Salmon Butter Fry

Here i come back with a continental cuisine with less spice but highly delightful as its blended with lots of herbs. Salmon is a fish which is really healthy and its rich in omega 3 and other vitamin essentials, however whenever i decide to make it like we do our regular Indian fish curry, it doesn't turn out well, as its little hard to deal with its flesh and i then decide to fry it with other Indian masalas. I feel the fry version is better than the curry one. I also made some lemon butter sauce which added a tremendous taste when you dip the pieces and have it. It just melts in the mouth :-)

                           But this time, i found a good way to cook salmon fillets which is rich in taste as well as i wanted the flesh part to remain juicy as well, and so i tried making it with a continental way, believe me it turned out so well and my BF just loved it. I added some ground pistachios as well, which added a unique taste and healthy wise, this way of making worked out well. The making is not tedious and all the ingredients are easily available in most super markets and you could make this in minutes. Here you go with the making..

 

Ingredients:

• Salmon Fillets- 3
• Lemon- 1
• Herbs- 2 Tspn
• Pepper Powder- 2 Tspn
• Chili Flakes- 1 Tspn
• Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 Tspn
• Grated Pistachos- 1 Tspn
• Any dressing(Optional)- 1 Tspn
• Egg- 1
• Maida- 3 Tspn
• Butter-2 Tspn
• Salt -- to taste

Method:

• Marinate the salmon fillets with all the above ingredients except egg and maida and keep aside for half an hour.
• After half an hour add eggs and dust the salmon fillet in the maida.
• Shallow fry in the butter after it melts completely and becomes hot,flipping both the sides and transfer to a paper towel.
• Serve hot with the sauce.

For Lemon Butter Sauce:

In a saucepan, add 4 tspn of butter,when it starts melting squeeze half lemon to it before the color started changing remove from fire, add fresh parsley to it and keep aside.
Tips:

"Adding dressing is very much optional however if you want to try, you could use caesar salad or mustard sauce.

You can use any kind of oil for the shallow fry of your optional.

Adjust pepper powder according to your spice level."

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Prawn bajji and Tamarind Chutney

Prawn bajji - it may sound new, but the taste is incredible. There are lots of vegetarian variety bajjies made with plantain,potatoes. However, in the non vegetarian there are just few varieties reason being the meats may not taste good if its fully fried. Even when you make fish, you can make out the difference if its made as a full fried or as a shallow fry, as shallow fries are more better than the full fried version. Hence the best choice for making a non-veg bajji would be with prawns.The best combo for the prawn bajji is the tamarind chutney, its spicy and best when served with bajjies.

Tamarind chutney is the best dip for the prawn bajjies. When you are bored in the evenings and thinking for the best snack, prawn bajjies will be a best choice for you, as its very simple to make and your family will love it, i bet even the kids, as its not spicy. Lets move on to the making. My amma makes it at the nights of every new year and we really enjoy having it with lot of fun. She has two versions with the onion and the other one without onions. The one here i gave is without the onions.
 

For Bajji:
Ingredients:

• Prawns- 1/2 Lb or 200 grams
• Besan - 1/4 Cup
• Rice Flour- 2 Tspn
• Cornflour- 1 Tsp
• Kashmiri chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Ginger garlic paste-1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste.
• Oil- To Deep fry

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients with water to make as a thick paste and keep it for at least 1 hour.
• Drop it in the hot oil and deep fry until it turns brown.
• Transfer to the paper towel and set dry to remove excess oil.

For Tamarind Chutney:
Ingredients:

• Tamarind- half lemon size
• Red Chilies- 4 Nos
• Asafoetida-1/4 Tspn
• Ginger- a Small piece
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients adding little water.
• Serve with bajjies.

Tips:

"You can also add some chopped onions to the batter.

I added the kashmiri chili powder for the spice and color but if you don't want to use it, you can add some chili powder and a little of red color to the batter."

