Kuzhi Aapam

Ingredients :

Thick Poha (Avvalakki) - 1 Cup 

Rice (Sona Masoori) - 3 Cups

Thick plain Yoghurt (Curd) - 1/2 Cup 

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1 tsp 

Jaggery/karupatti - 1 cup

Ghee as required

Will essentially need a Kuzhi Aapam pan

(either cast iron or non-stick)

Method :

- Soak poha, rice and methi seeds overnight. 

- Grind to a fine smooth paste the next day using as less water as possible. 

- Mix batter with jaggery/Karupatti and yoghurt and let ferment overnight.

- Heat the aapam pan. (If using a non-stick pan you don’t need to oil much, but if you

 are using a cast iron pan, add about ¼ tsp of oil to each pit. )

- Using a ladle pour batter into each pit. 

- Cover and cook on low heat for 2 mins. 

- When the sides of each paddu are set, using a spoon flip each paddu to cook on the 

 other side (insides). 

- You will know when the sides are set by slowly running the spoon along the edges, it 

 will not be sticky once its fully cooked and will come out easily.

- Cook for 30 seconds or so on the other side and remove paddus from pan and serve.

Paddu / Kara Kuzhipaniyaram

Ingredients :

Thick Poha (Avvalakki) - 1 Cup 

Rice (Sona Masoori) - 3 Cups

Thick plain Yoghurt (Curd) - 1 Cup 

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1 tsp 

Salt to taste

Green Chillies - 2 nos

Channa Dhal - 2 tbspns soaked in water.

Jeera - 1 tspn

Red Onion - 2-3 chopped 

Oil as required

Will essentially need a Kuzhi Aapam pan (either cast iron or non-stick)

Method :

- Soak poha, rice and methi seeds overnight. 

- Grind to a fine smooth paste the next day using as less water as possible. 

- Mix batter with salt and yoghurt and let ferment overnight.

- If the batter hasn’t risen the next day, then add ½ tsp of Cooking soda.

- Add the green chillies ,chopped onions and channa dhal to the batter and keep aside.

- Heat the aapam pan. (If using a non-stick pan you don’t need to oil much, but if you are

 using a cast iron pan, add about ¼ tsp of oil to each pit. )

- Using a ladle pour batter into each pit. 

- Cover and cook on low heat for 2 mins. 

- When the sides of each paddu are set, using a spoon flip each paddu to cook on the 

 other side (insides). 

- You will know when the sides are set by slowly running the spoon along the edges, it 

 will not be sticky once its fully cooked and will come out easily.

- Cook for 30 seconds or so on the other side and remove paddus from pan and serve.

Chicken Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

Ingredients:

Ground Chicken - 1/2 Cup

Portobello Mushroom - 6
Onion - 1/8 Cup finely chopped
Capsicum/Bell pepper - 1/8 Cup finely chopped
Minced Garlic - 1 Tbsp
Olive oil - 4 Tbsp
Oregano - a pinch
Parsley - a pinch
Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 Cup
Mozzarella Cheese - 1/4 Cup
Bread crumbs - 1/2 Cup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 400F
2. Rub some olive oil on the Mushroom after removing the stems. Chop the stems removed and keep it aside.
3. In a pan heat the remaining oil and saute the chicken and when it is half done add the onions, pepper, garlic, chopped mushroom stem.
4. Remove it from heat when the chicken is cooked.
5. Now add Mozzarella cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese, 3/4th of the bread crumbs, Parsley and Oregano
6. Spoon this mixture in to the mushroom and top it with the left over bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
7. Bake it for 15 - 18 minutes or until the cheese on the top melts

8. Leave it out for sometime and serve it warm.

Potato fry

Ingredients

Potato - 3 skin peeled and diced
Onion - one big
Ginger garlic - 1Tsp
Coriander powder - 1Tbsp
Red chilly - 3
Amchur powder - 1/2 Tsp
(If no amchur powder use chat masala)
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Oil
Mustard
Jeera
Curry leaves

Method

Heat the oil in kadai and splutter the mustard and Jeera. Add the curry leaves and red chilly when the mustard is spluttering. Now add the onions and then saute it for sometime. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute it till the raw smell is gone. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and little of the red chilly powder. Saute it well and cook it covered in low flame. Add the amchur powder and cook it for some more time. Keep checking now and then. when the potatoes are cooked. Stir it well in high flame and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. This tastes even better when you add fresh methi leaves when adding the amchur powder.

