Farzana's Khara Kolambu

Ingredients:

Mochai/Eggplant/Okra etc

Pearl onion -1/2 cup

garlic 1/2 cup

tamarind - lemon size

chilli pd - 3 tsp

dhaniya - 1 tsp

jeera pd - 1 tsp

turmeric - 1/4 tsp

salt

To Season:

mustard

methi

jeera

curry leaves

oil

To Grind:

cilantro

curry leaves

tomato - 4

Method:

If using Mochai, cook it with salt and keep it aside.

Peel onion and garlic

Grind all the ingredients mentioned

in two cups water, soak tamarind and extract juice

In a pan, heat oil and fry all ingredients under season and onion and garlic.

Add the ground paste to this and fry.

Add chilli pd, dhaniya, jeer pd, turmeric and fry till raw smell goes.

Add tamarind juice, salt, mocha or any vegetable and boil till the raw smell goes.

Murukku

INGREDIENTS

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dal flour - 1/4 cup
Butter - 3 tblsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt and water As needed
Oil For deep frying


Method

1. I used store bought urad dal flour. So I slightly dry roasted(you can skip this too) in a pan with out changing its colour. Mix flours,butter (melted),oil,asafoetida,jeera,salt well and then add water to make a non sticky dough with no cracks.
2. Heat oil in kadai apparently, enough to deep fry the murukkus.Fill the murukku press with this dough with murukku hole plate. 
3. Cook both sides till the ‘Shhh’ sound ceases and murukku turn golden in colour. Drain in paper towel and cool down completely before storing them in airtight containers.

Tomato peanut chutney

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 1 cup
Tomatoes (ripe) - 1 cup (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Green chilies - 4
Coriander leaves - a small bunch
Red chili powder - ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric 1 tsp
Salt (to taste)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp.
Asafetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - a sprig
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the peanuts, remove the skin and powder them.
Heat oil and add the cumin seeds, chopped tomatoes, garlic flakes & green chilies.
Sauté till they become tender.
Add red chili powder, turmeric and salt.
Then again sauté for a minute.
Cool them.
Add this mixture, chopped coriander leaves, powdered peanuts in a blender and grind them by adding required salt.
Finally temper them.
Serves as a good side dish for idlis and dosas.

It took me about 30 mins to do this. Kind of long for a chutney :-)

Chettinad Eggplant with Cilantro (Kathirikkai Malli Pachadi)

Ingredients:

Brinjal-4 medium sized
Big onion-1 or small onions(10)
Tomato-1
Coriander leaves-a small bunch (1 cup cut Coriander leaves)
Sambar powder-1 teaspoon
Green chillies-2
Tamarind paste-1/2 teaspoon (1/4 qty used for sambar)
Toor dhal-1 handful (switch off one whistle short than for sambar)

To season:

Jeera-1 teaspoon
Urad Dal-1 teaspoon
Curry leaf-little



Method:

In a kadai, heat one teaspoon of ghee or cooking oil and season with the items given in'to season’.
 
Add the chopped onions, tomatoes, green chili and cut brinjal pieces one by one and sauté nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.
 
Add the water that is on top of the cooked dal(1 cup) and the sambar powder. Cook for 3 more minutes.
 
The brinjals will be almost cooked now. Add the tamarind juice, salt needed and the cooked dal. Allow it to cook for 2 more minutes.
 
Add the chopped coriander leaves. Wait for one boil and switch off the stove.
 
The curry should be semi solid with the brinjals rightly cooked. Over cooking will make the brinjal pieces smashed.

Adai

Ingredients:

Channa Dal - 3/4 cup
Toor Dal - 3/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Urdh Dal - 1/4 cup
Par boiled / Idli rice - 3/4 cup
Raw rice - 3/4 cup
Red chillies - 6-8
Saunf - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Soak all the above ingredients for 45 minutes(including chillies and saunf)
Grind it to a not very smooth batter.

Add salt, turmeric powder and asafoteda and make adai.

It can be made more special and if you have more time, Add any or all the following to the batter and make Adai.

