Royale Hyderabadi Chicken

It has been just a day since my In-Laws have left and I am all ready to welcome my second set of relatives, just for dinner though. At first, the thought of cooking an elaborate meal really pulled my spirits down as I am quite exhausted and tired of three weeks' continuous cooking. However, I came across this wonderful recipe on one of my google pursuits and immediately my spirits touched the sky and then there was no sitting back. With just an overview of the recipe, I knew it is a winner and sure it is! Although it took me more time and effort to make it, I was happy at the end of it all. After all, it is the only star of the evening to be served with Bengali Mishti Pulao, to balance the spiciness of the chicken, and so it had to be special. The guests are yet to taste it, at the time of writing this recipe, and I am not sure how well they like it but I love it and this I am saying not because I cooked it, but because I really think it is superb and very rich in flavors and high on taste.

Ingredients

For the marinade

1 kg chicken washed and cut (the original recipe was for 1/2 kg; I simply doubled it)

3-4 heaped tbsp yogurt

1 tsp spicy chilli powder (can reduce the qty as per tolerance)

1 tsp salt

For the spice paste

1 1/2 inch piece ginger 

8-10 fat garlic cloves

4 tsp poppy seeds (I would recommend soaking them first for 1/2 hour)

2 green chillies (I used only 1)

3 dry red chillies (again as per tolerance)

For the spice powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

4 green cardamoms

6 cloves

2" piece cinnamon

Rest of the ingredients

2 big onions finely sliced

1 big tomato chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (optional, but helps to enhance the color)

2 pieces mace, 2-3 cloves, 6-8 black peppercorns, and 1" piece cinammon roughly thrashed in a mortar

3-4 tbsp oil

Direction

Start with marinating the chicken. Wash and drain the water completely and mix all ingredients listed under marinade. Cover and keep aside. I did this first thing in the morning and kept covered in the refrigerator until used. 

Next, prepare the spice paste. Put all the ingredients in a grinder (one you use for your chutneys) and make a smooth paste. The original recipe did not mention soaking the poppy seeds which I followed and got a coarse paste as a result. I would recommend soaking it first to get a smooth paste and not getting to chew poppy seeds directly. 

Now, dry roast all the ingredients under spice powder and let it cool. Transfer to a dry grinder and make a fine powder. Make sure to skin the cardamom pods and discard the cover. Keep the powder aside till further use.

Time for the assembly. Take a big kadhai or wok, preferably with a handle, and heat the oil. Put the crushed whole spices and let the aroma arise. Now add the sliced onions and just a pinch of salt and fry until golden. Add the turmeric powder and chilli powder and fry till oil separates and the mixture turns a beautiful golden red. Add the tomatoes and fry till mushy. You can also add a dash of salt to quicken the process. Keep it covered on a medium flame and let it cook. Once done, oil should again appear on the sides. 

Now add the chicken along with the marinade and start the frying process until all the spices are well mixed and no water remains and its oil on all sides. This process took me a good 1/2 hour as my chicken and yogurt let out a lot of water. I cooked it covered on medium high flame and stirring every 5 minutes. However, be alert not to burn the spices.

Once the chicken and the masalas are well coated, add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of warm water (keep it ready while frying) and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook on high flame until oil starts floating on top and chicken is nice and tender. Let the gravy reduce a bit and thicken. Now add the spice powder and mix well. Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Cover and cook on a medium flame undisturbed for the next 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl with a good fitting lid. Keep covered until serving time. For serving with indian breads, you can thicken the gravy a bit more. 

                                      

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.

                                           

Bengal Special Chena Kofta Curry (Paneer/Cottage Cheese Balls in aSpicy Gravy) - No Onion No Garlic

The three week long pure vegetarian saga has reached its finale and I bid adieu to my dear inlaws last evening. While the stay was quite enjoyable and I managed to give them some good memories of their stay in Singapore, I had to really rack my brains and do intensive search for doable and quick no onion no garlic dishes with some variety. They enjoyed most of my dishes and were really happy and amazed to see my enthusiasm in the kitchen which they had never seen before. So all in all, it was a good experience for me in the kitchen and by the end of it, I can now confidently cook a no onion no garlic dish with a wonderful variety. I had planned today's dish as the finale dish as it required some previous night preparation and takes a little more time to be prepared than the other regular dishes. The koftas were a star and I could just gobble them up as is. So yummy they were! Try out these koftas with any kind of gravy you want and you are sure to be blessed! :)

                                              

Ingredients

For the Koftas

1 liter milk (use full cream for a more creamier paneer)

