Zaiqa

Inshallah the holy month of Ramadhan begins from tomorrow here, I wish all my readers Ramadhan Mubarak! May the choicest blessings of ALLAH (سبحانه وتعالى) shower upon us all, and grace our home with peace joy and happiness.

Ramadhan Mubarak to you all!

This month inshallah, like the last year, I will try to take some time out and post about the Ramadhan special dishes, some authentic, and some daily recipes, with tips to make life easier.

Tip: In my current daily schedule, I do not get time to sit at home and cook leisurely for Iftaar or the dinner afterwards, or for Seher for that matter. So what I do is, I stock up my refrigerator and freezer with cooked food that I prepare as and when I get time. Lots of curries in the freezer- both vegetarian, non-vegetarian and dals., Rice for the week in the refrigerator. When I have to serve food, I reheat them all for a few minutes in the microwave and serve it all piping hot on the Dastarkhaan. This way I stay peaceful and get ample time for my studies and prayers. This a great tip that I learnt from my MIL.

Mature/Full-grown Fenugreek leaves/Methi in pot

Mature Funugreek Leaf/Methi

To Grow Methi: This Summer, I had planted Fenugeek leaves/Methi along with the others. Methi is very easy to grow and the quickest to germinate. Just sprinkle a few fenugreek/methi seeds on wet soil and cover them up lightly using damp soil. Keep watering them everyday a little bit, you will soon see small seedlings in about a week time. Usually we Hyderabadis do not use the full grown mature Fenugreek leaves/Methi leaves in cooking. We pluck the leaves when they are at the two-leaves stage, tender, young and full of flavor. Click here to have a look at the tender baby methi available in Indian farmers markets. This time however I let it grow and used mature leaves to prepare Murgh Methi.

Murgh Methi is a delicious and well-known Hyderabadi chicken curry. I prepare it usually in the oven when I cannot devote my time to attend to the chicken cooking on stove top. But I have tried both the methods, the stove top method and the Oven method, and the curry was just as delicious both the ways.

Murgh Methi – Chicken with Fenugreek leaves

Ingredients:

Chicken with bone – 1.3 kgs, cut into medium size pieces
Onions
Canola Oil – 1 tbsp (optional)
Canned Tomato paste – 1/2 cup
Ginger -Garlic paste – 2tbsp
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Dy roasted Cumin seed powder – 1 tsp
Dry roasted Coriander seed powder – 1 tsp
Fenugreek leaves – fresh, roughly chopped, 1 cup

Oven Method-The following is a quick method, where you do not have to stand in front of the stove attending to the chicken and tiring your legs. You have to simply marinate it and then let it slow cook in you oven, saving you lots of time:

1. Wash the chicken pieces, pull off the skin and excess fat and leave to drain in a colander.
2. In a large flat baking dish, add 100 gms of store brought fried onions. Add the chicken along with all the other ingredients except the fenugreek leaves and mix well so that all the chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and keep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 3 hrs.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
4. Bring the marinated chicken to room temperature and keep the dish, covered, in the oven and let it cook for about 35 minutes. Later, carefully remove the aluminium foil (hot steam can burn your fingers) and throw in the fresh chopped fenugreek leaves. Gently stir to mix without breaking the chicken pieces. Cover once again with the aluminium foil and put it back into the oven and let it cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Stove-Top Method-If you do not happen to have an Oven in your house, You can always prepare this curry on stove-top. The following is the procedure for it:

1. Wash the chicken pieces, pull off the skin and excess fat and leave to drain in a colander.
2. Pour oil into a large frying pan and fry two large finely sliced onions till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, and chicken pieces and stir fry them till they are lightly browned on all sides.
3. Add salt, red chilli powder, cumin seed powder, coriander seed powder, turmeric and canned tomato paste. Close the lid and let it cook for 15-20 minutes for until the chicken is tender and fully cooked and oil floats on surface. Add a little water if needed to cook.
4. Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and gently stir to mix well, taking care not to break the chicken pieces. Let it cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Khatti Dal/Sojni Ki Phalli Ki Patli Dal, Khushka/Roti for a filling delicious meal.

Luv,
Mona

Spearmint growing in pot indoors in my kitchen

Mint or Pudina is my most preferred herb only next to Cilantro/Kothmir. They are so gorgeous to look at! I would have loved to dedicate a part of my garden to this herb if only there was no threat of the plants being destroyed by the rabbits or raccoons or the groundhog which I consider a menace! To grow them buy a small spearmint plant from a garden center or nursery and propogate them into as many plants as you like as they keep growing. I have them placed indoors in front of the windows in small pots and they grow very well and quite rapidly. Mint has a very pleasant, fresh and strong aroma with innumerable benefits. I add this herb, fresh and chopped mostly to all of my meat preperations as the last step just before I turn off the heat source for a refreshing aroma to the dish.

One such meat preperation in which I love to add lots of fresh chopped mint leaves is the dish I writing about today. The mint leaves enhance the flavor of the dish diffusing their minty and fresh aroma to the meat preparation and brightens it.

Masaaledaar Pudine wala Qimah – Minced Lamb/Veal meat with Mint and Spices

Qimah is one of the most loved dish in my house. It can be devoured upon as a side-dish along with a number of main dishes for a meal, or the leftovers, if any, can even be used as a filling for parathas or samosas, or between toasted bread with cheese slices as evening snacks with a warm cup of tea. I usually prepare qimah in large amounts and portion and store them in plastic microwavable and freezable food storage boxes for very long time, so that I can use this during the days I dont feel like cooking.

Masaaledaar Pudine wala Qimah – Minced Lamb/Veal meat with Mint and Spices

Ingredients:

Minced Lamb/Veal meat – 550 gms
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 1/2 tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 heaped tbsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Hung Yogurt – 1/2 cup
Garam masala – 1 tbsp
Canola oil – 1/4 cup
Cloves – 3
Green Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon stick – 2 inch piece
Dried Bay leaf/Tej patta – 1
Yellow Onions – 2, finely sliced
Tomato paste – 3/4 cup
Small Green chillies – 4, chopped
Chopped Mint leaves – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, red chilli powder, 2 tsp salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, hung yogurt and garam masala. Mix it all well with a wooden spoon and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan at medium heat and as soon as it warms up, add the cloves, cinnamon stick and green cardamoms. Saute them for about a minute. Add the sliced onions and remaining salt and stir fry them till they are golden brown in colour.
3. Add the marinated minced meat and mix well using a wooden spoon. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Later, open the lid and break up the lumps of meat using a wooden spoon and add the tomato paste and stir well to mix. Cover the lid and let it cook for 20 -30 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
4. Later, once the water has completely dried, add the sliced green chillies and chopped mint leaves. Let it cook covered for a minute more. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Warm Rotis or Parathas or Naan, or along with Basmato Chawal and a Vegetable side dish or just Khatti dal, or along with Khichdi and Khatta for a delicious and felling meal.

I am sending this as an entry to Grow Your Own event hosted by Andreas Recipes, and also to ‘Think Spice, Think Turmeric‘ event being hosted by Sudeshna.

And before I take my leave for today, here’s a very famous and touching song that I love, ‘Ye Galiyaan, Ye Chowbaara..’ from an excellent Bollywood movie Prem Rog. It never fails to bring tears in my eyes..

Luv,
Mona