Chicken Kasha

Chicken Kasha is a much-loved Bengali delicacy generally served in lunch or dinner with a side of Pulao or Naan. This oily and spicy chicken curry is a must try if you are a fan of Bengali cuisine. The deep brown colour is because the dish is traditionally prepared in an iron wok, dont worry if you dont have one. You can prepare it in whichever wok or pan you have.

Ingredients:
-  Chicken (curry Cut) - 1 kg. Feel free to use any cut available.
- Plain / Greek Yogurt - 1 cup
- Onions finely chopped - 3
- Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
- Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp

- Mustard Oil - 6 tbsp

Powdered Masala - Take it in a bowl and mix with 2 tsp of water to make a paste
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 2 Tsp. Cumin Powder
- 2 Tsp. Coriander Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Sugar
- 2 Tsp. Salt 
Khara/Gota Masala
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 3 Dry Red Chili
- 3 Green Cardamoms
- 1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 tsp Jeera

 Method:

- Marinate chicken with the Masala Paste, yogurt, onion, ginger garlic paste and half the oil for at least 1 hour, overnight is best.

- In a wok or pan (best if iron), heat the remaining oil.

- When hot, add all the Khara Masala and let it splutter.

- At this point add the marinated chicken.

- Let it cook, stir Occasionally.

- Let all the water dry, and the masala leave oil. 

- You can garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Pulao or Ruti/Naan.

Shada Alur Tarkari / White Potato Curry

Shada Alur Tarkari or White potato curry is a must make dish on Sunday mornings to go with Luchi (deep fried bread) in any bengali household. This needs very little ingredients and is delish. Goes really well with hot phulkas or paratha too. This is also a very common dish during Bengali wedding breakfasts when served with a side of Luchi and hot Rosogollas. This is not a very common preparation at my place coz the husband does not eat potatoes nor anything deep fried. But I do make it sometimes for myself and daughter when craving kicks in.

Ingredients:

- Brushed Potatoes - 2

-  Hing/Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

- Salt - 1 tsp

- Sugar - 1 tsp

- Dried Red Chilli / Green Chilli - 2

- Mustard Oil - 2 tsp

 

 Method:

- Cut the potatoes into cubes and soak them in water. This will prevent them from turning brown.

- In a wok or pan, heat mustard oil.

- When hot add the red chilli (optional) and hing.

- Add potatoes and salt. At this point you can add green chilli too.

- Keep stirring every few minutes otherwise will stick to the bottom of the pan.

- If the potatoes are taking too long to cook or sticking to the pan, you can add a splash of water and cover the pan will the flame at low.

- Once the potatoes are soft but firm, add sugar.

- Serve hot with Luchi / Phulka / Porota / Ruti.

Blueberry Chia seeds coconut cake

How about a healthy cake recipe? According to me all homemade cakes are healthy! Having these in the pantry helps when the 3pm snack timer goes off in your brain. Its better to have this than having a few store bought cookies or fried snacks.

Ingredients:

- Self Raising Flour - 1 cup

- Oil (Veg/Canola/Olive) I used vegetable oil, but its up to your choice and pantry - 1/2 cup

- Sugar - 1/2 cup

- Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

- Chia seeds - 2 tbsp 

- Blueberries - 100 gm

- Coconut flakes - 1/4 cup

- Eggs - 2

- Milk - 3 tsp

 Method:

- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

- Line a cake tin with butter paper and keep it ready.

- Crack 2 eggs in a big mixing bowl.

- Add sugar and beat with a spoon until there are no granules and sugar is mixed well with the eggs.

- Add oil and mix well until everything is mixed and forms a batter.

- To this add half the flour and fold it in.

- Add the next half and fold it in too.  

- Add in and mix vanilla essence and milk at this time to get the right consistency.

- Mix in blueberries, coconut flakes and chia seeds. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top

- Pour this mixture into the cake tin evenly. Sprinkle the extras from top, the ones we kept aside in the previous step.

- Once the oven is preheated, put the cake on the middle rack and bake for 30 min.

- Do the toothpick test, if not completely baked, bake for another 5 mins. Baking time will vary based on the strength and design of your oven.

- Once baked, take out of the oven and let it cool.

- Cut and serve. 

Roasted Salmon with Indian Spices

Salmon, the favourite fish of the family! I try talking people through the health benefits, but what sells salmon for me (or rather loads of folks like me) is the taste. The taste is just so rich. The right amount of flesh and fat make it an amazing fish to bake. 

This preparation is a regular in my kitchen mostly for weekend lunches. Sometimes also finds a place on the dinner table with a side of salad and rice, or soup and bread (an absolute winter favourite).

Ingredients:

- Salmon - 2 fillets cut lengthwise (I generally buy Salmon from seafood deli section of our local Woolies). You can get fresh salmon from nearest local markets too.

- Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

- Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (increase or decrease based on your spice tolerance levels)

- Lemon juice - 2 tsp

- Greek Yogurt / Curd -  1 tbsp

- Ginger and Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

- Salt - according to taste

Method:

- Beat the yogurt in a small bowl so that it is creamy and there are no lumps.

- Add all powdered spices into the yogurt and mix well.

