Cream Kadai Chicken

Anecdote

Sharmita and I are actually quite poles apart. The main difference is that she is slim and trim, ahem, let’s not go that way about yours truly. We almost never agree on movies. We also most often disagree on food as we almost always like different restaurants. We dress quite differently, of course with such different body types, what did I expect?

Having said that we are rather different, we are also pretty similar. Our views about child rearing are almost identical. We are two women who worked together on an equal footing and never fought. We support each other largely, almost often, in our quest for woman power, the battle being drawn against the spouses most often. And most importantly, there have been many moments of shared happy banter in the last 12 years.

Sharmita claims to be a non-cook, well her husband says she never cooks any vegetarian dishes after he has turned vegetarian!. Well, this statement being as unfounded as it sounds, Sharmita is not much of a kitchen person yet loves to throw parties and serve home-made meals. This is one recipe which she had been advocating to me since two years, a specialty of her mother, and I take my hats off to both the ladies, it is an outstanding one!

Stuff that you must have:

Chicken, a kilo, curry pcs

Ginger, 2 inches

Garlic, 8 odd pods

Turmeric powder

Tomatoes, 2 big ones

Pepper powder

Lemon juice, a tsp

Green chillies, 2

Kashmiri chilly powder

Cardamom, 3pods

Onions, 1 big

Garam masala powder

Kasuri methi

Cream, 1 cup

Salt

What to do:

Step 1

Marinate the chicken with 11/2 tsp ginger paste, 11/2 tsp garlic paste, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp pepper powder, 1 tsp lemon juice. Keep aside for 6 hours or overnight.

Step 2

Take 2 tomatoes and cut into big pcs. Chop 1 tsp ginger and garlic respectively and finely. Take the green chillies, cardamom, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilly powder and a cup of water. Cook everything together for 3  to 4 minutes. Grind to a paste. This is your tomato paste.

Step 3

Shallow fry the marinated chicken till it is slightly brown

Step 4

In a warm wok, add oil. Now add 1 tbsp chopped ginger and 1 large chopped onion. Fry till golden brown and soft. Now add 2 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp pepper powder, ½ tsp Garam masala powder and ½ tsp Kasuri methi. Fry the masalas for 2 minutes in low flame. Now add the tomato paste from step 2. When it simmers, add the chicken post step 3and cook till the chicken is soft.

Step 5

Pour a cup pf fresh cream and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

How to serve:

A very North Indian or rather Afghani tasting gravy dish, it is best served with Roti or Paratha. Methi infused roti would be really nice. Though we have already used methi in the gravy, the fragrance is subtle.

Trivia:

Use of cream in Indian curries, especially in meat dishes dates back to Moghul era. This in turn was largely influenced by Afghani and Middle eastern cuisines.

Barbecue Chicken Salad

Kavery gave me a lovely book on salad recipes. Till I realised that i was allergic to chicken, I ate it almost every night and I would always look around for good chicken recipes. This one is a superb one and you just must try it. 

Place 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsps tomato sauce, 1 tbsp clear honey, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and i tsp mustard powder in a shallow bowl and mix it together. Season it with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Pre heat oven to 200 c. Place the chicken on a roasting tin. Spoon over any remaining marinade and roast in the oven for 40 mins until cooked through and lightly charged in places. Cool for 5 mins.

Arrange lettuce leafs,4 grated carrots, 6tbsps of sweet corn and a half thinly sliced red pepper on the serving plate. To make a dressing mix sour cream and chives in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Thickly slice each chicken breast and arrange on the salad serve with dressing.

Kofta Curry

Shiv Talwar is a vegetarian who he eats clams. There was a time when he would devour Kavi aunty’s kofta curries and the boys, Arya and Krishan would watch with pride. Every reason to be proud, Kavi is an outstanding cook and dear dear Shiv is no ardent eater. She makes gorgeous desserts. Coconut soufflé and custard apple kheer are two recently had desserts which have kept me in a present continuous state of hankering for more. A true blue Maharashtrian, we once had an authentic home cooked meal at their Mahim residence, it was like time spent in Chatrapati Shivaji’s kitchen.

Kavi and I are friends since the past few years, but the compatibility is unmistakable.  We have very similar marital woes and hence the potential for a long standing relationship. Vivacious, beautiful and efficient Kavi has shared this really awesome recipe. It is a must-try!

Stuff that you must have:

:

For the Kofta’s (you can even make these prior and store for a day in the fridge)

1/2kg mutton or chicken kheema (if chicken, be sure to squeeze out as much water content as possible through a sieve)

1 finely chopped onion

1 finely chopped green chilly

2-3 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tsp each of ginger n garlic paste

1 ½  tsp cardamom powder (yes, more than 1 tsp....gives the koftas a lovely kick)

1 tsp of saunf/badishop/aniseed powder (optional)

1 egg

2 slices of fresh bread crumbled (whizz pieces of fresh bread in the mixie just enough to crumble/powder)

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying

For the Curry

:

1 medium to large grated onion

1 finely chopped green chilly

½ tsp haldi powder

½ tsp chilly powder

1 tsp jeera / cumin powder

1 tsp dhania/ coriander powder 

 3 tbsp vinegar

½ cup dahi

¾ cup coconut milk

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

What to do:

For the Kofta’s

Combine all the ingredients well. You may want to check the consistency and if needed, perhaps add 1 more slice of powdered fresh bread (generally, its not required). Bind the mixture well to form ping-pong sized balls. Shallow fry the koftas in oil and set aside.

