Chicken Chaap

The Nawabs moved to Murshidabad from Dhaka in 18th century, they introduced Awadhi cuisine to Bengal. This cuisine became a part of Bengali Muslim Culture. They introduced many dish, the Biriyani and Chicken Chaap became a combination which is sold in many of the old Muslim restaurants in Kolkata. 

Chicken Chaap
My memories take me back to my childhood where every summer my visit to Kolkata and visiting Nizam or Shiraj or Royal Indian Hotel for the chicken Chaap, Rezala and Biriyani with my cousin was a must.
The chicken full leg marinated and fried in ghee is a rich affair. There are lots of ingredients that goes into the marination.
I followed the recipe from you tube channel Uttar Bangla shared by Royal Indian Hotel which I found relatively easy to make with less ingredients.

Ingredients 

2 Chicken Full Leg pieces, make few slits on the chicken. 

1 1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Garlic paste 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Red Chilli powder 

2 tbsp Sattu 

4 tbsp Curd

1 tsp Kewra water

2 drops Meeta Athar 

2 pinches of Saffron soaked in 3 tbsp of water

1/2 cup Ghee

Method 

Take a bowl, add curd, saffron water, ginger, garlic, salt, chilli powder, garam masala powder, sattu, kewra water and meetha athar. Mix all the ingredients very well. Add the chicken legs, apply the marination to the chicken. Keep the chicken for 2 hours. Take a heavy bottom pan, add the ghee. Once the ghee melts, add the marinated  chicken. Fry the chicken pieces on both the side on a low flame until almost tender turning the chicken pieces occasionally. Add in the marination and 1/4 cup of water. Cook the chicken in the marination, turning the sides occasionally until the chicken is tender and the masalas have cooked well. Serve the chicken chaap with Biriyani, Pulao or Porotha. 

Beetroot er Sandesh

May this Bijoya Dashami light up for you, the hopes of happiness, peace and prosperity !

Bijoya Dashami marks the end of Durga Puja. It is  celebrated differently across India. It’s the celebration of good over evil. In Bengal it is celebrated after the MA Durga idol is immersed. Young seeks blessings from the elders and share sweets. Men embrace (Kola - Kuli) each other, to wish Subho Bijoya. 

Beetrooter Sandesh 

This is a healthy sweet dish to be shared during Bijoya with your loved ones. 

Ingredients 

1 small Beetroot boiled and puréed 

1 cup Chana / Cottage cheese mashed 

2 to 3 tbsp Date Jaggery 

Ghee to apply on the sandesh mould

Method 

Take a pan, add the beetroot puree, on a low flame stir and cook the purée for a minute. Add the chana and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the mixture has dried up a bit. Add the jaggery and continue to cook until it forms into a lump, and yet it is soft. Switch off the flame. Take the sandesh out on a plate. Let it cool down. Mix the sandesh dough well. Take the mould, apply ghee.  Take a small portion of the sandesh and shape up the sandesh with help of the mould. Remove the sandesh from the mould and serve. 

Goan Fish Cutlet

These fish cutlets are delicious and can be served with evening tea as snacks or appetiser. These fish cutlets takes me back to Bandra where I had lived for many years. I had few good friends who stayed near my building. One of the friend had a Maharastrian cook. Very frequently, we use to visit my friend’s place for the afternoon adda and cha. This was one the dish that was commonly made and served with tea at my friend’s place, or some time we use to get these cutlets from a local Goan Food Outlet near Bandra Market. 

Now only memories remains of our good old days. 

Ingredients 

2 big Mackerels washed, cleaned and boiled with salt and turmeric. Deboned and shredded

1 Medium size Onion chopped finely 

4 to 5 Garlic Cloves chopped 

2 to 3 Green Chillies Chopped

1 small piece of Ginger chopped 

1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Vinegar or Juice of 1/2 Lime 

1 tsp Goan Garam Masala powder 

1 Egg

2 Bread pieces soaked in water and squeezed 

1/2 cup Fine Semolina 

1/2 cup Oil for Shallow Fry

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add the shredded fish, Onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves, bread, salt, vinegar or lime juice and garam masala powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the egg and mix the ingredients together until it binds well. Take the semolina in a plate. Take a lemon size ball and flatten it. Coat the semolina on all the sides of the  cutlets. Take oil in a pan. Let the oil heat. Fry the cutlets on low medium heat until golden brown on both the sides. Remove the fish cutlets on a paper towel. Serve the hot fish cutlets with tomato sauce. 

