Tag: curry

Pepper Cream Chicken

Pepper Cream Chicken

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I am not a big meat eater and I like curries that are mild and not very meaty tasting. This curry I developed according to my taste and it is creamy and smooth and quite mild. It has a great flavour thanks to the onions and cashew nuts.

Ingredients

Boneless chicken 500 g

Yoghurt 1 cup

Pepper 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves a few sprigs

Cream 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts 10-15

Onions 2 large plus 1 small

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Green chillies 2, sliced plus 2

Ginger 1” piece plus a smaller piece

Garlic 5 cloves

Coconut oil 2 tbsps

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces in yoghurt with salt and pepper.

Add 1 tbsp of oil to a heavy-bottomed pan and fry two large onions, roughly chopped. When the onions turn translucent, add the smaller piece of ginger and cashew nuts.

Switch off the heat when the cashew nuts turn golden and wait for the mixture to cool. Grind to a fine paste.

Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and add the cumin seeds.

When the cumin seeds stop sputtering, add one small onion finely sliced.

Crush the ginger, garlic and two green chillies roughly.

Add it to the onions with curry leaves.

Add the marinated chicken and mix well.

Add a cup of water and mix well.

Add the ground paste and mix.

Reduce the heat and cover and cook till the chicken pieces are cooked. Add the cream and stir it in. Do not cook too long after addding the cream. This makes the gravy very smooth.

Serve hot, garnished with sliced green chillies. it can be had with rice or naan bread.

Soya and Mango Curry

Soya and Mango Curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It is good to incorporate more soyabean into our dishes as it is a healthy option. And tasty too. But I got bored with the usual way I cooked it and tried this one using raw mango. It came out delicious with a slightly tangy taste.

Ingredients

Soya chunks 1 cup

Onions 2 small, one sliced and one chopped

Sprig of curry leaves

Green chillies 2 medium, chopped

Ginger 1” piece, crushed

Raw mango 1, chopped with skin

Coconut milk 100 ml

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tbsps

Coriander powder 2 tsps

Coconut oil 3 tbsps

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the soya chunks in hot water for 30 minutes.

Squeeze out all the water and transfer to a bowl.

Add 2 tbsps of coconut oil, sliced onions, curry leaves and chopped green chillies to a wok. Add the crushed ginger and mix them well using your fingers.

Add the chopped mango and the spices and mix well.

Add two cups of water and 3 tbsps of coconut milk and put it to boil.

Add the soaked soya chunks and simmer till the mango pieces are completely cooked. It does not take long. If you want the soy chunks less chewy, add them only after the mango pieces are cooked.

Once the mango pieces are cooked, add the rest of the coconut milk. When it starts to boil, switch off the heat.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a frying pan and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry till they turn brown.

Add the fried onions to the curry.

Serve hot with bread or rice.

Minced Chicken with Peas

Minced Chicken with Peas

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I like cooking with minced chicken when I want to cook fast and don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. This is a quick and easy recipe that uses bursting with flavour.

Ingredients

Chicken mince 500 g

Tomatoes 3

Garlic 4 pods

Green chillies 3

Red chili powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves to garnish

Onions 2, chopped

Peas , frozen or fresh 1 cup

Coconut oil 2 tbsps

Method

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds and when they stop sputtering, add the onions and garlic. Fry for a few seconds.

Add the washed and drained chicken mince and cook till all the water evaporates and the chicken changes colour.

Meanwhile puree the tomatoes in a mixer grinder along with the green chillies.

Add this to the mince.

Add the spices and salt.

Add the peas. Add about 2 cups of water and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently.

Once the gravy thickens, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with buns or naan or rice.

Ethapazham Pachadi (Kerala Plantain Curry)

Ethapazham Pachadi (Kerala Plantain Curry)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

If there is one variety of banana that I absolutely love, it is the Ethapazham or Nendrapazham, or plantain. It is great as a fruit, in curries and in desserts. This particular curry, Ethapazham Pachadi, is easy to make and is a fine balance of sweet and spicy.

Ingredients

Ethapazham or plantain 2, peeled and chopped

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut 3 tbsps

Green chillies 2

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Red chilli whole 1

Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Yoghurt 2 tbsps

Method

Boil the chopped plantains with red chilli powder, turmeric and salt in 1 cup of water.

Grind the grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds.

Mash the cooked banana.

Add the ground coconut mix.

Add the curry leaves and bring to a boil. If it is too thick, add some water.

Take it off the heat and add the whipped yoghurt.

Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and whole red chilli.

Garnish the curry and serve hot with rice.

Pav Bhaji ( Dinner rolls with vegetable medley)

Pav Bhaji ( Dinner rolls with vegetable medley)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The fresh light-as-air buns go very well with a mixed vegetable curry that is slow cooked and mashed. A street food from the western part of India, this dish is great for any meal— breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is a lovely snack as well.

Ingredients

For the pav (buns):

Milk 1 1/4 cup

Yeast 2 tsps

Sugar 2 tsps

All-purpose flour (maida) 2 cups

Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup

Salt 1 tsp

Butter 2 tbsps + 1 tbsp

For the bhaji (vegetable curry):

Potatoes 2 large, peeled and diced

Peas 3 cups

Cauliflower 1 small, cut into florets

Tomatoes 3 medium, chopped

Green chillies 3, minced

Capsicum 1 medium, diced

Onions 2 medium, sliced and 1 small, minced

Ginger 1” piece

Garlic 5 cloves

Coriander leaves, a big bunch, minced

Oil 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Butter 1 tbsp

Coriander powder 2 tsps

Red chilli powder 2 tsps

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder 1 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Amchoor powder (dry mango powder) 1 tsp

Method

For the pav:

Take one cup of warm milk in a bowl and add the sugar and yeast. Mix and let it prove for 5 minutes.

Sieve the flours and salt together and add to the yeast mixture. Mix to form a dough. Add 1/4 cup of milk to the dough and work it on a lightly floured surface for 10-12 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of softened butter and knead the dough till it is soft.

Put it into a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. It should double in volume by now.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 balls.

Arrange them on a greased baking tray and brush with melted butter.

Cover and let it rise again for 20 minutes.

Bake in a 180 degree C oven for 20 minutes. Brush the hot buns with melted butter. Let them cool in the tray.

Pull the buns apart when ready to serve.

For the bhaji:

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cumin seeds.

When the seeds stop sputtering, add the sliced onions.

Sauté till the onions turn a light brown. Crush the ginger and garlic in a pestle and add to the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the diced potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets, peas, capsicum and tomatoes.

Add the salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchoor powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and cumin powder.

Mix well. Add 3 cups of water and cook on high flame till the water boils. Reduce the flame, cover the pan and cook till the vegetables are cooked.

Mash the the vegetables with a potato masher but don’t make it completely mushy.

Cook till the vegetable medley is thick. Garnish with butter, minced onions, green chillies and coriander leaves.

Serve with the pull-apart buns.

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.