Tastily Touring: Visiting Bhutan A Ema Datshi Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz chillies (green and of medium hotness, cut lengthwise)*
• 1 onion, chopped lengthwise
• 2 tomatoes
• 8 oz Danish Feta cheese
• 5 cloves of garlic, finely crushed
• 3 leaves of cilantro
• 2 tspn vegetable oil
• 4 cups cooked red or white rice

Directions

• Put the chillies and chopped onions in a pot of water (about 12 ounces). Add the vegetable oil. Then boil on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add tomato and garlic and boil for another 2 minutes.
• Add cheese and let it remain for 2-3 minutes.
• Add coriander and turn off the heat. Stir. Put a lid on the pot for another 2-3 minutes.
• Serve on red or white rice.
• This dish is REALLY HOT!
• The cheese that is actually used cannot be found outside Bhutan. Farmers cheese or feta cheese are good substitutes.

Chicken 65 Recipe

This delicious, deep-fried chicken from the house of Tamil Nadu is marinated in a host of spices and tempered with red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (cut into strips)
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste 
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup oil
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp corn flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
• 500 ml soda
• 4 guntur chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 6-7 curry leaves
• 5-6 pepper corns

Method

• Marination of the chicken:
• In chicken strips add ginger and garlic paste, salt, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder and oil for binding.
• Mix well and put it in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
• Now add one egg, soda, flour and corn flour for the batter.
• Put the batter in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Pour the batter onto the chicken strips.
• Then deep fry them.
• Tempering:
• Add oil in a tadka pan and add Guntur chilly, mustard seeds, curry leaves and sea salt.
• Pour it on the deep fried chicken.
• Serve hot.

Prawns Biryani made in Hyderabadi Style.

Prawns Biryani made in Hyderabadi Style.
Ingredients (used american measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml)
For the Masala:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 40 prawns shelled and de-veined
• 2 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 t/s coriander seed powder
• 1 t/s turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp fennel seed
• 1 tbsp biryani masala (I used shaan biryani masala)
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder (I used homemade)
• 300 gms onion julienne
• 1 cup coconut milk / 1 cup yogurt
• 4 green chilies
• 7 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 250 gms tomatoes sliced
• 1.5 tbsp pepper powder
• 3 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp caraway seed (shahi jeera)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 black cardamom
• 4 green cardamom
• 1 star anise
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 4 to 5 cloves
• 4 to 5 peppercorn
• 2 stone flower (dagad phool)
• ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 2 potatoes diced lengthwise (optional)
• few mint leaves
• 2 lime juice
• salt as per taste

For white paste:

• 2 tbsp melon seed
• 2 tbsp white sesame seed
• 1 tbsp poppy seed
• 6 to 7 almonds
• 3 to 4 cashewnut
• For the rice- 1 kilo basmati rice
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 4 cups water Or as required
• 150 gms onion julienne
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 10 to 12 cashew nuts
• 10-12 raisins
• big black cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 t/s mace powder (javitri)
• salt as per taste
• few drops of ghee
• few saffron strands (optional)
• few mint leaves
• salt as per taste

Instructions:-

• Firstly mix prawns with chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, lime juice and salt.
• Marinate prawns for 20 mins.
• Soak basmati rice in water for 30 mins.
• To make the biryani rice. Heat oil / ghee in a large pan. Saute onion until golden brown. Add sugar which will help the onion to caramelize faster.
• In the same pan add cashew nuts, raisins. Saute for 2 mins more. Place these fried onion and cashews aside.
• Add little oil in the above pan Or in the vessel which you will cook rice. Add bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon and black cardamom.
• Saute until it leaves nice aroma. Now add coconut milk and half of mace powder stir all nicely.
• It's time to add the soaked basmati rice. Add water and cook uncovered on high heat. When the water is reduced lower the heat. Cover tightly and cook till half cooked. Strain if a any excess water.
• Blend all the ingredients for white paste. Grind until smooth paste is formed add little water if required.
• Take oil / ghee in another wide bottomed vessel. Add caraway seed, green cardamom, bay leaf, pepper corn, cinnamon stick, black cardamom and stone flower.
• Saute for a minute then add onion. Add some salt stir for 2 to 3 mins until they change color to light brown.
• Now time to add tomatoes, green chilies and ginger-garlic paste. Mix all nicely.
• Also add pepper powder and stir until tomatoes are slightly soft.
• Add coriander leaves mix all nicely.
• Now put biryani masala and garam masala powder . Stir all well.Put chopped potatoes.
• Pour coconut milk and mace powder.
• Add the grounded white paste. If you like it spicy then add some more red chili powder this time.
• Stir all nicely.
• Finally add prawns. Cover and cook with some water over a lid. Cook until potatoes are half cooked. Check the taste and alter any spices if required.
• Take another big vessel / pan for stacking layers for biryani. Spread some prawns gravy first.
• Now spread some parboiled rice enough to cover the prawns gravy.
• Place some fried onion, ghee, mint leaves, saffron strands, fried cashews and raisins over the parboiled rice.
• Again spread prawns gravy , then parboiled rice, again spread some fried onion, ghee, mint leaves, saffron strands, fried cashews and raisins. Repeat until gravy is over and finish with rice on top.
• Cover tightly with a heavy weight and cook till done. Should take about 25 mins on slow heat. Just remove one potato and check if potatoes are cooked so is your prawns biryani.
• Serve prawns biryani with fried onion and salad.

