Fusion Cooking by True Foodie!

Mutton Keema

2014-01-31T10:44:00.000-06:00

In a pan add oil, bay leaf, green cardamom, zeera and cloves. Let them release the aroma.

Now add chopped onions. Saute till golden brown. Remove the bay leaf.

Add garlic, ginger and butter. Saute.

Add the green chillies and capsicum. Saute till the capsicum is wilted a bit. (For about 3-4 minutes). De glaze with some water.

Now add the masalas: turmeric powder, red chilli powder, zeera powder, dhaniya powder, hing and salt. Saute.

Add the mutton mince. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add milk and mix well.

Add the tomato puree, sugar and lemon juice. Cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.

Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook till the water evaporates and the mutton is well done.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, split green chilli and a blob of butter. Serve with pav.

Spicy Kung Pao Chicken

2013-02-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

So, after years and years of being busy I finally found some time to blog. I kind of felt obligated to share my success with certain recipes with friends and readers around the world.

I will start with another favorite recipe of mine, Kung Pao Chicken!

As soon as I posted picture of it on my facebook account, I started getting request from friends to share the recipe.

So here it is.

Inspiration:

After being struck with flu last week, I had lost my appetite. Suddenly I found myself craving for something super spicy that has no carbs (moderate carbs are a OK) in it. In addition to being quick and easy it is excellent leftover the next day that you can eat with asian salad or fried rice/noodles. If you have all the ingredients available it takes minutes to make it. My family loves it for weeknight dinner. Though I have to confess that my daughter likes my fried noodles more than the Kung Pao.

History of Kung Pao:

Here’s one more fun fact about Kung Pao Chicken: it’s allegedly named after Ding Baozhen, a late Qing dynasty official who was the head of Shandong province and later the governor of Sichuan province. The name “Kung Pao” is derived from his title, “Gong Bao,” which means “palace guardian.” During the Cultural Revolution, Kung Pao Chicken became a politically incorrect dish because of its association with Ding Baozhen. Until the 1980s, most menus listed it as “fast fried chicken cubes” or “chicken cubes with seared chiles.” Not exactly appetizing names, huh?

Variations:

My variation to the recipe is using store bought kung pao sauce (any brand is fine) but I added my own Indo-chinese twist to it by adding Ching’s dark soy sauce and Sambal. For kids I added few extra greens in it. You can make vegetarian variation by replacing it with Indian cottage cheese (Paneer) or Tofu (Extra Firm one). When you start cooking make sure that heat is on maximum high and you have all your vegetable precut and sauce bottles open. Chinese cooking is always on high heat (this save the nutrient content) and timing is the key ingredient.

The secret to making legit Kung Pao Chicken are these little babies. Sichuan peppercorns. Sad, I couldn't find them in the local grocery stores. I had no time to go to local asian market to buy them. But the next time you are there don't forget to pile on them. They go well with our Indian stir fry of spinach , mustard or Kale.

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken Breast ( cut into thin strips) around 3-4 pound.

Dark Soy sauce ( 1 tbsp for marination and 2 tbsp for stir fry)

Ginger Garlic Paste ( ½ tsp for marinating, 1 tbsp for stir fry)

1 egg

2 tbsp Corn Flour

Canola Oil, 1 tbsp for shallow frying and 1.5 tbsp for stir frying

4 cloves of chopped garlic

Dry Red Chilies ( 6-8 long one without stem)

Fresh Vegetables cut into small chunks: Green and Red bell peppers, Small button Mushrooms, Broccoli, Celery, Spring Onions, Sliced Sweet Yellow Onions

Handful of Skinned peanuts (get the best one from Asian stores)

Sauces per your taste: Ching’s Dark Soy Sauce , Sambal, Ching’s Chili Vinegar , Kung Pao Sauce (store bought, Any brand)

Process:

1. Marinate the Meat : Boneless Chicken Breast cut into thin strips and marinated in soy sauce, chopped garlic, salt and pepper, egg and corn flour for at least 2 hours. You can skip 2 hour marinating if you are in hurry. Skip this process for Paneer or Tofu. You can directly fry them.

2. Shallow fry with Canola Oil : Use Canola oil for shallow frying the chicken in small batches. Keep aside.

3. Stir fry :

a. In a wide and open vessel heat some oil. Make sure the heat is always on maximum high.

b. Immediately add some chopped garlic and dry red chilies and Ginger-Garlic paste.

c. Add Sliced onions and mushroom.

d. Let the Mushroom turn little brown then add Small Chunks of Green and Red bell peppers, Broccoli, Celery, Spring Onions (half of it )

e. Stir fry for 5 -8 minutes on high.

f. Add the Sauces( one at a time) and pre fried chicken pieces. Sauce should be enough to coat the chicken pieces.

g. Stir fry for another 5 minutes.

h. Add rest of the half of spring onion and peanuts. Mix well.

i. Adjust Salt and pepper per your taste in the end. I wait to add salt until the end as all the sauces have some amount of sodium/salt in them.

Serve hot with fried hakka noodles or fried rice.

