Vegetable Pulao or Veg. Pulav

Ingredients
Basmathi Rice - 400 gms
Potato - 1 (cut into small cubes)
Carrot - 2 (cut into small cubes)
Beans - 10 (cut into small pieces)
Peas - a small cup
Sweetcorn - a small cup
Cauliflower - few florets
Green Chilli - 2 (small cut in the front)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 800 ml

Fried Onions
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 (large, cut lengthwise)
Corn Flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - very little

To Season 1
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Cloves - 4 or 5
Green Cardamom - 2
Black Cardamom - 1
Bay Leaf - 1
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

To Season 2
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashews - 10
Raisins - 15

Preparation

Soak the rice for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash the soaked rice and drain the water.

In a bowl add corn flour and little salt. Coat the cut onions and deep fry it in hot oil till it turns dark brown.
Place it on a tissue paper and keep it aside.

Heat Oil in a pan and add items given in "To Season 1" one-by-one.

Add the ginger garlic paste, green chillies, salt and saute for a minute.
Now add all the cut vegaetables, all the dry powders and saute it for 5 to 10 minutes.

Give a ghee coating in the rice cooker bowl. To the ghee coated bowl, add the water, soaked rice and cooked vegetables.

Put the rice cooker in cooking mode and when it turns to Keeping Warm mode, give it a standing time of 3 minutes.

Heat Ghee in a small pan or kadai. Add the cashews, raisins and saute for 2 minutes. Add the fried onions to this mixture and turn off the stove.

Add the fried onions - dry fruits mixture to the cooked pulao. Mix it gently and transfer the Pulao to a serving dish.

Punjabi Chicken Masala

"Punjabi Chicken Masala" is a traditional dish from Punjabi Rasoi. Garam masala and Chat masala gives a real authentic flavor.

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 1
Tomatoes - 2
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Cashew Paste - 2 tsp
Fresh Cream - 2 tsp
Salt - for the gravy

To Marinate
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Yoghurt - 1 tbsp
Salt - half of it

To Season
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1

Preparation

Marinate the Chicken with items given in "To Marinate" section.

Grind Onion and Tomatoes to a fine paste.

Heat Oil in a Kadai and add the items given in "To Season" section. Add the grinded paste and cook till you find the oil separating out.

Add all the dry powders and salt. Cook till the raw smell is off.

Now add the marinated chicken and cook it covered in a medium flame.

Add the cashew paste and open cook in a low flame for another few minutes.

Add fresh cream and serve it hot with your Indian breads.

Dry Nethili Fry

Nethili fry is a very good non-veg starter served in most of the chennai restaurants. It can be even served along with rice especially curd rice.

Ingredients
Nethili - 75 gms
Oil - 3 tbsp

To Marinate
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Home made Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 20 to 30 leaves
Salt - very little

Preparation

Remove the head and black part of the Anchovies and wash it twice or thrice. Drain out the water from it.

To the washed anchovies, add all the items given in the "To Marinate" section and leave it for 15 min.

Heat Oil in a small kadai. Deep fry the nethili's and curry leaves in batches.

Arrange them in a serving plate. Now your Nethili fries are ready to be served hot.

Chicken Pepper Masala

"Chicken Pepper Masala" is an authentic spicy dish from Chettinad kitchen.

The speciality of this dish is that the usage of crushed Pepper. Pepper plays a major role to get out that hot and spicy taste..Crushed pepper at the end gives out a good flavor and taste.

Dried ground pepper has been used since antiquity for both its flavor and as a medicine. Pepper cures cold, so this curry will be a blessing for those suffering from cold. It is one of the most common spices added to European cuisine and its descendants. It may be found on nearly every dinner table in some parts of the world, often alongside table salt.

Ingredients
Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

To Grind
Peppercorns - 10
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1
Fennel seeds - little

To Season
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1 (a small piece)
Cloves - 2

Preparation

Grind the items given in "To Grind" section.

To the washed chicken, add the ginger garlic paste, half of the salt and the grounded powder.

Heat Oil in a non-stick kadai. Add the items given in "To Season" section. Now add the chopped onions, curry leaves and saute till onion turns light brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till you find the oil separating out.

