Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken :

Tandoori chicken is a dish originating from Indian subcontinent. It is widely popular in South Asia, Middle Eastern and Western countries. It consists of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared.
The chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with the spice mixture tandoori masala and is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a tandoor (clay oven), but can also be prepared on a traditional barbecue grill. It is heated by Charcoal or Wood which also add the smoky flavour to it. Tandoori chicken originated in the Punjab before the independence of India and Pakistan.

Tandoori Chicken recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian |  Recipe Category: Appetizer
Prep Time:20 mins    |  Cook time: 30mins     |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

              

                                        For the first marination:

Chicken pieces  1kg

Turmeric Powder -1/4 tsp

Lemon - 1/2 piece

Chicken tandoori masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)

                                   For the second marination:

Chilly powder(dhaniya powder combined) - 1tbsp

Yoghurt - 1 cup

Salt - needed

Pepper powder - 1/4tsp

Jeera powder -1/4 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste-3/4  tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Oil - 1tsp

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 Method:

• First chop the chicken into leg pieces or u can use full chicken and wash them well with turmeric powder. Make slits on the flesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  Squeeze the lemon and apply all over thechicken and rub the chicken with the lemon skin.Now sprinkle the tandoori masala around the chicken and apread itaround the chicken with your hands.Apply well in the slits.This is purely optional, you can marinate with the lemon alone.
  
• Keep it aside for 30mins maximum. Now start with the second marination. Take a bowl and mix all theingredients in the second table. Mix it well with your hands into a smooth paste.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Apply the paste on all the chicken pieces evenly and inside the slits.
  
• Now to cook it we have 3 options: 

                                                                        Option 1:

Pre- heat the oven or griller in 200 degrees for 20 mins and place the chciken on the grill plate. Place a aluminium folie on the plate and place the chciken on top of it. Smear the oil on top of the chciken and cook it in 200 degrees for 30 mins. Turn the chicken pieces with a wooden stick when one side is cooked well.

Option 2:

I you dont have a griller, take a pan and heat it 1 scoop oil, place the chciken pieces on the pan and cover the pan with a lid. Turn it every 10 mins and cook with lid closed.

Option 3:

When you cook in an oven place the chciken in a tray, this will give you roasted chciken with the tandoori sauce also around it.

• Enjoy the dish with any dip if taking as a snack. Garnish with Krauter leaves(optional)
  

Chocolate Kesari

Chocolate Kesari (சாக்லேட் கேசரி): 

Kesari  is an Indian dessert that is popular throughout the country. It originated from the Karnataka. It is a Cuisine of Karnataka and is a popular dish during festivals such as Ugadi. 

Now I am going to show you the preparation of chocolate kesari, and this will be liked by kids.

                         

                                    Chocolate Kesari recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Sweet
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins     |  Serves: 2

Ingredients:

                                                      

Rava/sooji - 1/2 cup

Water - 2.5 cups

Milkmaid - 1/2 cup

Salt  - 1 pinch

Ghee/oil - 2tsp

Cashews, Raisins - as needed

Cardamon powder - 1 pinch

Coco powder (unsweetened) - 1 tsp

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 Method:

• First pour 1tsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins and set aside. 
  
  
  
  
  
• In the same pan fry the Rava until nice aroma comes and set aside. The colour should not change. Same time boil water in a non stick pan and add the salt to it.
  
  
  
• When the water is boiling hot add the rava slowly around the pan so that it does not form lumps anywhere. Keep mixing with aladdle in one hand. Close the pan with a lid.
  
• When the Rava boils well add the milkmaid slowly by mixing the Rava with a laddle to avoid lumps. If you dont like milkmaid you can also replace it with thick milk and sugar.
  
• Now the texture will be creamy and it will boil with froth on the top surface. When you see the rava is cooked well add the coco powder and the cardamon powder and mix well.
  
• Mix well evenly and check for the taste. If you feel sugar is less add some more milkmaid, or only sugar. Now keep mixing as it comes to the texture of kesari.
  
• Now when all the water has been absorbed and it comes like a paste add the roasted nuts and mix well.
  
• Keep mixing until it comes like a halwa without sticking to the surface of the pan. Transfer it into a cup and serve hot. You can add melted chocolate or chocolate syrup as a topping.
  

                                   

Mutton Kuzhambu

Mutton Kuzhambu (மட்டன் குழம்பு ):

 Lamb and mutton are terms for the meat of domestic sheep  at different ages. A sheep in its first year is called a lamb; and its meat is also called lamb. The meat of a juvenile sheep older than one year is hogget; outside North America this is also a term for the living animal. The meat of an adult sheep is mutton, a term only used for the meat, not the living animals.

Meat from sheep features prominently in several cuisines of the Mediterranean. Lamb and mutton are very popular in Central Asia and in certain parts of China, where other red meats may be eschewed for religious or economic reasons. It is also very popular in Australia. Barbecued mutton is also a specialty in some areas of the United States  and Canada. There are almost thousand receipes with mutton, Now we are going to see a South Indian Mutton Kuzhambu.