 

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Crab Pepper Fry

This is another recipe of crab, next to my Crab Roast Curry post. It’s similar how we made in the curry, but we have to let the curry and the masala to stay long in the stove to make it dry and to form as a fry texture. Crab recipes are mainly made at families when someone in home falls sick with cold/running nose, as having it at that time cures that than any other medicine, and if you prepare the crab with more pepper then it’s absolutely useful, as it’s spicy and tasty as well.

I have never seen such a big crab at sea food markets at India, while here in California it’s so big and the total size was measuring 6 to 6 ½ inches in size. It’s Huge and very hard as well, most Indian crabs are soft that you could break it by your teeth however this one is something you need a crab cracker, seafood scissor or a wooden mallet to break it. The hardest portion is the cleaning process, however if you once see a trial videos in YouTube if you are a first time to prepare crab, then you could make it as a practice and its worth doing as the taste is absolutely awesome :)
 

Ingredients:

• Crab- 1 Large or if using small – 3 Nos
• Onion- sliced- half cup
• Tomato-1 Large
• Pepper powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ½ Tspn
• Coriander Powder-1 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 2 Tspn
• Coriander Leaves-few
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Coconut Milk- ¼ Cup
• Green Chilies- 3 Nos
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tspn
• Oil- 5 Tspn

To roast and grind as fine paste:

• Small onions- 3
• Coriander Powder-1/2 Tspn
• Chili Powder - ½ Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 Tspn
• Pepper Seeds- 2 Tspn
• Curry Leaves - 10 Leaves
• Oil – 2 Tspn

Method:

• In a pan, roast all the ingredients under to grind as fine paste, let it becomes cool and then grind everything to a fine paste and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, pour oil, add curry leaves, mustard seeds and ginger garlic paste, green chilies and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the sliced onions and the ground masala paste and sauté again until the masala smell goes from it and then add the tomato to it and sauté well.
• Add all the masala powders listed in the ingredients and sauté well until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the crabs, salt and mix well with ladle. Pour ¼ of water and cook it covered until the crabs are cooked.
• After the crab is cooked well, add the coconut milk and sauté well until the masala dries up completely.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

 
Tips:

"Do not leave the crab to cook more time after you add the coconut milk as it may not taste good.

Adjust the spice level as per your spicy level.

Before you add the masala powders make sure the onion, grounded paste and tomato are fully pulped so that the gravy will taste good and gets well I into the crab."

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Vendakai Vathal / Okra Fries

I never thought I could make something good with okra, as I was not such an expert in cooking with okra until I make this. This is a very simple, and much tasty fries which can be served with any rice varieties or you could have this as just as a snack. In normal vendakai fry, we use to add just the masala powders and deep fry it however, in this there is a small difference in the ingredients. All you need is just to marinate everything and keep it for at least ½ hour for the ingredients to set well with the vendakai.

Okras are rich sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins; often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. This recipe is healthy as well as tasty, but as much as you reduce the volume of oil used is good. Iam sure you all will like and try this at your kitchen :) Here you go with the making.
 

Ingredients:

• Okra- 300 Grams
• Corn Flour- ¾ Tspn
• Rice Flour- 2 Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Curd- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Asafetida powder- ¼ Tspn
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- To Deep fry

Method:

• Marinate the okra with all the ingredients except curd and oil with spraying little water.
• In the boiling oil, add the marinated okra to it and deep fry.Flip both the sides for even cooking.
• In the middle before it gets cooked, add the curd and continue frying it.
• After it turns golden brown, transfer to the paper towel and serve.

Tips:

"Add only little water just like spraying while mixing all the ingredients with okra.

You can add few curry leaves, however it’s optional.

Do not cook for long time in the oil, as it may get burnt. Deep fry it until it becomes lite and crispy."

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Kaadai/(Quail) Roast(Restaurant Style)

If you are a regular visitor for Anjappar restaurants in Tamil Nadu, iam sure you would have tested this. They serve the kaadai roast and it tastes so good that every non-vegeterians will fall in love with that. I haven’t tried this, and for me I know about kaadai only through my best buddy. In India, in southern parts, it’s easy to get, however if you stay at other countries you can try getting these at some fresh meat stores, I got it from Sprouts and as I said I never tried making it, got this recipe from my friend and it just tasted so good.

