Sunday Thali: Comfort food bursting with flavours

Come winter and markets are flooded with new vegetables and we start loading up carbs to protect from the infamous 'sardi'. All of us love to munch upon the various savouries and dishes cooked in the family kitchen. I was also missing on the winter food so tried to recreate the same by cooking two of the dishes loved in my family : punjabi chicken curry and maach bhaja ( fish fry) !!!

While chicken curry has that smooth texture and flavour of ghee maach bhaja is more rustic and exudes that mustad oil rustiness. Perfect on a winter afternoon I guess. So let's start cooking.

Punjabi Chicken Curry: A quintessential favourite amongst all who eat chicken , this dish has such an aromatic fragrance that you cant stop eating. Cooked with the rustic touch of a punjabi household this one is slightly high on ghee but I guess who cares :D .

Ingredients: There are broadly two sets of spices required : one for marination and other for the curry. Marination: Chicken ( with bone curry cut ) : 500 gms; Yoghurt ( beaten) - 1/2 cup; Green chilles( slit) - 3 medium; Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; Red chilli powder - 1 tsp; Green cardamom - 2; Cloves - 2; Salt - as per taste.

Curry: Ghee - 3 tbsp; Oil - 1/2 tsp; Black Cardamom ( crushed) - 1; Bay leaves - 4; Cumin seeds - 1 tsp; Cloves - 2; Ginger ( roughly chopped) - 2 inch; Garlic ( roughly crushed) - 7 cloves; Onions ( finely chopped) - 6 medium; Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp; Corainder powder - 1.5 tbsp; Red chilli powder - 1 tsp; Tomatoes( finely chopped) - 2 medium; Coriander sprig for garnish; Salt - as per taste.

Steps:

i. Marinate the chicken with yoghurt, green chillies and salt first.

ii. Now add other ingredients into the marination and mix well. Keep it aside for 20 minutes or so while we prepare the curry.

iii. Heat a wide bottom pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee and 1/2 tsp of oil to prevent ghee from burning.

iv. Now add all the 'khade masale' and saute well.

v. After 2 minutes add the chopped ginger and crushed garlic and saute for a minute to get slight browning.

vi. Mix the finely chopped onions and saute until slight browning.

vi. Now add turmeric and mix well for 2 minutes.

vii. Add salt so that onions start sweating; saute well.

viii. Add coriander powder and saute well for 2-3 minutes.

ix. Add red chilli powder and add some water if required to mix the spices .

x. Add tomatoes once the spices and onions have sauteed.Close the lid.

xi. Once tomatoes have softened and the marinated chicken and mix well.

xii. Add 2 tbsp of ghee and mix well.

xiii. Once ghee comes up add water as desired and let the curry cook for 5 minutes.

xiv. Garnish with a coriander sprig.

Serve with steamed rice or chapatis and enjoy!!!

Maach Bhaja( Fried fish): A favourite accompaniment to lunch for any household in Bengal , this dish has found its way in other kitchens because of its simplicity and flavour. Super easy to make with minimal spices.

Ingredients: Rohu fish - 500 gms; Ginger garclic paste - 1 tbsp; Bengal gram flour - 2 tbsp; Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; Red chilli powder - 1 tsp; Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp; Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp; Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp; Garam masala - 1/3 tsp ( you can either user the punjabi one or bengali whichever is easier to source); Chaat masala - as per taste; Mustard oil - for frying; Salt - as per taste.

Steps:

i. Mix all the spices together; add a little of mustard oil if required.

ii. Clean the fish pieces and smear uniformly the prepared mix on all sides.

iii. Heat a wide base pan with around 1.5 tbsp of mustard oil .

iv. Once the oil is smoky hot gently lower the fish pieces into the pan.

v. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown.

v. Take the fish pieces out on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

vi. Sprinkle some chaat masala (optional) and garnish with a slice of lemon and onion rings.

Serve hot with some green chutney or even with chapatis and enjoy!!!