Palak Thoran

Preperation time: 30 min | Cooking time: 15 min

I love greens and I have tasted and prepared different varieties of dishes. This was something new I learnt from my mother-in-law. It is very easy to cook and goes very well with rice.

Ingredients
Palak(spinach) clean & washed-250gms
Potato-1
Onion-1
Grated coconut-3tbsp
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Green chillies-2
Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
Red chillies-2
Garlic-1 clove(optional)
Curry leaves
Oil-2tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Take a pan add oil. When hot add mustard seeds and once it splutters add curry leaves and red chillies. Add potatoes (small cubes), a little salt and saute for sometime. Add chopped onions and cook until potato is almost done. Now make a course paste of grated coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric & green chillies without adding water. Add the chopped palak to the potato & onion mixture along with the paste. Adjust the seasoning and cook for about 10 minutes. (At this stage you may add 1 or 2 beaten eggs and scramble along with the palak mixture depending on individuals taste and is optional)

Bhindi Jaipuri

Preperation time: 15 min Cooking time: 10 min

Once my husband had been to an official lunch and there he happened to have this dish. He had all praise for it and wished to have it at home. Then my mission was to make my hubby happy by trying my hands on this north Indian delicacy. It was an instant hit in our family especially the kids since its non-spicy and crispy. This is a very good starter and also a prominent side dish to accompany with rotis or rice.

Ingredients
Bhindi(lady's finger)-250gms
Coriander powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1pinch
Chilli powder-1/2tsp
Garam masala-1/4tsp
Cumin powder-1/4tsp
Amchur powder-1/4tsp
Chat masala-1pinch
Besan(chick pea flour)-2tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method
Wash the bhindi and pat dry them. Cut off both the ends and slit length wise without cutting them into two. Now mix all the masalas except besan and stuff the bhindis with the mixture. Set it aside for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle basin just to coat the bhindis and deep fry them until slightly brown. Drain it on to a paper towel. Sprinkle some chat masala before serving. This is the traditional recipe.



When the bhindis are not very tender you can cut it diagonally instead of slitting it as shown in the picture.

Note: This dish would still taste good with just chilli, garam masala and coriander powder. (just in case you are short of spices)

Vada Curry (Koottu curry)

Preperation time: 45 min (minus urad dal soaking time) | Cooking time: 30 min

Kerala is a small state with 14 districts and each district has its own style of cooking. Some dishes have the same names but the preparations differ.This particular dish is a speciality of Thiruvanthapuram. I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law who is from the same place.

Ingredients
For Curry
Potatoes-2
Onions-2
Chilli powder-2tbsp
Coriander powder-1 1/2tsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
Curry leaves
Coconut milk-1/2cup
Salt to taste
Coconut oil or Sunflower oil-2tbsp

For Vada
Urad dal-1cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder-1/2tsp
Oil for frying

For seasoning
Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
Red chillies-3
Curry leaves
Oil-2tsp

Method
For the vada soak the urad dal for 3 to 4 hours. Drain the water completely and grind it along with salt and chilli powder. The mixture need not be very smooth. Heat oil in a vessel and drop small bulbs of the mixture. Drain the vadas on to a kitchen towel. Keep it aside.



For the curry, cut potatoes and onions to medium size cubes. Heat oil in a vessel and add some curry leaves, potatoes & onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add all the masalas and fry for about 10 minutes. Now add salt and water and let it cook. Once a thick gravy is formed add the coconut milk and bring it to boil. Add the vadas at this stage. (Important: Make sure there is enough gravy because the vadas will absorb it)

For seasoning, take a pan, add oil and once its hot add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add the red chillies and curry leaves. Add this to the gravy.



Note: The amount of the coconut milk & the spices can be adjusted as per individual tastes.

Chicken masala fry

Preperation time: 15 min (minus marination time) | Cooking time: 45 min

I was sitting with a dilemma of choosing what to prepare for the guests arriving in 2 days. My conversation with my husband.

Me: Can you please suggest what to make for dinner?
Husband: You have so many recipes at hand, why don't you select any one of them.
Me: Those are all new recipes and I don't want to experiment it on our guests :-). I feel I should just change a few things here and there on something simple and make it presentable.
Husband: Alright, so which one have you chosen?
Me: You know the one I prepare, a chicken masala dry dish.
Husband: Ohhhhh you always go for dry dishes. :-) Well no problem go ahead.

Ingredients
Chicken-1kg
Lemon juice-2tbsp
Big onion-1
Garlic cloves-4
Chopped ginger-1tbsp
Green chillies-4
Vinegar-1tbsp
Tomato puree-4tbsp
Coriander leaves(chopped)-3tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil-4tbsp

For the masala
Coriander seeds-4tsp
Red chillies-2
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Cinnamon-1 inch stick
Cloves-3
Cardamom-1

Method
Clean the chicken, rub it with salt and lime juice and leave it for about 20 minutes. Grind the onions, garlic, ginger & green chillies with vinegar into a smooth paste. Marinate the chicken in this paste and leave it for at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.
Put the chicken in a large pan and simmer in its own juices for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the masala paste and cook until a thick gravy is formed.
Add oil and fry the chicken mixture until it turns brown in colour.
Add tomato puree and cook for about 5 minutes.
Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.



This goes well with rice & chapati.

Kerala parotta & chicken curry

This is a favourite dish among malayalees world over. We are no exception, my hubby especially. This Indian bread is not readily available in the place we live in and the main reason for the craving. That's when my hubby suggested to try this at home. I wasn't very keen though thinking it would be difficult to make. But my hubby encouraged me to add it to the list.

Ingredients:
Plain flour-2cups
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil (vegetable oil)

Method:
Add salt & water to the flour and make a dough as for chapatis. Add about 2 tbsp of oil and knead well. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep it aside for about an hour. Make 10 potions out of it and roll each ball on a flat oiled surface as thin as possible using a rolling pin.



Now holding both ends of the longer side make pleats until the end and roll them into a spiral ball. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.



Add oil if you feel the dough is dry. Now take the spiral ball, apply oil on top and press with your palm and then use the rolling pin to bring into a round shape. Cook it on a oiled pan until brown on both sides. Once you are through with 3-4 parottas place them on a flat surface and using your hands beat them softly (as you would clap). This is to help the layers to separate. For best results serve hot with any Kerala style meat or chicken curry.



Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Chicken-1kg
Onions-2
Potatoes-2
Chopped ginger-1 tbsp
Chopped garlic-1tbsp
Slit green chillies-2
Few curry leaves
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-2tsp
Chicken masala-1tsp
Chilli powder-1tsp
Coconut/Vegetable oil-4tbsp
Coconut milk-1 cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut chicken into small pieces and clean them well. Add all the powder masalas, few curry leaves, 1tbsp of coconut oil and salt to the chicken and mix them well. Leave it aside for 30 minutes. (you can use garam masala instead of chicken masala).

Take oil in a pan, add thinly sliced onions, chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute well for sometime. Add the marinated chicken and saute until the onions and chicken mix well. Now add water and cook. When the chicken is half done, add the potato cubes and continue to cook. When the chicken is done add the coconut milk, cook for about 5 minutes. In the end add a tbsp of coconut oil and fresh curry leaves. This enhances the taste of the curry.

It turned out to be very delicious and all the more not so tough to make.

Egg Biryani

A big good bye to the brutal winter and a warm welcome to the serene spring. We had a long weekend and planned for lunch outside one day. All of us were thrilled to go out. We had a light breakfast to keep our tummies ready for the lunch ahead. All set to go and there my husband's business mobile started screeching. Looking at my husband's facial expressions I was sure there would be some changes in our plans. There was some critical problem at work and he was engrossed in it. Our hopes gone down the drain in just a few minutes.

The kids became gloomy and to be honest, so did I. It was short lived for me because i had to cook something quick to compensate. With the available ingredients, Egg Biryani flashed my mind.


Ingredients to cook rice
Basmati Rice-2 cups
Ginger/Garlic paste-1tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Whole garam masala (cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamon & bay leaves)-2 each
Lime juice-2tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil
Ghee-1tbsp

To cook egg gravy
Hard boiled egss-6
Ginger(chopped)-1tbsp
Garlic(chopped)-1tbsp
Green chillies(slit length wise)-2
Onions(chopped)-3
Tomatoes-3
Corriander powder-3tsp
Chilli powder-1 1/2tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Coriander & mint leaves(chopped)-2tbsp
Yoghurt-1tbsp
Salt as per taste
Oil

Methods
Eggs
Make a paste of yoghurt, 1/2tsp chilli powder and salt and rub it over the slit eggs and keep it aside for 10 minutes and shallow fry them. (slit the eggs vertically without cutting them to pieces.)



