Potato Podimas/ Urulaikizhangu Podimas

Potato Podimas

Ingredients

Potato medium- 4 nos

Onion large( chopped)- 1 no

Green chilly broken- 3 nos

Ginger minced- 1 tsp

Curry leaves few

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Urulaikizhangu Podimas

Method

Boil the potatoes until tender, peel the skin and mash. Add mashed potatoes to a bowl season with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and required salt, mix thoroughly. Heat oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Now add curry leaves, onion, green chilly and ginger. Fry for few seconds until onion turns slightly brown. Add the mashed potatoes to the pan and fry on low heat until the onions are mixed with potatoes and potato are dry and doesn't stick. Serve hot with steamed rice and vathal kuzhambu. Can be also served with poori or chapati as side dish.

Chicken Vindaloo Recipe

Chicken Vindaloo

Ingredients

Chicken pieces( cooked)- 250 gms

Potatoes boiled and cubed- 1 no

Chicken stock- 200 ml

Vinegar- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Masalas to grind

Kashmiri red chilli- 7 nos(+/-)

Garlic cloves- 8 nos

Ginger chopped- 1"

Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder- 1 tsp

Vinegar- 1 tbsp

Chicken Vindaloo

Method

Soak red chillis in hot water for 1 hour. Drain the chillis and grind with other masalas to fine paste adding little water. Mix the ground masala to chicken stock and bring to boil over medium heat. Lower heat simmer for 10 mins. Add the cooked chicken pieces and potato to the simmering gravy and cook for 5 mins. Season with salt, mix in vinegar and simmer again for 5 mins. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Chicken Vindaloo

Adapted from East Indian Kitchen Michale Swamy

( Note I added red food color to get vibrant look its optional to use food color)

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

Sweetcorn( tinned)- 1 can

Carrot finely chopped- 1/2 no

French beans finely chopped- 5 nos

Garlic cloves minced- 2 nos

Cooked noodles- 4 tbsp

Spring onion/ Scallion whites chopped- 2 tbsp

Spring onion/ Scallion greens chopped- 2 tbsp

Cornflour/ Corn starch- 2 tbsp

Cold milk- 1/4 cup

White pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Water- 3 cup

Sweet Corn Veg Soup

Method

Add tinned sweetcorn to a bowl and mash with a potato masher until creamy. In a large pot add the mashed sweetcorn, finely chopped carrot, french beans, minced garlic, spring onion whites and 3 cups water. Mix well, place pot on heat and bring it to boil. Once the soup starts boiling add chopped green onions, cooked noodles, required white pepper and salt, simmer soup for 2 mins. In a small bowl add cold milk and dissolve the cornflour. Add this cornflour mixture to the simmering soup, increase the heat and keep stirring the soup constantly until soup thickens.

Sweet Corn Soup

Fish Manchurian Dry Restaurant Style

Fish Manchurian

Ingredients

Fish pieces cubed( I used Seer fish/ Vanjaram)- 500 gms

Onion medium diced- 1 no

Spring onions whites finely chopped- 2 tbsp

Green chilli diagonally sliced- 4 nos

Capsicum/ Green bell pepper diced- 1 no( optional)

Ginger minced- 1" piece

Garlic cloves minced- 4 nos

Spring onion greens chopped- 2 tbsp

Dark soya sauce- 2 tsp

Red chilli paste or powder- 1 tsp

Vinegar- 1 tsp

Ajinomoto- less than 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Sugar- 1/4 tsp

Oil- 3 tbsp

Restaurant Style Fish Manchurian

Ingredients for batter

Corn flour- 4 tbsp

Maida/ All purpose flour- 4 tbsp

Rice flour- 2 tbsp( optional)

Cooking soda/ Baking soda- few pinches.

Red chilli powder- 1 1/2 tsp

Ajinomoto- less than 1/4 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Kesar/ Red food color- few pinches

Water required

Oil to deep fry

Fish Manchurian Dry

Method

In a deep bowl combine the batter ingredients, add required water, mix well and make a semi thick batter. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, when oil is hot dip the fish pieces in the prepared batter, coat fish pieces well with batter and drop carefully into hot oil. Fry the fish pieces until golden brown and drain the fried fish pieces on paper towel( fish pieces will cook within one minute). Next to prepare sauce, heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan when hot add diced onion, chopped spring onion whites, sliced green chilli, minced ginger, minced garlic and diced capsicum. Stir fry the onion and other ingredients on high heat for a min. Now lower the heat and add dark soya sauce, red chilli paste, vinegar, ajinomoto, pepper powder, sugar and salt to the pan. Stir fry for few more seconds and add the fried fish pieces. Increase the heat and stir fry until the fish pieces are coated well with onion mixture and are dry. Finally garnish with spring onion greens and remove from heat. Serve hot restaurant style fish manchurian dry with fried rice or noodles of your choice.

