Munakkaya Mutton Curry (Drumstick Mutton Curry)

Ingredients:

Mutton (Baby Lamb) 1 kg cut into small pieces
Onions 3 medium finely sliced
Tomato 1 medium chopped
Munakkayalu (drumsticks) 2 cut into finger length pieces
Ginger garlic paste 2 sp
Cumin seeds 1 sp
Poppy seeds 2 sp
Coriander powder 2 sp
Cumin powder 1.5 sp
Red chilli powder 2 sp
Turmeric powder 1 sp
Garam masala powder 1/2 sp
Salt to taste
Oil 2.5 sp

Method:

1. Dry roast the poppy seeds, cool and grind into powder.
2. Heat 1/2 sp oil in a pan, add the drumsticks and fry them till they are 3/4 the cooked.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the onions and cook on high flame till they get brown colour.
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes and then add the tomatoes and cook till they get mushy.
5. Add the mutton pieces and cook on high flame for 10 mins till all the water evaporates and the curry looks dry.
6. Now add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, poppy seed powder, salt and cook for another 5 mins.
7. Now add about 2-3 cups of water and pressure cook for around 10-12 whistles depending on the mutton you have used.
8. Now when all the pressure is released, check if mutton is cooked properly, and cook for few more whistles if needed.
9. Now add the garam masala powder, drumsticks, add some more water if needed for the gravy and then cook for another 2-3 whistles which makes the flavor of drumsticks to blend well with the curry.
10. Serve hot with any rice or roti. We had it with Coriander Rice.

Coriander Rice

Ingredients:

Rice 2 cups (soak in water)
Coriander leaves 1 small bunch
Freshly grated coconut 2 sp
Green chillies 2
Garlic cloves 3
Ginger small piece
Tomato 1 large chopped 
Oil 1 sp
Ghee 1 sp
Cinnamon stick 1/2 inch piece
1 clove
Bay leaf 1
Green cardamom 3
Star anise 1
Black cardamom 1 (optional)

Method:

1. Heat 1/2 sp oil in a pan, then add green chillies and sauté. After 1 minute add coriander leaves and fry for 2 mins.
2. Cool the coriander leaves, green chillies and grind by adding grated coconut, garlic, ginger and adding some water.
3. Add the remaining oil and ghee in a pressure cooker.
4. Add all the whole spices ( you can also add some cashew nuts at this point) and cook for few seconds.
5. Now add the paste and cook till oil oozes out and then add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
6. Now add the soaked rice by draining water, mix we'll and cook for 2-3 mins. Add salt.
7. Add 4 cups water and check salt and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
8. Fluff it up with a fork and serve hot with any non veg curries. We had it with Munakkaya Mutton Curry.

Vankaya Chutney (Brinjal Chutney)

Ingredients:

Vankayalu 3 chopped
Tomatoes 2 small chopped
Onion 1 small chopped
Garlic cloves 6
Cumin seeds 1  sp
Green chillies 2
tamarind paste 1 sp
Salt to taste
Oil 1.5 sp

Method:

1. Heat 1/2 sp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add garlic cloves, and then add onions and cook till they turn slightly brown and then add slit green chillies to them and cook for another minute.
2. Take out all these into a bowl.
3. Add 1 sp oil to the same pan and then add the brinjal pieces and cook till they are soft by adding some salt. It takes about 5-10 mins.
4. Now take them out into a bowl and add the tomatoes to the same pan and saute for 2-3 mins. The remaining oil in the pan will be enough for the tomatoes. Add 1/2 sp oil if required before adding tomatoes.
5. Now cool all the ingredients and grind them by adding tamarind paste and salt.
6. This chutney doesn't need any tempering. It goes well with dosa, idli or rice.

Aloo Palak (Spinach Aloo Curry)

Ingredients:

Potatoes 200 gms
Spinach 3 cups packed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small tomato finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Cumin seeds 1 sp
Garlic cloves 2 crushed
Turmeric powder 1 sp
Coriander powder 1 sp
Cumin powder 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp
Garam masala powder 1/2 sp
Amchur powder 1 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil potatoes by adding little salt and peel the skin and cut into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add crushed garlic and saute for few seconds.
3. Add onions and cook till they turn slightly brown and then add turmeric and mix well.
4. Now add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
6. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt and cook for a minute.
7. Now add the chopped spinach, mix well and cook on high flame for 5-10 minutes, stirring in between so that it wont burn, till all the water from spinach evaporates and looks dry.
8. Then add the cubed potatoes, mix well and cook for 5 more minutes so that all the flavours will blend with potatoes.
9. Finally add the amchur powder and garam masala powder, mix well and serve hot with any roti or as a side dish for rice.

