Must Try

Found this on google…this is precisely what Indian cuisine offers !!

Indian cuisine encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines native to India, it is not only different from rest of the world in taste but it also differs in cooking methods…Each recipe reflects a perfect blend of various cultures and ages. Just like Indian culture, food in India has also been influenced by various civilizations, which have contributed their share in its overall development … Indian food is as varied as anything else in the country there is no easy definition of an "Indian meal" but then there are a few MUST TRY recipes based on the regions to relish the authenticity of the place… 

Rava Besan Ladoo

Ingredients:

Basen / Gram flour(Kadalai mavu) - 1 cup
Semolina / Rava – 1 cup

Maida – 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Sugar powdered - 1 cup
Cashews,Almonds,dry grapes - 1/4 cup sliced
Cardamom - 3 nos

Method:

- Mix both sugar and cardamom in a mixer and make a powder of it. Keep it aside.
- In a kadai dry roast basen,rava and maida separately for few minutes.

- Mix all the dry roasted flour and Add ghee to this mixture and continue roasting for few more minutes in low flame.

- Initially the mixture would look crumbled. If you keep on mixing it, you will see the crumbled mixture bind together and not sticking with the pan. When the besan mixture turns light golden brown and is not sticking with the pan, remove from the pan. It takes about 10-15 minutes to be done in low flame.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl and add the powdered sugar ,cardamom when the mixture is still warm,

- fry the almonds and cashews in little ghee and add them also to the mixture.

- Mix it well and start making ladoos when the mixture is warm to get perfect shaped laddus  

-  Cool to room temperature and store in a container.

Peas Pulao

Ingredients :

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Frozen or fresh green peas - 3/4 cup

Onion - 1 thinly sliced

Ginger –Garlic Paste – 1 tblspn

Green chillies - 5 slit vertically

Cloves – 7-8

Cinnamon - 1 stick about an inch

Cardamom seeds - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cashews – few

Ghee / oil - 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves to garnish

Salt to taste

Coconut extract – 1 cup

Methord :

- Wash and soak the basmati rice for half and hour.

-In a pressure cooker heat the ghee or oil, add the cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and fry for a minutes. Once the spices release their flavors, add the chopped onion and fry until translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.

- Add salt and green peas and sauté for a while.

- Pour in 1 cup of coconut extract, half a cup of water and bring it to a boil

- Then add the soaked rice and blend it with the ingredients added.

- Cover and cook for 5 mins , until the water gets absorbed and the rice is cooked.

- once its done fluff it with a fork such that the rice doesn’t break.

(Make sure that the rice : water and coconut ratio is 1:1.5)

KodaiMilagai Puli Kulambu

Ingredients:

Big Onion – 1, chopped

Tomato – 1 small, Chopped

Tamarind Juice – 1/2 cup, concentrated

Capsicum - 1, Diced

Turmeric powder- 1 pinch

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tspn

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Oil – 1 tblspn

Salt-To taste

Grind to Paste:

Jeera Powder – 1 tspn

Red Chillies – 5 -6

Coconut – 2 tspns

Methord:

- Heat oil, season it with mustard, jeera and fenugreek seeds.

- Add the onion and saute until they becomes transparent and add the tomatoes and cook till it becomes pulpy.

- Add the diced Capsicum and sauté for about 2 mins .

- Add turmeric powder, jeera-chilly-coconut paste and salt, fry until oil separates out from the masala.

- Add the tamarind juice(Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out to make tamarind juice)  bring it to boil.
- Cook till the raw smell goes away and turn off once the oil separates from the gravy.

you can ignore using coconut if you want the gravy to last for more than a day.

Stuffed Okra

Ingredients:

Bhindi / Okra – ½ Kg
Mustard seeds – 1 tspn

Curry leaves 3-4
Curd (Yoghurt) 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil

For stuffing

Besan (Bengal gram flour) - 2 Tbspns
Coriander-cumin powder - 2 Tbspns

Aamchoor -1 Tspn

Red chilly powder - 1 Tspn
Turmeric powder - 1 Tspn
Oil - 1 Tspn
Salt to taste


Method:

- Wash and clean the Bhindis, cut the top and end of the bhindis. Slit the bhindis in between not allowing it to be separated such as to fill the stuffing.
-  Now mix all the ingredients for stuffing, and stuff the bhindis.

-  Marinate the stuffed bhindis in thick curd for about 20-30 mins.
-  Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once the seeds starts spluttering add the stuffed bhindis with the curd and add a pinch of salt . 
-  Coven the pan and cook on a low flame for few minutes. 