                                 Mutton Kuzhambu recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 30 mins     |  Serves: 3

Ingredients

Mutton - 1 kg

Tomatoes - 1.5 nos

Green chilly-1 no

Salt - as needed

Turmeric powder -1/4 tbsp

Onion - 1 nos

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Cilantro leaves- needed

Pudina /mint leaves - handfull

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                                                    To Roast & Grind :

Red Chillies - 4nos

Dhaniya seeds - 1tsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

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To Temper :

Oil - 1 tbsp

Fennel -1 tsp

Red chilly- 1 no

Cinnamon - 1 small piece

Star anise - 1 no

Eliachi - 1 no

Cloves - 3 nos

Curry leaves - 4 or 5

Black cardamon - 1 no

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                                                     To Boil the Mutton :

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Chilly powder( dhaniya pow mixed) - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp

Curd - 2 tsp

Salt - needed

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Method:

• First chop the mutton into small pieces. Pressure cook the mutton well for 4 to 5 whistles with the ingredients in the To Boil table. Curd is used to soften the meat.Keep it aside. Incase its sheep (European countries ) cook for 10 whistles and discard the stock. As the stock will be very oily.
  
• Chop the onions and tomatoes , roast & grind the ingredients in the table to a fine paste.
  
• Pour oil in a kadai and add the ingredients in the temper table.
  

• And when it splutters add the green chilly (slit vertically), pudina leaves , onions, and ginger garlic paste and saute well. Next add tomatoes and saute well, when they are well cooked add turmeric powder and the ground paste and mix well.
  
  
  
•  Now add the half-boiled potatoes pieces and mix well. Add 2 cups water to allow it to boil.
  
• Now add the boiled muttons and mix well. Add the salt and cilantro leaves. Meanwhile grind the coconut into a fine paste. Once the mutton has boiled with the water and thick gravy has formed add the cocnut milk and allow it to boil well.
  

• Now the mutton kuzhambu is ready for lunch !!!
  

Banana Dry Fruits Smoothie

Banana Dry Fruits Smoothie:

Dried fruit, is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized because of its sweet taste, nutritive value and long shelf life.

Today, dried fruit consumption is widespread. Nearly half of the dried fruits sold are raisins, followed by dates, prunes, figs, apricots, peaches, apples and pears. These are referred to as "conventional" or "traditional" dried fruits. Many fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries and mango are infused with a sweetener  prior to drying. Some products sold as dried fruit, like papaya, kiwi fruit and pineapple are most often candied fruit. Traditional dried fruits have been a staple of Mediterranean diets for millennia. Traditional dried fruit have a low to moderate Glycemic Index (GI) – a measure of how a food affects blood sugar levels.

The banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry, produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called plantains. The fruit is variable in size, color and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. The fruits grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant. 
Farmers in Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea first domesticated bananas. 
Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6 and contain moderate amounts of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber.

Now we are going to prepare a smoothie with banana and some dry fruits. Its a healthy and tummy filling smoothie for kids and working women.

                          Banana Dry Fruits Smoothie recipe

Recipe Cuisine: American  |  Recipe Category: Beverage
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 0 mins     |  Serves: 3

Ingredients

Banana - 1 no

Chilled milk -1  glass

Ice cubes- 4nos

Sugar/Honey - as needed

Chilled water - 1/2 glass

Blanched Almonds - 4 nos

Cashew nuts -2 nos

Dates - 2

Fig - 2 nos

Pista - 3 nos

Raisins - 5 nos

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 Method:

• First chop the fruit , add the dry fruits and banana pieces to a mixer / blender.Add half of the chilled milk and water and grind it well. 
  
  
  
•  Later add the remaining milk, water, sugar and give it 2 pulses.Sugar can be replaced with honey.
  
• It will be thick so add required amount of water or milk and mix well.Serve it in a glass with dry fruit toppings.
  
  
  
  
  
• Enjoy the smoothie!!!
  

Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha :

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum L. The word "potato" may refer either to the plant itself or to the edible tuber. Potatoes were introduced outside the Andes region approximately four centuries ago, and have since become an integral part of much of the world's food supply. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat, and rice.
The English word potato comes from Spanish patata. The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a compound of the Taino batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato).
The potato contains vitamins and minerals, as well as an assortment of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and natural phenols and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
The potato is best known for its carbohydrate content.

Now we are going to prepare the most widely spread breakfast Aloo Paratha.

                                         Aloo Paratha recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian |  Recipe Category: Dinner/breakfast
Prep Time:20 mins    |  Cook time: 10 mins     |  Serves: 3

Ingredients For the dough :

                                                      

Salt  - 1/4 tbsp

Wheat Flour/Atta - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/4 tbsp

Butter - 1/2 tsp (optional)

                                Ingredients For the Filling:

Aloo / potatoes - 3 nos

Onion - 1 chopped

oil -to fry

Coriander leaves - little

Turmeric powder - 1/4tbsp

Chilly powder - 1/4 tbsp (or) Green chilly - 2 nos

Asafoetida / Hing - 1 pinch

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 Method:

• First boil the aloos well and mash it finely. Chop the onions finely and set aside.
  


