Chicken Liver Kolhapuri

Chicken Liver in my opinion is one of the most understated meat product. Despite of its peculiar texture and taste I personally like to lay it before my family owing to its health benefits. As a matter of fact I consider chicken liver as a powerhouse food, why you may ask! Chicken liver is not just a great source of protein and iron but also is enriched with folate and vitamin B12. Therefore, dear friends I believe that instead of popping a vitamin pill in the morning it is much prudent to eat chicken liver. However, the taste of chicken liver is often found repulsive and disliked especially by "spice-loving" Indians. Therefore, through this dish an attempt is made to revisit the produce by revamping an old Indian favourite. 

Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India is famous for spicy and hot food. The meat based food especially is so savoury in nature that no one can resist just a single serving. In this dish I have tried to marry Kolhapuri taste with chicken liver. The repulsive taste of chicken here can be overpowered by the strong tastes of coconut and onion. As a matter of fact, this has turned out to be the "go - to " non-vegetarian food at my home. For those who haven't had Maharashtrian food ever, let me brief through the nature of masalas. Like any other state Maharashtra offers pied palattes for your taste buds. The food in Pune for instance is slightly sweeter but the taste of food in southern Maharashtra say in Kolhapur is famously hot and spicy. 

Serves 3

Pointers:

• Maharastrian food is incomplete without Goda masala. Goda masala is sweeter in smell unlike garam masala which is much pungent and hot version of homemade masalas. To make Goda masala, take equal quantities (here i stuck to 2 tsps) of  dessicated or powdered coconut, white sesame seeds/ til, whole jeera/cumin seeds, whole dhania/ corriander seeds; asfotedia/hing(1/2 tsp), 2 tsp each of shahjeera/carrawy seeds, cobra saffron/nagkesar, ramtil/niger seeds, cloves/ lawang, whole red chillies/ sookhi mirch (2 nos), bay leaves/ tej patta (2 nos), badi elaichi/ black cardamon (2 nos), chotti elaichi/ green cardamom(4 nos), chakriphool/ star anise(2 nos), kali mirch/ whole pepper, dalchini/cinnamon(1 medium stick), patthar phool/ stone flower and oil. Take 1 tsp oil in a pan add corriander stir till fragrant once done set it aside.  In the same pan repeat the process with cumin seeds, carraway seeds, niger seeds and sesame seeds, but do not add oil this time. In the same pan add and roast dessicated coconut until it turn golden brown in colour see to it that the coconut does not get burnt, set aside. Similarly roast chillies and hing separately until fragrant and set aside. Next take 1 tsp oil in the pan and add all the whole spices (nagkesar, patthar phool, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, star anise and pepper stir and roast till fragrant, set aside. Once all the roasted seeds, coconut, hing and spices have cooled down put them in a dry mixer and make a powder. You can store this powder in an air-tight jar for more than a month. Store in a cool dark place (not refridgerator!!)
• To make chicken liver more plattable, take raw cleaned chicken liver in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and turmeric and mix well, set aside. Marinate for only 15-30 minutes.

Ingredients:

250 gms chicken liver

2 medium sized onions (sliced, fried, cooled and made into a paste)

1 big onion reduced to paste

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

3 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp dania/corriander powder

1 tsp Jeera/cumin powder

1tbsp kahmiri lal mirch powder

1tsp lal mirch powder

1 tsp Cumin/Jeera seeds

4-5 green chillies chopped

2 tbsp Goda masala

2 tbsp Oil (preferably groundnut oil)

salt to taste

water

2 tsp finely chopped corriander

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadahi, add Jeera seeds. Once it crackles add onion paste and ginger garlic paste fry it oil leaves from side. At this point add the tomato puree and fry the masala till done. 
• Once masala leaves oil from side add fried onion paste and turmeric, corriander powder, jeera powder, kashmiri lal mirch powder, lal mirch powder and goda masala. let the masala fry until oil leaves from its side. 
• As soon as masala is completely fried add chicken liver to it along with chopped chillies. Stir until the chicken liver changes its texture and become slightly hard to touch and losses its rosey colour becoming more brownish, add salt. 
• Once the chicken liver becomes slightly tender add little water to it and let it boil. 
• As it is done, place the dish in a serving bowl garnish with corriander and a hint of ghee on top. 

