Coconut Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:
Grated coconut - from 1/2 a coconut
Green chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Ginger - a small piece
Coriander leaves with stalks - a small bunch
Salt (to taste)


To temper:
Mustard seeds + cumin seeds + urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Oil (as required)
Curry leaves - a few


Method:
Grind coconut, green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves with salt into a thick paste.
Temper with the given ingredients.
Serve as a side dish for idli and dosai.

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Nellikai Sevai ~ Gooseberry in Rice Noodles

Ingredients:
Gooseberry/Nellikkai - 3 (big)
Instant sevai - 2.75 cups
Oil (as required)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Chana dal/bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Peanuts - 1.5 tbsp.
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp. (broken)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Whole red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - as required
Ginger - a small piece (chopped)


Method:
Cook sevai/rice noodles as per instructions in the packet. Keep aside.
Grate the gooseberries and keep aside.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, peanuts, cashewnuts, red chilli, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, grated goose berry and turmeric powder one by one and saute.
Mix the cooked sevai and required salt and enjoy with hot chutney.

Note:

The chutney I prepared for this sevai wasn't a perfect combo. It gave a bland taste. Better to have the sevai with a hotter side dish.

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Ulli Theeyal

Ingredients:
Shallots - 1 cup (sliced)
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp.
Coconut oil - as required
Salt (as required)
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Whole red chilli - 1
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Mix 1 cup of water to the tamarind paste. Keep aside. Heat the oil and saute the coconut till brown color. Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder  and cumin seeds to the coloured coconut and saute for a few seconds. Grind into a paste. Heat the oil and saute the onions for a few minutes. Pour the tamarind water and bring it to a boil. Sprinkle required salt. Mix the paste and if required, add a little water. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile in another small pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, broken red chillies and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds crackle, pour it over the theeyal. Enjoy with rice.

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Coconut Burfi Version 2.0

Cooking time: 5-7 minutes
Serving: 1 byte per person.


Ingredients:
Firmly packed grated coconut - 2 cups
Sugar - 1.5 cups or (as per taste)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Food color - a few drops


Method:
Grind the grated coconut in a blender without adding water (optional).
Add the coconut and sugar in a wide, thick-bottomed non-stick pan and begin sauting in medium-low flame.
When the sugar melts (leaves water), add the food colour and saute.
After a minute, mix in the cardamom powder and ghee.
When the coconut begins leaving the sides of the pan and white bubbles appear, remove and spread in a ghee-greased pan.
After 15 minutes, make an incision to form a shape.
Let it cool and cut.
Enjoy.

Note:
I divided the ingredients into halves. In one pan, I was sauting (with colour) and my mother was preparing with no colour simultaneously.
When the right consistency was achieved, I first spread the white portion in the cake tray and then spread the pink portion over the white one.

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Fresh Pigeon Peas Sundal

Ingredients:
Fresh pigeon peas/thuvarai - 2 cups
Ginger - 3/4 inch (chopped)
Green chilli - 1 (slit)
Dry red chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida powder - 2 big pinches
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Curry leaves - a few
Grated mango - 1 tbsp.
Grated coconut- 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp. (chopped)


Method:
Boil the pigeon peas with required amount of salt. Strain. Keep it aside.
Heat the oil and temper the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal.
Add the red chilli (break it into halves), asafoetida powder, green chilli, ginger pieces and curry leaves and saute.
Now add boiled the peas and saute.
Mix the grated mango, grated coconut and coriander leaves.
Serve as an evening snack.

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Poha and Fresh Pigeon Peas Upma

Ingredients:
Poha/beaten rice (thick) - 3 cups
Fresh pigeon peas/thuvarai - 1 cup (boiled with little salt)
Onions (small-sized) - 3 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch (chopped)
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Dry long red chillies - 3
Salt (to taste)
Asafoetida - a pinch


Ingredients:
Soak poha for a few minutes and strain.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal. When the mustard seeds crackle and urad dal becomes golden color, add broken red chillies and saute till they get shaded to a dark colour. Add onions, ginger and curry leaves and saute till the onions change colour.
Add poha and saute. Sprinkle salt and mix. Mix the pigeon peas.
Cover and cook for a few minutes.
Sprinkle asafoetida.
Serve for breakfast.

