Bitter Gourd /Karela curry

Bitter Gourd /Karela  curry:

Bitter gourd                        4-5

Onion                                    2

Saffron                                 ½ tsp

Chili powder                       2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste               2 tsp

cumin powder                      2 tsp

Coriander powder                2 tsp

Tamarind                             1 small ball

Salt                                      2 tsp or as per taste

Oil                                       3 table spoon

Method:

Scrape the bitter gourd slightly cut it into slices, remove the seeds and wash it well keep it aside in water with a little salt and a little saffron powder. Take  a pan  heat the oil and fry the slices light brown and keep aside.

In a dish, heat the oil (the same oil in which the slices were fried can be used), add the finely chopped onions and fry it till golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry it well, then add all the powders (saffron, chili, cumin & coriander)  then add the fried  bitter gourd slices and mix it well .  Squeeze out the juice from the tamarind and add it and allow it cook on slow fire  (sim) for about 6-8 minutes.  Check the consistency accordingly (semi dry) and remove from the stove.  It can be served with hot rice or roti.

Khichidi

Khichidi:

Rice                                 200 gms

Onion                               1

Green chili                         2-3

Ginger garlic paste            1 tsp

Masoor dal                       50 gms

Saffron                              ½ tsp

Oil                                    2 table spoons

Clove                               2

Cardamom                       1

Cinnamon                         1

Salt                                  2 tsp

Method:

Mix the rice and dal, wash it and keep aside.

In a dish, heat the oil, add the clove, cardamom and cinnamon, then add the onions and slit green chili and fry well till golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste, saffron, add water (double measure of the rice) (2 cups of water to 1 cup rice)  add 2 tsp of salt or according to your taste and allow the water to boil.  Then add the washed rice and dal and allow it to cook of medium flame for about 5 minutes then lower the flame and cook on sim.  Check if the rice is cooked if not you can add a little water, close the dish and keep a weight on it to cook ‘on dum’ i.e. sim.  (The same can be prepared in a pressure cooker)

You can serve it hot with tomato chutney or dry coconut chutney .  It can also be eaten with curd.

Chicken Manchuria

Chicken Manchuria

Chicken (boneless)                      250 gms

Egg                                              1

Ginger garlic paste                        1 tsp

Red chillie powder                        1 tsp

Maida                                           1 tsp

Cornflour                                      2 tsp

Salt                                               1 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Onions                                          2 (finely chopped)

Soya sauce                                    1 table spoons

Green chillie sauce                         2 tsp

Green chillies                                 2-3 (finely chopped)

Tomato sauce                                2 tsp

Coriander leaves                            8-10 stalks

Method:

Wash and marinate the chicken pieces with egg. Ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, maida, cornflour and salt for about ½ hour.  Take a Wok or kadai with oil for deep frying,  when the oil is hot fry the chicken pieces few at a time.  Remove and keep aside.

Take a another dish or kadai , heat 2 table spoons of oil, add the finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown, add ginger garlic paste or finely chopped (1tsp),  finely chopped green chili, add the soya, chili and tomato sauce and fry well, add just a little salt as there is salt already in the chicken fried pieces, add a little ¼ cup of water and allow it to cook for a while, you can add a paste of 1 table spoon of cornflour to thicken the sauce.  Then add the fried pieces and stir it well till the sauce covers all the pieces, Remove and  garnish with chopped coriander.

Spinach(Palak) Chicken

Chicken                              500 gms

Palak                                  3 bunches

Methi leaves   (fenugreek)    3 bunches

Oil                                      2 table spoons

Green chillies                       2-3 slit

Onion                                  2

Ginger garlic paste                2 tsp

Red chillie powder                2 tsp

Saffron powder                    ½ tsp

Salt                                     2 tsp or as per taste

Method:

Wash and cut the palak and methi leaves & keep aside

Wash the chicken pieces well and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a kadai or dish, add the finely chopped onions, saffron and fry till light brown, add the ginger garlic paste, slit green chillies, red chillie powder, salt and meat and fry it well, now add the washed methi leaves and fry it well then add the palak leaves and add a little water to cook on medium heat.  After 15minutes check If the chicken is cooked you remove from the stove.  Check the consistency if you want it dry keep stir frying till it is dried. 

