Chicken 65 - Version 2

This is is a variation to the regular Chicken 65 recipe that I posted before and it has a spicier finish to it. This is an excellent appetizer for parties and everyone would simply Love it.

Muslim Wedding-Biriyani – Tamil Nadu style

Anyone in Tamil Nadu would say Muslim wedding biriyani is the best, hands down. And I vouch for that as well. Its made in a very different way without any masala powders and all spices are ground fresh which makes this biriyani have a natural color to it with a wonderful flavor. If you like your biriyani spicy, be generous with the green chilies, because that's the only ingredient that adds to the spice level of this biriyani. Here you go! The recipe for you!!

Spicy Fish Fry - Kerala Style

Ingredients:

Fish pieces - 6 (any kind; cleaned and washed)
:- If using small full fish, then make some slits breadth wise on the fish on both sides (this is called gashing)
Shallots / Sambar onions - 4
Green chilies - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic cloves - 5

Fish Fry

Chili powder - 3 heaped tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying

Method of preparation:

1. Grind together the sambar onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to taste to a little coarse paste.
2. Rub the masala nicely on the fish pieces pushing the masala nicely into the gashes.
3. Refrigerate and marinate for as long as possible.
: - you can fry the fish immediately also.
4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a shallow pan or a tawa.
5. Fry fish on both sides till done.
6. Remove onto an absorbent paper.
7. Serve hot with sliced onion and lemon wedges.

:- You can apply the masala on fish and freeze it. Whenever you need fish fry, thaw the frozen fish and just shallow fry. This fish fry would be really tasty as the fish would have absorbed the masala nicely.

Happy cooking :)

Fish fry - Tamil Nadu Style

Ingredients:

Fish pieces - 6 (any kind; cleaned and washed)
:- If using small full fish, then make some slits breadth wise on the fish on both sides.
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying

Method of preparation:

1. Mix all the powder ingredients along with ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice.
2. Rub the mix nicely on the fish pieces pushing the masala nicely into the slits and crevices.
3. Keep this in the fridge and marinate for long as possible.
: - you can fry the fish immediately also.
4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a shallow pan or a tawa.
5. Place the fish pieces on the hot oil.
6. Flip one its done on one side.
7. Once its reddish brown on both the sides remove onto an absorbent paper.
8. Serve hot with sliced onion and lemon wedges.

:- You can apply the masala on fish and freeze it. Whenever you need fish fry, thaw the frozen fish and just shallow fry. This fish fry would be really tasty as the fish would have absorbed the masala nicely.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry with green mango

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed)
:- any kind that you like
Raw sour mango - 1 small (chopped into big pieces; make about 8 pieces or less)
Tomato - 1 small (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. In a vessel or earthen pot take 2 cups of water.
3. To this add tomatoes, crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
4. Keep the prepared mixture on stove top and cook covered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
6. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the fish pieces and mango pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
8. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small kadai.
9. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
10. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry - Mix of Kerala and Tamil Nadu Styles

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed) :- any kind that you like
Tamarind - 1 big lemon size (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes)
Curry vadam - 2 tbsp (optional)
Tomato - 1 big (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chilies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)

Kerala-Tamil Nadu Fish curry

Garlic cloves - 5 (crushed with skin)
Black pepper - 1 tbsp (crushed)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Gingiley oil - 4 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. Extract pulp from the soaked tamarind.
3. To the Tamarind pulp add tomatoes and crush well.
4. To this add crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
5. Heat oil in a vessel or an earthen pot.
6. Add the curry vadam. Once they splutter add the prepared mixture and cook covered for 5 minutes.
7. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
8. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
9. Add the fish pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
10. Pour one tbsp gingiley oil and crushed garlic and pepper and the roughly chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.
11. Heat the remaining gingiley oil in a small kadai.
12. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
13. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry - Tamil Nadu style

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed)
:- any kind that you like
Tamarind - 1 big lemon size (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes)
Curry vadam - 2 tbsp (optional)
Tomato - 1 big (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chillies - 4 (slit)

