Thursday, September 8, 2011

Paneer Paratha

Ingredients
1.5 cups paneer shredded
1 small green chilly
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt
2 cups wheat flour/atta
1 tbsp oil + oil for cooking the parathas

Method
We first make the filling. Shred paneer and add the chilly, cilantro, chilli powder and salt.


Next make the dough. Take 2 cups flour. Add salt and 1 tbsp oil and crumble. Then using water make a soft dough. Pinch a portion of dough and roll it into a circle. Now do not fret if you dont get a perfect circle. Only the taste matters for the most part. Add a tablespoon of the filling. Bring all sides together and pinch it so the filling stays put. Now flatten it.


Start cooking the parathas. First dry roast on one side. Turn it over and apply oil. When cooked a bit turn over and apply little oil. I use a teaspoon of oil for each paratha.


Paneer parathas with goodness in every bite is ready to be served. We had it with channa masala. You can also have it with pickle or yogurt.

Nihari


  • 1/2 kg beef
  • salt
  • teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • teaspoon coriander powder
  • tablespoons oil
  • tablespoons flour
  • teaspoon ginger paste
  • teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
  • small cardamom pods, seeds of
  • 10 cloves
  • whole black cardamom pods
  • cinnamon stick
  • bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • teaspoons coriander seeds
  • Directions:

  • Heat oil in a heavy based pot.
  • Add meat and fry it a little.
  • Add salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and ginger paste.
  • Mix well. Add a little water.
  • Dissolve flour in half a cup of water and add this to the meat and bring to boil.
  • Grind all the whole spices ( spice mix).
  • Put all the ground spices in a fine cotton cloth bundle.
  • and add to meat.
  • OR grind them till powdery fine and add them to the meat.
  • Add 3-4 cups of water; cover and leave to tenderize on very low flame. It can take up to 5 - 6 hours if using chicken and more if using beef.
  • When meat has softened remove the bundle of spices and make the curry into desired consistency.To Garnish--Fry some onion slices in a little oil until golden brown and add

Achari gosht

Ingredients:
1  teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dane)
1  teaspoon methi ( dried fenugreek leaves)
1  teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
1  teaspoon cumin (zeera powder)
1  teaspoon aniseed (saunf)
1\2  teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
5   - whole red chilies
1 1\2  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon chili powder
2  tablespoons lemon juice
6   - green chillies, slit lenghtwise
11\2  cup oil
2  medium onions cut in thin slices
1 1\2  kilograms mutton or chicken
1 1\2  teaspoon garlic paste
1 1\2  teaspoon ginger paste
1 1\2  cups yogurt, whisked
1  cup water.

How to Cook:
1. In a small bowl, combine fenugreek seeds, fenugreek leaves, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, aniseed, turmeric powder, 1\2 teaspoon salt, red chili powder, crushed whole red chilies. Mix well. Mix 2 teaspoons of spices with lemon juice and fill into green chilies.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, add onions and saut? until the edges are brown about 5-8 minutes. Add meat, garlic and ginger, stirring constantly fry until meat turns brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add yogurt and remaining salt. Mix well and stirring constantly, cook until water from yogurt has evaporated and oil begins to separate.
4. Add water, cover and cook over low heat until meat is almost tender. Add rest of the spices and little water, if needed. Mix well.
5. Place spice filled green chilies over meat, cover and cook on low heat, until meat is tender and oil separate from gravy, about 5 minutes. ?
6. Serve with Nan. 

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Tandoori chicken


Ingredients:





4 skinned Chicken Quarters
2 tblsp Lemon Juice (Nimbu Ka Raas)
1 Garlic Clove (Lasun)
1 inch piece peeled and coarsely chopped Fresh Ginger (Adrak)
1 Green chilli (Hari mirch)
1 tblsp Water
4 tblsp Natural Yogurt (Dahi)
1 tsp Grouna Cumin (Jeera)
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Salt (Namak)
A few drop of Red Food Color

