The red scarf...

It was a long, hard day, I mumbled to myself..

Car keys on the table and removed my shoes..

It was about midnight, so I ordered food...

I changed and waited, while I kept my cool..

Finally the tired, sleepy me got my food..

But the ringtone of my mobile

broke the silence with all its might..

before I could even take my first bite....

I wanted to ignore, I wanted to eat and sleep..

I was too tired to even talk..

But I'm a doctor; I guess I'll have to take this call..

Food can wait, I took the call..

"Here's a dying little boy of four..

and he won't make the night for sure"

So the food waited, as I dashed out..

With my coat and shoes on a cold, cold night..

As I drove faster, I wished I could save the boy,

It was pretty late and there wasn't a soul in sight..

But I was wronged, as my car breaks screeched..

when I saw him on the road with a knife..

He came over and asked for the keys..

It was dark and I saw his back..

He had a red scarf around his neck..

I tried to explain, but he even had a gun..

And that was no fun !!

I quietly got out as he speeded away..

I looked for a taxi, but I found none..

So I walked to the little boy as my heart urged..

and inside of me, my fears surged..

In this cold night, to keep up my fight..

I left my food, and bore this pain..

But when I reached, all was in vain..

The little boy had met his fate..

Because maybe I was a little too late !!

The boy's father kicked and cursed..

He cried and shouted and made a fuss...

And I knew what I saw before he turned his back..

That he had a red scarf around his neck !!!

Butter Chicken with a twist..

Who in the world hasn't heard of butter chicken? Well, that's the most famous of all from the chicken curries. This recipe is discovered by me (yeah, yeah).. and it's cooked in butter, just like you would the original Butter Chicken; but gets a varied dimension due to the change in marinade and also change in the ingredients.. But it tasted completely different from the original butter chicken and yet, it looked inviting with the red curry; and tasted so amazing we almost licked our plates off...

For preparing this curry, I specially made my own fresh garam masala which tasted heavenly and I can't describe the aroma while it was being cooked. The method of the masala preparation and the complete recipe is here:

Yoghurt Chicken Curry

As the name suggest, this delicious Chicken Curry is marinated in yoghurt and cooked with mild spices. This is a Pakistani cuisine, using all the same spices as you would in an Indian curry, but the taste is absolutely different.. Can try for yourself... !! Looks inviting and tastes amazing !!

Ingredients:

Chicken: 200 gm

Ginger-garlic paste: 3 tsp.

Black peppercorns: 1/2 tsp.

Lemon juice: 2 tsp.

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.

Onion (sliced): 1

Green chilli (chopped): 1

Tomato (chopped): 1

Salt: to taste

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.

Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.

Cooking oil: 2 tsp.

1. Mix the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and peppercorns and marinate the chicken in this mix for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Add onions and green chilli and fry until the onions start becoming transparent.
3. Add the tomatoes, and salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes become soft.
4. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix and let cook for a minute.
5. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered for 15 minutes on medium flame.
6. Remove cover and garnish with coriander leaves (optional) and serve hot.

Chicken Xacuti

This is a Goan delicacy smothered in home-made spice and coconut paste. My recipe is inspired from a Goan recipe, from the book "A sense for spice" by Tara Deshpande.
I have improvised the recipe to suit my taste-buds.

Ingredients:

For the curry
Cooking oil 4 tablespoons 
Chicken 250 grams
Bay leaf 1 
Onion (sliced) 1 
Salt to taste 

For the spice paste
Cinnamon stick 1 inch
Cloves 2 
Peppercorns 1/2 tsp.  
Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp.  
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp.  
Dried red chilli 2  
Green chilli (chopped) 1  
Garlic (chopped) 4 cloves 
Onion (chopped) 1 large 

For the coconut paste
Cashew nuts (unsalted) 20-25 (a handful) 
Poppy seeds 3 tablespoons 
Grated coconut 1/2 cup

1. For making the spice paste, heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chili. Let the spices cook for about a minute till they release an aroma. 
2. Add the onions and sauté till they become transparent. Turn off the heat and let this mixture cool. 
3. Add this mixture with green chili and garlic and grind this to a paste of fine consistency. Keep aside. 
4. For making coconut paste, again heat oil in the same (or another) pan and add cashews, poppy seeds and coconut. Toast them over medium heat until they change color to darker. 
5. Cool and grind them with a little water. Keep aside. 
6. Now, for the curry, in a pan, heat oil and add the bay leaf. Add the onions and sauté until they become transparent.  
7. Add the spice paste and mix well. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. 
8. Add chicken, mix well and add a little water if you want, cover and let cook for about 15 minutes. Remove cover and stir well. 
9. Add coconut paste and salt. Mix well and let cook uncovered for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn off the heat and serve hot as you wish ! 

Khara Chicken

Spicing up the chicken (and my kitchen) with another experiment using dessicated coconuts and all the whole masalas. This one is sure to make anyone's mouth water, just with the amazing aroma !!

Ingredients:

Grated coconut: 1/2 cup
Onion (charred): 1 (cooking the whole onion  till its outer skin starts getting blackened)
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Cardamom: 2
Cloves: 2
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Salt: to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Ginger-garlic paste: 4 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1 tsp.
Lemon juice: 2 tsp.

1. Dry roast the grated coconut and mix with the charred onion. Add a little water and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil and add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, cumin and fry for a minute.
3. Add turmeric and mix well. Add the onions and fry till they are transparent. 
4. Add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and cook for another minute. Add chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes. Remove cover and add the coconut and onion paste and lemon juice. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Malabar Dum Chicken Biryani

 MALABAR BIRYANI... Ah! Pleasure... With the goodness and richness of the world, it is indeed one of the most lip-smacking, finger licking good dish I have ever prepared. Writing this post on a Tuesday, makes me crave to eat something of the sort again; and impatiently I begin to wait for Friday again, as I scroll through the pictures of this amazing dish I prepared at the Midsummer weekend; so that I can again dig into some another amazing dish.

I was trying to lose weight for the midsummer weekend for about 3 weeks, and I was pretty much going the right way (Oh! I so wanted to look attractive for the day). But alas! I decide to prepare this dish on the previous day of the celebration, and lo! I gorged in it so much I forgot the world and gained back whatever I had lost in ONE SINGLE DAY.. OMG !!! Needless to say I looked one big fat punch bag for the midsummer.. !! Thanks to this recipe.. !

Are you trying to lose weight? No. Then what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and enjoy the experience. Yes. Ah! But... Also, do you want to gorge in something made in your own kitchen of absolute goodness, and want to experience heaven as you take each bite? Well, then try it anyway.. The weight can be taken care of later.. right?

So here I present my absolutely tasty (add all other synonyms) Malabar Dum Chicken Biryani..

Here goes my pictures from preparations for the biryani.. After all, every great thing takes a great effort till the end product as well.. So here we go..

The goodness of Kesar in warm milk.. to be added to the Biryani

Fried cashews and raisins.. This is what delivers the royal goodness !!

The fried onions.. Now here's a little warning: they are addictive.. :)

ANNNDDDD.... THIS is the Final Product of My Biryani....

Find the recipe here:

Hariyali Grilled Chicken..

HARIYALI GRILLED CHICKEN... as the name suggests, is flat chicken grilled in the oven, with green (mint and coriander) marinade. I separately made a curry and added the grilled chicken to it; but it can totally be done without.. Just grill the chicken and it's ready to enjoy with Coriander Chutney.

This is how my flat grilled chicken looked like:

This was when it was added in the curry, and these are the final products for finger-licking Hariyali grilled chicken. We had it with plain rice, but can be relished almost in any way..