Sesame-Crusted Golmirch Chicken

Another gem from Priyadarshini's blog is this Sesame-Crusted Black Pepper Chicken which I have followed to the Tee to get that perfect taste. Goes well with Paratha.

Ingredients 

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Curd - 100 gms
• Fresh cream - 100 ml
• Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Almond - 25-30
• Cashew nuts - 15-20
• Sesame Seed - 1 tbsp
• Coarsely ground black pepper (fresh) - 2 tbsp
• White oil - 4-5 tbsp
• Green Chilli - as per taste
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of sugar  

Soak the nuts in water for some time. In a mixer make a course paste of the almonds and cashewnuts together.

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients (including the nut paste), except the sesame seeds and keep for an hour. 

Preheat oven at 160 degree centigrade. Pour the marinated chicken into a baking tray and spread it out to form a single layer. Now sprinkle the sesame seeds generously on the chicken.

Bake at 160 degree for 60-70 minutes. For the last five minutes change oven settings to heat from the top to get a golden crust, faster.

Serve with Paratha.

Methi Mutter Mushroom

Cooked mushrooms deshi ways, with lots of green peas and kasoori methi,, planning to make it with fresh methi leaves next time.

Ingredients

• Cleaned Mushroom - 2 cups, sliced
• Green peas - a handful
• Onion - 1 sliced
• Tomato - 3, sliced
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Kasuri methi / dried - 1 tsp
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Salt, turmeric - to taste

Soak the kasoori methi in half cup of water. Mix all the masala powders in a cup with 2 tbsp of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, then add chopped onions. Add chopped green chilli too.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry well.

When onions turn brown, add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it is mashed.

Next goes the masala water. Mix well.

Add sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt, cook over medium heat after mixing well with the masalas..

Next goes the green peas. Mushrooms will start releasing water.

Cook till the mushroom and green peas are cooked through. Then add the soaked kasoori methi and mix well.

Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Keep the desired amount of gravy and remove from heat. Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice.

Patrani Machchi

Adapted this recipe from the site of Sanjeev Kapoor, a very popular parsi preparation where fish is marinated in a green chutney, then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked. This is very similar to Bengali fish paturi. The process is same, the only difference is, bengalis use mustard paste as the main ingredients of the marination.

Ingredients

• Bhetki Fish - 6 fillets
• Coriander leaves - a bunch
• Coconut - half, scraped
• Green chilli - as per taste
• Garlic - 8 cloves
• Lemon juice
• salt
• Banana leaves

Grind together coconut, coriander leaves, salt, green chillies, garlic and lemon juice to a smooth chutney.

Marinate the fish pieces in this chutney for about fifteen minutes. 

Cut banana leaves into smaller pieces. Roast the banana leaves to make them soft and foldable. Place the marinated fish in the center of each banana leaf piece and smear some of the chutney on them.

Fold in the ends to make a parcel. To cook on a tawa, heat oil and place the parcels on it.

Cook turning the parcels from time to time so that they get cooked on both the sides. When the banana leaves turn light brown take them off the tawa. Do not open the parcels while serving. Let the person eating them open.

Tandoori Chicken Lollipop

Learned a new trick on the Internet to marinate the chicken with buttermilk  to get the juicy succulent chicken the next day. Did the same with some chicken lollipop overnight. Next day marinated the soaked chicken pieces with Tandoori masala and finally grilled them over a open tawa. Voila, lovely tandoori chicken lollipop is born.

Ingredients

• Chicken Lollipop - 500 gms
• Curd - 100 gms
• Tandoori Masala - 3 tbsp
• Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
• Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Green chilli paste - as per taste
• Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Oil for grilling

Add 3 to 4 tbsp. yogurt to a bowl, whisk it. Add 1 ¼ cup water and salt. Add chicken and soak overnight to tenderize the chicken.

Discurd the liquid next morning. In a small bowl, add curd, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, tandoori masala, kashmiri chilli powder and salt.

Pour over chicken and marinate it again for an hour atleast.

Put a non stick tawa over high heat. Sprinkle few drops of oil and then pour the marinated chicken pieces onto it. Cook over high heat for 30-45 seconds and flip over. Again cook for 30 seconds. This is to ensure that the juice is sealed inside the chicken. Now lower the heat and cook covered for 30 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy with onion salad.

Mushroom Pulao

I have served this yummy Pulao for our Christmas Lunch last year, The use of coconut milk added a nice flavor to the dish.

Ingredients:

• Basmati or any fragrant rice - 2 cups
• Mushroom - 1 pack, cut longitudinally
• Raisin - a handful
• Coconut Milk - one pack
• Onion - 2 , chopped
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp each
• Green chilli - as per taste
• Salt, Sugar,
• Whole Garam masala

Clean, wash and soak the rice for 15-20 mins. Clean and chop the mushrooms too. Chop Onions too.
Heat oil in a pan. Add bayleaf, cinnamon, clove and green cardamom. 

When it splutters, add the chopped onion and saute well. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw aroma subsides.

Add the chopped Mushroom and saute with a pinch of salt till the Mushrooms are half cooked. 

Add the soaked rice and chopped green chilli. Saute over low heat till the rice is coated with Mushroom masala mixture and become translucent. 

Add a cup of coconut milk and a cup of water and mix well. Cook carefully adjusting the amount of water as required. 

The rice should be cooked through and water should be completely absorbed by the rice.
When almost cooked, add a spoonful of sugar a handful of raisin. Stir carefully not to break the rice.

Keep covered for 15 minutes. Serve with Chicken with Mushroom.