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.

Traditional Sambar

This is a traditional sambar recipe from my mom's kitchen. In our house growing up, our everyday meal included rice, a gravy like sambar, rasam..etc and a side vegetable, egg or meat. So sambar was one of the most common gravies made..and was everyone's favorite :)

Ingredients:
Dal - 2 cups
Water - 5 cups
Onions, diced - 1 large
Tomato, diced - 1 large
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 Tbsp
MTR sambar powder - 1Tbsp (optional)
Cilantro, chopped - handful
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
For Tadka:
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 5-6 nos

Method: 

1. In a pressure cooker, add dal, onions, tomato, asafoetida, water and all the powders, salt and cook for 3 whistles and switch off.
2. Meanwhile in a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves.
3. Remove the lid from the cooker and heat in medium flame and adjust salt and sambar powder according to taste and bring to boil. Add the tadka, cilantro and remove from flame. 

Homemade Sambar powder is nothing but a combination of coriander seeds and chilly powder. But if you don't have that you can just add readymade sambar powder. This recipe is for plain sambar. You can add any kind of vegetable to it and it will add more flavor and taste to it..The most common veggie suggestions are brinjal/eggpant, radish, capsicum, carrot..

Mushroom Chicken Curry

This is a different chicken curry with mushrooms. The combination of mushroom and chicken is more common in italian foods and I've always liked it but never tried making indian curries with this combo..Here's my first trial

 

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs - 2 lbs
Mushrooms, sliced - 1 box
Onions, chopped - 1 large
Tomatoes, chopped - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Curry powder - 2 tsp
Coconut, shredded - 2 Tbsp (optional)
Chicken masala - 2 tsp (optional)
Chicken broth/Water - 1 cup
Cilantro, chopped - handful
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and saute until it turns golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook until mushy. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, curry powder, masalas and salt and saute for a few minutes.
3. Add the chicken and water/chicken broth and cover and cook until chicken is all cooked.
4. Now add the mushrooms and cook in medium flame until the gravy thickens up. If using, grind the shredded coconut to a paste and add to the gravy along with pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Finish with chopped cilantro.

Note that I did not use coconut paste when I made this curry since I did not have the time, which you can pretty much tell from the picture, but adding it will thicken your gravy as well as make it tastier :)

Black Channa Curry

Black Channa/Konda kadalai/Kala channa however you wanna call it..this is a recipe I learned from my mother-in-law and it's my husband's favorite.

Ingredients:
Channa, dry - 1 cup
Onion, chopped  - 1 large
Tomato, medium - 1
Coconut, shredded - 3 Tbsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Cashews - 4 nos
Cilantro, chopped - handful
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Curry powder - 2 tsp
Salt, to taste
Water - 2 cups

Method:

1. Soak the channa overnight in a vessel with enough water to cover up all the channa.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add mustard seeds and once it pops add curry leaves, 3/4th of the onions and fry until golden brown. 
3. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes and add the chopped tomatoes.
4. Once tomatoes gets mushy, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, curry powder and salt and sauté for a few minutes.
5. Filter all the water from the soaked up channa and add channa to the pressure cooker with 2 cups of fresh water. Cover and cook until 4-5 whistles and switch off the stove.
6. Meanwhile in a small mixer jar, add coconut, cashews, fennel seeds, leftover onions and grind into a paste.
7. Remove the pressure cooker lid once the pressure goes off, add the ground paste and heat in medium flame until the gravy thickens. 

This curry is best with rice or rotis. I halved up the recipe here since you might be trying for the first time. I usually make lots of it and store up in the refrigerator for a few days.

Eggplant Curry for Biriyani

This eggplant curry is one of my favorite side dishes for all types biriyanis..It is spicy and tangy and a perfect combination for your biriyanis.

Ingredients:

For Gravy:
Eggplant - 1
tomatoes,chopped - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
curry Leaves - 6
Kasthuri Methi - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro,chopped - handful
Bay Leaves - 2
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 4 tsp
Curry Powder - 4 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tsp
water - 1 cup
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
coconut paste - 1 Tbsp (optional)

To Grind 1:
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black peppercorns - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Star anise - 1
Red Chili - 2
Corainder seeds - 1Tbsp
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 1

To Grind 2:
Onions,medium - 2
Green chillies - 2

Method:

1. Grind all the ingredients from the "To Grind 1" list above to make a fine powder.
2. Add the onions and green chillies from "To Grind 2" to the above powder and use the pulse in the mixer 2-3 times to finely mince them.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaves, curry leaves and kasthuri methi.
4. Add the ground paste and fry in medium flame until well browned and the raw smell goes.
5. Add tomatoes, eggplant, turmeric powder, curry powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
6. Cover and cook until the eggplant and tomatoes are mushy and the oil separates out.
7. Once cooked, mash the tomatoes and eggplant until soft
8. Add chopped cilatro and salt and adjust to taste.
9. If using, add the cocounut paste and saute for a few more minutes.

Serve with Biriyani or chappatis. You can add any kind of vegetable or meat to this gravy to make the perfect side dish.

Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is one of my favorite and easy recipes that I make very often.

Ingredients:

Onion, diced – 1 medium

Masoor Dal – 2 cups
Tomato, diced – 1 medium
Garlic, minced – 4 cloves
Ginger Garlic paste – ½ Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped – 2 tsp
Green chillies – 2 nos
Water – 6 cups
Butter – 1 Tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch

For Masala:
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 3 tsp
Curry powder – 3 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Dal Makhani Masala – 3 tsp (optional)
Salt, to taste

For Tadka:
Jeera – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – 6 nos
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 2 tsp

Method:

1. Take a pressure cooker and add dal, onions, green chillies, garlic, ginger garlic paste, tomato, asafoetida and all the masalas. Add water and cook for 3-4 whistles until well cooked.
2. Once the pressure goes off, take the lid, add butter and adjust salt and masalas according to taste and cook in medium heat until desired consistency.
3. In a small pan, add oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and when it pops, add jeera, urad dal and curry leaves.
4. Add the tadka and cilantro to dal and remove from heat.

Fish Manchurian

This recipe again, is a mixture of a few manchurian recipes I liked...
In India, I was never a big fan of fish because of the bones! But, I always liked to order fish at restaurants because they were boneless and yummy..very different from the ones made at home.
So, this is my attempt of a healthy fish manchurian.

Fish Marinade:
Tilapia/catfish - 2 lbs
All purpose flour - 3 Tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Cornflour - 2 Tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Egg whites - 2
Salt, to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

For Gravy:

Bell peppers,chopped - 1 no
Onion, diced - 1 no
Green chili, long slices - 3 nos
Spring/green onions, chopped - ¼ cup
Garlic, minced - 2 tsp
Ginger, minced - 2 tsp
Green chili sauce - 1 Tbsp
Soy sauce,dark - 3 Tbsp
Sugar - ¼ tsp
Red chili sauce - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1tbsp
Salt, to taste - ¼ tsp
Water - 2 cups
Corn flour - 2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Marinate the fish with all the contents from the above marinade list and keep aside for 30 mins.
2. Preheat the oven for 350 degrees and bake the fish for 20 minutes until it browns up a little. You can pan fry or deep fry the fish if you like.
3. In a skillet or pan, add oil, onions, bell peppers, green chillies, ginger, garlic, salt and sugar and heat in high flame.
4. Once cooked, add the soy sauce, green and red chilli sauces.
5. Mix the corn flour with water to make a solution. Pour this over the veggies.
6. Simmer and let the gravy thicken for a few mins.
7. Add fish to the gravy and heat up in low flame for 2-3 mins.

This will be great with chapatis, parathas or rice.