Chicken Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1/2 kg (cut into pieces)
Onions - 3 (chopped)
Garlic - 5 (crushed)
Ginger - 1.5 inches (crushed)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a small bunch (chopped)
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil

To powder:
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 2
Green cardamom - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Black Peppercorn - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp.
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Kalpasi - 1/2 tsp.
Pottukadalai/chutney dal - 1 tbsp.
Coconut flakes - 1 tbsp.

Method:
Powder the given ingredients without adding any water.
Heat oil and add onions, curry leaves and saute till golden color.
Add ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell goes off.
Add tomatoes, salt and saute for a few minutes.
Add chicken and saute.
Now add the kashmiri red chilli, coriander and turmeric powder.
Saute for a few seconds.
Now add water (3 to 4 cups) and cover it with a lid.
After few minutes, when the chicken is cooked, add the spice powder and stir gently.
Bring it to a boil and simmer it.
After a few minutes, add coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Enjoy with chapathi, idli or dosai.

Note:
Adjust the spices and chillies according to your taste.

Semt off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya).

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Murungakkai Milagu Kuzhambu/Drumsticks in Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:
Drumstick (medium and long) - 1 (chopped 1.5 inches)
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 big cloves (peeled and chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Tamarind - lemon size
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.

To fry and powder:
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Arhar/tuvar dal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Peppercorn - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 10 seeds
Byadgi chillies - 5
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Oil
Asafetida - a pinch

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water.
Fry and powder the given ingredients.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
When mustard seeds crackle, add the onion pieces and saute till they turn golden color.
Add the garlic and saute till raw smell fades.
Add 1 to 1.5 cups of water (or required water to boil drumsticks) and the chopped drumsticks.
Allow the drumsticks to cook.
When the veggie are tender add the tamarind extract, salt and turmeric powder.
Let the tamarind water boil till the raw smell fades away.
Now add the powder and stir well.
Cook till oil separates in simmer mode, remove from heat and add the curry leaves.
Enjoy with plain rice.

Note:
I didn't boil the drumsticks directly in tamarind water as it takes a lot of time.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" event (hosted by Padma and started by Priya).

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Chicken Biryani (Version 3)

This isn't a traditional or an authentic biryani. Whatever ingredient came into my mind, I threw them in the vessel and cooked it. And it's 0% ghee this time.

Ingredients:
To cook rice:
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Water - 5 cups
Salt (to taste)
Oil (few drops)

Method:
Boil water and add all the ingredients.
Let the rice cook in open vessel till the water is absorbed.
At this stage rice is cooked only  40 to 50%.
Spread the rice in a big plate.
.
For chicken marination:
Chicken - 3/4 kg (cut into bite size pieces)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1.5 tsp.
Mint leaves - 15
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Clean and wash the chicken. Marinate with given ingredients and keep aside for 30 minutes.

To pound into coarse powder:
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Black cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cloves - 2
Green cardamom - 2

For chicken masala:
Onions - 4 (sliced)
Tomatoes - 3 (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.

For layering:
Fried onions
Saffron color water
Kewra water - few drops
Mint leaves - few
Coriander leaves (alone) - few

Garnishing:
Fried cashewnuts - few
Boiled eggs
Lemon wedges

Method:
In a pan, heat oil and add coarse powdered spices , sliced onions. Saute till golden color.
Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilli and saute till the raw smell fades away.
Add tomatoes and saute till mushy.
Add the marinated chicken and saute for a few minutes.
Add the red chilli powder, little water and saute till there is no moisture.
At this stage, the chicken is 30%-40% cooked. Remove from heat.

Method for Dum Biryani:
In a heavy bottomed deep pan, add half of the chicken in the bottom and spread.
On the top, spread the rice.
On the top of the rice, sprinkle mint leaves, few drops of kewra water, saffron water, fried onions and coriander leaves.
Now spread the remaning chicken, rice, and the remaining layering ingredients.
Cover the pan with a heavy duty aluminium foil (as a double foil by folding).
Place a lid on the top of foil and keep in simmer mode for 20 to 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, remove the lid and foil carefully.
The rice and chicken is cooked fully at this stage.
Gently mix the rice and chicken. 
Garnish with fried cashews, lemon wedges and egg.
Enjoy with raita and any chicken fry.

Note:
Adjust the chillies, spices and salt according to taste.

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Chicken in Cashew Nut Gravy

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1 kg (cut into pieces)
Onions - 4 (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1.5 tsp.
Ripe tomatoes (big) - 2 (chopped)
Red chilli powder -  1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Cashew nuts - 15
Goda masala - 1.5 tbsp.
Oil
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Gloves - 2
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.

To marinate:
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.

