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