Parotta

Virudhunagar is famous for this. Yummy yummy. We are awesome at making this.


Ingredients
1/4 kg Maida
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup of Milk
5 Teaspoon of Oil

Mix all the Ingredients into a loose dough. Cover with plastic for atleast 6 hours. Then roll the dough out into a sheet and fold it to make parotta shape. Flatten it out before frying in a pan.
Yummy!!

 

Masala Chicken

1/2 Kg Chicken 
7 Dried Red Chilli
2 Teaspoon Jeera
1/4 Teaspoon Peppercorn
1 and 1/2 inch piece of Ginger
4 Garlicpods
5 small Shallots
1 Teaspoon Casa Casa
1 Teaspoon of Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric

Use the mixi to make all the ingredients into paste and keep aside for 20 mintues
In a pressure cooker,add the ingredients and fry. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Simmer til oil separates.

Golabjamu

Ingredients
3 Cups of Milk Powder
1 Cup of Self Raising Flour
1 Small box of thickened cream
Ghee
Sugar Syrup with cardomen Powder


In a bowl mix milk powder, flour and thickened cream and make into round or oval balls. Fry these in ghee.
In another deep pan make sugar syrup(water and sugar) and mix in cardamon. Add fried ball to sugar mixture.

Chicken 65

Ingredients

1/4 kg chicken cut into small bits (with bone is better)


Paste
1 small piece Ginger
4 Garlic pods
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Peppercorn
1 green chilli
2 red chilli
1 TeaspoonYogurt
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon red powder


Add the chicken and paste together and marinate for at least 2 hours. Best if you do it overnight.
Fry with ghee, if you are weight conscious then regular oil is fine.

Chicken Vathakkal (dry Chickey fry curry)

Ingredients
3 Big onion - cut finely
1/2 Kg chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric

Paste
1 Teaspoon Jeera
2 Dried Red chilli

Fry onions in a pressure cooker, until it is golden brown. Add Chicken and fry until golden. Add Paste, Salt and tumeric.Add a little water and pressure cook for 3 whistles and fry until oil separates and there is no liquid.

Lamb and Potato Curry (Mutton)

Ingredients
1 Big onion - cut finely
1 big potato cut into small cubes
1/2 kg Lamb or Mutton -small cubes
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Jeera
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 piece cinnamon, star anise

In a pressure cooker, fry onion, star anise and cinnamon stick.when the onions are golden, then fry the lamb.Fry for 4 minutes and then add salt, jeera, tumeric,chilli powder, fry and then pressure cook it with a little water for 5 minutes.
In a pan, fry the potato in oil until slightly brown, then add the mixture from the pressure cooker to the pan. The liquid from the pressure cooker with flavor the potatoes. Fry until all the water is gone from the pan and the oil separates.

Lamb/Mutton Curry (Kari vathakal)

Ingredients

3 Big onion - cut finely
1/2 kg Lamb or Mutton -small cubes
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Jeera
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
3 Dried red Chilli
 In a pressure cooker, fry onion ,when the onions are golden, then fry the lamb.Fry for 4 minutes and then add salt, jeera, tumeric,chilli, fry and then pressure cook it with a little water for 7 minutes.
Fry until oil separates.

Mushroom Curry/ Mushroom Kolambu

Ingredients

1 Big onion - cut finely
1/8 Kg Mushroom (oyster mushroom is the best for this)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 Cup coconut milk

Paste

1 Teaspoon  Jeera
1 Piece coconut


In a pressure cooker, fry onions until golden Add Karuvadi and fry until its slightly brown. Add coconut milk, Chilli Powder, tumeric and salt. Add paste .Pressure cook it for 1 whistles and simmer til oil slightly separates.

Tomato with Green Chilli chutney

Ingredients
2 big tomatoes cut into small cubes
2 Green chillies (lengthly cut)
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
1 small onion finely cut
5 curry leaves

In a pan,  fry onion, mustard seed, urdhal, curry leaves. Add Green chillies and tomatoes. Add salt, turmeric. Cook on low heat until the oil separates.

