Dahi Baingan or Begun Bahar

What we need:

Brinjal (preferably long shaped) 
Onion (both finely chopped and paste) 
Tomato paste 
Green chilli 
Ginger garlic paste 
Coriander powder 
Cumin powder 
Red chilli powder 
Yogurt 
Cashew or almond paste
Turmeric powder 
Salt 
Sugar
Oil

How we make it:

At first, cut the brinjals lengthwise (keep the stalk intact). Now make a paste of coriander powder, red chill powder, salt and turmeric powder along with musterd oil and marinade the brinjals with the paste for around ten minutes. Pour oil in a pan(it is preferred that you use a little more oil than required) and fry the sliced onions golden brown. Now take out one - fourth of the fried onion from the pan and keep it aside. Now add tomato paste in the pan and cook properly. When the raw smell of tomato goes away, add ginger - garlic paste and mix it. The the aroma starts to come out, add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt and turmeric powder in the pan and cook them until oil starts to separate from the spices. Now add marinated brinjals and mix it with the spices and cover the pan with lid, low down the flame and cook it for some time. After few minutes, remove the lid and change the side of the brinjals and again mix that side with the spices thoroughly. Repeat the step until the brinjals are almost cooked. Now pour a little water and cover the pan for few minutes. Now  when the brinjals are perfectly cooked, add cashew/ almond paste (whichever you like) and mix it will with the gravy and cook until the paste starts leaving oil in the corner of the pan. Now low down the heat and add whisked yogurt and mix it thoroughly with the gravy. After that, add a little sugar cook for sometime more. Now your dish is ready to serve.

Chicken Korma

What we need:

Chicken 
Onions 
Lime juice 
Ginger garlic paste 
Cashew nuts
Yogurt 
Green chilli
Black pepper 
Green Cardamom 
Cinnamon stick 
Cloves 
Star anise 
Coriander powder 
Cumin powder (half of coriander powder in quantity) 
Chilli powder 
Kashmiri chilli powder
Turmeric powder 
Garam masala powder 
Rose water 
Salt
Ghee

How we make it:

At first, soak the cashew nuts in water for sometime. Wash the chicken and marinade it with salt and lime juice and refrigerate it for half an hour. In the mintime, slice onions and fry them golden brown. Now make a smooth paste of the fried onion and soaked cashews. Then make a smooth paste of all the powdered spices (except garam masala) and salt with water. And whisk the yogurt with a little bit of sugar and salt and keep aside. Next take a kadai, heat ghee in it. Add the whole spices into the kadai. Next add the ginger and garlic paste and cook it until the aroma starts coming out. Now add a spice paste in the ghee and stir well.in low flame. When the spices are nearly cooked, add the whisked yogurt in the kadai and mix it with the spices. Now cook the whole thing for some time then add the onions and cashew paste into it and stir. Now when all the spices are done, put the chicken pieces into it and mix them with spices properly and cook until the chicken whitens. Now pour some water and cover it with a lid and carry on stirring in short intervals. When it chicken becomes tender and oil starts appearing around the corner of the kadai, it indicates your dish is ready. Now add the garam masala powder and rose water, mix them well and cover with the lid and rest it for sometime. Now the dish is ready to serve. 

Green Peas Nimona

What we need:

Green peas
Potato 
Onion (fine chopped) 
Tomato (paste) 
Ginger paste 
Green chilli 
Cumin seeds 
Coriander powder 
Asafoetida powder 
Turmeric powder 
Salt 
Oil

How we make it:

At first, put the green peas in the grinder and make it a semi-smooth paste. Now, heat the oil in a pan. Then cut the potatoes in medium pieces and fry them light brown and separate it in a bowl. Now add cumin seeds in the rest of the oil. Once the seeds start to crackle, add asafoetida powder and chopped onions in the pan. Fry them properly and add the tomato paste when the onions become golden. Cook the tomato paste until its raw smell goes away. Then add ginger paste along with the powdered spices and salt. Cook the spices in low flame until oil starts to separate. Next add chopped green chilli and the peas paste. Mix it with the spices well. Now pour some water and cover the pan. When the paste starts boiling, add the fried potatoes into it and low down the flame. The potatoes need to be soft and peas paste has to turn into a thick gravy. At the end  sprinkle some garam masala powder and turn off the flame. The dish is ready to serve.

