Healthy Butter Chicken

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

1. 1kg chicken breasts cut to bite size

2. 500g cherry tomatoes chopped

3. 8 garlic cloves chopped

4. 4 shallot onions chopped

5. 2-4 slices of ginger (depending on your taste bud :-))

6. 20-50g butter (depending on your taste bud :-))

7. 2 TBS cooking oil x 2

8. A handful of roasted cashew nuts (optional)

9. Chopped chives (for garnishing)

10. 200ml natural yogurt 0.1% fat

11. 50ml fresh cream (piskefløde)

Chicken tendering process (optional):

1. 2 TBS baking soda

Chicken marinade:

1. 2 TBS Garam Masala powder

2. 50ml natural yogurt 0.1% fat

3. 1 tsp salt

4. Sprinkle of pepper

Sauce:

1. 2 TBS Garam Masala powder

2. 1/2 tsp coriander powder

3. 1/2 tsp cumin powder

4. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

5. 50ml natural yogurt

6. 1 tsp salt

7. Sprinkle of pepper

Directions:

I. Tenderize the chicken (optional):

1. In a large bowl, mix chicken with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and set aside for 20 mins. in the fridge.

2. Wash and rinse off the baking soda with water.

II. Marinade the chicken:

1. Marinade the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of garam masala powder and 50ml natural yogurt and mix well.

3. Set aside for 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

III. Roast Cashew nuts (optional)

Method 1:

Heat a pan with medium high heat (no. 6 on my stove) and roast cashew nuts until fragrant.

Method 2:

Heat oven to 175 degree celisus and bake cashew nuts on a tray laid with baking paper for 8 minutes or until fragrant.

IV. Prepare the spice mix:

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoon of garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder each and mix well.

V. Cook the chicken:

1. Heat pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 20g butter (optional) add 2 cloves of garlic chopped fry until golden.

2. Add 1kg of chicken breasts and fry until golden, but it doesn't have to be cooked and set aside.

VI. Make the sauce:

1. Heat pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and add 6 chopped garlic cloves and chopped 2 slices of chopped ginger and fry until golden.

2. Add 4 chopped shallot onions and fry until golden.

4. Add spices (2 tablespoons of garam masala powder and 1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder each) and fry until fragrant for about 1 minute.

5. Add 500g of chopped tomatoes and fry and cooked until soft.

6. Unless you have a powder blender, remove the 2-4 slices of ginger.

7. Blend it with a handheld blender.

VII. Make butter chicken dish:

1. In a pot, add the butter chicken sauce and bring to boil.

2. Add the 1kg of chicken and bring to boil, and then simmer.

3. Add 200ml natural yogurt, mix well and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Add the handful of roasted cashew nuts and mix well (optional)

5. Add 50ml of fresh cream (piskefløde) (optional)

6. Garnish it with chopped chives.

Additional Information:

Our family loves butter chicken. This dish can actually be very healthy and nutritious if you make it with natural ingredients. 

But if you don't have the time, you can use a can of tomatoes, garlic powder and ginger powder instead.

 To make it even healthier, you can do without the butter and the cream, and it will still taste very good :-) I sometimes add a bit of butter and sometimes I do without it.

References:

https://gourministeriet.dk/cremet-butter-chicken/?fbclid=IwAR1kZWuMiHsP7bm1ryhYTMoPxxgf0rOqwdv-GBpNPWJW5YpocsHOpeOVsHg

I. Tenderize the chicken (optional):

In a large bowl,

mix chicken with 2 tablespoons of baking soda

and set aside for 20 mins. in the fridge. Remember to  wash and rinse off the baking soda after that.

II. Marinade the chicken:

After washing and rinsing off the baking soda from the chicken, add 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Add 2 tablespoons of garam masala powder (optional)

Mix well.

Add 50ml natural yogurt.

Mix well and set in the fridge for 15 - 30 mins.

III. Roast Cashew nuts (optional):

Method 1:

Heat a pan with medium high heat (no. 6 on my stove) and roast cashew nuts until fragrant.

