Mutton Kothukari Masala

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Minced Mutton

4 Onions (Finely Chopped)

2 Tomatoes (Quartered)

3 Green chillies (slit)

1 tbsp Garlic ginger paste

3 strands of curry leaves

1 Bay leaf

2 whole Cardamom

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 Star anise

1 tbsp Fennel seeds

11/2 tbsp Mutton masala (Chicken curry powder)

1 tsp poppy seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds (Powdered)

1/2 Seasoning cube

1 tbsp coconut milk

Few stalks of Coriander leaves

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, add the washed minced meat together with 1 onion, 1/2 tomato, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1 chilli, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 cup of water and salt. Cook till meat is tender. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok and add the whole garam masala (Bay leaf, Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and Star anise) and fennel seeds. Fry for a min.
• Add the garlic ginger pastes and fry till the raw smell leaves, then add the onion, Curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 2 more mins.
• Then add cooked minced mutton together with the masala powders, tomatoes and seasoning cube. Stir everything together, cover the wok and cook for 5 mins under medium high flame.
• Then  add the coconut milk and cook for few more mins till the minced meat is dry. Switch off the stove.
• Serve it hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Kathirikai Poriyal / Brinjal Stir Fry

Ingredients:

6 small purple Brinjals

1 Onion (Chopped)

2 Green chillies (Slit)

3 cloves of garlic (Sliced)

1/2 Tomato (Chopped)

1 inch piece of Tamarind

1 strands of Curry leaves

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

Oil for seasoning

salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the brinjals, slit it lengthwise and chop it into 1 inch pieces. Put it in a bowl of salted water.
• Heat oil in a wok, splutter the mustard and urad dhal then add the onion, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Fry for 2 mins.
• Then add the brinjal, turmeric powder and salt. Stir fry, cover and cook till it is 3/4 done .
• Then add the tomatoes and tamarind and stir fry for few more mins till brinjals are well roasted and coated with oil. Switch off the stove.
• Serve it hot with rice and drumstick sambar.

Tapioca Balls with Coconut...My 50th post !!!

Ingredients:

1 Tapioca

1/4 cup sugar

few drops of orange food colouring (Optional)

5 tbsp freshly grated coconut

A good pinch of salt

Method:

• Wash and clean the outer thin brown skin of tapioca and dice into 5-6 long pieces.
• In a deep pan, add the cleaned tapioca and fill it with water so that all the pieces are immersed completely. Bring it to boil.
• Cook it uncovered till tapioca is tender. Drain and keep aside.
• When it is cool enough to handle, peel the skin and remove the hard bits in the center of the tapioca.
• Smash the tapioca with hands till has no big bits. Now add the sugar and food colouring. Mix well and form small balls using both hands.
• Cover and refrigerate the balls for 15 mins to allow it to set.
• Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, combine the grated coconut and salt. Mix well.
• Now roll the tapioca balls in the coconut content, make sure only a single layer of coconut flakes sticks to the balls else it will be too salty. Dust off the extra and lay it onto the serving plate.
• Tapioca balls can be served as a dessert or an evening teatime treat with a hot cuppa.

Ragi Semiya Upma

Ingredients:

1 pkt Ragi semiya

1 Onion (chopped)

3 Green chillies (Slit)

1/2 Tomato (chopped)

Few strands of Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

2 tbsp freshly grated coconut

Oil for seasoning

salt to taste

Method:

• Soak the semiya in salt water for 3 mins. Drain the excess water and steam in a greased steamer for 5 mins. Remove and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok, splutter the mustard and urad dhal then add the onion, chillies and curry leaves. Fry for few mins.
• Then add the tomatoes and salt. Stir fry for few mins, add steamed ragi semiya and the grated coconut and stir well to combine.
• Serve it hot for a healthy breakfast.

Zucchini Stirfry

Ingredients:

1 Zucchini

3 cloves of garlic (Sliced)

1 onion (Chopped)

1 tomato (cut into wedges)

3 Green chillies (Slit)

2 stalks of Curry leaves

1/4 tsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 vegetable seasoning cube

1 tbsp Curry masala powder

A pinch of Garam masala

1 tbsp Coconut milk

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the Zucchini, cut it into half lengthwise and slice thick semi circles.
• Heat oil in a wok, splutter the fennel seeds, then add onion, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and salt. Fry for 3 mins.
• Now add zucchini, tomatoes, turmeric powder, curry masala and seasoning cube. Cover the wok and cook on medium heat for 5 more mins.
• Then add the garam masala and coconut milk. Stir well to combine everything. Switch off the stove.
• Serve it hot with steamed Thai rice.

Kothavarangai Poriyal

Ingredients:

1 cup Kothavarangai/Cluster Beans (washed and torn into 1 inch long)

1 Onion (Chopped)

3 Green chillies (Slit)

2 strands of Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

Oil for seasoning

salt to taste

For Grinding masala:

2 shallot (sliced)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

3 tbsp freshly grated coconut

Method:

• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil, add few pinches of salt, turmeric powder and Kothavarangai. Boil till the Kothavarangai is about 3/4 done. Strain and keep aside.
• Grind the ingredients given under masala with a few tbsp of water into a coarse paste.
• Heat oil in a wok, splutter the mustard and urad dhal then add the onion, chillies and curry leaves. Fry for 2 mins.
• Then add the Kothavarangai and salt. Stir fry, cover and cook till it is almost done .
• Then add the grinded masala and stir fry for few more mins to mix everything together. Switch off the stove.
• Serve it hot with rice and thatta payaru kulambu.

Thatta Payaru Kulambu

Ingredients:

1 cup Thatta payaru

2 Small Brinjals (quartered)

1 drumstick (Cut into 1 inch length)

1 potato (peeled and quartered)

5 cloves of Garlic (peeled and halved)

10 sambar onions (shallots) peeled and halved

3 Green chillies (slit)

4 strands of curry leaves

1 Tomato (quartered)

1 small lime size tamarind ball

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seed

1/4 tsp Mustard seed

1/4 tsp Cumin seed

2 tbsp special masala (Chilli pwdr + Cumin Pwdr + Turmeric Pwdr)

3 tbsp Gingerly oil

Salt to taste

For Grinding the Masala:

1 Onion (sliced)

3 cloves of Garlic (peeled)

1/2 Tomato (quartered)

1/8 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Coriander powder

1 strand of curry leaves

3 tbsp freshly grated coconut

1/2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Soak the thatta payaru in clean tap water overnight. Morning, just cook the beans till it is tender. Drain and keep aside. Beans must not be mushy.
• Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan and saute all the ingredients given under the masala in a low flame and cool it completely before grinding it into a fine paste.
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and strain the water.
• Heat the gingerly oil in a wok and splutter the fenugreek, mustard and cumin seeds. Then add onion, garlic, curry leaves and chillies. Stir fry for 2 mins.
• Then add the potato, drumstick and salt. Stir fry and cover the wok.
• When the potatoes are 3/4 done, add the grinded masala together with the special masala powder. Fry till the oil separates from the masala.
• Now add the thatta payaru, tomato and brinjal. Fry for few minutes. Add the strained tamarind water and cover the wok.
• Thatta payaru kulambu is ready when the vegetables are cooked and the oil comes to the surface.
• Serve it hot with rice and Kothavarangai Poriyal.