Spicy Chicken Curry

Chicken is highly versatile. I can think of a dozen recipes just off of my head. Today I would like to share the recipe that I often resort to when I yearn for a meal that is close to heart. This is a typical chicken curry made often by mom, grand mother and even my great grand mother.

Chicken is simmered in freshly ground spices along with onion and ginger garlic paste to tantalize your taste buds. Chili powder in the recipe sends the spice level to a higher notch.


Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into small pieces (about 2.5 to 3 lbs)
1 large onion coarsely blend
2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste
2 – 3 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
4 – 6 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For Garam Masala grind the following into powder
8 – 10 cloves
2” cinnamon
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds

For seasoning:
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp fenugreek
1 red chili
Curry leaves


Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add seasoning, when mustard starts to splutter add coarsely blend onions and ginger garlic paste. Sauté till the onion looses its raw smell.

Add garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric and salt. Sauté for couple minutes.

Add chicken and sauté on medium heat until the moisture from the chicken comes out.

Simmer covered on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally making sure there is enough moisture.

When the oil separates, remove from heat.

A fabulous chicken curry robust with flavor is ready to go with rice or roti.

Tips: This dish is hot, adjust the red chili powder and number of cloves to attain your desired spice level.

Thotakura --Amaranth Leaves Curry

Thoratukura or amaranth leaves are the most popular greens in Andhra Pradesh. They are a very good source of vitamins and dietary minerals. Here in US it is found in Asian markets as red spinach and occasionally in Indian stores.

Today’s recipe is a simple thotakura curry with very few ingredients allowing thotakura flavor to be the highlight. Fresh thotakura sautéed along with onions, green chilies and is further cooked in milk to acquire a creamy delicate taste.

This recipe is great for those days when you want a very simple yet nutritious meal.

Ingredients:
1 big bunch of thotakura chopped
1 large onion chopped
3 green chilies cut vertically in half (adjust to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
¼ cup milk
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

For Seasoning:
1 garlic pod crushed
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp urad dal
1 red chili
Curry leaves

Blanch thotakura leaves in 3 cups of water. It helps in removing a strong leafy taste. The drained water can be used as vegetable stock. Blanching is optional.

Heat oil in a sauce pan, add seasoning. When urad dal starts to change color add onions and green chilies. Sauté till the onions are transparent.

Add thotakura, sauté for couple of minutes. Add salt and turmeric.

Add milk and cook stirring every few minutes until the milk is well absorbed by the leaves.

This humble curry packed with loads of nutrition goes well with both rice and roti.

Quick n Easy Veg Pulao

Pulao is a very common dish in our house. Since we have unlimited variations of making pulao, though made often we do not need to repeat the same recipe for a long long time.

For this Sunday’s lunch I made a very simple and quick veg pulao which is wholesome and delicious, with a side of baked salmon, raita and sambhar.

Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
1 pack frozen mixed vegetables
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp pulao masala (4 cloves, 1” cinnamon, 2 cardamoms, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp coriander ground into a fine powder)
3 green chilies
½ cup of chopped cilantro
2 red chilies
4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil in pressure cooker or any other heavy bottomed vessel, add red chilies followed by green chilies and frozen vegetables. Sauté for 5 to10 minutes.

Add ginger garlic paste, pulao masala and salt. Sauté for couple more minutes.

Add washed and well drained basmati rice and stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add cilantro.

Add required amount of water and cook till the rice is done.

Tips: Water has to be one and half to two cups for each cup of rice, depending on how you are cooking. In case of pressure cooking one and half cups of water for every cup of rice is plenty.

Enjoy it with a side of raita which is extremely simple. Add finely chopped onions and cilantro to fresh yogurt with a dash of salt. Tomatoes can be added too.

Recipe for Baked Salmon

Recipe for sambhar will be posted soon :)

Chamadumpa Vepudu --Taroroot Fry

Growing up, I never tasted Taro root. I have no idea why mom never made it. I did see it at the vegetable vendor, and just considered it as something that did not deserve a place in our diet. After moving to US I passed by it in the grocery store with the same attitude. One day when S came back with groceries, among all other veggies I found Taro Root! I had no clue what to do with them. Back then internet was just budding, couldn’t just run to the comp and figure out like today. All S had to offer was it tastes good once made into a stir fry or pulusu. After a little contemplation, I decided to treat it as a potato. Peeled the skin chopped them fine and made a simple stir fry. It turned out to be a scrumptious dish. From then on Taro Root has been a regular in our home.

