Mirch Bhajiye

Mirchiyon ke bhajiye, or stuffed deep fried chillies in a thick chickpea flour batter is a very common sight as a snack item loved my almost all Indians. Its one among the top rated street foods dear to every Bharatiya.

Mirch Bhajiye – Stuffed Deep fried Green Chillies

In this cold and chilly weather, I had prepared these as a snack. Actually I was missing Hyderabad so much and felt very nostalgic. It was necessary for me to have Mirch Bhajiye atleast once weekly, or even better more than that when I used to live in Hyderabad. My Ammi used to prepare them for us all, or we used to get them from the Chaat-Walas while shopping at Abids along with the chutneys they offer.

Slit Serrano chillies

I use serrano chillies for preparing these bhajiye, you can however use any kind of long fat and straight green chillies that you like.

Mirch Bhajiye – Stuffed Deep fried Green Chillies

Ingredients:

• Serrano chillies – 12, straight
• Oil for deep frying

For the stuffing-

• Roasted coconut paste (refer below for recipe) – 1/2 tsp
• Roasted groundnut paste (refer below for recipe) - 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Coriander powder (refer below for recipe) - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind concentrate – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

For the batter:

Besan Batter

• Chickpea flour/Besan – 300 gms
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Ajwain – 1/2 tsp
• Water

Method:

• Wash and pat dry the chillies. Slit them with the tip of a knife and carefully remove the seeds from inside. (Be careful with your hands while you do this. Do not rub you eyes with your hands while doing this or else they will burn. When all the chillies are done, wash your hands well in warm soapy water)

Stuffed Chilli

• In a mortar and pestle, add all the ingredients for the stuffing and make a paste. Stuff the chillies with the prepared stuffing and keep aside.
• In a seperate bowl, add the flour and spices and mix well with a fork. Add water, just a little at a time, to make a thick and smooth batter. (Make sure the batter is not thin)
• Heat a Kadai or Wok at medium heat. Gently dip the stuffed chillies in the batter to cover them completely and slowly drp them into the hot oil. Deep dry until golden brown in color. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy this snack along with any chutney of your wish.

For my convenience I stock up on a few roasted spice powders and pastes that usually last for almost a month or more. Heres how I prepare and store them.

Roasted Cumin and Coriander powders:

Dry roast cumin and coriander seeds seperately, let them cool down and powder them in a spice grinder until very fine. Store the seperately in small glass air tight jars.

Roasted Coconut paste:

Dry roast shredded coconut until golden brown and a beautiful aroma fills. In a grinder, add the roasted coconut and process until the natural oils are released. Keep scraping the sides and process until it is a fine puree. Store refrigerated in small glass air tight jars for future use.

Roasted Groundnut paste:

Dry roast split peanuts until golden brown and a beautiful aroma fills. In a grinder, add the roasted peanut halves and process until the natural oils are released. Keep scraping the sides and process until it is a fine puree. Store frozen in small glass air tight jars for future use.

Wishing every Indian a very Happy Republic Day. Mera Bharat Mahaan!

Luv,
Mona

Khatti Moongphalli wali Murgh

The weather has been too hot and humid during the past few weeks and the weather forecast says its still going to stay so for the next few days as well. And during this type of weather, its quite unbearable to spend time in the kitchen in front of the stove preparing long and laborious meals. Speedy and quick recipes like this one come for my rescue here.

Khatti Moongphalli wali Murgh – Hot and Sour Chicken with powdered Groundnut 

The nutty taste of groundnut, a little hotness from the small green chillies and a slight acidic flavor of the amchur go very well along with the mild chicken here. This delicious dish gets prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Khatti Moongphalli wali Murgh – Hot and Sour Chicken with powdered Groundnut

Serves – 4 

Ingredients:

• Canola Oil – 2 tsp 
• Chicken Breast – 250 gms, cut into bite size piece
• Ginger-Garlic paste –  2 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Amchur powder/Dry Mango powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted Groundnut powder – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli - 4, chopped

Method:

• Pour oil into a large non-stick frying pan at medium heat and as soon as it warms up pour oil into it and add the chicken pieces. Stir fry them lightly till they turn from pink from white.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour in about half cup water and close the lid. Let it cook for about 20 minutes till the mixture is dry. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Roti or Paratha, or along with Basmati Chawal and a vegetable side dish or Mitthi Dal.