Instant Vegetable Idli with Oats and Semolina

This is a very quick and healthy breakfast or snacks recipe that can be served for the children in their lunch boxes too. 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup Rice Flour 

1 cup Fine Semolina 

1 cup Oats

Half medium size Carrot Grated 

Half medium size Beet root Grated 

1/2 cup Curd 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Eno 

1 cup or more Water

Method 

Take a bowl, add rice flour, oats, semolina, salt, grated vegetables and curd. Mix all the ingredients, gradually add water and mix the ingredients until it’s a thick dropping consistency. Keep the batter for 15 minutes, add the eno and mix it gently once more. Pour in the batter in the  greased idli mould. Steam the idlis for 20 minutes until they are cooked. Remove the idli mould from the steamer and wait for 5 minutes till the idlis have cooled a bit. Remove the idlis from the mould and serve the healthy idlis with a chutney of your choice. 

Home style Chicken Biryani made in Pressure Cooker

This is one of the way I make Chicken Biryani at home. A quick easy way to enjoy, when you crave for home cooked Chicken Biryani. This is a Bengali style Chicken Biryani.

Chicken Marination 

Ingredients 

750 grams Chicken pieces cleaned and washed 

1 small Onion paste 

3 to 4 Green Chilli paste

8 medium size Garlic Cloves paste

1 small piece of Ginger paste 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Bengali Garam Masala powder

( 3 Green Cardamom, 3 Cloves and 1 medium size Cinnamon stick ground into powder)

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Red Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 cup Curd

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Mix onion, garlic, ginger and chilli paste together. Take a bowl, added a curd, ground paste, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and mustard oil. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the chicken pieces and marinate the chicken for minimum one hour. 

To cook the Rice 

Ingredients 

1 1/4 cup of Basmati Rice washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes 

4 cups of Water

Salt to taste 

6 Pepper Corn

3 Cloves 

3 Green Cardamom 

1 small stick Cinnamon 

2 Bay leaves 

Method 

Take a pot, add water, salt, whole Garam masala and bay leaves. Let the water boil. Add the soaked rice. Let the the rice cook till it’s 50 percent done. Strain the water and leave the rice in the strainer. 

To make the Chicken Dum Biryani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken 

Half cooked Rice 

2 big size Potatoes cut into big chunks 

1 medium size Onion sliced 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 

2 tbsp Biriyani Masala 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 cup Lukewarm Milk

2 Pinch of Saffron 

1 tsp Kewra water

2 to 3 Drops of Mitha Attar

1/2 cup Mustard Oil

3 tbsp Melted Ghee 

Method 

Add the saffron into the milk and keep it aside. Take a pressure cooker, add oil. Let the oil heat. Rub salt on the potato chunks. Add the potatoes into the oil, add turmeric powder. Fry the potatoes till light brown in colour. Remove and keep it aside. Add the onion and stir fry on low flame until golden brown in colour. Remove half the fried onion and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the marinated chicken. Stir occasionally and cook the chicken for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the Biriyani masala. Stir and cook for another minute. Add 1 cup of water. Let the chicken simmer for 5 minutes. Switch of the flame. Add the rice and spread the rice well. Drizzle the saffron milk on the rice. Drizzle the ghee. Sprinkle the fried onion and coriander leaves. Drizzle the kewra water and mitha attar. Put the cooker lid on. On a very low flame, let the Biriyani cook on Dum for 15 minutes , switch off the flame just before the first whistle. Let the pressure release. Open the lid and serve the Chicken Dum Biryani with mint Raita or any raita of your choice.