DATE-TAMARIND MEETHI CHUTNEY

Sweet date-tamarind chutney is a must have dip or stir-in mix for many Indian snacks. Traditionally, sweet chutney is prepared just with jiggery, however these days dates have also been added to get the sweetness and the texture.  These chaat chutneys are indispensible chaat chutneys. Once you make them ahead and have them ready in your fridge, chaat making will be a breeze. The sweet chutney especially keeps for week together and I love the perky sweet tart note it adds to chaats, I keep the chutneys refrigerated at all times and specially this sweet date-tamarind chutney as my daughters love it like anything else. You can adjust the consistency as desired before using the chutney. These chutneys would be the basic building blocks for most chaats. So if you are planning a party, you can quite easily make this ahead of time and create a chaat platter… pani puri, papdi chaat, aloo chole tikki, etc. Think about it ….mmmm…don’t blame me if your mouth is watering.

 INGREDIENTS:

½ Cup Seedless Tamarind [Imli, Chinch]

½ Cup Seedless Dates [Khajoor]

½ Cup Jaggery [Gud]

½ teaspoon Cumin Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

½ teaspoon Garam Masala [optional]

3 Cups hot water

 Salt

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Soak the dates and tamarind in 3 cups of water for ½ an hour.

STEP 2 – Now cook them together over low flame for about 10-15 minutes or until dates become soft and tender.

STEP 3 – Turn off the flame and remove the pan and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

STEP 4 - Transfer the tamarind and dates mixture with water in a bowl with strainer. Strain the puree through the strainer using the backside of the ladle or spoon.  Discard any residue and transfer the fine paste to the same sauce pan.

STEP 5 – Add grated jiggery to it and mix well till dissolved.

STEP 6 – Again cook it for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.

STEP 7 – Turn off the flame and add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt to it and give a nice stir. [see notes]

STEP 8 – Store it in an air tight container for further use.   You can use it upto 1 month when stored in refrigerator.

Serve it with any chaat like bhel puri, sev usal, ragda pattice, dahi vada, etc and make it more delicious.

NOTES: *Here I used black slat [kale meeth] instead of regular salt for my recipe.

               *You can add the tempering to the chutney if you wish. Make it with oil, cumin seeds, green chillies, ginger- garlic paste and sesame seeds. But this can be done only when you are going to use the chutney immediately after making it. If you are going to store prefer without tempering.  

MINT CORIADNER SPICY CHUTNEY FOR ANY CHAAT, PAKORA

A chaat without mint coriander chutney !!! Impossible right? Yes this is the best combo among appetizers that will make you pleased in every dip and bite. Mint coriander chutney is the most common chutney of Indian chutney list, which usually serves in restaurants with kebabs or snacks. Even this chutney is must in all types of chaats like aloo chaat, pani puri, papri chaat, dahi vada, etc.  Mint coriander chutney with curd makes a splendid flavourful dip, that will make you lick off your plates and spoons.This chutney is very easy and simple to make and tastes the same like restaurant. I have prepared it less spicy as my daughter love it, but you can alter it according to your wish. The tang that the lemon gives and the flavors from mint and coriander are just mind-blowing and excites your taste-buds in many ways. You can serve this chutney with tandoori chicken or as a spread in your kathi rolls, sandwiches and enjoy the flavors. Have a look at the recipe and share your experiences with me.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Mint Leaves

½ Cup Coriander Leaves

1 Medium Onion

½ Inch Ginger Piece

6-7 Garlic Cloves

1-2 Green Chillies

½ tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Chaat Masala

1 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Seeds

Salt to taste

1 Cup Curd

METHOD:
STEP 1 – Wash mint leaves, coriander leaves in a colander and remove all the mud and dirt on it.

STEP 2 – Now add them to mixer chutney pot with green chillies, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, lemon juice and salt in it.

STEP 3 – Blend it to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

STEP 4 -   In an another bowl take curd, whisk it and add chaat masala in curd

 and mix well.

