POSTO MURGI (CHICKEN WITH POPPY SEEDS CURRY)

Ingredients

1 kg chicken

2 tbsp chopped onion

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli paste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp lime juice

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp poppy seeds

3 green chillies

¼ cup oil

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method

Marinate the chicken with garam masala powder, turmeric powder, salt and lime juice and keep aside for half an hour. Heat the oil and fry the bay leaves. Add chopped onions, ginger, garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes away. Now add the marinated chicken, and cook for a few minutes. Add red chilli powder, poppy seeds paste and green chilli to it. Cook for 3 minutes. Now add water and cook until the chicken is well-cooked and the gravy becomes thick. Serve hot with rice.

TADKA DAAL

Ingredients

1 cup chickpeas

5 cups water

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp chopped ginger

1 heaped tbsp fried coconut pieces

2 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 red chillies

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Clean and wash the daal, and cook with water, salt, turmeric powder and ginger until soft. Now add the sugar and coconut pieces to it. Cook for a few minutes. Heat oil in a separate pan, add red chilli and mustard seeds. Now, add the cooked daal and bring to a boil and then simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from oven. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

SPONGE ROSHOGOLLA

Ingredients

1 litre milk

2 cups sugar

2½ tbsp lemon juice

Method

Heat milk, stirring occasionally. Mix lemon juice with 2 tbsp of water. When the milk boils, switch off the flame. Wait for 30 seconds, add ½ tbsp of lemon juice and stir well. It should start curdling. Once the milk is curdled and greenish whey is out, pass it through the cheesecloth.

Wash the channa with some cold water. Gather the sides and lightly squeeze the channa. Do not apply much pressure. Squeeze lightly. After that, hang this for 30 minutes.

Now, take a pan which is wide and deep. Add 10-11 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar. Heat it. Take the channa (it should be dry but moist). Start kneading this until it gathers all together.

Make smooth round balls of about 1” diameter. When the syrup is boiling, add the balls into it and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. The water should be vigorously boiling. Keep the flame on the higher side. After 5 minutes, open the lid once and stir with care. Cover and do the same after 10 minutes.

As soon as the timer rings, transfer the roshogollas to a bowl with a good amount of syrup. After 5-6 hours, it will be soft, juicy, moist, and spongy and will hold its shape.

— LS DESK

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed