Tandoori Chicken

I have tried few different recipes for Tandoori chicken and this one comes closer to the restaurant style Tandoori chicken. Here goes the recipe for the same.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Legs - 3 or 4
2. Lime/Lemon juice - 1 tbs
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Ginger paste - 2 tsp
5. Garlic paste - 2 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Thick yogurt - 2 tbs
8. Kasoori methi / dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tbs
9. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
10. Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Dijon mustard - 1 tsp
12. Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp
13. Butter - 2 tbs

Method:

1. Wash and clean chicken and make slits on the chicken pieces
2. Marinate chicken with ingredients from 2 to 6 and let it rest overnight in the fridge
3. Next day, marinate chicken again with ingredients from 7 to 11 and keep it aside for a minimum of 1 hr
4. Preheat oven to 400F heat
5. Butter a small wire rack and place chicken on it with a tray below it. There will be drippings from the chicken.
6. Apply 1 tbs butter on chicken and place the wire rack with tray in the preheated oven
7. Grill for 30 minutes and then flip the chicken pieces and apply rest of the butter
8. Increase the temperature to 450F and grill for about 20 minutes more. It is good to check in between to make sure chicken is not burning
9. Once grilled, sprinkle some chaat masala on the grilled chicken and serve it with lemon wedges and mint chutney. 

Chocolate torte - no flour and no butter

Here is a delicious chocolate torte recipe which has no butter and flour in it.. You really wont miss the butter in this torte as it tastes so yummy and really moist even without the butter.. A must try for all chocolate lovers.

Ingredients:

For Torte:

1. Baking chocolate, - 120 gm
2. Avocado, pureed - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - 2/3 cup
4. Egg - 3
5. Almond powder - 1 cup
6. Bread crumbs, finely ground dry- 1/4 cup
7. Orange zest - 2 tbs

For Glaze:

1. Baking chocolate - 40 gm
2. Condensed milk - 3 tbs

Method:
For Torte:

1. Preheat oven to 375F heat
2. Butter and place a parchment paper in an 8 inch cake tin
3. Melt 110gm of baking chocolate in a double boiler or microwave taking care not to burn them 
4. Beat pureed avocado in a mixer for 1 minute
5. Add Sugar and beat again for 2 minutes until mixed
6. Add eggs one by one beating in between to mix well
7. Add almond flour, melted baking chocolate in room temperature, bread crumbs and zest and mix slowly in the mixer until mixed. Don't over mix here
8. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 25 minutes
9. Cool the cake tin on a rack for 30 minutes or until cool

For Glaze:

1. Melt 40gm of baking chocolate in a double boiler or microwave taking care not to burn them
2. When chocolate is warm mix with condensed milk and pour cover torte which is in room temperature and spread them

Note:

• Cut the torte into wedge after cooling them in fridge till they are set well. 
• It is good to serve them with bananas or berries and whipped cream or ice cream and some roasted chopped nuts or granola
• It is important to preheat the oven for atleast 20 minutes

Fish Molee

Recipe#30 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series

Ingredients:

1. Fish fillets, cut into pieces - 1/2 kg
2. Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
3. Onion, sliced - 1 cup
4. Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
5. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp
6. Green chilli, slit - 6
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Peppercorn, crushed - 1/2 tsp
9. Curry leaves - few
10. Coconut milk, thin -  2 cups
11. Salt to taste
12. Tomato, cut into wedges - 1
13. Coconut milk, thick - 1 cup

Method:

1. Wash fish pieces in salt water
2. Heat oil in a pan and saute onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, turmeric powder  and curry leaves in it along with pepper
3. Once onion is translucent, add thin coconut milk and stir to simmering point
4. Add fish pieces and salt and cook fish with lid on under low flame till gravy thickens
5. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are half done
6. Add thick coconut milk  and cook on low flame for few minutes taking care not curdle it
7. Remove from heat and serve hot

Fish molee goes very well with bread, appam or white rice.

Lemon Ginger Sharbath

Recipe#29 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series.
We have reached the second last recipe in this series. I will end the series with easy quick recipes. So here goes an easy homemade sharbath recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Lime/Lemon juice  - 3 lime/2 Lemon
2. Ginger juice, thick - 1/4 cup
3. Water - 8 cups
4. Sugar to taste

Note:

• To make a healthy version, replace sugar by honey

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients and chill the sharbath in fridge.

