Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Semiya Biryani

Ingredients:

Bay leaf - 1
Elaichi - 4
cloves - 5
cinnamon - 1 '' piece
Onion - Big , 2 thinly sliced
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 1/2 , small cubes
Green Chilly - 3 slit
Mint - about 10 leaves
Corriander leaves - half bunch , chopped
Chilly pwdr - 1 tsp
Corriander pwdr - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 2 tbsp
roasted vermicelli - 2 cups
milk - 1 cup
water - 3 cups
lemon juice - few drops
oil - 1/2 cup

Method:

1) heat oil , Maintain at medium heat , add bay leaf , cardamom , cloves and cinnamon.
2) when elaichi becomes light brown , add sliced onions.
3) Reduce to simmer and let onions cook till brown. ( If it becomes too brown ,
onions will taste sweet )
4) Add green chillies. Raise heat to medium.
5) When green chilly blends with onin , add ginger garlic paste.
6) Add Mint leaves. Fry till aromatic.
7) Add tomato , fry for few minutes
8) Add chilly powder , corriander powder and salt. Fry till there is no raw smell.
9) Add corriander leaves. Fry well'
10) By now the tomatoes should be mashed well and blen with onion.
Add curd little by little. Every time after adding , wait till it blends well with the onion tomato mixture.
11) Now add water and simmer for 10 minutes. the oil will come to the top.
12) Increase heat , Add Milk and bring to boil.
13) Add few drops of oil and vermicelli.
14) Add few drops of lemon juice
15) Cook till all water is absorbed.
16) Add few drops of oil , mix and serve.
Adding the oil prevents the semiya from getting sticky.

If u want ,u can add veges or chicken after adding curd.

Kari Vadai - Mutton Vada

Now i dont know why this is called vadai ..
I call it so coz my Mom does...

Ingredients:

Mutton or Beef Kima - 1 lb
Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
Green Chilly - 6 , cut into half
Cumin Pwdr - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Dalia Powder - 2 tsp ( Just grind dalia )
Vinegar or lemon juice - few drops
salt.
Oil

Method:
The whole process shud be done without adding water.

1) Mix half of the cumine pwdr , salt to kima.
2) Heat few drops of oil , add remaining cumine pwdr , green chillies , ginger garlic paste.
3) When there is no raw smell add meat. Add a little more ginger garlic paste , vinegar.
4) Cook till water from meat evaporates. Dont brown the meat.
5) Grind meat with coconut , to a soft dough like consistency.
6) Add dalia powder. U can add more for a harder vada.
7) Make small balls , flatten it and shallow fry on a pan.

U can store it in freezer for a week.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Pongal

Asif did not come home for lunch today ..
I generally do not cook for myself ....
Enthu lights up only while cooking for him...
I sought to corn flakes... My gruelling 2 hours driving school class got me real hungry..
What is the tasty dish which can be done easily ?? Lo .. Pongal..

Ingredients :

Rice - 1 cup
Moong dal ( split yellow ) - 1/4 cup
Jeera - 1 tbs
pepper corns - 1 tbs
pepper powder - 1/2 tsp freshly ground coarse powder
ginger - 1 tsp small slices & 1/2 inch pice mashed.
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 1/2 cups ( Makes the pongal very flavorful )
water - 3 cups ( U can cut down milk and use 4 1/2 cups water instead )
cashews - 10 halves
ghee - 1 tsp
oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1) Heat oil , fry 1/2 tbs peppercorns , moong dal till aromatic.
2) Stir in rice and fry for a minute.
3) Add the mashed ginger and mix well. Conrinue frying for a minute.
4) When aromatic add shredded coconut , milk , water , salt , turmeric.
5) Pressure cook for 4 whistles.
6) In another pan heat ghee, splutter mustard seeds. Add jeera , remaining peppercorns, curry leaves , hing , sliced ginger , cashews.
7) Add the pepper powder to rice and mix well.
8) Pour the cashew mixture on rice and mix well.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Golden Loki Milk Curry



For Spice Paste:

Shredded Coconut - 2 tbs
Dalia - 2 tbs
Dry red chilly - 5
Jaggery - a small piece
Tamarind - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric pwdr - 1/2 tsp
Salt as reqd

Grind the above with a little water into a coarse paste.

For loki curry

Loki - Small one
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - a spring
Corn Flour - 2 tbs
Milk - 1 cup
salt
Oil
Method:

1) Cut Loki into small cubes.
2) Heat oil , splutter mustard seeds. Fry curry leaves.
3) add loki cubes , salt. Fry for 2 minutes.
4) Add the flour , mix well. Cook covered for 5 minutes.
5) Add the spice paste and fry well till there is no raw smell.
6) Add milk and cook till curry becomes thick.
7) Garnish with corriander leaves.
Serve with rice or roti.

Pakoda Kuzhambu




This dish brings memories of days i spent with my friends in Hyderabad.
5 girls in a house!! ... U can imagine the fun time we had.
Yamini one of my roomies , went on a business trip to US for 5 months...
When she came back she was craving for hot and spicy food.
We went to a chettinadu style restaurant and ordered "Pakoda kuzhambu"..
Boyy did we all love it ..
This is my version of the kuzhambu...

For pakoda:

Ingredients:
Onion - 1 big sliced
Carrot - 1 grated
Corriander leaves - 1/2 bunch chopped finely
Curry leaves - few , chopped finely
Besan - 4 tbs
chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
soda bicarb - a pinch
salt as required
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1) Mix All ingredients other than carrot , onion.
2) Add enough water to form a thick batter
3) Add onions and carrots
4) Take small amounts of this mixture and deep fry.
5) Drain oil and set aside.

For Kuzhambu:

Onion - 1 Big
Tomato - 1 Big
Chilly pwdr - 3/4 tsp
Corriander pwdr - 2 tbs
Tamarind - lemon sized ball soaked in water
Hing - a pinch
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
jeera - 1 tsp
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
seasame seeds - 1/4 tsp
fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
dry red chilli - 4
curry leaves - few
garlic - 2 pods mashed

Method:

1) Chop onion and tomato roughly. Cook together in 1 cup water for 10 minutes.
2) Drain , cool mixture and grind onion and tomato to a smooth paste with 1/2 tsp sugar.
3) Heat oil , splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal , when it turns brown add
jeera , fenugreek , fennel seeds, red chillies , seasame seeds , curry leaves in this order.
4) When the red chillies are fried well ( This is the key ) , add garlic , hing.
5) When garlic gets roasted add the onion-tomato paste.
6) Fry till oil seperates. Add salt , chily pwdr and corriander powder.
Fry till there is no raw powder smell.
Add cashew paste and fry for 3 minutes.
7) Add some of the drained onion-tomato water , about 1/4 cup.
8) Cook on high till the water evaporates.
9) Now add the tamarind extract and some curry leaves.
10) Cook on high till the kuzhambu becomes thick.
11) Add the fried pakodas before serving.
Enjoy with rice..

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Chicken Kofta



I had a pound of ground chicken that had to be finished.
Whats the best u can do with ground chicken .. Koftass!!
Try this out and u will never regret it ...

Ingredients:

For Koftas:

Ground Chicken - 1/2 lb
Roasted Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
dalia - 10
chilly pwdr - 1/2 tsp
corriander pwdr - 1/4 tsp
garam masala - a pinch
ajwain (optional) - 1/4 tsp roasted
salt as required.
oil - 1tsp

1) Mix all the ingredients and grind it till coarse.
2) Make balls and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

For gravy:

Bay leaf - 1
Clove , elaichi - 1 each
cinnamon - a small stick
jeera or kala jeera - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 big
Tomato puree - 2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
cashew - 20 halves
corriander powder - 2 1/2 tsp
chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
pomegranate - 1/4
ghee - 1 tsp
sugar - 1 tsp
milk - 1 1/2 cups. You can add evaporated milk if u want a richer gravy
oil , salt as reqd

Pre processing:

1) Soak cashew in warm water for 15 minutes. Grind it to a paste with little water.
2) Chop onions roughly , Cook it in water for 10 minutes. let cool and grind to smooth paste with a tsp of sugar.
3) Grind pomo fruit , filter and take out the juice.Add some sugar.