Picture time:

Baigan Masala

2008-12-20T07:50:00.003-06:00

Ingredients
15 babyeggplants (small size)
3-4 medium yellow onions (roughly chopped )
2 tbsp of grated coconut, khopra (dried)
5 whole garlic ,grated
2 inch of grated ginger
2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
small lump of tamrind
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp jeera

Method

1.Take all the ingredients grind it at once in mixer, do not add water.
2.Add 2 tbsp of oil in pan and heat it, put the mixture in the pan.
3.Fry the mixture properly. Take of the pan from stove and let it cool.
4.Take the brinjal slit it in 4, fill the mixture in the brinjal.
5.Pour 2 - 3 tbsp of oil in kadai, heat it and then put the stuffed brinjal,
cook it.
6.Add little water to the brinjal. Put small piece of jaggery to taste if
required.
7.Let it cook for 15-20 minutes.
Your tikha brinjal masala is ready

Chicken Nihari: Muslim recipe of Meat Stew

2008-12-17T15:21:00.012-06:00

DAASTAAN -E- NIHARI

Let me first take you all to the very meaning of the word, "Nihari":

Nihari (Urdu: نہاری) is an extremely popular national dish in Pakistan and also eaten among Muslims in India. The word Nihar (Urdu: نہار) means morning in Urdu and this dish was usually eaten in the late morning. It is one of the very popular breakfast stew specially eaten during the Id festival. Nihari are basic breakfast dishes, but can be eaten for dinner as well, accompanied with dishes such as chicken and mutton dum biryani.

More of a delicacy, it is very popular in Pakistan as well as in India for its unique combination of spices which lends a very good flavour and aroma to the dish. It is usually cooked overnight in a big earthern pots with tight lids, sometimes, even buried underground. Mostly the recipe calls for red meat, like goat and beef, but you can very easily make a easier and quiker version o fit by replacing them with chicken (bone-in) or even vegetables (even Kofta!!)!!

The bhaghaar(Tarkaa) is lightly fried in desi ghee to reduce the heat of red peppers and the "Tarkaa" is an additional oily chilli to spice up the flavour. Cooked brain and bone marrow are served alongside the stew. The Nihari is garnished according to individual tastes with cilantro leaves, crispy fried onions , green chillies, strips of ginger , and lemons . In addition, garam masala, a blend of powdered spices is sprinkled over the stew just before serving.

My enthusiasm for Nihari grew when I saw one of the video online, lol ,I have nothing but time on my hand . After doing much research, here is the ultimate recipe of it.

This is the recipe for 3 lbs of Bone-in Chicken, mostly thigh and drumsticks. If you want to replace it with mutton, buy big chunks with bones.

First step

Take two large yellow onions and slice it very thin.
Fry half of the sliced onion in ghee until crisp brown, as you will do for biryani.
Keep the other half aside for later use in taarka.

Second step:

Reconstructing spice mix: Take each of the spice and roast them one by one in hot tava.
2 tbs. Fennel (Saunf)
½ tsp black pepper (Kali Mirch)
½ tsp. cumin seeds (Zeera)
2 green cardamom (Chhoti Ilaichi) seeds
10 cloves (Laung)
2 black cardamom (Bari Ilaichi)
1 stick of cinnamon (Dalchini)
1 bay leaves (Tezpatta)
¼ tsp. nutmeg (Jaiphal)
and mace (Javitri)
2 tbs. coriander (Dhaniya) seeds
1 stick (Piplee)
1 aniseed flower (Badian)

cool them and grind them to fine powder. Sieve and store in an airtight container until ready to use. This is also a variation of Kashmiri Garam Masala and can be used in various other vegetarian dishes.

Ingredients:-
1½ tsp. salt
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
¼ tsp. turmeric (Haldi) powder
1 tbs. coriander (Dhaniya) powder
1 cup melted ghee or oil
3 tbs. all wheat flour
1 tsp ginger (Adrak) paste
½ tsp. garlic (Lehsan) paste

Steps:

Take a heavy bottom deep pan or skillet. I use 6 quarts Dutch Oven.
Pour 3/4 cup of ghee in it.
Heat the ghee on medium heat and then add ginger and garlic paste.
Dissolve 2 heaping Tbsp of the Nihari spice in water, along with , turmeric, chili ,dhaniya and garam masala.
Add this concoction to the skillet and cook for 2 mins.
Add chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes and then add salt.
Cover with tight lid on a very low flame for 20 minutes.
Side-by-side start browning the whole wheat flour. Dissolve this browned flour with water and make a smooth paste. People have used cornflour and maida for thickning the gravy, but the people who browned the whole wheat flour ( regular gehhu ka aata) stand by it anf really i have tried both, authencity is in wheat flour. If you dont dissolve the atta before mixing it in gravy it might form lumps and then the gravy will have a raw chunky lumps.
Open the lid carefully and add this paste to the cooking chicken slowly and stirring it often.
Now close the lid tight for the final time and leave the chicken to cook for another 45 minutes. Make sure the flame is still on very low setting . If you dont have a tight lid then you can use aluminium foil to cover the vessel and then put a lid on it by securing all the sides.
Check for the doneness of chicken after 45 mintues.
To Prepare Tarkaa: Take half of the sliced onion and fry it in ghee until brown. Add 1 tbsp of the nihari spice mix to it with chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
Pour this tarkaa on the cooked chicken gravy and serve hot topped with thinly sliced onions and green chillies and lemon as garnish. I add grated cheese and sour cream to make it milder for my toddler. If you are serving kids just take out their portion before doing the Tarkaa.

Shahi Navratan Korma

2008-11-30T14:18:00.004-06:00

Ingredients Used :

50 g pure ghee

20 g cashew nuts,

chopped 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1/4 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green and red bellpeppers mixed

1/2 cup chunks of mushroom

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup thawed, frozen peas

1/2 cup fresh beans

3 tsp paste of ginger and green chillies

1 cup of fried cubes of Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon of amchoor powder( dried Mango powder)

1 cup heavy whipping cream (else use half and half or milk for lighter version)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves

Procedure :

Heat the ghee in a pan and fry separately (one after another), the cashew nuts, chillies and tomato chunks, drain each, remove and set aside.
Add the chopped onions,cauliflower, bellpeppers, mushrroms, carrot, beans and peas to the remaining ghee in the pan.
Stir and add the ginger chilli pastes and stir-fry till the onions are tender.
Add the tomatoes and cook till the oil separates.
Add the salt, chillies, cream, turmeric and half the chopped coriander and simmer while continuously stirring. Once the cream is well blended, remove from heat and add half the quantity of the cashew nuts and mix well.
Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and cashew nuts and serve hot.