Methi Chutney Recipe

Methi chutney is a traditional north Indian sauce and is mainly served with Kachori. I have never missed a chance to eat Kachori whenever i have visited Chandni chowk.

Prep time: 12 Hours
Cook time: 20 Min
Total time: 12 hour 20 min

Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp  Fenugreek Seeds (Methi dana)
• 5 numbers  Dry Mango Piece 2″ Inch Each
• 1/2 Tsp  Salt
• 1/2 Tsp  Red Chili Powder
• 1/4 Tsp  Turmeric Powder
• 2 Pinch   Asafoetida (Hing)
• 2 Cup (Our 1 Cup = 240 ML) Water

Method:-

• Soak Fenugreek Seeds and Mango Pieces for 12 hrs in separate bowls with 1/2 Cup (Our 1 Cup = 240 ML) of water in each bowl. Fenugreek Seeds and Mango pieces will puff up after 12 hrs.
• We now need to boil both items. Add soaked Fenugreek Seeds and Mango Pieces in same pressure cooker with water.
• Add Red Chili, Salt, Turmeric and Asafoetida (Hing) in cooker. Mix well.
• Now cover the cooker with lid and let it have 2 whistles on high flame.
• After 2 whistles, turn the stove on low flame and wait for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, switch off the stove.
• Do not open the lid of the pressure cooker until it has pressure in it. Keep it aside to cool.
• Now open the lid of the cooker. We will mash the Fenugreek seeds (Methi) and mango pieces with spatula.
• Mash It with the help of a Spatula to thicken its consistency.
• Methi chutney is ready to serve. Enjoy it with Khasta Kachori.

Gajar Ka Halwa

One of the most popular Indian dessert, here's for you the 'Gajar ka Halwa' recipe. Known to have originated in Punjab, it is a delight during the winter months. Grated carrots, milk, sugar and nuts are stirred and cooked together.

Ingredients

• 1 kg carrots 
• 1 1/2 litre milk 
• 8 green cardamoms 
• 5-7 Tbsp ghee 
• 5-7 Tbsp sugar 
• 2 Tbsp raisins 
• 1 Tbsp shredded almonds
• 2 Tbsp chopped dates

Method

• Peel and grate the carrots. 
• Simmer in milk with the cardamom until liquid evaporates. 
• Heat ghee in a heavy pan and add the carrot mixture. 
• Cook over a gentle flame for 10-15 minutes. 
• Stir in sugar and continue cooking until the halwa turns deep reddish color. 
• Stir in dried fruit and serve.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani recipe

Prep time:-  1 hour
Prep time:-  1 hour
Total time:- 1 hour 45 mins
Ingredients (used american measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 500 gms Basmati Rice
• 500 gms Onion chopped
• 250 gms Tomatoes chopped
• 200 gms Potatoes chopped
• 250 gms Yogurt
• 4 Tejpata Leaves (Bay Leaf)
• 7 to 8 Cloves
• 6 to 7 Sweet Spice
• 4 to 5 Green Cardamom
• 4 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 Mace (Javitri)
• 12 to 14 Pepper corn (Kalimiri)
• 1 tbsp Shahi Jeera
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Shaan Biryani Masala
• ½ t/s Red Chili Powder
• ½ tbsp Coriander Seeds powder
• 3 to 4 Strands or Mint Leaves
• 2 to 3 Strands of Coriander Leaves
• 3 Green Chilies
• 1 t/s Turmeric
• 4 tbsp Ghee Or Oil
• 2 strands of Saffron mixed with warm milk Or 1 tbsp Food Color
• Salt as per taste
• Marination:500 gms Chicken
• 4 tbsp Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• Salt as per taste
• Garnishing:1 Onion juliennes
• Few Coriander leaves

