Chili Chicken

Chili chicken is probably more Indian than Chinese, we have owned it. My first tryst with chili chicken was at my hometown, Agartala. Chinese was not a rage like it is now; and Abhishek  restaurant  was probably the first so called ‘modern’ restaurant of Agartala. Until then, I was exposed only to the classic Bengali Chicken Curry with potatoes. Similar to many other Indians, chili chicken was first ‘International cuisine’ for me. A plate of chili chicken and fried rice… it’s heavenly. My search for the perfect chili chicken has taken me from Abhishek to Hatari, from Mainland China to Tangra .I have had experienced cuisines from different parts of the world, but chili chicken still holds a special place in my heart… So, Let’s get started.

 

Ingredients:
1. Boneless and skinless chicken cut in to small pieces (I have used 500 grams)
2. Soy Sauce (1 tablespoon or to taste)
3. Chili Sauce (2 tablespoon or to taste)
4. Tomato ketchup (1 tablespoon or to taste)
5. White Vinegar (1 tablespoon)
6. Red, Yellow and Green Bell Pepper (1/2 cup each, seeds removed and cut into cubes)
7. Salt to taste
8. Black pepper to taste
9. Corn-starch (1.5 tablespoon)
10. Oil (3 tablespoon)
11. Ginger Paste (1 teaspoon)
12. Garlic (2 teaspoon)
13. Green Chilies (3, slit)
14. Onion (2, medium size, 1 chopped and other cut into cubes)
15. Dry red chili (Optional)

Method:
1. Take the chicken pieces in a bowl; add a pinch of salt, soy sauce and half a teaspoon of corn-starch. Mix everything well and keep aside for 10 minutes
2. In a pan heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken pieces. Fry the chicken pieces from all sides and make sure the pieces don’t stick together.
3. Lower the flame and, let the chicken pieces cook properly. To be sure, cut a chicken piece into half and check the color of the broken pieces. If they white inside, they are properly cooked.
4. Remove the chicken pieces from the flame; place them on a tissue paper to soak the excess oil.
5. In the same pan add one tbsp of oil; let it warm up and add the dry red chili, garlic and cook them for 20 seconds
6. Add the ginger paste and chopped onions; fry them for one minute
7. Add the bell pepper and cubed onions. Give it a good mix it and let it cook for another 2 minutes
8. In a cup, mix all the sauces as per your taste and pour the sauce mix into the hot pan
9. Add the vinegar, green chilies and a bit of salt. Be careful about the salt because soy sauce already contains salt
10. Add black pepper powder
11. To make the gravy thick, mix the rest of the corn-starch with a 1/2 cup of water and add this mixture to the gravy
12. Check the salt and adjust accordingly
13. Add the fried chicken pieces
14. Mix everything and make sure the sauce coats the chicken pieces and the veggies
15. Once done turn off the flame

Enjoy this with noodles or fried rice.

Mo

Paneer Butter Masala..

Paneer butter masala or cottage cheese in butter gravy is a North Indian vegetarian delicacy. The name itself carries lot of baggage, but its rather easy to cook. Lets get started.

Ingredients:
1. Paneer/cottage cheese (200grm, cut in to cube pieces )
2. Butter (2 tablespoon)
3. Onion (1 medium size, sliced)
4. Ginger & Garlic paste (1 teaspoon each)
5. Cashew nuts (10-12)
6. Tomato (1 medium size, chopped)
7. Bay leaf (1)
8. Clove (3-4)
9. Cinnamon stick (1 )
10. Turmeric powder (1 tsp)
11. Red chili powder (1 -2 tsp as per the spice you want)
12. Coriander powder (1 tsp)
13. Cumin powder (1/2 tsp)
14. Salt to taste
15. Cream (2 Teaspoon)
16. Garam masala (1-1/2 tsp)
17. Roasted dry fenugreek leaves (1/3 tsp)

Method:
Part 1. Prepare the Masala
1. Take a  hot pan add 1 table spoon of butter , let it melt.
2. Add  sliced onions and fry  them for 1 minuet
3. Add ginger garlic paste to this and keep frying
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, cashew nuts; give a good mix and cook it  for 1 minuet
5. Remove it form flame and let the masala cool down
6. Blend the masala and make a smooth paste; if  it is too thick you can add a little bit of water.

Part 2: Get cooking the gravy
1. Heat up a pan (you may use the same pan) and add one table-spoon of butter and let the butter melt
2. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cloves
3. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt
4. Add the masala paste we prepared in step 1 and give it a good mix. Put the lid on and cook this for 5-7 minutes in low flame.
5. Add coriander, cumin powder
6. Add 2 teaspoon of cooking cream and mix the cream well with the gravy
7. Add the paneer cubes and cook for 5 minutes with the lid on.
8. Add garam masala powder and roasted dry fenugreek leaves; let it cook uncovered for 1 minute and turn off the flame

Your Paneer Butter Masala is ready. Serve it with roti, paratha ,naan.

