Beef Kuruma

Beef: 1 cup (cooked in pressure cooker)

Oil: 2 tbsp

Cumin: 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves: a sprig

Onion: 2 sliced

Ginger: 1 inch chopped fine

Garlic: 5 cloves chopped fine

Green Chillies: 3 slit

Tomato: 1 chopped fine

Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder: 4 tsp

Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp.

Mint leaves: 4 tbsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

To grind:

Coconut grated: 1/2 cup

Fennel/Perumjeerakam: 2 tsp

Cumin: 1/4 tsp

Grind this with half of the sauteed masala to a paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, Splutter cumin and curry leaves.

Add onions and saute till brown.

Now add the garlic, ginger, green chillies and saute for a minute

Add the tomato and saute till oil separates

Take half of this and grind with the coconut.

To the rest, add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Saute till raw smell goes.

Add the ground coconut masala, mint leaves and coriander leaves, a little water and saute till oil separates.

Add  enough water, required salt and let it boil

Take off fire and serve with rotis/dosa etc

Chilli Prawns

Prawns: 20 medium

To marinate:

Soya sauce: 1 tsp

Corn flour: 2 tbsp

Salt: a pinch

Pepper: 1 tsp

Oil: 1/2 cup for frying

Keep the cleaned prawns in a bowl.

Add all the ingredients under "to marinate" list except oil

Mix it thoroughly.

Fry it in oil and keep aside.

For the Sauce:

Onion: 1 cubed

Green Chilly: 2 chopped

Dried Red chilly: 2 chopped

Ginger: 1 tbsp chopped fine

Garlic: 5 cloves chopped fine

Spring onion: chop the leaf for garnish and chop the onion for the sauce.

Red Chilly sauce: 1 tbsp

Green Chilly sauce: 1 tbsp

Soya Sauce: 1 tsp

Sweet Chilli Sauce: 1 tbsp

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Salt: as needed

Sugar: 1 tsp

Pepper: 1 tsp

Corn flour: 1 tbsp

red food color: a pinch

Heat oil (You can use the left over oil from frying prawns-just take as much as needed)

Throw in the cubed onion, onion from the spring onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and red chillies

saute for 2 minutes,  and then add all the sauces.

Immediately add the vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar.

Add the fried prawns to it.

Now add corn flour and red food color mixed in half cup cold water

Let it simmer for a minute.

Take off fire and garnish with chopped spring onion leaves.

Serve warm with Fried rice/Noodles

How to make dum Biriyani in Oven

Basmati rice: 2 cups
Garam masala ( cinnamon, cloves, star anise): 1 each

To make rice:
Wash and soak in water for 5 minutes.
Drain.
Boil a big pot of water. Add salt and whole garam masala to it.
Cook the rice till 90% done.
That is it should be hard yet mashes when you press it.
Drain and keep aside

To Marinate Chicken:
Chicken: 600 gms
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp
Curd: 1 tbsp
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Salt: as required
Marinate and keep aside.

To make the chicken masala:
Oil: 4 tbsp
cloves and cinnamon: 1 each
Onion: 2 sliced thinly
Tomato: 2 chopped
Green chillies :2 (or 3 if you like a little more hot)
Ginger garlic paste: 2 tbsp
Chilly powder: 1/4 tsp
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp
biriyani masala: 1/4 tsp (optional- for an extra punch!!.Ive made it with and without, both tastes good)
Coriander and Mint leaves: a handful chopped

Heat oil in a pan
Throw in cinnamon and cloves
Add the onion and saute till light brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies and saute for a minute.
Add the tomatoes and cook till soft.
Add the garam masala powder and chilly powder and the marinated chicken.
Let it get cooked on low flame.
Add the coriander and Mint leaves and again cook till done.
Take off fire.

Steps for Dum in Oven.
Preheat oven 180 C
Take an oven proof dish and apply ghee.
divide the rice into three portions and chicken masala into two portion.
layer the rice and chicken masala alternately in the dish...rice first, followed by chicken masala and then rice,chicken masala and on top, rice.

