Hydeabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Miri Ka Saalan

Deep - fried piquant chillies cooked in a delicious thick and spicy roasted coconut gravy. It goes well with biryani and steamed rice.

Recipe Credit - Femina Magazine July 28, 2010 & Chef Vishal Kunwar Singh, Chef De Cuisine, Sahara Star - Mumbai

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

You will need

250 g Bhavnagari green chillies

50 ml cooking oil ( Chef recommends 200 ml oil )

For the masala paste:

3 tablespoon ( 45 g ) poppy seeds ( khus - khus )

3 tablespoon grated coconut

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

6 flakes garlic

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 - 3 tablespoon water ( to make paste )

For the gravy:

1 tablespoon oil ( Chef recommends 50 ml mustard oil )

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek ( methi ) seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds

3 dry red chillies

1 spring curry leaves

3 green chillies

2 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder ( or to taste )

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

1 cup ( 200 ml ) water

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan and deep - fry green chilli till soft and set aside.

For the coconut masala:

Heat an iron kadai and dry roast all the ingredients till golden color and fragrant ( Do not allow to turn deep brown color ). Allow the mixture to cool naturally and grind to a fine paste in a mixer ( add 2 - 3 tablespoon water while grinding ).

To make the gravy:

Heat oil in another wide pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute on a low heat for 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.

Add coconut paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and tamarind paste. Mix all the ingredients well.

Adjust the gravy consistency with 1 cup - to 1 1/2 cups water. Add salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes.

Finally add fried Bhavnagari chillies. Cook for another five minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Biryani / Pulao and steamed rice.

Hing Dal

Hing Dal

A tasty and nutritious low calorie dal. Goes well with Rice and Rotis . Easy to prepare with minimum ingredients.

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients

2 teaspoon ghee / oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

½ cup (100 g) moong dal (split yellow dal)

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 ¼ cup (250 ml) water

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Method

Wash and soak moong dal in 2 cups of water for half an hour. Drain out water.

Heat oil / ghee in a pressure cooker on a low heat. Add jeera (cumin seeds) and fry on a low heat until fragrant and light brown color.

Add hing and stir well on a low heat.

Add drained moong dal and fry for 2 – 3 minute.

Add green chilli and turmeric powder. Stir well for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add salt to taste and 250 ml water (1 ¼ cup). Close pressure cooker and cook on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Open the lid and gently mash boiled hing dal. Sprinkle ghee (optional) and chopped coriander laves. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Banana Bournvita Milkshake

Banana Bournvita Milkshake

A delicious quick energy drink !!!

Serves: 1 - 2

Ingredients

1 cup milk (200 ml), boiled and cooled milk

2 tablespoon Bournvita or Boost

1 tablespoon sugar

3 small size well ripe bananas (90 g), chopped

Extra ¼ cup (50 ml) milk

Method

Transfer all the ingredients (except extra milk) in a mixer and blend until smooth. Finally add extra 50 ml milk and blend again. Serve in tall glass.

Peanut Pedas (Groundnut Pedas)

Peanut Pedas (Groundnut Pedas)

A tasty sweet, made of melted and sieved jaggery and dry roasted peanuts !!

Makes: 18

Please use same measuring cup to measuring cup to measure peanut and jaggery .

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts (200 ml / 8 oz– measuring cup of 200 ml capacity)

1 cup melted and sieved thick jaggery (200 ml/ 8 oz)

¼ teaspoon dried ginger powder (chukku podi)

1 teaspoon oil / ghee (to grease steel thali/ plate )

Extra 1 teaspoon oil / ghee

Method

For peanuts:

Heat an iron kadai or pan. Reduce heat to medium and dry roast (without oil) peanuts on a medium to low heat until crisp (approximate dry roasting time 15 – 18 minutes). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts and make a fine powder in a mixer (if using small mixer bowl, make a powder in 2 batches).

Microwave method –Arrange peanuts in a microwave safe flat dish and microwave high (750W) for 2 minute 30 seconds. Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts and make a fine powder in a mixer.

Grease a steel thali or plate with 1 teaspoon oil / ghee and keep it ready.

