Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Chicken In Cashew Nut Sauce


Chicken Curry is going to be my first Non-Vegeterian dish in my blog??..I never thought!! Really, I wanted to introduce Non-Veg items in my blog with Chicken Biryaani. Since we limited our selfs from eating Non-Veg, Iam getting chance to cook Non-Veg very rarely. But, from now onwards I will make sure to blog them when ever I cook at home. This curry actually I made for the small Barbeque type of get-to-geather in Srinivas's office. Then, very limited choice was given to me by him. That is, If I have to prepare Non-Veg then that should be less spicy yet very tasty:-)) Then I thought of making this dish. With no other delay and no more stories here I go with the recipe details.........
Ingredients:
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6 chicken thighs (skinned)
2 big onions
2 tomoatoes (or 3 if needed more gravy)
1/3 cup cashew nuts
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp chilli powder (can adjust a/c to taste)
1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup natural low fat yogurt ( 1 cup here I mean rice cooker cup)
2 caradamom pods (elaichi)
2 cloves (lavanga)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp coriander powder
salt a/c to taste
Oil for cooking (1 to 2 tbsp oil)
Method:
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  1. Cut chicken thighs into halfs or a/c to your choice size probably small pieces.(Here, we got chicken thighs since I was not decide any dish then, later I made two halfs from one thigh. You can also use boneless chicken, cubed and skinned for this recipe). Wash them mix in with curd (preferably one or two day before curd) and marinate for half-an-hour.
  2. Make onions puree and keep aside.
  3. Make tomato puree with cashews in it. i.e., grind both tamatoes and cashew togeather.
  4. Heat oil in a wide , deep pan (for chicken to be cooked easily).
  5. While chicken get marinated...prepare all other spices and purees as mentioned above.
  6. Add caradamom pods (open the cover and add seeds along with it), cloves to bay leaf in the oil. Fry for 1 min.
  7. Now add onion puree and fry till it starts changing color from white to light brown.
  8. Add tomato and cashew puree along with salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala. Mix well and cover the pan and allow to cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Now add marinated chicken and required water if necessary and mix well with all other ingredients.
  10. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for half-an-hour or till the chicken is cooked well by stirring it ocassionaly. Here I mentioned half-an-hour time because chicken should be cooked well.
  11. Once it is done you can garnish with fresh cilantro and very little lime juice if required. Since already curd is present more lime juice can change the taste of the curry.

Note: Cashews reduces the spice also makes the gravy light in color and gives little thickness to the gravy. I had to use them here for Srinivas's office staff memebers:-)) Other wise I generally avoid cashews in chicken or any other non-veg curry. We prefer non-veg items more spicy.

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Sweet 'n' Tangy Mango Curry

I was too in hurry to post this recipe..but it took that late to post it:-)) Anyways, Iam happy I could do before this weekend. Mangos are liked by almost every one..some like ripe mangoes and some like unriped. I like both. Ripe mangoes, as said its fresh juice with hot puris..Yummy!! I got an unriped mango from indian store. Usually, I used to get this one for adding into dal so called "Mamidikaya Pappu" in telugu or mango dal in general. What ever, it taste well with rice also with chapathis. This time I wanted to do some thing different, I think all of us one or the other time are in this unusual mood or say nauty mood and want to try with different recipes especially giving a new name and called as A Unique dish :-)) As soon as I say this to Srinivas, his face expressions changes, from which I can make out his fear to eat my creative dish:-)) I was quite inspired by JIHVA FOR MANGO, from Mahanandi. The round up was very good. To say, I tried couple of recipes from that like mango rasam..and the result was very good. Then, I decided to cook or to make some curry with mango. I started.......
Ingredients:
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1 unriped mango ( liitle sweet and little tangy in taste..the one which I bought was like that or any)
1/2 cup toor dal (pressure cook or cook with one or two drops of oil and 1/2 tsp of turmeric)
2 to 3 green chillies (cut as you like a slit in it or into small pieces)
1 small stem curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic paste or (can use both garlic and ginger paste 1/2 tsp each a/c to your taste)
salt as required
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp dhaniya or coriander powder
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal (minapappu)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
some water for gravy as required
oil for cooking(as you require)
Method:
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  1. Wash mango very well in cold water and cut into very small cubes along with skin and keep aside.
  2. Toor dal as mentioned in the ingredients. That is method I always follow.
  3. Take a wide, little depth pan and heat the oil. Once it is heated up add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves one after the other as mentioned.
  4. Now add cut mangoes and fry for 2 minutes.
  5. Then add garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt one after the other and mix well with mangoes. Fry for 2 more minutes.
  6. Add some water, mix well, cover the pan and cook on medium heat till mangoes become little soft (see that they sare not mashed).
  7. Now add cooked toor dal and mix well with other ingredients. Allow to cook for some more time. Now here you can add some water if you want more gravy. You will know by this time by tasting it and seeing that how much more gravy you required as per your need.
  8. Finally as usual add cilantro and mix with other stuff. Keep on low heat about 1 minute and remove from heat.