Method 2:

Heat oven to 175 degree celisus and bake cashew nuts on a tray laid with baking paper for 8 minutes or until fragrant.

IV. Prepare the spice mix:

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of garam masala.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder

Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

V. Cook the chicken:

Heat pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and

add 2 chopped garlic cloves and fry until golden.

Add 1kg of chicken breasts

and fry until golden on medium high heat (no. 7 on my stove), but it doesn't have to be cooked and set aside.

VI. the sauce:

Heat pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil

and 20g butter (optional)

add 6 cloves of garlic chopped fry until golden.

Add chopped ginger and fry until fragrant.

Add 4 chopped shallot onions and

fry until golden.

Add spices (2 tablespoons of garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder each) and

fry until fragrant for about 1 minute.

Add 500g of chopped tomatoes and

fry and cooked until soft. Then unless you have a power blender, remove the 2-4 slices of ginger before blending!!

 Blend it with a handheld blender.

VII. Make the butter chicken dish:

In a pot, add the butter chicken sauce and bring to boil.

Add back the chicken and

bring to boil, and then simmer.

Add 200ml natural yogurt, mix well and 

let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the handful of roasted cashew nuts and mix well (optional)

Garnish it with chopped chives.

Add 50ml fresh cream (piskefløde) and mix well)

Serve with rice or nan bread and a side vegetable of your choice :-)

White Pizza with Potato

 

Ingredients:

White sauce:

1. 100g philadelphia cream cheese

2. 100g sour cream (creme fraiche)

3. 1 egg yolk (optional)

4. Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings:

1. 1 onion sliced thinly

2. 1 potato sliced thinly

3. 2 button mushrooms sliced thinly

4. 250g grated mozzarella cheese (optional)

5. A dash of dried rosemary

Others:

1. 2 TBS Olive oil

2. 1 Pizza dough

Directions:

1. For best results, toss potato slices in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake in oven for 10 minutes at 200 degree Celsius.

2. On the pizza dough, spread the white sauce mixture.

3. Top with button mushroom, onion, mozzarella cheese (optional), potato and sprinkling of dried rosemary.

4. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven at 250 degree Celsius or until the cheese has melted. Watch and adjust according.

5. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil and salt on top and serve :-)

Additional Information:

Little FECS got tired of pizza with tomato sauce. In Denmark white pizza with potatoes are very popular - a Danish invention. We tried this and the kids love it. I am recording down the recipe for future reference. You can also use 200g of mascarpone cream cheese instead of philadelphia cream cheese and sour cream.

References:

https://anna-mad.dk/kartoffelpizza-med-mascarpone-og-rosmarin/

https://marialottes.dk/kartoffelpizza-med-mascarpone-og-rosmarin/

https://www.valdemarsro.dk/hvid-pizza-med-kartoffel-og-rosmarin/

https://meyers.dk/opskrifter/kartoffelpizza-med-rosmarin/p/71567/

https://mariavestergaard.dk/kartoffelpizza-3/

Danish Pasta with Meat Sauce (Pasta med kødsauce) Made from Scratch

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 500g minced beef

2. 500 g cherry tomatoes diced
3. 2 cloves garlic minced
4. 2 large onions diced

5. 2 TBS olive oil 

6. 2 TBS canola cooking oil or butter or a mixture of both
7. 2 TBS dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil leaves and/or a mixture of all

8. 2 TBS paprika (optional)

9. 1/2 lemon juiced

10. 100ml red wine

11. A handful of basil leaves

12. A few stalks of thyme (optional)

13. Salt & pepper to taste

14. 1 dried date pitted

15. 4 Servings of pasta

Directions:

1. Marinade the minced beef with salt and pepper (optional step), mix well and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.