Now add the marinated Chicken and the remaining salt. Cook it covered in a medium flame till the chicken is 3/4th done.

Add the freshly ground pepper powder and curry leaves. Cook it in a low flame till you find the oil oozing out.

Transfer the Chicken Pepper Masala to a serving plate and serve it with hot plain rice.

Pakoda Morkuzhambu or Dahi Besan Kadi

Morkuzhambu is a traditional Indian curry made out of Buttermilk and few spices. We have many varieties of this curry (Using Ladiesfinger, White Pumpkin etc..)

Ingredients
Buttermilk - 500 ml
Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Salt - for Kadi alone

For the Pakoras
Channa Dhal Flour - 150 gms
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Chopped Onions - 1
Chopped Curry Leaves - 1 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Salt - only for the Pakodas

For the Kadi
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 4
Ginger - a small piece
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal Flour - 1 tbsp
Rice Flour - 1 tsp

For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 10 numbers
Split Urad Dhal - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Split Dry Red Chilli - 1
Curry Leaves - few

Preparation

In a bowl, add all the items given in "For the Pakoras" and add some water to it. Mix it well to have a thick batter.

Heat Oil in a Kadai and fry the Pakoras in batches till it turns little brown.

Grind the items given in "For the Kadi" and add it to the Buttermilk with little Turmeric Powder and salt.

Heat Oil in a pan and add all the items given in "For Seasoning" one-by-one. Pour the Buttermilk mixture to the above one and allow it to boil in a medium flame.

When you find it boiling, add the fried Pakoras.

Transfer the Kadi to a serving dish and serve it hot with your plain rice.

Goan Shrimp Curry or Goan Prawn Curry

"Goan Shrimp Curry", is a non-vegeterian curry from Goa, the western coast of India. To be said in a simple way, Shrimp in Coconut Curry (Sauce).

It can be had with plain rice and Indian flat breads.

We can find various versions of this Goan Shrimp Curry. Many would use tamarind for the sour taste. I have used tomatoes instead.

Try this out and let me know your suggestions/comments.

Ingredients
De-veined Shrimp - 250 gms (Medium sized Prawns)
Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk - a small cup
Oil - 1 tbsp

To Grind
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Pepper corns - 4 to 5
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1
Coconut - 3 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp

To Season
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon - a very small piece
Cloves - 2

Preparation

Marinate the de-veined Shrimp with turmeric powder and little salt.

Grind the items given in To Grind section to a fine paste.

Heat Oil in a Kadai and add items given in To Season. Now add the grinded paste and saute till the raw smell is off. Add Coconut milk to the cooked paste and cook it in low flame.

Once you see the bubbles in the coconut sauce, add salt and the de-veined shrimp. Shrimps are very soft and it gets cooked in a very less time. See to it that you don't cook the shrimp in the coconut curry for more than 5 minutes.

Add finely chopped green chillies.

Transfer the Shrimp Curry to a serving dish and serve it hot with your Plain Rice/Phulkas..

Baingan Bartha

"Baingan Bartha" or "Baingan ka Bhurta" is a vegetarian dish from Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

Baingan Bartha is a popular Eggplant Curry that goes well with Indian Bread/Rotis/Chapathis. Traditionally the eggplant is roasted directly over flame/fire until the skin shrivels and peels off easily. Roasting the eggplant over fire gives it a smoky flavor and the taste of the curry would be real good. We can even bake the eggplant in the oven. Grilling is also a good option. The roasted eggplant flesh is mashed and cooked with onions, tomatoes and few spices.

Select large brinjals with a shiny smooth surface as these are more likely to be without many seeds.

Ingredients
Eggplant or Baingan - 1
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Galic paste - 1 tsp
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 2 (small,chopped)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies - 1 (finely chopped)
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required

Method

Rub some oil on the Baingan and roast it directly on the fire until the skin chars and the flesh is completely cooked. This works best when you have a gas stove. Keep checking and turn when required.

Once cooked, place it in cold water and peel the black skin off. It should come off easily. Now, just run your knife over the baingan randomly and cut it into small bits and smash it .

Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera and allow it to splutter. Then add the chopped onions, chopped green chillies, some salt. Saute it for a minute. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute it for few minutes.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes turn soft.

