Gastronome By Choice

Corn Chaat & a Trip to the Qutab Minar

2011-12-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

If there is one place on this planet where people love winters, it has to be New Delhi. After a hot and long summer season and hot,humid rainy season, the cold, foggy winters are a treat. Despite the cold, people are out on the streets and it is non-stop party season. This winters we decided as a family to go out every Saturday to one historical monument to showcase our heritage to our 2 boys. What better place to kick off than with the Qutab Minar, the logo of New Delhi and its most popular landmark.

I for one have a lot of childhood memories associated with the place. We stayed for 2 weeks in the tourist guest house situated inside the qutab complex. Everyday my sister and I would go out and roam the complex and play our games there. Of course, there was not too much of a crowd in those days and the security was non-existent. You could touch the monuments and even go inside the Qutab (Now you cannot touch some of the relics like the Iron Pillar and cannot go inside the Qutab). It was nostalgic to be there with my parents, my better half, my sister and her son and my two boys. It was a day long picnic and the tour was followed by a nice lunch in the gardens with the kids playing all around.

Legend has it that Delhi was composed of seven ancient cities (not counting the modernistic New Delhi), namely,

- Quila Rai Pithora (an extension of Lalkot)

- Mehrauli

- Siri

- Tuglakabad

- Ferozabad

- Shergarh

- Shahjehanabad

Lalkot was constructed by King Anandpal Tomar in the Eleventh Century. The Tomar Rajputs are,incidentally, credited with founding Delhi. Lalkot was more of a defense structure surrounding an area. One of his later successors, Prithviraj Chauhan (also popularly known as Rai Pithora) took over and extended lalkot for his city which he called Quila Rai Pithora (literally meaning the Fort of Rai Pithora).

Muhammad Ghori after various unsuccessful attempts succeeding in capturing Quila Rai Pithora in 1192 AD. He returned back to Ghazni (in present day Afghanistan) and placed Qutab-Ud-Din Aibak as his Viceroy in Delhi.After Ghori's death he enthroned himself as the Sultan of Delhi and thus started the Slave dynasty (He started as a slave purchased by the Ghori dynasty who rose through the ranks).In his short rule (he died playing polo in Lahore), Aibak started the construction of Mehrauli by demolishing all Hindu Temples and establishing Islamic structures in their place. He started the construction of the Qutab Minar as his Tower of Victory, but died after constructing the first storey. His son-in-law Iltutmish completed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th storey. After damage by Lightning, it's 4th storey was dismantled and reconstructed by Firoz Tughlaq. He also added a 5th storey to the structure. Later on restorations were also done by Sikandar Lodi.

Picnic food in India can be tricky. We could see some families around, complete with their pressure cooker and casseroles with tasty gravies around. There were also some with sandwiches and burgers around. I have always been somewhere in between, Picnic on a cold wintery afternoon (it was the coldest day in New Delhi in 6 years) for me means having a nice chaat,some bread pakoras or samosas, ending with some warm carrot halwa. There should be hot tea for company throughout the meal and a leisurely walk to digest the food later. For the chaat we decided to have a twist by making a Corn Chaat instead. It was really quick to make and stays well during tavel. You have an option of either mixing the Tamarind (Imli) chutney during the making of the chaat or give it alongside as an accompanying dip. I have tried both and found both working fine taste wise.

Corn Chaat
Makes 4 Portions

Ingredients:
American Corn - 3 Cups
Onion(large), finely chopped - 1
Tomato (Large), Chopped - 1
Coriander, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies, finely chopped - 2
Peanuts - 1/2 Cup
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Anardana - 1/2 Tsp
Amchoor Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Black Salt - 1 Tsp
Tamarind Chutney - 1 Tsp
Mint Chutney - 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Cloves, powdered - 2
Potato Chips, crushed - 1/2 Cup
Potato, cubed - 1 (Optional)
Coriander - For Garnish

Method:
1. Steam the corn till soft and done. (Believe me, I have tried boiling it and it just doesn't taste right. Steaming does take a little longer but worth every single minute spent.)
2. Roast the peanuts till they begin to change color. About a minute on high flame.
3. Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. NOTE: You have the option of either adding the Tamarind and Mint Chutneys straight away or serving them on the side with the chaat.
4. Serve in individual plates or bowls.

Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney)

2011-12-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Tamarind Chutney is a delicious dip that is essential to the preparation of many fast foods in India, especially the different chaats. The sweet and tangy dip is also served as an accompaniment to other dishes esp. samosas and pakoras alongwith the tomato based chutneys. My better half even does a fried rice dish with vegetables and tamarind chutney. She has it with plain raita (yogurt) and is an ideal comfort food on those cold winter evenings when you want to grab a quick bowl and get into bed and enjoy while watching the TV.

Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

Tamarind, deseeded - 250 gms

Sugar (I personally prefer Jaggery) - 300 gms

Cumin Seeds, roasted - 2 Tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp

Salt - 1 Tsp

Black Salt - 1 Tsp

Ginger Powder (Saunth) - 1/2 Tsp

Water, boiling - 2 Cups

Method:

1.Soak the tamarind pieces in the hot water for an hour. After they have been soaked for an hour, mash them to take the pulp out of the tamarind pieces (Yes, using hands is preferred).

2. Pass this mixture through a strainer (pressing hard against the strainer to ensure all pulp is squeezed out) and discard the pieces.

3. Put this strained mixture on flame. Add sugar and mix well.

4. Add on the remaining ingredients and mix well.

5. Cook till desired consistency is attained. Take off flame and cool down.

Keeps well for over a month or two if refrigerated. I personally suggest making a thick tamarind chutney. You can use it as is for purposes of a dip. To use it over chaats, I thin it by adding water and mixing well.

Frango Na Pucara - Portuguese Chicken in a Pot

2011-12-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Recently while browsing through my cookbooks, I chanced upon a chicken recipe which had all the ingredients for a smash hit dish. Always on the lookout for interesting recipes, I just knew my chilly sunday afternoon would be enjoyed cooking this recipe.

The dish is called Frango na Pucara, which roughly translates to Chicken in a Pot. It's simplicity, use of easily available ingredients and easy recipe makes it a truly global dish. The taste has a universal appeal and I loved every minute of preparing this one. Checking the web, I found a dozen recipes for it, each with some difference in ingredient than the next. Some added brandy, some grappa, some neither. Some called for the oven, some cooked it on flame altogether. Some made it dry, some with too watery a gravy (almost stew like). I decided to go with the flow and come up with my version of the same. One quick visit to the local grocery store and I was done with my list of requirements to get me going for this one.

Frango Na Pucara - My Version

Makes 4 Portions

Ingredients:

Chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or if you want more, go ahead) - 1

For the chicken coating
All-purpose Flour - 1 Cup
Paprika - 1 Tblsp
Thyme - 1 Tblsp
Salt - 1.5 Tsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1/2 Tsp

For the gravy
Prosciutto -120 gms
Pearl Onions, peeled and blanched - 12
Red Bell Pepper, roasted, peeled and cut into thick strips - 1
Garlic cloves - 6
Tomatoes, diced - 3
Bay Leaves - 3
Parsley sprigs - 4
Dry white wine - 1/2 Cup
Tawny Port - 1/2 Cup
Tomato Paste - 1 Tblsp
Dijon Mustard - 1 Tblsp
Paprika - 1/4 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Extra-virgin olive oil - 2 Tblsp

Method:1 . Sift together the ingredients for the flour coating in a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken pieces to this flour mixture, 1 at a time. Coat evenly on all sides.
3. Heat oil in skillet or a pan (medium flame). Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and saute till brown (4 minutes each side). Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and keep aside. Reserve the skillet with all the juices.
4. In a large ovenproof crockpot, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Top them with diced tomatoes, prosciutto, pearl onions, red bell pepper, garlic, parsley and bay leaves. Sprinkle paprika on top.
5. Put the reserved skillet back on the flame. Add in the port wine and white wine. Bring to a boil while scraping the sides and bottom for the browned bits.
6. Remove the skillet from the flame. Add in the tomato paste and mustard. Mix well.
7. Pour this over the chicken. Put the crockpot on flame and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.
8. Transfer the crockpot to the oven and braise at 350 degrees F for an an hour to an hour and a half.
9. Remove chicken and discard the bay leaves. Pour in a serving dish and serve hot with rice (if you made one with lots of gravy) or with bread (dry with enough coating consistency).

Choco Lava Cake

2011-12-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Ever had your kids make your life miserable for something they want. If you haven't then consider yourself lucky. They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Believe me, that's nothing. Hell hath no fury like a demanding kid ...atleast till the demands are not met.

My younger one had this craving for a chocolate lava cake...and that was not all. He didn't want the one available in restaurants. He wanted ME to bake him one. 3 days of persistent quizzing by him, on whether today was the day, emotional hijacks that I don't love him (and he is only 4), hunger strikes (I will only have food if the dessert is a choco lava cake), mass announcements to neighbors that his father will bake him a molten cake, I finally relented. Last Sunday, he got his Choco Lava cake and yes! I did bake him ~~one~~ 6-7 so that he could have one for the next 3 days.

The choco lava cake (as my son calls it) is known by many names - Molten Chocolate cake, Chocolate fondant pudding, Chocolate Lava Cake. It's invention is disputed, with Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claiming to have invented this in 1987, and Chef Jacques Torres(France) claiming that this dish existed in France from much before. Still, Chef Vongerichten did make it popular within the US and is credited with the same.

Choco Lava Cake

Make 8 Ramekins

Ingredients:
Chocolate (semi-sweet or bitter), chopped - 170 gms
Butter, cut into pieces - 115 gms
Eggs, yolks & whites separated - 3
Granulated white sugar - 65 gms (For the egg yolks)
Granulated white sugar - 1 Tblsp (For the egg whites)
Vanilla Essence or Extract - 1 Tsp
Cream of Tartar - 1/8 Tsp

For the ramekins/molds
Butter - 1.5 Tsp
Castor Sugar - 2 Tblsp

Method:
1. Prepare the ramekins/molds by buttering the insides evenly and then coating them with sugar. An easy way to coat with sugar is to drop a tsp into the buttered mold and then just swirl it around. The sugar will stick to the buttered portions and you can tap the excess back into another bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 200 Degrees Celsius.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, add in the chocolate pieces and butter pieces. Put it on a double boiler (or over a pan of boiling water ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water but is just above it). Melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add in egg yolks and 65 gms. sugar. Beat till they turn white (very pale...almost white), thick and fluffy.
5. Add in the vanilla essence. Beat the egg mixture again till the batter starts to fall back in ribbons once lifted.
6. Fold in the melted chocolate and butter.
7. In another clean bowl, add in the egg whites and whip till they turn frothy.
8. Add in the cream of tartar and whip to form soft peaks.
9. Add in the 1 Tblsp of sugar and whip till stiff peaks form.
10. Gently fold these egg whites into the egg & chocolate mixture. Take care not to overmix or the batter will deflate. An ideal way is to fold it in batchwise. Do not worry, if certain streaks of white remain visible.
11. Pour into the buttered and sugared molds.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or till outside is set and middle appears wet. NOTE: Cracks may appear on the surface and that is normal.
13. Remove from oven. Rest for a minute and serve either in ramekins/molds or independently.
14. You can garnish with raspberries, sprinkling of icing sugar, coffee powder, whipped cream or ice cream on top.

NOTE: You need not rush to bake after pouring the mixture into the molds. You can also prepare this in advance and cover with a film of wrap and keep it in the refrigerator and bake later. Just increase the baking time to make up for the cold mixture. It keeps well for 4-5 days.

Strawberry Pancakes

2011-12-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

It was a Sunday well spent catering to the needs of my little ones. My better half was out on work and I was Daddy Day Care for the day. Right from cooking breakfast to a lava cake for dessert and some games in between, the day just flew. Pancakes it was going to be and after much thinking Strawberry Pancakes it was ( the box in the fridge had a lot to play in the decision making).

They are extremely easy to make and if you are willing to play with various toppings like strawberry sauce, maple syrup, chocolate sauce, some sprinkles they are going to be a show stealer for the little ones.

Strawberry Pancakes

Makes - 8 Pancakes (3-in diameter)

Ingredients

Flour, All-purpose - 150 gm
Sugar - 2 Tblsp
Baking Powder - 2 Tsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 1 Cup (240 ml)
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 Tsp
Strawberries, chopped - 2 Cups
Strawberries, sliced - 2 (For garnish)
Maple Syrup - For topping
Butter, melted - 1 Tblsp
Butter - for making pancakes and topping

Method:
The Batter:
1. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla essence.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add in the melted butter.
4. Whisk the batter well to ensure there are no lumps and it is smooth and thick.
5. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Making the Pancakes:
1. Heat a non-stick skillet/griddle. Add in a tsp of butter and rotate to coat the skillet/griddle.
2. Spoon the batter onto the skillet/griddle (1/4 of a cup).
3. Cook till pancakes start to turn bubbly on top and appear set. (2-3 minutes)
4. Flip them around with a spatula and cook on other side for 2 minutes.
5. Remove to a plate. Repeat again with another spoonful till all batter is used up or you have made the number you require.
NOTE : Keep buttering the skillet as necessary.
Keep pancakes warm as you remove them by either storing them in a casserole or a warm cloth.
6. Serve warm with softened butter and maple syrup on top.

Country Captain Chicken

2011-12-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

So all this silence on this space makes one wonder if all is well. It has been a busy 3 weeks, and the way it looks, it is going get only busier. Between work, partying and family commitments, I wonder if there will be any time left for anything else. We had the grill out for the first time this year, and, even though I had not found any time to give any thought to what I will prepare. it turned out pretty fine. The tangri kababs, grilled sole, multani paneer tikkas and grilled jacket potatoes just flew and I was left wondering if I should have got more stuff.

In the meanwhile my better half launched her own housekeeping service in Delhi. I had to provide support in terms of the website and facebook microsite. With that done, it was just the numerous festivals and parties that kept me on my toes.

The changing weather also bought a lot of wildlife out. I saw some amazing out of birds in my garden from time to time. Some were clicked, some just remained in my memory.

I cooked up loads during the time period and one was Country Captain Chicken. It is a true Southern American dish, but if you roam around India, you can come across different versions of this dish where only the name and the main ingredient is the common link. Even the version by Jiggs Kalra mentioned in his book, Zaike Ka Safar is so different. A lot of people might mistake it to be an Indian dish, but it is an American dish with influences from India. As the story goes, The dish was enjoyed by British officers in India, and over the years, it made its way to Port of Savannah, an important port for spice trade through a British Sea Captain. Since then the recipe has undergone many changes, from a basic chicken and curry powder stew to a mature wholesome dish consisting of other ingredients like raisins and tomatoes. Even in the US, different versions abound. I chose the recipe provided by Lee Bros. on the Food Network site, with a few tweaks (visit the Food Network site for the original).

Country Captain Chicken

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Chicken - drumsticks, diced thigh pieces - 1 Kg

Chicken stock - 1/2 Cup

Bacon, chopped - 120 gms

Garlic - 3 cloves

Ginger, grated - 2 Tblsp

Onions, finely chopped - 2 cups

Yellow Bell Peppers, diced - 2 cups

Carrots, peeled and sliced into roundels - 2 Cups

Dried red chillies. seeds removed - 1

Tomatoes, blanched and concassed - 3 cups

Curry Powder - 1 Tblsp

Garam Masala - 1 Tblsp

Raisins- 1/2 cup

Salt- To Taste

Freshly ground black pepper - 1/2 Tsp

Almonds,Slivered, toasted and chopped- 1/2 cup

Parsley, chopped - 1/2 cup

Oil

Method:

1. Cover the raisins in warm chicken stock and keep aside.

2. Take a stew pot or handi and hear a tsp of oil. Add in the bacon pieces. Cook till it is golden brown, stirring the pieces occasionally to evenly color them. Strain and keep aside.

3. Take some of the fat from the handi and reserve.

4. Add in the chicken pieces to the handi and brown the pieces lightly. Take out and reserve.

5. Add in the dried red chili and toast the chili in fat for about 30 seconds.

6. Add in the onion and garlic cloves. Cook for two minutes or till onions start to turn translucent.

7.Add in the carrots and bell peppers. Cook until they soften (5-6 minutes). Incase the ingredients in the pot are becoming dry add in the reserve bacon fat that we had taken out initialy.

