Egg Curry

Egg Curry – A delicious curry, goes well with rotis , pulao.. !!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the masala (paste):

1 onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 – inch piece ginger, chopped

¼ cup  (or 3 tablespoon) chopped coriander leaves

Make a fine paste of above ingredients in a small mixer bowl. Do not add water when making paste. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

3 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick (1 – inch size)

Masala paste

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon  turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon tomato puree

½  cup (100 ml) water

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

 2 boiled eggs

Method

Diluted red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 2 tablespoon water. Make a smooth solution and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a non stick pan / kadai. Add cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon. Fry on a low heat until fragrant.

Add masala paste and stir on a low heat for 3 – 4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.

Add diluted spice mix and fry on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until raw smell disappears and well blended with other ingredients.

Add tomato puree, salt to taste and 1/2 cup water. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for  10 – 12  till gravy slightly thickens / fragrant.

At this stage, add boiled eggs and cook on a low heat for another 5 minutes. Serve with Pulao / Rice / Rotis … 

Urulakkizhangu Mezhukupuratti

Kerala style stir  fried baby potatoes / Urulakkizhangu mezhukkupuratti – Best with rice / moru curry / parippu curry … !!

Serves: 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

20 baby potatoes, boil separately, drain out water and peel off the skin

Method

Dilute red chilli powder and turmeric powder in 2 teaspoon water. Keep aside.

In a pan, heat oil on medium heat.  Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, reduce the heat to low and add diluted red chilli - turmeric powder. Stir well for 1 minute.

Add salt and separately boiled potatoes. Mix all the ingredients well. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until spices well coated on potatoes. Serve as a dish with rice.

Spicy Chapati

Spicy  Chapati – It’s best with dal / korma / curd / pickle …

Makes: 8 – 10 chapatis

Please use same measuring cup to measure wholewheat and water.

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml wholewheat (atta) Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

1 tablespoon besan (gram flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

½ cup  chopped  coriander leaves (or a mix of mint and coriander)

¼ cup + 3 tablespoon  water (use as needed)

6 – 8 teaspoon ghee / oil

 Method

In a wide bowl, mix all the ingredients except the water and oil.

Add the water little at a time (first start with ¼ cup water and later adjust with 1 – 3 tablespoon water) and make a soft dough like chapatti dough.  Cover and keep aside for half an hour. Divide the dough into 8 - 10 equal portions / balls.

Roll out into thin chapatis of 6 - inch diameter with the help of a dry flour.

Place a non - stick frying pan / griddle / tawa on heat. Place a rolled chapati on the frying pan / tawa and cook for few seconds until little bubbles appear. Turn over and cook for 1/2 minute or until brown specks appear. Cook each side for 1/2 minute and remove from tawa. Apply little oil / ghee on both sides of the  chapati and stack them on top of each other. Serve with any gravy dishes or  green chutney or pickle.

How to make Hung Curd?

Hung Curd – It’s used for the preparation of  Tandoori dishes (as a thick marinade) / Phirni / Shrikhand …

Makes: 200 – 225 ml or 1 cup from 3 cups curd

Method

Tie fresh 500 ml curd in a clean muslin cloth  tightly. Hang it for draining water ( liquid from curd ) for 3 hours, with a bowl underneath to  catch the whey. Scoop out the drained yogurt from the muslin cloth and transfer into another container.   Nestle Dahi or other leading brand won't take much time. Hung curd will be ready within half an hour.

Spicy Puris / Ajwain Puris

Here's the recipe link of Spicy Puris / Ajwain Puris

Tamil Style Aappam / Appam

Tamil style Aappam / appam   - A popular breakfast dish in Tamil Nadu, goes well with any spicy curry / korma / coconut milk / sugar of your choice. This type of aappam available @ Nala's appa kadai, Chennai and also this recipe totally different from Kerala palappam / appam !!!

Makes : 12 - 13

Ingredients

2 cups raw rice (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

1 tablespoon  urad dal

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi / uluva)

3 cups water (to soak dal & rice)

2 tablespoon cooked and cooled rice

200 ml medium thick coconut milk (homemade or Maggi instant coconut milk. If using  Maggi instant coconut milk, mix 25 g  instant coconut milk powder with 200 ml water. Make a smooth solution)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 sachet (5 g) Eno fruit salt (readily available @ supermarkets & medical stores. It’s an antacid. Good for digestion too)

Method

Wash and soak urad dal, fenugreek seeds & rice in 3 cups of water for 4 hours. Drain out water and make a smooth paste in a mixer. Add 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoon cooled and cooked rice  when  making the paste. It should be a medium thick paste. Do not add more water during grinding. Final stage of  this recipe required 1 cup coconut milk.

