Sunday, March 28, 2010

CHICKEN DO PYAZA


Ingredients:


1. Chicken: 750 gms.
2. Onion: 6-7 medium sized, finely chopped.
3. Green Chilli: keep fried separately for garnish.
4. Ginger Garlic paste: 1 tsp.
5. Oil to deep fry.
6. Fresh lemon juice, no added flavors: 2 tbsps.

Marination:

1. Curd: 2-3 tbsps.
2. Turmeric powder: ½ tsp.
3. Ginger Garlic paste: 2 tbsps.
4. Cumin powder: 2 tsp.
5. Coriander powder: 2 tsp.
6. Tomato puree: ¾ cup.
7. Fresh lemon juice, no added flavors: 1 tbsp.



Method:

1. Wash and clean the chicken and marinate well with the ingredients in such a way that the entire chicken is covered in the marination and set aside for ½ an hour.
2. Keep the onions in two halves.
3. Heat Oil in a pan and add ½ of ONE set of onions and fry properly.
4. Once fried add the marinated chicken on top of it.
5. Add the 2nd half of the 1st set of Onions on top of the chicken.
6. Put a tight lid and let it cook for 15-20 minutes.
7. Heat oil in another pan, here we are going to prepare the gravy.
8. Add the 2nd set of onions here; add a little sugar to get the color.
9. Once pinkish in color, add the ginger garlic paste.
10. Once the masala starts to separate add a little turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt.
11. When the thick gravy is done [no water], take off the lid from the chicken, and add the gravy.
12. Now keep stirring and cook for another 8-10 minutes, on low flame till a thick onion sauce is done.
13. Add the fresh lemon juice now and stir for another 5-10 minutes.
14. Once done, garnish it with the fried green chillies.
15. Serve hot with Parathas.


NOTE : Minute Maid Nimubu Fresh lemon juice concentrate can be used for the lemon juice, IT'S TRIED AND TESTED!!! :)

Friday, March 19, 2010

CHIRER PULAU / FLAKED RICE PULAU



INGREDIENTS:


1. Flaked Rice: 2 cups - washed and drained.
2. Pea nuts: 2 spoonfuls.
3. Onion: 1 medium, sliced into very small pieces.
4. Green Chillies: 2 – copped into small pieces.
5. Cauliflower: chopped into very small florets, ½ cup.
6. Peas: ½ cup.
7. Sugar: 2 tsps.
8. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp.
9. Salt to taste.
10. Oil to fry.
11. Ghee: 1 tsp. [Optional].
12. Bhujiya: for garnishing [Optional].

METHOD:

1. Heat Oil in a skillet.
2. Fry the onions till pinkish in color, add the sugar.
3. Add green chillies, pea nuts, cauliflower and peas and fry.
4. Add the turmeric powder.
5. Add the already washed and drained flaked rice.
6. Mix thoroughly so that each piece of flaked rice gets the yellowish tinge from the turmeric.
7. Add ghee.
8. Cook on medium flame for about 10 minutes.
9. Garnish with the Bhujiya.
10. Serve hot.

IT’S A GREAT BREAKFAST…!!!...Kids and grown ups alike love it!!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

CHINGRI MACHER MALAIKARI / PRAWNS IN COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS:


1. Prawns: 500 gms cleaned and deveined.
2. Onion: 1 medium, made into paste.
3. Green Chilli: 3-4, slit.
4. Ginger Paste: 1 tsp.
5. Garlic: 1 clove coarsely chopped.
6. Coconut Milk: 1 & ½ Cup.
7. Bay leaves: 2-3.
8. Cardamom: 4-5.
9. Cloves: 2-3.
10. Cinnamon: 1” stick.
11. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp [for marination and curry together].
12. Red Chilli Powder: ½ tsp.
13. Salt to taste.
14. Oil to fry.
15. A little Sugar.



METHOD:

1. Clean and devein the Prawns as mentioned earlier, drain excess water, apply turmeric and salt and keep aside for 30 mins.
2. Fry the prawns lightly till a tinge of golden in a skillet and set aside.
3. Pound the Cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.
4. In a skillet, out some oil and add the coarsely chopped garlic pieces, once you get the aroma of fried garlic, scoop out the garlic pieces as we want to use the garlic scented oil.
5. Add the bay leaves and the coarsely pounded Cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
6. Once it starts to crackle, add the onion paste and the little sugar so that onion gets a brownish texture.
7. Sauté for a minute or 2 and then and add the ginger paste, fry till oil starts to separate.
8. Add the coconut milk and very little water [as per your need]as we don’t want this gravy to be watery.
9. Add red chilli powder, little turmeric powder and salt to taste.
10. Add the slit green chillies.
11. Mix well and bring it to boil.
12. Add the already fried prawns.
13. Cover and cook on medium heat till prawns are done and the gravy attains a creamy thick texture.
14. Serve with steamed rice.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

MACHER KALIA / FISH CURRY


INGREDIENTS


1. Fish: cut into medium pieces – 500 gms.
2. Lime juice: 1 tbsp.
3. Onion: 1 medium, grind to paste.
4. Tomato: 1 medium, cut into very small pieces.
5. Ginger: 1 tbsp.
6. Garlic: 1 tsp.
7. Green Chilli: 3-4, slit.
8. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp.
9. Cumin Powder: 1 tsp.
10. Coriander Powder: 1tsp.
11. Bay Leaves: 2-3
12. Cardamom: 4-5
13. Cumin seeds: ½ tsp.
14. Yogurt: 2 tbsp.
15. Salt to taste.
16. Mustard oil.



