VENDAIKKAI KOOTTU [LADIES FINGER KOOTTU]

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped tomato- 1 cup
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Slit green chilles-4
Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp
Curry leaves- a few
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Coarsely ground pepper- quarter sp
Ladies fingers cut into desired pieces- 2 cups
Turmeric powder- half sp
Thick coconut milk- 1 cup
Cooked green gram- half cup
Oil- 4tbsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Heat a pan and add 1tsp of oil. Add the ladies finger pieces and fry them for 10 minutes on medium fire. Take them away and again pour the remaining oil. Add the cumin seeds and when they splutter add the tomato, ginger, and the green chillies with the turmeric powder. Fry them until the tomatoes are cooked and the oil floats on top. Ad the green and fry for a few seconds. Add the ladies finger pieces with enough salt, pepper powder and the coconut milk. When the ladies fingers are almost cooked add the cooked green gram and cook for a few more minutes until the koottu is done.

YAM ROAST

Procedure:

Yam- 500gm
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Gram flour- 1 tbsp
Gram dal [pottukkadalai] flour- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Salt to taste
Enough oil to fry

Grind the following to a fine paste:

Small onions-8, fennel seeds- 1 tsp, shredded ginger- 1 tsp garlic flakes- 8

Procedure:

Clean the yam well and cut into big pieces. Pressure cook them without water for 3 whistles. Remove the outer cover and slice them into 1” to 11/2 “pieces with a quarter inch thickness. Coat them with the powders, salt and the ground paste. Let them marinade for 30 minutes. Then shallow fry them in oil. When they become golden brown on one side turn them on to the other side and fry them well.

EGG ADAI

Ingredients:

Eggs-3
Thuar dal- half cup
Bengal gram- 2 tbsp
Red chillies-4
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Shredded coconut- 2 tbsp
Small onions- 1 cup
Curry leaves- 2 arcs
Chopped coriander leaves- half cup
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Beat the eggs well with a tsp of water and enough salt. Soak the dals with the chillies and the fennel seeds in enough water for 1 hour. Then grind them with the coconut to a fine paste. Add this to the beaten eggs. Add finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, and curry leaves. Mix well. Make small adais on a hot dosa pan.

This side dish goes well with all types of rice varieties.

CABBAGE TOMATO PROYAL

This is a very simple poriyal which I have learnt from a restaurant.

Ingredients:

Cabbage [chopped finely]- 5 cups
Onion[chopped finely]-1
Tomato [chopped finely][big]- 1
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Shredded coconut- 2 handfuls
Chopped coriander- 3 tbsp
Cooked Bengal gram- 3 tbsp
Oil- 3 tsp
Finely chopped ginger- 1/2 tsp
Asafotida powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour the oil. Add the mustards and the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the asafetida powder and fry for a few seconds. Add the chopped onion with the ginger and fry for a few seconds. Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder and the chilli powder. Cook well until the tomato is mashed well. Add the cabbage and cook on slow fire. Sprinkle water in intervals if needed. When it is almost cooked add the coconut, Bengal gram and the coriander. Cook the poriyal until it is done. If the cabbage is cooked fully and has become soft and soggy, then the taste will decrease a little.

GOBI MANCHURIAN

Ingredients

Cauliflower- 1
Finely ground ginger- 1 tsp
Finely ground garlic- 1 tsp
Corn flour- 1/2 cup
Plain flour- 2 tbsp
Soy Sauce- 2 Tbsp
Tomato Sauce- 2 Tbsp
Chilli sauce- 1 tbsp
Ajinomoto- 1/4 tsp
Green chillies cut into thin stripes-2
Chopped spring onion- 1 cup
Capsicum cut into thin stripes- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tbsp

Procedure:

Cut cauliflower into florets and put it in a vessel.
Add half of the ginger and the garlic, half of green chillies and enough salt. Let them marinate for 15 minutes. Steam them for 15 minutes. Then allow them to cool down and add the corn flour and the plain flour to the florets, mix well and form small dumplings out of it. The mixture must be thick and sticky. If you want them a little spicy, you can add 1/4 tsp of chilli powder when making the dumplings. If necessary, you can add more corn flour according to the texture.
Fry these small dumplings in hot oil to golden brown.
Heat a kadai and pour 2 tbsp of oil. Add the remaining green chillies, garlic and the ginger.
Fry for some time. Then add the spring onion with the capsicum and the ajinomoto. Fry for a few minutes. Then add the fried dumplings to it.
Add all the sauces and1/4 ¼ cup of water. If you want gravy add 2 cups of water mixed with 1/4 cup of corn flour. Add salt as per the taste. In some restaurants, they do not make dumplings. They mix all the ingredients with the steamed cauliflower florets, and fry them directly. You can try in this procedure also.

