Pav Bhaji Recipe

Pav bhaji! This is a typical street food dish, that comes from the streets of Bombay. If you are looking for a healthy dish, you can reduce the amount of butter used, but you will missing the point of this dish entirely! It is supposed to be super rich and super buttery! There has been many occasions that i have made this dish too hot, but that tends to be something that i get carried away with quite often! :)
So a word of warning if you are making this dish for young children, then I would reduce the amount of chilli that you add. BUT! it really is best to have this dish buttery and spicy.

I also like this dish because you can use some normal rolls from the supermarket. Traditionally, you would use pav buns, but unless you want to make our own or you have an Indian grocery store nearby, then just go for plain white rolls.

This recipe is also very versatile. You can really chuck in as many different types, or as few as you would like. It really doesn't affect the overall taste too much, but I like to add as many different kind of veg, just for the nutritional value. The recipe that i'm posting about today is a more complex version, but I will post a simplified version soon.

It is a long list of ingredients but please, don't let this put you off! :D

1 large or 2 medium onions, diced,
2 cups of diced potatoes,
1 orange sweet potato,
1 cup washed broccoli,
1 cup washed cauliflower,
1/2 cup green beans,
1 red pepper,
1 green pepper,
3 nice and juicy tomatoes,
1 cup of finely chopped carrots,
1 partially peeled aubergine. set aside in salted water.
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 heaped tsp garlic paste,
1 heaped tsp ginger paste,
1/2 tsp green chilli paste,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hing or asafoetida,
1/2 tsp chilli powder or to taste (optional)
1 tsp pav bhaji masala (essential. store bought or homemade)
1 tsp paprika
salt and 1 tsp sugar. sugar is optional but balances the tomatoes
1 tbs oil
As much butter as you can stomach! I sometimes use up to 150g! Only if it is a treat!
1 tbs lemon juice
fresh green coriander


Directions:-

1. Chop all the vegetables, very finely and steam them all, except the onions, peppers and the peas. Steam until everything is well cooked and soft. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat a very large pan or stock pot onto a medium heat and add 1tbs of oil.
3. Add the mustard seeds an wait for the to pop and crackle.
4. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida or hing.
5, Add the diced onions and cook until the are starting to caramelize at the edges.
6. Add the tomatoes and a splash of water if they are not very juicy and cook until it is like a sauce.
7. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, ginger, green chilli and the garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes. Maybe a minute.
8. Then add the peppers and cook for about a minute.
9. Then add all of the steamed vegetables and the pav bhaji masala. Mash all of this together keeping everything on a low heat at this time. Simmer everything with some salt for about 10 minutes to let the flavours mingle, stirring it occasionally.
10. Add the frozen peas and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the peas are cooked. stir occasionally.
11. Add the butter and the lemon juice and stir until blended through and then give it a taste to check the seasoning .
12. At this point you want to prepare your bread. I like to lightly toast each side under the grill and then lightly butter.

Serve piping hot with lots of coriander and some kachumber salad ( raw onions, cuccumber and tomato.

ENJOY!! :D X

channa masala ( Chole )

Oh chole!!! This has to be one of the most all time favourite curries in our house hold. Whenever I am cooking this, I know that my husband will come home a happy man.

Before I carry on, I must apologise for the lack of updates onto my page, but we have had a hectic time over the last few months. First of all was Christmas and my sons 5th birthday, then I had a painting to commission. Also my son, who believe it or not has a food phobia!!! BUT..... He really has been coming on leaps and bounds just recently and is really trying hard to eat. It breaks my heart when my child doesn't eat, so with him making such good progress, you can imagine how busy I have been with cooking and trying out some new recipes that I think that he will eat. All of this on top of my usual stuff to do has just taken up all of my time, so now I have a few days off to relax and catch up on all of my hobbies.

I thought that this would be a really good recipe to kick start my blog again. I'm afraid that there isn't many photographs yet, but I will upload some more at a later date. The trouble is with the photography side is, I just get too hungry!! lol so I promise that I will start to cook earlier so that I have the chance and also I am sure that the lighting will be improved if I take the photo's earlier in the day too.