Hyderabadi Chicken Korma

I have always believed that the longer you saute the tastier the dish is. This is one dish which proved me that it is not true all the time. This is a easy recipe for any day.

Ingredients:
(Serves 6-8)

Chicken - 1 3/4lbs or 800gms
Curd - 1 cup
Ginger - 3tbsp of paste
Garlic - 4tbsp of paste
2 onoins - Finely sliced
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Salt - to taste or 2tsp
Coconut - 1/4 cup grated or coconut milk
Cashew - 4Tbsp. (Soaked in warm water and ground to paste)
Sesame seeds - 4Tbsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/3 tsp

Marinate the above ingredients and leave it for atleast 30 min

Garam masala:
Cardamom - 8-10
Cloves - 6-8
Cinnamon - 2''
Bay leaf - 1

Method:

- Heat oil in the kadai and add the listed garam masalas above. Saute for a minute
- Add the marinated chicken and cook it in medium high flame for 5 minutes
- Add little wate and simmer till the chicken cooks
- When the chicken in fully cooked add 1tbsp lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves
- Serve hot

Milagai(Spicy) Chutney

Ingredients

 

Onion - 1 medium sized
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves
Coriander seeds - 1tsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Green Chilly - 2 to 3

Method :

- Grind together everything in the ingredients without adding water

- Heat the kadai and add one spoon gingelly oil(optional) and splutter the mustard and urad dhal
- Saute it in medium/low flame till the raw smell is gone.
- Serve it with dosa/idli

Mushroom Biriyani

Ingredients 

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Button mushroom – 250 Grms,Diced
Onion -2 thinly sliced
Green chilli – 2/3 slitted
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tblspn
Tomato – 2 small, chopped
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - handful
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

For the seasoning

Cloves – 7 to 8
Cardamom -2
Cinnamon –1 piece about an inch in size

Star Anise – 2

Bay Leaf – 1 leaf

Fennel seeds ( soampu) – 1 tspn

Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tspn

Cashews - few (optional)

Method

- Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.

- Heat 2 tbsp oil, sauté the seasoning for 2 mins and add onions, fry till onion turn golden brown.- Add chillies and ginger-garlic paste and sauté well.

- Add chopped tomatoes, mushrooms chilli powder and sauté for few more 

minutes.

- Add 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup of water and the cup of rice and bring it to a boil.

- Add the mint leaves, coriander leaves, salt needed and close the cooker lid and instead of the cooker whistle place an inverted tumble on the nostril and cook for 10-12 mins .

- Open the cooker lid after the pressure subsides and add the ghee on top and mix it once loosely and serve.

Stuffed Shimla Mirch

Ingredients :

Shimla/ooty chilly - 5 to 6

Dhaniya Powder -  2 Tblspns

Aamchoor Powder - 1 Tspn

Chat masala - 1/2 Tspn

Ajwain Powder - 1/2 Tspn

Oil - 3 to 4 Tblspns 

Salt to taste 

Method :

- Mix all the dry powders and salt with about 2 spoons of oil to make it a thick paste.

- Make a slit in the chillies and stuff in the masala paste.

- Heat oil in a tawa and place the full chillies and

- Cook evenly turning them once in a while until done.

- Garnish with seasoning made of cumin seeds,jeera and serve. 

Mushroom Dopiaza

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms – 1 packet diced
Oil – 2 Tbspns
Onion – 2 medium,1 finely chopped and the other grind to paste

Tomato – 2 medium ,1 finely chopped and the other grind to paste

Pepper corns – 1 Tspn
Coriander leaves – 1 small bunch
Dry Red chillies – 4 to 5
Cumin seeds – 1 Tspn

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tbspn

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

·  Grind 1 onion, 1 tomato, pepper corns, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and dry red chillies to form a smooth paste.

·  Heat oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onions, Sauté till its transparent.

·  Add the tomatos and let it cook till its pulpy at this stage add the ground paste and let the raw smell subside…

·  Once the gravy is cooked add the ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and mix for a minute or so

·  And then add the diced mushrooms with salt and little water

·  Allow it to cook for 8-10 mins and serve.

