Indian feast at home
A top hotel chef in Dubai gives you a five-star recipe experience
Just for a change, we thought we'd bring you some recipes instead of a food review.
Over the centuries, India has been invaded by the Aryans, Greeks, Persians, Huns, Turks, Arabs, Afghans, the Portuguese, Dutch, French and the English.
With so many influences from across the world, is it any wonder Indian food is widely acclaimed as some of the best in the world?
Each country/conqueror left their mark upon a recipe, flavour and ingredient — tips that were then passed down and perfected through the generations.
Chef Gaurav from the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers says anyone can create an Indian banquet fit for a king.
He said: “Indian meals are always easier than they appear. We use the most amazing flavours in Indian cooking but everyone is capable of achieving great results in the kitchen at home.
“The dishes I have provided are easy to make and perfect for an Indian meal at home.
They are some of my favourites and are certain to impress any guest.''
Murg Shikanja: A simple chicken breast kabab, marinated with a special home-ground spice mixture and grilled on a hot plate.
Ingredients
- Baby chicken breast — 800gm
- Lemon juice — 15ml
- Salt to taste
- Ginger garlic paste — 20gm
- Turmeric powder — 7gm
- Green cardamom — 8gm
- Cloves — 3gm
- Black cardamom — 5gm
- Coriander seeds — 10gm
- Red chilli whole — 10gm
- Cinnamon sticks — 3gm
- Cumin seeds — 8gm
- Black peppercorns — 5gm
- Gram flour — 15gm
- Mustard oil — 45ml
Procedure
Trim and clean the chicken breast, remove any excess fat and prick it with a fork on both sides.
Marinate the chicken with salt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and turmeric, leave it aside for 15 minutes.
Dry roast green cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, coriander seeds, red chilli whole, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds and black peppercorns individually in a pan or in a medium hot oven till they become dry and start to flavour.
Cool all the roasted spices and grind into a smooth paste using the mustard oil.
Apply the ground spice mixture on to the marinated chicken breast and allow it to marinate for 40 minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan, dust each of the chicken breast with gram flour and cook on both sides till soft and golden brown.
Serve hot with roundels of onion.
Khatti Macchi
Hammour fish cubes simmered in a tangy tomato and tamarind sauce, tempered with mustard and curry leaves and infused with coconut cream.
Ingredients:
- Hammour fish cubes (4 cm boneless cubes) 800gm Coconut oil — 50ml, Mustard seeds — 15gm, Curry leaves — 10gm, Whole red chillies — 10gm, Ginger garlic paste — 20gm, Turmeric powder — 10gm, Red chilli powder — 20gm, Tamarind pulp — 40gm, Fish stock — 400ml, Chopped tomatoes — 400gm, Coconut cream — 150ml, Coriander leaves — 30gm, Salt to taste.
Procedure:
Heat coconut oil in a heavy bottom pan and add mustard seeds.
When the mustard starts to splutter add curry leaves and whole red chillies.
When the chillies change their colour add ginger garlic paste and sauté till olden brown.
Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, chopped tomatoes, tamarind pulp and cook till oil surfaces.
To this tomato and tamarind sauce add washed fish cubes, fish stock, salt and stir carefully to avoid breaking of fish pieces.
After about five minutes add coconut cream and cook till the fish is cooked and soft.
Check for seasoning and mix in chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot accompanied with steamed rice.
