SIMPLE CHICKEN BIRYANI (Kugan )

SIMPLE CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients:

To Marinate:
500 grms chicken cut into big pieces
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Little salt

2 tbs ghee
2 , 1 inch cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 bay leaves

150 grms shallots sliced 
2 tsp ginger garlic paste 
25 grms coriander leaves
50 grms mint leaves
150 grms tomatoes chopped

2 tsp chillie powder
1 cup curds
500 grms marinated chicken (above )
500 grms basmathi rice soaked for 10 minutes
Salt to taste
500 grms water

Method:
Marinate the chicken for about 20 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pot.
Add in the dry spices and let them crackle.

Now add in the sliced shallots and sauté well.
Add in the ginger garlic paste, add also the mint and coriander leaves.
Give a good stir, add in the chopped tomatos and cook till mushy.

Add in the chillie powder, and the curds and mix well.
Now add in the marinated chicken and give a good stir.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Now add in the soaked, drained basmathi rice.
Add in enough salt, and the water, give a good stir.
Sim the flame very low , cover with a thick cover and cook till all the water is absorbed.

If using a pressure cooker, sim the flame and let it come to 2 whistles.
Off the flame and let the pressure release on its own.
Now fluff up the rice and serve with a raitha.

Restaurant style fried rice: (DEV)

Restaurant style fried rice:
Finely chopped mixed vegs(including capsicum gives a nice flavour)
Cooked rice-grains separate
salt
pepper
minced garlic
spring onions

Heat oil+ghee/olive oil in a iron kadai and add the garlic. Once fragrant, add the spring onion white-chopped and stir until translucent.
Add the veggies, 1/2 the salt n pepper and keep sauteeing on HIGH flame until u see the kadai smoking. Once u see the smoke, keep sauteing for another 2-3 mins. By then the vegs will be cooked but still crunchy.
If adding eggs,reduce the flame; push the veggies to one side; add oil in the pan again and break the egg into it and crumble the eggs. mix in the veggies once the eggs are done.
Now add the rice,spring onion greens, more salt,pepper.now increase the heat to HIGH once again and keep mixing until it starts smoking again. Keep mixing for 2 mins.
Done.

Note:
I don't add sauces in my fried rice but if u fancy, u can add soy sauce,green chilly sauce and lil vinegar. It definitely adds to the taste of the fried rice.

PASTA MUSHROOM MIX (Kugan )

PASTA MUSHROOM MIX

Ingredients:

1 tbs oil
4 pips garlic chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
2 big onions chopped
1 big tomato chopped

1 tbs coriander powder
½ tbs chillie powder
Salt to taste

300 grms button mushroom quartered
3 tbs of macaroni, half boiled and drained

½ tbs black pepper powder
Little chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a wok, add in the chopped garlic and sauté till nice aroma comes.
Add in the curry leaves, onions and sauté for a minute.
Now add in the chopped tomatoes, cook till mushy.
Sprinkle little water if needed.

Add in the coriander, chillie powders and enough salt.
Cook on low heat till the raw smell goes.
Add in the quartered mushrooms, and cook for a minute.
Add in also the half boiled macaroni, stir fry well.

Lastly add in the black pepper powder.
Remove and garnish with the cut coriander leaves.
Goes well with bread dosai or rice.

PULI POTATO (Kugan )

PULI POTATO (Kugan )

Potatoes can be cooked in many ways.
I liked this puli potato that I tasted in my friend's house.
Thanks, Kugan

PULI POTATO


2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafetida powder
1 tsp urad dal
3 red chillies cut into pieces

2 big onions chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
1 cup tamarind juice, from a lime sized tamarind
1 tbs grated vellam
Salt to taste
2 tsp sambar powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder

300 grms potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
Little cut coriander leaves

Method:
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.
Add in the mustard seeds, asafetida, urad dal and the cut dry chillies.
Sauté for a second, add in the onions and sauté for a minute.
Now add in the curry leaves, tamarind juice, vellam and salt.

Also add in the sambar powder and the turmeric powder.
Stir for a minute till the raw smell goes.
Now add in the boiled cubed potatoes, stir fry well.
See that the potatoes are coated well with the gravy.

Stir fry till dry, remove and garnish with the cut coriander leaves.
A nice tangy side dish.

