Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

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Nihari

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Nihari has got to be in the top 5 list of classic desi comfort food. I mean how can it not be? It’s hearty, it’s warm, and it’s an explosion of amazing flavors.

For all you non-desis out there, nihari is basically a meat stew made with caramelized onions and a wide array of lovely and deep aromatic spices and served with hot naan that’s straight out of the tandoor. There’s different variations of nihari, depending on which part of the subcontinent you are from. My parents make a Hyderabadi-style type of nihari which has more of a broth-like consistency. The one I’m making here is thicker, and similar to a Pakistani nihari.

Since this is a meat-centric dish, you’ll want to use good quality meat. I like to use a couple of big lamb shanks which I marinate in some turmeric, chili powder, and ginger-garlic paste.

For the nihari masala, I use just about every spice under the sun. I take several whole spices and tie them up into a cheesecloth (great trick that prevents anyone from biting into anything) – cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, mace, shahzeera, allspice, black peppercorn. For powdered spices, I use fennel, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, garam masala, cumin, coriander.

Like most Indian dishes, caramelized onions act as the base. They add a subtle sweetness that balances out the heaviness of the meat and spices. Since you want the texture and consistency of the nihari to be smooth, I grind up the onions into a paste in a food processor and add it to the nihari once the meat is cooked.

You can cook the shanks in a regular pot or for fast results, toss it all in a pressure cooker with some water, seal it shut with the lid, and come back in a half hour or so.

Once the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender, I add in my powdered spices and my caramelized onions paste. I then turn the broth into a stew by thickening it up with some cornstarch. You can use flour as well (that’s the traditional way of doing it!)

Add in some extra butter or ghee (and when I say extra, I mean at least half a stick), adjust your seasonings, squeeze in some lemon juice and there you have it!

Serve with some thinly sliced ginger, onions, cilantro, lemons, jalapenos, and of course naan!

It’s the perfect dish to make on a cold snowy Saturday afternoon, when you’re craving something authentic and warm!

5 from 1 vote
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Nihari

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs beef or lamb shank (or 2 lbs boneless meat)
  • 1.5 large onion (sliced)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
  • 2 tsp salt (for meat)
  • 2-3 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/3 cup wheat flour or cornstarch (plus 1/3 cup water)
  • 8 tbsp butter (divided, 4 tbsp for onions, rest to put in later)
  • juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste

Dry Spices

  • 1/2 tsp shahzeera seeds
  • 3-4 cinnamon sticks
  • 4-5 bay leaves
  • 6-7 cardamom pods
  • 1/2 star anise
  • 5-6 cloves
  • 4-5 allspice
  • 1-2 mace

Powdered Spices

  • 1 tbsp fennel
  • 1.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 1.5 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garam masala

Garnish

  • 1 piece ginger (julliened)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
  • 1 small onion (sliced)
  • 1 jalepeno (sliced)
  • 1 lemon (sliced)

Instructions

  1. Add the turmeric, salt, chili powder, and ginger-garlic paste to the beef or lamb. Make sure it is fully coated and let it sit for a least thirty minutes.

  2. In the meantime, tie up all your whole spices into a cheesecloth - cinammon sticks, allspice, black peppercorn, mace, shahzeera, cardamom, cloves.

  3. Add your meat and cheesecloth pouch to the pressure cooker. Cover with about a liter of water or so. Pop on the lid, turn the heat onto high and let it tenderize for about 40 minutes or so (you can leave it in longer or less depending on how tender you want it and how well your pressure cooker works.)

  4. In the meantime, star caramelizing your onions. Turn the heat to medium-high and add in your oil, butte,r and sliced onions to a pan. Allow them to slowly turn dark brown. This will take about 25 minutes or so.

  5. Once the onions are done caramelizing, allow them to slightly cool and grind them in a food processor until they form a smooth paste.

  6. Once your meat is done tenderizing in the pressure cooker, turn the heat off and allow the cooker to cool. DO NOT  attempt to open it right away, you will end up burning yourself!