Kerala-Tamil Nadu Fish curry

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)
Garlic cloves - 5 (crushed with skin)
Garlic - ½ inch piece ( chopped and crushed)
Black pepper - 1 tbsp (crushed)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Gingiley oil - 4 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. Extract pulp from the soaked tamarind.
3. To the Tamarind pulp add tomatoes and crush well.
4. To this add crushed onion, green chilies, crushed ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste. Keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a vessel or an earthen pot.
6. Add the curry vadam. Once they splutter add the prepared mixture and cook covered for 5 minutes.
7. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
8. Add the fish pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
9. Pour one tbsp gingiley oil, crushed garlic, crushed pepper and the roughly chopped coriander leaves and cook for a minute. Remove from fire.
10. Heat the remaining gingiley oil in a small kadai.
11. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
12. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry - Kerala Style

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed)
:- any kind that you like
Cocum - 2 (soaked in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes with some salt)
Tomato - 1 big (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chilies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. To the soaked cocum add tomatoes and crush the tomatoes well.
3. To this add crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
4. Keep the prepared mixture on stove top and cook covered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
6. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the fish pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
8. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small kadai.
9. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
10. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Variation:- If you do not have cocum, then use a lemon sized ball of tamarind.

Happy cooking :)

Egg Curry

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs - 4 (sliced in 2-3 places without cutting through)
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups (roughly chopped)
Green chili - 1 (cut into roundels)
Onion - 1/2 (slices lengthwise)
Shallots / sambar onion - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (Diced)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a handful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Seasoning Ingredients:
Poppy seeds / Khasa Khasa - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece (broken)
Cloves - 4 (beat the head)
Bay leaf - 1 (torn in half)

Grind to a coarse paste:
Medium onion - 1
Green chillies - 2
Fennel seeds / Saunf - 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Grind to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai and add the seasoning ingredients. Saute till they change color.
2. Add the sliced onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the onions change color.
3. Add the ground onion mixture and saute till they change color and nice aroma arises.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low flame till the onions become pulpy.
5.Add the chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt to taste and turmeric powder and saute for a few minutes.
6. Add the cauliflower and 3 cups of water and cook covered on medium flame till the cauliflower gets cooked and curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the ground coconut and cook covered for five minutes.
8. Add the eggs and cook covered for a few more minutes.
9. Add the roughly chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.
10. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small wok and add the finely chopped shallots and fry till they turn dark brown with a wonderful flavor. Add this to the egg curry and keep it closed.
11. Serve hot with rice, idli, dosa or roti.

Variation: Add one boiled potato instead of cauliflower.

Happy cooking :)

Chettinad chicken curry

Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 Kg
Big Onions – 4 (finely sliced lengthwise)
Green chilies – 3 (slit)
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
ginger-garlic paste – 4 tsp (preferably freshly ground)
Ripe Tomatoes – 3 (diced)
Coriander leaves – a handful (roughly chopped)
Oil – ½ cup
Salt to taste

To marinate chicken:
Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
:- Clean the chicken pieces and chop them to desired size (leave the drumsticks as whole pieces with just some slits here and there). Rub turmeric powder and lemon juice thoroughly on the pieces. Keep aside till you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Dry roast and grind to a fine paste:
Whole black pepper – 3 tbsp
Dry red chilies – 10
Khas khas (Poppy seeds) – 2 tbsp
Saunf (Fennel seeds) –2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Cardamom – 3
Cloves – 6
Cinnamon sticks – 2 one inch pieces
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Grated coconut – 4 tbsp
:- Dry roast all these ingredients and spread them on a plate to cool. In the small jar of the mixer grinder, grind them without water first; then add some water and grind them to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Method of preparation:
1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the onions and curry leaves and green chilies and saute till the onions turn brown.
2.Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till a nice aroma arises.
3.Add tomatoes and cook covered (using a regular plate) on low heat till the tomatoes are pulpy.
4.Once the tomatoes blend with the mixture add the ground paste, chicken and 2 cups of water and cover with the cooker lid and cook for 3 whistles, on high heat.
5.Once the steam settles by itself open the lid and cook till some of the water evaporates and you get the required consistency, which is a little more watery than a semi-gravy.
6.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.
:- this curry will taste even better the next day.
Happy cooking :)

