February 28, 2011

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken - 500 gms
Onions - 3 (medium) (chopped)
Green chillies -2
Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
cashew nuts - 10
Garam masala - 1 tsp
cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - small piece
Cloves - 3-4
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves - few
Mint leaves - few
Oil - 2 tbsp


Method:

  • Marinate chicken with curd, salt, turmeric, lemon juice, red chilli powder, pepper powder, ginger and garlic paste. Mix well and keep aside for one hour.
  • Grind grated coconut, poppy seeds and cashew nuts into fine paste.
  • Heat oil in thick kadai, add whole garam masala, curry leaves and mint leaves, fry till the aroma comes.
  • Add chopped onions, green chillies and fry till onions are translucent.
  • Add marinated chicken pieces and cook for 6-8 minutes in medium flame.
  • Add coconut paste and 1/2 cup of water and cook till chicken pieces are tender.
  • Lastly add garam masala and cook another 2 minutes.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • serve with rice or roti.













Dondakaya kura (Gherkin Curry) with less oil

Ingredients:
Gherkins - 250 gms
Onion - 1
Green chillies  - 4 -5 no.
Salt to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves


Method:

  • Chop gherkins into round thin slices.
  • Chop green chillies and onion.
  • Heat oil in pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves, then fry for one minute.
  • Add chopped onions, green chillies, gherkin pieces and cook in low flame for 5 minutes.
  • Add salt, turmeric and one cup of water and close the lid.
  • Cook up to three whistles.
  • Remove from fire and wait till the lid open.
  • Cook again without whistle till the water evaporates.
  • Lastly add milk and cook another 2 minutes.
  • Serve with rice or roti.

February 27, 2011

Pappu Menthi Kura (Dal with fenugreek leaves)

Ingredients:
Arhar dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 2 bunches
Onions - 2 no.
Tomatoes - 3 (medium)
Green chillies - 4
Tamarind - 2-3 strands
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


For talimpu:
Oil- 1 tbsp; Dry red chilli - 1, Fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp each, garlic cloves - 4 (crushed), Curry leaves 


Method:
  • Wash and soak arhar dal for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, remove stems from fenugreek leaves bunch and take only leaves. Wash and cut the leaves.
  • Chop onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
  • Take pressure cooker and pour arhar dal with one glass of water or as required then put fenugreek leaves and chopped vegetables.
  • On top of all these put tamarind, turmeric,salt and red chilli powder.
  • Close the lid and cook up to 3 whistles in high flame and wait for one more whistle in in low flame.
  • Remove from fire and wait till the lid opens then mash the dal gently.
  • Heat oil in pan, add all talimpu ingredients and fry till mustard crackles.
  • Pour the talimpu on dal and mix well.
  • Serve with rice or roti.
Note: Fenugreek leaves are good for diabetic patients and available plenty in winter.









  

February 07, 2011

COOKING TERMS



Batter: A thick, beaten mixture of flour and a liquid such as water, milk or egg.


Beat: To mix with an instrument using a regular, rapid, rhythmic movement.

Baste: While cooking or roasting meat, fat or gravy is poured over them from time to time to give them good taste.

Blanch: Soaking of vegetables or almond in hot water to soften or to remove skin of almonds.

Broil: Cooking on hot tawa. Spices are broiled before grinding. 


Brine: A solution of salt and water, used for preserving food like meat, or sometimes, for marinating food used for making Pickles.

Blend: To combine several ingredients to form a smooth content.

Boil: To heat a mixture or a liquid until bubbles appear on the surface, and vapour starts rising; also to continue the process thereafter.

Boiling Point: The temperature at which a liquid begins to bubble around the edges.

Brush: To spread seasoning, butter, or other coating lightly on a food.

Caramelise: To melt sugar slowly over low heat until brown and sticky.

Chill: To cool food by placing in a freezer.

Chop: To cut food into small pieces.

Combine: To join two or more ingredients.

Cream: To soften ingredients by beating with a spoon, rotary or electric beater until soft and creamy.

Colander: A perforated bowl shaped utensil for draining off liquids and rinsing food.



Dice: To cut food into small cubes of uniform size and shape.

Dust: To sprinkle food lightly with dry coating, such as bread crumbs,flour or sugar.

Drain: To free food from liquid.

Deep Fry: To fry in plenty of oil.

Dripping: Fat or juices that ooze out of a food, when cooking.

Flake: To separate food gently with a fork.

Fold in: The slowest form of mixing.

Fry: To cook food in hot oil till brown.

Garnish: To decorate food.

Grate: To rub food into small pieces on a grater. 

Grind: To reduce food to a paste.

Gravy: Liquid in which food is cooked.

Haryali Khoya: Cow's milk which has been boiled down until all moisture has been removed.


Khoya: Milk which has been boiled down till all moisture has been removed.

Marinate: To soak food in vinegar, wine or other liquids containing spices, herbs and oil for the purpose of allowing the essence to seep into the food.

Melt: To heat until the ingredients are changed from  solid to liquid.

Mince: To chop food as finely as possible.


Marinade: A liquid mixture usually spices mixed in curd in which meat or fish or paneer soaked before cooking.


