Onion Chutney

This Chutney comes to rescue whenever I am running out of Coconut or Tomatoes; takes  little more time to peel the Pearl Onions. But the end result is always good and anyone would ask for some more Idlis.

Ingredients:

Pearl Onions 10-15

Dried Red Chillies 3-4

Garlic 4
Channa Dhal 1 ½ tsp

Urad Dhal 1 ¼ tsp

Mustard Seeds ½ tsp

Curry Leaves 4

Salt

Oil

 

Method: 

Peel and cut Pearl Onions into two. Peel Garlic.

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Channa Dhal. When they turn slightly brown, add Urad Dhal (1 tsp) and Chillies. Few seconds later, add Garlic, chopped Onions and Salt. Fry till translucent.

When cooled, add required water and blend in a Mixer.

Heat little Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Mustard Seeds. When they complete popping up, add Urad Dhal( ¼ tsp) and Curry Leaves. Fry till slightly brown and pour this seasoning into chutney.

Serves: 2

Serve with Idli or Dosa.

Sending this Chutney and the below two recipes to Srav's Culinary Concepts.

Tomato Chutney

Fried Coconut Chutney

Vegetables – Hongkong Style

Whenever I prepare Chinese Veg Fried Rice or Schezwan Rice, I like to prepare Cauliflower Manchurian as its side dish. I get time to fry the Cauliflower but not to make the gravy. I serve them dry. I wanted something easy and fast to prepare that goes well with Fried Rice. My search ended when I saw this recipe in Tarla Dalal’s Recipe. This is easy to prepare; yet tasty and different.

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables 1 cup (Baby Corn, Carrots, Beans, Cauliflower)

Capsicum ¼ cup

Soya Sauce 1 tbsp

Chilli Sauce 1 tbsp

Vinegar 1 tsp

Corn Flour 1 tbsp

Finely chopped Ginger and Garlic 1 tsp each

Dried Red Chillies 2

Pepper ½ tsp or to taste

Spring Onions Few

Salt

Oil

Preparation:

Chop Vegetables and Capsicum into medium pieces. Chop Spring Onions into fine pieces.

Method:

Cook Vegetables for one whistle in a Pressure Cooker.

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Spring Onions, chopped Ginger and Garlic. Saute till they turn slightly brown.

Add Capsicum and fry for a while. Now add the cooked Vegetables, all the Sauces & Vinegar, Pepper and Salt. Mix well.

Mix Cornflour in ½ cup of Water and stir well. Add this mixture to the gravy and stir well. Cook till done.

Serves: 2

Serve with Chinese Fried Rice or Schezwan Fried Rice.

Notes: I have used light Soya Sauce. Use thick one to get good color.

Linking this Recipe to Priya & Aipi’s Bookmarked Recipes Event, Anyone can cook and Iftar Moments of Taste of Pearl City.

 

Simple Oven baked Potato Wedges

I am new to baking. I tried Potato Wedges for the first time. It came out really good..

Ingredients:

Potatoes (large) 4

Oil (less than ¼ Cup)

Chilli Powder ½ tsp

Pepper Powder ½ tsp

Salt

Preparation:

Cut Potatoes lengthwise into 4-6 pieces each.

Method:

• Preheat Oven to 190°C for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, combine Chilli Powder, Pepper Powder, Salt and Oil in a bowl. Mix well. Brush each Potato with this mixture.
• Place an Aluminium Foil in the Oven Tray. Place these Potatoes with enough gaps in between.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or till done.

Serves: 2

Serve with Tomato Sauce.

Notes: Chilli and Pepper Powder can be increased acc. to your taste.

Linking this recipe to Iftar Moments and  Anyone can cook series of Taste of Pearl City. 

