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Saturday, August 13, 2011
Paneer Malabari
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Soya Chunks Roast
Ingredients
200 grams - Soya chunks
1 cup - Small onion / Shallots, sliced
2 medium - Onion, sliced
2'' piece - Ginger, crushed
6 to 8 big flakes - Garlic, crushed
4 - Green chili, slit in center
2 to 3 sprigs - Curry leaves
To roast and make a paste
2 tsp - Fennel seeds
1'' piece - Cinnamon stick
4 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 big sprigs - Curry leaves
2.5 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Turmeric powder
2.5 tsp - Chili powder
2 tsp - Garam masala powder
Seasoning / Tadka
2 tsp - Fennel seeds
3 to 4 sprigs - Curry leaves
3 tbsp - Coconut bits, Thenga kothu
Coconut oil
Method
1 ) Wash soya chunks in running water. Boil enough water to soak soya, add salt to taste. Add the soya chunks to the hot water and keep aside for 1/2 hour. Drain the water and squeeze all the water out of the soya chunks. Again in fresh water, wash soya chunks and squeeze out the water. Do one more time and squeeze out all the water very well.
2 ) In a pan heat little coconut oil. Add all the ingredients listed to roast to the pan and roast on low heat, till the aroma of the spices are released and spices are slightly roasted. Take off the stove and cool. Then grind to a smooth paste with little water.
3 ) Now mix and coat the masala paste on the soya chunks. Squeeze out all the water from soya chunks well, so that the chunks sucks the masala very well.
4 ) Then add small onion, big onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, curry leaves and with fingers nicely mix the soya chunks with these ingredients. Keep aside to marinate. Minimum time to marinate is 1/2 an hour. The more the better.
5 ) In a large kadai /wok, heat coconut oil, add fennel seeds fry for a second, then add marinated soya chunks and coconut bits. Stir and roast the soya chunks on medium heat for 1/2 an hour. In between add coconut oil and keep stirring in between. Once the chunks have roasted to a slight brown color add curry leaves and stir in. Take off the stove and transfer to a serving dish.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Punjabi Chole
Ingredients
1/2 tsp - red chili powder
2 big - Onion, chopped
1.5 tsp - Jeera /cumin seeds
Method
2 ) Prepare the masala's - First prepare the dry masala's. In a pan dry roast the ingredients listed for garam masala on low heat till the spices release a good aroma and the jeera is well roasted. Powder the spices in a blender and set aside. Then powder the second masala mix and set aside. Then grind to a smooth paste all the ingredients listed for masala -1 and set as side.
4 ) Once the oil separates, add, red chili powder, coriander powder, black salt, and the prepared garam masala powder. Stir and fry for a few seconds. Then add the cooked chana and water. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Adjust salt to taste.
5 ) Now open the lid and add powdered masala -2 mix, stir and cook for few more minutes. Turn off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with onion rings, green chili, lemon wedges.
Serve hot with batura/ poori or roti.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Kadachakka Varutharacha Curry - Breadfruit Masala Curry
3 cups - Breadfruit/ kadachakka, chopped
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 medium - Tomato, chopped
2 - Green chili, slit in center
1'' piece - ginger, finely chopped
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Salt to taste
To roast & grind
3/4 cup - Freshly grated coconut
2 big - shallots, chopped
4 big flake - Garlic
2 small - Cinnamon sticks
2 to 3 - Cloves
1 - Star anise
1/2 tsp - Perumjeera/Fennel seeds
2 tbsp - Coriander powder
3/4 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
Seasoning
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
4 to 5 big - Shallots, chopped
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Method
1 ) Cook kadachakka pieces in a pressure cooker along with, turmeric powder, tomato, green chili, ginger, curry leaves and salt taste. Add 2 cups of water to cook the vegetable. Bring the pressure cooker to full pressure and cook for one whistle. Turn off the stove and open the cooker when the pressure is fully released.
2 ) Mean while in a pan roast - Coconut, cinnamon, clove, star anise, fennel seeds, shallots and garlic on low heat. Add little coconut oil when roasting. When the coconut turns golden in color, add coriander powder, turmeric power, red chili powder and lightly roast for few for seconds. Turn off the stove and cool.
4 ) To a pan add coconut oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add shallots and curry leaves. Fry till the shallots are light brown in color. Pour this seasoning on top of the kadachakka curry.
Serve with rice. Makes a yummy meal with rice and pappad.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Drumstick Leaves Adai
Ingredients
Method
1 ) Soak rice for 3 to 4 hours and toor dal for one hour separately.
2 ) Grind rice and dal with cumin, chili, curry leaves and onion to a rawa consistency. Transfer to a utensil.
4 ) Heat a non-stick tawa. Pour batter with a big ladle on the tawa and spread in a circular motion like for dosa. Drizzle sesame oil and cook on both sides till done. Transfer to a plate. Use up rest of the batter to make more adai.
