Tomato Curry with Coconut milk

        

Tomato curry with coconut milk

This recipe is from Lakshmi Nair’s magic oven cookery books. I have modified the recipe a bit; I haven’t used garam masala as suggested in the original recipe but used few fresh curry leaves instead. It tasted great with rice.

Ingredients:-

Tomato – 4 medium ( I used 2 big beef tomatoes), cut each tomato into 6 pieces
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
Onion -1 medium, chopped long & thin
Ginger – a small piece, chopped
Garlic – 2 big cloves, chopped
Curry leaf – 2 sprigs
Red chilly powder – 11/2 tsp / to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 11/2 tsp
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Water – 11/4 cups
Coconut milk powder – 2 tbsp ( bit heaped)
Sugar – a generous pinch

Method:-

Heat the oil & splutter the cumin seeds, add the fenugreek seeds & fry.

Stir in the chopped onions, ginger, garlic & a sprig of curry leaves. Saute till the onion turns brown. Add all the masala powders & fry for a minute.

Add the tomatoes  & 1/2 tsp of salt; fry on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add the water & bring to a boil. Check for salt & add more if needed. Cover cook on medium low heat for 7 minutes.

Mix the coconut milk powder with 1/8 cup of water & pour  this into the curry. Bring to a slow boil & cook for 2 minutes more. Finally add the remaining sprig of curry leaves, & sugar; remove from heat.

Keep covered so that the gravy will absorb the flavour of the curry leaf.

Kerala Sambar

          

Kerala Sambar

Kerala sambar is a mixed vegetable lentil soup served hot with rice, idli, dosa and vadas. It has many vegetables added to it .However, the basic process of making the sambar remains the same.

The process involves 4 steps:-
1.Cooking the toor dal and mashing it.
2.Preparing the sambar masala.
3.Cooking the vegetables with sambar masala and other spices.
4.Adding the mashed toor dal and asafoetida to the cooked veggies and boiling it for a couple of minutes more.

The following vegetables are usually added to the sambar
Ashguord
Brinjal
Pumpkin
Ladies finger
Carrot
Tindly
Beans
Guar beans
Snakeguord
Potato
Elephant yam / Suran
Taro
Plantain
Drumstick
You don’t need to have all these vegetables. Anything will do except bitterguord, beetroot etc.This is my favourite recipe for Sambar.

Ingredients:-
Toor Dal – 1/2 cup
Curry leaf – 1 sprig
Onion – 1 big (cut into 4)
Shallots – 8 big
Brinjal – 11/2 cup
Plantain – 1 cup
Carrot – ¼ cup
Red pumpkin – ¼ cup
Guar beans – ¼ cup
Snakeguord – ¼ cup
Drumstick – 1
Ashguord – ¼ cup
Ladiesfinger – ½ cup
( I have used 4 cups  of chopped vegetables)
Tomato – 1 big ( cut into half)
Green chillies slit – 4
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp +1/4 tsp
Tamarind – a small gooseberry sized ball
Oil as needed
Salt as needed
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida(Kaayam) – ¼ tsp
Jaggery – a small piece / as needed to balance all the flavours

For Sambar powder:-
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds – 2 tsp (heaped)
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Peepercorns- ½ tsp
Chana dal – 1 tsp
Methi seeds – ½ tsp
Urad dal split – ½ tsp
For Popping:-
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red chillies – 3
Curry Leaves – a sprig
Ghee – 1 tsp

Method:-
Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water, squeeze and strain the tamarind extract. Reserve.
Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker adding ¼ tsp turmeric powder, a sprig curry leaf and 2 tsp coconut oil. Simmer for 10 minutes after 1^st whistle. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.




Roast the grated coconut adding 1 tsp coconut oil till golden brown and keep aside. Roast together chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds and peppercorns in 1 tsp coconut oil for 2 minutes. Grind the roasted dal and spices along with the coconut adding little water to a smooth paste. This is the sambar masala.




Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add onion, shallots and greenchillies. Sauté for a minute. Add all the veggies (except ladies finger) and sauté for a minute.



Transfer to a pressure cooker. Add the sambar masala, 13/4 cups water, ¼ cup tamarind extract, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and 2 tsp salt. Simmer for 5 minutes after 1^st whistle .Let the pressures completely subside before opening.