For the curry

 :

Heat the oil, add the grated onion and sweat them a bit. Once a little softened n pinkish, add the dry masalas – haldi, chilly powder, jeera powder, dhania powder and sauté these for a bit. To this add the vinegar and mix well also add ½ cup of water at this stage. Gently add the cooked koftas and coat them well with the curry base. Cover and cook for 5 mins to basically steam up the koftas in the curry base. While this is happening, whip together the dahi+coconut milk with a fork or egg beater to make a smooth solution. Add this to the koftas and mix well. But do be light-handed with the koftas. Again cover and cook for about 10 minutes on a slow flame. 

How to serve:

It is a wholesome meal and is best served with parathas.

Trivia:

 The British dish ‘scotch eggs’ is inspired by the Moghul dish ‘nargisi koftas’. 

Honey infused Mushrooms

Anecdote

Taraa Vermaa Senguptaa, image consultant, ex-hospitality industry professional, mother to a strapping fourteen year old and wife of an established theatre actor, is totally maaaaaaaaaad about food, gourmet and street. Her family dreams, lives and breathes food. They are in a present continuous tense of planning what to eat next. And as I say that life is unfair, all of them are thin and fit people who exercise because they like to.

Taraa and I are having good times together. We are both trainers by our own right in different yet similar verticals and we often co-create and roll out programs. Her commitment to work is what clicks with me and the ‘addas’ and ‘food talks’ are beautiful add-ons to the fruitful discussions.

We do make money and also blow large parts of it in immediate celebratory lunches, but, what the heck, it is all for a good cause!

This really easy and delightfully interesting to the palette soya honey infused mushroom is a must-try for everybody.

Stuff that you must have:

Button Mushrooms, one packet

Black pepper powder, one tea spoon

Honey, one and a half tea spoons

Garlic cloves, 4 peeled and chopped finely
Soya sauce

One large onion chopped finely

Cooking oil, one table spoon

Wok and spatula

Salt

What to do:

Warm Olive Oil in a wok. Add the onion add in a bit the garlic. When the onion changes colour to golden, add the chopped mushrooms. Cover with lid for 6-7 minutes. When mushroom is tender, add the honey, soya sauce, salt to taste and stir fry. In about 3 minutes or so, add the pepper powder. In another minute you mushroom is ready to be devoured.

How to serve:

You can top some boiled rice with the mushroom in a flat bowl or serve it in a bowl with some spring onions as garnish

Trivia:

There is a type of mushroom called “Honey mushrooms” named that way because the colour of the caps is like honey. They are not edible and are parasitical.

Moussaka

                                                       

Anecdote

Gopal is an alien on earth. He is a good husband, well at least almost all the time. To me he is like that Dutt God, Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwar, all in one and therefore pretty unbelievable. He cooks. He does grocery. He checks the fridge for stock. He checks on you. He makes you hot chocolate after you have partied till the wee hours. He makes morning tea. Okay, I shall stop my orgasmic ranting.

I don’t know why I do this to myself but every time I am in Bangalore I am living with Kavi and Gopal and I come back writhing in self pity and some solid anger directed at you-know-who. My most all time memory of Gopal would be that when I was down in the dumps in Calcutta in ’97, he, then posted in Bombay called me every morning to just say, ‘cheer up” for almost thirty days.

And girls, let me make it worse for you, Gopal cooks non vegetarian food but is a vegetarian and is a good looking fellar!

Stuff that you must have & what to do:

Eggplant: preferably 2 purple, medium sized ones, sliced in roundels

Potatoes: 3 -4 medium/large ones: sliced in roundels again...not very thick, but not wafer thin either

Soak the roundels of eggplant and potatoes in a slight drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave aside for about 15 minutes

 On a low flame, fry the eggplant and potatoes on a flat skillet. The eggplant has to turn reddish brown, while potatoes need to get golden brown. Once done, set aside: this is the base that we will use

Tomatoes: ripe, about 4 large ones

Mince: beef or lamb....about 200 grams (add a little salt and some freshly ground pepper and keep aside)

Garlic: freshly peeled, about 4 large pods

Onions: about 2 medium sized ones...sliced long and fine..

Parsley / Celery leaves 

In a slightly deep sauce pan, fry the crushed garlic in some olive oil, then fry the onions till they turn translucent; add tomatoes and slow cook till they are soft and turn into a soft mash. Add the seasoned mince...and allow to cook (covered) till all the juices dry up. Add the chopped parsley (or celery) and leave aside

 Preparing the Béchamel sauce:

1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour - ensure that it has been sieved 

3 sticks of 3" wide butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 egg yolks

2 cups of milk (preferably with cream) - warm (not hot!!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cheddar / Parmesan - depending on required amount of flavor

- Melt butter in a medium sauce pan and ensure that it is warm

- Whisk in the flour slowly, stirring to ensure that there are no lumps (on low heat)

- Keep whisking and adding flour till it has all blended in the initial stage, It will blend to smoothness, and then as the density of the flour increases, it will tend to become flaky - not to worry...(on low heat)

- As once the flour is added, slowly add in the warm milk and keep whisking...till you have a smooth, flowing sauce.