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Spicy Tofu Masala

Ingredients:
Tofu - 200 gm
Onions - 2
Ginger-garlic (minced) - 1 tsp.
Tomatoes - 2
Long green chilli - 1
Green bell pepper - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Roasted and ground cumin - 1/2 tsp.
Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chaat masala - 1 tsp.
Flax seed powder - 1 tsp.


Preparation:
Peel, wash and slice the onions.
Slit the green chilli.
Dice the green bell pepper.
Cube the tofu.
Cut the tomatoes into half. Scoop out the seeds and dice the tomatoes.

Method:
Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Add the onions and saute till translucent.
Add the minced ginger & garlic and saute. Add the green chilli and capsicum and saute.
Reduce the flame and add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
Sprinkle water and mix.
Now add the dry mango powder, cumin powder and flax seed powder. Sprinkle water and mix well.
Then add the tofu and tomatoes and saute without breaking the tofu. Mix in the chaat masala and salt.
Enjoy with rotis or make a roll with rotis.


Note:
Chaat masala already contains salt. Be sure to adjust the addition of salt while cooking.

Sent off to "Dish it Out" event.

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Rajma Masala

Ingredients:
Rajma/Kidney beans - 1 cup
Tomatoes (ripe) - 4 (chopped)
Coriander leaves - few
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Butter - 1 tbsp.


To grind into paste:
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Green chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Peppercorn (Black) - 5
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp.
Cinnnamon - 1 small stick
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2


Method:
Soak the rajma overnight. Pressure cook them with fresh water and a little salt.
Strain the cooked rajmas. Reserve the water. Mash a few beans and keep aside.
Meanwhile, grind the given ingredients into a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the tomato pieces, salt and saute till they turn mushy and the oil separates.
Now add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell fades away and releases oil in low flame.
Mix corainder leaves. Pour the reserved water and bring it to a boil.
Add the boiled and mashed kidney beans. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes
Top it with butter.
Serve as a side dish for rotis and chapathis.


Note:
Pour the reserved water according to the desired thickness of gravy.
As this is a spicy and hot dish, adding butter is mandatory.
Red chillies, ginger, garlic, green chilli, peppercorn and cloves together accumulate hotness to this dish. Adjust  them according to your taste.
The original recipe includes cashewnuts which I didn't consider adding to this dish.

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Fenugreek Leaves Moong Dal Stir-Fry

Ingredients:
Fenugreek leaves - 3 cups
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Onions (small size) - 3 (chopped finely)
Garlic - 3 cloves (chopped/crushed)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Dry red chillies - 2 (long)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - tsp.
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Coconut (grated) - 2 tbsp.
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp.
Salt (as per taste)
Oil

Method:
Cook the moong dal whole without mushy. Drain the water. Keep aside.
Heat the oil, and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal.
When the mustard seeds crackle, add the broken chillies.
Saute the chillies till they become crisp.
Add asafoetida powder, onion, garlic.
Saute till the onion becomes translucent.
Now add the greens and start stirring.
Cook the greens by stirring in between.
Now add the tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes.
Mix in the salt (after adding the salt, the greens release their juices).
Saute till they become dry.
Finally mix moong dal, coconut and coriander leaves.
Enjoy as a side dish.

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Sprouted Green Gram Salad

Ingredients:
Sprouted green gram - 2 cups
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Tomato - 1 (chopped without seeds)
Cucumber - half (chopped)
Green capsicum - 1 (chopped)
Pomegranate - 1
Coriander leaves - a small bunch (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper powder (for seasoning)
Lime juice - a few drops

Method:
Mix all the given ingredients and eat.

Sent off to "CWS-Moong Beans" event.

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Cabbage Kootu

Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1/2 (shredded)
Chana dal - 1/3 cup
Yellow moong dal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp.
Whole red chillies - 2 (long)
Curry leaves - a few
Oil

To grind into paste:
Coconut grated - 3 tbsp.
Green chillies (small) - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Method:
Soak the chana dal for 1 hour. Mix yellow moong dal, cabbage and turmeric powder with chana dal. Pour required water and pressure cook them.
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and broken or cut red chillies. When the mustard seeds crackle, add asafoetida and curry leaves.
Pour the cooked cabbage and dal. Mix in salt and coconut paste.
Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Finally add coriander leaves and switch off the heat.
Enjoy as a side dish!

