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.

CARAMELIZED ONION TART INSPIRED BY AMRITA GILL

Once again, here is a post to Kolkata Food Blogger's event - 'Know Your Kolkata Food Bloggers'. Today, I am going to introduce a very happy couple who are completely foodie, our sweet and very responsible blogger friends, Amrita Gill and her husband Vishal Tupper from "Sweet 'n' Savoury". 

Both of them are very jovial, friendly, very energetic and with lots of innovative and creative ideas regarding different kind of foods - a gorgeous couple with the sweetest smiles. The idea and concept of this event came from Amrita only. She is a great baker, please visit her space where you can find out amazing baking recipes with mouth watery desserts; where as Vishal is absolutely seafood lover and he shares lots of cooking recipes too. I had my eyes on 'Caramelized Onion Tart' that Amrita had once posted on her blog, I tried my hands on it, just came out awesome!!! My family loved and relished it so much, thanks for this wonderful savoury treat. Lets come to the recipe........

INGREDIENTS:

FOR 6 TARTS:
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
30 gm Butter (cold)
Little Ice Water For Kneading

FOR FILLING:
2 Medium Onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1/4 tsp Green Chili Sauce
1 tbsp Oil
A Pinch Of Sugar
A Pinch Of Salt

FOR GARNISHING:
1 tbsp Full Shredded Carrot
Coriander Sprigs
1 tbsp Mayonnaise

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE TART CRUST:

Cut butter in small cubes. In a bowl, mix flour and butter. Rub the butter cubes with the flour till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (in texture). Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time and knead to get a smooth dough (Do not over knead). Wrap this dough with a plastic wrapper and refrigerate for half an hour.

Take out the dough and roll it with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Roll out roughly to the size of the choosen tart with 1/8" thickness. With your fingers press gently the pastry dough into the bottom and side of the tart pan. Be sure that the pastry fits snugly where the bottom and the side of the pan meet with no air pockets. The top of the pastry shell will be even with the top of the pan. To trim the excess portion, fold the overhanging pastry over the rim of the pan, press it along the edge and break off the excess portion. Line all the tart pans following the same way. Make small holes on the sides and bottom by using a fork to prevent it from shrinking and refrigerate for another half an hour.

Preheat oven to 180 C. Bake the tarts for 18-20 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour. Let them cool and take them out.

FOR FILLING:

Heat a tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and let it fry slowly. Keep stirring occasionally. After few minutes, onion turns into nice golden brown colour. Sugar inside the onion oxides and turn it in brown colour, it is called 'caramelization'. Now add vinegar, soya sauce, chili sauce and sugar. Stir well and remove it from the heat. Caramalized onion filling is now ready to stuff.

FOR ASSEMBLING:
Fill each tart with a spoonful of caramelized onions.

Garnish each with 1/2 tsp mayonnaise, little shredded carrot and a coriander leaf. Yummy, crunchy, mouth watery onion tarts are ready to serve now.

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...:)

BUTTER SPONGE CAKE

This buttery moist sponge cake is very easy to make, absolutely delicious and perfect for afternoon tea. Butter sponge cake relies on beaten eggs to make it light and feather. I love the taste, it is simply awesome!

INGREDIENTS:
225 gm Self-Raising-Flour + For Dusting
250 gm Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
200 gm Butter + For Greasing
50 ml Olive oil

METHOD:
Preheat oven at 180 C / 350 F. Grease an aluminium cake mould with little butter and dust with little flour. Break eggs in a bowl. Add vanilla essence in it. Beat well with electric beater for 10 minutes continuously. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, olive oil and sugar together with a electric hand blender for 3 minutes, or till it fluffy.

Add flour into creamed mixture, also add 1/2 of the beaten egg mixture in it. Mix well by using cut and fold method. Add remaining egg mixture and milk in it. Fold very nicely.

Pour mixture into greased cake tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the middle springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from heat now and let the cake stand for 15 minutes to cool.

Demould and cut into desired pieces and serve. You may store it in air-tight container upto 4 days and refrigerate for a week.

CORN PEAS KATHI KABAB - A GUEST POST FOR PRIYA SURESH

Today I guest posted for a special friend, my elder sister and a wonderful blogger, who has worldwide fame, she is noone but Priya Suresh of Priya's Versatile Recipes. I know her before 1 year and since then we come close to each other day by day. A very helpful and coopertive blogger friend, who has a wonderful collection of recipes. I really admire her amazing cooking and baking skills. Priya akka is a very hard working lady, who posts her recipes daily, a great human being, juvenile and very simple in nature. Whenever I needed help, I got guidance and cooperation from her. 

Each month she introduced two of the new fellow bloggers and their recipes on her event,“Rendezvous with a foodie”. When I saw she announced about her event, I placed my request and akka approved me to give a chance to showcase my recipe on the space. Feeling immense honour and it is a great opportunity to showcase my talent on this event. I admire and respect Priya Suresh akka from the core of my heart. I am really happy to get Priya akka in this virtual blogging world, as she is an inspiration to me in cooking and baking. 