After I tasted this curry, with no delay I prepared stuff for puri's which I knew goes very well with this Sweet 'n' Tangy Mango Curry. It was too good. Next day I told this recipe to my mother on phone. She too tried it and every body at home liked it a alot. Hope you will also like this. Mangoes are too expensive right now..knowing this I bought another one for this weekend, since I could not resist the taste:-))

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Here I go with a brief explanation of making puri's as many of us do know but secret lies in getting little crunchy and little soft and little redish in color and sweet in taste. This is my method in making puri's.....

Preparing Dough For Puri's:
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  1. Take Wheat Atta or Wheat Flour as you require.
  2. Put a pinch of baking soda or eating soda in it for soft and fluffy puri's(not more than that, since it absorbs more oil if soda is added more).
  3. Add some salt in it. See that it is not more because..puris always we eat with some or other curry. I add 1/2 tsp of salt in 4 cups (i.e., a/c rice cooker cup). Even when we eat puri as it is it taste good.
  4. With clean hands, mix well all three ingredients and make dough with warm water. Always add water in small amounts and knead the dough accordingly, progressing slowly. The dough sould be not too soft which stick to your hands nor too hard to knead any more.
  5. Once kneaded, push the dough with your hands with a touch of little water on top i.e., air tight, so that no air enters into the dough. Do not add oil here. Close the container with dough, with a lid and keep aside for minimum half-an-hour and maximum 1 hr.
  6. After 1/2 hr, put some oil on top of the dough and again with clean hands(i.e., wash your hands always though fresh, again before kneading the dough) start kneading it again, till you get a soft dough or atleast for 10 minutes at a strech.
  7. The dough is ready for puri's. I follow same for chapathis or pulkhas too except adding eating soda and salt. Yes, I eliminate salt and oil in my chapathis (except oil to knead the dough), still the out put is very good.
  8. For puri's never add dry flour more on top while making flat rounds(here you don'nt need any dry flour if dough is good enough to knead), because they will not rise while deep frying.
Note: Some time in future I will make sure to add good photographs on making this one's. Though Iam good at chapathi's and puri's ...quite opposite in making naan's. My next venture is that..wish me good luck:-)) Hope you will find this article useful to an extent. Thank You!!

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

mEmE (Five Things To Eat Before I Die !!)

Writing some thing about our self in previous Meme was like digging into self and sharing with all wonderful people. Now again I got chance to say some thing about food I like to eat before I die...again very difficult, yet got a chance to think for my future :-))

Are you thinking, what your seeing..???..No.No..I will not be satisfied with just thease small amount of food.This picture is from my next post. I read many post on Food meme. Every one's was quite intresting and really took me back to my child hood days where I just use to enjoy my mom's cooking.I miss her cooking a lot..ofcourse her too:-))

Here comes my list----

CHICKEN BIRYAANI: The one which my mom cooks. I just love the aroma, which comes while cooking itself...I could imagine now that Iam having a mouthfull of biryaani rice. Hmmmmm...which I enjoy when ever I visit my mother's place.

KHEEMA SAMOSAS: I just love them. I remember, on my birthday every year my mom use to cook this for me. Me, Me and Only Me !!! I think every one of us like that special attention given to us on that perticular day.

