Chicken Curry – Maharshtrian Style...(ekdam jhakaas :D)

This recipe is a mix of my Uncle’s recipe, he is a great chef when it comes to Non Vegetarian food and also a blend of my Mother in law.....(who was really elated when I told her I am making chicken, cos I am a vegge but my husband is a chicken freak!)
It turned out to be just awesome, Amit (my hubby) never stopped licking his fingers ;)

Recipe serves 4 to 5

For marination
1 to 1 ½ tspn. Turmeric powder
½ tspn. Hing
2 tspn. Salt
2 to 3 tspn. Red chilli powder
2 tbspn. Ginger garlic paste
1 tspn. Garam masala (this masal I used is specially made by my mom in law , but you may use any garam masala)

Method
Wash the chicken clean and remove the fats aside. Chop if the pieces are too big. Marinate the chicken with all the above ingredients togther. Mix well and keep aside for 2 hours.

For the Gravy
9 medium size finely chopped onions (keep one onion chopped seperately)
2 to 3 medium size tomatoes finely chopped

1 1/2 cup of grated dry coconut
4 to 5 cloves
1 to 2 fragrant dry leaves (tamal patra, pls let me know friends what it is called in english ;P)
2 tspn. Fennel seeds
6 to 7 black pepper seeds
1 tspn. Garam masala
1 to tspn. Chilly powder (according to your taste you can add more)
½ tspn. Turmeric powder
4 to 5 tbspn. Oil

Method
Heat some oil in a pan, add cloves, black pepper, fennel seeds, turmeric powder, dry leaves, add 8 of the chopped onions, grated coconut, saute till fragrant and dark brown, dont be hasty in this, this becomes the essence of your chicken! Let it become really nice brown, switch off the flame. Let it cool for a while and then grind it togther with the raw chopped tomatoes to make a fine paste. Take care that the paste is really fine, you may add some water while grinding. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add the remaining chopped onion, saute till light brown, add marinated chicken, mix it well, cover it, let it cook for half an hour, uncover and stir in gaps, after it is cooked, you may check it by sliding a spoon in it, it should be really soft. After its cooked, add the paste we prepared earlier and mix nicely. It smells wonderful, add garam masala, chilly powder and salt (we have marinated the chicken with salt so add accordingly) and let it cook for 5 minutes. Your Chicken is ready to relish!
Serve with Bread/ buns or a chapati.
I had Amit’s friends coming in so I couldnt make so many chapatis, I served them with Bread! But its best with our Pav...our very own indian pan....we have with wada pav or pav bhaji....but unfortunately in chennai its not available ;(

My entry to the Event Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets!!

This is my entry to The Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets Event by Ben of http://whatscooking.us & Ivy of http://kopiaste.blogspot.com/

I am Tagged!!

Well I am tagged here by my cousin Nihit...actually lonnggg back....but never mind!
10 things I hate....phew....I ll have to give a real good thought on this!

1. Mondays ...I hate waking up on a Monday, I am sure many of you feel the same way!

2. Falling Sick for a long time....If I fall sick for a day or two I am having a great time, getting pampered my mom and now my hubby dearest...but if it extends.....I hate it :((

3. Staying Alone for more than a few hours....I am all excited initially if I have to stay alone at home...but within few minutes I hate it...:D

4. Rahul dravid....I know ppl might come and hit me for this...but I just hate him, his face is not a face of a winner.....he seems troubled to me all the time!! :((

5. Suneil Shetty.....I just hate to watch him! He is really dunb .....I know you all will agree!!

6. Interviews.....Though I have given many interviews till now...I am always shivering when the time comes!

7. Results.....I am more scared of the results than appearing an exam!

8. Himesh Reshamiya.....Who doesnt hate him...:)

9. Living away from home .....I am living in chennai...its not that I am not enjoying but am always looking forward to return ....:)

10. To lose something I love.....I am kind of a creless person and I tend to lose things...I can cry for those things for hours...and make everyone find it for me....I hate when it happens!!!

I have randomly written what rushed to my mind....ignore the order folks...;)

I tag.....
Nomad of http://diducee.blogspot.com/
Aneeket of http://aneeket.blogspot.com/
Shubha of http://chutkibharpyar.blogspot.com/
Messo of http://meesosweetandspicy.blogspot.com/

One more Yummy Award!!!!

Another Yummy Award!!! I cant believe it...I am so elated...I cant express....Thanks sweetheart for passing it on to me!!! It means a lottttt....:D

Now I gladly would like to pass it on to.......

