Moroccan Chicken Tagine

            This is a classic Moroccan Dish where marinated chicken is slow cooked to perfection in a Tagine pot. This is my version of this popular cuisine, where I have added some yoghurt. Rest of the spices used are very much a part of Moroccan cuisine. This is a delicious dish with a subtle flavour of the saffron. 

          Few sliced veggies like carrots and potatoes along with dates, prunes and apricots too, can be added. It is traditionally relished with couscous, but for the Indian palate rice or any Indian bread is perfectly fine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. chicken on bones, curry cut
• 1-2 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. parsley & coriander leaves, chopped
• 1-2 dried lime
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. cashew nuts
• 1-2 tomato, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies
• pinch of saffron soaked in 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• few cashews to garnish 
• coriander leaves to garnish

           Marinate the chicken overnight with the ingredients starting from ginger-garlic paste to cashew nuts. 

          Heat oil in a tagine pan and saute the onion till light brown in colour. Add the marinated chicken, saffron water, tomatoes and the green chilies.

          Cook, covered on a low flame for 15-20 minutes or till the chicken is tender. When done, switch off the flame and keep it covered for 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with cashews and coriander leaves.

                                Heat oil in a tagine pan & saute onion till light brown. 

                           Add marinated chicken, saffron water, tomatoes & green chilies.

                   Cook, covered on low flame for 15-20 minutes or till chicken is tender. 
                   When done, switch off flame & keep it covered for 10 minutes.

                               After 10 minutes.

                               Serve hot, garnished with fried cashews & coriander leaves

Mutton Haleem - Hyderabadi Style

          This is a very popular Hyderabadi dish during the holy month of Ramadan. It can be prepared with either mutton or chicken. But now a days, you come across vegetarian haleem too. Traditionally it is slow cooked for many hours on an open flame. But I tried the simplest method - Pressure cooking method.

           It is quite a rich dish with loads of dry fruits and ghee, but it is equally nutritious as it contains various types of lentils and oats (traditionally wheat is used). This delicacy is served with a dash of lime, fried onions, chopped coriander-mint leaves and dry fruits. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 cups boiled mutton, shredded
• 2 tbsp. masoor dal (red lentil)
• 2 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram lentil)
• 2 tbsp. moong dal (Split green gram lentil)
• 2 tbsp. tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil)
• 2-3 tbsp. oats
• handful of almonds and cashews, chopped
• 3 tbsp. ghee / oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns ( I used red peppercorns)
• 2-3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2-3 green chilies
• handful of coriander leaves 
• handful of mint leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2-3 tbsp. dry rose petals (opt) 
• lime juice as required
• 2 tbsp. fried onions 
• few dry fruits to garnish
• coriander & mint leaves to garnish     
• lime wedges to garnish

          Dry roast the lentils, almonds and the oats for 2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma coming through. Soak in sufficient water for 3-4 hours. 

          Heat ghee / oil in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies and all the dry spices. Fry for a minute.

          Add the drained lentils, mutton, rose petals, coriander leaves, mint leaves and 4 cups water.  Pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

          After the pressure is released, simmer further on a low flame. Keep mashing while it is simmering. Garnish with coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, dry fruits and lime wedges.

                  Dry roast lentils, almonds & oats for 2 min. or till you get a nice aroma. Soak
                  in sufficient water for 3-4 hours. 

                  Heat ghee / oil & temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns
                  and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add onion & fry till light brown. 

                                 Now add ginger-garlic paste, 

                                  green chilies & all the dry spices. Fry for a minute.

                                  Add drained lentils, 

                                  mutton,

                                rose petals, coriander leaves, mint leaves 

                     and 4 cups water.  Pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after 
                     the first whistle. 

                 After the pressure is released, simmer further on a low flame. Keep mashing 
                 while it is simmering. 

              Garnish with coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, dry fruits & lime wedges.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Indian flavour

          This is a classic Moroccan Dish where marinated lamb is slow cooked to perfection in a Tagine pot. This is my version of this popular cuisine, where I gave an Indian touch by adding some crushed kasuri methi and yoghurt. Rest of the spices used are very much a part of Moroccan cuisine. This is a delicious dish with a subtle flavour of the rose water, which can be substituted with saffron. 

