Chana Chat Recepie: (Channa Chaat)

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups chana
• 1 Cup paneer
• 1 Cucumber
• 1 Onion
• 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp Chaat masala
• 2 tsp Coriander leaves

How to make Chana Chat: • Cut paneer into cubes. • Peel the cucumber and cut into pieces. • Chop the onion. • Mix paneer cubes, chana, cucumber pieces and chopped onions. • Add chaat masala and tomato ketchup. • Adorn with coriander leaves. • Chana Chat is ready.

Prepration Time: 1 hour Approx. Cook Time: 10 Mints Nutrition : Missing

Garnishing Cooking Tips: Video of Chana Chat Recepie

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British laying claim to indian food

Last week it was Birmingham City Council that launched a campaign to protect the famous Balti name by preventing Indian restaurants outside the city from using it. And now the curry crazy Scots are staging a tikka takeover, laying claim to Britain's most popular dish the Chicken Tikka Masala.

Its a know fact that British are crazy about Indian Food so much that across the UK, 2.5 million people dine in 9000 curry houses every week. The very first Balti dish, which is named after the pot it is cooked in, is believed to have been served by a Pakistani immigrant called Mohammed Ajaib in Birmingham in 1977. The dish became so popular that the area of Birmingham between Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath, and Moseley became known as the “Balti Triangle” because of the large number of restaurants serving it. Today, the Balti is a staple at Indian restaurants nationwide in Britain.

However, Birmingham City Council claims that because the Balti originated in the city, it has the right to protect the name, similar to other protected goods such as the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie or Wensleydale cheese.

Elsewhere in Glasgow, which has won the Curry Capital of Britain title three times, the Shish Mahal restaurant wants the city to be recognised as the home of chicken tikka masala, which it claims to have invented in the Seventies. Around 25 million portions of Chicken Tikka Masala are devoured in the UK every year as they spend £2.8billion on Indian food. Shish Mahal wants the dish to have the same legal protection as other regionally designated food, such as Arbroath Smokies. It could be renamed Glasgow chicken tikka masala.

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Wimbledon champions love Indian Food

Rajdoot, the Indian restaurant located in Wimbledon has become one of the prime eating spots for the tennis crowd during Wimbledon fortnight. Mimom Rahman seen in the picture with Roger Federer is a waiter and top tennis celeb spotter at Rajdoot.

He proudly shows the restaurant autograph book featuring superstars like the Williams sisters, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Lindsay Davenport, Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova.

Roger Federer in particular has taken a liking to this restaurant calling in 3 times in the first week of Wimbledon. One of his orders included Butter Chicken, pilau rice and 8 naan. [via Guardian]

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Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Paneer Butter Masala or Paneer Makhani is a very popular Punjabi recipe made from Indian Cottage cheese with gravy that is thickened by using butter, onions, tomatoes and cashew paste.

This recipe goes very well with all types of indian breads like rotis, naan, poori, chapathis, etc

Ingredients for Paneer Butter Masala Recipe:

• Paneer: 250 gms
• Onion Paste: 1/2 cup
• Tomato Puree: 1 cup (Boil 4 tomatoes, peel the skin and then make the puree)
• Curd: 1/2 cup
• Butter: 5 tbsp
• Ghee: 2 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp
• Kasoori Methi: 2 tbsp
• Cashewnut paste: 4 tbsp
• Dhania (Coriander) Powder: 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala: 1tbsp
• Cumin Powder: 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Chili Powder: 1-2 tbsp
• Food Color: 1 pinch
• Green Chili: 4 nos
• Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
• Cream/Malai: 2 tbsp (Optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Serving: 4-6 people

Cooking Method for Paneer Butter Masala Recipe:

1. Cut the Paneer into medium sized cubes. Take a pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and fry the paneer cubes for around 4 minutes.
2. Now take out the paneer and soak it in a container with 3 tbsp of curd. This is to make the paneer soft. Keep the paneer aside for 15 minutes.
3. In the same pan in which the paneer was fried, add the onion paste and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add green chili, ginger garlic paste and stir for another 3 minutes.
5. Add dhania powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder and chili powder. Mix well.
6. Add the tomato puree. Cook for an additional 6 minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture and if the gravy in the pan becomes too thick add some water in between.
7. Add the remaining curd and keep stirring the mixture for a couple of minutes.
8. Then add the remaining butter, kasoori methi, ghee, cashew nut paste, sugar, salt to taste and food color.
9. Now add the fried and soaked paneer cubes into the pan and mix the contents. Simmer it for 3-4 minutes.
10. Finally add the cream to the gravy. Remove the pan from the heat and keep it aside for around 15 minutes before serving.

