Basic Egg Curry

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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.

Chicken Tikka Masala (Murgh Tikka Masala)

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Chicken Tikka Masala is a very popular Indian dish and we're not the only country claiming it's origin. Pakistan believes that they invented it and Britain proclaims that it is their National dish. While they fight it out, let's learn how to make it.

While the ingredients are very similar to Butter Chicken(Murgh Makhani), there are some distinct differences. To me Tikka Masala is a more intense and robust sauce compared to Butter Chicken which is more mellow. Everywhere I've enjoyed this dish, it is served tossed with green peppers(capsicum) and onions.


1 lb boneless cubed chicken breast or thigh meat
Tandoori marinade – Find recipe on kravingsblog.ca or use tandoori ready made spice blend, yogurt and salt.
1/2 green pepper, deseeded and cut in cubes
1/2 small onion quartered

For the gravy
1 medium red onion halved and chopped
5 cloves
1 inch stick cinnamon
2 green cardamoms seeds removed.
3 green chilies chopped
8 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
2 tsps garam masala powder
2 tsps tomato purée
1 large red tomato chopped(approx a cup)
1/4 cup chopped coriander (for garnish - optional)
2 tbsps heavy cream

Marinating the chicken
The chicken needs to be smothered in a tandoori marinade. You can either use the fantastic marinade recipe I posted earlier at kravingsblog.ca/ifoodtv.com/kravings-blog OR use prepared Tandoori powder and yogurt. Try to keep the chicken marinated for a few hours but overnight is preferred. Skewer the chicken and half cook on a bbq (you can fry or use the oven as an option). I cook it till half done so it is seared but still has enough juices to contribute to the gravy. While the BBQ is on and hot also skewer the green peppers and onions and bbq them for a few minutes till slightly smoky and charred. Leave aside to cool.

In a saute pan add some oil and when hot add the onion, chillies, ginger and garlic. Add the whole spices. Saute till the onions are golden brown. Add sugar and continue to cook. Then add all the spice powders, followed by the tomato puree. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix. Cover and let the gravy cook for a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Reserving a few tablespoons in the pan, add the mixture to a blender and blend. Return to the pan and turn the heat on. I reserve a bit of the gravy because I like the silky softness of the gravy to have some texture, this is a personal preference.

When the gravy starts to bubble, it’s time to add the chicken and mix. Cover and cook for about 5 – 7 mins till the chicken is well done. If the gravy is to thick, add a little water. Add the green pepper and onion cubes and mix. Finish with the cream and garnish with chopped coriander.

Nihari or meat stew

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I’ve been married to my muslim husband for close to 15 years. I had heard stories about the traditional nihari which is a gravy made from a special cut of beef with large bones. Traditionally this dish is cooked for hours by the women of the family that take turns to stir the meat. The result is a delicious gravy with melt in your mouth meat that is served on special occasions.

I must have heard "why don't you make Nihari" many many times but never tried it for fear of failing. Then the inevitable happened. I opened the refrigerator and saw a bag marked "Nihari meat". I then realized that it was time for me to sink or swim. I immediately called my good friend Lubna who translated a recipe from her family cookbook and written in Urdu. For that I am truly grateful. I've amended the recipe to make it easier, if you're brave like I had to be that day, give it a try.

This is an absolute favorite in my household and over the years I've changed this recipe a bit to make it my own. What once seemed like a Herculean task, I can now prepare wih my eyes closed and I hope that the video makes this easy for you to tackle.

5 pounds Nihari meat - Marinated in 2 tbsps ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice & salt

(Nihari meat is cut in big chunks and contains large pieces of bone. You need these bones for the gravy, you can remove these later. You can also use bone in mutton or lamb)

2 tbsps ghee

2 medium red onions sliced

3 black cardamoms

3 star anise

5 cloves

2 tsps each turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder and fennel powder

1/2 cup tomato paste

Salt

Water

For the garnishes

Julienne of ginger and garlic

Sliced chillies

Chopped Coriander

Lemon and/or lime wedges

Fried onions

Heat a few tbps of ghee or clarified butter in a saute pan bit enough to hold all the meat. Add the onions and then the whole spices and saute till the onions are nice and golden brown. Remove from the pan to make room for the meat. Sear the meat on both sides and then add all of the powdered spices. Add the tomato puree, salt and  some water and cook for about a half hour. You can continue cooking this on a low flame for about 6 hours or like me, transfer this to a crock pot and leave it on low for 6 hours to overnight. The result is this delicious intense flavour and is fall of the bone delicious. Serve with an assortment of garnishes and let your guests pick and choose what they like to top their Nihari with. You can eat this with rice, but it's best eaten with rotis or naans.

