Have a beautiful weekend !!!

Kodi pulusu / Chicken gravy

 

The first time I tasted this chicken dish made by my mom-in-law, I immediately fell in love with it. Have you ever prepared chicken without onions?. In this preparation there is no onion, no tomato and no masala items like cloves, cinnamon or cardamom. A very simple way of preparing and it is very, very tasty too.  Give it a try, perhaphs you might also like it.

Ingredients :

Chicken- 1/2 kg

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Garlic- 10 pods

Coriander powder- 2 tbspns

Red chilli powder- 3 tspns (adjust according to your taste)

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Jeera seeds- 1 tspn

Coconut scrappings- 2 tbspns

Oil- 4 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Clean and cut chicken into small pieces. Make a paste of ginger and garlic. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil becomes hot add jeera seeds. When they splutter add half of the ground ginger, garlic paste,  turmeric powder, chicken pieces and enough salt. Saute the mixture well until the flesh of chicken pieces turn white in colour. Now add the remaining ginger, garlic paste, coriander powder and chilli powder. Add half-a-cup of water. Now bring the mixture to boil and simmer it for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is done and the raw smell of the masala disappears. Before removing from fire garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice, lemon wedges and few raw onion slices.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : This recipe needs more oil than usual. If you cannot make dishes with more oil then it is better not to prepare this dish. Make it spicier. You cannot expect much gravy from this preparation. If you need more gravy then you have to add onions and tomato  but it definitely compromises the taste. You can add a teaspoon of garam masala (your choice) at the end of preparation. Happy cooking !!!

Pachai karamani poriyal / Achinga payaru thoran / Yard long beans stir fry

   

Another beans recipe!! I am fond of this long, green veggie too. This is called as achinga payaru in malayalam and in tamil they call it as karamani. I have never seen this in Madurai. But after coming to Germany I saw them in a grocery shop and explained its physical characteristics to my mom. She only told me that this is achinga payaru and gave me a recipe to prepare it. They taste very yummy and full of nutrients too. Try it you will love it.

It is called as yard long bean, asparagus bean, snake bean or chinese long bean in English. Its scientific name is Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. As all beans they are rich in fiber. They are also a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, Iron, riboflavin, phosphorous, vitamin c, calcium and pottasium.

 

Ingredients :

Yard long beans- 1/2 kg

Onion - 1no or 10 shallots

Green chillies- 3 nos

Curry leaves- 10 leaflets

Coconut scrappings- 2 tbspns

Jeera powder- 1 tspn

Red chilli powder- 1 tspn

White seasame seeds- 2 tspns

Mustard, jeera and channa dhal- 1 tspn (for tempering)

Oil- 2 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut beans into pieces as shown in picture. Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add channa dhal, when it browns add seasame, mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Fry until the onions turn translucent. Now add the cut beans pieces and a handful of water. Fry well on low flame until the beans are cooked. Now add the coconut scrappings, jeera, redchilli powder and salt to taste. Mix everything well. Saute for another 3 minutes on a low flame and remove from fire. Tasty beans fry is ready which goes very well with chappathi and with hot rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Make sure you do not overcook them. The beans should retain their colour and their crunchiness. Adding white seasame seeds imparts a very unique taste to this dish. Coconut scrappins give that extra aroma and rcih taste. Happy cooking !!!

Mullangi sambhar / Radish sambhar

Sambhar is very versatile. You can use almost any vegetable to make this wonderful dish . It brings out the real taste and flavour of the vegetable without overpowering it. Eventhough any sambhar is a sambhar (:D) you can't find many similarity in taste between drumstick sambhar and radish sambhar. Sambhar acquires its taste depending on the vegetable used.

Radish sambhar is loved by many. My dad is a great fan of this humble vegetable. Sometimes I think radish is born to pair with sambhar. They make a wonderful combo !!! I hardly could love radish this much in any other form.