The cooked veggies

Cook the ladies finger separately with salt and water for 15 minutes.
Add the mashed dal, asafoetida powder, cooked ladies finger, ½ cup water, enough salt and jaggery to the cooked veggies. Let boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and remove from heat.


 Heat ghee in a pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter. Add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Now add the seasoning to the sambar and serve hot with steamed rice.

Tomato Moru Curry

      

Tomato Moru Curry

Ingredients:-

Tomato – 3 numbers, medium; cut into square pieces
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilly – 3 numbers, split
Onion – 1 medium, chopped long & thin
Garlic – 2 big cloves, chopped
Ginger – 11/2 tsp, chopped
Greenchillies – 3 numbers, slit
Curry leaf – 1 sprig
Thin coconut milk ( randaampaal) – 11/2 cups / use 21/4 tbsp coconut milk powder + 11/2 cups of lukewarm water
Thick curd – 3/4 cup, at room temperature
Salt as needed

Method:-

Heat the oil & splutter the mustard seeds. Fry the fenugreek & add the curry leaves & dry red chillies. Stir in the chopped onion, greenchilly, ginger & garlic; saute till the onion changes the color to brown on the edges.

Add the tomatoes & salt, saute on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Pour the thin coconut milk & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low & cook for 15 minutes/ till the tomatoes are cooked through. Remove from heat & let cool completely ( otherwise the curd will curdle).

Stir in the curd & mix. Serve with rice.

Source: Mrs. Lakshmi Nair

Paneer Akuri Pockets – A fusion recipe

      

Paneer Akuri Pockets

These pockets are delicious, a bit spicy, crispy on outside & has a very soft interior. Makes a perfect tea time snack/ dinner.

Ingredients:-

For the pockets
All purpose flour – 2 cups
Active dry yeast – 11/2 tsp
Granulated sugar – 1 tsp + 3/4 tbsp
Water – 3 tbsp ( lukewarm)
Egg – 1, medium/ small + egg white of 1 egg for brushing on top( optional)
Canola oil – 2 tbsp + a little more
Salt – 1 tsp
Warm milk – 2/3 cups
Vegetable ghee – as needed ( I used Aseel)
White sesame seeds – as needed for sprinkling on top ( optional)

For the Paneer Akuri masala
Paneer - 350 grams, grated ( I used my food processor)
Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
Garlic cloves – 3 big, chopped
Ginger – a small piece, minced
Curry leaves – 3 to 4 leaves
Greenchilly – 3 numbers, chopped
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Salt – 11/2 tsp / as needed
Tomato – 1 big, chopped
Cilantro – 2 tbsp, chopped

Method:-

Dissolve yeast & 1 tsp of sugar in 3 tbsp of lukewarm water; keep aside for 10-15 minutes/ till frothy.
Add 3/4 tbsp sugar & 1 tsp of salt in the warm milk & mix well.

Beat the egg. Make a batter with the flour, beaten egg, 2 tbsp of oil, yeast mixture & the milk. Apply little oil on hands & knead till you get a very smooth & elastic dough. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl & coat it with oil. Keep covered for 1 hour/ till the dough doubles in volume.

Meanwhile make the paneer akuri masala. Chop the onions, garlic cloves, ginger, greenchilly & curry leaves in your food processor. Heat the oil & add this chopped mixture. Stir fry till it turns golden brown. Add pepper, cumin & turmeric powders; stir for a while. Add the chopped tomatoes & saute till it turns mushy. Now add the garam masala powder, grated paneer & 1/8 cup of water. Cover cook on low heat for 4 minutes/ till the paneer turns soft. Finally stir in the chopped cilantro. Let this masala cool to room temperature.

Paneer Akuri masala

After 1 hour punch down the dough & knead it again.To make the pockets transfer the dough to a floured surface & dust both sides of the dough with the flour. Roll out to a long rectangle – of 14 x 8″ size. Apply vegetable ghee on 2/3 rds of the rolled out rectangle leaving 1/4″ margin all around. Fold ungreased third over middle third, and greased top third down over that.

