Rajasthani Laal Mass

Bags packed, curtains closed, doors locked and off we go to our homes where our heart always is. Welcome dear holidays . . . This year incidentally, the festive season coincides with our annual vacation dates and we are quite excited to fly to our dear homeland and spend a full month with our families.

With a lot of excitement flooding in, I have just popped in here to say you all that I am likely to be away from my blog for a month and if I find time, I will surely sneak in and post a short recipe. Until then, I leave you all with a fiery lamb curry that will keep you hot all through these winter months.

Laal maas is a fiery Rajasthani meat curry. Lamb cooked in a variety of spices with a burst of red chillies for a fiery punch showcasing Indian flavours.


INGREDIENTS:

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

18-20 red chillies

2 tsp coriander seeds, whole

1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds

1 cup mustard oil

10 cloves garlic, finely chopped.

A small piece of ginger, finely chopped

1/2 kg lamb, cut into pieces with bones

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 small cup kachri powder (kachri is a dried vegetable, a variety of cucumbers found in Rajasthan and ground into a powder)

3-4 pods cardamom

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cinnamon stick

A little bit of mace

1 pod black cardamom

Water

A handful of coriander leaves, chopped

HOW TO MAKE:
 

1) Dry roast the red chillies to give it a nice distinctive aroma which adds great flavor to the dish.

2) Add to that the coriander seeds and cumin seeds.

3) Once done, grind it into a nice fine powder.

4) Heat some mustard oil in a pan. Add to this the garlic and ginger.

5) Once the garlic turns slightly brown add the lamb pieces. Mix well and add salt.

6) Now add the kachri powder. Not only does this powder tenderize the meat, its also adds a nice tangy flavor to it.

7) Now add the chopped onions and mix all well. Once the onions have roasted well add the whole spices, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, mace, black cardamom. Give all a good stir.

8) Now add the red chilly powder and let it roast for about a minute.

9) Now add enough water to cook the lamb. Cover it and let it simmer for a couple of minutes till the meat is cooked.

10) Once the meat is cooked, take out all the pieces on a platter and strain the gravy. Straining the gravy gets rid of all the whole spices and keeps the essence and flavors intact.

11) Now add the lamb pieces you had taken out to the refined gravy and put it back on fire but on low heat.

12) Add about 1/2 cup water and some coriander leaves. Let it simmer for a while and when you reach a good consistency of gravy, turn off the heat.

13) Serve hot.

Bedmi

Bedmi is a popular North Indian breakfast made up of wheat flour, lentils and spices. It is also enjoyed as a street food widely in North India. It is a puffed up stuffed bread which is deep friend and eaten with a side dish. It is preferably eaten during the winters because it is quite heavy and people love heavy food during winter. It is usually paired with a side dish made up of potatoes which is generally tangy and spicy.

So I leave you here with the recipe of our popular Indian snack/breakfast called the Bedmi
 
INGREDIENTS:

For the Filling:

1 cup urad ki dal-soaked in water for 3 hours (black gram lentils)

1/8 tsp asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds roasted

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/8 tsp powdered black pepper  

For the Dough:

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp oil water to knead the dough

Oil for deep-frying

 

HOW TO MAKE

 

1) Mix the salt and oil into the flour. Knead into a soft and pliable dough with water.

2) Cover the dough and rest for at least half an hour.

3) Grind the lentils coarsely, and add the rest of the ingredients for the filling.  Shape into small rounds.

4) You will need to wet your palms off and on, to make sure that the filling does not stick to them.

5) Make walnut-sized smooth balls with the dough and flatten between your palms.

6) Take one round, and pinch and wet the edges all around.

7) Place a round of filling in the center. Bring the edges together and pinch to seal.

8) Flatten by pressing gently and roll into rounds.

9)  Heat the oil and deep fry over high heat till golden on both sides.

 

Almond Lamb Korma

I am going through the last leg of working days for this year. And next week I am off for my long awaited annual vacations to my home country only to be back in late January. So I have decided to put in as many posts this week and reduce the number of recipes waiting in my drafts.
 
By the time I return next year, these attempts would be history and I am afraid that I would not be able to post them effectively. So enjoy them and make time to try each one of them in the holiday season.
 
