Fish curry

Fish is a highly nutritious food.Being an excellent protein food with fewer calories,compared to other meats.It is rich in omega3 fatty acids proven to be good for the heart.Fish is an important staple food in the coastal regions of India and cooked in various ways.Fish pulusu or fish curry is famous in Andhra pradesh .Every state has its own way of making fish curry.This curry is purely my style as I cook lot of fish recipes which i learnt from my mom and mother in law.Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients

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• Fish 3 fillets (tilipa)
• ginger garlic each 3 to 4 pieces
• poppy seeds 1tspn
• onion 1 big or 2 med
• chillies 3(green or red )
• turmeric powder
• daniya powder,jeera powder each 1tspn
• Methi powder 1/4 tspn
• Tomato 1
• chilli powder 1/2 tspn
• Mustard oil (you may use any oil)
• water 1 to 2 cups
• Salt

Marination:   wash and cut fish pieces into desired shape add turmeric powder,salt,chillipowder,ginger garlic paste.keep aside for 1/2 an hr or refrigerate for half an hr.

Procedure:

• Heat 2 tbspn of oil in a pan,slowly add marinated fish pieces,fry few mins around 5 to 10 mins..Just to ged rid of the raw smell.
• Take out the pieces and keep aside.Add little bit oil to the same pan .Fry chopped onions(half for masala paste and half for frying)Until golden brown
• Grind ginger garlic,poppy seeds,chillies,onion into fine paste,keep aside.
• Add the masala paste to the fried onions ,fry well in a medium flame until oil oozes out of the masala.
• Now add tomato puree to the masla paste fry few more mins till raw smell goes off.Add daniya powder,jeera powder turmeric and chilli powder,mix it well.
• Add 2 cups of water and let it boil few mins,when you see the bubbles slowly add sauted fish pieces to the pan.
• Cover the lid,let it cook 5 to 8 mins then add methi powder and cook 3 to 4 mins and garnish with coriander leaves.

Chicken pickle

Indian pickles have wide range of flavors and textures.Indian pickles are generally pickled with oil,lemon juice,vinegar.Some meats that are pickled in Indian cusine are chicken,meat and shrimp.Today I'm going to post chicken pickle.Chicken pickle is very popular in Andhra (state in India)along with prawn or shrimp.I haven't tried chicken pickle until i cook myself.When one of my close friend Padmini  visited my home we both tried this recipe in my home.It was a hit But i didn't get a chance to write about it as i haven't created blog then.

                             This week we  got fresh country chicken(nattu kodi). So i thought of preparing chicken pickle.Here goes my recipe

Ingredients

• chicken 1 lb
• coriander seeds 2 tbspns
• cinnamon 2 pieces
• cloves 8 to 9
• poppy seeds (dry roast) 1 tspn
• garlic pods8 to 10
• ginger same as garlic (8 to 10 small pieces)
• water 2 glasses
• turmeric 1/4tspn
• salt 4 to 5 tspn(as needed)
• Oil 100ml
• chillipowder 6 to 8 tspns(as per your taste)
• mustard powder2 tspns
• Fenugreek powder 1/2 tspn
• Lemon 4 (medium size)

Ingredients for tadka:

• oil 100ml
• Dry red chillies 3 to 5
• cumin seeds 1 tspn
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tspn
• curry leaves 1 string
• Asofoedia 1 pinch

Procedure:

• Clean and cut chicken into small pieces.(boneless preferred).Heat 2 glasses of water in a bowl let it boil and add chicken to this boiled water.
• Cook chicken till it is soft.You can add very little salt and turmeric powder in the water.
• Now when the chicken is done drain the extra water and put the pieces in paper towel for 20 mins till they completely dry.(Here i have taken natu kodi or country chicken,for me it took more time to soften the chicken.usually 20 mins if  you cover with a lid))
• In the mean time grind all the spices coriander seeds,cloves ,cinnamon,and dry roast poppy seeds to fine powder.
• In the next round  add ginger and garlic piecess and grind again.Keep this masala paste aside.
• Now heat a pan add 100 ml of oil and fry boiled chicken till golden brown.
• To the fried chicken add grinded masala paste and fry few mins 3 to 4 mins and switch off the stove.
• In another small bowl add salt,chillipowder,mustard powder,fenugreek powder,and mix it well.Put all these spices on top of chicken and mix nicely
• In another bowl squeeze lemon juice ( 4 or 5 lemon).Once the chicken is cooled completely add this lemon juice and mix it well
• For tadka the final step,heat a pan add 100 ml of oil ,when it is hot add cumin,mustard seeds,dry red chillies, and asofoedia.Switch off the stove and carefully add curry leaves.Let this tadka cool completely.
• Add this tadka to the chicken and mix it well.you can transfer this in a dry glass container.Have it with rice.Enjoy the taste of chicken pickle.
  
  

Drumstick masala curry

Drumsticks are widely used in so many dishes especially in South India.I usually add drumsticks in sambar and if i have fresh drumsticks available in Indian market then i go for the curry.Here iam posting drumstick curry cooked with few spices.This is one of our favorite vegetable.My kids love it.

