Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka is a popular dish found in India.

The word tikka means small bits or

pieces.

 Small pieces of boneless chicken are marinated with spices, curd, lemon and salt. The marinated chicken pieces are then skewered. It’s then grilled over hot charcoals. It’s served with green chutney, onion and lime. 

For Marinating the Chicken pieces- 

500 grams medium size Boneless Chicken pieces 

Juice of 1 medium size Lemon 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger paste 

1/2 tsp Chilli paste

1 medium size Green Capsicum cut into cubes

1 medium size Onion cut into cubes 

1 medium size Tomato deseeded cut into cubes 

1/2 cup Hung Curd

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tikka Masala 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi - optional 

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Marinate all the above ingredients together and keep it for 5 to 6 hours 

To Grill the Chicken Tikka

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken 

Little Chaat Masala to sprinkle 

Onion and lemon cut into pieces for garnishing 

Method 

 Skewered in the vegetables and chicken pieces one after the other into the wooden skewer. Place it on a tray and grill it in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 240 celsius, remove and turn the skewer, grill for another 15 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with Chaat masala and serve it hot with green chutney, onion and lemon. 

Tikka Masala Powder 

Ingredients 

1 Black Cardamom 

4 Green Cardamom 

3 to 4 Cloves

1 small piece Cinnamon 

1 tsp Pepper Corn

2 tbsp Coriander Seeds

2 tbsp Cumin seeds

10 Red Spicy Whole Dry Red Chillies 

10 Kashmiri Dry Red Chillies 

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 

1 tbsp Dry Mango Powder 

Method 

Roast the whole spices 2 minutes on a low medium flame. Cool the spices and add the turmeric and dry mango powder. Grind all the ingredients into into a powder. 

Murgir Kofta Curry / Chicken Kofta Curry

 Murgir kofta Curry 

This is a simple Chicken Kofta Curry to be enjoyed with steamed rice or paratha. Here I have taken boneless chicken pieces and ground the chicken pieces into a paste to make the kofta. I have added the Chicken Koftas into the curry without frying. 

For the Kofta 

Ingredients 

350 grams Boneless Chicken pieces 

1 small size Onion sliced 

1 Green Chilli 

1 Garlic 

1 small piece of Ginger 

Few Mint Leaves 

Few Coriander Leaves 

1/2  tsp Cumin seed powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a food chopper or a grinder jar, add all the ingredients and use the pulse button on the mixer few times. Take a lime size portion of the Keema and make a ball. Repeat the process with the remaining keema. Keep the keema balls in the fridge. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

2 small Onions sliced 

2 small Tomatoes chopped 

5 Garlic Cloves 

1 small size Ginger piece

1 Green Chilli 

Method 

Take a grinder jar, add all the above ingredients and grind all the ingredients into a paste 

For the Murgir Kofta Curry 

Ingredients 

Keema Balls

1 small Onion sliced 

3 Medium size Potatoes cut into medium size chunks 

1 Green Chilli 

Few Coriander leaves for garnish 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

2 Bay leaves 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

Wet paste

2 tbsp of Curd 

1 tsp Ghee

3 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a wok or a pot, add oil, let the oil heat up, reduce the flame, add the cumin seeds, green chilli and bay leaves. Sauté for some few minutes, until the cumin seeds crack. Add the onion and fry until light brown in colour. Add the potatoes, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wet paste, stir and cook the masala until the oil realises from the masala. Add the curd and all the dry powder masala, salt and sugar. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, stir and cover the pot. Let the curry simmer until the potatoes are half cooked. Now add the keema balls. Let it cook until the potatoes and keema balls are cooked. Drizzle ghee and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with hot steamed rice. 

Gua Bao / Steamed Bao Buns stuffed with Sticky Chicken and Pickled Vegetables

 

Gua bao also known as Bao bun or Pork belly buns or lotus leaf buns are very popular all over China. It’s very popular street food of Taiwan.  It’s a complete meal, the soft fluffy buns are served usually with pork belly but it’s also served with chicken and pickled vegetables. 

