‘Bread Baskets’

As we always have a mix of vegetarians and and non-vegetarians over for any get together, I made this recipe to suit both groups making potatoes for the former and chicken for the latter as fillings.

This is a two part recipe:  filling and baskets.

Ingredients for filling:

4 red or white potatoes

1 piece chicken breast meat, 2 pieces thigh/leg meat (I used boneless)

1 tsp garam masala

4 Tbsps olive oil

1-2 large onions

4 Tbsps olive oil.

2 Tbsps ketchup

1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp grated/finely chopped garlic

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander.

1 tsp jeera powder.

Pinch of haldi (for each)

Salt and chilli powder to taste

Procedure:            

1.  Boil potatoes ( I used medium sized red ones). Cut into small cubes.

2.  Cook chicken with salt and 1 tsp garam masala till done ( I get a whole roasted chicken sometimes and chop/shred the meat into small pieces.)

Heat 4 Tbsps olive oil (any oil will do) in a pan.

Fry 1-2 large onions chopped medium fine to golden brown. ( total should be 2 cup fulls)

Remove ¾ of fried onions to a bowl.

Add ketchup, ginger and garlic, chilli powder and pepper to taste, fresh coriander/haridhania. (chopped green chillies  for potatoes are optional)

Fry till all liquid is absorbed and masala looks like medium thick chutney.

Divide masala into two pans.

Put potatoes in one, chicken in the other.

Add 1 Tsp jeera powder to chicken only.

Mash half of the potato slightly with back of spoon as it is frying.

Make sure chicken is tender enough so that when mixed pieces are almost like shredded chicken.

Fry both till all remaining liquid is absorbed...this has to be dry so it won’t seep through container!

Add salt to taste (remember chicken was cooked with salt).

Squeeze 1  tsp. lime juice over potatoes.

Mix onions that were set aside to both dishes.

Taste.  

Cool completely.

For the bread baskets:

24 slices brown bread (You can use different types of bread if you want. for variety….

I used multigrain for this recipe.)

½ a stick of butter.

Muffin pans...I used both large and small.

I make the bread baskets while the potatoes and chicken are cooking.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Take slices of bread and roll them out with a rolling pin.

(mine rolled out to 1 mm with one roll using slight pressure)

Cut with a three inch cookie cutter/ or katori.

Brush both sides with butter melted in the microwave for 20 seconds.

(I smeared it with my fingertips as it spread better.)

Place in muffin pans pressing down lightly to form baskets and bake at 350 for 10 mins.

Make sure they don’t burn.

Rim will turn brown though sides don’t change color much with brown bread.

Remove and cool.  (Even though they seem soft when you take them out they harden as they cool...I kept mine four hours to get the desired stiffness.)

Store in plastic bag or airtight container if making a day ahead.

Re-heat in toaster oven if you want to before you fill and serve.

Just before serving fill with chicken or potatoes.

For those who eat meat, fill with half chicken and half potato for a delicious combination.

TIPS

I made both small and large baskets in small and large muffin pans to see the outcome.

My cutter for the small ones was a 2” ‘masala dabba’ container. Using a smaller one will help fit it easier into the small muffin pan...I had to do a fold in three places to fit it in.

My cutter for the large one was a 3” ‘katori’/stainless steel bowl and it fit perfectly into the large muffin pan.

The larger ones were easier to fill and made two mouthfuls, the small ones needed a little more time and care to fill.

Other tasty filling ideas: fried mince/keema with masala of your choice, cold potato salad/chicken salad, any left over vegetables or meat dishes that are dry.

The bread gives a sweetness and the filling a spiciness that go well together.

Bread baskets get firm after four hours so do plan ahead when making this.

Easy to pick up and eat as a ‘finger food’.