Curry Puffs

Curry Puffs:

Minced meat                     250 gms

Onion                                    1

Red chillie powder           2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste           2 tsp

Saffron                             ½ tsp

Kasuri methi                     1 table spoon

Or

fresh methi  leaves            ½ cup

Salt                                  2 tsp or as per taste

Oil                                    1 table spoon  + oil for deep frying

Maida or wheat flour     500 gms

Method:  ( for the filling)

Wash the minced meat and keep aside.  Take a dish, heat the oil (one table spoon), add the finely chopped onions and fry till light brown,add the saffron, chili powder and ginger&garlic paste and fry it well.Add the minced meat,salt& fresh methi leaves or Kasuri methi.Add two cups of water and allow it to cook on medium flame for about 15-20 mins.
When the mince is cooked add a tsp of lemon juice and fry it well till it is totally dry.Remove and keep aside.

Make a dough with the flour,salt and water.
Make small balls of the dough and roll the dough into the desired shape(round or square) and fill in two tsp of cooked mince and close it on all sides so that the mince doesn't fall out while frying.
Take a kadai with oil for deep frying,when the oil is hot, place in the stuffed dough(puffs) and fry them till it turns brown.Remove and serve hot.  

               

Dahi Kadi

Dahi Kadi :

Besan atta                        100 gms + 100 gms

Curd                                250 gms

Jeera powder                   2 tsp + 1 tsp

Red chillie powder           2 tsp + 1 ts

Ginger garlic paste            1 tsp + 1 tsp

Saffron                             ½ tsp

Salt                                  2 tsp or as per taste

Oil                                   2 table spoon + oil for deep frying

Curry leaves                    8-10 leaves

Rye/Mustard seeds          ½ tsp

Cumin (jeera)seeds          ½ tsp

Whole red chilli                 2

Method:

Take a dish add  one part of the besan atta, chilli, jeera,saffron powders, add ginger garlic paste, salt curd and mix it well.  Add 2 cups of water and make into dal like consistency.  Place it on the stove and allow it to boil for about 10 minutes on medium flame.  Remove it from the stove and take a small pan for seasoning.

Heat the oil in the pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds, whole red chilli, curry leaves and when light brown pour it into the dahi mixture.

Take the next part of besan atta in a bowl, add chillie powder, ginger garlic paste, jeera powder and salt and make it into  dough like consistency.  Take a kadai with oil for deep frying, take small portions, flatten it on the palm and deep fry the bhajjis till brown .   Keep frying till all the dough is finished.

Put these bhajjis into the seasoned dahi kadi and mix it with a spoon till all the bhajjis are covered with the dahi kadi mixture.

You can serve it with roti or hot rice.

Donda Kaya Pachidi: (Ivy gourd/Tindora)

Donda Kaya Pachidi: (Ivy gourd/Tindora)

Donda kaya                                      250 gms

Red whole chilli                                 4-5

Garlic pods                                       4-5

Jeera                                                 2 tsp

Tamrind                                            1 small ball

Method:

In a kadai , heat one tsp oil and add jeera, chillie, garlic pods, and the chopped dhonda kai and tamrind, fry it well on medium flame till light brown.    Remove from fire and allow it cool.  Place all the ingredients in a mixie and add a little salt and grind it to paste, if needed a just a little water to grind it.

Remove it in a bowl and season it. ( For seasoning, take a table spoon of oil, heat it and add a little mustard & jeera seeds, one whole red chillie, curry leaves and one garlic pod.)

It can be served with dosa or hot rice & dal.  

The same method can be used to make beerakaya(Ridge Gourd) pachidi.