8. Add in the grated ginger, tomatoes and curry powder, garam masala, salt and black pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.

9. Add in the raisins with the chicken stock. Cook on a low flame till tomatoes are cooked and the sauce thickens.

10. Add in the chicken pieces. Cover the pot with foil.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

12. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

13. Remove the foil and bake further until sauce has thickened.

14. Garnish with reserved bacon, almonds and parsley.

15. Serve hot over rice.

Phaldari Kofta aur Ananas Ki Tarri ( Plantain Koftas with Pineapple Gravy)

2011-10-19T04:27:00.000-07:00

Fresh on the success of my watermelon curry and having fresh and juicy pineapples staring at me from the grocery aisles, it was only a matter of time that it found its way into some delicious item on my dining table. Fortunately, there were quite a few curry recipes made from Pineapple that I found on the internet, and some of them were from India - Southern part of India. This was strange since I assumed that I would end up finding some from the North-East part of India, where it is abundantly grown but did not find any from that part. The koftas on the other hand were my tried and tasted Plantain koftas. Plantains (Raw Bananas), unknown to many make for an amazing cooking ingredient. They are cooked and treated the same way as potatoes and are very popular in tropical regions across the world.

Phaldari Kofta aur Ananas Ki Tarri ( Plantain Koftas with Pineapple Gravy)

Ingredients:

For the Koftas:
Plantains, boiled & mashed - 2
Cheese, grated - 3 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Amchur Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Flour - To coat

For the Curry:
Onion, sliced - 1 Cup
Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - A Pinch
Curry Leaves - 3-4
Pineapple - 4 roundels
Coconut, frsh & grated - 3 Tblsp (30 gms)
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon Stick - 1 (1 Inch)
Green Cardamom - 2
Ginger, chopped - 1 Tblsp
Red Chilies, dried - 5
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 1/4 Tsp
Jaggery - 2 tsp (You can substitute this with honey if you like)
Salt To Taste
Oil - 3 Tblsp
Coriander, finely chopped - To garnish

Method:

For the Koftas:
1. Mix all the kofta ingredients with the plantains (Except the flour) well.
3. Divide into equal portions and form round balls.
4. Coat with flour and deep fry in hot oil till they turn golden brown.
5. Drain and keep aside.

For the Curry:
1. Make a paste of grated coconut, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom and red chilies. Add in a tsp. of water if required while making the paste. Keep aside for use later.
2. Heat oil in a wok, and add in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing. Add in the sliced onions.
3. Mix well and cook till onions turn translucent.
4. Add in the coconut paste. Mix well and cook till the mixture starts to turn brown.
5. Add in 2 cups of water and stir to mix. Add in jaggery and turmeric.
6. Add in the pineapple pieces and cover and cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes or till pineapple pieces turn soft and mashy.
7. Take off flame and cool. Process in a blender and pass through a strainer.
8. Transfer back to the wok and return to flame. Cook for 5 minutes and adjust seasoning.

To Serve:
1. Add in the koftas and serve garnished with chopped coriander.

Kachi Mirch Ka Gosht

2011-10-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

Gastronomically, it was a very satisfying weekend. The start could not be more interesting, with a visit to Aap Ki Khatir near Nizamuddin. I will post a short write-up on the place in a day or two. The remainder of the weekend was spent cooking up a lot of stuff and trying out new things. It all culminated last night with some close friends, a lot of good spirits and an array of food made by my better half and I. The star of the entrees was the Kachi Mirch Ka Gosht and though I did not get to taste it last night, a nice heapful on top of some pulao was heaven this morning.

The recipe has been adapted from Prashad - Cooking with Indian Masters, a gem of a book by Jiggs Kalra, showcasing brilliant recipes from the Masterchefs. I have had my copy for over 17 years now (I bought this in my 1st year college) and I keep going back to it, sometimes for recipes, and, sometimes just to browse through the book and bring back great memories from my kitchen days. I have worked with some of the chefs featured in the book, mostly as a trainee or as a colleague and I love the way the book breaks down each recipe and explains how to go about it.

Kachi Mirch Ka Gosht

Ingredients:

Lamb, assorted cuts - 1 Kg
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Coriander Seeds - 4 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tblsp
Black Cumin Seeds (Shahi Jeera) - 1.5 Tsp
Black Peppercorn - 1.5 Tsp
Whole Garam Masala (5 Green Cardamom, 1 Black Cardamom, 1 Cinnamon Stick, 4 Cloves, 1 Bay Leaf)
Onion Sliced - 250 gms
Ginger,chopped - 2 Tblsp
Green Chillies, deseeded and chopped - 4
Green Peppercorn -1 Tblsp (10 gm)
Cream 3/4 Cup
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Ghee - 3/4 Cup
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Pound Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black cumin and black peppercorn. Mix in Yogurt along with salt. Whisk well.
2. Marinate lamb cubes in this yogurt marinade for an hour.
3. Heat ghee in a large vessel. Add in the whole garam masala and saute till it begins to crackle.
4. Add in the sliced onions and fry till it starts to turn golden brown.
5. Add in the ginger,green chilies and fry for a minute.

6. Take off flame and allow to cool. Once cooled process in a blender. Put the processed mixture back on flame.

7. Add in green peppercorns and cook for a couple of minutes.
8. Add in the lamb pieces along with the marinade. Stir for 30 seconds.
9. Add in 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer till lamb is tender.
10. Add in the cream and bring to a boil. Add in the salt and mix well.
11. Sprinkle fennel powder before finishing.
12. Serve hot with roti or pulao.

Korma Ki Biryani

2011-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

It has been a really long and busy weekend. Actually the weekend started on Thursday itself, with everyone celebrating Dussehra, the festival celebrating the Indian god Rama's victory over the evil demon king Ravan. The festival is celebrated with large effigies (some of them as huge as 70 ft high) of Ravan, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnaad, set afire. The festival is also called Vijaydashami and is on the 10th day of Navratri. In the eastern part of India, this day is also celebrated as the day Goddess Durga killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura. In short, the day is celebrated as the day of victory of good over evil. Starting the Navratris the festival season has started in Delhi and many parts of India and will continue till Diwali and then all the way till X'Mas and New Years eve. The weather has also turned much cooler, so there will be a lot of parties and a lot of good food being cooked.

After the hectic Navratras and Dussehra, we decided to take it easy this weekend, as far as cooking at home was concerned. We anyways had the F1 Grand Prix Food Festival to attend at Leela's in Gurgaon and I was saving myself up for a grand evening and I can say now after having been there last night, that it did not disappoint. Taking it easy meant a Biryani lunch. Now Biryani, atleast in our household is the relaxation day food. It is meant for days when you want to laze around in front of the TV, watch a movie, eat food and drink beer. Since I had picked up atleast a dozen movie titles from a sale a few days back, the agenda was to start watching the movies, and enjoy some tasty Biryani alongside chilled Beer (raita, papad thrown in too).

The Biryani that I decided to cook up this time was a Korma Biryani. Korma and Biryani, both, are extremely popular food items and when we marry the two we get an absolutely brilliant, tasty dish.

Other Biryani recipes on this site:

Bohri Biryani
Lucknowi Dum Pukht Biryani
Khoja Kachi Biryani
Hyderabadi Biryani

Korma Ki Biryani

Ingredients:
For the Korma
Mutton / Lamb, assorted cuts - 500 gm
Potatoes, medium sized, quartered - 2
Onions, finely sliced - 2
Caraway Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Green Cardamoms - 2
1" Cinnamon Stick - 1
Ginger Paste - 1 Tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/3 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Yogurt, whisked - 1 Cup
Muskmelon Seeds - 2 Tsp
Watermelon seeds - 2 Tsp
Cashews - 6
Dessicated Coconut - 2 Tsp
Coriander, chopped - 1 Tsp
Mint Leaves. chopped - 1 Tsp
Green Chilies, chopped - 2
Salt
Oil - For frying

For the Rice:
Basmati Rice - 250 gm
Peppercorns - 5
1" Cinnamon Stick - 1
Cloves - 2
Salt
Oil - 1 Tblsp

For Assembling
Milk - 1/3 Cup
Lemon Juice - 2 Tsp
Ghee - 1 Tblsp
Cream - 1 Tblsp
Saffron, crushed & dissolved in half cup warm milk - 1/2 Tsp
Wheat flour (Atta) - Made into dough with water for sealing the pot
Coriander, chopped - 1 Tsp

Method:
For Korma
1. Make a paste of musk melon seeds, watermelon seeds, cashews and dessicated coconut with 1 Tblsp water. Keep aside.
2. Heat Oil in a handi. Fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
3. In the same oil, fry the onion slices till they turn golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Once cool, crush the onion slices.
4. Now take, a large pot (preferably a lagan) which can accommodate both meat and rice. Transfer half the oil from the handi to this pot/lagan. Put it on flame.
5. Once the oil is hot, add caraway seeds, cinnamon stick and cardamoms. As the cardamom starts to change colour, add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry for half a minute and add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder (mix red chili powder with a tsp of water to make a paste and add - this will prevent the spice from burning).
6. Add in the meat pieces and fry on high flame for 5 minutes. Lower the fame and add in the yogurt and continue stirring till it comes to a boil.
7. Add in the melon seeds, cashew, coconut paste. Mix well and cook for a minute.
8. Add a cup of water and cover and cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes or till meat is 3/4th done.
9. Add in the fried potatoes and crushed onions. Mix well and cook till potatoes are tender and the meat is done.
10. Add in the chopped coriander, green chilies and mint. Mix well.
11. Cook till meat gravy is reduced to one cup.
For the Rice:
12. Soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain.
13. In a large vessel (separate from the one used to cook the meat) boil a litre of water along with peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, salt and oil.
14. When water comes to a boil, add in the rice.
15. Cook till rice is 2/3rd done. Drain the water.
To Assemble:
16. Layer the rice over the Korma (Meat gravy).
17. Sprinkle the ghee, cream, lemon juice, saffron soaked in milk and milk on top.
18. Cover with a tight fitting lid and seal the sides with atta dough.
19. Put a tava (Flat plate) on flame and add the Biryani vessel on top. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.
20. Remove from flame, open pot and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.Serve hot.

Sooji Ka Halwa (Semolina Sweet Dessert)

2011-10-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

Today happens to be Maha Ashtami (the eighth day of the Navratri festival) and it is fairly common in the Northern Part of India for households to celebrate Ashtami by doing the Kanjak Ashtami Pooja. Since these nine days of the festival are dedicated to the Hindu goddesses, on Ashtami people break their fast by calling young girls home and treating them as goddesses. These "Kanjak Devis" are called home, their feet are washed and they are offered the ceremonial food, which consists if puri (fried bread), chana (gram) and halwa. Apart from this they are also offered bangles, red chunni and some token amount known as a shagun.

Halwa means a dense sweet preparation and derives its name from the Arabic word Al Halwa meaning "Sweet Confection". Though there are numerous kinds of Halwa, made with different exotic ingredients, the ones made with Sooji (Semolina), Carrot (Gajar), Almond & Moon Dal (Mung Bean) are most common and popular. You also find a pistachio based halwa commonly in India, but people are unware that it is a kind of Halwa. It is called Soan Papdi in most places and its more denser preparation is called Patissa. In fact, if you have anyone going towards Doda in J&K, you should request them to get you some Patissa from a place called Kud. It is like nothing you ever tasted before. Similarly, if you manage to go down South of India or have some one going, Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu is a place to visit. Called the Halwa City, it is famous for it's sweet wheat based halwa.

Sooji ka Halwa

Ingredients:
Semolina - 3/4 Cup
Sugar - 3/4 Cup
Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 6 Tblsp
Water - 1.5 Cups (Most suggest using Milk, but I prefer using water)
Almonds - 1/4 Cup
Cashews - 1/2 Cup
Raisins - 1/2 Cup
Pistachios- 1/4 Cup
Green Cardamom Powder - 2 Tsp

Method:
1. In a small sauce pan, combine water and sugar to make a light syrup. Keep aside.
2. Also, chop the nuts, keeping some aside for garnish. Fry the nuts in 1 Tblsp ghee. Keep aside.
3. Heat 4 Tblsp of ghee in a wok.

Add the semolina and mix well.

Roast the semolina while stirring consistently (to prevent sticking) till it attains a light biscuit color.

4. Add in the fried nuts and mix well.
5. Add the sugar syrup to the sooji (Semolina) and mix well.

Keep stirring and cooking till most of the water has been absorbed and the mixture has achieved a wet pasty form.
6. Add in the remaining 1 Tblsp of ghee. Mix well and take off flame.
7. Garnish with fried nuts.

Boiled Onion Paste

2011-10-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Just a few posts ago, I had written on lengths about the cuts of the onions and how it influences the dish. That post was about fried onion paste, this time we talk about boiled onion paste.

The recipe for this paste is straight out of a Jiggs Kalra book (all of his books, have the same recipe). Incase you love Indian cuisine, you have to possess a Jiggs Kalra book, atleast one if not all.

Now various authors talk about additions of various spices to this paste, but having tried out addition of cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon etc., I go with Bay leaves and Black Cardamom as they pep up the flavors without overpowering the paste.

Boiled Onion Paste

Ingredients:
Onions, peeled, washed & roughly cut - 1 Kg
Bay Leaves - 3
Black Cardamom - 3

Method:
1. Add all ingredients in a handi alongwith 200 ml + 4 tsp water. (The onion to water ratio has to be 5:1)

2. Bring this to a boil and simmer till until then onions are transparent and the water has more or less evaporated.
3. Cool this mixture and transfer to blender. Make a puree.

Bharwaan Aloo in Tarbuj Ki Karri ( Stuffed Potatoes in Rajasthani Watermelon curry)

2011-10-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

I have been contemplating a fruit based curry for over 2 years. The reason behind this has been a chicken in watermelon curry recipe that I found on a food magazine. I had tried that out and did not really like the way it turned out. So my joy knew no boundaries when I stumbled upon this watermelon curry recipe on the Saveur site. It was a traditional Rajasthani dish made with pieces of watermelon (both the red flesh and the outer white flesh) and the final dish was like a watermelon pieces in a thin curry dish. It's really so amazing, getting exposed to your country's culinary gems by someone in a different continent. The writers in Saveur based their recipe on one that appeared in 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer (Workman, 2008).

My take below was a little different. I turned this into a curry sauce in which I added some stuffed potatoes. Since, it was a very last minute decision to cook this one, the justice done to the stuffed potatoes was not as much as should have been, since I wanted to plate it up before the sun went down. The gravy on the other hand was a different story altogether. It tasted yum! and my better half and I are in total agreement that this is now part of our collection of dishes for the special occasions. I'm tempted to replace the stuffed potatoes with some fish, but for that to happen, we will need to wait till the Navratras (Traditional Hindu festival of 9 days of worship - No meat or egg) get over.

Incase you still want to cook it the traditional way (no stuffed potatoes), then click here for the original.

While you are at it and if you love stuffed potatoes, also check out Bharwan Aloo Churneywaale (Stuffed Potatoes in a chutney gravy) posted a few years earlier on this blog.

Bharwaan Aloo in Tarbuj Ki Karri (Stuffed Potatoes in Watermelon Curry)
(4 Portions)

Ingredients

For the Stuffed Potatoes (Bharwaan Aloo)
Potatoes, Medium, Peeled and cut into barrel shapes - 750 gm (Around 4-5 big potatoes)
Paneer, shredded - 120 gm
Green Chilies, minced finely - 4
Ginger, grated - 1 Tsp
Cashewnuts, crushed - 7
Cheese, grated - 3 Tblsp
Pomegranate Seeds - 1/2 Cup
Salt - To Taste
Oil - For frying

For the Watermelon Curry (Tarbuj Ki Karri)
Watermelon, medium sized - 1
Ajwain (Carum Seeds)- 1/2 Tsp
Cumin seeds (Zeera, whole)- 1/2 Tsp
Nigella seeds (black onion seeds) (Kalonji) - 1/2 Tsp
Dried Red chillies, stemmed - 2
Garlic, finely chopped - 4 Cloves
Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1/4 Tsp
Oil - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

2 tsp. chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Method:
Bharwaan Aloo
1. Heat Oil in a Kadhai (wok). Deep fry potatoes till three-fourths done.
2. Remove and cool the potatoes. Scoop out the centre leaving around 1/4' from the sides.
3.Keep Aside.
4. Now prepare the filling by mixing the grated paneer, finely chopped green chillies, grated ginger and crushed cashews & raisins. You can also add in some of the scooped potato after frying it a little & mashing it.
5. Stuff this filling in the potatoes.

