POTATO THOKKU

Ingredients
Potato  - 3
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - a few
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - as needed
Oil - as needed

Method

1. Boil potatoes, peel skin,cut into pieces and keep aside

2. Cut onion, tomato, coriander leaves,green chillies finely.

3. Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel.

4. Add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add curry leaves,chopped green chillies.

5. Add onion, ginger-garlic paste and fry till onions are brown.

6. Add chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and stir well.

7. When the tomatoes are cooked and the oil separates from the contents, add chopped potatoes,required amount of salt and water.

8.Remove the vessel from the stove after few minutes and garnish with coriander leaves .

9. Serve hot with chappathi or rice. 

MILAGU KUZHAMBU

Ingredients

Small Onions-8 to 10
Tomato-1
Garlic-5 cloves
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder-2 tsp
Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
Tamarind Extract(soak 1 lemon sized tamarind in 2 or 3 cups of  hot water  for 5-10 mins and squeeze the juice)
Curry leaves-8-10 leaves
Sesame Oil-required amount
Salt-required amount


To Grind

Kadalai paruppu/Channa dal-2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coriander seeds-1 tsp
Pepper Corns-2 tsp

Dry roast  all the above ingredients and grind into a coarse paste by using little amount of water and keep aside.

Method

1.Heat sesame oil in a pan,add mustard seeds.When mustard seeds splutters,add peeled small onions,saute it for a while say.. 2 mins until it gets half cooked.

2.Now add chopped tomato,garlic cloves,curry leaves.Give it a mix for some mins.

3.Now add turmeric powder,tamarind extract,chilli powder,grinded masala paste,salt as well as required amount of water.

4.Reduce the flame and let it be on the stove until the curry boils to a thick consistency.

5.Serve hot with rice.

PUDINA THUVAIYAL/MINT LEAVES THUVAIYAL

Ingredients

Pudina(Mint leaves)-2 cup
Ginger-1 small piece
Tamarind-1 gooseberry size
Garlic-6 cloves
Curry leaves(chopped)-1 cup
Coriander leaves(chopped)-1 cup
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Urad dal-1 tsp
Green Chillies-3
Oil-required amount
Salt-required amount

Method

1.Heat oil in a pan.Add chopped&cleaned mint leaves,curry leaves,coriander leaves,green chillies,ginger,required amount of salt.(don't fry garlic as it alters the taste)

2.Fry all the ingredients for nearly 2-3 minutes.Then remove it from the stove,keep aside and allow it to cool.

3.Once cooled,add these in a mixer along with tamarind,garlic cloves.Grind this into a coarse paste(not a fine paste).Sprinkle water if required,don't add too much water.

4.Now add oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,urad dal.When mustard splutters,add the grinded pudina paste.Fry this for just 1 min

5.Store this thuvaiyal in a dried container sealed properly.So this thuvaiyal will be good for 4-5 days.
Add more oil if you want to store this for more days.

6.This thuvaiyal serves better along with rasam/sambar/vatha kuzhambu etc.

SUNDAKKAI KARA KUZHAMBU

Ingredients
Sundakkai-1 cup(smashed it,so the seeds gets burst out,remove the seeds)
Small Onion-10
Tomato-1
Tamarind Extract-(soak 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind in 3 cups of slight hot water and squeeze the juice)
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Garlic-6 cloves
Green Chillies-2
Curry leaves-5 to 6 leaves
Oil-required amount
Salt-required amount


To grind
Kadalai paruppu/channa dal-2 tsp
Thuvaram paruppu/toor dal-2 tsp
Pepper seeds-1 tsp
Red Chillies-6
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coriander seeds-2 tsp

(Dry roast all the above ingredients and grind it to a fine powder.If you want  you can also  add grated cocunut-3 tsp )

Method

1.Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds.When mustard seeds splutters,add small onions,saute onions  until it changes colour.

2.Now add finely chopped tomatoes,garlic,curry leaves,slited green chillies.Give it a mix for some mins.

3.Now add Sundakkai(you can also add vegetables like  brinjal,drumstick,potato)grinded powder,tamarind extract,turmeric powder,required amount of salt.

4.Let it boil until the gravy consistency becomes thick.

5.You can also add optional ingredient: required number of boiled eggs to the gravy before removing from the stove.Reduce the flame and let it boils for 2-3 minutes.

6.Serve hot with rice.

CHICKEN KURUMA

Ingredients

Chicken-1/2 kg
Medium sized Onion-2
Tomato-1
Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
Cloves-2
Cinnamon-1 big stick
Cardamom-1
Bay leaf-1
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp
Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-3 tsp
Coriander powder-2 tsp
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Cashewnut-5
Almonds(soaked)-5
Grated coconut-1 small cup
Curry leaves-few
Coriander leaves-required amount
Oil-required amount
salt-required amount

Method

1.Grind grated cocount,soaked almonds,cashew nut to a fine paste by adding water(you can also add poppy seeds-1 tsp if you want)

2.Heat oil in a pan,add fennel seeds,cloves,cinnamon stick,cardamom,Bay leaf,fry all this for a while.Then add chopped onions,saute the onions until it chages colour.

3.Now add chopped tomato,Ginger-garlic paste,curry leaves.Give it a stir
so that everything gets mixed evenly.

4.Now add cleaned&chopped chicken pieces,turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,required amount of water and salt to taste.

