dinner recipes – Page 2 – Recipes for the regular homecook

Prawn Curry With Lemongrass and Coconut

I am a huge fan of light curries. Curries that are not super rich in texture, but are full of flavor and taste. This prawn curry with lemongrass and coconut is one of my absolute favorites.

The fragrance of lemongrass is known to all, and this curry is so fresh and refreshing that it will make your heart skip a beat.

I got the inspiration for this recipe when I visited Bali in 2018. I had one of the best dinners in Ubud – a lemongrass prawn curry and rice. One bite into it and I knew I was in love. Such distinct and fresh flavours, and simple style of cooking. It appealed to me immediately and I have told everyone I know about that particular prawn curry. So I noted it down and have been making it ever since at home.

The broth of this curry has been reduced after putting together a lot of delightful ingredients, and the lemongrass is the hero. The coconut gives a lot of creaminess, flavor, and texture to the gravy. The broth is silky smooth as I have strained it completely, extracting all the flavor and juices out of the ingredients. Every drop of it is heaven, along with the juicy prawns. Pure bliss and one of my personal favorites. I hope you try it and love it as much as I do.

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

400 g prawns, cleaned and deveined
80 g fresh lemongrass stalks, cut into chunks
2 medium onions
40 g ginger
1 dried red chili, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
Salt to taste
2 tsp pepper powder
50 g fresh coconut
1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
400 ml hot water
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
3 tbsp vegetable oil [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Clean and devein the prawns. I have kept the tail on but you can remove it if you like. Pat the prawns dry with paper towel.
Add the prawns to a mixing bowl. Marinate with salt and 1.5 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper powder. Mix well with a spoon till every prawn is coated with the salt and pepper.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Fry the prawns in the hot oil, one minute each side. Set them aside.
Get fresh lemongrass. Look for stalks that are fragrant, tightly formed and lemony green in color in the lower stalk (near the bulb). Chop off the lower stalk as that is the most fragrant part. Chop it into chunks.
Add the lemongrass chunks, ginger, onions, soaked red chili and lemon juice. Add a little water and grind it all to form a thick paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Once hot, add the lemongrass paste to it. Fry this till the raw aroma of the onions and ginger completely disappear. Keep the flame at medium so that it does not burn.
Add sugar to the paste. Mix well.
Once the paste releases all its water and the raw aroma disappears completely, add 400 ml of hot water. Mix well till the gravy starts to bubble.
Now turn off the heat for a minute and strain the gravy (see video) onto a bowl. Make sure you extract every drop out of the base so that all you are left with are the shreds of the lemongrass and ginger.
Put this strained and silky smooth gravy back into the pan and let it boil.
Once the gravy starts to bubble, add the fried prawns. Give it a good mix and let it bubble away aggressively for about two minutes. Check salt and add more if required.
Do not overcook. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with boiled rice. [/directions]

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Whole Wheat Masala Paneer Puris

I am a big fan of puris. Though in Assam we have luchis, which are lighter and fluffier flatbreads, I don’t mind puris as well. India serves its people so many varieties of puris. Spinach, masala, potatoes – there is something for everyone! But have you ever heard of masala paneer or cottage cheese puri?

Well, I had not either till I experimented with these whole wheat paneer puris one day. The results were so fabulous that it took me by surprise. These puris are not just yummy, but so crunchy and perfect. It is just one of my best discoveries and it will blow you away too, I promise.

So let’s get straight to the recipe without any delay:

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 20 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

250 g whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tbsp ghee
200 g paneer (cottage cheese)
2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
50 g coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp carrom seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
Water for kneading
Refined oil for deep frying [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Grate the paneer and add it to the whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl. Mix the two together gently with your fingers, forming a light crumble.
Add the ghee and mix it well with the flour.
Mix the salt, carrom seeds, red chili powder, fenugreek seeds, chopped coriander leaves and garam masala to the flour and paneer mix. Combine everything well with your hands.
Add water at room temperature, little by little, till a soft dough is formed. Add water in intervals, to ensure the dough doesn’t get too sticky. You will not need too much water because the cottage cheese will release some water into the dough as well.
Once the dough is ready, rub it with some oil on all sides. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Make small rounds with the dough. Roll them out with a rolling pin into small puris. Don’t make them too thick or thin.
Heat oil in a kadhai. The oil should be enough that the puri gets completely immersed in it.
Once the oil is hot, fry the puris. Press it with your cooking spoon and let the puri get immersed in the oil. Flip the puri and cook both sides.
Enjoy hot and crispy with chole, raita, subzi or gobble them up just like that! [/directions]

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And as always, happy cooking! <3

Fettuccine Alfredo With Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes

Alfredo sauce is love! Anything with Alfredo in it makes life better. Don’t you agree?

