Chicken Ishtu / Indian Style Spiced Chicken Stew

Chicken Ishtu / Indian Style Spiced Chicken Stew
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During the British Colonial Rule in India, a lot many British recipes were picked up by the khansamas appointed to cook for the British officers' families. They were adapted according to the Indian taste buds and became very popular in the parties and the local cafes and cabins. This adaptation was very mutual...and worked on both sides. Chicken Ishtu is such a recipe...where a simple chicken stew recipe was taken and was spiced up to get rid of that typical bland stew taste. There are various chicken ishtu recipes available across India as khansamas used whatever ingredients were available to them....and the regional taste buds also played a role in it as well. The chicken ishtu recipe I am sharing today is from Lucknow and has a very beautiful yellow hue to it....and a very sour, tart taste coming from the lime and yogurt.

Chicken Ishtu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken legs (each leg piece should be cut into 2 pieces)

2 large onions - thinly sliiced

5 fat cloves of garlic - paste

1 inch ginger root - paste

Juice of 1 whole lime

2-3 dry red chillies

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp crushed cumin seeds

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

A little grated nutmeg

1 blade of mace

A handful of coriander leaves 

Some lime wedges

A few drops of kewra water / screw pine water

1/2 cup yogurt

Salt to taste

Method:

In a large bowl add the yogurt, sliced onions, lime juice, ginger -garlic paste, salt, kewra water and  crushed cumin and coriander seeds. Whisk them to make a smooth paste.

Now add to them the chicken pieces and mace.

Generously massage the chicken pieces with the marinade.

Let it stay covered at the kitchen counter for an hour or two or overnight inside the fridge.

When you are ready to cook transfer them in a kadai / Indian wok and cover the kadai nicely so that no steam can escape.

Switch the gas to the lowest flame and gently cook the chicken for about 2 hours.

After 30 minutes check whether the curry needs any water or not. If the stew appears dey add a cup of water to them and conitue cooking until the chicken turns fork tender.

The final stew should be runny like a stew, so adjust the quantity of water and seasoning accordingly.

After you have adjusted the water and seasoning simmer for another 5 minutes covered, and switch off the flame.

Before serving top the stew with finely chopped coriander leaves and lime wedges.

Enjoy the ishtu with some steamed hot basmati rice.

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Garlic Prawn Creamy Pasta

Garlic Prawn Creamy Pasta
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Creamy pastas are my current love. It is in no way authentic Italian...but it's easy, quick and is exactly the way I like it. I avoid eating rice during the day because it makes me sleepy after lunch...and when salad is something I am not craving pastas come to the rescue. And if I limit the portion of pasta the card intake stays within the limit. I always feel that eating healthy does not mean eating tasteless food. I believe in good food which satisfies the mind as well as the body, so I eat whatever I feel like in moderation and that keeps my PCOD in control as well.

Garlic and Prawns Creamy Pasta

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Spaghetti of 1 serving

6 large prawns - devained 

2 cloves of garlic - finely minced

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Salt & pepper

1 to red chilli flakes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp grated parmiggiano

Method:

In a saucepan start boiling enough water to cook the pasta.

As soon as the water comes to a boil add salt and spaghetti to cook.

Cook the pasta according to the package instruction. When there is 3-4 minutes left to cook the pasta completely start making the sauce.

In a frying pan add the butter and olive oil and wait for the butter to melt.

Add the minced garlic, prawns, salt & pepper and cook the prawns until they start to turn pink.

Now add the cream and simmer for a minute.

Now add the almost cooked pasta to the sauce and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.

Adjust the seasoning as per taste.

Add the Pamiggiano and the red chilli flakes.

Serve immediately with some more grated parmiggiano on top.

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Lemon Ice Cream

Lemon Ice Cream
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A tangy and sweet summer favourite is Lemon Ice Cream. It might take a few minute to make the lemon curd and to churn the ice cream the next day..but it's so worth it. Try it if you love that pucker lemon taste as much as I do.

 

Lemon Ice Cream

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups of heavy whipping cream (35% butter content)

2 cups of whole milk

2 and 1/4 cup of white sugar

1 cup of lemon juice and zest

1/4 tsp salt

3 egg yolks

Method:

In a heat proof large mixing bowl add in the sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice.

Place the bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water. The water should not touch the bowl.

With a spatula start mixing the egg yolks and sugar mixture. Do not stop. Stir continuously until you see the mixture turning into a mayonnaise like consistency.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir in the salt and the lemon zest.

In another saucepan heat the heavy cream and whole milk together. Do not let them come to a boil. Remove them from the stovetop as soon as you see bubble at the edge of the saucepan.

Slowly stir in the cream mixture to the lemon curd, while constantly whisking it with the other hand.

