Shukto and Methi Chicken

Shukto

Ingredients:

Vegetables

• 1 karela
• 2 drumsticks
• 1 plantain
• 1 brinjal
• 1 potato
• 1 radish
• Half cup grated coconut
• Any other vegetable you wish to add.

 
Spices

• Ginger coarse paste
• Mustard and poppy seed paste
• Bay leaf
• A pinch of Rnadhuni or its substitute Panch Phoron
• Salt
• Sugar

Other ingredients

• Crisp lentil drops called Bodi or Dal-vadi
• Half to one cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• Vegetable oil for cooking

 
Procedure:
 

1. Chop all the vegetables to small or medium size.
2. Heat oil in a big wok. Mildly fry all the vegetables one by one and set aside. Fry Bodi till it is brown and crisp and set aside.
3. Add the bay leaf to oil. Once it is slightly brown, add Rnadhuni or Panch Phoron and temper till it releases aroma.
4. Add ginger paste and temper till it releases aroma.
5. Add the fried vegetables and mix with the spices.
6. Add milk till it soaks the vegetables, 1 tablespoon mustard - poppy seed paste, grated coconut.
7. Add salt and sugar to taste. Let the dish stew for a little while.
8. Add fried Bodi.
9. Top with a liberal helping of ghee.
10. Serve with plain rice.

 

Methi Chicken

Ingredients:

Wet items

• 1 kg chicken chopped into medium-sized pieces
• 1 bunch of fenugreek or methi leaves cleaned and coarsely chopped
• Chopped onions

Spices

• Garlic paste
• Ginger paste
• Chilli powder
• Cumin powder
• Coriander powder
• Garam masala
• Salt

Other ingredients

• Char magaz or melon seeds paste
• Cashew paste
• Fresh cream
• Vegetable oil

Procedure:
 

1. Warm vegetable oil in a wok. Fry onions till light brown.
2. Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Temper for a while.
3. Add cumin and coriander powder and cook for a while.
4. Add salt to taste and chili powder.
5. Add chicken pieces and mix with the spices. Let it cook for a while.
6. Add methi leaves, mix with chicken and spices.
7. Cover the wok and let it cook for a while.
8. Check every few minutes and add some water if dry.
9. Check after 15 minutes if the chicken is cooked. If still raw, cover the wok and let it cook again for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
10. Once the chicken is cooked, add melon seeds, cashew paste, fresh cream. Let it simmer for a little while.
11. Sprinkle garam masala and take the wok off the flame.
12. Serve with roti or paratha.

 
Happy cooking! Hope you enjoyed our culinary journey as much as we did.