Karuvadu Kolambu/Dried Salt Fish Curry

Ingredients

1 Big onion - cut finely
Few Pieces of  Karuvadu
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 Cup water

Paste

1 Teaspoon  Jeera
1 Piece coconut


In a pan, fry onions until golden Add Karuvadi and fry. Add water, Chilli Powder, tumeric and salt. Add paste . After it boiled and oil slightly separates. Break an egg into the curry. Cover the curry until the egg is cooked and the oil is fully separted.

Fried Rice

Ingredients
1 small shallot - finely cut
1 Green onion cut int rings
1 small ginger piece cut finely
1/2 of garlic pod cut finely.
1 cup of cooked cold rice.
1 egg
1 teaspoon of soysauce
4 splashes of seasame oil
salt and peppper to taste

In a pan , scramble the egg with oil. Take it out and put it in a bowl. Put oil in the pan and then fry onion, garlic and ginger, fry until a nice aroma is present and the onions are soft. Add cooked rice, seasame oil, soy sauce , green onion and add salt and pepper. mix until the the rice is soft and separates. Add eggs to this and mix for 1 minute.

Lemon Pickle

Ingredients

4 Lemons
6 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
6 Teaspoons Chilli Powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of Asafotida

Boil uncut lemons and keep the water it was boiled in. Cut lemons and in a fry pan add salt, turmeric, chilli powder and asadotida. Add the boiled water, and keep in an airtight jar.

Egg and Onion Curry

Ingredients
3 Big onion - cut finely
3 or 4 eggs boiled and halfed
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric1/2 Teaspoon Chilli powder

Paste
1 Teaspoon Jeera
1 Piece coconut

In a pan, fry onion ,when the onions are golden. Add Paste, add salt tumeric, chilli powder ,turmeric and a little water.  Fry until oil separates.Add eggs at the end and coat them with the mixture.

Ven Pongal

Ingredients
1 cup Rice
1/4 Cup Moong Dal
4 Cups of Water
5 Cashewnut
1/2 Teaspoon Jeera
10 Pepper
Small Piece Ginger cut finely
Green chilli, cut in rings.
Ghee
Salt and Pepper powder

In a pressure cooker, add washed rice and moong dhal. Add water and then pressure cook 1 more whistle than plain rice.
In a pan, fry in ghee, cashewnut, jeera,  peppercorn,ginger,chilli.Add this to the pressure cooke and then add salt and pepper powder on top of rice, Mix gently and serve.

Coriander Chutney 2

Ingredients
Large bunch Coriander Leaves
1 Green Chilli
1 Coconut piece
A little tamarind Juice
1/8 Teaspoon mustard seed
3 Curry leaves

In a pan, fry coriander leaves, green chilli,coconut. Put this mixture in the mixi with the tamarind juice. After it cools, then fry the mixture in a little oil with mustard seed and curry leaves.

Coriander Chutney 1

Ingredients
Large bunch Coriander Leaves
2 Dried Red Chilli
2 Teaspoon Urdhal seed
A little tamarind Juice
1/8 Teaspoon mustard seed

In a pan, fry mustard seed, coriander leaves, red chilli,urdhal. Put this mixture in the mixi with the tamarind juice. After it cools, then fry the mixture in a little oil.

Yel Chutney

Ingredients
5 Tablespoons White Yel
2 Tablespoon Porrikadalai
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1 Dried Red Chilli
1 Piece of Cococnut
Little Tamarind Juice

Mix everything in the mixie and fry in a little oil with curry leaves.

Spinach side dish

Ingredients
1/4 Kg Spinach
1 small onion - cut finely
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
1/2 Teaspoon Salt1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
1 red chilli
Grated coconut
Little rice flour

In a pressure cooker,  fry mustard seed, urdhal, onion and red chilli. After onion is golden brown, Add spinach. Close cooker, but do not add the weight. After the water drains add a little rice flour and grated coconut.