          There is a crunch to every bite with the presence of the dry fruits. Some sliced veggies like carrots and potatoes along with dates, prunes and apricots too, can be added. It is traditionally relished with couscous, but for the Indian palate rice or any Indian bread is perfectly fine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. lamb meat on bones, cubed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. sliced cashewnuts & almonds
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 tsp. rose water
• few roasted cashews to garnish 
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Marinate the lamb meat overnight with the ingredients starting from ginger-garlic paste to sliced cashews & almonds.

          Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion till light brown in colour. Add the marinated mutton and fry on a low flame till dry.

          Transfer the contents to the tagine pot and arrange the sliced tomatoes over it. Pour 2 cups water and cook, covered on a low flame for 1 & 1/2 hour. Stir at intervals.

          When done, add the rose water and keep covered on the stove top for 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with cashews and coriander leaves.

                      Marinate lamb meat overnight with ingredients starting from ginger-
                      garlic paste to sliced cashews & almonds.

                               Heat oil & saute onions till light brown.

                               Add marinated mutton & fry on a low flame till dry.

                  Transfer contents to the tagine pot & arrange tomatoes over it. Pour 2 cups 
                  water. Cook, covered on very low flame for 1 & 1/2 hour. Stir at intervals.

                             Cook, covered on a low flame for 1 & 1/2 hour. Stir at intervals.

              When done, add rose water & keep covered on the stove top for 10 minutes.
              Serve hot, garnished with cashews and coriander leaves.

Lamb Stew

       
              A simple and a hearty lamb stew (especially in any cold winter nights) will surely leave a lasting memory. It is quite refreshing and a light meal to satiate your appetite. You can go ahead and add carrots, green papaya, beans, peas or any other veggies of your liking. 

          It is perfectly good for the elderly as it has a lot of iron content, has healthy fats and boosts the immune system. For more intense aroma, mint leaves or kaffir lime leaves can do wonders to this stew. Make it spicy or tangy according to individual preference and just see the difference in the flavour of this delicious stew.

• 250 gms. lamb cubes 
• 1 tbsp. maida (plain flour)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt, well beaten
• 250 gms potatoes, cubed
• 2 onions, cut into big chunks
• 2-3 garlic, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon
• 2-3 cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. lime juice or to taste
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Add the maida to the lamb and marinate for 10 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and saute the lamb till light brown. Add 3 cups water and pressure cook for 20 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaves and cloves. Then saute the onion, ginger and garlic till translucent.

          Add all the powdered spices followed by the yoghurt. Fry till the moisture evaporates. Add this mix to the boiled lamb along with the potatoes.

          Pressure cook further for 1-2 whistles. Ladle this soup in individual bowls and serve hot with a dash of lime and a garnish of coriander leaves.

Laal Maans (Mutton Curry - Rajasthani Style)

       
          This is a very popular and a traditional Rajasthani non-veg cuisine. It is mutton cooked in a fiery and spicy gravy because of the use of red chilies. But to minimize it, you can go ahead with kashmiri chilies. This is definitely not for the faint hearted. This dish is one of the speciality of Rajasthan and is considered as a royal delicacy. It can be had both with rice or any Indian bread. For a more tangy taste, add a dash of lime.

          

• 500 gms mutton on bones, cubed
• 3-4 med. onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2-3 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup yogurt, whisked
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• pinch of turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. rose water

          Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry the chopped garlic till it changes colour. Keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. 

           Then add the onions and sauté till lightly brown. Add the mutton cubes and continue to fry till well browned. 

           Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute followed by the red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt mixed with a little water.

          Stir fry till oil separates from the sides of the pan. Next add the yoghurt, 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. 

          When it cools down, remove the lid and further simmer on high heat till the gravy turns slightly thick.

          Serve, garnished with fried garlic, coriander leaves and rose water. Best had with tandoori roti, naan or chapatti.