Pour 4 tbsp milk evenly on the rice.
Do a slight mixing with your spoon so that masala gets evenly coated on the rice.
cover with aluminium foil
Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve with raita and chips.

Frittatas on stove top (with left over spinach thoran :) )

Eggs: 4

Milk: 3 tbsp

Cheera Thoran : 3 tbsp (or more if u want)

Salt and Pepper: as needed.

Oil: 2 tsp

Beat the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper.

In a non stick pan, Pour 2 tsp oil and swirl the pan.

Throw in the spinach thoran.

Now pour the beaten egg evenly over the spinach and swirl the pan.

Reduce heat to low

 After 6 minutes, open the lid and with a spatula, lift edge of frittata  and tilt the pan to allow the egg mix to flow underneath all around the pan.

 Cover and continue cooking  until set.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Prawns Vindaaloo

Prawns : 250 gram 

To saute and grind

Oil: 1 tsp

Pepper corns: 2 tsp

Cloves: 1 tsp

Dry red chillies: 8

Garlic: 5 cloves

Ginger: 1 inch

Cumin: 1/2 tsp

Heat oil, saute these ingredients for a minute and grind it to a paste by adding:

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

When these become a paste, add

Onion: 1 small chopped roughly

Keep this aside

Now, take

Oil: 1 tbsp

Onion: 1 large chopped

Tomato: 1 large chopped

Heat oil and saute the onion till it is wilted and slightly changes colour.

Add the tomato and saute till it is all mashed up.

Add:

Sugar: 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Saute again for a few seconds and add the ground paste and the prawns.

Add little water and when it comes to a boil, add required salt.

Lower the flame, keep the lid and let the prawns get cooked.

When it is done, add:

Vinegar: 1 tsp

And wait for a minute more and take off fire.

Serve warm with rice or rotis.

Chicken Curry- Taste of Grandma's Kitchen!!!

We all love the taste of our childhood.... The smell of our grandmothers kitchen.... this taste and smell forms an important part of the emotional narrative of our childhood, our lives!!!

But havent you noticed over time, our recipes alter to accommodate our present lifestyle?
 One such example is using big onions for chicken curry. I remember, my ammachy always used pearl onion for chicken curries but now very few people use it. I too use big onions mostly but when I go home to my mothers, I just love the chicken curry there, it brings back so many memories, triggers emotions sometimes happy, sometimes sad....But mostly, wonderful memories.

This recipe with a generous helping of small onions sure recreates the taste of my childhood.
 And its amazing how I got the exact recipe/taste from someone I met by chance. My sons friends grandmother. This is her recipe and while waiting for my sons school bus, she was telling me about her daughter- in- laws blog. I googled and found the blog and this recipe was there. When I saw the small onions, I knew I had to try this and wow, I was transported back to those days and my kids inhaled this!!!!


Chicken: 1 kg
Fennel Seeds/ Perinjeerakam: 2 tsp
Small Onion/Pearl Onion/Shallots: 2 cups or 300 grams (pls do not use big onions)
Curry leaves: 4 sprigs
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Tomato puree: 4 tbsp or of 2 tomatoes pureed
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 2 tsp
Pepper Powder: 2 tsp
Coriander Powder: 4 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala: 1 1/2 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 4 tbsp

The peeled pearl onion weight should be 300 grams or 2 cups packed.
Slice each onion to 3. Do not have to make it too small.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker, splutter fennel seeds.
Thrown in the onions and curry leaves and saute till wilted.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is gone
Add the tomato puree, all the masalas and chicken and saute for sometime on low flame.
Add a cup of water and close the lid and cook for a whistle on high, then lower the flame and cook for one more whistle and switch off the flame.
When the pressure releases,open the lid and mix everything once and serve warm with rice or rotis.

