Zaiqa

Khorma is one dish which we can have with Pulao, or Plain Rice, or Parathas or Naan. Today I savored this curry along with Rajma Pulao. I love the meal the day I get to enjoy combination. It is even great for gatherings, when you can prepare this combination with some snacks and a dessert to finish off and impress your loved ones.

This dish comes from the cookbook India’s Vegetarian Cooking by Monisha Bharadwaj. I have tried many recipes from this cookbook and loved most of them. I have not yet bought this book, but it sure now is among the top in the list of my Cookbook Wishlist.

Navratan Korma – Nine Jewelled Curry

It was yummy, and I am glad I tried this recipe. You can dump in all the left over vegetables, like cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, peas, corn, capsicum, carrots, beans, from the refrigerator you have in you house. I have used only a few, I didnt have all those in the house.

Navratan Korma – Nine Jewelled Curry

Serves:4; Preperation Time:15 mins; Cooking time:25 minutes

Ingredients:

• Frozen Mixed Vegetables – 300 gms
• Canola Oil – 1 tbsp
• Onion – 1, small, finely sliced
• Ginger Garlic Paste/Adrak-Lahsun Masala – 1 tbsp
• Tomato Paste – 3 tbsp
• Green Chillies – 3 fresh, slit in middle
• Turmeric powder/Haldi – 1 tsp
• Garam Masala powder – 1 tsp
• Cashew Nuts – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Tinned Pineapple Chunks – 2 tbsp, chopped
• Light Cream – 100 ml
• Cherries – to garnish
• Cilantro – to garnish
• Grated Cheddar Cheese – to garnish

Method:

• Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onion for a minute or so. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking and stir in the ginger garlic paste.
• Add the tomato puree and chillies and cook until oil seperates, ading a couple of tablespoons of water to hasten the process.
• Add the frozen vegetables, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix gently and cook for a couple of minutes before folding in the cashewnuts, pineapple and cream. Heat through without allowing to boil.
• Serve hot garnished with the cherries, coriander leaves and cheese.

Suggested Accompaniments: You can have it along with Pulaos, Naan, Parathas, Basmati Chawal or Roti

Luv,
Mona

Pasta and left overs go well with each other. Especially when we homecooks, dont feel like being in the kitchen for longer times. I had many left over cut vegetables and some chicken in the refrigerator, so I thought of preparing a simple one dish meal adding pasta to it.

Spiral Veg-Chicken Pasta

You can enjoy this it at lunch, dinner or even at breakfast. You can even pack it in a lunch box and have this healthy and filling meal for lunch. Here goes the recipe:

Spiral Veg-Chicken Pasta

Serves : 3

Ingredients:

• Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
• Chicken breast pieces – 250 gms, cut into 1 or 1 1/2 cm cubes
• Yellow Onion – 1 cup, finely chopped
• Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Baby Carrots – 3/4 cup, sliced thinly
• Green capsicum – 3/4 cup, chopped
• Red capsicum – 3/4 cup
• Cabbage – 3/4 cup
• Tomato Paste – 1 tbsp
• Water – 2 cups
• Maggi Chicken Bouillon-Halal -2 cubes
• Dry roasted Coriander seed powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro – for garnish
• Spiral pasta – 250 gms

Method:

To Prepare the Pasta Sauce-

• In a pan on medium heat, pour oil and put the cut chicken pieces. Stir fry it for 5 minutes.
• Now add the chopped onion. Fry it till it is translucent in colour. Then add ginger garlic paste and stir it well for 2 minutes or so.
• Add all the cup vegetables and sprinkle a little bit of salt over it, maybe a big pinch, just to enhance the colour of the veggies. Stir fry the contents in the pan for about 5-7 minutes. Then add the tomato paste, water and the cubed chicken stock. Break the cube once it softens up and mix well.
• Cover the pan so the the chicken and vegetables soften up and absorb the flavours. The pasta sauce is ready.

To prepare the Pasta Dish-

• Prepare the Spiral pasta according to the instructions on the package.
• When you drain the pasta once it is done, reserve a cup of water and drain off all the remaining pasta water.
• In a bowl at medium heat, pour the earlier prepared pasta sauce, the reserved cup of pasta water, and the drained pasta.
• Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with fresh coriander powder and garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and serve hot.

This recipe goes to Ruth hosting Presto Pasta Nights every friday, with the theme as to send her pasta recipes every week. I really liked her theme and the idea because, i cook pasta every weekend, and i look forward to try out different and new recipes of pasta dishes everytime. Her blog will surely help me 🙂 Thanks Ruth !

Interesting Read: Do you know your pasta shapes?

Luv,
Mona

Tandoori Chicken is a classic Indian dish. The chicken is marinated in yogurt spiced with ginger garlic and other aromatic spices and some edible food colour. It is left to marinate for minimum 6-8 hours, or for best flavor~overnight, in the refrigerator. During Ramadhan, you can marinate the chicken pieces a day ahead, and just before the iftaar time, you will have to grill them up, and keep them warm in an oven.

Tandoori Murgh – Chicken Marinated in a mixture of Yogurt seasoned with Spices

Traditionally the Tandoori chicken is made in a Tandoor(Indian clay oven) but today I prepared it in the oven. During summer I prepare it in a Charcoal BBQ Grill for a delicious smoky flavor.

Tandoori Murgh – Chicken Marinated in a mixture of Yogurt seasoned with Spices

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1, skin removed, cut into big 8 pieces (approx)
Lemon juice – 6 tbsp
Salt – 3 tsp
Yellow Onion – 1, large, roughly chopped
Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tsp
Saffron threads – 1 big pinch
Milk – 1 tbsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Roasted Coriander seed powder – 2 tsp
Roasted Cumin seed powder – 2 tsp
Thick Yogurt – 1 cup
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Kasuri Methi – 2 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Butter – for basting the chicken

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry the chicken with paper towels, then make incisions on the chicken pieces at the thick parts. Soak Chicken in lemon juice and salt for 2 hours. This is the first marination.
2. Meanwhile prepare the second marination mixture. Grind the roughly chopped onion into a smooth paste and keep aside. Warm the milk slightly and add the saffron threads to it. Let them steep into the milk for again two hours, till the chicken has marinated in the first marination mixture. Now, in a bowl, mix the processed onion paste, thick yogurt, saffron threads with milk, and all the other ingredients except the last one, with the chicken marinating in salt and lemon juice. Rub the mixture well into the chicken. Cover and put the bowl in the refrigerator for 8 hours or preferably overnight, for a great taste.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Preheat the charcoal BBQ and grill the chicken pieces, turning and basting them with butter as needed. Grill and cook chicken for 25 minutes till done and but still tender. Alternatively, you can grill/broil/bake it in the oven at low heat again turning and basting them with the butter as needed. Bake it in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes at 400°F turning them once after 15 minutes and basting them with butter. Pierce the chicken with fork to check if it is done. Garnish with onion rings, lemon wedges, sliced green chillies and serve.

Note: 1. The tempetarures and time used to cook chicken depends entirely on the size of the chicken pieces and the type of oven used. So, it varies. Keep a check on the chicken and make sure you not burn it or do not under cook it.
2. Usually for Tandoori chicken an edible red food color is used during marination for appeal, but I have avoided using it.
3. You can also use a whole skinned chicken to prepare a whole roasted tandoori chicken. For this purpose, make incisions on the chicken on the breast part, thighs and legs. Then let marinate covered in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, bake in a roasting pan with rack uncovered at 400°F for 30-45 minutes, turning the chicken once in the middle. Once done, carve and serve along with salad.

Luv,
Mona

Ah! The long weekend has gone by and I still wanted more of it. Weekends just fly away, dont you all also think so?

Today I am sharing with you all the recipe for ‘Pasinde’, my naniammi – grandmother’s version. This is a dry meat curry with a thick and aromatic gravy consisting of a range of spices, shallow fried french beans and potatoes.

Pasinde ka Salan

Pasinde is one of the most classic Hyderabadi dishes loved by the muslims mostly. My family loves it. We enjoy it with Paratha or Rice and Khatti Dal.

Pasinde ka Salan – Meat Cooked with Spices, French Beans and Potatoes

Ingredients:

Boneless Veal Meat – 600 gms, cut into thin long strips, 5 × 7.5 cm and 1.2 cm in thickness)
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Yogurt – 1 cup
Salt – 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
Canola Oil
Green Beans – 10, each cut diagonally into 3 pieces
Potatoes – 2, large, peeled and sliced thick from the longer side
Yellow Onion – 2
Khus Khus – 1 tbsp
Chironji nuts, Almonds, Cashew nuts – 2 tsp each, soaked in 3/4 cup warm milk for 15 mins (optional)
Desiccated coconut – 1/4 cup
Groundnuts – 1/4 cup, deskinned
Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry roasted Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, chopped finely
Mint leaves – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Place the strips of meat between sheets of cling film and flatten and tenderize the strips of veal by pounding them flat with a kitchen mallet or a rolling pin. Marinate the meat with turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, salt and red chilli powder for atleast 3-4 hours in the refrigerator. After the marination time of the meat, bring it to room temperature and, now, lets start preparing the curry.
2. Add the marinated mutton to the pressure cooker and let it cook covered for 5 minutes. Keep stirring it occasionally so that it doesnt get stuck to the bottom of the pan. Close the lid and pressure cook until the meat is done.
3. Meanwhile, in pan with little oil, shallow fry the french beans, and the sliced potatoes seperately and keep aside in individual platters. Keep aside.

