Urulai Kozhi Kulambu /Chicken Curry with Potatoes

What you will need
Chicken - 1 whole chicken ( small pieces)
Potatoes - 3-4 ( cut in small pieces)
Onion  - 1 large
Small onions -  10 ( grind it into a paste)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Green chillies - 2-3 (slit lengthwise)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tbsp ( I use coarse paste)
Chilli powder - 2tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp( optional)
Dania/Coriander powder - 1 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1tsp ( You can use either powder or whole , I prefer powder)
Curry leaves -  as needed
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt -  to taste
How you will make
Heat oil in a pan and add  onions and fry for few minutes.Now add onion paste ,ginger garlic  paste and fry until raw smell is gone.Add curry leaves, green chillies to this and saute.Now add choppe dtomatoes and cook until tomatoes are well cooked and soften.Add all spice powders at this point and saute well until raw smell is gone.Add chicken pieces and salt and saute on high flame for 3-4 minutes.Now reduce the heat to medium and add chopped potatoes.Mix everything well at this point.
Add pepper powder and just enough water and cook this covered for next 7-10 minutes.Once chicken and potatoes are well cooked, remove the cover and let the gravy boil a little until everything comes together.Serve is hot with rice or roti.
Recipe Source : Recipe  adapted from a cooking show .

Kathirikkai (podi ) varuval

Kathirikkai/Brinjal , one of my most fav vegetable after Vendaikkai.I usually tend to stick with traditional recipes when I have them.So my usual Kathirikkai poriyal will have spices like red chiili powder , turmeric powder only.So wanted to try something different yet doesn't taste much different from what I usually make.Came up with this one.Podi gives this dish that special aroma n taste that the normal kathirikkai poriyal won't have!
Planning to use this spice powder for other vegetable dishes as well in the future.

You will need
Brinjal/Kathirikkai - 2 cups ( cubed)
Curry Leaves - as needed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Water - to sprinkle
Salt - as needed
For Podi
Oil - 2 tsp
Channa dal - 2tsp
Dania - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 5 to 6
Coconut - 2 tbsp (shredded) (optional)
Curry leaves - few

How you will make it

In pan, add 2 tsp of oil and fry ingredients listed under 'For Podi' until golden brown and let it cool.
Then grind it into a coarse powder. Now heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.Now add brijal pieces to this and saute on medium low flame.Add turmeric and salt to this and cook until they almost cooked.Sprinkle water in between if necessary.Finally add the powdered mixture and mix them all together carefully.Careful not to over cook them and mush the brinjal pieces.Serve them along with Rice and Dal.

Fish Roast - recreated!

I have been looking to recreate a fish roast I had during my last trip to Kerala.We had taken a backwaters trip and they had a floating small "thattu kada" style in the middle of the lake.Our guide and boat driver were raving about this restuarent and I was getting more n more excited as we got closer.I am looking everywhere and didn't find any "big" restuarent fgloating near by.Finally the driver pointed out to a small shack . The ambience was so bad , I was relunctant at first.But we had no choice to order something then there otherwise we would be starving  for the next 1 hour.Finally we decided to order, the owner came to our boat with a basket of fresh fish.I ordered Fish Masala roast from the menu while rest of family ordered different things from the menu.
This Fish roast was so good that my parents left their ordered stuff untouched and ordered 3 more plates of Fish roast.As my father quoted " I have never been a fan of fish until I had this dish.I can't believe I missed this nearby place for so long" .
So to cut the story short, I have been looking to recreate that dish and was looking around in the blogosphere.Finally got somewhat similar one here .Though this is not a exact replica, it came very close when it comes to taste.The main difference being, the original dish never had fried fish in it.
Give it a try...May be this will be that perfect fish dish that you have been looking for.

Vendaikkai vatha kulambu

You will need
Vendaikkai/Lady finger - 10 ( cut into 1 inch pieces)
Small onions - 5-6 ( chopped lengthwise)
Garlic - 5-6 cloves
Tamarind - 1 big lemon sized ball
Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Oil - 3 tbsp
Red chillies -  3-4
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Vendhayam/Fenu greek seeds - 1/2tsp
Curry leaves -   few springs
Salt - as needed
Water - as needed
Rice flour - 2 tsp ( optional)
Sarkkarai/Jaggery - 1 tsp (optional)

