BROWN BUTTER HONEY GARLIC SALMON

Ingredients

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (or juice of half a lemon)
4 wild caught salmon fillets (about 1/2 pound or 250 grams each), skin off or on
Lemon wedges (to serve)
Salt, to taste

Method

Arrange oven shelf about 8-inches away from heat element in your oven. Preheat your oven to broil .
Place butter in a cast iron skillet . Cook over medium heat, stirring and swirling pan occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until the foam settles; the butter begins to change in colour to golden brown and has a nutty fragrance.
Pour in the honey and let it dissolve into the butter. Then add in the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the lemon juice; stir well to combine all of the flavours together.
Add the salmon steaks to the butter in the pan; cook each fillet (skin-side down if there's any skin) for 3-4 minutes or until golden, while basting the tops with the pan juices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the lemon wedges around the salmon. Transfer the pan to your oven to broil / grill for a further 5-6 minutes, or until the tops of the salmon are nicely charred.
To serve, drizzle with the reserved brown butter sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables; over rice or with a salad.

MATHANGA/PUMPKIN VANPAYAR ERISSERI

Ingredients

250 gms Pumpkin/Mathanga diced
1/2 cup vanpayar 
3-4 Green chilies, slit
1 cup Grated coconut
2 cloves Garlic 
5-6 nos Black pepper corns 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp Chilly powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 Dry red chilies
1 tsp Mustard seeds 
few Curry leaves 
2-3 tsp Oil 
Salt   to taste

Method

Pressure cook vanpayar till soft and done. Set aside.

In another vessel cook the pumpkin with salt,turmeric,chilly powder, slit green chilies and salt adding enough water to cook the pumpkin. (You can pressure cook it for 1-2 whistles).

 Meanwhile grind  1 cup coconut, 2 cloves of garlic, whole black pepper corns and cumin seeds into a fine paste adding water, if needed.

Add the ground coconut paste and the cooked vanpayar to the cooked pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt and add water if needed. If you prefer dry erissseri, you do not need to add water. Cook for a few minutes at medium-low heat.

In a frying pan heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry the dry red chilies, curry leaves and then add remaining 1/2 cup grated coconut. Roast the coconut till it turns brown (If you want, you can pour the seasoning over the curry and then roast the coconut in the same pan).

Add this roasted coconut to the pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt. Serve hot with rice and a thoran/mezhukkupuratti.

KERALA STYLE CHICKEN CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK

Ingredients to marinate

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt

To be crushed together

10 pearl onions peeled
5 cloves garlic peeled
2 inch piece ginger
1/2 tsp fennel seeds

Other ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
2 small red onion chopped
10 curry leaves
3-4 green chillies slit lenghtwise
1 medium potato cubed
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chillie powder
salt to taste
1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk

Method 

Marinate the chicken pieces in black pepper, turmeric powder, white vinegar ans salt for 30 minutes.

Crush together pearl onions, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds in mortar and pestle to coarse paste.

Heat coconut oil in kadhai. Add chopped onions , curry leaves, green chilli and saute until onion turns brown.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, garam masala. Saute for few seconds.

Add crushed paste of onion , and ginger garlic and saute till raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften. Now add marinate chicken pieces and cubed potatoes along with 1/3 cup water. 

add salt and cover and cook over medium high heat till chicken cooks through.

Remove lid and cook until curry becomes thick.

Heat coconut oil in small pan, ad pearl onions, curry leaves saute and pour this over chicken curry.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

RED BELL PEPPER CHUTNEY

Ingredients

1 big Onion, cubed 
3 cloves Garlic, cut 
2 samll Tomato, cubed 
2 Red Capsicum, cubed
1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
Salt- to taste

2 tsp oil

Oil 1 tsp
1/2 tsp Jeera 

1 tbsp Urad dhal 
Dried red chilli-2-3
Tamarind- Pea size

Method

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and roast the jeera, urad dhal, dried red chillies and tamarind together till the urad dhal becomes golden colour and the red chillies becomes crisp. Set aside and allow to cool. Blend in a mixer jar as a coarse powder.

