Chicken Curry

For the very first time in the history of my blog, it is a non vegetarian dish. Yes, my very first attempt to make Chicken curry. And by god s grace, it turned out to be awesome. People who tasted it was surprised that I made this dish, without tasting it. ( you guys must know by now , that I am a vegetarian )

I owe the success of this dish, to a friend/colleague of mine, who motivated me to prepare this. It has actually given me the confidence that I can cook non veg dishes without tasting them. 

Ingredients

Boneless Chicken - 1/2 kg

Onions - 1 cup sliced

Tomato - 1/2 cup sliced

Red Chili powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Mint and Coriander for garnish

Coconut - 1 cup

Cashew nuts - 4 or 5

Spices - clove, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, saunf

Method

Clean the chicken and cut them into small pieces

In a pressure pan, add a little oil 

When the oil is hot add the spices, followed by the sliced onions and saute well

Add a bunch of Coriander and Mint leaves to this and saute for about a minute

In the mean while, blend the coconut and cashew into a smooth paste and keep aside

Add the tomatoes when the onions are translucent followed by ginger garlic paste

Add the cleaned and cut chicken pieces

Season it with red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder

Mix well so that the spices and Masala powders cover the chicken pieces

Add the coconut paste and adjust salt at this stage.

When the mixture comes to a boil, close the pressure pan and cook for three whistles

After the pressure gets released , open the lid

Garnish with Coriander and Mint leaves

Serve hot with Jeera rice or roti

Idiyappam with Channa Masala

Whenever I go to a party, the dishes are mostly heavy or rich in taste and flavor. Like Paneer Butter Masala  or aloo Gobi Masala  stuffed Paratha or Bisi Bela bath. I always feel we should give some room for light food for elderly people and children. Some food that is light on the stomach and will not affect anybody's health. That is how this dish comes into this list. 

Idiyappam with a light spiced Channa Curry

Ingredients

Idiyappam 

Rice flour - 2 cups

Hot Water - 1 cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Channa Masala

Channa - 1 cup  ( Soaked overnight and boiled )

Onion - 1 cup sliced

Tomato - 1 cup sliced

Red Chili Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Salt  - to taste

Spices - clove, cinnamon and cardamom

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method

Idiyappam 

Take the rice flour in a large wide bowl

Boil water with the oil in it

Add the hot water to the flour and mix well

Blend the flour to bring it to chapatti dough consistency

Set this aside for about 10 minutes

Heat the Idli cooker with water for 5 mins

 Fill the Idiyappam Maker with the prepared rice dough and press it to make the Idiyappam

Steam it for about 10 - 15 mins. 

Lovely string hoppers or Idiyappam will be ready 

Channa Masala

In a heavy bottom wok, add a little oil

When the oil is hot , add the spices followed by sliced onions

Saute the onions and then add the sliced tomato

Add a little water at this stage along with red chili and coriander powders

When it comes to a boil add the boiled Channa and adjust salt

Add coriander leaves for flavoring 

Serve this combo as a part of your party menu, you are sure to get many compliments

Check what my fellow bloggers are cooking for Day 1 Week 1 

Chole Briyani / Channa Briyani

We are on the fourth day of Party food and today its gonna be a main course dish. I have had this dish way back in 2008 I am not sure. Srivalli had got it for the first ever food bloggers meet. It was a wonderful wonderful meet I should say when I got to meet few fellow bloggers and got to know the faces behind the blogs. That was the start , from then on my friends on the blogging side has always been growing and I simply love it. 

I have tried to recreate Valli s Channa Pulao at home several times, but hers is always the best. This is my version of the dish. I loved the dish, so did my family and colleagues

Ingredients

Chole - 2 cups soaked overnight 
Basmati rice - 3 cups
Red chili powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Fresh Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Sliced Onion - 1 1 /2 cup
Sliced Tomato - 1 cup
Spices - cloves, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Butter - as required

      

Method

Soak the Channa overnight 

Rinse it well and set aside

Clean and soak basmati rice in 4.5 cups of water

In a pressure pan / cooker, heat a little butter

Add the spices to it and saute for 15 secs

To this add the sliced onions followed by Coriander and Mint leaves.

Saute this well.

(I love the aroma at this stage, its heavenly)

Add tomato, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt at this stage

Saute for 2 minutes

Add the soaked Channa and Basmati rice along with the water in which it was soaked

Adjust salt and close the pressure pan / cooker

Cook for two whistles in high flame and then one whistle in low flame

Steaming Channa Briyani is ready for you

Hungry ? Come over and grab a plate.

Check what my fellow bloggers are cooking for Day 1 Week 1 

Pomegranate Litchi Mocktail

Mock tails are very famous in parties, you just make your imagination run wild and vola you will get the best combinations . Summer means more of heat, sweat, dehydration, ice creams, juices, smoothies, milkshakes and of course lot and lot of play for kids. How do we keep them away from dehydration and heat, simple fruit juices. You can find the benefits of Litchi here . It is an exotic fruit that is low on calories and cholesterol but high in fiber content. This along with Pomegranate makes a wonderful combination. I made this by chance at home and it tasted so well, that I make it whenever Litchi is available. 

Ingredients

Juice of Litchi - 1 cup

Juice of Pomegranate - 1 cup

Sugar - add as per taste

Method

Clean litchi and make juice out of it in a blender 

Clean Pomegranate pearls and make a juice of it in a blender

In a jar, mix both the juices and chill in refrigerator 

Serve in a tall glass, with one or two pulp of Litchi

Check what my fellow bloggers are cooking for Week 1

Pineapple Cherry Cheese Sticks

Very very simple and neat party food or rather it can be called as a finger food. If you are throwing a cocktail party this is one starter which you should not miss. Especially if you are serving wine. Cheese and Wine are the best combination. Again even in that pairing, you can have a variety of cheese that can be paired with wine.

My recipe for today is a very simple one. Pineapple Cherry Cheese Sticks. This is an easy dish that can prepared by kids too. It is a no cook dish. 

Ingredients

Pineapple - 2 cups cut into small squares

Cheese Cubes - 2 cups

Cherry - 2 cups

Tooth picks - as per requirement

Method 

Take a tooth pick, and arrange pineapple piece followed by cheese and cherry

Do the same for all the tooth picks

Arrange them in a round plate and serve on the table 

It is a very attractive dish for your party

Check what my buddies are cooking

Minestrone soup

I am a huge fan of soups. When I say huge, really huge. I can just love of various soups for all the three times of the day and feel very happy about it . Every time I visit an Italian resto, I so look forward to have Minestrone Soup. I  feel its is a meal on its own. It is packed with proteins and nutrients. And has a lot of Veggies in it. Without any further wait. Here is my version of the soup which I made for dinner and served it with some Garlic Roll, baked by my friend 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 1/2 cups green beans

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup diced tomatoes

6 cups Vegetable Stock

1 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup pasta

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high 

 heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 

4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add 

the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to 

soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried 

oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to 

taste; cook 3 more minutes.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the 

vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce 

the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir 

in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta 

and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season 

with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the Parmesan 

and chopped basil.

Check what my fellow bloggers are cooking for Day 1 Week 1 

Blogging Marathon 27th Edition : Week 1 Party Food

We a group of bloggers are starting, a month long marathon of recipes under four categories. 

First Week is Party Food. 

In the coming days you will see, a complete party menu starting from Soup, Starters, Main course to Desserts

The menu for this week is 

Minestrone Soup

Pineapple Cheese Sticks

Chole Briyani

Fried Rice

Gobi Manchurian

Chicken Gravy

Badam Kheer

I will link my recipes here as and when it gets updated . Keep watching this space for more interesting recipes this whole month.