For Steamed Bao Buns 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

1 tbsp Active Yeast

2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1/4 cup Lukewarm Water

1/2 cup Lukewarm Milk 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a cup, add the warm water, 1 tbsp sugar and active yeast. Stir and keep the yeast to rise. Add the milk and 1 tbsp oil in the yeast. Whisk the yeast. Take a bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and remaining sugar. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the liquid. Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough for 10 minutes. If required add little more water, it should be a soft - stretchy dough. Apply the remaining oil on the dough, cover and keep it aside for 1 to 2 hours or until it rises doubled in size. Open the lid of the bowl, punch the dough and gently knead it for a minute. Roll out the dough into a disc, take a round cutter, and make medium size round disc. Remove the excess dough. Now fold the disc into half, and gently press the bun, with the roller. Repeat the process for other buns. Place the buns on a small butter paper, cover the buns and let the buns rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, add water and let the water boil. Place the buns into the steamer vessel along with the butter paper, keeping little distance between the 2 buns. Cover the steamer and let it steam for 10 minutes. Once done switch off the flame and open the lid, let the buns remain in the steamer for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer. 

Pickled Vegetables 

Ingredients 

A small piece of Carrot cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Cucumber cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Capsicum cut into thin strips

A small piece of Red Cabbage sliced 

Few Coriander leaves 

2 tbsp White Vinegar 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Mix all the ingredients together and let it marinate for 2 to 3 hours 

Sticky Chicken 

Ingredients 

200 grams Boneless Chicken cut into pieces 

1 tsp Garlic minced

1/2 tsp Ginger minced 

1 tbsp Soya sauce 

2 tsp Red Chilli sauce 

1 tsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tsp Fish Sauce 

1 tsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp Honey 

1 tbsp Sesame Oil 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder 

1 tsp Roasted Sesame seeds 

Method 

Take a bowl and mix all the above ingredients, together, except sesame seeds, keep it for an hour. Take a wok, add the marinated chicken, and cook the chicken until the chicken has become soft and the juices has dried up. Switch off the flame. Add the sesame seeds over the chicken. 

To Assemble - 

Take a bun, add a tbsp spoon of the chicken in the middle of the bun, add some pickled vegetables and some coriander leaves or spring onions. Serve the buns and enjoy! 

DescriptionParchment paper, and place it on a tray, cover the buns and let it rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, boil the water in the steamer. Place the buns along with the butter paper into the steamer. Cover the lid and steam the buns for 10 minutes. Once done, switch off the flame and open the lid and let it stand for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer. 

Grilled Pomfret served with Sautéed Vegetables - Mashed Potato and Butter Lemon Sauce

 

We enjoy having continental dinner once in a while. Let’s see how it’s made.. 

Butter Lemon Sauce

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Flour

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp dried Parsley 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

1 cup Milk

1 tbsp Butter 

Method 

Take a pan, add butter, let it melt, add flour, sauté it for few seconds, add milk little at a time and keep on stirring so that no lump forms. As the sauce thickens, add salt, pepper and parsley. Switch off the flame. Let the sauce cool down. Add the lemon juice and stir. 

Mashed Potatoes 

Ingredients 

2 big size boiled potatoes mashed 

2 tbsp Fresh Cream

1 tsp Butter 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients into a bowl and mix all the ingredients very well. 

Sautéed Vegetables 

Ingredients 

4 to 5 medium size Cauliflower florets 

Few French Beans

1 medium size Carrots cut into thick strips

1 small size  Sweet Potato cut into thick strips 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Butter 

Method 

Take a pot, add water and salt into the pot, add the vegetables, let the vegetables boil until it’s cooked, drain the water out, take a pan, add butter, let the butter melt. Sauté the vegetables for a minute, add pepper powder and switch off the flame. 

For the Grilled Pomfret 

Ingredients 

3 Whole cleaned Pomfrets 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Garlic paste 

1 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil 

Method 

Marinate the fish with salt, pepper, garlic paste and lemon juice and keep it for 30 minutes. Take a grill pan, apply butter or oil on the grill pan, place the pomfrets. Cook the pomfrets until brown on both the sides. 

To Assemble - 

Take a plate. Place the grilled pomfret on the plate. Place some sautéed vegetables and some mashed potatoes. Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish. Garnish with a piece of tomato and parsley.. 

Chikoo and Almond Milkshake

 

Some days are to laze around.... today is one such day, enjoyed the afternoon with this shake.... 

Ingredients 

4 to 5 Chikoo, peeled and deseeded 

1 cup of Milk / Almond milk 

2 tbsp roasted Almond powder 

Pinch of Chocolate powder for garnish 

2 tsp Honey 

Few Ice cubes 

2 scoops of Roasted Almond Ice  -  cream

Method 

Take a blender, add the chikoo, milk, almond powder, honey, ice cubes, 1 scoop of the ice cream... blend all the ingredients together. Pour in a glass and add a scoop of the ice cream. Sprinkle chocolate powder from top... 

