CHITTAGONG CHICKEN

Here is a Bangladeshi dish, where chicken cooked in thick Chittagong style gravy. This flavourful chicken curry which is not only appealing to the eyes, but also a toothsome dish. Spicy, rich chicken gravy can be paired with vegetable fried rice, rotis, naan, dosa or appam. But I love to pair it with steamed rice only....trust me, its yummilicious.

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Chicken with bones (cut into medium sized pieces)
2 Medium Onions (finely sliced)
1 Onion (paste)
6 Cashewnuts (soaked in 2 tbsps warm water and made a paste)
1/2 tsp Whole Coriander Seeds
1/3 Cup Mustard Oil
300 ml warm water
Salt to taste

FOR KADAI MASALA:

2 tsp Coriander Seeds
3-4 Dried Whole Red Chillies

FOR MARINATION:

2 tsp Garlic Paste
5 Medium Pods of Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Mustard Oil
Kadai Masala

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE KADAI MASALA:

Dry roast red chillies and coriander seeds. Stir it from time to time until smell fragrant. Then let it semi cool and grind it to a coarse powder.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN CURRY:

Clean and wash the chicken. Marinate chicken with all the spices mentioned on the above marination list. Cover and keep it in refrigerator for atleast 1 or 2 hours.

Heat oil in a kadai, add sliced onion and fry till it turns into golden brown. Add onion paste and fry for 8-10 minutes on low to medium heat.

Now add marinated chicken and fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or tilloil comes out from the sides. Add salt and keep stirring for 2 minutes.

Add warm water, stir well and cook it covered on low heat for 30-40 minutes or the gravy thicken and chicken is tender. Open the lid now, add cashew paste and coriander seeds. Fold well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

PIZZA PARATHA

It's really a huge problem to each and every mom to innovate new recipes on daily basis for our kid's lunch box. Not only for kids, when we are also getting bored with regular chapatis or parathas, may tryout this cheese filling easy to make, healthy 'Pizza Paratha', came to know about it from a TV show, made little twist in our regular plain or stuffed parathas. This paratha itself is a fulfilling meal, no need of any side.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 tbsp Oil for frying parathas

FOR DOUGH:

1&1/2 Cup Wheat Flour (Atta)
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
Cold Water To Knead The Dough

FOR FILLING:

4 Cheese Cubes (Grated)
1 Medium Tomato (Deseeded & Chopped)
1 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chilies
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Finely chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tsp Dried Basil

FOR TOPPING:

2 Cheese Cubes (Grated)
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Tomato
1 tsp Dried Basil

METHOD:

In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, carom seeds, cumin seeds, dried mango powder, salt and oil. Add cold water little by little and knead it in a smooth soft dough (like chapati dough).
Cover and set it aside for 15-20 minutes. After that, divide it into 8 nos. equal flatten balls and keep those aside.
In another bowl, combine all ingredients for filling. Mix well by using a light hand. Divide this filling into 4 equal portions.
Take out two flatten balls from the kneaded dough, roll out into two rotis. Spread the filling on one.
Place the other roti on the top of the first one and seal the edges. Roll out again with a soft hand.
Heat tawa or griddle, roast each paratha in usual way, till both sides are done. Add little bit oil on the both sides of the parathas.

Remove it on a serving plate, sprinkle 1 tbsp grated cheese, 1/2 tbsp chopped tomato and 1/4 tsp basil on the top of each paratha. Serve immediately with spicy chilli garlic tomato sauce.

FRENCH BEANS FOOGATH

Foogath is a dry Goan vegetable side dish, cooked with a hint of coconut which can goes well with warm phulkas or plain rice. This is a mildly spiced, simple, easy and healthy side dish. French Beans Foogath sounds absolutely delish!

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm Finely Chopped French Beans (Green Beans)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
10-12 Curry Leaves
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
2-3 Finely Chopped Green Chilies
1 Onion (Chopped)
1/8 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Chopped Cilantro / Coriander leaves

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle, add curry leaves, green chilies, and asafoetida.

Mix onion in it. Fry till onion gets translucent. 

Now add french beans in it. Fold well and mix turmeric powder and salt in it. Cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes on medium heat or till french beans are tender. (Don't cover at this time, otherwise you will not get that glossy green colour of the french beans)

Add Coconut and fold it nicely for a minute. Turn off the heatnow.

Remove it on a bowl. Garnish with grated coconut and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with phulkas or dal-rice, it is yummy and healthy too.

DUM MASOOR

Here I cooked masoor dal in 'Dum' process. 'Dum' means cooking on low heat, letting all the spices and contains bring all their flavours out, also all the ingredients get cooked in the steam built inside. A protein packed, tangy, spicy, easy to make dish, this one's for you.. 

INGREDIENTS:

100 gm Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)
1 Large Onion (Chopped)
1 tbsp Minced Garlic (Lehsun)
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1/2 tbsp Sugar
2 Green Chilies (Finely Chopped)
1 tbsp Raisins (Kismis)
1 Chopped Tomato
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp Mustard Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and soak red lentils in water for 30 minutes. Drain water completely and set it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add bay leaf and saute for few secods. Add garlic and onion in it. Fry till onion changes its colour into golden brown.

Add red lentils in ti. and fry for 3-4 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, sugar, green chilies, raisins, chopped tomato, garam masala powder and salt one by one. Fry till spices leaves oil and tomato turns mushy.

Pour a cup of warm water in it, cover and cook on low heat till lentils are tender, yet not mushy.

Sprinkle clarified butter (ghee) and coriander leaves on the top. Turn off the heat now.

Serve hot with warm phulka or paratha.

