Tag: indian food blogs

Chicken 65
Appetizers/Snacks · Indian Streetfood/Indo Chines

Chicken 65

Tanvi3 Comments

Chicken 65 is a spicy appetizer belonging to the south indian cuisine. Boneless chicken is marinated in spices, yogurt, ginger and garlic, then fried to crispy perfection and then quickly tossed with curry leaves and chilies before serving. Its spicy, tangy and super delicious!

Having spent over four years of his student life in IIT Madras, my husband is a huge fan of south indian flavors. When we got married, I rarely knew anything about the cuisine except idlis, dosa or sambar vada which are really popular in the Delhi street food scene. However, slowly over the years I have learnt a lot of dishes that he likes and this Chicken 65 happens to be one of them.Not just him, my 8 year old has taken a liking to spicy foods in the past few years and she loves this one as well.

What is Chicken 65?

There are many theories behind how the dish got its name and really I won’t get into all that. Down south, from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala, different regions make their own variations. Essentially, Chicken 65 is fiery deep fried chicken with the saltiness & the chewy crispiness that one mostly associates with fried chicken. The flavors packed in this appetizer range from curry leaves, ginger, garlic, kashmiri chili powder to thai bird chillies- few of those ingredients which always always make a happy indian recipe 🙂

How I make Chicken 65?

I start by marinating boneless chicken thigh pieces in spices and yogurt for a few hours. Once marinated I add rice flour and corn starch and the immediately deep fry it.Yes, this dish happens to be gluten free friendly. Once deep fried, immediately toss the chicken with curry leaves garlic and green chilies and serve. Really its that easy and a perfect snack or appetizer for any time or occasion.

Few things to keep in mind when you make Chicken 65 :-

  • Always use dark chicken meat for this recipe. Don’t use chicken breast.
  • You can easily make this recipe vegetarian by using paneer, soya chunks or mushrooms . Just marinate for 30-40 minutes in that case.
  • Rice flour adds a lot of crunch and tastes good instead of just using cornstarch.
  • Don’t add very sour or too watery yogurt else the marinade will be runny and you will have to add a lot of rice + corn flour, this takes away the actual taste of the chicken in the dish and its tastes of flour.
  • While frying, don’t add a large quantity of oil since you cannot re use the oil. It gets flavored with spices by the end of deep frying chicken and you simply have to discard it.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Chicken 65

South indian appetizer made with spice and yogurt marinated deep fried chicken tossed in curry leaves and garlic.
Prep Time2 hrs
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For Marinating Chicken

  • 1.1 lb (500g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp extra hot red chili powder, adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 3 tbsp plain thick yogurt
  • 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
  • Oil for deep frying
  • 2 tbsp fine rice flour, unsweetened
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour

For Sauteing

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 3 thai green chilies, slit in half
  • 1.5 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 12-15 curry leaves
  • 1 tsp sriracha (or Ching's red sauce), optional
  • 1/2 tsp vinegar
  • Lemon slices, sliced onions, cilantro to serve

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

  • Add chicken to a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, chili powders, yogurt and turmeric. Mix well to coat. Cover and marinate for atleast 3 hours.
  • Set the oil for frying to heat up on medium stove.
  • Mix the rice flour and cornstarch with the marinated chicken. Use your hands to mix and coat all the chicken. The chicken should look dryish after coating.
  • Check the oil by dropping a tiny piece of chicken. It should come uo sizzling. If so, the temperature of oil is right. Deep fry the chicken in small batches on medium high heat. Don't over crowd else the chicken will be chewy. Fry all the chicken in batches and drain on a paper towel.

Stir frying

  • Heat up oil in a wok on high heat. Crackle the mustard seeds. Add the garlic, curry leaves and green chilies next. Saute for about 30 seconds on high heat till leaves crisp up a bit.
  • Next add the sriracha. Saute for 10 seconds. Add the fried chicken, add vinegar and toss everything for couple minutes so that the fried chicken is coated nicely. Serve right away with lemons and sliced onions!

Notes

  • Always use dark chicken meat for this recipe. Don’t use chicken breast.
  • You can easily make this recipe vegetarian by using paneer, soya chunks or mushrooms . Just marinate for 30-40 minutes in that case. In step 1, substitute with paneer in batons, button mushrooms, tofu or soaked soya chunks. 
  • Rice flour adds a lot of crunch and tastes good instead of just using cornstarch.
  • Don’t add very sour or too watery yogurt else the marinade will be runny and you will have to add a lot of rice + corn flour, this takes away the actual taste of the dish.
  • While frying, don’t add a large quantity of oil since you cannot re use the oil. It gets flavored with spices by the end of deep frying chicken and you simply have to discard it.
Methi Murgh
Indian Curry/Stew

Methi Murgh

TanviLeave a comment

Methi Murgh (Chicken) is a delicious and simple dish of chicken in a sauce made with fresh fenugreek leaves, yogurt and spices. This dish pairs well with rotis or rice for a flavorful meal.

Methi leaves are very popular greens in India, especially when they are in season during the autumn/winter months. Methi leaves have a unique, bitter sweet aroma which is quite addictive. During the summer months, when methi leaves aren’t that easy to find, you can still make this dish by using kausri methi which is basically dried fenugreek leaves that are commonly used to flavor a ton of Indian curries.

How to make methi chicken?

Start by plucking the methi leaves off the stems. The task of cleaning methi leaves is a bit tedious but that is the only thing which is hard in this recipe. Rest of the curry is simple to make and comes together quickly. Once the methi leaves are ready, wash them 3-4 times to remove all the dirt (this is important) and then let them air dry for a couple of hours. Once dry, chop the methi leaves and use them to flavor the onion tomato masala and cook the chicken in the masala.