Heat two teaspoons of oil in a pan and add the cubed onion, pinch of salt and cook slightly. Then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Now add the cut tomato and cook for a minute till it becomes slightly soft but not mushy.

Now add the red capsicum and enough salt. Cook for two minutes till the peel starts to get blisters or the bright red colour starts to change.
Now add the coriander leaves and cook for fifteen seconds and switch off the gas. Allow to cool.
Now add the urad dhal mixture into the blender and powder it. If it is a coarse powder also it will grind further with capsicum.
Now add the capsicum mixture and grind as a fine puree.
Without tempering itself this chutney tastes really yummy.
If you wish you could splutter mustard seeds in oil and then add some curry leaves and mix with this chutney.(This step is optional)
Serve with Idli or Dosa. 
Can be stored up to 2-3 days in refrigerator.

GAWAR ALU SABZI

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Gawar / Cluster beans  cut into ½ inch bits
1 medium Potato, diced
2 large Onion
1 large Tomato, chopped
7 cloves Garlic
1/2 "Ginger
4 Green chilies
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Cloves
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
3/4 tsp Everest meat masala
3 tbsp Oil
Water – 1 and ½ cup or as needed depending on your pressure cooker
2 tbsp Coriander leaves , finely chopped

Method

Take ginger, garlic, green chilies, clove, and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle.
Pound them all really well. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add in the onions. Sauté them till they turn golden brown.
Add the mixture of ginger, garlic, green chilies, clove, and cumin seeds. Sauté till the raw smell disappears and it gives out a nice aroma.
Add the tomato and cook till they get mushy and some oil begins to separate.
Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and meat masala. Cook for a few seconds.
Add gawar/cluster beans, salt, and sauté them with the masala.
When the masala begins to stick to the base, add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue to saute the beans while stirring constantly on high flame. Repeat this process 2-3 times. I used up about ¾ cup of water sauteing the beans.
Add in ½ cup of water and mix. Close the pressure cooker and cook the cluster beans for 3 whistles. The beans should be partially cooked.
Open the lid and add in the potatoes. Add some more water if needed. I added another ¼ water. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker again and cook the cluster beans and potatoes for 3 whistles or till the vegetables are completely cooked. Turn off the heat.
Let the pressure release. Open the cooker. If any water is left, turn the heat on high and let it dry off a bit.
The oil will begin to separate again. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and give it a final stir. Cluster beans potato curry for rice is now ready.
Serve the cluster beans potato curry with chapathis or rice. Enjoy

CHIILI FISH

For Marinate:

1/2 kg Boneless Fish Pieces Cut into small square cube (I used Basa fish)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder 
1 tsp Soy Sauce
Salt to taste

For Batter :

1 no Egg 
1/4 cup Corn Flour 
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour/Maida 
Water as needed
Oil for frying

For Sauce :

2 cup Onion  ,finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup Capsicum, diced
4 nos Green chilly ,finely chopped
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilly  (optional- Here i have used get for more colour)
1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
3 tsp Chilly Sauce
1/2 tsp Sugar
2 cup Water/Stock 
1 tbsp Corn Flour  
Spring Onion Greens : for garnishing (Chopped)
Salt to taste
Peanut Oil/Cooking Oil as needed

Method

Marinate the fish pieces with above mentioned marinate ingredients and mix well and keep it for 30 minutes preferrably in a refrigerator.
Heat oil in the frying pan; Prepare the batter, mix all purpose flour,cornflour,salt for taste.
Beat the egg and mix it with flour,add little water and make it to a thick batter.
Dip the fish pieces in the flour batter and deep fry till it turns to light golden brown in color,remove and set it aside.
In the remaining oil,add chopped garlic,green chilles,chopped celery,onion and saute them until onion turn translucent.
Add diced capsicum,red chilly powders and saute for couple of minutes now add stock/water and allow it to boil.
Add chilly sauce,sugar,salt and mix well now add the fried fish pieces.
Mix the corn flour with little water and mix it well with the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
Garnish with spring onion greens. Serve hot and Enjoy!

