Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Kairee Panhe/ Raw Mango Summer Cooler/Aaam Ka Panna

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It’s almost 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon in Pune nowadays, summer is at it’s peak, one needs to keep the mind and the body in sync and cool, at times like this a chilled summer drink and that too one made from raw mangoes is a treat, more so if it’s made by my old mother who is recovering from knee replacement surgery and is walking around using a walking stick. She is just waiting to get back on her feet and go into the kitchen and cook up stuff but under strict orders from her doc can only do so about once in 2 days.

Growing in Mumbai , summer holidays were great fun with my cousins around, mum always made loads of this concentrate from raw mangoes and it was such a treat to come home all sweaty and panting and drink tall glasses of this tangy cooler doused with ice cubes of various animal shapes 😉 aaahhh summer holidays!

Manjiri Chitnis

Kairee Panhe / Aam Ka Panna / Indian Raw Mango Cooler

Traditional Indian Raw Mango Cooler, a firm favourite in our household
Print Recipe
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Raw Mangoes
  • Sugar as needed
  • Green Cardamon /elaichi powder
  • Freshly ground black pepper powder
  • Aniseed/ Vilayati Saunf

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker / Electric Cooker / Saucepan with Lid
  • 1 Strainer
  • 1 Large Glass bottle to store

Method
 

  1. Pressure cook the raw mangoes by allowing for 2 whistles to happen. Then drain the water and allow them to cool
  2. Once these are boiled and have cooled down, peel the mangoes and collect all the lovely green pulp in a saucepan
  3. The sugar proportion to be added is 3 times the quantity of the pulp, so if the pulp of these 4 mangoes were to fit into a small bowl of about 200gms capacity sugar would be 600 gms
  4. Stir in the sugar into the pulp and keep stirring until it is completely dissolved
  5. Add a large spoon of elaichi powder,some freshly ground black pepper,some aniseed ground  – green Cardamom powder and give this mix a stir in the mixer for just about a minute
  6. Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Do not freeze
  7. Remember never to add salt to this mixture , only while preparing the drink from the concentrate add salt in the glass
  8. While preparing the cooler, add 2 spoons of the raw mango concentrate and add a pinch of salt to this, top this up with cold water and strain after mixing to remove any strands from the pulp, then add ice cubes, dress it up with a spring of mint if you will and drink up this homemade goodness! aaahh! Summer!

I picked these raw mangoes from my granny’s garden , they look stunning don’t they ?

EXPLORE MORE RECIPES FROM MAHARASHTRA, INDIA:

FIND BELOW A LIST OF INDIAN RECIPES ON MY BLOG, SOME TRADITIONAL, SOME FUSION, AND MANY REGIONAL FAVOURITES!

Clear Vegetable soup with an Indian Phodni

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Clear Vegetable soup – my way – Easy Cooking, Healthy Food

Happy New Year everyone! It’s a great way to start a new year on a healthy note hence some soup for new years day lunch light and easy !

Nothing warms us up in winter like a steaming hot soup, if it is filling , easy to make and wholesome it makes life even better! Agree? I love ordering clear vegetable soup when I go eating out and though this is not the typical chinese take away and is a very home cooking and simplistic approach it’s still what a soup should essentially be – wholesome…

You can add as many veggies as you like that would marry well with the basic list I think is essential, I basically use whatever is available in my vegetable tray on the said day !

The following roughly make for 2 large bowls of soup and a small leftover portion for Lunch next day, perfect I say !

  1. Cauliflower 1/4th finely chopped
  2. Small hand full green peas
  3. 2 – 3 large sprigs of spring onion finally chopped
  4. Bottle Gourd – 1/4th finely chopped
  5. 2 large cloves of garlic
  6. A pinch of cummin seeds
  7. Half a tea-spoon ghee or low-fat butter example :Lurpack
  8. 2 small carrots finely chopped
  9. Hand full french beans very finely chopped
  10. 1/4th tomato very finely chopped for flavour
  11. Large bit of fresh ginger smashed with skin to add flavour

Optional : Brocoli, sweet corn,potatoes,cabbage

Method:

  1. Boil all the veggies in water with salt to taste and the large piece of ginger with skin after its washed thoroughly , if it has too much mud on it please remove the skin , no knife skills needed just let yourself go, as Jamie Oliver would say !
  2. While these are almost boiled ,take the ghee/butter in a tadka pan(image pasted below ) add the garlic cloves with skin smash them using a mortar pestle before adding and then add the cumin seeds when the gee/butter is hot and sputtering.Add this ”tadka” or seasoning to the boiled veggie water mix and serve hot.
  3. The toasted garlic and ghee combination give off a sweet flavour and an appetising aroma.
  4. An ideal accompaniment is a boiled sweet corn stub slathered in low-fat butter and a slice of your favourite baguette !

