~Bengali Chicken Curry with potatoes~

10:53

Here is the recipe of the Sunday special Bengali chicken curry with potatoes. Bengalis add potatoes and sugar wherever possible and that makes the food more scrumptious. This is a must have item in the Bengali sunday Lunch menu . Serve this with rice and after eating this you cannot do anything, you will have to sleep like all bengalis do in their sunday afternoon.

Ingredients:
Chicken-300 gm ( I used boneless chicken here but chicken with bones add better flavor)
Potatoes-2 cut into big chunks
Chopped onion 1 cup, garlic 1 tsp and tomatoes 1 cup
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Whole garam masalas
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
turmeric powder half tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar 1 tsp
Mustard oil preferred but you can use any vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Procedure:
1.Heat up oil and put in the whole garam masalas.

2. Add potatoes and fry for 5 mins and add chopped onions, garlic and ginger. (If you want you can keep the fried potatoes aside before adding the onions, and add it back in stage 5). Keep frying for around 10 minutes.

3.Now add the chopped tomatoes and all the spices-Garam masala powder 1 tsp,turmeric powder half tsp, Kashmiri Chilli powder 1 tsp, Cumin powder 1 tsp, Salt to taste or 1 tsp,Sugar 1 tsp. Mix well and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.

4. Add chicken and keep stirring for 15 more minutes.

5. After 15 minutes ,the spices and oil separates and all things gets mixed well, check for salt and add more if required.

6. Add 1 cup of water, give a good stir, sprinkle a pinch of sugar on top and cover with a lid and let cook for 10 minutes.
(*If you are cooking large quantity of chicken of about 2 kgs , use the pressure cooker at this stage. Pressure cook the entire thing for 2 whistles.)

7. After 10 minutes ,switch off the gas and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Uncover your delicious Chicken curry and serve with rice . It also goes very well with rotis and parathas.

Tell me how you enjoyed it.

Thank you!

An evening in New Delhi : travelling in public transport : Qutub Minar, India Gate, Parathewali Gali and more.

20:18

New Delhi is the capital of India. Being one of the oldest cities in the world it has many historical places worth visiting.

While returning to USA from our trip to Kolkata in 2016, my husband and myself took a day layover in New Delhi. We stayed in JW Marriott, Aerocity. Aerocity is very close to the New Delhi International airport connected by the Delhi Metro Airport line and full of luxurious hotels. I am going to share with you our experience of an evening spent discovering the heart of Delhi while travelling in public transport. Yes!! Delhi Metro is awesome!!

Qutub Minar is the nearest attraction to our hotel and best way to go was in a taxi as advised by a hotel staff. So we availed Uber late in the afternoon and reached Qutub Minar. We took tickets and roamed around the beautiful reminiscent of the ancient India.

Next we planned on going to the India Gate. We hopped in an autorickshaw to get to the nearest metro station. Auto(rikshaw) fares can be really expensive($1-2) in Delhi but you can have an entire auto to yourself. Even the metro ticket prices are high compared to Kolkata Metro. We took the tickets to Central secretariat station. There are several metro routes like New York subway and determining which way you should take can be tricky. Checking out the metro station maps really helps. They are available in every metro station or online.

We got off at Central secretariat station at dusk and took an auto to the India Gate for Rs.50. We could see the India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhawan on the extreme ends but both were very far. We took a long walk and finally reached the India Gate standing tall (in the same spot since 1931). We took photos and bought ice creams and took rest at a ground nearby.

We felt hungry and instantly we decided to go to the famous Paranthewali Gali . We googled and found out Chandni Chowk is the nearest metro station to Paranthewali Gali.

Again we took an auto back to Central secretariat station and took tickets for Chandni Chowk. Now the train was very crowded. We got off at Chandni Chowk and there were clear instructions giving directions to go to various places,very helpful for people like us. We realized it is a junction of metro and Indian railways while also being the closest metro station to one of the oldest and busiest markets in old Delhi.

