Curry

Muringailla koottan/drumstick leaves curry

| Rekha Vengalil

This is one of my favorite curry which my Mom-in-law makes.. simple n easy..:)

Muringailla koottan/drumstick leaves curry


Ingredients:-
  • Toor Dhal – ½ cup
  • Drumstick leaves – 2 cups
  • Chili powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Grated coconut – 1 cup
  • Cumin Seeds
  • Shallots – 4 nos
  • Salt – to taste

For tampering
  • Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Dry chilies – 2 nos
  • Curry leaves – One twig

How to:-
Muringailla koottan/drumstick leaves curry
  • Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and shallots to a fine paste.
  • Cook the dhal in a pressure cooker till mushy. Once done add the chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and bring to boil.
  • Add the drumstick leaves and cook for 5 mins or till done.
  • Add the coconut paste. Mix well. Bring to boil. Turn off the heat.
  • In a pan heat the oil. Splatter the mustard seeds, tip in the dried chilies and curry leaves. Add to the curry and serve hot with rice.

Mutton curry – kerala style

| Rekha Vengalil

Mutton curry – kerala style

You need –
  • Mutton – 500 grams, cut into pieces
  • Onion – 3 medium, thinly sliced
  • Tomato – 1 big
  • Ginger – 1 small piece
  • Garlic – 3 big cloves
  • Shallots – 4
  • Green chillies – 2
  • Coriander – chopped 2 tablespoons
  • Chili powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Coriander powder – 4 teaspoons
  • Fennel powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Meat masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Thin coconut milk – ½ cup
  • Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
  • Salt – as per taste
  • Curry leave – 2 stalks
  • Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons or as required.

How to –
  • In a pestle and mortar, crush the ginger, garlic and shallots.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and fry till golden brown. Add the chilies  coriander, crushed ginger, garlic and shallots. Continue to fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the all the powders, salt and fry till the oil start to separate.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook will soft.
  • Add the mutton; mix well.
  • Add the thin coconut milk and pressure cook till the mutton is done on a medium-low heat.
  • Uncover, add the thick coconut milk and curry leaves, Bring to boil. If the gravy is too thin; continue to cook till thick before adding the thick coconut milk.
  • Turn off the heat and serve hot with rice, appam  or roti
Mutton curry – kerala style


Dum Aloo

| Rekha Vengalil

Dum Aloo
You need –
  • Baby potatoes – 8
  • Onion – 1, paste
  • Tomato – 1, pureed
  • Garlic paste – 2 teaspoon
  • Ginger paste – 2 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
  • Asafoetida – a pinch
  • Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – 1 tablespoon
  • Greek yogurt – ½ cup  
  • Almond paste – 2 teaspoon
  • Oil/ ghee – 1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons for frying the potatoes
  • Salt – to taste
  • chopped coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons

Dum Aloo
How to –
  • Scrape the potatoes, prick all over with a fork and soak in the water with little salt for 2 hours.
  • Dry the potatoes on a cloth and heat the ghee or oil.
  • Fry the potatoes until golden brown. Drain and set aside.
  • In pan heat oil or ghee, crackle the cumin seeds and tip in the asafoetida.
  • Add the onion, ginger and garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the turmeric powder, chili powder and saute for a minute or till oil start to separate.
  • Add the tomato puree,  and around ½ cup water; cover and cook till the gravy is thick.
  • Beat the yogurt till smooth and add into the tomato puree.  Stir well. Add water if needed.
  • Add the baby potatoes and almond paste; cook till the gravy is thick on a low heat..
  • Sprinkle the garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and serve hot with rice or roti.

Shahi Paneer

| Rekha Vengalil
Shahi  Paneer
You need –
  • Paneer – 250 grams
  • Onion – 1 Large
  • Tomatoes – 1 large
  • Almonds – 8-10 blanched,peeled and make a fine paste
  • Fresh Cream – 1 tablespoon
  • Shahi paneer masala powder – 2 teaspoon
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon or as required
  • Garam Masala – ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt – As per taste


How to –
  • Make a fine paste of onion and tomatoes (separately).
  • Heat oil in pan and cook the onion paste till they turn light pink.
  • Add the tomato puree, shahi paneer masala and cook for 5 minutes
  • Add the almond paste, paneer cubes, Salt and ½ cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes or till the gravy thick.
  • Add the cream, garam masala and mix well. Turn off the heat.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti.
Please note- You can use cashew-nuts indeed of almonds. 

Shahi  Paneer

Kerala chicken stew

| Rekha Vengalil
A comfort food.This is a mild stew where chicken is cooked in coconut milk and whole dried spices. This is my mother’s version, and to me she makes the best appam and stew..

 
You can cook this with lamb or beef. For Vegetarians, omit the meat and add more veggies. The stew is best with appam.

Kerala chicken stew
You need –
  • Chicken – 500 grams
  • Onion – finely chopped 1 cup
  • Potatoes – 1 large. Cut into cubes
  • Carrot – 2. Cut into cubes
  • Ginger – chopped 2 teaspoon
  • Garlic – chopped 2 teaspoon
  • Green chillies – 2 slit length wise
  • Curry leaves – 10-15
  • Dried spices
    • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
    • Clove – 2
    • Cardamom – 2
    • Star anise – 1 small
    • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
    • Crushed pepper – ½ teaspoon
    • Bay leaf – 1/2
  • Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
  • Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
  • Coconut oil – 2 tablespoon
  • Salt – to taste
How to –
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add all the dried spices and fry until the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the onions, Ginger, garlic, chilies, curry leaves and continue to fry until onions turn soft.
  • Add the chicken piece, potatoes and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the thin coconut milk, salt, cover and cook.
  • When the chicken is half done, add the carrots and continue to cook till the chicken is fully done.
  • Add the thick coconut milk and bring to boil.
  • Turn off the heat and serve with appam.
Kerala chicken stew
 

Mushroom, peas and potato curry

| Rekha Vengalil
Mushroom, peas and potato curry


You need –
  • Mushroom – 500 grams sliced
  • Potatoes – 3-4 small potatoes (cut into half with the skin on. If large cut into ¼’s)
  • Frozen green peas – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1 large or 1 cup sliced
  • Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Grated garlic – 1 teaspoon
  • Fresh coriander leaves – 2 tablespoon
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Hot water – ½ cup
  • Oil –1- 2 tablespoon
  • Salt – as per taste

How to –
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till they turn golden brown.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste and coriander leaves. Continue to fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add turmeric and chili powder. Fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add mushroom, potatoes, hot water, salt and stir well. Cover and cook on low flame for 15 – 20 minutes.
  • Add peas, garam masala and mix well.
  • Cover and continue to cook for further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  • Turn off the heat and serve hot with Roti or rice.

                                                                        Mushroom, peas and potato curry

Please note – if you are using fresh peas, add in along with potatoes and mushroom. I have garnished with spring onions which is optional.

Vendakka Thayir Pachadi

| Rekha Vengalil
Its simple and easy to make. A quick fix meal. 

Vendakka Thayir Pachadi
You will need –

  • Thick Yogurt – 1 cups
  • Water – ¼ or as required
  • Grated coconut – 1/3 cup
  • Green Chili – 1
  • Okra – 3-4
  • Coconut oil – as required for frying the Okras

Tempering

  • Mustard – ½ teaspoon
  • Dried red chilli – 1
  • Curry leaves – 10
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon
How to
  • Grind the grated coconut and green chili into a fine paste. Adding a little water if required and set aside.
  • Chop the okra’s into slices (1/2 cms) and deep fry till they turn golden brown. Set aside on Kitchen towel to drain out excess oil.
  • Mix the coconut-chili paste with yogurt, add the fried okra, salt to taste and mix well. Add water or as required if the mixture is too thick.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let it start to splatter. Add the curry leaves and red chili.  Add this to the yogurt coconut mixture.
  • This goes best with rice.

Chicken Korma

| Rekha Vengalil

This curry is mild and aromatic. Goes well with roti or rice.

Chicken Korma

You need –

  • Flaked almonds – 25 grams
  • Ginger grated – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic grated – 1 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Paprika – 1 teaspoon
  • Greek Yogurt – 4 tablespoons
  • Chicken breast – 2
  • Chicken thigh – 2
  • Onion – 1 cup
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Water – ½ – 1 cup
  • Double cream – 150 ml
  • Coconut milk – 2 tablespoon
  • Coriander chopped – 3 tablespoons
  • Garam masala – 1 tablespoon
  • Oil – 2 – 3 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste

How to – 

  • Roast the almonds on a baking tray in a hot oven for a few minutes till the almonds turn light golden brown or dry roast in a pan.
  • Combine ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, ground coriander, paprika, chili powder, almonds and the yogurt and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and cook until golden brown.
  • Add the marinated chicken, salt and lemon juice and combine well. Cook for 5- 7 minutes.
  • Add the required water, cover and simmer until the chicken is done and stirring occasionally.
  • Add cream and simmer for another 5 minutes then add coconut milk, chopped fresh coriander, garam masala and cook for a further 3 -4 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
                                                                  Chicken Korma
Turn off the heat and garnish with flaked almonds.

Chana masala/Chickpeas curry

| Rekha Vengalil
I don’t make puris often but when I did the other day, I could think of nothing but this curry to go with it.

Chana masala/Chickpeas curry


You will need –
  • White chickpeas – 400 grams
  • Cardamom – 3
  • Coriander seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon – I median stick
  • Onion – 1 medium finally chopped
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic paste– 1 teaspoon
  • Tinned tomatoes – 3/4 cup
  • Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Chana masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee/oil – 2 tablespoon
  • Water – 1 cup or as required

How to –
  • Wash n soak the chickpeas with enough water overnight.
  • Drain the chickpeas and cook with water and salt in a saucepan until the chickpeas are soft.
  • Grind the cardamom, coriander seeds and cinnamon stick in a pestle and mortar to fine powder.
  • Heat oil in the saucepan and stir-fry the spice powder for about 10-15 seconds
  • Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden brown.
  • Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook till the raw smell is gone
  • Add the tomatoes, chili powder and salt and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chickpeas, water and the chana masala. Stir and cook for 20-30 minutes
  • Drizzle the lemon juice and add the garam masala and turn off the heat.
  • Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Puri, rice or roti