Bhuna Murgh

Ingredients:
Chicken:1kg
Garlic: 2tbsp
Ginger: 2 tbsp
Fresh, coarse ground coriander:1 tbsp
Red chili powder:1tbsp
Salt 
Mace(Jaiphal powder): ¼ tsp, (ground ) 
Ground cloves and cinnamon: ½ tsp
Mustard/ white oil : 4 tbsp
Coriandar leaves:2 tbsp

Method:

Marinade the chicken with 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and salt for about 2 hours. (for better result keep it for overnight in the fridge) 

In a pan, heat oil till it is smoking hot, add the remaining half of the ginger-garlic paste & sauté. 

Add the chicken when the spice is roasted nicely,  and turn down the heat to medium-low.

Add the ground spices and let the chicken cook till half done; 

Add the mace at the end and wait till you get the unique flavour, 

Check for the juice, when the chicken is pricked, runs clear.

Serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Burnt Garlic Flavoured Soya Peas Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup soya chunks
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp refined oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ cup green peas
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 whole red chillies
Salt to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

Method:
Boil the soya chunks in water with a pinch of salt till they become soft.
Soak them in ¼ cup of cold water with lemon juice for 15 minutes.
Take them out and carefully squeeze to drain excess water.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Tamper with chopped garlic at high flame and stir gently till the garlic becomes golden and a nice flavour comes out.
Lower the flame to middle and add cumin seeds, whole chillies, green peas, red chilli powder and salt.
Add the soya chunks and stir for 2 minutes.
Now add the rice and cook in simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve it hot.

Chingri Chamatkari(Bengali style Prawn Curry)

Got this recipe from "Sananda"...I thought it's similar to Chingri'r malai curry,but the taste is different. ..
Ingredients:
King prawns:5-6
Mustard oil:2 tbsp
Ghee:1 tbsp
Bay leaf:1[optional]
Whole garam masala:cinnamon,clove,green cardamom:2,each[optional-this was not included in the recipe,but I cant tolerate sea prawn's smell!]
Garam masala powder:1/2 tsp
Fennel paste:1/2 tsp
Cumin-coriander paste:1 tsp[make a paste of fennel,whole cumin & coriander at a time]
Ginger-garlic paste:2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder:1 tsp
Red chilli powder:1 tsp
Tomato puree:2 tbsp
Raisin paste:1 tsp
Coconut cream(thick):1/2 cup
Turmeric
Salt
Sugar:1/2
Lemon juice:1 tbsp

Method:
Clean & devein the prawns.

Rub with turmeric,salt & lemon juice & keep for 10 mins.[I rubbed a pinch of kashmiri chilli powder,too]

Heat mustard oil.

Fry the prawns till they turn golden.

Remove from pan.

Heat ghee & temper with whole garam masalas & bay leaf.

Add ginger-garlic paste & stir continuously till the colour changes.

Add remaining ingredients except garam masala powder & coconut milk.

Cook till oil separates.

Add coconut milk & garam masala powder.

Cook till gravy thickens.

Serve with rice or polao. 

Craii Phool( Kashmiri spicy Cauliflower)

Nutrition of Cauliflower:

Amount Per 1 floweret (13 g)100 grams- 
Calories -25 
% Daily Value*
Total Fat -0.3 g 0% 
Saturated fat- 0.1 g 0% 
Polyunsaturated fat- 0 g  
Monounsaturated fat- 0 g  
Trans fat -0 g  
Cholesterol -0 mg 0% 
Sodium -30 mg 1% 
Potassium- 299 mg 8% 
Total Carbohydrate- 5 g 1% 
Dietary fiber- 2 g 8% 
Sugar -1.9 g  
Protein- 1.9 g 3% 
Vitamin- A 0% 
Vitamin- C 80% 
Calcium- 2% 
Iron -2% 
Vitamin D- 0% 
Vitamin B6- 10% 
Vitamin B12- 0% 
Magnesium- 3% 

*Per cent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. 
Craii Phool:
"Craii" means "Kadai" in Kashmiri :)

 Ingredients:
 1 kg Cauliflower
 salt to taste
 1 cup mustard oil
 1,medum sized tomato paste
 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
 1 tbsp fennel powder 
 1 tsp ginger powder
 3 cloves
 2 crushed black cardamom
 1 tsp whole cumin
 A pinch of aofietida

 Method
Cut the cauliflower into large florets, wash the pieces properly, drain off the excess water and spread it on a cloth for 

some time to dry.

Put oil in a deep frying pan, heat it and fry the pieces one by one.

Remove excess oil from the pan, add cumin, asfoetida and half crushed cloves in the oil, keep the pan on a low flame for 15 

seconds.

