FATHIMA ANAS: May 2016

31 May 2016

Chicken Curry With Roasted Coconut (Varutharacha Chicken Curry)

Recipe For Making Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Ingredients

Chicken / Turkey -1 lb (1/2 kg)
Onion - 1 big (cut lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 (diced or pureed)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chicken masala - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves - handful (for garnishing)

To Marinate

Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Salt - ½ tsp

To Grind

Coconut grated - 3 tbsp
Shallots (Pearl onions, Sambhar Onions) - 4
Curry leaves - 6
Dry red chillies - 3
Whole Peppercorns - 2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Garam Masala - 1 cinnamon, 3 cloves, 3 cardamom

Method

Wash and cut chicken (or turkey) in small size pieces.
Take a deep bowl mix chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and make a paste.
Add chicken (or turkey) pieces to this and rub to coat the masala to all sides of chicken. Let this marinate for at least half an hour in the refrigerator.
Now heat oil in a kadai or deep sauce pan and fry the ingredients under 'To Grind' on medium flame for about 1 minute or until it turns brown and gives out a nice aroma.
After it cools grind it into a fine paste with little water. (If you are in a hurry, You can grind these without frying.)
Now take the same kadai, heat some oil, add cumin seeds and curry leaves and let it splutter.
Add onions and fry for few minutes till it browns.
Next add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smell vanishes.
Now add the tomato paste and saute until everything becomes a paste.
Add the coconut paste, required salt and chicken masala.
Now add the marinated chicken and fry it for 2 minutes.
Add required quantity of water.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Simmer for few minutes till oil floats on top.
Garnish with coriander leaves and split chillies.

Serving Varutharacha Kozhi Curry

Serve the yummy chicken (or turkey) curry with white rice, idli, dosa, chapati, roti,parata, etc..

Ingredients
Mini Idlis - 15 (You could use 8 normal idlis too)
Hard Boiled Eggs - 2
Onion - 1 (thinly sliced)
Ginger - 1" piece (sliced/finely chopped)
Garlic - 3 cloves (sliced/finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 (thinly sliced)
Curry leaves - 1 strand (optional)
Bell Peppers (Red or Green Capsicum) - 1/2 (thinly sliced)
Hot sauce - 1 tblsp
Schezwan Sauce - 1 tblsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tblsp
Green Onions/ Cilantro (finely chopped) - For garnish
Oil - 1 tblsp

Method
1. Cut the idlis into the size you want. I usually cut the mini idlis into 2 halves and the big idlis into 4 pieces.
2. Discard the yolk in the hard boiled eggs and cut the whites into thin slices lengthwise. Keep this aside.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai or stir fry pan.
4. Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies and stir fry for about 30 seconds.
5. Add the onions and bell peppers and stir fry for 5 minutes. The onions and peppers should be partially cooked but still retain its crunch.
6. Add the hot sauce, tomato ketchup and schezwan sauce and mix everything together.
7. Add the idli pieces and toss nicely till the sauce evenly coats the idli pieces.

8. Finally toss in the egg white slices and green onions. Serve hot as a quick evening snack, tiffin or as a starter.

30 May 2016

Tumbler Idli

Preparation time: 15-18 hours (including soaking and fermentation)
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes : 40 idlis

Ingredients

Idli Batter – as needed
Tumblers - as needed

Method

This idli can be made with the usual basic idli batter, or the idli batter made with idli rava.

Pour little water in a pot and bring it to a boil.
Grease the inside of the tumblers and pour idli batter until it is three fourth full.
Cover and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
Gently demold and serve.

Detailed Steps For Making Tumbler Idlis

Take a deep pot or pressure cooker and add little water. Keep it on the stove and bring it to boil. In the meantime, grease the stainless steel tumblers. I have heard that we can also use glass cups but I have personally not tried it.

Pour the idli batter in the tumblers little more than half the tumblers. Place it carefully in the pot of boiling water.

Put the lid and let it steam cook for at least 15 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, do not add the whistle.

The idlis will raise and puff up. You need to next check if the inside is properly cooked.

Pierce one idli using a knife and see if it comes out clean. If no batter sticks to the knife then the idlis are cooked through. If not, cook it a little longer.

Let it rest for 5 minutes before demolding. To demold, run a knife or spoon around the edges to release the idlis. Turn the tumblers upside down onto a bowl and gently tap so that the idli will fall off.

Serving Suggestion

You can slice each idli into small pieces or serve a whole idli as such. Serve withsambar, chutney or idli podi.

Recipe For Making Idli Upma

Idli Upma

Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 5 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients

Idli – 6-8
Onion - 1
Green chilies – 2 or 3
Salt – just a little

To Temper

Oil - 1 tblsp
Mustard seeds - 1 ts
Channa dal – 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Dry red chilies – 1

Method

Crumble the idlis with hands. Fresh idlis will be sticky. I usually refrigerate for some time to harden the idlis, cut into pieces and then pulse it in the mixie/blender to get crumbles.
Heat a kadai, add oil for tempering. Coconut oil tastes best but you can use any oil on hand.
Pop the mustard seeds. Add the channa dal and urad dal. Fry until golden brown. Add the dry red chili and curry leaves.
Add chopped onion, slit green chilies and turmeric powder. Saute until it just sweats, it should not brown.
Now add the crumbled idli and idli podi. Adding idli podi is optional but I like it this way. If the idlis have dried up too much, sprinkle little water.
Fry for couple of minutes and check for salt. If needed add a pinch of salt and mix. Switch off and enjoy when it is still hot.

Serving Idli Upma

This can be eaten as such and tastes very good. It can also be eaten with sambar or coconut chutney.
As with all other upmas, it can also be had with sugar.

Variation

To make it healthier, you can add vegetables like grated carrots or green peas.
I have added idli podi, you can add some grated coconut instead which gives a little different flavor.