Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken (Quick Fix)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken breast: 250 g

Pepper: 1 tsp crushed

Garlic paste: 1 tsp

Corn flakes: 1 cup crushed

Egg: 1

Maida/plain flour: 5 tbsps

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

METHOD:

Cut chicken breast into 4 flat pieces.

Marinate with pepper, salt & garlic.

Season the plain flour with salt & pepper.

Whisk egg, keep aside.

Spread the cornflakes onto a plate.

Take a piece of chicken, roll in plain flour, shake off excess, dip in egg & coat with cornflakes. Press it well with your hand.

Now deep fry till brown on a medium flame.

Serve with any dip/sauce.

Varutharacha meen curry (Traditional Fare)

Coconut is so much a part of Kerala cuisine, be it Travancore or Malabar. It is used fresh or roasted or just as coconut milk to thicken gravies.

This recipe is about roasted & ground coconut, like the name suggests. The masala can be made & stored for use when required because it takes time to dry roast the coconut. But, don’t give up, try this.

Courtesy: Usha Vijayan

INGREDIENTS:

Fish: 500 g (I used Mackerel)

Coconut grating: 1 cup

Ginger: 1 tsp

Shallots: 6

Garlic: 6

Dry red chilli: 10 or 1 tbsp powder

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp or 1 tbsp powder

Fenugreek: 1/4tsp

Black pepper: 1/2tbsp

 Curry leaves: few

Tamarind or Kokum: to taste

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Dry roast coconut, dry chilli, coriander, shallots, ginger, garlic, fenugreek & pepper. When half done add the curry leaves & brown it well.

Cool & powder (do not add water while grinding,this brings out the oil from the coconut itself.)

Put the ground masala in an earthen ware (Curry chatty).

Pour 400 ml water, add salt & put in the kokum or tamarind. ( add more water if you need gravy.)

Bring the gravy to a boil, add the fish & cook on a low flame till oil clears on top of the curry.

Down south in Kerala, Shark, Tuna or Mackerel is cooked this way, while in Cochin, Sardine-coloccasia, crab-yam or prawn-drumstick is the combination with this type of roasted masala.

  

Mutton Ball Curry (Quick Fix)

I have already  given a traditional meat ball curry recipe, now, here’s a quick fix. This is a tomato based gravy, which can be made, bottled & used for various preparations.

INGREDIENTS:

Mutton mince: 250 g

Egg: 1

Green chilli: 2 chopped fine

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps

Red gravy paste: 4 to 5 tbsps

Garam masala powder: 1/2tsp

Oil: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Mix ginger-garlic paste, green chilli, coriander leaves, salt & half the egg with the minced mutton.

Make small balls, keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil, add cumin seeds & the red gravy paste.

Pour 1 cup water, bring it to a boil before dropping in the meat balls.

 Adjust salt, cook till meat is done.

Sprinkle garam masala powder & some more coriander leaves.

Serve with rice/bread.

For the red gravy:

Onions: 500 g

Tomatoes: 500g red ripe ones

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Cardamom: 4

Cloves: 6

Cinnamon: 1” piece

Star anise: 1

Cashew nuts: 10

Poppy seeds: 1 tbps soaked in water

Oil: 100 ml

Salt

Pressure cook onions & tomatoes with 1/2cup water for 5 minutes. Cool & grind.

Also, grind cashew nuts & poppy seeds to a smooth paste.

Heat oil, add whole spices & ground tomato-onion paste. Fry till oil clears on sides of the pan (about 10 minutes).

Add chilli & turmeric powder. Last, add cashew paste & salt.

Cool well, bottle & refrigerate. 

Can be used for veg/paneer or non veg curries.

   

Coconut Rice (Traditional Fare)

Very traditional, yet, very special even now. The best combination is the meat ball curry or pork vindaloo.

There are numerous ways of making this. Here’s one.

