Mutton in Coconut Gravy sauce with Basil leaves

Mutton in Coconut Gravy sauce with Basil leaves

Ingredients

•          Mutton (on bone) – ½ kg
•          Onion paste –  ¾ cup
•          Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
•          Ginger-Garlic paste – 2 tsp + 2 tsp
•          Turmeric – 1 tbsp
•          Chilli powder – 2 tsp
•          Coriander powder – 2 tsp
•          Cumin powder – 1 tsp
•          Red bell pepper – 1 big sliced into thick juliennes
•          Coconut gravy – ½ cup
•          Basil leaves – 8-10
•          Coriander – small bunch and finely chopped
•          Salt to taste
•          Oil for cooking 3 tbsp and 2 tsp butter

Marinade the mutton with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Set aside for 1-2 hours.

Method

1.       In a saucepan heat oil and butter and sear off the mutton well on medium-high flame. Keep aside.
2.    In the same saucepan add 1 tsp oil (if necessary). Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté.
3.     Add onion paste and cook. Add tomato paste and mix and cook.
4.    Then add coconut gravy and cook well. Add additional water to get desired consistency.
5.    Add red bell pepper and let them cook slightly (I prefer a slight crunch to them).
6.     Add the mutton and put gas on simmer and let the mutton cook well.
7.     Check for salt and spice. Add as necessary.
8.   When mutton is cooked add chopped coriander leaves (and stems) and whole basil leaves.
9.     Close flames and let curry absorb flavor of coriander and basil.
10.     Serve hot with rice/khuboos.
11.     Bon appetite.

Chicken 65

Chicken 65

 

Ingredients:

·         Chicken breast – 500 gm cut into small bite-able chunks

·         Red chili powder – 1 tsp

·         Ginger- garlic paste – 2 tbsp

·         Salt to taste

·         Corn starch – 3-4 tbsp

·         Oil for deep frying

Method:

1.      In a mixing bowl marinate the above and set aside for 10 mins.

2.      Heat oil in a pot and deep fry the chicken cubes till crisp and golden brown.

 Ingredients:

·         Onions – 1 medium cut into bite-able chunks (same size as chicken)

·         Curry leaves – 4-5 strands

·         Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

·         Red chili paste – 2 tbsp (add more to suit your taste buds)

·      Crushed black pepper – 2 tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

·         Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp

·         Red color (optional) – 3-4 drops

·         Oil – 2 tbsp

·         Salt to taste

 

Method:

1.      In a frying pan heat the oil and add garlic. Sauté.

2.      Add cumin seeds. On their sputtering add curry leaves. Mix well.

3.      Add red chili paste, turmeric powder, crushed black pepper and salt. Cook till masala is done. Add red color (optional).

4.      Add slight water (if necessary) to ensure that it does not stick to the pan.

5.      Add the fried chicken and mix well for 2-3 mins.

6.    Add onions and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 mins. Add little water if getting too dry.

6.      Serve hot.

7.      Bon Appetite.

Balsamic Pepper Chicken

Balsamic Pepper Chicken

(image to be posted later)

 

Ingredients:

·         Chicken – 500 gm (breasts, drum sticks or wings)

OR

·         Paneer (for veggie lovers) – cut into 1 square inch pieces and not too thick (approx. 1 cm)

For Paste:

·         Black Pepper Corn – 6-8 tbsp (roasted and ground to coarse powder). You may adjust pepper corns to suit your taste buds

·         Parsley – 1 bunch

·         Garlic cloves – 6-8

·         Balsamic vinegar – 1 tbsp

·         Soy sauce – 1 tsp

·         Lime/Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

·         Olive oil – 4 tbsp (adjust to get a thick paste consistency)

·         Salt

Grind the above to a coarse paste. Make sure that the paste is not runny, but “ketchup like” thickness. Keep the paste color slightly on the green side, use more parsley if needed.

Method:

1.      Marinate the chicken/paneer and leave aside for 10-15 mins.

2.      In a hot griddle drizzle some olive oil and fry the chicken/paneer well.

3.      Alternatively, set up a BBQ and place on the grill.

4.      Serve it the way you like, slice the breasts into chewable chunks or on a skewer with onions, bell pepper, etc. or just with sliced onions.

