Chicken Pepper Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken	½ kg
Onions	3 medium
Tomatoes	2 medium
Ginger-garlic paste	1 tsp full
Curry leaves	few
Oil	4 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating:

Turmeric powder	1/8 tsp
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp full
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Cinnamon/Clove powder mix	2 pinch
(grind and mix equal quantities of clove and cinnamon together into a powder)
Pepper powder	1 tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Lemon juice	½ tsp

Finishing ingredients:

Pepper powder	1 tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Coriander leaves	a handful chopped

Method:

1. Clean and wash the chicken. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating with little water and keep aside for half-an-hour to one hour. Chop 2 Onions into fine pieces and one onion into thin slices. Chop Tomatoes into thin slices.
2. Heat a kadai/wok with oil. Add chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Then add chopped tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves. Fry till tomatoes becomes soft and little dry (till oil appears on the sides). Now add marinated chicken and fry in high flame for 2-3 minutes (take care not to stick to the bottom. Adjust the flame if necessary). Add half a cup of water and mix well. Wait for a boil. Lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook for 10-15 minutes checking in between.
3. After 10-15 minutes open the lid and mix once again. Check salt and adjust if needed. Now add finishing ingredients and mix. If it appears watery, fry in high flame till it comes to a thick consistency. Then lower the flame and cook till oil slightly oozes on the top. Switch off the flame and keep covered for 10 more minutes. Chicken Pepper Fry is ready.

Serve as side dish to any main dish.

Tip: Frying Onions till nice golden brown colour, gives a darker colour to the dish.

Crispy Baby Corn Fry

Ingredients:

Baby Corn	12
Onions	2 medium
Capsicum	1
Garlic	5 – 6 cloves
Ginger	½ inch
Green Chillies	1
Tomato Sauce	2 tsp
Red chilli sauce	2 tsp
Garam masala	2 pinch
Pepper powder	2 pinch
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Salt	2 – 3 pinch
Oil	2 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating

Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Pepper powder	2 pinch
Salt	¼ tsp
Corn flour	3 tbsp (or more)
Maida (All purpose flour)	1 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean and wash the Baby Corn well. Cut each into 3-4 pieces. Take 2 cups of water in a bowl and add 1 tsp of salt. Drop all the corn pieces into the salt water and bring it to a boil. Continue boiling in high flame for 3-4 minutes and immediately drain the water using a colander. Allow it to cool.
2. Once the corns are completely cooled, add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating except corn flour and maida. No need to add water. Wetness in the corns is sufficient. See that all the corns are coated well. Now sprinkle the flours and again mix till well coated. Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a kadai to medium hot. Drop few corns gently into the oil. Fry till light brown and crisp. Adjust the flame to low-medium while frying. Repeat with remaining corns and keep aside.
4. Chop onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies into fine pieces. Cut capsicum into big pieces (discard the seeds).
5. Heat oil in a kadai/wok. Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies together and fry for few seconds (till onions turns into light pink). Lower the flame and add capsicum and fry for few seconds. Then add tomato sauce and red chilli sauce with little water (1-2 tbsp). Add garam masala, pepper powder, and salt. Mix well and add fried baby corns. Fry till dry and then add coriander leaves (can add chopped spring onion shoots for extra flavour). Fry for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Crispy Baby Corn fry is ready.

Serve with fried rice or as it is.

Chicken Liver Dry Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken liver	3
Onion	1 medium
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	2 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating:

Ginger-garlic paste	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Mix Red Chilly and Coriander Powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Pepper powder	1 tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp

Method:

1. Wash and clean the liver well. Cut into small pieces. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating with little water. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Chop onion into thin slices. Heat a kadai with oil. Add sliced onions and saute till dark pink. Add marinated chicken liver with little water. Mix well and cover with a lid. Lower the flame and cook for 10 minutes. Now open and check the salt and spice. If needed adjust with little salt and pepper powder. If it is dry add little water and mix well. Add curry leaves and Coriander leaves. Again cover and cook for 2 minutes. Open the lid and fry till oil slightly appears on the sides ( can fry till dry also).
3. Do not cook in high flame when it nearing to dry stage. It will splutter. Use less water. Chicken liver cooks fast.

Serve as it is or as side dish or mix with hot rice.

Masala Vada Kara Kulambu (Pappu Vada Pulusu)

Ingredients:

Masala Vada (click on it to see the recipe)	6 – 8
Onion	1 Medium
Sour Tomatoes	2 medium
Garlic	5 – 6 flakes
Red chilli / coriander powder mix -	2 tsp (heaped)
(Mix Red Chilly and Coriander Powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric Powder	Little
Salt	To Taste
Sambar powder	1 tsp
Tamarind	Small Lemon size
Mustard	¼ tsp
Fenugreek Seed	1/8 tsp
Thalippu Vadagam	Little (optional)
Curry Leaves	Few
Coriander Leaves	few chopped
Oil	4 tbsp

Method:

1. Chop the onion into fine pieces, Cut tomatoes into big pieces (each tomato into 6-8 pieces lengthwise). Cut Garlic into big pieces. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze and strain the water (do not squeeze too much. Spoils the curry's taste). Add turmeric powder, red chilli / coriander powder mix, salt and curry leaves. Mix well and keep aside.
2. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a Kadai/wok. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Then add fenugreek seeds (Methi), and Thalippu Vadagam (if using). Fry for a second. Then add onion and fry till light golden brown. Lower the flame, add Garlic and Chopped tomatoes, cook till soft and slightly oil leaves the sides.
3. Now add tamarind-spice mix water. Add 1 more cup of water. Raise the flame and allow to boil. Now cover and cook for 5 minutes in low flame. Open the lid and check the consistency. If it is too thick add little more water (this curry needs to be little thin). Adjust salt and spice if needed. Add sambar powder and chopped coriander leaves.
4. Cook further for 2 minutes. Switch of the flame  and add masala vada is immediately. Gently press down and ensure all vada is well coated and immersed in the curry.
5. Keep it soaked for 15-20 minutes. masala vada kara kuzhambu is ready.

Serve with hot rice.

Tip:  Cooking in low flame tastes better

Masala Vada (Channa Dhal Vada)

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal	2 Cup
Onion	2 Medium
Green Chillies	8
Garlic	10 – 12 cloves
Fennel Seed (Saunf)	1 tsp
Coriander Leaves	1 Small Bunch
Salt	To taste
Hot  Oil	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves	Few
Oil	To fry

Method:

1. Wash and soak the channa dhal for 1 hour in water. Drain the water completely using a colander and let it stay as it is for some time till all the water drains out completely. Grind the dhal coarsely without adding water as shown below (Just use pulse to grind).

1. Clean and wash coriander leaves and spread over the towel and Pat dry. Chop into fine pieces. Chop onion and green chillies into fine pieces. Crush the Garlic into coarse.
2. Add chopped coriander leaves, onion, green chillies, garlic, fennel seeds, curry leaves, salt to taste (1½ tsp) and hot oil into the ground channa dhal. Mix gently till well combined. Check the salt.
3. Ensure the mix is of thick consistency (no water in dhal or coriander leaves) - some time the wetness in the dhal / leaves make the mix soggy. 
4. Heat sufficient Oil in a kadai / wok (for deep frying vada).
5. Wet your hand, Take a small lemon size portion and shape into a ball, press in between palms to make flat round shape vada (gently press. Hard press makes the water ooze out and this vada normally should be thick in the middle and thinner at the sides).
6. Once the oil becomes hot, drop the prepared vada carefully. Can drop 4-5 vadas at a time. Wait till colour changes a little, then flip to other side. Fry till it turns golden brown and crisp (fry in low  flame).

Serve hot with tomato chutney/ Sauce-Ketchup. It is also served with meals.

Tip:

1. Cooking in low flame tastes better.
2.  Normally masala vada should be patted such that, it is thick at the center and thin / tapered at the sides. So that outer side will be crispier and soft inside.

Yam - Dry Field Beans (Anumulu) Sour Curry

Ingredients:

Yam	200 gms
Dry Field Beans (Anumulu) as shown below	½ cup

Onion	1 medium
Sour Tomatoes	2 medium
Garlic	6 – 8 cloves
Red chilli / Coriander powder mix	2 tsp
(Mix Red Chilly and Coriander Powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Any Sambar powder	1 tsp
Tamarind	small lime size
Mustard	¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds	1/8 tsp
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	4 tbsp
Thalippu Vadagam	little (optional)

Ingredients for grinding:

Red chilli	4
Coriander seeds	½ tsp
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Curry leaves	6 – 8 leaves
Coconut grated	5 tbsp
Oil	1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak Dry Field Beans overnight or 8 hrs in sufficient water. Next day Wash 2-3 times and add enough water with little salt. Pressure cook this for 3-4 whistles. Once pressure comes down, drain the water and keep cooked Beans aside.
2. Scrap the outer skin of Yam and cut into small cubes. Wash well and add enough water with little salt. Cook till semi soft (cook for 8-10 minutes and check). Drain the water and keep cooked Yam aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai. Lower the flame and add all the ingredients mentioned for grinding. Fry for 1-2 minutes (take care not to burn) and allow the mixture to cool. Grind this into a smooth paste using sufficient water. Keep aside.