Luv,
Mona

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Talk about Hyderabad’s cuisine, and Hyderbadi Mirchi Ka Salan is sure to become a topic of interest there. Its hot, its spicy, it has gravy, its tangy.. Ah! Yumm!! You will keep on savoring it.

Green Chillies – Hari Mirch

I have used spicy medium thick green chillies for this curry, which are the usual kind preferred. If you do not like this curry too hot and spicy, you can get the chilli according to your taste buds. You can use chillies ranging from the Serrano, Shishito, Jalapenos, Capsicums, Poblano, New Mexican Green, Guero, Chilaca, Anaheim, California Chillies, etc. There are a whole lot of choices depending of the chillies being mild or hot. The chilies preferred for this curry are not very hot, and should have smooth skin, not wrinkly, and should be medium thick, straight and long, and should be fresh. Dried chillies are not used in this curry.

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan - Green Chillies in Sesame Seeds Sauce

The procedure to prepare Baghare Baingan is also almost the same as this curry. Also, you can also add fish (Red snapper, Haddock, Cod..) fillets to the gravy to make it a fish curry. There is no difference, except for the fact that in Baghare Baingan, brinjals are used., in fish curry, fish fillets are used., and in this curry, the green chillies are used. I will even post the recipe for Baghare Baingan and Fish curry in the coming days sometime. They are all equally yummy too.

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan - Green Chillies in a Tangy-Sesame Seeds Sauce

Ingredients:

Green chillies (thick and long) - 10, washed, slit, (seeds removed, if you dont want the curry to be too hot)
Khus Khus/Poppy seeds – 1/2 tsp
Till/Sesame Seeds – 2 tsp
Dhania/Corinader seeds – 1 tsp
Zeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Groundnuts/Moong Phalli - 1/8 cup
Tamarind concentrate – 1 tbsp (or as per taste)
Coconut milk – 1/3 cup
Yellow Onions – 5, medium, sliced thick
Canola/Vegetable/Sunflower Oil – 3/4 cup
Salt – 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/3 tsp
Turmeric – 1/3 tsp
Karyapaak/Curry leaves (fresh) - 8
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1/3 tsp
Dried Red chilli – 2
Kalaunji/Nigella seeds - 1/3 tsp
Kothmir/Cilantro - chopped, for garnishing

Method:

1.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan and add the green chillies and a little pinch of salt (to retain the green colour of the chillies). Wear an oven mitt in your hand, step back, and carefully stir fry the chillies for three minutes. With a slotted spoon, drain and remove the green chillies into a plate.
2. In the same pan with some oil in it, add Khus Khus, Sesame Seeds, Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Peanuts, and stir fry it on medium heat for 3-4 minutes again. Remove into a blender container. Let it cool.
3. Now again in the same pan add onions, and stir fry them. Do not add any oil. Let the onions caramelize on themselves. Keep giving them a stir every two minutes. Once the are golden brown, remove them into the same blender container in which the roasted spices were kept. Let it all cool down.
4. Add tamarind paste and coconut milk to the blender container contents. Blend the mixture once cooled adding a few drops of water if needed to aid in the blending, and make it into a smooth paste. It should not be coarse. and do not make the mixture too watery adding more water. It should be thick enough.
5. Now in the same pan at medium heat, add the remaining oil, and throw in the Dried red chillies, Kalaunji, Cumin seeds and Curry leaves. Once they splutter, pour some of the mixture into the pan, and immediately cover the pan with a lid for a minute. Lower the heat. This is done for the mixture to absorb all the flavour from the Baghaar (tempering).
6. Add the remaining mixture and mix it well. Cover the lid again for two to three minutes.
7. Now add the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, and mix well. Stir fry it for a few minutes till till it leaves oil.
8. Now add the earlier fried green chillies and mix it, so that the mixture goes into the slit of the green chillies. Be gentle in stirring.
9. Pour about two to three cups of water to the mixture until you get the desired consistency. The traditional method is to keep the curry only a little bit watery. Do not add too much water. It should have a pasty, not too thick, not too watery consistency.
10. Let it cook covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and Serve.

