Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog

Veggie Loaded Chicken Corn Chowder

I love Thanksgiving, however, this year, I had generally been a little apprehensive about things.  This year, my traditions are shifting, re-forming, and taking on new shapes, much like the steam rising from a truly comforting bowl of chowder. Okay, I get that sounds a little cheesy. This year, in addition to my turkey legs confit, I also made a small spice and herb roasted chicken. From the leftovers of this chicken emerged this veggie loaded Chicken Corn Chowder.

Navigating the New Normal and Finding my wavelength

Thangiving was all things perfect, surprisingly relaxed and the meal worked out great. You can read more about my thanksgiving musings here.

There is something calming about making soup, esepcially the process of chopping, cutting, sauteing and simmering. If like me, suddenly realize that your already limited time with your children is further shrunk,  there’s a unique bittersweetness that settles in. This Thanksgiving, for the first time, my children spent part of the holiday with their father. It’s a new chapter, a necessary adjustment, and one that, frankly, leaves an echo of quiet in a home after all the noise that was dinner before.

Well, the good thing about soup is that it feeds a crowd. Improptu, I did a mini friendsgiving or sorts. Now, I will confess, that this recipe is a keeper. I see myself making this on repeat over the winter, so despite mediorce pictures, I need to log the recipe. That, and I need to get back to this space.

The Simplicity of a Hug in a Bowl and I think I get Friendsgiving

This is sometimes a need to give a weekend get together a name. Beyond just well a weekend getogether so I kind of get the Friendgiving think. For me, chowder is the culinary equivalent of a cozy blanket and a warm embrace. It’s hearty, forgiving, and deeply satisfying. This particular rendition was a vibrant tapestry of seasonal goodness, a gentle nod to the bounty of autumn, packed with flavor and nourishing goodness. Some notes that make this chowder different is that I use coconut milk and a lot of ginger. It is just different enough to add some perk to the creamy soup.

Veggie Loaded!!

This chowder uses, potatoes, carrots, poblano pepper (do not skip those, that bite helps) and onions, garlic and ginger. All simmered for about 20 minutes, and then simmered further with the chicken and finally finished with coconut milk. I did not add too many herbs, or other things, as my realtor friend is still learning the complexity of my kitchen. The Friday night settled in, good wine always helps!

As we sat around my small table, sharing stories, laughter, and second helpings of chowder, I felt a profound sense of peace. This “Friend-giving” wasn’t a lesser version of holidays past; it was simply different, and in its own way, equally beautiful. It taught me that traditions can evolve, that gratitude can be found in unexpected places, and that sometimes, the warmest hugs come in a bowl, shared with friends who understand.

PrintVeggie Loaded Chicken Corn Chowder

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Serving Size: 1 cup

A nice soothing chowder made with hints of ginger and coconut milk.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 cup of celery thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium sized potato, peeled and dice
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 and half cups of frozen corn divided
1 cup of cubed cooked chicken
1 tablespoon of flour (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat the oive oil in a heavy bottomed pot.
Add in the chopped onions,celery, garlic and ginver and cook until the aromatics are fragrant.
Add in the pepers, carrots, potatoes, with the sa
lt and half the corn and about 1 cup of water. As this comes to a simmer, puree the remaining corn and add into the mixture and simmer for 20 minutes. At this point the vegetables should be soft. Add in another cup of water and bring to a simmer and add in the chicken and the flour if using. Add in the coconut milk and simmer until your prefered thickness.
Check for seasonings, and enjoy with freshly ground black pepper/3.1https://spicechronicles.com/veggie-loaded-chicken-corn-chowder/

The post Veggie Loaded Chicken Corn Chowder appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Rogan Josh – A signature Kashmiri Lamb Curry

Among the various staples across Indian restaurants is Roghan Josh. Versions vary from the good, bad, and ugly. Here I have even given you a version that I created a while ago. My prior version includes a small faux pas, the use of tomatoes. Indeed, good Roghan Josh, has a signature bright red gravy. It is however developed with a variety traditional finds such as Ratan Jot, a bright hued flower. In addition, also we find the use of a mild and vibrant Kashmiri Red chili powder. So, with a bunch of trial and error, this version gets you even closer to the real deal, without any wild and crazy ingredients.

