Laddu:

 

Channa Masala/Chole Bhature

                    Chole is a great vegetarian side dishe for Naan, Roti in Northern side and Cholapuri in Southern side of India. Ofcourse its a healthy dish as we add chick peas and easy to make at home and bring the hotel taste in ur kitchen by adding some extras. Mainly for all North Indian dishes we need to add butter and fresh cream to get the real taste.Here's the recipe ,try it at ur home and leave ur comments.

Onion Pakoda:

Onion pakoda doesn't need much introduction as its the best tea time snack.Easy & quick to prepare when we have sudden guest.

Thangdi Kabab:

Thangdi kababs are grilled chicken legs with juicy and tender meat which gets the real taste from the curd and herbs that we are using in this.This is one of our favorite starter in Dhaba restaurant.Kids do love this kabab than tandoori chicken.This kabab needs to be cooked in tandoor -Clay Oven ,but at home we can grill it or bake in oven.The taste when cooked in clay oven gets100% flavor ,which is reduced to 80% in our oven cooking.But yet i'm sure U 'll love this kebab.Keep trying and leave ur comments.

Thalapakattu Style Biryani:

 This biryani is very special in taste, but high in cost. This is because of the special rice used called Seeraga samba and the process of slow cooking.The main origin of this biryani is Dindigul. We can also see the name “Thalapakattu Biryani” in Chennai, but the taste surely differ from the Original Dindigul Thalapakattu Biryani. My Mom used to do mutton biryani in this style, which is our all-time favorite recipe. The other secret is grinding each ingredient and frying them separately. Whole process should be done in a medium flame. Its a time consuming process, but I think its worth waiting to get a nice biryani. Here is the recipe for chicken biryani in thalapakattu style. 

 

Mutton Sukka Varuval:

                         This is a most favorite recipe for all in my home. I learned it from my Mother.  She used to prepare more tasty (as in Hotel Amsavalli , Madurai). Goat meat is better for making varuval than lamb meat. Fresh meat gives more taste and flavor than the frozen one.  

Ingredients:

½ kg Goat meat

3 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

3 tsp Salt

1 Tomato

¼  Cup Coconut extract(milk)

3 tsp Mutton Masala (store bought / homemade)

1 tsp Pepper powder

1 Cinnamon stick

2 Cloves


Mutton masala:

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Ghee

2 Medium Cinnamons

2 Cloves

3 tsp Coriander seeds

2 tsp Peppercorns

3 tsp Cumin seeds

2 tsp Aniseeds (Sombu)

1 tsp Poppy seeds(Khasa khasa)

8 Dry Red Chilli

Roast it with few drops of oil and powder it.

Raw Banana Fry / Vazhakai Varuval:

Ingredients:

To Dry Roast & Grind:

• 1 tbsp Corainder seeds
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp   Aniseeds (sombu)
• 1 tbs  Pottukadalai
• 7 Dry  red chillies

To Fry:

• 2 Raw bananas
• 5 Garlic pieces
• 1/4 Cup of Onions chopped
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 3 tsp Oil
• 2 tsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs grinded masala powder.

To cook Banana:

• 1/4 Cup of Buttermilk
• 1 Cup of Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

  Preparation:

   Pressure cook the raw bananas with buttermilk,water,salt,turmeric powder upto 1 whistle and turnoff.
Peel the skin and cut into slices.

In a pan,add oil ,mustard seeds,once it gets popped add the chopped onions and fry.
After a few secs, add the crushed garlic and add the masala and fry until the raw smell goes.

Now add the chopped raw bananas  to it and cook covered for 5mins in medium flame.(take care not to break the pieces.)

Then add coconut oil and fry in a high flame for 2-3 mins and serve it with sambar rice/curd rice.

Aloo Mutter

This is the most easiest and fast side dish for chapathi/naan/ghee rice. 

 Ingredients:

4 Potatoes
1/2 Cup Peas (I used frozen peas)
1/4 Cup Onion chopped
4 Green chillies (slitted)
1 tsp Cumin seeds
3 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Curd
4 Coconut flakes

Chilli Chicken Gravy:

                    Chilli chicken / chicken Manchurian is very common in fast foods (road side) and also in most hotels .There are different variety in preparing chilli chicken.

