Nargisi Kofta Curry

Mughlai Cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the Indian subcontinent. It's origin can be found back in Mughal empire where exotic dishes were prepared in the royal kitchens. Many of the dishes in Indian cuisine are influenced by their imperial cooking style.

Mughlai food is known for its richness. It is famous for the generous use of ground spices, nuts and dry fruits which make the dish quite spicy and give it a very unique aroma. The rich flavors and the exotic aroma are so tempting that can make any food loving person carve for more. 

The name of the dishes in this cuisine are so alluring that they invite you to try them out at least once. Whether its Biryani, Kofta, Korma, Shorba, Nihari, Haleem or Kebabs we love them all and usually end up licking our fingers. A huge thanks to the Mughal dynasty who introduced us to the special ingredients and techniques used in this form of cooking. 

We both are huge fans of Mughlai Cuisine and that's the reason our Sunday's are incomplete without Biryani and Shorba. I have already posted few recipes from this cuisine; you may check them out:

• Chicken BIryani
• Chicken Shami Kebab
• Kashmili Pulao (A fusion of Kashmiri and Bengali cuisine)

Today I'm again posting a delicacy from this cuisine which is Nargisi Kofta Curry. The term "Nargisi" is derived from the word "Nargis" which refers to "Narcissus"; a winter flower which has a yellow center with white petals around it just like a boiled egg. These koftas are hard boiled eggs coated with minced meat and then cooked in a gravy. When you cut the kofta it resembles the Nargis flower. There are two parts in making this recipe firstly making the koftas and then the sauce. The sauce can be a simple tomato based gravy or a Makhni sauce which enhances the flavors of these koftas. I prefer tomato based gravy over Makhni gravy to keep flavors intact yet adding a subtle richness to the gravy.

So let's start preparing this exotic dish:

Ingredients:

For Koftas:

1. Minced Chicken (or meat of your choice): 1 lb
2. Hard boiled eggs: 4
3. Onions (chopped): 1/2 cup
4. Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 tbsp
5. Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
6. Red Chili powder: 1/2 tsp
7. Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
8. Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
9. Garam Masala powder: 1/2 tsp
10. Cilantro (chopped): 1/4 cup
11. Mint (chopped): 1/4 cup
12. Green Chilies (chopped): 2
13. Salt: to taste
14. Oil: for frying koftas

For Gravy:

1. Onion paste: 1 cup
2. Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 tbsp
3. Whole Garam Masala (green cardamoms, black cardamoms, peppers, cloves, bay leaf, mace, cinnamon) 
3. Tomato puree: 1 cup
4. Cashew paste: 1/4 cup
5. Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
6. Red Chili powder: 1/2 tsp
7. Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
8. Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
9. Garam Masala powder: 1/2 tsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Kewra Water: 1 tbsp
12. Ghee: 1 and 1/2 tbsp
13. Oil as required
14. Cilantro for garnishing

Method:

For making koftas:

1. In a bowl take the chicken mince and add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, chopped green chilies and salt. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.

2. Take the boiled egg and coat it with this mixture of minced chicken, smooth it with your hands to form an even coating around the egg. The egg should be completely covered. Repeat the process for the rest of the eggs.

3. Heat oil on medium flame for deep frying. When the oil is hot enough fry the koftas on low-medium heat until it gets a nice golden color.

4. Take them out on a plate lined with paper towel. Keep them aside.

For making the gravy:

1. Heat oil in a separate pan and add the whole garam masala. Let them crackle but take care not to burn them.

2. Add in the onion paste and fry until golden brown. At this point add the ginger-garlic paste and again fry it for a minute.

3. Now it's time to add the tomato puree, cover the lid and cook the mixture for 2 minutes. At this point you will see the oil starts separating. Add the cashew paste and cook the mixture for a minute.

4. Add the dry spices turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.

5. Add a cup of water, cover the lid and let the gravy cook for 2-3 minutes. Open the lid add the fried koftas, ghee and kewra water. Cover the lid and let it cook for just a minute on low heat. Turn off the heat.

6. Garnish your Nargisi Kofta Curry with cilantro and cream. Enjoy with rice, naan or chapati.

Note:

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Kashmili Pulao....A Fusion of Kashmiri and Bengali Cuisine

You might be wondering there's a typo in my recipe name but no there isn't and today's recipe name is "Kashmili Pulao". In India we have lot of diversity in art, culture, literature, religion and this so the food.

