Amitabha's Kitchen Chronicles

Ingredients: 500 gm Lau (bottle gourd) 1 cup shrimps 4 large green chillis, slit 1 tbsp Cumin seed 1 Bay leaf 1 red chilly 1 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Chili powder Salt and Sugar as per taste Garnish with chopped Coriander Method: - Peel and cut the pumpkin in very thin strips (Bengali style). Shell, Devein, Clean the shrimps. Sprinkle salt and turmeric and mix. Saute the prawns and keep it aside. In a pan add oil and heat it for sometime, then add the cumin seed, red chilly & bayleaf, when they turn brown, add the gourd, green chili, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. After frying for about 5 min till the gourd soften, add the shrimps. Cover the pan and let it cook under a low flame turning it once in a while. Once the gourd is well done, sprinkle a little maida and garnish with coriander and let it be on the flame for about 2 mins, stirring it all the while. Serve.

Ingredients: 3 cups large prawns, Shelled, Deveined, Cleaned 6 dry red chilies 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 3 tsp cumin seeds 1large pod garlic 1tbsp mustard seeds 3 large onions 1tsp Chili powder Oil accordingly Salt as per taste Garnish with chopped Coriander Method: - Grind together the chilis, cumin seeds, garlic, mustard seeds and onions. To this ground paste add turmeric powder and mix. Smear the ground paste on prawns. Heat oil in a pan and add the prawn mix, then add water and bring to boil. Serve with rice.

Ingredients: Marinade ½ Kg Chicken 8 tbsp Curd Salt 1 tsp Paprika 1 pod Garlic 4" Ginger Grind curd, garlic, ginger into smooth paste. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for ½ hrs, add the salt & paparika too. 3 tbsp Oil 2 Onions (ground to paste) 5 tbsp Butter 5 tbsp Tomato Puree 4 Green Chili (finely chopped) 2 tsp Chili Powder 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder Salt For Garnishing: Chopped Coriander Fried Cashew (Kaju) Egg- cut the hard boiled egg in circles Method: - After marinating cook the chicken in the same curd mixture till tender. When tender keep aside. In a pan add oil; fry the onions till the oil leaves the sides. Add butter, tomato puree, chopped chili, add the cooked chicken, chili powder, garam masala powder, salt (if required), cook for about 10 mins & garnish with the garnishing items.

Ingredient: 250 gm fish head 1 cup rice 2 onions, sliced lengthwise 2 green chili, slit into 2 5 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch ginger, sliced lengthwise 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp chili powder whole garam masala: cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf 2 tomatoes, chopped finely oil accordingly 2 1/2 cups of water salt & sugar as per taste. Method: Heat oil in a deep pan, fry the fish and keep aside. In the same oil add whole garam masalas, onion, ginger, garlic and bay leaf. Then add the tomatoes and fry for 3 min. Add the rice, mix properly, then add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, salt & sugar and let it fry for some time. Then add the water to cook the rice at the same time add the fish pieces and garam masala and cover the pan till the rice is cooked.

Ingredient: 4 pieces of hilsa fish 1/2 cup mustard seed 1 tsp turmeric powder 8 green chili (slit into 4) 1 tsp onion seeds (kalo jeere) 1 onion (chopped finely) 1"ginger 4 garlic cloves 21/2 tsp curd (optional) (well-beaten) mustard oil 1 cup water salt Method: Wash & clean the fish, apply salt and turmeric powder, marinate for 30 mins. Soak the mustard seeds in water and Grind the mustard seeds, 4 green chilies and ginger-garlic into paste. I prefer using a little coconut alongwith the mustard as a paste. Mix the paste with curd and turmeric and salt. Heat oil in a deep pan, fry the fish, when it turns golden brown, keep aside. Add some more oil, add the onion seeds then the chopped onions and 2 slit green chilies, fry till the onions turn pink. Add the paste and fry for two minutes. Add water and let it boil for sometime, when you see the water boiling add in the fish and the rest slit green chilies. Let it the water dry under low heat and partially covered pan. Serve with ...

This is an old post and I recently realised that this was not the actual method that we follow. Thanks to The Knife , I refined the recipe and here it is. Ingredients: 6 pieces of rui or river carp, smeared in 1/2 a teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder + salt  Curd marinade - 100 g of curd + 1 teaspoon chilly powder + 1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder + 1/2 tea spoon sugar + 1/2 tea spoon salt + 1 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour) - whipped together in a mixer grinder or beaten (stirred) hard with a spoon Gravy base - 1 onion - grated, 1 tea spoon of ginger paste + 1 teaspoon whole cumin (sada jeera), dry red chillies + 2, bay leaves (tej pata) 4 cloves, 4 cinnamon,1 cardamom Garnish - a spoon of finely chopped coriander and 2 split green chillies, a tea spoon of whole garam masala (crushed / pounded) Method: Fish: Medium fry the fish Put the fish in a microwave cooking bowl and pour the curd marinade on it. Keep it for at least half an hour so that,...

