Soya Nugget Curry

For many years I have been collecting recipes and writing them down in diaries. I have therefore began sharing all those recipes with you so that you can recreate each recipe, just as I do in my kitchen here in Kolkata, India.

If you are an experienced cook, please excuse me when I add or change any detail to each recipe. I have sometimes chosen quick and easy to make procedures over authentic ones but that does not make the dish any less authentic or delicious.

Please try these recipes that I have tried many times with good results in your kitchen and don't forget to tell me about your experiences. Have fun !!!!

Ingredients :

Soya Nuggets................................................................ 100 grams

Potato,cubed................................................................. 2,large

Onion ........................................................................... 1,small

Tomato..........................................................................1,small

Ginger Paste....................................................................1 tsp

Green Chilly....................................................................4

Turmeric Powder............................................................1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder...........................................................1 tsp

Cumin Powder................................................................1/2 tsp

Salt.................................................................................as per taste

Sugar..............................................................................1/2 tsp

AnikGhee........................................................................2 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder....................................................1/4 tsp

Refined oil.......................................................................4 tbsp

Method :

In a pan heat 2 cups of water and soak the soya nuggets for 20minutes. Squeeze out the water and repeat the process again. Heat the refined oil in a wok and fry the nuggets till golden. Remove and keep aside. Also fry the cubed potatoes till golden and keep aside.

Make a smooth paste of onion, green chilly and tomato.

Heat the ghee.I prefer using Anik ghee as it lends a wonderful and unique flavour to the dish.

Add the onion, tomato, green chilly and ginger pastes and fry till oil rises to the top and you start getting a nice smell.

Add the powder spices, salt and sugar next and fry. Sprinkle some water to avoid the burning of spices.

Add the potato cubes and 1 enough water to make a gravy. Cover with a lid and let the potato pieces soften and cook.

After 10 minutes remove lid and add the soya nuggets and simmer till the gravy thickens.Turn the flame off.

Sprinkle garam masala powder. Serve hot .

I serve it with paratha or roti.

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Ventil

Ingredients :

Chicken Pieces...................................................500 grams

Tomato Puree/sauce...........................................2tbsp

Soya Sauce........................................................2 tbsp

Black Pepper Corns..........................................1 tsp

Onion,Chopped..................................................2,large

Green Chilly,Chopped........................................2tsp

Dry Red Chilly....................................................2

Salt....................................................................as per taste

Sugar.................................................................2 tsp

Oil......................................................................4tsp
Refined oil............................................................1 cup for deep frying onion

Preparation :

Heat oil and saute the onion till brown. Remove the browned onions to a dish .This is called Barista.

Add sugar 2 tsp and brown.

Add 2 whole dry red chilly's and 1 tsp black pepper corns.

Add the chicken pieces .Saute well .

Add 2 tbsp soya sauce, 2 tbsp tomato sauce and  chopped 2 tsp green chilly and salt to taste. Mix all together.

Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.

When done, sprinkle the fried onion on top.

Enjoy !!!!

Sitafal Malai Chop(Custard Apple Dessert)

Ingredients:

Atta pulp (Sitafal /custard apple).......................................................1/2 bowl

Cold Milk.........................................................................................1/2 bowl

Condensed Milk................................................................................1/2 bowl

Cardamom Powder...........................................................................1/2 tsp

Bread Slice.......................................................................................1-2

Silver Foil (Varak).............................................................................1 sheet

Method :

Carefully take out the seeds and then spoon out the pulp from the fruit. 

Mash the pulp and pass through a seive to get a smooth pulp paste .

In a bowl take cold milk, mix condensed milk and cardamom powder in it.

Now discard the sides of the bread slices and soak in the milk mix.

Press out all milk by holding one slices between your palms. 

Place Custard apple/ ata /sitafal pulp in one corner of the soaked slice and cover with the other corner. 

Lightly press to seal. Keep aside on a serving dish.

Repeat the process with the other slice.

 To Serve :

Place the sandwiches on a dish, top with two teaspoons of the milk mix.

 Then put some Ata/custard apple pulp on top.

 Decorate with varak (silver foil).

Serve chilled.

Methi Begun (Fenugreek-Brinjal Dry Curry)

Ingredients :

Fenugreek Leaves.........................................2 cups

Brinjal,chopped..............................................1 cup

Dry Red Chilly................................................1

Salt................................................................as per taste

Turmeric Powder.............................................as required

Oil...................................................................a little

Fenugreek seeds...............................................a pinch
Green Chilly Paste...........................................1/2 tsp

Method :

Wash the fenugreek leaves very well under running water to clean. Chop very fine.

Heat oil and put dry red chilly and fenugreek seeds in first .Stir a bit.

Then add the fenugreek leaves, finely chopped and brinjal pieces.

Add the turmeric and salt and green chilly paste.

Add a dash of water and put a lid and cook till fenugreek and brinjal is soft.

When done put the flame off and serve.

It is a dry dish and is served with rice or Paratha.

Chicken Sweet Corn soup

Ingredients :

Chicken...................................................................3 pieces

Water......................................................................3 cups

Garlic Flakes..............................................................2

Sweet Corn................................................................1 cup

Salt.............................................................................1/2 tsp

White Pepper Powder..................................................1/4 tsp

Sugar...........................................................................1/4 tsp

Cornflour.....................................................................3 tsp

Spring Onion...............................................................1/2 tsp

To Garnish :

Spring Onion.............................................................1/2 tsp

Boiled Shredded Chicken...........................................1/2 tsp

Preparation :

In a pressure pan, heat 3 cups of water and 3 pieces of chicken with 2 flakes of garlic. Pressure cook for one whistle .When the chicken is soft put gas off . Strain the stalk in a large bowl.

Take one bowl sweet corn cream style(tinned). Put in a pan and heat with the chicken stalk. Now add Salt 1/2 tsp, White pepper 1/4 tsp, Sugar1/4 tsp and let it boil.

In a small bowl, mix3 tsp cornflour with 1/4 cup water.

Shread the chicken and keep aside in a bowl.

When the soup boils add chicken and also the cornflour paste. Keep stirring while adding. Let it thicken. Add finely chopped spring onion.......only the green part....1 tsp.

To Serve :

Take a soup bowl. Put the chicken sweet corn soup in it. Garnish with  very finely chopped green  spring and shreaded chicken.

Serve Chilly sauce and Soya sauce with it.

Aloo - narkel (Potato with coconut)

My grand mother prepared this dish in our Bagh Bazar home. Usually, we had this dish on the days of Hindu calender called "Ekadasi" or other vegetarian days . Prepared in Desi Ghee(Clarified Butter) it tasted heavenly. My grand mother made even simple dishes exhotic.

What You Will Need :

Potato (Aloo).................................................4, large,cubed

Coconut,grated.(Narlel)..................................1/2
Bay Leaf............................................................2
Dry Red chilly.................................................2
Cumin Seeds( Gota Jeere).................................1 pinch
Cumin Powder(Jeere Guro)...............................1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder(Dhone Guro)...........................1/2 tsp
Chilly Paste........................................................1 tsp or according to taste
Green chilly......................................................4
Salt..................................................................as per taste
Sugar(Chini).....................................................1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder......................................1 pinch
Refined Oil......................................................2 tbsp

Preparation :

Peel the potatoes and make cubes.

Grind the grated coconut coarsely. Keep a little for garnishing.

Heat refined oil in a deep pan and add the bay leaves and dry red chilly's. Also add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Stir a bit.

Add the potatoes pieces and stir fry till reddish.

Next, add the dry spices,salt, sugar and green chilly paste mixed in a little water. Cover and cook them with the potato.

When the potatoes are soft, add the coconut and cook, stirring . Cover and cook for a minute or two. 

Add green chillies, slit. Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala powder. Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl.

This is a dry preparation.

Earlier in my grandmothers kitchen, this dish needed at least 6-8 tbsp of Ghee for preparation and Paratha or Luchi fried in  Gawa ghee (Clarified Butter made from cows milk) was served along with it. Now a days, we use minimum quantity of oil for health purposes.  When  nice smell starts to fill your kitchen you will know the dish is ready !!

Aloo-Narkel

Nihari

Ingredients:

Lamb – ½ kg (shanks)

Desi Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tsp

Black pepper corns –  1 tsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch stick

Green cardamom – 5 nos

Bay leaf – 1 no.

