Egg Coconut Milk Curry
I used to always wonder how eggs would taste with coconut milk, weather the combination would work or not!! I read that it is one of the dishes in Kerala cuisine and felt I must try this sometime. The result was awesomely amazing and I hope you all like it too. Let me also mention here that this is my version of it. Here goes the recipe.....
Ingredients
6 eggs boiled and peeled
These ingredients need to be sauteed in coconut oil or any oil of your choice and ground to a fine paste
3 onions roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
Few mint leaves
Some grated ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper corns
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
This to be added later
2 tomatoes pureed freshly, store bought puree will change the taste
Lastly you add coconut milk as required and salt
Method
In a pan take some oil and saute the ingredients to be ground to a paste, once the paste leaves oil, add pureed tomatoes, cook till done, add the eggs and give it a nice boil, now add coconut milk and salt, keep for a while on low flame. Once done, sprinkle some coriander freshly chopped, it is ready to serve with rice, roti, appam, malabar parathas.
Baby Bitter Gourd With Gram Flour
An interestingly appealing dish, when I first saw it I was a little apprehensive, but anyway, I thought it was a must try recipe. Tasted yummy and different. So here goes the way of making it.
Ingredients
6 baby bitter gourds, seeds removed and boiled in salt water for about five minutes and drained
This to be added as the last step
1/2 cup Bengal gram flour, slow dry roast till it leaves an aroma, kept aside
For roasting and making into a powder you need
2 tbsp of sesame seeds
1/2 cup grated dry coconut
1/2 cup peanuts
3 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
1 tspn raw mango powder
Method
First stuff the masala in each bitter gourd, then in a kadhai take some coconut oil, add the bitter gourds, roast them for sometime, add the remaining ground powder, saute for a while, once done well, add the bengal gram flour and mix well, lastly add a little water to make a semi dry dish. Cook covered till the rawness goes away.
Serve garnished with coriander leaves. Good with roti, phulka and bhakri too.
Masala Paneer
A spicy dish which goes well with roti and phulka. A little different ingredients have been used, made with my experi-mental method. Here goes my recipe. Use fresh paneer for the best results.
Ingredients
300 gms of fresh paneer made into medium sized cubes
For roasting and grinding (batch 1)
2 tspns of sunflower seeds
2 tspns of poppy seeds
1/2 cup grated dry coconut
3 cloves
1/2 tspn black pepper
In a pan take very little oil and roast all the above ingredients, cool and grind them to a smooth powder, keep ready
For sauteing and grinding (batch 2)
3 medium sized onions chopped into thin long slices
6 garlic cloves
1 inch of ginger roughly chopped
A handful of mint leaves (I use home grown ones or have them stored frozen too)
In the pan take a little oil, fry each ingredient one after the other, like first the garlic, next the mint, then the ginger and lastly the onions. Saute till brown golden and grind to a smooth paste, keep ready
For grinding (batch 3)
3 medium sized tomatoes
1 tspn of chilli powder
Grind to a puree and keep ready
Method
In a pan take some oil, add the batch 1 powder, saute for a bit till the aroma comes, add the batch 2 paste and cook till the masala gives out aroma, now add the tomato puree, mix and stir till the tomatoes are cooked well. Add salt and paneer at this stage, care to be taken while adding salt since some store paneers have added salt. Stir and mix well, no need to cook for too long since all the ingredients are well cooked. Add water if you feel the gravy is too thick. Your dish is ready to be served with some phulkas or rotis.
Raw Mango Rice
A tangy, nutty flavorful rice delicacy which is made in many South Indian and Maharashtrian homes as a breakfast, lunch or dinner dish.
Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice, cooked in such a way that each grain is separate, once cool mix 1/2 medium sized raw mango grated , salt as required, a pinch of sugar. Mixing with a gentle hand is the best.
For the tempering
2 tspn coconut oil
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
Turmeric powder
3 green chillies chopped
Some curry leaves
A tsp of split black gram lentil
A handful of groundnuts
1/2 cup freshly scraped coconut
Method
In a pan take some coconut oil, add mustard seeds wait for them to splutter, add little turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, add the lentil, groundnuts, saute till crisp, add the chillies, now add the rice and mix well, add the coconut just two minutes before putting the flame off. Mix well, garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve as is or with the summer special mango pickle.
Sprouted Whole Green Gram Curry
A curry that is a favourite of all in my family. This one is specially for the garlic lovers. It is my experi- mental one, for the love of garlic. Made with garlic chives and topped with the tender garlic cloves, these have an amazing taste and aroma!! Here goes the recipe......
Ingredients
200 gms of whole green gram soaked for 8 hours, water drained, transferred to a thick cloth, tied and kept to sprout in a covered bowl for 24 hours
1 bunch of garlic chives(cloves kept aside) chopped fine
1 tsp chilli powder
3 pods of kokum or amsol
Salt to taste
Method
Remove the sprouts from the cloth, transfer to a vessel, add just enough water, pressure cook to two whistles.
In a pan take some oil, add the chopped garlic chives, saute till done, add sprouts, all the above mentioned ingredients, add water as per your liking, I have made it semi dry ( not too watery but moist) Bring to a boil, add chopped coriander.
For the topping, take a small kadhai with oil in it, fry the garlic cloves till golden crisp and put them on the curry just before serving.
Cashew Curry
A typical coastal summer curry when raw cashews are abundant in the markets. A little late in the day but hope you do enjoy making this, Can be made y soaking dry cashews in warm water for an hour or so. This is my version of the tasty curry which I eat, the one I absolutely relish is always from a restaurant at Bengaluru. My folks always make sure that I eat this on every visit:)
Ingredients
200 gms raw cashews, put them in warm water for an hour and peel them
To roast and grind
2 onions finely chopped
1/2 cup dry coconut freshly scraped
2 tspns of poppy seeds
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 an inch of chopped ginger
2 cloves
A small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tspn of sunflower seeds
To be added later
1/2 tsp shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
1 tsp of chilli powder
2 large tomatoes, pureed
2 pieces of kokum pods( add later)
Salt to taste
Method
In a pan take a bit of coconut oil, roast poppy seeds, sunflower seeds and remove them in the mixi jar, now roast the rest of the ingredients from the roasting section, add all into the mixi jar, make a smooth paste and keep ready. Now in the same pan add a bit more oil and add the shahi jeera let it splutter, add the ground paste, saute till it leaves oil, add tomato puree,chilli powder, kokum pieces,
salt as per taste and let the raw smell vanish. Now add the peeled cashews, add water as required to make a thick curry and let it come to a boil. Serve garnished with fresh coriander and roti. tastes best with chapatis with a dash of ghee on them.
Parsley Potato Cheese Patties
A starter dish made with lots of parsley which I have come to love with time. I never anytime knew the actual taste of herbs till I started exploring and experimenting different cuisines. Though coriander was an important garnish in all our food from childhood, I never relished it as I am doing now. I realise the medicinal qualities as well as the taste it gives to a dish. Another such herb I have come to admire is the fresh crisp parley. Just love the pungent taste and the aroma in each bite. When the other day I came across some real fresh leaves I thought of making the Patties with the goodness of the herb. Hoping that all of you enjoy making this and savoring it too like I did!!
Ingredients
4 potatoes pressure cooked, peeled and grated
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used Kraft Cheese)
1 cup freshly chopped parsley
Salt to be added carefully since cheese has salt in it
2 tsp of black pepper powder
2 tsp of flour of corn (makke Ka Atta)
Method
In a mixing bowl take all the ingredients and mix to make a dough. Make small equal sized balls and just press them between your palms to make patties. On a pan drizzle some oil, roast on both sides drizzling oil to make golden crisp patties. Serve as they are since they are well flavored or with sauce, green chutney the choice is yours.
Mirchi Ka Salan
One of my favourite dishes which is made with my favourite ingredient..The green chilli!! Extremely tasty curry, an excellent accompaniment to a meal. It is made with chillies with less heat so can be easily eaten as a normal curry. Here goes my version of it.
Ingredients
8 green chillies of big and less spicy variety, slit in between (remove the stalk or let it be as per your choice)
2 onions finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup grated dry coconut, dry roasted
1/4 cup sesame seeds, dry roasted
1/4 cup groundnuts roasted peeled (I used the powder which i had already made)
1 tspn kashmiri chilli for colour, you can adjust as per your taste
1 tsp aamchur
Method
First take the groundnuts, coconut and sesame seeds, grind them to a dry powder without adding water, keep ready
Saute the chillies in little oil, sprinkled with a little salt and some water (cook covered till almost done) keep ready
In the same pan take some oil add turmeric powder,chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and cook till golden, add tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, aamchur, cook till mushy and then add the sauted chillies, mix well add the powdered ingredients, add enough water to make a curry, garnish with chopped coriander, and serve with roti or phulka.
Cauliflower, Peas And Capsicum
A very simple preparation with minimal ingredients giving taste to your meal. Can be eaten with roti and phulka. Here goes my recipe.....
