Happy Cooking: HANDI CHICKEN....Indian Masala

‘HANDI’- is a metallic cooker. It is designed with a curved bottom, with a comparatively narrow mouth opening. It comes with its own lid. In the days gone by, in remote villages of India, and many Afro-Asian regions, in use are such vessels, which are made of fire baked clay. The food cooked, acquires an absolute different flavor altogether. The vessel is an all purpose cooker and well suited to be used on an open fire primitive stove. The housewife can cook vegetables, Lentil (Dal) and meats.

Today, use of such vessel is not compatible to the type of cooking that’s’ usually done in the modern day kitchen. Also, as the handi is a low flame cooker, the time consumed is just not acceptable to the modern housewife. Hence, such vessels are known to be in use mostly in eateries. However, a small modern version vessel of its kind is not a bad investment, as it offers a very distinguished and appetizing flavor to the meats (& other meals) cooked in it. Today, one can find such vessels which are anodized and made of stout sheet of metal. It affords entirely a different character to the meal under preparation.

So, to make this handi chicken we will require, a vessel which should have a volume enough to accommodate to cook a 500-700 gms dressed chicken cut to produce 08 pieces.

Also, we require-

300 gms Onion diced fine.

150 gms Tomato puree.

Paste of: 02 tps fresh Coriander leaves, 02 green chili, 30 gms Ginger & 7-9 Garlic pods.

01 tps Red chili powder, Turmeric powder, Jeera, Coriander powder, Chicken Masala, 03 Cloves, 2” stick Cinnamon & 05 green Cardamom-crushed.

06 Tps cooking Oil.

01 Tps Lemon juice.

Salt to taste.

01 Tps single Cream.

Water.




Method

1) Place the handi on medium flame and pour in, all of the cooking oil. As it begins to heat put in Cloves, Cinnamon, Jeera and the crushed Cardamom.
2) Fry the above to light brown and add the diced onion, fry till it begins to pink. Now add the paste and fry till all acquire golden brown color.
3) Sprinkle in all of the dry Masala powder and blend. Immediately, put in all of the chicken and stir fry.
4) Watch the chicken turn to ‘white’, keep stir frying to brown and as per need sprinkle water, a few drops at a time, to avoid the chicken from burning. Add a little salt. Blend well.
5) When you see the oil separating and floating up, pour in the tomato puree, adjust salt to taste. Sauté the mixture.
6) Pour in a little water, enough to blend the Masala & to help the chicken to cook. Reduce the flame to low. Cover the vessel, ensuring that the steam is held within. Pour a little water over the lid also.
7) After 07 minutes, open the cover to check the state of the chicken. If not yet cooked, cover again as previously for 02 mts.
8) The cooked chicken should be covered with moist Masala and not be drowned in curry.
9) Remove to serving bowl and garnish with lemon juice and single cream.

Serve with hot, Chapatti / Tandoori Roti.

FISH in MASALA GRAVY....Indian Masala

Winter-a season to enjoy fish in any form- fried, poached, roasted or in gravy. I am listing a preparation, which is more on the lines of Punjabi cooking. However the mughalai purist will also be able to stake a claim in the type of cooking as illustrated. They would not be far from the truth. Punjabi cooking has a well identified branch in Peshawari cooking which in turn finds itself well seated in Kabuli tradition. Influenced by the Mughals the cooking presents itself as an oriented exotic fare.

While you may select a fish of your choice, I recommend you buy either a ‘Surmai’ (Tuna) or any firm fleshed fish. ‘Rohu’ (fresh water) will do as well.

You would require:

1. Fish 200 gms-cleaned, dressed and cut in to not too small chunks.
2. 125 gms Onion-diced fine.
3. 125 gms tomato puree.
4. 01 cup well beaten plain curd.
5. Paste of- 3-5 sprigs of fresh coriander, 03 green chili, 05-07 pods garlic, 2” ginger & 2” cinnamon stick.
6. 100 ml cooking oil.
7. Salt to taste, 01 tps each of red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam Masala, coriander powder, mustered seeds, Jeera & Ajwain. 04 cloves and 04 green cardamoms.


Method

1. In a wok or a handi pour all of the oil and heat on medium flame. Throw in the mustered seeds and wait for it to start spluttering. Add in the cloves, green cardamom and the fresh paste. Fry till light golden brown.
2. Add onion and fry till golden brown. Pour in the tomato puree and blend well.
3. Sprinkle in the dry Masala powder except ½ of the garam Masala. Fry till the oil starts to surface up. Pour in a little water and stir to blend the fried Masala.
4. Put in the fish chunks, and gently stir to fry and boil the fish. Make sure you do not damage the fish. Add a little more water to ensure even cooking.
5. As the gravy begins to look nice and red slowly add the curd and gently blend. Adjust salt to taste.
6. Do not cover, reduce the flame to ‘low’ and cook.

7. When you have the desired consistency of the gravy, serve hot after garnishing with the remaining garam Masala.

Serve with hot, steaming rice

Mutton Sudwa(roasted) Masala Gokivala....Indian Masala

When buying mutton, one should not only ensure it is fresh and hygienic, also the butcher should carve the meat with appropriate and well defined cuts. This exotic dish has been appreciated by my family when I first cooked it. I’ll list this recipe for you all to enjoy and share. Tell your butcher to carve out 06 lamb/goat chops in a manner that each chop is even and heavy laden with flesh. The total weight of the cops will be approx. 500-600 gms. There is no need to marinate the mutton for this preparation.

You will require the following:

1. 06 mutton chops.
2. 150 gms onion diced fine.
3. ¾ cup beaten curd.
4. Make paste of 6-8 sprigs of fresh coriander, 03 long fresh green chili, 6-7 pods garlic, 1” ginger, 04 green cardamom, 01 tps jeera, 1” stick cinnamon and 03 tps fresh pomegranate (preferable) OR 01 tps dry pomegranate.
5. Salt to taste, 01tps red chili powder, meat Masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder and ½ tps garam Masala.
6. 75 ml cooking oil/ desi ghee.
7. 06 cashew nuts-diced, 10-12 pre-washed resins (kismis) and 03 almonds diced.
8. Water.


Method

1. In a pressure cooker, on medium flame, pour in the cooking oil/desi ghee.
2. As it heats, place in the mutton chops and stir to cover all with the cooking oil.
3. Sprinkle the meat Masala and stir fry till the mutton changes color and starts to brown.
4. Add in the green paste and fry, stiring every now and then to ensure even browning of the mutton.
5. As the mutton attains golden brown color, put in the onion and stir. Add a little salt and stir fry till the onion is transparent. If need be sprinkle few spoons of water to avoid the Masala sticking to the bottom.
6. Flavor now with all the dry Masala and stir to blend.
7. After 02 minutes of frying mix in the curd and blend.
8. Keep frying till the cooking oil floats up. Add in water just enough to drown the mixture. Adjust the salt.
9. Lid the cooker, and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Keep the cooker closed for at least 45 minutes after switching off the flame.
10. Garnish with the diced nuts and serve.

Best with Tandoori roti/ Chapatti/ Light Paratha

Happy Cooking: Mushroom Changezi....Indian Masala

With on set of winter, along with fresh green vegetables we see the availability of Mushrooms in plenty-the Button Mushroom variety.This is one natural produce that's tasty by itself and also enhances any dish by its mere presence. Mushroom can be added to a variety of dishes,like potato. It makes a dish look more exotic.
I am going list for you a dish which has mushroom in dominance and the other vegetables merely extend grace by their presence. This dish is more on the lines of a mughalai preparations.

For TWO servings you will require the following:

1. 250 gms button mushrooms,each cut in to two.
2. 100 gms onion diced fine.1/4cup fresh green peas. 01 small carrot diced fine.
3. 100 gms tomato OR 05 Tps Tomato puree'.
4. Paste of 02 green fresh chili,1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves,07-09 pods garlic and 2" ginger.
5. Paste of 05-07 cashew nuts.
6. o1 tps garam masala, red chili powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder and 1" stick Cinnamon.
7. Cooking oil/desi ghee - 50ml.
8. Water.


Method

1. In a wok/kadai pour the oil on medium flame and on heating put in the Jeera, cloves and Cinnamon.

2. On Jeera getting golden, add the green paste and stir fry till light brown.

3. Put in the onion and stir fry till onion becomes transparent. Sprinkle a little salt and fry till the onions start to brown.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder stir and pour in a big spoon of water to blend.

4.Stir fry till golden brown add tomato,coriander powder, peas and carrot. Stir fry and keep the mixture moist by adding water,little at a time.

5.Put in the mushroom and garam masala and stir fry to blend well all of the ingredients and make sure that the onions reduce to paste.Add cashew paste and blend.

6. Pour in water, enough to drown the dish. Cover and cook for 3-5 mts.

7 Uncover and add salt to taste. Reduce gravy to required consistency.

8. The gravy should be thick and serve it with Tandoori roti/Phoolka.