How you will make it
In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute vendaikkai pieces for a few minutes.This is to avoid curry becoming sticky.Saute the vendaikkai well, but make sure the color is not chnaged.Take them out and keep in a paper towel, let the oil drain. In the sam epan, add 1 tsp of oil and heat.Add mustard seeds, channa dal, vendhayam and fry until channa dal is golden brown.Now add curry leaves and red chillies.Saute for a few seconds and add sliced onions, garlic and saute until those are soft.Add fried vendaikkai and add sambhar powder , fry for 1 minute.Add tamarind pulp, needed water and salt.Let this boil until vendaikkai is fully cooked and sauce gets thicker.Now add a pinch of asafoedita and cook for few more minutes.Once you feel you got the correct consistency for the sauce, switch off the heat.Serve hot with rice.
Note : If you have trouble getting the right consistency, mix 2 tsp of rice flour in to 1/4 cup of hot water and add this into the boiling mixture.
Adding sarkkarai at the end of the cooking, gives that extra authentic taste.

Nethili meen curry

You will need

Nethili meen ( anchovies) - about 20 

Coocnut milk - 1/2 can of

Onion -2 medium sized, chopped 

Tomoato - 3 ( grinded)

Green chillies - 2 (slit lengthwise)

Redchilli powder - 2tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger Garlic paster - 2tsp

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1tsp

Fennel seeds - 1tsp

Tamarind - 1 lemon sized

Oil - 3-4 tbsp

Salt - as needed

Curry leaves - few springs

How you will make

In a pan heat oil on medium high heat and splutter mustard seeds.Now add fennel, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and green chillies.Fry for a few seconds and add chopped onions.Fry until onions are 3/4 cooked, Now add turmeric powder,red chilli powder and ginger garlic paste.Saute until raw smell is gone and add grounded tomato to this.Cook until all comes together and then add the tamarind pulp & salt to this mix.Boil the gravy until raw smell is gone and all ingredients starting to come together.

Now reduce the heat to medium,  add diluted coconut milk to this gravy.Boil for another 3-4 minutes.

Now add the fish pieces and cook them without disturbing the gravy.It won't take much time to cook small fish like anchovies.So keep the gravy on medium heat and cook for another 10 minutes and switch off.Serve hot with

Note : Adding coconut milk to this gravy is optional.I added it for traditional taste.Add coconut oil instead of vegetable oil to have that extra kick.

Uzhundan Choru (Urad dal Rice)

This is one of Sunday Staple at Mom's.I just adore this dish and now my kids love it.
Made with Black Urad dal and Rice and very few ingredients to kick it up a notch.

You will need

Rice  - 3/4 cup
Black Urad dal - 1/4 cup ( You need black urad dal.Don't substitute this with any other urad dal)
Salt - as needed
Garlic - 1 clove ( finely chopped)
Fenugreek seeds ( Vendhyam) - 1/4 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp (shredded) (optional)
Water - 2 cups

How you will make :
Wash rice and urad dal and keep in aside.In a pressure cooker (or rice cooker) , add rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, garlic, coconut, salt and add 2 cups of water.Adding water depending the type of white rice you are using, so add it it accordingly.Cook the rice mixture like the same way you cook white rice.(pressure cooker - 3 whistles).That's it, it is ready to serve.
We serve 'uzhundan choru' with cocnut or coriander chutney, theeyal or with egg curry as seen in the picture below.

Savory/Kara Kozhukattai

One of my most favourite snack (well..I can eat this as breakfast.lunch /dinner etc) and hoping it is Ganesh's too..

Happy Vinayaka Chaturthi

You need
Rice flour - 2cups(dry roasted)
Boiled water-as needed
Coconut-1/2 cup(optional)
For tadka
Oil-2 tspn
Mutatrd,curry leaves(chopped),red chillies(break into small pieces),urad dal

How you will make
In a pan,heat oil and fry the tadka ingredients and keep aside.After dry roasting the rice flour, add salt and boiled water.Slowly mix the water and make a dough.(just like u do for Idiyappam).Mix the tadka with the dough and make into small bitesize balls.Spray the cooking spray in the idly pan and wipe it off with a paper towel.(for avoiding sticking)Place this balls into the idly pan and steam cook it for about 7-10 min.s.If you like you can serve it as it is or mix it with fresh shredded coconut. To make it more spicy, you can mix idly podi into steamed kozhukattai.

More Kazhi Urundai

A traditional snack/breakfast item , been there for ages. You might have or should have come across this at some point in you life.If not, it's high time to try this one.

