Recipe Guide

Indian Butter Chicken Recipe and history     Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)                           Butter chicken or Murgh Makhani is an Indian dish, popular all over the world. The origins of butter chicken can be traced back to Delhi, during the period of the Mughal Empire. The recipe seems to be invented by a person working in the kitchen of the restaurant called ‘Moti Mahal’ located in Daryaganj, the central region of Delhi, called Murg Makhani in Hindi, butter chicken originated in the 1950’s at the Moti Mahal restaurant in old Delhi, famed for its tandoori chicken (tandoori chicken is essentially a restaurant dish and not a home-style dish, because there are no tandoors in Indian domestic kitchens), the cooks there used to recycle the leftover chicken juices in the marinade with the tandoor-cooked chicke...

Indian Chicken Verta Recipe only This fantastic recipe given to me by the boys at Spicy Planet Restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is another one of their aromatic, home-style curries. These guys really known how to prepare and execute some fine Indian dishes. This dish is not your normal Indian restaurant dish in western countries, although it is a common dish in India and also a popular street food order. The boys can be found at # 63, Street 172, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Just around the corner from the National Museum. INGREDIENTS 500 g Chicken breast 1 fresh medium size, green capsicum, seeded and cut into strips 1 tablespoon fresh garlic puree 1 tablespoon fresh ginger puree 50 g fresh medium tomatoes 1/2 cup brown onion, chopped very finely 50 g raw cashew paste 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon chicken masala powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon garam masala 2 teaspoons char magas 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder 1 tablespoon butter 120 g plain natural yogurt 25 ml fresh si...

Indian Dal Makhani Recipe only This Indian Dal Makhani dish originates from the Punjab region of India. The dish is made with lots of butter and cream which gives it a silky rich taste. This recipe was hand written for me by a very talented, qualified chef in Phnom Penh. His dishes are cooked with love, smell and a fantastic knowledge of the Indian cuisine. His name is Rajesh Mohanty and he was trained and became a very exciting, creative and talented chef for the Taj Group in India working out of the Taj Fisherman Coves Hotel in Chennai which was built on the ramparts of an old Dutch fort. So, when you are in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and have the taste for a real home cooked curry, stop by Spicy Planet # 63, Street 172, Phnom Penh which is just around the corner from the National Museum. INGREDIENTS 1 cup whole black lentils 3 cups water 50 g butter 1 tablespoon garlic puree 1 tablespoon ginger puree 1 1/2 cups tomato puree extra water (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 tablespoon red chili powder 1 ta...

Indian Watermelon Curry Recipe only This Indian watermelon curry is fantastic in the hot summer months. This dish dates back to when food was hard to come by and they had to make what they could from what they (Rajasthan) had. The flavor should be sweet, sour and a little hot. INGREDIENTS 1/4 of a large fresh watermelon 1 teaspoon hot chili powder 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 3/4 teaspoon fresh garlic puree 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons oil 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds sugar to taste 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice METHOD 1. Place the watermelon on a hard surface and cut out the quarter piece, remove all the seeds. Peel off the skin and cut into 4 cm cubes. Now blend 1 cup of the fresh cut watermelon to make juice.Add to the juice the chili, turmeric, and coriander powders, garlic and salt. 2. In a medium saucepan or wok heat the oil and when hot add the cumin seeds and then in 25 seconds add the watermelon juice. Now turn down the heat and simmer for ab...

Indian Madras Fish Curry Recipe only In Asia fish is incorporated with ingredients like vinegar and lime juice to hide the fishy smell as this recipe does. This is a true home recipe from Madras. The flavors are amazing and try to use fresh coconut and taste the difference. INGREDIENTS 800 g fish cutlets or fillets, skinned juice of 1 fresh lime 2 teaspoons cider vinegar salt to taste 225 g fresh grated coconut meat 3.5 cm piece fresh peeled ginger 6 large fresh garlic cloves 450 g fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped 6 teaspoons poppy seeds, crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons tamarind pulp 65 ml cooking oil 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 350 g brown onions, chopped 20 curry leaves 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 teaspoons chili powder 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds and 3/4 teaspoon  cumin seeds pounded together METHOD 1. Marinate the fish with the lime juice, vinegar and a little salt for 30 minutes. 2. Put the grated coconut into a blender or food processor with the ginger, gar...

Indian Lamb Curry with Afghani Apricots Recipe only This Indian lamb curry with apricots is a popular dish in the capital Mumbai. It hails from the Persian empire hence the use of Afghani (Hunza) apricots. It has a sweet, tangy, sour taste. It is simple to prepare and cook. If you love Indian food like I do, try this dish because it is not your typical Indian restaurant food.  ENJOY!! INGREDIENTS 100 g Hunza dried apricots if you find them, or good quality from the supermarket 50 ml cooking oil 2 medium brown onions, very finely chopped 1 cm piece fresh peeled ginger, chopped 2 large fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 long cinnamon stick 6 green cardamoms 1 1/2 red chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  2 fresh large tomatoes, chopped 700 g stewing lamb 3/4 teaspoon garam masala powder 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Salt to taste 1 teaspoon, plus a bit more of wine vinegar 1 teaspoon caster sugar METHOD 1. Soak the apricots in a bowl with about 300 ml of cool water and 1...

Indian Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe only This is a classic dish with an amazing fact! It was invented in Britain and not India. They say that 1 in 7 dish ordered in Britain are chicken tikka masala. This is a rich, silky dish and is sure to become on of your favorites. INGREDIENTS 1 kg of chicken thighs on the bone. 1 fresh lemon salt to taste  Fresh ground pepper MARINADE 2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger 2 garlic cloves, chopped 500 g natural yogurt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground chili powder 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder Fresh chopped coriander for garnish METHOD 1. Score the surface of the chicken pieces to a depth of .5 cm. and place in a shallow oven proof dish. Sprinkle with pepper, salt and the juice of 1 lemon. Let stand for about 30 minutes. 2. Mix all the spices for the marinade with the yogurt. Coat the chicken pieces generously with the marinade and cover. Place in the fridg...