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Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year 2013


May all your dreams come true in
this coming year, may success kiss your feet,
happiness prevail in your heart 
and love embraces your life,
Happy New Year Friends.
Happy New Year 2013

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Chettinad Biryani Recipe/ Mutton Biryani


This is another way of preparing Chettinad mutton biryani recipe. Tender goat pieces are marinated in curd based masala and then cooked with jeera samba rice. Typical karaikudi biryani are prepared with jeera samba rice, you can replace with basmathi rice but the proportion of water for 1 cup of basmathi rice is 1 and 1/2 cup of water.
Chettinad Biryani
Ingredients
Mutton( tender goat pieces)- 1/2 kg
Jeera samba rice- 1/2 kg( 3 cups)
Onion large- 4 nos
Tomato large- 4 nos
Ginger and garlic paste- 4 tbsp
Green chilli- 4 nos
Red chilli powder- 3 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Curd- 1/4 cup
Oil- 1/4 cup
Cinnamon stick- 2" piece
Cardamom- 6 nos
Cloves- 6 nos
Brinji/ Bay leaf- 2 nos
Coriander leaves- 1/2 bunch
Pudina/ Mint leaves- 1 bunch
Chettinad  Mutton Biryani
Method
Clean and wash mutton pieces. Marinate mutton pieces with chopped tomatoes, slit green chilli,  curd, ginger and garlic paste, coriander leaves and turmeric powder for atleast 1 hour. Heat oil  in a pressure cooker, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf, fry for few secs. Add chopped onions and fry until onions turn transparent. Add pudina leaves and saute for few secs. Now add the marinated mutton pieces along with curd and other ingredients. Saute mutton pieces until oil seprates on sides of pan. Add 1 cup water to mutton and pressure cook for 5 mins. Once mutton is cooked and tender add 4 and 1/2 cups water to mutton gravy, add required salt and bring to boil. Once water starts boiling add washed jeera samba rice to the pan and keep stirring until the water is half absorbed by the rice. Now add rest of pudina and coriander leaves, stir well again. Cove pan with lid and without pressure, cook biryani for 10 mins until rice is tender.
Mix well and serve hot chettinad biryani with mutton kulambu or onion pachadi.
Goat Biryani

Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka Masala


This is an fail proof restaurant paneer tikka masala recipe shared by restauranter and very good friend of mine. He was generous enough to share his restaurant secret recipe with me. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out excellent.

Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Paneer- 250 gms
Onion- 4 nos
Tomato- 5 nos
Thick curd- 1 cup
Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Kasoori methi- 2 tsp 
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 3 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Cumin powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Kuskus/ poppy seeds- 2 tsp
Cashew nuts- 10 nos
Sugar- 1 tsp
Cardamom- 3 nos
Cloves- 3 nos
Cinnamon- 1" stick
Coriander leaves- few
Oil required
Salt to taste
Paneer Tikka Masala Restaurant Style
Method
In a large bowl whisk curd along with salt, ginger and garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder and 1 tsp oil. Add paneer cubes to this and marinade for 2 hours. 
Grind onions to fine paste. 
Blanch tomatoes in hot water for 10 mins, remove and discard its skin and grind to puree. Lightly roast the kuskus and grind along with cashew nuts to smooth paste. 
Add marinated paneer pieces along with its marination to a pan and fry until curd marination reduces in quantity. 
In another pan heat about 1/4 cup oil, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fry for few secs. Now add ground onion and sugar, fry until onion paste is lightly browned and oil separates on sides of pan. 
In a small bowl mix 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder with little water. 
Add this mixture to the onion paste and add crushed kasoori methi, fry for few mins. Now add ground tomato paste, cook for another few mins and add salt, stir well the gravy. 
Add ground cashew- kuskus paste to the gravy and cook until oil separates from gravy. 
Now add the curd marination dried paneer pieces to gravy, mix well and cook for few more mins. 
Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot restaurant paneer tikka masala with nan, poori or jeera rice.
Paneer Tikka Gravy

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Chettinad Eral Kuzhambu/ Prawn Kulambu



Prawn Kuzhambu
Ingredients
Prawn/ shrimp- 250 gms
Gingely oil- 4 tbsp
Shallots/ chinna vengayam- 100 gms
Tomato- 2 nos
Garlic cloves- 10 nos
Tamarind- lemon sized
Red chilli powder- 3 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Whole black pepper- 1 and 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1 and 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- few
Eral Kulambu
Method
Clean and wash the prawns.
Dry roast pepper, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, garlic cloves until crisp and grind coarsely.
Soak tamarind in water and extract the pulp.
Heat gingely oil in a kadai/ sauce pan, when hot add shallots, curry leaves and saute for few secs. Now add the tomatoes to the pan and saute until tomatoes are cooked. Add tamarind extract and enough water for gravy to the pan, bring to boil. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and required salt, boil the gravy for 5 mins on low heat. Once raw taste of tamarind has gone, add cleaned prawns and coarsely ground masala paste to the gravy. Boil for another 2 mins. Serve hot prawn kuzhambu with steamed rice.

Nethili Meen 65/ Nethili Meen Varuval

Nethili Meen 65

Ingredients
Nethili Meen/ Anchovies fish- 1/2 kg
Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Corn flour- 1 tsp
Maida/ All purpose flour- 1 tsp
Oil to shallow fry
Nethili Meen 65
Method
Clean and wash the fish pieces. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except oil to a smooth paste, marinate the fish pieces in masala paste for at least 30 mins
Heat oil in a pan to shallow fry, add the marinated fish pieces and fry until crisp. Serve hot nethili 65 as starter or with steamed rice and sambar.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Chilli Chicken 65 Recipe


One regular reader requested me to post Chilli chicken 65 recipe, she said her whole family is fond of Sakthi Chilli Chicken 65. She wanted to prepare the same kind of recipe with home made masala. There is nothing unusual in preparing chilli chicken 65, its a simple chicken 65 recipe with hot kick and powdered whole spices.

Chilli Chicken 65 recipe
Ingredients
Chicken pieces- 1/2 kg( 1 pound)
Garlic powder- 1/2 tbsp
Ginger powder- 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder( hot variety)- 2 tsp
Green chilly paste- 1 tsp
Spice masala powder- 1/2 tsp(+/-)
Ajinomoto- 1/4 tsp
Red food color- few pinch
Salt to taste
Groundnut oil- 3 tbsp
Vinegar- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Oil to deep fry

Ingredients to make spice masala powder
( dry roast and grind below ingredients to fine powder, sieve and store)
Cloves- 1 tbsp
Cardamom- 5 nos
Cinnamon sticks 1" piece- 4 nos
Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp
Jathipathri/ Mace- 1 no
Sakthi masala style chilli chicken 65
How to make chilli chicken 65
Marinate chicken pieces with garlic powder, ginger powder, red chilly powder, green chilly paste, spice masala powder, ajinomoto, red food color, salt, groundnut oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least half an hour. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, carefully drop marinated chicken pieces into hot oil. Fry on medium heat until chicken pieces are cooked and golden brown. Garnish with fried curry leaves and serve.

Chilly Chicken 65

Mini Maple Pancakes- Kids lunch box recipes Indian

Mini Maple Pancakes

Ingredients
All purpose flour/ maida- 4 tbsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Sugar- 3/4 tsp
Maple syrup- 1 tbsp
Baking soda- 2 pinch
Baking powder- 2 pinch
Water- 2 tbsp
Butter- 2 tbsp to make pancakes
Kids recipes mini pancakes
Method
Mix all the ingredients together except butter to a fine, slightly thin and smooth batter. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle, add a tbsp of pancake batter to the hot pan, add about 5 to 6 pancake batter, reduce the heat. When pores appear on pancakes add butter and fry pancakes on both sides until golden brown. When mini pancakes are done, remove on to a plate, drizzle some maple syrup on top of pancakesg  and serve.

Spring onion Maggi noodles- Maggi noodles recipe



Spring onion maggi masala noodles
Ingredients
Maggi masala noodles- 2 packs
Spring onion/ Scallions( chopped)- 4 blubs along with greens
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala powder- few pinch
Oil- 1 tsp
Maggi noodles recipe
Method
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, when hot add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add chopped spring onion whites( bulbs) and saute for 2 secs. Now add water to the pan as per maggi noodles pack instructions. Bring the water to boil, add tastemaker and noodles cake. Stir well and cook for 2 mins until noodles are tender and water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat and immediately mix in the spring onion greens to the maggi noodles. Serve hot spring onion maggi noodles sprinkled with chaat masala on top.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Chicken Kurma.

This is an south Indian Chicken Korma recipe for parotta, idli, dosa and idiyappam

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients
Chicken pieces- 500 gms
Onion medium minced- 2 nos
Tomato medium finely chopped- 1 no
Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder- 2 tsp
Fennel powder- 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil required
Water required
Curry and Coriander leaves
Cinnamon- 1" piece
Cloves- 4 no
Cardamom- 2 nos

Masala to grind
Coconut shredded- 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts- 6 nos
Roasted Kuskus/ Poppy seeds- 2 tbsp
Kozhi Kurma
Method
Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fry for few secs. Next add minced onion and curry leaves, fry till onions turn pink. Add ginger and garlic paste fry till raw smell leaves.
Now add the chicken pieces and fry till chicken pieces turns pale. Add tomatoes to the chicken and cook till tomatoes are mashed. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder and salt to the chicken and saute for few secs. Now add the ground masala paste and required water. Bring the gravy to boil and cook the chicken on low heat until chicken is tender and gravy is slightly thickens. Garnish Chicken Korma with coriander leaves and serve along with parota, idli, dosa, idiyappam etc.
Chicken Korma

Mini Idli Vegetable Masala- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian.

Mini masala idli

Ingredients
Mini idli- 14 nos
Carrot medium finely chopped- 1/2 no
Beans finely chopped- 2 nos
Cauliflower tiny florets- 8 nos
Turmeric powder- few pinch
Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Garlic powder- few pinch
Cumin/ jeera powder- few pinch
Salt to taste
Oil- 1 tsp
Water- 1 tbsp

Method
In a small pan heat oil, add chopped carrots, beans and cauliflower, saute for few secs. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garlic powder, cumin powder and salt, saute for few more secs. Add 1 tbsp water and cook vegetables. Now add the mini idlis and toss well until the masala is well coated. Serve hot, if preferred garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Cheesy Croutons- Kids Lunch box recipes

Cheesy croutons

Ingredients
Sandwich bread- 2 slices
Tomato sauce/ ketchup- 1 tsp
Cheese slice- 1 no
Cheese breads
Method
Pre heat oven at 180 °C.
Trim the brown sides of bread slices.
On one side of bread slice spread 1 tsp tomato sauce. Place cheese slice on top of tomato sauce spread side. And top with another slices of bread. Slightly press on top of bread. Cut the bread to nine cubes. Place the bread cubes on baking tray and toast until bread is crisp.
Mini cheese breads

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Veg Pasta Italiano Red/ Tomato Pasta Domions India style - Restaurant Pasta Recipes


This is Domions India style pasta recipe. Bow tie pasta tossed with olive oil, aromatic italian herbs, exotic veggie and with generous amount of flavourful Italian red tomato sauce. For non vegetarian pasta Italiano red, top with marinated grilled chicken.

Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Bow tie or Penne Pasta cooked- 2 cups
Chopped olives- 1/4 cup
American sweet corn- 1/4 cup
Onion thickly sliced- 1/4 cup( optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese- 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese- 1/4 cup( optional)
Olive oil- 2 tbsp
Dried oregano( or parsely, basil)- 1 tsp
Restaurant Italian Pasta
Method
Boil pasta with enough salt until aldente( firm) as per box instructions.
Heat oilve oil in a sauce pan on low heat, add cooked pasta, oregano and home made tomato sauce, sweet corn, chopped olives, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese to the pan. Toss well and serve.
Or
Heat oilve oil in a sauce pan on low heat, add cooked pasta and oregano, toss well and place on plate. Pour generous amount of home made tomato sauce on pasta. Garnish with sliced olives, sweet corn and generous cheese.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Tomato sauce for Pasta/ Pizza


Learn how to make home made easy tomato sauce for Italian  pasta or for pizza.

Tomato sauce for pasta/ pizza
Ingredients
Tomatoes large- 6 nos
Tomato sauce/ ketchup- 1/4 cup
Onion medium minced- 2 nos
Garlic cloves- 4 nos
Dried Oregano- 2 tbsp
Sugar- 1 tbsp( +/-)
Salt to taste
Olive oil- 4 tbsp
Easy pizza/ pasta sauce
Method
Blanch tomatoes, allow to cool and remove its skin. In a blender or mixer, grind together blanched tomatoes, garlic cloves, oregano, tomato sauce, sugar and salt to smooth puree. In a large sauce pan heat olive oil on low flame, add minced onion and saute until onions are transparent. Add the pureed tomato mixture to the onions, check the seasoning and cook the tomato puree on low flame for 20 to 30 mins until thickens.

For italian red pasta
Serve prepared tomato sauce hot over pasta topped with parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese.

For italian pizza
Cool the tomato sauce, spread over pizza base top it with veggi, cheese and meat of your choice.

Tips
This tomato sauce for pasta/ pizza can be stored for an week when refrigerated.
Home made tomato sauce

Friday, December 14, 2012

Verkadalai Kathirikai Poriyal/ Chettinad Peanut Brinjal Poriyal



Peanut Brinjal Curry
Ingredients
Dried Peanuts- 1 cup
Purple brinjal- 250 gms
Onion small chopped- 1 no
Tomato small chopped- 1 no
Garlic cloves sliced- 2 nos
Curry leaves- few
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Water- 1/4 cup
Oil- 2 tbsp
Vadagam/ Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut- 4 tbsp
Kathrikai Kadalai Poriyal
Method
Soak the peanuts overnight, boil until tender and set aside. Trim the stems of brinjal and chop. Heat oil in a pan, add vadagam, chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves, saute for few secs. Add chopped brinjals and saute for few secs. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Add water and bring mixture to boil, now add the cooked peanuts to the boiling gravy. Reduce heat and cook until the brinjals are tender and water is dried up. Finally add grated coconut to poriyal, mix well and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Arachuvitta Chicken Kuzhambu/ Traditional Chicken Curry


As the name of the recipe says its a traditional village style chicken curry made from scratch.
Arachuvitta Chicken Kuzhambu
Ingredients
For marinade
Chicken pieces with bones- 250 gms
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp

For kuzhambu( curry)
Onion medium chopped- 2 nos
Tomato medium chopped- 1 no
Curry leaves- few
Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil required
Water required
Bay ( brinji) leaves- 2 nos

For masala paste
Coconut shredded- 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts- 5 nos
Roasted Kuskus( poppy seeds)- 2 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp
Cloves- 2 nos
Cinnamon stick- 1/2"
Kozhi Kulambu
Method
Marinate chicken pieces in marinade ingredients for atleast 10 mins.
Grind masala paste ingredients to smooth and fine paste by adding few tsp water.
Heat oil in a pan when hot add brinji leaves and fry for a second. Add chopped onion, curry leaves and fry until onion turns transparent.
Next add ginger and garlic paste and fry until raw smell leaves, now add the chopped tomatoes and fry until tomatoes are mashed and cooked. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry until chicken turns pale in colour. Now add the ground masala paste to the chicken and fry until oil seprates on the sides of pan. Add about 1 cup of water to the chicken and cook covered on low heat for 20 mins or pressure cook chicken along with masala for 1 whistle. Once chicken is cooked and tender, boil the curry until required consistency of kuzhambu is obtained. Garnish arachuvitta chicken kuzhambu with coriander leaves and serve along with rice.
Village Style Chicken Curry

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Mini Poori/ Coin Puri- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Mini Puri- Kids recipes

Ingredients
Oil to deep fry
Mini Poori/ Puri
Method
Roll out each poori dough into circle. Using small round cookie cutter, cut out dough circle into mini rounds. Separate the mini poori rounds, heat oil in frying pan, when oil is hot add about 5 mini pooris and deep fry until golden brown. Fry rest of mini pooris until golden brown.
Serve mini pooris with potato masala or with chole.