Chandni Chowk is very very crowded. After a little confusion we finally reached the famous "Paranthewali Gali", an overcrowded narrow lane selling yummy parathas which you can smell from a distance.We got in a somewhat clean Paratha restuarant near the entrance of the Gali since we didn't dare to venture deep inside lest we get lost.

We ordered Paneer paratha and Gobi paratha each costing Rs.60 (around $1). The parathas came in a thali with three sabzis(vegetable curry) on side. Two sabzis were of potatoes and another was of some vegetable we didn't recognize. The steel plates had separate compartments for each sabzi. The food was delicious. The parathas were deep fried. They were very oily but very tasty. We had two parathas of each variety, but we weren't very full which was unexpected.

We went back to the Chandni Chowk station. Now the struggling part comes. We needed to go to the Aerocity metro station which cannot be reached directly ,i.e., we have to break the journey and take another train to Aerocity and the tickets also cannot be bought directly. Okay fine... (No, it was not fine, not at all)

We took the train to the New Delhi metro junction station and got off to get tickets for Aerocity. There were huge queues everywhere and no one could tell or nowhere it was written from where a person can get tickets for the airport line. Finally an elderly policeman directed me to the right place to buy tickets.

Aerocity is on the airport line and the counter was away from the rest of the local metro lines. These airport line trains are sophisticated with an international look and designed to carry luggage, but it all comes with a high price. It was Rs.50($0.9) per person which was kind of expensive compared to other metro fares in India. The metro was super-fast travelling across the city and was a cozy journey on the spacious seats.

We got off the train and took an auto to our hotel for Rs.40, though it was not necessary but we were just too tired. The metro station is in a very walk-able distance from the hotels.

At the end of the day, it was an animated journey. We went to few of the famous places in Delhi and to know any place in true sense it is important to travel in public transports.

Vegetable Dum Biriyani: Rice dish with Veggies,soyabean chunks and panner cubes.

19:54

Vegetable Dum biriyani is a very tasty lightly aromatic rice dish made with basmati rice and veggies like cauliflower, carrots, peas,beans and soyabean chunks,paneer cubes. It is also a very good and tasty way to have various veggies in a single dish.

The quantities mentioned in this recipe can feed 4-5 people.

Ingredients:
Whole garam masalas
oil 2 tsp
Ghee 2 tsp
Half of a Cauliflower cut into big florets and blanched
carrots,beans,green peas 1-2 cups
Soyabean chunks 1 cup
Paneer 100-200 gms
Basmati rice 2 cups half done
onions thinly sliced half cup
tomato chopped 1
Ginger paste half tsp
Biriyani masala 1-2 tsp
salt 2 tsp and sugar 1 tsp
turmeric powder half tsp
red chili powder half tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Black pepper powder half tsp
Iris/kewra water

Procedure:

1.In a large pan ,heat up oil 2 tsp and ghee 2 tsp. Put in the whole garam masalas and let them turn golden.

2. Put in all the veggies like cauliflower,peas,beans, onions, soyabean chunks,ginger paste and fry for around 10 minutes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper.

3.Now put the chopped tomatoes and all spices one by one. Turmeric powder half tsp,red chili powder half tsp,Garam masala 1 tsp and Biriyani masala 2 tsp and salt 2 tsp and sugar 1 tsp.

4. Give a good stir and keep frying for 10 minutes.

5. Add paneer cubes now and pour one and half cups of water, mix well and cover with half done basmati rice.

6.Pour half cup of saffron milk , little ghee, sprinkle little iris water. You can save some paneer for topping.

7.Cover the pan with aluminium foil and then put on the lid so that no air can escape. Place the pan on a tava or griddle for 30 minutes on medium heat.

8. After 30 minutes,switch off the gas and give it rest for 10 more minutes. Uncover the foil carefully. Mix well upside down.

9. Your yummy veg biriyani is ready. Serve it hot with any indian chicken dish or Veg kofta gravy dish or you can even relish it without any side dish like me.!.

Thank you.

Teriyarki chicken step by step with pictures

09:19

A popular Chinese chicken dish nowadays is the Teriyarki Chicken.

