Chicken Keema Matar

Keema means 'minced meat'. It is typically made with minced lamb or goat and is a south-indian favorite. This is such a simple and quick curry with lots of flavor. The curry is not dry, but moist enough and a perfect accompaniment for roti and parathas. You will be surprised at how easy it is to make with different meats with the same base. If you are using any kind of red meat for the dish, make sure you pressure cook. And here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Chicken(minced)

2 medium Onions (finely chopped)

2 medium Tomatoes (finely chopped/puréed)

1/2 cup Green Peas (frozen & thawed)

2 tsp Ginger (minced)

2 tsp Garlic (minced)

2 Green Chilies (minced)

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Red Chili powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1 Bay leaf

1 inch Cinnamon stick

1 Black Cardamom

2 Green Cardamom

2 Cloves

1/2 - 1 cup Water

2-3 sprigs Mint leaves (chopped)

4-5 sprigs Cilantro (chopped)

2 stalks Green onions (chopped)

2 tbsp Oil

 How to:

• Heat oil in a pan at medium heat, add bay leaf, cinnamon. cardamoms and cloves followed by onions.

• Add green onions and green chilies, and saute along with little salt until it softens.

• Add ginger and garlic and cook until raw smell disappears. 

• Now add mint leaves and cilantro and cook until onions are slightly browned.

• Add tomatoes and cook covered with lid until completely mashed up for 6-8 mins. Remove and cook until oil separates.

• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Cook for a couple of mins.

• Add the ground chicken and mix well with the masala.

• Add salt and green peas, mix well and saute for couple of mins.

• Add curry leaves, stir and pour the water and cook for 3-5 mins. Check salt for taste and switch off.

• Serve hot with roti or paratha.

 Tips:

• Ground chicken or turkey can be cooked in an open pan. But red meat like lamb or beef has to be pressure cooked.

Chettinad Chicken Kuzhambu

Chettinad cuisine is famous for using various spices and one of the most aromatic food in India. This is one such spicy chicken dish that wakes up all your senses. You can adjust the water to make it a thick curry or more of a kuzhambu. If you have red pearl onions (small onions) substitute that for more authentic taste. I have used chicken thighs as it has much flavor and meat is tender, you can use bone-in or boneless chicken breast. And here goes the hot recipe,

Ingredients:

2 lbs Bone-in Chicken thighs (bite size pieces)

2 medium Red onions (finely chopped)

2 small Tomatoes (chopped)

2 tsp minced Ginger

2 tsp minced Garlic

1 tsp Red Chili powder (or to taste)

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

6-8 Dry Red Chili

2 tsp Coriander seeds

3 Cloves

1 inch Cinnamon stick

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

1/2 cup grated Coconut

15-20 Curry leaves

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt

How to:

• Heat a small skillet and dry roast together the dry red chili, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds and coconut. 
• Once the coconut is dehydrated and turned slightly brown, switch off and let the mixture cool.

• Grind the cooled mixture along with 1/2 a cup water to a smooth paste and keep aside.

• Heat sesame oil in a deep pan, add the onions with a sprinkle of salt and cook until it releases oil.

• Now add the ginger and garlic and cook until raw smell disappears.

• Add the ground paste along with 1/2 cup water and cook for a min.

• Now add the turmeric powder and red chili powder and cook for another min.

• Add the tomatoes and cook until completely mashed up or until the oil is released with the lid open.

• Add the chicken pieces along with curry leaves and more salt and mix well to coat the chicken completely.

• Adding more curry leaves :)

• Cook for 4-5 mins or until the chicken turns white and gets lightly seared.

• Now pour 1-2 cups water depending on the consistency you need and let come to a boil.
• Transfer the curry to a pressure cooker and cook for a whistle. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in the same pan with lid closed for 15-20 mins. (I prefer pressure cooking the bone-in chicken.)

• Switch off and serve hot with rice, dosa or paratha.

Spiced Baby Potato Curry

I never had my hands on baby potatoes until i made this hot and finger-licking curry. It is simple and easy to make with your basic pantry stuff and also pretty addictive and makes you gobble up the potatoes. The curry might look a bit dry than your usual gravy for chapathis but it is actually quite moist and goes perfectly well. If you want more of a gravy, then smash one potato and mix it with the masala when you add the water. And here goes the recipe,
Ingredients:

8-10 Baby Potatoes

2 Ripe Tomatoes

1 medium Red Onion (finely chopped)

3 Green Chilies (slit)

5-6 Curry Leaves

1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

2tbsp Cilantro, for garnishing

1 cup Water

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Boil and peel the baby potatoes. 

• Heat the oil in a pan and gently sear the potatoes without breaking'em and keep it aside.

• In the same pan, add the cumin seeds followed by onions and saute'em for 2-3 mins.

• Add the ginger, green chilies and curry leaves and cook for a min.

• Now add the tomatoes and cook until its completely mashed with lid closed.

• Add the turmeric powder, chili power and garam masala powder and mix well.

• Now add the seared potatoes, prick'em with a fork and gently mix with the masala.

• Add water and salt and cook 5-6 mins or until everything comes together.

• Check salt for taste, switch off and garnish with cilantro.

• Serve hot with chapathi or paratha.

Brussels Sprout Curry

I have always had oven roasted brussels sprout as a side with my fish, and now i am glad that i found out this fabulous Brussels Sprout Subzi recipe from Showmethecurry. Err..why didn't i try it before? Ah, never mind. I got to say, this is best curry i have tasted so far that goes fantastic with sambar rice or may be anything (didn't had any leftover to try with chapathi or dosa). The cute little cabbages were so tender and juicy, that we both devoured every bite of'em. Actually, i skipped using tomato paste and tamarind paste that the recipe calls for. I can keep on talking about the curry, so let me stop and you guys give it a try and talk about it. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

15-18 Brussels Sprouts

1/2 Red Onion (finely chopped)

2 Ripe Roma Tomatoes (finely chopped)

4-5 Curry leaves

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Chilli powder

2tsp Sambar powder

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1/4tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 pinch Asafoetida (hing)

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Remove the bruised, loose leaves from the brussels sprout, wash'em and cut into quarters.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida followed by turmeric powder, onions and curry leaves.

• Sauté until onions are tender, then add the tomatoes and continue sautéing until its half-cooked.

• Now add the chilli powder and sambar powder and cook until tomatoes are completely mashed up.

• Add the quartered brussels sprout, mix well along with salt and cook with lid closed in a medium flame.

• Sprinkle some water every time you stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.
• Cook until tender to bite, check salt for taste and switch off.

Serve hot with sambar or dal rice.