Kosha Mangsho/Spicy Mutton in Gravy/Mutton kosha

I don’t know if restating Kosha Mangsho as Spicy Mutton in Gravy is precise or not, but I’m sure that won’t bring any difference in the heavenly taste of this mouth-watering ever-so-famous Bengali delicacy. This traditional meat curry brings smile to every person who loves food and cannot manage a single Sunday lunch without it. For some people Sunday lunch means nothing else but enjoying Mutton kosha or Kosha Mangsho on a bed of steaming hot rice.

For my friends who are not aware of the delicate fantasy of this traditional Bengali meat curry, Kosha Mangsho is goat meat chunks cooked slowly in rich and spicy gravy of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and a mix of some other spices. The secret of the heavenly taste lies in the time factor, that is, the more time you take to slow-cook, the better will the taste comes out. The slow cooking method and the proper ingredients in perfect proportions are the key to heavenly taste o f mutton kosha.

Now about the cooking method, you can either cook in a pan or wok for about 2-2.5 hours, or you can use the pressure cooker that will take lesser time with no difference or lesser in taste. Either of this method can be followed for bringing out the best taste results, provided you use the right spices and other ingredients. So here comes the method and ingredients for Mutton Kosha or Kosha Mangsho or Spicy Mutton in Gravy.

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

Goat meat (cut into chunks): 2 lbs.

Plain yogurt or hung curd: 3 tblsp.s

Ginger and garlic paste: 1 tblsp each

For the gravy:

Onion slices: 2 cups

Ginger and garlic paste: 1 tsp. each

Chopped tomatoes: 1 cup

Turmeric powder: 2 tsp

Red chili powder: 1-2 tsp or as more or less spice level preferred

Garam masala powder: 1-2 tsp or as preferred

Cinnamon: 1 inch

Cardamom: 2-3 pods

Cloves: 3-4

Bay leaf: 2

Dry red chili: 2-3 whole

Salt: as per taste

Sugar: 1 tsp

Coriander leaver: handful for garnishing

Mustard oil: 4-5 tblsp

Cooking instructions:

1.       Take a large mixing bowl and put together all the ingredients for marinade.

2.       Clean and pat dry the goat meat chunks and mix them with the marinade. Cover and keep aside for 2-3 hours.

3.       Take a heavy bottom pan or wok and heat mustard oil. Fry the halved potatoes till they turn brown. Keep them aside.

4.       Tamper the oil with the whole garam masala, dry red chilis and bay leaf.

5.       Add the onion slices once nice aroma comes from the whole spices and fry them till onions become light browned.

6.       Next add ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and salt. Mix them nicely.

7.       Now add the marinated mutton pieces and cook nicely for few minutes.

8.       It’s the time to add the dry spices, like turmeric, chili and garam masala powder and mix them together very nicely.

9.       Cook the mutton very carefully for 20-30 minutes, keep the heat medium and check time to time so mutton doesn’t stick to the bottom. Add warm water time to time in little proportions if the curry becomes dry. Add the fried potatoes now.

10.   Now if you want to pressure cook it, put the mutton into pressure cooker at this point. Cook for 10 minutes. But if you want to cook in the same pan for a longer time, add 3 cups of warm water and cook covered for 2 hours or till it is softened and cooked nicely.

11.   After the mutton gets cooked nicely, garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with either rice or luchi or paratha.  

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is one of the top most favorites on my dinner table. Chicken Tikkas are the small bite sized chicken pieces marinated with some selected spices and grilled in Tandoor or conventional oven. When these delicious tikkas are cooked through the creamy gravy of tomato, onions and yogurt, you get the heavenly tasty Chicken Tikka Masala. Serve it on the bed of steaming rice or with any kind of Naan or breads, and it makes a perfect meal on your dinner table.

Although there are varied stories available about the origin of this mouth -watering delicacy, one of the most popular legends is that it was invented by an Indian or Pakistani chef of a restaurant in Great Britain. So, without getting into any stories, let’s concentrate on the making of this incredibly aromatic chicken curry and enhancing your cooking skill a little more.

