CRAB CURRY

Ingredients:
Uncooked Crab – 1 dungeness cut into pieces
Tomato – 1 small, chopped
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Salt
Kokum- 3

For masala paste:
Fresh grated coconut – ½ cup
Shallot – 2, roughly chopped
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 4-5
Green chilies – 3-4

Cooking procedure:
Wash the crab properly with running water. If you find any sand in the joints, use a brush to scrub the sand. Grind all the ingredients for masala to a fine paste. Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add bay leaf and masala paste. Fry the paste on medium heat, stirring continuously till the oil separates. Then add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. And mix everything well. Then add 2-3 cups of boiling water to the masala. Adjust the water as per the required consistency. Add tomato and bring the curry to a boil and let it boil on medium heat for 5-6 mins or till the oil separates. It is important to boil the curry before you add the crabs, because it helps to cook the spices. The separating of oil indicates that the spices are cooked. Then add the crab, kokum and mix everything well. Now cover the pot and let the crab cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot roti or plain boiled rice.

KING FISH DUM BIRYANI

Ingredients:

King fish – 900 gms
Rice – 600 gms
Onion – 1 big, chopped
Garlic – 6-7
Ginger – 1”
Tomato – 1 can, 14 oz petit diced
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Shahijeera – 1 tsp
Red chili paste – 1 tsp (optional)
Garam masala* – 2 tsp
Salt
Chopped mint – 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 3-4 tbsp
For Ground masala:
Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
Black pepper corns – 10-15
Cinnamon stick – 2”
Cloves – 4-5
Cardamom – 3-4

Cooking procedure:
I bought king fish steaks about 1.5 inch thick and cut them into half. Wash the fish; drain them in colander for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer the fish to a bowl and rub them with turmeric powder, salt and keep aside. Grind all the ingredients for masala powder, using a coffee blender. Make ginger garlic paste. Take 5-6 cups of water in a big pot and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the bay leaf and chopped onions. Sauté the onions till they become translucent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped tomato, salt and mix everything well. Cover the pan and let cook for 10-15 mins. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala and sauté till the oil seperates. Then add the masala powder, shahijeera and mix well. After adding the masala powder, don’t cook it too long. Then remove the pan and keep aside. As fish takes less time to cook, the onion tomato masala should be cooked completely. After like 5 minutes add the fish and completely cover it with the masala. Top it with half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.
Then add salt to the boiling water and then the rice. Cook the rice on medium high heat, till the rice gets more than half cooked. Then drain the excess water and transfer the rice in the pan, above the fish and masala. Level the rice and sprinkle remaining chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions. Pour 3-4 tbsp of ghee over the rice and tightly cover the pan and let it steam on medium low heat for 30 mins. This was the first time I made fish biryani and we loved it a lot. The fish was very moist.

* I have red chilies in my garam masala powder so I did not add red chili paste. If you wish you can add red chili powder.

SHRIMP PULAV

Ingredients:
Rice – 1 ½ cup
Shrimp – 1 lb
Ghee – 2-3 tbsp
Onion – 1 big, sliced
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 4-5 cloves
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Black cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
For masala:
Black pepper corns – 10-12
Cloves – 3-4
Cardamom – 2-3
Cinnamon – 1” stick
Bay leaf – 1
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp

Cooking procedure:
Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Drain the water using colander and let the rice sit in colander till you prepare the other ingredients. Wash the shrimp, drain the water and add ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp salt and keep aside. Grind ginger, garlic and coriander leaves to a fine paste. Grind all the ingredients for masala into a fine powder. I use coffee grinder to grind the spices. Boil 3-4 cups of water.
Heat the ghee in a big skillet. I use deep skillets to cook rice so that they get even heat and rice is also fluffy. Then add the onion and fry on medium heat till they become golden brown. Then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Then add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, sugar and sauté till the oil separates. Then add the shrimp, lemon juice and mix well. Let it cook for a minute. Then add the rice, black cumin seeds and masala powder. Mix everything and add the boiling water. Let the rice boil for 5 minutes and then cover it, reduce the flame to medium or low and let cook till the rice becomes tender. Half way through the cooking of rice, sprinkle some cold water over the pulav, again cover it and continue cooking. Do this for aleast two times and you will see the rice puff. Finally garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and lemon. Serve with radish salad.

