Chicken with ginger and beans tossed in caramel sauce

Today was one eventful day! allthatsdelicious.blogspot.in went live on air, the blog was featured on Radio One 94.3 FM, on the programme Arvind's kitchen. It was great feeling, exciting and humbling all at once. To have got this opportunity to reach out to so many people was much more than I could ask for. I have a long way to go and so does this blog but today will definitely be special, something to look back to and draw motivation from.

      And, today's episode was extra special because of another reason. So, RJ Arvind, the host of the show, chose to discuss my recipe of the Shepherd's Pie and the story behind my soft spot for this English classic. And he was very kind to agree to dedicate the episode to my grandfather, Dadun, about whom the story is.      

   My grandfather is an old man now. His once upright back is now bent with age, the glimmer in his eyes a tad dull and his health betraying him every second. He no longer remembers the stories he regaled me with, he sometimes cannot recognise me, his favourite grandchild and he talks very little, sometimes he even whimpers in his sleep. But today when he heard his story being narrated on the radio he laughed and clapped and cried like a little child. It broke my heart and made me happy like nothing else, all at once. 

      Anyway, over all it was a good day. By the way breakfast was at the newly opened Au Bon Pain on Park Street over some good conversation and that had quite set the mood for the day. And a day like this had to end on a foodie note too. So here's today's recipe.

Ingredients

Minced chicken - 500gms
Beans - 200 gms (cut into inch and a half pieces)
Sugar - 3tbsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Finely chopped onions - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped garlic - 1 tbsp
Ginger juliennes - 4-5 tbsp
Dark soy sauce - 1tbsp
Fish sauce - 1tsp
Chilli flakes - 1tsp
Salt to taste
Honey - 3/4tsp
Oil

Method:

In a pan add the sugar and let it caramelise, stir frequently and once the caramel is a beautiful golden brown and bubbling, remove from heat and add 3/4 cup water. If the caramel solidifies, return o heat and stir around for a minute or so. Once done keep the caramel sauce aside.

Now in a frsh pan, heat 4 tbsp oil. Add the chopped onions. Fry for a few minutes. Add the chopped garlic and ginger juliennes.

Now add the fish sauce and soy sauce.Stir around for a minute and add the minced chicken, salt and chili flakes. On high flame sti fry the chicken, adding the caramel sauce little by little every few minutes.

Mid way through, add the beans and stir fry along with the chicken.

Finally add a little honey, mix and take off heat.

Dakshini Machhi Kabab

I love flavours from the south of India. I would anyday give up a butter chicken for a portion of spicy chettinad chicken, or a fish tikka for a serving of Chepala pulusu. I have never thanked God enough for Chicken 65, I know he didn't create it, but he did create the one who created it) Be it the fiery Andhra Cuisine or the flavours from God's own country, I am a fan of every thing  made in kitchens on the other side of the Vindhyas, I think. (I hope my true blue Punjabi boyfriend is not going to read this post). Ok I love my ghee soaked parathas too, especially the ones his mother makes on the tandoor.

Of course, you understand my predicament by now. I am torn between the North and the South. So, I have been toying with the idea of a south Indian inspired Kebab and finally after a few trials I came up with this one. It's quite simple. It takes a little time to prep for the dish, but otherwise of course there isn't much to do. I think you will like it.

 Ingredients:

Bekti fillet (cut like tikka) - 500g
Vinegar : 2-3 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Garlic paste 2 tbsp
Curry leaves 2-3 stalks
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp 
Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
Whole cumin - 1 tbsp
Whole red chilies - 5-6
Turmeric powder - A pinch 
Salt to taste

Method:

Lightly dry roast the curry leaves sesame seeds, mustard seeds, whole cumin and whole red chilies and grind it together to form a dry mixed spice.

Pour the masala into a bowl and one by one add the ginger paste, garlic paste,vinegar. turmeric powder, salt and oil and mix well. The marinade for the fish is done.

