Pakistani Chicken Rezala

Pakistani Chicken Rezala

Pakistani food is very much similar to that of Indian, but in few cuisines the style of cooking and ingredients differ. Like the Rezala in India mostly has a thin gravy, consisting mostly the oil in which it is cooked. But the Pakistani version has a thicker gravy and richer in taste. I always prefer to cook the Pakistani version because the full bodied sauce makes it more yummy. So why not cook Chicken Rezala for the Sunday family dinner and enjoy it with hot and fresh naan (Roasted flat breads).

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time      : 40 minutes
Difficulty              : Easy
Serves                  :  4

Ingredients :

•  1 kg Chicken Cut into 10 / 12 pieces
•  1 medium Onion, 1/2 of it thinly sliced
•  4 Green Chili, (2 sliced)
•  2-3 Garlic cloves
•  1/2 inch Ginger root  (to yield 1/2 tsp in paste)
•  4 tbsp Ghee/ Clarified Butter
•  1 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
•  1/2 cup full creamed Milk
•  1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
•  2 tbsp Sugar (or to taste, the dish is meant to be on the sweet side)
•  1/2 tsp Black Pepper
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1. Prepare the chicken by washing and patting them dry with a paper towel, before chopping them into pieces.

2. In a blender, blend 2 chilies, garlic, ginger and half of the unsliced onion into a puree.

3. In a sealable container, marinate the chicken pieces with the blended paste, garam masala powder, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper, for about 1/2 -1 hour. The longer you marinate the tender the meat gets, I did for about an hour.

4. In a bowl, beat the yogurt with the sugar and set aside.

5. In a heavy base non-stick pan, heat the ghee/ clarified butter till it melts. But be careful to see that it does not burn.

 6. In batches, saute the chicken pieces until cooked through. Make sure your heat is not too high as it will brown up the chicken. Remove and let it rest on a plate.

  7. Add the sliced half of the onion to the pan, and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Saute till translucent.

 8. Add the yogurt mixture and simmer on medium heat for 4-5 min.

 9. Return the chicken pieces to the pan along with the milk. When adding the milk, make sure to remove your pan from heat, and then once stirred in properly, return it on the heat. This will stop the milk from cuddling.

9. Add the remaining 2 chilies.

10. Simmer the chicken on low-medium heat for about 25-30 min or until the milk evaporates and the ghee separates to create a thick shiny white gravy.

11. Check the seasonings and adjust if required.

 12. Serve hot with Dry Fruits Pilaf or Naan.

Greman Cabbage Rolls

German Cabbage Rolls

Here comes Oktoberfest. A 16 days celebration of Beer. This is celebrated every year in Munich, Bavaria and Germany. It's the time to enjoy with good food. People come down from all over the world to enjoy traditional food like, Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage),  Hendl (chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezeln (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut. This 200 + years old festival started as a celebration of cultivation. Today I am posting one of my most favourite German dish, Cabbage Rolls to celebrate the Great Oktoberfest.

Preparation Time   : 30 minutes
Cooking Time        : 90 minutes
Difficulty                : Medium
Serves                    :  6

Ingredients :

450 grams lean Ground Beef (traditionally they use beef, you can use Lamb/Mutton Mince)

450 grams ground Sausage (you can use and spicy frankfurters)

1 Onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup uncooked White Rice

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Tomato Puree or Blanched, skinned and chopped Tomatoes

Salt to taste

Ground Black Pepper to taste

1 large head Cabbage

1 jar Sauerkraut (this is picked sour cabbage) (see Note)

 

Method :

 1) In a large bowl, combine the ground beef/Lamb/mutton, sausage, chopped onion, rice, water, and salt and pepper.

 

 2) Bring a large pot of water a boil over medium heat.

 

 3) Separate 12 to 15 large cabbage leaves from the head, and place in boiling water.

 

 4) Boil until soft, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from water, and set aside.

 

 5) Into the centre of each leaf, place a small amount of the meat mixture.

 

 

 

 6) Fold in the sides, and roll up from the bottom. Secure with a toothpick.

 

 

 7) Place a layer of sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot.

 

 8) Arrange cabbage rolls in a single layer over the sauerkraut.

 

 9) Cover with remaining sauerkraut. and add the tomatoes and salt to taste.

 

10)  Pour in enough water to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 90 minutes.

 

 11) At the end of 90 minutes, carefully take out the rolls on a serving dish and pour the cooked sauerkraut from the top.

  

 12) Serve hot with loads of Potato mashes and some pretzel to follow.


Note :If you can't manage a jar of sauerkraut, use normal cabbage finely sliced and soaked in vinegar for a couple of hours, with some salt. Keep it covered in a warm place. At the end of 2 hours, squeeze out the liquid and use the cabbage in place of sauerkraut. Ideally this requires a 14 days fermentation.

 

 

Chilaquiles-Style Roasted Chicken Legs

Chilaquiles-Style Roasted Chicken Legs

 

Chilaquiles is a common dish in Mexico. The ladies in Mexico are so conscious about food that they never throw away the leftovers. This dish is made in almost all Mexican homes with leftover Chicken, Tortilla strips, Corn and Cheese. I find this idea very intriguing as in every Indian home, mothers teach their children not to waste food and they too recycle the leftovers into some wonderful dishes, which never seems like leftovers any more.  So when I came across Chilaquiles, I was fascinated and tried to come up with some more innovations. Here is one such dish for you. I have used Chicken legs, you can use any leftover chicken pieces for this dish.

