CRAVINGS RAVINGS // CRISPY CHICKEN TENDERS

One hot and golden afternoon called for another hot and golden beauty: these delicious tenders you see right here! They are beaaaaaautifully crisp and irresistibly tender inside. Unlike so many other versions we know we've all come across, these are not bland at all and are packed with lots and lots of flavor owing to some great spices. All that paired with the most delectable sauce on the side! Now we're talking!

CRISPY CHICKEN TENDERS
Serves: 4 (generously)

Ingredients :

1.Buttermilk (as required)
2.Salt to taste
3.Cajun powder - 1 tbsp for the marinade + 3 tbsp for the coating
4. Onion powder -1 tbsp for the marinade + 3 tbsp for the coating
5.Garlic Powder + Garlic and Herb Seasoning -1 tbsp for the marinade + 3 tbsp for the coating
6. White pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp for the marinade + 2 tbsp for the coating
7.Panko breadcrumbs (YES! You need to use Panko!) (1.5 - 2 cups)
8.Hot paprika -1 tsp for the marinade + 1 tbsp for the coating
9.Cayenne pepper powder/chili powder- as hot you'd want to make it (You can also sub red chili sauce if you can tackle the heat)
10.Sugar - 1 tbsp for the coating
10.500 g (a pound) of chicken fillet slit diagonally into thin strips
11. Oil to deep fry

Ingredients(for the sauce)

-2 tbsp regular mayo + 2 tbsp chili mayo ( I used Heinz)
-1 tbsp regular mustard
-1 tsp honey
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp bbq sauce (optional)

Garnish (optional):
A dash of lemon juice + a sprinkle of parsley flakes

Here's how:

1.Make sure your strips are cut evenly so that the cooking is uniform throughout. Marinate them in just enough buttermilk to soak the chicken. Add in all the spices (in the quantities specified for the marination) to the buttermilk and refrigerate for 3 hours to get the chicken beautifully tender.

2.In a ziplock bag, add the breadcrumbs and all the spices again and the sugar (according to the quantities specified for the coating) and shake thoroughly. Set the pan of medium-low heat and test if the oil is hot enough to fry in by sprinkling a bit of the coating mix in the oil and if it fizzes, we're good to go.

3.Place the marinated chicken (in batches) in the ziplock bag and shake till just coated. Individually place them in the oil and don't overcrowd even if tempted (because that is a sure way to make the coating separate and we don't want that happening, right?)

4.Fry evenly on both sides until golden brown. Garnish with a little drizzle of lemon juice and parsley flakes. Dish out on a pretty paper napkin and serve immediately with the sauce.

You NEED to try this. Let me know in the comments if you do. And don't forget to pin to let other people have a chance to relish too!

Too often, recipes call for flavoring only the coating with spcies but really just season with salt and pepper the actual chicken while marinating in buttermilk or brining. That's fine but if you want a bomb of a flavor, you do not do this. Repeat with me : We don't just season with salt and pepper.

PS: (You can also use dressing like Ranch or French. But do, do, please try out the sauce I put up right here for you. It's a winner, I promise.)

I haven't tried baking these as an alternative to deep frying but if you give it a try, I'm sure they'll turn out just as delicious.

Have a brilliant week ahead. xo

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THE DECORISTA CHRONICLES // 4 ROOM DECOR IDEAS YOU NEED TO TRY!

Let's start with a drumroll! Four delicious projects you can use to give your room a glam update! These are all whimsical projects which add a classy or dreamy flair and they are all terribly simple. I've gotten inspired by Bando so much recently, decided on buying their gorgeous agenda and while that arrives, I'll make do with some DIY bando themed projects. That being said, Kate Spade is still on my wishlist but her lovely storage boxes are way out of my budget considering all of the other art supplies I'm continually purchasing. That is where Gold Spray Paint comes in - our Xena Warrior Princess for everything DIY and everything Kate Spade inspired.

We are making everything from dainty bell jars to house your prettiest accessories or craft supplies to hidden hollow book storage that is so cheery it will always put you in a good mood. Next we'll be moving onto dressing your ceiling with some greens that can are easy to install and easy to remove. Great for parties or just for seasonal room decor for a fresh burst of the outdoors :a hanging origami garden! In the end, we'll wield that gorgeous can of gold spray paint, add hot pink and orange accents and with a little help from Ikea, craft some fabulous storage to hide all your treasures in.

