Tangdi Kebab

Tangdi Kebab

Serves 2

Ingredients

1. Chicken drumsticks 4

2. Hung yogurt 4 tbsp

3. Ginger garlic green chilli paste 4 tsp

4. Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

5. Kashmir red chilli powder 2 tsp

6. Garam masala powder 1 tsp

7. Pepper powder 1/4 or 1/2 tsp

8. Roasted clove powder 1/8 tsp(optional)

9. Roasted cinnamon powder 1/4tsp(optional)

10. Roasted coriander powder 1/4 tsp

11. Besan/gram flour 1 tbsp 

12. Juice of 1/2 lemon

13. Mustard oil 1 tsp

14. Salt to taste 

15. Butter/oil for basting 

Method Of Preparation 

1. Remove the skin from the drumsticks & wash them well & pat dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Make three deep slits on each drumstick & marinate them with lemon juice, pepper powder & ginger-garlic-green chilli paste & cover it &set it aside for 30 minutes.

3. Dry roast the besan on low flame till it emits a nice nutty flavor. Turn off the flame & add this to a bowl followed by turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, roasted clove, cinnamon & coriander powder. Mix everything together nicely.

4. Add mustard oil in a pan & once it gets hot, add it to the besan-masala powder mixture & mix well. 

5. Then add the hung yogurt & again mix well & finally add salt. 

6.  Add the drumsticks(previously marinated & kept aside) to the besan-yogurt marinade & mix well in such a way that the drumsticks get coated well in the marinade.

7. Cover the marinated drumsticks with a cling wrap & put it in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out & put it on ur countertop an hour before u put it in the oven.

8. Pre-heat the oven to 450 F. Grease the baking rack with oil or if your going to bake it on a baking sheet, then line ur baking sheet with aluminum foil & grease it with oil & place the drumsticks on the baking rack or sheet. 

9. Mix the left over marinade(after putting the drumsticks on the baking sheet, there will be left over marinade in the bowl) with oil/butter in a bowl & using a pastry brush, brush the drumsticks with the marinade-oil mixture. If there's no marinade then just baste the drumsticks with oil/butter only.

10. Put it in the oven & bake for 6-7 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 390 F & bake for another 30 minutes flipping sides & brushing them with oil every 10 minutes so that all the sides get cooked well & also the drumsticks don't stick to the baking sheet. 

11. To get the charred look here & there on the kebabs, change the oven settings to broil mode & broil it for 2-3 minutes or till done. Stand right there in front of the oven to keep an eye on the drumsticks so that they don't get burnt.

12. Serve hot with lemon wedges, onion rings & mint chutney.

Gas Stove Method: 

1. If u don't have an oven u can cook the drumsticks on the gas by greasing a flat non stick pan with oil & then placd the drumsticks on the pan without them touching each other & then add three teaspoons of oil on the drumsticks & cover & cook the drumsticks till done. If u need to add water, then just sprinkle a few drops on the drumsticks.

2. To get the charred look, cover the bony part with aluminum foil & roast the drumsticks over direct flame. 

Notes:

1. Squeeze the water from the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste before adding it to the chicken. 

2. Overnight marination is the best if you don't have time, then atleast marinate the drumsticks for 5 hours.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

For The Marinade

1. Paneer  400 grams

2. Besan/gram flour 2 tbsp

3. Mustard Oil 1 tbsp plus oil for brushing

4. Ajwain seeds a pinch 

5. Tandoori masala powder 2 tsp 

6. Turmeric powder 1/3 tsp

7. Paprika/Kashmiri red chilli powder 2 tsp

8. Cumin-coriander powder 21/2-3 tsp

9. Garam masala 2 tsp 

10. Kitchen King masala 3/4 tsp optional)

11. Pepper powder 1/4 tsp(optional)

12. Hung yogurt 1/2 - 1 cup 

13. Ginger garlic paste 11/2 tbsp

14. Salt to taste

15. Capsicum 1/2 cup

16. Onions 1/2 cup

17. Juice of 1/2 lemon

18. Kasuri methi 13/4 tsp

19. Sugar 11/4 tsp

20. Black salt a pinch 

21. Chaat masala for sprinkling 

Method Of Preparation

1. In a non stick tawa, add the besan. Add a pinch of ajwain to it & roast well on low flame till you get a nice nutty flavor. Make sure you don't burn the flour. Add this to a large bowl.

