Life Without Alu?: Excited to use new spices? Know more about Methi or Fenugreek)

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Monday, 18 December 2017

Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)

Last week Debarshi told me that he has decided to take two days off. For me it meant two extra days when I don’t have to wake up in the morning and make his breakfast or pack his tiffin. We can stay up late and binge watch movies or series and that is exactly how I started my fabulous extra weekend time. However, when I woke up the next morning I found Debarshi sitting with his laptop. He told me that something came up and he will have to work for a couple of hours, “Just two- three hours max and I will be done”. Those few hours stretched to an entire day and it made me so sad to see him working on his day off. So I decided to surprise him with a delicious snack. I had a fresh bunch of Methi leaves in the fridge and this time instead of preparing my special Methi Parathas I thought of preparing Methi Pakora. Now let me tell you about it, Methi Pakoras are prepared by mixing gram flour with Methi leaves and a few spices. This is a very popular street food in Northern India and can be prepared without any fuss. They go very well on a cold winter evening with a cup of hot tea. The addition of Methi leaves adds a beautiful subtle bitter taste and aroma in the Pakoras while the gram flour makes them crisp and light on the outside and soft on the inside.

To buy fresh Methi leaves, visit your local Indian store. You will have to discard all the yellow and pale leaves with the stems so make sure to pick a bunch with dark green leaves on it. Prepare these delicious fritters for the evening snack and use the rest of the leaves for some yummylicious Parathas.

Needless to say that when I presented these hot fritters to Debarshi he absolutely loved them. He put away his laptop and enjoyed the Pakoras with delight and said that they made his day. These yummy Pakoras made him happy and uplifted his mood and I am sure they will have the same magic on you. Give them a try and share in the comments section how they turned out.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

Methi (Fenugreek) leaves – ¼ cup, tightly packed, thoroughly washed
Besan (Gram Flour) – ¾ cup
Water – ¼ cup plus a little more (for the batter)
Green Chili - 1, chopped finely
Red Chili powder – ¼ teaspoon
Baking Soda – a pinch
Asafoetida – a pinch
Ginger – ½ inch, finely chopped
Salt – to taste (about 2 pinches)
Oil – 2-3 cups (for frying)

Let’s prepare the batter:

Mix together the batter ingredients (Besan, Green Chili, Red Chili powder, Baking Soda, Asafoetida, Ginger and Salt) and gradually add the water in it.
To ensure that there are no lumps in the batter I whisk it continuously while adding water.
Add the Methi leaves in it. Mix and put it away.

Tips:

Methi leaves have a slight bitter taste in them but they are not extraordinarily bitter like the ones we usually find in India. If, however, you don’t like them to be bitter at all then here is a tip from my mom: she said that if you season the washed Methi leaves with a pinch of salt then that will absorb all the bitterness from them. Season and leave them for 5-10 minutes and then add them in the batter. Season the batter accordingly.
Methi leaves usually have a lot of dirt on them so make sure to wash them properly. Drain them then remove the stems completely.
One question which may baffle a newbie cook is the measurement of pinch. Traditionally it is the amount of salt or pepper you can hold between your forefinger and thumb. Now if you want to be more accurate then you may use a measuring spoon and it will be approximately 1/8 teaspoon.

Finally let’s fry the Pakoras:

Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat.
Keep an oven safe dish on the kitchen counter and line it with a paper towel.
Test the temperature of the oil by dropping a bit of the batter into the oil. If there isn’t any bubbling, then the oil isn’t ready. If it’s furiously bubbling and there is smoke, that’s too hot. If the temperature is perfect the batter ball will take a dip and immediately float to the surface of the oil and change color.
At this perfect temperature, start dropping the batter into the oil using a small spoon. Add a couple of spoonfuls at a time and do not over crowd the wok. Keep an eye on the color and temperature of the Pakoras.
Keep frying the Pakoras till they are light golden brown in color.
Remove from the wok using a spider spoon and place them on the plate.
Dust some Chaat Masala on the Pakoras and serve hot with ketchup or Dhania chutney.

