Chinese Chow Mein / Chao Mian - Chinese Fried Noodles

Shrimps And Veggies Chow Mein:(Chinese Style)

Ingredients:

Spaghetti - a bunch
Carrot
Beans
Cabbage
Bell peppers/Capsicum
Eggs 2 - scrambled
Shrimps with shells 1 cup
Sesame oil
Chinese 5 spice powder
Red chili flakes
Ginger 1" grated
Garlic 2 minced
Thick soy sauce
Chili sauce
Garlic-sesame soy sauce
Honey 1/2 spoon
Green onions to garnish.

Method:

Cook the noodles alias pasta as per the direction. My way...it should be done, but never over done:)

Stir-fry veggies with pinch of salt and MSG. Set aside.

Marinate shrimps with soy sauce and stir-fry till crisp. Set aside as well.

In a wide heavy bottomed wok, heat oil. Add 5-spice powder, chili flakes, ginger-garlic and the noodles...fry over high heat, until oil coats on it, evenly.

Now add all the sauces plus honey. Further add the fried shrimps plus veggies, eggs etc. Fry over high heat. Garnish with green onions.

Serve warm as a main dish. Its a complete meal:)

Malai Mattar Masala - Green Peas in Rich Creamy Sauce

Malai Mattar Masala:

Malai Mattar Curry. Paalaadai-Pachai Pattani Masala.

Ingredients:

Green peas / fresh or frozen 1 cup
Onion 1 large grated
Green chili just 1 minced
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Tomato 1 large
Salt
Dash of coriander powder
Dash of cumin seeds powder
Dash of garam masala powder
Pinch of dry methi leaves
Milk 2-4 cups / Fresh Cream as per taste
Oil / ghee few spoons
Coriander seeds 1 pinch
Cumin seeds 1 pinch
Cilantro leave to garnish.

Method:

In a wide vessel, heat milk, place them in low-medium temperature...constantly stir and bring a heavy cream. Set aside.

In a separate vessel. Heat ghee. Add coriander and cumin seeds. Wait till they splutter.

Now stir-in grated chili, onions and ginger-garlic paste. Fry real good.

Peel the tomatoes and chunk them out, add this to the above set-up as well. Also add all powdered items now(coriander, cumin, garam masala and methi leaves). Add 2 cups of water and peas, cover and cook over low heat.

Once the gravy thickens and oil shows up on the top, add the fresh cream and bring to one boil, and remove from heat.

Serve warm to go with your pulkahs, chappathis or rotis. Enjoy:)

Bhagara Khana / Ghi Pulav

Nei Pulav:

Bahara Khana, Baghara Khana.Pulavu Saadham. Ghee Pilaf. Indian Spicy Pilaf. Pyaaz ki Pilaf. Onion Pilaf. Onion Pulav.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 cup
Ghee 4 teaspoons
Bay leaf 1
Cinnamon 1 stick
Green chilies 2/ jalapenos 1
Ginger-garlic paste about 1 teaspoon
Onion 1 large sliced
Mint leaves 10
Cilantro leaves few
Tomato 1 small sliced
Salt to taste.

Method:

In a wide vessel, heat ghee. Add the spices. Add ginger-garlic paste and followed by onions. Fry them real good, till the raw odor is gone. Add tomatoes, mint and cilantro leaves too. Cover and cook briefly.

Now stir-in rice...let the oil coat to all the sides. Add salt and enough water. Cover and turn the heat to low/sim. Slow cook the rice for really long time.

Once rice is done, transfer the contents and seal the aroma.

Serve warm to go as a main dish.

Green Onions Sambhar - Jiffy Cooking

Spring Onions Sambhar:

Ingredients:

Green onion 1 large bunch
Thuvar Dal 1 cup
Onion 1 large
Tomato 1 large
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Sambar Powder(home made) 1-2 spoons
Tamarind paste 1 spoon
Ghee or oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves to garnish.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Ghee/ Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add thuvar dal + salt + few spoons of oil. Pressure cook till tender. Maybe for 3-6 whistles. Set aside

In a large crock pot, heat ghee. Add onions and fry till it is translucent.

Then add tomatoes and fry till they wilt. Add salt, turmeric and chili powder to this. Fry for about 2 minutes.

Add cooked thuvar dal now. Bring this to boil. Add the chopped green onions plus tamarind paste and sambar powder and cilantro leaves. Cook briefly and remove from heat.

In a separate pan, heat oil and fry the tempering items. Tun this tempered spices over the sambar prepared.

Kothamalli Thokku / Cilantro Pickle - Grandma's Style

Kothamalli Thokku:(Tamizhar Style)

Cilanthro Pickle. Coriander Pickle. Malli Thokku. Dhaniya Patta - Achaar. Kothamir Pachadi. Kothamalli Oorughai. Kothamir Achar.

