Tag: Non vegetarian

Stuffed Peppers

Non-Vegetarian

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.

Kosha Mangsho (Bengali Mutton Curry)

Non-Vegetarian

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.

Srilankan Mutton Curry(without ginger and garlic)

Non-Vegetarian

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.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Mutton Curry

Non-Vegetarian

A simple gravy without tomato prepared with soft tender chunks of mutton which can be served with rice, rotis or any bread.

Ingredients:

Mutton – 1/2 kg

Red chillies – 5

Green chillies – 1 slit

Cinnamon – 1 inch

Cloves – 3

Peppercorns – 8

Cumin seeds/ Jeera – 1 tsp

Ginger chopped – 1 tsp

Garlic chopped – 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Onions cubed – 1 cup

Onion – 1 big (finely chopped)

Yogurt – 1/2 cup

Salt – To taste

Coriander leaves – for garnishing

Water – 1 1/4 cups

Cashewnuts ground – 8 -10 (optional)

Preparation:

Marinate the mutton in yogurt and salt for 1 hour.

In a pan, add oil and heat it. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves, pepper, cumin seeds/jeera and saute. Then add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, cubed onions and lastly the coriander leaves, turmeric powder, green chillie and saute well. Put off the stove and let it cool. Pulse this in a mixie until fine and keep it aside.

Meanwhile, in a pressure cooker, heat oil. Add the chopped onions and saute well. When it turns brown, add the marinated mutton, salt as desired and saute well for 5 minutes. Then, add the ground mixture and 1 1/4 cups of water. Close the lid of the pressure cooker with the weight on. Keep it on medium flame until you hear a whistle. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to medium low and let it cook for 10 -15 minutes depending on the tenderness of the meat. If the meat is a bit tough, you may have to keep it until you hear a second and a third whistle. Usually three whistles would suffice.

Open the pressure cooker and check if the meat is cooked. If you want the gravy to be of a thicker consistency, keep the gravy on fire for a few more minutes and stir often gently so that it does not burn and the gravy thickens.

Once done, serve garnished with coriander leaves. You may add ground cashewnuts for a richer gravy.

Chicken Punjabi

Non-Vegetarian

This rich and creamy chicken curry is an all time party favourite. Though not as popular as the butter chicken, this one is just as flavourful and quite different.

Ingredients:

For Marination:

Chicken – 750 gms

Curds – 1/2 cup

Ginger- garlic paste – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt

For Gravy 1:

Oil – 2 tbsp

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch

Carrdamom- 2

Cloves – 2

Cumin seeds/Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Ginger finely chopped – 1 tsp

Garlic finely chopped – 1 tsp

Onions finely chopped – 4

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Tomatoes chopped – 2 nos

Water – 3 tbsp

For Gravy 2:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Cummin seeds/Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Ginger – 1 tsp

Garlic – 1 tsp

Spinach/Palak chopped – 1 cup

Onion – 1 diced

Capsicum – 1 diced

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Green chillies finely chopped – 2 nos + 1 no for garnish

Cashew nut paste – 1/4 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

Ginger juliennes – 1/2 inch cut

Dried fenugreek leaves powder/Kasoori methi – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Fresh Cream – 1/4 cup (optional)

Preparation:

Marinate the items given under “For Marination” and keep it aside for 1-2 hrs.

Gravy 1

Add oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and jeera. When it starts to splutter, add chopped ginger and chopped garlic. Then add the finely chopped onions and saute well. When it starts to brown, add turmeric powder, chillie powder, coriander powder and saute again for 2 minutes. Then add chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes turn mushy. You may add 3 tbsps of water so that the tomatoes do not stick to the pan. After it is well sauteed, remove half of this masala and keep it aside.

To the other half of the masala in the pan, add the marinated chicken and stir well. Add 2 finely chopped green chillies and saute. Close with a lid and cook on a low flame until it is done. Put the flame off.

Gravy 2

In another pan, add oil. Add cumin seeds/jeera, chopped ginger and garlic and saute well. Then add the chopped spinach/palak and saute again for 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and diced capsicum and saute again. Add turmeric powder, red chillie powder, coriander powder and cumin seed powder and saute.

