Butter Chicken Masala

This is another dish I tried from the blog food bound. And I relished the taste as if I have eaten it from a restaurant.

Ingredients :

Marination Step 1 : (For 30 minutes)

Chicken : 500 gms
Oil : 2 tsp
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder :1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp

Marination Step 2 : (For 2 to 3 hours)

Yoghurt : 1 cup

For Gravy :
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Green Chilli : 2
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Salt according to Taste
Cardamom : 2 pods
Tomatoes : 6
Cashew Nuts : 10 (Soaked and ground into paste)
Sugar : 1/2 tsp
Cream : 3 tbsp or Milk : 3/4 cup
Fenugreek Leaves/ Kasoori Methi : 2 tbsp
Butter : 4 tbsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Marinate the chicken according to that given in Marination Step 1 for half an hour and prick the chicken pieces with fork so that it is well marinated.
2. Now marinate with yogurt and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Once you take the chicken put you can either bake the chicken at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes on each side.
4. Or cook the chicken on a skillet for 5 to 10 minutes. (make sure that the chicken doesn't become hard).
5. Blanch, peel and puree the tomatoes and keep it aside.
6. Heat a deep bottomed pan add 1 tsp oil and 1 tbsp butter, followed by ginger garlic paste. Cook till the smell of the paste disappears.
7. Add the green chilli and cardamom pods followed by pureed tomato.
8. Add the kashmiri chilli powder and cook till the oil leaves the side. Now add the cashewnut paste.
9. Simmer and add the sugar and 2 tbsp butter.  (if adding milk add now or move onto step 10).
10. Check for the seasoning and add salt, followed by cooked chicken.
11. Add the crushed kasuri methi and cream. (If adding milk add after step 9 and cook for 5 min).

Trevti Dal

I love Gujrathi food. Every time I see the scene in 3 Idiots where Kareena Kapoor talks about the strange Gujrathi food I laugh my ass off.  Khakra, Fafda, Dhokla, Thepla. But then konkani food also has some very funny names. All are so different to hear about. This is another dal without onion or garlic. Its also called Trevti because it has 3 dals combined together.

Ingredients :
Chana Dal : 1/3 cup
Moong Dal : 1/3 cup
Toor Dal/ Masoor Dal : 1/3 cup
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Lemon Juice : 1 tsp


Tempering Ingredients :
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Bay Leaves :1
Red Chili : 2
Asafoetida : a pinch
Ginger : 1 inch (finely Chopped)
Green Chili : 2-3 (finely Chopped)
Tomato : 1/3 cup
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Wash all the dals (Chana Dal, Moong Dal and Toor dal) and cook in a pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric, sufficient water and salt for 8 to 9 whistles so that the dal is well cooked.
2. The dal would be well cooked and smashed by now.
3. Temper with all the ingredients given under tempering and pour on the cooked dal.
4. Garnish with lemon juice and serve hot.

Lobster Rawa Fry

It turns out you can get an allergy to anything at any point in your life. After coming to US I have turned allergic to prawns and lobster. My hands start itching the moment I touch them.
Hence all the cleaning and touching has to be done by Hubby Darling. The clicks and the recipe is mine. But the cooking is done by hubby dear R.K. I just had to give the correct measurements of all the spices.


Ingredients :
Lobster :1 (Whole)
Red Chilli Powder : 1.5 tsp
Corn Flour : 2 tbsp (White)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Asafoetida : a pinch
Salt according to Taste
Rava : To coat
Oil : To deep Fry

Procedure :
1. Wash and clean the lobster and remove it from its shell.
2. The lobster does not have a single piece of bone and hence its easier to slice into thin slices.
3. Make a paste of red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, corn flour, asafoetida, salt and water. (The paste consistency should that be of our toothpaste).
4. Apply this paste on the lobster and marinate for 1 hour.
5. Now coat this with rava and egg whites and again with rava.
6. Deep fry or shallow fry the pieces.

Coconut Macaroons

I am a coconut lover. I can eat coconut just like that. This is one of the easiest recipe's.

