Egg Curry with Ridgegourd

This dish is a rare combination of a vegetable with egg. This is a dish learnt from my MIL. It's easy to prepare & tastes great. Goes well with steamed rice or any Indian bread varieties.

Egg Curry with Ridgegourd

Ingredients:
Ridgegourd: 1
Eggs: 3
Onion: 1 medium
Tomato: 1 small
Red chilli powder: 1/2tsp
Jeera/Cumin powder: 1/4tsp
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Salt
Oil: 1tsp

Method:
Peel, finely chop the ridgegourd.
Heat oil in the pan add the finely chopped onion& finely chopped tomato. Saute' for sometime then add the ridgegourd.
Saute' for sometime. Add the red chilli powder, cumin powder & salt. Add water & cook till rigdegourd is done.
Then add the eggs & keep stirring till the eggs are cooked.
Serve hot.

Bengal Chickpeas Potato Curry

Bengal Chickpeas  Potato Curry

Ingredients:
Bengal gram (Kala channa): 1 cup
Potato: 2 medium
Onion: 1 medium
Tomato: 1
Fennel seeds: 1/2tsp
Cinnamon: 1" piece
Cloves: 2
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Cumin powder: 1/2tsp
Black pepperpowder: 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Salt
Oil: 2tsp

Method:
Soak the bengal chickpeas overnight. Cook in a pressure cooker until done.
Peel & dice the potatoes. Chop the tomato.
Grind the onion & garlic paste to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan add the whole spices & allow it to crackle.
Add the diced potato & the tomato. Saute' well.
Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder & salt. Saute' well.
Add the onion, garlic paste. Saute' for sometime.
Then add the cooked bengal chickpeas & add a cup of water. Cook till it gets the required consistency.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Fish Coconut Curry

Fish coconut curry


Ingredients:
Fish (I used salmon fillet): 300gms
Onion: 2 medium size
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Ginger paste: 3/4tsp
Green chillies: 2-3
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Lemon juice: 1tbsp
Curry leaves: 4-5
Cinnamon: 1 inch piece
Cloves: 2
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 11/2tsp
Coconut milk (I used canned coconut milk): 400ml
Salt
Oil: 2tbsp

Method:
Clean, debone & cut the fish into small pieces.
Grind garlic paste, ginger paste ,green chillies, turmeric powder, lemon juice & salt.
Marinate the fish pieces in the ground paste & refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a pan add the whole spice & stir fry, then add the finely chopped onion & saute' for 3 minutes.
Add the curry leaves.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder & mix well.
Add the marinated fish pieces & saute' for 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk  & add salt. Close with a lid & cook for 10-15 minutes.
Serve hot with cooked rice.

Banana Pepper Sesame Gravy

 This is a spicy gravy. Learnt from my friend.

Banana Pepper Sesame Gravy

Ingredients:
Banana pepper: 5
Sesame seeds (White til): 2tbsp
Grated coconut or desiccated coconut : 2tbsp
Peanuts: 2tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds: 1/4tsp
Curry leaves: 5-8 (I had run out of curry leaves, did not use them)
Salt
Oil: 2tsp

Method:
Dry roast the sesame seeds, grated coconut & peanuts.
Grind to a smooth powder.
Wash the banana pepper, make a nick in the centre & remove the seeds.
Heat oil in a pan add the banana pepper & fry for sometime. Remove & keep aside.
In the same pan add mustard seeds, jeera seeds & curry leaves.
Add the fried banana pepper, the ground powder & salt.
Add water & cook for sometime.
Serve hot with chapathis.

Potato Stew

Potato stew

Ingredients:
Potato: 5 medium
Onion: 1 medium
Coconut milk: 1can (400ml)
Green chillies: 2-3
Ginger (finely chopped): 2tsp

For seasoning:
Cinnamon: 1/2" piece
Bay leaf : 1

Method:
Peel & finely chop the potato & the onion.
In a pressure cooker add finely chopped potato, onion, green chillies, ginger, half of  the coconut milk, the same amount of water (if using freshly extracted coconut milk use the 2nd extract) & salt.
Cook for 3 whistles in the pressure cooker.
Season with bay leaf & cinnamon in 1tsp of ghee or coconut oil.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Rice Flour Chicken Curry

Rice Flour Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs: 4
Rice flour: 3tbsp
Onion: 1 medium
Ginger paste: 1tsp
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Green chillies: 3-4
Cayenne pepper powder: 11/2tsp
Lemon juice: 1tbsp
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1" piece
Fennel seeds: 1/4tsp
Big cardamom: 1
Oil: 2tbsp
Salt

Method:
Clean the chicken thighs.
Grind the onion, garlic paste, ginger paste, green chillies, lemon juice & salt.
Marinate the chicken pieces in the above ground paste preferably in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a pan add the cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds & big cardamom.
Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade.
Cook on high heat till the outside of the chicken is done. Then add the cayenne pepper powder, rice flour dissolved in 1 cup of water.
Cook till the chicken is done & the required consistency of the curry is obtained.
Serve hot with steamed rice or chapathis.