Add the other half of the masala which was kept aside to this and mix it well. Add cashew nut paste to this and saute on a low flame for 3 – 4 minutes. Add salt and 1/2 cup of water . Add the chicken gravy 1 to this and mix well. Then add, ginger juliennes, dried fenugreek leaves powder/kasoori methi powder, garam masala powder and 1 green chillie finely chopped. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

You may add 1/4 cup cream if required.

Garnish with ginger juliennes and chopped green chillies..

Mutton Kurma with English Vegetables

Non-Vegetarian

Ingredients:

Mutton – 500 gms

Cauliflower – 4 small flowerettes

Beans – 4 or 5 chopped

Peas – 1/4 cup

Potato – 1 chopped

Knolkhol – 1 chopped

Green chillies – 4 or 5

Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp

Tomatoes – 1 no + 1/2

Onion chopped – 1 big + 1/2

Chopped coriander – 3/4 tbsp

Chopped mint leaves – 10

Juice of 1/4 lime

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Curds – 2 tbsp

Grated Coconut – 1 tbsp

Cashewnuts – 5

Poppy seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Aniseed/Saunf – 1/2 tsp

To Grind:

  1. Grind coconut, cashewnuts and poppy seeds to a fine paste.
  2. Cut the green chillies and saute it in oil well and add 1/2 onions and 1/2 tomatoes and saute well. Grind it and keep it aside.
  3. Marinate the mutton for 1 hr in yogurt.

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the whole garam masala (saunf, cardamom and cinnamon). Add chopped onion, ginger garlic paste and saute well. Then add coriander leaves and mint leaves and also the green chillie-tomato paste, turmeric powder and saute. Add the mutton and saute well. Add little salt and cook in pressure cooker until 2 whistles are heard. After the first whistle, reduce the flame and cook for 10 – 15 minutes on slow until the 2nd whistle. If the meat is not tender, you may need to give more time to cook.

After the pressure cooker cools down, check if the meat is cooked. Then add the coconut paste,lemon juice and the chopped vegetables and stir it once. Close the cooker again and keep until 1 whistle sound is heard. Close and allow the cooker to cool.

Serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Mutton Chukka Keerai Curry

Non-Vegetarian

Another recipe which is a regualr in my mom’s kitchen is mutton with brinjal and sorrel leaves/khatta palak or chukka keerai as we call it. This curry can be served with rice, chapathi or pooris too.

Ingredients:

Mutton – 500 gms

Medium sized Tomatoes – 2

 Onions – 2

 Chilly powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 4 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste – 1 1/2 tsp

Garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp

 Small violet brinjals to be sliced into four – 7 -8 nos

1 small bunch consisting of 15-20 leaves of Chukka keerai/sorrel leaves(English)/Khatta palak(Hindi)

Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

 Coriander leaves (chopped finely) – 10 stalks

Mint leaves (chopped finely) – 15

Preparation:

Clean the greens and take only the leaves. Discard the stems. Wash and chop them.

Heat oil. Add chopped onion and sauté till it becomes soft. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away. Add mint leaves and half of coriander leaves. Chopped tomatoes and fry well till tomatoes turn pulpy. Then, add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and sauté on very low fire for 2-3 minutes or else, the powders may get burnt. Then add meat and sauté well. If you feel the meat may stick to the pan, sprinkle with water and sauté for 5-7minutes. Transfer to cooker and add 1 and 1/2 cup of water to cook meat. Cook for one whistle. After one whistle, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes (depending on the quality of meat).Since this is soft, tender meat I have kept it for 10 minutes only. Put off the fire and open the cooker only after the pressure goes down. Then add sliced brinjals and add chopped sorrel leaves and cook on low flame till brinjals are tender. Remove when gravy thickens.

Chicken Kurma

Non-Vegetarian

One of my mother’s most sought after recipes for lunch and dinner parties. Goes well with puris, parathas, birinji, rice, iddlis, appams, almost anything. It is not a very spicy dish but more of a rich, creamy taste.

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1/2 kg

Green chillies – 4 if spicy (otherwise 6)

Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp

Tomatoes – 1 no. + 1/2 no.

