Chicken with Broccoli

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs (boneless) - ½ kg (cut into pieces)
Onion - ¾ cup (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Broccoli florets - 1 cup
Worcestershire sauce - 2 tsp.
Chicken masala - ½ tsp.
Dry whole red chilies - 4
Red chili powder - 1 ½ tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)


Method:
Heat the oil and add the onion. Fry till it turns translucent.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and dry red chili.
Fry for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and fry till they become pulpy.
Now add the red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and mix well.
Add the chicken pieces and fry in medium flame.
Cover it with a lid and cook.
In between, remove the lid and stir to avoid burning. Continue this till the chicken is half-cooked.
Add the broccoli florets. Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
Again cover and cook till both chicken, broccoli are done.
Finally, add the chicken masala and coriander leaves.
Stir well. Remove from heat.
Enjoy!!!!

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Meen Kuzhambu (Version-3.0) - Fish in Tamarind Sauce

(Brinjals got submerged in kuzhambu so they're not visible in the picture)

Ingredients:
Fish pieces - ½ kg
Shallots - 1 cup (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 ½ tsp.
Tomatoes - 4 (medium-chopped)
Brinjals - 3 (chopped)
Green chilies - 3 (slit-half lengthily)
Tamarind - 50 gm
Coconut milk - ½ cup
Red chili powder - 2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Curry leaves (few)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Oil
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp.

Method:
Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of warm water for an hour.
Heat the oil and add the fenugreek seeds and sauté it.
Add the onions and fry till they turn light golden color.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Fry till the raw smell fades away.
Add the tomatoes and fry till pulpy.
Add the brinjals and fry for 4-6 minutes.
Add the red chili, coriander, turmeric powder and salt.
Mix well.
Now add the tamarind extract plus 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
When the sauce reduces to 3/4, add the fish pieces and reduce the heat.
Cover it with a lid and cook till the fishes and brinjals are done.
Add the coconut milk, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice.

Note: Adjust the tamarind and chilies according to your taste.
You can also add the mango pieces by reducing the tamarind.

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Mutton Kurma (Version 2)

Ingredients:

Mutton - ½ kg (cut into bite size)
Onions - 4 (medium)
Tomatoes - 4 (medium)
Potatoes - 1 cup (peeled and cubed)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 10
Mint leaves - 15
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp.
Coconut milk (thick) - ½ cup
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Red chili powder - 2 ½ tsp.
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
Green chilies - 3 (slit half lengthily)

To grind:
Cinnamon - 2 inches
Cloves - 3
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp.
(Soak poppy seeds in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes)
Method:
Pressure cook the mutton with half tsp. of ginger-garlic paste, ½ tsp. red chili powder, turmeric powder, 1 cup of water and salt.
Grind the onion into paste.
Heat the oil in a kadai and add the onion paste.
Fry till it turns light brown color.
Add the ground paste, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, green chili, tomatoes, salt and fry.
Add the potatoes and the mutton (without water). Fry.
Add the red chili powder and mix well.
Add the mutton water (which was cooked in pressure cooker) and let it cook for 10 minutes (in medium flame).
When the potatoes are boiled, reduce heat and add the coriander leaves, curry leaves and coconut milk.
Remove from heat.
Enjoy with chapathi or hot rice.

Sent off to "Think Spice: Think Poppy Seeds" event (Think Spice series originally started by Sunita Bhuyan) and "EFM-Mutton Series" event.

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Green Chickpeas & Paneer Curry

Ingredients:

Green chickpeas - 1 cup
Paneer - 200 gms (cut into cubes)
Onion - 4 (medium)
Tomatoes - 4 (medium & pureed)
Ginger - 1 inch (crushed)
Garlic - 4 cloves (crushed)
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 2
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
Amchur powder - ¼ tsp.
Garam masala - ¼ tsp.
Tandoori masala - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp.

Method:
Grind the onions into paste.
Heat the oil in a kadai. Add cinnamon and cloves.
Add the onion paste and fry till light brown color.
Add crushed garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute.
Now add the turmeric, red chili, coriander, amchur powders, garam masala and salt (reduce heat).
Mix well.
Add the tomato puree and cook till oil separates.
Add the green chickpeas and one cup of water.
Cover and cook till the peas are done.
Meanwhile shallow fry the paneer.
Add the paneer and cook for 2 minutes.
Now add the tandoori masala and coriander leaves. Mix well.
Remove from heat and enjoy with roti or chapathi.
Adapted from a recipe book ( Truth is always bitter)

Sent off to "My Legume Love Affair (Part-18)" hosted by Srivalli. MLLA is originally started by Susan.

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Curd Rice with Turmeric

This rice is one of my favorites. Usually I prepare this type whenever I cook vegetable biryani.


One of my friends told me that she used to get curd rice with cheese in parties. I have never used this technique in curd rice as I’m not fond of cheese which supports fatness leading to ‘motu’ ness or ‘goondu’ ness. Sometimes it’s called bagalabath, when soft fluffy butter is added. I sometimes add grated mangoes, grated cucumber & carrot to this rice to make it more healthy. I like to add dry red chili also.

I saw the turmeric (haldi) in Big Bazaar and immediately bought it two days ago. I suddenly remembered to make this dish. I think it was almost after 2 years the last time I had this special kind of yogurt rice. With this golden chance, I searched and almost raided the fridge for that majestic-looking orange colored turmeric (it’s actually yellow but it looks orange) and added this to the rice. This is my kind of curd rice which is usually prepared in raw rice and should be mushy. Add extra water to boil the rice.

A little fact:
In temples, when a prasadam is offered, the cooks add butter to the curd rice.

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Curd - ½ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Turmeric - ¼ cup (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Green chilies - 2 (deseeded and chopped finely)
Curry leaves - 5-8 (chopped or not)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)
Salt

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - ½ tsp.
Chana dal - 1 tsp.
Asafetida - ½ tsp.
Oil

Method:
Boil the rice till it becomes mushy.
Add milk and curd. Mix well. Keep aside.
Peel the skin of turmeric and grate.
Heat the oil and add the tempering ingredients.
When the mustard splutters, add the dal and let it turn golden color.
Add it to the rice.
Now add the green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves & turmeric and start to mix well.
Finally add the salt and mix.
When you want to take it for a picnic, party or for travel don’t add the salt.
At the time of serving add the salt and mix.
Adding turmeric is optional. All other procedures are the same.
Serve with pickles or dry potato fry.

Sent off to Srilekha's "EFM: Variety Rice Series" event.

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Ring Murukku/Chegodilu - Indian Cooking Challenge

Theme for ICC  in November - Chegodilu/Chegodi.

Ingredients:
Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Split Yellow Moong dal/Pesara pappu/Mung Dal/Pasiparuppu - 2 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp.
Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp.
Chili powder - 3/4 tsp.
Ghee or oil - 1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Soak moong dal for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Boil water and add salt, ghee and moong dal.
Again bring to a boil.
Meanwhile in the rice flour add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, chili powder. Mix all.
Add the boiled water along with moong dal (little by little) to this rice flour and with the help of base of wooden spatula mix it.
Let it cool.
Knead it into a smooth dough.
Grease your fingers with oil
Take a key lime size of a ball and roll them to form a thick rope.
Bring the ends together to from a rings.
Do the same with the remaining dough.
Deep fry till golden color. Remove and place it on an absorbent paper.
Enjoy.

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