Qubani Ka Meetha

Qubani ka Meetha never fails to reminds me of the grandiose and pompous Hyderabadi weddings. A Hyderabadi gathering is never complete without the presence of this glorious meetha that has become synonym and a glory to the place of Hyderabad. 

Qubani Ka Meetha topped with thick cream

Qubani, in Urdu language means Apricot in English. For this particular meetha, only dried apricots are used along with their kernels, which are rehydrated in a sugary syrup into a thick compote. I prefer Kashmiri or Afghanistani dried apricots with their kernels to prepare this dessert as I find the dried apricots from Kashmir or Afghanistan very delicious and sweeter in comparision to others.

Dried apricots are high in fibre and proteins. I usually stock up my pantry with a few extra packets of dried apricots as they keep very well in room remperatures.

Dried apricots, soaked and halved apricots, their kernels and nuts

The amount of sugar you use in the preperation of this dessert depends on the sweeteness of the kind of dried apricots you are using. Be careful before you add sugar, use it according to your tastes.

Qubani Ka Meetha – Apricot Compote

Ingredients:

• Dried Apricots/Qubani – 400gms (preferably dried naturally)
• Saffron threads – a pinch (optional)
• Sugar – 300 gms
• Thick cream/Custard/Vanilla Ice-cream for serving

Method:

• Wash and soak the dried apricots overnight in a deep bowl with surplus water so that the water covers them by about 2 inches. The next day, slit the sides of the swelled up apricots to remove their kernels and keep them aside in a cup. Put the slit apricots into a large non-reactive saucepan with the soaking liquid. Add sugar and cover the lid. Let it cook on medium heat for about 20-30 minutes or until the apricots are very soft. Add more hot boiling water if needed. Once the done, let it cool down. (You can even pressure cook for speedy cooking)
• Meanwhile, crack open the apricots kernels using a nut cracker and soak the badam or nuts in a cup of water to loosen their skin.
• Once the apricots are cool, pour half of it into a blender container and blend till pureed.
• Pour the pureed apricots and the other half of the cooked apricots back into the saucepan and let it cook until it has become thick and pasty in consistency. Taste check for sugar. Add more if you need.
• Remove the skin of the soaking apricot nuts or badam. This should be pretty easy as they have been soaking. 
• Garnish with the badam/nuts and the saffron threads and serve it chilled topped with fresh thick cream, custard or a generous dollop of (Amul) Vanilla ice cream. 

Qubani Ka meetha served garnished with nuts

It is one of the most simple but incredibly delicious Hyderabadi desserts that you will definitely love and remember always. 

Mansi from Fun and Food Cafe has requested me to send this dish to her Vegetarian Thanksgiving event that is hosting on her delicious blog. Mansi, so, here it is.. my recipe all the way to you

Foodbuzz: A couple of days ago, I recieved a lovely Apron and a Rubber Spatula from Foodbuzz. Thankyou for the genorosity for sending me those gifts. I am enjoying using them in my kitchen everyday. 

Luv,
Mona

Tamate ka Kut

Tamate Ka Kut is an another Hyderabadi special dish. I love the rich red colour of this Sauce. Who wouldnt like to have a yummy rich Tomato sauce with Pulaos and Biryanis or as a side dish with almost anything..

Tomatoes, with their juicy subtle sweetness enhance the flavor of most of the dishes. I consider tomatoes as one of the most essential ingredients in Indian cooking, next to onions, dont you agree guys ?!

I like to have Tamate Ka Kut a little bit thick in consistency, not too thick though. I do not add too many spices to this dish, and like to have it only along with cumin and coriander seed powders as the main added spices. So, I suggest everyone also to keep the spices to the minimum. Yet, sometimes i end up adding a little bit more red chilli powder, as i love food when it gives a light kick on my tongue, tear in my eye

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, Vitamin A, B, C, and in minerals like Phosphorus and Potassium etc,. So they are beneficial for a healthy immune system and proper health.