Few things to be kept in mind when making Methi Murgh:-

  • Let the methi leaves air dry for a few hours before chopping them. Adding wet methi leaves will make the curry watery.
  • Methi Leaves :-Always taste a few different stalks of your methi bunch. Sometimes the leaves are too bitter especially if its desi methi and you cannot use them to make the curry. Second thing to keep in mind is that never use the stems of methi, they are usually more bitter and fibrous so they will spoil the texture of your dish.
  • I make this dish with boneless chicken thighs but you can use bone in chicken easily. Just adjust the time of cooking as noted in the recipe.
  • I don’t like using a lot of whole spices in my recipe since they overpower the taste of methi. Just a pod of black cardamom and bay leaf is more than enough.
  • Yogurt :- Taste the yogurt before you use it. It should not be too sour else the curry becomes too tangy. Use thick plain homemade yogurt or greek yogurt which isn’t too sour.
  • Tomatoes :- Using tomatoes is optional. Again don’t use very sour tomatoes.
  • Bitter Taste of Methi :- Cooking the dish a couple hours before you are going to serve and resting it not only enhances the flavor of the dish but also brings down the bitterness of the dish. However sometimes the methi is just too bitter and there is hardly anything you can do to save it, so as I mentioned before, taste the methi a few times before using it.
  • Mustard Oil:- In my opinion, the taste of this dish is best when cooked in mustard oil, however you can use avocado or grapeseed oil instead.
  • Heat :- I don’t add red chili powder in this recipe. In fact, if you ask me this dish is not hot rather it has a pleasant bitterness from methi leaves. However, I do add a few green chilies for the flavor goes really well with the methi.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Methi Chicken

Chicken in a pleasantly bitter sweet gravy made with fresh fenugreek leaves, yogurt and spices. Serve with rice or roti for a delicious meal.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb (700g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in 2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
  • 1/3 cup plain full fat yogurt
  • 1 tsp kausuri methi , crushed between palms
  • 1/3 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 3 tbsp mustard oil (or avocado/grapeseed oil)
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste (simply pound together 3 cloves garlic and 1 inch ginger in mortar pestle)
  • 2-3 thai bird green chilies, slit
  • 1 large (about 3/4 cup) thinly sliced onions
  • pinch turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 large (about 1/2 cup) tomato, grated or crushed in a food processor
  • 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 to 1.5 cup fresh methi leaves
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1- 2 tbsp heavy cream, optional

Instructions

  • Add chicken to a bowl. Sprinkle the black pepper powder and little salt over it. Mix well to coat the chicken. Let stand while you start making the masala.
  • In a small bowl, beat together the yogurt, cumin and kasuri methi. Keep near.
  • Add oil to a heavy wide kadai or pan. Warm up the oil till its slightly smoky. Add cardamom, methi dana & bay leaf and sauté for 10 seconds. You will see that the cardamom swells up.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté for 10 seconds till you smell a nice aroma.
  • Add the onions next and brown them till light golden in color on medium heat. Takes about 3-4 minutes.
  • Once the onions are browned, add 2 tbsp water to the kadai, they will splutter a bit. Immediately add the chicken. Sprinkle the turmeric and coriander. Toss around the chicken for 3-4 minutes with onions till you see that the chicken is starting to turn white. Don't brown or cook too much.
  • Next add the crushed tomatoes. Fry the tomatoes with chicken for 3-5 minutes on medium heat till you start seeing tiny oil bubbles. If you are using bone in chicken, cover the kadai and let the chicken cooks in its own and juices from tomatoes.
  • When the chicken is tender, reduce the heat to low and add the beaten yogurt, Immediately mix continuouslyfor 2-3 minutes once you add yogurt to avoid curdling.
  • Let the chicken cook for another 4-5 minutes with the yogurt. You will see a thick gravy will form. Let the chicken cook completely in yogurt. You will see that the oil will start releasing.
  • Add the chopped methi leaves along with garam masala. Mix well and cook everything till the methi has completely wilted. About 3 minutes.
  • Add the heavy cream (if using), mix and turn off the stove after 1 minute. Let rest for a couple hours if possible. Reheat and serve warm.

Notes

  • Let the methi leaves air dry for a few hours before chopping them. Adding wet methi leaves will make the curry watery.
  • Methi Leaves :-Always taste a few different stalks of your methi bunch. Sometimes the leaves are too bitter especially if its desi methi and you cannot use them to make the curry. Second thing to keep in mind is that never use the stems of methi, they are usually more bitter and fibrous so they will spoil the texture of your dish.
  • I make this dish with boneless chicken thighs but you can use bone in chicken easily. Just adjust the time of cooking as noted in the recipe.
  • I don’t like using a lot of whole spices in my recipe since they overpower the taste of methi. Just a few pods of black cardamom and bay leaf is more than enough. 
  • Yogurt :- Taste the yogurt before you use it. It should not be too sour else the curry becomes too tangy. Use thick plain homemade yogurt or greek yogurt which isn’t too sour.
  • Tomatoes :- Using tomatoes is optional. Again don’t use very sour tomatoes.
  • Bitter Taste of Methi :- Cooking the dish a couple hours before you are going to serve and resting it not only enhances the flavor of the dish but also brings down the bitterness of the dish. However sometimes the methi is just too bitter and there is hardly anything you can do to save it, so as I mentioned before, taste the methi a few times before using it.
  • Mustard Oil:- In my opinion, the taste of this dish is best when cooked in mustard oil, however you can use avocado or grapeseed oil instead.
  • Heat :- I don’t add red chili powder in this recipe. In fact, if you ask me this dish is not hot rather it has a pleasant bitterness from methi leaves. However, I do add a few green chilies for the flavor goes really well with the methi.

