Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients to cook Fish Curry with Coconut Milk:

Bhetki Fish - 4 pieces 
Onion Paste - 3/4 cup
Garlic + Ginger paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Green Chili Paste  - 1 tbsp
Tomato (cut in cubes- 1 
Coconut Powder - 2 tbsp (Dissolved in warm water)
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Kaffir Lime / Lime Leaf (Optional) - 2 
Oil for cooking
Salt for taste 
Water

Process to cook Fish Curry with Coconut Milk:

1. Heat oil in deep-bottom frying pan. Add Ginger+Garlic paste once the raw smell of Onion removes away. Cook slowly in slow-medium heat. Cook till they turn to golden colour. 
2. Then add cubes of Tomato. Spread salt as the tomato will become soft quickly. Cook till it has paste-like consistency. 
3. Add Coconut milk. Mix well. 
4. Add Garam Masala Powder and Red Chili Powder. Stir once. Let the curry come to a boil. 
5. Add Fish Pieces. Cook for few minutes. Now it's done. 

Serve Fish in Coconut Milk with Steamed Rice or Flat Bread.

Barbecued Sweet Potato with Tuscan Seasoning

Ingredients to cook Barbecued Sweet Potato: (For 3-4 persons)

Sweet Potato - 3
Olive Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Fennel Seed - 1 tbsp
Dried Basil - 3 tbsp
Dried Rosemary - 2 tbsp
Dried Oregano - 2 tbsp
Black Salt - 2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2-3 tbsp

#If you are using Covered Barbecue, you need big size foil paper and Baking tray. 

Process to cook Barbecued Sweet Potato:

1. Preheat the Barbecue with hood down. Medium or medium-high heat is recommended. 
2. Place foil paper on Barbecue.  
3. Wash the sweet potato. Pat-dry those potato with a paper towel. 
4. Peel them, Cut them into pieces as shown in image or as per your choice.
5. Place potato pieces on foil-lined Barbecue. Turn them occasionally. Do this step for 30 minutes. Take it out from Barbecue.
6. Take oil in a bowl. Add Garlic paste, Fennel Seeds, Dried Basil, Dried Rosemary, Dried Oregano. Mix well. 
7. Rub this mixture on potato pieces. 
8. Remove the foil, but don't throw away. Wrap the potato pieces with it. Place them on a baking tray. Place the tray on barbecue. Make sure the hood of barbecue is down. At this stage we have to indirect heat. Heat for 1 hour and turning occasionally. 
9. Remove the tray from Barbecue. Set it aside for 10 minutes for cooling down. 
10. Remove foil. Place the potato pieces on a serving plat. Spread lemon juice on top. You can spread little Black salt on top. 

Serve hot with sauce of your choice. 

#If you want to cook it in gas Oven, you need big size sauce pan, foil paper and Aluminium tray or plate. 

KFC Style Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients to cook KFC Style Chicken Nuggets:

Chicken - 4 big size pieces (I took leg pieces)

Refined Flour - 1 cup

Baking Soda - 3-4 pinch

Pasta Seasoning - 1 tsp (If you don't have Pasta Seasoning paste, you can make an alternative paste at home. The process is mentioned below.*)

Egg - 1 

Milk - 5-7 tbsp

Corn Flakes - 1 tbsp (Make dust of it.)

Black Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp or more if you want spicy pieces

Tomato Soup Powder - 2 tbsp (This is the main ingredient.)

White Salt & Black Salt  as per your taste

White Oil to fry

*Ingredients for substitute (that can be used in stead of Pasta Seasoning)

Garlic + Onion paste - 1 tsp

Mint Paste - 1 tsp

Dried Parsley - 1 tsp (Optional)

Black Pepper - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Process to cook KFC Style Chicken Nuggets

1.  Wash the chicken pieces well and keep aside for pat dry. It would take 30 minutes. 
2. Break egg in a bowl. Beat well. Add milk and mix well. This mixture will be used as batter. 
3. Take another bowl for mixing other ingredients. 
4. Now you have to take Refined Flour, Baking Soda, Tomato Soup Powder, Pasta Seasoning, Black Pepper Powder, Corn Flakes Powder and Salt. Mix well with a spoon. 