Tamate Ka Kut is a saucy curry, loved and had mostly by Hyderabadis. Its a yummy Hyderabadi Dish side dish. You can add a dollop or cream to it just before serving as a garnish. Do try it out guys..

serves: 6-8

Tamate ka Kut – Rich Tomato Saucy Curry

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes – 10, large, red and ripe, washed and quartered (or) Canned ground/crushed tomatoes – 596 ml
• Besan/Gram Flour – 1/3 cup
• Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted Cumin Seed Powder – 1 tsp
• Dry Roasted Coriander Seed Powder – 1 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves/Karyapaak – 8
• Garlic pod/Lahsun -  2, whole, crushed
• Dried Red Chillies – 2, each split into two
• Fresh Cilantro/Kothmir – 1 cup, finely chopped
• Fresh Mint/Pudina
• Heavy Cream – a dollop(optional)
• Hard boiled Eggs – 4

Tamate Ka Kut – Rich Tomato Saucy Curry

Method:

• Put the quartered tomato pieces in a large non-stick sauce pan on medium low heat. Add a cup of water to it, mix, and cover with the lid. Let it cook till the tomatoes are mushy and soft. Keep giving it a stir every once in a while. Let it cool. Once cooled, pour into a blender container and add the gram flour. Blend till pureed. If you are using canned crushed tomato, add the gram flour to it and mix well.
• Strain this mixture through a wire mesh strainer back into the saucepan. Throw away the left over seeds and skin in the strainer. Add 2 cups water to it and let it cook on simmer.
• Pour oil into a small frying pan at medium heat and throw in the cumin seeds, whole red chillies, garlic pod and curry leaves when the oil heats up. As they start to splutter, remove from heat and add this to the tomato sauce being cooked in the saucepan.
• Add the cumin and coriander seed powder, red chilli powder and salt to the sauce and mix well. Bring it to a boil, and let it cook at medium low heat until the raw aroma of gram flour is gone. You can add a little water to it if required. Taste and adjust the salt and chilli powder according your likes.
• Take the eggs and make light slits on the egg on all 4 sides of it making sure the slits are not deep into the yolk, just on the surface. Add these to the simmering tomato sauce. Cook the tomato sauce until the raw smell of the gram flor is gone, about 30 minutes. Keep stirring it occasionally.
• Once it is cooked, just before you serve, stir in the chopped cilantro and mint. Pour it into a warm bowl. Drop in a dollop of heavy cream and serve it warm.

Note: For a good dark red colour, add a few tablespoons of canned Tomato paste.

Suggested Accompaniments: It is uaually devoured along with Chinese Fried Rice, Vegetable Biryani or Pulaos as a side dish. WE use this sauce to wet rice when we have it.

Luv,
Mona

Lazeez Murgh Qorma

Murgh Qorma is one dish i and my family cannot live without. Its Irf‘s most loved dish. He will rate it ten out of ten all the time. Its a dish in which the chicken is simmered on low in a creamy fragrant yogurt sauce with ginger-garlic pastes and cashew nuts in it. There can be nothing as filling and comforting as this. Its comfort food!

It gets prepared easily, doesn’t need lot of preparation and pre-planning. Its one of the ‘most’ important dishes in Hyderabadi cuisine. Earlier, for the preparation of this curry, the Chicken was allowed to cook on low heat for a long time in the fried onion and the fragrant spiced yogurt sauce till soft and perfectly done. But i have modified it a bit from the original style, and cook it in a differet way, so that it’s simpler, healthy and creamier.

In Hyderabad, this dish is mostly prepared on every Gatherings and Occasions, big or small, be it a wedding, a birth, new house, new car, or Eid.. It is usually had along with Naan or Rumali Roti. The bread is dipped into the warm sauce, and had with a few bits of Chicken in each morsel.

A typical Hyderabadi menu for an Occasion will be: Non-Vegatarian or Vegetarian Kababs or Spring rolls and Marag as Appetizer; Any Sookha(dry) Chicken or Mutton Curry, or Chicken/Lamb Qorma (this will be the Patla Salan- Liquid Gravy Curry, with Rumali Roti(Rumali means Kerchief, its called so because the Roti is unbelievably as thin as a kerchief!, it is light and very yummy), Lamb/Chicken Biryani along with Mirchi Ka salan, and then a Meetha. Ah! I am missing India and my place’s wonderful and mouth watering dishes. I am proud of my place, Hyderabad for its very Ethnic and Scrumptious Cuisine. I will post the recipes of each and every recipe here to share with you all guys, the way i prepare it in my house.

I plan to publish a Cookbook of my own where i can write all my Recipes, my version of Hyderabadi Cuisine. I have not done much about it right now. This thought and wish lingers on my mind and i think its time i should do something about it. I need resources for this project. Will let you guys know as the work proceeds..

You can add heavy cream, cashew nuts or almonds, and cubed potatoes too in this dish. But it is optional. You can even exclude Chicken in the recipe and only add potatoes instead, to make it ‘Aloo Ka Qorma’. If you do not even want potatoes, you can simply make it ‘Malai Qorma’, excluding the Chicken and Potatoes. The procedure to prepare ‘Mutton/Lamb Qorma’ is slightly different. So, i will post its recipe separately in the coming days.