A little bit about Rogan Josh

As mentioned earlier, it is a bright hued signature curry from Kashmiri. While there are a lot of similarities in the versions, depending on where in Kashmir this is being prepared there are variations as well. The word Rogan means rich, and josh literally translates to passion. The preferred cut of meat usually has the fat untrimmed, hence the “rogan”. The essentials in my recipe can be boiled down (no pun intended) to, shallots lots of them, Kashmiri Red Chili powder, and cooking the marinating meat, low and slow. Yes, I actually do this on the stove top, no cheating here.

Kashmiri cooking is elegant, well thought out, and is the best of everything that the valley offers. It meshes influences from Persia and Central Asia.

My Rogan Josh Story

Honestly, not a lot here. I misplaced a recipe for a class, and needed to recreate it, to one that I could stand behind. And low and behold, two to three iterations later, I have a flavorful and pretty easy recipe. Goat meat or mutton would probably be a good idea, but, I tend to make this more often than not with readily available lamb. My favorite cuts of meat tend to be bone-in loin lamb chops, or lamb shanks. Whatever the butcher (LOL!) as in my favorite grocery store carries that week.

Absolutes

Do marinate the meat, it both tenderizes and infuses a lot of flavor into it.Do slow cook it, again the essence of the dish is that it is slow braised flavorful meal of perfection.Serve this with perfectly cooked fluffy Basmati rice.

PrintRogan Josh – A signature Kashmiri Lamb Curry

Prep Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

A simple and authentic take on Rogan Josh, an authentic lamb stew from the Northern State of Kashmir.

Ingredients

To marinate

3/4 cup natural yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chili powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered coriander
2 pounds of bone in lamb (preferably with the fat left on)

For cooking
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 tablespoon ghee
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 black cardamoms
2 to 3 cloves
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 large stick cinnamon
2 medium sized shallots thinly sliced
1 teaspoon powdered fennel
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
Additional salt if needed
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Instructions

Mix in the yogurt with ginger, Kashmiri Chili powder, sweet paprika, salt, coriander and the bone in lamb. Set this aside for 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
In a large heavy bottomed pan heat the mustard oil and the ghee. Add in asafetida, the bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon.
Add in the shallots and cook the shallots on medium low heat stirring constantly until the shallots soften and turn gently golden. This will take anywhere between 20 to 25 minutes.
At this point add in the lamb with the marinade and stir and mix well. Stir in the powdered ginger and the fennel.
Cover and cook the lamb for at least 2 hours, occasionally removing the lid and stirring. You may need to add in up to a half cup of water during the cooking process. The goal here is to get a soft and comforting bright hued clingy sauce coating fall of the bone tender meat.

Notes

The dish does take a while to get the results expected, however, most of the cooking time is for marinating and allowing the stew to stew to simmer, so it is somewhat hands off.

3.1https://spicechronicles.com/rogan-josh-a-signature-kashmiri-lamb-curry/

The post Rogan Josh – A signature Kashmiri Lamb Curry appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Chili Chicken Noodles

While I slow down during extreme winter, I really do not like how how our New York summers have become. I mean, the temperatures have piled up to the late 80’s from the middle of June, and I see no respite in sight. Not surprisingly, the peppers have found this weather good, leading me to create this streamline version of noodles – Chili Chicken Noodles. They are inspired by the iconic Kolkata Chili Chicken. The same spicy umami, or at least close enough in a simple one dish meal. The result is nostalgic comfort in half the time.

The Story of My Chili Chicken Noodles

In the last month, I have been torn between not wanting to do anything that is heat inducing with the mantra of not eating out In particular, think lunch boxes. It is not that some of what I cook is ultra healthy, but honestly it is definitely better and cheaper than DoorDash for lunch. In short, recipes that are fun to eat and lunch box friendly have been dominating my life. These chili chicken noodles fit the bill.

If you are a Kolkata girl like me, you will possibly not want to enjoy your chili chicken without fried rice or noodles. So a dish like dish, combines both, without cooking two separate meals. I used whatever I had on hand, but there is the potential of loading this with more vegetables. Something back in the day I would have striven to do. But, these days, I confess, I am still mastering the art of shopping and eating down my fridge without too much wastage. And this recipes gets me there.

