Stuffed Chilies

Tonight I was super late from work and the recipe which I am going to share is super easy and less time consuming and tastes great too. The recipe has been altered a little according to my convenience as I don’t like to get messy while cooking.

Note: This recipe originally belongs to capsicum but unfortunately the vendor beside my house had shitty capsicum so I settled for huge Chilies which is more or less the same. 

INGREDIENTS:

• Huge Chilies (3 nos.)
• Paneer (100 gms)
• Potato (1 big)
• Thin Sliced Tomato (1 no.)
• Ginger Garlic Paste (1 teaspoon)
• Jeera powder (cumin powder – 1 teaspoon)
• Dhaniya powder (Coriander seeds powder – 1 teaspoon)
• Red Chilli Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Turmeric Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Garam Masala (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Sugar (one fourth of a teaspoon)
• Oil
• Green Chilies (as per your needs)
• Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves

METHOD:

Boil the potatoes. Mash them. Add Paneer and mash and mix them together and keep it separate. Put the Chilies in hot water so that they become little soft (this is optional, you can use them raw as well). Take a round bottom vessel. Add Oil. Add Sugar and Ginger Garlic paste. Add the Tomatoes. Put all the spices (except Garam Masala) and saute. After the skin seperates from the tomato, add the mashed mixture kept aside. Cook till every thing mixes well. Add the Coriander leaves and Garam Masala. Turn off the flame. Keep the stuffing aside. Make a slit opening in all the chilies and take out the excessive seeds. Fry them in a frying pan. Shallow Fry. Take them out and soak the extra oil with tissue paper. You definitely do not want pimples the next day. Add the stuffing into the chilies and done! Ready to dig in. Serve with Indian breads.

Note: You can stuff the chilies and then fry it. I just do it the other way to avoid the mess while flipping the chilies. 

The stuffed Chilies, ladies and gentlemen 🙂

Such a quick recipe ❤

 

Mangshor Jhol (Mutton Gravy – Bengali Style)

Every Bengali household have very special Sundays because Sundays are pampered by this sumptuous Mangshor Jhol or Mutton gravy if we translate it. I know yesterday was not a Sunday but never the less it was special. Hence to celebrate, the Mangshor Jhol.

Note: As mutton takes more time to cook, overnight marination is suggested but myself being super impatient, I keep it marinated for an hour or two (More time, more amazing your mutton will taste, just don’t exceed the ‘overnight’ limit, because after that I don’t guarantee).

INGREDIENTS:

• Mutton (Duh uh!) – suit yourself! (I took 500 gms)
• Jeera powder (cumin powder – 1 teaspoon)
• Dhaniya powder (Coriander seeds powder – 1 teaspoon)
• Red Chilli Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Turmeric Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Garam Masala (1 teaspoon)
• Yogurt (2 tablespoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Sugar (one fourth of a teaspoon)
• Cinnamon Stick (1 no.)
• Oil (Mustard is preferred, but I had sunflower oil)
• Butter or Ghee – OPTIONAL
• Dried Red Chilies Whole (1 nos.) – OPTIONAL
• Sliced Tomato (1 big no.)
• Thin Sliced Onion (3 small nos.)
• Green Chilies (as per your needs)
• Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
• Half Cut Potato (2 no.)
• Chopped Garlic (5-6 cloves)
• Whole Garlic (2 nos.) – OPTIONAL
• Chopped Ginger
• Water (1-1.5 cup)

METHOD:

Marinate the Mutton with Yogurt, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder and keep it overnight. Take the round bottom vessel, add Oil and Butter or Ghee, put Cinnamon Stick, Dried Red Chili and Sugar, then put Chopped Garlic, Ginger and Onions and saute for a while. Adjust the salt. Add the tomatoes and Green Chilies. When the oil separates, add the marinated Mutton. Cook for a while till the mutton appears to be cooked, but HAAH! Mutton is just fooling you my friend! Mutton takes time and pressure to cook (Reminds me of diamonds! weird eh?). Till then, take the pressure cooker, put the Potatoes, Whole Garlic, a little butter, and the pseudo cooked Mutton. Add water. Keep it on high flame and let the Pressure Cooker whistle. I have a very ancient pressure cooker, so please don’t ask me about the whistles, I think 4-5 should do. Open the lid, add Coriander Leaves and Garam Masala and keep it on the flame. Before it starts whistling, turn off the flame. Do not open the lid, let the pressure go away naturally. Open. Smell. Serve. 🙂

Tastes best with plain rice.

