Inukku Podi

Inukku Podi, an instant podi made for Dosa/Idly.I am so fond  of this podi that I frequently make it even though I have other sides for Dosa/Idly. 

What you need
Coconut - 1 cup (Shredded)Garlic - 1 podWhole Red Chillies - 6-8Curry leaves - a fewSalt - as neededGingelly oil  - For serving

How you will make it

In a mixie jar , put coconut, red chillies , garlic, curry leaves and salt and pulse it a few times.Viola , that's it , It's ready! The aroma itself will lure you to it.Serve it with few drops gingelly  oil for Dosa/Idly.

Note : Please adjust the amount of red chillies as per your taste.

Curry leaves Chicken

Curry leaves , an unavoidable ingredient in South Indian Kitchens especially Kerala.When landed here in US , the only thing I couldn't digest was that I had to pay for this special ingredient.Back home, we grew them in our yard or our vegetable guy gave it for free.My kitchen will tell stories of me being a freak when it comes to curry leaves :D For the past two weeks , My dear husband  unknowingly  piled up packets of curry leaves from our local store .I had to use it before they go awry.So here is Curry leaves Chicken...

What you need

Chicken - 2 lbs ( small pieces)
Onion - 1 large (sliced thin)
Ginger Garlic - 2 tbsp (minced fine)
Curry leaves  - for garnish
Red chilli powder  - 3 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil -  2 tbsp
Salt -as needed

Dry Roast  and Grind 

Black Pepper corns - 2 tsp
Perunjeeragam - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves  - 2 big springs 


How you will make

Clean chicken and keep aside.I had used boneless chicken  for this recipe.But you could use with bone as well.In a pan, dry roast the listed under 'Dry Roast  and Grind' and keep aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and fry sliced onion until they are golden brown.Now add the minced ginger garlic  ( note : not GG paste but minced) and fry until raw smell goes away.Now on high flame add chicken pieces , turmeric ,red chilli and salt. Fry until chicken is well cooked and masala w/ chicken is nice dark brown color. Now reduce the flame and add the powdered curry leaves powder and mix. At this point you will smell an awesome aroma of Curry leaves!
Add in some fresh curry leaves for garnish and switch off the heat. Serve hot with Rice/Roti.

Note : Adjust your red chilli powder as per your spice level and note that you are adding black peppercorns as well.

Chinna Ulli Chutney/Small Onion Chutney

It's fun to see my kids eat Idly . They carry one whole Idly in their hand as if it was a piece of cake , and dip in a bowl of chutney.I have tried to make them eat Idly the right way, my way. My way  especially with this Onion chutney is 'placing 4 idly in a plate, pour a big spoon of chutney and then the fun part , mash them well with your fingers and eat'. :D .The best part is licking that last bits of chutney out of your fingers!

Well , that might not be a sophisticated way to eat in front of others :D

What You need

Small Onions - 1 cup (chopped)
Curry leaves - a needed
Oil -  2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp (Warning : adjust as per your taste)
Salt - As needed
Tamarind - 1 small gooseberry sized
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water - as needed

How you will make it


Take tamarind extract and keep aside.In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.Now add chopped onion and curry leaves.Saute for next 4 minutes on medium flame.(You don't have to fry it so much as we are going to cook it with tamarind extract).Add salt, red chilli powder and fry a bit till raw smell of red chilli is gone.Finally add tamarind extract and water (as needed).Let this mixture boil until onions are cooked well and chutney has the right consistency.Add a pinch of asafoetida and boil for next two minutes and switch off.Serve it hot with Idly.

Meen Chilli / Fish Chilli

What you need

King fish - 2 lbs (cut in medium size pieces)
Onion - 1 big ( sliced thin)
Tomato - 1 medium ( chopped fine)
Green chillies -  6-7 ( slit lengthwise)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

To marinate 
Salt - as needed
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

How you make 

Marinate the fish pieces with all the ingredients listed under 'To Marinate' and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.In a pan heat oil in medium high heat and fry curry leaves, sliced onions.Fry until onions are golden brown and add gg paste.Saute this until raw smell of gg paste is gone.Now add chopped tomatoes to this mix ( you can add little salt needed for the masala at this point) and fry until tomatoes are completely mashed up and no where to be seen.Now the  complementing masala is ready for the fish pieces. Add marinated fish pieces to the masala and mix slowly.On medium low heat cover and cook for next five minutes. Remove the cover at this point and on medium low heat slowly cook the fish pieces.Careful not to break the pieces by turning it so many times. When they are half way  through , add slit green chillies and lime juice .Slowly turn the masala around with out breaking the pieces and switch off the heat once it is cooked .We had it with Simple Dal & Rice.

NOTE : Since the fish pieces were not 'fried' before adding to the masala , it took a while for the raw smell of powders (especially red chilli) to go away.

NOTE : I had dominated the flavor with Green Chillies than Red chilli powder.

Recipe adapted from here.

Amma's Muttai Kuzhambu / Egg Curry

What you will need

Hard boiled eggs -  6 (halved)

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2-3 (slit)
Tamarind - 1 big gooseberry size
Salt - to taste
Potato - 2 small size,cubed (optional)
Water - as needed
To grind :
Coconut (shredded) - 3/4 cup
Jeera  -  1tsp
Garlic - 1 pod
Curry leaves - 3
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
For tempering :
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Whole red chillies - 4

How you will make
Soak tamarind in a cup of water and extract tamarind juice.Grind all ingredients listed under 'To grind' into a fine paste.In pan on medium heat,  pour tamarind juice and add red chilli powder and brind it to a boil.Now add grinded coocnut paste, slit green chillies,salt and let boil until raw smell is gone and gravy thickens.In between add water if necessary.Once you get the correct consistency for the gravy , reduce the heat to low.Add in the hard boiled eggs.Slowly mix in so that all the eggs are coated with the gravy.In another pan, temper the ingredients listed under 'For tempering'  and pour it over the curry.Serve hot with rice.