METHOD


1. Clean fish, add salt and little turmeric powder and lime juice and keep aside for about 30 minutes.
2. Make a paste of the Onion.
3. In a Skillet, put for oil for frying and deep fry the fish pieces, till a little golden in color.
4. Heat some more Oil, add the bay leaves, cardamoms and cumin seeds and sauté till it starts to splutter.
5. Add onion and garlic paste, cook till oil starts to separate.
6. Add tomatoes and cook till it forms a smooth paste.
7. Add the dry masalas, cumin powder, coriander powder and the remaining turmeric powder.
8. Add the yogurt and salt.
9. Slowly, add the fried fish pieces and add a little water for the gravy.
10. Cook till fish is done and the gravy is thick.
11. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

CHATPATA CHICKEN




INGREDIENTS:


Marination:

1. Chicken: 1 kg, cut into medium pieces.
2. Dry Mango Powder [Amchur]: 2 tsps.
3. Lime juice: 1 tbsp.



Masala :

1. Onion seeds[Kalonji/Kalo Jeera]: 2 tsps.
2. Cumin seeds: 2 tsps.
3. Mustard seeds: 2 tsps.
4. Fennel Seeds [Snauf/Mouri]: 2 tsps.



Other Ingredients:

1. Onions: 3 to 4, sliced.
2. Ginger paste: 1 tbsp.
3. Garlic Paste: 2 tbsps.
4. Tomato Puree: ¾ th Cup.
5. Yogurt: 2 to 3 tbsps.
6. Vinegar: 1 tbsp.
7. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp.
8. Red chilli powder: 2 tsps.
9. Coriander Powder: 2 tbsps.
10. Salt to taste.
11. Oil.





METHOD:

1. Wash Chicken well and drain, apply Dry Mango Powder, lime juice and salt and let it marinate for an hour or so.
2. Roast the dry masalas, onion, mustard, fennel and cumin seeds in a pan and grind into powder.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions till transparent.
4. Add ginger and garlic paste and stir.
5. Add tomato puree.
6. Add turmeric, chilli and coriander powder, cook till the masalas start to separate from oil.
7. Add Chicken and mix well.
8. One by one add yogurt, vinegar and the roasted spices powder.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Cook till Chicken is done.
11. Serve hot with Rice or any Indian bread.

JEERA RICE .. Rice flavored with cumin seeds





INGREDIENTS :

1. Basmati Rice : 1 and ½ cups.
2. Cumin Seeds : 2 tsps.
3. Bay Leaf : 1 or 2.
4. Cardamom : 2
5. Cinnamon : 2 “ stick.
6. Ghee : 1 and ½ tsps.
7. Salt to taste.



METHOD :

1. Wash rice and soak in water for ½ an hour or a little more and drain excess water.
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
3. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin seeds.
4. When cumin seeds start to crackle, add the rice.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Mix well.
7. Add water ½” above the surface of rice.
8. Cook till 2 or 3 whistles in Cooker.
9. Serve hot.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Chicken Methi







Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 750 grams.
2. Onions - 2-3 medium sized, finely chopped.
3. Garlic paste - 2 tbsps.
4. Ginger paste - 1 tbsp.
5. Green Chilli - 3-4.
6. Bay leaves - 2.
7. Green Cardamom - 5-6.
8. Cloves - 3.
9. Cinnamon - 1” stick.
10. Black Peppercorns - 5.
11. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.
12. Red Chilli powder 1 tsp.
13. Coriander powder 1 tbsp.
14. Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp.
15. Yogurt - beaten with salt, 1 cup.
16. Dry Fenugreek leaves [Kasuri Methi]- 2 tbsps.
17. Oil for cooking.
18. Salt to taste.


Method:

1. Wash and clean Chicken and set aside.
2. Finely chop Onions and chillies.
3. Heat Oil in a Pan.
4. Add bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns. Sauté until cardamoms start to crackle.
5. Add Onions, cook till translucent and pinkish in color.
6. Add Ginger paste, Garlic paste, Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder and chopped green Chillies and sauté for a minute.
7. Add the beaten yogurt and Chicken pieces and cook for some time.
8. Add Kasuri Methi and add water.
9. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
10. Add Garam Masala powder and Salt and mix properly.
11. Serve hot.