But usually, Alfredo makes people think of a thick and heavy sauce that makes you full till your neck. Fear not! This fettuccine alfredo is light, yet creamy. Believe it or not, a major part of the sauce is the reserved pasta water.

It is one of the simplest dishes that comes together in 20 minutes tops, and it tastes heavenly even in its most basic form. Unlike most Alfredo recipes, the sauce for this one is quite thin, yet super luxurious. The secret is the pasta water and very little cream. So what you end up eating is a very light pasta that does not leave you gasping for breath. It is not overloaded with cream or cheese, but tastes just beautiful in all its simple glory. I went ahead and added some broccoli and cherry tomatoes.

You can seriously throw in whatever vegetables or protein you like. If you get the basic technique right, there is no way this is going to taste any less delicious. Or maybe you can come up with your own version and let me know about it someday!

So let’s get straight into the secret of this delightful pasta dish.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

Fettuccine pasta, 300 gms
Steamed broccoli florets, 300 g, steamed for five minutes.
Cherry tomatoes, 200 g
Garlic, 3 cloves
30 g butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh cream
1/2 cup Italian Basil leaves
1 tbsp pepper
100 g grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Boil water in a wide pot. Add two tablespoons of salt to the water and let it bubble.
Add the fettuccine pasta to the water and let it cook it is al dente (80% cooked). See the package for exact instructions.
While the pasta is boiling, start making the sauce simultaneously. Heat olive oil in a pan. Keep the flame at low intensity.
Throw in the butter and lightly stir, allowing the butter to melt softly and assimilate with the olive oil.
Finely chop the garlic and add it to the olive oil and butter. The heat has to be low at all times so that nothing is burnt. What you want is to let the garlic and its juices get infused into the fat of the oils. Let this remain for five minutes.
After five minutes of letting the garlic sweat into the oil, add one cup of boiling pasta water into the pan and stir. Let it come to a boil.
Add the heavy cream to the water and keep stirring in low flame till you get a thick consistency.
Throw in the fresh cherry tomatoes right before you add the al dente pasta into the sauce. Stir gently.
Add the boiled pasta to this sauce and cook till it is completely softened. Keep adding more boiling pasta water as and when required.
Once you get your desired consistency and the fettuccine is cooked completely, turn off the heat.
Season with freshly ground black pepper powder.
Put the steamed broccoli florets into the pan and stir.
Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and stir.
Serve immediately with fresh Italian basil leaves as garnish. Enjoy! [/directions]

I do hope you try this pasta recipe. It will truly change the way you look at, feel about or cook Alfredo in the future. Happy cooking!

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Pressure Cooker Vegetable Pulao

Pressure cooker recipes are everyone’s favourite. This rage in the cooking world is rightly justified as it makes our lives so much easier, especially on those rushed days when we do not have time to cook elaborate meals.

This pressure cooker vegetable pulao is one such easy hack to a tasty and healthy meal. I have made this in the pressure cooker but you can also make it in a pot. It is my go-to meal on most days and one of the best ways to eat rice. Include it in your lunch or dinner meal with some raita and you will not regret it. Honest, real and simple – just the way I prefer.

It is extremely easy to make and comes together in no time. It is loved by everyone alike. Like all my pulaos, the garam masala takes centre stage for the dominant flavour.

The rice in this pulao can be any fragrant one. I prefer using broken rice for pulao, as it gives the entire meal a different flavor. Here, I have used good quality broken basmati rice, but you can go ahead with any rice. Just make sure the quality of the rice is not compromised upon.