Tips:

Prepare the Masala given in the Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki article and dust it on these Pakoras for an extra flavor.
Skip the green chilies and the red chili powder if you don’t want the fritters taste hot. Always remember to improvise the recipe as per your palate.
Keeping the heat on medium ensures a longer frying time and helps cook the batter evenly. You should of course turn it up a bit if the Pakoras are looking greasy or taking forever to cook. Now if the Pakoras are changing color quickly you may want to turn down the heat a bit.
Do not skip the baking soda, it ensures that the Pakoras turn up light and crisp.
Try to use the back burner to deep fry the Pakoras. Always be careful when dealing with hot oil.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

I am a daughter, wife and now a mom! I love cooking and baking and the idea behind this blog is simple. To share all those food recipes I know. Our mom's and grandma's are excellent cooks right? We love the food prepared by them, it's as if their cooking makes our DNA. So, why cook and remember only special gourmet recipes? Life Without Alu? is a celebration of their lives and their love for us by the one medium they knew best - Food! and of course no food is complete without the starch - the star of the show - Potatoes!

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Today I was thinking of all the dishes I have learnt in the last 3 years and I thought, if I have to pick one as my signature dish which one should it be? My signature dish should be something special yet it should not be too technical or difficult and above all it should reflect my personality. I think when we talk about food we immediately visualize in our minds the appearance of the dish and form an opinion about its taste. I think this is one of the reasons why the chefs work so hard on the presentation of the dish. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words right? So, if you see the above picture what will you say about the taste of the dish? Can you guess what this is?

Well, anyone who knows me will agree that I love colors and bold flavors, so for my signature dish I selected something very special with a rich vibrant color and a creamy buttery hot taste. Foodies I present to you – Butter Chicken.

I don’t think I have ever met an Indian who has never had a bowl of Butter Chicken. This dish is widely popular and is served in many restaurants around the world and every chef tries to add something different in it. I have read many different recipes of Butter Chicken online but the recipe I am posting here is very similar to the one used by the vendors and restaurants in North India and believe me although it uses just a handful of ingredients it tastes every bit like an authentic Punjabi Butter Chicken.

So how did I find this amazing recipe? well, it was right after we moved to Montgomery. Debarshi had just joined his new office and we wanted to celebrate by cooking something new. I was trying a lot of different recipes at that time and somehow I found this recipe. Now traditionally, to prepare Butter Chicken, chicken pieces are marinated with yogurt and spices and cooked in a Tandoor (clay oven) which obviously I didn’t have. But I thought let's give it a try, it's butter and chicken what could go wrong? The original recipe said to marinate the chicken and bake it in the oven but I opted for a simpler Indian technique which I continue to use. I prepare Butter Chicken as a one pot dish and the best part about my recipe is, it can be prepared very easily on a short notice. Now the name calls for butter so be generous with it. My tip to you, follow the recipe as is the first time and then improvise it as per your palate.

Yes! improvisation is the best quality of this dish. Since the gravy is prepared with Heavy Cream and Tomato Sauce, it is basically very mild. The flavors start developing when we add the chicken pieces fried with the aromatic Tandoori Masala in the sauce. Personally I love this dish hot so I add Green and Red Chili in it. The most important part of this dish is the cooking time. You have to keep cooking and reducing the sauce till the butter starts separating. At this time, the gravy will look thick, buttery and creamy. This means the dish is ready. This slow cooking will also ensure that the chicken pieces are cooked through while absorbing all the beautiful flavor and fat from the gravy. I make my own homemade Garam Masala which enhances the taste of the gravy even more. I also add a little Kasuri Methi which helps cut down any extra sweetness from the heavy cream.

Since this dish is high in fat, this also makes a perfect LCHF diet. As I have mentioned quite a few times, Debarshi and I were doing this Low Carb High Fat diet a couple months ago and this was one of our go to dishes. This not only satisfied our craving for an authentic Indian gravy but also tasted really good with the low carb breads (made with Almond or Coconut Flour).

Butter Chicken is the most loved and demanded dish I have ever prepared and hence this is a must for the get together parties at our home. Since the dish is slow cooked, I utilize that time to clean up and arrange everything. Butter Chicken goes best with Naan or Pulao and although I prefer to prepare everything from scratch at home, there are times when its best to buy these readymade. Remember home cooked meal has its own charm but you should never let it overwhelm you specially when you are entertaining guests.

