indian main course – Meal Haven

Stuffed Peppers

The flavour of the coloured bell peppers is subtle enough to pair it with meat or any veggie filling. I have stuffed it with minced meat but you may also stuff it with mashed potatoes or any flavoured rice and meat or veggies.

You can also serve the leftover minced meat with roti/chapathi or add it to pasta or use it as a filling for samosas.

Ingredients:

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Onion – 3 big

Tomato – 2 medium

Store bought tomato paste – 1 tbsp (skip if you do not have)

Mint leaves – 2 sprigs

Coriander leaves – 2 sprigs

Ground mutton – 1 kg

Ginger garlic paste – 4 tsp

Bay leaf – 2

Cardamom – 2

Cinnamon stick – 2 ( 1/2 inch piece)

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Chillie powder – 1.5 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Potato – 1 diced

Green Peas (frozen or fresh) – 1 cup

Water – 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp

For the stuffing

Coloured Peppers – 6 (red, yellow or orange)

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mozarella Cheese – 2-3 tbsp

Preparation:

Wash the kheema. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp salt and keep aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Once the oil is hot, add all the whole spices- bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks. Once the spices have released their aromas, add the sliced onions and saute well. When the onions have turned slightly brown in colour, add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 3 – 4 minutes until the raw smell dissappears.

Then, add the chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves (reserve a little for garnish) and mint leaves and saute again till the tomatoes become pulpy. Add the store bought tomato paste and . turmeric powder, chillie powder and coriander powder. Saute well for 3 – 4 minutes and add the diced potatoes and peas. Saute again and add the minced meat and saute for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and let it cook for a good 8-10 minutes on low flame. Add garam masala powder and put off the fire. Garnish with coriander eaves.

To assemble the bell peppers/capsicum

Cut the top portion of the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds from inside the peppers. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture and top each with a sprinkle of Mozarella cheese. Brush the bell peppers with little oil and cover with foil and bake at 160 degree C for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, another 5-10 minutes.

Prawn Biriyani

Rice

Ingredents

Prawns – 1/2 kg

Green chillies sliced lengthwise -2

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tbsp

Red chillie powder – 1 tsp

Rice – 2 cups

Medium sized Onions – 4 sliced

Mint leaves – 9 – 10 leaves chopped

Coriander leaves – 3 stalks chopped

Cardamom – 1

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch

Cloves- 2

Saunf – 1/4 tbsp

Bay leaf – 2

Salt to taste

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Water – 2 1/2 cups

For the paste

Saunf – 1/4 tbsp

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 1

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch

Small Onion – 1 chopped

Green chillies- 2

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves – 2 stalks

Mint leaves – 5 – 6 leaves

Small tomato – 1

Coconut – 1 1/2 tbsp

Preparation

Clean and devein the prawns. Marinate it with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and little salt and keep it aside.

Soak basmati rice for 20-30 mins. Then, drain the water out and keep it aside. Heat 1/2 tsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee. Add the drained rice and saute for about 10 mins and keep aside.

Heat little oil again . To make the paste, add whole garam masala, chopped onions and saute. Then in goes the g.chillies. ginger garlic paste and saute for a good 6-7 minutes. Add cor leaves.mint leaves and one small tomato (optional).Grind it along with little coconut to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Heat oil and ghee, add sliced onions, slit g.chillies,whole garam masala (mentioned above), mint leaves, cor leaves, and fry well.Then add ground paste and giner garlic paste and saute well for 5 minutes till the raw smell disappears. Add the red chillie powder and the prawns and fry till the colour changes. This may only take about 3 – 4 minutes. Do not cook it for long as the prawns may become rubbery. Add water and let it boil. When it starts to boil, add the fried rice to it , salt and cook.

Keep the flame on high and do not cover. When the rice starts to show up on top and 3/4 th of the water has been absorbed, take it off the flame. Heat a iron tava and when it becomes hot, place the closed pot with the biryani on the tava. Keep the flame to the lowest and let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.

If you do not have an iron griddle, you may place the biriyani pot/pan on very low small flame and cook it for 15 – 20 minutes. Check in between to make sure that it does not burn.

Serve hot with raita.

Varatharacha Kadala Curry (Brown chickpeas and stir fried coconut curry)

Uncategorized, Vegetarian

This is an authentic curry from Kerala, served with steamed rice cakes(called puttu) and usually served for breakfast. The thick slightly spicy gravy can be also eaten with chappathis. The aromatic spices are ground with roasted coconut to make this nutritious dish.

