Mushroom Kadai

A Mushroom (or toadstool) is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "Mushroom" is the cultivated white button Mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "Mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) or pores on the underside of the cap.

Mushroom Kadai is flavor of sub continental style this dish is served mostly in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Mushroom Kadai

Ingredients

• 200 gm Mushroom
• 1 capsicum (shimla mirch) 
• 2 onion (pyaj) 
• 4 tomato (tamatar) 
• 1 piece ginger (adrak) 
• 5-6 garlic (lahsun) buds
• 2 green chilly (hari mirch) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder (lal mirch) 
• 1 tsp coriander powder (dhania) 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) 
• 1/2 tsp spice blend (garam masala) 
• 4 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) 

Method

• Cut Mushrooms into slices.
• Cut capsicum into cubes.
• Finely chop onions and tomatoes.
• Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies.
• Heat ghee in a pan and fry onions in it until it turns pink.
• Then fry ginger paste for a minute.
• Now put tomatoes and fry until ghee separates.
• Put salt, red chilly powder, coriander and turmeric powder.
• Now add Mushrooms and simmer after adding 1/4 cup water.
• Cook until Mushrooms softens.
• Then cook capsicum in it for 2-3 minutes and remove it from the flame.
• Now sprinkle some spice blend.
• Serve hot.

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Cabbage Poriyal

Poriyal is the Tamil word for fried or sometimes sauteed vegetable dish. The Kannada word for the same dish is Palya and in Telugu, its Porutu. It is usually made by shallow frying shredded or diced vegetables along with spices. The preparation would normally involve frying mustard seeds, urad dal, onions and then the main vegetable, and finally adding turmeric, spices, dried red chillis and coriander. In Tamil Nadu, shredded coconut would be added as a dressing.
Poriyal serves as a side dish to a three course meal of rice with sambhar, rasam and curd.

Cabbage Poriyal

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
• 1/2 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
• 1 green chilli, slit
• 2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies, broken
• 8 to 10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• a pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Method

• Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds and urad dal and let the seeds crackle.
• Add the green chilli, dry red chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder and stir for few seconds.
• Add the cabbage, salt, 1/4 cup of water and cook over a medium flame till the cabbage is tender.
• Add the grated coconut, mix well and serve hot.

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Badam Halwa / Almonds sweet

Halwa or Halva refers to many types of dense, sweet confections, served across the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Malta and the Jewish world.

Badam Halwa

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Almonds 
• 2-1/2 Cups Sugar 
• 3 Cup Water 
• 2 Cups Ghee 
• 1 Pinch Saffron 

Method

• Soak almonds in a bowl with boiling water.
• Remove the skin of almonds and make fine paste by grinding them in a grinder.
• Boil sugar with one cup of water in a pan, till it turns into syrup.
• Add almond paste to the boiling syrup and mix it well.
• Dilute saffron in a little water and add to the syrup.
• Instantly mix one-cup ghee.
• As the above mixture turns paste-like, pour the remaining ghee gradually.
• A batter like mixture will be formed after sometime. Now remove it from the flame.
• Badam Halwa is ready to serve.

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Paneer Bhurji

Bhurji means scrambled. So as the name suggests, this cheesy delicacy is made out of scrambled cottage cheese. This dish is quick to prepare and yet it so full of flavor  A protein rich dish whose beauty lies in it’s simplicity. A hearty and satisfying dish that goes great with rice or breads

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients

• 1 cup crumbled paneer
• 1 finely chopped tomato
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 chopped green chilly
• 1 finely chopped ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chilly powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
• salt for taste
• oil 3 tsp

Method

• Have one cup crumbed Paneer ready or try to smash or crumbed Paneer from your Refrigerator

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds first. Once they get fried, add onions. When the onions become transparent, add chopped ginger and chilly.

• Fry the ginger for a while. Then add tomatoes and cook till they become soft. You can add a little salt  and Turmeric so that the tomatoes get cooked faster.

• Now add all the Masala powders if required red chilly powder too.  Fry for a minute add then add crumbled Paneer and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. Don’t cook the Paneer for a long time as they harden and loose their softness.

• Serve Paneer Bhurji with Rotis and rice.