[If you don't have Pasta Seasoning, then mix the substitute ingredients (mentioned above) very well. Apply it on Chicken pieces. ]

5. Dip one chicken piece in egg batter. Then place it in Refined Flour Mixture. Make sure that the whole chicken piece is well coated with the mixture. 
6. Coat all the chicken pieces with mixture this way. And keep them in a flat-bottom pot. 
7. Heat enough oil in a deep-bottom frying p.an. Make sure the oil is very hot. 
8. Now reduce the heat. Place chicken pieces once at a time on the hot oil. Fry from both sides. 
9. After frying, take it out of the oil and place it on a absorbent paper lined plate to drain the extra oil. 

Chicken Nuggets are ready.  You can serve them with Tomato Sauce. 

Dahi Bhalla (Dahi Vada)

Ingredients to cook Dahi Bhalla: 

A. For Bhalla: 
Urad Dal - 1 cup (For 10 Vadas)
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp (crushed)
Ginger + Green Chili Paste - 2 tsp
Salt
Oil to fry

B. For assembling Dahi Bhalla:

Yogurt - 3 cups
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar 
Salt
Date-Tamarind Chutney
Green Chutney

D. To sprinkle

Roasted Cumin
Red Chili Powder
Black Salt
Black Pepper Powder
Chat Masala
Sev or Boondi (I used Sev)

Process to cook Dahi Bhalla: 

1. Soak Urad Dal in water over night or at least 6-7 hours. 
2. Drain the water. 
3. Place it in mixer grinder bowl to make a smooth paste. Add water to make the paste. Remember, you need a thick paste, the consistency of the paste should be like cake batter, not like running water. 
4. Add crushed cumin seeds, Ginger + Chili Paste, and Salt. 
5. Beat well until the paste becomes fluffy and airy. Beat it for 4-5 minutes continuously. Set aside. 
6. Take oil in a deep bottom frying pan. Heat the oil.
7. Put few dollops of paste on hot oil. Reduce the hear.
8. Fry till it gets golden brown colour. Take out the dumpling from the oil and set them in a paper lined plate or bowl. Fry rest of the dollop this way in different batches.
9. Now prepare the salt syrup. Take water in a sauce pan. Add little salt to water. Heat the water. You don't need to boil it. Lukewarm water is required.
10. Dip the dumpling into warm salt syrup.

This dumpling is known as Bhalle. Leave them as it is. You have to take it just before serving. 

11. Now assemble Dahi, Chutney and other garnishing spices.
12. Take Dahi in bowl and add little water, sugar and salt. Whisk well.
13. Take out Red Chutney and Green Chutney from Refrigerator.
14. Squeeze excess water from the Bhalle. Arrange them on a serving plate.
15. Pour 1 ladle of Dahi on top of Bhalle. Make sure Dahi coats all the Bhalle very well.
16. Spread 2 Tbsp of Red Chutney over Dahi. Now spread Green Chutney.
17. Sprinkle Roasted Cumin Powder and Red Chili Powder, Black Salt, Pepper Powder and then Sev. 

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Egg Chicken Bharta with delectable flavour

Ingredients to cook Egg Chicken Bharta (for 2 persons):

A. To boil chicken pieces

Boneless Chicken – 200 grams (I took 4-5 big size boneless pieces)

Ginger + garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Grated Onion – 1 tbsp

Bay leaf – 1 (small size)

Black peppercorn – 4-5

Cinnamon – 1 inch stick

Salt

Water

B. To make gravy

Hard-boiled eggs – 2

Home-made Tandoori Masala – 1

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp

Tomato Paste – 1 ½ tbsp.

