Channa masala

http://www.sharmispassions.com/2010/10/channa-chole-masala-without-coconut.html

Channa Masala Recipe:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• White Chick peas /Channa - 1 cup
• Onion -  1/2 small chopped finely
• Tomato - 1/2 small chopped finely
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder / Channa Masala powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp

To saute and grind:

• Tomato - 2 big sized
• Onion - 1 big sized
• Cloves - 1/4 inch piece
• Cinnamom - 1
• Fennel(Sombu) - 1 tsp
• Boiled channa - 2 tbsp [No need to saute]

Method:

1. Soak channa overnight and pressure cook until soft,with enough water just allowing channa to immerse. Drain water, transfer to a bowl and keep aside.


2. Heat a wide bottomed pan with 1/2 tsp of oil, Add the ingredients under 'to grind' except boiled channa and saute until tomatoes are slighty mushy. Then grind it to a thick paste with boiled and keep aside.


3. Now in the same kadai add remaining oil, add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell leaves. Now add the onion and fry till transparent.


4. Add the chopped tomatoes,onion and salt. Add red chilli, turmeric and garam masala/channa masala powders, mix well. Saute and mix well till the masala powders are nicely coated with tomato and onion.


5. Add the grinded tomato onion paste to the cooking gravy and fry in low flame for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cooked channa to the gravy. Simmer and allow it to cook for 5-10 mins.


6. Keep stirring, when the gravy is thick enough or to ur desired consistency, switch off. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, raw onion and lemon juice. Enjoy it with hot rotis or bhaturas!

Fish kulumbu

Chettinad Fish Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

• Fish - 5 to 6 pieces(I used Vanjaram fish variety)
• Tamarind - lemon sized
• Turmeric powder - a generous pinch
• Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
• Salt- to taste

To Temper :

• Oil - 1.5 tbsp
• Vadagam(the one used for tempering) / Vendhayam - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Small Onion - 10
• Garlic - 5 pearls
• Tomato - 1
• Curry leaves - few

To grind:

• Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1.5 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp

To saute and grind:

• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Tomato - 1 
  chopped roughly
• Big Onion - 1 chopped roughly

Method:

1. Make ready all the ingredients under to grind(coconut, fennel seeds , chilli powder, coriander powder) in a mixer. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a kadai - add onion , saute till slightly browned then add tomatoes saute until raw smell leaves and becomes mushy. Add sauted onion, tomato to the ingredients in the mixer , sprinkle little water and grind it to a fine paste.


2.Soak tamarind in warm water(say 1/4 cup), extract pulp and keep aside. Heat remaining oil in the kadai add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter. Then add curry leaves, onion, garlic saute for 3mins then add tomatoes saute until raw smell leaves. Then add the grinded paste,turmeric powder and tamarind pulp. Add 1/4 cup water(adjust according to thickness) , required salt and allow it to boil for 15-20mins.

3.When oil seperates add the cleaned fish pieces. Allow it to boil and the fish to cook well. The fish will cook faster so be careful not to break the pieces. Once the fish turns soft and the curry is well boiled and thick, oil will start collecting at the edges as shown below. At this stage garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.

Give resting time for atleast an hour before you serve. Serve hot with rice, tastes heavenly. Tastes best the next day or even after that :)

My Notes:

• Once fish is added it gets cooked faster so cant boil for more time, so allow the curry to boil well before the fish is added, which gives a nice taste to the curry.
• You can even marinate the fish with little salt, turmeric powder and lemon as suggested by a reader.

Kohapuri chicken

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFP3eKyFxJs


1.


 Dry roast 1/2 cup grated cocunut ,
3-4 cardomons ,
2 teaspoons cumin seeds ,
1 inch cinnamon ,
2 black cardomons,
8-10 black peppercorns,
1 tablespoon sesame seeds ,
1 table spoon poppy seeds
1 maze
6-8 cloves
6 red chillies

2.

grind spices to a fine paste without adding water
3. marinate chicken with half of the spices.

4. fry onion , 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste , 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and add marinated chicken.

5.  1 teaspoon nutmeg powder , fresh coriander leaves  and add rest of the spices and cook well.