Mangshor Jhol and Rice with a HUGE coriander Leaf!

Thanks Enid (and no she is not a Blyton! 😛 )for taking this photo.

Yes my phone is screwed meanwhile and am currently on a very basic mobile phone. 

Dim Chochori (Omelette Gravy)

Being a Bengali, you just cannot avoid the ‘chochoris‘. Those who do not understand this, well its a dish of West Bengal, India, made of vegetables (all sorts) or fish or anything we bengalis can get hold of. Today, it was just the poor eggs’ turn who were left all alone in the fridge. Though I don’t reckon any dish by this name, but I find this word ‘chochori’ quite amusing, hence the name. We could have survived calling it just ‘Omelette Gravy’ as well.

Again, not much fuss. Easy to remember, and even if you don’t, you can always experiment (that might give us another recipe) 😛 Honestly, I like omelettes more than boiled eggs, I guess you must have figured that out already!

So, let the eggs roll here, shall we?

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs (as many your hen lays, but I took just 4)
• Jeera powder (cumin powder – 1 teaspoons)
• Dhaniya powder (Coriander seeds powder – 1 teaspoons)
• Black Pepper Powder (as per taste)
• Red Chilli Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Turmeric Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Sunflower Oil
• Dried Red Chilies Whole (2 nos.)
• Mustard Seeds (a pinch)
• Tomato Puree (1 tablespoon)
• Sliced Onion (2 small nos.)
• Sliced Tomato (1 small no.)
• Green Chilies (as per your needs)
• Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
• Sliced Potato (1 no.)
• Chopped Garlic (5-6 cloves)
• Water (1 cup)

METHOD:

Make Omelettes (just eggs and salt) and keep it aside. Lots of it. Slice it. Broad slices or any way you want them sliced. No rules. Take a deep dish or Kadai, put some Oil. Heat it. Add Red Whole Chilies, Mustard Seeds and when they crackle, add the Onions and Garlic. Add the Potatoes and Green Chilies as well. Add salt (it accelerates the cooking of the veggies), Jeera Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder and mix well. Low flame. When the Potatoes cook half way, add the Tomatoes and the Tomato Puree. Mix. Add Water. Cover and cook it till the potatoes are cooked (You can skip the cooking of potatoes by adding already boiled potatoes after the tomato step). When its cooked, add the Omelettes and Fresh Coriander Leaves, Mix it well and keep it for a minute or two on low flame, and TADAAAAH! you are ready to serve garma-garam! 

Tastes best with Roomali Roti or Naan (Indian Breads).

TIP: If you add a little milk to the egg while mixing, the omelettes will be fluffy.

Tempting much? 😉

Chicken Biryani with Korma and Raita

As time is a major factor, I try dishes which are fast and does not take indulge much time. I know, I know, “cooking is an art and time must be devoted to it”, but sometimes, time is a constraint. Trust me! Okay, so this chicken biryani is not like the chef special or so but is decent enough to impress your guests.

Today I just decided to surprise myself with my first biryani attempt. The ingredients here are for 2 servings, so just do the math.

So, here we go.

INGREDIENTS:

For Chicken Biryani

• Chicken (400 gms)
• Rice (2.5 cups)
• Yogurt (2 tablespoon)
• Jeera powder (cumin powder – 1.5 teaspoons)
• Dhaniya powder (Coriander seeds powder – 1.5 teaspoons)
• Black Pepper (4-5)
• Mint leaves (dried and crushed)
• Red Chilli Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Turmeric Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Sunflower Oil
• Butter or Ghee (for greasing)
• Cinnamon (2-3 nos.)
• Bay Leaves (2 nos.)
• Cloves (5-6 nos.)
• Sliced Onion (4 nos.)
• Sliced Tomato (1 small no.)
• Green Chilies (as per your needs)
• Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
• Milk (3 tablespoon)

For Korma (side dish)

• Oil
• Chicken Stock or you can use the Chicken Stock Tablets (2-3 nos)
• Onion Paste (3 nos.)
• Ginger Garlic Paste (2 teaspoon)
• Yogurt
• Fresh Cream
• Dried Red Chili (2-3 nos.)
• Cinnamon (1 no.)
• Jeera powder (cumin powder – 2 teaspoons)
• Dhaniya powder (Coriander seeds powder – 2 teaspoons)
• Red Chilli Powder (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Water (1.5 cups)

For Raita (side dish)

• Yogurt
• Coriander Leaves
• Water
• Salt
• Sugar
• Red Chili Powder (optional)

METHOD:

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Marination: Take a bowl, mix Yogurt, Black pepper, Turmeric Powder, Jeera Powder, Dhaniya Powder, Red Chili Powder, Dried Mind Leaves and marinate the Chicken with mixture and keep it aside (for better results keep the chicken marinated for at least 30 mins).