Chinese idli- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian


Chinese Idli
Ingredients
Cooked mini idlis- 14 nos
Cabbage shredded- 2 tbsp
Carrot shredded- 2 tbsp
Garlic minced- 1/2 tsp
Capsicum/ Bell pepper thinly sliced- 1 tbsp
Light soya sauce- few drops
White pepper and Salt- to taste
Oilve oil- 1 tsp
Chinese Idli- Kids recipes
Method
Heat oil in a small sauce pan, add minced garlic, shredded cabbage, carrot and capsicum, saute for few secs. Season the veggies with light soya sauce, white pepper and salt. Add the cooked mini idlis and stir fry for few secs.
Serve hot.

Apple fries with Nutella spread- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Apple fries- Kids recipes

Ingredients
Granny smith apple or any variety of crunchy apple- 1 no
Nutella hazelnut spread- 1 tbsp

Method
Core, peel and slice apple like french fries( aka finger chips).
Serve the apples with Nutella dip.

Pancharatna idli- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Pancharatna Idli- Kids recipes

Ingredients
Cooked mini idli- 14 nos
Minced onion- 1 tbsp
Minced tomato- 1 tbsp
Curry leaves- 5 nos
Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder- few pinch
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds- pinch
Oil- 1 tsp

Method
Heat oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds, let it crackel. Add minced onion, tomato and curry leaves, fry for 2 secs. Season with red chilly powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt. Add few tsp of water and boil until light sauce is formed. Add cooked mini idlis and stir fry until masala gravy is well coated on idlis.

Cauliflower fritters( Gobi fries)- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Cauliflower Pakoda

Ingredients
Cauliflower( separate into tiny florets)- 10 nos
All purpose flour- 2 tbsp
Cornflour- 2 tbsp
Rice flour- 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Light soya sauce- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water- few tbsp
Oil to deep fry
Kids Snack Ideas- Cauliflower Fritters
Method
Heat oil in a pan to deep fry.
In a small bowl add the flours, red chilli powder, light soya sauce, red food color, required salt and water. Whisk everything well until thin batter is formed.
Dip each tiny cauliflower florets in the batter, shake excess batter and drop into hot oil. Repeat with rest of the florets.
Deep fry them until golden brown and crisp.
Serve with dip of your choice

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Carrot Tomato Idli- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Quick Kids Lunch

Ingredients
Idli batter- 1 cup
Carrot grated- 2 tbsp
Homemade tomato chutney/ tomato thokku- couple of tbsp
Carrot Idli
Method
Add grated carrot and tomato chutney to the idli batter and mix well.
Grease mini idli plates with oil. Add a tsp of prepared batter to each mini idli moulds.
Steam the mini idlis for 15 mins.
Remove the steamed carrot tomato idlis and serve.

Smiley Potato Sandwich- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian



Quick Potato Sandwich for Kids
Ingredients
Sweet bread slices- 2 nos
Potato smileys- 2 nos
Mayonnaise- 1 tsp
Tomato ketchup- 1 tsp
Salt and White pepper- if required
Butter- 1/2 tsp
Potato Sandwich
Method
Deep fry the potato smileys till golden brown as per the package instructions. Allow the potato smileys to cool and slightly press potato smileys between paper towel. Remove the pressed potato smileys from paper and set aside.
Trim the brown edges of the bread slices.
Take a bread slice, on one side apply the mayonnaise, place two pressed potato smileys on the mayonnaise applied bread side, season with salt and pepper if required.
Take another bread slice and apply tomato ketchup on one side, cover the potato smileys with tomato ketchup side bread slice. Slightly press the sandwich on top. Heat pan and add butter, when butter starts to melt place the bread sandwich and toast on both sides until golden brown. Halve the Smiley potato sandwich and serve.

Tips
Try using whole wheat bread instead of sweet bread.
You can bake potato smileys instead of frying.
You can replace mayonnaise or tomato ketchup with mint chutney, salsa or guacamole.
Replace olive oil instead of butter.