Instructions:-

• Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste for about 1 hour. Keep it aside. in the meanwhile we will make rice.
• First take a big wok or vessel. Add water with few spices ( 1 bayleaf, 2 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 green Cardamom, 1 Mace, 4 Cloves, 4 to 5 Pepper corn). Boil the water with all these garam masala. Take water as required to make the basmati rice.
• Please note you just have to par boil the rice (half cook). Don't cook the rice completely. Remove from fire once the rice is half cooked.
• Strain the water and keep the rice aside.
• For Garnishing: Take some oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion till dark brown and crispy. Chop coriander leaves and keep it aside.
• Grind Mint Leaves, Green Chilies and Coriander leaves in the processor.
• Add little water if requires. Keep this green paste aside.
• Please keep the gas flame on low mode. Now take a big wok or vessel.
• Add ghee to it.
• Saute 3 Bay leaves, shahi jeera, rest of cloves, pepper corn, cinnamon and green cardamom.
• After about 2 mins add chopped Onion to it. Fry them until they are dark brown in color but on low flame.
• Now add ginger garlic paste to it. Stir for some time.
• Add the green paste as well. Stir for a minute more. Now add shaan biryani garam masala, coriander seed powder, turmeric, red chili powder. Combine all of them well. It is time to add tomatoes and few coriander leaves.
• Saute tomatoes for 1 more minute.
• Add yogurt and combine all of them well. Let it cook for a minute.
• Put potatoes to them. Let it again cook for a minute more.
• Finally add marinated chicken along with all yogurt. Let it cook for about 5 mins. Please don't boil the chicken completely. Just half cook the chicken. Switch off the gas.
• Now we will arrange layers for the biryani. Take another big vessel.
• Now add half of the above chicken gravy to it.
• Gently spread half of the par boiled rice to it. Sprinkle some saffron mixed with warm milk Or if using food color to the rice along with some ghee on it.
• Now again spread the rest of chicken gray on the rice.
• Finally spread the rest of par boiled rice on it. Again top the rice with ghee and rest of saffron mixed with warm milk or food color.
• Place it on low heat. Keep a large heavy bottomed tava or pan on the gas. Now place the stacked layers of biryani vessel on the heavy bottomed pan .
• Now cover with a lid. Also you could cover with dough covering the edges of the vessel. But We have chosen to cover with a lid and than placing a grinding stone on it. If you don't have a grinding stone you could place any heavy object which is fire proof on the lid. This process is important to give dum (pressure) to the biryani.
• Roughly about 20 -25 mins your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani is ready.
• Switch off the gas and keep it on low mode for the entire process of making Biryani. Serve hot with salad or raita.
• Garnish your Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani with fried onion and coriander leaves.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Whole chicken , 
• 3 to 4 pounds
• Parsley 2-1/2 Quarts cold water
• 2 Cubes chicken bouillon (optional)
• 2 Teaspoons of salt
• 1 Small onion,
• chopped
• 2 Stalks celery with leaves, 
• chopped
• 2 Large carrots, 
• chopped
• 1 Bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Part 1 of 1: Brewing the Soup

Rinse chicken thoroughly:- As with all poultry, use cold water when rinsing. Warm or hot water can promote the growth of bacteria that cause salmonella and other diseases.

Check the internal cavity:- Some chickens have their gizzards, neck, and/or other organs stuffed into their chest cavity. If this is the case with your chicken, be sure to remove these before proceeding, though it's unlikely that you would accidentally add them to the soup.

Trim excess fat:- Use a sharp knife, a pair of kitchen shears, or your bare hands to remove the loose, excess fat at the base of the chicken's torso. If put in the soup, this loose fat becomes a gross surprise for whoever is unlucky enough to eat it.

Remove the legs:- Pull each leg out from the body and remove it with a sharp knife. Once removed, you may want to divide the thigh from the drumstick by cutting along the "fat line" that marks the joint between the leg and thigh.

Remove the wings:- Similar to how you removed the legs, pull each wing out from the body and cut it away from the torso with a sharp knife. Cut the wing in half at the joint and discard the smaller "tip" portion.

Cut up the breast:- Use a sawing motion to remove the breast from the ribs (for safety purposes, cut back to front). Spread the breast out on a cutting board and separate it from the bone by making lengthwise cuts along either side of its center. Double check each breast after cutting to ensure there are no remaining bones or fragments.

Place chicken pieces in a large stock pot:- When you've cut as much chicken meat as you'd like, simply add it to a large pot and you're done. If you'd prefer, you can also remove the skin, though this isn't essential.

Part 2 of 2: Brewing the Soup:-

• Add water to cover, salt, and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover all of your chicken, but don't feel the need to over-do it - if your soup is too thick, you can always add more water later, while waiting for a watery soup to reduce is time-consuming.
• For added flavor, you may optionally add the chicken bouillon at this point as well.
• Cover the pot and bring to boil. Over medium-high heat, this should take about 8-10 minutes, but may take more or less time depending on how much water you use.
• Uncover and skim off the top froth. When your water starts boiling, remove the lid and remove the froth at the top with a wooden spoon. This prevents the water from boiling over.
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• Allow to simmer about 2 1/4 hours. Your goal is to make the chicken meat so soft that it falls off the bone. As your soup simmers, periodically check on it to ensure that the chicken is cooking nicely and to skim any froth off the top of the pot.
• Add the onions, celery, and carrots and a pinch or two of parsley. After your chicken has cooked for a few hours, you may add your vegetables, which take less time to cook.
• Allow to simmer about 45 minutes. Stir periodically to ensure even mixing and to eliminate top froth.
• Strain soup, saving the broth. Strain your soup into another pot or similar container so that you retain the broth. Remove chicken meat from the bone, discarding any unappetizing pieces. When finished, return broth, chicken, and vegetables to the pot and serve.
• Optionally, place cooked noodles or rice in bowl and add soup. To recreate a bowl of classic childhood "chicken noodle soup", simply add cooked noodles (or rice) to your soup. Pasta and rice take less time to cook than your soup takes to make, so you can prepare them while your soup is simmering with ample time to spare.