Simple Minimal Ingredients

So, I have used scallions, bell peppers, garlic, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, chicken and flavorings for this recipe. Honestly, no right or wrong amounts. I will give you my measurements, but feel free to mix it up, and make the recipe yours. What really makes this shine is the garlic and jalapeno.

PrintChili Chicken Noodles

Prep Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

A streamlined version of spicy noodles and chicken inspired by the Kolkata style chili chicken.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
2 teaspoons (6 cloves), minced garlic
1 teaspoon (1 inch piece), minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup oil

For the noodles
1 tablespoon oil (if needed)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped (whites and greens separated)
1 small to medium sized green bell pepper, cut into a small dice
2 jalapenos cut into small pieces, divided
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sriracha
1 package of dried 13.5 ounce noodles cooked according to the directions
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro to finish

Instructions

Mix the chicken, minced garlic, minced ginger and the salt with the cornstarch and set aside for at least and hour. If you have time, do this overnight.
In a large pan/skillet heat the oil until almost smoking and place the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes and turn and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Your chicken should be golden, crisp and mostly cooked through.
In the same pan add the additional oil and add in the minced garlic, scallion whites, green pepper and the half the jalapenos and cook until the vegetables soften considerably for about 3 to 4 minutes.
In the meantime in a small bowl mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey or brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha with about 2 to 3 spoons of water.
Add in the noodles with any seasoning that the noodles might have and toss well. Add in the soy sriracha mixture and toss well to coat and heat through.
Garnish with the cilantro and the remaining jalapenos and serve hot.

Notes

Most of the prep time is for marinating the chicken

3.1https://spicechronicles.com/chili-chicken-noodles/

The post Chili Chicken Noodles appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Essential Quick and Easy Kulcha

An often overlooked flatbread on the Indian table is the Kulcha, it is a close cousin of Naan, but then again, it is its own thing. It is much lower maintenance than naan, as it is gently and quickly leavened using baking soda and yogurt. It is also much lighter, as there is very little fat in the dough and brushing the finished kulcha with butter or ghee is also optional.

A little more about kulcha and variations and my kulcha story

The kulcha traditionally originates from Punjab, and can be made stuffed, not unlike parathas. The simpler classic variety that I offer here is soft, there are crisper variations which is the Amritsari Kulcha. In fact, there are a lot of specialized unique varieties out there. However, let us start with the essential kulcha. In a week that has been a really crazy blend of turbulent, warm fresh kulchas come to the rescue. In fact, the week with mom’s health issues has completely overshadowed a BIG milestone. My girl graduated!!! But that is always life, rain and sunshine coexist to result in a beautiful garden.

About the dough and possibilities

The process of making the kulcha dough is pretty simple. You mix all the ingredients and let it rest for 30 minutes, you get a soft and puffy dough.  Roll it out, and cook on a skillet and you are in the kulcha business.  You can make this in larger quantities and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just bring it back to room temperature before using. And finally, your cooked kulchas if left over can be frozen very comfortably. Extra kulchas also make a great base for a pizza.

Yes, I have been having all kinds of fun experimenting with toppings, so very soon, I will share my kulcha pizza adventures.

A few tips and tricks

It is very important to use a heavy bottomed pan/tawa that is well heated. So start heating the skillet while you are rolling out your kulcha. This is very essential.

Do not roll your kulcha too thick, it should be the just slightly thicker than a paratha.

And your kulchas are the perfect accompaniment for chicken, chickpeas and paneer.

