venthayam

VENTHAYA KUZHAMBU

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Venthaya kuzhambu is a south Indian gravy that is usually had with white rice (and rarely with idli or dosa). I learnt this dish from my MIL. She is my go-to source for all traditional south Indian (especially Tamilian) recipes. Venthaya kuzhambu is very much like puli (tamarind) kuzhambu except for the fact that we use only fenugreek seeds (venthaiyam/methi) in the recipe.
Venthaya Kuzhambu
Venthayam/Methi/Fenugreek is a healthy spice especially for new moms (for milk production) and also used for digestive problems. Fenugreek seeds in general are bitter in taste. Hence be cautious in the number for fenugreek seeds you use for the preparation of Venthaya kuzhambu. Personally, I have cooked Venthaya kuzhambu only for two, so, I use very little amount of fenugreek seeds (half in that I fry and the rest I add as is in the gravy).
Venthaya Kuzhambu
Like all those dishes that tastes better as they get older (pizza, fish gravy etc), Venthaya kuzhambu tastes excellent as it gets older. As I had mentioned above, you can have this gravy with white rice or as a side dish for curd rice, yummy! Try this healthy (for all those new moms) and tasty recipe in your home and as always let me know your comments and thoughts.

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VENTHAYA KUZHAMBU
Recipe type: lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • Shallots,chopped – 6 nos
  • Garlic cloves, chopped – 4 nos
  • Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp ( 5 to 6 nos )
  • Tamarind – big gooseberry size
  • Sambar powder – 1 tbs
  • Grated Coconut – 1 tbs
  • Gingelly oil – 2 tbs
  • Salt – as required
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in water for half an hour and extract the juice. Add sambar powder to the tamarind extract, mix well and set aside.
  2. Grind the coconut along with one chopped shallot and little water in to a fine paste.
  3. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a hot pan until golden brown. Allow them to cool. keep half of them aside and blend the remaining half to powder.
  4. Heat a pan with oil and add the shallots. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
  5. Add garlic and sauté well.
  6. Add tamarind extract and the dry roasted fenugreek seeds.
  7. Now add the coconut paste and bring it to boil. Add the fenugreek powder. Mix well and cook until the gravy is thick and dark brown. Switch off the flame.
  8. Serve venthaya kuzhambu along with white rice and egg podimas or fryums on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
1.Be careful while roasting the fenugreek seeds as it tastes bitter when overcooked. 2.Grinding very few fenugreek seeds to powder is a difficult job. So make a batch and use very little for this gravy. Store the remaining in a small air tight container.

Venthaya Kuzhambu

KERALA CHICKEN ROAST

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A while ago, I had mentioned about my HB’s attempt at cooking tandoori chicken and the awesome result. Most recently he attempted another variety of chicken called the Kerala Chicken Roast. And again it turned out to be an awesome dish! As the name suggests, Kerala Chicken Roast is a specialty of God’s Own Country and also my neighboring state as well, Kerala. kerala chicken roast Kerala Chicken roast is an easy to cook, spicy yet a tasty dish. It is a dry variety and hence a side dish essentially. The main ingredient in preparing Kerala Chicken Roast is the kerala garam masala. It is different from regular garam masala in the sense that it has the strong fennel seed flavor. And using shallots is must for this dish. You can have Kerala Chicken Roast with almost all main entrees like Rice (with some gravy, or just rasam), parotta, chapati, biriyani etc. kerala chicken roast Back to my HB’s cooking experiments, it is two out of two so far (Tandoori Chicken and Kerala Chicken Roast). Kerala Chicken Roast is a new dish to me and my HB. I have never had it back home but after tasting it for the first time here, I had noted to myself to try it back home in a Kerala-cuisine restaurant. Try this simple and spicy recipe at your home and share your experiences in the comments section below 🙂

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KERALA CHICKEN ROAST
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
To marinate:
  • Chicken – 200 grams
  • Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
  • Coriander powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt – a generous pinch
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Kerala garam masala:
  • Fennel seeds – 2 tbsp
  • Green cardamom – 5 nos
  • Cloves – ½ tbsp
  • Black pepper corn – 1 tbsp
  • Star anise – 1 no
  • Javetri- ½ no
  • Cinnamon stick – 1 “
  • Nutmeg – a pinch
Other ingredients:
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • Shallots – 6 nos, cut into slits
  • Curry leaves – a sprig , divided
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
  • Kerala garam masala – 1 tbsp
  • Whole green chillies – 5 nos
  • Freshly ground pepper – ½ tbsp
  • Salt as required
  • Cilantro – for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Wash and marinate the chicken with the above given ingredients for at least two hours.
  2. Dry roast the garam masala ingredients for a minute, allow it to cool, blend into powder.
  3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When it starts to sizzle add shallots and few curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
  4. Add the marinated chicken and sauté well. close the lid and cook until the chicken is half done.
  5. Add the kerala garam masala and salt and give it a stir.
  6. Add whole green chillies and sauté until all the water is well absorbed and oil ooze out from the chicken.
  7. Now add in the remaining curry leaves and freshly crushed pepper. Sauté for a minute and switch off the flame.
  8. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy with hot rice or Indian flat breads!

kerala chicken roast