Eral Thokku (Prawn/Shrimp curry)

         

Eral Thokku

                       

Ingredients 

Prawn 250 gm

10 shallots finely chopped

1 small tomato finely chopped
2 tsp. Ginger garlic paste

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. of fennel seeds

Few curry leaves

Few coriander leaves
Salt as needed

Dry roast:

1.5 tsp. of pepper corns
1.5 tsp. of cumin seeds
1 tbsp channa dal
5 dry red chilies (adjust according to your spice level)

Initial preparation

1.Wash and clean the prawn with turmeric

2.Dry roast the spices given under dry roast,allow it to cool down, grind to powder (neither coarse nor fine)

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan , add fennel seeds, add curry leaves, and let them start sputter.

2.Add shallots and fry until golden brown 

3.Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a min or two

4.Add chopped tomatoes and fry until mushy

5.Add salt as required and mix well

6.Add cleaned prawns and sauté well

7.Cover and cook for 3 mins

8.Add the ground powder, mix well and cook for another 2 mins

9.Transfer to a bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice!

** Coconut milk can be added at the end to get rich gravy

Oats Pongal - Healthier Choice

                            

Oats Pongal

 

Ingredients

2 cups Oats
1 cup Moong dal
2.5 cups Water
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. Ghee
1 tsp. Oil
Few Curry leaves
1 and 1/2 tsp. Pepper
1  and 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
Asafoetida a pinch
1 tsp. Ginger Chopped
1 or 2 Green Chili
Salt - As needed
Handful of Cashew nuts (optional)

  

Initial Preparation

1.Heat a pan and dry roast Moong dal for 5 minutes. Take this out and in the same pan, add oats and fry them for 3 minutes and then remove the fried oats and keep it aside

2.Crush the pepper corns and cumin seeds, slit the green chili
3.Wash the dal and Pressure cook until mushy
                                   

Method

1.Heat oil and ghee in a pan, temper with curry leaves, chopped ginger, a pinch of Asafoetida, crushed pepper, cumin seeds, green chili (don't burn it)

2.Add water, milk, turmeric and salt and bring to boil.

3.Add oats, mix gently and cook for 2 mins

4.Add the cooked dhal, mix well, cover and cook for another 2 mins, turn off the stove

5.In another pan, heat 1 or 2 tsp. of ghee, fry the cashews add it to the Oats Pongal (Optional if you are health conscious)

 

 
**Serve hot with coconut chutney!

**Step 5 is optional, but ghee and cashews give rich taste and aroma!
** If you don't want to use milk, replace with water.

 

Easy Chicken Varuval

Chicken Varuval

Ingredients

500 gm chicken with bones
10 shallots (small onions), finely chopped
1/2 tomato, finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1/4 turmeric powder
1/4 garam masala
2 tsp. chili powder (adjust if required)
2 tbsp. of sesame oil (sunflower/corn oil can also be used)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms

***Wash and clean the chicken

Method

1.Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms and sauté for a min

2.Add the chopped onions, fry for until golden brown

3.Add ginger garlic paste, fry for a min

4.Add chopped tomato and sauté until it turns mushy (optional)

5.Add the chicken, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and fry for 2 mins

6.In the Medium flame, cover and cook for 10 mins (flip occasionally to prevent burning)

***Garnish with coriander leaves and its Ready to be served!

 

 

Vazhaipoo (Plantain flower) Biryani

                                           

Vazhaipoo Biryani

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice

2 onions (medium sized) chopped
2 tsp. Ginger garlic Paste
2 tsp. Small onion paste
1 Tomato chopped
1 tsp. Red Chili Powder (Adjust according to spicy level)
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
Handful of Coriander Leaves
Handful of Mint leaves
3 green chili
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 cardamom
1 bay leaves
2 clove
2 tbsp. Yogurt (curd)
Salt to taste
1 cup Plantain flower
Buttermilk - 1 cup
2 tbsp. Oil and 2 tbsp. of Ghee

Preparation:

1.Take the plantain flower florets, remove the stamen in each floret and soak in buttermilk (This will prevent discoloration).
                   

 

                  

2.Wash the rice and Soak for 20 min

Electric Cooker Method:

Turn on the rice cooker with rice, adequate water (1:1.5) and salt in it.

1.Turn on the stove, Heat 1 tbsp. of ghee and 2 tbsp. oil in a pan

2.Add cinnamon, cardamom, Bay leaf, cloves and fry for few seconds
3.Add onions and fry until golden brown
4.Add Small onion paste  and add ginger garlic paste, sauté until the raw smell is gone
5.Add chopped tomatoes and green chili and fry for few min until tomatoes turn mushy
6.Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves, and stir together to mix well
7.Drain the florets from buttermilk, add them to the pan, add some salt, sauté for a min
8.Add garam masala, chili powder and sauté until the raw smell is gone
9.Add curd (yoghurt), mix well
10.Add the whole mixture to the rice and stir well.

**Add 1 tsp. ghee and some coriander leaves at last stage (before switching off the rice cooker) and mix gently. Let the rice cooker be in warm state for another 5 min

**20 min of rice cooking will be enough

 

Pressure Cooker Method:

1.Turn on the stove, Heat 1 tbsp. of ghee and 2 tbsp. oil in the cooker
2.Add cinnamon, cardamom, Bay leaf, cloves and fry for few seconds

3.Add onions and fry until golden brown
4.Add Small onion paste  and add ginger garlic paste, sauté until the raw smell is gone
5.Add tomatoes and green chili and fry for few min until tomatoes turn mushy
6.Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves, and stir together to mix well
7.Drain the florets from buttermilk, add them to the pan, add salt, and sauté for a min
8.Add garam masala, chili powder and sauté until the raw smell is gone
9.Add curd (yoghurt), mix well, add 1.5 cups of water (add salt for the rice quantity)
10.Let it boil for sometime and add the rice, mix gently
Close the lid and cook for 2 whistles, open the lid once the pressure is been released, add 1 tbsp. of ghee and mix gently, cover for 5 min.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

**Serve hot with Veg/Chole korma/Potato fry/Raita

 

 

Fox Tail Millet(Thinai Arisi) Veg Biryani

                                

Ingredients

1 Cup Foxtail Millet (Thinai Arisi in Tamil)
4 tsp. refined oil
4 tsp. Ghee
1 to 1.5 cup chopped vegetables (Carrot/Beans/Potato)
Handful of Mint and Coriander leaves
3 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 onion finely chopped or few small onions finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
2 tbsp. Curd/Yoghurt
1/2 spoon chili powder
3 green chilies slit vertically
Salt as needed

Spices
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 green cardamoms
2 cloves
1 star anise
1/4 tsp. Fennel seeds

    

Step by step with pictures

Wash the millet and soak it in water for an hour
Heat the Pan with 4 tsp. oil and 3 tsp. ghee, add all the spices and sauté for few seconds
Add onions and little salt, fry till golden brown, Add Ginger Garlic paste and sauté for a min
                    

Add green chilies, tomato and fry until tomatoes turn mushy

Add Potato and fry for another 3 min
Add Carrot/Beans and fry for another 2 min,
Add chili powder and give a quick toss
                                        

Add Mint/Coriander leaves, sauté for 1 min, Add Curd and sauté for 2 min

  


Pour water (4 cups) and add salt as required, Let it boil for few min

                                          

Drain the millet, add to the boiling water
Cook for 10-15 min in medium flame (If the biryani has more water, cook on high flame to evaporate the water).Turn off the stove.
Add 1 tsp. of ghee and mix gently.
                                           

Cover it for about 5 min

Ready to be served!!!

Method

Wash the millet and soak it in water for an hour
Heat the Pan with 4 tsp. oil and 3 tsp. ghee, add all the spices and sauté for few seconds
Add onions and little salt, fry till golden brown, Add Ginger Garlic paste and sauté for a min
Add green chilies and tomato and fry until tomatoes turn mushy
Add Potato and fry for another 3 min
Add Carrot/Beans and fry for another 2 min, Add chili powder and give a quick toss
Add Mint/Coriander leaves, sauté for 1 min, Add Curd and sauté for 2 min
Pour water (4 cups) and add salt as required, Let it boil for few min
Drain the millet, add to the boiling water
Cook for 10-15 min in medium flame (If the biryani has more water, cook on high flame to evaporate the water).Turn off the stove.
Add 1 tsp. of ghee and mix gently.                                
Cover it for about 5 min

Ready to be served with Raita!!!