Easy Brinjal Fry

This is the recipe which comes to my rescue quiet often when I am in a hurry to pack my lunch and rush to office


INGREDIENTS

Brinjal - 5 medium sized (sliced)
Garlic - 5-6 pods(sliced)
Onion - 1 medium sized onion(sliced thin)
Pepper - 1sp
Jeera powder - 1sp
curry leaves
Salt to taste

METHOD :

- Heat oil in the kadai add the curry leaves
- Saute the onions and garlic with salt
- Add the jeera and pepper powder
- Add the Brinjal. Saute it occasionally. Cover and cook it till the brinjal is cooked

Veg Kurma

INGREDIENTS :

Onion - 1 medium sized(finely sliced)
Small onions - 2
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Cashews - 4 or 5 (optional)
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Jeera - 1spoon
Coconut - 2-3 Tbsp
Turmeric powder
Veggies - Carrot, Potato, Peas, Beans, Butter beans
Garam masala - 1 Tsp
Cardamom - 1
Clove - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

METHOD :

- Heat oil in a kadai and the add the spices clove, cardamom and bay leaf
- Add onions and saute it for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and turmeric powder
- Add all the veggies and saute it for 2-3 minutes
- Add tomatoes
- Add the fine paste of coconut, ginger, garlic, jeera, coriander leaves, garam masala and green chilles
- Saute it and pressure cook it for one whistle.
- Serve hot

Note : If it is sweet peas make sure to add very less else you will end up making the kurma sweet :)

Virudhunagar kozhi kuzhambu

We are from a small town - Virudhunagar where the staple food is oil parotta and chicken curry which we love calling salna a perfect combination and rare to find round the globe :)

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken - 1/2 Kg(preferrably with bones)
Onions - if Shallots 5 or 6 if Small pearl onions 15-18 if red onion - 1 med size finely chopped
Jeera - 1Spoon
Coconut - 4-5Tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1Spoon
Red chillies
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder
Lemon juice
Pepper corns or Ground pepper- 1/2 tsp(optional)
Cashew - 5nos
Gingelly oil
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

- Cut the chicken in to medium sized pieces. Marinate it with turmeric powder, chilli powder,pepper powder and the lemon juice
- Heat oil in the kadai. Prefer not to use non stick pans. Add the curry leaves and the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions are well done. Add to salt to cook it faster
- Add the marinated chicken and keep sauting
- Make a fine paste of coconut, cashew, some onions, Jeera, Coriander, red chillies and pepper if not used for marination
- Cook it till the chicken is cooked and oil seperates

Chana Masala

INGREDIENTS :

Chana/Garbanzo - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 1 medium size
Green chillies - 3 or 4 (or by taste)
Ginger & Garlic - 1Tbsp of paste
Jeera/Cumin - 1Tsp
Turmeric powder
Chilli powder
Coriander powder - 1Tsp
Channa Masala - 1Tbsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cardamom - 2
Cumin seed
Salt to taste

METHOD :

- Soak chana overnight or for 6hrs and pressure cook it till it is 75% done. Adding a tea bag while pressure cooking gives good color to the channa
- Grind ginger, garlic and the green chillies. I personally prefer freshly made ginger garlic paste. If adding ready available paste add chopped green chillies
- Heat the oil in kadai and add cumin seeds, bay leaf and the cardamom
- Add the finely chopped onions and saute it till the onions are done. Add salt to cook it faster
- Add turmeric powder, jeera powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Chilli powder is optional and the amount depends on spice level.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste
- Saute the mixture well and add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook it till oil seperates
- Add the mixture to the already cooked channa and pressure cook it for one whistle. The tea bag is not needed for this cooking
- Add any channa masala powder. Be generous. I personally prefer Kohinoor Channa Masala powder.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

Tomato Chutney

INGREDIENTS :


Onion - Well this depends. If Small pearl onion 15-18, Red onion(medium sized) - 1,
Shallot - 5
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Garlic - 3pods
Red chillies - 5 or 6
Tamarind - optional
Coriander leaves
Hing
Oil
Mustard seeds
Urad dhal
Curry leaves
Salt to taste


METHOD :


- Heat oil in the kadai and add onions. Saute it for sometime
- Add garlic pods, red chillies and the tamarind. Saute it for 5 minutes. Add salt to have it done faster
- Add the cut tomatoes
- Saute till the onions become very glassy
- Turn off and while grinding add a string of coriander and hing
- Splutter some mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. Add it to the grind chutney.

Mushroom Pakoda

INGREDIENTS :

Button mushrooms - 1 Packet

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspns

Soy sauce – 2 tspns

Red chili paste - 1 tsp

Maida - 1/3rd cup
Corn flour - 1/3rd cup

Besan flour - 1/3rd cup

Salt to taste

Spring onions for garnishing

Oil- to deep fry

METHOD :

- Add the maida flour, corn flour, half of the besan flour, red chilli paste, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce ,salt to taste and make a semi thick batter using water.

- Dry fry the other half of the besan in a kadai and keep a side.

