Bottle Gourd curry

Bottle Gourd is very effective in many ailments. Specially raw juice of this vegetable mixed with lime juice is very effective in curing UTI infections. Its also very effective in curing diarrhea. I used to ignore this vegetable until i knew its medicinal properties. Now this  is a part of my die.

This is a beautiful blend of Moong Dhal and Gourd. This curry goes very well with hot rice/Chapati and ghee :)

Ingrediants
Moong Dhal - 1 cup (soaked for 1 hour)
Bottle Gourd - Finely chopped one cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Garlic - 4 finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
Add finely chopped onion and garlic and fry till translucent. Add tomatoes, Chilli Powder, Asafoetida.
Fry till the oil leaves the sides and the masala gives a good aroma.
Add soaked dhal, Fry for a minute. add 2 cups of water and cook till the dhal becomes soft but not mushy.
Now add the chopped bottle gourd and cook for 5 min
Garnish with ghee and coriander leaves.

Cooking time : 30 min
Serves - 3

Note

• For fast cooking, pressure cook dhal with garlic and asafoetida. Add to the onion masala, followed by bottle gourd.
• You can substitute bottle gourd with white pumkin or cucumber.

Mattar Paneer

Its been over 6 months since I posted something here..... I wanna rekindle my cooking spirits and be more regular here. :)

This might not be an authentic way of cooking this dish but I will stick to this recipe for its taste and simplicity.

Mom got me this new clay pot and I love to cook in them, As clay pot are supposed enhance the flavour of the dish.

Ingrediants

Panner - 200gms
Green Peas - 1 Cup (Pressure cooked)
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 6 pods
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Cashew Nut - 5
Badam - 5 (Peeled)
Curd -  3tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 1
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method

In a kadai, heat oil, add paneer cubes and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove Paneer pieces and set aside.

In a kadai, heat oil, add finely chopped onions, once onions turn translucent, add chopped ginger, garlic once they are fried, add tomatoes. Fry till oil leaves the sides and tomaotes turn pulpy. Remove this mixture from the stove, grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
Grind Badam and cashew into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add clove, cinnamon and cardamom, add the onion - tomato paste, fry on slow flame till the masala is well cooked.
Add chilli powder and coriander powder along with salt. Fry this mixture for a minute.
Add curd and mix till it blends well with the masala.
Add cashew paste and fry for a minute.
Add the cooked mattar and boil the mixture.
Finally add fried panner pieces and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with rotis.

Cooking time : 25 min
Serves : 3

Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a Punjabi dish with a lot of health benefits. Palak has a high nutrition value. It has a coling effect on the body. Palak has a high percentage of Iron and Vitamin A. Apart from these health benefits, this is a very tasty green. The creamy and rich blend of spices makes palak paneer a favourite in our house.

Ingredients
Palak - 1 bundle (500gms)
Paneer - 300gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 4-5(Big pods)
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Corinder Powder - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp
Salt
Whipped cream - 1/4 Cup (Optional)

Cooking Method

Step 1 : Palak Puree
Bring water to boil in a large pan, Once water starts to boil rapidly, Add the cleaned palak into it.
Cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove palak from water. Once palak cools down, Grind it into a smooth paste.

Step 2
Finely chop onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
Grind all of the above into a smooth paste along with Jeera powder.

Step 3
Heat oil in a kadai, once the oil turns warm, switch off the stove and add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Switch on the stove again and add the above ground masala, Fry till the tomato mixture because half the original quantity (This has to be cooked covered and on slow flame).
Add salt and palak puree. Cook covered till palak blends with masala.

Cut paneer pieces into small cubes. Add paneer into the palak mixture cover and cook for a minute.

Finally blend in the whipped cream for a rich taste.

Serve with ghee smeared rotis.

Cooking time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4

Chena Kizhangu fry (Elephant foot yam)

Elephant foot yam is usually used in Avial. A side dish made from the blend of 6-7 vegetables in a coconut based gravy. Sometimes i make this yam fry which is crisp and yummy. This can be served as a starter or even as a side dish.

This yam gives a itchy sensation when cut with bare hands. The best way to cut this vegetable is to ensure your hands and the knife your using is dry as when you touch the water the itching starts. Once your done with cutting it, you can wash your hands in tamarind water.

Ingredients

Elephant foot Yam - 250gms

Tamarind water - 3tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Jeera powder - 1tsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Cooking Method

Cut yam into length wise.

In a mixing bowl add all the spice powders and salt. Mix well.

