மீன் பக்கோடா!!

After a few months I am again coming to my kitchen with a different recipe. This one is a very old one which I used to make and serve in dinner parties. That is Fish pakoda. It is suitable as a starter or a delicious accompaniment for Pulav varieties. Usually I make this with Vral meen. Koduva also suits very well. But I personally think that Kingfish is little bit smelly. Now we can go in to the recipe! 

FISH PAKODA

Ingredients needed:. 

Fish pieces -750 gm

Chopped onion-2

Finely chopped green chillies-2

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Ginger garlic paste- half sp

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp

Lime juice- 2 tsp

Enough oil to cook and deep fry. 

For the batter: 

Egg-1

Gram flour- 1 cup

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Enough water to make batter 

Procedure; 

Wash the fish pieces, and add the lime juice, little salt and the turmeric powder.

Mix well and let it soak for 20 minutes.

Now wash again the pieces and all the odour will go out.

Boil the pieces with enough water.

When they are cooked, drain out the water.

Remove the skin of the fish pieces and take out the flesh cleanly.

Mash them like bread crumbs.

Heat a kadai and pour 3 tbsp of oil.

Add the onions and fry them well with the GG paste and the green chillies.

Then add the fish with coriander leaves, salt and the powders.

Cook on slow fire for 5 minutes mixing well in intervals.

Allow it to cool.

For the batter, beat well the egg.

Add the gram flour, chilli powder and salt.

Add enough water to make a batter like dosa batter.

Now add the cooked fish and mix well.

In hot oil, drop spoonfuls of batter.

Fry them to golden brown.

Enjoy these starters with your beloved ones!  

மீன் பக்கோடா!!

After a few months I am again coming to my kitchen with a different recipe. This one is a very old one which I used to make and serve in dinner parties. That is Fish pakoda. It is suitable as a starter or a delicious accompaniment for Pulav varieties. Usually I make this with Vral meen. Koduva also suits very well. But I personally think that Kingfish is little bit smelly. Now we can go in to the recipe! 

FISH PAKODA

Ingredients needed:. 

Fish pieces -750 gm

Chopped onion-2

Finely chopped green chillies-2

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Ginger garlic paste- half sp

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp

Lime juice- 2 tsp

Enough oil to cook and deep fry. 

For the batter: 

Egg-1

Gram flour- 1 cup

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Enough water to make batter 

Procedure; 

Wash the fish pieces, and add the lime juice, little salt and the turmeric powder.

Mix well and let it soak for 20 minutes.

Now wash again the pieces and all the odour will go out.

Boil the pieces with enough water.

When they are cooked, drain out the water.

Remove the skin of the fish pieces and take out the flesh cleanly.

Mash them like bread crumbs.

Heat a kadai and pour 3 tbsp of oil.

Add the onions and fry them well with the GG paste and the green chillies.

Then add the fish with coriander leaves, salt and the powders.

Cook on slow fire for 5 minutes mixing well in intervals.

Allow it to cool.

For the batter, beat well the egg.

Add the gram flour, chilli powder and salt.

Add enough water to make a batter like dosa batter.

Now add the cooked fish and mix well.

In hot oil, drop spoonfuls of batter.

Fry them to golden brown.

Enjoy these starters with your beloved ones!  

கறி மிளகு பிரட்டல்

My close friend who lives in Trichy always makes this dish whenever I visit her home. This is one of my favourite dishes. This is a delicious accompaniment for samabr sadham, mild pulao varieties and also for chappathies and parottas. 

 

 

 

   

PEPPER MUTTON

Ingredients needed

Mutton – ½ kilo

Coarsely ground Ginger- 1 tbsp

Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Shredded coconut- 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves- 2 arcs

Finely chopped shallots [ sambar onions]- 200gm

Finely crushed tomato- half cup

Chilli powder - ½ tsp

Coriander powder- ½ tsp

Oil- 3 tbsp

Fry the following ingredients for a few seconds on slow fire until the aroma starts to float on the air:

Fennel seeds- 1 tsp, peppercorns- 1 tbsp, cloves-2, cinnamon- 1 “ piece

Procedure:

Clean the mutton and cut into small pieces.

Place them in a bowl along with the powders and ginger garlic paste with enough water.

Mix well..

Pressure cook the mutton to 2 whistles and further cook it on slow fire for 5 minutes.

Heat a pan and pour the oil.

Add the onions and fry them well.

Then add the tomatoes with the curry leaves and cook them until they are finely mashed and the oil oozes out.

Add the cooked mutton along with the water.

Add enough salt and mix well.

