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.
Tag: tomato
Aloo ka Salan with Khameeri Roti
In India, every region has its own popular recipes for aloo sabji/ salaan. The sookha aloo puri served in maharashtra, which is a popular dish to take on long train journeys, or the aloo or potato chaats of Banaras which are oh so spicy and tangy, the Dum aloo of Awadi cuisine and so on.
Potatoes are a favourite with children and adults. Also considered to be healthy carbs, unless fried.
But the pleasure of eating french fries dipped in different sauces, or biting into a piece of sindhi aloo tuk, double fried crispy goodness is something which I love. So when I came across this interesting recipe incorporating anjeer( dried figs) I knew I had to make this. And believe me it was a very tasty sabji which I paired with Khameeri Roti.
INGREDIENTS For Aloo Salan
4 boiled potatoes, cubed.
1 big onion finely chopped
2 +1 tbsps of mustard oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
4 medium tomates, finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
2 tsp khus khus(poppy seeds) soaked in 1 tsp water, then ground to a paste.
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turneric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 or 3 dried figs , diced.
Salt to taste
Fresh corriander leaves.
METHOD.
Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a pan and sauted the boiled potatoes till crisp.
Remove and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsps mustard oil , when it smokes add onions and saute till translucent.
Add cumin seeds, and ginger garlic.
Cook for few mins before adding the tomatoes, green chilli and all the dry spices.
Add the khus khus paste and diced figs.
Season with salt to taste.
Toss in the potatoes, and about half cup of water.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer covered for about 10 mins.
Adjust the gravy as you wish, I prefer a thick gravy which can be mopped up with a soft roti.
Garnish with corriander leaves.
KHAMEERI ROTI
In a deep bowl take 250 gms flour
Add 1 tbsp instant yeast, 1 tsp powdered sugar , 1 tsp salt.
Mix the dry ingredients and add 1 tbsp of oil. Rub with finger tips.
Add 100 ml of warm milk and 50 ml of warm water.
Knead to a smooth dough adding 1 tbsp oil as you go.
Cover with cling wrap and keep in a warm place for 1 hour.
After one hour, DON’T punch down the risen dough.
Just divide into 6 and roll out thin rotis.
Heat a tawa and put one roti, cook on high heat.
Flip after few mins and baste with flavoured oil, pressing with a spatula as you go.
Sprinkle corriander leaves .
And flip again.
Remove onto a plate.
Serve hot.
# Basting oil..
Take 1/4 cup oil, add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and 1/4 tsp red chilli powder.
Sindhi Aisi bhaji/sabji (spinach and Ridge gourd)
Todays Delicious recipe is in memory of my dear mother in law, who made this particular version of spinach and turaiya, whenever I had given birth to my children. Supposedly very good for lactating mothers. She made sure I ate this sabji every second day for 40 days after child birth. It had to be turaiya every day, either mixed with spinach or made plain with only cardamom, which we sindhis call as phote bhugun turiyuoon And to be frank I loved eating both these variations. She sometimes served it with plain chappatis and sometimes with mitho lolo( sweet flat bread).The only thing that she omitted was chillies. Aisi, otherwise would mean only spinach cooked plain with out the addition of any other vegetables. But, this version of mummy is really very tasty..😊
The way this sabji is cooked is almost like the famous sindhi saibhaji, but the addition of turaiya gives it super silky texture. We cook it in the pressure cooker and mash it towards the end till everything is one beautiful green smooth sabji. Adding garlic once while cooking and once as a tadka just enhances the taste.
Spinach was not my favourite vegetable when we were growing up, but as an adult it definately has a special place in my list of favourite vegetables. I remember my mother making tikkis out of left over saibhaji, just by adding boiled potatoes after drying out the sai bhaji as much as possible by cooking it further. She always panfried the tikkis which were yummy… A close cousin to the hara bhara tikkis which we relish at Indian restaurants.
Do try this simple recipe and serve with any simple pulav or phulkas.
Ingredients
350 gms peeled and chopped turaiya/ ridge gourd
150 gms chopped spinach
1 big onion finely chopped
2 tomatoes sliced
4 green chillies finely chopped
2 tbsps chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp methi seeds
1/2 tsp hing..asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsps oil
Method..
Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pressure cooker and add methi seeds, cumin and hing. Saute till fragrant.
Add chopped onion and saute till golden brown.
Add 1 tbsp of garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Add tomatoes, corriander powder, turmeric, salt
When tomatoes are pulpy, add chopped turaiya and cook till the turaiya start letting out water.
Add the chopped spinach and 1/4 cup of water.
Close the cooker and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
Open the lid, and churn with a wooden hand churner( mandiro) or an electric whisk.
Lastly heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan, add 1 tbsp chopped garlic and fry till pale golden. Add this tadka to the sabji…mix well and serve.
The complete Sindhi meal with Basar jo pulav, ( onion pulav) sookha aloo( potatoes with dry spices) Boondi raita, some fryums and onion carrot achar.
The cold sandwich cake
The cold sandwich cake
When sandwiches are mentioned everyone has thier own favourites. Sandwiches eaten during our school days in the Seventies , were very basic, as every Indian school going child will remember. Mostly white bread with butter and jam, or if you were lucky cheese and butter.Cheese was a luxury which not everyone had, especially in India. If you were lucky and had relatives staying abroad, then you would recieve small tins of kraft cheese😊. Of course Amul cheese cubes were already around, but were a little out of reach for an average middle class family. Back to sandwiches, my grandfather always had a slice of bread with green corriander and mint chutney as his evening snack. Those were the days when chutney was made using a grinding stone. The aroma of fresh mint and corriander leaves being crushed with green chillies and garlic is till today etched in my memory..
Whoever has lived in Pune, even for a short time will surely know about the Marzorin sandwiches. Soft crustless bread, filled with chicken, eggs, tomato and chutney… I crave these sandwiches even today…and they are a must on all my visits to Pune.
Todays recipe is a mixture of all my childhood memories..
Credit for the chicken pate filling goes to my friend hilda mascarenhas, who writes a wonderful food blog, hildastouchofspice.com. Do visit her food blog .
The cold sandwich cake
Basically you will require 3 types of fillings, and 16 slices of crustless bread
Ingredients..for chicken pate.
1 chicken breast
3 to 4 tbsps mayonaise
1 tbsps mustard paste
1 tsp honey
2 tbsps grated cucumber( helps to keep the filling moist)
Salt, pepper.
1 tbsp chopped celery leaves.
Method…
Boil the chicken in water which has been seasoned with salt and pepper.
Dispose the chicken bones, and put the meat in a food processor along with chopped celery..Pulse it and transfer the shredded chicken to a bowl, and add mayonaise, mustard, honey and cucumber. You should have a moist mixture. Keep aside.
Ingredients for second layer
4 Boiled eggs, sliced.
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumber
Butter
Ingredients for 3rd layer
1/ 4 th cup mayonaise
1/ 2 cup basil leaves
2 green chillies
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of one lime
Salt
4 slices of cheese.
Method…
Blend basil leaves, chillies, garlic, lime and mayonaise together to get a pretty green spread, season with salt and a pinch of sugar.
Other ingredients are, finely sliced radishes, shredded carrot, shredded lettuce leaves, alfalfa sprouts and mayonaise.
Method
Keep 4 slices of bread on a serving platter, in a neat square.
Apply butter thinly, and add the chicken pate, level till all the 4 slices of bread are covered.
Cover with 4 slices of bread, and apply butter lightly, top with sliced tomatoes sliced eggs, and sliced cucumber…season with salt and pepper.
Cover with 4 slices of bread, apply the basil mayonaise and top with 4 slices of cheese in a single layer..
Lastly, top with 4 slices of bread, whose underside is spread with basil mayonaise.
Press down gently, and apply mayonaise all over the sandwich, covering it from all sides.
Gently press shredded lettuce, carrots all over sides and top…decorate with radish slices, cucumber slices, and alfalfa sprouts.
Chill thoroughly, cut into wedges and serve
A beautiful centerpiece is ready for your parties..
