Murukku - Indian Cooking challenge

The last month was so busy with kids Term Exams.

Blogging takes a back seat now though I have tried

few new recipes.

Murukku is one of the favorite snack at my home.

Hubby likes the urad dal murrukku more than

Amma's pottukadalai (Dalia Split) Murrukku.

Ingredients Needed: Raw Rice - 4 cups Urad Dal - 1 cup Water - app 1/2 cup or more For Seasoning Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Sesame seeds- 1 tsp Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Butter - 75 gms

Method to prepare: Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool. If you are using more quantity, you can get it ground in rice mil, else use your mixie to grind both Rice and Urad dal. First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. then grind the urad dal to fine powder. In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well. Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If its not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles. Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little more softer than the puri dough. Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame. Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper and gently slide it down the hot oil. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai. Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. Thank you so much Valli for making us to face lot of challenges. I am looking forward for the next month Challenge.

Masala Peanuts , Milagu Rasam and a Long Break

Hello Friends...I am taking a long break after this post as We have planned to move back to India next month.. Life is so busy for the last couple of months and finally we are packing everything..And kids are more excited to see their Grand parents , aunts and cousins after a long time..

I just want to contribute to blogger friends Divya and Priya before the hiatus.. Pepper is a common and everyday spice in the Indian kitchen..I like the combi of Milagu rasam and hot rice..For Milagu rasam I make freshly grounded masala which gives special aroma to the rasam.

Ingredients

Tamarind - 1 tsp Tomato - 1 Whole Pepper - 1 tsp WHole Jeera - 1 tsp Toor Dal - 1 tsp Hing - a pinch Mustard - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - few Coriander leaves - chopped - 1 tbslp Red chillies - 2 Garlic minced - 2 Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp OIl - 1 tsp Salt to taste Method

• Grind whole pepper , jeera and toor dal into a coarse powder.
• Chop the tomatoes into small pieces or give a 1 min run in a mixer.
• In bowl mix tomato , tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Combine well.
• Take oil in a kadai.Add mustard , methi , crushed red chillies hing and curry leaves.
• When it starts splutter add the powder and the Tomato - Tamarind liquid.
• Add the minced garlic too.When the rasam starts boiling add the coriander leaves and remove from the stove and add salt.
• Serve with hot rice.

And this is off to Divya's Think Spice - Pepper started by Sunita Masala Peanuts

Ingredients

Peanuts - 1 cup

Besan flour - 1/4 cup

Rice flour - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Minced Garlic - 1

Hing - a pinch

Salt to taste

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method

• Mix everything together with a tsp of water.
• Add water just to bind everything together..
• In a MW plate spread the masala peanuts and MW high for 4 min.
• Mix in between.

This is a quick and easy snack for the kids and surprise guests.

I am sending this to Priyas's MEC savoury snacks started by Srivalli.

Wish you all a Happy Ugadi , Tamil Puthandu.See you all with

Amma's yummy recipes..

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa - I didnot know about this grain until

before I see Suganya of Tasty Palletes ' Quinoa Upma.

Since it is an excellent source of proteins and all

the amino acids I am now substituting this more

for rice..This upma is a quick B'fast for the lazy mornings..

Ingredients

Quinoa - 1 cup

Onions chopped - 1

Carrots shredded - 1/2 cup

Green chillies slit - 2

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves few

Salt to taste

Method

• Cook the Quinoa in pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
• In a kadai heat oil . Add mustard and curry leaves.
• When it starts splutters add chopped onions.
• Saute well and add shredded carrots.Stir well .
• Now add cooked quinoa and mix everything well with salt..

And this is off to MBP Easy Breezy Breakfast.

Adai - Mixed Lentils Pan Cake and Carrot chutney

Adai is a spicy dosa made with grinded mixed

lentils.. This lentil dosa is not so frequent at our

place since Appa does not like this..I got this

recipe from my old cook book..

Ingredients

Urad dal - 1 cup

Moong dal ( yellow ) - 1 cup

Bengal Gram dal - 1 cup

Rice - 1/2 cup

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 3

Coriander and curry leaves - chopped

Salt to taste

Method

• Soak all the dals and rice together for 3 hrs.
• Grind it to a coarse batter with salt and hing.
• The original recipe calls for adding chopped green chillies , coriander and curry leaves.
• I girnd it together with the dal since the kids don't like munch .
• Heat a tawa . Take ladle ful of batter and pour into the center of the tawa.
• Then spread into a round shape.
• Add oil or ghee.When one side is cooked flip the adai . Allow it to cook.
• Serve with any side dish.