Cook them for a few minutes.

Grind the coconut with the fired ingredients to a fine paste.

Add this paste to the mutton and cook until it becomes thick gravy.

The delicious Pepper mutton is ready now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

மீன் குழம்பு

Meen kuzambu is the most favourite dish for many people. It is true that the fish got from river or pond is tastier than the fish got from the sea. In our native, viral meen is more expensive and has more delicious taste than all kinds of fishes. We will add pieces of raw mano especially ottu mangai or kili mookku maangkai in the kuzhambu! The tamarind must be fresh and new [புதுப்புளி]. Small onions and hot chilli powder will enhance the taste! Some people add ground coconut or coconut milk. But I do not prefer it as the coconut decreases the spicy taste. The oil must be only gingelly oil. Now it is time to go in to the kitchen.....!! 

FISH KUZAMBU:

Ingredients:

Fish peices-10

Tamarind- a big lime size

Chilli powder- 1 ¼ tbsp

Turmeric powder- half tsp

Coriander powder- 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste

Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp+1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds- 1 ½ tsp

Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp

Curry leaves- a few

Raw mango pieces-4

Chopped small onion- 20

Finely chopped tomato- half cup

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for half an hour and then extract its thick juice.

Heat a pan and pour 3 tbsp of oil.

When it becomes hot, add the fenugreek seeds.

When they become golden brown, add the onion with the greens.

Fry them to golden brown.

Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder.

Cook until the tomatoes are mashed finely and the oil floats on top.

Add the tamarind juice along with the powders and the salt.

When the kuzhambu starts simmering add the raw mango pieces.

When they are half-cooked, add the fish pieces carefully.

When the fishes are cooked and the gravy is slightly thickened to the desired consistency, reduce the fire in to low and cook for a few minutes.

Pour the remaining oil on top.

The mouth watering fish kuzhambu is ready now!!    

CRAB CURRY

This is my 100th post here!!

This crab curry belongs to my native place. My mother as well as my mother in law cooks in this delicious way. The spice powder they make with rice, fennel, and peppercorns enhances this dish nicely. That is the secret of this dish’s taste. There is no need for a separate kuzambu as this gravy goes well with hot rice.

ந‌ண்டு குழம்பு 

Ingredients: 

Crabs-5

Finely sliced onion-3

Finely chopped tomato- 1 cup

Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- a handful

Chopped coriander- 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Turmeric powder- half tsp

Chilli powder- 1 1/2 tbsp

Grind the following ingredients to a fine paste:

Shredded coconut- 1 cup

Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Dry roast the following ingredients to golden brown and powder them finely:

Fennel seeds- 1 tsp, peppercorns- 1 tsp, raw rice- a handful, cumin seeds- half tsp 

Procedure:

Clean the crabs well and cut each crab in to two pieces.

Heat a big pan and pour the oil.

Add the sliced onion and the tomatoes with the ginger garlic paste and the greens.

Cook on medium fire until all the water evaporates and the oil floats on top.

Add the crab pieces, ground paste, turmeric and chilli powders with enough salt.

Let the kuzambu boil for some minutes until the crabs are cooked.

Finally sprinkle the fried powder little by little.

Mix well and let the kuzhambu boil for some more minutes.

The spicy crab curry is ready to serve now!!

CHICKEN PODIMAS

This chicken podimas is prepared with small chicken chunks. Big boneless chicken pieces can be minced through a food processor. With less spices, this chicken podimas is a perfect side dish for soft chappathies, mild pulao variaties and sambar sadham also!

கோழி பொடிமாஸ்

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken- 750 gms
Sambar onion [finely chopped]- 2 cups
Red chillies [ de-seeded and cut into halves]- 8
Curry leaves- 2 arcs.
Finely chopped tomato- half cup
Turmeric powder- half sp
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil- 4 tbsp

Grind the following ingredients coarsely:

Fennel seeds- 1 tsp, shredded ginger- 1 tsp/ small garlic flakes-10, cinnamon- 1 small piece

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the chopped onions and fry them to golden brown.
Then add the ground paste with the turmeric powder and the red chillies and fry for a few seconds.
Then add the tomato with a pinch of salt and curry leaves.
Fry them until the tomatoes are mashed well and the oil floats on the surface.
Add the minced chicken to the cooking mixture.
Add enough salt.
Cook the chicken thoroughly without adding any water.
When all the water from the chicken is evaporated and the chicken is well cooked put off the fire.
Now the hot and tasty chicken podimas is ready!!

ONION CHICKEN

This chicken curry is a special dish simply due to its enormous quantity of onions. But the taste will be very delicious once it is cooked.