This is a recipe that has such a long list of ingredients that scare you to the core. But once started, it is a breezy affair. Recipes that require you to puree or grind have their cooking procedures very easy. And almonds give it such a grand tag that you will love to hold on to it in every bite. A healthy lamb dish that injects crunchy flavor and it is rich in every way.

 
INGREDIENTS:

For the lamb:

3 thinly sliced onions

1 cup almond paste

5 tsp ghee/clarified butter

2 cinnamon sticks

6-7 green cardamom

3-4 cloves

1 piece mace

2-3 bay leaves

3 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 Kg lamb

Salt

Rose water infused with 4-5 strands of saffron

1 tsp yellow chilli powder

For the cream:

1 cup yogurt

1 tsp yellow chilli powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp coriander seed powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Garam masala:

1/4 tsp clove powder

1/2 tsp green cardamom powder

1/2 tsp rose petal powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

1/4 tsp black cardamom powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp mace powder

For the paste:

2 thinly sliced onions

1 cup cream/malai


HOW TO MAKE:

1) For the cream, take the yogurt and yellow chilli powder, black pepper powder, coriander seeds powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well.

2) For the garam masala, take a bowl and mix the clove powder, green cardamom powder, rose petal powder, nutmeg powder, black cardamom powder, fennel powder, cinnamon powder, mace together.

3) For the paste, fry the sliced onions till they brown. Strain the onions, mix the cream and blend to a fine paste.

4) Heat ghee in a pot and add cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, mace, bay leaves. Roast these spices and add the ginger paste and garlic paste.

5) When the paste browns, add the sliced onions and 1 tsp ghee. Wait till the onions are a pale pink and the lamb, salt (to taste) and roast.

6) Once the lamb has seared, add the yogurt cream and almond paste. Pour water into the pot and let it simmer to cook in its own heat.

7) When it is almost done, add the garam masala and rose water infused with saffron to the lamb.

8) Take the lamb off the heat and transfer the individual pieces to a lagan. Sprinkle 1 tsp yellow chilli powder, add the onion paste and strain the gravy on top of the lamb.

9) Cover with a foil and put on low heat to cook. Serve hot with bread/Naan/ steamed Rice.
 
 

 
 

Cone pizza

Pizzas today are the most globally recognized food all over the world. They have replaced traditional dishes in parties and they are eaten and enjoyed by everyone all through the year irrespective of the seasons. They are every youngsters first choice  and their toppings variations are infinite.

But guess what, they have evolved. Their shapes and toppings are no more the classic types. And I almost screamed with surprise when I saw unique shaped pizzas being sold. They are no more flat breads pizzas only. Taco pizzas, pizza waffles, double crusted pizzas cone pizzas, pizza wedges, pizza cakes , pizza bombs, pizza desserts, pizza sticks are just to name a few.

On a recent visit to a mall, we chanced upon an outlet selling cone pizzas and did not hesitate to try them. The next day, I was surfing the internet to make them at home. And the outcome was heavenly.

Now you can also surprise your family with these unique shaped pizzas and take your family nights to unique levels with these fun ways of making pizzas.

INGREDIENTS:

I pack pizza crust sheets (readymade)
24  frozen cooked mini meatballs, thawed, cut in half                        
1  jar  pizza sauce                        
1 package pepperoni slices/1 pack sausages                      
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow or green bell pepper 
3/4  cup shredded mozarella cheese
A handful of sliced black olives

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Make your own foil cone shapes: Cut 12 (9-inch) circles nonstick foil. For each: Fold foil circle in half. Roll foil starting at one side, until bottom open end of foil is 3 inches across.

2) Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 400°F. Wrap 12 paper cone cups with nonstick foil.

3)  Unroll dough on work surface. Using rolling pin, roll dough to 20x15-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 (5-inch) squares. Wrap 1 dough square around each cup; press to seal edges. Trim any excess dough at bottom of each cup. 

4)  Place on large cookie sheet, open ends down. Bake on lowest oven rack 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. When cool enough to touch, remove and discard foil-covered paper cones.                        

5) Place 1/2 meatball in bottom of each cone. In large bowl, mix 3/4 cup of the pizza sauce, the pepperoni, bell pepper and remaining meatball halves. Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 4 minutes or until hot. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each baked cone. Top each cone with about 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve hot with remaining pizza sauce.

