Author: Deerga

Sambar Rice

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Sambar riceSambar rice is a south indian dish similar to Bisibela bath but has a different method of preparation. As the name suggests, it is a mixture of rice and sambar. Sambar is a mainstay in southern cuisine and is popular all over India as well (especially those north Indian celebrities who always make it a point to say that their favorite dish from Tamilnadu is Sambar ;))
Sambar rice
Sambar riceSambar rice is one of my most recent favorite dishes. I came across this recipe online while searching, as usual, for a new recipe to try. This particular one caught my attention because of the way it was prepared. In Bisibela bath, you put all vegetables, along with dal and rice and cook them together. But here in Sambar rice, you prepare the rice and sambar separately and mix them together later (I would suggest doing this right before serving).
Sambar rice
Sambar riceSambar rice always reminds me of my college days when it was served during our industrial visits (those days, huh :)) One good thing about sambar rice is that you don’t need a side dish. It tastes just fine with only chips or pickle. Enjoy this favorite dish by cooking it in your kitchen and as always post your comments

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Sambar Rice
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Ingredients
  • Rice – 1 cup
  • Toor dal – ½ cup
  • Tamarind – marble size
  • Drumstick – 1 no
  • Other vegetables , chopped – ½ cup (carrot, potato, brinjal)
  • Shallots – 10 nos
  • Tomato, chopped – 1 no
  • Sambar powder (sakthi) – ½ tbsp
  • Homemade sambar powder – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ⅛ tsp
  • Asafetida – ¼ tsp
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
  • Cilantro, chopped – 2 tbsp
To roast & grind :
  • Red chillies – 3 nos
  • Channa dal – 1 tbsp
  • Coriander seeds – 1 & ½ tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp
  • Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
To temper:
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • Asafetida – ¼ tsp
Instructions
  1. Cook the rice. Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.
  2. Soak toor dal in water for an hour and pressure cook for 5 whistles. When done mash it and keep aside.
  3. Heat few drops of oil in a pan and roast the above given ingredients except coconut. Roast until they turn golden brown. Roast coconut separately. Allow them to cool and blend all together to a fine powder.
  4. Heat a pan with a tbsp of oil and temper the given ingredients. Add shallots and curry leaves. Sauté until onions turn translucent.
  5. Add tomatoes and fry till they become soft.
  6. Add the tamarind extract and bring it to boil.
  7. Now add turmeric powder, sambar powders, asafetida and all the vegetables.
  8. When the vegetables are cooked. Sprinkle all the ground sambar powder on top slowly, stirring constantly. Switch off the flame- Do not add sambar powder as aheap as it might form lumps. Sprinkle little by little.
  9. Add the sambar to the cooked rice along with dal and mix well (without breaking the veggies).
  10. Add 2 tbsp of ghee and garnish with cilantro.
  11. Enjoy the hot sambar rice with fryums and pickle! 

 

Sambar rice

Shahi Tukda

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Shahi TukdaRecently, my sister in law visited us from Canada and we had a blast. During her stay at our home, I tried a north indian dessert item called the Shahi Tukda. Shahi Tukda roughly translates to ’Royal pieces’ (Shahi – royal, Tukda – pieces). I came across this recipe in my never ending search for interesting recipes. Shahi Tukda is a very sweet dish and best served when cold. There is a common misconception that Shahi Tukda and the popular Telangana dish, Double Ka Meetha are the same, but they are not.
Shahi TukdaShahi Tukda’s main ingredients are bread and raabdi. Raabdi is a syrup like substance that you would have seen in Rasamalai (yes, it is that same beige colored syrup in which the malai’ are dipped in). Shahi Tukda is easy to make and it involves fried bread dipped in thin sugar syrup and then pouring raabdi over it. Keep in mind that frying the bread in ghee tastes way better than frying it in oil. For a little bit healthier version of this dish, you can pan fry the bread (I know, what is healthy in deep frying or pan frying and with too much sugar- but hey, you do have to give in to your indulgence once in a while to enjoy life :)).
Shahi Tukda
Shahi TukdaShahi Tukda is a perfect dessert for those who love sweets a lot. It is very rich in flavor and taste. Do try this north indian ‘king’s’ dessert in your kitchen and let me know your comments and thoughts.
Shahi Tukda
Shahi Tukda