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Egg Kadai

Simple Indian Boiled Egg Kadai  or Anda Kadai is an Indian non veg dish. This delicious and healthy food is very simple to prepare . You can serve Simple Indian Kadai Boiled Egg Roast with the plain white rice , bread,sandwiches and fried rice.

Egg Kadai

Ingredients

• Eggs-8 no’s
• Green chilly chopped-6 no’s( adjustable according to your taste)
• Onion sliced-2 small size
• Ginger paste- 2tbsp
• Garlic paste-2 tbsp
• Oil for making thick gravy- 3tbsp
• Oil for frying the eggs- 1/2 cup
• Bay leaves(Karuga/Vazhana ela) – 3nos
• Cinnamon(Karugapatta) - 1" piece
• Cardamom(Elakka) - 5 nos
• Cloves(Grambu) - 4 nos
• Fennel(Perum Jeerakam) - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 stems
• Chilly powder – 1 1/2 tbsp ( adjustable according to your taste)
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt- as required

Method

• Boil the eggs in water.
• Give small cuts on each egg with a knife. Otherwise they will blast like bombs when you fry in the oil.
• Heat a frying pan and pour ½ cup of oil into it.
• Let the oil be boiled.
• Fry all the eggs with the minimum heat in the oil till they turn to light brown .
• Keep the fried eggs aside.
• Prepare Gharam Masala by grinding together bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper seeds and fennel.
• Heat one vessel and add 3tbsp of oil.
• Add all sliced onions and saute till brown.
• Add ginger and garlic paste and saute till brown.
• Add the green chilies and curry leaves.After 1 minute you’ll get an amazing flavor.
• Add all the powders.
• Stir in gentle heat until light brown.
• Add ¼ cup of water and mix well for 1 minute.
• Add the fried eggs and cover them with the thick masaala.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes in gentle heat.
• Turn off the heat and decorate with the curry leaves or coriander leaves.
• Serve Simple Indian Kadai Boiled Egg Roast hot with bread,sandwiches and fried rice.

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Punjabi Aloo Gobi Masala

Aloo Gobi Masala is a flavorful Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes, cauliflower and many spices which makes it fragrant and mouth-watering.  Lets see the preparation details.

Punjabi Aloo Gobi Masala

Ingredients

• 2 large Potatoes (about 2 cups), scrubbed, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 medium Cauliflower (about 3-4 cups), cut into medium sized florets
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
• 2-3 Green Chillies, roughly chopped (Adjust acc to taste)
• 2-3 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2-2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Hing/Asafoetida (Optional)
• 1/2 tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder
• 3/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Adjust acc to taste)
• 1/2 tbsp Dhania/Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala (Adjust acc to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala (Optional)
• 1/2 tbsp Kasuri Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Optional but recommended)
• Freshly squeezed Lime/Lemon Juice to taste
• Salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and hing. When cumin seeds crackle and change colour, about 30 seconds, add finely chopped onions.
• Sauté the onions till they turn translucent and then add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and crushed kasuri methi leaves. Give it a good stir till the raw smell of ginger-garlic paste disappears, about 1 minute.
• Next add all the spice powders and give it a good stir for 30 seconds.
• Mix in cubed potatoes and give them a good stir for 3-4 minutes.
• Add cauliflower florets and salt to taste and stir them for 2-3 minutes, making sure every individual cauliflower florets are coated with spice mix.
• Cover the lid and let it cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring in between to make sure that vegetables don’t stick the bottom of the pan. By now the vegetables gets cooked through but still retain their shape. If not, cover and let them cook for another 3-5 minutes.
• Switch off the gas and add freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice to taste. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and mix them well before serving this delicious Aloo Gobi with Roti or plain/flavoured rice.

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Bengali Cham Cham

Cham cham or chum chum is a traditional Bengali sweet that is popular in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It comes in a variety of colors, mainly light pink, light yellow, and white. It is also coated with coconut flakes as a garnish.

