HARI MIRCH KA GOSHT / GREEN CHILLI MUTTON

This is a spicy mutton dish prepared with lot of green chillies, ginger, garlic, yogurt and spices.... a treat for spicy food lovers.This preparation calls for a lot of green chillies. The quantity of chillies can be adjusted to your liking.

Ingredients:
Mutton .... 500 gms
Green chillies .. 10 - 12 (you can add more if you like)
Ginger ........ 1 inch piece
Garlic ......... 10 cloves
Fresh coriander leaves ... 1/2 cup
Mint leaves ............... 1/4 cup
Onions ..................... 2 (medium sized)
Yogurt .................... 2-3 tbsps
Lemon juice .... 1 tbsp
Coriander powder .... 1 tsp
Cumin powder .......... 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder .. 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder ... 1/4 tsp
Salt ............ to taste
Oil ................ 4 - 5 tbsps

Whole Spices / Khada Masala
Black cardamom ... 1
Green cardamoms .... 3-4
Cloves .................... 5-6
Bay leaf .................. 1
Cinnamon stick .... 1-2 small pieces.

Method:

1. Grind the ginger, garlic, onion and 2 green chillies. Marinate the mutton with this paste adding a little salt and lemon juice.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the whole spices.

3.When they give out an aroma, add the marinated mutton and saute for 5-7 minutes.

4. Add sufficient water and the mentioned spice powders to cook the mutton. If the mutton is tender you can also slow cook it in a pan.

5. In a small pan heat some oil and tip in the remaining green chillies. Cover the pan and simmer stirring them a couple of times. Add a little salt to them. Be very careful when you open the lid.

6. Now add these chillies and whisked yogurt to the cooked mutton and simmer for a minute or two.

7. You can make the curry with a little gravy or just dry to serve with rotis and naans.

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MATHANIA LAL MURG ( From the Kitchen of Taj Lake Palace - Udaipur)

Staying in the Majestic Taj Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur had always been my dream. Recently I had the opportunity of enjoying the luxurious stay there. I have no words to describe the Royal welcome and hospitality extended to us during the stay.
The food, specially the traditional Rajasthani dishes were awesome. Being a food blogger I appreciated the invitation of the chefs to prepare a dish of my choice from the hotel’s menu in the kitchen. Cooking with them was indeed a great experience for me.
I chose the very popular dish, Mathania Lal Murg. Mathania chilli is from the Jodhpur region
It is used only as dry spice .It lends pungency to a dish and also color and body. You may not find it in the stores outside Rajasthan but these days you can get it online.

Here is the delicious recipe of Mathania Lal Murg from the cookbook of Taj Lake Palace which was gifted to me by the Head Chef Manish Joshi

Ingredients:
Boneless chicken .... 400 gms
Onion .................... 75 gms
Ginger paste ........ 1 tbsp
Garlic paste ......... 1 tbsp
Tomato puree ...... 150 gms
Desi ghee / clarified butter ... 100 ml
Salt ........................ to taste
Mathania red chilli powder ... 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder ................. 1 tsp
Coriander powder ............... 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds ....................... 1 tsp
Chicken stock or water ....... 200 ml
Coriander leaves ................ handful for garnishing

Whole Spices / Khada Masala
Cloves .... few
Black pepper corns .. few
Bay leaves .......... 1
Black cardamom ...1
Green cardamoms ... 2-3

Method:
1. Heat desi ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds and whole spices.
2. When they give out the aroma, tip in the onions and saute until golden brown.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute.
4. Now add the chilli powder along with the salt and other spice powders and stir.
5. Add the chicken pieces and saute. Simmer it until the water dries up.
6. Add the tomato puree and cook further until the oil is separated.
7. Add the chicken stock or water and simmer until the chicken is done.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe Credits :
The Chefs at the Taj Lake Palace - Udaipur
Chef Manish Joshi
Chef Amar Singh
Sous Chef Chhote Lal Yadav

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STRAWBERRY BAKED YOGURT (Valentine Day Special)

This simple Greek Yogurt and strawberry based cheesecake-like dessert is inspired by the one I had recently in a restaurant during breakfast buffet. It can actually be served for breakfast as well. It is very easy to make with just a few ingredients. You can replace the strawberries with blueberries, cherries, raspberries, red currants or a mixture of assorted berries...bake a heart shape for your valentine or just bake in ramekins for single serving or a large dish for a party. I am sure everyone is going to love it. It can also be served plain without the strawberry crush / compote... choice is yours.

This is the first post of the year 2017.  I made this for the Valentine / Red Theme in the group, " Shhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge " . I was paired with Rafeeda A R who blogs at The Big Sweet Tooth . She gave me the two secret ingredients - Strawberries and Yogurt . I was very happy as it is strawberry season now in India and was wanting to make something nice with them.

Ingredients:
Strawberries .... 100 gms + few for garnishing
Greek yogurt .... 200 gms
Condensed milk .. 200 gms
Cream ............... 200 gms
Corn starch ....... 1 tsp
Strawberry crush / compote .. 3-4 tbsps or as needed

Method:

1. Crush the strawberries coarsely.

2. In a bowl mix together the yogurt, corn starch, cream and condensed milk. Stir in the crushed strawberries.

3.Take a heart shaped or any baking tin and spoon the mixture. Place it in a large baking dish and pour hot water around till it reaches more than half the sides of the dish that you are baking in.

4.You can even bake in individual ramekins.

5. Place it in a pre-heated oven and bake for about 25- 30 minutes. Just keep checking and you will see the surface is done then it is ready.The time differs a little depending on the size and quantity you are baking. Ramekins will be done faster.A large dish can take upto 45 minutes

6. Allow it to cool completely at least for a couple of hours before de-moulding it. You can garnish with strawberry crush / compote and some sliced strawberries.








To make Strawberry Compote

Strawberries .. 200 gms
Sugar .... 2-3 tbsps (depending on the sourness of strawberries)
 Kirsch ... 1 tbsp (optional)

 Wash and cut the strawberries. Blend them in a mixie. Cook them in a thick bottomed pan adding sugar. Stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the texture is thicker. Let it cool. Add the kirsch at after cooling if you like it.

Check out the video of making Strawberry Compote 

 

Check out the video of Baked Strawberry Yogurt.

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BESAN KA CHEELA / INDIAN SAVOURY PANCAKE / GRAM FLOUR PANCAKE

Cheela is a quick breakfast option and a vegetarian alternative for an omelette. It can be prepared with any flour either plain or with the addition of some vegetables of your liking.
This month in our group "Shhhhhhh Cooking Secretly" the theme is "Breakfast" and I am paired with Avin S Kohli. She gave me two ingredients - Spinach and Tomatoes. I have made besan ka cheela adding these to the batter.

Ingredients:
Gram flour / besan ..... 1 cup
Whole wheat flour ..... 1 tbsp (optional)
Onion ......................... 1 small (finely chopped)
Tomato ....................... 1 small (cut into small pieces)
Green chillies ........... 2-3 (chopped or crushed)
Spinach ..................... 1/2 cup (chopped finely)
Coriander leaves ........ handful
Yogurt ....................... 1-2 tbsps (optional)
Cumin seeds ......... 1 tsp
Carom seeds / ajwain ... 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder .......... 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder ............. 1/2 tsp
Salt ................................ to taste
Oil or ghee .................  as needed

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Tip in the onion and sate for a minute until translucent.

2. Now add the spinach, tomato, green chillies and coriander. Simmer for half a minute. Let it cool.

3. In a large bowl take the gram flour, whole wheat flour. Mix the sauteed onion, and the rest of the ingredients mentioned in the list except oil.

4. To make cheelas, pour a spoonful of batter on a griddle, spread it and fry spooning a little oil or ghee on both sides until done.

Serve with chutney/ pickle / raita.








Note: For better results prepare the batter at least one hour ahead so that the flavours blend together.

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BIRISTA / CRISP DEEP FRIED ONIONS

Birista or crisp deep fried onions are really handy to have them in your kitchen. You can quickly prepare your meats and curries using them. You can also use them as a garnish on rice dishes. Biriyani is incomplete without the garnish of birista.
You can prepare a large quantity when you have some free time and refrigerate in an air tight jar. You may even freeze them in zip lock bags. For better result you can spread the sliced onions on a plastic sheet and dry them in the sunlight for a couple of hours if you have the facility, which we miss living in apartments.

Ingredients:
Onions .... 1 kg or as needed
Oil ......... 3 cups

Method:
1. Peel and slice the onions finely.
2. Heat oil and fry the onion on high flame for 8-10 minutes.
3. Now reduce to medium and continue to fry stirring the onion from time to time.
4. When it gets a nice golden colour and is crisp enough drain it in a sieve and spread it on a kitchen paper towels. (avoid using news papers)
5. When it is cool enough, fill it in an air tight container or jar. You can also freeze it in zip lock bags.
I usually prepare enough to last for a month and just refrigerate it.

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SURTI BUTTER / BATASA

Surti Butter or Batasa or Jeera butter biscuit are a popular tea time snack sold in most bakeries or Irani tea houses in India. These are small, crisp,dried bread buns (or savoury cookies) with a light texture. The rich cookies are a great accompaniment to Indian masala Chai or go well with soups. Rehydrated with water they are also a great substitute for Dahi vada.
For best results it is best to measure the ingredients in grams as suggested in the recipe. I have given approximate conversions for those who wish to use alternate measurements. The content of butter is quite a lot in these but do not reduce it. The only minor change I made to the recipe is adding caraway seeds also as I like the taste. The original recipe has only cumin seeds. 

This recipe is adapted from the book:
Crumbs! Bread Stories and Recipes for the Indian Kitchen by Saee Koranne-Khandekar

Ingredients:
Instant yeast ... 20 grms (5 tsps)
Sugar .............. 7.5 gms (1 tsp)
APF / maida ... 500 gms (4 cups)
Lukewarm water ... 300 ml (about 1 cup)
Salt ..................... 7.5 gms (1 tsp ... I added less as the butter is salted)
Cumin seeds ...... 5 gms (2 tsps)
Caraway seeds ... 5 gms (2 tsps)
Butter or margarine ... 275 gms

Method:

1. Take half cup luke warm water abd add the sugar and yeast. Leave it in a warm place for 5-7 minutes until it is frothy.

2. Take all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.. Knead adding the yeast and the remaining water to make a soft dough. Knead well for few minutes until the dough is nice and light.

3. Place it in a greased bowl covered with a cling flim and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. In winters it takes more time.

4. Knock down the risen dough lightly. Make lemon sized roundels. Place them in a baking tray lined with butter paper. Allow them to rise for 1 hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 2oo deg C. When the balls have risen sufficiently, place them in the hot oven and bake for initial 20 mins. Then reduce the temperature to 120 deg C and continue to bake for another 30-40 minutes or until crisp.(This time may change depending on your oven or the size of the cookies)

 Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight jar for up to 3 weeks.

Yield - about 30 cookies. If you want to make half the quantity reduce the ingredients accordingly.

Recipe by Madhuli Ajay for the group - We Knead To Bake - Bread # 44 

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