INGREDIENTS:

Basmati rice: 2 cups or any aromatic rice

Coconut milk: 4 cups

Onions: 2 sliced fine

Cardamom: 2

Cloves: 4

Cinnamon: 1” piece

Bay leaf: 1

Whole black pepper corns: 10

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash & drain rice.

Heat oil, fry the whole spices, pepper & bay leaf. Then add onions.

Fry them brown  & add ginger-garlic paste.

Now add turmeric powder & the rice. Fry well & pour coconut milk.

Add salt, cover & cook till done. Stir occasionally.

If using a pressure cooker, which is easier, use only 3 cups coconut milk for 2 cups rice.

(1 ½ cups liquid for 1 cup rice)

 Cook for one whistle, cool cooker, stir rice & serve. 

  

Mutton with Corn (Party Menu)

A popular Rajasthani preparation, which can be tried easily at home.

INGREDIENTS:

Mutton: 250 g

Corn kernels: 1 cup

Corn: 1/2cup ground

Onion: 2

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Cinnamon: 1/2”piece

Cloves: 2

Star anise: 1

Black cardamom: 1

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Green chilli: 3

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps chopped

Milk: 1/2cup

Curd: 2 tbsps

Lime: 1

Ghee/oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste  

METHOD:

Grind onion, green chilli & ginger-garlic paste.

Marinate mutton with red chilli powder, turmeric & salt in milk for half an hour.

Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker, add whole spices & ground onion paste.

Sauté well & add marinated meat, corn kernels & ground corn.

Add curd, coriander leaves & salt.

Cut the lime into 2, squeeze the juice of half lime & keep aside. Cut the other half into 2 & place over the mutton. Cover cooker & cook for 10 minutes.

When done, remove the lime pieces & pour lime juice, stir well & serve with rotis.

 

Mooli Paratha (Maami's Corner)

“MOOLI” means RADISH in English. We normally use it for ” Kootu”,” Sambar” or Salad. But up North in India, radish is used to make yummy parathas.

INGREDIENTS:

Radish: 250 g grated

Whole wheat flour: 1 1/2cups

Pepper: 1 tsp crushed

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps chopped

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Ghee/oil: 3 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

In a large bowl, put in flour, grated radish, pepper, salt, cumin powder & 1 tbsp ghee/oil.

Knead well, adding water,  to a smooth dough.

Keep covered for half an hour. Divide into 6 balls.

Roll out into fairly thick rotis.

 Cook on hot tawa, turn over after 2 minutes and dribble oil/ghee around it.

Brown it well on both sides.

Serve with a raita.

NOTE: While radish has been used in this recipe, it could as well be substituted with the flavour of the season vegetables like bottle gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, potato or even paneer.

Puli Inji(Traditional Fare) Onam special

Onam is round the corner. No ONASADYA is complete without this Puli inji.

You can make this ahead of time & store it. Tastes better this way.

INGREDIENTS:

Ginger: 50 g

Shallots: 5 chopped fine

Green chilli: 2 chopped fine

Red chilli powder: 2 tsps

Coriander powder: 2 tsps

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Asafoetida: a pinch

Tamarind paste: 1 tbsp (if using whole tamarind, take a lime sized ball & soak in water)

Jaggery/sugar: 2 tbsps

Oil: 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Dry red chilli: 2

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Peel & slice ginger into small pieces & fry in 2 tbsps oil. Remove & grind in a mixi.

In the remaining oil, splutter mustard seeds, add dry red chilli, curry leaves & asafoetida.

Now, add shallots, green chilli & the powders. Sauté well & add tamarind paste with ½ cup water.

Add ground ginger.

Boil well, add jaggery & salt.

Cool & bottle.  

.

Meat Balls (Party Menu)

Meat balls can be served as starters at get togethers. My sister-in-law, May Solomon is an expert at this.