Mochaikottai – Vazhakkai Karuvattu Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Mochaikottai – 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Vazhakkai / raw banana – 1 (peeled, quartered and diced to half inch thick pieces)
Karuvadu / Dry fish – any kind (1 cup if small variety, 2 if big variety, cut into squares)
Small onion / Shallots – 1 cup (peeled and sliced finely)
Tomatoes – 2 (diced)
Green chilies – 4 (slit)
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Garlic cloves – 10 (peeled)
Ginger – 1 inch piece (chopped and crushed)
Kuzhambu milagai thool – 4 tsp
:- you can substitute this with 4 tsp sambar powder and 2 tsp coriander powder.
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Jaggery – ½ tsp (optional)
:- Adding jaggery gives a wonderful flavor to the curry.
Garlic cloves – 4 (crushed with skin)
Black pepper – 10 (crushed slightly)
Tamarind – 1 medium lemon size (soaked in 1 cup hot water and pulp extracted)
Salt to taste
Gingili oil – 1 tbsp

For Tempering:
Gingily oil – 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry vadam – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp

Method of preparation:
1.Cook the soaked mochaikottai in 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker with a little salt for about 5 whistles. Once the steam settles by itself open the lid, filter and keep the mochaikottai aside and save the cooked water.
2.Heat 3 tbsp oil in a Kadai. Add the tempering ingredients and saute till nice aroma arises from the curry vadam.
3.Add the chopped onion, green chilies, curry leaves, peeled garlic and ginger and saute till onion turns light brown.
4.Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low heat till the tomatoes turn pulpy.
5.Once the tomatoes blend with the mixture add the mochaikottai, vazhakkai pieces and pour the mochai-cooked water.
6.Add the kuzhambu milagai thool, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt to taste, and cook covered till vazhakkai is cooked.
7.Now pour in the tamarind pulp and cook covered for a few minutes.
8.Then add the dry fish and cook till the curry reduces to the desired consistency stirring occasionally without breaking the fish.
9.Add the crushed garlic, pepper and 1 tbsp gingili oil and give it a stir. Remove from heat and keep covered.
10.Serve hot with rice.

Happy cooking :)

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:
Eggs - 5
Onion - 2 large (thinly sliced lengthwise)
Tomatoes - 2 medium (diced into big pieces)
Green chillies - 3 (slit lengthwise)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Chili powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - two 1 inch sticks
Cloves - 6
Khus khus - 2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Salt to taste
Oil - 1/2 cup
Rice - 2 cups

Method of preparation:
1. Cook 2 cups of rice in 3 cups of water. Mix 2 tsp oil to the rice with a fork and spread in a plate.
2. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy bottomed wok.
3. Add the khus khus, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.
4. Now add the onions, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till onions start turning brown.
5. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till nice aroma arises.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low flame till tomatoes are well cooked.
7. Increase the heat and saute till water from tomatoes evaporate.
8. Now add the eggs and stir constantly till the eggs are fried.
9. Add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt and mix well.
10. Cook covered on low heat till the raw smell of chili powder is gone.
11. Check for salt and add roughly chopped coriander leaves.
12. On high heat add the cooked rice to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly making sure not to break the rice.
13. Serve hot with pappad and potato fry.

Happy cooking :)

Pork Fry

Pork Fry

Ingredients:
Boneless pork pieces - 1/2 kg
Large onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (diced into big pieces)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Corriander leaves - a handful
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Corriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tbsp
Method of preparation:
1. Clean and chop the pork pieces into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat oil in a wok.
3. Add the onions and saute till they start turning brown.
4. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till nice aroma arises.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low heat till tomatoes blend with the mixture.
6. Now add the chilli powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste and saute for a couple of minutes.
7. Add the pork pieces, add 2 cups of water and cook covered on low heat till all water evaporates, mixing now and then.
8. Once water has evaporated saute the mixture for a few minutes till they get nicely fried.
9. Remove from stove and garnish with roughly chopped corriander leaves.
Serve as side for rice, pulao, rotis or naan.
Happy cooking :)