Zainad & Hammedo of http://arabicbites.blogspot.com/

Shriya of http://www.spicytasty.com/

Rishi of http://wwwcookspot.blogspot.com/

Bhawana of http://bhawanalovescooking.blogspot.com/

Congrats all of you!!! I really enjoy visiting your blogs....:)

Green Rice

I saw it on a Marathi Program, “Aamhi Sare Khavayye” and I tried it, it tasted nice and spicy, here’s the recipe for all!!

Recipe serves 2
2 to 3 handful rice
1 to 1 ½ tbspn. Oil or ghee (whatever you like)
7 to 8 tbspn. Finely chopped coriander
3 to 4 pods garlic finely chopped
1/4” ginger finely chopped
2 to 3 green chilies finely chopped
½ tspn. Fennel seeds
Salt to taste

Method
Wash rice nicely. Add 1 ½ cp of water and ½ tbspn. Ghee to it. Set in the pressure cooker for cooking. After 3 whistles switch off the flame. Be careful the rice should be cooked soft yet not too soggy. Keep aside.
Grind together, coriander, garlic, ginger, chilies, and fennel seeds, salt till a fine paste is ready. Immediately sauté the paste on oil/ghee for a minute, add rice and mix it well. You can increase the amount of coriander to make your rice rich in colour. I fell short of coriander, so I couldn’t get that green colour to my rice, but the taste was awesome!
Serve it with hot daal!
I had bought ready made chicken nuggets so I fried them for some crunchiness in the meal.

My First Award!!!

Today I am totally ecstatic and excited that I have been awarded the "Yummy Blog Award" by Hetal of Isha’s Kitchen. Thanks a lot Hetal for the lovely award!! I’m so happy to receive this award from Hetal; she has such a gorgeous blog with so many mouth-watering recipes!!!!

Yummy Blog award was first conceptualized by Roopa of Kitchen Treats. Yummy blog award is the award given to the blog with the yummiest recipes/photos.I am so lucky to be a part of this blogging world, where I feel encouraged by so many friends to make new recipes and present it. I have improved a lot after I have created my Kitchen stories, due to all the compliments and suggestions I got from my friends! Thanks everyone and lets keep rocking!! :D

I special to thanks to Laxmi of Chutki Bhar Pyar blog for being such a great help to me.

Lastly but most importantly I want to thank my hubby dearest who enthusiastically munched all that I made and encouraged me to make more delicious recipes!! Love you : D

Here are some of the many delightful desserts that I absolutely relish:

Apple Pie

Strawberry Ice Cream

Rose Falooda
Finally I will give this award to
Laxmi of http://chutkibharpyar.blogspot.com/
Messo of http://meesosweetandspicy.blogspot.com/
Divya of http://divya-dilse.blogspot.com/
Meera of http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/

Wheat Laddoos!!!

First time on my blog I am posting a mithai item. Its easy to prepare and scrumptiously melting in the mouth kind of recipe!

Recipe (12 to 15 laddoos)
8 to 10 tbspn. Wheat Flour
4 to 5 tbspn. Ghee
6 to 7 tbspn. Powdered Sugar or 8 tbspn jaggery
½ tspn. Cardamom powder (Elaichi)
Saffron for decoration

Method
Heat ghee in a pan, add wheat flour to it and sauté till it is fragrant; it turns a bit darker and lighter. Don’t hurry up in this process. Keep the flame low, it should happen in about 15 to 20 minutes. This is a crucial process. Once you ensure it’s done, add sugar/jaggery while its still hot. Let it become warm, so that you can knead it properly. It should be mixed really well, it is becomes very soft. Add elaichi powder and make laddoos! You may add a little ghee while making laddoos if you feel it’s too dry.
Decorate it with saffron threads.
And pop in you mouth, I bet they will melt in your mouth!

Sweet and Spicy Purees!!

Here’s my second entry to Roti Mela!!
The recipe is a mix of my creativity and my mother’s tips! So it’s a blend of both!

Recipe Serves 2 to 3

For Sweet Purees
Ingredients
2 to 3 Carrots peeled and grated
1 tspn. Elaichi powder
3 to 4 tbspn. Sugar
2 cups Wheat flour (Wheat flour should be almost in same quantity of grated carrot)
½ tspn. Saffron or 1 tspn. Saffron essence
1 ½ tbspn. Milk
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

Method
Heat 1/2 cup water in a pan, add grated carrots and sugar and mix well. Cover it. Let the carrots cook for 3 to 4 minutes, till they become soft. Let it cool. Mix saffron with milk. Now, grind the cooked grated carrots, elaichi powder and saffron soaked in milk together and make a fine paste. You can add some more sugar if you want the purees to be sweeter before grinding. Mix the paste with the flour, add salt and knead to make soft dough adding water and oil. Make small purees of the dough and deep fry. Your crisp hot and sweet purees are ready. They spread a lovely fragrance in the whole house when you fry them.
You may add an artificial colour to the wheat flour while kneading for more colourful looking purees.