Tarbuj Ki Karri
5. Trim and discard the green skin of the watermelon, leaving the inner, whitish flesh intact. Separate the white flesh from the red flesh with the knife, discard the seeds and cut both white & red flesh into 1-1.5" pieces. Set aside.
6. In a handi, heat oil over medium heat. Add ajwain, cumin, kalonji and dried red chillies and cook, until cumin starts to turn color (around 2 minutes).
7. Add chopped garlic and cook, until golden brown (around 30 seconds).
8. Add watermelon white flesh, salt, and turmeric and mix well. Cook until the white pieces turn color to light brown and all liquid evaporates. Stir occasionally.
9. Pour a cup of water into the handi, cover the pan, and simmer the curry over medium heat. Cook for around 10 minutes or till the white flesh pieces are tender.
10. Uncover the handi, add the red flesh pieces and any juice that you might have collected. Mix well.
11. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally for around 5 minutes, until the flesh softens slightly.
12. Switch off the flame and cool the curry.
13. After the curry has cooled down, process it in a blender.
14. Pass through a strainer into the handi.

Bringing it Together
15. Put the pureed curry back on flame and add in the potatoes.
16. Simmer till potatoes are done.
17. Check for seasoning.
18. Transfer curry to a serving bowl. Halve the stuffed potatoes and place with stuffed side up. Garnish with chopped Coriander.
19. Serve hot.

Street Foods of India - Kulle Ki Chaat (Delhi)

2011-09-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

The charm of being a true blue Delhi resident is the exposure one has to chaat ...different kinds of chaat. Chaat derives its name from the hindi word 'Chaatna', literally meaning licking ones fingers. Since most of the chaat items ensure you will end up licking your fingers, the name is very apt. Chaat has now spread its tentacles to various parts othe country and it is not uncommon to find chaat stalls in South India, where they hawk something called a Delhi Chaat. The key differentiators of all chaats boils down to the use of ingredients and their freshness. The freshness of yogurt used, the freshness of the spices, the crispness of the papdi, the freshness of the fruit ...the freshness.

I was in Old Delhi last to last Saturday to sample the chaat fare on offer and try out the kulle ki chaat which sadly is not commonly available, atleast, not in the area I'm in. I love my chaats and my better half more than me, but we had both never had a kulle ki chaat ever. So it was a pleasant experience and the glee on both our faces while we were sampling this was a moment to freeze.

Post my return back home, I knew this was one chaat I had to do for this blog. More than that, this was one for keeps as a great appetizer for parties. It's simple, fresh and so different. The first challenge was to source the variety of bengal gram used in the chaat. Since, it is not used in the chaats in my area, I had to request someone to get it from me from Khari Baoli. Next was the conceptualization. For kulle ki chaat, you need to make a kulla out of Potatoes, cucumber, chunk of watermelon, bananas,tomatoes and then fill them and spice them. Kulla is a scooped out vegetable or fruit. I used only three, Watermelon, Potato and Cucumber, despite protests from my better half to use bananas as she loved the banana ka kulla. The result was the same expression on both our face as we had our plate of watermelon, potato and cucumber ka kulla and enjoyed a wonderful Noida sunset from our rooftop.

Kulle Ki Chaat
(For 4 People)

Ingredients
Potatoes,big - 2
Watermelon, seedless (I didn't get one) - 1
Cucumber - 2
Cumin - 3 Tblsp
Black Salt - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste
Lemon - 2
Bengal Gram, the zero size variety (soaked overnight and boiled) - 1/2 Cup
Pomegranate seeds - 1 Cup

For the Masala (alternately, use 3 Tblsp chaat masala)
Black Pepper Corns - 2 Tsp
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon Stick - 1
Mango Powder - 3 Tsp
Ginger Powder - 1 Tsp
Ajwain - 1/2 Tsp
Dry Mint Leaves - 1/2 Tsp

Method:
1. Parboil the potatoes and peel and cut them into half (breadthwise). Scoop out the middle to make a empty barrel.
2. Peel the cucumber and cut into 4 inch pieces. Hollow them out too.
3. Take a small chunk of watermelon and hollow it out.
4. Arrange them on a plate.
5. Dry roast the ingredients for the masala and powder them.
6. Dry roast the cumin seeds and powder them with a mortar and pestle.
7. Sprinkle half the salt, black salt, cumin powder, chaat masala on the hollowed cups.
8. Add the pomegranate and bengal grams and fill the cups till they are half full.
9. Sprinkle the rest of the salt, black salt, cumin powder, chaat masala.
10. Squeeze lemon juice on the cups.
11. The chaat is ready to go.

Fried Onion Paste

2011-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

A lot of times, people find themselves stuck when it comes to adding specific pastes to Indian pastes, one of them being onion pastes. Just like a recipe calls for onions cut a specific way, so do some recipes when they call for a boiled onion paste or a brown onion paste (also called a Fried Onion Paste). The cut of the onion and the paste does make a difference to the dish, a very subtle difference but a difference surely.
This was a very important lesson that I received way back in 1997 while cooking in the management training kitchen at WMI (Welcomgroup Management Institute). Till then, I used to cut the onions any which way I felt like and mostly used onion pastes as I liked my gravies smoother. Else, sliced were much preferred, unless you were in the mood to finely chop the onions (believe me, when you have been chopping 20 odd kgs of onions everyday for a month, mood does come into play, when you have some leeway, like we had in the MT kitchen). Chef Manjeet Gill was visiting the WMI facility and dropped by the kitchen to see what my 3 other colleagues and I were upto. On seeing me slice onions for a specific dish, he walked me up to ask me what I will use it for. The dish in question called for chopped onions, and he promptly pointed it out and told me to correct it. I asked him as to what difference it will make to the dish and his reply was "plenty" atleast to the taste(summing it up. Can't remember the exact words).
Due to the huge respect for the man (his works are legendary and he's a fantastic man. Just met him a year back and I just go starry eyed meeting him), I promptly corrected the technique. But in a day or two, I tried the experiment of cooking up a dish three times, using chopped onions, sliced onions and fried onion paste. The difference was there ...the difference that makes one dish good and the other great.

Fried Onion Paste

Ingredients:
Onions - 1 Kg.
Yogurt- 100 gm.
Oil - For frying

Method:
1. Slice the onions.
2. Heat oil in a wok and saute onions till they are golden brown.
3. Remove onions on an absorbent paper to drain excess oil.
4. After they have cooled down, blend them in a processor with yogurt to a fine paste consistency.
5. Your fried onion paste is ready to use or store. (can be stored in an air tight container for 10-15 days).

Chocolate Nankhatai

2011-09-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

It was a busy last weekend. After weeks of delay due to rains, and laziness, I finally managed to get to the Walled City (Chandni Chowk and around) to sample the foodie fare available. And I did it 2 days in a row. With 65 places marked for me to try out, it is going to take me a few more trips. And when I finally complete the list the post (or posts on Old Delhi food) is going to be one amazing read. You need to keep watching this space, so that you don't miss when it does appear. Now I knew the regular items (read chaat, kachori, kababs) that I will eat in the bylanes of Chandni Chowk, Nai Sarak etc., and some exotic food like Japani Samosas, Kullas that I will try out for the first time, what I wasn't expecting and came as a pleasant surprise was a vendor hawking Nankhatai's.

Now nankhatai's are Indian eggless cookies and the real easy ones at that. History points to Dutch colonizers of 16th Century with inventing the nankhatai and it was popularized by the Parsis who took over the bakeries started by the Dutch in Surat, Gujarat. Over time the nankhatai found their way to the streets in Delhi and from there to many a heart (and stomach). One early morning trip to eat the Nihari and I came across one of the hawkers preparing the nankhatai's on their very carts. Since it does not call for many ingredients, the hawker very easily makes the dough and cuts them into circles. He adds them to a round tray (which from far makes it look like a idli tray) and sets the tray in his oven made with hot coals. He covers the oven with his heavy skillet and waits for the nankhatai's to cook (or rather bake).

Going for Rs. 2.50 they are a steal and melt in your mouth. An ideal sweet after a heavy meal, when you crave for something sweet but not too heavy.

As I ate my nankhatai, I remembered my days in BTK (that is Basic Training Kitchen) in 1st Year Hotel Management, making my first batch of nankhatai's. It was almost 20 years and I had to get down making these lovely cookies. Though, I instinctively should have either reached for my 1st year recipe book (I have it somewhere in my pile of books) or gone the way the roadside hawkers do ( they use gramflour, flour, semolina, khoya, cardamom powder, sugar, soda bi-carb, baking powder and desi ghee), I decided to experiment a little. Since it is mandatory for all cookies to have chocolate in our house (my younger one insists), and my better half had tried the regular version a day earlier, I made Chocolate nankhatai's. I made them a little bigger (more appealing to a kid ...have one and don't come back for the second) and also used a little cinnamon (just a wee bit). The regular recipe and regular sized nankhatai will have to wait for another day ..and another post.

Chocolate Nankhatai
(Makes 16 cookies)

Ingredients
Flour - 155 gm
Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 130 gm
Sugar, powdered - 150 gm
Cocoa Powder - 5 gm
Semolina - 5 gm
Soda Bi-Carb - 1 Tsp.
Cinnamon - 1 Tsp

Method:
1. Cream the sugar and ghee until well blended.
2. Sift the flour with the Semolina, Cocoa Powder, Soda Bi-Carb and Cinnamon.
3. Add this dry mixture to the creamed ghee mixture.
4. Knead into a dough.
5. Divide into 16 balls.
6. Flatten each ball a little and place on a cookie sheet. Keep some distance between the cookies.
7. Bake the nankhatai's at 180 for 35 minutes.
8. Switch off the oven and let them cool in the oven for an hour.
9. Store in an airtight container.

Cocktail Samosas with a twist

2011-09-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

I had a plan to visit Old Delhi this Saturday only to sample the food. The huge downpour on Thursday prompted me to postpone that trip by a week and not wanting to sit at home, I made a short trip to Central Market, Lajpat Nagar. After stuffing myself with chaat, samosas, bread pakoras and a lot more, I decided to do some of my own on Sunday. It was going to be samosas, but with a different filling.
Samosas are a very popular snack in India. I, for one have loved samosas since my childhood and some of my close friends know of this craving. It was fairly routine in my grandfather's house to have samosas and pakoras for evening tea every other day. I can't wait for winters to arrive so that me and my co-workers can walk across the office on foggy Delhi mornings to the local kiosk (more of a make shift shed) where the streetside vendor is busy frying fresh samosas and bread pakoras. You can find a crowd of people from various offices who have made this morning walk to bond over samosas, hot chai (tea) and discuss cricket (if not the office).
Simply put, Samosas are deep fried/baked stuffed pastry, mostly triangular in size, but other variations in shape do exist.
It's origins are widely debated and it is known by various names in various regions of India, Asia and Africa where it is widely eaten. Though some say say that it originated in Central Asia and was introduced to India in the 13th & 14th century by traders from Central Asia, renowned culinary historian K. T. Achaya differs (or maybe I misconstrued what he meant) while writing about Samosa in his 'A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food'. He quotes Amir Khusrao (1300 AD) describing the foods of the Muslim Aristocracy in India consisting of the 'samosa', which is prepared from meat, ghee, etc.Also, Ibn Batuta (14th Century traveler and explorer in the court of the Tughlaq dynasty in Delhi) during the same century describes the samosa ( which he calls a samusak), as a snack cooked with minced meat cooked with dry fruits such as almonds, pistachios alongwith onions and spices etc.(Per him it was served before the third course, the Pulao). Also, quoted is the Ain-i Akbari, which lists the samosa as the qutab (and states that the people of Hind call it sanbusa). Based on these historical inputs Achaya believes that the samosas were something that these travelers did not bring from their parent lands but indigenous to India. Apart from the historical works quoted by Achaya, the samosa is also listed by an Iranian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi(10th Century) in the works called Tarikh-E-Beyhaghi. Irrespective of where it originated, the samosa has remained a popular snack. In North India,it consists of a filling of mashed potatoes and peas. As you travel to Pakistan you can find the version with meat filling. The samosa is also known as the Singhara in West Bengal (Eastern State of India) and in Hyderabad, India you can find a square shaped version called the Lukhmi.
For Samosa addicts, here is a great site which you have to see (unless you are faking it). It is called the Samosa Connection and has the history, origins, types and avatars listed. They even have a mail ID for you to contact them and submit your comments and suggestions. Now that is cool.

Thyme Cocktail Samosas with Cottage Cheese
(16 Samosas)

Ingredients:
For the Samosas
Flour - 200 gm
~~Oil - 40 ml.~~ Replace with Ghee below
Ghee - 50 gm (I used Oil, but had a good suggestion from Sidharth Bakshi to replace oil with ghee. Helps to remove the blisters from the final product).
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Thyme - 1 tsp.
Flour - To Dust
Oil - To Deep Fry
Water - 1 Cup ( You may not require more than 4-5 tblsp.)

For the Filling
Paneer (Cottage Cheese), grated - 200 gm
Corn Kernels, blanched - 200 gm
Olives, sliced or chopped - 7
Cheddar /Processed Cheese, cut into 0.5 cm cubes - 40 gms
Shallots, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Garlic, finely chopped - 6 cloves
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1 Tsp.
Mixed Herbs - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Olive Oil - 1 Tblsp

Method:
Dough for the Samosas:
1. Sift the flour and salt together. Add in the thyme.
2. Make a well in the centre and pour oil into it.
3. Start mixing the flour mixture with the oil gradually.
4. Once the oil is fully mixed, add in the water and knead to form a semi-hard dough.
5. Cover with a moist cloth and rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.

The Filling:
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add in the chopped shallots. Cook them till they turn translucent. Add in the chopped garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add in the paneer, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add in the corn kernels. Mix well and cook for 3 more minutes.
5. Add in the herbs, seasoning and olives. Mix well and cook for an additional minute.
6. Switch off the flame and add in the cheese cubes and stir the mixture.

Making the Samosa:
1. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and make a ball.
2. Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions. (each ball of dough will yield 2 samosas, hence twice the filling to the balls).
3. Place a ball on a lightly floured surface. Keep a bowl of water nearby (You will use it later).
4. Flatten it with a rolling pin and roll it into a round shape (3" in diameter).
5. Cut the circle into half.
6. Take one half of the circle (semi-circle) and place it in your palm. Position the straight edge to align along the forefinger.
7. Dip the forefinger of your other hand in water and use the wet forefinger to line the straight edge.
8. Fold the semi circle into a cone.
9. Stuff the filling into the cone (Do not fill to the brim - leave a portion vacant on top).
10. Line the edges of the open side with a wet forefinger.
11. Seal the open portion together by pressing firmly.
12. Arrange on a lightly floured tray.
13. Repeat the procedure till all samosas are prepared.
14. Heat oil in a wok.
15. Deep fry the samosas on medium heat till they are golden brown.
16. Drain the excess oil on absorbent paper.
17. Serve hot with chutney.

Note: Traditionally Samosas are served with mint chutney. Since these were different in their filling, I made an orange chutney to accompany the samosas.

Butter Chicken Quesadillas

2011-09-05T01:59:00.000-07:00

Quesadillas is a dish which is mexican in origin and derives its name from the spanish word for cheese (Queso). Don't let the name fool you, its a simple corn or flour tortilla filled with cheese and other ingredients, which are generally savory in nature and then folded in half (into a half moon shape). This filled mixture is then toasted or fried until the cheese melts. It is then cut into wedges or slices and served.

Quesadillas have undergone a lot of changes throughout history and numerous variations exist not only in different parts of the world, but even in different parts of Mexico.

Purists differentiate between a quesadilla froma taco or burrito by stating that in a quesadilla, the ingredients are filled and then it is cooked, whereas for the taco or burrito the ingredients are cooked before and then added.