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Shahi Tukda
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
For sugar syrup:
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
For rabdi :
  • 1 litre whole milk
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • A pinch of saffron strands
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • ½ tsp almonds, chopped
  • ½ tsp pistachios, chopped
Other ingredients:
  • Ghee to deep fry
  • 6 white bread slices
  • ½ tsp almonds, chopped for garnishing
  • ½ tsp pistachios, chopped for garnishing
  • Few saffron strands for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Mix water and sugar in a sauce pan. Heat it to make thin sugar syrup (one string consistency).
  2. While the sugar syrup is getting ready, boil the whole milk in a flat bottomed non stick pan. Once the milk is boiled, simmer it and stir occasionally until the milk reaches ⅓rd of its consistency. Add sugar, saffron and cardamom powder and mix well. Simmer for another 5 minutes and rabdi will be ready.
  3. Heat ghee in a pan and first cut the corners (brown parts) of the bread slices and then cut the bread cubes diagonally. When the ghee is hot, deep fry the bread slices until they turn golden brown. Place the deep fried breads in a plate lined with clean tissue.
  4. Pour some rabdi on a serving plate. Dip the bread slices one by one into the sugar syrup (do not soak) and place them on the same serving plate. Pour rabdi again on top of the bread pieces. Garnish with chopped nuts and few strands of saffron.
  5. Serve it warm or cold (refrigerated shahi tukda taste excellent).

Shahi Tukda

Kundapur Chicken Gravy

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kundapur chicken It has been a while since I posted a non vegetarian recipe and now I am giving you a speciality from my neighboring state, Karnataka. It is called as the Kundapur Chicken gravy, a popular dish from Mangalorean cuisine that has its origins from Kundapur, a coastal town in Karnataka. Kundapur chicken is a versatile dish that goes well with all main course dishes like, rice, naan, parotta, biriyani, chapati, dosa etc. Kundapur Chicken Kundapur chicken gravy’s main ingredient, the one that gives its distinct taste, is the kundapur masala powder. Kundapur chicken gravy is one of HB’s favorite dishes and he makes me to cook it at least once in like two months (I know that is a considerable gap but I do have to try other interesting recipes, right? ;)). We normally have Kundapur chicken with Biryani and Chappati. Kundapur Chicken I would say Kundapur was one of the first dishes I tried which was not from Tamilnadu or a hand down from my mom or MIL 🙂 Do try this Mangalorean dish in your kitchen and let me know your comments as well as the favorite main course dish that you would like to have with.

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Coondapur Chicken Gravy
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
To dry roast and grind:
  • Kashmiri red chilli – 2 nos
  • Black peppercorns- 1 tbsp
  • Coriander seeds – 1½ tbsp
  • Fenugreek seeds – 8 nos
  • Tamarind – marble size
  • Coconut - 2 tbsp
Other ingredients:
  • Oil – 3 tbsp
  • Onion, finely chopped – 1 no
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder – a pinch
  • Green chillies – 2 nos
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
  • Chicken, with bones -
  • Salt as required
  • Coconut milk – 2 tbsp
  • Cilantro, chopped – 1 tbsp
Instructions
  1. Heat a pan and dry roast all the above ingredients except coconut for a minute or until they spread aroma. Allow them to cool and grind it along with coconut to a fine paste.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped onion. Sauté well. when the onions turn translucent add ginger garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell disappears. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.
  3. Add green chillies and curry leaves. Give it a stir and add the ground coconut paste. Sauté well, reduce to medium flame and allow them to cook for 20 minutes.
  4. When the oil start to ooze out, add the chicken and mix well. when the gravy is well blended with the chicken, cover the lid and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes in a low flame. When the chicken is ¾ th cooked, add coconut milk mix well. cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and switch off the flame.
  5. Enjoy the tasty kundapur chicken with roti, white rice or even for dosa!

