Rohu Matar ( Fish curry with Peas)

March 13, 2022 Leave a comment

No matter how much you grow up and age, the childhood memory of your mom’s cooking is bound to have an influence on you and one could never match up to the same. And my story is no different with her being a great influence in my food journey. Her ability to cook the simplest food tastes best, something I look forward to inheriting from her. Rohu matar is my mom’s recipe, easy to make yet tastes amazing. A healthy recipe with the combination of seasonal vegetable and fish is a perfect treat for a winter brunch.

Ingredients

Rohu fish: ½ kg

Green peas : 100 gms

Onion : 2

Tomato : 1

Curd : 4 tsp

Coriander powder : 2 tsp

Turmeric powder : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tsp

Green chilli : 2

Mustard oil : for frying

Salt as per taste

Step 1

Grind onion and tomato into a smooth paste. In a bowl take a spoon full of water and add the ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well to make a smooth paste.

Step 2

Marinate the fish with garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt along with a tsp mustard oil and ground masala.

Step 3

Heat mustard oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish.

Step 4

Rohu matar is my mom’s recipe, easy to make yet tastes amazing. A healthy recipe with the combination of seasonal vegetable and fish is a perfect treat for a winter brunch.

Once done take it out in an absorbent paper.

Step 5

Heat oil in a pan and add the onion tomato paste along with prepared masala paste and saute until the oil leaves the side of the pan.

Step 6

Add the peas and cook it along with masala for about four to five minutes.

Step 7

Next add the curd and stir them all together for a couple of minutes.

Step 8

Add the required amount of water and let it come to a boil.

Step 9

Gradually add the fried fish into the gravy and cook on high flame for about five minutes. Add the slit green chilli and switch off the gas.

Step 10

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it along with steamed rice.

Tip

Fried cauliflower florets and peas is a match made in heaven that combines well with rohu.

Khubani ka meetha with rabri (apricot delight)

September 22, 2021 Leave a comment

Khubani or apricot sweet is a classic Hyderabadi dessert that tastes amazing when topped with lusciously creamy rabri making it a purely delightful sweet. I had recently bought a packet of Apricot and used it just a couple of times while the rest lay unnoticed in my fridge. Yesterday while organizing it , the packet caught my attention and therefore came up With this awesome recipe. I served it along with rabri and chopped nuts and this sweet and tangy dessert was an instant hit. Simple and easy to prepare, this Indian traditional sweet recipe is a must try where the apricot is slow cooked to jam -like consistency.

Ingredients

Apricot : 8 to 10

Sugar : 4 tsp

Kesar : 7 to 8 strand

Rose water : 1 tsp

For rabri

Full cream milk : 1 litre

Sugar : 2 tsp

Dry fruits : 1 tsp

Step 1

Soak the apricot overnight with enough water.

Step 2

After soaking it overnight,the apricot will become soft and double in size.

Step 3

In a thick bottom pan cook the apricot in the same soaked water on medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 4

Once soft, mash the apricot with the help of a masher but also keep a few pulpy ones. Next add the sugar.

Step 5

Cook it for another fifteen minutes with the saffron. Finally add the rose water and give it all a good mix.

Step 6

Make rabri by reducing milk and sugar to the desired consistency.

Step 7

Serve the khubani ka meetha with rabri and garnish with dry fruits.

Tip

Use the same soaked water to cook the apricot.

Adjust the sweetness as per your taste.

The tender and succulent mutton pieces cooked in mustard oil makes it one of the most hearty meals . Enjoy this curry with steamed rice to experience the flavours from bihar.

Bihari Mutton Curry

June 7, 2020 Leave a comment

Adversity makes a person or breaks them. My dearest friend pallavi’s life has been a roller coaster ride but the way she has emerged victorious needs all the appreciation and acknowledgement. Today she is a successful entrepreneur and runs a very popular catering business named ” Taazi Rasoi ” in Mumbai that has been serving lip smacking bihari mutton curry and in spite of all the other food influences in the city her signature dish has marked its presence in the food world. She has gracefully shared her secretive recipe and am indeed very grateful to her for the same. The tender and succulent mutton pieces cooked in mustard oil makes it one of the most hearty meals . Enjoy this curry with steamed rice to experience the flavours from bihar.

