Kitchen Tantra

Rasam Powder:

Ingredients:

Thoor dal 1 cup
Coriander seeds 1 cup
Dry red chilies 10
Fenugreek seeds 3 spoons
Asafoetida
Curry leaves 6 twigs
Pepper 1/2 cup
Cumin 1/2 cup.

Method:

Roast each separately and powder them together.

While roasting....maintain the stove in medium flame. Constantly stir.

Roast till good aroma....until golden brown. Allow them to cool.....before grinding them to powder.

Powder them in a blender and allow the powder to cool down. Maybe well spread in a plate. Later store them in air tight container.

Labels: Rasam

Sambar Powder:

Ingredients:

Thoor dal 1 cup
Chenna dal 1 cup
Dhaniya 1 cup
Dry red chilies 10-15
Fenugreek seeds 3 spoons
Asafoetida 3 spoons
Curry leaves 5-6 twigs.

Method:

Roast each separately and powder them together.

While roasting....maintain the stove in medium flame. Constantly stir. Roast till good aroma....until golden brown.

Allow them to cool.....before grinding them to powder.

Powder them in a blender and allow the powder to cool down. Maybe well spread in a plate.

Later store them in air tight container.

Labels: Sambar

Stuffed Karela:(Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

Stuffed Kaakarkkai/ Stuffed Paawarkkai/Paavakkai/Paagarkkai.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd medium size 8
Red onions 6 finely chopped
Tomato 4 finely chopped
Garlic 1 large peeled and chopped
Ginger 3-4 inches skinned and chopped
Garam masala powder 1/2 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder
Chili powder
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds/
Curry leaves fried in oil for garnishing before serving
Sesame oil 1 cup

Method:

1. Peel the serrated outer skin of bitter gourd. wash them. Then make an incision at one side and remove its seeds, using a spoon's tip. Repeat it for all the gourds.

2. Bil the vegetable in water. Add little salt to this water. When the vegetable is semi cooked, remove from water and wipe off the excess water.

3. In a pan heat oil.... add mustard and cumin. Let them pop and spruttle. Then add ginger and garlic. Fry them for a while. Later add onions and fry till they are translucent. Add tomatoes. cover and cook on medium flame.


4. Now add salt, turmeric, chili and garam masala to it. When the masala is well blend, turn it off.

5. Stuff this masala in the bitter gourd. One can tie it with thread if needed.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Add this stuffed vegetable and remaining masala too. Fry them well without cover. Let hte vegetable turn golden brown color and slightly crispy.

Garnish with fried curry leaves. Serve this side dish with Pulkah roti or curd rice.

Labels: Bitter Gourd

Shrimp Thokku:

Ingredients:

Shrimps 1/2 kg
Onion 2 very finely chopped
Tomato puree (thick) 8-10 spoons
Garlic 1 large peeled and grated
Dry red chilies 10 roasted and grated
Salt
Turmeric powder
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves crisply fried in oil and garnished just before serving.
Sesame oil 1 cup.

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, urad, chena dal and asafoetida. Let them spruttle and pop.

2. Now add grated garlic and fry till fragrant. Add onions and fry till reddish brown.

3. Add tomato puree, salt, turmeric and grated chilies. Fry well. Make sure of all this while stove to be in medium to high flame.

4. There should be no moisture content seen....the masala should be really deep red in color and thickened to a table spoon full of paste. Oil floats on top.

5. Now add shrimps and cover. Set the stove in medium flame. Maybe 8-10 mins....it gets cooked. Stir in between....when getting cooked.

6. Now if any moisture is seen....cook again in medium to high flame without cover. Stir regularly.

7. Once the oil floats on the top and the food comes to appeasing color.....its done.

This is hot side dish. Can be served with ghee pilaf or corn pilaf.

Labels: Pickle/Thokku, Shrimps

Ghee Rice:


Nei Saadham. Pulavu Saadham. Neyi Soru(Malayalam)

This is my next door neighbour's recipe(back home). I call her M.G.R aunty....the name has a big story!:) When I was studying +1 or +2. We had an old next door neighbours. We never interacted or anything with them...when they moved in...guess for about 4 years. We used just smile or rarely wave at each ohter. One fine morning...that Uncle was sitting outside, on the porch. He was wearing this thick black Googles like M.G.R. My mother called me and said...I think our next door neighbour had an eye operation or something...you better go there and have a word with him, for courtesy. I said fine. So...I met them and spoke for a while. They were very delighted to have me. Later we became very thick friends and now much like my old grandparents they are. But I didnt stop calling him 'MGR uncle' yet. Although he is fine...now, never wears that googles any more. It became his name. Like even my father and couple of other neighbours call him MGR Sir. So...eventually I call aunty as MGR aunty too!

So she makes this ghee rice to my brother...as he likes this recipe very much. She makes mild pulav to go with her extra spicy rich gravies. She is an amazing cook. Though today...I made her recipe, I skipped to add food color. She sneaks in pinch of orange food color to this rice. It gives rich color! But I am kind of against this artificial coloring.

Ingredients:

Short grain rice(seeraga samba) 1 cup/ long grain rice (basmathi)
Ghee 1/4 cup
Salt
Star Anise 1-2
Cinnamon 3
Cloves 3
Cardamom 4-6 pods crushed (crush the inner seeds well)
Bay leaves 3
Freshly ground Ginger - garlic paste 2 spoons
Finely chopped onions2

Method:

1. In a pressure pan heat ghee. Add Star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Fry them for a while.

2. Add ginger - garlic paste and fry well in ghee. Let the aroma fill the room.

3. Now add onions to it.....fry till its fragrant.

4. Add rice and salt.....add 1 and 1/2 cup of water. Pressure cook it till one or two whistles.

Mix well before serving. Maybe a spoon of ghee can be run over it, before serving.

Though it has too many spices it is considered as 'Mild Pulav'......So this main dish can be served along with some really hot gravy/curry/korma.

Labels: Main Dish - Rice

Paalak Masiyal:(Tamizhar Style)


Pala Keerai Masiyal. Pala Koora Chutney. Spinach chutney.

