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

Chettinad Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

1. Chicken pieces - 1/2 kg
2. Ginger - 1/4 inch
3. Garlic - 8 cloves
4. Black pepper - 4 tsp.
5. Grated Coconut - 1/2 (or 1 side)
6. Oil/vanaspati - 50 gms.
7. Trurmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
8. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
9. Cloves - 3
10. Water - 1 cup
11. salt as per taste
12. Ghee - 2 tblsp.

Method:

• Grind together ginger, garlic, black pepper and coconut.
• Heat the oil and roast cinnamon and cloves.
• Put in the chicken pieces and the ground masala and saute.
• Add 1 cup water and let it cook for 15 minutes.
• In a heavy bottomed pan add the ghee and when it is hot put in the cooked chicken pieces and fry till crispy.

Source: Vanitha Magazine

Goan fish curry

Ingredients:

1. Fish pieces - 8 pieces
2. Dried red chillies without seeds - 1/2 cup
3. Onions - 1/4 cup
4. Cumin - 1/4 tsp.
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Garlic - 1
7. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp.
8. Fried coconut - 3 tblsp.
9. Vinegar, salt - as per taste
10. Tamarind (Vallan Pulli) - 1 full tsp.
11. Coconut milk - 3/4 cup

Method:

• Grind ginger and garlic together. Grind onion separately.
• Grind red chillies, cumin, tamarind and turmeric powder together.
• Grind the fried coconut to paste.
• Heat oil and saute onions until brown then add the ginger garlic paste and further saute it until brown.
• Now add the chilli, cumin paste and saute.
• Add the fish pieces , salt and vinegar. Cover and cook.
• When fish pieces are half done, add the coconut paste with a little water.
• Before lifting off the fire add the coconut milk and let it cook until the gravy is thick enough for your choice.

Source: Vanitha Magazine