CHICKEN WHITE KORMA-SUCCULENT PIECES OF CHICKEN IN A SUBTLE WHITE SAUCE!

WHITE GRAVY- A different version of "KORMA",In this we avoid using chillies of any kind and if one wishes a little spice then green chillies and red chillies should be avoided and use White pepper powder to give the spice and keep the color white,Its a very creamy and subtle gravy yet very very exotic in its taste.A great blend of mughlai and nawabi cuisine.
Heres the recipe:
Cooking time: 35mins.
Preparation time:15mins
Serves:-5 persons.

Ingredients:

• Chicken-500gms(medium sized pieces)
• Cashewnuts/Kaju- 15no
• Almonds/badam- 15no
• Curd-200gms.
• White pepper powder/Safed kali mirch- 1tsp
• Ginger paste/Adrak-1tsp
• Garlic paste/Lehsun-1tsp
• Rose water-1tsp
• Thin cream-3tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil/Ghee-2tbsp.

Cooking method:

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and squeeze out all the excess water.
• Soak almonds and cashewnuts in a cup of hot water for about 20 mins.When cool peel the almonds,throw the peel and grind both in the same water to a very smooth paste.
• Beat curd till smooth and lump free.
• In a deep pan heat oil and add ginger and garlic paste saute for a minute and then add the chicken pieces,Cook for about 5 mins on a high flame,stirring continously to avoid burning.Now add the curd and the kaju and badam paste,pepper powder and salt with 1/2 cup of water,Cover and cook on a slow flame for about 20 mins.Check in between,this gravy has a tendency to stick to the bottom,Add lil water if needed.
• The gravy at this stage will be thick and the chicken cooked,Add rose water and the cream and cook covered for another 2 mins.
• Ready to serve.

GOAN SHRIMP CURRY!!!

Goa is famous for its exotic sea food gourmet.Rice,Coconut(coconut milk,coconut powder, fresh coconut),Sea foods,kokum(Gamboge),tamarind form important parts of the Goan cuisine.The dishes are mostly spicy and very similiar to Malvani cuisine/Konkani cuisine.

Coconut and sea food go very well with each other enhancing the taste and flavour of the dish.

Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:25min

Preparation time:15mins

Serves:4-5persons.

Ingredients:

• Large shrimps/Jhinga- 500gms.
• Fresh coconut/khopra- 1cup
• Green chillies- 2no
• Red chilly powder/lal mirch- 1tsp
• Black pepper powder/kali mirch - 1/2tsp
• Corriander powder/Dhanya powder- 1tsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi-1/2tsp
• Cumin powder/Zeera powder- 1tsp
• Tamarind paste-2tsp
• Whole cinnamon/dalchini- 2ïnch piece
• Garlic- 4cloves.
• Fresh corriander leaves- 2tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil- 2tbsp

Cooking method:

• Devein and wash the shrimps.keep aside.
• Grind coconut,garlic,green chillies and little salt to a fine paste.
• In a deep pan heat oil  Add the coconut paste and all the ingredients except fresh corrinader leaves and cook the mixture till oil oozes out of the mixture add liitle water if required,it takes about 15mins to cook the mixture completely and the raw smell of the spices to go.
• Add water according to the gravy consistency you want and let it boil.
• Add shrimps at this stage and fresh corriander leaves and simmer for about 6-7mins on a medium flame.
• Serve hot with rice .

KEEMA ALOO CURRY-MINCED LAMB MEAT WITH POTATOES

Keema aloo-is a very satisfying meal,You can categorize it as an exotic gourmet dish or a very simple homely dish,any which ways its very fulfilling and a treat to your taste buds.Serve it with rice,khichdi,bread,chapatis,etc and enjoy.

Heres the recipe.