Add kashmiri red chilli powder in the oil and about 40 ml of water in it and stir it till it turn dark maroon in colour.

Add 1/2 glass of water,ginger powder,fennel powder, crushed black cardamom and boil it till all water evaporates.

Now add salt and  tomato paste and cook them in the spices on medium flame for 5 minutes. 

Stir continuously to avoid burning.

Add fried cauliflower, cover it with puree and boil it on low flame for one minute.

Holi Special Banarasi Thandai

Ingredients:
1 liter full fat milk
 ½ cup powdered sugar
 a few saffron (kesar) strands
 2 pistachios, slivered very thin, for garnish

To be ground into a fine powder:

1/4 cup almonds (badam)
 2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
 2 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)
 1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
 1 tbsp. magaz seeds
 20 white peppercorns
 12-15 dry rose petals (or a tsp or two of rose or kewra water after u strain the milk)

Method:

Boil the milk. 

Add the sugar to the milk n ensure that it’s well blended.

 Allow the milk to cool completely.

 Keep aside.

Add the ground powder and mix well. 

Refrigerate the mixture for 3 to 4 hours.

Strain the mixture through a sieve, add a few strands of saffron and mix well. 

Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Soya Fried Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati rice (cooked) 
1 cup boiled carrots, beans n bell papers(chopped finely) 
½ cup Soyachunks 
¼ cup Tomato ketchup 
¼ cup Green chilly sauce 
¼ cup Soya sauce(light) 
1 no Onion,chopped (optional) 
½ tsp Pepper powder 
Salt 
2 tbsp refined Oil 
1 tsp Vinegar 
10-12 blanched almonds(optional) 

Method:
Cook the soyachunks in hot water with salt until they double their volume & become soft,drain them n squeeze out excess of water, keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add the finely chopped onions n stir them for few seconds or till they become transparent.

Add the carrots,beans & bell papers,almonds & soya chunks with the onions n stir them to get mixed well


Add the green chilly sauce, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, pepper powder, salt, vinegar to the vegetables & soya chunks.

Cook them for while, try to keep the vegetables & soya chunks crunchy.

Close this with a lid for a while, keep the flame in simmer.

Once the oil get separates from the veggies add the already cooked basmati rice to the vegetables, stir well until the rice gets well mixed, put off the flame.

Serve it hot.

Biuli Dal/Kolai Dal

Biuli'r Dal is perfect for summer days..
Traditionally asafoetida/hing is added to this dal along with ginger-fennel(saunf/mouri) paste...
But,I added fennel powder at the end to avoid hing for daily use
Nutrition summary of Urad Dal/Biuli Dal/Kolai Dal:
Calories:350...
Fat:1.5g
Carbs:60g
Protein:24g
Vitamin A :0%
Vitamin C :0%
Calcium :13%
Iron:42%
Vitamin D :0%
Vitamin B-6 :15%
Vitamin B-12: 0%
Magnesium: 66%
There are 350 calories in a 1/2 cup serving of Urad Dal (White).
Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 69% carbs, 27% protein.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup Biuli Dal (Urad Dal) 

1 tsp Ginger Paste 

1 tsp Fennel powder 

1 tsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 

1 Bay Leaf 

1 Whole Dried Red Chilli 

1 green chilli(cut into halves)

Method:

Dry roast the dal for few mins.

Wash and soak the Biuli Dal for 15 mins and then boil it and keep it aside.

For tempering, heat oil in a pan, add the Bay Leaf, whole red & green chillies and the ginger paste. 

Stir fry them and add the Turmeric powder and salt.  

Pour the dal over it and add water and cook till your desired consistency.

Add fennel powder & stir well for 2 mins.

Serve it hot.

Kaleji Do Piaza (Liver Curry)

Mutton Liver is an excellent source of iron.It contains 46 percent of an adult's daily recommended amount.
The nutrient content also includes vitamin B12, copper,riboflavin & Vitamin A
Ingredients:
Livers (Mutton) 1/2 kg in small pieces
Milk:1 cup
Mustard oil:3 tsp
Curd:1 tbsp
Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp
Bay leaf:1
Cinnamon:2 sticks,each 1 inch
Green cardamom:2
Cloves:2
Garam Masala powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chaat Masala 1/2 tsp
Onion:3,chopped
Ginger-garlic paste:1 tbsp
Green chilies:2,chopped
Dry methi leaves(Kasuri methi) 1 tsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves:2 tbsp(for garnishing)

Method:

Soak liver in 1 cup of milk for 2 hours if you want to get rid off the rawness.

Discard the milk.
Boil the mutton liver pieces with salt,turmeric,bay leaf & whole garam masalas.