Palak Chole
Indian Curry/Stew

Palak Chole

Tanvi3 Comments

Palak chole is a delicious North Indian curry made with fresh spinach leaves and chickpeas. It is hearty, vegan, gluten-free and very nutritious. Palak chole is very similar to palak paneer, however I don’t add any dairy to it. With autumn on its way, with a warm bowl of cumin rice or rotes, it makes for a warming dinner.

During winters, a ton of greens were harvested from the vegetable garden at my grandma and I grew up eating palak paneer or palak rotis every other day. Spinach sauces are my favorite and when my kids were babies, I started making them often for their high nutritious value. Palak chole wasn’t a frequent from my childhood years but since both my kids love the spinach sauce, I add different proteins other than paneer to change up the taste.

Making palak chole is really simple and you can prepare ahead like boiling the chickpeas or blanching and pureeing the spinach a day ahead. And yes! you can totally use canned chickpeas! For the curry, simply make a onion-tomato- ginger masala base with a few whole spices and cook the spinach and chickpeas in it.

How to make Palak Chole?

The process starts with making spinach puree and boiling the chickpeas. Thereafter make a masala base and cook the spinach and chickpeas together for about 20-30 minutes.

1- Spinach:- For making palak chole, I choose cooking spinach variety. The leaves of cooking spinach are much broader and thick as compared to baby spinach. It is easily available in the greens aisle of the store and is usually sold as a bunch.(I have seen bagged ones too) You can choose baby spinach as well but I personally feel that the thicker stems and the large cooking spinach leaves are much flavorful and can stand up to the sautéing.

2- Chickpeas:– Soaking and boiling the raw chickpeas gives the best broth which makes this curry so delicious, however if you want, you can used canned chickpeas as well.

3:- Masala Base:- The curry uses a simple North Indian onion tomato masala base with a few whole spices thrown in, similar how what I have shared many times in recipes on the blog. Most North Indian curries have a starting point as onion-tomato-ginger-garlic base comparable to a sofrito. In this recipe I add, cinnamon, cloves and few pods of green cardamom to add warmth to the spinach sauce.

4:- The secret ingredient :- A few florets of broccoli. I like adding a few, just 3 or4 florets of broccoli to the spinach sauce, you won’t taste it, I promise. You can boil the broccoli along with the spinach and puree them together. I feel it adds a very nice texture and robustness to the sauce. Again it is optional and you can skip broccoli.

5. Consistency :- The stock from boiling the chickpeas is very delicious and I use it up for blending the spinach as well as to thin out the sauce. You can make the sauce as runny or thick as you like.

6. Green color of Spinach Sauce :- Over the years, I have seen many discussions about the color of spinach sauce and read many articles on how to preserve it etc etc. If you ask me, there is no right or wrong. The color of the sauce is simply dependent on how long you sauté the spinach puree with the masala base. I personally like the sauce to be well sautéed and even though it loses the bright green color in the process, I love the deep smoky flavor that comes along.

This is a healthy and nutritious dish due to combination of spinach greens and chickpeas and with rice or rotis, it is an enjoyable dinner. As with most curries, the spinach sauce tastes very good next day because the flavors get a chance to absorb as the curry rests overnight. Since I keep the consistency of palak chole curry on a thick side, it can be used to make wraps or easily packed in lunch boxes.

Other Spinach Recipes to check out :-

Palak Paneer

Spinach Chicken /Murgh Saagwala

Tandoori Palak Roti

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Palak Chole

North Indian spinach and chickpeas curry made with whole spices, tomatoes, onions ginger and garlic.
Prep Time8 hrs
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time9 hrs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup raw chickpeas
  • 8 oz organic spinach
  • 4-5 small broccoli florets , optional
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 clove
  • 4 tbsp mustard oil (or cooking oil)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 green cardamom cloves
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed in mortar pestle
  • 1/2 tbsp ginger julinnes
  • 3/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 2-3 Thai green chillies (adjust to tolerance) , slit
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional but recommended)
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

Prepare the Spinach & Chickpeas. This can be a done a day in advance.

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight. Next morning, add to a pressure cooker with 1.5 cup water, 1/2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp salt. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles until soft. Reserve the stock and place the boiled chickpeas in a separate bowl.
    1/3 cup raw chickpeas
  • In a large pot, add cloves to 2 cups water and set on stove to boil. Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves. Roughly chop the stems and leaves if they are too big. If you feel that few stems are too stringy, discard.Once the water is boiling, add spinach and broccoli florets to it. Let cook for 3-4 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the broccoli is dark green in color.
    8 oz organic spinach, 4-5 small broccoli florets, 2 cups water, 2 clove
  • Drain the vegetables and add to a food processor. Put in the cloves too. Pulse. I do not like to make a smooth puree however you can blend to desired texture/consistency. If needed, the reserved chickpea liquid be used liquid while blending.Set the blended spinach aside.

Cook Palak Chole

  • Heat up oil on high in a kadai or medium heavy bottomed pot.Once the oil is smoky, reduce the heat to medium & wait for 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped onions to it along with fennel & cumin seeds and whole spices (in that order) and sauté  till the onions start to lightly brown.
    4 tbsp mustard oil (or cooking oil), 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 green cardamom cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • Next add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, green chillies and sugar, to the onions and keep on cooking on medium low heat till you see oil separating on the sides of the pot. The tomatoes will soften and turn mushy.This may take 5-8 minutes. 
    3 garlic cloves, smashed in mortar pestle, 3/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1 tsp coriander powder, 2-3 Thai green chillies (adjust to tolerance)
  • Add the spinach, ginger, and chickpeas along with salt to the and mix well. Sauté with masala for 5-7 minutes until you see that the spinach is bubbly.
    1/3 cup raw chickpeas, 8 oz organic spinach, 1/2 tbsp ginger julinnes, 4-5 small broccoli florets
  • Reduce the heat to low, add the reserved chickpea stock depending on the consistency of the sauce you like (I add about 1/2 cup). Mix well. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Cover and let the sauce cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat.
    1 tsp salt
  • Check once or twice in between. The spinach will bubble a lot during cooking and you will need to stir it in between to avoid sticking to bottom. Also the spinach will change color to dull green and you will start seeing glisten on the sides of the pot. If you feel that the sauce is getting dry, add 1/4 cup stock.
  • Finish with kasuri methi and 1/4 tsp garam masala(optional). Let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
    1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional but recommended), 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)
Rasedaar Baigan Aloo
Uncategorized

