Back with some Biriyani

After a long time, i am typing something for the blog. I love to write, at least I used to love. But typing (not writing) is not my happy-mood thing. This blog also started out of boredom. It was during 2012, I left my 1st job because it was monotonous; I was waiting for the second job confirmation (that was monotonous too, but at that time I thought of getting enough time for my hobbies along with good payment, what a wrong view I had!!!). Anyway, so during that waiting period, I was busy in cooking and making my friends eat those experimented foods; and I started sharing those experiences through this blog. It was kind of lovely experimental time. Once I got the job (the same job I am in now, completed 5 years, yeaaah,!!!), the cooking continued, but typing and posting was never the same. As I told, the job did not give me time for my hobbies during the 1st two years.

After the last post in 2014, so many things happened in life:: Induction training,few more trainings in different places, after a long discussion between the families finally married to 'college-friend cum long time love of my life" Mr Sarmah, experienced working with a Bad boss and fighting in workplace, late honeymoon to Rajasthan, a few more trips during last two years, lost my Father-in-law- a very kind person who used to prefer chicken biriyani cooked by me (just like my husband), became mother of a healthy baby and just like that my 35th birthday is around the corner.

Now I am on maternity leave till August and this writing flu is again showing it's symptoms. Symptom like sharing stories of all those special events which happened during  last few years. But before all that, I need to push myself to write ( type, precisely) and complete the first post of this year. So here is a old recipe presenting in new way with new pics.

17th June was Father's day. It was the first Father's day for my husband Mr Sarmah, as Deuta (in Assamese, father).

Also my parents are here, because of the baby. So I was able to celebrate the day with my Baba (in Bengali, Father).

First I planned to cook different tasty foods, searching for Father's Day special menu ideas. But then I did something else. I asked my hubby and my Baba about their favorite foods and guess what? Both replied same things. Luchi and Chholar daal (Poori and bengal gram lentil) in Breakfast; Chicken biriyani and some sweet thing in Lunch. It made work less for me. I am always lucky with the men in my life; they are not fussy and always helpful. 

So this was the lunch.

Paneer biriyani was there for Mother-in-law, a first time attempt and what I can say, it was so tasty, that we all had it. But since this post is about my old love of biriyani, so I will stick to less spicey but full of flavour Chicken biriyani.

Chicken biriyani for 4:

Biriyani Rice 3 cups (washed and soaked in water for 15mins, mixed with 2teaspoon refined oil and salt). This will help to make the rice non-sticky.

Chicken 500gm, you can use less or more as per your requirements.

Marinated this chicken overnight in paste of 2 big onions, 10/12 cloves garlic, 1inch ginger, 4 green chillies, 5 cardamom,2 1inch cinnamon, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, half cup liquid garlic butter, salt.

Onion 2 big for frying, make big slices

10/15 cardamom

1 cinnamon of 10cm

Cloves 5/6

Star anise 1

Nutmeg 1small piece

2 bay leaves

Saffron few strands soaked in milk

That's it. See no chilly powder, no curd. You can add cashew if you want. 

Generally the biriyani is full of spices and after eating this we are going to need a walk to digest all these spices and oil. The mailn masala is garam masala, which has beautiful fragrance but it is very rich in taste. But a few years back, I and Mr Sarmah (before becoming Mr and Mrs ), tasted biriyani in a restaurant, which was very mild in spices but made our heart (yes tummy too) full. I loved the smell of garam masala but the food was not at all spicey. We loved that biriyani and I started to recreate that biriyani. The first trial was a hit and I was finally able to cook biriyani which has the rich aroma of GARAM MASALA but does not have lots of spices. The procedure is a simple one and I shared the same recipe with one of my cousine and they loved it. According to her, the best thing about this biriyani was they did not have any medicine to digest the food. Hmmm that's another good reason for you to try this.

Now, i will type the procedure of cooking and finally post it. This is the most tiresome part for me. I will finish typing it soon.

