CHICKEN CURRY

This one is such recipe which can never be tired to cook this Chicken Curry. It is such a favourite dish which I made often is enjoyed by our friends and family. As usual Indian spices are used in this curry, only the special thing is fried onion grinded with yogurt and green chillies used while cooking.

INGREDIENTS:
500 gm Chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
3 Onions (sliced)
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
2 tbsp Garlic Paste
3 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
4-6 Green Chillies (as per taste)
1/2" Cinnamon, 2 Cloves, 2 Green Cardamoms (roughly crushed)
100 gm Plain Yogurt (curd/dahi)
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
1 Cup Warm Water
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil and clarified butter in a wok. Add sliced onion in it. Fry till onion turns into golden brown. Set it aside and let it cool.

Grind fried onions with yogurt and green chillies to make a smooth paste.

Add crushed garam masala (cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves) to the same oil. Stir for a minute till a nice aroma comes out. Add chicken pieces in it. Fry well till chicken turns into golden brown. Remove from heat and keep it aside.

Add ginger-garlic paste in the same oil. Stir for a minute, add coriander powder and kashmiri red chilli powder in it. Fry for 2 minutes till raw smell of spices gone.

Mix onion-yogurt paste in it. Fold well for 3-4 minutes.

Add fried chicken pieces in it. Keep stirring and mix everything for 2-3 minutes. 

Add salt and a cup of warm water in it. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes on medium heat or till the chicken is tender.

Serve warm with roti, paratha, naan, pulao or simply with plain steamed rice.
For Original Recipe: CLICK HERE

GINGER CHICKEN (ADRAKI MURGH)

I have tried different types of curried chicken dish, but found it is more delightful than others. Ginger based curry with lots of flavour is truly toothsome. Marinade the chicken as long as possible, the taste is to die for. Topping with butter makes it more appetizing. A perfect dish to serve in any party or get together......really awesome!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb / 450 gm boneless Chicken
1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp dry ginger powder
2 medium sized onions (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp garam masala powder (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves)
2 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt (according to taste)

METHOD:
Cut the chicken into cubes. Marinate chicken with ginger and garlic paste. Keep aside for an hour.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and fry till golden brown.

Now add marinated chicken into it, saute for 10-12 minues.

Then add lemon juice, dry ginger powder, garam masala, red chilli powder and salt in it. Saute for 2 minutes. Add half cup of warm water in it. Let it cook for another 5 minutes.

After that add black pepper powder and butter. Stir for another 1 minute.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Serve this truly delectable chicken dish with rumali rotis or naan or parathas accompaning with green salad.

NARKOLER DUDH DIYE ILISH MACH (HILSA FISH IN COCONUT MILK) & KNOW YOUR KOLKATA FOOD BLOGGER KAMALIKA CHAKRABORTY

Today I am going to post this recipe to Kolkata Food Blogger's event - "Know Your Kolkata Food Bloggers". It is my immense pleasure to introduce our lovely friend, Kamalika Chakraborty. 'Kolkata Food Bloggers' was the brainchild and created by Kamalika Chakraborty of Silence Sings. She is a passionate home maker, a great cook, designer, amazing baker and has her own company - IKa's Cakes & Chocolates. Other than that, she runs jewellery business too. It is her passion to make a bond within bunches of food bloggers who are from Kolkata and form a group. We exchange our experiences with each other, having lots of fun, reviewing restro and doing different activities.

First time, I met her at our group's first bloggers meet. I was too excited before meeting these bunches of co-blogger friends. Today, we are the proud members of Kolkata Food Blogger's and the credit goes to her only. She is very co-operative, creative in nature, genuine, friendly and a very intelligent person. According to this event, this week we have to choose one of her yummilicious recipes and post it on our respective spaces. And I choosen one of her delightful Hilsa Fish dish for today. Lets come to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:
4 Blocks Hilsa Fish (illish mach)
200 ml Coconut Milk
1 Medium Onion
2 Bay Leaves
1" Cinnamon, 2 Pods of Cardamoms, 2 Cloves
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
4 Green chilies
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Mustard Oil
1/2 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)

METHOD:

Wash hilsa pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Marinate fish with little turmeric and salt. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Grind or grate onion with 2 green chilies. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wok / pan. Shallow fry the fish and reserve.

In the same oil, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaves. Wait to splutter. Add onion, fry for 3-4 minutes, till onion turns brown.

Add coconut milk, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and salt.

When it starts to boil, pour 1/2 cup warm water in it. Let it boil for a minute or two. Add fried fish in it. Boil till as much thick consistency you want. Before taking off from heat, add remaining green chillies (cut in slits), coriander leaves and clarified butter. Serve warm with steamed rice or pulao.

Enjoy this scrumptious Hilsa dish...:)

CHICKEN TOMATO

This is really a very flavorful and simple recipe. I served it to guests in my home, which came out absolutely delicious after experimenting on it. Everyone asks for this toothsome recipe. Though I reduced the quantity here, as it is enough for 3 servings. You may serve it at any party or potluck, it is sure, everyone will love this flavorsome chicken curry.

INGREDIENTS:

400 gm Regular Chicken, Cut into Medium sized pieces

150 gm Onion (chopped)

3 Dried Whole Red Chilies

½” Ginger

2 small Pods of Garlic

2 Cloves

1” Cinnamon

200 gm Tomato (cut in cubes)

2 tbsps Ghee / Clarified Butter

1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Clean and wash chicken pieces nicely. Drain excess water from it. Keep it aside. Boil 2 Cups of water with little salt. Add cubed tomatoes and 1/3 part of chopped onion in it. Boil for 10 minutes on medium it. Strain and set it aside. (Don’t waste the water which drained out, you may use it as stock, so preserve it in a container).