 

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time      :  50 minutes

Difficulty              :  Medium

Serves                  :  4

 

 

Ingredients :

2 Garlic cloves, smashed

Salt to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

400 grams can diced Tomatoes, drained well (you can also blanch fresh tomatoes, skin and chop)

1 cup canned Hominy,(hulled corn with the bran and germ removed, drained) alternatively use can use canned American Sweet Corn

1/4 cup sliced Pickled Jalapenos

6 cups lightly crushed thick Corn Tortilla Chips (you can also use leftover home-made Tortillas, chopped and lightly roasted)

4 Whole Chicken Legs 

Chopped Cilantro/ Coriander leaves for serving   

Sour Cream for serving

Chopped Avocadoes for serving

 

Method :

 1) Preheat the oven to 450°.

 

 2) On a work surface, mash the garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of salt.

 

 3) Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl and stir in the ground cumin, chili powder and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and set aside.

 

 4) In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, toss the drained diced tomatoes with the hominy, jalapenos, half of the spice paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

 

 5) Gently mix in the crushed tortilla chips.

 

 6) On a work surface, cut halfway through the joint between the thigh and drumstick on the underside of each chicken leg.

 

 7) Score the top of each leg 3 or 4 times, cutting to the bone.

 

 8) Rub the remaining spice paste over and into the chicken and arrange skin side up in the baking dish.

 

 9) Roast in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

 

 10) Leave the chicken in the oven and turn on the broiler.

 

 11) Broil/ Roast for about 3 minutes, just until the chicken skin is golden and crispy.

 

 12) Transfer the chicken to a large plate and return the baking dish to the oven.

 

 13) Broil/ Roast for about 3 minutes, until the tortilla chips are lightly browned.

 

 14) Return the chicken to the baking dish, and sprinkle with cilantro.

 

 15) Serve hot with sour cream and avocadoes.

 

This is a one pot meal, so you can serve it as it is. 

 

Chinese Bourbon Chicken

Chinese Bourbon Chicken

For this chicken recipe I should really thank my sons. They first had this dish at a Chinese friends place and came back with the recipe written on the back of a old Birthday card !!  I was surprised at first, then went on to cook the dish. After my sons sampled my cooking they declared it to be better than what they had before. So I wanted to find out how the dish actually tested and went to one of the most famous Chinese food joint and ordered for a dish. I was even more surprised to find actually my version tested better. If you people have tasted Chicken Bourbon elsewhere, now it's your turn to cook my version and find out, which tastes better. By the way, don't forget to let me know.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time      :  30 minutes
Difficulty              :  Very Easy
Serves                  :   4 - 6

Ingredients :

1 kilo boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 -2 tablespoon Olive Oil (use a regular olive oil, no need to cook with expensive Extra Virgin) 

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1/4 teaspoon Ginger, grated 

3/4 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 cup Apple Juice

1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons Ketchup

1 tablespoon Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup Water

1/3 cup Soy Sauce

 

Method :

  1) Heat oil in a large wok over medium -high flame.

 

  2) Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Do not put all the chicken pieces together. Then they will get braised and will not become browned. Put them in batches, with ample space for them to get browned.

 

  3) Remove chicken once they are browned on a plate and set aside.

 

  4)  Do not pour the oil. In the same oil add remaining ingredients, First put in the aromatics, i.e. ginger and garlic and saute for a minute and then add the liquid and the sauces. Heat until well mixed and dissolved.

 

  5) Once the sauce starts to bubble, add chicken and bring to a hard boil.

 

  6) Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  

 

  7) Check the seasoning and adjust if required. Check if the chicken is properly cooked. Now pour in a beautiful bowl and serve over hot with rice or noodles.

 

  8) Before serving you can decorate it with finely chopped Green Onions or Coriander sprigs, even with sliced Red Chilies. 

French Pan Roasted Hen with Clavados and Apple

French Pan Roasted Hen with Clavados and Apple

This dish I learnt from the book and net site of one of the most esteemed Chef. He is none other than Chef Andrew Zimmern. I have always admired his talent and the technique. This dish was prepared with Cornish Hens. Just because it is very difficult to get Cornish hens, even in metro cities, I decided to use normal hen, but small ones. I simply followed his instructions, except in another place (though this too was his suggestion, which I opted for) I used Brandy instead of Clavados.  I have never tasted the dish of Chef Andrew Zimmern, by I hope my recreated dish would be somewhere near him. In case any one of my readers happens to know Chef Zimmern, my request to you would be, please prepare my recreated version and get his opinion... I'd be really thankful.

Preparation Time  : 15 minutes
Cooking Time       :  50 minutes (including browning the hens)
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :  4

Ingredients :

• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Cornish Hens, quartered and backbones removed (I used local small hen sand used poultry scissors)
• Kosher Salt to taste
• Freshly ground Pepper
• 5 Shallots, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup Apple Cider
• 1 cup Chicken Stock or low-sodium Broth (I prepared some fresh stock for this dish)
• 1/2 cup Calvados / 1/2 cup Brandy (as suggested by Chef Zimmern)
• 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Granny Smith Apples , peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Dried Currants

Courtsy to Chef Andrew Zimmern

Method :

 1) In a large deep skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat.

 2) Wash clean and pat dry the hens and then season the hen pieces with salt and pepper.

 3) Add half of them to the skillet, and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until browned all over. (This will take about 8 minutes)

 4) Transfer browned ones on to a plate.