INGREDIENTS:

Minced beef: 500 g

Bengal gram dhal: 1/2cup soak in water for 1 hour

Pepper: 1 tsp

Aniseed: 1 tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Onion: 1 chopped

Ginger: 1”piece

Garlic: 6 pods

Green chilli: 3 chopped

Coriander leaves: a handful chopped

Egg: 1

Bread crumbs: 1/2cup

Oil: 1 tbsp + for frying

 METHOD:

Heat 1 tbsp oil, add aniseed, pepper, minced beef & soaked dhal.

Cover & cook till done. Dry it out well.

Cool & grind with onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli & coriander leaves.

Add salt, egg & crumbs.

Make small balls & deep fry till brown.

Serve with sauce.

Mixed veg korma (Maami's Corner)

This is one dish that goes well with almost any cereal based item,eg. Chapati, poori, appam or pulao.

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed vegetables: 2 cups (carrot, peas, beans, potato & cauliflower)

Soya chunks: 1/2cup soak in hot water

Poppy seeds: 2 tsps (soak in 2 tbsps water)

Cashew nuts: 6

Coconut milk: 1/2cup thick

Onion: 2 chopped

Ginger-garlic-green chilli paste: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1/2tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Cardamom: 2

Cloves: 2

Cinnamon: small piece

Bay leaf: 1

Tomato: 2 chopped

Lime juice or curd: 1 tbsp

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Grind poppy seeds & cashew nuts in coconut milk & keep aside.

Cube potato, carrot. Cut beans into ½” piece & break cauliflower into florets.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cardamom, cloves & cinnamon.

Now, add onions, fry till brown.

Put in the ginger-garlic- chilli paste.

Fry till fragrant.

The spice powders should go in next.

Before it burns put in chopped tomatoes & a little salt & sauté till it softens.

Now put in vegetables & 300 ml water.

Close cooker & cook for 1 whistle.

After steam goes, add ground paste & soya chunks.

Boil for 5 minutes, adjust salt, add lime or curd before taking off fire.

Rogini Chicken (Party Menu)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken: 500 g cut into small pieces

Onion: 3 sliced

Dry red chilli: 6 or 1 tbsp powder

Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts: 10

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Curd: 1 small cup (about 150 ml)

Oil: 4 tbsps

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Salt: to taste

METHOD:

Marinate chicken with salt & turmeric powder.

Heat 2 tbsps oil, fry sliced onion & grind with chilli, poppy seeds, ginger-garlic paste & cashew nuts to a smooth paste.

Heat remaining oil & fry chicken till evenly brown. Remove from oil & keep aside.

In the same oil, fry ground paste till it changes colour & oil oozes on the sides.

Now, add chicken, curd & salt. Stir well.

Cover & cook on low fire, without adding water.

Take off fire when gravy thickens & chicken is done.

Excellent combination with naan or rotis.

Yam Sambar (Quick Fix)

                                                                                                                            

Red gram dhal is the base of a Sambar, vegetables will vary. But in this preparation Yam forms the base.For those who cannot digest pulses, this is a good alternative! 

Courtesy: Freeda Fernandez

INGREDIENTS:

Yam: 250g cubed

Drumstick: 1 cut into 2” pieces

Brinjal/ eggplant: 2 cubed

Shallots: 10

Green chilli: 2 slit

Tomato: 1 cubed

Tamarind paste: 1/2tbsp

Sambar powder: 2 tbsps

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Sugar: 1/2tsp

Oil: 2 tsps

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Red chilli: 2 cut in 2

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Pressure cook yam with turmeric powder, mash well & keep aside.

Cook vegetables separately, add tamarind, sambar powder, cooked yam & salt.

Adjust consistency by adding water.

Season mustard, curry leaves & red chilli.

Pour into sambar, add coriander leaves.

Serve with rice or idlis.

Naadan Pork Fry (Traditional Fare)

INGREDIENTS:

Pork: 500 g

Pepper powder: 2 tsps

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Onion /shallots: 100 g

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Aniseed powder: 1 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Make a paste with pepper powder, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala & vinegar.