Also, for the perfectly fluffy and well-cooked pulao, you should soak the rice in water for at least 30 minutes before you cook it. Make sure you wash the rice thoroughly under a strainer till you get clear water from the end of the sieve. These two tips help the rice cook perfectly.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

250g rice
1 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom pods
2 small cinnamon sticks
2 cloves
2g mace
1 tsp cumin seeds
7 cashews
1 tsp sugar
1 onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
100 g green peas
1 carrot, finely diced
1 small cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium potato, finely diced
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
500 ml of water
1 tsp garam masala
Coriander leaves for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Wash the rice thoroughly with cold water under a running tap till it releases clear water.
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and mace. Give it a light stir.
Add the sugar and cashew nuts. Stir till the sugar melts and the cashews turn slightly brown on the sides.
Add the onions and stir for a minute till they brown.
Add the chopped chilies and ginger garlic paste and stir till their rawness evaporates.
Chop all the vegetables and add them to the onions. Green peas, cauliflower florets, and potato. Mix well for another minute on medium flame.
Season with salt and turmeric powder. Stir well.
Pour in the water and give it one last stir.
Sprinkle the garam masala on top and mix.
Close the pressure cooker with a lid and allow it to let out two whistles.
Once all the pressure releases, open the pressure cooker.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve the pulao hot with raita or curd. [/directions]

I hope you do try this simple, mouth-watering, and super healthy vegetable pulao recipe. It is a perfect option for a homely meal filled with health and happiness.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Linguine With Shrimps & Pistachio

Here is an easy pasta recipe with a twist. If you are a lover of shrimp, pasta and are bored of the regular variations, this linguine with shrimp and pistachio will be a welcome change.

The inspiration for this recipe is from Jamie Oliver’s book – Jamie Cooks Italy that I purchased a few months back. It has the most delicious pasta ideas, and authentic ones at that! The idea of adding crushed pistachios to the pasta really intrigued me, and that’s how I adapted that idea to make this recipe. Cherry tomatoes are also a great addition and the freshness of lime juice just elevates it to just another level.

This recipe is also super quick as shrimp hardly takes any time. Cooking the pasta till al dente in salty pasta water in one pot, and the main recipe is another. Simultaneous cooking is advised for best results.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 2 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

150 g linguine
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes
150 g unsalted pistachios, finely crushed in a mortar and pestle
2 tbsp olive oil
50 g butter
100 g grated parmesan cheese
Juices extracted from two limes
1 tsp chili flakes
50 g fresh Italian basil leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp pepper powder, freshly crushed [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Boil water in a pot. Add 2 tbsp salt and mix.
Cook the pasta as per package instructions till al dente.
While the linguine is cooking, heat another pot. Add the olive oil and butter. Keep the heat at low.
Fry the shrimps in this oil, one minute each side. Set them aside.
In the same pot, add the garlic and saute for about a minute in low heat. Do not burn.
Add the chili flakes and mix.
Add the cherry tomatoes and give it a light stir.
Mix the linguine into the pan and stir gently with a spatula.
Season with salt and pepper and mix it all well with the linguine.
Add three tablespoons of salty pasta water and cook till everything comes together well.
Turn off the gas and add the cooked shrimps on top and mix.
Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Add the crushed pistachios, drizzle the fresh lime juice on top and give it one last stir.
Serve immediately. [/directions]

I hope you do try this simple, mouth-watering and fresh pasta soon. It is a perfect option for a quick fix for dinner or a lazy lunch.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Perfectly Sweet, Spicy and STICKY Orange Chicken

It is the season of oranges! I can see them everywhere right now and they are just so delicious and beautiful. I am a big fan of oranges. One of my favorite things to do is to chew on some fresh oranges in the winter sun. Beautiful!

In Delhi, we get a lot of the kinnow variety of orange. Also known as Mandarin, this orange is bright, softer, super sweet and very juicy. I have used freshly squeezed kinnow juice in this recipe. You can use any variety available locally near you.

This orange chicken is one of my favorites. Super simple to make and very aromatic. The combination of brown sugar and orange juice makes for a sticky syrup, which adds a perfect glaze as well as taste to the orange chicken recipe. The chicken is shallow fried here. You can deep fry it as well if you want an extra crispy version.

