Chicken n Veggie Pizza

About this Recipe...

Always loved Pizza...here is the Homemade Chicken n Veggie Pizza recipe from scratch. I used Pizza-Stone to bake the pizza to give a perfect look. Do try making pizza at home...you'll forget the Pizza's from outlets. Try with various toppings, veg or non-veg and you'll fall in love with your homemade PIZZA.

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 1/2 Cup Luke warm water
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Packet yeast
• All purpose flour
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 tsp Dry thyme(optional)
• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Pizza Sauce

• 3 medium size Tomato blanched and pureed
• 4-5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• Salt as per taste
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 Finely chopped green chili
• 1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp Roasted fennel powder
• 1 tsp Dried basil
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Toppings

• Chicken Breast
• Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Shredded)
• Cheddar Cheese (Grated)
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
• Cajun spice mix(optional)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt as per taste
• Chopped onion, garlic, bellpepper, mushroom, long hot peppers

Directions

Pizza Dough

1. In a bowl take the lukewarm water, add the sugar and yeast stir it with a spoon and cover it for at least 5 minutes.
2. Now in a mixing bowl add the flour, salt, dried thyme, oil and mix everything well. Now pour the yeast mixture slowly and make a soft dough. Lastly apply some olive oil on the top of the dough And cover it with a wet cloth and keep it in a warm place for fermentation.
3. (In my case I kept my dough inside the oven).
4. After around one hour take out the bowl you will see that your dough becomes double in volume, punch it so the air bubbles go away and again keep it for 1 more hour for fermentation.

Pizza Sauce

1. In a pan take some olive oil, when oil becomes hot add chopped garlic, sauté it for a while, now add chopped green chili and blanched and puréed tomato, followed by salt and sugar as per taste and cover the pan.
2. After sometime remove the cover mix everything well and add tomato ketchup and fennel powder and cook it until it's been done.
3. Now add red chili powder, basil, oregano and Italian seasoning and mix everything.
4. When the sauce becomes thick then it's ready to use.
5. Notes: For blanching the tomato in a pan of boiling water, kept the tomatoes for one-two minute. Then removed and peeled the skin of the tomatoes and puréed it.

Toppings

1. I used chicken also for my pizza topping, I cut the chicken pieces as small cubes, sautéd it in olive oil with black pepper, salt and Cajun spice until it gets cooked.

Pizza Base

1. Now take the dough in your work surface,spread some flour and punch it again. Now roll it with the help of a rolling pin to a 10-12 inch round size.
2. Now spread the pizza sauce all over the pizza base and add the cooked chicken pieces topped with both the cheese.
3. Now add the other veggies and again topped with the remaining cheese. Now your pizza is ready to bake, bake it for 15 minutes in a 450F preheated oven.
4. Notes:

(If you are making the pizza on a pizza stone, then apply this time and temperature for your baking.)
( if you are baking the pizza on a regular baking tray, then bake the pizza bread without topping for 5 minutes in a 450F preheated oven then add the sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice and then bake it for another 12-14 minutes until the cheese melts.)

Ghugni

About this Recipe...

Ghugni or Dried Yellow Peas and Potato curry cooked with spices. It is a very popular street food and evening snack in eastern region of India.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Yellow peas
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Piece Bay leaf
• 2 Pieces Cardamom
• 1 Piece Cinnamon
• 3 Pieces Cloves
• 4 Pieces Black pepper corn
• 1 Piece Dried red chili
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 medium size Chopped Onion
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Green chilli paste
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Chaat masala powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 medium size chopped tomato
• 1 Medium size potato cut into cubes
• 2 tsp Lemon juice
• Salt as per taste

Directions

1. Soak the yellow peas overnight or for at least 6 hours.
2. After 6 hours boil the yellow peas in a pressure cooker till one whistle.
3. Now fry the potato cubes and keep aside.
4. In a pan add oil, when the oil becomes hot add the whole garam masalas(bay leaf, cloves,black pepper corn, cinnamon stick, cardamom, dried red chili) and cumin seed and fry for 30 seconds.
5. Now add the chopped onions till it gets golden brown color.
6. Now add turmeric powder and fry it.
7. Now add ginger-garlic-green chili paste followed by all the dry spices accept garam masala powder. Fry all the spices together so that everything will incorporated with each other very well. If you feel the mixture is too dry then add little water and mix it.
8. Now add chopped tomato and mix it with the spices till it becomes soft.
9. Now add the boiled yellow peas in the pan, fried potato and salt as per your taste, mix everything, if needed then add some water for the gravy and cover it till it comes to a boil.
10. When it comes to a boil add garam masala powder and lemon juice, mix it and your ghugni is ready to serve.

Raw Banana Kofta Curry

About this Recipe...

Raw Banana or Plantain Kofta Curry is a delicious recipe made with fried dumplings in a Onion-Tomato based gravy. Though it is some time consuming recipe, but the end result is awesome.

Ingredients

For making Koftas:

• 1  Raw banana
• 1 medium size potato
• Salt as per taste
• 1tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 2 Tbsp Gram flour
• Oil for frying koftas 

For the gravy:

• 1 medium size Onion paste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Green chilli paste
• 1 medium size Tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• Finely chopped cilantro for garnishing

Directions

1. Peel the raw banana and boil it with potato, after it boiled let it cool down little bit and smash it. Now add gram flour, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt as per taste, sprinkle little bit of water and make round shape balls.
2. Now in a pan fry the kofta balls till it gets golden brown color and keep it aside.
3. Now in the pan add 2 tbsp of oil, when the oil gets hot add the onion paste and fry it till the raw smell goes away.
4. Now add ginger-garlic-green chili paste and fry it with the onion paste, after few seconds add turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili powder and fry it till everything gets incorporated well with each other.
5. Now add tomato purée with the spices and mix it well and cover the lid for sometime so that everything gets cooked well.
6. After sometime add sufficient water to make a smooth gravy and let it come to a boil.
7. When the gravy will boil add the koftas and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
8. After 2-3 minutes sprinkle garam masala and garnish the curry with cilantro and serve it with rice or roti.

Hyderabadi Chicken Dam Biriyani

About this Recipe...

One more dish of mine...Hyderabadi Chicken Dam Biriyani. Fell in love with this dish, since I was in Hyderabad and now able to make it perfectly at home.

Ingredients

• 500 g Chicken
• 2 Tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 Tbsp Green chilli paste
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Cumin powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 Tbsp MDH biriyani masala
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• Salt as per taste
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Tbsp Yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp Lime or lemon juice
• 1 handful Chopped mint and coriander leaves
• Fried onions
• 1 1/2 Cups Basmati rice
• 1 tsp Black cumin seed
• 3 Pieces Bay leaf
• 5 Pieces Cloves
• 2 Pieces Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Clarified butter
• Saffron soaked in warm milk
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder

Directions

1. For Marinating Chicken: In a bowl take the chicken now add ginger-garlic-green chili paste, yoghurt, oil, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili, garam masala and biriyani masala powder, chopped mint and coriander leaves and mix everything well and keep it in refrigerator over night or atleast 6 hours for marination.
2. For making the rice: For the rice soaked the basmati rice in water for atleast 1 hour. After 1 hour boil water in a pan, in the boiling water add bay leaf, black cumin seed, cinnamon stick and clove. Season the water well with salt and 2 tsp oil. Now add the soaked rice in the boiling water and cook the rice till it is 80% done and switch off the flame.
3. Now in a heavy bottom vessel layered your marinated chicken so that all the chicken pieces can touch the bottom of the vessel.
4. Now through a strainer strain the rice and layered it over the chicken (make sure your rice should 80% cooked only, otherwise you will not get the desired effect), after arranging all the rice top it with fried onion, clarified butter and soaked saffron milk. Now close the lid and seal it with aata dough so the steam can not come out.
5. First 10 minutes keep the vessel in a high flame den next 15 minutes in medium flame and last 10 minutes in low flame, so total after 35 minutes switch off the flame and give it a rest for at least another 10 minutes before opening the lid of your biriyani.
6. After 10 minutes open it and served it hot with your choice of raita.
7. Note: Remember flame of everyone's stove-top is different, so adjust it accordingly because you only can judge it.

Daal Makhni

About this Recipe...

Daal Makhni is the most popular daal dish originating from the region of punjab. Its a spicy and heavy daal made with the combination of Urad daal and Rajma. So, here is my recipe for the most flavorful restaurant style Daal Makhni...

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Black gram lentil or Urad daal
• 2 Tbsp Kidney beans or Rajma
• 2 Tbsp Bengal gram lentil or Chana Daal
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 2 tsp Ginger paste
• 2 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1 Cup Tomato puree
• 2 Tbsp Heavy cream

Directions

1. Soak the three daal overnight or for at least 6 hours.
2. After 6 hours boil the daals in pressure cooker until 6-7 whistles.
3. Now add butter in a pan and add cumin seeds, when it splutter add onion and fry until it become translucent.
4. Now add ginger garlic paste and all the dried spices, fry it til oil separates.
5. Add tomato purée and cover the lid for 2-3 minutes.
6. Now take one third amount of daal and grind it till it become smooth. This will prevent the daal from water separation and give a nice consistency.
7. Now add the boiled daal and the grind daal in the pan and mix it well with all the spices.
8. At this point keep your flame at medium or low medium and cover the lid for half an hour.
9. Check and stir the daal in between so it will not settle in the bottom of the pan.
10. After half an hour of slow cooking add salt as per your taste and add heavy cream.
11. Mix everything for the final time and your dal makhni will be ready.

Methi Malai Matar Paneer

About this Recipe...

Methi Malai Matar Paneer or Cottage Cheese, Green Peas with Fenugreek leaves in a creamy gravy.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Tbsp Onion paste
• 1 Tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 10 Pieces Cashew nuts
• 2 Tbsp Coconut powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 Cup Green peas
• 200 g Paneer or Indian cottage cheese
• 1/2 tsp Green chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp White pepper powder
• Fresh methi leaves
• 2 Tbsp Heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan and add onion paste. (boiled the onion and made the paste).
2. Fry for sometime and next add the ginger garlic and green chili paste.
3. Stir it well now make paste of cashew nuts and coconut powder together with little bit amount of water and add it to the pan. ( boil the cashew nuts before making the paste)
4. Add water for desired consistency of gravy and cover the lid for 2-3 minutes.
5. Now add salt as per taste and white pepper powder into the gravy.
6. Add the paneer pieces, green peas and chopped methi leaves.
7. Mix well so that everything will be incorporated with each other and cover the lid so the gravy comes to a boil.
8. Now add the heavy cream and garam masala and mix with the gravy and switch of the flame.

Dhokar Dalna

About this Recipe...

It's a speciality of Bengali Cuisine. The dish made from Bengal gram lentil kofta's or cakes with potato in a spicy gravy. It goes extremely well with Rice, Pulao & Roti...

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Bengal gram lentil
• 2 Tbsp Ginger paste
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds or kalaunji
• Oil for frying
• 1/2 tsp Carom seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2.8 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
• 2 Pieces Cloves
• 1 Inch Cinnamon
• 2 Pieces Cardamom
• 2 Pieces Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 2 tsp Green chilli paste
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 Tomato (Chopped)
• 1 Medium size potato cut into cubes
• 1 tsp Clarified butter
• 2-3 Slitted green chili

Directions

1. Soak 1 cup of Bengal gram lentil in water for at least 6 hours.
2. Grind the soaked dal with little water to a coarse paste.
3. Now in a pan add 2 tbs of oil, when the oil is hot add carom seeds and nigella seeds for tempering.
4. Now add 1 tbs of ginger paste, grind daal, salt, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and mixed everything well.
5. Now pour the mixture in a oil greased plate and keep it for cooling down.
6. When the mixture will cool down completely then cut it in diamond shaped cubes.
7. Now fry the cubes in hot oil and keep aside, in that same oil fry the potato cubes.
8. Now in a pan add 2 tbs of oil, when the oil is hot enough add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and asafoetida and fry for few seconds.
9. Now add ginger paste, green chili paste,turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and fry it.
10. Add tomatoes and salt as per your taste.
11. When the tomatoes are soft then add enough water for gravy.
12. When the gravy will boil add fried potato cubes, Slitted green chillies and check the salt and cover the lid for 15 minutes in medium flame.
13. After 15 minutes add the daal cubes or dhoka cubes, garam masala powder and 1 tsp. of clarified butter.
14. Switch off the flame and serve dhokar dalna hot with steamed rice.