2 tblsp melted Ghee
For garnishing:
Lemon Wedges
Onion (Pyaj) rings 


How to make tandoori chicken:
  • Make 3-4 cuts in each chicken quarter using a knife.
  • Put the chicken in an ovenproof dish.
  • Combine lemon juice.
  • Rub it into the incisions.
  • Cover it.
  • Let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
  • Combine garlic, ginger and green chilli and water in a blender.
  • Grind to make a smooth paste like mixture.
  • Combine the paste to yogurt, ground cumin, garam masala, paprika, salt, food colouring and the melted ghee.
  • Mix all the ingredients well.
  • Spread them over marinated chicken pieces.
  • Coat the pieces with the yogurt marinade.
  • Cover it.
  • Let it marinate at room temperature for about 5 hours.
  • Turn once or twice maximum.
  • Place chicken in a oven at 325 F.
  • Let it roast for 1 hour.
  • Bast frequently and turn once.
  • The chicken should be tender and most of the marinade should be evaporated.
  • Then grill the chicken over hot charcoal.
  • Garnish it with lemon wedges and onion rings.

Hyderabadi chicken biryani


Ingredients

  • 1 ½ kilograms of Chicken (cut into 12 pieces)
  • 1 cup Plain Yogurt
  • 1 kilogram of Long Grain Rice
  • 1 tsp. Red Chilli Powder (Pisi Lal Mirch)
  • ½ tsp. Ginger Paste (Pisi Adrak)
  • ½ tsp. Garlic Paste (Pisa Lehsan)
  • Lemon Juice (from 4 lemons)
  • A bunch of Fresh Mint Leaves (Podina)
  • 4 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
  • 6 Whole Black Peppercorns (Saabut Kaali Mirch)
  • 6 Cardamom Pods (Choti Ilaichi)
  • 2 medium Onions (thinly sliced)
  • 2 cups of Dalda Banaspati or any Clarified Butter (Ghee)
  • ½ tsp. Yellow Food Color (soaked in ½ milk)
  • Salt (to taste)

Directions




  1. Wash chicken pieces with cold water and drain well. Seperately in a bowl mix together ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, and plain yogurt into a smooth paste. Marinate chicken pieces in this mixture and set aside for 30 minutes.
  2. Cook on low heat without adding any water to the chicken. When water dries up, remove from heat.
  3. Seperately in a pan, heat the banaspati or clarified butter; add onions and fry to golden brown. Add mint leaves, cardamom pods, and lemon juice. Mix and remove from heat.
  4. Boil rice in water in a large pot until rice is parboiled and drain. Grease the same pot; add half of the rice to it and then all of the chicken mixture on top of that and then the rest of the rice. Add food color mixture on rice.
  5. Place pot on a hot tava or griddle and let cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Finally remove from heat; fluff rice and serve

Sooji halwa


Ingredients:


  • 1/2 cup sooji (rava, semolina flour)
  • 1/4 cup ghee (clear butter)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2cup water
  • Pinch of cardamom powder
  • 1 tablespoon sliced almonds for garnish
Method:
  1. Boil the water with sugar, and cardamom powder in a pan over low medium heat. Bring to a boil and Set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat.
  3. Add sooji and roast to golden brown color; stirring constantly this will take about 5 to 8 minutes. Sooji will be golden brown in color and will have a light sweet aroma.
  4. Add the syrup slowly, as you add the syrup to sooji water will splatter.
  5. Turn down the heat to medium low and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Sooji will absorb the water, as the Halwa cools so keep Halwa a little more softer then you want.
  7. Garnish with almonds.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Chicken Tikka



Ingredient

boneless chicken cubes

lbs

1

coriander pdr (optional)

tbsp

1

garam masala

tbsp

1/2

ginger garlic paste

tbsp

1

ground cayenne pepper or chilli pdr

tsp

1

kastori methi pdr

0



lemon juice

tbsp

2

onion, ,tomato ,bellpepper

small

1

salt

to taste

1

sour cream or curd

tbsp

2

Directions
Cut chicken in to small cubes, wash nicely and apply lemon juice and spices as shown
Mix well and then keep the chicken pieces in this marinade for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Put the chicken and other vegetables on to skewers and cook in moderately hot tandoor or pan  for about 6 to 8 minutes, keep basting the chicken pieces with butter and cook until slightly colored and cooked.
Remove and serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala.