Spicy Hot Chicken Fry

Wifey was under the weather last week and she wanted to have something spicy, very spicy and "hot". Her level of "hot" is - you put 2 green chillies in her curry, after few nibbles she will jump around the house, sniffing and shedding tears, drinking a lot of water and gobbling down anything that tastes sweet or for that matter anything that even sounds sweet. 

Anyways, to cater to her request for spicing her mood up I came up with this recipe using a lot of peppers and chillies available on this earth in any form. And to my surprise she really enjoyed it a lot. There will be separate post though on her running around the house and sniffing and shedding tears and gobbling on sweets after she had this. 

Well here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Chicken                          -  400 grams of breast piece
• Onion                             - 1 big, sliced length wise
• Ginger                            - 1.5 inch, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Garlic cloves                 - 6 fat ones, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Green chilli                   - 6-7, thinly sliced, lengthwise
• Curry leaves                  - 10-12
• Turmeric powder        - 1/3 tsp
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder      - 1 tsp
• Red chilli                      - 3-4
• Black pepper corns    - 10-12
• Salt                                - to taste
• Vegetable oil               - 2 Tbsp

To Marinte the chicken

• Ginger garlic paste     - 1 tsp
• Lime juice                    - 1 tsp
• Vegetable Oil               - 1 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder        - 1/3 tsp
• Salt                                - to taste
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Cut chicken into small pieces.
2. Marinate them with the ingredients mentioned for marination. Keep for an hour.
3. Heat oil in a pan. 
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook in medium heat. At this point chicken will release water. Drain the water and keep for later use. Fry the chicken till golden brown in color. 

5. Remove from pan and keep the chicken aside.

6. In the same oil(add more if needed), add red chilli and pepper corns. When red chilli turns brown in color add chopped garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.
7. Add chopped onion and green chilli. Saute till onions are cooked and translucent.

8. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute till masala is cooked.

9. At this point add the friend chicken pieces. Mix well.

10. Add the water that we kept aside at step 4. Add another half cup warm water. Add salt. Mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in low heat till gravy comes to a boil.
11. Remove the lid and cook in medium heat till gravy thickens and almost dries up.

12. Serve with rice or roti. Or serve as an appetizer. 

Rui maachher Kalia

Ingredients:

• Rui maach(Rohu fish)     - 5/6 pieces
• Potato                                   - 1 medium sized, cut into 6-8 long pieces
• Onion                                    - 1 medium, roughly chopped
• Tomato                                 - 1 large, chopped
• Garlic cloves                        - 3 medium sized
• Ginger                                   - 1/2 inch, grated
• Green chilli                          - 5/6, cut into halves
• Whole Cumin                      - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf                                 - 1
• Green cardamom               - 2
• Cinnamon                            - 1 inch 
• Turmeric powder               - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder               - 1 tsp(adjust as per your level)
• Cumin powder                    - 1 tsp
• Yogurt                                   - 2 Tbsp
• Salt                                        - to taste
• Oil                                          - 2 Tbsp(Preferably mustard oil for authentic taste)

Method:
1. Rub the fish with salt and half the turmeric powder. 
2. Make a paste of onion and garlic.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the fishes till golden on both sides. Drain them off and keep aside.

4. In the same oil add the potatoes and a pinch of salt and turmeric powder, fry them for few minutes. Drain off and keep aside.
5. In the same oil(or add a little more if needed), add whole cumin, green cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf.

6. When the cumin starts spluttering add onion and garlic paste. Saute till raw smell of onions goes away.

7. When onion paste turns little brownish add chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook for few minutes till tomatoes turn mushy and are cooked.

8. Mix turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, grated ginger and yogurt to make a smooth paste. Add this paste and cook till oil separates.

9. Add the fried potatoes. Add a cup of water and mix well. Add the green chillies. Cover and cook till gravy comes to a boil.
10. Add salt and mix well.

11. Add the fried fish. Cover and cook till potatoes are completely.
12. Remove the cover and cook till gravy thickens. 
You do not want the gravy to be runny. 

13. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
14. Serve Rui maacher kalia with steamed rice.