1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice

1 small potato boiled and mashed (I used leftover potato from the previous day's Dum Aaloo)

2 tbsp Semolina (add little at a time as required but not exceeding the recommended quantity) 

Seasoning of your choice (cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, etc. I did not add as I was using the Dum Aaloo leftover)

Salt as per taste

Freshly chopped coriander leaves (optional; use very little)

Few cashews (roughly chopped) and raisins for stuffing

Oil for frying

For the Gravy

1 tsp asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 each of cloves, cinammon, and cardamom roughly thrashed

1 tsp ginger finely grated or paste

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 black pepper powder

1 medium tomato finely chopped or pureed

2-3 heaped tbsp yogurt

1 scant tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing (you can add a fistful of leaves while pureeing the tomatoes, optionally)

Direction

For the koftas

Bring the milk to a boil and add the vinegar. The milk will immediately separate leaving the whey in the bottom while the chena or paneer will be floating on top. Place a muslin cloth in a colander and gently drain the liquid through it and holding back the chena in the cloth. Run the chena in cold water a few times to get rid of the smell of vinegar or lemon. Now tightly close the mouth of the muslin cloth and let the water drain off completely. I kept the paneer parcel in the colander and kept the colander on top of a big vessel to hold the liquid while keeping a weight on top of the tied cloth. Within 30 minutes , all the water would have dried out and then you can either use it right away or keep it in the refrigerator tied up in the cloth for use the next day. I had prepared it the night before and kept it in the refrigerator for use in the morning. How pretty and firm it looked!

                                           

Now, break the chenna with your hands and add all the ingredients, except the cashews and raisins, listed above to make the koftas. Mash and mix everything well. Now pinch out small balls out of this mixture and put a few cashews and raisins in the center and make small balls, ensuring that the cashews or raisins do not ooze out. 

                                          

Heat oil in a small deep bottomed wok and fry the koftas till golden brown. Remove from heat and drain the excess oil in kitchen napkins and keep aside.

                                          

 Making the Gravy

Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices, cumin seeds, and heeng and fry till a lovely aroma emanates. Mix the ginger, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli, and turmeric powder in 2 tbsp water and add it to the pan. Fry till oil starts coming out from the sides. Now add the tomatoes and continue frying till they are completely mushy and oil comes out again. Whip the yogurt and add it to the pan while lowering the flame. Stir and mix well. When the raw smell of the yogurt disappears and the masala starts to thicken, add the salt, sugar and 1 cup warm water and bring it to a boil. Put a cover and let the gravy simmer on medium heat till desired consistency is achieved. 

Now place the fried koftas in the serving dish and pour the gravy on top. Garnish with coriander leaves and keep covered until served. Adding the koftas directly to the pan and later transferring to a serving dish might result in breakage.

                                            

Allahabadi Aaloo Dum (Allahabad Style Potato Curry)--No Onion No Garlic

Dum aaloo is generally made with baby potatoes and with a generous amount of spices. Today's recipe also involves a generous amount of spicing but the procedure is a little different from the regular dum aaloo and involves regular potatoes mashed to constitute the gravy. The recipe is extremely simple and gets ready in a jiffy once you have your potatoes boiled and roughly mashed. This dish is a part of Allahabadi cuisine and the recipe was shared by a foodie from Allahabad on my favorite food group in Facebook. I teamed it up with a Bengal  Special Mishti Pulao instead of the usual puri/paratha and the combination was superb!

Ingredients

4-5 potatoes, boiled and roughly mashed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp asafoetida or heeng

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp dry mango powder or amchur

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 green chillies chopped (optional)

Salt as per taste

2-3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

2 tbsp ghee (can be used in combination with oil)

Direction

In a pan, heat the ghee and add the heeng and cumin seeds. Add the boiled potatoes and fry till slightly golden. Add all the spices and continue frying till the masalas no longer smell raw and everything comes together. Now add a little water (I added about 1 1/2 cup of water as I wanted more gravy) and cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Remove cover and add fresh coriander and stir. Put the cover back and cook for few more minutes until desired consistency. Serve hot.  

                                           

Bengal Special Mishti Pulao (Bengali Sweet Rice)- No Onion No Garlic

As the days of no onion no garlic are nearing to a completion, I am trying to prepare and present some favourite dishes of my in-laws and go the final extra mile to keep them happy and satisfied. Today's recipe is a hot favorite with most Bengalis, especially the old school and also my grandma-in-law's most favorite dish of the whole of Bengali Cuisine. I did not know this until she sat down to eat and I was really glad it turned out exactly the way she likes it. This Pulao is a little on the sweeter side and to balance the sweetness, Bong's usually serve it with some spicy Mutton or Chicken curry. Since it is pure vegetarian in my household these days, I served it with some spicy tangy Allahabadi Aaloo Dum. The potato curry goes best with Indian bread but tasted equally good with the rice as well. All in all an effort well paid for!