 5) Repeat with the remaining hen pieces.

 6) Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until softened,(This will take about 3 minutes).

 7) Add the cider, stock, Calvados/brandy and vinegar and simmer over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until slightly reduced, (this will take about 5 minutes).

 8) Now add the apples and heavy cream and bring to a simmer.

                             This is what I recreated from Chef Zimmern's dish

 9) Return the hens to the skillet and simmer over moderately low heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece registers 160°,(This will take about 10 minutes) In case you don't have a thermometer, go for a fork test, i.e. the meat should easily flake when pricked with a fork.

10) Transfer the hens to a platter.

11) Add the currants to the skillet and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Check the seasonings and adjust if required.

12) Now spoon the sauce over the hens and serve Hot with a bowl of fresh salad or some fresh crusty bread.

 

Braised Lamb Shanks

Braised Lamb Shanks

 

This dish is from the Island Continent, Australia. The fresh Lambs from the rolling downs are ideal for creating a dish like this. But you can recreate this with Lamb Shanks from any country of the World. As I do sitting here in India. The Lambs speak universal language all over the world and Lamb Shanks tastes equally good everywhere. This dish is one of my most favourite dish for Sunday Lunch. You can prepare it any day of the week.. So go ahead and prepare this ravishing dish over this weekend and enjoy with your family. Only thing that you should keep in mind, is that always try to get fresh meat for this dish.

 

Preparation Time  : 10 minutes

Cooking Time       :  30 minutes (including browning the shanks)

Braising Time        :  2 hours

Difficulty                :  Easy

Serves                    :  2 - 4

 

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon Olive oil

6 Garlic cloves, peeled

1 large Onion, chopped

1 large Carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 (440 g) can peeled Tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved (you can also use fresh tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped into medium pieces)

4 Lamb Shanks

250 ml Red Wine, good drinking quality

4 Bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper

1 liter Beef Stock (approximately) or 1 liter Water (approximately)

 

Method :

 1) Pre-heat oven to 160 degree Celsius. 

 

 2) Heat the oil in a big, heavy-based, oven-proof pan over medium high heat.

 

 3) Brown the shanks well on all sides, remove, and set aside.

 

 4) Fry the garlic, onions and carrot in the same oil, until they are softened. This will take about 6 - 8 minutes.

 

 5) Add the tinned tomatoes or fresh blanched tomatoes and their juice to the pan, and stir well.

 

 6) Add the shanks on top, then add the remaining ingredients.

 

 7) Now pour the stock or water to just barely cover the shanks.

 

 8) Put the uncovered pan in the oven. Braise for about 2 hours, checking it every 30 minutes or so.

 

 9) Remember to turn the shanks each time you check, and replace the liquid (some will evaporate during cooking) to bring it to half-way up the shanks.

 

10) There is only one way to check if the shanks are done, when the meat is beginning to fall of the bone.

 

11) Remove them and place on a warmed serving dish.

 

12) Carefully strain the liquid, pressing with a spoon to get all the juices out. Remember the pan and the shanks are very hot. So handle very carefully. 

 

13) Skim and discard as much fat as you can, then reduce the remaining liquid to a nice gravy consistency.

 

14) Check the seasonings and adjust if required. Then pour over the shanks.

 

15) Serve the dish hot with warm crusty bread to mop up the juices and a bowl full of fresh green salads.

 

 

Baked Fish Greek Style

Baked Fish Greek Style

This wonderful baked fish dish from the sunny islands of Greece is fresh and tangy with fresh Olives and Tomatoes. Just because olives are not grown in India does not give you an excuse of not preparing this wonderful dish for your family members... Now a days you get bottled Olives (including Kalamata) in almost all big food stores. Even Feta cheese are available in the cheese section. So go ahead and prepare this easy Baked Fish and enjoy over the lazy weekend lunch.

Preparation Time :  10 minutes
Baking Time         :  35 - 40 minutes
Difficulty              :   Very Easy
Serves                   :  4

Ingredients :

• 1 Kilo fresh White Fish Fillets, cut into approximately 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 400 grams crushed Tomatoes, Blanch, skin removed, roughly chopped 
• 1 large Onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Kalamata Olive, pitted and halved (you can use other pitted olives too, in case you can't find Kalamata)
• 1/2 cup fresh Parsley, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons small Capers, drained (available bottled in food stores)
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1/2-3/4 cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground Pepper to taste

 

Method :

  1) Wash and clean Fish Fillets. Drain well and then dry in between two kitchen towels and season with salt.

 

  2) Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit/ 190 degree Celsius

 

  3) Place the fish pieces in a metal baking pan.

 

  4) Combine all the remaining ingredients, except the wine and olive oil, season, and distribute on top of fish.

 

  5) Pour the wine and olive oil over and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the fish flakes.

 

  6) Once the fish is ready, set aside for 5 minutes, covered with a foil.

 

   7) Serve hot with the pan juice along with mashed potatoes, blanched beans or a bowl of fresh green salad.

Boliche or Cuban Pot Roast

Boliche or Cuban Pot Roast Stuffed with Ham

This is another of the very famous Cuban recipes I learnt from my ex colleague. This dish is a typical slow cooker. So you can start of the dish on a lazy Saturday afternoon and it's ready by the time you are ready to entertain your guests or rather you are ready with a glass of wine, with your family members sitting round the table... this is not a dish which you can rustle up in minutes nor a dish you can hurriedly push into your mouth on your way to  your office. This is a dish to be enjoyed with someone close. This is the best way to show your love for them. Cubans cook their Boliche, with Pork/Beef stuffed with Ham and I recreated it with Chicken.

Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Cooking Time      :  2 hours 30 minutes
Resting Time       :  15 minutes
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  6 - 8

Ingredients :

• 1 Kilo whole Chicken Roast (It is better to ask for Roast chicken from your Chicken shop, because it is difficult and time consuming to dress a chicken at home)
• 6 large Garlic cloves, crushed well
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 250 grams Ham, chopped into fine sheds
• 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 2 medium Onions, sliced
• 1" slice of 1 Tomato, cut into quarters
• 10 whole Black Peppers
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cup Dry White Cooking Wine
• 1 cup Water

                           Cuban Boliche (Chicken stuffed with shredded Ham)
 

Method :

Before you start, wash clean and drain the chicken well, including the cavity. Then dry it between two kitchen towel, till it is completely dry.

 

 1) Mix garlic with the salt and ground pepper. You can grind them together in a mortar and pestle for ideal results, set it aside.

 

2) Pierce all around the Chicken roast, with a thin sharp knife.

 

3) Using half the garlic mixture, stuff holes.

 

4) Using a long, sharp knife, cut an "X" through the centre of the roast, length-wise, to make a cavity for the ham.

 

5) Pack this cavity with the shredded ham.

 

6) Spread any leftover garlic mixture on the surface of the roast.

7) Heat a pan large enough to hold the whole roast on medium high gas. Add vegetable oil.

 

8) Once the vegetable oil is hot enough, add the Chicken and brown the roast on all sides. This is going to take about 15 minutes.

 

9) Once the chicken is properly browned, add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil.

 

10) Cover and lower the heat to a slow simmer.

 

11) Cook for 2-1/2 hours, turning the roast every half hour or so.

12) Once the roast is done and passes the fork test (i.e. the fork enters the thickest part of the chicken easily and it flakes out) take is out on a plate and cover with a foil.

13) Let it rest for 15 minutes, while you reduce the pan sauce to a sauce consistency. Check the seasonings and adjust if required.

14) To serve slice and garnish with the sauce.  You can serve this with mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables or even with yellow rice.

 

                                     A Typical Cuban Boliche with Beef

 

Spaghetti with Meatball Sauce

Spaghetti with Meatball Sauce

The Spaghetti dishes are most favourite Italian food of my sons. They prefer to have spaghetti any day, and I also very happily cook the buckwheat spaghetti, which is tasty as well as healthy. This Spaghetti dish with meatball sauce came from my friend who was transferred to Italy. A typical Bengali girl, who survived on fish curry, rice was forced to eat pastas and spaghetti days in and out. Ultimately she mastered the Italian cuisine so well that, post her 4 years stint in Italy, she came back to India and opened an Italian Restaurant. This is one of her best dishes.

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time     : 2 hours
Difficulty            : Easy
Serves                : 6

Ingredients :

MEATBALLS :

500 grams lean ground Beef/Mutton/Lamb 

1 cup fresh Bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dried Parsley

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder (you get them bottled, in case you don't find it, use 1 small clove of garlic, grated) 

1 Egg, beaten

SAUCE :

3/4 cup chopped Onion

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Olive oil (use ordinary Olive oil, no need to use Extra Virgin) 

800 grams whole peeled Tomatoes (blanched, and peeled)

2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon white Sugar

1 Bay leaf

2 packs of Tomato paste (puree)

3/4 teaspoon dried Basil

1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Spaghetti 1 x 400grams pack, cooked as per instruction.

Method :

1) In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg.

 

2) Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.

 

3) Add Olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

 

4) Once the Oil is hot, add onions and garlic.

 

5) Saute onion and garlic, until onion is translucent.

 

6) Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes.

 

7) Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more.

 

8) Once the meat balls are properly cooked, check the seasonings and adjust if required.

 

9) Serve hot on the bed of ready spaghetti.

 

Kadhai Keema

Kadhai Keema

This mutton mince dish is from Pakistan. The cuisines from Pakistan are very close to that of Indian Cuisine, so this dish will be the best for any Indian Kitchen. I learnt about this from a dear friend of mine, who is from Pakistan. He used to cook this dish with beef mince. As most of the people in India do not eat or cook beef, hence I generally cook this with mutton or lamb mince and they do not alter much from the original taste. You can also cook this dish with Chicken mince, but that does not taste as good as red meat.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Marination Time  : 2 hours
Cooking Time      :
Difficulty              :  Easy
Serves                  :  4

Ingredients :

• 500 grams Ground Mutton / Lamb
• 2 medium sized Onions, finely chopped
• 4 small Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Ginger -Garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 2 to 3 whole Cloves
• 1 to 3 Cardamom pods
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons Cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons Garam masala (This is a typical spice mix used all over Indian Sub Continent, you'll get packaged masala in any food store)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
• 4 tablespoons Oil (use any vegetable oil)
• Salt to taste
For garnish :
• Finely chopped Cilantro (Coriander) leaves
• 3 tablespoons Lemon juice

        For marinade : Blend these ingredients together.

• Fistful Cilantro (Coriander) leaves
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon Curd (plain)

Method :

1) Wash, clean and Drain the Mutton/Lamb mince.

2) Mix the marinate with the mince very well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3) Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat.

 4) Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves , cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds and saute on medium high for a minute.

5) Add the ginger and garlic paste and saute till light brown.