Cook the soaked rice with all the whole masalas, in a pressure cooker. You will need 4 cups and little less than half cup of water to cook rice. Put the flame in high, one whistle and immediately turn off the heat. Let the gas pass and open the lid. Take out the whole masalas and spread tge rice in plate. You need to make it completely cool, otherwise while making the layers for biriyani, rice will become soggy.

In the mean time, heat sufficient amount of oil in a wok. Put the chicken pieces and cook in very low flame. Keep the marinated masalas for later use. Turn the pieces once it becomes red in one side. In this way chicken will become tender.

Take out the chickens. Fry the onuons in that oil with medium heat. Once onions are red and fried (not burnt), take it out, keep the oil for later use.

Now the final part. Put a tawa on stove. Place the pressure cooker on it. Use the oil now. Add the marinated masala. Spread half portion of rice on this. Place the chicken pieces. Add the rest of the rice. Spread the fried onions. Pour the saffron milk. Close the cooker lid, without whistle. Put the heat on high for 3mins. Now make the heat low and very slowly and carefully shake the cooker. Again after 5min shake tge cooker very slowly. And the biriyani is ready. Shaking should be done very carefully. This will mix the lower level of marinated masalas and other ingredients with rice properly; but if shaken fast or hard, it will make the rice sticky and you will lose the proper taste of biriyani.

Yes, finally done typing my post, the first post in a long time. Hope you enjoy the recipe and give it a try. Anyone who is afraid of indigestion (which is common in Bengalis), can give this a try, you will not have acidity or any unwanted burp! 

We all had this fruity punch after the biriyani. My father liked it so much that today, on Jamai soshthi, he wants this again. Just enjoy the view, I will tell the recipe in my future posts.

In a few days will come with another biriyani and some other story.
 Till then Bye.

Cabbage with Hilsa

Chhyanchra is a very popular delicacy from the Bengali cuisine made with mixed vegetable and fish head.  Chhyanchra is also popularly known as Chancharika is various other places. It is a authentic Bengali recipe that can be very lucidly described as a curry made of one or different types of herbs put together along with vegetables (mainly potatoes and pumpkin) and fish head. For more info click here.

Ingredients

half of bandhakopi \ cabbage

2 potatoes

1 tsp of turmeric powder

2 tsp of red pepper powder

2 tsp of coriander powder

1 bay leaf

½ tsp of panch phoron

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt as per taste

1 Head of Ilish (you can use other Big fishes)

For Ilish fish head:

1 tsp of Turmeric powder +some salt

Method:

1. Finely chop cabbage, cut potatoes in medium cube shapes and clean in water.

2. In a separate saucepan ,heat some oil, and fry marinated the fish head uniformly. Take out the fried ilish fish head, and take some of the cooking oil to add later in preparing chhyanchra.

3. Now in the cooking oil which comes out after frying ilish head , add some more oil 2-3 tbs , add panch phoron and bay leaf , let it splutter.

5. Now add potato pieces, fry them well , add all the masala ingredients, sugar and salt.

6. Add cabbage. Fry for 4-5mins.

7. At this moment add the ilish fish head and water/fish stalk if any (if you don’t feel like adding the  gravy, don’t add it , the chhyachra will be a bit dry).

8. Cover the pan & let it cook for 8-9mins. Do not forget to toss after every 2-3mins.

9. Turn off the flame and let it cool and serve with steamed rice or roti.

Papaya Chicken

After my last post, I was quite busy with some works, house shifting & medical issues. I am not sure when I shall be able to post regularly, again. Anyway, here is a quick post on the chicken dish I prepared last weekend. It is tasty & requires very less oil.

Ingredients:

Raw Papaya - 1

Chicken - 500 gm

Onion - 1, medium, chopped

Garlic - 3 cloves, chopped

Chilly - 2, chopped

Refined Oil - 2 tbsp

Garam Masala- a small pinch

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Onion seeds - 1/4 tsp

Water - 3 cups (depends upon the amount of gravy you want)

Recipe:

1. Half the papaya, take out the seeds & peel off the skin. Chop the papayas in small cubes & wash.

2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the onion seeds. When the seeds start to spatter, add chopped garlic, onion & chilly.

