Happy Cooking: Chickpeas- CHOOLAY / CHOLE`....Indian Masala.

Chickpeas: Choolay/Chole`, a legume is enjoyed in the Middle East, South America and the Indian Peninsula. It can be prepared in a variety of ways and recipe is International. In our Country alone, this one item has more than a dozen ways of preparation. However, the most liked recipe is the one which is attributed to Punjab and the North West frontier. So strong is the liking, that the Chickpea is often named as ‘KABULI CHANNA’. Here, I have attempted to list the preparation of the CHOOLAY-BHATTUREY variety. This, one is the most consumed, all over India.

For TWO SERVINGS, you would require:

1) Chickpeas-Chole` (big variety)……….…150 gm, soaked overnight.

2) Onion diced………………………….…..01 cup.

3) Paste of…………………………….…….02 fresh green Chili, 03 tsp fresh Coriander, 06-08 pods 0f Garlic & 20 gm Ginger.

4) Tomato diced……………………….……01 cup.

5) Powder / Grind……………………….…..02” Cinnamon, 08-10 Peppercorns, 02 tsp Cumin, 02 tsp Carom seeds, 03-05 green Cardamom

6) Cloves………………………………….…04-06 pcs.

7) Garam Masala /Branded Chole` Masala….01 1/2 tsp.

8) Dry Masala powder……………………….01 tsp - Red Chili, ½ tsp Turmeric & 02 tsp Coriander.

9) Salt…………………………………………to taste.

10) Tea Bag…………………………………….01

11) Juice of 01 Lime/lemon.

12) Fresh green Chili……………………………04 full and stemmed, deep fried in hot Oil for ½ minute.

13) Cooking Oil…………………………………as required.

14) Soy sauce………………………………….02 tsp.

METHOD

a. Boil the Chickpeas in pressure cooker with enough water to drown the Chole`. Sprinkle a little Salt and throw in the tea bag. After 03 to 04 whistles remove from stove and after cooling, open the lid and let the steam out.

b. In a wok or kadai, pour in 50 ml Oil and on heating, put in the green paste and fry till golden brown.

c. Add all but 02 tsp of the diced Onion & fry. When transparent, remove 03 Tsp of boiled Chole` and put in with the Onion and mash to make a complete past of it and keep frying till the Onions start to get brown.

d. Sprinkle in all the ground Masala stir fry, till the masala starts to brown. Pour in half of Soy sauce and mix well.

e. Keep adding the Chole` water little at a time to avoid the masala to stick to the bottom.

f. Now remove the Chole from the cooker and put it in the wok. Keep the Chole` water to use for curry.

g. Stir fry the Chole` for 02 minutes and sprinkle the dry Masala and adjust the Salt. Add all of the Tomato except 02 spoons.

h. Pour in the remaining Soy sauce and stir fry the mixture to completely blend. Keep adding Chole` water to ensure that the mixture cooks, does not burn and stick to the bottom.

i. Keep stirring the mixture to blend in to ensure an almost dry preparation. Pour in the Lime juice as per taste.

j. Remove to serving platter/dish, garnish with the kept aside fried green Chili, Onion and diced tomato.

Serve with hot Bhatturey or Poori

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Happy Cooking: Vegetarian Biryani….Indian masala

I, whenever enjoyed a good and delicious Biryani, felt that the vegetarians ought to have it as good also. Many a versatile kitchen did turn out this ensemble, but it was, in opinion, at best a Plough.

I, in my efforts to cook up a delightful fare, have finally evolved a recipe which shall be, I am confident, shall be acceptable to the most ardent gourmet critic.

This, simple to cook dish accompanied with a cool Raita (of any kind) and a ‘KACHUMBER’ salad will be a complete meal by itself for any dinner.

For serving FOUR you will require:

1. Long grain BASMATI OR SELA RICE- 02cups

Soaked for 15-20 minutes and slightly under boiled, &, tossed to separate the grains

2. Onion diced - 01 cup and Onion sliced. -1/2 cup, fry sliced onion till golden.

3. Potato small(size of lime) round peeled- 08

4. Paneer/Cottage Cheese 1” cubes – 16pcs.

Deep fried to golden brown.

5. Curd/Yogurt beaten – 1/2 cup

6. Fresh green Chili diced -04

7. Fresh Coriander leaves -04 tps

8. Ginger Garlic paste – 03 tps

9. Jeera/Cumin, Dry Coriander powder-02 tps each

10. Cloves – 06/08 pcs

11. Black Cardamom – 04/06 pcs

12. Green Cardamom – 06/08 pcs crushed to near powder.

13. Cinnamon Sticks – 04, 1” each

14. Bay leaves/TEJ Pata - 04

15. Red chili powder – 02 tps

16. Turmeric powder – 01 tps

17. Salt to taste

18. Cooking Oil – 75 ml (recommend use Desi ghee )

METHOD

1. Place the under cooked rice in a broad plate or thali and pour 02 spoons of the cooking Oil and mix the entire rice and ensure each grain is separated.

2. Take a deep vessel like a PATILA with a narrow opening. Place on medium flame and pour in the entire cooking oil. Let it heat for a minute.

3. Put in bay leaves, Jeera, Cloves, Black Cardamom, Cinnamon sticks and crushed green Cardamom. Fry for a minute.

4. Add Ginger Garlic paste, green chili and half of the fresh coriander leaves. Also, diced Onion. Sprinkle a little Salt & stir fry till Onion starts to look light golden.

5. Put in all the potato and stir fry till light golden color.

6. Mix in red chili powder & turmeric powder.

7. Pour in the curd. Stir fry the mixture till the curd is used up and the oil separates.

8. Adjust salt to taste.

9. Put in the fried Cheese, a few spoons of water & stir fry to mix in well for 01 minute.

10. Put in the remainder of the fresh coriander, mix and cover to cook for 02 minute on slow flame.

11. Remove from fire. Immediately remove to another plate all of the cooked mixture.

12. In the same vessel, put in half of the rice, spread the cooked mixture, cover with the rest of the rice. Spread the fried Onion slices and a couple of spoons of oil/desi ghee. Cover the vessel and place a heavy weight on the lid. Pressure cook for a few minutes on very low flame, preferably keeping a TAVA between the flame and the vessel.

Serve HOT with the suggested accompaniments.

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.