Tag: Indian Recipes
Brown Lentils with Fennel Seeds
These lentils are really delicious and easy to make. I used a few ingredients that are more prevalent in Kashmiri cuisine. I used fennel seeds and black cumin seeds. Fennel seeds are usually used for both sweet and savory dishes. I love the flavor it imparts in the savory ones. It gives them a very floral, earthy taste and aroma. It is one of my favorite spices to use. I especially love it in tea.
For these lentils, I started by cooking them in chicken broth. Typically lentils in India are cooked in water but I have been using chicken broth. I like it because it imparts extra flavor without a lot of effort. I added ginger, salt and turmeric.
The lentils don’t take very long to make. Once they became soft, I added sauteed fennel and cumin seeds. I tasted for seasonings and cooked the dal for another few minutes before I turned the heat off. I then added some low fat sour cream to finish off the dish. It provided a nice tang and delicious creaminess without a lot of calories. I served the dal with some rice and it was a great meal.
The fennel and cumin flavor came through clearly in the dish. It is a bit different and delicious- definitely try the brown lentils with fennel seeds…
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Kadhai Paneer- Homemade Cheese Sauteed with Peppers
I make this dish both with homemade or store bought paneer. Paneer is very much like ricotta in texture and is very easy to make. It simply takes milk, yogurt and some lemon juice. Once the milk comes to a boil, you add some yogurt and lemon juice. Once the curd is separated from the whey, it is strained and used for several dishes. It is also available at Whole Foods. Either one works really well.
In this case, I used the homemade version and cooked it with sliced onions and garlic. The main source of flavor is provided by cumin and ajwain seeds. Ajwain has a very distinct pungent taste and a little goes a long way. In case you are not able to find it, eliminate it from the recipe and only use the cumin seeds.
The rest is easy- I cut up a sweet pepper- either red, yellow or orange. With the help of crushed tomatoes, this dish is quick and super flavorful. This is a great entree to make through the week since it takes a short time to cook and it is also ideal for entertaining. Either way, I think you should try it- your family will love it.
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Rogan Josh (Kashmiri Goat Curry)
I grew up eating this delicious goat dish. It is one of the more popular Kashmiri dishes served in Indian restaurants all over.
I have this memory of a cousin cooking this dish and I remember it taking a long time. Since then I have thought this goat preparation to be extremely difficult and time consuming.
Well, it isn’t really true- at least the version I made- sure, it has a few more steps than what I normally post but the end result is totally worth it.
The meat is marinated in yogurt and a few very aromatic spices including cloves, cumin, fennel and asafoetida. The combination of these spices remind me of a Kashmiri restaurant- they all smell delicious…
The meat is then cooked in chicken broth and ginger powder. There are no onions, garlic or tomatoes in this dish but the spices used lend a delicious aroma and taste to this stew like preparation.
Rogan josh tastes delicious simply with some naan or homemade rotis. I can’t get enough of this delicious dish. Everyone loved it including my daughter. The only problem was- there were no leftovers- we ate up the whole thing in one sitting….
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Wrapping Up The Last Decade… and A Big Thank You!
As I write this, it’s very surprising a decade has passed- so quickly. Somehow time seems to pass much faster as I get older. I was thinking of writing a final post for 2009 and I realized that it would be the last one for the decade.
Lots of things to be thankful of- I have been quite busy bringing up our beautiful daughter. I can’t think of a lot of other things that happened in this past decade. I am sure lots did, but somehow it all seems like a blur. Everyone is healthy and happy- thank God.
Oh, one thing that stands out in my mind is our big kitchen renovation two years ago. It started May of 2007 and continued for about 6 months. We were without a kitchen for about 3 months. I managed with a hot plate and a fridge in my living room. The food was obviously not the focus at that time but thanks to a few good friends, we got some yummy food delivered to us. By the time everything was done, we were thoroughly sick of eating out (never thought I would say that)- and then the big reveal- I saw my beautiful kitchen with the extended area including a dining room, sitting room, mud room, guest room and a bathroom. I was beyond thrilled- even now when I come down in the morning, I look around and marvel at the space and all the colors. It makes me extremely happy. My stove, fridge and sink thrill me. I love looking at them and of course using them.
Once the kitchen finished end of 2007, I began thinking of using my kitchen to teach cooking classes. I started in Fall 2008. End of that year, I changed my static website to a blog and decided to post a recipe everyday through the week- I guess the point was to give people ideas what to cook.
Well, what started as an experiment has become a part of my life. As I cook anything, I am thinking how to post it on this blog. The blog has lead to many interesting things, including writing for the New York Times, The Local and AOL’s, The Patch. I never thought I would enjoy writing so much.. and I never thought people would enjoy my recipes so much.