Deep frying the chicken  

Pressure cooking the chicken

Each method has different taste.In the deep fry method the chicken pieces will be hot and sweet.And it’s a good method for chilli chicken dry.But for gravy, the chicken pieces will leave oil and become hard when cooking again.So I use to pressure cook them for gravy .

   

Thai Veg Fried Rice

Generally the fried rice is most common dish in Thai /Chinese cuisine. The fried rice what we get in (Chenani) parotta stalls are completely different.That is dry, but also tasty when having it with chilli & tomato sauce.Once i had this Yellow Lake Curry Fried Rice in Thai restaurant that tasted so good.And then i tried making it home.The secret ingredient in this dish is the red curry paste and fish sauce.I tried making without fish sauce(Vegetarian Fried rice) and was very tasty too.

Here's  Thai(my) style fried rice,

Ingredients:

1 Onion sliced lengthwise
1 Capsicum chopped thin
1 Cup Cabbage chopped thin
1 Tomato - cubed
1 Cup Soy chunks (Meal Maker)

1 Bunch of Spring Onion chopped
1 tbsTomato ketchup
2 tbs Soy sauce

2 tbs Red curry paste
Pinch of Ajinomoto
Salt
1 bowl of cooked rice (Jasmine rice/ basmati rice)

Red Curry Paste: (Also available in ready made)

1/4 cup onion chopped
4 Dry red chillies
4 garlic
1inch ginger
1 tomato
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp soy sauce, plus salt to taste
**Red chilli powder - optional**

Preparation:

For red curry paste, grind all the ingredients listed under red curry in a mixie jar.In a pan add 2 tbsp of oil and fry this paste,until the raw smell goes.

Add a few drops of lemon juice and keep it in a air tight jar for later use.

First soak the mealmaker in boiled water for 5-7 mins ,then squeeze it and again drop into cool water and again squeze all water and keep it ready.

Now in a large non stick pan,add 2 tsp of oil and fry the soya chunks with little salt & pepper powder (1/2 tsp together)and keep it aside.

Now add the chopped onions and fry in a high flame, then add the capsicum& soya again fry for 2 mins.

Then add the red curry paste and fry for a while and then add the cooked rice with soy sauce,tomato sauce,ajinomoto,salt,and tomato cubes (No need to cook the tomatoes)and toss it in a high flame for 3-5mins.

Then add the spring onion chopped and serve the thai fried rice.

                

Note:

Can add scrambled eggs/chicken pieces(pressure cook upto a whistle and shred it) / to this fried ricce for non vegetarians. Adjust the amount of red curry paste when u add chicken.

** If u need more spicy,then add 1 tbs of red chilli powder to the red curry paste.**

Bonda:

Easy Sweet Bonda:

Ingredients:

2 cups  maida

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1 cup water

Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

              Combine  maida (all purpose flour),sugar,salt .Add a cup of water and make the batter. (as for methu vadai) This will be little sticky.Keep it for 1 /2 hr .

In a pan, add oil for deep frying and allow it in a medium high flame for 15 mins.(To reach the required temperature.)

Test it with a small drop of the batter.If it raises quickly (within a sec)then the oil is ready.

Keep a bowl of water nearby.

Wet the hands in water and take the batter and drop it in the hot oil.

Turn the bondas and cook evenly on both sides to get a brownish color.

When all the bubbles around the bonda reduces,take it out and place in a paper towel.

                   

Make the remaining bondas as the same. This will yield 15 bondas.

             This is a very quick and simple snack.

Potato Egg Wrap

Ingredients:

4 Potatoes

1 Tomato

1 tsp Garam masala

2 tsp Red chilli powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tbs  Ginger Garlic paste

4 Eggs

1 tsp Salt

3 tsp Oil

Preparation:

   Boil the potatoes (pressure cook for 2 whistles), peel and cut into cubes.

In a nonstick pan,add 2 tsp of oil and fry the ginger garlic paste and then add chopped tomatoes with salt.

When the tomatoes are cooked,add the masala powders and add the potato cubes.Fry for a while until all masala smell goes,then cover the pan and cook in low flame.(5mins)

Now mash the potatoes with the masala and switch off the stove. Make small balls in that potato mix and keep it ready.