Drum stick plant possesses unique nutritional qualities that holds many supplements such as protein,minerals,and vitamins.Leaves are an excellent source of protein that can rarely found in any other herbs and green leafy vegetable.Iam posting this recipe in BM#42 under the theme "South Indian Meals".Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients

• Drumstick 3 to 4
• onion 2
• Tomatoes 2(Optional)
• red chilli powder 1 tspn
• turmeric 1/2 tspn
• ginger garlic  (garlic 2 pods ginger 3 pieces)
• grated coconut 1-2 tbspns
• daniya 1 tspn
• dalchin,lavang,cardamom each 2
• Poppy seeds 1 tspn
• green chillies 2 to 3
• salt as needed
• oil 2 tbspns

 Procedure:

• Wash and cut drumstick into desired shape and keep aside.cook drumsticks in boiling water for 3 to 5 mins till they are soft( As few drumsticks are so hard they won't cook with masala well) 
• For masala paste grind all ingredients (1 Onion,2 green chillies,daniya,lavang, dalchin,coconut,cardamom,poppy seeds,ginger ,garlic)
• Heat oil in a pan add mustard, jeera when it splutters add chopped onions let it fry then add the masala paste cook until the raw smell disappers.
• Now add chopped tomatoes cover it and let it cook until tomatoes  well cooked.Add chilli powder turmeric powder,salt.
• Add drumsticks, mix it well until it is well coated with masala.Then add 1- 2 cups of water as per our taste.
• cover it with a lid.Let it cook until the drumsticks are well cooked.Serve hot with rice or roti.

Check out for fellow Bloggers in BM#42

Chana dal coconut fry( sanagapappu kobbari koora)

Chana dal is one of the most popular ingredient in Indian cusine.Chana dal is delicious,nutrious,and easily digested,apart from being used in many ways it can also be roasted and powderd into another ingredient called chickpeas flour or besan.Here  iam posting a simple fry made with chana dal and coconut.It is pretty common in south Indian meals,we can include other vegetables in this curry but here im just posting simple chanadal coconut stir fry.

I am posting this recipe in Blogging Marathon #42 under the theme "south Indian meals".Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients

• chana dal 1 cup
• grated coconut 2 tbspns
• 1 onion finely chopped
•  mustard seeds 1/2 tspn
• cumin seeds1/2 tspn
•  turmeric 1/2 tspn
• redchillies 2
• Garlic 2  to 3 pods
• curry leaves 1 string
• urad dal 1/2 tspn
• oil 1 tbspn
• salt as needed

Procedure:

• Pressure cook chana dal for atleast 1 whistle or till it is soft( make sure it should not mashed)
• Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds, jeera when they splutter add,urad dal red chillies crushed garlic.
• Now add onions and curry leaves, little turmeric fry well few till the onions turn trasparent.Add cooked chana dal ,salt mix well and let it simmer for 2-3 mins.
• Add the grated coconut and stir fry for 4-5 mins .Serve with rice and rasam.

Ckeck out for fellow Bloggers in BM#42

Udupi Rasam

Rasam or chaaru is a south Indian soup traditionally prepared using tamarind juice,as a base with the addition of tomato,chilli powder and few spices.Steamed lentils added to the rasaam in this recipe.It is eaten with rice or seperately taken as a soup.Rasam has a distinct taste in comparison to the sambar. Here I am posting  Karnataka style udupi rasam which is very tasty.This is common in most of the south Indian meals.

Udupi rasam is an aromatic rasam which is common in karnataka side.Few months back i tasted this rasam in one of our friends home who are from karnataka.They offered as a soup to us and it was very delicious.Thought of learning this recipe,at last tried one day it was super hit in my home.This is very easy to prepare.Im posting this recipe in Blogging Marathon#42 under the theme "South Indian Meal dishes".Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients

• Toor dal 1/2 cup
• Tamarind small amount(lemon size)
• Tomatoes2 count(medium size)
• Green chillies 2 count
• water3 to 4 cups
• one spoon of grated coconut.
• Asafoetida 1 pinch
• Jaggery 2tspns
• salt to taste.

For rasam powder:

• Fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)1/4 Tspn
• Mustard seeds 1/2 Tspn
• Jeera 1/2 Tspn
• Daniya(coriander seeds) 2 tspns
• Red chillies 5 count
• Curry leaves 1 string
• Dry roast each separately in a pan and make into fine powder.
• Cook toor dal separately in cooker.

For seasoning:

Heat 1 Tspn of oil or ghee and add 1 Tspn of mustard seeds ,1/2 Tspn of urad dal,curry leaves 1 string and one pinch of hing(asafoetida)

Procedure:

• Take deep steel bowl add water,turmeric,tamarind extract,tomato pieces,few curry leaves.Boil until tamarind smell disappears.This takes around 10 mins to get nice aroma.Add jaggary now.
• Now add cooked toor dal,rasam powder(2tbspns),one spoon of grated coconut,coriander stalks and cook around 8 to 10 mins.
• You can simmer the stove and wait few more mins to smell nice aroma.I usually do this.
• Heat  a small pan for tadka or tempering add one spoon of oil or ghee and add all the above mentioned ingredients for tadka.(I use ghee for tadka especially for udupi rasam)
• Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top of it.This goes very well with rice.You can have it as a soup too.