For gravy:

1) Heat ghee and oil. Put in bayleaf , elaichi , cinnamon , clove , jeera in this order.
2) Add boiled onion paste and saute till it is light brown.
3) Add ginger garlic paste and fry well till there is no raw smell.
4) Stir in the chilly and corriander powder. Fry till there is no raw smell.
5) Stir in tomato , saute for few minutes.Add salt.
6) Pour cashew paste and cook on high for 5 minutes.
7) Add milk and bring to boil.
8) Drop in the koftas. Cook covered for 12 minutes or till cooked.
9) Add garam masala and pomo juice.
10) Simmer for 3 minutes.
11) Garnish with corriander.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Ground Eggplant Dal with cabbage peas poriyal



I wanted to have dal , but not the conventional style.
My husband wanted to have Eggplant , but i dont like it ...
I have just begun to venture into vegetables , brinjal is not in my favorite list yet...
However i can have brinjal when it is fried and mashed ...
I think its more psychological .. i dont want to see the brinjal pieces ...
I came up with this recipe to satifsy both me and Asif.
Here we go

Ingredients:

For Dal:

Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup

Pressure cook the above mixture with 2 cups water .. I did for 3 whistles.

For Eggplant:

Eggplant - about 12 small cubes
Onion - 1 medium onion sliced thinly
Tomato - 1/2 tomato small cubes
Turmeric pwdr - 1/4 tsp
Chilly pwdr - 1 tsp
Cumine pwdr - 1/4 tsp
corriander pwdr - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 1 pod sliced
hing - 2 pinch
salt

For tadka:

mustard seeds - 1 tsp
curry leaves - a spring
jeera - 1 tsp
dried red chilly - 2
hing - a pinch
corriander leaves - few
oil for tadka

Method:

1) Heat oil , fry garlic and onions. When onions turn light brown add hing , curry leaves ,tomato and fry.
2) Add all masala powders and saute for a minute.
3) Add eggplant pieces. Fry well till the pieces begin to brown.
4) Cool the masala and grind it to a smooth paste.
5) Add this to dal and mix well.
6) Add tamarind water , and bring the mixture to a boil.
7) Do tadka , heat oil , splutter mustard , hing , curry leaves , jeera ,red chilly and corriander leaves.
8) Pour on dal. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

French style beans with spinach and mustard greens


I am a non vegetarian by all means.
Only Potato , cabbage , paneer and peas were qualified entry in my dishes.
If only i knew french beans is so tastly .. sigh
If a pure non veggies like me falls for it , i guess anyone will..
This is how i made it ..
Ingredients:
French cut beans - 1 cup
Spinach - 1/4 cup
Mustard greens - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
dried red chilly - 1
curry leaves - few
chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
corriander powder - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
corn flour - 1 tbs
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
hing - 2 pinch
Method:
1) Heat oil in a. pan , splutter mustard , urad dal
2) Fry red chilly. Add curry leaves , spinach , mustard greens and hing.
3) Mix beans with turmeric, salt and red chilly powder.
4) Put the mixture on the pan.
5) Add conflour and fry well.
6) Sprinkle corriander powder.
7) Cook covered for 4 minutes on low. If u want it more crispy leave it for some more time.
8) Sprinkle garam masala.
9) Remove from fire after a minute.

Nerma Roti / Akki Roti / Snow White Roti


My hubby told me that was nostalgic for Nerma roti.....
The goody goody wife i am ;-), i immediately declared that i'm gonna make his favorite roti for dinner...
I had no idea what i was getting into .....
How innocous this snow white roti looked when mom made it.
I had vague recollection of my mom using hot water to make the dough...
I got the dough ready .. not bad .. then started rolling a ball of dough the conventional way...
U know what happed dont u..
If u dont please try this sometime..U must see it to undertsand :-) ..

Now let me tell u how i finally got through..

Rice Flour - 2 cups roasted
Water - 1 3/4 cups
green chilly - 2
onion - 1 chopped finely
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
corriander leaves
oil
salt as reqd.

