Mutton Ularthiyathu / Mutton Stir Fried

For all spicy lovers here comes a spicy dry side dish!!!!

Ingredients

Mutton: 500 gms
Crushed Ginger: 2 Table Spoon
Crushed Garlic: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Onion: 1
Coconut Pieces : 1/2 Cup
Green Chilly: 2 - 3
Coconut Oil: 3 - 4 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Method

Chop the mutton to medium size pieces and wash and strain out all the water
Marinate the mutton with 1 table spoon of crushed ginger and garlic, 1/2 tea Spoon of turmeric powder, 1 table spoon of red chilly powder, 1/2  table spoon of garam masala powder and some salt
Keep it aside for 45 minutes to 1 hour
Then pressure cook the mutton adding 1/4 cup of water
To a pan pour 2 table spoon of coconut oil
Add the coconut pieces to it and fry until it becomes golden brown in color
Once done take the coconut pieces from oil and keep aside
To the same pan add 1 table spoon of crushed ginger and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes
Then add sliced onion, green chilly and curry leaves and saute until the onion becomes tender
Then add rest of the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder, coriander powder and some salt and stir till the rawness of the masala is gone
To this add cooked mutton and keep on stirring until it becomes dry
Now add 2 table spoon of coconut oil, fried coconut pieces and saute till the the muton becomes a little crispy
Switch off and serve hot

Egg Biriyani

Try this biriyani this weekend.. You will definitely enjoy!!!

Ingredients
For Rice
Basmati/Biriyani Rice : 2 Cups
Cloves : 5 nos
Cardomom: 3
Cinnamon :  2 nos
Bay Leaf: 2
Garam masala : 1/4 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Ghee : 3 Table spoon
Oil : 3 Table spoon
Salt : To taste

Boiling Water: 4 Cups

Lemon Juice : 1 Table Spoon

For Egg Masala

Eggs : 5
Onion  : 3
Crushed Ginger : 1 Table Spoon
Crushed Garlic : 1 Table Spoon
Crushed Green Chilly : 4 - 5
Chopped Coriander Leaves : 2 Table Spoon
Chopped Mint Leaves : 2 Table Spoon
Curry Leaves : 2 Sprig
Tomato : 1 Big
Oil: 3 Table Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric powder : 1/2 Tea Spoon
Chilly powder : 1/2 Table spoon
Salt
For Garnish
Onion: 1
Cashew : as necessary
Raisins : as necessary

Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Method

Wash the rice and strain it and keep aside.
Making Masala
Keep all the ingredients ready

Hard boil the eggs and remove the shell and make gashes on it and keep aside

To a pan pour oil and add chopped onion and saute until the onion becomes soft

Then add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly and saute till the raw smell goes

Now add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook well

Add garam masala powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder

Saute well and add chopped coriander, mint and curry leaves.  Reserve some of it for garnishing

To this add eggs

Combine well and cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then switch off the flame

Making Rice
To a pan add 3 table spoons of ghee and 3 table spoons of oil.
Fry the onion until light brown for garnishing
Fry cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside

Now add cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon

Add rice and fry the rice for a good 8 to 10 minutes

Add boiling water to the rice.  Once it starts boiling well reduce the flame
Add  turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt to taste and lemon juice

Stir well, close the lid and cook

To the cooked rice add the egg masala, fried onion, cashew nuts, raisins and little coriander and mint leaves

Combine well and keep in low flame for about 5 to 8 minutes

Serve hot

Note: Best served with onion and curd raita and lemon pickle

Chicken Ghee Roast

A Mangalorean Delicacy.... Thanks To my sister Surya who introduced me to this dish....

Ingredients

Chicken: 1 Kg
Curry Leaves: 3 Sprig
Coriander Leaves: Few
Water: 1/2 Cup
Grated Jagery: 1 Table Spoon
Ghee: 6 to 7 Table Spoon

For Marination

Yogurt: 2 Table Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 Tea Spoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Lime Juice: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
For Masala Paste 
Fennel Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Cumin : 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Fenugreek Seeds: Few
Cinnamon: 1 Inch Piece
Cloves: 4 - 5
Ginger: 1 Small Piece
Garlic: 6 to 7 Cloves
Coriander Seeds: 1 Table Spoon
Kashmiri Chilly: 5 to 6
Tamarind: Small Gooseberry size

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Method

Cut the chicken to small bite size pieces
Wash the chicken well and drain off all the water
Take the chicken to a bowl

Add all the ingredients mentioned under for marination

Combine well and let it rest for a minimum 2 to 3 hours

Take all the ingredients mentioned under for masala paste.  I did not have kashmiri chillies.  So i used the regular ones.  But i recommend to use kashmiri chilly for the bright red color of the dish

Take everything other than tamarind and dry roast it for a good 8 to 10 minutes in low flame.  You can slightly crush the ginger and garlic
Soak the tamarind in water and keep aside

Now add the tamarind and water and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes

Switch off the flame and let it cool down well
Put this mixture to a mixer

Grind it to a paste

To a pan add marinated chicken and cover and cook in low flame.  Do not add water.
To a pan pour ghee and once it is heated well add the masala paste

Saute until oil starts to leave.  Add curry leaves

Add the cooked chicken and cover and cook for some more time

Add grated jagery and coriander leaves.  Combine well and switch off the flame

Serve hot with rice, chapathi, roti, paratta etc

Pasta Salad

Let make something healthy today!!!