SPROUTED MOONG AND CASHEW NUT MASALA

Ingredients:

Sprouted and cooked whole green gram- 2 cups
Enough salt
Oil- 4 tbsp
Cashew nuts-1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk- 2 cups
Tomato juice-1/2 cup
Milk- 3 tbsp
Corn flour- 1 tbsp

Grind the following to a fine paste:

Green chillies-5
Coriander leaves-1/2 cup
Garlic flakes-5
Onion-1
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Poppy seeds- 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Grind the following in to a coarse powder:
2 cardamom, 2 cloves, cinnamon- 1 piece


Procedure:

Heat a kadai and pour the oil. Add the ground masala and fry it for a few minutes on slow fire until the oil floats on top. Add the green gram and the cashew nuts with the coconut milk, enough salt and the tomato juice. Cook until the gravy is slightly thickened. Then mix the corn flour with the milk and add this to the gravy. Mix well. Sprinkle the powder. Cook for a few minutes.

ALOO GOBI MASALA

Ingredients:

Diced potato- 2 cups
Cauliflower florets- 4 cups
Tomato juice- 1/2 cup
Chopped onion- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Ginger paste-1 tsp
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Green chillies- 2
Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp
Butter- 2 tbsp
Oil- 2 tbsp enough salt

Procedure:

Steam the vegetables until they are cooked firmly. Grind coarsely the onion with the green chillies, garlic and the ginger pastes. Heat a kadaia nd pour the oil and add the butter. Add the paste and fry it for a few minutes on slow fire until it turns in to a golden brown colour. Add the cooked vegetables with all the powders, tomato juice and enough salt. Let the gravy cook for some minutes until every thing is blended well and you get the desired consistency.

ENNAI KATHTHARIKAI CURRY

Ingredients:
groundnuts-2tbsp,
kuskus-1sp,
methi seeds[fenugreek seeds]-1/2sp,
white sesame seeds-1sp,
cummin seeds-3/4sp,
small sambar onions-15.
tomato pieces-11/2 cups,
garlic flakes-6,
coriander powder-11/2sp,
chilli powder-1 tbsp,
turmeric powder-1sp
kaththarikai[brinjal]-8 to 10[small size],
gingelly oil- 4tbsp,
mustard seeds-1sp,
peppercorns-1sp,
green chillies-5,[slit them lengthwise]
tamarind-a lime size
enough salt to taste.
Method:
Dry roast groundnuts,cummin seeds,kuskus, sesame seeds,fenugreeks seeds to a golden brown colour and grind them with onions, tomatoes and garlic without adding water.Add the turperic powder,chilli powder, and the coriander powder and mix well. Cut each brinjal in to 8 pieces lengthwise, add enough salt and the mixed masala to this,mix well and keep them covered for 1/2 hour.
Heat the oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the green chillies and the peppercorns and fry for two minutes. Now add the brinjal with masasla and cook on a medium fire until the oil comes on the top. Extract a thick juice from the tamarind and add to the brinjal.When all the water is absorbed and the oil floats on the top,put off the fire.The gravy must be thick.

KADAPPA

Ingredients:

Green gram- 1/4 cup
Medium sized potato-2
Chopped onion- 1/2 cup
Chopped tomato- 2 cups
Cloves-2
Cardamom-2
Bay leaves-2
Slit green chillies-3
Salt to taste
Oil-4 tbsp
Grind the following ingredients to a fine paste:
Green chillies-2
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Shredded coconut- 2 tbsp
Cinnamon-1 piece

Procedure:

Cook the green gram and the potatoes in a pressure cooker and then mash finely. Heat a kadai and pour the oil. Add the cardamom, bay leaves and the cloves and fry for a few minutes. Add the onion with the green chillies and the tomatoes and fry well until they are cooked and the oil floats on the surface. Add the mashed ingredients with the ground paste, salt and 2 cups of water. Let it simmer for some minutes until every thing is blended well and the gravy is slightly thickened.

KAIMAH THOKKU[MINCED MUTTON THOKKU]

Heat a kadai and add 500gms of minced mutton with 1sp turmeric powder, 1 cup of water, 1sp ginger paste, 1sp garlic paste, 8 finely chopped onions, 5 green chillies, 1/4sp pepper powder, 1tbsp chilli powder and enough salt to it. Close with a lid and cook under medium fire until the mutton is well cooked.
Heat another kadai and pour 4tbsp oil. When the oil becomes hot, add 4 chopped tomatoes with ½ turmeric powder, 1/4sp cinnamon powder, 1/4sp cloves powder, 1/2sp cardamom powder, one handful of curry leaves, and one handful of chopped cashew nuts and fry for a few minutes. Then add the cooked mince and fry for some more minutes until all the things are blended well and the mince comes to a thokku consistency.

