Mooli and Carrot Bazi

I like a side dish or two to accompany my main meals and add a little variety, and this Mooli and Carrot bazi does the job.

It is an unusual combination, which has been mentioned a few times when i have served it, but a tasty combination nonetheless. It is also a good looking dish with the orange of the carrot and green of the coriander adding a certain vibrancy, and it looks particularly pleasing when placed (i like alliteration :p) next to a bright yellow daal dish, or a red curry dish.

I also like this dish, because i believe it's child friendly. It provides two of your child's vegetables, but for me, it is a help in transitioning my son to spicy food. The sweetness of the carrots makes it easier for him to accept this dish, without realising or disliking that it is spicy too. Although my son ma sha allah, isn't too much of a fussy eater, dishes like this allow me to introduce part of his culture to him, without putting him off.

So, for this dish, i used:

2 tbsp oil
2 onions, finely sliced
5 green chillies
Salt to taste
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp zeera powder(cumin powder)
1 tsp dhaniya powder(coriander powder)
2 large carrots, julienned
1 medium mooli, julienned
6 small dried red chillies, to garnish
Chopped coriander, to garnish

In a frying pan, heat your oil. Add your chopped onions and green chillies and fry until onions are softened.

Add your salt, and spices and allow to fry for about 7 - 8 minutes. If needed, add a little water to stop spices burning.

Add your carrots and mooli, cover and allow to cook on a low flame until cooked. I cooked for about 25 minutes. If you like a little bite to the veg, cook for a little less time.

Garnish with the dried chillies and fresh coriander. Serve hot with plain basmati rice, or with paratha.

I hope you enjoy!

Yaz ♥

Fried Chicken Curry

Sometimes having the same ol' same ol' chicken curry can get a little boring. It's nice to mix it up by introducing veggies or by cooking the chicken slightly differently.

Today i thought i'd marinate the chicken, fry it and add it to a saucy sauce.

I used:

5 chicken legs (cut in half to make 10 pieces)
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp curry powder (i used mild)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
1/2 tbsp oil

Mix all the above ingredients and marinate the chicken legs. Leave for half an hour before frying. Whilst chicken is marinating, get your sauce prepared.

You need:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp panch puran (5 spice)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
3 cardamoms
3 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 1/2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
3 medium onions chopped
1/2 green capsicum, chopped in small pieces
1/2 yellow capsicum, chopped in small pieces
Chopped coriander
1/2 tbsp tomato puree
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Bolsts Hot Curry Powder
1/2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp zeera powder (cumin powder)
1 tsp paprika
Chopped coriander to garnish
Chopped chillies to garnish

In a wok or heavy bottomed pan, pour oil and allow to heat. Add panch puran, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cardamoms, peppercorns and cloves and allow to infuse oil. Then add garlic and ginger paste and brown lightly.

Once browned, add the onions, capsicum, coriander and tomato puree and allow to cook until onions have softened and turned light brown. This should take about 10 minutes on a low flame, covered.

Whilst the onions are cooking, put on a non stick pan and cook the chicken pieces - no oil. Cook on a medium to high flame keeping an eye on them so they do not burn. This should take about 5 minutes on each side. We don't fully cook them as they will cook in the sauce. They should be golden brown in colour.

To the onions add the salt and stir. Add the spices and allow to cook on a low flame until oil has separated. This should be about another 7-8 minutes. Once oil separated, add the chicken to the onions, cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Add water to your preference of sauciness, stir, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on a low-medium flame. Once chicken is cooked, turn off heat and garnish with coriander and green chillies.

It would be lovely with a simple onion fried rice.

I hope you enjoy!!

Yaz ♥

Fish Dopiaza

As a Bangladeshi by origin, we are known for our affiliation with fish. With the rivers and seas in and around Bangladesh being rife with fish, there is a wealth of fresh fish to choose from to indulge yourself in.

Unfortunately, by the time the fish has reached the shores of the UK, it is no longer fresh and loses a lot of it's flavour. This is one of the reasons why i favour purchasing fish from the supermarkets or from a fishmonger's.

One of my favourite fish is sea bass. It is not overly bony, and apart from the spine and next to the head of the fish, you shouldn't expect to find many more bones. It is also a firm fleshed fish, which means when cooked, it doesn't break easily. You can use any fish for this recipe, just adjust the onions in accordance to the size of the fish you use.

Fresh fish deserves not to be completely obliterated by spices, so that you can still taste the fish and i believe this recipe does it justice. The dopiaza (an extremely oniony, dry sauce) is purely an accompaniment to the fish that adds another dimension, but doesn't take over the essence of the fish.

For this recipe, i used:

2 whole sea bass, descaled, definned and gutted
(Make about 6 cuts on fish on both sides)
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
Oil to fry

Once the fish is washed, rub the turmeric and salt all over the fish and into the cuts. In a pan, add enough oil to cover just bottom of pan and fry until skin is crisp on both sides.  Put to one side.

For the dopiaza, you will need:

1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee (you can omit this and use 2 tbsp oil)
2 large onions, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp zeera powder (cumin powder)
1 tsp dhaniya powder (coriander powder)
1/2 bunch of spring onions
1 tbsp fried onions (beresta)
Chopped coriander
Green chillies to garnish

In a wok, or heavy bottomed pan, pour in the oil and ghee. After it is heated, add the onions and fry for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add salt to taste and stir for a few minutes.

Add in the spices and stir for 10 minutes until oil has separated. Add a little water if the spices stick to the pan.

Then add the fish to the sauce and cook with lid on for 5 minutes, turning fish over once. Add chopped spring onions, fried onions and cook covered for another 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander and green chillies.

Serve immediately with sticky rice or plain basmati rice.

Enjoy!!

Yaz ♥