RADISH KOSHIMBIR (SALAD)

Ingredients:
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped
Radish (daikon) – 1 cup, grated
Green chilies – 2-3
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, chopped
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
Mix all the above ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep aside for the flavors to combine. On hot days, I prefer to keep the salad in refrigerator.

HYDERABADI MURGH BIRYANI

Ingredients:
Garam masala:
Black pepper – 2 tbsp
Cloves – 1 tsp
Green cardamom – 6-7
Black cardamom – 2
Cinnamon stick – 2”

Grind all the above ingredients to form a fine powder.

Chicken – 1 lbs
Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Green chilies – 4-5
Fried onion* - 1/3 cup + 2-3 tbsp for layering
Yogurt – ¾ cup
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves
Freshly chopped mint leaves
Oil
Potato chips of 1 potato, thinly sliced

Rice – 1.5 lbs, 3 cups
Water – 9 cups
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Cardamom – 3-4
Cloves – 3-4
Shahijeera (caraway seeds) – ¼ tsp
Salt
Milk – 200 ml
Saffron – 4-5 strands

Cooking procedure:
To marinate the chicken, take the yogurt in a big bowl. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 3-4 tbsp of oil and whisk well. Then add then green chilies, fried onions, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves and salt. Mix well and then add the chicken. Massage the chicken properly with the marinate using your hands. Cover the bowl and keep aside to marinate for 2-3 hours.
Add the saffron to the milk and keep aside.

Prepare the heavy bottom pot in which you are making the biryani by spreading the potato chips at the bottom. Now put the marinated chicken over the potato chips. Spread the chicken evenly.

Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Drain the rice in colander and keep aside. Mean while in a big pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, shahijeera and salt. Then add the rice and boil it on medium high heat till the rice gets half cooked.

If you pinch the grain of rice and if it’s a little soft, then its time to drain it. Immediately put half of the drained rice above the chicken. Evenly sprinkle some garam masala, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions over the rice.

Now top it with remaining rice. Finally pour the saffron milk and 3-4 tbsp of melted ghee evenly over the rice. Transfer the pot to the burner. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for first 10 minutes. Then sprinkle some water, cover and then cook on low heat for 30-35 mins. Serve with raita and mirchi ka salan.

* I have used store bought fried onions. While buying fried onions make sure to take a look at the ingredients, it should contain only onion, oil and salt. Some times they add cornflour or maida to make the onions crispier fast. That changes the taste and texture of the gravy. To make fried onions at home, slice the onion and fry them on medium flame, stirring continuously till they become dark brown. Then remove the onions on the paper towel and spread them evenly in a thin layer so that they remain crispy.

You can fry the onions a day before you plan to make the biryani. Also marinate the chicken a day before and the next day you just need to layer the biryani and cook. Also you can use dough to cover the lid, so that the vapor doesn’t escape and gives the dum effect. I sometimes use dough to cover the lid and sometimes just put on the lid.

BUTTER CHICKEN

For marinating:
Boneless chicken – 1 lb, cut into cubes
Yogurt – ¼ cup
Garam masala – 2 tsp
Everest meat masala – 2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Lemon juice - ½ lemon

For gravy:
Onion – 1 big, minced
Tomatoes – 2
Cashew nuts – 3-4
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 3-4 cloves
Kasoori methi* – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Red chili paste – 1 tsp (optional)
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Fresh cream – ¼ cup
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
Whip the yogurt till smooth. Add the garam masala, meat masala, cumin powder and lemon juice. Mix everything very well. Then add the chicken and mix well. Cover and keep in refrigerator to marinate overnight.
For gravy, blanch the tomatoes and make the puree. Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for ½ hour. Then make ginger garlic and cashew nuts paste. Add little water if required. Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Then add the marinated chicken and fry on high heat for 10 mins, stirring continuously. Remove the chicken from pan and keep aside. In the same pan add little oil, add onion and fry till golden brown. Then add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 2 mins on low flame. Then add the tomato puree and fry till oil separates. Then add red chili powder, red chili paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and add a ladle full of boiling water and continue cooking till oil separates. This helps the spices to cook and remove the raw flavor. Blend this gravy using a hand blender to form smooth gravy. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Then add the chicken to the gravy, cover and let cook till the chicken becomes tender. Finally add kasoori methi and cream. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Serve hot with naan/ paratha/ rice.

