Dimer Chop (Round Egg Cutlets)

Somehow this dish always reminds me of Dimer Devil, an egg chop with minced mutton that I ate only once when visiting my Aunt in Chinsurah, a small town in the suburbs Calcutta. But, it is nowhere near that spicy mutton taste. This is still a chop and who cares what is in it when its served hot with kasundi. Bon Appetit!!!

All you need

Boiled Eggs, cut into quarters length wise
Boiled Potatoes, mashed
Chopped onions
Chopped green chilies
Grated Ginger
Salt
Plain Bread Crumbs
Oil for deep frying and a little for shallow frying onions
One egg, beaten


Method

• Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, green chilies and ginger.
• Mix the fried onions with the mashed potatoes, add salt.
• A bit of potato mixture and wrap around one quartered boiled egg.
• Heat up oil for deep frying, dip the potato wrapped egg ball into beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs and deep fry it.
• Serve hot with raw onion slices and Kasundi(mustard sauce).

Kolkata style Chicken Egg Roll

Chicken Preparation:
All you need

1 1/2lb Boneless, skinless Chicken thighs
8oz Plain Fat free Yogurt (small tub)
Half Cut Lime
3Tbsp Shan Tandoori Chicken Masala
1/2tsp Nutmeg Powder
Salt
2tsp oil
1Tbsp Butter
1tsp chopped Cilantro

Method

• Cut the chicken thighs in small bite size pieces.
• Sprinkle salt, lime juice and oil over the chicken pieces and rub altogether.
• Add Shan Tandoori Chicken Masala, save a little. Add the nutmeg powder.
• Whip up the yogurt and pour over the chcken and mix. Now add the saved Shan masala and mix again.
• Sprinkle the cilantro on top and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F and bake the chicken along with the marinade for 20 minutes.
• Take the chicken out and strain out the liquid marinade. Melt the butter and pour over the chicken and put it back in oven for 10 more minutes.

Egg washed Parathas
All you need

1cup All Purpose Flour(maida)
1/3rd cup Atta(Whole wheat grain flour)
1tsp oil
2 pinches Salt
Water to knead
3 Eggs, beaten with a little salt
Oil to fry the Parathas

Method

• Mix the two flours, add salt and oil and knead into a soft dough.
• Roll out a small ball of dough and cook on a griddle.
• Cook one side then flip and cook other side. Then lift the paratha a little and pour oil(about 1-1 1/2tsp) and let down the paratha and rub it on the griddle.
• Pour a little beaten egg on the top of paratha(the no-oil side), spread it and flip to fry the other side(the egg side).
• Make several parathas likewise.

To make the Roll

• Layout the chicken pieces in the middle of the Paratha.
• Top dress with sliced onions, chopped green chilis, chopped cilantro.
• Sprinkle a little salt and lime juice and MDH Chunky Chat Masala.
• Roll up the Paratha to cover the filling and serve.

Rajmar Jhol (Kidney Beans Curry, more like a soup)

All you need:
Rajma (Light red kidney beans, soaked in water overnight), Aloo (Potatoes, diced), chopped Onions, chopped Tomato, Ginger-Garlic paste, Gota Jeere for Phoron (cumin seeds), Cumin powder, Coriander powder, chopped Dhone pata (cilantro), slit green chili, Tel (oil, preferably mustard), salt and Turmeric.

Method:

• Heat oil in a large pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, let it splutter.
• Add the onions and green chili. Fry till light brown.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato, and potatoes. Fry them together.
• Add the rajma, salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder. Mix them together.
• Add water and pressure cook. After two whistles, open up the cooker.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  

Palak Paneer

I simply love this dish. Best and tastiest way to eat spinach. Have you ever thought of kids asking for an extra serving of spinach? Believe me Palak Paneer works!

All you need:
One or two bunches of spinach, Cut up Paneer cubes (see my previous post on how to make them at home), Tomato, green chili, Onion, salt, kasoori methi, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and oil.

Method:

• Pluck the spinach leaves, wash them and boil them in a sauce pan.
• Puree the boiled spinach with green chili.
• Puree onions and tomato separately.
  
• Heat oil in a wok, add kasoori methi and pureed onions/onion paste.
• Add ginger-garlic, pureed tomato and the pureed spinach.
• Add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder.
• Add little water, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes.
• Add the paneer cubes, cover up again and cook for another 5 mins.

And Done!!

Grilled Rack of Lamb

There was a time when I used to hate lamb for its strong flavor and odor until I got to taste a grilled Rack of Lamb. Rack of Lamb is a portion cut out from the ribs which when cut in between the ribs makes the lamb chops. The typical flavor of lamb is at its minimum (you can say almost non-existant) in the ribs, so a Rack of Lamb should be a perfect start for those who doesn't eat lamb because of its flavor or odor. The rack comes with a thick layer of fat, so trimming is necessary. A light wash is sufficient. Juice of one lime and ginger-garlic paste is the marinade. Then rubbing the ribs with any good "Prime Ribs Rub" and salt will cure it. Grill the rack on hot charcoals. If you do not want the rib bones charred, just wrap them individually with foils. Many like it medium rare...that is well done on the outside but still pink inside, personally, I like well done. Whatever your preference is, before serving just cut in between the ribs and serve lamb popsicles separately.

How to make Paneer at Home

Half gallon Whole Milk and one lime is all you need. Bring the milk to a boil, then simmer down and add the juice of lime while stirring. You will see the milk part separating from water. Strain it and let it stand in the strainer for an hour or hour and a half.

Now, dump the Paneer from the strainer onto a cutting board and cut small cubes out of it.

P.S. You can avoid this mess and use store bought Paneer :P

Lobster

Are you a seafood lover? Then, Lobster has to be one of your many favorites. When I bring live lobsters home for dinner, my kitchen turns into a chaotic rampage. Holding the live lobster (although their sharp claws are clamped with thick rubber bands, they move their tails violently) from the grocery bag and putting them into a pot of boiling water is something very amusing to watch. My husband and I dance and scream each holding a very long tongs and pot lids (serving as a shield) till the lobsters seem dead and the war is won.

Put the live lobsters head first into a pot of boiling water with some ginger added to it. Cover it with a lid. After about 8-10 minutes the lobster is cooked and all red. Drain the water with lobsters onto kitchen sink. Tear apart the parts, wash and clean the insides.

Heat oil in a wok, fry the lobsters with salt and turmeric. This is the base. Now you can make it in any way you like, be it a curry with ginger, garlic, onions and cumin paste or rub it with mustard paste and fry cook till done.