Muslin: A thin, plain weaved cotton cloth generally used for hung curd.

Parboil: To cook food partially in water or any other liquid.

Pare: To remove the outside the skin or peel of fruits and vegetables.

Puree: A smooth sauce, obtained from vegetables and fruits, by passing them through a fine sieve.

Roasting: The ingredients should place in frying pan on medium heat by stirring constantly until the ingredients darken by a few shades and give out their distinct aromas.

Rub in: To combine fat and flour,  cut the fat into small pieces, then rub the fat into flour with your fingertips.

Saute: To brown food lightly over medium heat in ghee or oil.


Sift: To pass dry ingredients through a sieve.


Seasoning: Aromatic dried herbs used to enhance the taste and appearance of food.

Shreds: Small, long, narrow pieces usually used for garnishing food.

Squeeze: To drain out all liquid from a food by pressing.

Soak: To cover food with liquid until very wet.

Stalk: An individual piece in coriander or parsley.

Steam: Cooking by means of steam, generated by boiling water, without the food coming in contact with water.

Sizzler: A special iron plate is used for serving sizzler. It is heated to smoking point and vegetables, kababs, cooked chicken or meat is placed on it.
Butter and sauce are poured over the food and put on a wooden tray made to fit the iron plate and served immediately.




Vangi Bhath Masala

Ingredients:
Split black gram dal - 115 gms
Split Bengal gram dal - 115 gms
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Mustard - 2 tsp
Asafoetida - a large pinch
Coriander seeds - 5 gms
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp


Method:

  • Dry roast all the ingredients except chilli powder, Asafoetida, turmeric.
  • Grind all ingredients to make powder coarsely.
  • This measurement is for 500 gms rice.
  • Store in airtight container.


Bagala Bhath

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 100 gms
Curd - 50 gms
Milk - 50 gms
oil- 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 3
Ginger - small piece
split black gram - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste


Method:

  • Boil vermicelli in water and drain the excess water.
  • Mix with curd and warm milk.
  • Heat oil, add black gram, mustard,chopped green chillies, ginger pieces and curry leaves.
  • Pour over vermicelli.
  • Add salt to vermicelli and mix well.
  • Keep aside for 1 hour. 
  • Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Eguru Karam

Ingredients:
Dry red chillies - 10
Garlic cloves - 6
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste


Method:

  • Dry roast red chillies.
  • Grind all the ingredients to make powder coarsely. 
  • Use this karam in Bhendi fry, Broad bean fry, etc.
  • Fresh powder gives good aroma and taste to curries.

February 06, 2011

Pappu Dosakaya (Cucumber dal)

Ingredients:
Arhar dal - 1 cup
Cucumber - 500 gms
Green chillies - 2


Tomato - 1 (optional)
Onion - 1
Tamarind thick juice - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


For Talimpu:
Dry red chilli - 1; garlic cloves -3, Fenugreek, mustard, cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp each, curry leaves, Oil- 1 tbsp or less


Method:

  • wash and soak arhar dal for 30 minutes.
  • Peel and chop cucumber into medium size pieces and cut all the remaining vegetables.
  • Pressure cook arhal dal with all vegetables and turmeric up to 3 whistles or dal becomes soft.
  • Once the lid open add salt, chilli powder and tamarind juice and cook another 5 minutes or till dal in medium consistency.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add all talimpu ingredients and fry for 1 minute. Pour this on dal.
  • Serve with rice or roti.



Vangi Bath

Ingredients:
Rice - 500gms
Brinjals (small) - 1 kg
Salt to taste
Tamarind - small lemon size or 30 gms
Oil - 2-3 tbsp


For Masala:
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Split black gram - 115 gms
Split bengal gram - 115 gms
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 5 gms
Pepper corn - few


Method:

  • Cook rice and keep aside.
  • Roast the masala ingredients and powder coarsely.
  • Make a thick extraction from tamarind.
  • Wash and cut brinjals into four and put them in salted water otherwise they will turn black.
  • Heat oil in thick bottomed kadai, add brinjals and powdered masala, fry well.
  • Add tamarind extract and salt and cook in low flame till brinjals are tender.
  • Add rice and mix gently.
  • Serve hot. 


February 04, 2011

Benda kaya Eguru (Okra Fry)

Ingredients:
Okra - 500 gms
Oil - 1-2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal, Urad dal, mustard, cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp each
Dry red chilli- 1
Curry leaves 
 Eguru Karam - 2 tsp


For Eguru karam:
Dry red chiilies - 4-5
Salt to taste
Garlic cloves - 6-8
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp


Method:

  • For Eguru karam: Dry roast red chillies and cool them. Grind all ingredients for eguru karam to make powder.
  • Wash and wipe the okra with dry cloth.
  • Trim the edges and Cut okra into round small pieces and spread them on paper for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the oil in kadai, add channa dal, urad dal, mustard, cumin, red chillies, curry leaves and fry for one minute.
  • Add okra pieces and fry till they are half tender then add turmeric and eguru karam.
  • Mix gently and cook till okra become tender. Stir occasionally  and gently so it will not stick to each other.
  • Serve with rice.
  • Note: Lastly you can add grated coconut or roasted peanuts if desired.
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