Lazeez Murgh Qorma

Ingredients:

• Chicken with bone/Boneless Chicken Breast – washed and cubed into bite size pieces, 500 gms
• Red Chilli Powder – 1 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-Garlic Paste – 2 tsp
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Dry Roasted Coriander Seed Powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Onions – 4, large, sliced thick
• Cashewnuts and Almonds – 1/4 cup, chopped
• Canola/Sunflower oil – 4 tbsp
• Yogurt – 1 1/2 cups, lightly beaten
• Desiccated Coconut/Coconut Milk – 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves/Pudina – 1 cup, finely chopped
• Cilantro – 1 cup, finely chopped
• Potatoes – peeled, washed, and cubed, 1 cup (optional)
• Heavy Cream – 2 tbsp
• Thai Red Chillies, Coriander leaves – for garnishing

Method:

• Marinate the Chicken in the Salt, Red chilli, Turmeric, Ginger-Garlic paste and Coriander seed powder mixture for an hour.
• Take a high walled heavy bottomed non stick stock pot on medium heat and throw in the sliced Onion rings.
• Give them a stir every 2 minutes, and once they are caramelized, remove them in a food processor bowl or a blender bowl. Add in the chopped cashew nuts/almonds (optional). Process/blend them till pureed. Add a few drops of water to aid in the process. Do not add too much water.
• Heat oil in the same pan and add the cubed potatoes(if you are using them), fry them on all sides till lightly browned. Remove them with a slotted spoon in a bowl.
• In the same pan add the pureed onion mixture and let it cook for five minutes. Add the marinated Chicken and yogurt to it and mix it well. Reduce the flame to medium low. Cover it for five to ten minutes. Keep an eye on it and keep giving it a stir every now and then.
• The oil should start to separate by now. Let it cook a bit more, it the mixture has become too dry add half cup water and cook it till the all the oil has very nicely separated out and the raw smell of the yogurt has gone.
• Later, add the fried potatoes, mint and coriander leaves and Desiccated Coconut/Coconut milk. Mix well and let it it cook for a minute more.
• Add water (around a glass) to get the desired consistency. This does not usually have a very thick or a very loose consistency gravy. Its has a medium consistency. Let it come to a boil once. Cover the lid and let it cook for five minutes.
• Once the chicken and the potatoes are done, Serve it hot. Garnish with Heavy cream on top, sliced thai red chillies and coriander leaves.

Enjoy!

I am sending this entry to Meeta as the theme for her Monthy Mingle this time is ‘Comfort Foods’. I’m waiting for its round up, now who doesnt like Comfort Foods?!

Luv,
Mona

Badami Malai Murgh

Ah! The weather has finally changed and I subsequently got to witness snow! .. snow for the first time in my life !

Earlier it felt quite peculiar to witness darkness at 4:00 pm itself in the evening, and I sometimes found it scary. I remember.. back in India, between 4 and 5 in the evenings, children from every house would gather on streets or grounds, team up and start playing games, the most common.. Cricket! 5:00 pm was a lively.. noisy time, when I mostly got to hear ‘howz that!’ or ‘out!’, but here it was becoming pitch dark and everyone returning home for a looong night from their job places. But I have eventually got used to it.

Today I plan to make a nice big snowman in front of my house once my hubby returns home. I love watching snow from indoors. I love it when my feet goes inside the piles of snow and I leave a trail behind. lts fun! But, yeah, the cold outside is just too much, but if proper winter coats, caps, scarfs and gloves are worn, all is well and fine. So everyone, keep yourselves warm in this winter by wearing good winter clothes.

Warm and comforting foods are what I am craving for in this winter. And whats more comforting than Indian food, that has got spices, masalas, to make your body warm by the heat and comfort you. I had prepared this creamy chicken curry some days back. I had chicken lying in the freezer, some cream, almonds, nuts and spices. I thought to mix them all up and prepare a curry out of it. In this recipe I have used Equality branded dessert topping mix. You can use any dessert topping mix you like. We had Peas Pulao along with this chicken curry, our meal was gratifying and pleasurable. Everyone loved it. Here’s the recipe:

Badami Malai Murgh – Creamy Almond Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast – 500 gms
Equality Dessert Topping Mix – 1 envelope
Heavy cream – 1 cup
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Oil – 4 tbsp
Zeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Almonds – 1/2 cup

Badami Malai Murgh – Creamy Almond Chicken Curry

Method:

1.Wash and cut the chicken breasts into 2 cm approx cubes.
2. Prepare the dessert topping mix according to instructions.
3. Mix the chicken pieces with the dessert topping mix, heavy cream, garam masala, salt and red chilli powder. Let it marinate for about 3 hours at room temperature.
4. Add 1/2 cup water to almonds and grind it to a paste.
5. Pour oil in a heavy bottomed pan at medium heat. Once the oil gets warm, add zeera and ginger garlic paste and let it splutter.
6. Lower the heat and add the marinated chicken. Stir well and let it cook covered for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add a cup of water to it and let the chicken cook, covered, till it is tender. Keep stirring it occasionally. You can add more water if the curry dries up before the chicken gets soft.
8. Add the almond paste and mix it well. Adjust the salt and red chilli powder according to tastes. Cover and let it cook, stirring only to avoid it getting stuck to the bottom of the pan. Serve it hot.

Note: Many readers were mailing me about s substitute for the Dessert topping mix that I have used in this recipe. It is just what was lying in my pantry and I thought to put it in use. You can use heavy cream instead.

Luv,
Mona

Makhani Murgh

I love the smell of butter when it goes into a hot pan. Hmmm! The combination of Butter, Chicken and Cream, i feel is the best. Well, an another combination i love with chicken is Chicken and Cheese. Yummy!

Butter chicken is one of those many dishes in India that is found on the menu card of almost every restaurant. Its made in different ways in different places in India, but i prefer this procedure, its simple and gets prepared soon, and its delicious. What more will one want from a dish?

Butter Chicken can be had with any Parathas or with Plain Rice as a side dish. Well, here’s the recipe. Try it out. and Lemme know if you guys also liked it. Enjoy.

Butter Chicken - Makhani Murgh 

Here, I have used a bit more of the red chilli as I prefer it hot, you can always alter the amount of salt and chilli in a dish as you like. 

Butter Chicken - Makhani Murgh 

Serves: 6-8 

Ingredients:

• Butter – 8 tbsps
• Yellow Onions – 1, small, chopped finely
• Chicken Breast – 500 gms, cubed into 2 cm pieces
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Red chilli flakes – 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tsp
• Dry Roasted Cumin seed powder – 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted Coriander Seed powder – 1/2 tsp
• Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
• Light/Heavy Cream – 6 tbsp
• Mint leaves – 2 tbsp
• Cornflour – 1/2 tsp

Method:

• In a bowl combine chicken with red chilli powder, red chilli flakes, turmeric, salt, dry roasted coriander and black cumin powders and garam masala. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
• Put butter into a pan at medium heat. Now add the chopped onion to the butter and cook till it turns light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and stir well for 2 mins. Then add the marinated chicken to the pan and stir well. Cook till the chicken has browned on all sides and is no longer pink.
• Dilute the tomato paste in a cup of water and add to the chicken. Mix well. Also add lemon juice and cover the lid for 5 minutes.
• Now add the cream and cornflour and give it a good stir. Add the orange colour to the chicken and mix well. Cook till the gravy of the curry has become pasty.
• Garnish with mint leaves and serve hot.

Suggested Accompaniments: Parathas, Naan, Basmati Chawal, Pulaos.. or even in between tosated bread as sandwiches.

Luv,
Mona

Pudina Wali Malai Murgh

Chicken, can be prepared in a hundred different ways. And my hubby loves chicken a lot. I experiment in my kitchen trying to search and make chicken in as many different ways as possible making it tasty delicious and juicy. This dish is one of my family’s favourite. Try it out and enjoy.

Serves : 4-5; Preperation time : 15 minutes: Cooking time : 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Chicken-small boneless cubes – 1 kg
• Canola Oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter (unsalted) - 2 tbsp
• Bay leaf – 1
• Cinnamon – 2, 1-inch sticks
• Cloves – 3
• Green Cardamoms – 4
• Yellow Onions-grated – 1 cup
• Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Almond paste – 100gms
• Heavy/Light Cream – 120 ml
• Green chillies – 6
• Mint leaves - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat the oil and butter(unsalted, preferably) in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms and saute over medium heat until they begin to cracle.
• Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add ginger and garlic pastes, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and almond paste and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the oil seperates from the mixture.
• Add the chicken, stir and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Add the cream, slit green chillies, mace powder and vetivier.
• Sprincle with fresh mint leaves, cover and seal lid tightly either with aluminium foil or with dough. Let the chicken simmer for 5-6 minutes on a very low heat. It could also be kept in a very slow oven for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander and chopped whole red chillies (optional) and serve hot accompanied with Laccha Parantha.

Suggested Accompaniments: Basmati Rice/Naan.