Coxinha - Brazilian Chicken Croquettes

Coxinha is a popular ingenious street food in Brazil. It’s a savoury snacks made with dough filled with creamy chicken stuffing. It’s dipped in egg and coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. 

It can be easily made at home. It’s delicious. 

Recipe adapted from tasty.. 

For the Chicken Stuffing 

Ingredients 

1 cup of boiled shredded Chicken

2 Garlic cloves minced 

1 small Onion chopped 

1 tsp chopped Parsley 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

2 tbsp Cream Cheese

1 tsp Oil 

Method 

Take a pot, heat the oil, add the onion and garlic, sauté the ingredients until soft and brown in colour. Add the shredded chicken, salt, and pepper. Stir and mix the ingredients together. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add parsley and cream cheese into the bowl and mx it. 

To Make the Dough

Ingredients 

1 cup All Purpose Flour 

1/2 tbsp Butter

1 cup Milk

1/2 cup Chicken broth

Method 

Take a pot, add the butter, chicken broth and milk. Let it boil, add the flour, stir and make it into a dough, switch off the flame, let it cool a bit, once easy to handle, knead the dough well. 

To make the Coxinha

Ingredients 

Chicken stuffing 

Dough 

1 Egg beaten 

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil for frying 

Method 

Take a lemon size portion of the dough, roll the dough. Make a cavity in the center of the dough, add a spoonful of the chicken stuffing. Give the dough a pear shape. Repeat the process. Dip the Coxinha into the egg and then coat it with the bread crumbs. Repeat the process.  Heat the oil.  Deep fry the Coxinha until golden brown in colour. Remove them on a paper towel and serve them hot. 

Soya Chunks Biriyani

Soya Chunks if made properly can easily  replace meat .. There are many recipes that we can make with Soya Chunks. Here I have made Biriyani using Soya Chunks.  It’s ideally made on a veg day in my house.. its served with raita. 

To Marinate the Soya Chunks 

Ingredients 

200 grams Soya Chunks boiled, washed and water drained out 

1 tsp Ginger paste 

1 tsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tsp Fresh Chilli paste 

1 tbsp sliced fried Onion 

1/2 cup Curd 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Method 

Take a bowl, add in all the above ingredients, mix all the ingredients together and keep it aside for 1 hour. 

To Make the Rice

Ingredients 

250 grams / 1 cup Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes and water drained out

1/2 tsp Caraway seeds / Shahi Jeera

Few Pepper Corns

1 Star Anise

1 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Bay Leaves 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a pot, add 2 cups water, let the water boil, add the spices, bay leaves and the salt. Now add the rice. Let the rice cook until it’s 80 percent done. Once done switch off the flames. Add a cup of water and drain the water out from the rice. 

To make the Soya Chunks Biriyani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Soya Chunks 

6 to 8 small size Potatoes peeled

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp sliced fried Onion

Salt to salt 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Pinch of Saffron 

1/4 tsp Rose Water

1/4 tsp Kewra Water

1 drop of Biriyani flavoured Essence - optional 

1 cup Milk 

6 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take a heavy cast iron pot, add 4 tbsp Ghee, let it heat, on a low flame, add the potatoes, little  salt and turmeric powder. Sauté and fry the potatoes. 

Meanwhile take a hot cup of milk, add saffron, rose water, Kewra water and Biriyani essence. Once the potatoes are fried, add the marinated soya chunks. Stir and cook for a minute. Add 1/3 cup of milk, now add the cooked rice and spread the rice well, pour the milk, remaining ghee, sprinkle the fried onion and coriander leaves. Cover and let it cook on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes. The liquid in the Biriyani should dry up. Switch off the flame, don’t open the pot, wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve with raita of your choice. 

Kerala Meal - Prawn Fry, Okra and Egg Curry, Cabbage and Carrot Thoran and Moru

I have been blessed with few good friends who are family to me more than friends.. These recipes have been shared by one such friend... who belongs from Kerala, and I thank my Almighty, who has always provided me the opportunity to make good food even though we are homebound 🙏🏼

One of the recipe - Okra and Egg curry is from her Aunty’s Kitchen. Here are the recipes that I made for one of our meal. Here I have adjusted the spices as per our taste.. 

