Kaddu (Pumpkin) Ki Sabji

Kaddu ki Sabji

 I remember my mother cooking this sabji for us and I would love to eat it with plain paratha. I like the sweet and savoury flavour of this dish. The bengali spice paanch phoran gives it an amazing flavour. When I moved to Dubai after my wedding I made sure to carry paanch phoran in my luggage  Let me go ahead with the recipe now.

Ingredients:

550 gms kaddu/pumpkin- seeds removed, skin peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup  parboiled black channa (black chickpea), soak the channa overnight and then parboil it

1 tsp coriander-cumin powder (I have made this powder at home by grinding equal quantity of coriander seeds and cumin seeds)

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

1-2 tsp white granulated sugar, adjust to taste (I have added 2 tsp sugar)

2 red dry chillies

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paanch phoran ( a type of bengali spice)

Chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, red dry chillies and paanch phoran. When the cumin in paanch phoran starts crackling add the pumpkin, channa and turmeric. Give it a stir to mix the pumpkin with other spices.

Cover and cook on low heat until the pumpkin is soft and mushy.

Now add salt, sugar, coriander-cumin powder and stir. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat or until all the water has evaporated. I like to mash the pumpkin in this sabji as you can see in the picture.

Switch off the flame and add coriander leaves. Mix again. 

Serve it hot with chapati or paratha.

Tips!!

If you like sour and sweet flavour then add 1/4 tsp of mango powder/amchoor to the sabji.

Kaddu ki sabji

Gajar Halwa Barfi

This Diwali I decided to make Gajar Halwa Barfi. Gajar Halwa is one of my favourites so I thought of giving it a barfi form this time.

Gajar Halwa Barfi

Ingredients for Khoya:
3 cups full cream milk
Method:
In a heavy bottom pan, bring the milk to a boil.
On medium to low heat cook the milk until it is reduced to a thick consistency. All the water in the milk will evaporate and you will get granulated khoya. You have to keep stirring occasionally in the beginning and towards the end stir continuously so that it doesn't burn.
Ingredients for Barfi:
500 gms carrot
1 litre full cream milk
6 tbsp white granulated sugar, adjust as per taste
1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
1/4 tsp freshly grounded cardamom powder
Almonds/pistachios for garnishing
Method:
Wash and peel the carrots. Grate the carrots using the fine side of the grater.
Take a baking tray and place parchment paper in it.
Melt ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
Add the grated carrots to the ghee and saute for 5 mins on medium heat. Do not let it brown.
Now pour the milk and stir. Simmer and cook until most of the liquid has dried out. Keep stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and cardamom powder,mix well. Add the khoya and cook until all the liquid has dried completely. Now the halwa will start leaving the sides of the pan.
Transfer the halwa to the baking tray. With the back of a spoon spread the halwa. Keep the thickness as per the thickness of the barfi. Smooth the top using a piece of parchment paper.
Garnish the top with almonds or pistachios (I have used almonds) and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for sometime and then cut into desired shapes and sizes.
 

Gajar Halwa Barfi

Mango Chutney

I have always loved the Mango Chutney prepared by Bengalis. It is so simple and quick to cook recipe. If you want you can make it sweet or sweet and savoury. It all depends on what suits your taste buds. I like my Mango Chutney a little sweet and savoury. You can use a mixture of sugar and jaggery or only sugar or only jaggery. My suggestion is to add little seasoning at a time, check the flavour and add more if required. If you are someone who prefers a "Khatta Meetha" flavour then this is just for you.

Mango Chutney

Ingredients:
1 big sized raw mango
1 tsp panch phoran (panch phoran is a bengali spice which consists of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts)
1 tbsp oil
2 dry red chilies
1/4 tsp turmeric
1-2 tbsp crushed jaggery, adjust to taste
1 cup water
3-4 tbsp sugar, adjust to taste
Salt taste
Method:
Peel the raw mango and cut it into small cubes, discard the seed.
Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Add the panch phoran and chilies.
Once the cumin and mustard seeds start to crackle, add the raw mangoes and give it a stir to mix well.
Add salt, turmeric sugar and jaggery along with water. Stir. Do not put all the sugar and jaggery at once. Taste and add more if required.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 mins or until the mango cubes are soft. You should be able to mash the mango with a back of a spoon.
Mash few mango cubes to give the chutney a nice thick texture. Check for sweetness. Adjust sugar and jaggery as per your taste. 
Remove from heat and let it cool. This chutney will thicken further after cooling.
Refrigerate in an air tight container.  

Focaccia

Focaccia is a flat oven baked Italian bread. It has a nice crispy outer crust and is soft from inside. You can top it with tomatoes, rosemary,herbs,caramelized onions, cheese, meat etc. Olive oil is one of the key ingredient in this recipe.This Focaccia reminds me of Dominos garlic bread.

