Category: Meat

Green Mango & Mint Chicken

A refreshing twist on traditional chicken curry, combining tender chicken with tart green mango, cooling yogurt, and fragrant mint for a light yet flavourful dish.

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There is a mango tree in my garden which produces small but sweet mangoes every year. As the fruit ripens it attracts birds and monkeys to my garden. We usually use the sour raw mangoes from this tree to make pickles and chutneys. It was a very hot day in Gurgaon and I was craving something spicy and tangy, so I cooked up this Chicken curry using raw mango and yogurt . It turned out pretty delicious, and refreshing. There was Mint growing in the garden so I used that too. Do give this recipe a try—I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

This recipe is is fairly easy to make.

  • First marinate the chicken, with yogurt, salt, mustard oil for a few minutes.
  • While the chicken is marinating gather all the ingedients and grate the onion, ginger garlic, roast and grind the spices.
  • Then heat the ghee in a pan and fry the Onions, ginger garlic, and the spices. Then add the chicken with the marinade. and mint.
  • Add the Yogurt and cover. Lower the heat and let the chicken cook till the chicken is tender and gravy is thick.
  • Serve garnished with Mint leaves.

Ingredients

Chicken : I have used medium size chicken without the skin. I think chicken pieces with skin might give a richer curry.

Raw Mangoes: I used the raw Mango from my garden. Mangoes are available throughout the season these days and you will need only a piece of it.

Yogurt: I had yogurt at home, but any plain yogurt from the market will work. I would not suggest Greek yogurt in this recipe.

Mint: I had a lot of Mint at home, so i used that. But if it is difficult to find fresh Mint, you could try using Coriander leaves ( Dhania Patta).

Other spices: Cumin powder, Coriander, and turmeric are regularly used Indian spices. Fennel seeds make a difference in the flavour. I have used the spicy ( Hot) chilli powder because I wanted that taste. You can use Kashmiri chilli powder or ( Degi Mirch) if you would like it less spicy

Green Mango and Mint Chicken.

A refreshing twist on traditional chicken curry, combining tender chicken with tart green mango, cooling yogurt, and fragrant mint for a light yet flavorful dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 persons
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g chicken ( without skin and cut into medium size pieces )
For marinating the chicken
  • 1 Tbsp. Mustard oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 1 Tbsp. Yogurt
For the gravy
  • 1/4 cup Grated Onion
  • 1 tsp. Fried onion paste ( optional)
  • 3 or 4 Tbsp Ghee or Butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Garlic and Ginger paste
  • 1 Tbsp Raw Mango grated
  • 1 Tbsp Masala mix
  • 1/4 tsp. chilli powder ( spicy )
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Sugar ( optional )
  • 1/2 cup Yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp. Flour
  • 1/2 cup Mint leaves torn. (Save a few Mint leaves for Garnishing )
  • Small piece of Cinnamon, 2 cloves and 2 small cardamoms ( for seasoning or tempering the oil / tadka )
Masala Mix
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds ( Jeera, Jire)
  • 1/2 tsp. Coriander seeds ( Dhania, Dhone )
  • 1/2 tsp. Fennel ( Saunf, Mouri)

