Nasuha Blog

With the onset of Monsoon, the weather has become a little cold and there is a slight nip in the air. This is the time to sip on some thing warm and soothing and that's exactly what I did for today's dinner. A bowl of this hearty plum and chicken soup with a crunch from fried garlic in every bite and a few slices of Herb and Garlic bread to dunk in the soup is just what I needed to enjoy the weather. This combination of Plums and chicken is sure to impress your taste buds. Here is the recipe to make this Plum and Chicken Soup with Crispy Fried Garlic. This recipe also goes to the Kitchen Aid Contest held by IFBM, a food bloggers meet that is happening in Bangalore.


All you need is

Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 8-10 cloves ( chopped )
Onion - 1\2 cup ( sliced )
Celery - 1\4 cup ( chopped )
Plums - 5-6 ( de seeded and chopped )
Chicken breast - 1 ( cut into pieces )
Bay leaf - 1
Chicken stock - 4 cups
Butter - 1 tbsp
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Freshly ground black pepper - 1\2 tsp
Dried rosemary - 1\2 tsp
Dried thyme - 1\2 tsp
Dried oregano - 1\2 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh cream - 2 tbsp



Method of preparation

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan.
Add 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Add onion, celery and fry for a minute.
Add plums and chicken and fry for a minute.
Add bay leaf and chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and blend the mixture in a blender.
Add butter in a pan.
Add all purpose flour and fry for a few seconds.
Add the pureed mixture in the pan.
Add black pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano and salt.
Add cream and cook the soup for a minute.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a small pan.
Add garlic and fry till golden brown and crisp.
Pour the oil over the soup.
Serve hot with some bread on the side.

You all are well aware of my love for the stone fruits and how I am desperately trying to make the most of them while they last. After I posted the Spiced Peach and Rum Galette on my other Blog Whisk Affair, I was well convinced that it is my last post on stone fruits for this season. But then this twist in the plans came up when IFBM, the first ever Blogger's meet in India which is happening in Bangalore announced the Kitchen Aid Contest . The winner of the contest wins a Kitchen Aid Chopper, so there is no way I was going to miss it. I am a big fan of Kitchen Aid Gadgets and very proudly owns a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer and a Meat Mince Attachment and will not leave any opportunity to have that gorgeous Chopper in my Kitchen.  So I have come with this Dessert Dip recipe using Plum as the main ingredient. You can serve this dip with apple wedges, marsh mellows, crackers, strawberries and pretzels and a healthy yet delicious dessert option is ready in no time. Here is the recipe to make this easy Roasted Plum and Chocolate Dessert Dip.


All you need is

Fresh Plums - 1\2 kg ( choose the ripest and sweetest plums for this recipe )
Sugar - 1 cup
Dark chocolate - 100 g ( Melted and cooled to room temperature)
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp


Method of preparation

Pre heat the oven to 150 degree C.
Wash the plums and cut into half.
Remove the seed.
Arrange the plum halves on a baking tray.
Sprinkle a little sugar on top and roast the plums for 2 hours.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Blend the roasted plums in a blender to make a smooth paste.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend to make a smooth mixture.
Transfer the dip in a sterilized glass jar and refrigerate for up to 7 days.
Serve with apple wedges, strawberries, Marsh mellows, crackers and pretzels.

With the summers comes the stone fruits and I get obsessed with cooking and baking with them. This obsession is not irrational as you just get a few days to enjoy these and then have to wait for an entire year for them to come back. So please bear with the upcoming recipes which will be featuring a lot of stone fruits :)
Made this not so common combination a few days back and it was loved by all in the family. The sweet and tangy plums gives a characteristic flavor to the gravy which goes very well with the spicy mutton. This recipe need both dried plums and fresh plums but if fresh plums are not available, you can add a few teaspoons of lemon juice.The thing that you should always keep in mind while cooking with plums is to add them at the end of cooking. If they are added in between, they make the gravy a bit bitter. Here is how I made this curry.

This recipe goes to the Kitchen Aid Contest organised by IFBM, the first f it's kind, food Blogger's meet that is happening in Bangalore.


All you need is

Oil - 3 tbsp and for frying onions
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Onion - 2 cups ( Finely chopped )
Cloves - 2-3
Black cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 2 inch piece
Black peppercorns - 4-5
Mutton - 500 g
Yogurt - 1\4 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1\2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1\2 tsp
Salt to taste
Dried plums - 100 g ( I used Del Monte's California prunes )
Fresh plum - 1 ( cut into thick wedges )
Fresh coriander for garnishing


Method of preparation

Coarsely puree the dried plums using a chopped.
Heat 3-4 cups of oil in a heavy bottom pan.
When the oil is hot, add the onion.
Fry the onion till they are golden brown.
Keep stirring in between for uniform browning of onions.
Drain the browned onion on a tissue lined plate.
Transfer the remaining oil in a vessel and keep for future use.
Add 3 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a pressure pan.
Add cloves, black cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorn.
Fry for 20 seconds.
Add mutton and fry on high heat till slightly browned. ( approx 5 minutes )
Mix yogurt, ginger garlic paste, fried onions, kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt in a bowl.
Add it in the pressure pan.
Add a cup of water and pressure cook till mutton is done.
Let the pressure pan cool completely.
Open the pan and add the fresh plum wedges and coarsely chopped dried plums.
Adjust the water and let it come to a boil.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Switch off the heat.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve hot with rice or Naan.

You think of Indian snacks and the first thing that pops up is Samosa. Samosas have made a big name for themselves and for Indian snacks in the foreign world. During our days of travel, lot of Mohit's colleagues requested me to make samosas for them and it was always a joyous sight to see them devour the humble samosa with much Oohhs and aahhs. With the easy availability of samosa patti these days, it has become my snack of choice whenever I have guests at home and I keep experimenting with the filling. This time, I ditched the regular potato filling and instead whipped up a delicious chicken and cheese filling for my samosas. Needless to say, it was a hit and is definitely going to be on the menu when ever we are entertaining for the next time. So here is the recipe to make these super easy and delicious Chicken and cheese samosa.



All you need is

Samosa patti - 12-15
All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp and for frying
Garlic - 3-4 cloves ( thinly sliced )
Onion - 1\4 cup ( finely chopped )
Green capsicum - 3 tbsp ( finely chopped )
Chicken mince - 150 g
Salt to taste
Dried oregano - 1\2 tsp
Dried thyme - 1\2 tsp
Dried basil - 1\2 tsp
White pepper powder - 1\4 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Cheese - 1\4 cup ( grated )


Method of preparation

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
Add garlic once the oil is hot.
Fry for a few seconds.
Add onion and fry till they turn translucent.
Add capsicum and chicken mince and fry for a minute.
Add salt, oregano, thyme, basil, white pepper powder and lemon juice.
Cook till chicken is done.
Remove from heat and cool.
Once cooled to room temperature, add grated cheese.
Mix all purpose flour and water to make thick paste.
Keep a tbsp of filling on the end of Samosa patti and roll to make samosa.
Seal the ends using the flour paste.
Make all the samosas in the same way.
Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is heated nicely, simmer the heat to medium.
Deep fry the samosas on medium heat till golden brown.
Remove on a plate lined with tissue.
Serve hot with ketchup or coriander chutney.

A couple of days back, we enjoyed a lovely evening with friends, good food and drinks at my place. I was in charge of food and we decided to use our newly acquired gas grill and a barbeque was set up. With a lot of  food and drinks around, I ended up with a big batch of grilled vegetables as left overs. Now to use up all those vegetables was a challenge and that's when this Veg Tikka Masala came to my mind. The gravy is the same that I make for my Chicken Tikka masala and the beautiful smoky flavor from the grilled vegetables made it even more amazing. Although I used the left over vegetables to make this curry, you can specially marinate the veggies, grill them on a gas grill or a grill pan and then add them in the curry. Here is the recipe to make this very delicious Veg Tikka Masala.



All you need is

To marinate the vegetables

Capsicum - 1\2 ( cut into cubes )
Onion - 1\2 ( cut into cubes )
Baby corn - 3-4 ( cut into half )
Mushroom - 10-12
Paneer - 150 g
Cauliflower - 10-12 small florets
Hung curd - 2 tbsp ( the curd should be really thick so that it can cling to the vegetables )
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1\2 tsp
Red chili powder-  1\2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp and for applying while grilling

For the gravy

Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 2-3
Black peppercorn - 5-6
Black cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Onion - 1 cup ( chopped )
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Tomato - 3 ( medium size )
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1\2 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tsp
Fresh coriander for garnishing


Method of preparation

For the veg tikka

Mix all the ingredients for marination and cover the bowl with a cling wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Thread the vegetables on skewers and grill on a grill pan or tandoor or barbeque till done and slightly blackened.
Apply little oil while grilling.
Keep aside

For the gravy

Boil water in a pan and add the tomatoes.
Cook for 5-6 minutes.
Remove the skin of the tomatoes and grind in a blender to make a smooth puree.
Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add cloves, black peppercorn, black cardamom and cinnamon.
Fry for 10 seconds.
Add onion and fry till slightly browned.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till onions are nicely browned.
Add tomato puree.
Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the leftover marinade and cook for a minute.
Add the grilled vegetables and a half cup of water.
Cook for 3-4 minutes till oil separates.
Add honey and lemon juice.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve hot with Naan or Laccha Paratha.