Let's get started, shall we?

DIY WHIMSICAL BELL JAR

You'll need:

-An empty glass jar.
We will be inverting this later so make sure there is no text embossed at the bottom of the jar. If there is you might probably have to cover it up with either fabric or wrapping paper. I used an empty tomato puree jar and it was just the right size to upcycle without any text at the bottom.

-A saucer or the lid of a discarded container. I used the lid of a cotton swabs container.

-A ring or a small bauble. You could use a decorative bead or faux pearls

-Heavy-duty glue/glue gun

-Lace or washi tape

What you'll do:

1.Begin by sanitizing the jar and the lid and then drying it. Next invert it and eyeball the center of the base. Glue down the ring or the faux pearl at the center.

2.If you're using a saucer, skip this step but if you're using a lid then, again, invert it and along the circumference run some lace or washi tape to add a touch of fancy. Additionally you can also spray paint the saucer/lid in a metallic color or neon.

3.Add in your display items to your new belljar. I think lipsticks would look the cutest as displays. What do you think? ;)

DIY HOLLOW BOOK STORAGE

CRAVINGS RAVINGS //SPICY FISH FRY

If you're not an Indian or someone from Asia and can't handle a bit of spice this isn't for you. Orrrrrr....mayyyyyy-be you've been waiting for this recipe all your life to change your opinion on spicy food. I'd just read the other day that eating spicy food triggers endorphins in our system. Is that true? I don't really care. I've only got proof of one thing.

This right here is ah-mayyy-zing.

And don't worry, if you're really all that concerned of steam escaping from your ears then you could tone down the heat. For Indians, this is our regular spicy. I live amidst a sea of Arabs and a lot of my pals just cannot handle even a tiny bit of heat and before they finish even a bite, rush to the basin to gargle it all out.

I mean, c'mon. This shouldn't be spicier than hot buffalo wings though if you're into that sort of thing. Everyone is, right, right?! Enough droning on and on at the intro now. Let's dive into it! :D

Growing up, mum made this hundreds of times on popular demand. Always with a side of tomato chutney and white rice. Bread works wonderfully as well and I prefer mine with bread. Dad and I love ours with freshy squeezed lemon on top of the fish's crusty exterior. Yum. You'll want to make sure you have good quality fish fillet for this otherwise it would ruin the whole experience. That's always the case with fish, isn't it?This dish would be made exclusively on Fridays at our place. I think that made it more special. Heck, I could eat this non-ceremoniously past bedtime and it would still feel special. Want to be made felt special? Here's how:

SPICY FISH FRY
Succulent bites with a kick
...............................................

Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

-500g fish fillet
-1 tsp red chili powder
-3/4 tsp green chili paste (or blend up a paste of 3 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves and 2 green chilis)
-1/4th tsp turmeric powder
-1 tbsp ginger garlic paste. (You can also sub 50:50 of finely grated ginger and garlic)
-1 tsp coriander/cilantro powder
-1/2 tsp garam masala powder
-A pinch of ajwain (Carom seeds in English. You can sub oregano instead)
-Salt to taste
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-Vegetable oil for deep frying

For garnishing:
-1 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro and mint leaves + Lemon wedges

How to:
1. Wash the fish fillet and cut it up into medium sized chunks (2-3 in.)
2.Marinate the fish in all the ingredients except the oil and set aside for an hour in the fridge.
3.Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish on medium heat until golden-brown on either side.
4.Drain on a paper towel and serve hot garnished with coriander, mint and lemon wedges.

And there you have it. Congratulations. You've just pampered yourself like the true princess (prince?) that you are.

If you liked this recipe don't forget to pin and share. Thank you for staying with me in this little rave session. And oh oh, I'm doing a new DIY round up of some of the prettiest room decor projects I've been curating. Stay tuned for that (it's taking longer than I thought) and if you're curious, you can follow along the behind the scenes of those on my Instagram page. It's a lively little place to visit. :D

Have a look at my other recipes here. Biryani anyone?

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