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.

Aloo Mutter (Potatoes and Peas)

Potatoes and peas, can't be any perfect for your chapathis and rotis. The curry is absolutely spiced up and a slight tanginess from the amchur powder makes you say 'mmm'. You can also add par boiled cauliflower and paneer to the curry. There is nothing more to say except 'you're gonna love it just like i did'. And here goes the recipe,
Ingredients:

3 medium Potatoes

1/4 cup Green Peas (frozen, thawed)

2 medium Red Onion (finely chopped)

3 small Tomatoes (finely chopped)

2 Green Chilli (chopped)

1tsp Ginger (minced)

1 1/2tsp Garlic (minced)

5-6 Curry leaves

2tsp Coriander powder

1/2tsp Chilli powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

1/4tsp Amchur powder

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1 pinch Asafoetida

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1.5-2 cups Water

Salt

2tbsp Oil

1tbsp Cilantro (chopped), for garnishing

 How to:

• Par-boil the potatoes, peel the skin and chop'em into bite size pieces. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder.

• Add onions followed by curry leaves and green chilies. Saute for 3-4 mins.

• Then add ginger and garlic and cook until raw smell disappears.

• Add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed until it is completely mashed up.

• Now add the masala powders along with salt and cook for couple of mins.

• Add the par boiled potatoes, pour water and cook with lid closed until they are tender.

• Now add the peas, check salt and cook few more mins until desired consistency is reached.

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

• Serve hot with chapathi or naan.

Carrot-Beans-Peas Stir fry (Poriyal)

A very healthy and quick stir-fry that needs no long explanations and goes perfectly with plain steamed rice or sambar rice. I normally use carrot and beans for the stir fry, but today, i have also added green peas, which are mildly sweet and tender that gives nice texture to your every bite. Also, green peas helps in maintaining bone health and a very good source of folic acid and vitamin B6. 
If you wanna taste the veggies with its own mild sweetness, then skip adding the chilli powder and cumin powder. And here goes the simple recipe,

Ingredients:

1 cup Green Beans (finely chopped)

1 cup Carrot (finely chopped)

1/2 cup Green Peas (frozen & thawed)

1/2 Yellow onion (chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Chilli powder

1tsp Cumin powder

3 Dry red Chilli

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

4-5 Curry leaves

2tsp Coconut (shredded)

3/4 Water

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it pops, add urad dal, dry red chilli and cumin seeds.

• Then add onion and curry leaves and saute until onions are tender.

• Now add the carrot, green beans and peas along with salt and saute for a couple of mins.

• Add turmeric powder and pour the water, mix well and cook with lid closed until the veggies are tender.

• When the water is all evaporated, add chilli powder and cumin powder and saute for another couple of mins.

• Check salt for taste and add the shredded coconut and saute for a min in a medium-low flame.

Switch off and serve hot with sambar rice.

Gobi Mattar Masala

Ingredients:

1 medium Cauliflower (florets separated)

1 Yellow onion (finely chopped)

1 cup green peas (thawed)

2 1/2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)

1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

2tsp Chilli powder

1tbsp Coriander powder

3/4tsp Garam masala powder

1tsp Cumin seeds

2 cups water

Salt

2tbsp Oil

How to:

• In a skillet, heat oil and add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until raw smell disappears, followed by turmeric powder.

• Then add coriander powder, chilli powder and saute for a couple of mins.

• Now, add tomatoes and cook in a reduced flame with lid closed, until its completely mashed. (Stir once or twice to check if the masala is not burnt.)

• Pour the water with required salt and cook in a medium flame for a min.

• Then add the cauliflower florets and peas, mix well and cook with lid closed.

• Cook until they are tender and not mushy. Add the garam masala powder and simmer for another min. Also check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with steamed rice/chapathi/poori/naan, you name it.