Pav Bhaji

Ingredients
2 tablespoon pav bhaji masala
1 potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup cauliflower chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup carrots chopped
1/2 cup capsicum chopped
1 cup onion chopped
5 tomatoes chopped
2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
black salt
5 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
8 pav/ square buns
Method

• Pressure cook the potatoes, carrot, cauliflower and green peas, for 1 whistle. Once the steam is released, open the cooker and mash the vegetables well and keep aside.
• Heat 4 tablespoon butter in a pan. Add the onion and capsicum and saute until translucent.
• Add the garlic paste and fry until the raw smell of garlic goes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.
• Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, pav bhaji masala and black salt. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the mashed vegetables , mix well and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Slice each pav/ bun into 2 horizontally.
• Apply butter onto each slice and heat on a hot griddle until lightly browned.
• Serve immediately with the  hot bhaji  and chopped onion and lemon wedges.

Poached Egg Curry

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 large tomatoes
1 small onion
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 cup water
2 tablespoon oil
salt to taste
Method

• Blend the tomatoes, ginger, onion and yogurt in a blender.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they splutter take the pan off the flame and stir in the coriander powder and chili powder. Mix well and then add the blended tomato- yogurt puree. Stir and return the pan back to flame.
• On a medium flame, stirring continuously cook until the oil separates from the sides.
• Add the water, salt and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Carefully break the eggs one by one into the pan in such a way that each egg lies away from the other.

• Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 minutes. Do not stir in between.
• Sprinkle the garam masala on top  and serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Dum Machhli

Ingredients
1/2 kilogram king fish or hamour cut into thick slices
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon oil plus extra for shallow frying
3 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon red chili paste(blanch few whole dried red chillies and grind them into a paste)
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 cup yogurt, whisked
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt to taste
Method

• Marinate the fish with turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes. Wash and pat dry.
• Shallow fry the fish pieces on both sides until slightly golden and keep aside.
• Heat 4 tablespoon oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. 
• Add the onions and fry till pink.
• Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the chili paste, cumin powder, ginger and salt. Saute for a minute.
• Remove from flame and stir in the yogurt. Mix and return back to flame.
• Stirring continuously cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the fried fish pieces and garam masala. Mix and cover with a tight lid. 
• Cook on a very low flame for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Curry flavored chicken puffs

Savouring puffs was something we all loved as kids. Nowadays as the health factor and healthy eating habits have outsourced our mind and body, we have excluded this from our cravings list. Still, sometimes when the kid within us urges us to have at least a bite of this snack , we decide to have it but only after it is pressed within our palms in a tissue paper to remove any more excess oil the puff has sucked in.

Though not always, once in a blue moon day, we can lend our ears to the child within us and have this oily snack...again perhaps pressed, distorted and wrapped in a tissue paper.

A great snack for a kids party. Whats the fun in party without any fried snacks, especially for kids!!!

But again option is yours..here I have fried the puffs, you can opt to bake it for a healthier version. 

Ingredients

100 grams boneless chicken
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 whole dried red chilli. deseeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
salt
1 egg slightly beaten
10 square puff pastry sheets
1 tablespoon oil, plus extra for frying

Method

• Cook the chicken with little salt and turmeric powder in 1 cup of water. Once cooked mince the chicken and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Lower the flame and add the curry powder and minced chicken.Mix and stir fry on a high flame for 3-4 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Switch off the flame and keep aside.
• Cut out one circle from  each of the square pastry sheets using a round shaped cutter or you can even use the rim of a glass to cut out the circles.
• Place a spoon of chicken mix in the centre of each circle. 
• Brush the beaten egg along the edge of the pastry sheet. Now fold the pastry sheet in half , thereby enclosing the chicken filling in it. Using the tines of a fork, press and crimp the edges to seal.
• In a wok heat enough oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot deep fry the puffs, turning occasionally  in batches for 2-3 minutes or until it puffs up and is golden in colour.
• Transfer onto a kitchen towel and serve with tomato ketchup.

* For baked puffs, preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius. Place the prepared puffs on to a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook for 15- 20 minutes or until the puffs are puffed up and golden in colour.

Mustard Chicken

Saw this recipe in a cookery book long ago but the taste of mustard is something which somehow doesn't seem appealing to me. Hence was quite hesitant to try out this recipe. But the picture displaying the dish was so very captivating that this recipe was bookmarked to  be tried out sometime in the future. Finally  the other day when  this was made, I really regretted for not trying it out before. It was really a lip smacking dish and moreover all at home loved it. And that is what matters to us the most!!
So here is the recipe for all the mustard lovers as well as mustard haters(like me).

Ingredients
750 grams boneless chicken thighs or boneless tender chicken breast
2 tablespoons oil
1 big onion, sliced thin
1 teaspoon small mustard seeds
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
250 ml water
6 tablespoons whisked yogurt
salt and pepper to season
Method

• Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes.
• Heat oil in a large wok. Add the sliced onions and saute until soft.
• Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic and mustard seeds. Add this to the onion and stir-fry for a minute.
• Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and curry powder. Stir- fry for 2-3 minutes and then add the chicken.
• On a high flame stir fry for 5 minutes and then add the measured water.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• When this begins to boil, reduce the flame and cover and cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked.
• Remove from flame and stir in the yoghurt.
• Serve immediately garnished with a little whisked yoghurt and a few mustard seeds.

* This is a mildly spiced dish. If you prefer it a bit more spicier you can pound 4 dried red chillies, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 1 star anise along with the garlic and mustard, and add.

Manakesh Zaatar

Our very first attempt from the Arab cuisine. Manakesh, an all time favourite of all of us here at home especially the kids. Inspite of being living in the Middle East since quite a long time, I had never bothered to try out any of the Arab delicacies though we used to relish most of them from the Arab restaurants here.

This Arab bread was finally baked in my kitchen the other day. I should thank my cousin Rekha for this. She asked me if I could do a guest post in her blog Food0licious Pictured. She runs a beautiful blog with many delicious recipes. I wanted to give her something different, and what more could I give her staying in an Arab country other than an Arab delight. You can find us in her blog here.

For all those of you, who are not much aware of Zaatar and Manakish,  “Zaatar” in Arabic is a traditional Middle Eastern herb mixture popularly eaten in countries such as Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. It is traditionally eaten as part of a healthy breakfast with flat bread and olive oil or yogurt cheese. It is also used to spice chicken, meat and vegetables and can be mixed with olive oil and vinegar to make a salad dressing.

It is a mixture that is made out of mostly dried thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and sumac….there are many variations to it that consists of cumin, coriander, fennel seeds etc.

Here in UAE, it is readily available in all the grocery stores. For all those of you who are not in the Middle East can either check it out at any Middle Eastern grocery store or you can even make it at home.

If you are going for the home made zaatar you will need

• 1/4 cup sumac
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

 Coarsely grind the sesame seeds in a food processor or with mortar and pestle.  Add  remaining ingredients and mix well. That’s it, zaatar is ready!!!

This zaatar can be stored for a long period if kept in an airtight container in a cool and dark place.

Manakesh Zaatar

Manakesh, manakeesh or Manaeesh is an Arabic food consisting of a dough similar to a pizza dough, topped with zaatar, cheese(Akaawi cheese) or ground meat, but used widely in many Levantine countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Similar to a pizza, it can be sliced or folded, and it can either be served for breakfast or lunch.

A very tasty and healthy dish which should be had with a cup of sweet black tea.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water, lukewarm

1 cup zaatar

1/2 cup olive oil

Method

• Mix the yeast in ¼ cup of lukewarm water and let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Mix the zaatar with the olive oil and keep aside.
• In a bowl mix the flour and salt. Add the yeast solution and knead well to form a soft dough by adding water little by little.
• Grease a bowl with a little oil and transfer the dough into this bowl. Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for 1- 2 hours. After 2 hours the dough will rise and double in size.
• Knead the risen dough on a floured surface for a few minutes. Now divide the dough into 8 equal parts and using a rolling pin, roll out each portion into your desired thickness and size(thickness depends on whether you want a crusty or soft base. For a crusty base roll out into thin rounds and for a soft base roll out into thick rounds.)
• Using a fork prick generously on the rolled out bases. Now smear one tablespoon of the zaatar and olive oil mixture on each base. Spread it all over the base.
• Bake these in a preheated oven at 350F for 12 – 15 minutes.
• Serve warm with a cup of extra sweet black tea.

Muringakolu(Drumstick) Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients

3 drumsticks,cleaned and cut into 3 inch pieces

½ cup shallots sliced

¼ teaspoon mustard

1teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 sprigs curry leaves

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Salt to taste

 Method

• Cook drumstick with shallots,turmeric powder  salt and  little water and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard and add curry leaves.
• Bring flame to low or turn  it off  and add chili powder (ensure that the chili powder should not get burnt) and mix.
• With the flame remaining very low add the cooked drumstick.
• Stir for 4-5 minutes and then turn off the flame.

Thats it!! Quick and tasty drumstick dish is ready to be served hot as a side dish with rice and any curry of your choice.

Kurukku Kaalan

Kaalan is a Keralite dish made of yogurt, coconut and vegetables like raw plantain (nendra kaya) and a tuber like elephant yam (chena). It is a very thick and sour dish. The yogurt used in the preparation of this dish has to be very sour, to get the typical and traditional taste of the kaalan served during the Kerala feasts (sadhya), during Onam and Hindu marriages. It tastes best when cooked in an earthen pot (manchatti) or a stone pot(kalchatti).

At home the thick and loose versions of Kaalan is often prepared. The kaalan that is typically served during sadhyas is the thicker version often known as Kurukku (thick) Kaalan. Here is the recipe of the sadhya kaalan or Kurukku kaalan.

Ingredients

1 raw plantain

100 grams Indian yam

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

3/4 teaspoon pepper powder

salt

1 liter whisked sour yogurt

1 1/2 cup grated coconut

5 green chillies

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

4 whole red chillies

1/2 teaspoon roasted and powdered fenugreek

Method

• Peel the plantain and split into half lengthwise. Now slice each half into 1 inch semi circles and keep it aside immersed in water.(This is done to prevent the blackening of the plantain pieces)
• Peel and wash the yam. Chop into bite sized pieces.
• Cook the chopped yam and plantain with turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt in little water.
• Once cooked add the whisked yogurt to it and continue cooking until all the water is absorbed and it becomes dry and thick.
• Grind grated coconut, green chilllies and cumin seeds into a very fine paste.
• Add this to the cooked vegetables and yogurt mix. Mix well and cook for a minute more and then remove from flame.
• For tempering, heat the coconut oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the red chillies broken into half. Off the flame and pour this into the prepared curry.
• Finally sprinkle the fenugreek powder on top and close with a lid, so that the aroma lingers in the dish.
• Serve after 5- 10 minutes with hot chembavari rice.

Soya Cutlet

Soyabeans are extremely nutritious and rich in protein. Children are mostly reluctant to have vegetarian food. Soya chunks is an excellent substitute for meat.

My daughter is a great meat lover and it’s hard to get her to eat something without meat in it. At times I prepare soya stew and she enjoys her meal assuming that it’s chicken… lol!!!!!

One of her recent school events was a healthy snack day for which I had prepared soya  cutlets and wrapped it in chapatti. You can even try it as a sandwich or in a burger bun.

Ingredients

1 ½ cup minced soya (soaked in water for 1 hour)

3 medium onions chopped

3 medium potatoes (boiled and mashed)

6-8 cloves of garlic

2”ginger chopped

4-5 green chilies chopped

1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

1 ½ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 eggs

salt as required

breadcrumbs for coating

oil for frying

Method

• Wash soya bean nicely (at least twice) to get rid of its raw smell.
• Drain water completely and squeeze to remove excess water.
• Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and keep separate.
• Heat 2 table spoon oil in a pan.
• Sauté ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves for 2-3 minutes in medium flame.
• Add onions and fry until brown colour.
• Reduce the flame and add red chili, turmeric, salt and garam masala powder and stir for a minute.
• Add minced soya and sauté for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame.
• Once it is cooled add mashed potatoes and mix well.
• Make small balls of the mixture and roll into desired shapes.
• Dip each cutlet in beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs.
• Deep fry in oil until golden brown.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup/green chutney.
  

  

Mutton Pulao

Ingredients
300 grams basmati rice
1 kilogram mutton, cut into medium sized pieces
2 big cardamoms
12-13 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
15-20 whole black pepper corns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
7 tablespoons oil
1/2 kilogram onions chopped into small cubes
2 inch ginger
15- 20 garlic cloves
250 grams yogurt
8- 10 green chilies
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder(heaped spoon)
1-2 teaspoon  kashmiri  chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 big tomato finely chopped
2 tablespoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon chili powder(preferably reshampatti chili powder)
1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala(I used Mothers recipe pav bhaji masala. You can use any brand of pav bhaji masala.It is readily available in all Indian stores)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Method

