Pepper chicken

One of all time favorites.  Its a scrumptious and flavorful recipe. Cooking is made simple in this recipe without much effort. This recipe is made using minimal and basic ingredients. Also, the steps for preparation is very easy to follow. 

Ingredients

500 gms. Chicken
1 Onion, chopped lengthwise
4 Green chilies, chopped
1 bunch of coriander, chopped
1 string of Curry leaves
1 tsp. Black pepper powder
½ tsp. Turmeric powder
1 inch Ginger, julienne
5 cloves of Garlic, minced
5 tsp. of Oil
Salt to taste

Procedure

v Mix all the above ingredients except salt and marinade in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes

v In a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil, add marinated chicken. In low heat setting, cook chicken for 15 minutes.

v Adjust salt to taste and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes until gravy thickens

v Add some more cilantro and serve hot

Egg Fried Rice

Egg fried rice is a simple and easy recipe for beginners and bachelors. It can be easily prepared with left over rice and it  cooks fast. The recipe for egg fried rice is same as "Mushroom fried rice", except that, in this recipe eggs are used instead of mushrooms.

Ingredients

4 Eggs

3 cups cooked rice

1 onion, chopped lengthwise

1 green bell peppers, chopped lengthwise

1 carrot, chopped lengthwise

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 green chilies, chopped

½ tsp. black pepper powder

½ tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. vinegar

¼ tsp. ajinomoto

4 tsp. oil

Salt

Procedure

v  In a skillet, heat 1 tsp. of oil, beat 4 eggs and sauté until they are partially cooked. Transfer it into a separate container and keep it aside

v  In the same skillet, heat remaining 3 tsp. of oil, add garlic, green chilies, onions, carrots and bell pepper. Cook until they are partially done

v  Add soy sauce, vinegar and ajinomoto. Stir well and cook for a minute

v  Add rice and scrambled egg. Adjust salt to taste. Mix until the sauces are coated completely over rice and vegetables. Fry in low heat setting for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot

Brinjal and potato poriyal

Brinjal and potatoes are sauteed with different spices and it is a great accompaniment for sambhar, rasam or curd.

Ingredients

250 gms. Brinjal (purple or green brinjal), cubed

1 potato, cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. oil

½ tsp. mustard seeds

½ tsp. cumin seeds

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

½ tsp. red chili powder

1 string of curry leaves

Salt

Procedure

v  In a sauce pan, heat 2 tsp. of oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add onions. Sauté until onions turns transparent

v  Add turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well

v  Now add potatoes and mix until all spices are coated around potatoes. Add ½ cup of water and in medium heat setting, cook potatoes until they are partially done.

v  Add brinjal and adjust salt to taste. Cook in medium heat setting for 10 minutes

v  Serve with hot rice or chapatti

Sorakaya Kootu (Bottle Gourd kootu)

"Kootu" is a South Indian delicacy served as side dish with rice and sambhar, chapathi, etc. Kootu is like a stew which is prepared by cooking channa or moong dal (yellow lentils) along with different vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beans, bottle gourd and several other vegetables. The base for curry is prepared using coconut, ginger, chilies and cumin seeds.

Ingredients

1 cup Channa Dal, soaked for 3-5 hours

250 gms Bottle gourd (sorakaya), cubed

1 cup grated coconut

1 inch Ginger

2 Green Chilies

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

Pinch of asafetida

½ tsp. Mustard seeds

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 string of curry leaves

1 tsp. oil

Salt

Procedure

v  In a pressure cooker, cook channa dal and bottle gourd along with 2 cups of water up to 3 whistles

v  Using a blender, make a paste of coconut, ginger, green chilies, ½ tsp. cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Add water if required

v  After pressure cooker has cooled, pour the coconut mixture and adjust salt to taste. Bring it boil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes

v  For seasoning- heat 1 tsp. of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafetida. When it starts to splutter, add it to the curry

v  Serve with rice or chapathi

Vada Curry

Vada curry (also called as Masala vada curry) is a specialty curries in South Indian Cuisine served as accompaniment for breakfast recipes like dosa, idly, and pongal. It is served mostly for breakfast because channa dal has good amount of proteins and fibers.

