Chicken Curry/ Rassa

Woahhh!! Its not a Vegetarian Blog ;).....yeah!! Here goes the first Non-Vegetarian post for the blog and many will come following this one. 

This post takes me to the past when I was a partial Vegetarian. With that I mean, I used to eat Eggs but was a no-no to flesh. The reason behind this could possibly be my father who was a Vegetarian & my Mom hardly used to bring Chicken or Mutton in house unless my Bro demands for it. So it was very rare. 

However, Y entering into my life, taught me right from "choosing the good piece of Chicken" to "enjoying it to the fullest"!! Post marriage, I never entered into the kitchen when it was a "Chicken/ Mutton Day" with a fear that I might stop eating it after actually watching the way it was cooked!!

Today, anybody who knows me, will never accept the above fact so easily. Days have passed & things have altered. Chicken has become the part & parcel of my life now...I cook it....eat it & off course.....experiment it :D

This is a very basic Maharashtrian Chicken Curry ('Rassa' as they call to 'Curry' in Maharashtra) Recipe I first learnt & seems to be very fuss free for me....especially when I have to take out some soup for my toddler. Check it...

Chicken Curry/ Rassa

Chicken Curry/ Rassa

Serves: 2-3                         Preparation Time: 10-15 mins                Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 kg Chicken (with bones)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

2 tsp haldi

1 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1 tbspn home-made kala (black) masala OR 1/2 tbspn home-made garam masala

6-8 tbspn oil

salt as per taste

(I) Make to paste without water:

   1 tbspn grated dry/ fresh coconut

   3-4 garlic cloves

   small piece of ginger

   few coriander leaves

(II) Make to fine paste (masala) adding water:

To be made to paste (II)

1 medium onion (thinly sliced & roasted in a  tsp oil)

3 tbspn grated dry coconut (dry roasted)

1 1/2 tbspn puffed chana dal, powdered (optional)

8-10 garlic cloves

small piece of ginger

few coriander leaves

After applying the paste (I)

Step 1: Wash & drain the chicken pieces. Apply the paste made in (I) all over the pieces. Add half the salt & haldi. Mix & set aside for 10-15 mins.

Step 2: Heat 1 1/2 cup water in a container. Set aside.

Step 3: Heat half the oil in a pressure cooker. Add finely chopped onion & fry till its pink.

Step 4: Add chicken pieces in Step 1 & saute for 4-5 mins. Add warm water in Step 2 & close the lid. Cook upto 2 whistles on medium heat.

(At this stage, I reserve some part of this for my toddler. Its just salty & tastes great. Even elders can enjoy as soup. A great hit!!)

Step 5: Heat remaining oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the masala paste in (II). Add the spice powders (see Note) & saute till the oil separates.

Step 6: Add cooked chicken & mix well. Add remaining salt. Check for the consistency. If you are looking for a thin curry, add some more 'warm' water. Cook for 5 mins.

Step 7: Garnish with coriander & serve hot with chapati, bhakri or rice.

Note: If using home-made garam masala, add it towards the end with chopped coriander. Mix well & keep covered for 5 mins & serve.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!

Ending this year wonderfully with many dreams that came true & became the fact of life as well as "beaucoup les résolutions"....hope they all take birth in the coming year!! 

Wish u all & ur loved ones a wonderful new year 2011....which will be blessed, charming, healthy & wealthy offcourse!! ;)

I am ending the year by participating in "Monthly Mingle- Chocolate Extravaganza" hosted by Ria. Hope this adds a 'sweet' ending to 2010!! Here's the link:

 Montly Mingle- Chocolate Extravaganza

A Grand Welcome to 2011!!

Foontastic.com - Orkut Scraps Codes

Winter Special - Mawa Ladoo

Winter....Cold...it has already geared up here...all over in Maharashtra... the temperature is falling down. May be this is the first time it is so cold right in the month of December. It never starts so early. If the nature had taken a step ahead...why not me then?? :)

Winter for me means time to pull up a blanket, snuggle up close to your loved one & enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee! But for Grand Moms & Moms, winter also means something else...time to prepare various types of ladoos with oil seeds like groundnuts, sesame & plenty of dry fruits & ghee....simply mouth melting!!

Mawa Ladoo

Since I have been promoted to a 'Mom' now....I too thought of adding some nutrition to my baby's diet (adults will offcourse enjoy ;) ) by preparing this rich ladoos which Kaku prepares. She never missed sending them to me..all the way from Nagpur...in every winter & Y was the first to finish them up!! But this time, I decided to try out the "Mawa ladoos" (as Kaku calls them) myself! Thanks to her for the ladoos & also permitting me to share this wonderful & simple recipe with you all....

