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.