- Wash and dice the mushrooms into quarters and keep a side.

- Dip the mushrooms in the batter and roll them in the dry besan such that there is a dry besan covering around the mushroom pieces.

-heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them till golden brown, Use a tissue paper to drain out excess oil and serve hot with pudina chutney.

Chilly Mushroom

INGREDIENTS :

Button mushrooms - 1 Packet

Green chillies – 3-4

Capsicum – 2 medium diced

Onion – 2 medium diced

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspns

Soy sauce – 2 tspns

Vinegar - 1 tspn

Red chili paste - 1 tsp

Tomato sause- 1 tbsp

Corn flour - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Spring onions for garnishing

1 tblspn Oil

METHOD :

- Wash and dice the mushrooms into 
quarters.

- Heat oil in a kadai and fry greenchillies, ginger garlic paste, onions.

- Once the onions turn transparent add the diced capsicum, mushrooms and 
sauté.

-Add the red chilli paste(paste made out of dry red chillies soaked overnight in
water),soy sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar ,salt to taste and mix well.

- Once the mushrooms are cooked, sprinkle the cornflour and mix well until
the remaining liquid thickens and gets glossy.

- Garnish with spring onions and serve.

Egg Gravy

Ingredients:

Egg  – 2 Nos

Chilli powder – 2 tspn

Cumin/jeera powder- 1 tspn

Turmeric powder- 1 tspn

Onion – 1 medium sized (finely chopped)

Tomato – 2 medium sized

Coconut milk – 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon

For seasoning :

Mustard seeds ,Jeera

Method:

- Add oil in a kadai and season with mustard seeds and jeera.

- Add chopped onion and sauté till it gets transparent, add the tomatoes and sauté till pulpy.

-Add the chili powder, jeera powder and turmeric power and mix well.

- Pour in the coconut milk, add salt and let it boil.

-Once the gravy comes to a boil break the egg shell and pour in the content into the gravy and let it cook.

Yennegayi,Whole Brinjal in Tangy Spicy Gravy

Ingredients:

Dry Masala for stuffing
Roasted and peeled Ground nuts: 2 tblsp
Coriander seeds/dhania: 1 tblsp

Cumin seeds/jeera: 1 tsp

Urad dal: 1 tsp
Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
Clove: 3-4 nos

Red chilli: 7-8
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 3 strings

Roasted channa da(gram)l/Pottu kadalai: 1 tbsp
Black sesame: 1 tsp
Niger seeds/hucchellu: 1 tsp (This is a must to get the authentic taste)
Dry coconut: 1-2 tbsp (grated)
Asafetida: 2 big pinches
Salt to taste

For the gravy:
Small eggplant: 10-15
Tamarind paste: 3 tblspns
Powdered Jaggery: 1 tsp(optional but recommended)
Onion: 1 big
Garlic: 2 pods

Oil: 3-5 tblsps
Water: 1.5-2 cups
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 2 strings
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Method:

Dry masala for stuffing

-Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned(except Peanuts,coconut, roasted channa dal, asafetida & salt). Allow the spices to cool.

-Grind the roasted spices and roasted channa dal, coconut, asafetida, salt to prepare a fine powder.

- Finally add peanuts & run the mixie for 5secs (idea is to powder the peanuts to a coarse powder).

For gravy

- Wash the eggplant and slit the eggplant into 4 pieces .

- Fill a tbsp or less of the ground masala powder to each of the eggplant and keep the stuffed eggplant aside as shown below.

- Heat oil in a broad pan (ensure that the pan accommodates to cook all the whole eggplants)and season it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds,curry leaves.

- Add in garlic, onion and Sauté until onion turns golden brown.

- Add tamarind paste,the remaining dry masala powder and the stuffed eggplants and stir well as the gravy and Oil coats on the eggplants.

- Add water, jaggery, salt (check the taste before adding, as we have already added salt to the Masala powder), and mix well.

-Close the pan and let it cook on a low heat stirring occasionally and carefully so that they don’t break.

- Add little more water if required and cook for 15-18 mins or until the gravy becomes thick and the eggplants soft.

- Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve .

This is an authentic North Karnataka food best served with jolada roti. Yennegayi literally means kayi(vegetable) cooked in yenne(oil). So the more oil you put, the tastier the dish would be.

