Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra)

This is a very simple stuffed okra recipe which I found on the Internet. It is very easy to make and yummy in taste!!

INGREDIENTS

1. Bhindi (Okra) - 500gms

2. Aamchur powder- 1 tsp

3. Jeera powder - 4 tsp

4. Dhaniya powder- 3 tsp

5. Garam masala - 2 tsp

6. Haldi - 1 tsp

7. Chilli Powder - 3 tsp

8. Salt - as per taste

9. Oil - 4 tsp

Preparation

1. Mix the above masala well together

2. Wash the bhindi and dry it thoroughly. Slit bhindi in half 

3. Stuff masala in the slit bhindi one by one. Don't worry if masala falls off, just cover the bhindi in masala as well.

4. You don't have to use the entire masala. If there is some left then keep it refrigerated and use it with other sabzi or daal.

5. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan. Place the bindi in the pan. Cook  on low flame and cover it with lid.

6. Keep turning the bhindi now and then

7. Cook for about 20 mins until bhindi are cooked. Make sure that masala does not burn by cooking in low flame throughout, turning bhindi from time to time and covering the pan with lid.

I personally love it with plain rice. You can serve with roti or paratha and yogurt!

Cheers!

Masala

Slit Bhindi

Bhindi in Masala

 Bhindi in the Frying Pan

Final Product

Ambur Biryani

This Recipe is courtesy Deepak

This is an interesting recipe which we enjoyed during our forced bachelor-hood days at Nuneaton, England.

It is very easy to make and awesome in taste!

Chicken Cooking

Biryani!

Ingredients: (Serves 12-14 people)

1. Chicken - 2kgs drumsticks
2. Basmati Rice - 1.5 kgs 
3. Onion -  2kgs (Sliced)
4. Tomatoes - 1.5 Kgs (Finely chopped)
5. Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
6. Mint Leaves (Pudina) - 1 bunch
7. Fresh Garlic Paste - 150-200 gms
8. Fresh Ginger Paste - 100 gms
9. Green Chillis - 7/8 medium hot
10. Bay Leaves - 3-4 leaves
11. Star Anise - 4
12. Big Cardamom (Badi eliachi) - 1
13. Cinnamon - 1 big stick
14. Stone Flower (dagad phool) - 5-6 (optional)
15. Lemon Juice 6 lemons
16. Yoghurt - 500 gms (hang it in a cloth for a couple of hours to remove water or use greek yoghurt)
17. Ghee - 300 gms
18. Oil - As required
19. Salt - As required
20. Red Chilli Powder - 10-12 teaspoons
21. Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 2 teaspoon
22. Coriander (Dhaniya) Powder - 4 teaspoon

Marinade for Chicken:

1. Oil - 2-3  tablespoon
2. Cumin (Jeera) powder - 2 teaspoon
3. Red Chilli powder - 4 teaspoons (put more if you want it spicy)
4. Coriander (Dhaniya) powder - 4 teaspoons
5. Ginger Paste - 50 gms
6. Garlic paste - 75-100 gms

Mix all the above in a bowl. Take chicken drumsticks and put 2-3 long, deep cuts in each of them. Fully coat the chicken drumsticks with the above mix and keep it in a fridge for 3-4 hours (overnight is desirable).

Preparation:

1. Take a large pan and heat 300 gms of ghee and an equal amount of oil 
2. Put star anise, big cardamom, cinnamon stick, bayleaves, dagad phool in the oil and let it fry for few seconds
3. Put Onion, 150 gms of garlic paste, 75 gms of ginger paste and saute till the onion is golden brown
4. Put Tomatoes and let it cook for a while until the whole thing attains consistency
5. Put salt and red chilli powder and cook for a while. Add chopped green chillies
6. Add chicken drumsticks, chopped coriander, chopped mint leaves and cook for a while
7. Once the chicken is half cooked, add the juice of 3-4 lemons and add yoghurt
8. Mix everything well and let it cook on low flame
9. In parallel - Half cook the basmati rice in a separate container. Add salt.
10. Drain water from the rice and put the half-cooked rice in the large pan in which masala is cooking and mix well 
11. Put the lid and seal the container and let it cook in slow heat for 30 minutes

Open the lid and Serve YUMMY Biryani! :-)

Mum’s Yummy Prawn Curry

A simple yet tasty prawn curry. This can be had as a starter or as main-course.

Here is the preparation

1. De-vein and clean prawns

2. Lightly fry prawns until they are partially dehydrated. Add salt and turmeric powder while frying. 

3. Take 2 medium tomatoes chopp and grind in mixie to make a puree.

4. Chop couple of onions and fry till brown

5.  Put 2tsp ginger paste + 4tsp garlic paste and fry a bit. Put tomato puree​ and let it cook on slow heat. Put 1tsp haldi + 2tsp mirchi powder + 1 tsp of dhaniya powder and salt to taste.

Once the oil leaves, put prawns and let it cook till all the water evaporates.

Final product 

Serve with rice or have it just like that!

Khasta Kachori - Street Style Kachori

Khasta Kachori is deep-fried, delicious puffed pastry which is stuffed with mouthwatering masala made especially for the kachori. It has a unique sweet, salty, spicy flavour which you will not find in any other snack.

It's a north Indian snack, folks from UP, Uttaranchal, Bihar have it with Dahi (Yoghurt) as breakfast. You can also have it with sweet tamarind chutney or plum sauce (as shown in the video).

They are also sold in other parts of India in different variations of this recipe, such as Onion kachori etc

Recipe & Method of Preparation

- ENJOY

Masale Bhaat (Rice with Spice)

Masale Bhaat

This recipe is courtesy Mohini, whose preparation turns out so delicious that even if you've resolved to skip rice for the meal, you will end up having it!

Ingredients:

1. 1 Cup Rice

For the paste: (Ingredients #1)
1. Grated coconut -1 table spoon
2. Green Chillies - 3/4
3. 1 Onion (large)

For the Masala: (Ingredients #2)
1. Bay leaf - 1
2. Dalchini - 1-inch piece
3. Badi Elaichi (large cardamom) - 1
4. Garam masala - 2 teaspoons
5. Chilly powder - 1 teaspoons
6. Turmeric - 1 teaspoon
7. Ginger+Garlic paste - 2 teaspoons

Veggies:
1. Potatoes - 2 or 3 cut in large pieces
2. Cauliflower - 1 small cut in large pieces
3. Green Peas  - half cup

Method:

Step #1:
Rinse rice and keep it aside for 10-15 mins. After 10-15 mins, take a small amount oil in the pan, pour rice and a half a teaspoon of turmeric and sauté rice for a few mins. Keep rice aside once done.

Step #2:
Put ingredients #1  in a mixer and make a paste and keep it aside.

Step #3:
Fry potatoes and cauliflower separately in low heat. Add pinch salt and turmeric while frying. Keep them aside

Step #4:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan.
Add bay leaf, dalchini, cardamom and stir for a few seconds.
Add Ginger/Garlic paste and stir for a couple of minutes.
Add the paste prepared in Step #2 and fry in low flame until all water is evaporated.
Add garam masala, chilly powder, turmeric and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add potatoes and cauliflower and mix it well for a couple of minutes.
Add green peas & rice and mix them well with rest of the ingredients.
Add a couple of cups of hot water and cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.

Once rice is cooked, garnish with coriander and server with yoghurt!

Cheers!

Puru Uncle's Maggie

INGREDIENTS

1. 3 packs of masala Maggie
2. 2 medium sized tomatoes finely diced
3. 3/4th cup frozen peas
4. 1/2 capsicum finely diced
5. 1/2 tsp turmeric
6. 1 tsp red chilly powder (more if you want spicy)
7. 2 Maggie veg masala/chicken masala cube
8. 1 table spoon oil
9. Salt to taste

PREPARATION

1. Dice tomatoes, capsicum in small cubes
2. Heat oil in a pan and put capsicum, tomatoes and frozen peas in. Stir them for 3-4 minutes in high flame.
3. Put turmeric, chilly powder, Maggie masala cubes and salt and mix it well.
4. Let it cook for a while until all the water from tomatoes is gone. Keep stirring from time to time.
5. Once all the water is evaporated and the tomatoes and peas are cooked add 3.5 cups of water and bring to just below boiling temperature.
6. Put 3 packs of Maggie and let it half cook. Put the masala from 3 Maggie packets on the noodles and stir well.
7. Cook it until the noodles are done.

Add salt if necessary.

YOUR Puru Uncle's Maggie is done.

Let it cool a bit and serve warm. You can add boiled eggs or fried eggs on the side.

Kids love this!

Spicy Chicken Curry

Spicy Chicken Curry

This is a simple, spicy and delicious chicken curry recipe. One of our friends prepared this once and it was absolutely awesome.
So we had to try it ourselves! And boy! Was is YUMMY!

Courtesy: Sangeeta Parihar

Ingredients

1. Chicken  - 1/2 kg (Curry cut or Chicken Drumsticks. I personally Love the drumsticks)
2. Onions - 4 large
3. Tomatoes -2 large
4. Cashew nuts (kaju) - 10 to 12 pieces
5. Badaa phool (Star Anise) - 3 or 4 petals
6. Dalchini (Cinnamon) - 1 inch
7. Kaali Elaichi (Black cardamom) - 1
8. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1tsp
9. Black pepper - 10 seeds
10. Coriander Seeds - 2tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Red Chill Powder - 2 tsp
13. Bayleaf (Tejpatta) - 1
14. Marathi garam masala (or normal garam masala)  - 2tsp (Marathi garam masala has fried onion in it, so it gives a distinctive taste, but any other masala will also do)
15. Lazeez chicken masala (or any other chicken masala) - 2 tsp
16. Oil  - 2 table spoon
17. Ginger paste - 1 tsp
18. Garlic Paste - 2 to 3 tsp
19. Water - 2 cups
20. Salt to taste

Method

• Fry 3 Onions until Golden brown. Once Onion becomes soft, add all ingredients above from Points #5 to #10 in the Ingredients section. Saute for 2 minutes and keep it to cool. Once this is cool, grind this in a mixer to make a paste. This is your Masala Paste

• Take 1 Tomato and Cashew nuts and prepare a paste of it in the mixer. This your Tomato-Cashew Paste.

• Saute 1 Onion, Bayleaf and 1 Tomato in the frying pan with 2 tablesppon of oil until they are cooked, Put Chicken pieces in the pan and let the chicken cook for sometime. 

• Add the Masala Paste prepared above & Ginger paste and garlic paste and cook in low flame until the chicken and masala are mixed properly.This takes about 10-15 minutes

• Add the Garam Masala + Lazeez Masala + Turmeric Powder + Red Chilli Powder in the chicken and continue to cook in low flame for another 5-7 minutes

• Add Tomato-Cashew Paste and let it all mix up and cook for another 5-7 minutes

• Once all the masala attain some level of consistency, add 2 cups of of water and pour the entire preparation  in a pressure cooker and let it cook for 2 whistles. If you dont have pressure cooker then let everything cook in the pan with lid cover for about 30-40 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Your Yummy Spicy Chicken Curry is ready! 

Serve with Roti or Naan!

Cheers!

  

Baingan Ka Bharta (Spicy)

Baingan Ka Bharta

Credit: Sangeeta Parihar

Ingredients:

1. Big Brinjal  1 Approx 500gm
2. Chopped Onions  2 medium ones
3. Chopped Tomatoes 3 medium ones
4. Chopped Garlic 10-12 (Kaliyan)
5. Garam Masala 1 tsp
6. Chilli Powder 2 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
8. Salt For taste
9. Oil

Preparation:

• Apply oil on Brinjal & roast on gas flame till it's roasted well. Let it cool. Peel off the skin after it cools down and mash the pulp
• Add oil in a pan, chopped garlic, onion & cook till it turns golden brown.
• Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, chilli powder & cook till oil oozes.
• Add roasted peeled off Brinjal into the pan & cook till 5-7 mins. Garnish with fresh corriander leaves & serve with hot chapati

Karela (Bitter Gourd) sabzi

Karele ki Sabzi

This is simple yet a very simple & handy recipe. It takes about an hour to make it, but the effort is well worth it.

Courtesy: My friend Shweta Singh

Ingredients:
1. Karela - 3 big ones
2. Onion - 7-8 medium ones
3. Oil - 3 tbs
4. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
5. Red chili powder - 2-4 tsp depending on your need for hotness
6. Amchur powder - 2 tsp
7. Saunf powder - 2 tsp
8. Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Preparation:

Cut onion in slices and karela in rounds. Put karela in bowl of salt water (which u will drain off before cooking) so that the bitterness is reduced.

1. Take good amount of oil in pan, add onion, fry it for about 5 mins, until its translucent
2. Add karela, fry them for about 10 mins
3. Add Salt,turmeric,red chilli powder,coriander powder,saunf powder. Mix well, close the lid and let them cook
4. Once it is half cooked,add anchur powder
5. Let it cook until Karela leaves oil

Serve with rotis...

Stuffed Brinjal (Aubergine) In coriander gravy

 

 

1. Brinjal (aubergine) -  5/6 small
2. Coriander -  1 bunch
3. Tomatoes -  2/3 medium size – grated
4. Garlic cloves -  5/6 mashed
5. Chilli powder - 1 heaped teaspoon (depends on how spicy you need it)
6. Salt to taste
7. Coriander powder -  1 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Oil - 2 tablespoons

 

• MASALA:
• Cut coriander leaves coarsely. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garlic paste,  tomatoes and salt to the cut coriander leaves and mix it properly. Keep the masala aside.
• PREPARATION:
• Cut Brinjals in half (leave the 2 pieces sticking together at one end for stuffing).
• Stuff the Brinjals with above masala.
• Take 2 tablespoons of oil in pressure cooker or pan (with lid) and heat the oil. 
• Place the Brinjal in the cooker and also put the remaining masala in the cooker. Put 1 cup of water and close the lid and let it cook. 
• Check to see if the brinjals are tender and remove from heat.
• Serve with chapatti or paratha with curd!!

Spicy Chicken Drumsticks AKA Puru Uncle's Chicken (PUC)

This is also called Puru Uncle's Chicken (PUC). This name was given by a sweet little girl who loves my spicy drumsticks. She is my son's schoolmate.

For 6  chicken drumsticks: Remove skin and make deep cuts using a knife on the drumsticks. 

The Marination Paste

1. 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder (non-hot)
2. 1 tablespoon cumin (jeera) powder
3. 1/2 tablespoon coriander (dhaniya) powder
4. Salt as per taste
5. 1 tablespoon Chicken Masala 
6. Oil - enough to make a thick paste

Mix all the above ingredients and make a paste.

 

Coat the chicken pieces with the above paste and keep it in the fridge for 2 hours

Preheat oven to 220 deg Celsius for 10 mins.

Put the chicken drumsticks in an aluminium or parchment paper and cook at 150 deg celsius for 20 minutes.

Turn the chicken over, coat it with the leftover masala paste, and cook it for 15 minutes at 150 deg Celcius Check if the chicken is tendered using a fork.

Remove from the oven and eat!! :-)

You can also make rolls with chicken meat along with eggs, tastes yummy!

Masala Paste
Marinated chicken with Masala Paste
Drumsticks coated with Masala Paste
Drumsticks ready for over
Final Product! :-)

English Breakfast

English Breakfast, a photo by Puru * on Flickr.

A simple but sumptuous English breakfast of baked beans, bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages, tomato, onion and toast. Only hash browns are missing! Enjoy!

Baby Potato Fry

South Indian style baby potato fry

Ingredients:

• Whole Baby Potatoes 1 KG (with skin)
• Green Chillies - 2 chopped
• Curry Leaves - 7-8
• Coriander leaves - a few
• Mustard seeds (Rai) - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal (Black gram/white lentils) - 1.5 tablespoon
• Oil 2 table spoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Salt to taste
• Hing (Asafoetida)  - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Boil Potato. Remember the potatoes need to be firm (Do not cook in the cooker and do not boil as required for mashed potatoes).
2. Take a 1.5 table spoon of oil and heat it. Put hing, 2-3 curry leaves and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder in oil.
3. Put the boiled potatoes oil and heat it in low/medium flame while frequently stirring. Add salt. Fry until the skin of the potatoes shrivel a bit. This takes about 20 minutes.
4. Add Red chilly powder once the potatoes are shrivelled properly
5. In a separate pan, take 1/2 tablespoon of oil and add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds (rai) and 1.5 tablespoon of urad dal. Fry until they the urad dal is golden brown. Add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Once they are fried, add the whole thing in to the potato pan and mix them well.
6. Taste the salt and chilly add more if necessary

Serve with Dal Rice or with Dahi (Yoghurt) Rice
:-)

Fish Valentine

(Grilled/shallow fried fish with herbs, served with spinach mashed potatoes and tossed tomato salad)

We had this dish at a local restaurant (Polka Dots, Pune). It was fantastically presented and delicately made with subtle seasoning of herbs. Its pretty easy to make and takes about 45 minutes once you have all the ingredients ready. We don’t know what this recipe is called, so I gave it the same name with which it was referred in the restaurant menu.
For us the spinach mashed potatoes and the tomato salad combination with the fish was the winner!
Ingredients
For Fish

• Fish – 6-8 Fillets (Any white fish will do)
• Chilli Flakes – 1 teaspoon
• Dried herbs and Seasoning (like dried oregano, basil etc. Italian seasoning will do) – 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice – 1/2 a lemon squeezed
• Salt and Pepper as per taste
• Flour
• Oil – 1 tablespoon

For Spinach Mashed Potatoes

• Boiled potatoes – 5-6 medium sized
• Spinach Puree – 1 tablespoon
• Butter – 50 gms
• Milk – 1/2 cup
• Salt and Pepper

For Tossed Tomato Salad

• Tomatoes – 3 medium sized
• Italian Herbs and seasoning – 1/2 teaspoon
• Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
• Coarsely ground roasted peanut – 2 teaspoon
• Salt and Pepper
• Honey – 1 teaspoon
• Pitted olives – 7-8

Method
For Fish

1. Marinate fish with chilli flakes, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper for 30 minutes
2. Once the fish is marinated, lightly dust it with flour.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a shallow pan,  put the fish in the pan and shallow fry. Toss then on other side when one side is golden brown.

For Spinach Mashed Potatoes

1. Boil 5-6 medium potatoes. Grate the potatoes before mashing them.
2. Add Spinach puree, milk, butter, salt and pepper.
3. Mix everything together for a long time until you get consistency.

For Tossed Tomato Salad

1. Cut 3 small tomatoes in big square pieces
2. Add 1 teaspoon honey, herbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 7-8 chopped olives, 2 teaspoon of coarsely ground peanuts
3. Toss them together to mix well

Serving
Serve Fish, Mashed Potatoes, Tomato Salad with lettuce

Spring Onion and Cabbage Fried Rice

Simple and delicious fried rice!

Ingredients

• Steamed rice – 1.5 cups
• Garlic – 6-8 cloves finely chopped 
• Coriander – finely chopped
• Spring Onions – 8-10 (or as required) sliced/chopped (separate white and green parts)
• Cabbage – Long Slices about 1 cup. Do not put too much of cabbage, just a handful is enough.
• Green chillies – 2 chopped. If the chillies are of hot variety then put just one.
• Oil – 2 teaspoon
• Sugar – 1/2 teaspoon
• Coarsely Ground pepper – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook 1.5 cups of rice in a rice cooker and set aside.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan and put garlic. coriander, spring onion (white part), cabbage and chillies.
3. Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
4. Add salt to taste, 1/2 spoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed pepper and steamed rice and mix gently.
5. Once mixed, take out in a bowl and garnish with the green part of the spring onion and tomatoes.

Have it with curry or daal

Stuffed Tomato in Yellow Gravy

  Ingredients:

For stuffing:

• Tomatoes - 6
• coriander finely cut
• Green chillies - 2 long ones finely chopped
• Paneer (cottage cheese) - 100 gms grated
• boiled potato - 1 small grated
• Maggie veg masala - 1 cube
• Chat masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cheese cube - 1
• Salt to taste

• Oil – 2 teaspoon

For gravy:

• Onion - 1 one chopped
• Cashew nuts - 50 gms
• Green Chillies - 2
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon (heaped)
• Kitchen king masala - 1/2 teaspoon (if you don't have kitchen king then replace with normal garam masala or curry masala)
• Oil – 1 tablespoon
• Milk – 1/2 cup
• Methi (fenugreek seeds) – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Tomato stuffing

1. Cut the top portion of the tomato and gently scoop out the pulp from inside the tomato. (NOTE: Don’t thrown the pulp, this will be used in the gravy). Keep the tomatoes aside.