Cheers to good health , easy cooking , healthy and wholesome meals and of course winter warmers !

Clear Veg Soup with an Indian Tadkawholesome goodness of vegetables in a broth!

Christmas Pudding

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Last year we had a supermarket pudding , the intense flavours, the dry fruits steeped in alcohol the soft delicious feeling of putting a spoon through a perfectly set pudding on christmas night ummmm… I decided that the next time I MUST make one at home !After sifting through a few recipes I knew it had to be Nigella’s Ultimate Christmas pudding.

I have now promised myself that I shall plan months ahead and soak the sultanas much in advance but well this year I soaked the sultanas and a nut mix for 2 nights in sherry. The variations in ingredients recommended by Nigella are my use of a regular apple, supermarket sherry and a currant and dry fruit mix off a shelf. But the resultant mixture and the process of slow steaming gave me a deep rich colour, a lovely texture and 2 yes two puddings instead of one and that is what was the MOST satisfying part of this process! Landing up with 2 awesome well set perfect puddings , one to eat at home and one to share with a special close pal made christmas special 🙂

Oh yes and a big thank you to Lakeland for making such an awesome product, my pudding steamer with a lid that fits so well and is really easy to clean. The pudding just slipped out after a gentle tap and sigh…. I couldn’t stop admiring the perfect shape, the dark colour …I almost burst into song !

Well now for the list of Ingredients:

  1. 150 grams prunes – mine were soaked in syrup and came from a cam but they served the purpose just the same, I squeezed the syrup out before adding them to the sultanas.If yours are out of a packet they need to be snipped into smaller bits.
  2. 150 grams sultanas
  3. 150 grams currants or a currants and nut mix for puddings available in all leading supermarkets.
  4. 175 ml sherry of your choice
  5. 100 grams plain flour
  6. 125 grams white breadcrumbs
  7. 150 grams suet – I used beef suet, if you are considering a vegetarian option I haven’t used vegetable suet , if anyone has tried it please share your experience.
  8. 1/4 ground cloves
  9. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – I used a ready-made powder
  10. 3 medium eggs
  11. 150 grams dark muscovado sugar
  12. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  13. 1 lemon large zest and juice
  14. 1 cooking apple (ideally) peeled and grated , I used 2 small red apples.
  15. 2 tablespoons honey
  16. 125 ml Vodka

Method:

  • This mixture gives 2 full-sized puddings , I have a 1 litre pudding steamer with lid from Lakeland and I had enough to make two full-sized puddings.
  • I must say our pudding is still sitting on a plate as I type this on the last day of 2012 , it’s asking to be microwaved and gobbled with some Remy Martin laced cream lying in fridge left over from Christmas, we had it Champagne cream on Christmas day and I assure you we had a feast and some very sleepy house guests after that …yes made me chuckle with satisfaction too.
  • Mix the sultanas,prunes and currants into a large bowl and let them steep in sherry overnight or upto a week. I let them soak for 2 nights.
  • When you are to start making the pudding mix take another large bowl and add all the ingredients in any order and then stir in the soaked sultana mix, scooping all of it off from the bowl.
  • Fill a large saucepan with enough water such that your pudding basin is soaked in it and use butter to grease the pudding bin and the lid as well.
  • Add the mixture into the basin and steam for 5 hours, checking ever so often and add some water to the saucepan. I must add that my pudding basin lid fits real well and after 5 hours were done it was quite easy to remove the basin from the saucepan and leave it aside to cool . No tying of strings , no foil and no danger of burning, besides like I mentioned cleaning is a breeze.
  • Keep aside your wonderful pudding which is done now, I peaked inside and it looked so good I had to really take a deep breath and stop myself from turning it onto a plate and start digging right it, but NO it’s meant for the Big Day!
  • Ok so now on D-day, steam the pud in its basin for 3 more hours, yes I trust Nigella’s recipes and hence the success for me a first time pudding maker 🙂
  • Well after it has had its steam and had cooled to an extent when you can open it and turn it on to a serving dish , it needs a gentle tap this basin and Viola! a rich dark well set pudding is there for you to admire and show off.
  • I did not add any charm before I started to steam it and I did not flambe’ it either but by all means use vodka and flambe’ to impress your guests !