Indian food is also diversified not only by taste and look but also how it is cooked. In India each new wave of civilization have brought their own culinary practices. Like Indian culture our food is also influenced by various civilizations and each one of them has their equal contribution in making Indian food at its best and renowned.

India has 29 states and each state has its own culinary practices. Today I'm going to present a very interesting fusion of Kashmiri and Bengali Cuisine. Kashmir aka "Heaven on Earth" forms the crown of India on the other hand Bengal aka "Cultural Capital of India" is located in the eastern part. Kashmiri Cuisine has a strong reflection of flavors from Central Asia. The staple diet of every Kashmiri includes rice which can be found abundantly in the beautiful valley and their main course revolves around  it. Whereas people living in the eastern part of India particularly West Bengal loves to eat fish and rice.

Today I decided to combine two very popular dishes: Kashmiri Yakhni Pulao (a very popular dish of Kashmiri cuisine prepared with rice and meat stock) and Bengali Mishti Pulao (a flavorful, sweet and aromatic rice dish).

I adopted the recipe of Bengali Mishti Pulao from my Mother-In-Law who is one of the finest cooks I know. She can do number of variations in a simple pulao and each time it tastes different. This is my take on her recipe but with a twist.

Ingredients:

For Chicken Stock:

1. Chicken: 1 lb

2. Garlic: 2-3 cloves

3. Ginger: 1 inch piece

4. Black Cardamoms: 2-3

5. Green Cardamoms: 4-5

6. Black Peppercorns: 5-6

7. Shah Jeera (Black Cumin): 1 tbsp
8. Mace (Javitri): 1 floret 

9. Bay Leaf: 2

10. Cloves: 4-5

11. Cinnamon: 1 (1 inch stick)

12. Water: 3 cups

13. Salt to taste

For Pulao:

1. Basmati Rice: 1 1/2 cup

2. Onions (finely sliced): 1/2 cup

3. Black Cardamoms: 2-3

4. Green Cardamoms: 4-5

5. Black Peppercorns: 5-6

6. Shah Jeera (Black Cumin): 1 tbsp

7. Bay Leaf: 2

8. Cloves: 4-5
9. Mace (Javitri): 1 floret

10. Cinnamon: 1 (1 inch stick)

11. Saffron strands: 1 pinch

12. Warm Milk: 1/4 cup

13. Ghee (clarified butter): 2 tbsp

14. Dry fruits of your choice (cashew nuts, raisins, almonds)

15. Salt to taste

16. Sugar to taste

17. Oil as required

Method:

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for half an hour.

2. Take warm milk in a small bowl and soak the saffron strands. Keep it aside.

3. In a heavy bottomed pan take all the ingredients mentioned under "For Chicken Stock" and cook it on medium heat for 30 mins. Strain the stock through a strainer. It should be 

2 1/2 cups (add water if required)

4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat and fry the sliced onions till they get golden and crisp. Take them out on a plate lined with paper towel to soak the excess oil.

5. Gently stir fry the dry fruits in the pan for a minute and keep it aside.

6. In the same pan add ghee (clarified butter). Let it melt and then add in the black cardamoms, green cardamoms, black peppercorns, shah jeera, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon. Let them release their fragrance but take care not to burn them. 

7. Add the soaked rice and stir it gently ensuring it doesn't break. Now its time to add the chicken stock, salt and sugar. 

8. Bring it to boil. Cover and cook till the rice is almost done.

9. Open the lid and add the dry fruits, saffron milk and fried onions. Cook on dum for another 8-10 mins.

10. Serve with the curry of your choice.

Note:

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Chicken Shami Kebab

Mughlai Cuisine - It's a cuisine which all Indians are die hard fans. Whether its Biryani, Kebab, Kofta or Rezala we all enjoy them equally. Thanks to the royal Mughal kitchens who taught us to cook these palatable dishes.

The taste of Mughlai dishes varies from mild to spicy and flavored with whole or ground spices. My home gets aromatic whenever I cook something from this cuisine. Last Sunday it was Thanksgiving weekend and I made Chicken Biryani and Shami Kebab for our lunch. Yes, as I mentioned in my Chicken Biryani post that I cook Biryani on every Sunday but this time I wanted it to be accompanied with Shami Kebab.

Shami Kebab are small paties made from minced meat, chana dal (lentil), flavored with spices and served with chutney. The process of making these kebabs is little lengthy but trust me it's worth the effort. The hypnotic aroma of these kebabs and clean licked plates gives you a sense of contentment. 