Cooking time:20-25mins

Preparation time:15mins

Serves:6 persons

Ingredients:

• Lamb mince-500gms
• Potatoes/aloo-250gms(cut in halves or medium chunks)
• Onions/piyaz-1no large(sliced)
• Tomatoes/tamatar-1no large(sliced)
• Ginger and garlic paste/adrak n lehsun paste-2tsp
• Red chilly powder/lal mirch-1tsp
• Green chillies/hari mirch-4no(slit)
• Turmeric powder/haldi-1tsp.
• Corriander powder-1tsp
• Garam masala powder-1tsp
• Whole cumin seeds/zeera-1/2tsp
• Corriander leaves-2tbsp(chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Oil-2tbsp.

Cooking method:

• Wash the mince thoroughly and squeeze out all the excess water.keep aside.
• In a deep pan heat oil add onions and saute till they turn transluscent now add cumin seeds and ginger and garlic paste and saute for another minute.
• Add potatoes and mince meat and cook for about 7-8 minutes till water from the meat is absorbed and the mixture is dry,you have to keep on stirring in between to avoid burning.
• Now add tomatoes,green chillies and all the spices  with 1 cup of water,cover and cook on a medium flame for about 10-15minutes,the tomatoes will become soft and pulpy and all the spices cooked perfectly at this stage.
• Add little water if you want a little gravy and add corriander leaves,simmer for about a minute and switch off the gas flame.
• Serve hot.

GREEN FISH CURRY-FISH IN THICK COCONUT SAUCE!!!

Curries are very famous in Asia especially India,its a thick sauce of spices,vegetables and the main ingredient of the curry can be a vegetable or meat or both.They are usually accompanide with rice but can be served with breads too,it goes down well with both.
                   The following recipe is of fish curry, in a coconut base,any sea food goes very well with coconut base,be it coconut powder or coconut milk,the combination of coconut and sea food gives a good texture,flavour and taste to the dish,coconut gives the dish a mild flavour without killing the main taste of the sea food.
               Heres the recipe:
Cooking time: 20mins
Preparation time: 10mins
Serves: 4-5 persons.

 Ingredients:

• Fish pieces-1kg(I took mackerel-you can take any fish u like)
• For the curry paste:
• Thick coconut milk-1cup or  fine coconut powder-3/4cup
• Green chilli-3-4nos
• White cumin seeds-1tsp
• Corriander leaves-1/4 cup
• Lime juice-1/2tsp
• Garllic pods- 3-4
• Onions-1no medium sized(chopped).
• Curry leaves-5-6nos.
• Salt to taste
• Oil- 2tbsp.

Cooking Instructions:

• Wash the fish pieces thoroughly.Apply lime juice.keep it for 5 mins and wash again.This takes out the smell.keep it aside.
• In a pan put a tsp of oil and saute the onions till they become translucent,you shouldnt let it get brown.
• In a grinder put all the ingredients except oil and curry leaves and grind to a very fine paste.
• In a pan put oil,warm it and put the curry leaves saute for about half a minute and then add the curry paste with 1/2 cup of water.Cook this mixture till oil  oozes out,this process takes about 5-10min on a medium flame.
• Add water according to your desired consistency,let it boil.Simmer the flame and add the fish pieces,cover and cook for 4-5mins.Do not overcook,the fish pieces will break and it kills the proteins in the fish.
• Serve hot with rice or any bread.

MUTTON DOPYAAZA-LAMB COOKED IN PLENTY OF ONIONS AND RAW MANGO!!!

This dish is cooked in onions which are twice in amount of the meat used hence the name "Do-pyaza",it dates back to mughal period.At present it forms a important part of  Hyderabadi cuisine,a sour agent is added in the form of raw mango,lime juice to give it the tangy flavour.The sweetness of onions n tangy agent added gives the dish a taste to die for.
Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:1hr.
Preparation time: 20mins
Serves- 7-8persons.

Ingredients:

• Mutton- 1kg(you can use beef,chicken).
• Ginger paste-1tsp.
• Garlic paste- 1tsp.
• Ghee- 1/4cup.
• Onions-3 cups( little thick slices).
• Raw mango- 2no(medium sized- thinly sliced).
• Garam masala powder-1tsp.
• Turmeric powder-1/4tsp.
• Corriander powder-2tsp.
• Red chilli powder- 1tsp.
• Green chillies -2 -3nos (slit )
• Corriander leaves- 2tbsp
• Salt to taste.

Cooking Method:

• Wash the mutton thoroughly and take out all the excess water.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the onions and saute till translucent now add ginger and garlic paste and stir for a minute.
• Add the mutton pieces and salt,on a medium flame keep stirring till water left by the mutton is fully absorbed.
• Now add all the spices.along with 2cups of water,cook covered for about 20-30 mins till mutton becomes tender.

Note: to cut down the time u can pressure cook at this stage.

• In the final stage add raw mango and corriander leaves and cook covered for another 10mins.
• Serve hot with rice or rotis or any bread.

DUM KA MURAGH-SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN A RICH ALMONDS,PISTACHIOS AND CASHEWNUTS GRAVY-VIOLA!!!

DUM-This is a method of cooking in which the food is slow cooked in a clay pot sealed with a dough  to not let out the steam and the food is cooked in its own steam and moisture let out by the vegetables,meat,fat content of the food.First the food is heated to a high temperature and then simmered for hours.This method of cooking was widely used in the kitchens of the mughals and popular in the norther part of India.
This method of cooking gives the dish amazing flavour and aroma apart from great taste and preserving the nutritional element also at the same time.The very famous 'Dum biryani','Dum aloo','Dum ke kabab','Dum ka muragh(chicken)', are all examples of this tyle of cooking and all a major part of the festivities of the city of Hyderabad,India.
Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:40-45mins
Preparation time:20mins
Serves:4-5persons


Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces-1kg
• Yogurt/Dahi-1cup
• Almonds/Badam- 10no
• Pistachios/Pista-15no
• Cashewnuts/Kaju- 10no
• Black pepper powder-1tsp
• Green chillies-5
• Red chilli powder/lal mirch powder- 1tsp
• Ginger and garlic paste-2tsp
• Onions/Piyaz- 1no(medium size)
• Tomato ketchup- 2tbsp
• Red hot sauce-2tbsp
• White vinegar-4tbsp
• Garam masala powder- 1tsp
• Strawberry red food color-1/4tsp
• Cooking Oil-1/2 cup
• Corriander leaves/Dhanya(chopped)-1/2cup
• 2 cups of flour formed in to a stiff dough for sealing the pan or you can put a heavy object on the lid.
• Salt to taste

Cooking method:

• Clean the chicken trimming all the excess fat,wash thoroughly.Put it in a sieve draining all the excess water.
• Dry grind almonds,pistachios and cashewnuts to a fine powder.keep aside.
• Wet grind onion and green chillies to a fine paste.keep aside.
• Take a bowl whisk yogurt and then add red chilli powder,black pepper powder,ginger and garlic paste,garam masala powder,tomato ketchup,red hot sauce and white vinegar and the dry ground almonds,pistachios,cashewnuts powder..Mix well.keep aside.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan add onion and green chilli paste and saute for 5mins till the raw smell of onion goes.
• Now add the yogurt mixture and the chicken pieces,mix well.Add food color dissolved in 1/4cup water.mix well.Let the mixture come to a boil and cook for another 5 mins on a high flame.The chicken will lose its water,so do not add more water.
• Now cover it with a lid and seal it with the dough or keep a heavy object on the lid and simmer it on the lowest flame for about 30-40mins.

Note:if the flame is high the food will burn and stick to the bottom.

• By this time the water will be absorbed and the gravy will nicley coat the chicken.
• Serve hot.

DAHI KA KEEMA-MINCED MEAT COOKED IN YOGURT AND CASHEWNUTS!!!