Now start preparing Curry:

1. Chop Onion into fine pieces and Garlic into little big pieces. Cut Tomatoes length wise into big pieces (each tomato into 6-8 pieces).
2. Soak tamarind into 1/2 cup of water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze and strain the water (do not squeeze too much. Spoils the curry taste). Mix red chilli/coriander powder, turmeric, salt and curry leaves to the tamarind water. Keep aside.
3. Heat a kadai with 4 tbsp of oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Add Fenugreek seeds and Thalippu Vadagam (if using). Wait for a second and add chopped onions and garlic. Fry till golden brown. Add tomatoes, cook till it becomes soft and oil leaves the sides.
4. Now add cooked yam and field beans along with tamarind-red chilli mix water. Mix and wait for a boil. Now lower the flame, cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes. Now add ground coconut spice paste and mix well. Check salt and Spice. If needed adjust with little more. Boil for 2 minutes and then lower the flame. Add sambar powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix and cook for 2 more minutes and then switch off the flame. Keep covered for 10 minutes. Yam-dry field beans sour curry is ready.

Serve with hot rice along with some Pappad.

Simple and Easy Sambar

Ingredients:

Toor dhal	4 tbsp
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Garlic	4 – 5 cloves peeled
Asafoetida	2 pinch
Sour Tomatoes	3 medium
Water	1 cup
Onion	1 small
Red chilli / Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Mix Red Chilly and Coriander Powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Salt to taste
Oil	4 tsp

Ingredients for tempering

Small (sambar) Onions	2 (or ¼ from a onion)
Red chilli	1
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Mustard	little
Oil	3 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak the toor dhal with 1 cup of water for 1 hr. Then add turmeric powder, garlic, asafoetida and mix well. Place tomatoes over the dhal and cover the vessel with a plate. Place this in a cooker and pressure cook for 5 whistles and lower the flame for 10 minutes (adding dhal directly to the cooker, may ooze out. Try this method).
2. Once pressure comes down, remove cooked tomatoes to a plate. Strain the dhal water and store. Mash the dhal using a whisker. Pour the stored water to mashed dhal and keep aside.
3. Now preparing sambar: Chop the onion into fine pieces. Heat a kadai with 4 tsp of oil and add chopped onion. Fry till dark pink. Lower the flame and add cooked tomatoes, little turmeric powder, red chilli- coriander powder mix and salt. Saute till soft and mushy. Now add dhal mix along with one more cup of water. Adjust salt if needed. Boil for 3-5 minutes and transfer into a vessel.
4. Now tempering the sambar (dhal). Slice the small onions and break the Chilli (discard the seeds). Heat a kadai with 3 tsp of oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Add sliced Onions and fry till light brown. Lower the flame and add red chilli and curry leaves. Just saute a second and immediately transfer it into prepared sambar. Simple and easy sambar is ready.

Serve with hot rice and with a spicy side dish.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

Carrots	½ kg
Fresh Milk	½ litre + 1 cup
Sugar	1 cup or to taste
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Ghee	4 tbsp
Cashew	few broken

Method:

1. Wash and scrap the skin of Carrots. Grate using medium sized hole of the grater (do not grind in mixie. Halwa made with grated Carrots tastes yummy).
2. Heat a kadai with 2 tbsp of ghee. Add grated carrots and saute in low flame till colour changes and raw smell goes off.
3. Transfer into deep vessel. Pour 1/2 lt of milk (no need to boil. Refrigerated raw milk can also be used). Mix and cover with a suitable plate. Place this in a cooker. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure comes down.
4. Now in a thick bottomed kadai, transfer cooked Carrot-Milk mixture and continue stirring till it comes to a boil. Cover with a suitable lid with little opening to avoid spilling. Inbetween lower the flame and gently stir to avoid sticking to the bottom. Again cover with lid leaving a small opening. Repeat this till it becomes semi thick (the milk will break and appears like khoya).
5. Now add sugar, cashew, raisins and one cup of milk (additional milk is optional. But this makes the halwa creamy, soft and enhance the taste). Mix continuously till sugar melts and boils again. If it spills out use the lid. Once it becomes thick, Lower the flame, add cardamom powder and remaining ghee. Mix and cook till it comes to soft halwa consistency (do not cook till it becomes too thick. Semi thick is better. Once it cools down, it becomes thick).

Carrot Halwa is ready. Serve as it is or with Rabri or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Kara (Spicy) Paniyaram

Ingredients:

Idli batter	1 cup
Semolina	½ cup
Rice flour	½ cup
Maida	2 tbsp
Fresh grated coconut	3 tbsp
Cooking soda	2 pinch

Ingredients for tempering:

Onion	1 medium
Green Chillies	2
Curry leaves	5 – 6
Mustard	little
Oil	1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a bowl mix Idli batter, Semolina, Rice flour, Maida, grated coconut and salt (cooking soda should be added just before making Paniyaram). Beat well till all combined together. Batter should be thick. If needed adjust with water. Soak for 30 min to 1 hr.
2. Now to temper the batter, chop onion and green chillies into fine pieces. Chop curry leaves into half. Heat a kadai with one tbsp of oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Add chopped onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Lower the flame and saute till onion becomes light pink and translucent. Immediately add to the batter. Mix well and add cooking soda. Again mix well and keep aside.
3. Heat a Paniyaram pan. Pour 1/2 tbsp of oil in each hole. Once it becomes hot, lower the flame. Pour a small ladle of batter into each hole. Wait till sides turn into light brown. Now flip to other side ( use two long handled teaspoon to flip easily). When all the sides cooked and turns into light golden brown and crisp, remove and place over tissue (absorbant) paper. Repeat with remaining batter.
4. Paniyaram can be made in small kadai also. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Once it becomes hot, lower the flame and pour a small ladle of batter. Cover with a lid for 3-4 seconds. Open and flip to other side. Once cooked well and turns into light golden brown and crisp, remove and serve.

Kara (spicy) Paniyaram is ready. Serve with any chutney (See: Tomato chutney, Onion tomato chutney, Onion chutney) as breakfast or as evening snack.

Pooran Poli

 

Ingredients:

For pooran (stuffing)

Gram dhal	1 cup
Toor dhal	¼ cup
Jaggery	1 cup (grated)
Sugar	½ cup
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Ghee	3 tbsp

For Dough

Maida (AP flour)	3 cup
Salt	1/8 tsp
Turmeric	1/8 tsp
Sugar	1 tsp
Oil	¼ cup (4 tbsp)
Ghee	2 tbsp

Oil or ghee for frying

Method:

1. Wash both the dhals for 2 times and soak for 1-2 hrs. After that drain the water and add 2 cups of water with little turmeric and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cover with a plate. Place this vessel in a cooker and pressure cook for 5 whistles and lower the flame and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Once the pressure comes down, open and take out the vessel. Wait for 2-3 minutes and then drain the water from the dhal ( can be used for rasam or sambar). Allow to cool.
2. Transfer cooled dhal into a mixie and grind into a coarse paste. Heat a kadai and add 2 tbsp of ghee. Add ground dhal paste and jaggery together ( or you can melt jaggery by heating with little water. Strain this and add to dhal ). Add sugar and cardamom powder. Cook till it binds together like a dough (take care not to burn). Add remaining 1 tbsp of ghee, mix well and switch off the flame. Allow to cool.
3. Now prepare dough for poli: Mix together flour,salt, sugar and turmeric powder. Now add oil and ghee. Mix till well combined. Add water in intervels to make very soft and pliable dough (dough should be easily stretchable). Coat with oil and rest for 30 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 15-16 equal portions and make into a smooth ball. Sprinkle 2 tsp of oil, coat all the balls and keep covered. Divide Dhal mixture into same number of portions ( 15-16) and keep covered.
5. Take one portion of dough and roll into a small poori (middle should be thick and edges should be slightly thin). Place one portion of dhal stuffing in the centre and close the edges ( extra can be removed). Roll into a thick chappatti using oil (oil helps to stretch easily). You can make this by hand or rolling pin.
6. Heat a tawa to medium hot. Pour one tsp of oil or ghee and spread. Lower the flame and gently place the prepared poli (chappatti). Wait for 2-3 seconds and rub the top part with oil or ghee and flip. Pour oil or ghee around also. Once it has been cooked both the sides and changes its colour to pale brown, take it out. Repeat with remaining portions.

Pooran Poli is ready. Serve with hot ghee.

Also check: Mawa poli