Murg Patiala/ Chicken Patiala

As the name suggest this recipe has definitely some royal look and feel to it. This recipe makes a simple lean chicken breast to an exotic main course dish. It is a sure shot recipe for any get together or party. Bookmark this recipe today and perk up your weekend dinner/ lunch in a royal way.

Ingredients:

Chicken breast:                     400 grams (cut in 2 inches cubes or strips)
Oil:                                        3 tablespoon
Cumin seed:                           1 tsp
Onion:                                   4 medium (sliced)
Tomato:                                 2 large(chopped in cubes)
Ginger garlic paste:                 2 tablespoon
Red chilli powder:                  1 teaspoon
Coriander powder:                 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder:                   1/2 teaspoon
Cashew Nut paste:                 1/4 cup
Dried fenugreek leaves:          1/2 teaspoon (dry roasted and powdered)
Green cardamom powder:      1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala:                        1/2 teaspoon
Cream:                                   1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method:


1) Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seed; add onion when the seed are bit brown. Sauté onion till it is golden and fragrant.
2) Add ginger garlic paste and sauté. Add chopped tomato and cook till it turns pulpy.
3) Add red chilli, turmeric, coriander and salt. Mix well
4) Cook it for another 2-3 minutes; put it in a blender once cooled. Heat the same pan and add the onion tomato paste with cashew nut paste. Mix well.
5) Cut the chicken breast and add it to the pan, cook it covered for 4 minutes.
6) Add fenugreek powder, cardamom powder, garam masala powder and cream. Cook till chicken is done.
7) Serve with hot chapatti or naan.

BON APPETIT..

Coconut Kalakand

Kalakand, (Hindi: क़लाक़न्द) is a popular Indian sweet made out of solidified, sweetened milk and cottage cheese. It is one of the most commonly available sweets in the shops during festivals in India.

Serve:  15 (medium square pieces)

Preparation time:  1 hour (plus cooling)

Ingredients:

Milk:                                       2 liter
Coconut powder:                    1/2 cup
Lemon juice:                           1 tablespoon
Sugar:                                     1/2 cup
Pistachio:                                15 pieces crushed roughly
Ghee:                                      1/2 teaspoon
Silver varq (optional)

Method:
1) Boil 1 liter of the milk in a large, thick-bottomed pan. Add the lemon juice to it. Once the chenna (cottage cheese) separates from the milk sieve the mixture with clean cheesecloth and strain the excess water. Wash it under fresh running water.
2) Boil another liter of milk till it reduces to half. Keep on stirring the milk with a spoon at short intervals so it doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan.
3) Now add chenna to the milk and stir it continuously. Cook the mixture till it gets thick and looks like mawa/ khoya. Add sugar and coconut powder to it and stir the mixture. Cook it till the mixture reaches the consistency of making a burfi.
4) Grease an aluminium tray with ghee. Pour the mixture into the tray and level the surface. Leave to set for a few hours in a cool, dry place or a refrigerator. When completely set, decorate with silver varq and cut into squares or diamonds. Sprinkle the sliced pistachios on top.

BON APPETIT..

Apple Sandesh

These delicate bengali sweet are famous for its melt in mouth, less sweet, velvety texture. For Bengalis, any celebration is incomplete without the customary 'sandesh'. Being an inherent part of Bengali culture and festivity, sandesh became a 'messenger' of auspicious news creating an atmosphere of joy and happiness in every household. So much so that people in Dhaka, Bangladesh, like to call the sweet 'pranhara' which is the Bengali of 'heart stealer'.

Apples sandesh is a fusion of an authentic classic recipe with a twist on some international flavours. Apple stuffing gives the soft sandesh a tangy chewy bite in the centre. It makes the dessert more exciting when you eat it.

 Serve:     10 pieces

Preparation time:     30 minutes (plus cooling)


Ingredients:

Cottage cheese:                  100 grams
Apple:                                1 large
Lemon juice:                       1 tablespoon
Sugar:                                 1/2 cup (powdered) + 2 tablespoon
Cinnamon powder:              1/2 teaspoon
Green Cardamom powder:  1/2 teaspoon
Saffron:                               1/2 teaspoon soaked in warm milk
Pistachio to garnish

Method:

1) Grate the apple and mix it with lemon juice and 2 tablespoon of sugar. Cook it on a medium flame until dry and apple is soft like a spread. Set aside to cool.
2) Knead the chhenna (cottage cheese) well with the heel of your hand to make it really smooth.  Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder, and knead again for approximately 2 minutes.
3) Cook in a non-stick pan on low heat for 5-7 minutes mixing regularly with a spatula. This is very crucial step and need to be done carefully. Remove from heat and knead it again for couple of times, divide into ten equal portions.
4) Carefully make a bowl like shape of the cottage cheese dough and stuff the apple filling, close it to make balls and carefully smoothen it around.
5) Make a small dent on the top, drizzle it with saffron milk and top it up with pistachio. Let it cool for an hour in the refrigerator and serve.

Note:  You can make cottage cheese at home by adding lemon juice (2 tablespoon) to the boiling milk (4 cups). Once milk curdles strain and immediately refresh it in chilled water. Put the cheese in a piece of muslin and squeeze till all the water is drained out.

BON APPETIT..