A Thai chicken soup packed with flavours of lemongrass, gaalangal (thai ginger) and lime juice. Loved by all in my family, this soup can also be prepared by adding coconut milk to it (Tom-Kha soup).
Ingredients:
Fresh red chillies or green chillies – 4
Lemon grass – 1 stalk
Galangal diced – 2 inch piece
Evaporated milk – 3 tbsps
Kaffir lime leaves – 5 or 6
Nam Pril Pao paste -3 tbsp
Chicken boneless diced or prawns deveined and shelled- 150 gms
Tomatoes – 1 big
Button Mushrooms – 7 – 8 pieces
Garlic – 4 pieces finely chopped
Lime juice – 4 tbsp
Fish sauce – 3 tbsp
White sugar – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped – 2 tbsp
Preparation:
Crush the chillies coarsely using a mortar. In a wide bottomed pan, add oil and heat it. When hot, add the chillies, chopped garlic, chopped mushrooms, onions and saute well. Add the chicken pieces and saute again until it is 3/4 th cooked. Then add tomatoes, lemongrass stalk cut into pieces, galangal, kafir lime leaves and 4 cups of water to it. Then, add in the evaporated milk and the nam prik pao paste(note below) and stir well until it dissolves. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes on low heat.
Turn off the heat and add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Season it as per your liking. The soup should be tangy, salty and spicy.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Note: Thai Nam Prik Pao is a concentrated thai paste made of chilles, garlic, shallots, dried shrimp. It is avaiable in all Asian grocery shops in the Thai section.
Biriyani is one of my favourite food and this recipe in particular which has been passed on from my grandmother to my mom and then onto me, is one of my favourites. Getting the right consistency of rice in the biriyani is the challenging part. This one is slightly different from all other biriyani recipes as the green chillies are roasted in oil with whole garam masalas and ground to a fine paste which makes it flavourful. Also, yogurt and lime juice are the key ingredients as compared to tomatoes in other biriyanis.
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Ingredients:
Basmati Rice – 3 cups
Water – 4 1/2 cups
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Coconut milk powder – 1 tbsp or thick coconut milk – 1/4 cup
To grind (for chicken masala and rice)
Whole Green chillies – 10
Cloves- 4
Cardamom – 4
Cinnamon – 6 (1/2 inch pieces)
Aniseed/Saunf – 2 1/2 tsp
Oil – 1/2 tsp
For the chicken masala:
Onions – 4 big sliced
Yogurt – 4 tbsp
Chicken – 750 gmps
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Lime Juice – 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves – half a handful
Mint leaves – half a handful
Tomato – 1 small
Red chillie powder – 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp
Green chillie paste ground – 1/2 of the amount mentioned
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup
For Rice:
Onions – 2 big (sliced)
Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
Green chillie paste ground – 1/2 of the amount mentioned
Cinnamon – 2 (1/2 inch piece)
Cloves – 2
Bay leaves – 2
Coriander Leaves – half a handful
Mint leaves – half a handful
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Preparation:
Clean the chicken, wash it well and marinate it with the yogurt, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Wash the basmati rice well and soak it for 30 minutes in 6-7 cups of water.
In a flat bottomed pan, add oil and heat it. Add the chopped green chillies and saute it for a minute (pic 2). Then add the aniseed, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and saute it well for another 2 minutes (pic 3). Put off the flame, transfer it to a mixer (pic 4). Let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Grind it to a smooth paste (pic 5). Keep it aside.
In the same pan, add oil and proceed to make the chicken masala. When the oil is hot, add the onions (4 sliced) and saute till it becomes translucent (pic 7). Add the garam masala powder and then add the ginger garlic paste and saute well until the raw smell goes off (pic 8). Next, in goes the half of the ground chillie paste (pic 10) and the coriander and mint leaves (pic 11). Saute it well for 3 minutes and add the chopped tomato, lime juice and the red chillie powder (pic 12). Saute until it becomes mushy. Now, it is time to add the marinated chicken (pic 13). Stir it well, lower the flame to low and close and cook adding 1/2 a cup of water (pic 14). Adjust the salt seasoning . After 7 minutes, open and saute again until it has a masala consistency and is not watery (pic 15). Put off the fire and keep it aside.
