Chettinad Mutton Gravy

Chettinad Mutton Gravy

For Chettinad Masala Powder
Ingredients
10 Dry Red Chillies
2 tsp Cumin seeds
3 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
2 medium sticks Cinnamon
6 Green Cardamom
1 tbsp Peppercorns
1 Star Anise

Method
Dry roast the spices and when cool, grind it into fine powder. Store it in a air tight container, in dry cool place.

For Wet Coconut Paste
Ingredients
1/4cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
1tsp Fennel seeds

Method
Grind the coconut and fennel seeds into a wet paste and keep it aside.

For the Mutton Gravy
Ingredients
500 grams Mutton pieces
2 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Tamarind paste
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Chettinad Masala powder
Salt to taste
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
2 Cardamoms
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
2 tbsp Oil
2tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Heat the pressure cooker and add oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel and curry leaves, saute it for a minute, add the ginger garlic paste and stir for few minutes.Add the chopped onions and cook it till light brown in colour, add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and tamarind. Stir it and let it cook for 5 minutes, add the mutton pieces. Stir and cook the mutton pieces for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of water, pressure cook until 5 whistles. Let the pressure release, open the cooker
and add the coconut paste, adjust the gravy according to the taste by adding water and masala powder if required. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish the with chopped coriander leaves.

Moong Dal and Dill Leaves Bhaji

Moong Dal and Dill Leaves Bhaji
Very simple and rustic, it taste awesome.. Once you acquire the taste for dill leaves, how ever it is cooked, it taste simply awesome....
Ingredients
1 bunch Dill leaves chopped
1/2 cup small Size Moong dal soaked for an hour
10 Garlic cloves minced
2 fresh Chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp a Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp Oil

Method
Thane a wok, add oil. Let it heat, add the garlic and chilli minced. Stir fry for a minute. Add the chopped dill leaves, salt and turmeric. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Add the Moong dal and 1/4 cup water, stir it, cover and cook till the water dry up completely. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Piragi (Latvian Buns)

Piragi (Latvian Buns)
A pīrāgs -  plural - pīrāgi is an oblong or crescent-shaped baked Latvian bread roll or pastry, often containing a filling of finely chopped bacon cubes and onion. Pīrāgi range from 5 centimetres in length to 13 centimetres, depending on if they are intended as a snack or a more substantial meal. Smaller pīrāgi are often prized for their daintiness and are considered the work of a skilled cook. As with many national dishes, Latvian families often have their own unique recipe for the dish, resulting in many variations of pīrāgi. Due to the amount of work involved to make pīrāgi, they are usually made only for special occasions.
Other common pīrāgs fillings include fatty bacon, fatback (speķis), mixtures of ground or finely chopped meats (ground beef, ham and chicken with or without bacon), fish, cabbage and pressed cottage cheese. Pīrāgi come in two main varieties: plain bread pīrāgi and brothor soup pīrāgi (zupas or buljona pīrāgi). Bread pīrāgi come with a larger variety of fillings and are made using a yeast dough. Broth pīrāgi are made from a flaky pastry butter dough, often a sour cream dough, and are usually filled with boiled beef or sometimes cooked fish. These are intended to be eaten with a cup or bowl of good broth.
Information source Net

My version of Pīrāgi
Suffing
1 cup Cottage chesse finely minced
1 cup Red Cabbage finely minced
2 Onions, finely minced
1 tsp Garlic finely minced
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 tsp Oil

Method
In a heavy non stick pan, add the oil. Sauté the onions, garlic, red cabbage and cottage cheese until the onions are translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Keep the stuffing aside to cool completely.

Pīrāgi
Ingredients
3 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tbsp dry Yeast
1/4 cup Warm Water
2 tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter
Salt to taste
Stuffing
2 tbsp Milk + 2 tbsp butter

Method
Place yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl, put aside for the yeast to activate atleast 10 minutes. In a small saucepan add butter, milk, salt. Warm over a low heat until butter has melted. When milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm stir in the yeast. Place two cups of the flour in a large bowl, pour liquid over and stir to combine. Once combined add the remaining flour. Mix until all ingredients have come together, then leave to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. Once rested turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and soft, about 5 – 10 minutes. Place dough back in to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave dough to raise, around 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Once dough is ready, divide the dough into  lime size portions. Take a portion and roll the dough in to a ball and stretch it to a circle. Place a tablespoon of stuffing, and bring the edges of the dough together. Seal the bun in a oval shape and pull the 2 points outwards. Place formed buns on a baking tray that has been greased. The seal edge has to be facing down.  Mix the milk and melted butter to make wash. Brush it on the buns.  Place buns in a preheated oven of 180 degrees celcius  and bake for approximately 25 minutes,brushing the milk and butter in between 2 times, bake until golden brown.

Spinach Corn and Egg Casserole....

Spinach Corn and Egg Casserole....

Microwave recipe
Ingredients
6 Eggs
1 cup Corn
1 cup Spinach chopped
2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Fresh Chilli minced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
3 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Milk
1 tbsp Nutralite Spread
1/2 cup grated Cheddar and  Mozzarella cheese

Method
Take the corn in a microwave bowl, add 1 cup of water and cook the corn for 5 minutes. Remove it from the microwave, drain the water and keep it aside. Take the spinach, add 1/2 cup water and  microwave it for 2 minutes. Take it out. Beat the eggs, add salt and pepper. Take a glass baking dish, add nutralite spread, put the dish in the microwave for 30 seconds. Take it out. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli mince, stir it. Put it in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring it at the interval of 30 seconds. Take it out. Add the whole wheat into the dish, stir it. Microwave it for 2 minutes, stirring in between every 30 seconds. Take it out, add the milk and whisk the flour with the milk. Put it back for 3 minutes, whisking it every 30 seconds. Take it out, add the beaten eggs to the white sauce, whisk it. Take 1/2 cup corn and crush it. Add the whole corn, crushed corn and spinach to the beaten eggs and white sauce. Microwave it for 4 minutes. Take it out. Sprinkle the cheese and microwave  it for 6 minutes more. Serve it with bread toast.

Konkani Kolmi Pulau with Kolmi Rassa

Konkani Kolmi Pulau with Kolmi Rassa

For the Konkani Masala
1 cup Dry Bedagi chilli
1 cup Dry Sankeshwari Chilli
1/4 cup Coriander seeds
1/4 cup Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Caraway seeds (Shahi jeera)
1/2 cup Fennel seeds
1/4 cup Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
4 big stick Cinnamon
8 pieces Black Cardamoms
6 pieces Green Cardamoms
3 tbsp Cloves
3 tbsp Black pepper corns
10 pieces Star anise
3 tbsp Cobra saffron/ Cassia buds
1 tbsp Stone flower
2 tbsp Mace
10 Bay leaves
1 tsp Asafetida
2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method
Roast all the above ingredients except Asafetida and Turmeric. Cool the roasted spices and grind all the above ingredients along with Asafetida and Turmeric into a fine powder. Store it in a dry air tight container and it stays fresh for more than 6 months. This Masala can be used for any gravy dishes.

Kolmi Pulau and Kolmi Rassa

For the Marination
Ingredients
2 cups clean medium size Prawns
2 tbsp Roasted Grated Coconut
6 Garlic cloves
1 small Piece of Ginger
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lime juice

Method
Take all the ingredients except the prawns and grind the wet masala by adding 3 tbsp or more water to the paste. Add the wet masala to the prawns, marinate it for 30 minutes.

For the Rice
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice soaked for 30 minutes
2 cloves
1 Green Cardamom
1 small stick Cinnamon
1 Bay Leaf
1 Star anise
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a pot. Add oil, let it heat. Add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise. Sauté it for 1 minute. Add sugar, stir for 30 seconds. Add the rice, stir the rice for 2 minutes. Add salt and 3 cups of water. Cook the rice. Keep the cooked rice aside.

For the Kolmi (Prawns)
Ingredients
Marinated Prawns
2 Onions sliced
1 Tomato sliced
Few Curry Leaves
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
4 Kokam pieces
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Konkani Masala
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander and Mint leaves chopped for garnishing

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Heat it, add the ginger and garlic paste. Sauté it for a minute, add the onions and curry leaves. Stir the onions and fry it till light golden brown. Add the marinated prawns, stir fry the prawns for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and Konkani masala, stir and mix the masala. Add 4 cups of water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. While the gravy is simmering, take the prawns and 2 ladle of the gravy out. Switch of the gas and strain the rest of the gravy out. Take the masala remaining on the strainer and add it to the prawns. Keep the strain gravy ( Rassa ) aside. 

Take the prawns and add it back into the wok. Add the cooked rice and mix it well with the prawns.Cover the wok and for 2 minutes keep the wok on low flame. Take it off the gas and sprinkle mint and coriander leaves on the Kolmi Palau and sprinkle few chopped coriander leaves on the Rassa. Serve the hot Konkani Kolmi Palau with Kolmi Rassa and Salad.