Ingredients for Chicken in Almond Sauce:
Boneless chicken breasts 4
Almond paste ¼ cup
Butter 3 tsp
Garlic chopped 5-6 cloves
Onion chopped 1
Button mushrooms 4-5
White sauce ½ cup
Tomato puree ¼ cup
Tomato ketchup 2 tsp
Olive oil 2 tsp
Capsicums (different coloured if available) 3
Salt to taste
Nutmeg powder ¼ tsp
Method:
Heat butter in a pan.
Add onion, garlic, and sauté.
Add mushrooms and continue to sauté.
Add chicken pieces and continue to sauté.
When the chicken is lightly coloured, add white sauce and mix.
Add tomato puree and tomato ketchup.
Mix and cook for a minute.
Add almond paste and a quarter cup of water and mix well.
In another pan heat olive oil.
Add the capsicums and sauté.
Add salt to the chicken. Sprinkle nutmeg powder, mixed herbs and black pepper powder.
Add sautéed capsicums to the chicken mix and serve hot.
Ingredients for Spicy Fish Curry:
Fillet fish ½ kg
Oil 3 tbsp
Finely chopped onion 1 large
Kalonji (onion seeds) 1 tsp
Whole dry red chillies 6
Finely chopped garlic 2 tsp
Chopped tomatoes 2
Desiccated coconut 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Zeera powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp
Method:
Heat oil, add onions, and fry until soft.
Add kalonji, sabut laal mirch and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, coconut, salt, dhania, zeera and chilli powders.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the fish pieces along with water, cook, until fish is tender and water has almost evaporated.
Mix in lemon juice and chopped coriander.
Serve hot with rice.
Ingredients for Chicken Koftas:
Chicken mince ½ kg
Cinnamon powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 3 tbsp
Boiled onion paste 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Tomato puree 1 cup
Cashewnut paste 2/3 cup
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Pomegranate syrup 2 tbsp
Cream 1 cup
Method:
Mix cinnamon powder, one teaspoonful of salt and minced chicken thoroughly.
Divide the mix into equal portions.
Shape them into balls.
Keep the koftas aside.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add boiled onion paste and cook till onions turn pink.
Add ginger-garlic paste.
Sauté for a minute, then add coriander powder and red chilli powder.
Stir in tomato puree and cashewnut paste dissolved in a little water.
Cook for five minutes on a high flame, stirring continuously.
Add one and half cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Add chicken koftas and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garam masala powder and pomegranate syrup.
Check and adjust seasoning. Simmer for five minutes.
Stir in cream.
Ingredients for Bengali Chicken:
Chicken 1 kg
Dried whole red chillies 8-9
Coriander seeds 4-½ tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Onions 6
Garlic paste 1 tbsp
Red chilli paste or powder ½ tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Cashew nuts paste 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water or Chicken Stock 1 cup
Method:
Dry roast 4 tbsp coriander seeds and broken whole red chillies till they are fragrant, then grind into powder.
Marinate chicken with the ground masala, 1 tbsp oil, garlic paste, a little salt and red chilli paste for at least 1-2 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, cut 1/3rd of the onions into fine slices and make the rest into a thick paste.
Now heat about 2-3 tbsp oil, add remaining coriander seeds onion slices and fry till translucent pink.
Add the paste and fry together till some oil starts to ooze out.
Then add the marinated chicken and red chilli powder.
Add water and cover cook until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the lid, check and add salt to taste and turn the flame on high and cook until the gravy thickens.
Add the cashew paste stir well, cook for a minute, and then remove from heat.
Bengali Chicken by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Glazed Chicken Drumsticks:
Chicken drumsticks 1 kg
Water 1 cup
Ketchup 2/3 cup
Vinegar 2/3 cup
Brown sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 2-½ tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Worcestershire sauce 1-½ tbsp
Mustard 1-½ tbsp
Chili powder 2 tbsp
Method:
Whisk water, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, salt, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and chili powder together in a bowl.
Pour mixture over drumsticks.
Place in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake in preheated oven at 200 degrees C or until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour, turning chicken about halfway through.
Glazed Chicken Drumsticks by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Fish Curry:
Fish ½ kg
Coriander leaves a few
Green chilies 4-5
Ginger paste 1-½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 3-4 tsp
Pureed tomatoes 2-3
Curd 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Sugar a pinch
Method:
On the fish apply turmeric and salt and deep fry in hot oil.
Do not discard the oil, as some of the fish oil could be used for preparing the curry. Keep aside the fried fish.
Grind to a thick paste the coriander leaves, green chilies, and ginger paste, with some salt.
Heat the used oil and add some cumin seeds, followed by the green paste and sauté until lightly fragrant.
Add a pinch of sugar.
Add the pureed tomato and fry for another minute, before adding coriander, red chili, and salt.
Lastly, add a tsp of fresh curd and stir in until oil leaves the sides of the kadahi.
Add some water and allow it to boil.
Once the curry comes to a boil, add the fried fish pieces and let it simmer for some time.
Serve it with a handful of fresh coriander leaves and serve with a bowl of steamed rice..
Fish Curry by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Liver Masala:
Chicken Liver 1 kg
Chopped garlic cloves 5-6
Chopped curry leaves 5-6
Paste of fried onions and coconut 4 tbsp
Chopped onions 2
Tomato puree 2 tbsp
Red chili powder 2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil
Lemon juice
Method:
Take Oil in a Pan.
Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add finely chopped garlic and curry leaves.
Then add onions and stir-fry till translucent.
Add the Fried onion & Coconut paste and stir well till they blend well.
Add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder and stir well till the paste leaves out oil and turns brown.
Add Chicken Liver, water and cover and cook till done.
Garnish with chili and serve with some Onion and Lemon rings.
Liver Masala by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Dum Chicken:
Chicken (cut into 8 pieces) ½ kg
Yogurt 1/2 cup
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2-3 tbsp
Cloves 4-5
Cinnamon 2-inch stick
Bay leaves 2
Finely chopped ginger 2-inch piece
Finely chopped onions 3
Green cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Black cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Method:
Mix together chicken, yogurt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt in a bowl and set aside to marinate for ½ hour. Heat oil add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and sauté till fragrant.
Add ginger, onions, and sauté lightly for 2-3 minutes.
Add marinated chicken and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add green cardamom powder, black cardamom powder and mix well.
Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot.
Dum Chicken by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Green Chilli Chicken:
Chicken 1-1/2 inch pieces 1 kg
Small green chillies 1 cup
Green chillies (chopped) 3
Onions (quartered) 2
Garlic 10 cloves
Ginger (sliced) 1-1/2 inch piece
Fresh coriander leaves (chopped) 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Method:
Grind together the chopped green chillies, onions, garlic, ginger, chopped fresh coriander and salt.
Marinate the chicken in this mixture for about half an hour.
Heat the oil, add the cumin seeds.
When they begin to change colour add the turmeric powder.
Add the marinated chicken and small green chillies and mix well.
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder and stir to mix.
Add the garam masala powder and adjust the seasoning.
Stir in half a cup of water, cover and cook.
Lower the heat and cook for another eight to ten minutes or till the chicken is cooked.
Serve hot.
Green Chilli Chicken by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Saag Gosht:
Mutton 1-1/2 inch pieces ½ kg
Spinach ½ kg
Salt to taste
Green chilli 5
Olive oil 4 tbsp
Bay leaves 2
Clove 4
Cinnamon 1-inch piece
Green cardamom 6
Black cardamom 2
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Onion (sliced) 3
Garlic (chopped) 6-8 cloves
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Garlic paste 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Ginger (thin slices) 1-inch piece
Method:
Blanch spinach leaves in salted boiling water for one minute.
Drain well and coarsely grind it along with green chillies.
Heat oil.
Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, black cardamoms and cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds begin to change colour, add onions.
Cook till onions are translucent.
Add chopped garlic and mix well.
Add ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder and mutton pieces.
Cook on high heat, stirring continuously.
Add three cups of water and cook covered, on medium heat, for thirty to thirty five minutes or until mutton is almost done.
Add salt and spinach and cook till mutton is fully blended with spinach and is tender. Serve hot, garnished with ginger strips.
Saag Gosht by Zarnak Sidhwa
Ingredients for Chicken Qourma:
Chicken 1 kg
Yogurt 2 cups
Garlic 2
Onions (chopped) 3 cloves
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Ginger (chopped) 2 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Ground coriander 2 tsp
Ground green chillies 4-5
Cumin 1 tsp
Seeds of peeled cardamom of 2 pods
Poppy seed 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Fresh coriander (chopped) 2 tbsp
Method:
Marinate chicken with yogurt, 1 clove garlic, half an onion, red chilli powder, ginger, salt and pepper for a few hours.
Heat oil gently sauté remaining onion and garlic for 1 minute.
Remove and set aside.
Add the coriander, chilies, cumin, cardamom seeds, poppy seed and turmeric.
Fry for a few minutes.
Add the chicken.
Pour enough water to cover and add remaining marinade.
Add onion and garlic with bay leaf.
Simmer until chicken is tender.
Sprinkle the chicken korma with fresh coriander and serve.
Ingredients for Paneer Kali Mirch:
Oil 1 tsp
Cloves 4
Green cardamoms 4
Cinnamon 1-inch piece
Onion 1
Ginger 1 tsp
Garlic 1 tsp
Green chillies 3-4
Yogurt 3 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 3/4 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Cream 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder or paprika 1/4 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Garam masala 1/4 tsp
Paneer 250 gm
Coriander to garnish
Mint leaves to garnish
Method:
Heat oil and add the cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon and sauté.
Slice 1 onion and fry it till brown, then blend with little water to make paste.
Now blend 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp garlic and 3-4 green chillies to make a paste.
Add onion paste and cook well.
Add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste.
Sauté.
Add yogurt.
Cook and add coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, turmeric and red chilli and salt.
Add cottage cheese cubes and cream as well as 1/2 cup water.
Let cook on low heat.
Serve garnished with coriander and mint leaves.
Paneer Kali Mirch by Zarnak Sidhwa