Here’s a look at the ingredients and procedure.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30-40 minutes

Serves – 2-3 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For marination:

Boneless chicken thighs cut into equal pieces, 500 g (make sure they have been patted dry)
Fresh ginger paste, 1.5 tsp
Fresh garlic paste, 1.5 tsp
Sesame oil, 1 tsp
Dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp
Cornflour, 30g
Salt to taste

For the recipe:

Vegetable oil, 4 tbsp
2 green chilies, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped
Brown sugar, 1 tsp
Crushed garlic, 1 tsp
Crushed ginger, 1 tsp
1 medium capsicum, cut in cubes
Black pepper powder, 1 tsp
Salt to taste
150 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp dark soy sauce
Chopped spring onion greens for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Mix the boneless chicken thighs with ginger paste, garlic paste, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, cornflour, and salt. Marinate this for 20 minutes.
Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok. Shallow fry the marinated chicken in batches, till they are crispy from all sides. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in another wok. Add the chopped green chilies, followed by the chopped onions. Saute for a minute.
Add the brown sugar and mix well. Saute for another two minutes till onions turn translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Cook this till the raw aroma of the ginger and garlic disappears.
Once the onions merge well with the ginger and garlic, add the chopped capsicum. Cook this for another minute.
Season with salt and black pepper powder. Stir well.
Pour in the freshly squeezed orange juice. Cook till it reduces by half.
Wait for the orange juice to turn into a sticky and thick sauce. Add the fried chicken to the mixture.
Gently mix the fried chicken with the rest of the ingredients.
Drizzle in some dark soy sauce and stir well till the color changes to a darker version of the original.
Take the wok off from heat.
Garnish with spring onion greens, sesame seeds, and orange zest.
Serve hot with plain rice or fried rice. Enjoy! [/directions]

I hope you do try this simple, mouth-watering recipe.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

The Easiest & Creamiest Mushroom Stroganoff

Creamy, delicious and comforting – this mushroom stroganoff is the ultimate idea for a meal in a bowl, especially in winters! It takes a handful of ingredients, and gets ready in absolutely no time! A personal favorite of mine, the mushrooms add their own unique flavor to the recipe, and the cream makes it velvety soft. Add a dash of fresh cinnamon powder and you have got yourself a winner!

I love recipes that accommodate and adjust with local ingredients. This mushroom stroganoff is also highly customizable in my opinion. It’s winters right now so I have used some beautiful red cayenne pepper and some lovely peas that I found at my local market. The flavors that these two simple ingredients add is extraordinary. The idea is to not really play too much with the recipe and let the natural flavors of the seasonal ingredients do their magic. And the results are stunning!

Traditional stroganoff recipes are usually with beef or chicken. It also does not include garlic and uses stock (chicken or beef) as a base. But this mushroom and peas stroganoff is way easier, as it does not include any stock! Just some good quality cream. The taste and texture are no less when compared to its non-vegetarian counterparts.

The addition of seasonal peas makes the gravy naturally sweet, and the green adds a dash of freshness to the otherwise nude, creamy color. Here’s my homely version of mushroom stroganoff. I hope you try it, especially on one of those extra lazy days.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 20 minutes

Serves – 2 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

200 g button mushrooms, cut in half
50 g fresh green peas
1 onion, finely chopped
120 ml fresh cream
1 tsp cinnamon powder
Salt to taste
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100 ml water
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 small cayenne pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp chopped parsley [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat oil in a pan. Add butter to it and give it a light stir.
Add the finely chopped garlic and stir. Saute the garlic for about ten seconds in low heat so that it does not get burnt. Next, add half of the chopped cayenne pepper to the oil. Stir for a minute.
Once the garlic and cayenne pepper releases its aroma, add the chopped onion. Saute till onions are translucent and soft.
Dice the mushrooms by cutting them in half and add them to the onions. Add the green peas along with it. Be gentle, stir and do not break them.
The mushrooms will cook in about ten minutes (make sure they are crunchy and not soggy) after which you have to add some warm water. Give it a light stir and let it come to a boil.
Pour in the cream and stir well.
Season with salt and black pepper powder. The reason why we are adding salt towards the end is that doing it, in the beginning, will make mushrooms release all its water and make it soggy.
Let this cook on medium heat till it reduces and you get a thick and creamy consistency.
Garnish with a pinch of freshly ground cinnamon powder and chopped parsley. You can also add freshly chopped coriander leaves if parsley is unavailable.
Serve hot with boiled rice.[/directions]

