Chicken / Mutton Rezala - Version - 2

There is a restaurant not too far from my place. Its Shiraz. Biryani and many types of Mughlai dishes are available there. Mutton Rezala is one of their famous dishes. It tastes heavenly. So, today I tried it at home. It cannot be like Shiraz's but was not very bad as well. Instead of mutton, I used chicken. But with mutton it tastes really awesome.  So just give it a try and you all would definitely like it.

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 500 gm
• For the gravy
• Fresh thick curd - 300 gms
• Onion - 300 g (sliced and made to a paste)
• Black/white pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cardamom - 2
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon - 1"
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• For seasoning
• Bay leaf - 1
•  Dry red chilli - 2
• Black pepper(whole) - 1 tsp
• Ghee/Clarified butter - 5 tbsp
• Whole garam masala

Method:

1. Wash the chicken and keep aside.
2. Add curd to the onion paste and blend thoroughly in a blender. Mix pepper powder.
3. Add the chicken pieces with the curd- onion- black pepper mixture along with bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and marinade for an hour.
4. Next add salt and sugar to the marinated chicken and cook in the pressure cooker.
5. Do not add water as there is enough water from the curd, meat and onion.
6. In a kadhai, add ghee and throw in the seasoning. As soon as the aroma comes, pour the seasoning in the pressure cooker. Cover and boil for 2 more mins.
7. Garnish with dry red chillies.

Chicken Rezala is ready to be served.

Note: Mutton rezala can also be prepared in the same way(use mutton chops or ribs with a layer of fat.Tastes really awesome).

Malai Chumchum

This is a very traditional and popular Bengali sweet/mishti recipe. It is almost like rasogolla but more delicious and mouthwatering. The shape is cylindrical and instead of sugar syrup it is dipped in malai and tastes just awesome. You can make it white like rasgullas or make it colourful like light pink or light yellow and coat nicely with malai or thickened sweet milk.

 

Malai Chumchum! :D

Ingredients:

• For Chamcham:
• Milk - 1 litre (full fat or cow's milk)
• Vinegar / Lemon juice - 1/2 cup diluted with 1/2 cup water/ 1 tbsp
• For sugar syrup:
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 3 cups
• For Malai syrup:
• Milk - 2 cups
• Condensed milk - 4 tbsp
• For Garnishing:
• Saffron - few strands
• Pistachios - few (chopped)

Method: 

1. Take milk and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, slowly add diluted vinegar solution / lemon juice to it. Stir the milk gently. the milk will curdle and the whey will separate from the milk. Strain with a cheese cloth. Don't make it over dry.
2. Transfer the cheena  onto a clean flat plate. Knead the mixture with the back of the palm so that it is free of lumps. Make cylindrical shapes out of the kneaded cheena. Keep aside.
3. Take 1 cup sugar and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker. When the water starts boiling, add the cheena cylinders. Cook in medium flame for 2 whistles. Let the pressure drop by itself. Open the cooker and keep the chum chums aside with the sugar syrup. 
4. Take milk in a pan and let it simmer in medium heat till it reduces to half the quantity. Now add the condensed milk and stir well.
5. Remove from heat. Now add the cooked cheena cylinders/chum chums in the milk mixture. 
6.  Garnish with chopped pistachios and few strands of saffron.

 

Labanga/Lavang Latika

This is another famous bengali sweet. The name labanga latika comes from the clove/long attached to it. This is just a simple puri stuffed with mawa, given a cute shape, locked with a clove,fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. It becomes so soft after frying and soaking in sugar syrup that you would really love the taste of it. So do try out this traditional Bengali sweet and I am sure you all would definitely like it. So, just N'Joy!!

Delicious Labanga Latika!!

Ingredients:

        For the dough:

• Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Ghee/Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Baking soda - a pinch
• Sugar - a pinch
• Cloves -as needed

       For stuffing:

• Mawa-1/ 4cup
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Sugar- 3 tbsp(powdered)
• Raisins - 10 (U can also use chopped nuts - cashews, almonds, pistachios)

     For sugar syrup:

• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add maida, ghee, salt, sugar. Mix well and knead into a stiff dough slowly adding warm water.
2. Keep it covered for 1/2 an hour.
3. Knead once more and make lemon sized balls from the dough.
4. In a pan, take  sugar and water and heat on medium heat till it reaches medium consistency.Remove from heat and keep it warm.
5. In a microwave bowl mix all the ingredients under stuffing and microwave for 5-6 mins stirring frequently. Allow it to cool and divide the stuffing into 8- 9 portions.
6. Take each small ball made from the dough and roll them out in the shape of a circle. Put a portion of the stuffing at the centre.
7.  Now take two ends of the circle and cover the stuffing by overlaping each other. Now flip it to the other side and wrap two sides on another.Finally put the clove on top to lock them well.Apply pressure gently so that they stick well.
8. Deep fry the lavang latikas/envelopes in medium heat till golden brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel to soak the excess oil and dip them in the sugar syrup. Let it soak in the sugar syrup for at least half an hour.
9. Serve delicious labanga latikas hot or cold.

Kamranga Goja/Elojehlo

Bengalees welcome guests after the immersion of Devi Durga (Bijoya dashami) with lots of sweets and snacks. Elojhelo is one such sweet among them. It hs got a cute name, interesting shape and really yummy. This is also a very delicious tea time snack and can be stored in an air tight container for a long time.
So just enjoy !!

