Shahi Phool Makhana

Shahi Phool Makhana
Lotus Seeds in White Gravy)

Shahi Phool Makhana

Ingredients

Onion: 2-3, peeled, Boiled, Pureed
Ginger-Garlic-green Chilli Paste: 1 Tablespoon

Curd: 1 cup

Makhana (Lotus Seed): 1 ½ cups
Capsicum: 1, cut lengthwise.

Coriander Powder: 1 ½ Tablespoon

Cumin Powder: ½ tablespoon

Red Chilli Powder: ½ Teaspoon

Garam Masala Powder: 1 ½ Teaspoon

Salt:  As per taste
Sugar/Honey: A pinch

Ghee: 1 tablespoon
Oil: 2 tablespoon
Cream: 1 Tablespsoon

To Grind Together

Almonds: 8-10, peeled
Cashew Nuts: 5-6

Pistachio: 6-7
Kishmish: 5-6

Method

Boil the peeled onions; cool for a while and make a smooth paste adding no water.
Soak all the nuts and Kishmish in lukewarm water for 5-6 minutes and then grind them adding little water.
Heat ghee in a broad vessel, fry the makhanas in low-medium low flame for about 7-8 minutes (depends on the flame) o till the time they turn brownish in colour, don’t let them burn. You can taste a few, they should crackle in your mouth like popcorns.
Now heat the oil in a kadhai/ any deep vessel. Put the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and fry for a minute; add the boiled onion paste and fry for another 4-5 minutes or till the water evaporates completely. 
Add on the spice powders e.g. Coriadner, Cumin, red chilli and salt. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Put the Nut paste to the masala and bhunaw till the oil leaves the edges of the pan. After adding the nut paste, the masala will tend to stick to the bottom of the pan, so keep on stirring; add little water time to time if necessary.
Lower the flame and add curd. Stir well. Put the Capsicum slices and cook for couple of minutes.
Add water as needed (the thickness of the gravy should be of your choice). Check seasoning.  Add a pinch of sugar or honey (Honey would get the gravy that extra sheen).

Add the fried Makhanas, mix well with the gravy. Sprinkle Garam Masala Powder on the dish. Let the gravy thicken to the desired level. Switch off the flame.
Lastly, add the cream.

Serve Hot with any type of Indian Breads. Goes best with Nuns.

Roasted Chicken in Spinach Sauce

Roasted Chicken in Spinach Sauce

This preparation is certainly a healthy way to good food. Spinach has tremendous amount of nutritional goodness. It’s low in calories and fat but good in vegetable protein. It contains huge amount of vitamin A, K, C and Folate and is a good source of Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc and Manganese. So, weight watchers, go green with this leafy vegetable.

So, when combined with Chicken, Spinach makes a unique, healthy, light and of course delicious platter. Roasted Chicken in rich Spinach gravy or sauce is yet another great dig for food lovers. Here’s the way to prepare it:

Ingredients Needed:

Chicken pieces (preferably breast): 4;
Spinach Leaves: 2 bunches;
Coriander Leaves: 1 bunch;
Green Chili: 2;
Curd: 1 tbs;
Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 ½ tsp;
Garam Masala Powder: 1 ½ tsp;
Lemon Juice: 1 tbs;
Red chili powder: 1 tsp;
Salt: To Taste,
Oil: As needed

How To:

Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Clean the Spinach and Coriander leaves properly; cut the stems out. Blanch the spinach for 3-5 minutes.
Put the blanched spinach, coriander leaves, green chilies and salt together in blender and make a fine purée.
Take the chicken pieces and marinate with the ginger-garlic paste, green purée, red chili powder, garam masala powder, curd, lemon juice and salt (if needed). Put the marinated chicken in fridge covered for at least 30-40 minutes.

Now it’s time to roast/fry the chicken.

For Microwave users:
Pre heat the oven in 180 degrees. Then grill the chicken pieces for about 20-22 minutes each side, brushing oil at an interval of 10 minutes. The trick is not to let the masala get burnt. So when putting the chicken inside the oven, slightly scrape out extra masala and then grill; you can happily ad up those residual masala after the chicken it done, it brings the saucy flavor! Gill both the sides until done properly. Don’t overcook; it makes the chicken harder and less juicy.
Once done, serve hot with sliced onion, carrots, tomatoes, beetroots and lemon juice.