In this recipe I have added potatoes, but you don't have to add them if you don't want to. Also in this photo, I have paired it up with neer dosa's, but usually you can serve it with just rice or any type of Indian bread. Enjoy!! :) :) :)

Ingredients:-

1 can chickpea's, (the fat boiled one's taste much better in this.)
1 large potato, cubed and boiled,
2 tbs oil,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
a pinch hing ( asafoetida)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
1 bay leaf (optional)
4 cloves,
a small piece of cinnamon,
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes, or 1/2 large can,
1-2 tbs fenugreek leaves,
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 large tsp garlic paste,
1 large tsp ginger paste,
1 green chilli chopped ( optional )
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp red chilli powder,
2 tsp chole or channa masala,
1-2 tsp sugar,
salt to taste.

Directions:-

1) Drain the chick pea's, give them a good rinse and them microwave them on full power with 2 tbs of water for a few minutes.

2) Heat a large pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Once it is hot enough, add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop and then add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, asafoetida, cloves and cinnamon. Stir fry for about 10 seconds.

3) Add the tomato, ginger, garlic and the chilli and cook this down to a thick paste and you can see the oil.

4) Add the fenugreek leaf if you are using and mix well into the paste, cooking it down for another minute or so.

5) Take off the heat and add the powdered spices. Mix well and then return to a low heat and add the drained chick pea's. Saute them in the spices for 2 or 3 minutes.

6) Add sufficient water, bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat for around 10-20 minutes.

7) Add the salt, sugar and potatoes and mix in gently. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust to your taste. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes to let the flavours develop.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with your choice of rice and bread....... ENJOY!!! :) :) :)

South Indian Okra in a Yogurt and Coconut sauce.

This is a realy good dish if you need introducing to okra, becuse of the sauce, it is sweet and sour and rich with coconut. It really is so delicious.

I am not exactly sure of this dishes actual name because a friend has kindly given this recipe. My friend is from kerala and is not to sure on how to write in english.

Last week she invited me over for lunch and she had heard about me blogging about real indian food. She said that she could remember me saying one time in her favourite restaurant, that I would've liked to of recreated the thali that we enjoyed on that particular day. She was going to be cooking this dish anyway for her family so she remembered about me :-) Of cause i was overjoyed to receive the invitation and I gladly accepted.

I decided to walk to her house because it was quite a nice day, one of those days where it is cold and crisp, but a nice bright sun. Once I had arrived at the end of her street I could smell her food! It reminded me of one of those cartoons where the hungry animal gets a whiff of some delicious food and floated it the air to follow the scent :-) As i walked up her garden path the fabulous aroma got stronger and stronger and even more delicious. She must have seen me coming to the door, because she opened the door before I could even knock. She greeted me with open arms and said come in, come in! I walked into her kitchen and it was full of her female relatives. They were all busy doing something, Her Mother was grinding some batter for dosa, her sister was kneading some bread, and there was some of her aunts and cousins there too. It was a kind of organised kaos. She called me over to the cooker and firstly asked if they could get me anything to drink. Her aunt gave me a cup of chai (Indian tea) and my friend and I sat down for a chat.
When we had finished our chai she said to me that we should get on, she handed me a pen and paper and she said that as a gift for being a good friend, she was handing me this recipe that had been through her family for a very long time. I could thank enough, but she just kindly replied " just invite me round for tea" I love her so much! Thanks hun! :-)

Here is my friends beautifully simple, South Indian Okra recipe.

Ingredients:-

2 cups of fresh okra, washed and dried, cut into 1/2 inch flowers
1/2 cup of fresh yogurt (dahi)
1/2 cup freshly grated, frozen or desiccated coconut. If you are using desiccated coconut then you should soak in boiled water for about 1/2 hour, reserving the coconut water.
3 tbs oil,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
10-12 curry leaves,
1/2- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder,
1/2 tsp green chilli paste,
water - as required.
salt to taste,
1 1/2- 3 tsp sugar- as per your taste,
fresh green coriander to garnish.