Suggested Accompaniments: Basmati Chawal/Plain Long White Rice, Murgh Biryani/Fragrant Rice-Chicken Casserole, Gosht Ki Biryani/Fragrant Mutton-Rice Casserole, Naan/Indian Flat Bread.

Enjoy !

( I am posting this recipe again as due to some problem this post of mine was deleted! )

Luv,
Mona

Sheekh Kewab Series~I

Kawabs are one of the most delicious non-vegetarian dishes invented by someone sometime. I heard and read at a site that the first kawabs were invented during the war times, when the animal was slaughtered, cut into pieces, and pierced by the only things they had along, sword (!) and roasted it over fire. We in the modern world continue to do so, but in a more decent way, we have replaced swords with skewers. ‘Sheekh’ means a ‘skewer’, and ‘Sheekh Kawabs’ are the ‘Kawabs grilled/roasted on Skewers’.

Sheekh Kababs – Minced meat Kebabs

Kawabs are vegetables, or meat pieces or ground meat with spices wrapped around the skewers and grilled or roasted over fire, charcoal, or in our oven grill. They are very easy to prepare too. Marinate them with the required ingredients, and later you just have to grill them for less than 45 minutes time. There is no long process to it. Kababs can be Vegetarian, Non-Vegetarian or both. They are a delicacy.

In this recipe I am using both minced chicken as well as minced lamb. The taste comes out very well. My Mother-In-Law usually prepares this type of kawabs. I learnt this procedure from her but modified it my way. An another version of Sheekh Kabab is posted here.

It is very important that after you wash the minced meat, the water from it has all been drained out completely, or else the shape doesnt come out very well. And while mixing the minced meat with the other ingredients, its important that you use your hand, your best tool to mix it all up, and pulverise the mixture with your palm. You can marinate it for 2-6 hours in the refrigerator. Bring the whole marinated mixture to room temperature before you start grilling it. 

Sheekh Kawabs – Minced meat Kebabs (I)

Ingredients:

Minced Chicken – 350 gms
Minced Lamb – 200 gms
Onions – 3, large, finely sliced
Dry Roasted Black Cumin powder – 3/4 tsp
Dry Roasted Sesame seeds powder – 3/4 tsp
Dry roasted Khus Khus powder – 3/4 tsp
Nigells seed/Kalaunji powder – 3/4 tsp
Dry Roasted Coriander seeds powder – 1 tsp
Dry Roasted Groundnut powder – 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli – 6, cut and grinded to paste
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Raw papaya paste – 2 tbsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Eggs – 2, lightly beaten
Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tsp
Cilantro/Kothmir – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Plain Parsley leaves – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Canola Oil – to baste the kababs, and to deep fry the onions.

Method:

-Wash the meat and drain it well till all the water has been removed completely and the meat is dry. This is important or else the shape does not come out very well.
-Fry the Onions in oil oil they are crisp and brown in colour. Remove them once they are done from the oil onto a paper towel.
-In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, with your hands till they nicely mixed. Mash the mixture till pulverised with your palms. Later wash your hands very well with an antiseptic soap.
-Let the mixture marinate for 2 to 6 hours.
-Bring it to room temperature, and divide the mixture into 8 balls. Shape each one into a long cylinder.
-Dip your skewer into oil and insert it into the cylinders just to make a big hole in each one. Remove the skewer and continue doing it with all the shaped cylinders.
-If using your oven grill – Take a baking tray and line it with aluminium foil, place the holed cylinders on the tray and baste them with oil.
-Grill it at low heat, 15 minutes, per side. Grill them till they are nicely done on both sides.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy the kawabs along with ’Kaddu ka Dalcha’, or ‘Khatti Dal’ and ‘Baghara Chawal’ aka Zeera rice, or simply along with a chutney as a finger food.

Luv,
Mona

Mazedaar Methi-Gosht ke Kofte

Listening and enjoying the song ‘Mere Zindagi me aaye ho..‘, from the Bollywood movie Armaan in my ipod, today I prepared this curry for dinner and am just waiting to have it. I love to listen to songs when I stay alone with my hubby gone for the work, while I do my house chores and the cooking.. Music helps me stay happy, I cling to it. I’m energized by it. I’m inspired by it. I can go on and on..

