Spicy Meat Roast

Did you miss me?? I guess yes!!! Well, though I couldn't post last 2-3 months, I'm glad to be back again..Food blogging is a passion for life time you know. If not the first day of the year, Here I'm the last day of the first month. My my see, how January has gone I like a breeze..
So let my first post of this year start with some real spice. Here's to all meat and spice lovers..presenting a spicy meat roast.
Choice of your meat, preferably red meat and go for rib eye of eye of round cut. Meat is cut into small cubes and pressure cook with various masalas and then comes the intresting part of tempering it with dry spices with elevates the level of taste to an extreme satisfaction
Ingredients :
1 lb meat
2 + 1 Tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste
3-4 Green Chillies Slit
1 + 1 Tbsps of Olive or Sesame oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Red Chilly powder
1 Coriander powder
3/4 + 3/4 Tbsp of Garam Masala powder
1 tsp Fennel seeds
5-6 Red Chillies dry
10 or handful of Curry leaves
1 big Onion sliced

Method:
Place meat in the pressure cooker and to it add 1 tbsp each of ginger-garlic paste, oil.
Add ginger chillies, turmeric, chilly, coriander and 3/4 spoon of garam masala powders.
Add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 25 minutes or more depending upon the choice of meat. Once the meat is cooked empty it in an vessel and keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok or kadai.
Roast fennel seeds till aromatic.
Add red chillies fry for 5 seconds till color slightly changes.
Add Curry leaves and fry till crisp.
Add onions and roast half cooked.
Add remaining ginger-garlic paste and fry.
Now add the cooked meat with gravy and keep stirring thoroughly till all the waters evapourates. Sprinkle remaining garam masala powder mix well till you can smell the aroma of the spices. Remove from heat and transfer into a serving bowl. Serve hot with Rice and Dhal curry or sambar.
If you are on low carb diet, skip teh rice and have it as side with any stir-fried or baked veggies.
I bet you will say "Yummy!!!"

Curried Minced Meat w/ Ridge Gourd

------AKA Kheema Birakaya/Birakankai Kheema-------

Kids back to school last week after that long summer break and though fall is going to officially start next week, it seems like winter is already here..And chill weather always calls for something soothing and comforting..and think about comfort food its always authentic dishes from home afar..One such comfort food for me is a cup of hot rice with this preparation of minced meat and veggie..

The combo of a non-veg and veg is always a hit and it got to be when it is an Andhra preparation. So here is yet another scrumptious dish straight from amma's kitchen. Being a Tamilian, my husband is not so used to these combos. Though he loves Andhra cuisine and by all means my cooking, the first time I mentioned I'm preparing Kheema(Minced meat) with Ridge gourd(Birkankai - Tamil) he had his eyebrows raised but totally got bowled with the result..


So for those who enjoy Indian cooking and don't mind eating meat, next time pickup a pkg of minced meat and a pack of Ridge gourd(readily available in most of the South Asian stores) when you grocer and let your kitchen be filled with the aroma of this side dish.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 long - Beerakaya/ Ridge Gourd / Beerkankai (De-skinned and chopped into small cubes)
1 to 1.5 lb Kheema ( Mutton/Beef)
2 tsp oil
2 medium Onions chopped
4-5 Green Chillies slit
A Few Curry leaves
1 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1 tsp Coriander pwdr
1/2 Cumin pwdr
1 tsp garam masala powder(Home Made)
Salt to taste
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Procedure :
Heat oil in a pan/wok and add chopped onions, slit green chillies, curry leaves, and cook till onions are translucent.
Add ginger garlic paste and cook till rawness is gone.
Now add minced meat(kheema) and salt.
Add garam masala powder
Mix well.
Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or till the kheema changes color, stirring occasionally.
Add chopped ridge gourd pieces to the kheema curry and cook till both are is fully done.

Sprinkle some water if too dry while the kheema is cooking.
Cook till the ridge gourd almost gets disappear in the kheema..much like the pic above..follow the pics anti clockwise..
Once the kheema is cooked and oil starts oozing from the sides add coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Serve hot with plain rice first and then with sambar.

Karela Khatta Meetha / Bitter gourd Sour & Sweet

---AKA Kakarakaya belam pulla Kura/ Pavakka Vellam Puli Kuttu---

It's been a wet spring so far. But thanks for the change that is about to stay. Environment Canada is predicting above average summer temperatures from coast to coast and an increase of a couple degrees here in Toronto. We mothers are fortunate to have been bestowed with a warmer and dry Mother's day weekend. Happy Mothers days to all mothers!!!!