Method
 

Preparaton
  1. Wash the chicken and Drain out all the water. Then marinate it with Yogurt, Mustard oil, Salt and Turmeric powder. Keep aside while you get all the other ingredients.
  2. Masala Mix: In a small pan roast together, 1/2 tsp. of Fennel seeds ( mouri/ saunf), 1/2 tsp. of Cumin seeds ( Jeera/ Jire), and Coriander seeds ( Dhone/ Dhania ). Once the seeds turn slightly brown and fragrant, remove from heat and put it in a dish to cool. Grind into a powder when it cools.
  3. Grate the onion, and the ginger and garlic
  4. Peel the raw mango, and grate it .
  5. Beat the 1/2 cup Yogurt with the 1/4 tsp. of flour.
  6. Wash and tear about 1/2 cup of mint leaves. Chopping makes it wilt soon.
  7. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 tsp.chilli powder, 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp .sugar and 1 Tbsp of the Masala mix.
How to make the chicken
  1. Heat the Ghee in a wok or a heavy bottom pan.
  2. Add the Whole Cinnamon, Cloves and cardamoms. ( Tadka / Phoron)
  3. Add the grated oinion and stir fry, till the raw smell goes.
  4. Add the fried onion paste, and stir it in. ( optional )
  5. Add the grated raw mango and stir well
  6. Add the Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, Salt, Sugar, and the Masala mix.
  7. Fry a little and then add the chicken with the marinade.
  8. Keep stir frying till the oil separates around the gravy.
  9. Add the beaten yogurt. Stir and cover .
  10. After a few minutes add the mint leaves, and stir. Let this simmer till the chicken is cooked and the gravy is thick and creamy.
  11. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with Mint leaves. Serve with Roti or Rice.

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Mutton Liver Masala ( mete torkari)

Liver Masala or Mete Torkari is spicy Liver Curry. I have used Mutton (Goat) liver to make this curry. We used to eat this a lot in our childhood but now we eat it very seldom. This is a very easy dish and does not take much time. You can you other types of Liver, but I have only tried making it with Mutton Liver.

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Ingredients

Onions : I used red onions, as that is available in India.

Liver : This is Goat Liver, but you can use Chicken or Sheep liver for this recipe too.

Tomatoes : The Tomatoes that I used were the thin skinned round ones. You could use plum tomatoes, or even the canned whole tomatoes. But fresh is always better.

Ginger : Used root ginger which I peeled and Juliened some and grated some so you need quite a bit of Ginger.

Green chilies : The hot an spicy ones are preferred, but I depends on your Taste.

Chilli Powder : This dish is spicy so I used the hot chilli powder, not the Kashmiri Chilli powder which is mild but adds colour to the dish.

GARAM MASALA POWDER: Grind 4 or 5 Cardamoms, 4 or 5 Cloves, and an inch of Cinnamon. This is the Bengali garam masala powder. I have used 1/2 teaspoon of this powder in this dish.

Step by Step Guide

Heat the Wok/ kadai/ Pan , add the oil. When it is hot add the Whole Garam Masala: Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom, Cinnamon pieces, and a few cloves, and the Jeera ( cumin) seeds. This is the Tadka or seasoning.

After a minute, add the Sliced Onions and stir fry, till it is soft and opaque. Like the photo below.

Now add the Garlic and Ginger and stir fry till the raw smell of the Garlic is gone.

Add the Tomatoes, Salt , Coriander powder, Chilli Powder. Stir Fry till the Tomatoes are soft . For about 3 minutes.

Add the Liver pieces to this Tomatoes, and all the spices. Mix well .

Lower the heat, cover the wok and let it cook for 5 minutes. Do not add water.

After 5 minutes remove the lid and use a spoon to see if the Liver piece can be cut with the spoon. Also check the seasoning. If there is too much water, cook till almost dry. Like the photo above. Add a tablespoon of Ghee and Garam masala powder.

Transfer to a serving dish and Garnish With Ginger sliced thin, and slit green chillies and chopped Coriander leaves.

Serve Hot . Enjoy with Roti or Paratha.

Mutton Liver Masala ( Mete Torkari)

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 persons
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali., Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams Mete or Mutton Liver
  • 1 medium sized Onions red onion
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic grated or paste
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger grated or paste
  • 5 grams Ginger cut into thin slices Julienne
  • 1/4 teaspoon Jeera seeds
  • 1 piece Black Cardamom
  • 2 or 3 pieces green / small cardamom
  • 4 pieces cloves
  • 4 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Chilli powder
  • 4 pieces Green chillies slit (The spicy chillies)
  • 1 Tablespoon Chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon Ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Equipment