3. After frying on low heat for 2-3 mins, add chopped papayas. Add turmeric powder, salt & sugar. Saute for 3-5 mins on medium heat.

4. Add the chicken pieces. Mix everything properly & cover the kadai. Cook for 6-7 mins on medium heat.

5. Add water & cover, cook on low heat until the chicken is done & only a little amount of water remains. It may take 10-15 mins.

6. Add garam masala powder, mix & cook for 1-2 mins again. Serve hot with puri. We had this with the green luchi. 

Chicken Khichdi

The festive season was never like this for me. For the first time, I am so busy, that I am not able to visit my own blog. This year, I started my Laxmi puja, all alone in the new city. But I really enjoyed doing all the works which my Ma does at home, during the Pujas. Now I am busy with packing because I am going home after so many months. So here is the recipe of my favorite old dish & may be I will start posting the new ones soon.

Ingredients:

Rice - 100gm \ 1 large cup, uncooked

Red Lentil or Musur daal- 50gm, no need to fry

Chicken - 1 cup, chopped or shreded

onion - 1, small, chopped

Garlic - 4-4 cloves, halved

Ginger paste - 1tbsp

chilly - 1, halved

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Fenugreek sedds - 1tsp

Onion seeds - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/3 tsp

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Sugar

Water (do not worry about quantity)

Method:

1. Wash & soak, both rice & daal, together or separately.

2. Heat oil in a cooker. Add onion, cumin & fenugreek seeds. When the seeds start to splatter, add garlic, followed by onions. Saute for 1-2min. Add the ginger pastes. Add chicken pieces. Cook for 3mins.

3. Add rice & daal. Add salt, sugar, chilly flakes & turmeric powder. Saute for 5 more mins.

4. Add 4cups of water. Cover and cook on high flame & wait for the cooker to whistle 4-5 times. Turn off the heat & let it set for 10-15 mins.

5. You can adjust the liquid amount of the khichdi according to your taste. Transfer to a serving plate & enjoy.

Bottle Gourd Chicken\Lau Chicken

In this recipe, I have used the young bottle gourd, as my experimental ingredient with chicken. Since the Lau\Bottle Gourd was very tender, so I used all the parts (skin, flesh & seeds) of the vegetable. Cut the bottle gourd into four parts & take out the seeds. Make paste\thick juice in a blender or juicer. Dry fry the seeds & keep aside.

Hope to get some feedback if you like the recipe :)

Ingredients:

500gm chicken, medium pieces

1 medium, young Bottle Gourd\Lau

1 small onion, sliced

2 large potatoes, each cut into 4 pieces

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tbsp cooking oil

1 green chilly, halved

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt & sugar 

Method:

1. Heat oil, add chopped garlic, chopped onions & saute until the onion becomes soft. Add potato pieces & gourd seeds. Saute for 4-5mins.

2. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly, sugar & salt. Simmer on low flame.

3. Add the chicken pieces. Saute in medium flame for 2-3mins. Add the Lau\Bottle Gourd paste & mix everything properly. After 5mins, add water. Cook on medium fire until chicken is soft & desired amount of gravy is there.

4. Serve with rice, pulao or roti.

Choco Cake in Cooker

The day was special, so does the cake. It always feels good to prepare cake for someone's birthday; what can be better than a home-made cake , which has the touch of loved one's warm-love-care. So I tried this cake, following a recipe found while surfing the Internet. So no credit for the recipe. I just used the cooker in place of oven because of unavailability of oven. So here is a way, when your oven is not working or no electricity.

Try it out!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk (or substitute by putting 1 tbsp white vinegar in a cup then filling the rest up with milk; let stand 5 minutes until thickened)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)

Method:

1. In the large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Stir in hot coffee with a rubber spatula. Batter will be very runny.

2. Preheat pressure cooker over medium heat for 5mins. Grease cake tin well using cooking oil. Pour cake mixture in baking tin. First put one empty pot in a pressure cooker and on the to of empty pot put cake tin. Make sure that cake tin doesn't touch the bottom of the cooker.Cover with the lid without putting whistle on.

3. Bake on medium heat for first 5mins. Lower down the heat to low to medium and cook for 30-35mins. After 30 mins leave the cake in hot cooker for 5 more mins. After 5 mins insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clear that means cake is done.

4. If some batter sticks to the toothpick then continue to bake cake for 10 more mins. Allow the cake to cool down for 10 mins. After 10mins run the knife around the edges of cake tin. Place one dish on the top of cake tin and flip this over. The cake should come out without sticking to the bottom of cake tin. Allow it to cool down on cooling rack before putting icing on cake.

5. Serve just as it is or with dollop of cream or ice cream!

Tips:

1. If you are using thick bottom pressure cooker, in that case bake the cake over medium high heat only.

2. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness of pressure cooker, temperature settings of stove.

Happy Baking!!

Veg-Fish

You may think how come a fish recipe is veg!!!!

This dish is a mixture of different seasonal vegetables & adding fish into them. So, what name can be best except this? I was bored with different spicy & rich dishes of fish. So wanted to have some veggies in my food, but my room-mate was into the mood of fish. So instead of preparing two different dishes, I cooked one & combined both of the two tastes. The dinner was without any argument as we both were happy with our taste-buds :)

Here is the recipe (a very simple one) which I followed. Hope to get your feedback :)

Ingredients:

Fish - 500gm, cleaned & washed

Potato - 2, medium

Carrot - 2, medium

Capsicum - 1, large

(you can use cauliflower, brinjal, Gourds, pumpkin etc.)

Onion - 1, medium, chopped

Chilly - 1, coarsely chopped

cumin seeds - 1/3tsp

musterd seeds - 1/2tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2tsp

turmeric powder - 1tsp

cumin powder - 1tsp

salt to taste

sugar to taste

oil

water

Method:

1. Marinate fish with salt & turmeric powder.

2. Cut your favorite vegetables (I have taken carrot, capsicum, potato, since these were only available in my kitchen store) into medium cubes or pieces.

3. Heat oil in a kadai n fry the fishes. Keep aside.

4. Now keep 2tsp oil in kadai\wok, keep aside remaining oil for future use. In the remaining oil, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds & musterd seeds.

5. When the seeds start to splatter, add onions & fry for 2mins on medium heat. Add the vegetables & saute for 3-4mins. Add the masala powders, salt, sugar, chilly. Fry for 2 more mins.

6. Add water (depending on amount of curry you want), cover the kadai & cook on low heat until bubbles appear. Now uncover & add the fishes. Cook for 3mins & turn off the heat.

7. Serve with steamed rice.

Stuffed Chichinge\Snake-Gourd (different syle)

Here is a combination of baking, frying & stuffing, in a single recipe. First I baked to make an egg-cover in one face of the Chichinga pieces, then I stuffed those pieces with something which I like & finally frying to cover the other side of the pieces with egg. I enjoyed this; enjoyed how the idea came step by step as I was cooking; enjoyed the food finally-a lot.

Ingredients:

Snake gourd 1 medium 

Egg 2, beat with salt in a  bowl

Onion 2 cups, very finely chopped

Chilli 2, chopped

Oil

Salt

Capsicum 1 large, very finely chopped

Tomato 1 medium, very finely chopped

Coriander powder 1tsp

Cumin powder 1tsp

Method:

1. Remove skin of snake gourd, cut into 4 pieces & take out the seeds completely, so that the pices look like hollow cylinder.

2. Heat 1tbs oil and saute onion for 1/2 min. Add the chopped chilli and fry for a few seconds. Add the capsicum, tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and masala powders (coriander, cumin & chilly). Cook for 1-2mins. Stuffing is ready.