Add yam pieces into the masala bowl, shake the bowl well so that yam is coated with the spice powder.

Sprinkle tamarind water, and mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the yam pieces on slow flame.

Note : You dont have to add water to the spices as yam tends to give out some moisture and the tamarind water will do the work.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes (Excluding marinations time)

Serves : 2

Poricha Katharika (Deep fried brinjal)

There are few vegetables I pick almost on every other visit to the market and brinjal is one of them. There are a million ways to cook this humble vegetable, Brinjal fry is one of the regulars in the kitchen. Poricha Kathrika goes very well with curd rice or even with rice and dal.

Ingredients

Big Brinjal - 1

Chilli Powder - 2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Lime juice/ vinegar - 3tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Mix all spice powders with salt and vinegar along with some water to make it into a smooth paste.

Cut the brinjal into thin slices.

Apply the masala on the slices. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and semi-deep fry the slices till crisp and done.

Note : You can use the masala powder of stuffed brinjal or Fish fry masala to apply on the slices.

Cooking Time : 15 min (Excluding marination time)

Serves : 3-4

         

Coconut - Coriander Chutney

This Chutney is filled with a lot of flavour. Its simplicity is the reason for it being a favourite among a lot of South Indians.

Ingredients
Coconut - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Green Chilli - 4
Jeera - 1tsp
Garlic - 4 pods
Salt

Tadka
Mustard - 1/2tsp
Urad dal - 1/2tsp
Red Chilli - 3 (Broken)
Curry Leaves - 8

Method
Grind all the ingredients with salt into a smooth paste.

Heat oil, Add mustard, Once it crackles, Add urad dal and red chilli.
Finally add curry leaves.

Add this tadka to the chutney and close immediately to seal the aroma.

Serve it with Dosa or Idli

Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3

Methi Chicken

This is a creamy tangy tasty chicken.

Ingredients
Chicken - 1/2kg
Methi Leaves - 1/4 cup (Finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (Small, thinly sliced)
Clove - 3
Cinnamon - 1"
Oil

Marinate
Chicken
Yoghurt - 3tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp
Salt
Marinate for 1 hr

Grind to paste
Onion - 1 (Big)
Tomato - 2 (Medium)

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai. Add clove and cinnamon, Once clove splutters.
Add sliced onions, fry till translucent. Add methi leaves and fry for a minute.
Add onion tomato paste. fry till oil seperates from the paste.
Add the marinated chicken along with 1 cup of water.
Cook covered on slow flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Cooking Time : 20 min (Excluding marination time)
Serves : 3

Periamma’s Simple Spicy Chicken Fry

I can never get tired of chicken. And this one is special.

It’s a recipe I learnt from my Periamma — simple, no complicated masalas, no grinding, no fuss. Just clean flavours and proper cooking.

It’s juicy inside, slightly crisp outside, and surprisingly light.

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🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2 | 30 mins cooking + marination)

• ½ kg chicken (small pieces)

• 2 tsp jeera powder

• 1½ tsp chilli powder

• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste

• Salt to taste

• Curry leaves

• 5–6 tsp oil

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👩‍🍳 Method

1️⃣ Marinate

In a bowl, mix chicken with:

• Jeera powder

• Chilli powder

• Ginger garlic paste

• Salt

Cover and refrigerate for 3–4 hours.
This resting time makes all the difference.

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2️⃣ Slow Cook First

In a kadai, add the marinated chicken along with ½ glass water.

Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. The chicken will release its own juices.

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3️⃣ Dry & Crisp

Remove lid. Increase flame and cook until all the liquid evaporates.

Once the chicken turns dry:

• Add fresh curry leaves

• Pour oil around the sides of the pan

Fry on medium-high until slightly crisp on the edges.

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🍽 The Result

Juicy inside. Lightly crunchy outside.

No heavy gravy. No unnecessary ingredients.

Just honest, homestyle chicken fry — the way it’s meant to be.

Perfect with rasam rice, curd rice, or even as a side with chapati.

Pumkin chilli fry

Pumkin is a very versatile vegetable. It can be cooked in many ways. The dishes i make are Pumkin and karamani, Pumkin halwa, Pumkin with coconut... Oh actually the list goes on :)

Since i have made all these dishes many times, today i thought i should create something else, Thus came this yummy dish. This is a sweet n spicy dish.

Will post the other versions of pumkin soon.

