Chicken Kurma - A recipe which lead to an eating competition

Whenever I hear Chicken Kurma, I automatically get reminded of the Sunday breakfasts at my in law's. My mom-in-law, most of the time, makes Chicken Kurma for Idly/Dosa for breakfast and my husband and my bro-in-law will be literally into an eating competition. I used to wonder... was it because of my mom-in-law's chicken kurma or was it because they were hungry.Hmm..I bet it was because of the recipe.



Recently my husband made the chicken kurma recipe and I went short of Idlys.! Huh..it means something...it means that the chicken kurma is utterly delicious. So here is the recipe for you to try and tell me what impact it had on your loved ones.

Ingredients:

500 grams Chicken
2 tbsp cashew nuts
2 chopped green chillies
1 cup Coconut grated
2 tbsp Cooking Oil
1 bunch coriander leaves
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 cup curd
few curry leaves
2 finely chopped Onion
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1.5 tsp pepper pdr
salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric
1.5 cup Yogurt

whole garam masala:

2 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cardamom whole
1 cinnamon stick



Method:

In a pan, heat oil and add the whole garam masala. Add mustard seeds and when they pop, add cumin seeds and chopped onions. Saute them and add salt.

In a blender, add cashews and coconut and make it a fine paste.

When the onion is done, add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste. Mix well.

Add curry leaves and green chillies.

Now add the coconut and cashew paste and mix well.

Cook this mixture in a Sim flame till the oil oozes out.

Now add yogurt, coriander and cumin powder. Mix well.

Add chicken mix well. Add some pepper powder.

Cover the mixture and cook it in a Sim flame. Occasionally stir.

After 15 min to 20 min the chicken will be done. Garnish it with some coriander leaves and cook in Sim flame for 2 -3 min.

This goes well with Chapati/Roti, Rice varieties, Idly/Dosa.

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Shikampur Kabab/Shami kabab

Shikampur Kabab or Shami kabab is another recipe from one of my readers. Thanks Amina Anjum for this great recipe. Hope every non veg lovers would be more than happy to try this out. This is a very simple recipe which would go great with any rice variety says Amina.

You can also share your recipes through this recipe form. Please attach a picture if you can.

Ingredients:

500gms mutton (boneless and cut into small pieces)
4 to 5 tbsp channa dal.
ginger garlic paste 1 1/2 tsp.
red chilli powder 1 tsp.
green chilles 2 or 3 (adjust with ur taste).
Haldi 1/2 tsp.
coriander seeds (dhaniya) pd 1 tsp.
salt to taste
garam masala powdered 1 tsp.
coriander leaves and mint leaves to garnish (chopped).
egg white 1 beaten.
cashew nuts 10.
oil.

For shikampur filling -

Thick Curd 1 cup
green chilles 2 chopped.
coriander leaves chopped. few
salt.

Mix all the filling and keep it aside.

Method:

1. Pressure cook channa dal and little haldi till the dal is cooked,remove in a bowl.

2. In the same cooker add mutton pieces,haldi, salt,red chilli pd, green chillies,ginger garlic paste and some water, pressure cook till the mutton is cooked.

3. Remove the lid and now dry the excess water in the mutton (it should be completely dry) you can add the cooked dal and fry nice till there is no water.

4. Cool the dry mutton and dal mixture and grind it without adding water, remove in a dish.

5. Grind the cashew nuts also.

6. Now mix the mutton paste and cashew nut paste,coriander and mint leaves, garam masala pd and add salt if less.

7.Make small balls from the above mixture,make a shallow space in center and fill with curd filling and close the kabab nice, shallow fry each shikampur kabab till golden brown and little crispy or till cooked.

8.You can make plain shami kabab from the same mutton mixture without adding curd filling, just make into diamond shape or flat round shape and shallow fry.

9. Best eaten with dal rice,fried rice.

10. You can store these kabab in a air tight box and keep it in your refrigerator and fry whenever you want to eat.

Enjoy the Shami kabab

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Fish Fry - South Indian Method

In India, my mother-in-law makes fish fry every alternate Sundays. Though cleaning the fish is a 'process', she does it very quickly (maybe practice) and makes these fries for appetizers. Lunch time during Sundays are awfully busy. Cooking for 6 people, 6 different ways was time consuming. But we had fun, as me and my co-sister would be joking all the time in the kitchen. hmm..fun times!



Fish is very good for health and few people consider fish as vegetarian(!?). As it is full of protein, if you are a non-vegetarian, you must consider adding more fish to your diet than meat or poultry.

