Amritsari Fish

Ingredients

• 8 pieces fish fillets (medium size any kind for frying)
• 200 grams flour
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp ajwain
• 1 tbsp chili powder (red)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 110 whole milk yogurt
• oil
• salt
• chat masala (optional)

Lets Get Cracking

1. Clean, wash and cut fish into one and a half inch size cubes.
2. Apply salt, lime juice, Ginger Paste, Garlic Paste and red chili powder.
3. Keep aside for 20 minutes.
4. Make a batter of gram flour, Yogurt, egg, ajwain, salt and water.
5. Keep the already marinated fish pieces dipped in this batter for 15 minutes.
6. Heat oil in a Kadhai/Wok and deep fry the fish till golden brown and crisp.
7. Serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala and lemon wedges.

   Enjoy :) :) :)

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 skinned Chicken Quarters
• 2 tblsp Lemon Juice 
• 1 Garlic Clove 
• 1 inch piece peeled and coarsely chopped Fresh Ginger 
• 1 Green chilli 
• 1 tblsp Water 
• 4 tblsp Natural Yogurt (Dahi) 
• 1 tsp Grouna Cumin 
• 1 tsp Garam masala 
• 1 tsp Paprika 
• 1 tsp Salt 
• A few drop of Yellow Food Colour
• 2 tblsp melted Ghee 

For garnishing

• Lemon Wedges
• Onion  rings

Lets Get Cracking

1. Make 3-4 cuts in each chicken quarter using a knife.
2. Put the chicken in an ovenproof dish.
3. Combine lemon juice.
4. Rub it into the incisions.
5. Cover it.
6. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
7. Combine garlic, ginger and green chilli and water in a blender.
8. Grind to make a smooth paste like mixture.
9. Combine the paste to yogurt, ground cumin, garam masala, paprika, salt, food colouring and the melted ghee.
10. Mix all the ingredients well.
11. Spread them over marinated chicken pieces.
12. Coat the pieces with the yogurt marinade.
13. Cover it.
14. Let it marinate at room temperature for about 5 hours.
15. Turn once or twice maximum.
16. Place chicken in a oven at 325 F.
17. Let it roast for 1 hour.
18. Bast frequently and turn once.
19. The chicken should be tender and most of the marinade should be evaporated.
20. Then grill the chicken over hot charcoal. 
21. Garnish it with lemon wedges and onion rings. 

Enjoy :) :) :)

Griddle Roasted King Fish

Ingredients

• 500  gram(s) thick slices of king fish cleaned
• lemon wedges, finely sliced onion rings, cucumber and tomato slices to garnish.
• 1  tablespoon(s) lemon juice 
• salt to taste 

Grind to a fine paste

• 1  tablespoon(s) red chilli powder 
• ½  teaspoon(s) black pepper powder 
• ½  teaspoon(s) turmeric powder 
• ½  teaspoon(s) cumin seeds 
• ½  teaspoon(s) coriander seeds 
• 1  small onion chopped 
• 2  teaspoon(s) garlic chopped 
• 2  teaspoon(s) ginger chopped 
• 4  curry leaves 
• salt to taste  
• water to grind as required   

Time Required - 15 mins

Lets Get Cracking 

1. Apply a little salt and lemon juice to the washed fish slices. Keep for 5-10 minutes. Wash and drain well. Marinate the fish slices in the ground paste and keep preferably refrigerated for about an hour.
2. Heat a griddle on medium flame and smear a little oil on it. Place the slices in batches of 2 or 3 depending upon the size of the griddle. Do not overcrowd the griddle. Pour a little oil around each fish slice with a teaspoon and let it roast on a medium flame till aromatic and crisp. Flip and repeat the procedure for the other side. 

Enjoy :) :) :)

Butter Chicken

 

Ingredients

• 1 kg boneless chicken skin removed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
• 6 cloves
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1" stick of cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 almonds
• Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
• 1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
• 3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 400g/ 14 oz of chopped tomatoes, ground into a smooth paste in a food processor
• 1/2 litre chicken stock
• 2 tbsps kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 3 tbsps unmelted, soft butter
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation Time - 45 mins

Cooking Time - 30 mins

Total Time - 1 hour, 15 mins

Let's Get Cracking

1. Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow marinating for 1 hour.
2. Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds. Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
3. Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
4. Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
5. Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).
6. Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock, kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken.
7. Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
8. Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and cream and serve with Naan and Kaali Daal.

 Enjoy :) :) :)

 

Rajma (Kidney beans) Curry

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kidney beans (or use canned to make it even quicker)
• 1 onion, finely chopped (I used Red onions)
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (or use cumin)
• about 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1-2 green chillies thinly sliced (or as per taste)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
• 1 tbsp amchur powder (dry mango powder) (or use lemon juice)
• salt to taste
• cilantro and finely chopped onions for garnish
• For the spice bag
• 3-4 cloves
• 2-3 whole green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 4-5 black pepper

Time Required - 40-45 mins

Lets Get Cracking

1. Soak the kidney beans overnight. Of course you can use store bought canned beans. Make sure to drain them well and rinse in cold water before using them.

2. Before cooking the kidney beans, make a spice bag by packing the spices in the "spice bag" section of the ingredients list in a cheesecloth, tie it up and drop it in the water along with kidney beans.

3. Once cooked, removed the spice bag and discard. I use Pressure Cooker and it takes about 10-12 minutes for it cook. While that's cooking I prepare the gravy. You can finish the complete dish within 15-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a skillet, add 1 tsp of oil (for the traditional Punjab richness, add Ghee instead), saute the fennel seeds, onions, chilli and ginger along with little salt.

5. Once soft add the spice powders and saute for few more seconds.

6. Add the tomatoes.

7. Add little water and Cook until tomatoes are soft.

8. Add the kidney beans along with cooking water.

9. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and season if needed. You can add more water depending on the consistency you like. Break down some of the kidney beans to thicken the gravy.

        
         The traditional way is to enjoy it with plain rice. You can also serve it along with chapathi, roti, naan or any pulav if desired. I like to garnish it with finely chopped red onions and cilantro.