Karahi chicken

   'Karahi Chicken', an Pakistani dish, derives its name from the round, circular shaped wok (called as karahi) they are cooked with.   Prepared with tomatos and green chilly as its base, this gravy is not only flavourful, but also was delecious.  

With an toddler around, I decided to go with moderate amounts of green chilly (If you wish this dish to be highly spicy, you can add more amount of green chillies) Remaining amount of green chilly, was substituted with capsicum slices to give an sweet touch.  This dish, is cooked as an one pot meal and traditionally was cherished till late nights.  Simplistic approach, with easy-peasy ingredients and no-oil cooking complements this dish an lot.

Phool makhana curry

Phool makhana or popped lotus seeds can be found in many supermarkets under spice section.  People use the same in curries, kheer or having them as such (with spices) like pop corn.  These phool makhana are quite nutritious and are used extensively in chinese cuisine who beleive them to 'clear heat', nutritious and thus  has the ability to restore perfect health to our body. The other dishes using phool makhana is  phool makhana kheer and roasted phool makhana. This is what phool makhana looks like

And our fabulous end product is 

Ingredients required

• One cup of phool makhana
• 3 tsp oil
• Half tsp whole jeera
• 4-5 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 4-5 mint leaves
• Half cup finely chopped onions
• Half tsp turmeric/haldi
• 1 tsp Everest Kitchen king masala
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 3 tsp almond paste/cashew paste
• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

In a kadaai, roast phool makhana till they turn brown, keep them aside.  Care should be taken while roasting, do not burn them

In another kadaai, heat oil, add jeera, green chilly and mint leaves.  Stir them

Throw in onion and cook till they turn brown

Add in ginger-garlic paste and all spice powders.  Sprinkle water and cook till oil leaves the sides of mixture

Add in tomato puree and almond paste.  Cook in simmer flame for about ten minutes..Lastly add browned phool makhana and simmer flame for ten more minutes.  Serve hot with rice/phulkas 

Isn't this creamy sauce wonderful??

Nihari

Nihari is popular meat dish of Pakistan.  This arabic word meaning 'morning after sunrise', is had in breakfast.  Though meat from goat is used in main, you could also make using chicken.  It should be noted that mostly meat from shank, (ie near leg) is used.

Ingredients required

• 5 tsp oil

To make masala paste

• 5-6 cloves
• 4 cardamons
• 2 tsp shahjeera
• 1 cup of choppped onions

other

• 350gm chicken with bones
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Everest chicken masala
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp tomato puree (optional)

Method

Heat oil and fry the blended masala (Blend all given under masala ingredients)

Add chicken pieces along with broth

Stir in all spices and tomato puree

Cover and cook till done.  Serve hot.

Tomato baath (Biriyani-styled yummy tomato rice)

This fabulous rice is quite irresistable... try once and u will be asked to prepare regularly  !!!!

Ingredients required

To temper

• 5-6 tsp oil
• Half cup finely chopped garlic
• 2-3 whole red chillies, broken
• 1 tsp whole jeera

Other

• 1/2 cup finely sliced onion
• 1/2 cup finely sliced tomatos
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp hing/perungayam
• 1 tsp dhanya powder
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup tomato pureee
• 11/4 plain water
• 4 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in vessel and add ingredients for temper

Add in onions, saute till golden brown 

Add in tomatos and spices

Add in tomato puree and water.  Check salt and spice content in water form. 

Add in basmati rice which was soaked for fifteen minutes and cook on open vessel.  It is best to cook basmati rice in open vessel than pressure cooking because pressure cooking makes basmati rice soggy, but cooking in open vessel renders grainy texture of rice.  Cook till rice rises to top and cook for ten more minutes simmer flame with vessel closed. 

Serve hot with coriander leaves garnished

Hmm.... so yummyyyy

Bharwan bainghan (stuffed brinjal)

Ingredients required

• 7-8 small purple brinjals

For the filling

• 1 tsp roasted, crushed peanuts
• 2 tsp grated coconuts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/4 tsp white sesame seeds(optional)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp roasted whole jeera
• 1/2 tsp whole dhaniya
• 1/2 tsp crushed peppercorn
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

To temper

• 3 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp rai/mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 3-4 curry leaves, chopped finely

Other

• 4 tsp tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp of finely chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

Blend the ingredients given under filling portion, keep aside.  Wash brinjals. By holding the stem of the brinjal by ur fingers, make two slits both horizontally and vertically.

Through this gap, place ur filling prepared and arrange filled brinjals in ur plate

Meanwhile heat oil in kadaai, and add ingredients for temper one by one,  when done, placed stuffed brinjals and cook.

When brinjals are almost half done, add tomato puree followed by salt and garam masala.  Cook till done and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves

Hyderabadi vegetable sandwich

Ingredients required

For temper

• 3 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies

Other ingredients

• 4 tsp finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp curd
• pinch of haldi/turmeric
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp dhanya powder
• 1/2 cup of tomato puree
• 1 cup of boiled mixed vegetables like cauliflower, potato, carrot, beans
• 3 tsp of grated cheese
• Milk bread- four slices

Method

Heat oil and add temper

Add finely chopped by onions followed by spices, curd.

Gently mix in tomato puree and veggies

Cook till done.  Note that mixture should be dry, otherwise continue sauting till u get an dry one.  If it is wet, sandwich will become soggy and it will spoil its very appearence.

In a tawa, toast bread slices and spread filling on one bread slice quite evenly

Throw in cheese gratings and cover with another bread slice.  Toast well, cut into slice and serve

Hmm..... yummyyyyy

Dal bukhara

Dal bukhara( is from town called bukhara from uzbekistan country) is another dish cooked with black urad dal, though it might resemble dal makhni, the difference between them is that dal makhni with dark grey colour is made with a strong buttery flavour with spices to add its part, but bukhara is reddhish brown coloured with tomato as its dominant flavour.  So the recipe is as follows:

Ingredients required

To be pressure cooked

• 1/2 cup black urad dal, soaked overnight
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 3 tsp finely chopped mint leaves
• Pinch of hing/perungayam
• one cup water

Other ingredients

• 3 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp powdered cardamon
• 2 cloves
• 4 tsp finely chopped onions
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 4 tsp finely chopped tomatos
• Pinch of turmeric
• one cup tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp dhanya powder
• 1 tsp salt

Method

Pressure cook dal with all ingredients given under pressure cook column, keep aside

In a separate pan, heat oil and add cinnamon, clove and cardamon powder.

Add onions and saute till they turn pink.  Add ginger-garlic paste

Add chopped tomatos and saute till they turn mushy

Now, throw in spice powders along with pressure cooked dal

Finally add tomato puree

Serve hot with rotis