  • 1 Wok or Pan
  • 1 Knife, Spoons, grater

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Peel and slice Onions
  2. Peel and Grate Garlic and ginger
  3. Peel the skin of the Tomatoes and then cut into chunks
  4. Chop some coriander leaves and slit the green chilies for garnish
  5. Peel the Ginger and Julienne it
  6. Make Garam Masala powder by grinding 1 inch piece of Cinnamon, 3or 4 Green ( small)cardamoms, and 4 cloves. Uses 1/2 teaspoon of this powder.
  7. Wash and cut the Liver into bite sized pieces
How to Make the Mete Torkari/ Curry
  1. Heat a wok, kadai, or pan and add oil.
  2. When the oil is hot, add whole garam masala—black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves—and jeera (cumin seeds). This is the tadka or seasoning.
  3. After a minute, add the sliced onions and stir fry until soft and translucent.
  4. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until the raw smell of garlic disappears.
  5. Add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder, and chilli powder. Stir fry for about 3 minutes until the tomatoes become soft.
  6. Add the liver pieces and mix well with the tomatoes and spices.
  7. Lower the heat, cover the wok, and let it cook for 5 minutes. Do not add water.
  8. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and check if the liver pieces can be easily cut with a spoon. Also check the seasoning.
  9. If there is too much water, cook uncovered until almost dry.
  10. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee and garam masala powder.
  11. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with thinly sliced ginger, slit green chilies, and chopped coriander leaves.
  12. Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Notes

Wash the liver very well
Cut into bite size pieces.

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Kosha Mangsho | Traditional Bengali Mutton Curry Recipe

Kosha Mangsho was cooked in my home on special days. Often when there was a dinner party. My Mother made Luchi ( A deep fried made with Maida / All purpose flour ) to accompany it most of the time, and the guests would focus only on the Kosha Mangsho.

Kosha Mangsho is a mutton curry which is slow cooked very patiently on low heat until the meat is tender and the gravy turns rich dark brown colour.

The Mutton ( goat meat ) that is used should have some fat , otherwise the rich taste is not achieved. Mustard oil is used in most Bengali recipes, in this case too Mustard oil gives the curry a special flavour. Ingredients used generally available in the pantry of Indian homes, so it can be made easily.

Preparation steps

  • Wash the Mutton pieces well, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of Salt and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, rub all the pieces with it and keep aside.
  • Slice the onions, ( I prefer red onions ).
  • Grate some Onion, Garlic and Ginger. Keep them in separate bowls.
  • Wash the Tomatoes, cut in big pieces and make a puree in your blender/ grinder
  • Measure out the masalas/spices and keep them ready

Ingredients for Kosha Mangsho

  • Mutton 1kg
  • Onion sliced 350 g
  • Grated Onion 40 g or 2 tablespoons
  • Grated Garlic 30 g or 1 teaspoon full
  • Grated Ginger 30g or 1 teaspoon full
  • Fresh Tomato pureed 250 g or Canned Tomato puree 1 tablespoon.
  • Garam masala powder 1 tsp
  • Kashmiri mirchi powder 1/4 tsp
  • Hot chilli powder 1/4 tsp or less
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Haldi powder 1/2 tsp
  • Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
  • Dhania powder 1/2 tsp
  • Mustard oil 1/4 cup
  • Water 1 cup
  • Whole cinnamon 1 inch piece broken, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves 1 black cardamom

Tomato puree can be from a can too, I prefer the freshly made one. All you have to do is the run ripe tomatoes in a blender.

The grated onions give thickness to the gravy.n

Ginger and Garlic can be grated or ground , I use fresh Garlic and Ginger. The store bought Garlic and Ginger paste doesn’t taste the same.

The whole Garam Masala, 1inch cinnamon, 3 Green Cardamoms, 3 Cloves, and 1 black cardamom are used for the Tadka (seasoning the oil)

For the ground Garam Masala you just have to Grind some Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves together, then add a teaspoon of the powder to the Mutton at the end.

Usually I buy Mutton with very little fat on the pieces for the everyday Manshor Jhol ( Mutton Curry) , but for this recipe you need the Fat. You could use less fatty pieces but then you may need more oil or ghee to get the right flavour and taste.