• Cook the rice in plenty of water adding enough salt. Once the rice is three-fourth cooked, drain the water completely and keep aside.
• Put the washed and cut mutton pieces into a pressure cooker. Add 1/4 cup of water, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, whole black pepper, fennel seeds and salt. Close the cooker and keep on a medium flame  Once the cooker gives off one whistle, reduce the flame and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes,switch off the flame and keep aside until the steam is released.
• Once the cooker is ready to open after all the steam has been released, open and strain the mutton pieces from the stock. Do not discard the stock. Keep it aside for later use.
• Now heat oil in a large wok. Add the chopped onions and fry until pink in colour. Once pink reduce the flame and saute for 5 minutes.
• Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies into a fine paste. Add this paste to the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• With the flame remaining very low add the whisked yogurt and stir continuously taking care not to curdle the yogurt.(You can even remove the wok from flame prior to adding the yogurt  After adding the yogurt and mixing well , put it back on the flame. This is done to prevent curdling of the yogurt.)
• Fry  until oil starts leaving the sides of the wok. Then add the turmeric powder, coriander powder,chili powder and 2 tablespoons water. 
• Continue frying until oil starts leaving the sides. Now add the garam masala powder and fry for 5-10 seconds.
• Add half of the reserved stock and cook.
• When the water dries up and oil again starts leaving the sides, add the chopped tomato. Fry until the tomato is mashed well.
• Add the remaining stock, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the mutton and mix well. Check for salt and add more if required.
• Cook for 3 minutes or until somewhat dry.
• Add the cooked rice to the mutton and mix well.
• Add 2 tablespoon ghee on top. Garnish the pulao by sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, pav bhaji masala powder and chopped coriander leaves on top. Cook covered for 2 minutes and then switch off the flame.
• Let it remain covered for 5 minutes and then serve hot with raita.

Vendakka/Ladies finger Sambar

 Vendakka/Ladies finger Sambar

Sambar is a popular dish among the south Indians.The preparations vary from place to place.There are various varieties of sambar like ulli(shallots)sambar, muringakaya(drumstick)sambar, mixed vegetable sambar and so on.
A traditional south Indian sadya is incomplete without sambar.

I have enjoyed a range of sambars, but Amma’s sambar is something which is really different...I quit all my diet plans whenever she makes it. Today I am going to reveal the secret recipe of sambar from Amma’s kitchen.Here you go…

Ingredients

1 cup toordal

8-10 ladies finger(cut into 2”pieces)

1 medium tomato sliced

150 grams shallots (if shallots are big cut into halves)

2 sprigs curry leaves

tamarind,  1 gooseberry size (soak in 1/2 cup water for 5 minutes and extract the juice)

2 table spoon sambar powder(I used eastern sambar powder)

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Asafoetida powder as required

Salt as required

2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 dried red chili

2 shallots, thinly sliced

Method

• Pressure cook dal with salt and water.
• Once dal is  cooked mash well and keep separate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon  coconut oil in a pan.
• Add shallots,curry leaves and ladies finger with a pinch of asafoetida powder and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the sliminess of ladies finger disappears.
• Add the shallots-ladies finger mixture to the cooked dal.
• Add sliced tomatoes,adequate water(approximately 1-1 ½ cup)mix well and boil in medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tamarind extract at this stage and boil again for 2 minutes.
• Make a paste of sambar powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder, pinch of asafoetida with adequate water.
• Add the paste to the above mixture.
• Mix well and off the flame once it starts to boil.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan.
• Splutter mustard seeds.
• Add shallots, dried red chili and fry until the colour of shallots turn golden brown.
• Add this to sambar, mix and close with a tight lid to sustain the aroma of the sambar.
• Serve hot with rice,dosa,idli or vada.

Fish Molee

Fish molee

Ingredients

500 grams fish (preferably king fish)

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1tablespoon ginger chopped

1 tablespoon garlic chopped

1 green chili, slitted

3-4 whole cardamom

4-5 cloves

1 inch cinnamon stick

3 tomatoes sliced

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 cups thin coconut milk (randam paal)

1 cup thick coconut milk

2 sprigs curry leaves

1+ ½  teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon pepper powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt and oil as required

Method

• Marinate the fish pieces with 1 teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon pepper powder, turmeric powder and keep aside for 20-25 minutes.
• Shallow fry in oil until light golden colour.
• Heat 1-2 tablespoon oil in a pan.
• Splutter cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
• Sauté green chili, ginger, garlic, curryleaves and stir until raw smell goes off.
• Sauté onions until transparent.
• Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and stir.
• Add  tomatoes and stir for 3-4 minutes.
• Add medium thick coconut milk and allow it to boil.
• Add fish pieces along with required salt.
• Add 1 teaspoon vinegar.
• Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes in medium flame.
• Finally add thick coconut milk and heat for 1-2 minutes.(do not boil)
• Serve hot with appam/rice.

