Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Hot Drumsticks Gravy)

After years of using frozen drumsticks, I laid my hands on fresh ones at the Indian store yesterday.  Immediately, i planned on cooking kara kuzhambu which i normally prepare with Indian eggplants (brinjal). It is a south indian dish served with cooked rice. This spicy and tangy kuzhambu is a variation from your usual sambar or rasam. So, go ahead and give this kuzhambu a try, i am sure you will love it. Here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

2 Drumsticks (14-16 pieces)

14-16 Red Pearl Onions

2 small Tomatoes

10-12 Garlic pods

6-8 Curry leaves

1 1/2 tbsp dried Tamarind

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt, to taste

 To grind:

2 tbsp shredded Coconut (frozen & thawed)

1 tbsp Sambar powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds

How to:

• Chop the drumsticks to 3" pieces and mince the tomatoes and onions.

• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and keep the juice aside.
• Grind the 'to grind' ingredients with 1/4 cup water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and turmeric powder.

• Add the onions, little salt and saute until it turns translucent.

• Then add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed for 4-5 mins.

• Now add the drumsticks, garlic and curry leaves, mix well and cook for a min.

• Pour 1 1/2 cups of water along with tamarind juice and cook with lid closed until the drumsticks cook.

• Add the ground coconut mixture and cook until desired consistency. 

• Check salt for taste and switch off.

• Serve hot with rice.

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.

Instant Sambar

Sambar is one of the staple food for South Indians. Hot steamed idlies or shallow fried dosa, sambar goes very well and a best accompaniment, sure a killer breakfast combo. When i came across this quick sambar from Padhuskitchen by Padhu, i know someday would come, to try this lovely recipe. And today tonight it is. I couldn't believe how quickly i prepared the sambar and dished out. Thanks to Padhu for sharing such a speedy recipe. Here it goes,

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Split Moong dal

1/2 medium Yellow onion (chopped)

1 Roma Tomato (chopped)

2 Green Chillies (slit)

4 Garlic pods

1 small Tamarind ball

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup  + 1 1/2 cup Water

 For Tempering:

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Asafoetida

2 Dry red Chilli (broken)

4-5 Curry Leaves

1tbsp Cilantro (chopped)

2tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup water and extract the juice.
• Pressure cook moong dal along with onion, tomato, green chilli and turmeric powder for 3 whistles.

• Open the cooker, mash the dal well, pour the tamarind extract along with 1 1/2 cup water and bring it to a boil. (It has to be watery.)

• Add salt and the tempering. Finally garnish with cilantro.

• Serve hot with idli or dosa. Dip it, Dunk it or Drown it.

Tempering:

• Heat oil in a small skillet, add dry red chilli, mustard seeds, when it splutters, add cumin seeds, then urad dal, followed by asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Saute for 30 secs and pour the mixture into the sambar.

Sending this dish to the event Bookmarked recipes hosted by Aipi.

Tangy Mango gravy

Ingredients:

1 ripe Mango (I used 1 sour mango,pic shows 2)

2 green chilli (chopped)

1/2 cup grated Coconut

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 cup plain Yogurt (beaten)

Water

Tadka:

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1 Pinch Fenugreek seeds

2 dry red chilli (broken)

4-5 Curry leaves

1 Pinch Asafoetida (missing in pic)

How to:

• Wash and peel the skin of the mango. Separate the mango pulp from the seed and dice them.

• Heat a sauce pan, add the mango chunks and pour water so as to immerse'em.

• Add green chillies, turmeric powder and chilli powder and cook until the mango chunks are mashable.

• Meanwhile, finely grind the coconut and cumin seeds along with 1tbsp water and keep it aside.

• Now add the ground coconut to the mango gravy and cook until raw smell disappears, in a medium flame.

• Reduce the flame to low and cook for couple more mins.

• Then switch off, pour the beaten yogurt and mix well

• Finally add the tadka.(Tadka: Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chilli and fenugreek seeds. Transfer'em to the gravy.)

Serve hot over steamed rice.