Recipe Source: Mithraja's blog

Chicken Minced Creamy Pasta

This sure is a crowd pleaser. The quantity mentioned here will be enough for 6 people.

Macaroni (dry): 400 grams

Cook it in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under running water. keep it aside.

Minced Chicken: 400 grams

Onion: 2 medium diced

Garlic: 10 cloves minced

Tomato Puree: 6 tbsp

Chilli Flakes: 1 tbsp

Pepper Powder: 1 tbsp

Oregano or pizza seasoning: 4 tsp

Amul or any  Fresh Cream: 1 cup

Milk: 1 cup or more

Cheese: generous helping for garnish.

Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic till wilted.

Add the chicken, tomato puree, the chilli flakes and pepper powder, required salt and let it get cooked.

When it is done, lower the flame and add the oregano or pizza seasoning and give everything a toss.

Now add the cooked pasta, fresh cream, mix everything, then add the milk. Sometimes you might need more than a cup of milk.

 Make sure the dish isn't too dry. It should have a creamy wet texture. So add milk according to that.

Do a taste test, if needed add a little more of salt and the oregano or pizza seasoning.

Take off fire and garnish with a lot of grated cheese.

Enjoy!!!!

Kerala Coastal Fish Fry

Yummy Yummy Crispy Fish fry !!!!!

King Fish: 1 slice
Or large prawns:6 nos
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 1 heaped tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as Needed
Lime Juice: 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1/2 tsp
Rice Flour: 1 heaped tsp

Make a paste of all these and apply on the fish and keep aside for atleast half an hour
Shallow fry it in coconut oil.
Serve warm with sliced onions.

Kerala Prawns Fry

This is my Moms Prawns fry recipe. I guess this is the basic fish fry recipe for any malayalee. It tastes yum with prawns!!!!

Prawns: 1/2 kg

Ginger Garlic Paste: 2 tsp

Kasmiri Chilly Powder: 1 level tbsp

Pepper Powder: 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Salt: as required

Lime Juice: of 1 small lime

Oil: 1 tsp

Marinate the prawns with all this for atleast 30 minutes....more the better.

Heat Coconut oil and shallow fry the prawns.

Make sure you dont cook it too long.

Serve warm with rice and onion slices

Chettinadu Chicken Gravy

Chettinad Chicken, my all time favourite and I love it best with Dosa, Egg Dosa, Kaldosa, Onion Dosa...basically any Dosa!!!!! Its not me alone, all of us at home love this preparation. But we always order in and this is the first time I made it at home. Thanks to my Tamil Cooking expert for all the lovely recipes....

Recipe got from here

Chicken: 1 kg

Curd: 4 tbsp

Chilly Powder; 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Salt: as needed

Marinate chicken and keep aside.

To Roast and Grind:

Dried Red Chillies: 6-7

Coriander Seeds: 1 tbsp

Pepper Corns: 1.5 tsp

Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds: 2 tsp

Onion: 2 medium chopped

Tomato large: chopped

Coconut grated: 1/4 cup

Heat a kadai and throw in the red chillies, coriander seeds, pepper corns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and saute for 2 minutes.

Now add the onions and tomatoes and saute till the raw smell leaves.

Add the coconut grated and saute till browned.

When it cools, blend it into a smooth paste.

To temper:

Oil: 2 tbsp

Cardamom:1

Cinnamon:1

Cloves:2

Small Onion: 12 halved

Garlic: 7 minced

Curry  Leaves: lots

Tomato: 1 chopped

Heat oil and add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and saute for a minute. Now add the onion, garlic, curryleaves, saute for a few minutes

 Now add the  tomatoes and saute till limp.

Add the marinated chicken and saute for 10 minutes on low flame.

Add the ground paste and let the chicken get coated with the masala.

Add required salt, a cup of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles on high.

After the pressure releases, Boil again till required thick consistency is reached.

Serve warm with Dosas, Rotis or Rice.