Small or big onions nicely minced-1 cup
Curry leaves nicely chopped-1 table spoon
Cilantro nicely chopped-2 table spoons
Grated coconut-3 tablespoons

Vani's Vangi Bath

Ingredients:

Green Long Brinjals - 5-6
Vangi Bath Powder - 4 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Cashew Nuts - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1/2 cup
Dry Coconut Powder

Method:

Cut Brinjal into long thin pieces (may be 1 inch long)
In a kadai, heat oil.
Fry Channa Dal and Cashew nuts. Keep them aside.
To the same oil, add curry leaves and brinjal.
Fry till brinjal is done.
Add Vangi Bath Powder and fry for 30 seconds and turn off the stove.
Add the coconut powder, fried channa dal and cashew nuts and mix well.
Check for salt and add accordingly.

Prepare fresh white rice and mix the right amount of above gojju and enjoy.


Note: This also can be prepared with capsicum or Methi leaves. For these, do not add channa dal but add onions.

Aunty's Vadai Kuzhambu (Vada Curry)

Ingredients:

For Masala:Grind the Below:
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 5-6 cloves

For Curry:Masala Vada 6-8 (leftovers or fresh)
Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1 big
Oil
Sambar Powder
Turmeric
Cilantro
Curry Leaves
Salt


Method:

Heat oil in a kadai.
Season with Mustard, Jeera, Curry Leaves and 1/2 onion and fry.
Add the ground paste and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Now add chopped tomato, Salt and fry till tomatoes are pulpy.
Add turmeric and sambar powder and fry for a minute.
Add 3 cups of water and simmer till a thick gravy consistency is reached.
Now add Vada and cilantro and bring to boil.
Switch off the stove and let the Vadas simmer for few minutes before you eat.

Farzana's Bell Pepper Chutney

Ingredients:

Bell Peppers (any color) - 3
Pearl Onions - 1 bag (2 cups peeled)
Green Chillies - 6 or according to taste.
Garlic - 1 big(whole)
Curry Leaves - 1 bunch
Tamarind - a small lime size
Salt

Method:

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a kadai.
Add all the above except salt and fry till onions and bell peppers are cooked.
Cool the mixture.
Grind to chutney with salt to taste.
Enjoy with dosa or idli.

Lavanya’s Shrimp

Shrimp 1lb

For Marinade
Saunf 1/2 tsp
Pepper ½ tsp
Clove, Cinammon, Cardamom – 1 each
Lime juice
Salt

Powder all the ingredients and marinate shrimp with it.

For Gravy

Onion 1 medium
G Chillies 4
Curry Leaves
G&G Paste 1 tsp
Chilli Pd
Dhaniya Pd
Tamarind very little

Heat oil in a pan
Fry onions, curry leaves and g chillies
Add G&G paste and fry
Add the chili pd and dhaniya pd, add tamarind juice and cook the gravy for some time.

Now when the raw smell is gone, add marinated shrimp and cook to make thick gravy.

Lavanya’s Mom’s Plantain

2 Plantains
1 medium onion
1 small tomato

Grind together 4 cloves of garlic, 1” cinnamon, ½ tsp saunf, red chillies to paste

Cut plantains into small pieces and deep fry them.

In a pan, fry onion, tomato and the ground paste and add the fried plantains. Add salt and mix well and cook for a minute.

Tomato Peanut Chutney

Tomato Peanut Chutney Recipe
Prep & Cooking: 20-25 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Cuisine: South Indian
.
Ingredients:
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 green chillis
pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp tamarind paste (use if tomatoes are not tart)
4 dry red chillis (adjust)
salt to taste
2 tsps oil

For tempering/tadka/poppu:
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida/inguva/hing
10-12 fresh curry leaves



1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the red chillis and fry for a mt. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft and goey.
2 Add the green chillis and turmeric pwd combine. Add salt and turn off heat and cool.
3 Grind the roasted peanuts and then add the cooled tomato mixture and tamarind paste and make a coarse paste.
4 Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and once they splutter add the asafoetida and curry leaves and turn off heat.
5 Serve with tiffins like dosa or idli.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Farzana's Rava Khichdi

Ingredients:

Rava - 2 cups - fry with 1 tsp of ghee
Onion - 1 big or 1 1/2 small - cut straight
Green Chillies - 6 - do not cut
Curry Leaves
Mustard Seeds
Cashew Nuts - 1 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Carrot - 1
Peas - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon and cardamom pd - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Pd - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1/2 stck
Oil
Tomato 1/2
water 7 cups


Method:
Heat oil in kadai.

Add mustard seeds, Chana dal, cashew nuts, curry leaves and onions. Fry well.

Add Veggies and fry till they are cooked.

Add tomato, yougurt and Cinnamon and cardamom pd, Red Chilli Pd and fry for few mins.