Ingredients:

For curry

Kadala/black chick peas – 1 cup (soaked overnight)

Tomato – 1 medium

Onion – 1 small

Coconut pieces- 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Salt as needed

Water – 3-4 cups or as needed

For roasting and grinding

Coconut Grated – 1 1/4 cup

Fennel seeds/Saunf – 1/2 tsp

Garlic – 2 cloves

Small onions/shallots – 3

Pepper corns – 3

Ginger – 1/2 inch piece

Curry leaf – 3 to 4 leaves

Green chillie – 1

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chillie powder – 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 1/4 tsp

Preparation:

Soak the chickpeas in water overnight. The next day, cook the chickpeas in cooker adding about 3-4 cups of water with enough salt, for about 6 whistles on a medium flame. Put off the flame and let it cool.

Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil. When it becomes hot, add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, green chillie, chopped shallots, grated coconut and saute it well. Make sure to keep the flame on low to medium. The coconut should be sauteed for about 10 – 12 minutes until it becomes brown in colour. Now reduce the flame to low and add the red chillie powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and saute it and do not let it burn. Transfer it to a plate and let it cool. When it cools down, tranfer it to a mixie and grind it to a fine paste.

In a pan, heat oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the chopped onions and chopped tomato. Saute it well until it becomes mushy. Add this to the cooker alongwith the chick peas and the ground paste and let it boil with an open lid for 5 to 8 minutes on medium heat.

In the same pan, add a tsp of oil and fry the coconut bits until they are golden brown. Add these fried coconut pieces to the cooker while it is boiling. After the coconut pieces are removed from the pan, add mustard, whole red chillie, curry leaf and add these also to the cooker. Keep it closed for some time.

Serve with puttu or rice.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Non-Vegetarian

A popular dish from the Indian sub-continent, butter chicken is prepared using spiced tomato, butter and cream sauce. You may adjust the amount of butter and cream used as per your taste as most restaurants add in copius amounts of butter to this gravy. You may also substitute some of the butter with oil in this recipe (half and half).

Serve it with jeera rice or tandoori naan or rotis.

Ingredients:

For marinade:

Chicken (boneless) cut into cubes – 750 gms

Curds – 3/4 cup

Kashmiri Chillie powder – 1 tsp

Lime juice – 2 tsp

Red colouring (optional though I have not used it)

Salt to taste

For Gravy:

Onions Chopped Fine – 2 medium

Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tsps

Tomatoes blanched and ground – 2 large

Store bought tomato paste – 1 tsp

Cumin powder /Jeera powder – 1 tsp

Cashew nut paste/Badam (Almond) Paste – 2 tbsp

Sugar – 1/2 tsp

Cream – 2 tbsp

Dried Kasuri Methi leaves – 1tsp

Red chillie powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Butter – 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Preparation:

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for marinade together and keep it overnight (preferable) or for 1 – 2 hrs. The chicken is usually cooked in a tandoor or charcoal grilled and added to the gravy. Or you could brush the sides of a micro oven proof dish and place the marinated chicken in it. Grill on high for 3 minutes and take it out. Reserve the left out marinade juices for later use and do not discard it.

If you do not have an oven, you may add some oil in a pan and pour the chicken and marinade in it. Cook it in low flame for 5 minutes and keep it aside.

Make a paste of blanched tomatoes and keep it aside.

In another pan, heat the butter. When it becomes hot, add the chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent. Then, add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears followed by blanched tomato paste, store bought tomato paste, cumin powder, chillie powder, turmeric powderand the left over marinade. Saute it well for 3 – 4 minutes and add the lime juice. Next, add the chicken and cashewnut or almond paste and 1/2 cup of water and let it boil for 3 – 4 minutes. Cover and cook it well. Lastly, add sugar, kasuri methi leaves and cream (optional).

Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with a little butter on top alongwith parathas, naan, rotis…

Mattar Paneer (Green Peas and Cottage Cheese curry)

Vegetarian

A popular North Indian paneer dish made of peas and cottage cheese simmered in a tomato based gravy with spices.

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Bay leaf – 1

Onion – 1 big (finely chopped)

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1 tsp

Corinder powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Green peas (fresh or frozen) – 1 cup

Paneer (Cottage cheese) – 1 cup or 250 gms

Sugar – 1/2 tsp

Cream – 2 tbsp (optional)

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tsp

Tomato paste (store bought) – 1 tsp

Lime juice – 1/2 tsp

To grind:

Tomatoes – 2 (medium)

Green chillies -3

Cardamom – 2 -3

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece

Cashewnuts – 6 -7

Whole pepper – 5 -6

Preparation:

Add the panner cubes in warm water for about 15 minutes before adding it to gravy. This will prevent it from becoming chewy and rubbery.