Quails are nothing but small birds and it tastes more like chicken, but this has more bones in it. Hence, whenever you get it, try getting large quails as it may have little more flesh than the smaller or thinner ones. You could make a biriyani or a curry out of this, but I like the quail when it’s roasted with pepper and our Indian masala powders. Just try this, and surprise your dear ones.. here you go with the making :)
 

Ingredients:

• Kaadai(Quail)-3 Nos
• Small onions- 4-5 nos(finely chopped)
• Green Chilies- 3 Nos
• Garlic crushed- 2-3 pods
• Chili Powder- 1/2 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1/2 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1/2 Tspn
• Ginger crushed- 1 inch

To Marinate:

• Curd-2 Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1/2 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1/2 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1/2 Tspn
• Pepper Powder- 1 Tspn

For Seasoning:

• Oil- 6 Tspn(preferably mustard oil)
• Curry Leaves- few
• Cloves- 2 nos
• Bay leaves- 1
• Fennel Seeds- 1 Tspn

 

Method:

• Marinate the quails with all the ingredients under "To marinate" and keep at least for ½ an hour.
• In a separate pan, add oil and add all the ingredients under "for seasoning". Add small onions, green chilies and sauté until it becomes translucent.
• Add the crushed garlic and ginger and then add the chili, coriander and turmeric powder and sauté well.
• Add the cleaned quails and cook covered for about 10 minutes, now open the lid, and cook again.
• Add salt and lower the flame and let it get fried in the pan; give out a stir in intervals until it turns dry.

 

Tips:

"Don’t compromise on the oil, as if it’s cooked with less oil, it may not turn so crisp.

You can also add little coconut, but it’s purely optional."

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Chicken Balls / Chicken Vada

Chicken balls, sounds like a different recipe isn’t it. Of coarse yes, the making is also very simple, only tedious part is shredding the chicken however if you get the shredded chicken from shops then your job becomes easy. It’s a delicious non vegetarian starter or a snack and you can have it as it is or with any kind of dipping sauce. It’s another recipe which clicks in every non vegetarian next to Kola Urundai. (I’ll post it soon :) )
 

The method is very similar of how you make a masala vada. But always remember to wash it well the shredded chicken if you get it from shop and sauté separately before you mix to the batter so that it tastes better and doesn’t have the raw smell in it. you can also mix up with rice flour and corn flour if you want the balls a little crispy as well. Here you go with the making.

Ingredients:

• Shredded Chicken – 1 Lb
• Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
• Coconut grated- 2 Tspn
• Roasted gram/ Channa Dal- 1 Cup (Marinate for half an hour and grind coarsely)
• Ginger-garlic paste- ½ Tspn
• Coriander Leaves- Few Chopped
• Fennel seeds – 1 Tspn
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Dry red chilies- 5 Nos
• Salt - To Taste
• Cloves - 2
• Curry leaves (Sliced)- Few

Method:

• Grind the channa dal coarsely (like grinding for vada) after marinating it at least for half an hour.
• In a pan, pour little oil, add the shredded chicken and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes off completely from it.
• Mix all the ingredients with the ground channa dal and cooked shredded chicken and mix well with hand.
• Make small balls and drop it in hot oil, flip sides and cook until it turns brown.

Tips:

"It’s always better to sauté the shredded chicken so that it’s cooked well, so that it will be good to taste.

You can add an egg to the batter which gives an extra taste to the balls."

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Chilly Fish

Apart from our traditional Indian recipes, most of us like Chinese foods I believe especially the non-vegetarians as I have seen many of us ordering the Chinese cuisines in most restaurants. I really like the Chinese recipes, as it’s spicy and has a unique taste as well. So, for a change, here comes the most fascinating indo-Chinese recipe which most of the non vegetarians need to try if you are really bored of making the same way of cooking the fish as just a curry or a fry.

Chilly Fish is such a recipe which goes well with fried rice, or even with any Chinese foods. The making is also very simple and it tastes great. It can be a best starter for any perfect parties. You could also replace the fish with chicken or prawn with the same other ingredients used, and for the vegetarians you could replace it with mushrooms. You can use any boneless fish for this recipe but I would say tilapia will be the best choice.

Ingredients:

• Big Onion(sliced in square shape)- 1
• Any Fish pieces(without bones)- 1 Cup
• Soya Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Tomato Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Chilly Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Vinegar- 1/2 Tspn
• Chilly Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Colored Capsicum (Sliced)- 1 Cup
• Bunch of coriander leaves and Spring onion(sliced)- 1 Cup
• Oil- To Fry

For The Batter:

• Corn Flour-3 Tspn
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tspn
• All Purpose Flour/Maida- 2 Tspn
• Chilly powder- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

 

Method:

• Make a batter with the ingredients under the batter and keep aside.
• Dip the fish pieces into the batter and shallow fry in hot oil.
• Transfer to a paper towel and set aside to dry the excess oil.
• In a separate pan,add little oil, and fry the onion,capsicum pieces and fry until the becomes translucent.
• Add the chilly,turmeric powder and sauté again until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the fried fish pieces to it and sauté well to mix well.
• Add the soya,chilly and tomato sauce along with vinegar and keep stirring to get the sauce well into the chicken.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and spring onion and serve hot.

Tips:

"You could skip using colored capsicum and use just the green capsicum; however I used the colored one, to look more decorative.

Adjust the chili powder as per your spice level.

Add as much of spring onion as it really adds a good taste to the recipe."

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Madurai Style Mutton Chukka

Madurai is one of the place in Tamil nadu which is famous for many things and places however the most important factor you may notice there is the parotta shops opened day and night, there are few restaurants which are very famous like Muniyandi Vilas which serves absolutely tasty mutton chukka and hot parottas. Any one who passes it would definitely stops by the smell it provokes :)

So, here is my Madurai style mutton chukka special for non veg lovers! I would say that its one of an asset of most of the Tamilnadu non vegetarian cuisine and my Achan’s favourite too :) it is similar to how you make a mutton pepper fry. This is rich in spicy and dry as it’s cooked with lot of pepper and garam masala powder, but taste awesome when served with hot rice and Rasam.
 

Ingredients:

• Mutton Pieces- ½ Kg
• Onion- 1 Large
• Tomato- 1
• Potato- 1 Large
• Pepper Powder- 2 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Corriander Leaves- Few

To Temper:

• Sesame Oil- 2 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Bay Leaves- 1
• Fennel Seeds- few
• Pepper Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Cloves- 2 or 3 nos

To Crush:

• Ginger – a small piece
• Garlic- 4 Nos
• Green Chilies- 1

 

Method:

• Pressure cooker the mutton pieces for 3 whistles along with turmeric powder and salt and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, pour oil, when it heats up, add the items under “To Temper” and then add the onion, tomato to it and fry until it becomes soft.
• Add the items under “To Crush” and stir again. Now add the potato pieces to it and mix well with all other ingredients.
• Add the baked mutton pieces into it and stir well again.
• Add the chili, pepper, coriander and garam masala into it and stir continuously by keeping the flame low and until the masala smell goes off completely from it.
• Garnish with few more curry leaves and coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips:

"You could skip using the sesame oil by replacing it with other oil as well.

Adjust the pepper powder as per your spicy level.

You can skip using potato if you don’t want to use it, however it adds a good taste to the recipe."

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Chicken Kebab/Chicken Skewers with Mint Sauce

Without a chicken kebab no BBQ is complete in summer, this recipe would certainly add fun when you plan a BBQ in a hot sunny day in a lake or a park with your family. When I am writing this post I remember our first BBQ fun day after marriage spent in Beaver Lake with lot of friends, games with hot grilled chicken kebab. It has a dual name as many calls it as a Chicken Kabab and some as Chicken Skewers. Perhaps again this is for Rukmani :) as this is her favourite cuisine from me.

It’s a pure non spicy recipe hence it will be served with Mint sauce or tomato sauce.
 

