recipes

From Sameena at Yousaf Salahuddin’s Home Braised Quail

From Sameena at Yousaf Salahuddin’s Home Braised Quail

(Bater) This quail is often part of winter lunches served on sunny verandahs and courtyards of grand homes in Lahore. All the guests come bedecked in their winter finery, which for most of them (as with most north Indians), means exquisite Kashmiri shawls. The quail used here were wild and quite small.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 7.5 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
  • 2 fresh hot green chillies chopped (if using a jalapeño, use 1, with its seeds)
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
  • 2½ medium tomatoes peeled
  • 3 tablespoons corn peanut or olive oil
  • 25 g unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 120 ml ( natural yoghurt lightly beaten
  • 8 quail
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala

Instructions

  • Put the ginger, garlic and chillies in a blender along with 4 tablespoons water and blend until smooth. Slice the onions into very fine half-rings. Grind the coriander seeds to a coarse powder. Finely grate the tomatoes.
  • Put the oil and butter in a large, wide, heavy-lidded pan and set over a medium–high heat. When hot, add the onions. Stir and fry, turning the heat down to medium as needed, until the onions are a medium brown. Add the ginger–garlic mixture. Stir and fry on a medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Add 250ml (8fl oz) water, as well as the cayenne pepper, coriander, salt, turmeric, tomatoes and natural yoghurt. Bring to the boil on a medium–high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and the oil separates from it. Add the quail. Stir and fry for 3–4 minutes. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and braise gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the quail are tender. They should cook in their own juices. If they dry out, add a few tablespoons of water. Turn the birds around and stir gently every 6–7 minutes. Sprinkle over the garam masala 5 minutes before the cooking ends and stir it in.
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Course Main Dish

Duck Cooked in the Delhi Hunter’s Style

Duck Cooked in the Delhi Hunter’s Style

During the winter months when my father and brothers went hunting, they usually came back with a lot of duck. It was then cooked in our kitchens with cinnamon and nutmeg. I like to cook the duck a day before I serve it so that I can remove all the fat that congeals at the top.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions
  • 6 medium garlic cloves peeled
  • corn oil or peanut oil
  • 2.7 kg duck jointed and partially skinned
  • 1 medium stick cinnamon
  • 7 whole cardamom pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1½ teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

  • Slice the onions into fine half-rings and crush the garlic cloves to a pulp. Pour 4 tablespoons of oil into a large, wide, lidded pan and set over a medium–high heat. When the oil is hot, put in as many duck pieces, skin-side down, as the pan will hold easily in a single layer. Lightly brown the duck, about 3–4 minutes per side, and remove to a bowl. Brown all the duck pieces this way and remove.
  • Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves to the hot fat and, 10 seconds later, add the onions. Stir and fry until the onions begin to turn brown at the edges. Now add the ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the turmeric, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and cook until they have softened, about 2–3 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan as you do this. Now add the browned duck pieces, the salt and 475ml (16fl oz) water. Stir and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the duck is tender, lifting the lid to stir now and then.
  • Check for salt, adding more if needed. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and continue to cook, stirring now and then, for a further 10 minutes. Remove as much fat as possible before serving.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

The large, whole spices are not meant to be eaten.
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Course Duck / Poultry
Cuisine India

Sweet and Sour Chicken ‘Rizala’

Sweet and Sour Chicken ‘Rizala’

There is more than one style of rizala. The Dhaka rizala is neither sweet nor sour and is often served at the end of the Ramadan festival of Id. The Calcutta rizala requires that the meat be cooked entirely in milk or natural yoghurt. This north Bengali Bogra rizala recipe comes from my friend Yasmeen’s mother. It is a classic. Gently sweet and sour, it has a scrumptious dark sauce made entirely without spices that is rich with browned onions and natural yoghurt. Note that the chillies do not give much heat to the dish. They may, however, be bitten into if the diner desires.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 3 small onions each about 75g (3oz), peeled, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
  • corn or peanut oil
  • 2 small onions about 175g (6oz), peeled
  • 5 cm 2in piece fresh ginger, peeled
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled
  • 4 tablespoons oil saved from frying the onions plus 1 tablespoon ghee, or more oil
  • 1 chicken about 1.75kg (4lb), skinned and cut into small serving pieces
  • 6 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 6 –10 whole bird’s eye chillies with small slits cut in them
  • 1¾ teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Instructions

  • Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to come to a depth of 3mm ( in), and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot put in the onions and fry for about 8 minutes. The onions will have begun to brown. Reduce the heat to medium–low. Stir and fry for another 2 minutes or so. Reduce the heat to low. Continue to stir and fry until most of the slices are reddish-brown – about 12 minutes. Empty the frying pan contents into a sieve set over a bowl. Spread out the onions on kitchen paper to dry. Once completely cool, crumble the fried onions and set aside.
  • Peel and chop the onions, ginger and garlic and put them into a blender with 3–4 tablespoons water. Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula when necessary, until you have a smooth paste.
  • Put the oil and ghee in a large, non-stick, lidded pan and set over a medium–high heat. When hot, pour in the paste from the blender. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the paste is lightly browned. Add the chicken pieces. Continue to stir for a further minute. Over the next 5 minutes add 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt at a time and keep browning the chicken. Now add 175ml (6fl oz) water, the crumbled onions and salt. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over now and then. Add the chillies, sugar and lemon or lime juice. Stir to mix. Cover and continue to cook on a very low heat for another 10 minutes.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry
Cuisine India

Reshmi Tikka Kebab

Reshmi Tikka Kebab

Silken Chicken ‘Tikka’ Kebabs
These kebabs are very easy to prepare and have a delicate, delicious flavour.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 675 g boned and skinned chicken breasts cut into 2½cm (1in) pieces
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and very finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed to a pulp
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon bright red paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 tablespoons whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 3 tablespoons corn oil or peanut oil

Instructions

  • Put the chicken in a bowl. Add the salt and lemon juice and rub them in. Prod the chicken pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again. Set aside for 20 minutes. Then add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, cream and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 6–8 hours. (Longer will not hurt.)
  • Just before serving, preheat the grill. Thread the chicken pieces onto two to four skewers (the flat, sword-like ones are best.) Brush with oil and balance the skewers on the rim of a shallow baking tray. Place about 13cm (5in) from the source of heat and grill for about 6 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cooked through.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry
Cuisine India

Royal Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt

Royal Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt

An elegant dish that may be served to the family or at a grand party. Rice is the ideal accompaniment.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 250 ml natural yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped green coriander
  • 1.5 kg chicken cut into serving portions
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 cardamom pods
  • 6 cloves
  • 5 cm cinnamon stick
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2½ tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
  • 2½ tablespoons sultanas

Instructions

  • Put the natural yoghurt into a bowl and beat it lightly until it is smooth and creamy. Add half the salt, some black pepper, the ground cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder and green coriander. Mix and set aside.
  • Salt and pepper the chicken pieces on both sides using the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Put the oil in a wide, preferably non-stick pan and set over medium–high heat. When hot, put in the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Stir once and add some of the chicken pieces – only as many as the pan will hold easily in a single layer. Brown on both sides and remove to a large bowl. Brown all the chicken pieces in this way and remove to the bowl.
  • Put the almonds and sultanas into the same hot oil. Stir quickly. The almonds should turn golden and the sultanas should plump up – which will happen very fast. Now return the chicken and its accumulated juices to the pan. Add the seasoned natural yoghurt. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during this period. Remove the cover, turn the heat up a bit and reduce the sauce until it is thick and just clings to the chicken pieces. Turn the chicken pieces over gently as you do this.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry
Cuisine India

Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken

Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken

To slice the chicken breasts evenly, it is best if you freeze them in a single layer for 35–45 minutes first. When they are half-frozen and firm, it is easy to cut them uniformly.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

for the marinade

  • 6 tablespoons onion
  • 5 cm piece fresh ginger
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • salt
  • cayenne pepper
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 450 boned and skinned chicken breasts

to cook the chicken

  • 150 g onions
  • corn or olive oil
  • 1 medium stick cinnamon
  • 8 whole cardamom pods
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • 5 tablespoons tomato grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • 3 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

  • To make the marinade, peel and finely chop the onion, ginger and garlic and put them into a blender with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 3 tablespoons water. Blend to a smooth paste, pushing down with a rubber spatula when needed. Cut the chicken breasts crossways into 3mm ( in thick) slices and put in a bowl. Add the marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours if desired.
  • Peel the onions and slice into fine half-rings. Pour 3 tablespoons oil into a wide, non-stick pan set over a medium–high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Stir for 10 seconds, then add the onions and fry, stirring at the same time, for 6–7 minutes or until the onion turns a reddish-brown colour. Add the cumin and coriander. Stir once. Add the natural yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, and stir until it is absorbed. Add the tomato and stir for a minute.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken, together with its marinade, and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until all the chicken pieces turn white. Add 175ml (6fl oz) water, the salt, garam masala and lemon juice. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 2–3 minutes, stirring now and then.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

The large, whole spices are not meant to be eaten.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry
Cuisine India

Chicken in a Spinach and Mustard Sauce

Chicken in a Spinach and Mustard Sauce

I was trying to work out a quick version of seasoning a chicken dish with crushed mustard seeds and vinegar when it occurred to me that I could just use a grainy mustard. This particular mustard is labelled Moutarde de Meaux or Pommery. Any grainy French mustard will do.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • vegetable oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 5 cm 2in cinnamon stick
  • 5 cloves
  • 2 dried hot red chillies
  • 1 kg 2¼lb chicken pieces, skinned
  • 4 tablespoons sultanas
  • 6 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
  • 5 cm 2in piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 –2 fresh hot green chillies sliced into coarse rings
  • green coriander tops
  • 275 g 10oz frozen, chopped spinach, boiled until defrosted then lightly drained
  • 3 tablespoons Pommery mustard