Saag Gosht

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This is also known as Palak Gosht, Hara Gosht or Lamb Saag but what’s in a name? This is really just meat cooked in a delicious spinach gravy till it’s fall apart good.

2 pounds Lamb leg or shoulder with bone (can use mutton or beef)
salt
pepper
Juice of one lemon

1 medium red onion sliced
5 cloves garlic sliced
1 inch stick ginger sliced
3 green chilies chopped
1 tsp each coriander, garam masala, chili and turmeric powder
2 bunches young spinach
Salt

Pepper
1 cup water(add more if required)

Marinate the meat with salt, pepper and lemon juice preferably overnight. Saute the meat till golden brown. In another pan, saute the onions, add the ginger and garlic and then the chillies and fry till cooked. Add all the powdered spices. And mix. Then add the washed spinach. Cook till the spinach wilts and reduces in volume. When the spinach is cooked, remove the mixture, let it cool and then grind it. Return the ground spinach paste to the pan, turn on the heat and add a cup of water. Add the meat. Cover and cook for an hour stirring at intervals. Add salt and pepper to taste and some more water if required. Serve with rice or rotis!

Shrimp and Crab Appetizer - My Come Dine With Me Friends Special

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MAKES ABOUT 24 - 30 APPETIZERS

1 lb White Shrimp cleaned and deveined
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp each of chili and turmeric powder
1 tbsp each ginger and garlic paste

1 English cucumber cut in slices(approx 400 gms)
1 cup Hellmanns Mayonnaise
120 gms drained crabmeat – reserve about 30 gms for garnish.
Pinch of red chili flakes
Coriander leaves for garnish

You can use tiger shrimp if you prefer and any other kind of cucumbers. Just remember that the cooked shrimp should be roughly the same size as the cucumber base. English cucumbers are perfect because you can eat this in one bite(tried and tested)

Marinate the Shrimp with the lemon, powdered spices and ginger and garlic paste and grill it or pan fry for 1 – 2 minutes on each side.

Mix the mayo, chili flakes and 3/4 of the crabmeat and spoon or pipe onto the cucumber slices, add some of the reserved crab on top, top with a shrimp and garnish with a coriander leaf.

How to make Tandoori Chicken

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There's nothing like the taste of a delicious Tandoori Chicken drumstick, fresh off the grill. Marinate them Tandoori style and you have a winner on your hands. You can make the marinade a day ahead and marinate the wings overnight.

Tandoori Marinade
350 gms plain yoghurt
1 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tbsp each cumin, coriander, chaat masala, garam masala, pepper, fenugreek leaves, turmeric & black salt
2 tbsps each ginger and garlic paste
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp red food color
1/2 cup chopped coriander

10 chicken drumsticks
To make the marinade, just mix all the ingredients together. Marinate the chicken overnight and cook on a hot grill for 10 - 15 mins on each side. Brush with oil in between to keep it from sticking to the grill. View Video

Red Masala Lamb Curry

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This is a delicious gravy made using a red masala paste and other spices.


2 pounds lamb shoulder cut in small cubes.
1 onion chopped fine
3 tbsps red masala paste - view video
2 tbsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsps each ginger and garlic paste
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 potato cubed and fried
Salt
Oil


Heat some oil and fry the onions till golden brown. Add  3 tbsps of red masala paste to the hot oil. Add the cumin seeds, coriander powder, pepper and 2 tbsps each of ginger and garlic paste. Add the lamb and stir in with the gravy. Add the tomatoes and cook covered for about 40 minutes. Stir and watch this at intervals and add water.  Fry some potatoes and add to the gravy and serve.