For jaggery syrup:

In a thick bottomed bowl / non stick pan, add melted and sieved thick jaggery and 1 tablespoon water. Boil on a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes (stir continuously) until thickens / lot of bubbles / thick syrup / leaves from the sides of the pan. To test the syrup is ready, drop a teaspoon of hot jaggery syrup in cold water. If it form a jaggery ball, then the syrup is ready ( If the syrup is not ready, it won’t form a ball and you can see jaggery dilute in water and cold water become yellow / light brown color). At this stage, mix groundnut and dried ginger powder. Mix well until the groundnut well combined with jaggery.

Spread this peanuts – jaggery mixture into the greased steel thali, apply 1 teaspoon oil on both the palms and make small pedas or balls when it is medium hot. Store in an airtight container.

Potato Thoy

Potato Thoy

A delicious main curry with rice in Konkani cuisine. Recipe adapted from Jaya Maayi’s (Jaya. V Shenoy) cookery book !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For potato:

3 potatoes, cut into cubes

250 ml water (1 ¼ cup)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

Wash potatoes well and peel off the skin. Cut potatoes into cubes and boil separately with 2 ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (or transfer all the ingredients into a pressure cooker and pressure cook on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally). Reserve stock and gently mash boiled potato cubes with the base of the ladle (daayi).

Other ingredients

1 cup (200 ml) water

3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

Extra salt to taste (or ½ teaspoon)

Boil gently mashed potatoes again with 1 cup water, slit green chillies and salt to taste. Cover with a lid and boil on a low heat for 12 - 15 minutes until done and slightly thickens. Stir occasionally. Switch off the heat.

For Seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds

1 spring curry leaves

2 broken red chillies

2 pinches hing (asafoetida)

For Seasoning:

Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves, cumin seeds and broken red chillies. Saute on a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes or till fragrant.

Pour this seasoning over potato thoy and sprinkle hing. Serve hot with Rice.

Oats Idli

Oats Idli

Makes: 10 - 11

Please use same measuring cup to measure urad dal and oats.

Ingredients

½ cup (100 ml / 4 oz)) urad dal

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz) oats

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Wash and soak urad dal for 4 hours in 1 ½ cups of water. Drain out water (reserve ¼ cup / 50 ml). Then make a smooth paste in a mixer with 1 cup oats. Add reserved ¼ cup water when making the paste. Transfer batter ingredients into another big vessel / container. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Adjust the consistency with extra water if required. Batter should be of pouring consistency (like normal idli batter). Keep aside to ferment for 5 – 6 hours or overnight. Quantity will be double after 5 – 6 hours or overnight.

Grease the idli holder / mould or pan well with 1/4 teaspoon oil and fill batter in each slot.

Steam cook the idlis in steamer or pressure cooker (without weight )on a medium heat for about 10 - 15 minutes or until done. Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes.

Use a greased spoon to remove the idlis from the container as they may stick. Serve with Tomato chutney / Sambar / Coconut chutney / Green chutney.

Sindhi Style Methi Aloo

Sindhi Style Methi Aloo

A tasty side dish in Sindhi cuisine. Goes well with rice / rotis !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

8 flakes garlic , chopped fine

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera seeds)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¾ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoon coriander leaves , chopped fine

1 bunch methi ( fenugreek ) leaves , chopped fine (1 bunch big size leaves or 3 bunches small size leaves)

100 g tomatoes (2 small or 1 big), chopped

3 potaoes (medium size), peel off the skin and cut into roundels and boil separately

Salt to taste (or ½ teaspoon)

Method

Peel , and cut the potatoes into 1/4 - inch thick roundels and boil separately and reserve 1/ cup stock. (or pressure cook with ½ cup (100 ml) water, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder. Pressure cook on high heat for 3 whistles. Switch off the heat. Reserve ¼ cup stock).

Wash and clean methi leaves. Drain out water and chop finely. Keepit ready.

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 1 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil on a medium heat in a wide pan.

Add jeera and fry on a low heat for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add chopped garlic and sauté for 2 – 4 minutes until light golden color.

Add diluted turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder mix. Saute on a low heat for 2 minutes.

Add coriander leaves and methi leaves and sauté for five minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well.

Add separately boiled potatoes, salt to taste and ¼ cup stock. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes or until done / masalas well coated on potatoes / a thick gravy. Serve hot with Rice / Khichdi / Rotis ..

Madgane (with broken wheat paste / govva kono paste)

Madgane (with broken wheat paste)

Very delicious dessert / kheer in Konkani cuisine, made of channa dal, broken wheat, jaggery and coconut milk !!!!

Serves - 4 - 5 dessert cups

Ingredients

For channa dal:

4 tablespoon channa dal (Bengal gram)

2 tablespoon cashew nut splits

1 1/4 cup (250 ml) water

Wash and clean channa dal. Soak in 1 cup water (250 ml) with cashew nut splits for half an hour and pressure cook (do not change the water) for 20 minutes or until soft (reduce heat from high to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes). Do not open the lid. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Reserve stock.

For broken wheat paste / govva kono paste:

2 tablespoon broken wheat / govva kono

4 tablespoon water

Extra 100 ml (1/2 cup) water

Mix 2 tablespoon broken wheat with 4 tablespoon water and make a smooth paste. Boil 1/2 cup (100 ml) water. Lower the heat and add the broken wheat paste in 3 batches. Stir continuously till it completely mixed with water and it should like a soft porridge / reduction quantity / thickens. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

½ cup jaggery (approximately 80 ml - 100 ml or to taste) melted and sieved jaggery

50 ml thick coconut milk

2 pinches cardamom powder

Final preparation:

In a bowl, mix boiled channa dal – cashew nut (along with stock – stock may be ¼ cup), broken wheat paste and jaggery. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes or until slightly thickens / light brown in color. Switch off the heat.

Add 50 ml thick coconut milk. Gently mix all the ingredients well. Sprinkle cardamom powder. Serve warm or cold.

Paneer Bhurji

Paneer Bhurji

A delicious side dish with Rotis !!

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

2 teaspoon thick ginger – garlic paste

1 tomato, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon water

200 g paneer (cottage cheese), crumbled or grated

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 1 tablespoon water and keep it ready (spice mix).

In a pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped onion and fry on a medium to heat until golden brown.

Add chopped green chilli and fry well.

Add ginger – garlic paste and stir well on a low heat for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add chopped tomato and fry well until thickens.

Add diluted spice mix and sauté on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes and thickens / well blended with tomato and red in color.

Add crumbled or grated paneer and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Do not add water to cook. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 – 10 minutes or until done / paneer softens. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Consume immediately with Rotis.

Gujarati Khatti Meethi Dal

Gujarati Khatti Meethi Dal

A delicious nutritious dal, goes well with rice / rotis !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For dal:

100 g (1/2 cup) tur dal or moong dal or channa dal or a mix of 3 dals (½ cup)

300 ml (2 ½ cup) water

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon oil

Method

Wash and soak dal (or a mix of 3 dals) in 300 ml (2 ½ cups) of water for half an hour and cook in a pressure cooker with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon oil for 15 minutes (reduce the heat from high after 3 rd whistle and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes). Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Other ingredients

1 ½ teaspoon green chilli – garlic paste (make a paste of 2 green chillies and ½ - inch piece ginger in a mixer)

1 teaspoon tamarind paste or 3 kokum (or to taste)

1 teaspoon jaggery (or to taste)

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

In a wide bowl, boil again boiled dal with green chilli – ginger paste, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt. Cover with a lid and boil on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes or until slightly thickens. Switch off the heat.

For tadka / seasoning:

2 teaspoon ghee / oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)

2 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks (1 – inch in size)

2 dried red chilli, broken

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

6 curry leaves

2 pinches hing (asafoetida)

Method

Heat oil / ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add remaining ingredients and fry on a low heat for 3 – 5 minutes until fragrant. Pour this seasoning over khatti meethi dal and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Shortbread (Recipe adapted from BBC Food)

Shortbread (Recipe adapted from BBC Food)

Makes: 20 - 24

Ingredients

125 g/4 oz butter

55 g/2 oz caster sugar

180 g/6 oz plain flour

2 teaspoons icing sugar

Method

Heat the oven to 190C /375F /Gas 5.

Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm / ½ - inches thick.

Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with icing sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Notisappam / Soft Dosas

Notisappam / Soft Dosas

Popular dosas in Malabar regions of Kerala. Easy to prepare with minimum ingredients and goes well with chutneys or any spicy gravy dishes (like chicken or mutton curry ).

Makes: 6 – 8

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) boiled rice (puzhukkalari / ukkada chawal)

1 egg, beat well

½ teaspoon salt

75 – 100 ml water (1/2 cup)

Method

Wash and clean rice. Soak in 2 cups for 5 hours. Drain out water and make a paste in a mixer. Add 2 – 3 tablespoon water when making batter. Finally, add beaten egg and grind again.

Transfer the batter to another bowl / vessel and add salt to taste. No need to keep this batter for fermentation. We can prepare it immediately.

Add enough water (75 – 100 ml / ½ cup) to obtain batter of pouring consistency (also thin in consistency / thinner than dosa batter, like neer dosa batter).

Heat a non stick dosa tawa on a medium heat. Smear with little oil. Pour 1 1/2 ladleful ( approximately 160 ml ) of the batter into it. Spread evenly. Close with a lid.

Allow to cook for about 30 - 40 seconds and remove carefully with a flat spatula. Fold and serve hot with chutney or any gravy dishes. Consume immediately.

Peanut Chikki (with jaggery)

Peanut Chikki

Serve: 4 – 5

Please use same measuring cup to measuring cup to measure peanut and jaggery.

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts(200 ml / 8 oz– measuring cup of 200 ml capacity)

1 cup melted and sieved jaggery (200 ml / 8 oz –measuring cup of 200 ml capacity)

¼ teaspoon dried ginger powder (chukku podi)

1 teaspoon oil / ghee (to grease steel thali/ plate / baking dish)

Method

For peanuts:

Heat an iron kadai or pan. Reduce heat to medium and dry roast (without oil) peanuts on a medium to low heat until crisp (approximate dry roasting time 15 – 18 minutes). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts.

Grease a steel thali or plate with 1 teaspoon oil / ghee and keep it ready.

In a thick bottomed bowl / non stick pan, add melted and sieved thick jaggery and 1 tablespoon water. Boil on a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes (stir continuously) until thickens / lot of bubbles / thick syrup / leaves from the sides of the pan. To test the syrup is ready, drop a teaspoon of hot jaggery syrup in cold water. If it form a jaggery ball, then the syrup is ready ( If the syrup is not ready, it won’t form a ball and you can see jaggery dilute in water and cold water become yellow / light brown color). At this stage, mix dry roasted peanuts and dried ginger powder. Mix well until the peanuts well combined with jaggery.

Spread this peanuts – jaggery mixture into the greased steel thali and spread it evenly with the base of a flat spatula. Cut into desired shape and size when it is very hot (do not remove peanuts pieces / chikkis from the thali when it is very hot). Keep aside to cool for 20 minutes and remove carefully. Store in an airtight container.

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Kottayam Style Meen Mappas

Kottayam Style Meen Mappas

Fish cooked in spicy coconut milk. Goes well as a main dish with Rice / Ghee rice / Appam / Idiyappam (string hoppers) … Basic recipe adapted from Suriyani Pachakam by Mrs Bava .R Lukose, Kottayam (Kerala)

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

For fish:

500 g fish piece , cut into cubes

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon redchilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean fish pieces. Drain out water completely. Wipe each fish piece with a soft kitchen towel. In a bowl, marinate fish pieces with red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for half an hour.

For Mappas:

1 tablespoon oil (or 1 - 3 tablespoon)

3 tablespoon (1/4 cup) finely sliced shallots (chuvannulli / small onion)

10 garlic cloves, sliced

1 – inch piece ginger, finely sliced

6 curry leaves

3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1 teaspoon redchilli powder

3 teaspoon (or 1 tablespoon) coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon pepper powder

50 ml (1/4 cup) water

225 ml thin coconut milk

4 kudampuli (soak in 3 tablespoon water. Add ¼ teaspoon salt in water)

Marinated fish pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

100 ml thick coconut milk

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and pepper powder in ¼ cup (50 ml) water. Make a smooth solution and keep it ready (spice mix).

Heat oil in a meenchatty or pan on a medium heat. Add finely sliced shallots, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and slit green chillies. Fry until fragrant and golden color.

Add dilutedspice mix and stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes or until raw smell goes / thickens / well combined with other ingredients (shallots, ginger, garlic …).

Add thin coconut milk and soaked kudampulis (along with soaked water. Strain water through a fine sieve) . Cover with a lid and bring to boil. When it starts boiling, add marinated fish pieces and salt to taste. Cover again and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 -10 minutes or until done / gravy thickens / fish pieces softens. Switch off the heat.

Add thickcoconut milk and gently stir well. Do not boil again. Serve with Rice / Pulao / Ghee rice / Appam / Idiyappam .
.

Photo of Meen Mappas - before adding thick coconut milk

Easy Prawns Curry

Easy Prawns Curry

An easy & tasty prawns curry, made of Indian spices and also without coconut paste and coconut milk !!!

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients

For prawns:

500 g prawns (225 g net weight after cleaning and deveining)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Wash, clean and devein the prawns. Drain out water completely. In a wide bowl, mix prawns with turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for half an hour.

For the curry:

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely sliced

6 curry leaves

6 garlic cloves, chopped

½ teaspoon red chilli powder (or to taste / ¾ teaspoon for more spicy)

½ teaspoon pepper powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon thick tamarind paste (or 3 teaspoons tamarind juice) – optional

½ cup (100 ml) water

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Marinated prawns

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 1 tablespoon water and keep it ready (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan. Add finely sliced onion and fry till golden color on a medium to low heat.

Add curry leaves and fry well.

Add chopped garlic and fry well until light golden color.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until thickens / water dries up / raw smell goes.

Add tamarind paste / juice (optional), ½ cup water (100 ml) and adjust salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the water boils. At this stage, add marinated prawns, cover again and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until done and prawns tender (light pink in color). Overcooking will make the prawns hard in texture. Serve with Rice / Pulao / Appam / Idiyappam / Brown / Wholewheat bread …

Groundnut Chutney / Peanut Chutney (Camelia Panjabi's recipe)

Groundnut chutney / Peanut chutney (Camellia Panjabi’s recipe)

A tasty chutney goes well with rice !!

Serves: 3

Ingredients

100 g ( ½ cup) peanuts

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (1 teaspoon tamarind paste or to taste)

2 green chillies

1 teaspoon oil

10 curry leaves

1 onion

½ teaspoon cumin seeds jeera

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)

½ teaspoon urad dal

2 tablespoon grated coconut

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Dry roast the peanuts even if the have skins for about 15 minutes in a frying pan, with no oil. When the peanut begin to burn, remove from the heat. Leave to cool, then remove the skin. (Microwave method – Spread / arrange peanuts in a microwave safe dish (flat dish) and microwave for 2 minute 45 minutes and keep aside to cool for 15 minutes and gently remove the skin of the peanuts)

Soak the tamarind for 10 minutes in 50 ml of water (if you're using tamarind paste, add 2 tablespoons of water when making the chutney) Put all the ingredients into food processor or blender / mixer, and grind to a paste. Serve with rice.

Red Chilli Paste Chicken Curry

Red Chilli Paste Chicken Curry

A tasty chicken curry, goes well with Rice / Rotis / Brown bread / Wholewheat bread / Pulao …

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For red chilli paste:

12 dried red chillies

2 tablespoon vinegar

12 garlic cloves

1 well ripe tomato, chopped

½ - inch ginger, chopped

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Wipe each dried red chilli with a soft kitchen towel. Soak dried red chillies with vinegar for 2 hours.

Transfer all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and make a smooth paste (without adding water). Keep aside.

For the chicken:

500 g chicken, cut into medium pieces

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water completely. In a wide bowl, marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder and salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

For the curry:

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely sliced

6 curry leaves

Red chilli paste

Marinated chicken pieces

Salt to taste

1 cup (200 ml) water

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

In a wide pan, heat oil on a medium heat. Add finely sliced onion and fry on a medium to low heat for 5 – 8 minutes until golden color and crisp.

Add curry leaves and fry well.

Add red chilli paste and stir well on a low heat for 5 minutes or until the raw smell goes and thickens.

Add marinated chicken pieces, 1 cup water (200 ml), and adjust salt to taste (or ¼ - ½ teaspoon). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 25 – 35 minutes or until done / chicken pieces softens / red color gravy thickens.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice / pulao / rotis / rumali roti …