Thinking of mothers sure puts food they cooked for us on the top of the list. We can't be grateful enough for all the delicacies they showered on us. Mother's cooking is in itself a comfort and name one comfort food for me, is this sweet and sour bitter gourd curry. Yes, off course Bitter gourd is one of my fav veggies. For those whom this vegetable is an introduction or who shy away from this veggie, I encourage them to give this recipe a try, you won't be disappointed.


Ingredients:
3-4 Medium Size Bitter Gourd (5-6 if small)
Oil - 1 tbsp
1/2 tsp Mustard
1 small Onion
3-4 Green Chillies slit
6-8 Curry leaves
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
1 small lemon Size tamarind ball soaked in enough water
1 Tbsp crushed jaggery
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - a small bunch

Procedure:
Scrape, Wash and slit Bitter Gourd into four parts and then further cut those four sides into small pieces.
Now soak the pieces in salt water to remove excess bitterness.

Allow mustard to splutter in a kadai/pot after the added oil is hot.
Then add cut onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions turn slightly brown.
Add Tomato paste and fry for a minute or till raw smell is gone.
Add chilly and coriander powder and mix
Add Bitter Gourd pieces, salt, and mix well.
Sprinkle some water and cover with lid to cook the Bitter Gourd in steam for about 20minutes.
Keep mixing periodically and add more water if required.
Once the Bitter Gourd is almost cooked add the squeeze the tamarind juice into it and mix well.
Add jaggery and mix till dissolved.
Cook for another 5-7 minutes or till karela is soft.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Serve this with hot rice and papaddam or dry fish or meat fry.

Cabbage with Ground Coconut and Spices

---AKA Cabbage kobari Vepudu/ Cabbage Thenga Poriyal---

This dish is one among the first few in my after marriage culinary journey. Learnt it from an Aunt friend. No doubt I'm a big fan of this veggie.The ease in cooking and the pleasure in tasting makes this variety of cabbage preparation noticeable than ignored.

Shredded cabbage is cooked in a mixture of ground coconut, fennel seeds, garlic and our very own king of spices "green chilly". The aroma that emits when cabbage is cooking in this fashion is so enticing. I feel this is one the best methods to flavour up cabbage which otherwise has a raw pungent smell.

Makes a perfect side dish for roti along with any type of dhal or with plain rice and sambar.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Veg or sesame Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tsp Urad Dhall (optional)
1/2 Tsp cumin seeds (optional)
A few curry leaves

1/2 Cabbage shredded
1/4 cup crated Coconut

To grind coarsely :

1/2 cup crated Coconut
1 Tbsp Fennel Seeds
4-5 Garlic cloves
4-5 Green Chillies


Method :
Grind the coconut mixture and keep it ready.
Heat oil in a non stick wide pan, allow mustard to splutter and then add urad dhall, after it browns a little add cumin, curry leaves and fry.

Now add the ground coconut mixture and fry till aroma is emitted.
Add cabbage and mix well till it is nicely coated with the coconut mixture.
Cover and steam roast till done.
Once the cabbage is cooked garnish with fresh grated coconut and remove from oven.
Serve with rice or roti and dhall.

Okra in Special Masala

--aka Bendakaya Miriyalu Vepudu/Vendakkai Milagu Poriyal/Bhindi Kala Mirch Masala--
And we did it!!! Cheers to Indians all over the world. Oh!! what a win it was!!! From a losing state at one point to a stylish unbeaten finish showing the world that we are champions and proving that dedication and determination along with God's will can always give us success with dignity. India, you earned and deserved this Victory. Yes it was not an ordinary win as it comes with a morale "No matter how tough the situation is, though you may have to face a storm, "Never give up", keep trying till you reach your goal" As NDTV says we will be celebrating this happiness not a week or a month but may be for the whole year and perhaps be talking about it till the next world cup. LOL!!!
Well! though we may not want our world cup fever to fade, IPL is round the corner to take us cricket fans to a next swing.

Coming to the recipe today, inspired by my cousin in US who suggested me to blog veg recipes for the Lenten days, I'm going vegan for this month. And my very first one is this Special Masala Okra.For those of us who subscribe or stream Sun TV Tamil, must be regular viewers of Guinness record holder Chef Jacob's "Aha Enna Rusi" program, which airs Saturday afternoons. This recipe is a courtesy from their local kitchen segment. They actually called it Okra Pepper Masala Fry.