I just added my own twist to the variations by bringing in an Indian angle to the quesadilla, and though, my ingredients for the filling were cooked before, I still prefer to call it a Quesadilla. It is a little more time consuming to make, however, it is a very good recipe if you are out to impress and the look and compliments make up for the time spent preparing this. For starters, I have used Chilla (Indian chickpea flour pancake), instead of the flour or corn tortilla. Since you do not get Chillas in the marketplace of the shelves (as you would in the case of tortillas), this will require preparation. Also, you need to ensure the chillas prepared are thin, else they will break once filled and folded. The filling being used is the traditional butter chicken with a thick gravy and Monterrey Jack cheese. Butter Chicken requires grilling chicken first and then cooking in a tomato based gravy.

This requires both time and rolling up your sleeves, but then this is a show stealer and a damn good one at that.

Butter Chicken Quesadillas

4 Portions ( 9 wedges)

Ingredients:

Chillas - 3 No.s (Check recipe here. make the chillas thin)

Butter Chicken - 250 gms

Cheese, grated - 2 Cups

Oil - 4 Tblsp

Method:

1. Prepare Butter Chicken as given here. The only variations to the preparation are as follows:

- After grilling the chicken pieces, cut them into small 2 cm pieces.

- Simmer sauce before addition of cream and kasoori methi, till sauce almost coats the chicken pieces. Reduce cream to quarter.

2. Take each chilla and lay it flat on the working surface.

3. Spread the thick butter chicken mixture on one semi circular side of the chilla.

4. Sprinkle grated cheese on that side on top of the butter chicken mixture.

5. Fold the other plain side to cover the fully and form a folded semi circle. Press lightly.

6. Heat a flat plate/tawa and add 2 teaspoons of oil.

7. Add the semi folded chilla with the stuffing and cook lightly. Flip it over to cook the other side.

8. The cheese will melt and bind the 2 halves of the chilla.

9. Take off the hot plate/tawa and cut into 3 wedges (or 2 as you desire).

10. Repeat with remaining chillas.

11. Serve hot with your choice of dip or sauce.

Indian Accent - A Review

2011-08-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

OVERALL RATING -

I have known Manish Mehrotra since 1993, when we were young school passouts entering hospitality college to pursue our dreams and follow our dreams. 18 years have gone by since then and it's amazing to see the strides he has taken and the way he has impacted the culinary landscape of New Delhi, if not India. Not a week goes by when I dont come across some media publication writing about him or his quotes on the trends of the eating joints. Though, I have, atleast in India gone to the restaurants he has setup and worked in, I missed going to Tamarai in London. My visit to Indian Accent, the fine dining restaurant in The Manor, neatly tucked away near the Friends Club in Friends colony, New Delhi was long overdue.

View Larger Map
I must say, my expectations were set really high and I was afraid the place would not stand the test of my high standards, and nothing but the best.
The first thing that strikes you, as you enter The Manor, is the warmth, courtesy and ethnicity of the staff. It carries itself very well through the dining experience and stays with you till you leave. Warmth like that comes from within, no training can teach you that. The service is impeccable and extremely infectious.
The menu at first looks a little too limited for the choices it presents, especially for the vegetarians,but once you go through the menu, you understand the pain that has gone behind each and every dish listed, the various permutations and combinations at the planning stage to get this to you. Any longer and we might have been confused. Each and every item needs to be understood, not just read through, letting your imagination run wild and tastebuds crazy at the mere thought.
The array of Indian dishes fused with a touch of foreign ingredients and styles are truly a not-to-miss experience. The Foie Gras stuffed Galawat has already made waves in the culinary circuit,but the tandoori chicken chaat with thai pomelo segments, crispy garlic or the potato sphere chaat with white pea ragda and kakdi or the chicken tikka quesadillas, gruyere and pink peppercorn raita are each an understated masterpiece. Come the main courses and each of the pre-plated delicacies are an experience that I will come back to again and again. The main course too offers an interesting choice ranging from Peanut Butter Chicken, Kasuri Methi Crisp and Lachha Salad to eight hour cooked Canadian pork belly with Vindaloo masala, Goan red rice. Dont skimp on the sides either and personally we loved the roast pumpkin and Cheddar Kulcha and will highly recommend it. Again we felt that the vegetarian fare was left wanting for more. Not because there was not much choice, but because nothing leapt out and surprised us, as was the case with the non-vegetarian part. Or maybe because the bar had been raised so high in so short an experience.
The desserts were an interesting selection, and even though the old monk rum ball was a let down (with all the hype) and the anar, churan kulfi was predominantly anar and more a sorbet(than kulfi), the baked coconut cheesecake and banana toffee pudding was out the world.
A meal for 2 can easily get you down by 4000/- to 6000/- (without alcohol) and is worth every penny.
In the end, Indian Accent is certainly a place that I can take a guest too and be sure the experience will blow them away. It is now the ideal place that I can take my overseas clients/guests to announce the arrival of the new Indian cuisine that is not closed but assimilates all cuisines within itself just as out culture has throughout history.
Kudos to Old World Hospitality and Chef Manish for creating a great foodie destination.

FOOD -
SERVICE -
AMBIENCE -

Curried Garlic Custard

2011-08-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

There's nothing to beat the arrival of rains after some intense heat. It only becomes better if you don't need to go to office or run any errands. A nice lunch (not too elaborate) and a good glass of wine is all you need and you can enjoy the rain from the cozy confines by the windows. I just did that sometime back and loved the feeling. We had juicy pork chops, with mashed potatoes and garlic custard on the side.
Though I have tried it before, this time I tried to get a little adventurous by adding some curry powder. The result was excellent. The creaminess only interrupted by a hint of spice playing on your tongue. It is also very easy to make and believe me you need to seriously work hard to get this one wrong.

Curried Garlic Custard
Ingredients
Garlic, peeled - 12 cloves
Milk - 300 ml.
Bay Leaf - 1
Salt - 1 Tsp.
Thyme - 1 Sprig
Eggs, whisked - 4
Cream - 250 ml.
Ground Black Pepper - 1 Tsp
Chilli Flakes - 1 Tsp
Curry Powder - 1 Tsp

Method:
1. Roughly chop the garlic cloves.
2. Take milk in a saucepan. Add in the chopped garlic, bay leaf and sprig of thyme. Put the saucepan on the flame and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Take off flame and cool.
3. Take out the thyme sprig and bay leaf.
4. Puree the garlic with some milk. Push the mixture through the sieve.
5. Add in the whisked eggs and cream. Mix gently.
6. Add in the black pepper and chili flakes. Mix gently.
7. Divide the mixture into 6 ramekin or custard cups.
8. Sprinkle the curry powder on top of all ramekins.
9. Cover the ramekins with aluminum foil. Place the ramekins in a baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish so that it comes to halfway of the ramekins.
10. Bake at 160ºC for 35-40 minutes or till custard is set ( Will be a little wobbly).
11. Remove from baking dish and discard the foil. Serve warm.

Indian Breakfast Classic - Chickpea flour pancakes

2011-08-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Childhood memories often revolve around mum's cooking and apart from delicious lunch and dinner fares, lazy sunday breakfasts had their own charm. Apart from butter soaked aloo paranthas, pancakes were a much sought after item. They are called by different names, like Chilla or Puda, and their base can be either semolina, bengal gram flour or moong dal, they have one thing in common - they are all tasty.

Thankfully, my better half makes chillas every now and then and it was but natural that this breakfast classic get a mention on this blog. If you haven't tried it out, please do.

Chilla - Chickpea flour pancakes
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour (Besan) - 250 gm
Semolina (Sooji) - 2 Tblsp (My better half adds this as this lends crispness to the finished product)
Green Chillies, finely chopped - 2
Carum Seeds (Ajwain) - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - A Pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
Green Coriander, finely chopped - 1 Tblsp.
Water - 1 Cup
Oil - For frying

Method:
1. Place the chickpea flour in a bowl.
2. Add water to make a smooth batter (coating consistency). Whisk it to ensure there are no lumps.
3. Add in the carum seeds, asafoetida, red chili powder and green coriander to the batter. Whisk again to mix.
4. Take a flat bottomed skillet or flat pan/tawa and add some oil (a tsp.).
5. Once the pan is hot, pour a spoonful of the batter in the center and spread it in a circular form using the back of the ladle (start from the inside and continue working to the outside in circular motions of the hand, ensuring it does not remain thick in the center and is even).
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
7. Remove the cooked chilla in a plate. Clean the pan/tawa of any particles.
8. Add in another teaspoon of oil and proceed to make another chilla. Continue till done.
9. Serve hot with mint chutney, pickle or your favorite ketchup.

Peach Bread

2011-06-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Immortalized by folklore's, traditions and signature dishes (like the Peach Melba), the peach is a perfect summer food. Every year this time when I come across numerous vendors on the roadside with their huge piles of peaches and other fruits, I long to take this tasty treat home and use it one way or another.
It's quite another story that I need to really wrestle with my elder son who loves to have peaches raw and ends up finishing them before I get a chance to use them in a souffle or cake. The thing with Peaches is that you cannot refrigerate them as they lose their sweetness (personal experience - may be wrong) and the Delhi heat blast spoils them if kept out for long. So a quick approach is vital especially with the shelf life as well as my elder ones love for them.

Last week I thought of baking a peach bread. I still haven't got to used to the name though. It has a different ring and it may take time to get used to the name, but I loved the taste - it was a welcome difference to the usual banana bread and the variations I have tried with it.
As the summer progresses, I am expecting more and more juicier ones to flood the market and cannot wait to have my hands on them.
The Peach bread was a big hit in the household and the orders have started to flood in. My parents go on their vacation day after and I need to bake them some peach bread for their journey. I travel with wife and kids next week to Naldehra for a week's getaway and am contemplating taking some peach bread with me for the journey. It is a good eight hour drive from Delhi to reach Naldehra which is some 20 odd kilometers away from Simla and apart from wife and kids, I have my good college buddy Abhineet and his wife and daughter for company, so with 3 absolutely noisy kids in the car, some tasty peach bread will go a long way in not only providing good taste but the necessary energy to drive their moms crazy with their antics.

Peach Bread

Ingredients:

Peaches, cut into dices - 2 Cups (around 3 peaches should do)
Peaches, pureed - 1/2 Cup ( Around 2 Peaches should do)
Biscuit Crumbs (Marie or other digestive ones) - 1/2 Cup
All Purpose Flour - 2.5 Cups
Baking Powder - 2 Tsp
Baking Soda - 1 Tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 Tsp
Raisins - 20-30
Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Yogurt, hung - 1/2 Cup
Soft Butter - 1/4 Cup
Eggs- 3
Sugar - 1 Cup
Vanilla Essence - 1 Tsp
Method:
1. Mix the diced peaches with 1/4 cup of sugar and let it soak for atleast 30 minutes.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients, except the sugar, in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl combine butter & hung yogurt. Whisk till well blended. Add in the 3/4 cup sugar and whisk till the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Slowly add in the eggs, one at a time. Beat each egg completely before adding the next one.
5. Add in the pureed peaches and whisk well to combine.

6. Add in the raisins and diced peaches (soaked in 1/4 cup sugar) . Mix together.
7. Add in the flour mixture and gently stir to combine.
8. Pour into a loaf pan. Place in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius and bake for 60 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
10. Remove from the loaf pan and cool on a wire rack. Cut and serve the slices.

Badami Murg Masala (Chicken Curry in Almond Sauce)

2011-06-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

After a subtly flavored and delicious cashew based chicken curry from down south, it was time for its northern cousin, the almond to make its presence known in a little spicy but rich North Indian gravy.
The almond is native to the Mediterranean region of the middle east and is extensively used globally in various cuisines lending itself to some tasty starters, delicious curries and mouth watering desserts.
Almonds have also been a part of the folklore, with gifting of five almonds during weddings represents health, wealth, long life, fertility and happiness. Then there is a Greek legend around this that young man called Demophon, who fell in love with a Tracian princess, Phyllis. Before the marriage ceremony Demophon is informed that his father has died in Athens and he must return for the funeral. He promises to come back by a certain day but does not return until three months have passed by. By this time Phyllis is sure that she will never see her lover, Demophon again and hangs herself. The Gods, touched by her love, transform her into an almond tree. The desperate Demophon goes to the almond tree and offers a sacrifice to the tree, declaring his undying love. In response to his gesture, the almond tree blossoms. Therefore the almond came to symbolize impetuous youth and immortal love.
Atleast in India, the common folk believe that eating almonds increases brain power. So it is not uncommon for people to remark to others (especially kids not doing too well in studies) to have almonds soaked overnight.

Now coming back to this recipe. You can try this variations. If you do not add tomatoes then this will become a Qorma (Korma). One can also add paste of roasted grated coconut to the dish and if you have time on your hands, try covering the dish during the later stages and sealing it with some dough to do a Dum.

Other Indian chicken recipes on this blog that are worth trying are:

Murg Handi Lazeez
Murg Malaaiwala
Chettinaad Kozhi Kozhambu
Murg Dahi Dhania Korma
Murg Peshawari
Murg Navratan
Murg Patiala
Murg Korma
Butter Chicken
Hyderabadi Anjeer Murgh
Murgh Kairi
Cashew Chicken Curry

Badami Murgh Masala

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts, Boneless, cut into 1-Inch dices - 4
Onions, finely chopped - 3
Onion, finely sliced - 1
Ginger, finely chopped - 3 Tblsp
Garlic, finely chopped - 8 cloves
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 4
Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Green Cardamom -3
Black Cardamom - 1
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Almonds, ground into paste with 1/2 cup water - 20
Tomatoes, chopped - 3
Almonds, blanched and slivered - 8
Salt - To Taste
Black Pepper Powder - 2 Tsp
Lime Juice - 2 Tsp
Kewra - few drops
Oil - For frying and cooking

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, black pepper powder and lime juice for 30 minutes.
2. Fry the onion slices till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
3. In same oil fry the slivered almond pieces till they start to turn golden. Drain and keep aside.
4. In the same oil, add the chopped onions and fry till they start to turn golden.
5. Add in the ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add in the spices (fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, green & black cardamom, turmeric, coriander, red chili and garam masala powder). Fry for 2 more minutes.
7. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes.
8. Take off the flame and allow to cool. Blend the mixture in a food processor and strain into a clean cooking vessel. Return back to the flame.
9. Add in the chicken pieces and stir well so as to coat the chicken pieces with the mixture.
10. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender.
11. Add in the almond paste and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Add in the beaten yogurt and mix well. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
13. Cook till the gravy has a saucy consistency and adjust seasonings. Add in the crushed fried onion slices and kewra.
14. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with some of the fried onion slices and almond slivers.
15. Serve hot.

Cashew Chicken Curry

2011-06-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

I came across this simple yet "Hatke" (different) chicken recipe sometime back. According to a friend who passed this on, this is a simple subtle chicken dish from down south, Kerala, to be more precise. This creamy, subtly spiced and rich dish is easy to make and as experience taught me, was a big hit with the kids, who despise the usual spicy fare.

The cashew is another example of the all accommodating India. It was not native to India and was bought to India by the Portuguese (from Brazil) in the mid 16th century and is now used extensively in Indian cuisines, lending creaminess to many shahi kormas and who can forget the "Kaju Katli", the sweet preferred by many over the usual barfi and ladoos.

Though I'm sure this curry, without the tempering at the end, will go very well as a pasta sauce too, I'm also seriously contemplating making a pie with this as a filling. But that, is for another post.

Cashew Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
Chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces - 6
Salt - 1 Tsp
White Pepper - 1 Tsp
Cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained - 2 cups
Onions, chopped - 2
Green Chillies, chopped - 2
Garlic - 8 cloves
Ginger, chopped - 3 Tblsp
Green Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon Stick - 1 (1 inch)
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves - 6
Cashewnuts, cut into halves - 6
Red Chillies - 2
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 3 Tblsp

Method:
1. Dry roast the Cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves slightly and grind to a powder.
2. Grind the 2 cups of cashews with onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies into a fine paste. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water before grinding to achieve a pasty consistency.
3. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and white pepper. Fry the chicken pieces with 2 Tblsp of oil until seared. Do not brown the chicken pieces as it will change the gravy colour.
4. Lower the heat and add the cashew paste. Stir fry for a couple of minutes till the paste and chicken have combined.
5. Take the skillet off the flame and gradually add the yogurt while stirring continuously. Return to flame and keep stirring to combine. Cook till oil rises to top (3-4 Minutes).
6. Add in the ground spice powder and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 more minutes on medium flame. Add in water if required.
7. Adjust the seasoning and transfer the sauce and gravy to a serving dish.
8. In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and add in the mustard seeds. As the seeds start to crackle, add in the cashew halves and fry till they start to turn brown. Add the curry leaves and red chillies. remove from flame and pour over the chicken dish. Do not stir to mix.
9. Serve hot with rice, malabari paranthas or appams.