Ingredients

Yellow Pumkin - 500 gms (Peeled and chopped into bite size pieces)

Whole dry red chilli - 7 Broken into small pieces

Cumin - 1tsp

Mustard - 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves - 8 (Finely chopped)

Oil

Salt

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard and cumin, Once it crackles, Add chilli pieces and curry leaves.

Add pumkin pieces and salt.

Cook covered on slow flame, till pumkin turns soft.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Cooking Time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2

Katharikai Poriyal (Brinjal fry)

When we were kids grandmom used to plant brinjal and the yield from them was always in BIG quantities. My mom makes this poriyal which goes very well with rice and with chapathi's.  The brinjal we buy from the market is no where close to the ones we used to grow in our homes.

This dish is one of my childhood favourites. The blended taste of brinjal and onions is truely a treat to the tastebuds.

Ingrediants

Brinjal - 1/2 kg (Thin and long slices)

Onions - 3 (Thin and long slices)

Curry Leaves - 5

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Mustard

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard, Once mustard splutters, add onions.

Fry onions till they turn translucent, add all spice powders and salt.

Fry for a minute. Add Brinjal and curry leaves.

Fry on low flame till brinjal turns soft.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2 - 3

Prawn Masala

Ingrediants
Prawn - 1/2 kg (Cleaned)
Onion - 2 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Finely chopped)
Cinnamon -1"
Clove - 2
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
Turmeric - 1/2tsp
Oil

Grind
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 6 pods
Clove - 5
Cinnamon - 1"
Elachi - 1 small
Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Cooking Method
Heat Oil, Add clove n cinnamon, Once they splutter, Add onions.
Fry onions till they turn translucent, Add tomatoes and the ground masala. Fry for 2 minutes.
Add chilli powder and turmeric. Cook on slow flame.
Once the oil seperates from the masala add prawn cover and cook for 5 -7 minutes.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Cooking Method : 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3

Green gram curry

Ingrediants
Green Gram - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 11/2tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4tsp
Mustard
Curry Leaves
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method
Soak green gram for 4-5hrs or overnight. Pressure cook green gram till soft and mashy.
Heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves followed by onions. Fry till onion is well cooked.
Add tomatoes and all the spice powders other than asafoetida and salt.
Fry till tomatoes are mashy and oil leaves the masala.
Add cooked green gram and asafoetida.
Bring the gravy to boil. Adjust the consistency with water.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or chapathi


Serves : 4
Cooking Time : 30 Minutes.

Egg chutney

his has been one of my favourite dishes from my childhood.

Every time i prepare this dish my memories goes back to the days when i used to return hungry and tired from school and happily eat chapathi with egg chutney.

Ingrediants
Eggs - 3 (Boiled and cut into eight small pieces)
Tomato - 3 (Medium, finely chopped)
Onions - 2 (Medium, finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Coriander Powder - 11/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 6 (finely chopped)
Mustard
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil, add mustard, once it crackles, add curry leaves.
Add onions, saute till it turns translucent. add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes.
Add all the spice powder along with salt.
Fry till tomatoes are mashed and the spices blend with the tomato.
Add Little water if you feel the curry is too thick.
Bring the entire mixture to boil. Add eggs.
Mix well and cover and cook for 1 minute.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chapathi or rice n dal.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3

Kadala Sundal

When the sun hides behind the clouds and refuses to shine. When the chill wind blows to mark the begining of winter. Our tongue craves for the right sundal.

 

Here's the recipe for a yummy sundal.

Ingrediants
Peanut - 1 cup (Cooked)
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 6 (finely chopped)
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 5
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp (Finely chopped)
Coconut - 3 tsp (Shredded)
Salt

Method
Heat oil, add mustard, jeera, curryleaves, red chilli, oinions. Fry till onion turns translucent.
Add cooked peanut to the above, finely add coriander leaves, coconut and salt. Mix well.

Serve hot with a cup of tea.

Note : Change garnishing as per your taste.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2

Kothoranga Poriyal (Cluster beans poriyal)

This simple yummy poriyal goes very well with dal and rice.

Ingrediants
Cluster beans - 250gms (Cleaned and finely chopped)
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For tadka
Onion - 1 (Finely Chopped)
Red chilli - 2
Curry Leaves - 5
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method

In a kadai, Add cluster beans, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Cook till done and ensure the water evaporates completely.

Set this aside. In an other kadai, Heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, curry leaves and red chilli.
Once you get a nice aroma, Add onions and saute till light brown. Add required salt and the cooked cluster beans.

Mix well.

