Pepper Chicken Fry|Mizhagu Kozhi Varuval|மிளகு கோழி வறுவல்

Pepper Chicken Fry is a South Indian dish which goes well with rice and chapathi. Freshly prepared dry roasted pepper and fennel seeds gives the dish a unique aroma and distinctive taste.

Ingredients

• Boneless Chicken - 250g
• Large Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 10
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 3 tbsp

    To roast and grind

• Whole black pepper - 1.5 tbsp
• Fennel seeds -  1/2tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 3
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide pan.
2. Add onion and fry till they turn golden brown.
3. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
4. Then add turmeric powder and salt.
5. Add chicken pieces and mix with the masala.
6. Cover the pan and cook the chicken for 10 minutes in medium heat. Sprinkle some water whenever needed.
7. Add the ground powder to the cooked chicken and cook till the chicken is cooked.
8. Adjust salt to taste and serve it hot as side dish for any rice varieties or chapathi.

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Egg Muffins

Egg muffins otherwise called as baked omelette is a quick, easy and delicious snack. These fluffy egg muffins are low-carb and high in protein and can be prepared with your favorite toppings.

Egg Muffins

Ingredients

• Eggs - 12
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Mushrooms - 1 cup, chopped
• Grated cheese - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cooking spray/oil - To coat the pan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Beat the eggs with salt and garlic powder.
3. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or oil. Divide the chopped onions, mushrooms and cheese between each muffin cup, then carefully pour egg mixture until the tins are 2/3rd full.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
5. Let them rest in the pan for a few minutes and carefully remove them.
6. Serve immediately.

Tips

- Store the extra muffins in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for a month.

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Onion Tomato Omelette

Onion Tomato Omelette is an easy breakfast dish which can also be served as an evening snack. This recipe yields 2 omelettes. Egg consumption consistently leads to increased levels of HDL which reduces the risk of many diseases.

Ingredients

• Eggs - 2
• Onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Tomato - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - A pinch
• Garam masala - A pinch
• Salt - 1/8 tsp
• Butter - 2 tsp

Method

1. Beat the eggs until frothy.
2. Mix all the other ingredients except butter and whisk together.
3. Heat the tawa and grease with butter.
4. Pour half of the egg mixture and spread it evenly.
5. Cover and cook in low-medium heat on both sides.
6. Repeat the same for the remaining mixture.
7. Serve hot for breakfast with toasted breads.

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Egg Curry without Coconut

This healthy, nutritious and spicy egg curry is prepared with hard boiled eggs, onion, tomato & spices and without coconut. People who don't like hard boiled eggs have to try this recipe. Hard boiled eggs retain more vitamin B-12 than scrambled eggs, so go for hard boiled eggs whenever possible.

Ingredients

• Hard Boiled Eggs - 5
• Onion - 1, medium sized, cut lengthwise
• Tomato - 1, large sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Egg curry masala - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Rub the turmeric powder over the boiled eggs so that the skin becomes yellow. It is optional, if you want your eggs to be white you can skip this step.
2. Prick the skin of the eggs with a fork on all sides.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and shallow fry the eggs in low-medium heat till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds.
5. Add onion & little salt and saute till it turns golden brown.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
7. Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed.
8. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, egg curry masala & salt and mix well. Cook till the oil comes out of the mixture.
9. Now add the fried eggs and mix well. Add water and cook covered for 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot with Chapathi, rice or as a side dish for biryani.

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Chettinad Chicken Biryani

Chettinad Chicken Biryani is the spiciest and the most aromatic delicious biryani made with fresh ground masalas and spices. The chicken is marinated and cooked in a spicy masala which gives a very distinctive taste unlike the simple chicken biryani.

Ingredients

• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Chicken - 500g
• Onion - 1, large sized, cut lengthwise
• Tomatoes - 2, medium sized
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Cinnamon/பட்டை - 1 inch
• Cloves/லவங்கம் - 2
• Marathi mokku/மராத்தி மொக்கு -2
• Star anise/Annachi mokku/அன்னாசி மொக்கு - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Curry leaves - Few
• Mint leaves - A handful
• Fennel seeds/சோம்பு - 1 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

    For the masala

• Ginger - 3 inch piece, cut small
• Garlic - 10 cloves
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Green chillies - 3
• Red chillies - 2
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 3
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup, tightly packed

    For the marination

• Curd - 2 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Ground masala - Half

Method

1. Grind the ingredients given for the masala into a smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients given for the marination for 1 hour.
3. Soak the basmati rice for half an hour. (the soaking time depends on the type of rice used, for some types 10 minutes is enough).
4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon, cloves, marathi mokku, anachi mooku, bay leaf, fennel seeds, curry leaves and mint leaves. Fry for a while in low heat.
5. Add onion & little salt and saute till it turns golden brown.
6. Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed.
7. Add the remaining half of the ground masala and saute well till the raw smell goes.
8. Now add the marinated chicken & salt and cook covered in medium heat till it gets half cooked.
9. Meanwhile, roast the well drained rice with 1 tbsp of butter in a pan in medium heat till the water gets evaporated.
10. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 2 cups of water to the half cooked chicken and allow it to boil.
11. Add roasted rice and adjust salt to taste.
12. Close the lid and cook for 1 whistle. Then simmer the stove and cook for 6 minutes.
13. Leave aside for 10 minutes after the pressure is released. Mix gently and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips

- For roasting the rice, you can use ghee or oil if you don't have butter.

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Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is a popular South Indian starter recipe originated in Chennai. It is usually served as a snack or as a side dish for non-veg meals. This spicy, deep fried chicken dish is an all time favourite for most of them.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 3 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - A pinch
• Corn flour - 2 tsp
• Rice flour - 1 tsp
• Red food color - A pinch
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Egg - 1
• Salt - To taste
• Curry leaves - Few
• Green chillies - 2
• Onion - To garnish, cut lengthwise
• Oil - To deep fry

Method

1. Marinate chicken with all the ingredients except curry leaves, green chillies, onion and oil for 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the curry leaves & green chillies. Keep aside.
3. Deep fry the marinated chicken till it becomes golden brown.
4. Garnish it with onion and fried curry leaves & green chillies.

Tips

- Egg coats the chicken and keeps the chicken soft, tender and juicy.

- If marinating time is longer than 1 hour, place the marinating chicken in the refrigerator.

- It tastes better if the chicken is marinated for atleast 30 minutes.

- Frying curry leaves and green chillies in the beginning adds more flavour to the chicken.

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Chicken Drumsticks

These delicious and healthy oven baked chicken drumsticks are prepared by coating chicken drumsticks in yogurt and seasoned with Indian spices and baked in the oven. Yogurt keeps the chicken tender and tasty. Kids love these and great for picky eaters.

Ingredients

• Chicken drumsticks - 4
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Corn flour - 2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. In a wide bowl mix all the ingredients well except chicken and olive oil.
2. Remove the skin and make 3 deep cuts in each drumstick and completely cover the chicken with the mixture.
3. Marinate the chicken in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF(200ºC).
5. Brush the oil over the bottom of the baking tray or line a foil in the tray and brush the oil. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, turn over the chicken and apply any remaining marinade. Cook for another 30 minutes in the oven.
7. Serve hot.

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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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Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani is a very popular dish among South Asia. This is an easy version since there is no marinade and can be done in 30 minutes yet more delicious.

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Basmati Rice - 1/2 kg
• Onion - 1, cut lengthwise
• Tomato - 2
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 1, slit lengthwise
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Biryani masala - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 3
• Bay leaf - 1
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Cilantro - 1/4 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Yogurt - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Salt - To taste

Method

1. Soak the rice for half an hour.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a cooker and add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and fennel seeds.
3. Add chopped onion, green chillies and saute well till it turns golden brown.
4. Now add ginger garlic paste and stir a little.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed.
6. Add garam masala, chilli powder, biryani masala, cilantro, mint leaves, lemon juice and yogurt and fry for a while.
7. Now add chicken pieces and continue frying till the chicken gets almost cooked. This is the step where we compensate for chicken marination. So don't skip it.
8. Add rice, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add 800 ml of water and pressure cook for one whistle.
10. Serve hot with raita and curry.

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