• Take the flour add the needed salt, sugar and butter and mix well. Mix it a soft dough as for paratha and make it to small balls. .
  
• Take a pan and add  1 tsp oil when its hot, Add the chopped onions, and saute well with turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder. U can also use green chillies chopped finely; in that case skip chilly powder. Add asafoetida and mix well.
  
• Now add the mashed potatoe to this and mix well. Saute fro few mins. 
  
• Now once the filling is warm, roll it into lemon sized balls. The size should be 1 diameter lesser than your atta dough balls.
  
• Take one ball and roll it flat into a small circle and place the filling  at the centre of the circle and fold it from all sides into a money bag.
  

• Now pat the money bag and roll it into a circle paratha. Roll it softly with full care. Fry the parathas on tawa on a medium heat, with oil on all sides.
  
• Now the Parathas are ready to be served with chutney or dressing yoghurt.!!!
  

Thattai

Thattai (தட்டை):

Thattai is a famous snack in India. The ingredients vary according to the various States.It is also prepared as a main snack during Gokulashtami and Diwali.

                                      Thattai recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Snack
Prep Time:15 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins     |  Serves: 4

Ingredients

Rice flour - 2 cups

Roasted Urad dhall Flour - 2tsp

Roasted Gram dhall flour - 2tsp

Butter - 2 tsp

Channa Dhall - 2 tsp

Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tbsp

Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt- needed

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Oil - for frying

Curry leaves - few crushed

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Method:

• First You need to prepare the Rice flour.
• Steps : 

1.Soak the rice for at least 2 hours and drain the water, spread it in a clean cloth or news paper to absorb the excess water.
2.Grind it to a fine powder in a mixer.
3.Sieve the flour(you can add the remaining coarse rice to the next batch grinding). Dont rub and sieve. Do it gently. 
4.Fry the urad dal flour until nice aroma comes and then grind it. Seive it gently.
5. Fry the channa dhall in low flame and grind it naive. 
6. If you are store bought flour fry it in tawa for few minutes in a low flame.

• I have used both store bought flours.Soak the channa dhall for atleast 1 hour.
  
• Take a bowl and add Rice flour , Urad dhall and Gram dhall flours and add salt, hing, chilly powder, butter and soaked dhall. Mix well so that salt and chilly powder sread evenly.
  
• Mix well with your hands , it will appear as bread crumbs texture.
  

• Mix the flours slowly by adding water little by little and form a smooth dough. Then separate the dough into smaller balls. Lemon sized ones are preferable. If you want mini thattai 's use balls smaller then lemon.
  
• Now grease a sheet with oil and place the balls. Gently pat it into a flat circle using ur greased hands or a greased plate or cup. Pat it flat.
  
• Pour oil in kadai and add the Thattai's one by one slowly when the oil is hot. Turn on both sides until they turn crispy and little brown.
  
• Place the Thattai's on a kitchen towel and remove the excess oil, as its an oily snack.
  
• Enjoy the snack!!!
  

Prawn Bajji (Puducherry Special)

Prawn Bajji (இறால் பஜ்ஜி):

Bajji or bhajji is a spicy Indian snack similar to a fritter, with several variants. In some states it is known as Pakora. It is usually used as a topping on various Indian meals but has become popular to eat alone as a snack. It is a popular street food in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengalin India and can be found for sale in street-side stalls, especially in tapris and dhabas on highways.

Apart from being a must in the traditional Maharashtrian Tamil and Telgu meal on festivals and the like, bhajjis top the comfort food list when it comes to monsoons and rains. They are generally served with a piping hot cup of coffee, tea. Now lets see the preparation of Prawn Bajji which is the most famous road-side snack in Puducherry. And its really awesome to taste them during rainy season.

                             

                                  Prawn Bajji recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Snack
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 10 mins     |  Serves:2

Ingredients

Prawn - 250 gms (10 nos)

Besan flour (channa dhall flour) - 1/2 cup

Rice flour - 1/4 cup

Cornflour - 1 tsp

Chilly powder- 1 tsp

Asafoetida- 2 pinches

Salt- needed

Hot oil - 1 tsp

Cooking soda - 2 pinches

Oil - for frying
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                                        For the marination (Incase of frozen prawns):

Salt- 1/4tsp

Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

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 Method:

• First take a bowl and mix all the ingredients with water. Whisk well until it froths lightly. The batter should not be poury, it should be thick. It should coat the prawn easily.Keep the batter aside for minimum 15mins.If the batter is too thick it will take long to get cooked. When u drop the batter with a spoon it should drip drop by drop.
  
• Marinate the prawns for 30mins maximum with the ingredients in the marinate table. Marination is required only for frozen prawns.Fresh prawns can be cooked straighy away after washing them with turmeric powder.
  
  
  
  
  
• Now take a pan and pour oil and heat it. Dip the prawns in the batter and coat the batter evenly on all sides. Now drop the prawns in the oil slowly.
• 
• When its cooked well and the batter colour changes dark and it puffs well drain them in a kitchen towel.It should be golden brown in colour. Cook in medium flame.
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• Enjoy the Bajji with Tea or Coffee!!!