It took this recipe from Ranveer Brar to get us back into the kitchen ... just for the fun of it.
We used to enjoy cooking so much ... back in the good old days before kids and work and everything else ran over our lives. I remember making 13 dishes from scratch for Thanksgiving and inviting all our friends, the year before Diya was born. And this year, Diya made 13 dishes from scratch and invited all her friends and their families. What happened to the 2 decades in between? When did cooking become a dreaded but necessary chore; when did we slide into eating frozen Costco meals or door-dashing multiple times a week ... sometimes different people in the house ordered from different restaurants at the same time.
Diya wants to make Indian food more often and (given I'm no chef) I do not use precise measures or even recipes ... so we turned to youtube. Anyway, I ran into some of Ranveer Brar's recipes and just had to try. Dal makhani was re-born and lamb masala finally got the right consistency. Then couple nights ago this recipe poppep up into my feed and I was mesmerized by the complexity of it and found it suddenly nostalgic. My Dadi is from Lucknow and I have tasted these dishes in my early childhood when I lived with my Dadi & Baba. I could feel the memories wash over. Not just the delicacy of making the food, the refined tastes ... but also the language and the etiquette that goes with it. It was packed up in some corner of my heart and came rushing to me. When did I leave all that behind?
Suvo, who was sitting next to me reading his 100th or 200th sci-fi book this year, got interested and peeked into my screen. So I removed my air-pods and we both watched the short video. I thought - there is no way I am making this complicated dish. It did not seem "efficient" :).
Next day - I came back from work to see Suvo had ordered biriyani and chicken korma for lunch. I supposed my moong daal and bhindi did not inspire him much. He was really craving those tastes. The biriyani was good but the chiken korma fell flat compared to what we imagined this dish would taste like. Well, what do you know, the next day I came back from work to find the kitchen prepped to make this dish. Suvo had shopped all day for all the ingredients - including rose water, jayatri and bhuna chana besan!! He had even prepped the chicken and mixed the yougurt and soaked the kajus! Such enthu. I was tired after a grueling day at work and the long drive to and from Warren. But I did not have the heart to say no ... and guess what ... once I started cooking .... somehow, after a long long time - my stress drained away.
The recipe requires love and gentle dedication. Any rushing will destroy the flavors and the process is quite irrecoverable. It was almost meditative. The house smelled divine. The food tuned out amazing. We did not talk at all through dinner. Total absorption.
Aadi loved it - asked to add some coconut to it (something Ranveer Brar had mentioned in the show). Aadi never watched the show but he knows his flavors! Diya came in today and took a bite from last nights leftovers and immediately hoarded the rest of the chicken for her to eat later - she had lunch plans with friends and did not want her Baba to finish it! Well, so .... we are making it again for dinner - haha. This recipe rekindled our love of cooking and brought everyone back into the kitchen enjoying the same meal together. This deserves entry into our blog ... (also for easy access for future cooking :p)
LUCKNAWI CHICKEN MASALA Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 25-30 minutes Serve 2-4 Ingredients For Chicken Masala 2-3 tbsp Ghee, घी 1-2 tbsp Oil, तेल 1 Green chili (less spicy & diagonally sliced) हरी मिर्च 5-6 no. medium Onions, sliced, प्याज 2 no. Bay leaf, तेजपत्ता ½ inch Cinnamon stick, दालचीनी 1 no. Black cardamom, बड़ी इलायची 2 no. Green cardamom, हरी इलायची Salt to taste, नमक स्वादअनुसार ¼ cup Water, पानी Little water, पानी ½ tbsp Ginger garlic paste, अदरक लहसुन का पेस्ट Prepared Curd Mixture, तयार किया हुआ दही का मिश्रण Salt to taste, नमक स्वादअनुसार 1 tbsp Tender coriander stems, finely chopped, धनिये के डंठल Marinated Chicken, मैरीनेटेड चिकन 1-2 cups Water, पानी 1 cup Water, पानी Prepared Cashew Nuts Paste, तयार किया हुआ काजू का पेस्ट Prepared Tadka, तयार किया हुआ तड़का Shredded Chicken, हड्डी रहित चिकन For Boiling Cashew Nuts Water as required, पानी Salt to taste, नमक स्वादअनुसार 12 -15 no. Cashew Nuts, काजू For Marination 1 kg Chicken, चिकन Salt to taste, नमक स्वादअनुसार 1-2 tsp Oil, तेल 1 tsp Degi red chili powder, देगी लाल मिर्च पाउडर ½ tsp Lemon juice, नींबू का रस For Curd Mixture 1 ¼ cup Curd, beaten, दही 1 heaped tbsp Coriander powder, धनिया पाउडर 1 tsp Turmeric powder, हल्दी पाउडर ½ tsp Degi red chili powder, देगी लाल मिर्च पाउडर For Dry Masala 1 heaped tbsp Black peppercorns, काली मिर्च के दाने 3-4 no. Black cardamom, बड़ी इलायची 1 ½ no. Mace, जावित्री 8-10 no. Green cardamom, हरी इलायची Salt to taste, नमक स्वाद अनुसार 1 heaped tbsp Roasted gram flour, भुने चने का बेसन For Tadka 1 tbsp Oil, तेल ½ tbsp Ghee, घी 1 no. Green chili, slit into half, हरी मिर्च 1 no. medium Onions, roughly sliced, प्याज ½ tsp Degi red chili powder, देगी लाल मिर्च पाउडर 1-2 tbsp Prepared Masala, तयार किया हुआ मसाला 1 tbsp Kewra water, केवड़ा जल 1 tbsp Rose water, गुलाब जल 1 ½ tbsp Dry fenugreek leaves, roasted, भुनी हुई कसूरी मेथी For Garnish Green chili, slit, हरी मिर्च Coriander sprig, धनिया पत्ता Process For Chicken Masala In a handi or sauce pot, ghee, oil, once it's hot, add green chillies, onions and saute it for a minute until translucent. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, green cardamom and saute it well. Add salt to taste, water and mix it well, cover it with the lid and cook it for 8-10 minutes on medium flames. Grind the onion with the help of a hand blender or steel spatula. Add water, add ginger garlic paste and saute it for a while. Add prepared curd mixture, salt to taste and cook it well for 5-6 minutes. Add tender coriander stems, marinated chicken, water and let it simmer for a while. Add water, prepared cashewnut paste and get it quick boil. Add prepared tadka, shredded chicken and mix it well. Transfer it to a serving bowl or dish, garnish it with green chili and coriander sprig. Serve hot with roti or naan. For Boiling Cashewnut In a pan, add water, salt to taste, add cashew nuts and get a quick boil. Strain and transfer it to a mixer grinder jar. Grind it to a smooth paste and keep it aside for further use. For Marination In a bowl, add chicken, salt to taste, oil, degi red chili powder, lemon juice and mix it well. Keep it aside to marinate for a while. For Curd Mixture In a bowl, add curd, coriander powder, turmeric powder, degi red chili powder and mix it well. Keep aside for further use. For Dry Masala In a pan, add black peppercorns, black cardamom, mace, green cardamom, salt to taste and dry roast it for 2-4 minutes on medium flame. Transfer it to a mixer grinder jar, add roasted gram flour and grind it well. Keep it aside for further use. For Tadka In a pan, add oil, ghee, once it is medium hot, add green chili, onion and saute it for 2-4 minutes until translucent. Add degi red chili powder, prepared masala, kewra water, rose water, dry fenugreek leaves and saute it well. Keep it aside for further use.