*In order to make thick gravy add 1-2 teaspoon of corn flour.  

Shahi Chicken Korma

Ingredients
1 kg chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
3 large onions
8 cloves garlic
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
2 tablespoons fresh  cream
4 tablespoons oil
10-15 almonds, blanched and skinned
1 pinch saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoon water
salt
Method

• Grind 2 onions, almonds, garlic and salt into a fine paste. Marinate the chicken with this paste for 3 hours.
• Slice the remaining one onion and fry it in oil until brown and crisp. Drain from the oil and keep aside.
• In the same oil add the marinated chicken and cook until all the water that is released from the chicken dries up.
• Add beaten yogurt, fried onions, red chili powder and coriander powder and cook for 7-8 minutes.
• When almost done add cream, saffron, salt, garam masala and a little water and cook covered on very low flame for 8 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati, nan,phulkas or plain basmati rice.

Vazhuthananga/Brinjal Mezhukupurati

Ingredients
 250 grams small brinjals
2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 sprigs curry leaves
50 grams shallots sliced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 large onion, sliced
2 teaspoon crushed pepper
salt
Method

• Wash the brinjals well and then slice them into thin rounds. Soak the slices in salt water and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan. Add the curry leaves, shallots and garlic. Saute well.
• When the shallots start turning brown add the turmeric powder and chilli powder and mix well.
• To this add the sliced onion and saute until the onion becomes soft. Drain the brinjal slices from the salt water and add to the onion masala.
• Add enough salt , mix well and cover and cook until the brinjals are  soft and cooked..
• Sprinkle the crushed pepper, mix and remove from flame.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of coconut oil on top and serve hot.

Koorka-Pork ularthiyathu

Koorka-Pork ularthiyathu

Ingredients

250 grams koorka(Chinese potato)

500grams pork cleaned and cut into small cubes

2 medium onions chopped

2 tablespoon garlic

2 tablespoon ginger

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 sprigs curry leaves

3 slitted green chilies

2 ½ tablespoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 ½ tablespoon garam masala powder

3 tablespoon crushed pepper

3 tablespoon oil

Salt as required

Method

·        Wash koorka(Chinese potato) nicely to remove all the soil particles.

·        Pressure cook koorka until it gives off one whistle.(very easy method to remove the skin of koorka)

·        Remove the skin and cut into small pieces.

·        Pressure cook pork with salt and turmeric powder.

·        Heat oil in a pan.

·        Add chopped ginger and garlic and stir until the raw smell goes off.

·        Add green chilies and curry leaves.

·        Add chopped onion and fry until medium brown.

·        Add coriander, pepper powder, garam masala and stir for 1-2 minutes in low flame.

·        Add chopped tomatoes and mix well until oil starts to appear.

·        Add the cooked meat and koorka into this masala.

·        Give a good stir until the meat and koorka is well coated with the masala.

·        Turn on flame to high and roast well until it becomes dry and attain brown colour.

·        Serve hot with rice/chapatti.

*Pork can be substituted with beef/chicken breast.

*You can make your dish more or less spicy by varying the amount of pepper powder.

Prawns Ghassi

Recipe courtesy: My friend, Reshmi Menon. Thankyou Reshmi for sharing this wonderful Goan recipe.:)))
Ingredients
20 prawns cleaned and deveined
4 whole dried chillies
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 cup grated coconut
2 large onion, chopped
11/2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 tablespoons oil
salt
Method

• Marinate the prawns with a little salt and keep aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Saute the dried chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns and fenugreek seeds for a minute.
• Grind this with the grated coconut, half of the chopped onion, turmeric powder and tamarind pulp, adding a little water, into a fine paste.
• Now heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the remaining chopped onion and saute until light brown.
• Add the grounded paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add 2 cups water. When it starts to boil, add the prawns and salt(very little, as the prawns are already marinated in salt) and mix well.  Simmer until cooked.
• Serve hot with rice.

Nurukku Gothambu Payasam/Broken Wheat Payasam (Vishu special)...

