Comfort Food: Dum Chicken.... my version

Comfort Food: Dum Chicken.... my version

A Madrasi cooking Authentic ROGAN JOSH!!

Rogan Josh. An authentic Rogan josh? And this was a challenge when my friend Rehan had come from Delhi to stay with me in Chennai. I took him along to buy Mutton and he wanted to know what’s cooking for dinner.

Hesitantly I said ‘Rogan josh’. My tone sounded so unconfident that I was in a dilemma thinking if my decision to cook this dish was correct. The reason – Rehan spent 5 solid years pursuing his MBBS course in Kashmir.

"Rogan Josh", he continues, "does not have any onion or garlic or tomatoes, for that matter."

“I know, I am aware about it”

He added “Are yaar you are a Madrasi and how on earth can you manage to produce an authentic version. You would add curry leaves to it”

I had a friend in college who was a Kashmiri Muslim. And I have eaten most of the Kashmiri dishes cooked by his mom. Rogan josh, Rista, Gustaba, Yakhni, Rajma are some of them.

A Madrasi cooking Rogan josh was quite a challenge and I couldn’t wait to prove myself. I made my version and could see that Rehan was convinced that I got it right.

The secret to an authentic Rogan josh is Mustard Oil. Any other substitute will work but not as good.

Here I am sharing the recipe which can be cooked in a jiffy. Rogan josh ingredients are the following:

Mutton (preferably leg meat) – 1 Kg
Mustard oil – 3 tbsps
Asafoetida (Hing) – 1.5 tsps
Kashmiri Chilli powder – 2 tbsps
Fennel (Saunf) powder - 2 tbsps
Ginger powder (Saunth in Kashmiri)- 2 tbsps
Curd - 1 cup
Khara masala (whole spices - Cinnamon: a 2" piece, Cloves: 8 nos, Black cardamom: 4 nos, Green cardamom: 3 nos, Black peppercorns: 6)
Salt - according to taste

The Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. add hing, then all the Khara masala(whole spices)..let it splutter for a bit, then add the meat.

2. Fry meat till it has a good reddish look to it. Take it off the gas, add the chilli powder, and let the meat cook in the chillies for a while. Ensure adjusting to extremely low flame or else the chilli will burn.

3. Then add the Fennel, Ginger powder and the curd. Simmer till oil separates from the curd.

4. Add water and pressure cook it till the meat is soft enough that it separates from the bone. The gravy is thin and red.

The flavours come out best when the meat is cooked over low heat. I prefer to cook this dish in a heavy bottom handi on a slow flame for almost 2 hours.

Enjoy this dish only with heaps of steamed rice and not with roti, paratha or nan. Leave it overnight in the refrigerator, it tastes better the next day. A practice we follow at home for all non-vegetarian dishes.

Note: Rogan josh should look fiery red with a thin gravy. Original rogan josh recipes would have Kashmiri red chillis (which are similar to paprika) and ratan jot which is the root of a herb grown in Kashmir and is pretty unobtainable now. Kashmiri red chillis are mild and are not fiery emitting heat. In Chennai you will get the ingredients - Kashmiri red chilli, Saunf and ginger powder from Super Markets like Nuts and Spices, Spencers, Reliance Fresh etc.Today Rogan Josh is available in most multicuisine Indian restaurants where you get an onion and tomato based gravy mixed with red food colour. Then you should not call this as Rogan Josh but just Mutton curry.

Dum Chicken.... my version

Chicken dishes are quite popular. Gone are the Sundays where Mom used to cook Dekchi (Aluminium Saucepan) full of Mutton curry along with potatoes. She prepared the mutton effortlessly and the end product when it came to the table was full of love and taste. These days its my wife who is ruling the kitchen and she has almost surpassed my mom's culinary skills (i am writing this confidently since no one in my family reads my blog). Well I too deserve the credit for making some vital suggestions to her cooking ;)

As you all know that I am in-charge of the kitchen these days and trying to thrive up to the expectations of my folks. Last Sunday I cooked Jeera rice, Cucumber raita and a simple chicken curry, my version of the infamous Dum Chicken. I am sharing this recipe with you all and I am sure you will enjoy cooking this dish for your family

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg (skin removed and cut into medium to big size pieces)
Onion - 2 -3 (roughly chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 -3 (roughly chopped)
Curd - 1 cup (liberal enough to coat the entire chicken)
Turmeric - A pinch
Ginger - 1 inch (roughly chopped)
Garlic - 6 - 8 clove (roughly chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 - 3 (Chopped)
Some whole spices — 4 cloves, 1 inch piece cinnamon, 2 to 3 cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon full
Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Coat the chicken with all the ingredients, except ghee and marinate for 2 - 3 hours in a handi or vessel which can be covered with a tight fitting lid.
2. Just before cooking pour the ghee all over the marinated chicken.
3. Take some wheat flour and water and knead them together to make a chapatti dough (Atta)
3.Seal the handi/ vessel with atta and cover with the lid. The atta is used to let the chicken cook in its own juices since no water is added to it.
4. Cook on high flame for 10 minutes and then cook on low flame (simmer) for almost 1 hour. If you are using an oven (Not microwave) then you can cook for 45 minutes at 180 degrees (make sure it doesn't get burnt). I prefer the conventional stove.
5. After removing from the heat let it stand for 5 minutes.
6. At the end you should have little gravy of medium consistency.
7. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves or fried onions and serve with roti or pulao. I served the dum chicken with Jeera rice, which was an amazing combination.

Try it folks.... you will like it.

