INDIAN COOKERY

CHETTINAD FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 lb chicken
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
4 tbsps vegetable oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp skinned urad dal
½ tsp whole fennel seeds
5 whole dried red chillies
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

Instructions:

1) Cut the chicken into small serving peices as one might for chinese food. The breast should be split in half and each half cut into 6-8 peices. Thighs and drumsticks should be halved.Rub 3/4 tsp salt and the turmeric onto the chicken and set aside for 15 minutes.

2) Put the remaining salt in a bowl with 3 tbsps water and set aside.

3) Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium high flame. When hot add the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop add the dal. As soon as this turns red put in the fennel seeds and red chillies. When they start to darken add the onion and stir and fry until it browns lightly.

4) Add the chicken peices and stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Start sprinkling a little salted water at atime from the bowl over the chicken and keep stirring and frying over a medium high flame. Fry the chicken for about 10-15 mins.All the salt water should be used up.

5) When the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned remove with a slotted spoon and serve.This goes well with Mysore Spinach with Dill, Cauliflower with Dried Chillies and Mustard seeds, Plain Rice and Mysore Split Peas with whole shallots.


CHICKEN CURRY:


Ingredients
1/2 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
3 garlic, cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cummin seeds powder
1 tsp coriander seeds powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut milk
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method
Make pieces of chicken breasts .Heat oil in a pan .Saute chicken pieces until golden from
both sides
Remove and drain .Add onion and ginger-garlic and fry till golden brown .Add all the
powders, and saute for a minute
Add chicken broth and water .Let it boil for 2 minutes .Add chicken pieces .Cover the pan
and let it cook for approx 30 mins.
Then add coconut milk .Cook for another 1 min. Serve with rice


CHICKEN BIRIYANI:


Ingredients:
8-10 oz basmati rice, rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cumin

For garnishing:
1 tbsp fried onions
2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
1 tsp ground coriander
a pinch of nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp turmeric
6 fl oz natural yogurt
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp raisins or sultanas
salt and black pepper

Method:
Boil the rice in 3 pts water with a little salt for 8 minutes, stirring once and keeping the water at a rolling boil.
Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, thinly slice the chicken breast.
In a large saucepan or casserole with a tight fitting lid heat the oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the chicken, raise the heat and stir fry for 3 minutes.
Add all the ground spices and stir again for a few seconds.
Add the yogurt and stir for one minute, then add the sugar and raisins or sultanas and stir again. Check seasoning.
Put the rice on top then cover the saucepan with foil or a damp tea towel and put the lid on tightly.
Reduce the heat to low and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and rest, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with the garnishes and serv

chettinad pepper chicken:


Chicken fillets- 2 cubed, onion- 1 chopped, tomato- 1 chopped, ginger-garlic paste- 3 tbsp, peppercorns- 10( ground alongwith the ginger- garlic paste), turmeric pwd - 1 tsp, garam masala pwd - 2 tsp, coriander leaves- few sprigs, chopped, curd- 4 tbsp, lime juice- 4 tbsp, oil- 3 tbsp, curry leaves- 8, cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp, saunf(fennel) - 1/2 tsp, salt to taste.
Add 1 tbsp of ginger- garlic-peppercorn paste, curd , turmeric 1/2 tsp, & lime juice to the chicken pieces & marinate for half an hour.
Heat oil in a kadai & season with curry leaves, cumin & saunf. Now add the onions & fry till golden. Then add the ground paste, tomato, coriander leaves, turmeric , garam masala pwd & salt to taste and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken alongwith its marinade & stir briskly for 2 minutes. Now add little water and cover & cook till the chicken is done.
When the gravy has thickened a little bit & the oil begins to float on top, remove from fire & serve hot with rice, rotis or dosais.


