Kothamalli/Cilantro Rice

Mixed variety rice has always been one of my favorites..I used to exchange my lunch sometimes with one of my buddies in college and her mom makes the best variety rice I've ever tasted! Today my trial was with cilantro as I got a bunch of it from Devon Street over the weekend.

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice
3 cups Water
2 medium Onions
2 Cinnamon sticks
4 Cloves
2 Star Anise
2 Bay leaves
1/2 Tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsps Ghee
2 Tbsp Oil

To Grind:
2 cups Cilantro, packed
4 Cashews
8 Green Chillies
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/4 cup Coconut, shredded

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for 20-30 minutes. 
2. Grind everything from the "To Grind" list into a fine paste without adding much water. You may add a few drops if needed. 
3. Heat oil with ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, cloves, anise, bay leaves and saute for a min.
4. Add onions and saute until slightly golden. Add turmeric powder, corriander powder, the ground paste, salt and lemon juice and saute for 3-4 mins. 
5. Add 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil.  Now add the soaked rice and cover and pressure cook for a whistle in medium flame.  
6. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes and switch off.  Once the pressure goes off, remove the lid and mix gently without breaking the rice. 

Serve with raitha..

Ginger Okra (or Fish) Masala

This is quick ginger based dish which can be a perfect side dish for Chappati or any rice dish. You can substitue okra with fish

Ingredients:
Okra - 1 lb or Fish (Tilapia)-1 lb
Onion - 1 large half
Ginger - 1 cup of grated or sliced or small cut
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
TUmeric powde - 1 tpsp
Bread Crumbs - 1 tbsp or 2 tbsp depending on crispyness you need
Oil


Method:
1-Slice okra and cut cilantro
2-Add ginger, cilantro,chilli powder,coriander powder, Tumeric powder, bread crumbs, oil to sliced Okra or Fish (Tilapia).
3-Heat Oil.Add cumin seeds and onion and saute until golden.
4-Add the mix from step #2

5-Constantly stir every 2 or 3  minutes
6-Close cook for 8-12 minutes
7-Open cook for 8-12 minutes
8-Garnish with Coriander leaves

Kadai Chicken

This is a yummy kadai chicken recipe shared by a good friend of mine Upendra..Thanks Uppu for sharing this wonderful recipe. I am definitely trying this soon!

Ingredients:
1lb Chicken

1 Onion, medium (preferably red onion)

1 Tbsp coriander seeds

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1/2 Tbsp whole black pepper (depends on your spicyness)

2 Tomatoes, medium

1/4 Bell pepper

Ginger garlic paste, to taste
Red chilli powder, to taste
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Cut chicken into medium pieces and marinate with turmeric powder and little bit of ginger garlic paste (we will be using more gingergarlic paste in teh masala)
2. Fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds till very light brown color and they start to give out the masala smell.
3. Grind these 2 seeds along with the black pepper. Do not make a fine powder. Keep it granular.this is the masala that we will be using. and the main ingredient of taste
4. Pour  oil in kadai (important that its a kadai to get that ultimate taste and more the oil more the taste). Put the chopped onions. Saute till very light brown.
5. Add a tea spoon of masala, ginger garlic paste and tea spoon of red chilli powder  and little bit of salt(remember not to put a lot of masala, salt and red chilli as we will put more of this later)
6. add finely chopped tomatos.
7. Mix all these well and put a lid on the kadai and let it cook on medium heat. after about 2-3 minutes check if tomatos start oozing juice. Once the tomatos are cooked, add chopped capsicum (do not chop it finely, let it be a bit big pieces. size of a dice).
8. Fry them for about 1-2 mins.
9. Now, add chicken, add the masala, red chilli powder (you can add according to your spicy limits) and salt according to the taste
10. Mix well and put the lid back. after about 3-4 minutes check if water starts to ooze. At this point pour some water (as required for the gravy)
11. Put the lid back and let the chicken cook. After 4-5 minutes remove the lid and cook the rest with out a lid till the gravy thickens.

Have it with chapatis or naans...yummy kadai chicken ready!!!!

Simple Masala Eggs

This is a nice way to spice up your boiled eggs..they can just be eaten as a snack!!

Ingredients:

Eggs - 10

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Boil eggs in water with some added salt and remove the shells and let them cool for a few minutes.
2. Heat some oil and add all the masalas and salt and after a minute add all the eggs and mix. 

Chicken Kurma

This chicken kurma is a perfect side dish for paratas or chapatis and even rice.

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs/breasts - 1 1/2 lbs
Onion, diced - 1 large
Tomato, diced - 1 large
Coconut, shredded - 1/3 cup
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 2 nos
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 1
Ginger Garlic, paste - 1 Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped - 1 Tbsp
Chilli powder -  1/2 Tbsp
Coriander Powder -  1/2 Tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Add the onions and sauté until golden and add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes away.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chilli and coriander powders and salt and sauté for a minute and then add the chicken and let it cook for a few minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water and cover and cook for 2 whistles and switch off.
4. Meanwhile grind the coconut and the fennel seeds to a fine paste.
5. Remove the lid once the pressure goes off, switch on flame again and add the coconut paste and tamarind paste and let it all boil until it forms a loose gravy like consistency.

Serve with chapatti or rice

Pepper Chicken

I am so sorry for slacking on new posts..As many of you already know, my parents are in town!! yay! So, I was busy eating all the dishes my mom was making, that I had no time to post them! :P
Finished them off before we could take any pictures...
My mom's an amazing cook and she is my inspiration for my cooking adventures..
I am starting off with my most favorite chicken dish!! My mom's pepper chicken..OMG! I just cannot stop eating this..Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
Chicken Thighs, Boneless & skinless - 1 1/2lbs
Ginger Garlic, paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Onion, chopped - 2 Large
Tomato,chopped - 2 medium
Pepper powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 Tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped - 1 Tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai or pan and add onions and saute until golden and add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away. Now, add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.
2. Add the chicken, chilli and coriander powders, salt and cook in medium flame for 30 minutes and stirring every 5 minutes until it reaches a thick gravy like consistency.
3. In a small saute pan, heat a Tbsp of oil and add the jeera and pepper powders and curry leaves and add this mixture to the gravy pan. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped cilantro.

Eggs Cocotte

A healthy breakfast to get your veggies and eggs in! These can be totally customized with any kind of veggies or meat you have..

Ingredients:
Eggs: 4
Spinach, chopped -  1/2 cup
Onions, chopped - 1/2 cup
Garlic, grated - 4 cloves
Chilli Paste (like Sriracha) - 1/8 tsp
Milk - 2 Tbsp
Crushed Red Pepper - 1 tsp
Parmesan - 1/4 cup
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Divide the onions, spinach and garlic between the ramekins. Add salt, pepper, chilli paste in each and mix.
3. Add one egg in each ramekin and top with 1/2 Tbsp of milk in each.
4. Season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and parmesan or gruyere cheese. 
5. Pop in the oven for about 6 mins for half cooked and 15 mins for fully cooked egg. 

You can top it with crumbled crispy bacon or chicken to get an extra crunch!