Jeera brown rice and Soya chunks dry roast

Jeera Brown Rice:

What we need:

Brown rice
Cumin seeds
Cardamom
Cinnamon stick
Cloves
Cashew nuts
Bay leaf
Curry leaves 
Coriander leaves 
Roasted cumin powder
Salt
Ghee

How we make it:

At first, soak rice in water for around half an hour, then boil it till it becomes tender. Now strain the water and keep the boiled rice separately. Now heat a pan and pour ghee into it. Add cumin seeds, whole garam masalas along with the bay leaf in the ghee. Then add the curry leaves and cashew nuts and fry them a little. Now put off the gas, pour the whole mixture into the rice. Add salt, finely chopped coriander leaves and roasted cumin powder and mix the whole thing with rice properly. Now it's ready to serve.

Soya chunks dry roast:

What we need:

Soya chunks 
Ginger garlic paste 
Curry leaves 
Onion 
Tomato 
Green chilli 
Coriander powder 
Kashmiri red chilli powder 
Black pepper powder 
Garam masala powder 
Turmeric powder 
Salt 

How we make it:

Boil water with half spoon of salt in a bowl. Add the soya chunks in the bowl. After sometime, when the soya chunks become fluffy, take it out of water and squeeze the water from it and fry them brown. Now heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions in the pan. Stir and add curry leaves  then fry them well. Next add ginger garlic paste and cook until the aroma starts come out  Next add chopped tomato and cook the whole thing well  After that, add all the powder along with salt and cook them until oil starts separating from the mixture. Now add soya chunks and mix them with the masala well. Cover the pan just for sometime and then put off the gas. The dish is ready to serve. 

Chicken Kofta Kalia

What we need:

Chicken mince 
Onion 
Tomato 
Ginger garlic paste 
Green chilli 
Cumin powder 
Coriander powder 
Red chilli powder 
Garam masala powder 
Coriander leaves 
Mint leaves 
Yogurt 
Turmeric powder 
Cinnamon stick 
Cardamom 
Cloves
Bay leaf
Salt
Oil

How we make it:

Roughly chop onions, green chillis, mint leaves and coriander leaves altogether. Now mix these with chicken mince along with coriander powder, red chill powder  ginger garlic paste and salt. Next, take the whole mixture into grinder and make a paste of it. Make small balls out of the paste. Next heat up a pan with oil and fry the chicken balls till it turns golden brown. Now take out the excess oil and leave around two spoon of oil in a pan. Now add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves into the hot pan. Pour onion paste and cook it until it turns translucent. Next add ginger garlic paste and cook. When the aroma of the paste starts to come out then add tomato paste and cook again. Next add all the powdered spices into it and cook properly. When oil starts to come out, turn of the flame and add whisked curd into the pan. Mix all the things altogether and turn on the flame. Now pour water into the pan and bring it to boil. Then add the fried chicken balls into the pan, and give it a good boil in low flame. At last, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala (non-veg)

What we need:

Paneer
White Oil
Onions (cubed) 
Tomatoes (roughly chopped) 
salt 
Cashew nuts (soaked in water) 
Butter
Ginger Garlic paste
Kasuri methi
Bay leaf 
Cinnamon stick
Cardamom
Cloves
Coriander powder
Kashmiri red chilli powder 

How to make it:

