Month: March 2020

Dhaba chicken

main meal

Many years ago, I happened to come across a concept to making a meat dish similar to the recipe I will be sharing with you all today. This particular dish is really very tasty, and best eaten with parathas or phulkas. For those of you who are eggetarians, can substitute paneer for chicken. Just imagine a delicious chicken curry, topped with beaten and seasoned eggs, then steamed for a short time.
Please try and use boneless chicken fillet or thigh .
The name which I have given to this dish, not a very original name for sure, but thats how I have written it in my cook book. And also because I always make it in a stainless steel container, which is also called a dhaba. Today’s reference picture also contains a small glass ramekin, in which I made it, just for you all to see how it looks.
Do try this recipe, and serve it with kechumbo( onion relish).

Dhaba chicken

500 gms boneless chicken cut into cubes.
150 gms finely chopped onions
2 tomatoes
4 pods garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
1 sprig curry leaves(12 leaves)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chillie powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp chicken tikka masala or any box masala you have handy
Salt to taste
1 cup thick yogurt
Chopped corriander leaves.
2 eggs .
Grated cheddar cheese.

METHOD.
Take a bowl, add yogurt, red chillie powder, turmeric, corriander powder, garam masala, chicken tikka masala, chicken cubes. Mix well and keep aside.
Now heat 4 tbsps oil in a pot, and add finely chopped onions .
Saute till golden brown , remove and keep aside. When cool, blend together with 2 tomatoes and keep aside.
In a mixer jar, add curry leaves, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic. Add little water and grind to a fine paste.
Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan and add the curry leaf paste, saute for 5 mins and add marinated chicken..cook till almost dry, then add the fried onion tomato paste. Cook till oil seperates. Add salt and corriander leaves. Check the gravy.
Consistency of gravy should be thick, but not dry.
Lastly smoke it.( optional) ( picture is included)
Now, put the chicken curry into a steel or heat resistant glass container. Beat eggs in a bowl , season with salt , and pour on top of the curry. Top with grated cheddar cheese, sprinkle red chillie powder and chopped corriander leaves.
Steam in a hot steamer for 10 or 15 mins. Serve hot with parathas or phulkas. And onion relish.

ONION RELISH/ KECHUMBO
Cut one big onion into slices, grate one carrot, and thinly sliced paprika. Mix with with 2 tsps salt. After sometime wash under running water, squeeze out all water, and add lime juice, salt and sugar to taste.

Tofu, egg and sprouts Salad with Peanut sauce

main meal

( Tofu ,beansprouts and egg salad with peanut sauce)

ALSO KNOWN AS TAHU TELOR .

This delicious dish can be called a cousin to the famous gado gado salad of Indonesia. Easy to make and assemble.
Having lived in Indonesia since 35 years, my taste buds have got used to the delicious food available here except for tofu or tahu as its known here. For me given a choice between tofu and paneer, paneer wins hands down anyday. But on the other hand, tofu and tempe are staples in the Indonesian diet, and a good source of protein . Both tofu and tempe are also present at afternoon meals in our home too. Fried, sauted, steamed..any which way. So, i have learnt to befriend tofu in some dishes.
Growing up in India, we did not really know much about tofu, even with the advent of chinese restaurants, which started mushrooming all over India during the 1970’s., tofu was not part of thier menu. Chinese food was of course egg fried rice, hakka noodles and veg manchurian😊. The awesome chindian food, especially catering to the Indian Palette. Frankly speaking, I still love that particular chindian food which i definetely make it a point to have when in Pune. The spring rolls at chinese room are my favourite. Tofu is now easily available in India, and many people have replaced paneer with tofu in the new fad vegan diets.
So on to today’s recipe..pls do try it.
Best eaten with warm sauce.


Ingredients.
Tofu/ paneer 300 gms cut into small cubes.
3 eggs
100 gms fried peanuts with skin or without
Plus 4 tbsps fried peanuts.
100 gms beansprouts, blanched.
4 tbsps chopped celery
4 tbsps finely chopped spring onions
4 kaffir lime leaves ( middle stock removed)
1 big cucumber slit and chopped in semi circles.
4 tbsps fried onion
1/2 tsp white pepper
Salt to taste
Veg stock powder, or msg 1/4 tsp
3 bird chillies, 3 red chillies
3 pods of garlic
30 gms palm sugar( I have boiled the palm sugar with little water , and strained to get rid of impurities.)
3 tbsps tamarind pulp

Method
1. Saute the red chillies, bird eye chillies and garlic in 2 tbsps oil.
2. In a mixer jar, add fried peanuts, chillies and garlic. Add salt, pepper and veg stock powder., the kaffir lime leaves. Add some water and blend to a thick paste.
3. Heat 2 or 3 tbsps oil, and put the peanut paste. Saute for a while, and add palm sugar and tamarind water. Also add about one cup water and let it cook till oil starts seperating.
Keep aside.
4. Now beat 3 eggs, season with salt and pepper.
Add tofu cubes to the eggs and mix.
Heat 1 tbsps of oil in a wok, slide in a laddle of the egg and tofu mixture., you can do it it in batches.( I got about 8 small omelettes)
Stir for a bit and let semi set. After a while flip it over.
Slide onto a serving platter.
Top with cucumber, beansprouts, peanut sauce, celery leaves,spring onions, fried onions and some fried peanuts.
Serve warm. Enjoy.