Dimer Devil or Dimer Chop

Durga Puja is here...one of the most celebrated times for a Bengali. A Bengali belonging from any part of the country becomes almost vibrant and instantly happy with the advent of the "Pujo". But Durga Puja for a Bengali does not mean just bhakti it also means a carnival.. a party that lasts for three days. In these three days we enjoy and eat...roam and eat...vist pandals and eat...basically Eat a Lot!!!

Dimer Devil or Dimer chop is one of the most popular dishes you may see in a pujo pandal. Basically it is a chop/ cutlet inside of which is an egg (Dim in Bengali means Egg). For egg lovers especially, this dish comes as a surprise when you dig into the cripy layer then the potato filling and in the middle is a boiled egg!! The feeling of this dish is so satiating that "Wow" is a singular expression that one is left with.

The recipe is mine and gets prepared in 40 minutes including cooling and making the chop. The present recipe serves 4.

Goes Well With: Anything and everything. My favourite ofcourse is with any soft drink  and that of my husband is with single malt whiskey.

Pointers:

• While boiling eggs, many a times the shell breaks and the egg is splattered in the water. To avoid this one must use fresh eggs, boil the eggs in a pressure cooker and add a pinch of baking powder for the shells to remain intact. For hard boiled eggs two whistles of pressure cooker will do.
• If you are in a hurry or if you live a busy life, try this simple kitchen hack. Take off the stem from the chillies and store in an air-tight container, paste garlic-ginger and store in a ceramic or air-tight container. 
• Next time you are making a sandwich, just cut the sides of the bread beforehand, dry them, grind and store to make cripy, restaurant worthy cutlets.

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs

5 large boiled and peeled potatoes

2 Tbsp finely chopped corriander

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp finely chopped chillies

1 tsp Turmeric

Chaat Masala

salt to taste

dry breadcrumbs to coat the chop

Oil to fry

Method:

• Take the boil potatoes and mash them add to them chillies, corriander, girger garlic paste, turmeric and salt. Mix well. See to it that there are no big chucks of potato left
• Take the boiled eggs and cut them into half. Now cover the half boiled egg with the mash potato mix and roll it to form a round or egg like shape. Once you get the shape roll the chop over breadcrumbs and set aside. Repeat the process for all the eggs. 
• Take the chops and place the tray into the refrigerator to cool and set for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
• Take out the chops and heat oil into a kadahi for deep frying. Once the oil is hot introduce the chops into it and fry till they turn golden. 
• Take out the Devil and sprinkle chaat masala over it and relish these crispy egg filled surprises. 

Chingri Machcher Bora

Chingri macher bora basically means prawn fritters. This recipe is my Nani's version of the fritters which we use to relish sitting in summer shade with dal and chawal. My Nani's version of chingri macher bora does not have any chingri as such but she use to use the feet of prawn for making them. These crispy fritters are especially a delight with chai or along with humble dal-chawal. What I personally like about them is that we normally tend to throw the feet part of prawn along with shell and head but this dish always tempts me to retain them for making these special fritters.

Serves 2

GOES WELL WITH: From Chai to Chawal from Wine to water this goes well with anything and everything.

POINTERS:

• Try using feet and tail of larger prawns such as those of Tiger Prawns.
• Retaining prawn feet is simple as and when you use prawn carefully takeout the feet, head and tail. For this dish I try to retain feet and tail of prawn.
• To make any fritters crispy add rice flour to the batter.