Ingredients: 1 whole crab 15 gm coriander seeds 15 gm red chillies 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp mustard 8 peppercorns 1 grated coconut 10 garlic 200 gm onions 100 gm tomatoes 1/2 cup coconut milk 1 sprig curry leaves 10 gm coriander leaves 25 ml coconut oil 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (powder) Salt to taste Procedure: Dry, roast all the items from 2 to 7 individually. Add 1/4th of the onions and garlic to the roasted items. Grind to a fine paste and keep it aside. Slice rest of the onions and chop the tomatoes. Clean and cut the crab into medium size pieces. Heat little coconut oil in a pan. Add onions and curry leaves. Fry till golden brown colour. Add tomatoes and cook further. Add the crab and saute it for some time. Add the ground masala and cook it. Finally add the coconut milk and simmer till the crab is cooked. Adjust the seasoning and finish with a pinch of fenugreek seed powder. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves

Ingredients: 1 whole crab 10 sliced shallots 10 flakes sliced garlic 100 gm butter A few curry leaves 5 gm mustard seeds 2 gm turmeric powder Salt to taste 20 gm freshly ground pepper A few chopped coriander leaves Juice of 2 limes 1/4 cup stock 2 tsps rice paste (for thickening) Procedure: Wash, clean and cut the crab into 8 pieces, discarding the top shell. Apply salt and turmeric and keep aside. In a thick bottomed pan, crackle the mustard seeds along with the curry leaves in butter. Add the sliced shallots (keeping some butter aside to finish off the dish), add the sliced garlic and saute further till light brown and aromatic. Add the marinated crab pieces, stock, crushed pepper and simmer till the crab is cooked. Lastly finish off with some extra butter, chopped coriander leaves and lime juice, thickening up the pan juices with rice paste if necessary.

Ingredients - 1 Pomfret Fish - 1/4 tsp Red Chili pepper (dried) - 1/4 tsp Ajwain (Tymol Seeds) - to taste Salt - 1 tbsp Cooking Oil Instructions 1. Wash fish properly. Pat dry it. Make slits on both sides. Mix salt, red chili powder, ajwain and oil and put this paste into the slits and rub all over the fish. Marinate for about 5 to 10 minutes 2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Put the fish on it and when one side is cooked change the side and cook on the other side. Remove from the pan. 3. Garnish with lemon juice and serve with green chutney.

Grilled stuffed pomfret Ingredients - 2 pc Pomfret Fish - 2 tbsp Vinegar - 2 medium Onion - 8 Green Chili - 6 tbsp (grated) Coconut - 8 flakes Garlic - 1 inch piece Ginger - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 2 tbsp (chopped finely) Cilantro - 2 tsp Coriander Powder - 2 tsp Cumin Seed Powder - 1 lb Tomato - 8 Whole Red Chili - to taste Salt Instructions 1. Wash and clean whole pomfret. Make a slit on the right side of each pomfret. Cut two slits on each side of the pomfret. 2. Strain the tomatoes through a coarse strainer to make puree. 3. Rub the pomfret with turmeric powder and salt. 4. Grind together all the ingredients except tomato puree. 5. Shallow fry the pomfret to golden brown. 6. Stuff into the fish the ground masala paste. Tie with thread. 7. Place the fish in ovenware dish. Cover with tomato puree. Dot with butter. 8. Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 30 minutes. Serve hot with mashed potatoes or French fries.

Ingredients 120 ml or 1/2 cup tomato puree 5 ml or 1 tsp soya sauce Few drops of chilli sauce 8 cloves garlic chopped 2.5 cm or 1 in ginger root chopped 15 ml or 1 tbsp honey 15 ml or 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) 1 green chilli chopped salt and pepper 1 chicken skinned and cut into portions 30 ml or 2 tbsp oil Process Mix together all the ingredients except the oil and chicken. Prick the chicken all over and rub in the marinade. Leave to marinate overnight. Heat the oil and fry the chicken for abt 40 mins until the chicken is tender

Ingredients / Quantities For Kadhi Bengal Gram Flour (besan) 30 gms Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp Coriander Powder 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Buttermilk 600 ml Ghee 1 tbsp Asafoetida 1/2 tsp Red Chillies Whole 2-3 nos Panch Phoron 1 tsp Ginger Paste 3/4 tsp Garlic Paste 3/4 tsp Green Chillies (finely Chopped) 2-3 no Onion Paste 2 tbsps Coriander Leaves few sprigs For Kabab Lean Mince Meat 250 gms Coriander Seeds 2 tsps Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Red Chillies Whole 3 no Salt to taste Coriander Leaves (finely Chopped) 3 tbsps Method of preparation Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, whole red chillies and crush them to a powder. Add salt and finely choped coriander to the mince. Add the roasted and crushed masala and grind together in a blender. Take the mixture out of the blender and keep aside. Mix besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and mix well. Add sour buttermilk and mix well so that no lumps remain. Add water and make it t...