Every once in a while I feel like making a dish with as few ingredients as possible. Here is my taro root stir fry with just taro root and cumin.

Ingredients:
1 lb taro root skinned and chopped into thin slices
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chili powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds let them roast.

Add taro root and sauté till it is cooked.

Add salt, turmeric, chili powder and cumin powder.

Sauté for 2 more minutes.

Tastes wonderful with hot rice.

Vankaya Popu --Sautéed Eggplant

Eggplant / Brinjal is one of the favorite vegetables for me and S, but Vsh n Vn try to avoid it as much as possible. They seem to have no problem with baingan bartha where they don’t see the brinjal as it is mashed. That reminded me of vankaya popu that mom used to make occasionally. I altered it a little by replacing channa dal with black eyed peas as Vsh is allergic to channa.

Smooth texture of brinjal with soft black eyed peas cooked in tamarind along with crisp tampering and the aroma of fresh green chilies and ginger will make you relish every bite.


Ingredients:
15 – 20 small purple brinjals chopped thin and long
Fistful of black eyed peas soaked for 2 hours
4 green chilies and inch of ginger coarsely blend
Gooseberry size ball of tamarind
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

For seasoning:
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp urad dal
1 red chili
Curry leaves

In a sauce pan boil black eyed peas with a little salt. Do not let them loose shape or mush. Strain and set aside.

In a separate pan heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté chopped brinjal. Cook on medium to high heat covered. Stir frequently to make sure it is not burnt.

When brinjal pieces start to soften mash them with the back of the spoon. Add salt and turmeric.

When the brinjal is well cooked and mashed turn off the flame and add the coarsely blended green chilies and ginger.

Add green chilies and ginger paste only after the brinjal is cooked. The fresh aroma of green chilies and ginger has to be retained.

Extract the pulp from tamarind. Set is aside. Try to use as little water as possible. Adjust the amount of tamarind to suit your palate. I use very little, to give a hint of sourness.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard, cumin, urad dal, red chili and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds.

Add cooked black eyed peas followed by tamarind pulp. Cook on high heat stirring constantly until the moisture of the tamarind pulp is evaporated.
Add cooked brinjal and gently mix everything together. Cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.

Tips: Black eyed beans can be replaced by channa dal or garbanzo beans.

Palak Tofu

Palak paneer is a very popular north Indian dish that one can see at almost all Indian buffets in US. Bite size pieces of paneer (indain cheese) cooked in rich creamy spinach and tomato puree not only melts in your mouth but its high nutrition content makes it a very satisfying meal.

I replaced paneer with tofu in this recipe. Tofu is no match to paneer when it comes to taste. But it is not a bad choice when you take into account its high nutritional value and its ability to absorb flavors of spices and marinades. Tofu is low in calories and has no cholesterol.


Ingredients:
1 large bunch of fresh spinach washed and chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1 small onion chopped or about 3 tbsp of chopped onions
2 cloves garlic chopped
3 green chilies chopped (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup of one inch cubed firm tofu
Salt to taste
2 tbsp half n half milk or cream (optional)

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan, add onions, green chilies, garlic and sauté until onions are transparent.

Add tomatoes and spinach and sauté till they are tender do not over cook.

Blend it into a coarse paste once it has cool down.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sauté tofu for about 4 minutes or until the sides are lightly seared.

Remove them from pan and set aside.

In the same heated pan add cumin fry for few seconds, then add the spinach puree and cook on low for about 5 minutes.

Add tofu and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add little water if needed, to attain the desired consistency.

Remove from stove and add cream (optional).

Tips: I do not add any spices as I love the delicate taste of spinach and tomato. ½ tsp of coriander powder and ½ tsp of garam masala can be added before adding tofu.

Though Naan and roti are known to be great accompaniments to this dish, it tastes equally marvelous with hot rice.