Now add the mashed brinjal flesh and mix it well. Let it cook in medium flame for 10 minutes. Then add the garam masala powder and cook for another 2 minutes.

Delicious Baingan Bartha is ready to be served hot with your Chappathis.

Ceylon Chicken Fry

"Ceylon Chicken Fry, a food that has its origin roots from SriLanka. A very simple and good non-vegeterian starter, that tastes similar as Chicken Pakoras.

Sri Lankan cuisine is one of the complex cuisines of South Asia. Due to its proximity to South India, the cuisine of Sri Lanka shows some influence, yet quite distinct in many ways.

I came across this dish from a cookery show and wanted to give a try at home. It came out real good and we just loved having it. A perfect starter!

What's the difference from the regular Indian or Chienese Chicken Starters?
The answer is "Roasted Channa Dhal Powder". In Indian and Chinese starters, we generally use either or a combination of these - All purpose flour, Rice Flour, Maida Flour, Channa Dhal Flour, Corn Flour. We wouldn't use Roasted Channa Dhal Powder as a base to prepare the batter.

So here is the different starter from SriLankan kitchen..

Ingredients

Boneless Chicken - 150 gms (young, tender Chicken)
Roasted Channa Dhal Powder - 2 1/2 tbsp
Salt - little
Water - to prepare a batter
Oil - to deep fry

To Marinate
Egg White - 1 1/2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required

Optional Ingredients
Onion slices - a small cup
Tomato Sauce
Green Sauce

Method

To the Chicken, add the items given in "To Marinate".

Allow it to marinate by keeping it in the fridge for one hour.

In a small bowl, add the roasted channa dhal powder, very little salt and required amount of water. Mix it well and keep it aside.

Allow the marinated chicken pieces to get back to the room temperature.

Heat Oil in a small deep kadai.

Dip the marinated chicken in the prepared batter and drop it in the oil.

In a medium flame, deep fry the Chicken till it turns light brown. Marinated tender Chicken gets cooked in a less time, so see to it that you don't fry them for a longer time.

In the remaining batter, add onion slices, very little salt and deep fry it in the oil till it turns dark brown.

Arrange the fried Chicken pieces and Onion pakoras in a serving plate.

Serve them hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Spicy Andhra Chicken Curry or Andhra Kodi Eguru

"Kodi Eguru" is a very famous traditional Chicken Curry from Andhra Pradesh. Food of Andhra Pradesh is known for its heavy use of spices and chillies.

Kodi Eguru is a simple and spicy dry chicken curry with less oil and easy to cook. It would be more tastier with the Naatu Kodi i.e.,Country Chicken.

I have few unforgettable moments in life..those days at Pune, Maharashtra. There was a time that we were struggling a lot for getting good South Indian food at the weekends. One fine day, there was an inaugural function of Andhra Mess near the place where I stayed. My friends who were also in deputation, took me to the Andhra Mess. That was the first time that I had been to an Andhra mess. They placed such a big plate before me and started keeping all side curries and ever loving thick Pappu and crunchy fried ladies finger.

My roommates were also Andhra girls. They used to get me Beans & Double Beans Pickle, Drumstick pickle. Believe me, I had never tasted such delicious and different kind of pickles. But you would for sure cry after tasting it..that much spiciness..

Ingredients
Chicken - 350 gms
Water - 1/2 cup (to sprinkle)
Refined Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Gingili Oil - 1 tbsp

To Marinate
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2 (thin, small pieces)
Onion - 1 (slices, lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 (slices, lengthwise)
Green Chilli - 1
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - a small cup
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method

In a Bowl, add all the items given in "To Mariante" to the Chicken pieces and mix it well with your hand. Keep it aside for half-an-hour.

Heat a wide, deep-bottomed non-stick Kadai. Add the marinated Chicken to the kadai directly. Please note that I haven't used oil or any kind of seasoning.

Cover the kadai with its lid and cook the chicken in a low-medium flame. As we aren't using oil, make it a point that you saute it regularly.

Afer 5 minutes, open the lid and sprinkle little water. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat this if you find it to be too dry.

Cook the chicken in a low-medium flame till its 3/4th done.