Jerk Chicken from Jamaica

Strawberry Jam

Pongal

Curry Puffs (Mutton or Lamb)

Rasamalai

Rava Dosai (dosa)

Ingredients
1 cup Rava
1/2 Cup Maida
1 Teaspoon Salt
2  Greenchilli cut finely
1/2 inch giner cut finely
7 Curry leaves cut finely
3 Cashewnut cut finely
2 branches Coriander leaves cut finely
1 and 1/2 cup water

Add everything together and let it rest for 2 hours. Then add it to the pan and swirl the pan around so it looks like a dosai.

Masala Dosai (Dosa)

Ingredients
2 or 3 Potatoes
5 small onions - cut finely
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
1/8 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 branch curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves

Paste
1 piece of coconut
1/4 Teaspoon Jeera

In a pressure cooker, boil the potatoes in water. Take it out and peal the skin.
Mash the potatoes with salt, turmeric and garam masala and leave aside.  In a pressure cooker, in oil fry mustard seed, urad dhal , onion and curry leaves. Add the masala then add chilli powder and a little water so it is thick,  cook for 1 whistle.

Crispy Dosai (Dosa) or Soft Idli Batter

Ingredients
3 Cups Rice (idly rice)
1 Cup Urdal
3 Teaspoons Salt

Soak and Grind each mixture separately and then mix together and add salt.

Poor Masala 2 (Side dish for Poori and also a filling for masala dosai)

Ingredients
2 or 3 Potatoes
5 small onions - cut finely
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
1/8 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 branch curry leaves

Paste
1 Green Chillies
3 Cashewnut
1 piece of coconut
5 big jeera


In a pressure cooker, boil the potatoes in water. Take it out and peal the skin.
Mash the potatoes with salt, turmeric and garam masala and leave aside.  In a pressure cooker, in oil fry mustard seed, urad dhal , onion and curry leaves. Add the masala Add chilli powder and cook for 1 whistle.
 

Poori Masala (Side dish for poori)

Ingredients
2 or 3 Potatoes
5 small onions - cut finely
2 Green Chillies 
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
1/8 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
 8 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
Little bit Coconut milk
1 branch curry leaves


In a pressure cooker, boil the potatoes in water. Take it out and peal the skin.
Mash the potatoes with salt, turmeric and garam masala and leave aside.  In a pressure cooker, in oil fry mustard seed, urad dhal , onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Add chilli powder and cook for 1 whistle.

Parotta Chalna (Mutton or Lamb)

Ingredients
1/4 Kg of Lamb or Mutton
1 Cup of Milk
10 small onions(shallots)

1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Paste
1 Teaspoon Jeera
1 Teaspoon Coriander
5 Big Jeera
Cinnamon stick, little piece
Star Anise, little piece
1 Ginger , 1 inch
2 Dried Red Chilli
5 Cashewnuts
1 Garlic

In a pressure cooker, fry onions which have been thinly sliced. Then fry meat. Add water and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Add paste, coconut milk , turmeric and salt.Pressure cook for 2 whistles. 

Poori

Ingredients

1 cup Maida
1 cup Atta
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Teaspoon Oil.

Mix all the ingredients into a thick dough. Fry in Oil.

Athai's Egg Curry / Muttai Kolambu

Ingredients
3 boiled eggs , peeled and halfed
5 small onions - cut finely
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 cup Coconut milk

Paste
1/2 spoon Jeera
1 Piece Coconut (optional)

In a fry pan,  add oil and fry onions, when the onions are golden, add coconut milk and paste, salt, tumeric, chilli powder. Let it boil, and when the oil separates add the eggs.






Note: For the adventurous ones, you can replace egg with goat/lamb brain, moolai. As my dad says, it has lots of protein.

Pavakkai /Bitter Gourd Fry or Ladies Finger/Vendaka Fry

Ingredients
2 or 3 Bitter gourds (in the US the bitter gourds are big) or Vendaka(Ladies fingers)
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
7 Small Onions
6 Curry leaves


In a fry pan, put Mustard seed, Urdhal and curry leaves, until the mustard seeds pop. Then add thinly cut onions and Bitter gourd (cubed) fry until it becomes bright and little soft. Add salt, tumeric, chilli powder and fry until it becomes soft. Its important to keep this at a lower flame, so it does not burn.

Athai's Vendaya Kolambu / Onion Curry

Ingredients
1/4 kg small onions - cut finely
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
5 garlics
Tamarind Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal
7 Fenegreek

Paste
1/2 spoon Jeera
1 Piece Coconut


In a Pressure cooker, fry mustard seed, urdhaal and fenegreek seeds with garlic. Then add onion and fry til golden . Add paster and tamrind juice and pressure cook for 2 whistle . SImmer until oil separates

Athai's Tomato Kolambu

This is a recipe by my mother in law. My husband likes this much more than I do. I like my mom's version better.


Ingredients
1/4 kg Tomatoes
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
5 Small Onions (shallots)
1 cup of Coconut Milk

Paste
2 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Jeera

In a pressure cooker fry onions til brown then,  add coconut milk, cut tomatoes,  salt, tumeric, chilli powder, and the paste. Cook for 2 whistles

Athai's Chicken Kolambu

Ingredients

1/2 kg Chicken
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
12 Small Onions (shallots)

Paste
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander
1/2 spoon Jeera
5 peppercorn
1 inch Ginger
1 Garlic
1 piece of coconut.

In the pressure cooker, fry onion, add chicken, turmeric, salt, chilli. Add paste and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Athai's Kari Kolambu (Mutton/Lamb Curry)

Ingredients
1/4 kg Lamb or Mutton
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
1/4 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
12 Small Onions (shallots)

Paste
1 Teaspoon Jeera
2 Teaspoon Grated Coconut. (Grind the Jeera first without water first)
Note: For morning breakfast, add 5 cashewnuts , 1 Teaspoon coriander and 1/4 Teaspoon garammasala to paste.

In pressure cooker, fry small onions in oil, Add washed meat.  Fry til the water evaporates. Add turmeric, salt, chilli powder and paste. Add water and cook for 2 whistles.

Fish Fry

My mom used to make fish fry, when we had briyani. She also made it with Rasam. Also, when we had Fish Curry she made this too.  So this can accompany alot of other dishes. I remember she used to marinate it for a couple of hours or even overnight.

Ingredients

3 or 4 small Fish  (I will ask which type of fish she likes)
1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1Teaspoon Salt
1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Pepper

Marinate the fish overnight if possible.In a fry pan, put plenty of oil and fry the fish until it's cooked. Don't turn the fish too much as it will break into pieces.

Small Murruku

Pakoda

Ribbon Murruku

Flan / Caramel Custard (ok, not from virudhunagar, but love it!)

Aunty's Briyani

Vadai/ Thair Vadai( Yogurt Vadai)

Potato Fry

Easiest thing ever, to make.Tasty with Rasam

Ingredients 
Potatoes (1 potato if its big and 3 potatoes if they are small) - cut into small cubes
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 Teaspoon Sambar Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt (Potatoes like salt, so if you need to more, then add more)
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Big Onion -thinly sliced
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seed, Urdhal
1 Branch of Curry Leaves


In frying pan,put oil and then add mustard seed, curry leaves and Urdhal, when the mustard seed pop, then fry the onion til golden brown. Add the potatoes and then add Turmeric, Sambar powder, Salt and Red chilli. Note :After you cut the potatoes put then into water so you can get rid of some of the starch.
Fry the Potatoes, add a little bit of oil if the potatoes stick and stir regularly.
 

 

Kari Kolambu/Lamb(Mutton) Curry

This is really tasty, make sure you get lamb  which has a little bit of fat on it , as it make it softer and tastier(if you are health conscious, ignore the above statement.)