Serve with crushed ice or ice cubes

Fruit Cake

Recipe#28 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series!

This fruit cake name in the cook book is "our favorite cake". It is a fruit cake with raisins, cashews and red cherry in it.

Ingredients:

1. Butter - 125gm
2. Margarine - 125gm
3. Sugar, powdered - 250gm
4. Egg yolk - 5
5. Milk, warm - 2 tbs
6. All purpose flour - 250gm
7. Baking powder - 2 tsp
8. Raisins - 200gm
9. Red cherries, soaked in sugar syrup, chopped - 50gm
10. Cashew nuts, chopped - 50gm
11. Lemon zest - 1/2 tsp
12. Vanilla essence - 2 drops
13. Orange essence - 1/2 tsp
14. Egg white - 5
15. Sugar - 2.5 tsp

Note:

• All ingredients should be in room temperature
• Use dry raisins, cherries and nuts and add a tsp of flour to them and mix well before adding to cake batter
• I have used vanilla extract and orange extract instead of essence. Use a tsp of vanilla extract and 2 tsp of orange extract if you are using extracts

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F heat
2. Butter 2x9inch shallow pan or 1 9 inch deep pan
3. Cream the butter and margarine together in a mixer
4. Add powdered sugar and beat again in the mixer till mixed well
5. Add egg yolks one by one and mix again for 2-3 minutes more
6. Mix flour and baking powder well in another bowl and sift it
7. Add the half of the flour mixture to butter mixture and mix for 1-2 minutes
8. Add milk and mix till combined and mix rest of the flour mixture
9. Add both essence, raisins, cherries and cashew nuts and mix using a spatula
10. In a clean dry bowl whisk the egg whites until it is frothy
11. Add 2.5 tbs sugar to egg whites and whisk again till the egg whites are like white foam and can hold its shape
12. Add 2-3 tbs of egg white mixture to the cake batter and mix well using spatula
13. Slowly add rest of the egg white to the cake batter and fold it in the batter. Don't over mix the batter.
14. Spoon the batter in the cake pan and bake it till a skewer inserted at the cake center comes out clean. If using 2x9inch pan it will take approximately 30 minutes to bake. If you are using deep pan it might take upto an hour to bake

Mutton Red Curry

Recipe#27 from Mrs.K.M.Mathew recipe series!

Ingredients:

1. Mutton, cut into small pieces - 1 kg
2. Chilli powder - 2 tbs
3. Coriander powder  - 1 tsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Ginger, sliced - 1 tsp
8. Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp
9. Vinegar - 1.5 tbs
10. Oil - 1/2 cup
11. Onion, finely sliced - 2 cups
12. Tomato, chopped - 250gm
13. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Grind ingredients from 2 to 8  into a fine paste
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I have used pressure cooker)
3. Saute onion till golden brown and add tomatoes and fry well
4. Add masala paste from step 1 and saute till oil rises to the surface
5. Add meat pieces and salt and mix well
6. Add 3 cups of hot water and cook the meat well with closed lid. If you are using pressure cooker, you need to add only 1 cup of water
7. Once meat is almost cooked, keep in low flame until the gravy is thick enough and meat is cooked well
8. Switch off the flame serve the Mutton red curry warm

Naan

Recipe#26 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series

Ingredients:

1. All purpose Flour/ Maida - 2 cups
2. Butter/Dalda - 2 tsp
3. Instant dry yeast - 1 tsp
4. Sugar - 1 tsp
5. Water - 1/2 cup
6. Egg yolk - 1
7. Salt to taste
8. Black sesame seeds - 1 tbs (optional)

Method:

1. Mix flour and butter to form crumb texture, somewhat like puttu podi
2. Mix warm water, sugar and yeast and keep it aside for 15 minutes till the yeast froth comes to the top in the yeast mixture bowl
3. Knead yeast mix, egg yolk and salt with the flour to form soft dough
4. Apply some oil in a big bowl and keep the dough for rising in it for about 4 hrs. Cover the bowl with a damp towel during this time
5. After the dough is doubled in 4 hrs, punch it to remove the air and make lemon sized balls
6. Roll the balls in sesame seeds and roll it to form naan shape (oval shape with one side wide and other side thin)
7. Keep it for 10-15 minutes
8. Cook the naan on a hot griddle in high flame on both sides till cooked
9. Repeat the same with all Naan

Note:

• Naan is very soft compared to the hotel Naan. Not rubbery at all. It gets hard if it is kept open for the next day, hence if you plan to store for next day, cover it properly with foil wrap and then in any airtight box
• I have omitted the sesame seeds part
• I have used stand mixer for kneading the dough

Ginger Chicken

Recipe#25 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series

Ginger chicken is an Indochinese dish and is a sure winner for the any party! I have followed the recipe given in the cookbook this time, but the next time i make it i will try to add some ketchup and may be a capsicum too!

Ingredients:

1. Chicken, boneless, cut in to small pieces - 1 kg
2. Soya sauce - 2 tbs
3. Ginger paste - 2 tsp
4. Vinegar - 1 tbs
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil - 1/2 cup
7. Onion, finely chopped - 1 cup
8. Ginger paste - 1 tbs
9. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
10. Green chilli, cut into small rounds/Green onion stem - 1/2 tbs

Note:

• To get the restaurant style red color add red chilli color when chicken is added to onion mixture, i didn't add any color in the picture above 

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with soya sauce, vinegar, ginger paste and salt for 3-4 hours
2. Cook chicken on medium-high flame till chicken is cooked and any broth is fully absorbed. (I had about a cup of broth in the chicken when it was cooked and i used it later in this recipe)
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry green chilli in it and keep the fried chilli aside. (Green chilli shouldn't change its color, i have omitted this part as it is for garnish only. I used green onion instead for garnish)
4. Saute onion till transparent and then add ginger paste to it
5. Once ginger is sauted well, add chicken pieces to it and fry it along. (Add only chicken pieces at this point. you can keep aside any liquid in the cooked chicken)
6. When chicken starts to get golden brown, add chicken broth if you have it when you cooked chicken. (This step is optional as you might not have any broth left after cooking chicken as per the book)
7. Cook it till gravy is thickened or almost dried
8. Garnish with fried green chilli or green onion stem

Tomato Soup

Recipe#24 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series.

This tomato soup is a restaurant style tomato soup.. easy to make with nice color!

Ingredients:

1. Tomato, ripe and red, skin peeled by putting them in hot water - 1/4 kg
2. Butter -  2tbs
3. Onion, chopped - 1/4 cup
4. Carrot, chopped into chunky pieces - 1/4 cup
5. All purpose flour - 2 tbs
6. Water -  3 cups
7. Salt to taste
8. Tomato ketchup - 1/4 cup
9. Sugar - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Add butter in a hot heavy bottomed pan in medium flame
2. Saute onion and carrot in it for a minute.
3. Add 2 tbs of flour in it and mix well for a minute 
4. Add chopped tomato in to it and add 3 cups water
5. Cook the soup well till all vegetables are cooked really well. (I have used pressure cooker to do this)
6. Blend the soup to very smooth puree and pass it through a sieve to remove any lumps. (i didn't do the sieve part as i didnt have a good sieve with me.)
7. Heat the soup in a pan
8. Add salt to taste
9. Add tomato ketchup and mix well
10. To balance the taste, add sugar and mix it

Serve hot soup with croutons or bread!

Okra fry

Simple okra fry from Mrs.K.M.Mathews Cook book. Recipe#23

Ingredients:

1. Okra/Vendakka - 250 gm
2. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Kayam/Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
5. Besan powder - 2 tbs
6. Oil for deep fry

Method:

1. Slit the okras length wise in to thin strips. (I have used baby okra since i didn't get normal okras in the store)
2. Sprinkle chilli powder, kayam and salt and mix well using a fork taking care not to break them or mash them. Keep them for 10-15 minutes.
3. Mix besan to the above using the fork before frying
4. Heat oil in a frying pan
5. Deep fry the okras till they are crisp and slightly browned

We loved having Okra fry with Rice and Sambar for our lunch today!

Egg Curry

Recipe#22 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series!

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 6
2. Coriander powder - 1 tbs
3. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Pepper powder / 1/4 tsp
6. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
7. Cardamom - 2
8. Cloves - 3
9. Oil - 2 tbs
10. Onion, thinly sliced - 1/4 cup
11. Green chilli - 3
12. Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
13. Garlic, chopped - 2 tbs
14. Vinegar - 1 tbs
15. Coconut milk, thin - 1.5 cups
16. Salt to taste
17. Potato - 2 medium sized 
18. Coconut milk , thick - 1/2 cup
19. Oil - 1 tbs
20. Ghee / clarified butter - 1/2 tsp
21. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
22. Onion, thinly sliced - 2 tbs
23. Curry leaves - few 

Method:

1. Boil the eggs and remove the egg shell and halve them
2. Grind the ingredients from 2 to 8 to fine paste
3. Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan
4. Sauté onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli till onion is transparent
5. Add ground masala to the above and sauté for 1 more minute
6. Add thin coconut milk and slowly bring to boil in low flame
7. Add potatoes and salt and cook till potatoes are done and gravy is thick
8. Add thick milk and bring to boil in low flame 
9. Once it starts to boil switch off the flame and add egg in to the curry
10. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves in it
11. Fry onion in the above and pour it over the egg curry

Serve the curry hot with rotis or Pulav rice 

Coconut Burfi

Recipe#21 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews series

Simple sugary snack or dessert!

Ingredients:

1. Coconut shredded - 2 cups
2. Sugar - 2 cups
3. Milk - 2 tbs
4. Any color - 2 drops

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except color in a heavy bottomed pan
2. Heat the above pan in medium flame stirring continuously
3. As the mixture starts to thicken add the color
4. Once the consistency gets sticky
5. Pour it on a buttered pan and flatten the top
6. Let it cool
7. Before the burfi is fully cool, cut it into desired shape

Note:

• Suggested garnish is to top the the burfi with fried cashew nuts and chopped cherries before the burfi cools
• I have dipped some of the burfis in melted chocolate ganache and sprinkled with some sugar crystals

Chicken Pulav

Recipe#20 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series
An awesome pulav recipe worth all the hard work behind it! It tastes so good that it has become one of my favorite pulav.

Ingredients:

1. Biryani rice - 2 cups
2. Mutton/Chicken, cut into small pieces  - 3/4 kg
3. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Coriander powder - 1 tbs
5. Pepper - 12
6. Cumin seeds - 2 pinch
7. Ghee/Clarified butter - 1/2 cup  + 1/4 cup
8. Onion sliced - 1/2 cup
9. Raisins - 1/4 cup
10. Cashew nuts, chopped  - 1/2 cup
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Onion, sliced - 1/2 cup
13. Ginger, thin juilienned - 1/2 tsp
14. Garlic, chopped - 2 tbs
15. Green chilli, slit - 4
16. Coriander leaves, Mint leaves - 2 tbs
17. Cloves - 12 + 6
18. Cinnamon - 2 + 1 x 1inch piece
19. Cardamom - 6 + 3
20. Nutmeg - a pinch
21. Coconut shredded and roasted to brown and powdered - 1/2 cup
22. Curd - 1/4 cup
23. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Powder 12 cloves, 2 cinnamon, 6 cardamom and coconut and keep it aside
2. Make a paste of ingredients from 3 to 6
3. Heat 1/2 cup ghee in a pan
4. Fry 1/2 cup onion to golden brown then move the fried onion to a bowl
5. In the same ghee fry cashew nuts and raisins too and keep it with fried onion
6. Again in the same ghee pan, saute 1/2 cup onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli till onion is transparent
7. Add masala paste made in step 2 and give a toss
8. Once the raw smell goes, add chicken and curd to it and mix well
9. Add coriander leaves and let the chicken cook in medium flame
10. Once the chicken is cooked and gravy is around one cup, switch off the stove
11. Take out the chicken pieces from the above and keep it in a bowl
12. Wash and clean the rice and drain the water
13. Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add 1/4 cup of ghee to it
14. Fry 6 cloves, 2 cinnamon and 3 cardamom in it
15. Add and fry rice in it till rice is roasted. (Rice shouldn't change its color)
16. Add 4 cups hot water in it and add salt to taste and cook rice (Rice shouldn't be over cooked)
17. Take a big oven proof bowl and apply ghee in it
18. Keep all chicken pieces in a single layer
19. Add half of the gravy on the chicken layer
20. Layer half of the rice on the above
21. Layer the rest of chicken gravy on the rice and layer half off the coconut mixture on it
22. Make rest of the rice as the next layer
23. Top it with rest of the coconut mixture and a tsp of coriander leaves
24. Preheat oven to 350F Deg heat
25. Cover the rice bowl with a clean, thick damp cloth
26. Keep a bowl of boiling water in the lower rack of oven. Take care to use oven proof bowl
27. Bake it for 30 minutes
28. Spread the pulav on a flat tray or plate
29. Top it with fried onion mixture and serve warm