Vegetarian fish seyal
When I say vegetarian fish, its the way this unique dish is presented. Making use of cabbage leaves to make rolls filled with a besan(chick pea flour) paste, and then deep fried , causing the cabbage to look like the skin of a fish.
Many years ago, I found this recipe in THE VEGETARIAN COOK BOOK BY SADHU VASWANI CENTER. Over the years I have made this dish frequently and with good results. It does require a little extra time, but the results are worth it.😊
Besan ki sabji is made in many different ways, the Rajhasthani people call it gaathe ki sabji, where in besan is mixed with spices, oil and water to form a dough, which is then made into small balls or cylindrical logs. These balls are then boiled in water , to be cooked and then added to delicious gravies.
We sindhis also make a delicious besan sabji, called besan ji ani. But the shape given to the dough is normally like small tikkis. These tikkis or anis are either steamed or fried, and added to different gravies.And the gravy to go with this is normally a seyal onion tomato one. Seyal gravy normally lets the onions turn just a light golden instead of brown. Its one of the basic gravies sindhis use.
The recipe I will share with you today uses besan and cabbage leaves. Do try this delicious sabji with hot phulkas…
Ingredients for the rolls
5 cabbage leaves, thick vein removed.
1 cup besan( chickpea flour)
2 tbsps chopped onion
1 tsp whole corriander seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chillie powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsps chopped corriander leaves
1/4th to 1/3 rd cup water
Thread to tie the rolls..
Method
Soften the cabbage leaves by putting them in boiling water for a minute. Remove and pat dry.
Mix the besan, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, salt, corriander seeds and onions along with the water to make a thick paste.
Take a cabbage leaf, apply the besan paste, roll up the leaf and tie with a thread to keep it secured.
Deep fry the cabbage rolls, discard the thread and keep aside.
The cabbage after being fried looks like the skin of fish…hence the name.
Ingredients for the seyal gravy
2 finely chopped onions
3 tomatoes pureed
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsps chopped ginger
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsps red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp shah jeera…caraway seeds
1/2 tsp ajwain
Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan, add onions and salt .
When onions turn a pale golden brown, add cumin seeds and ajwain, and ginger, garlic.
Saute well, add red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala.
Now add pureed tomatoes and let cook for a while, when oil seperates, add beaten curd and chopped corriander leaves.
After 5 mins, add the fried cabbage rolls.
Cover and cook for 5 mins.
Serve hot with phulkas.
SINDHI TALEBADI (KEEME JO LOLO) USING SOYA GRANULES
Many families in different parts of the world will surely have a meatloaf, or lolo as we sindhis call it on their menu. Of course the recipes will vary from the bland to the spicy or from rich to simple. Meat loaf is something which innovative housewives created using leftover cooked mince of beef, mutton or chicken. This dish has been popular in the sindhi community , and every sindhi homemaker will surely serve it on special occasions. Cooked mince and beaten eggs along with pasta come together to form a sindhi keeme jo lolo, which is normally steamed. Todays recipe is made with soya granules and eggs.
Growing up In a sindhi household , this lolo or talebadi was made when special guests were coming for dinner. Mummy would make at least 2 thalis (a steel platter with a raised rim).. The mutton keema(minced meat) was cooked lovingly till dry with aromatic spicies and cooled. Beaten eggs and cooked pasta ( makaroni) were mixed into the keema , and pored into the greased thalis. Generous amount of tomato ketchup was applied on the top and then the thalis were put into hot steamers.. The aroma of this delicious lolo wafted into the kitchen and we as children waited for the lolo to be cooked and served. It was cut into square pieces when cool and wiped clean in minutes..:). This lolo is also protein packed, easy to cook and can be served with a salad on the side to make a complete meal
Today when I make this at home, I prefer using vegetarian soya granules/ nutri/ protina. This is my husbands favourite. Do try this recipe which is perfect for vegetarians who eat eggs.
Ingredients
1 small cup of soya granules boiled in water for 10 mins, drain and squeeze out excess water.
3 tbsps oil
2 big onions finely chopped
2 tomatoes pureed
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp shah jeeri (caraway seeds)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp corriander powder
salt to taste
1 cup boiled pasta..( I use elbow macaroni)
3 eggs lightly beaten
few tbsps of tomato sauce
grated cheese for garnish
chopped corriander for garnish as well as cooking
method..
Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of oil, to this add the boiled soya granules and saute till the granules become a little crispy. Remove and keep aside in a bowl.
In the same pan add 2 tbsps of oil and add onions,saute till limp and translucent. At this point add 1 tsp salt to the onions to hasten the browning process, cook till onions turn a golden brown.
Add caraway seeds ( shah jeeri) and ginger garlic paste.
Now add tomato puree , red chilli powder, corriander powder and garam masala.
Cook till the whole mixture comes together and oil seperates
Add soya granules and roast for a good 15 mins until fragrant.
Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook till done.
Let the mixture be dry.. we don’t want a watery mixture.
Shut the fire and cool completely,
Mix the boiled macaroni into the cooked keema
Fold in 3 beaten eggs and chopped corriander leaves.
Pour into a greased springform pan..and dot with tomato ketchup
Garnish with grated cheese and corriander leaves
Steam in a hot steamer for 30 mins or untill set
Cool, cut into squares or wedges and serve at room temperature.
SINDHI LASAGNA (MANI SEYAL CAKE)
As the name suggests , todays recipe is of the quintessential breakfast of sindhi homes. Down the ages, some innovative home maker thought of using left over rotis in a practical form and came up with this delicious dish. Almost all sindhi homes serve this dish, but in many forms. Seyal maani( chappati) or Seyal dabroti using bread has many different recipes. Green masala paste or an onion based gravy is cooked and either bread or rotis are added to the simmering gravy and allowed to soak up the masala gravy. The normal procedure would be to tear up the chappatis into pieces and add to boiling gravy and cooked till the liquid evaporates , which would be within a few minutes. But, my mother in law made this dish in a unique way and that was stacking the chappatis or bread with the thick gravy between layers and building it up into a layered cake. A little extra effort and a pretty looking dish was ready to be served. Resembling an Italian lasagna but made with fewer ingredients.
Growing up, mummy made this dish once a week for breakfast, mostly on saturdays and was savoured by my grandparents, the plus point being its soft texture which was easy for them to consume. The leftover green paste was stored and very often my mom applied it on a chappati, folded it into a half circle and roasted it on a hot tawa with a little oil till crisp.. a delicious side dish ready in minutes.
Do try out this recipe and enjoy a sindhi dish which does not take long to cook and with all the ingredients easily available in our homes.
SINDHI LASAGNA OR SEYAL MAANI ( CHAPPATI)
INGREDIENTS
8 LEFTOVER CHAPPATIS
1 CUP CHOPPED CORRIANDER LEAVES
4 CLOVES GARLIC
6 GREEN CHILLIES
2 TOMATOES .. BLEND INTO A PULP
2 TBSPS FINELY CHOPPED GARLIC
1 TBSP LIME JUICE
1 TSP SUGAR
2 TSPS CORRIANDER POWDER
2 TSPS CUMIN SEEDS
1 TSP TURMERIC POWDER
SALT TO TASTE
METHOD
1.. BLEND THE CORRIANDER LEAVES , 4 CLOVES GARLIC AND 6 GREEN CHILLIS INTO A FINE PASTE WITH A LITTLE WATER AND KEEP ASIDE.
2.. HEAT 2 TBSPS OIL AND ADD THE CUMIN SEEDS, NEXT ADD CHOPPED GARLIC AND SAUTE TILL FRAGRANT, NOW ADD THE CORRIANDER POWDER AND TURMERIC POWDER, ALONG WITHE TOMATO PULP AND SALT. COOK FOR A FEW MINUTES. FINALLY ADD THE GREEN PASTE AND COOK FOR JUST 2 MINUTES, ADD LIME JUICE AND SUGAR, MIX WELL AND REMOVE INTO A BOWL.
3.. NOW TAKE A WIDE BOWL AND ADD 1 TBSP OF THE COOKED GREEN MASALA AND ADD HALF CUP OF WATER TO IT.. THIS MIXTURE IS FOR DIPPING THE CHAPPATIS, TO MOISTEN THEM.