Kalmi Kabab

Kalmi Kabab

Ingredients

Chicken pieces( boneless)- 500 gms

Thick curd- 1/2 cup

Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp

Green chilli paste- 1 tsp

Besan flour- 2 tbsp

Egg beaten- 1 no

Food color yellow- pinch

Garam masala powder- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Butter or Oil for basting

Kalmi Kabab

Method

In a large bowl add curd, ginger and garlic paste, green chilli paste, besan flour, beaten egg, food color, garam masala powder and required salt. Whisk everything well to get smooth paste, add the chicken pieces to this marination and marinate chicken pieces for atleast four hours. Pre heat oven at 300 f, meanwhile skew the chicken pieces into a metal skewers. Place the chicken skewers in the center rack of the oven and place a baking tray in the lower rack of the oven to collect the drippings. Bast the chicken pieces with butter and turn the chicken pieces occasionally until the Kalmi kababs are browned on all sides and cooked completely.

Garnish with onion slices and serve along with tandoori roti or with pulao.

Chicken Kabab

Methi Chapathi/ Fenugreek Roti

Methi Chapathi

Ingredients

Wheat flour/ Atta- 2 cups

Besan flour- 1/4 cup

Kasoori methi- 1/4 cup

Thick Curd- 1 tbsp

Coriander powder- 2 tsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil required 

Water required

Methi Chapathi

Method

Soak kasoori methi leaves in 2 tbsp water. In a deep bowl combine wheat flour, besan, 3 tbsp oil, curd, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, soaked kasoori methi leaves and required salt. Knead into soft dough using little water. Set aside dough for 30 mins. Divide dough into equal sized balls, roll each dough ball into thin chapatis( discs) using rolling board and pin. Heat griddle or tawa, when hot transfer chapati on to tawa. Cook on one side for few secs and flip on other side smear required oil around the chapati and cook for few more seconds until golden brown spots appear on both sides of chapati. Serve hot Methi Chapati with Dal Curry or Raita of your choice.

Goda Masala Chicken Curry- Maharashtrian Special

Chicken Curry with Goda Masala

Ingredients

Chicken pieces with bone- 300 gms

Onion medium chopped- 2 nos

Tomatoes medium chopped- 1 no

Red chilli- 2 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- few

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- few tbsp

Curry leaves and Coriander leaves to garnish

Goda masala ingredients

( Roast the below ingredients in 1 tsp oil and grind to fine powder)

Cloves- 4 nos

Cinnamon stick- 1" piece

Bay leaf- 1 no

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tbsp

Shai jeera- 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds- 2 pinches

Coriander seeds- 4 tbsp

Dry red chilli- 7 nos

Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp

Grated coconut- 1/4 cup

Maharashtrian Chicken Curry

Method 

Pressure cook chicken pieces with onion, red chilli, ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes, curry leaves, turmeric powder and 1 cup water. Heat oil in a sauce pan, on low heat add goda masala powder and saute for 2 seconds. Add pressure cooked chicken along with its gravy to the pan. Season with salt and simmer until the gravy thickens. Serve hot Goda masala chicken curry with steamed rice.

Pachai Paruppu Sambar/ Moongdal Sambar

Moongdal Sambar

This is a bland and non spicy sambar. My mom prepares this pachai paruppu sambar when we had heavy or spicy masala meals previous day. Any veggie side dish with this non spicy sambar with steamed rice makes a complete meal, makes you feel light all day. Suitable food for kids or those who had upset stomach or fever.

Ingredients

Split Moongdal/ Pachai Paruppu- 3/4 cup

Small onions/ Shallots- 10 nos

Tomatoes ripe- 4 nos

Green chilli slit- 5 nos( +/-)

Garlic sliced- 2 cloves

Curry leaves- few

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp( optional)

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Hing/ Asafetida- pinch

Oil- 2 tbsp

Water- 2 cups

Pachai Paruppu Sambar

Method

Pressure cook and mash moongdal and set aside. Heat oil in a deep pan, when oil is hot add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add hing,urad dal and fry till browned. Now add onions, curry leaves, green chilli and garlic. Saute until onion turns white, add the tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are mashed. Add water and bring mixture to boil. Add the cooked and mashed moongdal to the boiling water and mix well. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to boiling sambar. Simmer moongdal sambar for 5 mins or until slightly thickens. Garnish with coriander leaves if required and serve hot with steamed rice.

Chettinad Chicken Soup/ Kozhi Rasam

Chettinad Chicken Soup

This an yet another authentic chettinad recipe from our home. This chicken rasam can be either served as soup for starter or as rasam with steamed rice. Very good remedy for cold.

Ingredients

Chicken with bone- 250 gms

Onion medium chopped- 2 nos

Tomato small chopped- 3 nos

Sombu/ fennel seeds- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves chopped few

Corinader leaves chopper few

Oil required

Salt to taste

Roast and grind to fine powder

Coriander seeds- 2 tsp

Dry red chilli- 3 nos

Pepper- 1 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds- 2 tsp

Sombu/ Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon stick- 1" piece

Garlic cloves- 6 nos

Chettinad Chicken Rasam

Method

Heat oil in pan when hot add fennel seeds fry for few seconds. Add chopped onion, curry leaves and tomato, saute for few mins. Now add chicken and turmeric powder, saute for few more minutes. Add 2 1/2 cup water and required salt to the sauted chicken. Let the chicken cook covered for 20 mins if cooking in pan. If using pressure cooker let chicken cook for one whistle. Once the chicken is cooked add the ground spice powder, bring the chicken soup to boil and turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves. The consistency of soup can be adjusted by adding or reducing water.