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Grated garlic – 1 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Finely chopped onions – 2 large

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Fennel powder – 2 tsp

Curd – 1 cup

Green chilli chopped – 2 nos

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Gram flour – 2 tsp

Flour (Maida) – 1 tsp

Water – 1 ½ cup

Saffron – few drops

Kewra essence – few drops

For garnishing

Coriander leaves – 1 tsp

Chopped green chillies – 2 nos

Method:

1.      Heat 1 tbsp desi ghee in a pan (kadhai). Add black pepper corns, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and bay leaf and stir for 1 min and add the chopped onions. Sauté till the onions are golden in colour.

2.      Add the freshly grated ginger and garlic. Add the lamb shanks and stir well.

3.      Add the red chilli, turmeric and coriander powders. Add salt and sauté well for 10 min on low flame. The more you fry the lamb with the masala the tastier it will be.

4.      Add one cup beaten curd and sauté till the water in the curd reduces. Cover and cook for 10 min. The colour of the mutton comes out great by this time.

5.      Add the water, cover and cook on low flame till the lamb is cooked and tender.

Traditionally it is left to cook on low flame. But if you are in a hurry, pressure cook to save time.

6.      Add two chopped green chillies , 1 tbsp coriander leaves and garam masala powder.

7.      In another pan, dry roast 2 tsp gram flour (besan) and 1 tsp flour. When good smell emits and the colour changes to golden, add this to the mutton. It not only thickens the mutton gravy, it lends a beautiful aroma to the dish.

8.      Add 2 tsp fennel powder and a few drops of saffron. Turn off the flame and add the kewra essence.

9.      Transfer  to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and finely chopped green chillies.

Stuffed Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken breast – 2 pcs

Marinade

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Tandoori masala – 1 tsp

Garam masala – ¼ tsp

Thick hung curd – 1 tbsp

Stuffing

Mint leaves – 1 tbsp

Ginger grated – 1 tsp

Garlic grated – 1 tsp

Green cardamom – 2 nos

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Green chilli chopped – 1-2 nos

Finely chopped onion – 1 tbsp

Curd – 1 tbsp

Salt  - ½ tsp

For cooking

Oil – 3-4 tbsp

Corn flour / maida – 3-4 tsp

Garnishing:

Coriander leaves – few

Tandoori masala – 1 tsp

Garam masala -  one pinch

Lemon juice – 2 tsp

Chopped spring onions – 6 tbsp

Method:

1.      Slice the chicken breasts from the side to make a pocket. Rub the chicken pieces with the ingredients of Marinade (both outside and inside the slit) and keep aside for 20 min.

2.      In a bowl properly mix all the ingredients for the stuffing. Now stuff the chicken with this mixture and seal the edges with tooth picks.

3.      Heat a grill pan with 3-4 tbsp cooking oil. Sprinkle corn flour or maida to coat the  chicken pieces on both sides. Grill the chicken pieces well on both sides.

4.      When done serve the grilled chicken on a platter. Sprinkle tandoori masala, lemon juice, coriander leaves and garam masala. Top with chopped spring onion. 

Dahi Kabab

Ingredients:

Thick hung curd – ¼ cup

Paneer crushed – 1 cup

Fresh bread crumbs – 2 slices

Roasted gram flour – 1 tbsp

Salt – 1 tsp or to taste

White pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2 tsp or to taste

Chaat masala or Amchur powder – ¼ tsp

Green cardamom seeds – 2 small

Ginger grated – 1 tsp

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp

Veg oil – ¼ cup

For garnish:

Chaat masala – 1 tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves – 1 tsp

Dahi Kabab

Method:

1.      Take ½ cup curd and hang in muslin for 2 hours.

2.      In  a mixing bowl take the hung curd, paneer, fresh bread crumbs and roasted gram flour and all the other ingredients except the oil and knead very well till the mixture is soft and smooth.

3.      Make small tikkies (patty) out of this mixture and keep aside.

4.      Heat oil on a griddle and fry the kababs on both sides till they are bright golden.

5.      Remove to a  kitchen tissue to get rid of the excess oil.

6.      Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle chaat masala and finely chopped coriander and serve hot.