Focaccia

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil (I have used extra virgin olive oil)
1 tsp dried thyme 
1 tsp dried basil (you can also use dried rosemary)
1 3/4 tsp instant yeast 
1/4 tsp honey
1 cup warm water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp freshly grounded black pepper
1 tsp salt
Olive oil for greasing
Method:
In a pan, place olive oil, minced garlic, black pepper, thyme, and basil.
Place pan over low heat and cook until aromatic. Remove from heat before the garlic turns brown.
Place 1 cup of flour in a large mixing bowl along with salt and honey. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil mixture and stir. 
Now add the instant yeast and warm water. Stir. Add the remaining flour. Stir again. Once the dough comes together transfer it to a floured work surface and knead it for 10 minutes until smooth, form a round ball.
Grease a large bowl with olive oil and transfer the dough in it with the seam side down. Apply some olive oil on the outer surface of the dough to avoid formation of skin. Cover the bowl with a cling foil and keep it in a warm place. Let the dough rise for an hour until it has doubled in size.
After an hour, preheat oven to 230 degrees C or 450 degrees F.
Now take a 9 inch by 13 inch rimmed baking tray (jelly roll pan). Grease it with 2 tbsp of the olive oil mixture. You can also use parchment paper to line the baking sheet and then spread the olive oil mixture over it.
Transfer the dough onto the baking sheet. Stretch the dough out to spread it in the baking sheet. On spreading, the dough will take the shape of the baking sheet.
Use your fingers to make dimples on the top surface of the dough.
Now drizzle the remaining olive oil mixture over the top. Cover the baking sheet with cling foil and let the dough rise again for 20 mins until it puffs slightly.
You can even spread some parmesan cheese on top.
Bake on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Transfer Focaccia to a cooling rack and let it cool slightly before cutting it into slices. Serve warm.

 Note:
The water should not be very hot or else it will kill the yeast. It has to be warm to activate the yeast, around 110 degrees F.
You can substitute instant yeast with 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast. Place warm water, honey and yeast in a small bowl and let it sit for few minutes to activate the yeast. Now add this to the flour along with the olive oil mixture.
You can substitute dried herbs with fresh chopped thyme and rosemary, around 1 tbsp each. 

Adapted from Inspired taste

Chicken Frankie

My husband loves eating Chicken Frankie. He would always ask me to make these at home. He used to eat Chicken Frankie in Mumbai and he missed eating them in Dubai. Today I have decided to fulfill his long time wish. 'Serving Hot Chicken Frankie's for lunch'.
I know this is a long recipe but believe me it is very simple to make.Chicken Frankie is also known as Chicken Kathi Roll in Kolkata.You try this out and I am sure you will not regret.

Chicken Frankie's

Ingredients for filling:
500 gms boneless chicken, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1 1/2-2 tbsp oil
1 big onion finely chopped, it would measure around 3/4 cup
1 big tomato pureed along with 4-5 mint leaves, it would measure around 1 cup
2 green chilies, slit length wise
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp kashmeri red chilli powder
1/2 tsp freshly grounded black pepper
4-5 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
Method:
Use a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste of ginger and garlic.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and green chilies. Saute.
When the onions turn translucent add the ginger-garlic paste. Fry until onions turn light brown and the raw flavours of ginger-garlic are gone.
Now add the pureed tomato. Stir to mix.
Add salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, chaat masala, and black pepper powder.
Cook until oil starts to separate.
Add the chicken pieces and mix well.
Fry until the chicken pieces change colour.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken cook.
It will take around 15-20 mins to cook the chicken.
Remove the lid. Add chopped coriander leaves and stir.
Increase the heat and cook until all the liquid has dried out. You want a dry chicken filling for the frankie.
Remove from the flame and keep aside.
Ingredients for the dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
Water as per requirement
Method:
Mix all of the above ingredients together except water.
Use little water at a time to make a soft dough.
Apply little oil on the outer surface of the dough to avoid the formation of a dry crust. Cover the dough with a wet clean cloth and keep aside.
After 20 mins knead the dough again for a min.
Ingredients for rotis:
4-5 eggs
Salt to taste
black pepper to taste
Oil for shallow frying
Method:
Beat the eggs. Add salt and pepper and beat again.
Divide the dough and make round ping pong sized balls out of it.
Heat a tawa for making the rotis.
Take one ball and flatten it between the palms.
Dust it with flour and roll it with a rolling pin to form a roti. The roti should be thin and bigger than the normal chapatis. Dust with flour whenever required.
Place the roti on the tawa. Let it cook until bubbles start to appear.
Flip the roti and pour the beaten eggs(just enough to cover the roti).
Spread the beaten eggs on the roti and flip the roti again.
Drizzle some oil around the roti and let the egg cook.
Apply some oil on the top of the roti and flip.
Let the bottom cook for little less than a minute. Remove the roti and place it on a plate.
Ingredients for frankie:
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced length wise
1 lemon
Chaat masala
Chopped coriander leaves
Method:
Warm the chicken filling slightly, it must have turned cold by now.
Add the sliced onion and chopped coriander. Mix well. Remove the green chillies before you start filling the frankie and if you are a chilly lover then add chopped green chilies instead of these.
Take one roti at a time. Place the chicken filling near one side of the roti (divide the filling and  use it as per the number of rotis you have made).
Sprinkle some chaat masala on the roti and the chicken filling. Squeeze some lemon juice over the filling.
Now roll the roti tightly. Start to roll from the filling side.
Wrap with a foil as shown in the picture and serve hot. 

Chicken Frankie