Note:

• I have covered the rice bowl with aluminum foil and then made many slits on it. Then it was again covered with damp cloth

Dinner Roll

Recipe#19 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews series.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Butter - 1 tbs
3. Dry yeast - 1/4 tsp
4. Sugar - 2 tsp
5. Warm milk - 1/4 cup
6. All purpose flour - 1 cup
7. Egg yolk - 1
8. Warm milk - 1/2 cup
9. Salt - 1/4 tsp
10. Egg yolk - 1
11. Milk - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix yeast, 2 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup warm milk in a bowl and keep aside till it foams at the top, about 15 minutes if the yeast is good
2. Sift 1 cup of flour and mix chopped butter with it to form crumbs like texture like puttu podi
3. Mix yeast mixture to the above and knead it well to get smooth pliable dough.
4. Keep the dough in a deep oiled bowl and cover it with damp cloth  and keep aside for a minimum of 9 hrs (this can be done at night and continued next morning)
5. Add 1 cup sifted flour, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 cup warm milk and salt to the above dough and mix well
6. Knead till soft and smooth and pliable (if mixture is too sticky add few spoons of flour. If too dry then add few spoons of water)
7. Preheat the oven to 350F Deg heat
8. Butter baking tray and place dough on it in different shapes as desired easiest being small lemon sized balls and keep it for 15 minutes
9. Mix 1 egg yolk and 2 tsp milk well
10. Brush this egg mixture on the dough shapes
11. Bake it for 20 minutes till rolls turns golden brown
12. Cool it on a wire rack and enjoy it on the same day or latest the next day

Note:

• Dinner rolls turn hard if kept open or after 2 days
• This dinner roll is perfect for those who hate yeast taste in their roll
• Actual recipe used fresh bakers yeast , but i have used instant dry yeast instead.
• I have halved the actual recipe
• I have sprinkled some Chia seeds on some rolls

Masala Biscuit

Recipe#18 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews series.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 2 cups
2. Salt - 1/2 tsp
3. Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Baking soda - 1/8 tsp
5. Baking powder - 1/8 tsp
6. Ghee in solid form - 50gm
7. Margarine - 50gm
8. Sugar - 2 tsp
9. Yellow color - a drop optional
10. Egg - 1
11. Cashew nuts, chopped - 1 tbs
12. Green chilli, chopped - 1 tbs
13. Ginger, finely chopped - 1 tsp
14. Coriander leaves, chopped - 1 tbs
15. Pepper, coarsely ground - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix ingredients from 1 to 5 and keep aside
2. Mix ghee and margarine well using a whisk
3. Add sugar and mix again
4. Add color and egg and whisk again to mix well
5. Add flour mixture to it and knead it (more like a crumbs texture now)
6. Add ingredients from 11 to 15 to the above and knead again
7. Make balls and roll the dough. (If dough cannot be made to a ball, add cold water in tsp, checking after each addition if dough is ready to be made to balls)
8. Cut the rolled dough using a cookie cutter or glass with sharp rim. (Instead of rolling I flattened the ball in my palm)
9. Preheat the oven to 350F Deg
10. Butter the baking tray and arrange cookies on it
11. Bake it at 350F Deg for 30 minutes until the biscuit top is slightly browned
12. Cool the biscuits in wire rack

Note:

1. Dough texture was too crumbs like and hence i had to add cold water though it was not mentioned in the book
2. It was not as spicy as i expected. If i am making it the next time, which i will do soon, i will add a tsp more of sugar and more spices
3. Also i will add a bit more cold water so that there is no cracks on the biscuit when i shape them
4. I have halved the recipe given in the book
5. And the book didn't mention baking heat or time

Okra Curry

Recipe#17 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews
This okra curry has sauteed okra in coconut milk gravy. It is a spicy dish with the sweetness from coconut milk.