Marinate the fish with the marinade for an hour.

Pre heat oven at 175 degrees  centigrade.

Grill at 175 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Serve piping hot with a squeeze of lime and some chopped green chilies 

PS: You could also make the dish with pomfret. I made it last evening and it was over before I could click snaps for the blog.

Penance and the Simplest Chicken Rezala Ever

A very happy New Year to all you guys.

Sometime ago I did something to hurt a very dear friend, one of my best buddies. I slept through the day I had promised to visit her while she waited for me. And boy was she cross, and was I guilty. What made it worse was her mother had turned out a feast for me despite feeling unwell that day. It took a few months before I could convince her of my regret, how much I was repenting. She said she was ready to forgive but I would have to pay. FRIENDS. So, she made a list of things I would have to do for her to win her back, and of course few of my other friends helped her make that list, following the sole criteria of driving me up the wall and...over it. I couldn't be happier to oblige. This was supposed to be a penance of sorts.

The first thing on the list was "Cook for me whenever and wherever I demand you to...and cook for me often. This Chicken Rezala, my mother had got the recipe from a cooking class she attended years ago, and this is one of the first things I learnt to cook, was my first step towards atonement. I was a little intoxicated (yes, rum and coke for me of course) while I cooked it for her the evening before last but this one is so simple you could turn it out even if you were seeing two of everything.It was delish and she was a happy, happy woman. Phew.

And I thought I'll share the recipe with you. This dish has a message for the new year. Keep it simple and spicy!!!!!

Ingredients

Chicken - 2kg
Curd - 400g + 100g
Onion paste - 2 cups
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp (heaped)
Whole black pepper - 2 tbsp
Whole dried red chillies - 8- 10
Ghee - 75g
Cardamom - 3-4
Cloves - 3-4
Cinnamon stick - 1inch
Bay leaves - 3
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Kewra water - few drops (optional)

Method:

• Marinate the chicken with curd, onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander powder, salt and sugar. Keep for 2 hours.
• Heat ghee in a kadhai, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Once done, add the chicken, along with the marinade. Cook covered on low heat for 20 minutes.
• Turn up the heat to medium. Add the whole black pepper and whole red chilies. Cook until water reduces and the gravy is to your liking.
• In a bowl whisk the remaining curd (100g) with a little water to make a creamy paste. Add it to the chicken minutes before taking it off heat.
• Sprinkle a few drops of Kewra Water and serve hot with bread of your choice.

Machher Mathha diye Moog'er Dal

My family has great regard for tradition and customs. I have mixed feelings really. But one birthday tradition I have always been fascinated by, and have waited for eagerly every year, is that of serving a whole fish head for your traditional birthday special meal. Yes a whole fish head, eyes et al. As a child the first thing I would do on waking up on the B Day was run to the kitchen upstairs to find out how big the fish head was. I never ate it, never, but I simply had to have it on the table when I sat down to eat.

Every year on my birthday my father heads out to the market in the morning and gets the largest fish head available which is cooked with a simple tempering of kaalo jeere- kancha lonka (Nigella seeds and green chilies). It's not a special privilege, each of us cousins, we are five, are entitled to a mammoth fish head on our birthdays. However, till date I have never eaten mine. My elder brothers feel only too glad about it since they are fish-head fanatics. So they wolf it down the moment I have had my first mouthful, that's e a tradition too.   

Other than the special birthday fish head, I love another dish that has fish head in it. The quintessential Machher Matha diye Moog'er Dal (Moong Dal with fish heads). This dish is another celebration staple at my place and I can give up on all the fish and meat for a bowlful of this dal. I have had various versions of this dal, but my current favourite is the one that Suchitra Di, she cooks for us, whips up. I though I must share her recipe with you since for me this Dal tastes especially good during winter. And with the weekend around the corner, it seemed like a good time to share it. 