KOVA GULAB JAMUNS: They are soo soft, just melts as you keep into your mouth. I love my home made gulab jamuns, also the one made at marriages using kovaa. I can have them any time...I can just make out the taste difference very easily, which one is the best. This shows how much I love them:-))

DAHI PURI: At Gokul Chaat...only at Gokul Chaat at Koti, Hyderabad. Here Iam giving free advertisement for Gokul Chaat (LOL). Truely speaking..it does'nt need any..atleast for people from hyderabad or who knew hyderabad very well. Hope I can prepare them at home with the same taste and same chutney one day.

PURI IN MANGO RASAM: Last in the list, but not in mine:-)) This combo, I remeber it when ever I make puri's at home. It was a must at my mom's place, in every summer with sweet ripe mangoes. Taking out mango rasam from mangos with hand and collecting in a bowl. Mixing little milk and little ghee on top and having with hot hot puri's. It's a heaven.

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I love to prepare all above listed at my home, and serve to all my friends(including you all) and my family members ofcourse. Thank You Arjuna for tagging me for this meme. I really went back to my mom's place and into my child hood memories for some time. It was a quite good experience.


I tag Chandrika(AkshayaPatra),Manisha(Indian Food Rocks) and Priya(Sugar'n'Spice).

Monday, September 18, 2006

Moth Beans Curry(Matki Ka Sabzi)

Don'nt they look like some brown pearls??? Yeah, they are!!! I mean they are so precious in food world not though in pearls :-)) Thease, beans we found in indian grocery, where we were actually searching for alasandalu (black eyed beans). I bought them with out knowing anything about. Then after seeing the name Moth Beans on the packet, I started searching on the net for information. Then I found some sites, stating they are called Mat or Matki in maharashtra and are used to make sav or chaat or curry. They were in my store for long long time untouched. When I was lack of vegetables except onions and tomatoes in my store, I took them and made some dry curry, finally. And ask what? ...the end result was very good, more than I expected. And yesterday, when I was going through Vaishali's Blog, I found matki farasbee bhaji, which is combo of beans and moth sprouts. You can check the recipe..its very intresting and Iam going to try this next time with moth beans. So some how I made a curry with thease beans using my regular masala ingredients. Hope you will like it:-)) Here I go....

Ingredients:
----------------
1 cup moth beans (soaked overnight in water)
2 medium sized tomatoes (chopped finely or sliced into thin pieces)
1 medium onion (cut into thin slices)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
oil for cooking( as required)
salt as per taste

Method:
------------
  1. Wash moth beans soaked overnight , drain and keep aside.
  2. Heat oil in a wide pan, fry onion till light brown. Add ginger and garlic paste, fry for 1 more min.
  3. Add all other spices and fry for 2 min.
  4. Now add moth beans and little water. Mix all other spices and salt with moth beans and close the lid. Allow to cook for 3 to 4 min on medium heat.
  5. Now add tomatoes ( can reduce to 1 tomato, if you want less gravy or like to eat as a chaat). Mix all other ingredients with tomatoes and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Once you see the gravy become thick or there is no water, remove for the heat.
  6. Add lemon juice , just before removing from the heat.


Note: Serve with hot chapathis or pulkhas. If you are serving, some time later, then can be served as a chaat with cut onions, fresh coriender and cut lemon pieces as desired. I liked this dish in both ways.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Moodu Pappula Dosa (Triple Lentils Dosa)

As I said in my Mooli Paratha post, that I learned some couple of dishes from a good cook. One I posted i.e., mooli paratha and another one is Moodu Pappula Dosa, which Iam blogging today. I heard before, that with many combos of pappulu or dal's different dosa's can be made. Every combo has its own taste I think. Because, when I tasted this one it was quite different unlike dosa yet very tasty. I hope you will all like too. Another speciality of this dosa is, it does'nt require any marination time, which is perfect for weekends for a quick dish. With no delay here I go...(This measurement is for 2 to 3 people and comes for 2 days breakfast, since its quite heavy unlike regular dosa) Though different appetites has different measurement :-))

Ingredients:
------------------
Pesarpappu 1 cup (moong dal)
Minapappu 1 cup ( urad dal )
Chenagapappu 1 cup (chenna dal )
Menthulu a pinch (fenugreek seeds)
Small size ginger 1
Dry red chillies 10 no's( can reduce as per taste)
Dhaniyaalu 1tbsp or (can use dhaniya powder which should be equal to 1 tbsp dhaniyaalu when powdered)
Jeera 1tsp
Coriender(Fresh) 1/4 cup
Salt as per taste (my measurement is 1 to 1 1/2 tsp)