I hope you try this really easy and delicious mushroom stroganoff for yourself and enjoy it as much as I do. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Malai Kofta Curry

The first time I ever decided to malai kofta curry was while flipping through pages from a vegetarian cookbook that my mother had. I was about twelve at that time. I do not remember the name of the book but a lot of my early childhood memories are around that book. That book taught me how to cook delicious Indian vegetarian food. It makes me think how long lasting and impactful childhood memories can be!

Fast forward years later, I have come up with my own version. I absolutely love this recipe and make it a lot! A lot of my hardcore non-vegetarian friends also love it!

The gravy of this malai kofta curry is a luxurious mix of cashew cream and curd, and the koftas are soft and melting in the mouth. Both of them combined along with some ghee laden rotis are a match made in heaven!

The curry is creamy, slightly sweet, luxurious and dreamy. It is thick as it is a smooth paste of a variety of elements.

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 2-3 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the koftas:

150 grams grated paneer
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera)
Chopped coriander leaves
3 tbsp gram flour (Besan)
1 tsp red chili powder
Water, as required
Oil (for deep frying the koftas)

For the malai kofta curry:

2 onions, ground to a paste
2 medium tomatoes, roughly diced
1 green chili
10 g ginger
4 garlic cloves
100 g cashews, ground to a paste
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp curd, beaten well
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp desi ghee
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
200 ml warm water
1 tbsp Kasuri methi for garnish
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Thoroughly grate the paneer ensuring there are no large chunks. Add salt, garam masala, gram flour, chopped coriander leaves, red chili powder and water to form a thick batter.
Make round koftas and freeze them for at least an hour.
Deep fry these koftas in hot oil until they are crispy from all sides and cooked from within. Set aside.
In a blender, make a fine paste of one green chili, tomatoes, ginger and garlic with a little water.
Heat oil in a kadhai. Add the onion paste. Saute the onions till the raw aroma disappears, they turn brown and the oil starts to separate from it.
Add some sugar into the onions. This will help to give it a beautiful brown color and also enable the onions to cook faster. It will also add some sweetness to your final recipe.
Once the raw aroma of the onions disappears, add the blended tomato puree. Cook this till oil starts to separate from the onion and tomato paste.
Once the tomato is cooked, season with salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, coriander powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder. If you do not want too much chili flavor, skip adding the green chilies in the beginning.
Add beaten curd and cashew paste to the mixture and stir well.
Add in some warm to avoid the paste from sticking to the pan.
Once everything is cooked, add some more warm water depending on the consistency you want.
Season with garam masala and Kasuri methi just before turning off the gas. Give it one last stir.
Add the koftas to the gravy just before serving.
Enjoy with hot rotis, naan or jeera rice.[/directions]

I hope you try this really easy and delicious malai kofta curry for yourself and enjoy it as much as I do. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Related recipe – Lauki Kofta Curry

Chicken With Poppy Seeds and Cashew | Chicken Recipes

Poppy seeds or khus khus is an oilseed obtained from poppy. It is used extensively in Bengali and Assamese cuisine, and I have been quite familiar with it since my childhood. It is what we also call posto in Bengali cuisine.

While I love alu posto and potol posto, I also like the usage of poppy seed paste in chicken curry. This chicken curry recipe with poppy seeds and nigella seeds is creamy, luxuriously thick and extremely delicious.

It goes very well with parathas, roti or rice. I like mine in a semi gravy but you can get the consistency as per your preference.

chicken recipes — Chicken with poppy seeds and cashew

Before you make this recipe, make sure you soak the poppy seeds in lukewarm water for at least 3-4 hours. This step is essential to get a thick paste when you grind the seeds.