MUTTON SUKKA / MUTTON DRY FRY:
Ingredients:Mutton (1 inch cubes) - 200gmsOnion (finely chopped) - 1Green chillies (slit) - 2Curry leaves - a sprigGinger-garlic paste - 1 tspJeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tspSaunf (fennel seeds) - 1 tspPepper powder - 1 tbspJeera (cumin) powder - 1 tbspCoriander powder - 1 tbspGaram masala - 1 tspTurmeric - a pinchOil - 3 tbspSalt - as neededMethod:Pressure cook the mutton with jeera, saunf and a pinch of turmeric with just enough water to cover the meat, for about 8 whistles. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Once the onions turn translucent add green chillies, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and the cooked mutton. Fry in low heat till all the raw smell disappears from the powders and the mutton gets coated and roasted evenly. Serve hot with rice and sambar.

MUTTON CURRY:

Ingredients:1/2 lb Mutton4 Potato(optional)1 tsp Fennel seeds2 Onion(medium size)2 Tomato(medium size)1 tbsps Poppy seeds Paste1/ tsp turmeric powder2 tbsps Coriander powder2 tbsps Chilli powder3 tbsps Coconut paste1 tsp Ginger-garlic Paste1/2 tsp Garam masala powder4 Cloves2 Bay leaves2 Cinnamon(medium size)1 tbsp Curd(optional)5 tbsps OilCoriander leaves for garnishingSalt for tasteMethod:1. Marinate the mutton pieces with the poppy seed paste,garam masala & 1tsp of salt.2. Heat the oil in pressure pan & put the fennel,seeds,cloves,bay leaves & Cinnamon.Let them splutter.Add the chopped onion & fry till slight golden brown.3. Add the ginger-garlic paste & fry for 4-5 mts.Now add the chopped tomato,salt & turmeric powder & cook for 6-7 mts till the oil separates from the masala.4. Add the the marinated mutton,potato cubes & a cup of water & combine all the masalas & cooks for 5-6 mts.5. Now,close the pan & pressure it till the mutton becomes soft.Then,open the pan & add the coriander powder,chilli powder & coconut paste & cook the garvy for 10 mts in slow flame till theoil separate from the masala.6. Now,garnish the mutton with the coriander leaves.7. Serve the mutton curry with rice,dosai,idle,puri,roti & naan.

MUTTON BRIYANI:

INCREDIENTS:


1.5 lb goat or lamb meat cut into medium sized pieces
To Grind:
6 Dry Red chilies
1″ Cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cardamom
1 finger sized ginger
6 pods garlic
1 onion thinly sliced
About 20 mint leaves
1 star anise
3 bay leaves
1″ cinnamon
3 cups Basmati Rice
Salt to taste
Oil
Coconut milk 1/2 cup
1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)
Method
Wash and soak the rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Grind all the ingredients in the To Grind section to a smooth paste and keep aside.
In a pressure cooker, heat some oil and fry the mutton pieces along with the star anise, bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
Add the ground masala paste, salt and 1 cup of water and pressure cook the mutton. (3 minutes after the first whistle).
While the cooker is cooling down, in a big frying pan, heat the ghee, add soaked rice and a little bit of salt and fry well.
When the pressure cooker is cool enough to handle, open and measure the gravy in the mutton. We need total 5 cups of liquid including the gravy, coconut milk and water to cook 3 cups of rice. For example, if there is two cups of gravy in the mutton, add 1/2 cup coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups of water. Add the fried rice along with the required amount of hot water and coconut milk to the mutton in the pressure cooker.
Close the pressure cooker and cook till the first whistle. Switch off the stove and let stand till it cools down.
Delicious mutton biryani is ready. Garnish with coriander leaves, squeeze a fresh lime over the biryani and serve with cucumber raitha.

BUTTER CHICKEN

Ingredients
700 gm: Raw chicken
Marinade
½ kg: Curd
1 tsp: Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp: Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Gravy
100 gm: White butter
½ kg: Tomato (pureed)
½ tsp: Black cumin seeds
½ tsp: Sugar
1 tsp: Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
To Prepare Chicken
100 gm: Fresh cream
75 gm: White butter
4-5: Sliced green chillies
½ tsp: Crushed fenugreek leaves
Method
For the marinade, mix red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and curd together. Marinade is ready.
Now mix the raw chicken in the marinade and keep it in the refrigerator overnight.
Then roast the marinated chicken in a tandoor or an oven for about 5-10 minutes till it is three fourth done.
For the gravy, heat white butter in pan. Add black cumin seeds, tomato puree, sugar, red chilli powder and salt. Mix it well.
Now add the prepared chicken, white butter, fresh cream, sliced green chillies and crushed fenugreek leaves.
Cook till chicken is done.
Butter Chicken is ready to eat.
Serve hot with rice or naan.