Mutton Balls in Gravy (Kola Urundai Kozhambu)

This dish is a combination of my MIL's preparation & Khana Khazana fame Sanjeev kapoor's preparation.

Mutton Balls in Gravy (Kola Urundai Kozhambu)

Ingredients:
Mutton mince: 500gms
Onion:4 medium
Tomato: 2 medium
Egg: 1
Tamarind: lemon size
Coriander leaves: 3tbsp
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Salt
Oil: 5tbsp

For masala paste:
Poppy seeds: 2tsp
Garlic paste: 2tsp
Green chillies: 4
Grated coconut: 6tbsp

For masala powder:
Peppercorns: 10
Roasted gram: 1 cup
Coriander seeds: 2tbsp
Cinnamon: 1" piece
Cloves: 2
Star anise: 1
Cardamom: 2
Fennel seeds: 1/2tsp

Method:
Clean the mutton mince, add the egg & mix well.
Finely chop one onion.
Roughly chop the remaining onions. Reserve 1/4th of the roughly chopped onion. Grind remaining onion with tomato.
Soak poppy seeds in warm water. Grind with garlic, green chillies & grated coconut to a smooth paste.
Soak tamarind in 1 cup water.
Dry roast the whole spices except roasted gram & grind to a fine powder.
Add half the masala paste & half the masala powder to the mutton mince. Mix well.
Add the finely chopped onion, finely chopped coriander, turmeric powder, 1/2 the red chilli powder & salt to the mutton mince. Mix well again.
Marinate the mutton mince in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Wet your palms & make lemon size balls with the mutton mince.

Heat oil in a wide, shallow pan add the reserved onion & saute' well. Then add the onion, tomato paste. Saute' for sometime.
Add salt, the remaining red chilli powder, the remaining masala paste & then add the tamarind extract. Allow to cook for sometime.
Add the remaining masala powder & simmer for a couple of minutes. Add water if required.
Gently slide in the mutton balls, cover with a lid & cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves & serve with steamed rice.

Paneer Pistachio Gravy

Paneer Pistachio Gravy

Ingredients:
Paneer: 250gms
Pista: 8-10 (soaked in water)
Cashewnut: 5-8
Poppy seeds: 1tsp
Cardamom: 3
Cinnamon:1/2 inch
Milk: 100 ml
Onion: 1 large
Tomato: 3 medium
Garlic paste: 11/2tsp
Ginger paste: 1tsp
Green chillies: 3
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 11/2tsp
Paprika: 1/2tsp
Salt
Sugar: 1/4tsp
Oil: 2tsp
Ghee: 2tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add the finely chopped onion, tomato, garlic & ginger paste. Saute' till  it becomes mashy.
Cool & grind it with half a cup of water. Soak the pistachios in warm water & peel the skin.
Soak the pistachios, cashewnuts, cinnamon, poppy seeds & cardamom in milk.
Grind the soaked ingredients along with  milk to a smooth paste.
Heat ghee in a pan, add onion tomato paste (be careful it will splatter).
Saute' for sometime. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the pan.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt & paprika powder.
Add the pistachios paste. Saute' for sometime.
Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some milk or water.
Add the finely chopped green chillies, paneer pieces & sugar. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Serve hot with chapathis.

Mutton Pepper Fry

My husband is a great fan of mutton dishes. This is one of his all time favourite. When we were in India, this was usually prepared on sundays. I learnt this from my MIL. I prepared this for
my brother when he visited us, from that time onwards he also started craving for it. Last week my sister-in-law asked me for this recipe. So thought of preparing & posting it.

Mutton Pepper Fry (Sukka Varuval)

Ingredients:
Mutton (Boneless): 750gms
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Ginger paste: 1tsp
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1/4" piece
Onion: 1 small
Cumin powder/Jeera powder: 1tsp
Black pepper powder: 11/2tsp
Curry leaves: 8-10
Oil: 3tsp
Salt

Method:
Clean, cut the mutton into small bite size pieces. In a bowl (stainless steel utensil that will fit inside the pressure cooker), add turmeric powder & ginger paste to the mutton. Mix well. In a pressure cooker, add water till 1/4th mark, place the bowl inside and cook for 5 to 6 whistles. As the mutton cooks, it produces water which can be drained off or can be used for preparing a delicious mutton soup as I do.
Add jeera powder, black pepper powder & salt to the mutton pieces mix well.
Heat oil in a pan, add clove, cinnamon & finely chopped onion. Saute' till the onion becomes golden brown, then add the curry leaves.
Add the mutton pieces, fry for sometime.
Serve hot with steamed rice & mutton kurma .

Three Veggie Curry

To be frank I have never tried courgette, but last week I decided to give it a try. I made a curry with it & it tasted good. My husband  liked it very much. Already it has appeared twice in our menu since last week. First time I did not take a photo, so posting it now.

Three Veggie Curry

Ingredients:
Potato: 3 medium size
Courgette(Zucchini): 1 small
Green Bell Pepper: 1 medium
Onion: 1 medium size
Oil: 2tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4tsp
Whole jeera: 1/2tsp
Split urad dal: 1/2tsp
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 2tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Salt
Dessicated coconut: 2tsp

Method:
Clean, peel, cut potato into small cubes.
Clean, cut courgette into small cubes.
Clean, cut bell pepper into small cubes.
Finely chop onion.
In a pan add oil then add mustard seeds, allow it to crackle, then add  jeera & split urad dal.
Wait till the urad dal turns golden brown. Add the finely chopped onion & saute' till the onion becomes pale in colour.
Add the vegetables, then add garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder & salt. Saute' for 2-3 minutes.
Add water for the vegetables to get cooked. Close with a lid & cook till the vegetables are done.
Sprinkle the dessicated coconut powder. Mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with steamed rice or chapathis.

Paneer Capsicum Curry

I was wondering what to prepare for side dish. I remembered the stock of paneer in the freezer. I decided to prepare some dish with paneer. My hubby wanted some snacks for the evening.
So decided to prepare paneer pakora & the remaining I used for making the curry.

Paneer Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:
Paneer: 300gms
Garlic paste: 11/2tsp
Ginger paste: 1tsp
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Jeera powder: 1/2tsp
Vinegar: 1tsp
Corn flour: 2tbsp(mixed in 2tbsp water)
Rice flour: 2tbsp
Salt
Onion : 3 medium size
Tomato: 1 medium size
Green bell pepper: 1
Green chillies: 4
Oil : to deep fry

Method:
Cut the paneer into small cubes.
Add garlic paste, ginger paste, red chilli powder, jeera powder, vinegar, corn flour, rice flour & salt.
Marinate the paneer pieces in the above marinade for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan & deep fry these paneer pieces until golden brown. Drain onto a kitchen towel.
This is PANEER PAKORA.

In a pan add 2tsp oil add finely chopped onion, finely chopped tomatoes, finely chopped green chillies & saute' for a few minutes.
Add the left out marinade & 1-2 cups water. Allow it to boil  then add fried paneer pieces & then the capsicum pieces.
Add salt, cover with a lid & cook for few minutes. Do not over cook the capsicum.
Serve hot with chapathis.

Beetroot Chops

I had this dish for the first time in my chithi's house (father's younger brother's wife). She prepares  all traditional  tamil dishes & tries a lot of new dishes from neighbours. I have learned a lot
of dishes from her. This is a very different preparation with beetroot.

Beetroot Chops

Ingredients:
Beetroot : 3
Onion: 2 medium size
Tomato: 1 medium size
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Peppercorns: 10
Red chilli: 2
Coriander powder: 2tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Oil: 3tsp
Garam masala: 1tsp

Method:
Wash, peel, & cut the beetroot into thin slices.
Roughly chop the onion & tomato.
In a pan add 1tsp oil saute' half the onion, tomato, garlic paste, peppercorns &  red chilli. Cool & grind to a paste.
In a pan add 2tsp oil add the remaining onion, saute' for few minutes add the beetroot, salt & turmeric powder. Saute' for sometime. Then add the ground masala. Mix well.
Add coriander powder. Add 1 cup water & cook till the beetroot is cooked ( My chithi cooks in a pressure cooker & allows  2 whistles). Wait till the water is absorbed & the gravy thickens.
Then add garam masala. Mix well. Take off the heat.

Red Kidney Beans Gravy

My cousin asked me to post some side dishes for chapathis. She prefers healthy & side dishes with less oil. I tried a dish with red kidney beans. I thought she will like this dish.

Red Kidney Beans Gravy

Ingredients:
Red kidney beans (Rajma): 1cup
Onion: 1 medium size
Tomato: 1 medium size
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1 inch piece
Fennel seeds: 1/4tsp
Garlic paste: 1tsp
Ginger paste: 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 2tsp
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Salt
Oil: 2tsp

Method:
Soak the red kidney beans over night. Cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker.
In a pan heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon & fennel seeds allow it to crackle. Saute' the finely chopped onion for few minutes.
Then add finely chopped tomato, garlic paste & ginger paste. Saute' till the tomato becomes mashy.
Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder & the coriander powder. Saute' for some time.
Add the cooked red kidney beans along with the water in which it was cooked.
Cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve hot with chapathis.