So let's get started:

Ingredients:

1. Chicken mince: 1 lb
2. Chana Dal (lentil): 1/2 cup
3. Onion (finely chopped): 1/2 cup
4. Eggs: 1
5. Ginger: 1 inch
6. Garlic: 7-8 cloves
7. Peppercorns: 1 tbsp
8. Cloves: 5-6
9. Green Cardamoms: 3-4
10. Black Cardamoms: 2-3
11. Cinnamon: 1 (1 inch stick)
12. Bay Leaves: 2
13. Mint handful (finely chopped)
14. Cilantro handful (finely chopped)
15. Green Chilies: 3-4 (finely chopped)
16. Salt to taste
17. Oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak chana dal overnight in enough water.

2. In a pressure cooker add the minced chicken with chana dal (drain water from dal), ginger, garlic, peppercorns, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves and a cup of water.

3. Put the lid on and cook for 15-20 mins (or till you hear 2 whistles) on medium heat. Take off the lid and if there's excess water cook the mixture until the water gets evaporated.

4. Let the mixture cool down and then discard the cinnamon and bay leaves. 

5. Take a blender and give the mixture a nice blend. The mixture should be still coarse between your fingers.

6. Add onions, cilantro, mint, green chilies, salt and eggs. Give everything a nice mix with your hands.

7. Now form medium size balls from the mixture and then flatten it to give a shape of a patty.

8. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Slide in the patties one by one. Cook on both sides till they get a nice golden hue.

9. Remove the kebabs on a plate lined with paper towel to soak the excess oil.

10. Serve hot with salad or chutney.

Note:

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B for Biryani......Kolkata Style Chicken Dum Biryani

Biryani.......Naam toh suna hi hoga :) 

The name is enough to make anybody drool and especially the Indians. The origin of Biryani is still debatable. Few says that it was originated in Persia and then brought to India by the Mughal Emperors. However, some also say that the dish was known in South Asia even before Babur came to India.

Biryani is a medley of basmati rice, meat(chicken, mutton or lamb), potatoes, various spices and condiments. In India every house hold have their own version of Biryani. It is generally made in two ways:

1. Kachhi (Raw) Biryani: where marinated raw meat and partially cooked rice are layered and cooked on dum (steam) over low heat.

2. Pakki(Cooked) Biryani: where cooked meat and partially cooked rice are layered and cooked on dum (steam) over low heat.

For us, Sundays are always special not only because its a holiday but also because its on Sundays that our home is filled with rich, aromatic fragrance of Chicken Biryani. Yes, I love making Biryani on Sundays without it our Sunday is just incomplete. 

I learnt making this royal dish from my then colleague and friend Farina Sheikh. She's one of the finest cooks I have ever met. I still have the recipe in my diary that she had shared with me but I made slight changes to it to adjust our taste buds. 

Making Biryani is a lengthy process it needs lot of TLC (Tender, Love and Care) and the exact spices, you can't skip any step nor you can replace any spice with the other. But at the end when you serve it on your plate its a pleasure seeing the beautiful Chicken Biryani cooked with the aromatic spices and condiments. Your home even your neighborhood gets filled with its fragrance.

I firmly believe a person first eats with his eyes and then tastes with his tongue. So the look of the Biryani (or any thing you cook) is very important. There's no meaning of cooking a Biryani which doesn't even look like one. So few things to keep in mind while cooking it:

1. Use the best quality long grain Basmati Rice

2. Marinate the Chicken for at least 2-3 hours. Overnight is preferable.

3. Be cautious not to overcook the rice. So always keep an eye while boiling the rice.

Let me take you through the beautiful journey of preparing this royal dish.

Ingredients:

For Biryani Masala:

1. Cinnamon(1" stick): 2

2. Cardamoms: 4-5

3. Cloves: 4-5 

4. Black Cardamoms: 2-3

5. Black Peppercorns: 7-8

6. Shah Jeera(Black Cumin Seeds): 1/2 tsp

7. Mace(Javitri): 1 floret

8. Nutmeg(Jaiphal): 1/4 tsp(grated)

9. Fennel: 1/4 tsp

10. Star Anise: 1

For Marinating Chicken:

1. Chicken: 2lbs (900gms approx)

2. Yogurt(Curd): 4-5 tbsp

3. Ginger-Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp

4. Biryani Masala: 1 1/2 tbsp

5. Red chili powder: 1 tbsp

6. Salt to taste

For Cooking Rice:

1. Basmati Rice: 4 cups

2. Bay Leaf: 1

3. Cinnamon(1" inch): 1

4. Black Cardamom: 1

5. Green Cardamom: 3-4

6. Cloves: 4-5

7. Black Peppercorns: 3-4

8. Mace(Javitri): 1 floret

9. Nutmeg(Jaiphal): 1/4 tsp(grated)

10. Star Anise: 1

11. Salt to taste

12. Lemon: 1

13. Oil: 2 tbsp

14. Green Chilies: 2-3 (adjust to your spice level)

15. Coriander (finely chopped): handful

16. Mint (finely chopped): handful

Other Ingredients:

1. Onions (medium size): 3 (finely chopped)

1. Hard Boiled Eggs: 2

2. Potatoes(medium size): 2

3. Milk (warm): 1/4 cup

4. Few saffron strands

5. Oil for cooking

6. Kewra Essence: 4-5 drops

7. Ghee(Clarified Butter): 2-3 tbsp

8. Coriander: for garnishing

9. Mint: for garnishing

Method:

To make Biryani Masala:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under "Biryani Masala" till they are aromatic.

2. Let it cool down and then grind it to fine powder. Keep aside 1 1/2 tbsp (for marinating chicken) and the rest you can store in air tight container for future use. I like to add this Biryani Masala in some of my chicken preparations.

Marinating Chicken:

1. Clean and wash the chicken pieces. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.

2. In a separate bowl take the yogurt and mix it with the Biryani Masala, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder and salt. Marinate the chicken pieces in this for at least 2-3 hours. For better result marinate it overnight.

For Making Barista (Fried Onions):

1. Finely chop the onions and separate the slices.

2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Once it is ready add the onion slices. Fry the onions till they get a nice golden hue. Remove them in a plate lined with paper towel to soak the excess oil. Take care not to burn the onions. Fry them in small batches. 

3. Don't discard the oil you can use it for cooking the meat.

Preparing the Potatoes and Eggs:

1. Boil the potatoes and eggs.

2. Peel them nicely. Add salt and then fry them till they get a nice golden color.

Cooking the Meat:

1. Add half of the Barista (fried onions) to the marinated chicken.

2. In the same pan heat the same oil in which onions where fried. Add the marinated chicken and cook till the chicken gets nicely cooked. 

3. The oil should be separated by now and there will be no watery gravy.

Cooking the Rice:

1. Wash the rice and soak it in water for almost 20 mins.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan take lots of water. Add the spices mentioned under "For Cooking Rice", oil (2 tbsp), lemon juice(this helps in keeping the rice grains separate), salt, chopped coriander and chopped mint. (You can take a small piece of cloth and put all the spices in it. Tie a knot and put it in the water. Once the rice is done you can remove that cloth). I like to cook the rice with the spices.

3. Once the water starts boiling add the rice. Cook the rice till its partially done i.e 80% done. This is a very important step, always keep an eye to check whether its done or not.

Once done drain the water and spread the rice on a large tray so that it does not stick to each other. 

Preparing the Saffron-Milk:

1. Take 1/4 cup of warm milk, add the saffron strands and keep it aside for 20 mins.

2. Add the Kewra essence to this milk and mix well.

Assembling the Biryani:

1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid, add 2-3 tbsp of Ghee (clarified butter) and wait till it melts. Nicely coat the sides of the pan with the ghee. At this point switch off the heat. 

2. Add a layer of rice, cooked meat, barista, eggs, potatoes, chopped coriander, chopped mint and sprinkle few drops of saffron milk mixed with kewra essence. Again add a layer of rice and continue till you are done. Make sure the pan is heavy bottomed otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom.

3. You can add ghee on top of each layer but I like to add it in the beginning (i.e before layering).

4. Remember that the top and bottom layer should be of rice.Put the lid on. Seal the pan with flour dough. 

5. Place a tawa on heat to the lowest possible mark. Put the pan with Biryani on top of the tawa. Or you can use the double boiler method where you can take a pan filled with water. Boil the water and then place Biryani pan on it.

6. Cook the Biryani on Dum (steam) for 30-40 mins. In the meanwhile enjoy the nice aroma all around your home. Let it stand for 10 mins. Combine the rice and meat very gently. 

7. Transfer it to the serving plate and enjoy it with salad and raita.

Note:

For regular updates just click the "Like" button on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flavors-Of-My-Plate/737185573034586?ref=hl

You can also follow me on:

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If you want the recipe in Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu (or any other language) click on the Google Translate button on the left side.