Shallow fried french beans

Shallow fried thick potato slices

4. From the same pan, pour off all but 2 tbsp oil and shallow fry the sliced onions in that oil, until just lightly browned. Remove using a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined platter. Keep aside to cool.
5. In the same pan (no need to add any oil), roast the khus-khus, desiccated coconut, and groundnut on an iron rawa or in a thick bottomed pan individually for just a few minutes and remove onto a platter. Keep aside to cool.
6. In a grinder, add the fried onions, and roasted khus-khus, soaking chironji nuts, almonds, and cashew nuts with milk, desiccated coconut and groundnut and grind them all together to a smooth paste. Add just a few drops of water if required.
7. Open the lid of the pressure cooker. Using tongs, remove the meat strips from the masala into a bowl, cover the bowl and keep aside. Add the above blended smooth paste of spices to the pressure cooker and stir well to mix. Cover with a splatter screen and let cook on simmer until its starts leaving oil. Keep stirring occassionally. Add the black pepper powder, garam maslaa powder, cardamom powder, coriander powder and cilantro and mint.
8. Add the meat, stir fried potatoes and french beans to the mixture and gently combine well without breaking the potatoes.
9. Cook the mixture at medium heat till the potatoes are soft and the whole mixture is fairly dry about 4-6 minutes. Sprinkle a few drops of water if it sticks to the bottom of the pan. Serve immediately.

Suggested Accompaniments: We usually have this curry along with Parathas or Basmati Chawal and Khatti dal for a meal.

Luv,
Mona

I had always disliked vegetable biryani. My Ammi had to run behind me to make me finish my plate. The other day while I was browsing through this cookbook, I came across this recipe and I am so glad I tried it. This recipe is a keeper and I will definitely be trying it again and again in my kitchen.

Vegetable Dum Biryani –  Rice Cooked With Vegetables and Spices
Source: India’s Vegetarian Cooking
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Spices for the Rice water:

1. Bay Leaves – 2
2. Fennel Seeds/Saunf – 1 tsp
3. Nutmeg Powder – 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon – 1 small stick
5. Cloves – 5
6. Black peppercorns – 8
7. Green cardamom – 3

• Milk – 4 tbsp
• Saffron strands – 1/2 tsp
• Rose Water – 4 tbsp (optional)
• Green cardamoms – 2
• Butter/Canola Oil – 6 tbsp
• Yellow Onion – 3, medium, thinly sliced
• Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1 1/4 tsp
• Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Corn, Carrots, Potatoes, French Beans, Lima beans) – 270 gms
• Red capsicum – 1, chopped
• Basmati Rice – 300 gms
• Mint leaves – 1 tbsp
• Cilantro – 1 tbsp
• Slivered Almonds – 3 tbsp

Vegetable Dum Biryani / Tarkari Ka Chawal

Method:

• Preheat Oven to 425 °F /220 °C/Gas Mark 6
• Put the spices meant for the rice water in 600 ml of water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Cover the pan and allow the flavours to infuse. This will be our liq. 1.
• Meanwhile crush the two green cardamoms with milk and saffron and rose water and keep aside in a small bowl. This will be our liq. 2.
• In a pan on medium heat, pour 3 tbsp of butter/oil and stir fry the chopped red capsicum. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• In the same pan and butter/oil fry the onions until brown. Remove half of them and reserve for garnish. Add Ginger garlic paste to the pan and stir fry it along with the remaining onions. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind the fried Ginger-Garlic and Onion.
• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp butter/oil in a pan and pour the above grinded mixture along with turmeric powder, Garam masala and tomato puree. Season with salt and let it cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Add the frozen mixed vegetables to the tomato and onion mixture in the pan. Also add the stir fried red capsicum. Mix Well and simmer. Let it cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
• Strain the liq. 1 and keep aside. Throw away the spices.
• In a pan add 1 1/2 tbsp of butter/oil and fry the rice over high heat. (Note: Do not wash the rice before hand. Rinsing will wash away the significant amount of surface starch that contributes to the dish.)
• When the rice has become shiny, add half of the liq. 1 and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover for about 6-8 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Take an oven proof dish and start the layering process of the Biryani. The top and bottom layers are always the rice in a Biryani. Start by a layer of rice in the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of Vegetable mixture, then a layer of rice, and layer of vegetable mixture, and then the final rice layer. Pour evently the remaining liq.1 and the liq. 2 and the reserved fried onions on the rice layer. Also sprinkle the chopped coriander and mint leaves, and the slivered almonds on it. Seal the dish with tinfoil.
• Cook the biryani for 40 minutes in the oven reducing the heat to 375 °F/190 °C/Gas Mark 5 after 20 minutes. Open the dish/Remove the tinfoil from the dish, just before serving.

Suggested Accompaniments: Tamatar ki Chutney

This goes as my contribution to Sharmi for the event she is holding Jihva for Ingredients JFI and its Rice this month at her place.

Luv,
Mona