Tag: south indian food

Chettinad style Kalan Masala | Mushroom Curry

Ingredients

  • Mushrooms – 250g
  • Shallots finely chopped – 1 cup (or 1 large onion)
  • Tomatoes, finely chopped – 1/2 cup (or 2 medium tomatoes)
  • Garlic paste – 1 tsp
  • Ginger paste – 1 tsp 
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Salt – To taste
  • Oil – 4 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
  • Kalpasi / stone flower – a small piece
  • Curry leaves – couple of sprigs
  • Coriander leaves – to garnish

For Method-1: (classic)

Dry Roast and grind to fine powder: 

  • Whole Red chillies – 3-4 (depending on spice level)
  • Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
  • Peppercorns – 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon stick – 1 inch
  • Cloves – 2

Grind to fine paste: 

  • Coconut – 3 tbsp
  • Cashews – 4-5 
  • Fennel seeds – 1tsp

For method-2: (Easy Quickfix)

  • Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tsp
  • Coriander powder – 1 tsp
  • Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
  • Thick coconut milk – 1/3 cup
  • Fennel powder – 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

Method-1 (Classic)

  1. Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add mustard, once it splutters add Kalpasi and curry leaves, saute for few secs.
  2. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Let it caramelize to golden brown. 
  3. Add garlic and ginger paste. Saute on low heat till the raw smell goes off. 
  4. Add the turmeric powder. Saute for few secs on low heat. 
  5. Before the spices start burning, add tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Close the pan and let the tomato cook well on medium heat. 
  6. Once the oil leaves the pan, add the ground spice powder and coconut paste and a bit of water. Mix well and let it cook till the raw smell of coconut goes off. Keep stirring it well. 
  7. Add chopped mushrooms and saute for a min on high heat. Add salt and adjust water to the required consistency. 
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice or chapathi. 

Method-2 (Easy Quickfix)

  1. Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add mustard, once it splutters add Kalpasi and curry leaves, saute for few secs.
  2. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Let it caramelize to golden brown. 
  3. Add garlic and ginger paste. Saute on low heat till the raw smell goes off. 
  4. Add the all the spice powders except garam masala and fennel powder. Saute for few secs on low heat. 
  5. Before the spices start burning, add tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Close the pan and let the tomato cook well on medium heat. 
  6. Once the oil leaves the pan, add chopped mushrooms and saute for a min on high heat. 
  7. Add salt, coconut milk and fennel powder. Cook till the oil leaves the sides. 
  8. Adjust water to the required consistency. Add garam masala. Cook for a min. 
  9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice or chapathi. 

JayanthiLeave a comment

Ven pongal | milagu pongal

Ingredients

  • Rice – 1 cup
  • Moong dal – 1/2 cup
  • Water – 5 cups
  • Ginger finely chopped – 1 tbsp
  • Black pepper – 2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
  • Cashew – 5-6 (optional)
  • Asafoetida – a pinch (optional)
  • Green chillies slit into half – 2 (optional)
  • Curry leaves – 1 twig
  • Salt – to taste
  • Ghee – 3-4 tbsp

Method

Method-1:

1. Crush pepper and cumin coarsely in a mortar.

2. Add rice, moong dal and water in a vessel and keep it in the pressure cooker. Cook it for atleast 7-8 whistles so the rice and dal gets mushy. 

3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan. Add curry leaves, cashews, chillies, ginger, pepper & cumin, asafoetida, salt in the same order. Cook for a minute. 

4. Add the cooked rice, dal mixture and mix well. Cook it for couple of minutes till everything is well mixed. 

5. Switch off the stove. Add rest of the ghee and mix well once. Tastes better when eaten hot. .

Method-2: (one-pot method)

1. Crush pepper and cumin coarsely in a mortar. 

2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a non-stick pressure cooker. Add curry leaves, cashews, chillies, ginger, pepper & cumin, asafoetida, salt in the same order. Cook for a minute.

3. Add rice and dal. Roast for a minute. 

4. Add water and pressure cook for atleast 7-8 whistles.

5. Once pressure settles down, open the cooker. Add rest of the ghee, mix well and serve hot.

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Chilli Parotta

  • Parottas – 4 or 5
  • Onion – 1 large, quartered
  • Bell peppers (red, green, yellow mix), quartered – 1/2 cup
  • Garlic – 3 or 4 pods, finely chopped
  • Ginger – 1/2″, finely chopped
  • Green chilies – 2,  finely chopped
  • Sauces: 
    • Chilli sauce – 1 tbsp 
    • Soy sauce – 2 tsp
    • Tomato ketchup – 1 tsp
    • Rice Vinegar / Lemon juice – 2 tsp (only needed if chilli sauce is not used)
  • Spice powders:
    • Red chili flakes / powder – 1 tsp (only needed if chilli sauce is not used)
    • Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
    • Garam masala –  1/4 tsp 
  • Spring onion – finely chopped, 2 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil 3 tbsp

Method

  1. Cut the parottas into bite sized pieces using a knife / scissors. Set aside. 
  2. Heat oil in a cast iron pan on medium high flame and once hot, add the chopped onion. Saute till the onions are pink and transparent. 
  3. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies, saute for few seconds. 
  4. Add the chopped bellpeppers and daute for a min. 
  5. Add the spice powders, saute for few secs till the raw smell goes off. 
  6. Add the sauces and salt to taste. 
  7. Add shredded parotta, saute on high for few secs mixing everything.
  8. If you would like it a bit crispier, reduce the flame and cook this for couple of more mins.
  9. If you like eggs, you can beat 2 eggs, scramble it in a separate pan and add it at this stage and mix well. You can also add beaten eggs directly into this pan by making a well in the middle but it changes the texture of kottu parotta a bit, so i prefer to do it in a separate pan.
  10. Garnish with spring onion and serve.

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