Now heat the milk and egg mixture on low flame while stirring it constantly with a spatula. 

When the mixture starts to become thick (i.e. you can swipe your finger on the back of the spatula and it stays apart). switch off the gas.

Pour the custard in a bowl and wrap it with a cling film tightly.

Let the custard come to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge.

Chill it overnight and the next morning churn it in the ice cream machine as per it's direction.

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Strawberry Shrikhand

Strawberry Shrikhand
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You have heard about Strawberry fool..now hear Strawberry Shrikhand from me. Shrikhand is an Indian yogurt based dessert made from the hung curd, or you can use Greek yogurt in place of that, it's readily available in the market. Sweeten the yogurt with some granulated sugar and flavour it with green cardamom or fold in the pulp of any seasonal fruit. And, it's ready. It is as simple as that sounds. 

Strawberry Shrikhand

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 cups of normal yogurt / 3 cups of Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of sugar
10 strawberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pistachio to garnish
Method:
Hang the yogurt tied in a cheesecloth / muslin cloth overnight.
The nextday, untie the cheesecloth and transfer the hung curd into a bowl.
In a large bowl, muddle the strawberries and add in the vanilla extract and sugar.
Give a good stir and leave it at the kitchen counter for an hour.
Mix the yogurt with the starwberries.
Cover the bowl with it's lid or a cling film and leave it inside the fridge for another 4-6 hours.
Serve chilled with lots of pistachios and sliced strawberries on top.

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Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats
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In this busy mommy life overnight oats is a bliss...actually it's a goon in disguise. There can be no recipe which can be like....ever easier than this. There are already tons of recipes in the web...already helping people and so many people I know already make this for their breakfast...so I guess one additional recipe can not do any harm.

Overnight oatsMakes for 2

Ingredients:
1 cup of yogurt (don't use Greek yogurt. It's very thick and we need moisture to soak the oats. If you are using Green yogurt just increase the amount of milk or water.)
1 cup of milk
1 tbsp chia seeds / or basil seeds (whichever you have)
1/2 cup of traditional rolled oats
A handful of nuts of your choice
Sweetener of your choice (you can use sugar, honey, maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar...there are endless choices. But I keep mine sugar free.)
1 and 1/2 cup of chopped fruit of your choice (I have used mangoes, kiwi, pomegranate pearls and blueberries. But seriously use any fruit you have and like.)

Method:
In a bowl mix in the yogurt, milk, chia seeds and rolled oats, undil they are all mixed properly.
Divide the mixture in two seperate mason jars or container.
Leave them inside the fridge overnight.
In the morning just grab the container and mix in the fruits, nuts and sweetener of your choice...and it's ready!!!
It can not get easier than this. Trust me.

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Potato Patties

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Saffron And Pistachio Kulfi

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Lauki Paratha /Bottle Gourd Paratha

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Begun Diye Sojne Phool Bhaja / Stir-fried Moringa Leaves with Eggplant

Begun Diye Sojne Phool Bhaja / Stir-fried Moringa Leaves with Eggplant
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Another winter favourite from the Bengali Cuisine. Moringa flowers stir fried with eggplants,
is a popular entre during the winter season, but with just a dollop of ghee one can also finish his one's fill of rice as well.

Begun Diye Sojne Phool Bhaja / Stir-fried Moringa Leaves with Eggplant
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Moringa flower / sojne fool 2 cups
1 medium eggplant cut into small cubes
1/4 cup of pure virgin mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Method:
Pick up the flowers from the stems and give them a quick wash.
Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on the eggplant pieces.
Heat the mustard oil in a kadai and stir fry the eggplants (if required cover them for 1 minute) until the eggplants become soft. take them out of the kadai into a plate and keep aside.
Now add the flowers to the remaining oil.
Give them a quick stir and then mix in the fried eggplants. Give them another quick toss and then switch off the flame.  Transfer them to a serving bowl and they are ready to gobble up with some ghee and hot hot rice. 

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Chaal Fulkopi / Cauliflower and Rice Mish-Mash

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Tropical Fruit Salad

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Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes
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Supermarkets are now flooded with cherry tomatoes. I love these cute tomatoes...they are great for salads...and for a quick sauce like this, cherry tomatoes are perfect. The only downside of cherry tomatoes are they need a lot of time prepping, cutting each of them one by one is a huge problem...but if you can do this ahead of time, then buddy you are sorted.

This simple pasta recipe is a savior for those days when I have to cook something within 15 minutes. With those sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes...this recipe is here to stay!!