I am really thankful to her to get this opportunity and feeling very honoured today. Thanks a ton akka. Here is my super delicious mouth watery recipe “Corn Peas Kababs”, a vegan kabab, which is very easy with few ingredients and can be prepared in minutes. Hope you liked this treat Priya akka...

Please CLICK HERE to check the recipe.

PAASI PARUPPU PAYASAM / PAYATHAM PARUPPU PAYASAM / MOONG DAL KHEER

May lord Krishna

Show you the way in your life

As he has shown the way to
Arjuna in kurukshetra
May lord Krishna bless you on your way.

HAPPY JANMASHTAMI TO ALL....

I am very happy to take part of this interesting SNC event. A great going event started and organished by our sweet friend Divya Pramil from YOU TOO CAN COOK - INDIAN FOOD RECIPES. This is a monthly event where two teams, Southern and Northern team have to challenge each other with their authentic and regional dishes.

This month North team got a challenge to prepare Paasi Paruppu Payasam / Moong Dal Kheer from Divya Pramil and South team is challenged with Kesar Pista Kulfi by Shruti.

'Paruppu Payasam' is an easy payasam of specially Tamil Nadu, which is made with moong dal or chana dal. Here I added raw rice to it, that is purely optional. It is a jaggery based sweet. Getting the right consistency is difficult part, as it should not be too thick nor too runny. Milk adds richness and enhances the taste. Thanks Divya for this delicious kheer, we relished your recipe dear.

INGREDIENTS (FOR 6 SERVINGS):

100 gm / 1 Cup Split Green Gram Lentil (yellow moong dal)

25 gm / ½ Cup Raw Rice (pacharisi)

250 gms  Jaggery / Achu Vellam

10-15 Cashew Nuts (slitted)

5-6 Almonds (chopped)

1 tbsp Raisins

4 Pods Cardamom

2 tbsp Grated Coconut

1 Cup Milk

2 tbsp Clarified Butter / Ghee

METHOD:

Wash moong dal and raw rice in water and set aside.

Grind grated coconut and cardamom pods. Keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker add moong dal and raw rice with 300 ml water. Pressure cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Open the lid after the pressure drops.  Mash well the cooked dal and rice.

Pour milk in it.

Mix well and place the pan on heat again. Cook for several minutes on low heat. This consistency is very perfect, so extra water in not necessary here. (But if you think your dal is thick even after adding milk, add little water in it)

Pour jiggery in it and stir nicely. Check the sweetness, add more jaggery if necessary. 

Add coconut – cardamom powder here, keep stirring for another 2 minutes on medium heat.

In another pan / tadka pan, add clarified butter (ghee). When it starts to melt, add cashew nuts, almonds and raisins. Fry for 2 minutes on minimam heat, don't fry on high heat, nuts will burn quickly.

Add nuts as well as clarified butter in payasam. Fold nicely and remove from heat. (when it will cool down, the payasam will be thicken. If so, add little more milk or water and re-heat a little and stir well)

Garnish with few nuts and raisins on the top. Serve as a mouth watery dessert. 

Sending to Divya's "SNC Challenge"

CHANA DAL FRY

Chana Dal Fry is a popular dish of North Indian Cuisine. After any paneer dish, this dal fry is one of my favorites. It looks just like restaurant style dal fry, but no onion or garlic is used here. Spicy split Bengal gram with yellow moong dal, which is cooked in a tomato gravy, very nutritive and flavourful, makes a perfect accompaniment for roti or naan or rice. But restaurant effect comes out by addition of clarified butter (ghee) and to enrich its taste, it is seasoned with various Indian spices. 

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Split Bengal Gram / Chana Dal
2 tbsps Split Green Gram / yellow Moong Dal
2 Green Chilies, cut into slits
1 Large Tomato (chopped)
1 tsp Chopped Ginger
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/3 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnishing

FOR SEASONING:
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Dried Whole Red Chillies
1/3 tsp Asafoetida

METHOD:
Wash and soak both lentils for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Pressure cook both lentils with 1&1/2 cups of water, turmeric powder and little salt till both lentils cooked well (it takes 3 whistles).

Heat clarified butter in a pan or wok. Add cumin seeds, dried red chilies and asafoetida in it. Saute for few seconds till cumin seed sizzles. Add chopped tomato and green chilies in it. Mix well.

Add ginger, kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt in it. Fry for 2 minutes on medium heat. Pour boiled lentils, 3/4 cup water and tamarind pulp in it. 

Cover and cook for medium heat for 10-12 minutes, till lentil turns thick. switch off the heat now. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis, parathas or pooris or simply as a side dish on your lunch table.