AVARAIKAI MUTTON THOKKU /MUTTON WITH HYACINTH BEANS

INGREDIENTS:

MUTTON-500gms
small onion-1cup
tomato-2nos.
Hyacinth beans-15nos(each cut into 2 or 3 pieces)

Seasoning-
cloves-5nos
cinnamon-2inch piece
aniseeds-1/2tsp
curry leaves-1 handful

For cooking mutton:
Pressure cook cleaned and washed mutton with turmeric powder and add the whole spices and 1.4 cup water for 5minutes or 2whistles-depending on the quality of meat you get in your place.

To grind:
poppy seeds- 1tsp
pepper-1 1/2 tsp
jeera-1/2tsp


Method:

1.Grind the ingredients to grind into a fine paste.

 2.Cut the onions and tomato to fine pieces.

3.Cook the meat and keep it aside.

4.Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai add the chopped onions and curry leaves and fry till golden brown and add the tomatoes and fry till cooked.

5.Add the ground paste and continue stirring till oil seperates.

6.Add the water(soup from the mutton) to the kadai,toss in the beans and give a good stir adding salt and boil till oil seperates and the beans are 3/4th cooked.

7.Add the mutton pieces and continue stirring till the masala coats the pieces and oil oozes..Serve hot as accompaniment with curd rice/rasam rice.

MEEN KULAMBU / FISH CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

Fish-1/2kg(i used fresh water fish)-any variety can be used.
small onion-10 nos
Garlic pods-10 nos
Green chilli-3nos
tomato(preferrably country variety)-2nos
curry leaves-3 sprigs
tamarind-lemon sized

To grind:

Coconut-1/4cup
coriander powder-3tsp
chilly powder-1tsp
peppercorns-10
curry leaves-5 leaves
jeera-1/2 tsp
Saunf-1/4tsp

Seasoning:
Mustard-1tsp
fenugreek-1tsp
vadagam-1tsp
oil-(mix these 3oil's and use)
coconut oil-2tsp
gingelly oil-2tsp
castor oil-2tsp


METHOD:

1.Heat oil splutter mustard,add fenugreek and be careful not to burn this as it'l turn the curry bitter.

2.Add vadagam and then finely chopped small onions and garlic and green chillies and saute till golden brown,add tomato and saute well till cooked.

3.Grind the ingredients under the to grind column to a paste with little water.

4.Soak tamarind in 1cup water for 10 minutes.

5.Add the ground paste to the kadai and saute well till oil sepera(takes 10-15minutes) and add the tamarind extract and bring to boil adding 1cup water till oil seperates.

6.Add the washed fish pieces and boil for 5minutes.

7.Serve with hot rice and fish fry..

Prawn Manchurian

Ingredients:

Prawns-(shelled,deveined and washed)-250gms(I used the bigger variety)

Cleaning the prawns:


To remove the veins u need to draw a line on the back portion of the each prawn with a blade or kitchen knife and then lift the black thread like vein that is visible)--cleaning is messy but it's very important because u'l upset ur tummy if you cook it with the veins....

Capsicum-1no chopped into big chunks

Onion-1no(chopped into chunks)

Spring onion-cut the green part for garnishing and keep little for sauting with the onions(I didn't use as it was not available this time)

Onion bulbs from the spring onion-chop roughly for sauting

Green chillies-4(cut into thin strips)

Ginger-3inch(finely chopped)

Garlic-6-7pods(finely chopped)

Tomato Sauce-2tsp(this will give a sweet taste)optional-kids would love this

Red chilly paste-1tsp(Soak 1/2 cup red chillies in hot water till it cools and then grind with some salt and vinegar).you can store this paste in the freezer and it's handy.

Oil-2tsp(for frying prawns)(sesame oil is better)

Oil-3tsp(for manchurian sauce)

For marination-

Cornflour-2tsp

Egg-1no

Ginger-Garlic paste-1tsp

Maida-1tsp

Soya sauce-2tsp

Chilli powder-1tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

1.Make a paste of all the above marinade ingredients and coat it in the prawns and keep in the refrigerator 2 or 3 hours.

2.Take a shallow non-stick pan and pour 2tsp oil and shallow fry the prawns till cooked this takes about 5-10 minutes...DONT OVERCOOK...it'l become tough..

For the sauce:

1.Now u'l have the remaining marinade add 1/4 cup water and mix it and keep aside.

2.Heat the same shallow frying pan with 3tsp oil and add the ginger garlic and fry for a few minutes followed by soya sauce,red chilli paste and tomato sauce(if using) and saute for 2mins 

3.Add the marinade mixture and bring to a boil till it's thick add the cut spring onions and onions  and capsicum and saute for 2minutes.

4.Add the fried prawns and saute till everything is mixed in the sauce and serve garnished with the spring onion..

5.Goes well with fried rice,noodles,or any Indian breads....Enjoy!

Note: I've not used MSG because my daughter loves this dish and it's better to avoid it...

Pallipalayam Chicken Fry

Ingredients:

Naatu (country chicken) kozhi- 1kg(Preferably with skin)

Preferably small onions- 1/4kg(can use big if this is not available)(Chopped fine)

Tomato-1no(small )

Garlic-20pods(chopped fine)

Curry leaves-few sprigs

Whole Red chilli-15nos(cut with a scissor taking out the bract and seeds)

Red chilli powder-1/2tsp(If u like it spicy otherwise skip this)

Turmeric-1/2tsp

Oil-3tsp

Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Cinnamon-3inch piece

Cloves-4nos

Ingredients

Method:

1.Take a heavy kadai,heat it with oil..when hot add the whole spices(cinnamon and cloves).when they splutter.add the chopped onion,curry leaves and fry till golden brown taking care not to burn,keep sauting.

2.When onions turn golden add the chopped garlic and fry till sauted and cooked well,then add the chopped tomatoes and whole red chillies and saute till tomatoes are cooked.

3.Add the turmeric and red chilli powder and give a quick swirl and add some 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook till the mixture is blended well to a gravy and oil sepertes,now add the cleaned and washed chicken pieces and give a stir till all the masala is coated on the pieces,add salt and mix well..

4.Cover and cook over medium flame,till the meat is tender,check for water in between as this recipe calls for country chicken it takes sometime to cook,this might take some 30-45 mins.If water is less u can add 1/4 cup at a time and stir well and cook and when meat is tender, remove the lid and stir it on high heat till u get a gravy that coats the pieces well and the oil shows up ..

5.Serve hot with Green gram Kadaisal..

6.Enjoy!