For spicy Purees
Ingredients
1 to 1 ½ cup finely chopped coriander
3 green chillies finely chopped
2 pods garlic finely chopped
1/4” ginger peeled and finely chopped
2 cups wheat flour
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method
Grind coriander, garlic, ginger and green chilles together to make a fine paste. You may add water to make it fine. Mix this paste with the wheat flour, add salt and knead to make soft dough by adding water and oil. Make small purees of the dough and deep fry.
Your spicy, crispy & hot purees are ready to be relished!

The combination of them together with some mouth watering mango pickle makes a scrumptious snacks recipe.

Super Simple Pudding

Yesterday evening I wanted to make some desert and not just eat plain ice cream, my taste buds were tickling me to their best ....so I began my search in the kitchen for something that would satisfy them!
I found was some oranges & apples! And to my delight I made a pudding out of it in no time...thanks to my thinking tongue!!!lolzz...
Its a super simple recipe....so the name!
Recipe serves 2

Ingredients
1 Apple
1 Orange
¾ cup cold milk
10 to 12 Britania mariegold biscuits (You may use any other, but ensure they arent essenced or too sweet)
1 tbspn. Honey
1 tspn Sugar
Chocolate for decoration

Method
Peel the apple skin and chop it into small pieces, same with the orange. Marinate the chopped fruits with honey and sugar for about 15 to 20 minutes. The apples dont turn dark due to honey, thats a discovery I made yesterday! They remain fresh and juicy even the next day!
Crush about 7 to 8 biscuits with your hand. Now, take a bowl suitable for setting your pudding. Place the remaining biscuits at the bottom in the bowl, on it spread the marinated fruits, top it with the layer of the crushed biscuits. Decorate with some crushed or grated chocolate.
Pour the milk evenly on it. Allow it to set in a freezer for about an hour and your pudding is ready! Its too simple to be delicious...isnt it? But you got to try it friends!
You may savour it with a vanilla ice cream scoop, but without it also it tastes too soothing!

Gajar Gobi Paratha with Onion Masala Chutney!!

This is my entry for the Roti Mela!!

I decided to make some colourful parathas….this was an attempt only…hehehe…which I wish to share with you all….:) It tasted great too!!!
Here’s the recipe
Recipe Serves 2 to 3

For the Parathas
3 to 4 cups full wheat flour
1 small cabbage (purple) finely chopped
2 medium size carrots peeled & grated
Oil for kneading & subtle frying
5 to 6 pods garlic finely crushed
½’’ ginger peeled and finely crushed
chilly powder as per taste
Salt to taste

Method
Divide the wheat flour into half. Take the first half, add salt, chilly powder, crushed ginger and grated carrots. Knead adding oil & water. Make a soft dough.Keep aside.
Now, take the other half of the wheat flour, add salt, chilly powder, crushed garlic and chopped cabbage. Make a soft dough. Keep aside.
Make parathas and fry them with butter or oil. Don’t make them too brown so that the colour is retained. You can get creative here and blend them together and make other variety designs with it for fun.

For Onion Masala Chutney
1 medium size onion finely chopped
5 to 6 curry leaves
½ tspn. Mustard seeds
¼ tspn. Turmeric powder
½ tspn. Sugar
½ tspn. Chilly powder
A pinch of hing
1 tbspn. oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, turmeric powder, curry leaves, chilly powder, sugar, salt & chopped onion. Fry till nice dark brown and fragrant. Add salt, fry for ½ a minute more. Let it cool. Grind this mixture into a thick paste.
Relish with hot parathas!!!

Maharashtrian Meal!!!

Yesterday morning both of us felt like eating proper meal, we were really bored of pizzas, pastas, or any other substitute for a wholesome meal. So I made a proper Maharashtrian style lunch comprising of Chapatis/ fulkas (poli), sabzi (bhaji), daal (aamti), rice (bhaat), chutney. For desert we galloped black current ice-cream stacked in the freezer!!


