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Old handbag, faded & shabby, dismally frayed at the edges, the one I never use, yet shy from throwing away...the worn-out smooth leather brings me peace...
Bunch of orange roses given with a shy smile and received with a glad heart....a magical moment trapped forever...yet it repeats itself with continuing reassurance :-)
Sharing food and laughter with one's own...eating with hands...licking the fingers dry...giggling over nothing and everything...stuffing oneself silly....lazing in the aftermath....
Sharing food and laughter with one's own...eating with hands...licking the fingers dry...giggling over nothing and everything...stuffing oneself silly....lazing in the aftermath....
Cake slowly rising to life in the oven...the house smelling of oranges, vanilla, cinnamon...a cup of tea waiting impatiently to give it company...
Nourishing song...celebrates love, friendship, building bridges, holding hands...carries bits of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, sung by people who create unique music-scapes...reverberates long after...
Simple home cooked meal on a lazy afternoon...a pass-me-down recipe...the known taste filling you with reassurance, comfort & contentment...the aromas bringing a host of memories flocking back...
Love sagas, old and new continues in my other blog!
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Love sagas, old and new continues in my other blog!
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Chicken Curry/Kosha Mangsho
A Bangla word, kosha means well fried, mangsho means meat. This is a recipe in which the masalas, the chicken pieces and the rest of the ingredients are well fried over low to medium heat for about 20 to 30 mins. A matter of patience, probably best tried over the weekend. This dish is generally prepared in Bengali homes when we expect guests.
List of Ingredients:
600 to 800 gm chicken (I used skinless thigh pieces, most of the excess fat trimmed)
3 to 4 medium potatoes chopped into two
4 medium onions, finely chopped
2 dried red chilly, each snapped into two
1 table spoon of ginger paste
1 heaped table spoon of garlic paste
2 table spoons of tomato purée
1 tea spoon of turmeric powder
1 tea spoon of cumin & coriander powder each
1 tea spoon of meat masala powder
1/2 tea spoon of red chilly powder (non spicy variety, for colour)
3/4th tea spoon of sugar
Whole garam masalas-- 2 to 3 cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, whole black peppers...one inch bark of cinnamon...slightly crushed...
2 table spoons of vegetable/sunflower oil
1 tea spoon of mustard oil (optional)
Salt to taste
Method:
Make the oil screaming hot, reduce the heat and add the garam masalas and the red chillies. [Chances of the garam masalas burning are high, so I take the pan completely off the heat and then add the garam masalas.] Immediately add the chopped onions and the sugar. The sugar is added at this stage because it caramelises and gives the onion a lovely reddish brown colour. Put the pan back on heat.
After 5 mins or so add the masalas, fry till the oil starts to separate on the side. At this stage add the ginger and garlic paste and the tomato purée. Again fry till the oil starts to separate from the masalas. Takes roughly 5 mins or so.
Add the chicken pieces and the potatoes. Now begins the test of your patience. Keep frying this on low/low medium heat for about 20 to 30 mins. You can slowly see the chicken pieces and the potatoes changing colour. The remaining fat on the chicken pieces will melt and add to the gravy. If you are lucky enough to use farm fresh country chicken without a trace of fat, then you may need to add a few drops of water, so that the masalas do not dry up. After about half an hour or so when the chicken pieces and the potatoes look nicely brown, add salt to taste. The reason salt is added at the very end is because salt releases water from the chicken and we do not want that before this.
Then add just about enough water to submerge all the pieces and let it cook, covered for another 20 mins or so. Keep checking and stirring occasionally. Most of the water should evaporate and the gravy should be almost dry-ish and thick. Turn off the heat and keep the pan covered and let it rest for 10 mins or so.
Serving:
In the Indian subcontinent we do not rest food much after it is cooked. But we have noticed that if rested, especially meat preparations taste better. Leftover curries are way tastier than freshly made ones. Our hunch is that over the resting period the masalas get time to incorporate into the meat! So if expecting guests you can prepare this a day ahead.
You can serve this with plain rice or rotis/parathas (Indian breads). Tastes best with the sweet Bengali polao (fried rice). The heat of the dish nicely balances with the sweetness of the rice.
I had some leftover rice, so used that to make a simple fried rice, throwing in whatever veggie was there in my fridge. Used only some cumin seeds to fry the veggies with, garnished with some fried cashew nuts and raisins and my latest find ready-made fried onions!
A simple Indian salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and onions with a sprinkling of lime juice, diced green chillies, chopped coriander leaves and rock salt goes nicely with this.
P.S. Ladies did you enjoy seven random things about me? :-)
P.P.S. We are going on a short holiday this weekend. Will catch up once I am back. Hopefully will be able to bring you stories from our trip :-)
nice !! love the write up !! ABSOLUTELY adorable !!
ReplyDeleteI love chicken curry! Your pictures are wonderful as always! I am salvating just looking at it!
ReplyDeleteRelishing food n lovely snizzy rosesss :)
ReplyDeleteSuchi, such a wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteLovely write up n yummy yum chicken,just drooling ..
ReplyDeleteErivum Puliyum
Beautiful food, beautiful roses, beautiful words...such a lovely post~
ReplyDeleteNice write up Suchi, beautiful roses and a wonderful lunch I guess..