This is my way of thanking all of you for reading, commenting on and most of all cooking my recipes. It is the best feeling in the world when someone emails me or stops me in Maplewood village to tell me how they cooked at home instead of going out and how easy it was to follow a recipe on my blog.
So, here is to a new year filled with delicious, healthy recipes from my side and lots of comments and cooking from yours!!
An Easy Indian Recipe: Chicken with Green Beans
My Mom has been making this chicken dish for a very long time. She usually cuts up a whole chicken and uses all the parts- which is the right way to make a chicken curry of any sort… all the pieces in there are from the same chicken- what a concept?? We don’t do that any more… I end up buying a pack of chicken thighs or chicken breast to use for me daily cooking. I am not happy with the idea of using a bunch of different chickens in one dish- I guess I will start buying whole chickens – soon…
I had a pack of chicken thighs which I decided to cook with green beans. Its a one pot meal concept which I like so much. I started off with whole, skinless, boneless thighs which I shredded after they were cooked. I am not really sure why I did that- somehow it seemed like a good idea at the time. I guess my point is that you can do it either way- serve the thighs or breasts whole or shred them.
If you are using breast- I would suggest browning them in the beginning of the cooking process and then removing them to the side till the beans are almost done. Add the breast pieces at the very end and cook them for a few minutes and they will be perfectly tender.
This was a delicious meal with fresh, homemade rotis- yum! Nothing else was needed- thats right we didn’t have any wine with this meal. I had a small serving of a very spicy chili pickle- delicious!
This is a great dish to make for a crowd as well, enjoy!
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ pound green beans, chopped into an inch pieces
- Salt
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro
Process the onion, garlic, ginger and cilantro into a smooth paste.
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt
- 1 cup chicken broth
In a wide saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt. Brown the pieces on both sides for 5-6 minutes each on high heat. Lower the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick. Saute for a minute and add the processed onion mixture. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cover with lid. Lower the heat and cook for 13-15 minutes or till chicken pieces are cooked. Take the lid off and add the green beans. Place the lid back on the saucepan and cook for another 7-8 minutes, till beans are tender. Take the lid off and increase the heat. Cook the chicken and beans on high till the excess water has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve.
Indian Bean Recipe: Rajma (Red Kidney Beans)
I feel I am giving out a delicious family secret with this recipe. Rajma or red kidney beans are a very popular in North India- where I grew up. I think for me this is equivalent to the soothing effects of chicken soup. It’s soul food- the smell brings me back to my childhood. This is one meal (usually served with white rice) I can have everyday. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Every family has their own way of cooking this particular dish. Our’s, I believe is the easiest and the most delicious out there- that is why I have been a little hesitant to blog about this recipe …
The typical way of making this dish is to make a masala(cooking onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes together) and then adding it to the red beans. My grandma used to add everything to the pressure cooker and cook it for hours. This process is a lot easier and tastier. I have been using this method for as long as I can remember and actually use it for most of the lentils and beans I make.
My daughter reminds me to make rajma every few weeks- I am usually so busy coming up with new recipes that I forget about the ones I love and relish so much. The whole house has a very familiar smell when the beans are on the stove- it makes me feel safe and warm.
A Pantry Recipe: Vegetable Pulao
This is a great side dish that goes really well with a variety of different entrees. The rice dish already has a bunch of vegetables, so all you need to do is grill or roast some meat and you are good to go! You don’t even need a salad in case you are too lazy to make one!- which I admit- I am most of the time. I think that is why I am always looking to come up with dishes that have all the food groups in one! It is hard to come up with different rice dishes with new and delicious flavors all the time- this one is a winner!
This particular one came about with whatever I had in the fridge. I had bought some vidalia spring onions from the farmers market. Carrots, dill and cilantro are always in my fridge. I also decided to add my other staple ingredient- frozen spinach. I love adding spinach to all sorts of dishes- I love the flavor and my daughter loves it in anything. I make all my rice and couscous dishes with chicken broth- I always have lots of boxes sitting in my basement. So making this dish was a cinch- I just had to come up with the recipe in my head- which didn’t take very long either.
It is nice to have some dishes in your repertoire that can be made easily with the ingredients you have on hand all the time. Especially if you have a busy, crazy day and do not have time to think about dinner let alone go to the grocery store. Most people I know don’t like going to grocery stores or don’t have time. Me, on the other hand, love-love going food shopping- especially the day I am going to cook something- but it is not possible all the time and so I love being able to come up with something without leaving the house.
This was a big success- my daughter loved it. I served the vegetable rice dish with pink lentils and it was a complete meal! Simple, easy and very tasty.