 

 

Note : I sometimes use 6" flour tortilla rounds for the cones instead of buying pizza crust sheets. You can just heat them in the oven or microwave if you don't want to heat them in oil. Then you can eat the whole thing! Wrapped in parchment.

Shahi Biryani

And I huffed and Puffed to reach this post - the 200th post and something that really needs a small bit of celebration. I know I am way too far off from comparing myself to real, enthusiastic bloggers who make it a point to post regularly. But still, I have managed to hold on to my blog which has become quite close to me over the years.

I have always used this space as something in which I can pour my heart out, store my memories, my kitchen adventures and the various recipes that I have tried. And believe me, it really is fun sometimes to flip over the pages and go through all that is been noted in the past. And I do visit my own page very often to check out my recipes when I want to re-try them.

Overall, the blogosphere is a much-appreciated web of companionship and being a creator of this pioneer project is a wonderful feeling. From luscious dessert indulgence to luxurious savories, I love to cook most of the times to get into the festive mood. And I generally love trying out easy recipes, which are effortlessly prepared, thus taking the stress out of cooking things in the classic version. 

 And writing has always been in my blood. I really like to write, I wish I had kept a diary of my life. But I have never tried all this. I donno why !!! Sometimes I'm an introvert through and through. I'm shy, awkward, bad at getting to know people, and would rather stay in my bubble and listen to conversations than actively add to them. It's something I've been slowly attempting to work on as I get older. So writing something in this space, even though I badly want to write, becomes tough and this causes delays in posts.

I had a few slump times in the past and had not blogged for ages. But have kind of hopped over them and now the trend just seemed to have changed for me. I hope to continue this way for as long as I can.

As a small celebration, I have brought in something that shouts royalty all the way. In truth, no party can get completed without a Biryani.

This is a traditional dum style biryani with layers of saffron rice and creamy mutton. If you eye-ball the ingredients, this looks like a marathon recipe. But the method is terribly simple and gets cooked faster than any other Biryani type. An absolute pleaser at dinner parties!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 kg mutton-cut into small pieces

1 cup onions-finely sliced

Ghee for frying the onions

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup clotted cream

2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves-to garnish

For the marinade:

1 cup onions-grated

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp black cumin seeds

 

Salt to taste

1 cup yoghurt

1 tsp garam masala

For the rice:

2 cups basmati rice soaked in water

2 green cardamoms

2 cloves

1/2 tsp black cumin seeds a piece of cinnamon-broken into smaller pieces

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp saffron-soaked in 1/4 cup of warm milk

2 Tbsp ghee/clarified butter.
 

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

Mix together all the spices and marinate the meat in it for 4 hours

1) Heat Ghee in a large dish. Fry the onions till brown and crisp. Strain onions from the ghee and transfer on to an absorbent paper and set aside.

2) In 1/2 cup of the ghee that is left in the pan, add the cumin seeds and bay leaf, stir a few times till they change color a little and keeping the heat high, add in the meat mixture.

3) Stir-fry meat over high heat till the pieces look opaque. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring a few times till the meat is tender. Saute till the water dries up and fat separates.

4) Add water and cook further, in case meat has not cooked through.

5) If meat cooks through before the water dries up, uncover the pan, and let water evaporate over high heat. Remove pan from stove and add the fried onions, cream and coriander leaves and mix well. While the meat is cooking, drain the rice and set aside.

6) Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and add the black cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir a few times and add the rice and the salt. Now add 2 1/2 cups of water, and bring to boil.

7) Lower heat, cover and let the rice cook for 8 minutes. Shut off heat, leaving pan on stove. The rice should be almost done.

8) Half an hour before serving, divide the rice and meat into halves each. Take half the meat out of the pan, leaving one layer at the bottom. Spread this layer well in the pan.

9) Now cover this with a layer of half the rice, sprinkle half the saffron flavoured milk over it, and then add the second layer of meat and finally the other half of the rice. Sprinkle the rest of the milk and saffron mixture over rice.

10) Seal pan with wheat flour and place on a griddle over low flame for half an hour. Alternatively, arrange in an ovenproof dish and place in a pre-heated oven for about half an hour.