Ingredients
1/2 kg Lamb or Mutton
1 cup of Coconut Milk
Aromatics (Cinnamon stick, Big Jeera, star-anise) -small amount
7 Shallots
1 green Chilli
1 Tomato
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon Turmeric



Paste
5 Dried Red Chillis
2 Teaspoon Jeera
1 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Kasa Kasa
8 Cashewnuts
 
In a pressure, fry the aromatics , then  add the onion, green chilli, Kari and tomato. Fry until they are golden . Add the paste and fry until the it cooks. Then add the coconut milk, salt and turmeric.Stir for about 1 minutes and then pressure cook it for 8 minutes. Simmer until oil separates.

Pepper Chicken

My mom's pepper chicken.Delicious.

Ingredients
1/2 Kg Chicken
1 Teaspoon Salt1 Teaspoon Tumeric
1 Teaspoon Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Ghee


Paste
4 Dried Red Chilli
1 Teaspoon Peppercorn
2 Teaspoon Jeera
1 and 1/2 inch  piece ginger.
4 Garlic pod
1 Teaspoon Kasa Kasa
7 Shallots

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients including the paste.Leave for 1/2 an hour. In a pressure cooker, put all the ingredients together and cook for about 10 minutes and then simmer until the oil separates.
 

Lamb and White Pumpkin

This is a tasty dish, that my mom used to make very rarely.


Ingredients
2 Big Onions - thinly cut
1/2 Kg Lamb or Mutton cut into medium pieces
10 pieces (1 inch by 1 inch) White Pumpkin(usually can get this in Indian shops)
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric

1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Small amount of Tamarind Juice

Paste
3 Dried Red Chilli
1 Teaspoon Jeera
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander
2 Pieces of Coconut
1 Teaspoon Kasa kasa (optional)


In a pressure cooker, fry the Onions in oil,when they are golden, add meat, salt and tumeric powder and fry until the meat browned. Add the paste to the mixture and fry until the paste is cooked. Pressure cook this 8 minutes by adding a little water to it. Then put in the white pumpkin and tamarind. Pressure cook for another 5 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked. Note, the pumpkin will produce a lot of water when cooked, so you don't need to add any.Take out and simmer til the oil separates.

Chicken Wings

You have to marinate the chicken to get the full delicious taste of this dish. I would recommend overnight marination is best.

Ingredients
1 Teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons of PlainYogurt


Grind
1/4 Tablespoon Peppercorn

1 Inch Ginger
2 Garlic Pods
 
Put the paste and Ingredients into one bowl. Wash the chicken wings, and put it into the bowl. COver and let it marinate for 1 day.
Pre-heat the oven to 350, and spray the aluminum foil with oil. place chicken wings on it and then let it bake for 40-50 minutes.
Take out and serve.

Thovayal - Side dish for Tamarind Rice

Ingredients

1 Piece coconut
1 Dried Red Chilli
4 Peppercorn
1 Tablespoon Thooram seed
1 Tablespoon Porikadulai
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Tamarind juice

Dry fry everything first, except salt and tamarind juice. Put everything into a mixie and make it into a paste. In a pan heat some oil and place the paste into the pan and fry until oil separates.

Puliyorithum/ Tamarind Rice

Ingredients

1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
1 Teaspoon Kadalai  Seed
1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal Seed
1 Teaspoon Porikadulai Seed
2 Teaspoon Peanuts
10 garlic pods
3 Dried Red Chilli
1/4 Teaspoon Hing( Peringayam)
10 Fenegreek
2 Branches Curry Leaves
Tamrind Juice
Rice
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Salt


Fry everything but the Tamarind Juice and rice in 4 big tablespoons of oil.  After the all the seeds are golden add tamarind. and make it thick. Add rice gently to the mixture and stir. This goes great with scrambled eggs and Thovyal(a relish).

Karuvadu Kolambu / Salt Fish Fry - Mom's Version

It sucks, the only Karuvadu(salted fish) I can find here is the salted cod. In Virudhunagar you get awesome karuvadu, which is pink on the inside and melts into the dish. If anyone knows where you can get good Karuvadu in the northeast , please email me.

