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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Home made easy tomato sauce for pasta---click for recipe- 1 cup

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.

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

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.

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

Mini Poori/ Coin Puri- Kids Lunch box recipes Indian

Mini Puri- Kids recipes

Ingredients

Poori dough- to roll out 2 pooris---click for recipe

Potato masala- to serve with mini pooris----click for recipe. Or Chole- to serve with mini pooris---click for recipe.

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.