Ingredients

2 cups gobindobhog rice (or any fragrant small grained rice)

1/2 cup combination of cashews and raisins

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp milk (optional)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt or as per taste

2 each of cloves, cinammon, cardamom, and bay leaf

2-3 tbsp ghee (I know it is a lot but the taste of this dish lies in this. You can substitute half with oil though)

Direction

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Just before beginning the cooking process, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins until fragrant. Remove from pan and keep aside. Now in the same pan add any more ghee if required and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Now add the rice, turmeric powder, saffron if using, salt, sugar, and fried cashews and raisins and continue frying on a medium to low heat until the rice is transparent. Now add water in 2:1 (water:rice) proportion and stir and close the lid tightly and let it cook till done, forking in between for even cooking. Alternatively, transfer the contents to a electric rice cooker and cook till done.

                                            

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. 

                                        

Punjabi Chole -No Onion No Garlic

By now, the veggies that I had got from Mustafa and some from India are all over and some repeated over and over again. There is nothing interesting to come up with these dishes and so now it is time to make some interesting legumes. However, legumes like chole or rajma, cannot taste even close to good without the two important ingredients, onion and garlic. Myth! True it is that onions and garlic lift up the flavors of this dish but this recipe without onion and garlic tastes equally good, maybe even better. In fact, I got confused momentarily that I had added garlic by mistake. Such superb was the taste and I am thinking of making my chole with this recipe henceforth. Why shed those tears while cutting onions when you can make it with a smiling face! :)

Ingredients

1 cup chick peas or chole (I added about 1/2 cup more as I wanted to finish it off)

2 big tomatoes or 3 small

1 medium bunch of coriander (I used chinese parsley as coriander was not available)

1 heaped tablespoon ginger paste

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder (I used kashmiri chilli)

Salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil or any oil

Ginger juliennes for garnishing

Direction 

Wash and soak the chick peas overnight or at least for 5-6 hours. Drain and pressure cook with freshly added water until done. 

Meanwhile, make a paste with the ginger, coriander, tomatoes, and green chillies. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds. Now add the paste and saute on medium flame for 3-5 minutes till raw smell disappears. Now add the dry spices and salt and mix well. Fry further for about 2-3 minutes till everything well incorporated. Now add the boiled chick peas, reserving 10-12 pieces. Mix well. Make a paste with the reserved chick peas either with a potato masher or the blender and add it to the pan along with the boiled chick pea liquid. Add any additional water if required or dry up the excess water if you desire a drier consistency. Garnish with ginger juliennes and serve hot with naan/kulcha/roti or jeera rice.

                                          

Chal Potol (Pointed Gourd in Rice Gravy)--No Onion No Garlic

With so many recipes being prepared and posted everyday, there isn't really much to write. My guests are enjoying the variety of food being presented every day and I am enjoying the praises I am getting for my efforts. Not a bad deal at all! The no onion no garlic saga is now actually taking a very interesting turn. Lot more recipes coming up on this space. So stay tuned!

Ingredients

8-10 parwal or pointed gourd, washed and skin removed and cut in half

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into squares about the same size as the gourd

1 tbsp ginger grated

2 tbsp basmati rice, washed and drained in a colander

2 each of bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves

1 onion finely chopped (optional)

1 big tomato finely chopped

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp mustard oil

1 cup hot water

Direction

Heat oil in a pan and fry the washed and drained rice until transparent. Remove from oil and keep aside. In the same oil, fry the potatoes and gourd until golden. Keep aside, preferably in the same dish that you are going to serve.   

Add a little more oil in the pan if required and fry the whole garam masala until fragrant. Now add the chopped onion (if using), ginger and fry till soft. Now add the tomatoes and the dry spices except the garam masala. Keep frying until oil separates. Add the fried potatoes and gourd. Mix well. Add the fried rice and mix again. Now add the hot water and stir. Cover and cook on a low flame until the rice and veggies are cooked. If there is any gravy left, cook on a medium flame until just absorbed but not dry. Add the garam masala and optionally a dollop of ghee and serve hot with steamed rice or chapati.

                                           

  

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.