               

Hyderabad Chicken Biryani:

Ingredients:

2 Chicken leg quarters ( approx. 1kg)

1 Big Red Onion (thinly sliced lengthwise)

1 Tomato (chopped lengthwise)

4 Green chillies 

2 inch Ginger piece

6 Garlic pieces

½ cup Chopped Mint & Cilantro

1 tsp Garam masala

2 tbs Coriander powder

2 tbs Red chilli powder

1 ½ Cups Yogurt

3 Cups Basmati rice

2 Cloves , 1 staranise

2 Cinnamon sticks

2 Bay leaves

1 cardamom

Salt

3 cups of Water

3 tbs Oil

1tsp Ghee

Preparation:

             Remove skins in the leg quarters , wash it and make deep cuts on the chicken. If not using leg quarters, make big pieces of the chicken and keep ready to marinate.

Marinate:

        In a bowl add the yogurt, salt, grounded paste (green chillies,ginger,garlic),lemon juice ,garam masala , coriander powder and the cleaned chicken pieces. Toss it well to get the chicken coated evenly and refrigerate for about 3 hours.

Rice:

 Soak rice for 20 mins and drain the water completely.

 In a pan add 1 tsp of ghee,1 cinnamon,1 clove, and a bay leaf and fry the rice for 3 mins.U can see the shining in the rice. Switch off the flame.

In a rice cooker, add 3 cups of water,fried rice and add half salt for rice and cook the rice ( 30 mins) and keep it aside.

Chicken:

In a pan add 2 tsp oil and fry the onions to dark brown color(like deep fried) and keep aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan add the remaining oil and all spices,now add the marinated chicken ,chopped mint and cilantro leaves and cook the chicken covered for 10 mins in medium-low  flame.Now add the tomatoes chopped and cook for 5 mins more(until the chicken is half done).Leave the chicken with at least a cup of (liquid) gravy and switchoff. 

                                                  

**No need to add any extra water. The water from the chicken and marinate is enough. **

Dum process:

           The real taste of the biryani lies in this process. There are different ways to make dum.

We usually do dum in a large pan covered with a heavy lid and pasting all sides with dough.

In a heavy bottomed non stick pan, brush the sides and bottom of the pan with oil and place a layer of rice first,then the chicken pieces with gravy and sprinkle some fried onions and then again rice,chicken & gravy ,onion.The top & bottom layer should be the rice.Sprinkle some cilantro & mint leaves and close the lid.

To close the lid, make chapathi dough and apply on all sides.Set the flame to low and leave it for 35 mins. Within that time the chapathi dough will also get cooked on the sides.

                                   

Scrap it out carefully and open the lids to enjoy a nice flavored Hyderabad biryani…..

                                      

Serve biryani with raita and boiled eggs.

** This is my Husband’s recipe , I’m not specialized in this biryani… Soon to meet u with my special (ofcourse my Mother’s) Dindigul Thalapakattu Biryani  **

Enjoy Weekend with Biryani !! And dont forget to post ur comments after trying it.

Quesadilla:

Chicken quesadilla recipe:

Ingredients:

Mexican four cheese packet (Cheddar,Monterey,Jack,and Asadero cheese)

1 piece Chicken breast boneless ( Cut into medium pieces)

1 /4 cup Mushroom diced

1 /4 cup Capsicum diced

Spring Onion

Salt

Pepper (powdered)

Lemon juice

Readymade Tortillas

Butter                      
                                                                 

Preparation:

        In a nonstick pan add a tsp of oil and fry the chicken pieces by adding salt and pepper. Once the water from chicken comes out & evaporates and also chicken color changes to white, cook the chicken covered with few drops of lemon juice for about 5 mins in medium flame .

      

                                   

Then add the diced mushroom and capsicum (add other veggies also… our favorite is this) and again cook covered for 3 mins.

                                                          

Now the stuffing is ready. Take the readymade tortillas and toss it lightly on both sides in the hot griddle (just a sec) and keep it ready by applying butter on one side of the tortilla.(after tossing,apply butter)

In the griddle, keep the buttered side of the tortilla down and in a few secs ,(2-3 secs) the top layer rises lightly. Now sprinkle the cheese over and add a handful of stuffing and again a few sprinkles of cheese.