You will need

Rice Flour - 1 cup (I used Sambha rice flour thus the color)

Yogurt - 3 tbsp (make sure it is fresh)

Mustard seeds -  1/4 tsp

Dry Red chillies - 2

Curry leaves - 2

Oil -  2 - 3 tbsp

Salt - as needed

Water - to sprinkle

Idli Podi - to serve

How you will make

Heat oil in the pan on medium heat and splutter mustard seeds.Once that's done, add red chillies, curry leaves.Fry for few seconds and add rice flour and saute them.Add salt as needed now.Once everything is mixed well, switch off the heat and add 3tbsp yougurt to this rice mixture.Mix well and start making small balls out of it. Note: sprinkle just enough water if flour mix looks too dry to make balls. Once urundai (balls) are made steam cook them for about 10 minutes.Serve them hot with idli podi. In my experience these are best served right away  as these tend to get a harder layer if kept for too long.

Note :I had chopped curry leaves as well, so that it is hard to throw away and kids will eat it hidden inside the urundai.

Thankful for....

A thankful list to mark the year end, 

1. Kids...That too happy ones (well most of the time) ..ever thankful.
2. Family – You know who you are, especially thankful for finishing up a conversation with me in person/phone ;)
3. Friends – Again encouraging /commenting whenever needed.
4. Skype – Feels I am never far way from Mom.
5. Job – and that too an exciting one.
6. My Kitchen – a perfect one, to show off my rage/happy moods.
7. People – Mostly whom I meet on daily basis, an INSPIRATION!
8. TV/Movies –for helping forget my dull moments.
9. Father in Law – Most amazing optimistic person I have met. Help me grow as an individual. Missing you.
10. Though we had our share of similar & opposite opinions, am thankful for the one who encourages and keeps me going, Picks me up   when I fall (which is quite often) -Dear Husband.

Meen Thoran /Poriyal

Meenu thoran/poriyal , another delicacy from Amma .I made this with tilapia fillets  from costco.
This is easy one and goes well with any hot gravy.We had this with vatha kuzambu.

Ingredients
=======

Tilapia - 5 fillets
Ginger/Garlic/Green chilli - 2 tbsp minced
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion -  1 small (finely chopped)
Coconut - 1/4 cup shredded (adjust according to your taste).
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Method
=======

Boil Tilapia fillets with enough water, salt and turmeric.This gets cooked very fast, so as soon as it is cooked, drain the water and switch them to another vessel.Make sure there is no water retained.With a fork, slightly pull the fish fillets apart ,  making it into tiny pieces .

We need about 2 tbsp ginger/garlic/green chilli mixture minced (not a paste). YOu might need about a 1/2 inch piece of ginger, 3 cloves of garlic and about 3-4 green chillies.Increase the no.of green chillies if you like it spicy.

Now, take another pan and heat oil in a medium low heat.Once oil hot, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves and onion.Once onions are golden brown, add the minced g/g/g mixture and fry until raw smell is gone.Now add the fish pieces, add salt, turmeric as needed now and slowly mix .Be careful not to mush it.

After few minutes in medium low heat, add coconut to the fish mixture and turn the heat to medium high.
Constantly stir and cook for another 5 minutes .Serve it with rice & any kuzhambu.

Chicken Ularthiyadhu / Kerala Chicken Fry

This is yet another lip smacking chicken fry that I usually make if I want to impress !Got it via a Malayalam cookery show. The best part of the dish for me is to eat the last part of the dish left after all the big pieces of chicken is gone! You will understand what I am talking about when you finish cooking.

Ingredients

=========

Chicken - 1 whole chicken (cut into small pieces)

Onion - 2 medium sized( sliced length wise)

Green chillies - 4-5 

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 4-5 cloves

Whole black peppercorns - 2tbsp

Red chilli powder - 2tsp

Daniya powder - 2tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coconut - 1/2 cup (shredded) (the more the merrier)

Curry leaves - quite a few

Whole garam masala - 1 piece cinnamon, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves , 1tsp perunjeerakam

Oil - 4 tbsp

Salt - as needed

Note : I made this one extra spicy (as usual) to go with a bland dal :)

And even 2-3 tsp of aacchi red chilli powder goes a long way.

Method

=======

Clean and marinate the chicken pieces with red chilli, daniya, turmeric  and salt for about 20-30 minutes.

Add ginger, garlic , green chilli, pepper corns, whole garam masalas and few curry leaves in a chopped/mixie and give it a quick pulse.The point is not to make it a paste.Give it just a quick grind, so we can see few pieces of ginger/garlic/pepper etc. The main recipe calls for us to add coconut and onion slices to ginger garlic pepper  when grinding.I didn't do it as 1) my coconut were very thinly shredded and 2) I am always afraid of grinding raw onion even if it  is for a quick pulse. 

Now, add the ginger garlic pepper mix, coconut, onion into a bowl and mix is very well with your clean hands.Make sure you break few of the onion slices to bring out the juice.Now add this mixture into marinated chicken and mix well.

