Quick Chicken Curry

Ingredients–

• 500 gm chicken
• 2 large onions, puréed
• 2 large Tomatoes, puréed
• 2 large potatoes, cut into big chunks
• 20 curry leaves
• 20 black peppercorns
• 50 gm ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 black cardamom
• 3 green cardamoms
• 2 small cinnamon sticks
• 2 slit green chillies
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp meat masala powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 green chilli, made into paste
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method –

1. Marinate the chicken with ginger, garlic, green chilli paste, peppercorns and masala powders
2. Mix well and marinate for 1 hour
3. Heat ghee in a pan and add whole spices
4. Add the curry leaves
5. Add the onion purée and let it brown lightly
6. Add the chicken and sear the meat for 5-7 minutes
7. Add the tomato purée, lower the heat and cook covered for 15 minutes
8. Once cooked, adjust the seasoning , sprinkle coriander leaves and serve

Pabda Maacher Jhol (Pabda Fish in a Spicy Tomato Gravy)

Ingredients–

• 8 pieces Pabda fish, cleaned and smeared with a little salt and turmeric powder and set aside for 15 minutes
• 2 small tomatoes
• 3 green chillies
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
• 3 tbsp mustard oil

Method –

1. In a blender, add tomatoes , 2 green chillies, garlic, cumin powder and a little water and blend to a fine paste. Keep aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish lightly. Set aside
3. In the same oil, add nigella seeds and green chilli
4. Sauté for 30 seconds and add the ground paste
5. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder
6. Cook on medium heat till oil separates
7. Add 1 cup of lukewarm water and salt to taste
8. Onice it boils, add the fish, lower the heat and cook covered for 5-7 minutes
9. Switch off the flame and sprinkle coriander leaves

Roasted Makhana (Roasted Fox-nuts)

Ingredients–

• 3 cups makhana (fox nuts)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• Rock salt as required
• 2 tbsp oil

Method –

1. Heat oil in a wok
2. Add the fox nuts and roast for 10-12 minutes on low flame till they become crisp and crunchy
3. Stir occasionally
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder
5. Switch off the flame and stir the whole mixture
6. Sprinkle the chaat masala and again mix well
7. Serve roasted fox nuts straight away or it can be stored in an airtight container for a few days

Shor Putir Jhal (Fish in a Spicy Mustard Gravy)

Ingredients–

• 3 big pieces of Puti fish
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 5 green chillies
• 2 tbsp plain curd
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method –

1. Clean the fish thoroughly
2. Smear a little turmeric powder and salt and set aside for 20 minutes
3. In a grinder, put mustard seeds, poppy seeds and grind to a fine powder
4. Add 3 green chillies, 1/2 tsp salt, curd and 2 tbsp water to the mixture and make a fine paste
5. Heat oil in a pan
6. Fry the fish and set aside
7. In the same oil, add nigella seeds and 2 slit green chillies
8. Add the mustard paste in 3 batches and sauté till the oil separates
9. Add turmeric powder and salt to taste
10. Add 1/2 cup lukewarm water and let it come to a boil
11. Add the fish, lower the heat and cook covered for 5 minutes
12. Drizzle 1 tbsp raw mustard oil before serving

Vada Pav

Ingredients–

• 6 pav
• 3 medium boiled potatoes
• 1 cup besan (Gramflour)
• 2 tsp salt or as per taste
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp curry leaves
• 1 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• 1 tsp ginger, garlic and green chilli paste
• 2 pinch asafoetida powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 glass water
• Oil to fry

For Dry Red Chutney –

• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 8 garlic cloves
• 4 dry red chillies
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• Heat a pan with little oil. Add the above ingredients one after another and fry separately. Grind together with a bit of salt

Method –

1. In a bowl, add besan, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and 1 tbsp oil
2. Mix well
3. Add water in batches and make a thick paste
4. The consistency should be thick
5. Add lemon juice and mix well
6. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan
7. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter
8. Add curry leaves and fry
9. Add ginger, garlic, chilli paste
10. Sauté on medium flame for 2 minutes
11. Add boiled potatoes after mashing them roughly
12. Mix well and add salt as per taste
13. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and coriander powder
14. Add amchur powder
15. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes
16. Add chopped coriander leaves, turn off the flame and let the mixture cool
17. Now mash the potato mixture so that there are no lumps
18. Make 6 equal balls from the mixture and set aside
19. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying
20. Dip these balls into the besan mixture and coat from all sides
21. Fry till golden brown, remove on absorbent paper and set aside
22. Take a pav, slice it in the middle horizontally, taking care that it is not fully sliced
23. Open the pav and sprinkle the chutney powder in the middle
24. Flatten the vada and place it in one side of the pav and cover with the other side.
25. Serve with green chutney on the side