Ingredients

Mutton : 1 kg

Onion : 400 gms

Bay leaf : 3 to 4

Turmeric powder : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 2 tsp

Mustard oil : 4 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

For the masala paste

Coriander seed : 3 tsp

Cumin seeds : 2 tsp

Pepper corn : 1 tsp

Ginger : 1 inch

Garlic : 40 gms

Step 1

In a blender jar make a smooth paste with ginger, garlic, corriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper corn with approximately 2 tsp of water.

Step 2
Marinate the mutton with oil, bay leaf, turmeric powder, salt and onion.

Step 3

Pressure cook the mutton for just one whistle.

Step 4

Release the pressure and add the ground masala paste along with red chilli powder. Nicely bhuno the mutton along with masala until the masala blends with the masala and oil leaves the side of the pan.

Step 5

Now add a glass full of water and further pressure cook on medium flame for about fifteen minutes or until the mutton becomes tender. Finally sprinkle the garam masala powder.

Step 6

Enjoy the luscious mutton curry with plain steamed rice or Roti.

Tip

The unbeatable pungent flavour of mustard oil gives the bihari mutton curry it’s distinct taste.

Mewe ka gosht ( मेवे का गोश्त )

March 1, 2020November 8, 2025 Leave a comment

Holi in my native state Bihar is all about vibrant colours and delightful food. We play a lot with colour and eat even more. Right from traditional pua and dahi bara to the scrumptious mutton and puri …….. Holi has all the essence of fun and frolic. Let’s make this Holi even more colourful with yet another incredible recipe from my dearest aunts ( Mrs Uma Sahay) culinary treasure. She has been kind enough to pass on this recipe with a promise that hopefully I would do full justice to her recipe. Thanks chachi for inspiring me towards this incredible culinary journey. Try this unique recipe step by step and in her words ” dekh maaza.”

Ingredients

For marination

Mutton : 1 kg

Onion : ½ kg cut into roundle

Grated ginger : 2 tsp

Bay leaf : 6

Cinnamon : 1

Black cardamom : 1

Green cardamom : 2

Oil : 4 tsp

Ghee : 2 tsp

Salt : as required

Dry fruit Paste

Cashew nuts : 6 piece

Almonds : 6 piece

Pistachio : 8 piece

Khus khus : 2 tsp

Ghee : 1 tsp

Garam masala paste

Cinnamon : 1

Black cardamom : 1

Green cardamom : 2

Clove : 4

Black pepper : 5 to 6

Mace ( javitri) : ¼ tsp

Nutmeg ( jaifal ) : 1

Saffron : 10 to 12 string soaked in 4 tsp warm milk

Step 1Marinate the mutton and keep it aside for at least an hour. In a thick bottom pan cook the mutton on high heat for ten minutes and then reduce the flame and cover the lid and let it cook for at least half an hour stirring occasionally.

Step 2

Soak the saffron in warm milk and keep it aside.

Step 3

In a pan add one tsp ghee and roast the dry fruits.

Step 4

Grind these roasted nuts along with khus khus and 2 spoon of milk and make a smooth paste of it.

Step 5Grind the garam masala.

Step 6

After half an hour once the mutton is tender add the garam masala paste and cover the lid so that mutton may infuse all the flavour.

Step 7

In another 5 minutes remove the lid and add the dry fruit paste along with soaked kesar and cover it and let it cook until the all the flavour comes together and the mutton is soft and cooked.

Step 8

Enjoy the mewe ka gosht with rumali roti or laccha paratha.

Tip

Do not add water to the mutton since it would release its own broth and let the cooking be done in the same.

The dry fruit paste will thicken the gravy and give it a valvety texture.

Murg Mussallam

November 20, 2019 1 Comment

There are several variations of murg musallam and almost every family has its own take on this traditional whole chicken recipe. For me, murgh musallam means taste of nostalgia since for generations it has been an integral part of our family wedding menu. No wedding reception till this day is complete without our very own murgh musallam. And it was originally cooked by a proficient muslim cook named khudoos and later his son murshid who had an expertise in old mughlai khana. Although they are no more, but luckily my family managed to document the recipe though they were very secretive about the same. Murgh mussallam is a mughlai style whole chicken recipe stuffed with boiled egg and dry fruits and slow cooked in curd and onion based sauce. It is an incredible dish to pamper your family and friends for those special occasions. It takes a little time and patience but believe me it is so rewarding and delicious.