வெங்காயக்கோழி


INGREDIENTS:

chicken pieces- 1 kilo
Finely chopped sambar onions-1/2 cup
Slit green chillies-5
Salt to taste
Oil- 4 tbsp

Grind the following ingredients finely:

Onions-4
Red chillies-12
Shredded ginger- 1 tbsp
Small garlic flakes-1 tbsp
Chopped coriander- half cup
Turmeric powder- half sp

Powder the following finely:

Fennel seeds- half sp, cinnamon- 1 small piece, cardamom-2, cloves-2

Procedure:

Pressure cook the chicken with the ground paste to 3 whistles.
Do not add water while cooking the chicken.
Take them away and let them cool.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the sambar onions with the green chillies, coriander and the garam masala powder.
Fry them to golden brown.
Add this tempering to the chicken and cook it again for a few minutes.

CRAB CUTLET

When my son asked me to innovate something on crab other than making the usual Crab masala or crab kuzhambu, I have accepted the challenge. With the usual ingredients, I have also added a little quantity of white sauce along with the fresh bread crumbs to make it tastier. I got very tasty crab cutlets as a good result.


Tips: I have recently known that blue coloured crabs are tastier than the red and brown ones.

நண்டு கட்லட்

Ingredients:

Cooked crab meat- 1 big cup
cooked potato [medium]-1
Butter- 2 tbsp
Plain flour- 1 tbsp
Milk-100 ml
Finely chopped onion-1
Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp
Curry leaves- 1 arc
Salt to taste
Fresh bread slices-2
Turmeric powder- half tsp
Enough oil to fry

Grind the following to a coarse paste

Ginger- 1 tsp, small garlic flakes-5, fennel seeds- half tsp, a small piece cinnamon, green chillies-3

Procedure:

Mash the hot cooked potato.
Heat a small sauce pan and put the butter in it.
Add the plain flour and fry it to a slightly golden brown colour.
Pour the milk and cook on slow fire to a thickened mass.
Allow it to cool.
Hat a pan and add 3 tbsp of oil.
Add the chopped onion.
Fry it for a few minutes until it turns to golden brown.
Add the coarse paste with the turmeric powder and fry it for a few seconds.
Add the crab meat along with the potato, salt and the greens.
Cook for a few seconds until they are combined well.
Put off the fire.
Place the mixture in a bowl.
Add the white sauce.
Grind the bread pieces for a split of second.
Add these bread crumbs to the mixture.
Mix well, make small balls, flatten them and deep fry the cutlets to golden brown.
The delicious crab cutlets are ready!

TOMATO CHICKEN FRY:

This recipe is a very different version on chicken fry and tasty too! Even boned chicken pieces will have a more delicious taste !

கோழி தக்காளி வறுவல்

INGREDIENTS:

Boneless chicken pieces- 750 gms
Turmeric powder- half sp
Big onion-1
Shredded coconut- 3 tbsp
Red chillies-10
Cinnamon- 1” piece
Curry leaves- 3 arc
Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp
Poppy seeds- 1 tbsp
Cardamom- 5
Ripe tomato-2
Peppercorn- half sp
Small Garlic flakes- 15
Chopped coriander- half cup
Salt to taste
Oil- 3 + 1tbsp

Procedure:

Bake the onion with the skin on slow fire until the skin becomes black and nice aroma fills in the air.
Let it cool down.
Remove the skin, wash and cut it into big pieces.
Heat a pan and pour a tsp of oil.
Add the cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, curry leaves, red chillies and the poppy seeds.
Fry them to golden brown.
Then add the coconut and fry for a few seconds.
Let them cool down.
Grind them to a paste along with the onion.
Mix this with the chicken pieces adding enough salt.
Let it stand for 15 minutes.
Mash the tomatoes coarsely with the garlic and the peppercorns.
Heat a pan and pour 1 tbsp of oil.
Add the tomato mixture with the turmeric powder and cook until the tomato becomes a paste and the oil oozes out.
Allow this to cool off.
Pour the remaining oil in a pan and heat it.
Add the chicken and cook until it is almost done.
Then add the tomato mixture and cook for a few minutes until every thing is mixed well and slighted roasted.
Add the coriander and mix well.
The delicious tomato chicken fry is ready now!
This is a nice sdie dish for sambar sadham, kurma, briyani varieties etc.

CHETTINADU CHICKEN FRY:

This chicken preparation is special in a way as it has not much ground spices. With aromatic spices, it gives out a delicious taste.
Boneless chicken pieces are more suitable than the chicken with bones.