Add salt to it & rub it well into cubed pork.

Pressure cook for 7 minutes, after first whistle, without adding any water.

In a pan, heat oil, fry onions brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste & curry leaves, sauté further, till fragrant.

Now, add the cooked pork, stir till the gravy evaporates & the pork fries in its own fat.

Sprinkle aniseed powder, stir well.

Serve with rice/pulao.

Fish Fry-Kerala style (Traditional Fare)

INGREDIENTS:

Fish: 500 g

Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Aniseed powder: 1 tsp

Garlic: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: few

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to fry, preferably coconut.

METHOD:

Make slits on both sides of the fish; keep aside. 

Grind the spice powders with garlic & curry leaves in vinegar.

Mix in salt.

Rub well into fish & marinate for some time.

Heat oil, fry fish few pieces at a time.

Serve with rice.

"KAALA"Mutton (Party Menu)

This recipe is from Maharashtra. I tasted this at a neighbour’s place in Mumbai. The colour of the dish is black. Hence the name!

INGREDIENTS:

Mutton: 500 g

Onions: 2

Coriander leaves: 100 g

Garlic: 10 pods

Ginger: 1” piece

Asafoetida: 1/4tsp

Chilli powder: 1 ½ tsp

 Dry coconut/copra: 1/2cup

Star anise: 1

Bay leaf

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Lime: 1/2

Oil: 3 tbsps

Salt to taste

kantha lasoon masala: 2 tsp(literally translates as onion garlic masala, used extensively in Maharashtrian cuisine, garam masala can be used instead of this)

METHOD:

Grind half the coriander leaves with a few pods of garlic & ginger to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, fry copra & sliced onion, till brown in colour. Grind with remaining coriander leaves, garlic & kantha lasoon masala/garam masala.

In the same pan, heat 1 more tbsp of oil, add asafoetida powder, ground green masala & fry well.

Add mutton pieces, sauté till it changes colour. Pour enough water to cover mutton. Cook till done.

Alternately, pressure cook mutton for 10 minutes.

Again, in another pan, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil, fry star anise, bay leaf & ground copra masala.

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder.

Put into the mutton.

Cook till gravy thickens.

Squeeze juice of half a lime.

 Serve with Naan, parathas or pulao.

The copra & onion should be fried dark brown. That gives the dish the black colour.

Dhal Dosa (Maami's Corner)

Tired of the usual IDLI-DOSA,DOSA-IDLI breakfast? Try this for a change!  

Courtesy: Seethalakshmi Mani

INGREDIENTS:

Red gram dhal: 1/2cup cooked

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps chopped

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1/2tsp

Dosa batter: 2 cups

Sesame oil: as required

For dosa batter:

Raw rice: 1 cup

Black gram dhal/urad dhal: 1/4cup

Fenugreek: 1/4tsp

Salt to taste

Soak rice, dhal & fenugreek for 2 hours.

Grind to a smooth paste, of pouring consistency & keep aside to fement for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight.)

METHOD:

Mash cooked dhal well, add to dosa batter along with chopped coriander leaves, chilli powder & cumin powder. Mix well.

Pour onto a hot tawa , spread to make small dosas.

Dribble sesame oil around it, brown both sides & serve with coconut chutney.    

For coconut chutney:

Coconut: ½

Green chilli: 6

Puffed Bengal gram: 2 tbsps

Curry leaves a few

Shallots: 3

Salt to taste

Oil: 1 tsp

Sauté green chilli in oil & grind with rest of the ingredients.

Temper with mustard, dry red chilli & serve.

CHICKEN 65 (Party Menu)

This is a crispy fried chicken dish. Good finger-food!

  

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken: 750 g

Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp

Coriander: 1/2tsp crushed

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Garam masala powder: 1/2tsp

Ajwain: 1/2tsp

Garlic: 6 pods crushed

Curd: 1/2cup

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Egg: 1

 Curry leaves: 2 tbsps chopped

Salt to taste

Bengal gram flour/Besan: 3/4cup

Oil to fry

METHOD:

Marinate chicken with all the ingredients except oil & besan. Keep for half an hour.