Ingredients

Chopped Cucumber: 1/2 Cup
Chopped Carrots: 1/2 Cup
Chopped Lettuce: 1/2 Cup
Chopped Radish: 1/2 Cup
Corn Kernels: 1/2 Cup
Cooked Chicken / Chicken Sausage: 1/2 Cup
Cooked Pasta (Durum Wheat Flour Pasta): 1 Cup
For Salad Dressing
Olive Oil: 3 Table Spoon
Apple Cider Vinegar: 1 Table Spoon
Pepper Powder
Salt

Cooking Time : 10 to 15 Minutes for Pasta
Method

Take all ingredients to a bowl.  Here i have used chicken sausage

Combine everything mentioned under salad dressing and whisk it well
Add the salad dressing to the salad bowl and combine well

Serve

Note:
You can add any vegetables of your choice
Can add some boiled pulses instead of chicken
Make any salad dressing of your choice

I have used frozen corn kernels.  So i just put it in boiling water for 2 minutes and then strained it and used

Cooking Pasta
Pour enough water to a deep bottom vessel and let it boil

Add some salt and a table spoon of olive oil and add the pasta

Cook well.  But do not over cook the pasta

Once done drain out the excess water and pour in some cold water

Let it be in for 2 minutes and then drain off the water and keep aside.  This is done so that once cooled the pasta wont stick to each other

Vettu Cake / Fried Tea Cake

A Popular tea stall snack in Kerala!!!!

Ingredients

Maida / All Purpose Flour: 1 Cup
Powdered Sugar: 1/2 Cup
Egg: 1
Baking Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Cardamom Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon (Optional)
Milk: 1 to 2 Table Spoon
Oil: For Deep Frying

Cooking Time: 8 to 10 minutes for a batch of 3 to 4
Method

Take all ingredients except oil and milk to a bowl or food processor

Combine everything well
Add milk as necessary and make a smooth non sticky dough

Take the dough out and apply a table spoon of oil on the dough

Cover with a cling film and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes

Now either roll the dough to a log and cut it to small discs and then using a knife put a plus mark on each of the disc.  The marking should be deep enough but should not cut the discs into pieces

Or you can use a rolling pin and roll out the dough to a medium thick sheet and cut small circles out out it

Now using a knife put a plus mark on it.  The marking should be deep enough but should not cut the discs into pieces

Preheat the oil well and then reduce the flame and fry the vettu cake

Once it becomes light brown color remove from oil and place it on a paper towel to remove excess oil
Serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee
For extra sweetness you can just sprinkle some powdered sugar after frying

Kakka Irachi Achar / Clam Meat Pickle

Spicy tangy pickle...

Ingredients

Kakka Irachi / Clam Meat: 500gms
Ginger: 1 Big Piece
Garlic: 10 Cloves
Green Chilly: 2 - 3
Red Chilly Powder: 3 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Table Spoon
Fenugreek Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Asafoetida Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Gingelly Oil / Nallenna: 6 Table Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Hot Water: 1 Cup
Vinegar: 3 - 4 Table Spoon
Salt

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Method

Crush the ginger, garlic and green chilly

Wash the clam meat well.  You can see a black color dirt in the bottom of the clam.

Using a tooth pick or a pointed knife edge just prick it. It will come off easily.

Clean each clam the same way and then wash it well and squeeze out the water

You a need a lot of time and patience to do it.  But its good to remove the dirt from the clams so that it doesn't upset your stomach

Add little turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt

Marinate it well and keep aside for some time

To a pan pour half of the gingelly oil and fry the clam meat

To another pan pour rest of the oil and add mustard seeds.  Once it splutters add crushed ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves
Saute until it starts to change color

Reduce the flame and add the balance chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and some salt

Saute until the raw smell of the spices are gone.  (For about 8 to 10 minutes)
Add hot water and let it boil well (Refer Notes)

Now add the fried clam meat with the oil and let it boil for some time
Switch off the flame and add vinegar and fenugreek powder.

It might look thin but once it cools down it will thicken up
Serve with rice or porridge
Store in clean airtight glass jars

Note:
Adjust the spice levels accordingly
I personally like the pickle with some gravy so i add hot water.  But if you wish to have a thick pickle without or less gravy you can reduce the amount of hot water added or even completely avoid adding hot water.