Add 7 cups of water and bring it to boil.

Add rava slowly and mix without lumps. Add butter and mix well.

Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Dal Keema

Ingredients:

-500 gr chana dal washed and soaked for 30 minutes
-1 cup Keema
-4 tablespoons yogurt
-1 teaspoon turmeric powder
-2 teaspoons coriander powder
-1 teaspoon garam masala
-1 large onion chopped fine
-1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
-1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
-4 green chilies
-1/2 bunch coriander leaves
-2 tablespoons oil
-pinch of chili powder
-salt to taste


Method:

-Heat oil in the pressure cooker and fry the onions until golden brown.

-Add garlic paste, ginger paste and chopped green chilies. Fry for a minute.
-Add cleaned and washed minced meat and fry well.

-When the meat turns brown, add chana dal to the meat and stir in the turmeric, coriander, chili powder, salt.

-Fry for a minute, add yogurt, 3 cups of water, close cooker and cook till the dal is done.

-Then remove and cool the cooker, open cooker and garnish with cilantro and Kasoori Methi(optional).

Balekayi/Vazhakai (Raw Plantain) Fry

Ingredients:

2 Raw Plaintains
1/2 teaspoon red chilly powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garlic paste
salt to taste
oil to fry or to saute

Mehtod:

Peel and slice the plaintain into somewhat thick pieces.

Boil them and see to it that they are only half cooked. Remove and drain the water.

In another bowl mix all the other ingredients except the oil and add the plaintains. Mix them well and see that the plaintains are all well coated with the masala.

Now heat some oil in a pan and fry/saute the plaintains. Turn them when one side is toasted well. Drain them on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Yummy plaintain fritters are ready to be eaten alongwith rice or just as a snack.

PS: You can also add roasted grated coconut to the masala mixture to give a different texture and taste alltogether!

Farzana's Koottu

Ingredients
Sorekayi(Bottle Gourd) 1 medium or Seeme Badanekayi(Chayote) 2 medium
Channa Dal ¼ Cup
Moong Dal ¼ Cup
Toor Dal ¼ Cup
Tomato 1 medium
Curry leaves
Cilantro
Red Chilli Pd 1 tsp
Turmeric ¼ tsp
Hing 1 pinch
Salt
Oil/Ghee 1 tbsp (Tastes better with ghee)

Method

• Wash all dals, Peel and cut the vegetable into small cubes.
• Pressure cook dals, cut vegetable, tomato, red chilli pd, turmeric.
• Season with mustard, jeera, hing, curry leaves and some channa dal.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve with chapathi or rice.

Farzana's Pineapple Soufflé

Ingredients

1 can condensed milk
1 tub cool whip
1 can crushed pineapple
1 can pineapple chunks
1 packet pineapple jell-o

Rinse the crushed pineapples and pineapple chunks in water.
Fold together the first four items in a bowl one after the other.
Refrigerate for 6 hours.

Prepare the pineapple jell-o, cut and decorate.

Lavanya's Methi Malai Chicken

1) Marinate chicken in a little bit of yogurt and ginger garlic (Not usual level we use for marinating. Use only little - 1/3 of what we usually use).

2) Cut onions into rings. Do not cut lengthwise. Only into rings.

3) Heat little butter in tava and fry the onions and set them aside to cool.

4) Fry green chillies in tava and set them aside too.

5) Fry the chicken peices in the butter and set them aside.

6) Grind the fried onions, green chillies along with some almonds.

7) In the remaining butter, add cloves and cinnamon and add some very finely chopped onions and fry till onions are brown.

8) Then add a bunch of fresh methi leaves chopped finely and saute them till they turn vibrant green and are fully cooked.

9) Now add the fried chicken and saute for 2 minutes.

10) Then add the ground onion, green chilli and almond paste and let it cook for 2 minutes.

11) Add some beaten yogurt/cream and cook till done.

12) Somewhere in this process add salt.

Shahi Paneer

Servings 2-3

Ingredients

Paneer - ½ lb
Khoa - 2 tbsp
Chopped Onion - ½ cup
Tomato - 2 Cut into small pieces
Cashew Nuts - 8-10 soaked in water.
Poppy Seeds - 1 tbsp soaked in water.
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
Cilantro - ½ cup
G. Chilli - 1 chopped
Ginger - ½ inch
Garlic - 2 cloves
Asafetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Chilli Powder - ¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds - ¼ tsp
Garam Masala - ¼ tsp
Coriander powder- ¼ tsp
Salt
Milk - ½ cup
Sugar - 1-2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Cut and Boil the Paneer to make it soft for 5 mins on medium flame.
2. Strain the paneer & make sure paneer doesn’t have any water. Set aside.
3. Strain poppy seeds, cashew nuts and make a paste
4. Make tomato puree – tomato, ginger, garlic, G Chilli and Cilantro
5. Heat a pan, add oil.
6. Fry the boiled paneer. Don’t deep fry. Fry till light brown.
7. Take paneer out and set aside
8. To the same oil, add onion and fry till light brown
9. Add cumin, Asafetida, Cashew-Poppy paste and fry
10. Add Tomato puree and fry
11. Add Kho and fry well for 1-2 mins
12. Add all spices - turmeric, chilli, garam masala, dhaniya and salt. Fry.
13. Add milk stir and fry
14. Add paneer, mix. Close the lid and simmer for 3-4 mins
15. Add sugar and kasoori methi and cook for 2 mins
16. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Aunty's Sambar Powder

Ingredients:

¾ kg Byadagi Chilli or ¼ kg Normal Red Chillies
1 kg Dhaniya
100 gms Pepper
100 gms Jeera
100 gms Mustard
150 gms Methi
150 gms Urad
Curry Leaves

Fry everything one by one and grind

Brown Rice Idli

2 Cups Brown rice (long grain)
1/2 Cup Whole urad dal (without skin)
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
Salt

Wash and soak the brown rice and whole urad dal with fenugreek seeds separately for atleast 4 hours..

Grind urad first to a smooth paste in a grinder.
Grind the rice a bit coarse.
Mix the above two to make a slight thick batter with enough water.
Add enough salt, mix well and keep it for fermentation..

The next day while making idlies, give a stir to the fermented batter and pour enough fermented idly batter to the greased idly plates and cook in idly cooker for 10-15minutes..

Serve these healthy idlies with any sort of spicy chutneys or sambhar..

Mutton Chukka (dry) (Sig)

Ingredients:

2lb goat meat, cleaned and cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
6 red chilies
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1” cinnamon stick
10 cloves Garlic
2 tbsp thinly sliced ginger pieces
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Plenty of curry leaves

Method:

Dry roast the spices and grind to a smooth powder. Heat the oil in the same pan and sauté the ginger and garlic. Grind this to a paste with 1tbsp water. Marinate the mutton pieces with salt, turmeric powder, powdered spices and the ginger-garlic paste. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Place the marinated mutton in a pressure cooker. Close the cooker and cook for about 6 minutes after the first whistle (after it comes to full pressure) on medium heat. Let it cool naturally. No need to add water, as the meat would give out plenty of liquid during the cooking process.

When the pressure cooker is cool enough to handle, open it. Since goat is very fatty, the liquid in the cooker will have plenty of oil floating in it. We don’t need to use extra oil to fry the mutton. Carefully pour the liquid from the pan into a large sauté pan. Heat this liquid on high heat till most of the water evaporates and only the oil remains. If there isn’t enough fat in the pan, you can always add a tbsp oil into the pan at this point.

Add the cooked mutton pieces along with half of the curry leaves into the pan. Sauté till all the liquid is gone and the mutton pieces are browned on all sides. Stir in the remaining curry leaves and remove from the heat.

As with most of my spicy dry dishes, I recommend this with a cold beer. It is best with rice and a really light gravy, like daal.

Green Chilli Chicken (Sig)

Ingredients:
1lb Boneless, skinless chicken leg/thigh meat, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
20 Green chilies, split (Use less or more to match your heat tolerance level)
1 tbsp grated ginger
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
Lemon juice (optional)

Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the shallots till soft. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and sauté on high heat stirring frequently till the chicken pieces turn white on all sides. At this point the meat would have given out plenty of liquid. Close the pan with a tight fitting lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes till the meat is tender.

Remove the lid and stir in the green chilies, ginger and curry leaves. Cook on medium high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently till the chicken pieces are cooked through and the pieces start to brown a bit.

Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice if using.

Spicy Prawn Fry (Sig)

Ingredients:
1lb medium sized prawns (About 16-20 in a lb)
1.5 tbsp oil
3/4th cup chopped shallots
2 tbsp thinly sliced green chilies
1 tbsp thinly chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 small Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped fine.
1 tsp tamarind paste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

For the Marinade

1tbsp vinegar
1tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and devein the prawns. You can optionally insert a toothpick in each prawn to make sure that they won’t curl up while cooking.