Chicken Korma Pulao (Assamese Muslim Style Pulao) is

Ingredients–

• 1 kg chicken, cut into medium sized pieces, washed and drained
• 2 medium onions, sliced finely
• 2 pieces of cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 7-8 pieces of cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 7-8 cardamoms, half crushed
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1/2 cup yogurt, whisked
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 cup of oil
• Salt and sugar to taste
• 500 gm gobindobhog rice

Method –

1. Wash and rinse the rice
2. Soak the rice for 30 minutes
3. Drain the rice in a colander and set aside
4. There should be no moisture in the rice
5. Heat a pan on medium heat
6. Add oil and ghee to the pan
7. Once the oil gets hot, add 1 tsp sugar and let it caramelise
8. Add bay leaves and sliced onions
9. Sauté the onions till it turns golden in colour
10. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves and peppercorns
11. Sauté the onions for another 2-3 minutes
12. Add the crushed cardamoms, ginger and garlic paste
13. Sauté till the raw smell goes away
14. If required, sprinkle a little water
15. Add the chicken pieces and sauté till the chicken changes colour to white
16. Keep sautéing till the colour changes to golden
17. Add the beaten yogurt
18. Keep stirring the yogurt and chicken for 2-3 minutes
19. Add salt and sugar to taste
20. Put the lid on and cook on low heat for 5 minutes
21. Remove the lid and keep sautéing till the water dries up and the oil separates
22. Add the strained rice
23. Sauté the rice along with the chicken taking care that it doesn’t stick to the pan
24. When the colour of the rice changes, add water (double the quantity of rice)
25. Adjust the salt if necessary
26. Cook covered on medium flame for 10 minutes
27. Open the lid, turn the rice part by part and keep it on very low heat on a griddle for 20 minutes.
28. Serve with raita and salad on the side

Grilled Ham, Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

Ingredients–

• 4 slices bread
• 8 slices of smoked ham
• 2 slices of cheese
• 4 pieces of thinly sliced tomato
• 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp mustard
• Butter

Method –

1. Mix the mayonnaise and mustard
2. Lightly butter one side of the bread slices
3. On the other side, apply the mayonnaise and mustard mixture
4. Place cheese, ham and tomato slices on 2 slices
5. Cover with the remaining 2 slices of bread
6. Grill the sandwiches on a skillet till the cheese has melted and the bread has tossted
7. Cut in half and serve.

Madeleines

Ingredients–

• 7 tbsp unsalted butter (100 gm)
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 gm)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 + 1 tbsp sifted all purpose flour (100 gm)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt

Method –

1. Melt the butter. Pour the melted butter in a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl, whisk and set aside
3. Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl with an electric beater till the mixture is light yellow colour, about 8-9 minutes
4. Mix in the vanilla and lemon zest
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the mixture and mix until just combined
6. Drizzle the butter into the batter and gently mix until combined
7. Cover and chill the batter as well as the buttered moulds for 1 hour in the refrigerator
8. Scoop 1 tbsp of the batter into each moulds
9. Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes

Note – If the butter is browned on the stovetop, the colour of the madeleines would be a nice brown.

Koni aru Bholor Torkari (Assamese Style Egg and Sponge Gourd Curry)

Ingredients–

• 3 boiled eggs
• 3 medium sponge gourd, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 dry red chilli
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp mustard oil

Method –

1. Smear the eggs with salt and turmeric powder. Set aside
2. In a bowl, add turmeric, cumin, coriander and red chilli powder
3. Add 2 tbsp water. Mix well and set aside
4. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the egg lightly and remove
5. In the same oil, add dry red chilli and cumin seeds
6. When the seeds crackle, add the masala paste and fry on low heat till oil separates
7. Add the sponge gourd and salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
8. Lower the heat, cover with lid and cook. It will release a lot of water
9. When the vegetables are soft, add the eggs
10. Cover and cook for 5 minutes

Maacher Kalia (Spicy Fish Gravy)

Ingredients–

• 4 pieces Rohu fish
• 3 tbsp onion paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 tbsp curd
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pieces each of cinnamon and cloves
• 1/3 tsp garam masala powder
• 4 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/3 tsp sugar

Method –

1. Wash the fish pieces and smear with salt and turmeric powder. Set aside
2. Mix the cumin coriander powder with 2 tbsp water and set aside
3. Heat half the oil and fry the fish pieces till brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside
4. Now, add the rest of the oil and temper with bay leaf, clove and cinnamon
5. Add the onion paste and fry on low flame
6. Once it dries up, add ginger and garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt
7. Now, add the cumin coriander paste and fry for about 3 minutes till the raw smell goes away
8. Add in the beaten curd and fry till everything mixes well
9. Add the tomato pieces and cook till soft and mushy
10. Once the oil separates, add 1.5 cups of warm water
11. When the water comes to a boil, add the fish pieces
12. Let it cook on medium flame till the gravy thickens and coats the fish pieces
13. Sprinkle Garam masala powder and switch off the flame