3. Heat a non-stick pan. Place the gourd pieces vertically & pour 1-2tbs of the egg mixture in each piece. Lower the flame & cover the pan. This will cover one open face of the cylindrical piece.

3. keepthe flame low, uncover & take the gourd pieces in a try & add 2tbs of the fillings inside each pieces. Now pour 2tbsp of the egg mixture over the fillings to close the other face of the piece.

4. Immediately transfer the pieces to the hot pan & fry in hot oil. Fry both the sides of the pieces now.

Linking: Monsoon Of India and JCO.

Linking to JCO: I M Well Stuffed!

Fish Stuffed Snake-Gourd\Chichinge

We all love to have pakoda or fry in not-so-hot evenings. In Bangalore, most of the weekend evenings, when I have lovely company & weather is little cool or rainy, my brain gets stuffed with fried ideas. Anything, stuffed or fried, always goes very well with a cup of hot coffee. What you say!

Here is one of my stuffed pakoda, which you can enjoy with pudina chutney, tomato sauce or hot coco.

Ingredients:

Snake gourd 1 medium 

Fish (big) 100gm, cleaned-fried-bone out-mashed

Onion 2 cups, very finely chopped

Chilli 2, chopped

Oil

Salt to taste

Besan 1cup

Turmeric powder 1tsp

Coriander powder 1tsp

Cumin powder 1tsp

Chilly powder 1/2tsp

Method:

1. Remove skin of snake gourd, cut lengthwise into 2 pieces, then make pieces of 2inches (breathwise) from each half. Scoop out the seeds so that a boat like shape is formed for the filling.

2. Heat 1tbs oil and saute onion for 1/2 min. Add the chopped chilli and fry for a few seconds. Add the mashed fish and cook for 2 more minutes. Add salt and masala powders (coriander, cumin & chilly). Cook for 1-2mins. Stuffing is ready.

3. Fill each piece with the filling.

4. Mix besan, salt, turmeric powder with water to form a smooth batter. Dip each stuffed Bottle gourd pieces in the batter & fry in hot oil,in a pan.

Linking: Monsoon Of India and JCO.

Linking to JCO: I M Well Stuffed!

Egg-Stuffed Papaya baked

This was my another different approach with papaya. The first time when I came up with the idea of making this recipe, I had no idea of its taste. But the 1st time attempt with cucumber, made me understand it's healthy part. You can try this or with any other vegetable or fruit you love. It is easy & simple, yet very tasty & healthy.

Here is the recipe.

Linking to JCO: I M Well Stuffed!

Ilisher Korma - quick recipe

A tropical fish, it is the most popular fish with Bengalis and Oriyas, the national fish of Bangladesh and extremely popular in parts of India such as West Bengal, Orissa, Tripura and Assam. In Bengal, ilish can be smoked, fried, steamed, baked in young plantain leaves, prepared with mustard seed paste, curd, Begun (eggplant), different condiments like jira and so on. It is said that people can cook ilish in more than 50 ways. Ilish can be cooked in very little oil since the fish itself is very oily.

This recipe can be made easily & very quickly. Here is the one I used for my dish. Hope you like it!
If you like my recipes, then please join my blog by clicking here.

Ingredients:

500 gm hilsha fish pieces (cleaned & washed)

4 tbs curd

1 bay leaf 

2 big onions (paste)

2 tbs ginger paste

2 tbs chilly paste

2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt & sugar to taste

4-5 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

1 tbs garam masala

Method:

1. Marinate the fish with a pinch of curd, ginger paste, onion paste, chilly paste, turmeric powder & salt and keep aside.

2. Heat the ghee in a pan, sauté the bay leaf & garam masala.

3. Add the marinated fish pieces.

4. Cover the pan & cook for 4-5mins in a medium flame.

5. Add 1cup water, cover & cook for 10-12mins in a medium flame again.

6. When the gravy becomes thick, it's ready to serve.

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Fish Bhurji

This is a very popular food among my friends. We lave to have it with rice items.

Hope to find some feedback from you :)

Ingredients:

Fish - 200gm (marinate with turmeric powder & salt, fry in hot oil)

Onion - 1 large, finelly chopped

Garlic - 5cloves, chopped

Tomato - 1 large, finelly chopped

Capsicum - 1/2cup, chopped

Chilly - 2, chopped

Egg - 1, beat thoroughly in a cup

Salt

Turmeric Powder - 1tbs

Cumin Powder - 1teaspoon

Coriander Powder - 1teaspoon

Chilly powder (optional, if you want it to be more spicy add 1teaspoon)

Dhania patta - chopped, 1 cup, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic & onion. Saute for 2-3mins.

2. Add capsicum & tomato. Add all the masala powders. Cover & fry in low flame until the capsicum & tomato become soft.

3. In the mean time, coarsely chopp (or roughly torn) the fishes. If you want to avoid the fish bones, remove them.

4. Be sure the vegetable mixture has become soft, but not deeply fried. Now add the fishes. Add salt. Saute for 4-5mins. Add the egg & saute for 3more mins. Turn off the heat.

5. Garnish with dhania patta & serve.

Amarnath Chicken

Few words of knowledge :)

Amaranth is a leaf vegetable and grain that has been eaten for centuries all over the world. Amaranth seeds have been used since ancient times in Central and Latin America and in the countries of the Himalayas. Amaranth leaves are used across Asia.

Red amaranth is also known as Chinese Spinach.  It shares no familiar ties to spinach, but it shares a similar taste.  Both stems and leaves have a slightly rough texture but are completely edible.  The leaves can be eaten raw as a salad green, though it is most commonly cooked, either by quickly stir frying the green, tossing some of the chopped leaves into a soup, or adding steamed and chopped amaranth greens as an ingredient in sauces.

Amaranth greens are believed to help enhance eyesight.  It is also loaded with with vitamins A and C, and iron, calcium and quite a bit of protein for a leafy green.

Hmmm, done with the knowledge thing, here is why I am using these vegetable(or shall I say leaves!). In this recipe, I have used both the red & green Amarnath leaves. The aroma as well as the taste, both are too tasty  to leave a single drop of the gravy.

Hope to get some feedback if you like the recipe :)

Here's the recipe I have used. 

Ingredients:

500gm chicken, peeled the skin

100 grams of Amarnath leaves, soaked in warm water, blended in a blender

1 large onion, chopped

1 large potato, cut into 8 pieces

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

cooking oil

1 tbs coriander powder

1/2 tea spoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon chilly powder

1tbs turmeric powder

salt

Method:

1. Heat oil, add chopped garlic, chopped onions & saute until the onion becomes soft.

2. Add potato pieces, Amarnath paste. Saute for 4-5mins.

3. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder & salt. Simmer on low flame. 

4. Add the chicken pieces. Higher the flame. After 5min, add water. Cook on medium fire until chicken is soft & desired amount of gravy is there.

5. Serve with rice, pulao or roti.

Baked Egg Cucumber

This one is the easiest of all the recipes, so far I have prepared. It is healthy & tasty as well, which is a good news for my R (specially!)

It was an experimental one & came out very well. Instead of cucumber, I think you can use any other vegetable of your choice.

If you like my recipes, then please join my blog by clicking here.

Ingredients

Cucumber

Egg

Salt

Black Pepper

Chilly

Method

1. Cut the cucumber into 1cm thick circles.

2. Cut out the middle portions of the cicles, giving it a shape of 'bangle'

3. Beat the egg with salt, black pepper & chilly pieces in a bowl.

4. Heat a non-stick pan. Place the circular cucumber pieces & pour 2tbs of the egg mixture in each circles. Lower the flame & cover the pan.

5. After 2-3min turn off the heat.

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Note: You can add more vegetables in the egg mixture.

Spinach Fish

Now a days, I am having so much spinach in my food, the only reason is spinach is very much available in the market now. Anyway, this time one more fish recipe with spinach & the good news is, this recipe was liked by friends of my R. He has loved this fish recipe & now he wants to have the same recipe again. So I can say, the recipe is a hit :)

Here's my recipe.

