Do you hear the wedding bells ring? A better question would be, do you smell biriyani? So do we, because guess what? Wedding season is almost here! It is true that one cannot possibly understand the meaning of the word until they have attended a big fat Bengali wedding. In our culture, the festivities begin way before the actual wedding takes place which involves more dawats than we know what to do with. In these get togethers, the families of the brides and grooms try and outdo each other in terms of food. So, in spirit off the wedding season, we have gathered recipes from across the globe which will make up for a fulfilling feast that will help both families ease into things and fall in love with each other.
Entree
Now the entree, believe it or not, is the trickiest part of any feast because there is always that risk of it being so heavy and filling that we wont be able to enjoy the other courses. Lucky for us, Toronto based blogger, Tasnim Rahman has the perfect item for us!
Smoked Salmon and Asparagus on Crackers
Photo and Recipe by Tasnim Rahman
Ingredients
10 spears asparagus
1 tsp olive oil
4 oz salmon
5 pcs tomato
10 wheat crackers
For the cream cheese
¼ cup cream cheese
½ cup lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tbs
1 tbs chopped fresh dill
Preparation
Prepare the herbed cream cheese first. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives and dill. Mix everything well. Put it in an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to broil. On a baking sheet, put the asparagus with olive oil and broil for 7-8 minutes. Once it’s cooked, let it cool. To assemble, take a cracker and spread the herbed cream cheese. Take a slice of tomato and place it in the centre. Next, take one asparagus spear, and slice it lengthwise into two equal halves. Take some smoked salmon, and roll the asparagus, cut side facing down. Place it on top of the tomato. Arrange on a platter and serve!
Mains
The heart and soul of any meal, Izzah, a food blogger based in Houston and Rachel Gurjar, a culinary professional based in New York gave us the recipes to three dishes which will be a guaranteed hit among people of all ages.
Chicken Curry
Photo and Recipe by Rachel Gurjar
Ingredients
Marinade
4 kg of chicken drumstick
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder
900 g yoghurt
1 tsp salt
Spices and masalas
2 pcs black cardamom
3 bay leaves
1 pc cinnamon stick
5 cloves
5 black peppercorns
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ cup vegetable oil
1.5 kg onions
2 tbsp ginger garlic
500 g tomato
3 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp garam masala powder
Salt (to taste)
Cilantro (to garnish)
Preparation
Add the marination ingredients to the chicken and let it marinade for at least 1 hour. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot (medium heat) and add all whole dry spices, saute for a minute. Now add onions and saute for 5 mins till they are translucent with slightly brown edges and then add ginger garlic paste and saute for 3 more min. Add garam masala, turmeric, and chicken masala powder and saute for 3 mins. Now add the tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 10 mins or till the paste looks brown and oil separate. Turn the heat to very low and add the yoghurt chicken mixture, now mix everything really well. It should look like a creamy light gravy. Add 100ml water, mix again and cover and cook low and slow for 45 mins. Check and scrap bottom at 15 min intervals to make sure the curry is not sticking at the bottom. Serve with rotis or rice.
Tandoori Chicken Pizza
Photo and Recipe by Izzah
Ingredients
For the Tandoori Chicken Topping
1 chicken breast around 300-400 grams cut into thin, small bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup plain yoghturt
1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tbsp crushed garlic or paste
1/2 tbsp crushed ginger or paste
1 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
1-2 tsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp or less, depending on spice level tandoori masala powder
1 tsp paprika powder
For the Crust
2 ½ cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water 100-110°F
1 standard packet active dry yeast 2 ¼ tsp
For the Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves about 1 tsp, crushed
4 medium fresh tomatoes 350-450 grams
1 small carrot 50-70 grams, peeled
1 small green chili pepper I use Serrano
1 small onion 140 – 170 grams
1 whole bay leaf
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning or basil
Preparation
Tandoori Chicken Topping
Marinate the chicken in all of the ingredients for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. Preheat your oven broiler to high and set the oven rack to the top. Place the chicken pieces in an even layer in an oven-safe pan, and broil for about 5-7 minutes, turning the chicken pieces every couple of minutes to encourage even browning and a tandoor-like (but not burnt) finish. Cover and set aside.
