Prawns Koliwada

i have been enjoying Prawns Koliwada since the late seventies & early eighties those days there were nearly 20 food joints in Sion Koliwada , Mumbai & all would make the best Prawns & other fishes but Prawns were & still is my favourite but sadly now only 2 or 3 food joints still remain in the Sion Koliwada area & believe me i have tried this in many other places but nothing tastes like the original so after lots of trials & errors & disasters this is the closest i could get so i request you to make this as per the given recipe & please let me know the results so here is the Recipe of

PRAWNS KOLIWADA.
Ingredients
Prawns cleaned & de veined                   500 gms
kashmiri lal mirch powder                       2 tbsp
roasted coriander seeds powder              1 tbsp
roasted cumin seeds powder                    1 tbsp
lemon juice                                              1 tbsp
curd                                                          1 tbsp
ginger & garlic paste                                1 tbsp
oil for deep frying & 1 tbsp for marinating
besan                                                         2 tbsp
maida                                                        2 tbsp
salt as per taste
chat masala for garnishing.
METHOD
strain all the excess oil from the washed Prawns add salt, lemon juice , ginger garlic paste , cumin powder , coriander powder, curd , 1 tbsp cooking oil & let it marinate for at least 30 minutes , again remove all excess water & add the besan & maida mix thoroughly , heat oil for deep frying in a thick bottomed kadai or wok ,when oil becomes hot put the flame on medium & start frying the Prawns , first fry one & taste it for salt etc if fine you can fry them in batches then garnish with chaat masala & serve hot with mint chutney .   

Moghlai Chicken.

Ingredients
chicken cut & cleaned     1 kg
onion paste                      1 cup
green chillies paste          1 tbsp
ginger & garlic                1 tbsp
black pepper                    1 tsp
curd                                 1 tbsp
almond paste                   1 tbsp
cashew paste                   1 tbsp
roasted coriander seeds powder  1 tbsp
roasted cumin seeds powder       1 tbsp
lemon juice                        1 tbsp
coriander/mint leaves for garnishing
salt as per taste
oil                                     2 tbsp
Method
heat the oil in a thick bottom pan, add the onion paste saute it till it becomes pinkish, add the ginger & garlic paste saute it for 2 minutes or till the raw aroma goes , add the black pepper & the chicken cook for 5 Min's on medium flame , add the roasted coriander & cumin powder mix well then add the green chillies paste & the almond & cashew paste keep stirring then add the curd & lemon juice check if the chicken is cooked then add the salt as per your taste & the milk cream when ready garnish with coriander/mint leaves & serve hot .

Chicken Cafreal Goan side dish.

Goa once a Portugal colony has managed to retain many of its culture as far as Arts , Music & food is concerned Chicken Cafreal is one such dish retained by the Goans so here is the recipe adding a bit of indian flavours.
Ingredients & method
1 kg chicken cut into large pieces
Dry Roast the foll
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 tbsp poppy / khus khus seeds
1 inch Cinnamon stick
5 cloves
10 black pepper seeds
dry roast the above ingredients & grind it into powder.
Oil roast
1 tbsp tamarind paste
8 pods of garlic
2 inch chopped ginger
8 green chillies
1 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped coriander leaves you can use the stems too.
heat  the oil in a pan when hot add the tamarind paste saute for a minute till the raw aroma goes add rest of the ingredients saute for 2 mins more put the flame off & let it cool then add it to the ground paste in the grinding jar add 1 tbsp lemon,salt & 1 tsp white vinegar & grind it to a smooth paste .
make thin slashes on the chicken & apply the paste all over it let it penetrate into the chicken through the slashes & keep it for marination for at least 3 hours in a cool place or if keeping it overnight then in a refrigerator .

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a thick bottomed vessel when hot sim the flame & add the marinated chicken pieces cover the vessel & let it cook on sim flame might take around 20 to 25 mins to cook keep tossing the chicken every 4 mins till its done .
Slice 1 big onion into thick rings add 1 tsp white vinegar & pinch of food colour (optional) to it slice 2 green chilies into halves keep few onion rings for garnishing rest toss it into chicken vessel cook for few more minutes with the vessel covered your Chicken Cafreal is ready serve it with pav or steamed rice.  ( you can also add 60 ml of white rum along with the onions but its optional )

Hilsa/ illish fish in mustard sauce

Hilsa or illish fish is said to be the Queen of all fishes specially by the people staying on the east coast of India , my Bengalee friends swear that there is no other fish as tasty as the Hilsa . this recipe was gifted to me by one such Bengalee friend its made with minimum spices to retain its taste & guys believe me its truly awesome.

Recipe

Ingredients 

1 hilsa fish cleaned & cut & marinated in1/4 tsp turmeric powder & little salt.

2 tbsp mustard seeds 

2 tbsp mustard oil 

3 green chillies slit 

salt as per taste.