NOTE: Those who don't like to eat vegetarian dish, they can add shrimps at the time of frying onion, it makes the whole dish more luscious and tasty.

SUBZ MURG

I gave an authentic Bengali touch (as I used mustard paste and poppy seeds paste) in regular vegetable chicken. You may use any combo of veggies which are abundantly available in your pantry. This nutritious and delightful dish, featuring chicken, is a great way to incorporated more veggies and less meat into your family's diet. A low fat chicken dish with colourful vegetables, is so simple yet flavourful and sound delicious for ginger, garlic and mustard paste. 

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm Boneless Chicken Breast, Cut into 1" Cubes
2 Carrots (roughly chopped)
1 Green Bell Pepper (cubed)
7-8 Florets of a Cauliflower
10-12 French Beans (1" sliced)
6 Broad Beans, Cut into Halves
1 Large Onion (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp Plain Yogurt / Curd
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Mustard Paste
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds Paste
3 tbsp Oil
2 Green Chilies, Cut into Slits
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro For Garnishing

METHOD:

Wash chicken very nicely, marinate chicken with yogurt and little salt, mix well. Set it aside for an hour.
Heat oil in a wok. Fry all vegetables (except onion) seperately. Drain and keep those aside.
Heat remaining oil on the same wok. Add bay leaf, followed by garlic and onion. Fry till onion turns golden brown. Mix marinated chicken and ginger paste with it. Fold well. Fry till chicken leaves oil from the side of wok and the chicken is almost tender.
At this time, add fried vegetables, green chilies and 3/4 cup of warm water in it. Cover and cook on low flame for another 10 minutes. Keep stirring occassionally.
Now add mustard paste, poppy seed paste, sugar and salt in it. Cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat now. Sprinkle coriander leaves on the top. Give a nice stir.
Serve hot with any bread, rice, roti or anything you like.

MOOLI KA (STUFFED RADISH) PARATHA

Today I am here with an essence of the great state 'Punjab' and which is also very popular in Gujarat, a traditional variety of Indian flatbread, 'mooli ka paratha'. A very yummy parathas where shredded radish is mixed with several Indian spices and stuffed inside the Indian flatbread. This paratha is a perfect, easy to carry dish for picnics or for long journey. It has a shelf life of about 4-5 days even in room temperature. Mooli parathas are usually served as breakfast in Punjabi homes and those are always very filling and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR DOUGH:

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour (atta)
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour (maida)
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Oil

FOR STUFFING:

2 Medium Sized Radishes
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
2 Finely Chopped Green Chilies
1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil / Ghee To Fry The Parathas

METHOD:

First of all, wash, peel and grate radish. Add little salt to this grated radish, mix wel and leave it for 15-20 minutes. At this time, you can see radish releases water. Squeeze it very hard/tight and set it aside. Don't discard water.
For stuffing, take squeezed mooli, add grated ginger, cumin powder, dried mango powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, chopped coriander leaves, little salt in it and fold very nicely.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, green chilies and radish mixture. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes. Switch off the heat now. Let it cool down a little.

Now knead dough with whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, carom seeds and radish juice (which is kept side by in the previous process). Knead it nicely to make a smooth dough. Spread few drops of oil on the dough and set it aside.
Break the flour dough into 7 equal portions. Shape into flatten round balls.
Place a flatten ball in a plain surface and make a round shape roti approximately 4"-5" diameter. Pour one part of stuffing mixture on the centre of the roti and cover all the edges. Make a small pattie. Coat with dry flour and roll again into a thick round paratha.
Heat a tawa (preferably non-stick) till very hot, lower the heat and place a paratha over it.
When you notice, tiny bubbles rising on the surface, flip on the other side.
Add 1/2 tsp oil on each side of the paratha and fry till paratha becomes crisp and brown spots come on the both sides.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot parathas with chili pickle and sour curd; enjoy this filling and super tasty paratha!

MEDITERRANEAN VEG PASTA

Today, I am here with a healthy pasta dish, which is very perfect for weekdays meal. Pasta cooked with healthy vegetables, herbs, tomato based gravy and olive oil, which is a staple in the mediterranean diet. I added onion, green bell pepper, aubergine and zucchini and it came out really light, refreshing and delicious, a perfect dinner for two!

INGREDIENTS (for making 2 persons):

130 gm Penne Pasta
1 Large Onion (roughly chopped)
1 Green Bell Pepper (cubed)
1 Zucchini (roughly chopped)
1 Cup Aubergines / Eggplant (cubed)
2&1/2 Tomatoes (pureed)
1 tbsp Mixed Herbs
70 ml Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Powder
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Put the pan on high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Fry the onions and green bell pepper. Fry together for 3-4 minutes, reserve these to a large bowl.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on high flame and add zucchini and fry until become a nice golden colour, which will take approximately 4 minutes. Then reserve it in the same bowl with onion and pepper.

Place a bit more oil in the frying pan, add the aubergines and again fry for 4 minutes. Now reserve aubergine also with the other ingredients. Turn off the heat now.

Place a sauce pan with half full of water on high heat. Cover and bring it to boil. Add penne, little salt and 2 tsp olive oil. So that penne will not stick to each other. Cook for 12 minutes. Place your colander in sink and drain penne well.

Return the frying pan to low heat and all all previously fried ingredients from the bowl.
Add tomato puree, mixed herbs. Simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Add stained penne to frying pan and mix with other ingredients very well. Season with salt and garlic pepper, fold again.

Switch off the heat at this time. Keep penne aside for 3 minutes.

Your mediterranean pasta is now ready to serve. Spoon the pasta into a serving bowl and add a lightly drizzle of olive oil. Serve & Enjoy!!!