NADAN CHICKEN ROAST

Ingredients

1/2 kg Chicken pieces 

3 nos onion 
2 tomatoes 
2green chillies 
few curry leaves 
coriander leaves few chopped
1 tsp garlic paste 
1 tsp ginger paste 
2 tsp lemon juice 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
2 tsp chilly powder  or as desired
1/2 tsp garam masala powder 
pepper powder as per taste
coconut oil
salt

Method

Marinate chicken with chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt, garlic and ginger paste,lemon juice and half of garam masala.

Shallow fry these chicken pieces after kept for half an hour.
Remove the chicken pieces from the pan when it turned red out side.
Saute finely chopped onion in the same oil used for frying chicken.
When onions are sauteed well and about red in color, add finely chopped tomatoes.
Saute until it is mashed well.
Add pepper powder and remaining garam masala powder.
Put chicken pieces in this and mix well.
Add enough salt too.
Reduce heat to a very low flame, place the lid and cook the chicken for some time.
You have to stirr this occasionally to prevent this from sticking to the pan.
After few minutes , the masala covers chicken pieces, the add green chilly slits,curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Stir well and remove from fire.
Serve hot!!

RAJMA MASALA WITH CURRY LEAVES

Ingredients

1/2 cup Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)
1/2 ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
asofoetida – a pinch
salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick

To Grind :

30 curry leaves
2 onions
1 tomato
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorns

Method

Pressure cook Rajma with 3/4 cup water for 6-7 whistles. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 
Heat oil in a kadhai and temper mustard seeds. 

Add cloves, cinnamon and saute a while. Add ground masala and cook for 2 mins.
Add cooked rajma, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, asofoetida and salt to taste.
Add 1/2 cup water and cook it covered till the oil separates and masala becomes thick. 

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice.

CHILLI MUSHROOM

Ingredients

1 cup of button mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)

½ cup bell pepper/ capsicum cubed

⅓ cup chopped spring onions

1 green chili 

1 medium onion cubed and layers separated (optional)

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp soya sauce

¾ tbsp tsp chili sauce 

¾ tbsp tomato ketchup

⅛ tsp pepper powder

Salt as needed

2 tbsp water

Method

Rinse and wipe off mushrooms with a kitchen towel. Slice or halve or quarter them. If you want to remove the skin you can just peel off.
Heat a wide skillet with oil on a high flame.
Add garlic and saute for a min to get a good aroma. Add mushrooms and chili. Saute for 2 mins. Cover and cook until the mushrooms are half done.
Add the capsicum and spring onions, toss and fry till the capsicums are almost cooked but not soft. Make sure mushrooms are cooked as well.
Add the sauces to the skillet evenly. Add 2 tbsp water. Add pepper powder. Toss and fry for another min or until the sauce thickens. 
Serve chilli mushroom with hakka noodles or fried rice.

ONION TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients

1 Onion , chopped 
1 Tomato , chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, chopped 
1 tsp Coriander seeds 
6 nos Red chillies 
2 tsp Chana dal 
1/2 tsp Tamarind 
2 tbsp Coconut, grated 
pinch Asafoetida 

To temper

2 tsp Oil 
1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp Urad dal 
Few Curry leaves 

Method

In a kadai, add oil, roast chilli, chana dal first 30 seconds.
Then add coriander seeds, continue roasting for 30 more seconds and then lastly add asafoetida.
Add chopped ginger, cubed onion and fry for a minute.
Add cubed tomatoes and fry until soft.
Remove on a plate to cool down.
Grind with coconut, salt and tamarind. Add little water while grinding.
Transfer to serving bowl and temper heating adding oil, splutter mustard, urad dal and curry leaves. Mix to serve.