Here, Ive served it with Egg Dosa.

Spicy Tasty Crab Masala

Ive posted Crab masala recipes before. This is also a very tasty preparation. I got this recipe long back and since Ive already posted crab roast recipes before, I wasnt sure if I wanted to post again!!! But anyways, I clicked pictures. And when I tasted it, I was sure this was going in my blog. My husband gave me full marks... :) :) :) So here it is. Now this recipe is gonna be a regular in my kitchen.

Crab: 1 1/2 kg cleaned

Onion: 4 thinly sliced.
Heat 3 tbsp oil and saute the onions till slightly brown.
Add a tbsp of ginger garlic paste and saute till it is a nice brown.

Now add 

Chilly Powder: 2 tsp heaped

Coriander powder: 2 level tsp

Cumin Powder" 1 level tsp

Garam Masala: 1 level tsp

Pepper Powder: 1 tsp

 Saute till oil oozes out onlow flame. keep sprinkling water so that it doesnt stick to the bottom.

Add 2 chopped tomatoes, keep the flame on high and saute till it is all mashed up

Now add the cleaned crab, 2 cups water, required salt and let it get cooked on medium flame.
When all the water dries up and masala is coated, take off fire and garnish with coriander leaves.
Enjoy!!!!!

Chicken Pie (With leftover baked/Roasted Chicken)

Chicken baked/Roasted leftovers: 1/2 kg shredded
(If you dont have leftovers, just pressure cook chicken with pepper and salt or roast it in oven with pepper and salt)

For White Sauce:
Maida: 1 tbsp
Butter: 1 tbsp
Milk: 400 ml
Pepper and salt: as needed

Potato Layer
Potato: half kg
Butter: 2 tbsp
Milk: 1/4 cup tbsp
Salt and Pepper: as needed.

Cheese Grated: 1/4 to 1/2 cup

From my personal experience, do not use cheddar cheese, it browns very fast. You can use regular block cheese grated.

Chicken Layer:
Grease a baking dish and layer the chicken shredded at the bottom.

White Sauce Layer:
In a sauce pan, melt 2 tbsp butter, add the maida to it.
Mix it properly on low heat and when the raw smell is gone (pls do not brown it) add the  milk to it and whisk properly till you get a thick sauce. Add pepper and salt to this.
Pour this over the chicken layer.

Potato Layer:
 Pressure cook the potatoes and mash it properly and add butter and milk to it to make a smooth paste
Add salt and pepper to this mix.
Now add the potato mash on top of it and smooth it with a spatula.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top (generously!!!! for better taste)
Bake for half hour (more or less) depending on the oven, the potatoes have to brown a bit (that is the idea)
Slice and enjoy it warm with butter toasted garlic bread.

Chicken Kohlapuri

This is spicy, tasty and surprisingly, very easy to make. So dont waste your time, impress your family with this delicious preparation and let them beg u for more....

Chicken: 1 kg

Marinate this chicken pieces with:

Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp

Chilly Powder: 1.5 tsp

Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice: of half a lemon

Salt: as required

Keep this aside for 30 minutes or more.

Oil: 3 tbsp

Cardamom:2

Cloves:3

Pepper corns: 1/2 tsp

Star Anise:1

Bay leaf:1

Heat the oil and add these whole garam masala and let it be on a low flame for a few seconds.

Now add:

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds: 2 tsp

Sesame seeds: 1 tsp

Garlic: 4 cloves minced

Grated Coconut: 2 tbsp

Saute till it slightly changes colour.

Now add:

Onions sliced: 3

When it is slightly browned, take off stove and let it cool.

Now in a blender, make puree of two tomatoes. To it, add the sauteed onion masala and make a fine paste.

Now we will go on to prepare the gravy.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and add the tomato onion paste and saute for a minute or two.

To it, add:

Red chilly powder: 1.5 tsp

Garam masala: 1/2 tsp

Saute on low flame till oil separates.