Pizza Crust
Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stir once and set aside for about 5-10 minutes or until foamy. It must be foamy! If not, something went wrong (i.e. water temperature, old yeast, etc). In a stand mixture with a dough attachment, add the flour, salt and olive oil. Start the mixer, and then slowly add in the water/yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, adding a bit of water, if necessary. (You may also knead the dough by hand for about 8-10 minutes instead of using a stand mixer.) Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise for an hour or so or until dough doubles in size. Once it has risen, punch it down, knead it a little and then place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out about 15 inches. Push the dough at the ends so that it’s slightly thicker on the rim. Use a knife to make small slits on the base to help it bake evenly. Cover the crust with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap while you prepare the toppings.
Pizza Sauce
Blend the tomatoes, carrot, onion, and green chili in a food processor until smooth. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté it for about 20-30 seconds, until the raw smell subsides and it begins to brown. Add the tomato mixture and the rest of the ingredients and sauté this mixture, stirring frequently, until well cooked, about 30 minutes. You may need to add water to make sure it’s well cooked and to make it the desired consistency. Remove bay leaf.
Steps and Assembly
Marinate the chicken as per instructions. Prepare the pizza dough and set it aside to rise. Take the chicken out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature. While you wait, prepare the pizza sauce, then broil the chicken, cover and set aside. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). When the dough has risen, follow the instructions to roll it out. Cover it and chop up the vegetable toppings. Place the pizza base on a greased baking tray. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the pizza. Top with cheese, chicken, and toppings.Bake for about 15-17 minutes, until the crust has baked and the cheese has melted. I like to broil it again for a couple of minutes to further amp up the “tandoor” factor. Serve hot. To maintain the texture of the crust, this pizza is best reheated in an oven instead of a microwave.
Authentic Chicken Korma
Photo and Recipe by Izzah
Ingredients
2 bay leaves; 1 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp whole black peppercorns
3 green cardamom pods
5 whole cloves; 1 1-2” cinnamon stick
2 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chili powder or more to taste
1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
1.5-2 lbs bone-in, cut up, skinless chicken cleaned and excess skin removed
2 large onions blended in a food processor
1/3 cup neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed
8-10 cloves garlic crushed
1 inch piece ginger crushed
2 small tomatoes blended in a food processor
3-4 green chili peppers chopped
1/2 cup plain whole milk yoghurt whipped with a fork
1 1/2 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi) crushed between your hands
pinch saffron optional
1/8-1/4 tsp diluted kewra essence optional
1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
Preparation
Combine the spice powders and salt in a small bowl and the whole spices in another small bowl. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Sauté the onions until they are golden, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until the raw smell disappears, about a minute. Add the whole spices and continue to sauté for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the tomatoes are fully cooked. Add the chicken and fry it until it changes color, about 4-5 minutes. Add the spice powders and salt, and green chili peppers. Continue to sauté for a minute. Add about 2 cups of water (depending on how much meat you have), lower the heat to medium, cover and let cook for 15 minutes. If it is too watery, put the lid ajar for another 5 minutes until the most of the water dries up. Once the chicken is cooked, lower the heat and add whipped yogurt, ghee, methi, and saffron (if using). Add ¼ to ½ cup of water to thin it out and stir until everything is well incorporated. Allow the chicken to simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. The oil will have risen to the top. Sprinkle the kewra essence (if using) and cilantro on top. Serve with rice, roti or naan.
Dessert
Finishing off our feast is a classic dish, the Semolina Halwa better known in Bangladesh as “Sujir” Halwa. Rachel Gurjar once again teaches us how to prepare it flawlessly.
Semolina Halwa
Photo and Recipe by Rachel Gurjar
Ingredients
65 g Semolina flour
120 ml milk
120 ml water
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ghee
Slivered almonds for garnish
Instructions
Heat ghee and saute semolina till light brown. You have to stir it continuously as it is prone to get burnt fairly easily. Add milk, water & sugar. Cook till soft and till all the liquid is gone. Garnish with almonds and serve.