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Punjabi Mutton (Goat) Curry

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Married to a Bengali ensures I cook goat curry every Sunday. It's a sacred ritual for him. And my daughter's obsession for bone marrow has made it a must at our home now. I am always on the lookout for goat recipes. This Punjabi mutton curry is very similar to my regular goat curry with the exception of using ghee as opposed to mustard oil. And boy! what a difference it has made. I also made it in a semi gravy style, which went perfectly well with pulao/pilaf. It would go well with any of the Indian breads too like naan, kulcha, chapati. The recipe turned out so well, that we all over indulged and licked the bowl clean. We burned our excess calories with a fun family swim in the evening. I had to document this recipe to reach back incase my memory fails me or if any of you would be interested in trying it. I promise you, its would disappoint. It's a fairly easy recipe to follow. Please dont skip the ghee as that's what takes this curry to a whole new level. I am co

Starting My Blogging Journey Again with Chicken Handi!

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Hey There! Wish you all a very Happy New Year! Ive been on a blogging hiatus in 2017 and it feels so good to be back. I honestly missed my little space on the internet and did make a few unsuccessful attempts to get back. 2018 is going to be my come back year. And hopefully I will keep the rhythm going. So for my come back recipe I chose an easy Indian Chicken Curry. I wanted to showcase the beauty of Indian cuisine with so many variations across India. A minor change in an ingredient or process can lead to a completely different flavor profile. This recipe stands out as the curry is entirely cooked in ghee. I usually am conservative with the amount of oil or ghee used. Oil floating over curries puts me off. I don't believe you need tons of oil to cook any curry and have been using minimal amounts. But decided to take my chances with ghee as its been proven again to more beneficial. I generally use cumin and coriander powders in my curry preparations. The use of them in solid f

Pudina Ghosht: Goat meat in Mint curry!

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Chicken just like potatoes can be cooked and flavored in infinite ways. But every Sunday which is our goat meat /mutton feasting day, I am torn between the left creative side of my head and cautious practical right side. I usually pair the goat meat with strong spices which compliment it well. Today I took a detour and decided to try a refreshing herb mint/pudina. I supported the mint with some cilantro/coriander leaves and churned out a delicious Mint flavored Goat curry /Pudina Ghosht. The refreshing herbs balanced the spices and meat flavors perfectly. This recipe is a winner and will have many repeats. Ingredients: 2 lbs goat meat pieces on bone 1 large red onion, sliced 4-5 large cloves of garlic, chopped 1.5 inch ginger chopped 3-4 thai chilies chopped 1 packed cup of fresh mint leaves 3/4 cup of fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) 1 heaped teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (can add more to increased heat and flavor) 1/2 cup thick yogurt 1/4 teaspoon

Methi Chicken with Fenugreek Micro-greens!

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This summer I exercised my green thumb and tried growing a few easy plants and vegetables at home. I managed to get my hands on Indian favorites like Tulsi (Holy Basil), Hibiscus and Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum). In a tiny corner of my solarium, I am enthusiastically growing fenugreek (methi), chilies and tomatoes from seeds. The fenugreek micro-greens are easiest to grow with 3-4 weeks growth cycle. My first harvest of fenugreek micro-greens was so beautiful that I didn't have the heart to pull it out. My daughter loves munching on the micro-greens raw. That's the healthiest snack anybody could ever have.  I noticed some stems slowly wilting away so had to think of ways to put them to good use. I had some ideas dancing in my mind like Methi Bajra Debras -Fenugreek Millet Flatbread , or Fenugreek Millet Fritters but wanted to try something new. I had to prepare a chicken curry and decided to add fenugreek micro-green to enhance the taste and nutritional value. T

Lau Ghonto: Creamy Bottlegourd Curry!

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Bottle gourd/dudhi/lauki/lau is a mild tasting vegetable. Its usually heavily flavored with spices or other ingredients to make it more enjoyable. Lau Ghonto is a gem in the Bengali cuisine repertoire which not only celebrates the mild flavor of bottle gourd but further enhances it by lending a creamy texture with milk and mildly sweetening it with sugar. Bottle gourd contains high water content and is considered to have cooling properties on the body. This vegetable is ideal to cook during the hot summer months. It really cooks in a jiffy so you can be out of your kitchen and enjoy your summer outdoors. This recipe is a must try for even bottle gourd haters and easy to appease kids. Ingredients: 1 bottle gourd, de-skinned and chopped into small pieces 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas 1 tsp kalonji (black onion seeds) 1/4 cup milk 1-2 tablespoons rice flour salt to taste 1-2 tablespoons sugar oil Directions: In a large saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil to medium

Savory Lentil Squares/ Dhokar Dalna

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Lentils are a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Indian cu isine has a well  evolved understanding of vegetarian food habits and balances the diet wi th a large variety of lentils and vegetables. Lentils also known as dals is a regular staple in every Indian meal. E ach lentil is cooked in numerous ways acr oss India such that you c ould make a different recipe of dal every day of the week. Lentils/ Dals are also made into snacks or de sserts. These L entil Squares/ Cakes can be had a s a healthy protein packed snack or you could smother them in your favorite sauce as a main course m eal. There are many variations of this recipe all ac ross India. My mom would make dal iche vad e or pan fried dal fritter s by s oaking the chana dal for a few hours and then coarsely grinding them with green chilies, ginger, cilant ro and salt. She would then drop a couple of tablespoons of this mixture on a greased heated pan and spread them into small 2 inch discs. The

Gluten Free Buckwheat Crepes!

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I just returned from a trip to Quebec and all I could do was to ogle and drool over the amazing crepes been dished out at every corner there. This is one of the times when I feel deprived cause of my gluten free diet. Coming back home I just had to make crepes but these would be better and much more healthier. My daughter is home on her summer break so these buckwheat crepes turned out to be a delicious, healthy breakfast that we put together. Buckwheat, quite contrary to its name is naturally wheat and gluten free. Its a rich source of protein, dietary fibers, B vitamins and minerals. Buckwheat is 72% carbohydrates, including 10% dietary fiber, 3% fat and 13% protein. Buckwheat noodles are very popular in Soba noodles of Japan and the rest of Asia.  In India, its usually consumed as a grain during Hindu religious fasting days. Locally called as Kuttu, it is used to prepare kuttu ki puri (fried bread). In addition to being gluten free, this recipe is also egg free and can be made