Green Chicken Karahi

Bored of the same old chicken karahi? Then this recipe ifs for you. really delicious and super quick to make. 

So here goes,

Ingredients:

1 kg Chicken

1 bunch of Coriander leaves

a handful of Mint leaves

6-7 Green chilies (add more if you want a little more heat)

2-3 cloves of Garlic

1 tbsp of Coriander seeds

1 tbsp of Cumin Seeds

1 tbsp of dried Kasuri Methi

1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste

1-2 tsp of Black Pepper (freshly crushed if possible)

1 cup of beaten Yogurt

1/4 tsp of Garam Masala

Julienne Ginger for garnish.

Roast Cumin and Coriander seeds till they are fragrant. Crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Keep aside.

Blend together coriander leaves, mint, Green chilies and garlic cloves with a little bit of water to make a paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and fry ginger garlic paste till fragrant than add chicken,

kasuri Methi and half of coriander cumin mix. Fry on high heat till the chicken changes color.

Than add the blended coriander mixture, salt, black pepper, and the remaining ground cumin and zeera.

Cook till the oil separates, about 10-15 minutes.

Add yogurt and cook on high flame till desired consistency. I kept the gravy to a minimal.

Sprinkle Garam masala, julienne ginger and chopped chilies. Cover for 5 minutes on low flame.

Serve with naan.

Enjoy!

[Guest Post] Malpua

So a few days ago a very sweet aunty Zeenat approach me and asked if I would post her recipes on my blog. I said yes the very instant, how could I say no to tried and tested traditional family recipes?

I'll be sharing her recipes on my blog from now on. I will also be trying her recipes myself and will update the posts with my attempts. 

So the first recipe that she wants to share is Malpua. 

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 cup of Suji (semolina)

1 cup of Atta

Sugar according to taste (enough to sweeten)

1 egg

Water to soak in for semi-thick consistency

Method:

Soak suji, atta and sugar in water overnight for semi thick consistency.

Add egg and whisk in the morning before frying.

Take oil in frying pan, heat, take ladle and pour till a circle of batter forms in frying pan when golden brown turn side when both sides are golden brown it is ready to eat.

relish with Balai mixed with honey

Recipe Courtesy : Zeenat Hussain

Vada Pav

Vada Pav, not something that us Pakistan think about when we want something for a snack. Our snacks are usually samosa, pakora and stuff. But why not give this a try too?

I had Vada Pav at a small chaat place here in Muscat. I fell in love with it. I've had it countless times since than. But now since I live much further from that chaat place, I thought why not try to make it myself.

So this is the recipe that I came up with. 

The recipe of Garlic chutney is adapted from Tarla Dalal

Ingredients:

(For Vada):

1/2 tsp of Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp of Cumin 

1/4 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste

2 Green Chilies (roughly chopped)

1 small Onion (diced)

1 tsp of Red Chili Powder (adjust according to taste)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder

a pinch of Chaat Masala (optional)

2 large Potatoes (boiled and roughly mashed)

Juice from half a Lemon

(For the Batter):

1/2 cup of Besan (Gram Flour)

a pinch of Baking Soda

Salt to taste

a pinch of Red Chili Powder

a pinch of Cumin

(For Green Chutney)

1/2 bunch of Coriander

1/2 bunch of Mint

1 Green Chili

1 clove of Garlic

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Cumin

2-3 tbsp Tamarind paste

(For Garlic Chutney)

6-7 Cloves of Garlic

3 tbsp of grated Coconut

1 tbsp of Red Chili powder

Salt to taste

(Other Ingredients)

4-6 Pav/Burger buns

Method:

(For Green Chutney)

For the Green Chutney, Blend everything together with a little bit of water. Keep Aside. 

(For Garlic Chutney)

For Garlic Chutney, heat a little bit of oil in a small frying pan, cook garlic cloves till they are light brown. take out the garlic than roast grated coconut. Blend garlic, coconut and red chili powder. Add salt. Keep aside. 

(For Batter)

Mix besan, baking soda and the spices. Make a lump free, medium consistency batter with water. Keep aside. 