Serve hot with chutney..
Friday, June 24, 2011
Manthanga/ Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients
2 cups - Pumpkin, chopped to small pieces
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste
To grind
1/2 cup - Freshly grated coconut
3 to 4 - Big shallots/ small onion
To crush & powder
4 to 5 - Big garlic flakes, crushed
1/4 tsp - Perumjeerakam / Fennel seeds, powdered
Season
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
3 to 4 - Big shallots, chopped
2 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 - Dry red chili
Coconut oil
Method
1 ) Cook chopped pumpkin in enough water ( 1 to 1.5 cup ) along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, curry leaves and salt to taste. Cook till pumpkin is well cooked.
2 ) Grind the coconut and shallot without adding any water. If needed add 1 or 2 tbsp water and grind - but not to very smooth paste. It can be slightly coarse.
3 ) Add the ground paste to the pumpkin pan and bring to a boil. Add little water, if only it is necessary. The gravy should not be watery. When it is starting to boil, add crushed garlic and perumjeerakam powder. Adjust salt to taste and bring to a boil. Take off the stove.
4 ) Heat a pan with coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and pop it, then add shallots, red chili and coconut. Fry till the shallot and coconut turns lightly brown. Pour this seasoning over the pumpkin curry and cover with a lid.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Bottle gourd Khichadi
Ingredients
1 Medium size - Bottle gourd,peeled & chopped to small pieces
1 cup - Thick creamy & sour yogurt/curds
Salt to taste
Grind to a paste
3/4 to 1 cup - Freshly grated Coconut
4 - Green chili
4 to 5 - Garlic flakes
1'' piece - Ginger
1/2 tsp - Jeera
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
Seasoning
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
2 to 3 - Dry red chili
1 to 2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Method
1 ) First boil chopped bottle gourd pieces in enough water, till it's well cooked.
2 ) Grind coconut, green chili, ginger, garlic and jeera to a smooth paste with little water. Then add mustard seeds and pulse 2 to 3 times to crush the mustard seeds.
3 ) Add the paste to the cooked bottle gourd. Bring to a a slight boil on medium heat. Add salt to taste. Turn off the stove. Then add yogurt ( beat/ blend yogurt well and then add )
4 ) Heat a pan with little sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and pop it. Then add red chili and curry leaves. Fry for second and then pour this seasoning on top of the cooked khichadi. Cover with a lid immediately.
Serve with rice as a side dish.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Seasoned Ripe Mango & Raw Mango Chutney
1 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tbsp - Grated jaggery
Coarsely grind
Seasoning
Method
2 ) In a pan heat a cup of water add, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Add mango pieces and cook mango for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add grated jaggery and let it melt in.
1 - Sour raw mango
If the taste is too sour, then heat little oil and add a pinch of asafoetida fry it for a second and then pour over the chutney and mix in well.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Elephant Yam - Chena Masala Curry
3/4 cup - Freshly grated coconut
Friday, April 15, 2011
Vishu and a Koottu Curry
Check out the malabar style koottu curry preparation here
Monday, March 07, 2011
Masala Curry With Paneer, Peas & Potato
Ingredients
1 medium - Potatoes,cubed
1 cup - Green Peas
500 gm - Paneer, cut to cubes
2 pods - Green cardamom,
1 big - Star Anise
2 medium - Onion, sliced
4 - Green chili, slit in center
3 medium - Tomato, chopped
Masala powders
2 tbsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Red chili powder
1 tsp - Turmeric powder
Method
1 ) Add to an utensil, potato, peas, green chili, ginger, onion, cardamom, star anise and the masala powders. Now add enough water to cover and cook the vegetables.
2 ) When the veggies are half cooked, add tomato and salt to taste. Simmer, cover and cook till the vegetables are fully cooked.
3 ) Grind coconut, jeera and cinnamon with little water to a smooth paste. Add this paste to the cooked veggies. Add more water if needed for the gravy. Adjust salt to taste. Simmer and cook.
4 ) Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat some oil. Add paneer cubes and fry to a light brown color. Transfer and add the fried paneer to the curry. In the remaining oil, do the seasoning. First pop the mustard seeds, than add dry chili, curry leaves and fry for second. Then add onion and fry to a light brown color. Pour this seasoning over the curry and close with a lid. Turn off the stove. After 5 minutes open the lid and serve the masala curry.
Serve as a side dish with rice or roti.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Kumbalanga / Ash Gourd Moru Curry
2 cups - Kumbalanga, diced to small pieces
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Punjabi Masala Stuffed Tinda
Ingredients
400 grams / About 8 to 9 - Fresh Tinda
Dry masala powders
1 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 to 1.5 tsp - Amchur powder / dry mango powder
1/4 tsp - Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
1/4 tsp - Dry ginger powder
1/4 tsp - Hing powder
1 tsp - Fennel powder/ Saunf powder
Salt to taste
Seasoning
1/4 tsp - Jeera/ cumin seeds
2 medium - Onion, thinly sliced
1 cup - Coriander leaves, finely chopped
Method
1 ) Scrap the tinda skin off. Slit them slightly vertically and horizontally like a cross. Remove any hard seeds. Mix all the dry masala powders listed above together. Add salt to taste and mix well.