* dried fenugreek leaves

EGG CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK

Ingredients:
Eggs – 6
Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
Tomato – 2 medium, chopped
Garlic – 3-4 cloves
Ginger – 1”
Black pepper corns – 5-6
Laung – 2-3
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Cardamom – 2-3
Bay leaf - 1
Red chili paste – 1 tsp, optional
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Hing – a pinch
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Coconut milk – 1 can
Salt
Everest meat masala – ½ tsp

Cooking procedure:
Boil the eggs, remove the shell and keep aside.
In a big skillet, heat some oil and add the peppercorns, laung, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf. Then add the onions and fry them till golden brown. Then add the ginger garlic paste, sauté for a minute and then add the tomatoes. Mix well and cook till the oil separates. Then add the red chili paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, hing, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and then add 1-2 cups of boiling water. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Then add the coconut milk and bring the curry to a boil. Now add the eggs (score the eggs before adding to the gravy). Scoring marks on the egg will allow the gravy to infuse the flavors inside the eggs. Finally add the coriander leaves and meat masala and let cook on low flame for 4-5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti/ chappati or rice.

CHICKEN CURRY – FAMILY RECIPE

Ingredients:
For masala paste:
Onion – 1 small, sliced
Dry coconut – ¾ cup
Roasted chana dal – 1 ½ tbsp
Rice – 1 tsp
Laung – 3-4
Black pepper corn – 8-10
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Garlic – 5-6 cloves
Ginger – 1”

Chicken – 1 kg
Onion – 1, medium chopped
Bayleaf - 1-2
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 2-3
Coriander leaves – ¼ cup, chopped
Hing
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 2-3 tbsp
Garam masala – 1-2 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Shahjeera – ¼ tsp
Salt
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Cooking Procedure:
Take some oil in a pan and add onion. Fry the onion till brown, and then add laung, black pepper and cinnamon stick. Fry for a minute. .

Then add the roasted chana dal and rice. Roast till the dal and rice turn brown.

Then reduce the flame and add the dry coconut.

Roast till the coconut gets brown.

Remove the pan and keep aside to cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add garlic, ginger and grind to a fine paste.

In another pot, heat some oil and add the bayleaf and chopped onion. Sauté the onions till they get light brown. Then add the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute, then add the chicken and fry it on high flame for 10 mins, stirring continously. Then reduce the heat and add 1 tbsp of red chili, 1 tbsp garam masala, all of the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, hing and shahjeera. Mix everything very well and then add salt. Add boiling water till it covers all the chicken, cover the pot and boil the chicken on medium heat till it get tender. Make sure you add boiling water, it makes nice gravy. It takes about 30-35 mins for chicken to cook.
In the pan in which you roasted the masala, heat some oil. Add the masala paste and fry till the oil starts separating. Then add the remaining red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Fry for 1 min. then add ½ cup of boiling water and continue to cook, stirring continuously. Oil start to separate as the masala gets cooked removing the raw flavor. Then add this masala to the chicken. Add boiling water as required, according to the thickness of the gravy. Let boil for 5-10 mins. Finally add the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/ chapatti or rice. You can also make mutton/ goat meat curry using the same recipe. This is how my grandmother and mother used to make chicken curry.

You can make the masala paste ahead of time. To do this fry the masala paste in oil till the oil seperates, add little haldi. Let the paste cool completely and store in freezer. It stays nice in freezer for a month. You can use small container to store, so that you can use one container at a time. When you need the masala paste, remove from refrigerator, microwave it or thaw it, put it in pan add red chili powder, garam masala and the paste is ready to go in gravy.

MURGHALOO

Ingredients:
To marinate -
Chicken – 1 lb boneless
Ginger paste – 2 tsp
Garlic paste – 4 tsp
Lemon juice – 2tbsp
Salt

Yogurt sauce –
Yogurt – ½ cup
Tomato puree – ¼ cup
Red chili paste – 2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Black pepper – 10-12
Green cardamom – 3-4
Mace (javitri) – 2-3
Black cardamom– 1, take only the seeds
Kalonji – ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves – 6-7
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Boiled Potato – 2 big, cut into chunks
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Amchur powder – a pinch
Chopped mint – 2 tbsp
Chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp

Cooking Procedure:
To make tomato puree, wash the tomatoes and remove the core. Score a cross mark on the bottom of the tomato. Carefully place the tomato in the boiling water. When the skin starts lifting up, remove the tomatoes and place them in ice cold water. After they have cooled down completely, slowly remove the skin. Chop the tomatoes and puree them.