Method 

soak the mustard seeds in warm water for 30 mins then grind it adding little water then strain to get mustard paste .

heat the mustard oil in a thick bottomed pan till it starts smoking then sim the flame add the chillies & mustard sauce cook for a few minutes till the sauce starts leaving add little water as required for consistency you want then slowly put the marinated fish pieces & mix it till all the fishes are covered with the gravy , cover & cook for 5 mins on medium flame add salt & mix your

hilsa in mustard sauce is ready serve hot with steamed rice.      

Sol /Kokum kadi.

This is a traditional kadi popularly made by the people staying on the konkan belt of Maharashtra where kokum & coconut is found in abundance , arguably the best appetiser after eating an spicy hot Malvani meal here is an easy recipe for this .
Ingredients for KOKAM KADI.
1 coconut scrapped & its milk removed.
10 pieces of kokum .
5 pods of garlic .
3 green chillies
salt as per taste
coriander leaves for garnishing.
METHOD.
add little water to the scrapped  coconut squeeze it & remove its milk repeat this process 3 to 4 times till you feel all the milk has been removed around 2 glassful of thick milk you should get from 1 coconut ( TO AVOID THIS PROCESS YOU CAN USE READY MADE COCONUT MILK AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET )
soak the kokum in water for 30 mins then grind it along with the garlic & chillies mix the paste in the coconut milk & stirring it till all gets mixed garnish with coriander leaves & serve chilled .

  

Misal Pav /Usal /Pav

Arguably one of the most favourite snack stands second only to the humble vadapav , Usal or Misal is fast gaining popularity all over because its more filling ,hot , spicy,available almost in all corners of Mumbai & most of Maharashtra, has also gained popularity in its neighbouring states the best part is it doesn't burn a hole in your pocket so it has become a layman's meal,there are many quotes going around in Mumbai about the humble usal pav, whenever someone is bragging about the lacs & crores of money he is going to earn without having a rupee in his pocket people in Mumbai call him "LAKHON  CARODO KE DHANDE MAGAR USAL PAV KE VAANDE" so here is the recipe .
Ingredients for Usal.
1 cup white white peas soaked over night.
2 tbsp coconut garlic chutney available in most general stores & super markets.
5 pods garlic
2 green chillies chopped finely .
1 inch ginger chopped finely
1 tbsp raw groundnuts
2+1 onions chopped finely
2 tomatoes chopped.
1 large potatoes cut into 1 inch squares(optional)
1/2 cup fresh scrapped coconut.
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds.
1 tsp red chilly powder.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
1/4 tsp hing/ asofeotida powder.
1 lemon
3 tbsp cooking oil.or more if you want the red oil floating on top many love it.
 water as needed.
Method.
pressure cook the soaked peas , groundnuts & potatoes not more then 2 whistles keep aside .
in a thick bottomed pan / kadhai heat the oil when hot add the cumin seeds as it splutters add green chillies, 2 chopped onions garlic ;ginger, chilly powder,turmeric powder & hing cook till the onions are cooked add the coconut garlic chutney cook for 2 mins add the tomatoes cover & cook for 5 mins
strain the water from the white peas , potatoes, groundnuts add all 3 into the pan cook for 5 mins more on sim flame till oil separates now add the strained water slowly till the consistency you desire keep stirring while adding water & increase the flame once it starts boiling sim the flame till done press the pea & potatoes if they are cooked  add lemon juice check salt garnish fresh scrapped coconut , coriander leaves along with chopped onions & slice of lemon with pav.
To make Misal just take a deep hand bowl pour usal add farsan or sew & serve hot.

    

CHICKEN DOH PYAAZA.

Chicken doh pyaaza a traditional Lucknowi dish , a favourite of chicken lovers ,I learnt it from a Lucknowi neighbour who is an excellent chef ,once you try this you will surely yearn for more .
Ingredients .
1 kg chicken cleaned & cut with bones medium pieces.
1 kg onions sliced long pieces.
2 tbsp cooking oil.
Khada garam masalas
1 big elaichi/cardamon.
1 javitri/ maze flower.
1 inch dalchini/Cinnamon.
2 tej patta.
1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds.
1 tsp sha jeera.
3 dried red chillies broken into halves.
4 lavang/cloves.
5 kala miri / black pepper seeds.
Ingredients for marinating .
1/2 cup hung curd.
2 tsp ginger garlic paste.
1 tsp powder garam masala
1 tsp kashmiri red chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
1 tsp salt.
Garnishing
coriander leaves & lemon juice.
Method
marinate the chicken pieces with the above named ingredients under marinating for at least 30 mins,
take a thick bottomed kadhai/wok heat the cooking oil when hot sim the flame & add all the Khada garam masalas given above  cook for 2mins or till you get the aroma then add the chicken pieces mix it so that the chicken gets coverd by the oil & masalas cook for 2 mins on low flame then add all the onions mix it with the chicken cover the kadhai & let it cook for at least 20 mins in the juice of the onions till its well done. when chicken is cooked add 1 tsp lemon juice garnish with coriander leaves check the salt & serve hot .( care should be taken no water is used if you add water the taste varies )Happy cooking .