Everest Indian and Himalyan Resturant and Grill

This is a first series for Food on the Go Series with Chitra.
Everest Indian and Himalyan Resturant and Grill, their website:- http://everestirving.wix.com/everest
This is an Indian restaurant I visited recently in Irving, Texas. It is located 3310 W. Rochelle Road, Irving, Texas, 75062 . When you arrive at this restaurant the first feeling you get is its shady area. But don’t go the book by its cover.I am sure you will love the food here like I did. It sis quite reasonable and a different kind of restaurant experience which you will not get in all the restaurants, you will see why after you read this post, so keep reading and enjoy.
According to their Website it is a restaurant which provides you authentic Nepali taste..For those of you who don’t know where is Nepal, click here. They have experienced chef especially, our head chef who has  more than 15 years of experience in preparing the special Nepali and Indian cuisine. The ambience here is really cozy. I felt really warm and comfortable in sitting here, the decorations also shows some ethnicity for Nepal and India. Ok now comes the fun part, the food I ordered there, lets start with appetizer. I ordered Chili Chicken Fried Momos ( Fried Chicken Dumpling/dim sum), which was the best ever eaten momos ever in my whole life till now. Believe me guys I am from Delhi and since 10-12 years, I have tried many places for momos, since they came first time in Delhi. Delhi people love street food and spicy street food. In Delhi Momos are either served as steam or fried . But here fried means always stir fried not deep fried. Its is served with spicy chili sauce, and with spicy means its really spicy. Spice level for me is 08 (in1 being low and 10 being highest). My husband does not like momos at all, but this time when he saw this appetizer which I ordered he was tempted to eat it. He was the first one to eat it and he loved it. They were bomb spicy and best ever. Here is the picture of it., I am sure everyone will be loving this dish   So lets move to entrée now:- We both ordered Veg and Non Veg Indian Thali. It comes with Rice, Naan bread, Curd/Youghurt, Three kinds of vegetable or curries, pakora and one sweet Basically Thali experience is hard to get in USA, there are only few restaurants who serve this kind of specialty. Here is the picture for this:- So my overall experience was really good, I would totally recommend this restaurant to everyone who are visiting Dallas or just travelling. If you want to experience this Thali experience in Dallas Texas, you must go. I will give  four stars to this restaurant and food I ate and my experience I am saving one star for Hope you enjoyed my first post on this series and you will back when I come back again with another fun post for you.
Chitra

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:-

For Curry:

1. One can of diced tomato

2. 1 tbsp of tomato paste

3. 1 tbsp of minced garlic

4. 1 tbsp of minced ginger

5. ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream

6. 2 green chilies

7. Salt to taste

8. ½ tbsp of sugar

9. 1 tbsp of onion powder

10. 2 tsp of red chili powder

11. 1 tbsp of coriander powder

12. 1 tsp of garam masala powder

13. 2 tbsp of clarified butter

14. Oil

15. 2 tbsp of cilantro leaves for garnish

For Marinating Chicken:

1. 3 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

2. ½ cup of plain yoghurt/curd/dahi

3. Salt to taste

4. 1 tsp of turmeric powder

5. 1 tsp of red chili powder

6. 1 tsp of cayenne pepper/red kashmiri mirch powder

7. 1 tbsp of minced ginger and garlic

Method:-

1. Marinate the chicken with all ingredients above, at least 8 hours and cook in oven for 15 minutes at 350F.

2. In a non stick pan add 2 tbsp of oil and add ginger and garlic. Let it cook until light pink.

3. Till then crush the diced tomatoes in a blender and mix in with ginger garlic paste.

4. Let it cook for five minutes, add all the spices and cook for 10 minutes.

5. When the curry has thickened and tomatoes have been cooked add cream and stir.

6. Now add chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

7. Serve hot with white/brown boiled rice and naan.

-Chitra

Pan seared Tilapia and Rice

Ingredients 1. 2 fillets of tilapia 2. Salt to taste 3. 2 tsp of red chili powder 4. 1 tsp of cumin powder 5. Juice of one lemon 6. 1 tsp of cayenne pepper 7. 1 tsp of coriander powder 8. ½ tsp of garam masala powder 9. 2 tbsp of Oil 10. 1 cup of boiled basmati rice 11. ½ cup of mix vegetables (peas/corn/ edamame, carrots) Method 1. In a tray, marinate the fish with lemon juice salt and other spices. Marinate for around 30 minutes minimum. 2. Boil rice till then. In a non stick pan add one tbsp of oil, when oil is hot, stir fry the veggies. Add cooked rice and mix it well with little salt. Rice is ready. 3. In a flat non stick pan, griddle or grill brush little oil. 4. When pan is really hot add the fish and let it cook light brown on one side for 3-4 minutes and then flip over. 5. When it is cooked serve hot on bed of rice with lemon wedges and garnish with cilantro leaves or green onions. -Chitra