To prepare dough

1) Heat oil in a vessel , fry onions till pink. Fry green chillies.
2) Add water and bring it to a rapid boil
3) Add salt , coconut and corriander leaves
4) Add 2 drops of oil. Reduce to minimum and add the flour slowly.
5) Stir well, taking care that no lumps are formed.
6) Cover and let it simmer for few seconds.
7) Remove from flame and allow to cool.
8) Take a medium sized ball , place it on a aluminium foil that is smeared with oil.
9) Take another aluminium sheet or plastic sheet smeared with oil , place it on dough and
roll. Dont make the roti too thin , it will get crispy and hard to eat.
Roll it to medium thickness.
10) Now carefully remove the top sheet. Since u have oiled it it should come out easily.
11) Now Take the bottom sheet with the rolled out roti , take it close to
a medium heated pan , turn it over and place it on the pan.
From bottom to top u will see a stack of pan , roti and sheet.
12) After about 20 seconds , the roti will start getting cooked.
Remove the aluminum sheet carefully.
13) Do not keep turning the roti , be patient and wait till one swide gets cooked.
14) Turn and cook other side. Add oil. Fry for few seconds.
There u go awesome snow white rotis ready...

I served them with mango fish kuzhambu.
If u are wondering where the fish is in the pic , it got over by the time i prepared rotis..:-(

Monday, February 05, 2007

Kara Kuzhambu



My father-in-law loves when i make this..
He is all smiles when he see's this kuzhambu..
I have given the basic version here.
U can extend it by adding vegetables and beans of your choice.
I have tried it with Great Northern Beans , Garbanzo Chick Peas.
U can also add left over vegetable poriyal in the kuzhambu.
Ingredients:
Onion - 1 Big , Sliced thinly and cut into half
Tomato - 1 Big , crushed
Chilly pwdr - 1 tsp
Corriander pwdr - 2 1/2 tsp heaped
Hing - a pinch
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
jeera - 1 tsp
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
seasame seeds - 1/4 tsp
fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
dry red chilli - 4
curry leaves - few
garlic - 2 pods mashed
Method:
1) Heat oil , splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal , when it turns brown add
jeera , fenugreek , fennel seeds, red chillies , seasame seeds , curry leaves in this order.
2) When the red chillies are fried well ( This is the key ) , add sliced onions , garlic , hing.
3) When onions turn brown, make some place in the centre and add chilly powder in the oil.
4) When the powder blends with oil and is fried well mix with onions.
Take care not to burn the chilly powder.
5) Add coriander powder and fry well.
6) Add tomato and fry well on high. When the onion and tomatoes blend well add
1/4 cup water and curry leaves.
7) Cook on high. The taste will be good if it burns lightly. (Dont burn it too much and blame me :-) ).
8) Add tamarind water. Let the kuzhambu thicken.
Add hing and simmer for 10 minutes.
This goes very well with akki roti...

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Stuffed Aloo Paratha

i took pic while making it coz no one seems to believe that i am actually cooking all this :-(

I remember the first time i made chappati ,July 19th 2006 ..
My youngest sis told my MIL that i'm an expert cook , i'm a poori specialist ..
I dint even know what flour to use let alone making pooris...
To my wonder my first roti did come out pretty well...
I remember how anxious i was ... How many times i turned the roti lest it should get burnt .
How happy i was to see the roti puffing up ....
I guess everyone had such momemts ..
After all first time is always special ;-)
I cant help a smile when i think Me is going to post recipe for Aloo paratha..

