Coconut Chicken Curry

Coconut Chicken Curry is an easy delicious South Indian recipe and forms a perfect side dish for idli, dosa, chapathi and rice. Chicken is pressure cooked along with onion tomato paste, coconut paste and Indian spices in this recipe.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 500g
• Shallots - 250g/Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomato - 1
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Chicken masala - 1 tbsp
• Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Roasted gram - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 2
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp + 1 tsp

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add shallots/onion. Fry for a minute or till transparent. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes in medium heat.
2. Cool the mixture and grind into a paste. Keep aside.
3. Grind grated coconut and roasted gram with little water into a smooth paste and keep aside.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker and add mustard seeds.
5. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cinnamon, cloves & curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
6. Now add ginger garlic paste and stir for a while.
7. Add chicken pieces and cook till the chicken changes to white color.
8. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, chicken masala & salt and cook till the oil oozes out of the mixture.
9. Add onion tomato paste and coconut paste into the mixture.
10. Add enough water and adjust salt to taste.
11. Pressure cook for 8 to 10 whistles and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

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Baby Corn Gravy

Baby corn gravy, a rich cashew and coconut based delicious gravy is a great side dish for pulao or any Indian bread. It is prepared using baby corn, onion tomato paste, cashew coconut paste and Indian spices.

Ingredients

• Baby corn - 20
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomatoes - 2, medium sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Cashewnuts - 8
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 3
• Bay leaf - 1
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Method

1. Cut the baby corns into 1 inch pieces and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside.
2. Soak the cashewnuts in warm water.
3. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add chopped onion. Fry till they turn transparent.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed.
5. Cool the mixture and grind into a paste. Keep aside.
6. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add cinnamon, cloves and bayleaf.
7. Add the onion tomato paste & ginger garlic paste and add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder & salt and cook till the oil oozes out of the mixture.
8. Meanwhile, grind the grated coconut, soaked cashewnuts and fennel seeds into a smooth paste.
9. Now add the coconut paste into the boiling gravy and add some water.
10. Once it starts to boil, add the cooked baby corn and bring to boil.
11. Adjust salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes in medium heat.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathi.

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Beetroot Kola Urundai|Beetroot Balls

Beetroot Kola Urundai is a highly nutritious snack which also tastes delicious. It is prepared by deep frying grated beetroot mixed with gram flour, onion and spices.

Ingredients

• Grated beetroot - 1 cup
• Gram flour - 1/4 cup
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1, medium sized, finely chopped
• Curry leaves - Few
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Oil - For deep frying

Method

1. Mix the grated beetroot with all other ingredients except oil. Sprinkle some water if required.
2. Shape into small balls and deep fry them in medium heat.
3. Serve hot with sauce as an evening snack or with any meals as side dish.

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Vegetable Vada

Vegetable vada is a tasty, healthy snack which is easy to make. It is made by deep frying mixture of urad dal batter and vegetables. You can add vegetables of your choice. 

Ingredients

• Urad dal - 2 cups
• Carrot - 1
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Potatoes - 2 (small size)
• Onion - 1
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Green chillies - 2
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - For frying
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - Few

Method

1. Soak the Urad dal for at least 2 hours.
2. Add little water and grind the dal in mixie along with boiled potatoes, ginger and salt. Sprinkle water when needed.
3. When batter becomes soft paste, pour it in a bowl.
4. Grate the carrot using grater and chop the onion, cabbage, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves finely.
5. Add all the above to the batter and mix well.
6. Deep fry the vadas in the oil until it turns golden brown.
7. Serve hot with any chutney or sauce.

Tips

- Try to incorporate the potatoes as they make the vada crispy and enriches the taste.

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Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable kurma is a healthy coconut based gravy mixed with vegetables and Indian spices. It is a great side dish for poori, chapathi or paratha.

Ingredients

• Carrot - 1 cup, chopped
• Green Beans - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Cauliflower - 5 to 6 florets
• Potato - 1, large size
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomato - 1, large sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Roasted gram/பொட்டுகடலை - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon/பட்டை - 1 inch (2 pieces)
• Cloves/லவங்கம் - 2
• Cardamom/ஏலக்காய் - 1
• Fennel seeds/சோம்பு - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon.
2. Add finely chopped onions and saute until soft.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until it gets mashed.
5. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala & salt and mix well till the raw smell goes.
6. Add all the vegetables and add water.
7. Meanwhile, grind grated coconut, roasted gram, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds into a smooth paste.
8. Add this into the boiling gravy. Adjust the salt to taste and close the lid. Cook for one whistle.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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Onion Rice

Onion Rice is a quick and easy rice recipe and can be used for lunch box. You can also use leftover rice for this recipe.