Street Foods of India - Ram Ladoo (Delhi)

2011-02-27T09:34:00.000-08:00

Come winters in Delhi and a very different foodie tends to emerge. One that longs for a nice mid morning drive to pick up some Chhole Bhature, get it packed and rush home so that all can have a heavy brunch. Or, some hot aloo tikki in the evenings at the roadside chaat shop. Parties tend to get lively around the grill, with hot tikkas and kababs coming straight off it onto the waiting plates. I long for getting my share of ram ladoos during winters, and my perfect haunt for getting them - Lajpat Nagar market. Garnished with some freshly grated radish and generous helpings of coriander-mint-green chili chutney, they make for the perfect roadside snack for me.
I don't know why they are called Ram Ladoo. Some even call them Gulgullas, but these moong dal dumplings somehow take you back to the old world Delhi, when little money could buy you a good lavish evening, weekends were spent with people and not TV sets, life was far less complicated and snacks like these were the McBurgers for us.

Ram Ladoo

Ingredients:

Moong Dal, washed - 200 gm

Chana Dal - 100 gm

Soda BiCarb - 1 Tsp

Salt - To Taste

Green Chillies, finely chopped - 1

Oil - For Deep frying

Radish, peeled & grated

Cilantro, finely chopped

Mint Chutney

Method:

1. Wash the dals and soak the dals in water separately for 6 hours alongwith soda bicarb.

2. Drain the water and coarsely grind the dals without any addition of extra water. Note : Do not grind the dal to a smooth paste else the batter will not form into ladoos.

3. Add in salt and finely chopped green chillies. Beat the mixture till it gets a light and frothy.

Note: To check doneness of consistency required, drop a small ball of batter into a bowl of water. If it rises to the surface it is done, else, get back to beating it more.

4. Heat oil in a wok till it gets hot.

5. Using wet finger Lift a small amount of batter and drop into the hot oil. Fry till golden.

6. Remove from wok onto paper napkins to drain excess oil. Repeat till al batter is used or you have fried the ram ladoos required.

7. To Assemble : Put 2 ladoos in a bowl and top with grated radish, mint chutney and some chopped cilantro. (P.S. : I have added less of the chutney. Usually it is flooded with the chutney :) )

A Short Chennai Foodie Trail

2011-01-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

Just came back from a 4 day trip to Chennai. It was a good escape from the severe cold wave in Delhi. 30 degrees temperature during day was a welcome change for the entire family. Though it was to celebrate the 60th Brithday celebrations of my father-in-law, I took the time out to check some of the foodie scene out in Chennai. Any foodie going to Chennai has atleast one agenda on the mind - Chettinad cuisine. Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of the Nattukottai Chettiar community from the chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The Chettinad is the region of the Sivaganga district of southern Tamil Nadu with Karaikudi as it's capital. The nattukottai chettiars are principally a trading community. The best places to sample Chettinad cuisine in Chennai are as follows (in no particular order):

- Karaikudi

- Ponnusami

- Anjappar

All the 3 mentioned above are chains of restaurants spread across the city and you can find one of these in your vicinity. We did not get to go to Ponnusami as the word was that the food is very spicy there. Maybe when I'm down next time, I'll give it a try. Karaikudi and Anjappar were good restaurants with plenty of North Indian option like Butter Chicken and Tikkas on their menu. The surprise item was that both had an extensive Chettinad menu featuring Rabbit and Turkey among an exhaustive seafood list. The prices are also very cheap. Despite ordering 10-12 items our bill did not go above Rs. 850 (inclusive of all taxes and service charge), and yes our orders did include Crab also. The Crab Masala and Ceylon Parotta in Anjappar is a must try.

Apart from Chettinad cuisine, it is a must for all travellers to go try the Tiffin at the Saravana Bhavan. Though now you have Saravana Bhavan branches all across the country, and I have been to the one in Delhi, the real enjoyment is had having the tiffin at Saravana Bhavan in Chennai. The Paper roast masala dosa and Medu Vada are a must try.

If you wish to indulge in other cusiines apart from Indian food, Chennai some amazing restaurants, one of which is Benjarong, offering authentic Thai Cuisine. Now Thai cuisine is my favorite cuisine apart from Japanese when I go dining out, and this restaurant served some of the best Thai that I have eaten in a very long time. The only drawback in this fine dining establishment is that they do not serve alcohol.

Burmese cuisine too finds it's place with eateries like Mingala, on Flowers road. The Mohinga out there was decent, though the menu is very limited.

Since this was a very short trip and made even shorter by the religous engagements, I may have missed out on quite a few foodie mecca's of Chennai. You may want to drop in a line, if you feel there are some that I missed out on, and I promise to visit them on my next visit, which may be a little sooner in the near future

Lemon & Red Chili Chutney

2011-01-04T00:07:00.000-08:00

Let me begin by wishing everyone a very happy new year. After a very long hiatus, due to work and family commitments, I finally put up a post on this blog. So whoever, thought this blog was dead, will need to wait some more. As a resolution, I plan to devote more time to this blog. So 2011 will see changes in its look and contents as we coast along experiencing this new year.

The current post is a small recipe for a fiery chutney (relish) that goes well with chips or some subtle croquettes. My spouse and I encountered some nice fresh chillies at the local once-a-week 'mandi' (Indian word for market) and we bought loads of them. Now that we had them, we wondered what to do with them apart from the usual Red Chili Pickle which everyone seems to be doing with chillies in Delhi at this time of the year. Thus was born this tasty yet hot relish that we seem to match with every started these days.

Lemon & Red Chili Chutney

Ingredients

Lemons - 4 No.s
Red Chillies - 16 No.s
Garlic - 2 Cloves
Sugar / Honey - 3 Tblsp.
Olive Oil - 4 Tblsp
Mustard Powder, lightly crushed - 2 Tblsp
Vinegar - 2 Tblsp.
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Cut the lemons into small pieces and put them in a blender.
2. Chop the chillies into little pieces and add with lemons in blender.
3. Add in all remaining ingredients in the blender. Mix well.
4. Blend this mixture till it is coarse. If you want it fine blend more.
5. Check seasoning. Refrigerate.

Serves - 30 People.

Mango Rasam

2010-07-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

I had my in-laws over a couple of weeks back, and this time my grand mother-in-law was also visiting and staying over for a day. This is those times when my kitchen undergoes a total makeover of sorts. Being from Chennai, you can smell some strong Iyer kitchen aromas emanating around the house. All kind of delicacies will be made to feed my poor better half who has been (per them) starving for some good food ( read non-punju food ).

With the culinary demonstration in full flow, usually I try my best to make some punju food but typically give in to showcasing my own skills in making some good south indian fare.

This time around it was Mango Rasam. A month ago when they came it was apple rasam. You may ask why the rasam (Purists, may say why spoil by adding fruit - to which I say, that's me). Well, Rasam is not as easy as it sounds. It takes patience to come up with a good rasam which nicely balances the flavors of the dal and the spices, and in my case, the subtle flavor and aroma of the fruit being used.

Now Rasam comes from the sanskrit word Rasa meaning extract or essence, and Rasam is actually an extract of the Tuvar Dal. Rasam alongwith rice is typically eaten as the first course in the Iyer cuisine and is followed by Sambar and Rice as the second course. Yogurt with rice is the third course. Though popularly it is called Rasam thanks to the numerous South-Indian joints, down south it goes by many names in different regions. In Karnataka it is called Saaru, Chaaru in Andhra Pradesh and Resa in Tulu Nadu (regions comprising of Dakshin Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod). Certain communities like the Iyengars call it Chaathamudhu and the Sourashtras (community of immigrants in Madurai) call it Pulichaar (Puli meaning tamarind and Chaar meaning Juice or essence). The Rasam is also the basis for the Mulligatawny soup. Mulligatawny is in reality an anglicized corruption of Milagutanni meaning pepper water ( Milagu meaning pepper and Tanni meaning water). Apart from the different names by which it is called, the recipes also differ in terms of the consistency of the extract and the use of ingredients.

Mango Rasam

Ingredients:
Red Gram Dal (Toor Dal, also called pigeon peas) - 100 gm
Raw Mangoes (you can also take regular mangoes that are sour) - 3
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Rasam Powder - 3 Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 2 Tsp
Red Chillies - 3
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 6-7
Garlic - 4 pods
Asafoetida (Hing) - A pinch
Salt - To Taste
Oil (For tempering) - 2 Tblsp

Method:
1. Peel and slice the mangoes into small cubes.
2. Add the red gram dal and water in a thick bottomed vessel. Cook on flame till it comes to a boil.
3. Add the mango pieces and salt. Simmer till mango pieces become tender and start to dissolve in the water.
4. If you do not have readymade Rasam powder, make your own rasam powder by roasting a tblsp of toor dal, 1/2 Tblsp cumin seeds, 1 Tblsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp peppercorns, 4 red chillies and a tsp of dried curry leaves. Grind them to a powder. (Iyengars also add in 1 tblp of fenugreek seeds and a tblsp of bengal gram).
5. Add this rasam powder alongwith turmeric powder to the vessel and boil for some more time.
6. Now prepare the tempering by heating oil in a separate pan. As the oil becomes hot, add in the mustard seeds. Also add in the asafoetida, red chillies, garlic pods, green chillies and curry leaves. fry for a little less than a minute. Remove from the flame and add this to the rasam (dal mixture).
7. Serve hot with rice.

Shahi Paneer

2010-06-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's raining outside as I write this post, and believe me, it feels good. The temperatures had been on a steady incline for the past 2 days and this afternoon it felt as if we were in for a tough week. Of late, rains preceded by a storm and lashing winds reminds of my visit to Palampur last month. The night before we were to leave, there was a huge windstorm, followed by rains and hail. In the wilderness with only trees and tea plantation around for miles, it can be a really scary experience watching nature's fury in full force.
A week after coming back from the vacations I had my in-laws over for the first weekend and since they are vegetarians, I got down to making the fool proof- always get rave reviews- shahi paneer. Now Shahi literally translated to English means Royal. Shahi dishes are meant to evoke a feeling of feeling royal, by having food using rich ingredients. This enrichment is usually provided by adding dried fruit or nuts or even dairy products like cream. Therefore, dishes having the shahi name are by nature very rich. The usage of rich ingredients like cashew, almonds, raisins or large quantities of cream in Indian dishes lends to the Shahi name being used. There are several variations of this dish available involving cauliflower, chicken, mutton, lamb, potatoes etc. and it is not uncommon to walk into a roadside eatery in India or the popular restaurant overseas and find this dish on the menu.

Other paneer recipes on this blog:
Paneer Moghlai Kofta in Palak Gravy
Paneer Ki Seekh
Achari Paneer Tikka
Kadhai Paneer
Qasar-E-Pukhtan
Paneer Makai

Shahi Paneer

Ingredients:
Paneer (Cottage Cheese), cut into 2" dices : 250 gm
Yogurt: 1/4 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Cashewnut, ground into paste: 1/4 Cup
Onions, finely chopped: 1/2 Cup
Ginger, finely chopped: 1 Tblsp
Green Chillies, chopped fine: 3
Tomatoes, chopped : 4
Green cardamom, crushed : 2
Coriander Powder : 1 Tsp
Red Chili Powder : 1 Tsp
Ghee : 3 Tsp
Salt: To Taste
Oil: For frying paneer
Coriander, chopped : 1 Tsp (For Garnish)
Cream, for garnish

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok and fry paneer in it till it turns golden brown.
2. Drain and put in a bowl containing water.
3. Heat ghee in another wok.
4. Add onion and cook till it starts to turn light golden.
5. Add in the ginger and fry for 2 more minutes.
6. Add in the green chili and cardamom. Fry for a minute.
7. Add in the coriander powder and red chili powder. Fry for a minute.
8. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 6-7 minutes.
9. Add the beaten yogurt and cook for 5 more minutes.
10. Take off flame and cool.
11. Blend in a mixer till smooth.
12. Add the paste back to the wok and put back on flame.
13. As it comes to a boil, drain the paneer from the bowl of water and add the paneer pieces to the gravy.
14. Add milk and adjust consistency.
15. Add salt as per taste.
16. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander and cream.

Lahori Aloo (Potatoes in Onion & Yogurt Gravy)

2010-06-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned this before that my wife is a vegetarian and has a fondness for potatoes. Hence, I typically need to work overtime figuring out potato recipes to bring something different for her every now and then. This simple and evergreen recipe was just one of those tried in a hurry for her. You can find variations of the same being served in restaurants involving stuffing potatoes with a paneer (cottage cheese) filling or a moghlai version involving addition of a khus khus and/or cashew paste/coconut paste. I prefer the original version because it is simple to make and yet amazing to taste.

Lahori Aloo

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes, peeled - 500 gm
Onion Paste - 2 Tblsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Tomato Puree - 200 gm
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 3 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Oil - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Deep fry potatoes till almost done.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. As the cumin seeds start to crackle add in the onion paste. Fry till it starts to turn brown.
4. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 2 more minutes.
5. Mix the red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder with a little water to form a paste. Add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add in the tomato puree and cook till oil starts to separate.
7. Add in the yogurt and salt.Cook till a coating consistency gravy is formed.
8. Add in the potatoes. Cook till potatoes are done and the gravy has reduced to just coat the potatoes.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with puris.

Khumb Hariyali Kofta

2010-06-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Gastronome by Choice has finally gone live on twitter. It took me some time to get this going but now that this is out of the way...it feels good. You can follow it by clicking on
http://twitter.com/Gastronomeblog .
Lemme know what you think.
My nice and relaxing vacations have come to end and it is back to business as usual. I miss the lazy mornings spent relaxing at home, doing nothing, plain nothing ...except of course thinking about what can I cook. This kofta is exactly one of those thoughts put into practice.

Khumb Hariyali Kofta

Ingredients:

For the koftas:
Spinach, :750 Gm
Paneer (Cottage Cheese), grated and mashed : 300 Gm
Mushrooms, washed, drained and chopped: 160 Gm
Cumin seeds:1 Tsp
Garlic,finely chopped: 6 cloves
Ginger, finely chopped: 2 Tsp
Green chillies, finely chopped: 2
Lemon Juice: 1 Tblsp
White Pepper Powder: 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder: 1 Tsp
Cornflour: 2 Tblsp
Salt: To Taste
Oil: 2 Tblsp
Butter: 1 Tblsp
Brown Sugar: 2 Tblsp
Oil: For frying the koftas

For the gravy:
Ghee: 3 Tblsp
Onion Paste: 4 Tblsp
Ginger Paste:4 Tsp
Garlic Paste: 4 Tsp
Tomato Puree: 2 Cups
Cashew nut paste: 3 Tblsp
Clove Powder: 1/4 Tsp
Cinnamon Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Mace Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tsp
Green Cardamom Powder: 1/2 Tsp
Black Cardamom Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp
Cream: 1/4 Cup
Salt: To Taste

Method:
For the koftas:
1. Heat Oil in a kadhai (wok). Add in the cumin seeds. As they start to crackle, add in the garlic. Saute till light golden.
2. Add in the spinach and stir fry till all moisture has evaporated. Remove off flame and cool.
3. Once cool, chop the spinach roughly.
4. Heat butter in a separate wok. Add in the lemon juice and sugar. Cook till a nice syruppy consistency is achieved.
5. Add in the mushrooms, ginger and green chillies. Cook till done.
6. Mix in this mushroom mixture with the spinach and add in all remaining ingredients. Mix well.
7. Divide into 12 equal portions. Make round balls and keep aside.
8. Heat oil for deep frying the koftas.
9. When oil is hot, add in the spinach-paneer-mushroom balls and deep fry over medium heat till light golden. Remove and drain excess oil on absorbent paper.

For Gravy:
10. Heat ghee in a pan. Add in the onion paste and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium flame.
11. Add in the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook till mixture starts to turn brown.
12. Add in the tomato puree, red chili powder and cashew nut paste. Stir to mix well. Cook for 5 more minutes.
13. Add in the clove, mace, green cardamom, black cardamom and cinnamon powders. Stir. Cook till gravy is slightly reduced and done.
14. Crush and add in the kasoori methi. Cook for another 2 minutes.
15. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning.
To Serve:
16. Arrange the koftas in individual plates on a bed of the tomato-cashew gravy. You can garnish with almond slivers.