Directions:-

1) Heat some oil in a pan and fry the okra on a low to medium heat until browning at the edges and all of the sliminess has disappeared. Make sure that you don't keep stirring the okra otherwise it will become really slimy and not very nice. Drain on kitchen paper.

2) In a blender, or with a hand blender, mix together the yogurt, red chilli powder, coconut, salt and sugar. Blend until you have a fairly cause paste.

3) Check the seasoning and add sufficient water, but not too much. Test again.

4) Heat a saucepan over a medium to hot heat and add the mustard seeds. Wait until they pop and then add the curry leaves. Let them splutter and then add the okra and sauce.

5) Reheat gently up to boiling point and then serve hot with chapatis and rice, or as part of your favorite thali

Drumstick vegetable, tomato and onion curry.

This is an absolute cracker of a recipe! Drumsticks can be quite a task to find if you do not live near an indian grocery store, but please please buy them if you ever see them because you will not regret it! Not only are they delicious in taste, but texture and health benefits too! Please if you get the chance to google this vegetable please do. This plant could literally save the world! It is an amazing plant. The plant or tree is actually called the moringa tree and most of the plant is edible, when you use the actual stick ( drumstick,) you do not eat the tough outer skin, you scrape out the flesh inside with a spoon or you can suck all the goodness out. I personally prefer to scrape everything out with a spoon and mix in some of the sauce into the mashy goodness. The leaves are very highly nutritious too so again, if you ever get the chance to have these, please do.
What i tend to do if i ever find any is to wash, dry and prepare them and then wrap them up well and pop them into the freezer. The freeze very well.

Anyway here is my version of this delicious dish. Please try and let me know what you think? :-) :-) :-)

Ingredients:-

2-4 young, plump and not damaged in any way drumsticks, washed and cut into 3-6 inch pieces.
1 onion,
3-4 tomatoes,
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
2 cloves
a large pinch of hing,
about 10 curry leaves,
1/2 tsp turmeric,
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder,
1-2 green chillies,
3/4 tsp ginger paste,
2 tsp sugar, or to taste.
salt to taste,
fresh green coriander to garnish.

Directions:-

1) Boil the drumsticks in slightly salted water for around ten minutes, or until the drumsticks are starting to open. Drain and set aside.

2) Dice the onion and wash and chop the tomato.

3) Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan and once the oil is hot enough, fry the mustard seeds until they pop like popcorn :-)then add the cumin seeds, cloves, hing and curry leaves and let them splutter for a moment before adding the diced onion and some salt.

4) Cook the onions until they are starting to brown at the edges and then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook these down until they are all nice and mushy - like a thick sauce.

5) Then add the turmeric and chilli powder with the sugar and give it a good mix.

6) Add about 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, cover and simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes.

7) Add the drumsticks and simmer on a low heat for another 10 minutes. Be sure to check the water levels because this dish needs to be quite soupy.

8) Check the seasoning and adjust to your taste. Garnish with coriander and serve with gujarati potatoes, gujarati kadhi, with rice and chapatis.

ENJOY!!!! :-)

Bhindi masala with onions and peppers (okra)

This is such an awesome dish!! It Is packed full of nutrients, takes only a jiffy to cook and tastes amazing with basmati rice khadi and chapatis. If you are new to okra, you must realise that you have to cook it just right, otherwise it turns out sticky and not very nice.

There are various key points to remember when cooking okra. My method is absolutely fool proof and has never failed me yet!

1) It must be washed and and dried thoroughly before you even start to consider chopping it.

2) After you have washed and prepared your okra, you should let it air dry on a paper towel for as long as possible, even the night before!

3) During the cooking process you should never touch or stir the okra more than you have too. Just leave it alone to cook gently on a low to medium heat.

I always tend to stir fry the okra in a small amount of oil and also a important tip is to never add salt to okra when it is cooking. only ever add salt at the end.

Anyway here is my recipe.

Ingredients:-
(On this occasion I used frozen okra, but fresh is really recommended)

1/2 bag of frozen okra,
1 tbs oil, + 1/2 tbs extra,
1/4 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
a pinch of hing ( asafoetida)
1 small onion, or half a large, (Cubed)
1 small yellow pepper, (washed and cubed)
1 large tomato (washed and thinly sliced)
1/2 tsp garlic paste,
1 tsp ginger paste,
1-2 green chillies,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1/4 tsp chilli powder,
1 tsp coriander-cumin powder,
1 tsp sugar,
salt to taste,
fresh coriander and a sprinkle of lemon juice.

Directions:-

1) Heat 1 tbs oil in a large frying pan on a medium to high heat. Once the oil is hot enough, add the frozen okra and gently spread the okra evenly in the pan. It is important not to crowd the pan whether you are using fresh or frozen okra.
Now leave in the pan to thaw out for a few minutes on a medium to high heat, but make sure that you turn the okra once to make su

Turn very occasionally until the okra is golden and starting to colour around the edges.

2) Drain onto kitchen paper and set aside.

3) Add the remaining 1/2 tbs oil into the same pan as the okra was fried and heat over a medium heat. once the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds, wait for them to pop like popcorn, then add the cumin seeds and the asafoetida (hing).

4) Then add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and fry until they start to caramelize around the edges.

5) Then add the curry leaves, tomatoes, garlic paste, ginger paste, green chilli, chilli powder, coriander-cumin powder turmeric and cook until the tomatoes turn into a thick paste and and all of the moisture has been cooked away.

6) Add the sugar and the peppers and cook for another minute before adding the okra,

7) Sprinkle over some lemon juice and coriander and mix in. Check the seasonings before you serve and adjust to your taste.

8) Serve with basmati rice and chapati or paratha.

Please enjoy and share your thoughts............Many thanks!!! :-) :-) :-)

Idli Sambar Recipe

MMM, the aroma of this dish really is something else!! I really do insist on you making some home made masala powder when you are cooking this dish. I think that it is what makes the difference between home made sambar opposed to restaurant style sambar. Whenever I have eaten restaurant sambar it has always been far too watery and not enough vegetables. To be quite honest all of the restaurant don't really cut the mark for me. I don't want to sound greedy, it's just that there are never enough vegetables and it is always far too thin.... gasp of relief...the rant is over lol :-)

ingredients- For the sambar

To be roasted and then ground into a a fairly coarse powder:-

1-3 dried red chillies,
1 tbs coriander seeds,
1 tsp black mustard seeds,
1 tsp fenugreek seeds,
2 cloves,
2 cardamoms,
a small piece of cinnamon,
1/4- 1/2 tsp black pepper,
1 tsp channa dal,
1 tsp white urad dal,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric

(If you have these spices in powder form then you can add as a short cut but the spices definitely taste better if you use the whole spice.)

1 cup or about 100g toor dal, ( soaked in hot water for at least 1/2 hour in hot water,)
1 white potato, (cubed)
1 red sweet potato, (cubed)
2 carrots peeled and cut into rounds,
a fist-full of washed and trimmed green beans,
2 drumsticks chopped and boiled for bout 10 minutes
3-4 tomatoes puréed,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
about 10-12 curry leaves,
1/2 tsp green chilli paste, or to taste
1 tsp ginger paste,
1 tsp tamarind paste to taste,
1 tbs sugar,
salt to taste,
fresh green coriander.

Directions:-

1) Roast the spices on a low to medium flame until they have turned a shade darker. Leave them aside on a cool plate or bowl to cool down completely. Once they have cooled down, grind them to a fairly coarse powder, but not too coarse.

2) while the spices are cooling, prepare the vegetables and boil or steam until nice and tender. Around ten minutes. Also pressure cook the toor dal for about 4-5 whistles in about 4 cups of water and some salt.

3) In the largest pan you have, heat 2-4 tbs oil and add the mustard seeds. Wait until they pop and then add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.