INGREDIENTS:

Feet and Tail of 1/2 kg Tiger Prawn

1/2 tsp Turmeric for marination

1 tsp Turmeric for batter

Salt to taste and for marination

2 finely chopped Green Chillies

2 tbsp Besan/Gram flour

1 tbsp Rice flour

1 tsp Ajwain/ Carum seeds

finely chopped Corriander

Water to make the batter

Oil to fry

METHOD:

• Place the feet and tail of Tiger Prawns in a mixing bowl and add Turmeric and salt to it. set aside for at least 15 minutes but not more than 2 hours.
• In another mixing bowl add besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric, chillies, ajwain, corriander and water. Mix well into a smooth but slightly sticky batter. Add the marinated prawns to it. 
• Heat oil and take little batter and start making fritters.
• Enjoy Chingri macher bora with green corriander chutney.

Bhapa Chingri

Bhapa in bengali means steamed. However, when we talk food-wise, it may mean two things - first that the ingredients are steamed and secondly that they were given "dum" or pressure- while cooking. Bhapa Machch or Bhapa fish is a common bengali delicacy, however, not many traverse through doing the same to prawns or chingri. There are two reasons behind it, first that not many are confident about thye process of bhapa, second that not many want to delve into adding mustard and prawn together and third because a wrongly timed bhapa may lead to chewy prawns. 

However, this is a recipe I tried of-late and it turned pretty well. Best part it cooks in just 15 minutes including the preparations. Serves 4 portions.

GOES WELL WITH: Plain rice or roti, though my father (a big fan of this dish) prefers it with plain rice. 

POINTERS:

• Prawns are a delicacy no doubt but sometimes a wrong way to clean and devein them ruins the experience. I simply clean prawns at home. Just make a long slit on the back of the prawn down till slightly above the tail portion clean the blue/brown/red/black vein from the prawn. Voila you are done.
• Choosing the variety of prawn is another task. Just like fish, one must be deligent to choose specific kind of prawn for specific dishes I choose Large Pud Prawns for this dish. 
• Double boiler means placing the ingredients into a bowl and placing it on another bowl filled with water. In this dish I have used pressure cooker without puting the whistle.

INGREDIENTS:.

250gms Large Pud Prawns

2 Tbps Black Mustard 

2 Tbps Poppy seeds/ Posto

5 Green Chillies

1/2 tsp Turmeric for marination

1 tsp Turmeric for paste

salt to taste and marination

1 tbsp Mustard Oil

Water to boil 

Foil paper

METHOD:

• Take the cleaned and deveined prawns add 1/2 tsp Turmeric and little salt, mix well and set aside.
• In a grinder put Black Mustard, Poppy, 1 Green Chilly and 1 tsp Turmeric and water. Grind into a smooth paste. 
• Take a cooker and fill it with water. water level must not be more than 1/4th than the utensil you intend to put inside the cooker. 
• In a deep utensil, preferably steel tiffin-box or dabba (without lid) add the prawns and the Mustard-Poppy paste along with Mustard Oil and the remaining salt and Green Chillies. Cover the dabba with aluminium foil. Place it inside the cooker and place the lid of the cooker on top without closing the cooker tightly. Do not put the whistle. 
• Cook in pressure for 10 minutes. Once done place the Bhapa chingri in serving bowl and relish the dish.

Yakhni Pulao

Yakhni Pulao is one of the heart stealers at my home. Primarily Yakhni means "stock" in this reciepe we shall use this Yakhni to make a pilaf or pulao. The good part about yakhni is that it is a comparatively healthier version of biryani. It infuses fragrance of rice with the spices and the mutton or chicken delicately marries the rice creating a sheer symphony on the taste buds. Though there are many versions of this dish, nonetheless, this reciepe is quick and contains much less calories. Once you serve it to your loved ones, the request to make it again will never stop. Serves 3 portions.

GOES WELL WITH: This dish can be had with either awadhi style chicken korma or Paneer Tikkas. At my home we have this with Vegetable raita.