Bengali Cham Cham

Ingredients

• Milk - 1 liter (5 cup)
• Lemon juice - 2-3 tbsp (2 lemons)
• Sugar - 2 cup (450 grams)
• Ararot - 1 tbsp

For stuffing:

• Mawa - 1/4 cup (60 gram)
• Cardamoms - 3-4 (peel and make powder)
• Powdered sugar - 2-3 tbsp (30 grams)
• Pistachios - 7-8 (thinly sliced)
• Kewada essence - 2-3 drops
• Orange color - less then 1 pinch

Method

Making Cham Cham

• Take milk in any utensil and place it on flame for boiling. When milk starts boiling turn off the gas and let it cool down.
• Add water in lemon juice. Add little amount of lemon juice at a time in warm milk. Milk will start to coagulate. Stop adding lemon juice when milk coagulates completely. Now strain the coagulated milk in any muslin cloth, (place the cloth on top of sieve and pour milk on the cloth). All water will get collected in the utensil kept beneath and chena will be collected on the top. Pour some cold water on the chena and wash it nicely. With this chena will become cool and lemon flavor will get washed.
• Mix 2 cup sugar and 4 cup water in a pressure cooker and place it on flame for heating.  Meanwhile make Chamcham from chena.
• Divide chena in 8 equal parts, take one part and bind it nicely like a ladoo. Now give Chamcham an oval shape and place it on a plate. Like wise prepare all Chamcham balls.
• Sugar-water has started boiling in pressure cooker (don’t make thread sugar syrup, just boil it so that sugar melts). Add all prepared Chamcham one by one in boiling water. Cover the pressure cooker with lid. When it whistles for once, reduce the flame and cook Chamcham for 7-8 minutes. Now turn off the gas and place the cooker in any utensil carrying cold water so that it becomes cooled quickly or place it under water tap
• Open the pressure cooker and take out Chamcham in any big bowl along with sugar syrup. Stuff Chamcham when it cools down completely.

Stuff for ChamCham

• Peel cardamom and make powder. Mash mawa very finely with help of a spoon. Add powdered sugar and cardamom and really well. Stuffing is ready.
• After soaking Chamcham for 3-4 hours and cooling it down, take it out from sugar syrup. Chamcham has become cold, sweet and hard. Take when Chamcham and slit it from center keeping it joint from one side. Keep Chamcham in one hand and stuffing it with other hand. Garnish with 5-6 pistachios pieces. Like wise stuff all Chamcham.
• Mouth drooling Chamcham is ready. You can serve them as it is or place them in freezer and then serve they taste yummier. 

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Rava Laddoo / Suji Laddoo

Laddu or Laddoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in Indian Subcontinent as well as regions with immigrants from the Subcontinent such as Hijaz. Laddu is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe. It is often served at festive or religious occasions.

Laddu comes from the Sanskrit word transliterated as ladduka or lattika meaning a small ball. Though contested, it is widely believed to originate from the Mithilanchal region of Bihar during the times of Chandragupt Maurya.

Rava Laddoo / Suji Laddo

Ingredients

• 1 cup very fine Semolina/Sajjige/Suji/Sooji
• 1/4 packed cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen (Optional)
• 3/4 cup granulated/powdered Sugar (adjust acc to taste)
• 1/2 cup +1 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter
• 2 tbsp Cashew Nuts, halved
• 2 tbsp Raisins/Sultanas
• 6 Green Cardamoms, peeled and crushed to smooth powder
• A large pinch of Saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water or milk
• Few tsp of Milk (Optional)

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp of Ghee in a deep pan or kadai and add cashew nuts to it. Roast cashew nuts on low flame till they start to turn light golden in colour. Immediately add raisins or sultanas and fry them till they are plumped up, about 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them aside.
• Next add grated coconut to a pan and roast them till they turn light golden in colour on low flame, about 2-3 mins. Transfer them to clean bowl and keep it aside.
• Now add semolina and dry roast them on low flame till they change colour to light golden and the aroma of roasted semolina fills the kitchen, about 3-5 mins. There should be noticeable change in colour and aroma compared to raw semolina. Make sure that the semolina is dry roasted on low flame. Transfer this roasted semolina to a bowl containing roasted coconut.
• Add granulated or powdered sugar, cardamom powder, roasted cashews and raisins, saffron dissolved in warm milk and remaining ghee to the roasted semolina and coconut.
• When the mixture is warm enough to handle take a small handful of them and squeeze between your fingers and palm to form small lemon sized balls. If the mixture is too dry and starts to crumble, add few teaspoons of milk, one at a time, and form the balls. Don’t worry if the Rava Laddu/Laddoo is too soft as they will harden after a while.
• Once cooled, store them in an air tight container and keep them in a cool, dry place or store them in refrigerator.