Baked Tandoori Shrimp

Ingredients

1. 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp

2. 1 tbsp olive oil

3. 2 tbsp of lime juice

4. 2 tbsp of tandoori chicken masala

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 450 F

2. In a bowl make marinating sauce with oil, lemon juice and 1 tbsp of tandoori masala.

3. Mix well and toss the shrimp and let it sit for 5 minutes.

4. Now place all the shrimp in foiled baking tray.

5. Bake it till golden brown, keep checking in between.

6. Take it out and sprinkle some dry tandoori masala on all of them.

7. Plate them on serving tray with some marinating sauce on top and garnish with some salad leaves.

8. Quick and easy appetizer is ready.

-Chitra

Grilled Thai Chicken over Brown Rice Medley and Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

 
Ingredients

Grilled Thai Chicken
1. 1 chicken breast halved
2. 1 tsp of peanut butter
3. 1 tbsp of soy sauce
4. 2 tsp of red hot sauce
5. 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
6. 1 tsp of grilled seasoning
7. 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
1. 1 Zucchini
2. 1 yellow squash
3. 2 big red potato
4. 2 cups of diced yellow, red and orange bell pepper
5. 2 tbsp of fresh rosemary
6. 3 cloves of garlic
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. 1 tsp of grilled seasoning
9. 2 tbsp of olive oil
Brown Rice Medley
1. ½ cup of brown rice medley
2. 1 tbsp of olive oil
3. ¾ cup of yellow and red bell pepper
4. Salt to taste


Directions

Grilled Thai Chicken
1. In a mixing bowl add all ingredients except chicken and whisk it well.
2. After washing your chicken, pat it dry.
3. Now poke chicken and put the chicken in zip lock bag or marinating bowl/tray. Pour the marinating mixture over the chicken.
4. Shake it well and let it sit for at least 2-4 hours.
5. Heat the grilled pan and grilled the chicken till golden brown on each side. Do not flip in between otherwise the meat will tear.
6. Whenever it is ready cool down before cutting into slices so that juices can run over and chicken will remain moist.
Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
1. Dice all the vegetables in bite size pieces, not to small as they need to be roasted.
2. Preheat the oven at 400 F.
3. Mix all ingredients with garlic cloves and chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, grilled seasoning, olive oil.
4. In a roasting pan add these vegetables and roast them until golden brown.
Brown Rice Medley
1. In rice cooker add 1 tbsp of olive oil and add those vegetables.
2. Now add rice and roast them for 2 minutes before adding water.
3. Then add 1 cup of water and salt to taste to cook the rice.
For serving the whole dish make a bed of rice and lay the grilled chicken slices on top. On the side serve roasted vegetables.
-Chitra

Tandoori Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

1. ½ kg of boneless , skinless chicken pieces thoroughly washed

2. 2 tbsp of tomato ketchup

3. 3 tbsp of hung curd

4. 2 tbsp of tandoori chicken masala / chicken masala

5. Salt and red chili powder to taste

6. 1 tbsp of mango/amchoor powder

7. 1 tbsp of cilantro/dhaniya leaves chopped up

8. 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic minced

9. ½ cup of lemon juice

10. 2 tbsp of oil

Directions

1. In a zip lock bag add all the dry spices and shake it well.

2. Pierced the chicken pieces well with fork for all the spices to blend in.

3. In the zip lock bag add ketchup, curd, ginger garlic, and oil and lemon juice.

4. Shake it well and then add chicken pieces.

5. Toss it well with tongs and let it marinate for 4-8 hrs or overnight.

6. Preheat the oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

7. Take the foil paper and set the grill on it.

8. Take out the chicken and let it sit on grill for 5 minutes so that juices come down on foil paper.

9. Now grill the chicken for 40-50 minutes, until it is golden brown.

10. Serve hot with pudina/mint chutney, onion rings and lemon wedges.

-Chitra

Butter Tangri Chicken / Butter Drumsticks

My husband and my brother love butter chicken, so I had to learn this. I went through all the recipes and combined few and came up with my version. It came out so yummy that even the bowls were licked…hope you will like it too.