Method:
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  1. Soak 3 dals over night (or else if you want to make same day, soak for 3 hrs). More soaked , more soft as usual. But there will be no change in taste. I tried both ways, and both were good.
  2. Grind menthulu(fenugreek seeds), red chillies, ginger, Dhaniyalu and Jeera(cumin seeds) togeather.
  3. Grind dals in small amounts along with above mixture plus salt and coriender(add little water if needed).
  4. After batter is ready, heat thawa and spread like dosa and oil all around as needed. This will be little thicker than regular dosa, which makes stomach full soon :-)
  5. Serve hot with any chutney or just like that.

Note: This dosa taste's at its best, when it is served hot. Enjoy!!

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Monday, September 11, 2006

mEmE (About Me, Me & Only Me)!!!




Before I start saying about myself, look at some pictures (above) taken at one of the Japanease gardens near by our place. Hope you will like them. Its a small garden, which has nothing but a pound in which some fishes, turtles and trees and couple of huts around. Though strongly not recommended for any one..my son enjoyed a lot seeing animals in the pond :-)) After all we follow kids :-(

Thank You Maneka Nirmal for tagging me!!! Meme is really a good way to know about our fellow bloggers. I really thank one who started this. Iam getting to know little about my fellow blogger friends apart from there cooking skills of which Iam aware off :-))

I am thinking about: I should blog this meme first and then go to sleep.

I said: Atlast I did some constructive work; BLOGGING!!!

I want to: Sleep early always, but hangup with blogging finally.

I wish: Every body should be happy souls!!

I regret: No regrets in life!! What ever happens, happens for good

I hear: Sprinklers started its job at late night 11.30 pm.

Iam: Very simple in dressing...You can say or I say Iam bit lazy:-)

I dance: Before my son or alone when Srinivas(my husband) is not there!!

I sing: When ever I like..now this I do before Srinivas..because I too hear him;-))

I cry: When some thing bad happens to my near and dear.

I am not: A lier.

I write: After my post graduation notes, I write recipes now for my blog:-)

I confuse: Others, when I want to say more and end up confusing them.

I need : Peace all the time.

And now its time for me to tag.....Sailaja of sailu's kitchen and Arjuna of krishna & arjuna's world.

Ridge Gourd (Skin Pickle)

Beerakaaya Thokku Pachadi, this is the name which can be give to this recipe in telugu, since it is made using Ridge Gourd skin :-) Yeah!!! don'nt want to believe..but its true. When I heard from my mother about this recipe, I said how it is possible?? But when I tasted this pickle I said WHY NOT?? This is very simple to make and can be served with dosa or along with chapathis or hot rice. This can be kept fresh upto 3 days if it is stored in the refrigerator. But I preffer to make it in small amount and finish it off the same day or maximum next day. Here I go with the recipe:-

Ingredients:
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Skin of 2 Ridge Gourd (peel the skin, wash in cold water and drain)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 to 4 green chillies or 4 to 5 dry red chillies
small lemon size tamarind (chinthapandu--wash and soak in warm water)
1 tsp oil
salt as required

For Seasoning:
-------------------
4 to 5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 to 3 tsp oil

Method:
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  1. Heat the oil, add cumin seeds. Once they start spluttering, add ridge gourd skin and fry till becomes soft.
  2. Now add green chillies and fry for two more minutes. Add soaked tamarind from above and remove from heat. Do not mix. Allow to cool down.
  3. After it cools down, make the paste of above with required salt in a blender. Do not add water if possible( or little if required).
  4. Make seasoning, add to the above paste. The pickel is ready:-))
Note: If green chillies are not available or like to use red chillies instead, first fry red chillies in little oil and keep aside. Add to the blender while making paste. In this chutney I used Dry red chillies since I did not had green chillies in store. It tasted great!! So go a head.....:-))