Ingredients for Fish Fry, the South Indian Style

4 lengthwise cut fish pieces (any freshwater fish)
few curry leaves
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
Few coriander leaves
1 tsp coriander powder
1 chopped green chili
salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 tbspn of oil

Method:

Wash the fish in running water and using a tissue paper remove the moisture from the fish.

In a small bowl, add turmeric,coriander powder,chili powder,ginger garlic paste,chopped curry leaves,chopped coriander,green chilies, salt.

Add oil to this mixture so that we do not use oil while frying/grilling.

Add the lemon juice and mix well.

Now, apply this mixture to the fish so that this masala evenly coats the fish.

Leave it for 15 minutes.

In a Tawa/Grill, place the marinated fish and cook for 3 min, turn and cook for another 2 min till the fish is cooked. On the whole, after 7-8 min the fish is cooked and ready to eat.

Always cook it in a medium heat. Serve hot.

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Hyderabadi Chicken biryani

If you ask any Non-veg lover, I bet they will unanimously agree that Hyderabadi chicken biriyani is the best of all biriyanis. I don't know why, but there are a lot of Andra recipes that are a big hit in Tamil Nadu. I love their Parupu Podi(Lentil Powder). When you eat it with ghee and rice...YUM!


To prepare Hyderabadi chicken Biriyani you need, (for 4 people)

2 lbs of chicken,
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup finely sliced onions(fried),
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric,
2 green chillies finely chopped,
few fried cashew nuts,
2 bay leaves,
3 cloves,
1 inch long cinnamon stick,
3 or 4 cardamom,
1 tsp kala jeera(black cumin), if not available you can also use normal cumin seeds
2 cups mint leaves,
1 cup coriander leaves (cilantro),
Salt to taste
1/2 cup yogurt,
1 tbspn oil,
2 tsp saffron colour



Method:

Clean the chicken and cut them into small cubes.

Marinate the chicken :

In a bowl add chicken, green chillies,mint,coriander leaves, peppercorns,cumin seeds,chilli powder,turmeric,salt,cumin powder,coriander powder,bay leaf,cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,1/2 cup fried onions,1 tbspn oil and yogurt and mix well.

Rest it for 15 mts.

Meanwhile soak the rice in water for 30mts.

In a wide mouth pan, add enough water. Add 2 tsp of oil and add salt.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the water in the pan and cook.

Make sure that you Half cook your rice. Switch it off.

In another pan, add the marinated chicken in one layer. Add the half cooked rice above the chicken and add the leftover fried onions.

Add the saffron colour.

Cover it tight and cook it for 30mts - 5 min in high flame, 15 mts in medium flame and 10 min in the sim flame.

Serve hot with raita or any other side dish of your choice.

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The famous Chicken 65 recipe

When I hear the word Chicken 65, I immediately think of the comedy in one of the Indian films where they find its etymology. Its pretty funny when people have the assumptions that chicken 65 got its name because we have to cook 65 chickens!?cool huh!



Chicken 65 is very famous Indian chicken Appetizer recipe. It is prepared mostly during parties and special occasions. But my husband tried this last weekend just because he was bored. One other chicken recipes from my better half.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Chicken-dark meat(boneless thigh meat)
1/2 bunch Coriander leaves-chopped
2 tsp Cornflour
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds,
Pepper powder,
chilli powder,
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
salt to taste
Few Curry Leaves-chopped
1 Egg
1 tsp Garlic-chopped
1/2 tsp Ginger-chopped
2 tsp Ginger/Garlic paste
4-5 Green Chilli
Oil to fry


Method:

Take chicken pieces in a bowl.

Add salt, 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste, pepper powder, cornflour and mix well.

Add 1 egg and mix till the egg coats the meat.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add chicken pieces few at a time and fry until lightly golden brown.

Remove and keep it aside.

To make the sauce:

Heat 2-3 tsp oil in a pan.

Add cumin,chopped ginger and garlic and saute for few seconds.

Add chopped green chillies, curry leaves,1 tsp ginger/garlic paste, a pinch of pepper powder, chilli powder, salt, chilli/garlic paste and mix well.

Cook for a few minutes and then add little water.

Now add fried chicken to this paste and toss lightly and serve hot.

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Authentic Chetinad Pepper Chicken Curry Recipe

ok, now you may wonder what is this girl doing with non-vegetarian cooking? oh! has she shifted to non-veg? and especially if my parents are reading this, I might get a phone call immediately. Because I am vegetarian, not vegan though. I neither cook non-vegetarian nor eat. So how is this recipe? All credits goes to my husband.

Pathetic!, you might think. But he has no other option. His mom is not near us to cook for him. So only way is to either eat outside or self cook. After coming to a conclusion that eating outside is not affordable, my husband has decided to cook himself. Here he is sharing his recipe for the Authentic Chetinad pepper Chicken Curry recipe.