MUSHROOM MASALA

INGREDIENTS:

Mushroom- 250 gms
Coconut paste- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Grind the following ingredients in to a fine paste:
Red chillies-6
Peppercorns- 1 tsp
Cardamom- 2
Cloves- 2
Cinnamon pieces-2
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Sambar onions- a handful
Garlic flakes- 6

Procedure:

Add the ground paste, turmeric powder and enough salt with the mushrooms and mix well. Pour the oil in a pan and heat it. Add the mushroom mixture and fry well on medium fire until they are cooked. At the final stage, add the coconut paste and mix well. Fry for a few seconds and put off the fire. Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.

POTATO MASALA

Ingredients:

Potatoes- 1/2 kilo
Chopped onion- 2 cups
Chopped tomatoes- 1 cup
Green chillies- 4
Grated ginger- 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Frozen peas- 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander
Enough oil and salt

Procedure:

Pressure cook the potatoes for 5 whisitles. After taking them out, mash them immediately. Heat a kadai and pour 4 to 5 tbsps of oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onions and fry them until they become lightly golden brown. Grind the green chillies with the ginger to a paste and add this with the turmeric powder and fry well for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and the peas. Cook until the tomatoes are mashed well and the peas are well-cooked. Add the Mashed potatoes with the coriander leaves and fry it on slow fire until every thing is combined well.

POTATO MASALA CURRY

Ingredients:
Potato- 250 gms,
Coconut- ½ ,
Red chillies- 10,
Coriander seeds- 2 tsp,
Gram dal[ Pottukkadalai]- 1 tbsp,
Sambar onions- 6,Fennel seeds- 1 tsp,
Poppy seeds- 1 tsp,
Cinnamon- 1 piece,
Garlic flakes-10,
Chopped ginger- ½ tsp,
Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp,
Chopped onion- 1 cup,
Crushed tomatoes- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp,
Oil- 4 tbsp,
Salt to taste
Procedure:
Boil the potatoes, then peel the outer skin and cut into cubes. Extract thick milk out of the coconut. Grind the red chillies with the coriander seeds, poppy seeds, fennels seeds, cinnamon, sambar onions, gram dal, garlic flakes, ginger, and coriander leaves to a fine paste. Heat a kadai and pour the oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onions and the tomatoes with the turmeric powder. Cook them until they are well mashed and the oil floats on the surface. Add the ground masala and the potato pieces with enough salt. Cook for a few minutes till every thing is combined well. Then add the coconut milk. Cook for a few minutes.

SOYA BALLS VEGETABLE MASALA

Soak 1 cup of soya balls in hot water for 15 minutes. Then drain the water completely. Squeeze the water out of the soya balls with the help of yr fingers. Then pour cold water on it and again soak for 5 minutes. Then again drain the water completely and squeeze out the extra water. Heat a kadai and pour 4 or 5 tbsp oil. When the oil becomes hot, add 1sp cumin seeds, 1 cup of chopped onions, 2 cups of chopped tomatoes and 1sp turmeric powder. Fry the vegetables until the tomatoes are mashed finely and the oil oozes on the surface. Now add 1 cup of diced potato, 2 handfuls of diced cauliflower and the soya balls with 4 cups of water. Add enough salt to it. When the vegetables are half-cooked, grind 1 cup of shredded coconut with 1sp fennel seeds, 3 garlic flakes and 4 green chillies into a paste and add this to the masala. Also add 1sp chili powder and mix well. Let the gravy simmer until you get the desired consistency. Add 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

CHICKEN CHUKKA

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces- 1/2 kilo
Shredded coconut- a handful
Coriander seeds-3 tsp
Red chillies- 10
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Peppercorns- 2 tsp
Cinnamon- 2 pieces
Cloves-2
Curry leaves- 1 arc
Finely chopped onion-3
Finely chopped tomato- 1 cup
Ginger paste-1 tsp
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Enough oil and salt

Procedure:

Heat a kadai and pour 1tsp of oil. Add the shredded coconut and fry it on slow fire to a golden brown colour. Take them away and again fry the remaining spices in a little oil. Grind the fried ingredients to a paste. Add the turmeric powder, the ground paste and enough salt to the chicken pieces and mix well. Heat a pan and pour 5 to 6 tbsp of oil. Add the onion with the ginger and garlic pastes .Fry them well. Add the tomato pieces and fry them until they are well mashed and the oil floats on the surface. Add the chicken and cook on medium fire until they are well cooked and become dry.

Tip: You can reduce the quantity of tomato and you can also increase the quantity of chilli powder a little.