Place the prawns in a bowl and add all the ingredients listed under the Marinade section and mix well to combine. Let it marinate for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Fry the prawns (in batches if necessary, do not overcrowd the pan) for 90 seconds on one side, turn and fry for 90 more seconds on the other side, remove and keep aside.

Add the chopped shallots, green chilies, ginger and garlic to the same oil in the pan. When the shallots start to brown, add the chili and turmeric powders and sauté for a minute or so. Now add the tomatoes and the tamarind paste and stir fry till tomatoes are blended in.

Add the fried prawns back into the pan and mix carefully to coat the prawns with the spiced onion mixture. Cover the pan with a tight lid, reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 3 more minutes. Remove the lid, stir in the cilantro and switch off the stove.

Spicy prawns ready.

Avarekalu (Mochai) and Badanekayi Palya

Prepare the Ingredients:

Take 10 small green brinjals.
Wash and trim the ends off and cut lengthwise into thin slices. Add them to salted water to prevent the onset of bitterness.
We need a cup of Avarekalu/Mochai.

Ginger-green chilli paste: Take 1×1 inch piece of fresh ginger.
Peel the skin. Take it in a mortar or mixer. Add 4 green chillies and pinch of salt. Pound or grind to smooth paste.

Method:
Heat a tablespoon of peanut oil in a cast-iron pan over moderate heat.
When the oil is hot, do the hing tadka: Add a pinch each – cumin, mustard seeds and hing (asafoetida) and toast for couple of seconds.
Add brinjal pieces and avarekalu/mochai. Saute until two-thirds cooked, for about ten minutes.
Stir in the ginger-green chilli paste, quarter teaspoon of turmeric and salt to taste.
Mix well and continue to cook for another five minutes. If desired, sprinkle a tablespoon of sesame powder or fresh grated coconut for some extra taste.

Serve hot over rice or with chapati.

Shashi's Raagi Dosa

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad Dal
4 cups Ragi flour
1 tsp Methi seeds

Method:
Soak Urad dal and Methi seeds and Grind them together.
Add Raagi flour to this and mix well to dosa batter consistency.
Ferment overnight and make dosas.
Enjoy with any chutney.

Rajeshwari's Gasagase Payasa

Ingredients:

1 tsp rice
2 tsp gasa gase
1/4 coconut
8 cardamom
jaggery for taste

Method:

Dry fry rice and gasagase.
To this add 1/4 fresh coconut and grind to a smooth paste.
Melt the Jaggery in little water and add the ground stuff and boil.
Add Cardamom powder. Enjoy with Idli or Obbattu.
You can soak Pooris in this and eat too. Yummyyy!!!

Thondekayi / Kovakkai Fry

Ingredients:
1lbs Thondekai / Tindora
3tsp red Chilly powder/Rasam powder
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Amchur(dry mango) powder
Salt to taste

2-3tsp Olive oil (or any cooking oil)
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1/2tsp Urad Daal
3 to 4 Curry leaves



Method:
Wash and remove top & bottom of the thondekai. Cut thondekai lengthwise into half, then each half into 2-3 lenghtwise pieces

In a bowl mix thondekai with salt, amchur, chilly and turmeric powder. Set it aside for 15-30mins

Heat a pan with oil, mustard, urad daal. when mustard starts to splutter.
Add curry leaves and thondekai mixture. Stir it.

Let it fry covered in medium heat for around 10mins.

Once the thondekayi is cooked, open the lid and fry for about 15mins in low-medium heat

Serve it with rice or chapathi

Simple But Tasty Eggplant Curry

Ingredients

8 – 10 Baby Eggplants, cut in four 3/4 of the way
1/2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp urad dal / lentils
5-6 curry leaves
1 onion, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tomato, sliced thinly
4 tbsp sambar powder
1 tbsp black pepper powder
cherry sized ball of tamarind, soaked in water and pulp squeezed
a pinch asafoetida powder
salt, to taste
a handful of cilantro leaves, minced

Method

Heat the oil in wide heavy bottomed pan on medium heat and add the mustard seeds to it.
Once they splutter, add the fenugreek seeds, lentils and curry leaves to it.

Keep an eye on the fenugreek seeds – they can blacken very quickly and can turn extremely bitter because of that.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute well.