Ingredients:
For stuffing
Potato - 1 , boiled , peeld and mashed
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Gaam masala - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumine powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander - few leaves
Salt as per taste
Oil
Egg - 1 beaten.
For Paratha
Atta - 1 1/2 cups ( U can use a mix of wheat and maida )
Evaporated Milk - 3/4 cup ( U could use water or a mix of water and milk )
Kalonji or Ajwain - 1 tsp
Soda Bicarb - 2 pinch
Salt - as reqd
Method:
1) For Stuffing Heat oil , add all powders , fry well. Add mashed potato and mix.
Add corriander leaves.
The stuffing should be really dry. Otherwise it will be difficult to make the paratha.
2) Mix well all the items for paratha other than milk.
Now add milk and make a dough. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Take a ball of dough and roll it into a thick small puri.
3) Take a ball of the stuffing, place it in the center of the puri.
Fold the edges of the puri such that it covers the stuffing.Pinch the egdes.
4) The stuffing should be sealed within the puri.
5) Now u must be having a ball of dough , stuffed with potato .. yummy
Sprinkle flour, Roll the ball into a paratha as thin as u can.
While rolling do not apply too much pressure. Roll from edge to centre slowly.
6) Heat a pan to medium. Place paratha on pan. When one side is brown turn and cook other side. Smear butter on paratha and fry. The paratha will become crisp.
7) Smear some of the egg and fry till egg is cooked.
Serve with yogurt.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Ulli Theeyal


Ever since i saw the pic of this bright red curry on a site , i've been craving for this..
I love redd ... I find it so damn appetizing ...
I instantly fell for this dish ....
Unfortunately stuff like these do not show up often in a muslim home :-( ..

Ingredients

Shallots - 10 thinly sliced
shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
red chilli pwdr - 1 tsp
corriander pwdr - 2 tsp
cumine pwdr - 1/2 tsp
whole pepper - 1/2 tsp
turmeric pwdr - 1/4 tsp
hing - a pinch
fenugreek pwdr - a pinch
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
garlic - 2 pods minced finely
tamarind pulp - lemon sized ball
mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - a spring
dry red chillies - 2

1) Roast Coconut , fennel seeds , pepper and garlic till coconut becomes dark brown ..
This is the key part , it shud be brownn .. Be careful not to burn it
2) Add all pwdrs other than fenugreek pwdr. Roast at low heat till there is no raw smell.
3) Grind to a smooth paste with a little water.
4) In a pan heat oil , splutter mustard seeds , Add curry leaves , red chillies.
5) Add onions and hing.
6) When onions are cooked add salt and fenugreek pwdr.
7) Add tamarind water and allow to boil
8) Add the coconut paste, sugar
9 ) Simmer for 10 minutes.

Beef Fettuccine


I had fetuccine a week back in an italian restaurant , since then i've been wanting to make this myself... I browsed the best recipe book ( internet what else could be better ) .. Boyy i found a hundered recipes for preparing fettuccine... I took the best of whatever i read , extrapolated and came up with my own recipe...

For Pasta:

Fettuccine - 16 oz pack cooked as per directions
Olive oil - 2 tbs
Parsley , rosemary , dill
garlic - 2 pods crushed

Mix the last three items and set aside.

For Beef masala :

chilli powder - 1 tsp
cumine powder - 1/2 tsp
spring onions - 3 stalks cut into tiny pieces
beef - cooked , retain the stock
olive oil - 1 tbs
garlic - 2 pods crushed

For Sauce :

Butter - 3 tbs ( i used a a mix of butter , margaraine and i cant believe its not butter)
flour - 1 tbs
milk - 2 cups
hard boiled egg - 1
beef stock - 1 cup
salt
pepper

Method:

1) For making sauce , Heat butter in pan , add the flour and stir well taking care no lumps are formed
2) Add the beef stock and milk
3) When the sauce starts to thicken add pepper and salt.
4) Take the yolk part of the egg , crush it and add it to the sauce
5) Stir well. The egg should be mixed well in the sauce
6) For Beef masala preparation : Mix olive oil and crushed garlic.
7) Add the mixture to beef pieces and set aside for 10 minutes
8) Heat oil in a pan , add chilly pwdr and cumine pwdr. Fry well
9) Stir in beef . Fry till browned.
10) Add the spring onions. Set Aside
11 ) Putting it all together:
Stir in half of the olive oil mixture into drained pasta.
Mix till well coated.
12 ) Stir in the beef masala. Mix well.
13) Add the sauce and toss.
14) Finally add the remaining olive oil mixture , pieces of egg white and serve hottt.

PS: Sorry abt the pic .. had only so much left after eating ... i know i know 160z is toooo much for two people... cummon it tastes good..