Home Maker's Choice

Chicken curry(Andhra style)

2011-10-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is my entry for Masala Magic’s Andhra cuisine RCI .

And this post is for my MOM for MOTHER’S DAY.

Every time i start writing a post i think a lot and put a little in the post in-order to make it short and simple.And sometimes i start eating up some words and other times my daughter just deletes the entire content i wrote.I will get very angry but when i look at her face which has a smile on it as the answer for my angry question i melt like ice.Though i am short tempered i make sure it doesn’t hurt her.May be this is the motherly feeling i have deep inside me.But when it comes to my Mom i used to shout on top of the world Ooh…….yes now u r telling me what i should do or eat,How i should be.May be lot of girls do this at the young age when we r growing up and don’t like their old stereotype lectures,or culture bothered discussions.whatever the reason may be i am sure once in a life we would have done that.But Moms r like ice who just try hard to make us understand what’s good whats bad so that they can protect us as far as they can.which we r experiencing right now even my daughter is just 2 yr old i can understand my Moms feelings.
“ONLY A MOTHER CAN UNDERSTAND A MOTHER”——–This saying is 100% true.
But when we get to know the value of moms in our life we r deep into ur relations and don’t find time for them living so far from them.Is this stay here worth it.When the time is right we don’t have them at ur side.We do call them and wish them but can’t express our heart out what we feel or how we feel behind the conversations of our children, hubby dear and all comes over the phone and most of all these little kids occupy larger place than us,but not the actual thing we want to talk.
I still remember the days when i am getting ready to school/college my mom and dad used to feed my breakfast doing rounds and pampering to eat little more.i can count n fingers the days i ate myself,the sleepless nights they have spent when we r ill.when we r in stage to help them we r so far away and can reach them in a instance.But hats-off to this technology which is far more better than their days.Now i just say why don’t u both quit ur jobs as we both r settled but forget the fact if they do that they feel much lonely even they have their grand kids around the life they r leading from my birth will just be gone in 1sec.what is the tribute we r giving to them after the long journey.May be we r not understanding our parents.yha we can’t help anything.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom……………..I love u……..I want a bearhug from u.
Hope i haven’t diverted the topic.sorry for this long unending post of mine.hope someone will understand me.

Coming to the recipe:

This combination is my mom’s favourite.For this MOTHER’S DAY occasion i am trying to make her favourites.She likes this dish she makes it much tastier than me but mine is not that bad,as now i too have mastered it,and after making this i jumped in joy “i too got the same taste……..”.she would have loved it if she was here.I never cooked for her if she is around she is the one who cooks and i am the one who eats.See….how shamelessly i am telling this.But when mom is r around i don’t bother of entering kitchen.But in our house there is an exception for chapatis and dosas i used make them(ofcourse after the marriage only).The tiffin section and dinner with chapatis is mine.Coming to my recipe i have to confess the masala i used is my mom’s as when i am coming to here last august she prepared this masala though i know how to make it i used it which i store in fridge.it has long shelf time. so i am using it.This recipe of chicken curry is simple and easy and mostly made in andhra.in andhra we have different styles i can say each and every family has a different style of making.even the ingredients r same the taste varies.The coriander rice recipe u can check in previous recipe or just click here

Ingredients:

1 pound Chicken cut thighs(i found these r good for this curry)cut them into pieces as per ur wish

1 onion chopped

4 green chillies

1/2 bunch of coriander leaves

1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

salt to taste

1/2 tsp of turmeric

2tsp chilli powder

3tbsp oil

1cup water

3tbsp khus-khus powdered

3 cashew-nuts powdered (or make a paste of both khus-khus and cashews)

GaramMasala:

coriander seeds…………5tbsp

Cinnamon………………….2 inch stick

cloves………………….15

cardamom…………….2

garlic…………………….2(dried) like the ones in India which doesn’t have a lot of moisture

dry roast all the spices except garlic and powder all the ingredients and add garlic at the end.This can be stored for a long time in fridge.or it has nearly 2 months of shelf life.(depends on the garlic u use).

Method:

1.Wash and cut the chicken into pieces as per ur wish.wash and drain.

2.In a pan heat oil and add onion and green chillies.when onions turn translucent add ginger garlic paste.

3.Add chicken pieces,salt and turmeric saute them until the water that the chicken leaves evaporates and then add chilli powder and 3tbsp of masala that we made add some water.let it cook and add khus-khus and cashew nut paste and coriander leaves finely chopped ,cook till the u get the required consistency .

Note:The ingredients can be changed as per your taste.this is medium spicy.

This dish tastes good with rice,pulav,biryani,coriander rice,rotis,puris …….as u wish.

As this post is dedicated to my MOM i made Amma and my favourite coriander rice & chicken gravy as the combo meal.How do u like it.

Chicken 65

2011-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Chicken - 1 lb

For marination:-

Lemon juice (ideally freshly squeezed) - 3 tbsp

Salt - 1 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red food color - 1/2 tsp

For the Main preparation:

Light olive oil - 2 tbsp

Cut green chillies - 3 nos

Tomato ketchup - 5 tbsp

For tempering:

Light olive oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dried red chillies - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 6 nos

Preparation Method

1)Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces [not too small].

