Fried Onion Chutney

Migrating from Pulusu(Stew/gravy) to Pachadi(Chutney/Dip) this Fried onion chutney is a wonderful condiment for South Indian tiffins. Be it Idli, Dosa, Medu Vada, Punukulu, you simply can't stop eating them when they are accompanied by this simple yet tasty treat.

I have blogged about raw onion chutney and how my mom and grand mom always used raw onion to make the onion chutney. But one of my fav Aunt J, used to always fry the chopped onions to make onion chutney which I think most of our south Indians do.

Though for ease of making i regular raw onion chutney, but it amazes to see how just by frying the onion gives a new texture and taste and takes it to level you can't give up.

Ingredients :
1 tsp Oil
2 Medium sized Onions chopped
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
5-6 red chillies cracked
1 big marble size tamarind ball( increase if you like tanginess like me, which actually enhances the taste of this chutney)
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
A few drops of water to grind these into a smooth paste

Method:
In a kadai heat oil and add cumin seeds to saute for a few seconds, add red chillies, followed by chopped onions and fry the ingredients till onions change color slightly and give nice aroma.
Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl and keep aside till the mixture cools.
Now add salt, sugar and soaked tamarind to the fried onion mixture and blend them to a smooth paste in a blender.

Transfer to serving bowl and enjoy with hot soft fluffy idlies, Dosa or Vada
You can preserve the left over for 2-3 days if refrigerated.

Shallots in Tangy Stew or Small Onion Gravy

--AKA Sambar Vengayam kuzhambu/Chinna Ullipaya Pulusu--

Continuing the `Pulusu` special..this shallot gravy is yet another creation from my mom, which she use to frequent in my childhood. As a practise, I usually add shallots when I make sambar, but once in a while for a change I manage to make this spicy tangy onion gravy. The sweetness of  tendorly caramalized shallots is complimented by spice of red chilly powder and sour of  tamarind juice. The result one aromatic gravy that you can`t wait but to gobble with rice.

I must mention though, that the best sides for this gravy with plain rice are Boiled Stir fried Eggs, Fried dried salt Fish or if you don`t have them handy, our keeper papads/appalam would do. So friends and readers who have not yet attempted this south Indian, Andhra special gravy, don`t forget to pick a small bag of shallots when you grocer next, in an Indian/Asian store and try it for a change.


The recipe is no different from a regular tamarind gravy/pulusu/kuzhambu recipe. It more an idea of making the gravy with the main ingredient as the whole shallots.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb or  a small pkt of Shallots/sambar vengayam/chinna ullipayalu
1 Tbsp - oil
1/2 Tsp - Onion seeds/Kalonji
3-4 Green Chillies
10-12 Curry leaves
2 Tbsp -Tomato Puree
1 tsp - Red Chilly powder
1 tsp - Cumin powder
1 tsp - Coriander powder
Soak Lemon size Tamarind/Puli/Chintapandu ball in 2 cups hot water
Finely chopped coriander leaves - a small bunch

Method :
In a pan or kadai, add oil, when heated add Onion seeds.
Fry a little and then add the green chillies, shallots, curry leaves and keep stirring till onions turn their color.
Now add the tomato puree and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes.
Add all the masala powders, mix and cook another 2 minutes or till the mixture leaves the container.


Now squeeze the Tamarind/Puli juice from the soaked tamarind & water into the cooking mixture.
Mix this well and bring it boil,
Once the gravy seems to attain a good consistency add the coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Raw Onion Chutney

This is one chutney that can be made instantly in a jiffy. Was regularly made by my mom and grand mother in my childhood and college days, whenever we made idlis made at home.

I quickly adapted this after my marriage because of the ease of making it. There is no frying ingredients before or no tempering required after grinding. Its ready in just five minutes. Just peel the onions, chop them, throw in other ingredients that go into it, press the button to grind, and there you go..its ready.

But since its raw onion you get best results if the chutney sits for a while in the fridge, till all the pungent nature of the onion is gone, The cumin, dried red chillies, tamarind and sugar really transform the onion into a flavourful chutney.

Raw onion chutney is the best side dish, for Uthappam, Idlis, Pesarattu. It is a perfect combo with one other Tamil speciality called Adai. A pancake made with the batter of different ground dhals mixed with spices..Hope to blog about it sometime.

For now into the recipe of Raw onion chutney.
Ingredients :
To Grind:
2 Medium sized Onions chopped into pieces
2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
5-6 red chillies cracked
1 big marble size tamarind ball
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
Enough water to grind these into a smooth paste

Method:
In a chutney grinder, put all the ingredients in the grinding list and grind them thoroughly to a smooth paste/chutney.
Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve with hot idlis, dosas, Uthappam, Pesarattu, Adai etc..

Onion Tomato Egg Masala Curry

As I was blogging eggs for my last two posts, I decided to break some more eggs for the next few posts in my space. This egg curry preparation is inspired by my dear Mother. I remembering me, my Father, and my relatives always loved this dish whenever my mother served.

Preparation is quiet simple. All the time you need, is to chop onions and once the eggs are hard boiled you are ready to roll.

Though this can be enjoyed with Dosa, Chapati, Parota to take the real benefit of the masala, mix it with plain cooked Ponni/Sona Masoori raw rice and then finish it off with sambar.

