Gutti Vankaaya Kura (Stuffed Egg Plant/Brinjal Curry)

INGREDIANTS:

10-12 fresh tender purple brinjals(vankaayi,aubergine)

2 onions finely sliced

6 flakes garlic

2 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1/3 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/2 tsp cumin pwd

1 tbsp white butter or ghee

1/2 tsp sugar (optional-but tastes good with sugar or jaggery)

oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

12 curry leaves

1/3 tsp methi seeds(menthulu,fenugreek)

salt

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(garnish)

METHOD:

Wash and dry the purple brinjals.Keep the stalks.Prepare the stuffing first.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves and onions and fry on medium heat for 7-8 minutes or till transparent.Remove from fire and cool.Grind to a paste adding little water.Add the coriander pwd,cumin pwd,chilli pwd,butter or ghee,sugar or jaggery and salt.Mix well.Now take each brinjal and cut from the base end (opposite side of stem)and make a slit towards stem side but not all the way through i.e slit each brinjal into four sections lengthwise without cutting off the crown.The brinjals are ready for stuffing and the stuffing requires some patience…:)Seperate the brinjal quarters gently and fill the stuffing inside slowly without breaking the brinjals.You dont want to break the brinjal…:)Stuff all the brinjals in this manner.Keep aside the remaining paste.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a cooking dish.Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.Add the methi seeds and curry leaves and fry for 5 seconds.Now slowly place each of the stuffed brinjals in the dish and add the remaining paste on top and sprinkle 1/4 cup of water.Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes on slow heat.Do check in between to stir the brinjals without breaking them.Once the brinjals are three fourth cooked add the tamarind paste and one cup water. Adjust salt.Cover and cook further for another 15 to 20 minutes or till the brinjals are well cooked and soft to touch.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
To serve, gently lift the stuffed brinjals with a wide spoon and place on serving plate and pour the gravy.Tastes wonderful with hot rice or roti.

Chicken Tikka

Ingredients:

1 full: Chicken (large)
2 cups: Curd
1 cup: Onions(Grinded)
4-5 cloves: Garlic
1/2"piece: Ginger
2"piece: Raw papaya
1 tsp: Chilli powder
1tsp: Garam Masala

2 tbs: Lemon juice
2-3 drops: Red colour
Ghee as required
Salt to taste

Method

Clean the chicken. Remove the bones and slice it into small pieces.
Grind onions, garlic, ginger, and papaya into smooth paste. Mix it with curd, chilli powder and garam masala. Blend well to make the marinade. Add a few drops of red colour to the marinade with salt and lemon juice. Smear the chicken pieces with the mixture and let them marinate for 8-10 hours.
Heat ghee in a pan and add the marinated chicken pieces, fry for 5-6 minutes, then pour the remaining marinade on it. Cover the pan and cook on a low fire until chicken pieces are tender and dry. Serve hot.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients

8 medium pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken

2 cup(s) flavored rice(basmati)

6 cups water

2 cup(s) yoghurt

4 medium sized onions sliced

½ teaspoon(s) saffron soaked in a little milk

1 tablespoon(s) lime juice

2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) / butter

salt to taste

a sheet of aluminum foil for sealing slices of boiled eggs

fried nuts and raisins to garnish.

To be ground

2" cinnamon stick broken

2 cloves and green cardamoms each

2 large onion(s) chopped

2 tablespoon(s) each of chopped ginger and garlic

2 green chilli(es) chopped

2 tablespoon(s) of chopped coriander leaves

1 tablespoon(s) poppy seeds

½ teaspoon(s) grated nutmeg

2 mace blades and black cardamom each

Method

Grind the ingredients to be ground to a fine paste. Mix this paste with yoghurt and salt. Make cuts on the chicken pieces and rub this marinade into them well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

In a large vessel combine the rice, water, salt and cook till the rice is half-done. Drain the excess liquid and spread the rice on a plate to cool.

Heat the clarified butter (ghee)/ butter in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot and fry the sliced onions till they are crisp and golden brown. Add the marinated chicken pieces, mix well and cook on low level for about 20 minute(s) or till the chicken is almost done.

In a large heavy-bottomed pan add some hot melted clarified butter (ghee)/ butter, a layer of chicken with gravy, a layer of rice topped with a portion of the saffron milk. In this way arrange alternate layers of melted clarified butter (ghee)/ butter, chicken, rice and saffron milk till they are all used up. Make sure the topmost layer is of rice topped with melted clarified butter (ghee) / butter and saffron milk. Spread the aluminum foil on the top of the pan and cover it with a tight fitting lid. Cook on very low level (a griddle can be kept under the pan to cook on indirect flame) for another 20 minutes. Alternatively cook for the same amount of time in a pre-heated oven.

