Monday, May 10, 2010

STRANGER IN KITCHEN AND CHICKEN CURRY WITH FRIED ONION

When I entered the kitchen after 12 weeks, I felt that I was a stranger. The table spoons and the ladles did not peep from, under the gas stove and greet me. When I looked behind the gas cylinder, the lost spoons, small katoris were not playing hide and seek game with me ......When I opened the spice rack, the lentils did not smile at me, instead the spices gave me a dirty look!!! When I looked for rice, the sugar container  shouted at me...
When I opened the drawer to look for kitchen napkins, I saw all the cutleries were sleeping peacefully side by side in their respective beds...I was scared!!! Oh God , have I landed at an Alien kitchen!!!! Then suddenly I heard a familiar voice which I hated always and without exception ...
"Hi , you are back, welcome, I missed you so badly..did you miss me too?"  
Who is it?
"I am the germinater !"
"The terminator??".  I was so scared..
No..No ..you dude..not terminator....I am the germinater , I germinate green mung, Bengal gram, other lentils  etc and you devour these with raw turmeric pieces, jaggery and ginger flakes. Remember , once you were framing a strategy to hammer and break me and blame the maid for breaking me...but luckily good will prevailed and you were spared from being hammered by SOMEONE. Anyway welcome back."
" Thank you for the welcome, but I did not devour them , I just swallowed" I sighed... at least one guy, even if a great foe, was missing me!!!
Lets get down to business
THE RECIPE
This is a Bong type chicken / meat recipe with a Oriya and Malabar fusion in seasoning. I don't believe in fusion dishes unless I want to experiment and eat myself. I don't publish fusion dishes. Here I have used a seasoning , most Bong meat dishes don't have any seasoning except sometimes with tej pata ( bay leaf) and whole gram masala. Here I have used a mixed seasoning of Kala jeera, Jeera and Fennel.
I will garnish the dish with brown fried onion.
Ingredients
1. Chicken breast pieces with bones 500 gms.
2. onion 1 medium thinly sliced for frying 
3. 3 potato cut to half . ( I don't peel) OPTIONAL
for grinding and paste-1
1. Onion 2 medium
2. cinnamon 1 inch, cardamom 4
for grinding and paste -2 
1. garlic 6 pods
2. ginger 1 inch
3. green chili 2 
 for the gravy
1. red chili powder 1 tsp ( more the merrier) 
2, Turmeric powder 1 heap tsp \
3. 2 heap tsp Dhania ( coriander) powder.


( Soaked in water and  to a semi thick paste)
4. 1 heap tbsp curd 

5. one medium tomato cut to 4 pieces.
6. oil Mustard or any other 4 -5 tbsp 
Seasoning 
1. Bay leaf 1 
2, Nigela ( kala jeera) 3/4th tsp
3. Jeera 1/2 tsp ( Oriya fusion) 
4, Fennel 1 level tsp ( Malabar fusion)
5. 1 dry red chili

Garnish
 3 small cardamom and 3/4th inch cinnamon powdered
PROCEDURES
* Slice one onion  thin and uniformly. Add 1/2 tsp salt , mix and set aside. ( remove all non uniform slices for grinding,). ( All uniform thin slicing work is done by SOMEONE , I cant do it or pretend I don't like to do it).
* heat oil and  fry the onion, initially at high heat and then simmer. Remove onion when it is more than light  brown,
CAUTION : Browning of onion is a tricky job. Here we want a dark brown but not burnt onion. Remember the onion will become 1 to 2 shade darker even after switching of the burner or removing from oil.


* Remove onion onto a kitchen paper to soak out the oil. Leave it in air to become crispy.
Note: This fried onion can be used in various dishes for garnishing like Biriyani , Paneer masala and many dishes where you think a fried onion garnish will add to taste.
* Fry the potatoes in left over oil under high heat till  become very light brown here and there on the surface,


* Grind the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.
* marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and keep aside.
* Grind onion, cardamom and cinnamon. ( Please don't bother if the cardamom and cinnamon haven't become paste ..small pieces left  are OK, Finish grinding when the onion is smooth.).
* Heat oil to smoking in a Kadhai and add the seasoning followed by the onion paste.
* fry till transparent and when oil comes out add the spice paste, saute.
* Add the curd and mix vigorously and fry till oil comes out.
* Add the pieces of Tomato and stir for 2 minute. If necessary add few tsp water to prevent burning of spices. The Tomato will remain as it is, it will be just numb.
 Add salt 
Add the chicken and saute in medium heat. Add water and the potato. Boil with cover.
*The dish is  ready when the potato is cooked. Adjust water , it should be a thick gravy.


* mix the garam masala  and transfer. 
*Sprinkle the fried onion and the dish is ready.
It is good for eating with rice and paratha or roti or puri

You can use Paneer in this gravy too.


TULIPS FOR THE FRIENDS




25 comments:

Preeti Kashyap said...

Yummy ushnish da! Welcome back to the foody world....funny prelude!
I am making this delicious dish soon...bookmarked...will let you know how it comes out. We guys missed you too!