Ingredients
1 cauliflower, chopped into small florets (I use the leaves too)
1 cup green peas
2 capsicums chopped fine
1 tomato chopped fine
2 tspns of ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp of chilli powder
1/4 tspn of turmeric powder
1 tbsp grated raw mango
Method
In a pan take some oil, add turmeric powder, add the chopped capsicum with a little salt, when this is almost done add ginger garlic paste, saute till the raw smell disappears. Now add tomatoes and stir till done, this stage add peas and the cauliflower, salt as per taste, chilli powder and leave it covered to get done in its own juices. keep stirring in between, when almost done add the raw mango and let it cook for more time. Cook only till the florets are still firm and have absorbed all colours from the spices. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Cauliflower, Peas And Capsicum
A very simple preparation with minimal ingredients giving taste to your meal. Can be eaten with roti and phulka. Here goes my recipe.....
Ingredients
1 cauliflower, chopped into small florets (I use the leaves too)
1 cup green peas
2 capsicums chopped fine
1 tomato chopped fine
2 tspns of ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp of chilli powder
1/4 tspn of turmeric powder
1 tbsp grated raw mango
Method
In a pan take some oil, add the chopped capsicum with a little salt, when this is almost done add ginger garlic paste, saute till the raw smell disappears. Now add tomatoes and stir till done, this stage add the cauliflower, salt as per taste, chilli powder and leave it covered to get done in its own juices. keep stirring in between, when almost done add the raw mango and let it cook for more time. Cook only till the florets are still firm and have absorbed all colours from the spices. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Stuffed Chilli
This is a dish that can be eaten either as a starter or an accompaniment in the main course. The slight heat of the chilli and the creamy sour stuffing makes it a delight on the palate. Here goes the way I made it..
Ingredients
8-10 big chillies, slit in the middle, seeds removed to be kept for use in the stuffing
For the stuffing
100 gms of paneer
Seeds removed from the chilli
Dry mango powder
Crushed green chillies as per taste
Salt as required, check if there is salt already in the paneer
Finely chopped coriander
Take all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well
Method
Stuff each chilli with stuffing just enough so it does not come out while roasting. Heat a pan, keep the chillies in it, drizzle oil and roast on all sides. They are now ready to be served with roti or curd rice.
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Kashmiri Tamatar Paneer
An amazingly tasty dish that has colour taste and flavours, it has many versions to it. The are many recipes where no onion garlic is used in Kashmiri cuisine. The flavours that dominate here are cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms of both the variety. The colour has to be a deep red with the Kashmiri chilli and the taste, spicy. Amount of oil used is also a little more than we would normally use. So here goes my version of the recipe.
Ingredients
200 gms of paneer chopped into cubes, shallow fried lightly and put in a bowl of water
6 tomatoes pureed
1 piece of cinamon, 4 cloves and 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, mortar pestled
1 tspn of ginger powder
2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp of fennel powder
1 tspn of garlic paste
Salt to taste
In a pan take oil of your choice, I used mustard oil. Add the tomato puree saute till it leaves the sides of the pan and then add the rest of the aromatics, stir to mix well and add the paneer. The gravy needs to be only made of tomato so no water to be added. Can be savoured with parathas, phulkas or any kind of roti.
Kabuli Chana With A Twist
The chick pea curry is usually made in the Punjabi way, I have tried another way of making it. hope you enjoy making and eating it this way. So here comes my recipe...
Ingredients
1)
200 gms of chick peas or kabuli chana, soaked overnight and pressure cooked to 2 whistles with a pinch of soda and salt as per need, kept ready
2)
The ingredients below to be ground to a fine paste
2 chopped onions
1/2 cup freshly scraped coconut
1/2 an inch of chopped ginger
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tspn of black pepper corns
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/4 tspn of fenugreek or methi seeds
3)
1 large tomato and 1 tspn of chilli powder to be pureed and kept ready
1 tspn chana masala powder, I used everest
Method
In a pan take some oil, I used coconut oil but you can use any oil of your choice. Add the ground paste,stir and cook till it leaves the sides of the pan, now add the pureed tomato and chilli powder, salt to be added discreetly since we added salt while cooking the chick peas. Saute till the rawness of the tomatoes disappears, add chana masala powder. Cook for sometime. Add water if needed only. Garnish with coriander, eat with poori or paratha, freid chilli, tomato and onion roundels.
Mix Fruit Poori
This post is a total dedication to my grandmother whom we called Akka lovingly, who was an excellent cook. We all loved the savories and the sweets made by her. Not only family but even friends would vouch for this. She will be always loved and missed. The memory goes... in my house the fruits which were bought would get all over when freshly bought and then a lone fruit would lie uneaten even after several pleas from her to finish it off. She would finally get fed up and mix some flour and semolina in it and make sweet rotis from it. This would just be polished off within minutes loaded with smear of fresh home made clarified butter...ghee...toop, call it what you want. The same happened with me too, 1 banana, 1 strawberry and 1 fig remained after all the rest were eaten. Then Akka came to my mind. Here comes my recipe with a little addition and a little indulgence!!