The recipe includes 2 steps – first making the tikkas and then make the gravy and cook the tikkas into it.

Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala:

First step: Making the Tikka:

1.       Chicken breasts or thigh cutlet: 2 lbs.

2.       Full fat yogurt: 1 cup

3.       Ginger and garlic paste: 1 tbsp. each

4.       Turmeric powder: ½ tbsp

5.       Red chili powder: 1 tbsp.

6.       Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

7.       Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.       Cut the chicken into bite size cubes. Clean them nicely and pat them dry

2.       Take a large mixing bowl and put all the ingredients for margination.

3.       Now transfer the chicken cubes in it and keep them covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour

4.       Take baking tray and line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Now add the marinated chicken pieces in the tray and broil for 12-15 minutes. Check in between and turn them over if needed.    OR

5.       If you don’t have the oven, you can easily do the process in a skillet. Grease the skillet with little oil or butter and fry the chicken pieces till the turn brown on each side.

Second step: Making the Gravy:

1.       Onion (sliced): 1 cup

2.       Tomato puree: ½ cup

3.       Cinnamon sticks: 2

4.       Cloves: 3-4

5.       Cardamom: 2-3

6.       Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

7.       Bay leaf: 1

8.       Ginger paste/grated: 1 tsp

9.       Coriander powder: 1 tsp

10.   Turmeric powder:

11.   Red chili powder

12.   Garam masala powder:

13.   Salt and sugar: As per taste

14.   Heavy cream 100 ml / Evaporated milk 6-7 tbsp.

15.   Ghee / clarified butter: 2-3 tbsp.

16.   Cilantro: for garnishing

Procedure:

1.       If you are using a skillet to shallow fry the chicken, use the same skillet. Otherwise use a wok or pan and heat oil with some tampering by cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf.

2.       Add the onion slices and fry them till translucent. Then add ginger paste and the dry spices.

3.       After stirring them for couple of minutes add the tomato puree and cook for another 7-8 minutes on medium to low heat. Add some water after few minutes to form a nice gravy and season with salt and sugar.

4.       Cover and cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat and then add the chicken. Cook them through the gravy for next 10 minutes and add some hot water if needed as the gravy should be thicken by then.

5.       After that add the heavy cream / evaporated milk (whichever you are using) and mix the entire thing nicely. Don’t cook the chicken for ling after adding cream/milk. Switch off the heat after 2-3 minutes.

6.       Add ghee on top and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot Chicken Tikka Masala on a bed of steaming flavorful rice or with Naan.

Chicken Curry : Simple and quick recipe in 30 minutes

Chicken Curry is nowadays like a staple food in most of the households. Kids have become so picky and fussy eater nowadays that parents have to find new and unique recipes everyday to at least make them sit and eat. For my kids I can say chicken and eggs are ultimate savior for me. Like for chicken you can give them in any form, any recipes, they will eat the last crumb with supreme pleasure. Similarly, eggs are their all-time favorite too. So chicken curry and egg curry are the most common dishes on my table, be it on weeknights or weekends.

This simple chicken curry can be an on-the-go recipe for you as well and proved to be easier and quick dinner on weeknights. Kids always like it too, which is an added advantage for you. Just mix in all the basic dry spices with the chicken pieces and cook in onion and tomato gravy on medium heat. You can make it slightly sweet or extra spicy by adding some extra flavors if you wish. You can even make it richer and more aromatic by adding some heavy cream or coconut milk.

The important thing is there can never be a specific recipe for a simple chicken curry. Every cook makes it differently by putting their personal touch and preferred spices in it. Whatever you mix in it, it will never fail to be a good dish and nothing can go wrong in whichever way you make it.
So today I am giving you one of the easiest and simplest recipe of Chicken Curry for weeknights dinner, cooked with some basic ingredients available in your kitchen .