(I discarded the stock)

Heat oil and fry the onions until golden. 

Add liver, ginger-garlic paste and fry till the .

Add the other ingredients with the curd, cover and cook on slow flame.

Add some water if required. 

Cook further on a low flame until the gravy coats pieces very nicely.  

Add methi leaves & green chilies.

Garnish with chopped coriander & serve.

Cold Cucumber Soup

Cucumbers are one of the lowest calorie vegetables with a lot of Vitamin C and potassium. 
One can never get fat eating cucumbers as they contain 96 % water.

Ingredients:
Fresh cucumber:2,large
Low fat curd:1 cup
Low fat milk:1/2 cup
Chopped capsicum:1/2 tsp
Low fat butter:1/4 tsp
Rock salt and freshly ground black pepper powder to taste
a few mint leaves & ice cubes for topping

Method:
Chop half cucumber finely. 

Cut the remaining cucumbers into big pieces.

Add 1 cup of water to the big cucumber pieces and cook until soft.

When soft, blend & Cool.

Add the curd, milk and rock salt and beat well.

Heat the butter and fry the finely chopped cucumber and the capsicum for 1/ 2 minute. 

Add to the soup.

Chill and sprinkle freshly ground pepper.

Top with chopped mint leaves & ice cubes and serve.

Bong's Special Chicken Kasha

Chicken Kasha is a medium spicy dry chicken preparation for main course.

Ingredients:
Chicken : 1 kg
Curd :4 tbsp
Tomato paste:1,medium
Ginger-Garlic paste : 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder:1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chili powder :2 tsp,or little more
Finely chopped onion :2,large
Cinnamon sticks :2,one inch
Green cardamom :3 
Cloves : 3
Bay leaves:1
Green chilies :2-3
Sugar :2 tsp
Salt : To taste
Mustard oil : 4 tbsp

Method:

Marinate the chicken in curd,ginger-garlic paste,turmeric,2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder,1 tbsp oil,salt and 1 tsp sugar for a 
1-2 hours.

Add the remaining sugar and caramelize to a golden brown colour.

Heat  1 tbsp oil in a kadai. 

Temper the bay leaves,whole garam masala. 

Fry the chopped onion till it turns golden & crispy.

Add the tomato paste & cook till the oil removes from sides.

Add the chicken with marinade & cook in simmer and stir well intermittently. 

Add little water if the gravy tends to stick in the pan.  
Add green chilli & remaining 1 tbsp oil and keep covered.

Cook till the chicken is soft.

Garnish with some fried onions.

Laal Shaak er Kuncho Chorchori(Red Amaranth cooked with Small fish)

Ingredients:
Laal shaak(Red Amaranth):2 cups
Egg plant:1 cup,cut into cubes
Small fish:10-12 pieces,I used Mourola
Lentil dumplings(Bori):1/2 cup
Chopped green chilli:1-2
Chopped garlic:1 tsp
Kasundi:1 tsp
Poppy seeds:1/2 tsp
Turmeric:1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar:1 tsp
Mustard oil:4 tbsp

Method:
Rub the egg plant cubes with salt & turmeric.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil.

Fry the egg plant cubes till they become soft.

Remove from the pan.

Heat another tbsp of oil & fry the fishes till they become crispy.

Remove from pan.

Heat rest of the oil.

Fry the boris till they become golden.

Remove the boris & temper the chopped garlic.

Add shaak,salt,sugar,chopped chilli & cook for 5 mins or till the shaak is boiled.

Add kasundi & fish & cook till the water dries off.

Add poppy seeds & cook for a min.

Serve it hot with steamed rice.

Easy Homemade Grilled Chicken Burger

Ingredients:
Whole wheat burger bread:1
Mayonnaise:1-2 tbsp
Low fat cheese sheet:1(optional)
Butter:2 tsp
Sweet chili garlic sauce:1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup:1 tsp
Tomato:4 pieces,cut into rings
Cucumber:4 pieces,cut into rings
Onion:2 pieces,cut into rings
Freshly chopped Lettuce:2-3 tbsp

For grilled chicken:

Chicken breast(boneless):150gm,thinly cut,give few oblique cut also
Marinade the chicken with
Salt:1 pinch(as sauce contains salt,too)
Tandoori masala:1/4 tsp
Tobasco sauce:1/4 tsp
Worcestershire sauce:1/4 tsp
Ginger-garlic juice:1/4 tsp
Pepper powder:1 pinch
Oregano/mixed herbs:1 pinch

Method:
Marinade the chicken with all ingredients(mentioned above)
Keep for half an hour.
Heat 1 tsp of butter in a grill pan.
Grill the chicken till nice golden crust forms,avoid over cooking as chicken will be hard.
Sprinkle oregano & keep the chicken aside.
Cut the burger into halves-the bottom part of the bread should be thicker than the above.
Apply butter inside the two halves of the bread.
Lightly toast it in low flame for a minute.
Place the grilled chicken,salads & coat with mayonnaise,ketchup & Sweet chili garlic sauce.
Serve it.