POINTERS:

1. When you are trying to make Yakhni, please understand that there is a difference between stock (as used in European or American cuisine) and yakhni. While the object of a stock preparation is to get essence of chicken, meat or vegetables into the stock, the object of yakhni is not just to add flavour of the chicken or mutton to the broth but also infuse the fragrance of the spices at the same time. 
2. Basmati can be tricky for this dish, I personally prefer using long grain Biryani rice. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Long grain Basmati Rice or Biryani Rice
1 cup sliced onion
corriander leaves for garnishing

Stock
1 Onion small skinned but whole
4 cloves of garlic
1 inch Ginger
2 bay leaves
1 Javitri
2 badi elaichi
4 cloves
4 choti elaichi
2 small sticks of Cinnamon
1 tsp Corriander/ Dhaniya Seeds
250 gms Mutton / Chicken (I used Chicken)
 Salt to taste
Water

Masala

2 Onions chopped finely (for masala)

1 bay leaves

4 cloves

4 cardamoms

1 small stick Cinnamon

2 Mace or Javitri

1 spoon of Garlic

1 spoon Ginger paste

1 cup Tomato cut into rings

1 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds

1/2 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Kashmiri Mirch
4-5 slit green chillies
1 tsp Jeera powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
Oil to cook (I used Olive Pomace Oil)

salt to taste

Method:

1. Fry the sliced onions till brown and crispy and set aside.
2. Wash and strain Rice and set aside. Ensure that the water is totally strained from the rice.
3. Take all the ingredients for stock and put them in a stewing pot. Add water and bring it to boil. Boil the stock till chicken turns tender.
4. Strain the stock from the ingredients. Separate the chicken pieces, garlic and onion from the boiled ingredients. Set them to cool.
5. Take a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp of oil into it and heat it. Add 1/2 tsp of Jeera seeds into it. Add strained rice into the cooker. Fry the rice until starts turning translucent and each grain is separated. Add 1 tsp of garam masala powder and fry a bit more for few seconds. Add the spices strained from the stock and water. Lastly, add salt - a bit less than usual. Cook the rice.
6. Simulataneously, in a wok/ Kadahi add 2 tbsp of Oil, add jeera to it along with garlic and ginger paste. Once fried, add tomato rings and cover the wok with lid. Once the tomatoes get half cooked add yogurt and green chillies to it. 
7. As soon as oil leaves the masala add kashimiri mirch powder, jeera powder, garam masala powder and fry the masala until it leaves oil from sides.
8. At this point add chicken and salt to the masala. stir well and keep aside.
9. Open the pressure cooker, gently take out the rice into a bowl add the masala and chicken into it and gently stir the mixture into one. 
10. Take the Pulao on the serving bowl and garnish it with fried onions and corriander leaves. 

Doi Machch

Fish is an indispensible food item in many culture. In India too, fish is set as a priority food in many communities especially those set in coastal areas. In Bengali community, for instance, fish is considered as a sign of prosperity and fertility. Therefore, the Bengalis gift Fish - decorated as a bride- to the bride to be on the morning of wedding and also fish is duly served to the newly wed woman on her first day at her in-laws place. One needs to understand that fishes are primarily of two types riverine and saline water fish. River water fishes are such as carps are usually are known for their sweet flesh and contain a lot of bones. While salt water or sea fishes have less bones and can be easily cut into filets.
In the present dish, we are going to use Basa fish (sea water fish) and cook it in gravy made with curd that will add to the buttery texture of the fish. Doi or curd when cooked with machch or fish creates a unique taste that leaves the taste buds tentilized. This dish is a heart-throb at all occassions and is relished by those who have just started eating fish as well as those who love to enjoy fish in general. There is a notion, however, that those who love river fish find sea fish pungent and vice versa. Hence, for those who love to eat river fish and might find sea fish repulsive may cook this dish with large sized Rohu or carpo fish. Traditionally, this dish is made with Rohu fish, But I took the liberty to make it with filleted basa.

Goes Well With: The dish is slighty tangy and spicy, therefore, I prefer serving it with boiled rice be it basmati or otherwise. However, my Mum serves it with chapati and it equally tastes divine!