Open the lid and add both the oils to the cooked chicken. Reduce the flame to low and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the stove and transfer the Chicken Curry to a serving dish. Serve it hot with Plain Rice.

Palakkai Pirattal or Jack Fruit Masala

"Palakkai Pirattal" is a traditional vegeterian recipe from Chettinad kitchen.

Pirattal is the word used for dry masala based curries in Chettinad cuisine.

You can find huge Jack fruit trees in almost everyone's house at Chettinad region. They do cook the jack fruit vegetable. The curry would be more tastier when cooked within a week after taking out from the tree.

Cutting this vegetable is real hard. You need all patience to cut it with some oil applied in your hands.

Ingredients
Ghee - 2 tsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Salt - for the masala alone

To Boil
Palakkai - a bowl (cut into big diced cubes)

Potato - 1 (cut into big diced cubes)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to boil alone

To Grind
Tomato - 1
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Green Chilli - 1
Fennel Seeds - 3/4 tsp
Garlic Pods - 5
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - less than 1/4 tsp

To Season
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Split Urad Dhal - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - few

Method

Grind the items given in To Grind section to a fine paste and keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker, add the items given in To Boil section and cook for 2 whistles. If you find the Jack fruit vegetable hard, cook it for some more time separately.

Heat Oil in a Kadai. Add the items given in To Season one-by-one. Add the chopped onions and saute for a minute. Then add the finely chopped tomatoes and saute till it gets smashed.

Add the grinded paste and saute till the raw smell is off and oil starts separating.

Now add the boiled vegetables and cook till it mixes well with the cooked grinded paste.

Pour some ghee at the end and switch off the stove.

Transfer the Curry to a serving dish and serve it hot with your Rice.

Vazhaipoo Vadai

"Vazhaipoo Vadai" is a perfect authentic, traditional vegeterian starter.

Flower growth is started from the stem, 9-12 months after implanting the Banana plant. The inflorescences (flower stalks) grow through the center of the pseudo stem and then flowers develop in clusters and coil around the main axis.

Separating the stamen out of each floret is a time consuming process. But at the end you would have such a wonderful, crunchy Vadai's and its worth all your time.

Ingredients
Banana Flower - 1 (small)
Thoor Dhal - 100 gms
Channa Dhal - 200 gms
Dry Red Chillies - 4
Fennel Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - to deep fry

Method

Soak both of the Dhals for one hour.

In a mixie grinder, add the soaked dhal, dry red chillies, fennel seeds, salt and grind it very coarsely.

De-vein the black part of the Banana flower (remove the stamen) and chop it finely.

Add the chopped banana flower to the coarsely grinded paste and mix it well.

Heat Oil in a Kadai and fry it in batches till it turns little dark brown.

Transfer the deep-fried vadai's and use tissue papers to suck out the excess oil.

Serve the hot delicious Vazhaipoo Vadai's..

Aloo Gobi

"Aloo Gobi " is a very popular and tasty North Indian sooka sabzi (dry curry). It can be found in the Pakistani Cuisine as well. So, we even have the privilege to say its one of those popular South Asian dishes.

Aloo Gobi is made of two beloved vegetables, Potatoes (Aloo) & Cauliflower cooked together with some simple Indian spices.

You can find this Aloo Gobi to be the first entry under the Veg. side-dish of the menu card, in Indian as well as world-wide Indian Restaurants.

This delicious side-dish can be served with various Indian Breads, such as Phulkas, Rotis, Chappathis and Parathas. This can be had with Jeera Rice and Plain Rice too.

Ingredients

Aloo - 3 (cut into medium size cubes)
Gobi - bowl of florets
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 1 (small, finely chopped)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 3 tsp

To Grind
Onion - 1 (large)
Tomato - 1 (large)

For Seasoning
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation

Heat oil & half of the given ghee in a kadai. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chillies & ginger garlic paste. Reduce the flame and saute for a minute.

Add the partially grinded Onion Tomato semi paste & saute till the raw smell is off. Add salt & all the dry powders except garam masala. Saute till the raw smell is off & starts leaving out oil.