Ingredients 

Moong Dal - 400g
Fish head (Rohu)- 1 large or 2 small, broken into pieces
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Bay leaf - 3-4
Cardamom - 1
Dry red chilies - 4-5
Onion (thinly sliced) - 4 large
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Tomatoes - 4 medium
Turmeric powder - I tsp + 1tsp
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Mustard oil
Green peas (optional) 
Ghee - 2-3 tbsp or as much as you like :P

Method: 

Fry the fish heads, which have been marinated with turmeric powder and salt for 15-20 minutes, in mustard oil and keep aside.

Dry roast the moong, add 4-5 cups of water and put it to boil.

In the meantime, heat mustard oil in a kadhai and add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom and dry red chillies. Once the cumin seeds start to sizzle (and the aroma drives you crazy....ummm that's a bit of an exaggeration) add the onions and fry.




Check on the dal. You should take it off the heat once dal softens but it shouldn't be pulpy. The grains should still be whole. 






 On the other hand once the onions are golden add the ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a minute or two and add the tomatoes. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and sugar at this point.

Fry till the tomatoes soften and oil separates from the masala.

Now add the fish heads, followed by the dal (water et al). Add the green peas (optional) too. Cook for about 5 - 7 minutes. 

 

A generous drizzle of ghee later take it off the heat.

This one's just what you need on a winter afternoon — with steamed rice and jhuri aloo bhaja, this is a treat to cherish.

Better still with Pnui shaak'er chhanchra — a mixed vegetable dish with Pnui shaak (Basella alba or even known as Malabar spinach) as its star, every Bengali would swear by.

A lonely Christmas and Hariyali Murgh

This time around I spent a rather lonely Christmas. For me Christmas, my favourite day of the year, has always meant spending time with family. I have never felt the urge to go frolicking and partying on Christmas day like some of my friends did, nor have I ever planned outings. On Christmas I want to stay put in my house, wake up to steaming mugs of coffee made by mum, served with preposterously thick slices of juicy fruit cake, and then go around the house with a pen and a paper, jotting down what each one wants for breakfast from Flurys (usually dad and my cousin would go to pick up breakfast), watch Christmas special films curled up in my bed under a heavy blanket happy knowing everyone's at home, then cook all afternoon and have dinner together. But this time, for the first time, my parents had decided to join their friends on a trip to Sundarbans. My brother had promised to spend his day with his newest lady love. And it couldn't be a great Christmas without them around. Besides I had to go to work. Who goes to work on Christmas? Who, who, who???????


Nonetheless, I had to make something special for Christmas and I made my Dad's favourite item. He loves Hariyali Murgh the way I make it. You could say it was a revenge of sorts, cooking what he loves most when he can't have it, after all it was his idea to go on the trip. It's a simple recipe but very tasty. And some how it tastes best during the winters. I had it with steamed rice (I could have anything and everything with steamed rice...everything), curled up in bed watching PS I love you. Another form of revenge — my mother would throw a fit if she sees me eating in bed (she said yes to the trip when she could have outright refused to go) *Evil laugh*

By the way I did save some for Dad (I am a softy that way you see)  and it turns out that it tastes even better the day after!!!!

 Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg
Corainder leaves - 4 stalks
Mint leaves - 2 stalks
Green chilies - 5-6 (or depending on your taste)
Onions (sliced thin) - 1 cup packed 
Ginger juliennes - 4 tbsp
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp 
Black peppercorns - 1 tbsp 
Salt to taste
White Oil - 5-6 tbsp 
Juice of 1 lime 

Method:

In a food processor blend coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chilies. Keep aside.

 Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry the onions till they are golden and add the ginger juliennes and garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes.

Now add the chicken, stir fry for a few minutes on high heat. Add the coriander-mint-chili paste and mix well. Add salt, peppercorns and coriander powder. Mix well, reduce heat and cook the chicken covered on low heat until chicken releases water.

Remove cover and cook on medium to low heat unless chicken is tender and the gravy has reduced. The oil should separate. Add lemon juice, mix and remove from heat.