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Green Gram Laddu

Ingredients:
Green gram - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Warm ghee

Method:
Dry roast the green gram till it changes colour and a nice aroma arises. Let it cool and powder it.
Powder the sugar as well. In a bowl, mix both the powders. Pour the required warm ghee and mix.
Make the balls and enjoy!

Sent off to "CWS-Moong Beans" event.

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Vazhakka(i) Thoran

Ingredients:
Raw plantains - 3 (small-sized)
Coconut - 1/4 cup (grated)
Shallots - 5
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Green chillies - 2
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 3 pinches
Mustard - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - a few
Oil
Salt

Method:
Peel off the skin and dice the plantains. Cook them in water with 2 pinches of turmeric powder and a little salt.
Strain the plantains and keep aside.
Crush or blend the shallots, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves coarsely.
Heat a little oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add crushed onions, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and saute till shallots turn golden colour.
Now add the grated coconut and pepper powder and saute for 3 to 4 minutes in low flame.
Finally add the cooked plantains and saute gently till dry.
Enjoy as a side dish.

Recipe source: Kaipunyam

Sent off to "Veggie/Fruit A Month-Plantain" and "The Kerala Kitchen" (click here for more details) events.

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Coriander & Moong Dal Thuvaiyal

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves (with stalks) - 3 cups
Moong dal (yellow) - 1/4 cup
Dry red chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Garlic - 1 big clove
Tamarind - a small piece
Salt (as per taste)
Oil

To temper:
Mustard seeds + Cumin seeds + Urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till brown colour without burning in low flame.
Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, add and heat a little oil and fry red chillies, garlic and tamarind.
Grind moong dal, red chillies, tamarind, garlic, coriander leaves and salt into a thick paste by adding a little water.
Temper with the given ingredients and pour the mixture on the thuvaiyal. Mix well and enjoy as a side dish.

Sent off to "CWS-Moong Beans" event.

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Methi Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Garlic - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Potato (big) - 1
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Salt (to taste)
Cinnamom stick -1
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 4
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil

Method:
Peel and dice the potatoes. Drop the diced potatoes in water. Keep aside.
Wash the basmati rice and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds and allow them to sizzle.
Add the sliced onions and saute till translucent. Saute the ginger and garlic till raw smell fades away.
Then include the fenugreek leaves, diced potatoes (discard water) & coriander leaves and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, salt and saute till they are half-mushy.
Add red chilli & turmeric powders and mix well in low flame for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and saute.
Pour the coconut milk and 3 cups of water. Mix. Cook in medium flame.
When the water begins to boil, cover the vessel with a lid.
When the water gets absorbed, remove the lid & cover the vessel with aluminium foil.
Again place the lid on the aluminium foil.
Let the rice cook completely in low flame. Remove from heat.
Serve warm with any raita.

Sent off to "Back to Roots" event.

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Ashoka/Asoka Halwa

Quite famous in Thanjavur/Tanjore, which is frequently served in weddings and other special occasions.

Ingredients:
Moong dal - 100 gm
Wheat flour - 100 gm
Maida/APF - 50 gm
Sugar - 400 gm or as per taste
Warm milk - 2 tbsp.
Saffron strands - a pinch
Saffron food colour - 1 tsp.
Roasted cashewnuts - 20
Roasted raisins - 15
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Ghee - 1 cup + 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

Dry roast the dal in a kadai till it releases a nice aroma. Let it cool. Wash the dal and soak for 20 minutes. Boil the dal in an adequate amount of water till they become mushy.

While the dal is getting cooked, add saffron strands and saffron colour to the warm milk. Mix them & keep aside.

 Meanwhile, mash the dal immediately when they are mushy enough. Dissolve the sugar with the dal.

Mix the coloured milk with the dal and sugar mixture. Keep aside.

Heat 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. of ghee and add the wheat flour and maida. Mix them with ghee without any lumps. Stir continuously without burning till the mixture is turned into golden color in low flame.

Once the colour changes into golden, add the moong dal mixture and begin stirring. When the halwa becomes thick, mix the roasted nuts, raisins & cardamom powder.

Now start adding the remaining 1/2 cup of ghee little by little with continuous stirring. When the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and releases ghee, pour it in the ghee greased vessel and spread them evenly. Serve warm.

Note:

After cooking the dal, discard the excess amount of water (if any).

Halwa can be kept at room temperature for 8 hours after cooling. Refrigerate them after 8 hours.