You may use honey instead of sugar as it enhances the taste of the curry.

I have used store bought tomato paste for colour.

For making shahi paneer curry, you may add a few melon seeds or badam, 1 tsp poppy seeds to the masala while making the tomato paste.

Start by making a paste of tomatoes, green chillies, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns and cashewnuts.

Heat ghee and oil in a pan. When it is hot, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf and saute. Then, add chopped onions and fry until it turns translucent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute again until the raw smell disappears.

Add the ground paste and saute again for 4 to 5 minutes. Then add chillie powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, tomato paste and salt and saute until the masalas again.

Add the peas and saute well. Now, add warm water and boil it once or until the peas is cooked. Add cream, garam masala, lime juice, kasuri methi and sugar and mix well.

Finally, add the paneer cubes and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with tandoori naan, chapathis, rotis….

Kottayam Fish Curry

Non-Vegetarian

A mouthwatering fish curry of Kerala, a speciality of the Kottayam district which is served usually with rice or boiled tapoica. The fish pieces are cooked with kokum ( a souring agent like tamarind) giving it a unique smoky taste.

Ingredients:

Fish – 1/2 kg

Ginger – 2 tbsp, thinly sliced or chopped

Garlic – 2 tbsp, chopped

Shallots – 5-6, thinly sliced

Onion – 1 chopped

Green chilly – 1, slit

Kudam puli (kokum)– 3-4 pieces

Curry leaves – 2 – 3 sprigs

Chilly powder – 2 – 2.5 tbsp (Adjust according to your spice tolerance. Use Kashmiri chilly powder to make it less spicy.)

Coriander powder – 2 – 3 tsp

Fenugreek powder – 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil – 2.5 tbsp or as required

Salt – To taste

Hot water – 1.5 cups or as needed

Preparation:

Wash and soak the kudam puli for 15 minutes in 1/4 cup of warm water.

Heat 2 – 2.5 tbsp coconut oil in a pan/claypot. When hot, add the mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle, add the ginger, garlic, pearl onions, green chilly, curry leaves and saute until they turn golden. Reduce the heat and add the chili-coriander-fenugreek-turmeric powders. Saute for a minute (take care not to burn it) and when the oil starts appearing on the surface, add about 1.5 – 2 cups hot water, salt and the kudam puli pieces. Boil it for a good 4-5 minutes until the raw smell disappears and check for salt. Now, add the fish pieces. (If the gravy is not sour enough, add some more water in which the kudampuli pieces were soaked.)

After adding the fish pieces, swirl the clay pot/pan to mix everything well. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Cook at medium-low flame. Remember to rotate the pot/ pan every 6-8 mts. It generally takes less than 20 mts to cook the fish.

Cook until the fish gets done and the gravy is medium-thick. Check the gravy, if it tastes sour, remove one or two pieces of kudam puli. Switch off the flame. Add some curry leaves and 2 tsp of coconut oil on top. Serve with hot rice or boiled tapoica. The curry tastes best after a day.

Palak Paneer

Vegetarian, Vgetarian

A spinach and cottage cheese curry which pairs well with naan, parathas, chappatis or rice. You can also substitute paneer with tofu, if one is allergic to diary products.

Ingredients:

Spinach/Palak chopped- 2 bunches

Onion – 2 finely chopped

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Garlic -3 cloves

Tomato – 2 big

Green chillies chopped- 2

Jeera – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chillie power – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder – less than 1/4 tsp

Cottage cheese or paneer (cubed) – 250 gms

Cream – 2 tbsp (optional)

Oil – 1 tbsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Preparation:

Clean the palak, drain it in a colander and chop it. In a big vessel, add the chopped palak with tender stems and green chillies, just about 2 tbsp of water and close the lid and cook it. Take it off the fire when it is almost 3/4 cooked. Do not let the greens change its bright green colour. Cool it and grind it in a blender coarsely. Make sure it is not a very fine paste.

In another pan, melt the butter and saute the paneer until it starts to turn golden brown. Keep it aside.

In the same pan, add little oil. When hot, add jeera, finely chopped ginger and the finely chopped garlic, finely chopped onions and saute well. In goes the tomatoes next, followed by the red chillie powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and the turmeric powder.

Saute well for 2 minutes and then add the paneer to it, followed by the ground palak mixture. Add salt and let it boil for 10 minutes. You may add cream and mix it or skip it, if you do not want it.