CHICKEN KORMA

This Chicken Korma recipe is my style and goes very well with idli and dosa. I wanted to try out something different with the marinated chicken I had. Since it was idli for dinner that day I wanted something not very spicy at the same time something that would go very well with idlis. I used the marinated chicken I had to make a korma my style. The ingredients required for marination is also given below. Here's my recipe to a tasty chicken korma/ chicken in a nutty gravy/ vellai (white) korma or however you want to call it. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken - 250 gms

Onion (chopped) - 2

Tomato (chopped) - 2

Green chili (slit) - 2 [make it 3 if you prefer it spicy]

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric pwd - a pinch

Coriander pwd - 1 tbsp

Chili pwd - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom, Clove - 1 each

Cinnamon -  1/2 a stick

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste 

Coriander leaves for garnish

To marinate 

Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp

Chili pwd - 1 tsp

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

To grind 

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Cashews - 6

Add water when grinding to make it a paste. 

METHOD

Marinate the chicken pieces in the above marinade mixture for 30 mins.

In a cooker pan add little oil and add cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Immediately add the chopped onion and slit green chilies. After 2 mins add the ginger garlic paste and saute for about 5 mins. Now add the chopped tomatoes, chicken and all the masalas. Give it a good mix. Add very little water and close the cooker lid. Cook for 4 whistles and switch off. When the pressure releases add the prepared cashew paste. Keep it on medium flame and let it boil. Now add coconut milk, give it a stir and finish it off with chopped coriander leaves. It's a tasty chicken kurma made in a South Indian style- a good side dish for appam(hoppers), idiyappam(string hoppers), idli and dosa. 

CHENA KILANGU FRY/ YAM FRY

Chena kilangu fry has been my favourite from childhood. I would love to relish this simple delicacy with curd rice. This version of the recipe is how we cook it at home, very simple yet delicious to taste.

INGREDIENTS

Chena kilangu- 250 gms

Turmeric pwd- a pinch

Sambar pwd- 1/2 tbsp (add more if you prefer it spicy)

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Split urad dal- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD

Wash and slice the yam into thin slices. Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds and split urad dal. Add the sliced yam to it, give it a stir. To it, add a pinch of turmeric pwd, sambar pwd and required salt. Mix well, sprinkle little water and cook till crisp. Yummy yam fry is ready to eat. 

SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS POTATO FRY

This simple recipe can be made in a few minutes and goes well with sambar, rasam or curd rice.

INGREDIENTS

Potato (medium size) - 2

Turmeric- a pinch

Sambar pwd- 1 tbsp (add more if you prefer it spicy)

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Oil- 3-4 tbsp

Salt

METHOD

Wash, peel and cut the raw potatoes into small pieces. Heat kadai or a non stick pan and add oil. Once it’s hot, add the mustard seeds, and let it crackle. Throw in the tiny pieces of potato adding turmeric, required salt and sambar pwd and cook on low flame till the potatoes are cooked (take a piece from the kadai, it should be slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, if yes then its cooked) check for the taste and add more salt or sambar pwd if required. Switch off the heat when it’s done. Serve hot.

PEPPER CHICKEN FRY

This pepper chicken is my mother’s recipe to which I have added a few changes. It tastes good with rasam, curd rice and even with chapati. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken – 500 gms boneless cut into small pieces

Onion (chopped) – 2  

Ginger and garlic (grated) – 2 tbsp each  OR  Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Green chilly (slit) – 1

Black pepper (crushed) – 1¼ tbsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Fennel powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Juice of half a lemon

Salt

Tomato puree – 2 tsp

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD

Wash the chicken pieces by adding a tsp of turmeric and little salt. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and little salt and let it brown. Add grated ginger and garlic OR ginger garlic paste, slit green chili and curry leaves. Let it cook until the raw smell goes. Add crushed pepper, turmeric powder, garam masala, fennel powder and cook for about 3 mins. Add tomato puree and mix well. I have used tomato puree for this recipe but my mother adds chopped tomatoes. If you prefer tomatoes then use one small sized tomato and chop it into small cubes. Add the chicken pieces and squeeze in the lemon and add the required salt. Combine everything well. Add about half a cup of water and let it boil. Reduce the heat once it starts boiling, cover and cook the chicken for about ten minutes or  until done stirring in occasionally in between if needed and add little water if the masala sticks to the pan. Once the chicken is done, heat coconut oil in a tadka pan, add curry leaves, switch off the heat and pour this on the chicken. Serve hot.