Chicken Korma

Chicken Korma 

This is a rich korma. It's a perfect dish for a special occasion. I know most people these days are very health conscious so save this recipe for those indulgent times, because recreating it by reducing the cashew nuts and the cream would be extremely unfair to this delectable recipe. I kid you not; this one is a must-try!

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken, cut in 1”cubes
115 grams cashews, blanched and coarsely ground
4 tablespoons ghee/clarified butter
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root paste
3 pods green cardamom, smashed
1 inch cinnamon
1 small bay leaf
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
5 green chilies, finely chopped
2 medium-sized ripe tomato, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
125 mils chicken stock
100 mils heavy cream, beaten smooth with a fork
100 grams hung yogurt
A pinch of saffron, seeped in 2 tablespoons hot milk
Coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish
7 whole cashews, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the clarified butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Halve the 7 whole cashews and golden fry. Drain and keep aside. 
3. Add the smashed cardamom pods to the clarified butter in the pan along with the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Stir and cook for a minute. 
4. Add the onion, garlic paste, ginger paste and stir well. 
5. Let the onions and mixture sauté for a few minutes and then add the garam masala, turmeric powder, green chilies, salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Cook for a few minutes, add the cubed chicken pieces and the chopped tomatoes. 
7. Cook the chicken on high heat for about eight minutes making sure that you occasionally stir the chicken. 
8. When the clarified butter starts to separate, blend the chicken stock, heavy cream, hung yogurt and the ground cashews and gently pour the mixture over the chicken. Stir well. 
9. Cover the pot with a tight lid and let the Korma simmer for another 5 minutes on low to medium heat till chicken is cooked. 
10. Add the saffron milk along with the saffron threads and simmer for a minute more to infuse the flavour. 
11. Garnish with cashews and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with naan, Malabari paratha or roti. Enjoy!!
    
    

Chef’s Notes:

1. Korma's usually taste better if served a minimum of 6 hours after it is cooked. 
2. Just before serving, heat the Korma and plate it in a serving dish and garnish it with fresh chopped coriander and a few whole cashews. 
3. I chose to fry the cashews for garnishing.
4. If you do not have a tight lid for the vessel in which you are cooking the Korma, do not fret, simply put a heavy mortar and/or pestle over the lid to ensure it stays tightly closed.
5. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism. 

Handi Chicken

Handi Chicken

Handi in Hindi means vessel or pot. It’s a deep, wide or narrow mouthed, vessel. Meat, be it chicken or mutton, is slow cooked in such a vessel and hence the term, ‘handi’. Sometimes slow cooking is done not just by covering the ‘handi’ with a lid but by also sealing the edges of the vessel and the lid with dough. This is done to ensure that the flavor and aroma of the dish remain intact. Slow cooking this chicken in the ‘handi’ ensures that it remains extremely moist and succulent when it’s served on the plate. Thick, fiery red, gravy coats the chicken pieces and this gravy goes beautifully with naan or with parathas. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken, cut into desired pieces
6 medium onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
12-14 garlic cloves, chopped
12-14 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons red chili paste
2 tablespoons fresh coconut paste
2 tablespoons poppy seeds paste
Salt to taste
A large handful coriander leaves

For marinade:

4 teaspoons ginger paste 

4 teaspoons garlic paste
4 teaspoons green chili paste
2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
8-10 cloves
4 tablespoons curd/yogurt
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with the marinade ingredients and keep it in refrigerator for 4-5 hours. (I marinated it overnight)
2. Take a handi/vessel, heat oil, add cumin seeds and let it crackle. 
3. Add onions and garlic and fry till golden brown. 
4. Add the chicken along with marinate and stir on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. 
5. Add red chili paste, salt (remember salt is already added in marinate so add accordingly) and mix in well. 
6. Lower the heat and cook on very slow fire till chicken is almost tender.
7. Add coconut paste, poppy seeds paste and mix well. Add little water and cook till chicken is tender. 
8. Mix in finely chopped coriander. Serve hot!
   
   

Chef’s Notes:

1. Recipe courtesy: Harry Punwani (Recreated from Jaspreet Nirula’s original recipe of Mutton Handi at a Facebook food forum.)
2. I usually make a few changes when I cook, but this recipe truly didn't need any alterations hence simply followed it to the T. 
3. Feel free to reduce the oil content if you're health conscious. I used the quantity mentioned because I have no clue what the words ‘health conscious' means. :P
4. I'm the madcap who loved this dish not only with naan and parathas but also with plain steamed rice. 
5. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
   

Mango Kalakand-Barfi (Microwave Method)

Mango Kalakand-Barfi (Microwave)

When guests suddenly drop in on you during the mango season, there is no better way to charm them with a post-dinner sweet than this. You can also make this with canned mango pulp when mangoes are not in season. Not just quick and easy to make, it's totally yum too. Your guests will never guess, or believe, you made this at home. Wanna bet?? ;-)

Ingredients:

1 can condensed milk (400 grams)
1 Khoya (mawa)/ricotta cheese /paneer(430 grams) … I used Khoya/mawa
1 teaspoon Almond, Saffron, Cardamom, Pistachio powder 
1 cup Alphonso mango pulp
7 almonds, sliced
7 pistachios, sliced
A sheet or two of silver vark/beaten silver sheets, to decorate
Butter for greasing 

Method:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix khoya/mawa, mango pulp and condensed milk together, ensuring there are no lumps. (It will look similar to dosa/pancake batter, but thicker.)
   
   
2. Cook in microwave uncovered for 5 minutes. Take the bowl out mix well and keep them back in the microwave for 5 more minutes. 
3. Again take out the bowl, mix well and keep it in the microwave covered for 3 minutes. Mix them well again. 
4. Now keep the lid cross covered, so that the splatter is avoided and also there is enough space to vent the steam from the bowl out or use the splatter screen for that purpose. (I used a splatter screen with a small vent for letting out steam)
5. Now micro wave with lids cross covered and every 3 minutes take out, mix well and repeat thrice for a total of 9 minutes. It will be solidified with a grainy texture. 
6. Add the almond, saffron, cardamom, pistachio powder to this mixture and mix well.
7. Microwave covered with a splatter cover for a minute more.
   
   
8. Grease a tray with a little butter. Transfer the mixture to this prepared tray and flatten the mixture and press it evenly and firmly. Allow the mixture to cool a bit.
   
   
9. Decorate with silver vark. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and pistachios and press them lightly so that they stick well.
   
   
10. Cover the tray and let the mithai set for few hours or refrigerate for an hour till set.
11. Slice as per the desired shape. Enjoy!
    
    

Chef’s Notes:

1. The original recipe for Kalakand is courtesy Seema Hussain. The idea to give it a mango twist is courtesy Harry Punwani. 
2. IMPORTANT: The highest microwave setting for my microwave is 900 W, hence if the highest power of your microwave is 1000 W then reduce a minute from the microwave time mentioned. Alternately, if the highest power of your microwave is less than 900 W then please increase the cooking time by a minute or two depending on the wattage.
3. Pistachios can be omitted. I added pistachios to make the Barfi slightly richer.
4. If you make this with canned mango pulp, you may have to reduce the condensed milk quantity though, because canned pulp is usually sweetened a wee bit extra by the manufacturers. 
5. Silver vark too wasn’t used in the original recipe. I wanted the sweet to be visually appealing hence used it. 
6. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.