Tilapia Aloor Jhura

A simple and delicious dish. It has no history. Just wanted to try something different and here is the outcome. This can be prepared with any fish fillet, not necessarily Tilapia.

Ingredients:

• Tilapia fillet            - ½ lb, chopped into small pieces
• Potato                     - 1 medium sized, sliced into long pieces
• Onion                      - 1 medium sized, sliced into long pieces
• Green Chilli             - 3, chopped
• Coriander(chopped) - 2 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder     - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder     - ½ tsp
• Salt                         - To taste
• Oil                           - 2 tsp

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add chopped onion and green chilli. Fry till onions turns translucent.

3. Add sliced potato. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Cook till potatoes are almost done.

4. Add chopped tilapia pieces. Cook on medium low flame till fish is cooked.

5. Add red chilli powder, salt and mix well. Crush the fish pieces with ladder and break them into smaller pieces.
6. Add chopped coriander. Remove from stove.

7. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Besan ke laddoo

I have been celebrating Diwali in Pune since last 11 years or so. In every Marathi family I visited during Diwali I have been offered with a lot of sweets called faral that they prepare in Diwali. That would consist of Chivda, shankarpali, anarse, karanji, chakli and most importantly besan ke laddoo. And now I have been so inspired by Diwali faral of Maharashtra that no Diwali goes by without we making few of these items at home. 
This is how it looked like this year, few of the items brought by friends.

Ingredients:

• Besan(Gram flour)                 - 2 cups
• Ghee                                          - 1/2 cup
• Sugar                                         - 1 cup, powdered
• Elaichi(Cardamom)               - 4, crushed and powdered
• Raisins or Cashew nuts         - 10-12

Method:
1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add besan to it.
2. Dry roast besan in low flame stirring continuously until the raw smell of besan goes away. 
Around 12-15 minutes.
3. When besan is roasted perfectly add melted ghee and mix it well.
Add a little more ghee if the mix seems too dry.
4. Remove from pan and put the mix in a big bowl.
5. Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder and mix very well. 
6. When the mix cools down a bit, knead the mix using hand.
7. Take small portions in your hand and roll into small balls(laddoo).
8. Top each laddoos with raisin or cashew.

Dimer Devil - Egg Devil

Dimer Devil or Egg Devil. A very popular snack from Bengal. Well I am not sure why such an angel dish is given the name "devil". Is it because of its alluring nature? Or is it because you can hog umpteen number of them and still crave for more? Or is it because your taste buds get so high on them that nothing else really appears as good as them? I really don't know the answer. All I know is I enjoyed preparing them as much as I enjoyed devouring them. 

There could a variety of this dish. It can be made using chicken keema or fish or potato. My version is done using potato. So this is an Eggetarian friendly recipe. :)

Ingredients:

• Eggs                            - 4
• Potato                         - 3 large
• Onions                       - 1 large, chopped
• Green Chilli               - 3, finely chopped
• Ginger                        - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves      - 1 Tbsp, chopped
• Turmeric powder     - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder     - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder          - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala           - 1/2 tsp
• Salt                              - to taste
• Oil                                - For deep frying

For coating:

• All purpose flour        - 3 Tbsp
• Eggs                              - 2
• Bread crumbs             - 3/4 cup

Method:
1. Boil the eggs. Remove shell. Cut into halves, sprinkle a bit salt and keep aside.
2. Boil the potatoes. Peel them and keep aside.

3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. 
4. Add the chopped ginger and saute for a minute. 
5. Add chopped onion and green chilli and saute till onions turn translucent.

6. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder. 
7. Mash the boiled potato till smooth and add.
8. Add salt, chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Sprinkle garam masala. Cook for another minute. Remove from pan and allow it to cool.

9. Take an egg half and wrap it up with the potato mix evenly and give it a shape of egg. Do the same for all the egg halves.

10. In a bowl break in the two eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp water and mix well.

11. Roll the egg devil in all purpose flour. Then dip in egg mix. Then roll in bread crumb. Shake off the excess and keep the devils in a plate. Do the same for all the pieces.

