Achaari chicken ( with Raw mango pickle)

Whenever the question comes across my mind “ what to eat when I am so bored with everything I cook”, I start experimenting tweaking different recipes available in internet and comes out with some innovative variation of that. The recipe shared below is also an outcome of such experiment where I tried my own variation to the traditional “Achaari chicken” and it became a  delightful surprise for me and my friends who are too  hunting  for  a completely different style chicken curry. 

  Traditional Achaari chicken curry is a spicy, tangy and extremely aromatic thick chicken gravy which contains all spices used in Pickle and hence the name Achaari (pickle). My version is little different and simple where I have used Raw Mango Pickle or “Aam ka achar”instead of using much additional spices and that makes it quick and easy to prepare.

 If you are yet to taste this lip smacking ‘chicken curry with pickling spices’, go through the recipe here:

Ingredients:

1.              Chicken- 1 kg (Medium pieces preferably whole leg pieces)

2.              Onion finely chopped 1 large

3.              Onion paste of 2 medium Onions

4.              Tomato puree- of 1 large tomato

5.               Ginger garlic paste-2 tbsp

6.               Green chilly slit-4 nos.

7.               Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

8.               Coriander powder- 1 tsp

9.                Chili powder-1 1/2 tsp (as per spice tolerance)

10.              Raw mango pickle-2 and 1/2 tbsp (Store bought)

11.              Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp

12.              Curd/yogurt- 1/2 cup

13.              Lemon juice-2 tbsp

14.              Dried Fenugreek leaves (optional)

15.              Salt-to taste

16.              Sugar as per taste

For seasoning:

1.              Mustard oil-4 tbsp

2.              Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

3.              Fennel seeds-1/4 tsp

4.              Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

5.              Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp

6.              Black cumin seed (kalojeera/kalaunji)

                 You can use Paanch phoron (1 tbsp) if you have at home which is the mix of all these five above                          whole spices

7.              Bay leaf-1

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Method:

1. Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with lemon juice, Mango pickle (you can use homemade or store-bought pickle and this is not a part of traditional recipe but adding pickle take the dish to a whole new level and give an amazing taste and aroma), Curd, salt and red chili powder. Keep it in refrigeration for at least an hour.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan, add all the seasoning ingredients one by one or Paanch phoron. Once it starts crackling, add chopped Onion and fry for a minute.
3. Add onion paste and sauté until it turns golden. Now add Ginger and garlic paste and slit green chili. Fry the masala for 4 to 5 minutes on medium flame till raw smell goes off
4.  Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and Tomato puree and sauté the mixture for another 4 to 5 minutes
5.  Add marinated chicken and mix well and cook it on high flame for 4 to 5 minutes with continuous stirring. Cover and reduce the flame and let the chicken cook in its own gravy for 12-15 minutes.
6. Add one cup of hot water and cook it covered for another 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken pieces becomes soft and oil separates and floats on top
7. Adjust salt and sugar as per taste.
8. Finally add garam masala powder and kasuri Methi powder. Switch off the flame and let it cover for few minutes and your lip-smacking Achari chicken is ready!

Khowa Paneer Malai Kofta

“Malai Kofta” the name itself reminds us of the restaurant style rich taste of the creamy gravy and the soft and tender kofta that just melt in your mouth. Though it is a very popular North Indian curry, it is visible in all Indian restaurant menus because of its special taste and aroma people prefers to have it during special occasions.

Kofta is basically fried cottage cheese (Paneer) ball and Malai is the thick cream based gravy in which koftas are dipped.

There are lots of variations of kofta, from non-vegetarian meat balls to pure veg versions. My version of kofta is pretty simple yet very smooth, soft and quite rich which are made mostly with paneer and Khoya/Mawa with little mashed veggies like potatoes, peas and stuffed with nuts and raisins. It goes very well with Tandoori Roti, Naan and Jeera Rice.

Ingredients:

For koftas:

• 200 gms Paneer /Cottage cheese (grated)
• 100 gms Khoya/Mawa (solidified Milk)
• 2 Potatoes (boiled and grated)
• ¼ cup frozen green peas (boiled)
• 2 tbsp of  chopped cashewnuts and raisins 
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
• Oil to fry koftas

For gravy:

• 2 large onion (chopped)
• 1 tbsp gingergarlic paste
• 2 tomatoes ( chopped)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp whole cumin seed
• 3 tbsp cashew paste (Thick)
• 1 cup cream (200 gms)
• 1 bunch fresg coriander leaves
• Sugar as per taste
• Salt as per taste.
• Oil
• 1 tbsp butter

Method:

For making Kofta:

1. Take khoya and grated paneer in a plate and mash it smooth with hand. Add grated boiled veggies like potato and peas (veggies should be well strained so that there is no water left in that else the balls can break while frying).  Now add corn flour, cumin powder, coriander powder, Red chili powder, chopped coriander, salt  and sugar and mix  it well  and knead it  into firm and smooth dough.
2. Pick a small amount of dough and roll it in hand to get round shape of kofta ball. Now press it at the center and place two raisins and a few pieces of broken nuts at the center of flattened ball. Close it and roll it again to make perfect round balls without any crack. Make all the koftas in similar fashion and keep it ready for frying.
3. Heat oils in a pan and deep fry all the koftas in low and then medium flame until they become golden brown in color evenly on all sides. Stir the koftas very slowly while frying otherwise they can break into pieces. Take it out and keep aside. If koftas break while frying add some more corn flour to the mixture. 

For making Gravy:

1. Take flat bottomed pan and add 2 tbsp of oil. Add chopped onion and fry until it turns golden in color. Now add Ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. When the tomatoes  becomes soft add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and mix well all the spices with Onion and Tomatoes and cook till oil gets separated from the spices. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool.
3. Take the cooked mixture in a blender and make a smooth paste.
4. Heat 2 tbsp butter in the same pan and add whole cumin seeds when the cumin seeds starts spluttering, add the blended mixture paste. Add little water and bring it to boil. Once the mixture starts boiling add cashew paste . Now add salt and little sugar. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes and then reduce the flame and add fresh cream or Malai and you can see the light golden color the gravy has achieved.
5. Stir the mixture and let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in medium flame until one boil so that the gravy become rich and creamy.  Add prepared koftas into it cover each kofta nicely with gravy. switch off the flame and finally add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Cover it for some time so that flavor of garam masala and coriander leaves mix well in the gravy which gives a nice aroma to the dish.  

Take it out in a bowl and garnish with some cream and coriander leaves and your scrumptious Malai Kofta is ready to serve with hot naan .

Egg Capsicum Curry

INGREDIENTS:
6 Boiled eggs.
1 Large Capsicum (Cut into small square pieces).
1 Large chopped Onion.
1 Large onion (sliced).
1 tbsp. Ginger garlic paste.
1 tsp.cumin.
1 tsp. turmeric powder.
1 tsp. Cumin powder.
1 tsp. Red chili powder.
1 tsp. Garam masala powder.
2 green chilis (finely chopped)
Salt.
Sugar.

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Mix turmeric powder and salt to the boiled eggs and put it in the pan. Fry the eggs until it becomes golden brown. Take it out and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add whole cumin. When the cumin turns brown add chopped onion. Fry onion till it becomes golden yellow. Now add ginger garlic paste and chopped green chilis. Fry for a minute and then add turmeric powder, Cumin powder, red chili powder and salt and 1/2 cup water. Fry the masala until the oil get separated for it.

3. Add capsicum and tomato pieces and saute for 5 minutes. Now add fried eggs, garam masala powder, pinch of sugarand 1 tbsp.of water. Stir and cover it. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes in medium flame with stirring at regular interval. when the gravy becomes thick, take it out from flame and serve in a dish.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain rice or chapatti.

Capsicum Masala Curry

INGREDIENTS:

250 gms Capsicum (Cutted into square shaped pieces).
1 tbsp. Sesame seeds.
20 Gms. Peanuts.
20 Gms Coconut.
1 tsp. roasted coriander powder.
1 tsp. roasted cumin powder.
1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
1 tsp. red chilli powder.
1 tsp. Garam masala powder1 onion (Grated).
2 tsp. ginger garlic paste
2 Green Chillis (Chopped).
2 tbsp.Tomato puree( or grated tomato).
1/2 tsp. Mustard.
1/2 tsp. Methi.
1 tsp.salt.
1 tsp. Sugar.
Oil.
1 tsp.
fresh lemon juice.

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Put capsicum pieces and saute for about 5 to 6 minute so the it becomes tender.
2. Roast peanut, sesame seeds and and coriander seperatly and grind them together along with dry coconut to get a paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard, fenugreek (methi) and curry leaves.Saute until the mustard and curry leaves starts spluttering. Now add grated onion,chopped green chillis and ginger garlic paste. Saute for sometime and add turmeric powder,roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder.
Fry the masala and then add the peanut sesame paste and saute again with continous stirring until the oil get seperated from it. Now add tomato puree, Salt and Sugar. Stir for 5 minutes and add cooked capsicum, Garam masala powder and 1/2 cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes with stirring at regular interval. Now cook it until the gravy becomes thick.

Serve hot with Chapatti or Nan.