Kundapur Chicken

TIFFIN SAMBAR

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Tiffin sambar
Tiffin sambar!? I know, right! What is Tiffin sambar? Back home, in restaurants, the sambar served for tiffin items (like idli, dosa etc or to keep it simple, anything that is not rice :)) has a different consistency and taste than that is served with rice during lunches (unless the people in that restaurant is really lazy and serve the same for both tiffin and rice ;)). This variety that is served with tiffin is called as the Tiffin sambar (‘Tiffin saptaacha’ – Had your tiffin?, Tiffin saapidalama – Shall we have tiffin?, are common talk in my native, referring to either breakfast or dinner)
Tiffin Sambar
There are many different varieties of sambar like, Murungai sambar, Kathirikka sambar, Araithuvitta sambar etc and Tiffin sambar is one among them. One advantage with sambar varieties in general is that you can add any vegetable that you want to to the recipe. And in Tiffin sambar, potatoes or drumsticks are added. In my home, my mom usually prepares it for breakfast and calls it as avasara (quick) sambar since it can be prepared in a short while. I still remember my mom stacking up thin dosas with tiffin sambar poured in between for my lunch while in school. It was very popular among my friends.
Tiffin Sambar
Tiffin sambar is one of the recent recipes that I have started to cook and is fast getting to be an ‘often cooked’ recipe. Dosa with Tiffin sambar or Idlis soaked in Tiffin sambar, also called as Sambar idli are some of the dishes that you must have from Tamilian cuisine. So is it going to be Tiffin sambar for breakfast tomorrow in your home? What say? 🙂

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TIFFIN SAMBAR
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Toor dal – ¼ cup
  • Vegetable (potato,drumstick,carrot) - 1 no
  • Shallots – 10 nos
  • Green chilli – 2 nos
  • Tomato – 1 no
  • Tamarind – small gooseberry size
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  • Jaggery – a small piece
  • Asafoetida – a generous pinch
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Cilantro – for garnishing
  • Ghee – 1 tsp
  • Salt as required
To roast and grind:
  • Channa dal – 1 tbsp
  • Coriander seeds – ¾ tbsp
  • Red chillies – 3 nos
  • Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
To temper:
  • Oil – 2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Jeera – 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in water for half an hour and extract the juice. Add two cups of water to it and keep it aside.
  2. Soak toor dal for an hour. Wash the potato or drumstick and cut to desired pieces. Pressure cook the dal with a cup of water, turmeric powder, asaofetida, few drops of sesame oil and potato or drumstick for 4 whistles. When done, allow it to cool, peel off the skin and set aside. Mash the dal with the help of a ladle and set aside.
  3. Now heat a kadai or a pan with few drops of oil and roast the ingredients altogether given above, stirring constantly. When they turn light brown, add cumin seeds at last and give it a stir. Do not over roast it. Let it cool and blend to a powder.
  4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and temper the above ingredients. Add a pinch of asaofetida snd shallots. Sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add green chillies and tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes.
  5. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil. Add few curry leaves, cilantro, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Again bring it to boil.
  6. Add the potato and cook for another couple of minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the sambar powder on top stirring constantly – Do not add sambar powder as a whole as it might form lumps.
  8. Add the cooked dal and stir well. Now you can add water according to your desired consistency. Add jaggery and garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Switch off the flame. Enjoy it with hot idlis, dosas and ven pongal! 

Tiffin Sambar

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

KADALAI PARUPPU CHUTNEY

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Kadalai paruppu chutney Kadalai Paruppu chutney or chana dal chutney is a popular side dish to idli and dosa in south Indian homes. It is my HB’s favorite chutney.  I normally prefer onion chutney  but do try other varieties as well. During my recent visit to India, my MIL prepared Kadalai Paruppu chutney and after having it, I realized how much I missed it. And now, it has joined to my list of chutneys to go for when there is a time constraint 🙂 Kadalai paruppu chutney Kadalai Paruppu chutney, though is had with idli and dosa, it really goes well with idli. It is easy to make and tasty as well. Kadalai Paruppu chutney with idli, podi and gingely oil is a combination that has to be tried at least once :). As I had mentioned above, even though it is popular in South Indian homes, I have never seen it served in restaurants!? (or I might not have recognized it when served ;)) Kadalai paruppu chutney The main ingredient in Kadalai Paruppu chutney, as the name suggests, is kadalai paruppu. As with all other tasty dishes, there is a slight drawback to this chutney as well, i.e., fat. Kadalai paruppu is one of the grams that is used to extract oil and hence the fat content. However, having tasty chutneys once in a while is a welcome relief to otherwise mundane dishes, what say? Do try this recipe in your home and share your thoughts.

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KADALAI PARUPPU CHUTNEY | CHANA DAL CHUTNEY
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Ingredients
  • Oil – ½ tbsp
  • Chana dal or kadalai paruppu – 2 tbsp
  • Shallots – 3 nos
  • Red chilli – 2 nos
  • Tomato – 1 no
  • Grated coconut – 1 tbsp
  • Salt as required
To temper:
  • Oil- ½ tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Urad dal – ½ tsp
  • Curry leaves – 5 nos
Instructions
  1. Heat a flat pan with oil and add chana dal (kadalai paruppu). Stir for a minute and add roughly chopped shallots. Sauté well and add red chilli and chopped tomato.
  2. Add salt and sauté for couple of minutes.
  3. Allow them to cool and blend it along with grated coconut.
  4. Transfer the kadalai paruppu chutney to a serving bowl and do the seasoning. Enjoy it with hot idlis along with idli podi on the side!
Notes
Do not fry the chana dal for so long. Add onions before the chana dal turn brown. The right state is when the chana dal turns white around the corners.

Kadalai paruppu chutney

KALYANA RASAM

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Kalyana rasam, as the name suggests, is a special type of rasam that is served in marriage feasts (kalyanam – marriage). It is one of the many varieties of rasam out there. I learnt this recipe out of curiosity. Kalyana rasam is one of those recipes that you don’t realize their uniqueness until you actually try them.
Kalyana rasam
One fine day, while I was looking for something interesting to cook i.e., known item but not a well known recipe, I came across Kalyana rasam. First I was skeptical about the name but the name did remind me about the specific taste of rasam in marriage feasts. So, I went ahead and gave it a try. And trust me, once you have kalayana rasam, you will certainly remember those marriage feasts.
Kalyana rasam
Try this unique, flavorful and tasty kalyana rasam at your home and relive those joyous memories of marriages and the wonderful feasts that accompany them :). Don’t forget to post your comments as well.

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KALYANA RASAM
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 to 4
 
Ingredients
  • Tomato, medium sized– 2 nos , divided
  • Toor dal – ¼ cup (soaked in water for ½ an hour)
  • Ghee - ½ tsp
  • Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – a pinch
  • Asafetida – a pinch
  • Cilantro – 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves – 1 tsp
To roast and grind:
  • Toor dal – 1 tbsp
  • Black peppercorns – ½ tsp
  • Red chilli – 1 nos
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Instructions
  1. Pressure cook the toor dal with ½ a cup of water for 5 to six whistles.
  2. Grind ¾ th of the tomato into puree. Chop and save the remaining.
  3. Heat a seasoning ladle with few drops of ghee and roast the given ingredients by adding one by one. Do not over roast the ingredients. Allow it to cool and grind them to a fine paste.
  4. Combine the tomato puree, ground paste, turmeric powder, asafetida and salt in a sauce pan and allow it to boil for 10 minutes.
  5. Add the cooked toor dal to the mixture and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until a froth is formed around the rim. Switch off the flame and add the remaining tomato (chopped) to the hot rasam. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro.
  6. Temper the rasam with mustard seeds. Enjoy the kalyana rasam with white rice and scrambled eggs or any fry on the side!