How to make Kosha Mangsho

  • Heat the oil in a Kadai/ wok,
  • When the oil is really hot add the Black cardamom first then the Cloves, green Cardamoms and the Cinnamon pieces to the oil
  • Stir a little, then add the sliced Onions. Then add the grated Onions and fry a little. After that, add the fresh Grated Garlic and Ginger. Keep frying on medium heat until the onions are brown.
  • Now Add the dry masalas/ spices : Salt, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, Cumin and Coriander powders, stir fry for a minute or so
  • Add the Tomato puree. Keep stir frying until the raw smell of the masalas disappears. The oil should separate around the edges of the onion.
  • Add the Mutton pieces and stir fry till the onion and the rest of the masalas coat all the mutton pieces very well
  • Stir fry a little more and cover with a lid
  • Now you will have to cook on very low heat for a long time. Open the lid occasionally. Let the water that has accumulated on the lid drip into the mutton. Stir well and close the lid again. Keep repeating this, opening the lid and stirring the mutton after every 5 or 6 minutes. Mutton takes a long time to cook and this is the slow cooked method so it will take pretty long. It took about an hour for me. It depends on the quality of the meat.
  • In case the gravy get too dry and starts sticking to the bottom of the Kadai / wok , add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue the stir frying ( This is called Koshano in Bangla). The colour of the gravy will slowly turn a Dark Brown. Keep going till the mutton is soft enough to be cut by a spoon.
  • Add 1 full teaspoon of the Garam Masala powder, and mix it well with the curry.
  • The dish is done when the mutton is cooked and there fat floats round the gravy. There is very little gravy in this dish. You could add a few tablespoons of water. Add them in case you like a little more gravy.
  • Serve with Bengali Pulao, or Luchi /puri, Paratha or Roti

Step by step

  1. Heat the 1/4 cup of Mustard Oil in a Wok. Add 1 black cardamom when the oil is very hot. After a minute add the 3 Green Cardamoms, 3 Cloves and 1 inch piece Cinnamon broken.

2 After 1 minute, add the 350 g sliced Onions and Fry , Add the 40g of grated onions after a minute

3 Then add 30g Grated Garlic and 30g Grated Ginger. Stir fry till the onions are soft and brown

4 Now add the 1 teaspoon salt, Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon Chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon of Cumin powder and 1/2 teaspoon of Coriander powder. Stir fry for about 3 minutes.

5 Add the 250g of freshly made Tomato puree.

6 Keep stir frying with the Tomato puree and all the dry spices till it turns dark brown and some oil can be seen around the onions, as in the video

7 Now we can add the Mutton pieces to the onions and the spices.

8 Stir very well so that all the masala and the mutton are mixed well. This will take about 3 minutes.

9 Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to minimum.

10. After about 5 minutes, open the lid gently to one side. This ensures that the water on the lid drips into the Mutton curry. Add the Garam Masala powder.

11.Stir well for a minute and again cover with the tight lid.

Repeat the two steps, 10 and 11, until the mutton is soft. It should be tender enough to be cut with a spoon. Garam Masala i added only once though.

if at anytime there is very little gravy , or the Mutton is sticking to the bottom of the pan, just add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover.

The gravy in Kosha Mangsho is less, so add water a little at a time. I needed about 1/2 cup of water for this time. it depends a lot on the quality of the Meat.

The Kosha Mangho is ready when the Mutton is soft and there is oil floating around the meat.

Total time taken for cooking this dish was 2 hours, because it has to be cooked in low heat.*

Tips for best results

  1. * You could shorten the time taken to make this by using a Pressure Cooker to soften the meat. Repeat steps 10 and 11 few times. Then, transfer the mutton curry into a pressure cooker. add 1 cup water. Put the pressure cooker on high heat. After the first whistle, lower the heat to minimum. Let it cook for 6 to 10 minutes. Let the pressure cooker cool completely before opening the lid. Now transfer the mutton curry back to the Kadai. Let it cook on medium heat until the gravy is thick. The oil should be seen floating around the mMeat and Gravy.
  2. Buy the best quality fatty Mutton ( Khashir Mangsho).
  3. Use a heavy bottom pan with a well fitting lid, Dutch Ovens are great for this. I used a cast iron Kadai. Cast iron is excellent because the gravy’s colour becomes dark brown because of the Iron. My grandmothers always used Iron Kadais/woks for all their cooking. If you use Iron utensils, transfer the dish into a serving bowl right after cooking. Otherwise, it will become black.

Enjoy the Kosha Mangsho with Basanti Pulao, or Luchi or Roti.

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Kosha Mangsho | Traditional Bengali Mutton Curry Recipe

Kosha Mangsho is a traditional Bengali mutton curry where tender pieces of mutton are slow-cooked with onions, yogurt, and aromatic spices until the gravy becomes thick, rich, and deeply flavorful. This celebratory dish pairs wonderfully with luchi, paratha, pulao, or steamed rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 5 persons
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali , Indian
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Kg Mutton ( The pieces should be big and have a bit of Fat on them )
  • 350 g Sliced onions ( Red Onions are best for this recipe)
  • 40 g grated onions ( 2 tablespoons )
  • 30 g Grated Garlic ( 1 teaspoon)
  • 30 g Grated Ginger ( 1 teaspoon )
  • 250 g Fresh Tomato Pureed ( or 1 Tablespoon of canned puree)
  • 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Kashmiri red chilli powder ( Degi Mirch)
  • 1/4 tsp. Hot chilli powder ( optioanal)
  • 1 tsp. Salt ( adjust to your taste later)
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Coriander powder ( Dhania Powder)
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin powder ( Jeera Powder)
  • 1/4 Cup Mustard Oil ( any Vegetable oil will do too)
  • 1 Cup Water
  • Whole cinnamon 1 inch piece broken, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom ( For the Tadka/ phoron or seasoning)

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy Bottom Pan or Kadai
  • 1 Knife, Grater
  • 1 Blender Grinder

Method
 

  1. PREPARATION
  2. Wash the Mutton pieces well, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of Salt and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, rub all the pieces with it and keep aside.
  3. Slice the onions.
  4. Grate the Garlic, Ginger, and Onions
  5. Wash the Tomatoes, cut in big pieces and make a puree in your blender/ grinder
  6. Garam masala – Grind 1inch piece of Cinnamon, 4 or 5 small cardamoms, 4 or 5 Cloves, and together and keep aside. We will use a little bit of this powder.
  7. Gather all the spices before starting.
  8. HOW TO MAKE THE MUTTON CURRY
  9. Heat the oil in a Kadai/ wok/ Pan. When the oil is really hot add the Black cardamom first then the Cloves, green Cardamoms and the Cinnamon pieces to the oil
  10. Stir a little, then add the sliced Onions. Then add the grated Onions and fry a little. After that, add the fresh Grated Garlic and Ginger. Keep frying on medium heat until the onions are brown.
  11. Now Add the dry masalas/ spices : Salt, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, Cumin and Coriander powders, stir fry for a minute or so
  12. Add the Tomato puree. Keep stir frying until the raw smell of the masalas disappears. The oil should separate around the edges of the onion.
  13. Add the Mutton pieces and stir fry till the onion and the rest of the masalas coat all the mutton pieces very well
  14. Stir fry a little more and cover with a lid
  15. Now you will have to cook on very low heat for a long time. Open the lid occasionally. Let the water that has accumulated on the lid drip into the mutton. Stir well and close the lid again. Keep repeating this, opening the lid and stirring the mutton after every 5 or 6 minutes. Mutton takes a long time to cook and this is the slow cooked method so it will take pretty long. It took about an hour for me. It depends on the quality of the meat.
  16. In case the gravy get too dry and starts sticking to the bottom of the Kadai / wok , add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue the stir frying ( This is called Koshano in Bangla). The colour of the gravy will slowly turn a Dark Brown. Keep going till the mutton is soft enough to be cut by a spoon.
  17. Add 1 full teaspoon of the Garam Masala powder, and mix it well with the curry.
  18. The dish is done when the mutton is cooked and there fat floats round the gravy. There is very little gravy in this dish. You could add a few tablespoons of water. Add them in case you like a little more gravy.
  19. Serve with Bengali Pulao, or Luchi / Puri, Paratha or Roti

