Bhapaa Aloo

Ingredients
200 gm small potatoes

2 tsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp Bengali five spice mixture (panchphoron) (whole jeera, saunf seeds, fenugreek seeds, black mustrad seeds and kalaunji)

2 dry red chillies

1/2 tsp mustard paste

1 tsp hung curd

3/4 tsp desiccated coconut paste

Pinch of green chilli paste

Pinch of turmeric powder

Salt - to taste

Dash of lime juice

2 banana leaves

Method
Peel the potatoes and par boil them in salted water, drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the five spice mixture, break the red chillies in half and add them next.

Stir the spices around till they splutter.

Pour this over the potatoes and put aside

In a mixing bowl prepare a marinade with the mustard paste, curd, coconut paste, green chilli paste and turmeric powder, whip it well.

Gently mix the potatoes into this marinade.

Add the salt and lime juice, mix again.

Put the potatoes on a steel plate, cover with the banana leaves and steam them for 6-8 minutes. Serve hot.

Key Ingredients: potatoes, mustard oil, cumin seeds, fennel, fenugreek, mustard seeds, onion seeds, red chilli, hung curd, desiccated coconut, green chillies, turmeric, salt, lemon juice, banana

Butter Chicken

Ingredients

700 gm raw chicken 

For theMarinade:

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1 tsp ginger and garlic paste 

Salt to taste 

1/2 kg curd 

For theGravy:

175 gm white butter 

1/2 tsp black cumin seeds 

1/2 kg tomato, pureed 

1/2 tsp sugar 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

100 gm fresh cream 

4 green chillies, sliced

1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves, crushed

Method

For marinating the chicken

1. In a mixing bowl, mix red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and curd. 

2. Add the raw chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well. Keep it in the refrigerator overnight or minimum 6 hours. 

3. Roast the marinated chicken in a tandoor or an oven for about 10-12 minutes until it is three-fourth done. 

For the chicken gravy

1. Heat half the quantity of white butter in pan. 

2. Pour in the tomato puree, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin seeds, sugar, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well. 

3. Add the prepared chicken, white butter, fresh cream, sliced green chillies and crushed fenugreek leaves. Saute for 3-4 minutes and let the chicken cook.

4. Cook till chicken is done. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Key Ingredients: chicken, red chilli, ginger, garlic, salt, yogurt, butter, cumin seeds, tomato puree, sugar, cream, green chillies, fenugreek

Rogan Josh

Ingredients

• 1 kg meat
  
  1 cup mustard/refined oil
  
  3 tsp red chili powder
  
  3 tsp fennel powder
  
  2 tsp ginger powder
  
  2 tsp cumin powder
  
  3 tsp brown cardamom powder
  
  1 tsp asafoetida
  
  4 pieces of green cardamom
  
  2 cinnamon sticks
  
  2 bay leaves
  
  2 cloves
  
  1/3 tsp saffron - optional 1 cup curd salt to taste

Method

Wash the meat properly.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker.

Put cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves, 1 tsp salt, asafoetida, and meat together.

Fry meat till it turns brown. Once browned, pour a cup of water.

Add the red chili powder and saffron into the meat. Keep stirring for about a minute.

Mix the curd nicely in the mixer and pour it into the pressure cooker.

Keep on stirring till you get a reddish tinge.

Add 2 cups of water, fennel powder, ginger powder, and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Check if the meat is tender.  Peel and grind green and brown cardamom and add to the meat dish.

Finally sprinkle cumin powder and simmer for a minute and serve.

Key Ingredients: red chilli, fennel, ginger, black cardamom, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaf, mutton,mustard oil, cumin seeds, asafoetida, cinnamon, saffron