Happy Cooking: Jeera-do-piyaza Bhindi....Indian Masala.

JEERA-DO-PIYAZA BHIND

I assure you this simple Bhindi (LADY FINGER) dish which is very different in taste. Cooking this is very simple.

To serve TWO we will require the following:

1. Bhindi, small & tender.......250 gms.

2. Onion, medium- cut in to thick slices...01.

3. Tomato, medium..........01.

4. Fresh green Chili, stem removed-whole.....02.

5. Curd (Yogurt) beaten.......01Tps.

6. Oil for cooking.

7. Ginger Garlic, diced or paste....01 Tps.

8. Jeera, Coriander Powder, Turmeric powder & Amchoor powder....01 tps each.

9. Salt.

10. Garam Masala powder (branded)....1/2 tps.

Method:

a) Process the Bhindi by removing the crown and the very end. Cut the Bhindi into pieces not less than 3/4" to 1" long.

b) Cut the Tomato into half and scoop out the inside, mash and keep aside. Dice the rest of the Tomato into 1/4" wedges.

c) Place the wok/kadai on LOW FLAME & pour in 05Tps of Oil. On heating, put in the thick sliced Onion, whole fresh green Chili and fry till it gets to be transparent. Remove half & fry the rest till it starts to be pink. Remove and keep aside.

d) Add more Oil enough to deep fry all of the Bhindi gently till it stars to light brown. Remove and keep aside.

e) Remove enough Oil from the wok, to leave behind Just 02 Tps of hot Oil. Put in all of Jeera and fry. As it gets to be brown, put in Ginger Garlic and stir fry.

f) Soon as the Ginger Garlic begins to brown put in the pink fried Onion and the Bhindi and toss fry gently.

g) Quickly sprinkle in all of the dry masala, adjust Salt and raise the flame to MEDIUM. Gently toss to fry all, add the Tomato pulp and Curd and stir fry.

h) Now add the remaining Onion, switch off the flame but continue to stir fry the vegetable using the heat of the wok. Finally add the Tomato wedges and serve with PHOOLKA/ PARANTHA.

Happy Cooking: Murg Massalam....Indian Masala

I have for this dish selected Chicken Wings. There is a reason, this is a succulent part of the bird and it adds to the overall taste of the dish.

You may use other portions or if need be use the whole bird, for the dish. Remember you have to increase the other ingredients proportionally.

For the illustrated dish you will require the following for TWO servings:

1. Chicken Wings ........06 t0 08.

2. Onions, diced very fine.......02 cups.

3. Tomato diced fine................1/2 cup.

4. Fresh Green Chili, diced......o2.

5. Fresh Coriander...................02 Tps.

6. Ginger Garlic paste..............01 Tps.

7. Chicken Masala(branded)...01+ 1/2 tps.

8. Red Chili powder................01 tps or as reqd.

9. Turmeric..............................01 tps.

10. Dry Coriander powder.......01+1/2 tps.

11. Green Cardamom................03 crushed whole.

12. Cloves....................................01

13. Cinnamon..............................1"

14. Salt..................................as per taste.

15. Cooking Oil.....................as per requirement.

Marinate:

Sprinkle ( other than above) on the Chicken, 1/2 tps each of Ginger garlic paste, Chicken masala, red Chili powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder and a little Salt. Keep aside for at least 30 minutes.

Method:

a) Place a non stick wok /kadai on medium flame. On Heating, fry the marinated Chicken till slight brown. Remove, and keep aside.

b) Reduce the Oil to just 70 ml. Put in Jeera, Clove, Cinnamon, Crushed Cardamom and fry till light brown. Put in the Ginger Garlic paste and fry till the paste starts to brown.

c) Put in the diced Onion and stir fry to golden brown.

d) Put in all of the other masala except a spoon of Fresh Green Coriander & diced Tomato.

e) Stir fry the mixture sprinkling a little water to avoid burning. When the oils starts to separate, add the fried Chicken and stir fry on high flame till all is blend well and the Chicken is well covered with the masala. Add just enough water as per the required consistency and cover to cook for ONE MINUTE.

f) Remove to serving platter and garnish with Fresh Coriander & diced Tomato.

