Yakhni Pathan

Ingredients

500g mutton

1/2 cup oil

Salt

Water

3 large onions, chopped fine

20 cloves garlic, peeled

2-3 dry red chillies, whole, stems intact

Bouquet garni (tied loosely in a square of muslin)

2 tbsp whole coriander

1 tsp saunf

Method:

In pressure cooker, sauté mutton in hot oil until colour changes. Add salt and enough water – about 2 ladles – to submerge bouquet garni. Place bouquet garni in cooker and pressure cook until almost done (about 10 minutes of simmering on low heat after the full pressure whistle.)

When pressure drops, open lid, squeeze and remove bouquet garni. Remove chillies, pound, strain out seeds and plastic-like outer skin. Return clean red pulp to curry.

Simmer, mashing any visible bits of onion or garlic with the back of a ladle against sides of pan. The aim is to get smooth, thick gravy. Cook, uncovered, only till excess moisture evaporates; the onions etc shouldn't “brown”. Then add a couple of spoons of water and simmer, covered, to get “roghan”, the oily red film, on top.

Tori with Coconut and saunf

Ingredients

1 kg kali tori (or any similar variety of gourd)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp mustard (sarson) seeds

To be ground together

1 cup grated coconut

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp saunf

2 whole dried red chillies, broken into two

1 tsp chana dal

Salt

Method: 

Wash and peel tori. Slice into discs. Heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté mustard seeds till they splutter. Add tori and cook, covered, till tender. While tori is cooking, prepare coconut paste. In a blender, grind coconut, green chilli and saunf to a coarse paste. Place the ground coconut mixture in the centre of the cooked tori, covering it with the tori. Cover the pan with a lid. The steam from the tori will cook the coconut paste. Add salt and mix the coconut with the tori. In a small frying pan, heat the remaining oil. When it becomes very hot, sauté red chillies and chana dal. Pour the seasoning over the beans. Stir well to mix.

Cheese quesadilla

INGREDIENTS:

(For filling):

Cheese: 300 gm

Chopped onion: 100 gm

Chopped coriander leaves and chillies : 50 gm each

(For Tortilla dough):

Maida and wheat flour: 100 gm each

Egg: One

Olive oil: 25 ml

Salt: To taste

((For Salsa sauce):

Onion: 50 gm

Tomato: 100 gm

Chilli: 25 gm

Coriander leaves: 50 gm

Vinegar: Five ml

Olive oil or salad oil: 10 ml

Tomato ketchup: 10 gm

Salt: To taste

METHOD:

Prepare Tortilla dough and keep it aside for 30 minutes for proofing. Mix all the ingredients to make a filling.

To prepare the salsa sauce, chop the onion, tomato, chilli and coriander and mix all the ingredients.

Make mini chappatis of the dough and roast them in the grill. Stuff the filling inside the Tortilla and make it in a crescent moon shape.

Vazhaipoo puttu

Vazhaipoo puttu is a dish that has been part of our family's cooking tradition for decades.

What you need

Chick peas (Channa dal) – 100 gm

Banana flower (Vazhaipoo) – 150 gm

Ginger, finely chopped – a little

Garlic, finely chopped – a little

Green chillies - 2

Onion - 2

Oil - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Asafoetida (optional) - 1/4 tsp

For garnishing

Coconut, grated – a little

Curry leaves – a few

Cooking instructions 

 

Soak the channa dal for 20 minutes and grind it coarsely without adding water. Steam this for about ten minutes in a steamer and cool at room temperature. Clean the vazhaipoo and chop finely.

Heat two tablespoons of cooking oil in a kadai and add half a teaspoon of asafoetida, finely chopped curry leaves, two slit green chillies, finely chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.

To this add finely chopped onions and fry until golden brown. Now add the vazhaipoo, along with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt. Add the steamed channa dal to the mixture without lumps. Sprinkle some water and keep aside for five minutes.

For garnishing, add grated coconut and curry leaves and serve hot.

This tastes best with ghee rice, rasam or plain rice.

senigala talimpu

Ingredients :

Whole Green Gram 1/2 cup

Whole Bengal Gram 1/2 cup

Seasoning :

Green Chilly 1 (slit)

Curry Leaves 4

Urad Dal 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds few

Cumin seeds few

Onion chopped 1 tbsp

Salt

Oil 1 tsp

Preparation :

Wash and soak whole green gram and bengal gram over night.

