Grilled Garlic Chicken

I like to call myself a non-practising non-vegetarian. This is because I don't have a problem with meat per se, only with pork, fish and seafood, I hate the smell, and with beef and mutton, it's too chewy. But my biryani must be mutton, I love murg malai kababs, have adored the beef broth soups I ate in Colombia, and am generally happy to pick the meat out and eat. This of course leads people to look at me in shock and say 'you're vegetarian???' or mock me by calling me a fake vegetarian or asking me whether I am vegetarian today. Pffft to them I say ;)

Chicken Meatballs

You can add any gravy you like to these, from spaghetti sause to szechuan sauce. Just be careful not to overdo them or they will be rubbery and dry.

• Chicken mince (I use lean) - 1/2 kg
• Garlic paste/minced fresh - 3 tsp
• Ginger paste/minced fresh - 3tsp
• Green chillies finely chopped
  (you can seed them too if you want) - 2 medium sized
• Paprika - 1tsp
• salt/pepper - to taste
• lemon jiuce - 1 tsp
• oregano - tsp

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure it is well mixed. Use your hands, they are way more effective. Once meat is evenly flavoured (i would recommend touching a tiny bit to your tongue to make sure that they taste ok) form into... ahem.. balls. I like big... ahem.. balls, mostly because i get impatient, but you can make itty bitty bite sized ones if you dont mind standing around for ages.

Arrange on a baking sheet or tin or whatever you usually use. I cook this is a microwave, so i use glass. Shove into heating device. Now here you will have to guess what heat will work best. It takes me twelve minutes to get these perfect in my microwave. The idea is to get them to sizzle. Tun them over about halfway through, and wait till they brown lightly but still look juicy and wet before you take them out.

I apologise for the lewdness of this recipie.

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar

Alritey then! I 'invented' this dish a few weeks ago, and it really does come out lovely. Its also ridiculously easy and very quick.

Prep time (including chopping) - 10 Mins

• Boneless Chicken Breasts - as many as you want, either dice them or cut them into strips. I usually dice, but whatever shape is cool.
• Green Onions - 2 for every chicken breast, sliced small right upto the ends.
• Garlic - Either fresh or paste. If fresh say about two cloves for each breast, and if paste about half a tsp for each breast.
• Balsamic Vinegar - This depends on how strongly flavoured you want it. I usually keep pouring until the chickens turns a nice dark reddish colour. Id recommend, on average, 3 tbls per breast.
• Salt/Pepper/Chilli powder or flakes - To taste.
• Olive Oil - 1 tbls.

Heat olive oil in a wok. Add onions and garlic and saute untill onions soften. Add chicken, and cook on a high flame until it browns lightly. Switch to low flame and add Balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper/chilli, and stir until the chicken is evenly coloured.

Remove and serve.

*You can also add chopped celery or any other leafy veggie just before the vinegar stage.