Mutton curry

Mutton Curry

Ingredients:
Mutton - 1/2 Kg (chopped into bite sized pieces)
Potatoes - 4 (Diced into big chunks)
Tomato - 1 (Diced into big pieces)
Big Onion - 2 (1-chop into big chunks to grind, 1/2-chop into thin slices, 1/2 - chop finely to make fried onion)
Green chillies - 4 (slit lengthwise)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Corriander leaves - a handful
Ginger - 3" pieces (slice to grind)
Garlic - 2 bulbs (peel and chop to grind)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 4 tsp
Corriander powder - 4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Saunf/fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Khus khus seeds - 2 tsp
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon stick - 2 inch piece
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method of preparation:
1. Wash and chop the mutton pieces and keep aside.
2. Grind ginger, garlic, and an onion into a coarse paste and keep aside.
3. Fry grated coconut, saunf and khus khus together to a golden brown color, grind them to a fine paste and keep aside.
4. Heat about 1/2 cup oil in a pressure cooker. Add cloves and cinnamon sticks and saute till they change color.
(break the clove heads before adding them to the oil so they wont burst in the oil)
5. Now add the chopped onion, green chillies, curry leaves to the oil and saute till the onions turn brown.
6. Now add the ground onion, ginger-garlic paste and saute till a nice aroma arises.
7. Add the diced tomatoes and cook covered till the tomatoes get blended with the mixture.
8. Now add the chilli powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and the mutton pieces and cook covered till the raw smell of the chilli powder disappears.
9. Now add enough water to just cover the mixture and close the cooker with cooker lid and let it cook for 5 whistles. Once done, let the steam settle by itself.
(Do not add too much water at this stage, since mutton will also release some water)
10. Open the cooker and add the diced potatoes and 2 more cups of water and cook covered till the potatoes get cooked.
11. Now add the coconut paste, check for salt and cook for about 10 mins till the curry reaches the desired consistency. The curry should not be a gravy nor too watery.
12. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a wok and fry the remaining onion till golden brown.
13. One the curry is done, pour the fried onion on top of it and add roughly chopped corriander leaves.
14. Serve hot with rice and papad, dosa or idli.
Happy Cooking :)

Chicken Biriyani

Though originally a Persian dish, Biriyani plays an integral part of Indian Cuisine and has several versions across different parts of India. A wonderful blend of spices and rice and chicken, this biriyani recipe is my all time favorite dish for special occasions. Here you go! My version for you to try.

Chicken Stew

Ingredients:
Chicken – ½ kg (cleaned, washed and diced)
Potato – 1 (boiled and mashed to small lumps)
Green chillies – 3
Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)
Garlic – 1 tsp (grated)
Big Onion – 1 large
Small onions – 1 tbsp (crushed)
Finely chopped small onion – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Bay leaves – 1
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
Thin coconut milk – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon stick.
• When nice aroma arises add the thinly sliced large onion, crushed small onion, ginger, garlic, slit green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes.
• When the onions start changing colour, add the boiled potato and chicken pieces and stir.
• Add the coriander powder and stir for a minute.
• Add 1 cup of thin coconut milk and mix well with salt to taste.
• Pressure cook on high flame for 1 whistle and then simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off the stove.
• After the pressure is fully released, open the lid and switch on the stove.
• Add the thick coconut milk and stir.
• Add garam masala, and pepper.
• Remove from fire before the stew boils again and add the chopped coriander leaves.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Sauté finely chopped small onions until golden brown and pour over the stew.
:- Serve with appam, chapathi, bread etc.

Chicken-65

Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish that originated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Its an excellent starter for parties and chicken in the recipe can be substituted with cauliflower (Gobi), mushroom or paneer and can be enjoyed by vegetarians.