Ingredients
1 ripe banana, the big green variety mashed well
1 fig, grated
2 strawberries, the big variety, grated
1 tspn honey
A pinch of salt
2 tspn ghee
1/2 cup semolina
Whole wheat flour as required
Ghee or oil for frying, as per your wish
Method
In a mixing bowl take all the ingredients except the flour, mix all well, add flour bit by bit to make a firm dough for frying pooris. Do not keep the dough for long else it will get watery with the juices released. Now in a pan take either oil or ghee, heat it and make pooris like we would normally. The taste is awesome with the sweetness of the fruits and the little bites of the seeds from the strawberries and fig. These taste great as they are, better with a smear of ghee rolled, another option is to eat it with lemon pickle.
Lady Finger In Yogurt Marination
This is a dish which I watched on some cooking site and sorry to say that I forgot the name. Truly, the credit for this amazing preparation goes to that particular site. i tried it and loved it so sharing the recipe with you people. I felt it was very different and innovative. The recipe as below.
Ingredients
1)
250 gms of ladies finger chopped into medium sized pieces
1/2 cup of yogurt
2 tspn of ginger garlic paste
A pinch of salt
2)
2 onions finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
2 tsp of ginger garlic paste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dry mango powder
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Method
Marinate the chopped ladies finger in the ingredients given in 1) for about fifteen minutes and in apan take oil, add the marinated ladies finger, cook for about ten minutes and keep aside.
Now in a pan take oil and add the chopped onions, saute till golden, add ginger garlic, cook till the raw smell goes. Now add the ladies finger, chilli powder, dry mango powder, garam masala too. and cook till almost done, add salt carefully since there was salt in the marination. Add the tomatoes almost at the end and cook the vegetable for some more time, garnish with chopped coriander. Best eaten with pooris but you can eat with roti and parathas too.
Paneer Masala
A delicious cottage cheese curry, creamy, spicy and rich in taste. Great with roomali roti and naan. My recipe coming below.
Ingredients
a)
250 gms of malai paneer cut into small sized cubes and sauteed for just a bit and kept aside
b)
1/2 an inch of chopped ginger
10 garlic cloves
10 cashews
2 green chillies
4 onions chopped fine
2 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
8 peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
Fresh coriander for garnishing
c)
3 tomatoes
d)
1 tsp kasuri methi
3 tbsp of fresh cream
Method
In a pan take some oil and add the ginger, garlic, green chillies and cashews, saute till done, keep aside, now the onions and all the other spices mentioned need to be roasted well in the same pan, put all the above ingredients in a mixi jar to make a smooth paste remove and keep ready. In the same mixi jar take chopped tomatoes, make puree and keep aside.
In a pan take some oil, add the onion spices gravy, cook well, will not take too long since all the stuff has been roasted already, add the tomatoes, this will take a little time since it is raw, once cooked add the paneer, stir well, add the cream and the kasuri methi. Do not cook for too long because the paneer can tend to become rubbery. Your gravy is ready to be savoured now.
The Prasad
Prasad as it is called on the day of the Satyanarayan pooja. It is the halwa or the pudding made as an offering to the Lord. Made with lots of clarified butter and some aromatics. Here goes my mother's recipe. This one is never as good as the one she or my grandmom made...but keep trying is what one can do!!
2 cups of semolina roasted in half cup of clarified butter till it leaves an aroma and gets a lovely golden colour
2 cups milk
2 cups of sugar or as per your taste
4 green cardamoms freshly crushed
A few strands of saffron
1/2 nutmeg crushed
1 cup clarified butter for finishing off the dish
In a pan take three cups of water with the saffron, nutmeg and cardamom and keep it to boil, once it boils, add milk, it will soon boil, add the roasted semolina bit by bit stirring continuously to see that it does not form lumps. Once everything gets mixed well with no lumps, add sugar, let it cook after mixing well, add 1 cup clarified butter, let it cook a bit. Now add the rest of the clarified butter. Keep covered to cook well till the pudding or halwa leaves the pan and you can see the clarified butter. Now this is offered to the Lord garnished with roundels of banana and some holy basil leaves. This is eaten only after the pooja is done and that is why it called the prasad. Little is had after the pooja and then to your heart's content in your meal. Tastes too good with lime pickle.
