Shagorana Taal

I was invited to a wedding on Christmas day and one of the requests from the bride's side was that i create a platter for the Groom, which we in Bengali call 'shagorana taal'. This is a platter of rice, roast chicken, kebabs, boiled eggs and vegetable garnishes.

In traditional Bangladeshi weddings, the Groom is invited to partake in the eating of this platter with his new bride's brothers, sisters, cousins etc before eating his main meal. It is all a bit of fun where his new brother in laws might try to stuff an entire egg in his mouth, or not let him swallow before feeding him something else.

It was the first time i was asked to do something of this magnitude, and i say this magnitude because it was very grand (if i say so myself!) Again, traditionally, the night before the wedding all the elder ladies of the family get together and make this platter, but it was little ol' me on my lonesome, but i think it worked out better this way.

As i needed to complete this for a 7pm wedding, i started the evening before prepping all the cold garnishes i needed, such as the radishes, peppers and mooli tail feathers. I also marinated the king of the platter, the humble roast chicken, in a paste which was made from a blend of onions, oil, garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, curry powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, methi and coriander leaves. I also made my mix for the kebabs the night before too, to allow me more time on the wedding day.

The day after, i cooked the rice dish first which was a very simple cumin rice with peas. Then i slowly started to make more garnishes such as leek ribbons, cucumber flowers, and coloured eggs. I put the chicken in the oven 2 hours before i needed it to allow it to cook properly. I cooked the kebabs about 30 minutes before i needed it, and i made the mashed potato 10 minutes before i needed it.

Then it was time to assemble the platter. I started by laying the cumin rice all over the taal, edging the rice with lemon and cucumber slices. Then i got the chilen and put it into the centre and started covering it in mashed potato. I put cold water on my hands to smooth the mashed potato, and then i used a mooli as the chicken head, using the mashed potato to anchor it in place. Then i slowly started placing all the kebabs, and garnished around the chicken to fill it's garden if you will. The final garnish were the mooli feathers which were gently placed in the back of the chicken. After using a red pepper slice as the turban for the Groom, the taal was complete.

It was a huge undertaking in my opinion, but i was so happy when i saw the end result. I felt really proud to say that i had done it. And i would gladly do it all over again! I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as much as i do!

Yaz ❤

Chicken keema paratha

I love inspiration and spontaneous cooking, so when someone mentioned raw keema in a paratha, and i unknowingly defrosted a packet of keema thinking it was chicken breast, well it seemed like fate!

To make the roti:

2 cups atta
Cold water

Keema filling:

500g chicken keema
1 inch ginger
6 cloves garlic
1 large onion
2 tsp. Chilli flakes
1 and 1/2 tsp. Coriander powder
1 and 1/2 tsp. Cumin powder
1 tsp. Garam Masala powder
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander (optional)

Oil/Butter/Ghee for brushing on

First make your roti dough using the atta and flour until you get a medium firm dough. Knead well for 2 minutes and cover with damp kitchen tissue for 30 minutes.

Place the keema filling ingredients into a blender and mix until you have a homogenous mixture (well blended). Keep to one side.

After half an hour, place a tawa/non stick flat pan on to low heat. Whilst it is heating up, take your dough and knead it well for a further 2 minutes. Make into an even number of small balls as you will need 2 balls to make 1 paratha.

Take one ball, dip into flour and roll out into a circle about 2-3mm thick. Take another ball and roll out to the same size circle as the first one. Get your keema mix and spread across 1 roti leaving an empty gap around the edge of the roti. Place the 2nd roti on top and gently press on the edge to seal the filling inside. Then dust some flour over the paratha, and gently using your fingers spread the paratha out. Then just finish by using the rolling pin to even the paratha out and roll it as thin as you can without the filling coming out.

Place the paratha on the tawa/pan and slowly allow it to cook. Leave the pan on low heat because you want the inside to cook too. Once one side has turned a little brown, flip over and brush the browned side with oil/butter/ghee. Allow the other side to brown, then flip over and brush this side with oil/butter/ghee. Keep flipping over a few times until both sides are beautifully brown. The inside will have cooked also.

Continue until you have used up the atta and keema. Serve hot with a saucy curry to dip into.

Hope you enjoy!

Yaz ❤

Spicy Peri Peri Chicken Wings

My husband isn't a fan of Nando's so we very rarely go there, but recently i have been craving the grilled tangyness of peri peri so i thought i would attempt to recreate at home. I don't actually like the Nando's peri peri marinades either, so here is the recipe for my own!

I used:

1.4 kg/13 pieces chicken wings, skin on (niblets and wings attached together), scored

18 dried red chillies, soaked until soft (as per your taste)
N.B. If you are able to get fresh red birds eye chillies, i do recommend using them instead.

8 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. Paprika
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. Honey
Juice of 1 and 1/2 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp. Black peppercorns

If you have a stone/marble pestle and mortar, do use it. The flavour would be taken up a notch, but my wooden one didn't work so i used a small mixer instead.

Place all the ingredients except for wings, lemon juice, peppercorns and zest into a blender and blend until you have a thick paste. Add your lemon juice and black peppercorns and whizz until you have a slightly runny sauce. Add your zest in and then pour over your chicken wings. Mix well and coat evenly, then place in a zip lock bag if you have one. Get rid of the air and put into the fridge preferable overnight/2 days for maximum flavour.

If you don't have a ziplock bag, i didn't, put into a bowl and tightly cover with cling film.

Take the chicken out half an hour before you want to bake/grill. Foil a baking tray then lightly brush some oil. Spread out your wings on the tray and put into a hot oven. They shouldn't take too long to bake. If you have any let over marinade, brush over the wings at intervals.

Once the skin crispens up on both sides, pierce chicken with skewer/fork and if the juice runs clear, your wings are cooked!

Serve with spicy rice or chips and a salad. Delish!

Hope you enjoy!

Yaz ❤

Prawn Malai Curry

A quick prawn recipe, for shellfish lovers! I have used coconut milk in this recipe, but if you are not a huge coconut lover, or do not want that flavour, just substitute the coconut milk with single or double cream!!

Ingredients:

400g King Prawns, washed with turmeric and salt
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
1 and 1/2 medium onions pureed
5 cloves garlic and 1/2 inch ginger, pureed
Salt to taste
3 tbsp chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp mustard sauce
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 can coconut milk
Drizzle of ghee
1/2 tsp garam masala
Chopped coriander and chillies (optional) to garnish

Firstly peel your prawns, then wash with a pinch of salt and turmeric.

In a karahi, take your oil and add your cumin seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaves and fry for 30 seconds. Add your pureed onions and stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes. Then add your garlic and ginger puree and fry for another 3 minutes until raw taste goes. Add salt to taste, then add your tomatoes and cook for a further 4 - 5 minutes until tomatoes soften and oil separates. Then add your mustard sauce, turmeric powder and chilli powder and a little water and stir well. Cook for a further 5 minutes until mix comes away from the sides of the pan.

Then add your washed prawns and mix and cook on low heat for about 5 - 7 minutes until almost fully cooked. Add your coconut milk and stir very well. Cook on high flame for further 2 - 3 minutes, then pour a drizzle of ghee to finish off, and a pinch of garam masala powder. Turn the heat off and garnish with coriander and chillies.

Serve with plain basmati rice!

Hope you enjoy!

Yaz ❤