Monday, September 23, 2013

Chicken-Mudliara




In my whole life.........one thing which I dread is coming in eye-contact with birds. And Hens I cant bear to see.......grrrrrrrr....the  so called Bird-phobia from childhood. U ask my sister and she will have long stories to narrate about this...anyway today’s discussion is about cooking not phobias...so if I cant bear their sight how can I eat them?? No, never...... But yeah a stringent non-veg eater till I got married which included (eggs, meat and seafood...slurrrp  yummmm) Then, one day  I got married and went to a typical Satvik Mudaliar family where  I could never lay my hands on all the above stuff...So, whenever I was in Nagpur – it was a non-veg feast for me....and my mom is one of the best non-veg cooks in our family. So Nagpur times were always Morning -night  hogging. And one fine day I just left eating Non-veg...my mother still doesn’t believe this. But the story doesn’t end here.....Genes had to speak.......Both my princes love to eat non-veg food......so I delightfully cook for them now..........here’s one for you all.....sharing


Chicken-Mudliara


Ingredients:
 
1 Kg Broiler/Gavrani chicken
2 Big Onions
3 Big Tomatoes
5 Green chillies
8-9 Garlic pods
2” piece of Ginger
A bunch of coriander
A bunch of mint leaves
A small piece of coconut
1 tsp Goda Masala
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Dry coriander Powder
2 tsp of Khuskhus
5-6 Black pepper
2 sticks of cinnamon
A bit of Javitri
2 Big Cardamoms (Badi ilaichi)
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 Tablespoons of Oil
2 tablespoons of curd
Salt as per taste

Method: Marinate the Chicken with all the dry masala (except Goda masala),salt and curd. Leave aside for 3 hours (at least)

For Gravy: Heat the pan. Pour a bit of oil and add Cummin seeds, Black pepper,  Big cardamoms, Javitri, cinnamon and allow it to splutter. Add coconut,khuskhus, chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Fry till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and coriander leaves and fry properly. Add salt and goda masala too. Let it cool. Grind it in a Mixer to a fine paste.  Heat remaining oil in a Cooker if you want to make it fast or a typical Mudaliar Style of slow heating process in a Kadhai on simmer. Add bay leaves and the paste and fry till oil leaves the surface. Add the marinated Chicken and mix it thoroughly.Add some warm water and allow it to cook.


(Coconut and Khuskhus are two main ingredients of South Indian Cooking. You will find them using it every now and then...This actually gives a thick consistency to the gravy) and mint leaves add that extra flavour....... Try it.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Sabudana Wada



Sabudana Wada

Ingredients:
 
2 bowls of Sabudana (Tapioca)
2 Medium sized Potatoes
2 Green chillies
A bunch of Coriander finely chopped
8-9 Curry leaves
1tsp cumin seeds
Half a bowl of Groundnut
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Curd


Method:
 
Wash & Soak the sabudana for 2-3 hours in little water. Boil the potatoes and mash  them. Roast the Groundnut and grind it in a mixer. Chop the green chillies. Add  all the rest ingredients and make it into a dough. Now take small portions and make round wadas and deep fry them in Oil.  Serve it hot with curd. 


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Chatpate moth




 This is one dish which I grew up eating very frequently in Nagpur. My mom is one of the best cooks in this world. Have adapted quite a lot from her as well as my M-I-L...so my cooking is a blend of both and some extra effects which I keep adding off n on and surprise both of them even today. One drastic difference in theirs and mine is they both use red chilly powder and I don't, until it is absolutely required.  Matki chi usal as called in Maharashtra and chatpate moth in MP.....try it...


Chatpate moth


Turkish gram(moth)-     2 bowls (sprouted)
Onion-                              1 large sized (chopped)
Tomatoes-                      2 Medium sized (chopped)
Green chillies-                3-4 (chopped)
Cummin-                         half tsp.
Mustard seeds-              1 tsp.
Ginger-garlic paste –     1 tsp.
Oil-                                3 tbsp
Dry coriander powder- 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder –        1 tsp.
Goda masala/garam masala: 1 tsp.
Green Coriander-            1 bunch (chopped)
Curry leaves:                    9-10
Sugar-                                half tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the Turkish gram for 12 hours. Wash & drain the water and leave it in a tight container for sprouting. When sprouted it is ready for making the chatpate moth.  Heat oil in  a pan/kadhai. Put mustard & cumin seeds to splutter. Add curry leaves, chopped onions, chopped green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Once, golden brown add the chopped tomatoes. Put all the dry masala, sugar & salt and let it fry evenly till oil leaves the surface of the pan. Add the sprouted moth. And mix well. Add a little water and let it cook on a slow flame for 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped onions and green coriander and sev (optional).






Sprouts are very healthy. High in proteins u can consume it, raw with salad also.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Pindi Chole reinvented






Pindi Chole reinvented

Chick peas(Kabuli chana) - 2 small bowls
Tomato –     2 medim sized
Onion –        1 big size
Green chillies- 2
Ginger-         1”
Garlic pods-  6-7
Coriander-   1 bunch
Bay leaves- 2
Cloves -2
Black pepper- 6-7
Cumin – 1 tsp
Cinnamon-3 small sticks
Black Cardamom- 2
Chole Masala – 1 tsp
Tamarind pulp- 2 tsp
Dry coriander powder -1tsp
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Goda masala – 1tsp

Soak the chickpeas overnight. After washing it thoroughly, put it in a small cooker for cooking, put cinnamon and black cardamom.  For the gravy,my method is to take a little bit of oil and put all the ingredients one by one and fry till golden brown. Grind the mixture along with two tsp of cooked chickpeas  in a mixer-grinder to fine paste.Take 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the paste till oil leaves the surface. Add the cooked chick peas along with water, sprinkle chole masala and put it on a low heat for 10 mins. Garnish with coriander and raw onions.(optional) I have used only coriander...

* Grinding the boiled peas gives u a thick consistency to the gravy..which is my personal fav.