Authentic Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

2008-08-14T19:38:00.010-06:00

Mouth Watering Hyderabadi Dum Biryani: a successful

Just moments after coming out from oven...Laajawaab!

attempt to satisfy the exotic palate.

Biryani holds a special place in Mughlai food and is known for its aroma and rich taste.Many have asked me for the recipe of hyderabadi Chicken Biryani. The recipe is very generic and simple, but I would still say that getting a perfect biryani is an art. I agree to this 100% after I started making biryani and perfecting it every time I failed. Authentic hyderabadi Biryani is mainly made from gosht(leg portion of goat meat). There are many videos available online nowadays that give a very detailed and good demo of steps involved in the making to this delicacy. Here is the link that I first read: History of Biryani
My first attempt was to make Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani. It turned out into a gooey mess of rice as my rice was overcooked and also the masala had too much oil in it. In my next attempt, I kept the rice and lamb both uncooked and it turned out to me amazing. This is actually hyderabadi stlye Kachhi Biryani in which both rice and meat are layered uncooked.

Another good tip for making biryani is to use the best of the best basmati rice you can buy for money. Rub the grains of the rice between your palm and you should smell the aroma of rice. I have always used Tilda or any other dehradun basmati rice.

Another trick is to marinate the meat for atleast 8hrs for goat and 4 hrs for Chicken, before you put it in layers with rice. Dont forget to put tenderizer (raw papaya pulp) in the marinate for lamb/goat meat.

Authentic biryani calls for bone-in pieces of meat but if you dont have much time feel free to go for boneless.

Ingredients

Mutton pieces in chunks (avoid shoulder cut) ===2 pounds
Authentic Indian Basmati rice ==============2 cups
Salt to taste
2 Bay leaves
10 Green cardamoms
25 Black peppercorns
3, 3 inch Cinnamon sticks, washed (not the curled ones)
Canola Oil ===1 tablespoon + to deep fry onions (Barista)
Onions, sliced==5 large (red onions are best)
Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)==1/2 teaspoon
10 Cloves
Ginger paste ==2 tablespoon
Garlic paste ===2 tablespoon
Red chilli powder =1 tablespoon
Fresh whole milk Yogurt ==1 cup
Fresh coriander leaves, torn==1 cup (save the stems)
Fresh mint leaves, torn=1 cup
Pure desi ghee ==4 tablespoons
Black cardamoms=2
Saffron (kesar), mix in 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
drops of rose water and kewara (screwpine) water (optional)
fried in ghee dry fruits (Cashew and Almonds) for garnish

Method

Barissta:- Heat sufficient oil in a large kadai and deep-fry half (about 2-3 large ones) the onion slices till golden. Drain and place on an absorbent paper.

This can be done days in advance but I do it the same day to keep them crisp. Make sure the slices are equally sliced. paper thin.When you add the onions , keep the gas flame high. If you fry in low flame for first few minutes, it will not become crisp. Once they start changing color as water is all fried from them, lower the heat and gently fry them. Take them out when they are light brown and crisp. Always remember, the onions are still cooking when you take them out of oil. So do not wait till they turn dark brown.

For rice:-

Soak basmati rice in water for at least 2 hrs.

Heat five to six cups of water in a deep boiling pan. When water comes to rolling boil, Add salt, bay leaves, five green cardamoms, seven to eight black peppercorns, one cinnamon stick. After the water is changing color to light brown, add soaked water gently into it. Do not turn down the heat of gas, keep it high. Avoid stirring the rice when its boiling. This is to avoid breaking of grains as they are very delicate. Stir rice only in one direction. Once you check on the rice grain that it is 70% done, drain and set aside.

Grind caraway seeds, one cinnamon stick, remaining black peppercorns, cloves and remaining green cardamoms to a fine powder and set aside.

Take mutton pieces in a bowl. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and salt and mix. Add the spice powder, red chilli powder, half the fried onions crushed, yogurt, coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves and one tablespoon oil and mix. Let it marinate for about two hours or longer (8 hrs max.)in the refrigerator.

Heat two tablespoons ghee in a pan, remaining cinnamon and black cardamoms and sauté till fragrant.

Add remaining onions and sauté till light golden. Add marinated mutton, stir and cook on high heat for three to four minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook till almost done.

Heat the remaining ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Spread half the rice in a layer. Spread the mutton over the rice. Sprinkle remaining torn mint leaves. Spread the remaining rice. Sprinkle saffron milk. Cover and cook under dum( very low flame ) till done.

Ramzaan special: Shammi Kebobs

2007-09-18T19:54:00.000-06:00

Finally I got some time to sit and write down something. What inspired me? Well, its the Ramadan's season going on and wherever I go for grocery shopping I can smell the aroma of kebabs. I have been wondering what is so special about these kebabs that everybody gets so attracted to it. I did some research on Internet and found out that it is a north Indian delicacy perfected over the ages. So, I accepted the challenge of making few of these. Here is the best way to make it.

What you need?

For making 30-35 kebabs:-
5 Lb Boneless Goat meat. ( You can also try this with minced meat but my experience tells that the patties are little dry with the minced one, ongoing rate is 3.99/lb)
2 packets Shaan's Shammi Kebabs mix ( Without these I am like oven without power!bg
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
2 chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 cups of soaked channa dal(soaked atleast for 4 hrs.)
5-6 cups of water
Put all the above ingredients in a deep soup vessel/ stock pot and bring to a rapid boil.Put the lid and let it simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let it cool for few hours. In a food processor grind everything after the mix has reached the room temperature. Take:

4 egg whites , whisked
chopped mint (very necessary to balance the heaviness of the meat)
chopped cilantro (no stems at all)
salt (prefer kosher salt)
red chilli powder (Kashmiri)
amchur
and mix it with the mix of meat and channa dal. Make it into patties and shallow fry them in oil. Thats is it!!Enjoy it with pita bread or make a sandwich with green chutney, lettuce , and tomatoes. I promise you will love it:) .Serve these at Iftari or just as an appetizer for parties. You can also make them before hand and just fry them when needed.

Batata Vada

2007-07-29T07:45:00.001-06:00

Spiced Deep Fried Potato Dumplings

Batata(potatoes) Vada (Dumplings) is traditionally a street food. It is also known as "Vada" or "Wada". Its a very popular snack in India, specially Maharashtra. If served with split bread or a roll the dish becomes "Vada Pav" which is a sledgehammer answer to the burger.

Serves 4
3 large potatoes, peeled , boiled , and semi-mashed
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp amchur powder( dry mango powder)
2 green chilies, finely chopped

For the batter:-
Besan Mix:-1/3 cup besan(gram flour) made into a thick batter with enough water
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 turmeric
For Garnish:-
1 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp lemon juice
oil for deep frying

Method:-
Take oil in a wok or deep skillet. Heat gently on medium heat and add mustard seeds. Add ginger garlic paste, chopped green chilies and fry for 30 sec. Add turmeric powder , salt , black pepper , amchur powder and mashed potatoes. Fry and mix. Keep the mix aside and let it cool.

Meanwhile prepare the dipping batter by mixing salt , turmeric powder and red chili powder to the besan mix. Remove lumps if any. The batter should not be too thick or too watery. It should coat and back of the spoon.

Heat some oil in a pan. To check if oil is properly heated, drop some batter in the oil. If the batter immediately turns solid and float on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. Also make sure that the oil is not too hot. Otherwise , the vadas become dark from the outside before they are actually done from the inside.

Now dip each potato ball in the batter, letting excess batter drip off and slowly add the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, else the temperature of the oil reduces which in turn slows down the frying process. Like this, deep fry all the vadas until golden brown. Remove on a paper towel and let it drain for at least 5 mins. Batats vadas are ready. Serve it hot with chutney or with tomato ketchup for kids.

Khaman Dhokla

2007-07-29T07:29:00.002-06:00

Steamed chickpea flour pancakes

Serves 4
2 cups chickpea flour (Besan)
1/2 cup plain full fat yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 green chili, chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root , chopped very fine
salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
For Tadka:-
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
few curry leaves
2 whole red dry chilies
To Garnish:-
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
To serve with:-
Tamarind Chutney
Fresh Mint Coriander Chutney

Another Recipe from my friend , Rajni :-), I bet you will love this too.

Serves 4
Ingredients :-

FOR DHOKLA:-
BESAN--250gms
LEMON JUICE--1/2 BOWL
1 inch piece of GINGER , grated
GREEN CHILLI, finely chpped
SALT
FRESH CORIANDER LEAVES
ENO

FOR TADKA:-
MUSTARD SEEDS--50gms
LEMON JUICE--2 BOWL
SUGAR--1 CUP
CURRY LEAVES
1 CUP WATER
GREEN CHILLI--15-2NOS.(split it into two pieces)
AND VERY LITTLE OIL.

Mix the besan with the yogurt and enough warm water to form a thick batter. Mix in the baking soda and turmeric and leave to ferment for about 1 hour in a warm place.
Using motar and pestle, crush the green chili and ginger to a fine paste. Add to the besan and yogurt mixture. Add salt and lemon juice and mix well.
Grease a shallow cake pan . Pour the batter into the mold and bake at 375F for 10 to 15 minutes. The batter will have risen to about 1 1/2 inches. Leave to cool and cut into large cubes. Arrange on a serving dish.
Heat oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, pour over the cooked Dhoklas.
Serve garnished with chopped cilantro, grated coconut and the green Chutney.

Spicy Samosa

2007-06-03T08:48:00.000-06:00

TO MAKE the DOUGH:
2 cups maida or all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Ajwain seeds

TO Make the pastry, sift maida and salt into a bowl, then rub in ghee (Khasta style) until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add Ajwain seeds. Add warm water, a little at a time, to make a stiff but pliable dough. Knead for another 5 minutes and leave covered with wet cloth for 20 to 30 minutes.

TO MAKE the filling:

4 large russet potatoes, boiled and smashed
1/2 cup peas
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry roasted and grind
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, dry roasted and grind
3 tablespoon of canola oil
1 large vadilla onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies
2 teaspoon salt for seasoning
1 teaspoon amchur powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

oil for deep frying

TO make the filling heat the oil in a deep skillet and fry onions until light brown. Stir in the paste of ginger, garlic and chillies. Fry for another couple of minutes. Add all the dry masala .Add potatoes, lemon juice, and garam masala. Salt to taste and leave to cool.

ON a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 12 inch circle and then cut it in halves with the help of a pizza cutter. Take one piece and form a hollow cone by folding the dough in half and sealing the two edges with water. fill in with the potato mix. Seal the top edges, then pinch to give a fluted finish. Repeat the same with remaining dough and filling.
Fill a karahi upto 3/4 full with oil and heat to 350F. Deep fry all the samosas till golden brown. Drain them in wire rack and keep warm in an oven.

GULAB JAMUN

2007-05-31T09:08:00.001-06:00

Literally translated to mean rose-flavoured plum, it is an extremely popular sweet in India. Its made by soaking chenna balls in sugar syrup. The syrup itself is flavoured by rose water and saffron. A pinch of ground cardamom is also added to the dough as well as syrup to give it extra kick.

Syrup:
2 cups sugar
3 cups of water
5 drops of rose water
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of ground cardamom

Gulabjamuns:

1 cup of powdered milk
2 tablespoons of self rising flour
2 teaspoon fine semolina( sooji)
2 tablespoons ghee
4 tablespoons milk, to mix
few pistachio
canola oil for deep frying

TO MAKE the syrup , put the sugar in a large heavy-based saucepan with water. Stir over low eat to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and bring it to rolling boil and boil for 3 more minutes. Stir in rose water, saffron and cardamom powder and remove from heat.

TO MAKE the gulab jamuns, mix powdered milk,flour, semolina and ghee in a bowl. Add enough milk to make soft non stick dough. mix until smooth, then divide into 24 equal portioned balls. Fill a karahi or deep saucepan with oil. Heat it to 300F .Don't heat too much because this will burn you jamuns and inside will remain uncooked. Fry the balls in batches over low heat until golden brown all over. Keep stirring them while frying for getting even color. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel for 1 minute. Transfer to lukewarm syrup. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Palak Pakodi Kadhi

2007-04-30T13:24:00.000-06:00

Fried Spinach(palak) Dumplings(Pakodi) simmered in a mildly spiced yogurt curry!!
Prep Tim : 20 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For Palak Pakodis
1 cup of chopped spinach leaves
1/4 cup Besan( Bengal Gram flour)
1/2 teaspoon chilli and coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
a pinch of soda bi-carbonate( Baking soda)
salt to taste

For the Kadhi:
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons besan
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1 small onion , chopped
1 large or two medium garlic , chopped finely
salt to taste

For Tadka:
1 tablespoon oil
5-6 curry leaves
1 red chilli
a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon methi seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

METHOD:
For frying palak Pakodis:

Mix everything except oil in a bowl, using a little water to make a soft dough.
Divide into 12-14 equal portion by ice cream scoop or measuring spoon. Shap into even sized rounds using wet hands.
Deep fry until golden brown and drain on paper towel. Keep aside .

For the Kadhi:

Yogurt Mix:: Mix yogurt and besan in a bowl. Add turmeric to it and keep aside.
In a deep skillet take 2 tbsp of oil and fry onions and garlic until fragrant.
Add Yogurt mix to it and add enough water to increase the volume by 2.5 times. Boil for 5 min until besan gets cooked. Turn the gas to low heat and let it simmer for 12 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes. Add salt and sugar.
For Tadka: In a small wok , heat oil on high heat . Add all the seeds and let them crackle. Add chill powder and curry leaves. Take off from flame and pour it over the Kadhi.
Add the pakodis to the kadhi and serve hot with steamed rice to chappati.

Chicken Pineapple rice

2007-04-30T13:12:00.000-06:00

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long-grain white rice or Basmati
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
5 scallions (white and pale green parts separated from greens), finely chopped
1 red bell pepper , diced into cubes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 chilli sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup diced (1/4 inch) cored peeled fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)

preparation

Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a colander.

Transfer rice to a 4-quart heavy saucepan, then add water (3 1/3 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until steam holes appear on surface and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and spread in a large shallow baking pan to cool quickly, about 45 minutes. Chill, covered with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours.

Heat a wok or heavy skillet over moderate heat .Pour oil around side of wok, then tilt wok to swirl oil, coating side. When oil just begins to smoke, stir-fry ginger, white and pale green parts of scallions, and salt until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and MSG .Add both soy sauce and chilli sauce and stir fry for a minut. Crumble rice into wok and stir-fry until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, then add scallion greens, Red bell pepper, pineapple, and sesame oil, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Tips:

Trick to Chinese cooking in chopping all the ingredients ahead and making an assembly ready.
Plain rice can be chilled up to 1 day. If you make it fresh, wash it with running cold water after cooking in a colander and then spread evenly on a tray.

Sheer Khurma...classic Muslim dessert

2007-04-21T13:59:00.000-06:00

The favorite sweet dish, the traditional sheer khurma, is prepared in almost every Muslim household.Hint of Kewara water and Saffron makes it an out of this world lip smacking dessert. When someone mentions dessert, I always think first about sheer khurma. This is the recipe given to me by my mother-in-law.

1 gallon of whole milk
1 cup sugar
8 dried dates
6-8 whole cardamoms
1\4 cup ghee
7 seeds of cardamom (crushed).
1 cup of vermicelli (savaiya)
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup chopped almond
1/4 cup raisins
1tsp kewera essence, diluted or 1\4 tsp., if concentrated
little saffron for garnish

Soak 3 dried dates and coconut in water for 1hour, until soft. then thinly slice them.
In a pot add milk, water, 5 dried dates and cardamoms and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours or until about 3/4 th of the milk is left. Strain milk through a fine sieve. Discard the dates and cardamoms and reserve milk.
Heat ghee in pan add crushed cardamom seeds, when they pop and splutter add vermicelli and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add pistachios, coconut, almond, raisins and dates and fry for 2 more minutes.
Add warm milk to it, bring to boil and cook for 5-8 minutes, until cooked through.
Add sugar and cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Just before removing from heat add kevera essence and garnish with saffron.

Gajjar Halwa ( Carrot pudding)..a classic!!

2007-04-21T13:37:00.000-06:00

1 lb Organic Carrots
1 gallon Organic whole Milk
1/2 sweet condensed full milk
1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds,crushed
3 tablespoons Ghee
2 tablespoons Raisins
2 tablespoons Almonds
2 tablespoons Pistachios
few cashews
2 Tbsp sugar

Wash and grate the carrots. Using a food processor makes it much easier. But people like me who don't have it, can use box grater. It only takes 15 minutes. But be careful , don't lose any flesh!! Keep aside for later use. You can also do this a day ahead and keep it covered in Ice box.
Take milk and reduce it to its half the volume by boiling and stirring it constantly.
Take a deep skillet, use aluminium if you have one. Heat Ghee in it and fry carrots until they become soft, usually take 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the the reduced milk and condensed milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
Add a little ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

Taste even better with Falooda Ice cream or full flavoured vanilla ice cream.