செட்டிநாடு கோழி வறுவல்

Ingredients:

Ghee- 1 tbsp
Oil- 1 tbsp
Broken cashew nuts-3 tbsp
Fennel seeds- half sp
Cinnamon- 2 pieces
Black gram- 1 tsp
Red chillies-5
Chopped small onions-2 cups
Finely chopped tomatoes- half cup
Turmeric powder- half sp
Small garlic flakes- quarter cup
Ginger and garlic paste- 2 tsp
Lime juice- 1 sp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Chilli sauce- 1 sp
Curry leaves- 3 arcs
Boneless chicken pieces- 750 gms
Salt to taste
Coarse pepper powder- 1 sp
Coarse fennel powder- 1 tsp

Procedure:

Heat a big kadai and pour the oil and the ghee. Add all the spices and fry well with the cashew nuts.
When they turn to golden brown add the chopped onion with the ginger-garlic paste and fry well.
Then add the tomatoes and the garlic flakes with the turmeric powder and cook well until the tomatoes are mashed and the oil floats on the surface.
Add the lime juice along with the chicken pieces, chilli powder and the curry leaves. Add enough salt.
Cook well on medium fire.
When the chicken pieces are cooked well, sprinkle the coarse powders and mix well.
Cook the chicken on slow fire for 5 minutes.
Delicious Chettinadu chicken fry is ready to serve!

CHICKEN BALLS GRAVY

This is a rare and delicious recipe. This is an ideal side dish for pulav varieties as well as parottas, chappathies etc. I always prepare this with jeera pulao and vegetable curd salad.

கோழி உருண்டைக்குழம்பு

Ingredients for the balls:

Boneless chicken pieces-750gms
Shredded coconut-2 tbsp
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Small garlic flakes-15
Chopped small onion- 10
Turmeric powder- half sp
Chilli powder- half sp
Coriander powder- half sp
Cinnamon powder- a pinch
Cloves powder-a pinch
Fennel powder- half sp
Green chillies-2
Curry leaves- a handful
Chopped coriander- half cup

Procedure:

Grind all the ingredients with salt except the greens.

Then add the greens, mix well and make small lime-sized balls.

Keep aside.

Ingredients for the gravy:

Coarse cardamom, cloves and cinnamon powder- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 arc
Chopped coriander- half cup
Finely chopped big tomatoes-2
Finely sliced onion-1
Ginger-garlic paste- 1tsp
Medium sized potato cubes- 1 cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Oil- 4 tbsp
Grind the following to a fine paste:

Small onions-10, garlic flakes-8, green chilli- 2
Shredded coconut- 4 tbsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Procedure for the gravy:

Heat a big kadai and pour the oil.
Add the coarse ground powder with the sliced onion and fry for a few minutes on slow fire.
Then add the chopped tomatoes with the turmeric powder, the greens and the ginger garlic paste. Fry them until they are mashed well and the oil floats on top.
Add the potato cubes with 2 cups of water and let the gravy boil well..
When the potatoes are cooked, add the ground paste with enough water, powders and salt.
Let the gravy boil for some minutes.
Now add the chicken balls two at a time.
When the chicken balls are cooked and rise to the top, add another batch of chicken balls.
Thus finish all the balls.
Now the delicious chicken balls gravy is ready!

CAPSICUM CHILLI CHIKCEN

Recently my son asked me to invent a new chicken recipe using Capsicum as all the usual chicken recipes seem boring to him. So I created this dish and got praising words from my family. And this dish turned out as one of the favourite dish for my family. The capsicum creates that magical touch!

குடமிளகாய் சில்லி சிக்கன்

Ingredients:
Finely sliced onion-3
Boneless chicken pieces-750 gms
Turmeric powder- half sp
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Small garlic flakes- 6
Curd- 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder- halt sp
Ajinomoto- half sp
Gram flour- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 2 1/2 tsp
Capsicum juliennes- half cup
Oil- 4 tbsp


Grind these to a coarse paste:


Small tomato-1, peppercorns- 1 tsp, fennel seeds- half sp, and coriander leaves- half cup


Procedure:


Soak the chicken pieces with the garam masala pr, chilli powder, turmeric powder, gram flour and ajinomoto with enough salt for half an hour.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the sliced onion and fry them to golden brown.
Then add the ginger and the garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Add the curds with the chicken.
Cook on medium fire until it is half done.
Add the capsicum and cook for a few seconds.
Then add the coarse paste and cook until the chicken pieces are fully cooked and the gravy is thickened finely.