I brought a bunch of fresh radish from farmers market. They looked so lovely. I rarely find such small, tender ones here. Most radishes available in grocery stores are almost a feet tall. They are so big and so tall, I normally do not feel like buying them at all. Even if I buy them what will I do with such a big one? They do not taste good too. These small radishes were sooooo tasty I finished half of them when cutting itself.

Scientific name of radish is Raphanus sativus. Radish is a root vegetable and it is a rich source of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid,  pottasium and magnesium. They are considered to be very good for constipation, gall stones, kidney stones and even for cancer. Here comes the sambhar recipe :

Ingredients :

Toor dhal- 1 cup

Radish- 4 nos

Onion-1 no

Green chillies- 2 nos

Tamarind- size of a small lemon

MTR sambhar powder- 1 tbspn

                  or

Coriander powder - 1 tbspn

and Chilli powder- 1 tspn

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Asafoetida powder- a pinch

Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tspn

Jeera and mustard seeds- 1 tspn (for tempering)

Coconut scrapping (fresh or dry)- 1 tbspn

Curry leaves- a handful

Coriander leaves- few strands (minced finely)

Oil- 3 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut radish as shown in picture. Wash and cook toor dhal with a pinch of turmeric, asafoetida and with a few drops of oil until it turns soft. Soak the tamarind and extract its juice. Mince onions and slit green chillies into two. Heat oil in a pan. When it gets heated add fenugreek seeds. Saute until it turns brown and emits a nice aroma. Now add mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter add onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute until the onions turn translucent. Add cut radish pieces and saute for a minute. Now add sambhar powder or coriander and chilli powder. Fry for a minute, add tamarind juice and enough water. Bring it to a boil and simmer the mixture until radish pieces are cooked. Now add the cooked dhal and simmer for another five minutes. Add salt to taste and garnish with minced coriander leaves and coconut scrappings at the end of preparation. A very tasty sambhar will be ready. Serve with hot rice and a suitable side-dish.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Consistency of the dhal is important for a good sambar. Do not overcook the dhal and make it into a paste. Smabhar  should not be too thick. It must be on the watery side and do not overcrowd sambhar with vegetables. When you make radish sambhar it is wise to avoid any other vegetable. I never add coriander to any other sambhar but adding coriander to radish sambhar gives it a nice flavour without overpowering the radish smell. Happy cooking !!!

Kothavarangai poriyal / Goru chikudukaya koora / Cluster beans stir-fry

I love this vegetable a lot. We call it as kothavarangai or cheeni avarakai. In telugu it is called as goru chikudukaya, matti kaya or gokarakaya. In hindi it is called as gavar. In english it is called as guar or cluster bean. When my mom makes it I am the one to finish it off by eating it just like a snack. Vatral made out of cheeni avarakai is another delicay which has a unique taste and flavour. I am very happy to see fresh cluster beans in grocery shop. I picked quite a lot and made it in a way I like most. So here is the recipe and the nutritional benefits of this wonderful veggie.

The scientific name of this annual legume is Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is high in fiber and proteinaceous too. But it lacks an essential amino acid called methionine. Whole-wheat flour is rich in methionine and when  this beans is eaten along with chappathi made with whole wheat flour, the combination is comparable to meat or egg because it is then a complete protein meal. Guar gum is primarily extracted from the endosperm of this bean. Guar gum is found to hinder with cholesterol absorption and thus helps in reducing serum LDL and triglycerides. It also increases glucose tolerance. So it is an excellent veggie for diabetics and for dieters.