Transfer the batter to another big container / vessel and add salt. Mix well. Cover  and keep aside to ferment for 7 - 8 hours or overnight.

Next day or after fermentation, add sugar,  Eno fruit salt and coconut milk. Stir continuously for 2 - 3 minutes. Once you add Eno fruit, prepare aappam immeditely (within half an hour). Do not keep aappam batter too long. Then golden brown lace won’t form.

Final preparation:

Tip- Do not refrigerate aappam batter during fermenting. Aappachatti is used to make Aappam (or one can use normal dosa pan / dosa tawa).

1, Heat non stick appachatty.

2, Grease the appachatty with little oil.

3, Pour one and half  ladleful of aappam batter into the aappachatty.

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

5, Close aappachatty with a lid and cook on low heat till the edges are golden brown. When the Aappam is ready the edges resemble crisp lace and centre soft. Traditionally this is eaten with korma / spicy curries / coconut milk/ sugar .

Sponge Cake (no added butter / oil / ghee)

Sponge Cake (No added butter / oil / ghee)

Ingredients

90 g flour (measure ¾th cup + 1 tablespoon in Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity. Photo given below)

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch salt

120 g sugar (measure 3/4^th cup in Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity. Photo given below)

2 eggs (net weight is 105 g)

2 tablespoon ice cold water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

Grease baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter and dust with 1 tablespoon flour (sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour inside a cake pan and shake to coat all greased surface. Turn pan upside down to tap out the excess flour ).

Sieve thrice flour, baking powder and salt.

Preheat oven (OTG) at 180 *C or 350 *F.

In a bowl, beat eggs and sugar until creamy and smooth (use electric beater). Add 2 tablespoon ice cold water and beat until smooth and creamy.

Now add sieved flour in 3 batches. Mix well with a thick tablespoon (do not use electric beater at this stage) until well combined and without any lumps (till smooth and creamy).

Finally add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and mix well with a thick tablespoon.

Final procedure:

Transfer this cake mixture (3/4^th level of the pan) into a greased baking pan - ring, square or round (or paper lined) or loaf pan.  Spread evenly with a spatula, and bake at 180 * C or 350 * F for 30 - 35 minutes or till golden brown or till a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean / leaves from the sides of the pan. Keep aside to cool for one hour.

Run a knife round inside of the pan to loosen the cake, and then invert the pan. Once it reaches normal room temperature, cover cake gently with a butter paper / cling film / aluminium foil and store in a refrigerator for minimum 2 hours or overnight. Then it will be very easy to make perfect slices.

Cake cutting tip:

Heat a knife first before cutting a cake for crumble-free slices. To heat the knife, you can run the knife under very hot water (or heat knife directly in a gas flame) then wipe dry with a clean towel.

Besan Pakkavada

Besan Pakkavada - A tasty deep fried (crispy and crunchy too) snack  in Indian cuisine. Best with tea /coffee !!!

Makes: 150 -   160 g

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure  gram flour and water

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) besan (gram flour/ kadalamaav / chone pittti)

2 tablespoon oil (30 ml)

1/2 teaspoon crushed ajwain (ayamodakam)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon asafoetida  (hing / kaayam)

½ teaspoon pepper powder

½ cup cup water (5 – 7 tablespoon)

Method

In a wide bowl, mix  besan ,  oil, crushed ajwain, pepper powder and hing.  Mix well with fingertips until well combined and it forms like soft bread crumbs. First start with less than ½ cup water and later adjust with remaining  1 – 2 tablespoon to make a medium soft dough. If it is too hard, it won’t come out from  the mould (difficult to press).

Put this dough in a murukku / chakali mould. Use pakavada achu / pakoda plate (with 4 slits / 2 slits) to make  pakkavada.

Heat oil in a wide kadai / frying pan and reduce heat to medium and wait for 1 minute. Fry directly in hot oil on a medium heat (between medium and low heat)  until light golden color and crisp on both the sides  in 2 - 3 batches (depending upon the size of the kadai / frying pan). It won't take much time for frying. Please keep a safe distance from  the gas stove / hot oil when frying / pressing with mould. Drain and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil and store in an airtight container.  Please use 2 – 3 paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve with tea / coffee ..

Paneer Paratha

Here's the recipe link of Paneer Paratha  !!!

Bhavnagari Gathiya (2nd recipe)

Bhavnagari Gathiya – A delicious snack, popular in Gujarat. Best with tea / coffee…

Ingredients

1 cup (120 g) besan (gram flour / kadala maav / chone pitti), sieve twice

½ teaspoon ajawain (ayamodakam), finely crushed

½ teaspoon pepper powder

¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

3 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cooking soda

¼ cup water (to knead)

250 ml oil (to deep fry)

Method

In a bowl, mix besan with ajwain, pepper powder and asafoetida.

In a small tadka pan, heat oil on a medium heat. Switch off the heat and add salt and cooking soda (This recipe step is very important. Please do not miss this).

Pour hot oil onto besan mix and rub in well (first mix it with a thick tablespoon. Later mix with fingertips until well combined).

Now add water (3 – 4 tablespoon) and make a soft dough. If the dough is medium hard and difficult to press,  remove from chakali press (mould) and sprinkle little more water (1 – 2 tablespoon). Make a soft and sticky dough.

Heat oil in a kadai and reduce heat to medium. Press through sev mould / chakali press / gathia maker ( disc with big hole ) directly into hot oil in 2 – 3 batches.  Fry till crisp and golden color. Drain out oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Store it in an airtight container. Best with tea / coffee.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer – A tasty side dish with rotis / pulao / parathas. This recipe is totally different from the gravy type palak paneer. Easy to prepare and very tasty too !!!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoon ginger – garlic paste

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 tomato, chopped

1 bunch spinach (wash, clean and finely chopped)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

200 g paneer (cottage cheese), cubed

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan / karahi on a medium heat.  Add thinly sliced onions and fry until golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and fry on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add diluted spice mix and mix well. Stir on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the water dries up.

Add chopped tomato, chopped  palak (spinach) and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes until spinach well cooked and tomatoes well blended. Do not add water to cook.

At this stage, add paneer cubes and garam masala powder. Mix well. Cover with a lid again and cook on a medium heat for another 5 – 7 minutes. Paneer will cook very fast. Check the texture of the paneer. If it’s soft and spongy, switch off the heat. Serve as side dish with rotis / pulao. Consume immediately.

Spring Roll Sheets available in Chennai

Spring roll sheets available in Chennai @ Star  Bazaar, Ampa Skywalk Mall. Price Rs 50 / 20 sheets. Samosa cover also available.

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani (New recipe )

Tip – Please use same measuring cup to measure rice and water

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

For the  chicken:

750 g chicken pieces, cut into medium size pieces

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

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

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil / ghee

3 cloves (optional)

3 cardamom

1 small bay leaf

1 stick cinnamon

3 onion, finely sliced

1 tablespoon thick  ginger – garlic paste

3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder (or 1 teaspoon for more spicy rice)

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1  teaspoon coriander powder

1 tomato, finely chopped (1 big size or 2 small size)

4 tablespoon finely chopped mint and coriander leaves (do not add thick stem)

Marinated chicken pieces

Extra 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 cup water (200 ml / 8 oz – Indian standard measuring cup) – to make chicken gravy

2 teaspoon lime juice (do not miss this ingredient)

2 cups (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)  Dawat basmati rice (3 ½ cups water required for 2 cups Dawat brand basmati rice) or 2 cups jeerakasala (Zeera zamba) rice (3 cups water required for 2 cups jeera rice

Raita / pickle for serving

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in  2 tablespoons  of water and keep aside (spice mix).

Wash and clean rice. Soak in 2 cups of water for half an hour. Drain out water completely.

Heat oil in a pan or karahi  (big size karahi)  on medium heat. Add whole spices (cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon) and fry on a low heat till fragrant.

Add sliced onions and fry till golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and stir well for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add diluted spice powder and mix well for 2 minutes until the water dries up.

Add chopped tomato and fry well for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add chopped mint and coriander leaves, marinated chicken pieces, garam masala powder, 1 cup water and adjust salt to taste (or 1 teaspoon).. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 25 minutes until 3/4^th done (In India, normal cooking time for broiler chicken is 30 – 40 minutes. Popular brands are  Suguna and Venky’s brand).

Once you add the marinated chicken, note down the timing.

At this stage (until 3/4^th done) open the lid and check quantity of the gravy (Switch off the heat. Carefully remove chicken pieces from the gravy and measure the gravy. It may be 1 to 1 ¼ cup.

Now transfer chicken pieces, gravy (1 cup gravy), lime juice, drained rice and 2 ½ cups water (add water as per the variety of  rice. 3 ½ cups  water required for  Dawat and 3 cups water required for jeerakasala rice. 1 cup gravy + 2 1/2 cups water)

Adjust salt if required.

Cover again and cook on a medium to low heat for another 15 – 20 minutes or until done / rice cooked well and water dries up.  Stir occasionally. Serve with raita / pickle / korma..