Grind ginger, garlic, red chillies, cloves and cinnamon together. Mix lemon juice in it and keep it aside.

Heat clarified butter in a wok. Add remaining onion in it. Fry till onion turns golden brown. Remove it from oil by using a slotted spoon. Set fried onions aside.

In the same wok, add grinded spice mix. Fry for a minute or two on medium heat. Add chicken pieces at this time. Fry for 4-5 minutes, till chicken pieces turn into light brown in colour. 

Add fried onions and fold nicely. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in between once.

Now add Tomato-onion mixture and salt in it. Again fold it well. 

Cover and cook for another 15 minutes on lower heat. Check once, or cook till chicken tendered.

Turn off heat now. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with warm rice, pulao, roti, naan or anything you like.
SERVES: 3

Sending to: Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Weekend Gala Dinner Extravaganza

ILLISH MACHER MATHA DIYE KOCHU SHAK (TARO GREENS WITH HILSA FISH HEAD)

All Bengalis love fish and most of them can't deny as they want 'Macher Jhol' (fish curry) atleast everyday. We can use fish head in fish curry as well as in seperate recipes with vegetables, where fish head added some extra aroma and essence. There are so many recipes cooked by using fish head and this is one of the very luscious, adorable and traditional Bengali delicacy, " Illish macher matha diye kochu shak" (taro / colocasia greens with Hilsa fish head). Illish mach (hilsa fish) has its own taste, smell and flavor. This is a very simple dish, yet fabulous! Best goes with steamed rice only.

INGREDIENTS:

750 gm Taro Greens, soft stem of taro / colocasia plant (kochu shaak)

1 Hilsa Fish Head, cleaned, washed and cut vertically into two pieces

1 Bay Leaf

½ tsp Panch phoron (mixed spices of mustard, cumin, fenugreek, fennel & nigella seeds)
Handful of Black Chickpeas (kala chana), overnight soaked in water 

1 tsp Red Chilli powder (as per taste)

2-3 green chillies (chopped)

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Cumin Paste (you may use cumin powder, but paste of cumin seeds give a wonderful flavor to this dish)

½ tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only not for sweetness)

5-6 tbsps Mustard Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Peel and cut taro greens in 1&1/2” pieces. Immediately submerge the pieces in water, otherwise black stain will come on its body.

Boil taro greens with little salt for 10 minutes. Drain water completely and keep it aside.

Marinate fish head with little turmeric powder and salt. 

Heat oil in a pan/wok. Fry both sides of the fish head nicely. Break it into small pieces and set aside. Temper with panch phoron and bay leaf in the same oil. Sauté for few seconds. Add ginger paste, cumin paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, green chilies and salt in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes. 

Add boiled taro greens in it. Fold nicely.

And add black chickpeas now. Mix well.

Now taro green releases water, let it evaporate completely. Add broken fish head in it. 

Fold well and keep stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes. Add sugar in it. Fry for a minute and turn off heat now. 

Serve with hot steamed rice and its yummilicious! Enjoy your lunch palate with a traditional Bengali delicacy.

Sending to:  Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

CASHEW (KAJU) CHICKEN

The lunar cycle determines the Islamic calender and "Ramadan" is the ninth month of the Islamic calender. Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, as well as participating from anything which is ill-natured or excessive; from dawn until sunset. They are developing characteristics of patience, self-restraint and God consciousness. Though, fasting is compulsory for adults alone, young children are exempt from fasting. Every Ramadan culminates with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. Ramadan highlights Muslim brotherhood and customs and brings about a special feeling of closeness. So, today I am offering you a tasty and healthy Ramadan recipe, "Cashew Chicken" that will surely add a variety, colour and nutrition to your 'Iftar Table'.

INGREDIENTS:
800 gm Regular Chicken, Cut into Medium Sized Pieces
3/4" Ginger (paste)
6-7 Pods of Garlic (paste)
200 gm Onion, Cut in Thin Slices
100 gm Cashew nut
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
A Bunch of Coriander Leaves (paste)
1 tsp Sugar (not for sweetness, but for flavor)
1 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Clean and wash the chicken pieces nicely. Make those pat dry. Marinate chicken with turmeric powder, red chili powder, lemon juice and little salt. Keep it aside.

Take out handful of whole cashew nuts separately for frying. Soak remaining part in warm water for 5 minutes.

Grind cashew nuts to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a wok or pan. Add whole cashew nut, fry for 2 minutes till it turns golden in colour. Remove fried cashew nuts from oil and keep aside.

Add sliced onions in the same oil. Fry till onion turns into light brown.

Now add ginger-garlic-coriander leaves paste in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes till spice leaves oil from the sides of the wok.

Add chicken now. Fold nicely. Cover and cook chicken on medium low flame for 10 minutes.

Open the lid now, add cashew nut paste, garam masala, sugar and salt in it. Mix well. Pour 1 Cup of warm water in it. Again cover and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium low heat, till chicken is well cooked and gravy thickens. Stir occassionally. 

Spread additional fried cashewnuts on the top and fold very nicely. Turn off the heat now.

Serve hot with any rice dish, roti, paratha, naan, anything you like. It is always yummilicious!!!

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: "MONER MOTO RANNA" (Sananda Publication)
Sending to:  Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013