Ingredients :

Kothavarangai or cluster beans- 250 gms

Onion- 1 no or 10 shallots

Green chillies- 5 nos (adjust according to your taste)

Curry leaves- a handful

Coconut scrappings- 3 tbspns

Jeera powder- 1 tspn

Pepper powder (coarsely ground)- 1 tspn

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Mustard, jeera and channa dhal- 1 tspn (for tadka)

Oil- 3 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash and tear the beans into small pieces with your nails (I think this is the reason for the name goru (nail) chikudukaya). Mince onions and green chillies. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough do the tempering by ading jeera, mustard and channa dhal. When the seeds splutter add onions, green chillies, a pinch of turmeric and curry leaves. Fry for sometime until the onions turn translucent. Now add the kothvarangai and sprinkle two handfuls of water. Saute until the water evaporates. Simmer and fry on low flame until the beans are done. Now add jeera powder, pepper powder and coconut scrapping. Mix well and saute for a few more minutes. Add salt to taste at the end of preparation. A very tasty kothavarangai poriyal will be ready. Serve with chappathi or rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : It is very important to retain the firmness of the beans. Do not cook until it becomes mashed and soft. My dad always said that vegetables taste best when they are half-cooked. That is very true and the half-cooked veggies are healthier too. Pepper adds a nice aroma to this dish. Coconut scrappings impart a nice taste and flavour. Happy cooking !!!

Happy weekend!!!

 

Urulaikizhangu varuval / Deep fried potato scrappings / Bangaladumpa fry

 

This unhealthy (yea I agree!!!) but a very tasty, crispy potato fry I learned form one of my sister. She prepared this for her daughter who was in hostel at that time. When we went to the place where she was studying,  my sister gave a tiffin box to us to give to her. When we reached the place we handed it over to her. She opened the tiffin box and I saw that the entire tiffin box is being filled with this golden, crispy fry. As usual I just picked some immediately and dropped it in my mouth. Wow !!! what a treat it was :).

Do any of you love the potato remains that sticks to tha bottom of a pan when your mom prepares potato fry ? I love it. I adore it. I used to wait for that one teaspoon wonder all the time near the pan and I used to get upset when the potato behaves good and doesn't leave its mark on the pan :). The potato remains taste exactly like this fry. So I enquired about the recipe and this is the first time I made it. Try it, your children will love it. This is not a healthy way to prepare potato but once in a while should be OK.

 

Ingredients :

Potato- 2 nos

Red chilli powder- according to your need and taste

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method :

Wash the potato well and scrap the potatoes using a scrapper. Now squeeze the scrappings to remove excess liquid. Deep fry them in hot oil. Take them out when they acquire a golden colour. Place them on tissue paper to remove excess oil. When they cool down add enough chilli powder and salt and mix well with your hands. Tasty potato fry will be ready in no time.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Remove the excess liquid from the scrappings by squeezing them otherwise they will imbibe oil. You can add garlic scrappings and curry leaves when frying for that extra aroma. Add salt and chilli powder only at the end of preparation. Serve with rasam saadham. Happy cooking !!!

Vendakkai finger chips / Ladies finger chips / Bendakaya vepudu

 

A very simple recipe with the gorgeous ladies finger. It will suit people who dislike its gluey nature. Children will absolutely love it. I loved it the first time I made it and finished it within no time.

  

Ingredients :

Ladies finger / Vendakkai- 250gms

Gram flour / besan- 2 tbspns

Rice flour or corn flour- 2 tbspns

Red chilli powder- 1 tspn 

Jeera powder- 1 tspn

Pepper powder- 1 tspn

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbspns

Method :

Mix besan, rice or corn flour, red chilli powder, jeera powder and pepper powder with enough salt and make a thick paste using water. Now cut the vendakkai as shown in picture. Apply a thin coating of this flour mixture to vendakkai. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and slowly roast the marinated ladies finger until they become crispy and golden brown in colour. It makes a tasty, fiber rich snack or it goes very will with dhal and rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Make a thick paste with the ingredients. Do not make a thick coating  of batter on ladies finger. Make a very thin coating. Slow roast the ladies finger to get the desired consistency. If you do it on high flame the ladies finger for sure will get charred. Happy cooking !!!

Chenai kizhangu fry / Suran fry / Yam fry

 

A very simple fry, yet very tasty. It pairs excellent with sambhar saadham. A healthy alternative to potatoes. Try it. You will love it.