You also need to soak 6-7 cashews in water for about the same time before grinding it into a fine paste with some water.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 50-60 minutes

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

1 kg chicken
1 bay leaf
50 g poppy seeds
2 medium onions, ground to a paste
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
6-7 cashews, ground to a paste
2 green chilies
20 g ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp meat masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
500 ml water
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Soak the poppy seeds in lukewarm water for three to four hours. Drain them and put it in a grinder. Add the green chilies to it with one tablespoon of water. Grind it to a thick paste.
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai. Allow it to come to a smoking point. Add a bay leaf and nigella seeds at this time.
Make a fine paste with the onions and add it to the mustard oil at this time. Stir for two to three minutes till onions start to get translucent.
Time to add the ginger garlic paste. Stir all the ingredients together in the kadhai till the raw aroma of it dissipates.
Once the onions are cooked, add the tomatoes and stir till tomato starts releasing its own water to form a thick gravy. This would take about ten more minutes.
If the mixture gets stuck to the kadhai, add just a dash of water to prevent it from happening.
Season with salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric powder, and meat masala. Mix well for another minute.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the chicken pieces. Fry the chicken in the tomato and onion paste for about fifteen minutes till they start to brown and all the water gets released. Make sure the chicken pieces are clean and dry, otherwise there will be too much water.
Once the chicken is semi-cooked, add the poppy seeds paste and cashew paste, and mix well. Make sure every piece of the chicken gets coated in this thick masala. Be gentle with the stirring so that you do not break any meat.
Keep stirring at regular intervals for another five minutes. Add water, cover and cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. This is an essential step to ensure the chicken gets super soft.
Take the lid off and check the chicken. It will be done by this time. As the last step, sprinkle some garam masala on top and give it one last stir.
Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander leaves and green chili.
Serve hot with parathas or roti. [/directions]

Related recipe – Kasturi Chicken

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Happy cooking!

Street Style Pad Thai Noodles at Home

Pad Thai noodles is an epic dish. It is not only found in almost every street corner in Thailand, the world has opened its arms and embraced this beautiful noodle dish because of its simplicity and divine taste. I have been a big fan for years now. I whip it up in my kitchen every once in a while. Trust me, it is very easy. Just make sure you have some key ingredients and in no time you can make this recipe for yourself in the comfort of your homes!

Pad Thai Noodles has it all in terms of taste and texture. Flavors include sweetness, fiery sauces, salt and an equal amount of sourness from lime and vinegar. You can add one or more protein to your pad thai noodles, be it chicken, shrimp or tofu. Eggs are a must add in street style pad thai noodles and they make it extra yum! I have gone ahead and added more than one protein because, why not? 😀

The most important ingredient that you most probably might not have are mung bean sprouts. I usually grow them at home, it takes about 3-6 days. They are also available in the market but not so much in India. So you can either grow your own (they are super simple to grow btw) or get it from a store if you wish. I suggest a homemade version because that will be super fresh. I usually make a large batch and store it for weeks in the refrigerator.

So take note of some key ingredients and you will be good to go.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 15 minutes

Serves – 2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the sauce:

4 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp crushed palm sugar/regular sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce

For the noodles:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
20 g garlic, finely chopped
50 g tofu, cut into cubes
100 g shrimps, deveined and cleaned
2 eggs
100 g flat rice noodles
Green onions for garnish
A handful of mung bean sprouts
50 g crushed peanuts
Chili flakes for garnish
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Soak the flat rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes.
Make the pad thai sauce by mixing all the ingredients mentioned – lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, Sriracha sauce and fish sauce. Mix well and save for cooking.
Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic and onion and saute for about a minute.
Add the tofu and the shrimp to the wok, and fry for another two minutes. Cook the shrimp one minute on each side.
Shift the tofu and the shrimp to the sides of the wok, clearing out the middle. Break open to eggs into this and let it cook.
Be gentle with the egg and give it a light stir, eventually mixing it up with the rest of the ingredients in the wok.
Time to add the soaked noodles to the wok and mix well.
Pour in the pad thai sauce to this and mix it all up till every strand of the noodles gets soaked in the sauce.
Once done, add green onions, mung bean sprouts, and crushed peanut for extra crunch. Give it one last toss.
Serve on a plate with lime, bean sprouts, crushed peanut and chili flakes on the side. Serve hot! [/directions]

You will be amazed at how good this simple preparation tastes. Do try and let me know how it came out. Happy cooking!