Chicken Liver Massala

I love Liver and Chicken Livers are my favourite. First I was thinking of making Peri Peri Chicken Livers, but then decided to try something new and different. A little research with my best friend (she is called Google) and I found this recipe and after a little adjusting to personal liking I made this astonishingly yummy little curry.

Here the Ingredients:

500g Chicken Livers, cleaned and each cut in half

2 Potatoes, diced

1 cup of frozen Peas

2 large ripe Tomatoes, grated, (skin discarded)

1 Onion, sliced

3 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 long Green Chilli, sliced

1 Cinnamon Stick

Oil for frying

The Massala Paste:

(mix all these spices to a loose paste)

2 tsp Water

1 tsp Cumin Powder

2 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

Start by flash frying the Liver in a hot pan for about 5 minutes, tossing them with a cheffy flourish every now and then. They do not need to be cooked though at this stage as they will cook some more in the sauce later on. Set these aside and in the same pan fry the Onion with the Cinnamon Stick and a sprinkle of Salt until softened. Then add the diced Potatoes and fry some more. Add a little water and cover to get those Potatoes to cook through.

 

While that is happening, start another large pan with a little oil and fry the garlic. Just for a moment, do not let it colour to much.

 

 Then add the Massala Paste to the pan and fry until fragrant and the oil gives out a lovely red colour and starts to separate.

 

Next add the grated Tomatoes and season with Salt. Let this bubble away for about 5 minutes.

 

Now the Massala is ready for the fried Potatoes and Onion to go in with the Peas and the precooked Liver. Simmer everything for about 7 minutes and check the seasoning. Add more salt if needed.

 

Finally stir in the Garam Massala just before serving.

 

Serve with Rice and Indian Bread and a vegetable dish of your choice. We are having Roasted Butternut Squash with Indian Spices today.

Mutton Nihari

When I first came to the United Kingdom, I lived in Abbey Wood, which is in South East London. Not knowing anything much about the UK, I assumed that this was the normal sort of living standard all over the City and I loved living there. There was however a neighbourhood nearby, that is probably famous for being one of the most undesirable places to live. I used to say I would never drive a Ford, because that would be like living in Plumstead. Yes, you guessed it, it is Plumstead, the place where even Kilroy wouldn't want to go.

The other day when I was on one of my lately very favoured visits to London, my friend took me to an Indian Cafe called 'Ambala' in Plumstead High Street. He had told me about it before and praised it for it's authentic and unconventional food.

Well, I'm not gonna lie, I was indeed impressed, not with the restaurant, but with it's food. We had the most amazing sizzling Lamb chops and a dish called Nihari. It contained the most soft and juicy morsels of meat in a delicious rich gravy. We asked what the meat was and it turned out to be Mutton Calf Muscle. A not very appetising sounding part, but when cooked slow and low, one that turns into the most tender cut. So the moral of the story? The best food can often be found in places that you didn't really want to go. I had to recreate this dish! And after a little research I have created my recipe here:

Ingredients:

750g Mutton Meat

3 Marrow Bone Pieces (I used Lambs Feet, you'll be disgusted to know)

1 tbs Ginger Paste

1 tbs Garlic Paste

1 Onion, chopped

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3 Black Cardamon

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

2 Star Anise

1 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Black Pepper

1tsp Tomato Paste

170g Yoghurt

1 tbs Vegetable Oil

Water

Salt

1tbs Flour mixed with a little water (for thickening the gravy)

Garnishes:

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Fresh Chilli, sliced

Fresh Ginger, cut into thin strips

Grind any whole Spices in a Pestle and Mortar then combine with the ground spices.

Start by browning the meat in a large pot. Remove the meat and keep it aside while frying the 'massala' (the spice mixture). Start with the Onions, once they turned golden add the other spices. Fry fry fry, then add the Garlic and Ginger Paste and Tomato Paste. Fry some more until everything is nice and fragrant. 

Add the Yoghurt and let it bubble with the spices for a minute or two. Return the meat to the pot and add the bones as well. These will give a lovely rich depth to the dish.

Now add enough Water to just cover everything and season with salt to taste.

Bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook on a very low heat for 3 hours.

I spooned off the oily film that has risen to the top, but that's optional. To finish turn up the heat and stir in the Flour slushy to thicken the gravy. Sprinkle in the Garnishes and simmer for another couple of minutes. As always with every dish, check the seasoning before serving and adjust if needed. 

Accompany with Rice or Naan Bread and a Vegetable Side Dish of your choice.

Enjoy!

Saag Aloo (Spiced Spinach and Potato)

You can't beat a tasty Saag Aloo with some fresh Naan Bread to mop up all the lovely juices.

Here's how to make one.

Ingredients: (makes 4 Portions)

3 medium cooked Potatoes, cut into chunks

about 500g Tomatoes, chopped

about 300g fresh Spinach, washed and roughly chopped

3 tbs Vegetable Oil

about 5 green Finger Chillies, chopped

1 Onion, finely diced

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 inch of Ginger, minced

1 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp ground Coriander

1 tsp ground Turmeric

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Heat the Oil in a wok and add the Cumin Seeds and Mustard seeds. Leave them until they start to crackle and pop.

Then add the onion and stir fry until the edges of the onion start to brown slightly and soften.

Then add the Garlic, Ginger and Chilli.

Stir a little more then add the Coriander, Turmeric and Cayenne.

Next the Tomatoes go in, another little stir, and the spinach follows.

Let the spinach wilt before folding in the Potato chunks. 

Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.