11) Serve in the same dish or mix gently and transfer on to a serving dish.

 

 

Lamb Chops

If you ask me what could be my favourite Kebab type , I would admit that it is the lamb chops that I find the best. In my opinion, every meat lover should master this dish. That is why I have included it in the Kebabolicious evenings week recipe list and I hope you enjoy making them.

Here is a classic version of one of the oldest comfort foods that makes any meal very hearty. Mutton chops marinated beautifully in a host of spices and then cooked with distinctive flavours of cinnamon, saffron and mace. When added to your party table, you should be sure to loose the center piece to this impressive platter and it is definitely going to dazzle your guests.

INGREDIENTS:

 6 mutton chops

For the marinade:

3/4 tsp salt

1 medium onion

6 garlic cloves

2.5 cm ginger piece

2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 cup yogurt


For cooking:

4 Tbsp oil

8 cloves

10-12 black peppercorns

2.5 cm cinnamon piece

1 piece mace

Pinch of saffron diluted in water


HOW TO MAKE:
 
For the marinade:

1) Grind the onion, ginger and garlic to a paste. Mix in the remaining spices and yogurt.

2) Flatten the chops with a kitchen hammer and marinate for 4-6 hours.

For Cooking:

1) Heat oil in a pressure cooker; add all the spices and when they start spluttering add the chops with the marinade and stir well.

2)  Cover lightly and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Remove the lid and cook further for 10 minutes.

3)  Cover and pressure cook the chops for another 10 minutes.  Remove the lid, stir in the saffron and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the gravy thickens.

4) Serve hot.

 

Mutton Bhuna Ghosht

On one of the proactive weekends that has just passed by on me, I decided to enrich my Kebablicious evenings week with Mutton cubes cooked with spices, yogurt and milk. Served it with steamed rice. The redolent flavours of this dish are sure to die-for. This is something that has been on my list for ages and after having it in one of our dinners at a famous restaurant here recently, I just moved it to the top!

I am talking about another royal Mutton dish called the Mutton Bhuna Gosht.

I can understand that I've reached a stand after much trials and tribulations, but all I can say is that I could polish off a whole bowl of that all by myself . Being a mutton loving bong I can give you a couple of tips on getting that charred taste in the dish.

The dish looked fabulous with the mutton having soaked in the runny sauce. They looked like as if they had been grilled and charred slightly & turned a delicious burgundy, and looked moist and inviting. The pieces retained their texture and crunchiness but had soaked all the juices and oozed with amazing goodness with every lip-smacking bite that we took. The dish is mind-blowing on its own. For some color, I garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp raw papaya paste
150gm clarified butter/ghee
4 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 big brown onions
6 medium tomatoes
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 Tbsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 kg mutton leg - boneless cubes
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 black cardamom
3-4 cloves
2 tsp cumin seeds
4 green chillies
2 cups sour curds
1 cup milk

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Rub raw papaya paste on mutton pieces and keep aside.

2)  In a brass pot, add clarified butter and sauté, then add  ginger-garlic paste. Add brown onions and saute for 1-2 minutes.

3) Then add tomatoes and all the powder spices. Mix well and add mutton. Cook for 10-15 minutes till little dry. The mutton can get a few charrs on its texture. So cook this step on high flame.

4) Then add all the whole spices, whole green chillies and sour curds alongside. Cook again for 10 minutes, then add 3 cups water and allow to steam for 30 minutes.

5) Remove lid and dry out excess water on high flame. Now add milk and mix well. Once meat is tender, dish is ready.

6) Serve hot with steamed rice.

 

Galouti Kebab

Today we have a recipe for Galauti Kebebs for the Kebabolicious evenings week at Aysha's Kitchenette.

Choose easy or Choose advanced. Your guests will love these Kebabs. However you bite them,they taste as good as they look. We not only grill them usually, we love them fried also. So they are a much easy version of the usual Kebabs with so many options. Absolutely delicious, fast and easy. These are ingredients I have on hand at all times, which makes this a keeper in my book.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Kg Minced meat
2 small Onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
Salt – to taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Amchur powder
2 Sun dried tomatoes in oil  chopped fine
1 tbsp Garam masala powder

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix it all thoroughly using your hands. Cover the bowl using aluminium foil and let marinate in the refrigerator for two nights.