***Peas/Cauliflower/Broccoli/mushroom veggies can also be used.
* The first ever recipe which I have learnt from my mom...Thank you Amma!!!



 

Kuska Rice

                                               

Ingredients

2 cup basmati rice

2 medium sized onion

2 tomato

6 green chili

1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste

3 tbsp. sunflower oil

2.5 tbsp. ghee

2 bay leaves

4 cloves

3 green cardamoms

2 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 cup Mint leaves

1/2 cup Coriander leaves

3/4 Coconut milk (Fresh) or 2 tbsp. of creamy coconut milk dissolved in 1/2 cup of water

Salt as required

 

Preparation

Wash the rice, soak the rice for 20 minutes

Slice the onions

Chop the tomatoes

Slit the green chilies

 

Electric Cooker Method

 1. Heat a pan with 3 tbsp. of oil and 2 tbsp. of ghee, add fennel seeds, star anise, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and sauté for a min

2.Add onions, green chilies and fry till onions turn golden brown

   **In the mean time turn on the rice cooker, add rice, 2 cups of water and 3/4 cup of coconut milk.

3.Back to the frying pan, Add ginger garlic paste and fry for sometime. Do not burn

4.Add mint leaves and coriander leaves and sauté for a min

5.Add tomatoes, salt. Fry till tomatoes turn mushy

6.Transfer the mixture in the pan to the rice cooker and let it cook until it changes to warm mode.

7.At warm mode, add half a tbsp. of ghee and mix gently. Cover for another 2 min and turn off the rice cooker.

 

Pressure Cooker Method

1. Heat the pressure cooker with 2 tbsp.. of oil and 2 tbsp. of ghee, add fennel seeds, star anise, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and sauté for a min

2.Add onions, green chilies and fry till onions turn golden brown

3.Add ginger garlic paste and fry for sometime. Do not burn

4.Add mint leaves and coriander leaves and sauté for a min

5.Add tomatoes, salt. Fry till tomatoes turn mushy.

6.Add 1 and 3/4 cups of water and 3/4 cup of coconut milk, let it boil for 3 min

7.Now add the rice, cover the lid. Pressure cook for 2 whistle

Turn off the stove. Let the pressure go off, open the lid add half a tbsp. of ghee and mix gently. Cover for another 2 min

 

Ready to be served! Goes well with Chicken Curry/Korma, Any veggie curry/Korma.

 

The combo I usually make and my fav too

Kuska Rice, Chicken Chettinadu Korma, Egg Pepper masala, Onion Raita

    

 

 

Chicken 65 - South Indian Style

                                           

 

Ingredients

300 gm. of chicken breast
1.5 tsp. of chili powder (adjust to taste)  
1/4 tsp. of turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. of coriander powder 
1/4 tsp. of Garam masala
2 tsp. of ginger garlic paste
2 tsp. of corn flour
2 tbsp. of thick plain curd/yogurt   
1/2 lime (extract juice without seeds) 
A handful of curry leaves and coriander leaves
1 onion  
salt as needed
2-3 cups of oil, for frying
1 tsp. of ghee

Preparation

1.Wash and Clean the chicken, cut into small cubes
2.In a bowl, add Chicken pieces, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, Garam masala, ginger garlic paste, yogurt, lime juice, salt and mix well
3.Keep the mixture in the fridge for an hour

Cooking Method

1.Heat the oil in a Kadai/Pan
2.Add the marinated chicken pieces few at a time (Don't overlap) and fry until golden brown on a low heat
3.Drain and remove on a paper towel

 

Tempering for extra flavor (optional):

1.In another pan, heat 1 tsp. of oil/ghee
2.Add curry leaves, let them turn crispier, add chopped onions, little salt and fry until golden brown
3.Now, add the drained chicken pieces and give it a quick toss altogether.

Garnish with Coriander leaves and Serve hot!

Note: 
**Try to use fresh ginger/garlic paste (home made)
**I always use home made garam masala (will be posting the preparation of garam masala soon)