Wednesday, October 5, 2011

First Guest Post: Kasha Mangsho and Polao/ Bengali Style dry Chicken Curry and Rice Pilaf



This is the time of the year when we long to go home, a time of family get togethers, food and festivities. but our busy schedules sometimes dont allow us to do that our heart desires. so when some of us soak in the festivities  some cannot do that due to their prior commitments. yet we try to celebrate the puja wherever we are by getting ready in new clothes, visiting the local puja place and cooking special meals for friends and family.  we try hard to recreate the special magic of this very special festival and taste of home. My Orkut friend Krishna is one such person. She stays in USA and shares glimpses of her life and kitchen at her newly started blog Always Smile. The thing that makes her very special is her enthusiasm in everything creative. a vibratious and enthusiastic person who finds time for doing new crafts and trying out new recipes. She is here today to share a very favourite Bengali meal of Kasha Mangsho and Pulao.

Kasha Mangsho/ Chicken Kasha or Bengali style dry chicken curry is the glamorous version of this homey Sunday special chicken curry that I shared sometimes back. This is a very special dish made specially on occasions like birthdays, wedding parties or large get togethers. The polao or Bengali preparation of aromatic white rice pilaf is the perfect accompaniment for this royal chicken dish. together they make my experience of having  first guest post very very special.

Over to you Krishna...

It is almost four years that I left my home country to come to the USA. Since then, I have been participating in Durga Puja celebrations here. Actually it is not four years, rather eight years I was not in Calcutta during pujas. Though the flavor of Calcutta-puja is not present here still I don’t miss that much. Rather, I enjoy cooking special dishes during the puja time here.  So, when Sayantani invited me to contribute on her blog, I readily accepted that. Since I received her request I had been wandering what to cook? At last I decided to cook Bengali polao and chicken kasha on Saturday, 1st October. The menu for rest of the puja-days is yet to be decided. Here I’m sharing the recipe of Polao and chicken kasha. Unfortunately I cannot tell that these recipes are very authentic, because I changed it little bit during cooking.


Chicken Kasha

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into medium pieces
1 big size onion, finely chopped
1 medium size tomato, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2-3 cloves
2-3 pods cardamom
1 inch stick of cinnamon
1 ½ tbsp. ginger paste
1 ½ tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. coriander power
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. chili powder (if you want spicier, you can add more chili powder)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves for garnish
3 tbsp. water
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

Method:
Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with salt for half an hour. 

Fry 1/3 of the onion with little salt and keep aside. 

Heat 2 tbsp. of oil (I used olive oil) add bay leaf, cardamom, clove and cinnamon, and fry for few moments. Then add the rest of chopped onion and fry until golden brown. At that time you can also add one tsp. of sugar to caramelize the onion. 

When the onions are translucent add chopped tomato, ginger, garlic paste and fry. Add 1 tbsp. of water, and fry again until everything mixes up well. If you need, you can add another spoon of water.  

Once the oils start to separate at the sides, add garam masala powder, coriander powder, chili powder, and fry for 1-2 minutes. 

Add the chicken-pieces and cook until chicken-pieces become tender. Add water as per needed. When the water become almost dry, switch of the gas and put in a bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander and fried onion.

Polao:

Ingredient:s
2 cups of rice
2 bay leaves
4 pods of cardamom
3 cloves
1 inch on cinnamon piece
1 small sized onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 tbsp. of sugar
1 tbsp. of ghee or clarified butter
1 ½ cup of water
Few saffron pieces soaked in 1 tbsp. of milk
Salt to taste

Method:
Clean the rice and spread on a plate to dry. 

In a small frying pan heat the ghee, and add bay leaves and chopped onion, and fry for few minutes. 

Add cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and fry until onion becomes red. Add ginger paste, and fry for few minutes. 

Then take a microwave-proof bowl, add the fried ingredients and rice, sugar, saffron and water. Cook in microwave-oven for twenty minutes.

serve hot with the Kasha Mangsho.

33 comments:

  1. Awesome dish & beautifully captured......Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Sounds similar to my usual chicken curry recipe but something there, especially the name, is tempting me to try thi out soon.. Shall let you know once I try this out.

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  3. Both looks super delicious and irresistible, kudos to u & krishna..

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  4. Kosha mangsho aar polao....fantabulous , darun:)

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  5. looks delicious and nice clicks ............

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  6. Fantastic Puja post!
    Sayantani O Krishna~ Sharod Shubhechha ! Shubho Bijoya :)

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  7. That platter looks so yummy ....nice combo and post

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  8. Sayantani and Krishna ,
    Tumader dojon ke janalaam bijoyar sneho..and kasha mangsho and pulao khob darun hoyeche..hugs and smiles

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  9. Subho bijoya to u too and ur family

    kosha mangsho and mishti pulao is a terrific combo

    thanx for introducing a new blooger..hopping to Krishna

    Sukanya

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  10. The chicken and polao are awesome, Ur friend Krishna seems an awesome cook!
    Happy Dasera to U and Ur lovely friend!

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  11. Yummy platter. Would love to try it.

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  12. Very interesting name for the recipe..and like the rice dish.

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  13. Sayantani , tumi o barir shokole amaar Bijoya r bhalobasha aar subhechcha niyo.aar amader chotto Shona ke onek onek bhalobasha.

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  14. Sayantani , tumi ki suheeta Roy (dak naam Mimi) ke cheno?bhul proshno Jodi kore thaki tahole aage theke sorry , kintu :)

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  15. Oh My !!! Sayantani you are that one GREAT COOK. I have a big big party coming up this month and I want all those dishes you make on the menu and I wish you were in the neighborhood :-)

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  16. So good to c u sayantini ...I hope U and ur family had a lovely dassara.. both the dish looks delicious :)

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  17. That's an lovely post....i know how it will be to celebrate festivals with dear ones in native....recipes look flavoursome and yum....

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  18. I love anything bengali.this sure is a must try! thanks Sayantani for guest post-ing krishna :)...nice recipes

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  19. Must try the vegetarian version of this dish and thank you for the kind words.

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  20. Dear Sayantani
    Subho Bijaya to you all.
    Very nice recipe , in fact I have never eaten a chicken Kasha, must try it when I decide to eat chicken. Will be out of country for some time and wont be cooking :-(
    Bhalo theko

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  21. prothome janai Bijoyar shubecha....Kamon katlo pujo? ami kolkataye achi. Tomar no. ta onno sim e save ache can u please send me ur no. at deepasrideb@gmail.com?
    Pujo special kosha mangsho ar pulao darun combo.Thanks for introducing a new blogger.
    Deepa

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  22. First of all, a belated Subho Bijoya to you and your family!
    This is a very appetizing dish! I love this flavourful pulao!

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  23. oh...wow..wat an eye catchy cliks dear..love your dishes..n this is super yummmm...;P
    Tasty Appetite

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  24. Awesome combo of flavours - bookmarked!

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  25. every time I come here .. it's like I am travelling home :) This is making me drool, one of my all time fav !

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  26. Mmmm looks yummy.. I am planning a menu for my twins 4th yr birthday. I will try this first and if I can hopefully make it right, I will make this as one of my main course. Thanks for sharing.

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  27. Mmmm looks yummy.. I am planning a menu for my twins 4th yr birthday. I will try this first and if I can hopefully make it right, I will make this as one of my main course. Thanks for sharing.

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