Method:
Marinate the chicken with the given ingredients 'to marinate'. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a kadai and throw in the cinnamon and cloves.
Add the onions and saute until golden color.
Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and saute until mushy.
Add marinated chicken and saute for 4 minutes.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and goda masala. Saute for 2 minutes.
Now cover with a lid and let it cook. Stir in between.
Meanwhile soak the cashew nuts for 30 minutes in hot water. Grind them into a thin paste.
When the chicken is tender and dry, add the cashew paste and saute for 2 to 4 minutes.
Throw in the coriander leaves and saute.
Remove from heat.
Enjoy with chapathi or naan.

Note:
I added kashmiri red chilli powder
The gravy thickens when it becomes cool.
Fresh cream can aslo be added at the final stage.

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Pani Puri/Gol Gappe-ICC for May

For May's ICC, the popular Indian Chaat Pani Puri/Gol Gappe is the challenge. When I first tried the recipe, the puris turned out to be like papris. My husband teased me if I was making papri chaat or pani puri. Then I told him that I was following the recipe exactly as given. He said, "Don't add baking soda or baking powder. Instead, increase the measurement of maida." Then I checked my recipe collection for reference, only to find that no baking soda or powder was added. Then I took maida's and sooji's/rava's ratio as 1:1 (equal amount). I didn't add salt also. It was a huge success. For accompaniments, nothing was changed; we loved the red tamarind chutney especially. Now onto the recipe.

Puri
Ingredients:
Sooji/Rava - 1/2 cup
Maida/APF - 1/2 cup
Water (to knead)

Required Items:
Damp cloth or towel - 3

Method:
In a bowl, add rava and maida.
Add water and make a stiff dough out of the flours.
Cover with a damp cloth and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.
After the given time above, make small balls like seedais and cover it with a damp cloth.
Roll them into small circles.
Place the circles on another damp cloth and cover it with the other.
Heat oil in a thick-bottom pan, slide one puri and lightly press it with a ladle (should puff at this stage).
Continue the same process with a batch of 4 puris.
Fry them till they turn golden color.
Place them on a paper towel.

Note:
Allow the puris to cool and store them in an air-tight container.

Pani/Spicy Water
Ingredients:
Mint leaves - 1 1/2 cup (chopped)
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp. (chopped)
Tamarind - 1/3 cup
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chillies - 4-5
Ground cumin- 1 tsp.
Black salt - 1 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Soak the tamarind with 3/4 cup of water.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind.
In a blender jar, add mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, dry roasted ground cumin, chillies, tamarind pulp, salt and black salt and blend into a smooth paste.
Keep in the refrigerator.
While assembling, add required amount (maybe 4 cups) of water to this paste and run through the strainer.

Red Tamarind Chutney
Ingredients:
Tamarind - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Dry roasted ground cumin - 1 tsp.
Ground black pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Cloves -2
Warm water - 2 cups
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Soak the tamarind with 2 cups of water.
Extract the pulp from tamarind.
In a pan, dry roast the cloves and pound them into a coarse powder.
In another pan, add tamarind pulp, jaggery, sugar, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, roasted cumin powder, cloves and salt.
Heat for 5 minutes on medium heat.
After 5 minutes, remove and cool the mixture.
Run through the strainer and keep the chutney aside.


Potato Filling
Boil 4 small potatoes.
Peel and chop them.
Sprinkle little salt and red chilli.
Keep it aside.


Lentil Fillings
Ingredients:
Chana (cooked) - 1 cup
Salt (to taste)
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp.
Oil - 1 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan, And add the cooked chana and masalas and saute for few minutes.
Remove from heat and keep aside.

To assemble:
Make a hole in the centre of a puri.
You can stuff in whatever you want with the fillings.
Open your mouth extremely wide "AAAH!" and pop it in.

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Dal Palak (Microwave Version)

Ingredients:
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Palak/spinach - 1/2 from a medium bunch
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Ginger - 1.5 tsp.
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Green chillies - 3 (slit)
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp. (chopped)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Method:
Soak moong dal with 1 cup of water for 2 hours.
Add this moong dal with water in a microwave proof dish (I used corningware).
Cook micro high for 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in between for every 2 to 3 minutes.
After sometime while cooking water dries up, so add little water and conitnue to cook.
Once the dal is cooked (that is after 12 minutes), remove from microwave and keep the dal aside.
In another microwave bowl add oil, onions, green chillies, ginger and micro high for 2 minutes. Stir.
Add tomatoes, chopped spinach and micro high for 2 minutes. Stir.
Add this green mixture to the dal, and also add salt, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, cumin powder and if required add water.
Micro high for 4 to 6 minutes stirring in between.
Remove and keep aside.
In a micrwave bowl, add oil and do the tempering for a minute.
Add this tempering to the dal plalak.
Enjoy with roti or with plain rice.

Sent off to "MEC-Delicious Dals" (hosted by Kamalika and started by Srivalli).

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