Fried Prawns 

Ingredients 

1 bowl of cleaned and shelled Prawns 

1 small piece of Ginger crushed 

3 Garlic Cloves crushed

Few Curry Leaves 

1/2 tsp Pepper Powder 

Few Fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder 

1 tsp Vinegar 

Coconut Oil for shallow frying 

Method 

Take a bowl, add prawns, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder, ginger - garlic and vinegar. Mix all the ingredients and marinated for an hour. Take a pan, add oil, add few fenugreek seeds, now add the prawns and fry until golden crispy fried. Add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

Vendakka Mutta Curry / Bhindi and Egg

Ingredients 

6 Eggs boiled with little salt and cut into halves 

200 gram Okra chopped into big pieces 

1 medium size Onion sliced 

3 Green Chillies slit

4 to 5 Garlic cut into big pieces 

Juice of 1/2 lime. 

Few Curry leaves 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Green Cardamom 

1 piece of Cinnamon 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Pepper Powder 

1/4 tsp Chilli Powder

2 cups of Diluted Coconut Milk 

1 cup of Undiluted Coconut Milk 

1 tsp Vinegar 

3 tbsp Coconut Oil 

Method 

Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan, heat it up, add the Okra and little salt. Cook the okra until it is light brown in colour. Add lime juice to the okra, stir and keep the okra aside. Take a pot, add 1 tbsp oil and once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Sauté the mustard seeds until it crackles, then add the onions and let cook for 2 minutes, add the green chillies and garlic. Sauté for another minute. Add the curry leaves. Continue to cook until it turns brown in colour. Remove all the masala and keep it aside. In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, reduce the heat, add the crushed fennel, cinnamon, jeera and cardamom, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and chilli powder. Sauté for few seconds. Add diluted coconut milk, add little salt and boil the curry, as the curry begins to boil add the fried Okra.

Now place the egg pieces in the curry. Continue to cook, stir the curry gently, now add the thick coconut milk and add the fried masala and vinegar into the curry. Switch off the flame. 

Cabbage and Carrot Thoran 

Ingredients 

1 cup of Finely chopped Cabbage 

1 small Carrot finely chopped 

1 Onion chopped

2 Green Chillies slit

Few Curry Leaves

1/4 cup Grated Coconut 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp Coconut Oil 

Method 

Add coconut oil in a vessel, let the oil heat up, add mustard seeds and onion, stir fry until the onion pieces are translucent. Add grated coconut, green chillies, curry, salt and turmeric. Cook the masala until the oil release. Add the cabbage and carrot, cover the vessel and cook on a low flame, stirring it occasionally until the vegetables are cooked. Add the vinegar and switch off the flame. 

Moru Curry  / Curd Curry

This is the curd base curry from Kerala. There are many variations to this recipe.. in this recipe the curd is not cooked... there are many types of vegetables like ash gourd, bitter gourd, ridged gourd etc that can be boiled and added.. here I have used tomatoes. 

Ingredients 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into cubes 

2 Green Chillies slit

1 small Onion chopped 

1 small pieces of Ginger finely chopped 

2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped 

Few Curry leaves 

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Mustard 

1/4 tsp Fenugreek 

1/4 tsp Carom seeds

1/4 tsp Fennel seeds

One Pinch Asafoetida 

1/2 tsp crushed Pepper Powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric Powder 

1 cup Curd beaten

1 tsp Coconut oil 

Method 

Take a vessel, add coconut oil, heat the oil, add the whole spices, asafoetida, onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, salt and turmeric. Sauté until the masala release the oil. Reduce the flame and add the tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame, add the masala to the curd and mix all the ingredients together. Add freshly ground pepper powder from top. 

 

Classic Bread Pudding

Classic Bread Pudding

It’s my childhood favourite dessert, It’s very nostalgic for me as my MA use to make this for me.  It’s made with bread, milk, egg, sugar, butter, raisins or dry fruits and flavoured with vanilla or nutmeg or cinnamon etc.  All the above ingredients are easily available in our kitchen pantry.  The bread is soaked in the liquids, it’s baked and served warm. It’s delicious. 

