Kalavai Kootu

 Recipe Credit - Gita Iyer of Agrahara recipes 

Ingredients

Grind

1/2 c coconut 

1 green chili

15 cashews

1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Season

2 bay leaf

1 piece cinnamon

1 clove

1 piece mace

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Veggies

1 cup cabbage

1 onion

1 tomato

15 garlic cloves

2 green chilis sliced vertically

Handful cilantro 

Other

1/2 tsp ground ginger paste

1tbsp ghee

1/2 heaped tsp sambhar powder

1/2 c Moong dal rinsed and soaked 

Marble sized tamarind soaked in water  

Oil 

Method

In a pressure cooker, Add oil and seasoning ingredients and stir till fragrant

Add garlic and stir till color changes. add green chilis

Add ginger paste and stir

Add tomato and stir

Add rest of the veggies and stir till it has shrunk a bit

Add soaked moong and enough water to cover

Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, stir and close lid

After 3 whistles, lower heat and cook for 10 mins 

After pressure settles, add tamarind water and the ground paste  boil on low for 10 minutes  

In a small pan, add ghee  when it heats up, add hing and the sambhar powder  

Add to the cooked moong dal mixture  

 

Raw Banana Stir fry

 This recipe is adapted from cookdtv.

Ingredients

• 1 raw banana or 2 small bananas
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 6 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 tsp red chili powder
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tbsp rice flour powder
• Salt

Method

1. Peel and slice the banana. Cook in salt + turmeric water till the raw banana is cooked through but still firm. Take care to not overcook as the raw bananas will become mushy otherwise.
2. Add the oil to a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves.
3. Toss in the garlic and stir fry till golden.
4. Add in the raw banana slices, stir carefully till they are coated with oil.
5. Add in the red chili powder, coriander powder and fennel powder, mix well. Cover and cook for a couple mins. Uncover and let roast till the raw smell from the spices is gone.
6. Add in the rice flour and toss till the raw banana pieces are evenly coated.
7. Roast on low heat till browned and crispy (do not roast on high heat as the powders will burn otherwise and taste bitter).

Green channa with spinach

 When S brought home frozen green channa from the grocery store mistaking it for green peas, I was stuck with Googling a recipe, having never made (or tasted) green channa before.

I found this delightfully named (I am sure it translates to a evocative description of the dish in Gujarati but to me it sounded like a pet name :)) "Lila chana na shuk" on  Neha's cooking blog. The dish tastes very good and everyone at home gave it two thumbs up.

Here is the adapted recipe.

Ingredients

For masala

• 1/2 bunch spinach (blanch it for 1 min in the same water that will be used to boil the channa)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 green chillis, chopped
• 1 inch ginger
• 1.5 tbsp peanuts
• 1 tbsp whole sesame seeds
• 1/4 c cilantro

To boil

• 2.5 cups frozen green channa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

To cook

• 2.5 tbsp peanut or any other vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1" cinnamon
• 2 dry red chillies (no need to break in half, use whole)
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 inch piece ginger, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4c chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp lime juice

Method

1. Heat 2 cups water in a pot. Add salt and sugar. Drop spinach leaves in it when the water comes to a boil. Fish it out with a slotted spoon after a minute and drop the leaves into cold water (this will maintain the brightness of the spinach).
2. Add the green channa to the water, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes till the channa has softened a bit.
3. Grind all the ingredients in the "To grind" section to a fine paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add in all the whole spices (ajwain, jeera, bay leaf, cloves, dry red chillies, cinnamon) and stir it till they are aromatic. Add in the hing and quickly stir.
5. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir till golden.
6. Add in the ground paste and cook uncovered till oil starts separating from the mixture.
7. Add in the spice powders (turmeric, coriander, red chili) and mix well.
8. Add the green channa, cover and cook for 10 mins till the oil starts floating to the top.
9. Add garam masala. and coriander leaves. Adjust salt.
10. Turn off heat and add lemon juice.

Zanzibar Pilau

  This simple and delicious recipe is also from the book "In Bibi's Kitchen".

Ingredients

• 1 cup  basmati rice, rinsed 3 times and preferably soaked for at least 30  mins
• 1/2 tbsp ghee + 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 1 2" piece cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp ground cloved
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (you can increase this quantity and reduce the amount of water accordingly but I personally find the cooked rice too rich that way).
• 1 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Method

1. Place ghee and evoo in a pan on medium-high heat till hot.
2. Add the onion and stir till it begins to soften (5 mins)
3. Add all the spices and stir for a minute.
4. Add coconut milk, boiling water and salt.
5. Add the drained rice.
6. Check for salt. It should taste slightly salty for perfectly salted end product.
7. Bring the rice to a boil, cover with a lid, lower heat to low and cook for 18 minutes
8. Turn off heat and let it sit, covered, for at least 10 minutes before serving. Fluff the rice prior to serving.

Xawaash Spice Mix

 This recipe is also from the book "In Bibi's Kitchen" referred to in the previous post. It is used in flavoring chicken and rice dishes. Any leftover spice can be stored in a air-tight container in a cool, dark place.

Ingredients

• 1" piece cinnamon stick, broken into small pieces
• 1/2c cumin seeds
• 1/3c coriander seeds
• 1tbsp whole black pepper
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1/2 tsp whole cloves
• 1tbsp ground turmeric

Method

1. Heat a small skillet over medium hit.
2. Add all the whole spices, stir constantly till they are lightly toasted and aromatic (2 mins)
3. After cooling, grind to a fine powder.
4. Sieve and regrind the bigger pieces till it is mostly completely fine.
5. Add turmeric to the sieved powder and store in an airtight jar.

Digag Quimbe (African Chicken Stew)

 This flavorful recipe is from Hawa Hassan's delightful cook book, In Bibi's Kitchen. I have adapted the recipe to suite my Indian palate (read, made it a wee bit spicy).

This recipe makes use of Xawaash spice which is the next recipe in this blog.

Ingredients

Blend into a paste

• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1-2 jalapenos (I keep the seeds, de-seed if you like it less spicy)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (or 1/2 cup tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp xawaash spice
• 2 tsp kosher salt

For Cooking

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces.
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp, ginger, minced
• 1 potato, peeled and cut into pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
• 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
• Crushed red pepper to taste
• Large handful chopped coriander

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients in the "blend into a paste section" into a smooth paste. No need to add water.
2. Warm the EVOO in a pan on medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger till the onion begins to soften (5 mins).
3. Add in 1tsp red pepper and give a stir.
4. Stir in the blended paste, bring the mixture to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook till fragrant (10 mins).
5. Stir in potato, carrot, chicken and coconut milk.
6. Cover the pot and cook till the chicken and veggies are done (30 mins). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Taste and adjust for salt and spice, adding more as needed.
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

I served it with the tasty Zanzibar pilau.

Note that this stew tastes even more delicious the next day when the flavor has deepened.

Kerala varuthu arachu kozhi (chicken) curry

 This recipe is adapted from Recipes are Simple blog. Note that the recipe has about an hour of active cooking time, mostly hands off, so plan accordingly. The prep work for the next steps can be done while the previous step is in progress.

Ingredients

For Coconut paste

• 1 cup fresh or frozen shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
• 1.5 tsp red chili powder
• 2.5 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

For making the curry

• 1 kg naatu kozhi (country chicken) with bone, chopped into bite size pieces.
• 5 medium red onions sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped.
• Ginger garlic paste made with 2tbsp ginger and 10 garlic cloves.
• 4 green chilis, slit
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1.5 tsp garam masala powder (kerala style preferred)
• Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt
• Curry leaves

Whole Spices (lightly crush in a mortar-pestle)

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 clove
• 2 green cardamom
• 2 small pieces cinnamon

Method

1. Use 1 tsp kosher salt to salt the chicken, set aside.
2. In a pan, dry toast the coconut on medium heat for 15 minutes till the coconut turns golden brown. Do this on medium heat and with frequent stirring to avoid burning the coconut.
3. Add in the spice powders (kashmiri chili, red chili, coriander and turmeric powders) and stir fry for about 2 mins till the raw powder goes away.
4. Cool the mixture and grind to a fine paste with only as much water needed for grinding (the paste should be thick).
5. Marinate the chicken with the ground coconut paste and set aside while you work on the rest of the ingredients.
6. Add the coconut oil in a pan and add in the onions + salt.
7. Fry till the onion start to change color (about 4 mins) and then add in the ginger-garlic paste.
8. Fry the onion mixture on med-low heat for 8 more mins till the mixture begins to look like a paste.
9. Add in the green chilis, marinated chicken and crushed curry leaves (crush with your hands). Mix well till the chicken begins to change color.
10. Add 1.5 cups water, cover and bring to a boil.
11. Add in the crushed whole spices, garam masala and tomatoes, mix well.
12. Lower heat and cover and cook for 30 mins. Stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.
13. Open the lid, add the black pepper, some more crushed curry leaves and continue to cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
14. Serve hot with rice or parotta.

Easy naatu kozhi chicken soup

 Another tasty recipe from cookdtv.

Ingredients

• 250g chicken (country chicken/naatu kozhi is a great choice) with bones 
• 1 tsp whole black pepper
• 1 tsp whole black jeera
• 20 small shallots, chopped
• 1 tomato
• 6 cloves peeled garlic
• 1/2 inch piece peeled ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 3 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup cilantro for garnish.
• 6 curry leaves
• 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Dry toast the jeera and pepper. Pound into a somewhat fine powder in a mortar-pestle and set aside.
2. Crush ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
3. Add oil in a pressure cooker. Add in shallots and stir fry till onion starts to change color (about 3 mins).
4. Add the crushed ginger-garlic and stir fry for 2 mins.
5. Add chopped tomato and salt. Stir fry till the tomato starts to disintegrate.
6. Add turmeric and crushed jeera-pepper and stir fry for a min.
7. Add the chicken and curry leaves and mix well.
8. Add 3 cups of water, close the cooker and pressure cook for 12 mins on medium flame.
9. When the pressure releases naturally, garnish with chopped cilantro.
10. Serve hot as is or with a dollop of butter (if you find too spicy) or with more pepper (if you do not find it spicy enough).

Dhaba Chicken Curry

 This scrumptious chicken curry recipe comes from cook'd whom I follow on instagram (handle: cookdtv). The recipe is slightly adapted.

Ingredients

• Chicken with bone - 500g
• Oil - 2.5 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
• Cloves - 3
• Black cardamom - 1
• Green cardamom - 5 (no need to split open before adding, just crush lightly)
• Red onions, sliced - 1.5 cups
• Green chilli - 1
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 cup, grind into fine paste.
• Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1tbsp
• Garam masala powder - 2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tbsp (adjust to taste)
• 2 cups water
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp

Final tempering

• Ghee - 1.5 tsp
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• Chopped ginger - 1 tsp

Method

1. Heat up oil and add whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, green and black cardamom).
2. Add sliced onions and stir till they are golden brown.
3. Add gg paste, green chili, all spice powders and salt. Sauté for 20 seconds.
4. Add tomato puree, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add chicken pieces and sauté for 2 minutes
6. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil. Then cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 20 minutes or till chicken is cooked.
7. Adjust for salt.
8. Add in chopped coriander leaves and crushed methi leaves, mix well and remove from heat.
9. For the final tempering, heat ghee in a small pan and add the chopped ginger. Once the ginger changes color, add in the red chili powder and turn off the flame.
10. Add tempering to the chicken curry and mix well.

Perfect Rava Upma

Very basic upma recipe but which gets it right. 

 Ingredients 

• 1 cup fine semolina (rava) 
• 3/4 tsp regular salt 
• 1 medium size onion, chopped 
• 1/4 cup frozen green peas 
• 2.5 cups water

 For tempering 

• 1 tsp channa dal 
• 1 tsp urad dal 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1 pinch asafoetida 
• 1 tsp chopped ginger (optional) 
• 2 slit green chilies 
• 2 tbsp oil + 1 tsp oil 

 Method 

1. Add 1 tsp oil to a saute pan and toast fine semolina in it till the raw smell disappears. Remove from heat and set aside before the semolina starts turning brown. 
2. Add 2 tbsp oil and add the tempering ingredients in the following order: channa dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger (if using) and asafoetida. 
3. Add chopped onions, salt and saute till it is translucent.
4. Add green peas. 
5. Add 2.5 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. 
6. Lower heat, add the roasted semolina to the pan with one hand while stirring the mixture with the other. 
7. When all the liquid has been absorbed, cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes. 
8. Turn of heat, remove lid and give the contents a stir. Serve hot.

Chicken Shawarma

 This recipe makes super tasty chicken shawarma. The list of of marinating ingredients is long but there is absolute minimal work involved in cooking. This is slightly adapted from the book Sababa by Adena Sussman.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 464g skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1lb)

Method

1. Marinate the chicken using all the ingredients listed above. Make sure to rub the pieces well so that the marinade penetrates.

2. Chicken should be marinated for at least 30 minutes or overnight in refrigerator.

3. Bring chicken to room temperature if too chill.

4. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat till hot.

5. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on the pan. Cook for 7 minutes without disturbing (do not cover the pan, you can use a splatter guard if needed).

6. Flip chicken and continue to cook for 7 more minutes.

7. Remove chicken to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes and then sliced into medium-think pieces.

8. Serve in warm pitas with lettuce and dressing (tahini or any middle eastern style creamy dressing). You can even added grilled veggies or picked onions etc.