Before I start....something about having dry fruits in winter season:

Due to the cold weather in winter, what the body needs is a lot of energy. Winter is the season in which heavy food (like dry fruits) can be easily digested. Dry fruits are all a powerhouse packed with minerals, vitamins, various nutrients and the very important Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are very important for the body but cannot be produced by the body itself. They help to build your brain power and are vital for growing children. They help in keeping the skin soft & supple in the dry weather of winter season (really important!! :) ).

So how about preparing these ladoos, loading them up with all healthy goodies & indulging yourself the healthy way this winter...what say???

Winter Special - Mawa Ladoo

Makes: 30-35 medium size             Preparation Time: 30 mins               Rolling Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

250 gms kharik/ dry dates

2 cups grated dry cocnut

100 gms cashews

100 gms almonds

100 gms Walnuts

50 gms Pistachios

50 gms Godambi/ Marking Nut/ Marsh Nut/ Oriental Cashew Nut

50 gms Edible Gum/ Resin

50 gms Charoli/ Chironji

30 gms  raisins

1 cup powdered sugar (adjust as per taste)

1 cup ghee

2-3 tbspn khus-khus/ poppy seeds

1/2 tsp Nutmeg pwd

1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

Step 1: De-seed & cut the kharik (dry dates) into small pieces.

Step 2: Heat a pan/ kadhai. Dry roast the kharik (just to help it loose the moisture if any) approx. 5 mins. Set aside.

Step 3: In the same pan, dry roast the Poppy seeds, Coconut, Godambi (Marking Nut). Powder the poppy seeds & set aside.

Clockwise: 1. Mixed Kharik & Coconut 2. Fried Edible Gum/ Resin 3. Roasted & powdered Poppy seeds

Step 4: Heat 1 tbspn ghee & toss the raisins till golden. Set aside.

Step 5: Add rest of the ghee. Once its hot, deep fry the edible gum/ resin till it nicely fluffs up!! Make sure you are patient at this stage & no hurry since it can remain uncooked from inside.

Step 6: Now get all set with your grinder. Mix the kharik & coconut (only kharik is difficult to be powdered, hence this step).

Step 7: Put the fried edible gum/resin in the blender & blend once. It will become fine in no time. Set aside.

Step 8: In 2-3 batches, grind the kharik+coconut mixture to fine powder.

Step 9: Now mix all the nuts. In small batches, grind them to powder (a bit coarse will also do!)

Step 10: Mix all the powders in a big pan. Add cardamom & nutmeg pwd. Add raisins & powdered sugar. Mix well.

Step 11: Now warm the ghee used in Step 5 to fry the Edible gum/ resin. Once warm, pour this above the mixture. Mix well.

Step 12: Now you can easily bind the ladoos out of this mixture as per the size you like!!

Dates- تمر

Kadhi Pakoda

I usually prepare kadhi with rice or khichadi & my son just loves it. But that cannot be the only main course preparation then! I have to prepare some kind of other sabji to accompany it. Since Y does not prefer plain kadhi with chapati. Yesterday after reaching home late & that too after shopping....was really bored to cook the complete stuff. So thought of adding some pakodas to kadhi which we enjoyed with chapati as well as rice. I have heard that this is a Punjabi dish, but not sure coz my mom, who cooks nothing else but maharashtrian, also used to prepare this for us as kids. We used to enjoy the pakodas just like that before they enter into the kadhi.....so always make sure you prepare some extras :)...especially bcoz its winter!!

Kadhi Pakoda

Serves: 2-3                 Preparation Time: 15 mins                 Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

For Pakodas:

1 cup chickpea flour/ besan

1 medium onion, finely cut

1-2 green chillies, finely cut

small pinch of sodium bicarbonate/ soda

2 tbspn chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp red chilly pwd

1/2 tsp cumin pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

1/2 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp ova/ ajwain

salt as per taste
approx. 3/4 cup water

Oil for deep frying the pakodas

For Kadhi:

1 cup thick curd

2 tbspn chickpea flour/ besan

1 small piece of dalchini/ cinnamon stick

2 cloves

2 pepper corns

8-10 curry leaves

2-3 green chillies, finely cut

1/2 tsp hing/ asafoetida

1/2 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sugar

1 cup water

1 tbspn ghee

chopped coriander for garnish

salt as per taste

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients for pakodas except oil. Slowly add water to prepare a batter with consistency as Idli batter.

Step 2: Heat oil & once its hot, fry the pakodas in batches on medium heat.

A click of Pakodas

Step 3: For Kadhi: Mix the curd, water & chickpea flour nicely (I do this with the egg beater). Add salt & sugar to it. Keep aside.

Step 4: Heat ghee. Once its hot, add mustard seeds, followed by cumin seeds. As they splutter, add hing, cinnamon+cloves+pepper corns, curry leaves, green chillies & saute for 30 secs (It should not burn).

Step 5: Add haldi. Increase the flame & pour the mixture prepared in Step 3.

Step 6: Reduce flame to medium & let it simmer for 5 mins. Add pakodas & let it cook for another 2-3 mins.

Step 7: Garnish with coriander & serve hot with chapati or rice.

Bhendi Fry

Opened the refrigerator the other day and saw some bhendi peeping out of the bag....Wow!! I exclaimed with a thought of preparing 'bharwa bhendi'....bharwa's my favorite!! I took out the bhendi to wash & all my hopes turned into a failure....very less it was!! Not even 1/4 kg. My mind not being ready to eat the regular bhendi sabzi....what clicked my mind was "Bhendi Fry"....a wonderful medley of crunchy bhendi, potatoes, onion & tomato...an all time hit with very less bhendi at hand!! Here it goes...

Bhendi(Okra) Fry 

Serves: 2-3                      Preparation Time: 10-15 mins                  Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

10-15 Bhendis (washed, drained, dried & cut into medium size pieces)

1 medium potato (peeled & cut into cubes)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 small tomato, finely chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

small piece of ginger, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp mustard seeds

chopped coriander for garnish

Oil for deep frying the vegetables

salt as per taste

Step 1: Heat oil in a kadhai. Once it is hot, fry potatoes & onion till pink, bhendi till crunchy. (1/2 tsp salt can be added while frying)

Fried Bhendi, Potato & onion

Step 2: Add 1 tbspn oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, as they splutter, add ginger & garlic. Saute for 30 secs. Do this on low heat. Now add all the spice powders & salt to this & mix well. Add the fried vegetables. 

Step 3: Saute for 1 min. Add tomato. Mix well & saute for another minute.

Step 4: Turn off heat. Garnish with coriander & serve with Chapati.

Bhendi Fry (Really sorry for the poor picture quality)

Gavar (Cluster Beans) Stir Fry

This is a very traditional version of recipe used by my Mom as well as Mom-in Law. But out of all the versions I have tried, I finally decided to settle down with this one. I generally roast some peanuts & transfer some of them into fine powder & rest into a coarse powder and store them in air-tight containers. The fine powder helps in mending the dish while the coarse one adds a nutty flavor to it! Though its optional, but if possible, do not skip adding the coarse pwd to this one.....

Gavar (Cluster Beans) Stir Fry

Serves: 2-3                      Preparation Time: 10 mins                 Cooking Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 kg gavar/ cluster beans (washed & drained)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp haldi

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1 tsp home made kala(black) masala

1 tbspn finely crushed groundnuts (roasted & powdered)

1/2 tbspn coarsely crushed groundnuts (for the nutty flavor) (optional)

1/2 bowl water

chopped coriander for garnish

4 tbspn oil

Grind fine without water:

5-6 garlic cloves

small piece of ginger

3 tbspn grated dried coconut

few strings of coriander

Salt as per taste

Step 1: Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds. Add asafoetida & haldi. Following this, add the ground paste. Saute for 30 secs. Make sure not to burn.

Step 2: Add gavar. Saute for 2-3 mins. This help in reducing the stringent taste of gavar & sweetens it. Cover with lid & let it cook for 1-2 mins.

Step 3: Add water. Cover & let it cook for another 5 mins. Just press between two fingers to see if gavar is cooked.

Step 4: Add red chilly pwd & kala (black) masala pwd & mix well. Add groundnut pwd (fine & coarse) & saute on a high flame till all the water evaporates & its starts sticking at the bottom of the pan.

Step 5: Turn off heat. Serve with chapatis.

Tip: Do not overcook the gavar/ cluster beans till it changes its color.My personal experience says, its not required. It should be 'just' cooked.

Instant Baingan (Brinjal/ Eggplant) Bharta

Baingan (Brinjal/ Eggplant), given to me in any form (except raw ;) ) is my weak point!! From simple curries, stir fries, tava baingan, vangi bhat (brinjal rice), stuffed brinjals to bhartas....its just heaven!! This is the simplest recipe, with minimal ingredients & almost no cutting stuff....and is a hurry time preparation for me. Tastes great with proper tempering.....

Instant Baingan(Brinjal) Bharta

Serves: 2-3                     Preparation Time: 5 mins               Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

3 large purple/ green brinjals/ eggplants (washed)

4-5 garlic cloves (finely cut)

2 green chillies (finely cut)

2 tbspn chopped coriander leaves

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

2-3 tbspn oil

Step 1: Apply some oil on the brinjals & roast it on the gas burner over medium heat. A nice roasting aroma will emanate all over the kitchen. It will take approx 10 mins.

Step 2: If you have time, let them cool or else hold them under cold water & peel of the skin. Check them (important!!) & mash.

Step 3: Put the red chilly pwd & salt in middle.

Step 4: Heat oil in tadka pan. Once its hot enough, add garlic, when it turns pink, add green chillies. Saute for 30 secs. Turn off heat. Add this tadka above the red chilly pwd & salt in the middle of the mashed brinjal.

Step 5: Add chopped coriander & mix well. Serve with bajra roti/ chapati.

Instant Baingan Bharta- ready to be served!!