Murgh Masala

Alexander the Great, son of King of Macedon Philip II and Olympias was born in Pella in 356 BC. When he was 20 years old, he succeeded his father to the throne. Undoubtedly, he is considered to be one of the most successful military heads throughout history as he managed to stretch his empire from Greece to Egypt, into northwest India and Pakistan.  He was undefeated and created one of the largest empires in the ancient world.

When his father Philip II was assassinated, Alexander was only 20 years old but with a strong background due to his tutor, the philosopher Aristotle and an experienced army under his command. When Alexander was given the generalship of Greek army, he used it to lead the Greeks in the conquest of Persia that threatened so many times the Greek sovereignty.

Murgh Masala

Alexander’s campaign lasted ten whole years and during that period he conquered Egypt, Syria, Phrygia, Armenia, Mesopotamia and Persia and arrived in India in an effort to reach the ends of the world. He, indeed, invaded India in 326 BC, but after his army’s demand he drew back. He died in Babylon very young in the year 323 BC after a struggle for some days. It is not clear until today what has caused his death. We can only assume, because of the dark history of assassinations in King’s court, that he was probably poisoned. He died as bravely as he lived, asking his commanders to bring each and every soldier pass by him. He waived in each and every one of them.

Alexander the Great is one of the most important military figures and many military schools still teach his tactics. He is considered to be a classic hero from the many other in ancient Greek history. The young of his age shows that he was gifted with cleverness, ability to inspire, strategic thinking and ambition qualities that place him in the pantheon of heroes of all ages.

Murgh Masala

As I was thinking about Alexander, I thought of India and his unfulfilled wish to annex that country to his empire. I, suddenly, craved some Indian food. Sissi my Polish blog friend who has a blog called With a Glass is a master in Asian and Far East food. She is also a great lover of Greek kitchen and has made some really delicious tweaks on classic Greek dishes. So, I snooped around her blog and found this Murgh Masala recipe. Murgh means chicken in Indian. She said that this one is the best recipe for someone to start experimenting with Indian kitchen as it is very aromatic and not hot at all. I have a very sensitive stomach and I try to avoid hot meals. I love spicy but not hot. This one sounded like the perfect idea and so I went to my kitchen to prepare it. Since, I was fed up with meat, I decided to go ahead and make it with mushrooms, made a few more changes and ta dah. It was so very special and really delicious. Everyone liked it including my son and it was marked as a foolproof delicious recipe to be made again with meat next time. For more delicious dishes from different countries of the world and the original Murgh Masala, I urge you to visit her blog. I am sure you will find something appealing to your taste buds.

Murgh Masala

 

5.0 from 14 reviews
Masala with Mushrooms
 
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Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Main Course
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Indian
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
  • 1 kilo / 2lb. mushrooms, I used 400 gr. / 14 oz. oyster mushrooms, 500 gr. / 17.5 oz. Portobello, 100 gr. / 3.5 oz. white button
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, mashed
  • 400 gr. / 14 oz. pommodori in a can with their juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cm fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp mild chili powder
  • 200 ml / 6.7 oz. hot water
  • 1 tsp ground cumin divided
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • A bunch of fresh parsley
  • Olive oil
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
  1. Cut mushrooms in thick pieces.
  2. In a pan pour couple of olive oil tablespoons.
  3. Sauté mushrooms in batches.
  4. Set aside.
  5. Take a deep pot, add olive oil and sauté the onion on medium heat until it becomes light brown.
  6. Add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes.
  7. Throw the cinnamon stick and the cardamom pods and continue to sauté for couple of minutes more.
  8. Add the turmeric, the chili powder, ½ tsp of cumin, the paprika, the tomatoes, the mushrooms and the water.
  9. Add salt and cook at low heat for about 30 minutes.
  10. Remove the lid from the pot; add the remaining ½ tsp of cumin and the fresh ginger and increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
  11. If you don’t want to wait so long, you can thicken it with a couple of tbsp. of corn starch dissolved in couple of tbsp. of water.
  12. Couple of minutes before turning off the heat, sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
  13. Serve with basmati rice.
Note: The author of the original recipe and Sissi advise us to let it stay for a couple of hours and then reheat it and eat it. To be honest I wasn’t able to leave it that long. I just let it stay for an hour and it was still delicious!
Notes/ Σημειώσεις
Original recipe from Sissi and her site With A Glass