2)  Take lime size balls from the meat mixture and roll them into smooth balls. Flatten the balls into a small patty shapes and arrange on a aluminium foil lined and lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.

3) Broil/Fry/Grill them for 10-15 minutes per side and they are done.

 

Marinated Kebab

Looks like as if I am jinxed with the Kebab fever. I was not crazy about Kebabs and I seldom get them right when I make from scratch. Whenever we crave them, we go for the nearby Kebab corners. Our latest discovery are the Turkish ones - we have quite a few Istanboly coffee shops near the place we live and they serve some of the best grills in town. From Shawarmas to Shish Tawook on the sticks, mouth watering and juicy Kebabs are what they boast off and not to forget the relishing Hummus with Arabian Breads.

Of late, I started to look out for some easy Kebabs recipes that we could try at home. Realized that it is not much of an effort. So tried it one day with some minced meat and light spices to get the Turkish kind of taste, jazzed it up with cumin and oregano and such and enjoy it hot.

That is how I ended up trying a good bunch of Kebab recipes after the initial success. And that is why I decided to introduce the Kebabolicious evenings at Aysha's Kitchenette which will feature all my tried and tested Kebabs.

I hope you are enjoying the recipes and I promise you that I have a few more to post and many more to try. Poultry or lamb... both taste awesome. Try swapping them sometimes for some variety.

Also a recipe for a mint yogurt dip is put down and it is sure to give you the added zest.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg boneless lamb cut into cubes

4 tsp ginger paste

3 tsp garlic paste

4 green chillies

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp salt

Black pepper, coarsely ground

2 Tbsp oil

1/2 tsp garam masala


For mint yogurt: 

Yoghurt

4 Tbsp lemon wedges

2 tsp shredded mint

1/2 tsp sugar and  salt

1/4 tsp roasted, ground cumin seeds

HOW TO MAKE:
 

For marination:

Combine ginger, garlic, green chillies, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Mix with the meat.

Set aside for 2 hours.

For kebabs:

Heat the oil and add meat. Cover the pan for sometime.

Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Than increase heat and add garam masala, fry meat till it gets coloured.

Serve with mint yoghurt and lemon wedges.

For mint yogurt:

To prepare mint yoghurt, whisk all the ingredients together and serve chilled with the kebabs.

 

Kakori Kebabs

Continuing with the Kebabolicious evening week at Aysha's Kitchenette, I am back again with another succulent Kebab recipe which has its origin from a place called Kakori near Lucknow in North India.

Kebabs these days have moved from food to art....and the trend is here to stay. Trendy or not, I particularly love making them at home for the fabulous aromas wafting around the house. The lure of warm, bite size Kebabs straight out of the oven is too overpowering for me to resist.

Let us hit the recipe now.

These melt in your mouth kebabs are a great dinner party option. Minced lamb or mutton grilled with a range of Indian seasoning and flavors.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups minced mutton/lamb

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp powdered black pepper

2 tbsp chopped green coriander

Chopped green chillies to taste

2 Tbsp chopped raw papaya

4 cloves

1 black cardamom seeds

1/8 tsp powdered cinnamon

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 blade mace

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

2 cups onions - sliced thin, and browned crisp in 1/2 cup ghee

1/4 cup roasted chickpea(chana) - powdered

1 egg

Butter/Oil for brushing

Onion rings and lemon wedges for garnish

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Mix all ingredients except butter/oil and garnishes to marinate for about 4 hours, then grind to form a smooth, thick paste.

2) Knead this mixture well and mix in the roasted gram and the egg. Cover and refrigerate for another hour.

3)  About 25 minutes before serving, shape the meat around the skewers and place the kebabs on to a grill over a drip tray, or in a pre-heated oven (also on a drip tray).

4)  If cooking them over a charcoal grill, you will have to keep rotating them so that they brown and cook evenly.

5) They should take 15-20 minutes to cook at a temperature of 220 degrees Celsius..

6)  Brush with butter and cook another 2 minutes. Serve garnished with chaat masala onions and the lemon and serve with green chutney.