Ingredients 

2 cups of Bread cubes

1 1/2 cups of Milk 

 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Butter

2 Eggs Beaten

4 to 5 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence  

1 tbsp Raisins 

Method 

Take a sauce pan, add milk and sugar. Heat the milk until the sugar dissolves. Switch off the flame. Add 2 tbsp butter. Cool the milk down. Add the eggs and whisk the milk. Add vanilla essence and raisins. Grease a baking pan with 1/2 tsp butter, add the bread cubes. Pour the milk over the bread. Press the bread with the fork, so that the bread soaks up the milk. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30 minutes in a preheated oven. Insert a tooth pick and check, if the tooth pick comes out clean.. then remove the baking tray from the oven. Serve the bread Pudding warm. 

Chaman Olu / Cottage Cheese and Potato

It’s a Kashmiri dish that is made with cottage cheese and potato. It’s served with rice. It’s a very simple dish, yet very delicious.
I have adapted the recipe from Ms. Purnima Kachru’s cook book.
We enjoyed the dish with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients
250 grams Cottage cheese cut into medium size cubes
1 big  size Potato cut into thick roundels
4 Green chillies slit
1/2 tsp Turmeric  Powder
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
1 tsp Fennel seed Powder
1 pinch Asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 Black cardamom crushed
2 Cloves crushed
2 Green Cardamom crushed
1 1/2 tbsp Curd
1 1/2 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup Mustard Oil
1 tbsp Ghee
1 1/2 cup Water

Method
Take a wok, add mustard oil, heat the oil. Reduce the flame. Fry the cottage cheese until the edges are golden brown in colour. Take a pot, add water, add salt and turmeric powder. Add the fried cottage cheese into the water. Now fry the potato roundels and add the potato roundels into the water. Add ginger powder, fennel powder, asafoetida and black cardamom. Place the pot on the gas stove and cook the ingredients on medium heat until the water reduces into half. Beat the curd along with the milk. Pour the milk - curd into the pot, stir the gravy constantly and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the gravy from the flame. Take ghee in a pan, let it heat, add the green cardamom and cloves. Sauté and pour the ghee into the gravy. Add green chillies to garnish. Serve the dish with steamed rice.

Misti Aloor Pata R Chingri Macher Mathar Chorchori

This is a very traditional Bengali recipe that’s cooked only at home and not commonly found in restaurants... we had grown sweet potato in our balcony pot... after 4 months we got some sweet potatoes and sweet potato leaves... I was extremely happy... 

Prawn head Chorchori is made normally with Malabar spinach, potatoes, sweet potato. brinjal and pumpkin with fish head or prawns or small fish but since I got sweet potato leaves, I made the dish with this leaves and sweet potato... some brinjal too can be added to this dish. Fish can be avoided and can be made only vegetarian. Only turmeric, salt and Mustard oil is used to cook this dish along with some garlic, onion and green chillies. 

A plate of steamed rice and this dish is enough to satisfy our souls... this dish will taste more delicious if eaten on the next day... 

Ingredients 

1 big bowl of Sweet Potato leaves washed and cut into pieces 

1 big Sweet Potato washed and peeled 

1 big size Onion sliced 

5 to 6 Garlic cloves crushed 

4 to 6 Green Chillies slit 

1 bowl of Prawn head / after cleaning one kg of prawns or any small fish cleaned and marinated with 1/2 tsp turmeric and Salt. 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

4 tbsp  + 1 tsp Fortune Mustard Oil

Method 

Cut the sweet potato into medium thin strips.. in Bengali we say Shoru kore kata... it was fun to use the boti after a long time. 

Take a wok, preferably a iron wok... I used steel wok as I was cooking on induction-stove. Add 3 tbsp Mustard oil. Let the mustard oil heat up. Fry the marinated prawn heads until crispy. Remove and keep it aside. Add 1 tbsp of Mustard oil into the same wok. Add sliced onion, garlic and green chillies together. Stir fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the sweet potato. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the salt and turmeric. Stir and add 1/2 cup of water. Stir and let it simmer for a minute. Add the sweet potato leaves. Cover and continue to cook until the water has reduced and the vegetables are  almost cooked. Open the lid and gently stir the vegetables. Add the prawn heads and stir it gently. Cover and cook for another 1 minutes. Open the lid and the stir it gently. Switch off the induction. Before serving drizzle mustard oil. Serve the dish with steamed rice. 

Baked Stuffed Eggplant with Chicken, Cheese and Veggies..

This dish is super delicious... 