Notes

  1. Mutton should have some fat on the pieces. This is a rich Mutton Curry, if the Muttton is too lean you need to add more Oil or Ghee. 
  2. The gravy is Thick and Licious, not watery. ( called Makha- Makha in Bengali)

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Doi Chicken (Chicken curry with yogurt)

Doi Chicken

When my children were leaving home for the University, I wrote down a few recipes which they could make with the ingredients that were easily available in the supermarkets. I thought that if they ever craved for home cooked food then a chicken curry , a dal and a vegetable like spinach or bhendi (okra) with some rice would make a good balanced meal. This chicken curry is my son’s favorite, he makes it better than I do now. Best thing in this recipe is that there are no onions to grate and shed tears. This is a very easy recipe and does not require too many ingredients. Sometimes to enhance the flavor I had a Kafir lime leaf from my garden. The lovely aroma of the lime leaf really goes well with Doi chicken.

I usually prefer to use chicken with the bone,the boneless chicken tend to become a little dry. The spiciness in this dish comes from the green chilies, I do not use any dry red chilies, or chili powder so the green chilies have to be hot. Also this is cooked in ghee or butter not oil. The aroma of chicken and garlic and ginger frying in butter or ghee is amazing.

First you have to season the ghee with the whole graram masalas, ( cinnamon, cardamom and cloves), then add a green chili and the ginger and garlic paste. After sauteing for a minute or so add the chicken and fry till the chicken is opaque and the chicken pieces turns a little brownish. Then add the beaten yogurt to the chicken, cover and let it cook till the chicken is soft and cooked. The gravy should be creamy, not watery. This curry tastes great with Rice or Roti.

Ingredients

  • Chicken 500g
  • Yogurt (Doi) 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom ( elaichi ) 8
  • Cloves ( laung/lobongo) 8
  • Cinnamon ( dalchini) 1 inch piece broken into smaller pieces
  • Black cardamom ( badi elaichi ) 1
  • Garlic paste 1teaspoon
  • Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
  • Ghee or Butter 3 Tablespoons
  • Salt 1/2 teaspoon
  • Green chilies 3 or 4
  • Flour ( Maida) 1/4 teaspoon. Or 1/2 teaspoon of cashew paste.
  • Coriander leaves chopped ( Dhania patta) 1 Tablespoon

Prepping

Wash the chicken and drain out all the water

Beat the Doi/ yogurt with the flour and keep aside. ( To make the cashew paste, just boil about 4 cashews for a few minutes then grind it to a paste), if you are using cashew paste mix it with the yogurt instead of flour.

Grate or grind the Ginger

Grate or Grind the Garlic

Take out the seeds from the black cardamom, and use the seeds only, discard the skin.

Slit the green chilies. (I had to use as little bit of ground green chilies in the recipe as I am fond of really hot food.)

How to make the curry

  • Heat a pan or Kadai and add the Ghee or Butter. Keep the heat medium or the butter will burn
  • Add the Cinnamon pieces, cardamom cloves and the black cardamom seeds
  • Next add 1 of the slit green chilies, and fry a bit.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and stir fry till the raw smell goes.\
  • Now add the chicken pieces and keep stirring and frying till the chicken becomes opaque and slightly brown.
  • To the fried chicken add the beaten yogurt, and the salt stir well, add the slit green chilies, cover and let this simmer on low heat.
  • Keep checking after about 7 minutes to see if the chicken is done and that the gravy hasn’t dried out completely.
  • With you spatula try poke the chicken slightly to see if it is coming off the bone. If it does and the gravy has turned nice and creamy it is time to transfer the curry to a serving dish. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with steamed Rice or with Rotis.