Next day drain water and put them in cotton cloth keep it in a glass jar and

the lid must be opened slightly, sprinkle water on it once in a while.

The seeds will swell and begin germinating with in a day or 2.

Sprouts are done now, these can be refrigerated till one week.

Seasoning :

Heat oil in a wok, add urad dal after changing its colour, add mustard seeds,

cumin seeds, after spluttering add curry leaves, slit green chilly and chopped

onion let it turn tender then add sprouts, salt to it and mix it well.

Turn off the flame after a min and serve hot as evening snack.

Atukula Upma

Ingredients :

Poha 1 cup

Green Chilly 2 (slit)

Onion chopped 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves 4

Urad Dal 1 tsp

Bengal Gram Dal 2 tsp

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder 2 pinches

Salt as per taste

Oil 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves few sprigs

Preparation :

Take poha in a mesh, run cold water through it and keep it a side.

Heat oil in a vessel add urad dal, bengal gram dal, after changing its colour,

add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, after spluttering add green chilly, curry leaves

chopped onion and turmeric powder.

Let it done for 2 Min's.

Now add poha, salt to it and mix it well.

Put lid on it, let it cook for 5-10 Min's on medium flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with any chutney.

Makes roughly 1-2 servings.

It takes 10-15 Min's to cook

Thotakura Vepudu

Ingredients :

Thotakura (chopped) 4 cups

Onion 1 small

Green Chilly 4

Garlic Pods 5

Urad Dal 2 tsp

Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Oil 1 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Preparation :

Chop onion and green chilly finely.

Wash thotakura for 4-5 times and keep in a mesh.

Heat oil in a vessel, add urad dal, after changing its colour, add cumin seeds,

mustard seeds.

After spluttering add chopped green chilly, onion, turmeric powder and

stir it well.

Let the onion become tender, now add thotakura, salt to it and mix it well.

Put the lid and cook on med-low flame for 5 Min's, then remove the lid

and let it done for 15 or more Min's till it fries.

Now its ready, serve it with jowar roti, rice roti....etc.

It takes approx 20-25 Min's to prepare.

Makes roughly 2 servings.

Aratikaya Vepudu

Ingredients :

Plantains 3

Red Chilly Powder 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp or less

Salt as per taste

Oil 1/2 tbsp

Preparation :

Boil plantains in 2 cups of water for 5-8 Min's, let it cool then remove water,

peel the skin and chop them in to 1/4 inch size pieces.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add plantain pieces, turmeric powder and salt,

mix it well and fry on med-low flame.

Stir it very often to avoid burning, fry till the pieces change its colour to

light brown(approx it takes 15 Min's) .

Now sprinkle the red chilly powder and remove from flame after a min or 2.

Serve it with sambar rice...etc.

It takes approx 20-25 Min's to cook.

Makes roughly 2-3 servings.

Boda Kakarakaya Fry

Ingredients :

Boda KakaraKaya/Teasel Gourd 1/4 kg

Red Chilly Powder 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves 5

Oil 1 tbsp

Salt as per Taste

 

Preparation :

Wash teasel gourd and cut in to 4-6 pieces.

Now heat oil in a non-stick pan, add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, after

spluttering add curry leaves and turmeric powder.

Then add chopped teasel gourd, salt and stir it perfectly, cook on low-med flame

put the lid (do not add water) after 10 mins add red chilly powder .

Remove the lid, stir it frequently and fry for 15-20 mins.

Boda Kakarakaya Fry is done, serve it with chapati, rice...etc

Makes around 2-3 servings.

It takes approx 30-35 mins to prepare.

Papaya-mango-carrot punch

Ingredients

Ripe Papaya - 1 cup

Ripe Mango - 1 cup

Carrot - 1 cup

Cold milk - 3 cups

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Cinnamon - 1 pinch

Lime - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method

Blend all the ingredients till smooth in consistency. Add ice cubes and serve cool (instead of sugar you can try the same with plain ice cream).

Coconut mango drink

Ingredients

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Mango juice - 2 cups

Cinnamon powder - 1 pinch

Coconut water - half cup

Ice cubes - few

Method

Put all the ingredients into a shaker with some crushed ice, shake well and pour it into the serving glasses, serve cool with chopped mango.