Ingredients:

Chicken: Cut in medium pieces OR Chicken wings (or in any form available in your freezer): 2 lbs/1 kg

To Marinate:
Yogurt: Half cup
Salt : 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp
Red chili powder: 1/2 tbsp
Kashmiri red chili powder (optional) : 1/2 tbsp
Chicken Curry masala (optional) : 1 tbsp
Oil: 1 tbsp.

For Gravy:
Onion : 2 medium or 1 1/2 big
Tomato : 1 medium size
Potato : cut in cube (5-6 cubes, add more or less as per your choice)
Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
Garlic paste : 1/2 tbsp or more if preferred
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder : 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon and cardamom)
Dry Red Chili : 1 -2
Bay Leaves : 1-2
Salt to taste
Sugar : 1 tsp
Cilantro / Coriander leaves : to garnish

How to make the chicken curry:

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with the paper towel.
2. Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients mentioned above and keep it for at least 10-15 minutes (you can keep the marinated chicken for long if you want, like 30 minutes)
3. Heat oil in a pan or wok and fry the potato cubes till golden brown. Keep them aside and now temper the oil with the whole spices, dry red chili and bay leaves. Add the sliced onions when the aroma comes and fry them in medium heat. You can add some salt and sugar while frying, it will help to bring a nice caramelized color.
4. Once onions are fried and translucent, add the tomato and ginger garlic paste and fry together covering the pan for 5-6 minutes on low-medium heat. Then add the dry ingredients like turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala powder. Fry the whole thing on low heat till oil separates.
5. Now add the marinated chicken (with the marinade sauce too) as well as the fried potatoes and mix all of them nicely on medium heat. Once you mix them thoroughly add 2 cups of warm/hot water and cook covered for 10-12 minutes till the chicken gets soft and cooked nicely. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.
6. If you want to put some more flavor like coconut cream or heavy cream, add at this point when the curry is almost done. Mix them nicely and let it cook for another 5 minutes and switch off the heat. Sprinkle some cilantro on top and cover it to give some standing time.
Serve with steaming rice or naan or simple roti. Put some onion and cucumber slices aside to add that extra pinch and enjoy....

Kalakand: 2 easy recipes

Being a Bengali I can easily tell how our weakness for food, especially sweets can takeover our lives over anything. There is no credit for assuming why Bengalis are very often identified with food, spices and of course sweets. But Don't get confused with the type of sweets we love, it's mostly Roshogolla, Sandesh, Kalakand, Chom-chom, Pantua (not Gulab-jamun), Rasomalai, and the list goes on forever :D

Recipe for Roshogolla is attached in the link below:

https://spicesoflives.blogspot.com/2015/02/roshogolla-or-rasgulla.html


The primary ingredient for making Kalakand is khoya/paneer/cottage cheese/chhana. You can use store bought cottage cheese or khoya but I consider the homemade chhana is preferable as I have tried both. As per my explanation, the texture and taste of Kalakand made from homemade chhana cannot be compared with the readymade cottage cheese.

Although you are always welcome to try out if running late with guests coming over, and it will turn out pretty good. But you must try making Kalakand with chhana and that's when you will discover and magic and the heavenly taste.

Today I am going to provide my viewers both the recipes. For beginners, as in who have just started entering the kitchen and find everything super difficult :), cottage cheese or store bought paneer will be better. But for pro and who love doing experiments and keep the excitement on, homemade chhana will definitely work best.

Recipe 1: 

Ingredients:
1. Ricotta cheese or any kind of cottage cheese or khoya (from Indian Grocery Store): 500 gms
2. Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 can/14 oz
3. Cardamom powder
4. Almond-pistachios or few strands of saffron for decoration

Preparation:
1. Take a mixing bowl and put together first three ingredients. Mix very well with a spoon evenly.
2. Take heavy bottom steel or non-stick pan. Heat it on medium flame and pour the sweet mixture. Now keep stirring frequently on medium to low flame, so that it won't stick at the bottom.
3. Keep stirring for 8-10 minutes or till the mixture comes together in a lump and comes out of the sides.
4. Grease a tray with ghee or butter and pour the mixture. Spread it evenly along the sides and the top part of course. Sprinkle chopped nuts or saffron strands or simply some cardamom powder (basically any flavor of your choice) and keep it in the room temperature for about an hour.