Add the potato cubes to the masala and sprinkle some water. Cover the kadai with its lid and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the Cauliflower florets too and sprinkle some more water. Cover the kadai and cook till its three fourth done. Add the garam masala powder and cook it open for 2 minutes.

Now add the remaining ghee and switch off the stove.

Aloo Gobi is now ready to be served hot with any kind of Indian Breads.

Gongura Idly Upma

"Gongura Idly Upma" is my own innovative recipe, a different kind of breakfast or evening snack that can be made within 10 minutes time.

Idly Upma is one of the most commonly made recipes with leftover Idlis.

I sometimes hate eating Idlies. I love eating Dosais more than the Idlies. To make myself eat more Idlies (atleast more than 2, haha...), I wanted to do something different with our main ingredient. There was a store bought Gongura Paste in my kitchen. I wanted to try something different and gave it a try. Finally, ended up making this delicious Gongura Idli Upma.

This special breakfast doesn't require any kind of side-dish, as we are using two side-dishes (Idly-Dosai Milagai Karupellai Podi & Gongura Paste) in the main course itself.

Readers, please give it a try and comment on my innovative recipe. Do leave your suggestions on how more innovative this can be made.

Ingredients
Idlies - 7 (cut into small cubes or dices)
Readymade Gongura Paste - 1 tbsp
Milagai Karuvepillai Podi - 1 tsp
(Home-made coarse powder made with Dry Roasted [Red Chillies, Curry Leaves, Split Urad Dhal])
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green Chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

To Season
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Split Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Milagai Karuvepillai Podi - 1/2 tsp
(Dry Red Chillies & Curry Leaves coarse powder)
Curry Leaves - few

Preparation

Heat Oil in a Pan. To the hot oil, add the items given in "To Season" one-by-one and allow it to splutter.

Add the finely chopped onions, green chillies & salt. Saute for a minute and then add the Gongura paste. Again saute for less than a minute.

Now add the diced idly cubes and saute for 2 minutes.

Add cumin powder, pepper powder and the home-made dry chillies-curry leaves coarse powder, little salt if required. Mix it well and then saute for another 2 minutes.

Turn off the stove and transfer the Gongura Idli Upma to a serving plate and serve it hot.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Kuzhi Paniyaram is a South Indian dish especially famous in the Chettinad Cuisine(a popular tiffin item).

You can find these cuties & bubblies in almost all occassions of Chettinad houses.

Kuzhi Paniyarams can be made sweet or salty. The salty @ spicy version has onions, green chillies & some more seasonongs mixed with the batter. It is
made by steaming batter — traditionally made fermented rice and lentil batter using a mould. Then it is steamed in special pan which has little golf ball size holes (kuzhi in Tamil).

Many of my friends wanted me to post this here :)

" Yummy Yummy Kuzhipaniyarams made easy!!"

Ingredients
Boiled Rice - 250 gms
Raw Rice - 250 gms
Urad Dhal - 150 gms
Fenugreek Seeds(Vendayam) - 1 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil - as required

Preparation

Take a deep bottomed vessel and add all the items other than salt. Add water to it & keep it aside for 2 hours.

Grind the items nicely to dosa flour consistency. Add required salt to the batter. Allow the grinded flour to ferment for 8 to 10 hours.

Heat a Kuzhipaniyaram Pan and pour 1/4 tsp of oil in each hole. Pour the grinded batter in each hole. Close the pan with its lid & cook for 1.5 minutes. Allow it to cook in medium flame. Turn the Paniyaram upside down with its stick. Now cook the other side as well (without the lid).

Masala Paniyaram
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Grated Carrot - 2 tbsp
Green chilies - 3 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation

Take a deep bottomed vessel and add all the items other than salt. Add water to it & keep it aside for 2 hours.

Grind the items nicely to dosa flour consistency. Add required salt to the batter. Allow the grinded flour to ferment for 8 to 10 hours.

Heat Oil in a pan & add the Mustard Seeds and Urad Dhal. Allow them to crack and then add to the batter. Add the other items to the batter and mix it well.

Heat a Kuzhipaniyaram Pan and pour 1/4 tsp of oil in each hole. Pour the grinded batter in each hole. Close the pan with its lid & cook for 1.5 minutes. Allow it to cook in medium flame. Turn the Paniyaram upside down with its stick. Now cook the other side as well (without the lid).