                             

Now place another buttered tortilla(buttered side facing up) above the stuffing and flip the quesadilla,and cook for 3 secs. (until u get the same browned layer on bottom as the top)

                                                 

Place the quesadilla in a plate and slice it as u like and do the same process for remaining stuffings.

Serve it with some dippings.. We use to have it with gucamole dip.

                                

Note:

    For vegetarians, instead of chicken add more veggies like jalapenos,tomatoes,red bell pepper etc., and enjoy ur veg quesadilla.

 For Non-veg lovers, less veggies and more chicken or shrimp (cooked, tailed off) can work well.

If u r adding shrimp, add some chilli powder / jalapenos for better taste.

And for cheese we got Cheddar cheese bar and Monterey Jack cheese bar and shredded it home.(Since we used to do quesadilla every week)

Butter Biscuit:

Ingredients:

1 1/4  stick of unsalted Butter    (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)

1 cup Corn flour

2 ½  cup Maida

Salt

Water (if needed)

1 cup Sugar

1 tbs Baking powder

                                                                                                                 
                                           

 Preparation:

Keep the butter in room temperature 1 hr before starting.

Mix the butter,salt,sugar and baking powder in a large bowl until u get a white  foamy paste .

Now add the flour and make the dough as for chapathi. Sprinkle water if u need.

Leave it for 1/2 hr. Then knead the dough and divide into 4 equal portions.

First take a portion of dough and flatten it on a clean surface with a rolling pin.

Make it thicker than chapathi. And cut out the shape which u need using a plastic knife.

                                                 

U can also add nuts toppings to the biscuits… Here I have added walnuts & almonds roasted.

When the biscuits are shaped place it in a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 F for 15 mins.

After 15 mins , u can see light brown color for the biscuits.Take out the biscuits and allow it to cool for a while.

Check the biscuits for taste , texture and make changes if any and repeat the same procedure for rest of the dough.

Store the biscuits in a air tight container.

                    

Note :

   1 stick of butter = 4 oz=113 gms 

   Increase in the butter quantity, spoils the texture of the biscuit.

  And check the correct temperature in ur first portion of dough. (In my preparation ,its exactly 15 mins without preheating)  

Chapathi / Roti / Layered chapatti:

Ingredients:

2 Cups Wheat flour (I used Aashirvaad atta)

1 1/2 Cup Water (Water measurement can vary acc.to flour)

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Salt

Preparation:

Boil water in a saucepan for3- 5mins or microwave in a glass bowl for 2mins.

In a large bowl, add the flour,salt and mix evenly and add 2 tsp of oil and make the dough by adding water  gradually. Dough should not be sticky.(If u feel that then u can add flour)Keep the dough aside for 15 – 20 mins.       

                                                 

Knead the dough for more than 5 mins to yield soft chapathis. Then make small balls out of it and roll it using a rolling pin. If  needed u can dust the balls with some flour
while flattening.(Never mind the shape of the chapathi) Now get the pan / griddle ready by setting the flame to medium- high.

Roti:

     Roti’s are a tandoori type. Chapathis without oil and are cooked in high flame .The traditional way is to cook in a clay oven. But we can bring that taste if we cook in heavy bottomed griddle(Kallu chatti). But I cooked in a non-stick dosa pan.           

                                                              

     Cook the roti until each side has dark spots. Be sure that the edges are fully cooked. No need to apply oil.

Soft Chapathis:

              Place chapathi in the hot griddle. Within few secs u can see the uncooked side of the chapathi getting rised, immediately turn down & cook for few secs. Then apply ½ tsp of oil on both sides and place it in the hotpack. Do the same for the rest of the chapathis and stack them.

                                                                                 

Note:

Keep ur chapathis (dough) flattened ready before going to cook them. This will yield good & soft chapathis.

If u vary the temperature of the griddle in between, ur chapathi’s will get harder.        

Layered Chapathi:

             First make chapathi, and apply oil above and fold the chapathi to a triangle shape and then again roll it to make chapathi. This way we can get the layered chapathi’s.

