Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Vada Curry

Vada Batter:


channa Dhal 1/2 cup
Moong Dal 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Soak them for 2 hrs and grind it to coarse paste (No water)

1 onion long cut
10 garlic pealed  or 1 pod
patta 1
cardamom 3
bay leaf
tumeric powder pinch
10 cashew broken
coconut milk - one can
Make a paste of sauf 1 tbsp, 10 green chilli, ginger 1 inch no water


Deep fry the vadas as small rolls in oil. Once golden remove.

In another pan add oil 3 to 4 tsp, patta, cardamom, bayleaf, then cashew fry red.  Add garlic, fry until soft. 

Add onion and soften add a lil salt for onion. 
Add the grinded paste and fry, (add chilli powder and reduce green chill if u like), add tumeric lil and then fry and add 1/2 cup water
Cook a few minutes.  Then add coconut milk, and enough salt, if requred add more water enough for curry.  Then cook 5 mins add curry leaves.

Break the vadas into small pieces. add to the curry and cook together.
Mash the vadas.

Add a tsp ghee on top. Garnish with Coriander leaves.
Very tasty and fragrant vada curry is ready.

Yum Yum with Idli's specially and Dosa.
Can be eaten with rice as well.

Chettinadu Chicken Curry

For Gravy:
Chicken - 3/4 kg
Shallots/Red onion - 1 cup, sliced
Tomato - 1 cup, sliced
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 string
Coconut Milk - 1 cup (I used canned coconut milk)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - for garnishing

For Masala:
Black Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 3/4 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
Dry red chillies - 6 nos
Cardamoms - 2 no
Cinnamon - 1 inch length
Curry leaves - 1 string

For Paste:
Green Chillies - 3 nos
Garlic - 2 big cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon (Soak in 1 tablespoon warm water for 10 minutes)

Method:
1) Dry roast the ingredients given 'For Masala' for 2-3 minutes and grind it to a powder when it comes to room temperature. Keep aside.

2) Make a paste of all the ingredients given 'For Paste'. Keep aside.

3) Heat Oil in a pressure cooker. Add onions and curry leaves. Saute them till onions get soft.

4) Add paste(as said in step 2) and saute for a minutes.

5) Add chicken pieces, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Chicken will leave out some water now while cooking. Stir in between for proper cooking.

6) Add tomato, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and reduce the flame to low and cook the chicken for another 5-7 minutes, uncovered.

7) When you see the chicken is 3/4th cooked, add the coconut milk. Mix well.

8) Close the pressure cooker with lid and cook for 5 more minutes or cook for a whistle.

9) Now, open the lid and add the masala powder (as said in step 1). In a medium flame cook for some time.

10) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Note: No need to add water for the gravy. Coconut milk is alone enough.
Tips: Chicken cooked too long will become hard.  Just cooked enough for a tender juicy finish.

Yummy Hot Curry is awaiting to be served.