Carrot chutney

Ingredients

Carrots shredded - 1 cup

Onions - chopped 1

Coconut - 3 tblsp

Green chillies - 3

Ginger - 1 ' piece

Garlic - 1 pod

Salt

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Oil

Mustard and urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves chopped - 1 tblsp

Method

• Heat 1/2 tsp in a kadai. Add shredded carrots and saute well.
• Then add onions , coconut , chillies , ginger , garlic and turmeric .Saute well till no moisture.
• Allow it to cool down and grind it to a smooth paste.
• Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a small pan.Add mustard and urad dal .
• Once it splutters add curry leaves and add to the chutney.

And this is off to Srivalli's My Legume Affair started by Susan. and to Ramya's Chutney/ Dip Mania. Have a grt weekend!!!

Butter Cookies

Suddenly the weather has changed and it has been

so cold in the Midwest . Kids preferred to stay inside

and I make them by helping me in making this delicious

butter cookies..They love to add more details to the

cookies..Here is the basic butter cookies which can be

tweaked to any type..orange , lemon , chocolate.....

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Butter - 1 1/2 sticks

Sugar - 1 cup

Egg - 1

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Whisk together flour , baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar for 6 min.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Then add flour mixture and mix until just combned.
• Form dough into a 6 inch disc and cover it in a plastic wrap.
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator until 4 hrs or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 375 F .Roil out the disc into 9 inch round with 1/4 " thick.
• Cut into desired shaped using cookie cutters.
• Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets and bake for 12- 15 min.
• Cool down in the wire rack.Frost the cookies once it cooled down completely.

Decorating Icing

Powdered Sugar - 1 lb

water - 1/3 cup

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Beat everything together . Add more water or lemon juice if it is hard to decorate the cookies

I am sending this to Happy Cooks Home made Christmas Gifts.

Digestion ( Jeerana podi ) Powder

I have scheduled this post for Jhiva for Love months back .

I couldnot send this because of the non- availability of some

pictures. Today is my Paati's ( Dad's Mom ) Death Anniversary. So

I thought today would be opt for posting this.

It has been a decade since Paati left us . But her

memories still lingering in my heart.Paati was born

and brought up in Rangoon,Burma.

She did her studies in International

School , Rangoon.But she was destined to leave

Burma as Japan bombed Rangoon during

World War II.Paati's kith and kins had to leave all their

belongings there and then settled in her native village in India.And

all through her life she was made to live in the small places since

Thatha was a Govt.doctor.

As a kid I enjoyed Paati's stories about her

childhood in Rangoonand I used to make fun of calling

her as" Rangoon Paati". The most attractive feature of Paati

was her beautiful long hair.She had a very long beautiful hair

that goes beyond her knees.The most saddest part was She lost

all her hair due to the malignant disease Cancer and the follow up

treatment of Chemotherapy.

My regular visitors and dear friends would all know about

Amma's passion for cooking and craft . Though Amma is good

in both cooking and crafts before marriage itself It is more

intensified because of Paati's brilliance and craftiness . Amma

is still having Paati's precious old craft books .

Coming to the recipe , This is Paati's signature podi.

I still remember Paati standing besides Thatha with a tiny

bowl of this podi when Thatha was having lunch . It was a rule

of Paati to give a pinch of this podi with hot mashed rice and ghee

for the first two bites to the babies . For the adults She used

to mix the podi with buttermilk and drink it after finishing the lunch.

Ingredients

Omam ( Ajwain ) - 2 tblsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tblsp

Whole pepper - 1/2 tblsp

Hing - 1 tsp

Dried ginger - 1 inch

Salt - 1 tsp

Method

Dried everything under sun . Grind in the mixie to

a fine powder . Store in an airtight container.

This goes to Raaga's Think Spice Event Ajwain started by Sunita

How to use

Take 1/2 tsp of podi and mix with 2 tblsp of buttermilk.