Malai Kofta..Cheese dumplings in rich Cashew

2007-04-16T15:54:00.000-06:00

A very versatile Muglai Style Malai Kofta only made to please the palates of kings in ancient times. Nowadays , its made all the time whenever you are expecting special guest or it is a festival season. At my home it was made during "Rakhi" , a festival, and was so tasty that I don't remember having any leftovers. After making this I think that this can be a very good entry for Nupur's Blog Event!!

For Kofta or Cheese Dumplings:
Boiled potatoes 2 no.
Paneer 1 cup.
Chopped green chilies 1 tsp.
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
Oil for deep frying -
Salt As per taste

For Gravy
Boiled onion paste 1 cup
Green chili(chopped) ½ tsp.
Garlic paste 1 tbsp.
Ginger paste 1 tbsp.
Fresh cream ½ cup
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Garam Masala powder 1 tsp.
Tomato puree ½ cup
Puree of 4-5 large soaked Cashews(optional)
Red chili powder 1 tsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Salt As per taste

Method:
1.Peel and grate boiled potatoes and paneer. Add everything from chopped green chilies to cream and salt. Mix well.
2.Divide into 16 equal sized balls. Stuff raisins into them. Deep fry in hot oil until slightly colored. Keep aside. Or just microwave it on high for 45 minutes.
3.Heat oil in a kadai or skillet. Add boiled onion paste and cook for 5 minutes.
4.Add ginger and garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for a minute. Add tomato puree and red chili powder and cook on a medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add garam masala powder.
5.OPTIONAL STEP: Add puree of cashew. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
6.Put koftas in a serving dish and pour hot gravy on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Note: In this malai kofta receipe , the koftas should be put in just before eating the dish or else they will turn soggy.One may alter both malai and chillies as per taste and calories allowed, to make it as bland or hot as per individual preference.

Doi Maach (Fish in light mustard yogurt sauce)

2007-04-14T12:02:00.000-06:00

Doi (Yogurt in Bengali) and Maach (Fish , Bengali) is a very staple main course from Bengali cuisine. Its a very light recipe and can be even eaten daily. We all know that fish is good for us , right? It requires minimum spices and also the sauce is very mild. Growing up in Bengali culture, we used to eat fish every other day. But they were all fresh water fishes and always caught wild. Nothing can be compared to the sweet, juicy and heavenly taste of those fishes. I had a hard time adjusting with the taste of the fishes here in States. I therefore always prefer cooking with wild-caught Buffalo fish , which is very abundant in Minnesota.

All we need::
Ingredients..
3 fresh tilapia or catfish fillets cut into pieces, even Mahimahi works great!!
Spices to marinate fish in: 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp each of turmeric, red chili powder,and salt

Marinate the sliced pieces of fish in above mix for 15-20 minutes. Don't over-marinate as lemon juice will start cooking the fish raw.

For Sauce:
3-4 Tbsp of mustard oil
1/2 Kalunji or Nigella seeds
1/2 cup grated red onion
1/2 cup grated tomato
1 tbsp each of finely chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 cup yogurt beaten with 1 tbsp ground mustard paste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Fry the fish in mustard oil until partially done (but not fully cooked). Remove and keep aside. In the same oil add nigella seeds. Wait until they crackle. Add onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger. Fry until oil separates. Add tomato and stir for a minute. Add salt, turmeric and coriander powder. Add yogurt and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer of 3 minutes. Gravy should be light , if its not add water until it reaches the consistency of a soup. Add fish and simmer covered. Just before serving top with sliced green chillies and lots of cilantro.

Dahi Bhindi (Okra in mild yogurt gravy)

2007-04-13T15:18:00.000-06:00

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp Ajwain seeds (Carom)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium size red onion, sliced lengthwise
20-25 good fresh Okra, Ladyfinger or Bhindi (Hindi)
1 vine ripe tomato , seeded and sliced lengthwise
1/2 inch ginger, ground into paste
2 cloves of garlic , ground into paste
1/2 tbsp each of turmeric, coriander powder
2 fresh green chillies, diced
2 tbsp thick plain yogurt, whisked
1/2 cup thick plain yogurt whisked with water until the consistency of buttermilk
1/2 tsp paprika
few drops of lemon juice
fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in deep skillet and add Ajwain and cumin seeds. After they start to crackle add onion and stir until translucent. Add Okra , ginger, and tomato. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric and coriander powder. stir for a minute. Stir in whisked yogurt(2 tbsp) and cook covered for 3 minutes until Okra gets cooked.
In different pan Take 1/2 cup yogurt whisked with water , heat until there are no lumps. Stir in chopped cilantro and paprika. Stir this yogurt gravy over the Okra and stir in few drops of lemon juice.

Lobiya aur Aloo ki Chaat..Yumoo!!

2007-04-12T07:47:00.000-06:00

Made for participating in Nupur's Blogevent: "L is for.........."
Lobiya is also known as Chawli or Jhurga, in Hindi. Here we call it Black Eyed Peas. Its one of the most versatile variety in beans. It can be just eaten with salt ,pepper and lemon juice. In south its mostly used for making soups, gumbos, and cakes. Chat is like nachoes of Indian food. Its a very popular street food of India. This particular chat recipe was given to me by my Mother in Law. I also add diced apples, chopped red grapes ,and pomegranate seeds to it. You will be surprised by how good it taste.