Cut the chicken in medium size pieces. Marinate the chicken with ginger paste, garlic paste, and lemon juice, salt and keep side. Marinate for 1-2 hours.

For yogurt sauce, whisk the yogurt in a small bowl and add tomato puree, red chili paste, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix properly and keep aside.

Grind the black pepper, green cardamom, mace and black cardamom to a fine powder.

In a big pan, heat some oil. Add kalonji and mustard seeds. As the seeds begin to splatter add the curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Sauté for 2 mins and then add the yogurt sauce. Cook the sauce on medium heat stirring continuously till the oil separates. Now add the chopped onions. Fry for 2 mins and then add the marinated chicken. Sauté for 2 mins, then cover the pan and let the chicken cook till its tender. Add little water if required. After the chicken gets cooked, add the boiled potatoes, spice powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, chopped mint, chopped cilantro and simmer for 5 more mins. Serve hot with naan/roti/chapati or jeera rice.

GOAN FISH CURRY

Ingredients:
Fish – 1 lb, I used catfish steaks
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Kokum – 2-3
Salt
For masala paste :
Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup
Byadagi chilies – 7-8
Onion – 1 small, sliced
Coriander seeds – 1 ½ tbsp
Whole black pepper – 10-12
Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped Garlic – 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves - 2tbsp

Cooking Procedure:
Wash the fish pieces properly. Rub them with salt and turmeric and keep in refrigerator. Discard the stems of chilies, if any and cut them into pieces. Soak the chilies in warm water and keep aside for 1-2 hours. Take little oil in a small pan and add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown. Now add the coriander seeds and fry till seeds get brown. Then add in the pepper and sauté for 30 sec. Remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool. Combine all the ingredients for masala paste, including the chilies and grind to a fine paste.
In a big pan, heat some oil and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions till golden brown.

Now add the masala paste and fry till oil separates. Stir continuously so that the paste doesn’t stick. When the masala gets cooked you can see the oil oozing out from the sides. Then add 3-4 tbsp of water and continue stirring till oil separates. Adding little water will cook the spices. Make sure that you properly bhunofy/fry the masala paste, otherwise the masala paste will taste raw.

Now add salt and boiling water. For required consistency you can add as much or as little water as required. Then mix well and bring the curry to a boil. Boil for 5 mins. Now add the kokum and fish. Reduce the gas to medium and let the fish cook till its tender. It takes around 20-25mins. for fish steaks and 10-15 mins for fillet to cook . This curry can be served with plain rice.

CHICKEN BALTI

Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 kg
Onion – 1 big sliced
Bay leaf - 2
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Tomato – 2 medium chopped
Green chilies – 3-4
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Jeera powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Everest mutton masala – ½ tsp
Yogurt/ curd – 4 tbsp
Kasoori methi – 1tsp
Cream – 2-3 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves

Cooking Procedure:
Clean the chicken and keep aside. Whip the yogurt with little oil and keep aside*.
Heat some oil in a pan. Add onions and fry till dark brown (not black). Now add bay leaf, ginger paste and garlic paste. Fry well then add chicken. Fry this chicken on high heat till oil separates. Now add tomato and salt. Cook till tomatoes get dissolved. Continue cooking on high heat. Now add green chilies, jeera powder, red chili powder, garam masala and everest mutton masala. Stir well till oil separates. Now remove the pan from heat and add the yogurt**. Mix well and then return the pan on heat. Now add hot water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame, cover and let the chicken cook till tender. When the chicken gets half cooked add kasoori methi. When the chicken cooks completely add cream. Simmer for 2mins and finally garnish with coriander leaves.

* whipping the yogurt with little bit of oil will make a very smooth gravy.
** By removing the pan from heat and adding the yogurt will prevent the yogurt from curdling.