Kozhi Rasam

Mutton Fat Pepper Curry/ Kozhuppu Kuzhambu

Kozhuppu Kuzhambu

This is a very popular kuzhambu( gravy) in Chettinad, very delicious to eat with hot steamed rice. In this recipe we dont use mutton( lamb) flesh or bone parts, while buying request the butcher for only mutton fat. This curry gets thickened very soon becoz of the fat content, every time this curry has to be heated before serving. Now days thie fat curry is diminishing from Chettinad homes becoz of the health factors but the taste is 100% worth eating once in lifetime.

Ingredients

Mutton fat- 250 gms

Onion small chopped- 1 no

Tomato medium chopped- 1 no

Garlic cloves chopped- 4 nos

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Black pepper corns coarsely ground- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp 

Coriander powder/ Dhania thool- 1 1/2 tbsp

Cumin powder- 1/2 tbsp

Water required

Salt to taste

Oil- 2 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Mutton Fat Curry

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add chopped onions, curry leaves, garlic and mutton fat. Fry for few mins until fat slightly cooks. Now add chopped tomatoe, turmeric powder, pepper powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and required salt. Fry for few seconds and add required water. Cover pan and simmer curry for 20 minutes or until oil floats on top. 

Akkaravadisal/ Moong dal Rice Payasam

Akkaravadisal

Ingredients

Moong dal- 200 gms

Thick coconut milk- 1 cup

Thin coconut milk- 1 cup

Raw rice( coarsely powdered)- 4 tbsp

Jaggery( powdered)- 200 gms

Cardamom powder- few pinches

Akkara adisil

Method

Pressure cook moong dal and rice until mushy and mash until pasty.  When the moong dal and rice mixture is hot add the powdered jaggery, both thick and thin coconut milk and cardamom powder. Mix well until jaggery melts, garnish with fried cashewnuts and serve.

( Note you can adjust the consistency of the dessert by adding or decreasing coconut milk.)

Moong dal Payasam

Prawn 65/ Eral Bajji

Prawn 65

Ingredients

Prawn/ Shrimp/ Era- 250 gms

Cornflour- 2 tsp

Maida/ All purpose flour- 2 tsp

Ginger piece- 1 no

Garli cloves- 3 nos

Green chilli- 2 nos

Red chilli.powder- 1/4 tsp

Ajinomoto few pinch

Red food color- little

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Era Bajji

Method

Grind ginger, garlic and green chilli together to a coarse paste without adding water. In a bowl mix cornflour, maida, ajinomoto, food color, ground paste, required salt and chilli powder. Add little water and mix everything well to form thick batter as prepared for bajji. Add the prawns to batter. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, when oil is hot drop the batter coated prawns one by one into hot oil and fry for few seconds. Drain the prawns when they turn golden brown in color on to a paper towel. Serve garnished with fried curry leaves.

Prawn Bajji

Mutton Kuzhambu/Simple Mutton Curry

Mutton Curry

Ingredients

Mutton( goat) pieces- 1/2 kg

Small onions/ Shallots- 100 gm

Tomato chopped- 3 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tsp

Red chilli powder- 3 tsp

Coriander powder- 2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon stick- 2"

Cloves- 6 nos

Sombu/ Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp

bay leaf- 1

Curry leaves few

Oil- 3 tbsp

Salt to taste

Mutton Kuzhambu

Method

Heat oil in a pressure pan when hot add cinnamon, cloves, sombu and bay leaf, fry for few secs. Add chopped onions and fry until onions turns transparent. Then add the tomatoes, ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Fry the masalas till the raw smell leaves. Now add the mutton pieces to the pan, fry for few more mins and add 2 cups water and required salt. Cover the pan with lid and pressure cook mutton curry for 4 whistles or for 20 mins on medium heat. Garnish with curry leaves and serve. This simple mutton gravy goes with hot steamdd rice, idli, dosa, chapati, appam etc

Simple Mutton Curry

Chettinad Chicken Masala

Chettinad Chicken Masala

Ingredients

Chicken with bone- 500 gms

Onion medium chopped- 1 no

Tomato small chopped-1 no

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Coconut milk( thick)- 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

Dry red chilli- 2 nos

Curry leaves few

Bay leaf- 1 no

Cinnamon- 1 stick

Cardamom- 2 nos

Roast and grind to fine powder

Coriander seeds- 2 tbsp

Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Sombu/ fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Pepper- 1/4 tsp

Cashew nuts- 6 nos

Masala Chicken

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add dry chilli, curry leaves, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and fry for few seconds. Add the chopped onions and saute until transparent. Now add the chicken pieces and fry until it turns white. Add the chopped tomato, ground masala powder, chilli powder, turmeric and required salt. Add thick coconut milk and 1 cup water to the chicken and bring it to boil. Cover pan with lid and simmer for 20 mins or until chicken is cooked. Remove the lid, increase heat and fry chicken until semi dry.