Now, proceed to cook the rice. In another flat bottomed wide pan, heat oil and ghee. Add the whole garam masala (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves) and when it starts to become brown, add the sliced onions (2) and saute well (pic 17). Then, add the ginger garlic paste and half of the green chillie paste and saute again until the raw smell disappears. Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves and saute again (pic 18). Drain the basmati rice and add it to the pan (pic 19) and gently saute it once or twice very gently making sure that the grains do not break (pic 20).
Add 4 1/2 cups of boiiling water and coconut milk powder (or thick coconut milk) to the rice (pic 21). Adjust the salt, add lime juice and close the lid (pic 22) and let it cook on high for 5 minutes (pic 23). When the grains are 3/4 cooked (pic 24), add the chicken masala to the rice (pic 25) and gently mix well to combine. At this point, heat a cast iron tava and place the pan on top of it (pic 26). Close tightly and reduce the flame to slow and cook for 20 minutes. Do not be tempted to open it but make sure the flame is kept low.
After 20 minutes, open and check if the rice is cooked. If not, close and keep it for some more time.
Serve the biriyani onto a serving dish and garnish it with coriander leaves.
A medium spicy blend of chillies and tamarind, this fish curry can be served with rice or dosas or idlis. There are many different ways of making fish curry in Tamilnadu. This style of the recipe was followed by my mother in law and I have always loved it.
I have seasoned the curry using vadavam (vadouvan), french derivative for this masala. The spice blend is thought to have originated from the colonial influence of the French in the Pondicherry region of India. (Pictured below). The spice blend contains pounded onion, garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds which are sun dried, then crushed and mixed with castor oil, rolled into balls and dried for several more days.
If you do not have vadavam, you could use the items mentioned “under seasoning” which would be readily available in your pantry.
Keep the ingredients aside
Heat oil and add vadagam and curry leaves
Add the ground paste
Saute for 5 minutes
Mix the spice powders
Clean 1/2 kg fish
Add water and tamarind and boil for 10 mts on a low flame
To Grind:
Onion – 1 big
Tomato – 2 1/2 medium
Green chillies – 2
Garlic – 5 cloves
Ginger – 3/4 inch piece
Saunf – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 4 or 5
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Other ingredients:
Fish – 1/2 kg
Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp
Tamarind – a small ball (to make 1/4 cup of thick extract)
Water – 2 1/4 cups
Chillie powder – 2 tsps
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Cumin seed powder – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
For seasoning:
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera seeds – 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 1/2 sprigs
Garlic cut into small pieces – 1/2 tsp
OR
Vadagam – 1 tsp crushed
Oil – 1 tsp
Preparation:
Wash and clean the fish well. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to the fish and keep it aside.
Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water. After 10 minutes, extract 1/4 cup of thick extract and keep it aside.
In a mixer, grind the items under ‘to grind’ to a smooth paste.
Heat a kadai or clay plot. Add oil and when it becomes hot, add the seasonings/vadagam and curry leaves. When it starts sizzling, add the ground paste to it and saute it well for 5 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add 1/4 cup of the tamarind extract to this paste and saute again.
In a separate bowl, add the red chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt. Add 2 1/4 cups of water to it and mix well.
Add the liquid to the pan/clay pot and let it boil for a full 8-10 minutes on low flame. Then, add the cleaned fish to it and cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Put off the flame and serve with rice.
A flavourful combination of onions, whole spices, tomatoes and Indian garam masala powder with minced meat. You can substitute the minced meat with the meat of lamb, goat, chicken, buffalo or pork. It can be served with chapathis, rice, parathas and as minced meat sandwiches.