Ingredients:
5 Large Eggs boiled
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
3 Big size Onions finely chopped
4 Green Chillies
2 large Tomatoes or 1 cup Tomato Puree or 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
8 -10 Curry leaves
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp each of Coriander and Cumin powders (if Desired)
Salt to taste
Finely chopped Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Heat a skillet medium high heat and add oil.
After the oil is hot allow mustard to splutter.
Now add the chopped onions, curry leaves and green chillies.
Saute' till the onions are cooked and change their color.
Noe add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a 1 minute or till raw smell changes to curried aroma.
Add the tomatoes(canned/ fresh/puree/paste)
And allow to cook til the raw tomato smell is gone.
Now add the chilly powder and the optional powders along with salt and mix thoroughly to coat the onion and tomato masala with the spice powders.
Add 1/4 cup of little water and cook for another 5 minutes or till all the water is absorbed by the masala.
Now add the boiled slit eggs to masala and the coriander leaves and mix well for the eggs to be coated with the roasted masala.
You can cut the eggs into half one the dish is fully done and spread the masala evenly on the halves.

I forget to mention this Egg masala goes very well with lemon rice or Tamarind rice too. I think that is the best combo.

Curried Turkey Wings - Kerala Style

Friends, thanks for playing the guessing game.. Well, what else this can be ... with christmas festive season just gone.. this can be nothing else than the traditional North America Bird must for any big Festive Dinner - "Turkey".

Yes, there is'nt any home in the western world which doesn't have Turkey on the table for they festive feasts. Be it Thanks giving, Christmas or Easter the family dinner is complete only with "Turkey". Back home in our house we use to make curry with Turkey. So a few times I cooked turkey curry here in North America too. And all the times I made it in kerala style, with lots of Coconut and coconut milk. To my joy the RCI this month was Keral Cuisine. So decide to send this Turkey Wings Curry - Kerala Style as one of my entries for ">RCI - Kerala.

In south India, especailly in Tamil nadu, we get to taste the best NV food in Kerala Restaurants, its like they both go synonamous..Their Pepper Chicken Masalas, Fish Gravies etc...I have been cooking all these delicacies these days from when the RCI -Kerala is annouced.

Cause turkey takes a long time to cook, cooking this in a Slow cooker Crock pot is the best. In my cause I was cooking a Christmas party dinner, so naturally the quantity was big, and my crock pot is not so big enough to hold the entire contents. So I didn't use my crock pot. But if you are not cooking for a big meal,Slow cooking will yeild good results.

Ingredients:
2 lb Turkey Wings/Turkey breasts cut into big or medium size peices

Whole Spices:
1 tsp Fennel seeds
3 - 4 Cinnamon Sticks
6 - 8 Cloves
4-5 green Caradamon pods
2 Star anise
3 - 4 Bay leaves

For Curry:
2 Tbsp Oil
3-4 big size Onions,
4-5 Green Chillies
1 reem of Curry Leaves
1 Tsp Garlic paste
1 Tsp Ginger paste
1/2 cup Tomatoe puree/Tomatoe Paste or 2 big Tomatoes Chopped
Salt to taste

Masala Powders:
1/2 Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder.

For gravy:
1/4 cup yogurt
1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds(Ghas Khas) soaked in 4 Tbsp of water 2 to 3 hours and ground into a smooth paste.
1/4 cup Coconut Milk
1 cup Grated Coconut ground into a smooth paste

To Garnish:
1/2 cup coriander leaves.
1 Lime juice

Steps:
1. In a heavy bottom pot, add oil after heated and then add all the whole spices after the oil is heats up. Fry till color of the spices changes.
2. Add Onions, green chillies curry leaves and cook until the onions turn translucent and fully cooked.
3. Add garlic and ginger paste fry a little.
4. Add tomatoes or tomatoe puree, cook well
5. Now add the turkey peices and salt , mix well.
6. Add all the masala powders except the garam masala powder. 7. Mix well to coat all the turkey peices with the seasoning and the malsalas.
8. Add yogurt, and mix again.
9.Keep adding required amount of water for the meat to cook well
For Slow cooking Place the entire contents into a crock pot, and cook for 4 -5 hrs..and then follow steps 11 - 15.
10. For regular cooking, allow the curry to cook an hour.
11. Check to see if the meat is tendor. At this stage the gravy may still be very watery.
12.Once the meat is tendor add the poppy seed paste, coconut milk and the ground coconut paste.
13. This makes the gravy thick at once. Cook for another 5 minutes or till the raw smell of the poppy seeds and the coconut is gone.
14. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
15. Remove from heat and add the juice of 1 lime.

This can be served hot with the Italian hard crust bread or our Indian Chapati/Roti/Parota or any seasoned rice.

This is one of my entries for
RCI - Kerala hosted by Curry Bazaaroriginally created by LakshimiK
JFI - Onion created by Indira and this month hosted by Radhi's Kitchen
Thick Spice - Garlic created and hosted by Sunitha's World

Onion Pakora

Onion Pakora or Pakodi(telugu) is one of the favourite snacks of many Indians. Eat it as a starter or a snack it is cherished by all. My GM used to make it for an evening snack especially when it is raining out there. In India we use to love the eveing rain so much, that we long for some spicy(Chat pat) snack with Chai(Indian Tea).
One such item is the Onion Pakora/Onion fitters. The aroma of fried onions along with the channa dhall powder is very tempting. Add to this is aroma of curry leaves and coriander making it ultimate.

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 big
Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Green Chillies - 2 ( cut into small pieces)
Curry leaves - 2 reems
Coriander leaves - A few chopped
Baking Soda - A pinch
Salt - to Taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala powdwer - 1/2 tsp ( for extra flavour)
Enough Water
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

1. Cut the onions length wise and place them in mixing bowl

2. Add the rest of the ingredients with water to make the batter thick enough to slip into the heated oil. Do not add excess water, or else the Pakoras will drink up most of the oil.

3. Now drop small amounts of the mixed batter into the oil for deep frying.

Once the pakoras turn dark yellow or orange color strain them from oil onto a plate with issue paper to drain all the excess oil.

Arrange the Pakoras on a serving plate and choice of sauces ranging from Mint, Tamarind, plum, cherry or even a simple ketchup.