Rasedaar Baigan Aloo

Tanvi1 Comment

Rasedaar baigan aloo is a warming punjabi north indian curry made with eggplants and potatoes. I always love September for the overlap of produce it brings – the summer bounty is still in the markets but the autumn produce can be spotted as well on the stands. Eggplant season is at its best during late summer and right now the eggplants are sweet, fleshy and don’t have plenty of seeds. I love to cook lot of eggplant dishes during this time. If you prefer a dryish aloo baigan, do take a look at this recipe I shared many years ago.

Rasedaar aloo baigan can be served with rotis (flatbread) or plain steamed rice. I always admire how this delicious vegetable absorbs any kind of goodness thrown into it.Here the base is a simple onion tomato ginger garlic masala which forms the starting point for many north indian curries. This curry is a quick and easy option for weeknights and tastes better the next day so do plan leftovers.

There are numerous versions of aloo baigan all over India and this the one I grew up eating. The combination of juicy eggplants and starchy potatoes in a masala base has contrasting textures and unique flavors. The list of ingredients may look a bit long but truly these are everyday spices.

How I make rasedaar aloo baigan?

I start by prepping the vegetables. No store bought ginger garlic paste or canned tomatoes! Hand grate the onions, it takes extra 5 minutes but the taste is so much better than blending or chopping it in the food processor. If you can find campari tomatoes-those are one of the best choice for curries, chop them fine and hand pound the ginger and garlic. Cut eggplants in batons and the potatoes similarly but slightly smaller than eggplants – that way none of the vegetables overcook. You can make the curry much soupy but I like to keep it on the thicker side. Keep in mind that eggplant has a lot of water content so it won’t taste that good if you make a very soupy curry.

Keep these tips and tricks in mind when you make this sabzi:-

  • Soak the eggplant for 8-10 minutes after cutting them into batons. That way they won’t absorb a lot of oil while cooking.
  • Try to keep the size of potatoes and eggplants as uniform as possible. I add the potatoes a little earlier when sautéing the masala so that they start cooking a few minutes earlier than eggplant and finish cooking together.
  • Do not use a lot of tomatoes since that takes away the taste of the eggplant. I like to finish with amchoor (dry mango powder) for added sour taste.
  • Saute the powdered spices in oil with onion, ginger and garlic for better aroma. You can add a little water to avoid them from getting burnt.
  • Let the curry rest for half and hour before serving. Eggplant has a spongy texture and resting really enhances the taste.

Rasedaar Baigan Aloo

Rasedaar baigan aloo is a warming punjabi north indian curry made with eggplants and potatoes. powdered spices in a onion tomato base. Its a delicous weeknight vegan curry which pairs well with rotis or steamed rice.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (about 400 g) medium size Italian Eggplant
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1.5 inch fresh ginger
  • 2-3 small tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup mustard oil (or grapeseed/avocado oil)
  • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp hing
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika)
  • Hot red chili powder , to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)
  • 1.5 tsp kasuri methi
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions
 

  • Wash the eggplant. Cut it in 2 to 2.5 inch batons. Soak in water while you prepare other ingredients.
  • Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise. Cut them a little smaller than eggplant.Soak in water while you prepare other ingredients.
  • Peel and grate the onion, you should have about 1/2 cup of grated onion. Chop the tomatoes. Pound the ginger and garlic into a thick paste using your mortar and pestle.
  • In a heavy bottom pot, warm up the mustard oil on medium low heat till its a bit smoky. Crackle the cumin seeds and hing for 10 seconds in hot oil.
  • Add the onions and brown the onions in oil for about 5 minutes until they are light golden. Do not brown too dark else the color and taste of curry changes.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 15 seconds. Next add all the powdered spices – corinader, turmeric,chili powders. Add a tablespoon or two of water and brown the spices for 30 seconds or so.
  • Next add the tomatoes, sugar and salt. Mix and cook the tomatoes for about 2-3 minutes on medium low heat till they start to soften. Add the drained potatoes now, mix and cook the masala for another 4-5 minutes until you see oil seperating on sides.
  • Drain as much water as possibe and add the eggplant to the pot next. Mix around so that eggplant batons are coated well in the masala. Keep stirring around and cook the eggplant with masala for about 2 minutes.
  • Next add about 1.5 cup hot water. Mix, taste and adjust the salt. Bring to a slow boil and cover the pot. Let cook for about 8-10 minutes on medium low heat until the potatoes are fork tender and eggplant is cooked through.
  • Once the vegetables are cooked, switch off the stove and finish with the amchoor, garam masala and kasuri methi while still warm. Mix very gently. Cover and let the curry rest for atleast 20 minutes.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with rotis or rice.

