pongal(Rice with split green beans)

Pongal/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:20 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min

Yield: makes 1lb of rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:
rice 1 cup
moong dal  1 cup
pepper corn 10
green chillies 2 cut lengthwise
for tempering : zeera 1/2 tsp.,mustard seeds 1/2 tsp and asfoedita a pinch
red chilly 1
ghee 1/2 tbp.
oil 1/2 tbsp.
ginger 1/4 inch piece grated
cashew nuts 10 fried in ghee  and powdered
salt to taste
curry leaves 10

Method:
wash the rice and moong dal  ,add 6 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles
let it cool down completely
heat a pan,put oil and ghee and add zeera and mustard seeds
let them splutter
add the asfoedita ,curry leaves and pepper corns
add the red and green chillies and fry them for a while
add the cooked rice and moong dal 
add salt and grated ginger
mix it all together

switch off the stove
 keep it covered for 5 min.
enjoy with chips and  mango pickle
 

Egg pulusu(boiled eggs in tamarind soup)

Egg Pulusu/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:20 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min

Yield: makes about 1lb. of curry

Serves 6

Ingredients:
Eggs 6
tamarind size of a small lemon
tomato med. 1
onion large 1
green chillies 2
red chilly 1
oil 2 tbls.
zeera powder 1/2 tsp.
garam masala powder 1/4 tsp.
 for garnishing:cilantro 10 sprigs chopped,curry leaves 10
zeera 1/2 tsp.
mustard  seeds 1/4 tsp.
coriander powder 1/2 tsp.
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp.
chilli powder 1 tsp.
salt to taste

Method:
boil the eggs.let them cool.peel the eggs
cut the onion lengthwise and cut tomato into 8 pieces
in a pan put 2 tsp. of oil and add  the onions and fry them a little ,then add the tomatoes and cook them till they are soft
remove from the stove and take it in a separate bowl
after it cools ,make it into a fine paste

in a bowl sqeeze out the tamarind juice and filter it through a seive

in a pan take the remaining oil ,let it heat up then give the tempering of zeera and mustard seeds
add red chilly and green chillies and saute them
put eggs and fry them for a while

add the tomato-onion paste and ginger garlic paste

mix it well with the eggs
fry it for a 1/2 minute
add the salt and other spices
add the tamarind juice

let it boil for 7 min
switch off the stove
garnish with cilantro and curry leaves
enjoy with white rice and dal




 

Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:30 min.

Cooking Time:20 min

Yield: makes 10 Parathas 

Serves 5 people

Ingredients:
potatoes3 no's(med size)
wheat flour 2 cups
wheat flour to dust the parathas and rolling board
1/2 tsp. zeera powder
chat masala 1/2 tsp.(optional)
salt to taste
2 tsp. oil
butter to brush the parathas 2 tbsp.
1/2 tsp ajwain(oregano seeds)
chiili powder 1/4 tsp
onion 1/2 cut into small pieces
cilantro 10 sprigs chopped
Method:
take wheat flour and knead it into a soft dough like chappathi dough
Keep it aside for 1/2 hr
presure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles
switch off the stove and let it cool completely before opening the pressure cooker
take the potatoes and put them in a colander
peel the potatoes and mash them into a soft paste with your fingers without any lumps
heat the pan and add the oil and put onion and saute it.
add the mashed potatoes and saute it
add the zeera powder,ajwain,chilli powder,salt and cilantro
swith off the stove and let the-potato stuffing cool down completely
take the chappathi dough and make med. size balls
take the potato stuffing and make balls of size smaller than chapatti balls
roll the chapatti balls to the size of a poori
place the potato  stuffing and close the dough

repeat the process for all the chapatti balls
dust the rolling board with dry flour
roll the stuffed ball into a chapatti turning it so that it does not stick to the rolling board
if needed dust the chapatthi with more dry flour

heat the tava and brush it with little oil and place the stuffed paratha on the tava and cook it till blisters appear
brush  the paratha with butter
turn it and cook on the other side too  till the brown spots appear

 brush the paratha with butter
place it on a plate
repeat for all the stuffed paratha
your potato parathas are ready
serve with keera (green cucumbers) and onion rounds, lime pickle and curd

 

Mooli Paratha

Preparation Time:30 min.

