Aloo Sabzi

Potatoes are one of my favourite foods. And this particular recipe that I am sharing was created because of a smell that I got in our building (I had shared earlier that I love recreating smells that I like or taste). The dish is very very simple at the same time the outcome I am happy to say is yummilicous :)... So here it goes.



INGREDIENTS:



Potatoes: 2 large or 3 medium cubed

Jeera : 1 tsp

Crushed red chilly or paprika : 1 1/2 tsp or as per taste

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida : a pinch

Coriander leaves : half a bunch or more again as per taste

Oil : 2 Tblsp

Salt : to taste





RECIPE:

In a non stick pan heat the oil and add asafoetida and jeera. Once jeera stops crackling add the potatoes, add turmeric powder and salt. Stir and close the lid on the pan.

Every few minutes stir so that nothing sticks to the base. When the potato is 3/4 done add the crushed paprika and half the coriander.

Mix well and again close the lid. If you want the potato more crispy add more oil. Once the potatoes are cooked through add the rest of the coriander and mix well. That is it. It is this simple and hardly any spices!

You can try the same recipe and add frozen peas brought to room temperature when the potatoes are 3/4 cooked. That also goes well. You could add crushed few shallots with paprika and cook the same thing and that too comes out well.

Enjoy.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Though I am calling it chicken tikka masala I am not sure technically if I can call it that :).... But ya more or less the recipe is the same with few changes ofcourse. But wanted to try this recipe since my hubby's british colleagues all talk about this dish which I believe is one of the most if not the most famous Indian dish in UK. So here goes my trial. I am using thigh pieces (becuase that is my favourite piece in a chicken :D) in the recipe though one could use chicken breasts. Also you should use tikkas for the recipe but I am sort of pan searing it.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken : 6-8 thigh pieces
Onion : 2 large chopped finely
Tomato : 1 large or 2 medium size chopped finely
Ginger : 1 inch
Garlic : 8-10 pods
Shallots : 3-4
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder : 1/4 tsp or 1" long stick
Curry leaves : 1 string
Mace : a small piece
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder : as per taste
Coconut milk : 1 cup (thick milk)
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil : 1 Tblsp
Water : 1/2 cup


PREPARATION:

Make a paste of ginger, garlic, shallots, mace and curry leaves. Marinate chicken in this mixture for about an hour. Make deep gashes on the flesh of chicken. Here again the choice of retaining the chicken skin or taking it out is up to the you. But if using skin don't add any oil but instead directly put the chicken into a hot non stick pan and saute in its own oil and once done take out the chicken pieces and make the curry in the oil that was already in the chicken and now will be in your pan.


RECIPE :

Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick at this point if using stick otherwise add later with rest of the masalas. After a couple of minutes take out the cinnamon stick and add the marinated chicken. Saute till 3/4 done and take out the chicken in a dish.

Now in the same oil add the chopped onions and stir till the onion is translucent. Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cummin powder, garam masala powder, red chilly powder and cardamom powder. Mix till all the powders are nicely blended and the raw smell is not there, do this on a low flame.

Add tomatoes and saute for few minutes. Now to this gravy add the cooked chicken pieces and let them simmer for few minutes. Once the tomatoes are blended well add the water to make a nice gravy

Finally add coriander leaves and mix well and pour in the coconut milk. Just allow the coconut milk to warm through gravy and never boil the dish after adding the coconut milk.

Enjoy the delicious chicken with chappathis or rice!

Palak Paneer

Palak is something I try to add on to the menu every once in a way whether it is in combination with chicken, aloo, paneer, like a thoran (a kerala dish with coconut) or even palak puri. Generally I do not like to make a paste of it but like roughly even in dishes that call for it to be made it into a smooth paste I still like to make it coarsely ground and not a complete smooth paste. Today I am going to post Palak Panner, which means palak has to be in gravy so making it you can have palak in this dish in smooth paste or coarsely ground paste according to your personal choice.

INGREDIENTS:

Palak or spinach : 1 or 2 bunches (according to how much gravy you want)
Paneer : 250 gms cut into cubes of 1 inch
Onion : 1 finely chopped
Ginger paste : 11/2 tsp
Garlic paste : 11/2 tsp
Jeera : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Green chilly : 2-3
Red chilly powder : according to taste
Tomato : 1 chopped
Salt : To taste
Oil : 2 Tblsp


PREPARATION :

Marinate the paneer in 1 tsp of ginger and 1 tsp of garlic paste, salt and turmeric powder for about half an hour or more.


Wash and roughly chop palak. Heat a kadhai and put the spinach in it keep the kadhai on high flame for about 2-3 minutes with lid on. After which switch the gas off and run cold water through the spinach and keep aside.

RECIPE:

Heat about half the oil in a non stick pan or tava and put the paneer in single layer and cook on both sides till golden brown. Once golden remove from and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a non stick pan. When the oil is hot add jeera and once that finishs crackling add the remaining ginger-garlic paste. Saute on low flame till the raw smell goes. Add onions and saute till it turns opaque.

Add green chillies and red if adding, salt and tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes. In a blender add this mixture and spinach and either coarsely grind it or make into smooth paste. Pour it back to the pan and bring to boil.

Add golden paneer and simmer for 4-5 minutes. If you like you can add little bit of amchur or lemon juice. You can garnish this dish with juliennes of ginger and green chilly slit.