Notes

  • Soak the eggplant for 8-10 minutes after cutting them into batons. That way they won’t absorb a lot of oil while cooking.
  • Try to keep the size of potatoes and eggplants as uniform as possible. I add the potatoes a little earlier when sautéing the masala so that they start cooking a few minutes earlier than eggplant and finish cooking together.
  • Do not use a lot of tomatoes since that takes away the taste of the eggplant. I like to finish with amchoor (dry mango powder) for added sour taste.
  • Saute the powdered spices in oil with onion, ginger and garlic for better aroma. You can add a little water to avoid them from getting burnt.
  • Let the curry rest for half and hour before serving. Eggplant has a spongy texture and resting really enhances the taste.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Paneer Tawa Pulao
Indian Streetfood/Indo Chines · Rice Dishes

Paneer Tawa Pulao

TanviLeave a comment

Tawa pulao could essentially be indian equivalent of asian fried rice. Leftover rice sautéed on high heat with vegetables, protein and spices, what’s not to love! Tawa pulao is a popular street food in western parts of India(Mumbai) and its one of the best ways to use up leftover rice in my opinion. Together with green chilies, fresh herbs, vegetables and pav bhaji masala, it makes for one delicious and quick weeknight dinner especially if you have cooked rice ready to go.

As the name suggests, tawa pulao is made on tawa -a flat round pan which is popular in indian cooking for making rotis, shallow frying, making savory cheelas and roasting as well. Indian tawa are heavy and usually made of iron but you can use your cast iron skillet for this recipe. If you have a wide mouthed, heavy iron kadai that will work perfectly as well. We are sort of tossing everything similar to fried rice so a wide & heavy pan and pre prepared ingredients are the key. The idea is to cook on a constant high heat- similar to how we stir fry in asian cooking and a non wide skillet or wok won’t do the job properly.

All you need is leftover rice, some blanched or steamed vegetables and protein for this recipe. My husband said, I added by Delhi touch by adding paneer :), but if you have leftover chicken tandoori or tikka, you can use those as well. You can leave out the protein altogether and make these just with vegetables.

I like to spice up the pulao with pav bhaji masala, however you can use any spice blend that you like – dry tandoori masala (my recipe here), sambar powder or garam masala can be perfectly used. The use of a spices along with a paste of ginger, garlic and green chilies lends a smoky umami flavor to these rice and with creamy, milky soft chunks of paneer they taste super delicious. Cooking on super hot tawa lends the rice slightly crispy, vegetables are charred and the spices get smoky. All and all a super flavorful dish which is perfect for quick family dinners. Serve the pulao with raita, green chutney and achar.

How to make Tawa Pulao?

You will need a heavy tawa. I like using my 12 inch cast iron griddle but you can simply use iron tawa or wide iron kadai (one that’s heavy). Making tawa pulao is very much like making fried rice. You have to work fast once you start so make sure that the ingredients are ready to go. Prepare the blanched vegetables, shallow fry the paneer, keep the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and chilies ready. We will add everything step by step (as outlined in the recipe) and add the rice at the last and stir fry on high heat.High heat is important to make sure that the rice does not turn mushy. Few of the rice grain might break but that’s okay. It is important to start with cold rice so that they do not stick to each other. I start by making a quick masala of onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic and green chillies. Then I sauté the paneer and vegetables for a bit to warm them up before adding the rice and pav bhaji masala and tossing it up all together.

A few things to be kept in mind when you make tawa pulao:-

  • Always use cold rice. You can use leftover rice or if you are cooking fresh, let them cool down completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
  • Use a wide and heavy tawa. This ensure that the rice crisp and don’t get mushy. Heavy tawa ensures that heat is constant. I usually avoid non stick pans because they change the texture of rice.
  • Keep the vegetables and all other ingredients ready. These pulao takes about 10-12 minutes start to finish and having everything ready to go makes sure that we get the right texture without overcooking anything. Don’t use raw vegetables except those which cook quickly or can be eaten crisp (like peppers or corn). Blanch the carrots, peas(if using fresh) or green beans if using.
  • Shallow fry the paneer chunks before adding or use them as it is. One good tip is to cut the paneer and vegetables to roughly the same size.
  • You can use leftover chicken tikka or shredded tandoori chicken as well in this recipe. It tastes amazing.

Paneer Tawa Pulao

Popular indian street food style rice pilaf/pulao cooked on a hot skillet or tawa with vegetables, paneer chunks and spiced with pav bhaji masala.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2-3 green chilies, roughly chopped , adjust to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1.5 cup vegetables (use vegtables that you like, I used blanched carrots & green beans, peas, bell peppers)
  • 5-6 tbsp tomato puree(simply blitz 2 small tomatoes in a processor) or use 1/4 cup store bought tomato puree
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup paneer chunks, shallow fried if you like
  • 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala , adjust to how strong you like the spices
  • 1/2 tsp hot red chili powder , adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups cooked rice, cold
  • Chopped cilantro

Instructions
 

  • Keep all ingredients ready. Using your mortar and pestle, piund the ginger, garlic and green chilies to a coarse paste.
  • In a heavy bottom cast iron skillet or tawa, on medium high, heat up oil, crackle cumin and add the green chillies, ginger and garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the onions next and cook for 2-3 minutes till onions begin to brown.
  • Then, add all the chopped vegetables at once and sauté them around till you see them starting to char. On medium high heat it takes about 2-4 mins.
  • Then add the tomato purée & sugar. Cook for about 3 minutes untill ou see oil starting to seperate but dont saute too much.Add the cubed paneer. Add turmeric, red chili and pav bhaji powder as well and cook everything for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the cold rice, sprinkle salt and stir fry the rice with everything else for 3-4 minutes. Finish with chopped cilantro. Serve.

