Saturday, November 5, 2016

Kasoori Methi Chicken Curry (Fenugreek Flavoured Chicken)

Winters are setting in. So, I finally get in the mood to blog again. this week I made the Kasoori methi Chicken curry that is a big favorite in my house. It's pretty easy to make and taste so yummy with bread/ rotis.



Kasoori methi is none other than dried fenugreek leaves that are easily available all over India in grocery stores and Indian stores overseas. Even a paste of fenugreek leaves can be used instead. If you do not find kasoori methi at all, just make this chicken curry without it. However, I love adding this spice for the lovely aroma.

Also, this gravy is white in color. So, no turmeric.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 500 gm (cut into medium size pieces)
Curd/Dahi/Yoghurt: 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
Crushed black pepper: 1 teaspoon
Shukno lonka/dry red chilli: 1
Kasoori methi: 1 and a half teaspoon
Salt to taste
Chilli powder/ cayenne pepper powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Onion (chopped): 3 medium ones
Tomato (chopped): 1 (optional)
White oil (any refined oil): 1 tablespoon
Milk: 1 cup
Ghee/butter: 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

1. Take the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the curd, half teaspoon ginger garlic paste, crushed black pepper, salt. Mix well and keep the marinated chicken in the fridge for 2 hours.
2. After 2 hours take out the chicken and let it come to room temperature. Heat oil in a wok/kadahi. When oil is hot, add the red chili and kasuri methi. Once you get a lovely aroma of the methi, add the chopped onions and stir fry. The onions should become transparent. Do not over-fry. Add chopped tomatoes (if using) and half teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
3. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Just dunk everything into the wok.
4. Mix well and add chilli powder + salt to taste.
5. Add milk and let the gravy come to boil. Make sure that you do not add any turmeric because this is a white gravy.
6. Now keep on low flame and cook covered. Occasionally, open the cover and stir the gravy so that the meat does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add some more water/milk if needed.
7. Once the chicken is cooked and tender turn off the gas. Garnish with a teaspoon of ghee and a teaspoon of kasoori methi. Serve not with rotis/ parathas. :)

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Mutton Curry in a Hurry!

So refreshing to write a blog post again. It's been such a long time that I have opening the Drafts to write a recipe again. Feeling delighted!

This weekend, we were in a festive mood. My daughter got an award at her school. So, on Sunday morning, the hubby-man casually remarks that today I will be cooking the mutton curry for lunch. Helllooo! I had so many tasks and zero time to cook this dish.

By the time, it was 12.30 pm I was jumping about like a headless chicken folding clothes and doing a hundred tasks around the house. By the time, the mutton was not even marinated!!!


Finally, I decided to make the mutton using this easy and fast recipe. Here it is:



Ingredients:

Mutton: 500 gms
Curd: 3 tablespoons
Onion paste: 2 tablespoons
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
MDH meat masala: 2 heaped tablespoons
Mustard oil: 2 tablespoons
Ghee: 2 teaspoons
Haldi powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Onions: 2 medium (chopped fine)
Potatoes: 3-4 (peeled and cut in half)
Tomatoes: 2-3 medium sized chopped

For the mutton stock:
One inch piece of ginger, one onion cut in half, 3-4 cloves of garlic, small piece stick of cinnamon, 2-3 green elaichi, 1 big elaichi, and 2-3 cloves.

Process:

1. Place the mutton pieces in the pressure cooker along with the other ingredients for the mutton stock. Pour enough water to cover the mutton. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles. Let the steam escape on its own. Remove the steamed mutton pieces and keep the stock aside.
2. In a wok/kadhai, heat mustard oil. When the oil is smoking hot, add a teaspoon of sugar. Now fry the potatoes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and keep aside. 
3. Add a handful of whole garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves) to the oil. Now fry the onions. Keep some fried onions aside.
4. Add the tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. In a bowl, add the curd, meat masala, onion paste, turmeric powder, and chilli powder.
5. Add the wet paste to the kadhai and fry the masala till oil separates.
6. Now add the steamed mutton pieces and fry some more. Add slight amount of mutton stock so that the masala does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. Repeat this step. Keep adding the mutton stock and frying the meat till it turns red in color. this will take much less time since the meat is pre-cooked.


8. Once the meat takes on a red color, add the remaining mutton stock till the meat pieces are submerged. Add salt and sugar to taste. Cover the kadhai and let it boil for 7-8 minutes.
9. Take off the gas and add ghee on top.
10. Serve hot with hot rice.

This is not a typical way of mutton preparation but you can try it out if in a hurry! :)

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Orange Cake

Sunshine on my window and winter is ready to bid adieu from Kolkata.

Before the winters are gone wanted to bake some cakes with oranges. Oranges are an universal fave during winters. Throughout the winters, me and daughter have been snacking on oranges. I don't like orange juice. I love to take the small bite size pieces in my mouth. The sweet natural juice that oozes out from each piece is pure heaven.

This winter we made and orange chocolate cake and today I baked a simple orange loaf cake.



Here is how I made it:

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 1 and a half cups
Sugar: 1 cup
White oil: 1/4th cup
Vanilla essence: 1/2 tsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Eggs: 2
Oranges: 2 big ones
Chilled milk: 1 cup

Process:

1. First peel the oranges and take the pieces out. Discard the seeds and the white fibres.
2. Just squeeze the pieces with your hands to make a pulp. Mixer not required. Gather all the ingredients.


3. Mix the orange pulp, sugar and eggs. Mix well. Now add the milk, vanilla essence and oil.

4. In a bowl add the flour and baking soda + baking powder. In case you want to make a chocolate orange cake, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

5. Add the flour to the wet mixture in batches. Mix well to make a lump-free batter.

6. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C for 10 minutes.

7. Grease a baking pan. Pour the batter in the pan.

8. Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees C.

9. Take out of oven. Cool till cake is warm to touch.


10. Slice the cake and enjoy.