Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is an Indian take on "Roasted Chicken" . The word 'Tandoor' is originally an Indian form of cooking - Roasting " Tandoor " But with the advancement in technology, Now we can use electric grills, coal grills, electric BBQ's , electric Tandoors etc for roasting. 

When the weather starts getting chilly and a cool breeze blows and the leaves turn brown and there are showers now and then, We know that Autumn is here and the monsoon is on it's way back. Hot and juicy Roasted chicken goes perfectly in such weather. 

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 800 grams 
• Kashmiri red chilly powder: 2 Tsp
• Lemon juice: 3 tsp
• Butter
• Onions cut into rings
• Salt  
• Hung curd: 200 grams  
• Ginger-garlic paste: 50 grams
• Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
• Chaat masala: 1/2 tsp
• Mustard oil: 2 tsp
• Tandoori chicken Masala (spices/ Everest seasoning )
• Lime cut into wedges/ slices
• Edible orange colour (optional)

Method:

• Skin, wash and clean the chicken. Make incisions/ cuts with a knife on the breast and leg pieces.  
• Make a mix of kashmiri red chilly powder, salt, hung curd, mustard oil, ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder, tandoori masala powder and marinate the chicken with this mix and keep it in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 hours.

• Now brush the marinated chicken pieces with melted butter and grill it in the microwave for 20mins. I have chosen the auto grilling tandoori option in my microwave (LG), All microwaves have this option.
• After 10 minutes turn over the chicken (flip it over)  and grill for 10 minutes again (each side for 10 minutes)
• Give it standing time in the micro for at least 5 minutes.

• Now take it out carefully and glaze the chicken with butter and then roast it directly over an open flame (over your stove or charcoal BBQ) approximately 3-4 minutes on each side while turning it around

• Remove it from the flame once it's roasted and serve it with a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of chaat masala from the top.

Serve hot with onion rings and lemon slices

~Enjoy!~

ANOTHER VERSION : Boneless tandoori Chicken Tikka for this season 

Here: Recipe Link

PS: Note:-

• I have used a microwave and my stove for roasting it, The same can be done over an electric grill/ electric tandoor or coal BBQ as well.
• The Masalas (Spice Powders that I have used are given below). +EVEREST MASALA (C&F) 

  

Paneer Posto (Cottage Cheese cubes with Poppy Seed Paste)

This dish, Makes me nostalgic, because when I got married there were only 2 dishes I could make with confidence, this one which is a cottage cheese delicacy and the other was pumpkin with eggs.
I especially wanted to write this on my blog so that one day our children can cook up these kind of delicate things instead of burgers and sandwiches and with the passage of time we tend to forget things as we grow old, and may forget many ingredients too. This serves as a permanent reference .

Ingredients:

• Half a coconut (will be made into paste)

• 4-5 green chillies
• 2 tsp of mustard seeds
• 2 tsp of poppy seeds

• 1 tsp of salt 
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 250 grams of paneer( cottage cheese)

• 2 tsp of mustard oil

 Method:

• First make a fine paste out of the coconut, green chilly, mustard and poppy seeds in a mixer or blender, adding 1/4 th cup of water, sugar and salt to it and  keep in aside.

• Now take a bowl and grease the bowl with mustard oil and place the the cottage cheese (paneer) cubes in it nicely. 

• Now add the paste made from poppy, mustard and coconut evenly over the paneer and stir it a little so that the paneer cubes get evenly coated with the paste Then spread 1 tsp of mustard oil from top.

.

There are two ways to cook this:

• Either microwave it on high for 10 minutes covered in cling film (plastic cling wrap)    

                                                  Or

• Steam the mixture made above in a pressure cooker / steam cooker / slow cooker, without a whistle (in pressure cooker) for around 20 minutes.

• It's optional but you can garnish your dish with fresh coriander  leaves. 

~Enjoy with hot rice~

Chicken Do Pyaza (Murgh dopiaza)

It's Ramadan time and I am missing the iftar get-togethers with my old friends in Lucknow. The spread during iftar is so nutritious and a feast for the eyes as well, containing protein and carb rich foods after fasting the entire day.

Lucknow is the town (in Uttar Pradesh, India) where I learnt this flavoursome dish. It's quite well renowned punjabi/North-Indian dish and you will find many recipes on the net as well. But the authentic recipe of 'chicken dopyaza' will be one where two types of onions will be used. As the name suggests 'do pyaza' (or) "dopiaza" is a the persian word which means 'two types of onions' 

I've used the small red onions (shallots) which are generally used in sambars in South India. And another variety, regular red onions either chopped or ground into paste (for this recipe).

Ingredients: 

• Chicken breast pieces: 500 grams
• Red onions chopped: 3 big ones 
• Shallots (small red onions): 500 grams
• Tomatoes: 2
• Eggs: 1 
• Ginger paste:1Tbsp
• Garlic paste: 2 Tbsp
• lemon: 1
• Salt to taste
• Sugar
• Turmeric powder: 1tsp
• Chilly powder: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala powder : 2 tsp
• Bay leaves: 2-3
• Oil
• Ghee

Procedure:

1. Take 8-9 shallots and sprinkle some salt, chilly powder and 2 tbsp of lime juice. Keep it as it is for an hour at least.

