Kashmiri Murg Makhani (Kashmiri Butter Chicken)

Three weeks of pure vegetarian food has finally come to an end and it was on special request by Father-in-law who could no longer manage with vegetarian food, however yummy it might be. So as a farewell meal, I decided to include both vegetarian and non vegetarian food in the menu to satisfy both the palate and the rituals. While it was Chena Kofta for Grandma, I prepared Kashmiri Makhani Gosht for the deprived non veggies. Oh! But Kashmiri Makhani Gosht calls for mutton and as I do not have access to good quality mutton, I rechristened it as Kashmiri Murg Makhani! However, if you have good quality mutton at hand, go ahead and prepare it the same way as I have cooked the chicken, except that mutton will need a few more whistles in the cooker.

Ingredients

500 gms chicken washed and cut

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tbsp + 1 tsp ginger juliennes

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dry ginger powder

1 tsp fennel seeds

3-4 tbsp yogurt whipped

1 tsp crushed kashmiri red chilli (I used red chilli flakes)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 each of cardamom, cloves, and cinammon roughly thrashed

6-8 black peppercorns

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

Direction

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter the cumin seeds and whole spices. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Now add the chicken and fry on a high to medium heat until slightly golden. Add the fennel seeds, salt, ginger powder, ginger juliennes, chilli powder and crushed chillies, and whipped yogurt and continue frying till the oil separates. Now add 1/2 cup warm water and 2 tbsp butter and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles until done (if using mutton, cook for about 5/6 whistles depending on how tender is the mutton). Let the pressure release completely and then transfer to a serving dish and garnish with a blob of butter and coriander leaves.

                                           

Kashmiri Rajma with Saffron Rice-- No Onion No Garlic

It has been a whirlwind of cooking and sightseeing in my household for the past two weeks with my in-laws visiting us and more importantly my husband's Grandmum. My husband was hardly around during their stay and so the entire responsibility of the household starting from groceries to sightseeing lay with me.  While it was fun at times with my baby especially enjoying the increased attention, it was quite taxing and stressful at others. Nevertheless, now it's hardly a week before they leave and so I am all geared up to make their stay memorable, food wise. 

Today's recipe is a wonderful combination from the valleys of Kashmir with keeping the no onion no garlic restriction intact. Kashmiri Pundits mostly do their cooking sans onion and garlic and yet churn out superbly yummy dishes which leave a lingering taste on your palate. So go ahead and surprise yourself and your family with this yummy delight!

                                        Aa

Ingredients

For the Rajma

1 1/2 cup rajma or red kidney beans, soaked overnight or at least for 6-7 hours

2 bay leaves

3 big tomatoes or 4 small, eyes removed and made into a puree in the blender

2 big tbsp coriander leaves

1 tbsp ginger grated

1 tsp red chilli powder

4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida or heeng

7-8 green cardamoms (skin removed), 5-6 cloves, 2-3 small pieces cinammon all ground to a fine powder. (Alternatively, you can also use 1 tbsp good quality garam masala)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

For the Saffron Rice

2 1/2 cups long grain basmati rice

2-3 generous pinch saffron

2 tbsp cold/warm milk (I used cold milk)

2 each of cloves, cinnamon, and cardamoms

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4 cups warm water (be sure to use the same measurement as you used to measure the rice)

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil (ghee gives it a taste lift)

Salt to taste

Optionally, you can use paneer cubes lightly sautéed (I did not have at hand)

Direction

For the Rajma

Wash the soaked rajma thoroughly and pressure cook with fresh water and the bay leaf until done. Keep aside and let it cool. 

In a pan, heat the oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Now lower the heat and add the heeng and grated ginger. Fry for 1-2 minutes and add the puree. Continue frying until the raw smell of the tomatoes disappear. Now add the chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix thoroughly and stir till oil starts coming out from the sides. Now with a slotted spoon, take out about 1/2 cup boiled rajma and mash it in a bowl. Add this to the gravy and stir well. Now add the remaining rajma reserving the liquid. Mix all the spices and the rajma well. Add the fresh coriander and the reserved liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the gravy to your desired consistency. Now add the ground garam masala and stir. Remove from heat and serve hot with the yummy Saffron Rice.

