Egg masala

This is my mom's recipe. i used to enjoy my lunch in school days if this was a day's menu.
It is so simple, very quick and easy to prepare with minimal set of ingredients.
it goes well with rice and also dosai or chapathi.
Ingredients:
Eggs - 2 boiled  and deshelled.
To make a paste
1.Coconut - 2 or 3 pieces
2. Red chillies - 3
3. Pepper - 1 tsp
4.Garlic - 1 big pod
5.Cumin/jeera - 1/2 tsp
6. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
make a smooth paste with the above ingredients.
7. Curry leaves
8. Refined oil - 3 tsp
9. gingelly oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Grind together the items 1 to 6 in to a smooth paste.
once the eggs are boiled, deshell them and cut them in to two vertical halfs.
Heat oil in a kadaai, add the curry leaves and then the paste.
add some salt and saute until the raw smell goes off. add some more water and bring in to boil and add gingelly oil and then wait until it turns in to a thick gravy.
place the eggs on the gravy and it is all done.
so simple right. serve it with rice and chicken fry would be an awesome combo for the same.

Nandu Pirattal/Crab Masala

CRAB MASALA

Ingredients:
1.Crab - 3 or 4(cut and cleaned)
2. onion - 1
3.tomato - 1
4.coconut - 1 small piece
5. garlic - 3 pods
6.red chilli - 5
7.fennel seeds - 1/2tsp
8. poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp
9.cumin - 3/4 tsp
10. cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
11.curry leaves - 1 spring

12.oil - 1 tbsp
13.salt to taste
14. pepper powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Clean the crab thoroughly removing the yellow part from its body. generally a good crab should be with sky blue patterns all over it body. which on cooking turns in to an attractive orange colour. though the flesh inside this exo skeleton is meagre.. it is very rich in taste.
here we go with the method...
on a kadai.. just with a drop of oil, fry red chilli, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and cumin until they get roasted. then grind all of these with a piece of coconut to a coarse paste.
mean while, saute the onions and garlic and tomato until they become soft.
grind it in the mixer to a smooth, fine paste.
Now take a bigger vessel/kadai and add oil, then the curry leaves and let it splutter.
add the masala which is ready. stir well with salt til the raw smell goes away.
add some more water to it and bring it to boil.
once it comes to a gravy consistency add the cleaned crab pieces, stir well and cook it covered.
all the blue shell will turn in to a combination on white and crimson.add the pepper powder and let the masala get coated over the crab and leave until the oil separates from the dish. it is such a great remedy for cold.
tastes best as a starter and also with hot rice.

Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew


Ingredients:
1. Mutton - 250 gms
2.Onion - 1
3. tomato - 1
4. green chilli - 4
5. cinnamon - one stick
6. bay leaf - 1
7. star aniseed - 2 pcs
8. coriander powder - 1 tsp
9.coconut milk - 1 cup(thick first pressed milk)
10.potato - 1(skin peeled out)
11. oil - 2tsp
12. Ghee - 2tsp
14. curry leaves - 1 spring
15. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsps
16. Cashews - 3 to 4 nos(soak and grind it to a paste)


                               
Method:
Cut the mutton in to small bite sized pieces and clean it well
peel the skin away from the potato and cut it in to cubes. onion and tomato should also be cut in to large cubes.
heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add the curry leaves, green chillies and cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, star aniseed etc and then followed by onion. saute for 2 mins and then add the mutton and saute well and add the ginger garlic paste and salt and saute well.
then add the coriander powder and mix.
then add the cubed tomatoes, saute for few more mins and then add water to it and pressure cook for 3 whistles in high flame and then place it in simmer flame for about 10 mins and turn off.
after the steam goes off add the cashew paste and the coconut milk and place in heat for 5 mins. add coriander leaves and turn off the stove.
It is delicious to be eaten with Idiyappam or Aapam or dosai....

Fish Fry

Fish fry



Ingredients:


1.Seer fish - 250 gms
2.red chilli powder - 2 tsp
3.jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
4.coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
5.pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6.ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
7. salt - 1/2 tsp
8. rice flour - 1/2 tsp
9. lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
10. few spoons of water
11. oil to shallow fry.

Method:

Clean the Seer fish, rub the skin well to get rid off the

slimmery nature of the fish.

Mix the ingredients from 2 to 10 to a consistency of a

smooth paste. heat oil on a pan, shallow fry the pieces in

small groups.

The reason for adding rice flour is it makes the fish fry

crispy even if it is not deep fried..

Prawns/Shrimp Fry - Eeraal Varuval

Prawns Fry - Eeraal varuval

Ingredients:

1.Prawns - 200 gms( deshelled, deveined)

2.saunf - 1/4 tsp

3.curry leaves - 1 spring
4.green chillies -2 (cut in to small pieces)

5.onion -1

6. garlic - 2 to 3 pods

7.chilli powder - 1 tsp

8.coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

9. tamarind juice - 4 tsps

10. oil - 5 tsps
11.salt
12.pepper powder- 1/2 tsp


Method:


Clean prawns by de shelling, de veining and washing them thoroughly.
Chop onion and garlic finely. now heat a kadai and add oil then saunf, curry leaves green chillies and then onion and garlic.saute well, add salt chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
Add a little bit of water and after the raw smell goes away, add the tamarind juice. once it looks like a gravy, add the cleaned prawns, stir as the mixture gets coated over the prawns and cook it covered.

After the shrimp gets rounded, add pepper powder and mix once. leave it until the oil separates and masala gets adhered to the shrimp. yummy prawns stir fry is all set to eat and enjoy...

Creamy Macroni and Chicken

Ingredients:

1.Macroni - 1 cup(any shape)

2. olive oil - 2tbsp
3. butter - 2 tsp

4. garlic - 4 pods (minced)

5. onion - 1

6. capsicum - 1

7. tomato -1

8. coriander leaves - 1 bunch(chopped)

9. origano seasoning - 1 tsp.

10. salt

11. fresh cream - 3 tbsp

12. milk - 1/2 cup

13. cream cheese - 2tsp.

14.chicken - cut in to cubes

15. green chillies - 4 ( chopped in to small rings).

Method:

Boil water in a vessel, once it comes to boil, add the macroni. add a tsp of oil. wait until it is cooked and add few pinches of salt and drain water. take care that it doesnt stick together.

cut chicken in to cubes. marianade it in salt ginger garlic paste and curd and garam masala powder and black pepper. shallow fry on a tava and keep it aside.

cut onion, tomato and capsicum to cubes.

on a cooking pan, heat olive oil and butter together, add chopped garlic,greenchilli,onion, tomato capsicum and coriander leaves and saute till it is half cooked. add add salt and 1/2 cup of milk to it, once milk comes to boil, add the fresh cream and mix it.

now add the cooked macroni add the cheese spread origano seasoning and cooked chicken.

stir once and its ready

Tomato Curry /Gojju

Ingredients:
1.Tomato - 3 nos
2.Big Onion - 1
3.Green chilli - 1
4.Garlic - 3 pods
5.Curry masala powder - 1 tsp
6.Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
7.Salt to taste
8.oil - 1 tbsp
9.Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10.coriander leaves -  1 small bunch

11. Curry leaves.

Method:
Chop the onion,then finely mince the tomato and garlic in the blender.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, curry leaves greenchilli, onion followed by tomato garlic, then add all the flavouring agents viz, salt, chilli powder and curry masala powder and sprinkle little water and stir occasionally. Add the chopped coriander leaves to it and mix. Let the oil separate it should become thick.
Can be served with Rice, Chapathis and Dosai too...
This would help during busy hours actually.

Raw Banana Masala - Vazhaikaai velur masala

Ingredients:
Raw Banana -1
Small Onion - 6 nos
Garlic - 4 pods
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
oil - 1 tbsp
salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Coriander leaves - 1 spring

Method:
Pound the Onion and garlic together until they become rough flakes and keep aside.
scrap the skin out of the banana, cut it in to triangular pieces and cook it for 10 mins immersed in water along with salt and drain the water.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and then the pounded garlic and onion, salt and chilli powder and saute until they get transparent. sprinkle water and get the masala consistency.. once it is getting thickened, add the cooked banana and stir and cook covered after adding the chopped coriander leaves and masala gets coated over it. serve with sambar rice/paruppu rice.
My dad has taught this recipe to my mom and i learnt it somehow. Appa always yaps off saying, no one can do it as good as him.. :P

Mutton Bones Soup

Its good for health and cools the body. Very important for increasing stamina after any illness is what i have heard about Mutton bones soup. The Bones on the Goat's Ribs have more fat, so we need to choose the other parts of the bones to prepare it.
it is actually so simple and so easy to prepare. As a starter it can be served before a nice meal too.
Ingredients:
1.Mutton bones - 200 gms
2.curry leaves - 1 spring
3.Small onion - 5 nos
4.garlic - 2 pods
5.jeera - 1/2 tsp
6.Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
7.pepper(full corns) - 1/2 tsp
8. Water - 2 Cups.
9.Castor oil - 1 tsp (Optional - it is manily used to cool the body)
10.Salt - to taste
Instead of plain water, you can use the water that has been drained after washing the rice.
it increases the thickness of the soup also enhances the taste. Tomatoes can be added if necessary. it will increase the sourness. i have not added it.