Spicy Curries are always yummy, no doubt in that. By spicy curries, I do not mean curries that are super hot to burn your mouth., what I really mean by spicy curries is masaaledaar salan, which are gravy based curries infused by a range of exotic Indian spices as the base. I am an ardent lover of spicy curries, and I am sure almost everyone in the whole world love spices and the beautiful flavours they add to a dish. This curry of Meaballs is one such and it is a favorite in my house. Its easier to prepare and extremely delicious along with Parathas or Naan to mop up the gravy.

Meatballs are called ‘Kofta‘ in Urdu. They are similar to Meatballs or Meat dumplings in the U.S. The other version of Kofte ka Salan, or meatball curry that I most usually prepare is Amchur-Harimirch Wale Kacche Gosht Ke Kofte, Meatballs in a hot and sour gravy

When I prepare meat balls I make them smaller in size, about 2 cm in diameter. The reason is, I believe, they get done perfectly. Many of my associates always make larger sized meatballs- approx 4 cm in diameter, and they are never well cooked, (remain raw, undone and undercooked in the centre). So, this trick that I learnt my MIL comes very handy to me.

I always prepare larger amounts of curries, portion and store them in the refrigerator for a later use. It saves lot of time.

This curry/Salan gets prepared in almost an hour time, and you can have it with Parathas or Naan, or Khushka/Plain Boiled Rice.

Mazedaar Methi Kofte – Meatballs in a gravy with Fenugreek leaves

To prepare Meat Balls -

Ingredients:

Ground Lamb/Goat/Veal Meat (or) Boneless Lamb/Goat/Veal Meat Bite-Size pieces - 250 gms
Green Chillies – 3, small, slit
Cilantro - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Mint leaves – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Yellow Onion – 1, large, sliced
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp

 

Kacche Gosht Ke Kofte - Meatballs 

Method:

-Pour oil into a pan at medium heat and add the sliced onions. Fry them till brown and crisp. Remove from oil, cool and reserve
-Now in a meat processor, add the fried onion slices, the slit green chillies, chopped coriander and mint leaves, salt, red chilli powder and the ground meat or cubed boneless meat pieces, whatever you are using and process till its all grinded into a smooth paste.

(Note:Make sure that the washed meat, whether you are using ground meat or meat pieces, is completely dry, or they will not hold shape later on) 

-Now, take a little bit of meat paste at a time and slightly apply pressure and roll it between your palms untill soft, tight and round shaped. Arrange them on a plate.
-The meat balls are ready. Keep them aside.

To Prepare The Gravy -

Ingredients:

Canola Oil – 5 tbsp
Yellow Onion – 4, large, finely chopped
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Yogurt – 6 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Dry Roasted Cumin Seed powder – 1/2 tsp
Dry Roasted Coriander seed powder – 1/2 tsp
Dry Roasted Dessicated Coconut  – 1 tsp
Dry Roasted Groundnut Powder – 1 tsp
Methi/Fenugreek Leaves – 100 gms, very finely chopped

 

Mazedaar Methi Kofte – Meatballs in a gravy with Fenugreek leaves 

Method:

-In a heavy bottom sauce pan at medium heat, fry the ginger garlic paste and add onions in the oil till light brown in colour.
-Add yogurt to it and give it a good stir. Cook it well till it starts leaving oil.
-Meanwhile wash the Methi/Funugreek leaves well, only the leaves, not the stems or flowers, chop them up very finely and reserve.
-Add the dry ingredients, the red chilli powder, salt, garam masala, the dry roasted cumin seed powder, coriander seed powder, coconut powder, groundnut powder, and mix well.
-After 3-5 minutes, remove from heat, cool the mixture and grind it to a paste.
-Pour back the grinded mixture to the saucepan and add the very finely chopped Methi/Fenugreek leaves and let them cook till they are soft.
-Add three glases of water to it and bring it to a boil.
-As soon as it boils once, simmer and slowly drop the earlier prepared meat balls one by one into it. Now do not stir at all for about 10 minutes. Half cover the lid and let it cook undisturbed at the low heat.
-Later, slowly stir the gravy and let it cook for 7-8 minutes more. You can add more water or let it cook for some more time on medium heat so that the water dries up and you achieve the consistency.
-The curry is ready and serve it hot with Parathas preferably or along with Rice.