                                                             

                                                             

                                                                      

                                                                                                                       

Other than these types, there are more stuffed varieties also. In coming posts…

Dal Tadka / Paruppu / Popu

Ingredients:

1 cup  Toor dal / Mysore Dal

1 Garlic pieces

1/2  Tomato

1/2 Onion chopped

4 Green Chillies chopped

Pinch of Asafoetida powder

Pinch of turmeric powder

Salt

Water

2 tsp oil

1 /4 tsp Mustard seeds

1  tsp Cumin seeds

Preparation:

   Pressure cook the toor dal with a cup of water,pinch of turmeric powder ,crushed garlic and a half tomato up to 3 whistles.  

                                                     

In a fry pan add 2 tsp of oil and add mustard ,cumin seeds.Once popped,add green chillies and fry then add the onion finely chopped with salt.Fry until the onion changes color .

Take off the whistle and transfer the extra dal water and reserve that for paruppu rasam,and in the dal add the fried onion and leave it a low falme for 5 mins and switch off.
               

                                                                       

Dal tadka is ready now. Serve it with hot rice along with few drops of ghee / gingerly oil  or with chapathis.

Paruppu Rasam :

Ingredients:

1 cup  Toor dal / Mysore Dal

3  Garlic pieces

1 Tomato

1 /2 lemon size ball - Tamarind

1 /4 cup Cilantro chopped

Pinch of Asafoetida powder

Pinch of turmeric powder

Salt

Water

2 tsp oil

1 /2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 /2 tsp Fennel seeds

Rasam powder:

2 tbs Coriander seeds 

1 tbs Cumin seeds

1 tbs Peppercorns black                                    

6 Red chilli dry

1 /2 tsp Fennel seeds                                         

Preparation:

 Pressure cook the toor dal with 2 cups of water,pinch of turmeric powder and a half tomato up to 3 whistles. Carefully take the water from the dal and reserve it for rasam with 3 tbs of cooked dal.Rest of the dal can be used for dal tadka.

                                                                 

In a fry pan add 1/2 tsp oil and fry coriander seeds for 2 mins in medium flame. (take care not to over fry the seeds)Once U get a nice smell of the seeds, transfer to a plate. Now add another 1 /2 tsp oil and fry the cumin seeds and red chilli, this will take only a few secs, when popped empty it to that plate and dry fry the peppercorns in a very low flame for 2-3 secs. Allow the seeds to cool and dry grind them to a fine powder.                                       

                                

                     

Now make the plain rasam ,and add 2 tbs of this rasam powder(Keep the remaining powder for other day) with crushed garlic .

In a medium flame place a sauce pan ,add remaining oil and add mustard seeds, fennel seeds,and asafoetida powder, after the seeds popped, pour the tamarind-tomato mixture to it and bring to boil in high flame. Sprinkle the fresh cilantro on the top of the rasam.When u see a foamy layer with bubbles add the dal &water that we reserved already and stir it 2-3 times (don’t allow the rasam to boil).

Again when u get the foamy layer, switch off the stove & transfer the pan from stovetop.Close the lid to lock the aroma of ur rasam.

                                             

 Try it and get a feel of udipi  hotel rasam.And don’t forget to leave ur comments after trying this.

Gucamole Dip / Tortilla Dip / Avacoda Salsa :

 Ingredients:

• 2 Ripe Avacodas
• 1/4 White onion chopped
• 1/4 Tomato chopped
• 1/4 Cup Fresh chopped Cilantro
• Few drops of lemon
• 1 tsp Salt

Preparation:

                   Cut the avacodas into halves and remove the seeds ,then  scoop the pulp and transfer to a bowl and mash it roughly with spoon or a fork. (If ur avacodas are not ripe,u have to use food processor/mixie to mash )     

 Now add the chopped onions, tomatoes in to the  scooped avacoda  and  mash it again with a few drops of lemon juice and salt.

Garnish it with the chopped cilantro and serve it with tortilla chips for an evening snack. Kids love this..

                         

 Note:

You can add green chillies (2) and 1 tsp cumin seeds (grinded) to this to add flavor.

For kids we can add shredded cheese over this to attract them.

Have it fresh , or can refrigerate in a properly sealed container  until it’s served,but not more than a day.