Do leave your comments !

The sultana currant and prune mix in sherry Ground some CinnamonThe SuetThe mix is almost ready to go into the basinTa - Dah ! Here it is !Sigh, Pudding Perfection , I loveeed making this !Thanks Nigella!

 

 

Baked Salmon and a crunchy vegetable salad

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This is probably my simplest ,fastest and yet very tasty AND healthy meal option. All you need is 2 slices of salmon some salad leaves and a hotch potch collection of any thing that can yumm up a salad! Few Minutes in the oven and hey Presto ! a healthy meal is ready to tuck in.

What I love about the after feel of this kind of a lunch or dinner is that it leaves me full and satiated and not feeling bloaty or heavy or drowsy for that matter!

So my ingredient list goes like this , but honestly for the salad just use any combination of leafy stuff and spices that you have in your fridge and cupboard and slam them together to make your own accompaniment!

  1. 2 slices of salmon fresh
  2. 2 thick slices of lime to wedge into the fish and a large slice to splash over the salad.
  3. one spoon olive oil
  4. Mixed italian herbs to season the fish – better if you have fresh herbs
  5. crushed black pepper and rock salt to sprinkle
  6. some capers for seasoning
  7. Salad leaves of your liking I use the mix leaves packets from the supermarket – rocket,spinach,lettuce mixed with some peppers and red onion sliced  for some colour, crunch and taste.
  8. Cherry Tomatoes
  9. A cheese slice – anything that you fancy
  10. Some onion flakes to dust over the salad

This meal takes lesser time to cook than it took me to write this blog post 🙂

Method:

  1. place the salom piece on a foil, lightly drizzle olive oil , wedge a slice of lime in between and sprinkle sea salt and crcaked black pepper and a generous sprinkle of italian herbs, mine came out of a bottle.
  2. Give the Salmon just enough time in the oven to cook, fish cooks fairly fast and these 2 slices took less that 7 minutes in a pre heated oven.
  3. Once done serve the salmon alongside a generous helping of salad leaves and juicy cherry tomatoes,toss a few capers , tear some cheese to season, give another drizzle of olive oil and a big squeeze  of lime ,finally add some crispy fried onion bits, finish off with sea salt.
  4. Dig in and feel full inside and light and skippity on a full stomach.

P.S: of the time you save when you choose this light, easy and quick dish , grab that novel you have been waiting to get done with enjoy a relaxed afternoon curled up on the sofa…I did…:)

The salmon is ready for the ovenThe salad is all done!Dig into crunchy wholesome goodness and juicy fish

Vintage Frittata recipe inspired by ”Angel”

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Well as my previous blog post mentioned I am quite besotted with my latest cookbook – The Vintage Tea Party by Angel. She is such a talented lady and anyone with orange hair,a vivid imagination, a vast collection of Vintage odds and ends and a great cook to top is all is my kind of hero!

So I first ate a Frittata at my workplace where it was served during tea time,anything remotely associated with eggs and I simply must try it, I could live on fried eggs ,omelettes ,scrambled eggs and yes Frittatas!

I surfed up info about the origin of Frittata because that’s the beauty of food and recipes, they start from someplace and then suddenly are popular world cuisine and everyone’s making their own versions. Some food blogs have really well researched posts about the Frittata and I do recommend reading them:

http://www.delallo.com/articles/la-frittata-egg-dish-endless-possibilities

http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2008/12/i-have-change-and-treat-for-you-today.html

http://www.thefoodadvicecentre.co.uk/reference/recipes/frittata/

Wikipedia defines a Frittata as : The Italian word frittata derives from fritto, the past participle of “to fry” (friggere),[1] and was originally a general term for cooking eggs in a skillet, anywhere on the spectrum from fried egg, through conventional omelette, to an Italian version of the Spanish tortilla de patatas, made with fried potato. Outside Italy, frittata was seen as equivalent to “omelette” until at least the mid-1950s.