This Chicken Dahi Wala recipe is very close to my heart as it's my Dad's to go recipe and I remember him making this dish week after week on our demand as we never got over this flavorful, spicy curry with a lovely texture. The recipe is quite easy to make as all you have to do is to brown the onions. All the other ingredients are basically dumped in the pan and cooked till they blend beautifully with each other. Serve it with rice or pair it with laccha paratha or naan, this recipe is surely a keeper. Here is the simple recipe to make this Dahi Wala Murgh.


All you need is

Chicken - 1 kg ( with bones )
Oil - 1\4 cup
Cloves - 3-4
Black peppercorns - 5-6
Black cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Dry red chili - 2-3
Onion - 1 and 1\2 cups ( thinly sliced )
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Yogurt - 2 cups
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1\2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Honey - 1 tsp
lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander for garnishing


Method of preparation

Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add cloves, black peppercorn, black cardamom, cinnamon and dry red chilies.
Fry for 10 seconds.
Add onion and fry till slightly browned.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till onions are nicely browned.
Add chicken and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Whisk yogurt and add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt to it.
Add the yogurt in the pan.
Cover and cook till chicken is done.
Add little water if required.
Add honey and lemon juice and mix.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice or laccha paratha.

Breakfast is a very important meal for us and I am always on a lookout for breakfast recipes which makes a good lunch pack option for my kiddo as well. This Paneer Moong dal Chila has always been a family favorite and I love how it can be prepared with so much ease and the health benefits associated with it.
It also keeps good till the lunch time for kiddo and rolled and packed in an Aluminium foil, it is easy for him to munch on it without much fuss and dirty hands and cloths. Here is how I make my Paneer and Moong dal chila.


All you need is

For the batter

Dhuli Moong dal \ Split skinned green gram - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chili - 1
Oil for frying

For the filling

Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin \ Zeera seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1\4 cup ( chopped )
Green chili - 1
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1\4 tsp
Paneer - 1 cup ( grated )
Fresh coriander - 1 tbsp ( chopped )



Method of preparation

For the filling

Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds.
When the seeds starts to crackle, add onion and green chilies.
Fry till onion turns translucent.
Add salt and turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds.
Add paneer and coriander and mix well.
Remove the pan from heat.

For the Chila

Wash and soak the dal for 2-3 hours.
Drain the water.
Grind the dal with ginger, green chili  and little water to make a smooth paste.
Add salt and more water to make a dosa like batter. ( medium thick consistency )
Heat a non stick pan and pour a ladle full of batter in the center.
Spread the batter to make a thin round using the back of ladle.
Pour a tsp of oil on the sides and cook till golden brown.
Flip and cook the chila from other side.
Flip again.
Keep 2 tbsp of filling on one half of the chila.
Fold over.
Serve hot with green coriander chutney.

Everyone in my house loves chole and since they are also a great source of protein, I end up making them at least once a week. The recipes I usually use to make Chole are either Pindi Chana Masala or Chole in an onion tomato gravy. This time I gave a little twist to my regular recipe and made Shahi Chole instead. The gravy was enriched with Khoya and milk and a little lemon juice and honey at the end gave it a wonderful taste and flavor. The recipe was very well appreciated and now I have another winner in my collection. Do try this Shahi Chole masala to give a change to your regular Chole gravy. Here is the recipe.


All you need is

Chole \ Chickpeas - 2 cup
Oil - 4 tbsp
Onion - 1 and 1\2 cups ( chopped )
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 cup ( chopped )
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1\2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin powder - 1\2 tsp
Salt to taste
Khoya - 100 gm
Milk - 1\2 cup
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Saffron - a pinch ( soaked in a tbsp of milk )


Method of preparation

Wash and soak chole in enough water for 6-8 hours.
Drain the water and add chole in a pressure cooker.
Add 4 cups of water and 2 tsp salt and pressure cook till done.
Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add onion.
Fry till onion are slightly brown.
Add ginger and garlic paste.
Cook till onions are browned.
Add tomato and cook for another minute.
Add coriander powder, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and roasted cumin powder.
Fry for 2 minutes.
Add little water if required.
Add the boiled chole with the water and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Add khoya, milk and honey and mix well
Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add lemon juice and saffron soaked in milk..
Adjust salt as required.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve hot with rice or Naan.

Murgh Malaiwala or Chicken in a cream based gravy is an easy to make yet very delicious preparation of Chicken where Chicken is cooked in cream and milk and is very mildly spiced with garam masala powder, cardamom powder, saffron and some green chilies. Enjoy Murgh Malaiwala with some laccha paratha or naan. Here is the easy and simple recipe to make this Chicken delicacy.


All you need is

Boneless chicken - 500 g ( cut into small pieces )
Hung yogurt - 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee \ Clarified butter - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 3-4
Black peppercorn - 5-6
Onion - 1 and 1\2 cups ( chopped )
Green chili - 2 ( slit into half )
Fresh cream - 100 ml
Milk - 1\2 cup
Saffron strands - a pinch
Cardamom powder - 1\2 tsp
White pepper power - 1\2 tsp
Kasuri methi \ dried fenugreek leaves - 2 tbsp ( crushed )
Almond flakes for garnishing


Method of preparation

Mix hung yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste and salt in a bowl.
Add chicken pieces and mix well.
Cover the bowl with a cling film and refrigerate for up to 3-4 hours.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add cloves and black peppercorns.
Add onion and fry till translucent.
Add green chili and fry for a few seconds.
Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and cook on high heat for 5-6 minutes till the chicken is slightly browned and the raw smell is gone..
Add cream, milk, saffron strands, cardamom powder, white pepper powder and fenugreek leaves.
Cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat till chicken is done.
Add warm water if you want a thinner gravy and bring it to a boil.
Garnish with almond flakes and serve hot with Laccha paratha or Naan.

Potato is the most common vegetable in the world and is one of the most versatile one too. It is also the most liked vegetable in my house and when I am confused on what to make for the meals, potato becomes the saving grace and each time a new recipe is created and relished. Til Vale Sookhe Aloo is a childhood favorite of mine and I can still smell the aroma of it coming from my mom's kitchen while we eagerly waited on the dining table for our occasional lunch of Poori and this Til vale aloo. The Sesame seeds are slightly roasted and then either pounded or ground to make a coarse powder. The potatoes are then mixed with this sesame seed powder and other spices and is cooked till done. This recipe is very mildly spiced and requires minimum ingredients. Here is how to make these delicious TIl Vale Sookhe Aloo.


Serves - 2-3

All you need is

Potato - 3-4 ( medium sized )
White sesame seeds  3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1\2 tsp
Heeng \ Asafoetida - 1\4 tsp
Dry red chili - 2-3
Green chili - 2 ( slit into half )
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1\4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1\4 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander for garnishing


Method of preparation

Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes.
Soak them in water till used.
Dry roast sesame seeds and pulse them in a blender just once or twice to make a coarse powder.
Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, heeng, dry red chilies and green chilies.
Fry for 10 seconds.
Add the cubed potatoes and sesame powder.
Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
Fry for a minute.
Add 1\2 cup water and cover the pan.
Cook till potatoes are done.
Add lemon juice and cook till the potatoes are dry.
Sprinkle chopped coriander on top.
Serve hot with dal and rice or Poori.

Raita is basically whisked curd flavored with any type of flavoring and either some fruits or vegetables are then added to it. Curd is an integral part of the meals at my home and I try to make a variety of Raitas to make it interesting. Now that the Mangoes are in season, this Mango Raita is a regular in my house and everyone seems to relish it. Here is the recipe to make this quick and delicious Mango Mint Raita.


All you need is

Fresh curd - 1 cup
Mango puree - 1\4 cup
Mango cut in cubes - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Roasted cumin powder - 1\4 tsp
Mint leaves - 5-6 ( chopped )


Method of preparation

Whisk the curd till it is smooth and creamy.
Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Chill for a few hours before serving.

After the huge success of the Gosht Aloo bhukahra and the Mango Chicken that I made last year, I was tempted to try more Fruit and Meat combinations and so came this Lychee Chicken. Very Unusual but a winning combination, this is a must make if you are fond of Chinese style gravies. I have used fresh litchies in the recipe as they were available in the market, but you can use the canned ones as well. Here is the recipe to make this Chinese style Lychee Chicken.



All you need is

Chicken breast - 400 g
Maida \ All purpose flour - 1\2 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - 1\2 tsp + 1\2 tsp
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp and for frying
Garlic - 2 tsp ( chopped )
Ginger - 1 tsp ( chopped )
Onion - 1 cup ( cut into squares )
Capsicum - 1 cup ( cut into squares )
Lychee \ Litchi - 15-20 ( peeled and de seeded )
Soy sauce - 2 tsp
Green chili sauce - 2 tbsp
White wine vinegar - 2 tsp
Red chili paste - 2 tsp
Litchi juice - 1 cup ( I used canned juice )
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Spring onion greens for garnishing



Method of preparation

Heat oil for frying the chicken.
Cut chicken breasts into small pieces.
Mix maida, salt and 1\2 tsp black pepper powder in a bowl.
Coat the chicken pieces in this mixture and fry in hot oil till golden brown.
Keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok.
When the oil is hot, add garlic and ginger.
Fry for a few seconds.
Add onion, capsicum and litchi.
Fry for a minute.
Add soy sauce, green chili sauce, white wine vinegar, red chili paste, salt and 1\2 tsp black pepper powder.
Fry for a minute.
Mix cornflour in litchi juice and add the mixture in the wok.
Add the fried chicken.
Add a cup of water and cook till sauce thickens.
Garnish with spring onion greens.
Serve hot with steamed rice.