  7. After the pressure cooker has cooled, open it up. Turn the heat back on to high and add in your onion paste, some salt, and powdered spices - fennel, cumin, coriander, garam masala, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon.

     

  8. Now take your flour and roast it in a pan on low heat until it turns slightly browner. Make sure you don't burn the flour. Remove immediately and dissolve it in 1/3 cup of water by stirring it until it becomes a slurry. You may also substitute with corn flour (just directly dissolve it in the water). Add that to the nihari and stir.

  9. Keep stirring the nihari until it becomes the consistency you want. If you want it  thicker, allow water to evaporate. If you want it looser, add in more water.

  10. Add in the rest of your butter.  Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add in a few squeezes of lemon juice.

  11. Serve hot with garnishes!

Chicken Tikka Wraps

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It’s 2017 and fusion-food is all the rage. And one of the latest intercultural concoctions that is causing a firestorm on social media is the “Desi Burrito”. All you got to do is substitute a tortilla with naan, Carne Asada with Seekh Kabob, El pastor with Chicken Tikka, chutney for salsa…you get the idea. But whether you think the idea is genius, or another one of those stupid food trends where people think they discovered something new, when they really haven’t, you got to admit it’s delicious af. Personally, I’m not going call these desi burritos, but you can call them whatever you want. They are delicious, healthy, and oh so freaking satisfying.

I like to use chicken tenders for these wraps. I marinate the chicken in a home-made tandoori paste using yogurt, ginger, garlic paste, tomato paste (for a vibrant red color), a pinch of sugar, and a vast array of spices – cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, paprika, amchur powder, fennel powder, and dried methi leaves.

To allow the masala to really penetrate the chicken, I prick the tenders with a fork. That way it will really seep inside giving you an extra flavorful chicken. Ideally you want to let this sit overnight for at least 6 hours in the fridge.

Once done marinating, I fire up the grill, cook them through, and cut them up into pieces. We are ready to roll!

I also like to add rice in my wraps – and not just plain brown or white rice (although you can certainly do that!). Instead I make a quick spicy fried rice where I add already cooked rice to a pan of sauteeing onions, jalapenos, tomato paste, and turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, and cumin. Add a little lime juice, and you have a super flavorful rice that is great on its own. And if you’re cutting down on the calories, you can forgo the wrap and make those rice bowls and add everything to the rice! Super easy lunch or dinner!

These are so incredibly versatile. You can go the chipotle route and make a burrito using a flour tortilla, salsas, guacamole, or you can make something more Indian with a paratha or chapati, some cilantro chutney, yogurt, and cucumber, tomato and onions.  Whatever you do, it’s going to be fantastic!

Make this the night before, wrap it in some aluminum foil, and bring it to work the next day. All your co-workers are going to be jealous!

5 from 1 vote
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Chicken Tikka Wraps

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 6-8 tortillas

Chicken Tikka

  • 1.5 lb chicken tenders
  • 3 Tbsp yogurt (or substitute 1/3 cup buttermilk)
  • 1.5 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (or substitute with finely minced garlic and ginger to taste)
  • 1.5 Tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp amchur
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder and/or paprika
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp fennel powder
  • 1/4 tsp dried methi leaves
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Rice

  • 4 cups cooked brown rice (cooled)
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 2 small onions
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
  • 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • lime juice (to taste)
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 bell pepper (optional)

Optional Condiments and Toppings

  • 1/4 cup cilantro chutney
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup cucumber, tomato, onion salad
  • 3/4 guacamole
  • yogurt (to taste)
  • hot sauce (to taste)
  • 1 cup lettuce (shredded)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine your tandoori marinade ingredients - yogurt, spices, salt, oil, ginger-garlic paste, tomato-paste. Add to your chicken tenders. *Note - You can also use a pre-made chicken tikka spice blend such as shaan. Just make sure to adjust the salt accordingly as most pre-made blends already contain a lot of salt.