There are different versions for Vada Curry available online and this is my signature recipe of Vada Curry.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups Channa Dal, soaked for 3-5 hours

1 inch stick of Cinnamon

4 Cloves

½ tsp Mustard seeds

½ tsp Fennel seeds (saunf)

1 string of Curry leaves

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato, diced

3 Green Chilies, finely chopped

1 bunch of Mint (pudina), chopped

1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped

½ tsp Sambhar powder (or any curry powder)

¼ tsp Turmeric

4 tsp Oil

Salt

Procedure

v  Using a bender, grind soaked channa dal, cinnamon, cloves and salt

v  Heat a tsp. of oil in a sauce pan, pinch a large ball of channa dal mixture and leave it in the sauce pan. In low heat setting, pat it evenly about ½ inch thickness. In medium heat setting, roast it evenly on both the sides.  Approximately 2 rottis can be made out of 1 ½ cups of channa dal

v  After channa dal rotti cools down, dice it into small cubes and keep it aside

v  In the same sauce pan heat 2 tsp. of oil, add mustard, fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, mint and garlic. Sauté for few seconds and then add onions. When onion turns transparent, add turmeric, sambhar powder and tomatoes. Mix well. 

v  Now add diced channa dal rotti and 3 cups of water. Adjust salt to taste and stir well. In low heat setting cook for 10 minutes. Garnish using cilantro

v  Serve hot with dosa or chapathi

Vegetable Noodles

Vegetable Noodles is an easy Indo-Chinese recipe. I bet that Kids will love this recipe and also a beginners guide too.
My friend had requested me to post recipes for evening snacks/early dinner and that's when I composed this recipe because it can be prepared instantly without much effort.

I used maggie noodles to prepare this dish because it cooks fast.

Ingredients

2 Cubes of Maggie Noodles (or Ramen noodles or any other noodles of your choice)

1 Carrot, diced

1 Green Bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

1 bunch of Spring Onion, chopped

3 Cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp Soy sauce

½ tsp chili vinegar

½ tsp Green chili sauce

1/4^th tsp Black pepper

Pinch of ajinotmoto

Salt

2 tsp Oil

Procedure

v  Boil 3 cups of water in a pot. Add 2 cubes of Maggie and cook for 1 minute and drain water using a colander. Then wash Maggie in cold running water

v  Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan; add garlic, carrots and green bell pepper (or any vegetables of your choice).  Sauté for 2 minutes. (Don’t overcook vegetables)

v  When vegetables are partially cooked, add soy sauce, chili vinegar, green chili sauce and sauté for few seconds

v  Then add spring onions,  Maggie, salt, pepper and ajinomoto (optional)  and mix well in low heat setting for 2 minutes

Peanut Chutney

"PEANUT CHUTNEY" is a great accompaniment with idly,dosa, upma or any breakfast dishes. This chutney is very addicting and mouthwatering recipe. 

Ingredients

1 cup Peanuts

2 Onions, diced

4 Dried red chilies

4 Cloves of Garlic

4 tsp Tamarind pulp

Salt

1 tsp Oil

For seasoning

1 tsp oil

½ tsp Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

 Preparation

v  In a sauce pan, roast peanuts in low flame until they are slightly brown. Keep aside and deskin them after it has cooled 

v  In the same sauce pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add garlic, onions and red chilies one after other. Sauté them until onions are brown

v  Transfer peanuts and onions into blender or a food processor. Add salt and tamarind pulp and then make a smooth paste

v  For seasoning, in the same sauce pan,   heat 1 tsp of oil, add mustard and curry leaves. Top off chutney with this seasoning