Beetroot Soya Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 cup
Grated beetroot 1 cup
Small Soya chunks fistful
Cashew nuts 8
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Coconut milk 1/2 cup
1 small onion finely sliced
1 small tomato chopped
1 green chilli slit
Coriander leaves 1 sp

Turmeric powder 1/2 sp 

Mint leaves fistful
Lime juice 1 sp
Biryani powder  small pinch
Sambar powder 1 sp
Fennel seeds 1 sp
Cinnamon stick 1/4 inch piece
Cloves 2
Bay leaf 1
Green cardamom 3
Oil 2 sp (or use 1 sp oil and 1 sp ghee)
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak basmati rice in water and keep aside for 20 mins.
2. Boil water in a bowl by adding some salt. When it is boiling, add soya chunks and cook for 2-3 mins and drain after that.
3. Heat the oil/ghee in a pressure cooker and add fennel seeds. When they crackle, add the cashew 
nuts. When they start to get brown, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, green cardamom.
4. Now add the onions and cook till they turn golden brown.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes and then add turmeric.
6. Now add green chillies, mint and coriander leaves, soya chunks and fry for a minute.

7. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they become mushy and then add grated beetroot and cook for 2-3 mins.

8. Now add boryani powder, sambar powder, salt and mix well.

9. Add the coconut milk, 1.5 cup water and lemon juice now and let it cook for few mins. Check salt and add if required.

10. Now add the soaked basmati rice by draining the water and cook for 2-3 whistles depending on 
the rice you used. Serve hot with any raita of your choice.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer 200gms
2 big onions
3 big tomatoes
Cashew nuts 7-8
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Coriander powder 1 sp
Kasturi Methi powder 1 sp
Garam masala powder 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp
Turmeric powder 1/2 sp
Butter 3 sp
Fresh cream 2 sp (Optional, I have not used it here)
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil water in a bowl by adding some salt. Add onions as whole or by making 2 slits when the water is boiling and remove after 3-4 mins when the onions are half cooked and not too mushy. Make a paste of this after cooling down.
2. Follow the above step for tomatoes as well. When the tomatoes are cooled down, peal the skin off and make a paste.
3. Soak the cashew nuts in water for 30 mins and make a paste of it by adding 2-3 sp water or milk.
4. Heat 1/2 sp butter in a pan, add cubed paneer, sprinkle little salt and fry for a minute till the edges become slightly golden color. Now add the paneer cubes to a bowl with cold water and keep it aside.
5. Heat 1.5 sp butter in a pan, add the onion paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
6. Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
7. Now add the coriander powder, Katsura methi, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and cook for a minute.
8. Now add the tomato purée and cook till the oil separates.
9. Now add the cashew nuts paste, mix well and add the cubed paneer by draining the water.
10. Add a small cup of water and cook for 5 mins and adjust the consistency of the gravy as required by adding little more water if required.
11. Add garam masala powder, mix well.
12. Add the remaining butter on the top, and add fresh cream also at this step if you are using and serve hot with any roti or paratha of your choice or as a side dish to any pulao. We had it with Tri Colour Paratha .

Tri Colour Paratha

Ingredients:

Chapathi flour 3 cups
Spinach 1 cup
Beetroot 1 small
Carrot 2
Green chilli 1
Red chilli powder 1.5 sp
Cumin powder 1.5 sp
Garam masala 3 sp
Sesame seeds 3 sp
Oil 1.5 sp
Salt

Method:

 1. Blanch spinach in boiling water for few mins. Alternatively, you can microwave spinach for 2 mins without adding additional water and then cool and grind to a smooth paste by adding one green chilli.
2. Grind carrot into smooth paste by adding 1-2 sp water if required.
3. Also gring beet root into smooth paste by adding 1-2 sp water if required.
4. Take the spinach paste, add salt, 1 sp red chilli powder, 1 so garam masala powder, 1/2 sp cumin 
powder, 1 sp sesame seeds, 1/2 sp oil and add flour that is sufficient for the spinach paste and knead the dough. Adjust the amount of flour accordingly and no need to add additional water.
5. Repeat the process in step 4 for carrot paste and beet root paste also separately.
6. Now we have the 3 colored doughs ready.
7. Take small lemon sized dough from each color, roll it between the palms to make it about 10cm length each.
8. Now keep these 3 colored doughs as a stack and roll them into round shape by closing the edges.
9. Now start rolling the parathas with a rolling pin. You can use rice flour or chapathi flour to sprinkle slightly for the parathas not to get sticky. Make the parathas on the tawa as normal by adding oil or ghee on both sides.
10. Yummy and colorful tri color paratha is ready. Enjoy it with any gravy curry of your choice. We had it with Paneer butter masala.