Quick and easy Eggplant Dip

These days I have been spending most of my time in the kitchen creating food and hunting for appropriate names to christen them. My wife is on her 8th month. Yes we are expecting our second child. Unlike the first pregnancy where Ratna spent her prenatal stages at her maternal home, this time its our home where she will be delivering the baby. So cooking also comes under my jurisdiction apart from meeting her routine demands. Believe me its fun!!! first of all both of my folks are compelled to eat what I cook and I too face a rigorous challenge of inventing new recipes.

Here is one which I would love to share. It is like the regular baingan barta. But this is more refined and not rustic. It is a blend of both south and north. But it can be cooked in a jiffy!!

Ingredients

Brinjal/ Eggplant/ Aubergines - 1 1/2 cup (cap removed, washed and cut into cubes)
Onion - 2 medium size (roughly chopped)
Tomato - 2 medium size (chopped)
Dried Red Chillies - 4 - 6 (depends)
Ginger - 1 small piece (remember too much ginger will create a strong flavor)
Tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon (instead you can add lemon juice)
Urad Dal (black gram or Ulundu in Tamil) - 2 tablespoon
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Oil - 4 teaspoons
Curry leaves - 8 - 10 leaves
Salt - to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a frying pan.
2. Add hing and Urad dal. Fry till the dal turns golden brown.
3. Then add ginger and chillies. Stir fry for few seconds and add the onions, brinjal, tomatoes and the curry leaves immediately. Stir fry till the brinjal and tomatoes becomes slightly mushy.
4. Add the tamarind paste and salt. Adjust the seasoning and cook for 2 to 3 minutes covered with the lid.
5. Remove from fire. Uncover and give a good stir. Let it stand for sometime
6. Now grind the mixture to a coarse paste in a blender and serve it garnished with coriander leaves.

Serving tips:

1. This goes well with chappatis, roti
2. To serve with dosa or idli add a splash of water along with few drops of sesame oil

It just requires 10 minutes to cook this simple recipe. I am sure you would love to try it. So happy cooking to all. I will be back in a jiffy with another recipe. Take care. Bye

Peanut Butter - surprise food

Peanut butter!!!! we immediately imagine the loads of calories and fats packed into it. But we don't know about the virtues of consuming a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter on whole wheat toast, idlis and Indian breads. In India it is yet to gain popularity. According to Men's Health (website) two tablespoons (190 calories) of peanut butter consists of 16gm fat, where almost 80 per cent is mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) which is regarded as a natural gut buster. Home made natural sugar-free peanut butter is loaded in protein, MUFA, vitamin E, niacin and magnesium that help burn fat, build muscle and boost testosterone.

I woudl like to share a basic recipe which you can customise according to your taste

Preparation time: 15 min

Ingredients

Unsalted Roasted Peanuts - 1 & 1/2 cup
Cooking Oil (peanut/ sunflower) - 2 tablespoon
Salt - a pinch
spices - according to taste (I prefer chilli powder)

Preparation

Blend in a food processor (mixie) the roasted peanuts and oil to make it smooth. Add spices and salt to taste, if desired. You can use salted peanuts and omit the salt.

If you want chunky peanut butter, add chopped peanuts after you have made the smooth version.

Store peanut butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within two weeks.

You can make lovely snadwiches and use as a dip for any vegetable salad.

Enjoy and post your comments!!

Savoury Cake - Indian Style

This cake is made using Suji (Rawa/ Semolina) and the same ingredients used for making Rawa idlis or there is a similarity with Dhokla also. It tastes good moreover there is less consumption of fat since it is being baked and not stirred in a kadai/ frypan. I have shared a recipe which can serve four people. The recipe can be further enhanced by adding different spices and leafy vegetables like spinach or fenugreek (methi) to enhance the flavour. You can even add soya chunks to it.

The Ingredients
Rawa/ Suji/ Semolina - 1 1/2 cups
Curd - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables (peas/ grated carrot/ chopped beans) - 1 1/2 cups (3 hand full)
Onion - 1 large chopped
Ginger - 1 inch grated
Green Chillies - 2 -3 slit or chopped
Oil - 2 table spoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds/ Cumin seeds/ Sesame seeds - each 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the semolina, yoghurt, vegetables, ginger, chilli powder, turmeric and salt to make a thick batter. add salt to it.
2. Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard, cumin and sesame seeds and allow it to splutter. Stir the seasoning along with oil into the batter.
3. If the batter is too thick, add water to get a dropping and not a pouring consistency.
4. Add the baking soda and mix it thoroughly.
5. Pour the mixture into a baking dish greased with a little oil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200 c for 30 to 40 min. To check if it is ready - an inserted toothpick will come out clean if it is cooked. Leave it in the baking dish till it cools
6. Cut into squares and serve it warm with pudina chutney

Channa Toast Sandwich

Channa Toast Sandwich
(To serve 2 people)

Whole wheat bread - 4 Slices
Leftover channa gravy(accompaniment for Batura) - 1 Cup
Chopped Green Chillies - 2 nos (Optional)
Chopped Coriander - 2 tbps
Butter - one small cube

Method:

1. Grind the channa along with the gravy to a smooth paste. Either use a coffee blender or a hand blender. If the gravy is loose then simmer and reduce it to a fine paste by heating on low flame. Mix in the chopped green chillies and the coriander to the channa paste.
2. Take a slice of bread and spread the channa paste generously and cover it with another slice of bread. Repeat this process to make sandwiches.
3. If you are using a tawa - then place the sandwich on the hot tawa or girdle and dot with butter. Ensure that both the sides are crisp golden brown and not charred. In case you have a sandwich maker you can make this efficiently where the edges of the bread will get sealed.
4. Cut the sandwich diagonally and serve with mint chutney.
5. This recipe can be eaten hot or can also be packed for lunch. Instead of channa gravy, you can also use Hummus, a popular middle eastern dish.