Uppu Curry (Biriyani of the poor)

Ingredients
• Rice - 1 kg
• Mutton - 1 kg
• Sambar onions - 1/2 kg
• Dry red chillies - 25 nos
• Tomato - 1/4 kg
• Cumin seeds - 3 tsp
• Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt - As reqd

Preparation Method
• Soak rice for about half an hour.
:- Usually poor people use steamed rice which requires soaking. If you are using basmathi rice, then soaking is not required.
• Cook the rice in the conventional method. Strain the rice and keep aside.
• Chop the mutton into small bite sized pieces and cook separately adding a little salt.
• Heat oil in a large wok or pan.
• Add the peeled sambar onions and curry leaves to it and saute until it starts becoming transparent.
• Once nice aroma arises, add the slit dry red chillies. Saute for a few minutes.
:- This is the only ingredient that you add for spice, that’s why you add so much of chillies.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they are well smashed.
• Add the cooked mutton pieces to this mixture and mix well.
• Crush the cumin seeds in your palm and add to the mixture now and add salt to taste.
• Keep the mixture closed and cook for sometime.
• Switch off the stove and add the cooked rice, mix well and serve hot.
:- This recipe has no expensive spices added to it and yet tastes fantastic.
:- You can also make it with chicken, in which case you don’t have to precook the chicken pieces.
:- You may add garlic, mint and coriander leaves for added flavour.

Devil Chicken

Ingredients
• Bone/boneless chicken/chicken drumstick/ chicken lollypop - 6 pieces
• Garlic(chopped) - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1 no(chopped)
• Onion - 1 no(finely chopped)
• Onion(large) - 1 no(diced)
• Green capsicum(large) - 1 no(diced)
• Red capsicum(large) - 1 no(diced)
• Chilly flakes* - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
• Salt - As reqd

*Chilly flakes : Grind about 5 - 6 dry round red chillies in a mixie. Should be just broken to flakes and not powdered.

Preparation Method
• Clean, wash and marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric and a little salt for about 30 mins.Deep fry the marinated chicken pieces in oil. Keep aside.
• Heat about 1 tbsp of the same oil in a frying pan.
• Add the finely chopped onion and saute for 2 mins.
• Add the chopped garlic and curry leaves and saute for 2 mins.
• Add the chopped tomato and saute until they turn pulpy and mashed.
• Add the diced onions and saute for just a min.
• Add the diced red and green capsicum and saute for 2 mins.
• Add the chilly flakes and pepper powder and saute for 5 mins.
• Add the fried chicken pieces and the tomato sauce.
• Saute for 5 mins and then check for salt.
• Add more salt as required as the salt from the chicken would have been released into the curry as well.
• Once done, remove from fire.
:- Your hot and sweet Srilankan Devil Chicken is ready to be served as a starter or as a side dish for the main course.

Pork Vindaloo

Ingredients
• Boneless pork - 1/2 kg(cleaned and chopped to 2 inch pieces)
• Onion - 3 nos(finely sliced)
• Tomato - 4 nos(chopped)
• Garlic pods - 4 nos(crushed)
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Green chillies(slit) - 2 nos
• Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Salt - As reqd
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Oil for frying

For grinding into a coarse form:-
• Dry red chillies(should turn out to be flakes and not into a powder) - 3 nos
• Pepper - 1 tsp
• Cloves - 6 nos
• Cinnamon - 1" stick
• Cardamom - 4 nos
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation Method
• Mix the vinegar and about 2 tsp of salt to the pork and marinate for 2 - 3 hrs.
• Add half of the coarsely ground mix and marinate the pork overnight in the freezer.
:- Before starting the other preparations the next day, just take out the pork from the freezer so that it would be thawed by the time the rest of the ingredients are ready. Or you can defrost it in the microwave.
• Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add the crushed garlic.
• When it turns light brown, add the finely sliced onions and the ginger garlic paste.
• When nice aroma arises, add the chopped tomatoes, slit green chillies, the remaining ground mixture, salt to taste, a tsp of vinegar and sugar.
• When the spice mixture turns dark brown, add the marinated pork.
• When the pork is well cooked, remove from fire.
:- Serve hot.
:- Since the pork has been marinated in vinegar, this dish can be stored in the refrigerator and had for even a week.