Sorbets

2010-05-31T04:48:00.000-07:00

The heat wave doesn't seem like ending this year. One thing that does take a huge beating during extremely hot summer months is the appetite. One thing that I do turn to, during summers is some nice homemade kulfi (milk based ice cream). This year however, I decided to try making some Sorbets.

Sorbets are frozen ice desserts. The name is derived from the Persian word "Sharbat" meaning fruit drink. Sorbets are not be mistaken for ice creams and ice lollies. Ice creams use dairy products which are not there in Sorbets. Ice lollies are just a combination of water and fruit flavoring. Sorbets generally have alcohol or liqueurs added to them. granitas are somewhat identical to Sorbets but differ in the fact that they have ice crystals which make them much crunchier. These ice crystals are not present in Sorbets.
In classical french cuisine (which has 16 courses), Sorbets were a separate course and were served generally to cleanse the palate. Of late they seem to have made a comeback of sorts, with many a restaurants serving Sorbets.
I have listed down three different sorbets, that I have experimented with of late. The aam panna sorbet seems to be a preferred one of mine.

Sapota Sorbet (Chikoo Sorbet)

Ingredients:

Chikoo's (Sapota) - 100 gm
Sugar - 150 gm
Lemon Juice - 50 ml
Cold Water - 30 ml
White Wine - 30 ml
Glucose - 20 gm

Method:
1. Deseed & Puree the Sapotas in a processor. Pass the puree through a soup strainer.
2. Combine all the ingredients alongwith this Sapota puree in a large bowl.
3. Whisk till all sugar dissolves.
4. If you have an ice-cream machine, churn this mixture and freeze for 10 minutes.
5. If you do not have an ice-cream machine, set in a shallow pan and place in a freezer.
6. Remove from freezer and churn again in a food processor.
7. Freeze till set.
8. To serve, scoop the sorbet and garnish with either a mint leaf or a slice of sapota on the side.

Aam Panna Sorbet

Ingredients:

Green Mangoes - 3
Sugar - 4 Tblsp
Black Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin, roasted and powdered - 1/2 Tsp
Red Chili powder - A pinch
Mint leaves, chopped - 1 Tblsp
Water - 1 Cup
Glucose - 2 Tblsp
White Wine - 1 Cup

Method:
1. Place the mangoes in a pan with enough water to cover them. Bring them to a boil and simmer for 10 more minutes. Drain the water.
2. Stone and pulp the mangoes. Add this pulp to a food processor and churn till puree is fine.
3. Add all other ingredients to this pulp and whisk well to mix.
4. Set in a shallow pan till firm.
5. Take the set aam panna and churn again in a food processor.
6. Set in a bowl till firm.
7. To serve, scoop out the sorbet and garnish with a mint leaf.

Mango Sorbet

Ingredients:
Mangoes - 250 gm
Sugar - 50 gm
Lemon Juice - 30 ml
Glucose - 20 gm
Cold Water - 30 ml
White Wine - 30 ml

Method:
1. Stone & Pulp the mangoes. Puree in a food processor. Strain the puree through a strainer.
2. Add all other ingredients to this puree and whisk well to dissolve sugar.
3. Set in a shallow pan and place in a freezer.
6. Remove from freezer and churn again in a food processor.
7. Freeze till set.
8. Scoop the sorbet to serve.

Bharwaan Lauki aur Mattar Ki Tarri (Stuffed bottle gourd in peas gravy)

2010-05-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

I ran away from Delhi to escape the heat and went over to Palampur for the week. The heat wave did not spare me there either. It was much much cooler than Delhi and Punjab, but I think they will require some air conditioning too. It was a fulfilling time away from work and good time spent with the family. Over the last few days, we visited a lot of good scenic places and also found time to visit some important religous sites, not to forget the Baijnath temple, which is a Jyotirlinga. Dharamshala and McLeodganj were a disappointment as they were too commercialized.

Coming to this post, I must admit, when I started out with this, I wasn't too sure how it will turn out. Now that it passed the taste test of my better half, and a repeat involving my extended family of aunts and cousins, it is not only a safe bet but also a must try for all those wondering what to cook for the next social evening, unless you don't mind serving the makhani and kadhai stuff.

Stuffed Lauki (bottle gourd) is not a rarity, but a gravy of green peas is surely one. Be a little innovative and play with the stuffing.

Bharwaan Lauki aur Mattar Ki Tarri

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd (Lauki) : 1 (450 gm)

For the Stuffing:

Onions, finely chopped : 1/4 Cup

Garlic, finely chopped: 3 cloves

Ginger, finely chopped : 2 Tsp

Cottage Cheese (Paneer), grated: 75 gm

Potatoes, mashed: 150 gm

Sweet corn: 50 gm

Cheese, grated: 4 Tblsp

Garam Masala: 1 Tsp

Red Chili Powder: 1 Tsp

Raisins: 1 Tblsp

Almonds, finely chopped: 1 Tblsp

Oil: 1 Tblsp

Salt: To Taste

For the Gravy:

Green Peas: 2 Cups

Onions, finely chopped: 1 Cup

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 4 Tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp

Poppy Seed Paste (Khus Khus paste): 2 Tsp

Green Chili Paste - 1 Tsp

White Pepper Powder: 2 Tsp

Cinnamon: 1"

Kasoori Methi: 2 Tsp

Salt: To Taste

Oil: 4 Tsp

Cream: 2 Tblsp

For Garnish:

Amchur Powder (Dried Mango Powder) : 1 Tsp

Method:

To Prepare the Bottle Gourd:

1. Wash, Peel & cut the ends of the Bottle gourd(lauki).

2. Boil hot water with a tsp of salt, and add the bottle gourd as the water starts to boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the water.

3. Scoop out the inside pulp of the bottle gourd. Do not discard.

4. Mash the scooped pulp and mix well with mashed potatoes.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Add in the chopped onions.

6. As the onions turn translucent, add in the ginger and garlic. Cook for two minutes.

7. Add in the lauki and potato mixture. Cook for 7 minutes.

8. Add in the paneer and all the spices. Cook till all moisture is gone.

9. Add in the raisins and almonds. Cook for a minute and take off flame.

10. Mix in the grated cheese.

11. Stuff this mixture in the hollowed out lauki (Bottle gourd).

12. Bake the stuffed bottle gourd for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius or till cooked.

To Prepare the Gravy:

13. Heat oil in a pan. Add Cinnamon and as it starts to crackle, add in the onions.

14. Cook till onions turn light golden. Add in the ginger-garlic pastes.

15. Stir fry till mixture turns golden.

16. Add corainder powder (dissolved in 1 Tblsp of water to prevent it from burning). Cook for a minute.

17. Add in the poppy seed paste, green chili paste and salt. Cook till fat starts to leave the sides.

18. Add the green peas, white pepper powder and a cup of water. Cook till peas are done. Add in the kasuri methi 2 minutes before switching off the flame. Stir well.
19. Remove from flame and cool. Puree in a blender.

20. Pass this puree through a soup strainer in a pan.

21. Put the pan back on flame. Reduce, add in the salt and cream. Cook till it almost comes to a boil.

To Arrange:

22. Cut the cooked bottle gourd into 1" thick slices.

23. Pour the gravy over the sliced bottle gourd pieces.

24. Sprinkle some amchur powder on top and Serve hot.

Hungarian Shortbread

2010-05-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

I happened to come across this amazing recipe browsing through my collection of cookery magazines. The magazine had been with me for quite some time and I had read it so many times trying to look for something to cook or bake and surprisingly I always overlooked this simple recipe. What caught my eye wasn't its simplicity but the fact that the dough has to be frozen and then grated. This ends up making the shortbread extremely crumbly.

Hungarian Shortbread

Ingredients:

Refined Flour - 2 Cups
Baking Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - A Pinch
Unsalted Butter - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Egg yolks - 2
Mixed fruit jam - 3/4 Cup

Method:
1. Sift together all the dry ingredients (except sugar) in one bowl and leave aside.
2. Cream butter using a hand blender. Add in the sugar gradually while continuing to beat.
3. Add in the egg yolks, one at a time and beat till mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add in the dry ingredients mixture and fold till blended.
5. Transfer the dough to the kitchen counter and work with your hands to form a dough.
6. Divide the dough into 2 balls and cover with plastic wrap.
7. Freeze for 45 minutes to an hour.
8. Take the frozen dough out of the freezer.
9. Grate the first ball of frozen dough (using a cheese grater) directly into a lightly greased springform pan.
10. Even out the grated dough by gently patting it.
11. Spread the jam evenly on this grated dough, leaving a 1/2" border around the edges.
12. Now grate the second ball of frozen dough over the jam layer. Even it out by patting gently.
13. Bake in an oven, heated to 190 degrees celsius, for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Leave to cool in pan, before cutting it out into wedges and serving.

Jewels from Avadh (Part 2) - Lucknowi Dum Pukht Biryani

2010-05-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Biryani lovers, there are two distinct groups that one comes across, the Hyderabadi biryani and the Lucknowi biryani fans. Somewhere in between there are atleast 20-24 different types of biryani's, with their own fan following, but these 2 types rule the palate with the majority in the sub-continent.
The Lucknowi Biryani can be simply defined as a homogeneous blend of different textures, spices and aromas. The Lucknowi biryani is cooked in stock and not water. The Dum Pukht Biryani is the most popular version of the Lucknowi biryani and this is also the biryani that I prefer. For the best Lucknowi Biryani in the capital, you need to eat at the Dum Pukht restaurant at ITC Maurya Sheraton at Dhaula Kuan.
I had this request from JH (quite a long time back) to post the recipe for Lucknowi Biryani and since I was used to having the authentic one at restaurants, I didn't even realize that I had never ever made this one myself. As I got about asking for the recipe from some of the chefs I was still in touch with from my past life as a hotelier, somewhere deep within I felt if I will ever be able to do justice to the delicate balancing of the aromas. After weeks of procrastination, I finally got down to making this one, with my wife and 2 sons as the judges of whether I had passed the test. The result I must say wasn't that bad. It certainly was no match to what the Quereshi family makes, but my creation was a hit atleast in my family. Moreover, I couldn't resist going for seconds and third helpings till it got over.

Other Biryani's on this site :

Hyderabadi Biryani
Khoja Kachi Biryani
Bohri Biryani

Lucknowi Dum Pukht Biryani

Ingredients:
Chicken, cut into small pieces - 500 gm
Rice (Basmati) - 2 Cups
Ghee - 5 Tblsp
Chicken Stock - 4 Cups
Onions, finely chopped - 1 Cup
Black Cardamom - 4
Green Cardamom - 3
Black peppercorn - 10
Cinnamon - 2"
Cloves - 8
Fennel seeds - 1 Tsp
Bay Leaf - 2
Kewra Essence - 1/2 Tsp
Gulab ittar - 1/4 Tsp
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Saffron - 4-5 strands
Salt - 1 Tsp

For Marination:
Onion, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Ginger, finely chopped - 2 Tblsp
Garlic, finely chopped - 2 Tblsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Cloves, ground - 1/4 Tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 Tsp
Lime juice - 1/4 Tsp
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Salt - 1/4 Tsp

For Garnish:
Onion, thinly sliced and fried in ghee till they are browned - 1 Cup
Almonds, sliced and fried - 1/4 Cup
Cashews, sliced and fried - 1/4 Cup

Method:
1. Boil the stock with the whole spices - Black cardamom, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Let it rest for 20 minutes and then strain.
2. Wash 7 rinse the basmati rice twice in cold water. Soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes - 1 hr. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for marinade in a processor and make a smooth paste. Add in the chicken pieces and mix well to coat each chicken piece. Let it marinate for upto 5 hours.
4. Heat ghee in a large pan. Add in the rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes or till rice turns opaque white.
5. Crush & add in 2 saffron strands. Add in 4 cups of chicken stock.
6. Bring the rice to a boil, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Switch off the flame and let the rice rest for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the rice to absorb the moisture.
7. Take another heavy bottomed pan and add ghee. Heat. Add in the chopped onions. Saute till onions turn translucent. Add in the marinated chicken and saute till chicken is done and the gravy has almost dried up.
8. Take an earthernware pot (preferably) which has a lid, to start assembling the biryani. Add in ghee and grease the earthenware pot.
9. Lay a layer of rice. Sprinkle some chicken stock. Add in some of the chicken pieces. Repeat this alternate layering of rice and chicken pieces. Finish with a layer of rice on top. Sprinkle the rest of the chicken stock.
10. Warm the milk with cardamom pods. Crush and add the saffron. Add the Kewra and Gulab ittar.
11. Sprinkle on top of the finished biryani layers.
12. Add in the garnishes.
13. Now cover with a lid and seal the vessel by applying a dough made with wheat flour or flour around the lid, all the way around.
14. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place the biryani in the oven. Let the biryani cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
15. Remove, break seal and serve straight from the pot.

Note: Traditionally Lucknowi biryani is served with boondi raita or Burrani raita (raita made by whisking thick yogurt with garlic juice, powdered onion seeds, shahi zeera and black salt) and papads alongwith traditional pickles.
Firni or Kheer goes very well as a dessert course after the lucknowi biryani.

Murg Handi Lazeez

2010-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

I have been fairly lazy all these weeks. Guess it's the heat wave that is generating the laziness and over the last few weeks, I find myself with so many recipes to post that if I do not start rolling up my sleeves and typing, I'll be left with enough to post for the whole year.
The handi is an integral part of the Indian kitchen. Traditionally the handi is a thick bottomed vessel with a neck that is narrower than the base. It also traditionally has a lid to cover it and retain the aroma. The handi has been used to prepare many dishes with a predominantly thick gravy. The most popular gastronomical export of the Handi cooking is the dum style of cooking. The other well known aspect of the handi cooking is the Bhunao method which is used in many households predominantly in the northern parts of the country.
Murg handi lazeez or chicken cubes cooked in a cardamom scented creamy yogurt and garlic brown gravy is a typical dish highlighting the use of the Handi and this vessel lends its name to the dish.

Murg Handi Lazeez

Ingredients

Chicken, cut into pieces : 500 gm
Yogurt, whisked : 1 Cup
Chicken Stock: 1 Cup
Onion, roughly chopped : 2
Garlic cloves, roughly chopped - 6 cloves
Green chili paste - 2 Tblsp
Coriander Powder: 2 Tsp
White Pepper Powder : 1 Tsp
Cinnamon: 1" stick
Cloves:4
Cardamom: 2
Bay Leaf :2
Mace powder: 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste : 4 Tblsp
Lemon Juice : 1 Tblsp
Salt : To Taste
Ittar : 2-3 drops

Method:

1. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in oil till they turn golden brown. Grind this fried onion and garlic to a paste.

2. Heat ghee in a Handi, add coriander powder and stir fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add bay leaves, other whole spices and ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add chicken pieces and yogurt. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes and add salt.

5. Cover with a lid and cook until all moisture evaporates and chicken becomes tender.

6. Open the lid, add fried onion garlic paste, green chili paste, white pepper powder, and mace/cardamom powder.

7. Pour 1/4 cup water, chicken stock and lemon juice. Cover with lid and cook on slow flame for 6-7 minutes.Add the ittar 2 minutes before finishing and remove off flame.

8. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Aam Panna

2010-04-03T22:50:00.000-07:00

If the temperatures we saw in March were anything to go by, it's going to be a long hot summer. I'm already dreading May and making all plans to avoid it.

All kind of thirst quenchers are already out and keeping me company as I try to keep the heat away.
Indian kitchen has its own recipes of traditional drinks and the aam panna remains a household favorite. Made by using green mangoes the panna is a great solution for heat exhaustion. The green mangoes are a rich source of pectin, citric and other acids apart from being a great source of Vitamin B1, B2 and C, which prevent loss of sodium chloride and other essential body fluids. It has also been found to be great in treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders. So go ahead make yourself some aam panna and raise a toast to keeping the heat wave away.