Add the turmeric powder at this point and the tomatoes as well. Saute for a few mins and add the eggplants.
If you want you can add some oil to the pan to coat the eggplants well. Increase the heat a little to help cook the eggplants.

Add the sambar powder, pepper powder and salt.

Add the tamarind pulp to the pan and add a little water to it to dilute and cover the eggplants.

Let it boil and cook for a few minutes till the gravy begins to thicken a little.

Sprinkle the asafoetida powder and finish off with the minced cilantro.

Enjoy the tanginess and spiciness all infused in the tender eggplants.

Mutton Fry in Green Masala (Sig)

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 lbs mutton pieces
Salt, to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp

For the spice paste:

Red Onions, chopped – 1
Cilantro – 1 cup
Mint – 1 cup
Black pepper corns – 2 tbsp
Green Chillies – 4
Ginger, grated – 1 tbsp
Garlic – 5 cloves
Fennel Seeds – 2 tsp


Method:

Grind the ingredients for the spice paste to a smooth paste and keep aside.
Add about 2 tbsp of this paste to the mutton, along with the sale turmeric powder and coriander powder.
Add about 5-6 cups of water to this and bring to a boil.
Let it cook for about 15-20 mins till the mutton is cooked and the water has almost evaporated.
Now add the rest of the spice paste, mix well and let it cook on medium-low heat till the raw smell of the spices go away, maybe for 5-10 mins. Check for salt, add more if necessary and serve hot with rice, chapathis etc.

Kerala Chicken Fry (Sig)

Ingredients

Chicken drumsticks – 15 ( chicken breasts can also be used)

For the marinade:
Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt, to taste

For the ground masala:
Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon – 2, 1” pieces
Cloves – 5
Green Cardamom – 4-5
Black pepper – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf – 2
Star Anise – 2
Coriander leaves / cilantro – 2 cups
Red onion, chopped – 1
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Garlic – 6-7 cloves
Ginger – 4” piece

Red onion, thinly sliced– 1
Curry leaves – a sprig
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Oil for deep/shallow frying


Method

Marinate the chicken in soy sauce, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt for atleast 2-3 hrs. Make small slits on the drumsticks before marinating so that the marinade gets soaked up in the chicken.

Grind all the ingredients for the masala to a smooth paste. Add the masala and some more salt to the marinated chicken. Rub well and keep aside.

Deep/shallow fry the chicken till nice and brown and keep aside. To check whether the chicken is cooked, cut out a thin slice and it should be all juicy and cooked inside. In the remaining oil, fry onions and any masala left in the marinade. Add the chicken and give it a toss. Add curry leaves and ground black pepper and toss again. Serve hot.

Aunty's Pavakkai Puli Kolambu

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd - 3 medium
Sambar Onions - 10
Tomatoes - 2
Garlic Pods - 1 cup
Oil - 2-3 tbsp (Preferably Sesame Oil)
Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp
Tamarind Extract - according to your taste
Methi Seeds - 1tsp
Salt
Jaggery

Method

1. Cut Bitter Gourd into circles and Wash thoroughly.
2. Dry them on a paper towel.
3. Soak the tamarind in some water.
4. Peel Sambar Onions and Garlic.
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Add Methi, Sambar Onions and Garlic and fry.
7. Add Bitter Gourd and fry till lightly browned.
8. Cover and Simmer and keep frying well till it turns dark brown.
9. Add Tamarind, Tomato and Sambar Powder and simmer.
10. After the required consistency (when oil separates) is reached and the gourd is cooked, Add Jaggery and salt.
11. Bring to a boil.

Tarakaari Kadabu

Ingredients

Akki Rave (rice powder . coarse)(Washed and powdered) 2 cups
Uddina bele (Urad dal) 1/2 cup(Soak in water for 4 hours)
Green chillies 10
Jeera 1 tsp
Kadalebele (chana dal) 2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves 1 bunch
Grated carrot 1/2 cup
Chopped beans 1/2 cup
Chopped Dil(Sabbasge, sabbseege soppu) 1 bunch
Grated coconut 1 cup
Chopped onions 1 cup


Method

Grind urad dal into a fine paste.
Add Akki rave , chopped green chillies , jeera, kadlebele, coriander leaves, carrots, beans and salt.
Mix well and put the mixture in idli plates and steam like idlies. It'll be better if steamed in thatte idli plates.

PS: Coconut chutney will be a good combination.