Yoghurt – 2 tbsp

Bay leaf – 1-2 leaf

Cinnamon – 1 inch stick * 3

Cardamom – 3-4

Cloves  - 4-5

Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Milk / Fresh Cream – ½ cup (I always use Milk)

Kasturi Methi leaves – ½ tbsp.

Salt

Suger

Kewra Water - 2-3 drops

C. Garnishing

Butter – 1 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves (Finely chopped) - 1 tbsp

Process to cook Egg Chicken Bharta:

1. Wash the chicken pieces well. Cut them into small small pieces. I cut them vertically and each small piece was very thin and max 1 inch long.

2. Take water in a pan.  Heat the water. Meanwhile add the ingredients mentioned in the list A. Make sure the heat is in high flame.

3. When water starts boiling, reduce the heat. You will find white coloured foamy stuff on the upper surface of the water. It is called “scum”. Take this out with a ladle and keep it in a bowl. We shall use it later. 

4. Turn off the heat. Take out the chicken pieces from the water and set aside for cooling down.

Don’t throw away the water (it is called broth). We will use it in making gravy. 

5. Heat oil or ghee in a deep bottom frying pan. Once it is hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Cook till they releases strong aroma.

6. Add onion and cook till it becomes soft and golden brown in colour.

7. Add ginger+garlic paste and stir well for 2 minutes.

8. Add tomato paste and mix well. Let it be boiled for few minutes.

9. Add Tandoori masala, then, turmeric powder, red chili powder. Mix well.

10. Reduce the heat as you are going to add Yoghurt now. Before that you need to add little sugar and salt to the Yoghurt. Beat well. There should not be any lump in the Yoghurt. Pour it into the mixture which you are cooking in the pan. Mix well. Cook till the oil separates from the spices.

11. Now add the chicken pieces with little salt and little water (if required – max 2 tbsp). Mix well.

12. After that you have to add the scum and broth. Let it be boiled in medium heat. If you need more gravy, you can add water at this stage. 

13. Meanwhile peel the eggs and separate the yolk from the white part of the egg.

14. Mash the yolk and add to the chicken. Don’t worry, white part of the egg will be used later. Make sure that the yolk mixes well with the chicken.

15. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes in medium heat. Keep stirring occasionally.

16. Now cut the white part of the egg into small pieces, same way you did with chicken pieces. Add them to the boiling curry. Stir well. Check the seasoning at this stage.

17. Add few drops of Kewra water to the curry. Mix well.

18. Reduce the flame. Now add milk or fresh cream and Kasturi methi leaves. Mix well again. Turn off the heat. 

18. Your Egg Chicken Bharta is almost ready. Now prepare the garnishing part. 

19. Now melt butter in a sauce pan. Add garam masala powder. Mix well.

20. Add this butter mix immediately to the Bharta and cover the pan. You don’t need to mix. Leave it as it is for 10 minutes.

21. After 10 minutes, transfer the Bharta to a bowl. Spread some chopped coriander leaves on top.

You can serve it with hot nun, chapatti or rumali roti. 

Homemade Tandoori Masala

Here I am telling you how to make Tandoori Masala at home. Almost all rich spices available in the market, are essential to make this Masala. I have homemade Biryani Masala which I made using the ingredients mentioned in List #1.  

Ingredients to make Tandoori Masala:

A. List No. #1:

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp

Black Cumin – ½ tsp

Cinnamon – 1 piece (1 inch in length)

Green Cardamom – 4-5

Black Cardamom – 1

Cloves – 4-5

Peppercorn - 7-8

Mace – 1

Nutmeg – ½ piece

Star Anise – 2-3

B. List No. #2:

Dry-roasted Carom Seeds – ½ tsp

Dry Fenugreek – 11/2 tbsp

Red Chili (Whole / Powder) – 1 tsp

Dried Ginger Powder – 1 tsp

Process to make Tandoori Masala:

1. Heat a frying pan. 

2. Add the ingredients mentioned in List No. #1.

3. Dry-roast them. Don't over-fry. 

4. Place it in a plate. Set it aside. It will cool down in 5 minutes. 

[ As I already have homemade Biryani Masala, I had skipped these step.]