Ingredients Quantities Chicken (whole) 1 (1 kg); Butter 4 tbsps; Salt to taste; Pepper Powder ¼ tsp For The Stuffing Onions 2 medium sized; Mushrooms 5-6; Pear 1 medium sized; Apple 1 medium sized; Chicken Liver 2; Cashewnuts 6-8; Walnuts (shelled) 2 tbsps; Oil 3 tbsps; Salt to taste; Pepper Powder ¼ tsp; Bread Crumbs ½ cup; Milk ½ cup; Eggs 2; Butter for basting Method of preparation Take whole chicken with skin. Remove neck and clean the inside. Wash it thoroughly and wipe dry. Apply salt inside and outside. Peel, wash and chop onions. Wash and chop the mushrooms. Wash and grate the pears and apples. Wash and cut the chicken liver into small pieces. Chop the cashewnuts and walnuts. Break the eggs and beat them lightly. Preheat the oven to 200° C. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion, chopped fresh mushroom and stir. Add grated pear and apple to the onion and mushroom mixture. Add liver and cook. Add salt and pepper powder and stir. Add chopped cashewnuts and walnuts. In a bowl take b...

A combination of mutton and rice which is famous in Kashmir. Time To Prepare: 1 hour No Of Servings: 4 Ingredients: Yakhni 1 lb Meat (lamb or goat) 1 small Onion 6 flakes Garlic 1 inch Ginger 4 Green Chili 1 inch Cinnamon 6 Cloves 2 tsp Coriander Seeds to taste Salt 4 cups Water Rice 2 cups, basmati Rice 4 flakes Garlic 1 inch Ginger 3 tbsp Ghee 1 large Onion 2 tsp Black Cumin Seed (Shahi Jeera) 2 inch Cinnamon 6 Cardamom 8 Cloves 3 tbsp Yogurt to taste Salt Garnish 3 sliced hard boiled Egg Method: FOR YAKHNI: 1. Wash mutton. Cut into medium pieces. 2. Peel and quart onion. Cut chilies into big slices. Put all the ingredients from onion to salt (before rice) in a muslin bag. 3. In a saucepan, place mutton, the muslin bag, and water and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer gently till the mutton is almost done. Remove bag. FOR RICE: 4. Wash and drain rice. Grind garlic and ginger to a fine paste. 5. Heat the ghee. Fry the onion to rich brown and remove half for garnishing. Add the ground past...

Ingredients: Marinade 1 chicken whole (8 pieces) 1 cup curd 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 /2 tsp turmeric powder 4 green chili(chopped) 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste For gravy: 2 big onions, chopped 3 flakes of garlic 1" cinnamon 3 cardamom 1 tsp whole black pepper 3 cloves 2 dry red chilies 1 tsp cumin-coriander seeds 8 almonds (skin removed) handful of coriander, finely chopped 1 tsp garam masala salt Method: Clean & wash chicken, mix all the masala's with curd, then add chicken to it and marinate for 3-4 hrs. Roast cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cumin-coriander seeds,cardamom, red chili; fry onions & garlic. Grind the roasted spices, fried onion & garlic, almonds, make a fine paste. Heat oil, add chili pwd & marinated chicken, add the fine paste, stir for 4 mins then add water, check if salt is requires, if yes add salt, cook till the chicken becomes tender, garnish with coriander & garam masala.

Ingredient: 1 kg.Lamb (pieces)10 gm.Ginger paste 5 gm. Chili powder 10 gm.Garam masala 3 Cinnamon.3 Cardamom. 4 Cloves 1 tsp Turmeric .2 Bay leaves200 gm. Potatoes (medium size cut into large cubes)250 gm Onions (large,chopped)12.5 gm Ghee.(clarified butter)40ml.Mustard oil 4 gm Sugar Salt To taste.Separate oil for deep-frying potatoes. Method: Rub lamb pieces with raw mustard oil and half chopped onions, and keep aside. Rub salt on potatoes, and deep fry in wok, to golden brown, Keep aside.Heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan, add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and garam-masala. When these begin to splutter, add remaining onions, ginger paste, turmeric and red chili powder, and fry till onions turn soft. Add lamb and sugar, and continue to fry on low heat, till meat becomes reddish brown in color. Pour 2 cups of warm water and salt, and bring to boil. Cook till meat is tender. Heat ghee , and pour over meat. Garnish with potato cubes, and serve hot with boiled rice.