Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi Pakora is a classic Pakistani-Indian gram-flour curry with fried gram-flour & onion pakoras. It’s everyone’s all-time favourite comfort food, served with boiled / steamed rice or naans.

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Pakoras:

• 1 cup sieved gram flour
• 1 fine chopped onion
• 2 tbsp fine chopped coriander / parsley
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• Water, as required

For Kadhi Sauce:

• 2 tbsp gram flour
• 1 cup sour yogurt (if yogurt is not sour enough, add 1tbsp lemon juice)
• 1.5 tsp or to taste red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as required

Other ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• Few curry leaves
• 4-5 dried red chilies whole
• 1 tsp white cumin (zeera) whole
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana) whole
• Chopped coriander
• 1tbsp oil
• 1 tsp black / yellow mustard seeds

Method:

• Combine all pakora ingredients in some water till you get a thick paste.
• Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Fry small pakoras in hot oil and set aside.
• Combine all kadhi sauce ingredient together and whisk well adding water till you get a semi-thick slurry.
• In a pan, heat oil and sauté curry leaves, dry red chilies, methi dana and zeera till fragrant.
• Add kadhi sauce and stir until gram-flour smell goes away.
• Add water till sauce is thinned and bring to a rolling boil while constantly stirring.
• After one boil, lower the flame and cover and cook until few more boils.
• Turn the flame off and add fried pakoras and coriander.
• Mix and cover the pan so that pakoras get soaked and soften.
• In a small sauté pan, heat 1tbsp oil and crackle mustard seeds.
• Pour over kadhi served in a bowl.
• Serve with boiled / steamed white rice or naan bread.

~ Enjoy!

Spicy Jalfrezi Pasta

Spicy Jalfrezi Pasta

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 300 gms chicken cubes
• Salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp ginger powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ large onion, cubed
• 2-3 green chilies, fine chopped
• 1-2 green / red / yellow capsicums, cubed
• 2 medium tomatoes, cubed
• A handful of fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 2-3t tbsp oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• ½ cup tomato puree + tomato sauce
• Boiled pasta – serving quantity for 2-3

Method:

• Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in all the ground / powdered spices and ½ of the ground garam masala.
• Heat oil in a wok and sauté garlic till it softens.
• Add marinated chicken cubes and fry till cooked through.
• Add tomato puree and red chili flakes and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add green chilies and all the vegetables and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
• Mix in boiled pasta and toss till well combined.
• Just before you dish it up, sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

¬ Bon Appétit!

Szechuan-Style Hot & Sour Chicken Soup

Szechuan-Style Hot & Sour Chicken Soup 

Adaptation of the classic Chinese version of Szechaun-style Hot & Sour Chicken Soup, a comfort and warming food for cold autumn and winter evenings.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 175 gm chicken strips (boneless)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice / white vinegar
• 2 tbsp water (for corn flour slurry)
• 2 tsp corn flour
• 2 cups water (for chicken stock)
• 1 chicken cube
• 1/2 cup chopped cabbage, carrots & spring onions
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp red hot chili sauce
• 1/2 tsp fine chopped garlic & ginger
• 1 egg, beaten
• a dash of ground black pepper

Method:

• In a bowl coat chicken strips with sesame oil.
• In a second bowl, comine vinegar, 2tbsp water and corn flour to make a slurry.
• In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock cube, water, cabbage, carrot, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, crushed chilies and sesame oil coated chicken and bring to a boil on medium heat.
• Returning to the saucepan, increase the flame to medium-high until its boiling again.
• Now drizzle in the egg while stirring slowly to create long strands of egg.
• Stir in the corn flour slurry.
• Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and the stock has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Serve garnished with spring onions and parsley.

~ Enjoy!