5. Now take ingredients mentioned in List No. #2 in a mixer grinder bowl. 

6. Grind them well until you get a smooth powder.

7. Place the powder in bowl.

[Here I added 2 tbsp of Biryani Masala and mixed well.]

8. For you, make a smooth powder with the dry-roasted ingredients which you kept for cooling down. Now you have to mix this powder with the above. 

Your Tandoori Masala is made. Now you can store it in an airtight jar. 

Homemade White Cream Sauce - A creamy cheesy chilly sauce

Ingredients required for White Cream Sauce at home:

Butter- 2 tbsps

Plain flour/maida- 2 tbsp

Milk- 2 teacups (You can add more if you want watery sauce)

Salt as required

Grated cheese- 4-5 tbsps

Pepper powder as required

Rosemary – a pinch (Optional)

Process for making White Cream Sauce: 

1. Melt butter in a pan.

2. Add the flour. Mix well. Keep stirring for a few minutes till the smell of flour goes away. 

3. Switch off the flame. Add milk slowly to mix with the flour. Start stirring continuously. Check if there is any lump formed. The cream should be uniform suspension.

5. If you are making it first time, lumps may be formed. In that case, let it be cool for 5-7 minutes. Then blend it in a mixture grinder.

4. Now pour the liquid mixture in the same pan. Let it be boiled. Add cheese, salt, pepper powder and keep mixing well. Add salt carefully as required, because you have already used salted butter and cheese.

5. Keep stirring till the sauce thickens. Your sauce is ready. At this stage, you can add a 1 tsp of rosemary, although it is an optional ingredient.

Your homemade White Cream Sauce is ready. You can pour it to boiled pasta, steamed vegetables etc.

Badshahi Khichri - when my city is soaked in rains

Cooking Kichri is synonymous to writing love letter!...Why? Because more and more punch and accompaniments are required to make it tasty. With punch I mean - a romantic thunderstorm, dark rolling clouds in the sky, torrential rains with bursting clouds and your soul craving the great Khichri. 

And accompaniments? They are fried or frittered brinjal/pumpkin, fired pointed gourd / potato /cauliflower / fish or omelette or onion rings...whatever you like to have. If you believe in a bit of opulence in food, I am suggesting some more luxurious accompaniments as dry roasted papad, chutney, butter fried coconut pieces, these are optional but quintessential. Otherwise you can have Kichri itself as a complete meal. 

How to make Badshahi Khichri

What ingredients I used: (For 2 persons)

Basmati Rice - 1 cup 
Moong Lentil - 1 cup  
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
Cashew - 7-8 pcs
White Curd - 2 tbsp
Ginger + Chili paste - 1 tbsp
Whole garam masala - 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 2 cinnamon
Bay leaves - 2 
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Power - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
White oil - 2 tbsp
Lots of water
Biryani Masala - a pinch (optional)
A few peanuts and raisin (optional)

How I cooked Badshahi Kichri:

1. Dry-roast the rice and lentil in a frying pan for 10 minutes. Wash them properly and rinse the water. Keep them aside. 
2. Make a smooth paste with cashew and poppy seeds. Then add curd to the paste. Mix well.
3. Add while oil in a deep bottom frying pan. Once oil becomes hot, add bay leaves, whole garam masala and sugar. Fry them for 2 minutes. 
4. Add ginger-chili paste and stir for 1 minutes or until the raw smell gets off.
5. Add the paste made of cashew, poppy seeds and curd. Stir well. 
6. Add turmeric powder and stir again. 
7. Now add rice and lentil. Stir well and then add lots of water. I prefer to add 1 litre of water at this stage. Then I add more water if required later. 
8. At this stage you can add Biryani Masala, peanuts and raisins. 
9. Now let the rice and lentil be boiled. Once it is cooked nicely, add little ghee and garam masala powder. And mix well. 