2)In a mixing bowl, mix 3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and salt.

3)Add the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 10 mins.

:- There should be plenty enough lemon juice to coat all the chicken.

4)To this, add 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and half tsp turmeric and red food color.

5)Mix well and allow to marinate for at least 5 mins.

:- The more this marinates the better - you can leave it for 4 hrs or overnight in the fridge after covering the bowl. If you don`t have time, at least marinate for 5 mins.

6)Transfer the above to a large microwave safe dish, cover and microwave on high for 5 mins till chicken is almost fully cooked.

7)Remove from the microwave and drain & discard all the fluid - keep only the semi cooked chicken aside.

8)For tempering, in a small frying pan, heat 3 tbsp of light olive oil.

9)When the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and cover the pan with a lid.

10)Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.

11)Add 2 dried red chillies and fry for a minute.

12)Turn the heat to low and add 6 curry leaves and cover the pan again.

13)Allow the curry leaves to splutter.

14)Once the leaves are well fried and almost dry, remove from the heat and keep the tempering aside.

15)In a separate large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp light olive oil and add the microwaved chicken pieces.

:- Be careful not to add any of the water that accumulated during microwaving: this excess water should be drained as described earlier.

16)Shallow fry for 5 mins.

17)When the chicken is almost done, add 3 cut green chillies to the pan and continue frying for 1- 2 mins till done.

18)Now the most important step - add 4-5 tbsp of tomato ketchup to the pan directly over the chicken.

:- This is the secret in the recipe - add the ketchup directly over the chicken and allow it to coat the chicken.

19)Continue frying till the chicken is coated with a fluffy layer of ketchup.

20)Add the tempering from the other pan to the main pan and mix well.

21)Continue to fry for 1 - 2 mins till all ingredients are mixed well and the chicken is moist but well cooked.

:- Do not overcook.

:- Enjoy delicious authentic homemade Chicken 65!!

Vada

2011-09-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

Vadas – light and fluffy on the inside with a crisp exterior, packed with flavor, make for a perfect offering to Goddess Durga. This Navratri special Vada recipe is basically a classic South Indian breakfast fare served with sambar and chutney.

Make sure the Vadas are cooked to crispy perfection till a beautiful golden shade is achieved and always serve them warm. Its the crisp exterior that makes the Vadas unique and delightful to savor with hot sambar.

Vada

Don’t skimp on the pepper corns because there’s something irresistibly delightful about the role they play in these savory Vadas. You will love the pepper-y flavor in each bite of the crispy Vada.

Navratri festival special ~ Vadai

Vada Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 20 mts, Soaking time: 1 1/2 hrs

Makes: 10-12 vadas

Cuisine: Andhra

Ingredients:

1 cup whole urad dal/skinned whole black gram dal/minappappu

10-12 black pepper corns, lightly crushed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

1 Soak whole black gram dal in water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2 Strain the water, and grind the dal to a paste sprinkling very little water. Use small portions of dal to grind batch wise as its easier to grind into a soft paste. Add salt, crushed cumin seeds and pepper corns and beat till fluffy.
3 Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel and heat till piping hot. Reduce flame to medium.
4 Wet your hands with water, take a lemon-sized ball of batter and flatten it into a vada on a greased sheet or banana leaf. Make a hole in the centre of the vada so that it cooks evenly all over.
5 Slowly drop the vada into the hot oil and fry it on both sides on medium flame to a golden brown color. Deep fry 4-5 vadas per batch depending on the size of the vessel.
6 Remove the vadas onto a serving plate. Serve warm while the crust is still crisp and serve warm with chutney and sambar.

Kitchen Tips:

If urad dal or whole skinned black gram dal is soaked for over 8 hours, the vadas absorb less oil and are tastier than the vadas prepared from dal which is soaked for only 2 hours

Urad Dal Vada ~ Garelu

Sweet Pongali

2011-09-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

The festive season has begun in India. Navratri is here and its time for some special festival sweets. The first day of Navaratri has Sweet Pongal as an offering to Goddess Durga.

Sweet Pongal is the easiest to make of all the festival recipes. Creamy, infused with cardamom, garnished with roasted raisins and cashew nuts, this delicious jaggery based pudding comforts and warms the soul. You can use sugar instead of jaggery but the flavor of sweet pongal is best when sweetened with iron rich jaggery.

Navratri Recipe ~ Sweet Pongali

Sweet Pongal Recipe

Cooking Time: 50 mts

Cuisine: Andhra

Serves 6-7 persons

Ingredients:

1 cup raw rice washed and drained

1/2 cup yellow moong dal/pesara pappu

1 1/2 cup grated jaggery

4 1/2 cups water

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

3 tbsps ghee

12-15 cashewnuts

2 tbsps raisins/kishmish

1 Heat a pan, add 1/2 tbsp of ghee and toast the cashewnuts and raisins till golden brown. Remove from pan, keep aside. In the same pan, add the moong dal and roast till its lightly red. Remove.
2 Heat a vessel, add grated jaggery. Let the jaggery melt over slow flame till its sticky on touch. Don’t over cook it, it should basically completely melt. Strain the jaggery and cool.
3 In a separate vessel, bring water to a boil. Lower heat, add the rice and washed moong dal to the water. Cook till the rice is soft and the mixture turns thick.
4 Reduce flame to low, add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal mixture and mix. Add the cardamom pwd, salt and toasted cashews and raisins. Let it cook for 2-3 mts and turn off flame.
5Serve warm or bring to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled. It tastes good both warm and chilled.

Kitchen Tips – Add the jaggery syrup only after the rice is completely cooked. Ensure the flame is very low when adding the jaggery syrup. You can substitute jaggery with granulated sugar. Optional – Toast finely chopped fresh coconut in little ghee and add along with cashew nuts and raisins.

Navarati Special – Sweet Pongal

Spicy Chicken Legs

2011-09-29T22:13:00.001-07:00

I usually make this roast recipe using chicken legs and Nehal is extremely fond of it. Few spices go into its making and ensure you marinate the chicken for at least 3-4 hrs if not overnight and roast the chicken well. You can play around with the spices of your choice and add herbs like mint and rosemary.

Spicy Chicken Legs Recipe

Marination:3 hrs, Cooking: 45 mts

Serves 4-5 persons

Ingredients:

4-5 chicken legs, make slits all over

1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp black pepper pwd

large pinch turmeric pwd

3/4 tbsp coriander powder

large pinch cumin pwd

pinch of garam masala pwd

1 tbsp hot and sweet tomato chilli sauce

2 1/2 tbsps hung yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt to taste

2 tbsps oil

1 Marinate chicken legs with all the above ingredients except oil. Refrigerate and allow to marinate overnight or marinate for at least 3-4 hrs.
2 Heat oil in cooking vessel, add curry leaves and chicken pieces along with the left over marinade if any. Cook on high for 3 mts, reduce flame to medium, place lid and cook for 10 mts. Reduce flame to low and cook for another 10 mts.
3 Remove lid and cook till the water evaporates and roast on medium flame till well cooked. Serve warm with onion slices and lemon wedges

Pepper Chicken Roast

2011-09-29T22:11:00.001-07:00

Today’s chicken roast recipe is a huge hit at my home as well as with friends. Makes for a wonderful starter or side dish with rotis. I found this recipe at Varsha’sblog which is home to authentic Kerala style non-vegetarian fare that I have bookmarked to try. The first recipe to try from her blog is Pepper Chicken Roast. I have already made it twice and will be a regular chicken dish at home. I more or less followed the recipe to the ‘T’ adjusting the quantities of spices used. Thank you, Varsha for sharing with us a wonderful lip-smackingly good chicken roast recipe.

Pepper Chicken Roast

Pepper Chicken Roast Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 45 mts

Serves 4-5 persons

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces

1″ cinnamon stick

1 cardamoms

2 cloves

7-8 whole pepper corns

10-12 curry leaves

2 large onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

3-4 green chillis, slit

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp freshly ground pepper pwd

salt to taste

2 tbsps oil

Roast and make a paste:

5-6 curry Leaves

3 shallots or a small onion, sliced

1/2 cup grated coconut

10-12 pepper corns

3/4 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

3 cloves

2 cardamoms

1″ cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 Heat one and a half tbsps of oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and pepper corns and saute for a few secs. Add the curry leaves and saute till crisp.
2 Add the sliced onions and saute till transparent, approx 5-6 mts. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 4 mts. Add turmeric pwd and pepper pwd and combine well. Add the chicken and cook on high for 4 mts. Reduce flame, add salt, place lid and simmer till chicken is almost cooked.
3 Heat half a tbsp of oil in another cooking vessel, add curry leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, pepper corns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and saute for 3 mts on low flame. Next add the sliced shallots and saute for 2 mts. Add the grated coconut and saute on low flame for 4 mts. Turn off heat and cool. Grind to a paste without adding water.
4 Add this paste to the three fourth cooked chicken and combine well. Add few tbsps of water if the curry is too dry. Otherwise there is no need to add water. Place lid and cook for 5 mts. Now increase flame, and toss the contents for 2-3 mts. Lastly sprinkle some kasuri methi, combine well and turn off heat.
5 Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Spicy Chicken Masala Curry

2011-09-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

There are certain recipes which always remain our favorites and we can never be tired of cooking them over and over again. One such favorite recipe that I cook often and is enjoyed by my family and friends is the Spicy Chicken Masala Curry. This chicken curry recipe is not a fancy one, very simple, straightforward and quick to make. I don’t remember the recipe source, its been there in my recipe files since ages, thought I’d share it.

There are endless variations to the chicken curry and today’s chicken curry is prepared with the same basic ingredients as any normal chicken curry, the only other major ingredient is cashewnut paste. The spice level of the curry is high due to the use of black pepper and chilli powder. But the blending of cashewnut paste with the spices offsets the spicy flavor of the curry and gives this dish its unmistakable, not-too-rich, subtly sweet, warm and spicy flavor.

Spicy Chicken Masala Recipe

Recipe source: From my recipe files

Prep & Cooking Time: 30-35 mts

Serves 4-5 persons

Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:

Marinate:

½ kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces

3 tbsp curds

1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your spice level)

¼ tsp turmeric pwd

salt to taste

Make a paste:

6-7 cashewnuts

4-5 tbsps milk

Dry roast and make a fine powder:

1” cinnamon

10-12 curry leaves

3 cloves

Rest of the ingredients:

3-4 tbsps oil

2 big onions finely chopped

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp black pepper powder (adjust to suit your spice level)

¼ tsp cumin powder

coriander leaves for garnish

1 Marinate chicken pieces in chilli powder, turmeric powder, curds and salt for 20 mts.
2 While the chicken pieces are marinating, make a paste of cashewnuts and milk. Keep aside.
3 Dry roast cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves for 1 mt and make a powder of them. Keep aside.
4 Heat 1 1/2 tbsps of oil in a cooking vessel. Add the onions and saute till pink. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute further for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
5 Add coriander pwd, cumin pwd, pepper pwd and combine well and fry for another minute.
6 Add the tomatoes and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Combine well and cook till oil separates.Turn off heat. Cool and grind the cooked masala. Keep aside this masala paste.
7 Heat 1 1/2 tbsps oil in a cooking vessel and add the marinated chicken and cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes, reduce heat and cook covered for another 4-5 minutes.
8 Add the ground masala paste, cashewnut paste and ground powder of cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves and combine well. (Add a cup of water for more gravy consistency). Cook till chicken pieces are soft and you get the desired curry consistency. Adjust salt.
9 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Note:

Adjust the spices according to your choice. Dont over fry the masala too much or burn it as its the masala paste which gives the chicken its flavor. If you dont have curry leaves on hand, don’t worry. Do add more water for a gravy consistency. One variation is add a tbsp of coconut paste and juice of half a lemon to the above curry for added flavor.

Bendakaya vepudu

2011-09-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar.

For best cooking results, okra should be fresh (not frozen). The pods should be small (3 inches or so long), or the okra becomes tough and stringy. If forced to use frozen okra, remove as much of the moisture as possible before cooking by spreading on a paper towel, or patting it dry. I remember my moms pattern to remove the moisture where she used to wash okra’s with fresh water and wipe them up each separately with a dry cloth before she cuts them.

Ingredients

Okra (bhendi) – 20
1 Onion chopped
Curry leaves
a pinch of turmeric
Oil – 2 tb sp
Salt to taste

Seasoning

Minapappu (urad dal) – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 3 to 4
Green chillies - 5-6 (slit into two halves)

Preparation

1. Wash okra and wipe them up with a dry cloth.

2. Slice each one into small thick pieces.

3.In a pan heat oil, add seasoning, when the seeds splutter add curry leaves, onions and a pinch of turmeric. Fry till onions are soft but not brown in color.

4. Add okra pieces, salt to taste, mix and cover the lid for 3-4 mts.

5.remove the lid and let it cook for itself undisturbed. Stir in between but not frequently.

6.once the pieces are soft and slightly crispy turn the flame off and serve hot.

bendakaya vepudu

Royyala Iguru (Prawns in thick gravy)

2011-09-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Today I share with you a hot and spicy dish made with prawns, royyala iguru. iguru in telugu means thick gravy made with ground masala (prepared with spices/onions). My mother used to cook the same version of prawns adding a cup of whole milk at the end and letting the gravy to turn thick.

Ingredients :

Prawns - 500 gms
Onions - 6 finely chopped

Green chililes - 5 to 6 (slit into two halves)

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Coriander leaves - a small bunch (finely chopped)

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Chillie powder - 2 tb sp

Salt to taste

oil - 3 tb sp

water - 2 cups

Poppy seeds (gasagasalu) - 2 tb sp

Cloves (lavangalu) - 6

Cardamom (elaichi) - 3

Small cinanmon stick (dalchini)

Coriander seeds (dhaniyalu) - 2 tb sp

Cashew nuts - 3 tb sp

Ginger - 1" piece

Garlic - 3 pods

Preparation:

1. Grind poppy seeds, cloves, elaichi, cinanmon stick, coriander seeds, cashew nuts, ginger, and garlic to smooth paste.

2. Wash prawns with water and little turmeric powder. Add ground masala paste,2 tb sp of chillie powder, a pinch of turmeric, and salt, leave aside for 15 mts.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai, add chopped onions, a pinch of turmeric, curry leaves, green chillies and fry till onions turn soft.

3. Add prawns and mix well. cover with a lid for 6 mts and let it cook in low flame.

4. Remove the lid, add 2 cups of water, cover and cook in low flame till the prawns turn soft. salt can be added at this point if not sufficient. once the prawns turn soft, cook in high flame till the gravy turns thick.

5. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice or chapathis.

Chicken Avakaya (Chicken Pickle)

2011-09-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Mixture of exotic spices with chicken is a pickle made back at home by my mom. A perfect partner for steamed rice. For all those chicken lovers out there, try this and I bet you'll love it.

you'll need

chicken - 1 lb (I've used chicken with bones) cut into bite sized pieces

Turmeric - 1 tsp

ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds (avalu) - 1 tsp

coriander seeds (dhaniyalu) - 1 1/2 tbsp

cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/4 tsp

cloves (lavangalu) - 10

cardamom pods (elaichi) - 3

cinnamon stick (dalchini) - 1 inch

poppy seeds (gasagasalu) - 2 tbsps

Large Lemon - 1 (Squeeze the juice and set aside)

red chilly powder - 1/4 (adjust according to spice level)

Salt to taste

How to:

1) Wash chicken pieces under running water and drain.

2) In a bowl mix together ginger garlic paste, turmeric. Add washed chicken pieces to this mixture and coat well.

3) Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan/kadhai, reduce the heat to medium and add chicken to it. mix gently, cover the pan with a lid for 2 mts.

4) Remove the lid and on medium low flame allow the chicken to fry till golden brown. Keep stirring in between such that all the pieces are evenly cooked and colored. Do not overfry the chicken as this turns the pieces hard to chew. Light golden brown color would be good.

5) Once the chicken is fried, set aside and allow it to cool. Meanwhile dry fry all the spices individually (mustard seeds, coriander seeeds, cumin seeds, cloves, elaichi, dalchini and poppy seeds) on low flame till nice aroma comes out. Do not burn them (the pickle would turn bitter if spices are over burnt)

6) Once done allow the spices to cool off and grind all spices together to a fine powder.

7) Heat the squeezed lime juice on low flame for 10 seconds (Do not overheat). Alternatively you could warm it for 10 seconds in a microwave. Adding fresh lime juice will not let the pickle stay fresh for long time and thats why we want it to be warm.

8) Now add ground spice powder(do not add entire powder at once, instead add in small quantities and adjust according to your spice levels), dried red chilly powder, to the fried chicken and mix well. Add lemon juice and adjust salt.

9) If the pickle looks too dry a little bit of oil could be added. Its not required to heat oil at this point of time.

10) Leave the pickle in the bowl for an hour and transfer it into a closed jar. This pickle stays fresh for a month even if not refrigerated. If you are not refrigerating the pickle and leaving it outdoors, make sure the pickle is covered with good amount of oil floating on top. It can be eaten on the day of preparation itself. Serve it with steamed rice. Also goes well with dosas and idlys too.

Kodi Guddu Pulusu (Eggs in tamarind gravy)

2011-09-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

"Pulusu" in andhra means thick gravy curry cooked with tamarind and onions. This dish tastes sweet and sour and is best eaten hot with steamed rice accompanied with papad or potato fry. With quite a few ingredients in hand this dish is easy and quick to prepare. When I'm tired and not in a mood for cooking a full course meal this dish goes to my rescue.For those of you who do not eat eggs, substitute with other vegetables like lady's finger (bendakaya), brinjals (vankaya), bottle gourd (sorakaya) etc.,

I have used organic eggs but normal eggs would also do as good as the organic ones. Store bought or home made tamarind paste can also be substituted in this dish. I usually soak tamarind in little hot water, extract the pulp out of it and refrigerate it for further use. I have used sugar in the recipe but it can also be replaced with grated jaggery or brown sugar as well. Lets hop on to the recipe.

A few tips for boiling eggs:

1. Bring water to boil in a sauce pan. When the water starts bubbling up, with a slotted spoon, slowly slide in one egg at a time into boiling water. Let the eggs cook for 10-12 mts in the water. Switch of the flame. Allow to cool off a bit and remove the shells. When in hurry. discard hot water and run the eggs in cold water under a tap and remove the shells.

2. Another alternative I follow while boiling eggs is, pressure cook eggs with 4 cups of water to 1 whistle. Let the pressure settle down, then remove the lid, discard the water and remove the shells of the eggs.

We need:

4 eggs (boiled, shells removed and make slits lengthwise)

lemon sized tamarind (soaked in 1/2 cup warm water and extract pulp out of it)

4-5 tsps oil

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

1 tsp mustard seeds (avalu)

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

4 dried red chillies

curry leaves - 2 sprigs

4 medium sized onions - finely chopped (makes 3 cups of chopped onions)

6 green chillies - finely chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger & garlic paste

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp red chilly powder (adjust according to your spice levels)

3 tbsps sugar

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - 4 sprigs (finely chopped)

How to:

In a kadhai/wide pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add pinch of turmeric and drop in boiled eggs gently into the pan. Fry on medium flame for about 2-3 mts till brown spots start appearing on the eggs. Remove and set aside.

Add remaining oil ( 3 tsps) in the kadhai. Reduce the flame to low. Add in methi seeds and fry for 20 seconds. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow to splutter then add red chillies and fry for about 30 seconds.

Throw in curry leaves, chopped green chillies and chopped onions. Add turmeric (1/4 tsp), salt. Increase the flame to medium and fry till the onions turn soft and light brown.

Once the onions turn light brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry for about 1 to 2 mts till the raw smell disappears.
Add cumin powder, coriander powder and chilly powder. Mix well and fry for 1 minute.