Sprinkle besan on chicken pieces, mix well to coat.

Fry in hot oil till brown.

(add besan only before frying, that will make chicken crisp)

Serve with lemon wedges & onion rings or sauce.

You can add edible red food colour to the chicken for the restaurant like appearance.

Sprouted Green gram curry & Theplas (Maami's corner)

Sprouting enhances nutritive value of pulses & makes it easily digestible too.

INGREDIENTS:

Sprouted green gram: 250 g

Tomato: 2 chopped fine

Onion: 2 chopped

Cumin: 1/2tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Asafoetida: 1/4tsp

Oil: 2 tbsps

To roast & grind:

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp

Fenugreek: 1/4tsp

Pepper: 1 tsp

Aniseed: 1 tsp

Dry red chilli: 6

Coconut: 1/2cup

METHOD:

Heat 1 tbsp oil, fry ingredients under roast & grind, till it becomes light brown.

Grind & keep aside.

Heat remaining oil, add asafoetida, cumin & chopped onion. Sauté well, add tomatoes & turmeric powder.

Add sprouts & one cup water. Cover & cook till done

Add ground masala & salt.

Serve with rotis/theplas & raita.

THEPLAS:

Whole wheat flour: 1 cup

fenugreek leaves: 100 g

ajwain: 1 tsp

coriander powder: 1/2 tsp

red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

green chilli: 2 crushed

ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

cumin powder: 1tsp

curd: 1/2 cup

salt to taste

oil/ghee: 2 tsps

Knead wheat flour with all the above ingredients to a smooth, pliable dough. Rest it for a while.

Make small balls of the dough, roll out each one & cook on a girddle/tawa till brown on both sides.

Smear more ghee, if you like. Serve with sprouted green gram curry.    

Naadan beef curry (Traditional Fare)

An exceptional accompaniment for Kerala Parotta, string hoppers or for that matter, even plain rice.

Courtesy: Jasmine Morris

INGREDIENTS:

Beef: 1 kg cubed

Onion: 4 chopped

Green chilli: 3 chopped

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Red chilli powder: 5 tsps

Coriander powder: 1/2tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: few

Oil: 3 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add chopped onions, green chilli, curry leaves & a little salt.

Brown onions well, add ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander & garam masala powers & sauté.

Now, the beef can go in. Add salt, mix it well, cover & pressure cook for 10 minutes. (lower flame after the first whistle and time it.)

Before serving, sprinkle pepper powder.

I served it with string hoppers.

String Hoppers/Idiappam

 Ingredients:

Fine rice flour: 1 cup

Boiling water: 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

Pour boiling water into flour, stir with wooden spoon & keep covered for a while.

When the heat is bearable, knead well with your hands.

Divide into 2 balls, fill an idiappam maker with dough & press it out onto a greased plate.

Steam for 7 to 10 minutes & serve with any curry.

 

Paneer-Peas Kothambirwala (Maami's Corner)

This is a rich, fresh cream based curry, with plenty of coriander leaves flavouring it.

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer/cottage cheese: 200 g cubed

Green peas: 100 g cooked

Fresh cream: 100 ml

Onion: 3

Ginger: 1’ piece

Garlic: 10 pods

Green chilli: 6

Coriander powder: 1/2tsp

Coriander leaves: 100 g

Cinnamon: ½” piece

Cloves: 2

Bay leaf: 1

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cook the onion in 1/2cup water, cool & grind with ginger, garlic & green chillies.

Heat oil in pan, fry paneer, remove from oil. Add whole spices, ground paste, sauté till fragrant & light brown in colour.

Add coriander powder, fresh cream & chopped coriander leaves.

Keep stirring till cream heats up.

Put in the fried paneer & peas.

Mix well.

Serve with rotis or ghee rice.