PrintEssential Quick and Easy Kulcha

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup natural yogurt

To finish

Melted butter
Chopped cilantro

Instructions

In a mixing bowl mix together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oil or butter, baking powder, baking soda.
Add in the yogurt for a scraggy dough, and enough water (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) to form a smooth, not wet dough.
Cover and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Mix the melted butter and cilantro for brushing and set aside.
Heat the cooking skillet or griddle on medium heat.
While this is heating, break the dough into golf ball sized pieces, roll into 6 to 7 inch circles.
Place this on the pre-heated skillet and cook for 3 minutes, the bread should start blistering and puff up in parts, and turn pale golden.
Turn the kulcha and cook the second side.
Brush with the melted butter and cilantro mixture.
Serve with your favorite dish.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/essential-quick-and-easy-kulcha/

 

The post Essential Quick and Easy Kulcha appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Sourdough or Regular Air Fryer Naan

My sourdough starter persists despite my less than optimal care of it. And on a whim, with the last batch of discard, I made a practical naan base. And they tried this in the air fryer. I am positively excited to report, this was quite the success. And the best part of it, a perfect quick and small batch solution.  The resulting naan is puffy and has an ever so slightly chewy crust. I made this in a variety of sizes, and, yes I am super excited about this and need to share this with you.

Why This Air Fryer Idea is Exciting

In general, making naan at home entails heating up the oven until really very hot. This is fine on a cold day, but not necessary on a hot one. Then there is a lot of wrestling in a super hot oven. So, with the air fryer, you are in business, in a very short period of time.

So, we are talking about 4 minutes of pre-heating and about 4 minutes, 2 minutes on each side for the naan. So, honestly, this makes it manageable for something like even 2 naans.

So, here we go,

Less heatQuicker Cooking TimeCapability of smaller batch cooking

Sour Dough or Maybe Not

So yes, this sourdough that I am bringing your way, is a practical but very complex flavored affair. This said, if you do not have the time for that overnight well about 6 hours rise, you can use my regular naan recipe.

And for a whole grain sourdough version, you can try this recipe. So yes, there are lots of possibilities.

Flour Options

I have made this using both bread flour and regular all purpose flour, and have found that they both work well in this recipe. So, it really is just a matter of getting started, and letting your dough rise and do its thing and you will be all ready for complex, quick, and easy naan.

PrintSourdough or Regular Air Fryer Naan

Prep Time: 10 hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

An air fryer take on sour dough naan. The recipe is easy, and gets done very quickly, once the dough is all ready.

Ingredients

2 cups of white bread flour
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
1/4 cup sourdough discard
1 and 1/2 tablespoons yogurt
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

For finishing

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried herbs (mint, fenugreek, or both)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

For the naan, mix all the ingredients together in a soft dough, adding a little extra flour if needed.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover and set aside in a warm place for six hours or overnight. You can also do this in the yogurt function in your instant pot.
The dough should have doubled in size, give the dough another knead and allow it to rise for 2 to 3 more hours.
In the meantime mix together the olive oil, dry herbs, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.
To make the naan, break the naan into smaller walnut sized balls.
Roll the dough out into fairly thin (about 1/4 inch thick pieces).
Preheat and line the air fryer.
Place about 2 naan pieces into the air fryer at a time. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, the naan should puff up, and turn pale golden, any thing darker will result in a harder consistency.
Brush with the oil mixture and serve.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/sourdough-or-regular-air-fryer-naan/

 

 

 

The post Sourdough or Regular Air Fryer Naan appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

A Herb Planter – This Old House

It has been a hot minute. And, I finally created a herb planter. A beautiful medley of assorted herbs, enough to add green and help me feel connected with the soil. A herb planter is probably one of the simplest yet essential steps in gardening, particularly for any adventurous home cook. And, in today’s world a relatively inexpensive and fresh way to have a variety of fresh herbs at your disposal. And who knows, they might even fill up to be beautiful. It is my way to trying to ease my way back to gardening.

The Story of the Herb Planter and This Old House

Those of you following Spice Chronicles probably know my love of sensible sustainability. As we speak Spice Chronicles has a new home. Not far from my old home, but this one is currently just me. It is older, with a little more character and lots of potential to make this my own. As things go, few people speak of the fact, that it takes more time to get an older home into some of the sustainable shape that we take for granted in today’s newer houses.

To this end, the, This Old House series aspire to tell you about my journey, in getting things more sustainable in my new space. I always call my approach to sustainability sensible, because, we all have to work and reduce our carbon footprint in a manner that is budget friendly for us as well.

