Fried Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1 kg
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ginger Paste - 3 tbsp
Garlic Paste - 6 tsp
Groundnut Oil - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - 5 tsp
Curry Leaves - 12
Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomatoes - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Clove Powder - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp, pounded
Lemon Juice - 3 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 4 tsp, chopped

Method:
1. Clean the chicken, debone and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt with half the ginger and garlic pastes.
3. Rub this marinade on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 30 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a kadai.
5. Add the marinated chicken and saute over medium heat until evenly light brown.
6. Remove the chicken and reserve the oil.
7. Soak the tamarind in 5 tsp water for 10 minutes.
8. Mash well.
9. Squeeze out the extract and discard pulp.
10. Reheat the reserved oil, add the curry leaves and stir over low heat for 30 seconds.
11. Add onions and saute until light brown.
12. Add the remaining ginger and garlic pastes.
13. Stir for a minute. Add tomatoes and stir.
14. Cook till the fat appears on the sides of the pan.
15. Add the cardamom, coriander, clove and cinnamon powders and stir for a minute.
16. Stir in the tamarind and cook for 5 minutes.
17. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
18. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
19. Reduce to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the moisture has evaporated and the sauce coats the chicken pieces.
20. Sprinkle with pepper and lemon juice.
21. Remove to a flat dish.
22. Garnish with green coriander.
23. Serve with rotis, naans, parathas or chappathis

Chemeen Vattichathu

God's own country's chemeen vattichathu is an ideal curry for rice, chappati or anything else and is a specialty of Kerala.

1. Medium sized chemeen (prawns) 1 cup
2. Coconut oil
3. Mustard 1/2 teaspoon
4. Fenugreek 1/4 teaspoon
5. Chopped Ginger 1 teaspoon
6. Chopped finel Garlic 1 teaspoon
7. Chuvanulli (small onion) 1 cup
8. Chopped tomato 1/2 cup
9. Thich tarmarind paste 1 cup
10. Salt to taste
11. Coriander leaves, curry leaves chopped
12. Chilly powder 2 tablespoon (Kashmir chilly would be preferred)
13. Turmeric 1/4 teaspoon

To heated coconut oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek and then chopped ginger, garlic and saute. Then add chopped chuvanulli and saute for some time. After that, add tomatoes and saute for some time. After it comes to a paste like consistency add all the 12 ingredients. Then pour tamarind paste and a little water. Add chemeen too. After it comes to a boil add needed salt. After the chemeen is cooked and the gravy starts thickening, add coriander leaves and curry leaves. Spread a dash of coconut oil on top of it finally. Chemeen vattichathu is ready to be served.

Potato dosa

There are a variety of dosas and many restaurants offer even non-veg dosas for a change. Make potato dosas crispy by spreading it thinly.

Dosa batter 1 big cup
Cooked and mashed potatoes 2
Green chillies finely chopped 1
Onion finely chopped 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste
Ghee 2 tablespoon

Mix the dosa batter nicely adding the mashed potatoes, green chillies, curry leaves and salt. Make crispy dosas adding a dash of ghee. Tastes good with coconut chutney.

Cauliflower bajji

Since cauliflower is a seasonal veggie, it can be prepared for children as snacks in the evening. Easy to make too.

Cauliflower cut vertically 2 cups
Channa dhal 300 gm
Chilly sauce 1 teaspoon
Ginger dauce 1 teaspoon
Tomato sauce 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil 2 cups

Clean cauliflower and dry it. In another vessel, mix channa dhal, chilly sauce, ginger sauce, tomato sauce and salt along with little water and make a smooth paste. In a kadai, after the oil gets heated, dip the cauliflower florets in the masala paste and deep fry it in oil. Tastes delicious with tomato sauce.

Okra (Bhindi)- Ladies Finger curry

Popular with kids and office goers as quick lunchbox curry for bread dishes or rice.

Ingredients:

1/2 Kg okra
2 small Onions
2 small Tomatoes
1/ 4 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
Red pepper (optional)
Oil for frying

How to make / Method:

Wash the okra and dry it thoroughly.
Cut the heads and cut into small circles. Chop the onions and tomatoes separately.
Deep fry the okra until very brown.
Remove from heat and set aside. Pour out some oil. Add turmeric to hot oil. Add the onions and fry until golden brown.
Add the fried okra, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and bake at 250 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes or cook in a pressure cooker for about half an hour.

Malabar Chicken Curry (Malabar Kozhambu)

Ingredients:
Chicken - 500 gms, cleaned and cut into pieces
Oil - 25 ml
Cinnamon - 1 two inch stick
Cloves - 6
Green Cardamoms - 6
Onion - 1, sliced
Green Chillies - 3, slit
Ginger - a small piece, sliced
Coconut - 1, grated and milk extracted three times
Potatoes - 250 gms, diced
Salt to taste

Roast and Grind with Vinegar:
Coriander Seeds - 3 tsp
Whole Red Chillies - 10
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garlic Cloves - 6
Vinegar - 1 tblsp

For the Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Onion - 1, chopped
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a kadai.
2. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms, onion, green chillies and ginger.
3. Cook till the onion turns translucent.
4. Add the ground spices and stir-fry for a few minutes.
5. Add the chicken and the third extract of the coconut milk.
6. When the chicken is half cooked, add the potatoes and the second extract of the coconut milk and let it simmer.
7. When the chicken is tender, add the first extract of the coconut milk and salt.
8. Mix well.
9. For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan.
10. Add the onion and when it browns add the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
11. Saute for a few seconds and pour this into the chicken curry.
12. Mix well.
13. Serve hot with rice.

Ginger Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts - 1 kg, cut into boneless cubes
Green Chilli Paste - 1 tbsp
White Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ginger Paste - 4 tbsp
Malt Vinegar - 4 tsp
Yoghurt - 1 cup, drained
Cream - 4 tbsp
Butter for basting
Ginger, Julienned - 2 tsp, long, thin strips

Method:
1. Clean the chicken cubes.
2. Mix green chilli paste, white pepper powder, salt, ginger paste and vinegar in a large bowl and rub on the chicken cubes.
3. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
4. Mix yoghurt with cream in a separate bowl.
5. Add the chicken cubes to the mixture and keep aside for half an hour.
6. Skewer chicken cubes and roast in a preheated (175C/350F) oven/grill/tandoor for 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Hang skewers to allow excess liquids to drip.
8. Roast again for 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Remove from skewers.
10. Garnish with julienned ginger.
11. Serve hot.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts - 4, small
Gouda Cheese - 1/2 cup, smoked
Red Chillies - 1 tblsp, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - as required
Onion - 1, sliced

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 250°C.
2. Combine the cheese, red chillies, onion in a bowl and keep aside.
3. Make horizontal slits along the thin side of the chicken breasts almost all the way so they can spread like an open book.
4. Sprinkle the breasts with a bit of salt and pepper and divide the cheese filling among the chicken pieces, placing each filling at the centre of the breast.
5. Close the breasts and press the edged firmly to seal.
6. Sprinkle some more salt and pepper and chillies on top.
7. Heat oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat.
8. Add the chicken and cook until browned on one side, for about two minutes.
9. Turn the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the oven.
10. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the centre, for about 15 minutes.
11. Serve hot.