Amritsari Machhi (Amritsari Fish Fry)

         I made this Amritsari Fish fry today using Salmon fish. Salmon, apart from having many health benefits, is rich in Omega-3, which are essential fatty acids. These help in healthy brain functioning, improving memory, lowering the risk of heart diseases and many other cancers. That's why salmon is also called Brain Food.  
         I always used to use other indian fish varieties before as Salmon generally tastes bland compared to other fish types. But trust me, this recipe turned out so yummy that I am going add Salmon to our menu regularly from now on. With these many health benefits and a yummy recipe in hand, it's worth giving it a try. But you can also use any other fish and follow the same recipe if you wish to. Here goes the recipe :)

Ingredients:

Fish (I used salmon) 200 gms
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp (adjust to your taste)
Kasturi methi crushed 1/2 sp
Turmeric powder 1/2 sp
Amchur powder 1/4 sp
Biryani powder 1/4 sp (or use garam masala powder)
Tandoori masala powder 3/4 sp (or use any curry seasoning powder 3/4 sp)
Lemon juice 1 sp
Salt to taste
Besan powder 3/4 sp
Ajwain seeds 1/2 sp
Oil 2 sp

Method:

1. Marinate fish pieces with all the above mentioned ingredients except besan, ajwain seeds and oil and leave it for 1 day in refrigerator preferably if you are using salmon or for over night if you are using any other fish.
2. Dry roast besan powder till nice aroma comes from it and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add ajwain seeds and let them splutter. Then add the fish pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame turning them to the other side in between.
4. Now sprinkle the besan powder all over the fish pieces and mix gently and cook for another 5 mins.
5. Serve hot with onions and lemon.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

Bhindi 250 gms chopped into small pieces

1 large onion

3 medium tomatoes

Fennel seeds 1/2 sp

Ginger small piece

Garlic cloves 3

Green chilli 1

Ginger garlic paste 1 sp

Turmeric pinch

Coriander powder 1 sp

Cumin powder 1/2 sp

Red chilli powder 1 sp

Garam masala powder 1/2 sp

Cashew nuts dry roasted 7-8

Thick yogurt 3-4 sp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Oil 2.5 sp

Method:

1. Heat 1.5 sp oil in a pan,  and then add chopped bhindi and fry for 2-3 mins in high flame.

2. Now add salt, mix well and cook on medium heat for about 5 mins till the bhindi is nicely cooked and it's edges are slightly darkened.

3. Make a coarse paste of ginger, garlic and green chilli and keep it aside.

4. Make a powder of roasted cashew nuts.

5. Grind the tomatoes and make a paste and keep it aside.

6. Now add 1 sp oil in a heated pan, add fennel seeds and let them crackle.

7. Add finely chopped onions and cook till they become slightly grown colour.

8. Add ginger garlic green chilli paste and cook for a minute and then add turmeric.

9. Now add the tomato paste and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and oil starts to separate.

10. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, cashew nuts powder, salt and mix well

11. Now add the yogurt and mix well.

12. Then add the bhindi pieces, mix and cook for 2-3 minutes for the bhendi to absorb all the flavours.

13. Now add garam masala powder,mix well.

14. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Pepper Prawns Gravy

Ingredients:

Prawns 175gms
Onions 2 medium finely chopped
1 small tomato chopped
Garlic cloves 2 crushed
Fennel seeds 1 sp
Pepper corns 1 sp
Chilli powder 1 sp
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Turmeric pinch
Coriander powder 1 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste

For Marinade:

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1/2 sp
Turmeric pinch
Lemon juice 2 sp
Salt

Method:

1. Wash the peeled prawns and add the ingredients listed for marination and keep it aside for 15 mins.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and when they crackle, add crushed garlic and fry for few seconds.
3. Now add the onions and fry till they become brown colour and then add turmeric.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
5. Now add tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
6. Add salt, coriander powder to this and cook for a minute.
7. Now add the marinated prawns, mix it and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Then add half cup of water, put a lid on and cook for about 5 mins till the prawns are cooked.
9. Now add the crushed pepper powder, mix well, cook for a minute.
10. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Murgh Hariyali Kabab

Ingredients:

Chicken 250gms (can use boneless also)
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Mint leaves 1/2 cup
Green chillies 3
Garlic cloves 3
Ginger 1/2 inch piece
Lemon juice 2 sp
Thick yogurt 2 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste
Butter 1 sp

Method:

1. Marinate chicken by mixing all the ingredients except butter and keep it overnight preferably.
2. Pre heat oven to 180C.
3. Brush some melted butter on a grill tray lined with foil paper and place the chicken in single layer and coat some butter on the chicken pieces also. You can also use skewers if using boneless chicken.
4. Bake for 20 mins and after that, turn the pieces to the other side, coat with some butter if required and bake for another 15 mins.
5. Squeeze some lemon and serve hot with onions.

Grilled Prawns

Ingredients:

Prawns 200gms
Lemon juice of half lemon
Garlic cloves 2 crushed
Pepper corns crushed 1/2 sp
Curry seasoning powder 1/2 sp ( store bought, optional)
Coriander powder 1/4th spoon
Cumin powder small pinch
Chilli powder 1/2 sp
Vinegar 1/2 sp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 sp

Method:

1. Wash the prawns and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
2. Marinate the prawns by mixing all the above ingredients and keep if for an hour.
3. Pre-heat the oven at 180C and bake the prawns for about 10mins and then put in grill mode for 5 mins.
4. Serve hot as a starter. Do not bake for very long as the prawns will become rubbery.