Aam Panna

Ingredients:

Green Mangoes - 7
Sugar - 4 Tblsp
Black Salt - 1 Tsp
Cumin, roasted and powdered - 1.5 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Mint Leaves, chopped - 3 Tblsp
Water - 5 Cups

Method:
1. Place the mangoes in a pan of water (enough to cover them) and put on a flame.
2. Cook to bring them to a boil. Simmer for 10 more minutes and then remove and drain water.
3. Stone and pulp the mangoes.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pulp and whisk well to mix.
5. Adjust seasoning and transfer to a jug.
6. Serve chilled with ice.

Eggplant Parmesan (Melanzane alla Parmigiana)

2010-03-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Fried eggplant slices coated with tomato sauce, layered with cheese and baked in oven. This is the simplest description of this exotic sounding dish. Yet this simple sounding dish can be such a challenge to make. The thickness of the slice, with skin or without skin, the kind of batter to use, to coat with breadcrumbs or not, the tomato sauce and the type of cheese can all play a very important role in not only how it comes out but how it tastes also.
Eggplant parmesan is a southern Italian dish and there are many versions to the origin of the name. Though many believe that the origin of the dish is due to the use of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, there are still a handful that believe that the name Parmigiana is a corruption of the word Parmiciana, a word from the Sicilian dialect, which refers to slats of wood in a shutter. The dish is so named after the slats, because the eggplant slices overlap each other just like the wooden slats in a shutter.
Irrespective of the controversy, it is a very popular dish the world over with different variations of the same existing, some even involving chicken and veal.
The variation I try does not use breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs made the dish very heavy and I prefer to use a lighter tempura like batter instead.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
Eggplant, big, cut into thin slices- 1
Mozzarella, sliced - 5-6 slices
Parmesan, grated - 1/2 Cup
Salt
Oil - For deep frying

For the batter:
Egg -1
Flour - 1 Cup
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Water - 3/4 Cup
Baking Soda - a Pinch

For tomato sauce:
Olive Oil
Tomatoes, concassed - 1 Kg
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Basil - 1 tsp
Black pepper, freshly ground - 2 Tsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them rest covered, so that they lose moisture and the bitterness. Leave aside.

2. To Make Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a wok. Add in the onions and saute till they start to turn golden.
3. Add in the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the concassed tomatoes and 1 cup of water.
5. Cook till the sauce starts to turn thick.
6. Add the salt, black pepper powder and basil.
7. Cook for another minute. Take it off flame.

8. To Make Batter: Combine all ingredients for batter.
9. Whisk well till a thick batter forms.
10. Chill for 10-15 minutes.

11. Heat oil in a big wok.
12. Dip the eggplant slices in the batter and deep fry till done.
13. Remove and drain excess oil. Keep aside.
14. Take a baking dish and lightly oil it .
15. Spread a layer of the tomato sauce. Now dip each batter fried eggplant slice in the tomato sauce and add to the baking dish. Make a layer of eggplant slices.
16. Layer with some more tomato sauce and sprinkle the parmesan cheese.
17. Repeat this 3 more times.
18. Add the remaining tomato sauce on top and layer the mozzarella cheese.
19. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
20. Cut into slices and serve hot.

Pollo alla Cacciatore

2010-03-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, I had a colleague of mine over from Europe. Since she belongs to Italy, we got into a discussion on Italian cuisine and wine in particular. I guess, it stayed with till over the weekend and come Sunday, I was busy trying to recreate some Italian dishes that have always been my favorites.
Pollo alla Cacciatore, was first made by me when I was in the culinary institute. The term comes from the Italian term, Pollo meaning chicken and cacciatore meaning hunter. In culinary terms alla cacciatore means prepared in the hunter style, using tomatoes, herbs, mushrooms, onions and yes! wine. The choice of wine can be tricky with red wine being used in Southern parts and white wine being preferred in the Northern parts of Italy. This is a very popular dish and like many popular dishes each region has its own variation to this dish. It even has a cousin in France which is called Poulet Saute Chasseur.

Pollo alla Cacciatore

Ingredients:
Chicken, cut into large pieces - 1 kg
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Garlic, crushed - 3 cloves
Bacon, preferably Pancetta, finely chopped - 150 gm
Mushrooms, thickly sliced - 125 gm
Red Wine - 1/3 Cup
Tomatoes, chopped - 800 gm
Brown Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oregano - 1 tsp
Thyme - 1 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Black Pepper - 2 tsp
Salt - To Taste
Olive Oil - 6 tblsp

Method:
1. Heat 3 tblsp oil in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic. Cook till onion turns golden brown. Add the bacon followed by the mushrooms. Cook for 5 more minutes. Transfer to another bowl.
2. Add the remaining 3 tblsp olive oil to the same pan and heat. Add the chicken pieces.
3. Cook till chicken starts to brown. Add the salt and black pepper powder.
4. Add the red wine and cook till the wine has almost evaporated.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, thyme, oregano and bay leaf.
6. Add in 1/3 cup water and mix well. Cook till the mixture comes to a boil.
7. Add in the mushroom mixture that we had cooked earlier. Mix well.
8. Lower the flame and cook for 20-25 minutes on low flame stirring from time to time or till chicken in done and excess liquid has evaporated.
9. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Next Time : Eggplant Parmesan

Paneer Moghlai Kofta in Paalak Gravy (Cottage Cheese Koftas in Spinach Garvy)

2010-03-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I cooked a real piece de resistance for the vegetarians and this one is one such beauty that has come about in quite some time. If there is one thing that catches my fancy in kitchens it has to be the Koftas. In the hands of experts, Koftas are transported to the highest levels of culinary display.
Koftas in traditional terms are minced balls made out of popularly lamb or beef. However, it is not uncommon to find Koftas of chicken mince and for the vegetarians, koftas made of paneer, bottle gourd, mashed potatoes etc. It is derived from the Persian word Kufta meaning "to beat" or "to grind", which in those days was meant to mince meat.
The name Kofta has many variations in different parts of the world. They go by the name of Kufteh in Iran, Cufta in Croatia, Kyufte in Bulgaria, Keftes in Greek cuisine and chiftea in Romania.

Paneer Moghlai Kofta in Paalak Gravy

Ingredients:

Kofta:
Paneer (Cottage Cheese or Ricotta), grated : 300 gm
Apricots, dried : 12
Almonds, Blanched : 12
Red Chili Powder : 1 Tsp
Amchoor (Dried Mango Powder) : 1/2 Tsp
Baking Powder : A Pinch
Salt
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Cornflour : 1/2 Cup
Oil : To Deep Fry Koftas

Gravy:
Spinach, washed and rinsed in running water : 1 Kg
Onions, finely chopped : 2
Garlic Paste : 3 Tblsp
Tomato Puree : 6 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 Tblsp
Kasoori Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): 1 Tblsp
Ghee ( Clarified Butter) : 2 Tblsp
Salt: To Taste

Method:

Koftas:
1. Refresh the apricots in water for 5 minutes.
2. Slit from one side and remove the pits. Replace the pits with the blanched almonds. Keep aside.
3. Mix all other ingredients (except oil and stuffed apricots) for koftas. Knead well to form a dough.
4. Divide into 12 equal portions and make balls.
5. Flatten each ball using your palms, being careful not to break it.
6. Place a stuffed apricot in between and make a ball again.
Make 12 such balls.

7. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
8. Heat oil in a wok.
9. Deep fry the balls till golden brown. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

Gravy:
1. Boil spinach in water with salt. Drain and puree in a blender.
2. Heat ghee in a pan.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4. Add in the garlic paste. Saute till the onions start to turn golden brown.
5. Add in the masalas and saute for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the spinach puree and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add in the tomato puree and a cup of water.
8. Cook till it starts to take a gravy like consistency.
9. Adjust the seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes.

Assembling:
1. Add in the koftas to the simmering gravy.
2. Crush the kasoori methi and sprinkle on top.
3. Stir and remove from flame.
4. Serve hot.

Orange banana bread

2010-03-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

So how many times have you ordered bananas because your kids loved them and then watched as they started to rot. Sounds familiar. Happens at my home everytime. And then you make Banana bread to ensure they do not go wasted. The kids love it too, right. But not when it becomes a weekly or biweekly affair. Atleast not in my house. They are like some evolving species that ensures they test my skills and patience to try out something new in order to utilize the bananas. That is where the Orange banana bread comes in. An attempt to get something new in front of them. They love it, but I know I will have to start thinking for another variation to the banana bread in the coming few weeks. Till then, enjoy what you have.

Orange Banana Bread

Ingredients:

Bananas, mashed : 3 No.
All purpose flour : 2 Cups
Baking Soda: 3/4 Tsp
Butter : 1/4 Cup
Castor Sugar : 1/2 Cup
Light brown sugar : 1/2 Cup
Eggs : 2
Orange rind, grated : 1 Tblsp
Orange Juice : 3 Tblsp
Salt : 1/2 Tsp

Method:
1. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
2. Cream together the butter and the sugar (both white and brown) until well blended.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and continue to whisk.
4. Add in the mashed bananas, orange rind and juice. Blend well.
5. Add in the flour mixture. Mix until just moist.
6. Spoon the batter into a greased loaf pan.
7. Bake at 180 degrees celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 50 minutes or until done.
8. Cool on a wire rack.

Paneer Ki Seekh ( Skewered Cottage Cheese)

2010-02-27T21:28:00.000-08:00

It has been long time away from home in sub zero temperatures and I really missed my time with both the family and the kitchen. This away time has also made me miss the best cooking weather in Delhi and I am now counting my days before the temperatures goes up by a few more degrees and will scare the most avid of cooks from venturing into the kitchen and spending their days there unless of course, there is sufficient airconditioning.
I had been cooking crazily before I left and there are quite a few recipes that could keep me busy posting through the summer months and till I wait for monsoons to strike and cool the place down. One thing apart from cooking that takes a hit during summer is posting regularly on the blog. Personally, I just feel too lazy and want to spend most of the time either sleeping or in the pool having a chilled beers or cocktails.
The seekh kabab is the king of kababs, and though there are variations like, chicken mince (called Reshmi Kabab) and Kakori Kabab, vegetarians mostly find the subz seekh as the only option for themselves as far as the seekh goes. That was until now. Paneer can be also used to come up with a seekh. The only problem is the delicate nature of paneer and its ability to not bind itself so easily and disintegrate in a second. The addition of gramflour does not help as in the case of mutton seekh, because, since paneer has no individual taste, the bitterness of the gramflour ruins the entire thing. That is where cornflour comes in and saves the day. It still is a test of ones patience and delicate affair but in the end, the joy of giving an additional option to the vegetarians on the kabab platter more than makes up for it, especially if that vegetarian someone happens to be your spouse, which is so true in my case.

One more variation for the vegetarian is the Lotus stem (Nadur) seekh which was posted a few months back. Meat eaters can skip this and try the Mutton Seekh Kabab.

Paneer Ki Seekh

Ingredients:

Cottage Cheese (Paneer), grated - 1 Kg
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 3 tsp
Green chillies, finely chopped - 2
Garlic, finely chopped - 4 cloves
Ginger, finely grated - 3 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
Corn Flour - 2.5 Tblsp
Lemon Juice - 1 Tblsp
Oil for basting
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients, except oil. Note : Preferrably add cornflour in the end.
2. Chill for 20 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into equal portions.
4. Take each ball and with wet hands skewer each ball and make a 2 inch long kabab shaped like a cigar.
5. Put the skewers on a hot grill or in a tandoor/microwave.
6. Cook till golden brown.
7. Remove the done kababs from the skewers gently.
8. Serve hot garnished with lemon wedges, onion rings and mint chutney.

Harissa Rubbed Chicken Kababs

2010-01-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in Minneapolis as I write this post and the temperature outside is -13 degrees celsius. Probably not a good temperature to grill outside, but I just cannot stop thinking of the nice grill party I had at my place in New Delhi a few weeks back.

I first discovered Harissa a few years back at a friends place and over time have tried both making Harissa at home (it is really easy to make) and also try out other things with Harissa, the Harissa rubbed chicken kababs being my favorite ( Harissa mashed potatoes the other favorite). Of late, I have sourced out a vendor who stocks up harissa and I usually take the easy route of buying harissa tubes from him.

So what is Harissa? Harissa is a North African ( mostly Moroccan, Algerian & Tunisian cuisine) hot sauce made with chillies and paprika, flavored with caraway & cumin seeds. Different versions of making this sauce exist. Types of chillies can be played around with to arrive at the hotness of the Harissa sauce. I personally use red ancho chillies and paprika to make my Harissa.

Harissa

Ingredients:

Dried Red Chillies - 10-12

Paprika - 2 Tsp

Garlic, minced - 4

Corriander seeds,ground - 1 Tsp

Cumin seeds, ground - 1 Tsp

Caraway seeds, ground - 1 Tsp

Olive Oil - 2 Tblsp

Sea Salt - 1/2 Tsp

Tomato Paste - 1 Tsp

Method:

1. Soak the dried chillies in warm water for half an hour. Drain them and remove stem & seeds.

2. Blend all the ingredients in a blender to form a smooth paste.

3. Store in a air tight container. NOTE: Harissa stays well in the refrigerator. Drizzling a few drops of olive oil on top of it while storing will keep it fresh.

Harissa Rubbed Chicken Kababs

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes - 200 gm

Lemon Juice - 3 Tblsp

Ginger -garlic paste - 3 Tblsp

Onion paste - 2 Tblsp

Harissa - 3 Tblsp

Mixed Herbs - 3 Tsp

Olive Oil - 1 Tsp

Sea Salt - To Taste

Olive Oil - For Basting

Method:

1. Wash & clean the chicken cubes. Rub with ginger garlic paste and marinate in lemon juice for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare a second marinade by combining olive oil, harissa, onion paste, mix herbs and sea salt. Add the chicken cubes to this marinade. Rest for another 30 minutes.

3. Heat grill to moderately high temperature.

4. Thread the chicken cubes on skewers and grill till done. Turn around regularly and baste them with olive oil to prevent drying.

5. Serve hot.

Jewels from Avadh (Part I) - Guncha-O-Bahar

2010-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

The very mention of Avadh, brings memories of nawabs, tehzeeb and some delicately spiced, aromatic and tasty cuisine, dum pukht being the most famous. Although these days Avadh is synonymous with Lucknow, the Avadh region comprised of Balrampur (near Nepal border), Barabanki, Gonda, Allahabad, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Faizabad, Lucknow(the capital) and extended till Unnao. Under the patronage of the nawabs, the cuisine was taken to an entirely new level. Some of the famous culinary delights from the region include the melting galouti kababs, the kakori kababs, Sheermal, Taftan, Tunde mian's famous kababs and ulte tawe ke paranthe. The lucknowi biryani and the Hyderabadi Biryani have long fought a battle for the best there is to offer, with each camp boasting of several million die hard fans.
The vast variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in the Avadh cuisine are complemented by the rich variety of ingredients used. It is fairly common to be find Kewra (Screwpine essence), Khus and Gulabjal being used in the cooking as it is find abundant use of nuts and other dried fruits like apricots and raisins being used.
The Dum Pukht cuisine, which entails cooking the food in its own steam over a slow fire, is said to have evolved in Avadh and perfected in the kitchens of the nawabs.

Guncha-O-Bahar

Ingredients:
Cauliflower, cut into large florets and washed - 1 Kg
Onions, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Turmeric - 1.5 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 Tblsp
Malt Vinegar - 6 Tblsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 7 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder - 1.5 Tsp
Almond Paste - 5 Tsp
Tomato Puree - 1 Cup
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Khoya - 120 Gm
Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
Gramflour - 1/3 Cup
Garam Masala - 1/2 Tsp
Saffron - 1 Tsp
Milk - 1 Tblsp
Ghee - 6 Tblsp
Oil - For deep frying
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Blanch the cauliflower florets in water with Lemon juice, 1 Tsp turmeric and salt. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
2. Mix 1 tsp red chili powder with ginger garlic paste, salt and malt vinegar. Marinate the blanched cauliflower florets in this mixture for 30 minutes.
3. Mix cumin with the gramflour. Dust the marinated florets with this.
4. Deep fry the dusted cauliflower florets till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.
5. Whisk the yogurt and add in khoya paste, remaining turmeric (1/2 tsp), fennel, coriander powder, red chili powder (1/2 tsp) and salt.
6. Heat ghee in a kadhai. Add in the onions and saute till light brown.
7. Add tomato puree and the almond paste. Fry till the fat leaves the masala.
8. Add in the yogurt mixture. Cook till the gravy achieves a sauce like consistency.
9. Add the garam masala and stir. Take off flame.
10. In a shallow baking dish, arrange the fried florets. Pour the gravy on top.
11. Sprinkle saffron soaked in milk and cover with a silver foil.
12. Cook on Dum in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
13. Tear the foil on the dining table and serve hot from the baking dish.

