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My Aromatic Kitchen

May 2, 2010

Dudhi Kofta Curry/Bottle Gourd Kofta Served in Aromatic Curry

Filed under: Curry — myaromatickitchen @ 3:04 am

Kofta curry is a part of Awadhi cuisine, the Awadhi cuisine goes back a long way in history to the days ofMoghul reign, Awadhi cuisine originated from Lucknow, Uttarpradesh, but bears an uncanny resemblance to

Muglai cuisine. Both cuisines are famous for their Nawabi food and Badshahi flavors, cooked to Dum and

painstakingly prepared keeping in mind the delicate flavor of each spice that went into the dish. Awadhi cooks,

rather the skilled chefs who prepared the exquisite dishes were called khaansamas.

Kofta can be prepared in various ways eg; malai kofta; vegetable kofta; paneer kofta; and not to forget all the

other non-vegetarian versions of it.

Today I shall be testing my culinary skills by preparing Lauki Kofta Curry, which has a nice creamy texture,

subtle taste and delicate aroma to it. Lets see if my test subject (P ofcourse) likes it or not .

For Kofta

1 cup grated dudhi/lauki/white pumpkin/bottle gourd, squeeze and remove excess juice from it. Reserve the juice

and keep aside.

1/4 cup rice flour

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1/2 cup besan flour/chick pea flour

1 tsp ginger-green chili paste

1/2 tsp sugar

1-2 tbs yogurt

pinch of soda-bi carb

1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder1/2 tsp red chili powder/paprika

1/4 tsp garam masala/ all spice powder

salt to taste

combine all ingredients and make a soft dough, shape 12 equal sized kofta and deep fry in any vegetable oil onmedium heat

(you won’t require any additional water for the dough formation as bottle gourd tends to release water when salt

is added but just in case the mixture is too dry to form dough balls add the reserved bottle gourd juice 1 or 2 tbs)

For Curry

Grind to paste2 medium sized onions

1 inch piece of ginger4-5 cloves of garlic2 tbs til/sesame seeds

1 tbs saunf/fennel seeds3 cloves

5 peppercorns1 inch piece of cinnamon

2 cardamomsHeat 2 tbs oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the ground paste. Saute it for a few mins till the raw smell of onion

has gone and the paste becomes glossy.

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Then add in2 tsp kashmiri lal mirch powder/ red chili powder/paprika

1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powderand saute for few more mins.

Add tomato puree of 3 ripe red tomatoes (blanched and then pureed). Cook till gravy become glossy again.

Then add in1/2 cup water2 tbs fresh cream

salt to tasteBring the gravy to a boil.

Then add in 1/2 cup milk and 1 tbs honey

Cook for 3-4 mins stirring occasionally.Add kofta and put a lid to the pan, cook for 5 more minutes. 2 mins into cooking check if the kofta has

absorbed the liquid, add the reserved bottle gourd juice if gravy feels dry or grainy. Turn off the heat and garnishit with handful of chopped coriander/cilantro.

Serve warm with naan/paratha/roti/pita bread/rice of your choice.

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Tips:

Can also add bay leaf to oil before adding the onion paste, I have avoided it because P and I both dislike theflavour of bay leaf.

Add grated carrot to the kofta instead of sugar to get the all natural sweetness in kofta.

This dish has a very delicate flavor to it, add 1/2 tsp of garam masala/ all spice powder to the curry if you wish abit sharper flavor.

Comments (3)

February 27, 2010

Channa Masala (Chickpea curry)

Filed under: Curry — myaromatickitchen @ 5:57 pm

I had to make something special today, today being my mom & dad’s 32nd wedding anniversary . HappyAnniversary mum and pappa. So today mine dinner menu goes like this- Channa masala with trikon/traingular

paratha, hummus and litchi juice.

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Channa masala is a very special dish for me as it attaches some very fine memories with my family especially mymom and dad. This was the first dish that my mom taught me when i was just 13 and that day I was soooo eager

for my dad to come home and taste it. I remember, even though I had managed to burn this curry, my dad ate it

with appreciation in his eyes. This is the only dish which really makes me feel at home.P too loves this dish as it is a spicy curry and he is a foodie who loves everything that is hot and spicy.

Ingredients:

3 cups boiled chole channa/chickpeas2 medium sized onions chopped finely

3 large tomatoes/4 medium tomatoes chopped finely / 3 tbs tomato paste, diluted in 1/2 cup water / 2 1/2 cups

medium thick tomato juice (i used tomato paste as it give this gravy nice colour)

2 green chillies chopped finely1 tbs grated ginger

2 tsp grated garlic

2 tbs oil2 tbs dhania-jeera powder/coriander-cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chilli powder (i used kashmiri lal mirch powder)

1 tsp garam masala/all spice1 1/2 tsp chole channa masala

salt to taste

1 cup water

hand ful of chopped coriander leaves/cilantro for garnish.

combine and grind to powder:

2 tbs til/sesame seeds1 tbs saunf/fennel seeds

Method:

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Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about

5 minutes.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander-cumin, red chilli, turmeric, channa masala and garammasala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices,

scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the ground powder of sesame and fennel seeds

Cook for about 7 mins or till the raw tomato taste has gone.Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice if you prefer

tangy curry.

Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips:

Add lemon juice or amchur powder to make this curry more tangy if you prefer.Fennel seeds adds that zing to this gravy adjust the aroma according to your preference. I prefer minimal to mild

aroma of fennel hence have adjusted in accordance in this dish.

Serve it with paratha or jeera rice. Goes well with plain steamed rice too.

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January 25, 2010

Mix Vegetable Curry/Subzi version-1

Filed under: Curry,Everyday Subzi — myaromatickitchen @ 3:50 pm

Mix veg curry is a very flexible recipe which comes handy when your fridge is stuffed with many veggies,

individually not enough to make 4 servings dish in itself. As I opened my fridge today I faced the same nightmare,

I had 1 cup of cauliflower florets and few more veggies like carrots, radish, onions and pototoes, so decide to

prepare mix veg curry. Carrots bring out a sweet taste to this dish which adds that “umm” in it. Adding kashmiri

lal mirch powder to this curry gives it a nice red tint.

One sentence explaination for this dish, just toss up any vegetables in hand in a hot pot, spice it, cook it andserve it. Today I have’nt used many veggies as I was out of stock but in some future post I shall jot down

another version of Mix veg curry.

This is one of the comfort foods for me and P. So here goes the recipe.

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Ingredients :1 cup cauliflower florets

1 medium sized carrot peeled, sliced and diced

1 medium sized onion chopped into big chunks

1 medium sized potato peeled and cubed

1 tbs ginger-chilli paste

Handful of coriander leaves for garnish

2 tbs oil for tempering

1 tsp white lentil/urad dal (optional)1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera

1 tsp mustard seeds/rai

pinch of asafoetida/hing

1 tsp turmeric powder/haldi

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (I used kashmiri lal mirch powder)

1/2 tsp garam masala/all spice/curry powder

salt to taste

Method :

Now you know the drill, heavy bottom pan on medium heat, oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal,

asafoetida, add cubed potato and let it cook.

When potatoes are almost done add in all other veggies along with all spices and let it cook till carrots and

cauliflower is cooked just enough to have a bit to it.

Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.

Tips :

Add veggies like capsicum, green peas, zucchini, sweet corn, radish, baby corn, green beans and/or any veggies

you prefer or have in hand.

Avoid adding eggplant/baigan/brinjal and bottlegourd to this dish as these veggies have a distinct taste which

does not go well with this dish.

Can add in spring onion greens for garnishing too.

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January 24, 2010

Plain Palak Curry

Filed under: Curry,Everyday Subzi — myaromatickitchen @ 5:54 pm

Today I plan on making a healthy dinner for P, so I opted for plain palak curry option rather than going in for a

slightly heavier version of palak paneer. The best thing about this dish is its simple, quick, easy and appetizing not

to forget loaded with iron, minerals and other vital nutrients. I plan on serving this curry with chapati and to

balance off the meal prepared onion-tomato raita, gujarati dal and plain chaval/rice.

Ingredients :

Fresh Palak/spinach leaves 2 bunches, plucked and washed nicely

1 medium sized onion chopped1 medium sized tomatoe chopped

2 tbs til/sesame seeds roasted and powdered

1 tbs ginger-chilli paste

1 tsp garlic paste

salt to taste

pinch of soda-bicarb

1 tsp cumin seeds/jeerapinch of asafoetida/hing

1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi

2 tbs oil for tempering

Method :

Bring 2 litres of water to boil in a deep pan. Add soda-bicarb and palak leaves to it and boil them for 3-4 mins.

Turn off the heat and strain the leaves. Let them cool off for few mins. Puree them to a smooth paste adding justenough water to get the blender going, usually 1/4th cup shall be enough. Keep this puree aside.

In a heavy bottom pan heat oil for tempering, add cumin seeds and once they start spluttering add asafoetida,

onion and ginger-chilli paste. Once onion has acheived translucent phase add garlic paste and just enough salt for

onions and tomatoes. Cook till raw garlic smell has turned into nice aroma add tomatoes and turmeric powder.

Let it cook till tomatoes are totally cooked and oil starts seperating.

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Add powdered til and saute for one more minute.Now add spinach puree and let the curry cook for 2-4 mins or till all ingredients have blended and nicely soaked

in spinach curry. Now adjust salt according to your taste.Remove this curry into a glass bowl, it helps to retain its lovely green colour, as iron in spinach tends to react with

metal utensil in which it is prepared and the curry changes colour to deep maroonish or greenish maroon.

