indian recipes

Hariyali chicken

| Rekha Vengalil
Wishing all my readers and friends a very happy and prosperous TWENTY FOURTEEN …
 
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” –Edith Lovejoy Pierce
 
Winding up 2013 with this delicious and yet easy to make chicken curry. 

You need –

  • Chicken – 1/2 kilo, cut into bite size pieces
  • Coriander leaves – 1.5 cups
  • Mint leaves – 1/2 cup
  • Garlic pods – 3 big
  • Garlic – 1’ inch piece
  • Green chili – 4-5 or per taste
  • Onions – 2, finely sliced
  • Yogurt – 1/2 cup, beaten
  • Lemon Juice – 2 teaspoon
  • Green cardamom – 2
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon – 1 stick
  • Clove – 1
  • Ghee – as required
  • Salt to taste

How to –

Clean and wash the chicken well. Drain the water completely and marinate the chicken with salt and lemon juice for 30 minutes.
 
In blender, make a fine paste of ginger-garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, clove. Set aside. Blend together the green chilies, coriander leaves and mint leaves to a fine paste.
Heat ghee in heavy bottom pan. Add the ginger-garlic and whole spice paste and fry till raw smell is gone. Add the onion and cook till translucent. Add the turmeric powder and sauté for a minute.
 
Add the chicken and mix well. Cover and cook till chicken is half cooked. Now add the coriander-mint paste, 1/2 cup water or as required and cook till done.

Reduce the flame and add the yogurt, salt (remember you have marinated the chicken with salt so add accordingly). Bring to gentle simmer and turn off the heat.
 
Serve hot with rice or Indian flat bread.
 
P.S – I have made the gravy thick so please add water accordingly.

 

Ulli theeyal

| Rekha Vengalil
 
Ulli means pearl onion/shallot and theeyal means fried curry. Shallots has always been an integral part of Kerala cuisine. A simple and flavorful curry where the shallots are cooked in roasted coconut paste. Simple yet a delicious curry.
 

You need –

  • Shallots/ pearl onions – 1 cup, Cut into half if big
  • Grated coconut – 3/4 cup
  • whole coriander – 1.5 tablespoons
  • Whole died chili – 3-4 or per taste
  • curry leaves – 2+ 1 sprigs
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Tamarind – 1gooseberry sized ball, Soaked in 1/4 cup warm water and pulp extracted
  • water – as required
  • salt – to taste
  • Coconut oil – as required

For tempering-

  • Mustard seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Dried chili – 1
  • Coconut oil – as required


How to –

Heat a frying pan, dry roast the coconut, dried chili, whole coriander, turmeric powder and 1 sprig of curry leaves till dark brown but do not burn. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. once cooled blend till smooth paste. Set aside.
In pan, cook the shallots, 1 sprig curry leaves with just enough water to cover the shallots or around 1 – 1.5 cups of water till tender and pale.
 
Add the ground paste, tamarind pulp, water as required and salt and bring to a gentle simmer, Turn off the heat.
 
 
For tempering :
 
Heat around 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried chili, curry leaves and allow to splatter. Add this to the curry and serve hot with rice.
 
 

Cauliflower and potato curry

| Rekha Vengalil
An easy and delicately spiced curry; that goes perfect with Indian flat or steamed rice.  You can add any vegetables of your choice but avoid veggies like Okra, eggplants or other veggies that can get too mushy. I do sometimes add baby corn which does taste great.  
 

You need –

  • Cauliflower – 1 small, cut into small florets
  • Baby potatoes – 7-8 nos, halved
  • Fresh grated coconut – 1/3 cup
  • Onion – 1 large
  • Tomato – 1, medium size, chopped
  • Green chili – 2
  • Ginger – 1’inc piece
  • Garlic – 3 cloves
  • Dried chili – 3 or to taste
  • Coriander powder – 2.5 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Meet masala – 2 teaspoons
  • Garam masala – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Oil as required
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

How to –

In a blender, put the coconut, dried chilies and cumin seeds. Make a fine and thick paste with adding just enough water and set aside. Also make a fine paste (without adding water) of Onion, green chilies, ginger and garlic. Set aside.
 
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add onion paste and cook till the raw smell is gone. Now add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, meat masala and cook till the oil start to separate; for about 3 minutes.
 
Now add the coconut paste and give a quick stir. Let this cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook till mushy.

Add about 1.5 – 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Now add the potatoes and stir. Cover and cook till the potatoes are 50% cooked. Uncover, add the cauliflower and continue to cook till done. Do not over cook the veggies keep them crisp. Add a little more water to adjust the consistency of the gravy as required. Finally sprinkle the garam masala and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with any Indian flat bread or rice.
 
 

Kadala curry

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –

  • Black/brown chickpeas – 3/4 cup
  • shallots – sliced, 1/2 cup
  • Tomato – 1 large
  • Mince garlic – 2 teaspoons
  • Minced ginger – 2 teaspoons
  • Green chili – 1 slit
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Meat masala – 2 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder –1/4 teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Dried red chili – 2
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Coconut milk – 2 tablespoon
  • Whole spices
    • Star anise –1
    • Green cardamom – 2
  • For dry roasting –
    • Freshly grated coconut – 1/3 cup (packed)
    • Whole black pepper –1 teaspoon
    • Coriander seeds – 1.5 tablespoons

How to–

Wash the chickpeas in several changes of water and then soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Pressure cook the peas with enough water till done. Set aside.
 
Heat a frying pan and dry roast all the ingredients under “For dry roasting” till brown but do not burn them. In a blender, blend the roasted coconut with just enough water to make a fine paste. Set aside.

 

 
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves and whole spices. once the seeds have crackled and the spices are fragrant; add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and fry till the onions are translucent and the raw smell of ginger garlic is gone.
 
Now add the Chili powder, Meat masala, Turmeric powder and cook till the oil start to separate. Add the tomatoes, salt and cook till mushy.  Add the coconut paste and cook briefly.
 
 
Add the cooked peas along with 1.5 cups of chickpeas stock or water. Cook till the gravy has reduced to the constancy as required.
 
Add the coconut milk, garam masala and stir well. Turn off the heat and serve hot with Puttu, Roti or steamed rice.