Spaghetti with fresh cherry tomatoes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
250 gm of cherry or grape tomatoes - cut into halves
2 cloves of garlic - finely minced
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
A handful of flat leaf parseley - finely chopped
Salt & pepper
A few fresh basil leaves - chopped
1 tbsp fresh parmiggiano-reggiano
1/2 lemon

Method:
Fill a pot with enough water to cook the spaghetti.
When the water comes to a boil add enough salt to that water so that the water tastes like sea water.
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. When the they are almost cooked start preparing the sauce.
On another pan heat the olive oil and add the minced garlic to them. Adding the garlic to the cold oil while it's being heated up will give the garlic enough time to infuse the oil with it's flavour.
When the garlic starts to change it's colour add the halved cherry tomatoes to them.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper and let the tomatoes cook for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
As soon as the tomatoes start to become soft take the cooked spaghetti and dump them on the tomatoes.
Add 1/4 cup of the pasra water as well.
Stir to coat the spaghetti with the tomatoes and their juices.
Simmer for about 2 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.
Switch off the flame and mix in the chopped basil and parseley.
Squeeze the lemon.
Serve with fresh parmiggiano-reggiano on top of them.

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Slow Cooked Bengali Mutton Kosha

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Chilli Oil

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Strawberry Lemonade

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Patra Ni Machi

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Tuna Sandwich

Tuna Sandwich
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Rain comes viciously at the night after a few days of heat atrocities. Some nights I forget to close the kitchen window and the next day I wake up to a completely flooded kitchen. May be the break I took from this blog was not what I intended but it definitely did something good. I went to India for 2 months and watched my mother and aunt cook meals...got to learn a lot. Although Ishaan gave me little time to sit idle...but every minute counted. I also bought a stone grinder "sheel nora" but it weighed 4 kgs and couldn't bring it with me to Abidjan as all our luggage was fully occupied with necessary goods. For a change I liked cooking and not bothering about taking pictures. I tried new recipes, some were good and some were okayish..but cooking only for the sake of cooking gave me an overwhelming peace of mind. I did not share pictures on insta or facebook....at first I felt bad, but not now. I think we rely on social media so much that we are loosing the moments to enjoy the purity in it.

I made Mac and Cheese for the first time last week. I used orange cheddar, guda, gruyer,  a mixture of parmiggiano and pecorino romano and a good amount of fresh mozzarella. It turned out saucy, cheesy and perfectly gooyee with a melt in the mouth pastas but yhe taste was soooo bland that I couldn't help but add a good dash of my red chilli paste and a generous amount of black pepper, and there I had it, my kind of spicy and hot Mac and Cheese. Next time I am.going to try it with some king prawns and take my chances of gaining another extra kilo. Yeah...I am sure I will take my chances. But for other days I have my tuna sandwich.

Canned tuna and sardines have always been my favourites. I prefer the sardines for the curry and tuna makes excellent salad and sandwiches. Fresh and meaty...I will describe the tuna sandwich as that.

Tuna Sandwich
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 can of tuna
1 small onion - chopped
1 small cucumber - chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
Salt & pepper
Some lettuce leaves
Some.rocket leaves
4 slices of thick white breads

Method:
In a bowl throw in the drained canned tuna and shred with a fork.
Add in the onions, cucumbers, mayonnaise and salt & pepper.
Mix them well.
Toast the bread slices.
Spread one lettuce leaf on top of a bread slice.
Spread half of the tuna mix on top of the lettuce.
Top the mix with some rocket leaves.
Season with some salt and pepper.
Place another toasted bread slice on top of the leaves.
Cut the sandwich into halves.
Enjoy!!!!

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Honey and Hot Sauce Skewered Chicken

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Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks and Fudgy Brownie Bits

Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks and Fudgy Brownie Bits
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You don't need excuses to make ice creams...and when the weather is super hot and you are having only 4 hours of sleep in the night...making ice cream is a necessity. You need to indulge yourself and that is not an excuse.

This ice cream is not super chocolaty but it's full with brownies and chocolate chunks...which gives the ice cream a nice bite and surprises in every bite. If you want to save yourself from all the whippings then just get yourself a good quality vanilla bean ice cream and add the chocolate chunks and brownies. Next  I am going to try nutella...till then enjoy this beauty!!

Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks and Fudgy Brownie Bits

Ingredients:
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of chopped up chocolate (take the chocolate you love to eat. It can be dark, semi sweet, bitter sweet or milk chocolate or a combination)
1 cup of chopped fudgy brownie

Method:
Whip the heavy cream until you have medium stiff peaks.
With a spatula mix in the vanilla extract and the sweetened condensed milk.
Pour the mixture in a box and let it freeze for 3-4 hours.
After 4 hours take the ice cream base out of the fridge and mix in the chocolate chunks and the fudgy brownie bits.
Freeze for another 6-8 hours or preferably overnight.

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