Ingredients:

Black eyed peas, 1 cup, soaked overnight and boiled until tender, drain and keep aside
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped very fine
2 medium sized roma tomato, deseeded and chopped
1 red onion , diced
1 boiled potatoe chopped
1 cup yogurt spiced with 1 tsp black salt and 1 tsp chat masala and lemon juice
Varities of namkeens like Haldirram's Aloo sev , Katha metha , Doritoes (crumbled)
1 pack of Kurkure
few pieces of Papdi
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
chopped cilantro and mint
For Tamarind Chutney:We also get them at ethnic stores or regular grocery stores. Maggi's Tamarind Sauce can also be substituted.
1 cup Cleaned Tamarind,soaked in hot water for 30 minutes.
1/2 cup dates, deseeded and chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp black salt (kala namak)
salt to taste
3/4 cup jaggery

1. Add 5 cups of water to tamarind. Cook on a high flame to bring it to a boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Pass it through a soup strainer and mix roasted cumin powder, black salt, dry
ginger powder, red chili powder, Garam Masala Powder, jaggery and salt.
3. Bring it back to a medium heat and simmer on a slow flame for about 10
minutes till jaggery completely dissolves and the sauce gets a semi thick liquid
consistency.

For Green Chutney:We also get them at ethnic stores or regular grocery stores.I always keep this particular chutney handy, Swad Mint Chutney
Mint or spearmintleaves, 1/2 cup
Green coriander leaves, 1/2 cup
Green chili 5 no.
Lemon juice 1 tbsp.
Onion 3 nos.
Anardana powder 2 tbsp.
Salt As per taste
Mix everything and blend it in a blender.
Assembly of chat::
Take a deep pie plate and mix together Lobiya, onions, tomatoes , green chillies, and yogurt.
Top with all varieties of namkeens and papdi. Sprinkle with chat masala, little salt and lemon juice.Garnish with cilantro, remaining onions , tomatoes and mint. Dash with mint chutney and Tamarind sauce.

Crunchy Palak Paneer..well almost!!

2007-04-09T18:51:00.000-06:00

You must be interested to know why is it almost crunchy. I had this recipe for quite a long while but wasn't getting around to make it. Last night I went to an Indian Grocery store where a friend of mine suggested me to buy ready made paneer of this particular brand, he claimed that it almost homemade. Well I never buy paneer from store, I think that milk products are never ever fresh and original if they are frozen. It hardly takes few hours for making paneer from scratch at home , so why risk eating milk product with artificial binders like Xanthum Gum in them!! But thats just me.

To make paneer crunchy I followed the recipe but didn't like it that much. I guess the coating they are asking for is bit out of taste. I would rather just fry the pieces without coating in few Tbsp of oil. I had few uncoated pieces of paneer left so I added them as well!! Meanwhile crunchy fried pieces made good garnish for the dish. My 11 month old also loved eating paneer. Its just melts like ice cream in mouth and it has so much flavour too.

Ingredients for the Sauce:
3 tbsp canola oil or any vegetable oil
whole spices:
1/2 cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom
1 bay leaf

1 large red onion , finely diced
2 cloves of garlic , minced
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tbsp of tomato paste or puree of 1 large tomato
1/2 tsp sugar
Dry Ground Spices:
1 tsp coriander powder
11/2 tsp kashmiri lal mirch powder or paprika
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt

1lb fresh spinach, washed and chopped or 1 frozen pack of chopped spinach
3 tbsp of heavy cream
few tbsp of water

For Paneer:
Homemade Paneer from 1 gallon of organic whole milk or use 6~7 oz of frozen pack
Oil for frying
1 tbsp semolina (sooji)
1 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

small handful coriander leaves, finely chopped, to garnish
1 tsp lemon juice

1. For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add whole spices and onion and cook for about three minutes until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute.
2. Add the all the dry ground spices. Stir over the heat to release the flavours of the spices.
3. Add the tomato paste and sugar and simmer for ten minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for the paneer, place the garam masala, salt and pepper, and semolina in a large bowl and mix well.
5. Place the cubed paneer into the bowl and coat well with the spiced semolina.
6. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep frying pan to a depth of about ½in. When hot, add the coated paneer and fry until crisp and golden.
7. Add the thawed chopped spinach and two tablespoons of water to the tomato sauce, stir in and cook until the spinach wilts. Cook for 6-7 minutes and then add cream to it.
8. Fold the paneer into the sauce.
9. To serve, garnish with the coriander and squeeze over the lemon juice.

Punjabi Egg Curry

2007-04-04T17:02:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

6 eggs(boiled, peeled, and halved)
1 pack of frozen spinach
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf

Grind together:"Masala"
1 red onions chopped roughly
1/2 inch of ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 green chillies ,chopped
1 roma tomatoes sliced

4 tbs oil
salt to taste

Dry Spices:
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 red chilli powder
1/2 coriander powder
1/2 nutmeg powder

Method:

Microwave spinach and squeeze out all the water in a colander or you can also use "viva" brand paper towels for it. Grind spinach to a very fine paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep skillet and add bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Add cumin seeds. After they crackle add the masala and fry until golden brown.Add all the dry spices and salt. Add spinach paste, and check for seasoning. Fry until the paste separates from oil. Add a little chicken stock or water to dilute the gravy. Cover and simmer for few minutes.

Just before serving cut all eggs with serrated knife(the kind you use for cakes) into halves and add to the gravy. Garnish with chopped cilantro . For variation you can also drizzle some room temperature cream. It is important to add eggs at the very last moment otherwise yolks become soggy and don't hold well.

