Sufro for Chandraat - 1

Bateta Champ / Mashed Potatoes stuff with spicy meat

Chikki / Peanut Brittle

Ghosh Pilau / Lamb Pilau

Vegan Carrot Halwa

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup ground almonds

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon raisins

½ teaspoon ground cardamom;

¼ teason grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon saffron

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

1.     To make almond milk, mix the ground almonds with the hot water and leave for two hours.

2.     Place the almond milk in a saucepan and bring to boil, add the carrots, raisins, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron and simmer for 30 minutes or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.

3.     Add the sugar, almonds and pistachios (reserve some nuts for garnishing), mix and cook for 5 minutes

4.     Serve hot or cold.  Great with ice cream.

Murgh Makhani / Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken apparently originated in a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Delhi in the 1950s. The chef had some leftover chicken tikka which was too dry to serve to the customers, so he made a tomato based buttery sauce and voila Butter Chicken was born!

4 chicken breasts; cut into 2-inch chunks)

Marinade

1 lime; juiced

½ cup yogurt

1-tablespoon oil

2-teaspoon paprika

2 inch piece of ginger; grated

4 garlic cloves; minced

1 or more green chilies; minced

1-teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Salt to taste

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 table spoon oil

2 medium onions; chopped fine

1 400g-can plum tomatoes; blended

1-teaspoon tomato puree

2-tablespoons cashew nuts; ground

3-4 cloves garlic; minced

2-inch piece ginger; grated

2 chilies; minced

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1-teaspoon cumin powder

½ cup cream

½ teaspoon garam masala

Method.

Mix the marinade ingredients

Marinade the chicken for at least two hours (overnight if possible)

Grease a large baking tray; place the chicken on the tray and cook in the oven at 220^oC for 15 minutes

Meanwhile fry the onion in the butter and oil mixture until translucent.

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, ginger and green chilies; stir and cook until you can see the butter.

Add the cashew nuts, mix well

Add the cumin, coriander powders.

Add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes; add the cream

Add garam masala

Serve with nan bread.