Seekh Kebabs

Well, the winter months are finally here and we are enjoying every single moment of the weather now. What is special about the winter in Oman is that the weather is extremely pleasant here and is neither hot/warm nor very cold. Perfect temperatures for the human body !!!

Oman is one of the fewest countries in the world which does not get affected by extreme weather conditions. Winters here are heavenly and of course, summers are doggy - yes, ACs do save us. Temperatures in the summer months do not exceed 50 degrees C in most parts of this country and similarly, winters do not drop below 5 degrees. And we do enjoy pleasant weather conditions from mid October to Early May.

We all love barbequing on the cold sands near the beach side and sometimes we love spending cosy times at home after grilling some lovely food and enjoying  on the balconies of our homes. So great weather means great food on the plate and the most popular food in these glorious weather conditions are the Kebabs with pita bread in these Arabian countries. 

Welcome to Kebaobalicious evenings at Aysha's Kitchenette. I have a few lamb/Chicken recipes with me best enjoyed in these winter months. You can make them hot or spicy, juicy or crunchy. You can rule the neighbourhood party circuit with these royal dishes ... You can make it a global cookout.

They make use of pantry staples and are an easy choice for an Instant party or Impromptu guests. Their goodness is so top-notch that they are sure to rock. I have decided to post the next few series of my recipes with kebabs and gravies of classic lambs. chops and poultry.

That is why I bring in a cool recipe here for the Arab world's most popular food - the Seekh Kebabs.

These chicken kabobs just need a quick bath in their marinade and they're ready for your grill. Serve with some pita bread and lemon wedges. The best part: you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups keema (minced mutton/lamb/beef)


For marination:

1 Tbsp vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped fenugreek leaves

1/2 Tbsp garlic paste

1/2 Tbsp ginger paste

1 1/2 Tbsp salt

1/4 Tbsp powdered black pepper

1/4 Tbsp garam masala

2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 Tbsp finely chopped green chillies

Skewers to make the kebabs

For garnishing:

Oil for brushing

Chaat masala

Lemon wedges for garnishing

HOW TO MAKE:

For the marination:

1) In a large bowl, mix lamb mince with few tbsp of vinegar, fenugreek leaves.

2) Then add garlic paste, ginger paste, salt and black pepper as per taste. Add chopped coriander leaves and green chillies.

3) Refrigerate the meat mixture, covered, to marinate for at least 5 hours.

For the kebabs:

1) About 25 minutes before serving, shape the meat mixture into long 'tubes' around the skewers (seekhs) and place on to a grill over a drip tray or into the pre-heated oven (also on a drip tray) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 205 degrees Celsius.

2)  Brush them with oil and cook for another 2 minutes.

3)  Garnish with the chaat masala, onions, lemons and serve along with a green chutney.

 

Achari Murg (dry)

Since, I’m trying my best to be on an ‘eat healthy drive,’failing miserably on most occasions, I was determined, this time, to try something with white meat that is very healthy, yet tasty, a very rare combination, but read on, the combination does exist. The outcome was simply moreish.

Now, for a wee digression from the keynote . This is basically a dry dish and the chicken is grilled after being soaked in the spicy marinade. I like to try this out with boneless chicken pieces. but then a whole chicken turned out to be palatable.

Don't delay in trying this out. Or else you will be missing out on something heavenly.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

For the marinade:

2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp white pepper

Salt, a pinch

3 green chillies

Handful of curry leaves

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tsp dry mango powder


For the tadka/seasoning:

2 Tbsp oil

1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 whole dry red chillies, chopped

2 green chillies, slit

Coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish

Lemon juice, to garnish

 
 

HOW TO MAKE:

For the marinade:

1)  Grind together white pepper, green chillies, curry leaves and a pinch of salt. To this mixture add ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, oil, amchoor and lemon juice. Mix it well.

2)  Apply the marinade to the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Grilling the chicken:

1)  On a hot grill place the chicken and cook from both sides. The chicken will take approximately 15-20 minutes to cook.

2)  Baste the chicken with some oil at regular intervals to retain moisture.  Once done, transfer them on a plate, Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

For the tadka/Seasoning:

1)  Heat Oil in a pan. Add  methi/fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies, green chillies. Let them splutter.

2) Pour it over the chicken. Serve hot.