  2. Take a fork, and prick holes into the chicken. This will allow the marinade to come inside and flavor the chicken. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

  3. When you're ready to grill, add a little bit of oil to your grill pan on medium-high heat. Make sure your chicken tenders have sit at room temperature. You don't want to add cold chicken to a hot pan because it will seize up.

  4. Add your chicken tenders to the grill pan and allow it to cook on each side for about 4 minutes or so. If you are using a thermometer, the inside should read 165 F.

  5. Allow your chicken to rest for a few minutes, then cut into pieces with a knife.

  6. Heat up your wraps (tortilla, paratha, chappati, etc) and lay them on a plate or board. Add your rice, your chicken, and whatever condiments you wish to use. Fold the tortilla over the mound and tuck in the ends.

Instructions for Spicy Rice

  1. Sautee your onions and jalapenos in a hot pan with oil. After a few minutes, add your tomato paste and garlic. Once the onions are starting to turn slightly brown, add your spices and then your rice. Combine everything well. 

  2. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting

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Everyone has to have a go-to chocolate cake recipe. And this one is mine. I played around with ratios, various fats (oil vs butter), and finally came up with a batter that makes for a light and flavorful chocolate coconut cake.

What gives this cake a great depth of flavor is the coffee in the batter. It brings out the richness of the chocolate. I also use sour cream and coconut oil, making it extra-moist. After all, nobody enjoys a dry crusty cake. The coconut oil adds a very subtle coconuty-flavor without taking away from the chocolate. Even if you’re not the biggest coconut fan, you’ll still be able to enjoy this cake.

To top it all off, I make a fabulous Dulce de Leche cream cheese frosting using Cajeta or Dulce De Leche, also known as Mexican-style caramel. Feel free to make your own Dulce De Leche, but store-bought works just as well in this frosting recipe.

Finally, I top the cake with raspberries and toasted coconut. The tartness of the fruit really cuts the sweetness of the cake, and the toasted coconut gives a sweet nutty flavor.

I have made this cake as a single layer without coconut (as seen directly in the picture below) and it works great – so if you’re scared that you’ll end up eating a huge double-layer on your own (honestly no shame) just cut the recipe in half!

5 from 1 vote
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Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting

A light and moist double-layer chocolate cake topped with a lovely cream cheese Dulce De Leche Frosting. A real crowd-pleaser!

Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 1 cup black coffee (cooled)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Dulce De Leche Frosting

  • 6 oz cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 Tbsp butter (softened)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup dulce de leche or cajeta
  • 2-3 cup powdered sugar or to taste

Cake Topping

  • 1 cup raspberries or strawberries optional
  • 1.5 cup toasted coconut optional

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 and grease two 8-9 inch circular cake pans.

  2. Melt your coconut oil by popping it in microwave for 30 seconds. Allow it to cool to room temparature.

  3. In a bowl, cream together your eggs and sugar with an electric mixer or whisk.

  4. Then add in your sour cream and oil. Whisk and combine. Add in your vinegar and vanilla.

  5. Sift your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt) in a separate bowl and whisk together.

  6. Add half your dry ingredients and combine. Then add the remaining. Combine until you get a smooth and even batter.

  7. Add your batter to the cake pan and bake for about 45-55 minutes or until cake comes out clean when you put a toothpick in the center.

  8. Once done, take out of oven and let it cool on a cooling rack.

  9. Now make you frosting. Add your softened butter, cream cheese and confectioner's sugar to a bowl. Beat with a spatula or electric mixer until well combined with no lumps.

  10. Drizzle in your dulce de leche and vanilla. Combine until smooth.

  11. Once cake is cooled, top one layer with frosting using a flat frosting spatula or butter knife.

  12. Take half of the raspberries and crush them into a puree. Add to the center of bottom layer. (The raspberry puree will be in the middle layer of the cake). Then add your top layer. Frost generously.

  13. Cover cake with toasted coconut. Top with berries.