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Friday, September 08, 2006

Soya With Fenugreek

Soya Granules are another healthy yet tasty choice. Before I state actual recipe, I would like to give a brief information (though known to many) about Soya. I feel happy if this inforamtion is really helpful to even one reader. Soya is strongly recommended for diabetics, expectant mothers, growing children, cardiac patients , slimmers and the aged. Again Soya is rich in proteins and essential amino acids and it is 100% vegetarian. 52% of Nutrela i.e., soya granules is equallant to (22% of meat + 14% egg + 12% wheat +4%milk) . This information is mentioned on Nutrela box which I purchase. I prefered to mention this for its awareness. Soya absorbs the taste and flavour of whichever dish you add it to or whatever is added to it. Thus, it can be a good substitue for items like paneer, vegetables, meat, potatoes(which contain high carbohydrates) etc. It can be used in all kind of dishes indian, chinese, continental and sweet dishes.

To add soya in any dish:
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Wash soya in warm water twice or thrice then soak them in warm water till it softens or pressure cook till one whistle. Again rinse once. Now soya is ready to add in any dish:-)

This dish I learned from my mother. It was very uncommon in my relatives till they tasted at our home. From then all most every body started liking it. I use Big soya granules in Methi Aloo dish instead off aloo(potato); Methi Soya dish; Palak Aloo instead of aloo soya; Tomato Soya ect., the list is long:-)) Here I come to the main recipe without any more delay:-

Ingredients:
----------------
2 bunches of Fenugreek Leaves( small methi leaves with out stems washed and kept aside to drain).
1 cup of Soya granules (fine soya granules as shown in above picture)
1 medium sized onion (cut into long thin slices)
1 tsp of ginger paste
1 tsp of garlic paste
1 to 2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt as required
2 to 3 tsp of oil

Method:
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  1. Heat oil in large pan. Once oil get heated, add onions and fry till they turn light brown in color.
  2. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add turmeric powder and mix well.
  3. Squeeze all the water from soya and add bit to bit in the pan. Mix well and fry for 2 min.
  4. Now add methi and mix well with soya and put salt from above(do not mix now). Close the lid and allow to cook on medium heat till methi settles down.
  5. Mix all the ingredients well. Now add other two spices..red chilli powder and coriender powder. Mix well and allow to cook on medium heat again for about 15 minutes.
  6. See it should not be burnt. Don'nt add any water.

Note: This taste best with hot rice and also with chapathis. Due to fenugreek leaves you may taste little bitterness but loved by all those who love fenugreek leaves and ofcourse vegetables which taste bitter are always good for health :-))





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Sunday, September 03, 2006

'Hot' Aubergine Curry (Vankaaya Koora)


Aubergines are one such vegetable which can be said as "Versatile". Here I mean , when they are cooked along with any other vegetables, it does'nt loose its flavour and easily "Adaptable". Here again I mean, it can be cooked with different vegetables. I felt this is the best way to explain Augbergines also called "Brinjal", also called "Egg plants" (which are called "Vankaayalu" in telugu "Baingan" in Hindi). Like its nature it has got many names in one language :-))Today I have choosen this recipe with Brinjal, because it itself is a main ingredient in this curry.Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:
---------------
Augbergines 10 to 15 No's ("small Brinjals" cut them into small cubes)
1 large onion (cut the onions into thin slices)
3 to 4 garlic cloves (washed and grated thinely)
3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
3/4 cumin seeds
1tsp moong dal
4 to 5 curry leaves
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
salt as per taste
1 tbsp oil (or else restrict to 2 to 3 tsp as desired)
Method:
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  1. Cut the Augbergines into small cubes. Wash them, sprinkle with salt and keep aside for 1/2hr. By doing so, impurities in Brinjal will be cleared.
  2. Heat the oil and add the fenugreek and cumin seeds. When they have started to crackel, add the oinion,garlic,lentils and curry leaves.
  3. As soon as onions starts changing color add all the ground spices.
  4. Until above ingredients cook a little, meanwhile rinse the Augbergines and pat dry.
  5. Now add them to the pan, and allow to cook till they become tender.(Be careful that they are not over cooked and lose their shape)
  6. This dish can be served hot or cold with rice or chapathis.

Note: Here Tomatoes can be used if you desire. But I did not choose here to get full flavour of Augbergines.

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Meena and Srinivasulu Kandlakuti
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