6) Add the onions, fry them till they are translucent.

7) Now add tomatoes and saute till the oil starts to separate.

8) Add the all the powdered spices. Cook for a couple of minutes. During this time, you can also sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning.

9) Once the spices are cooked, and oil separates, add the ground mutton/lamb and mix well.

10) Cook for 5 minutes on high heat.

11) Add salt, simmer and cook till done.

12) Once the mince are well cooked, taste and adjust seasonings if required.

13) Pour in a dish and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves) and serve with a lemon wedge for the tangy taste.

14) This dish goes well with any Pilaf or Flat Breads like Naan, Chapati, Paratha etc.

 

 

 

Hawaiian Spare Ribs

Hawaiian Spare Ribs

I was fascinated, awestruck and spellbound... yes I'm giving sooo many attributes because this dish is worth every single word of praise. This Spare Ribs dish though originates in Hawaii, but it is totally influenced by the Chinese immigrants in Hawaii. The ingredients used in this dish are very Asian and the taste is absolutely unique. I first tasted this dish at a Hawaiian restaurant  in New York and managed to get the recipe from the chef. Then every time I cooked this dish, the diners ended up licking their fingers. So be ready to cook this lip smacking, finger licking dish for your loved ones.

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Grilling time        : 1 hour, with a basting at Half an hour
Resting time       :  15 minutes
Difficulty             :  Easy
Serves                 :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

1 Kilo Spareribs

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons Red Bean Curd Sauce (available at all speciality / Asian food stores) 

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 teaspoon Five Spice powder (a powder made of 5 spices, used widely in Chinese cooking) (see Note) 

1 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Sherry or Whiskey

1 teaspoon Red Food Colouring

1 clove Garlic, crushed

 

Method :

 1) Prepare a marinade by combining all of the ingredients except the spareribs themselves.

 2) Marinate the spareribs 12-24 hours in the fridge, well covered, turning the ribs over several times.

 3) About an hour before serving, pre heat your oven to 300 degree Fahrenheit.

 4) Place the ribs on a wire rack and bake them for half an hour. Keep the marinade aside.

 5) After a half hour, turn and baste the spareribs with the marinade.

 6) Continue cooking for about another half hour or until spareribs reach an internal temperature of 155°F to 160°F. Or pass the fork test, i.e. it breaks easily with a fork.

 7) Take out the ribs. cover with a foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.

 8) Serve hot with plenty of green salad and a slices of fresh/canned pineapples.


Note : from Wikipedia

The formulae are based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food. There are many variants. The most common is bajiao (star anise), cloves, cinnamon, huajiao (Sichuan pepper) and ground fennel seeds. Instead of true cinnamon, "Chinese cinnamon" (also known as rougui, the ground bark of the cassia tree, a close relative of true cinnamon which is often sold as cinnamon), may be used. The spices need not be used in equal quantities. Spices are dry roasted and then powdered.

Adobong Manok or Chicken Adobo

Adobong Manok or Chicken Adobo

This is a Philippine dish, which was originally created by the Spanish Colonisers. The name adobo comes from Spanish, it means Marinade. The people of Philippines have adopted this style of cooking and use it for cooking just anything. So you will also find Pork Adobo, Fish, Squid, Green beans even Eggplant Adobos being served in Philippine restaurants. This dish is easy to make and stays well for long due to the marination.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Marination Time  :  4 Hours
Cooking Time      :  40 minutes
Difficulty              :  Easy
Serves                  :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

1 1/2 kilos Chicken, cut into serving pieces

3/4 cup White vinegar

1/4 cup Soy sauce

1/2 Onion, thinly sliced

4-6 cloves Garlic, crushed 

1-2 Bay leaf

6-8 Peppercorns

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Water

1/4 cup Oil

 

Method:

1 ) Add the chicken pieces, vinegar, soy sauce, onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt to a large, non-reactive bowl and refrigerate for 1-4 hours to marinate.

 

2) Place the chicken and its marinade in a large pot.

 

3) Add the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

 

4) Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

 

5) Add water as necessary to keep the chicken from drying out.

 

6) Remove the chicken from its sauce, reserving the sauce, and pat dry.

 

7) Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high flame and saute the chicken pieces to brown them. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

8) In a separate pot bring the remaining sauce to a boil over medium flame and cook until somewhat reduced and thickened. Discard the bay leaves.

 

9) Toss the browned chicken pieces with the reduced sauce and serve with rice.

 

Adobo Variations :

 

Adobong Manok na Gata (Chicken in vinegar sauce with coconut milk):

 

Use 1 cup coconut milk instead of the water. Keeping the rest of the recipe same.

 

Zuiji or Drunken Chicken

Zuiji or Drunken Chicken

Yes Chicken can also get drunk :) This dish is named so because the chicken is marinated in potent rice wine. I picked up this dish from an authentic Chinese recipe book, which mentioned that in China they also prepare a similar kind of dish with fish, which for obvious reasons is called a Drunken Fish.  Well, When I first prepared this dish, for a friends meet, everyone laughed their heart out, just getting to know the name. But when it came to taste the chicken, they were all amazed by the simple and wonderful taste of this dish. Hence I thought, I must share with my other friends too...