Add the marinated chicken pieces, salt and enough water and let it boil.

Once it boils, lower the flame and keep the lid and let it get cooked.

Keep stirring in between.

When the chicken is cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti/chapati or even rice.

Recipe got from here

Ayala Vevichathu/Fish Curry Kottayam style- step by step pictures

This was my favourite fish curry all my growing up years. I could have this with anything and everything. But once I started cooking myself, I realized this might look easy to prepare but u really need to master the art. Sometimes it takes a failure or two to get the knack. Yes, Ive had my share of disasters with this curry....

So this is dedicated to all those who, like me have had fish curry disasters.......believe me when I say, disasters have their place in our learning experience!!!!!one of the essential parts to being a good cook, is also knowing the ways a recipe can go wrong......

So here goes........

Coconut Oil: 3 spoons (see the size of the spoon in the pic, a ladle)

Mustard seed: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Small Onions/Pearl Onions: a handful sliced 

Garlic  cloves: 8 minced

Ginger: 1 inch minced

Curry Leaf: a sprig

Heat oil, Splutter mustard, fenugreek, curry leaf.

Saute the garlic and ginger for a minute or two till a distinct aroma comes.

Add the onions and saute till it browns along the edges. see the pic below.

Now take 3 heaped teaspoons (like in the pic, real real heaped Tsp measure) Kasmiri Chilly Powder

if you are a first timer, use the measuring spoon itself......teaspoon....heaped ...thrice!!!!!

Coriander Powder: 1 level tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Make a paste with water like in the pic below

Now add it to the sauteed onion mix and in low flame, keep sauteing and sprinkling water till you can see oil droplets here and there. 

Add 2 cups water and required salt and let it come to a boil.

Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

Gambooge/Kodum Puli: 4 washed and soaked in water.

Add this to the boiling curry

Now add the cleaned fish pieces (Ayala/Mackarel- 1 Kg) to it and when it starts boiling, reduce flame, keep lid and let it get cooked and let the gravy get reduced

When the gravy is thick and the fish is cooked, take off fire. Serve warm with Kerala rice

Chicken Oreganato

Chicken: 6 pieces...breast and thighs

Oregano: 1 tbsp

Salt: to taste

Pepper; 1 tbsp

Vegetable Oil: 1/4 cup

Lime: 1/2 a lime squeezed

Preheat oven to 230 degrees C.

Clean the chicken properly and pat dry.

 Mix oregano with salt and pepper.

marinate the chicken pieces with the oregano mix.

Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.

Place the marinated chicken on it.

Whisk the oil with the lemon juice and drizzle half over the chicken. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. 

Turn the chicken pieces and drizzle with the remaining oil/lemon mixture. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

 Serve warm.

Recipe got from  here

King Fish Grilled with Indian Masala and Carrot Salad.

The taste of the fish masala brings back lot of happy memories of my childhood, of summer vacations at my moms place. Fresh catch of the day marinated in this delicious masala for an hour and fried in coconut oil. Well, over the years, I had forgotten this taste and then it was my cousin, Nischchechy who gave me the recipe a few days back. Wow, I made it and all I can say is....WOW!!!! 

Fish Masala

King Fish: 1/2 kg sliced

Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 3 tsp

Pepper Powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek: a pinch

Pearl Onion/Shallots: 20

Garlic: 8

Ginger: 2 inch

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Salt: to taste

Curry leaves: a few.

Grind these in a mixie and apply it on the fish and keep aside for half an hour.

Take a grill pan, Add a tbsp coconut oil.

Place one fish and cook on medium flame, both sides.

Serve warm with salad.

Carrot Salad

Carrot: 1 grated

Onion: 1 medium sliced thin

Green Chilly: 1 sliced

Mint Leaves: 4

Salt and Pepper: to taste

Lime Juice: of half a lime

Mix the carrot, onion, green chilly and mint leaves with lime juice, salt and pepper.