Spicy Chicken Curry

Spicy Chicken Curry

Serves: 4

You will need

500 g chicken, cut into medium size pieces
1 tablespoon oil
4 onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoon ( 30 g ) ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tomatoes ( well ripe ), finely chopped
2 spring curry leaves
1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

For coconut paste:

75 g coconut, grated
8 - 10 dried red chillies
3 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon peppercorns

Method

For coconut paste:

In an iron kadai, dry roast grated coconut, dried red chillies, coriander seeds and pepper corns till golden color and fragrant ( approximate roasting time 20 minutes on a low to medium heat and stir continuously ). Then make a very smooth paste in a mixer. Add 2 - 3 tablespoon water while making paste. Keep aside.

Final preparation:

Wash and clean chicken pieces and drain out water thoroughly.

Heat oil in a wide kadai / frying pan. Add finely sliced onions and fry till golden color.

Add ginger - garlic paste and saute for 3 - 4 minutes or till the raw smell goes.

Add turmeric powder and stir well.

Add chopped tomatoes, curry leaves and mix well.

Add chicken pieces, coconut paste and salt to taste. Stir continuously for 2 - 3 minutes. Do not add water.

Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 35 - 40 minutes or until done and gravy thickens / fragrant. Stir occasionally.

Serve with Rotis / Appam / Rice / Pulao ....

Citrus fruit peeler

Citrus fruit peeler

The other day I spotted this small but useful gadget in our neighborhood store. This device is very helpful to peel citrus fruits like orange, sweet lemon etc ... Wear this on one finger and run it over the citrus fruit. This is much safer than using a kitchen knife as there is no possibility of injury ( Rs12/ 1 packet ).

How to cook perfect Pasta ?

How to cook perfect Pasta ?

Cook pasta according to the direction shown on the packet.

Always cook pasta in a larger pan, with lots of boiling water - it will never stick.

Never, never overcook pasta. It should be just firm enough for you to bite into it - the term for this is ‘’ al dente’’. Fresh pasta rises to the top of the pan in just about a minute - and that’s a sign it’s done.

Rinse pasta in boiling water or cold water after you cook, so that extra starch is washed away.

Always drain pasta in the colander once it’s cooked.

Preservation tip for leafy vegetable ( Spinach, Methi leaves ... )

Preservation tip for leafy vegetable ( Spinach, Methi leaves .... )



If you found a fresh bunch of leafy vegetable in the market someday, but not in a position to prepare it the same day, here is a tip ( this is an age old practice - nothing new ) to help you preserve the freshness overnight.

Keep the vegetable in cool room with its ro...ots immersed in water ( see the photo ). The freshness can be retained overnight.

Idichakka thoran, Gidgi Gashi and Cheera thoran

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