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken into serving portions (a pair of breasts into 4–6 pieces each, whole legs into 2–3 pieces each). Put 4 tablespoons oil in a large, wide, non-stick pan (a large, non-stick frying pan is also quite suitable) and set over a medium–high heat. When hot, put in the bay leaves, cardamon pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and red chillies. Stir for a few seconds or until the bay leaves turn a few shades darker. Now put in the chicken pieces and brown well on both sides. Add the sultanas and stir for a few seconds. Add the yoghurt, 1 teaspoon salt, lots of freshly ground black pepper and the chilli powder. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover well, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
  • While the chicken simmers, put the ginger into the container of a blender along with 3 tablespoons water and blend until you have a smooth paste. Add the green chillies and a generous fistful of green coriander and continue to blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula when necessary. Now add the lightly drained spinach. Blend very briefly this time. The spinach should have a coarse texture and should not be a fine purée. Empty this green sauce into a bowl. Add the mustard and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix.
  • When the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, remove the cover and add the green sauce. Stir to mix. Bring to a simmer, cover again and cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Turn the chicken pieces a few times during this period.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

The large whole spices are not meant to be eaten.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry
Cuisine India

Easy Chicken Kebabs

Easy Chicken Kebabs

You may serve these kebabs with drinks, as a first course or even as a light main dish. The pieces of meat may be skewered before grilling or they may just be spread out on a grilling tray.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 4 boned skinned chicken breast halves (about 550g/1¼lb)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • 1 tablespoon chickpea flour also called gram flour or besan
  • 1 teaspoon peeled very finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed to a pulp
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil for basting

Instructions

  • Cut each breast half into halves, lengthways, and cut crossways into 2.5cm (1in) pieces. Put in a bowl. Rub with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the lemon juice.
  • Put the natural yoghurt into a separate small bowl. Add the chickpea flour and mix well. Now add the remaining salt, the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin and garam masala. Mix well and pour over the chicken pieces. Mix well again and set aside for 15 minutes or longer (you could even leave it overnight).
  • Preheat the grill. Thread the chicken pieces on to 4 skewers and balance the skewers on the raised edges of a grill rack. You could, as an alternative, spread the chicken pieces out on the grilling tray. Baste with the melted butter or oil. Grill the chicken pieces about 10cm (4in) from the source of heat for 5 minutes, basting once during this time. Turn the chicken pieces over, baste again and grill for 2–3 minutes or until just cooked through.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Serve immediately.
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Course Barbecue / Chicken / Poultry
Cuisine India

Minced Chicken with Peas

Minced Chicken with Peas

Minced chicken – or turkey, for that matter – cooks in minutes. If a guest unexpectedly shows up, this may be the perfect dish to serve. I have used peas here, but infinite variations are possible: cooked broad beans, cut up and cooked green beans, even corn kernels, may be added to the mince.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2.5 cm 1in cinnamon stick
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 100 g 4oz onions, peeled and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons peeled finely grated fresh ginger
  • 550 g 1¼lb minced chicken (or turkey)
  • 175 –200g 6–7oz lightly cooked fresh or frozen peas
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon store-bought garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
  • ½ –¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Put the oil in a wide pan and set over medium–high heat.
  • When hot, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves.
  • Stir for a few seconds.
  • Add the onions.
  • Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges.
  • Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds.
  • Add the ginger and stir for another few seconds.
  • Now add the chicken (or turkey).
  • Stir and fry until all the lumps are broken up.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients.
  • Stir to mix and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring as you do so.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

The large spices are not meant to be eaten.
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Course Chicken / Main Dish / Poultry / Turkey
Cuisine India

Murgh Korma

Murgh Korma

Quick Chicken Korma
When trying to cook fast, it helps to have all the right utensils to hand. Here, a blender to make the ginger–garlic paste and a frying pan that holds all the chicken in a single layer will be of great help. This dish can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. It reheats well.
Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 4 cm 1½in piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 5 –6 garlic cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 5 cm 2in cinnamon stick
  • 8 cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • 120 g 4½oz onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 3 tinned plum tomatoes chopped
  • 1.5 kg 3lb chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions
  • ¼ –1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons single cream

Instructions

  • Put the ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons water in the container of an electric blender. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
  • Put the oil in a wide frying pan or sauté pan and set over high heat. When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and cumin seeds. Stir once or twice and add the onions. Stir and fry for about 3 minutes or until the onions turn brownish. Add the paste from the blender, and the ground coriander and ground cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another minute. Add the chicken pieces, chilli powder, salt and 250ml (8fl oz) water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over now and then.
  • Remove the cover, add the cream and cook on high heat for another 7–8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir gently as you do this.
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Course Chicken / Poultry
Cuisine India