Bihari Chicken Korma

In Bihar Chicken used is fresh. People go to the meat shop and fresh chicken is cut. People never use frozen meat. The powdered masalas are known as "bukni" and people use freshly grounded spices or the bukni. The fresh aroma makes the dish even more tastier. Green cardamom is called illachi dana and I've used the freshly powdered green cardamom which gives a nice aroma to this dish. Traditionally people of Bihar say "एलैची कूच कर डालना". Hope you enjoy a slight twisted version. I've added well beaten fresh cream which gives a real twist to the whole dish.

INGREDIENTS-

 Chicken - 1 whole cut into 9-10 pieces

Thick Curd - 2/3 cup

Saffron  - 2 tspns

Warm Milk - 1 tblspn

Whole green cardamom - 4/5

Green Cardamom Powder- 1/2 tspn

Black Cardamom - 1

Cinnamon stick - 1inch stick

Brown Onion Paste - 2/3 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tblspn

Dry roasted whole red chillies and then powdered- 2-3

Dry roasted Cumin powder- 1 tspn

Dry roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tblspn

Kashmiri Red chilly powder - 1 tspn

Garam Masala Powder - a generous pinch

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1 tspn

Fresh Cream - 1 tblspn

Refined Oil - 2 tbspn

Ghee or Butter - 1/2 tspn

Bay Leaf - 1

Method -

Soak Saffron in warm milk. Keep aside little for garnish.

Blend well curd and brown onion paste with  powdered spices i.e. turmeric, salt, red chilly, kashmiri chilly, whole-red chilly powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder. keep it aside.

Heat 1 tblspn oil and ghee.

Add the chicken pieces and cook them till reddish brown like the pic.

Keep it aside.

Heat the remaining oil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, green and black cardamom. Let it crackle.

Now add the chicken and mix well for the flavours to infuse into the chicken.

Now add the curd-onion-masala paste and mix well. This procedure is known as "Bhuno" and this process is done with patience to get that delectable flavour.

Sprinkle water to avoid burning.

Finally Add about a little less than 1 cup warm water and mix well.

Transfer into a pressure cooker and give one whistle and then lower the flame to cook for 5-7 mins.

When the pressure drops open the cooker and add the aromatics i.e. the garam masala, green cardamom powder and the left over saffron.

Switch off the gas and then add the well beaten fresh cream.

Mix well and transfer into a serving bowl.

Can be served with hot onion-parathas.

Note -

-Traditionally cream is not used in Bihari cooking in chicken. This is my version for a nice taste, weight watchers can avoid it, if desired.

-Ghee or Butter is used with the oil for an extra flavouring.

-Curd used here is fresh.

-For preparing brown onion paste - slice 2 large onions thinly and deep fry them in hot oil. Drain well. When cool blend them in a blender. Use very little water to blend. Traditionally this was done on a सिल (mortar-pestle or the grinding stone)

-For blending the curd-onion-dry spice mixture do not use the blender. Do it with a spoon.

Chawal ki kheer (Rice Kheer)

Starting the New Year with a sweet treat for everyone. Happy New Year - May 2011 be as sweet as this kheer (Pudding). Rice Kheer or rice pudding is a very common dish in Bihari cuisine. The speciality of Bihari kheer is that the quantity of rice used is more than usual. Saffron is not used in the traditional recipes. Traditionally the kheer was made in earthen pots on charcoal and the kheer got the flavours of the earthen pot hence saffron was not used for extra flavouring. On all special occasions like welcoming the bride or festivals kheer is made. For the holy festival Chhath Puja kheer is made without sugar but since it's cooked on very low flame in earthen pots and the basmati rice gives it a very nice flavour and a delicate aroma. Use very good quality rice to get a nice flavour. Lets proceed to the recipe of kheer.

Ingredients-

Milk - 1 ltr

Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup

Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1 tspn

Sugar - 3/4th cup

Almonds (Badam) - 15-20

Pistachio (Pista) -  2 tblspn

Nutmeg powder (Jaiphal Powder) - grated - 2 pinch

Green cardamom powder (Hari elaichi powder) - 1/2 tspn

Saffron strands -(Kesar) a pinch + a little pinch for the garnish.

Method -

1. Wash basmati rice and soak it for half an hour.
2. Drain and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee in a vessel and roast the rice to a pinkish colour.
4. Keep it aside.
5. In a deep vessel boil milk.
6. Reduce the milk by boiling and keep stirring.
7. When reduced to half add rice and sugar.
8. Stir well. Reduce flame and let it simmer.
9. Keep stirring.
10. Add saffron and stir well.
11. Add nutmeg powder and Green cardamom powder.
12. Keep simmering and stirring on very low flame.
13. Add pistachio very finely chopped. Mix and stir.
14. Add Almonds very finely chopped.
15. Keep stirring .
16. When the consistency gets thick switch off the gas.
17. Let it cool. When cooled mix well again.
18. Transfer into serving bowls.
19. Sprinkle cardamom and nutmeg powder.
20. Sprinkle pistachio finely chopped.
21. Sprinkle crushed saffron
22. Garnish with half almond as shown in the pic.
23. Best to have it chilled. (in Summers)
24. Can be served hot or at room temperature as well. (For winters)