 

Ingredients :

Chenai kizhangu / suran / yam- 1/4 kg

Garlic- 10 pods, crushed with skin intact

Curry leaves- three fistfuls (its a lot but imparts a very nice flavour)

Red  chilli powder- 1 tspn

Turmeric- a pinch

Mustard, jeera and urid dhal- 1/2 tspn 

Salt to taste

Oil- 3 tbspns

Method :

Cut yam into small pieces as shown in picture. Crush the garlic with skin. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil is hot add mustard, jeera and urid dhal. When urid dhal browns add the crushed garlic,curry leaves and a pinch of turmeric. Fry for a minute and then add the yam pieces. Now slow raost the entire mixture on a low flame until the yam is cooked and turns crispy. When the yam is done sprinkle salt and chilli powder. Mix well and serve with sambhar saadham (rice). 

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Most important part is the slow roasting. Keep the flame on sim and roast it slowly until done. This adds very nice crispiness without getting overcooked. The curry leaves and  garlic also tuirns very crispy and very yummy to eat. You can sprinkle a handfull of water if needed. Add salt and chilli powder only at the end of preparation. You should select a good variety yam and everything depends on yam quality. Happy cooking !!!

Spargelcremesuppe / Asparagus cream soup

 

Germans go nuts over spargel. The previous statement is not an overrated one. It is 100% true. When I came to Germany my labmate got a bundle of spargel from one of her friend. Her face was shining more than usual and I am very curious to know what that white coloured bundle was. She told me it is spargel and it is called as asparagus in english. I asked her how she will prepare it. She said she will prepare soup out of it or just cook and eat them. This vegetable is available only during a particular time period  (end of april to end of june) and they call this period as asparagus time or ''spargelzeit''. Every hotel in Germany will serve a special meal with spargel at this time.

Spargel come in green and white colour. The white ones are German's favourite. White asparagus are costly because of the enormous labour associated with its cultivation. The fields on which white asparagus is grown will be covered with a thick cover to prevent sun light entering the cultivation area. This totally prevents the photosynthesis and hence the white clour of the white-asparagus. The harvest of asparagus is also a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. It has to be harvested with hand. Because of all these reasons they also cost much. But nothing prevents Germans from enjoying this mild variety, nutty flavoured spargel. 

The amino acid asparagine got its name from Asparagus officinalis since it is rich in it. It has no cholesterol and contains very less calories and sodium. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium (Source : wikipedia). 

I got this recipe from a German cookbook, which I borrowed from a friend ( Thank you Julia !!) . This is my first try and I should say the soup turned out to be several times yummy than the commercially available soup powder.  Healthy, wholesome and very satisfying, one should definitely try this German delicacy.

 

Ingredients :

Asparagus- one bundle (10-12 stalks)

Whole milk- one cup ( I substituted milk for cream)

Spring onions- 1 bunch

Refined wheat flour or maida- 2 tbspns
Butter- 1 tbspn

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method :

Wash and peel the asparagus. It has a thick outer sheath. With a peeler remove that outer sheath. Discard the bottom muddy and woody region too (1/2 inch). Now cut the asparagus into small pieces and boil them in water for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture and save both the water and the cooked asparagus shoots. When the asparagus shoots cool down grind them to a smooth paste using a food processor. Now add the ground paste into the water in which asparagus was cooked and mix well. Take a pot and heat it. Melt the butter in it. Now add maida and fry it until it acquires a light brown colour. Add some minced spring onions too. When the flour becomes light brown add the asparagus mixture (ground asparagus in water). Add a cup of milk and bring it to a boil.  Simmer the mixture for another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. When serving garnish with freshly ground black pepper and minced spring onions. A rich and  creamy asparagus soup will be ready to be relished.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Take care to romove the outer sheath and the bottom muddy shoot. If you do not remove the outer sheath properly the preparation acquires a bitter taste. Make it more creamy and not watery. Happy cooking !!!