In addition, it has to fit into what we do in a seamless manner. Let’s face it, most of us are busy, and we need to build in a sustainable lifestyle into our life in a manner that makes sense.

So, now, naturally for me the herb planter offers lots of incentives. Most importantly, I am able to get an assortment of my favorite herbs in small doses.  In my case, think parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill, and oregano. The best part of this is that, you can bring this indoors in winter to enjoy all year round.

How I did it

Pretty simple actually! I repurposed and old whiskey barrel planter, one that was actually out and about somewhere in the garden, left my the previous owners. Do you ever wonder what the lives of people who lived in spaces before you were like? For today, here is me encouraging you to try your own herb planter.

For the herbs, you can certainly start from seeds, buying a mixed assortment.

If you have gardener friends, getting clippings are fairly easy.

And lastly, herbs are on sale in most places with gardening supplies, I got some fairly cast out ones from home depot.

The next step for this is to build a herb hedge, but I will save that for the next few weeks.

The post A Herb Planter – This Old House appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Coconut Shortbread Cookie Sandies

I am not digging all this icy snowy precipitation coming our way. This week I have been coping by baking. In fact, I tried this recipe at least 4 times. These perfect, fragrant and crisp Coconut Cookies are living proof. These coconut cookies are really made with pantry staples. They are delicate, crisp and fragrant and make the house smell of warmth and comfort. I have settled for two variations, with and without leavening.

 

My Coconut Cookies Story

As I child in India, I enjoyed something called Nice biscuits. I had no idea that these were a real thing as in a biscuit with a history. Well, my cookies do bring back those childhood memories, but are actually very different. These are made with whole wheat flour and have the right notes of spice in them.

In this cold and chilly weather these cookies  that I adapted using this  recipe, are everything you are looking for.

These Coconut Cookies are,foolproof.have just the right amount of sweetness to enjoy with a good cup of tea.ridiculously easymade with mostly pantry staplesVariations

While all versions that I have tried, were eggless, the two variations that I worked with are with or without leavening. With a little baking powder and baking soda with some chilling, you get a chewier and slightly softer cookie with lovely crinkles. And if I leave the leavening out, I get a crisper cookie. The chilling is optional, I think you get a firmer shape if you chill for about an hour.

A few key ingredients

I make these cookies with melted ghee instead of butter, and cut the sugar with some maple syrup.

A quick and easy visual.

Here is a quick Tiktok video

 

@spice_chronicles

Crispy Coconut Cookies These cookies have been my new obsession, try them and you will see why… #spicechronicles #spicechrocleskitchen #cookies #winterbaking #winterrecipes #eatingwell #ghee #indian #eatingwell #goodvibes #foodblogger

♬ Food – Guz Aleksei Igorevich

As the days are going by, I am counting down to clearing out my pantry, the result is all kinds of dishes, good and bad. Part of me wonders,  how a new sanitized pantry will look and feel like. But for today, let us check out this fun and easy cookie.

 

Other cookies from my site include these Walnut Shortbread Cookies and Rustic Spice and Molasses Cookies.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group . Of course check out Instant Indian  and or the The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles. 

Do not forget to get social with me, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and even Youtube.

PrintCrisp Coconut Cookies with Cloves and Cardamom

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: Makes 3 dozen cookies

A spice scented crisp coconut cookie that is very addictive.

Ingredients

7 tablespoons ghee, melted
1 cup of white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina or cornmeal
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut plus extra for rolling
1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and cinnamon or cardamom

See notes for variations

Instructions

Melt the ghee and mix in the sugar and the maple syrup and mix well, until well mixed and creamy.
Add in the vanilla extract.
Mix in the flour, cornmeal and the shredded coconut and mix well.
Stir in the spices.
Shape into small rounds about 1 tablespoon each and roll in a little coconut and place on a greased cookie sheet.
Chill for about 1 hour if time permits (note doing this holds the shape better), but they can be baked without chilling.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, before removing from the oven and enjoy!

Notes

If you wish, add in 1/2 teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, this offers a chewier cookie with gentle crinkles.

