Veg-Nonveg Thali

Step 1: Prepare Chicken Marinade Paste

In a mixer grinder, combine 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts, 3 sliced fried onions, 5 large fried garlic cloves, 1 tbsp dried rose petals, 1 tsp green cardamom powder, 1/2 tsp mace powder, and 10-12 dried red chillies. Grind to a coarse paste without adding water.

Step 2: Marinate Chicken

In a large bowl, add 1 kg chicken drumsticks. To this, add 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, the prepared coarse marinade paste, salt to taste, and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything well, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly coated. For best results, marinate for 8-10 hours, or cook immediately if short on time.

Step 3: Temper Spices for Chicken

Heat 1/4 cup oil and 1 tbsp butter in a kadhai. Add a 1-inch cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves, and 10-15 black peppercorns. Let the spices infuse into the oil and butter on a low flame.

Step 4: Cook Chicken

Add the marinated chicken drumsticks to the kadhai. Sauté the chicken for 4-5 minutes on a high flame until it starts to brown slightly. Cover the kadhai and cook on a medium to low flame for 5 minutes. The chicken should start to become tender, with the meat falling off the bone.

Step 5: Prepare Chicken Dressing

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dressing. In a bowl, whisk 1 cup yogurt. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, 10-15 torn mint leaves, and 1 crushed sliced onion. Mix well. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix again.

Step 6: Finish Chicken Chop Fry

Uncover the chicken and add the prepared yogurt dressing. Spread it evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) and 1 tbsp chaat masala powder. Cover the kadhai again and cook on a low flame for another 5 minutes. Gently sauté the chicken to combine the flavors. Shut off the flame and garnish with 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander.

Step 7: Prepare Korma Base Paste

For the vegetable korma, heat 3 tbsp ghee in a kadhai. Add 3 sliced onions and brown them really well until caramelized. Add 1/2 cup cashew nuts and brown them along with the onions. Once browned, remove from heat, let it cool to room temperature, and then grind it to a fine paste.

Step 8: Fry Paneer

In a separate pan, fry 200 gms paneer cubes until they turn a nice golden brown. Set aside for later use.

Step 9: Temper Spices for Korma Gravy

In the same kadhai used for onions, heat 2-3 tbsp ghee. Add 1 star anise, 10 black peppercorns, 5-6 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, a 1-inch cinnamon stick, and 2 black cardamoms. Let them sizzle and become fragrant.

Step 10: Sauté Aromatics and Dry Spices

Add a 1-inch finely chopped ginger and 6-7 finely chopped garlic cloves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp red chilli powder. Immediately reduce the flame to low to prevent the spices from burning.

Step 11: Add Yogurt and Korma Paste

Add 1 cup whisked yogurt to the kadhai. Stir continuously on low flame until the oil starts to separate, indicating the yogurt has cooked down. Then, add the prepared onion-cashew paste (from step 7) and mix well. Continue stirring until the oil separates beautifully again.

Step 12: Combine Vegetables and Finish Korma

Add 500 gms each of blanched assorted vegetables (French beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower), 3 finely chopped green chillies, and 10-12 soaked and peeled almonds. Mix everything well. Pour in 1 cup vegetable stock and mix. Add the fried paneer cubes and gently mix them into the curry. Adjust salt to taste. Shut the flame and stir in 1/2 cup fresh cream. Mix gently until combined. The delicious Vegetable Korma is now ready.

• For the chicken, marinate for at least 8-10 hours for best flavor and tenderness. If short on time, make small incisions in the chicken pieces to help the marinade penetrate faster.

• When adding yogurt to hot spices, reduce the flame and stir continuously to prevent it from splitting.

• For the vegetable korma, blanching vegetables ensures they are cooked through but still retain some bite and vibrant color.

• For a vegetarian version of the 'Spicy Chicken Chop Fry', replace chicken with potatoes or other mixed vegetables. Avoid paneer if you prefer it not to crumble during cooking.

• Adjust the spice levels in both dishes according to your preference by increasing or decreasing the amount of red chillies and green chillies.