Tag: Indian Food Recipes

OneWholesomeMeal’s vast collection of authentic Indian Food Recipes are easy to make. It is great for beginners. In addition, in complicated recipes, there is a stepwise description with images. This makes the recipe easy to follow.

Also, we share alternates to make it healthier, or vegan – covering all dietary requirements. Try these Indian dishes from today.

White Matar Sabzi
White Matar Sabzi
Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal Recipes

Bhuna Chicken | My Special Recipe

Bihari recipes by OneWholesomeMeal- Bhuna Chicken
Bhuna Chicken

One dish which I would like people to remember me for – this Bhuna Chicken! No kidding!

Bhuna literally translates into roasted but let that term not mislead you. There’s so much more to this than plain simple roasting. The recipe involves cooking the chicken in mustard oil with lots of onions and spices. Elbow grease and patience is key to this simple yet delicious dish. Do not get overwhelmed by the seemingly long list of ingredients; once you have everything on hand, its literally adding things one after the other.

Add an extra dollop of ghee and indulge in this special bhuna chicken for your weekend lunch. If you like your curries potent and flavourful and you are a chicken fan then this recipe is for you. An absolute must-try, even if I say so myself.

What Makes the Bhuna Chicken Special?

Before you dive into the recipe, here are a few things for you to keep in mind.

  1. For the chicken, I recommend the boneless thigh portion or a combination of thighs and drumsticks.
  2. The red Indian onions work best for this gravy but you could use the regular white ones too.
  3. Mustard oil works best for this recipe. If you are unable to lay your hands on mustard then use safflower oil or ghee. Indian food doesn’t taste its best with olive or canola oil.
  4. The quality of the garam masala would also impact the flavor of the dish. I always use homemade garam masala for the best results. For the recipe of my homemade garam masala, go here.

 

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Bhuna Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 150

Ingredients

  • Chicken (preferably boneless thigh portion or a combination of thighs and drumsticks)- 600 gm
  • Onion- 3 medium sized ( approximately 2.5 cups)- chopped fine vertically so you have long thin slivers. The red Indian onions work best for this gravy but you could use the regular white ones too
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoons
  • Green chillis- slit into half -2 or as per taste
  • Cumin seeds (jeera)- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Whole dried red chili- 2
  • Bay leaf( Tej Patta)- 2
  • Star anise(Phool chakri)- 1
  • Black cardamom (Badi elaichi)- 1
  • Mace (Javitri)-1
  • Whole Black Pepper(kali mirch)- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala-1.5 teaspoons
  • Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Red chili powder-1/2 teaspoon (optional)
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt- 2 teaspoons or to taste
  • Mustard oil-2 tablespoons
  • Ghee- 1 teaspoon
  • Chopped coriander for garnish -2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Clean and cut the chicken to desired size pieces and keep aside.
  2. In a thick bottomed wide wok add mustard oil on a high flame till the oil is really hot . Reduce the flame to medium-low and add cumin seeds first, immediately followed by other whole spices. Stir for about 15 secs until the spices are fragrant. Then add the chopped onions and increase the flame to medium-high and fry onions till nice and brown. We are looking to cook the onions till they are golden and cooked through but be careful to not over cook and burn them. Keep stirring.
  3. Once onions are nicely browned , add ginger garlic paste and cook for about 30 secs followed by garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder (if using) and mix well. Keep the flame on medium-high while cooking the spices and stir continuously to avoid burning. If the mixture starts to get too dry, add 1/2 teaspoon ghee or oil. When the spices are cooked through (indicated by formation of really tiny oil bubbles around the periphery of the mixture) , add the chicken pieces and mix well for 2 minutes on a high flame . Then on a low flame with intermittent stirring cook till the chicken pieces are tender. Add salt, ghee and green chilies when the chicken is 70% done.
  4. At this point you could decide if you want the curry on a dryer side ( best enjoyed with roti or parathas) or on a runny side (great with hot rice). For a runny curry, add 1 cup water, mix well, cover and cook on a medium flame until tender. For a dryish curry, do not cover and keep cooking ( yes, loads of elbow grease) with frequent stirring until tender. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or chapatis. Raw onion rings topped with salt and lime are a great accompaniment to this dish and add to the taste.

