Saturday, January 31, 2015

Keema Aloo - Minced mutton with potatoes in a rich gravy

 
All the meat lovers are going to gorge on this recipe. The versatility of this recipe is that it pairs up beautifully with rice as well as breads. Again the use of everyday spices and a winner of a dish.Growing up in a Bengali household it is natural to add some potatoes to our meat dishes. The Sunday Mutton curry is incomplete with the soft potatoes to be mashed along with the rice and balanced with a squirt of lime. But when I posted this dish on a popular foodie group  I found a lot of people were not used to the idea of potatoes in a meat dish. I am glad to be sharing this recipe with my readers.
 

Ingredients:

Mutton mince/keema - 500 gms

Potatoes - 2 medium - cut into small cubes

Onion paste - 5 tbsp.

Garlic- ginger paste - 2 tbsp.

Tomato puree - 3 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chilii powder - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

sugar - a pinch

Mustard oil - 2 tbsp.

Garam masala - 1 tbsp.

To be dry roasted and grounded to a coarse powder  :                             

Coriander seeds/dhania - 1 tbsp.

Cumin/jeera seeds - 1 tbsp.

Dried red chillies - 2-3

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add the mustard oil. Once it reaches smoking point reduce the flame and add the onion , ginger garlic paste. Fry on low flame till browned. This will take a while but make sure this paste is very well cooked and there is no pungent smell.

Tip in the mutton mince. Increase the heat and cook the mince till it turns lightly brown in color. Now add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, the coriander-cumin dry roasted powder, salt and sugar. Mix everything well.Add a little warm water and let it cook.

Roast the masala well along with the mince. Add some more warm water and let the masalas cook well. At this point add the cubed potatoes.

Add a cup of warm water, put in the garam masala powder and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

Remove from heat and serve hot topped with some onion rings and a squirt of lime.


Sunday, January 25, 2015

Tandoori Chicken - The super easy version

 
There will be days inyour life when no matter how much you enjoy cooking and say its a therapy for you..the very thought of cooking will give you the jitters. Happens to me many times too often. Nevertheless you still want something yummy, something comforting and take aways are not an option either. What does one do?! Make this super easy version of Oven Grilled Tandoori Chicken. Ever since I have been on the  healthy eating path, tandoori chicken has been my faithful companion. Everytime in doubt, a piece of well grilled succulent juicy chicken makes me happy. And the bong in me just needs a bit of rice and daal along and I am good to go. The only effort in this dish is the marination that can be done even a day ahead. The marinated chicken can be frozen too for upto a week.
 

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks - 8-10 pieces

Hung curd - 2 tbsp.

Lime juice - 1 tbsp.

Salt - to taste

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder  - 1 tbsp.

Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp.

Gram flour/Besan  - 1 tsp

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp.

Butter/oil - for basting

Method:
 Wash and dry the chicken drumsticks. Make small gashes all over. Marinate with salt and lime juice and keep aside for 15 mins.

In a bowl, mix together the curd, ginger-garlic paste,kashmiri red chili powder,garam masala powder, gram flour and mustard oil.

Add the chicken pieces and coat each of the piece well with the marinade. Cover the bowl with a cling film and keep in the refrigerator for atleast 2 hours or more.

Line a baking tray with foil paper. Place the chicken pieces and grill in a preheated oven at 250 degree centigrade.

Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce and a side of mint chutney and onion rings.
 

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Sausage Rolls - Perfect for winter evenings

I love winter afternoons. They are perfect to do some baking..perfect to dole out some goodies from my kitchen...perfect to show my loved ones that I love them! The aroma of baking fresh bread at home just adds to the pleasure. So today I made this very easy Sausage Rolls just perfect to go with your evening cuppa.


Ingredients:

Flour / Maida - 1 1/2 cup + a little more to adjust the dough

Instant yeast - 1 pack - approx. 7 gms

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Milk - half cup

Olive oil - 2 tsp

For the filling:

Chicken sausages - 12 nos

Readymade pasta sauce - few tbsps.

Grated parmesan cheese - approx. 2 tbsp.

Method:

Making the dough.

In a bowl add the flour ,instant yeast , salt and sugar. Add the milk gently and bind into a dough. Add the olive oil and knead the dough on a floured surface for atleast 10-12 mins till its soft, smooth and springy.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and keep in a warm place. I usually place it inside the microwave.

Let the dough rise for an hour. It will become double the size. take it out on a floured surface and knock down the dough gently.

Now make 12 small sized balls from the dough. Roll out each into small rounds - like puris but not very thin.

Apply some pasta sauce, place a cocktail sausage and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese. Fold the two sides into the centre in the shape of a roll.
Follow the same process to make all the rolls.

Place each of the rolls in an oiled baking tray. You could also line the tray with some foil paper. Cover with a cling and let them rise again for 20 mins. Brush the rolls with some lightly beaten eggs.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 mins at 180 degree centigrade.

Serve hot staright out of the oven . It even stores well for upto 2 days.


I had made a few dozens of these sausage rolls for KFB's maiden Bake sale and they were my bestsellers! Extremely easy to make and lovely to eat..what more does one want from life.
 
 
 




 

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Mushroom Tomato Quiche - Rustic and Hearty

Having lived in Delhi for many years I miss a proper winter in Kolkata. The cold mornings making it impossible to get out of bed..still dragging oneself out to attend a class while in college or reporting at work later..those are my fondest memories of Delhi winters. Ofcourse there was the food...tucking into creamy sarson saag with crispy makki roti at a neighbourhood dhaba, those were the days. Endless cups of coffee and a hot water bag to keep me warm was what winter was all about.
Here in Kolkata I miss all that. The weather has just got a bit nippy here and everyday I pray that let it get a little more colder here. Winter also means whipping up hearty rustic dishes in my kitchen using freshest of winter produce. Been wanting to make a quiche for sometime and today seemed the perfect opportunity. Kept it simple and baked a delicious Mushroom Tomato Quiche and indulgently topped it up with some grated parmesan.


 

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:

Flour - 1 cup

Butter - 50 gms - chilled

Egg - 1 lightly beaten

Salt - 1 tsp

For the filling:

Mushroom - 1 cup - thinly sliced

Onion  - 1 medium - finely chopped

Garlic - 2-3 pods - crushed

Cherry tomatoes - a few - halved

Egg - 2 -lightly beaten

Cream - 1 cup - I used Amul

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Oregano - 1 tbsp.

Chilli flakes - half a tsp

Grated Parmesan cheese - a handful

Method:

The pastry dough:

Mix the flour, salt and the chilled cubes of butter with a fork or using your fingers until mixed well and resembles breadcrumbs. Now put in the beaten egg and make into a soft dough.

Wrap the dough with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.

Making the pie crust:

Roll the dough on a well floured board into a circle,rolling from the centre to the edge,turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half,place in a pie pan and unfold to fit the pan.
Pierce the covered pie pan with a fork to avoid the pie crust from flaking up while blind baking.

Bake the crust in a preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 10 to 15 mins till lightly golden in colour.

Making the filling:

In a pan heat the olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and sautee till light brown. Add the onion and let it sweat for 5 mins. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook till  done. It will realease a lot of water...cook till that evaporates. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes.

Remove from heat and let this mixture cool down.
In a bowl add together the eggs and the cream. Season with salt and pepper and mix together with the mushroom mixture.

Pour this mixture into the half- baked pie crust. Top with cherry tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 20- 25 mins.

Serve hot.