Your Badshahi Khichri is ready. You can enjoy your Kichri with any of the accompaniments mentioned above. 

Deep-fried Katla Fish & Mashed Potato with Steamed Rice and Lentil

One piece of fried fish, mashed potato, yellow lentil with hot rice...it is a minimal Bengali meal we cook, when we have lack of time or energy to make a proper meal. Yesterday I was extremely tired after coming back from office. I was alone at home. And that was another point not to cook much for own self. So in such days what could be better than cooking one piece Maach Bhaja (fried fish), Alu Bhate (mashed potato), Musoor Daal (bowl-full yellow lentil) and Gorom Bhat (hot rice). 

Katla Fish deep-fried using the ingredients like:

Katla Fish pieces - 4 (washed thoroughly in water)

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 pinch

Mustard Oil for deep-frying

Process I followed:

1. Take the fish pieces and in a bowl. Spread Turmeric powder, chili powder and salt over the fishes. Mix well for marinade. Keep the bowl aside for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in deep-bottom frying pan. 

3. Add fish piece (one piece at a time) to the oil.

4. Deep-fry the pieces from both side. Take out from the pan and keep it inside the casserole. You can take it out late while having food. 

Mashed Potato as a side dish

Ingredients: 

Peeled, sliced and boiled potatoes - 4 (big size)

Salt (as per your taste)

Mustard Oil -1 tbsp

Red Chili - 2

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Onion (finely chopped)

Process for making mashed potato

1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add cumin seeds, red chili. Fry for 1 minutes. 

2. Add onion. Fry it until it gets caramelized. Pour it on the boiled potato pieces. 

3. Add salt to the potato. 

4. Mash the potato in hand very well. 

5. Make mouthful balls with mashed potatoes. Your mashed potato is ready. 

I always love to see a mouthful mashed potato ball on the top of the rice. Here I kept one fried fish piece. You can vary the taste by squeezing a teaspoonful of lemon juice...poring a lump of ghee, Dhonia Chutney and nay-what-not. 
Here I'm telling you another way of mashed potato, or in case you don't like to add onion or if you don't want to make spicy one, or you are typically an additional taste enhancer; the process is here below:

Ingredients:

Peeled, sliced and boiled potatoes - 4 (big size)

Salt (as per your taste)
Pepper Powder - 1tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Butter / Ghee / Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Milk / cream - 1 tbsp

Process: 
1. Heat butter / ghee / olive oil in a pan. Add garlic paste. Stir for 1 minute.
2. Add cream or milk to oil. Mix well. 
3. Pour it into the boiled potato. Add salt and pepper to the potato.
4. Mash the potato in hand. Make mouthful balls.

So friends, please try it at home. I'm sure, richness of cream or the tang of condiments would add a distinctive flavour to your mashed potato. Do let me know if you like this new recipe... :-)

Coconut Hilsa - Bengalis call it "Dudhia Ilish"

Ingredients for Coconut Hilsa

Hilsa Fish - 4 pieces
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Green Chili Paste - 1 tbsp
Poppy Paste  2 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional, I used. If you want to see white color of the gravy, don't use turmeric powder.)
White Oil
Water
Salt and sugar as per paste

Process for making Dudhia Ilish

1. Heat oil in a Pan. Add Poppy seed paste to hot oil. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add water and then half of the coconut milk. Stir well. (At this stage I added turmeric powder)
3. Add salt, sugar, chili paste and then fish pieces.
4. Once it starts boiling, add grated coconut. Let it be boiled.
5. Meanwhile add rest of the coconut milk. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Take it out from the oven.

You can have Coconut Hilsa with hot rice. 