Well,Angel’s recipe is an antithesis to this logic,why? well because it’s OVEN BAKED not fried and secondly is rather basic yet tasty,her recipe recommends using flower petals to decorate and also cutting it into shapes to make it more visually delightful and intriguing. Ofcourse what I’ve cooked isn’t a patch on the beautiful Angel’s creation but it’s a sort of a tribute to her, in a demi god,fan like behaviour sort of a way…!!

By all means if any one of you does create one anything close to Angel’s original, please do share your feedback and pictures !

I have scaled down the ingredients for 2 people and added a few twists here and there for experimental touches of my own!

Ingredient list to whip up a mean frittata- Vintage and all that 🙂 remember to roll up ur hair in a bun while making it and think Vintage :),Angel style !

  1. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  2. Half a white onion sliced
  3. 1 Courgette  finely sliced into half-moon slice
  4. 5 large free range eggs
  5. Salt
  6. cracked black pepper
  7. Goats cheese crumbled

Method

  1. Pre Heat the oven to 220° C /Fan 200° C/ Gas mark 7. Line a baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Heat oil in a small frying pan and fry the onions until soft for about 2 minutes, stir in the chopped courgette bits,fry on a higher flame for about 4 minutes till it’s goldenish. Angel advises not stirring or tossing this too much in her book and I do agree.
  3. Beat eggs in a bowl,season with salt and add the onion and courgette mixture.

4. Crumble some goats cheese and  then transfer above mixture to a baking tin of your choice, I simply used my small cake tin. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack and serve hot.Season with cracked black pepper sprinkled on top.

I think this makes for a really delicious and filling tea time snack and is really easy to make when time is a constraint,which is almost always in our busy lives.

Of course,Angel’s recipe differs and requires some more cooking as there is cheese and is seasoned with edible gerbera petals, I will try it once am able to lay my hands on those delicate beauties.

To check out Angel’s website click here

Trust if me if you already haven’t, her books are a MUST HAVE in everyone’s personal collection of recipe books, I for one am totally smitten!

Healthy Kale Smoothie

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Hearing of the contest for winning one of 2 free passes to the Food Blogger Connect UK 2012 sponsored by  Vitamix UK, I had to think up of some unique tasty, and healthy smoothie recipe, Lucky for me that I have sampled this smoothie created by Brian the host of London Real TV!

Vitamix is helping two lucky winners get a free ticket to FBC12 + an opportunity to feature the recipe and participate in the Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre with Chef Bev Shaffer at the FBC12 Market.

This blender can create fresh smoothies, refreshing frozen desserts, and even hot soups – it is a kitchen essential that lets you perform more than 50 tasks quicker, easier, and faster. The entries will be judged by Vitamix Chef Bev Shaffer, and the two winners will get to make their recipes with her at the FBC12 Market! Also, all five Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre machines will be given away to #FBC12 attendees during the closing ceremonies.

This is his special recipe and he drinks it every single day and is FIT as a fiddle, I say! And guess what he USES VITAMIX to make this smoothie, cool I say!

Here are the ingredients, give them a whirr in your VITAMIX and drink up folks! Thank Brian in your mind and me for sharing it!

  1.  1 Apple
  2. 1 Pear
  3. 1 Carrot
  4. Ginger
  5. A lot of Kale
  6. 1 Beetroot
  7. 1 Cucumber
  8. Natural apple juice

Am keeping my fingers crossed for winning a free  Food Blogger Connect full weekend access ticket to FBC12!

Cheers!

Visit Food Blogger Connect, connect to the event via Twitter – @BloggerConnect, Post one of the cute badges from the site to promote the conference to fellow food bloggers. Like the VitamixUK & FBC Facebook pages, announce your submission on the official VitamixUK Facebook and Food Blogger Connect Facebook pages, follow @VitamixUK, and @BloggerConnect and your tweets include all the following:  #FBC12, @VitamixUK, @BloggerConnect.

P.S: London Real TV hosted by Brian and Nick, is a weekly talk show dedicated to challenging the status quo, exploring the human experience, and exchanging ideas and perspectives with a full range of eclectic guests from Miss Universe to Members of Parliament. Check them out on YouTube, and add some zest to your week!

Simple Pasta with Homemade PESTO

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This is again one of those recipes that has languished in my draft folder collecting virtual cobwebs for pete’s sake!