MOMO (steamed dumpling)

Ingredients (Makes 30 momos)
4 cups: Wheat flour
750 gm: Meat minces
2 large: Onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized: Ginger, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon: Salt
Method
Mix well wheat flour with 2 cups of water and knead into a stiff paste, roll out on a floured board till it is very thin. The rolled dough should be about 2 feet square.
Cut in circle with the rim of tea cup
Place a circle of dough on your left hand, slightly stretch the edges and place about a teaspoon of filling in the centre.
Then with your right thumb and forefinger pleat the dough together over the centre of the meat, forming a pin-wheel design. Your left thumb is used to tuck the minced meat down as you go, and the dumpling turns on your palm as you pleat around it. A special steamer locally called moktu is required.
Filled up dumplings are placed on oiled racks, slightly separated in the moktu.
Bottom of the moktu is filled with water and steam the dumplings for 20-25 min.
Momo is ready to serve hot.
Momo is eaten with meat/vegetable soup, and tomato achar.


DIWALI SWEETS

Cashew Burfi

Ingredients
1 cup: Powdered sugar
4 tbsp: Milk powder
A little milk
½ tsp: Powdered elaichi
1 cup: Cashews
1 tbs:Ghee
Method
Grind cashews in a blender till you have a fine powder.
Knead the ground cashew with powdered sugar, milk powder, cardamom, ghee and a little milk. Knead till you get a thick buttery dough.
Roll out and cut into diamonds and bake in the oven till a light golden brown.

JALEBI

Ingredients
½ cup: white flour or maida
2 tbsp: Yoghurt or dahi
½ tsp: Yeast
½ cup: Sugar
1 cup: Water
A few strands of saffron
Oil for frying
A pinch of salt
A little oil
Method
Make a batter of the dahi, maida, saffron and yeast with a little oil. Let it rise for several hours.
In a saucepan, boil sugar and water till you have a thick two-strand chasni. Keep it warm on the stove.
Fill the batter into a squeeze bottle (like that used for ketchup). Squeeze shapes into the hot oil and drain quickly.
Dip in chasni for 1-2 minutes and drain.

RASSOGLLA


1 litre: Milk
300 gm: Sugar
05 ml: Lemon juice
3 drops: Rose essence
1 litre: Water
Method
For the preparation, heat the sugar and the water in a deep pan and bring to a boil.
Boil the milk. Add the lemon juice and curdle the milk. Remove from fire and strain through a muslin cloth.
Hold under running water or dip in a bowl of cold water for 1 minute. Squeeze out the excess water.
Knead till very smooth. Make balls of desired size.
Now place the cheese balls in boiling syrup and cook for 15 minutes.
Switch off the flame and let the dumplings stand in the liquid until cool.
Chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
Mix in the essence before serving

PHIRINI

Ingredients (Serves: 6)
6 cups: Milk
3 tbs: Rice preferably long - grained (called Basmati in India)
9 tbs: Sugar (or to taste)
1/2 tsp: Cardamoms (powdered)
1½ tbs: Almonds (blanched and sliced)
1½ tbs: Pistachios (sliced)
1½ tbs: Cashew nuts (sliced)
A few strands of saffron soaked in a little milk.
Method
Wash the rice and soak it in a little water for about 40 minutes. Grind the rice with just enough water in which it was soaked to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
Pour the milk in a vessel and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Let it simmer. Meanwhile, take a little of this hot milk in a bowl, add the rice paste and dilute it to a very thin consistency. Add this to the simmering milk and mix, stirring continuously. Cook on low heat for 16 minutes or till the milk has thickened. Add sugar and stir well. Keep on low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the saffron and sprinkle cardamom powder on top.
Garnish with sliced almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts.