Mutton Green Masala Chops

 

What you need:

• 500 gms mutton

• 2 tbsp ghee

For masala:

• 4 green chillies 

• 1” ginger

• 5 seeds garlic (peeled)

• 1 small onion

• 10 pepper corns

• 1” cinnamon 

• 2 cardamoms 

• 2 cloves

• 1 bunch coriander leaves

Method:

• Combine all the masala ingredients and grind to form a fine paste. Cut the mutton in large pieces and clean it. Squeeze out all the excess water.

• Heat ghee in a pressure pan. Add the masala and fry on low frame for 10 to 15 minutes, till the ghee separates. Add the meat and fry for five minutes or till it is dry. Add salt. Add just 3 tablespoon of water and cook till it’s done.

Bhindi/Ladyfingers Sambhar

 

This sambhar is just perfect for an afternoon meal on a rainy day. Made with easily available ingredients, this dish is delicious and easy to prepare!

What you need:

• 12 ladyfingers (chopped to 1 & 1/2 inches pieces)

• 1 tsp urad dal

• 3 red long chillies 

• 1/2 cup coconut 

• 1 tsp tamarind paste

• 1 tsp jaggery

• Salt to taste

For seasoning:

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1/2 tsp mustard

• Few curry leaves 

Method:

• Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the urad dal and red chillies till they give out an aroma. Grind finely along with coconut to form a fine paste. 

• Meanwhile in 2 cups of water, add the chopped ladyfingers, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt. Cook the vegetables until it turns soft.

• Take a pan and heat the remaining oil. Add mustard and curry leaves. Add the masala paste. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Pour it over the cooked vegetable mixture. Check the salt. Mix well.

• Serve hot with rice and pickle. 

Orange Punch

We need

200 ml of water

Sugar to taste

1 tbsp mango rasna/tang

1 big orange

Peel orange. Place the segments in a clean thin cloth and squeeze out the juice.

Dissolve sugar and rasna/tang powder in water.

Add orange juice. Check the taste. Cool for a while. Serve.

Tomato Rasam

 

This rasam recipe is simple, easy and quick to make at home. Rasam is commonly served with plain rice and a vegetable side dish. It can also be served as an appetiser. Try the recipe below!!

What you need:

• 2 tomatoes (medium sized)

• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)

• 2 tsp rasam powder 

• 1 tsp jaggery

For tempering:

• 2 tsp oil

• 1 tsp mustard 

• few curry leaves 

• 1 tbsp coriander leaves 

Method:

• Wash the tomatoes. Cut into 4 pieces and put them in the mixer jar and run the mixer just for 30 seconds. Remove.

• Heat oil in a small pan. When it’s hot, add the mustard, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry. Add the tomato paste. Fry the tomatoes for 10 minutes on low flame by adding rasam powder. Add 2 cups of water. Check the salt and add jaggery. 

• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice. 

Croaker Fish Curry

 

This dish is simple, flavourful, delicious and easy to prepare!

What you need:

• 6 pieces of croaker fish (medium sized)

• 1 cup coconut 

• 4 long red chillies 

• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

• 2 seeds of garlic (peeled)

• 4 pepper corns

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 onion (small sized)

• 1 tsp tamarind

For tempering:

• 1 onion (small sized)

• 2 tsp coconut oil

Method:

• Clean and wash the fish. Apply 1/2 tsp salt and keep it aside.

• Grind the masala to form a fine paste.

• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add oil and the sliced onions and fry until it turns golden brown. Add the ground masala and fry on low flame for 5 minutes. Add water and stir to form a gravy-like consistency. 

• Add salt. Do not add more salt as you have already added salt to the fish. Close the lid and bring the gravy to a boil. Add the fish. Check the salt. Add more salt if required. 

• Boil for 2-3 minutes and switch off the flame. Serve hot with boiled rice. 

Cauliflower Stir Fry

We need

1 small cauliflower cut into florets

1 onion thinly sliced

1 tomato finely chopped

Little ginger finely chopped

Half tsp chilli powder 

Pinch of turmeric powder

Boil two cups of water with a teaspoon of salt and pinch of turmeric. Add florets and boil for two minutes. Cool and drain. Keep it aside. (Blanching)

Heat a tbsp oil, add ginger. In a minute add onions. Saute till they are tender. 