CAPSICUM POTATO CURRY

Ingredients:

Capsicum cut in to small cubes- 1 cup
Potato cooked and cut in to required size- 3 cups
Finely chopped onion- 1
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds- half sp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Oil- 4 tbsp
Curry leaves- 1 arc

Grind these ingredients to a slightly coarse paste:

Tomato [big]-3
Peppercorn-quarter sp
Small garlic flakes-6
Shredded ginger- half sp
Shredded coconut- 2 tbsp
Cinnamon- a small piece
Fennel seeds- half sp
Chopped coriander- 3 tbsp

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the Cummins and the curry leaves.
When they start to splutter, add the onion and fry them to golden brown.
Add the paste with the turmeric powder and the capsicum and fry them until the oil floats on the surface.
Pour 3 cups of water and add the cooked potato with the chilli powder and enough salt.
Cook the gravy until it is thickened to the required consistency.

FISH FRY

FISH FRY:

Fish pieces-8 to 10

Wash the fish pieces and coat them with 2 tbsp chilli powder, 1sp turmeric powder and enough salt.

After half an hour, apply the following ground paste to marinate for 1 hour. Then fry the pieces in hot oil.

Grind to a paste:

Grind one handful shredded coconut, 2tsp fennel seed, 1tbsp ginger paste, 1tbsp garlic paste, and 6 small onions.

CHETTINADU CHICKEN VARUVAL

CHETTINADU CHICKEN VARUVAL:

Ingredients:

For marinating:

Fresh curd-8 tbsp

Ginger paste- 2 tsp

Garlic paste- 2 tsp

Pepper powder- 1 ½ tbsp [coarsely ground]

Lime juice- 2 tsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

 Fennel powder- 2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tbsp

 Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Chicken pieces-1 ½ kilos

Other ingredients:

Oil- 8 tbsp

Chopped onion- 2 cups

Garlic paste- 2 tsp

Crushed tomatoes- 1 ½ cups

Coriander leaves- a handful

Curry leaves- 2 springs

Red chillies-5

Sliced onions- ¼ cup

Coarse pepper powder- 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Marinade the chicken with all the ingredients for marinating for 2 hours.

In a big kadai, pour 6 tbsp oil.

Add the chopped onions and fry well to a golden brown colour.

Add 2tsp ginger paste and 2sp garlic paste and fry well.

Add the crushed tomatoes and fry until the oil floats on the top and the tomatoes are well mashed.

Add the chicken and cover with a lid and cook under medium fire.

When the chicken is cooked and the gravy is thickened, open the kadai and add the chopped coriander leaves.

Heat a small kadai and pour 2tbsp oil.

Fry the red chillies, curry leaves, sliced onions and the coarse pepper powder.

Pour this on the chicken and cook for a few minutes.

MUTTON CHUKKA VARUVAL

MUTTON CHUKKA VARUVAL:

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds- ¼ cup

Red chillies-15

Peppersorns- 1 ½ tsp

Cumin seeds- 2tsp

Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Cardamom-2

Cinnamon- 1tsp

Ginger- 1 tbsp

Garlic flakes-15

Green chillies-5

Poppy seeds- 1tsp

Coconut- 1 [extract thick milk from this coconut]

Small onions-1 cup [finely chopped]

Mutton pieces- 1 kilo

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Enough oil

Method:

Fry the coriander seeds, red chillies, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds,  cardamoms, cinnamon separately to a golden brown colour in a very little oil and then powder them very finely.

Grind the ginger, garlic flakes, green chillies, and poppy seeds to a fine paste.

Heat a kadai and add enough oil.

Add 100gms small onions and fry them.

Then add the garlic masala and fry well.

Add the mutton pieces which are well cleaned and fry for a few minutes.

Add the milk, enough salt, turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes and mix well.

Cook well until the mutton pieces are well cooked.

Then add the powder and cook for 5 minutes under medium fire.

You can cook the mutton in the pressure cooker separately and then add the masala.

Fish Puttu

MEEN PUTTU:

Ingredients:

Fleshy fish pieces-1/2 kilo

Onion-4 [finely sliced]

Oil-4 tbsp

Fennel seeds-2sp

Green chillies-2tbsp [chopped]

Chopped garlic-2sp

Chopped ginger-2sp

Chopped tomatoes-1 cup

Turmeric powder-1tsp

Chopped coriander leaves-a handful

Curry leaves- a few

Shredded coconut- ½ cup

Salt to tatse

Method:

Steam the fish pieces and then crush them finely.

In oil, fry the fennel seeds and then add the sliced onions and the chopped green chillies.

Fry them to a brown colour.

Grind the ginger, garlic with 1sp aniseed to a fine paste and add to the onion and fry well.

Now add the chopped tomatoes with the turmeric powder.

Fry for a few minutes until the tomatoes are well cooked and mashed.

Add the fish with enough salt and fry well for some minutes.

Add curry leaves, shredded coconut and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.