Category: indian

Ada, health meets taste

Ada, health meets taste

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

This is comfort food, especially in winter. The aroma of the pancake cooking on a hot griddle will set your taste buds working overtime. This is a healthy option for breakfast, packed with proteins from all the variety of lentils that go into the batter.

Comfort food

Ingredients

(Serves 6 persons)

Idli rice 1/4 cup
Urad dal 1/4 cup
Moong dal 1/4 cup
Arhar dal 1/4 cup
Chana dal 1/4 cup
Masoor dal 1/4 cup
Whole red chillies 4
Til oil
Onions 2 medium, sliced
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1” piece
Curry leaves 4 sprigs
Asafoetida powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl, add water and soak overnight.

In the morning, drain and wash the the soaked rice and lentils.

Grind it along with the onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.

Add the asafoetida and salt and mix well.

Heat a griddle and apply oil. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it like a pancake. Flip it over after 30 seconds.

Use all the batter to make similar pancakes.

Serve with idli chutney powder, onion chutney or pickle.

Amla Murabba (Preserved gooseberries)

Amla Murabba (Preserved gooseberries)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

I remember my mom preserving amla or Indian gooseberry after her first class at the local canning centre. I was only a little girl of about six, but the taste of my mom’s preserved gooseberries is still a beautiful and fresh memory. Making this myself brought my mom very close to me.

Happiness in a bottle: Preserved Indian gooseberry

Ingredients

(Serves family and friends)

Indian gooseberries 20
Sugar 2 cups plus 2 1/2 cups
Water
Saffron few strands

Method

Wash the gooseberries and boil in plain water for 10 minutes. Drain.

Dissolve 2 cups of sugar in 3 cups of water. Add the boiled gooseberries and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave the pan untouched for two days. Drain.

Use the sugar syrup to make candy or something else. It has a slightly sour taste that works well in candy.

Dissolve 2 1/2 cups of sugar in 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the strands of saffron and add the drained gooseberries. Boil for 20 minutes. Cool and put into sterilised bottles.

These preserved gooseberries can be kept for a year.

Pepper coriander mutton curry

Pepper coriander mutton curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 3 Comments

My mother used to make a one-pot mutton curry that was a staple of our Sunday lunch. I have tweaked it a bit to add the flavours of coriander (I have a surfeit of coriander leaves from the garden) and pepper.

Ingredients

(Serves 4 persons)

Mutton 500 g
Pepper corns 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves 1 cup
Ginger 1″ piece
Garlic 4 cloves
Onion 2, sliced
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Coriander powder 2 tbsps
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes 1 sliced
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Method

Grind the pepper corns, coriander, ginger and garlic together and add salt. Marinate The mutton and keep it for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Heat the coconut oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds stop sputtering, add the onions and curry leaves. Fry till the onions become translucent.

Reduce the flame and add the coriander powder and red chilli powder. Saute for a few seconds. Add the marinated mutton and turmeric powder. Fry for two minutes. Add the tomatoes. Add the garam masala powder. Sprinkle the fennel seeds and add enough water to cook the mutton, about a cup. Put the lid on and and cook on high for three whistles. Reduce the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure cooker cool down. Once the pressure is released, heat the curry till the gravy is thick enough.

Serve hot with rice, roti or any other bread.

Prawn biryani

Prawn biryani

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

This is a dish that I have been making for the last 20 years and it is a family favourite. The flavours of yoghurt, spices, coconut and green chillies make for a delicious combination.

Ingredients

(Serves 4 persons)

Prawns 500 g, cleaned and deveined
Basmati rice 1 1/2 cups, soaked for 15 minutes
Water 1 1/2 cups
Onions 2 medium plus 1 small, sliced
Tomatoes 2, chopped
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger 1″ piece
Green chillies 3
Grated coconut 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup, chopped
Mint leaves , a few sprigs, chopped
Thick curd 3 tbsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Cashew nuts 8 whole
Raisins 10
Oil 5 tbsps

Whole spices for rice:
Cinnamon 1″ piece
Cloves 2
Star anise 1
Bay leaf 1
Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Marinade for prawns:
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Marinate the prawns in the spices and keep it aside.

Cook the rice with the whole spices, salt and the ghee in the microwave for 15 minutes.

Grind together the green chillies, coconut, garlic, ginger and yoghurt.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep vessel and fry the marinated prawns. When the water has evaporated, add two sliced onions. Saute till they become translucent. Add the tomatoes, ground paste, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Add 1/2 cup water and cook till the gravy thickens.

Add the cooked rice and cook on a slow fire for three minutes.

In a small frying pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and separately saute the raisins, cashew nuts and one small sliced onion. Garnish the biryani and serve hot.

Chicken curry

Chicken curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

This is a mild curry with the chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices overnight which tenderises the meat and makes it flavourful and succulent.

Chicken curry made with the meat marinated in yoghurt and spices with the subtle taste of kasoori methi

Ingredients

(Serves 3)

Chicken 500 g, cut into pieces large enough for curry
Yoghurt 1 cup
Turmeric 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 2 tsp
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Kasoori methi 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chicken masala 1 tsp
Onion 1 medium, sliced
Tomatoes 2 medium, chopped
Green chillies 2, slit
Potatoes 2 medium, peeled and cubed
Water as needed
Oil 2 tbsp

Method

Marinate the chicken in yodhurt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, pepper powder and salt and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Heat oil in deep frying pan and add the onions. Fry till they become translucent. Add the marinated chicken pieces. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken masala. I use the Eastern brand of chicken masala, which is available at most supermarkets now. This has a rich flavour, but is not too spicy. Add the potaoes and the kasoori methi. As soon as you add the kasoori methi, a lovely frangrance rises from the dish. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Cover and cook on high flame till the water begins to boil. Turn dowm the flame, cover and cook till the chicken is done. Test with a fork.

Serve with rice, roti or any kind of bread.

Spinach and Coriander Rice

Spinach and Coriander Rice

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 4 Comments

Winter vegetables in northern India beg for creativity in cooking. This is a popular dish that I cooked for the first time when a friend’s mom was visiting Singapore. Recently my gardener brought in a large bundle of spinach and coriander and I decided to make this dish again.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Rice 3 cups, cooked
Spinach leaves 6 cups
Coriander leaves 1 cup, chopped
Garlic 4 cloves, sliced
Green chillies 2 chopped
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Wilt the spinach leaves in dry nonstick pan. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind it to a paste, using as little water as possible.

Add oil to a wok and add the garlic. Fry till the garlic slices become slightly brown. Add the spinach puree and the dry spices. Add the cooked rice. It is best if you cook the rice the day before and refrigerate it. Add the coriander leaves and toss it well.

Serve hot with homemade pickle or dal.