Any vegetables like mushroom, zucchini, capsicum, tomato etc can be added... instead of chicken... prawns, sausage, bacon etc can be added... or make it only with vegetables... this dish can be eaten with bread or to make it a complete meal, cooked pasta can be added with the vegetables.. 

Ingredients 

1 big size Eggplant cut into half and scooped out the flesh from the center

4 Garlic cloves  finely chopped 

1/2 cup chopped Mix coloured Capsicum 

1 small Tomato chopped 

Scooped  Brinjal flesh

Some Olive slices  

1/2 cup small Chicken pieces 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp  Pepper powder

1/2 cup  Arrabbiata sauce or Béchamel Sauce

1/4 cup Amul Cheddar Cheese cut into small cubes 

Some Amul Mozzarella Cheese pieces 

1 tsp Olive Oil

Method 

Once the flesh of the brinjal is scooped out, immediately apply olive oil and salt on the brinjal. Take the scooped  brinjal  and place them on a baking tray. Take a bowl, add garlic, capsicum, tomato,  olives, scooped brinjal flesh, chicken, cheese, salt, pepper and sauce of your choice. Mix all the ingredients together. Add this into the brinjal cavities. Add mozzarella cheese from top and bake the brinjals at 180 degrees celsius for 20 minutes in a preheated oven. Serve this with bread.

Macher Chop / Fish Chop

This is a popular dish of Bengal. It’s served during occasions / celebrations as starter or with evening tea / cha, when the family and friends comes together for an informal meeting / adda which is a quintessential part of Bengal. 

Macher chop is made with any big size fish like Rahu, Katla, Bhetki, Aar mach etc. the fish is boiled with salt and turmeric, deboned and mashed. Boiled potato is used for binding the mixture. Fish and the potato are cooked with spices and a lemon size portion of the mixture is taken, it’s given an oval shape, dipped in egg and coated with bread crumbs. It’s then fried until golden brown in colour. It’s served with mustard dip / Kasundi and tomato ketchup along with some sliced cucumber and onion. 

Ingredients 

250 grams Rahu or Katla or Bhetki or any big fish with less bones.. boiled with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Debone the fish and mashed 

1 big size Potato boiled and mashed 

1 medium size Onion chopped 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves - optional 

1/2 tsp Ginger paste 

3/4 tsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Cumin powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/4 tsp Chaat Masala 

1 Egg beaten with little salt

3/4 to a cup of Bread crumbs 

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Oil for frying

Method 

Take a pan, add mustard oil, add the cumin seeds, let it crackle. Add the onion, chopped greeen chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and sugar. Stir and sauté the ingredients for 2 minutes or until the onions become soft and translucent. 

Add the mashed fish, mashed potato, chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Stir and cook the ingredients on low medium flame until all the ingredients bind together. We can add 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves - (optional). 

Take a small portion of the mixture, roll and check if it’s forming a ball. Remove the mixture from the flame and allow it to cool. 

Take 1/2 of the bread crumbs on a plate. 

Take lemon size portion from the fish mixture. Give it a oval shape, repeat the process. Now take a oval shape chop and dip it into the beaten egg, remove and coat the chop with the bread crumbs. Once when one round of coating is done, repeat the process of coating the chops with egg and bread crumbs again for the second time. Take oil in a kadai / wok. Let the oil heat up, on a low flame fry the chops until golden brown. Once the chops are fried, remove the chops on the paper towel. Sprinkle the Chaat masala on the chops. Serve the chops with cucumber, onion, mustard dip / Kasundi and tomato ketchup.

Aslam’s Butter Cream Chicken

Few days back one of the foodie friend Rakesh Sharma ji had posted this fabulous recipe in a group. I was very tempted to make this recipe... and believe me this recipe is worth making.. 

Sharma ji had mentioned in his post that Aslam’s Butter Chicken is a very famous dish sold at Aslam Chicken near Jama Masjid, Old Delhi. 

This dish is very different in look and taste from the Punjabi butter chicken recipe. 

In the actual dish Aslam Chicken grills the marinated chicken pieces on a charcoal grill and then the main key ingredients other than the chicken is loads of Butter, fresh cream and curd. The spices that are used in the dish are a top secret. If you scroll the net, there are loads of videos that teaches us to make the Aslam Butter Cream Chicken, Since this recipe was tried and tasted, I preferred to adapt this recipe. 

It’s a very easy recipe... we can grill the chicken in an oven at home, or on a skillet. 

