Apr 28, 2008

Potato - Tomato curry made with Coconut paste / Kukka Dhevi Gashi in Konkani Cuisine




You will need

Potato -2, cut into cubes ( medium size cubes )

Tomato – 1 , cut into cubes ( medium size cubes )

Salt – to taste

For coconut paste

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Red chilly powder -1 teaspoon


Seasoning

Mustard seeds -1 teaspoon

Jeera / cumin seeds -1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Cooking oil – 1 teaspoon


Method

Boil potato , tomato pieces , and salt together. Cooking time w’ll be around 15-20 minutes. ( Another option: Potato, tomato pieces - Microwave high for 4 minutes. )
Add coconut paste and cook again for 10 minutes. Mix it well.
Heat oil and add seasoning ingredients. Saute it slowly for 2 minutes. Add seasoning ingredients into the curry. Serve with Rice / Chapati.

Apr 27, 2008

Moru Curry / Thakka kedy in Konkani Cuisine




Moru Curry / Thakka kedy in Konkani

You will need

Fresh thick curd – 1 cup

Water – ¼ cup

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt -1 teaspoon ( to taste )

Dilute curd with water, salt , turmeric power in Tupperware Quick Shake.( I always use Tupperware Quick Shake for better result.)


Seasoning ingredients

Mustard seeds – 1teaspoon
Jeera / cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 1 spring
Green chilly – 1 , cut lengthwise
Shallots -5, cut into thin slices
Garlic- 3 cloves, cut into thin slices
Ginger – ½ inch piece, chopped fine
Cooking oil -1 teaspoon

Method

Heat oil. Add all seasoning ingredients. Saute it slowly for 5-8 minutes. Switch off the gas flame. Finally add diluted curd. Mix it well. Serve with rice. Benefits : Easy to cook, easy to digest, less cholesterol, and curd is a milk product so it contains calcium.

Apr 24, 2008

Appam - Stew- God's own Country's delicious Breakfast

Appam is getting ready in Appachatti



Appam (pronounced [apːam]), or hoppers, are a type of food in Sri Lankan and South Indian cuisine. It is called Aappam (ஆப்பம்) in Tamil Nadu. Appa is the singular of appam. It is eaten most frequently for breakfast.

Plain hoppers are bowl-shaped thin pancakes made from fermented rice flour. They derive their shape from the small appachatti in which they are cooked. They are fairly bland, and always served with a spicy accompliment. These hoppers are made from a batter using rice, yeast, salt and a little sugar. After the mixture has stood for a couple of hours, it can be fried in the appachatti with a little oil.


Ingredients for Appam

Raw Rice- 2 cups

Grated coconut – ½

Cooked rice- 1 tablespoon

Yeast solution

To prepare yeast solution

1 teaspoon dry yeast
Warm water -1/4 cup
Sugar – 1teaspoon

Mix sugar and warm water. Add yeast and keep aside for 10-15 minutes or until a froth appears on the surface. Mix well until sugar and yeast granules are dissolvedand well risen. Always use fresh yeast.

To prepare Appam batter

Grind raw rice, grated coconut and cooked rice together. Batter should not be too watery. You can add coconut water while grinding. Add yeast solution and mix it well. Keep aside for fermenting for 6- 8 hours or overnight. Appachatti is used to make Appam.
1, Heat non stick appachatty.

2, Grease the appachatty with little oil.

3, Pour one ladleful of appam batter to the appachatty.

4, Lift the pan ( from the stove ) and slightly twist around to spread the batter in the pan to make circular shape ( see the photos below ).

5, Close appachatty with a lid and cook on low heat till the edges are golden brown. When the Appam is ready the edges resemble crisp lace and centre soft . Traditionally this is eaten with Stew/ chicken curry / egg roast/ coconut milk/ sugar .
Appam batter






Recipe of Stew

You will need

Potato -2 , cut into cubes ( Microwave high for 3 minutes )

Onion – 2, cut into cubes

Ginger-1 inch piece, thinly sliced

Garlic- 10 cloves, sliced

Green chillies- 3 , cut lengthwise

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Salt – to taste

Cooking oil – 1teaspoon

Coconut milk- 2 cups of thin coconut milk and 1 cup thick coconut milk.

Method

Heat oil in Kadai. Add onion, fry until the onion start turning brown. Add ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute for 5 minutes. Add potato , thin coconut milk and salt . Cook on a slow fire for another 15 minutes. Finally add thick coconut milk and mix it well. Serve with Appam. It's a favorite breakfast dish of all Keralites also popular in Srilanka .



Apr 23, 2008

Vegetable Curry Made With Fried Coconut Paste






Vegetable curry made with fried Coconut paste


Ingredients for Vegetable Curry
Carrot- 2
French green beans – 10
Potato -1 big size
( Cut above vegetables in equal size and Microwave high for 4- 6 minutes.)

Shallots -10

Cooking oil – 1teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Curry leaves- 2 springs

For Coconut paste

½ coconut, scrapped

5 red chillies

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon Jeera ( cumin )

3-4 flakes of garlic

¼ teaspoon turmeric

Roast and grind all the coconut paste ingredients together to a fine paste. Sprinkle water while grinding.


Method

Heat oil in a frying pan, add shallots and fry till golden brown. Add coconut paste and curry leaves. Sauté well for 5 minutes. Add vegetables, salt and ½ cup of water. Cover with lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes in slow fire. Vegetable curry goes well with Chapatti, Vegetable pulao, Appom, Rice…. You can include 1 chopped Tomato with vegetables to get a sour taste .


Please wait for Appom - Stew Recipe.....soon.... !!!!!

Apr 21, 2008

Homemade Chicken Biryani



Home made Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

Chicken – 500 g

Clean and wash chicken pieces. Marinate with 2 teaspoon curd, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder for 1 hour.

1 cup curd and 1 cup chopped onions for Raita.

For Masala

1 pod garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
5 cashew nuts
3 spring mint leaves
1 small bunch of coriander leaves
2 teaspoon coriander powder
2 green chillies
1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Grind all the masala ingredients together to a fine paste without water.

For Rice

2 cups Basmati Rice

2 pieces cinnamon
5 cardamom
5 cloves
Salt 1 teaspoon
Ghee ½ teaspoon

Wash rice . Boil rice with all the ingredients in a vessel till three – fourths cooked. . Drain and set aside.

For chicken Masala

Ghee – 2 teaspoon
Onion -3 , cut lengthwise
Tomato -2, chopped
Salt- to taste

Heat ghee in a frying pan. Fry onions till golden brown. Add tomato and masala ingredients. Saute well for five to ten minutes. Add marinated chicken pieces and salt. Cover with a lid and cook ( without water ) till meat is tender and gravy is thick.

Final Preparation

In a thick bottomed vessel , smear with little ghee. Then place a layer of chicken gravy, spread cooked rice over it…This should be repeated till everything is used. Seal thick bottomed vessel and lid with maida paste. ( make a thick paste of 3 teaspoon wheat flour / maida and water ). Cook on slow fire for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and serve with Raita. ( chopped onions in thick curd )

This Biryani is without food color . Ghee used also minimum. Normally fried onion and cashewnuts used for garnishing.. This is minus garnishing.


Apr 20, 2008

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Masala Dosa With Coconut Chutney

The dosa is a South Indian crêpe. This food, rich in carbohydrates and proteins, is a typical South Indian food taken as breakfast or dinner.

Though considered a breakfast dish, dosas are also eaten at other times of day. Those with wheat allergies or gluten intolerance will find the dosa a nice addition to their diets. They can be stuffed with vegetables, meats and sauces to create a quickly prepared meal.

Dosas are typically served with a side accompaniment which varies according to regional and personal preferences. More common side items include:

Sambar, wet chutneys, often coconut chutney — a semi-solid paste usually made of coconut, dal, green chilies, and mint or coriander (cilantro).

A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, fried onions and spices. It wraps the dosa around a onion and potato curry.




To prepare Potato masala

5 medium – sized potatoes
2 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 spring curry leaves , chopped
3-4 green chillies, chopped
½ inch piece of ginger, chopped
4 onions, sliced thinly
Urad dal- 1 teaspoon
½ turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method

Boil, peel and mash potatoes.

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter , add urad dal, chopped curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and onion slices. When onions are light brown in colour, add turmeric powder and fry well. Finally , add potatoes and salt to taste and cook slow fire for 10 minutes. Better option : Please remove green chillies with spoon before stuffing and go through '' Home made '' label to find more about , Idli , Dosa and Coconut chutney.









Coconut chutney

Ingredients

1 cup coconut grated
1 green chillies
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon tamarind paste ( optional )
Salt to taste
Ginger - 1/2- inch piece

For seasoning

1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
1 red chilli
1 spring curry leaves

Method

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste with a little water.

For seasoning

In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter , add remaining ingredients. Saute well. Add into coconut chutney.

Apr 16, 2008

Dosa Preparation



The dosa is a South Indian crêpe. This food, rich in carbohydrates and proteins, is a typical South Indian food taken as breakfast or dinner.

Regular dosa batter is made from rice and split, skinned urad bean blended with water and left to ferment overnight. (A modified form of the same batter can be used to make idlis. Characteristically, the rice in idli batter is coarsely ground and in dosa batter, the rice is very finely ground. Furthermore, the rice to lentil ratio varies in both.) The rice can be uncooked and/or parboiled. The urad bean and rice can be replaced with highly refined wheat flour to make a maida dosa or semolina for a rava dosa.


The batter is then ladled in small amounts onto a hot greased skillet, where it is spread out into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee until golden brown. The dosa may then be folded in half and served, or it may be flipped to cook on the other side and then served.Dosa served with Sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney. Variations of Dosa : Masala Dosa ( potato filling inside ), Ghee Dosa, Set dosa, Plain dosa….


Cabbage- Egg Noodles


It's easy to prepare. Cabbage and egg make the dish more nutritious.
You will need
Instant noodles - 1 packet
Egg -1
Cabbage chopped -1 cup ( microwave high for 2 minute 30 seconds )
Onion -1 ( chopped )
Cooking oil - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
Make noodles as per the direction shown in the packet.
Heat oil in the frying pan. Add onions , fry till golden brown.
Add egg , saute and fry it well.
Add cabbage. Mix it well.
Finally add noodles and mix well again. Cabbage - egg noodles is ready now.

Apr 13, 2008

Vegetable Rice



Ingredients for Vegetable Rice

Silky Raw Rice / Basmati Rice- 1 cup
Beans & Carrot - 1 cup ( cut lengthways and microwave high for 2 minute 30 seconds )
Onion - 1 ( thin slices )
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Cooking oil - 1 teaspoon

Method

Cook rice.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add sliced onion. Fry till golden brown. Add vegetables , saute slowly. Add cooked rice, salt and pepper powder. Cover with the lid. Cook in a very slow flame for 15 minutes. Serve hot with Cucumber- Onion Raita. ( Raita : Add chopped onion- cucumber in 1 cup of thick fresh curd and mix well )

Apr 12, 2008

Chicken Curry Made With Schezwan Sauce



Chicken curry made with Schezwan Sauce

You will need

Boneless chicken – 250 gm

Onion -1 ( cut into cubes )

Ginger – 1 inch piece ( cut into very small pieces )

Garlic – 10 cloves ( cut into very small pieces )

Schezwan Sauce – 3 teaspoon

Salt – to taste ( ½ teaspoon )

Water – ½ cup

Cooking oil – 1 teaspoon

Method

Heat oil in non- stick frying pan. Saute onion- garlic till golden brown. Add ginger, sauté slowly. Add Schezwan sauce. Mix it well. Add boneless chicken pieces , salt and ½ cup water. Cover with lid . Cook for 20 minutes in a very slow flame. Goes well with fried rice and noodles.

Apr 11, 2008

Fried Chicken with Whole Wheat Bread

Marinated Boneless Chicken Pieces


Fried Chicken
You will need
Boneless Chicken Pieces- 250 gm
Ingredients for marination
Ginger- garlic paste- 2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder -1 teaspoon
Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon
Lime Juice- 1 teaspoon
For Coating
Egg white from 2 eggs
Bread crumbs- 1/4 cup
Crushed corn flakes -1/4 cup
Salt-1/4 teaspoon
Oil for frying
Marinate boneless chicken with above ingredients.
Dip in egg white and roll it in bread- corn flakes crumbs for 2 hours. Fry slowly in hot oil till golden brown. Serve hot with whole wheat bread and Tomato sauce.


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Apr 9, 2008

Prawns Fry

Fresh Prawns from the market

Cleaned prawns
Prawns Fry
Ingredients
Prawns - 250 gm
Onion - 2
Ginger -10 cloves
Garlic - 1 inch piece
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder -1 /2teaspoon
Curry leaves- 10
Green chilly-1
Turmeric powder - for marinating the prawns
Cooking oil - 1teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Method
Marinate prawns with salt and turmeric for 30 minutes.
Chopped onion, garlic and ginger into thin slices. Heat oil in non - stick frying pan. Add onion and garlic. Fry slowly till brown, add ginger, curry leaves, green chilly. Fry again. Add red chilly powder , pepper powder and salt. Saute it well. Add prawns also. Springle water. Cover with the lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes in a very slow flame. Prawns fry goes well with Rice, Appam and chapati/ whole wheat bread. I used very little oil for cooking. Try this .....you'll love it !!!!


Idli & Coconut Chutney



The idli (IPA:ɪdlːi), also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is a savory cake popular throughout South India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice.

Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idli are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambar, or other accompaniments. Mixtures of crushed dry spices such as milagai podi are the preferred condiment for idlis eaten on the go.


Ingredients for Idli

3 Cups of raw rice
1 Cup Urad dal
Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak dal and rice seperately for 5- 6 hours. Grind the dal till very fine. Remove and kept aside. Then grind the rice fine to sooji consistency. Remove and mix well with dal paste and add salt to taste. Cover and keep it for fermenting for 8 hours.( or overnight ) Grease the Idli stand with a little oil. Pour the batter and steam for 15-20 minutes in Idli cooker. Idlis will be more tasty if you add 2 tablespoon leftover cooked rice while grinding Urad dal.

Coconut Chutney

1/2 coconut grated
2 green chillies
2 sambar onions
2 teaspoon Tamarind Juice
Salt to taste
1 inch Ginger

For seasoning
1/2 oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
1 red chilly
1 spring curry leaves

Method
Make a paste of all the chutney ingredients with little water. Season with oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilly and curry leaves.

Apr 7, 2008

Potato Gassi ( Kukka Gassi )....Konkani Dish


Potato Gassi made with Massolu

Want to find out more about '' Massolu "....? Please Read label ...Konkani Cuisine

Apr 5, 2008

Ghee Rice & Egg Masala

Ghee Rice made with 1 teasoon ghee
Rice used- Sona Silky Raw Rice
Spices- Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon
Small onions - 6


Egg Masala is the right combination with Ghee Rice

Ingredients used for egg masala
Egg, tomato, coconut paste, coriander powder, chilly powder and pepper powder.