12. Refrigerate the egg devils for 30 minutes.

13. Heat oil for deep frying. 

14. Fry the devils one by one in medium heat until golden brown.

15. Remove from oil and place in paper towel.

16. Serve hot Egg Devil with chopped onions, ketch up and kasundi.

Shahi Tukda

Shahi Tukda is a very popular dessert inspired by Mughlai cuisine. It is very easy to prepare and is a sheer treat to sweet lovers.

Ingredients:

• White bread                     - 4 slices
• Milk                                 - 1 Liter
• Condensed milk                - ½ Can(7 Oz)
• Green Cardamom seeds    - ½ tsp
• Ghee                               - 4 Tbsp
• Pistachios                        - 2 Tbsp
• Saffron                            - few strands

Method:

1. In a thick bottomed pan, put the milk and bring it to boil.

2. Add the condensed milk. Keep stirring in medium heat till the milk reduces to half.

(Adjust the sweetness according to your level. Increase or decrease the amount of condensed milk. You can also use sugar instead of condensed milk.)

3. Add the ground cardamom. Add saffron. Mix well and keep the thickened milk(Rabdi) aside. 

4. Cut off the crusts of the bread. Then cut them into triangular pieces.

5. Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the bread pieces till golden brown in color and crispy. Remove from pan and keep aside.

6. In a deep bowl put the crispy fried bread slices. Pour thickened milk(rabdi) on top. Chill in the refrigerator for few hours.
7. Garnish with crushed pistachios.
8. Serve chilled.

Mushroom masala

Ingredients:

• Mushroom                         - 1 Lb, cut into halves
• Onion                                 - 1 large, chopped
• Tomato                               - 1 Medium
• Green Chilli                      - 5, chopped
• Potato                                 - 1 large, cut into small cubes of half inch
• Green cardamom           - 2
• Cinnamon                         - 1 inch stick
• Bay leaves                         - 2
• Cloves                                - 4/5
• Garlic cloves                     - 4/5, chopped(Optional)
• Garlic paste                      - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste                     - ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder             - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder            - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder                 - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder           - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder   - ½ tsp
• Oil                                          - 2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add the potato cubes. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric. 
2. Fry the potatoes till little done. Remove from pan and keep aside.

3. In the same pan add the remaining oil. Add the bay leaves, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
4. When the aroma of spices come add the chopped garlic and saute for a minute.
5. Add the chopped onions and green chilli. Cook till onions turn translucent.

6. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turns mushy and are cooked.

7. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger paste and garlic paste. Mix well and saute for a minute.
8. Add the mushroom pieces and the fried potatoes. Mix well and cook for a minute.

9. Add a cup of water. Mix well and cook covered stirring in between till mushroom and potato are cooked completely.

10. Sprinkle with garam masala powder and remove from pan.

11. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Arbi masala

Arbi(Taro root) is called Kochu in Bengali. This is something I tried by myself and turned out pretty well to be accompanied by fulkas. 

Ingredients:

• Arbi                                - 12 pieces
• Onion                              - 1 large, chopped
• Tomato                           - 1 medium, chopped
• Green chilli                     - 4/5, chopped
• Turmeric powder             - ½ tsp
• Red Chilli powder            - 1 tsp
• Amchur powder               - ½ tsp
• Coriander leaves             - 1 Tbsp, chopped
• Corn flour                       - 1 tsp
• Oil                                  - 2 Tbsp
• Salt                                 - to taste

Method:

1. Wash the Arbis properly. Boil them till tender. (I used a pressure cooker and cooked for one whistle)

2. Peel the Arbis. Cut them into quarters.

3. Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well. Dust with corn flour.

4. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add the Arbis and fry them till brown. Cook gently as they might be very delicate.

5. When fried, remove the Arbis from pan and keep aside.
6. Heat 1 Tbsp in a pan.
7. Add chopped onion and green chilli and cook till onions turn translucent.

8. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are cooked and turns mushy.

9. Add the fried Arbis. Add amchur powder and salt and mix well. Cook for another 5-6 minutes on medium flame till everything mixes well. 

10. Add chopped coriander leaves. 
11. Serve hot with fulka.