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken 200 gms

Teriyarki sauce 1 tbsp

Chopped garlic 1 tsp

sesame seeds 1 tsp

flour 1 tsp

riceflour 1 tsp

soya sauce 1 tsp

sugar a pinch

Procedure:

1.Marinate the little pieces of chicken with sugar, soya sauce, flour and rice flour for an hour.

2. Heat up a tbsp of oil, fry the chicken pieces until golden. Keep them aside.

(Adding rice flour gives a crunchy crust. You can add rice flour to any pakoras batter for that crunchy crispy feeling.)

3. In the remaining oil, add garlic and 1 tbsp of teriyarki sauce. Add the chicken pieces, mix well and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

4. Your yummy teriyarki chicken is ready. Serve hot with fried rice.

Bengali Tomato Chutney Authentic Bengali style in just 3 steps

14:31

Presenting Bengal's beloved Tomato chutney or Chaatni as we bengalis say. It is a sweet chutney made by caramelizing tomatoes and garnished with dry fruits. It is generally eaten at the end of the meal unlike other Indian chutneys which are eaten simultaneously with other items. It is treated more like a dessert. A bengali thali is incomplete without this chaatni.

To make Chaatni you need :
About 6-7 tomatoes chopped
veg oil 1 tbsp
fennel seeds(mouri) half tsp
mustard seeds(shorshe) half tsp
green chilies or dried red chilies 2-3
Ginger paste a pinch
1 bay leaf
Sugar 9-12 tsp minimum or add more as per your desired sweetness
salt 1 tsp
Dry fruits like cashews, raisins and dates a handful
Lemon juice half tsp(optional)

Procedure:
1. Heat up 1 tbsp of oil and put in fennel seeds, mustard seeds, chilies,ginger paste and a bay leaf. When they start crackling, put in all the chopped tomatoes , add salt and cover for 5-10 minutes to soften the tomatoes.

2. Check the tomatoes and add sugar and stir occasionally to caramelize the tomatoes, the color will change. It will become bright red.

3. At the end, add the dry fruits and lemon juice, stir and your super yummy finger licking good tomato chaatni is ready.

Try this recipe and tell me how it was.
Thank you.

Columbus Commons Holiday lights Review

06:27

Here are few pictures of the Columbus Commons Holiday lights. It is beautiful. Lit daily 5-11 pm. For details check the official page.

The decoration is truly beautiful . The entire park has been decorated with lights and the huge Christmas tree is pretty with reindeer lighting at its foot. Trees decorated with icicles lighting looks enthralling. It is worth a visit.

Patishapta: a Bengali sweet crepe with coconut & jaggery stuffing

06:16

Patishapta is a crepe filled with coconut and jaggery stuffing. It is a sweet dish and a winter special item in Bengal when we get fresh palm jaggery. Bengalis make different types of sweets(we say Pithe) with jaggery during this time like Patishapta, Dudh puli, sheddho pithe and so on.

To make the stuffing you need:
Grated coconut 1 and a half cup
jaggery 2 tbsp
milk half cup
Ghee 1 tbsp
Sweetened condensed milk half cup
suji or semolina 3 tsp

Procedure to make the tasty stuffing:
1.Heat up ghee on a pan, put all the grated coconut and stir for 2 minutes.
2.Pour half cup of milk and 2 tbsp of jaggery.
3.Stir until the jaggery has dissolved completely with the mixture.
4.Then add suji and stir simultaneously.
5.Add required sweentened condensed milk half cup or as much as your desired sweetness. Keep stiring till the mixture gets almost semi dry. Cool it for 2 hours , it will dry up more and become like this in the picture.

To make the batter for the crepes you need:

Rice flour 1 cup

Suji or semolina half cup

Normal flour or maida half cup

salt half tsp

warm water 2-3 cups

Procedure to make the crepes:

To make the batter: Mix all the dry ingredients with warm water into a smooth flowing batter and rest it for 15 minutes.

This amount of batter will make about 17-20 Patishaptas. If you want to make about 10 patishaptas , just cut down the quantites of the batter ingredients into half.