2 ) Now stuff this dry masala powder into the slits of the tinda, like in the picture below. Save the extra masala powder towards the end.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Vazha Pindi Thoran - Banana Stem Stir Fry
Banana stem - cut and chopped to small pieces, in picture.
Cut the stem in round, slowly move the knife away, you will see fibre. Clean the fiber off the stem on each round cut and then chop to small pieces. Put the chopped stem into water to stop discoloration.
Ingredients
4 cups - Vazha pindi, chopped
1/4 cup - Toor dal ( soak for one hour )
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Coarsely Crush
1/2 cup - Freshly grated Coconut
2 to 3 - Green chili
Seasoning
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 tsp - Urad dal
3 to 4 sprigs - Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Method
1 ) Chop the banana stem to small pieces. To a pan add chopped banana stem, toor dal, turmeric powder, salt to taste and about 1.5 cup water. Cover and cook on low heat till the dal and banana stem is cooked and tender. Alternatively, you can pressure cook banana stem and dal in little water for 1 to 2 whistles. If pressure cooking, you do not have to soak toor dal.
2 ) Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Pop the mustard seeds and lightly brown the urad dal. Then add curry leaves and the cooked banana stem and dal. To this add the coarsely ground coconut and green chili. Stir and mix all the ingredients. Now stir and dry off any excess water. Add little coconut oil towards the end, stir and fry for a minute. Take off the stove and serve.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Methi Matar with Paneer Pulao
Ingredients
For Rice
2 cups - Basmati rice (used India gate,super brand )
2 - Green Cardamom
1 - Black cardamom/ Badi Elachi
3 to 4 - Cloves
A small - Cinnamon Stick
Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
250 grams - Paneer cubes
1/2 tsp - Jeera Seeds
4 medium - Onion, finely sliced
4 to 6 - Green chili
1.5'' piece - Ginger
1/4 cup - Garlic Or one medium bulb
1 big - Tomato, crushed /puree
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 to 1.5 cup - Methi / Fenugreek leaves
1 cup - Matar / Green Peas
Salt to taste
Ghee or oil
Method
1 ) Bring to a boil 4 to 5 cups of water in a big pan, add green & black cardamom, clove, cinnamon stick, salt to taste and little ghee to the water. Now add washed basmati rice to the water and cook till rice is cooked. Take off the stove and drain off excess water.
2 ) Coarsely grind green chili- ginger and garlic to a paste. Wash methi leaves well, then chop it. Heat a kadai /wok. Add some ghee and fry paneer cubes to a light brown color on all sides. Drain off oil and transfer to a plate.Then add sliced onion and fry till onion turns brown in color. Drain and transfer to a plate.
3 ) In the remaining oil( add more if need), add jeera and fry for a second. Then add chili-ginger-garlic paste and fry on low heat till it turns lightly brown. Now add turmeric powder, matar and methi leaves. Stir and fry for a minute. Then add tomato puree, salt to taste, close with a lid and cook on low heat till peas is cooked. Add little water to cook peas if needed.
4 ) Once the peas is cooked, add fried paneer cubes to the kadai and cook for a minute. Adjust salt to taste. Turn off the stove. Now add the cooked rice and fried onion little by little. Stir, toss and mix all the ingredients. Transfer the pulao into a microwave safe bowl and warm the pulao.This will evenly distribute the flavors.
Now serve in platter, garnish with some fried onions.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Chemmeen Roast
Ingredients
50 to 60 counts - Prawns, big size
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
To crush
1 - Green chili
1'' piece - Ginger
8 to 10 flakes - Garlic
Other Ingredients
3/4 cup - Shallots / Small onion, chopped
3 tbsp - Coconut chopped to bits, (thenga kothu )
2.5 to 3 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder/ kashmiri chili powder
1 to 1.5 tsp - Black pepper powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp - Fennel / perumjeera powder
3 to 4 stalks - Curry leaves
Method
1 ) Devein and clean prawns well. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Cook prawns, covered with a lid, on low heat till cooked. Take off stove.
2 ) In a kadai / wok, add coconut oil and warm it up. Now add shallots, coconut bits and fry till onion turns pinkish. Now add green chili- garlic-ginger crushed to the pan and fry till it turns lightly brown. Now add coriander powder, red chili powder and pepper powder. Lightly fry the powders in coconut oil.
3 ) Add cooked prawns, stir and mix in with the ingredients. Adjust salt to taste. Add curry leaves little by little in between. Then sprinkle fennel powder, little by little. Stir and fry the prawns, adding more coconut oil. Fry till the prawns turns brownish.
Serve hot as a side dish.