STEP 5 – Add the green paste in the curd mixture

and stir it well so that the curd get mixed with the green paste. 

Your chutney is ready to serve.

Serve it with any appetizers of your choice or you can store it in refrigerator in a clean container for further use.

PIZZA AND PASTA SAUCE

Homemade Pizza and Pasta Sauce …..yes you herd it right..!! Make your own pizza and pasta sauce with just few ingredients and with very less time and yes trust me, it is exactly tastes same as the store brought one. Tomato sauce and paste, garlic, Italian seasonings and a little sugar is all your need for this scrumptious sauce and few minutes to spare..!!  I love making pizza at home because it’s crazy easy, super fun, way healthier than store brought and easy on the wallet. Today I am sharing our easy homemade pizza sauce recipe. It literally takes very few minutes to whip up and will make the best pizza you’ve ever had ever. You can easily make it ahead of time

and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Butter

1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

½ Cup Tomato Sauce

½ Cup Tomato Paste

2 tablespoon Grated Cheese

1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

½  teaspoon Sugar

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Small Bayleaf

1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds

2 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup [optional]

Salt to taste

METHOD:

STEP 1 – In a large pan, add butter with olive oil and heat it.

STEP 2 – Add bay leaf and c

hopped onion and sauté it well till soft and translucent. 

STEP 3 – Add tomato sauce

and tomato paste in it and mix well.

STEP 4 – Now add all the remaining ingredients and bring a slow simmer.

STEP 5 – Simmer it for 20-25 minutes [depends upon the thickness of sauce you like]

STEP 6 – Let it cool for few minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and black peppers from it.

STEP 7 – Here I added some cheese in this to make it smooth and cheesy. Mix it and cool it.

STEP 8 - After cooling completely, store in an air tight container and refrigerate it.

NOTES:* It is a multipurpose and  can be used for both Pizza and Pasta.

              *You can strain it to achieve the smoother look.
              *It can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 months. 

FRIED CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI

Biryani is said to be the most popular among all other regional biryanis and the best North Indian food ever. Mainly this dish is based on basmati rice and meat, but can also use chicken instead of goat. Hydrabadi dum biryani is the spicy, fragrant and colourful variant of biryani in India. Here I am sharing the making of biryani which is by cooking the marinated chicken and then add it to the cooked rice for layering.  After trying out so many biryani recipes, this time tried the biryani with fried chicken and it came out so delicious and alluring. I searched out for few popular biryani recipes, was tired to get the perfect recipe.  I was very curious about it and also bit tensed about the results. But surprisingly, it came out so good and perfect. How many  times ever you prepare this authentic dish, it teaches you something every time and I really love to prepare biryanis and most favourite is to make dum biryani. This spicy one pot meal is sure a crowd pleaser and won’t bore you anytime.Coming to the recipe; you have to remember some important points, like marination part and rice quality. Marianting is very important for good taste.  Cook well the chicken pieces before layering.  The biryani is quite rich and has an awesome taste with lip-smacking aroma.

INGREDIENTS:

Marination:

1 kg Chicken Pieces

1- 1 ½ tablespoon Lemon Juice

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

½ -1 tablespoon Red Chilli Powder [prefer Kashmiri Chilli Powder]

2 large Onions [coarsely crushed in mixer grinder]

1 ½ teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

1 tablespoon Ghee

Salt to taste

For Chicken Fry:

1 tablespoon Oil

1-2 Green Chilli [optional]

1 “ Cinnamon

2 Cloves

10-15 Cashew Nuts [make powder with it]

For Making Garam Masala Powder:

2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

2 Inch Cinnamon Stick

6-8 Cloves

4 Green Cardamoms

½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds

¼ teaspoon Fennel Seeds

For Making Biryani:

2 Cups Rice [basmati]

3 ½ Cup Water / Chicken Stock if available

2-3 tablespoon Oil

Salt as needed

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

1 ½ teaspoon  Biryani Masala [Any Brand Biryani Masala]

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

¼ Cup Fresh Curd

To Grind And Make Paste:

2 Medium Onion, sliced

1 inch Ginger

4-5 Garlic Cloves

2-3 Green Chillies

½ Cup Mint Leaves

½ Cup Coriander, loosly measured

To Temper:

1 Bay Leaf

1 Star Anise

1 Strand Mace

½ teaspoon Shahi Jeera

3 Green Cardamoms

4 Cloves

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Wash and rinse the rice under tap water.