Ingredients:

• Chicken – ½ Kg Cut into pieces.
• Green chilies - 4
• Ginger – a small piece
• Garlic - Few
• Mint leaves - a bunch
• Coriander leaves - a bunch
• Half & half milk – ½ Cup
• Spray Oil

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients excluding chicken
• Marinate the chicken pieces with the grounded paste.
• Add half & half milk and leave it for 4-5 hours or over night in the fridge.
• Pre heat the oven 400 degrees for 10 mins and pierce the chicken into the skewers and grill it
• Turn around the chicken for For every 10 mins sprayed with oil.
• Turn the Oven mode to broil and keep the chicken in it for about 10 minutes.

Mint Sauce:

Ingredients:

• Mint Leaves- a Bunch
• Lemon – 2 Squeezed
• Curd- 3 Tspn
• Salt-To Taste
• Ginger- a small piece
• Cilantro Leaves- half Bunch

Method:

• Grind all the items except curd and lemon extract.
• Add the lemon extract followed by curd and stir well.

Tips:

"You can adjust the chilies as per your spicy level.

If you are using the bamboo skewers you may need to soak it atleast for 2 hours."

 

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Karuvadu Vattichathu & Kappa

This is another variety of dry fish fry recipe at Minu’s Kitchen. Comes with unique its taste. This is a dry spicy recipe which absolutely tastes so good with kappa and definitely would not need any introduction too and it’s a best recipe to serve in times of you thinking “what to cook for today??” as it’s a very simple and taste awesome.
 

The kappa recipe along with the dry fish is very simple to make and this is the way of cooking followed in most of the houses in Kerala. It’s definitely a traditional onaka meen (Dry fish) fry recipe with mouthwatering taste.

Ingredients:

• Any Dry Fish- 1/4 Kg
• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Crushed Red Chilies- 3 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Vinegar- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste
• Small Onion- 10 Nos
• Curry Leaves-Few
• Crushed Ginger-Few
• Crushed Garlic- 2 Tspn

Method:

• Soak the dry fish in hot water for few minutes to remove the dust from it.
• Heat oil in a pan, add crushed ginger, garlic, curry leaves and small onions Saute until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add crushed red chillies and turmeric powder and the soaked dry fish and saute again
• Add vinegar and salt to it.
• Cover and cook it for sometime until it baked well.
• Cook uncovered on low flame until its fried well.

Kappa:

Ingredients:

• Kappa- ½ Kg
• Salt- To Taste
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn

Method:

• Slice the kappa to small pieces and pressure cook it along with salt and turmeric powder for 3 whistles.
• After the whistle goes off, open and dry out the excess water and smash the kappa with a wooden ladle just to loosen the texture.

 

Tips:

"Do not use the vinegar more than the measurement used in making the dry fish fry as it may bitter the taste.

You can cook the dry fish fry with any oil, however cooking it in coconut oil will give a proper taste."

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Tandoori Chicken

I am sure you would have tempted after seeing the picture of this recipe!! It’s a great starter to serve in a perfect dinner, often loved by most of the non vegetarians. Among all the dishes of chicken,tandoori wins the heart of most of us because of its unique grilled taste and crispy layer. From some where I read, I remember the name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a “Tandoor”, in which the dish is traditionally prepared. We could make this recipe by using the conventional Oven.

Coming to the making part, you need to be little planned as the marinating process carried out for overnight or atleast you need to keep it for 4-5 hours. Goes well with Chappathi and Roties.
 

Ingredients:

• Chicken legs - 5 pieces
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Chicken Masala Powder- 1 Tspn
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tspn
• Rice flour - 1 Tspn
• Corn flour - 2 Tspn
• Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
• Lemon - Few Drops
• Yogurt - 1/4 cup
• Salt - To Taste
• Red color - Few
• Spray Oil

Method:

• Marinate the chicken with all the other ingredients and keep in fridge overnight.
• Arrange the chicken in a baking tray covered with aluminium foil at the bottom of the leg pieces.
• Pre heat the oven 400 degrees for 10 mins and set the tray into the oven.
• Turn around the chicken for For every 10 mins sprayed with oil.
• Turn the Oven mode to broil and keep the chicken in it for about 15 minutes.
• Check the tray often to see if it is cooked well.

Tips:

"Oven timings vary to oven brands, hence check the chicken often to get the best result."