For the Chutney
3 medium size green chilies
3 tbspn. Of raw mango finely chopped
3 tbspn. Of groundnut powder
2 to 3 curry leaves
1 ½ tbspn. Of jaggery
Salt to taste
1 tbspn. Oil
½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
A pinch of hing

Method
Grind the chillies, raw mango, groundnut powder, curry leaves and jaggery together in a mixer till a fine paste is formed. Add salt. Mix well. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and hing. Switch off the flame after the mustard seeds sputter. Pour the hot oil on the paste made earlier. Your sweet n spicy chutney is ready!

For the Sabzi (I made French beans)
500 Gms of beans finely chopped
1 ½ tbspn. Gram seeds
1 ½ tbspn. Oil
1 tspn. Red chilly powder
1 tspn. Cumin & coriander seeds powder
½ tspn. Turmeric powder
A pinch of hing
1 tspn. Mustard seeds
1 tspn. Sugar
Salt to taste
Grated coconut for garnishing

Method
Soak the gram seeds in water for 20 to 25 minutes.
Heal oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder. After the seeds sputter, add the chopped beans. Mix well. Sprinkle a little water. Cover it. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Uncover it, add soaked gram seeds, chilly powder, cumin & coriander powder, salt & sugar. Mix well. Cover it. Stir fry in gaps while cooking it for further 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish it with grated coconut. Serve it with Chapatis.

For the Daal (Aamti)
5to 6 tpsn. Toor daal
1 ½ tbspn. Oil
½ tspn. Turmeric powder
1 tbspn. Jaggery
1 tspn. Chilly powder
5 to 6 pods of garlic crushed
½ tspn mustard seeds
½ tbspn. Tamarind
A pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method
Cook the Toor daal fully, till it can be smashed with hand in a pressure cooker. Add salt to taste and ½ a tspn. of jaggery. Mix well Keep aside.
Soak the tamarind in water, remove the extract. Keep aside
Heat oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic. Sauté till dark brown. Add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder. Immediately add the cooked toor daal. Don’t add the all of it. Keep aside a ¼ part of the whole quantity. Mix well. Add chilly, tamarind extract water, salt and jaggery. Let it boil for further 1 minute. Your daal is ready.
If you don’t like the flavour of the garlic, you may avoid it. It tastes lovely even without it.
While serving, pour some of the plain daal kept aside earlier on the rice, pour the aromatic homemade ghee on it along with some fresh lemon juice and salt. That’s the way maharashtrians eat it! After the plain daal is mixed well in rice, pop some in your mouth, I bet you will love it. Only after tasting it, add the main daal on it and savour the food. It needs to be really hot when you eat it!

For salad I just chopped tomatoes, sprinkled some bleck pepper & salt.

My First meme

My First Meme

1. Last Movie you saw in a theatre?
I saw “U Me & Hum”, it was again a copy of a Hollywood flick!!! And I kept thinking to myself, ‘If Shahrukh played the character of Ajay…it would have been a much better movie!!!” Hahaha…..

2. What book are you reading?
Well I am not reading any book currently….but I just finished reading ‘A thousand splendid suns’, by Khalid Housseni. It was an interesting book.

3. Favourite Board Game?
I love to play Carom!!! And cards too…though it isn’t a board game!

4. Favourite Magazine?
Well I don’t follow any Magazine to be frank, but I love to go through Woman’s Era, Femina and Inside Outside

5. Favourite Smell?
I would rather call it aroma or fragrance….hehe…..well I too love Petrol aroma o much that I feel like drinking it up!! And I like the smell of food….yummy food!!

6. Favourite Sounds?
I love the sound of Sonu Nigam’s voice!! And also Ghulam Ali Khan’s voice!
I love the sound of my husband’s voice.

7. Worst feeling in the world?
When my loved ones fall sick! That’s the worst feeling for me!

8. What is the first thing I think about when I wake up?
I think what sabzi to prepare in the Tiffin…hehe…

9. Favourite Fast Food Place?
In Chennai it’s ‘The Noodle House’

10. Future Child’s Name?
Well, I don’t want to disclose it so soon, because there is a lot of time before that happens! Hehehe…

11. Finish this sentence, “If I had a lot of money I would?”
I would decide it only when I get the money!

12. Do you drive fast?
Well I drive fast but safe too.

13. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
No. Earlier when till I was around 12 years old, I had a stuffed rabbit to give me company in bed. Hehehe…Not anymore!

14. Storms cool or crazy?
If the storm doesn’t cause danger, then I feel it’s totally cool!

15. What was your first car?
Pre marriage my father bought a Maruti 800, Post marriage we are still to buy one!

16. Favourite Drink?
Pinacolada

17. Finish the statement, “If I had the time I would”?
I would do just what I am doing right now, because I do have time for many things even today, it’s just that I don’t decide to do things really strongly!