Heat oil and add the whole garam masala and onions
Add onions and curry leaf
Add ginger garlic paste
Add mint leaves and coriander leaves
Add tomatoes
Add the cleaned and washed minced meat
Add the spice powders
Saute the powders well
Take it off the fire when cooked
Ingredients:
Minced meat – 500 gms
Onions – 2 big finely chopped
Tomatoes – 2 medium chopped
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves – 2 stalks chopped
Mint leaves – 1 stalk chopped (optional)
Curry leaves – 1 stalk
Red chillie powder – 2 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp
Bay leaves – 2 small
Cinnamon – 2 (1/2 inch piece)
Cardamom – 3
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup
Diced Potatoes – 1/4 cup (optional)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp (optional)
Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan. Add the jeera. When it starts to sizzle, add the cardomom, cinnamon and the bay leaves. When it turns slightly brown, add the finely chopped onions and saute well for 5 minutes. Soon, they will start to turn pink in colour. Then, add the curry leaves and the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away.
Next, add the coriander leaves and the mint leaves and stir fry for a minute and add tomatoes. Saute for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes turn pulpy. Now add the cleaned minced meat, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and the chillie powder and saute well for 5 minutes.
Close the lid and turn the flame to low and let it cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and let it cook. Keep stirring in between to make sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once it is cooked, add garam masala powder and take it off the fire.
Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve.
Note: You may add potatoes to this dish while cooking the minced meat.
A lip smacking chicken curry which is sure to fetch you appreciation. This curry can be served with rice or chappathis or parathas.
Serves 5-6 persons
Ingredients
Add shah jeera, cloves and cardamom
Boil onions and vinegar together
Add the boiled onions to the pan
Next, add the chicken to the pan and stir well
Add the tomatoes
Add the masalas and cook
Add the coriander and mint leaves and cook
Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 kg
Onions – 6 chopped
White Vinegar – 1 cup
Shah Jeera (black cumin) – 1 1/2 tsp
Cardamom small crushed – 5
Cloves – 8
Tomatoes – 4 chopped
Garlic Ginger paste – 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies slit – 4
Mint leaves – 1/2 cup chopped
Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup chopped
Salt – to taste
Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
Red chillie powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Thick cream (optional) – 2 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Preparation:
Clean the chicken and chop it into small pieces.
Chop onions finely. In a vessel, add the onions and the vinegar and boil for 4-5 minutes. Drain through a sieve and reserve the vinegar. Keep it aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. When it becomes hot, add shah jeera, cardamoms and cloves. Stir fry for a minute.
Then add ginger garlic paste and the boiled chopped onions and saute for 5 minutes on medium flame. Next, add the chicken and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
Cook covered for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook again on low heat for another 5 minutes. Then, add the mint leaves, coriander leaves, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and saute well for 3 minutes. Add the strained vinegar from the onions and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes adding 1/2 cup of water. When cooked, add cream and mix well.
Ever since I had this at a Bengali friend’s place, the robust mixture of onions, tomatoes and spices with succulent pieces of meat tasted unique and quite different. This palate pleasing recipe is usually cooked with potatoes but I have not added it as I ran short of them. You can serve them with rotis or parathas or rice too.
Ingredients:
Goat Meat/Mutton – 1/2 kg
Large onions finely chopped – 2
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Tomato large – 1
Potatoes – 2 cut in half (optional)
Yogurt/Curds – 2/3 cup
Red chillie powder – 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf – 1
Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece
Whole Red chillies – 2
Cloves -2
Salt – to tast
Sugar – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnish
Water – 1 1/2 cups
Preparation:
Wash mutton thoroughly and keep it aside.
In a bowl, add yogurt, red chillie powder, turmeric powder and half of the garam masala powder and mix well.
Take a pan and heat oil. Add the potatoes and saute them till golden. Take them out and keep aside.
In the same pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and red chillies. When it sizzles, add the finely chopped onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears. Then, add the mutton pieces and saute again on high flame for 2 minutes.
Now add the chopped tomatoes and the yogurt and saute again for 3 minutes. Transfer the mutton to a pressure cooker and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Adjust the salt, close the lid and place the pressure weight on the vent of the cooker. Turn the flame on high and after the first whistle, reduce the flame to low and cook for 20 minutes and put off the flame. When it cools down, open the cooker and check if the meat is cooked. Now add the remaining garam masala powder.