DAHI KA KEEMA-This dish is a very tasty preparation of minced meat cooked in yogurt,spices and cashewnuts making it rich,have it with Naans,Plain rice,fried rice,etc and it will give its best taste.
I usually serve this with Cashewnuts rice,the combination goes very well.Try it out and you all will love it.
Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:30mins
Preparation time:10mins
Serves:5

Ingredients:

• Minced lamb or beef meat/Keema-500gms
• Yogurt-1cup
• Onions(sliced)- 1no(large size)
• Ginger paste-1/2tsp
• Garlic paste- 1/2tsp
• Red Chilli powder- 2tsp
• Garam masala powder- 1tsp
• Green chillies- 5-6no
• Cashewnuts- 10no
• Corriander leaves/Cilantro/Kotmir(chopped)-1/4cup
• Mint leaves/Pudina(chopped)- 1/4cup
• Salt to taste
• Ghee/Oil- 1/2cup

Cooking method:

• Clean and wash the meat.Put it in a sieve squeezing out excess moisture.
• Grind cashewnuts to a fine powder and blend it with yogurt to a smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown,add ginger and garlic paste and saute it for a minute.
• Now add the yogurt and cashewnuts paste,red chilli powder and the minced meat.Add 1/4 cup water and cook for 10mins stirring  till all the moisture evaporates.
• Now add whole green chillies,salt,garam masala powder,chopped mint leaves and corriander leaves with 1/2 cup water and cook it covered for 15 mins on a very slow flame.
• Serve hot with Cahewnuts-Rice or your choice of accompaniment.
  
  

KOFTA CURRY-MEAT BALLS IN YOGURT GRAVY FRAGRANT WITH CARDAMOM!!!

KOFTA CURRY-made with the basic kofta in a rich gravy of cashewnuts,yogurt and spices and herbs.Its a very exquisite and popular recipe served with rice and naans.
Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:30-35mins
Preparation time:10mins
Serves:5-6

Ingredients:

• Koftas(see this recipe)-15
• Yogurt- 1 1/2cups
• Tomatoes-2no
• Cashewnuts-10
• Coconut powder-1/4cup
• Red chilli powder-1tsp
• Green chillies-2no
• Dhanya powder-1tsp
• Ginger and garlic paste- 1tsp
• Turmeric powder/Haldi- 1/4tsp
• Cardamom powder/Elaichi-1/2tsp
• Corriander leaves(chopped)-1/4cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil-1/2cup

Cooking method:

• Prepare the koftas according to this recipe and keep them aside.
• In a grinder put tomatoes,cashewnuts,yogurt,coconut powder and all the ingredients except corriander leaves and grind to a very fine paste.
• In a deep pan heat oil and add the paste along with 1/2cup water and cook for atleast 15mins till oil separates from the mixture.
• Now put the koftas which are shallow fried in the gravy,coriander leaves and add water,Add water according to the desired consistency.
• Cook covered for atleast 10mins on a very slow flame.
• Serve hot with rice or naan.

CHICKEN IN CHILLI GARLIC SAUCE-YUMMYLICIOUS!!!

This is a chinese gravy served with rice or noodles,very easy to prepare and I have made it  with Zero-oil,super healthy,lots of garlic gives it  a very distinct taste.And the most important part is its my Hubby dear's favourite,give him anything in Chilli-garlic sauce and his day is made.
So this ones for you my "Dearest Hubby"
Here's the recipe:
Cooking time:20mins
Preparation time:10mins.
Serves-5

Ingredients:

• Chicken boneless-500gms
• Garlic(chopped)- 15cloves
• Tomato ketchup -1cup
• Red chilli powder- 2tsp
• Black pepper powder- 1tsp
• Soy sauce- 1tbsp
• White vinegar- 3tsp
• Cornflour- 2tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Corriander(chopped)- 1tbsp  (optional-this will make it Indo-chinese)
• Onions(cut in squares)- 1no

Cooking method:

• In a bowl mix all the ingredients with 2 cups of water except chicken,cornflour and onions.keep aside.
• Cut the chicken pieces in juliennes or small pices,clean thoroughly.
• In a pan put the prepared sauce and let it boil for 5mins.
• Add chicken pieces and cook for another 10 mins strirring in between,Add water if needed.
• When the chicken gets cooked dissolve cornflour in 1cup of water and add.
• Add onions and corriander, keep stirring the mixture will start thickening,Add water to get your desired consistency.
• Serve hot with Chinese fried rice or Noodles.