Mouri Potol

Things required to cook Mouri Potol (Pointed Gourd with Fennel Seed)

Potol / Pointed Gourd – 500 Grams

White Curd – 2 tbsp (If you need thick gravy, add one more table spoon)

Fennel Seed – 1.5 tbsp (You can grind the roasted fennel seed)

Ginger + Chili Paste – 1.5 tbsp (You can add more chili to the paste according to your taste)

Dry Red Chili – 2

Cardamom + Cinnamon + Bay Leaf + Cloves – 3 (Crushed) + 2 (Small Size)+1 (Big Size)+2

Shah Jeera (Black Cumin)- 1.5 tsp

Turmeric Powder + Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp +1 tsp

Salt and Sugar as per taste

Oil

Water

How to cook Mouri Potol

1. The very first job is making a smooth powder of fennel seed. Roast the fennel seeds in hot frying pan. Then keep it aside for cooling down. After that, grind the roasted seed in mixer grinder. But don’t use water. If you wish, you can make this powder in large amount for future use. If you add water, you can’t use it in future.

I make this dish very frequently, almost on every Thursday. So I kept the powder in an air-tight bottle.

2. Now we have to make the paste by mixing fennel seed powder, ginger, chili and little water. This time you can add more chili as per your requirement. Keep it aside.

3. Add sugar and salt to the white curd. Check if there is any lump in the curd. Add little water to the curd and beat well with little water.

4. Peel the skin of the Pointed Gourd. Sprinkle little turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt on them. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. Fry those pointed gourd till golden. Take them out of the pan and set aside.

5. Now we have to fry whole spices. Check if more oil required on the pan. Add whole spices i.e. red chili, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and at last Shah Jeera. Wait till it leaves a nice aroma. Now add the paste that you made with fennel, ginger and chili. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes.

6. Reduce the heat, because now you are going to add the curd. Now add the curd. And don’t forget to stir continuously. Otherwise it would create lump. Do you notice oil separating from the curd? That means the curd is almost done.

7. Now add other spice powders i.e. turmeric powder, red chili powder. Add fried pointed gourd and mix well. Pour water as per your gravy requirement. After 1 minute, you must see the gravy boils. Add salt and sugar. Let it be boiled for 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning. Reduce the flame and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for next 5-7 minutes.

8. You can serve it with hot steamed rice. 

Spiced Egg Bharta - Raw eggs directly added to the curry

Ingredients for making Spiced Egg Bharta (for 2 person)

Egg - 4 (You don't need to boil them, we will directly add the raw egg to the curry)
Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Spice Powders (Red Chili Powder + Coriander Powder + Garam Masala + Pepper Powder) - 1 tsp of each
Onion - 1 (Chopped)
Tomato - 1
Ginger + Garlic + Green Chili Paste - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds powder
Cumin Powder
Poppy seed paste
Cashew Nuts
Curd
Oil
Salt
Water

Process to make Egg Bharta

1. First we have to make a paste of onion, tomato. Add it to the paste of ginger+garlic+chili. Mix well. (Paste no. #1)
2. Take all spice powders in a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of water. Mix well. (Paste no. #2)
3. Now make another paste with poppy seed and cashew nut. Add fennel powder and cumin powder to it. Then add curd. Mix well. (Paste no. #3)
4. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. Add mustard seed. Wait till the seeds splutter,
5. Add curry leaves and stir for 1 minutes.
6. Add paste no #1. Stir for few minutes - till the raw smell leaves. It would take 4-5 minutes. And you need to cook in medium heat.
7. Now add paste no #2. Stir well again.
8. Reduce the heat. Add paste no #3. Mix well. Make sure that there is no lump of curd created in the curry. Stir continuously to avoid the lumps.
9. Add  salt and then 1 cup of water and mix well.
10. Now break one egg and add directly to the boiling curry. Stir continuously, otherwise it would not mix well with the curry.
11. Take another egg and repeat the same way to add to curry.
12.  Once you find the thickly curry in which eggs are mixed well, remove the pan from the oven.

You can serve Egg Bharta with Roti. 

Brinjal in Curd (Doi Begun)

If you have any association with Bengali food, I am sure, you must have heard about Doi Begun, right? This item I learned from my mom. Mom probably leaned it from grand mom. That is how Bengali girls learn cooking.

This Bengali preparation contains Brinjal and curd as main ingredients. Its gravy should be thick and smooth. I prefer to add very little spices, so that it would not overpower the taste of Brinjal. Get the recipe here below. 

Ingredients for Doi Begun

Brinjal - 3
Curd - 3 tbsp 
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Seed - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green Chili - 3-4 
Water
Oil
Salt
Sugar

Kohlapuri Misal Pav

Ingredients for Kohlapuri Misal Pav

A. For Pav

Buns (Pav) - 6 pieces (for 2 persons)
Butter - 2 tsp (to roast the buns)

B. For Usal

Moth beans
Boiled Potato
Onion
Ginger+Garlic paste
Garam Masala
Turmeric powder
Red Chili Powder
Curry Leaves
Mustard Seeds
Asafoetida
Salt
Oil

C. For Gravy

Onion
Tomato
Dried Coconut
Ginger + Garlic Paste
Red Chili Powder
Coriander Powder
Cumin Powder
Turmeric Powder
Coriander leaves
Sugar
Oil
Salt

D. For garnishing

Mixed Farsan
Beaten Curd
Onion
Coriander Leaves
Lemon

Method for cooking Kohlapuri Misal Pav

Making gravy:
First we have to make the gravy. The gravy should be thin.

1. Heat oil in pan. Don’t take much oil. You just need 1 table-spoon full to fry onion until it gets slight golden brown color.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add grated coconut to it and fry again for few minutes until it gets burnt.

3. Add chopped tomato and fry until it get mashed well. Fry for 5 minutes until you see a pulpy mixture in the pan. Take it out of the oven. Cool it down. Grind the mixture to have a smooth paste. 

4. Take 2 table-spoon of this paste aside. It will be used in making Usal.

5. Heat the frying pan again. Pour rest of the paste to pan. Let it be boiled for 3-4 minutes.

6. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Now add water (3 cups) and boil it for 10 minutes until you see a thickly paste.

8. At the end, add coriander leave. Stir well and take out of the oven.

Usal:

1. We need to sprout the moth beans first. To do that we have to soak it overnight – at least 6-7 hours in water. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

2. Steam the beans in pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Don’t forget to add salt while boiling the beans. 

3. Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. Fry for few minutes until it crackles. You need to add asafoetida and curry leaves powder at this point of time.

4. Add onion and fry for few minutes – until it get soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till you feel the raw smell.

5. Add that paste which you prepared for gravy. Saute for few minutes.

6. Add moth beans. Stir for 5 minutes.

7. Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Fry for few minutes.

8. Add water (1 cup is enough) and cover the pan with a lid. Let it be cooked for 7-8 minutes – until it becomes less-gravy.   

Roasting the buns:

Cut the each bun into 2 pieces. Apply little butter in one side of the bun pieces. Roast them on hot pan. You can skip the step of applying butter on bun. Roast them till they stay soft.

Garnishing:

9 layered garnishing is required for an ideal missal pav.

Layer 1: 1 ladle of Usal

Layer 2: 1 ladle of gravy

Layer 3: 3-4 tbsp of poha

Layer 4: 2-3 tbsp of beaten curd

Layer 5: Chopped onion

Layer 6: Chopped Coriander leaves

Layer 7: You can squeeze Lemon at this layer.

Layer 8: 2 tbsp Mixed Farsan

Layer 9: If you skip the layer 7, you must squeeze lemon at this stage. 

Handpicked leg pieces from Bhuna Murg

Things You need to cook Bhuna Murg: (For 4 persons)

For marinade:

8 chicken pieces (I used only leg pieces, skinned)

Lime Juice (2 tbsp)

Turmeric powder (1 tbsp)

Red chili powder (1 tbsp)

Salt (2 tsp)

Yogurt (4 tbsp)

Finely chopped onion (1 medium size)

Mustard Oil (1 tbsp)

For gravy:

Mustard oil - 3-4 tbsp (If you wish, you can add more.)