So, this weekend, surprise everyone by cooking this restaurant style Indian gravy at home.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients for frying the Chicken:

Butter – 3 tablespoons
Chicken – 2- 2 ½ pounds, skinless, add whatever pieces you like (Breast or Leg), boneless or with ribs, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt – to taste (about 1/3 teaspoon)
Tandoori Masala – 2-3 tablespoons

Ingredients for making the gravy:

Butter – 3 tablespoons
Dried Red Pepper – 2-3, broken in halves
Cloves – 3-4
Green Cardamoms – 4
Bay Leaves – 1-2
Red Onion – ½ of a big onion, minced
Garlic - 2, minced
Tomato – 3 big, pureed
Heavy Cream - 1 cup
Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon
Garam Masala – ¼ teaspoon
Green Chili – 3, slit in half lengthwise
Kasuri Methi – 2 tablespoons

Directions for frying the Chicken:

Heat a wok on high heat.
Add the Butter (3 tablespoons) in it.
Pat dry the chicken pieces and carefully start adding them in the wok. Make sure you are not burning the butter.
We want a nice sear on the chicken pieces so make sure to fry them till they are golden red in color.
Add the Salt with the Tandoori Masala and mix well.
Keep frying for another 10 minutes.
Switch off the heat and transfer the chicken pieces to a microwave safe bowl.
Now let’s prepare the gravy.

Directions for making the gravy:

Heat a wok on medium high heat. If you are using the same wok, wash it lightly with water and clean with a paper towel.
Add the Butter (3 tablespoons) in it. As soon as the butter starts to melt, add the Onion and Garlic in it. If you are adding Green Chilies, add them as well.
Start adding the whole spices (Dried Red Pepper, Cloves, Green Cardamoms and Bay Leaves) in it.
Keep frying the Onion till it caramelizes to a dark brown color. It will take about 5-10 minutes.
Carefully add the Tomato Sauce in it and reduce the heat to medium. Mix well and cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the Heavy Cream in it. Mix well and cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
Now add the Salt and Red Chili Powder. Mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Carefully start adding the chicken pieces. The gravy will be hot and boiling so you can use a tong. The bowl will have some butter and Tandoori Masala from the cooked chicken pieces, use a spatula to transfer it in the wok as well.
Mix well then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Garam Masala. Mix well and cover and cook for another 10 minutes. This will help to reduce the sauce and develop the creamy consistency. This will also make the dish aromatic and add flavor.
At this stage you will see the butter separating from the gravy, this means the dish is ready. It is very important to let the gravy cook till this stage otherwise it will taste very different.
Switch off the heat and add the Kasuri Methi. Mix well and serve hot with Naan or Pulao.

Tips:

While choosing the Chicken pieces for this dish consider the people whom you will be serving. If they like to eat with their hands, then don’t be afraid to include some pieces with ribs. On the other hand, if they like eating only with forks, keep all the pieces boneless. Also, if you know any piece preference (breast or leg), try to include them. Bite size pieces ensure an even cooking and also are more convenient to eat.
I use my chopper to cut the onion and garlic and Nutri bullet to make the tomato puree.
Cooking time is the essence of this dish. If you do not cook the gravy enough, it will be watery and very light like a curry. Remember every stove top heats differently so give it proper time to develop the gravy. Once the butter starts to separate this means the gravy is ready.
When cooked properly, the dish will have a layer of butter on top of the gravy. See the photos? It will look very rich with a deep orange color.
Butter Chicken is like Chocolate Cake, tastes even better the next day so you can even prepare this a day before your party, cool it completely and keep it in the fridge.

This article has been published in the Kansas City Bengali Association Durga Puja 2018 Magazine.

Recommended Reading:

Doing Low Carb Diet? Try this delicious gravy with the following:

Debjani Moitra

Friday, 14 April 2017

Kasuri Methi Paratha (Fried Flatbread with dried Fenugreek Leaves)

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Recipe courtesy: Mamma (Sumita Moitra)

Kasuri Methi Parathas are an absolute treat with any simple curry. I love them with the Alu Tamatar Sabji (Curried Potatoes with Tomatoes). I learnt this Paratha from my mom during my recent India trip and have been making them ever since. These Parathas are also handy when you want to serve something special in a short time. Unlike the fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves which we have to wash properly before adding them in the dough, Kasuri Methi are pre washed and dried leaves and can be added directly in the food. My mom adds some ghee (clarified butter) in the flour which not only helps to make them crisp but also brings that authentic Indian taste in them.