5.Let it be on the stove until the gravy comes to a little thick state as well as the chicken gets cooked.

6.Finally add pepper powder,grinded coconut paste to the curry.Reduce the flame and let it be on the stove for just 2 mins.

7.Garnish it with corainder leaves and serve hot with rice/roti/idly/dosa/pulao etc.

KARUVADU KUZHAMBU/DRIED FISH CURRY

Ingredients

Karuvadu/Dried fish(Any)-6 to 8 pcs
Medium sized Onion-2
Tomato-1
Chilli Powder-3 tsp(pls use home made chilli powder for good taste and flavour...if not possible you can use kuzhambu chilli powder available in stores or else dry roast red chillies-6 to 8,coriander seeds-3 tsp,cumin seeds-1 tsp,Black pepper -1 tsp,Toor dal-2 tsp.Grind all these ingredients to a fine powder)
Curry leaves-5 to 7 leaves
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
Brinjal-3
Boiled Eggs-3
Potato-2
Drumstick-1
Mochakottai-1 small cup
Tamarind-1 cup(soak 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind in slight hot water)
Salt-required amount
Oil-required amount

Method

1.Wash  karuvadu in medium hot water properly  and keep aside.

2.Heat oil in the pan.Add mustard seeds splutters,add finely chopped onions,saute the onions until it changes colour.

3.Now add finely chopped tomato,curry leaves.Saute it for few mins.

4.Add tamarind extract,chilli powder,turmeric powder,chopped potatoes,drumstick,brinjal,mocha kottai, required amount of salt(karuvadu already contains salt,so pls take care while adding salt),little amount of water.Let  it boil until the gravy consistency becomes little thick as well as the vegetables cooked properly.

5.Now add cleaned karuvadu pieces to the pan.Let the gravy boils until the added karuvadu pieces gets cooked.

6.Reduce the flame,finally add boiled eggs to the curry.Let it be on the stove for 2-3 mins,so the eggs added gets the curry flavour.

7.Serve hot with rice.

CHETTINAD MEEN KUZHAMBU(Fish Curry)

My mom usually cooks Mudpot fish curry in the night and keeps aside overnight,so that all the flavours get absorbed and taste really delicious to have it the next day

Ingredients
Fish-1/2 kg
Small Onions-250 gms
Tomato-2
Chilli Powder-3 tsp
Coriander Powder-4 tsp
Coriander leaves-1/2 cup(chopped)
Thick Tamarind extract-Soak 1 lemon size ball of tamarind in hot water and squeeze the juice
Green Chillies-3
Pepper powder-3 tsp(grind pepper into a coarse powder)
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Garlic-6-7 cloves
Cumin seeds-2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
Sesame oil-required amount
Salt-required amount

Method

1.Heat sesame oil in a pan(i used satti/mudpot-if you can,use this for best flavour and taste).Add mustard seeds ,cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds,pepper powder,curry leaves.

2.Now add peeled small onions,saute it until it gets cooked half.Now add chopped tomatoes,slited green chillies,garlic cloves.saute it for some mins.

3.Now add tamarind extract,chilli powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder.Let it boil until the raw smell of all the added powders goes off.

4.While boiling,add cleaned and chopped fish pieces to the mudpot,required amount of salt.Let it boil until fish gets cooked properly.

5.Before removing the curry from the stove,add little sesame oil,chopped curry leaves for best flavour and taste.

PACHA MILAGAI KATHIRIKKAI SAMBAR

Pacha milaga sambar suits best only for idli/dosa.It is easy to prepare and taste delicious too.

Ingredients

Thuvaram Paruppu/toor dal-1 cup
Big sized Onion-1
kathirikkai/Brinjal-3
Tomato-1
Green Chillies-5
Garlic-1 pod
Curry leaves-6 leaves
Asafoetida-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt-required amount
oil-required amount

Method

1.Boil Toor dal,chopped onion,tomato,6-7 garlic cloves,turmeric powder,green chillies,chopped brinjal along with required amount of water in a pressure cooker for about 3 whistles.

2.Mash the dal into a coarse paste(not a fine paste) and keep it aside.

3.Heat oil  in a pan,add mustard seeds,asafoetida,crushed remaining garlic cloves,curry leaves.

4.Now add the mashed dal to the pan,salt and required amount of water if you want sambar to be little watery.Let it boil for about 5-7 minutes.

5.Sambar is ready to serve.

VAZHAIPOO VADAI

Ingredients

Kadalai paruppu(channa dal)-1cup
vazhaipoo(cleaned,sliced)-1 cup
Fennel seeds-2 tsp
Green chillies-4
Onions-2
Ginger- 1 small piece
Curry leaves-6 or 7 leaves
Corainder leaves-few
Salt-required amount
Oil-required amount

Method

1.Soak Channa dal in water for 1-2 hours and keep it aside.

2.Now grind channa dal,fennel seeds,ginger to a semi coarse paste (not a fine paste)without adding water and transfer this to a bowl.

3.To the channa dal paste add finely chopped onions,chopped green chillies,finely chopped vazhai poo,chopped curry leaves,chopped coriander leaves,required amount of salt and mix everything properly.

4.Heat oil in a pan.Make vadas out of the channa dal mixture and deep fry it in the oil until both the sides of the vada turns golden brown colour.

5.Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

(Vada curry can also prepared from this vada.Please see vada curry receipe for preparation method)