4) Add the tomato purée, garlic, chilli and ginger paste and cook until you start to see the oil separating from the mixture.

5) Lower the heat to low and add the powdered spices and give it a good stir.

6) Add the dal and give everything a really good mash together until the dal has turned all saucy.

7) Add the cooked veggies and mix well so that the sauce coats everything.

8) Add about 6-8 cups of water and the sugar. This water measurement is a rough measurement. Sambar is supposed to be fairly and soupy, but please, not too thin. Bring to the boil and simmer every thing together for around 20 minutes on a low heat.

9) Check the seasoning and add the tamarind if you think that it needs to be more sour. Remember that it needs to be fairly hot, sour, sweet, salty, so adjust these to your tastes.

Garnish with coriander and serve with idli's or rice. BUT! You really need to try idli once in your life !!! :-)

Saag Aloo (spinach and potato curry)

I know I know!! I hear you say it.... not another potato dish!! I just cant resist them in a curry! I think that I fell in love with the whole spicy potato thing the first time I tried a home made vegetarian thali (which is a large metal plate which has either different sections or bowls containing different things like rice, curry, stir-fry, kadhi, dal, pickles etc. ) All of these combined deliver a really filling balanced meal, a real feast for the eyes and for the stomach!! Any-ways, back to the story!! The first time I had tried this dish was at a Gujarati friends house and her mother had cooked up a feast of lots of different things and this particular dish was my absolute favourite of these little bowls of treasure. I have eaten it so many times since, either at peoples houses or restaurants and I never get tired of it.

One of the things that I like so much about cooking is that you are doing it YOUR WAY!! you can make them completely to your taste (or your families if you have kids!) So I bring you my version of my favourite dinner. I am really quite pleased with the way the photo turned out too :-)

Ingredients:-

serves 4-6

4 large floury potatoes ( Peeled and cubed )
2 bags of freshly prepared spinach,
2 tomatoes washed and roughly chopped,
1 large onion finely chopped (optional)
1 heaped tsp garlic purée,
1 tsp grated ginger,
1-2 green chillies,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
a large pinch hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp turmeric powder,
3/4 tsp kashmiri chilli powder,
1 1/2 tsp coriander cumin powder,
1 tbs finely chopped fenugreek leave or kasuri methi
2 tbs fresh coriander.
2 tsp lemon juice,
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste.
a dollop of butter (optional but delicious)

Directions:-

1)Heat the oil in a large pan. When it is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let them pop and crackle.

2)When they have popped, add the cumin seeds and the asafoetida, fry for a second before adding the onions if you are using. If you are not using onions then you can increase the amount of asafoetida.

3)Stir-fry until the onions turn translucent and then add the ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for a minute or two without without colouring the garlic.

4)Then add the fresh coriander and methi (fenugreek) leaves and saute until the leaves have wilted

5)Add the tomatoes and cook until all nice and pulpy and some of the moisture has evaporated. Add salt and sugar if you haven't done already.

6)Add the powdered spices and a splash of water and stir in the cubed potato. Stir everything through.

7)In the mean time, prepare the spinach (if you need to) and chop very finely.

8)When the potatoes are just over half way cooked, add the chopped spinach and give it a stir. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. Check the seasoning and then add the lemon juice. (you should always keep checking the taste of the food so that you know if you have the right balance of seasoning ingredients.)

9)Adjust the level of salt, sugar and lemon juice if you need to and then sprinkle with fresh coriander.

Serve with dal or kadhi, rice and chapati. :-)

moong dal palak recipe ( spinach moong dal )

Again, this is such a comforting dish. It is essentially very similar to my split green moong dal recipe but with added health benefits of spinach!! Full of iron, full of protein, it is sooooo healthy it is incredible!!! don't let this put you of though with me saying how healthy it is, because it really is equally as yummy!! I promise that I will pop some nice photo's of this dish soon, so watch this space!! :-)

Here it is............