Ingredients 
Couple of pieces of karuvadu.
20 Small onions (shallots) - cut into small pieces
3 Non-spicy green chilli (the long ones)
10 Garlic pods - thinly sliced
1/2 Teaspoon Jeera powder (freshly ground)
1/4Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Turmeric powder
1/4 Chilli Powder

In a wok, fry onions, green chilli and garlic into until they become very soft. Add Jeera powder, Tumeric powder, Chilli Powder. Add 1/4 cup of water. Then add Karuvadu. Fry until all the water evaporates and oil separates.

Palakka Kolumbu / Jackfruit Curry

It's kind of sad Jackfruit is not readily available where I live. They come occasionally to some Korean and Indian shops. I love this curry. I think after Eggplant Curry, this would be my No.2 favorite. I would eat this for lunch and dinner and then next day lunch and dinner. My mum would save the seeds and pressure cook them with salt and they would taste just like chestnuts.

Ingredients
1/2 Kilo Green Jack fruit , cut into 1 inch  by 1 inch pieces
15 Small Onions(shallots)- thinly sliced.
1 and 1/2 Tomatoes
1 Big Potato cut into 1 inch by 1 inch pieces
 
Grind
3 Small Onions (shallots)
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Jeera seed
1 Teaspoon Coriander seed
1 Inch ginger
4 Garlic pods

In a pressure cooker, fry the onions. until golden brown.Then add 1/4 cup of water, so the onions become very soft. Then fry until they become golden brown again . Add tomatoes, and fry until they are soft and mushy. Now put the Jack fruit and potatoe. fry for about 3 minutes. Add the paste and fry for another 5 minutes. Add about 1 water  and then pressure cook it for 8 minutes.    

Note: Beware: Jackfruit is hard to cut and you hands get all gooey with the puss from it. So my mum always says to rub oil on your hand before you cut it, or you have just use plastic gloves.
 

Capsicum Kolambu/Capsicum or Bell Pepper Curry

This is something special my mom used to make for us when we were younger, and I like anything with tamrind in it , so here it is. I usually have this with curd rice, but it is also tasty with plain white rice.

Ingredients
2 Capsicum/Bell Pepper (Green or Red, I find the red ones tastier) - into thick strips
3 Garlic Pods - sliced
Tamarind Juice
6 Fenegreek
4 Small onions(shallots)
1/4 Teaspoon Hing(Peringayam)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli powder
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed 
 1/4 Teaspoon Urdhal seed

In a pressure cooker,mustard seed , urdhal, fry onions, and garlic, hing and fenegreek . When onions are golden add in Bell Pepper.when the pepper are rice are vibrant in color add in turmeric, salt , chilli, and fry. Add in tamarind and then pressure cook for about 8 minutes, when the Bell pepper is soft. You may need to simmer the mixture.

Egg Kolumbu/Egg Curry

Ingredients
3 or 4 Eggs
1 Cup of Coconut milk
12 Small Onions(shallots) - finely chopped

Grind
4 Dried Red Chilli
1 and 1/2 Small Jeera
3 Small Pieces of Coconut.
6 Peppercorn

Put all the things under label Grind into mixie and make it into a paste.

Boil the eggs and remove the shell.
In a pan, fry the onions in oil. After the onions have become golden, fry the paste.Then add coconut milk and stir until its thick. Add salt and tumeric powder. Simmer until the oil separates . Cut the eggs into half and put them into the curry.

Meen Kolambu/Fish Curry

I like to use Tilapia fish with this recipe.My mom likes Pomfret.
My Andhra friend actually makes a similar thing but with green mangoes in it , which was delicious. I will ask her for the recipe.

Ingredients
Tamarind Juice
1/4 Spoon Tumeric powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt (add more if you need to)

Grind 
4 Dried Red Chillies (depends on how hot you want to Curry)
2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
6 Peppercorns
15 Small Onions (shallots)

Put all the things under label Grind into mixie and make it into a paste.
Note: If you dry fry the Grinding ingredients , it make it tastes sooooo much better.

In a Pan, put 8 Tablespoons of gingerly Oil (it's a lot , but it needs it), and paste, tamrind and tumeric and fry for 2 minutes. Add the Fish and put it on high head for 2 minutes, and then low simmer for the next 10 minutes. At last add the salt  and 2 tablespoon of gingerly oil on top of the gravy and mix gently.