You can serve the Paneer Butter Masala with naan, rotis, chapathis or poori. Try this recipe and let me know how it comes out.

Also don’t miss the other Paneer Recipes: Shahi Paneer Recipe, Palak Paneer Recipe and Mutter Paneer Recipe.

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Cup of Black Tea a day keeps heart disease away

As per a recent study, drinking one cup of black tea everyday might protect you against cardiovascular disease. This was the outcome of a study conducted at University of L'Aquila in Italy and supported by the Lipton Institute of Tea.

In the study 19 healthy men with 33 being their median age, were given one of five prescribed intakes of the tea over five periods lasting one week each. The caffeine level of each dose was standardised but the dose of tea flavonoids was controlled at the levels of 0 (the control dose), 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg per day.

It was found that black tea consumption improves blood vessel reactivity and reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness, indicating a notably better cardiovascular health profile.

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10 Health benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric revered in India as "holy powder" or yellow-gold spice has being used for centuries in Indian Cuisine as a seasoning that provides flavor to Indian curries. It has for centuries been an important part of traditional Asian and Ayurvedic medicine used to treat everything from a runny nose to chest pain.

Turmeric is truely one of nature's most powerful healers. Scientists in Michigan are reporting discovery of the secret behind the fabled healing power of Turmeric.

Using a high-tech instrument termed solid-state NMR spectroscopy, the scientists discovered that molecules of curcumin, the active ingredient, act like a biochemical disciplinarian. They insert themselves into cell membranes and make the membranes more stable and orderly in a way that increases cells' resistance to infection by disease-causing microbes.

1. Small studies have found that curcumin the active ingredient, cuts cholesterol
2. Animal research suggests it inhibits tumor formation.
3. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
4. It prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
7. A new research, just published in the May 2009 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, involving mice provides clues that turmeric could be helpful in the fight against obesity.
8. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin. Also helps in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
9. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
10. Now more than a dozen studies in humans are investigating whether it protects against cancer and other diseases like multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancer
    

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Butter Chicken Curry Recipe

Butter Chicken Recipe (Murg Makhani) is my Mother's favorite recipe and is also among the best known Indian foods all over the world. Butter chicken is usually served with naan, roti, parathas, ghee rice, jeera rice or plain steamed rice and its gravy can be made as mild or hot as you like so it suits most palates.

There are many stories surrounding the origin of Butter Chicken. According to a documentary by the Discovery Channel, the butter chicken recipe was invented by a person working in the kitchen staff of a famous restaurant called Moti Mahal located in Daryaganj, the central region of Delhi.

Butter Chicken Recipe Ingredients:

• Chicken: 1 kg or 2.2 lb
• Onion paste: 1 cup
• Tomato puree: 2 cups
• Ginger Garlic paste: 2 tbsp
• Green Chili: 2 nos
• Meat Masala powder: 2 tbsp
• Red Chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Food Color: 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1 1/2 tbsp
• Dhania powder: 1 1/2 tbsp
• Kasoori Methi: 2 tbsp
• Butter: 100 gms
• Coconut paste (Optional) : 1/2 cup (Add more if you need more gravy)
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Cinnamon (Dalchini), Cloves (Lavang) and Cardamom (Elaichi) powder: Make 1/4 tsp of powder with 2 sticks of cinnamon, 4 cloves and 2 cardamom
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnish

Butter Chicken Recipe Cooking Method:

Chicken Marination

1. In a bowl add chicken, 1/2 cup onion paste, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp salt, food color and mix well. Keep aside for 1 hour.

 

Butter Chicken Curry or Gravy

1. In a pan on medium heat add butter. When the butter melts add the remaining onion paste and saute for around 5 minutes till the raw smell of onion no longer exists.
2. Add the green chili cut into long slices and ginger garlic paste to the mix and stir for 3 minutes.
3. Add tomato puree and cook for another 6 minutes
4. Then add 1/4 cup water.
5. Add dhani powder, meat masala powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and mix well.
6. Now add the marinated chicken and cook for 15 minutes with a lid covering the pan on low heat.
7. At this stage add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom powder, kasoori methi and coconut paste. If you want more gravy you can add more water and salt.
8. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken is well cooked.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot. This delicious Butter Chicken goes very well with all types of Rotis and flavored rice like Ghee Rice and Jeera Rice.

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