Chingri Malai Curry (Bengali Prawn and Coconut Curry)

Bengali food resonates with me on a deeper level even though I’m a pucca Southie. Maybe it’s the rice that bonds us (Bengali’s also eat rice with every meal!), or maybe my love for rosogullas and rasamalai’s have sweetened me towards them, or maybe it’s the fact that half the employees in my ex-company were Bengali! For whatever reason, I love Bengali food.

The one thing that I always order in a Bengali restaurant (apart from their gorgeous desserts) is Chingri Malai Curry. Chingri means Prawns and Coconut is used as the base in this curry to give it the quintessential creaminess. This is the mecca of what a curry should taste like for me – Rich, spicy-sweet and comforting. There is this little Bengali restaurant in Indiranagar that serves this curry in a Tender Coconut with the tail of the Prawn sticking out. Just seeing it makes my heat beat faster! The curry also has pieces of tender coconut in it that I love nibbling on. Though I don’t think that’s really the authentic way – but when it’s that yummy who cares right?  

I found this recipe on Hamaree Rasoi. And I know Deepashri Deb can only turn out an authentic curry - being Bengali and all… ;) I increased the amount of coconut milk and added a chilli for a bit of heat. Also please use fresh pressed coconut milk. The Dabur Homemade one just dosen’t cut it here. The flavor with fresh pressed coconut milk elevates this dish to the status it truly deserves. So here’s some Chingri Malai Curry for you. Eat it with some hot fluffy rice to find yourself floating in food heaven!

Chicken Chops Masala - Like Mumma makes

My horoscope this weekend prophesized that I would take a long drive and even have a picnic. Boy was I skeptical! I hardly get my a** out of bed earlier than noon on a Sunday, so I was pitting my practiced laziness against the schemes of the universe. We went out for a party on Saturday night and like with all parties came home in a more than happy daze and flopped into bed. I challenged the universe to beat the combo of my hangover + laziness!

I got a call at 9:00 AM in the morning… groan. I rolled over and half blinking looked at the screen. It was my sister. I picked up the call, knowing that leaving it unanswered would just lead to a barrage of calls until I wished the phone would self destruct. Would I please drop her to her exam center? – she had to take an MBA admission test. Since I was the one who goaded her to apply, I had to give in. I didn’t even have time to get breakfast in. Drove like a maniac and picked her and my mom up. Then we started the long drive to Electronic city. Wait…Did I just say long drive? Aaargh… part one of horoscope rebelling – fail!

Reached the spot and quickly wished her luck, while she ran in to write her exam. Mom and I decided to wait for her to finish, so we were loitering around and checking out the campus. My stomach was literally grumbling now. Mom smiled and said she had a surprise for me. She had packed some lunch because she knew I wouldn’t have time to eat at home! She unpacked a basket to reveal my favorite Chicken Curry, steamed rice, fruit and a plate, forks and water! I literally had a picnic in the park. The universe had won!

P.S. This recipe below is mom’s brilliant Karnataka Style Chicken Chops Masala which is best eaten with Ragi Balls or Mudde. I however love it with my white rice or Ghee Rice!

Simple Chicken Curry for Complicated Days

There are days that are easy, breezy and simple. And there are days that can grate on your nerves that burrowing your head deep into a pillow seems like the only way out. Unfortunately, even that option is but a distant dream when you have to finish gazillion things in the limited span of 24 hours. It’s not every day that I spin through life in a haze. I actually like my little routines of measured slowness. (Now the definition of slow for an Aries can be very different from the rest of the world, but nonetheless!). And there have been more days than I can count on my fingers, that ordering takeaway is the norm. But when everything seems to be spinning out of control, I crave desperately for a home cooked meal. (Mommy…can I come home?). Oh wait, driving there is going to take me a good part of an hour, eating there another, and driving back another hour! I can’t spare three hours in a time strapped continuum.