Heat a pan with oil. Fry the cubed onions until they turn transparent. Next add tomatoes and fry them with salt for 3 minutes. Cook covered till the mixture turns soft and mushy. Add coriander powder, cashews, red chili powder and sugar (optional). Cook until the mix gets roasted well and it should begin to leave the oil in the sides of the pan. Turn off the stove. When the mixture cools, blend it with 1 cup water in a blender to very smooth.
In the next step, heat butter in the same pan. Add dry spices and fry for one to 2 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and then  saute well until the raw smell disappears.
Next pour the blended puree, then add red chili powder. If needed pour ¼ to ½ cup of water. Cook until the gravy thickens and you see traces of butter or oil. Let the gravy reach the desired consistency before you add paneer. Add paneer and kasuri methi . Stir well and cook for 3 minutes. Then pour melted butter if desired on the gravy. Garnish as you like it and serve.


Paneer butter masala (veg) 

What we need:

Paneer 
Cashews (soaked in water) 
Chopped Tomato
Green Chilies, minced
Ginger,minced
Cumin seeds
Kashmiri red chilli powder  
Cardamom, crusheda
Kasoori Methi/dry Fenugreek leaves 
Milk 
Butter/Ghee/Oil
Salt

How we make it:

Blend Cashews, chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup water till smooth. Pour butter/ghee/oil and heat it  Then sprinkle cumin seeds and let it crackle. Next add crushed green cardamoms, stir and add ginger and green chili paste till the raw smell of ginger goes away. Then add the tomato-cashew paste and stir for few minutes. Then add dry fenugreek leaves and continue to stir. When oil separates from the mixture, pour milk and bring to a boil and continue to cook till fat separates. Then add paneer pieces and bring to a boil. Serve with roti,nan or rice

Hilsa Biryani

What we need:

Hilsa fish pieces
Basmati rice
Ba
Cardamom
Cinnamon stick
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Green chilli
Salt
Turmeric powder
Ghee

How we make it :

Soak basmati rice for around one hour. Marinate hilsa pieces with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside. Make a paste of cumin powder, coriander powder  turmeric powder and salt. In the meantime  take a handi  pour sufficient water to boil the soaked basmati rice, add salt into it and start boiling. Remove the handi from the oven when the basmati rice is semi - cooked. Now, heat ghee in a pan and add cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. When a nice aroma starts to come out add the masala paste and sliced green chillies into it and cook it well.  When the spices are done add the hilsa pieces and slightly cook it and take them out of the pan. Then add half of the semi - boiled rice in the pan, mix it well with the masala. Now put the hilsa pieces on the rice layer, and add the remaining rice over it. Cover the pan and leave it for sometime. The hilsa biriyani is done  Serve hot and enjoy. 

Egg butter masala

What we need : 

Boiled eggs 
Butter
Chopped onions 
Chopped tomatoes 
Cashew nuts
Cloves
Cardamom 
Cinnamon 
Red chili powder 
Turmeric powder
Ginger garlic paste
Coriander powder
Garam masala powder 
Kasuri methi
Salt

How we make it:

Add butter to a pan and sauté the eggs till they become golden brown. Add the chopped onions, tomatoes, and cashews to the pan.Once the tomatoes and onions soften, add turmeric, salt, and chili powder. Cook for 5-6 minutes and then remove from the flame.Cool it and transfer it to a blender and add ¾ cup of water. Blend it. Heat three-fourth tablespoons of butter and add cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the blended tomato and onion mixture, cook it well, tget add the gigingegarlic paste and cook it until oil comes outoou. Next pour one-fourth cup of water. Cook for 7 minutes over medium flame. Add Kasuri methi and cook for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the flame and it is ready to serve. 

Prawn Pollichathu

What we need :

Prawns
Chopped onions
Chopped tomatoes
Ginger garlic paste
Coriander powder
Black pepper powder
Turmeric powder
Red chill powder
Mustered seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Salt

How we make it :

Marinate prawns in a mix of chilli powder, turmeric powder and  salt.  keep for 10 minutes. Heat oil in pan and saute the marinated prawns on a low flame for 5 minutes.Once done, keep aside. Then heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard and  fenugreek seeds. Add curry leaves followed by rest of the ingredients. Saute till onions turn brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and cook well. Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are ready. There after add all the spice powder and stir. When the masala is prepared, add prawns and cook covered for 5 minutes. Now remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Finish by adding coconut milk, give a final cook for 1/2 a minute.