Suggested accompaniments: Enjoy the curry along with Parathas or Naan, or Khushka/Plain Boiled Rice.

Luv,
Mona

Hyderabadi Mahekhalya

Mahekhalya, is an authentic Hyderabadi meat curry with onions, tomatoes, and tamarind. It is a delicious dish and I thought of sharing my recipe which I learned from my mother with you all. Its not difficult, and gets prepared in less than an hour time. In this recipe you need to slightly brown the spices till golden brown so that the flavour and aroma of the individual spices enhances. And you can also always vary the amount of salt and red chilli powder according to your tastes. The spices I have used in this recipe can be bought from any Indian store that sells spices. Go ahead and try it out. Enjoy.

Hyderabadi Mahekhalya - Tangy Meat Curry

Ingredients:

• Lamb Meat – 500 gms, cubed-1.5 cm or sliced, boneless or with bone 
• Yellow Onions – 5, sliced
• Tomatoes – 3, Ripe and red, chopped
• Dry Desiccated Coconut – 2 tsp
• Dry roasted Coriander seeds – 2 tsp
• Dry roasted Groundnut powder - 2 tsp
• Dry roasted Sesame seeds/Till – 2 tsp (optional)
• Vegetable/Sunflower/Canola Oil – 6-7 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves (fresh) - 8
• Dried red clillies/Baghaar Mirch – 3-4
• Methi/Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 2 tbsp
• Slit green chillies – 4
• Cilantro/Kothmir – 1 tbsp, chopped finely
• Mint leaves/Pudina – 1 tbsp, chopped finely

 

Hyderabadi Mahekhalya - Tangy Meat Curry

Method:

• Take a large heavy bottom non-stick frying pan or skillet on medium heat, and pour a tablespoon of oil into it. As it gets warm, add the sliced onions and a teaspoon of salt. Mix well and cover with the lid. After 3 minutes, give a good stir to the onions, add 1/4 cup of water, and again cover it with lid. Keep repeating this until the onions are all soft and browned and caramelized evenly. Remove the pan from heat, and let them cool down.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and the caramelized onions into a blender container or food processor and blend till pureed smooth adding a few drops of water if necessary, just to aid in the process. Keep aside.
• Put a small non-stick frying pan on medium heat and dry-roast the groundnuts, sesame seeds (optional), coriander seeds, shredded coconut each individually without oil till they are golden brown in colour. Do not burn them. Remove them into a cup (you can dry roast a handful of almonds and cashewnuts and grind them together along if you want it more rich). Once cool, grind them all together very finely. Make sure the obtained spice powder is very fine.
• Take a pressure cooker and add a tablespoon of oil to it and put it on medium heat, add oil and keep it on medium high heat. Add cumin, dried red chillies, and fenugreek seeds to the oil and let them splutter. Now add the onion and tomato paste to it and cover the lid immediately for 3-5 minutes and remove the cooker from heat, so that the aroma of the tempered oil with spices gets absorbed by the onion mixture.
• Remove the lid, put the cooker back on stove and add the ginger-garlic pastes to it and stir to mix it all completely. Add the spice powder which we prepared earlier, the red chilli powder, salt and turmeric and stir it well. Add the washed cubed meat pieces and mix well. Cover with a sllatter screen and let it cook it for 5-8 minutes. Pour in half a cup of water and close the lid. Pressure cook it on medium heat for 15 minutes until the meat is tender. If the meat doesnt look soft and tender, pressure cook it for a while more adding a little more water if needed.
• Then open the lid and cook it till the oil has seperated out from the mixture and starts appearing on the surface. Add the tamarind paste and give it a stir. Add water till you get the consistency you desire. You can keep the gravy thick or dilute. (I add 2 cups of water) Let it cook on medium high for about 5 more minutes.
• Simmer and let it cook for 8 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves and slit green chillies. Serve Hot.

Suggested Accompaniments: Basmati Chawal or Parathas.