SHRIKHAND

Ingredients:

Plain yogurt – 1 container, 32 oz
Sour cream – 8 oz
Sugar – ¼ cup or as required
Green cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
Grated nutmeg – 2-3 pinches
Saffron – 5-6 threads
Sliced almonds and pistachio for garnishing

Procedure:

Place the yogurt in a piece of muslin cloth. Tie together all the ends of the cloth and hang it on the kitchen counter. I use the handle of kitchen closet to hang the curd with a bowl below to collect the whey. Let the whey drain overnight. If doing shrikhand in summer or hotter days, then hang the yogurt in refrigerator. If the weather is too hot the yogurt becomes too sour till the whey drains away. Next day take the hung yogurt in a bowl, add sugar and whisk till smooth. Then add the sour cream and continue whisking for 2 mins. Then add the cardamom powder, saffron, nutmeg and half of the almonds and pistachio mix well and keep in refrigerator to cool. Garnish with almonds and pistachio. You can adjust the amount of sugar, according to the sourness of the yogurt. Also you can adjust the amount of sour cream as per your taste.

SPROUTED MASOOR RICE

Ingredients:

Sprouted masoor – 1 cup
Rice – 1 cup
Water – 2 ½ cups, boiling
Onion – 1 big, chopped
Ginger – 1”
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Green chilies – 2-3
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves – 3-4
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Hing – a pinch
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Salt
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Everest meat masala – 1 tsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Cooking Procedure:
Soak the whole masoor in water overnight. Next day strain the water and place the masoor in a damp muslin cloth. Tie all the sides of muslin cloth and keep it in a covered container in a warm and dark place. It take about 1 ½ to 2 days to sprout.
Make ginger garlic green chili paste.
Take some oil in a deep skillet. Add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start to splatter, add the cumin seeds and onion. Sauté the onions till translucent. Then add curry leaves and ginger garlic green chili paste. Fry for two minutes. Then add turmeric powder, hing, coriander powder, garam masala, meat masala. Then add the sprouted masoor. Sauté it for a minute. Then add the rice and boiling water. Cover the pan and let cook. Garnish with coriander leaves. You can serve taak/ chaas with this rice.

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.