Different spices like, garlic, red chillies, black pepper, coriander along with channa dhal are ground coarse to make a special masala for this green veggie packed with nutrients. Then it is add to the tempered okra and cooked till done.
Special masala : Grind the following into a smooth powder
1 Tbsp Channa dhal
1 Tbsp - Coriander seeds
1 Tbsp - black pepper seeds/powder
4-5 Red chillies
4-5 Garlic cloves

Others :
1 Tbsp - Gingely/Sesame/Vegetable Oil
1 Lb - Okra/Ladies Finger, Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp - Turmeric powder
Procedure :
Wash okra and pat them dry with a towel.
Remove ends and cut into one and a quarter inch pieces.
Keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai/wok/pan and allow oil, mustard seeds to splutter.
Now add cut okra, fry a little.
Add turmeric powder and mix.
Now add salt and the special masala and fry till okra is cooked but still crunchy.
Enjoy with hot rice and sambar or roti.

Coriander Chilly Chutney

-----aka Kothimira Karam Pachadi/Hara Dhaniya aur Hari Mirch Chutney-----

Spring has officially sprung 2 days back, but for us here, we are having a snow storm blast. Chill weather definitely calls for something spicy. Somehow the first few weeks of March I have been posting different kinds of chutney recipes, so thought might as well dedicate the month for chutneys. Its nice to follow a theme like this which inspires to try more variations.

Wanted to actually blog the traditional Coriander Chutney, but at the last moment decided to make this with some twists. Thanks to the versatility of dips and chutneys! Its great how little additions and deletions to the ingredients can result in a unique taste that is only more aromatic and comes out with a burst of flavour. Adding generous amount of green chillies definitely gives a punch to this condiment. Also adding a bit of sugar gives the finishing touch.

So here is another flavourful chutney made by gently frying the spices and then coriander leaves and grinding them together. This chutney is more for tiffins or breakfast items rather than rice.



Ingredients :
1 tbsp - oil
2 tbsp - Urad dhal
1 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 tsp - Coriander seeds
5-8 - Green Chillies
4-5 thinnly sliced Ginger
2 cups Coriander Leaves
Tamarind - A big marble size
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
Water enough to grind into chutney.

Procedure :
Heat oil in a kadai, add urad dhall, roast and then add all other ingredients except coriander leaves and tamarind and fry them.
Now add the coriander leaves too and fry till leaves shrink in size and emit nice aroma.
Transfer this to a bowl along with tamarind and let cool.

Now grind all the ingredients in the bowl adding enough water and salt and sugar to a smooth paste.
Check and adjust salt.
Serve with South Indian idly, dosa, vada or use as dip to suited Western food .

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.

Potals Tomato Curry / Tamatar wale Parval

Yet another recipe from Grandma Bhanu's collection, is this Potals Tamato Curry. Don't know about rest of the family but I use to ardently love this curry whenever she made. No doubt I use to experience the warmth in her serving. Regular readers of my blog would know how I brag about her in some of my posts which are straight from her kitchen. Well, can't help it..she is that dearly special person to me. The memory of her cooking is so fresh in my mind that I got to let it out now and then. Okay, before I side track to emotion, let my focus return to the recipe.

For those who have missed my first post of this vegetable, here is the sneak peek. The best part with this dish is it doesn't need a stew or a condiment to be served along, just enjoy it with plain rice or roti, pita bread or tortilla. Unlike the sleek cut that we give to this when stir frying, here we just have to cut each potal into four or six pieces depending upon the size. The recipe is pretty much simple.

Ingredients:
1 lb Potals/Parval
1 Tsp Oil
1 big Onion cut length wise
2 large Tomatoes or 1 cup Tomato puree
3 Green chillies slit
8-10 Curry leaves
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste
Finely chopped Coriander leaves

Method :
Heat oil in a Pot/Skillet and add sliced onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions are cooked.
Add cut vegetable pieces, give it a stir.
Add chilly and coriander powders, salt, and mix well to evenly coat the potals
Sprinkle some water and cook covered in steam till potals became soft, say about 15-20mins
Occasionally open the lid and mix.
Sprinkle more water if needed.
Once the vegetable is soft add the tomato puree or mashed tomatoes, mix well.
Cook for another 5-7 minutes or till all the tomato is absorbed by the vegetable and the raw smell is gone.
Add coriander leaves, mix and remove from heat.