2. In the same tawa/pan add a tbsp of mustard oil & once the oil gets hot add this to the Besan in the bowl & mix well.

3. Add all the dry ingredients(tandoori masala powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder, pepper powder, salt, black salt, cumin coriander powder, kasuri methi, kitchen King masala(optional), pepper powder(optional)) & mix well.

4. Add ginger garlic paste. Squeeze out the moisture from the paste & then add it.

5. Whisk yogurt well to break all the lumps & then add the yogurt little by little to the dry mixture & mix well & make sure it is lump free.

6. The mixture shouldn't be watery so add only hung yogurt & don't add too much yogurt. Add little at a time, mix & if u need more, again add & then mix well. Squeeze lemon juice into it & mix well.

7. Cut the paneer into 1.5 inch long& 1/3 inch thick cubes. Add the paneer to the yogurt & spices mix & marinate it nicely. 

8. Cover with a cling wrap & put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

9. In the meantime, cut the capsicums & onions to the same length of the paneer & keep it aside.

10. After 11/2 hours, add only the capsicums to the marinade & again put it back in the fridge. Do not add the onions at this point.

11. Add the onions just 10 minutes before you broil or you can skip marinating the onions & directly put them on the skewers with the paneer & capsicums.

12. Now u can cook this either on the tawa or in the oven 

A. Oven Method:

1. Put the oven on broil mode. Arrange the paneer & vegetables on the skewers(add a cube of onion, then a cube of capsicum, then a cube of paneer & then again onion capsicum & paneer. Repeat this on all the skewers)

2. Using a pastry brush, brush the paneer with oil on one side, put it in the oven for 5 minutes, then take it out turn it to the other side, brush that side with oil & again put it back into the oven & broil till the edges of the paneer & vegetables become charred.

3. If you don't have skewers, then you may arrange the paneer & vegetable cubes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Make sure the foil is greased well with oil otherwise the paneer& vegetables will stick on the foil.

B. Gas Stove Method: 

1. Grease a non stick tawa with oil & arrange the paneer & vegetables in a single layer & cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or till the paneer becomes brown on each side, flip to the other side & again cook for another 2 minutes. 

2. If your tawa is big enough, then you may put the paneer & vegetable on a skewer & cook them on the tawa(one skewer at a time), flipping it on both sides till both the sides become brown.

3. While cooking on the tawa, after u arrange the paneer & vegetable cubes on the tawa or u put the skewers with the cubes on the tawa, add 2-3 drops of oil on the cubes.

4. Do not add too much oil as the paneer absorbs all the oil. Cook only on medium heat.

5. For the charred sides, take it out of the tawa, put them on the skewers & show it over direct gas flame till u get the charred sides & a smoky flavor.

13. Once done, remove it from the gas/oven & sprinkle chaat masala over it & serve with spicy & tangy mint chutney, onion rings & lemon wedges.

Notes:

1. Adding tandoori masala & hot mustard oil gives a good smoky flavor to the the tikka.

2. Remove the marinade with paneer & vegetables from the fridge half an hour before u put them in the oven.

3. I do not suggest adding tomatoes, as they leave water as they get cooked.

4. Tofu can be replaced with paneer.

5. Do not overcook the paneer as they tend to get hard. The paneer needs to get cooked at the same time, they need to be juicy inside.

6. Adding capsicum after 11/2 hours helps to retain the crunchiness while you broil them. Marinating the vegetables for long makes it lose the crunchiness & they become too soft while cooking. You can add the onions directly without marinating too.

7. If your using steel skewers make sure u grease it well. If your using bamboo skewers, they need to be soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent the sticks from getting burnt.