Masala Pomfret

Ingredients:
Pomfret:2,medium
Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp
Onion paste:1 tbsp
Tomato puree:4 tbsp
Chopped garkic:1/2 tsp
Ginger paste:1/4 tsp
Coconut milk(thick):1/2 cup
Kashmiri red chilli(whole):1
Kashmiri red chilli powder:1/2 tsp
Cumin powder:1/4 tsp
Cinnamon:1(1 inch)
Cloves:2
Green cardamom:1
Bay leaf:1
Mustard oil:4 tbsp
Sugar:1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan.

Rub pomfrets with salt & turmeric powder & fry in oil till they turn golden & crispy.

Remove fish.

Temper whole garam masala,whole chillies & bay leaf in the same oil.

Add onion & ginger paste,chopped garlic with a tsp of sugar. & fry till the oil removes from sides.

Add tomato puree & cook for few mins.

Add 1 cup water,cumin powder,a pinch of turmeric & chilli powder,salt & stir for few mins.

Add fish when gravy starts thickening.

Cook for 5 mins & add coconut milk & cook for 2-3 mins.

Remove from flame when the gravy coats the fish nicely.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander & chillies.

Serve with rice.

Dim Er Baati Chorchori (Eggs cooked with Potato)

Baati Chorchori is a dish from Bengali Cuisine...Baati Chorchori, literally translates to,"Cooking in a Bowl." The idea is to add in all the veggies and the spices  and a little water and cover and cook. The steam generated cooks the veggies & soft fishes like Mourola,Hilsa & shrimps & eggs.

Dim er Baati Chorchori is a dish in which eggs are cooked with Potatoes...

Ingredients:
Hard-boiled eggs:4 
Finely chopped onion:1,large
Garlic:6-7 cloves,finely chopped, 
Ginger:1 medium-sized,finely chopped/ginger paste:1 tsp  
Green chillies:2-3,chopped  
Tomato:1,medium sized 
Potato:2-3,medium,cut into long stripes 
Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp 
Red chilli powder:1/4 tsp
Salt to taste 
Fresh corianderleaves:2 tsp,chopped 
Mustard oil:3-4 tbsp

Method:

Heat mustard oil in a nonstick pan and fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown.

Remove potatoes & fry onions till they change colour.

After the onions turn translucent, add the chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies.
  
Add the sliced tomato when they are nicely stir-fried,

Add the fried potatoes back into the pan and stir. 

Finally add the boiled eggs.

Mash the eggs into large chunks. 

Coat the eggs nicely in the masala and keep stirring till they disintegrate. 

Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt, followed by a little water. 

Stir and close lid. 

After 2-3 minutes, open lid and check consistency. 

It should have a mashed look.  

Finish it off by sprinkling some fresh, chopped coriander leaves and a little mustard oil. 

Remove from fire and serve it either with rice or roti.

Cheese and spinach stuffed roasted chicken breast

Ingredients:
Chicken breast:250 gm
Grated low fat cheese:1 cup
Olive oil:1 tbsp
Ground Black pepper:1/4 tsp
Freshly chopped spinach:2 cups
Salt to taste
Honey:1 tsp
Chilli flakes: for sprinkling

Method:
Take the chicken breast,wash & soak it in two cups of water mixed with one tsp of honey and half tsp of salt for 30 minutes.

Blanch the chopped spinach with a pinch of salt for 5-10 mins.

Let it cool.

Add half a cup of grated goat cheese,ground pepper & salt(as per your taste) to the spinach & mix it properly for stuffing.

Take out the chicken breast & create a deep pocket inside from one end with a sharp knife.

Avoid tearing the pocket.

Stuff the pocket with spinach & cheese mix using your fingers-dont use any fork or spoon to avoid tearing.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan.

Saute the chicken breast till it turns light brown & little crispy(not more than 5 mins).

Take it out from the pan.

Pre heat the oven at 180 degree, add the chicken on convection mode and cook the chicken for 10 mins. 

Sprinkle chilli flakes & serve it.

Easy Honey Soy Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp honey 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp ground pepper 

1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste 

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets 

 

Method:

 

In a shallow container, blend soy sauce, honey,lime juice and ginger-garlic paste 

Place chicken breasts into the mixture, and turn to coat. 

Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or if time permits overnight.

Heat oil in grill pan.

Grill chicken on both sides till it becomes soft.

Serve hot.