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Drumstick Chicken

I would definitely agree that it’s not a unique recipe, however the sauce prepared along with this chicken is real unique. It taste great along with the sauce and it’s pretty easy as well. The key ingredient used here is the bread crumbs. The bread crumbs used here should be real soft, as using hard bread crumbs will turn the chicken so hard as well. I have given few step pictures for your better understanding.

Ingredients:

• Oil-To Deep Fry
• Bread Crumbs- 2 Tspn
• Corn flour powder (diluted)-1/4 Cup

For Baking Chicken:

• Drumstick chicken pieces (Leg pieces)- 5
• Ginger garlic paste-1 Tspn
• Salt-To taste
• Soya Sauce-1 Tspn
• Chili Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Vinegar- ½ Tspn
• Tomato Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Pepper Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric powder-1/4 Tspn

For Frying:

• Maida- 1 Tspn
• Egg- 1
• Ginger garlic-1/2 Tspn
• Pepper powder-1 Tspn
• Turmeric powder-1/4 Tspn

 

Method:

Sauce Preparation:

• In a pot, bake by adding all the items under “for baking chicken” list with little water and cook covered with a lid
• After the chicken is baked well, separate the chicken and the left over water and keep both separate,
• Heat the pan, add the left over baked water, when it starts boiling immediately stir adding the corn flour diluted so that it will it will starts thickening. Within few minutes after adding the corn flour diluted the sauce will be thick.

Frying Chicken:

• In a bowl, mix all the items under “for frying” and dip the baked chicken into this as seen below.

• Immediately coat the dipped chicken with breadcrumbs as seen.

• Drop the coated chicken into the hot oil and deep fry. Flip both the sides, transfer to paper towel to remove excess oil if any.

Tips:

"Do not bake the chicken uncovered as it will dry up the water and so no water will be left out for making sauce.

Start the dipping process only after the chicken gets cooled, else it may get smudged while making."

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Nethili Karuvadu (TN) / Netholi Karuvadu (KL) / Anchovies Dry Fish Fry

No wonder if someone starves for a karuvadu curry who lives in the places where they don’t sell it, even I did when I came here :) but somehow I would say unfortunate, I gotta cook this as I bought this when me and BF visited to Texas sometime, there after I got a chance to get dry anchovies in many Vietnam and Chinese stores. When iam writing this, my memories are with my Ammuma(Grandma) who makes this and serve for me whenever I visit her place with Kappa. Iam sure to say no other dishes can beat with that taste. There are many recipes with dry fish which I will be posting it whenever I get update from my Ammuma :).. I really miss her and wish I could meet her for this Onam and iam proud to say that this is from her cookbook.

Ingredients:

• Dry Anchovies-1/2 Kg
• Onion- 1 small
• Tomato-1 nos
• Green chillies-3 nos
• Dry red chillies-2 nos
• Chili Powder- 2 Tspn
• Coriander Leaves- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- half Tspn
• Garlic pieces- 3 nos
• Cumin seeds- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- To shallow fry

• Wash Dry fish pieces in hot water and let it stay in hot water and squeezed lemon for atleast ½ hour to remove the impurities if any and this will remove the smell as well.
• Grind garlic and cumin seeds to fine paste and keep aside.
• Marinate the washed dry fish pieces along with the ingredients listed above along with the garlic paste and keep for ½ hour.
• In a tava, add little oil and fry red chilies, onions and tomato until it becomes translucent, add green chilies
• Add the marinated anchovies to this and cook without adding water and keep in low flame until it gets dry completely. Transfer into a paper towel to remove excess oil if any.

 

Tips:

"You can add the chili powder while adding onion and tomato to give extra spice.

You can try the same method with other type of dry fishes as well."

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Chilly Chicken

This is from my Amma’s cookbooks, she prepares this so nicely and I enjoy it having when served with parota. It comprises lot of capsicum pieces and lifts up the taste and turns to a spicy dish. The name itself tempts all non vegetarians, Chicken recipes are all time favourite for all rite from kids to grannies. This is a only non veg recipe which has a combination of both crispy and semi gravy as well.

