Zaiqa

Talk about Hyderabad’s cuisine, and Hyderbadi Mirchi Ka Salan is sure to become a topic of interest there. This is one of the classic Hyderabadi curries with its characteristic lightly tangy and very subtly spiced creamy gravy.

Green Chillies /Hari Mirch – stems kept intact – slit and seeds shaken off

The masalas in this curry are all braised/bhun-na until oil floats on top, which is a critical procedure to draw out flavors from the various spices added to the gravy, and only in the last stages, water is added to give it a gravy consistency.

I have used spicy medium sized thick green chillies for this curry as shown in the picture, which are the usual kind favored. The chilies preferred for this curry should have smooth skin, not wrinkly, medium thick, straight and long and fresh with stems intact.

white poppy seeds/khus-khus

Do not be be under the misconception that as green chillies are being used in this curry, the curry is going to be fiery hot. Do not worry~due to the addition of spices like poppyseeds, sesame seeds, groundnuts and coconut, the gravy has a mellow and creamy attribute which is utmost delicious. Furthermore, the seeds from all the green chillies, which are main reason for the hotness of the chillies, are discarded before being added to the gravy, hence they are mild after being cooked.

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan – Green Chillies in Sesame Seeds Sauce

The procedure to prepare Baghare Baingan and Tamatar ks Salan is also almost the same as this curry. Also, you can also add any firm fish fillets (Red snapper, Haddock, Cod, etc) to the gravy instead of green chillies to make it a fish curry/Machli ka Salan . There is no difference, except for the fact that in Baghare Baingan, brinjals are used; in fish curry, fish fillets are used; in Tamatar ka Salan, tomatoes are used and in this curry, the green chillies are used.

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan – Green Chillies in a Tangy-Sesame Seeds Sauce

Ingredients:

Green chillies (thick and long, as shown in the picture) – 250 gms in weight
For dry paste/masala:
Khus Khus/White Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
Till/Sesame Seeds – 1/2 cup/50 gms
Groundnuts/MoomPhalli – 1/2 cup/50 gms
Dry desiccated Coconut – 3/4 cup/50 gms
Dry roasted Coriander seed/Dhania powder – 1 tsp
For gravy:
Canola oil – 1/2 cup
Yellow Onions – 3, large, sliced slightly thick into semi circular rings
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/2 tsp (optional)
Turmeric/ Haldi – 1/2 tsp
Cilantro/ Kothmir – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
Thick tamarind pulp – 3 tbsp
For baghaar/tempering:
Cumin seeds/ Zeera – 2 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves/ Kariyapaak – 2 sprigs
Mustard seeds/ Rai – 1/2 tsp
Nigella seeds/ Kalaunji – 1/3 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/ Methi dana – 1/8 tsp

Method:

1. Wash, drain, then pat dry and slit the green chillies. Shake the seeds off the chillies to remove the extra spiciness (use gloves while you work with chillies to avoid your hands getting burnt with its chemicals). Keep the stems intact. Keep aside.
2. Heat a small non-stick frying pan at medium high heat and once it is hot, dry roast the desiccated coconut, sesame seeds, khus khus, peanuts, coriander seeds and 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, all one by one separately for just 2-3 minutes until they are a few shades darker and remove them into separate bowls. Do not burn the spices. Once cool, rub off the skins of the peanuts. Grind them all separately in a spice grinder to a fine powder or a smooth paste without adding any water and keep aside.
3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan at medium high heat, and as soon as it warms up add the sliced onions. Let the onions sweat and keep stirring them until they are just starting to brown up in color as shown in the picture below. Once the onions are soft and lightly browned in color, remove them to a platter and keep aside. Once the dry roasted onions are cool, puree them in a grinder until smooth. Keep aside.
4. Pour oil in a cooking pot and once hot enough, carefully add the green chillies and cover with a splatter screen. The oil spits as soon as you add green chillies, so be careful. Stir fry them till blisters form on the skins. Using a slotted spoon remove the chillies to a platter and keep aside.