NAATTU KOZHI KUZHAMBU :

This kuzhambu is having a delicious taste as it has a lots of curry leaves. The powder enhances the taste very differently.
நாட்டுக்கோழிக்குழம்பு:

Ingredients:


Chicken pieces-750 gms
Cubed potatoes- 1 cup [optional]
Sliced onion-3
Chopped tomatoes-2 cups
Salt to taste
Oil-6 tbsp
Chopped coriander-half cup
Curry leaves- 5 arc
Coarse fennel powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Chillipowder-1 tbsp
Coriander powder-2 tbsp


Powder the following:


1 tsp fennel seeds, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp poppy seeds


Grind the following to a fine paste:


Shredded coconut- 1 cup, Sambar onions-10, fennel seeds-1 tsp, ginger-2 tbsp, small garlic pearls-15


Procedure:


Heat a vessel and add the 3 tbsp of oil.
Add the half of the onion and fry them to golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and fry it until they are mashed well and the oil floats on top.
Add the potatoes and cook them with a few cups of water until they are half-cooked.
Add the chicken pieces with the powders and salt.
Cook the chicken for some minutes.
Add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes.
Heat a pan and pour the remaining oil.
Add the remaining onion and fry it to golden brown.
Add the coarse fennel powder and the greens.
Fry them for a few seconds.
Add this to the kuzhambu.
Let the gravy cook for a few minutes on slow fire.
Serve hot with rice or aappams.

CHICKEN PULAO

This delicious pulao is rich in taste due to the coconut milk. It is easy to prepare also.
கோழி புலவு

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces- 1 kilo
Onion-5 [thinly sliced]
Green chillies-10
Ghee- 1 cup
Chopped coriander- 2 cups
Chopped mint leaves- 1 cup
Briyani rice- 5 cups
Shredded coconut-2 cups
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Soda bi carbonate- ¼ tsp
Small garlic pearls-1/4 cup
Ginger paste- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Powder coarsely the following ingredients:
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon-2 pieces
Cloves-2
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Procedure:
Soak the rice in water.
Extract thick milk from the coconut adding enough warm water.
Boil the chicken pieces in enough water with the chilli powder, turmeric powder, soda bi carbonate and enough salt.
Fry the green chillies in 2 tbsp of ghee softly.
When cooled, grind them to a fine paste.
Add half of this paste to the boiling chicken.
When the chicken pieces are cooked, drain the water and keep it away.
Heat a vessel and pour the ghee.
Add the sliced onion and fry them well to golden brown.
Add the garlic pearls, ginger and the remaining green chilli paste with the coarse powder.
Fry them well on slow fire for some minutes.
Add the chicken with the greens and fry for a few minutes.
Add the chicken stock, coconut milk and enough water to the measurement of 10 cups exactly.
For extra cups of water, the water in which the rice is soaked can be taken.
Add the rice and cook on medium fire.
When the rice is 3/4th cooked, add enough salt and mix well.
When all the water is evaporated, take the vessel away and keep it in ‘dhum’ in a gas oven for 20 minutes.
When it is on ‘dhum’, mix well once after 10 minutes, pour some ghee around the corners and again keep it in ‘dhum’.
The delicious chicken pulao is ready now!!

MUTTON KUZHAMBU:

கறிக்குழம்பு

This is one of my mother in law's recipes. In this dish, the fried powder gives a delicious taste.
Ingredients:
Finely sliced onion-2
Finely chopped tomato-3
Ginger paste- 1 tbsp
Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 ½ tbsp
Coriander powder- 1 ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Mutton pieces- 1 kilo
Cinnamon-2 pieces
Cloves-2
Finely chopped sambar onions-1 cup
Curry leaves- a handful
Chopped coriander leaves-half cup
Salt to taste
Oil- 4 tbsps
Grind the following ingredients in to a paste:
Shredded coconut-2 cups
Peppercorn- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1tsp
Roast the following ingredients in a dry pan to slightly brown and powder them finely.
Raw rice- quarter cup
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Procedure:
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the cleaned and washed mutton pieces with the turmeric powder, salt, the ginger garlic paste and 3 cups of water.
When the mutton is almost cooked, add the ground paste with the powders and let it cook for some minutes.
Heat a small pan and add the oil.
Add the cinnamon and the cloves.
When they splutter, add the sambar onions along with the greens and tomato pieces.
Fry them finely until the tomatoes are amshed and the oil floats on top.
Add them to the boiling kuzhambu.
Let the kuzhambu boil for a few minutes.
Lastly sprinkle the powder and mix well.
Cook the kuzhambu on slow fire for 5 minutes.