Pineapple Khichdi

With onam fast approaching I thought of translating some of the onam recipes from the past issues of vanitha for those of you who do not have access to vanitha magazine or those who cannot read malayalam. Here is the recipe for pineapple khichdi.

Ingredients:

1. 100gms pineapple
2. 2 green chillies
3. 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
4. salt as required
5. 1/2 a coconut
6. 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
7. 1/4 litre yogurt
8. 1 tsp. sugar

Method:

• Cut the pineapple into small pieces.
• Boil the pineapple along with green chillies, turmeric powder, salt and little water. When the water has evaporated, remove it from fire.
• Grind the coconut and cumin into a fine paste and mix it with the yogurt and cooked pineapple.
• Splutter mustard seeds, 2 dried red chillies and a few curry leaves in coconut oil, and season the khichdi with it. Adjust salt according to your taste.
• Lastly add one tsp. sugar.

Source: Vanitha magazine, Sept 1-14, 2006

Leek Soup

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup onion cut into small pieces
2. 2 cups small pieces of leek
3. 1 tblsp. butter
4. 2 cups water
5. salt as per taste
6. 1/2 tsp. powdered black pepper
7. 1 cup milk

Method:

• Heat butter in a heavy bottomed vessel and saute the onions and leeks.
• Add water and salt to this and let it cook for five minutes and then take it off the flame.
• After it cools down, blend it in a blender.
• Heat this mixture after sieving it.
• Add milk and powdered black pepper to the soup and serve it hot.

Source: Vanitha Magazine, October 2007

Mushroom Korma

Ingredients:

1. 250 gms. mushrooms
2. 1 tomato
3. 1 cup thick coconut milk
4. 6 cloves of garlic
5. 1 piece ginger
6. 1/4 cup onions
7. 5 green chillies
8. 1 tsp. garam masala
9. 2 tsp. coriander powder
10. 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
11. 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
12. 2 tblsp. oil
13. 2 sprigs of coriander leaves
14. 1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
15. 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
16. salt to taste.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Put in the mustard seeds and as soon as it splutters add sliced onions.
• Now add sliced ginger, green chillies, garlic and tomatoes and saute.
• Add all the spice powders from 8 to 11 with a little water and mix.
• When water has evaporated add the mushroom pieces and salt. Cover and cook on slow fire.
• After it has cooked add the coconut milk and when it starts boiling add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Switch off the stove.
• Serve with rice.

Source: Vanitha Magazine, August 1-14, 2006.

Chicken Vindaloo (Easter Cooking)

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg. small chicken pieces
2. 2 tomatoes
3. 3 onions
4. 1 garlic
5. 1 big piece ginger
6. 1 tsp. powdered mustard
7. 1 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
8. 1 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
9. 3 tsp. vinegar
10. 5 cloves
11. 1 inch cinnamon
12. 1 tsp. fennel seeds
13. 2 cardamoms
14. 1/4 cup oil
15. salt to taste

Method:

• Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
• Slice 2 onions very thin and keep it aside.
• Grind the other onion and all items from 4 to 13 to a fine paste.
• Marinate the chicken pieces with this paste for 3 hours.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel heat oil and saute the sliced onions.
• Now add the marinated chicken pieces and 1/4 cup boiling water. Cover and cook. Mix the contents in between cooking time.
• After the chicken is cooked properly and the masala covers the chicken well, add a pinch of sugar. Mix and take it off the heat.
• Put the chicken vindaloo in a slightly flat dish and garnish with small grated carrots.

Source: Vanitha Magazine April 15-30, 2006

Hyderabadi Mutton

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg. small mutton pieces
2. 100 gms. coconut oil
3. 3 onions
4. 50 gms ginger
5. 10 green chillies
6. 50 gms cashew nuts
7. 2 tsp. chilli powder
8. 1 tsp. coriander powder
9. 1 tsp. turmeric powder
10. 100 gms. garlic
11. 3 tomatoes
12. 50 gms coriander leaves
13. 2 sprigs curry leaves
14. salt, garam masala as per requirement

Method:

• Wash the mutton pieces thoroughly and keep it in a colander to drain.
• When oil is heated put in the onion slices and saute it to light brown colour. Now add ground ginger and garlic.
• Add cashew nut paste and mix thoroughly.
• Add the mutton pieces and mix. After this one should add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, tomatoes, curry leaves and salt.
• When it is nearly done add one tsp. garam masala.
• Add sauteed green chillies and coriander leaves.

Source: Grihalaxshmi Magazine October 2007

Chicken Mughlai

Ingredients:

1. 1 chicken
2. 12 dried red chillies
3. 1 1/2 inch ginger
4. 1 tsp. garlic
5. 1 inch turmeric
6. 2 cups sliced onion
7. 4 dsp. oil or ghee
8. 1 1/2 cup 3/4 inch cubed potatoes
9. 1/2 cup almonds/cashew nuts
10. 1 cup plain yogurt
11. salt as per requirement
12. a few springs of curry leaves

Method:

• Cut and wash chicken pieces. Drain the water.
• Grind ginger, chillies, turmeric and garlic into a paste.
• Powder the almonds/cashew nuts and keep it aside.
• Mix the ground paste (except the dry fruit mixture) with yogurt and salt.
• Marinate the chicken pieces in it for an hour.
• Fry the onions in ghee. Add the marinated chicken to it.
• Now add the powdered cashew nut/almond mixed with 2 cup water.
• When this starts boiling , cover it and cook on low flame.
• Boil potatoes and fry them.
• When chicken is cooked add these potatoes along with some curry leaves.
• Serve hot.

Source: Vanitha Magazine

Chicken Mapaas

Ingredients:

1. 14 pieces of chicken medium pieces
2. 4 cups of coconut milk
3. 2 potatoes
4. 250 gms sliced onions
5. 25 gms cut green chillies
6. 5 gms ginger sliced
7. 1 tsp. ginger and garlic sliced
8. 100 gms coconut oil
9. 1 tsp. chilli powder
10. 1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
11. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
12. 2 pinches of garam masala powder
13. Few slices of shallots
14. Few curry leaves
15. salt as per taste
16. 1 tblsp. vinegar

Method:

• Heat oil and saute onions, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves until golden colour.
• Put in and saute garlic-ginger paste, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
• Add a little of the coconut milk and water and put in the chicken pieces and cubed potatoes to cook.
• After the chicken has cooked add vinear, salt and garam masala.
• Lastly add rest of the coconut milk and sauted shallots.

Source: Vanitha Magazine