Garnish with slices of boiled eggs, nuts and raisins.

Gobi manchurian

Ingredients:-

Cauliflower - 1 medium sized cut into medium sized floretsS

pring onion chopped- a small bunch (Seperate whites and greens)

Garlic chopped - 5 tbsp

Green chilies chopped - 4-5 tsp (Use according to your spice level)

Soya Sauce - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Green Chilli Sauce - 2 tbsp

Tomato Ketchup - 3 tbsp

Vinegar - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Oil - as needed

Salt - add only if needed(Add 1 medium sized Onion and 1/2 Capsicum if you wish.i dont add it,if i am preparing it dry)

For the batter :
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/2 cup

Corn flour - 1/4 cup

Rice flour - 2 tbsp

Egg - 1

Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tsp

Red Chilly powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Salt - to taste (consider the saltiness of soya sauce while adding it)

Method :-

Prepare a batter with the given ingredinets adding necessary water.Batter should be made a little thick,otherwise it doesn’t coat well on the cauliflower florets.Heat oil in a big wok,dip each floret in the batter and gently put it into the oil.Do not overcrowd the wok while frying.Do it in 2 or 3 steps as needed.Fry it until it turns golden brown in color.Drain into a tissue paper and keep them aside and allow it to cool.

Now heat 2-3 tsp oil in another pan,add chopped spring onion(only the whites),green chillies,garlic and ginger,saute them for a while.(Add onions and capsicum also if you’re adding it)Now add soya sauce,chilly sauce,vinegar and tomato ketchup.Mix them well,check for the salt and add the cooled gobi florets.Turn the heat to high and mix them together until all the florets are well coated with the sauce.Add spring onion greens and coriander leaves and toss it well for few minutes.Serve immediately.

If you want to make it a gravy,add 1 tsp cornflour mixed in 1 cup luke warm water and simmer it for few minutes,before adding spring onion greens and coriander leaves.

Hariyali murg

Ingredients:-

Chicken cut into small pieces - 1 kg

Red onion sliced - 2 medium sized

Garam masala powder - 1tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Bayleaf - 1

Salt - to taste

Oil - as needed

To prepare marinade :

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 10 - 15(use according to your spice level)

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tspn

Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mint leaves - 10 - 15

Coriander leaves -a small bunch

Grind all these together to make a fine paste and keep it aside.

Method:-

Add salt to the prepared marinade,mix well and marinate the chicken pieces for 1 hr preferably in a refrigerator.Heat oil in a pan, add bayleaf and curry leaves into it.Fry it for few seconds and add the onions, fry until it turns into a golden brown color.Now add the chicken pieces and fry till oil seperates.Check for the salt and add around 1 cup of water and cook until the gravy becomes thick.Finally add garam masala powder and simmer for few more minutes.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/rotis.

Sindhi Chicken Curry

Ingrediants:

1 cup plain curd- room temp, stirred to a creamy consistency
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp turmeric
2 tablespoons oil
3/4 tsp cayenne
2 cups finely chopped onion
28 ounces tomatoes chopped liquid (1 can/box)
1 tablespoon ginger root peeled & minced
1/2 cup corianer chopped
1 tablespoon garlic - minced
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
4 teaspoons green chilies preferably serranos
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
12 large chicken thighs skinned, rinsed and wiped dry
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon coriander powder

method:

1. Stir yogurt and cornstarch together until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saut until beginning to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and saut onions until dark golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes longer.

3. Stir in ginger, garlic and chilies. saut for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken and brown well, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper over top of chicken. Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes, yogurt mixture, 1/2 cup cilantro and salt. Mix well. Cover and bring to a boil. 6. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 25 minutes.

7. Turn off heat. Stir in garam masala and 3 tbs. cilantro (or more cilantro to taste).

8. Garnish with remaining cilantro before serving. Serve with rice or any Indian bread.

PRAWNS PAKORA

Ingredients

1 cup prawns

1 tsp. ginger garlic paste

1 tsp. chopped coriander

1 small onion chopped

1 small tomato chopped

1 egg

1/2 cup besan

2 tsp. soya sauce

2 green chilies chopped

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Beat the egg and flour and a little oil.

Add the soya sauce.
Then add everything else into the batter and mix well.
Shape into flat cutlets and fry.

searve with pudina chutney.