CHICKEN SHAHI KORMA-CHICKEN IN THICK YOGURT AND CREAMY GRAVY!!!

KORMA-This curry of mughlai origin, is made up of thick yogurt, nuts paste, spices and herbs.Its a very festive dish, served with Naans and rice.They are varieties of it like the 'Navratan korma', 'Shahi korma' ,
'Vegetable korma', etc and is a very favourite of Mughlai cuisine lovers.
Heres the recipe:

Cooking time :20-25mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• Chicken with bones-500gms
• Yogurt-200gms
• Onions (sliced) - 1no (large-size)
• Ginger and garlic paste-2tsp
• Red chilli powder-2tsp
• Green chilies-4-5
• Garam masala powder-1tsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi-1/4tsp
• Corriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4cup
• Mint leaves / Pudina (chopped) - 1/4cup
• Almonds-10no
• Cashewnuts-10no
• Pistachios/Pista-10no
• Salt to taste
• Cooking oil-1/2cup (8tbsp)

Cooking Method:

• Wash and clean the chicken pieces.
• Grind Almonds, Cashewnuts and Pistachios in to very fine powder.
• In a blender put Yogurt, Ginger and garlic paste, Red chilli powder, Garam masala powder and turmeric powder and blend well.
• In a mixing bowl put the chicken pieces, put the blended yogurt mixture and the almonds, pistachios and cashewnuts powder and salt.Mix well.Keep it covered for atleast 1/2hr.
• Meanwhile in a deep pan heat oil and add the sliced onions and fry till nice goden brown.Add the chicken marinade cook for 5-8 mins on medium heat stirring well.
• Add 1 / 2 cup water along with the whole green chillies, corriander leaves, mint leaves.
• Cover and cook for another 15mins on a slow flame,stirring in between to avoid burning and add about 1/4 cup of water if it starts sticking.Adjust the gravy if you want a thinner consistency add water accordingly.
• Serve hot with Naan or Rice.

Fenugreeky Chicken-Chicken gravy cooked with feugreek,bell peppers and corn...

Being a mother of a growing up child is difficult as far as food is concerned whether they are getting all the nourishment they need.Greens are a less favourite with them and fenugreek leaves a little bitter in taste goes in their list of disliked food.I colored up this chicken curry with bell peppers so it will appeal to children and they will have the green as well.Try it out it will be liked by all!!!

Cooking Time: 20mins
Preparation Time: 15mins
Serves- 4-5persons

Ingredients:

• Chicken with bones- 500gms
• Fenugreek leaves/Methi leaves(chopped)- 1bunch
• Ginger&Garlic paste- 1tsp
• Yogurt-1cup
• Onions(sliced)- 1no(large size)
• Red chilli powder-1tsp
• Black pepper powder-1/2tsp
• Corriander powder/Dhanya powder-1tsp
• Oyster Sauce-1tsp
• Soya sauce-1tsp
• Sweet corn-1/4cup
• Garam masala- 1/2tsp
• Bell peppers(green,yellow and red-chopped)-1/2cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil-1/4cup 

Cooking Directions:

-> Clean and wash the chicken pieces,trimming all the excess fat.

 ->Wash the methi leaves.strain and keep aside.

 -> Heat oil in a deep pan add onions and saute till light brown then add ginger&garlic paste saute for another 30secs.

 Add methi leaves and cook for another minute,now add the chicken pieces and cook for another 5mins.

 -> Add yogurt,red chilli powder,black pepper powder,Corriander powder,corn and salt.add little water and cook covered for 10 mins.

 -> The chicken will be cooked in this time now add oyster sauce,soya sauce,garam masala powder and bell peppers.Cook covered for 2-3 mins.

 -> Serve hot with Naan or Rice.

This goes to Yasmeen's event.