Ingredients

Chicken : 1 whole ( remove all the integral organ from the cavity of the chicken)

Marination

Curd : 1 cup

Ginger paste : 2 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 2 tsp

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Salt : as required

For the stuffing

Hard boiled eggs : 2 (shell removed)

Fried onion : 2

Khoya : 100 gms

Kaju : 10

Kishmish : 10

Green chilli : 5 to 6

Mint leaves

Coriander leaves

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Salt : 1 tsp

Step 1

Wash the chicken thoroughly from outside and clean the cavity by placing it under running water.

Step 2

Make deep incision with sharp knife.

Step 3

In a bowl whisk together curd, Ginger paste, garlic pastel, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Step 4

Marinate the whole chicken along with the cavity evenly with the curd mixture. Refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Step 5

In a separate bowl, mix the fried onion, khoya, dry fruits, mint and coriander leaves, garam masala along with eggs and salt.

Step 6

Stuff the cavity with the egg mixture.

Step 7

Tie the legs of the chicken using a kitchen twine.this will help the stuffing from falling out.

Step 8

Heat 4 tsp oil in a thick bottom pan.

Step 9

Layer the sliced onion over it.

Step 10

Top it with the chicken along with the marinade and kashmiri red chilli powder.

Step 11

First let it cook on high flame for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Flip the chicken gently to the other side.

Step 12

Lower the flame and cover the lid. Let it cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes and after every 5 minutes make sure to rotate the chicken onto the other side for even cooking.

Step 13

After half an hour flip chicken and pour the sauce over it and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 14

Switch off the heat and let the chicken rest in pan for about ten minutes. Now gradually transfer the murgh musallam into the serving dish and pour the rest of the masala over the chicken.

Tip

For a perfect soft and tender chicken try to marinate the chicken a day before the actual cooking.

Palak Mutton Keema Kofta Curry ( Meatballs in Spinach Gravy )

August 8, 2019November 8, 2025 Leave a comment

The simple, flavourful and aromatic palak mutton Keema kofta curry is my mom’s signature dish. This very recipe is indeed cooked by my mother herself in a stew style with very mild flavours. The spinach too is picked up from her kitchen garden and she in particular is highly emotional about her home grown vegetables. She even concluded that the dish tasted better not because of her cooking skill but only because of her organic baby spinach. On the contrary, I felt that since the meat balls are allowed to cook in the simmering gravy , the taste and texture of this dish is elevated to an altogether different dimension. The lightly sauteed onions imparts such a mild flavours to the meat ball as well as the gravy. One just needs to be a little extra careful with the koftas as it could disintegrate if not handled properly.

Ingredients

For the kofta

Mutton Keema : 800 gms

Onion : one large

Ginger paste : 1 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Green chilies : 3 to 4

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Lemon juice

Mustard oil : 2 tsp

Coriander leaf

Salt : as per taste

For the gravy

Spinach : 800 gms washed and thinly sliced

Onion : 400 gms

Whole red chilli : 8 to 10

Jeera : 1 tsp

Coriander seed : 1 tsp

Black pepper corn : 20 to 25

Black cardamom : 2

Green cardamom : 5

Clove : 10

Dalchini : 3 small sized

Bay leaf : 3 to 4

Ginger paste : 1 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Oil 4 tsp

Step 1

Add chopped onion, green chilli, coriander leaves, Ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice, oil and salt into the raw Keema.

Step 2

Give them all a good mix.

Step 3

Apply oil in hand and make small round ball shaped koftas. Put it in the fridge for an hour so that the kofta becomes firm.

Step 4

Saute onion in hot oil for a minute.

Step 5

Add whole garam masala, red chilli, Ginger garlic paste, salt and stir it for a couple of minutes.

Step 6

Add approximately 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil.

Step 7

Now place the koftas one by one into the boiling mixture . Do not stir or mix the koftas as they could disintegrate. Let the gravy come to a boil.

Step 8

Now add the sliced palak.