Meanwhile, caramelise the sugar and add to the gravy. (Heat a pan and when it turns hot, add the sugar to it. Stir it for 3-4 minutes till it starts becoming slightly brown in colour. Add a tablespoon of water to it (Make sure your face is away from the pan when you add the water as the vapours may rise up to your face). Add the sugar to the curry. Do not wait for the sugar to become too brown, as it may become hard and brittle.
If there is more water in the gravy, open the cooker and place it on high flame for 5 minutes and cook without the lid. Keep stirring in between to avoid getting burnt. Add the potatoes and let it cook for 5 minutes.
When the desired consistency is obtained. put off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl.
I remember having this curry years back when mom used to prepare and had completely forgotten about it. Rekindled those memories today by making her version of this awesome coconut milk based curry.
No more worries if you run short of ginger or garlic in your pantry. This curry sans those 2 ingredients is just as flavourful and delicious.
Ingredients:
Mutton – 500 gms
Onions – 2 medium size chopped
Whole Red chillies – 8 – 9
Turmeric – 3/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/Methi seeds- 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece
Cardamom – 10
Aniseed/Saunf – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 6 – 7
Oil – 2 tbsp
Thick Coconut milk – 2 1/2 cups
Lime juice – 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi powder (fenugreek leaves) – 1/2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup
Salt
Preparation:
Heat a skillet. When it becomes hot, lower the flame and add the cardamon, aniseed, cinnamon and saute for a minute. Transfer these to a mixer and grind it to a fine powder. Transfer the powder to a small cup and keep it aside.
In the same jar, add the red chillies and the turmeric powder and powder it fine. Keep it aside.
If you are using coconut, extract 2 1/2 cups of coconut milk from it. (I have used 2 1/2 tbsp of coconut milk powder and added water to it to make it thick). You could also use the readymade coconut milk cans which are available in the market.
Take a pan and heat it. Add oil and when it becomes hot, add the chopped onions and curry leaves and saute well for 3 – 4 minutes. Then add the turmeric and red chillie powder and saute again for another 4-5 minutes.
Transfer it to a cooker and add 3/4th of the coconut milk , salt, fenugreek seeds, 1/2 cup of water and cook it. Keep the fire on medium high and after the first whistle, lower the flame and cook it for 20 minutes. Put off the flame and when it cools down, open and check if the meat is cooked. Once it is cooked, add the rest of the coconut milk, lime juice and boil once. Add 3/4th of the aniseed/cinnamon powder and 1/2 tsp of kasuri methi powder.
A fragrant chicken masala with ground spices, onions and tomatoes. Served with some fresh rotis/rice and dal/sambar (lentils), it can be a soul satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 kg
Onion – 1 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Tomato – 1 1/2 cup
To grind:
Chillie powder – 2 tbsp
Coriander powder – 3 tsp heaped
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Khus-Khus (Poppy Seeds) – 3 tsp
Pepper – 15
Cloves – 6
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 6 -7 very small pieces
Saunf/Aniseed – 3/4 tsp
Ginger – 1 1/2 inch piece
Garlic – 15 cloves
Shallots – 20 or Medium onion -2
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Preparation:
Grind items listed under “to grind’ in a mixer to a fine paste and keep it aside.
Rub this masala on the chicken pieces and keep it aside for 10 – 15 minutes.
Next, heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and saute till it becomes medium brown in colour. Then, add the tomatoes and curry leaves and saute again for 3 to 4 minutes. Now, add the chicken, 1/2 cup of water and adjust the salt. Close the lid and let it cook for 6 -7 minutes. Open and stir it in between. If you like a thick gravy, cook for a little longer time till the gravy becomes a little thick.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with chapathis or rice.
A quick and simple curry with coconut milk and eggs dropped in the curry and simmered and cooked. We usually either hard boil the eggs and add it to the curry or just add the raw eggs into the curry. I prefer the second version as the white of the yolk which cooks in the gravy imparts a more flavorful curry.