Preparation Time : 5 minutes
Cooking Time      : 35 - 40 minutes
Cooling Time       : 8 hours in fridge
Difficulty              : Very Easy
Serves                  :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

1 1/2 kilos of Whole chicken, cut into pieces

3 Scallions, roughly chopped 

3 slices Ginger root, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon Salt 

Water to cover

2 cups Rice wine or Dry Sherry (you can always use Sherry if you think the smell of Rice wine is too strong for you)

2 tablespoons Sugar

Method :

  1) Add the chicken, scallions, ginger and salt to a large pot and add cold water to cover.

 2) Bring to a boil over medium-high flame, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.

 3) Remove the chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

 4) Discard the scallions and ginger and bring the broth back to a boil.

 5) Continue to boil until the volume of the broth is reduced by about half.

 6) Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

 7) Mix 2 cups of the concentrated broth with the rice wine or sherry and sugar. (Save the remaining broth for soup.)

8) Check and adjust seasoning, if required. Now, pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

9) Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade (it may have gelled at this point; that's good) and use a heavy cleaver or knife to cut them into bite-sized pieces.

10 ) Arrange the pieces neatly on a plate and serve. 

11) The marinade is served either cold and gelled or it can be lightly heated until it melts and served in small bowls as a dipping sauce.

This dish is mostly served cold, because it is meant to be a summer dish. But I generally heat up both the chicken and the marinade before serving. This dish can also be served as a starter, instead of main course.

Dal Kofta Curry

Dal Kofta Curry, Lentil Balls in Curry Sauce

This wonderful vegetarian dish is from Pakistan. The fragrant Curry sauce is very unique to The Indian Subcontinent and it's neighbouring countries. The use of lentils in every day food actually is a good source of protein for the huge Vegan population. I learnt this dish from a garment trader, who had set up a shop here in India and is my guru in Pakistani Cuisine. His father owns a Dhaba (Food stall) in Islamabad and he has picked up the secrets of trade. But to him, it is only limited to a passion of cooking for himself, his family and friends like us. I wanted to share this dish on my blog, to Honor his friendship.

Preparation Time : 6 - 8 hours for soaking, 20 minutes for masalas
Cooking Time      : 1 hour
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  4

Ingredients :

For Koftas :

• 4 Tablespoons of Urad Dal (Split Black Gram)
• 1/4 cup of Toor Dal / Arhar Dal / Tuvar Dal (Split Yellow Pigeon Peas)
• 1/4 cup of Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram)
• 1/4 cup of Moong Dal (split yellow lentil)
• 1/2 cup of Chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2 tablespoons of Chopped Mint Leaves
• 2 teaspoons of Saunf (Fennel seeds)
• 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala powder (commonly available packed in any food store)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

For Gravy :

• 2 Large Onions
• 1 Large Tomato
• 1 Tablespoon of Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Teaspoon of Green Chili paste
• 1/2 Cup of Dal Kofta Batter (see above ingredients for Kofta)
• 4 -5 Curry Leaves
• 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds
• 1 Star Anise or Charki Phool
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon Coriander and Cumin seed powder
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilly powder
• 1 tablespoon of Garam masala powder
• 1/2 Cup of Cream
• Water
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

Method :

1) Soak all the dals/lentils overnight, or for 6 – 8 Hours. When they are soft, coarsely grind them in the food processor. Take care not to use much water while grinding. The paste should be thick enough to just drop off a spoon.

2) Add Chopped Coriander Leaves, Chopped Mint Leaves, salt, fennel and garam masala powder in the Dal batter.

3) Heat oil for frying in a big wok, on medium high heat.

4) Once the oil is hot enough, start frying the Dal koftas. Make small balls from the Dal batter. and add to the oil. Fry till golden. If the batter is not thick, try using deep round spatula or big spoon to drop the balls in the oil for frying. Remember not to overcrowd the wok, so fry the batter in batches.

5) Once done, set them aside.  Remember to keep 1/2 cup of the kofta batter aside to add in the gravy.

6) Keep a large bowl of cold water handy. Once the koftas are fried dip all the koftas in cold water. This will soften the koftas and make them ready to absorb the curry better.

7) Now, grind onions and tomatoes in a smooth paste, separately, for the gravy.

8) Heat oil in a wok over medium flame, add star anise, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

9) When seeds starts spluttering add curry leaves and onion paste. Saute for few minutes.

10) Add tomato paste, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin seeds powder, red chilly powder and saute till oil leaves the side of the vessel.

11) Add Dal kofta batter which was kept aside and saute for few minutes. Since its a Dal mixture the gravy will become thick, so add 1/2 cup of water and garam masala and mix it in the gravy.

12) Add Dal koftas in the gravy and cook for few minutes. Don't boil the gravy with the koftas for long , then the koftas will disintegrate.

13) Once the curry is cooked add cream and chopped coriander leaves.

14) Serve this dish hot with pilaf or Roti, The wheat flat-bread.

Kari Ikan, Malaysian Fish Curry

Kari Ikan, Malaysian Fish Curry

This unique fish dish is one of the most popular fish dish all over Malaysia. No wonder, it heads the fish menu of any restaurant you step in. It is cooked in almost all household more than once a week. This dish is also found on the menu card of speciality restaurants outside Malaysia. An amazing curry made with fresh fish and Okra is generally eaten with simple white rice. The best thing of this dish is, it is simple and easy to prepare.