   

Method:
Before cooking rice, wash and drain the water and during the 2nd wash take 2 cups and keep aside.
Grind together,onion, Garlic, jeera, curry leaves to a fine paste.
wash the bones with water and little bit of turmeric powder and on a Pressure cooker, place the bones, add the grinded paste, add full pepper, salt and castor oil and the rice washed water and turmeric powder and pressure cook on medium flame for a span of 20 mins until the bones gets cooked completely.
open and serve hot before the meal. its a good appetizer.

Hot Rice Crisps - Kaara pori

Its a good tea time snack, i would say. i have seen this from the vendors in road side.
which may actually be unhygenic at times. it can be prepared at home in a zify..
How nice it would be.... On a rainy lazy sunday evening, sitting besides the window, watching all pitter patter rain drops, sipping the hot tea, crunchy kaara pori to add more joy.... mhhhaaaaaa.... it has been so long since i had seen rain here at my place. Am waiting for one damn good rain. Bangalore has never been this hot before. One entire night shower would actually cool down the city.
ok lets get back to Biz. here goes the recipe.......
Ingredients:
Rice crisps - 1 cup
coconut oil - 2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 spring
ground nuts - 1 hand ful.(preferrably skin peeled off)
salt - to taste
chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garlic - 1 (crushed).

Method:
Heat coconut oil in a kadaai, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, garlic and the ground nuts and once all of them splutters add the rice crisps and mix, add a little chilli powder and salt and let it get spread evenly.
serve in paper cone with hot elachi tea.

Spicy Chilli Chutney

Kaara chutney

Week before last week, Kamal, Harshu and me went to chennai to our family friend's house. Had a Gala time playing with the little Baby Sahana. Harshu was very busy meddling things in the new place and we couldnt help but laughed when he was imitating all the sounds from the baby. We had a wonderful trip to pondicherry. me and my friend had prepared a tasty picnic breakfast, Idly Kaara chutney and Podi.
we found a small garden on the highway on the way to pondi. it was so relaxing, we had a homely breakfast and headed towards the Aurobindo Ashram.
Thanked Mother for Everything.
Ingredients:
Big Onion -1
Tomato - 1
Red Chilli -5
Garlic - 3 pods
Tamarind - 1 pinch sized ball.
Salt - To taste
Refined Oil - 3 tsp
Gingelly oil - 3 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 Spring.

Method:
Grind all the ingredients except oil and curry leaves and mustard seeds on the mixer to paste.
Heat a kadaai, add 3 tsps of refined oil, add mustard seeds after it splutters add the curry leaves and then the grinded paste and stir for a while. check for salt and add more if needed. Keep the stove in sim and cook it covered. keep stirring occasionally until it reaches a chutney consistency. Serve with Idly or Dosai.

Chettinad Chicken

Ingredients:

1.Chicken - 500 gms

2.small onion - 10

3.Tomato - 1

4.Curry leaves

5.Coriander leaves

6.Oil - 1tbsp

7.Salt to taste.

8.Green Chilli - 2
9.Lemon extract- fewdrops

To Grind:

1.Red Chilli - 5nos                              
2.Pepper- 1 tsp
3.Dry coriander seeds- 1 tbsp
4.Cinnamon- 1/2 inch stick
5.cloves - 1
6.elachi- 1
7.Jeera - 1/2 tsp
8.saunf - 1/2 tsp
9.Khus Khus - 1/2tsp
10.onion - 5snos
11.Garlic - 8 pods
12.Ginger -1inch

Method:
Wash and clean the chicken with turmeric powder and water.(Chicken is Preferred with bone and skin,cut in to medium sized pieces),
Fry all the ingredients (1 to 9)mentioned under to Grind in a tsp of oil and make a fine powder.
Then on the same kadaai,fry the onion garlic and ginger with 2 drops of oil and add it to the mixer which contains the fine powder. run it until you obtain a smooth paste.
Now on a pressure pan, heat oil add curry leaves and green chilli and then the onion and tomato and saute well until it becomes soft and juicy. now add the washed and cleaned chicken and add salt and stir once.
Then add the masala paste made in to the cooking chicken.
stir fry for a while.
Now put in pressure for about 10 mins, this is to extract the fat out of the chicken, which enhances the taste.
once the steam is gone out, add coriander leaves and few drops of lemon and serve hot with rice or parottas or dosai or chapathi..
trust me, who ever had this have commented it to be so yummy....