                                          

                                          

Chicken Biryani

I always cook Biryani with Tomatoes. But in Restaurants, I do not always find the same. I thought let me try that way. And I did not much patience and time to do layering. Found this method after trying 2-3 times. This way, grains are separate and flavorful. The best part is need not drain water from the Rice and thus more healthy.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 1 ½ cups

Chicken 250g

Onions (Medium) 2

Ginger Garlic Paste 2 tsp

Green Chillies 1-2

Pudina and Coriander Leaves few

Chilli Powder ¾ tsp

Coriander Powder 1tsp

Biryani Spice Powder ½ tsp

Garam Masala ¼ tsp

Water 3 cups

Kesari powder 2-3 pinch

Saffron

Milk 1-2 tbsp

Yoghurt 3-4 tsp

Turmeric Powder 2-3 pinch

Salt

Oil and Butter

Whole Garam Masala

Aniseeds and Cumin ¼ tsp each

Cloves 4

Green and Black Cardamom 2 each

Bay Leaves 2

Cinnamon sticks few

Preparation:

Marinate Chicken Pieces with Yoghurt, Ginger-Garlic Paste (½ tsp), Salt and Turmeric Powder for atleast one hour.

Chop Onions into fine pieces lengthwise. Slit Chillies. Soak Basmati Rice for 20-30 minutes and drain completely. Soak Kesari Powder and Saffron in Milk.

Method:

Heat little Oil in a Pan. When hot, add chopped Onions and fry till slightly brown. Keep it aside in an absorbent Paper.

Heat required Oil and Butter in a Pan. When hot, add Whole Garam Masala. When they turn slightly brown, add Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 ½ tsp), Green Chillies, Pudina and Coriander Leaves. Saute for a while and then add marinated Chicken. Add little water (less than ¼ cups of water). Close the lid and cook it for 8-10 minutes on a medium flame.

Now open the lid. Add Rice, 3 cups of Water, Salt, and ½ tsp Oil. Stir well. Increase the flame to a high and allow boiling.

When the water level decreases the rice level (you can see small holes), reduce the flame and then add fried Onions, Milk with Kesari Powder & Saffron and Garam Masala Powder.

Now simmer the flame (the lowest), close the lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Now open the lid. Use a fork to see whether rice is done. If not, cook for some more time.

Serves: 2

Serve with Kurma and Raita.

Notes: Make sure the lid is used is tight. If not, close the pan with a kitchen towel and then close the lid. Chilli Powder can be added during marinating Chicken.

I have used less spice. Increase it according to your taste.

Sending this to Iftar Moments of Taste of Pearl City.

Mixed Beans Rice

This is my Mom’s recipe and is different in flavor and taste as only Beans is used; ofcourse many varieties of Beans. She makes this along with Vegetable Kurma and Onion Raita.

Ingredients:

Mixed Beans ¾ cup (200ml cup); I used Peas, Red Kidney Beans(Rajma) and Mochai Kottai (Seeds of Indian/Hyacinth Beans).

Onions(Medium)2                                        

Tomato (Medium) 1

Chilli Powder ½ tsp

Coriander Powder ¾ tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/8 tsp

Green Chillies 2

Pudina and Coriander Leaves Few

Ginger Garlic Paste 1 ¼ tsp

Rice 1 ½ cups

Water

Salt

Butter + Oil

Whole Garam Masala

Cloves 2

Green Cardamom 2

Cinnamon sticks few

Bay Leaves 1-2

Aniseeds 1/8 tsp

Preparation:

Soak Red Kidney Beans for 5-6 hrs and pressure cook them for 1-2 whistles. Soak Basmati Rice for 20-30 minutes. Puree the Tomato.

                                      

Chop Onions lengthwise. Slit Chillies.

Method:

Heat Butter and Oil in a Cooker. Add whole Garam Masala. When Aniseeds crackle and others turn slightly brown, add Pudina & Coriander Leaves, Chillies, Ginger-Garlic Paste and Onions. Fry till they are slightly brown.

Now add Tomato Paste and all the Powders. Mix well and fry till the oil separates. Now add all the Beans along with Rajma. Saute for a while. Now add Water and Salt. Cook for one whistle.

Serves: 2

Serve with Vegetable Kurma and Raita.

Notes: You can also add Double Beans and Butter Beans like my Mom. When fresh Beans is used, the taste of the Rice is very much better.

