The secrets to making two of India's most famous dishes, from the family that invented them - low calorie indian restaurant dishes

No one knows how many Indian restaurants there are in the world;
It is reported that there are more than 5,000 people in the United States alone.
The exact number depends on how you define "India" and "restaurants ".
Most of them
From a little mother. and-
A popular store at the corner of Michelin Street
Junoon in New York City
Many of the same dishes are offered, the standard dishes that diners expect.
The menu is not complete unless it has skewers of chicken in all Chile
Hot, bright red glory and butter chicken with rich sauce to dip in your naan.
"My grandfather invented these two things," said 52-year-old Monish Gujral, sitting in a flagship restaurant in central Delhi, the Indian capital . ".
"In fact, I often think that without the invention of my grandfather, the Indian food today is hard to imagine.
"He sounds more proud and considerate than bragging.
Most dishes are developed through natural conditions, slow adaptation to tradition, and occasional innovation turns. You'd be hard-
When did the boeuf bourguignon and spaghetti sauce we know today be invented?
With the promotion of a group of family chefs, they gradually became local dishes.
But according to Gujral
Millions of Indians who grew up with this story
Tandoori chicken was invented by Gujral's grandfather Kundan Lal in the moment of inspiration.
Lal grew up in a poor family in Pakistan today.
In the years leading up to independence, he managed to get from the kitchen to the top chef at a restaurant in Peshawar.
One day, at the end of 1920 or early 1930, he was asked to invent a dish that was a little lighter than traditional dishes, often featuring heavy-tasting areas offered at parties and other events and celebrations.
His genius is like this: it is common in the area to use a tandoor cylindrical oven, but usually only for bread.
"He marinated the chicken with yogurt, lime and spices and then baked it in tandoor.
"What comes out is not the same as what anyone has tasted," Gujral said . ".
This dish was very successful and made Lal famous outside his community. after dividing India and Pakistan in 1947, he moved to Delhi and opened Moti Maha. the specialty dish here is the big chicken.
It's a bit understatement to say the restaurant is an institution.
When the Iranian king visited India in his 1950 s, he was told to go to Delhi without eating at the Moti Taj Mahal, as if going down to Agra without seeing the Taj Mahal.
Since then, this place has become more and more important as domestic and global interest in Indian food.
As the inventor of one of the most popular dishes in one of the most populous countries in the world, Lal can lean back and enjoy the fame, wealth and popularity his invention has brought to him and his restaurants.
But it's not enough according to family legend.
He also invented a second possibility. most-
Indian cuisine.
"This is the direct consequence of chicken tandoori," Gujral said . ".
"Refrigeration was a big problem at the time.
The chicken must be cooked as soon as it comes from the market.
It may become very dry if not eaten immediately.
Therefore, Lal invented a generous sauce with spices, tomatoes, butter and cream, which he put in the tandoori chicken.
"It was the birth of butter chicken," Gujral said . " Both dishes were served at our table, bright red and fragrant.
So the circle is closed.
The initial requirement was lighter and fresher
Taste many heavy stews in the kitchen and become the heaviest and most powerful of all stews.
The story of the sudden invention of this iconic dish seems too unreal.
But according to Anubhav Sapra, a street food explorer and founder of the Delhi food walk and a Delhi culinary expert, there is little contradiction.
"Everything I 've seen about cooking chicken in tandooo comes from Peshawar and the northwestern frontier province, where Kundan Lal developed recipes.
I have never seen any mention of tandoori chicken before Kundan Lal.
So he probably invented it.
"Lal is unique in the importance of his culinary invention to Indian cuisine.
But he is part of a broader phenomenon in which chefs from today's rural areas of Pakistan come to Delhi and bring different dishes, including traditional dishes and their own inventions
"The sundae of walnuts-
Fried bread and chickpeas
A dish for breakfast and lunch, almost as popular as butter chicken from Pakistan.
But in this case, we don't know the name of the person who brought it here, "Sapra said.
That's all the difference.
Today, Gujral is the guardian of the family tradition.
He knows that he will never be able to stop other restaurants from copying his grandfather's recipes.
Instead, he has become an ambassador to Indian cuisine, often appearing on television, and has published several recipes, including the butter chicken trail and Tando of Morti Maha
"The Moti Mahal brand has grown to include more than 120 restaurants in India, as well as franchises in the Middle East, Africa and New Zealand. The first U. S.
The restaurant will open in Boston on 2018 or 2019.
When Gujral learned that I had no tandoor, he offered to give me one; modern-
The version of the day is made of old oil barrels with clay in them;
Not very expensive, but it is very troublesome to bring home without challenging the airline baggage limit.
Fortunately, Gujral strongly believes that no tandoor should stop anyone from making tandoori chicken at home.
He suggested cooking the chicken at 500 degrees to reach some-
Not all though.