18. Do you eat the stems of Broccoli?
Yes, I do!

19. If you would dye your colour what colour would it be?
It would be reddish brown!! But I am not so brave to try it…hehehe…

20. Name all the different towns / cities you have lived in.
Not many, Thane & Chennai

21. Favourite sports to watch?
I don’t enjoy watching sports, but I like to give company to my husband to watch cricket and football, when he watches.

22. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?
Hmmm….Laxmi is a very genuine person, very true at heart and caring.

23. Whats under your bed?
Nothing actually!

24. Would you like to be yourself again?
Yes very much, with a few corrected mistakes…hehehe…

25. Morning person or night owl?
I am night owl, I hate getting up early in the morning!!!

26. Favourite place to relax?
Home sweet home!

27. Over Easy or Sunny side up?
Both to be true, it depends.

27. Favourite Pie?
Apple Pie

28. Favourite Ice Cream Flavour?
I love strawberry and tender coconut!!! Wow!!!

29. Of all the people you have tagged, who is most likely to respond first?
I have no clue……really! Let’s wait n watch….hehehe…

I am tagging…..


Nishant Agarwal of http://specialpages.blogspot.com/
Aneeket of http://aneeket.blogspot.com/
Manpreet of http://meet-mann.blogspot.com/
Nihit of http://lvmk.blogspot.com/

Udad Variety!!!!!!

It’s a yummy snacks item…..and you can have it which ever way you want, you can have it with Sambar, as dahi wada or with green spicy chutney & ketchup!!!! Here goes the recipe!!

Recipe serves 2

For the Wada

1 ½ handful of Udad daal

½ handful of rice

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

For Dahi (curd)
Curd ( around 2 tbspn. full per person)
Coriander seed powder
Cumin powder (jeera)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Chilly powder a pinch (per person)

For Green Chutney
3 handful of finely chopped coriander
2 medium size green chillies
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Method for chutney
Grind all the igredients finely. Your chutney is ready!

Method for Wadas

Soak the Udad daal for around 18 to 20 hours. Soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours. After they are soaked for the required time, mix them and grind it till a fine paste is ready. Add salt to taste. Heat oil in a pan. Take a tbspn. And drop one tbspn full ready mixture in the oil. The size can be big, but it is better to make small so that you can pop them directly in your mouth and also they cook properly from inside. Your wadas are ready!! Serve hot with spicy green chutney and ketchup or Hot Sambar. If you want to eat as dahi wadas, soak the wadas in water after they are frying them. Let them soak for about 6 to 7 minutes till they become soft.

Method for Dahi (curd)
For Dahi (curd), Blend curd well, add pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Take a serving bowl, put the wadas soaked in water earlier, pour blended dahi we prepared, top it with red chilly powder, cumin & coriander seed powder and fresh finely chopped coriander. Savour them as they melt in your mouth!!!

Mini Samosas ...!!!

While checking out some Sanjeev Kapoor recipes, I came across Samosas!!! Wow, I thought why not try??
So here it is….. :)

Recipe serves 3 to 4

For cover
2 cups plain flour (Maida)
2 tbspn. Warm oil
Water to knead to dough

For Filling

4 potatoes medium size, boiled, peeled & mashed
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 tsp. ginger crushed
1 tsp. Garlic crushed
1 tbspn. Coriander seeds
2 tbspn. Fresh finely chopped coriander
½ lemon juice extracted
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chilly powder
1 tsp. sugar
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Method for Dough
Take the flour; add oil, salt and little water. Mix well till crumbly. Add more water little by little kneading it into soft pliable dough. Cover it with wet cloth for 15 to 20 minutes. Beat dough on surface & knead again. Recover.

Method for filling
Heat 3 tbspn. Of oil, add ginger, garlic, green chillies, and coriander seeds, stir fry for a minute, add fresh coriander leaves, lemon juice, turmeric powder, garam masala, chilly powder. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add potatoes. Further stir fry for 2 minutes. Cool, keep aside.

To proceed
Make a thin 5” dia round with the dough. Cut in 2 halves. Run a moist hand around the diameter. Join & press together to make a cone.
Place a tbspn. Of filling inside the cone, seal the third side as above.
Put in hot oil, fry on low – medium flame. Don’t fry on high flame, otherwise the Samosas will become soggy & oily.
Drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Well isnt your mouth watering by now..hehhe......try it....you will lovvvveee them!