Notes

Mustard oil works best for this recipe . If you are unable to lay your hands on mustard then use safflower oil or ghee. Indian food doesn't taste its best with olive or canola oil Whenever cooking on a high flame constant stirring is a must to avoid over cooking or burning The quality of garam masala would also impact the flavor of the dish. I always use home made garam masala for best results .

https://onewholesomemeal.com/bhuna-chicken/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tomato Fish Curry and Childhood Memories

Tomato Fish Curry by Onewholesomemeal
Tomato Fish Curry

Millennials belonging to a typical middle-class Indian family would agree that even non-vegetarian households do not eat meat every day. This was partly for health reasons and partly due to economic reasons. Therefore, meat curry or fish curry was a luxury of sorts reserved for the weekend revelry.

Now, whether it was meat or fish, was decided largely based on where in India you lived. If like me you grew up in eastern India, fish would score over other kinds of meat any day. More often than not freshwater fish like rohu or catla is what we commonly had at home. As both my parents had a six-day workweek, automatically Sunday was the only day the entire family would get together for lunch. This meant it had to be a complete Indian thaali experience. The star would be this spicy, tangy tomato fish curry that my mother would prepare.

Childhood Memories

A typical Sunday would start with my father returning from his morning walk, carrying fresh fish from the local fishmongers. Then we would eat a breakfast of poha while watching Rangoli (a one hour show featuring hit Hindi song numbers from the yesteryears) on the only channel telecasted those days Doordarshan. Us kids would go back to our rooms after, while my mother would get busy preparing the lunch feast. But I would always find an excuse to return to the kitchen and hover around watching her putting together one dish after the other with meticulous expertise. I would sometimes help her clean the fish or add the tempering to the hot mustard oil. It is fascinating that each time I cook this fish now it takes me back to those Sunday mornings in my parents’ house. It fills me up with nostalgia.

No matter how many times I try, I will never be half as good a cook as my mother is, but it gives me immense joy in being able to share this lip-smacking recipe with you. Do try it for a weekend lunch and if you like it, send me a silent smile 🙂

 

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Tomato Fish Curry

Ingredients

  • Rohu (or any fresh water fish): 500gm
  • Medium sized tomatoes- 2
  • Green Chilies- 2 (or as per the desired hotness)
  • Garlic-8-10 pods
  • Panchforan- 1 teaspoon
  • Whole yellow mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder-2 teaspoons
  • Salt-2 teaspoons or to taste
  • Mustard oil for frying
  • Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Remove the scales of the fish and cut it into desired size pieces
  2. Rub half a teaspoon salt all over the fish and let it sit for 2-5 minutes. This helps kill the fishy smell which some find overpowering. Wash well.
  3. Rub half teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric all over the fish and fry in hot oil until both sides are done. You may choose to deep or shallow fry, it doesn’t have any effect on the taste. Keep aside on a paper towel to absorb excess oil
  4. In a blender add tomatoes, green chilies, garlic and whole yellow mustard seeds and make a smooth paste. No need to add water as water from tomatoes would be enough.
  5. In the same wok used for frying the fish, add some more oil or use the leftover oil from frying. Once the oil is hot, add the panchforan and when the spices start to crackle, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the blended mixture from the set above. Add the remaining teaspoon of turmeric powder and cook the mixture on low heat, stirring continuously. The entire process would take 10-15 minutes and you would see the yellow colored mixture gradually change to red. This step is extremely important as the yellow mustard seeds if undercooked impart a bitter pungent taste to the gravy. Low heat is critical.
  6. Once the mixture is ready, add the fried fish and mix well for a minute and add one cup water
  7. Raise heat to high and bring the curry to boil, then reduce to medium-low and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes giving the spice mixture enough time to seep through the fried fish
  8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with a side of steamed rice, papodams and tomato-cucumber raita

Notes

Calories (per portion)- 260
Nutrition-Protein punch/Iron/Vitamin C/Iodine/Potassium/Calcium/Selenium
It does wonders for your- Immunity/Muscles/Gut/Eyes/Heart/Cholesterol levels/Brain/Hair and Skin
This is “My 1 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/tomato-fish-curry/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Mutton Keema Cutlets With Chutney

Mutton Keema
Mutton Keema Cutlets

Come winter and fried food becomes hard to resist and if it involves meat and even more mutton keema, it is harder for the carnivores to stay away.