I even had a lot of positive response on Facebook when I uploaded a battered looking pic to my Facebook foodie album  ”Food and how much I love it” 🙂

So here’s to finally sharing it on my blog,yay,cheers !Bring on the bubbly…err ok

Here’s what you will need:

  1. Fusili enough for 2 people
  2. Fresh basil one small bunch
  3. Olive Oil 2 teaspoons
  4. 2-3 Garlic Cloves
  5. Pine Nuts
  6. Salt to taste
  7. 2 medium-sized potatoes skinned and sliced
  8. French Beans about a handful

Method:

  1. For the pesto – Mix the Fresh basil , olive oil,pine nuts ,fresh garlic cloves 2-3, salt and green chillies to taste,give them a spin in the mixie ,all done!
  2. Boil the fusilli in water and salt to taste with the beans , when it’s almost done add the potatoes.
  3. Mix the pesto once the pasta and veggie mix is boiled and excess water has been drained.
  4. Grate some mozzarella and serve!
  5. Top tip from readers of this recipe was to replace the mozzarella with parmesan for lesser calories 🙂

Cauliflower ani vatanyachi bhaji, Gobi Vatana Sabzi, Cauliflower side dish with green peas

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Cauliflower green peas Sabzi

I love cauliflower as a vegetable for its taste and sheer possibilities in the kitchen, my fav everyday vegetable to be eaten with chapatis is a mix of cauliflower and green peas in a spicy, semi-dry sabzi form. I used biryani masala to add a twang to my usual taste and the result was worth sharing:)

फ्लॉवर वाटाणा मसाला भाजी

Skill level beginner, basic

Serves :2 with rotis and curd to make a light meal

Manjiri Chitnis

Cauliflower and Green peas Masala Sabzi

5 from 2 votes
Easy, delicious vegetarian sabzi, an everday dish in a Maharashtrian home
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium-sized Cauliflower
  • 4 tbsp Green peas
  • 1 pinch Asafoetida/hing
  • 1-2 Red Onions very finely sliced
  • 3 – 4 Curry leaves
  • 2 Green chillies
  • 2 tbsp Biryani masala
  • 1/2 Red juicy tomato
  • 1 tsp Ginger paste
  • 2 cloves Garlic very finely sliced
  • 2 tsp Oil for tadka
  • 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1/4 Cumin seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp each of Turmeric n Red Chilli powders
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Jeera Powder
  • Few Sprigs Fresh Coriander leaves finely chopped to garnish
  • 1 tsp Lime Juice

Equipment

  • Kadhai or Work or saucepan
  • Chopping Board
  • Sharp Knife
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat cooking oil in a Kadhai/wok/ saucepan
  2. When the oil is hot, add the asafoetida and mustard seed, when the seeds start to pop add cumin seeds and the finely chopped garlic bits
  3. Ensure the cumin seeds turn a toasty brown and then swiftly move on to the next ingredients
  4. Next, go in with the fresh green curry leaves and green chillies followed by the finely chopped onion
  5. Add the coriander powder, ginger and garlic pastes and stir well and allow it to become a sticky sort of paste
  6. Then add the biryani masala and feel the explosion in the aroma as it marries well with the onion and spice paste
  7. Then go in with the cauliflower florets and the green peas
  8. Turn off the heat for a bit, sprinkle turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder
  9. Season with salt as per taste
  10. Turn the heat back on, ideally a low flame on the hob and a really low setting on the electric cooker
  11. Sprinkle some water enough to wet the veggies and allow for some steam to form, this will allow the cauliflower to cook
  12. Stirring occasionally, cook with a lid for about under 5 minutes
  13. Check after first 3 minutes to ensure the cauliflower does not overcook
  14. To serve, garnish with fresh coriander leaves, chopped fine and a tiny squeeze of lime juice to add an extra twang
  15. Best enjoyed served with hot puffy Polya (Marathi for Chapatis or Rotis ) off the hob!

Gobi Vatana Sabzi

I am linking my recipe, which happens to be my favourite fusion-Maharashtrian vegetarian recipe for Cauliflower and Green Peas Sabzi with In My Veg Box for May 2014 hosted by me for Nayna who Blogs at Simply. Food and Citrus Spice.

In my veg box cauliflower

Angel Hair Pasta and Prawns in Thai Red Curry and white wine sauce

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I loved the name of this recipe by Chef Delia and hubby was also so excited about eating that we went to supermarket that she endorses and got us some really nice White Cooking wine and vermicelli pasta which I used as ”Angel Hair”. The other thing about this recipe that I found appealing was that it was easy to make, serves 2 as a main meal if prepared with suggested quantities and is a really satisfying dish to both cook and eat!