Cooking Time: 30 min

Yield: makes 10 parathas 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
mooli 2 no's(small size) grated
wheat flour 2 cups
1/2 tsp. zeera powder
salt to taste
2 tsp. oil
butter to brush the parathas 2 tbsp.
1/2 tsp ajwain(oregano seeds)
chiili powder 1/4 tsp
onion 1/2 cut into small pieces
cilantro 10 sprigs chopped
Method:
take wheat flour and knead it into a soft dough like chappathi dough
Keep it aside for 1/2 hr
heat the pan and add the oil and put onion and saute it
add the grated mooli and saute it till it loses its raw flavor

it may take 5 min.
add the zeera powder,ajwain,chilli powder,salt and cilantro
swith off the stove and let the mooli stuffing cool down completely

take the chappathi dough and make med. size balls

take the mooli stuffing and make balls of size smaller than chapatti balls

roll the chapatti balls to the size of a poori
place the mooli stuffing and close it tightly

repeat the process for all the chapatti balls
dust the rolling board with dry flour
roll the stuffed  paratha ball into a paratha turning it so that it does not stick to the rolling board
if needed dust the paratha with more dry flour
heat the tava  and brush it with little oil and place the stuffed chapatti and cook it till blisters appear

turn it and cook on the other side too till the brown spots appear
turn it and brush it with butter
repeat for all the stuffed parathas
your mooli parathas are ready
serve with keera (green cucumbers) and onion rounds, lime pickle
 

Chilli Chicken

Chilli Chicken/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:40 min.

Cooking Time 40 min

Yield: makes 2lbs of chilli chicken

Serves 10

Ingredients:

boneless chicken 1 lb

for the chicken marinade:
 flour (white) 4 tbsp
2 eggs
salt according to taste
chilli powder 1 tsp.
salt according to taste
pepper powder 1/4 tsp.
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

oil for deep frying the chicken

for the chilli chicken:
onion cut into 1 inch pieces 1
chilly sauce 2 tsp
green chillies 4 slit lengthwise
ginger freshly ground 2 tsp
garlic cloves 6 minced
soy sauce  3tsp
vinegar  1 tbsp.
salt to taste
spring onion 5 sprigs
chilli powder 1 tsp
ajinomoto a pinch(optional)
for the sauce:
corn flour 1 tbsp.
water sufficient to make a thin paste with
Method:
wash the chicken and cut it into 1/2 inch pieces
 take all the ingredients for the marinade and mix them well and  then add the chicken pieces
mix them well so that the marinade coats the chicken pieces well
keep  it aside for 1 hour
heat oil enough for deep frying in a wok
fry the chicken pieces in batches
don't overcrowd the oil with lot of chicken pieces
drain the fried chicken pieces on a paper towel
leave only 1 tbsp. of oil in the wok and add the onion and cook it it till they are half done
add the slit green chillies,ground ginger ,minced garlic and  spring onions andsaute them
add the fried chicken
mix them all together well
add the sauces ,salt and ajinomoto
give it a good mix
make a paste of the corn flour and pour it into the wok
mix them all well and cook it covered for 5 min
turn off the stove
Enjoy as a starter for the parties




 

Cracked Wheat Upma

Cracked Wheat Upma/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:20 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min

Yield: makes 1lb

Serves 2

cracked wheat rava 1 cup
onion 1
 green chillies 3
oil 1/2 tbsp
salt to taste
butter 1/2 inch slab
for tempering:
zeera 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4 tsp.
peanuts 1 tbsp.

for garnish
cilantro 10 sprigs chopped
karipatta 5 leaves
water for cooking the rava
Method:
In a thick bottom saucepan take 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil
in a pan heat oil and and all the ingredients for tempering  and saute them till zeera releases its flavor and peanuts turn a little red
add the onion and saute it till they turn translucent then add green chillies
add the cracked wheat rava and fry it for 10 min. on a low flame stiring continuosly
then add the rava to the boiling water and mix it very well
add salt
cook the cracked wheat upma covered for about 10 min
swich off the stove and check if the cracked wheat is fully cooked
add the butter and garnish with cilantro and karipatta
leave it on the turned off stove for 10 min.
enjoy with mango pickle
 

Poha(Puffed rice Upma)

Poha/currypot123.blogspot.com

Preparation Time:20 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min

Yield: makes 1lb

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Puffed rice  (thick),2 cups
peanuts 1 tbsp.
for tempering: zeera,mustard seeds,urad dal chana dal 1/4 tsp. each and asfoedita
turmeric a pinch
green chillies 3
red chillies 2
onion 1
salt to taste
ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp.
oil 1 tbsp.
for garnishing:
cilantro 10 sprigs chopped
curry leaves 10

Method:

take the puffed rice and soak it in water for 10 min.

now take it in a strainer and drain out all the water
heat a pan and pour oil in it
take all the items for tempering and put them in the oil

when they release their flavor add asfoedita,peanuts and turmeric
fry them till the peanuts lose their raw flavor
add the onions cut into small pieces and saute them till they are tender
add the green chillies , red chillies and ginger garlic paste
add the puffed rice

and mix it all together very well
keep it on the stove for 5 min
switch off the stove and garnish with cilantro and curry leaves
keep it covered  for 5 min
serve with squeezed lemon and pickle of your choice