Pointers:

• Note fishes can be tricky. They cook quickly and easily so one has to be careful with the temperature in which it is cooked. 
• When one deals with fishes especially while cooking any Bengali dish it is important to note that before frying or adding the fish to curry one must rub the fish with little salt and tumeric and set aside for say 5-10 minutes.
• If in case one chooses to use river fish such as carps for this dish then remember to fry them before adding the fish into the gravy. 
• But in case of soft and textured sea water fishes like Basa or King fish there is no need to fry just add fish into the gravy as and when it is done. 

Ingredients:

250 gms filleted and cleaned Basa fish coated with salt and Turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 cup onion paste
2 Tejpata/ Bay leaves
1 stick Cinnamon
4 Elaichi/ Cardamom
1/2 tsp Jeera/ Cumin Seeds
2-3 Chillies slit
1 cup Whisked Curd
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilly Powder
2-3 tbsp Oil
Corriader for Garnish

Method

• Take a wok/ Kadahi heat oil into it. Add Jeera, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Bay leaves to it, let the aromatics crackle in the oil.
• Add Ginger paste followed by Garlic and Onion paste. Let the mixture Fry until oil leaves from sides.
• Add Turmeric and Kashmiri Chilly powder into the mixture along with the Curd and Chillies. Fry the masala until Oil starts leaving from its side. 
• Once done Add the Fish cut into square and sizable pieces cover for 2 minutes and simmer the flame. 
• When the fish becomes somewhat medium done add salt and again cover the  Kadahi with a lid. Add little water if required. 
• The consistency of the gravy must be somewhat dense and the fish must be seen wrapped in the gravy itself, 
• When done trun the dish into serving bowl and garnish with Corriander.

Veggie and Chicken Soup

In today's time when we have to juggle lives between work and home, it stands imperative that we give ourselves a break from kitchen too. But does that mean bingeing on food served by chain restaurants...I don't think so. As our mind and spirit needs relaxation, even our stomach and body needs rest, aometimes we feel like savouring on comfort food that may heal our soul, mind and body. The soup reciepe is a saviour at my kitchen, it does not need much work and it simple enough to be made. For a vegetarian alternative the chicken can be skipped. For a vegan option skip on milk and chicken. Serves three.

Goes Well with: toated garlic bread, breadsticks or in case of my family slightly burnt bread served with little butter on top.

Pointers:

• Simplest soups can at times turn into a disaster if one is not clear as to what kind/consistency they want to have. For instance, keep your mind clear about choices such as whether you want chunky pieces in your soup or you want to enjoy it completly mashed. Whatever you may like must be part of your recipe modification. At the end of the day, cooking is all about exoperimenting with food and flavours.
• Golden Rule: Never throw stock!! Even if you do not like adding extra stock into your soup, retain the stock...freeze it as ice cubes and you may add it in dals or curries for that extra flavour.

Time Taken: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup boiled American Corn kernels

1/4 cup Peas

1/4 cup Carrots cut in 1" chuncks 

1/2 cup 1" cut Potato cubes

1 cup Onions

1/2 cup boneless Chicken

6 cloves of Garlic

1 Tsp Ginger paste

1/4 cup Milk

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Thyme

salt to taste 

2tsp Olive Oil

Method:

• Take a deep vessel or pressure cooker heat the Olive Oil in it. Add chicken, garlic and all veggies leaving corn and peas into it add water, salt and bring it to boil. After 3 to 4 whistles put  it off the flame.
• Open the Cooker strain the veggies and chicken from the stock. Take the veggies in a bowl and blend them, set aside. 
• If chicken is in large chuncks then shed them to smaller bitable size. 
• Heat the stock and add the blended veggie purée, corn, peas and chicken back into it. Add Ginger paste. Bring it to boil.  
• Once Boiled simmer flame of the stove and add Oregano and milk. Add more salt if required.
• Once the desired consistency is reached (dip ladle or spoon into the soup and check whether it coats the back of laddle or spoon gently) take the soup off the flame. Pour it into soup dish and garnish it with thyme.