Palakkai Avial or Jackfruit Vegetable Kurma

"Jackfruit Vegetable Kurma", traditional and a very different kind of delicious recipe from Chettinad cuisine.

A very good side-dish for your Idlis, Dosas and Chappathis.

Ingredients

Raw Jack Fruit Vegetable - few pieces

Potatoes - 2
Onion - 1 (big,chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Curry Leaves - few

To Grind
Dhaniya - 3/4 tbsp
Cashews - 2
Garlic Pods - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 5
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Roasted Channa Dhal - 1 tsp

Preparation

Grind the items given in "To Grind".

Boil the Potatoes & the raw jack fruit vegetable in a pressure cooker.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and saute for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves and saute till it smashes.

Now add the grinded paste and saute it till raw smell is off. Add the boiled potatoes and jack fruit vegetable. Pour required amount of water. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes in a medium flame.

Now the Kurma is ready to be served hot with your Idlis & Dosas.

Kerala Egg Curry

"Kerala Egg Curry" is an aunthetic dish from Kerala Cuisine.

This medium spiced egg curry goes well with your Rice, Dosa, Idli & Appam.

In Kerala Cuisine, there wouldn't be any curry without Coconut. Coconut would be used in either of the forms; either Grated or as a Milk or as a Oil. I have used two forms of Coconut in this dish.

Try this out and do post your valuable suggestions/comments.

Ingredients
Boiled Eggs - 2 (cut into 2 halves)
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chilli - 1 (very small)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Sambhar Powder(home made) - 2 tsp
Coconut Milk - a small cup
Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - as required

Procedure
(1) Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan
(2) Add the chopped Onions, little salt & saute till it turns light brown
(3) Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is off
(4) Add the finely chopped green chillies & all the dry powders one-by-one
(5) Saute it for 2 minutes and then reduce the flame
(6) Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining salt
(7) Saute for 5 minutes and then add a cup of water
(8) Cover and cook till it gets smashed
(9) Add the Coconut milk and simmer the stove
(10) Cover and cook till its done
(11) Switch off the stove and allow it to cool
(12) Grind the cooked mixture in a mixie (but dont make it as a fine sauce)
(13) Pour a tbsp of oil in a pan
(14) Transfer the grinded sauce in the hot oil & reduce the flame
(15) Cook the yellow sauce till it gets thick
(16) Then add the boiled eggs & cook for a min
(17) Transfer the Egg Curry to a serving dish

(18) Garnish with Curry leaves and serve it hot with your main course.

Vangi Bath or Brinjal Rice

Vangi Bath or Brinjal Rice is one of those popular dishes from Karnataka. This is a spicy rice dish with few dry coarse powder. It can be served with Appalam, Pappad and Potato Chips.

Few of my teammates love Vangi Bath that is prepared by me.

Here is the recipe..

Ingredients
Brinjals - 4 (medium sized, slit lengthwise)
Basmathi Rice - 250 gms
Onions - 1
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required
Water - 400 ml

To Grind
Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
Whole Dhaniya - 1/4 tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds - less than 1/4 tsp
Small Dry Red Chillies - 6
Cumin Seeds - 3/4 tsp

To Season
Channa Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - few

Procedure
(1) Dry roast the items given in "To Grind" by adding them one-by-one in a hot pan
(2) Heat Oil in a pan and add items given in "To Season" one-by-one
(3) Add the chopped onions, half the salt and saute it for 5 min
(4) Add turmeric powder and saute till onions turns light brown
(5) Add the lengthwise chopped Brinjal pieces
(6) Cover and cook till Brinjal pieces are cooked
(7) Grind the dry roasted items as a coarse powder
(8) Add the coarse powder to the cooked brinjal pieces
(9) Saute it till the raw smell is off
(10) Now add the grated coconut to it

(11) Boil the Rice in a rice cooker and spread it in a wide plate
(12) Allow the rice to cool for few minutes
(11) Add the boiled rice to the brinjal mixture
(12) Pour a tablespoon of ghee and mix it again
(13) Transfer the Brinjal Rice to a serving dish

(14) Now your Vangi Bath is ready to be served hot

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer, Paneer in a thick gravy of Pureed Spinach is a very popular dish in North India and Pakistan.