5.      Bon Appetite.

Fish Curry Masala

Fish Curry Masala

 

Ingredients (for paste):

·         Tamarind paste – ½ cup (soak tamarind in warm water and extract paste. Don’t make it too runny. I personally do not prefer ready-made paste, but you can use it to save time. In which case 2 tbsp). Adjust depending on your preference for tanginess.

·         Green coriander - 1 bunch

·         Green chillies - 3-4

·         Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

·         Jeera powder - 1 tsp

·         Coriander powder - 1 tbsp (preferably use the stems as it has a lot of juice)

·         Ginger - 1/2 inch

·         Garlic - 4-6 cloves

·         Salt

Blend all this in a mixer and keep aside (don’t make it too runny)

 
For curry:

·         Onion - 1 medium chopped

·         Garlic - 2-3 cloves chopped

·         Oil - 2-3 tbsp

·         Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

·         Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

·         Salt

 

Method:

1.      Marinate the fish using half of this masala.

2.      In a sauce pan heat the oil and saute onions and garlic.

3.      Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

4.      Add salt to taste.

5.      Add 2 cups water and bring to boil.

6.      Add the blended masala and cook for 8-10 mins.

7.      Add the fish. Simmer. Check for salt and spice (add red chilli powder if you wish).

8.      Garnish with green coriander.

9.      Serve with rice or roti.

10.  Bon Appetite.

Stuffed Gnocchi (with Bechamel Sauce)

Stuffed Gnocchi (with Bechamel Sauce)

(recipe to be posted later)

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

 

 

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

·         Chicken – 250 gm

·         Onion (chopped) – 1 large

·         Bell pepper (green and red) – ½ ea, diced

·         Frozen Mix  Veg. (Optional) – ½ cup slightly sauted

·         Cooked rice with a few dashes of tabasco sauce – 2 cups

·         Jalapeno Peppers – ¼ cup sliced

·         Tortilla wraps – 4

·         Mozarella cheese (grated) – 1 cup

·         Sour crème

·         Green coriander for garnishing

·         Salt and Pepper

Method:

1.      Cook the chicken slowly (to your desired recipe and don’t make it too spicy) with little sauce (thicken it with crème if needed). Debone the chicken.

TIP: Use left-over chicken if you have.

2.      Spread sour crème on a tortilla.

3.      On one top-half of the tortilla spread chicken and fold the tortilla as a taco.

4.      Now fill this with rice, your veggies, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos.

5.      Season with salt and pepper.

6.      Set aside on a plate and make the remaining 4 to fill the plate up.

7.      Put mozzarella cheese (be generous).

8.      Bake this plate in an oven (120^oC) till the cheese melts.

9.      Garnish and serve.

10.  Bon Appetite.

Jawala Fry

Jawala Fry

 

 

Ingredients:

·         Jawala (Dried shrimp) – 1 cup

·         Onion (chopped) – 1 large

·         Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp (add more if you wish, suit your taste buds)

·         Coriander powder – 1 tsp

·         Garam masala – ½ tsp

·         Oil for pan frying – 1tbsp

·         Green coriander for garnishing

·         Salt to taste (remember jawala will be having a salty taste too)

 Method:

1.      In a pan heat oil and sauté onions (till translucent).

2.      Add jawala and mix well till crisp.

3.      Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Sauté.

4.      Garnish and serve.

5.      Bon Appetite.

Can be had on a baguette, make a crostini with some chopped bell peppers (red and green), endless combinations.

 

Masala French Toast

Masala French Toast

Ingredients:

·         Eggs – 3 nos.

·         Milk – 4 tbsp

·         Green Chilli – 1 (chopped)

·         Red Chilli powder – ½ tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

·         Garlic – ½ clove (chopped)

·         Garam masala – ¼ tsp

·         Fresh coriander (chopped)

·         Salt and Pepper

·         Bread (white or bread) – 6 nos.

·         Oil for pan frying

Method:

1.      In a mixing bowl beat all the above (except bread J )

2.      One by one soak the bread in this mix and set aside

3.      Heat little oil in a pan and fry (on medium flame) each soaked bread on both sides till done.

4.      Serve with ketchup/mayonnaise mix.

5.      Bon Appetite.