Green Masala Chicken Curry

Watch Video 

This has always been one of my favorite staple curries. The magic lies in the green masala that I often prepare ahead. The curry is spiced right up and then cooled right down with some coconut milk.

Ingredients

1/2 recipe Green Masala (approx 1 cup)

1 full chicken about 2 1/2 lbs

1 large sliced red onion

1 large green chilli sliced

2 tsps cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric(haldi) powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 Roma tomatoes chopped

400 ml coconut milk

3-4 tbsps oil

Heat some oil, and fry the onions and chillies for roughly 3 mins. 

Add all the powdered spices. 

Add the green masala and cook for a few mins and then add the salt and pepper.

Add the chicken and fold in the masala.

Add the tomatoes.

Add the coconut milk.

Cover and cook for 30 - 45 mins, stirring frequently.

Mutton Chops

View Video

These are such a delicious option to eat especially if you don't eat lamb for ethical reasons. Mutton has a richer flavour and since it is older sheep or goat, takes a little extra time to cook.  Most people cook it by sautéing it in a frying pan, I prefer to sear it and bake it. This way I can throw some veggies in the pan and I have a whole meal ready.

Ingredients
8- 10 mutton chops marinate overnight

Marinade6  roasted garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp chilli paste
Salt to taste
Juice of a lime
Olive oil
1 sliced onion

Process
Mash the garlic with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Smear the marinade all over the meat on both sides. When marinated, drizzle with some olive oil sear in a pan on each side for a few minutes and then continue to cook in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 – 30 mins

Watch the video

Basic Egg Curry

View Video

 

There are so many great egg recipes out there and I myself have so many different ones of my own. This recipe is so simple to prepare that you can have a curry in a hurry in no time!

 Ingredients

6 boiled eggs 

6- 8 dried red chillies

2 chopped red onions

1 tbsp each roughly chopped ginger and garlic

1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, chilli and coriander powder

4 chopped roma tomatoes 

1 tbsp each fresh chopped coriander and mint leaves

Salt

Oil

Procedure

Heat a few tbsps of oil in a saute pan. Add the chillies, onions and cook for a minute or so. Add  the ginger and garlic. Addthe powdered spices and the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 3- 4 minutes till the tomatoes are nice and mushy. Add salt. Cool and blend. return to a smaller saucepan and immerse the eggs. Cook for another 5- 10. Add the chopped fresh coriander and mint, stir and serve.

Ra Ra Gosht - Chunks of meat and ground meat cooked together in a spicy curry

View Video

Most Canadians love their double double … most Indians too …2 is always better than one and when my friend told me about a dish that was prepared with both mutton chunks and ground mutton, I was all over it! I have no idea where the name come from, I tried to research it and didn't find anything that made sense. If I do find it, I will post an addendum, or if you find it, please let me know in the comments below. This curry is usually slow cooked and requires patience and TLC. If you have a pressure cooker, it can cut down the cooking time quite a bit. Watch the video to see the step by step process.

Ingredients
2. 2 lbs Mutton or lamb
1/4 pound ground mutton or lamb
2 red onions sliced
2 tsps coriander powder
Garam masala – Roast and grind  1 tsp each regular and black cumin(shahi jeera), 2 pieces mace(javitri), 2 black cardamoms and a stick of cinnamon. Can sub 3 tsps garam masala
2 tbsps ginger and garlic paste
3 tsps red chilli paste (recipe)
2 chopped tomatoes
6 – 8 cups of water
1 cup stirred yogurt
1 cup chopped coriander
Salt to taste
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Oil for frying

Process
Making sure the mutton is quite dry, heat some oil in a sauté pan and brown the meat on both sides. This can take about 5 – 7 mins.
In a separate frying pan fry 2 sliced red onions till a light golden brown.
Remove the onions and add to the meat and mix well.
Add the coriander and garam masala(previously roasted and ground).
Add the ginger and garlic paste and chili paste and mix really well.
Add the chopped tomatoes.
Add a cup of water, cover and cook for about a half hour. Squish the tomatoes down with the back of your spoon, add salt and more water and continue cooking for another hour, stirring at intervals and adding water when the gravy gets dry. If you have a pressure cooker, you could just cook it in the pressure cooker.
Once the meat is nice and tender, add the yogurt and coriander and more water if required.
Cover and cook for 15 mins, add the raw ground meat, salt as required, pepper and more water and cook till done for another 15 mins.

The end result is simply delicious!

Bangalore Phal

View Video

This is my husbands favorite dish and very popular in Bangalore, India. Lamb, mutton or goat is slow cooked in a delicate coriander gravy. This is not to be confused with the British Phaal which is known to be the worlds hottest curry and is made in a red gravy.

2 lbs lamb or mutton(mutton is older sheep)
Large bunch of coriander - about 3 cups roughly chopped
2 red onions sliced
2 tbsps each ginger and garlic paste
4 green chillies
Juice of a lemon
2 tsps each garam masala, turmeric and cumin powder
1 tsp black peppercorns
Salt
Water as needed
Oil

Fry some onions till brown and caramelized in some hot oil and keep aside. In a food processor, add the ginger and garlic paste, the coriander, the peppercorns and grind it to a smooth paste, add water if required.

Keep half the mixture aside and use the other half to grind the caramelized onions. Heat the pan again and add all the the powdered spices, the green chilies and the coriander and onion paste. Fry this for a few minutes. Add salt and the meat, cover and cook.

Check on this at regular intervals and add water and salt as required. Depending on the kind of meat you are using, it can take from 1 – 2 hours till the meat is tender. You can use the pressure cooker as an alternative. I find the color of the gravy changes when you do so and is more watery, so I prefer to just slow cook it but if I’m in a rush, the pressure cooker is the best way to go.

Nihari Beef and Barley Soup

Following close on the heels if the new Nihari recipe, is a quick, delicious and hearty soup. This is made by borrowing some of the ingredients of the Nihari leftovers.

Left over Nihari ingredients.
1/2 cup prepared Nihari(more beef than gravy)
Some of the Nihari bones(optional)
2 tbsps fried onions chopped fine
1/2 tsp sliced chillies chopped fine
2 tsp ginger and garlic julienne chopped fine.

Additional ingredients
2 Beef stock cubes
3 cups of water
1 cup pot Barley soaked overnight and half cooked (I usually half cook and freeze in ziploc bags for quick soups)
1 tsp Dark soya
Salt
Pepper
1 potato cut in small cubes.

Boil the water and dissolve the stock. Add the Barley and let cook for a few mins. Add the Nihari meat and bones if using. Add the chopped fried onions, the chillies and the ginger and garlic. Add the soya, salt and pepper and the potato. Add more water if required and cook for another 5 mins.