Add salt to taste and serve with rice or parantha.

Moorg Noorjehani

What we need :

Chicken 
Fennel seeds paste
Ginger garlic paste
Chopped onions 
Green chillies 
Yogurt 
Milk 
Saffron strands
Cardamom 
Cinnamon 
Star anise
Salt 
Butter /ghee 

How we make it:

Marinade the chicken with salt, yogurt and fennel seeds paste for some time. Heat a pan and add butter into it. When the butter is melted properly, add cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. When the flavor starts to come out, add chopped onions into the pan. Stir it a little and add sliced green chillies. When the onions get golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and cook. Now add the marinated chicken and mix them well with the masala. Cover with a lid and cook them in low flame. Add a pinch of saffron strands in one cup of warm milk. When the chicken becomes soft add the milk in the pan and stir. Cook it for few more minutes. Then serve with paratha, kulcha, roti or polao. 

White Creamy Chicken

What we need:

Chicken
Onions
Green chillies
Almonds
Cashews
Poppy seed paste
Ginger garlic paste
Yogurt
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Mace 
Star anise
Bay leaf
Milk
Salt
Butter or ghee

How we make it:

Marinade the chicken with salt. Soak almonds and cashews in water for some time and then peel off the skin of almonds and keep aside. Add butter in a pan and when it becomes hot and melted, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cardamom. When they start to change the colour, add sliced onions and cook. When the onions become translucent, add almonds and cashews and green chillies and cook them properly. Then take the whole thing out of the pan and make a smooth paste in the grinder. Now put more butter or ghee into the pan. When it becomes hot enough, add mace and star anise. When aroma starts to come, add the chicken pieces in it and cook. Then add the ginger garlic paste and stir. Then add bitten yogurt and mix it well. When oil starts to come out, add the paste and cook them properly in low flame. When the chicken is done then pour warm milk for the gravy. Cover it with a lid and make it to boil. When the gravy thickens, serve hot with roti or parathas. 

Malabar Chicken

What we need:

Chicken cut into small pieces
Mustered oil (though originally coconut oil is used) 
Coriander seeds 
Dry red chilies 
Black peppercorns 
Cumin seeds 
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Cinnamon 
Coconut grated
Ginger-garlic paste
Green chilli 
Curry leaves 
Onion sliced
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves

How we make it:

Heat one tablespoon oil a non stick pan and add coriander seeds, dry red chillies, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon stick and coconut till fragrant. Remove from flame and grind to a coarse paste adding sufficient quantity water. Heat oil in a non stick pan add ginger garlic paste, green chillies, curry leaves and saute for a minute.Add onions and saute till light brown. Add chicken pieces, turmeric powder, salt and grounded paste and ½ cup water and saute for a minute and let it cook till chicken is tender. Serve hot and enjoy. 

Recipe courtesy: Sanjeev Kapoor 

 

Chicken Noorjahani

What we need:

Chicken

Salt

Turmeric powder
Pepper powder

Star anise

Clove

Cardamom

Cinnamon stick

Ginger garlic paste
Sliced onions

Bay leaf

Whipped curd

Milk

Kesar

Fennel seeds

Green chillies

Ghee

How we make it:

Clean the chicken properly and marinade with salt, turmeric powder and pepper powder for sometime. Then make a paste of green chillies, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds with a little water. Add the paste to the chicken and prick the meat for the flavor to sink in. Add whipped curd to the chicken and leave it to marinate for 3 hours at least. Heat the ghee in a pan, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and star anise into it.  After that add sliced onions and saute on high flame till they turn golden- brown. In another pan, warm the milk, add the saffron, stir gently and keep aside. Add the marinated chicken to the sauteed onions. Let it cook on high flame for 5-6 minutes. When the chicken is almost done, pour the milk into the chicken and cook on low flame for 30-40 mins.serve hot with roti or chapati.