While I am all for cruelty-free eating and almost bulldoze the boys into eating more vegetarian at home, I believe complete (forced) abstinence for those who love their meat is kind of unfair. What do you think about it? So, occasionally my kids get to indulge in family favorites like these Mutton Keema Cutlets. This one does take some effort to put prepare and together but trust me, they are completely worth it. Marinating is what decides the taste of these cutlets. I did mine overnight. Remember you need to marinate it for a minimum for 4 hours.

The flavors are just perfect making it very very hard to resist. You can make two versions – one with potato and other with chana daal (split chickpeas). Both taste equally amazing although the potato lovers might not agree ;). Scroll down for the detailed mutton keema cutlets’ recipe for your next weekend binge.

You may also check out my other cutlet recipes. Try the raw banana cutlet or spiced pumpkin cutlets if you are vegetarian.

Mutton Keema CutletsMutton Keema Cutlets

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Mutton Keema Cutlets

Ingredients

  • Mutton (goat meat) minced- 500gm
  • Medium-sized boiled potatoes-2; alternatively you can use 3 tablespoons chana daal pre-soaked for a couple of hours and then drained
  • Medium onion, chopped fine- 1
  • Green chili, chopped fine- 2 (optional)
  • Coriander leaves, chopped fine- 4 tablespoons
  • Grated ginger-1.5 teaspoons
  • Minced garlic-2 teaspoons
  • Coriander powder-1 teaspoon +1 teaspoon
  • Cumin powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala- 1teaspoon +1/2 teaspoon
  • Asafoetida (hing)-1 pinch
  • Cumin seeds-1/4 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Red Chili powder-1/2 teaspoon (optional)
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons or to taste
  • Bread crumbs- 1 cup
  • Egg, beaten lightly-2
  • Oil-6 tablespoons for shallow frying

Instructions

  1. In a deep glass bowl, mix the minced mutton with 1-teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon turmeric and ½ teaspoon red chili powder. Mix well, cover and let it sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. I let mine sit overnight. Marinating is a great way to get the flavors going even before the actual cooking and also helps kill the smell of red meat which some find impalpable
  2. When ready to cook, place a heavy bottomed skillet on high flame, add one-tablespoon oil. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds, asafetida and reduce the heat to medium as soon as the seeds start to crackle
  3. Add grated ginger and minced garlic and stir until fragrant, then add onions and cook until translucent
  4. Add minced meat, 1-teaspoon coriander powder and 1-teaspoon garam masala and mix well. Add half-cup water and cover on a medium-high flame. Stir occasionally until the water dries up and the meat is cooked through. At this point the meat starts to look crumbly and dry
  5. If using split chickpeas, add it along with the meat while it is cooking. If using potatoes, mash them well and add to the pan once the meat is cooked through and water has dried up. Add salt, mix well and turn off the heat right away. Add chopped coriander leaves, green chili and mix
  6. Bring to room temperature and if using split chickpeas, blend in the food processor just enough to grind the chickpeas well. Over-grinding would result in excessive smooth texture cutlets, which we do not want. In this case add chopped coriander and green chili after the grinding process
  7. Form the mixture into medium sized balls and flatten between your palms into discs. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes to stiffen it up a bit
  8. Now, spread the breadcrumbs on a flat surface and place the lightly beaten eggs right next to it. Add 5 tablespoons oil to a non-stick pan on high heat. One by one dip the discs into the beaten eggs, next, coat evenly with breadcrumbs and then shallow fry till both sides have browned well. Serve hot with a side of ketchup or coriander-mint chutney

Notes

Calories (per cutlet)- 110 Nutrition- Niacin, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc, Protein, Vitamin B12, Selenium It does wonders for your-Energy/Immunity/Muscles/Nerves This is “My 1pm/3pm Meal

https://onewholesomemeal.com/mutton-keema-cutlets/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Raw Banana Cutlets With Raisins

Cutlets
Raw Banana Cutlets

And my obsession with cutlets (a.k.a tikkis) continues.