Preparation Time :  20 minutes (more if you make fresh coconut milk)
Cooking Time      :  30 - 35 minutes
Difficulty              :  Easy
Serves                  :  4

Ingredients :

5 Garlic cloves 

1 medium Onion 

3 tablespoons Fish Curry powder (See Note)

3 tablespoons Dried Tamarind

2 1/4 cups or 560 mils Water

4 tablespoons Oil (use any vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds

1/4 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 stalk Curry leaf

2 medium Tomatoes, cut into wedges

500 g Grouper / Trevally / Black Pomfret

10 Okra/ Ladies finger, stalk ends removed

2 Green Chilies, halved lengthwise

125 ml Coconut Milk (use can make fresh or use packaged ones)

1 teaspoon Salt

 

 

Method :

 1) Process garlic and onion to a smooth paste in a spice blender, adding a little oil if needed to keep the mixture turning,set aside.

 

 2) Mix curry powder with 4 tbsp water to form a paste,set aside.

 

 3) Soak tamarind pulp in 500ml (2 cups) of water for 5 minutes, then squeeze and strain to obtain juice, strain the juice properly and set aside.

 

 4) Heat a deep pan on medium - high heat. When sufficiently hot, add the oil.

 

 5) Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin seeds and curry leaves.

 Fry until mustard seeds start to pop (around 30 seconds), immediately simmer, otherwise the spices will burn and add a bitter taste.

 

 6) Now, add the garlic onion paste to the spices, increase the heat and stir fry  until mixture smells fragrant and starts to brown (about 5 minutes). In between you can keep sprinkling water, about 1 teaspoon at a time, so that the masalas get fried properly and don't burn.

 

 7) Now add prepared curry paste and cook over low heat until dry and oil starts to separate (about 8 to 10 minutes).

 

 8) When you see the oil oozing from the sides, add tamarind juice and bring to a boil.

 

 9) Now add fish and okras, tomatoes, chillies, coconut milk, salt.

 

 10) Turn the heat to simmer. Gently cook about 10 minutes (or until fish and okras are cooked through).

Note :

The Malay Fish Curry Powder; is one of the things I bought from Malaysia. At home,  I checked the ingredients list and after a couple of little trial and errors, I came up with this. And I can assure you, it is a pretty close to the packaged powder I bought ! In Malay cuisine, curry powder/masala is a blend of sweet and pungent spices. Now with this recipe, you can prepare your own Curry powder at home.

• 1/2 cup Coriander seeds 
• 1 tablespoon Clove
• 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon Black Mustard Seeds
• 3 tablespoons Fenugreek seeds
• 2 tablespoons Black Pepper corns
• 3 small Dried hot Red Chilies, seeds and stems removed (leave the seeds if you want your curry to be hot)
• 3 tablespoons Cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup Ground Cardamom
• 1/4 cup Turmeric Powder 
• 1 tablespoon Ground Dried Ginger 
• 2 Curry leaves, chopped into small pieces

1) Place all the whole seeds in a frying pan and dry roast for a minute or two, until they become pungent and release their fragrance.

2) Cool them slightly and then place them in a food processor or coffee grinder and pulse until they are finely ground - or grind them with a pestle and mortar.

3) Add the remaining ground spices, including the chillies and the curry leaves, to the roasted spices and mix well.

4) Store in an airtight jar or tin for up to 6 months, in a dry, cool and dark place.

Arroz Con Pollo

Arroz Con Pollo, Latin Rice with Chicken

This dish originated in Spain and is still relished in every household. When the Spaniards went to Latin America they carried forward their love for this dish and it was so tasty that the Latin Americans welcomed it with open arms or rather open mouths :) This dish is also quite famous in Caribbeans, specially in Cuba and Peurto Rico. Jokes apart, I learnt about this dish, from a Spanish social worker, who came to India for a year and taught in some church run schools. She used to cook Spanish/Portuguese and Latin American food every weekend during her holidays and I was a permanent feature of her dining table. I always liked this dish because it is light and tasty. This is an ideal one pot meal, when you are too tired at the end of the day...

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Marination Time  : 1 hour to Overnight
Cooking Time      : 45 - 50 minutes
Resting Time       : 10 minutes
Difficulty              : Easy
Serves                  : 4 - 6

Ingredients :

1 1/2 kilos Chicken, cut into serving pieces

1 Lemon or lime, juice only

3 to 5 cloves Garlic, minced

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste 

3 tablespoons Olive oil

1 Onion, chopped

1 Green or red bell pepper, chopped

3 to 5 cloves Garlic, minced

1 cup Ham chopped, (optional)

3 cups Rice (use any long grained rice)

1 cup Tomato, seeded and chopped 

3 1/2 cups Chicken stock or water(you can also use broth powder in warm

water)

10 to 15 Green olives 

1 cup Peas

2 teaspoons Oregano (if you can't find fresh ones use bottled ones)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1/2 bunch Cilantro/Coriander leaves chopped 

 

Method :

1) In the beginning let me tell you that in the ingredients list you might find salt and pepper mentioned twice, it is purposefully done, not by mistake. You would need salt and pepper two times in this dish.

 

2) In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the lemon or lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

 

3) Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium flame. Add Olive Oil to the pan.

 

4) Wash, clean and drain the chicken pieces and then pat the chicken pieces dry  between two kitchen towels and set aside.

 

5) When the oil is sufficiently hot add chicken pieces in small batches and saute them to brown on all sides. Remove to a platter and set aside. Remember not to overcrowd the pan, then the chicken pieces will get braised before they get browned.

 

6) Once all the chicken pieces are done, add a little more oil to the pot and add the onion, peppers, garlic and optional ham.

 

7) Saute the onion, peppers, garlic and optional ham until the onion is translucent but not browned. While adding the ingredients, don't add everything together, just put one and fry for a couple of seconds and then add the second one.

