Baigan bharta(smashed brinjal)

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Eggplant, halved lengthwise -- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, or about 2 large
Onion, chopped -- 1
Garlic, crushed -- 2 to 3 cloves
Ginger, minced -- 1 tablespoon
Chili peppers, minced -- 1 to 2
Oil or ghee -- 3 tablespoons
Cuminseed -- 2 teaspoons
Tomatoes, chopped -- 2
Water -- 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Garam masala -- 2 teaspoons
Cilantro, chopped -- 1/2 bunch

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place the eggplant, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet and roast in the oven until softened, about 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool somewhat, then peel, cut into chunks and set aside.Can also done in flames/in tawa
   
2. Puree the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding a little water if necessary.
   
3. Heat the oil or ghee over medium heat in a large pot, karahi or wok. Add the cuminseed and stir until it is lightly browned and fragrant. Immediately stir in the onion puree and sauté until any excess liquid has evaporated and the raw onion taste is cooked out, about 5 to 8 minutes. Take care not to burn the mixture.
   
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked down and the liquid is reduced somewhat, around 5 to 8 minutes.
   
5. Stir in the roasted eggplant and the water and salt. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low, cover and cook slowly for another 15 to 20 minutes. The eggplant will break down into a puree.
   
6. Remove from heat, stir in the garam masala and adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.
   

Variations
Stir in 1 cup of peas when you add the eggplant for a more substantial dish.

Murgh dopiaza(chicken in onion)

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

Onions, chopped -- 2
Garlic, chopped -- 4 cloves
Ginger, chopped -- 1 tablespoon
Hot chile peppers, chopped -- 3
Oil or ghee -- 3-4 tablespoons
Coriander -- 1 tablespoon
Ground cumin -- 1 tablespoon
Turmeric -- 1 teaspoon
Cayenne pepper -- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
Onions, thinly sliced -- 3
Chicken breast or thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes -- 1 1/2 to 2 pound
Stock or water -- 2 cups
Saffron (optional) -- pinch
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Yogurt -- 1 1/2 cups

Method

1. Place the two chopped onions, garlic, ginger and chile peppers in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add a little water if necessary.
   


2. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed skillet, wok or kadhai over medium flame. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and stir into the oil to lightly toast, about 30 seconds. Add the onion puree and sauté until cooked through and somewhat reduced. Add the sliced onions and sauté over low heat until wilted and lightly browned.
   


3. Stir in the chicken, stock or water, saffron, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until the is cooked through and tender.
   


4. Remove from heat and stir in the yogurt. Adjust seasoning, return to flame and reheat just until the sauce just begins to bubble. Remove from heat and serve.
   

variations
Gosht Dopiaza: Substitute mutton or lamb for the chicken. Increase simmering time to 45-60 minutes.
Bhindi Dopiaza: substitute trimmed whole okra for the chicken and simmer only 15-20 minutes. A cup or so of chopped tomatoes is often added with the okra.
Some recipes say the sliced onions should not be sautéed first, but rather added raw with the stock or water.
A cup or so of chopped tomatoes can be stirred in with the stock or water if you like.
adjust the heat of this dish by adding more or less chili peppers or cayenne.

Notes
Do not allow the dish to boil after adding the yogurt or it could curdle.

Fish briyani

Ingredients:


1/2 kg - Fish
5 nos - Onion
3 nos - Tomato
2 tsp - Garlic paste
2 tsp - Ginger paste
1 tsp - Green chilly paste
1 tsp - Garam masala powder
4 tsp - Curd
1 cup - Coriander leaves
1/4 cup - Mint leaves
1/2 cup - Ghee
4 tsp - Lime juice

For marinade:
1 tsp - Turmeric powder
2 tsp - Red chilly powder
2 tsp - Ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp - Fennel seeds powder

For rice:
2 Cups - Basumati rice
2 nos - Cardamom
3 nos - Cloves
2 nos - Cinnamon
Turmeric powder

Method:

Marinate fish fillets with turmeric powder, red chilly powder, ginger-garlic paste and fennel seeds powder for one hour in a refrigerator. Fry the marinated fish fillets in ghee. Remove them to a plate and heat up the same pan. Add onion and fry, till it turns golden brown. Add ginger-garlic-chilly paste and fry for two minutes. Add tomato, garam masala, salt, coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook for a few minutes. Add curd. Put the fried fish fillets in this masala.

For rice:

Boil water in a vessel. Add salt, turmeric powder, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ghee. Cook rice until it is done and drain. Make sure the rice doesn’t get sticky. Heat a little ghee in a pan. Put a little of cooked rice and spread one tsp of lime juice over it. Put one layer of the fish masala above that and repeat the process till the rice and masala are over. Take care not to break the fish fillets.

Chettinad chicken curry

Ingredients:


Masala Powder:

5 nos - Red Chilly
2 tsp - Coriander Seeds
1 tsp - Pepper
1 tsp - Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp - Fennel Seeds
1 tsp - Poppy Seeds
1 tsp - Raw rice
1/2 Inch - Cinnamon stick
2 nos - Cloves
1 no - Cardamon
1 tsp - Split roasted grams-pottukadalai
1 tsp - Dry coconut

Kulambu:

1 Kgs - Chicken
2 nos - Onions-finely chopped
1 no - Tomato-chopped
1 no - Green chilly
4 clove - Garlic-crushed
1 inch - Ginger-crushed
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Coconut paste
2 no - Bay leaf
2 no - Red chilly
1/2 tsp - Mustard Seeds
Salt - To Taste
Oil
Small Coriander leaves
Small Curry leaves

Method:

Masala Paste:

Dry roast all the ingredients from Red chili, coriander seeds, raw rice, pepper, cumin seeds, fennel seeds,poppy seeds, split roasted ram,cinnamon,cloves, cardamon, coconut until slightly brown. Grind to powder and keep aside.

Kulambu:

Heat the kadai add some oil and toast bay leaf, curry leaves and splutter mustard. Now add chopped onions, green chillis, crushed ginger and garlic. Fry them for five minutes. Now add the tomatoes and cook for a minute, add the cut chicken pieces, cover with a lid and cook further for two minutes. Then add the turmeric powder, ground masala powder and saute. Fry till the masala browns well, add salt and keep frying. Now add some water and coconut paste, cover with lid, bring the flame to low. Let it simmer for another ten minutes, the oil should separate as the kulambu boils. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve Hot along with Rice and chapati.

Ginger chicken

Ingrediants:


1/2 kg - Chicken
2 - Onions
2 - Green Chilly Chopped
1 - Tomato
1 tsp - Garlic Paste
1 tsp - Ginger Paste
2 tsp - Soya Sauce
1 tsp - Fish Sauce
1 - Cardamom
2 - Cloves
1 piece - Cinnamon Stick
3 tsp - Pepper Powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp - Cornflower
oil
salt
Few Coriander Leaves Chopped

Method:

Cut and clean chicken.
 Chop onions and tomato.Just crush cardomam, clove and cinnamon.
Cook chicken pieces with salt, turmeric powder and garlic ginger paste with water.
When it is cooked remove chicken pieces and keep aside.
Add corn flour to the water remained after cooking chicken.
Heat oil add onion until brown colour add green chillies and chopped ginger and saute until the aroma spreads.
Add tomato, crushed spices, pepper powder and enough salt.
Saute well and add chicken pieces and the mixed with cornflour.
Stir well until it is thick.Add soya sauce and fish sauce. Stir well and remove from fire.
Garnish with coriander leaves

amazing dog