                                     

Goan Paneer Curry

Everything about Goa is special. The food, the beaches, the people, the drinks, and in fact everything and anything about it. I simply love this place and when we were in India, this used to be one permanent holiday every year. While this place is famous for a number of goodies, when it comes to food nothing can beat the popular Goan Fish Curry. The chicken adaptation is also equally good but today I decided to give a vegetarian twist with this superbly yummy Paneer version. Although it does not have the special fishy flavors, but vegetarians do not prefer it anyway and today's recipe is especially for them to enjoy this much missed Goan Delicacy. Serve it with some steamed rice and enjoy this yummy Goan dish!

                                           

Ingredients

300 grams paneer

3 pieces of 1-inch cinnamon

3 pieces of cloves

1 tsp coriander seeds

4-5 black peppercorns

1 tsp poppy seeds

10 whole red chillies

1/2 coconut grated 

2 onions, directly roasted on stove top until skin charred

4 big garlic cloves or 5 medium

1 tsp garam masala

6 tbsp tomato puree

3 tbsp cream

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

2 tsp + 3 tbsp oil ( I used Olive Oil)

Direction

Heat 2 tsp oil and lightly roast the cinnamon, cloves, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and red chillies. Transfer to a coffee grinder or mixer and let it cool. In the same oil, fry the coconut until the raw smell disappears and slightly browned. Take care not to burn it. Add this to the grinder. Now, remove the charred skin of the stove-top roasted onions and chop. Add this to the grinder too. Lastly, add the garlic cloves and grind everything to a smooth paste using very little water. 

Now, heat another pan and add 2 tbsp oil and lightly fry the paneer pieces and keep aside. In the same oil, add the paste and fry for 3-5 minutes stirring continuously. Now add the puree, garam masala, salt, and sugar and fry till the mixture starts leaving oil from the sides. Add the fried paneer pieces and mix gently taking care not to break the pieces. Now add the cream and stir. Keep it covered for 3-5 minutes on liw flame. Check for seasoning and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

                                           

Lucknowi Daal

When I first saw this recipe on a friend's blog, I had this "eew" feeling which was because of one ingredient which goes into its making. Milk! I could not imagine the taste of daal with milk and hence decided to give it a miss. However, on second thoughts considering the reputation that my friend has as a food blogger, I thought of giving it a try nevertheless. The result was as expected from most of her recipes. Awesome! So here's sharing with you the recipe of the daal with a "twist".

Ingredients

1 cup toor daal

4-5 cloves garlic chopped

2-3 green chillies chopped

1 tbsp ghee

2-3 kashmiri whole chilli

1 tsp cumin seeds

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp heeng/asafoetida

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Direction

Boil the daal with salt, turmeric, and green chillies in a pressure cooker until done. Pour the cooked daal onto a heavy bottomed pan and let it simmer. In another pan, heat the ghee and splutter the cumin seeds. Now add the chopped garlic and whole red chillies. Fry for 2-3 minutes and just before putting off the flame, add the heeng. Immediately pour this tadka over the bubbling daal and cover for a minute or two to lock the aroma. Now add the milk and stir. Adding the milk adds a different taste and texture to the daal that you will love and won't regret. Bring the daal to one final boil and remove from heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/roti.

                     

Pomfret Macher Kalia

Being married to a Bong, I have developed a special liking for fish. Assamese people also eat fish quite regularly though. However, the way Bong's make their curry is something which makes it a "typical" Bengali fish curry. While you can get almost everything in Singapore, you have to travel a distance to fetch that unless of course you stay right next to the Tekka Market. The rest of the supermarkets are mostly selling pomfrets and prawns apart from the rest of the sea fish. So with Pomfret so easily available, we hardly (read never) take the pain to explore the Tekka Market. Here is a dish very commonly prepared in Bengali households. I prepared it with Pomfret; will taste good with any other fresh water fish as well.

Ingredients

2 Pomfret fish, washed and cut into fillet

1 medium onion chopped

3-4 garlic chopped

1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tomato chopped 

4-5 green chillies, chopped (as per taste)

Fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp turmeric powder

Mustard oil

Direction

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for 10 minutes and keep aside. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat about 2 tbsp oil and fry the fish pieces until golden brown and crisp. In a blender, make a paste with the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. 

Once you are done with frying the fish, add cumin seeds to the same oil and let it crackle. Add the paste and fry till the raw smell disappears. Add the salt, sugar, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Fry till the masalas get blended well. Now add the tomatoes and keep frying on high till they become mushy. Now add 1 cup of warm water and bring to a boil. Release the fish slowly into the gravy and cover cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with hot plain rice.

                                           

Pav Bhaji

The one dish that signifies Mumbai's street food is Pav Bhaji. While there are many more delicacies in this league but somehow Pav Bhaji has always retained its popularity. Credit also goes to the readily available Pav Bhaji masala in the supermarkets of both India and abroad. However, as easy as it seems to be, most people including me often fail to recreate the exact taste. I have always followed the instructions available on the back of the masala packet to prepare Pav Bhaji at home. This time however I decided to search the Internet for recipes and came across Tarla Dalal's simple recipe which was a little different from the usual procedure, at least for me.

Ingredients

200 gms cauliflower, cut into florets

2 medium poatoes, diced

1/2 cup green peas

3 medium onions, chopped plus for garnishing

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 small capsicum, chopped 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala

Salt to taste (the original recipe called for black salt)

1-2 tbsp butter

To be ground to a paste

3-4 kashmiri red chillies, soaked in warm water

3-4 garlic cloves

Direction

Boil the cauliflower, potatoes, and peas until tender. Drain the water and keep aside. 

In a pan, heat the butter and fry the onions till translucent. Add the capsicum and the prepared paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy and the oil separates. Add the dry spices and mix well. Now add the boiled vegetables and salt. With the help of a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the veggies well. Add a little water if required (I like my pav bhaji without gravy so I did not add any). Garnish with freshly chopped onions and serve with butter seared buns.

                                           

Chettinad Pepper Chicken

Chettinad cuisine is known for its spiciness and strong flavors. In Singapore, there are specialty Chettinad restaurants which serve authentic dishes from this cuisine. Easy on the pocket but heavy on taste and satisfaction. I was having a flu since past few days and what better cuisine than Chettinad to provide me some relief from it!

Ingredients

750 gms chicken, washed and cut

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 big tomato, chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2-3 green chillies, slit

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp black peppercorns, ground to a fine powder (not advisable to use store bought pepper powder)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

1 tbsp mustard oil

Direction

In a pan, heat the oil and splutter the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Add green chillies, curry leaves, and ginger garlic paste and sauté. Next add the tomatoes and fry till mushy. Add the dry spices along with the salt. Tip in the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and cook till chicken is almost done. Now add the ground pepper and cook for 5-10 minutes or until done. Remove from heat and serve hot with plain rice/ roti/naan.

                                          

Ghilla Pitha (Deep Fried Rice Flour Cakes)

I belong to the beautiful state of Assam in the northeast India. In Assam, apart from the other festivals like Diwali and Durga Puja, we have three major festivals- Magh Bihu (or Harvest festival) celebrated in the month of January, Bohag Bihu (or Spring festival) celebrated in the month of April, and Kati Bihu (or Autumn festival) celebrated in the month of September. Each Bihu has its own significance and bring with it loads of fun and celebration. While Bohag bihu is the one which is celebrated in the most pompous manner, Magh Bihu has its own charm. The new rice would be harvested at this time and the farmers would be thanking God for a good harvest and celebrate with a grand feast. The speciality of this wintery feast is that the food is cooked on a bonfire and all the family members and friends would sit together and chat and cook up a delicious meal for all. In the morning, they would make delicacies called "pitha" and offer it to fire god and pray for a good year ahead. They would bathe their cows and buffaloes with raw turmeric and "maah" (black gram) and take blessings of their elders for a happy and fulfilling new year. I have so many childhood memories of this bihu and its celebrations that it feels like just yesterday when I was a kid and would happily enjoy all the food prepared by Maa. Now that I am miles away from my family, I have a few friends here with whom I hope to recreate some Bihu memories for the future.

Ingredients

2 cups Rice flour

1/4 cup plain flour

1/2 cup jaggery, grated or mashed with hands

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp orange rind

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 cup water

Mustard oil for frying

Direction

Take a deep bottomed dish and add all the ingredients except water and jaggery. Now add the jaggery and add very little water at a time until a smooth batter is formed similar to the consistency of cake batter. If the batter is a little too thick, do not add more water as the jaggery would also be releasing some water of its own. Make sure there are no lumps. Cover and keep aside for at least 5-6 hours or preferably overnight. When keeping overnight, you can keep it in the refrigerator and take it out about 1-2 hours prior to frying. 

Heat a small wok and add sufficient mustard oil. Take spoonfuls of the batter and fry till golden brown on both sides on a low flame. Drain the excess oil on paper towels and store in air tight containers and enjoy this northeastern delicacy with a hot cuppa.