 

8) Now, stir in the rice and tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

 

9) Once the rice and tomatoes are properly mixed with onion mixture, add the stock or water, olives, peas, oregano, salt and pepper.

 

10) Lay the browned chicken pieces over the top. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for about 30 minutes.

 

11) Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

 

12) Toss all the ingredients gently with a fork, garnish with the chopped cilantro/Coriander leaves and serve.

 

Arroz con Pollo Variations :
1) When you are sauteing the onions, just add 1-2 tablespoons of paprika. This will bring a new dimension to your dish.
2) Use a short-grain rice, like Valencia or Arborio, if you can find it.

3) Substitute a little beer or white wine for some of the stock or water if you like.
 
 Fun Facts :Peruvians also enjoy a similar dish , Called Arroz Con Pato, that substitutes duck for the chicken.

 

Italian Casserole

Italian Casserole

I was invited to the then Chief of Greeting Card Operations, UNICEF, for an informal dinner. I knew his wife was Italian, but never expected that she would serve a traditional Italian food for a hungry bunch for hardcore Bengali guys n gals. Most of them were not aware of any non - Indian food except Chinese. But I was quite keen as I have just started picking up a bit of Italian cooking myself and could identify a few herbs and cheeses.. So when this casserole was there in front of us I was ready to dig in. And wow !! What a dish it was!! Simple cooking but bursting with flavours an the cheesy crust on the top is enough to make you drool. I left their house that night with the recipe tightly tucked in the corner of my clutch. And here it is for you all ...

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time      :  1 hour
Baking Time         :  8 - 10 minutes
Difficulty              :  Easy
Serves                  :   4

Ingredients :

500 grams of Lean Ground Mutton (though traditionally beef is used) 

2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

400 grams whole peeled Tomatoes, chopped (blanch them and remove the skin)

400 gram of Tomato paste or simply use 1 full can 

1 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon dried Parsley (you can get bottled ones at any food store)

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt (you can get bottled ones at any food store)

Black pepper to taste

200 grams of Fettuccine or Spaghetti (the regular ones would also do)

1 340 grams package of  processed sharp Cheddar Cheese singles

 

Method :

1) Heat a large Skillet over medium heat and add Olive oil.

2) In the skillet, add ground meat. Brown it properly. Taking time to turn.

3) Once all the meat is browned add Onions and stir in. Mix well and keep stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, till the meat and onions start leaving liquid.

4) Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, parsley, garlic salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat. 

5) Cover and cook till the meat is properly cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. This will take bout 45 minutes to an hour.

6) In between preheat oven to 175 degrees Centigrade.

7) At the same time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

8) Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

9) In a casserole dish, combine pasta and meat mixture. Check seasoning and adjust, if required.

10) Top the whole mixture with cheese slices and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

11) Serve hot with loads of napkins...

 

Swedish Spare Ribs

Swedish Spare Ribs

For all these days I've been posting dishes made out of Lamb, Mutton or Chicken but never thought about posting dishes featuring Pork. So here is one of my most favourite dishes for all my friends out there who enjoy Pork as much as I do. These Spare Ribs are yummy and quite easy to prepare. So just roll up your sleeves and try this wonderful dish from Sweden.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time      : 2 hours
Difficulty              : Easy
Serves                  : 6

Ingredients :

1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

2 tablespoons white Sugar

2 teaspoons Salt

2 tablespoons ground Allspice / Kababchini 

1 Kilo of Pork Ribs

1/4 cup butter 

1 can of Broth or 400 mils of fresh Broth (see Note)

 

Method :

 1) In a small bowl, mix together the pepper, sugar, salt and allspice.

 

 2) Wash, Clean and rinse the ribs and drain well. Put each rack of rib between two kitchen towels and soak dry.

 

 3) Sprinkle the spice mixture generously over each rib. Rub well and set aside for 30 minutes in the fridge.

 

 4) Put a large skillet over medium high heat on the oven.

 

 5) Add the butter and melt butter, but be careful not to burn.

 

 6) Brown ribs on all sides in the butter. Remember, don't overcrowd the skillet, then the ribs will be braised before they get browned. Put in small batches at a time.

 

 7) Pour in the broth, cover, and reduce heat to low.

 

 8) Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until ribs are fork tender. Do not remove the lid from the skillet during cooking.

 

 9) Once the spare ribs are ready to serve, check the seasonings and adjust, if required.

 

 10) Serve hot with loads of mash potatoes and/or fresh green salad.

 

 

 

Note :

 

The broth used in this dish is mostly a beef broth. But you can prepare it with mutton too. It is always better to prepare a big batch and stock it in the freezer. It can be used for cooking other non-vegetarian dishes. This is the most easiest way to prepare a hearty fresh broth :

Ingredients :

• 750 grams neck of mutton, use mutton on bones, it is healthier
• 6 cups water
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium turnip or 100 grams of Raw papaya, peeled and chopped
• 2 Carrots, diced
• 1/4 small white cabbage

Method :

Put the meat in a large pan and cover with the cold water. Bring to the boil and skim the surface. Cover, but not too tightly, and simmer gently for 90 minutes. Shred the cabbage and dice the other vegetables and add these to the stock. Bring back to the boil and simmer for half an hour. Your broth is ready. Strain and use in your soup.

The mutton from this broth can be used in other soups or you can also remove the mutton and separate the meat from any bones, chop the meat and return to the soup.