Notes

Make sure to add enough red chillies depending on the spiciness the red chilli has.
You can skip coconut and make the same way.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients

1 kg chicken
4 cups biryani rice
4 nos onion , finely sliced
1 inch piece ginger
8 cloves garlic
4 nos green chillies
2 nos tomato
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 tbsp chilli powder
3 tbsp coriander powder
pinch turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 piece cinnamon
5-9 nos cloves
5 nos cardamom
4 sprigs coriander leave
4 leaves mint
3 tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
15 nos cashews
15 nos raisins
3 tbsp ghee

Method

Wash biryani rice , soak in water for 30 minutes and drain it well.
Grind ginger, garlic, green chilli to a paste. Add curd and salt to this paste. Marinate chicken pieces with this paste for 1 hour.
Now prepare garnish for biryani. - Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel, fry cashew nut, raisins and 1 finely sliced onion till golden brown and keep aside.  ( while frying onions , when its almost done , add 1 tsp sugar so that fried onion remain crisp throughout)
Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in  vessel, put remaining onion and salt to taste.
Saute untill golden brown. Reduce flame , add chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala powders. Stir it for 2 minutes. Add slicetomatoess and saute for few minutes.
To this add marinated chicken pieceanddn stir it well . Add 1 cup water and cook untill done.
Heat 1 tbsp of gee in other vessel  , put cinnamon, cloves, cardomom, and stir it. Put drained rice and stir for 2 minutes.
Pour water and salt salt as needed. Cook it until 3/4 done and drain the water.
Spread evenly 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel and layer it with rice and cooked chiken. Arrange in such a way that bottom and top layers have rice.
Garnish each layer wit onion, cashew, raisin, finely chopped coriander and mint leaves.
Pout 1 tbsp ghee on top of chicken biryani. Cover the vessel.
Heat a heavy tawa, put biryani vessel on the tawa and heat it on low flame for 15 minutes.
Turn off flame and leave it for 15 minutes.( instead of cooking on tawa, you can also cook in preheated oven)
Serve chicken biryani hot with salad, pappad, pickle.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa power
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp espresso powder
1 cup milk,buttermilk,or coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil, canola oil or melted coconut oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
frosting

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare cake pan by spraying with baking spray or buttering.
Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powdr, baking soda, salt, espresso powder to a large owl. Combine well all dry ingredients.
Add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together until well combined.
Add boiling water to cake batter until well combined.
Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow it to cool .
Remove from pan and frost the cake.
Enjoy !!!!!

SWISS CHARD SABZI

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

3-4 cloves garlic

3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 bunch swiss chard stems, chopped into 1/2 " pieces

1 bunch chard leaves, rolled into cigars and cut into strips

1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 pinch chili powder

Method

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add onion, saute well.

Add ginger and garlic ans saute well.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, spice mixture. Cover and let it simmer until tomatoes break apart easily with spoon and begin to look like sauce for 5-10 minutes. 

Add chard stems and simmer , until tender.

Add chard leaves, cover and let it simmer until leaves wilt.

Add salt to taste.

MATAR PANEER

Ingredients 

To make a paste

1 cup chopped onions
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cup ripe tomatoes
8 to 10 cashew nuts or skinned almonds (use 5 to 6 more to skip cream)
1 green chili(optional)

other ingredient for gravy

1 to 1.5 tbsp butter or oil
1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ cup green peas
1 ½ cups paneer/ indian cottage cheese
2 green cardamoms
½ tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
half inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
½ to ¾ tsp kashmiri red chili powder
¾ to 1 tsp garam masala
salt as needed
¼ tsp kasuri methi
few coriander leaves chopped finely

¼ cup cream(substitute with 5 to 6 cashews)

Method

Make a fine paste of onions, tomatoes, chili, cashews. You can also blanch onions and use them here. Refer step by step instructions for details.
Optional step. Saute paneer in little oil and immerse them in hot water until used.
Saute cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf in oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
Add the ground paste and fry until it leaves the sides of the pan.
Also the raw smell must disappear. Add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add peas and 1.5 cups water. Cook until the gravy thickens. When the gravy turns thick, you will also see some oil on top of the gravy. There is not much oil used in the recipe so you can see very little oil on top.
To the thick gravy, add paneer and kasuri methi. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes.
Using cream is optional. Pour cream to a bowl, add little gravy and mix well. Stir this in to the pan.
Switch off the stove and add finely coriander leaves.
Serve matar paneer with roti or rice.

