Homely Platter

  INGREDIENTS: Chicken 300 grams (thigh or breast cut into small bite-sized cubes) Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 tsp Green Chili Paste 1 tsp Lemon Juice 1 tbsp Red Chili powder 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (kasoori methi) 1 tsp Gram Flour (Besan) 4 tbsp Rice flour or corn flour 2 tbsp Baking soda, a pinch Oil for deep frying and 1 tbsp hot oil for the batter Salt to taste METHOD: Serving Size: 6-7 In a bowl, mix the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, green chili paste, lemon juice, and salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. This step tenderizes the chicken. Add the besan, rice flour, kasoori methi, red chili powder, baking soda, and 1 tbsp of hot oil to the marinated chicken. Adding hot oil to the batter creates a ''short'' crust that stays crispy longer. Mix well so every piece is coated. If the batter is too dry, sprinkle a few drops of water until the mixture is thick and clings to the chicken. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Drop the chick...

  INGREDIENTS: Jack fruit, 300 grams, cubed Potato 1 large boiled and mashed Peanuts 1/4 cup dry-roasted and lightly crushed Shredded Coconut 1/4 cup dry-roasted until golden brown and fragrant Gram Flour 3-4 tbsp dry-roasted until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker Onion 1 large, finely chopped Ginger 1-inch grated Green Chilis 2-3 finely chopped Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp Semolina 1/4 cup Salt to taste Sugar 1/2 tsp Coriander Leaves 2-3 tbsp chopped Oil for shallow frying METHOD: Serving Size: 5-6 Boil the jackfruit cubes with a pinch of turmeric and salt until tender. Drain the water and let them cool. Mash them into a slightly coarse texture. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Sauté the chopped onions until soft and translucent. Add the grated ginger and green chilis and cook them for a few seconds. Add the mashed jackfruit, potatoes and the dry spice powders. Cook until the excess moisture is dried.  Turn off the heat and ...

  INGREDIENTS: Gobindobhog Rice 2 cups Ghee 3 tbsp Ginger 2 tbsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Warm Milk 1/4 cup with a pinch of saffron strands Bay Leaves 1-2 Green Cardamom 4-5 Cinnamon Stick 1-inch Cloves 4-5 Cashews 2 tbsp Raisins 2 tbsp Sugar 4-5 tbsp Salt to taste Green Chilis 2-3 slit Hot Water 4 cups METHOD: Serving size: 4-5 Wash the rice, drain it, and spread it on a tray to air-dry completely. Once dry, toss the rice with ginger paste, turmeric powder and 1 tbsp of ghee. Marinate for 1 hour. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining ghee and add the whole spices. Once they sizzle, add the cashews. Sauté until they turn golden. Add the marinated rice and raisins to the pot. Sauté on a low-medium heat until the rice turns translucent and smells aromatic.  Pour in the hot water, saffron milk and salt. Once the water comes to a boil, cook covered on the lowest possible heat for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is 90 per cent done.  Turn off the heat. Add sugar and slit gr...

  INGREDIENTS: Jackfruit 250 grams  Mutton Mince (Keema) 250 grams Mustard Oil 4 tbsp Onion 2 large, finely chopped Ginger-garlic Paste 2 tbsp Tomatoes 2 pureed Coriander Powder 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili powder 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp Bay Leaf 2 Cinnamon 1-inch Green Cardamoms 3-4 Cloves 3-4 Salt to taste Sugar 1/2 tsp Coriander Leaves 1-2  tbsp METHOD: Serving size: 4-5 Peel and core the jackfruit, then cut it into 1 cm cubes.  Parboil with salt and turmeric for 8–10 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Clean the mutton keema and place it in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of ginger/garlic paste, and 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or until tender. Set aside. Heat 1 tsp of mustard oil in a pan. Add the parboiled jackfruit cubes and saute on medium-high heat until a thin, golden-brown crust forms on the edges. This  prevents it from turning mushy. Remove   and set aside. In the s...

INGREDIENTS: Basmati Rice 2 cups (soaked for 30 minutes and drained) Green Peas 1 cup Potatoes 2 large, (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes) Mustard Oil 3 tbsp Onion 1 large, thinly sliced Ginger-Garlic Pate 2 tbsp Green Chilis 2-3 slit Asafoetida (Hing) a pinch Bay Leaf 1 Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Green Cardamom 3-4 Cloves 3-4 Cinnamon 1-inch Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder 1tsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp Salt to taste Lemon Juice 1 tsp Warm Water 4 cups METHOD: Serving Size: 4-5 Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Fry the potatoes until they develop a golden-brown crust on all sides. Remove and set aside. Blanch the green peas in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. Immediately drop them in ice-cold water. This ensures the peas stay vibrant green. In the same oil, add hing, cumin seeds and the whole spices. Once they sizzle, add the sliced onions. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.  Add the ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilis. Sa...

  INGREDIENTS: Eggs 4 (Hard-boiled and peeled) Onion 1 large, finely chopped Tomato 1 finely chopped Green Chilis 1-2 finely chopped Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 tsp Butter 1 tbsp Oil 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder, a pinch Salt to taste Coriander Leaves 2 tbsp chopped METHOD: Serving Size: 2-3 Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half vertically. Carefully lift out the whole yolks. Set them aside on a plate. Finely chop the egg whites into cubes. Heat the oil and butter in a pan. Add the onions and saute until they turn translucent.  Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chilis. Sauté for a few seconds, then add the tomatoes, salt and the spice powders. Cook until the tomatoes soften, and the oil separates. Fold in the chopped egg whites. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes so the whites absorb the masala flavors. Finally, place the egg yolks into the pan. Stir gently and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle black pepper po...