I really don't know how it tastes. But, after coming to know that he followed the recipe from Vahrehvah, I am pretty sure that it would have tasted awesome. I am a great fan of Sanjay, the Vah chef and I take this opportunity to thank him for making my husband cook.


Ingredients:

2 whole cardamom
250 grams chicken (wash, clean and cut the chicken)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Bayleaves
3-4 cloves
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp crushed pepper corns
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp cumin powder
Few curry leaves
few fresh chopped coriander
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies,chopped
1 tsp mustard
2-3 tsp oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
3/4 cup tomatoes



Method:

Heat the oil in a large pan.

Add mustard seeds, when it pops add cumin seeds and whole garam masala (cardamom,cloves,cinnamon, bay leaves).

Add the onions, salt and saute till onions are light brown.

Now add turmeric, ginger garlic paste curry leaves, and green chilli.

Add tomatoes and mix well.

Now, add the chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder mix well.

Cook for 10 min in a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked well.

When the oil oozes out, add the chicken to the frying pan and mix well.

Cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Add the ground pepper into the mixture and mix well.

Serve hot as side dish to chapati, Dosa or any Rice varieties.

Note:

This is a highly spicy recipe. So be sure to lower your spices according to your taste.

Do not add water throughout the entire process.

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Roast Turkey Breast Recipe with Fruited stuffing for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a harvest festival for Americans like Pongal for Indians. OK. We all know that. Whats new? Thanksgiving is colloquially called Turkey Day or poultry day. The USDA estimated that 269 million turkeys were raised in the country in 2003, about one-sixth of which were destined for a Thanksgiving dinner plate. Wow! That is huge!

Mostly a Thanksgiving Dinner will have a large meal with the centerpiece as Turkey. Now a days, Turkey is replaced with Duck and Goose too. Let it be, it doesn't matter to me as I do not eat any of the above stated birds! But I am sharing a Roasted Turkey recipe here to help one of my bachelor friend, who wants to try turkey this year for Thanksgiving.

The Similarity between Christmas and Thanksgiving is the 'Turkey' meal. The difference is, you are not expected to give gifts to your friends and family for Thanksgiving as you do for Christmas. But what the heck! Surprise them this year with your gifts and make this Thanksgiving a memorable one. C'mon who will say a 'NO' to Thanksgiving Gifts?




Photo by: Zeetz Jones

I did not make this recipe! This recipe is from '100 Great Healthy Main Dishes' by Ladies Home Journal, an amazing cookbook. Please do let me know how it tasted if you prepare this Turkey recipe.

Ingredients: (Makes 8 servings)

4 pounds turkey breast
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
5 slices of whole wheat bread,cubed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup pitted dates,chopped
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves,minced
1 pear,cored and chopped
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp rosemary
1 tbspn all purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth,defatted

How to defat beef or chicken broth?

Freeze the broth for 30 min or refrigerate 4 hours or overnight until the fat solidifies on the surface.

Remove the fat from surface with a slotted spoon.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degree F. Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper.

Place the turkey breast skin side up on a rack set in a roasting pan and tent with foil.

Roast 2 hours until oven thermometer inserted in thickest part reaches 180 F. Remove foil during the last hour.

Meanwhile, stir together the bread,celery, onion,dates,water,garlic,pear,thyme and rosemary in large bowl.

Spoon the stuffing into a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake 30 min.

Transfer the turkey breast to a platter. Place the roasting pan in the freezer for 10 min. Skim off fat.

Transfer the drippings into the small saucer pan and heat over low heat.

Blend the flour with the chicken broth in a small bowl.

Whisk into drippings and simmer 5 min, until thickened.

Season the gravy with salt and pepper.

Crave the turkey into thin slices and serve with stuffing and gravy.

For the Vegans and the vegetarian's out there I found an interesting Tofuerky recipe for your Thanksgiving. Yes Tofu Turkey Recipe. Amazing that Tofu was able to substitute Eggs and now Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

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Lamb Leg (Attukal) Soup - An easy and Tasty way to cook Lamb

Whenever I come across Soup recipe list, the fist thing I search for is sweetcorn soup in vegetarian and Lamb leg (attukal) soup in non vegetarian category. The vegetarian soup is my favourite and the non vegetarian is my husband's. Though I do not know how to cook non vegetarian, my mother-in-law fills the place. She is an awesome cook as far as non-veg is concerned. When we were in India this time, me and my husband gave our favourite menu list for her to cook and wow! every time she cooks, the food gets its own flavour! The very first menu request from my husband was attukal soup and within minutes she made it.

With Lamb, you can cook a different variety of food - Lamb biriyani, Lamb soup etc. For this Soup preparation, she uses a specially prepared powder in addition with pepper powder. First I'll share the recipe and then the way to prepare this soup powder.