Onion chopped – 1 no. + 1/2 onion

 Chopped coriander – 3/4 tbsp

Mint leaves/Pudina – 8 -10 leaves

Juice of 1/4 lime

Oil – 1tsp + 2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp butter or ghee

Aniseed/Saunf – 1/2 tsp

Cloves – 2 +1

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch + 1/2 inch piece

Cardamom – 1 +1

Bay leaf 1 big cut into 2 or 2 small leaves

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Garlic paste – 3/4 tsp

Curd slightly sour – 2 1/2 tbsp

Milk – 1/2 cup

Water – 1 1/2 cup

Grated coconut – 4 tbsp

Almonds – 8 (soaked in water and deskinned) OR

Cashews -8

Khus Khus/Poppy seeds – 1/2 tsp

To grind:

  1. Grind grated coconut , khus khus and almonds to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

2. Heat 1tsp oil in a pan. Add 1 clove, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 1 cardamom and fry. Then add green chillies chopped in half, as it may burst otherwise. Fry for 3 minutes till the green colour changes slightly. Then, add 1/2 chopped onion, saute well and then 1/2 tomato and fry. Grind and keep aside separately.

Preparation:

Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes with curds, half of ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt.

Heat oil and ghee. Add saunf, 2 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 1 cardamom and bay leaf . Saute once and add chopped onion. When it turns slightly golden, add chopped mint leaves, half of the coriander leaves, rest of the ginger-garlic paste and fry well on low flame till the raw smell of garlic goes off. Then add the tomato-onion-green chillie paste and saute again. Add 1 chopped tomato and saute till it turns pulpy. Add marinated chicken and saute on low heat till it becomes slightly thick. Add 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 cup water and cook on low flame till the chicken is cooked. Then add the coconut, almond, khus khus paste and boil on low flame for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Switch off the flame and add juice of 1/2 lime and serve garnished with coriander leaves. You can also take a hard boiled egg, chop the whites into small bits and using the grater, grate the yolk as garnish. I have added half cooked boiled eggs, cooked on low heat for 5 minutes in my recipe. Hard boiled egg sliced and quartered or slivered almonds can also be used as garnish.

Sura Puttu (Shredded Shark Scramble)

Non-Vegetarian

This recipe is made with milk shark known as ‘paal sura’. It pairs excellently with rice and rasam. It is also commonly served to lactating mothers in several parts of Tamilnadu. It resembles a scrambled egg or the “meen peera’ of Kerala. Sura puttu is loved by all in our house and is often cooked at home.

Ingredients:

Shark pieces – 500 gms

Water – 3 cups

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Onions – 2 big

Green chillies – 2 finely cut

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Garlic – 8 pods chopped

Ginger – 1 inch piece chopped

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Salt – as required

Coriander leaves – 1 1/2 tsp

Preparation

Boil the shark fish in water until it is soft. When it is cooked, take it out from water and keep it aside. Take the skin off and shred it well using your hands. Do not squeeze out the water. Add chillie powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to the shredded fish and keep it aside.

In another pan, heat oil. Add the green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute well. Then add the curry leaves and onions and saute for just 2 minutes. Do not brown the onions. Now add the fish and toss it well. Close and keep for 3 -4 minutes. When done, add pepper powder and coriander leaves.

Mutton Chana Dal curry

Non-Vegetarian, Uncategorized

Ingredients:

Mutton  – 1/2 kg

Chana Dal – 1/2 cup

Curds – 1/2 cup

Onion – 1 medium size

Tomato  – 1medium size

Chill powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Mint leaves/Pudina – 7 to 8 (optional)

Coriander leaves – 4 to 5 stalks

Bay leaf -2

Cloves -3

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Cardamom – 2

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp

Coconut Paste (if desired) – 2 tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Soak chana dal in water for 20 minutes.

Marinate the mutton with curds, 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste. 1/4 tsp chillie powder, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Let it marinate in the fridge for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, in a pan, heat oil and add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and flash fry for 20 seconds. Then add onions and sauté. Add mint leaves and half the coriander leaves. Add ginger garlic paste and fry on slow fire till raw smell goes away. Then, add finely chopped tomatoes and sauté till tomato becomes a pulp/paste. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and the coriander powder. Sauté well and add marinated meat and sauté well. Add soaked chana dhal and 2 cups water and cook in pressure cooker for 1 whistle. After a whistle, lower the flame and cook for 10 mins and put it off. Let the pressure cooker cool, then open the cooker and see whether meat and chana dhal is cooked. (If not cooked, keep for some more time). Check the gravy for a semi thick consistency. Add garam masala powder. If too watery, boil for more time and remove from fire. For slight variation in taste, you can add 2 tsp ground coconut paste (if desired). Garnish with coriander leaves.