MIRCHI KA SALAN

Ingredients:
Jalapeño pepper – 8-9
Roasted peanuts – ¼ cup
Sesame seeds – ¼ cup
Dry grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Black pepper – 5-6
Cloves – 2-3
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Garlic – 3-4
Ginger – 1”
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Salt
Tamarind pulp – ½ tsp

Cooking Procedure:
In a small fry pan add the sesame seeds and roast till light brown now add the roasted peanuts and roast for a minute (as they are already roasted). Then add the coconut and roast till golden brown. Now remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool. Now grind these seeds to a fine paste. If required, add little water while grinding. Make ginger garlic paste.
Remove the stem of the chilies and cut them lengthwise into two pieces. Remove the seeds and the white pulp which is the hot part of a chilland keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the chilies. Fry the chilies for 2-3 mins, then remove and keep aside. Frying will remove the raw flavor from the chilies. In the same pan add 2-3 tbsp of oil and add the cloves, black pepper and cinnamon stick. Then add the onion and sauté till golden brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the sesame seeds paste and fry till oil seperates. Then add the turmeric powder, hing, red chili paste and salt. Mix well and then add water as per the required consistency. Finally add the tamarind pulp and boil for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. This salan tastes good with naan, rice or biryani.

KASHMIRI DUM ALOO

Ingredients:
Baby potato – 12-13
Garlic – 2-3, chopped
Kashimiri chili powder – 1 tsp (I used red chili paste)
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Cloves – 3-4
Yogurt – 3-4 tbsp
Salt
For ground masala –
Jeera – 1 ½ tsp
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Green cardamom – 3-4
Seeds of Black cardamom – 2
Dry ginger powder - ¼ tsp

Cooking Procedure:
Boil the potatoes, peel them and poke holes with fork. Poking the potatoes inserts oil in the potato and eventually the spices. Now deep fry the potatoes and keep aside.
Grind the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, black cardamom and dry ginger powder into a fine powder.
Heat two tbsp of oil in a pan. Add cloves, garlic, turmeric powder and kashmiri chili powder. Mix and then add yogurt (whisk the yogurt before adding). Mix well, then add the ground masala. Bring it to a boil and add the potatoes. Mix well and let cook till the oil seperates for about 10 mins. Serve hot with chapatti/ rice.

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