For Tawa/Frying Pan users:
Heat a very little amount of oil as the chicken itself contains fat.
Put the marinated chicken pieces and cover with lid; cook in a slow flame for about 20-25 minutes. Check and keep stirring the pieces in between. Don’t use all the marinating masala at one go; just let the chicken cook and add the masala eventually; it will help the masala retain the sausy texture and avoid getting charred. Sprinkle with water often to create the steam and cook them covered until done completely.
Once done, serve hot with sliced onion, carrots, tomatoes, beetroots and lemon juice.

Spaghetti Mushroom Bolognese

No introduction needed; yes it is yet another classic Italian Pasta recipe for you all. This time, it’s the easiest one: Spaghetti Bolognese with mushroom for some added taste.

Spaghetti Mushroom Bolognese

Ingredients needed:

Spaghetti pasta: ½ pack;
Mushroom: 5-6, cut into slices;
Tomato: 2 big;
Onion: 1 Big, chopped o sliced in thin strips;
Garlic: 3-4 cloves, chopped;
Olive: 6-7, cut into slices;
Olive Oil (any veg oil will do): 1 tbs;
Water: for blanching the tomatoes and to boil pasta;
Salt: to taste;
Dry Herbs: To Taste;
Grated Cheese: 1 Tbs (optional)

How to:

Start with boiling the spaghetti till al dente (done but not remain a little firm inside) and blanching the ripe red tomatoes. Add salt to boil the spaghetti.
While doing the pasta would take around12-15 minutes, blanching tomatoes would take only two minutes or so. Set aside the boil spaghetti. Before boiling, just make crisscross cut lines at the head and bottom of the tomatoes with a knife as it makes peeling out the skin easier. Take care not to let the tomatoes turn soggy. Cool them. Peel the tomatoes and chop them coarsely.
Now put extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and add chopped garlic. Fry for one minute and then add the onion slices. Fry till translucent.
Now put the blanched and chopped tomatoes in the pan and cook until the tomatoes get softened and mushy.
It’s time to add up the mushroom slices. Fry properly without adding extra water as mushroom itself contains lots of water. Let them get dried up apparently.
Put the spaghetti. Stir and mix well with the masala. Now add salt and mixed herbs as per needed.
Slice up the olives and add in. Coat well. Sprinkle the grated cheese all over and serve with Garlic Bread.

French Beans Usili Recipe

It’s a classic south Indian styled French beans side dish preparation. Ever since I’ve started living in Mangalore, I never stopped trying out my culinary experiences with those vast yet distinctive southern delicacies. Usili is a very light and healthy preparation that needs no major kitchen props making it a super easy yet delicious dry dish. Here’s the whole story goes:

French Beans Usili 

Ingredients needed:

French Beans: 15-20 cut in small pieces;
Toor Daal (Sambar Daal): ¾ cup, soaked for an hour, just use warm water;
Red Chilies: 2-3;
Asafetida (Hing): A Pinch, to get the flavor use Hing powder;
Oil: 2 tbs;
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp;
Dry Red Chili: 1;
Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp;
Salt: To Taste;
Curry Leaves: A generous handful of

How To:

Wash and cut the beans in small pieces; boil water in a deep pan and put the beans in water and boil for 5-7 minutes adding some salt.
Now drip out the water from the daal and coarsely grind with 2-3 red chilies. Be careful about using water as little as possible, otherwise it would make a batter or coarse paste.
Now heat up 1 tbs oil in a large skillet. Fry the coarse dal mixture adding some salt and turmeric powder; keep it in mind that frying this mixture properly would take 9-10 minutes, so be patient and keep stirring at an interval.
When the dal gets fried, add the boiled Beans into the pan and quickly fry for another 2-3 minutes. Now heat another tbs of oil in a smaller pan (seasoning or tadka pan will do) and put mustard seeds, red chilies, hing and curry leaves one by one. Let the seeds pop up, switch off the burner and put all the tadka in the daal Mixture.  Check seasoning and serve with Rice, Chapati, Raita or any type of Dosa.