My Kitchen Treasures

I don't have much kitchen treasures as I left all those

precious things back at my home in India..But When

I started packing for US I am so particular in packing

these three treasures..Not a cozy one..but definitely

so useful in everyday life..

I don't like to use the non-stick dosa pan for making

crispy dosas..If properly managed this iron tawa is

great for making dosas so crispier..

And the kadai I used mainly for deep frying the papads ,

pooris ... We call this as" Ozhukkal chatti " in Tamil.It looks

like a strong one but it will break when it falls down.

And finally the most precious for me is the Murukku Kuzhal.

I use this for making all my murukkus , Ribbon pakoda..

Amma and me specially travelled miles away to get

this ..The speciality is the holes in the plates are small ,

so gets cooked easily .

And this is off to Dibs Kitchen Treasure event

Sakkarai ( Sweet ) Pongal

Today is the final day of RM .We are ending up by

making a sweet dish . Sakkarai Pongal is a

traditional sweet dish . It is prepared mainly

during the first day of tamil

month Thai , Krishna Jeyanthi and for other poojas

and festivals.I made this a week back for Sathyanarayana

Pooja at my friends home.Here is the recipe

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1 tblsp

Water - 4 cups

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 2 1/2 cups ( can be reduced to 2 cups )

Cardamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Cashew - 10

Raisins - 10

Ghee - 4 tblsp

Method

• Wash rice and moong dal together.Pressure cook dal and rice with 4 cups of water for 15 min.
• Heat 1/4 water in a thick bottomed vessel and add jaggery.
• When the jaggery melts drain it to remove the impurities.
• Add this to the cooked rice .
• Stir together so that all comes together.
• Add grated coconut and cardamon powder.
• Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins.Add this to pongal.

I am sending this to Srivalli's Rice Mela.

Check out my Fellow marathoners.

1) DK 2) Siri 3) Srivalli 4) Ranji 5)PJ 6)Curry Leaf 7)Medha 8)Priya 9)Bhawna 10)Raaji 11)Ruchii 12)Anu 13)Roopa 14)Divya Kudua 15)Rekha 16)Divya M 17)Lakshmi 18)Raaga 19)Lakshmi Venkatesh 20)Sripriya 21)Viji 22)Pavani 23)Karuna 24)Roochi 25)Kamalika

Vegan Brownies

This recipe is from one of my friend..I have

changed little bit to fit for AWED American.

Ingredients

Sugar - 2/3 cup

Dark Cocoa - 1/2 cup

All purpose flour - 2/3 cup

Walnuts chopped - 1 cup

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Apple sauce - 1/2 cup

Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 .
• Sift flour , cocoa , baking powder and salt.
• Mix apple sauce and oil . Add sugar and beat well.
• Stir in the vanilla . Now add the flour mix .
• Mix gently without forming any lumps.
• Finally add the chopped walnuts . Pour into the greased baking pan.
• Bake for 20 min or till the tooth pick comes out clean.
• Dust with confectioner's sugar or drizzle with melted cocoa.

And this is off to DK's AWED American.

Check out my fellow Recipe Marathoners.

1) DK 2) Siri 3) Srivalli 4) Ranji 5)PJ 6)Curry Leaf 7)Medha 8)Priya 9)Bhawna 10)Raaji 11)Ruchii 12)Anu 13)Roopa 14)Divya Kudua 15)Rekha 16)Divya M 17)Lakshmi 18)Raaga 19)Lakshmi Venkatesh 20)Sripriya 21)Viji 22)Pavani 23)Karuna 24)Roochi 25)Kamalika

Pumpkin Dal

This recipe was noted down long before

I started blogging . So I could not remember

the name of the blogger . I have never used

pumpkin with dal . As Cham of spice club

said the tamilians use only plain dal . We liked

this pumpkin dal so much.

Ingredients

Masoor dal - 1 cup

Pumpkin Chopped into cubes - 1 cup

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chopped onions - 2 tbslp

Butter - 1 tblsp

Salt to taste

Method

• Soak masoor dal in water for 30 min.
• Cook the dal after 30 min with chilli powder and turmeric powder for 3 whistle.
• Meanwhile heat butter in a kadai.
• Add jeera . Once it splutters add onions , ginger garlic paste and stir well.
• Now add the chopped pumpkins .
• Pour 1/2 cup of water and close it with lid and allow the pumpkin to cook.
• Now add the cooked dal to it and adjust salt to taste.
• Cook in the medium flame for 2 min.Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot rice or rotis . This goes to Madhuram hosting AFAM Pumpkin.

started by Maheswari.

Oats Vegetable Upma

Oats contain more soluble fibre than any other grain.

The consumption of oats is believed to lower the

LDL level and help to reduce the risk of heart

disease ( Sou.WIKI ).

Ingredients

Quick cooking or Old fashioned oats - 1 cup

Onion - 2 tblsp

Ginger - grated - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2

Mixed vegetables ( carrot , peas , beans ) - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Water - 2 cups

Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tblsp

Method

• Dry roast the oats in medium flame for 2 min or Microwave it.
• Heat oil in a kadai.Add chopped onions . Saute well.
• Add slit chillies and ginger . Stir well.
• Now add the chopped veggies and salt . Mix well.
• Add 2 cups of water . When the water comes to boil add roasted oats.
• Allow it cook or till all the water absorbs.
• In the end add lemon juice and coriander leaves.

And this is off to Divya's Diet foods.

Uma of Essence of Andhra has passed me the Butterfly Award.

Thank you so much Uma.

Godhumai ( wheat ) Halwa

Amma makes Godhumai Halwa for every Diwali.

She makes the most yummiest halwa.. My first post

was about Amma's first hit at her in- laws place after her

marriage . But the second one Godhumai Halwa was a total

disaster . Mistakes make us perfect . That made Amma perfect

at making delicious Halwa.And this is the only sweet

that I never eat from sweet shops.

Diwali and my home town could not be divided ....my

home town is none other than Sivakasi .It is

a small town known for fireworks and match factories.

The town contributes 90 % of India's total fire works .

It is surrounded by match factories and fire works .We

couldnot find unemployment in our area..People

here are very active and hard working.. It is popularly

known as Kutty Japan which was given by

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru .

Coming to the recipe ...

Ingredients

Whole wheat - 1 cup

Sugar - 3 cups ( can reduce to 2 cups )

Cardamom powder - 1/ 2 tsp

ghee - 1/2 cup

Saffron color - pinch

Cashew - 1 tblsp

Method

• Soak whole wheat with enough water for overnight.
• In the morning drain the water and grind the wheat in the mixie using 1 cup of water.
• Using a sieve squeeze the wheat milk.
• Repeat this for 3 more times.
• Keep the wheat milk aside for atleast for 1/2 hr.
• The thick wheat milk sets at the bottom . Drain away the extra water that sets in the top.
• Now in a heavy bottomed vessel ( I usually use 5 lr cooker ) Bring wheat milk, saffron color and sugar to boil.
• Keep stirring continuously in a low medium flame.( otherwise it will form lumps).
• Start adding ghee 2 tblsp at a time when halwa sticks at the bottom.
• Fry cashews in 1 tsp of ghee in a separate pan.
• Add cardamon powder and cashews to halwa.
• Halwa is done when the ghee separates out from the pan.
• It will take around 30 - 40 min for ghee to ooze out from the sides for 1 cup of wheat.
• Serve in a bowl or cut into desired shapes.

And this is my entry to Srivalli's JFI : Festive Treats

GulabJamun

I am so fond of sweets . My hubby warns me

to check for diabetes as I make sweets all the

time . I have already posted Amma's way

of making Gulab jamuns using unsweetened

Kova . This is another version of making with

non fat dry milk powder.

Ingredients

Dry milk powder - 1 cup

Yoghurt - 4 tblsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Maida - 4 tblsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

For making syrup

Sugar - 3 cups

Water - 3 cups

Rose essence - 1/2 tsp ( optional )

Method

• In a wide bottomed vessel heat sugar and water.
• Allow it to boil. Switch off the flame.
• Mean while in a bowl mix milk powder , baking powder and maida . Mix well.
• Add yoghurt and ghee.Knead softly to form a dough.
• Add little milk if you can't make a dough.
• Close it with wet cloth for 15 min.
• Heat oil in a kadai . The oil should not be too hot.
• Make small rounds of the dough.
• Drop the balls slowly into the oil.
• Oil should be in the low medium flame.
• Fry it till golden brown.
• Remove from the flame and drop the jamuns in the sugar syrup.
• Serve it after 2 hrs.