Serve with hot tawa Phoolka / tandoori Roti / Thin Parantha.

Happy Cooking: Punjabi- SURVI MACCHI....Indian Masala

Punjabi- SURVI MACCHI

Fish has been & will always be a delicacy in the Punjabi cuisine. Every now and then new recipes are always sought for to satisfy the Punjabi palate. Some very simple variations have been appropriated to give an absolute NEW flavor to an otherwise very well accepted dish. One such preparation is the one I have innovated to give a new variation.

THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IS THE SELECTION OF THE FISH. CHOOSE ONE WHICH HAS FIRM FLESH WITH PREFERABLY HAVING A SINGLE COMB OR BE BONELESS.

For TWO servings we will require:

1. Fish carved by the fish monger not bigger than 1.5" pieces.........400 gms

2. Onions, diced..............................................300 gms

3. Fresh Coriander Leaves...........................03 Tps

4. Fresh Green Chili diced fine.....................03 tps

5. Ginger Garlic paste....................................02 Tps

6. Tomato diced fine for garnish..................1/4 cup

7. Garam Masala powder (branded.............01 tps

8. Coriander powder.......................................02 Tps

9. Red Chili powder.........................................01 tps ( 0r as per taste)

10. Turmeric powder......................................01 Tps

11. Cumin seeds (Jeera, whole).....................01 Tps

12 Carom seeds(Ajwain, whole)....................01 Tps

13. Salt.............................................................as per taste.

14. Cooking oil.................................................as per requirement to fry.

15.Water..........................................................sufficient.

MARINADE:

All ingredients not from above list.

Wash the fish, pat dry with tissue paper. Place in a deep bowl and pour in 01 Tps Vinegar, a little salt, 1/2 tps each of Red Chili powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Turmeric powder, Ginger Garlic paste and 02 Tps Beasun ( Gram Floor). Sprinkle a little water and mix all. Keep aside for at least an hour.

METHOD:

a) Place a wok on medium flame, pour in sufficient Oil to deep fry the marinated fish. Remove fried fish to absorbing paper and let it cool.

b) Place a non-stick wok/kadai on LOW flame, pour in 100 ml Oil to heat. Put in Jeera, carum seeds and fry. Immediately put in all of Ginger garlic paste and stir fry till slight brown. Put in the diced Onion.

c) Fry Onion, on MEDIUM flame till pink & transparent. Add all the Masala except 1/3 of Fresh Coriander leaves and the diced Tomato. Fry till all the Onions get golden brown. Sprinkle salt as required. Stir fry sparingly showering water to cook the mixture but leaving the mixture dry.

d) Switch off flame, remove from wok all the mixture and keep aside. In the same wok, form a bed of the diced Tomato, using all except 1/3rd. Place the fried fish gently on the bed of Tomato and cover all of the Fish with the fried Masala. Cover to nearly seal the Fish and place the wok on LOW flame. Heat till you start to hear the fish to simmer in the wok. Switch off the flame.

e) Remove to serving dish, garnish with remainder of Tomato and Fresh Coriander.

Serve hot with Tava Phoolka or thin Parantha.

Happy Cooking: BOTI MURG-ka-SALAN....Indian Masala

Happy Cooking: BOTI MURG-ka-SALAN....Indian Masala

Spicy boneless Chicken, cooked  to produce a 'POT ROAST' to be relished with hot, soft TAVA PHOOLKA. As accompaniment, we may have MINT(Pudhina) Chatney.

To make a serving each for TWO, we will require:

CHICKEN bonless (breast portions).......400 gms, diced to not less than 1" cubes.

Onions ...................................................300 gms, sliced.

Fresh Corriander leaves...........................03 Tps.

Fresh Green Chili diced fine......................02 Tps.

Ginger diced fine.......................................02 Tps.

Garlic diced..............................................08 pods.

Tomato diced fine.....................................3/4 cup.

Chicken Masala (branded)........................01 Tps.

Red Chile powder..................................... As per requirement.

Turmeric powder.......................................01 tps.