Tip: In paneer butter masala you can add panner directly but I prefer fried panner. You can fry the paneer cubes for 1-2 minutes (till the paneer cubes become golden brown on all sides) and put them in a bowl of mildly salted water. Keeping the paneer submerged in water will make it super soft and really tasty.

Enjoy.

Mo

 

 

 

Traditional Sweet Bengali Chutney

Mishti Chutney or Sweet Chutney is an authentic Bengali dish. Usually we have it after finishing the main course and before consuming dessert; but there is no hard and fast rule for this. The recipe is very simple and requires easily available ingredients. I have used raw mango because this is summer time and Tomatoes which are easily available everywhere throughout the year. If you don’t get mangoes, you can make this with tomato only. Let’s get started.

Ingredients:
1. Tomato (3 medium size, cut into cubes)
2. Raw mango (1 cut into slices)
3. Dates (5-6 cut into small pieces)
4. Raisin & cashew nuts
5. Jaggery (2 tablespoon)
6. Green chili (2 sliced)
7. Mustard seeds (1/2 teaspoon)
8. Cumin seeds (1/2 teaspoon)
9. Fennel seeds (1/2 teaspoon)
10. Pinch of salt.
11. Mustard oil or any other oil (1 teaspoon)

Method:
1. In a heated pan, add a tsp of oil.
2. When the oil heats up, add the mustard, cumin and fennel seeds. Let the spices splutter.
3. Add the mangoes and tomatoes; sprinkle a bit of salt. Mix everything well so that the pulps absorbed the flavor of the spices.
4. Add a cup of water, mix everything well.
5. Add the jaggery and let it melt.
6. Add the dates, dry fruits and green chilies. Give it a good mix.
7. Add one cup of water and put the lid on. Keep the flame in low and let it cook for 7-8 mint. (Adjust the water as per the thickness you prefer)
8. Turn off the flame and let it cool down.

Enjoy.

Mo

Macher Jhol (Fish curry)

Mach means Fish and Jhol means curry, especially the curry which is not very thick. For many Bengali, fish is one of the most important food supplements. Fish is versatile; it can be fried, steamed, dried or you can simply make fish-curry. We, the Bengalis love it in every form and shape. In Bengal, traditionally, fish curry is made with Rohu, Catla and Hilsa. Since I live in Thailand, the typical fish used to make curry back at home is not easily found. So, today I will cook Sea Bass, easily available here at any local market or any gourmet shop.

Ingredients:
1. Sea bass fish (cut in to 5 pieces. In 5 piece I have used 4, I didn’t use the head portion)
2. Onion (2, medium size, sliced)
3. Tomato (2, medium size, chopped)
4. Ginger & Garlic paste  (1 tea spoon each)
5. Green chilies (4 nos)
6. Eggplant and Potato cut in to long pieces and fried. (Quantity as per your preference)
7. Cumin powder (2 teaspoon)
8. Coriander powder (2 teaspoon)
9. Red chili powder (1-2 teaspoon or as per your preference)
10. Paprika or Kashmiri red chili powder (1-2 teaspoon)
11. Salt to taste
12. Turmeric powder (2 teaspoon)
13. Coriander leaves.
14. Mustard oil (3 tablespoon)
15. Black cumin (1 /2 teaspoon)
16. Sugar (1/4 teaspoon)
17. Garam masala powder (1/2 teaspoon)

Method:
1. Marinate the washed pieces of fish for 5-7 mints with turmeric powder and salt. After that, shallow fry the fish pieces on both sides till they become a bit brownish. Keep them aside.
2. In a heated pan pour the mustard oil; add the black cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add the onions slices and fry them. (You can add a pinch of sugar to this. It will help onions to get caramelized quickly and will give it a nice brown color)
4. Add ginger & garlic paste to this and keep frying.
5. When the onions will become translucent, add the tomatoes and cook it for 5 more minutes. Soon the tomatoes will melt down and the whole mixture will become like a paste.
6. Lower the flame; add all the dry spices and salt. Mix it well.
7. when the masala starts releasing oil, add water for gravy according to your preference. Also add the sliced green chilies.
8. Add the fried vegetables and fish. Cover this with a lid and let it cook for 5-7 mints in low flame. Let the fish absorb all the goodness of the spices.
9. Add garam masala (optional) and chopped coriander leaves in to the gravy mix it and switch off the flame.

It is perfect with a plate of hot steamed rice.

Enjoy.

Mo