Chicken 65

There are several commercial Chicken 65 powders available in the market.but u can prepare it very well usinig the simple ingredients at home too.i had added a few ingredients and also used the chicken 65 powder to a minimal amount.Sakthi chilli chicken masala is actually the perfect blend of all spicecs. i had included a little bit of red chilli powder along with powdered cloves, elachi and cinnamon and start aniseed.
I remember mom used to prepare such a masala, boil the chicken with it and then deep fry it. i am not really fond of deep fried items. instead of it i use just 3 or 4 tsps of oil in a nonstick pan.
For Chicken Drum stick kinda pieces, i pressure the marianated mixture for a span of 10 mins and then fry the content on the non stick pan. okie.... i guess we are good to go.

Ingredients:
1.Chicken - 500 gms
2.Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
3.clove - 2
4.Elachi -2
5.cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick.
6.star anisee - 1
7.Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
8.Curd - 1 tbsp
9. Salt to taste
10.oil - 3 to 4 tsp
11.Food colour - red - 1 pinch (if needed).
12.Lemon - 1/2 rind.
Method:
Fry the ingredients from 3 to 6 without oil and make a fine powder, then add the ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder and the curd and beat it in the mixer to make a smooth mixture. Wash and clean the chicken, on a bowl marianate the chicken with the mixture, salt, lemon juice and food colour for about an hour.
If the chicken pieces are big, you can pressure cook the mixture for 10 mins and it would give out all the fat.. added benifit for us, you can use even more less oil.
Heat a frying pan,add oil after it has got heated, add the chicken and cook it covered for a while to avoid splashing of the masala and then let the masala get coated over the chicken.simmer the stove and get it roasted.
Ready to relish..

Vegetable Gravy

Veg Kuruma

Ingredients

1.Vegetables - 1 cup( Carrot,Beans,Green peas, Potatoes)

2.Onion - 1

3.Tomato - 1

To  Grind  
4.Coconut - 3 to 4 pieces

                                            5.Green chillies - 4

                                            6.Curry masala powder - 1 tsp

                                            7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp

                                            8.Garlic - 3 pods

                                            9.Ginger - 1/2 inch

                                           10.chick peas - 1 tbsp

                                      ----------------------------------

                                           11.Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

                                           12.Curry leaves

                                           13.Mustard Seeds

                                           14.Oil - 2 tbsp.

                                           15.Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and cut the vegetables, peel the potato and cut to equal size and keep aside

chop the onion and Tomato.

Grind the ingredients under To Grind and make a smooth paste.

On a Pressure cooker, heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves and onion tomato and saute till it becomes well cooked. then add the vegetables, add salt. Then add the masala paste made, add water required for cooking and pressure cook for 10 mins. add coriander leaves and serve with hot chapathis.

Quick Chicken Gravy

Ingredients
1.Chicken - 250 gms (bones, skin, liver etc)
2.Big onion -1
3.Tomato -1
4.ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
5.Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
6.Coriander powder - 1 tsp
7.Curry masala powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Kulambu milagai thool - 1 tsp(optional - it can be used instead of the chilli powder and coriander powder combination)
9.Coconut - 2 pieces
10.Coriander leaves - small bunch
11.Curry leaves - 1 spring
12. oil - 2tsp.
13.Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
14.Salt as required.

Method:
Clean the chicken and wash it thoroughly with water & turmeric powder and keep aside.
Heat a Kadaai with a tsp of oil, add onion and tomatoes(made in to four pieces),ginger garlic paste, coconut and saute well. let this cool for a while and make a smooth paste on the mixer.
Now on a pressure pan, heat oil add Curry leaves once it splutters, add the masala paste made just a little while ago.saute for a minute and then add the cleaned and washed chicken and stir fry. add the salt,chilli powder, coriander powder and curry masala powder and kulambu milagai thool and mix well. once the nice aroma comes add the chopped coriander leaves and let the oil separate a little. now add little water until the chicken gets immersed and put in pressure for 10 mins and turn off the stove.
It can be served with Biriyani and also plain rice or rotis, parotta etc.

Bitter gourd Fry

Ingredients:

1.Bitter gourd - 1(Big paaharkaai also called as Komban paaharkaai)

2.Big onion - 1 (Finely chopped)

3.Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

4.Salt - 2 tsp

5.Curry leaves
6.Oil - 2tsp.
                                            7 .Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
                                            8.Lemon - 1/2 rind.