Ingredients :
Coconut Flakes (dried) : 1 and 1/3 cup
Sugar : 1/3 cup
All Purpose Flour : 2 tbsp
Salt :1/8 tsp
Egg Whites : of 2 eggs
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment sheets.
2. In a bowl whisk coconut, sugar, flour,  and salt.
3. In another bowl whisk the egg whites and vanilla essence and mix the ingredients from the step 2.
4. Pour a spoon into baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes until they turn golden brown.
5. Cool them completely.

P. S: Do not whisk the egg whites a lot to make it frothy creamy.

Tendli Methi Rice

This tastes just like pulao but instead of all the veggies I have used just Tindora and Methi.

Ingredients :

Brown Rice/ Basmathi Rice : 1 cup

Ivy Gourd : 1 cup

Methi Leaves : 1 bunch / Dried Kasuri Methi : 1/4 cup

Onion : 1 medium (finely chopped)

Salt to Taste

Oil : 1 tsp

Bay Leaf : 1

Cloves : 3

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 3/4  tsp

Coriander Powder :  3/4 tsp
Roasted Cashew Nuts : 10-12
Coriander Leaves : to Garnish

Procedure :
1. Wash and soak rice for half and hour.
2. In a cooker add oil, cloves, bay leaf, cumin seeds and add the finely chopped onions and saute for some time till it turns slightly brown.
3. Add the sliced tindora/ Ivy Gourd and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Now add the chilli powder and coriander powder.
5.  Now add the soaked and drained rice, add methi leaves, salt and water (Rice: water = 1: 1.5).
6. Let the rice cook. Meanwhile roast the cashews with little oil in a tempering pan (you can even add groundnuts) and garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes : If using pressure cooker 1 whistle is sufficient.
       

Mango Yogurt Parfait

Parfait is a layered dessert that is frozen. I was planning to make some mango lassi when I suddenly came up with this.

Ingredients :
Mango Pulp : 1 cup
Yogurt : 1 cup
Agave Nectar/ Sweetener : according to taste

Procedure :
1. Take two bowls and in one take the mango pulp and in the other one take yogurt and add the sweetener to both according to your taste.
2. In a glass first layer the mango pulp, and top it with yogurt pulp. And the followed by mango pulp and make as layers as you want.
3. Freeze it for half an hour.

P.S : I did not freeze. Freezing is left to your choice.

Achari Paneer (Paneer cooked in Pickle and Yogurt Gravy)

This is one other recipe I picked from Veg Recipes of India. I am in love with her blog. I just changed the recipe according to the ingredients I had. I have tried making fritters too. And they were yummy.

Ingredients:
Paneer/ Cottage Cheese : 15-20 cubes
Cashews : 8-10
Red Chili : 2
Ginger : 1 inch
Green Chili : 2-3
Asafoetida : A pinch
Tomato : 1
Chickpea Flour : 1 tbsp
Curd/Yogurt : 3/4 cup
Fresh Cream : 3 tbsp
Kasuri Methi : 2 tsp
Salt according to Taste

Spice Powders :
Turmeric Powder : 1/8 tsp
Red Chili Powder : 1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Pickling Spices :
Fennel Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Oregano Leaves or Kalonji : 1/2 tsp


Procedure :
1. In a pan dry roast all the ingredients under pickling ingredients. Cool and grind in a mixer.
2. Grind the cashews in the grinder too.
3. Heat oil add red chilies followed by chopped ginger and green chilies and saute till the raw flavor of ginger disappears.
4. Now add asafoetida and chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes becomes mushy. Now add the spice powders turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
5. Once the tomatoes start releasing oil add cashew powder and 2 tsp of the ground pickling ingredients.
6. Now add 1 tbsp besan powder (Chickpea flour) and the whisked curd and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Once it comes to boil add chopped paneer pieces, along with salt and crushed kasuri methi leaves.
8. Add fresh cream and boil for 2-3 minutes.
9. Garnish with mint leaves (Optional) and serve hot with any Indian bread.