~post by Jinia Roy

Bread Upma

Bread Upma

Ingredients needed:

Bread Slices:  4-6
Onion: 1 big, chopped
Tomato: 1 big, chopped
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Whole Jeera: 1 tsp
Urad Daal: 1 ½ tsp
Chana Daal: 1 ½ tsp
Green chillies: 1, chopped
Curry Leaves: Handful
Tomato ketchup: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Water: as par needed
Oil: 1 tbsp

Bread Upma

How to:

First take the bread slices and cut then into bite size pieces, you can cut off the rims if you wish. Now, sprinkle little water onto them; keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, jeera, urad daal, chana daal and curry leaves one by one. Let the tadka produce a nice aroma, add the chopped onion and fry for 3-4 minutes or till light golden colour.
Add the chopped green chillies and fry for another 1 minutes.
Put the chopped tomato and sauté until they becomes soft.
When the tomato turns softer add the tomato ketchup, stir for a while.
Add the bread pieces and mix well, let the masala coat the pieces nicely.
Season with salt, sprinkle a little water if needed; switch off the burner; give a standing time for about 2 minutes. Serve Hot!

Makai Murg Recipe

Makai Murg Recipe

Ingredients needed:

Chicken breasts: 2
Corn Carnels: 1 cup, blanched
Tomato: 2 medium, pureed
Capsicum: 1 big, cut into bite sized pieces
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbs
Curd: 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 tbs

Whole spices to be grounded coarsely:

Coriander (1tsp), cumin (1tsp), black pepper (8-10), cloves (3-4), chana daal (1tsp) and dry red chilli (1-2).

Makai Murg

How to:

First, cut the chicken breasts into small bite sized pieces. Now marinade the pieces with curd, half of the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Set aside in fridge for half an hour.
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes in blender.
Heat oil in a Kadhai, now add rest of the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute. After the raw smell goes off add the tomato puree and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Now add the grounded masala powder and fry until the oil leaves the side of the kadhai. Sprinkle dash of water if the masala starts burning.
Add the corns in masala mix and cook for a while.
Now, add the chicken with the marinade into the masala and cook in high flame till the chicken becomes tender but well cooked. Keep stirring in between so that the masala does not stick to the kadhai.
Add the capsicum pieces this time and give a quick stir. Cook for another 2 minutes or so; check the salt; dry the gravy as per your wish.
Serve with paranthe, rice preparation or even with the plain chapati! 

Makhmali Murg Kebab & Green Chutney

Makhmali Murg Kebab

Makhmali Murg Kebab & Green Chutney

If cooking is my emotional investment now, one big reason for it two persons, one is my Mom and the other one is definitely Mr. Sanjeev Kapoor; yes I practically swear by Chef Kapoor’s culinary skill. The other day I tried a simply mouth-watering Kebab preparation of his iconic chicken recipes: makhmali kebab, and watsay, it came out superbly successful. Below is that inspired recipe for you all, a must try:

Ingredients needed:

Chicken pieces (preferably the breast parts): 2
Ginger-Garlic paste/finely chopped: 2 Tbsp
Green chillies (chopped): 2-3
Hung Curd/Yogurt: ½ cup
Cheese (grated): ½ cup
Fresh Cream: ¼ cup
Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp
Nutmeg Powder: ¼  tsp
Lemon Juice: ½ Tbsp
Honey: 1 Tbsp
Butter: ¼ cup
Salt: To taste

How to:
Wash and cut each chicken piece into halves.
Make a smooth paste of ginger-garlic-green chillies.
Now polish this paste against the chicken pieces; cover and set them aside in the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes.
If you’re not using hung curd then you can tie the curd in a muslin cloth piece and set it aside for 20 minutes to let the excess water drain out.
Take a broad bowl and mix the hung curd, fresh cream, grated cheese, garam masala powder, nutmeg powder, lemon juice, honey and salt altogether to make a thick marinade. Marinate the chicken pieces in this mix and again cover and set aside in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Take a wire rack/Grill rack and place each chicken piece on it maintaining some gaps.
Cook the pieces in grill mode (both Top and Bottom) for17-20 minutes; keep brushing the chicken with melted butter every five minutes.
Seve this hot, succulent Makhmali Murg Kebab with Green chutney.

Green Chutney Recipe:
Ingredients needed:
Curd: 1 cup,
Green chillies: 2-3
Coriander leaves: 1 bunch with washed stems
Salt: To taste
Sugar/Honey: 1 tsp o To taste

How to:
Make a smooth paste of all the above mentioned ingredients together in a blender using little or no water.