3.1https://spicechronicles.com/coconut-shortbread-cookie-sandies/

The post Coconut Shortbread Cookie Sandies appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Ultimate Ginger Molasses Cookies

My ultimate ginger molasses cookies are rich, sweet, and intense. The key word here is intense, much like how 2025 seems to be turning out for me. In fact, January has been such a roller coaster of emotions. It has take me almost the entire month to grapple and scope out a post.  This one, needed to be posted, and so here it is.

Making multiple versions of this cookie, saw me through 2024. So, to start 2025 I offer you my ultimate recipe.

The Story of These Ultimate Ginger Molasses Cookies

As things go, my son and I guess my daughter as well, are both very fond of gingerbread cookies. Which takes me to my original recipe for gingersnaps. In the last year, the one thing that I have done is baked many ginger molasses cookies. I have even made these as bar cookies. Almost every time, I have amped up the spice amounts just a little bit.

I have tried them without the sugar roll, and decided while that was acceptable, the sugar does in fact add a nice crispy crust to the cookie, leaving it crisp on the outside and chewy in the inside.

I tried with or without the chilling. The chilling is essential to allow just enough spread for the crinkles. And, finally to hold its own with all the spices, I use some ghee and robust molasses for my recipe.

Please note, robust molasses is not to be confused with blackstrap molasses, 

Blackstrap molasses I am sure has its place, just not in this recipe.

A few do’s and don’ts

The egg yolk is essential, do not skip it.

Substituting the butter for some melted ghee, gives this cookie a nice rich and dense texture, try it.

Do not make the balls too large, you do want to allow enough space for the cookies to spread, and overall, this is a nice rich and robust cookies, so it is best enjoyed in a not too large package.

And for a video, check out this video on tiktok

More more fun cookie recipes, check out my coconut cookies,  almond shortbread cookies, and chocolate chip molasses cookies.

PrintUltimate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 cup ghee melted (can be substituted with butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup robust molasses
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Additional 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar for rolling

Instructions

Instructions

Place the melted butter and ghee (if using) in a large mixing bowl.
Add in the brown and white sugar and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, until smooth and creamy.
Add in the egg yolk and the vanilla extract and mix well. Add molasses and beat until combined.
In another bowl, mix in flour, baking soda, salt, powdered ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and mix well until well combined.
Wrap and chill the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a large cookie sheet.
Using a tablespoon, measure out tablespoons of the dough, and shape into a circle and roll in the sugar, and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Place in the oven, and bake for about 9 to 10 minutes until puffy and cracks begin to appear.
Turn off the heat and leave in the oven for 5 minutes, remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool before removing.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/ultimate-ginger-molasses-cookies/

The post Ultimate Ginger Molasses Cookies appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken Masala Starter

Most of us are looking for ways to stream line and short cut our daily cooking routine. In addition, I am also checking out freezer friendly options. Both of these come together in a very easy and simple tikka masala or butter chicken base. Now before you tell me that these two are not quite the same, let me tell you, there are worse things that are done in the name of both these dishes. This basic sauce gets you a flavorful start that you can customize further.

My Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken Masala Story

Honestly, we are smack into holiday season, I find myself somehow doing a lot of potlucks this year. Depending on things, folks always expect something Indian from me, and these crowd pleaser more often than not fits the bill. Given that I have fewer eaters, make that a singular in my household, I wanted something a little more streamlined, so that I am not making large batches of something. And then genius struck and I came up with this recipe. The concept is not new, I have a baseline recipe for a curry masala here. Of course, there are lots commercial varieties, some even pretty good. But, this one is relatively simple in its flavors to allow for some customization. Instant Pot fans, I have an instant pot version in my cookbook.

And speaking of holidays, if you are thinking of an even quicker version for my leftover turkey curry, this tikka masala base has you covered.

A few things about this recipe,

It is made fairly thick, this way it can be thinned down some to adapt to your favorite recipe.It does not use a lot of cream, keeping it freezer friendly, in fact, I use half and half.I use an immersion blender, and honestly if you use tomato puree for the recipe you can skip blending. True it will be a little more rustic than what you might find in a restaurant.

So without much fuss, here is the recipe.