I mean what else does one do? It is quite a balancing act to feed two kids who have very varied tastes when it comes to food. Of course, this does not hold good for junk food of any kind, shape or color! And like this was not hard already, how about doing for three meals a day! If you have kids you know the war that ensues at mealtimes, right?

But I think I have finally found a saving dish. At my home, tikkis never disappoint! One can control the spice quotient without compromising on the taste and camouflage as many veggies as you like within it. Thus making them a complete meal. The other benefits being, the kids feed themselves with minimal mess! Now, isn’t that a blessing? While I make these cutlets, I always hide some raisins or sultanas inside and make it into an edible “treasure hunt” for the kids. Not sure how much they enjoy it though, but it definitely keeps them guessing.

This time it’s the turn of the raw bananas to get mashed into yummy cutlets. Another easy-peasy recipe for you. Let me know how the kids enjoyed this “treasure hunt”!

 

Cutlets

 

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Raw Banana Cutlets

Ingredients

  • Raw banana, medium-sized- 3 (approximately 200gms)
  • Big Potato, boiled and mashed- 1
  • Small onion, chopped fine- 1 (optional)
  • Freshly grated coconut- 2 tablespoons (pre-packed desiccated coconut can be used too)
  • Coriander leaves, chopped fine- 2 tablespoons
  • Green chili chopped fine-1 (optional)
  • Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
  • Amchoor (raw mango powder)- 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala-1 teaspoon
  • Ajwain (caraway seeds)-1/2 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds- ¼ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves- 6-8
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
  • Raisins/Sultanas- 10
  • Salt-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil-2 tablespoons for shallow frying

Instructions

  1. Cut the banana into half (with skin on) and boil in hot water, covered for approximately ten minutes. Drain the water, peel the skin and discard. Once the banana comes to room temperature, mash it well and keep aside
  2. In a wide heavy-bottomed pan add oil, then add cumin seeds and curry leaves when the oil is hot. Once the seeds start to splatter, add ginger-garlic paste, stir well for a minute and add the mashed banana and potato followed by all the powdered masalas, caraway seeds, onion, coconut, green chili and coriander and mix well for another 5 minutes on low heat
  3. Turn off the heat and add salt and raisins and give it one final mix
  4. Once the mixture has cooled down, shape it into desired shape and shallow fry until golden brown

Notes

Calories (per cutlet)- 45 Nutrition- Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Carbohydrate It does wonders for your-Energy/Gut/Immunity/Sleep/Nerve and Liver function This is “My 1pm/3pm Meal

https://onewholesomemeal.com/raw-banana-cutlets/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Chicken Keema with Black Chickpeas

Chicken Keema
Chicken Keema with Black Chickpeas

If you ask me which is the one legume that I cannot live without, it has to be Black Chickpeas. There are so many possibilities with this gem and if you notice my feed, I use it in all forms, raw, whole and sprouted. This time, it was with the chicken keema.

We are back from our annual pilgrimage to India. The trip home has left us all very well endowed and I do not mean the pockets. Thanks to all the eating in India, we are now trying to cut carbs in our dinner. Remember, low carbs doesn’t have to mean sad meals and punishing yourself. This chicken keema with black chickpeas is a good balance of healthy and tasty. It is a filling dish and can be had on its own or with a side of hot rotis and parathas.

Another suggestion is to have it along with plain dosa. Or you can give your masala dosa a new twist. Try it as a dosa filling instead of the usual carbs-rich potatoes in the masala dosa. I have an interesting recipe coming up on that as well. So, stay tuned. Until then enjoy this portion of heaven-guilt free!

 

Chicken Keema

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Black Chickpea-Chicken Keema