Brown and high temperature, usually associated with tandoor (in this case, the temperature can reach more than 800 ).
"If you have a decent home oven and follow my recipe, the result will be as good as the original one, much better than the many replicas you get at other restaurants," he said.
Doing it at home a few weeks later, I agree very much.
I just wish I remembered to turn on the fan in the kitchen. ---
Viestad is a farmer, writer and host of PBS "new Scandinavian cooking.
He lives in Oslo, Norway. ---
Tandoori Chicken4 to 6 serve this recipe taste as close as possible to the taste of the original tandoori chicken
It comes from an impeccable source of restaurant owner Monish Gujral, whose grandfather Kundan Lal is allegedly the inventor of the dish.
Cooking at the hottest temperature your oven can achieve (500 degrees or even 600 degrees) is the key, Gujral said.
Remember to use the fan in the kitchen or keep the window open because there will be smoke.
It is best to use metal skewers, or be sure to soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before use.
The tandoori chicken served at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Gujral is made from a whole hairy butter chicken, but Gujral recommends making this dish at home a few times before
Eat with rice or naan, raita and good
Hot and sour Indian sauce.
Do it well in advance: the chicken needs to be marinated for 1 hour and then marinated for 3 hours (in the fridge ).
Fanliang, Kashmir, Chile-
Taste and add a beautiful color to the dish;
You can find it in the Indian market, or you can replace it with pepper and cayenne pepper.
Adapted from Indian restaurant owner Monish Gujral.
1/2-pound boneless peeled chicken cut into 1/2-
Pieces of meat in inches (light and dark colors;
See title) 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juicing 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher 1 teaspoon Kashmir chile powder (or 1/2 teaspoon for each cup of pepper and cayenne pepper );
See title) 6 tablespoons ordinary, full
Fat Yogurt 1 tablespoon chopped garlic1 tablespoon peeled, chopped fresh ginger root 2 teaspoon garam masala, or more such as the need for 1/2 teaspoon grated fenugreek for bastingsteps, use a sharp knife to make a shallow cut on the thickest part of the chicken.
Put green lime juice and salt in a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken pieces;
Add the chicken and stir well.
Keep the lid cold for 1 hour. Uncover;
Mix well with chile powder, yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala and fenugreek.
Keep the lid cold for 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Place the chicken nuggets on the skewers if needed, season with more garam masala or fenugreek.
Bake for 5 to 6 minutes (middle rack ).
Add a little oil and continue to bake for 3 to 4 minutes.
Check if the chicken is done by cutting into large pieces.
If the middle is still pink, bake for another 3 to 5 minutes and check again.
Nutrition | 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil per serving (based on 6 serving, using half white and dark meat): 190 calories, 25 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of fat, 2g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 0g dietary fiber, 0g sugar---
This is a classic dish, often called murgh makhani;
Here, the point is to smother the roasted chicken with a strong sauce.
This dish is made to prevent the cooked/leftover tandoori chicken from drying.
If you haven't made the Tandoori chicken yet (see the relevant recipe), this recipe includes a simple description of how to cook the chicken.
As a result, it is not as good as you make the right Tandoori chicken first, but it is simpler.
Served with chopped coriander, chopped Chilean green pepper, naan, rice, and a delicious spicy Indian sauce.
Do it well in advance: After a day of cold storage, the taste is better;
You may need to add a little cream or water to the sauce, which will thicken when it cools down.
Adapted from Indian restaurant owner Monish Gujral.
Ingredients for 1/2-pound boneless and skinless chicken (white and/or dark) cut into 1 1/2-
Inch chunks1 tablespoon fresh lime juicing 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoon garam masala1 1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 cups original, full
1 tablespoon chopped garlic1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root for fat yogurt, 1 yellow onion for stewed pot 2 tablespoons rapeseed or vegetable oil, 4 medium tomatoes chopped, peeled and chopped fresh ginger 1 tablespoon Kashmir chile powder (alternative monthly teaspoon pepper chili powder and month) monthly masala1 teaspoon crushed cumin2 tablespoon salt cream butter1/month Cup heavy creamStepsFor chicken: preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray the baking pan with edible oil.
Mix the chicken with green lime juice, chili powder, garam masala, salt, yogurt, garlic and ginger in a mixed bowl and spread evenly on the baking tray.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (middle rack) until the chicken is just cooked.
At the same time, make sauce: heat the oil in the pan with medium fire.
Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
Stir in the tomatoes;
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
Press the sauce over fine with a spatula-
Put the filter back into the pan or stir in the pan with a soak (stick) mixer.
Stir the garlic, ginger, Chilean powder, garam masala and cumin evenly, then add the chicken, stir well and apply the sauce.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the heat is finished.
Add butter before serving.
Once melted, stir in the cream until it is completely solidified.
Immediately removed from high temperature; serve warm.