TOMATO CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

12-15 mint leaves

1 tsp urad dal

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chilies

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

For tempering

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 dry chili

pinch asafoetida

8-10 curry leaves

Method

Heat oil in nonstick pan. Add cumin seeds , urad dal, let it splutter .

Add green chilies and saute for few seconds. Now add coriander and mint leaves, saute for 2 minutes.

Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, add remaining oil, add chopped tomatoes and saute till mushy.Remove and cool.

Grind cumin mixture and them add tomato mixture, salt. grind to coarse paste adding 2-3 tbsp water. Remove into a bowl.

Hat oil in pan, add mustard seeds, after it pops, add dry chili , curry leaves, and fry for few seconds. Now add asafoetida and add the seasoning to the ground mixture.

Serve with dosas and idli.

Cajun Honey Lime Chicken

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings
1/3 cup Cajun seasoning
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
1 fresh lime

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray.Place chicken wings on baking sheet in a single layer, without crowding. Sprinkle each wing liberally with Cajun seasoning.
Bake on middle rack of the 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. ( you can also place the chicken in BBQ grill)
While the chicken is baking begin preparing the basting sauce.While uncut, zest the lime until you have 1 tbsp of zest. Cut the lime in half and juice 1/2 of the lime, reserving juice and setting aside the other lime 1/2 for later.
Add the BBQ Sauce, Honey, Sriracha and the juice from 1/2 of the lime to a small bowl. Stir until blended. Set aside.
After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and baste with 1/2 of the prepared sauce using a basting brush. 
Return the chicken to the oven  for 10 minutes.Remove the chicken from the oven oand baste again with the remaining 1/2 of the basting sauce. 
Return to the oven  for a final 10 minutes to complete cooking and to caramelize the basting sauce on the wings.
Remove the chicken onto a serving tray. Squeeze the juice from remaining 1/2 of lime over the wings and sprinkle the wings with the lime zest. 
Serve hot!

OAT BARLEY ADAI

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice

1/2 cup moong dal

1/2 cup pearl bar;ey

1/2 cup cooking oats

6-7 green chili , according to your taste

7-8 curry leaves

3-4 dry red chili

1 tsp chopped ginger

asafoetida pinch

salt to taste

tsp sesame oil

Method

In a large bowl mix first four items. Wash and drain these four grains together.

Soak the grains in sufficient water for 3 hours .

Drain water and grind these in blender with curry leaves, ginger, green chili, red chili ,oats along with water.

This does not have to be ground very smooth, the grains could be texture of rava.

The batter should be of pouring consistency but not too thin and runny. Add salt to taste.

Heat a tawa on medium high heat.

When tawa is hot, pout ladle full of batter abd spread quickly and evenly to create thin circle.

Pour sesame oil on the side facing uo.

When lower side is browned, flip it over ans cook other sides for few seconds.

Serve with chutney.

Capsicum Rice

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of cooked rice
2 cups of capsicum, cut into small cubes (any colour or mixed)
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder

For tempering:
2-3 tbsp of oil
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
1 tsp of split urad dal
1 tsp of chana dal
2 dry red chillies
A few curry leaves
2 tbsp of roasted peanuts

For masala powder:
3 dry red chllies
A small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp of coriander seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of split urad dal
1 tsp of chana dal

Method

Fry the ingredients for Masala powder in 1 tsp oil until golden brown.

Cool, grind to powder and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add all ingredients for seasoning. Fry until dal turns golden brown.

Add capsicum , salt, turmeric powder. Reduce heat and cook until capsicum turns softer but still retains its shape. Don't cook to a mush. 

Add cooked rice to this and mix well. Heat through.

Finally add masala powder and lemon juice and salt.

Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes for the flavours to mingle. 

Serve warm with raits or papad.

Note

Make sue to adjust all spices to your taste.

Take care not to burn spices and dal in masala powder or the rice will taste bitter.