Note : You can garnish with shredded coconut.
          You can add an egg in the end and scramble it into the poriyal.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3

Pomfret Fry

Fish is our favourite... Coming from deep south, Fish is not a rareity in our homes. Here is a recipe for a fish fry which is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Ingrediants

Pomfret fish - 4 small (Cleaned and slit like the picture below)

For Marination

Rice Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 11/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 11/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Vinegar or Lime juice - 3tsp
Salt

Make a paste of all of the above ingrediants with water. Apply it on the fish. Ensure you rub it into the fish.
Marinate the fish for a couple of hours.

Heat oil in a pan, When oil is heated add the fish. one at a time. Sprinkle some curry leaves. Fry the fish on low flame. As thats when the flavour sweeps in. Keep the pan covered.  Turn the fish and cook on the otherside till its golden brown.

Serve with onions and lime.

Stuffed Brinjal

For Stuffing

Chana Dal - 5tsp

Urad Dal - 5tsp

Pepper - 2tsp

Chutney Dal - 3tsp

Ground Nut - 3tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Sesame Seeds - 1tsp

Cardomom - 1"

Clove - 4

Elachi - 2

Coriander Seeds - 2tsp

Chilli Powder - 10

Asafoetida - 1/2tsp

Tamarind (Size of gooseberry)

salt

Method

In a kadai dry roast each ingrediant on slow flame till aroma comes.

Cool down and grind it into a fine powder. This can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 months

Cut Brinjal into four keeping the stem intact. Deep fry the brinjal in oil till its half done.

Remove from fire. Mix the stuffing powder with water, make a smooth paste, apply it to the brinjals.

Keep it in a non-stick tava, Roast in slow flame, till its well cooked.

Serve with dal and rice.

Cooking time : 20 minutes (Excluding the stuffing preparation time)

Note : You can substitute brinjal with lady's finger.

           You can mix the powder with vinegar or lime juice also.

Cabbage Poriyal

My mom makes a variety of poriyals and Kutti's. When we were small we used to have atleast 2 veggies on any given day apart from the curry she makes. I wonder now how she had the time to do all that. We had to leave for school at 7:15AM !!!! She truely is a super woman. 
Here is a easy and yum porriyal.

Ingrediants
Cabbage - 1 Small (Shredded)
Onion - 1 small (Chopped)
Green chilli - 3 slit
Curry leaves - 10
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Coriander - 2 tsp (Chopped)
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, Add mustard, Jeera and curry leaves, Once they splutter, Add onions and green chillies.
Once onion turns translucent, add cabbage and salt, Cover and cook on low flame, mixing now and then.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2

Egg Burji

Since most of my readers are the newbie's in the kitchen, I am ensureing that even the simplest of the recipe is posted :) Egg is my favourite and comes to my rescue when i am left with no time and energy to cook.

Ingredients
Eggs - 3
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves
Mustard
Green Chilli - 2 (Chopped)
Jeera Power - 1/2tsp (Optional)
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Seperate the yolk from the egg. Beat it till fluffy and then add the yolk and beat for a minute. This method makes the egg preparation soft and perfect.
Heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves and green chilli. Fry for a minute.
Add onion, fry till its transparent, add tomatoes, salt and jeera powder, Fry till the mixture turns pulpy.
Finally add egg mixture, leave for 30 seconds and then scrabble it till done.
Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve with chapathi, Puri or Bread.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes
Serves : 2

Dry Fish Thokku

Coming from down south, fish in any form is a must in our household and dry fish is our all time favourite. I usually make this when i am in a hurry as this is a very simple and tasty dish.This thokku is more like a pickle as u can preserve this in the fridge for over a week.

Ingredients

Dry Fish - 200gms (Any fish will do, I have used nethali  (commerson's anchovy) here)

Onion - 2  (Medium, finely chopped)

Tomato - 3 (Medium, finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2 tsp

Coriander Powder 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method

Clean and wash dry fish. Drain the water, spread on a kitchen towel. Once water is completely drained, Cut dry fish into small pieces.

Heat oil, Add dry fish and fry till the raw smell goes. Remove fish from oil and set aside.

In the same oil, Add curry leaves and onions, fry till onion turns light brown. Add fish, tomato and ginger garlic paste, fry for 2 minutes.

Add all the spice powders and salt.

Fry the entire mixture on slow flame till oil seperates from the mixture.

Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve with rice and plain dal.

Note: The Dry fish i used did not have salt in it, However most dry fish available in the market has loads of salt in them, So check before you add salt.

Cooking time : 30 Minutes

Serves 3