Add squeezed tamarind juice/pulp + 1 cup of water and bring it to boil. Add sugar. Adjust salt and chilly powder. Simmer and let it cook for about 3-4 mts.

Gently add in all the fried eggs, dropping one egg at a time. Allow to cook for about 10-15 mts till the gravy thickens.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Paneer Butter Masala (Indian cottage cheese curry)

2011-09-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

This is one lip-smacking, finger licking north indian flavour that anyone would fall in love with. That velvetty gravy cooked with cubes of paneer and indian spices, garnished with coriander is sure going to be a treat for all those veggie lovers out there. The richness of this dish comes with the butter, cashewnut paste and tomatoes. Try this and I bet you'll be surprised to see how easy you can make this dish that tastes just like the one you tasted at your favorite restaurant.

Ingredients:

250 gms paneer (about 24 cubes)
3 medium sized onions
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsps red chilli powder
4 ripe tomatoes
3 tbsps cashewnut (grind to smooth paste with little water)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
salt to taste
3 tbsps butter
2 pinches of orange food color
Coriander leaves for garnish

How to

In a saucepan, bring about 4 cups of water to boil. When the water starts dancing, gently drop in the onions, and tomatoes. Let them cook on high flame for 10 mts.
Drain the water and let onions and tomatoes cool down. Once cool grind onions to smooth paste. Peel the skin of the tomatoes and grind to smooth paste separately. Set aside.

Heat a tbsp of ghee and fry the paneer cubes to golden brown as shown in the picture.
While the paneer fries, bring one cup of water to boil and switch the flame off. To this add the fried paneer cubes and let it sit for 5 mts in.

In a pan/kadhai heat 3 tbps of butter on medium low flame. Add the onion paste to the butter, increase the flame to medium, and fry for 5 mts stirring frequently till the gravy starts turning brown in color and the raw smell disappears.

Add ginger-galic paste and fry for another minute. Add chilli powder, turmeric, cashew nut paste, and salt to taste. Combine well.
Add tomato puree, kasoori methi, coriander powder, garam masala. simmer the flame and let it cook for 4 mts.

Add fried paneer, mix gently and let it cook for another 4 mts
Now add 3/4 cup of water, and cook on medium flame till the gravy turns to a thick consistency. Check the salt and add if required.
Add 3 tbps of water to the food color and mix it to the curry. cook for another minute or two before turning off the flame.
Let it sit for atleast 10 minutes and garnish with freshly chopped coriander before serving.

Serve hot with rotis, paranthas or naan or steamed white rice

Pacchi mirapakaya karam

2011-09-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
Green chillies : 200 gms Kothimeera : 1 bunch(100 gms) Chintha pandu : 1 big lemon size (soaked in hot water) Oil : 1/2 cup Salt to taste For popu: Avalu : 1 tsp Menthulu : 1 tsp Jeela karra : 1 tsp Inguva :1 pinch

Process:
Heat oil in a pan and cook green chillies until soft. Remove from the stove and add kothimera to the hot chillies. Keep it aside to cool. Grind coarsely the cooked chillies, soaked tamrind, oil fried popu and salt. Add water if necessary to make it smooth. Use oil and salt liberally. Finaly add smile and enjoy. Tip: This chutney goes very well with tiffins when sugar and milk are added and made loose.

Other Information:
Qty:	10
Storage Time & Location:	upto a month if refregirated

Neeruullipai karam

2011-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Onions : 4 medium size Red chillies : 10 Tamrind : one big lemon size(soaked in hot water) Jeelakarra : 1 TSP oil Salt

Process:
Cut raw onions into big pieces and keep aside. Take a pan and fry red chillies in 2 spoons of oil, keep aside to cool. Grind coarsely fried chillies, soaked tamrind pulp, 2 spoons of salt. Later, add raw onion pieces and jeelakarra to the chilli paste and whip grind again. Note: Donot over grind or make into fine paste. Enjoy with hot rice and ghee. Eat healthy. Think healthy. Live healthy.

Other Information:
Qty:	10
Storage Time & Location:	5 days if refrigerated

pandu mirapakaya mamidi pachadi

2011-09-23T10:54:00.001-07:00

This is taken with rice & ghee. It can also can be served as a side dish with dal. Always use a DRY spoon and dry mixer when handling or grinding during the making of the pickle. it will stay fresh for at least 1 month but you have to refrigerate it.

Ingredients:
ripe green chilles : 200 gms which are red in color raw mangoes: 2 Oil : 1/2 cup Salt to taste Avalu : 1 tsp jeera : 1 tsp astofeida:1 pinch garlic :4 or 5 nos curry leaves : 11 or 15 nos

Process:
Method:- 1) Wash the red chillies and air dry or wipe them dry with a cloth or paper towel.. They should be completely dry .Chillies should have no trace of moisture. Remove the stalks. Take care that the mixer which you are going to use is completely dry. 2) peel the green mango and cut into small pieces and fry them in oil for 2 mintues then add the chilles. 3) Grind the chillies, mango pieces,garlic and salt into a coarse paste WITHOUT water. 4) Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and asafoetida. 5) When mustard seeds start to splutter then add the cumin and curry leaves then turn off the stove. Let the mustard seeds cool. 7) Adjust the salt and mango level according to the spiciness of the red chillies. 8)If you want you can put more mangoes if it is spicy.