Clockwise from top – Fried green chillies, roasted desiccated coconut, roasted peanuts,
roasted sesame seeds and fried onions

5. In the same hot oil, add remaining 1 tsp cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let the spices splutter for a minute. Add the pureed roasted onion paste and immediately cover the pan with a lid for a minute. Lower the heat to medium low and shake the pan to thoroughly mix. This is done for the mixture to absorb all the flavour from the baghaar(tempering). Uncover, lower the heat and add ginger garlic paste and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the desiccated coconut paste, sesame seed paste, khus-khus paste and peanut paste and stir fry it for 2-5 minutes or until you see that the mixture comes together and starts leaving oil. Add the red chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Mix well and keep stir frying it for a further 2 minutes on medium low heat. Once the raw odor of the peanuts, ginger-garlic paste and coconut is no longer coming, add the dry roasted coriander and cumin seed powder and chopped cilantro and mix well. Pour in 3 1/2 cups warm water and the tamarind pulp. Mix well. Add the fried green chillies and stir. Cover the lid and let cook on simmer for 20-25 minutes while stirring frequently, until the oil has all separated and the chillies well cooked in the masala gravy. Remove from heat and serve the curry.

Suggested Accompaniments: Basmati Chawal/Plain Long White Rice, Murgh Biryani/Fragrant Rice+Chicken Casserole, Gosht Ki Biryani/Fragrant Mutton+Rice Casserole, Naan/Indian Flat Bread.

This is my contribution to Think Spice Think Poppy seeds event being hosted by RV at her blog.

( I am posting this recipe again as due to some problem this post of mine was deleted! )

Luv,
Mona

This is my favorite brunch on a lazy weekend morning, Palak-Tamatar Ki Subzi with warm Parathas. Hmmm, comforting!

Palak-Tamatar Ki Subzi / Spinach in Tomato-Onion Gravy

The base I use for this spinach curry is a simple tomato-onion gravy. And as fresh spinach is not very easily available all the time, I usually get many frozen spinach boxes, as it will be much easier for me to quickly prepare any curry using these. You all can however use fresh spinach if you have assess to it, I do not get to see many fresh desi greens here. You can enjoy this curry along with rice too, but I always prefer to have it along with my warm parathas. You will love and enjoy it.

Palak-Tamatar Ki Subzi / Spinach in Tomato-Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Yellow Onions – 2, medium, chopped fine
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Ripe Red Tomatoes – 2, medium, chopped
Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/3 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Fresh/Frozen Chopped Spinach – 300 gms

Method:

-Pour oil into a small sized saucepan on medium heat and as soon it gets hot, throw in the chopped onions. -Stir fry them till they light brown in colour, then add ginger garlic paste to it. Saute the mixture for about 2 minutes.
-Add the chopped tomatoes and a cup of water, mix it well. Then close the lid of the saucepan and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes till the tomatoes are all mushy. Keep stirring it occasionally just to keep a check if it isnt drying up or getting burnt.
-Add the frozen thawed spinach and again close the lid. Keep stirring the mixture every now and then, till the Spinach is nicely mixed with the Tomato-Onion mixture.
-Sprinkle Red Chilli powder and Salt. Let it cook on low heat. You can add a little more water if needed. Once Done, serve hot with Warm Parathas. Enjoy.

And while having this brunch, you can have a look at the New Hyderabad International Airport soon to be opened, probably by next month at Shamshabad. Its beautiful and i’m proud of it.

Also, Download and check out Kanye West’s Performance at the recent Grammy awards. Its awesome !

Luv,
Mona

Jalfrezi is a type of Indian curry in which marinated pieces of meat or vegetables are fried in oil or spices to produce a dry, thick sauce. It is cooked with green chillies, with the result that the jalfrezi can range in heat from a medium dish to a very hot one. Other main ingredients include Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes. – Wikipedia

It was a bright day today, got to see sun and sunshine peeking through the heavy dark clouds for a little longer time after quite an extended period. That made me very happy and cheerful. I wanted to cook something special today, a nice vegetarian meal, and I quickly thought of this dish.