Ingredients:-
1 cup split green moong dal
1-2 cups of washed and chopped spinach. It must be fresh, not frozen or tinned!!
3 cups of water
1 tbs sunflower oil
1/4 tsp hing
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chilli's
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp kashmiri chilli powder- or to taste.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garam masala
fresh coriander
1 tbs butter ( optional but really nice )

Directions:-

1) Soak dal in boiling water for 1/2 hour - 1 hour if you have time. If you don't have enough time to soak the dal you can always add some more water and cook for another whistle. Drain before cooking.

2) Heat the pressure cooker over a medium heat and add the oil

3) Add the cumin seed and asafoetida and just let them sizzle for a few seconds and then add the green chilli, turmeric and the ginger. Fry again for a few seconds.

4) Add the drained dal, spinach and the salt. Cover and cook for 3-4 whistles.

5) I like to let the steam escape naturally, because this keeps everything cooking slowly, but if you don't have time you can just run the pressure cooker under cold water until all of the pressure is released. Mash everything well with a potato masher.

6) Add the lemon juice, garam massala and the coriander. Mix well test the seasoning
and adjust to your taste.

Serve hot with chapatti's, cacumber ( onions, tomato and cuccumber salad ) and papads. Or plain and simple on it's own!!! UMMMMM

Aloo masala (versatile potato mixture)

This potato mixture is so versatile, I use it for so many different things like stuffed mirchi bhaji (chilli pakora), aloo paratha, dosa, batata vada etc..
I actually use quite a lot of garlic in this recipe, but you can omit if its not to your taste, but it really does make a difference to the dish because it becomes very mild once it has been cooked down and becomes all scrumptious.

Ingredients:-

1 kg floury potatoes- boiled
About 10 cloves of garlic or a very large tsp of garlic purée,
1-2 green chillies,
about 7 fresh curry leaves,
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 onion diced,
a large pinch asafoetida,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1 tbs fresh coriander,
1/2 tbs lemon juice or to taste,
1 1/2 tbs oil
salt to taste.

directions:-

1) Heat the oil in a pan over a medium to hot heat and add the mustard seeds. Wait until they pop like popcorn.

2) Add the cumin seeds and the asafoetida and let them sizzle for a second or so before you add the onions. Saute the onions until they are light brown.

3) Add the garlic, chillies and the ginger and stir for a few minutes

4) Add the lemon juice, salt, coriander and the turmeric and give it a quick stir before adding the potato.

5) Mash the potato into the mixture making sure that you leave some chunks of potato.

Test the seasoning to cheek if is your taste and a just if you need to.

Enjoy the countless things you can do with this amazing mixture. On this opportunity i made potato vadas.

Potato and courgette curry (zucchini)

If you are not a fan of the bitterness of an aubergine, but you like the juicy soft texture, then this is the recipe for you!
I think that this dish is a real comforting dish. I love to have this with chapattis chili pickle and garlic pappad.

INGREDIENTS:-

4 white potato
1 large courgette/ zucchini
1 large tomato
1tbs oil
1-2 green chilli's
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
2 cloves
1/4tsp hing / asafoetida
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp black mustard seeds
5-8 curry leaves
1 heaped tsp coriander/cumin powder
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and coriander to taste

* in a pan heat the oil on a low to medium heat and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
* Add hing and curry leaves, cloves and wait for seeds to crackle.
* add ginger and chilli's and fry for 1 minute.
* add the chopped tomato and fry for 30 seconds.
* add the spices with 1-2 tbs water so that the spices do not burn and stir for 30 seconds or untill the water and oil thickens.
* then add the potato's and stir until well mixed.
* add about 1 cup of water and simmer for ten minutes.
* add the corgette's/zucchini salt and sugar. stir well so that everything is coated.
* simmer untill everything is nice and soft.
* sprinkle on the lemon juice and coriander, stir and serve!!!!! yummy!!