Soak rice for ½ an hour.

How to make Chicken Fry:

STEP 1 – Add all ingredients under title “ Garam Masala Powder” in a mixer jar and grind it to a fine powder. Remove and keep aside.

STEP 2 – To the same mixer pot, add cashews and make a fine powder with it seperately. Keep it in another bowl.

STEP 3 – Now pulse 1 heaped Cup cubed onions in a blender to a coarse texture and set it aside.

STEP 4 – In a mixing bowl, add washed chicken pieces, ½ teaspoon salt, red chilli powder and other ingredients under title “ marination with the garam masal powder we grind in step no. -1 and onion from step no.- 3.

STEP 5 – Mix everything well so that the chicken pieces get coated with the masala well.

STEP 6 – Heat a pan with thick bottom

and add marinated Chicken pieces in it and cook on high flame for first 1-2 minutes

and then on low to medium flame till the chicken get cooked properly.

Cook it until it is soft and tender. When done switch off the gas stove. Keep cooked chicken aside.

STEP 7 – Now heat 1 tablespoon oil in another pan, add cinnamon stick, clove and cardamom form the ingredients under title“ For Chicken Fry” .

STEP 8 – Then add chicken pieces in it  which we have cooked and kept aside.

Cook them for about 2-3 minutes and then add cashew powder in it.

STEP 9 – Mix well and fry well till the moisture evaporates  completely.  You will get a nice aroma of masala here. Here you have finished the half part of biryani. Keep the chicken pieces aside.

For Making Rice:

STEP 1 –  In a mixer pot, add all the ingredients under title “To  Grind And Make Paste” and make a fine paste with it. Keep this paste aside.

STEP 2 - Heat 2-3 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the whole spices in it under the title “To Temper” and sauté it for few seconds.

STEP 3 – When you feel nice aroma, add the green paste we had prepared in the step no. – 1. Saute it well and cook till the raw smell vanish it off. You can see the oil starts separating from the sides.

STEP 4 -  Here you have to add curd, biryani masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and mix well by giving a nice stir.

Cook the masala for 2 minutes till oil seperates.

STEP 5 – Add 3 ½ cup water in it and bring it to boil.

STEP 6 – When the water comes to a boil, add washed and soaked rice in it

and cook the rice on medium flame until ¾ done or until the water is almost absorbed but thick gravy like moisture is still there in the rice.

STEP 7 – Heat a tawa on low flame on another flame.

STEP 8 - Now lower the flame completely and seal the container with the aluminium foil paper or thick moist kitchen towel or chapatti dough.

Place a tight lid and move the pan to a hot tawa and dum cook the biryani for 10-12 minutes. Here you have to keep the flame on low.

STEP 9 – After 13-14 minutes, switch off the flame and leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes. Dum cooked Biryani is ready.

For Layering the chicken biryani:

STEP 1 – In a big wide serving bowl, layer half of the cooked rice. Then layer it with fried chicken pieces.

STEP 2 – Repeat the same with the rest of the rice and chicken pieces.    

STEP 3 – At the top add some rice, garnish with fried onion, fried cahsews, mint leaves and chopped coriander. Biryani is ready to serve.

Serve biryani with any raita of your choice or any salan and onion slice and a lemon wedge.

Here I made onion-mint raita to serve with the biryani. Whisk curd well

and add sugar, red chilli powder and salt in it. Mix it.

Then Add chopped onion, chopped mint and coriander leaves in it and mix well and raita is ready.