Chicken Lapeta#SundayFunday

Lapeta means a covering or coating around the chicken, the masala coats the chicken so the name is Chicken Lapeta.

This is a delicious dhaba style dish found mostly in Mumbai Goa highway dhabas. Adding roasted and ground masalas gives it a rich flavour. The exotic aroma of masalas coating the chicken makes it an irresistible dish and best enjoyed with tandoori roti,naan or pulao. You can adjust the spice level according to your taste.

Ingredients
For the Chicken Marination
750 Grams Chicken - cut into curry pieces
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Ginger paste
½ Teaspoon Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
To Fry Then Grind to fine paste
1" Chopped Ginger
8 Cloves Garlic
2 Medium Onions - sliced
3 Green Chilies
4 Dried Bedgi Red Chillies
1/3 Cup Packed Grated Dry coconut
1 Bay Leaf
1½ Teaspoon Fennel seeds
1 Small Stick Cinnamon
5 Grains Fenugreek seeds
5 Black Peppercorns
1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds  
1 Tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 Star Anise
3 Green Cardamoms
4 Cloves
Other Ingredients
2 Teaspoons Chicken Masala Or Malvani Masala  
1 Teaspoons Red Chilly powder
2 Tablespoon Yogurt  
1 Medium Onion - Finely Chopped
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Kasuri Methi
Oil as required
A Sprig Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Method 

Marinate chicken with lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt and ginger garlic paste and keep it in the refrigerator for an hour.
First we cook the chicken
In a pan heat 4 tablespoons oil , then add the marinated chicken and sauté till it changes color on high flame for 3 -4 minutes. Now add the ½ cup water and let it cook on medium high flame, till chicken is ¾th done. Separate the chicken pieces from the stock and keep aside.
In the meantime let's prepare the masala
Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil the sliced onions till it turn light golden and remove it on to a plate. 

In the same pan now add a another tablespoon oil, fry bay leaf, fennel, fenugreek seeds, poppy seeds , sesame seeds, peppercorns, star anise , green cardamoms, cloves for just 2 minutes remove this along with the onions. Next add the bedgi chillies, fry till the chillies release an aroma remove this on to the same plate. Then add the dry coconut, fry till it start to change color. Cool, then place all the ingredient in a blender jar along with yogurt, green chillies, ginger and garlic,  grind to a fine paste, if required add a little water. Keep this aside.
To Make the Gravy- Chicken Lapeta
In another pan heat 1/3 cup oil and then fry the finely chopped onions till light golden then add a sprig curry leaves , add the ground paste and fry till oil surfaces. Then add a ½ teaspoon salt, Malvani Masala , red chilly powder, then add the chicken and fry till it coats the chicken. Then add all the stock and cook till full done. This gravy should be thick consistency coating the chicken. Then add kasuri methi, chopped coriander leaves.

 Enjoy this with Jeera Rice or East Indian Hand Breads (Apas)

Labels : Spicy, Main course ,Chicken ,Dhaba Style, Maharashtra, Street food, Sunday Funday

In our today's event for Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. I thank our host for this week's event
Rebekah Rose Hills of http://rebekahrose.blogspot.com/the theme is "Holiday Side Dishes".

• Charred Green Beans with Cranberries and Crisped Onions by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chicken Lapeta by Sneha's Recipe
• Creamed Spinach Gratin by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Golden Marquis Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash by Making Miracles
• Sicilian Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Besan Almond Ladoo

These ladoo's are my hubby's favorite, he simply loves them. I have already posted a recipe of the these ladoo's , but, this is with almond meal, it has a nutty taste.
Ingredients
3/4 Cup Ghee
2 Cups Chickpea Flour/Besan
1/2 Cup Ground Almonds/Almond meal
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Caster sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder

Method

Heat the ghee. Stir in the chickpea flour and cook over low heat until the chickpea flour is toasted and the mixture smells fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be pasty, not powdery. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool slightly. Add the ground almonds, caster sugar, ground coconut, and ground cardamom to the pan and mix thoroughly. Taste for sugar, add according to the sweetness you require. While the mixture is warm, shape it into balls.

Store the ladoo's in an airtight container and they can be eaten immediately, but taste better after several hours.
Labels: Almond Meal, Besan, Diwali Faral, Festival Sweets, Maharashtra, Sugar, Ladoo

Mango Mastani - A Mango Ice Cream Sundae

Mango Mastani is a very popular kind of milkshake, I would say a sundae which originated in Pune and many different flavors of this are also available. It's a rich sundae. 

So delicious and filling, would suggest that have it before lunch, so that you can really enjoy this and skip lunch altogether. That's what me and my hubby did. For two tall glasses I finished a 750 Ml pack of ice cream, so you can see how rich in calories this is.  

Makes 2 Tall Glasses
Ingredients  

3 Medium Alphonso Mangoes
750 ML Vanilla Ice cream or Butterscotch
250 Ml Full Cream Milk - chilled
For Garnishing1 Medium Alphonso Mango
Chopped Almond, Pistachios
Glazed Cherries
Finely Chopped Tutti Frutti

Method 

Peel them mangoes , remove seed and cut it into pieces ( or can use ready to use puree packs or canned mangoes) but this taste more delicious with fresh mangoes.
For garnishing scoop out balls with a small melon scoop.  Use the remaining pulp for the blending.

In a blender jar, add the chopped mangoes, milk and 3 scoops of ice cream ( used butterscotch ice cream). Blend this till smooth.

Mango smoothie is ready, it should be thick yet pourable. 

In a serving glass, add few chopped nuts, a glazed cherry. 

Top it with a scoop of ice cream.  

Now pour a little of the blended mango smoothie.  

Again top it with a small scoop of ice cream and chopped  nuts, tutti frutti, cherries.

 hmm..mm looking so yum..

Again pour the smoothie(leaving space for the ice cream and garnish say ¾ th of the glass).  

Top it with a big scoop of ice cream , a sprinkle of chopped nuts, tutti frutti, glazed cherry and melon balls.  

Serve this immediately with a spoon  or straw.

Enjoy... eat, sip, slurp.... glass of deliciousness.

Labels : Mango, Juices, Ice Cream, Almond, Pistachios, Tutti Fruity, Cherries, Maharashtra

Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri

Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri, is a tasty puri, slightly spicy, it stay's good for  3-4 days, so it's good to carry while travelling.  Can have this with pickle or yogurt. It's excellent.

This is part of Akshaya Tritiya Veg Lunch Thali.

Ingredients  
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoons Heaped Besan/Chickpea Flour
2 Tablespoon Heaped Rawa/Semolina
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
1½ Teaspoon Red chilly powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 Tablespoon Hot Oil
Water as required for making the dough
Method

Mix all the dry spices , besan, rawa 

well into the flour, add hot oil and mix well

Add water little at a time to make a firm slightly stiff dough.

Keep this dough covered with a damp cloth aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes the dough will like this a little soft.

Divide the dough into small lemon size ball. 

 Oil the rolling board and take each ball and roll  them into small puris ( do not use dry flour or else the puris will absorb more oil).

Heat oil on medium high flame when the oil is hot, fry the puris depending on the size of the pan add one or two and fry, till they are golden on both sides. 

Remove them on to a kitchen towel, so that the excess oil can be absorbed.

They are ready, so puff and yum...

See the goollo mollo puris.

Enjoy!!

Labels : Flatbread, Puris, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Main course, Travelling Menu, Red Chilly Powder, Besan, Rawa, Whole Wheat Flour

Ambat Varan

This is a CKP Special Maharashtrian Dal.  Tur Dal / Pigeon Lentils cooked with tamarind and jaggery. It has a delicious sweet and tangy taste, a comfort , soul food and everyone's favorite,  especially my daughter's. She had this at a restaurant and would pester me to prepare it, made it for our Diwali lunch. She enjoyed it with just steamed rice. After having her lunch she exclaimed Ma! over ate my lunch today, it was delicious and real soul food, loved it!

Here is the recipe for this simple and delicious soul filling meal.

Ingredients
1 Cup Tur Dal / Pigeon Lentils
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
A pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
1 Medium Onion -chopped
2 Big Light Green chilies - made into pieces
1 Tablespoon Jaggery
2 Tablespoon Thick Tamarind paste
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste

To Grind to paste

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut 

1/3 Cup Fresh Coriander Leaves  

4 Curry Leaves

For Tadka / Tempering
1 Big Curry Spoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida / Hing

Method

Wash and soak the dal for at least 30 minutes .

Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder, pinch  of asafoetida, onion, green chilies and sufficient water till  soft and tender.

In the meanwhile as the dal is getting cooked, lets grind the  coconut paste.

In a blender jar add coconut, coriander and curry leaves, add  2 tablespoons water and grind it to a fine paste. 

Once the dal is cooked transfer the dal to large pan / kadai add coconut paste and  water enough to make a thick consistency, then add  salt, jaggery and tamarind paste. Keep it on high flame stirring till it come to rolling boil, reduce the flame and  let it simmer, stirring at intervals so that the dal does not settle at the base of the pan and get burnt. Let simmer for 7 to 10 minutes on low flame,  keep stirring at intervals.  Taste for salt and the sourness of dal, add more of either if necessary. 

Now let's prepare the Tempering / Tadka

Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds when it crackles take off flame, add the asafoetida and immediately pour this on to the simmering dal. Cover with a lid, switch off the flame and let is stand for 5 to 7 minutes.   Ambat Varan is ready.

Serve hot with rice or chapatti and a teaspoon  of desi ghee on rice... hmmm delicious.