2. Marinate the chicken with ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric and chilly powder, salt, 1/2 tsp of sugar, 2 Tbsp: lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp of garam masala. For binding I have used 1 tsp of oil and 1 egg. Mix them all well and keep the marination for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile make a smooth paste of chopped onions and chopped tomatoes  and keep it aside.

4.Take a thick bottomed pan and heat 3 Tsp of oil. Now add 2 bay leaves and fry the onion paste until brown.

5. Now add the marinated chicken along with chilly and turmeric powder into the pan and fry them for 15 mins on medium flame.( never cook chicken in low flame..chicken becomes rubbery. So adjust your flame between high and medium)

6. Once the onions are cooked add the tomatoes and stir well and cover the pan and let it cook for another 20 minutes i.e. until the chicken gets tender and soft.

7. Take another pan and fry the seasoned baby onions (shallots) from before in oil. Keep it aside.

8. When the chicken is cooked, add the fried shallots with 1 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) and Garam masala powder,( I have used home made Garam masala to bring the authentic taste )

9. Now, for the red colour I added 1 tsp of Kashmiri lal powder (kashmiri chilli powder) along with ghee and mixed well. 

10. Cook it for another 5 minutes and you can serve it with a boiled egg on top (optional)

~Enjoy it with naan or roti!~

My Naan recipe here: Indian flat bread

Vada Pav

I want to dedicate this marathi snack to my friends in Mumbai. It can be eaten at any time of the day, But on rainy days, when the weather is sultry and cool, vada pav tastes awesome during those times :) It's should be hot, fritter outside should be crisp (with the brown, crumbly tentacles of batter still attached), all encompassing with a gentle yield, Inside the filling must be the right blend of spices with herbs elevating the mashed potato. 

You can serve with green or red chutney.

The vada (batata vada)- The fritter

• 4-5 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 2-3 chopped green chillies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 8 curry leaves
• Asafoetida (or) Hing: 1 pinch.
• Juice from one medium size lemon
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp of ginger & garlic paste (optional)

 For the fritter:

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 1/2 cup rice flour 
• 11/2 tsp  salt
• 1 tsp coriander seed powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp chilly powder.

Mix all the above ingredients with water. Consistency should not be be runny and should be thick enough to coat the Alu tikkis evenly.

Method:

1)Mash the potatoes well and add the chopped onion, corriender and mint leaves. Add the salt according to your taste.

2)Take 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and heat it up. Into the oil add the mustard and cumin seeds and let them splatter, 

3)Now add a pinch of hing into the oil and fry the curry leaves.

4)Lower the flame and add the potato mixture.Mix it well and turn off the stove.

5)Now add the lemon juice and mix it well. Let it cool down for 10 minutes.

6)When it is cool enough, roll the mixture that you just made into small rounds and then flatten it in between your palms. 

                            

7) Heat oil in heavy bottomed wok until a small drop of batter dropped in, rises sizzling to the surface very quickly (level of heat).

8) Now gently dip the potato cutlets into the batter and cover the potato balls with batter on all sides and then drop them into the hot oil,m one by one. Don't put too many at a time.

9)Let it fry in medium flame until golden brown.

10)Drain the excess oil using tissues and serve hot with chutney  and pressed inside bun breads (pav).

  

~Enjoy it while watching the rain~ Happy Summer!

Serve these tasty fried cutlets inside the pav breads with green chutney and a hot cup of Tea.

What is vada paav!

Dahi vada

The temperatures are soaring high this summer in many parts of the world. In this summer spell make sure to keep yourself Cool and well hydrated. 

Dahi vada is a sweet and spicy yogurt snack which is very popular in the North India and is perfect in the summer heat. It is a definite snack during get togethers & many festivals like holi, diwali etc.

Dahi vada is best enjoyed topped with tamarind and green puree (chutney).

Ingredients for Vadas:

• 1 cup of urad dal : 200 grams (black gram lentils without skin)  

• 3 green chillies
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tsp  cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp of aniseed (Saunf)
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Salt, sugar (according to taste)

                                         

• 2 tsp of water for batter 
• 5-6 raisins
• 5-6 cashews chopped    
• Oil for frying                                                                         

Method:

• Soak the lentils (urad dal) overnight (or) for at least 6 hours.
• Drain the water and grind the lentils with green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds,saunf, and hing
• Grind it with little water to get a thick consistency.        

• You can add ground raisins and cashews in the batter and stir it well (this is optional)

                                 

• Mix the batter vigorously until it is light and fluffy. Add salt and sugar according to your taste.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and make balls from the above batter, then deep fry them on medium heat till they are crispy and golden brown. Don't fry the balls (vadas) over a high flame if you are not deep frying it, ( I did not deep fry) so that the inside gets cooked well and is not raw.

• While the vadas are still warm soak them in water for 15 minutes
• Vadas will increase in size as seen in the picture.

• Press the soaked vadas between your palms to remove the excess water. Press it gently otherwise it might end up breaking the lentil fritters (vadas)

• Keep these aside in a plate and let's prepare the yogurt in which the Vadas have to be dipped and served.