Adapted from a recipe book

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Fish Fry

 

Ingredients:
Fish - 4 big pieces
Garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Ginger paste - 1 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp.
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chinese 5 spice powder - 1/2 tsp.
Lime juice - 1 tsp.
Salt (as per taste)
Oil (to shallow fry)

Method:
Make a thick paste with all the ingredients (except the fish and oil).
Make 2 to 3 slashes with a knife on both sides of the fish. (I have used karimeen/pearl spot fish without the outer skin).
Apply the paste on both sides. Marinate for half an hour. If marinated more than half an hour, refrigerate them.
Take a tawa and pour a little oil. When the oil is hot enough, place the fish pieces and fry (cook) on both sides.
Enjoy as a side dish or as the only dinner.

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Rava Ladoo

Ingredients:
Rava/Sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Warm ghee (as required)
Cashewnuts - 10
Raisins - 12
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Warm milk (to sprinkle)

Method:
Dry roast the rava in low-flame till a nice aroma wafts without burning. Let it cool and powder it.
Then powder the sugar.
Fry the cashews and raisins till they're changed to golden colour.
In a hollow plate, add the powdered rava, sugar, cashews, raisins and cardamon powder and mix.
Now add ghee little by little and continue mixing. Make balls of equal size out of this mixture.
If the mixture becomes dry while making balls, sprinkle some warm milk and continue making them.
Enjoy or store them in airtight container.

Note:
If you add too much milk instead of ghee, consume the ladoos within 2 to 3 days.

Tip:
Dry roast 3 tbsp. of cardamom for 4 to 5 minutes. Let it cool. Then powder them with a little sugar. Store the powder for future use. This can be done during festive seasons. Store it in a small container. Use within 3 weeks.

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Onion Tomato Chutney with Gongura

Ingredients:
Onions - 3 (sliced)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Gongura/red sorrel leaves - 1 cup
Garlic - 3 cloves (large)
Dry red chillies - 3
Byadgi chillies - 4
Whole urad dal (skinned) - 1 tbsp.
Bengal gram - 2 tbsp.
Salt
Sesame oil

To temper:
Mustard + cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Sesame oil

Method:
Saute the leaves in a little oil till they become tender. Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, fry bengal gram and urad dal till golden color. Add chillies and fry till they become crisp. Remove.
Again in the same pan, add oil and saute onions (till they change color), garlic, tomatoes and salt.
Blend them all into a thick paste.
Temper with the given ingredients. Serve chutney with any breakfast.

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Idli

When it comes to making idlis, there is a certain ratio to be considered. I usually use a 4:1 ratio. While I surfing on the net, I came across a site that contained a different ratio for making idlis. It was written 2:1.

Ingredients:
Parboiled Ponmani rice - 2 cups
Whole urad dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Cooked Sona Masoori Rice - a handful
Salt - 1.5 tsp. (or as per taste)

Method:
Wash the rice and urad dal (each in separate bowls) 3 times. Add the fenugreek seeds to the rice. Please do soak both in drinking water.
First grind the urad dal in wet grinder (reserve the soaked water till then).
Add water little by little while grinding.
Grind the dal till it becomes a fluffy batter.
Pour the batter in a vessel.
Then grind the cooked rice and rice in the wet grinder till the rava consistency is achieved.
Remove and add it to the urad dal batter.
Then include salt and mix it well.
Ferment the batter overnight.
On the next day, the batter will be found foaming and twice the original amount.
Gently mix with a ladle and pour it in the idli moulds.
Fill the batter 3/4th the volume of idli moulds.
You can also grease the moulds with oil as desired.
Steam for 12 minutes.
Remove from heat.
After 5 minutes, serve and enjoy the idlis with your favourite side dish.

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Gongura Masiyal

A very simple masiyal.

Ingredients:
Gongura/red sorrel leaves/pulicha keerai - 3 small bunches
Salt (as per taste)
Sesame/Gingely oil
Garlic - 4 big cloves (crushed)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole urad dal - 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2 (each divided into 3 pieces)
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch

Method:
Pluck the gongura leaves. Remove the petiole or stem from the leaf (if present). Wash the leaves thoroughly.
Boil the leaves with a little water. Allow them to cool.
Blend them into coarse paste (give it a pulse).
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds (allow them to crackle), cumin seeds and urad seeds (fry till golden colour).
Next, add fenugreek seeds and cut red chillies.
Add the crushed garlic and saute till light golden colour.
Reduce the heat and add the coarse gongura paste.
Sprinkle required salt and mix with gongura.
Saute the greens for 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Serve and enjoy with hot steaming rice.