5. Cut into square pieces and enjoy the sweet creamy Kalakand. You can refrigerate and use for next 4-5 days.

Recipe 2:

Ingredients:
1. Whole Milk: 2 liters
2. 1 lemon or Vinegar half cup (for curdling the milk and making chhana)
3. Sugar (powdered): 3/4th cup (you can add less or more as per your sweet preference)
4. Cardamom powder
5. Almond-pistachios or few strands of saffron for decoration
6. Rose water (optional)

Preparation:
1. Boil the milk in medium heat. For curdling the milk you can either use juice of a whole lemon or half cup vinegar. Add slowly once the milk start bubbling and stir continuously.
2. Within few minutes the milk will separate from water and switch off the flame at this point. Wait for another couple of minutes and you can see the chhana will separate and whey comes in.
3. Strain the chhana in a cheese-cloth and squeeze out water as much as possible. Hang the cheesecloth for 45 minutes to strain any excess water.
4. Now take the chhana and put it in a heavy bottom pan. Cook the mixture for 7-8 minutes and add sugar, cardamom powder or rosewater if you want.
5. Cook for another 2 minutes till it comes together in a lump. Grease a tray with ghee or butter and pour the mixture in it. Sprinkle chopped nuts or saffron strands or simply some cardamom powder (basically any flavor of your choice) and keep it in the room temperature for about an hour.
6. Cut into square pieces and enjoy the sweet creamy Kalakand. You can refrigerate and use for next 4-5 days.

Chicken Chaap

If you are in love with Mughlai cuisine, Chicken Chaap will definitely be on the list of your top favorites. This is one of the rich traditional Mughlai delicacies, you will hardly keep yourself off from tasting. Mughlai cuisine includes the usage of aromatic variety spices, milk, cream, dried fruits and nuts which results in the rich and savory taste. Chicken Chaap go hand in hand with Biriyani, Naan or Paratha. 

The most significant part of this recipe includes the marination. The marinade sauce takes most of the ingredients needed for the recipe and longer the marination, better and richer the taste comes out of it. The marinated chicken should be slow cooked for at least 30 minutes till the rich oily gravy comes out of it. Once the marination is done, it takes no time and labor to prepare Chaap. The very simple procedure makes it accessible to your kitchen if you have all the ingredients available with you, which I guess most of you all have. 

So why wait to find a good restaurant, when you can make it by yourself in no time. Follow the recipe below and experience the rich aromatic taste of the very traditional Mughlai delicacy. 

For Biriyani, follow this link :
https://spicesoflives.blogspot.com/2015/02/mutton-biriyani.html


Ingredients for Chicken Chaap:

Chicken drumsticks : 9-10
Greek yogurt or hung curd : 3/4th cup
Besan (roasted) : 2-3 tbsp 
Roasted Cashew paste : 2-3 tbsp
Poppy seeds paste : 2 tbsp
Onion paste : Half onion if it's big or a small whole
Ginger-garlic paste : 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp
Salt : As preferred
Red chili powder : 1 tbsp or less (as preferred)
Black pepper powder : 1 tsp
Saffron or Kesar : Just a pinch, soaked in warm milk
Kewra water : 1 tsp or less if you want
Ghee and oil: 1 tbsp each of them


Procedure:

1. Clean the chicken pieces thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then slit the pieces with a knife and keep them aside.

2. Take a large bowl and beat the yogurt nicely as no lump should be there. Mix rest of the ingredients except oil/ghee nicely to form a smooth and rich paste.

