Easy Chicken Korma

A Korma is a characteristic Indian dish where different flavors are combined with yogurt carefully  and cooked on very low temperature in its own juices. There are n number of processes to cook a Korma, I have used one from a very popular recipe book by Supriya Chowdhuri and taste wise, it comes out really well.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 Kg
• Onion - 6
• Ginger - 2 inch
• Garlic - 1, whole
• Curd - 1 cup
• Cashewnut - a handful
• Cream - 2 tbsp
• Salt, turmeric, Sugar
• Bay leaves, Garam Masalas

Grind onion, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts and mix well with the yogurt.
Heat oil in a pan and saute the chicken pieces lightly.

In the same oil, add bayleaves and garam masalas. Now add the ground masalas with salt and turmeric and fry well till oil comes out of the masalas.

Next add the fried chicken pieces and continue stirring so that the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the spices. Stir continuously so that they do not stick to the pan. Everything should be done on very low heat.

When oil comes out of the chicken and all water evaporates, add 1 tsp of sugar and a cup of hot water. Let it boil for 5 minutes over low heat. Adjust the seasoning.

Once the gravy becomes thick, stir in the cream and 1 tsp of ghee. Serve hot with Parota.

Paat Shaak Dal - Lentil with Jute Greens

Got a bunch of paat shaak ( tender jute leaves ) from the local vegetable market. The first thing that comes to your mind for paat shaak is preparing a typical bong fritter which goes well with rice and dal. But this time I was in health mode ;) and decided not to take the fry route. Instead use it in dal and boy.. it was amazing !!!

Ingredients

• Masoor dal - 1 cup
• Paat Shak / Jute greens - a bunch
• Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Green Chillies - 2, chopped
• Turmeric, Salt, Sugar - As required
• Oil - 1 tsp

Remove the leaves from the stem and wash thoroughly . Boil the dal / lentil with salt, turmeric and green chilli and keep aside.

Add oil in a wok and when it is smoking, add the garlic. let it become brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and the greens and stir fry for a minute. Net add the boiled dal with a cup of water and mix well with the greens.

Let it boil for 5 minutes till the leaves are tender and the dal thickened a bit. adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with Rice.

Sending this to the "Fiber Rich Dishes" Event Conducted by Dish it Out.

Topsey Fry ( Fried Mango Fish )

Topsey / Mango fish is available in Bengal during Summer months. Pretty expensive it is, but considered an exotic fish, it is specially served during Bengali New Year Celebration ( Poila Baishakh).

Ingredients

• Topse Fish - 10
• Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
• Salt - As required
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp
• Besan / Gram Flour - 1 cup
• Kalonjee / Kalojeere seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Oil for frying

Clean and descale the fishes and marinate with Salt and lemon juice for half an hour. Now add the ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste and turmeric powder and marinate the fishes for one hour in the refrigerator.

Make a batter of Gram flour by mixing it with water, salt, a pinch of turmeric. Add the kalonji seeds. Heat oil in a frying pan. Then evenly coat each marinated fish with the batter and deep fry in batches till golden brown.

Serve with rice and daal or enjoy as a snack as well.

Oatmeal and Dryfruits Cookies

This Oatmeal Cookie is loaded with cranberries and black currant which produces a chewy cookie. 

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, room temperature  

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• A handful of dried black currant
• A handful of dried Cranberry

Place the dry fruits in a cup, cover them with water and soak for about 30 minutes to one hour.

Cream together sugar and butter. 

Add your egg and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. 

Next pour in your flour, baking powder, and cornstarch and mix well. Finally add in the oats and dry fruits. Mix.

Freeze for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. 

After 10 minutes, place them at the top rack and broil for 5 minutes at 150 degrees. Remove from oven and let it cool on a rack.

You chewy, sweet, fruity cookies are ready to be served with tea, milk or just as a snack.

This recipe is featured in an ongoing event at Kolkata Food Bloggers.

Kumro Patol Dalna-Pumpkin Pointed Gourd Curry

A very authentic bengali vegetable dish... I have collected this recipe from one of the 'Thakur Barir Ranna' types book. A very simple and common vegetable cooked in bengali household, just addition of sesame seed paste makes all the difference in taste.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin - 250 gms, cut into cubes
• Patol / Pointed Gourd - 250 gms, halved
• Poppy seed paste - 2 tbsp
• Sesame Seed paste - 3 tbsp
• Green chilli  - 3 - 4
• Salt, Sugar, Turmeric - as required
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Bayleaf - 3
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Add oil and ghee in a pan. Then add the bayleaf and green chilli.  Shallow fry the pumpkin and Patol with salt and turmeric for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle some water and cook covered for 10 minutes on low flame.

When pumpkin and Patol are almost cooked, add the poppy seed and sesame seed paste and mix well. Add your sugar at this point. Adjust the seasoning.

Cook for 2 - 3 minutes over high heat till the water evaporates and the vegetables are evenly coated with masalas.

Serve with plain rice or roti.

Chicken Curry from Mom's Kitchen

The way maa cooks chicken curry, tastes heavenly with plain rice or roti.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 500 gms          
• Potato - 4, halved
• Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp
• Onion Paste - 2 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 , ground
• Onion - 1, chopped
• Capsicum - 1, chopped
• Whole garam masala - 3 each
• Salt, Sugar, Turmeric
• Mustard Oil

Make a paste of onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and green chilli and marinate the chicken with this mixture and salt and turmeric for 1 hour.

Shallow fry the potatoes with some salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan and add whole garam masalas. Now add the chopped onion and capsicum and fry for a minute.

Add the marinated chicken and continue fry for 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of hot water and the fried potatoes. Now put the whole thing in a pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistle. Adjust the seasoning. Serve with plain rice. Yum...

Mango Doi - Baked Mango Yogurt

Bhapa Doi ( baked yougurt) is a Bengali Delicacy enjoyed by all bengali foodies. I usually make it in microwave, you can use the traditional way of making it in the double boiler as well. Very easy and quick to make, and delicious too.

Ingredients

• Hung Curd - 400 gms
• Milkmaid - 1 can / 400 ml (sweetened condensed milk)
• Full Cream Milk - 400 ml
• Mango - 2, sliced

In a mixer bowl, add the curd, milk and milk maid (sweetened condensed milk)and chopped mangoes and run it for 2 minutes till the mixture is smooth.

Make sure, the mixture does not have any lump.

Pour the mixture in a microwave safe bowl and micro on high for 4 minute. Keep it inside the microwave for 30 more minutes . Then remove, cool it and refrigerate. Mango doi is ready.

Mexican Meatball Soup

Came across this recipe some time back in 'Cook's Book' in facebook, liked very much, made some modifications according to my taste and ingredient availability in India and the end result is fantastic. 

Ingredients

• Ready to cook Chicken meatball - 20 
• 1 large onion - chopped
• 1 carrot - chopped
• Garlic cloves - 6, minced
• Green Chilli - 2, chopped
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Tomato Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
• Red Chilli Flakes - 1 tsp
• Fragrant Rice - a handful
• Chicken Stock - 2 Cups

Fry the chicken meatball till golden brown and keep aside.

Add olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and carrot and saute lightly.

Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes and green chilli, cook until fragrant.

Add the tomato sauce and chicken stock to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce to a simmer and season the broth with the salt, pepper and red chilli flakes. Add the rice and the meatballs one at a time.

Simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes until the rice and the meatballs are cooked through.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve Hot.