Notes

  • Always use cold rice. You can use leftover rice or if you are cooking fresh, let them cool down completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
  • Use a wide and heavy tawa. This ensure that the rice crisp and don’t get mushy. Heavy tawa ensures that heat is constant. I usually avoid non stick pans because they change the texture of rice.
  • Keep the vegetables and all other ingredients ready. This pulao take about 10-12 minutes start to finish and having everything ready to go makes sure that we get the right texture without overcooking anything. Don’t use raw vegetables except those which cook quickly or can be eaten crisp (like peppers or corn). Blanch the carrots, peas(if using fresh) or green beans if using.
  • Shallow fry the paneer chunks before adding or use them as it is. One good tip is to cut the paneer and vegetables to roughly the same size.
  • You can use leftover chicken tikka or shredded tandoori chicken as well in this recipe. It tastes amazing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Lavender Malai Peda
Desserts/Baking

Lavender Malai Peda

Tanvi1 Comment

Malai peda is an Indian sweet made with solidified milk, whole milk, sugar and flavors like cardamom or saffron. Its super creamy and melt in the mouth. The ingredient list for malai peda is simple but traditional method requires long hours of cooking down the milk, scrapping and boiling till the milk solids are separated, which are then sweetened and rolled into small flat discs (peda).

Here in this recipe, I have simplified the process by using milk powder. The paste of milk powder, blanched almond powder and whole milk when cooked for a few minutes turns thick like mawa or khoya and eliminated the traditional long process of turning the milk into mawa. You can flavor these with cardamom but I used a few pinches of lavender and aloud extract for a unique flavor profile.

It does not taste like soap. Pedas have a mild floral hint and they are simply melt in the mouth. Lavender is a strong scent and you need to be careful when using it, for example here I used just 2 pinches of ground food grade lavender for its scent. The combination of lavender and milkiness of peda is simply divine. Food color is totally optional.

Here are a few things to be kept in mind :-

  1. Choose a full fat milk powder. I use Nido brand, its easily available in Indian stores and has 28% milk fat. If your milk powder is tasty, pedas will be tasty.
  2. Use full fat milk. And good quality ghee. When a recipe has few ingredients, the quality of ingredients is even more important.
  3. I use store bought fine ground almond powder by the brand Blue Diamond. However if you are grinding at home, soak the almonds for 4-6 hours and peel the skin. Let the almonds completely dry overnight before grinding them fine. You can use raw cashew powder instead of almonds if you want.
  4. Be careful when using lavender. Depending on the brand you use, it might have a strong or mild scent. The one that I used had a very strong scent so I just used 2 pinches. Also don’t add a lot since these dried flowers are bitter and will spoil your peda. Almond extract pushes the almond flavor and I like to add a drop of pure extract .
  5. Use powdered sugar instead of boora or plain ground sugar. Powdered or confectioners sugar has little corn starch mixed in which makes the texture fudge and smooth.

This is a small batch recipe and makes 8-10 peda of good size (about 30 g each). These peda keep good for 2-3 days in the fridge and you can freeze them for 3 weeks. Let thaw before serving, don’t warm in microwave.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Lavender Malai Peda

Malai peda is an Indian sweet made with solidified milk, whole milk, ghee, sugar and flavored with lavender. Peda is creamy and melt in the mouth and perfect for festivals.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
20 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8 pedas

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbsp melted ghee
  • 1.5 cup milk powder
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup fine almond powder
  • 1/3 tsp good quality dried lavender flowers, grind to a fine powder in mortar pestle
  • 1 drop pure almond extract
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 drop purple gel food color ,optional

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, add the ghee, milk powder, milk and almond powder. Using a spoon or whisk, mix togther till a smooth mix is formed. It will be slightly thick and pourable runny.
  • Pour the mixture in a non stick pan (I use my 10 inch pan) and set it on a low medium stove.
  • Start cooking and stirring. Dont walk away. You will see that mixture will start to become thick. After about 2 minutes it will be pasty and sticky.
  • Keep stirring and scraping the sides till it becomes a thick mass and starts clumping around the spoon. Once that happens, dont stir a lot else pedas will become chewy. When the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, its ready. Takes about 4-6 minutes.
  • Take out in a bowl and let cool down slightly.
  • Only when the mixture is cooler to touch(but not cold), add the almond extract, ground lavender and sugar. Using your hands, mix everything together. Add food color(if using) and knead to mix evenly.
  • Divide into 8-10 portions. Smear some ghee on your palms and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Press the ball slightly to flatten it to resemble traditional peda shape. Repeat for all portions.
  • Store in fridge upto 2-3 days. These can be frozen upto 3 weeks, thaw before serving(do not microwave).

Notes

  1. Choose a full fat milk powder. I use Nido brand, its easily available in Indian stores and has 28% milk fat. If your milk powder is tasty, pedas will be tasty.
  2. Use full fat milk. And good quality ghee. When a recipe has few ingredients, the quality of ingredients is even more important.
  3. I use store bought fine ground almond powder by the brand Blue Diamond. However if you are grinding at home, soak the almonds for 4-6 hours and peel the skin. Let the almonds completely dry overnight before grinding them fine. You can use raw cashew powder instead of almonds if you want.
  4. Be careful when using lavender. Depending on the brand you use, it might have a strong or mild scent. The one that I used had a very strong scent so I just used 2-3 pinches. Also don’t add a lot since these dried flowers are bitter and will spoil your peda. Almond extract pushes the almond flavor and I like to add a drop.
  5. Use powdered sugar instead of boora or plain ground sugar. Powdered or confectioners sugar has little corn starch mixed in which makes the texture fudge and smooth.
  6. These peda keep good for 2-3 days in the fridge and you can freeze them for 3 weeks. Let thaw before serving, don’t warm in microwave.
Sukha Matar Aloo
Indian Curry/Stew

Sukha Matar Aloo

Tanvi1 Comment

Sukha matar aloo is one of the most delicious preparation with fresh peas and potatoes. I make it a few ways and this one is without any tomatoes and cooked in iron kadai(Indian wok). The beautiful intense flavors of tempering of hing (asafetida), cumin in mustard oil and amchoor at the end make it flavorful. Serve with paratha, poori or dal chawal for a comforting meal.

