Chicken Kofta Curry and Mango Lassi

Few days back I tried this kofta curry with minced chicken instead of using mutton as we always do. It was our sunday lunch with some mango lassi. So, lets get started with the recipe now.

Serves 4-5
Cooking and Preparation Time - 30-45 mins

Ingredients :

For Kofthas :

Minced Chicken - 1 pack (as available in stores)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Coriander - 1/4 cup or more
Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow or deep frying
Oil for cooking - 3 tbsp

For the Gravy :

Onions - 2 sliced roughly
Green chillies - 1-2
Chilli powder
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Dry coconut - 1/4 piece

Method :

1. Dry fry poppy seeds, dry coconut and make a powder. Also, fry sliced onions separately  in 1 tbsp oil along with turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, chilli powder and add to the dry powder in the same mixie jar. Then grind all together to make a paste which we be the gravy.
2. Now in a bowl mix everything mentioned for making kofthas except oil.
3. Make small balls and keep them aside on a plate.
4. Deep fry/shallow fry them removing them on a tissue paper to drain excess oil.
5. Now in deep pan, fry the paste we made in a tbsp of oil for the raw smell to away. Then, to it add these kofthas and cook covered on low-medium heat for 20-25 mins.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Ingredients :

Mango - 1 skin peeled and sliced roughly
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom - 1-2
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/4-1/2 cup
Crushed ice

Method :

1. In a blender, first blend mango slices and sugar together.
2. Then add all the other ingredients and blend nicely.
3. Serve chilled. 

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Cucumber Chaaru with Fried Salmon

One of the most favored foods of S is fish. I am allergic to Shrimp so, it is out of question to try it but, fish I used to have it in India that too the non smelly ones very occassionally. After coming to US, never tasted it except once or twice due the smell. I would appreciate your tips or tricks on how to remove the fish smell or to buy one that does'nt smell :D. This is a simple fried version of salmon fillets. We normally use  frozen ones available in Costco.

I normally buy cucumbers from the Indian grocery for making salads or using them in raitas, but from few months I have been buying English cucumbers from Costco. Unlike the ones at Indian groceries they are seedless so, grating and cutting them is so so easy. Most of all they stay for almost 3 weeks. They are big and come as a set of 3. Why am I telling all this to you :)? because, I made Chaaru with these cucumbers and it was so tasty.

Fish Fry

Serves -1
Cooking and Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Salmon Fillet - 1 (Atlantic Salmon Frozen Type) thawed
Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder - 1/4 -1/2tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tbsp
Oil - 2-3 or more tbsp
Few Curry leaves

Method :

1. Rub the lemon juice on the fillet and keep aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together all the spices along with 1/2 tbsp oil keeping the rest for frying. You will have a spice paste.
3. Now rub this paste nicely on the fillet and refrigerate it for 30 mins.
4. In a non stcik pan, heat the remaining oil add curry leaves and then the marinated fillet.
5. Fry it on low-medium heat turning sides slowly and cook covered until fish gets cooked.
6. Serve hot along with rice and dal.

Cucumber Chaaru

Serves 3-4
Cooking and Preparation Time- 30 mins

Ingredients :

Cucumber -1 cup or more Any type (but I used english ones) skin peeled and diced
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup pressure cooked with 2-3 whistles along with turmeric pwder(1/4 tbsp), a drop of oil and salt (very small qty)
Tamarind juice - 1 cup dilute not very tangy
Onion - 1 small sliced
Green chillies - 2 slit vertically
Few curry leaves
Mustard + Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp pr more
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp increase or decrease according to your spice levels
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Method :

1. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan add, cumin, mustard, sliced onions, green chillies, curry leaves and fry until the onions are fried.
3. Then add, cucumbers and salt.
4. Cook covered for 5 mins on medium heat till you notice that they are cooked or 3/4 cooked.
5. Then add chilli powder, coriander chopped and saute well.
6. Now add tamarind water and mix well.
7. Then add, mashed dal and add water if necessary to dilute it if its thick.
8. Now let it come to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more mins.
9. Cucumber Chaaru is ready to be served along with rice and your favorite curry.

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Chicken Curry Hyderabadi Style

This is my second posting in the non- vegetarian recipes section and I have been very eager to post it as soon as I can :). Its a very nice Chicken recipe and can be served with rice or roti. The ingredients used for dry powder will form a nice thick gravy making it more delicious. So, here goes the recipe of Hyderabadi Chicken Curry.

Serves 2-3 people
Preparation and Cooking Time 20-30 mins

Marinate the Chicken with turmeric powder(1/4 tbsp), chilli powder(1/4 tbsp) and ginger garlic paste (1/4 tbsp) before cooking - 10-15 mins.

Ingredients :

Chicken cut into medium sized pieces - 1 lb
Onion finely chopped - 1 medium to large
Green Chillies - 2 slit vertically
Chopped Corainder - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt according to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tbsp

Fry without burning and make dry powder out of these ingredients :

Dhanyalu/Coriander seeds -1/2 tbsp
Dry Coconut piece - 1/4
Poppy Seeds/Gusgasalu - 1 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala ( Shahi Jeera(1/4 tbsp), Patta/Cinanamom (1/2 inch), Elaichi/Cardamom(1), PepperCorns(few))
Cashews 5-8

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker add shahi jeera, patta or cinanmom, chopped onions, green chillies, chopped coriander, turmeric powder, ginger garlic powder and fry till onions change color.
2. Now add chilli powder, garam masala, salt and mix.
3. Then add the marinated chicken, dry powder and mix well.
4. Once water starts coming out of chicken add very little water according to the consistency of gravy you like and pressure cook it for 1 or 2 whistles and not more (as chicken cooks faster).
5. The Hyderabadi Chicken curry is ready and can be served hot with rice or roti.

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