Ok so I am really sorry that I haven't been updating this for some time now. Just been busy and busy being happy and making others happy. Made a 'meal' after many days and that was a truly joyous occasion for me. Woke up early on Sunday and dad took me shopping to Colaba market and I explored the meat section for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by how clean and organised it was. Colaba market is best explored at 8 am when the vegetables are fresh and there are very few shoppers.

I don't know how many people know Chef Marut Sikka, he hosts a show on NDTV Goodtimes called Lock Stock and Two Smoking Tikkas. He is one person you can tell really and truly LOVES food. He is so passionate about what he makes and is equally passionate about eating it!

The one thing I don’t like about him is the amount of fat he uses in everything and there always are dollops of ghee in everything he makes!

But I have always wanted to try the yummy looking food he makes and last Sunday was the day and I had four close friends over for lunch that were the very willing guinea pigs.

The meal was largely Kashmiri; for starters I made my favourite dill dip and chips. For the main course there was Chicken Rogan Gosh and a slightly modified version of his recipe for Lamb Pulav and I made walnut chutney. There was also raita and some vegetable dish which I have completely forgotten! Dessert was cubed mangoes with ice cream.

The results were spectacular (I am not known for being modest!) and every single morsel was polished off with everyone completely satiated!

The recipes are there on the NDTV Goodtimes website but I have printed them here as well.

Chicken Rogan Gosh

Ingredients:
2-3 pieces chicken breasts
3 tbs oil
1 large sliced onion
8-10 red chillies
1 cup kokum (adds a beautiful flavour)
3 tbs desi ghee (avoidable)
10-12 cloves
7-8 green cardamoms
2 1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
11/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 gm saffron
Salt
Water

Method: Heat oil in a pan and add sliced onions. Once they turn brown, cool and blend with water to form a creamy paste. Cut chicken breasts into big equal size pieces and fry them. Dry roast red chillies. As they turn brown, add water. Boil, cool and blend with water to form a paste. Boil kokum in water to extract the essence. Heat desi ghee in a pan and roast cloves and green cardamoms. Add garlic paste. As the garlic starts turning brown, add the onion paste and red chilli paste. When the fat starts separating, add the chicken pieces, turmeric powder, salt and black pepper powder. Sauté and add the kokum essence. Stir gently and add water. When the chicken is cooked, add saffron. Cook for two minutes and serve hot.

Lamb Pulav

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 tbs desi ghee
3-4 black cardamoms
3 bay leaves
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp fennel seeds (should not be avoided at any cost)
1 sliced onion
1/2 kg lamb bones (I actually used lamb meat and bones)
1 tsp royal cumin seeds
1/2 cup cashew nuts (can be avoided)
1 cup cream (can be avoided)
1 tsp green cardamom powder
Salt
Water

Method: Soak the rice in water for twenty minutes. Heat desi ghee in a pan and add black cardamoms, bay leaves, cinnamon and fennel seeds. Once the spices begin to splutter, add sliced onion and sauté. When the onions turn brown, add lamb bones, salt and water. Stir well and allow it to simmer for sometime. Once the stock is ready, take out the bones and strain the liquid in a utensil in which the rice is to be cooked. Now heat desi ghee in a pan, add royal cumin seeds, cashew nuts, cream, green cardamom powder and the lamb stock. As it boils, add the rice and cook. Serve hot.