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Besan Laddoo / Besan Laddu

Laddu or Laddoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in Indian Subcontinent as well as regions with immigrants from the Subcontinent such as Hijaz. Laddu is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe. It is often served at festive or religious occasions.

Laddu comes from the Sanskrit word transliterated as ladduka or lattika meaning a small ball. Though contested, it is widely believed to originate from the Mithilanchal region of Bihar during the times of Chandragupt Maurya.

Besan Laddoo 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter or ghee 
• 1 and 1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
• 2 tbsp suji/semolina
• 1/4 tsp  cardamom powder
• 4 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp white sesame seeds(optional) 

Method

• Put the basen (gram flour) and sooji, in a large frying pan and mix well.Turn on the stove,in low flame dry roast the flour and stir in between to prevent burning.
• Roast it well till the raw smell goes.
• Once the colour has started changing immediately add ghee and mix well.
• Stir well without lumps and roast the mix well until it gives nice flavor.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let the besan mix cool to a warm temperature.Don’t let it to come to room temperature.While the mixture is warm add sugar and  mix well.
• Then add cardamom seeds, almonds,white sesame seeds(optional).
• Mix well and start making ladoo.
• Take 2 tbsp of warm besan mixture and gently press and roll between your palms to form a lemon sized balls.Repeat this step for rest of the flour.let it cool for sometime and then serve it as  a snack.

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Murg Kali Mirch

Let See a very simple dish which is called Murg Kali Mirch which is also called as Black Pepper Chicken.

Murg Kali Mirch

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken (800 gm)
• 1 cup curd
• 2 tsp ginger garlic and green chillies paste
• half spoon garm masala
• 1/2 tsp jeera 
• 1 tsp coriander powder 
• 1/4 kali mirch powder
• 1/2 kasoori methi
• 2 tsp butter 
• salt according to taste

Method

• First marinate chicken in curd for 1 hour.
• Melt butter in kardai, put jeera and fry for some time then put coriander powder, kasoori methi, garam masala
• Now put ginger, garlic and green chillies paste fry till it becomes little brown and then put chicken and salt
• Cook the chicken till it becomes dry 
• Serve hot with chutney.

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Murg Noorjehani

Lets experience one of the finest Mughali dish which is also called Noor which mean's Light or bright.

Dish colored in yellow which is more bright and very delicious.

Murg Noorjehani

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp aniseed
• 8 pieces garlic
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 4 green chillies
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 brown cardamom
• 2 cups of whipped curd
• 6 tsp ghee (clarified butter) 
• 3 finely chopped onions
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup milk
• A pinch of saffron
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 5-6 sultanas and almonds

Method

• For the paste, grind together the green chillies, aniseed, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and salt 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 and 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. 
• Now pour the milk into the chicken and cook on low flame for 30-40 minutes. 
• Roast the sultanas and almonds with a dash of oil for a few mins. 
• Garnish with the roasted sultanas and almonds. Serve hot.

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Murg Kababs Mughlai / Chicken Kababs Mughali

Let see how to prepare Murg Kababs Mughlai.

Murg Kababs Mughlai

Ingredients

• 500 gms Chicken (cut into pieces) 
• 1 cup Cornflour 
• 1 tsp Garlic juice
• 2 tblsp Curd 
• 2 cups Clarified Butter 
• 1 Cellophane Bag 
• 1 tsp Ginger juice
• 1 tsp Black Pepper 

Method

• Soak chicken pieces in salt, garlic and ginger juice for 12 to 16 hours.
• Now put cornflour in the bag with little salt and black pepper.
• Add pieces of chicken removed from garlic juice and ginger and vinegar.
• Shake the bag well with chicken, cornflour, salt and pepper in it.
• Heat the ghee in a pan.
• Then gradually add pieces of chicken and fry them till golden brown on high flame.
• Continue frying till all the pieces are done.
• Server hot with green salad.

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Mughlai Chicken Pulao

Let see how to prepare Mughlai Chicken Pulao dish.