Other Information:
Qty:	4
Storage Time & Location:	store in fridge for one month

chanadal chutney for idli,dosa

2011-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

quick to make,tasty to eat

Ingredients:
1/2cup chanadal,1/4cup fresh grated coconut,5-6redchilli(accordingly),a little tanarind,salt,oil. seasoning-1/4 zeera,1/4 mustardseeds,1-2 redchiili,curry leaves.

Process:
Heat 1/2sp.oil and fry chanadal,redchilli pieces.Grind fry chanadal,redchilli pieces,fresh grated coconut,,tanarind,salt, into smooth paste(add water).Heat 1sp.oil fry 1/4 zeera,1/4 mustardseeds,1-2 redchiili,curry leaves.Add this to the grinded chutney.Serve with hot idli,dosa.

Other Information:
Qty:	4-5 servings
Storage Time & Location:	oneday

Carret Rice

2011-09-23T10:48:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
Carrot - 4 (Medium) Rice - 400 Grams Green Chillies (cut into small pieces) salt (According to taste) oil - 3 to 4 Table spoons Red chilli powder-1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala - 1/4 Teaspoon Salt to taste For Tampering Mustard Seeds Cumin BengalGram

Process:
1. Cook Rice and keep it aside. Let it cool for some time. 2. Grate carrots. 3. Heat pan and put oil add all the ingredients in tampering. 4. Add green chillies fry for few minutes. 5. keep the grated carrot and fry until the raw smell goes. 6. Put red chilly powder,turmeric,salt and garam masala. 7. Mix well with the rice. 8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Meal maker Rice

2011-09-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
meal maker,garam masala-1tablespoon,curry masala-1tblspn,plain jeera-2spoons,little oil&ghee,salt,pepper,basmathi rice,mirchi,soya sauce,vinegar.

Process:
first fry the basmathi rice plainly without oil then u have to boil the rice. take kadai and put some oil and ghee and then add some ginger garlic paste after that u have to add some jeera,salt,pepper,garam masala,soya sauce and little bit of venigar,after frying that u have 2 add the soaked meal maker then atlast add the rice and close the lid for some time

Other Information:
Qty:	3-4 servings
Storage Time & Location:	1day

Vegetable Biryani

2011-09-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

For masala powder
------------------
cloves - 2 cups
cinnamon - 1 cup
cardamom - 1 cup
cumin - 1 1/2 cup
coriander seeds - 1 1/2 cup
shajeera - 3/4 cup
japatri - 1 cup
anasa puvvu - 1 cup
jajikaya - 4
gasagasalu - 1 cup

For Biryani
--------------

Basmati Rice
Oil
Ginger garlic paste
Green chilies
Onions - 1
Beans - 10
Carret - 1
Potato - 1
Curry Leaves 4 to 6
Mint Leaves 1 string
Coriander Leaves

Process:

Dry roast all the masala ingredients.
Make the powder.
Store it in a air tight container.

1.Heat the pan add oil.
2.Add onions,green chillies,
3.Add ginger garlic paste.
4.Add the vegetables.
5.Add 2 Teasppons of masala powder
6.Add salt.
7.Add the soaked rice and turn off the flame.
8.Take one and half glass of water for 1 glass of rice add to it.
9.Pressure cook upto 3 whistles.

Tips for best wife

2011-09-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

Kichen Tips:

To keep the base of the cooker clean while boiling eggs or Idly, keep little tamarind or lemon peal. While doing so the base of the cooker will not turn to black.
To get more juice from lemon and orange like fruits, keep them in the oven for sometime.
While boiling eggs to avoid breakage, keep them in cold water for sometime.
To cut the dry fruits easily keep the knife in hot water for sometime before cutting.
To avoid the bad smell of Cabbage while boiling keep in it a lemon peal.
When you are in tired chew some tender Neem leaves. They keep you fresh.
When you are in temper or in tension have a bite of dark chocolate, your tension will be relived immediately.
You want to prepare Tea but no milk, what will you do? Don't worry here is a tip for you take an egg and beat it in a cup and pour it in the decoction. You will get a tasty tea.
Making tea with milk powder is more tastier than making with milk.
To keep the rice or wheat fresh for longer time, keep an empty match box in the their containers.
To get soft Idly and crispy Dosa, while preparing batter add some methi seeds and broken rice.
To get rid of the grease on the kitchen windows and exhausting fans, use the scrubber dipped in kerosene and clean them.
If you keep salt in the jars or bottles for longer time it becomes watery, to avoid this keep a blotting paper at the bottom of the container.
To increase the sharpness of a knife keep it on a low flame before cutting.
Keep the gaskets of pressure cooker in the fridge for one hour once in a week to get the longer life.
If you have a burn injury and the ointment is not available then use egg white.
If you have lot of houseflies on your dining table wipe it with a cloth dipped in salt water.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

2011-09-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Biryani is one of the most popular dishes in Hyderabad, India. To make Hyderabadi Biryani, the meat and the rice are cooked in an air tight pot on very low flame, so that the rice is cooked in the flavors of meat and gets the aroma of the meat. The meat gets the direct heat from the flame and the rice is cooked with steam generated by the air tight method of cooking, also known as Dum method. It is a length process but the taste is worth going thru the elaborate process.