Adding salt in the end is crucial coz spinach is high in iron hence has a bit salty taste to it. Remember this recipe

shall require less than half amount of salt that is required to cook any other greens of same quantity.

Curry is ready to be served. Goes gr8 with rice or paratha, chapati etc.

Tips :

Add fried paneer/cottage cheese cubes to it makes it Palak Paneer curry dish.

Adding fried/boiled pototo cubes to it makes it Aloo Palak curry dish.

You can also have this plain palak curry with noodles for a change.

Adding Soda-bicarb while blanching spinach is crucial as it helps this dish to retain its fresh green colour.Although if you plan to cook this dish just before serving it, you can skip adding it altogether.

Comments (1)

August 10, 2009

Marinated Potato Capsicum Curry

Filed under: Curry — myaromatickitchen @ 3:16 pm

This weekend I had prepared Marinated Potato Capsicum curry. This recipe is a culmination of two amazing

dishes paneer tikka and veg stir fry.

Why on earth I did that?!! I don’t have answer to that myself. But let me ensure the result was gr8.

Ingredients :

2 medium sized potatoes boiled and cubed1 large capsicum chopped into big square chunks

1 onion chopped into big square chunks

1 tomato chopped into big square chunks

oil for tempering

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

pinch asafoetida

Marinating Sauce :

3 tbs yogurt/curd whisked

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp fennel seed/saunf powder

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1/2 tsp cumin powdersalt to taste

For Garnish :

2 tbs freshly chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

Lemon wedges

Preparation Method:

Whisk the marinade into a big bowl, big enough to contain all the veggies. Now add all the diced veggies and mix

well into the marinade sauce. Let is marinate for at least 1 hour.

After an hour of marination our veggies are ready to be stir fried. So in a big non stick pan add oil and let it come

to a smoke, add cumin seeds and curry leaves when it starts to crackle add the marinated mix of veggies and

saute it for 2-3 mins or till the oil starts to separate. Adjust salt and spiciness.

Garnish it with fresh chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

This dish goes nice with jeera rice or any kinda biryani. Can also be enjoyed with roti or naan.

This lip smacking dish is easy to prepare and hearty at taste.

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July 30, 2009

Chole Curry

Filed under: Curry — myaromatickitchen @ 12:53 pm

Thursday-Fridays are weekend in Riyadh, but this weekend shall be working weekend for us, as P overloaded

with work, has to be in office. But this won’t stop me from having a nice weekend, I’ve decided to give P a small

treat, which he duly deserves, so I shall be preparing nice Chole curry, Sindhi Koki and raita along with papad

and salad for dinner tonight.During these 5 or so odd years of experimenting in kitchen, one thing I’ve learnt is that more simpler the recipe,

the better the dish tastes. The thing is, limited spices gives greater flavor and aroma to any dish. So I shall be

preparing chole with minimum spices but with nice aromatic fennel seeds to give “hmm….” to the dish.

I’ve tasted chole prepared by adding all spices like bay leaf and cashew and what not, prepared painstakingly,

cooked for long time etc but believe me this recipe is one of the best I’ve tasted. Thanks Mommy, you’re the

best.

Ground to fine paste:

2 large onions

1 1/2 tbs fennel/saunf seeds

2 tbs sesame/til seeds

1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds

1 cup dry chick peas, soaked for 7-8 hours or overnight and pressure cooked/boiled, yields about 3-31/2 cups

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of cooked chick peas.

1 tsp nigella/kalonji/black onion seeds

2 tbs oil

1 1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste

2 cups tomato puree or 2 tbs tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powderhandful of chopped fresh coriander/parsley leaves

1 1/2 tbs chole masalasalt as per taste

Heat oil in heavy bottom pan, add nigella seeds to it and once its sputters add the ground paste of onion to it. Let

the paste cook for 12-15 mins or till oil starts separating.

Now add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 mins.

Add all dry masala except salt and chole masala and cook for few more mins. add a little water at this stage, if ufind curry is too dry and is sticking to the bottom the the pan.

Add tomato puree and let it cook till the raw smell of tomato is gone. which takes almost 10-12 mins.

now add chole, salt and chole masala also add the water if u find curry is too thick. let this come to a boil and

keep boiling it on slow flame for around 4-5 mins. this will help chole to soak up all the flavors.

garnish it with chopped coriander/parsley leaves.

serve it hot with rice, chappati, paratha, naan or bhature.

when cooking for party or some guests in evening, prepare this dish in morning itself …. believe me this dish

tastes best when it rests for 5-6 hours after cooking.

my plan is to serve this with Sindhi Koki, a type of paratha/flat bread…. but with amazing twist.

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