Also, this method is used to make Valaipoo Kolambu.
In a pan put the Valaipoo strands (make sure you take out the stigma and just have the strand), boil it in a little yogurt. Use the above method and where you put the fish in, put the valaipoo instead.

Prawn Curry/Prawn Kolambu

Ingredients

1/2  Kilo Prawns
15 Small Onions (shallots) - Thinly sliced
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric powder
3 Tablespoon oil
1/4 Teaspoon salt ( add more if needed)

Grind
 4 Dried Red Chilli
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seed
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper seed

Clean prawn and de-vein them .
In a pan, put oil and fry the onions til they are golden brown. Add prawns, when they look a little orange then add paste and 1/2 cup of water.Simmer the curry , until the oil separates and then add salt.

Prawn Fry (dry)

My mum used to make this with huge prawns and they were soo juicy.

Ingredients
1 Teaspoon Tumeric powder
1 Teaspoon Chilli powder
1 Teaspoon Salt powder
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper powder
20 Juicy Big Prawns

Mix the all the ingredients together and leave to marinate for 10-20 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan  and they fry til they are cooked. This is nice to have with Rassam.

Raita/ Yogurt Relish

This is so delicious. Very simple to make and great with chapati or briyani.

Ingredients

8 Big Tablespoon Yogurt
1 Big Onion -Chopped Finely
1/2 Cup of thinly shredded carrot
1/2 Cup tomato (optional)
1 branch of fresh coriander
1 squeeze of Lemon (if you don't have lemon you can use lime)
pinch of salt.

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and serve. Yum Yum Yumo! 

Thakali Kuchu/Tomato Relish/Tomato Kuchu

Ingredients
4 pieces of Garlic chopped into little pieces
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/2 Teaspoon Urdhal seed
1 Green chilli
6 small onions(shallots) -thinly sliced
4 Tablespoon Oil
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Grind
3 Tomatoes
1 Piece Coconut
1 Teaspoon Kasa Kasa (optional)
6 Cashew Nuts
1 Small piece Ginger
1 cup water

Add oil, mustard seed, urd dhal, onions, and green chilli and garlic in frying pan and fry.
When the onions are golden, put in the paste.Boil the mixture until it becomes think and vibrant. Usually about 7 minutes. Then add salt and take of heat and serve. Remember to mix occasionally.

Chicken Curry / Koli Kolambu

Ingredients
1/2 Kg Chicken
4 Red Chilli(Depends on how hot you want it)
1 Big onion (thinly sliced)
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric

Grind
2 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Inch Piece Ginger
5 Pieces of Garlic
10 Pieces of Cashewnut
2 Inch Piece of Coconut

Put all the things under label Grind into mixie and make it into a paste.


In a pressure cooker, put 1 big tablespoon  of oil (gingerly oil is best for non veg) fry the onions. when they are golden, add chicken,  tumeric and salt (if you marinate the chicken in tumeric and salt for 15 minutes , it help get rid of the raw chicken smell)  and fry. Mix in the paste then fry for 1 minute. Add Water so the it is just below the chicken pieces and pressure cook for 15 minutes.

Once that is done, simmer for 5 minutes til the oil separates.

Kari Fry / Lamb Fry

Ingredients
1/2 Kg Lamb
4 Big Onions thinly sliced.
2 Tomatoes
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Big Jeera
6 Tablespoon Oil
Pinch of Small Jeera

In a wok, put oil, put the Big Jeera, Small Jeera , Onions, cumin powder,  and Lamb. Fry for 10 minutes. Add Tumeric powder, salt and chilli powder and tomatoes. fry for another 10 minutes until tomatoes are soft and meat is fully cooked and everything looks red and vibrant.
Make sure to stir from time to time and don't burn it.

Brinjal(Eggplant) Curry /Kathirika Kolambu

This is my favorite dish.My mom makes it for me, whenever I go home.

