October 18, 2018

Chicken Gravy in Chettinadu style,a Tamil Nadu Recipe


Ingredients Chicken Gravy in Chettinadu style
½ kilo Chicken
1 cup small onions chopped fine
½ cup chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsps ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsps coriander powder
2 tsps lemon juice

Ingredients needed for the marinade

2 tbsps Curd (if there is no curd a teaspoon of lemon juice can be used)
1 tsp Turmeric powder-1 teaspoon
2 tsps Chili powder-2 teaspoons
About 2 tsps Salt / to taste
1 tsp ginger garlic paste

For seasoning the Chicken Gravy in Chettinadu style

2 Cardomom
2 one inch pieces of cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 Bay leaf
a small piece of Star anise
2 tsp chopped mint leaves
Handful of curry leaves
1 tsp Saunf / Fennel seed

Grind to a smooth paste

½ cup freshly grated coconut
1 tbsp Khus Khus / Poppy seeds
1 tsp Saunf / Fennel seeds

How to prepare Chicken gravy in Chettinadu style

Wash the chicken pieces nicely.
Marinate the chicken pieces with the masala ingredients given under marinade. Leave it aside  for about an hour.
Grind the ingredients coconut, Khus khus and Saunf to a smooth paste. Soak Kus khus for abt 5 minutes before grind it with the coconut to get a  smooth paste
Heat oil in a fry pan.  Add the ingredients for seasoning and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger garlic paste and tomatoes till all the ingredients blend well.

Now add the marinated chicken and sauté nicely for 3 minutes
Add the chilli and coriander powder and add about 2-3 cups of water. Adjust water as per your taste and the consistency you like.
Adjust salt and mix well. Let the mix come to a boil, simmer and let the chicken cook till tender.
Now add the ground coconut, khuskhus paste. Let the gravy simmer for 5 minutes
Add the lemon juice and mix well
When done, garnish with Coriander leaves. Serve hot.  

Points to Note :

Instead of Khus khus you can add about 5-6 full cashew nuts but Khus khus will give you the best flavour and taste.
When you add lemon juice add it after removing the mix from the fire.
If you are preparing the gravy to serve with rice, make it a little thinner by adding a little more water and if you are serving with Rotis and Phulkas make it thicker by reducing the water content.
All the chopped ingredients should be chopped / minced very well to get a smooth finish to the gravy.

Chena Puzhunghiyathum Mulagu Chathacha Chammandhiyum, a Kerala Recipe

Chena Puzhunghiyathum Mulagu Chathacha Chammandhiyum is a dish usually served for breakfast. This can also be served as a snack in the evenings for the kids when they return from school. Adjust green chillies according to your taste and needs. This is an healthy dish full of nutrition.

Chena is nothing but yam and puzhunghiyathu means boiled or cooked. Pacha Mulagu is green chillies, sambar onions are the things needed for the chammandhi which can also be called as Chutney.  

Ingredients needed for Chena Puzhunghiyathum Mulagu Chathacha Chammandhiyum
½ kilo Chena / yam cut into thin flat squarish pieces
Salt to taste
Ingredients needed for the Mulagu Chathacha Chammandhi
6 green chillies
1 cup small onions peeled and halved
2 tsps vinegar
Salt as needed
Coconut oil as per taste

To prepare Chena Puzhunhiyathu
Boil yam / chena pieces in salted water till they are just done. Do not let it over cooked.
Drain and keep aside.

To prepare Mulagu Chathacha Chammandhi / Crushed gren chillies Chutney
Crush Green chillies and small onions / shallots together till they blend well nicely.
Do not grind it to a paste. Just run once or twice if you are using Mixer grinder.
Mix Vinegar and salt to taste with  the crushed mixture. sprinkle coconut oil on top of the Chutney.
Serve with yam / Chena puzhunghiyathu.

Variations
This Chammandhi can also be served as a side dish with Kappa / Tapioca puzhunghiyathu.

October 17, 2018

Vazhaithandu Mulaghootal, a Tamil Nadu Recipe


Ingredients needed for Vazhaithandu Mulaghootal
2 cups finely chopped Vazhathandu / Plantain Stem
1/4 cup Split Moong Dal
1/2 cup fresh grated Coconut
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 pinches Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste

Roast and grind to a paste with coconut
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 Red Chilly

Tempering
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
few Curry Leaves
2 tsp Coconut Oil

How to prepare Vazhathandu Mulaghootal?
Immerse the chopped Vazhathandu in a bowl of water mixed with a pinch of turmeric and a spoon of curds. Leave it for at least 10 minutes or until you are ready to use it.
In a non stick pan, roast the dal without burning it till you get a nice aroma.
Pressure cook the dal along with the vazhathandu, 1 1/2 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt to taste for about 2 to 3 whistles. Remove and let the cooker cool.
In the meanwhile, heat a tspful oil in a small frying pan and fry the urad dal and dried red chilly till they turn golden.
Grind this along with the fresh grated coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste adding little water as and when needed.
Add the coconut paste to the dal and vegetable in the cooker and mix well..
Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency and bring to boil again.
As it starts boiling remove and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Vegetable Moilee, a Kerala Recipe


Ingredients needed for Vegetable Moilee:
2 cups Potato cut into small cubes,
 1/2 cup Carrots,  cut into small pieces
1/4 cup Beans cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup snake gourd, cut into 1"pieces
1/2 cup shelled Green peas (Optional)
3 -4  Cauliflower pieces shredded
3 Green chillies, slit
1/2 cup Small onions,
 2  cups Coconut milk
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
salt to taste
curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil

How to prepare Vegetable Moilee:
Mix turmeric powder and chilli powder in a little water and keep aside.
Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add chilli powder and turmeric powder mixed in water to the ol .When the nice aroma comes, add the small onions and green chillies. Saute for a minute or two. Add the other vegetables and saute.
When they are coated with oil add one cup coconut milk with 1 cup water and salt to taste.
As the gravy comes to boil, simmer and cook till the vegetables are tender.
Simmer, add the first milk and cook till it reaches the boiling point.
Remove and garnish with curry leaves and serve.

Vendaikka Masala Curry, a Kerala Recipe


Ingredients needed for the Vendaikka Masala Curry
4 cups Vendaikka cut in to 1" pieces
4green chillies slit
1 tsp ginger chopped fine
10 garlic cloves
1 cup onions sliced
Handful of curry leaves
Salt to taste
3 tbsps oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsps Coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
2 1/2 cups coconut milk ( 1/2 thick + 2 thin )

How to prepare Vendaikka Masala Curry?
Heat a little oil in a fry pan, saute the lady's fingers  till the stickiness goes. Keep aside.
Now heat another fry pan, add a little oil, saute onions, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and garam masala powder. Mix well till the raw smell goes.
Now add the second and thin coconut milk and ac up of water. Bring it to boil, simmer and add the Lady's fingers and salt to taste.
Once the gravy starts thickening, add the first and thick coconut milk.
As it comes to boil, remove from fire, mix well. Do not let the gravy boil.
Garnish with a few coriander leaves and serve with chappathis / rice.  

Punugulu, a snack recipe from Andhra Pradesh

Ingredients needed for Punugulu
2 cup dosa / idli batter
1 tbsp rava
1 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp onion finely chopped
1 inch ginger finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander finely chopped
1 tsp cumin / jeera
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

How to prepare Punugulu?
In a large mixing bowl, take the left over or fresh Idli / dosa batter. Mix  in rice flour and rava.
Then add chopped onion, ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and salt to taste.
While adding salt remember that you had already added salt in the Idli batter.
Mix well so that all the ingredients blend and combine well together.
The resulting batter should be tthick in consistency that you should be able to prepare / shape balls.
Wet your hand with water and shape them either in to balls or vadas.
Drop them in hot oil and deep fry them till they are golden.
Keep the flame from low tomedium otherwise you may not get the golden colour.
Serve the Punugulu hot with coconut chutney or tomato sauce.

October 16, 2018

Uppu Huli Dosa ( Sweet hot and spicy dosa) a recipe from Karnataka


Ingredients needed for Uppu Huli Dosa 
1 cup Raw rice
2 tbsps Urad dal
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
Tamarind - a gooseberry sized ball
4-5 Red chillies
2 tsps cumin seeds
2 tbsps Coriander seeds
1/2 cup grated Coconut
1 tbsp powdered jaggery
Salt to taste

How to prepare Uppu Huli Dosa?
Wash and soak rice,dal, red chillies , coriander seeds and methi seeds together overnight .
Grind it to a smooth batter in the morning.
Soak tamarind in water for 15 minutes take extract and keep.
Now grind Cumin seeds, jaggery and coconut to a fine paste. Add salt and mix well.
Bring it to dosa consistency by adding just enough water
Heat Dosa tava and  pour dosa as you would do for regular dosa. Add a spoonful oil around the dosa and roast till it iscrispy.
Uppu Huli Dosa is ready to serve.
You can serve it with and without chutney.