This recipe would be perfect for days when you have just returned from a long vacation and have limited ingredients in the pantry and have to make do with some frozen boneless chicken. In a way the supermarkets have been a boon in our lives --don't u think so too? At least now before going away on a holiday you can stock up on some stuffs so to avoid the frenzy on what to cook once you get back.I like to plan all this up before I go away to the point of being obsessive or so my husband feels! Never mind. Lets get on with the recipe. Chatpata Chicken ( I made up the name) is spicy, rich and peps up your Mondays for sure.
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken - 250 gms - cut into strips
Onion paste - 4 tbsp
Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
Ginger/garlic paste - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Cloves - 3-4 nos
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Mace ( javitri ) powder - 1 tsp
White pepper powder - 1 tsp
Refined oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Method:
In a non stick pan add the refined oil . Once it heats up add the bay leaves and the whole cardamom,cinnamon and the cloves. Once they splutter add the onion paste and saute for 2 mins.
Next add in the ginger and garlic paste and fry the mix well till it turns a golden brown colour. Pls do this on low heat. Then add the chicken pieces and fry till they turn white in colour.
At this stage add the turmeric powder , red chilli powder , white pepper powder, sugar and the mace powder.
Roast the masala well along with the chicken . Add salt and a cup of warm water. Cover and let it simmer for another 5-7 mins or till the water dries up.Serve hot with rice/rotis.
PS - The mace powder makes all the difference in this dish. Make sure you use that.
Let me start by wishing all my readers Shubho Bijoya. I am sure each one of you had a splendid Durga Puja / Navratri celebrations. As for me I had a beautiful time with folks at home. There was a lot of bonding, adda and of course a lot of great food. The four days of Puja we eat vegetarian food but on Doshomi - the last day after bidding farewell to the goddess we simply binge on everykind of non - veg dishes. There is an array of fishes that is being cooked with prawns being one of them. This year I decided to cook a spicy prawn curry that would go well with rice and ended up making a chorchori. A chorchori in simple words would be a mish mash of spices.usually a mish mash of veggies..but there are many non- veg variants as well. Its very easy to make and is a bit spicy in nature. Here's my Chingri Maacher Chorchori recipe.
Ingredients:
Prawns (medium sized) - 500 gms - washed and deveined
Onions - 2 medium - finely sliced
Tomato - 1 medium - quartered
Potato - 2 medium - cut into cubes and lightly fried
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp - use more if you like the heat
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 pinch
Bay leaves - 2 nos
Coriander leaves - a handful - finely chopped
Green chillies - 3-4
Mustard oil - 2tbsp + 2 tbsp
Method:
Wash , clean and devein the prawns. Marinate with 1 tsp turmeric and some salt and keep aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan add 2 tbsp oil and saute the marinated prawns for 5-7 mins till they turn opaque in colour. Don't fry for too long or else they get overcooked. Drain the prawns and keep aside.
In another pan add 2 tbsp mustard oil. Once the oil heats up add the bay leaves. Add the sliced onions and the ginger garlic paste. Fry till the mixture gets a golden brown colour.
Now add the tomatoes , turmeric powder, red chilli powder , salt and sugar. Fry this mixture for 7-10 mins.Also add the fried potato cubes at this stage. Add a cup of water and let the gravy simmer for another 5 mins.
Lastly tip in the prawns and give it a good mix. Add the chopped coriander and the green chillies and serve hot with rice.
Today I am talking about Rajasthan. When we think of Rajasthan we think of its colours , its vibrancy and its spicy awesome food. I have had the privilege of visiting Jaipur a couple of times and it is a food lovers paradise. If you love spunk in your food you will love their cuisine. Think of all the tummy chaats,papdis,kachauris,parathas, and the famous bikaneri bhujiya. I love dunking some tomato ketchup in my bowl of bhujia - try it sometimes its heavenly! Traditionally its mostly vegetarian cuisine with dishes like gatte ki sabzi,dal-baati-churma,ker-sangri ki sabzi and all that but there's a certain section of Rajasthanis who love their meat. I mean we all know of the legendary 'Laal Maans' - mutton cooked in a fiery red chili gravy.It also has a version made with curd 'Safed Maans'.But today's recipe doesn't involve any meat...I have decided to share a very everyday dish of their cuisine , something that we all can rustle up in our kitchens, with ingredients easily available. Aloo Mangodi Sabzi simply put is a side dish made with moong dal fritters.
Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2 medium (parboiled and cut into cubes)
Moong Dal ( split green gram) - 1 cup (soaked in water for 1 hour)
Saunf(fennel seeds) - 1 tsp
Amchur powder(dry mango powder) - 2 tbsp
Crushed pepper corns - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1tsp + 1 tsp
Besan(chick pea flour) - 4 tbsp
Dried red chillies - 8-10 nos ( adjust according to your taste)
Hing(asafoetida) - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp + some for frying the mangodis
Jeera seeds(cumin) - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Method:
Our first task is to prepare the mangodis - moong dal fritters. For that strain the moong dal and transfer into a mixer jar. Add saunf,crushed pepper,1 tsp red chilli powder and salt and grind it into a paste.
Transfer the mix into a bowl , add the besan and mix well.
Add some refined oil in a nonstick pan. Once the oil heats up , drop little dumplings of the moong dal batter into the hot oil. Make little fritters in batches and drain into a kitchen towel.
Keep the mangodis aside. Now lets prepare the base of the dish.
In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and splutter the red chillies,hing,jeera seeds
and fry a little. Add the potatoes and cook for 6-8 mins.
Next add the ginger paste and saute for another 2 mins.Lower the heat and add coriander powder,turmeric,amchur,1 tsp red chilli powder and salt. Mix well. If required add a few tbsps of water and cook the masala well.
Lastly add the mangodis and serve hot with dal and rice.
Variations:For the health conscious instead of frying the fritters one could make it in the oven too. Just line a baking tin with some parchment paper , line the moong dal batter in little roundels and bake in the oven till light brown in colour.
This recipe has been featured on Arvind's Kitchen on 94.3 Radio One #Kolkatas only 100% Retro Station.
Tune into Arvind's Kitchen every Wednesdays and Fridays between 3 -4 pm to listen to members of Kolkata Food Bloggers share their food stories!
I have been so fascinated by Koi Maach..I tried googling for its English name but didn't find a satisfactory name so am going to stick with "Koi". As a child I dared not eat this fish as it is full of small sharp bones but the taste is just so unique so I would ask maa to clear the bones and put the flesh on my plate and I would devour it. Over the years it is only when I visit Maa that I get to eat Koi maach.By the way even today she has to clear the bones for me but that's what moms are all about! "Tel Koi" is her speciality and this is her recipe that I am sharing with you today.
It is a very Bengali fish as far as my knowledge goes and this recipe that I am sharing is a spicy one in onion -ginger gravy and is best enjoyed with plain steamed rice. I would also advise anyone trying this dish that you must get the fish cleaned from the market as its almost impossible to clean it at home.
I suddenly remembered another story about cleaning Koi maach...at my thammas home I would see the Koi maach being cleaned on a bed of ash as it is otherwise too slippery even to hold. Life is made of such wonderful food memories that I could just go on and on : )
Ingredients:
Koi maach - 4 - 6 nos washed and cleaned.
Onion paste - 4 tbsp.
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp.
Cumin paste - 2 tsp or you could use cumin powder same quantity
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or adjust acc to your spice levels
Bay leaves - 2-3 nos
Green chillies - 6-8 nos half slit
Mustard oil - 4 tbsp. for frying the fish + 2 tbsp. for gravy + 2 tbsp. for garnish
Salt - to taste
Method:
First of all, take the cleaned koi fish , rub with turmeric and salt and fry in hot mustard oil.
Keep the fried fish aside.
For the gravy:
In a pan heat the mustard oil. Add the bay leaves.
Next add the onion and ginger paste and fry till brown in colour. It is important to slow roast the paste so that there is no pungent smell of the onion.
Once browned add the cumin paste , turmeric , red chilli powder and salt. Fry well. Add water as required while frying.
Once the masala starts leaving oil on the sides ,know that it is ready. Add a cup of warm water.Once it simmers add the fried fish and the green chillies.
Let it simmer for 2-3 mins. Just before you turn of the heat add 2 tbsp. of raw mustard oil to the gravy. This Maa says makes all the difference!
Ingredients: 
P