Palak Paneer is a very good vegeterian side dish for Naan, Roti, Paratha & Chappathi.

A few months ago, I had a good lunch in one of the famous resorts (for tourists) in Maharashtra. They served us Palak Paneer as side dish for Naans. Oh Man! what a taste it was..I just had Palak Paneer as main dish. I even wanted to ask what was the special secret behind that yummy green sauce..

Ingredients
Palak or Spinach - 2 bunches
Paneer - 200 gms (fried in ghee)
Onions - 1
Tomatoes - 1
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli - 1 (big)
Crushed Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Chilli Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Butter - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Procedure
(1) Heat Water with half salt and sugar in a wide bottom sauce-pan
(2) Add the washed Spinach leaves and cook for 3 min
(3) Allow it to cool and grind it along with Green Chilli
(4) Heat Oil and half of the butter in a pan
(5) Add Cumin seeds and let it splutter
(6) Add the very finely chopped onions, little salt
(7) Saute till light brown & then add Ginger Garlic paste
(8) Saute till the raw smell is off
(9) Add the crushed dry fenugreek leaves & tomatoes
(10) Cook till tomato gets smashed & then add all dry powders except garam masala
(11) Saute it till the raw smell is off
(12) Add the Spinach, Green Chilli puree
(13) Cook the green sauce for 5 min in high flame
(14) Add the remaining salt, sugar and garam masala & cook for another 5 min in medium flame
(15) When you find the bubbles in the sauce, add the fried Paneer cubes
(16) Allow it cook for another 2 minutes

(17) Transfer the Palak Paneer to a serving dish and add butter

Chettinad Chicken

"Chettinad Chicken" is an authentic, traditional fierry curry from Chettinad Cuisine. A very good spicy curry that tastes great & goes well with all kinds of Indian main courses.

Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state in South India. It is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India and is famous for its use of a variety of spices (mostly used in preparing non-vegetarian food).

Many South Indian people crave to taste the food of Chettinad. You can find hell lot of Chettinad Restaurants & Hotels in Tamil Nadu. Though there are many, only one or two brings out that authentic taste of Chettinad Kitchen.

I'm proud enough to say that I'm from Chettinad region & culture (atleast for the food..haha),..Me being from the Chettinad, very late to post this recipe here in my blog..

Ingredients

Chicken - 500 gms (skinned, boneless)
Big Onion - 1 (chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Garlic pods - 10 (small)
Fennel Seeds(Sombu thool) Powder - 1/2 tsp
Lime Juice - 1 tsp
Salt - little

To Marinate
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 1/2 tbsp
Home made Sambhar Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - for marination alone

To Grind
Ginger - a small piece
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Small onions - 7
Garlic pods - 5
Green Chilli - 1
Dry Red Chilli - 1
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 3 or 4

To Season
Oil - 3 tbsp
Clove - 1 or 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 (small piece)
Bay Leaf - 1 (small leaf)
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mint leaves - 10
Curry leaves - little

Procedure
(1) Add the items given in "To Marinate" to the Chicken & leave it aside for half-an-hour
(2) Make a thick fine paste of items given in "To Grind"
(3) Heat Oil in a Pan & add items given in "To Season" one-by-one
(4) Add the chopped onions, little salt & saute till it turns transparent
(5) Add the small whole garlic pods and saute for 2 min
(6) Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and saute till it gets smashed
(7) Cook till it leaves out oil & then add the grinded paste in a medium flame
(8) Saute the paste till the raw smell is off
(9) Allow it to cook till it leaves out enough oil
(10) Now add the marinated chicken to the cooked onion tomato & grinded paste gravy
(11) Add little water if at all required as Chicken would leave out enough water
(12) Cook the Chicken in the gravy with a medium flame for 15 min and saute it once in a while
(13) Add the Fennel Seeds powder and fresh curry leaves to the gravy
(14) Increase the flame to high and cook for 3 min, so that the water in the gravy is dried up
(15) Cook the gravy in a low flame for another few min, till you the oil separates out

(16) Add little lime juice and transfer the gravy to a serving dish
(17) Serve it hot with lemon wedges, mint leaves and onion slices

Chicken Biryani - II

I'm trying out various methods of Chicken Biryani. This is a simple version and very easy to prepare.