There are two ways to prepare Hyderabadi Biryani. One is, precooked meat method and the other is raw meat method. In both the methods, meat and half cooked rice are arranged in layers, and cooked until the rice and the meat are fully cooked. For Chicken Biryani, I use the raw meat method and for Mutton Biryani I use the precooked meat method.

Total Time: 1 hours
Preparation Time: 30 minutes (excludes marination time)
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-5

The measuring cup used here is the cup that comes with the rice cooker, which is 160ml.

Ingredients:

§ Marinade

§ 2 lbs Chicken cut up into 2” pieces

§ ½ cup Yogurt

§ 1 1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

§ 2 – 3 tsp Chili Powder

§ 2 tsp Coriander Powder

§ 12 small Chilies split into two

§ 1 cup chopped Mint Leaves

§ 1 cup chopped Cilantro

§ ½ tsp Turmeric

§ Juice of 1 lime

§ Salt to taste

§ Garam Masala Powder

§ 10 Pepper Corns

§ 10 Coves

§ ½ tsp Cardamom Seeds

§ ½ tsp Sahajeera or Black Cumin

§ 1” Cinnamon Stick

§ 1 Large Onion sliced

§ 1 cup Oil

§ ½ tsp of saffron strands

§ ½ cup milk

§ 4 cups Basmati Rice soaked for 30 minutes

§ Spices for boiling rice

§ 6 Cardamoms

§ 3 Cloves

§ 2 Bay Leaves

§ 1 Bay Flower or Biryani Flower

§ 1 tsp Sahajeera

§ ½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste

§ 1 tbsp of Oil

§ First Full of Salt

Method:

§ Clean the chicken and cut it into 2” pieces. Wash the chicken and squeeze all the water from it. This is very important that you squeeze all the water away from the pieces or put it a colander to let water drain away.

§ Grind all the ingredients listed under garam masala to a fine powder.

§ Mix all the ingredients of the marinade and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

§ In pan heat oil and fry the onions until light golden brown.

§ Soak saffron in hot milk.

§ In a big pot bring water to a boil, add all the spices for boiling rice and mix well.

§ Add rice and continue to cook until you get a one good boil, i.e rice should roll over with boiling water. It takes about 2 ½ – 3 minutes on my stove. Drain the rice and keep aside.

§ Now its time to arrange chicken and rice in layers, one layer of chicken and two layers of rice. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, pour ½ the oil at the bottom, arrange the chicken pieces and sprinkle some oil on top of the chicken.

§ Arrange ½ the boiled rice on the chicken pieces, sprinkle some oil, ½ the fried onions and ½ the saffron milk.

§ Repeat the above step for the last layer, I.e, arrange the last layer of rice. Spread the rest of the rice, sprinkle all the oil, fried onions and the saffron milk.

§ Now, we need to seal the the container and make it air tight so that the steam doesn’t escape when we cook. In India, flour dough or a big cloth is used to seal the container and the cover together. Here, I use an aluminum sheet. take 2 sheets of aluminum foil (the sheets should be bigger than the diameter of the sauce pan) and place it on top of the sauce pan and then cover it with the lid. We will have aluminum sheets between the pan and its lid. Since we took the sheets bigger than the diameter of the pan, we will use that to seal the pan and the lid.

§ Put a heavy object (motor pesto or heavy pan or skillet) on the top of the container, so that the steam doesn’t escape easily.

§ Cook biryani for 8-10 minutes on high until stream escapes from the foil seal. Then reduce the flame to medium low and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.

§ Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before opening it.

§ Mix the rice and serve it hot with raitha or chicken shorva or mutton shorva.

Gayatri mantra

2011-09-03T12:33:00.000-07:00

Aum bhur-bhuvah-swah tat savitur varenyam

bhargo devasya dheemahi dhiyo yo nah Prachodayat

Ganesha Slokam

2011-09-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Suklam baradharam vishnum

Sasi varnam chathurbhujam

Prasanna vadanam dhyayeth

Sarva vighnopa shanthaye

Agajaanana Padmaarkam

Gajaananam Aharnisham

Anekadantham Bhaktaanaam

Ekadantam Upaasmahey

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Pacchi mirapakaya karam

Ingredients:

Process:

Other Information:

Neeruullipai karam

Ingredients:

Process:

Other Information:

pandu mirapakaya mamidi pachadi

Ingredients:

Process:

Other Information:

chanadal chutney for idli,dosa

Ingredients:

Process:

Other Information:

Carret Rice

Ingredients:

Process:

Meal maker Rice

Ingredients:

Process:

Other Information:

Vegetable Biryani

Tips for best wife

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Gayatri mantra

Ganesha Slokam