Ingredients:

Fresh Coriander bunch (roots removed, washed and chopped along with strong stems)- 250 grams
Thick Tamarind paste 1 teaspoon
Sea Salt/Rock Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoons
Chili powder 1 spoon

To be Dry Roasted and Powdered:

Mustard seeds 2 teaspoons
Fenugreek seeds 2 teaspoons

For Tempering:

Sesame oil
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon

Method:

Discard the roots and wash the coriander. Lay them over kitchen tissues, until moisture is absorbed. And chop them along with its strong stems, maybe 1 inch size.

Shadow dry them over kitchen tissues again.

In a large non-stick wok, heat oil. Add tempering items. Let them pop and splutter well. Add tamarind milk, salt, turmeric and chili powders. Cook without lid over high heat. Once it thickens, add the fenugreek seeds powder plus mustard seeds powder. Followed by cilantro leaves. Cook briefly and remove from heat.

Store them in ceramic or glass jars. Serve a teaspoon full of pickle along with curd rice. Enjoy:)

Chicken Salna / Parotta Side Dish - Interesting Street Food

Chicken Chalna:

Parotta Side Dish - Chalna. Tamil Nadu Style Mutton Salna. Meat Salna, Mutton Ki Salan - Madhraasi Style. Kozhi Thanni Kuzhambu. Chicken Thanni Kuzhambu

Vegetarian's Choice:

Soya Chunks Stew

Tamil Nadu Style parotta

Exciting Variation for Non-Veg Lovers

Mutton Chalna

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs with bones and skin (100 grams, and definitely not more than that)
Chicken broth 2 cups
Onion 1 large grated
Chilies 3-5 minced
Tomatoes 2 crushed
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Cilantro finely chopped
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Pepper powder 1/4 spoon
Garam masala powder - NO
Toasted chana(pottukadalai in Tamil) powder 2 spoons
Yogurts 1 table spoons
Coconut milk thin 1 cup
Lemon juice 2-4 spoons
Bay leaves crushed
Whole spices(cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, birinji flower few)
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Abandon the pressure cooker today.

Its going to be the stove-top method.

Ssssssslow Coooooooking!!!

Well, in a wide vessel, heat oil. Add the whole spices, followed by crushed items, chili, ginger-garlic paste and onion. Fry real good, once the raw odor is gone, add tomatoes and cilantro. Continue frying.

Once oil shows up on the top, add the meat. Cover and cook, meat turns opaque. Now add 2-4 cups of water and continue slow cooking.

When the water reduces drastically, add chicken broth. If you feel, the meat is tender enough...start adding salt, turmeric, chili, pepper, chana dal powder and coconut milk. Reduce the heat and bring this to boil. Maybe it will take some time.

Further add, yogurts and lemon juice. Remove from heat.

Serve warm to go with your parottas. Enjoy.

Methi Kofta Curry - Unbelievably Yum:)

Methi Kofta Curry:

Vendhaya Keerai Kofta Curry. Menthilu Kofta Curry. Fenugreek Greens Kofta Curry.

Ingredients:

For Methi Kofta:

Greens 1 cup
Onion finely chopped
Boiled n mashed potato 1/2 cup
Green chili 1 minced
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon
Salt
Cilantro
Oil for frying.

For Gravy:

Onion 1 large grated
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Tomato 2 pureed
Salt
Turmeric powder
Chili powder 1 spoon
Paprika powder 1 spoon
Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon
Cashew nuts 15 - paste
Ghee for frying.

Method:

Mix all the above mentioned ingredients for kofta, except oil.

In a shallow pan, heat oil and fry the methi koftas. Set aside.

In a wide wok, heat oil and add ginger-garlic paste and onion. Fry real good and then followed by tomato puree.

Further add powdered spices plus nuts paste, cover and cook. Once oil shows up on the top, remove from heat. Add the fried koftas to it

Serve warm to go with your chappathis or rotis.

Stuffed Karela / Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Stuffed Pavakkai:(Re Posting)

Gutti Kaakarkaye. Pavakka Nirachadhu. Masala Pavakkai. Pavakkai Masala.

Ingredients:

Bitter Gourd/ Bitter Melon - 4-8
Red onions finely chopped 1 large bowl full
Tomatoes 4 finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon
Jaggery/brown sugar 1 gooseberry size
Garam masala powder 1/2 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander powder 1 spoon
Cumin seeds powder 1 spoon
Curry leaves few
Cumin seeds
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

1. Trim the ends of the gourd. Scrap away the serrated ridges. Wash and clean. Now, make an incision at one end vertically. Remove the pith and seeds, using back of a spoon or any instrument of your choice.

2. Now one could steam cook the gourd for 10 minutes. When the vegetable is semi done, set aside. I skipped this step tho'.

3. Heat oil, in a pan...add cumin seeds, allow this to pop and crackle. Then add ginger-garlic paste. Fry them for a while and followed by onions. Fry till they are translucent. Add tomatoes plus jaggery, cover and cook over medium heat.

4. Add salt, turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin and garam masala powders. When the masala turns aromatic enough, turn off the heat.

5. Stuff this masala into bitter gourd. One can stitch the gourd using needle and thread or simply leave it.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Add this stuffed vegetable and remaining masala too. Fry them over high heat, without lid. Let the vegetable turn to golden brown color and slightly crispy.

Garnish with fried curry leaves. Serve this side dish for Pulkah roti or curd rice. Enjoy:)

Super Hot Tinda Vepudu

Tinda Vepudu:(Andhra Style)

Kovaikai Poriyal. Tindora Subzi. Tendli Vepudu. Tendli Kari. Tinda Masala. Gerkins Varuval. Kovakai Varuval. Dondakaya Vepudu.

Ingredients:
Ivy Gourd 1 cup - sliced
Garlic with skin 4-7 cloves crushed
Dry red chilies 3 crushed
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Peanuts - toasted 1 fistful - grated
Sesame oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

In a wide wok, heat oil. Add the tempering spices and wait till they crackle.

Now stir-in the veggies, garlic, salt, turmeric and chili powder. Cover and cook over medium heat. Once they are done, tender...remove the lid and stir-fry over high heat.

Now also garnish them with grated nuts and remove from heat.

Serve to go with your meals as a side dish.

Pudhina Thuvaiyal / Mint Thuvaiyal - Grandma's Recipe

Pudhina Thuvaiyal:(Tamil Nadu Style)

Ingredients:

Coconut grated 1/4 cup
Mint leaves 1-2 cups
Cilantro 1/2 bunch
Curry leaves from few twigs
Salt
Tamarind 1/4 spoon
Ginger 2" grated
Garlic 4 cloves minced
Urad dal 1 table spoon
Coriander seeds 1 table spoon
Dry red chilies chilies 5
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Tempering:

Sesame oil
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Asafoetida
Chan+urad dal
Dry red chilies
Curry leaves.

Method:
Heat oil, in a wok. Fry coriander seeds and urad dal, once they are well roasted...add the other ingredients to it, continue frying. When they turn aromatic...blend and puree them.

Now, add the remaining oil in an iron wok(but I used the same non-stick, anyway). Add the puree to it...continue cooking over medium heat. Let this reduce and become heavy.

Temper the spices in hot oil and run this seasoning over the thuvaiyal made.

Serve this as a side dish for Birinji Saadham.

Ginger Fish - Thai Style

Ginger Fish:(Thai Style)

Ingredients:

Salmon 1 large fillet - cubed
Soy Sauce light & heavy
Dry red chili flakes 1 spoon
Garlic 1 minced
Ginger about 4" julienne
Honey 1 teaspoon
No salt - soy sauce has enough
Olive/ sesame or peanut oil few spoons.

Method:

Marinate the fish with light soy sauce, chili flakes and garlic. Set aside for complete 2-3 hours.

In a wide wok, heat oil and saute the fish till crisp. Set aside.

In the same wok, heat few more spoons of oil and add ginger...fry real good, further add soy sauce heavy and honey. Once they are sticky enough...add the fish. Let this coat well.

Garnish with green onion. Serve warm to go with your Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice. Yum:)

Turnip Greens n Peanuts Stir fry - Going Green:)

Turnip Greens Vepudu:(Andhra Style)

Knol Khol Keerai Poriyal. Turnip Greens Poriyal. Stir-Fried Greens - Indian Way.

Ingredients:

Garden fresh Turnip greens 1 bunch
Dry red chilies 3 - crushed
Garlic 4 with skin- crushed(optional)
Salt
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Toasted peanuts 1 fistful - grated
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a wide wok, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and wait till they pop.

Now add the chilies and greens. Cover and cook. Add enough salt(be careful while adding salt, as greens wilt and reduce so badly).

Once the greens are done, add the peanuts and stir-fry over high for few minutes.

Yep, that's it, you are done...sit back and relax. Serve to go with your main course. I love them with plain steamed rice.

Masala Baked Corn / Baked Corn - Indian Way!

Masala Baked Corn:

Okay...Admit it! What is your real motivation for eating vegetables?

1. You think Vegetables are Healthy and force feed yourself!
2. You consider vegetables are tasty, they have unique aroma and distinct flavor!
3. You grew up by eating vegetables and fruits!
4. You have personal likings towards anything colored and fresh, than the dead meat!

Feel free to share your motivation for eating nature's best, 5 servings of vegetables and fruits everyday:)

Ingredients:

Fresh Corn 2-4
Onion 1 bulb
Tomato 1 small
Cilantro 1 fistful
Green chili 1
Lemon juice - fresh few spoons
Salt to taste
Butter 1 cube.

Method:

Grate all the above mentioned items, except butter and corn. Now run this over the corn.

Roll them up in a tin foil/aluminum foil, add a slice of butter on the top. Cover up.

Bake over 450 F, for about half a hour. Often change positions. Broil for 7 minutes placing them at upper rack.

Once they are done, aromatic...remove from heat. Be careful while opening the foil, steam hurts real bad!!

Enjoy as a dinner or snack:)