Ingredients

100 grams of spinach, soaked in warm water, coarsely chopped

Brinjal - 1cup, sliced

Fish - 500gm (Rohu, Hilsa or any big fish)

Cumin seeds - 1tbs

Coriander powder - 1tbs

Turmeric powder - 1tbs

Green Chilly - 2

Salt

Oil

Water

Method

1. Take one whole fish and wash. After removing the head cut into steaks about 3/4 inch thick. Remove the scales. Rub 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 tea spoon of salt all over the pieces. Fry a little in hot oil in a pan.

3. Mix coriander powder and turmeric powder with 3 tbs of water.

4. Heat oil in a non-stick thick bottom pan. Add brinjal pieces. Fry it for 3min & keep aside. 

5. In that oil, add cumin seeds and green chilies and after about 1/2minute add spinach leaves; when this becomes soft add the masala powder mixture and stir for about 4 to 5 minutes. Keep the flame low.

6. When the paste becomes little bit dry and fried, add water. Now higher the flame. When the curry starts to boil add the brinjal pieces & fishes. After 5mins turn down the heat.

Spinach Chicken

This time I prepared this Spinach chicken with a touch of cheese. The taste was good as well as different; at the same time very less calorie :)

Ingredients:

500 g chicken leg piece, peeled the skin

100 grams of spinach, soaked in warm water, coarsely chopped

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

cooking oil

salt

coriander powder

Processed Cheese to garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil, add garlic paste, chopped onions & saute until the onion becomes soft.

2. Add  Spinach leaves.

3. Add turmeric powder,  coriander powder , salt. Simmer on low fire. 

4. Add the chicken pieces. Higher the flame. After 5min, add water. Cook on medium fire until chicken is soft & desired amount of curry is there.

5. Garnish with cheese & serve with pulao.

Corn Fish

Last weekend, I was at my friend's house. I took some corns with me (because I saw some fresh corns in the road while going to their place). So I thought to prepare the fish, which they bought one day before, with corn. I had no idea what spices I should use, but on my way of preparing the food, I decided about the ingredients which I needed. Yes, I do not follow any recipe most of the time!

Any way, this time, the fish with corn, came out very well & so here's the recipe.

But unfortunately, I could not take the photo. So I'll come up with a photo, when I'll prepare it next time.

Ingredients

Corn - 1/2 (big)

Fish - 500gm (Rohu, Hilsa or any big fish)

Cumin seeds - 1tbs

Coriander powder - 1tbs

Turmeric powder - 1tbs

Nigella seeds - 1tea spoon

Green Chilly - 2

Dhania Patta - 1/2 cup (chopped)

Onion - 1 big

Garam Masala - 1tbs

Salt

Oil

Water

Method

1. Take one whole fish and wash. After removing the head cut into steaks about 3/4 inch thick. Remove the scales. Rub 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 tea spoon of salt all over the pieces. Fry a little in hot oil in a pan.

2. Grind to a fine paste the corn seeds, 5 green chilies and 1/2 tea spoon of salt in an electric grinder. You will need to add water about 2tbs.

3. Mix coriander powder and turmeric powder with 3 table-spoon of water.

4. Heat oil in a non-stick thick bottom pan. Add cumin seeds, nigella seeds and green chilies and after about 1/2minute add onion slices; when the onions become soft add the masala powder mixture and fry with stirring for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the corn paste. Keep the flame low.

5. When the paste becomes little bit dry and fried, add water. Now higher the flame. When the curry starts to boil add the fishes. After 5mins add garam masala and.turn down the heat.

6. Garnish wth dhania patta and serve.

Chicken Pulau

Today's rainy sunday weather was perfect for a heavy & spicy lunch. So prepared the Chicken Pulao. But  since I do not like too much spice & curd, so discarded curd from my recipe & made it less spicy.

Enjoy the less spicy Chicken Pulao!