Ingredients:

1. Okra, cut in 1 inch piece - 1 cup
2. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Chilli powder - 1/8 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/8 tsp
6. Aniseed - 1/8 tsp
7. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
8. Cloves - 2
9. Cardamom - 1
10. Oil - 3 tbs
11. Onion, sliced - 1/8 cup
12. Ginger, julienned - 1/2 tsp
13. Green chilli , half slit - 2
14. Curry leaves - few
15. Thin coconut milk - 3/4 cup
16. Salt to taste
17. Lime juice to taste
18. Thick coconut milk - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Grind ingredients from 2 to 9 to a fine paste
2. Heat oil in a pan and saute okra and keep aside
3. In the same pan, add 11 to 14 and saute till onion is golden brown
4. Add ground paste and saute for a while
5. When oil separates add thin milk and let it boil in low flame
6. Add okra, salt and lime juice and mix it well
7. When gravy is thick, add thick milk and mix well
8. Switch off the flame before it starts to boil

Serve it hot with chapathis or rice!

Note:

• The above recipe is halved  for the recipe given in the book

Chicken Piralan

Recipe#16 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews Recipe Series

Ingredients:

1. Chicken, cut into medium size pieces - 1 Kg
2. Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbs
3. Chilli powder - 1 tbs
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
8. Cloves - 8
9. Cardamom - 4
10. Aniseed - 1 tsp
11. Button onion, sliced - 1/2 cup
12. Garlic, chopped - 1 tbs
13. Ginger, finely chopped - 1/2 tbs
14. Salt to taste
15. Vinegar/ Lime juice - 1 tbs
16. Curry leaves - few
17. Hot water - 1/2 cup
18. Oil - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Wash and clean the chicken
2. Grind ingredients from 2 to 10 to a fine paste
3. Blend masala and salt with chicken and add ingredients from 11 to 16
4. Add hot water to cook the chicken. Turn heat low, cover and cook  till chicken is cooked
5. When gravy is thick , remove chicken pieces to another bowl
6. Heat oil and fry chicken pieces till brown
7. Pour the gravy over the chicken pieces and mix it

Note:

• I have halved the above recipe and cooked with no other changes.

Madhurakizhangu Orotti / Sweet Potato Pancake

Recipe#15 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews recipe series

Ingredients:

1. Sweet potato, cooked and mashed - 2 cups
2. Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup
3. Coconut shredded - 1/2 cup
4. Onion, chopped - 1/4 cup
5. Salt to taste
6. Coconut oil - 1 tbs
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Dry red chilli, cut into small pieces - 1
9. Green chilli, chopped - 1
10. Ginger, chopped - 1/2 tsp
11. Curry leaves, chopped - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix coconut and onion well using your fingers and applying some pressure.
2. Mix sweet potato, wheat flour and salt to the above
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds
4. Add ingredients from 8 to 11 and fry them for a minute
5. Add the above to sweet potato mixture and mix well
6. Heat a tawa
7. Make a lemon size ball using the dough
8. Using your palm and fingers flatten each ball to slightly thick flat round shape.(see the picture to get an idea of thickness and shape)
9. Cook it on hot tawa. When one side is well cooked, flip it and cook the other side.

Orotti can be served on its own or with coconut chutney

Note:

• I have added few spoons of rice flour as orotti was too soft otherwise and difficult to flip
• Tawa must be hot and each side should be cooked well otherwise flipping can be difficult
• I made with half the qty of ingredients than the orginal recipe, but retained same qty for ginger, curry leaves, mmustard and onion
• Seet potato was cooked in pressure cooker
• Also, i have applied coconut oil on tawa before cooking each orotti

Masala Urulakizhangu Ularthu / Masala Potato

Recipe#14 from Mrs.K.M.Mathews series!
An easy side dish for Lunch/ Dinner.

Ingredients:

1. Potato, cubed - 1/4 Kg
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Coconut oil - 1/4 cup
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 2 pinch
6. Onion, thinly sliced - 1/4 cup
7. Ginger, julienne - 1/2 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Pepper, crushed - 1/2 tsp
11. Curry leaves - few
12. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook potatoes in 3/4 cup water with salt and turmeric powder till all water is evaporated and potato is cooked. Potatoes shouldn't be mushy. It should hold its shape well
2. Heat coconut oil in a pan
3. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds
4. Add onion and ginger and saute till onion is transparent
5. Add ingredients from 8 to 11 and saute till it gives roasted masala aroma
6. Add Potato and stir it in masala, taking care not to break potato pieces.
7. When potato is well coated with masala, switch off the flame.