Kalyana rasam

CHICKEN TIKKA

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Chicken Tikka Chicken Tikka is a popular north Indian dish made of small pieces of boneless chicken. The work Tikka means pieces (in Hindi). The peparation method for making chicken tikka is unique in the sense that the chicken pieces are baked in a clay oven called Tandoor. Given that we can’t have tandoors at home (atleast most of us, including me :)), conventional oven is a good alternative. It still tastes great baking the chicken tikka in an oven. Chicken Tikka Chicken Tikka is also the base for another popular dish called the Chicken Tikka masala, a tasty gravy. One of the main pain points for making chicken tikka masala, apart from the Tandoor is the moisture content in the chicken. Make sure to remove all moisture from the chicken tikka and the marinating ingredients as well. I usually marinate the chicken overnight which given the chicken tikka a nice flavor given that the masala gets absorbed by the chicken through the night. Chicken Tikka Chicken tikka is very popular in overseas Indian restaurants and as far I have seen, it is one of the most popular indian dishes among foreigners (along with naan). Also, given its dual benefit of having it as a dry item as well as a gravy (chicken tikka masala), it is one of the go-to dishes in functions like weddings, get-togethers and also in hotel buffets. Chicken Tikka Hot Chicken Tikka with a squeeze of lemon juice and coriander chutney tastes like heaven and can make anyone drool just by a glimpse of it. Here is the recipe to this wonderful dish. Let me know your thoughts and comments on your experience with Chicken tikka!

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CHICKEN TIKKA
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Ingredients
Marinade #1 :
  • Chicken thighs – 800 grms
  • Ginger & garlic paste – ½ tbs
  • Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1 tbs
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Lemon juice – 1 tbs
Marinade #2:
  • Gram flour – 2 tbs
  • Kashmiri chilli powder – ½ tsp
  • Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tbs ( squeeze all the moisture )
  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt – 1 tsp
  • Garam masala – ½ tsp
  • Cardamom powder – a pinch
  • Dry Fenugreek leaves / Kasthuri methi – 1 /2 tbs
  • Oil – 2 tbs
  • Yogurt – 3 /4 cup (extract all the moisture with the help of muslin/cheese cloth)
  • Onion – 1 (cut into cubes)
  • Tomato – 1 (cut into cubes)
  • Bell pepper – 1 (cut into cubes)
Chat masala mix:
  • Chat masala – 1 tbs
  • Dry mint leaves – 1 tbs (crushed)
Instructions
  1. Wash and cut the chicken pieces into small tikka (uniform) size cubes. (smaller sizes are just good). Pat it dry with the clean tissue.
  2. Marinate the chicken given under marination #1 and leave for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
  3. Now cook the gram flour in a wide pan with a tbs of oil (in a medium flame). Keep stirring the gram flour for a couple of minutes and switch off the flame.
  4. Mix the ingredients given under marination #2 and check the salt and spices.
  5. Now mix marination #1 and #2 all together and leave it for at least 3 hours or refrigerate overnight.
  6. Soak the wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes (So that it don’t get burnt while you put it in the oven). While skewers are soaking, bring chicken to room temperature
  7. Preheat the oven to 450°F or max and put in in boiler mode.
  8. Brush a broiler pan lightly with oil.
  9. Divide chicken among skewers (about 4 cubes per skewer) followed by a piece each of onion, bell pepper and tomato cube in between the chicken cubes, leaving an ⅛-inch space between cubes.
  10. Repeat the step on each skewers. Brush oil on top of the chicken and arrange skewers across pan. The chicken is now skewered and ready to be grilled.
  11. Place the pan inside the oven and cook for 20 minutes. (checking between 8 to 10 minutes)
  12. Remove the pan, turn over the skewer and brush the chicken cubes with little oil on top.
  13. Now remove the rack from the oven and place it one layer up (closer to the filament), place the pan on the rack and broil for another 5 minute or until browned in spots.
  14. The nice and juicy chicken tikka is now ready.
  15. Mix chat masala and dry mint leaves and make a powder.
  16. Sprinkle little bit of the chat masala mix and lime juice on top of the kabab.
  17. Chicken tikka can be eaten with green coriander chutney served with onion rings and lemon,