Note:
Most of the sourness is preserved in the red sorrel leaves. When consuming with rice, add a little gingely oil.

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Chickpeas Paneer Sundal

Ingredients:
Brown chickpeas - 1 cup
Cottage cheese/paneer - 200 gm (low fat)
Salt (as per taste)
Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp.
Ginger - 1.5 inch (chopped)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Whole black gram (de-husked) - 1 tsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 3
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Oil

To garnish:
Grated coconut
Grated carrot

Method:
Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours. Discard the water. Then add fresh water and required salt.
Pressure cook upto 3 whistles.
Strain the chickpeas and keep aside.
Cut the cottage cheese into small cubes. Keep aside.
Heat a little oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, black gram and cumin seeds.
Allow the mustard seeds to crackle and roast the black gram till they are shaded to a golden colour.
Now add the asafoetida, dry red chillies (divide each chilli into two or three pieces), ginger pieces and curry leaves.
Add the chickpeas and cottage cheese. Toss 'em.
Finally sprinkle the chaat masala and toss 'em again.
Garnish with carrot and coconut. Serve.

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Curry Leaves Thuvaiyal

Ingredients:
Curry leaves (tender) - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Urad dal/Black gram (whole & dehusked) - 2 tbsp.
Garlic - 2 big cloves
Dry red chillies - 3
Salt (to taste)
Tamarind (deseeded) - 1/2 tsp.
Gingelly/sesame oil

Method:
Heat a little oil and roast the urad dal till it changes into a golden colour. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan add garlic, red chillies and tamarind and fry.
In a chutney jar, add roasted dal, chillies, tamarind and garlic. Grind.
Add curry leaves, coriander leaves in small batches and continue the grinding process.
Mix with a spoon in between. Add salt and sprinkle little water. Blend the mixture into a thick paste.
Enjoy with curd rice, dosa or any other main dish.

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Chicken Fry

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces - 900 gm
Shallots - 2 cups (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies - 3 (slit)
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp.
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Oil
Bay leaves - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon stick - 1
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Fried curry leaves - few

Method:
Heat oil. Then add bay leaves, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon. Allow these spices to sizzle.
Add shallots and curry leaves. Saute till the shallots change colour. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Saute till the raw smell fades away completely.
Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Mix chilli, coriander and cumin powders. Pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water (or as required). Sprinkle salt.
Cover the utensil with a lid and cook till the chicken is tender. Stir in between.
Remove the lid and saute till the chicken  becomes dry.
Garnish with fried curry leaves and serve.

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Mixed Vegetables Red Curry

Ingredients:
Baby corn - 10
Beans - 15
Cauliflower - 1 head (small-size)
Green peas - 1/3 cup
Cottage cheese (low-fat) - 200 gm (cubed)
Green capsicum - 2 (small-size)
Onions - 3 (small-size)
Thai red curry paste - 3 tsp. (store-bought)
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Oil

Method:
Trim the ends of the beans and snap them into two. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Peel the onions and slice them. Slit the capsicum into pieces.
Steam baby corn, beans, green peas and cauliflower.
Heat oil and saute onions till they change colour. Now add the red curry paste and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the capsicum and continue sauting for 2 minutes.
Now mix the steamed vegetables and cottage cheese .
Pour the coconut milk and cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Check for salt (if required, do sprinkle according to your taste as store-bought red curry paste already contains an ample amount of salt).
Remove from heat.
Serve with toasted bread, white rice or chapathis.

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The Third Anniversairé!

Today, www.nandinisfood.com celebrates its birthday!  I would like to thank all readers and blogging friends for continuing support.

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Coconut Chutney with Bengal Gram

Ingredients:
Coconut (grated) - 3/4 cup
Bengal gram/chana dal - 2 tbsp.
Garlic - 2 big cloves
Dry red chillies - 3 (or as per taste)
Salt (as per taste)
Oil - 1 tsp.

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal - 3/4 tsp.
Oil

Method:
Heat oil and roast the bengal gram till golden colour. Remove.
In the same pan, add chilli and garlic. Roast till the chillies become crisp.
Grind bengal gram, garlic, chillies, coconut and salt.
Add a little water and grind.
Temper with the given ingredients.
Enjoy with idlis and dosas.

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