Ingredients

For Marinating

1. ½ kg (500 gms) skinless Chicken(you can use boneless if you want, I used the Chicken thigh and drumsticks only)

2. 1 lemon (juice)

3. ½ tsp of red chili powder / cayenne pepper

4. Salt to taste

5. 1 ½ cup of fresh hung curd

6. 2 tbsp of heavy cream

7. 1 tbsp of ginger minced

8. 1tbsp of garlic minced

9. 1 tbsp of kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves

10. Pinch of red –orange food color

11. 1 tsp of garam masala

For Gravy Paste

1. 4 medium fresh red tomatoes

2. 1 cup tomato ketchup

3. 2 big red onions puree

4. 2 tbsp ginger paste

5. 2 tbsp of garlic paste

6. 3 tbsp white / unsalted butter

7. 1 tbsp fresh cream

8. Salt to taste

9. 1 tsp red chili powder

10. 3 tbsp fresh cashew nut paste

11. ½ tsp turmeric powder

12. 1 tsp dhania / coriander powder

13. 1 tbsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves

14. 2 tsp garam masala powder

15. 1 bay leaf dry or fresh

16. 2 cloves

17. ½ tsp of sugar

Directions

1. Wash the chicken pieces well; poke them with fork for marinating well.

2. Take a zip lock bag and add marinating wet and dry items and shake it well.

3. Now add the chicken to it and toss, keep this in fridge aside(minimum 6-8 hrs or overnight)

4. Grill the chicken pieces for 40 minutes, 20 minutes each side by rubbing oil on each side.

5. For gravy paste now take 2 cups of water and boil now add fresh tomatoes (halved).

6. When they turn little soft remove from flame and throw the water in another bowl.

7. Cool the tomatoes and peel them and puree them. Keep it aside.

8. Now dip the cashews in warm water for 15 minutes and then make the paste of it.

9. Puree the blanched onions.

10. In a non stick pan heat the butter on low heat. (Let it melt slowly)

11. Add the bay leaf and cloves.

12. When they change little color add ginger and garlic paste. Let the garlic cook for two minutes.

13. Add Onion paste and sauté till light brown.

14. Now add fresh tomato puree.

15. Stir it well and then add tomato ketchup.

16. Let it cook for 10 minutes so that it reduces down.

17. Add red color and chili powder.

18. Add crushed kasuri methi, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala.

19. Now sugar and add the cashew paste and stir for two minutes.

20. Add salt to taste and a ½ cup of water (which was left for tomatoes to blanch) and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency.

21. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat with closed lid.

22. Garnish with fresh cream.

23. Serve the Butter Tangri Chicken with Naan (Indian flat bread) or plain steamed rice.

TIP :- To puree the onions for curry, skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 - 4 minutes then puree them to form a paste. It will give good paste rather dry oinions.

-Chitra

Chicken Lababdaar

Ingredients

1. ½ kg of boneless chicken pieces cubed

2. ½ cup of green and red bell pepper sliced vertically

3. 6-7 onions grinded well

4. 2 cups of tomato ketchup

5. 1 cup of fresh tomato pureed with1 tbsp of ginger and 2 green chilies

6. 1 cup of cream

7. 100 gms of butter

8. ½ cup milk

9. 1 cup of thick curd (mix it well with spoon or whisker)

10. Salt to taste

11. 1 tsp of red chili powder

12. ¼ tsp of turmeric powder

13. ½ tsp of kasuri methi

14. 1 tsp of dried mint / pudina leaves

15. ½ tsp of garam masala

Directions

1. In a non stick pan add 2 tbsp of oil and sauté the chicken pieces and keep them aside.

2. In another pan add butter on low heat.

3. Saute the onions till pink in color.

4. Then add tomato ketchup and fresh tomato puree.

5. Cook with lid closed and stir in between cooking till you can see melted butter to separate.

6. Now add chicken pieces and stir well.

7. After cooking 5 minutes add bell peppers.

8. Stir in all the spices now.

9. Add cream and curd and stir well and take the pan off the heat. Turn off the heat.

10. Keep it aside for an hour or so.

11. Add milk to the mixture and put the flame on low heat.

12. Simmer for 5 minutes then serve hot with lachedaar or butter parantha or naan.

-Chitra