Chicken Tikka

CHILLI PAROTTA

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Chilli parotta
Chilli parotta is an amazing dish that is a worthy contender to its non vegetarian counterpart, Kothu parotta. Chilli parotta is a vegetarian entree made with shredded parottta and masala (in a paste form).
Chilli parotta
My earliest recollection of chilli parotta are those family outings where my dad used to get me chilli parotta to be had at home – only for me to finish it off on the way home:). I don’t recall having chili parotta of similar taste since then, of course, except for the one I make ;). Also, my HB is a very big fan of my recipe that he had declared that he has never tasted this good anywhere else!!!
Chilli parotta
There is a healthier version of chili parotta too where you don’t deep fry the parotta but just add it as is. Restaurants deep fry the parotta and to be honest, deep frying the parotta makes a huge difference in the taste. Normally, you don’t need a side dish for chili parotta but onion raitha goes well with it.
Chilli parotta
Try this awesome dish at your home and let me know your comments.

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CHILLI PAROTTA
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
For the batter:
  • All purpose flour – 1 cup
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
  • Chicken 65 masala – 1 tsp
  • Salt – ½ tsp (couple of pinches)
  • Red food color – a pinch
To grind:
  • Coconut – 3 tbsp (1/2 cup)
  • Cashews – 1 tbsp
  • Poppy seeds – 2 tbsp
For the masala:
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Whole spices – 4 cardamom, 1” cinnamon, 4 cloves
  • Onion, medium, chopped – 1 no
  • Curry leaves – ½ a sprig
  • Tomato, medium size, chopped – ½
  • Ginger – Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
  • Chicken 65 masala – 1 ½ tsp
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Salt as required
  • Red food color – a pinch
  • Oil – to deep fry
  • Parottas, cut lengthwise – 4 nos
  • Cilantro – for garnishing
  • Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Instructions
Step 1:
  1. Mix all the batter ingredients given above with enough water and make a thick batter – Batter should not be too thick or too thin. The right consistency is the bajji batter.
  2. Grind the above ingredients to a thick paste and keep it ready.
Step 2:
  1. Heat a wide pan with oil and add the whole spices. When they start to sizzle add in the chopped onions and curry leaves together.
  2. When the onions turn translucent add in the chopped tomato and sauté well for a couple of minutes.
  3. Now add in the ginger – garlic paste. Sauté until the raw aroma disappears. Add all the powders give a quick stir and add a cup of water. Add salt and food color and bring them to boil.
  4. Add the ground coconut paste to the masala and sauté well. cook until they blend together and ooze out on the rim.
Step 3:
  1. Heat oil in another pan to deep fry the parattas.
  2. While the oil is getting hot, cut the parottas lengthwise.
  3. Dip the parotta pieces one by one to the batter and deep fry them. Repeat for all the parotta pieces – Do not soak the parottas for more than a second. Just dip it and deep fry it right away. Otherwise the parottas become more soggy and it would be hard to hold while frying.
  4. Drain on a plate lined with paper napkin and allow them to cool.
Step 4:
  1. Cut the fried parottas to the desired size pieces.
  2. Heat the masala that is made in step 2. Add in the fried parotta pieces to the masala and mix well.
  3. Switch off the flame when the masala is well blended with the parottas.
  4. Garnish with cilantro. Drizzle few drops of lemon juice on top and serve it hot. Enjoy the chilli parotta with onion raitha on the side!

Chilli parotta