Gravy
Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute well. Now add all the masalas and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for sometime until the oil separates. Add some water and when the gravy begins to boil add the fried eggs and cook it for sometime. Garnish it with coriander and mint leaves.

Rice
Wash the rice clean and soak it for 30 minutes. Take a heavy bottom vessel, add 1tbsp ghee and 2tbsp oil, add the whole garam masalas when the oil is hot and when they splutter add 1tsp ginger/garlic paste and saute for sometime. Add the rice, fry for sometime until the rice glistens. Add 4 cups of water, salt, 1/2tsp garam masala powder, 1/4tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp lime juice and cook the rice.

Dum
Smear the heavy bottom vessel with some ghee. First add a layer of the rice and on top of it a layer of the egg curry. Sprinkle a bit of garam masala powder & 1tsp lime juice, chopped coriander & mint leaves. Layer it with rice again. Repeat the layer once again.




The secret lies here. Make sure that you press the rice well so that the flavour of the curry mixes well with the rice. Close the vessel with a tight lid or with an aluminium foil and keep it over a large pan(dosa pan) and cook on slow flame for about 30 minutes. You may add water in the pan so that it does not get over heated. This procedure is to dum the biryani.

All of us relished the delicacy and there were no complains from my family.

Note: You may garnish the final product with fried onions, cashews and kismis which I avoided to make my kids happy. :-)
You may use biryani masala instead of garam masala.
You may also adjust the masalas as per individual tastes.

Prawn Biryani

We have been far away from our family for about half a year and we really miss everyone a lot. The only solace we have is to keep in touch with the friends over here. In the midst of making new friends I got introduced to someone who is the wife of my husbands very old friend. I haven't met her but had numerous phone conversations (as you know women spent more time on phone than men). This recipe is a result of one such phone call. I've never made this before but my friend had all praise for this dish. I made a few changes though.

Ingredients
Large Prawns(cleaned)-250g
Basmati rice-1cup
Whole garam masala (cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamon & bay leaves)-1 each
Onions-2
Tomatos-2
Yoghurt-1tbsp
Ginger/Garlic paste-2tsp
Corriander powder-2tsp
Chilli powder-1 1/2tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Lime juice-2tsp
Corriander & Mint leaves for garnising
Oil
Ghee-2tbsp
Salt to taste

Methods
Marination
Marinate the prawns with youghurt, 1/2tsp chilli powder, 1/4tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp ginger/garlic paste & salt. Keep it aside for 2 hours. Shallow fry these prawns for about 10 minutes.



Gravy
Heat a frying pan, add oil and saute the well chopped onions until translucent. Now add the remaining ginger/garlic paste and continue sauting for about 5 minutes. Add corriander powder, chilli powder to the mixture and saute for another 2 minutes. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and saute until the oil separates. Add 1/2 a glass of water and when the gravy begins to boil add the fried prawns and cook for about 5 minutes. You may add corriander and mint leaves at this stage if required.



Rice
Wash the rice clean and soak it for 30 minutes. Take a heavy bottom vessel, add 1tbp ghee and 1tbsp oil, add the whole garam masalas when the oil is hot and when they splutter add the rice, fry for sometime until the rice glistens. Add 2 cups of water, salt, 1/4tsp garam masala powder, 1/4tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp lime juice and cook the rice.



Dum
Smear the heavy bottom vessel with the remaining ghee. First add a layer of the rice and on top of it a layer of the prawns curry. Sprinkle a bit of garam masala powder & 1tsp lime juice, chopped corriander & mint leaves. Layer it with rice again.



The secret lies here. Make sure that you press the rice well so that the flavour of the prawns mixes well with the rice. Close the vessel with a tight lid or with an aluminium foil and keep it over a large pan(dosa pan) and cook on slow flame for about 30 minutes. You may add water in the pan so that it does not get over heated. This procedure is to dum the biryani.


Note: You may garnish the final product with fried onions, cashews and kismis which I avoided to make my kids happy. :-)
You may use biryani masala instead of garam masala.
You may also adjust the masalas as per individual tastes.