Topic: Baseless bhuna

[Peripatetic Phil]

Waitrose were remaindering fresh chicken livers today, and never one to turn down a bargain, I bought two packs.  I had no preconceived idea of what I might make with them (chicken liver parfait ?  Jewish chopped liver ?) but then I remembered I had once eaten chicken livers in a Nepalese restaurant in Swanley, and that gave me an idea : bhuna chicken livers.  So, I got out a 3/4 pint tub of chilled base, some g/g paste, some Bassar curry masala, ajwain and black salt, and fried the g/g paste until it was starting to change colour.  Then in with the Bassar, cook until the smell changes, in with the chicken livers, ajwain and black salt, then a good stir and turn, and keep in motion as they start to cook.  When the livers and spices started to stick to the base of the pan, I reached for the base and then stopped myself : "No", I thought, "this is bhuna -- no base needed".  So, instead of base I added more oil.  And when they started to stick again, more oil.  In with sliced peppers (green and orange), later some chopped coriander, plenty of sea salt, and then left to cook in their own juices with the lid on.  Finally garnished with some chopped coriander leaves and served, with no side dish at all (no rice, paratha or chapatti).  And it was very nice indeed.  This has given me the confidence to try an old-style (baseless) chicken bhuna as my next experiment : report to follow.

** Phil.

[spiceyokooko]

Mridula Baljekar in her book Real Fast Indian Food does an excellent Masala Chicken Livers recipe, it's well worth trying. Quick and easy and very tasty.

Your bhuna recipe here is interesting though.

[DalPuri]

Splashes of water is a better idea to stop things sticking than oil. Ken Hom told me that 

Here's a couple of liver recipes Phil.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,7910.msg69700.html#msg69700

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11500.msg88352.html#msg88352

[Malc.]

It looks ofally good Phil

[Peripatetic Phil]

Mridula Baljekar in her book Real Fast Indian Food does an excellent Masala Chicken Livers recipe, it's well worth trying. Quick and easy and very tasty.

Ah, don't have that book.  Any chance of a few hints at what she proposes ?
** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Splashes of water is a better idea to stop things sticking than oil. Ken Hom told me that 

But is that bhuna ?

Here's a couple of liver recipes Phil.

Thank you : to be investigated.
** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

It looks ofally good Phil

Fraf'ly sweet of you to say so, old chap

[Malc.]

Here's an interesting link Phil, I might give it a go myself: http://www.colorandspices.com/2012/07/bhuna-gosht.html

[spiceyokooko]

She mixes spices with flour, 4 or 5 tsps, namely salt, cumin, garam masala, chilli powder about a tsp of each, dredges the chicken livers in the flour with a little water. Fries a sliced onion in oil and removes it, then fries a couple of tsps of garlic puree in the same oil, adds the chicken livers about a pound, stir fries them, adds the remaining flour with a little water and fries it in then, adds chopped tomatoes and coriander. Serve with the fried onions.

Given that's my interpretation of her recipe I don't think it's subject to copyright

[Peripatetic Phil]

She mixes spices with flour, 4 or 5 tsps, namely salt, cumin, garam masala, chilli powder about a tsp of each, dredges the chicken livers in the flour with a little water. Fries a sliced onion in oil and removes it, then fries a couple of tsps of garlic puree in the same oil, adds the chicken livers about 1/2 a pound, stir fries them, adds the remaining flour with a little water and fries it in then, adds chopped tomatoes and coriander. Serve with the fried onions.

Given that's my interpretation of her recipe I don't think it's subject to copyright

Excellent, many thanks.  I have now ordered a 99p copy of the book, so I will be able to try some other of her dishes as well.  I flour kidneys as a matter of course, but never liver(s); I wonder why ?

** Phil.