Sending this recipe to Signature Recipes of Saras’ Kitchen, Sobha Shyam’s Proteinicious Event and to Iftar Moments of Taste of Pearl City.

Dragon Chicken

It has been more than a week since I experimented with Chicken. When I saw this recipe in a TV Show, got excited and tried immediately. It came out really good and would definitely be a treat to Chicken Lovers.

Ingredients:

Chopped Chicken ½ cup (350ml cup) 180g approx

Chopped Capsicum ¼ cup
Egg White 1
Corn Flour 1 tbsp
All Purpose Flour (Maida) 1 tbsp
Pepper Powder ½ tsp
Soya Sauce 1 tbsp
Tomato Sauce 1 ½ tbsp
Chilli Sauce 1 tbsp
Chopped Ginger and Garlic 1 tsp each
Spring Onions Few
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Chop Chicken and Capsicum into fine lengthwise strips.

Method:

Combine chopped Chicken, Maida, Corn Flour, Pepper Powder and Salt in a Bowl. Add Egg White and mix well. Keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Chicken pieces and fry till done. Keep it aside in an absorbent paper.

Now heat little Oil in a Pan. When hot, add spring Onions and add chopped Ginger and Garlic. When they turn slightly brown, add chopped Capsicum and required Salt. Fry for a while and then add Chicken Pieces and all the Sauces. Mix well and fry till done.

Serve garnished with chopped spring onions.

Serves: 1-2

Serve as side dish to Fried Rice.

Chicken is a good source of Protein. Sending this recipe to Sobha Shyam's Cook It Healthy; Protienicious event and Iftar Moments of Taste of Pearl City.

Dates – Banana Milk Shake

I had only one fully ripe Banana in my kitchen for more than a day. I remembered this Milk Shake with Dates, I had watched in a TV Show some time back. So made today with a great feeling that I didnt waste it. But unfortunately my son didnt like it though he likes Banana very much and I had to drink everything. J

Ingredients:

Dates 6

Milk 1 ½ cups
Ripe Banana 1

Method:

Boil Milk as usual. Soak Dates in this hot Milk for minimum 1 hour.

Peel the skin of Banana and slice them.

In a Blender/Mixer add Dates along with the Milk and the Banana slices. Blend till done.

Serves: 2

Linking this recipe to Anyone can cook Series of Taste of Pearlcity and Healthy Snacks Event of Good Food Recipes.

Muttai (Egg) Kuzhambu

Once, when I was in my native, I saw my Grandma preparing this Kuzhambu very faster. My Uncle has started eating Chapati with some other Kuzhambu which was available very less. She quickly pureed the Tomatoes, chopped the Onions, beat the eggs, prepared and served him within minutes. This is the fastest Kuzhambu one can make.

She also prepares this Kuzhambu with boiled eggs and this is her recipe excepting for the addition of Garam Masala and Pudina. Sangee has posted a related recipe with Pudina Leaves. I tried the same and it came out really perfect.

Ingredients:

Eggs 3

Onion (Medium) 1
Big Tomatoes 2
Pudina Leaves Few
Ginger-Garlic Paste 1tsp
Chilli Powder ½ tsp
Coriander Powder 1 ½ tsp
Cumin Powder ¼ tsp
Garam Masala ¼ tsp
Cloves 2
Cumin ¼ tsp
Water
Salt
Oil

Preparation:

Cut and puree the Tomatoes. Chop Onion into fine pieces.

Method:

Cook Eggs. Remove its shell and make a slight slit.

Heat Oil in a Pan. Add Cloves and Cumin. When Cumin splutters, add chopped Onions. When they turn translucent, add Ginger-Garlic Paste, Pudina Leaves and Tomato Puree. Boil till the oil separates.

Now add all the Powders and Salt. Fry for a while and then add a cup of Water. Boil till it reduces. Now add Eggs. Simmer for five more minutes.

Serves: 2
Serve with Biryani or Chapati.

Egg contains good amout of Protein. Linking this recipe to Sobha Shyam’s Cook It Healthy: Proteinicious Event, Signature Recipes of Saras’ Kitchen and Anyone can cook Series of Taste of Pearl City.