To get the smoky charcoal flavour, heat up the charcoal and place the hot charcoal on a small plate in between the marinated chicken, pour a tsp of ghee and cover the bowl for a minute - I have used this technique and this was not mentioned in the original recipe and it’s optional. 

 Then the chicken can be grilled and further method can be followed as per the recipe. I personally have not visited the restaurant and tasted the original dish, but this recipe indeed very delicious and my family loved the dish... I have added the Garam Masala powder which was not mentioned in Sharma ji’s recipe. Also I have reduced the quantity of the chicken, hence changed the quantity of the other ingredients and have added the butter as per my requirement. The original recipe calls for around 100 grams plus butter. The method follows the same.. 

For Marinating the Chicken 

Ingredients 

500 grams Chicken cut pieces 

1/2 cup of Hung Curd

1 tsp Ginger paste

1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 to 1 tsp Chilli paste

Juice of 1 small size lime 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper Powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi

1 tsp Cumin seed powder 

1 tbsp Amul Butter

Method 

Marinate the chicken pieces with all the above ingredients and keep the marinated chicken for 5 to 6 hours. We can use a hot burn charcoal to give a smoky flavour to the dish as mentioned in the description. 

To make the Butter Cream Chicken 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken

1/2 cup of Hung Curd 

1/4 cup of Fresh Cream

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala

1 tbsp Butter for Grilling 

4 tbsp and more Melted Butter

Method 

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius. Take a baking tray. Take the marinated chicken and place the chicken pieces on the baking tray. Rub 1/2 tbsp of butter on the chicken pieces and turn the chicken pieces. Grill the chicken pieces at 180 celsius for 15 minutes. Remove the baking tray, apply the remaining 1/2 tbsp butter on the chicken pieces and turn the chicken pieces and continue to grill the chicken pieces at 200 degrees celsius for 15 minutes. Once done, the chicken pieces are golden brown, remove the chicken pieces from the baking tray. For the gravy, take a pan, add the remaining marinated juices into the pan. Let the water of the marinated juices reduce a bit, add the chicken pieces and coat the chicken pieces with the marinated juices. Switch off the flame. Transfer the chicken pieces into a serving bowl, now take a bowl, add the hung curd and the cream into the bowl and mix the ingredients together. Sprinkle the Chaat masala. Pour the curd and the cream over the chicken. Mix the ingredients together. Now pour the melted butter over the chicken. The chicken is supposed to be drenched in butter... but I used less butter for health reasons... Serve this unique butter chicken with rumali roti, sliced onion and lime.

Creamy Cheesy Potato Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Italian dish. There are many variations of toppings used for bruschetta, the common one is tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil... added on the grilled / toasted bread.. other vegetables, beans, cured meat and cheese are also used. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetiser. 

Here I had few pieces of sourdough slices and 2 boiled potatoes left... to create this delicious dish for my starter. 

Ingredients 

8 Slices of Sourdough bread slices 

2 medium size Boiled Potatoes 

1/2 tsp Garlic finely chopped 

3 tbsp Cream Cheese 

2 tbsp grated Mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp Cream

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper Powder 

1/2 tsp Fresh Parsley chopped or dried Parsley

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Few pickled vegetables like cherry tomatoes and few olives sliced 

Some chilli flakes and dried parsley for sprinkle 

Method 

Take a bowl, mash the boiled potatoes, add the garlic, cream cheese, cream, mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix all the ingredients together. Take a baking tray, keep the bread slices and drizzle olive oil on both the sides of the bread. Toast the bread at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated for 5 minutes on one side, turn the bread and toast the bread for another 5 minutes. Take out the tray, cool the bread slices, spread the cheesy creamy potato spread on the bread. Add the sliced olives and cherry tomatoes and grill the bruschetta for another 5 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. Remove, sprinkle chilli flakes and dried parsley, serve hot. 

