me). These are the recipes that I'm sure they will appreciate.

The Chicken

500 gm chicken breast

2 tsb vegetable oil / sunflower oil / your choice of cooking oil

salt, pepper, dried herbs of your choice, paprika powder as per your taste.

Preheat the oven 200 degrees, 10 minutes. Grease a baking dish with the oil and mix in the dried ingredients. Place the chicken breast on a chopping board and flatten it to a uniform size with a mallet or a rolling pin. Coat the chicken on both the sides with the content in the baking dish. Roast the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, turn the chicken upside down and roast again for another 15 minutes, or till well done. Cool, refrigerate once in room temperature, and use when required.

The Salad

I made this with the left-over salad from the previous day.

120 gm strips of the roast chicken

1 sliced avocado

1/2 sliced onion

A few tomato cherries

1 tsp sliced jalapenos (pickled)

250 gm lettuce of your choice

For the dressing

1 tsp ginger and orange marmalade

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (or juice of a lime)

Ground pepper as per taste

Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Coat the sliced onions, cherry tomatoes, and the roast chicken with the dressing. Toss in the avocados, lettuce and jalapenos. If you want some crunch you can add some crushed walnuts or and edible seeds.

The baby meal of chicken and veggie stir fry.

Since I will not share my barbeque sauce recipe, I will reccomend you get a ready one. Or. Stock the following sauces as they're versitile and and enhance a lot of dishes. And worst case scenario, just add any of these to plain rice for emergencies.

(Leave a comment on the song if you know why)

The (emergencies) sauces: Worcestershire sauce, Maggi seasoning, chilli sauce, ketchup.

150 gm strips of roasted chicken

1 cup sliced veggies of your choice (carrots, beans, capsicum, broccoli, peppers)

All the mentioned sauces as per requirement

1 tsp cooking oil

Salt as per taste

Heat oil in a wok or a non stick pan, sautee the veggies with a pinch of salt and cook stirring regularly till soft. Add just 3-4 drops of Maggi seasoning and stir again. Add 3-4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and stir. Add the chilli sauce and ketchup as per your sweet and spice liking. Serve hot with garlic rice.

Chicken steak with mushroom sauce & spinach

250 gm / or balance roast chicken

1/2 packet sliced mushrooms

3-4 peeled garlic pods

1 small onion, sliced

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Chilli sauce as per your liking.

1 tsp cooking oil

1/2 bundle spinach

4-5 drops of Maggi seasoning.

Let's start with the mushrooms first. Heat oil in a pan and fry the garlic till brown. Add the onions and stir till that too turns brown. Add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, cook till soft but retain it's water. Add the Woscestersire sauce, and chilli sauce. Stir and keep aside.

Heat another non-stick pan and toss in whole spinach leaves with a pinch of salt. Cover till the spinach is fully cooked and leaves water. Remove the cover and let it's water evaporate. Add the maggi seasoning and stir it for another minute.

Heat the chicken for a minute in the microwave (if straight out of the fridge) or toss it in the same pan as the spinach. Plate the chicken and pour over the hot musroom sauce and toss the spinach on the side. Enjoy!

Bonus recipe idea for the vegetarians.

Toss the spinach in cooked rice. Make a veg cutlet. Plate the rice topped with the cutlets and musroom sauce. Want to get bolder. Add a half fried egg on top.

Chalo. Till the next post then. Enjoy the music.