BUTTER CHICKEN

This one is for all chicken curry lovers. The recipe is quite different from what the name suggests, its one of the most popular north indian chicken dish. This is the traditional recipe therefore requires a little extra effort but its definitely worth the time spent. 

Serves : 2

Cooking time : 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

250 gms Chicken (Boneless Or With Bone)

For the Marinade:

5 tsp yoghurt
1 tsp oil (can use any type of cooking oil)
1 tsp grated ginger
2 -3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 whole red chilly
4 black peppercorns
1 stick of cinnamon
2-3 green cardamom
1 black cardamom
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves 

Salt to taste

For Curry:

2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 tsp fresh garlic paste
1 green chilly sliced
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
6 large tomato
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves

Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Cashewnut paste 1 tbsp (Optional)

Method for making Butter Chicken:

• In a pan dry roast red chilly, peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, black & green cardamom. Now grind this to a powder. (You can use coffee grinder else use the powder form of all these spices, dry roast it for 1 min)
• In a bowl put rest of the ingredients under the marinade section and mix well. Now add chicken & mix again. Cover with cling film & leave it overnight or atleast for 3 hours in the fridge.
• Put the chicken in a preheated oven of 200 degrees and let it cook for 20 mins at 180 degrees. Make sure you turn the chicken after 10 mins so that its cooked from both sides.
• Blanch, peel and puree the tomatoes. Keep aside.
• For the curry heat the pan and add butter and immediately add the ginger & garlic paste.
• Now add the sliced green chilly. Also add red chilly powder & coriander powder and cardamom powder saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the pureed tomato and cook on high flame for 10 mins or till the gravy leaves the side.
• Now add the tomato puree, a pinch of sugar & salt and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the roasted chicken pieces and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on a slow flame for 10 mins.
• Add the cashewnut paste, cook for further 2 mins on slow flame & then add cream and stir well. Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Now add the garam masala and crushed fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
• Transfer the chicken to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and swirls of cream.
• Authentic North Indian punjabi butter chicken is ready to be served with roti, naan or rice.

Tip :

For the classic smoky effect in your chicken curry, transfer the chicken in a bowl, cover with aluminium foil and pierce it a few times. Using a tong burn a small piece of coal on gas and place it on the foil. Cover immediately with a lid. Place it in the oven for 30 mins at 120 degrees. Remove the foil and be careful when you dispose the coal.  Garnish & Serve Hot.

For a healthier version you can substitute cream with 1 cup of milk (room temperature).

SHAHI PANEER

As the name suggests this is a recipe that was extensively used by the royals in India. The rich creamy curry is  made with fresh cubes of cottage cheese. Its an all time favourite for vegetarians and very popular in restaurants.

Preparation Time 30 mins

Serves 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS

Paneer (cottage cheese) 200gms
Onion 1 medium
Green Chilly 1slit
Tomatoes 3 medium sized

Ginger 2 inch Piece

Garlic Clove 2

Water half cup

Green Cardamom 2

Butter 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Sugar a pinch

Red Chilly Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala 1/4 teaspoon.

3 tbsp Cream or Milk (1 cup)

Kastoori Methi (Optional)

Chopped fresh coriander for garnish.

METHOD

Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes. In a cooker add the chopped onion, tomatoes, green Chilly, ginger, garlic and cardamom and half cup of water.

Pressure cook for 10 minutes, then open the cooker and blend all the ingredients to a puree. Then strain this gravy through a sieve.

In another pan add butter and this gravy bring to a boil, simmer and add red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar and salt. After 5 minutes add 2 tablespoons of Cream or Milk and simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Your curry is ready now.

Add the paneer just before serving and heat for 2 -3 minutes. Add Kastoori Methi.Serve hot with Roti, Naan or Lachha Paratha.

TIP - If using frozen Paneer, after defrosting, put paneer in boiling water for about 10 mins.This will make it soft.

PALAK PANEER

This is a popular North Indian  dish

INGREDIENTS

A bunch of spinach
Green chilly 2
Ginger garlic paste 2-3 tsp
Cottage Cheese (paneer) 200gms  cut in cubes
Tomatoes 4 finely chopped or pureed
Chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Bay leaf 1
Garam masala 1/2tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD

Steam the spinach for 5 minutes along with green chilly  & using a blender puree it.
Put the oil in a pan, add bay leaf & ginger garlic paste,saute for 2 mins &  add chopped tomatoes ,red chilly powder ,garam masala ,fry for another 5 mins or until oil separates.
Now add spinach & paneer cubes . Heat it for another 3-4 mins
Your palak paneer is ready.Serve  hot with naan or roti

Chef's Tip - It is a very healthy dish, as spinach is full of vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients

CHICKPEAS CURRY - CHOLEY

INGREDIENTS:

200gms Chickpeas

2 Bay leaves (Tej Patta)

1 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)

1 small stick of Cinnamon (dalchini)

1 medium sized onion

2 medium sized tomatoes

2 green chillies slit

2 cloves of garlic

1 inch of ginger

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)

1 tsp Red Chilly powder

1 tsp Choley Masala

1 tsp Corriander powder

1 tsp Roasted Cumin (Jeera)Powder

½tsp Garam Masala

1tsp Dry Mango powder (Amchoor)

2 tsp Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kastoori Methi)

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Salt to taste

METHOD:

1.    Soak White Chickpeas overnight. Wash thoroughly and drain the water.
2.      Take a pressure cooker add the chickpeas, salt, bay leaves, black cardamom and 6 to 8 cups of water.
3.      Leave it on full flame for 10 mins and then slower the flame and cook for another 20 mins.
4.      Do not open the cooker right away leave it for sometime to let off the steam.
5.      After 15 mins open the cooker and check if the chickpeas are properly boiled. You should be able to crush it placing between your fingers.
6.      Prepare the tadka as given in the recipe below and mix it with the boiled chickpeas, add dried mango powder and garam masala and simmer for 20 minutes for the flavours to get mixed properly.
7.      Take out the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and Black cardamom and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
8.      Serve hot with Indian Flat bread (Kulche), Bhatoore or boiled rice.

For the TADKA

1.      Make a paste of onion, ginger and garlic.
2.      Take a small pan add 2 tbsp of cooking oil, add cinnamon stick and cumin seeds let it crackle then add the onion paste.
3.      Let the onion change its color to golden brown then add the slit green chillies.
4.      Make a paste of the tomatoes and add it to this mixture.
5.      Let it cook for 2 mins, then add red chilly powder, coriander powder, choley masala, cumin powder and dried fenugreek leaves  and mix till the oil separates from this mixture. Make sure the mixture doesnt stick to the pan add a little water if needed.