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. 

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.

SAMOSA

INGREDIENTS:

This is the most popular North Indian Snack. The following recipe will make 20 to 25 Samosas.

SAMOSA

FOR THE DOUGH

All purpose Flour (Also called Maida): 400gms
Oil : 100 ml
Oil for frying (Can use refined or Olive oil)
Salt : 1 tsp
Carom seeds(Ajwain): 1tsp (Optional)
Lukewarm Water (Pani) : 1/4 cup

FOR THE FILLING

Boiled Potatoes : 3 or 4
Boiled Peas: 1/2 cup
Green Chilly : 1 chopped
Cumin(Jeera) : 1 tbsp
Asafoetida(Hing): 1 pinch
Dry Mango powder(Amchoor) : 1tbsp
Red chilly powder(Laal Mirch) : 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder (Dhaniya powder) : 1 tbsp
Cottage Cheese diced in small cubes : 50 gms (optional)

   METHOD:

     Combine all the ingredients for the dough except water. When you see the oil has been properly mixed with flour then start adding little water and knead. Remember to add little water at a time as we want the dough to be firm. Once it is done cover it with a wet muslin cloth and put aside.

         Now add oil in a sauce pan or Kadahi, When hot add cumin seeds, asafoetida, peas, green chilly and potatoes. Mix it for a minute simmer the gas and add red chilly powder, Dry mango powder, Coriander powder, Salt and mix. Cook for about 2 mins. Add the Cottage cheese and cover the mixture with the lid for 5 to 7 mins till it gets a nice light brown color and the spices are properly coated on the potatoes.

       Divide the dough in about 8 to 10 balls. Spread each ball with the help of a rolling pin and then cut it in the centre through its diameter. You would have two semi circles, now spread a little water on the edge pick it up and fold it in a conical shape between your thumb and first finger. Stuff it with the potato filling and the close it overlapping the layer on the top. It would look like a triangle. Repeat till all the dough is finished.

      Put Oil in a pan for frying let it heat for about 10 to 12 mins and then lower the gas and put the samosa and fry at medium heat till golden brown. Take them out in an absorbent paper so that the extra oil is soaked. Serve them hot with mint chutney or saunth. Alternatively you can also bake them for a healthier option.

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.

BHATURA

INGREDIENTS:

Plain Flour (Maida) 2 cups

Semolina (Sooji) 1 tbsp

Curd 3 tbsp

Oil 1 tbsp

Salt ½ tsp

Sugar ¼ tsp

Drinking Soda to knead into a dough

Oil for deep frying

METHOD: 

1.   In a large bowl mix maida, salt, oil, sugar and semolina.

2.      Then add curd with the help of drinking soda make a tight dough.

3.      Cover with the damp cloth  and leave it to rest for 2 – 3hours.

4.      Make small balls round in shape of  the dough and leave for another 15 mins.

5.      Take a small ball one at a time and with the help of rolling pin roll them into a thick oval shaped roti.

6.      In a heavy bottomed pan put some oil let it heat on full flame. Make sure the oil is hot by putting a very small amount of dough if it puffs immediately means the oil is ready.

7.       Once the oil is hot reduce flame to medium flame. Then put the rolled out bhatoora one at a time in the oil. 

8.      Press from the back of the ladle to help it puff. Flip to the other side till its nice golden brown in color from both the sides.

9.      Take out on an absorbent paper to remove the excess oil.


10.  Serve hot with White Chickpeas Curry (Choley).