Chicken Karahi

Tender pieces of chicken smothered with tangy tomato sauce and garnished with fresh ginger and cilantro melts away in your mouth while tantalizing your taste buds. Jalapenos add a wondrous aroma of peppers and a hint of spice.


Ingredients:
2lbs Chicken preferably with bone, cut into medium size pieces
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
3 tsp lemon juice

4 tbsp oil
1 inch ginger and 1 tsp cumin seeds mashed
2 jalapenos or any other large green chilies cut into large rounds or large strips and deseeded
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
5 large tomatoes

1 tbsp of ginger chopped into thin long strips
1 tbsp of cilantro finely chopped

Marinate chicken with coriander powder, pepper, chili powder, turmeric, salt and lemon juice for half hour.

Heat oil in a large kadai, add mashed ginger and cumin seeds, sauté for a few seconds.

Add jalapenos sauté for a minute on high flame, do not over cook, jalapenos should not loose shape or color. Remove them into a plate.

Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.

Add marinated chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked in its own juices and there is no more moisture left.

Add chopped tomatoes and sauté on relatively high flame until the tomatoes are tender and have coated the chicken well. Make sure to stir gently and not let it burn.

Add fried jalapenos and sauté for another minute.

Turn off the stove and garnish with ginger and cilantro.

Delectable with naan or roti. Can also be a side dish for mildly spiced pulaos and biryanis.

Charu --Rasam

Charu is a very common dish in our telugu homes. It is made almost as often as pappu. It is a clear tangy and spicy stew without which a meal is not complete. Ofen eaten with rice and dal, but can have it as a soup by itself. Especially craved for when one is down with cold or flu.

There are many versions to charu, and this is mine :)

Ingredients:
4 cups water
Walnut sized tamarind ball
1 tomato
1 tsp MTR rasam powder (can substitute with any rasam powder of your choice)
1 inch ginger mashed
½ tsp turmeric
Dash of pepper
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
1 tsp oil
2 tsp chopped onions
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 red chili
Curry leaves
Pinch of asafoetida

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Let it boil on low for 10 more minutes.

Let cooked tamarind and all settle in the bottom and gently pour the clear charu into serving dish. You can also filter it if you desire.

Heat oil in a pan, add seasoning followed by onions. Sauté till onions are roasted. Add it to charu.

Tips: Tomato is optional, increase or decrease the amount of tamarind to suit your palate. Onions in seasoning is optional too.

Mamidikaya Pappu --Mango Dal

Dal is a regular side dish that accompanies almost every meal in most parts of India. It is packed with high levels of protein, and is considered as the main source of protein by vegetarians in India. It can be cooked just plain by itself or with combination of various greens or vegetables. Dal with rice and ghee is heavenly.

Summer and Mangoes almost go hand in hand for our andhra people. Mangoes are relished in all stages, right from when they are raw and sour all the way to when they are ripe and juicy. They are used in multiple recipes in all stages and are also eaten just by themselves.

Mango dal has an unique flavor of the tart in the mango well incorporated into the scrumptious flavor of toor dal.


Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
1 raw mango skinned and cut into thin slices
½ onion chopped
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 red chili
Curry leaves
Pinch of asafoetida

Pressure cook dal with two cups of water upto two whistles and let it cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.

In a sauce pan place mango pieces along with onions and a cup of water and cook on medium to low heat until the mango pieces are tender and soft.

Add the cooked dal along with chili powder, turmeric and salt to the sauce pan with cooked mango.

Stir and cook on low for couple of minutes or until you get the desired consistency.

Now for the seasoning, heat oil in a small pan, add mustard let it splutter, add cumin, red chili, curry leaves and asafoetida. In couple seconds when roasted add it to the dal.

Enjoy it with rice and ghee.

Bendakaya Teepi Kura --Sweet n Sour Okra

Okra is one of the very common vegetables in most Indian households. Sweet and sour okra is a flavor packed dish where tangy okra with a hint of sweetness will have you wanting for more. Contrary to the major belief that okra is gummy and slimy, the tamarind in this curry keeps the stickiness at bay. The subtle sweetness of the dish will please every child’s palate.

