Happy Cooking: Bhuna Murg Dilpasand….Indian Masala

Chicken, a relished dish the world over. It can be cooked in a variety of recipes and yet be a unique platter in its’ own way. It can be roasted, fried, boiled skewered or any more methods one can fancy. The result is always palatable.

One such method in cooking is by making a pot roast. It’s a simple cooking method, but which enables the flavors of the spices & herbs used to ooze out and add to the final product of ‘Bhuna Murg’.

For this dish you may cook a boneless chicken or otherwise. I recommend a small (400 gms, dressed) chicken cut in to EIGHT pieces. Or, you may select 06 legs of similar size.

You will require:

1. Chicken, as suggested.

2. Onion diced, 04 cups.

3. Fresh coriander leaves, 04 Tps.

4. Green Chili diced, 02 Tps.

5. Ginger Garlic paste, 02 tps.

6. Green Cardamom, 06 pcs-retains the peels and crush seeds to powder.

7. Curd/Yogurt, beaten 1 cup.

8. Red Chili powder, 02 tps or as per your taste.

9. Turmeric powder, 01 tps.

10. Dry Coriander powder, 02 tps.

11. Branded Chicken Masala, 01+1/2 tps.

12. Jeera/Cumin,powder 02 tps

13. Javitri /dry Mace flower, 5-6 strands

14. Salt to taste.

15. Cooking oil

16. Water.

17. Juice of 01 lemon/lime

METHOD

1. Marinade the chicken for 30mts in: Half of the lemon juice, half of all the dry spices, Ginger Garlic paste and 1/2 cup Curd/Yogurt.

2. In a wok on medium flame pour in 75ml of oil and on heating put in the ginger garlic paste, green chili and stir fry.

3. As the green chili starts to fry put in all of the Onion and stir fry till transparent.

4. Throw in all of the remainder dry masala, the cardamom peels; half of the fresh coriander, a little salt and stir fry the Onions till they start to turn pink. Pour in a few tea spoons full of water and blend the masala till it starts to brown. This will also help you to get extract of Red chili oil. Add a couple spoons of oil, if needed.

5. Put in the marinated chicken, mix and stir fry till the chicken begins to form a fried golden outer crust. Add the rest of the curd/yogurt & stir fry, to ensure the masala does not stick to the bottom of the wok. Adjust salt. Continue adding water, few spoons at a time, ensuring the chicken is cooked. This phase of the cooking is by stirring all the time, gently. The final product is a masala covered chicken.

6. Check, when chicken is well done, pour in the lemon juice & remainder of the fresh coriander. Blend. Remove to serving platter and dust the dish with crushed cardamom powder.

Best served hot with Phoolka /tandoori Roti.

Happy Cooking: Punjabi Machhi (Fish) Tarii wali....Indian Masala

Fish is a staple diet along the coastal regions of India and all of Bengal. In the rest of the Country fish is a savored delicacy. Likewise in entire Punjab, both erstwhile and present, fish is an enjoyable dish on any winter day. Amongst the Punjabis, fish is selectively prepared & consumed. Usually, as a snack along with spirited drinks and preferably fried. This is the boned portions of the fish that are relished. A near boneless fried fish platter finds the place of pride on a well laid out table. In Punjab, the five rivers offer most of the catch from its fresh waters.

The dish, which I have listed essentially, is from the Peshawar region. But perforce, has been modified to suit the present day, as the most cherished ‘Khaga’ is restricted to that part of the country. Though, for our purpose the Carp or any fish with firm flesh and one central comb is most suitable to enjoy this dish. A Punjabi prefers wheat as a staple grain; hence, in this preparation the fish is surrounded with a ‘thickish’ masala /gravy.