Corriander powder....................................02 Tps.

Cumin........................................................01 Tps.

Salt............................................................As per requirement.

Water.........................................................01 cup.

Cooking Oil................................................150 ml.

      Marinati

Place the chicken in a deep bowl. Sprinkle in, other than the above mentioned spices, 01 tps each of , Chicken Masala, Red Chili powder, Salt & Corriander powder. If you so desire, put a few dregs of edible RED color. Mix the Chicken to coat well. Moist the marinated Chicken with 02 tps of oil and keep aside for   AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. The longer you keep under marination the better will be the taste. If keeping for longer period place it the fridge and remove 15 minutes prior to commencement of preparation.

METHOD

1. Place wok on low flame & pour in 100 ml Oil. On heating  stir  fry the marinated Chicken till it looks fried and golden brown. Drain & remove from the wok and keep aside.

2.  Increase the fame to medium, put in Cumin to fry till golden. Add Ginger, Garlic & Fresh Chili and stir fry. Put in sliced Onions and stir fry till golden brown,

3. Put in the fried Chicken and sprinkle in all the dry Masala and stir fry. Sprinkle in enough water to moist and blend the Chiken. Adjust Salt & add the tomato, keeping 1/3 for garnish. Also  add the the Fresh Corriander keeping aside 1/2 for later use. Stir fry, need be add a few spoons of water to cook the Chicken to tender as per requirement.

4. Remove, transfer to serving dish/bowl garnish with remainder tomato and fresh corriander leaves. Serve with MINT Chutney & hot soft  Tava Phoolka. 

Happy Cooking: ‘Himpati Aloo’ (Potato)….Indian Masala

This is a ‘hot’ flavored dish in ‘cool’ surroundings of cold Curd/Yogurt, ‘dressed’ to titillate the palate for a special lunch. Add to the table spread, it will enhance the menu.

To serve TWO you will require:

1.

Potato (Methi wale)……………………………………300 gm boiled & skinned.

2. Thick Curd / Yogurt…………………………………….300 ml beaten smooth with few spoons of cold milk.

3. Fresh Green Chili, diced fine………………………..02 tsp

4. Fresh Coriander leaves…………………………………02 tsp

5. Curry leaves………………………………………………….10 to 12

6. Cooking Oil …………………………………………………..50 ml (03 Tsp)

7. Mustard seeds……………………………………………….1/2 tsp

8. Hing Powder………………………………………………….1/4 tsp

9. Jeera /Cumin powder…………………………………….01 tsp (Jeera be slightly toasted and then ground)

10. Cinnamon powder………………………………………….01 tsp

11. Red Chili powder…………………………………………….01 tsp ( or as per your taste)

12. Dry Mango powder…………………………………………01 tsp

13. Chat Masala………………………………….……………….01 tsp (any branded)

14. Salt to taste.

15. Lime/Lemon juice…………………………………………..1/2 tsp

METHOD

Place on low flame a non-stick wok and heat half of the Oil.

Put in the mustard seeds and as it splutters put in half of the diced fresh green Chili, fresh Coriander and stir fry for a minute.

Add Hing Powder and fry & put in the boiled Potato and stir fry to evenly coat the fried ingredients.

Put in half of the Curry leaves and stir fry till the leaves get brighter. Sprinkle in all of dry Masala and vigoursly stir to coat all of the Potato.

Pour in the Lime juice and adjust Salt. Stir and remove from stove and keep aside to cool.

Part II

When the Masala coated Potato have cooled, remove to flat serving dish.

Pour the beaten Curd to evenly coat all of the Masala Potato.

In a ‘tadka’ pan pour in rest of the oil, heat and fry the remaining Curry leaves, fresh Coriander leaves & diced Chili. Fry till the Curry leaves brighten and pour over the dish spread out as garnish.

Serve with Chapati/Paratha.

Happy Cooking: Cottage Cheese in Curd Gravy (Dahi wala Paneer)….Indian Masala

Cook up a simple, tasty & flavored dish. This Paneer preparation will enhance the spread on the table and your guests will enjoy this lip smacking dish.