Ingredients:

Frozen spinach 1 bag(or fresh 2 bunches)
Onion 1 small chopped
Tomato 1 small chopped
Green chilies 5-6 chopped
Garlic 5-6 cloves chopped
Salt
Oil few spoons
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-5
Curry leaves 5-6 no.s
Oil few spoons

Method:

1. In a pan add oil.....add onion, tomato, garlic and green chilies. Cover with lid. Maintain the stove on medium flame.

2. After 3-5 minutes or once the onion turns translucent add spinach, salt and tamarind paste to it. Cover and cook. Let the greens get cooked with its own water content. No need to add any water.

3. Once its cooked and still moist.......turn off the stove.

4. After it comes to normal temperature.....wet grind it in a blender to thick green paste/chutney.

5. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, red chilies, chenna, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Drop this seasoning over the spinach chutney.

Labels: Greens

Corn Pilaf:


This recipe is my Mommy's friend's recipe.... Mrs. Soundarajan(from kovai)! It seems she prepared this pulav to my Mommy...when she visited her place. So since then my Mommy was telling to me...its different and nice. So thought of giving a try.

Ingredients:

Frozen corn 1 cup(or Boil 2 corns with little salt and shred them)
Short grained rice 1 cup
Salt
Star anise 2
Bay leaves 2
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 2-3
Cashew nuts 6-10
Ginger - garlic paste 1 spoon
Onion 1 finely chopped
Ghee/Clarified butter 1 cup.

Method:

1. In a pressure pan add ghee. Once its smoky hot....add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cashews and star anise.

2. To the same add ginger - garlic paste and fry till its raw smell is gone. Followed by onions. Fry onions till its translucent.

3. Add frozen corn to this. Add 1 and 1/2 cup of water. Add salt and rice now. Pressure cook till one whistle.

Though it is rich in spices its a kind of mild dish only..... so serve this main dish with hot and spicy Korma/gravy.

Labels: Main Dish - Rice

Quick - Chili Podi:


Garlic Chili Podi. Instant Idly-Dosai Podi. Hot Idly-Dosai Podi.

If someone is in hurry, there is no time to make chutney or samabar...one could fix this in seconds. Yeah...its very hot but very good in taste. It makes a wonderful taste if eaten with Paper dosa or idly.

I don't know...few friends of mine from Manali area(in Chennai) call this 'podi' as 'Rosa poo Chutney'!hmmmmm peculiar. When I was in college...my classmates Jayapriya and Jayanthi....used to tell often, that we had idly and rosa poo chutney. I used to give 'what the' look to them. So myself and few others never had a clue about it. One fine day..when I didnt plan to go to hostel. These girls opened their lunch case..it happend to be this chili podi'...which they were calling 'rosa poo chutney' Oh my my....I was thinking there will be some real Gulabi ka Chutney!:( If anyone knows...why this name has come to this podi...please do share with me!

Ingredients:

Chili powder 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Salt
Garlic 8-10 cloves (crushed without peeling its skin)
Curry leaves
Sesame oil 1/2 cup.

Method:

1. In a bowl mix salt, turmeric and chili powder and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and curry leaves. Fry them till crisp.

3. Add this oil to the mix in bowl.

This is extremely hot podi. Can be served with Idly and Dosa.

Labels: Podi/Powder

Brain Fry:


Moolai Milagu Varuval/perattal. Pepper-Brain Fry.

Ingredients:

Goat's Brain 4 no.s
Garlic 6 cloves peeled and crushed
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Red chili powder 1/4 spoon
Black pepper powder 1/2 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves 1-2 twigs(crisply fry in oil and garnish just before serving)
Oil 1/2 cup.

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, chana and urad dal. Fry them well.

2. To this add garlic, salt and turmeric. Fry them till garlic is fragrant.

3. Now add chili powder and pepper. Toss the brain now. (Brain should be well cleaned)

4. Cover with lid. Just sprinkle water before covering. When it is half the way done,.....using a wooden spatula make each brain into 4 pieces.(each brain 2 cuts one horizontal and one vertical)

5. Maybe 5-8 mins...it gets cooked. Now fry them for a while without lid. Till the oil shows up on sides.

Serve warm with south Indian meals. Garnish with curry leaves just before serving.

Labels: Goat's Meat/Mutton

Simple Dal Rice:

Ingredients:

Rice 1 cup
Thoor Dal 1/2
Onion 1 small finely chopped
Garlic 3-5 cloves finely chopped
Ghee 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilies 6
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Salt
Curry leaves (fried crisply in ghee - for garnishing.)

Method:

1. In a pressure pan add ghee. Once its smoky hot. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida and red chilies. Let them pop and spruttle.

2. Later add garlic and onion. Let them fry till its raw smell goes off.

3. Now add dal and rice to it. (Measure 3 cup of water in the same cup you measured rice and dal). Add 3 cups of water and enough salt. Pressure cook for upto 3 whistles. Maintain the stove in medium to high flame all this while.

4. Once it is done mix well and add few spoons of ghee and garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

This simple main dish can be served along with some spicy veetables like....Potatoes, Eggplant, Fried eggs....etc.

Labels: Main Dish - Rice

Muttai Masaala Kuzhambu:(Spicy egg gravy)

Muttai Kuzhambu/ Scambled Egg Gravy/ Gudilu Pulusu/ Anda Masaala.

Ingredients:

Eggs 8
Onion 2 chopped
Tomato 2 chopped
Ginger - garlic paste 2-3 spoons
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder
Chili powder
Oil 1/2 cup
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 2
Curry leaves 3 twigs. (Crisply fried in oil for garnishing)
Coriander leaves freshly chopped before serving, for garnishing.

Method:

1. In a deep pan.....heat oil. Add cloves and cinnamon.

2. To this add onions and fry till translucent. Later add ginger - garlic paste and fry till its raw smell goes off.

3. Add tomatoes and fry till it looses its water content.

4. Now add tamarind paste, salt, turmeric and chili powder to it. Add further 2-3 cups of water....cover and cook on medium flame.

5. Once a thick gravy has formed.....held the egg top above the gravy and break. Repeat it for all the eggs. Maintain the stove in low flame. Cover and cook. Don't use much spatula to shake and break the yolks.

Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Can be served with plain rice or mild pilaf's.

Labels: Eggs, Non-Veg Kuzhambu

Muttai Masaal: (Egg Masaal)

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs 4-6
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Oil

To be fried in little oil and made into Paste:

Onion 1 small chopped
Tomato 1 small chopped
Green chili 1 chopped
Ginger 1-2 inch chopped
Garlic 4-5 clove chopped

To be roasted and powdered:

Cloves 3
Cinnamon 1-2
Coriander seeds 1-2 spoons.