This is my lovely little sister’s recipe. It is a simple recipe which gets prepared in a jiffy. I searched for the ingredients in my refrigerator and I had all those, so I prepared and enjoyed this Curry/Salan along with Zeera Rice/Baghara Chawal and Khatti Dal.

Gobi-Mirch Jalfrezi – Cauliflower and Capsicum in a Tangy Sauce

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower/Phul Gobi – 1, large, washed and cut into florets
• Red and Green Capsicums/Shimla Mirch – 1 each, de-seeded, cut into bite-size strips
• Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
• Yellow Onion/Pyaz – 2, large, sliced thin
• Soya Sauce – 4 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Red Chilli Powder – 1/3 tsp (optional)
• Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
• Tomato Paste – 2 heaped tbsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Nigella Seeds/Kalaunji – 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a non stick pan on medium heat, and throw in the Cumin seeds and Kalaunji. As soon as they start to splutter add the Onions and saute them till they are lightly browned.
• Add the Tomato paste, Garam masala, Salt and Red Chilli powder and mix well. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Cauliflower florets and stir fry them in the sauce for 3-5 minutes.
• Later add the Capsicum strips, Soya sauce, and a little water and stir to mix. Cover the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes taking care the curry isnt becoming too dry or getting burnt. Keep giving it a gentle stir every now and then. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: We had it along with Zeera Rice/Baghara Chawal and Khatti Dal for a delicious meal.

Luv,
Mona

Murgh Qorma is one dish I and my family cannot live without, because we are pakka Hyderabadis at heart. Its Irf‘s most loved dish. He will rate it ten out of ten all the time.

The masala which forms the base of the gravy consisting of yogurt, ginger-garlic, groundnut, coconut and fried onions and cashew nuts, chironji nuts and almonds, for this classic Hyderabadi dish is first braised/’bhun-na’ until oil floats on top, a technique essential for Qorma preparation, and then in the end, water is added to give it a gravy consistency and the chicken is simmered on low in the creamy fragrant yogurt sauce. Qorma is usually had along with Naan or Rumali Roti. The bread is dipped into the warm sauce, and had with a few bits of Chicken in each morsel.

A typical Hyderabadi menu for an occasion such as marriage will be: Non-Vegatarian or Vegetarian Kababs, or Spring rolls, or Marag as Appetizer; Any Sookha Salan (dry curry) of Chicken or Mutton; or a Chicken or Lamb Qorma (this will be the Patla Salan – gravy curry) with Rumali Roti (Rumali in Urdu language means kerchief, its called so because the roti/flat bread is unbelievably as thin as a kerchief!, it is light and very yummy); a Lamb Biryani or Chicken Biryani along with Mirchi Ka salan; and then a Meetha in the end. Ah! I am missing India and my hometown’s wonderful and mouth watering dishes. I am proud of my native home, Hyderabad for its most illustrious and scrumptious cuisine. Inshallah will post the recipes of each and every recipe here to share with you all, the way I prepare it in my house.

I plan to inshallah someday publish a cookbook of my own where I can write all my recipes, my version of Hyderabadi Cuisine. I have not done much about it at all. This thought and wish always lingers on my mind and I will inshallah definitely be doing something about it. I will need resources for this project though.

Lazeez Murgh Qorma with Parathas in the Milton hot-pot

You can also add heavy cream, cashew nuts, chironji nuts or almonds, shallow fried quartered potatoes, or shallow fried large cauliflower florets to the gravy. But it is optional. You can even omit chicken or lamb/sheep meat only add potatoes and cauliflower instead, to make it ‘Aloo/Potato, or PhoolGobi/Cauliflower Ka Qorma’, a vegetarian version. Or simply make it ‘Malai/Creamy Qorma’, excluding both the meat and vegetables.