Tender coconut- apple smoothie

Ingredients

Tender coconut - 1 cup

Tender coconut water - 2 cups

Condensed milk - 2 tbsp

Apple peeled and sliced - 1 cup

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Butter scotch ice - cream - 2 tbsp

Cherries - few (for garnish)

Method

Blend all the ingredients except ice-cream. Pour the blended smoothies into 2 long glasses, top it with ice-cream and cherries, serve cool.

Karuveppilai chicken

Ingredients

Chicken: One kg

Ginger and garlic paste: 10 gms

Chilli powder: 20 gms

Turmeric powder: Five gms

Lime juice: Two lemons

Salt: to taste

For Curry Powder:

Dried curry leaves: 25 gms

Split Bengal gram and split red gram: 10 gms each

Split black gram: Five gms

Cumin and asafoetida: Three gms each

Chillies: Five

Method:

Clean the chicken, wash and cut into small pieces.

Marinate in a mixture of ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, salt and set aside. Boil ingredients for the curry powder and grind them.

Toss chicken pieces in curry powder and deep fry in oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Corn flakes chicken balls

Ingredients:

Chicken (boneless): 250 gm

Maida: 100 gm

Corn flour: 75 gm

Egg: Two

Corn flakes: 250 gm

Salt and pepper: 10 gm each

8 to 9 sauce: 10 ml

Worcestershire sauce: 10 ml

Rosemary and thyme: One pinch each

Method:

Mince the boneless chicken and make balls and keep it aside. Prepare a batter with maida, corn flour and egg.

Add the sauces, rosemary and thyme to the batter.

Dip the chicken balls in the batter and roll them over corn flakes.

Deep fry the balls and serve it hot with butter rice.

Mango shrikhand

Mango shrikhand is a great seasonal dish. A traditional dessert, it is very tasty, healthy and easy to make.

What you need

Mango pulp: 3/4 cup

Yogurt: 1 cup

Sugar: 1/2 cup

Saffron: a pinch

Cardamom: a few pods

Cashewnuts: a few

Raisins: a few

Cooking instructions

Drain the water from the yogurt by tying it in a cloth and let it hang for about two hours.

Mix the drained yogurt, mango pulp and sugar.

Add more sugar if needed.

Add cardamom powder, saffron and mix well.

Garnish with raisins, cashewnuts and refrigerate for two to three hours before serving.

Kavipoo pattani pal kari :)

INGREDIENTS:

Small size cauliflower and coconut : One each

Fresh green peas: 150 gms

Split green chillies: Six

Ginger: 30 gms

Shallots: 100 gms

Cooking oil: 50 ml

Curry leaves: Few

Mustard seeds, split black gram and aniseeds powder: Half Tsp each

Cinnamon stick: Few

Cashewnuts: 10 gms

Corriander leaves: Few

Water: 200 ml

 Salt: To taste

METHOD:

Take oil in a pan, sauté mustard seeds, split black gram, green chilli, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Then sauté peeled shallots till it reaches light golden colour. Add julienned ginger and water. Add green peas and boiled cauliflower to the mixture with aniseed powder. Simmer the fire when vegetables are boiled and now add coconut milk and salt to it. Wait till the milk thickens. Garnish the dish with stripped cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves. Serve the dish hot with steamed rice or with any Indian bread.

Varutha mutton chops :)

 

What you need

Mutton chops -1/2 kg

Ginger, choppe - 50 gm

Green chillies, chopped - 8

Eggs – 1 or 2

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

   

Cooking instructions

Clean and wash the mutton chops.

In a mixer add ginger, green chillies, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and grind together to form a smooth paste.

Mix the paste and the mutton chops and marinate for 10 minutes.

Add the marinated mutton chops along with 1/4 cup of water in a pressure pan, and pressure cook for 20 minutes.

Uncover the pan, and cook till the gravy turns dry and the pieces are well-coated.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs with turmeric, chilly powder and a little salt.

Heat a sauce pan, with enough oil to shallow fry. Dip each mutton chop in the beaten egg mixture and fry till golden brown.

Serve hot.

Prawns and chillies :)

INGREDIENTS:

Tiger prawns: 500 gms

Red chillies (diced): Five

Soya sauce and roasted chilli paste: Two Tbspn

Vinegar: One Tbsp

Maida and corn flour: One Tbsp each

Big Onion (sliced): One

Spring onions (chopped): Quarter pinch

Lemon grass (chopped): One sprig

Oil: For frying

Salt: To taste 

METHOD:

Wash and clean the prawns. Add salt, one tablespoon each of soya sauce and roasted red chilli paste to prawns and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Make a thick batter with corn flour and maida. Dip the prawns in the batter and fry on low flame till prawns turn golden brown.