Saute the bay leaves, onions and tomato
Add the spice powders
Drop the eggs into the curry , cover and cook
Ingredients:
Eggs – 3 or 4
Bay leaf – 2 pieces
Garlic – 8 cloves sliced lengthwise
Tomatoes – 2 medium
Green chillie – 1
Curry leaf – 1/2 sprig
Onion – 1 1/2 chopped
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Red chillie powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Thin coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups
Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
Lime juice – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Oil – 1tbsp
Salt – to taste
Making Coconut Milk
Coarsely grind 2 1/2 cups grated coconut with 1 cup lukewarm water in a mixer. Pass the ground mixture through a strainer and squeeze out the milk. 1 cup thick coconut milk can be extracted from this. Luke warm water helps you to extract coconut milk well.
2. Grind the same 2 1/2 cups coconut with 1 1/2 cup luke warm water. Pass the ground coconut mixture through a strainer and squeeze out the water. One and a half cup thin/medium thick coconut milk can be prepared from this.
3. I have used the coconut milk powder available in the market and mixed it with water for the thick and thin consistency. You would need 3 tbsp of powder for 1 cup of water for thick milk and 2 tbsp of coconut milk powder for 1 1/2 cups of water for think milk consistency).
Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan. When it becomes hot, add the bay leaves and the chopped garlic and onions and let it become slightly golden in colour. Then, add the tomatoes, curry leaves and the green chillie and saute for 2 minutes. Next, begin by adding chillie powder, coriander powder followed by turmeric powder. Sprinkle a little water and saute well until the raw smell goes away. Next add, the thin coconut milk and boil on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Keeping the flame on low, add salt to the curry. Take an egg and break it and drop it into the curry gently. Break the remaining eggs into two and drop all the eggs into the curry gently and do not stir. Close the lid and let it boil.
If you like it fully cooked, close and keep for 3 -4 minutes. If you want it soft boiled, cook it for only a minute.
Lastly, add the thick coconut milk to the curry and gently stir it so as to not break the eggs. Boil it just once and put off the flame. Add coriander leaves and serve. If you wish, you may add a few drops of lime juice at the end.
An excellent appetizer with kheema which can be served at a party. It can also be served with rice and dal as an accompaniment.
Ingredients:
Coarse Mutton mince – 250 gms
Onion – 1 medium very finely chopped
Mint leaves – 15 chopped (optional)
Coriander leaves – 4-5 sprigs (chopped)
Green chillies – 4 -5
Garlic-Ginger paste – 1 tsp each
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Roasted Bengal gram dhal (pottukadalai ) – 1/2 cup
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon – a small piece about 1/2 inch
Cardamom – 1small
Aniseeed – 1 tsp
Preparation:
Dry roast the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in a pan, powder it and keep it aside. Next, powder 1/2 cup of roasted bengal gram dhal and keep aside.
Wash the mince meat well and squeeze out water.
In a pressure cooker, heat oil. Add the minced meat, saute and then add the whole green chillies and keep on stirring till the water dries up. Then add the ginger- garlic paste, green chilly paste (make a paste of the cooked whole green chillies), turmeric powder, salt and 3-4 tbs of water. Put the weight of the cooker and pressure cook for 4 minutes, if mince is coarse.
After pressure is released and it cools down, open the cooker and dry the mince completely if there is any water. This step is very important as the balls may break if it is wet and water is present in it . Next, take the mince and grind in mixie jar for 1 or 2 seconds . It should not be a paste but should be slightly coarse so as to get the flavour of mincemeat whilst eating.
Remove and add it to a mixing bowl. Then add the spice powder, finely chopped onion, finely chopped mint and coriander leaves, roasted bengal gram dhal flour 4 -5 tablespoons; check salt, mix well and form into small lemon sized balls and slightly flatten them in the middle.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the vadas. Do not crowd with too many vadas in the pan as they may break. Lower to medium heat, turn over when fried on one side and remove when done.Try with one vada – if it breaks, add white of an egg or beat an egg and add a little so that it binds with the mince mixture. Do not keep on turning. Leave it and turn only after it is done.
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