You will require the following for FOUR servings:

1. Paneer/ Cottage Cheese diced in 1” cubes……..400 gm.

2. Onions diced fine…………………………………………...02 cups

3. Curds / Yogurt…………………………………..……………400 gm. Hung to reduce the water. Keep water aside.

4. Salt to taste.

5. White (like black) pepper powder…………………….As per taste.

6. Green Cardamom crushed whole…………………….06 pcs.

7. Cloves……………………………………………………………..03 pcs.

8. Ginger paste…………………………………………………….01 tps.

9. Cinnamon………………………………………………………02”.

10. Desi Ghee/Oil/Salt less Butter………………………….03 tps.

11. Garnish, fresh Coriander leaves…………………………01 tps.

Method

Suggest use a non-stick wok/kadai.

Place wok on low flame. Pour the Desi Ghee / oil/Salt less Butter & on heating put in the ginger paste.

Fry, along with all the dry Masala except Salt & White Pepper. Increase the flame to medium.

Put in the diced Onion and stir fry till the Onion starts to become transparent.

Add the diced Paneer / Cottage Cheese and fry slightly, do not brown.

Put in the Curd and mix slowly. Sprinkle in Salt and White Pepper to taste.

Toss lightly, spoon in enough water kept aside, to obtain required consistency.

Cook, without stirring for a minute, or so.

Remove to a shallow dish, garnish with fresh Coriander leaves and sever with Chapatti / Paratha.

Happy Cooking: Curd Tomato Curry….Indian Masala

This, I guess, is a common quick dish prepared by the housewives of Peshawar Pakistan and surrounding region. I had seen my mother prepare the concoction and have had similar dish at various homes of my near and dear relations. The taste varied as each had own interpretation of the final product. But, I confess all were very good. I am listing below the version I remember seeing my mother make it at home, with slight amendments. One thing, at the time we had a Primus stove and another that used spun strings as wicks and was silent. I have kept that in mind and have suggested the setting of the flame on the gas stove.

We will require the following for FOUR servings:

Red ripe Tomato…………………….500 gm. Washed, peeled, blended.

Onion…………………………………....250 gm. diced fine.

Ginger…………………………….……..30 gm. Diced very fine. (No paste, please)

Garlic……………………………………..06 pods. Each pod mashed and diced.

Fresh green Chili……………….……03. Diced, not too thin, please.

Fresh green Coriander…………...02 tsp diced leaves.

Curry leaves……………………………06 to 08. (Optional)

Hung Curd……………………………….01 cup.

Red Chili powder……………………. 01 tsp. You may increase, as per your taste.

Turmeric powder……………………..01 tsp

Coriander powder…………............01 tsp.

Cinnamon………………………………..02”.

Green Cardamom…………………….04 crushed.

Jeera/Cumin…………………………….01 tsp.

Aamchur/dry mango powder……01 tsp.

Salt……………………………………………As required.

METHODs

a. To peel tomato, make a cross slight cut on the underneath and place the tomato in boiling water for approx. one minute. Remove and place again in chilled/iced water. Remove. And peel away the upper thin skin.

b. Cut & place tomato in blender and blend to liquidize, all but one tomato.

c. Dice fine the single tomato and keep aside.

II. a) In a wok, or any deep vessel, on low flame, pour the oil & on heating put in the fresh green chili. Jeera/cumin seed, ginger, garlic and the curry leaves. Stir fry to light brown.

b) Put in the Onion, half of fresh Coriander leaves and fry on medium flame till it attain light brown hue. Add all the dry masala and stir fry to blend.

c) Pour in the blended tomato and stir on medium flame for two minutes and raise the flame to high to cook the tomato, till it reduces to half the quantity and the oil starts to separate. Reduce flame to medium.

d) Adjust salt. Add the diced tomato and blend on medium flame. Cover to cook for as long as to reduce the mixture further to semi thick consistency. Reduce the flame to low.

e) Switch off the flame. Remove from stove; blend in with soft hands half of the hung curd.

f) In the serving bowl, first put in the remainder hung curd and then cover with the cooked mixture slowly. Garnish with fresh Coriander leaves and serve with light Parathas