Keema Stuffed Pointed Gourd(Keema Potoler Dolma)

What we need:

Potol or Pointed Gourd
Minced Chicken or chicken keema
Ginger paste 
Garlic paste 
Finely chopped onions for stuffing and finely sliced onions for gravy (you can use onion paste also for gravy) 
Chopped tomatoes 
Chopped green chilli 
Red chilli powder 
Garam masala powder 
Turmeric powder 
Kashmiri red chillI powder (optional)
Cardamom 
Cinnamon 
Cloves 
Dry red chilli
Salt 
Sugar 
Ghee

How we make it:

Stuffing :

Marinade the chicken keema with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Clean the Potol and cut it one side. Use a spoon or knife to scoop out the inner part of the potol and make a paste of it. Now take a pan and heat oil or ghee in it. Add chopped onions and fry it well. Then add garlic paste and ginger paste. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder into it and cook until oil comes out 
Then add the keema and the scooped out paste and mixerox them properly. Add some chopped green chilli. Now pour it into a pan and keep aside. Now fry the potol in oil. Then stuff the cooked chicken keema into the potol. 

Gravy:

Heat oil and ghee in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloveso and red chilli in the oil. Now add the sliced onions into the pan and stir for some time. Then add garlic and ginger paste and stir again for few minutes. Then add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook until oil starts to come out of the mixture. Then pour some water and cover it with a lid. When the gravy starts boiling add the stuffed potol and cook it. When gravy thickens add a little sugar and garam masala powder.

Dhabe da Keema

What we need :

Soyabean oil
Butter
bay leaf
Green cardamom
Cloves
Cumin seeds
Onion, finely chopped
Garlic paste
Ginger paste
Green chilli, finely chopped
Capsicum, chopped
Tomatoes, finely chopped
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Salt
A pinch of asafoetida
Mutton, minced
Sugar
Coriander leaves, optional

How we make it :

In a pan heat oil, add bay leaf, green cardamom, cumin seeds and cloves. Now add chopped onions. Saute till golden brown. Add garlic, ginger and butter, cook.
Add capsicum and tomato pieces and saute. Then add the mutton mince and mix it well. Now add the spices, turmeric powder, red chillI powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, pinch of asafoetida and salt. Now add a little water and cook the spices properly. Now add the chopped chillis and cook. Then add a little milk and cover the pan and keep it on medium flame. Lastly add a little sugar and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve it with hot roti or parathas and enjoy.

Steamed Egg Cake Curry (Dimer Dhokar Dalna)

What we need:

4 eggs

One large onion

2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic

Green chillies (as per taste)

1 small tomato

1/2 reaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 reaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Salt (as per taste)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 pinch garam masala powder

1 bunch of coriander leaves

Musterd oil

How we make it:

Make a paste of onion, green chillies and ginger. Take eggs and whisk them in a bowl. Add half of the mixture into it. Grease oil in a tight steel container. Pour the mixture in it And then cover the container. Pour water in a pan and put the container into it and now heat the pan. Keep the water boil for 5 to 6 mins and then sim the flame and keep it for 20 to 25mins more. Now take the container out and cut the steamed eggs into squares. 

Now heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions in it and saute it. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook them well. Now add garlic paste. When garlic paste is fried well and smell starts to come out, add tge remaining onion and ginger paste into it and mix them well. now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and cook them well. When oil starts to come out from the mixture, pour a little water ( not too much, we need a thick gravy). When the gravy starts boiling, add the egg cakes into it and cook it for sometime. Now add a little sugar and garam masala powder. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

Chicken Mulkatani

What we need:

Chicken
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Poppy seed paste
Ginger-garlic paste
Onions
Tomato
Green chilli
Red chilli powder
turmeric powder
Kashmiri red chilli powder
Bay leaves
Salt
Musterd oil

How we make it:

Marinade the chicken with salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and musterd oil for atleast 15mins. Add musterd oil in kadai. When the oil is heated enough, add one bay leaf to the oil. Then add sliced onions. When the onion turns into pale brwon in colour, add curry leaves and fry that with onions. Then add sliced tomatoes. When all these are cooked well, add ginger-garlic paste and cook it well. Then add salt, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, green chilli in the kadai And mix them properly. When oil start to come out from the mixture, add the chicken pieces and cook. when the chicken is half done, add the poppy seed paste to the chicken and cook ultil the chicken turns tender enough. Then pour the coconut milk to make the gravy. Give the whole thing a good boil. Your chicken mulkatani is ready to serve.

Fish Rezala

What we need:

Rohu or katla fish pieces
Yogurt
Ginger paste
Onion paste
Onion sliced
Green chilli paste
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Bay leaf
dry red chilli
Whole peppercorns
Sugar
Nutmeg powder (optional)
Turmeric powder
Salt
Musterd oil

How we make it:

Whisk the yogurt and add onion paste, ginger paste and green chilli paste and keep it aside. Marinade the fish pieces with salt and turmeric and fry it. Now marinade the fried fish pieces with the yogurt misture. Pour masterd oil in a paN and heat it. When the oil is ready, add the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf and dry red chilli. then add the whole peppercorn and sliced onion. When the onion softens, pour the marination into the pan and stir. The oil starts to come out add some sugar. Then pour a little warm water to make the gravy. And then add the fish pieces. When the gravy starts boiling, add nutmeg powder. Fish rezala is now ready to serve.

Achari Dum Aloo

What we need:

Baby potatoes

Finely chopped onion

Finely chopped tomatoes

Ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoon Vinegar

Small chunk of Jaggery

1/2 teaspoon Ajwain seeds

pinch of asafoetida

1 Bay leaf

1 dry red chilli

Turmeric powder

Red chilli powder (you can use kashmiri red chilli powder)

Salt

For achari masala:

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon onion seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon musterd seeds
Roast them in a tawa and make a powder of it

How we make it:

Boil the baby potatoes in water (you can add salt in the water), and fry them golden brown and keep them aside. heat musterd oil in a pan. Add ajwain seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf and dry red chilli in the oil. When the aroma starts to come out, add chopped onion in the oil. When the onion softens, add chopped tomatoes. When the tomato gets cooked well, add ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook them well. Then add the achari masala and cokk for sometime. When oil starts to come out, add the fried potatoes. Pour some water.when the water starts to boil, add jaggery and cover with a lid. When the jaggery melts properly, add the vineger and put the gas burner off.

Now enjoy the khatta meetha dum aloo with roti or paratha.

Prawn Tikka Masala

What we need:

Prawn (medium size)
Onion
Tomato or tomato puree
Curd
Lime juice or vinegar
Ginger garlic paste
Cumin seeds
Whole peppercorn
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Garam masala powder
Salt
Butter
musterd oil

How we make it:

Marinade the prawns with salt, lime juice or vinegar, ginger garlic paste and red chilli powder For 15 to 20 mins. Add butter in a kadai and fry the prawns, keep aside. Now heat musterd oil in a kadai, add whole peppercorn and cumin seeds. Then add sliced onions. Sprinkle a little bit of salt. When the onions turn into golden color, add the chopped tomatoes or tomato puree (if you use chopped tomatoes, smash them well when the softens). Then add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and mix them well. Then add the whisked curd to the spices. When oil starts to come out from the spices, pour a little water to make the gravy. When the gravy starts boiling add the fried prawns and boil it again. Now sprinkle some garam masala powder and it is ready to serve.