Home Style Kacchi Biriyani

Home Style Kacchi Biriyani....
Walking down my memory lane, my few visits to Singapore last few years, has always taken me to one place -  Fakruddin situated in the by lanes of  Little India - Singapore. It’s a famous Bangladeshi Restaurant. There are lots of amazing dishes that one can try like a drink called borhani, jali Kabab, mutton bhuna khichudi, lau chigri, chicken roast.. etc and the best is the kacchi Biriyani... that no one should miss... but unfortunately with the given situation now, there is on question of travelling... we can only cherish our memories and enjoy the meal at home.
Kacchi Biriyani is a famous dish of Bangladesh, the meat is marinated and then directly cooked on Dum with the partially cooked rice for hours on charcoal.
Here is how we can make this Kacchi Biriyani at home..
I have marinated the mutton for nearly 12 hours. The mutton is infused with smoky flavour by burning a charcoal piece and placing it over the mutton and covering the lid. The lid is sealed with a dough, but since I was using the cast iron pot which is extremely heavy, I didn’t feel the need seal the pot. Once the biriyani is made, cover the pot and let it stand for an hour before serving. Serve the biriyani with a cucumber - tomato - onion salad. 

For Marinating the Mutton

Ingredients

500 grams Mutton pieces, washed and wiped well, so no water remains

3 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Chilli paste 

3 tbsp Fried Onion crushed 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 

1/ 2 tsp Cloves powder 

1/2 tsp Cardomom powder

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

3/4 cup Curd

1/4 cup Saffron Water mixed with pinch of Saffron colour 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together. Keep it aside atleast for 3 to 4 hours, I kept it for nearly 12 hours. 

To make the Rice

Ingredients

250 grams Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

2 to 3 Bay Leaves 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

1/2 tsp Shahi Jeera

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a deep bottom pot. Add half liter of water let it simmer. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera and bay leaves. Let it simmer for a minute. Add the rice and let it cook till it is 25 % done. Drain out the excess water. 

To make the Biriyani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Mutton pieces 

Rice

4 to 6 medium size Potatoes, peeled and fried 

2 tbsps Onion fried 

6 Apricots

1/2 to 3/4 cup Ghee 

1 cup Milk 

1/2 cup Hot water 

1/4 cup Saffron water 

Few drops of Kewda essence (Optional) 

1 Charcoal piece and 1 tsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a cast iron pot. Add the marinated mutton. Add 1/4 cup ghee to the marinated mutton and mix the ingredients together. Add the fried potatoes and apricot over the marinated mutton. Add the fried onions. Take a bowl. Add milk, hot water, the remaining ghee, saffron water and kewda essence. Keep it aside. Smoke the charcoal piece. Put it on a small plate. Place the plate over the marinated mutton and add a tsp of ghee. Quickly cover the pot for 2 minutes. Remove the cover. Remove the charcoal plate. Spread the rice over the mutton. Drizzle the milk over the rice. Cover the pot. Place the pot on a low flame. Cook it for 45 minutes. To check, insert   a knife, there shouldn’t be any liquid on the knife. Incase there is liquid, cook for some more minutes. Once done, let the pot remain covered for an hour before serving. Serve it hot with salad.

P. S. If you don't have cast iron pot then use normal pots. The cooking is done evenly and the bottom does not burn in the cast iron pot.

Butter - Garlic Chicken Roast with Desi style Mashed Potato...

 

This chicken roast is very easy to make and goes well with the Desi flavoured mashed potato and any type of bread. This can be made with few ingredients available at home. I have added Bhaja masala into the mashed potatoes to give it a twist. Bhaja Masala is used in  Bengali kitchen. Cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dry red chillies are roasted and then ground into powder. 

Desi Style Mashed Potato 

Ingredients 

2 Big size Boiled Mashed Potatoes 

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

3 tbsp Cream

1  tsp Bhaja Masala 

Salt to taste

1 small Onion finely chopped 

2 fresh chillies finely chopped 

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the potatoes, half of the chopped chillies, coriander leaves, cream, mayonnaise, salt to taste and bhaja masala. Mix all the ingredients very well. Garnish with chopped onion and remaining chopped chillies. 

Butter - Garlic Chicken Roast

Ingredients 

3 pieces of Chicken full leg pieces 

1 tbsp Lime Juice 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic crushed

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

2 tbsp Butter

Method 

Take a bowl, add the lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp butter. Mix all the ingredients together. Take the chicken pieces, give some slits on the chicken pieces. Rub the marination on the chicken pieces and keep it aside for an hour. 

Take a baking tray, place the chicken pieces on the tray, apply some butter on the chicken. Roast the chicken in a preheated oven at 250 degrees celsius for for 15 minutes. Take the tray out, turn the chicken pieces and apply the remaining butter and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Take a plate, place a chicken roast and add some mashed potato, serve the roast with some bread of your choice.