8. For the paneer & veggies to get cooked well, leave a little space between each cube while u put them on the skewers.

9. Yogurt can be replaced with sour cream.

Domino's Style Stuffed Garlic Bread

Domino's Style Stuffed Garlic Bread

Ingredients

1. For Proofing Of Yeast

A. Instant Yeast 0.6 tsp

B. Sugar 1.25 tsp 

C. Lukewarm water 91/2 tbsps

2. For The Filling

A. Sliced Jalapeños 3 tbsp 

B. Sliced Olives 2 tbsp

C. Shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup(approx) plus 1/4 cup 

D. Oregano seasoning to sprinkle 

E. Garlic sauce 21/2 tbsp

3. Ingredients For Garlic Sauce

A. Garlic clove 1

B. Salt 

C. Mayonnaise 4 tbsps

4. Ingredients For Oregano Seasoning 

A. Oregano 1/2 tbsp oregano leaves 

B. Red chilli powder/red chilli flakes 1/2 tsp

C. Black pepper powder 1 tbsp

D. Basil leaves 1/2 tbsp

E. Thyme 1/2 tsp

F. Rosemary 1/2 tsp

G. Garlic powder 2 tbsp 

H. Onion powder 3/4 tsp

I. Salt 

5. Ingredients For The Bread

A. All Purpose Flour 11/2 cups

B. Salt 

C. Red chilli flakes 3/4 tsp

D. Oil 21/4 tbsp

E. Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp

F. Oregano seasoning 11/2tsp

G. Minced garlic 10

H. Onion powder 1/2 tsp

I. Garlic powder 3/4 tsp

6. For Greasing

1. Butter 

2. Oregano seasoning 

7. For Dusting

Cornmeal 1/2 plus 1/2 cup

Method Of Preparation 

1. For Proofing Of Yeast

A. In a bowl add yeast & sugar. To it, add warm water & give it a stir.

B. Set it aside in your microwave for 10 minutes till it froths.

 2. For Garlic Sauce

A. In a food processor, crush garlic. Put it in a bowl & then add the other ingredients & mix well.

3. For Oregano Seasoning 

A. Put all the ingredients in a mortar-pestle & crush everything together until well combined. It might take 10 minutes for everything to get grounded n combined well.

4. For The Bread 

A. In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well, then add oil followed by the addition of the yeast & water mixture.

B. Mix well. Add more water only if needed. Even if u need to add more water, just add a teaspoon at a time. Do not add too much water, then your dough is going to be messy & your not going to be able to work with it.

C. Knead it together & make a ball.

D. Transfer this ball onto a well oiled surface, preferably ur counter top & start kneading well(10-15 minutes) till the dough becomes nice & smooth. It will be sticky at first, keep kneading & then it will turn out to be a smooth dough. 

E. Oil a bowl with generous amount of oil on all sides & put this ball of dough into it. Cover with a cling wrap & pop it into the oven once again.

F. The dough needs to remain there for atleast an hour or till it becomes double in size.

G. Once the dough has doubled, take it out. Dust your countertop with corn meal & knead ur dough on it for a minute so that the cornmeal gets incorporated into the dough. 

H. Dust the surface with some more corn meal & now flatten the dough into a circle using ur hands. If your unable to do it with ur hands, then u can use a rolling pin. The rolled out dough needs to be thick & not thin like a chappati dough.

I. Spread the garlic sauce on one side of the dough & then top it with nearly 1/4 cup of cheese, followed by the sliced jalapeños & olives. Sprinkle the oregano seasoning on the cheese & then again top it with some more cheese. 

J. Dip ur finger in some water & dab a little water on the edges of the side where there's no filling.

K. Bring the side where there's no filling over the part where there's filling(fold it over) & press down the edges.

L. Transfer this to a pizza tray greased abundantly with butter & sprinkle the seasoning over it. If you do not have a pizza pan/iron tawa with you, then you may use a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil & greased with butter & oregano seasoning sprinkled over it.

M. Make slits on the bread with a sharp underrated knife, leaving a 1 inch gap between each slit. Do not cut through the bread. The slit needs to be made only on top.

N. Grease the bread with a lot of butter. Sprinkle the seasoning mix generously over it.

O. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

P. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 10 minutes & then at 425 F for 5-6 minutes or till the top gets browned.

Q. Once done, remove it from the oven. Let it remain undisturbed for 10 minutes.

R. Sprinkle red chilli flakes before serving. This step is optional.

S. After 10 minutes, slice it & serve it with your favorite dip.

Notes:

1. If you do not have the time to prepare the oregano seasoning, then you can use store bought seasoning.

2. If you aren't using instant/rapid rise yeast, then you may use the active yeast but increase the quantity to a pinch more than 1 tsp.

3. I have used jalapeños & olives, u can use the filling of your choice. 

4. The corn meal gives a crunch to the outer cover, so do not skip that. If at all u do not have it, then you may use Sooji powder.