Mughlai Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken cleaned and cut
• 2 cups Clarified Butter 
• 4 big sized Onion (Pyaj) minced
• 1/4 kg Curd (Dahi) 
• 1/2 kg Rice
• 1/2 tsp Saffron (Kesar) 
• Few Sliced and fried Almond (Badam) 
• 4 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta) 
• 1 long piece Cinnamon (Tuj/Dalchini) 
• 10 Cloves (Lavang) 
• 10 Cardamoms
• 18 Pepper corns (Kalimirchi) 
• 3 pods Garlic (Lasun) 
• 1 long piece Ginger (Adrak) 
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirchi) 
• 2 tsp Coriander Seeds Powder (Dhania Powder) 
• 1 tsp Cumin Seed Powder (Jeera) 
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric (Haldi) 

Method

• First grind garlic, ginger, chiili powder, coriander, turmeric and cumin powder to a fine paste.
• Now heat 4 tblsp of ghee and fry 2 onions till brown.
• Add half the whole spices and then add chicken and let it brown.
• Add ground spices and fry for a few minutes along with chicken and mince.
• Add 2 cups of hot water, cover and cook till chicken is tender.
• Beat the curd with saffron and add to chicken.
• Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Remove from flame and keep aside.
• Now heat the remaining ghee and fry bay leaves and remaining whole spices.
• Add onions and brown them well.
• Add rice and fry till brown.
• Add enough water to cook rice and also 1 tsp of salt.
• Spread a layer of rice on a flat serving dish and then another layer of Chicken.
• Repeat with one more layer of each.
• Garnish with almonds.

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Meat Durbari

One of the famous Mughali Durbari dish for Lamb also called Meat Durbari.

Meat Durbari

Ingredients

• 1 big sized Onion  
• 1 Ginger  
• 2 tsp chopped Coriander Leaves 
• 2 fresh Green chilli slit lengthwise into halves
• 3 tsp Clarified Butter 
• 3 or 4 cloves Gralic peeled and coarsely chopped 
• 3 tsp Wine Vinegar
• 180ml warm Water
• 1 tsp Tomato puree

For paste

• 1 tsp Sesame or Til seeds 
• 1 kg Leg of Lamb
• 1 tsp Mustard or Raai Seeds 
• 1 Bay Leaf or Tej Patta
• 2 tsp Poppy seeds 
• 2 piece Cinnamon 
• 2 or 4 dried Red Chillies
• 4 Cloves 
• 10 Black Pepper 
• 2 Brown Cardamom 

Method 

• Trim off excess fat from the meat and cut into 2 cubes.
• Rub the spice paste well into the meat and leave for marination for 4 to 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Add the salt to garlic and crush to a smooth pulp.
• Melt the ghee over low flame.
• Add the onions and ginger adjust flame to medium and fry them until the onions are soft.
• Add the garlic paste and fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes stiring frequently.
• Add the meat and cook in the onion mixture until all sides of meat are brown.
• Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender.
• Add the puree, green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Adjust the flame to medium and cook for 3 to 4 minutes stiring continuously.
• Remove the pan from the flame and serve hot.

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Keema Matar

Keema, Kheema, or Qeema is a traditional South Asian meat dish. Originally this word meant minced meat.

It is typically minced mutton curry with peas or potatoes. Keema can be made from almost any meat, can be cooked by stewing or frying, and can be formed into kababs. Keema is also sometimes used as a filling for samosas or naan.

Keema Matar

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg minced meat 
• 1 cup shelled green peas 
• 1/2 cup ghee 
• 2 tsp cumin seeds 
• 4 cloves 
• A small piece of cinnamon 
• 4 peppercorns 
• Seeds of 1 black cardamom 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 cup grated onions 
• 1 tsp ginger paste 
• 1 tsp garlic paste 
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes 
• Salt to taste 
• 1 Tbsp coriander powder 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder 
• 1 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method

• Heat the ghee in a heavy-based pan and add the cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn, cardamom and bay leaves. 
• When the seeds start to splutter, add the garlic, ginger and onions, and stir-fry till the fat separates. 
• Add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder, turmeric and chilli powder. 
• Continue to stir-fry till fat separates. Increase heat to high and add the mince and the peas. 
• Stir a few times till the mince looks fried, then lower heat and sauté till cooked through and fat separates once again. 
• Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with nan or chapatis.

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