Ingredients:

• Maida - 2 cups
• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Water- for making the dough
• For Sugar syrup:
• Sugar - 2 1/2 cup
• Water - 1 cup

Method:

1. In a bowl, add maida and baking powder together.
2.  Now add 2 tbsp of oil and mix well.Make a dough adding little water at a time.
3. Cover the dough with a wet cloth for an hour.
4. Now make lemon sized balls from the dough and roll into a small circle.
5. With the help of a knife, slit along the circle without cutting the edges.
6. Roll the slited circle/puri tenderly.(See the picture)
7. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the kamrangas one/two at a time in low flame until light brown in colour.
8. Place the fried kamrangas in a tissue paper and allow them to cool.
9. Now making the sugar syrup- Take sugar and the measured water in a pan and bring it to a nice boil till the sugar thickens to produce bubbles. Turn off the flame and set aside.
10. Now add the fried kamrangas/gojas /elojehlo into the syrup and let them be their for 30 mins.
11. In this way the elojhelos will be completly coated with the sugar.
12. Take them out and store in an airtight container for a month.

Rosogolla/Rasgulla In Pressure Cooker/ A Traditional Bengali Sweet

Finally, I will start posting once again after a long time. So, thought of starting with some sweet dishes which I prepared during this puja. No celebration is complete without the rasogolla/rasgulla specially for Bengalees. This awesome sweet dish captures everyone's heart, the moment it is tasted. It is relished almost everywhere in India and abroad. So, just have fun and try out this easy and famous sweet!

Ingredients:

• Whole milk - 1 litre
• Vinegar - 1/2 cup (diluted in 1/2 cup water)
• Maida - 1 tsp
• For Sugar syrup
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Water - 4 cups

Method:

1. Take the milk in a pan and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, remove from heat.Stir for 5-7 mins till it turns slightly cool.
2. Now add the diluted vinegar solution and stir the milk gently.The milk will curdle and the whey would seperate from the milk.
3. Strain the curdled milk with a cheese cloth. Homemade chena /paneer is now ready.
4. Transfer the chena to a clean flat plate and add maida to it. Knead and mix well to make it smooth and free of lumps.
5. Then make lemon/ping pong size balls.  There should be no cracks in the balls. I made around 12 balls.
6.  Add the water and sugar in a pressure cooker and bring it to a boil. Add the prepared paneer balls and close the cooker.
7. Cook for 1 whistle and then cook on medium for 7-8 mins.
8. Cool and open the lid, the balls would just double in size.
9. Remove from the cooker and transfer them to a bowl.
10. Wait for at least 2-3 hours before serving so that the rasgullas get time to soak in all the sweetness.
11. So just enjoy these easy to make Bengali Sweet- Rosogolla!

Mutton Keshri Biryani

Biryani is one of my all-time favourite one-pot meals. They don't take much effort to be made, and they taste great. Plus, you don't have to think about what side-dishes to be made. It can be had just with a bowl of raita and salad. Yesterday, I made keshri biryani as some of my college friends were coming over. Even though, I'm not a big fan of the red meat, the biryani tastes much better with mutton in it. So, do try it at home! I'm sure you'll love it! :D

Ingredients:

• Mutton - 500 gms
• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee - 50 gms
• Onion - 2 (finely sliced)
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Green papaya - 100 gms
• Curd - 100 gms
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Javitri/mace - 1 gm
• Green cardamom- 8-10
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Saffron/ Zafran - 5-6 flakes
• Keora water - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Raisins - 1/4 cup(soaked)
• Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup (halved)
• Grapes - 50 gms
• Diced apples - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Wash and drain mutton.  Pierce with a fork and marinate with ghee(50 gms), salt, grated onion, ginger garlic paste, grated green papaya, red chilli powder and garam masala for 3-4 hrs.
2. Put 50 gms ghee in a cooking pan and when warm, add sugar. When it turns light brown, add javitri, green cardamom and saffron.
3. Saute a little and add the marinated mutton. Cover and cook till enough water comes out.
4. Add rice, keora water and 3 cups of water to boil. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and then turn off the heat. Once pressure is off, remove the lid. Finish with adding a tablespoon of ghee from the top. Garnish with raisins, cashewnuts,grapes and apple.
5. Serve hot with raita and salad. N'Joy!!

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is a hot and spicy, deep fried,lip-smacking chicken dish of South India. Thought of making this dish many times but somehow couldn't end up doing it.  It was raining heavily yesterday and so I made this yummy dish and served with hot coffee. It tasted great and everyone in my family enjoyed. Gobi 65, Mushroom 65 can also be made for the veggie lovers. Chicken 65 served in restaurants is usually fiery red in colour due to the addition of red food colour. But I used Kashmiri red chilli powder instead.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken - 250 gms (cut into bite size pieces)
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Maida/All purpose flour - 1 tsp
• Red colour - 2-3 drops(optional)
• For marinade:
• Egg - 1
• Cornflour - 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• For tempering / tarka:
• Oil - 11/2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Musterd seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 15-20
• Green chillies - 4-5
• Whole red chilli - 2-3(split in 1/2)

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with the ingredients under - for marinade for atleast an hour.
2. In a bowl, mix yogurt, kashmiri red chilli powder, garlic paste, salt and maida. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil for frying. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry on medium heat till the pieces are cooked nicely. Now increase the flame and cook till the pieces turn golden brown in colour.Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
4. Next in a kadhai heat oil. To it add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves. Saute for a few secs.
5. Now add the yogurt mixture and the whole red chillies.Stir well. To it add the fried chicken pieces and toss to mix the ingredients well. Toss till the chicken absorbs the yogurt mix.
6. Remove onto a serving plate and serve hot as an appetizer with lemon wedges and onion rings.