Tomato chicken

2007-04-03T16:16:00.000-06:00

Tomato Chicken masala is a rich creamy chicken recipe which is favorite in my family. Takes very less time to cook and taste reminds of dhaba stlye chicken dish from India. I have been cooking this recipe for years and is also in very high demand among my friends.

Marinate 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast pieces with 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 3 Tbsp of yogurt, and salt. Keep aside for at least one hour.
Take a deep skillet and heat 5 Tbsp canola oil and heat it over medium high heat. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick ,3 green cardamom and 3 cloves to it. Fry till they leave aroma. Take care not to burn bay leaf. To this add 1 large finely chopped onions. Fry till crisp. Add finely chopped 2 green chillies, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp coriander powder, and 3 tsp chicken masala powder. Fry for few minutes and then add marinated chicken and 2 Tbsp tomato paste. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered. Add water as required and cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sprinkle lemon juice. Serve with naan or jeera rice.

Puran Poli

2007-04-02T16:26:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

For Sweet Filling:
2 cups Bengal Gram Dal (Chana Dal)
2 cups grated Jaggery
1 tsp powdered Cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
few strands of saffron

For Dough
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour (maida)
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup oil
and water as required

Procedure:
Make a soft dough with flour , oil ,salt and water. Cover with damp cloth and keep aside. Boil Bengal gram in plenty of water until tender. Drain the water and return it back to the stove .Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, and jaggery to it. Cook over medium heat until the jaggery melts. Stir it o make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture leaves the side of the vessel.
Remove from heat and grind it in a mixer or blender. Add saffron and "Puran " is ready.
Make round balls (about 2 inch. diameter) of this dough. Roll one ball a little bit and make a flat disc. Place some puran (about twice the quantity of outer dough) in the center of this flat disc.Seal the ball tightly. Roll again to make thin puran polis of 6 to 7 inch. diameter. Use flour for smooth rolling. Heat a flat griddle. On a medium flame, roast one side. Flip it and roast another side. Do not flip the sides over and over. Roast till golden brown.
Serve with Pure Ghee (clarified butter) smeared on top. I love to eat it with Instant homemade punjabi pickle( a trick I picked from eating at Gurudwara Langar) and mint yogurt.

Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

2007-03-27T14:24:00.000-06:00

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup cooked stir-fried vegetables(scallions, broccoli, red bell pepper, peas, corns, and mushrooms)
2 water chestnuts ,chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese or use homemade paneer
3/4 cup grated Extra Sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Herb de Provence(careful, dry herbs are lot stronger than fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

1 Pie-pan or tart pan

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Press pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan (or 9-inch pie pan).
In a large bowl, combine spinach, stir-fried vegetables and place on top of uncooked crust.
In another bowl combine ricotta, cheddar, milk, eggs, herb de provence, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Spoon cheese mixture on top of vegetable mixture in prepared pie crust and top with Parmesan.
Bake 20 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and crust is golden brown.

Chicken Pot Pie..Ultimate Comfort Food

2007-03-27T07:45:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just need to have a one pot hearty dish. Yesterday I was grocery shopping in the afternoon. For some reason I just didn't get time for lunch before going out. While I was browsing freezer section for frozen vegetables, my eyes caught "Chicken Pot Pie" ..so I thought why don't I buy this handy pie for lunch. All I had to do was to pop that in microwave for 2 minutes. I have always been a chicken pot pie lover. I rushed home and first thing I did was to microwave it . When I ate the first bite....hummmmmm. I was utterly disappointed. The crust was very bland and soggy. Not to mention seasoning was almost nill in the filling. So I decided to have it my way.

This pie is silky and rich, but I've streamlined it by substituting little milk for most part of the heavy cream in the velouté sauce and sautéing the vegetables oil first instead of butter. But it's still very satisfying!! This pot pie is especially quick when you top it with store-bought puff pastry, it makes my life easier!! Adding curry powder and coriander powder gives it a very Indian twist.

For Crust: Pillsbury's Pie Crust ,one sheet , thawed and rolled on a floured surface.

Chicken Filling:

4 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound white button mushrooms, quartered if very large or buy the chopped onces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
16 fresh pearl onions, peeled and blanched for 5 minutes in boiling water, or 16 frozen pearl onions, thawed
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup water chestnuts (buy the small can and drain out the liquid)
1 pound poached chicken breasts or boneless leftover chicken, cut into chunks (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup of "mashed potatoes or cauliflower"

Butter, for preparing the baking dish
2 tablespoons egg wash
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Serves 6

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer,add Thyme, and simmer for 4 minutes. Strain the stock into a heatproof jug and set aside. Remove and discard the thyme.

In a medium skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, or until they are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste, remove from the heat and set aside. Take care not to add salt before all the liquid from mushroom has evaporated.

In a different saucepan add the butter and heat it over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Return the pan to the heat and stir the flour roux until it is bubbling but not brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add the reserved chicken stock all at once, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Add the milk and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, or until it is thickened, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce at the bottom of the pan from scorching. Remove from the heat and stir in the carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions, parsley, chicken, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom and sides but not the top edge of a round or oval ceramic baking dish, about 1 1/2-quart capacity, and set it aside.

Quickly roll out the dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap to a size that will fit over your baking dish.

Turn the chicken filling into the baking dish and brush the top edge of the dish with some of the milk. Layer the top with garlicky mashed potatoes and then with water chestnuts. Trust me, you will not regret adding water chestnuts. They give the dish a wonderful body and adds crunch to every bite.

Gently invert the dough over the baking dish, using the plastic to transfer it, then peel away the remaining plastic. Gently press the edges with the fork to secure them to the dish. With a sharp knife, cut 2 steam vents in the top, then brush the top of the dough lightly with milk or egg wash. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F. Continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the crust is shiny and golden. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.