Famished, cranky and hungry is not the way you should be cooking anything, but if I’m in that zone there’s no better dish to cheer me up than Simple Chicken Curry. This one takes twenty minutes of monitoring and thirty minutes of bubbling away contentedly on the stove by itself. And what’s more, it tastes like a giant hug! (Yes, food can give you a hug…. Never tried it??). I just spoon some onto a heap of fluffy white rice and finish the meal with a massive dollop of yoghurt! Bliss! If not anything else, it gets me through the complicated day being less famished, less cranky and less hungry J  

Simple Chicken Curry

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

800 gms skinless Chicken pieces

1 large Onion

2 Med Tomatoes

1 Tbsp Ginger-garlic paste

2 Tbsp Oil

1 pinch granulated Sugar

1 tsp Chili powder

2 Tbsp thick/ Greek Yoghurt

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 handful of fresh Coriander, chopped

Salt to taste

What to do:

Peel and finely chop the onions. Chop the tomatoes. Pour the oil into a large pan set over high heat. When the oil is hot add the sugar, to caramelize and give the curry a rich color. (No, we don’t use food colouring at home… unless you want to stain your fingers!). As the sugar caramelizes toss in the onion and fry until it starts to brown. Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté. Toss in the tomatoes, chili powder and turmeric. Lowerr the heat and fry for atleast 5 minutes till the pungent smell of masala’s mellow and you see the oil separating from the paste. (About 5 mins). If the paste starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a Tbsp of water.

Next stir in the chicken pieces. Turn the heat back high and sauté to seal the chicken on all sides, mixing it well with the masala. Now add the yoghurt and sauté well. When the chicken starts to turn white all over, lower the heat to medium, add half a cup of hot water to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 20 mins.

Remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 7-10 mins to thicken the gravy. Finish by adding garam masala and salt to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot white rice and yoghurt.

Paneer Butter Masala

Growing up in a South Indian household, Paneer was as exotic a dish to us as Polenta. Tandoor on M.G. Road was one of the first places I had a Paneer Makhni. Dada took us there with his business partner and family, when I was in junior school. The setting was formal and royal (ok, the waiters were dressed up in a turban!) and I was in awe of all the golden chandeliers. And there I tasted it…rich and creamy and tomatoey and cheesy. I was hooked…have been ever since. After that, it was something I religiously ordered whenever we dined out in a ‘North Indian restaurant’. (Ok, I still do!) The dish of course has moved from being exotic to completely local, with every Darshini across the corner serving ‘Paneer Butter Masala’! It’s almost staple in a North Indian Thali ordered in Bangalore. We never cooked paneer at home, because sourcing good paneer was difficult in the earlier days and mom’s home made paneer was at best – tough. Thankfully we have now come out of the dark ages and paneer is readily available in the supermarket. I know the original Delhite will scoff at the quality, but I know a trick which makes it as soft and pliable as the earstwhile Tandoor’s. Soak the paneer in hot water for five minutes before you cook it. It transforms into creamy, soft, textured awesomeness. Here’s a recipe that gives you all the flavor goodness without the evil restaurant flavor and colour additives. Who wants to stain their freshly manicured nails anyway?  

Paneer Butter Masala

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

 

What you need:

250 gms Paneer (soaked in hot water for 5 mins and drained)

½ tsp Chili Powder

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Kasoori Methi (dried Fenugreek leaves)

2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste

1 Tbsp Ghee

1 Bay leaf

1 heaped tsp Coriander Powder

2 Tbsp Tomato Puree

4 Tbsp Cream

10 Cashew nuts

½ tsp Garam Masala

1 Tbsp Butter

Salt to taste

What to do:

Slice and dice the Paneer. Ensure its not too thick. Mix ¼ tsp each of the chilli and turmeric powder into the diced panner along with ½ tsp salt. Meanwhile soak the kasoori methi in teaspoon of hot water.

In a medium pan, heat the ghee on high. When it is hot, add the paneer pieces and fry from two minutes on either side, or until pale brown. This will seal the spices and prevent the paneer from falling apart in the gravy. Remove the paneer pieces and set aside. In the same fat, fry the bay leaf. When it starts sizzling, add the ginger garlic paste and stir for two minutes. Now add the coriander and the remaining chilli and turmeric, along with the tomato puree and stir vigorously for 2 mins until the pungent masala smell softens. Lower the heat, spoon in the cream (can substitute Yoghurt for a healthier option) and let it simmer for 5 mins. The colour will change from white to a rich orange as the spices blend in.

Meanwhile, grind the cashews with a Tbsp of hot water to make a smooth paste. Stir into the masala along with the paneer pieces, the garam masala and kasoori methi with the water. These are added to balance the tangy taste of the curry. Let the mixture simmer away for two minutes to ensure all the flavours meld.

To finish, stir in the butter and salt and enjoy hot with phulkas, naan or even some Ghee Rice!