One dish meal( well almost), no oil dish all rolled into one

Like I mentioned in my last post: I was in the process of making chicken stew for dinner as I was writing the post. Yes, it is that simple and as with baking pressure cooking ensures you can do other things while your food is cooking( cock your ears for the whistle and turn it to low flame or switch it off depending on how long the dish needs to cook). And then the pressure cooker needs a cool off time which gives you and additional 5/10 minutes. Well, the stew got done, was consumed and a happy man and two boys are fast asleep.

I know I have said this in earlier blogs but I just have to say it again: I love one dish wholesome meals. The ones that are nutritious and get done with out too many ingredients or too much fuss. Khichdi, Pulao, Chinese Konji etc. etc. So not surprising that Chicken Stew is something I like to make on cold wintery evenings. Winter is just about setting in and this was the season's first stew so good reason to blog about it.

Chicken Stew

Ingredients

Chicken: 300 grams( you could use all the pieces that people don't like eating as a curry like the neck and other boney pieces. I keep these pieces separately for stew and soups)

Onion: 1/2, quartered

Beans: 4/5, cut into 1 inch long pieces

Carrot: 1/2, cut into 1 inch long pieces

Potato: 4, peeled and halved

Peas: 1/2 a tea cup

Bay leaf: 1/2

Whole pepper:5/6

Freshly ground pepper: 1 tsp

Capsicum: 1/2 a capsicum cut into small cubes( This addition was thanks to "Knife", years ago in the pre-blog world when we were discussing this recipe he suggested I add capsicum towards the end to give the stew a nice flavor. Thanks Knife)

Method

• Pressure the chicken pieces with 4/5 cups of water, quartered onions, bay leaves, whole pepper, potatoes and 1 tsp salt. Give it one whistle and let the cooker cool naturally
• Open the pressure cooker add carrots, beans, peas and put it back on the flame. Simmer for a few minutes. Let the vegetables cook in the chicken stock for a while. Don't overcook them, they should be a little crunchy when you finally bite into them.
• Once the vegetables are cooked add the capsicum and some freshly ground pepper. Cook for another two minutes.
• Serve piping hot with brown bread and herbed butter

Store the leftover chicken stew in the refrigerator( try and cook this in larger quantity to ensure you have some of it leftover). Next day heat up the stew, add some boiled noodles to it and Voila you have your very own Thukpa. Thukpa is a hearty tibetan noodle soup. It is a wonderfully nourishing and warming dish. I managed to sample it in a Tibetan home( thanks to a really wonderful host) during my recent trip to Laddakh. So Thukpa it shall be for tomorrow's dinner. Psst! Surprise for the family.

P.S: And did you notice there is just no oil in that dish. That does not take away from the flavor or taste. You have my word for it.

Till then Happy Cooking and Bon Apetit!