3. Now add the drumsticks in the marinade and coat the pieces nicely and cover and rest for atleast 4-5 hours.

4. You may use a heavy bottom steel pan or a non-stick one. Add and heat ghee and oil together in a medium flame. Now add all the chicken pieces including the marinade sauce on the top. Keep the flame as low as possible, cover and let it cook slowly. Check them time to time so they don't stick at the bottom. Turn over the pieces carefully after 10-12 minutes and again cook them covered for another 10 minutes.

5. Check with a fork if the drumsticks are cooked nicely and oil starts coming from the gravy. The gravy should be rich and thick after all the water dissolves. If you feel they haven't cooked nicely and the gravy is dried up, sprinkle some warm water. After it's done nicely and aroma is coming as well, keep it covered for another 5 minutes to give it standing time. You can sprinkle some more nutmeg powder over it if you want, but that's absolutely optional.

6. Serve with Pulao, Paratha, Naan or even simple chapati. 

Mishti Doi: Only 3 ingredients

Mishti Doi or sweetened yogurt is the quintessential dessert for which Bengal is widely known. As we all know Bengal is the home for some finest traditional sweets and its sweet heritage is continuing till date. Mishti Doi is considered a must and prepared extensively in all kinds of festive and auspicious occasions

Today I will give you a very easy and quick recipe for Mishti Doi that you can prepare any time at home.

Ingredients for Mishti Doi:

1. Full fat plain yogurt : 14 oz
2. Condensed Milk : 14 oz
3. Evaporated Milk : 14 oz

Serves : 6-8

Procedure:

1. Take a large mixing bowl and pour all the 3 ingredients. Whisk thoroughly with a hand blender or with a whisker.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
3. Now take a baking dish and pour the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
4. Do not remove the baking dish after switching the oven off. Keep it inside for 7-8 hours or overnight.
5. Take the dish outside and check whether it is set nicely. Now cover it with a lid or aluminium foil and keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving.
6. Decorate with nuts, raisins, pistachios or anything according to your choice and serve chilled.

Galouti Kebabs: The Awadhi Indulgence

Known as one of the most popular and significant dishes of Awadhi cuisine, Galouti Kebab is synonymous to Lucknow and its royal culinary culture. The city is known for its rich royal heritage be it through its architecture, literature, music, history, or food. Warm welcome and hospitality are the two significance features of the city that can be always bragged about.

Lucknow is home of Nawabs and Awadhi cuisine and a paradise for food lovers. You can have an endless list of the rich and royal delicacies while in the city, like, Galouti Kebab, Boti Kebab, Tunday Kebab, Lucknowi Biriyani, Rogan Josh, Nihari, and an exquisite variety of desserts and sweets.

Galouti Kebab is a special delicacy which was said to be made exclusively for an old Nawab in Lucknow. Galouti means "the thing the melts in your mouth" and that exactly this does. The mouth-melting, mouth-watering soft meatballs should be placed first in your wish list, once you visit the city.

But as we all are not that lucky to taste this gem of an delicacy sitting right amidst city of Lucknow, can try a homemade variety as well. Although it can never bring you the original royal taste, but definitely satisfy your taste buds with least doubt.

Ingrdients for Galouti Kebab:

1. Minced meat (lamb, goat, or beef): 1 lb
2. Paste of green raw papaya: 1 tbsp
3. Fried onion: 2 tbsp
4. Ginger and Garlic paste: 1 tsp
5. Garam Masala powder: 2 tsp
6. Red chili powder: half tsp or as spicy as preferred
7. Salt: half tsp or as preferred
8. Roasted gram flour/besan: 1 tsp
9. Saffron strands: 1 pinch, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
10. Rose water: half tsp
11. Ghee/clarified butter : 2-3 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take a large mixing bowl and put all the ingredients along with the minced meat except the ghee.
2. Mix together very finely, almost like kneading a dough.
3. Make small ball size patties, and flatten a bit with your palms.
4. Keep them in the refrigerator for an hour.
5. Take a heavy bottom flat pan and heat the ghee for frying.
6. Shallow fry the kebabs over medium heat till golden brown, turning the sides carefully as they are very soft.
7. Serve hot kebabs with paranthas or as per your preference.