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
All Purpose Flour – 1 cup + ½ cup for rolling the Parathas
Salt – about ½ teaspoon
Kasuri Methi – 3 tablespoons
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Lukewarm Water – about 1 cup
Oil – ½ cup (for frying the Parathas)

Directions for kneading the dough:

Let’s Prep - Wash your hands, you will be using them a lot. If using stand mixer, attach the bowl and hook and connect it.
In a bowl, sift the Whole Wheat Flour, All Purpose Flour and Salt. Mix using your fingers or run the mixer on the lowest speed until its well blended.
Now add the Ghee and Kasuri Methi in the flour. Mix the Ghee with your fingers until you get a sandy texture or a few minutes on the mixer should mix it well.
Now start adding water, a little at a time, and knead into a dough. You may need a few extra tablespoons of water if the dough feels tough. It should be soft and slightly sticky. Keep kneading it for another minute. If you are using stand mixer, start the mixer on lowest speed and slowly start adding half a cup of water in the flour. I give it time to knead and form the dough. If the sides are sticking with the bowl too much I switch off the mixer and clean the sides using a spatula. I keep it running until the dough begins to come together adding 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time.
At this stage it will look dry, normally for 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of water should be sufficient so make sure not to add too much water at this stage. Keep running the mixer.
Now sometimes the dough turns out a bit stickier, I usually add a little flour and keep kneading it until its smooth and almost non sticky.
When the dough feels smooth, remove the hook and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Directions to prepare the Paratha:

Once the dough has rested, re-knead the dough for a few seconds. Then divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll each part into a log like a thick breadstick. Divide both the logs into 8 equal pieces.
Now these 8 pieces will make 8 Parathas. Take a piece of dough between your palms and roll it into a ball. Press the ball between your palms lightly to flatten it a little like a disc. Put all the other balls of dough back in the bowl and cover it. This will prevent the dough from drying out.
Now let’s make the Paratha, dip that disc of dough lightly into the All Purpose Flour. This will give it a smoother texture. Place the disc on the rolling board and start rolling it into a 4-inch round.
I usually spread a little flour whenever the dough starts to stick on the board and roll it into a round shape with even thickness on all sides.
Now let’s fry the Paratha. Heat a big Skillet over medium heat. Transfer the rolled out Paratha to the pan and do this carefully. Lift the Paratha with both hands and place it on the skillet. If it folds while placing, carefully straighten it using a spatula.
Let it cook until you see bubbles forming. Flip the Paratha over using a spatula.
Use a brush to apply Oil on the Paratha and let it cook for about a minute. You will see more bubbles forming. If you see a few reddish brown spots beginning to form, it’s ready.
Flip the Paratha and apply oil on this side as well and flip it again. This time, press onto the Paratha with your spatula on different places for 5-10 seconds. This will help it puff up.
Flip the Paratha back over and press the other side with your spatula for a few seconds.
Turn the heat down to medium low.
Transfer the cooked Paratha on a plate lined with paper towel.
Serve the Paratha hot with Alu Tamatar Sabji.

Tips:

If at any time the Skillet gets too hot, turn the heat to medium low and continue cooking. If it is taking too long to cook, then the skillet is probably on a lower heat than required. If the reddish brown spots are forming within a couple of seconds after you place the Paratha on the skillet, then it is too hot.
For a new cook, rolling and frying the Paratha at the same time can be overwhelming and you may want to lower the heat. Remember if the Paratha stays on the skillet for too long then its moisture will get all dried up and it will loose its softness so if you need time to roll the Parathas make sure to turn the heat to low and then again to medium once you have placed the rolled out Paratha on the skillet.
Switch on the vent/ exhaust so that the cooking fumes are drawn out.
Do not add a lot of water all at once in the flour. Adding a little water at a time helps to control the dough more efficiently.
Keep the Ghee at room temperature or melt it a bit in the microwave before adding it in the dough.
When kneading with your hands, make sure to wash and dry them. I always wear an apron with a short sleeved top to protect the flour from sticking on my clothes. Also, it is advisable to remove the rings.
If the dough turns out sticky, continue to knead it so that it gets smooth. If you are having too much trouble, lightly dust your hands with flour and sprinkle some over the dough as well and continue kneading.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

Wednesday, 28 December 2016

Sambar (South Indian lentils and vegetable soup)

So, here I am, looking at my fridge and thinking hmm... what to do with all these vegetables? I see carrots, zucchini, radishes with some pumpkin and an eggplant just sitting there, looking at me expectantly, as if saying, are you going to cook me today? Now I have a variety of options, I can make a mixed vegetables Sabji with Paneer or I can also grill these vegetables and serve them as a side with a yummy homemade burger but then a fantastic idea comes to me, how about a soup and not any boring bland soup but a tasty yummy tangy soup. So today I am going to cook some Sambar and of course share the recipe with you.

Sambar is a South Indian soup, prepared with lentils and vegetables. It gets its tangy flavor from Tamarind and its unique taste is created by a spice mix which is known as Sambar Masala. It also uses a special leaf called the Curry Leaf and is prepared with Arhar dal which is also known as Pigeon Pea lentil. I know you must be thinking, these are a lot of new ingredients but don’t worry, all these can be easily found at your local Indian store.