Lazeez Murgh Qorma – Chicken Simmered in Fragrant Spiced Coconut-Groundnut-Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken with bone/Boneless Chicken Breast – washed and cubed into bite size pieces, 600 gms
Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 1/2 tsp
Onions – 4, large, sliced thick into semi circles
Cashewnuts, Chironji nuts and Almonds – 1 tbsp each, soaked in 1 tbsp milk for 30 mins (optional)
Yogurt – 400 ml, lightly beaten
Coconut cream powder – 1 tbsp
Roasted Groundnut paste -1 tbsp
Mint leaves/Pudina – 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Cilantro – 1/2 cup, loosely packed and finely chopped
Green chillies – 3, small sized, finely chopped
Canola oil

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken in ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice mixture for an hour.
2. Take a heavy bottomed non stick saucepan or a cast iron pan on medium heat and once it is warm enough, throw in the thickly sliced onion semi circles with no oil. Keep stirring and cooking the onion until the onions are lightly browned in color. Once done, transfer them into a blender container. Add the soaking cashew nuts, almonds and chironji nuts along with the milk to the blender container. Also pour in the yogurt and coconut cream and process/blend till it is a smooth puree.
3. In heavy bottomed non stick saucepan, heat 3 tbsp canola oil and add the marinated chicken, quickly fry them lightly on all sides in batches, stirring gently and occasionally till just lightly browned. Remove them with a slotted spoon in a bowl and keep aside.
4. In the same pan with the leftover oil in which the chicken were just shallow fried, add 3 more tbsp canola oil at medium heat . As it warms up add the pureed onion-yogurt mixture and let it cook for five minutes on medium flame. Reduce the flame to medium low, add red chilli powder, salt, turmeric and mix well. Cover it for a minute. Keep a close eye on it and keep giving it a stir every now and then. Add the roasted groundnut paste to it. Mix well and cover the lid again. The oil should start to separate by now. Let it cook a bit more, if the mixture has become too dry add a few splashes of water and cook it till all the oil has very nicely separated out.
5. Gently drop in the shallow fried chicken pieces in the cooking gravy and mix well. Cover the lid for a minute. Pour in two glasses of water. Add the mint, cilantro and green chillies. Mix well and increase the flame to medium high, let it it come to a boil once. Lower the heat, cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Once the chicken is done, serve it immediately.

I am sending this Qorma to Meeta as the theme for her Monthy Mingle this time is ‘Comfort Foods’. I’m waiting for its round up, now who doesnt like Comfort Foods?!; and I am also sending this as an entry to ‘Think Spice, Think Turmeric‘ event being hosted by Sudeshna.

Luv,
Mona

Dal with a dollop of butter in it, with warm Parathas sounds so good for a delicious breakfast. I first had this Dal when I was a kid, and always loved it when mom would serve me this for breakfast. It is so delectable and yummy, you will enjoy your breakfast to no end.

Sabut Masoor Masala – Whole Red lentils Masala

I usually prepare this Dal with Whole/Sabut Masoor Dal and savour them along with Parathas as brunch for a weekend, a good and healthy start for the day. You can also have this as a side-dish with Khushka (Plain White Rice), or Parathas at lunch or dinner too.

I let the Dal boil just until done, a little bit softer, but not too mushy, or pasty. This dish gets ready in less than 45 minutes, or even less if you have pre-soaked the Dal.

Sabut Masoor Masala – Whole Red lentils Masala

Ingredients:

Brown lentils/Sabut Masoor Dal – 1 cup
Ripe Red Tomato – 1, chopped
Yellow Onion – 1, medium sized, thinly sliced
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp (You can substitute oil with Butter here if you like to make it more rich)
Dried Red chillies – 2
Salt – 1 3/4 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 2, small, finely chopped

Method:

1. Wash and drain the lentils. Add salt to two cups water in a saucepan and let them boil, or you can pressure cook it to save time, till they are just soft and not mushy. Keep aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a pan, pour oil and throw in the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the dried red chillies, and the sliced onion and stir fry them till they are light brown in colour.
3. Add the sliced green chillies, chopped tomato, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook for 4 minutes.
4. Mash the mixture till it is all pulpous. Taste and check if you need to add more salt, or spice to it.
5. Now add the cooked dal, mix it and let it cook uncovered for 10 minutes. If the curry becomes too dry, you can sprinkle some water.
6. Serve it hot in a bowl, and just before you serve add a dollop of butter on it and Enjoy the Very Yummy Dal.

Luv,
Mona