STRANGER IN KITCHEN AND CHICKEN CURRY WITH FRIED ONION

When I entered the kitchen after 12 weeks, I felt that I was a stranger. The table spoons and the ladles did not peep from, under the gas stove and greet me. When I looked behind the gas cylinder, the lost spoons, small katoris were not playing hide and seek game with me ......When I opened the spice rack, the lentils did not smile at me, instead the spices gave me a dirty look!!! When I looked for rice, the sugar container shouted at me...

When I opened the drawer to look for kitchen napkins, I saw all the cutleries were sleeping peacefully side by side in their respective beds...I was scared!!! Oh God , have I landed at an Alien kitchen!!!! Then suddenly I heard a familiar voice which I hated always and without exception ...

"Hi , you are back, welcome, I missed you so badly..did you miss me too?"

Who is it?

"I am the germinater !"

"The terminator??". I was so scared..

No..No ..you dude..not terminator....I am the germinater , I germinate green mung, Bengal gram, other lentils etc and you devour these with raw turmeric pieces, jaggery and ginger flakes. Remember , once you were framing a strategy to hammer and break me and blame the maid for breaking me...but luckily good will prevailed and you were spared from being hammered by SOMEONE. Anyway welcome back."

" Thank you for the welcome, but I did not devour them , I just swallowed" I sighed... at least one guy, even if a great foe, was missing me!!!

Lets get down to business

THE RECIPE

This is a Bong type chicken / meat recipe with a Oriya and Malabar fusion in seasoning. I don't believe in fusion dishes unless I want to experiment and eat myself. I don't publish fusion dishes. Here I have used a seasoning , most Bong meat dishes don't have any seasoning except sometimes with tej pata ( bay leaf) and whole gram masala. Here I have used a mixed seasoning of Kala jeera, Jeera and Fennel.

I will garnish the dish with brown fried onion.

Ingredients

1. Chicken breast pieces with bones 500 gms.

2. onion 1 medium thinly sliced for frying

3. 3 potato cut to half . ( I don't peel) OPTIONAL

for grinding and paste-1

1. Onion 2 medium

2. cinnamon 1 inch, cardamom 4

for grinding and paste -2

1. garlic 6 pods

2. ginger 1 inch

3. green chili 2

for the gravy

1. red chili powder 1 tsp ( more the merrier)

2, Turmeric powder 1 heap tsp \

3. 2 heap tsp Dhania ( coriander) powder.

( Soaked in water and to a semi thick paste)

4. 1 heap tbsp curd

5. one medium tomato cut to 4 pieces.

6. oil Mustard or any other 4 -5 tbsp

Seasoning

1. Bay leaf 1

2, Nigela ( kala jeera) 3/4th tsp

3. Jeera 1/2 tsp ( Oriya fusion)

4, Fennel 1 level tsp ( Malabar fusion)

5. 1 dry red chili

Garnish

3 small cardamom and 3/4th inch cinnamon powdered

PROCEDURES

* Slice one onion thin and uniformly. Add 1/2 tsp salt , mix and set aside. ( remove all non uniform slices for grinding,). ( All uniform thin slicing work is done by SOMEONE , I cant do it or pretend I don't like to do it).

* heat oil and fry the onion, initially at high heat and then simmer. Remove onion when it is more than light brown,

CAUTION : Browning of onion is a tricky job. Here we want a dark brown but not burnt onion. Remember the onion will become 1 to 2 shade darker even after switching of the burner or removing from oil.

* Remove onion onto a kitchen paper to soak out the oil. Leave it in air to become crispy.

Note: This fried onion can be used in various dishes for garnishing like Biriyani , Paneer masala and many dishes where you think a fried onion garnish will add to taste.

* Fry the potatoes in left over oil under high heat till become very light brown here and there on the surface,

* Grind the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.

* marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and keep aside.

* Grind onion, cardamom and cinnamon. ( Please don't bother if the cardamom and cinnamon haven't become paste ..small pieces left are OK, Finish grinding when the onion is smooth.).

* Heat oil to smoking in a Kadhai and add the seasoning followed by the onion paste.

* fry till transparent and when oil comes out add the spice paste, saute.

* Add the curd and mix vigorously and fry till oil comes out.

* Add the pieces of Tomato and stir for 2 minute. If necessary add few tsp water to prevent burning of spices. The Tomato will remain as it is, it will be just numb.

Add salt

Add the chicken and saute in medium heat. Add water and the potato. Boil with cover.

*The dish is ready when the potato is cooked. Adjust water , it should be a thick gravy.