Although Sambar can be eaten just like soup it’s very interesting to know that you can easily convert this into a main course dish by serving it with Cheela or some Vada (which are fritters prepared with a batter of lentils). My mom usually prepares everything from scratch by soaking the lentils overnight for the Vadas. She grinds the soaked lentils with some spices and then deep fries the fritters and serves them with the hot Sambar.

Since my decision to prepare Sambar was impromptu, I decided to go with a readymade dal Vada mix. I had this moong dal Vada mix of Gits company in my pantry and I thought this should go nicely with my yummy Sambar. If you like deep fried foods, you will love frying this Vada. It’s easy to make and delicious to eat.

Let’s talk about the star of the show now. Preparing Sambar is pretty easy. All you need to do is first cook the dal in a pressure cooker, then fry the vegetables with the spices, add the dal in it and its ready in just two whistles. I usually prefer a thicker Sambar than what is served in the restaurants. I add a lot of vegetables and mash it once the lid opens. This brings that thick consistency and adds a lot of flavor in every spoon. Prefer the restaurant version? easy, don’t mash the vegetables, add a cup of lukewarm water in the Sambar, mix well and adjust the salt. Its ready!

I find using a pressure cooker really handy for cooking lentils. In fact, I don’t know any other way to cook them. I would like to point here though that if you are using a cooker for the first time, always ensure that you are letting the steam to cool down completely before opening the lid. Remember pressure cooker is not for every dish but it suits perfectly for cooking this one.

I think this is a very good meal option for the kids as well. I remember my mom used to prepare several dishes like this which were tasty as well as healthy. The kids will be happy because of the Vada and you will be happy as they will be eating their vegetables in the Sambar. This one hot soup solves all the problems.

Now my mom uses the same recipe but she does a couple of things in a different way which I thought would be interesting to share here in case you want to try a different approach. She never adds radishes but rather adds some onion with some slit green chilies. She fries the vegetables in a little oil and after the whole Sambar is cooked, she tampers a spoonful of ghee (clarified butter) in a wok with the Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Asafoetida, Curry Leaves and Dry Red Chilies. Once the seeds start sputtering in the oil she adds the dal in the wok and mixes everything together.

Although Sambar can be enjoyed in every season, I love to eat it during winters. I take my bowl of Sambar Vada and enjoy it near the fireplace where its all warm and toasty.

“Soup for the soul, stories for a better world”.

Ingredients:

Arhar dal- ½ Cup
Salt – ½ Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – ¼ Teaspoon
Oil - 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds – ½ Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seed – 1/8 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds – ¼ Teaspoon
Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 10-12 washed
Dry Red Chilies – 4, Whole
Tomato - 1 Large, Cut into Small Pieces
Carrots – ½ cup, cut into bite size pieces
Zucchini – 1 cup, cut into bite size pieces
Radishes - ½ cup, cut into bite size pieces
Eggplant – 1 cup, cut into bite size pieces
Pumpkin – 1 cup, cut into bite size pieces
Tamarind Pulp - 2 Tablespoons
Sambar Powder – 2 Tablespoons

Let’s cook the dal:

Add the dal in the pressure cooker along with the Salt, Turmeric powder and a teaspoon of Oil.
Add 3 cups of water in it and mix well.
Close the cooker and put it on medium heat. Make sure you put the whistle and rubber on the lid and close it properly.
When the cooker whistles for 2-3 times, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Once the pressure drops and the lid opens proceed to the below steps.

Directions to prepare the Sambar:

Transfer the dal to a microwave safe bowl.
Wash the cooker lightly and heat it on medium high heat.
Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Oil in it and after a few seconds add the whole spices (Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Asafoetida, Curry Leaves and Dry Red Chilies) in it.
Once the seeds start sputtering, lower the heat to medium and start adding the vegetables (Tomato, Carrots, Zucchini, Radishes, Eggplant and Pumpkin) in it.
Fry the vegetables for a couple of minutes then add the Sambar Powder and mix well.
Finally add the Tamarind Pulp with half a cup of water and mix everything together.
Add the dal in the cooker, mix well and close the cooker. Now we will wait for two whistles.
Turn off the heat and let the cooker cool down. Once the pressure drops and the lid opens, check if you like the consistency. I like my Sambar thick so I mash all the vegetables using a big ladle. If you like yours thin, then add a cup of lukewarm water and adjust the Salt.
Serve the dal hot like a soup or serve it with Cheela or Dal Vada.