Serve this with hot rice or chapathi.

Cabbage Pepper Tomato Curry

AKA Cabbage Miriyalu-Tamata Kura/Moottagose Milagu-Takali Kuttu
I am happy that I like this cancer fighting vegetable "Cabbage".
It is such a versatile vegetable that can be added in other soups as toppings, fried rice, made into a curry, added with some other ingredient to make a stir fry, used to make fritters, used in stews, pureed to make cabbage soup, make rolls and the list goes on.

Some south Indian cabbage dishes that I'm used to are, Cabbage with Coconut stir fry(Cabbaggee Kobbari), Cabbage with Spicy Pickle chutney(Cabbagee Karam), Cabbage with Channa Dhall (Cabbaggee Chennaga pappu), Cabbage Tomato(Cabbagee Tomata) whose one step up is the Cabbage Pepper Tomato Curry. Hope to blog some in the list in the near future.

Growing up never ate much when amma prepared any type of cabbage curry. It was always one of Aunt's and Granny's preparation of cabbage curry I preferred. This is one unique way Granny use to cook this vegetable. I have no clue how she thought of adding black pepper to a tomato based dish. But it works exemplary. Totally gives a new flavour to the regular Cabbage tomato curry.


Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1 half (chopped)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1 small
Green Chillies - 3 slit
Curry leaves - 8
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 3-4 or Tomato Puree/Crushed Tomato - 1 cup
or Tomato Paste 3-4 Tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - a small bunch

Procedure:
Add oil in a heated Kadai/Skillet, allow mustard to splutter and then add cut onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions turn slightly brown.
Add radish, chilly powder, salt, and mix well to give an even coat of all ingredients.
Sprinkle some water and cover with lid to cook the cabbage in the steam for about 15- 20 minutes. Keep mixing periodically and sprinkle more water if required.
Once the cabbage is almost cooked add the tomato puree, mix well.
Cook for another 5-7 minutes or till cabbage absorbs the tomato flavour.
Now add generous amount of black pepper powder and mix.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves just before removing from heat.
Serve this with rice or roti,

Mutton Biryani - Spicy South Indian Style

This week being dedicated to husband appreciation...on the gastronomy part a little pampering him with a George Foreman Grill and also trying to make some of his favs..and the first thing he always want is Biryani..All the more when he was sick with flu and it was Thanksgiving week too.

Below is one easiest method to get this traditional dish on the dinner table for family and friends. Since the meat used is mutton, using a pressure cooker definitely speeds the cooking process. Again this is one of many ways that Biryani is made. The ingredients and the procedure differ to some extent in each type.


Ingredients:
2 lb Mutton (Leg with bones cut into medium size pieces)
3 cups Basmati Rice (Washed and soaked for 30 mins)
3 Tbsp oil/ghee
5 Bay leaves
5 medium or 3 big Onions cut length wise thinly
6-8 Green Chillies
4 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 Medium size Tomatoes quartered
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tsp Red Chilly powder
2 Tsp Coriander Powder
2 Tsp Garam Masala powder(home made)
1/2 cup Curd/Yogurt
Water 3-4 cups
A bunch of Mint and Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Procedure :
Add a little red chilly powder, salt and turmeric to the mutton pieces with a few drops of oil, mix thoroughly and keep aside.
Wash and soak basmati rice.
In a pressure cooker heat some oil/ghee, add bay leaf, sliced onions and green chillies.
Fry until onions turn golden brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the rawness is gone.
Add half of the mint and coriander leaves and fry.
Now add meat and fry well.
Add Chilly powder, Coriander powder, salt and fry again.
Add garam masala and fry till the pieces absorb the flavour.
Add tomatoes and cook till soft.
Add yogurt and cook till oil separates.
Add 1/4 cup of water mix and pressure cook for 20-25 mins
After that time, release pressure, remove lid and check to see if the meat is cooked.

Now add rice and fry again.

Now add enough water depending on the amount of gravy present, approximately 3-4 cups.
Add more salt and mix.

Pressure cook again for 7-10 minutes.
By then all the water is evaporated and the rice is cooked.
Release pressure, uncover, and then add the remaining herbs.

Transfer the biryani to a serving dish.


Serve hot with raita or egg plant masala.