Ram Laddu for Today’s Delhi Belles

If you have lived in Delhi, shopped at Lajpat Nagar Central Market and got yourself a salwar kameez for 500 bucks when the guy was asking for 750, then you owe yourself a treat. At the Ram Laddu slash Moong Dal pakore wala at the entrance of the market. Ram Laddu, absolutely no connection with Lord Rama is also fondly called Gulgule.

A road side hit with Delhi belles, these little fritters are deep fried batter of the yellow lentil called Moong, topped with shredded radish (daikon/mooli) and tangy green chutney.

Ingredients for Moong Dal Laddu or Ram Laddu or Gulgule are:

1 cup moong dal, soaked overnight or 6-8 hours
1 cup shredded radish
Green chutney (I used this recipe)
Quarter teaspoon red chili powder
Pinch of baking powder
Oil for frying
Chaat Masala
Salt

Coarsely grind the moong dal adding very little water. In a bowl, add the moong dal batter, red chili powder, baking powder and salt. Beat the batter with your hands till fluffy.

Heat oil in a wok. Start dropping little portions of the moong dal batter in the hot oil, about a teaspoon size. Fry them in batches. Turn midway and fry the pakoras till they are golden yellow in color. Drain excess oil on paper towels.

Serve the Ram Laddu on little platters topped with shredded radish, lavishly ladled with green chutney and sprinkled with Chaat Masala.

The Moong Dal is now ready from the edible mode to explode in your mouth, revolutionary taste!

Dhaba Style Baigan Ka Bharta

When you are experimenting in the kitchen, you are not very sure if you want to share something as ordinary as a Baigan ka Bharta with your readers!
I don’t have a “gas” stove top here and have to do all the cooking on an electric oven range. Which is no fun if you are making the Bengali Begun Poda or the Punjabi version of the Baigan ka Bharta (Roasted Eggplant Mish-mash). Its in times like these that I have to toss my ingredients in the oven, and hope I get the taste which is close to the palate I have grown up to.

I know a lot of people do roast the eggplant in the oven, but this recipe of mine has roasted tomatoes (instead of raw ones) thrown in too!

Here is my recipe of the Punjabi Baigan ka Bharta!

Ingredients:

One medium size eggplant – I chose one which was about 350-400 gms
2 ripe tomatoes
Half cup green peas
1 medium size red onion finely chopped
Bunch of coriander chopped fine
4-5 green chilies chopped finely
5-6 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 inch ginger chopped finely
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Drizzle of mustard oil
2 tablespoon ghee (melted)
Salt

Slit the eggplant from the center and cut the tomatoes in halves. Put them in a baking dish and drizzle some mustard oil. “Bake” them in the oven at 350°F for an hour. You want to roast the eggplant and the tomatoes till they are nice and plump and not shriveled. Gently remove the purple skin of the eggplant and its stalk. Squish the eggplant and the tomatoes (separately).
In a frying pan, heat the melted ghee and add the cumin seeds. And all the chopped culprits (except the coriander) one by one starting with the onions.
Sauté all the ingredients for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add the already mashed up eggplant and tomato. Add the dry spices and fry for five more minutes till all the raw flavors are cooked.
Towards the end of the cooking process, add the already washed and drained (if you are using frozen ones) green peas. Add salt and mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with roti or naan and maybe some Tandoori Chicken to get that complete feeling of eating at a North Indian Dhaba!
This is as good as Baigan ka Bharta can get in North America! Try it.

Chicken, Crème ++

A recipe is merely words on paper, a guideline; and some people choose NOT to share it. Its those critical times that you are left to decode the secret ingredients of some lip smackingly delicious dishes you have had. If you have lived in Delhi/Gurgaon/NOIDA, you will recognize the famous Chawla’s Chic-Inn and their signature Cream Chicken.

Apparently, it is this man, Attar Singh Chawla who invented the Cream Chicken during one of his kitchen experiments somewhere in Haldwani. One time, I had tried to befriend the man, no, not Attar Singh, but the Manager from one of Chawla’s Chicken franchisees. But I never was able to lay my hands on the recipe.

They are that protective!

I knew my taste buds wouldn't let me down, so here I am, deciphering what could be close to Chawla’s Cream Chicken from my kitchen to yours!

Ingredients for Cream Chicken:

6-8 pieces of chicken (I used skinless drumsticks)
One and half cup of whipped cream
2-3 tablespoon fresh black pepper powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 large onion finely sliced
2-3 black cardamoms
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt

Heat the oil in a deep pan, add the cardamom and bay leaf. Add the sliced onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Add the chicken, stir and cover for five minutes. I wanted the chicken to get a good color, so I took my time with them while adding the fresh black pepper powder. Keep frying the chicken till you see them turning light brown on all sides. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the coriander powder and fry for some more time on medium heat. Keep stirring so that the spices don’t burn. Turn the heat on the chicken to the lowest gas mark and slowly start adding the cream. Let it cook on the gentle heat. Keep stirring and scrape off any spices from the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
There is no need to add water to the Cream Chicken, by adding salt the chicken will release enough juices to cook on its own. Cook till the chicken is done and the cream coats the chicken pieces. Adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve hot with Naan or Rotis.
I hope you are still hungry ‘coz I still have some more cream left from the big pack I got! This time too, I am making what is a hot favorite of Delhiites, just that it is no more a North Indian appetizer. However, I will stick to a very Indian recipe in a world of some pretty painfully Anglicized versions of it.

Murgh Malai Tikka translated literally as Chicken Malai (Cream) Tikka is the big brother of all kebabs if you like subtle flavors. Creamy and elegant, above all Creamy Chicken Tikka almost melts in your mouth if you have the marinating time right!

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Tikka are:

500 gms of boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1 inch pieces (I used the thigh portions as they are the most tender for any kebabs)
1 cup whipping cream
Half cup grated cheddar cheese
Juice of one lemon (or two)
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon green chili paste
Half cup minced coriander leaves
Half teaspoon mace powder
Half teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for basting (This oil holds more heat and is the best for kebabs)

Whip up a marinade with the cream, cheese and spices, except oil in a bowl, add the chicken pieces and mix well. Marinade the chicken for 5-6 hours.
Set oven on Broil and preheat on High. Stick the chicken pieces on skewers and baste them with oil. Arrange them on a baking tray and they are ready to go in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes on each side. Turn the skewers mid-way when they start searing from the edges.
Squeeze some lemon juice and serve piping hot with onion rings. The cream keeps the tikka kebabs moist and the spices load them up very subtly.
That pretty much finishes up all the Cream I had in my fridge. Of course I saved a spoon or two to drizzle on my fresh fruits for dessert.