For garnishing:

Curry leaves, fried crisply in hot oil.

Method:

1. Using a thread....make a deep cut in the boiled eggs. That is half the eggs vertically.

2. In a pan, heat oil. Add the powdered masala, paste masala and eggs.

3. Add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Blend them together. Fry well, till the raw smell of the masala goes. Let the oil separates on top.

4. Garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

Labels: Eggs

Thakaali Thokku: (Tamizhar Style)

Tamaatar Ki Achaar/ Tamaatar Ki Chutney/ Tomato Chutney/Tomato-hot-Pickle.

Ingredients:

Country tomatoes 1 kg(or tomato puree)
Garlic 2 large peeled and grated
Dry red chilies 1-2 cup
Sesame oil 1 bowl
Mustard seeds 2 spoons
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek 1 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves 1 cup
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Salt

Method:

Boil tomatoes in water for 5 minutes. Peel the skin off. Make a thick puree of it. One can still use commercial tomato puree.

In a pan roast the dry red chilies and powder them in a high speed blender.

In a deep pan heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, chenna dal, urad dal, fenugreek and curry leaves to it. Let them pop and splutter well.

To this add the grated garlic. Fry them well till it is slightly crisp.

Later add tomato puree. Add salt, turmeric and freshly prepared red chili powder. Fry them well. Maintain the stove on medium flame. Cover and cook. Never attempt to add water. If necessary stir in between.

Once the raw smell of chili and tomato is gone....remove the lid and constantly stir cook. Let the gravy become to very thick paste and oil shows up on sides.

This thokku has nearly 1 month shelf life. If refrigerated it may stay long till 3 months.

Can be taken along with chappathis and pooris or even plain steamed rice. One can run few spoons of ghee just before serving.

Labels: Pickle/Thokku

Arcot Mutton Bonda:

Mutton Bonda. Arcot Mutton Kebab/Kawaab. Meat Kebab. Goat Meat's Bonda.

I learnt this recipe from a road side cook on Madras highways. Though its not run in skewers....they call it 'Kebab'! But I wanted to call it 'Mutton Bonda'. I have made some modifications myself for better taste. Hope y'all will enjoy with me!

Ingredients:

Goat's meat 1/2 kg(boneless and diced)
Gram flour 2 cup
Rice flour 2-4 spoons
Oil for frying.

Make a batter mixing these with gram flour:

Gram flour
Rice flour
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander powder 1 spoon
Baking soda less than 1/4 spoon
Ginger -Garlic paste 1 spoon
Mint paste 1 spoon
Garam masala powder 1 spoon(ground cloves and cinnamon)
Egg white 1 (optional)

Mutton masala ingredients:

Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Coriander powder 1/2 spoon
Ginger - garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Onion paste 1 spoon
Mint leaves finely chopped 1 spoon
Pepper powder 1/2 spoon
Garam masala 1/2 spoon

Method:

1. Pressure cook, meat with little salt in it till tender.

2. In a pan add few spoon of oil and fry cooked meat. Add all the mutton masala ingredients now. Fry till fragrant and oil shows up on top. Maintain your stove over high flame. Never cover during this process.

3. Heat oil in deep pan(medium to high flame).

4. Take a piece of meat and dip it in the batter and fry them in hot oil. Fry them till golden brown and crisp.

This is heavy for appetizers, better treat as an evenning snack with cup of Iranian Chai!

Labels: Goat's Meat/Mutton

Turnip chops:

Ingredients:

Turnips 1/2 kg skinned and sliced
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Red chili powder 1/2 spoon
Bay leaves 2
Oil 1/4 cup

Roast each separately and powder them together:

Cloves 2
Cinnamon 2
Cardamom 1
Black pepper 1/2 spoon
Fennel seeds 1 spoon
Poppy seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Dry coconut 1/4 cup
Coriander seeds 1/2 cup

Fry in little oil and wet grind these to paste:

Onion 1 diced
Ginger 2 inch
Garlic 5 cloves
Tomato 1 diced

For Garnishing:

Crisply fry curry leaves and garnish before serving.

Method:

1. In a deep pan add oil and bay leaves.

2. Followed by turnips. Fry them for a while. Then add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Toss them well to all sides.

3. Now add the wet paste and fry them till its raw smell is gone.

4. Later add the roasted and powdered masala. Fry them till its raw smell is gone and oil separates. Never cover them in whole process.

This side dish can be served along with plain rice or mild ghee rice.

Caramel Delite:

Ingredients:

Milk 2 -3 cup
Eggs 2
Sugar 6 spoons
Vanilla essence/Saffron
Maida/All purpose flour 2 spoons
Ghee/butter 1-2 spoon

Method:

1. In a bowl well beat eggs with sugar.

2. When eggs are done foamy enough add milk and well beat.

3. Add flour and beat without any lumps.

4. Add vanilla essence 1 cube cup / 1 pinch of saffron (either of it).

5. Smear clarified butter in the inner side of bowl. Pour the above mix in this bowl. Steam cook it for 10-12 mins.

6. Invert the bowl on a plate carefully. It should come like a cake or idly.

7. Refrigerate it.

Serve it chill.

Keema Methi:

Minced Meat with Fenugreek Leaves

Ingredients:

Minced mutton/lamb(boneless)500 gms
Methi leaves-cleaned, washed and chopped 250 grams
Grated onion 1 cup
Chopped tomatoes 2 cup
Ginger paste 1 spoon
Garlic paste 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1-2 spoons
Garam masala powder 1 spoon
Ground coriander seeds 3 spoons
Turmeric 1/2 spoon
Ground black pepper 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Bay leaves 3
Salt
Oil 1 cup

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Wait till they splutter well. Then add garlic, ginger, onions, bay leaves and the garam masala, and stir-fry, till oil separates.

Add onion and tomatoes and continue to stir-fry till oil shows up on sides. Now add salt, coriander, turmeric, chili powder and black pepper to this.

Now add meat and stir fry them until they turn opaque. Continue to stir fry, till the keema is almost cooked through. Add limited water often...cover and cook. At the end of cooking there should be no water left.

Once the meat is fully done....add methi leaves(fenugreek leaves) and fry well over high flame/heat. The meat should be well blend with leaves now. These leaves get cooked just in few minutes. Just stir fry them for few minutes till dry.

Serve hot. It can taken as side dish for chapathis, pulkas or even rice.

Labels: Goat's Meat/Mutton

Romaali Roti:

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour 1 cup
Maida/all purpose flour 50 gms
Baking powder 1/2 spoon
Oil few spoons
Water to knead

Method:

1. Mix wheat flour, maida, salt and baking powder.

2. Pour oil in the flour and add water little by little and make a smooth and elastic dough and set aside covered with moist muslin cloth for 1/2 an hour.

3. Now make small balls of the dough and roll like a thin chapati of about 12" diameter circle using little dry flour (it should be thin as a tissue).

4. Heat a skillet (tawa). Place the roti carefully over it and cook till done. Fold it like a handkerchief.

Serve hot with spicy gravy.

Labels: Indian Bread

Kubhani ka Meetha:(Hyderabadi Style)

Ingredients

Dry apricot 250 gms
Sugar 150 gms
Almonds 1/4 cup(Toated and peeled)

To Garnish:

Ice cream - vanilla
Fresh cream
Mint leaves.

Method

In a heavy vessel, melt sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Bring it to syrup like consistency.

Wash the apricots and soak them in water for 4 whole hours.

De-seed the apricots. Then chop them down.

Immerse them in sugar syrup.

Cook over medium heat, well covered.

Let it come to pulp like stage and get well blended in the syrup.

Transfer this into a serving dish. Serve hot or cold accompanied by ice-cream. A spoonful of fresh cream can be used to garnish the dessert.

Murg Ki Shaguti:(Hyderabadi Style)

Muzhu Kozhi Varuval/ Kotti Fry.

Ingredients :

Whole Chicken - 1 (skinned and cut)
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Pepper 2 spoons
Cardamom 3 pods
Poppy seeds1 spoon
Cinnamon 3 sticks
Cloves5
Chilly powder 2 spoon
Nutmeg 1/4 spoon coarsely ground
Coriander powder 1 spoon
Fennel seeds 1 spoon
Turmeric powder 1 spoon
Ginger 3 inch size piece
Tamarind juice 1 cup
Vinegar 1/2 cup
Oil 1-2 cup
Salt
Onion 2-3 thinly sliced
Whole coconut 1 grated

Method:

Heat few spoons of oil in a pan. Fry cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, ginger and fenugreek seeds for few minutes. Fry till brown and wet grind to a fine paste. (paste 1)

Fry one sliced onion in a little oil. Add half of the coconut with poppy seeds to this and fry them too. Wet grind this too...to a fine paste. (paste 2)

Extract the milk from the other half of the coconut to get one cup of thick milk and 1 cup of thin milk from the rest.Set them aside

Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a pan. Fry the remaining 2 sliced onions, till brown. Add chicken pieces now. Further add wet ground pastes(both 1 and 2) Add salt, chili, coriander and turmeric powders. Fry hem well...till chicken turns opaque.

Add tamarind juice and the thin coconut milk to the chicken. Cover and cook till the chicken is tender. When it is half done....add vinegar and thick coconut milk. Cover and cook for few more minutes.

Serve hot with rice or chappathis.

Labels: Chicken

Chettinad Potato Chops:(Chettinad Style)

Potato Pepper Curry. Hot n Spicy Dhum Aloo. Urulai-Kizhangu Milagu Masala Kuzhambu. Pepper Dhum Aloo.

Ingredients:

Baby potato - 1/4 kilo
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Salt
Sesame Oil 1 cup.

To be dry roasted and powdered:

Poppy seeds
Cinnamon 2 sticks
Cloves 3
Coriander seeds 1-2 spoons
Fennel seeds 1-2 spoons
Black pepper 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-5

To be fried with little oil and wet ground into paste:

Onion 1 small chopped
Garlic 2-3 cloves-chopped
Ginger 2" size peeled and chopped
Coconut - grated 1 table spoon.

For Garnishing:

Crisply fried curry leaves a bowl full
or
Cilantro leaves -finely chopped.

Method:

Scrape the skin from baby potaoes carefully. Wash and clean them in running water.

In a pan..heat oil. Stir-in wet-ground paste and fry real good. Maybe till the raw odour leaves and oil shows up on top.

Then add salt, turmeric and 2 cups of water. Add potaoes too. Cover and cook. Maybe until they are half done.

Once the water is evaporated and gravy thickens... add powdered spices too, to this and drizzle few spoons of oil over it.

Remove the lid and continue cooking over high heat. The potatoes should be done, crispy, brownish and aromatic.(no more raw smell of spices)

Garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

Serve hot as a side dish to Barotta, Chappathi, Roti, Nan, Iddiaapam, Aappam or Idly and Dosa.

Labels: Potato, Veg Kuzhambu

Chettinad Style Potato Chops:

Chettinad Style Fried Potatoes. Potato Fry. Spicy Potato Fry. Pepper Potato Fry. Milagu Urulai Varuval. Chettinattu Urulai-Milagu Pirattal.

Ingredients:

Baby potato - 1/4 kg(unpeeled and cut into roundels)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2 - 3
Red chillies- 4 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt

Method:

1. Wet grind together coconut, fennel, red chillies, turmeric powder and garlic.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan.

3. Add potatoes and salt.

4. Cook, till it is half done.

5. Add the ground masala and fry, till the raw smell is gone.

6. Cook on a medium flame, till the oil starts to separate.

Labels: Potato

Spicy Mixed Fried Rice:

Ingredients:

Oil - 1/2 cup
Chicken(diced) - 1 cup (boneless)
Shrimps 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Salt
Pepper (preferably white pepper powder)
Garlic 3 cloves(finely chopped)
Fresh ginger - 2" piece(peeled and finely chopped)
Whole scallions/spring onions - 3 nos(thinly sliced;white and green separated)
Carrots - 1 (finely chopped)
Beans 50-100 gms (finely chopped)
Cabbage 100 gms (finely chopped)
Green chilies 6 (finely chopped)
Eggs(large) - 4 nos(lightly beaten)
Cold cooked long-grain rice, white or jasmine rice, grains separated - 4 cup
Ajinamotto 2-3 pinchs
Soy sauce
Corn flour 4 spoons.

Method:

0. Marinate Chicken and Shrimps with little salt, ajinamotto, white pepper, corn flour and soy sauce. May be for 30-40 mins.

1. Heat a tbsp of oil in a large heavy-bottomed non stick skillet on a high flame.

2. Add the chicken and shrimps, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

3. Add onions, salt and pepper.

4. Cook for 1 - 2 mins, until onion is fragrant.

5. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites and stir-fry, until fragrant, for about 30 secs.

6. Add the vegetables. (green chilies, carrots, beans, cabbage.)

7. Stir fry.

8. Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl.

9. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the same pan.

10. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

11. Stir the eggs constantly and cook, until almost set, but still moist.

12. Transfer the egg to the bowl.

13. Heat up the remaining oil in the same pan.

14. Add rice and use a spoon to break up any clumps.

15. Add salt and pepper and stir-fry the rice to coat evenly with oil.

16. Stop stirring and then let the rice cook undisturbed, until its gets slightly crispy, for about 2 mins.

17. Stir the rice again, breaking up any new clumps.

18. Add the scallion greens.

19. Transfer to the bowl.

20. Stir all the ingredients together with the rice. (Add few spoons of soy sauce and white pepper)

Serve with Hot sauce and Tomato ketchup.

Labels: Chicken, Eggs, Main Dish - Rice, Shrimps

Haleem: (Iranian dish)

Its originally an Iranian dish. It is cooked usually during Ramzaan month. It gives all nourishment in one dish like carbohydrate, Animal fat and Animal protein. Its considered healthy while fasting. These days it is been cooked through out the year in commercial Restaurants. Just for the value of its taste. Hyderabad and Lucknow in India is famous for Haleem. Though it is tiring process. One has to wet grind wheat and minced meat for least 10-12 hours(Traditional way). Here I have given in a simple procedure for 3-4 members without losing its original taste.

Ingredients:

1 kg: Mutton-boneless, cubed
1 kg: Cracked wheat-soaked in water for » one hour and drained
1 ½ cup: Yogurt
1 tbsp: Ginger-garlic paste
1 ¼ cup: Onions-chopped (finely)
1 tsp: Green chilli paste
2 tsp: Green coriander paste
¼ cup: Lemon juice
3 no: Black cardamoms-seeds alone from 3 pods
½ tsp: Cinnamon-broken and powdered
1 tsp: Chilli powder
1/2cup: Oil
2 tsp: Salt
Green chillies and mint leaves for garnish

Method:

Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, chilli and coriander paste, cardamom and cinnamon powder, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt.

Marinate the meat in this mixture and leave 3-4 hours.

Add enough water to the wheat and cook till tender. When cool enough to handle, blend to a thick paste in a blender.

Heat the oil and add the meat mixture. Turn around over high heat, till opaque.

Add water to cover and cook, maintain over low heat, till tender.

Add the wheat paste and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes.

In a pan, heat oil. Fry onions till reddish brown. Fry green chilies till opaque. Run this over the haleem made. Garnish with chopped mint leaves, just before serving.

Serve hot.

Labels: Goat's Meat/Mutton

Mirchi Ki Salan: (Hyderabadi Dish)

Its actually aside dish for Hyderabadi Biriyani.

Ingredients:

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
Coriander seeds powder1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2 spoon tamarind paste
Grated dessicated coconut
2-3 pinches asafoetida

Roast each separately and powder them together:

1 tbsp. peanuts
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds

Fry in little oil and wet grind these to paste:

1 large onion
1 large tomato
1 tsp. garlic grated
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. chironj

Method:

1. De seed and remove stalk of chillies.(One can still have seeds for hot gravy)

2. Put plenty of water and boil... adding a little salt. Put chillies in boiling water cook till it is whitish in colour.

3. Drain and chop into large sections (or keep whole).

4. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add chillies...fry for a minute. Set aside.

5. Add cumin seeds, allow to splutter. Add curry leaves too. Followed by asafoetida, ground paste and coconut. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.

6. Add ground powder, masala powders, simmer till oil separates. Add salt, tamarind paste and a cup of water.

7. Add chillies... boil till gravy is thickened and oil floats on top.

Serve hot with parathas or chapattis or Dhum Biriyani.

Apollo Fish: (Hyderabadi Special)

Chilli Fish. Garlic Fish.

I am a huge fan for Hyderabadi cuisine! Espicially their Layer Biriyani and Haleem. Besides that...most of the restaurants had this recipe called 'Apollo Fish'! Never thought of asking anyone...why such name! Who cares for 'what the name implied! The food is tasty, thats all! Much like Tamil Nadu Chilli Fish! Only thing is they garnish with lots of fried garlic, green chilies(Andhra kaadha!?) and curry leaves! Yummy!

Ingredients:

Fish 1/2 kg diced(firm & healthy fish, deskinned & deboned)
Besan/chenna powder 4 spoons
Maida/All purpose flour 2 spoons
Salt
Ginger-Garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Lemon juice 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Red food color 1 pinch
Egg white alone from one egg. It helps in binding the batter.
Oil for deep frying

For Garnishing:(Crisply fry these each separately in smoky hot oil)

Curry leaves 1 bowl
Green chilies slitted 6-8
Garlic finely chopped one cup.

Method:

1. In a bowl add all the above said ingredients except oil. Marinate fish for minimum 1-2 hours.

2. In a deep pan add oil. Once it is smoky hot. Fry fish with thin batter over it. Let the stove be in medium to high flame. Once the fish is reddish brown take them off.

3. Completely wipe off the excess oil with blotting tissue. Then garnish them with above said items.

Labels: Fish

Sweet Potato Poriyal:

Chakarai Valli Kizhangu Poriyal.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato/Lousiana Yam 2 peeled and chopped
Salt
Dry red chilies flaked/bruised
Curry leaves few
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Mustard 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a wok, heat oil. Add all them seasonning items. Wait till it pops up.

Followed by chopped veggies. Add salt, cover and cook till they are tender.

Perfect to go with your meals.

Labels: Potato

Godhuma Laadu:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour 2 cup
Milk 1/4 cup
Ghee 1 cup
Dry grated coconut 1 cup(better to use dehydrated coconut flakes)
Black Sesame seeds 1/4 cup
Jaggery or Brown sugar 3/4 cup

For Decoration:

Colored dehydrated coconut 1-2 spoons (multi colored)
Pumpkin seeds

Method:

1. Make a tough dough out of wheat using milk. Don't add any salt or soda.

2. Knead them into small pooris.

3. Fry them in ghee....to crisp pooris. And wipe of the excess oil. Allow it to cool. Then make them into bits.

3. Or one can toss them on tawa to make into chapatis. And sun dry them. Then make them into bits.

4. In a blender powder the chapatis or pooris.

5. In a pan add few spoons of ghee and fry dry grated coconut and sesame seeds. And set aside.

6. Add few more spoons of ghee to the same pan and add brown sugar to it. Further add 1/2 cup of water to it. Maintain the stove in medium to high flame. Let the sugar melt and till pearly consistency.

7. Mix the powdered pooris with fried coconut and sesame seeds. Run this melted sugar over this. Mix them well.

8. One can serve this as such also. Or allow them to cool and make them into small laadus. And decorate the laadu with pumpkin seeds and colored coconut flakes.

Labels: Sweets

Egg Recipes:

1. Bull's eye/Half boil
2. Egg Pakora
3. Egg Podimass -1(scrambled eggs)
4. Egg Podimass -2
5. Egg karakuzhambu
6. Egg malasa karakuzhambu
7. Egg gravy
8. Egg Vadhakkal
9. Egg fry
10. Egg Thokku
11. Egg Dosa
12. Egg Kothu Barotta
13. Omlette -1
14. Omlette -2
15. Tomato omlette
16. Vegetable Omlette
17. Egg Sandwich
18. Bread Omlette
19. French Toast
20. Spicy French Toast

Method:

1. Bull's Eye:

Place a clean skillet on low flame stove. Spray little oil on it. Held your egg 30 cm above the skillet in vertical position.....break it with knife in centre of the egg.

If needed repeat the same for more eggs. Usually upto 3-5 eggs. Sprinkle salt and pepper over it.

Don't toss this the other side. If needed add one spoon of oil around it before removing. Serve hot.

2. Egg Pakora:

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs 4-6 thinly sliced
Onion thinly sliced 1
Ginger - garlic paste 1 spoon
Garlic 6 cloves with skin semi crushed
Green chilies slitted 6
Curry leaves 3-4 twigs
Mint paste 1 spoon
salt
Cooking soda one pinch
Ground cumin powder 1/2 spoon
Maida flour 1/4 cup(all purpose flour)
Chenna dal powder 1/2 cup
Dalda/Ghee 2 spoons
Oil for frying.

Method:

In a wide bowl add salt and soda.....drop few spoons of ghee/dalda. Completely mix them until salt dissolves in this. Then to this add all the above ingredients except frying oil. Mix them well.

In a deep pan add oil. Once the oil is smoky hot. Just before dropping them in oil sprinkle the mixture with water. Never add water....just sprinkle water....that would be fine. Fry them to crispy pakoras.

3. Egg Podimass:

Ingredients:

Eggs 4-6 well beaten
Onions 4 large very thinly chopped
Green chilies 6 slitted
Curry leaves 3 twigs
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Salt
Turmeric 2 pinch
Ground black pepper 1/2 spoon
Oil 1/2 cup.

Method:

In a skillet add oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard, cumin, chenna, urad dal and curry leaves. Let them pop and fried to crisp.

Then toss the Green chilies and followed by onions. Fry them till onion turns to translucent color.

Now add salt, turmeric and pepper. Pour the beaten egg to this. Maintain the stove in low flame. Using a wooden spatula......turn over them repeatedly. Till all the moisture content off egg is gone. If needed run few spoons of oil too.

Serve this scrambled egg when hot.

4. Egg Podimass:

Well beat 4-6 eggs in a bowl. To this add salt, 2 pinch of turmeric and 1/2 spoon of chili powder and 1/2 spoon of pepper powder. Beat them thoroughly.

In a deep pan add oil and add 1/2 spoon of mustard. Add one or 2 twigs of curry leaves. Once they are fried well pour this beaten eggs to it. Never cover them with lid. Maintain the stove in medium flame. Scramble them using a wooden spatula. Fry them till all moisture content is lost.

Serve them hot. Both the scrambled eggs are good side dish for Rasam rice. One can use this for Bread Sandwich or even tortilla sandwich.

Labels: Eggs

Stuffed Bitter Gourd Fry: (Andhra Style)

Stuffed Karela. Stuffed Kaakarkkai. Stuffed Pavakkai/Pagarkkai.

Salma Aunty is my 'Culnary Guru'! She is a very good friend to my family! She is really talented person....almost everyday she makes something new to Uncle! Lucky him! She is too good....to share all her new creative recipe with me. I was a teenager at that time.....so I just hog her food, compliment her and never try to learn it. Later when I started cooking.....I almost bothered her everyday over phone. But she was sweet enough to let me know....all her secret recipes!:) So this is her creative recipe here. My whole family is fan to this recipe and we call this as 'Salma's Karela' at Home!

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd small size 8
Dry coconut 1 (Coparai)
Garlic 4-5 cloves
Salt
Sour curd/buttermilk 1 cup
Lime juice few spoons
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Red chili powder 1 spoon
Coconut oil 3-4 spoons
Vegetable oil for deep/pan frying
Curry leaves few for garnishing(optional).

Method:

1. First make small pieces out of dry coconut. Then grate it in a blender. Set it aside.

2. Remove the outer serrated portion of bitter gourd.....using a scraper. Scrape away the thick greenish serrations entirely. By doing this its bitterness is half gone.

3. Then make an incision at one side of the gourd. With the help of a spreader/back of spoon.......scoop away the seeds too.

4. Now wash the vegetable in running water until the water runs clear.

5. In a bowl add salt, turmeric, curd and lime juice. Mix them well. Then marinate the vegetable for complete 1 hour. By doing this the bitterness is 3/4th gone.

6. In a deep frying pan, heat oil. Maintain the stove over medium heat. Once the oil is hot....fry 3-4 gourd at a time. Turn it to all sides until it turns up to deep reddish brown. Repeat the process for all gourds. Set aside the fried gourds over kitchen tissues for some time.

7. In a wide pan add few spoons of coconut oil. Now add grated dry coconut to it. Roast them well for even color. Toast it till its light reddish brown and till very good aroma fills the room.

8. In a blender add garlic, salt, turmeric, chili powder and this toasted coconut. Just give one or two quick shot.....so that all ingredients gets well mixed with coconut powder.

9. In the same toasted pan, add fried bitter gourd and coconut powder. Fry them till gourds outer layer rolled with coconut and at the same time raw smell of chili powder is gone. This should be done in very low flame.

10. Now in the bitter gourd slit fill the dry coconut and serve.

This side dish will be good enough....when served with curd rice and dal rice.

Labels: Bitter Gourd

Chicken Pickle:

Murgi Achaar/Kotti Oorugai/Kozhi Oorugai/ Pickled Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken 1/2 kg ( with or without bones as you wish, but skinless and cut into small pieces)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Ginger-garlic paste 3-5 spoons
Lemon juice 3 cups/vinegar 1 cup
Curry leaves
Mustard 1/2 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon

To be roasted and powdered each separately:

Mustard 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds
Coriander seeds 1 cup
Dry red chilies 1 cup
Cloves 5
Cinnamon 5

Method:

1. In a deep frying pan add oil. Maintain it on medium flame only. Once the oil is smoky hot. Add chicken pieces to it.

2. Deep fry them till reddish brown. Repeat the process to rest of the chicken. Once all the chicken is fried set them aside.

3. In the same oil add 1/2 spoon all mustard, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, and ginger - garlic paste. Fry them well and further add the fried chickens now. To this add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Fry them altogether till the raw smell of garlic and chili powder is gone.

4. Add further all the powders (mustard, fenugreek, coriander, cinnamon and cloves) maintain the stove in low flame. Once the raw smell is gone. Take them off from stove.

5. Now place this in a wide bowl and allow it to cool. May be 5-6 hours.

6. Once the pickle is cool add either Lemon juice or vinegar. I always prefer lime juice. Mix them well. If needed one can add boiled sesame oil.

Labels: Chicken, Pickle/Thokku

Sura Puttu:

'Scrambled shark'/ Sura Podimass/ Sora Meen Poriyal/

Just dont panic looking at the name 'shark'. Its not something wild shark. Its generally called 'Paal Sura' in Tamil or 'Sura meen'. It weighs about 1-2 kilo approximately. It has tough coat....which is obviously removed before cooking. It has just cartilage bones in it. Not like usual fish bones. Its not thorny' . So....one can enjoy the whole fish meat. Even the bones are palatable here.....but I like to remove them.

I remenber my friend Janice . w . Kirru. We both studied together in Auxillium College. She is a Kenyan girl. When I tried to explain her about this dish. "Oh Malar, in my country we dont eat Sharks, only Sharks eat us!" I went hyterical for hours....you know! Anyway.......

I dont know.....is there any other recipe is there for 'sura'. Coz.....whenever I went to restaurants....this is the only dish, i found and enjoyed all the time. So....somehow managed to predict all the essential ingredients of this recipe. As usual they turned out well. So......here it goes!


Ingredients:

Shark 1 kg
Onion 6 large finely sliced
Garlic 2-3 whole garlics - peeled and finely chopped/even sliced
Green chilies 10 thinly sliced
Black pepper powder 2-3 spoons
Salt
Turmeric 1powder 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 cup
Urad dal 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 1 bowl full
Oil 2-3 cups.

Method:

1. Boil shark with 1/2 spoon of turmeric and salt in water. Boil till it is tender. Then remove its outer skin and bones. Finely mince them with hands and set it aside. (Generally in Tamil Nadu, they wash fish with turmeric powder. They say....it removes the fishy odour from it. I dont know for sure....all I know is turmeric is antibiotic. Anyways......its stove top cooking, in this high heat we can kill anything left out....I guess.)

2. In a deep pan add oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard, cumin, chana, urad dal and curry leaves. Let the dal get well fried till reddish in color.

3. Followed by, add green chilies, garlic and onion. Fry them till they loose their raw smell. Or till onion turns translucent-golden color.

4. Now add salt, 1/2 spoon of turmeric and pepper.

5. Then add minced sura fish to the above. Fry them till the oil shows up on top....when fish is totally absorbed to the ingredients.

6. This is a great side dish when served along with plain tamarind rasam rice or sambar rice.

There is no alternation for this recipe.

Labels: Fish

Combo Kuzhambu:

For Example:

Combo 1 : Yam-Radish-Brown karamani

Combo 2 : Eggplant-Plantain-Small brown chenna

Combo 3 : Eggplant- Soya/ Karamani brown

Combo 4 : Yam- soya/mochai/karamani

Combo 5 : Dry fish-Eggplant-Radish-Ground nut/Mochai/Karamani

Combo 6 : Bottle gourd-Dry fish-mochai

Combo 7 : all tubers + all nuts + all creeper's vegetables
Tubers : Potato, sweet potato, carrot, beet, yam, colacassia.....
Creepers : Pumpkin, legumes like avarai, beens variety, bottle gourd....
Nut : Ground nut, dry peas, karamani, mochai, chenna......


(Black pea, chick pea, lima beans, soya beans, rajma , mochai, small brown chenna.....try any of this. Either large or small white or brown but use only dry nuts for this.)

Ingredients:

Onion 1 large chopped
Tomato 1 large chopped
Garlic 1 large peeled and semi crushed
Curry leaves
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilli 3-5
Mustard 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Chenna dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Salt
Tamarind paste 1/2 spoon
Oil 1/2 cup ( sesame oil)

Method:

0. Soak overnight your favourite nuts (1 cup) and cook it with little salt up to one whistle. Don't throw away the exess water after boiling nuts. Choose your vegetable and chop it bit larger size than usual (1 bowl full).

1. Add oil in a deep bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot.....crisply fry curry leaves in it and set them aside.

2. In the same oil add mustard, cumin, chenna, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and red chilies......fry them till the mustard pops and dal fried to reddish color.

3. Now add garlic to this and fry them till it looses its raw smell.

4. Followed by onions. Fry them till they are golden brown.

5. Now add tomatoes and fry till its water content evaporates.

6. Add your desired vegetables and boiled nuts. while adding nuts don't throw away the water you boiled. Let the vegetables be cooked with this water. If needed add further water.

7. To the above add salt, turmeric and chili powder.

8. Once the vegetables and nuts are cooked fully add tamarind paste. Allow it to boil 2-3 times.

9. Garnish with fried curry leaves.

10. Serve with plain rice.

Labels: Brinjal/ Egg-Plant, Fish, Non-Veg Kuzhambu, Potato

Dhum Biriyani:

Basmati rice 2 cup
Chicken or lamb 1/2 kg(with or without bones)
Curd 1 cup
Lemon juice 1/4 cup
Ginger-garlic paste 1-2 spoons
Salt
Saffron 1-2 pinch
Ghee half cup

To be fried in Ghee until reddish brown without any water content:

Onions large 2 thinly sliced in lengthwise
Tomato 2 large thinly sliced lengthwise
Green chili 8 lengthwise slitted
Lemon juice 1/4 cup
Garlic paste 1-2 spoon
Ginger paste 1-2 spoon
Mint leaves 1 cup
Ghee 1/2 cup

To be fried crisply in smoky hot ghee:

Cashew nuts made into halves 1/2 cup
Raisins/Dry grapes 1/2 cup
Black cardamom 3 pods crushed
Green cardamom 3 crushed
Bay leaves 3
Cloves 3
Cinnamon sticks 3
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Fennel seeds 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves 1-2 twigs
Ghee 1 cup
Saffron 1 pinch

Garnish before serving:(per plate)

Onion thinly sliced 2-3 slice
Coriander leaves 2-3 twigs
Carrot thinly sliced like coriander twigs (5-6 slice)
Beet root thinly sliced like coriander twigs (5-6 slice)
Green chillies 1-2 lengthwise slitted
Mint leaves 1/2 cup thinly chopped
Lemon wedges ( 2-3 slice)
Hard boiled eggs sliced with slicer (Use 3-5 slice)

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with curd, salt, saffron, lime juice for complete 2 hours.

2. Cook basmati rice with salt and a spoonful of ghee. The ratio here is 1 cup of rice : 1 1/2 cup of water. Cook till 3/4 of rice is cooked. Or simply cook till one whistle.

3. In a wide vessel add the fried items one layer and 3/4 cooked rice one layer. Repeat it layer by layer.

4. Turn on the stove into low heat. Cover the vessel and maintain in dhum till the rice is fully cooked.

5. Mix them well. Garnish them before serving.

6. It can be served along with onion raita(onion and yogcurd).

Labels: Chicken, Main Dish - Rice

Colacassia Fry:

Taro Roots Fry. Fried Taro Roots. Sembu Varuval. Sepankizhagu Varuval. Sepankizhangu Roast. Arvy/Arby Fry. Arvi/Arbi Roast.

This is my Mom's Recipe. She actually makes this in 'Iron Wok'. It tastes really great. The root will be crispy outside and not so sticky inside. Its a yummy dish. I bet.....One can hog and finish the whole thing....before even transfered to serving bowl!

Ingredients:

Colacassia 1/2 kg
Garlic 2 peeled and semi crushed
Curry leaves 3 twigs
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Red chili powder 1 spoon
Tamarind paste 1-2 spoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon.

Method:

Boil colacassia with water till one whistle. Then peel off its skin. Now chop them into 1/2 an inch thickness roundels.

Marinate this colacassia with tamarind paste, salt, turmeric and chili powder. May
be for 2-3 hours.

(Usually roots like yam and colacassia have a kind of Raphides sticks in them....its a stick like calcium content. which is actually this plants excreta. That's why this will give prickly feeling when consumed. By marinating them in tamarind paste....it dissolves this calcium raphides.....so better to use tamarind to these vegetables. Don't skip this and blame me!)

In a wide pan(iron wok) add 1 cup of oil. once the oil is hot.... add mustard, cumin, curry leaves and garlic to it. Fry them for a while.

Then toss the marinated colaccassia. Do not cover them. Maintain the stove over low to medium heat. May be it takes long time to well well roasted to one side.

Then turn the vegetable the other side top get roasted. Make sure of frying them till deep brown color.....until good garlic aroma fill the room.

This vegetable does not get spoiled so quickly. Its shelf life is nearly 3-4 days without refrigeration.

Serve this side dish along with curd or sambar rice.

Plantain Fry:

Vazhaikkai Varuval/ Attikkai Koora/Fried Kacha Kela.

Ingredients:

Plantain 2
Garlic 2 (nearly 15 cloves)
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Red chili powder 1 spoon
Salt
Ground Black pepper 2 spoons
Ground cumin powder 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves 1 cup
Oil 1-2 cup

Method:

1. In a deep bottomed vessel add 1/2 cup of water. When the water is warm enough add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, pepper powder and cumin powder.

2. To this masala add plantain pieces and cook with lid. Sim cook with lid. Never add extra water to this. The plantain should be cooked with this masala alone.

3. When the vegetable is almost cooked without leaving any water. Add Tamarind paste and rotate them to all sides with spatula. While using spatula make sure of not cutting the vegetable. Better to have wooden spatula.

4. In a deep frying pan add oil. When the oil is hot enough. Add Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, garlic. Fry them for a while and add plantain. Do not cover them now. Maintain the stove in low heat.

5. Let the plantain get well fried the other side too. The plantain should be crispy outside and yet bajji like inside. This is the correct time to serve.

6. This fry is good combo with simple Dal rice, Curd rice or Rasam rice.

Labels: Plantain

Thoor Dal Thovaiyal:

Thuvar Dal Thuvaiyal. Thuvaram Paruppu Thuvaiyal. Mudda Pappu Chytney. Hot n Spicy Lentils Chutney to go with Rice.


Ingredients:

Thoor dal 1 cup
Whole black pepper 3-4
Dry red chili 3-4
Garlic 4-5 cloves
Coconut 3-5 pieces
Salt

For Sesonning:

Sesame oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Dry Red Chilies 3
Curry leaves few.

Method:

1. In a dry pan dry toast thoor dal, pepper and chilies.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients with it and wet grind them.

3. In a shallow pan, heat oil. Add sesonning items one by one in the same order. Then runt his over the wet-ground paste. Thuvaiyal Ready!

Serve this as a side dish for Rasam rice or curd rice. This can be even taken with plain steamed rice. Its easy to fix when we run out of veggies.

Labels: Thuvaiyal/Chutney

Pepper-Garlic Sambar:(Country Style)

Milagu Paruppu Sambar or Pepper Sambar/ Vendhaya Paruppu Sambar or Fenugreek Sambar. Plain Country Style Sambar or Venghaya Sambar/ Onion Sambar. 'Molaga Killi Potta sambar /Milaga k