Chicken Biryani made of store bought Biryani Mix. I have used Mother's Recipe Chicken Biryani Mix.

Ingredients
Chicken - 500 gms
Basmathi Rice - 500 gms (branded rice, washed & then soaked in water for 20 min)
Onions - 2 (chopped thin, lengthwise)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped lengthwise)
Green Chilli - 1 (slit in top)
Mint Leaves - 20
Corriander Leaves - few
Saffron food color - a pinch
Water - 900 ml
Salt - for the Rice

To Marinate
Curd - 2 tbsp
Giner Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Store bought Chicken Biryani Mix - 60 gms
Turmeric powder - less than 1/4 tsp (optional)
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt - required for Chicken alone

To Season
Dalda - 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cloves - 3
Mace - 1 (optional)
Nutmeg - 1 (optional)
Cinnamon - 2 (small pieces)
Green Cardamom - 1
Black Cardamom - 1
Black Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - for Onions alone

Procedure
1. Marinate the Chicken with items given in To Marinate for 1 hour
2. Heat Dalda in a Pressure Pan or Non-stick Kadai
3. Add all the whole garam masalas given in To Season one-by-one
4. Add the chopped Onions, little salt and saute till it turns brown
5. Add the chopped Tomatoes and saute till it gets half smashed
6. Now add the Green Chilli, Corriander & Mint Leaves
7. Saute for a minute and add the marinated Chicken
8. Cook the Chicken in medium flame for 5 to 10 min

9. In a Pressure Cooker, pour the required amount of water and salt
10. Bring it to a boil for 5 min & then add the soaked Rice, semi cooked Chicken & a pinch of food color
11.Close the Pressure Cooker with its lid & let it cook in a high flame for 9 min
12.Reduce the flame to low and let it cook for another 6 min
or
9. In a Rice Cooker heat Water for few minutes
10.Add the soaked Rice & semi cooked Chicken to it
11.Cook it in cooking mode & give it a standing time of 2 to 3 min when it gets pushed to warm mode
13.Chicken Biryani is ready to be served hot with your Brinjal kosthu or Raitha

Is it not very simple to prepare??

Kerala Fish Fry

"Kerala Fish Fry" is one of the most important recipe from Kerala Cuisine.

How one can miss tasting this mouth watering dish from the land of Kerala that is well-known for Coconuts, Fish curry, Puttu, Idiyappam and Kadala curry.

When talking about Kerala food, I remember a thing that happened during my college days. I was doing an Oracle course in Chennai after my long tiring college hours. Through one of computer class batchmates, a Keralite; I got an opportunity to taste their food on Onam. Wow, what a food it was..Amazing!! Tummy-filled dinner. The Banana leaf was filled with those many veg curries. Last but not the least, a small place was given for the poor Rice (though, it was the main dish :( that day..). We couldn't complete tasting all those curries. Myself and my friend, we even asked "Aunty, would you serve the same curries a week or month later??" She laughed and replied back, "why not! find time to come again and I would be happy enough to feed you molae.."

My Dad has helped me in taking these pictures (by holding it for a while). Thanks Appa!

Ingredients
Fish Pieces - 6
Oil - to shallow fry

To Grind
Small Onions or Shallots - 4
Pepper Corns - 8
Cumin Seeds - less than 1/4 tsp
Fennel Seeds - less than 1/4 tsp
Store bought Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambhar Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
(homemade Chilli + Dhaniya Powder)
Salt - to taste

Procedure
(1) Add the items given in "To Grind" to a fine paste
(2) Apply the grinded paste to the fish pieces
(3) Arrange the fish pieces in a plate & allow to marinate in its own masala

See to it that its arranged like this

(5) If required allow it to dry for a while in fan's air
(6) Heat Oil in a non-stick kadai
(7) When the oil gets hot, reduce the flame to medium
(8) Fish pieces can be fried in batches
(9) Garnish the fried fish pieces with curry leaves

(10) Kerala Fish Fry can now be served hot with your Rice