Fish & Shrimp Biriyani

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Biriyani is usually a long process especially when you’re cooking meat or chicken. If you’ve attempted this before, you know this is not something to take on during the week. Because my last minute guest loves biriyani, I decided to go a jaldi five (quick version) using fish and shrimp since both of those cook very fast. You can mix the two, make only fish or only shrimp. Totally up to you!

3 cups Basmati rice soaked for minimum 1/2 hour, washed and drained
1 tbsp Ghee(clarified butter)
1 stick of cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamoms and some cloves

1 lb Basa fillets cut in cubes
8 oz Tiger or White Shrimp
1 tbsp each cumin, turmeric, red chilly and garam masala powders
1 tbsp each ginger and garlic paste
2 medium red onions sliced
2 medium tomatoes chopped
2 small chillies sliced
Pinch of saffron strands soaking in 1/2 cup of milk(optional)
3/4 cup each fresh mint and coriander
1/2 tsp yellow powder food coloring


In a pot heat the ghee(clarified butter) and add the whole spices. Add about 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and the basmati rice. Cook till half done for about 10 – 15 mins, Strain all of the leftover water if any.

Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Remove from heat and reserve half for the garnish. To the same pan add the fish and then the shrimp. Just saute the fish till it’s sealed all over and remove from heat. Save any juices that come out of the fish and shrimp. Add half the onions back in the pan and follow with the ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes and chilies. Add the powdered spices, salt, stir and cover for a few mins. Be sure to watch the pan and add a little water if necessary. Add the fish back in, cover and cook for 7-10 mins.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In an over proof deep dish we are ready to layer the biriyani. I will typically not make more than 4 layers – 2 gravy and 2 meat. The more layers you make the heavier the mass and the grains don't get a chance to fluff out. Also don’t over crowd your pot. The rice is only half cooked and still needs room to grow. Start with a layer of fish and shrimp with gravy, over that add a layer of rice and all of the saffron strands soaked in milk. Then add another layer of fish and shrimp with gravy and top with the final layer of rice. Add powdered yellow food coloring and all of the reserved fried onions. Tightly seal the pot with some foil and place a heavy lid over it. Cook this in the oven for 30 – 40 mins. 

When done open the foil, allow the steam to fully escape before fluffing the rice with a fork. Mix in mint and coriander leaves before serving.

Shrimp and Crab Appetizer - My Come Dine With Me Friends Special - Video

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Curry Shrimp Cocktail

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A spiced twist to an old classic. This Shrimp cocktail is elevated using spiced tiger and white shrimp and is smothered in a homemade tomato cocktail sauce with potatoes, coriander, spinach and served with a lemon wedge. You've never had a shrimp cocktail like this one.

About 700 gms to 1 lb each Tiger and White Shrimp

2 tbsps ginger & garlic     

1 tsp each cumin, chilli and turmeric powder

Juice of a lemon                                                                                    

salt

2 large tomatoes  about 500 - 700 gms

1 tbsp chopped green chillies

1 tbsp ketchup     

1/2 tsp each pepper, mustard seeds,

cumin powder and salt

    

2 cups baby spinach

2 cups coriander                                                                           

2 tbsps mayonnaise     

Lemon wedges                                                                                    

4 medium potatoes

Marinate the Tiger and White Shrimp overnight and cook them for a few minutes on each side on a hot grill. You can also shallow fry this.

Fry the cubed potatoes and keep aside.

Boil the tomatoes till the skins split and come right off. When the tomatoes are cooled, remove any remainder of the skins and puree in a blender. To a hot pan, add some oil, chopped green chillies, pepper, mustard seeds, cumin powder and salt. Mix well and allow to cook for a few mins. Add the ketchup and leave overnight to chill.

In a bowl, mix the potatoes, white shrimp with the tomato cocktail sauce mixture. Add the corriander and incorporate well.

In a margarita or martini glass(or any glass you prefer), add some chopped baby spinach to the bottom, spoon over some of the shrimp cocktail. Finish with a dollop of mayonnaise and a skewer with a tiger shrimp and lemon wedge. Cheers!

                                                                                

Curry Shrimp Cocktail Video

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