Ingredients

  • Minced chicken breasts or thighs- 250gm
  • Black chickpeas soaked overnight-1/2 cup
  • Green Peas-2 tablespoons (optional)
  • Medium onion finely chopped-1
  • Medium tomato finely chopped-1
  • Cumin powder-1/4 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala-1.5 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaf- 1
  • Cinnamon sticks- ½ inch
  • Black and green whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Star anise- 1 whole flower
  • Mace- One small portion
  • Black pepper- ½ teaspoon
  • Cloves- 4 pieces
  • Ginger-garlic paste-2 tablespoons
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Red chili powder- ½ teaspoon or as per taste (optional)
  • Green chilies chopped fine-2 (optional)
  • Chopped coriander- 2 tablespoons
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons or as per taste+1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Wash and boil the black chickpeas with one-cup water and ½ teaspoon salt until they are soft. Drain water (retain it for using it later) and keep aside
  2. Heat one-tablespoon oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, black and green cardamoms, star anise, mace, black pepper and cloves. Stir for half a minute, and keeping the flame on medium, add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Keep stirring until the onions are nicely brown, then add tomatoes, cumin powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and red chili powder, green chilies and mix well
  3. Turn the flame to medium-high and cook the onion-tomato-spice mixture well you see oil oozing out. If at any point the mixture starts to stick to the pan, add a few teaspoons of the reserved water from boiled chickpeas
  4. Add minced chicken and 1.5 teaspoons salt and give it a nice mix to ensure equal distribution of salt
  5. Once mixed well, add boiled chickpeas, green peas (if using) and 2 tablespoons of the reserved water from boiled chickpeas. If you desire more gravy, then you could add more water
  6. Turn off heat, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot as is or with a side of hot roti or paratha

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 50 Nutrition- Good fat/ Protein punch/Iron/Vitamin B6/Magnesium/Zinc It did wonders for your-Muscles/Hair/Quality of sleep/Immunity/Cold and Sore throat/Anaemia

https://onewholesomemeal.com/chicken-keema-black-chickpeas/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Spiced Mutton Stew | #NationalCurryMonth

Mutton Stew
Spiced Mutton Stew

Apparently it is #NationalCurryMonth. I do not need a reason to cook and consume curry but this definitely is a great reason to introduce you to a new recipe – spiced mutton stew.

This dish checks all the boxes of how curry is prepared but tastes like no other. It is warm and rich with spices, extracting a deep flavor from the mutton itself and balanced perfectly by yogurt. Side note – the yogurt is used for marinading. This is a stew in the form of a curry or curry in the form of a stew. However you see it and whatever you choose to call it, it doesn’t take away from the very luscious, gut soothing taste of this one-pot mutton dish.

Paired with a bowl of piping hot rice or even on its own, it makes for a perfect meal in cooler weather. Also, it is a great panacea for that lingering cold. There you go, so many reasons to try this mutton stew, right? Let me know how you had it in the comments section. Scroll down for the full recipe.

If you prefer your meal curry style, then maybe this mutton curry recipe here is just for you.

Mutton Stew

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Spiced Mutton Stew

Ingredients

  • Mutton, cleaned and cut into 2 inch pieces- 500 gm (mutton with fat adds to the taste)
  • Onion, small sized sliced fine- 6
  • Yogurt (for the marinade)-2 cups (enough to completely immerse the mutton)
  • Ginger (grated fine)-1 tablespoon
  • Garlic (chopped fine)-1 tablespoon
  • Bay leaf- 2 small
  • Cinnamon stick- 1 inch
  • Black and green whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Black pepper- ½ teaspoon
  • Cloves- 8-10 pieces
  • Green chilies- 2 or to taste
  • Ghee (for the marinade)-1.5 tablespoon
  • Turmeric- 1 teaspoon
  • Salt- 1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Sugar-2 teaspoon (optional)
  • Coriander leaves chopped fine-2 tablespoons for garnish

Instructions

  1. Hand pound all the spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, black and green cardamoms, black pepper, cloves) in a mortar and keep aside
  2. Mix well all ingredients except coriander leaves in a deep bowl, cover and marinate for 2 hours at room temperature
  3. After 2 hours place the mixture in a thick-bottomed wok or pressure cooker, cover and cook until the meat is tender. If using a wok remove the cover and stir intermittently once or twice; uncovering it too often would delay the cooking time. If using a pressure cooker, cook with the lid on a high flame for 7-10 minutes, then release the pressure and take off the lid
  4. If the stew is too watery, bring it to desired consistency stirring intermittently over a medium-high flame
  5. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with a side of steamed rice or by its own.

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 250 Nutrition- Protein/Monounsaturated fat/Iron/Zinc/Potassium/Vitamin B12 It does wonders for your- Muscles/Anemia/Stamina This is “My 1pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/spiced-mutton-stew/

[kkstarratings]