I am sending this to Mythreyee's this month's deep fried sweets.

Microwave Rava Kesari

I love all sweets . Rava kesari is my next most fav sweet after mysore pak.Amma used to make this on my birthdays every year . Ingredients Rava ( semolina ) - 1 cup Sugar - 1 1/2 cup water - 2 cups Ghee - 2 tblsp Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Lemon color - a pinch Cashew - 10 Raisins - 10 Method

• Roast cashew and raisins in one tsp of ghee in a microwave dish.
• Remove the cashews and raisins and in the same dish roast the rava for 1 min in micro high.
• Take another microwave dish add 2 cups of water , lemon color and microwave high for 3 min or let the water boil.
• Now take out the dish carefully from the oven and add the roasted rava in the boiling water and mix well.
• Cook again in micro high for 2 min.
• Now add sugar slowly to this and cook again till done or approximately 5 min .
• In the end add cashew , raisins, cardamom and ghee and mix well.

This is my entry to Srivalli's MEC : Potluck Party.

Peanut Chikki ~ Click Lemon

Dear friends, My posts in TOI are now appearing under the name Gromit . I am trying to solve this problem soon.So kindly bear with me . Thank You.

Peanut chikki is another Amma's popular snack.

Asusual she prepares it in a large amount ..Amma

used to send us for the School picnics.Great

snack for all ages.

Ingredients

Peanut - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup

water - 1/4 cup

Method

• Roast the peanut in Microwave in high for 5 min.
• Cool it down . Remove the skin and broken into pieces.
• Heat jaggery and sugar with water in a heavy bottomed vessel.
• When the jaggery melts drain it using the sieve to remove the impurities.
• Keep it again in the stove .
• Stir often.
• Meanwhile in a small bowl take 1/2 cup of cool water.
• Check the consistency of jaggery by dropping little bit in water.
• It should be like a hard ball .At this stage add the peanuts and switch off the flame.
• Mix well . Pour in the greased plate or kitchen top.
• Flatten it out with the rolling pin and cut into slices while it is hot .
• Store in a airtight container.

This is my entry to this month's sweet series Chikkis and ladoos.

This is my click for this month's event Click - Lemon by Jai Bee of Jugalbandhi.

Cracked Wheat Rava Pongal

I adopted this recipe from Sailu . I never used

wheat rava before . But the pongal with the

dhal and Methi gives a great taste .For the original

recipe go here. I used methi leaves instead of

spinach and omits the greenchilllies .

Ingredients

Wheat Rava - 1 cup

Split Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Methi leaves - 1 cup

whole pepper - 1/2 tsp

Ginger grated - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Hing - a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 2 tsp

Water - 3 cups

salt to taste

Method

• Soak wheat rava and split moong dal in water for 20 min.
• In a pressure cooker heat oil.
• Add cumin seeds , hing , redchillies , whole pepper , curry leaves and ginger.
• Saute well and add now methi leaves.
• Stir well.
• Drain the water from Rava- Dal mixture and add in the cooker.
• Stir well with the rest of the ingredients for a while.
• Add 3 cups of water and salt.When water comes to boil close the lid of the pressure cooker and put on the whistle.
• Cook for 2 whistle and switch off the stove.

Like for the usual pongal I serve this with Sambhar.

I am sending this to WHB hosted by Srivalli this month

started by Kalyn's Kitchen.

Chicken Fry

This simple chicken fry is a great for Rotis ,

Naans an Parotas .

Ingredients

Chicken - 1/2 lb

Onion - 1

Tomatoes - 1

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Orange color - 1 pinch

Salt to taste

Cashew - 6

Oil - 1 tblsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Method

• Cut Chicken into 2 '" pieces .
• Pressure cook chicken with orange color, salt and 1/4 cup of water for 1 whistle.
• Heat oil in a kadai . Add onions .Saute well.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and stir well . Add chopped tomatoes .
• Saute till the tomatoes are soft . Add all the powders one by one.
• Now add the chicken with water.
• Allow the chicken to cook and mix well with the gravy.
• Cook in the medium flame till getting the desired consistency.
• In the seasoning pan fry the cashew in ghee.
• Pour into the chicken gravy.