The next day with the remaining dal.  I, had it with stale chapatti broken into pieces, heated the Ambat Varan poured it over the chappati pieces,  added  a teaspoon of desi ghee. Let it soak for a couple of mins and then relished it.. hmmm.. delicious....

Labels : Dal, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Ambat  Varan, CKP Cuisine, Maharashtra,  Maharastrian Cuisine, Healthy, Complete Meal

Tomato Saar - A Soup of Maharastra #Soupswappers

Our Host Ashley Ramaker Lecker for Soup Swappers asked to share a recipe unique to your state, city, or even your neighborhood! Today I, am sharing a recipe from my very own state.. Maharashtra.

Maharashtrian Tomato Saar is a spicy tomato soup made with curry leaves, coconut and chillies. This soup is staple food in every Maharashtrian household, it's light and usually had with Masale Bhaat , This combo is must in Maharastrians wedding menu.

Ingredients

4 Red Ripe & Firm Tomatoes
1/2  Cup Packed Freshly Grated Coconut 
3  Dried Red Chillies  - soaked in warm water
1'' Piece ginger
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
1 Teaspoon Tamarind paste 
Salt to taste
A Spring Curry leaves
1 + 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
2 Tablespoons Desi Ghee
A Pinch Asafoetida (hing)

Method

Cook the tomatoes in a pressure cooker, add 1/2 cup  water. Take 2 whistles and let the cooker cool. After cooking remove the tomatoes and peel the skin.  Then blend it along with the water in which they were blanched.

In a small blender jar add grated coconut,1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, soaked dry red chillies, ginger and make a fine paste. 

In a large pot or skillet add this paste, tomato puree, tamarind paste, salt, jaggery and bring it to boil. Reduce the flame to sim and let it simmer for a few minutes for all the flavors to blend.  
In the meantime let's prepare the tempering /tadka 

Heat ghee in a small pan, adding cumin seeds, curry leaves, when they sizzle take off flame  and then add the asafoetida.

Pour this immediately into the Tomato Saar and cover it . Let is simmer on medium flame for a few  minutes.  

 Serve hot and enjoy with Masale Bhaat.

Labels : Soup, Tomato Saar, Maharashtra, Maharastrian Cuisine, Soup Swappers, Healthy

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Bhogichi Bhaji - Makar Sankrati Special - Maharashtra

Bhogichi Bhaji is actually  mix vegetable sabzi prepared on the occasion of Makar Sankrati in Maharashtra.  This is typical Maharashtrian style of making  winter special veggies which are available during this time.. i.e. its  made on Bhogi ( which is a day before Makar Sankranti ). This Bhaji is best eaten with Bajri Tilachi Bhakri... a classic combo.

If some veggie is not available that does not mean you should not try this.. one can add or minus any of these veggies, like I, did not add hurda.

Ingredients

2 Medium Size Potatoes - cut into big cubes
2 Medium Size Green Brinjal/ Eggplants - cut into 4 pieces
1/4 Cup Green Peas
1/4 Cup Pavate / Fresh Vaal / Green Lima Beans
1/4 Cup Harbhara / Fresh Green Grams
1/4 Cup  Fresh Groundnuts - soaked in water
1 Carrot - cut into cubes
1/4 Cup Hurda / Fresh Tender Jowar
1/4 Cup Fresh Tur
2 Drumsticks - cleaned and cut into big pieces
2 Green Chilles - whole
2 Medium size Onions - Finely chopped
1 Big Tomato - cut into fours
2 Teaspoons Red chili powder or to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery or Sugar
2 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Coconut
1/3 Cup Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspon Sesame Seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Salt to taste

Method

In pan add oil, cumin,  sesame seeds and asafoetida immediately,   add onion and saute till onions are translucent. Add the chilly powder and the pavate, tur, hurda, green grams, peas,  groundnuts and give it a stir , cover and cook for 3 minutes. 

Then open add the potaotes, salt and sugar or jaggery add 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil then cover and cook on slow flame till potates are 3/4th cook then add the brinjal, carrot, drumstick, green chillies and mix well add 1 cup water cover and cook till done.

Now add the & tomato, coconut, corinader leaves, cover and cook till tomatoes are half done (do not over cook the tomatoes). 

Serve granish with coconut and  sesame seeds. 

Serve hot with Bajri  Tilachi Bhakri.

My Notes

It is slightly wet bhaji so keep in mind water requirement to avoid overcooking.  The veggies should be firm but cooked, do not make them mushy.

If  fresh groundnuts are not available then you can use dried groundnuts soak them in water and cook them till done, then use it to make the vegetable.

Labels : Pavate, Harbhara, Groundnut, Tur, Hurda, Drumstick, Potato, Green Peas, Green Brinjal, Maharashtra, Makar Sankrati, Vegetables