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Mutton Kofta

Mutton Kofta

Mutton Kofta is one of my favorite dishes. I make this with mutton keema ( goat meat mince) but i have made it with Turkey mince in the US a d it tasted pretty good. The best thing in this recipe is that the Koftas ( mince dumplings are not fried before adding them to the gravy as we do with Cabbage Koftas, or lau koftas. the Koftas cook in the gravy and hold their shape too. The trick is not to stir too much once the koftas are added to the gravy.

I have adapted a recipe I had come across on NDTV recipes, I changed a few things to suit our taste. This will be best served with (Breads) rotis and parathas.

We have to make the gravy first, and then the Koftas. When we make the koftas we have to mix a few teaspoons of the gravy with the minced mutton.

There are 3 things you have to make ,

1 The water with the Garam masala or whole Cinnamom, cardamom, and Bay leaves. this will be added to the gravy.

2 The gravy

3 The koftas.

4 Then add the Koftas to the gravy and simmer.

For the garam masala Water:

Ingredients needed.

  • water 1 cup
  • Cloves ( Laung) 4
  • Bay leaves ( Tej patta) 2
  • Black Cardamom ( badi elaichi) 1
  • Cardamom ( choti elaichi) 6
  • Cinnamon stick ( dalchini) 1 inch piece
Ingredients to make the water

For the Gravy

Ingredients needed

  • Vegetable oil 1/2 cup
  • Onions ( piaj) sliced 1 cup
  • Ginger and Garlic paste 1 tablespoon
  • Cashew paste 2 tablespoons
  • Coriander (dhania) powder 2 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1/2 teaspoon
  • Chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ( optional)
  • Salt 1& 1/2 teaspoon
  • Yogurt ( dahi) beaten with 1/4 teaspoon of Maida 1 cup
  • Tomato Puree made with fresh tomatoes skinned and pureed. 1/2 cup ( 1 cup if you enjoy tart taste)

The Ingredients needed for the Gravy.

Tomato puree and Yogurt are also needed for the gravy.

Oil and Sliced onions are also for the Gravy

For the Koftas

INGREDIENTS

  • Mutton Keema ( minced mutton ) 1/2 kg.
  • Fried onion paste 2 teaspoons
  • salt 1 teaspoon
  • chili powder ( mirchi) 1/2 teaspoon (Optional)
  • egg 1
  • chopped coriander leaves 1/2 cu
  • Gram flour ( Besan) 3 teaspoons
  • Fried gravy 2 tablespoons
  • Chopped green chilies ( hari mirch) 2 pieces.
Ingredients for the Koftas

Prepping

  • 1 ) Take a small saucepan and put the water and the (Badi elaichi)black cardamom, (chota elaichi) cardamom (Laung)cloves, (Tej pata) bay leaves), and cinnamon (Dalchini) piece and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the flame completely and let it simmer till the water has reduced to almost half. Strain out water and keep it aside, and make the gravy. This water will be used in the gravy later.
  • 2) To make the tomato puree you place about 3 medium sized tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for a couple of minute. Take the tomatoes out and remove the skin of all the tomatoes and then put it in a blender to make the puree. Since tomatoes come in different sizes I have measured the amount of puree you will need, it is 1/2 cup. Do not use the puree in the cans, or your gravy will be too sour.
  • 3) Beat the cup of yogurt ( dahi) very well with the flour and keep aside.