Serve with Naans , Parotas.

This is my entry to Srivalli's Curry Mela

And finally the awards I received from my sweet blogger friends.

Uma of Essence of Andhra and Vani of Ilatharasi have showered me

by these awards . Thank you Uma and Vani for thinking about me

and I would like to pass these to all of my blogger friends who

are so encouraging , helping and spend valuable time to comment in

my blog. Thank you so much friends .

Strawberry Milkshake

Dear friends I have found another blogger friend with my name . So to avoid confusions over this I have changed my display name as kamalagk . From today onwards I will blogging under this name kamalagk.Thank you for all of your support.

Summer comes .... The farmer's market are loaded

with fresh , colorful strawberries . It is a great delight

for my daughter to go to the market especially for

strawberries . I came across this strawberry milkshake

by Shilpa of Aayis recipes .She has a special touch

with freshly grounded cardamon powder .

Ingredients

Strawberries - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 tblsp

Milk - 2 cups

Freshly grounded cardamon - 1/8 tsp

Method

Blend everthing in the blender except cardamon powder for 2 min.

Now add cardamon powder and mix well.

We love to add Vanilla Icecream on top .

This goes to MBP Fruit fare hosted by Aparna and

Theme for the month of August - Icecreams and Milkshakes hosted by Srilekha.

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is one of the most popular

dish around the world . It is one of favorite

dish for my daughter Nandhu . After a lot

of tried and tested recipes I found this recipe

tasted great.

For Marination

Chicken - 1/2 lb

Yoghurt - 1/2 cup

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

salt - 1 tsp

chillie powder - 1/2 tsp

coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

For the gravy

Onion chopped - 1 big

Tomatoes chopped - 2

Almonds - 10

coriander powder - 1 tsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2

Tomato sauce - 2 tblsp

Heavy cream - 1/4 cup

Kasoori methi - 2 tblsp

Salt to taste

sugar - 1tsp

Orange color

Butter - 3 tblsp

Oil - 2 tblsp

Method

• Chop the chicken into 2 " pieces.
• Soak almonds in water.
• Marinate the chicken with the ingredients specified under marination for 3 hrs.
• Heat oil in a kadai and shallow fry the chicken . ( Alternatively you can fry the chicken in preheated oven )
• Remove the chicken from the oil .
• In the same oil add chopped onions , tomatoes.Saute well.
• Add coriander , chilli powder , green chillies , almonds and kasoori methi . Add 1/2 cup of water.
• switch off the flame and cool down completely.
• Grind this to a nice paste.
• Now heat butter in a kadai.Add cumin seeds and grinded paste.
• Allow it to boil .Add the chicken pieces and salt.
• Now add tomato sauce and 1 tsp of sugar and orange color. Keep this in medium flame till getting desired consistency.
• In the end add heavy cream .
• Serve with Naans , Rotis and parathas.

Again this too goes to Srivalli's Curry Mela.

Vegetable Kurma

Kurma is a coconut based gravy served

with Chappathis and Rotis in South India.

My son prefers veg gravies most of the time and

so vegetable kurma features in our home often.

Ingredients

Chopped veg - 2 cups

( carrots , potatoes , peas , cauliflower )

shallots - 8

Garlic - 6

Green chillies - 8

Ginger - 1 " piece

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Tomatoes - 2

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cashew - 10

Ghee - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

To Grind

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai . Saute shallots , ginger , garlic , green chillies and cashew.
• Cool down and grind it to a nice paste.
• Now heat the ghee in the pressure cooker,Saute the grinded shallots paste well.
• Add chopped tomatoes . Saute well till soft . Now add the chopped vegetables.
• Now pour the coconut milk and add coriander powder and salt . Close the lid of the cooker .
• Cook it for 2 whistles and switch off the cooker.
• Open the cooker after the pressure releases and add the coconut - poppy seeds paste.
• Cook it in medium flame till the desired consistency.

Serve with Chappathis.

Note

Since both coconut milk and coconut paste are added

add more chillies according to your taste . I have used

less chillies for my kids.

This is my another entry to Srivalli's Curry Mela.