For TWO servings you will require:

Fish-cleaned, cut to preferred sized pieces: - 1/2kg

Onions- diced fine: - 02 cups

Curd-beaten:-1/2 cup

Cooking Oil: - 125 ml

Gram Flour-besan:-01 Tps

Fresh green Chili-crushed to paste:-03-05

Fresh Coriander leaves-diced fine:-03 Tps

Juice of fresh lime: - 01

Salt to taste

Water

Red Chili powder-smart & color variety: - 01 tps or as per preference

Turmeric powder:-01 tps

Coriander powder:-02 tps

Cinnamon stick: - 02”

Green Cardamom-crushed: - 04

Jeera/Cumin: 02 tps

Ajwain/Carom seeds: 01tps

Garam Masala: - 01 tps

Ginger Garlic paste: - 02 tps

Method

Step ONE:

Dust the fish with half of the turmeric powder and a little salt; keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Step TWO:

Wash the fish, marinate with mixture of: Half of the juice of lime, ¼ red Chili powder, ¼ Coriander powder, fresh green Chili paste and Ginger Garlic paste. Keep aside for 30minutes.

Step THREE:

In a wok/kadai pour in sufficient Oil & fry the fish to light brown. Drain on tissue paper. Keep aside.

Step FOUR:

In the same wok/kadai reduce the quantity of Oil to 50 ml & on heating add to it remainder of fresh green Chili paste, Ginger Garlic paste, Ajwain & Jeera. Fry for one minute.

Add Onions, stir fry till transparent and sprinkle a little salt. Continue to fry till golden brown.

Sprinkle in all the dry masala & half of Coriander leaves, fry and blend well with a few spoons of water. As the oil starts to separate, pour in the curd and blend in slowly. Stir fry breakup the onions to almost near paste state.

Pour in one cup water, stir and as soon as it starts to bubble add in one at a tine all of the fried fish. Slightly stir and watch the water reduce to the desired thickness of gravy.

Remove to a serving dish and garnish with remaining fresh Coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Phoolka or tandoori Roti. Raw onion salad will add to the meal.

Happy Cooking: Chicken flavored Soy Nuggets in Spinach....Indian Masala

A quick, healthy and easy to cook, with exotic oriental flavor. The consistency of this dish can be varied to make it compatable with various breads. If you wish to have, with Paranthas/ Phoolka/ Puri then make it dry, with a generous amounts of butter/desi ghee/cooking oil. To enjoy with buns or sliced bread, then let there be a thick gravy, like a stew.

This dish will require:

1. A bunch of Palak/Spinach, stemmed, washed & cut in to thin strips or blanched and ground to paste/pureed.

2. Soy nuggets, drowned in water: 12-15 pieces

3. Chicken stock or branded clear Chicken soup powder, cooked as per instructions printed: 03 Cups.

4. Single Cream: 30 ml

5. Onion diced fine: 01 Cup

6. Fresh green Chili diced : 02 tps

7. Black Pepper corns :06-08

8. Cinnamon stick: 1”

9. Cardamom green small, crushed : 03-05

10. Jeera : ½ tps

11. Cloves : 02-04

12. White Pepper powder : ½ tps

13. Ginger Garlic paste : ½ tps

14. Salt to taste

15. Water

Method

Remove Soy nuggets from water, squeeze to drain all water and keep aside drowned in Chicken stock.

In a wok, pour in 04 tps melted butter/desi ghee/cooking oil, on low flame. As it starts to heat, put in Ginger Garlic paste, green Chili, Onion, Cinnamon, Jeera, Cloves & Cardamom. Stir fry till, Onion turns light golden brown.

Add Spinach/stripped Palak, mix in black Pepper corn, white Pepper powder and Salt to taste.

Stir fry on medium flame, till all blend well and the Spinach / Palak begins to cook.

Uncover and evaporate/ adjust water till the required consistency is achieved

Garnish with Cream & serve hot.

Happy Cooking:DIL (SOY) POTATO....Indian Masala

This is a very simple & tasty dish, for such days when you are not very keen to cook a complete meal, yet the two of you cannot do away with lunch.

For this dish you will require:

• Potato-medium sized, boiled, peeled & quartered : 300 gm
• Onion- diced : 01 Cup
• Tomato- diced : ½ Cup
• Fresh Dil (Soy) destalked : ½ Bunch
• Fresh Green Chili –diced : 02 tps
• Fresh Ginger-diced : 02 tps
• Garlic-diced : 05 pods
• Dry Masala- : 01 tps each, Red chili powder

Turmeric powder

Coriander powder

Garam Masala

Jeera powder

• Salt to taste.
• Oil for frying & cooking
• Water

METHOD

In a wok/kadai pour in sufficient oil to deep fry the boiled potato, till very light brown. Remove and keep away.

Reduce the oil from the same wok to just 04 tps and put in the Ginger Garlic and fresh green Chilli. Lightly fry and add the Onion.

As the Onion become transparent put in all the dry Masala and salt to taste.

Fry on low flame for a minute and pour in 4-5 spoons of Water to blend. Reduce the Water to half.

Put in all the Dil (soy), stir fry, and mix in the Potato.

Blend the complete ensemble to cover all Potato.

Remove to platter and serve with light Paranthas accompanied with Pickle of choice.

Happy Cooking: Tandoori Masala Macchli(Fish)….Indian Masala

With winter, fish is selected as a favorite non-veg, by many. One preparation is fish baked in an earthen oven. But, for that one perforce has to visit an eatery. Normally, this is one dish which one covets to prepare at home, but due to the tandoor not being available this is not possible. Today, one has access to modern day gadgets which not only mimic the tandoor but also user friendly. The recipe, which I listed, the inventor was one Mr. Patel, a Gujarati Head cook in one the IAF Officers’ Mess. The aged Gentleman was a strict vegetarian, but he cooked one of finest non-vegetarian dishes, that I have had. He used to cook this recipe in a PATILA, as there was no tandoor in the OM kitchen.

To facilitate your cooking, I am going to tell you to use a GRILL oven. I’ll also mention the use of patila. However, the ingredients will be same.

For this dish you will require:

1.One full fish- 750 to 1000 gm (Surmai/Tuna, Any fish that is firm in flesh and has a single centre comb for skeleton) - cleaned and washed, with three slashes on either side & left as a whole.

Marinate this fish in the paste formed by-

a) ¼ cup Juice of fresh lime/lemon

b) 01 spoon each – white Pepper powder.

Cinnamon powder

06 Cloves powder

Salt to taste

Jeera powder

Coriander powder

c) 06 tps Gram flour (Besan)

Mix b) + c) all and form a paste with some of the Juice of lime.

Layer the insides of the Fish with this paste and leave some lying in the stomach region.

The remaining Juice of lime + a little Salt + 01 spoon Dry Mango Powder smear it all over the fish.

Keep it to marinade for 02 to 04 hrs.

METHOD

(In grill oven)

Place the fish in a fish Pan or in a pan that is big enough to hold the Fish. Place on the middle rack in a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes on 180 degrees C.

CHECK AFTER 15 MINUTES AND ADJUST TIMINGS.

(In Patilla)

For cooking in the patilla, you would require burning coals. The coals are placed all round the patilla big enough to hold the fish in Pan. Cover the patilla and place hot coals over the lid. Check after 10-12 minutes and adjust timing for complete cooking.

Serve with Mint Chutney or Mayonnaise or Worcestershire sauce, depending on the type of bread accompanying.

Happy Cooking: BHINDI JEERA DO PYAZA....Indian Masala

Bhindi,Okara or Ladyfinger- a vegetable available almost around the world and during most part of the year. This vegetable, has no flavor whatsoever but when cooked in any recipe blends in well with the condiments/ spices used and all types of cooking.The vegetable it self does boasts of having medicinal property which serves well in the cure of Jaundice, provided it is cooked with a very little oil or ghee. The seeds offer useful assistance in motivating the movement of the bowels.