For Sweet n Sour Okra, crisp okra is cooked in tamarind and jaggery along with onions, chili powder, salt and turmeric. Unlike most curries where u start with seasoning, for this curry seasoning is added just before serving.


Ingredients:
2 lbs okra chopped into half inch circles
1 onion chopped
1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
About 1 inch cube of jaggery
Walnut sized tamarind ball
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
2 tsp oil
1 – 2 cloves of garlic mashed
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp urad dal
1 red chili
Curry leaves

Soak tamarind and squeeze the pulp out with as little water as possible.

Mix all the above ingredients in a sauce pan and cook covered on medium heat.

Okra should be cooked through but should not loose shape. If there is more moisture even after the okra is cooked to desired tenderness, evaporate remaining water on high heat stirring gently making sure not to mush the okra.

Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard when it starts to splutter, add cumin and urad dal followed by mashed garlic, red chili and curry leaves.

When the urad dal turns into golden brown remove from stove and add the seasoning to cooked okra.

Make sure to add seasoning just before serving. It enhances the flavor of the dish to new heights.

Enjoy it with hot rice. Tastes great as a side to curd and rice.

Poori with Potato Curry

Pooris with potato curry is one of our family’s favorite weekend breakfast. Puffed delicate pooris with a very simple yet delicious potato curry is what we all like to indulge in on Sunday mornings.


For pooris:
2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp ghee
½ tsp salt
Water to knead
Oil for deep frying

Mix flour, salt and ghee and knead into a stiff dough, adding water little at a time. (I use a food processor which makes it faster and easier)

Leave it covered for 10 minutes.

Make walnut sized balls and roll them into about six inch discs with a rolling pin.

Heat oil in a kadai. When the oil is hot, carefully slide the flat disc into the oil.

Gently immerse it into the oil with the slotted spoon.

Once the poori puffs, carefully flip it to the other side.

Remove from the oil with in few seconds. Do not let it over fry.

Place them on a paper towel for couple minutes before serving.

Tips: Make sure the dough is hard, otherwise the pooris will end up too oily. Oil has to be hot for the pooris to puff as desired.

Potato Curry:

4 large potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
2 onions chopped thin and long
1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp oil
¼ cup water
Salt to taste

For seasoning:

1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 red chili
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pressure pan, add seasoning.

Add onions and sauté till they are transparent.

Add potatoes and sauté for couple more minutes.

Add salt, turmeric and chili powder, sauté for couple more minutes.

Add ¼ cup of water, cover the pressure cooker.

Wait for one whistle, turn the stove off.

If there is any water left, evaporate it on high heat.

Tips: Pressure cooker can be avoided, it just takes few more minutes to cook.

Poori with potato curry is a fabulous breakfast which makes you savor each and every bite!

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani! I consider it as the king of all biryanis. Tender pieces of mutton marinated and cooked in fine blend of spices, curd and ginger garlic. Layered between rice with delicate aroma of spices mint and cilantro and steamed to perfection.

There are many versions of this recipe with little variations. I did follow the recipes earlier where you half cook rice, drain the water and then layer rice and mutton in a heavy bottomed vessel stick the lid with dough so that the steam does not escape. I always ended up with many utensils to clean and the job just seemed daunting. I made few changes where all you need is a pressure cooker and a rice cooker. A simplified version of the recipe yet tastes just as fabulous.



For Rice:
4 cups basmati rice
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
2 inch stick of cinnamon
1 tsp shajeera
1 tsp ghee
Handful of mint and coriander leaves
6 – 7 cups of water
Salt to taste

For Mutton:
2 lbs mutton
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup curd
1 tsp garam masala *
6 green chilies
2 tsp ghee
2 tbsp oil
Handful of chopped mint and cilantro
Salt to taste

Others:
2 onions sliced and fried till crisp
Saffron or food color mixed in ¼ cup of milk
Handful of chopped mint and cilantro
Juice of one lemon

*for garam masala: 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 tsp poppy seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 cardamoms
Powder them in a coffee grinder.

Marinate mutton along with all the ingredients under For mutton: 2 – 3 hours in the refrigerator.

In a rice cooker add everything under For Rice: and set it on cook.

Place the mutton in a pressure cooker large enough to make the whole biryani.

Pressure cook until the mutton is tender.