Ingredients :

Chicken - 500 grams

Onion - 3 (2 - paste use in marination; 1 - fry)

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Ghee - 50gm

Poppy seed paste - 1/2 tea spoon

Kaju paste - 1 tbs

Oil

Green Chilly,chopped- 1

Cinnamon Stick - 1

Star Anise - 1

Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Bay leaves - 1

Water

Method:

1. Take Chicken, wash well and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Marinate the chicken with poppy seed paste, red chilly powder, salt and ginger-garlic-onion paste. Massage well using your hands to rub in the masala and then keep aside for half an hour to marinate.

2. In a wok heat 1 tbsp desi ghee and add 2 onions, chopped lengthwise and brown them. Keep the fried onions aside along with the ghee.

3. . In a wok heat 1 tbsp desi ghee and  add cinnamon stick, 1 star anise and saute. Now add the marinated chicken with all masalas. Cook for 5-8 minutes on high flame till colour of chicken changes. Add Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Red chilly powder, Salt. On high flame fry for 5-8 minutes.

4. Add chopped green chillies according to taste.

5. Then add 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil. When the chicken will be soft & the water is soaked completely, keep the chicken aside.

6. Wash and soak rice in water for 1/2hr. In the cooker take ghee, whole garam masala, drained rice. 

Add 1 1/2cups water (use the same cup used for measuring rice), chicken with gravy and salt. 

7. Cook on high flame & wait for the cooker to whistle once. Turn off the heat & let it set for 10-15 mins.

8. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish Serve hot.

Baked Egg in Banana Leaf

That day, I was not feeling well. So I wanted to prepare something different (my friends know it very well that when I am not feeling right I'll cook something different). But there was only eggs in my room & a few onions, three small banana leaves & tomatoes.

So the output was a modified recipe. The method is somewhat similar to the we use for Hilsa fish recipe. I was not very sure about the recipe but result was very less-oily tasty kofta :) . Now my friend R is waiting to taste it again.

The recipe is here. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Egg - 2
Flour - 2 tb spoon

Onion - 1 big

Tomato - 1 medium
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tea-spoon
black pepper powder - 1/2 tea-spoon

>oil

Method:

1. Beat eggs with all ingredients;beat until it becomes smooth.

Heat up a sheet of banana leaf (make sure no holes) either by placing it on top of a heated pan or oven for a few minutes, or rinsed in boiling water. This softens the leaf and also releases the aroma.

3. Place the heated banana leaf in a baking tray (in case the juices seep out, which it will) and place batter on the banana leaf and wrap with the leaf. There is no need to wrap it tightly.

Bake for 15min in a tawa or oven.

5. Cut the baked egg in small pieces. If you want you can fry these cakes & make curry.

Tuberose Chicken

I always look for something to improve my experiments with foods. A few days back, watched the movie Bacuse I said so and there in one seen the character Milly said to the little kid that the flowers of the bouquet were edible. Her words gave me the idea & I started looking in internet. There it was! So many recipes (mainly desserts) with flowers.

This weekend I wanted to prepare something with chicken but I could not find any recipe with chicken & rose/ tuberose (these two are very much available near my house :) )

So I tried this one on my own & it came out very tasty. My friend liked it & we are planning to have it on next weekend with some other friends :) .

(Sorry for the picture quality)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons cooking oil

250 g chicken, peeled the skin, leaving the tail

1 capsicum, chopped

50 grams of tuberose flowers, soaked in warm water, 1 tomato

1 tea spoon salt

1 tsp coriander powder

2 onions

8 cloves of garlic

Method:

1. Heat oil, add garlic paste, chopped onions & saute until the onion becomes soft.

2. Add  chicken, cook until it changes color

3. Add capsicum, tomato, tuberose flowers & mix well

4. Add turmeric powder,  coriander powder , salt. Simmer on low fire. 

5. Add the tuberose soaked water. Add more water if you want more curry. Stir and cover. Cook on medium fire until chicken is soft & desired amount of curry is there.

6. Server with rice or roti.

Enjoy :)