Mutton Kulambu / Gravy

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

For Marination :

Mutton - 1/4 Kg

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Curd - 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

For the Gravy :

Onion (medium) - 2 (finely chopped and keep the two onions separate)

Tomato (medium) - 3 (finely chopped)

Raddish - 1 (sliced) and / or Drumstick - 5 pieces (1 inch)

Red Chilli powder - 2 teaspoon

Tamarind paste - 1 tablespoon

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup 

Oil - 4 teaspoon

For Seasoning :

Bay leaf (small) - 2

Cloves - 2 nos

Cardamom - 2 nos

Cinnamom - 1 inch

Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Garlic pods - 4 (slitted)

Green Chillies - 2 (slit into two)

Curry leaves - 1 strand

Coriander leaves - 1 strand

Method : 

1. Marinate the washed and cleaned meat with the items given for marination , for 1 to 2 hours

2. Heat 2 teaspoon oil and saute half the portion of the finely chopped onion and tomato in a kadai.

3. Once thee onions become transluscent , add the Ginger and garlic paste and saute for few minutes till the raw smell goes away

4. Take a pressure cooker and add the contents in the kadai and the marinade and cook until 3 whistles

For the Gravy : 

5. Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add oil and saute the remaining chopped onions and tomatoes till they are cooked well

6. Now add raddish and / or drumstick pieces

7. Transfer the contents of the cooker to the vessel along with tamarind paste, red chilli powder and salt

8. Add water , close and boil the contents until the vegetables are cooked thoroughly. At this point the gravy will also release a fine aroma

9. While contents are boiling, grind fennel and coconut to a fine paste by adding water little by little

10. Add the ground paste to the gravy and let it boil in medium heat

11. In a separate kadai , put oil and saute the tems given for seasoning. Fennel seeds and curry leaves should be added at the last

12. Add the seasoned mixture to the gravy and garnish with coriander leaves

13. Serve hot with rice and choice of side dish

Navarathna Chutney

                                                                                              

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

Green Chillies - 4

Ginger - 1 inch

Tamarind - Amla size

Split roasted gram (Pottukadalai) - 2 teaspoon

Tomato (big) - 1 / medium - 2

Onion (big) -1 / medium - 2

Curry leaves - 1 strand

Asoefetida - 1/2 teaspoon

Coconut (grated) - 1/4 cup

Oil and salt as required

Seasoning (optional) :

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asoefetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai in medium high and fry asoefetida

2. Followed by the rest of the ingredients one by one and coconut at the last

3. Saute the contents for 5 minutes only

4. Let the contents cool and grind them in a blender adding very little water and required salt

5. Heat the kadai again and add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add asoefetida and saute for few seconds and add to the chutney

6. Best side for Dosai / idli

Notes :

Seasoning is optional. The chutney tastes good without seasoning also

Vadagam Thuvaiyal

Ingredients:

Red Chilli - 4 nos
Coconut (Grated) - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - Beetle nut size
Vadagam (crushed into small pieces) - 2 teaspoon
Gingelly oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt as required

Method :

1. Heat Gingelly oil in a small kadai and fry the vadagam pieces for few seconds
2. Grind red chillies, tamarind and coconut coarsely
3. Add fried vadagam to this mixture and grind for another few seconds and add salt as required
4. Transfer the contents to a small bowl. Vadaga thuvaiyal is ideal for idli , dosa and even with rasam or puli (tamarind) sadham

Notes:
Recipe for how to make vadagam will follow shortly.  Do not fry vadagam for long as it will loose its flavour.

Mushroom Biryani

Serves : 5

Ingredients : 

Mushroom - 1/2 kg ( 2 packets)
Basmati Rice - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Onions (medium) - 3 (finely chopped)
Tomato (medium) - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste - 2 teaspoons
Garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Ghee - 2 te
Oil and Salt as required

Seasoning:
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Green Caaspoonsrdamom - 2 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Black Cardamom - 1

Method: (Similar to tomato rice preparation)

1. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and fry the rice along with few mint leaves in ghee for 3 minutes.
3. Add oil in a kadai and heat it to medium high. Add the items given for seasoning one after another and fry for few seconds
4. Saute onions , green chillies, ginger and garlic paste for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes away
5. Add mint and coriander leaves and saute for few minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and saute until it becomes mushy.
7. Add Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and salt to the contents in the kadai.
8. Leave the kadai in low heat for 5 minutes. This is again for the raw smell of red chilli powder to subside
9. Cut the mushroom into small pieces and mix it with the contents of the kadai.
10. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker and water. Put the weight and keep the cooker in low heat for 10 minutes.
11. After 10 minutes, check if the rice is done, else keep for another 5 minutes in low flame only.
12. Once the rice is done transfer the contents immediately into another container else rice will become mushy if left in the cooker for long.
13. Serve hot with raita or any choice of kurma

Notes:
Do not leave the cut mushroom pieces outside for long as it will loose its colour. Cut the mushroom only when you are ready to put into the kadai.

Thakkali Sadham / Tomato Rice

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Tomato (big) - 2 (finely chopped)
Onion (big) - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Garlic paste - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Green Chillies - 4 nos
Mint Leaves - 4 strands
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Ghee - 1 1/2 teaspoons

For Seasoning:
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamon - 2 nos
Oil as required
Salt as required

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and fry the rice along with few mint leaves in ghee for 3 minutes.
3. Add oil in a kadai and heat it to medium high. Add the items given for seasoning one after another and fry for few seconds
4. Saute onions , green chillies, ginger and garlic paste for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes away
5. Add mint and coriander leaves and saute for few minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and saute until it becomes mushy.
7. Add Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and salt to the contents in the kadai.
8. Leave the kadai in low heat for 5 minutes. This is again for the raw smell of red chilli powder to subside
9. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker along wit rice and water. Put the weight and keep the cooker in low heat for 10 minutes.
10. After 10 minutes, check if the rice is done, else keep for another 5 minutes in low flame only.
11. Once the rice is done transfer the contents immediately into another container else rice will become mushy if left in the cooker for long.
12. Serve hot with raita or any choice of kurma

Urulaikizhangu Kara Curry / Potato Hot Curry

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Potato (medium size) - 6
Onion (big) - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato (big) - 1(puree the tomato)
Garlic pods - 4 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste - 1/2 teaspoon
Mint leaves - 5 leaves
Fennel powder - 1 tablespoon
Red Chilli powder - 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 1 strand
Oil - as required

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and par boil it. Do not boil the potatoes completely. If you poke the potatoes with a knife, it should go in smoothly but the potatoes should not break
2. Marinate the potato with pureed tomato, fennel powder, red chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt for 10 to 15 minutes
3. Take a pan/kadai, add oil and season with curry leaves. Saute onion, garlic pods, ginger paste and mint leaves for 5 to 6 minutes
4. Add the marinade to the contents in the kadai and saute till the potatoes turn golden brown
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Curd rice / lemon rice / rasam