Ingredients
4 Brinjal (Chinese Eggplant is best) - cut into 2 inch by 1 inch pieces
6 Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Fenugreek
Pinch of Hing (Peringayam)
4 Big spoon of Oil.
1/2 Teaspoon mustard seed
1/2  Teaspoon urdhal seed
Lime-sized Tamarind, mixed with water to create a tamarind juice (take out seeds and pulp)
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric powder

Grind
3 Red Chilli
 2 1/2 TeaSpoon Cumin Seed
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
10 Small Onion

Put all the things under label Grind into mixie and make it into a paste.

In a pressure cooker, add oil, fenugreek, hing, mustard seed, urdhal seed, tumeric powder, fry for 1 minute until mustard seeds pop. Then add garlic pods and brinjal.Fry til the brinjal is slightly soft and the color of brinjal is changed. Put the paste into the pressure cooker and tamarind juice. Add salt and pressure cooker it for 7 minutes.

Potato Kuruma

Ingredients
4 Potatoes
2 Big Onions (thinly sliced)
1 Green Chilli
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Teaspoon Big Jeera

Grind
2 Red Chilli (add more if you like it more spicy)
1/2 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Coriander
1 Garlic pod
1 Inch piece of Ginger
15 Cashewnuts

 Put the all the things under label Grind into mixie and make it into a paste.

Boil 4 Potatoes in 5 cups of water in the pressure cooked for 8  minutes. Take potato out of the water, peel and mash it.

In a pan, put oil, onions, green chilli, cinnamon stick, big jeera. Add mashed potatoes and paste and cook it for 8 minutes, til it becomes thick.

Chappati

Ingredients
2 Cups Wheat Flour ( Pillsbury Atta is the best)
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 Cup Water

Mix the salt with water, then add oil. Add the wheat flour and make it into a dough, not too loose not too hard.
Then roll them into little balls. Using a rolling pin roll it to round circle and fry with a little bit of oil.

Oil Eggplant/ Yenai Kathirika

Ingredients
6 little onions -cut into small cubes
1 green chilli
5 garlic pods
1 big eggplant (chinese eggplant is best)
1 Cup Water
1/4 Teaspoon Urd Dhal
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard seed
1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli powder
3 Tablespoon oil

In a pressure cooker, add oil ,mustard seed, urdhal. When the urdhal turns golden add onions. Fry til they are golden and then add eggplant and garlic. Fry til they are slightly soft and turned a different color.Add tumeric, salt, chilli powder .Adding a little bit of cumin  and tamarind juice also makes it taste good. Pressure cook it for 4 -5 minutes and then simmer til the water is gone.

Rassam

Ingredients
1 Lime-sized ball Tamarine
3 Cups of Water
1 Crushed Tomato
Handful Coriander Leaves
1 Crushed Garlic
1 Teaspoon Rasam Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt

Seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard seed
7 Curry Leaves
2 Pieces Dried Chilli

Mix the tamarind with water.Remove the solid tamarind pieces and seeds.Mix the rest of the things labeled Ingredients, except salt to this mixture. Leave aside.

In a pan, put 2 spoons of oil and the things labeled seasoning. Fry for 1 minute. Add the Tamarind mixture.Boil the mixture until you get bubbles in the middle of the Rasam. Add salt.


P.S - My mum indicated if you put 1 green chilli (grounded in the mixie) instead of the usual Red Chilli, it would be even tastier.

Parrupu / Daal

Ingredient
1/2 Cup Daal (Parrupu)
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric Powder
4 Cups of Water


Seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seed
2 Dried Red Chilli
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seed
6 Curry Leaves
 
Put ingredients into pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes. Take out and place it in a bowl.
  In a frying pan put seasonings except salt and fry in oil.Put seasonings along with the parrupu/daal and mix.

The below image is what it looks like when it comes out of the pressure cooker. 

Rice

2 Cups Rice
4 Cups Water
1 Spoon Salt

 Put everything in the rice cooker and start cooking.

Note: You can also make rice in the microwave or pressure cooker.