Why is it called Angel Hair ? Capellini Pasta literally means Angel Hair – because this pasta is the finest, thinnest… and when boiled it opens up and is so delicate , almost like how an Angel’s hair would be! Since it is a very light pasta it pairs well with sea food and is sold in nest like shapes that open up into silky strands on boiling …ummm perfect !

Ok my cheat sheet for this recipe , I used Thai red curry paste from a bottle but you can make your own too.As with other types of pasta, it is generally cooked until it is al dente, or firm to the teeth.

I love this angel hair pasta as it cooks really fast and the sauces are taken up so well by the strands.

Serves:2

Marination Time: 4 hours Preparation Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time:25 Minutes

Ingredients:

  1. 175gm Angel Hair Pasta.
  2. 2 packets of prawns.
  3. 2 tablespoons light olive oil.
  4. 4 large tablespoons Thai Red Curry Past.
  5. 4- 5 large garlic cloves skinned and very finely sliced.I love the skins so I kept them, they add a diferent twist and crackle that I cannot resist!,
  6. 2 large tomatoes skinned,de-seeded and chopped.This was the first time in my life I skinned tomatoes and must say it was fun 🙂
  7. Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
  8. 200ml dry white wine
  9. For the garnish – 3 tablespoons fresh coriander finely chopped,fresh lime thinly sliced.

Method:

  1. Marinate the deveined prawns in the Thai Red Curry Paste and set aside for as long as you can before cooking the meal, as suggested by Delia for 4 hours in a fridge is ideal.
  2. To start with the sauce ,add oil in a pan and the chopped garlic, fry till i is a beautiful golden brown and the kitchen starts to give away a delicious aroma that tantalises your senses…ummm , then go in the pan the lime zest and juice , the tomatoes and wine  and on a high heat cook and eventually reduce  for about  8 minutes.
  3. Now add the prawns and mix well on a high heat, then reduce to a low flame and let this bubble again for 3- 5 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat once prawns are well cooked and cover and keep warm till the pasta is done as we have to be ready to serve this immediately when the pasta is ready , being thin it does not stay very easy to scoop out and handle once boiled.
  5. In a large vessel boil water with salt and cook the pasta , it is done in 3 minutes precisely.
  6. In bowls ready for serving spoon out the pasta ,whatever water comes with it , wil be soaked up by the pasta and the sauce.
  7. Serve the prawns in the Thai red curry paste and white wine sauce on top of the Angel Hair Pasta.
  8. In one word – Perfect !

Finito;)

Now for some pics- hover over each pic for a description, pics are followed by credits to the sites which inspired this blog post,Cheers Folks and do drop me a line if you liked this recipe and made it for your family 🙂

And last but not the least my sweetheart, my patient hubby for buying me the ingredients and for being my time keeper for this dish, I am eternally in love with you …..

Spicy Chicken curry

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Sunday Special Lunch – A Family Tradition

What a Sunday Roast is to a traditional English Family Sunday Lunch is what the combination of Spicy Chicken Gravy and Jeera rice or layered Chicken Biryani is to my family. My sister and I, have been brought on such wholesome, hearty, home-made totally from scratch – delicious food.

All these divine yet easy to recreate dishes, which my parents have always cooked with great passion and a lot of effort are what fuel my desire to share them with all of you.

My Aai and Baba ( Mum and Dad in Marathi) who wake up early every Sunday morning and work as a team to produce this brilliantly tasty chicken curry. Saturday morning my Baba would take me with him to te butcher to buy fresh chicken curry pieces. After coming home he would very patiently explain to us how he marinates the bird using all the freshly ground pastes and purees that Aai used to prepare while he was out shopping. On Sunday morning they would again team up to cook us the most amazing lunch. My best memories of Sunday morning are of waking up to the aromas of food wafting through the house.

Keeping the tradition alive

Few years ago when my husband and I moved to London, I was determined to keep this Sunday family tradition alive. I cooked the chicken adding my own twists and trying my best to recreate the same flavour that my parents seem to get spot-on every single time! So, when they came to London to visit us shortly after we had moved here, I was super delighted that they would cook this special Sunday family meal for us. As promised they cooked us their Sunday special while hubby and I eagerly took notes, clicked pictures and took in the whole energy they bring to this whole process.

This recipe is a spicier version of our traditional Sunday Chicken curry. The bord is cooked in thick gravy bursting with flavour. My Baba loves serving this with Jeera Rice and a beautifully simple Maharahstian Kakdichi Koshimbir in Dahi – Cucumber yoghurt raita. I hope you will enjoy cooking up this dish and hopefully creating happy family memories of your own.

Spicy Chicken – Chitnis Family Sunday Special recipe

manjirichitnis

My family’s Sunday Special Chicken curry recipe

5 from 4 votes
A spicy and easy traditional Indian chicken curry recipe
Print Recipe
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For marinating overnight
  • 1.25 Kilos Chicken – curry pieces / 1 medium sized whole
  • 25 gm fresh coriander
  • 1 tbsp toasted Dhane/coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp Toasted Jeere/ Cumin
  • 3 cloves Lasun/Garlic
  • 15 gms Aale/Ginger
  • 2 Dry Laal Mirchya/ Red Chillies
  • 2 Dry Kashmiri Laal Mirchya/ Red Chillies
  • 2 Hirvya Mirchya/ Spicy Green chillies
  • 2.5 tsp Halad/Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp Meeth/Salt
  • 1 tbsp Tel/ Cooking Oil
Tomato-Onion Mix for the gravy
  • 1 tbsp from the marinade above
  • 2 medium Ripe Tomatoes
  • 2 medium Kaande/Red Onions/ Bombay Onions
  • 2 cloves Lasun/Garlic
  • 10 gm Aale/Fresh Ginger
  • 5 gm Fresh coriander leaves
For the Phodni/ Tadka
  • 2 tbsp Tel/ Oil
  • 1 tbsp Sajuk Tuj/ Pure ghee
  • 2 Tamalpatra/Bay Leaves
  • 1 small piece of Dalchini/Cinnamon stick
  • Pinch Hing/Asafoetida
  • 3 tbsp Garam Masala
  • 2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 2 tsp Halad/ Turmeric powder
  • 3 tsp Laal Tikhat/ Extra Hot Red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Meeth/ Salt – or as per taste
Garnish
  • One dry red Kashmiri chilli and one green chilli sautéed insome oil /ghee
  • Few fresh leaves of coriander to tear and scatter on top

Equipment

  • Large heavy bottomed pot with Lid/Pressure cooker/ Instant Pot / slow cooker
  • Spice grinder
  • Blender
  • Knife
  • Chopping Board

Method
 

  1. Wash the chicken curry pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. I always use chicken without skin
    Whole chicken before marination
  2. Make a thick paste in the mixer-grinder/ blender using all theingredients , asfmentionedabove for the marinade.Ensure the consistency is that of a thick paste and not a watery mixture
    Marinade for chicken
  3. Using a sharp knife make small cuts to the chicken flesh to allow the marinade to really penetrate inside the chicken, this will ensure that each piece is flavourful and not just from the outside
  4. Apply the marinade onto the washed chicken curry pieces, season with some salt and a splash of oil. Mariante overnight in the refigerator
    Marinade for chicken ready
  5. The next day get the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking
  6. While the chicken is coming to room temperature, make the puree usingall the ingredients as mentioned above for the tomato and onion mixture. Ensure this mixture it is not watery. Set aside.
  7. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or a pressure cooker
  8. When the oil is hot, add the asafoetida, sauté the bay leaf and cinnamon stick (dry red kashmiri chilli at this stage is optional)
  9. Add the garam masala, coriander powder and sauté
  10. Then add the onion-tomato mixture and cook for under two minutes until the mixture thickens
  11. Now add in the marinated chicken stir and some water, mix well. Add the red chilli powder turmeric powder and salt
    Chicken gravy consistency
  12. Add just enough water to allow for a thick gray. Stir , cover and cook on a medium flame until the gravy begins to boil
  13. Cover and cook until the chicken is totally cooked through and the oil seperates, this shoud take approximately 20 minutes on a low flame. Stir occasionaly to ensure the gravy does not dry out In the pressure cooker this takes two whistles – for a large bird three whistles
  14. Garnish with roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves and the fried red kashmiri chilli and green chilli
  15. Serve hot with a side of pipping hot jeera rice and some cucumber raita

Loved this recipe? For more chicken recipes try some more of my creations:

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