3. Heat pan with 2 TBS Canola cooking oil or butter or half/half, fry garlic until golden.

4. Add a handful of fresh thyme, fresh rosemary and fresh basil leaves and fry until fragrant.

5. Add onion and fry until golden.

6. Turn up heat to high, add beef and quickly fry until brown but not fully cooked. 

7. Add red wine, turn heat down, bring to simmer and cook under low heat as you don't want to overcooked the beef.

7. Add fresh tomatoes (or a can of pasta sauce if you prefer).

8. Add lemon juice and mix well.

9. Add salt, pepper, paprika, dried oregano or more thyme/basil leaves as desired.

10. Add 2 TBS olive oil, stir and mix well.

11. Cover and let it simmer under low fire for 1-2 hours to give a more intense taste. If it dries up, add water as desired.

12. Remove the used thyme from the sauce.

13. Bring to boil a pot of water and cook spaghetti according to package instructions.

14. Dish up on spaghetti and serve with meat sauce and grated cheese.

Additional Information:

As mentioned in the previous post, spaghetti with meat sauce is a staple dish in Denmark, especially popular with Danish kids during play date if the kid is staying for dinner. This recipe shows how to make it from scratch without using can tomatoes, etc. It is best to use fresh ingredients, the less processed the food, the better. Our family also likes to add minced carrots to the meat sauce after the fire is turned off to give it an additional crunch. We serve it with grated mozzarella cheese, and grated parmesan cheese, but this is optional.

References:

https://www.valdemarsro.dk/spaghetti-bolognese/

https://gourministeriet.dk/vores-favorit-bolognese/

https://madensverden.dk/nem-og-god-sovs-til-koed-grundopskrift/

https://spisbedre.dk/opskrifter/spaghetti-med-kodsauce-og-ekstra-gront

https://madensverden.dk/verdens-bedste-italienske-kodsovs/

https://mariavestergaard.dk/koedsovs/

https://madenimitliv.dk/2015/01/koedsauce/

I like to use cherry tomatoes as they are more flavorful. These are bought from Netto or Føtex.

You can buy the European herbs from Netto supermarket. Above are thyme (timian) and rosemary (rosmarin)

This is the Danish basil (Basilikum)

Here you have the organic parsley (persille), dill (dild) and basil leaves (basilikum)

Here are the non-organic parsley (persille), dill (dild) and chives (purløg)

These are the dried basil leaves (basilikum) from Netto.

Marinade the minced beef with salt and pepper.

Add a tablespoon of soy sauce to the marinade (optional). Refrigerate until you are ready to cook it.

Mince onion with a food processor or by hand.

Heat pan and add 1 tablespoons of cooking oil.

and 1 tablespoon of butter.

Add minced garlic and fry until fragrant.

Add basil leaves and fry until fragrant.

Add thyme and/or rosemary and fry until fragrant.

Add onion and fry until golden and fragrant.

Add minced beef and

Turn up heat to high, add beef and quickly fry until brown but not fully cooked. 

Add 100ml of red wine, turn heat down, bring to simmer and cook under low heat as you don't want to overcooked the beef.

I use a IKEA's measuring cup for the red wine.

Add 500g fresh tomatoes while the beef is still cooking. (If you are worried you may overcooked the meat, you could dish out the meat first, while cooking the tomatoes.)

Add 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil or a mixture of all.

Add juice of 1/2 lemon

Add a dried date pitted or a teaspoon of sugar for sweetness.

Add salt and 

pepper to taste.

Add two tablespoon of olive oil into the sauce and stir well. It adds flavor and give it a nice texture.

Let the sauce simmer for 1-2 hours to get a more intense taste. If it dries up, add some water as desired.

After an hour, take a look.

Adjust with more paprika, stir and mix well to get a redder color.

 Discard the used thyme.

Now it's done :-)

We like to switch off the fire and add raw grated carrots into the meat sauce and stir. It adds an extra crunch that my family likes and the increase the vitamin contents naturally as well :-)

To cook pasta:

Bring to boil a large pot of water, add a bit of olive oil.

Add salt.

Add pasta.

Cook pasta according to instructions in the package, normally about 8-9 minutes.

If you wish to save time when having guests, add spaghetti into the meat sauce.

Mix well.

Dish it out into a common serving dish.

Serve on an individual plate, sprinkle parmesan cheese and garnish with basil leaves.

Bon appetite :-)