Palak Panner (Nithi Sri )

Palak Panner
Ingredients
Spinach(Palak) - 1 bunch
Onions - 1 
Garlic pods - 5
Paneer (Fresh or deep fried) - 150 gms
Kasturi methi (optional)
Coriander leaves - few
Coriander powder - 4 tsp
Red chillie powder - 2 tsp
butter - 1 tsp 
oil - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

To Garnish
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 big
Red Chily with Seeds - 1
Chopped onions - little
Lime juice
Method
1) For palak paneer the key is to blanch the Spinach without overcooking. For this watch the Spinach leaves and leaves all the stems. Use the Leaves only (Mandatory)
2) Boil water in a wide mouthed pan. When the water just starts to boil, throw in the spinach leaves. Cover the lid and leave it for not more than 1- 2minutes.
3) Immediately refresh these leaves by transfering into cold water. This stops any overcooking.
4) Allow to cool and add few coriander leaves and make a fine paste of these 2 greens.
5) Heat half the butter and oil in a pan. When it is hot, add the chopped onions, salt followed by the finely chopped garlic pods.
6) When the onion turns translucent and the garlic gells well with the onion add the chillie powder, coriander powder and cook till the raw smell disappears.
7) Now add the panner and greens paste and cook until the oil oozes out. Note that greens should retain the color.
8) For garnishing, add the remaining oil and butter. Splutter the cumin seeds and Green chillies (whole) and pour it into the palalk paneer just like chutney thalippu. Add chopped onions before serving.
9) This is a mild dish. If you prefer a more spicy one add 2 green chillies while grinding the greens.
10) The chef also suggested to add some yogurt for garnishing. I skipped it.
10) Goes well with roti and rice. I relished it with Radish chapathis.

VEGETABLE SOUP (Kugan )

VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients:

2 tsp oil
2 red chillies
4 pips of garlic

1 onion chopped finely
¼ cup carrots chopped fine
¼ cup cabbage chopped fine
¼ cup cauliflower chopped fine
¼ cup beans chopped fine

3 cups of water
¼ tbs sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
Salt to taste

1 tbs corn flour
½ cup of water

Little chopped spring onion 

Method:
Grind the red chillie and garlic to a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a wok, add in the ground paste.
Sauté on low flame till nice aroma comes.
Add in the chopped onions, sauté for a minute.

Add in the chopped vegetables and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add in the 3 cups of water, and allow to boil till the veges are cooked.
Add in the soy sauce, sugar and the salt.
Now mix the corn flour with the water, to a smooth paste.

Pour this to the above soup and allow to boil for about 3 minutes.
Remove and garnish with the spring onions.
Serve in bowls as a starter, piping hot.

GRILLED SANDWICHES (NOV)

GRILLED  SANDWICHES

Ingredients :-
--- 4 bread slices
--- 1 tsp salt or to taste
--- 1/8 tsp kali mirch powder
--- 1/2 cup cheese-grated
--- Chopped green chillies to taste
--- 1 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves
--- 1 Tbsp butter

Method :-
--- Mix cheese, salt, kali mirch, coriander and green chillies.
--- Butter the bread slices.
--- Place half each of the cheese mixture over two slices, on the unbuttered side.
--- Cover both with the other slices, buttered side on top.
--- Grill and serve.

ELLU URUNDAI 1 (Kugan )

ELLU URUNDAI  1

Ingredients:
2 cups ellu ( I used the white ones)
1 1/4 cups vellam (more if you like )
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
little water
little rice flour or ghee

Method:

Clean and wash the ellu, dry it well.
Lightly dry roast the ellu.
Heat a wok with little water, add in the grated vellam.
cook till it becomes thick. It should form a stiff ball
when dropped in water.
add the roasted ellu and the cardamom powder at once.
mix well and remove from the stove.
make balls from it while it is still warm.
use a little ghee or rice flour so that it does not
stick to your hands.
This is a very healthy sweet.

ELLU URUNDAI (Kugan)

ELLU URUNDAI

Ingredients:

1 cup white ellu (sesame seeds )
½ cup grated vellam
A pinch of salt
A pinch of cardamom powder

Method:

Dry roast the ellu till it crackles. Do not burn this.
Let it cool, run this in a mixture.
Add in the grated vellam, pinch of salt and the cardamom powder.
Then run the mixie again, till all mix well.