Meen Kuzhambu (Fish curry)

Ingredients

Fish - 1KG
Onion - 1 Big red onion or Shallots - 15
Tomato - 1big sized
G.Chillies - 4thai chillies
Curry leaf - around 20 leaves or more
Coriander -  11/2 Tbsp
Garlic - 5 or 6 cloves
Tamarind juice - 1/3 cup or per taste
Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Fennel seeds - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Gingelly oil(preferred)

For marination
Red Chilli powder - 2Tbsp
Pepper - 1tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Lemon juice- 11/2 Tbsp

Method

Marinate the fish with the items listed and leave it for an hour. Cut the onions length wise. Heat the kadai and add oil liberally. Splutter mustard, fennel seed, peppercorns and cumin seed. Add curry leaves and saute it. Now add the onions and fry it till it is brown. Now add garlic, green chillies and the coriander powder. Saute till the onions are well cooked. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook it till oil seperates. The secret of making good meen kuzhambu is good amount of sauting and cooking the onion and tomato very well. When the tomatoes are also cooked well add the tamarind water and let the tomatoes and onions cook well. Keep sauting now and then. When this is cooked add the coconut milk and cook it for some more time. Check for salt and chilli powder and add it as required. Also remember we used chilli powder for the marination. Add the marinated fish and cover the lid and cook it in low flame. Cook till the fish is well cooked. The oil should seprate when the fish is cooked.

Mutton Dum Biryani

There are many versions of Dum Biryani and this is mine.

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 Kg
Basmati rice - 2 1/2 Cup
Onions - 2 Red onions
Roma tomatoes - 3

Curd - 350 grms
Mint - 1 bunch(Cleanes and chopped finely)
Cilantro - 1 bunch(Cleanes and chopped finely)
Green Chillies - 8
Ginger & Garlic paste - 3 Spoon full
Dhaniya powder - 2 Spoon full
Garam masalas (Fennel seeds, Jeera seed, Bay leaf, Javithri, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom - black & green)
Lemon juice - Squeezed from one big lemon
Shan Biryani masala - 1 Spoon(optional)
Oil & Ghee - Per taste
Food color - a pinch (optional)

Method
For Marination

In a bowl marinate Mutton, Curd, Lemon juice, Half of the cut tomatoes, Half of the mint, Half of the cilantro, Salt, Dhaniya powder, very little of the Shan masala and leave it for an hour. You can also add very little garam masala powder to this.

Take the vessel in which you want to prepare the biryani. Heat it in medium flame and add the oil & ghee mixture. Now add the whole garam masala and saute it for sometime. Add the onions and saute it till it is golden brown. Now add the ginger garlic paste. Saute it till the raw smell of the paste is gone. Add the green chillies and saute it. Now add the marinated mutton and cook it in high flames for 10 minutes. Then put it back in medium flame and cook it till the mutton is cooked. While it is cooking you can add red chilli powder if needed. Check for salt and add per taste.

In another vessels half cook the Basmati rice. This is the tricky part and it varies for different brands of basmati rice. Soak the rice for 15 minutes before half cooking it. Add little salt only for the rice as the other masala and mutton has enough salt in it.

Now coming to the Dum - Keep it in low flame. Add some rice on top of the mutton masala. Top it with some cut Tomatoes, Cilantro, Mint and little Shan Biryani masala. Repeat the layers of rice and the cut Tomatoes, Cilantro, Mint and little Shan Biryani masala. Mix the food color and pour it on the top in a circle. Close the lid really tight. If it is not tight enough make some wheat flour dough and stick it to the lid like a paste. The Biryani is ready when the steam comes out.

Serve hot with Raitha.

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