Add oil into a heavy bottomed pan placed in medium high heat.Add this chicken mixture and few curry leaves into the pan and cover n cook for about 5-6 minutes.Once you see chicken is releasing water, remove the lid and let is cook on medium high heat.Try to break the chicken pieces, this makes this dish extra special.This dish is very dry, so keep cooking until all the water is evaporated from the dish.I usually cook it on high heat for last few minutes.It should look like the same in the picture.

Do not forget to eat the last part :)

We had this with roti  and dal.

Kodi Kura - Chicken Roast (Andhra style)

This recipe I got off from a TV show and came out delicious.Very easy to make and to top it all it's a one pot dish.What more do you want? .I have tried mutton version of this and will post that later.

Ingredients
------------
Chicken -  1 whole chicken (cut into small pieces)
Onion - 2 Onions(sliced and then cut across)
Tomato - 3 (medium sized, chopped)
Green chillies - 6-8 (slit across)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Daniya/Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil -4 tbsp
Curry leaves - a lot (atleast 2 springs)

Method
--------
Clean the chicken and try not to leave any water behind after you clean.Mix all the ingredients except for oil in a pan with your hand.Make sure to mash some of the tomato pieces, green chillies. Do not add any water.
If you want and have time, leave this mixture for abt 15- 30 minutes to marinate.I didn't do it, but it came out very tasty.

Start cooking the chicken mixture in a medium low flame with lid covered for about 5-8 minutes.And when you see water is coming out of the chicken, remove the lid and start cooking.Once you see enough gravy is in the dish, increase the flame and keep stirring the dish to avoid burning.Once the dish is almost dry, add 4 tbsp of oil and keep roasting the dish without burning.When it reaches roast consitency, swich off the heat and garnish with more curry leaves.Serve with Roti or rice/dal.

Note : I made it very spicy, please adjust your spice as per your taste.

Before

After

Sorry for the bad picture..too lazy to get the camera and used my phone instead...

Egg Curry -Andhra Version

Egg curry from Vahrevah.com . Since I found this recipe I have prepared this numerous times :)

Thuvaram paruppu masiyal/Toor dal gravy with Masala Egg

We enjoyed this paruppu masiyal with masala egg over the weekend.This is one of those simple yet comfort food. Masala egg recipe is from my sweet SIL's blog, fusion of life.It came out really good.Hope you all enjoy as much as we did.

Ingredients
-------------

Toor dal : 1/2 cup
Vendhyam/fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Dry Red chillies : 5
Green chillies : 5 (slit)
Curry leaves : few springs
Tomato : 2 (chopped)
Tamarind : small lemon size ball
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Perungayam/ asafoedita : 1 pinch
salt : as needed

Method
---------

1. Pressure cook toor dal, fenugreek and turmeric powder with just enough water for more than 4 whistles. Mash cooked toor dal mixture well and keep it aside.
2.In a pan, heat oil and fry mustard seeds, asafoedita and dry red chiiles.Now add chopped tomatoes and slit green chilles.Saute well until tomatoes are cooked enough.
3.Now add tamarind water to the pan and bring it to a boil.
4.Now add mashed toor dal mix to the pan and add salt and water as needed.
5.Garnish with chopped coriander or curry leaves.I used curry leaves as I prefer them.

We enjoyed this with hot rice and masala egg.

Recipe Source for masiyal :Vikatan

Paruppu Masiyal

Masala Egg

Happy New Year and Banana Payasam

Happy Happy New Year to all Foodies out there.
I know I am surprised too, how time flies by.I have been out of blogging for a while now and so much things have happened in my life in the mean time.But I haven't stopped cooking though!.Now I am at a better position (I Hope) to continue my passion.So decided I will try my level best to post at least one recipe per week (one of my 2011 resolution :) ).

So my first recipe to share this year would be Banana Payasam, a famous dessert from Kerala.



Ingredients

Nenthra pazham : 2 ( well riped)
Jagarry/Sarkarai : 1 cup (grated)
Coconut milk : 1 can
Cashew nuts, golden raisins : as needed
Cardamom/Elakkai : 2 numbers
Ghee : 2 tbsp
Javvarisi/Sabudhana - 1 handful
Water - as needed

Method
---------------


1. In a pan, heat ghee and saute sliced bananas until they are almost darkish brown.Mash them well with a fork and keep aside.

2. In a pan boil javvarisi about 2 cups of water.

3.Once it is cooked enough, add shredded jaggery and mix well.If needed add water just enough.Make sure there is no lumps are there.

4.Reduce the flame and add coconut milk and mix well.At this point do little taste test and if needed add more jaggery.

5.Finally add the mashed banana and mix well.Bring this to a boil and switch of the heat.

6.Fry Cashews, raisin and cardamom in ghee and pour over the payasam for garnish.

Pepper Chicken/Milagu Kozhi

One of my fav. dish and kids love it too, if i make it less spicy..:D

Ingredients

Chicken - 2 lbs (cut in to small pieces)
Onion - 1- 1 1/2 (chopped fine)
Green chillies - 4 (chopped fine)
Curry leaves - a few
Dania/Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 3 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Salt - as needed
Cashews - 6-8
Raisins - 10
Oil - 4 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp (optional)

Method

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and fry green chillies,curry leaves and then add onion.Fry till the onion is golden brown and then add gg paste.Fry till the raw smell vanishes and add turmeric,dania powder.Fry well, now add the cleaned chicken pieces.On medium high heat, add the black pepper powder and mix everything well.(Do not add any water)Cover and cook it for about 15 minutes.(Stir the dish every now and then to avoid burning)Now remove the lid and cook uncovered till the chicken is cooked through and masala is sticking to each and every chicken pieces.YUM..Now add fried cashews and raisins for garnish.Serve hot with rice or roti.

Potato Fry/ Urulai Varuval

I'm a big fan of Chef Damodaran(Jeya TV).This is one of his recipe with variation.He mixed all the raw ingredients and mix it with boiled potatoes and then fried it in oil.As that method took too much oil , i adapted this less oil version.this is kinda Kadai dish version,where you have to slow cook till masala is well coated.Very tasty and goes well with curd rice.


Ingredients

Baby Potatoes - 10
Onion - 1 (chopped fine)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seed/Perunjeeragam powder - 1/2tsp
Salt - as needed
Curry leaves - a few
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp (Original recipe asks for tamarind juice)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

Boil and peel the skin off the potatoes.If the baby potatoes little big, you can cut them into pieces.If not, leave them like that.In a pan heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.then add chopped onion and curry leaves.Once the onion is slightly brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.Then add salt and all the masala powders.Fry till the raw smell goes away and add lemon juice & little water (abt 3 tbsp) and cook the masala really well.Now add the boiled potatoes and slightly mix it with the masala.Don't mix it too much otherwise the potatoes will mash up.Under low heat, cook this till masala is well coated to the potatoes.Serve hot with rice or roti.





I also tried Egg curry from Vahrevah chef and came out really good.A must try..

A request for AFAM

Hi Friends,

I have a request regarding AFAM, I lost the list of future hosts while playing around with the new template.Please be kind enough to let me know who will be the future hosts of AFAM So i can put it in the blog.I am also requesting others who are interested in hosting the event, to send the email.

Thanks
Maheswari

Paruppu Usili

Ingredients

Channa dal - 1/4 up
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Red chillies - 6
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Beans - 2 cups (fresh,chopped)
Curry leaves - as needed
Salt - as needed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoedita - a pinch

Method

Soak both Channa and toor dals along with red chillies for about 30 minutes.Chop the green beans and cook them in the microwave with little salt.Now grind the dal mixture with jeera,salt,asafoetida very coarsely.In a pan, heat oil and fry mustard seeds,urad dal and curry leaves.Now add the grounded dal mixture and let it cook untilit becomes small crumbles.Now add cooked beans to this and let it cook until everything comes together and cooked through.Serve this with rice.




I made Beetroot usili the same way.Below is the picture.

Poori - Kizhangu

Poori

Ingredients

Atta/Wheat flour - 4 cups
Salt - as needed
Water - as needed (warm)
Sooji/Rava - 3 tbsp
Oil - for deep frying

Method

Mix and knead all the ingredients very well.Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.Roll into small pooris and fry it in hot oil.Serve hot with potato masala.



Poori kizhangu

Ingredients

Potato - 4 (medium sized, boiled and slightly mashed by hand)
Onion - 2 (sliced)
Green chillies - 4 (slit lengthwise)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoedita/Perngayam - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds/Perunjeeragam - 1 tsp (slightly crushed)
Ginger - 1/2 tsp (grated)(optional)


Method

Boil potatoes and mash slightly with hands.In a pan, heat oil and fry mustard,urad,fennel seeds,curry leaves and then add green chillies,grated ginger (optional)onion until onion is slightly gold brown.Now add turmeric powder and mix very well.Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup water and salt and let it come to a boil.Then add boiled potato and pinch of asafoetida and let the gravy boil and switch off when the gravy is thick enough.Serve hot with poories.