Aloo(potatoes) and matar(fresh peas) is a classic combination in North Indian cuisine. Be it the curry made with these two vegetables or this dry sabzi, it makes for a delicious meal anytime. Indian homestyle food is much simpler than the 5-6 stereotype dishes which define the cuisine outside of the country. Everyday food does not need a long list of ingredients and the taste is familiar of home. Like this sabzi, which was packed in our lunch boxes with paratha and a knob of aam ka achar. Or served for dinners accompanying a pile of warm daal and chawal.

I get fresh peas from Trader Joes and use those to make the recipe. Avoid using frozen peas since frozen peas are blanched and unless the potatoes and raw peas cook long enough together with spices, the true texture and the taste does not come through. At the end of cooking, I simple smush some of the potatoes and peas and bhuno(sauté) the sabzi on high heat. The crispy “kurchan” of potatoes my favorite part.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Sukha Matar Aloo

Sukha matar aloo is one of the most delicious north indian preparation with fresh peas and potatoes along with spices. It can be eaten with parathas or lentils & rice.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Iron Kadai(indian wok)

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1/4 tsp hing
  • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 lb shelled fresh peas
  • 2 large potatoes,peeled and cubed
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp hot red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 scant tsp amchoor(dry mango powder)
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Add the oil to a wide and heavy iron kadai and let heat up till its a bit smoky.
  • Temper the oil with hing and cumin seeds and let crackle. Add the ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add the sliced onions and on low medium heat cook the onion till they are browned.
  • Add the peas and potatoes together, mix and saute with the onions for about 3-4 minutes stirring regularly.
  • Sprinkle the spice powders (except amchoor & garam masala) and add salt. Mix well and cover the wok and let peas and potatoes cook on low heat for about 6-8 minutes. Open and stir halfway once to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the kadai, if so add a light splash of water, cover and let cook again until the poatoes and peas are soft.
  • Uncover and add the amchoor and garam masala and on high heat, saute the sabzi for about 3 minutes stirring regularly. You will see that the peas are shiny and the potatoes are falling apart, that makes this sabzi super delicious.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm. If you are planning to serve later, make sure that you transfer the sabzi to another dish and store.
Zucchini & Shrimp Tamarind Rice
Rice Dishes

Zucchini & Shrimp Tamarind Rice

Tanvi1 Comment

This tangy rice dish combined with sweet in-seaon zucchini succulent shrimp is a beautiful choice for summer dinners. You can grind and store the spice powder (podi) ahead and with some leftover rice, it is quick to make and makes for a delicious light summery meal. Pair with papads(lentil crackers) or fried potato sticks (I have a recipe here) for a rounded meal.

South indian cuisine has quite a lot of flavored rice recipes made with dry powdered spices, curry leaves and a sour agent (tamarind or tomato or lemon). Tamarind rice is a popular recipe and it has a few variations. Some recipes mix the cooked rice with tamarind paste and stir fry (I make this version), the other recipes cook the rice in tamarind and spices flavored water.

Tamarind rice is a beautiful combination of rice flavored with fresh ground spices. I add fleshy sweet zucchini and shrimp to make it a meal perfect for summer dinners. This recipe is an inspiration from traditional south indian tamarind rice. While its not authentic, my family loves it.

If you do not want to use tamarind, use lemon juice or tomato puree instead. It all works great if the spice powder is done right. This is a good recipe for summer evenings when we all need a quick and satisfying meal. The best thing is that these rice can be eaten room temperature making them great for lunchboxes.

A few things to be kept in mind :-

  • Cook the rice a few hours or a night before. Cold rice won’t break when you mix it with the spices and stir fry.
  • Try to grind the spices fresh for a better taste or max 1-2 days ahead and store in an air tight container.
  • I use thick tamarind pulp, dont use watery tamarind else the rice will turn wet.
  • Add any vegetables that you like- peas, yellow squash and spinach go well.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Zucchini & Shrimp Tamarind Rice

Inspired by south indian tamarind rice, this spicy tangy rice with fresh zucchini and shrimp makes for a great summer meal.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb extra large shrimp, cleaned, tail on
  • 4 tbsp oil (divided)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 2 thai bird, slit (adjust to taste)
  • 2 to 2.5 cup cooked rice
  • 3 tbsp tamarind pulp (not paste)
  • 1 tbsp jaggery
  • 2 tbsp roasted cashews
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 tsp salt

For the Spice Powder (makes extra)

  • 6 dried red chillies
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp black mustrad seeds
  • 2 tbsp white urad dal
  • 1 tbsp chana dal
  • 6-8 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

Instructions

  • Lighly dry roast all the ingredients for the spice powder in a skillet. Cool slightly and grind to a powder(not too coarse or super fine).Keep ready.
  • In a wide skillet (12 or 14 inch), heat up 1.5 tbsp oil on low medium heat. Once oil is warm, lower the heat and layer the shrimp and sprinkle a little salt. Cook 2-3 minutes each side. Once orange and cooked through, transfer to a plate.
  • Now we have to work quickly. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and heat on medium. Add the onions and lightly brown them. Next add curry leaves and let crisp a bit.
  • Next add the zucchini, green chilli and garlic and saute them for 1-2 minutes taking care that zucchini isnt too soft.
  • Add the tamarind pulp and jaggery next and quickly mix for 30 seconds or so. Add the rice and cashews to the skillet. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the spice powder that we made along with salt. Also add a little splash of water if you feel that rice is getting too dry.
  • Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until warmed through and slightly crisped.
  • Serve immemdiately with papadams.Enjoy!
Tamatar Sev Sabji
Indian Curry/Stew

Tamatar Sev Sabji

Tanvi2 Comments


This delicious and easy tomato dish is full of textures. The ginger and curry leaves laced tomato gravy is mixed and topped with sev (chickpea flour noodles which are very popular in India) just before serving. Super easy and quick to make, this dish needs very basic ingredients from your pantry. Summer time is best for tomatoes and I like to preserve the sweet tangy taste of in season tomatoes with minimal use of spices.

