Rogan Josh - Kashmiri Mutton Curry

Rogan means meat fat and Josh means heat and literally Rogan Josh translates into fatty meat slow cooked with intense flavour.  The dish gets its heat from the use of  black cardamoms and cloves. The use of Kashmiri chilli imparts bright red color to the dish. In the traditional method, dried red Kashmiri chillies are soaked in hot water and ground to a fine paste. While in the current short cut method we use store bought Kashmiri chilli powder.

Ingredients:
1. Mutton - 1 kg
2. Garlic cloves - chopped - 6
3. Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Curd - 1/2 cup
5. Black cardamoms - 1
6. Cloves - 4
7. Mace - 1 blade
8. Green cardamoms - 2
9. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
10. Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
11. Shallots - 1 cup
12. Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
13. Fennel powder - 1/2 teaspoon
14. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
15. Salt to taste
16. Oil or ghee - 3 tablespoon

Method:
1.  Pressure cook meat along with salt, turmeric powder, garlic cloves and 2 cups of water for upto 5 whistles on medium flame.

2. Whisk the curd and set aside. Also mix Kashmiri chilli powder in a tablespoon of water and make a paste.

3. Heat a thick bottomed vessel and heat 3 tablespoon of oil/ghee. Add chopped shallots and saute until they turn translucent. Add ginger paste and fry for a minute.

4. Add black cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms and mace and saute for a minute.

5. Reduced the flame to sim and add coriander powder, feenel powder, Kashmiri chilli powder paste and yogurt and give it a good mix.

6. Remove just the meat from pressure cooker and add to the masala. Give it a good mix and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Now add the liquid from pressure cooker and cook for another 20 minutes until the meat is tender.

Traditionally Rogan Josh is served with boiled rice but it takes good with roti as well.

I am linking this recipe to “Sshh cooking secretly” event. For the July event and I am paired with Sujitha Ruban. She gave me yogurt and garlic as my secret ingredients and I made this dish. I gave her Kashmiri chili and ginger and she came up with a flavourful Kashmiri chicken curry. Do visit her blog to check the recipe.

Aloo Palda | Himachali Potato curry in Yogurt gravy

Aloo Palda is a potato curry in yogurt based gravy. This dish is from mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh. This curry is low in spice with subtle flavors. Relish this with steamed rice.

Ingredients:
1. Potato/Aloo - 2 medium sized
2. Yogurt/ Curd- 1.5 cup
3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
4, Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
5. Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon or as per your spice level
6. Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Cardamom - 1
8. Cloves - 3
9. Cinnamon stick - 1' piece
10. Ghee - 1 tablespoon
11. Salt to taste
12. Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
1. Wash and cut potatoes in cubes.

2. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in thick bottomed vessel and splutter cumin seeds.

3. Add cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom and saute for a minute.

4. Add potatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. Give it a good mix and cook and cover until potatoes turn soft.

5. Once the potatoes are well done, lower the flame and add whisked curd. Stir continuously to avoid curdling. Cook for 5 more minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Linking this recipe to "Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge", event. For the month of May, the theme is to make Himachali cuisine. I am paired up with Aruna Panangipally who gave me cumin and yogurt as my secret ingredients, and I chose these ingredients to make Aloo Palda. Do visit Aruna's blog to look for delicious recipe. Aruna blog's at "Aharam".

Pacha Manga Kichadi | Mango Kichadi

Kichadi is a Kerala dish made with one kind of vegetable in a yogurt based gravy. Vegetables that can be used include cucumber, mango, winter melon, okra/lady's finger and even pineapple.

Unlike kichadi, pachadi is made in a coconut-yogurt based gravy.  Some of the pachadi recipes in my blog:
Kumbalanga Pachadi 

Cucumber Pachadi

Vellirikka Pachadi

Kichadi and Pachadi are often served as part of Kerala Sadya.

Ingredients:
1. Raw Mango - 1 medium
2. Yogurt - 1 cup
3. Ginger grated - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Green chillies - 1 or 2
5. Curry leaves - few
6. Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Dried red chillies - 2
9. Oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and cut mango into small pieces.

2. Take a saucepan and add cut mangoes,  grated ginger, slit green chillies, salt to taste and 1 cup of water. Cook until mangoes are soft and well cooked.

3. Once the mango is well done, turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Add a cup of yogurt and mix well.