4..HEAT ONE TBSP OF OIL IN A PAN, AND ADD 1 TBSP OF THE COOKED MASALA TO IT.
5.. GENTLY DIP ONE CHAPPATI IN THE GREEN WATER MIXTURE, AND PUT IT IMMEDIATELY INTO THE FRYING PAN, APPLY SOME GREEN MASALA ONTO IT AND REPEAT WITH ANOTHER CHAPPATI..MAKE LAYERS WITH MOISTENED CHAPPATIS AND GREEN MASALA , FINISHING WITH GREEN MASALA ON TOP LAYER, ALL THIS SHOULD BE DONE ON LOW HEAT.
6.. COVER AND COOK FOR 5 MINS.
7..SLIDE THE STACK OF CHAPPATIS GENTLY ONTO A SERVING PLATE WITH A FLAT SPATULA AND GARNISH WITH GRATED CHEESE OR CHOPPED CORRIANDER. CUT INTO WEDGES AND SERVE .
Stuffed Tomato Tikki (cutlet)
The versatile potato, loved by one and all over the world. It is rare to find a person who does not like potato. From french fries to roast baby potatoes sprinkled with italian herbs or the baked potato oozing with melted cheese and herbs in the western part of the world, to the poshto aaloo in Bengal , aaloo parathas of Punjab or the Pao wada which is nothing but a ball of spiced potato dunked in a golden chickpea batter and fried. The favourite street food of maharashtra. This humble root is comfort food.
As a young bride I soon learnt that sunday brunch at my new home, every week without fail was khichdi and potato sabji , always accompanied with fried papad. and a bowl of yogurt. Potato is used as the base for many indian snacks, like samosas, tikki, chaats, as a filler in dosas etc. But the tikki is a favourite in any sindhi household, it was a must on sundays in our home in Pune. my mother prepared the tikki in the most basic manner, boiled the potaoes, peeled mashed and added some dry spices and bread to bind the potato, shaped and of course deep fried the tikkis , served them with bread slices and chutney… the famous sindhi tikki dabroti. This snack was served during the interval of sunday movies run on doordarshan. The good old days.
Tikkis are also a popular chaat item sold as ragda pattice, which is a heart shaped potato cutlet, pan fried till crisp, and served with a tangy chickpea gravy and accompanied by slices of onion marinated in lime juice, a tamarind sauce and fresh green chutney.. oh so delicious. the recipe I will share with you today is a fusion version of the tikki, tiny cherry tomatoes hollowed out, filled with a green paneer filling and engulfed with potato, breaded and deep fried till crisp,its tasty as well as easy on the eyes.. do try it out.
Stuffed tomato tikki
Ingredients for the potato covering
1 kg boiled, peeled and grated potato
3 slices grated bread
Red chilli powder to taste, about 1 tsp should be enough
1 tsp caraway seeds. ( shah jeeri)
Salt to taste
Method for potato covering..
Mix everything together and divide into 15 balls and keep aside.
We also need 15 cherry tomatoes, preferably oval in shape, cut off the top and reserve it. now scoop out the pulp with a tiny teaspoon and use this pulp to make the filling. keep the tomatoes upside down to drain any liquid remaining.
Ingredients for tomato stuffing
Tomato pulp from cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup corriander leaves
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 green chillie
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp cummin seeds
A little turmeric powder and salt to taste
1/2 cup grated paneer..( cottage cheese)
Method..
Grind together corriander leaves, garlic and green chillie.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add cummin seeds and green paste.. also add corriander powder, salt, and turmeric.
Mix well and add grated paneer.. shut the flame.
Assembling..
Fill the paneer mixture into the cherry tomatoes and cover with top of tomato.
Take a ball of potato mixture in your hand and hollow it out to form a bowl.Put the stuffed tomato into the bowl in and upright position and gently cover the whole tomato , pressing to make it tight.
Dip each tikki into a medium thick batter made with flour and water and roll in fine breadcrumbs. Keep refrigerated until needed.
To serve, deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Cut into two pieces and serve.
KASOORI METHI AND SOME CORRIANDER LEAVES.