Green cardamom  + cloves + cinnamon - 3 of each

Bay leaves - 1

Thinly sliced onion - 2 cups 

Garlic-ginger paste - 2 tbsp

Tomato paste - 1 (medium size)

Turmeric Powder, red chili powder, coriander powder - 1 tbsp of each

Water

Lemon Juice made of - 1 piece 

Process to make Bhuna Murg:

1. Wash the chicken pieces well and keep it aside for pat-drying. 
2. Now you have to marinade the pieces using salt, few drops of lemon juice, turmeric powder and red chili powder. 
3. Remember, you have to keep the pieces in a stain-less steel bow (yes, because non-reactive pot should be used for lemon based marinade).
4. Toss and rub the chicken pieces. Set the bowl in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile you chop the onion. Mix it with yogurt and oil. 
6. Take out the chicken bowl from the refrigerator and mix onion+yogurt+oil with chicken. Allow it to marinate again for 1 hour.
7. Crush the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and peppercorn. Keep them aside. 
8. After 1 hour, take out the chicken bowl from the refrigerator. 
9. Now you have to shake off the marinade from the chicken pieces. 
10. Keep the marinade in a different bowl. 
11. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. 
12. Add chicken pieces and cook from both sides. Keep cooking until you see the pieces get slightly brown color. It would take approx 5-7 minutes. Take out the chicken pieces from the pan and keep them in a different bowl. 
13. Place the same pan on the oven. Don't add oil now. Allow it to heat up.
14. Add peppercorn, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, cardamom. Let them sizzle. Add the marinade which you have kept in a different bowl..no? Add little sugar. Stir till the onion marinade becomes soft. 
15. Add ginger+garlic paste, turmeric powder and red chili powder, salt. Stir well for few minutes. Don't add water at this stage. 
16. Now add chicken pieces and cook for approximately 10 minutes by stirring occasionally. At this stage you have to add coriander powder. Stir till the chicken pieces are half cooked. Check if the raw smell of spices goes away.
17. Do you see the oil bubble rising up from the boiling curry? If yes, it indicates that the oil is separating from the spices. 
18. Now add water, slit green chili. Cover the pan with a lid. Let it be boiled for few minutes. Don't over-boil the chicken, else the pieces would fall of the bones. 
19. Once done, drizzle some lemon juice on the top. 
20. Remember, you should uncover the pan just before serving it. If you uncover the pan right after cooking, the chicken pieces would dry out. And you would not get that thin oily gravy which you see in the image above.  

Your Bhuna Murg is ready. You can serve it with hot rice, roti, nun or puri. 

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Experimenting Thai Recipe with Chicken Legs - Smoked and Grilled in Pressure Cooker!!!

What I used:

2 leg pieces of Chicken
1 tbsp of Brown Sugar
2 tbsp of coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tsp of Garlic Paste
1/2 cup of coconut milk (I used coconut powder mixed in hot water)
2 tp of curry leaves powder
3 tbsp of fish sauce
1 tbsp of chili flakes (or more er your taste)
1 tbsp of lime juice
1/2 cup of peanut butter (smooth one)
1 red onion (finely chopped)
Salt to taste


How I cooked:

In a blender or food processor, combine coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, onion, peanut butter, curry powder, pepper flakes, brown sugar and salt. Process until smooth. Stir in coriander leaves. 

Pour approximately half the marinade into a sealable plastic bag. Pour the remaining marinade into a separate container, cover and refrigerate. This portion will be used as a dipping sauce for the cooked chicken. 

Add chicken legs to the marinade in a bag. Close the bag and turn it gently to coat the legs in the marinade. Refrigerate the chicken for 10-12 hours. 

Spread some salt on the base of pressure cooker. Place it in oven and preheat for 15 minute. White pre-heating the cooker, make sure that you have removed the whistle.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard the bag. Put legs on an aluminium bowl and place in the preheated pressure cooker. Heat the chicken leg pieces for 15 -20 minutes.  

Grilled chicken is ready. You can serve it with any sauce or dip of your choice.