Meanwhile, put the Rice to cook (low flame)and add Bay Leaves, Cloves, Cinnamon sticks and Salt to it. Take the Kadai or the vessel in which you’ll prepare the Chicken, add Oil and put the sliced Onions in it. Low Flame. Caramelize the onions that is keep on stirring them till they are rich brown colored. Take it out and drain the extra oil on a tissue paper. Now in the same vessel (or another, if you own a dozen of them), add some Oil, put a Cinnamon stick, sliced Tomatoes, Green Chilies and the marinated Chicken and cover it. Adjust the salt. Low Flame. Stir in between to avoid it to stick to the vessel. Check the Chicken if its cooked or not. Add some of the Caramelized Onions (one third) and stir. If cooked, you can turn off the flame. Meanwhile, your rice must be cooked, drain the extra water.

Now comes the exciting part. LAYERING. Take a flat based vessel, grease it with Butter or Ghee, divide the rice into 3 parts mentally, put the first layer of Rice, then the layer of Chicken, another layer of Rice and the layer of Caramelized Onions and Coriander Leaves and top it off with the last layer of Rice. (Note: If the quantity is more, please divide the layers of Rice, Chicken and Onions accordingly and repeat, you can go up to 8-9 layers depending on the quantity). Pour the milk at the center. Cover it. Low Flame. Keep it on flame for about 4-6 minutes. Keep the lid on until you are ready to serve, you surely don’t want the aroma to go. Now for the side dishes.

KORMA

Take a vessel or kadai, heat oil, add the Cinnamon stick and dried Red Chilies. Then add the Ginger Garlic paste, Onions paste and saute for some time. Add Salt, Red Chili powder, Jeera Powder, Dhaniya Powder and Chicken Stock tablets. When the oil separates, mix the Yogurt in water and add to the gravy. After it boils, add the Fresh Cream and mix it well. Cook for some time and BAM! You are done with it too!

RAITA

This is the simplest. Take some Yogurt, add some water if you want to. Add Salt and Sugar. Add some Coriander Leaves. You can even add a pinch of Red Chili powder. Mix it well. (Tastes best when its chilled)

So, Here we go. That wasn’t really tough. Was it? 😛

Chicken Biryani with Raita and Korma

Stir and Fry with sauce (Recipe)

This recipe just happened yesterday, I am sure internet must be flooded with it and I do not take any credit for inventing it, but the joy of just coming up with this spontaneously, made me share it with you!

Remember the time when you don’t have much time, and are tired to get your ass to the kitchen and make yourself a meal, well, this would not take much of your time and its sort of healthy (the amount of veggies which goes into it) and does not take much of your time.

So, here we go.

INGREDIENTS:

• Capsicum (it would be nice if you opt the colored ones)
• Broccoli (I Love broccoli)
• Mushroom
• Baby Corn
• Chilies (as per your requirements)
• Onion
• Garlic (chopped)
• Ginger (chopped)
• Salt (for taste)
• Black Pepper Powder
• Tomato Sauce or Ketchup
• Mushroom Sauce
• Oil
• Chicken breast (Optional) or Paneer/ Cottage Cheese

METHOD:

Cut all the veggies and chicken or paneer (just cut everything like you want, i like it when they cut vertically, but its totally upto you). On the stove, put the kadai. Put some oil (use your senses, just not much, this will be shallow fried, tossed rather). Low flame. Put the chopped ginger and garlic. Put the onions. Put some salt (I would suggest, always put little salt, as you can always adjust  it later). Put all the vegetables (Oh! did you wash them? Please do, if not!). Cover the utensil. The water will be separated from the vegetables. Put the chicken strips or Paneer. Saute. Cover. Adjust salt. Saute. Cover. Watch some TV. Saute. Cover. Check if its cooked or not. I think it 10-15 mins is suffice. Check the chicken if its cooked. If yes, put the ketchup and Mushroom Sauce. Saute. You can also put Alfredo sauce instead of mushroom sauce. And you can always have your set of favorite vegetables. Turn off the flame. Put some pepper powder. And serve. You can team it with some plain or fried rice if you want. Eat. 😛

My taste buds loved it!

I was too busy eating, that I forgot to click a better picture of it. Thank God! I have a mobile phone. 🙂