Alsa or Aleesa is a famous Malabar dish which is served as a starter during festivities like marriages and also for religious celebrations like Eid. It’s also been one of the major recipes served during the holy Ramzan season for Ifthar. Aleesa is a Persian dish and has similarities to the Haleem recipe popular across Hyderabad and Hareeza in Kashmir. Chicken Aleesa can be prepared easily at home. Take a look at the list of ingredients required and the detailed narration of the preparation of delicious Aleesa.
Alsa or Chicken Aleesa Recipe
Ingredients for Alsa or Chicken Aleesa Recipe:
- Broken wheat – 1 cup ( medium-sized)
- Boneless chicken – Half cup of sliced Chicken pieces
- Thick coconut milk – 2 cups (medium-sized)
- Garlic – 2 cloves (crushed into small pieces)
- Ginger – 1 small piece or half teaspoon (crushed into small pieces)
- Bay leaf – 1 Number
- Black pepper – 2 Numbers
- Salt for the taste
- Onion – 1 Small sized (sliced into small pieces)
- Cinnamon – 1 stick (medium-sized)
- Cloves – 3 to 4 (medium-sized)
- Cardamom – 3 Numbers
- Water for cooking
Ingredients for garnishing
- Ghee – One tablespoon
- Onion – One Small Sized (Slied into small pieces)
- Cashew nuts – 6 to 8 Numbers
- Raisins – 6 to 8 Numbers
- Jaggery – Powdered for garnishing
Method of making Alsa or Chicken Aleesa Recipe:
Step 1: Wash the broken wheat and soak it in water for half an hour, this makes it soft. It would be ideal to keep it for one hour.
Step 2: Now take a pressure cooker and transfer the soaked broken wheat into it.
Step 3: Add the sliced chicken pieces. Take a Jali and add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, bay leaf and cardamom. Keep it in the cooker along with the broken wheat. This will allow us to remove these spices after cooking the mixture.
Step 4: Add some salt as per the taste and the sliced onion pieces. Pour some water for the ingredients to be cooked.
Step 5: Keep the cooker on the stove and wait for up to 3 whistles.
Step 6: As these ingredients are getting cooked, place a cooking pan on the stove and add some ghee for making the garnishing for Aleesa.
Step 7: Now add the cashew and raisins, saute them for some time. Once it’s fried and ready, take it off the pan and keep it aside.
Step 8: Transfer the finely sliced onion pieces onto the pan and saute them to a golden brown colour. Once it is ready, take it away from the pan along with the ghee and keep it aside.
Step 9: By this time, the ingredients in the cooker will be cooked perfectly. Remove the Jali containing the spices. Make use of a spoon in crushing the ingredients in the cooker. You can also use a mixie in grinding the mixture to get it thicker.
Step 10: Now transfer the cooked ingredients from the cooker onto the pan.
Step 11: Pour the thick coconut milk and heat it on a medium flame. Use a spatula or a spoon and continuously stir the mixture.
Step 12: Wait for about 10 to 15 minutes as the mixture becomes thick.
Step 13: When it’s ready, transfer it to a serving bowl.
Step 14: Garnish it by sprinkling the powdered jaggery. Also add the fried cashews, raisins and sauteed onion pieces. Sprinkle a few drops of ghee over it.
Step 15: Delicious Aleesa dish is ready and you can serve it for Ramadan or for any occasion.
While cooking the ingredients in a pressure cooker, it’s ideal to wait for 3 whistles. But if you choose to have the ingredients be more cooked and soft, keep it for up to 4 whistles. Using a mixie in grinding the cooked wheat and meat would give a much more soft and thick recipe. Aleesa is a delicious dish which can also be served for any special occasion when relatives and friends make a visit.
