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.