Transfer the contents into a bowl.
Shape them into small round balls.
There will be little oil when you grind the ellu seeds.
This will help in shaping the balls. Enjoy.

NOTE: you can use black ellu instead of white ellu.
You can add in grated roasted coconut before grinding in the mixie.

Ilish Maacher Paturi (Kugan )

Ilish Maacher Paturi (Indian Fish Recipe) :-


Tender Hilsa pieces smoked in banana leaves is something you can’t resist. A true Indian recipe, Bhapa Ilish or Hilsa in thick mustard gravy will tickle your taste buds definitely. As this Hilsa preparation is a very versatile and easy recipe, it definitely deserves a place in your cook book.

Ingredients for Ilish Maacher Paturi :-
4 pieces Hilsa Fillets
80 gm mustard oil
75 gm mustard paste
2 gm Kalonji (nigella seeds)
1 tsp turmeric powder
5 gm red chili powder
5 gm sugar
Salt according to taste
4 pieces Banana leaves (Cut it into squares and put on hot griddle for half a minute to make it soft)

How to make Ilish Maacher Paturi? :-
Step 1:Cut and clean the fish fillets (Boneless pieces of approx 4 inch square)
Step 2: Marinate it with half of the mustard oil quantity given in above ingredients, kalonji, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Keep aside for an hour
Step 3: Now add mustard paste, sugar and remaining mustard oil
Step 4: Adjust the seasoning and again keep aside for half an hour
Step 5: Take individual fish pieces and wrap it in banana leaves. Pierce with tooth picks so that they do not open
Step 6: Put it in the steamer for 5-8 minutes or until the fish is cooked
Step 7: Serve it hot

Text Copyright by : jagran

MOTCHAI PRATTAL (Kugan )

MOTCHAI PRATTAL

Ingredients:

1 cup motchai, soaked overnight , and boiled till cooked.

(A)
3 dry red chillies
1 tbs tamarind paste
¼ cup grated coconut
¼ tsp pepper
1 tbs of the boiled motchai


1 tbs oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafetida powder
1 sprig curry leaves
2 pips garlic crushed a bit

Salt to taste
¼ cup of water

Little cut coriander leaves

Method:
Boil the motchai and keep aside.
Now grind all the ingredients in (A) and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, add in the mustard seeds.
Let them splutter, add in the asafetida powder.
Add also the curry leaves and the crushed garlic.
Sauté well for a minute.

Now add in the ground paste, salt and the water.
Sauté well, add in the boiled motchai.
Let it come to a boil, and the contents little dry.
Remove and garnish with the cut coriander leaves.

SATHU MAVOO URUNDAI (Kugan )

SATHU MAVOO URUNDAI

Ingredients:

50 grms corn
50 grms green peas
50 grms raw rice
50 grms soya beans


100 grms grated coconut, roasted
100 grms caster sugar
A pinch of salt
Cold milk as needed

Method:

Dry roast the corn, green peas, raw rice and soya beans.
Roast separately, till a nice aroma comes.
Cool and grind it to a nice powder.

In a bowl, add in the ground flour, sugar, coconut and salt.
Mix nicely, now sprinkle the cold milk little by little,
to hold the mixture. Make into small balls and serve.


NOTE: You can even add lot of milk and make it into a breakfast porridge.

ULUNTHU CURRY (Kugan )

ULUNTHU CURRY

Ingredients:
(A)
¼ cup urad dal soaked for ½ an hour
2 cups of water
1 small tomato cut into cubes
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

1 tbs oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafetida powder
3 pips garlic minced
½ tsp ginger minced
1 sprig curry leaves

½ tsp red chillie powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp jiggery
1 tbs tamarind pulp

1 tbs coriander leaves chopped

Method:

Add in all the ingredients in (A) and boil on low heat till the urad dal is cooked.
Remove and mash up the dal a bit, keep aside.

Heat a wok, add in the oil, add in the mustard and cumin seeds.
Let them crackle, add in the asafetida powder, garlic and ginger.
Sauté for a minute, add in the curry leaves.

Now pour the cooked dal to the seasonings.
Add in the red chillie powder, garam masala powder, jiggery,
and the tamarind paste. Give a good stir, add little water if needed.
Boil on low flame till the raw smell goes.
Remove and garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.