Making the Kota Curry

  • Heat a big pan which has a lid, add the vegetable oil and fry the sliced onions till they are brown, 5) Add about 4 tablespoons of water to the browned onions and reduce the heat completely.
  • Add the 1 Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and stir fry for a few minutes, then add the 2 Tablespoons of the cashew paste. stir fry,
  • Now add the Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, salt, and the tomato puree and stir fry till the oil separates on the sides of the Masala.
  • Take 2 tablespoons of gravy and keep it in a small bowl for the Koftas.
  • Now add the garam masala water to the gravy plus 1/2 cup of water as well, stir it and cover and let it simmer on the lowest flame while you make the Koftas.
  • To the Mutton Mince ( keema), add the Fried onion paste, salt, chopped chilies, coriander leaves chopped, the 2 tablespoons of gravy, the egg, and the besan ( gram flour). Mix it up really well.
  • Oil your palms with a little bit of any vegetable oil, pick up about 1 full tablespoon of the keema mixture and gently roll it into a ball. Keep it on a plate.
  • When all the keema is made into balls, gently put them into the simmering gravy one by one.
  • Pour in the beaten yogurt and cover the pan and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir with a spoon, but shake the pan from time to time. Please taste to check the salt before serving.
  • Transfer the Kofta curry to a serving dish, and serve with Roti or Rice.
Koftas simmering in the gravy.

Rita's Recipes1 Comment

Chicken Pulao

This is an easy recipe and I make it quite often and it is a family favorite. This recipe is very useful when you need a interesting option but have very little time. I serve this Pulao with a simple mixed salad and yogurt Raita.

Basically I make the chicken curry with a little extra masalas and then cook the rice with the gravy. The rice absorbs the flavors of the gravy and the and tastes really amazing.

Chicken Pulao

Ingredients for the Chicken curry.

Chicken cut into medium pieces 1kg

Onion grated or ground 1cup

Fresh tomatoes grated or mashed 1cup (or 2 tablespoons of tomato puree)

oil 5 Tablespoons

salt 1&1/2 teaspoons

chili powder 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder ot Haldi 1/2 tsp.

Coriander orDhania powder 1 tsp.

Cumin or Jeera powder 1/2 tsp.

garam masala powder 1 tsp.

For tempering the oil or Tarka:

whole black cardamom 1

small cardamom 2

few pieces of cinnamon

cloves 4

Bay leaf or tej patta 1

Ingredients for the Rice

Basmati Rice Sela* (parboiled) or normal 1&1/2 cup

For Tempering or Tarka: Bay leaf 1, and 2 inch piece of cinnamon broken

Ghee or oil 2 tablespoons

Water 2 &1/2 cups.

Ingredients

*Basmati Rice is available in Sela (Parboiled) or regular kind. I prefer to use the sela variety for this pulao because the grains are sturdy and do not break easily. The regular one is delicate and if it is slightly overcooked the grains break up and become mushy. But I generally use what I have at home. if you use Sela basamati then soak the rice for at least half an hour, then drain out the water and keep aside. With the regular basmati you just rinse it a couple of times and drain out the water completely and keep aside.

Heat a Pan or kadai add the oil and when the oil is really hot, add the ingredients for the Tarka: the cardamoms, bay leaf ,cloves, and cinnamon.

Stir a little then add the grated onion, stir fry on medium heat till onions are brownish.

Add the garlic and ginger paste, and fry till the raw smell of garlic is gone.

Add tomatoes, salt, chili , turmeric, cumin, coriander powders and keep stir frying till the oil can be seen around the masala.

Now add the chicken and keep stirring and frying for at least 10 minutes on medium heat,or till there is nice fried aroma and the chicken pieces are brown and well coated with the masala. Add the garam masala powder and stir the curry well .Switch off the heat and keep the chicken curry aside.

Chicken coated with all the masala and fried. Chicken curry.

You need a big pan or wok with a cover to make the pulao.

The rice which was soaked and rinsed, and the ingredients for tempering the oil/ghee before adding the rice.

Heat the Ghee or oil in a big pan or wok, add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and cardamom. Stir a few minutes.

Add the rice and stir well till the grains are a bit opaque.

Add the chicken curry and stir to mix it well with the rice.

Add the water cover and bring it to a boil on high heat.

Now reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer till all the water is absorbed by the rice and the rice is soft. With sela basmati it will be a little longer than normal basmati. Do not stir much or the rice grains will break. Switch off the heat and leave the pulao in the wok /pan with the cover on for 10 more minutes before transferring it to a serving dish.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves/ dhania patta if you want before serving.

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