                                          

For the Saffron Rice

Wash and soak the rice for about 1/2 an hour. Thereafter, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander. Soak the saffron in the milk for about an hour and crush the strands a bit in order to infuse maximum color and flavor.

In a tight lid pan, heat the ghee and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Add the turmeric powder and the drained rice and stir for a min till the turmeric raw smell disappears. Now add the saffron milk, paneer pieces (if using), salt, and water. Close the lid tightly and cook on a medium flame until the rice is cooked. Fork the rice in between to ensure uniform cooking.

Alternatively, you can transfer the entire contents onto an electric rice cooker and cook till done. Enjoy with the yummy Rajma or curry of your choice. 

                                        

Kashmiri Dum Aaloo- No Onion No Garlic

I have now kind of got used to the no onion no garlic cooking. While some dishes are being missed, the craving is slowly getting milder with each passing day. In fact, to think of it, it's not that bad a deal either. I am getting to try some new and interesting recipes and also making my elders happy by serving them good food. Blessings are always the most essential element for a happy and peaceful life and am glad I am getting ample of it through my food.

Ingredients

20-25 baby potatoes 

3 tbsp beaten yogurt

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds (use shahjeera if available)

1 tbsp fennel seeds, roasted and ground to a fine powder

1 tbsp dry ginger powder (can use regular ginger paste in the absence of this)

1/4 tsp heeng (asafoetida)

2 each of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon

5-7 black peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 cup hot water

1/2 tsp sugar (optional; Bongs cannot leave this ingredient out)

1 tbsp mustard oil

Direction

Wash the baby potatoes and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and let it cool. Now prick the potatoes with a fork and smear some salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 10 minutes. 

Heat the oil and fry the potatoes until golden on all sides. Remove from oil and keep in the dish you are going to serve. In the same oil, splutter the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Now add the chilli powder and heeng and stir for a sec before adding about 2-3 tbsp water. This is to ensure that the masalas don't get burnt. Now remove the pan from fire and add the beaten yogurt. Mix well before returning the pan back on flame. High  heat sometimes curdles the yogurt resulting in a weird taste. Now add the fennel powder and dry ginger powder and stir. Add the fried potatoes and mix the masalas well. Add 1 cup hot water and salt and cook on slow flame for 15-20 minutes tightly covered without releasing the steam. 

Remove the cover and add the sugar, if using. If the gravy is too watery, dry up the excess liquid till you get desired consistency. Best eaten with veg pulao or steamed rice and/or paratha/naan/poori.

                                     

Dahi Baingan (Brinjal/Aubergine in Yogurt Sauce)

Brinjal is not quite one of the vegetables that I look forward to eating. However, this recipe by one of my blogger friends, Farrukh Shadab, definitely inspired me to make this dish and, I must admit, I am quite happy with the result. If you love brinjal, then this recipe is a must try for you. If you don't, even then you should give it a try, like I did, and completely fell in love with it.

Ingredients

3 brinjals, the long variety

3 tbsp yogurt, whipped

1 tsp grated ginger or ginger powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp fennel powder

5 cardamoms

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp asafoetida/hing

Salt to taste

Oil

Directions

Slit the brinjals length wise and keep aside. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and shallow fry the brinjals. Remove from oil and keep aside. In the same oil, add the hing and the cardamoms. Fry for few seconds. Add the dry spices, chilli powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and very little water and fry till the paste starts leaving oil. Tip in the fried brinjals and give a light stir. Ensure that the brinjals do not get mushy. Now add the beaten yogurt and mix well. Add salt and sugar and cover cook on low heat for some time till the gravy gets dry. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain rice or roti.