Chotpoti

Chotpoti

Chotpoti is a roadside dish popular in West Bengal, India. Chotpoti is thought to be of Bengali origin. It is spicy, sour and hot in taste. The snack is very popular owing to its availability, low price and ease of preparation. It is mostly sold in roadside stands and in various fast food stores. It can also be prepared at home.

Ingredients:::

Ingredients

1. Dried white peas or chickpeas (known as Kaabli)
2. Small red potatoes
3. Tamarind paste
4. Chaat Masala (Found in Indian grocery stores)
5. Salad::
• Chopped boiled egg
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped green chili pepper (hot)
• Chopped tomato
• Chopped cucumber (optional)
• Chopped red onions
• Pani puri shell (Found in Indian grocery stores)
• Some extra chaat masala (optional)
• Tamarind Sauce (recipe given below)
• Tamarind paste
• Ground cumin
• Red chili powder
• Sugar
• Water

Method:::

The peas:

• Wash and soak the peas in water in the refrigerator overnight. I soaked it for two or three days since I did not find time to make it on the day I wanted to. Soaking more reduced the time to boil the peas.
• Boil the peas slowly for hours (if needed) until they are soft. The peas will be very soft and you should be able to mash them with your fingers.
• Drain the extra water and again put it on low heat. 
• Add the chopped and boiled potatoes to the peas.
• Add chaat masala according to your taste. You will need almost the whole packet. Add slowly and keep tasting until it is good enough for you.
• Add some salt if you need.
• Cook for a while (10/15 minutes).
• Back home, at street side, they keep cooking the peas all day, and so it is super soft. They serve it right from the hot pot.
• You can store some of the cooked peas in the freezer for later use, but I recommend serving fresh.

The sauce:

• In a pot take a few tablespoons of tamarind paste.
• Add some water. The sauce is almost liquid, not like a paste.
• Add some red chili powder and cumin powder. Add freshly ground cumin for the best taste.
• Add some sugar.
• Mix and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for few minutes and it is ready.

Serving:

• Take warm cooked peas in a lunch plate (smaller than dinner plates).
• Add a few teaspoons of the sauce that you made, and mix well.
• Crack one or two pani puri shells. 
• Since we are short of time here, I did not make the shells. Back home, the shells used for chotpoti are originally made for another snack called fuchka, which is almost like chotpoti with some minor difference.
• Add cilantro, tomato, green chili, eggs, onions, cucumber. Use a teaspoon to consume.
• ENJOY!

Tandoori Pomfret

Tandoori Pomfret

The exotic flavors of Indian cuisine all wrapped into one. A popular Indian dish, the Tandoori Pomfret is all about the Indian condiments and spices that make your fish real delicious. Savor the subtle flavor and juicy taste of the Tandoori pomfret marinated in traditional Indian spices.

Ingredients:::

Ingredients

Pomfret

• Pomfrets , gutted and washed - 2
• Salt  - to taste
• Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic  -  5-6 cloves
• Carom seeds (ajwain) - 1/2 teaspoon
• Yogurt  - 3/4 cup
• Egg   - 1
• Gram flour (besan)   -  2 tablespoons
• Turmeric powder    -   1/2 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder -  1 teaspoon
• Melted butter   -  2 tablespoons

Method:::

1. Make incisions on the pomfrets and rub the salt and lemon juice all over. Set aside for twenty minutes. Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
2. Mix together the ginger-garlic paste, carom seeds, yogurt, egg, gram flour, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Rub the mixture over the fish and leave to marinate for about one hour in a refrigerator.
3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Thread the fish onto skewers and cook in the preheated oven or in a moderately hot tandoor for about eight to ten minutes.
4. Baste with melted butter and cook for another three minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Butter Chicken [Chicken Makhani]

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken (or murgh makhani) is part of the Indian cuisine, originates from the Mughal Empire in India, popular in countries all over the world. Butter chicken is usually served with naan, roti, parathas or steamed rice. It should not be confused with chicken tikka masala, a similarly coloured Indian chicken dish that originated among the South Asian diaspora in the U.K..

Ingredients:::

Ingredients

For marinade:::

Marinated Chicken

• 2-3 Chicken breasts (diced)
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala
• 1 + 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Tomato puree
• 1 tsp Garlic puree
• 1 large tsp Fresh ginger (grated)

For the butter chicken sauce::

• 1 large Onion (diced)
• Oil
• 3-4 inch Fresh ginger (chopped)
• 4-5 large Garlic (chopped)
• Handful dried methi leaves
• Handful dried curry leaves
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 8-10 Whole green cardamoms (depends on size of pods)
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper/ Chili powder
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Sprinkle black pepper
• 1 + 1/2 cup Sieved tomatoes/ Passata (or push some canned tomatoes through a sieve)

To finish::

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 cup Evaporated milk or Cream

Method::: 

• Place all of the marinade ingredients except the chicken into a small bowl and mix.
• Place chicken in a separate dish that it will be marinaded in
• Pour the yogurt marinade over the chicken.
• Cover all of the chicken pieces in the marinade.
• Cover the dish and place into the fridge for a few hours.
• Heat up a large frying pan and drizzle in some oil. Add the onions and cook the onions for 5 minutes or until the onions soften.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few more minutes stirring often so that the garlic does not burn.
• Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce, stir well and simmer for a few minutes.
• Pour into a blender and pulse into a paste.
• When you are ready to cook the butter chicken remove the tomato base from the fridge and put through a sieve into a pan. This removes any little bits of cardamom shells and seeds that did not get blended in the food processor.
• Pour the sauce into a small pan and gently heat on the lowest setting for 10-15 minutes stirring often. Do not boil the butter chicken sauce or else the spices will not be as aromatic and the tomatoes will burn, take your time.
• In a large wok/pan add the butter on a medium/high heat.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces.
• Stir well and cook for a 5 minutes.
• Pour the warmed up tomato base into the pan with the butter chicken.
• Stir well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Stir often so that the chicken cooks evenly.
• Pour in the evaporated milk or cream, cook for another 2 minutes.
• Serve with basmati rice, roti, naan bread.