Step 9

Cover the lid and let it cook on a high flame for ten minutes and then lower the flame and cook it until the kofta becomes firm.

Step 10

Check it out after fifteen to twenty minutes to see if the onions have become soft and meat meatballs are done and gravy has reached the desired consistency.

Step 11

Set aside in a serving dish and enjoy with rice or roti.

Tip

One may increase the quantity of spinach as per your taste and requirements.

Tandoori Rohu Fish

July 10, 2019 2 Comments

” The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Birthdays are always special and it is my blogs first birthday. And to tune in with my beloved husband’s birthday, l have a sudden burst of excitement in cooking something new and exciting. Since food is the only gesture I know to express my love and appreciation, I came up with the idea of finger licking grilled fish recipe. It is an extremely easy recipe and can be made any day of the week. Enjoy cooking

Ingredients

Fish : ½ kg ( with bone)

For the marinade

Hung curd : 100gms

Ginger paste : 1tsp

Garlic paste : 1tsp

Tandoori masala powder : 2tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder : 2 tsp

Carom seed : ½ tsp

Kasoori methi : 1 tsp

Mustard oil : 2 tsp

Chaat masala : 1 tsp

Lemon juice : 1 tsp

Cornflour : 1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Step 1

In a bowl mix together Hung curd, Ginger garlic paste, tandoori masala powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder,kasoori methi, carom seed, Mustard oil,chat masala, lemon juice, cornflour and salt.

Step 2

Add the pieces of fish to the marinade. Gently rub the marinated fish and keep it aside for at least a couple of hours.

Step 3

Place the fish on the air fryer and let it cook at 200 degree c for about 10 minutes or until done.

Step 4

Once done brush it with butter.

Step 5

Serve it with onion rings and lemon.

Tip

Marinate the fish for a longer time so that the fish soaks the flavour evenly.

Cinnamon Flavoured Mutton (दालचीनी गोश्त )

June 5, 2019 Leave a comment

Eid Mubarak !!!
One may have tasted the best of the cuisine that the world has to offer but there is always one such recipe that remains close to your heart and that could give a run for money to all such classy cuisine. I am indeed blessed to have a good hearted chachi who has introduced me to world of such lost recipes that has been there for ages and passed on from generation to generation. Dalchini gosht is my aunt’s secret recipe that has been handed down to her by her mother. It is a very classic recipe and am trying to gather and document such great family recipe. It is a subtle flavoured mutton preparation infused with warm Cinnamon fragrance.

Ingredients:

Mutton : 1 kg

Onion : ½ kg cut into roundles

Shah jeera : ½ tsp

Whole coriander : ¼ tsp

Clove : 4 to 5

Green cardamom : 2 to 3

Bay leaf : 4 to 5

Garlic : 8 to 10 split

Ginger : 4 tsp grated

Kashmiri whole chilli : 10

Cinnamon stick : 1 ½ inch

Oil : 1tsp

Ghee : 4 tsp

Curd : 4 tsp

Sugar : a pinch

Salt : as per taste

Step 1

Marinate mutton with shah jeera, onion, ginger, slit garlic , clove,green cardamom, bay leaf along with salt and oil. Keep it aside and let it marinate it for at least an hour.

Step 2

Deseed the red chilli and soak it for about ten minutes.Grind the red chilli along with Cinnamon stick into a smooth paste.

Step 3

Add 4 tsp of curd in the chilli mixture and whisk it all together.

Step 4

Take a thick bottom pan and put the ghee in it. Add a pinch of sugar and let it caramelise.

Step 5

Now add the mutton with the marinade and Fry it on high flame for about four to five minutes .

Step 6

Add the water such that it reaches the level of the mutton or until the mutton pieces gets soaked. Once boiled lower the flame and cover it and let it Cook.

Step 7

When ¾ done open the lid and add the curd, chilli and dalchini mixture . Cover it and let it Cook until it is done and the masala and the mutton comes together and becomes soft and tender.

Step 7

Serve it on a bed of rice or with any Indian bread of your choice.

Tip

Use Kashmiri red chilli for a perfect red colour.