Heat oil in a pan and sauté red chillies, onion, vinegar, lemon grass, soya sauce and red chilli paste. Add the prawns and cook well. Garnish with spring onions. Serve with rice or roti.

Fried eggplant :)

What you need

Eggplant, diced: 300 gm

Large onion, thinly sliced: 1

Sesame oil: 50-75 ml

Mustard seeds: 1tsp

Cumin seeds: 1tsp

Curry leaves: a few

Curry powder: 1tbsp

Chilli flakes: 1 tbsp

Salt: to taste

Turmeric powder: 1tsp

Cooking instructions

In a big bowl of water add turmeric powder and 2 tbsp of salt. Add the diced egg plant, and soak for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the water from the diced egg plant, dry on a kitchen towel and set aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the diced eggplant, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves and onion. Use a wooden spoon and occasionally stir for 10-15 minutes till the egg plant turns golden brown.

Now add the curry powder, chilli flakes and salt to taste.

Green cabbage wraps :)

INGREDIENTS:

Green cabbage: Two

Shredded radish and carrot: One each

Shiitake mushrooms: 60 gms

Light soy sauce: One Tsp

Sugar: To taste

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

METHOD:

Steep cabbage sheets in water and refresh. Arrange shredded vegetables in alternate order.

Marinate mushrooms with light soy sauce, sugar and chilli powder and arrange on vegetables.

Tightly roll the sheet into a 1.5-inch thick cylindrical roll. Cut into four parts and keep under a damp cloth until ready to be served.

Serve chilled.

Shredded mutton :)

This is a nutritious, no-oily way to prepare mutton. I learnt this recipe from my mother.

What you need

Mutton (boneless) - 200 gm

Small onion - 100 gm

Big onion - 4-5

Garlic pods - 10

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

Carrot, grated - 1 cup

Coconut, grated - 1 cup

Green Chillies - 2

Curry leaves – a handful

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

For the seasoning (powdered)

Clove - 1

Cinnamon, small piece - 1 tsp

Fennel - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Cooking instructions

Boil mutton with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt.

Allow it to cool. Then shred the mutton so that it separates like fibre.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add seasoning and curry leaves. Then add chopped onions, garlic and green chillies. Fry till the onions turn golden brown.

Add the grated carrot, fry again.

Add the mutton.

Add chilli powder and salt.

When the mutton is fried well, add the coconut. Fry till the coconut turns brown and blends with the mutton.

Finally, add a few drops of lemon juice and remove from fire.

Garnish with coriander leaves and onion rings.

Angus Tenderloin :)

Ingredients

Beef tenderloin – 100 gms

Pumpkin – 50 gms

Salt and pepper – To taste

Green peas – 50 gms

Potatoes – 100 gms

Balsamic vinegar – 5ml

Method

Marinate the beef with salt & pepper and Worcester sauce and keep it aside for an hour. Roast the pumpkins for pumpkins and green peas mash. Cut the potatoes as you like and deep fry them. Make a balsamic reduction for garnish.

Golden murgh :)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken breast: Four pieces

Thick youghurt: 100 ml

Salad oil: 50 ml

Garam masala powder: One Tsp

Salt: To taste

Jeera powder and black salt : Quarter Tsp each

Yellow colour: One pinch

Roasted gram flour: 25 gms

Garlic ginger paste: 15 gms

METHOD:

Chop and wash the chicken.

Marinate with garlic ginger paste and salt. Leave for 10 minutes.

Mix all the ingredients together and apply it on the chicken and marinate for another 10 minutes. Put the chicken on skewers and grill in tandoori for 12 minutes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with mint chutney.

Jeera chicken :)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken: 100 gms

Cumin, garlic and green chillies: Five gms each

Garlic and green chillies: Five gms each

Turmeric and Chilli powder: Quarter Tspn each

Coriander, jeera and garam masala powder: Quarter Tspn each

Coriander leaves

Onion: One

Salt: To taste

METHOD:

Dice chicken into cubes and wash thoroughly.

Mix chicken pieces with jeera powder, chilli powder, coriander and turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry chicken.

Sauté cumin seeds, garlic, green chillies and onion.