Ingredients:

• Chicken cut into small pieces- half Kg/1 Lbs
• Capsicum/Bell Peppers- 1 Large
• Green chillies(cut into lengthy shape) - 2
• Large Onion cutted into square shape- 1
• Soya Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Chilli Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Vinegar – half Tspn
• Tomato Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Pepper Coarse – 1 Tspn
• Lemon Extract- 1 Tspn(Optional)
• Oil- To fry

To Fry:

• White Chola Powder- half Tspn
• Maida/All purpose flour-1 Tspn
• Chilli Powder- 1 Tspn
• Red food color- a pinch (Optional)
• Salt- To taste

Method:

Marinate chicken along with the items under To Fry list atleast for half an hour.

After marinating, fry it till turns crispy to hot oil, transfer it to a paper towel and set dry and keep aside.

In a pan, pour oil, after it turns hot,add onion, add green chillies and bell pepper and stir it for 3 minutes, add pepper coarse  and stir again.

Now, add the fried chicken pieces into this and add Soya Sauce, Chilli Sauce , Vinegar,
Tomato Sauce and stir well again until all the sauces gets well into the chicken.

Add lemon extract to this and serve hot.

Tips:

"Adding lemon extract us optional.

Adding red color is also optional but it gives nice color to the texture.

You can also add chola powder mixed with a little water while adding the sauces to the chicken if you need a little gravy ( but chilli chicken recipe doesn’t need any gravy)"

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Maravalli Kizangu/Marichini/Kappa

Kappa or marichini is a malayalam word which means maravalli kilangu one of the best partner for kerala fish curry.The master chef of this receipe is my grandma, she serves me this hot with Nethilli karuvadu(Dry fish) roasted, and cannot be replaced by any other non veg receipe.There are lot of ways to cook this, however what i posted here is one of the simplest way to have as a snack at tea time or with hot white white rice and fish curry.

Ingredients:

• Maravalli Kilangu-1 Large
• Turmeric Powder-half Tspn 
• Salt- To Taste

To Grind:

• Shreded Coconut- Halg cup
• Cumin Seeds/Jeeragam-half Tspn
• Garlic-a small piece

To Temper:

• Mustard- half Tspn
• Urud dal-half Tspn
• Curry leaves- a bit
• Dry Red Chillies-2
  

Method:

Presure cooker maravalli kilangu with turmeric powder and salt for 3 whistle, dry the water and keep it aside.

Grind all the items under To Grind, not as a fine paste, just a crush in blender for 3 seconds is fine.

Pour little oil in a pan, add all the items under To temper, let it fry for a minute.

Add the grinded cocount and the tempered items to the baked kilangu and mix well.

Tips:

"You can exclude the tempering step if you dont want oil in that.

Other than with fish curries, it can be served hot with green chilly paste."

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Fish Fry

Everyday at my home my mom cooks fish, as fish is a vital receipe for most keralite families. My mom way of making fish fry is shallow frying as it doesnt consume much oil, and she fries it in coconut oil for best taste,but i used the normal vegetable oil to avoid cholesterol.

Ingredients:

• Fish pieces - preferably Mackerel will be best for this.
• Lemon Extract - 1 Tspn
• Oil - For Shallow Frying

To Grind:

• Small onion-3 Nos
• Cumin seeds/Jeeragam-half Tspn
• Pepper seeds-3 Tspn

Powders to add:

• Chilli Powder- 2 Tspn
• Coriander Leaves-2 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- half Tspn
• Salt- To taste

Method:

Wash the fish pieces and let the size be medium as shown in the picture.

Grind all the items under To Grind and make a fine paste.

To this, add all the powders and apply to the fish pieces along with lemon extract and marinate for atleast for half an hour.

Pour oil in a pan(For shallow fry) and fry it in medium flame. Flip it both the sides, and make sure both the sides fully cooked by
the masala and transfer it to paper towel.

Serve hot with cut onions.

Tips:

"Shallow fry is best than deep frying, as this will be finely cooked with the masala and little oil will be consumed.

You can add pepper powder instead of pepper seeds while grinding."

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