Murgir Jhol (Bengali Chicken Curry)

 

             Murgir Jhol is just as delicious as the classic Mangshor Jhol (Mutton Curry). It is so comforting to relish it along with some luchi (poori) for a nice weekend breakfast or with steamed rice for a perfect weekend lunch with your loved ones. You just don't need anything else to satiate your hunger and to give you full satisfaction. Murgir Jhol is a great party recipe that can be prepared during special occasions. You can also serve with pulao or any other Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bong delicacy.

Marination - 

• 600 gms. chicken with bones
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil

Other Ingredients -

• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the chicken with all the mentioned ingredients for 2-3 hours.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes till light brown. keep aside.

         Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the onion and sauté till light brown. Add the tomatoes and cook till it is mashed.

         Add the marinated chicken and sauté till dry. Add 1 cup water and the fried potatoes.

        Mix well and cook, covered, till the chicken is tender and the gravy thickens to the right consistency.

         Add the garam masala powder and ghee. Simmer for a minute and switch off the flame.

         Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, pulao, plain biryani, puri or paratha for a comforting weekend meal with your loved ones. 

      Marinate the chicken with all the mentioned ingredients for 2-3 hours.

               Heat oil & fry the potatoes till light brown. keep aside.

   Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves &

   cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Now add the onion & sauté till light brown. 

                          Add the tomatoes & cook till it is mashed.

                   Add the marinated chicken & sauté till dry. 

Add 1 cup water and the fried potatoes. Mix well & cook, covered, till 

the chicken is tender & the gravy thickens to the right consistency.

Add the garam masala powder & ghee. Simmer for a minute & switch off the flame.

 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, pulao, plain biryani, puri or paratha for a comforting weekend meal with your loved ones. 

Walnut Chutney / Dip / Spread

             

          Here is a yummy & lip smacking chutney made of walnuts. It is a very simple and an easy to prepare chutney. It can also be used as a dip and can be relished with veggie crudités, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, kebabs, any snacks, chips, dosa, idli, chapati, as a spread on toast / parathas, burgers or as desired. Options are aplenty. So it is a good alternative to the usual chutneys that we are used to. So go ahead and give it a try and surprise your loved ones. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy chutney.

• 1/2 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 green chilies
• 2 garlic cloves
• handful of coriander & mint leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves

         Soak the walnuts in some warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften them. 

         Then blend along with yoghurt, green chilies, handful of coriander & mint leaves, garlic and salt to a smooth paste. Check the consistency. It should not be too thick or too watery. 

          Transfer to a serving bowl and add lime juice. Mix well. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering add the urad dal and curry leaves. 

          Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering on the chutney and mix well. 

          Serve with veggie crudités, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, kebabs, chips, dosa, idli, chapati, any snack, as a spread on toast / parathas, or as desired.

  Blend the walnuts, yoghurt, green chilies, handful of coriander-mint 

  leaves, garlic & salt to a smooth paste.

         Transfer to a serving bowl & add lime juice. Mix well. 

Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering add the urad dal & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds & switch off the flame. 

                  Pour this tempering on the chutney & mix well. 

 Serve with veggie crudités, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, kebabs, chips, dosa, idli, chapati, any snack, as a spread on toast / parathas, or as desired.

Paal Kozhukattai

 

          Paal Kozhukattai is a very popular South Indian dessert, which has its origin from the Chettinad region. It is a divine coconut milk based dessert and is traditionally prepared during special occasions and festivals. Garnish with a few saffron strands and enjoy this yummy dessert warm or at room temperature. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dessert. 

          Small round balls are prepared out of rice flour dough, which is then simmered in the milk till done. Cardamom powder is added for the flavour. For a healthy version, you can use wheat flour and sweeten it with jaggery instead of sugar. 

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. ghee
• hot water as required
• 1 & 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• few saffron strands to garnish 

          To make the Kozhukattai balls, in a bowl, take the rice flour, salt and ghee. Mix it well. Add hot water, little at a time and combine everything well. 

          Cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes to cool down slightly. Then knead it into a soft dough. 

          Apply some ghee to your palm and make small round balls out of the dough. Keep them aside. 

          In a pan, bring the milk and water to a boil. Gently add the prepared balls and simmer on a low to medium flame for 12-15 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom.

          Now add the sugar and coconut milk. Cover again and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

          When done, add the cardamom powder and give it a mix. When done, switch off the flame.

          Cover and keep aside for 20-25 minutes before serving. Garnish with few saffron strands and enjoy it warm or cold.

      For the Kozhukattai balls, in a bowl, take the rice flour, salt & ghee. 

                             Mix it well. 

     Add hot water, little at a time & combine everything well. Cover & 

     keep aside for 2-3 minutes

                   Then knead it into a soft dough. 

  Apply some ghee to your palm & make small round balls out of the dough. Keep them aside. 

  In a pan, bring the milk & water to a boil. Add the prepared balls & simmer on a low to medium flame for 12-15 minutes. 

                           Add the sugar.....

                      and coconut milk. Cover & simmer for 2-3 minutes.

                      Add cardamom powder & give it a mix. 

 When done, switch off the flame. Cover & keep aside for 20-25 minutes before serving.

                Garnish with few saffron strands & enjoy it warm or at room temperature.

Biulir Dal (Kolai Dal / Urad Dal / Split Black Gram - Bong Style)

 

          A very popular Dal recipe among the Bengalis is this very special Biulir Dal, which is nothing but our very own split black gram lentil. It is a great comfort food and if paired with some aloo bhaja (fried potatoes)and a dash of lime, is simply out of this world. So check out the step by step guide pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          In this recipe, I first dry roasted the lentil to bring out the nutty flavour and to remove the slimy texture. This is my version where I boiled it along with some ginger, green chilies, turmeric powder and mustard oil. I then gave a tempering of panch phoron and finishing it off with some roasted cumin powder, ghee and coriander leaves. 

• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves

          Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. Soak it for 30 minutes. Wash and rinse well. 

         Boil the dal with ginger, turmeric powder, green chilies. 1 tsp. oil and 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Give it a whisk.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili and panch phoron. 

          After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida and onion. Sauté till light brown in colour.

          Add the boiled dal and salt. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, add chopped coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder and ghee.

          Serve with steamed rice or chapatti for a wholesome comfort meal. 

Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. 

                                    Soak the dal for 30 minutes. 

Boil the dal with ginger, turmeric powder, green chilies, 1 tsp. oil & 1 & 1/2 

cups water for 4-5 whistles.

                                   The boiled dal.

                          Give it a whisk.

        Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili & panch phoron. 

After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida & onion. Sauté till light brown.

        Add the boiled dal & salt. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

    When done, add chopped coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder

                           and ghee.

Serve with steamed rice or chapatti for a wholesome comfort meal.