This dish is very popular in western states of Rajasthan and Gujurat and though I didn’t grow up eating it at home, we enjoyed it on our road trips to Jaipur or at food stalls in the cultural hub of Delhi, the Delhi Haat.

It is upto you how pulpy you like the tomato gravy, I personally like it full of texture so I do not cook down the tomatoes a lot. The tomato base is gets the heat from green chilies, sweet from jaggery and smokiness from garam masala. The thick ratlami sev are a good choice because they don’t get mushy easily, are quite spicy and impart a lovely texture to this dish.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Tamatar Sev Sabji

This delicious and easy tomato dish is full of textures. The ginger and curry leaves laced tomato gravy is mixed and topped with ratlami sev (chickpea flour noodles which are very popular in India) just before serving. So amazing for a quick meal.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4-5 ripe & firm large tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp ghee, divided
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp hing
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 2 green chillies, roughly chopped or slit
  • 1/4 tsp tumeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp hot red chili powder
  • 1 tsp jaggery
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup ratlami sev or any thick sev
  • Cilantro to garnish

Instructions

  • Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.
  • Heat up 2 tbsp ghee in a pan on low medium heat. Crackle the mustard and cumin seeds followed by hing.
  • Next, add the ginger, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute for 10-15 seconds.
  • Add the tomatoes next and sprinkle salt, coriandr, red chilli and tumeric powder. Mix and saute the tomatoes for a couple minutes untill you see that they are warmed up.
  • Cover the pan and let the tomatoes cook doen for 6-8 minutes on low medium heat until they are squishy but still have a lot of texture.
  • Let the tomatoes bubble and add jaggery, 1 tbsp ghee and garam masala. Mix and let cook for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Switch off the stove and mix in the sev and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with extra sev. Enjoy!
Masala Chai Icecream
Desserts/Baking

Masala Chai Icecream

Tanvi1 Comment

This homemade creamy ice cream tastes just like masala chai. It is super easy, needs 4-5 ingredients and is eggless! You dont need to make a custard or churn it, it comes together fast!

I am not that big a fan of ice creams but that changes when there is caffeine element in there- coffee, matcha, chai, you get the idea.The bitter sweet note added by coffee or tea really really makes ice cream interesting for me.Those are my most favorite ice cream flavors.

This recipe is so simple. You start by brewing some chai in half and half (or whole milk, see recipe), mix it with heavy cream, chai masala, condensed milk and freeze it overnight. Really it barely takes 20 minutes! Once frozen, scoop it out, top with some nuts if you like and enjoy!

Here are a few things to be kept in mind:-

  • You can use decaffeinated black tea leaves if you are worried about the caffeine content in this ice cream.
  • Do not replace the condensed milk with sugar in this recipe, since we are not using a custard base, it won’t be creamy otherwise. Condensed milk makes it smooth and milky.
  • Grind a fresh chai masala for the best taste of spices. I liked to go heavy on sweet spices like cinnamon, cardamom and fennel since its a dessert. You can add spices as per your preference.
  • Let the tea leaves/tea bags brew for atleast 10-15 minutes for a strong nice chai taste.
  • Chill the ice cream base for 2 hours before freezing it. Freeze overnight.
  • You can enjoy the ice cream right away or store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.
  • Jazz up your ice cream by adding nuts, butter scotch chips or caramel.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Masala Chai Ice Cream

Creamy and delicous eggless ice cream which tastes like a cup of masala chai. Its super easy and tastes luscious!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time8 hrs 25 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cup Half and Half (use whole milk instead, see notes)
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 5 orange pekoe unflavored black tea bags
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 can (14oz/400g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1-2 tsp chai masala (recipe below) , adjust quantity as you like

Chai Masala (makes extra)

  • 20 green cardamom
  • 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 10-12 black peppercorns
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1-2 cloves, optional

Instructions

  • Add the half and half to a sauce pan and heat it up on high till you see small bubbles on the side of the pot. Do not let boil. Switch off the stove and add ginger and tea bags to the hot half and half. Let stand and infuse for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add all the spices listed under chai masala to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. You will get extra masala which you can store for your chai.
  • Once the tea bags have infused, pick them up and squeeze using tongs to release all the flavor and liquid. Discard the bags.
  • Strain the the half and half into a large bowl. Add the heavy cream, condensed milk and chai masala to it. Using a whisk mix very well to combine. This concoction is very delicious and hold your self from not drinking it 🙂
  • Once mixed chill the ice cream base for 2 hours. Then, transfer to a glass container, cover with a foil or lid and freeze overnight.
  • Allow to stand on the counter for about 6-8 minutes before scooping. Enjoy!

Notes

 
  • You can use whole milk instead of half and half in this recipe. Use 1 cup milk and 2.5 cups heavy cream in that case. Rest everything remains same. 
  • You can use decaffeinated black tea leaves if you are worried about the caffeine content in this ice cream.
  • Do not replace the condensed milk with sugar in this recipe, since we are not using a custard base, it won’t be creamy otherwise. Condensed milk makes it smooth and milky.
  • Grind a fresh chai masala for the best taste of spices. I liked to go heavy on sweet spices like cinnamon, cardamom and fennel since its a dessert. You can add spices as per your preference.
  • You can use loose tea instead of tea bags. Let the tea leaves/tea bags brew for at least 10-15 minutes for a strong chai taste.
  • Chill the ice cream base for 2 hours before freezing it. Freeze overnight.
  • You can enjoy the ice cream right away or store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.
  • Jazz up your ice cream by adding nuts, butter scotch chips or caramel.