Nihari Gosht

2010-01-17T03:51:00.000-08:00

The word Nihari is derived from the urdu word Nihar meaning morning, and true to its name, Nihari was a breakfast food eaten in the early morning traditionally before sunrise. It is a delicious meat stew (almost always beef) that is nowadays a popular dish (made with lamb, beef or mutton) eaten just about anytime, more so in the evenings for dinner. The origins of this dish are hazy and though some say it is a part of the avadh cuisine, Delhi seems to be the birthplace for Nihari Gosht. From Delhi it travelled to Pakistan and other parts of India with the settlers and was taken to a new level. There are streets serving Nihari in Lahore and Karachi and though I have never been there, the taste of the Nihari seems heavenly going by word of mouth of some who have tasted it. I have feasted on Nihari in Hyderabad and also in Delhi near Jama Masjid and they did not seem to disappoint me either.
Traditionally Nihari is cooked overnight to make the meat tender and just fall off the bone. Also, there can be various garnishes or assortments that can be served alongwith Nihari ranging from fried onions, sliced radishes, green chillies and lemon slices to bheja fry (no pun intended).
I made Nihari the other day for breakfast. I took it easy on the ghee and other ingredients but the taste was still good.

Nihari Gosht

Ingredients:

Lamb/Mutton - 500 Gm
Desi Ghee - 100 Gm
Onions, Sliced - 1
Onions, finely chopped - 2
Cloves - 4
Green Cardamom - 4
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1
Coriander Powder - 1.5 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 3 Tblsp
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Gramflour - 1/2 Tsp
Flour - 1/2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Green Cardamom Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Mace Powder - 1/4 Tsp

Method:
1. Heat 80 gm ghee in a thick botommed vessel. Add in the sliced onions are fry till they turn golden brown.
2. Add in the lamb/mutton pieces, chopped onions, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon. Saute for 5 minutes or till it becomes dry.
3. Add in the red chili powder, coriander, turmeric and salt. Mix well.
4. Add in the ginger garlic paste and stir. Fry till oil leaves the masala.
5. Add in yogurt and bring to a boil.
6. Add in 2 cups of water and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
7. Take the vessel of the heat. Separate the lamb/mutton pieces from the gravy.
8. In a separate pan add in the remaining ghee and heat.
9. Add in the gramflour and flour. Keep stirring till the flours turn golden brown.
10. Add in the gravy and stir well to ensure no lumps remain. Wash the original handi (in which the gravy was).
11. Pass this gravy through a strainer into the original handi.
12. Add in the meat pieces and return to the flame.
13. Add in the mace powder and green cardamom powder. Cook for 10 minutes.
14. Add in the garam masala and cook for another 10 minutes.
15. Serve hot.

Afghani Murg Tikka

2010-01-14T04:44:00.000-08:00

The mercury seems to be dipping every day in Delhi and the fog has ensured that venturing out late evenings or early morning is a big mistake. It makes a good excuse to stay at home and cook on the grill.
Having tried many kinds of chicken kababs and tikkas to experiment with, this recipe came as a big relief, more so to my family members who were in no mood to become guinea pigs and try out something out of my head.

Other chicken tikkas/kababs on this blog:

Afghani Murg Tikka Ingredients:

Chicken, cut into 1 inch dices - 500 gm
Ginger Garlic paste - 3 Tsp
Vinegar - 1 Tblsp
Cashewnut, blended with 2 Tblsp of milk and made into a paste - 3 Tblsp
Cheese, grated - 2 Tblsp
Cardamom powder - 1 Tsp
White Pepper Powder - 2 Tsp
Eggs - 2
Cream - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste
Oil - To Baste

Method:
1. Rub the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste, vinegar and salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Mix cashew paste, cardamom powder, white pepper powder, cheese, eggs and salt to make a smooth paste.
3. Add the chicken pieces to this second marinade and keep aside for 3o minutes.
4. Put the chicken pieces on skewers and grill on a hot tandoor/oven/charcoal grill.
5. Baste regularly and turn the skewers to ensure even cooking.
6. Grill till done.
7. Serve hot with mint chutney.

Murgh Malaaiwala (Chicken in Creamy Indian Gravy)

2010-01-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

Punjab (A region in India and Pakistan), the name means the land of five (Punj ) and Ab (River). Needless to say a region of five rivers is immensely fertile and abundant in crop and dairy. It's therefore no coincidence that all Punjabis love their food and a majority of Indian restaurants serve the punjabi cuisine. Being on the famed silk route meant that Punjab became a melting pot of diverse culture and gastronomical treasures which were quickly adopted and amalgamated into the rich Punjabi cuisine. Alexander came in with Rajma (kidney beans) and now Rajma and chawal (rice) are the essential punjabi favorite. Partition bought along with it millions of refugees to different parts of the country with nothing other than the clothers they were wearing, the cuisine that they loved and an enterprising nature. The entire nation has since been swept under a culinary explosion of Punjabi food. Thousands of Dhabas (Roadside eateries) have exploded at every nook and corner of the country, giving the common folk a taste of punjabi food. It is not uncommon to have tandoori chicken fan following down south of the country.
Being a Punjabi myself, breakfast, lunch and dinner are not a mere break from the usual daily grind but a festival in itself. Though jokingly it is termed daal-roti, chicken, meat and other vegetarian food dishes are common thing on the table, sometimes all at once. When we were young (read small kids), my dad used to make this creamy chicken dish that was not too spicy and a great hit with us. The other day, deciding on a dish to make that my kids could eat without complaning of the spices, this one came to my mind and I immediately set about making this. It is not the last time, I think, that this has been made at my house (going by the reactions). Some culinary traditions never die.

Murgh Malaaiwala

Ingredients:
Chicken, cut into pieces - 500 gm
Onion paste - 1 Cup
Ginger Paste - 2 Tsp
Green Chillies, slit and deseeded - 2
Milk - 3 Cups
Cream - 1 Cup
Kasoori Methi - 2 Tsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1 Tsp
Green Cardamom Powder - 2 Tsp
Clove Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste

For Garnish
Almond Flakes - 2 Tsp
Coriander, finely chopped - 1 Tsp

Method:

1. Add the chicken pieces, onion paste, ginger paste, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup cream,green chillies and a pinch of kasoori methi in a handi and bring to a boil on a medium flame, while stirring continously.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring at regular intervals until the milk and cream have been absorbed and the chicken has been almost cooked.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients (1 cup Milk, 1/2 cup cream, clove powder, black pepper powder, cardamom powder, garam masala powder, remaining kasoori methi) and cook for 10 more minutes or till another boil.
4. Adjust seasonings.
5. Serve hot garnished with Almond flakes & chopped coriander.

Roganjosh

2010-01-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Roganjosh has always been my favorite meat dish for a very long time. Over the years my family and friends have suffered over my insistence of having this dish featured on food menus whenever we have gone dining and even having it on a buffet for parties organized by me. The intense aromas and a taste to die for have made this dish a piece de resistance of the kashmiri cuisine. What is even more interesting than this dish maybe the fact that its origins are Persian and it was bought to Kashmir by the Moghuls who made Kashmir their winter capital.
There are two main theories to the origin of the name Roganjosh. The first one credits the name to its Persian origins wherein Rogan means clarified butter or oil and Josh means Intense. It is simply put a meat based stew cooked in clarified butter over intense heat. The second theory states the name to be a Kashmiri version meaning red meat (Rogan means red in Kashmiri and Josh is the anglicized version of Gosht meaning Meat).
Different versions of this dish exist throughout the country and even in Kashmir where it has been perfected there are two distinct versions on how it is made. The Kashmiri brahmins(hindu caste) eat meat (as opposed to other hindus in the country barring the Saraswat Brahmins of Goa) and make this dish without garlic and onions which they do not use in their cooking. They flavor the dish using fennel (very distinct to Kashmiri Hindu cooking) and asafoetida. The Kashmiri muslims use lots of onion, garlic and also the dried flower of the cockscomb plant commonly known as Maval in Kashmir. Maval provides the dish its distinct bright red color. Maval surprisingly is in itself a substitute for Ratan Jot (Alkanet Root) which was the preferred ingredient to impart color not only to Roganjosh but also Tandoori chicken during the Moghul period. This is now becoming rare and substituted by Maval petals in Kashmir as this flower is indigenous to the state and in other parts of the country artificial food colors are used.
I chanced upon Ratan Jot sometime back in Hyderabad and immediately bought it. This was the perfect time to use it. My version tries to mix both the kashmiri muslim and hindu coking styles by adopting the use of onion, garlic, fennel & asafoetida. It surely tastes good and is great for a nice winter evening served with some pulao.
Other Indian chicken/meat gravy items on my blog that one can read are as under:

Murg Dahi Dhania Korma from North India
Murg Peshawari from Punjab

Murg Patiala from Punjab

Butter Chicken from Punjab
Chicken Tikka Masala
Murg Korma from North India

Chemmeen Mapas (Prawn Curry with Coconut milk) from Kerala

Chetinaad Kozhi Kozhambu (Chetinaad Style Chicken Curry) from Tamil Nadu

Mutton Chops Kozhambu from Tamil Nadu

Hyderabadi Anjeer Murgh (Chicken in figs gravy) from Andhra Pradesh

Murg Kairi

Roganjosh

Ingredients:
Lamb /Mutton, leg or shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes - 1 Kg
Garlic Paste - 3 Tblsp
Ginger Powder (Sonth) - 2 Tsp
Brown Onion Paste - 1/2 Cup
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Cumin powder - 2 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp
Green Cardamom - 2 pods
Black Cardamom - 2 Pods
Cinnamon - 1-inch stick
Cloves- 4
Bay Leaf - 1
Kashmiri Degi Mirch - 1 Tsp
Ratan Jot,crushed - 1/2 Tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - a Pinch
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Ghee - 5 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Mix together sonth (dry ginger powder), garlic paste, chili powder, degi mirch, coriander & cumin in a large bowl.
2. Add the Meat pieces and mix well to coat all pieces evenly. Allow to rest for atleast 6 hours or preferably overnight in a refrigerator.
3. Heat ghee ina large saucepan. Add Asafoetida and cook for a minute.
4. Add in the cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon to the pan. Fry for a minute.
5. Add the meat pieces and sear well for 3 minutes. Add in the onion paste and fennel powder and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add half a cup of water and cook for 5-7 minutes on high flame, reduce the flame, cover and simmer till all water has evaporated (30-45 minutes).
7. Stir in whisked yogurt slowly and mix well. Keep stirring from time to time to ensure meat does not stick to the base of the pan.
8. Add in the Ratan jot and salt. Stir well and cook till meat is tender.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Sheesh Tavouk

2010-01-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Sheesh Tavouk or Chicken Skewer as it is it's literal translation (Sheesh meaning Skewer and Tavouk meaning Chicken in Turkish) is a traditional Turkish dish but known more as a Lebanese dish thanks to the many Lebanese Kabab houses around the world. It is simple dish of skewering cubes of marinated Chicken and grilling them. Though many different variations of this dish exist, I usually make it the simplest way. It is much preferred since it is subtly spiced and therefore is a big draw with kids.

Sheesh Tavouk

Ingredients:
Chicken, boneless (preferrably breast) - 500 Gm
Lemon Juice - 3 Tblsp
Garlic Cloves, finely chopped - 1 Tblsp
Olive Oil - 1 Tblsp
Cumin Powder - 1/4 Tsp
White Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Cayenne Pepper - A pinch
Salt - To Taste

For garnish:
Pita Bread - 1
or
Rice - 1 small bowl

Method:
1. Wash & cut chicken breats into 2.5 inch cubes.
2. Blend the chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt, white pepper powder, cumin powder and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Slowly add Olive oil and whisk to form an emulsion.
4. Marinate the chicken pieces in this mixture.Keep aside for 2 hours.
5. Thread the chicken pieces on the skewers. Note: You can also use Bell Peppers cut into 2 inch cubes and alternate between bell peppr cubes and chicken pieces while threading.
6. Grill the skewered chicken for 15-20 minutes or till they are done.
7. Keep rotating while they grill and baste with olive oil to prevent drying up.
8. Serve hot on a bed of rice or pita bread. ( I use mint chutney)

Seekh Kabab (Skewered Lamb Mince Kababs)

2010-01-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

No Tandoori platter is complete without the Seekh Kabab. Not only is a nicely made Seekh Kabab juicy & delicious but also a nice test of the chef's skill. The balance between the ingredients is of utmost importance which I have learned over the intial years through hit and miss. A lot of people prefer either the use of gramflour as a binding agent or using egg. The catch with using gramflour is that it tends to make the kabab bitter if used excessively. Egg, also if used excessively, can make the mixture too wet to hold onto the seekh (Skewer) and fall into the tandoor or grill. I prefer to use both egg and gramflour in little quantities to arrive at the right mix to bind the mixture and hold onto the seekh. Another key is regular basting to ensure the kabab is juicy and not a dried up item.

The origins to this can be traced to Babur's time, when royal cooks used to wrap ground beef around iron rods and grill them on open flames.

Seekh Kabab

Ingredients:

Lamb/Mutton Mince - 500 gm

Egg, lightly beaten - 1

Gramflour (Besan) - 2 Tblsp

Onion, finely chopped - 1

Green Chillies, finely chopped - 1

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tspsp

Ginger, finely chopped - 1 Tsp

Garam Masala - 3 Tsp

Garlic, Minced - 1 Tsp

Lemon Juice - 1 Tsp

Salt - To Taste

For Garnish

Lemon Wedges

Chaat Masala - 1 Tsp

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients (Except for garnish) in a bowl. Mix and knead well.

2. Rest for 2hours.

3. Divide the mixture equally into balls.

4. Wet hands and Skewer each ball and make a 2 inch long kabab shaped like a cigar.

5. Put the skewers either in the tandoor or the grill and cook for 6-7 minutes.

6. Take the skewers out and baste them with some oil. Put it back into the tandoor or on the grill. Cook for 6-7 more minutes. Repeat till Kababs are cooked.

7. When done, remove the kababs from the skewers gently.

8. Serve hot on a platter sprinkled with some chaat masala and lemon wedges on the side.

Annual Roundup of Eating Out

2009-12-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

I just cannot stop myself from humming the classic Sinatra song, "It was a very good year". As 2009 comes to a close, I look back at all the eating out during the year and pass my verdict. I wish I could have devoted a full post review to all these restaurants, but alas! the time did not permit (or they just weren't in some cases worthy of a full post).

I have deliberately left out the ones I visited in Paris. They are worthy of a full post review and will follow soon.

1. Five Guys, Wilmington - Great place for Burgers, fries and munching on some peanuts. Never knew a place flipping burgers could get me so crazy.

2. Ranta, Espoo (Finland) - Leave the Italian fare that dominates the menu. Go for the set menu including the Salmon soup and the reindeer steak.

3. 360 Degrees, Oberois, New Delhi - My favorite haunt in Delhi. Great Sushi's and worth sampling Risottos. Indian food is passable.

4. Chor Bizarre, New Delhi -The place to go to for Kashmiri food (I do not know any other in the Capital). The Tarami is a great way to sample. The Gushtaba is a must try.

5. Cafe Lurcat, Minneapolis - Minneapolis offers some fantastic dining. This one remains my favorite. You can read my review.

6. Las Iguanas, London - Craving for some good latin food. Hop into Las Iguanas and get transported to a whole new world. Apart from good food and a buzzing atmosphere, the palce also has a great view of the sites nearby, like the London Eye.

7. Desi Vibes, Noida(India) - Very touristy in its decor. Everything else dissapoints you. Stay away.

8. Zelo's, Minneapolis - Unpredictable ...both in food and service. I know the menu by the back of my hand, having eaten there atleast half a dozen times. Try the Ahi Tuna ..it's really good.

9. Casa Sarita, Park Hyatt, Goa - Goan food never tasted so good. I have been a convert since eating there 10 months back. A must visit for all going to Goa.