Chicken Jalfrezi

This is a delicious tomato based curry with bell peppers and chicken.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast - 2 nos
Onions - 2 medium
Bell pepper - 1
Ginger, grated - 2 tsp
Garlic, minced - 6 cloves
Green Chillies, cut long - 2 nos
Tomatoes, diced - 1 medium
Tomato puree - 1/2 can
Milk - 1 cup
Chilli Powder -
Curry Powder -
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder -
Salt, to taste

Chicken Marinade:

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Curry powder - 1/2 Tbsp

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp

Vinegar - 1Tbsp

Worcestershire sauce - 1 Tbsp 

Salt - 1/2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch thick long strips. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients from the "Chicken Marinade" list for at least 20 minutes.
2. Cut onions and bell peppers into 1 inch squares.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan and add minced garlic and when slightly browned add onions, bell peppers, ginger and sautee until the veggies are slightly browned and soft.
4. Add the marinated chicken and sauté until cooked through and slightly browned.
5. Now add the tomatoes, tomato puree and milk and let it cook for at least 10-15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
6. Add garam masala and adjust chilli and curry powders to taste and bring to boil and remove from heat.

Worcestershire sauce is a combination of tamarind, garlic, vinegar and some other stuff that makes it a little tangy and can be used in indian cooking for sauces or marinade..and I've started using them a lot now and find it pretty interesting..

Aloo curry

This aloo curry is perfect for pooris or chappatis..I know especially for pooris..But since I made this on a weeknight..no time for that..I mostly make pooris for breakfast or dinner only on weekends..Anyway here's how I made my Aloo..

Ingredients:
Potato, boiled - 3 Idaho
Onions - 2 medium
Green peas - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 3 big
Ginger, grated - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 nos
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Besan/Gram flour - 2 Tbsp (optional)
Corn flour - 1 Tbsp (optional)

Method:

1. Heat about 2 Tbsps of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and once it pops, add jeera, curry leaves, urad dal, channa dal and green chilles.
2. Cut onions lengthwise and add it to the pan and saute until the onions are translucent. Add ginger, salt and turmeric powder and sauté for a few more minutes until the ginger doesn't smell raw.
3. Cut the boiled potato into small pieces or just crush it with you hand and add it to the pan. Add the green peas and let it all cook for 5-10 minutes until it all comes together. 
4. If you want more gravy, mix the besan and corn flour with 3/4 cup of water and add it to the gravy and cook for a few more minutes until the gravy thickens. 

In order to boil the potatoes, I just pop it in the microwave in a microwaveable bowl with a cup of water for about 10-15 minutes until cooked. I have not used besan in this curry since it's been a while I made this curry without besan, I wanted to leave it out for a change. But try it both ways and it will taste very different..almost like 2 different curries. 

Fish Puttu

"Sora puttu" is a very famous dish in tamiladu and its made with shark fish. Shark is not commonly found here everywhere. But you can get it in korean supermarkets if you want to. Traditionally the fish is steam cooked and shredded. This recipe instead uses salmon as it's very commonly found. And I think it's the perfect replacement fish for this dish. I made this once with salmon and was so satisfied that I never tried to find other alternatives.

Ingredients:
Salmon - 2 lb.
Onions - 2 medium
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 nos
Green chillies - 2 large
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the fish and pan roast the fish with 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove fish from pan and keep aside to cool. 
2. In the same pan, heat another Tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves, red chillies and onions and sauté until the onions are well browned. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.
3. Meanwhile shred the roasted fish and add it to the saute pan and keep frying until the everything is well roasted. 

Aloo Fry

In south India, this aloo curry is probably a very standard side dish in most of the houses and it goes great with dal, sambhar, rasam with rice or even chappatis. It doesn't need a lot of ingredients and when made, this can stay in the refrigerator for a long time.

Ingredients:

Potatoes, cut small - 4 large

Onions, diced - 2 large

Tomatoes, diced - 2 large

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and sauté until slightly dark brown. Add the tomatoes keep frying until the tomatoes and soft and mushy and the curry becomes more like a thick paste like consistency.
2. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and potatoes and keep frying in low flame for about 20-30 minutes until the curry browns up and oil separates.

Frying for a long time in low-medium flame is the key to this curry. It might not look very good initially but just leave it for the time and it will roast and come together very nicely just like in the picture :) And you might have to add oil a little generously as well! I know..but some dishes need more TLC.. 

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.