- Wash the salmon and pat dry.

- Add all the mixed spices and yogurt to the fish. Also add 2 tsp lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and salt.

- Let it marinate for 1 hour (at least 30 min).

- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

- Once preheated, bake salmon for 30 min on 200 degrees.

- Serve hot with a wedge of lemon. Can be served with sides of rice and salad.

Coconut Choc Chip Cake

Coconut is the flavour of the season for me! I am from a tropical country and coconut finds its place a lot in Bengali cuisine. Be it curries, desserts or snacks coconut always finds a place in my kitchen.

Ingredients:

- Self Raising Flour - 1 cup

- Oil (Veg/Canola/Olive) I used vegetable oil, but its up to your choice and pantry - 1/2 cup

- Sugar - 1/2 cup

- Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

- Chocolate chips - 2 tbsp

- Coconut flakes - 4 tbsp and extra for sprinkling on top

- Eggs - 2

- Milk - 3 tsp

 Method:

- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

- Line a cake tin with butter paper and keep it ready.

- Crack 2 eggs in a big mixing bowl.

- Add sugar and beat with a spoon until there are no granules and sugar is mixed well with the eggs.

- Add oil and mix well until everything is mixed and forms a batter.

- To this add half the flour and fold it in.

- Add the next half and fold it in too.  

- Add in and mix vanilla essence and milk at this time to get the right consistency.

- Mix in coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top

- Pour this mixture into the cake tin evenly. Sprinkle the extras from top, the ones we kept aside in the previous step.

- Once the oven is preheated, put the cake on the middle rack and bake for 30 min.

- Do the toothpick test, if not completely baked, bake for another 5 mins. Baking time will vary based on the strength and design of your oven.

- Once baked, take out of the oven and let it cool.

- Cut and serve. 

Blueberry Choco chip and Coconut Cake

Our family loves cake as afternoon snack and lunch box treat. The daughter does not like blueberries, she eats them only if they are in a dessert or in cake. We have also been watching Is it Cake? on Netflix these days so this snack fits in perfectly for this work week. 

Ingredients:

- Self Raising Flour - 1 cup

- Oil (Veg/Canola/Olive) I used vegetable oil, but its up to your choice and pantry - 1/2 cup

- Sugar - 1/2 cup

- Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

- Chocolate chips - 2 tbsp 

- Coconut flakes - 4 tbsp and extra for sprinkling on top

- Eggs - 2

- Milk - 3 tsp

- Fresh Blueberries- 100gm

Method:

- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

- Line a cake tin with butter paper and keep it ready.

- Crack 2 eggs in a big mixing bowl.

- Add sugar and beat with a spoon until there are no granules and sugar is mixed well with the eggs.

- Add oil and mix well until everything is mixed and forms a batter.

- To this add half the flour and fold it in.

- Add the next half and fold it in too.  

- Add in and mix vanilla essence and milk at this time to get the right consistency.

- Mix in coconut flakes, blueberries and chocolate chips. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top

- Pour this mixture into the cake tin evenly. Sprinkle the extras from top, the ones we kept aside in the previous step.

- Once the oven is preheated, put the cake on the middle rack and bake for 30 min.

- Do the toothpick test, if not completely baked, bake for another 5 mins. Baking time will vary based on the strength and design of your oven.

- Once baked, take out of the oven and let it cool.

- Cut and serve. 

 

Thai Green Fish Curry

A regular from my kitchen, this curry is almost addictive My daughter just loves this curry. This is very easy to prepare and I will be very surprised if she does not look for this recipe when she grows up.

I have been following the same recipe for a while now. I have posted the chicken version of this Thai curry a while back (Thai Chicken Curry) The ingredients for the paste are the same and I have just replaced chicken with Basa fillets (cut into cubes). Let me give you the ingredients quickly.

Ingredients:

For the green curry paste:- 

- Green chilli (2-3)
- Lemongrass 1-2 pods
- Coriander Seeds (2 tsp)
- Garlic (4-5 cloves)
- Fish Sauce (3 tbsp)
- Kaffir lime leaves (2-3)
- Salt (acc to taste)
- Sugar (acc to taste)
- Galangal (a small cube). Can replace with ginger if galangal is not available.

For the fish preparation :
- Coconut Cream (I used Ayam brand 300 ml)
- Basa Fish fillets - 3 cut into cubes
- Green chillies (1 slit)
- A handful of Brown mushrooms - cut into halves

- Broccoli - a cup of florets

- Green Beans a handful - Remove the edges and the string

- Carrots - 1 cup (feel free to skip this. Its not green and is not traditionally added to green curry. My daughter loves carrots, hence they are added to everything.)

- Any white oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt (acc to taste)
- Sugar (acc to taste)

Method:

- Add all the green curry ingredients into the mixer jar and make a fine paste. 

You can make the paste ahead of time and store it in the fridge. I generally make it on weekends and store it in the fridge for dinner on weekdays.

- Add oil in a pan. Fry all the veggies.
- Add the green curry to it and stir for about 3 mins.
- When the veggies and curry paste is fully cooked add sugar, salt and the coconut milk.
- Add a little water if you want and let it boil.
- Serve hot with white rice.