BUTTER CHICKEN

This one is for all chicken curry lovers. The recipe is quite different from what the name suggests, its one of the most popular north indian chicken dish. This is the traditional recipe therefore requires a little extra effort but its definitely worth the time spent. 

Serves : 2

Cooking time : 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

250 gms Chicken (Boneless Or With Bone)

For the Marinade:

5 tsp yoghurt
1 tsp oil (can use any type of cooking oil)
1 tsp grated ginger
2 -3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 whole red chilly
4 black peppercorns
1 stick of cinnamon
2-3 green cardamom
1 black cardamom
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves 

Salt to taste

For Curry:

2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 tsp fresh garlic paste
1 green chilly sliced
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
6 large tomato
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves

Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Cashewnut paste 1 tbsp (Optional)

Method for making Butter Chicken:

• In a pan dry roast red chilly, peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, black & green cardamom. Now grind this to a powder. (You can use coffee grinder else use the powder form of all these spices, dry roast it for 1 min)
• In a bowl put rest of the ingredients under the marinade section and mix well. Now add chicken & mix again. Cover with cling film & leave it overnight or atleast for 3 hours in the fridge.
• Put the chicken in a preheated oven of 200 degrees and let it cook for 20 mins at 180 degrees. Make sure you turn the chicken after 10 mins so that its cooked from both sides.
• Blanch, peel and puree the tomatoes. Keep aside.
• For the curry heat the pan and add butter and immediately add the ginger & garlic paste.
• Now add the sliced green chilly. Also add red chilly powder & coriander powder and cardamom powder saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the pureed tomato and cook on high flame for 10 mins or till the gravy leaves the side.
• Now add the tomato puree, a pinch of sugar & salt and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the roasted chicken pieces and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on a slow flame for 10 mins.
• Add the cashewnut paste, cook for further 2 mins on slow flame & then add cream and stir well. Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Now add the garam masala and crushed fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
• Transfer the chicken to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and swirls of cream.
• Authentic North Indian punjabi butter chicken is ready to be served with roti, naan or rice.

Tip :

For the classic smoky effect in your chicken curry, transfer the chicken in a bowl, cover with aluminium foil and pierce it a few times. Using a tong burn a small piece of coal on gas and place it on the foil. Cover immediately with a lid. Place it in the oven for 30 mins at 120 degrees. Remove the foil and be careful when you dispose the coal.  Garnish & Serve Hot.

For a healthier version you can substitute cream with 1 cup of milk (room temperature).

DAHI RAITA

Cucumber & Tomato Raita

This is a yoghurt based accompaniment extremely popular with Rice dishes in India.

Preparation Time 10 mins

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

Yoghurt 1 cup

Cucumber Chopped ½ Cup

Tomato Chopped ½ Cup

Roasted Cumin Seeds Powder ½ tsp

Salt To taste

METHOD

In a Bowl Mix All the ingredients together.

Serve as an accompaniment to Rice or along with Dry Vegetable & Roti.

TIP- You can prepare this in advance & Refrigerate for a while. Tastes Best When Served Cold. You can add Onions as well. 

SAGO KHICHDI (SABUT DANA)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS        

SAGO 

Sago 1 cup

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Potato chopped 1 small

Peanuts 2 tbsp

Curry leaves 7 or 8

Green chilly 1 slit 

Sea salt as per taste

Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp

Oil 1 tbsp

METHOD

Soak the sago with 4 cups of water overnight. Drain the excess water and take the sago out in a strainer to get rid of all the water. Let it dry a little.

In a pan add oil and let it heat, then add the mustard seeds let crackle. Add the chopped potato and cover with a lid for 3 - 4 minutes. Check if the potato is cooked.

Then add the curry leaves, green chilly and peanuts. Add the sago, salt and red chilly powder, cook for a minute. Mix well and serve hot. 

BULGUR WHEAT SALAD

Serves 2
Preparation Time: 10 mins

INGREDIENTS

SALAD 

Bulgur wheat (daliya) 1/2 cup

Split yellow lentil (Moong) 1/2 cup

Cucumber chopped 1/2 cup

Onion chopped 2 tbsp
Capsicum chopped 2 tbsp

Roasted peanuts 2 tbsp

FOR THE DRESSING

Olive oil 2 tbsp

Lemon juice 2 tbsp

Garlic chopped 2

Salt and Pepper as per taste

METHOD

Dry roast the bulgur wheat. Wash the yellow lentil thoroughly. In a cooker add water just to cover the bulgur wheat and yellow lentil, pressure cook  for about 3 to 4 mins. Just one whistle and close the flame. Release the steam and let the mixture cool.