Italian white creamy pasta the Indian way

Ingredients:

Spiral Pasta: 125 grms
Butter: 2 tblspns
Garlic: 3-4 thinly minced
Onion: 1 medium sized

Red bell pepper: 1 medium sized

Green capsicum: 1 medium sized

Sweet corn kernels: 1/3^rd cup

Oregano: 2 tspn

Red Chilli flakes: 2 tspn

Black pepper corns : 3-4 crushed

Corn flour: 2 tblspns

Milk: 2 cups

Cheese: 1/4^th cup grated

Method:

- Cook pasta in salted water for about 10 minutes or till tender and make sure it’s not over cooked. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water and toss in a little hot butter to make them non sticky.

- Meanwhile melt butter in a frying pan, sauté garlic, oregano, red chilli flakes, and onions till it turns transparent.

- Once the onions are transparent add the red pepper, capsicum, corn and sauté until its crisp and cooked.

- Stir in 2 tblspns of corn flour, salt, pepper and cook for a minute.

- Add milk and stir continuously to make sure there are no lumps. Add the cheese into the sauce and cook over medium heat until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Do not let it boil.

- Finally after the sauce is ready add in the cooked pasta and serve. If desired, you can sprinkle on extra cheese before serving.

Badam Hearts

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Fresh plain curds – ¾ cup

Ghee - 4 to 5 tspns

Badam/Almond Paste – 1 tblspn
Salt - a pinch

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil to deep fry
Badam/Almond crushed - for garnish as required

Method:

- Blend the curd, sugar, ghee and badam paste  to make a smooth cream like mixture

-  Add enough flour to the mixture and knead to soft dough and set it aside for half an hour.

- Simultaneously make the sugar syrup mixing sugar with just enough water for the sugar to soak and make syrup. Add cardamom powder ,badham mix(optional) and keep aside .

-  Take a small sized ball of dough and Press a little and cut to desired shapes(hearts). 

-  Fry these hearts in the heated oil till they turn golden color and remove it.

- Dip these hearts into the sugar syrup and then remove it on to a plate ( For about a min)

- Decorate with crushed badam/almond and serve

Palakottai Porial(Jackfruit seed)

Ingredients:

Jackfruit seeds – 1 cup close to 40 seeds

Sambar powder – 2 tblspns

Onion – 1 medium sized(finely chopped)

Coconut milk – ½ cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon

For seasoning :

Mustard seeds,Urad dhal,Jeera ,Curry leaves

Method:

- Add 2 cups of water in a pan and cook the seeds until they are soft .Drain water, peel off the skin and cut the seeds into two. Keep aside and allow it cool.

- Heat oil in kadai and season it with mustard seeds,urad dhal,jeera,curry leaves and add the finely chopped onions and sauté .

- once fried add in the sambar powder ,salt and sauté .

- Add the coconut milk and the jackfruit seeds and bring it to boil.

- Close the kadai and cook in medium flame until the gravy thickens and serve.

Andhra style green chilli chicken

Ingredients :

chicken - 1/2 kg
ginger-garlic paste – 1tblspn 
turmeric powder -1 tspn 
soya sauce – 1 tblspn

Curd – 2 cups
Fresh Green chillies – 8-10 depending on the spicyness
cooking oil – 1 cup (close to 250 grms)
Coriander  - for garnishing

Salt to taste

Ajinomotto (optional)

Marination :

Marinate the chicken for 30 mins in 2 cups of curd with 1 tspn turmeric powder,1tblspn ginger-garlic paste,1 tblspn soya sauce and salt to taste with a pinch of ajinomotto(optional).

Method :

- Heat the oil in a kadai and fry the chillies until pulpy.

- add the marinated chicken pieces with the remaining curd mixture and sauté .

-close the kadai and let it cook for 10 mins in medium flame.

- once the chicken pieces are tenderly cooked and the mixture is still a semi gravy with oil oozed out remove from the stove and serve.

Butter Chicken

Ingredients :

chicken - 1/2 kg
ginger-garlic paste – 1tblspn
Red chilli powder – 2 tblspns

turmeric powder -1 tspn
soya sauce – 1 tblspn

Curd – 2 cups
Butter  –  2 tblspns

Fresh cream – 1 cup
Curry leaves for garnishing

Salt to taste

Ajinomotto (optional)

Marination :

Marinate the chicken for 30 mins in 2 cups of curd with 1 tspn turmeric powder,1tblspn ginger-garlic paste,2 tblspns red chilli powder,1 tblspn soya sauce and salt to taste with a pinch of ajinomotto(optional) .

Method :

- Heat the butter in a kadai ,once melted add the marinated chicken pieces with the remaining curd mixture and sauté .

-close the kadai and let it cook for 10 mins in medium flame.

- once the chicken pieces are tenderly cooked and the mixture is still a semi gravy add the fresh cream and remove from the stove.

- Garnish with fried curry leaves and serve.