Mirchi Ka Halwa/ Green Chilly Halwa.

This is one of my experimental recipe, i made this recipe first time for a cooking contest held several years back in Chennai. The judges had the guts to taste this recipe and i was selected as winner.

Ingredients

Green chilly-1/2 kg( scrap and remove the seeds completly)

Sugar-300 gms

Desi Ghee-200 gms

Elaichi/ Green cardamom powder-1/4tsp

Green food color-few drops

Fried Cashewnuts-20

Fried Raisins-20

Water- required

Method

Boil the green chili in water for 10 mins( this process removes the hotness of the chili), drain the green chili and grind to smooth paste in a grinder. Heat desi ghee in a pan, when ghee starts to melt add the ground green chili and fry until the raw smell of the chili completely leaves. Next add sugar and green food color to the frying green chili paste and stir constantly until the ghee separates from the chili and gathers on the sides of pan. Finally add the elaichi powder, fried cashewnuts and raisins to the green chili halwa. Serve Mirchi Ka Halwa hot or cold.

Disclaimer- This recipe has to be prepared with great care and caution, SRMK cannot be liable.

Palak Pulao/ Spinach Pulav

Ingredients

Basmati or Any long grained rice-3cups( cooked)

Spinach( Palak) or Any Greens-1bunch( cleaned, washed and chopped)

Onions medium( sliced)-1

Tomato small( sliced)-1

Garlic cloves( sliced)-4

Green chilis( slit)-5 (+/-)

Garam masala-2tbsp

Salt to taste

Fried Cashewnuts-20

For tempering

Cloves-4

Cardamom-2

Cinnamon-2"

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Method

Heat oil in pan, when hot add tempering ingredients. When the aroma of whole spices rises add the chopped onion, green chili and garlic, saute for 2 mins. Now add the spinach leaves and saute for few more mins, next add the chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are well cooked and mashed. Season the greens with garam masala and salt. Sprinkle little water and cover the pan with lid for 3mins until the spinach is cooked. Check the seasoning and add the cooked rice to the spinach mixture and give good stir. Garnish with fried cashew nuts. Serve Palak Pulao with curry/gravy of your choice.

Mushroom Chukka/ Kalan Varuval.

Ingredients

Button Mushrooms( sliced)-2packet

Onion medium( sliced)-1

Ginger and Garlic paste-1tbsp

Garlic clove( sliced)-10

Whole red chili( broken)-6( +/-)

Red chili powder-2tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves-2 sprigs

Coriander leaves- few

Method 

Heat oil in pan, when hot add the broken red chili and garlic cloves, saute for few mins. Next add the chopped onions, curry leaves and ginger and garlic paste, when the aroma of ginger and garlic paste rises add the mushrooms and fry for few mins. Season the mushroom with red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Sprinkle very little water to the mushroom( mushroom tend to leave lots of water so add about few tbsp water to the mushroom). Cook the mushrooms until well done and dry. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or roti.