2. Grate the paneer (cottage cheese), cheese cube and boiled potato in a bowl.

3. Add in the bowl the following -  Maggie masala, chat masala, coriander, finely chopped green chillies and salt as per taste

4. Gently mix the whole thing together. Once mixed, stuff the tomatoes with the mixture.

5. Take 2 teaspoon of oil in a shallow pan and heat the oil. Once heated, put the tomatoes in the pan. Gently toss then tomatoes fry until the skin becomes little loose.

6. Once tender, take the tomatoes out from the pan and keep them aside.

Gravy

1. Make a paste of tomato pulp, chopped onion, cashew nuts, green chillies in a grinder.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep pan. Add the methi (fenugreek seeds) in the oil.
3. Once the methi sputters, put the paste in #1 in the pan. Add ginger+garlic paste. Cook the in low flame.
4. Once the masala  starts cooking, the oil will start separating. Add kitchen king masala, turmeric powder, chilli powder, sugar and salt.
5. Add little water and 1/2 cup of milk and let it cook until it homogenizes.
6. Once cooked, take out the grave in a bowl. Put the stuffed tomatoes in the gravy and garnish with coriander leaves, chilli and cashews.

Stuffed tomato in yellow gravy is ready. Best served with spring onion and cabbage fried rice.

ENJOY!!!

Nargisi Kofta (Egg balls in spicy gravy)- North Indian Dish

Nargisi Kofta (Egg balls in spicy gravy)- North Indian Dish, a photo by Puru * on Flickr.

Ingredients

• Boiled Eggs - 6-8 nos halved
• Chicken (minced) - 300 gms (If you are a vegetarian, you can substitute Chicken with equal amounts of boiled potato and boiled raw banana)
• Green Chilies - 6 nos
• Ginger (grated) - 3 tsp
• Garlic (grated) - 4 tsp
• Coriander (Chopped) - 1 tsp
• Onion (chopped) - 2 nos
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Kashmiri chili powder - 2-3 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Cream - 200 gms
• Cashew - 75 gms
• Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 2 nos
• Cloves - 4 nos
• Cardamoms - 4 nos
• Oil For frying Or Clarified Butter/Butter - 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Add Minced chicken (or boiled potato and raw banana), chopped green chilies, 1 ½ tsp of grated ginger, chopped coriander, 1 finely chopped onion, cumin seeds, and salt to the gram flour.
2. Mix well and make a dough by adding water
3. Make balls of this mixture. Flatten the balls and put half of the boiled egg inside each.
4. In a pan, heat oil and shallow fry these balls and keep them aside (This is your kofta)
5. Make a paste of Onion and Cashews and keep it aside
6. Heat butter/oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let is sputter, add cinnamons, cloves, cardamoms, ginger garlic paste and saute for few minutes
7. Add onion+cashew paste and cook for 5 mins
8. Add tomato puree. Stir it well and cook for 5-7 minutes.
9. Now add Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder. Cook in low heat until oil separates. Add a cup of water, DONT MAKE TOO WATERY.
10. Add Garam masala, mix well and let it cook for sometime
11. Add Cream. Heat mixture on low heat for 20 mins until gravy attains the consistency
12. Add Kofta in the gravy
13. Cook for 10 to 15 mins
14. Serve hot with Indian Bread/pitta Bread or Rice!

Serve with Fried Rice or naan or paratha or roti

Recipe: Saoji Chicken

Recipe: Saoji Chicken, a photo by Puru * on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Nagpur is situated in the central India. Its the city with ZERO mile mark. It is known for many things - the summer heat, oranges and culinary delicacies to name a few. One such delicacy of Nagpur is the exotic, hot and spicy Saoji food. The cuisine originally belongs to a small community "Saoji Community" from Nagpur but with time that distinctive taste of Saoji food has made its place in each nagpurians life. The cuisine also called Saoji Waradi is famous for its hot flavours. Its irresistible taste gets into your mind and soul once you taste this food. It is a must try for all spicy food lovers and those who try will surely get addicted to its taste. The special ingredients used in preparation of curry for Saoji food include poppy seeds (Khus-Khus), powdered coconut, black pepper, dry coriander, bay leaves, grey cardamom, cinnamon, cloves etc.

Saoji food, prepared as non-vegetarian chicken or mutton dish, is characterized by the oily hot gravy; one can also prepare vegetarian dishes using the same saoji gravy/curry. The vegetarians can enjoy Potato, Paneer or Soya Chunk dishes in the Saoji Curry to relish its authentic taste. Saoji food, although being very spicy, is not harmful to the body and does not lead to any digestive problems, as the process of cooking has been modified to overcome any health problems.
-Taken from Article base

The following recipe is shared by my very good friend Mohini. She makes absolutely delicious Saoji chicken. She is half Saoji herself, her mother's side of family belong to the Saoji community. And needless to say she, like me, is from Nagpur!!!

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1KG (with bone)
• Red chilly powder - as per the required hotness
• Turmeric Powder - as required
• Oil - As required
• Onions - 2 large
• Pepper corns - 2 teaspoons
• Black Cardamoms - 8 to 10
• Cinnamon sticks - 5 to 6 (an inch and half in length)
• Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Grated dry coconut - 1 small cup
• Bay leaves - 2 to 3

Method

1. Marinate the chicken with 2-3 spoons red chilly powder, 2 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and keep it aside.
2. Saute 2 sliced onions, 12 black peppercorns, 8 black cardmoms, 5-6 sticks of cinnamon and a spoon of poppy seeds (or peanuts if you dont have poppy seeds) till the onions turn brown (on low heat) then add a small cup of grated coconut and fry till the coconut also turns brown.
3. Blend this masala (gravy) in a mixer with a little water to make a fine paste.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Saute a sliced onion with a couple of bay leaves.
5. Once the raw onion smell is gone, put in the blended masala (above) and keep on stirring it till the oil leaves separates. Then put in some ginger-garlic paste. Once that is cooked mix in around 1 to 2 tablespoon of chilly powder(or more if u r brave enough), 1 tsp of turmeric powder and salt to taste. You may have to add more oil if required.
6. Add the chicken, cover the vessel, put water on the lid. Keep on stirring in between. Cook till the chicken is done. Then put in as much warm water as the desired consistency. Dont make it too runny, The gravy should be hot, spicy and thick with visible oil. Thats SAOJI !!! :-)
7. Check for seasoning and stir in a tsp of garam masala.
   
   Serve with bhakri or roti

Doi Maach (Fish in Yoghurt Sauce)

Doi Maach (Fish in Yoghurt Sauce), a photo by Puru * on Flickr.

Ingredients

• Rohu Fish (Carp)- ½ kg (You can use any fresh water fish here)
• Yoghurt- 1 Cup (beaten)
• Tomatoes- 1 Large – Grated
• Ginger & Garlic Paste- 2 teaspoons (or you can also put finely chopped ginger and garlic)
• Cardamom- 2 pieces
• Cloves- 4-5 pieces
• Bay Leaf (Tej patta)- 1 small
• Red chillies- 2
• Green Chillies- 2 (Slit)
• Turmeric- 1 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder- ½ teaspoon
• Julian ginger- a few (optional)
• Oil- for frying the fish and tempering for gravy
• Salt to taste
• Sugar ½ teaspoon

Method:

1. Get the fish cut in ½ inch pieces from the fish monger. Wash the fish and apply ½ teaspoon turmeric and salt over the fish and keep it for 30 mins.
2. Shallow fry the fish pieces in oil till its light golden (approx. 1 min on each side). Keep the fish aside.
3. Remove excess oil from the frying pan.
4. Heat oil and add the red chilly, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom temper it for few seconds and then add ginger & garlic paste.
5. Stir for a minute. Add the grated tomato and fry till the oil separates, keep stirring.
6. Add ½ spoon chili powder and ½ spoon turmeric powder, mix well and then add 1 cup of water, salt to taste and sugar and let it come to boil.
7. Add the fish pieces in the pan after the gravy come to a boil.
8. Add the beaten yoghurt. Mix the yoghurt with the rest of the gravy and remove from heat.
9. Garnish with slit green chilies and julian ginger.

Serve with steamed rice