Add tomato. Increase heat, add chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Saute till tomatoes get soft.

Now add drained cauliflower. Mix slowly taking care not to break the florets.

Sprinkle lemon juice, check the taste. Turn off heat. 

As cauliflower is pre-cooked no need to boil much. If necessary sprinkle little water. Cauliflower doesn't taste good if over cooked. 

Sprouts & Ridgegourd Stir Fry

 

We need

A cup of sprouted greengram

A cup of  ridgegourd peeled and cut into small pieces

1 medium onion sliced

One green chilli cut in to small pieces

Little grated coconut (optional)

Let's begin

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add mustard, curry leaves and chilli one by one giving a gap of 30 seconds.

Add sliced onion, saute for a minute and add ridge gourd. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat stirring once in between. Add a teaspoon of water or two in between if need be.

Add sprouted green gram and salt. Mix well.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, add coconut. Check the taste and adjust salt and chilli. Add coriander leaves if available. turn off heat. Let it cook on its for a few more minutes. Serve with rice or roti.

Quick Chicken Balls

 

Chicken snacks are loved by both, kids and adults. This dish is easy and quick to prepare and can be served as a snack on a rainy evening. 

We need:

• 100 gm Boneless chicken 

• 1 medium Potato 

• 1 tsp Chilli powder 

• 1 pinch of garam masala

• Salt to taste

• Oil to fry

Preparation:

• Boil the potato, peel and mash well.

• Wash, cut the chicken in to small pieces and run in small mixer jar for a minute.

• Mix the minced chicken, mashed potato, salt, chilli powder and garam masala.

• Mix well. Wash hands and apply oil on the palm. Roll the above mixture in to small balls.

• Take shallow tava and add oil. When the oil is medium hot, slip in the chicken balls. 

• Fry them well, rolling on all sides. Alternatively deep fry the balls if in a hurry.

• Serve with mint chutney or ketchup on a rainy evening.

Note: Separate the chicken from bones to get boneless chicken. Increase the chicken and potato if more chicken balls are required. If the mixture is soggy, add a spoon of corn floor/maida. 

Golden Sambar

We need:

• Quarter kg pumpkin 

• Pinch of turmeric powder

• 1 tsp sambar powder

For seasoning:

• 1 tsp oil

• Mustard seeds

• 1 broken chilli

• Little hing

• Curry leaves

Method:

1. Wash the pumpkin, peel and cut in to pieces.

1. Boil in cooker till 3 whistles or for 5 minutes with turmeric.

1. Once the cooker is cooled, mash the pumpkin well with a ladle. Keep aside.

1. Heat the oil in thick bottomed vessel, when hot add mustard, hing, chilli and curry leaves.

1. Now add mashed pumpkin. Add water and adjust the consistency. Add salt and sambar powder.

1. Check the taste. Serve with rice. 

1. To accompany with chapathi/poori make it thick (adding less water).

Pepper Chicken Dhaba Style

 

Quick to cook without much preparation this dish tastes good with fried curry leaves, garlic and onion. Serves as a side dish as well as starter.

We need

1/2 kg chicken

2 sprigs of curry leaves

15 cloves of garlic 

1 big onion 

1 small tomato

2 green chillies

1 tbsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp lemon juice

Clean and drain the chicken. Cut garlic, onion, tomato and chillies finely.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add curry leaves. 

One by one add green chillies, garlic, onion and tomato. After 2 minutes add chicken, 1 tsp of rock salt  and turmeric powder,  give a good mix, close the lid. Let the chicken simmer in its own juice. After five minutes or so, add a few tbsps of water if needed and add half tbsp pepper powder. 

Let the chicken cook till the gravy dries up. Stir in between to avoid burning. Once the chicken is cooked well and water is dried, raise the heat. Keep stirring till the chicken browns lightly. Put off the heat, check the taste. If need need add powdered salt. Squeeze half a lime and 1/2 tbsp pepper powder. Mix well. Serve.

Note: Increase or decrease the pepper as per your taste. Freshly ground pepper always tastes good.