Pua with rabari (Festive pancake)

March 15, 2019March 17, 2019 Leave a comment

“Make merry with colours on holi
&
The rest of the days with the colour of love”

Holi …. The most vibrant and colourful festival of India is synonym with vivacious colours and flavourful food. The holi celebration in my native state Bihar seems to be incomplete without pua and almost every household there is filled with the sweet aroma of the same. I don’t remember a single holi when we have missed out this traditional festive sweet. And with this colourful festival around, I thought of sharing this recipe so that the holi celebration may be even more sweeter and memorable amidst colours of love. Although each household has its own recipe of this dish, I hope I do justice to my family recipe. Pua is made with batter of flour, banana along with milk and is soaked in sugar syrup and is served with rabari and nuts. Enjoy this indulgent recipe. Happy holi !!!

Ingredients

For rabari

Full cream milk 1 litre

saffron strand 10 to 12

For sugar syrup

Sugar 1 cup

Water ½ cup

Green cardamom powder a pinch

For the pua batter

Maida ½ cup

Ripe banana 1

Milk 1cup

Fennel seed ½ tsp

Dry fruits as needed

Oil for frying

Step 1:
Reduce the milk along with Kesar and make rabbari out of it

Step 2:
In a bowl mix together flour,milk,mashed banana,fennel seed, elaichi powder and chopped dry fruits.

Step 3:

Mix them all together and make a smooth Batter with pouring consistency. Cover it and let it rest for at least half an hour.

Step 4:

In the meantime boil sugar and water until sugar completely dissolve and the liquid takes the form of syrup. Also add the saffron into it.

Step 5:

Add oil in a flat surface thick bottom pan. Once the oil is medium hot, slowly pour the batter with the help of a kalchi.(scoop)

Step 6:

Let it fry on a medium heat turning it as required.

Step 7:

Once the edge is golden brown take it out in an absorbent paper and dip it into the sugar syrup.

Step 8:

Holi … The most vibrant and colourful festival of India is synonym with vivacious colours and flavourful food.

Serve it hot with rabari and chopped dry fruits.

Tip:

You can also add few Tsp of rawa to make the pua crispier.
Here I have not added sugar in the rabbari since it makes the pua very sweet . But if you want you can definitely do so.

Gobi Mussallam

November 25, 2018November 25, 2018 Nandini Bhushan2 Comments

Gobi Musallam ( Baked Whole Cauliflower in creamy sauce )

Cauliflower or Gobi is a very popular north Indian vegetable and is often combined with other veggies to get a perfect curry. Here I have tried to give this humble veggie a little gourmet treatment by cooking it in a Mussallam style. The cauliflower head is blanched, fried and drenched in the creamy makhni style gravy. It is a great party fare relished by family and friend. I am sure that the Gobi mussallam recipe will win hearts of even the most fussy eaters around. Do try it yourself to experience it’s exotic flavour and distinctive combinations of flavours .

Ingredients:

Gobi: 1 Whole Gobi

Onion: 1 large

Tomatoes :3

Garlic :7 to 8 clove

Kaju : 25 Grams

Raisin: 8 to 10

Red chilli powder :2 tsp

Turmeric :1 Tsp

Salt as per taste

Kasauri methi: 1 Tsp

Cream :2 tsp

Oil as per requirement.

Step by step recipe:

Step 1:

Blanch the cauliflower along with a pinch of turmeric and salt

Step 2:

Take it out and put it in the strainer till the extra water dries up .

Step 3:

Add oil in the pan and gently place the cauliflower head and fry it lightly till the colour changes.

Step 4:

Now gently place in the baking dish

Step 5:

Place another pan on the flame. Add a cup of water and put the sliced onion, tomatoes, garlic,cashew nuts and rasins and let it boil till the onion becomes soft.Once done strain out the extra water and grind it all together into a smooth paste

Step 6:

Heat oil in the pan. Add the grinded masala along with a pinch of haldi, red chilli powder and salt and saute it till the masala is done. Now add kasauri methi along with cream and switch off the flame

Step 7:

Pour the gravy over the fried cauliflower. You can keep the consistency of the gravy as per your requirement.

Step 8:

Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius and bake the gobi mussallam for almost,30 minutes or until the cauliflower is done. Garnish it with cream and coriander.

Tip:

One can keep the texture creamy by adding half a cup of milk in the in a makhni gravy.