- Remove from heat, whisk in the beaten egg and the egg yolks and whisk away...till all ingredients are blended.

- Keep warm and add the cheese. Cover and set aside

For the final assemble:

-In a baking dish - preferably rectangular. Grease the bottom and sides with butter

- Put in one layer of the fried potatoes, then one layer of the egg plant, one layer of the meat & tomato sauce - then the next layer of eggplant and meat sauce.

- Pour the Béchamel sauce ensuring that it covers the top of the dish completely (some of it should seep through the layers below..and that is good :)!

- Top with some more cheese

- Bake at 250 to 270 deg C for about 20 minutes - the top should be golden brown

- Take off from heat, rest for about 15-20 minutes 

Moussaka is ready to serve                                 

How to serve:

As in the picture assemble in a baking bowl, preferably rectangular in shape.

Trivia:

Moussaka is the best known of all Greek foods. Greeks believe that Moussaka was introduced when the Arabs brought the eggplant, although Arabs, especially in Lebanon, think of it dish as a Greek dish. Moussaka is also found in Turkey.

Shorshey Paneer

                                                                                           
                      

Anecdote

Zinia is a true blue flower. There is no one in the universe, not even Gautam’s mother, who does not adore my friend Zinia. She has taught me to be chilled out about everything (If my husband and son read this they will change the tense to present continuous), stay calm and just enjoy life. Z is okay with everything and is super subtle when something does not go right. I have not heard her complain about anything except for not being able to  cook non vegetarian food at home in the last ten years that we have been friends. Her home is a happy and peaceful abode even though the son eats only “Bhindi”, the house help breaks expensive crockery and cleaner woman talks at high decibel levels.

Zinia became my friend soon after she lost her mother, and somewhere I like to think that I came into her life at the rightest time. We are there for each other and though I am a non-hugger and she is a non-crier, there are moments of self defining depth.

Zinia likes to take it easy, yet it all gets done, and her latest punch line to me was , “ you know Abhi, I always listen to my body.”

Stuff that you must have:

½ kilo paneer

sarson paste (2 teaspoon)

1 onion grated

1 tomato

kalo jeera/kalonji

Green chilly

Finely chopped coriander leaves

What to do:

1.  Pan fry paneer and soak in lukewarm salty water

2.  In a pan put oil, add kalo jeera

3.  Add onion, tomato, and green chilli and fry till done

4.  Put little salt and turmeric powder

5.  Add water which was used to soak the paneer (approx. ½ cup)

6.  After a while add sarson paste, followed by paneer

7.  Sprinkle coriander leaves

         

How to serve:

Pour it into a serving bowl and serve with plain long grained rice.

Trivia: 

All parts of the mustard plant are edible, including the leaves, seeds and flowers.

In Denmark and India, it’s thought that spreading mustard seeds around the exterior of the home will keep out evil spirits.

National Mustard Day and The Mustard Festival are held on the first Saturday of August each year.

Pope John XXII was so fond of mustard that he created a new Vatican position, the 'grand moutardier du pape' (mustard-maker to the pope) and appointed his nephew to the post.

Quinoa Salad

Anecdote

Tulip is a woman of substance who looks like a twenty something girl. She wears many hats and that’s what draws me to her. When we first met she was following her passion to be a teacher and taught History to children. This talent she brings out even more in the way she manages Ivana’s academics. Tulip is also married to an exercise freak, and she discovered the wonders of work-out after marriage. She taught Pilates at Nawaz Modi Singhania’s gym for some years. In the recent times she trained to teach Zumba and is now a certified trainer. Quite the entrepreneur she runs a Zumba class near home, advices on health food and participates in Zumba flash mobs. They say that learning never stops; I am some years older than Tulip. Yet I learn from her many new ideas, things to do, cooking concepts and one consistent attribute in everything that we do together and that is her eye for detail.

I must add that this health and fitness proponent makes the most delicious frosting on muffins and cakes!

Stuff that you must have:

1/4 cup quinoa

1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tomato

1/2 capsicum, finely chopped

1/2 sweet potato

1/4 cup lightly toasted almonds

A handful of raisins

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

What to do:

Put the quinoa in the pressure cooker along with the water and salt. Reduce heat once the steam is released and cook on slow fire for about ten minutes.

Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette and keep aside. Just before serving, mix the cut vegetables with the quinoa. Add in the vinaigrette and toss well. Adjust seasoning.

How to serve:

Spoon it out on a solid coloured plate or platter. Decorate with vegetable shavings.

Trivia: 

Quinoa looks like a grain but is actually a seed and it is gluten free. It is available in colours like red and black and white. It is called the “everyday superfood”.