 

 

Ghee applied on 2/3rds of the rolled out rectangle

 

 

 

 

The first folding

Turn 90 degrees, so that folds are to left and right. Roll out to a rectangle. Apply ghee on 2/3rds of the dough as you have done before; fold in three again.


Again turn the rolled dough by 90 degrees. Repeat the application of ghee on 2/3rds of the dough & the folding process. .( So you have to repeat the same process 3 times).
Roll out the dough into a rectangle & cut it into 4, 10 cm. rectangles. ( / cut into triangles & shape them into croissants.)

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Take a rectangle & palce a little paneer filling on one end & close it with the other end. Press the ends of the dough to seal thoroughly & make a secure paneer pocket. Fold the long sides of the rectangle backwards as shown.



Transfer to a greased baking sheet with the folded edges down ( Yeah, I had baked them the other way round). Beat the egg white well; add 1 tbsp of water & apply this egg wash on top of the pockets. Sprinkle the white sesame seeds. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes & 100C for 20 minutes/ till golden brown in color.
 

Baked Chicken Casserole

      

This is a very delicious & unique dish prepared with rice. The combination of rice, chicken, celery & tomato cream sauce is really great. Now lets go to the recipe:-

You will need 1 cup of Basmathi Rice & 225 grams of boneless chicken breasts for preparing the casserole.

Cut the chicken into small pieces & cook them in your pressure cooker adding 1/2 tsp of vinegar, 1 heaping teaspoon of pepper powder, 11/2 tsp of salt, 1″ piece of ginger, 1 stalk of celery & 1/4 cup of sliced carrots. Simmer for 3 minutes after the first whistle. Carefully seperate the chicken from the stock & shred the chciken into smaller pieces with your hand/ a knife. Use the stock for preparing the rice & tomato cream sauce.

For preparing the rice soak it in water for 30 minures, drain & reserve. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil & fry the rice for 2 minutes on medium high heat. Pour 2 cups of boiling chicken stock & cook on low heat for 10 minutes/ till all the water has been absorbed by the rice.

For the chicken layer, heat 25 grams of butter; add 3 big garlic cloves (chopped), 1 medium onion & saute till onion turns translucent. Add 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, shredded chicken, 3/4 tsp of pepper powder, enough salt & mix well for 3 minutes. Switch off heat & add 2 tbsp of chopped celery & 1/4th of a medium capsicum (chopped); mix well.

For the tomato cream sauce, cook 1  medium tomato in 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil & cover cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Puree the tomato in ur mixer & mix this puree with 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Heat 2 tbsp of butter & fry 1.5 tbsps of flour. Lower heat & add half of the puree-stock mixture quickly whilst stirring. Increase heat to medium high &  add the remaining stock when the sauce starts to thicken. Cook till the sauce turns thick. Add salt & 1/2 tsp of pepper powder.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease an 8″ square dish & arrange half of the cooked rice in it. Pour half of the tomato cream sauce evenly over the rice & top up with the chicken mixture followed by the reamaining rice. Finally pour the reamaining tomato cream sauce over the rice. Garnish with 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 180C for 30-35 minutes. Serve hot with French Fries.

Note:- This dish will not be mushy as the cream sauce is thick & will thicken further on baking.

    

Mutton Chops

A word of warning:- This is a tomato based mutton gravy. You will like this dish only if you love tomato.
Ingredients:-
Mutton – 500 grams, cut into bite size pieces & washed with water & vinegar
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Shallots – 5 numbers, ground to a paste
Onion – 2 big , finely chopped
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
Fennel seeds powder – 1/2 tsp
Tomato – 2 medium, pureed
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – 1 tsp to start with
Curry leaf – 2 sprigs
Method:-
Heat the coconut oil & saute the ginger, garlic & shallot paste.
Add the finely chopped onions & curry leaves; fry till the onions turn golden brown in color. Add all the spice powders & fry on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Throw in the mutton pieces & salt, fry on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree & cook again for 7 minutes/ till oil starts to seperate.
Add 11/2 cups of water & bring to a boil, check for salt & add more if needed.
Transfer the mixture to a pressure cooker & cook on medium heat for 20 minutes/ till the meat is tender.
This gravy tastes great with Roti, paratha & porotta.