ReplyDeleteHey Suchi, your posts are fun and interesting to read. chicken curry looks tempting.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend :)
ohhh..yeah...this looks soooooooooooo good & tempting..;)
ReplyDeleteTasty Appetite
Def a different one :).. loved it! i do share the first two things..love for reading & leather bags :D.. i see u are dabbling with photography too.. good clicks & have a great trip..cant wait to hear more!
ReplyDeleteSimply yummy and delicious looking kosha mangsho. Lovely preparation.
ReplyDeleteDeepa
Hamaree Rasoi
Love the write-up Suchi...adore the gorgeous roses, and absolutely love the delicious chicken dish!
ReplyDeletePhotos are totally amazing...superb, and lovely:DDD
Lovely post and delicious dish !;D
ReplyDeleteOh tat combo looks so delicious.. can u pass me the plate?
ReplyDeleteMy culinary Trial room
Ongoing event - Love n Chocolate Fest
wonderful writeup and lovely roses !!
ReplyDeleteOngoing event CC-Dish For Loved Ones
I loved the write, reminds me of my collection of Asterix comics from time past and my new love for Nigella Lawson from time present. Wonder what time future holds.. Lovely recipe. Sounds yum..!
ReplyDeletetotally delightful.. I was hooked on from the first para..I love the smell of old books therefore it cought my eye and the chicken looks wicked...waiting to treat The Mr. to that this weekend..:)
ReplyDeletethis seems like a simple recipe that will taste exotic! hope you have a lovely break :)
ReplyDeletebookmarked :D
ReplyDeleteLooks really good. A good combo
ReplyDeletebeautifully written, the orange roses are beautiful!cake rising in the oven fills me with joy too. such simple pleasure sof life :)
ReplyDeleteI loved those orange roses and the mystery weaved into the 7 things about you. And thanks for the Bengali recipe, didn't expect it this soon. We eat lots of chicken and a new recipe is always welcome. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeletewowwww.....kosha mangsho...one of my favorites.......ei lunch sesh korlam kintu jibhe jol ese gelo :-)
ReplyDeletelove the color of the roses !! so pretty !! hope u r feeling better now !! loved the write up
ReplyDeleteDear Suchi,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, my apologies for replying back so late!Thank you so much for thinking about me and very kind of you to share the award with me...a heartfelt 'Thanks'!
I have been away from my blog for sometime now due to a nasty virus attack and am depending on a borrowed laptop to reply to my blogger friends - I will try to get back soon and will definitely blog about the award once I'm back!In the meantime, the Kosha Mangsho was 'cruelly' delicious - in the sense that I stay too far from you to savor a bite;)Lovely read here!Enjoy your weekend dear!!
I found your blog link on my friend Sudha's Wit Wok and Wisdom. I think you have a very nice blog, and I have joined! Patsy
ReplyDeleteMouthwatering dish ! It looks so delicious n tasty yaar.........
ReplyDeletewow..so spicy and yummy.....looks awesome
ReplyDeletewww.mahaslovelyhome.blogspot.com
kosa mangso.....wow...jibhe ekebare jol eshe gelo.....darun baniecho...colorta khub sundor eseche:-)
ReplyDeleteYou refer this as a lazy lunch?!? Sandwiches are lazy dear :D
ReplyDeleteHave fun on your trip!
Awesome.... love the way to present post
ReplyDeletevisit @my blog for my first event in ur free time :-)
Preeti
Ongoing Event--Color n Sweet-HOLI FEST
Preeti's Kitchen Life
I love Indian food, all the spices and herbs that are used in your recipes are delicious. This recipe sounds so delicious! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHi Suchi, you have an award waiting for you at my place..
ReplyDeleteCame over here through Jaya's blog. The kosha mangsho recipe is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post. This is my kind of food!
ReplyDeleteomg super duper chicken cury....super clicks
ReplyDeleteThat chicken curry looking finger-licking good!
ReplyDeletesuper tempting hot n spicy chicken looks just awesome ..........
ReplyDeleteAwesome feast here, not sure which would disappear first the chicken or the rice dish! Curry is definitely getting more popular at my house, most likely because of all the awesome recipes I am finding and yours is no different. Thanks for popping by my blog today, enjoyed the visit here.
ReplyDeleteKosha manso is my hubby's alltime fav. I also love it. Tempting.....
ReplyDeleteCuisine Delights
My First Event-SPOTLIGHT:"COLOURFUL HOLI" .
Thank you for visiting my blog. What I see here is really good. Your blog is so interesting! Great photography, great recipes and interesting posts! I am a happy follower now! Nice meeting you.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post! Lovely pics...golap golo mone hocche ekhuni kichu bolebe!
ReplyDeleteKosha mangsho ar pulao eta to Bangalir favorite Sunday treat! Tomar ranna ar presentation dekhe mone hocche jomiye khete boshe pori...simply lajabab!
Super tempting chicken curry,looks so delicious.
ReplyDeleteI glad to follow you.
Shantanu Moitra eyi gaan ta prothom baar shunlaam..besh soothing effect..and tumar lekha,it touches heart..keep them coming..besh bhalo lazy afternoon 'er lunch..ami aschi :-D..hugs and smiles
ReplyDeletewow..this absolutely fantastic!! Your clicks make it more tempting!!!
ReplyDelete