                                            9.Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Method:
Clean and cut the bittergourd to half circles. soak it in water for half an hour adding 1/2 tsp of salt to it..
Then drain the water and keep aside.(This is to remove the excessive bitterness)
In a kadaai, heat oil, add mustard seeds curry leaves and the chopped onion.saute well till the onion turns golden brown. now add the bittergourd soaked in salt water and stir a little
Add red chilli powder and cook it covered after sprinkling some water on to it.
once the vegetable becomes soft and well cooked. add another tsp of oil and try to get it well fried.

towards the end add few drops of lemon juice and the grated coconut and stir fry for 2 more mins and turn off the stove..

It is an excellent side dish for Paruppu rice and rasam. i simply love it.

as i could remember i had plenty of bittergourd during my pregnancy. had a craving for this vegetable..

funny isnt it..

it may not be many people's favourite. but i personally like the taste of it.

hope u also would like it.

Bottle gourd masala (suraikaai) kootu

Ingredients:

1.Bottle guard - 1

2.Small onion - 5 nos(finely chopped).

3. To Grind:
   Coconut - 2 pieces
   Jeera - 1/2 tsp
   Saunf - 1/2 tsp
   Green Chillies - 2

   Garlic - 1 pod

4.Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

5.oil - 2 tsp

6.Curry leaves - 1 spring

7.Mustard seeds - 1 tsp(along with begal gram - Kaduku ulundu)

Method:

Clean and cut the bottle guard to small pieces. on a vessel. boil it with sufficient water along with turmeric powder and salt until its well cooked.
In the mean time grind together all the ingredients under To Grind to a fine smooth paste and pour it on to the boiled vegetable mixture and mix well. Check if the consistency is not too watery and it should be like kootu.
now on a kadai, heat oil, fry mustard seeds, curry leaves and transfer it to the cooked vegetable kootu. mix a little bit . it can be served as a side dish for rice when eaten with kaara kulambu and also with chapathis.

Fresh Sandwich

These are Harshu's baby buns, i flicked a few from his quota and
i tried using them for this fresh veggie sandwich. he was very well attracted by the colour of green pepper and tomatoes. but still gotta grow up to grab his sandwich.

Ingredients:

1.Buns - 4 (preferrably non sweet and burger buns can be used.)

2.onion slices

3.Capsicum slices
4.Tomato slices

5.Cheese slices

6.Cream cheese or butter (i had used amul cheese - Pepper punch)

Method:

Cut the buns to halves and apply butter or cream cheese on the inner sides.place a cheese slice on either of the inner corners.arrange onion slices, tomato slices and capsicum slices.

heat in the microwave for 60 seconds.serve it with tomato or chilli sauce.

Coconut Burfi

Wish you all a Happy New Year 2010

Ingredients:
1.Coconut - 1
2.Sugar - 4 to 5 Tbsp
3.Elachi powder - 3/4 tsp
4.Ghee - 3 Tbsp
5.Cashew - 6 nos ( fried and broken)

Method:
Grate the Coconut.
Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and fry the coconut till the moisture vanishes.
remove the coconut from the flame and transfer it to another vessel.
Heat the Sugar immersed in water on the vessel and keep stirring until it reaches the syrup consistency.
now add the coconut to it and mix well and stir frequently, add ghee and elachi powder, cashews and check if the mixture has reached a little tighter state.
Grease a plate with ghee and spread it on the plate and cut them in to square shaped pieces.
separate the pieces after it is cooled and store them on an airtight container.

Meen Kulambu / Fish Curry

Ingredients
1.Fish - 1/2 Kg(Preferrably Vanjiram - King Fish)
2.Small Onion - 15 to 20 nos
3.Tomato - 2
4.Tamarind - 1 marble sized
5.Coconut - 4 pieces
6.Green Chilli - 2
7.Saunf - 1/4 tsp
8.Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
9.Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
10.Kulambu milagai podi - 2tbsp
11.Chilli powder - 1 tsp
12.Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
13.Refined oil - 3 tsp
14.Gingelly oil - 2tsp.
15.Salt as required.
16.Curry leaves - 1 spring.

Precooking steps:
1.Grind together 5 to 6 small onions with the coconut in to fine paste.
2.Cut the remaining onions to long finley sliced pieces.
3.Clean the fish with rock salt and water neatly.
4.finely chop the tomatoes too.
5.Extract the tamarind juice.

Method:
Heat refined oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek, saunf once it splutters, add green chilli and curry leaves.
then the onion and cook until it becomes transparent and soft, now add the tomatoes and salt as required and cook till it becomes a well blended mixture, then add the kulambu milagai thool, red chilli powder and coriander
powder and the tamarind juice and coconut paste and sufficient water and bring it to boil.
While it is boiling add the gingelly oil, when the gravy becomes thick, add the cleaned fish pieces and cook it covered for few mins.
fish gets cooked very soon. Now it is ready to serve with rice.