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.