Ingredients:
Lamb Leg - 4
1/4 cup onions
1 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp soup powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 flakes of garlic
2 green chillies

Method:
Clean the Lamb leg. In a pressure cooker, mix the lamb leg with this all the above ingredients and pressure cook it.

Add enough water (till the lamb is fully covered with watter).

Pressure cook it till you get 2 hiss. Now cook it in Sim flame for 20 mts.

Take out the lamb along with water and serve hot.

Soup powder:
50g - whole black pepper
100g - Dhaniya (cilantro seeds)
1 1/2 tsp of sombhu (Fennel Seeds)

Grind the above ingredients in a mixer and use it as soup powder. You can use it for any soup, it gives a rich flavour and taste to the soup.

This soup is very good for people suffering from cold as it gives immediate relief.

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Lamb Biryani Recipe

Whenever we go to a hotel, my non-veg friends never hesitate to order Lamb biryani. I have asked them what is so special in it. They said, it depends on the chef. In few hotels they love this food and in other hotels this food is prepared differently which is not very tasty. So I asked one of my friend to share this lamb biryani recipe with us, so that we can make this food taste the way in the hotels. This food was prepared in her house just to help me take photo, so that I can share it with you all.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pound boneless lamb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter /Ghee
1 medium onion, cut into thin slices

1 tomato cut in small pieces

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

2 whole cardamom

1 large bay leave

1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30mts

2 3/4 cups water

1/3 cup chopped cashews or any other nuts of your choice

3 green chillies cut lengthwise

Safron colour (optional)
A few dashes of vinegar (optional)

Spices:

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder and coriander powder each

2tsp of chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tsp of Garam masala

Method:

In a bowl, add the yogurt , Ginger garlic paste and all the above mentioned spices and vinegar. Mix well.

Now add the Lamb pieces and make sure that each piece is coated finely with this mixture.

Refrigerate this mixture for 20mts. This process is called marinating.

In a Pan, Add some butter/ghee and then add bay leaf, cloves, Cinnamon, cardamom.

Add Cumin seeds and after few seconds add onion and fry them until they become light brown.

Add the green chillies and fry. Now add the tomatoes. Mix well.

Now add the mixture we prepared in a bowl and cook it in a low flame for 15 to 20 mts so that the raw smell disappear.

Cook this mixture till have to ensure that the lamb is tender - and that the spice mixture tastes right.

From here on we have 2 different ways of cooking biryani. The first is by adding the soaked basmati rice to this cooked mixture. Add enough water and close the lid. Cook this for 30mts in a Sim flame and after 30mts the Lamb Biryani is ready. Do not open the lid until the rice is cooked; which will be in 30mts.

The second method is the traditional one. It takes some time but tastes good when we do this way.

In a big pan, add the rice and water. The water should cover the entire rice. Cook this in a medium flame till the rice is half done. Switch off the stove and stain the water from the rice.

Take a wide vessel (Wider than the Pan in which you are going to cook lamb biryani). Add some water in the vessel. Now place the Pan on this vessel and add some of the cooked mixture in the bottom. Now add the half cooked rice on top of it. Add some safron colour. Again add the cooked mixture and then place the rest of the rice on top. Add some safron colour. Close the lid and allow it to cook for 20mts in low flame.

We are using water in wider vessel so that the biryani is not burned at the bottom.

After the Lamb biryani is done, add some fried cashews or any nuts and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Raita. See my recipe on how to prepare raita.

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Oil Free Prawn Recipe

When it comes to cooking non-vegetarian, I am a big zero. I have never cooked non-veg in my life. But I have friends who love non-veg. Here is one such food which is my best friend's favourite. This food (Prawn) is one of the healthy and most delicious sea food, I was told. Prawn, which is one among the sea food, contain about 195mg of cholesterol per 100g meat. Most Indian recipes for making non-veg will include deep frying with oil. But here we have a recipe where in we use no oil for cooking prawn.

Ingredients

500 grams prawns cleaned

1 cup coriander leaves

Few mint leaves

5-6 green chillies (according to your taste)

½ coconut grated (frozen or fresh)

3 tsp of lime juice

1 tsp of sugar

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 small piece ginger

Salt to taste

Butter paper to use while steaming.

3-4 flakes of Garlic

Method

Grind all the above ingredients to a paste, except the prawns.

Mix the prawns in the paste.

Allow it to rest for 2min.

Wrap the prawns individually in butter paper.

Steam on either side for 10 minutes.

Serve hot.

This is not my own recipe. This was shared with me by my friend. Hope this works well. Do let me know your experience with this dish.

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