Ingredients for curd(spicy curd):

• Homemade curd/ yogurt : 2 cups
• Roasted cumin and red chilly powder: 1 tsp each
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tsp of sugar 
• 1 tsp of rock salt

 Method:

• Add 2 tsp of sugar, little salt, and roasted cumin and chilli powder into the curd.
• Now beat it hard till the curd gets a smooth texture. 
• Add half a cup of water to 250 ml of curd. Ratio might differ depending on the consistency of your curd.
• Now in a bowl serve two Vadas and pour the curd from top

Garnish with a tsp of coriander chutney and a little tamarind chutney, red chilly powder, chaat masala and roasted cumin powder, (recipe for the green and tamarind chutney is given below).

Green chutney (puree) 

Grind together the following ingredients in a mixer grinder and it's done:

• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 3-4 green chillies 
• 4-5 pods of garlic
• 4 tsp of fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• 11/2 tsp of water

Make a smooth paste and transfer the paste into a bowl. It can also be eaten with snacks. A more spicier version of this can also be made with cumin seeds and peanuts, but this is the version I used for dahi vada.

Tamarind chutney (puree)

• Soak tamarind in water overnight in a small bowl. Then squeeze the pulp, strain and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, lower the flame and fry some cumin seeds.
• Add a pinch of hing (asafoetida) ginger powder and chilly powder.
• Now add the tamarind pulp and cook for 3 mins.
• Add jaggery and salt and cook for another 5 mins.
• Stir and cook till paste has a comparatively thicker consistency.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool.

You can preserve this chutney in an airtight container for a couple of months in refrigerator. And use it as per your requirement by taking out the the amount you need and mixing it with water.

The above pictures of chutneys are Only for reference, Pic Credit of Chutneys to the respective owners. Thanks.

Rasagulla

This is a traditional bengali dessert made from chenna (freshly prepared cottage cheese/ moistened paneer). 
In any auspicious occasion this sweet spongy "Rasgullas" are a must for us. This is a sweet delicacy that is staple to the Bengalis and nor can they live without it. 
Many people have told me that it's difficult to make rasgullas, They've tried multiple times, either it breaks or they become hard. But trust me, if you follow everything step by step and take the right measures, ex: kneading the paneer properly, right consistency if the sugar syrup, Nothing can stop you from getting super soft, milky white Rasgullas!

INGREDIENTS:

• Full cream milk: 1 litre
• 2 small lemons: 3 tbsp of lemon juice 

      For Syrup

• 4 cups of sugar
• 1 litre of water

PROCEDURE: 

• First boil the full cream milk while stirring occasionally. When it's completely boiled ' turn off ' the stove and slowly add the extracted lemon juice. (requirement of lemon may vary according to the quality of your milk)
• Stir it well.The milk should start curdling during this process. Don't add the entire extracted lemon juice at once. Do it gradually.

  

• Continue adding the lime juice slowly and stirring after adding. Repeat this process. Once the milk is curdled ( separated ) and greenish whey (watery fluid part of the milk) is out pass it through a clean cloth lined on the colander/ strainer ( छलनी) as shown in the pic below.

• Then wash the chenna ( curdled milk that was just strained ) under running water very well (2-3 times). This step is very important otherwise you will get a lemony flavour from your Rasgullas and the sweet balls won't be soft either.

• Gather the edges of the cloth and gently squeeze out the excess water from the chenna. Don't apply too much pressure .

• Hang it for 30 minutes.

While your chenna is hanging prepare the sugar syrup:

• Take a pot with good depth and width. I took a big pressure cooker (since it's both wide and deep)
• Then add 12 cups of water into the pot and 3 cups of sugar.
• Stir it thoroughly so that sugar gets dissolved completely. (The ratio of sugar to water should be aroung 1:5 )
• After dissolving it turn on the stove and heat the syrup 

Note: The syrup should never become thick, or else your rasgullas will break or become too hard.

• Now take out the Chenna from the cloth and knead it for at least 10 minutes till it's texture becomes very smooth. It should be moist and not dry like the Paneer what we buy from the stores

• Knead the chenna until there are no lumps and cracks. As soon as some fat (oil from the chenna) starts releasing after kneading, start making the balls using your Palms. Try to restrict the size to 1 inch only as it becomes double after cooking.

• Now bring the syrup to boil and then add the chenna balls into the syrup carefully and cover the pot.
• The water(syrup) should be vigorously boiling.
• The process took me 20 minutes. (until the balls became soft and absorbed the syrup and enlarged )
• After every 5 minutes you should open the lid and stir cautiously as to not break the soft balls, Generally it should take around 15 minutes.
• Then turn off the gas and give the pot a standing time of 15 minutes.
• Then slowly transfer the rasgullas into a bowl along with the syrup, Making sure that all the rasgullas are submerged in the syrup.

• It is best when eaten after 8-9 hours. Only after 7-8 hours it becomes soft, juicy and spongy. that it melts in your mouth.
• Refrigerate it and serve it cool.

~ENJOY~