Add some salt, chilli and jeera powder and coriander leaves. Toss all the contents well. Serve hot.

Royal potato curry :)

Royal potato curry is a delicious creamy curry recipe. A crowd pleaser, this recipe is part of my festival dinner menu.

What you need

Potato, peeled - 1/2 kg

Medium onion, chopped - 1

Curd – 1/4 cup

Almonds - 10

Poppy seeds – 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 3

Tomato, chopped - 2

Ginger, small piece - 1

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Dhania powder – 1/2 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Cardamom pods - 2

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon pieces - 2

Salt to taste

Oil - required quantity

Milk - 2 tbsp

Cream - 50 gm

Saffron - a pinch

Cooking instructions

Grind the ginger, green chilli and poppy seeds and keep aside.

Soak the saffron in milk and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, clove, pepper and cardamom. Then add onions and stir for five minutes.

Add the ground paste and potatoes. Mix and cover.

After 10 minutes, add three cups of boiling water and tomato puree and salt.

Cook on a medium flame.

Add curd, ground almonds, saffron milk and garnish with cream.

Royal potato curry is ready to serve.

Sweet pork :)

Ingredients

Pork (cleaned and sliced) -

850 gm(1”piece)

Honey - 4 tbsp

Orange juice - 4 tbsp

Lime - half tsp

Onion sliced - 2 cups

Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

Crushed pepper - 1 tsp

Ginger- garlic paste - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves -

3 tbsp (chopped)

Warm water - 1 cup

Oil - 1 tsp

Method

Marinate pork (cleaned and sliced) in a marinade made of ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, salt, orange juice and pepper for about an hour.

In a tawa, pour oil, add sliced onion and sauté for five minutes. Then add marinated pork, tomato sauce and warm water, cover and cook till pork become tender. Stir occasionally.

Pour honey on to the pork and cook uncovered for another 20 minutes over a low fire till the sauce is sticky and the meat is cooked. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Light red chicken curry :)

Ingredients

Chicken - 500gm

Thick coconut milk - 500ml

Dried large red chillies - 10

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Lime rind and juice - 1 tbsp

Spring onion -3 finely chopped

Small onion chopped - 1 cup

Cloves chopped - 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves chopped - 3bsp

Salt - to taste

Ginger paste, sugar and tomato sauce -1 tbsp each

Oil -2 tbsp

Preparation

Soak red chillies in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and remove seeds and chop. Dry roast chillies and coriander seeds and grind it into a smooth paste. Clean and cut the chicken into pieces. Heat a wok, pour oil and sauté the chilli paste for 5 minutes. Stir in chopped small onion, cloves and spring onions, then lime rind and juice. Add chicken pieces, stir well and add a cup of coconut milk. Cover the wok and cook chicken on a low flame till done.To the cooked chicken add ginger paste, tomato sauce, sugar and salt to taste.

Stir in the remaining coconut cream and cook for 5 more minutes over a low flame. Finally add chopped coriander and serve hot.

Fish roast with dry roasted vegetables :)

Ingredients for the fish roast

Fish fillet - 500gm

Garlic - 2 cloves (finely chopped)

Parsley - 6 tbsp (finely chopped)

Spring onion - 2 stems (finely chopped)

Dried chilli flakes - 2 pinch

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Salt and freshly ground pepper - to taste

Ingredients for the vegetable roast

Carrot - 1

Onion - 1

Red and yellow capsicum - 1 each

Tomato - 1

Potato - 1

Baby corn - 2

Spring onion - 3 stems, finely chopped

Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Salt and pepper - to taste

Preparation

Cut the fish into rounds (about 1” thickness). Blend the chopped garlic, parsley and spring onion, chilli flakes, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add fish pieces to this, stir well and leave to marinate for an hour.

Meanwhile prepare the vegetables. Halve the peppers and discard the core and seeds, cut it into chunks. Cut carrot, potato, tomato, baby corn and onion into wedges or into one inch thick pieces.

Place all the vegetables in a bowl, add chopped spring onions and then stir in olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar. Mix well. Place this marinated vegetables into a shallow roasting dish and roast in the oven for 20 – 30 mints (180 degree Celsius) or till the vegetables are brown on the edges.

Preheat the grill. Place the marinated fish on a grill tray or in skewers and grill for 4 to 5 minutes until each side has turned light brown. Remove from grill and serve hot with roasted vegetables.