Preeti Kashyap said...

And do participate in my ongoing event green gourmet. Will love to indulge in your yummy green recipes!

http://relishingrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-green-gourmet-event-green.html

Cool Lassi(e) said...

Ushnish da,
Good to see some mouthwatering recipe post after nearly 3 months. This is truly a mouth watering dish. I love every aspect of this dish starting from the fried onion to the fried potato and to the very simple marinade for the chicken.YUM!

Dolly Sharma said...

Hey Ushnishda- UR back..What an awesome comeback dish..Absoultely love it. Love the color and its almost lunch time here- I'm HUNGRY..Don't worry ur back into ur kitchen- U will no longer be a stranger ..lol. LOved ur funny writeup as usual. Also glad to see you back at my blog..I was wondering Ushnishda has forgotten my blog..Making new blogger friends..and forgetting the old..I know I know U were busy..and I'm just kidding as usual..

Vikis Kitchen said...

Welcome back ji! What a great way to overcome the jet lag ..huh:) Those potatoes fried along with skin is tempting me a lot. Bookmarking this chicken recipe now! Thanks for the Tulips...they look gorgeous:)

Chetana Suvarna Ganatra said...

Dear Ushnishji,
It's always a delight to read ur blog...hope u got well acquainted now wit ur good old friend read kitchen.Waiting for many more delicacies to dish out of it.
Dis one is my type of food...no fuss wit loads of flavor.
Cheers.

Kanchan said...

Hello Da.. Welcome back .. and sweet funny write up !
The stranger would soon turn super chef now .. so now waiting for many more recipes :)

Gouri Guha said...

Ushnishda,

Nice you are back for your Friends and Foes (your version,ha ha ha) have been waiting to see your next post. Your cooking space was parched for so many days. Hope your kitchen adjusts with you, more so, or will you have to adjust? Only you know the truth (smiles).

Jokes apart, Dada I don't eat chicken but cook it. I never add potatoes to the chicken curry as my family members tell me, "aloo saab saad khe-ye jai". Nice recipe and like the sprinkle of the fries onions on the top.

Gouri

Parita said...

Welcome back sir! Well written post :)
Love those fried onions..always a hit they are :)

Kalyan Karmakar said...

Hi Ghosh Kaku,

I am sure that your dekchi, kodai will be as happy to see you as we are.

I was looking for some variety in chicken. This helps.

Cheers,

Kalyan

Kalyan Karmakar said...

@Gauri, we can't eat chicken or meat without alu, our favourite vegetable :0

Nandinis food said...

Sir, welcome back! The kitchen incident is hilarious! And the chicken curry looks divine!

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

yummy as usual... welcome back I am sure you missed them all as much as they did for you!

Gauri Gharpure said...

looks delicious as always.. i read your posts after a long break.. hope your Italy experience has left you rejuvenated and leads to more experimentation in the kitchen..
regards,
Gauri

San said...

Hmm back with a bang with a nice fight in the kitchen (hilarious).Chicken curry looks so elegant and classy....u have posted wonderful pics.Glad to c u back after a long interval.

FoodLovers said...

Ushnish dear hope u r doing great ...
welcome back to foodie world ...ur gravy looks tempting and mouthwatering .
Pls check todays post in my blog the recipe is urs . i tried it and tasted great wanted to let u know abt that .
Have a wonderful weekend dear !!

Devasena Hariharan said...

welcome back.. Actually i'm of late not regular in blogging... missed many of your lovely posts...

what's a bong type chicken..looks tempting and interesting-:)

Anonymous said...

LOL @ your homecoming experience...esp at germinator/terminator.

your kitchen appliances, cutlery and crockery sound quite temperamental. :D
Now that they have already vented out their anger on you , I do hope that are in a more amiable mood and friendly relations have been restored :D

gtyuk said...

Dear Ushnishda,

good to see you with a fantastic chicken recipe and the humour as usual!!!!
terminator and germinator anecdotes made me laugh aloud, does me some good really :)

chicken looks too good with that thick nice masala!! the onions are perfect crispy and nice (compliments to SOMEONE of course)lol

have a nice day !!!

gtyuk said...

and nice videos too !!!

Life is beautiful !!! said...

I always would think why there are no men food bloggers...and here u are. Actually a man cooks much better- thats my personal opinion. Thanks and loved your blog. Will look into your recipe collection :) Happy blogging !!!

Preeti Kashyap said...

@Ushnishda- I am very well, thanks! hope you are doing the same. Goodluck with your brownie hunt!

FoodLovers said...

Ushnshda ..Hope u r doing great ...
Oh Man ur chicken gravy makes me hungry ...feeling like grabbing the dish from ur Pic ..looks lovely loved it Ushnish ...

Malar Gandhi said...

Haha, you certainly write very hilarious...nice curry...luks like lot of preparation work' but worth it.:)

sangeeta said...

how i missed this terminator post ..........hilarious !!