Once the rice is cooked spread it to cool and discard the spices.

If the mutton in the pressure cooker has excessive water evaporate a little but make sure there is enough moisture.

Layer rice on top of mutton in 3 to 4 layers with fried onions and fresh mint and cilantro in between the layers.

Also pour a little milk with saffron on each layer.

Dot it with 2 – 3 tsp of ghee on the top.

Pressure cook on low for 20 – 25 minutes.

When ready to serve sprinkle the lemon juice and gently mix the rice and mutton.

This wholesome dish will entice your taste buds without doubt.

Brussel Sprouts with Tomatoes

Growing up in India I have never seen Brussels sprouts, they are one of the many new vegetables I have seen for the first time after coming to US. They did look very cute as miniature cabbages but I never bothered to try them.

One day Vn explained in a dramatic fashion how all his friends hate Brussels sprouts and how glad he is that his mom does not make him eat this dreadful vegetable. That sure made me curious about the veggie. I decided to make a simple Indian style curry with onions and tomatoes.

To Vn’s surprise it was delicious. It has a bit more texture than cabbage and a delicate nutty flavor. I am going to make this dish a regular in my home, and am looking forward to trying some more recipes with these sprouts which contain good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber




Servings: 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
15 – 20 Brussels sprouts cut into 4 pieces
1 large onion chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
1 red chilli
1 tsp urad dal
Curry leaves

Procedure:
Heat oil in a sauce pan, add mustard let it splutter, add cumin followed by urad dal, red chili and curry leaves.

Add onions and sauté for two minutes, do not let them over cook.

Add Brussels sprouts sauté for five minutes on medium heat.

Add tomatoes and sauté for two more minutes.

Add turmeric, chili powder and slat.

Cook on low heat covered for another 10 minutes. Onions and Brussels sprouts will absorb the tangy taste of tomatoes.

Serve with rice or roti.
You can also try it as a side with rice and sambhar.

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa is one of the most popular North Indian desserts. Grated carrot is cooked in milk and sugar, and garnished with cashews and raisins to form this delectable dessert.

If you have a food processor or a vegetable chopper which can aid you in grating the carrot, making this dessert is a breeze. Make sure the grated carrot is tightly packed in the cup while measuring.

Serves: 4 – 6
Cooking Time: 25 – 30 minutes

Ingredients:
3 cups grated carrot
1 ½ cup half and half milk
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
10 cashew nuts
2 tbsp raisins
2 tsp ghee
Pinch of cardamom powder

Procedure:
Heat the pan, add grated carrot, sauté on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add butter to the pan, continue to sauté till carrot has no more raw smell.

Add half and half milk and sugar and continue to cook on medium flame until the milk evaporates. Make sure to stir and not let it burn.

In a separate pan heat ghee, fry cashew nuts on a low to medium flame until they turn into a nice golden color. Add them to halwa.

Heat ghee again and fry raisins till they become plump and add them to halwa.

Add cardamom powder.

This mouth watering dessert is sure to please your family and friends!

Whole Okra Fry

I often stir fry okra cut in small pieces. Other day while I was comfortably enjoying my okra fry, S suggested I should come up with another recipe for the vegetable which gives more bite to it. I went on a hunt in the food blog world to find a recipe that is different and new to me. I came across http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/2008/02/food-of-movie-stars-spicy-okra-with.html which met my requirements.

The recipe had okra as a whole with just the edges trimmed, and along with other spices carom seeds (ajwain). I love the flavor of carom seeds but never came across any dish with it except deep fried snacks. Whole okra and carom seeds were motivation enough for me to try the recipe.

Thank you, Meeta for the wonderful recipe.



Ingredients:
2 lbs okra edges trimmed
2 onions sliced
4 tomatoes chopped
3 green chillies chopped
½ inch ginger chopped
1 tsp carom seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil, add cumin and carom seeds followed by onions, ginger and chilies. Sauté until onions are transparent.

Add tomatoes and cook on medium to high flame until tomato juices have partially evaporated.

Add Okra sauté frequently while keeping it covered in between. This helps okra cook through without loosing the shape.

When the okra is just about cooked add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Sauté for another minute.

Serve with roti or rice.