This recipe is not my original. I had picked useful tips from my late Aunt, who like my late Mother was a very good cook. This is essentially a Punjabi dish, that is usually served with 'Phoolka'.

To prepare for FOUR servings assemble the following:

Bhindi/Okara-washed, cleaned dried,Diced 3/4" long.......................500 gm

Onion, large- peeled quartered & leafed...........................................02

Tomato,large- pulp & seed removed, quartered................................01

Ginger & Garlic paste.........................................................................02 tps

Green Chili-diced...............................................................................03

Curry leaves (optional).......................................................................10

Jeera/Cumin- whole...........................................................................01 tps

Red Chili powder................................................................................01 tps

Turmeric powder................................................................................1/2 tps

Coriander powder...............................................................................02 tps

Garam Masala......................................................................................1/2 tps

Salt ...............................................................................AS PER TASTE.

Cooking Oil...................................ENOUGH TO DEEP FRY BHINDI.

METHOD

Place a wok/kadai on medium flame and pour enough Oil to deep fry the Bhindi. Stir fry till each Bhindi looks slightly shrivelled, bright green and the seeds has just begun to brown.

Switch off flame. Remove, keep aside to drain.

Empty out the wok, and again place on low flame. Pour in 02 tps of heated oil and put in the ginger & Garlic, green Chili, Jeera and fry.

As soon as the Green Chili begins to fry, put in the fried bhindi along with the Onion.

Increase the flame to medium, and stir fry for 02 minutes. Sprinkle in red Chili powder and Turmeric, adjust salt and cover to cook. Reduce the flame to low.

Soon the wok will give out rich aroma, uncover and put in half of the Tomato. Stir lightly and cover again to cook. After 02 minutes switch off the flame.

Before removing to serving plate add the remaining diced Tomato. Give final stir.

Dust the Garam Masala and serve with Phoolka

Happy Cooking: Chicken Nugget Creme.....Indian Masala

This recipe, is versatile, in that it can be a centre piece on a Continantal lay out, as well as it completes a typical Indian Mughalai spread. This will not only satisfy the palates of those who enjoy smart chili preparation, but also of those who prefer low spice fare. Hence, its in your hands to adjust the spices accordingly. The listing below is of a medium spiced dish.

For Two servings you would require:-

Chicken boneless, cut to twice the bite size...............300 gm

Onion (boiled) paste...................................................1/2 cup

Cream..........................................................................1/3 cup

Hung curd.....................................................................01 cup

Milk..............................................................................01 cup

Cooking Oil...................................................................03 Tps

Curry leaves..................................................................06

Fresh Green Chili...........................................................04 seeded, striped lengthwise

Ginger & Garlic paste.....................................................01 tps

Chicken Masala/ Garam Masala......................................01 Tps

White Pepper................................................................01 tps more, if you so desire.

Salt................................................................................As per taste

Cloves...........................................................................04

Cinnamom stick.............................................................02"

Whole Jeera / Cumin......................................................01 tps

Green Cardamum...........................................................06 crushed

Method

1. In a wok/kadai on medium flame, pour half of the cooking oil along with 01 tps of cream and on heating add the Ginger & Garlic paste and Jeera.

2. Fry, but dot not brown. Pour in all of the remaining Oil & cream. Put in the Chicken and stir fry on full flame. As the Chicken starts to get golden, put in half of the green chili, all of the Onion, a little Salt and fry. DO NOT LET THE OINON TO BROWN.

3. Add all of the dry masala, reduce the flame to low and half of the Green Cardmum. Put in the Curry leaves, remaining fresh Chili & blend. Stir in the hung curd, adjust Salt, toss to coat all of the Chicken and cover to cook. As and when the the mixture reduces keep adding milk.

4. Achieve a thickish near white gravy. Remove to shallow wide dish, sprinkle the remaining green Cardamum and serve, hot.