Murge Mahkni (Butter Chicken)

Ingredients

4-6 chicken thighs or ½ block of paneer (for veg option) cubed
4 tbs ghee or oil
1 1/2 tbsp of grated ginger
1 1/2 tbsp of garlic paste
1 250 ml can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbs brown sugar or jaggery
1 tsp tumeric
3-4 tbsp garam masala (see recipe for home ground masala)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (or more for spicy tastes)
2 tbsp dried Kasoori Methi
1 ½ cups heavy cream
salt

for marinade, mix together
1/2 cup dahi (yogurt)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp garam masala

Cut chicken into cubes and rub with marinade. Refrigerate one hour.

In 1 tbsp of ghee or oil, sear the chicken or paneer until lightly browned. Set aside.
In remaining ghee or oil saute ginger and garlic 3 minutes. Do not let burn
Add crushed tomatoes and stir until blended. Let simmer on low heat 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Once oil begins to separate from tomatoes, add sugar, and remaining masalas. Crush Kasoori methi between the palms.
Stir well while adding cream. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Serve with Jeera rice or spelt rotis (chapatis)

Rosemary Apple Bison Tart

When I was a kid, we always enjoyed my Mom's home cooking. Occasionally, however,  she would buy us frozen meat pies, a trashy treat to beat the winter blues. Recently inspired by the fading apples and rosemary on my windowsill, I devised this lovely meat pie filled with organic, free range bison.  

A note to my non-veg, Hindu friends, the bison used is not like that of Indian bison and is definitely NOT beef. Out of love and respect for a dear friend, the sacred cow has not touched my lips for nearly 5 years now.

To homemade pastry or tart shells fill with the following preparation:

In a pan fry 1 finely chopped yellow onion until lightly browned. Add 1 lb of ground, organic, free-range bison and fry until browned. Add 1 tsp of finely ground rosemary, salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Peel and thinly slice a tart apple. In a lightly oiled pan, braise the apple slices until tender. Set aside.

In the same pan, brown two whole onions sliced julienne style. Use very little oil or ghee and 1 tsp of demerara sugar to caramelize. Set aside.

Prepare 1 cup of grated asiago or crumbled feta cheese. In a shallow bowl, beat two free-range eggs. To this add the bison, half the caramelized onions, and a 1/2 of the cheese. Spoon into pastry shells and top with grape tomatoes, the braised apples, whole sprigs of rosemary and the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F until the pastry is lightly browned and cheese is melted. (Approx. 25-30 minutes) 


Serve hot with mixed greens. Enjoy. 


*Free-Range Bison was purchased from October Farms in Prince George, B.C.

Tandoori Salmon

I am constantly thinking of new ways to fuse Indian with Western dishes. On my last trip to Mumbai I ate Tandoori Pomfret for the first time. Who would believe that such masalas would compliment fish so nicely. On a recent trip to the Bulkley Valley in northern B.C., my family rained the riches of some freshly caught river salmon on me and so the East met West with this delicious new experiment.

Tandoori Salmon

2 cups of fresh salmon chunks

Marinade in 1 cup of fresh dahi or yogurt

1/2 bunch of chopped fresh coriander leaf ( cilantro )

2 heaping tbsp of tandoori masala

mix well and refrigerate 

dice one whole yellow onion

fry in 2 tablespoons of ghee or clarified butter on medium heat until lightly browned

add fish chunks and marinade

stir and simmer covered over medium heat until half cooked (approx 7 minutes)

remove lid and cook for 5 more minutes, allowing the marinade reduce to a thick gravy

Serve with Jeera Rice and Beet Green Saag (see offerings page for recipes)