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

HOW TO BLANCH TOMATO

Heat some water in a pot, sufficient enough to cover 2-3 tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes and remove the core using the tip of the paring knife. Cross cut on the opposite side as shown in the picture.

When the water starts boiling, drop the tomatoes and cook till the skin starts to split. I cooked them on medium high heat for 15 mins. Then remove from water and keep aside to cool.

After they cool off remove the skin with hands. The skin slips right off.

Tomatoes are now ready to be pureed for using in gravy and sauces recipe. I blanch the tomatoes in bulk and puree them, put them in 1 cup containers and store in freezer.

SAVORY ZUCCHINI PANCAKES

Ingredients:
Zucchini – 2 small, grated
Besan/ chickpea flour – 1 ½ cup or as required
Semolina – 2 tbsp
Green chili – 2, finely chopped
Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Fresh chopped coriander leaves – ¼ cup
Salt


Cooking Procedure:
Place the grated zucchini in a big bowl. Then add green chilies, sesame seeds, garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything well and keep aside for 5 mins. Now add semolina and mix well. Then add besan as required to form a pancake like batter. Don’t add water. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 mins.

Now heat a griddle and put ladle full of batter on hot griddle and spread inside out, using the back of the spoon to form a 4-5 inch diameter pancake.

Drizzle with some oil and let cook on medium heat.

Using a spatula slightly lift the pancake and see if the bottom is nice brown color.

Then flip it and again drizzle with some oil. Cook the other side till it becomes brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.