(For example: half cup rice flour+one fourth cups each of suji and maida mixed with a cup of warm water)

To make the crepes: When the batter is ready, pour a tbsp or two of the batter on the heated lightly greased preferably non stick frying pan. Spread the batter into a round shape and wait for a minute or two.
Put the stuffing on the middle of the crepe and fold.

Fold the crepe with a spatula or hands from both sides or just roll it in one side .Your Patishapta is ready.

Serve Patishapta hot or cooled. Hot is better!
You can also make these crepes and put no stuffing in it and serve it with molten palm jaggery.

Try this recipe and let me know how it was.
Thank you.

Aloo posto: Potatoes with poppy seeds paste: every bengali's favorite dish

18:23

Every bengali get crazy for this one dish- Aloo posto.

Aloo means potato

Posto means Poppy seeds

It is very easy to make this dish.

Ingredients:

2-3 potatoes cut into small cubes

3-4 tsp of poppy seeds powder or paste

Salt, turmeric powder half tsp and Kashmiri chilli powder half tsp

Water 1 cup

Oil 2 tsp

Procedure:
1. Heat up oil and fry the potato cubes for 2-5 minutes. Add salt, turmeric powder half tsp and Kashmiri chilli powder half tsp. Stir for 2 minutes.

2. Add poppy seeds powder/paste and a cup of water and cover for 7-10 minutes.

3. Check if the potatoes are properly cooked and your Aloo posto is ready. Simple, quick and delicious.

Serve it with hot rice and Arhar/Urad daal.

To make arhar daal, Pressure cook 1 cup of dehusked black gram lentils for 5-6 whistles.

Heat up 1 tsp oil , add half tsp fennel seeds,1 dried red chili, a pinch of Asafoetida, a bayleaf . When they start crackling , pour in the boiled daal and add half tsp of turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well and let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Urad/Arhar/Biulir daal is ready.

Chicken sweet corn soup: Quick and easy soup at home

18:03

Here is an easy recipe of making everyone's favorite

Chicken sweet Corn Soup. This is healthy as well as very tasty.

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken cut into tiny pieces marinated 1 hour with a tsp each of sugar , flour and soy sauce.

Corn 1 cup

1 egg

Chicken broth(water will also do) 3-4 cups

Salt, pepper and sugar

Cornflour/flour slurry for thickening

Procedure:
1. Marinate the tiny pieces of boneless chicken for 1 hour with a tsp each of sugar, flour and soy sauce.

2. Boil chicken broth or water and put in the chicken pieces and corn in it ,add salt and pepper to taste.

3. When the chicken and corn is fully cooked ( or after 10 minutes) add cornflour/flour slurry (mix 2 tsp of cornflour/flour in one fourth cup of water) and stir the soup simultaneously. After 2 minutes,when the soup has thickened up, add 1 beaten egg in the soup and stir the soup simultaneously.

Your soup is ready. Serve hot.

Palak Paneer. Quick, Easy and Simple steps with pictures.

10:45

Palak Paneer is a north Indian dish made with Paneer or indian cottage cheese in a spinach curry. It is very tasty and a great way to feed people spinach.

Ingredients:

Paneer 300 gm, spinach two handsful , onion-ginger-garlic course paste 2 tbsp, tomato puree 3 tbsp, cumin seeds half tsp, whole garam masalas, turmeric powder half tsp, cumin powder 1 tsp, coriander powder half tsp, chilli powder half tsp, a pinch of Kashuri methi, salt 1 tsp, sugar 2 tsp and ground garam masala 1 tsp, milk half cup,veg oil 2 tbsp, Butter at the end for extra rich taste(optional)

Procedure:

1. Blanch and cool of the spinach leaves.

2. Heat up 2 tbsp of oil and lightly fry the paneer cubes. Frying them more than 1 minute may make them stiff.

3.In the same remaining oil, Put whole garam masalas, cumin seeds. After 30 seconds put the onion-ginger-garlic paste and fry for about 5 minutes and add tomato puree and all the spices, kasuri methi and salt and sugar and keep stirring for 10 minutes.