 
5.0 from 14 reviews
Μασάλα με Μανιτάρια
 
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Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Κυρίως Πιάτο
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Ινδική
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
  • 1 κιλό μανιτάρια, χρησιμοποίησα 400 γρ. πλευρώτους, 500 γρ. πορτομπέλλο, 100 γρ. λευκά
  • 1 μεγάλο κρεμμύδι κομμένο σε φέτες
  • 2 ντομάτες, πουρέ
  • 400 γρ. τοματίνια στο χυμό τους
  • 2 σκελίδες σκόρδο, λιωμένες
  • 2 εκατοστά τζίντζερ φρέσκο, τριμμένο
  • 1 ξύλο κανέλας
  • 5 πράσινα κάρδαμα ολόκληρα
  • 1 κ.γ. κουρκουμά
  • 1 κ.γ. ήπιο τσίλι σε σκόνη
  • 200 ml ζεστό νερό
  • 1 κ.γ. τριμμένο κύμινο
  • 1 κ.γ. πάπρικα
  • Ένα μάτσο φρέσκο μαϊντανό
  • Ελαιόλαδο
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
  1. Κόβουμε τα μανιτάρια σε χοντρά κομμάτια.
  2. Σε ένα τηγάνι ρίχνουμε δυο κουταλιές ελαιόλαδο.
  3. Σοτάρουμε τα μανιτάρια σε δόσεις.
  4. Αφήνουμε στην άκρη.
  5. Παίρνουμε μια βαθιά κατσαρόλα, προσθέτουμε το ελαιόλαδο και σοτάρουμε το κρεμμύδι σε μέτρια θερμοκρασία μέχρι να γίνει ανοιχτό καφέ.
  6. Προσθέτουμε το σκόρδο και σοτάρουμε για άλλα δύο λεπτά.
  7. Ρίχνουμε το ξυλάκι κανέλας και τους λοβούς του κάρδαμου και συνεχίζουμε να σοτάρουμε για δυο λεπτά ακόμη.
  8. Προσθέτουμε τον κουρκουμά, το τσίλι σε σκόνη, ½ κουταλάκι του γλυκού κύμινο, την πάπρικα, τις ντομάτες, τα μανιτάρια και το νερό.
  9. Προσθέτουμε αλάτι και μαγειρεύουμε σε χαμηλή φωτιά για περίπου 30 λεπτά.
  10. Αφαιρούμε το καπάκι από την κατσαρόλα, προσθέτουμε το υπόλοιπο ½ κουταλάκι του γλυκού κύμινο και το φρέσκο τζίντζερ και αυξάνουμε τη θερμοκρασία σε υψηλή και μαγειρεύουμε μέχρι η σάλτσα να αρχίσει να δένει.
  11. Εάν δεν θέλετε να περιμένετε τόσο πολύ, μπορείτε να τη δέσετε με δύο κουταλιές κορν φλάουρ διαλυμένο σε δυο κουταλιές νερό.
  12. Δυο λεπτά πριν σβήσετε τη φωτιά, πασπαλίστε με τον ψιλοκομμένο μαϊντανό.
  13. Σερβίρουμε με ρύζι μπασμάτι.
Σημείωση: Ο συγγραφέας αυτής της συνταγής και η Σίσσυ από την οποία την πήρα μας συμβουλεύουν να αφήσουμε το φαγητό να ξεκουραστεί για δύο ώρες και μετά να το ξαναζεστάνουμε και να το φάμε. Εγώ μπόρεσα να το κρατήσω μόνο μία ώρα και μετά το φάγαμε και ήταν τέλειο!
Notes/ Σημειώσεις
Συνταγή ελεύθερη προσαρμογή από το site With a Glass