Easy Chicken Curry

 

Easy Chicken Curry

“This chicken curry is my own recipe and a tasty dish with just a few ingredients”.

Ingredients

900 grams fresh chicken cut into pieces

1 large white or red onion sliced

1 cup tomato paste or puree

1 can coconut milk (400 ml)

2 tablespoon grated ginger-garlic

1 green chili chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons mild curry powder

1 teaspoon Kashmir Chili powder or Paprika if you don’t like it spicy

2 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt to taste

A handful of chopped coriander/cilantro for garnishing

Directions

In a heated pan or casserole dish add cooking oil. Add the sliced onions and sauté till translucent. Add grated ginger-garlic and sauté. Add the chicken and salt to taste and mix. Add half cup of water, cover the dish and cook on low heat. Check after a few minutes, stir and cover again. Cook until chicken is half done. Add the powdered spices and stir for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well some water. At this stage you will see the oil separating in the dish. Add green chilies and some water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and cook for 2-4 minutes more till the gravy is of a thick consistency. Turn off the heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander or cilantro. Serve with white rice or bread. 

Sabudana Vadas (Tapioca Pearls/Sago Patties)

 

Sabudana Vadas 

“Sabudana Vada is a popular crisp fried Indian snack made with tapioca pearls (sago), roasted peanuts, boiled potatoes and herbs”.

Ingredients

1 cup Sabudana (Tapioca pearls/sago)

2 medium sized potatoes

¼ cup roasted peanuts

1 green chopped finely

2 tablespoon coriander/cilantro leaves chopped

2 teaspoon lime juice

1 tablespoon rice flour (this makes it crispy)

Salt to taste

Oil - for deep frying

 Directions

There are two varieties of sabudana/tapioca pearls/sago. I have used the black pepper sized ones. Wash tapioca pearls/sago for 2-3 times in water gently. Soak sago for 4 hours or overnight. I prefer to keep them overnight as they double in size. Next day, drain the tapioca pearls through a sieve and keep aside. Cook potatoes in slightly salted water until just right without over cooking. When the potatoes are cool, peel and mash them gently in a bowl.

Crush the roasted peanuts coarsely and keep aside. Add the well-drained tapioca pearls to the potatoes and mix gently. Add all the other ingredients peanuts, green chillies, coriander leaves, lime juice, rice flour and salt to taste. Check seasoning. Bring the dough together and make equal sized balls and flatten them into patties. Arrange them on a platter, ready to fry.

Heat enough oil in a deep sauté pan. To check if the oil is ready to fry the patties, insert the tip of a wooden skewer in the heated oil, once bubbles start to form around the skewer, the oil is ready. Slide the patties gently and deep fry on medium heat on both sides till golden brown. Drain in paper towel. Serve with sweetened yogurt.

Notes: Soak the tapioca pearls just right, not too long. If you press the soaked sago in between two fingers, the center should be soft.

Overcooking will make the potatoes retain water and make the patties will be sticky and soggy.

Make sure the oil is hot when you drop the patties and later cook in medium flame to ensure even cooking.

Quantity of tapioca pearls/sago should be more and the potatoes is just to bind it together.

Pork Belly Stir-fry

 

Pork Belly Stir-fry

 Ingredients 

500 gms pork belly (washed, drained and wipe off excess water with kitchen paper towel) 

1 large spring onion chopped (reserve the green leaves for garnish) 

3 colour bell peppers chopped

2 tablespoon grated ginger-garlic 

1 green chilli sliced (optional) 

1 cup sliced button mushrooms 

2 tablespoons white vinegar 

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder 

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 

1/2 teaspoon msg (optional) 

2 tablespoon cooking oil

Make a slurry of: 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon corn flour and 2 teaspoons sugar. 

Directions: 

Cut the pork belly strips into pieces. In a pan heat oil and add pork pieces. Stir-fry till golden brown and remove in a plate. If there’s too much excess oil, remove some and keep aside. In the remaining oil add the 3 bell peppers and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and fry again. Remove vegetables in a bowl and set aside. Add spring onions and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add red chili flakes and mix. Add the fried pork back to the pan and mix. Next add the fried veggies. Add the corn flour slurry and mix well. Add, vinegar, pepper powder and msg. Mix and turn off the heat. Garnish with the green onion leaves and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot with rice. 

Sardines and Zucchini stir-fry

Sardines and Zucchini stir-fry

Ingredients 

2 cans tinned sardines in oil

2 large zucchini’s, sliced thinly 

1 large onion, sliced thinly

1 large tomato, chopped 

1 green chili, chopped 

2 tsp mild curry powder 

1 tsp nigella seeds

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp cooking oil 

Directions 

In a heated pan, add the oil from the sardine cans. Add nigella seeds and when they start spluttering, add sliced onions and fry till translucent. Add the chopped green chilies and fry for 2 minutes, then add curry powder and stir for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are soft. Add cooking oil and salt to taste and mix. Now add the sliced zucchini, mix and ad 1/2 cup water. Mix and cover the dish. Cook for a few minutes on low heat till zucchini is tender. Now add the sardines and mix gently. Cover and cook for a minute. Open the lid and mix again. Turn off the heat and serve with warm tortillas. 

Watch this recipe video on Pinterest 

https://pin.it/2sFwn95g5

Cachapas (Corn Pancakes)

 

Cachapas

 "Cachapas is a popular Venezuelan street food. They are corn pancakes stuffed with queso-de-mano meaning hand cheese. However, most people use mozzarella, I have used Edam slice cheese. You can use any cheese that is melty and stringy once heated. To make it more substantial, add any filling like avocado, ham slices or beans. I stuffed them with mortadella slices and cheese and served with a side of beans. For a vegetarian version, avoid the meat stuffing and add just cheese, serve with hot sauce".

Ingredients

3 cups canned corn, drained and washed

2 eggs

2-4 tablespoons masa harina, which is a type of coarse corn flour (P.A.N type), I have used wheat flour 

1 tablespoon cornflour

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons butter - divided. Half for the batter and half to fry the cachapas

salt to taste 

water, if needed 

For the stuffing: 

a few slices of Edam cheese

a few slices of mortadella or ham

Directions

In a food processer add corn and blend till it forms a paste. Add the eggs and blend further. Add milk and blend. Add salt to taste, 2 tablespoons wheat flour and cornflour and blend. Add 2 teaspoons butter and sugar and blend. If the batter is too thick, add 2 tablespoons of wheat flour and blend. Transfer to a bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. If the batter is too thick, add some water. Mix well and keep aside for 1/2 an hour. 

Keep a non-stick pan on low heat and add some butter. When the butter melts, pour 2 ladle spoons of the batter onto the pan and spread with the back of the ladle. Add another spoon of batter and spread till it's a good size of pancake. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low heat for a few minutes. Open the lid and check to see if bubbles are forming and the underside is lightly brown. Drop 2 small knobs of butter on top of the pancake. Gently flip the pancake over and while it's cooking on the other side, start laying a couple of cheese slices and ham on to one side of the pancake. Flip the other side over it, the pancake should be golden brown. Once the cheese starts to melt, transfer to a plate and serve with hot sauce. You can also make a side dish of beans to make the dish more substantial. 

Watch this recipe video on Pinterest https://pin.it/6yKCI7WoX

Kidney Beans (Rajma) Curry

Kidney Beans Curry

"My easy red kidney beans curry is the best comfort food and is a hearty meal. It is ready in minutes and can be had as a side dish or a main meal with rice, flat bread or tortillas. I have used 3 different spices, but feel free to use a mild curry powder if you don't like it spicy".

Ingredients

1 can (400 gms) of red kidney beans, drained and washed

1 large white/red onion, chopped finely 

2 large tomatoes, chopped finely

3 flakes garlic, grated or chopped finely

1 inch piece of ginger, grated or chopped finely

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole

2 tablespoons coconut milk powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

salt to taste

2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

a few sprigs of coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped, for garnishing.

Directions

In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add the chopped ginger-garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add all the powdered spices and stir. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Add some water, mix and cook till tomatoes are soft. Add salt to taste and beans and mix well. Add some more water and cook for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk powder and mix thoroughly. Garnish with coriander leaves and turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy with rice, tortillas or any flat bread. 

Watch this recipe video  on Pinterest https://pin.it/2zlSu0pM4