Recipe: BALTI CHICKEN

Balti is the name of a style of food popular in the Northern part of the Indian Subcontinent & now very popular in England too. It is been told that ”balti” dishes had been introduced to England by the people of Pakistan.

The name ‘Balti’ for food has nothing to do with an ethnic group living in India and Pakistan who are also called Balti. These Balti people are Tibetan Muslims. The food ‘Balti’ is named after the pot in which it is cooked. As mentioned in the late nineteenth century in Hobson-Jobson, the name ‘balti’ derives from the Portuguese word ‘balde’, meaning bucket/pail, taken to India by the Portuguese on their seafaring enterprises at the end of the fifteenth century. Balti food is a Punjabi recipe and prepared mainly in the Punjabi way.(from WIKI)

The food is a hot curry-style dish, taking its name from the thick flat-bottomed  iron pot:

(more…)

I am at encountering a block today, & have been sitting here for quite sometime not knowing how to start this post. The weather has been pretty bad, & children have been given a day off at school. With all the noise & the sibling fights inside & the ice storm & frost outside my poor brain froze too.

I did update the “About” page, now that my entire family has slowly got involved Other than that, I really could not have been able to think at all today. So lets go straight to what we are here for.

A peek in out kitchen today… this is what we cooked:

(more…)

This Saturday we had some magical weather in the midst of winter. It was gorgeous outside…January it is, but it was unbelievably warm. The sun was shining bright, birds cooing & chirping everywhere, the sky spotless & azure, and the temperature was 72 degrees F! It was almost as if Spring has arrived. I saw some buds on the pear tree outside which just shed its leaves.  On these days, we try to soak in as much fun as we can. The kids were let loose to play in the backyard.. we could hear voices from all over the neighborhood. Everyone was trying to absorb as much of the day as they could. Knowing how it is here, it could be 40 degrees tomorrow again.

Be it be spring time weather outside now, it is still officially winter & the grocery stores are full of winter goodies,  I found some whole hazelnuts the other day, & bought a bag full, & all of us have been cracking & snacking .. They are just delicious! Look how gorgeous these are!

(more…)

I remember the time when back in India many moons back we used to live in a joint family. My grandparents, uncles, aunts  & cousins all lived in a big house, ate all together in one long dining table. Sunday afternoon lunches were always beautiful times when everyone was home, relaxed & talking for hours over food. Even tho’ I might have been only about 6 or 7 years old, I still  remember that one of the dishes used to be mutton curry or chicken curry. The hot steaming curry, used to be placed at the  center of the table, & all us little kids eyed it with utmost enthusiasm, while waiting for our turns.

(more…)

Chicken Tikka makes regular appearance  in all Indian restaurants. The Malai kabab is little different from the usual orange hued chicken tikka that you see in the appetizer section of the restaurant’s menu. These are irresistible tender succulent pieces of chicken that melts in your mouth as they are marinated in thick yogurt, creme (malai), cheese, herbs & spices and grilled to perfection. This makes great appetizers or have it as a main meal with grilled vegetables and your choice of rice, or couscous.

(more…)