Nurukku gothambu payasam/Broken wheat payasam (Vishu special)

Ingredients

1 cup broken wheat

½ kg jaggery

4 ½ cups water

4 cups medium thick coconut milk

1 cup thick coconut milk

3 tablespoon ghee

¼ cup cashew nuts

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup bite sized coconut pieces (thengakothu) (I skipped this part)

½ teaspoon dried ginger powder

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

• Clean the broken wheat and pressure cook it by adding 4 cups water in high flame until it gives off 7-8 whistles.(make sure that the wheat is cooked well )
• Melt jaggery in a pan with ½ cup water and strain it.
• Combine the melted jaggery with the cooked wheat.
• Add 2 tablespoon of ghee to the melted jaggery and stir nicely for 4-5 minutes.
• Add medium thick coconut milk and mix well.                                                                      
• Allow it to boil and keep stirring in between until it attains a thick consistency.
• Add thick coconut milk and heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Turn off the flame and add dried ginger and cardamom powder.
• In a pan heat 1 table spoon ghee and fry coconut pieces.
• When it turns light brown colour add cashew nuts and raisins and fry it.
• Pour it on top of payasam.
• Serve hot. 

Beetroot Potato Mezhukkupuratti...

Beetroot Potato Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients

1 small beetroot peeled and cut into small cubes

3 potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes

1 medium onion chopped

1 teaspoon garlic chopped

1 green chilly chopped

¼ teaspoon mustard

¼ teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoon oil

Salt as required

Method

• Heat oil in a pan
• Splutter mustard seeds.
• Add garlic and green chilies and stir for a minute.
• Add onion and stir until transparent.  
• Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well. 
• Add the beetroot and cover the pan and cook on medium flame until the beetroot is half done.
• Add the cubed potatoes at this stage and cook for 4-5 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
• Keep frying on low flame until the vegetables are completely dried. 

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients
500 grams chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion chopped roughly
2 tablespoon tomato paste
15 cashew nuts, soaked in water for 10 minutes
2 teaspoons garam masala powder
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 chicken stock cube, diluted in 1 cup hot water
salt
2 tablespoon oil
Method

• Blend the onion, tomato paste, cashewnuts, garlic, garam masala, lemon juice, salt and yoghurt into a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Once the oil is hot, pour the blended spice mixture and fry stirring continuously on a medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add half of the chopped coriander leaves and chicken. Fry for 1 minute.
• Pour in the chicken stock(chicken stock cube, dissolved in 1 cup hot water).Simmer and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
• Off the flame, add the remaining coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Prawns Achaari

Ingredients
500 grams of prawns, cleaned and deveined
10 shallots finely chopped
6-8 curry leaves
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin sedds
1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed slightly
1 large tomato finely chopped
6 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
3 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to season
Method

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add the chopped shallots.Stir fry until golden brown on a medium flame.
• Add the curry leaves, ginger paste and garlic paste. Saute for a minute.
• Add the chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and fennel seeds. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Fry for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook until the tomatoes are mashed.
• Reduce the heat to a low flame and simmer this gravy for 15- 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Now add the prawns and cook on a high flame sauteing continuously for 4-5 minutes or until the prawns are cooked.
• Remove from heat and add the chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot.

Aloo Mutter Kheema

Ingredients

800 grams Kheema

½ cup mutter

½ cup potato cut into small cubes

2 medium onions chopped

2 tablespoon garlic

2 tablespoon ginger

2 green chilies chopped

1 ½ tablespoon chili powder

1 ½ tablespoon coriander powder

¾ tea spoon chicken masala

½ tablespoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

2-3 tablespoon yoghurt  

2 medium tomatoes chopped

½ -1 tablespoon lemon juices

2-3 tablespoon oil

Chopped coriander for garnishing

Method

• Make a paste of chili powder, coriander, turmeric, chicken masala, garam masala, cumin powder by adding adequate water and keep separate.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add chopped green chilies, ginger and garlic and fry until the raw smell goes off.
• Sauté onions until light pink colour.
• Add chopped tomatoes and combine until the tomatoes are well mashed.
• Add masala paste and stir for 2-3 minutes.
• Add mutter and  potatoes and mix well.
• Cover the pan and cook under medium flame for 2 minutes.
• When the potatoes are half done, add Kheema along with yoghurt.
• Mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes under high flame or until the water from kheema gets dried completely.
• Finally add lime juice and combine well.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice or chapatti.

Marinated grilled chicken cubes

Ingredients

500 grams boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

100 ml oil

3 tablespoon white vinegar    

4 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

500 ml yoghurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt to taste

Method

• Blend together the oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, black pepper, 2 tablespoon coriander leaves, salt and yogurt.
• Marinate the chicken cubes with the blended mixture. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

                  

• Grill these chicken cubes under a hot grill until browned. Baste the remaining marinade on the chicken pieces occasionally in between grilling.
• Arrange the grilled chicken pieces on serving dish and squeeze the lemon juice over it.Garnish with onion rings and serve hot.