Ingredients

• Cooked Rice - 1 cup
• Onion - 1, large sized
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Green chillies - 1, slit lengthwise
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add channa dal and urad dal. Fry till they turn light brown.
3. Now add curry leaves, chopped onion and green chillies. Saute till the onion turns transparent.
4. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala & salt and saute them for 2 minutes or till the raw smell goes. Sprinkle some water if required.
5. Now add cooked rice and cook gently without mashing the rice for 5 minutes in medium heat.
6. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with coriander leaves.

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Potato Fry|UrulaiKizhangu Poriyal|உருளைக்கிழங்கு பொறியல்

Potato fry is a perfect side dish for rice and sambar/rasam. It also tastes great with lemon rice or any variety rice.

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 3, medium sized
• Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Asafoetida/Hing/பெருங்காயம் - A pinch
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles. Cool down, peel off the skin and cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add urad dal and fry till it turns slight brown.
3. Add HIng, curry leaves & ginger paste and fry for few seconds.
4. Add chopped onion & little salt and fry till it turns soft.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala & salt and saute well till the raw smell goes.
6.  Now add potatoes, simmer the stove and cook gently without mashing it.
7. Cook till it turns golden brown.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

Potatoes may lead to gas formation in stomach and asafoetida has the benefit of reducing the gas. So add a pinch of it whenever you cook potatoes.

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Green Beans Stir-Fry Recipe

Green beans stir fry recipe is made by stir frying green beans with garlic and little oil. In general, stir fried recipes cook up quickly and tastes more delicious when compared to poriyals yet healthy. This dish will appeal more to those who don't like the beans especially the kids.

Ingredients

• Green beans - 1/2 kg, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Chopped garlic - 2 tsp
• Red Chillies - 1
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• White sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Olive oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Add green beans to a bowl of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Drain & rinse with cold water to prevent from further cooking and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
4. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add chopped garlic & red chillies and stir for a while.
5. Now add the half cooked green beans, salt, pepper powder & white sugar and stir for 6-7 minutes in medium-high heat or until tender.

Tips

If the green beans get too dry while cooking, sprinkle some water.

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Bread Paneer Rolls

Bread Paneer Rolls are one of the tastiest and easiest snacks to make. They are made by covering a bread slice with paneer stuff and rolling it into a tube shape before toasting. You can also have it for breakfast or pack it for kids lunch box.

Ingredients

• Bread - 5 slices
• Crumbled Paneer - 1 cup
• Chopped onions - 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Milk - 1 tbsp
• Grated cheese - 2 tsp
• Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Salt - To taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Fry till it turns nice brown.
2. Add chopped onions and fry till it turns soft.
3. Add chilli powder, garam masala and salt and saute well till the raw smell goes.
4. Now add the crumbled paneer and mix well.
5. Adjust salt to taste and add milk. Stir well and turn off the stove.
6. Add grated cheese and keep aside.
7. Cut the edges of the bread and roll out each slice like roti using a rolling pin.
8. Place the stuff on one side of the slice and gently roll from there to the other end.
9. Apply butter on all sides.
10. Repeat for the remaining slices.
11. Lightly toast all the pieces in a pan and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

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Sweet Corn Capsicum Masala

Sweet Corn Capsicum masala is an excellent side dish for chapathi or any rice varieties. It is one of the easiest and healthiest dish made with sweet corn, capsicum and spices.

Ingredients

• Sweet Corn - 2 ears
• Red Capsicum - 1/2
• Green Capsicum - 1/2
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomatoes - 2 , medium sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Pressure cook sweet corn for 1 whistle, shred the kernels and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon and cumin seeds.
3. Add chopped onion and fry till it turns golden brown.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed. Add salt to speed up the cooking process.
6. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala and saute well till the oil oozes out of the mixture.
7. Add cubed capsicum pieces into the mixture and sprinkle some water. Cook for 2 minutes in medium heat.
8. Add sweet corn kernels and saute well. Add water and cook for 5 minutes.
9. Adjust salt and garnish with coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

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