Check out my fellow Bloggers in BM#42

Marmaralu or puffed rice snack

Puffed rice is nothing but  rice  grains that have been subjected to high pressure heating usually  in the presence of heating of steam.Puffed rice is used in many products including ready to eat breakfast cereals.Marmaralu is a snack prepared with puffed rice.

Marmaralu or Borugulu is a favorite street food in Andhra.It is mixture of puffed rice,onion,tomatos,peanuts  added some spices.On a rainy day this will be a perfect evening tiffin for everyone.This a easy recipe sure everyone enjoy having this any time.


Ingredients

• Marmaralu 1 cup( big bowl)
• chilli powder 1/2 tspn
• turmeric powder 1/4 tspn
• Peanuts 4 tbspn
• Jeera 1/2 tspn
•  red chilli 2
• Garlic crushed 3 to 4
• curry leaves 1 string
• fried chana dal 1 tbspn
• Asoefodia  a pinch
• daniya powder 1/2 tspn
• chat masala 1/2 tspn
• salt very less
• oil 2 tbspn

Procedure

• Heat oil in pan,when it is hot add jeera,garlic,redchillies,curry leaves then add peanuts fry well few mins.
• Now add fried chana dal and daniya powder,turmeric powder,chiillipowder.
• Add marmaralu,salt and mix it well,until it is well mixed with the spices.
• Switch off the stove and  serve with chopped onions and tomato on top(Tomato and onion is optional)

Check out Blogging Marathon for my fellow bloggers in BM#42

Vegetable samiya upma

Upma is a easy south Indian breakfast or tiffin recipe.We can  make different varieties in upma. I  usually cook upma in breakfast atleat once in aweek with variations. Upma is traditionally made from sooji or samolina but can also be made with vermicelli .Mostly vermicelli are used in making kheer.Today im going to post easy vegetable samiya or vermicelli upma.

  It is easy to prepare and delicious.Vermicelli with vegetables gives a wonderful taste and added nutrients.I'm posting this recipe in BM#42 under easy tiffins theme.Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients

• samiya 2 cups
• one onion
• green chilli 2
• ginger 2 small pieces chopped thinly
• mustard 1/2 tspn
• jeera 1/2 tspn(optional)
• urad dal 1tspn
• chana dal 1/2 tspn
• curry leave( optional)
• vegetables as per our taste 1 to 2 cups(carrot,beans,green peas,potato)
• water 4 cups or 3 1/2
• oil 2 tbspns
• salt to taste

Procedure

• Heat a pan,when it is hot add little oil 1/2 tspn and fry samiya well until get nice aroma(when it changes color a bit)around 5 mins in a medium flame
• Then take out the samiya in another plate keep aside
• In the same pan add remaining oil.When it is hot add mustard seeds,jeera,urad dal then chopped onions,green chilli,ginger salt.
• Fry few mins and add chopped vegetables and cover the lid few mins.
• Now add  water let it boil few mins till the vegetables cooked.Then add fried samiya and let it cook few mins.Stir the vermicelli till it cooked and water is absorbed completly.switch off the stove..

Check out for fellow bloggers in BM#42

Pesarattu(Moong dal dosa)

Moong dal dosa  or pesarattu dosa is a popular breakfast or tiffin recipe in Andhra pradesh.The dosa can be made with whole moong dal beans and split moon dal beans.Both tastes great.I make the pesarattu dosa in both versions.Pesarattu generally served with upma or cocconut chutney.This is  a very easy tiffin recipe as the batter need not to be fermented.

Moong dal can be a great nutritious addition to a balanced diet.It is a healthy meal that provides high levels of protein and fiber while containing relatively few calories and little fat.In addition, it is an excellent source of wide range of vitamins and minerals.This week Marathon I  selected' Easy tiffins' theme.As this will be easy as i cook lot of varieties to  my kids.This is one their favorite .We can serve this as evening tiffins too.I'm posting this recipe in Blogging Marathon#42.Here goes my easy recipe.

Ingredients:

• Moong dal 2 cups
• one onion(medium to small)
• green chillies 3 to 4
• ginger 3 to 4 small pieces
• jeera 1 tspn
• oil as required
• salt to taste
  
  

Procedure

• Soak moong dal in water atleast 3 hrs or we can soak overnight then dosa will be more tasty.I generally do the second one as i can easily prepare for breakfast.
• Grind all ingredients(except oil) along with moong dal coarsely and keep the batter ready for dosa.
• Heat a pan,drizzle some oil on the top and take a 1/4cup of batter in the ladle and spread into a thin circle
• Spread 1/2 spn of oil on the edges and roast it until golden brown.Flip it and spread little oil and let it cook the other side as well
• Repeat the same for remaing dosas.Serve hot with cocnut chutney or chutney of your choice

Check out Blogging Marathon#42 for my fellow bloggers