PrintTikka Masala or Butter Chicken Masala Starter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: About 1 and 1/2 cups

A simple, practical and flavorful base for Tikka Masala

Ingredients

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado oil
1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped red onions (about 2 mediums sized)
4 cloves garlic minced
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 cups of canned tomato puree
2 tablespoons tandoori masala
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup half and half
2 tablespoons kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add in the onions and sauté for five to six minutes until the onions are fragrant and a pale toffee color.
Add in the garlic and the ginger and sauté for another five to six minutes stirring frequently for the last three minutes.
Add in the tomato puree, tandoori masala and the salt. Cook this on medium heat for at least fifteen minutes to allow the mixture to thicken and develop an almost jammy consistency.
Stir in the sugar and the half and half and puree the mixture using either an immersion blender or a regular blender.
Mix in the kasuri methi and use as needed.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/tikka-masala-or-butter-chicken-masala-starter/

The post Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken Masala Starter appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Chicken Tikka Salad

Cooking has been indifferent but, here and I have had have had winners such as this Chicken Tikka Salad. There are many ways to work with the chicken tikka.  I like to use my air fryer and make this version.

I am getting the hang of simpler scalable meals. Almost feels like learning the ropes again. There is a saying that the more life changes, in some ways it remains the same.

My Chicken Tikka Salad Story

There has been a lot of reflection in life the past few weeks. I have a book project in the works, which has thankfully been motivating me to do some cooking. Also, have been trying to box some lunch for myself, with a focus on veggies. So, I made a batch of air fryer chicken tikka, some of which I am using for this recipe. The balance I will be cooking for Aadi (he comes home from college over the weekend to make some butter chicken).  I want to test out the stove top version, all in a single pan.

The chicken tikka salad though came up, and is a love child of a chicken salad and kachumber, the classic Indian tomato, cucumber, and onion salad.

I made two versions, one somewhat more chunky, with more red onions and some basil. The basil did not necessarily do a lot for the salad, so I leave it out in the formal recipe. But, add it in if you wish. The smaller chopped vegetables work well in getting the flavor absorption component going. The essential dressing includes, lime juice, chaat masala, a touch of oil. For some fun I add in balsamic and for some crunch almonds. The deep flavors of the chicken tikka adds to the flavors of the dish.

This Chicken tikka salad, starts with making a double batch of chicken tikka, and then tossing it into a comforting and satisfying salad. The magic ingredient is avocado’s that absorb the fresh citrus dressing and add a dose of healthy creamy comfort.

The truth is a grilled chicken salad is always a good idea, especially when the mercury is soaring. So yes, this really is something that I used to make in summer, but unseasonable warm fall, makes it work just as well. I am trying to get back into the routine of sharing some more recipes.

I have a compact menu for Thanksgiving planned this year, will share as I move along. For what its worth, I am sure leftover turkey would work quite well in this salad.

Do not forget to get social with me, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest 

PrintChicken Tikka Salad

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

An Indian summer take on a grilled chicken salad, using cucumbers, tomatoes, chicken tikka and a light citrus dressing.

Ingredients

1 recipe , airfryer chicken tikka.

For the salad

1 medium sized seedless English cucumbers
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and diced (optional)
3 to 4 mediums sized heirloom tomatoes or 1 cup grape tomatoes
1/4 medium sized chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

For the dressing

2 limes or lemons
1 teaspoon chaat masala
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Garnish

Micro Greens and Cilantro
Mint
Sliced Onions

Instructions

Chop the chicken tikka into chunks and set aside.
Peel and slice the cucumber, the cucumbers should not be very thin. Cut the tomatoes into chunks of halve the grape tomatoes if that is what you are using. Toss the tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados together.
Thinly slice or dice the onions.
Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado (if using) onions and cilantro in a mixing bowl and mix lightly. Add in the chicken.
In a separate bowl add in the lime juice, chaat masala, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix well.
Toss the salad with the dressing.
Garnish with the cilantro, microgreens, mint, and the almonds.
Enjoy!

Notes

The chicken for this salad can be made ahead and enjoyed as needed for this salad.

3.1https://spicechronicles.com/chicken-tikka-salad/

The post Chicken Tikka Salad appeared first on Spice Chronicles.