5. Do not put the filling in the edges, it will make it difficult to fold it.

6. Resting the dough for 30 minutes s completely optional. U can skip that step & directly bake the bread.

7. This bread can be made without any filling too.

Mushroom Biryani

Mushroom Biryani

Ingredients 

Ingredients For Grinding

1. Coriander leaves 1/4 cup

2. Mint leaves 1/4 cup

3. Cumin seeds 1/2 tbsp 

4. Fennel seeds 1 tbsp 

5. Poppy seeds 1/2 tbsp

6. Shahjeera(optional) 1/4 tsp

7. Water 1 or 2 tbsp

Ingredients For The Rice

1. Mushrooms 1 cup

2. Long grain basmati rice 1.5 cups

3. Cloves 3

4. Cinnamon 1 long stick

5. Bay leaves 2

6. Cardamom 2

7. Ginger paste 1 tbsp

8. Garlic paste 11/2 tbsp

9. Green chilli paste 1 tbsp 

10. Onions 1 medium

11. Tomatoes 1 small sized

12. Coconut milk powder 4 tbsp

13. Water 3 cups 

14. Ghee/oil 4 tbsp 

15. Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

16. Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

17. Garam masala 1/2 tbsp

18. Salt 

Method Of Preparation For Grinding

1. Grind everything mentioned under "Ingredients For Grinding" to a fine smooth paste. It should be thick so grind it only with a tbsp or two of water.

Method Of Preparation Of Rice

1. Wash the rice well in cold running water, drain it on a paper towel & let it dry.

2. Add the coconut milk powder to 3 cups of warm water & keep it aside.

3. Add ghee/oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil gets hot, add the whole garam masala(cloves, cardamom, cinnamon & bay leaves).

4. When it starts to splutter, add the thinly sliced onions.

5. When the onions turn transparent, add the ginger garlic & green chilli paste & sauté well.

6. Add the tomatoes & cook till it becomes soft & mushy.

7. Now add the ground paste to this & sauté well. You need to sauté till the raw smell leaves & oil leaves the sides of the pan & the mixture becomes almost dry & thick.

8. Now add the mushrooms & sauté it for a minute or two. The mushrooms release water so keep sautéing till the mushrooms release all the water & atleast till some of the water dries up. 

9. Now add the salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder & garam masala & sauté for a minute.

10. Add the rice & sauté gently for a minute. Make sure that it doesn't get burnt.

11. Add the water that is kept aside & give it a stir & cover & cook on low flame for 15 minutes or till done. 

12. Keep the dish covered for 20 minutes.

13. After 20 minutes you can open the lid & serve the biryani with cucumber raita, pickle & pappad.

Notes:

1. It is very important to add the rice only after the water released from the mushrooms dry up atleast a little bit, otherwise when you add the rice & water, there will be too much water in the dish & the rice will get mashed.

Stuffed Paneer Pakora

Stuffed Paneer Pakora

Ingredients 

Ingredients For Making The Batter

1. Besan/gram flour 1 cup

2. Chilli powder 1/2 or 1tsp

3. Cumin 1/4 tsp

4. Hing a pinch

5. Baking soda 2 pinches 

6. Ajwain a pinch(optional)

7. Salt 

8. Water 1/2 cup or less

9. Oil 1 tbsp

10. Rice flour 1 tbsp

Ingredients For The Stuffing

1. Dry garlic chutney

2. Dates-tamarind chutney

3. Green chutney

4. Paneer 200 grams 

Ingredients For Deep Frying

1. Oil 2 cups

Method Of Preparation Of The Batter

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together & then add oil & mix everything together. Finally add water, little at a time & make a lump free batter. The batter should neither be too thick not too thin. It should be of the bhajji batter consistency. Keep it aside.

Method Of Preparation Of The Pakoras 

1. Prepare the stuffing & keep it aside.

2. Cut paneer into thick squares(1 inch thickness).

3. Make pockets in the paneer like how you see in the picture. Don't slit through the paneer fully. Cut the paneer a little more than 3/4. Do not cut the paneer into two halves.

4. Stuff the paneer with various stuffings like green, dates & dry garlic chutney.

5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.

6. Dip the paneer in the batter & gently drop it into the oil. You can fry 2 at a time.

7. Fry on both sides till golden brown.

8. Drain onto paper towels.

9. Serve hot with ketchup/dates tamarind chutney/green chutney.

Notes: 

1. The batter needs to be a little flowy at the same time it needs to be thick enough to coat the paneer.