In a bowl mix rest of the ingredients and add the bulgur wheat and lentils. Mix all the ingredients of the dressing in a bowl and mix well with the salad just before serving.

RAVA IDLI CHATPAT

Preparation Time : 5 Minutes

Serves 1

IDLI CHATPAT

INGREDIENTS

Idli 1 (Idli recipe http://thedalroti.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/idli.html)

Green Chutney 1 tsp

Tomato Sauce 1 tsp

Namkeen Bhujia 1 tbsp

Cucumber for garnish

METHOD

Put the Idli on a plate and spread the green chutney and tomato sauce.

Put some bhujia or any namkeen of your choice.

Garnish with cucumber.

MALAI KOFTA

INGREDIENTS

MALAI KOFTA

Preparation Time 30 mins

Serves 2 to 3

FOR THE KOFTA

Cottage Cheese (Paneer) 1 cup grated

Boiled Potatoes 2

Green Chilly 1 chopped

Cornflour 1 teaspoon

Green Cardamom Powder a pinch

Almonds 4 

Salt to taste

FOR THE CURRY

Onion 1 Medium sized

Tomatoes 3 medium sized

Green Chilly 1slit

Ginger 2 inch Piece

Garlic Clove 2

Water half cup

Green Cardamom 2

Butter 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Sugar a pinch

Red Chilly Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Fennel (Saunf) Powder 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala 1/4 teaspoon.

Cream or Milk 3 tablespoons

Kastoori Methi (Optional)

Chopped fresh coriander for garnish.

METHOD

In a bowl Mash the potatoes and mix it with cottage cheese, green chilly, almonds, salt and cornflour. Make it into small oval shape as seen in the picture.

Heat the oil in a pan, once the oil is hot deep fry these koftas on medium heat till golden brown and take them out on an absorbent paper.

Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes. In a cooker add the chopped onion, tomatoes, green Chilly, ginger, garlic and cardamom and half cup of water.

Pressure cook for 10 minutes, then open the cooker and blend all the ingredients to a puree. Then strain this gravy through a sieve.

In another pan add butter and this gravy bring to a boil, simmer and add red chilly powder, coriander powder, saunf powder, garam masala, sugar and salt. After 5 minutes add 2 tablespoons of Cream or Milk and simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Your curry is ready now.

Add the koftas just before serving and heat for 2 -3 minutes. Serve hot with Roti, Naan or Lachha Paratha.

TIP : You can make the same gravy and just add cottage cheese for a quick recipe of Shahi Paneer.

CHICKPEAS CURRY - CHOLEY

INGREDIENTS:

200gms Chickpeas

2 Bay leaves (Tej Patta)

1 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)

1 small stick of Cinnamon (dalchini)

1 medium sized onion

2 medium sized tomatoes

2 green chillies slit

2 cloves of garlic

1 inch of ginger

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)

1 tsp Red Chilly powder

1 tsp Choley Masala

1 tsp Corriander powder

1 tsp Roasted Cumin (Jeera)Powder

½tsp Garam Masala

1tsp Dry Mango powder (Amchoor)

2 tsp Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kastoori Methi)

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Salt to taste

METHOD:

1.    Soak White Chickpeas overnight. Wash thoroughly and drain the water.
2.      Take a pressure cooker add the chickpeas, salt, bay leaves, black cardamom and 6 to 8 cups of water.
3.      Leave it on full flame for 10 mins and then slower the flame and cook for another 20 mins.
4.      Do not open the cooker right away leave it for sometime to let off the steam.
5.      After 15 mins open the cooker and check if the chickpeas are properly boiled. You should be able to crush it placing between your fingers.
6.      Prepare the tadka as given in the recipe below and mix it with the boiled chickpeas, add dried mango powder and garam masala and simmer for 20 minutes for the flavours to get mixed properly.
7.      Take out the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and Black cardamom and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
8.      Serve hot with Indian Flat bread (Kulche), Bhatoore or boiled rice.

For the TADKA

1.      Make a paste of onion, ginger and garlic.
2.      Take a small pan add 2 tbsp of cooking oil, add cinnamon stick and cumin seeds let it crackle then add the onion paste.
3.      Let the onion change its color to golden brown then add the slit green chillies.
4.      Make a paste of the tomatoes and add it to this mixture.
5.      Let it cook for 2 mins, then add red chilly powder, coriander powder, choley masala, cumin powder and dried fenugreek leaves  and mix till the oil separates from this mixture. Make sure the mixture doesnt stick to the pan add a little water if needed.