Christmas and Birthday Special

Ummm Christmas means cakes and chocolates and pastries and savouries in every variety imaginable. Although we dont celebrate Christmas per se, we do celebrate Dad's birthday.

So today I decided to do some continental fair and even had a friend over who went all ga-ga over it..hehe.. Not much to do, pretty simple recipes.

We had some Creamy chicken soup, Garlic bread, French fries and Herb Fried chicken.

The soup and bread were of course ready to eat. Just made the fries and chicken

Herb Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken - cut into medium sized pieces
• 2 whole garlic
• 4 Tomatoes
• 6 to 8 green chillies
• Oregano for seasoning
• Salt

Method

• Marinate the chicken pieces with the garlic, tomato and chilly paste for 24 hours. 
• Add oregano and salt.
• Keep inside the fridge for 24 hours for marination.
  
• Deep fry the chicken till crispy and golden but tender and cooked thoroughly.
• Serve hot.

P.S - The pictures are taken by my most resourceful and wonderful friend and human being Pia Sinha. Not only did she do a wonderful job on them, but also provided a wonderful atmosphere with her presence :) thanks..mwaah :)

Chicken Vindaloo

Some days back, I had made one of my favourite chicken dishes. Vindaloo is a very popular chilly and vinegar based fiery hot dish from Goa, on the western coast of India.  Goa was occupied by the Portuguese for a number of years and so naturally, the Portuguese style of cooking has a marked influence on the local dishes of Goa. Though traditionally, vindaloo is made from pork, I've substituted it with chicken. The recipe itself is very simple, doesnt take much time except the marination part. Some recipes might be different, there are variations of course. Some people use yoghurt, etc.

But this is the way I make it, and well, no one's complained so far. So here's the recipe :)

Ingredient

• Chicken - 1kg, diced into medium sized cubes (boneless) or cut into medium sized pieces.
• Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
• Cardamom seeds - 1 tsp
• Whole black peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Cloves - about 7-8
  
• Fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp
• Cinnamon sticks - 3/ 1 tsp if powdered
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
  
• Ginger - 2inch piece
• Garlic - 10 to 12 cloves
• Onion - 3 big sized, sliced thinly
• Potatoes - Optional
• Turmeric - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Vinegar - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Bay leaves - 4
  

Method

• Gently roast the dry spices from coriander seeds through to cumin seeds for about 5 minutes in a fry-pan on low heat.
• Put these roasted spices in a  blender along with  mustard, turmeric, salt, garlic and the vinegar to form vindaloo sauce. Add little water if necessary.
• Marinate the chicken in this vindaloo sauce for over 8 hours in a non-metallic bowl.
• Heat oil and saute bay leaves and onions until soft.  Remove and set aside.
• If adding potatoes, fry them on medium flame till light golden and soft. Remove and set aside.
  
• Now fry the marinated chicken for a few minutes, adding more oil if necessary
  Add the remaining vindaloo sauce, sauted onion, potaotes,and water. Add a little sugar if you prefer a not-so sour taste.
  
• Simmer till the chicken is tender (stirring well) and the curry is thick. Add salt and chilli to suit your taste if necessary. 
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with steamed Basmati rice.  I hope you will enjoy this delicious curry recipe.

15 min Lunch

Ok, So not much response from people yet, but yet I am back. This time, unfortunately I don't have a picture of the dish. It's a simple and easy rice dish - sort of a pulao and takes hardly 15 minutes to prepare. So whenever I'm too hungry, or in a hurry, this is what I cook.

Ingredients

• Rice - 2 cups
• Onion - 2 medium sized
• Garlic - 5-6 cloves
• Green chillies - optional
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Sabzi masala - 2 tsp
• Soy nuggets/Soy granules - a cup-full
  
• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Chopped coriander - for garnishing
  

Method

• Fry the garlic and onions (chillies if you use), till light golden.
• Add the soy nuggets after they have been soaked in water and have become soft.
• Add garam masala powder and sabzi masala powder.
  
• Stir and fry the mix till golden
  
• Add the rice, that has been soaked in water for about 10 minutes.
• Add sugar and salt.
• Add 3 and half cups of water, close the pressure cooker and allow 4 whistles to rise.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with raita or curd.

 P.S - The main taste here is accentuated by the Sabzi masala powder I use. I generally use Everest. Ofcourse you can use subsititute it with Biryani masala also :) Also, instead of soy, you can add boiled chicken. Both work well :)

Cheers!

Since I love Food so much....

Umm, not really anything special, just putting some pictures of one of my favourite foods - Sizzlers

This was the egg noodle soup I made when Maa had fever. **grins.. Someone pat me on the back for being such a lakkhi meye :D

Introduction today - Kosha Mangsho

Hmm,,

Not that I am writing for the first time, just that this is the first time I'm attempting to write a food blog. Cooking has over the recent years changed from being just a hobby, to a full time passion. These days, you will probably find me chopping, grating or frying stuff in the kitchen. Of course the chopping part is mostly done by Maa. But somehow the entire focus of cooking for home has fallen upon me these days.
Not that i object. Of course not. I love to cook.
Well since it's my first post tonight, I wont regal everyone with my cookery skills. Yet..hehe
I've been cooking since I was 12 or so, the first times being pure disasters, like cracking the egg shell with the shell falling in the bowl and the egg on the floor. Oh how i was beaten then.. :D

Anyways, for starters, I am going to just post the recipe for Kosha Mangsho I'd made during Pujo at Dida's place in Kolkata.

Ingredients

• Mutton(washed and diced into medium sized pieces) - 2 kg (that's how much I used at least)
• Onion(sliced lengthwise) - 15 to 16 medium sized (use as per your requirements)
• Ginger Garlic paste - 4 -5 tbsp
• Potatoes (diced into quarters) - about 6 or 7. optional usage, use potato if you are a potato lover
• Turmeric - 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder - according to taste buds ( I prefer about 2 tsp )
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - either whole or powder ( 2 tsp powder )
  
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard oil - 1 ½ cup
  
• Bay leaf - 2 or 3
• Sugar - ½ tsp
  

Method

• Wash and drain the mutton nicely.
• Heat mustard oil in a pressure cooker/wok/kadhai
• When hot enough, add potatoes.
  
• Fry the potatoes lightly, till light golden. Drain the excess oil and keep them aside.
• Add the bay leaves. (if using whole garam masala, add them now)
  
• Add sliced onion. Fry till onions are golden brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric, chilly powder, garam masala powder (if using powder) and sugar.
• Turn down flame to medium and cover for a while to release oil.
• Turn up the heat and add the mutton. Mix well and fry for a while.
  
• Add salt according to taste, cumin and coriander powder.
• Cover and about 3 water and wait for 3-4 whistles.
• Once the oil starts separating from the meat the sides, add the potatoes, add about 3 cups (andaaj moton add korle hobe, or till the meat is immersed) water and wait for 2 more whistles.
• Open the cooker and turn the heat on low flame for about 5 to 6mins, allowing the oil to start separating once again. (tel chara chara). (Sprinkle coriander leaves if desired for garnishing)
  
• Kosha mangsho is ready to be served.
  
• Serve the dish hot with rice or paratha.

:) This is how I made the dish. There are of course various ways to prepare the same. But I must say this was my first attempt at Mutton, and it turned out delicious (Self praise cholbe?)
Anyways, Bon Appetit people. Hope you guys like it. Hoping to post more recipes, and waiting for your advice and insights friends.