Creamy and rich Butter chicken recipe

Even though my preference is vegetarian when it comes to Indian food, sometimes i just get a real craving for a meat curry. I know my husband does! :-) You can always bet you bottom dollar that when it comes to a really easy curry that everyone is bound to enjoy is this one! Even your kids will like this one!! I think that the reason why people like this one is because its not to hot, but really nice and rich because of the butter and the yogurt. I have tampered with the original recipe because i don't use as much butter and i only use a tablespoon of cream with the yogurt, But still, this dish is definitely one to tickle your taste buds!!

Ingredients:- For marinade and will serve 4 people.

For the marinade to really do it's magic, i recommend that you marinate the meat the night before you want it, but if you don't have time, try and marinate for at least a few hours in the fridge

about 850g-950g of chicken. I have used diced breast in this one but i recommend using chicken thighs.
500ml or 2 1/2 cups of yogurt.
1 tsp garlic paste.
1 tsp ginger paste.
1 1/4 tsp paprika.
1 tsp cumin powder.
1 tsp coriander powder.
3/4 tsp garam masala powder.
about 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

The butter sauce ingredients:-

1 large tin of chopped tomatoes - pureed.
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder.
3/4 tsp turmeric
1-2 fresh fenugreek or dried.
1/2 tsp garam masala
1-2 tbs single low fat cream.
100g butter
fresh coriander to garnish

Directions:-

1)Chop the chicken to your desire, or if using chicken on the bone, score the meat well to let the marinade penetrate the meat. Leave over night in the fridge to tenderize, or for as long as you can.

2)When you are ready to cook, heat a large pan over a medium to hot heat and add about 2 tbs of oil.

3)Fry the tomato puree until you start to see the oil separating and all of the moisture has been cooked away.

4)Then add the spices and the fenugreek leaves and give it a quick stir.

5)Turn down the heat to low and add the spices, give it a quick stir and then add the chicken. Cover and cook until your chicken is cooked through.

6)When the chicken is properly cooked, add the cream and mix well. Then add the butter and mix well. Adding the cream first will help the butter to emulsify and stop it turning into ghee and separating from the sauce. You want the sauce to be very smooth. Garnish with coriander.

Serve with Garlic, chilli and coriander naan bread and pilau rice

Aloo Methi ( potato's and fenugreek leaves )

I really don't know if this recipe is how it should be done, but i can tell you that cooking it to this recipe is soooo good! It is always a winning recipe in our house-hold.

I had first tried this recipe in a resturant and i was hooked imedietly! i had tryed to recreate this recipe with reference and i was never satisfied, so the other night when i had a craving for this i just thought right, i know what flavours i want in this recipe so i am just going to do it!

It was a huge success! Not just with my family, but with my friends too! :-) :-) :-)
HAPPY DAY'S!

Ingreadents:-

4 medium sized potatoes Peeled and cubed
2 medium tomato's chopped
lots of fresh fenugreek- to your taste. I only had frozen methi so i just used a block.
fresh coriander chopped
3 large garlic cloves chopped or puree
1 tsp shedded ginger
pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 chilli powder or to taste ( I used about 1 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder
1 tsp sugar
sprinkle of lemon juice
salt

Directions:-

1)Heat 1 tbs of oil in a pan and let it get hot on a medium to hot temperature and add the mustard seeds and cook until the pop and splutter.

2)Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida and let them sizzle for a few moments.

3)Add the ginger and the garlic. Give it a stir for about 30 seconds, and then quickly add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until all nice and pulpy and the oil is separating. ( You may not see the oil seporating as i have only used minimum oil.)

4)Add the rest of the spices with a splash of hot water and cook for a minute or so.

5)Add the chopped and washed fenugreek leaves and some of the fresh coriander and cook until the leaves have wilted.

6)Then add the cubed potatoes and the salt and coat well with the spice mixture. Make sure there is enough water to cook the potatoes but don't add to much water,just a splash, you don't want this dish to have too much sauce.

7)Cover the potatoes and turn down the heat to very low and cook until the potatoes are tender.

8)When the potatoes are nice and tender, sprinkle on the rest of the fresh coriander and sprinkle the lemon juice.

Serve with bread of choice, but i love this with buttered chapattis or naan. It goes very nicely with Gujarati kadhi and rice