(For Vada)

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add Mustard Seeds. When they start to splutter,

add Cumin,

and ginger garlic paste.

When fragrant, add Green Chilies,

Onion, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Cook for a minute. Add a splash of water if the spices starts to burn.

Add boiled potatoes and lemon juice.

Mix and keep aside to cool.

Make balls of the potato mix. 

Dip in besan batter and deep fry till light golden brown. 

To assemble Vada Pav, lightly toast the pav, apply green chutney and dry garlic chutney. Place vada on top and lightly crush with the top half of the bun. 

Enjoy!

Yakhni Pulao

Alot is happening in my life right now. I'm trying to find a place where I actually belong. I thought Oman was it, but as it dawns on me now, this country is a career suicide. As much as I love Oman (Things to-do when in Oman, coming up on the blog soon), I'm already thinking about moving. Not sure where, not sure when, but it will happen InshAllah (hopefully). *fingers crossed*

Any type of aromatic rice used to be a comfort food for me when I was young. I remember my mother making this (she is one of the best cook in the world!) with shaami kababs and raita. This is totally her recipe and how she makes it. Rough estimate of ingredients, no hard and fast rule and no limitations, that how I cook. Whats the fun in everything thats been set on stone, right?

For this recipe you'll need:

(For the Stock):

500 grams of Beef or Mutton with bone (I used beef)

1 medium Onion

1/2 inch piece of Ginger

5-6 cloves of Garlic

5-6 Cloves

5-6 Black peppercorn

2-3 Black Cardamom

1 Star Anise

2 sticks of Cinnamon

1-2 Bay leaves

1/2 tsp of Cumin

1 tsp of coarsely crushed Coriander Seeds

Some dried chilies (optional)

Other Ingredients:

1.5-2 cups (regular measuring cup) or approx 350-400 grams of Basmati Rice

1 Medium Onion, sliced

250 grams of Yogurt

1 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp of Garam Masala Powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp of Ground Black pepper

4-5 Green Chilies, roughly chopped

Fried Onion (optional)

Start by adding Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Cinnamon, Peppercorns, Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom, Cloves, Cumin, Coriander seeds, Bay leaves and some dried Chilies in a deep pot.

Add beef/mutton

Add water so that the meat is fully covered.

Cook on low till the meat is cooked through, about 1.5-2 hours.

Take out the meat and strain and reserve the stock to use later.

Whip yogurt with Cumin, Ginger Garlic paste and Garam Masala powder. Keep aside.

Brown onion in 4-5 tbsp of oil than add cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon and cardamom.

Add beef/mutton..

yogurt mix, salt, ground black pepper and roughly crushed green chilies

Cook till all the water from the yogurt evaporates and oil is released. 

Add reserved stock (double the amount of rice used, I used 1.5 cups of rice, so 3 cups of stock). If you have less stock, just add water to compensate. Bring to the boil.

Add Rice and cook covered on medium flame till the water is almost dried. Than cook on low with a flat 'tawa' underneath the pateeli for 20 minutes.

Uncover and marvel at the aroma that would hit you in the face.

Sprinkle with fried onion and coriander.

I had this yummy pulao with Potato cutlets (recipe here), salad and raita.

Chickpea Pilaf {Channa Pulao}

I love simple, flavorful food and this is exactly what this is. 

Simple, sada, ghar ka khana. 

You'll need

1 tin of pre-boiled Chickpeas / 200-250 grams of boiled Chickpea

1 1/4 cup of Rice

1 small Onion

1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

2 Green Chilies

a few Mint leaves

250 grams of Yogurt

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp of Red Chili Powder

1/4 tsp of Garam Masala

Fry onion till golden brown.

Add ginger garlic paste. Fry till fragrant. 

Add mint leaves, green chilies and all the spices.

Now quickly add yogurt.

Saute till it gets saucy.

Add chickpeas and fry for 5 minutes.

Add water, almost double the amount of rice. I used 2 and 1/4th cup of water.

Add rice when the water starts to boil.

Cook on medium flame till the water almost evaporates but still just a little bit left. Put on dam for 10 minutes (with tawa at the bottom)

Serve

Enjoy