4. Heat oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red  chillies, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Add this seasoning to cooked mango mixture and mango kichadi is ready to serve.

Linking this recipe to "Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge", a monthly event started by Priya and now being managed by Mayuri.

The theme for the month of May is Mango along with 2 ingredients. I am paired with Rafeeda of The Big Sweet Tooth  who gave me Yogurt and ginger as secret ingredients and I decided to make this mango kichadi.

Cucumber Pachadi

Ingredients:
1. Cucumber- 1 small sized
2. Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Green chilli - 1
5. Dried red chilli - 1
6. Curry leaves - few
7. Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup
8. Oil - 1 teaspoon
9. Salt to taste

Method:
1, Wash the cucumber, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Transfer cucumber in a mixing bowl.

2. Grind coconut and green chilli into a fine paste. Roughly crush 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds. Add this coconut paste, crushed mustard, yogurt and salt to cucumber and mix thoroughly.

3. For seasoning, heat oil in a pan and splutter 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. Add dried red chilli and curry leaves. Transfer this seasoning to pachadi and serve.

Potato Fry with Yogurt

This is good side dish for chapathi/rice. The sourness of yogurt makes this dish different from the regular potato fry.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1. Potato - 2 medium sized
2. Yogurt - 2 tablespoon
3. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Curry leaves - few
5. Green Chilli - 1-2
6. Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Asafoetida/Hing - 2 pinch
10. Oil - 2 teaspoon
11. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash  and pressure cook potatoes for 2-3 whistles.

2. After potatoes cool down, remove the skin and cut into cubes.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.

4. Add asafoetida, ginger paste, curry leaves and slit green chilli. Fry for a minute and add cubed potatoes.

5. Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.

6. Add 2 tablespoon yogurt and give it a good mix. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes and then it is ready to serve.

Kadhi with Baked Pakoda

Kadhi Pakoda are usually made using deep fried pakoda. I tried to make a healthier version by baking the pakodas. Thanks Nimmi for giving me the recipe of baked pakodas. 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For Pakoda:

1. Onion - 2 medium - thinly sliced

2. Gram flour/Besan - 1/2 cup

3. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

4. Carom seeds/Ajwain/omam - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Oil - 1 teaspoon

6. Salt to taste

For Kadhi:

1. Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup

2. Besan - 2 tablespoon

3. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

4. Onion - 1 small

5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Fenugreek seeds - 7-10 nos.

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

8. Green chilli - 1 or as per spice level

9. Water - 1 cup

10. Oil - 1 teaspoon

11. Ghee/Clarified butter - 1/2 teaspoon

12. Coriander leaves/Cilantro - for garnishing

13. Salt to taste

Method:

Pakoda making:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.

2. Mix all the ingredients mentioned for making pakoda including the oil. Add few tablespoon of water and mix well to get a thick battered mix. 

3. Place a parchment paper on baking tray and place a small portions of batter on tray. 

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they turn golden brown in color. Make sure to flip the pakodas after half time.

Baked Pakodas

Kadhi Preparation and mixing:

1. In a large saucepan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and stir for few seconds.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

3. Add finely chopped onion and slit green chilli. Add salt and saute until onions turn translucent.

4. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, mix 2 tablespoon of besan with little water. Mix well to remove any lumps. Add yogurt, turmeric powder and 1 cup of water to it and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.

5. Once the onions turn translucent, add yogurt mixture. Check for salt. Stir and cook on medium flame for around 20 minutes. The kadhi tends to thicken while boiling, so you can add more to get the desired consistency.

6. Add 1/2 teaspoon ghee and turn off the heat.

Just before serving, add the pakodas into kadhi and garnish with coriander leaves.

Homemade Yogurt | Curd

Ingredients:
1. Milk - 3 cups

2. Starter Yogurt with active cultures- 1 tablespoon
If you are using store bought yogurt as starter, check the ingredients for active cultures.

Method:

1. Heat milk on stove top until boiling.

2. Turn off the heat and let it cool for around 8-10 minutes. When it is still warm(not hot), we need to add the starter yogurt.

3. Thoroughly mix yogurt in milk. Cover and let it rest undisturbed in warm place for 6-7 hours. I usually keep it in a microwave oven. If you need more sour curd, rest for longer time. Refrigerate once the yogurt is ready.