KHATTA MURG

Ingredients:
chicken – 1 kg
tamarind – marble size
groundnut oil – 4 tsp
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
large onions, chopped – 3
medium tomatoes, chopped – 3
ginger paste – 1 tsp
turmeric – 1/4 tsp
salt – to taste
spring curry leaves – 1

Roast and rind to a powder:
whoel dry chillies – 8
coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
curry leaves – 5-6

Method:
Cut the chicken in small pieces. Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for 1 hour. Strain the pulp.
Heat the oil in a degchi. Season with the mustard seeds and add the onions. When the onions start to pick up brown spots, add the tomatoes and ginger paste. Stir fry till the tomatoes soften. Now, add the chicken and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Put 3 cups of hot water, the ground masala and salt. Stir well; cook, covered till done. Add the strained tamarind pulp. Cook over a low heat till the oil floats on top.
Garnish with the curry leaves and serve with rice.

Ingredients:

groundnuts – 1 tbsp
cashewnuts – 1 tbsp
groundnut oil – 100 ml
whole dry red chillies – 5
onions, ground – 100 gm
ginger paste – 1 tsp
garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
large tomato, chopped – 1
turmeric – 1/2 tsp
sesame seeds – 2 tsp
chicken, cut into small piece – 250 gm
grated coconut – 50 gm
lime – 1
salt – to taste

Method:
Grind the groundnuts and cashew to a paste. Heat the oil. Break the chillies in two and fry on slow fire till black. Add the onion paste and stir. When the onions start to brown, add the ginger – garlic paste and fry well, sprinkling a little water; if necessary.
When the mixture is well fried, add the tomato and turmeric. Once the tomato gets well mixed, add the sesame seeds and the chicken pieces. Fry well.
Add a cup of water, the coconut and salt to taste. Cover and simmer on slow fire till the chicken is cooked. Remove the cover and add the nut paste. Stir well. This should have a thick gravy clinging to the chicken pieces.
Remove from fire, sprinkle with the juice of lime and serve hot.

Chicken Vella Korma

Ingredients:
groundnut oil – 50 ml
mustard seeds – 1 tsp
sprig curry leaves – 1
large onions, chopped – 2
ginger paste – 1 tsp
heaped tablespoon coconut, grated – 2
turmeric – 1/2 tsp
chicken, cut into 10 pieces – 1 kg
salt – to taste
lime juice – 1

Lightly roast and grind to a powder:
red chillies – 4-5
coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
peppercorns – 1 tbsp
cuminseeds – 1 tsp
aniseeds – 1 tsp

Method:
Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves. Then add the chopped onion and fry till a light brown. Add the ginger paste, grated coconut powdered masala and turmeric. Fry well till the oil separates. Add the chicken and salt and fry well again.
The chicken will release some water of its own. Keep stirring when the masala begins to dry, add water and cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy thickens. You may pressure cook at this stage also.
Sprinkle lime juice and serve hot.

Ingredients:

groundnut oil – 1/2 cup
chicken jointed – 1
ground onion – 1 cup
vinegar – 2 tbsp
salt – to taste
slit green chillies – 2

Grind to a paste in vinegar:
kashmiri chillies or 2 ordinary ones – 6
heaped tsp of cuminseeds – 1
cloves of garlic – 5
piece of ginger – 2 cm
whole peppercorns – 6
turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat the oil in a karahi. If you use a non-stick one, you save a lot of oil. Fry the chicken pieces till brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil, add the onion paste and fry till golden. Add the ground paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken and vinegar and fry till a golden brown. Put in a little water and salt, and cook till the chicken is tender.
Serve garnished with the green chillies and capsicum juliennes, if desired.

KHATTA MURG

Ingredients:
chicken – 1 kg
marble sized ball of tamarind – 1
groundnut oil – 4
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
large onions, chopped – 3
medium tomatoes, chopped – 3
ginger paste – 1 tsp
turmeric – 1/4 tsp
salt – to taste
jaggery – 1 tbsp
spring curry leaves – 1

Roast and rind to a powder:
whoel dry chillies – 8
coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
curry leaves – 5-6

Method:
Cut the chicken in small pieces. Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for 1 hour. Strain the pulp.
Heat the oil in a degchi. Season with the mustard seeds and add the onions. When the onions start to pick up brown spots, add the tomatoes and ginger paste. Stir fry till the tomatoes soften. Now, add the chicken and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Put 3 cups of hot water, the ground masala and salt. Stir well; cook, covered till done. Add the strained tamarind pulp and jaggery. Cook over a low heat till the oil floats on top.
Garnish with the curry leaves and serve with rice.

MAKKI KA SOHETA

Ingredients:
corn on the cob – 3
ghee – 100 gm
onions sliced – 150 gm
boneless chicken – 500 gm
cut into small pieces
curd – 100 gm
a handful of chopped coriander leaves, juice of 1 lime, 6 green chillies.

Grind together:
pomegranate seeds – 1 tbsp
piece of ginger – 2.5 cm
cloves of garlic – 10
dry red chillies, a small piece of turmeric – 6
whole garam masala – 1 tsp

Method:
Boil, cool and grate the corn kernels on the cobs. You may also use canned corns in that case, roughly chop.
Heat the ghee, add the onion and fry till brown. Add the ground paste and fry over a moderate heat till the oil separates.
Add the chicken pieces, curd and fry some more. Add hot water and cooked corn. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Stir in between. The whole dish should thicken to the consistency of porridge.
Remove, sprinkle coriander leaves, lime juice and split green chillies.
Soheta can be prepared with bajra instead of corn. And mutton instead of chicken. In Rajasthan, a sour vegetable called ‘kachri’ is used. Since it’s not easily available all over India. I’ve taken the liberty to use pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients:

chicken, jointed – 1.2 kg
thick curd – 1 cup
ginger paste – 1 tsp
garlic paste – 1 tsp
freshly crushed pepper – 11/2 tbsp
lime juice – 1 tsp

Gravy:
groundnut oil – 75 ml
large onions finely chopped – 4
ginger paste – 1 tsp
garlic paste – 1 tsp
large tomatoes blanched deseeded and chopped – 2
salt – to taste

Tempering:
groundnut oil – 25 ml
whole dry red chillies – 2
spring of curry leaves – 1

Method:
The chicken should be jointed into medium sized pieces. Prepare a marinade with the whipped curd, ginger – garlic paste crushed pepper and lime juice and marinate the chicken in it for 1 hour.
Gravy: Heat the oil in a degchi; put in the onions and fry over a medium heat till a light golden. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and stir fry till the oil separates. Add the chicken alongwith the marinade and salt. Stir for 5-6 minutes and add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook till done.
Now, prepare the tempering. Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Put in the whole chillies and curry leaves. Remove when the chillies turn dark and pour at once over the chicken. There should be a very thick gravy.
Serve with rice or parathas.

Ingredients:

1 chicken apprx – 1 kg
turmeric – 1 tsp
salt – to taste
groundnut oil – 5 tbsp
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
udad dal – 1 tsp
fennel seeds – 1 tsp
whole dry red chillies – 4
onions, chopped – 2

Method:
Cut the chicken in bite sized pieces. Mix the turmeric and salt. Leave for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a karahi; a non-stick one will help. Season the oil with the mustard seeds, udad dal, fennel seeds and whole chillies. When they turn a shade darker, add the onions. stir and add the chicken.
Fry, stirring well over medium heat. When the moisture from the chicken dries up, sprinkle a little water now and then to prevent sticking. Cook till done. It should take about 20 minutes. The chicken should be a dark brown and dry.