PRAWN KHARA MASALA

This is a recipe that has the flavor of some dry roasted and grounded Indian spices. Here, I have used 'tiger prawns' but it can be made with any kind of prawns. Though the taste would vary with the size of the prawns. This needs very less ingredients as well as time to cook. Let's check out the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Tiger Prawns-5-6 (De-veined and washed)

Chopped onion-1 medium

Finely chopped Ginger garlic- 1tsp

Sliced tomato-1

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Green chilli-1

Kasuri meethi (Dried fenugreek leaf)-1 tbsp

Coriander leaf-1/2 bunch

Dry roasted and grounded spice powder-(cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, peppercorn, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilli)
Mustard oil/ Refined oil

METHOD

Wash the prawns properly and smear salt and turmeric. In a wok, take mustard oil and fry the prawns and keep aside. Prawns should not be over-fried because then it becomes rubbery. In the same oil in which prawns have been fried, add chopped ginger garlic followed by sliced onion. Fry well. Then put green chilli, chopped tomato, kasuri meethi and coriander powder. Add little water also to avoid the spices from been burnt. Add the dry roasted masala also. Now add the fried prawns. Mix well. Add little water for gravy.

EGG SQUARE SURPRISE

Well, unable to think any name other than this. In this preparation, one of the main ingredients is of course egg, but it also has a surprise mix of boiled and mashed split bengal gram paste. Though it looks like squares made out of eggs but when one eats this, gets that surprise in taste.

INGREDIENTS

For the Egg Square batter:

Egg-4

Parboiled Chana dal (Split Bengal gram) paste-1/2 cup

Chopped onion-1 medium

Chopped Coriander leaf- 1/2 bunch

Salt and sugar as per taste

Green chilli-2

Grated ginger-1 tsp

For the gravy:

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Dry red chilli-1

Onion paste and chopped-1 large 

Ginger paste- 1tsp

Tomato puree-1 cup

Cumin powder-1 tsp

Asafoetida (Hing)- 1 pinch

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Garam Masala- bayleaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon

Refined oil

METHOD

Mix all the batter ingredients together mentioned above and fry it with oil by spreading the batter on a pan like a big omelette. After frying this, cut small square pieces out of it and keep aside. Now for the gravy, take oil in a pan, put cumin seeds, dry red chilli, pinch of Asafoetida and whole garam masala as tempering. Then put the chopped onion first followed by the onion and ginger paste. Add little sugar and salt, cumin powder, turmeric powder and fry the masala little. Add tomato puree, after frying for a while, add water required for the gravy. Now when the gravy starts boiling, add the above egg square pieces. Cover cook for a while. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapati.

HYDERABADI MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY

There are number of ways to make a mixed vegetable curry. All over the world different recipes are made with different combinations of vegetable. In India itself, there are so many ways to make mixed veg curry. I have already shared the Bengali way of cooking mixed veg curry. Today I am sharing the hyderabadi style.

INGREDIENTS

Blanched (except brinjal) mixed vegetable (like beans, carrot, cauliflower, green peas, potatoes, brinjal)-2 cups

Chopped onion-1 large

Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp

Tomato puree-1 cup

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Garam masala whole- bayleaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves

Beaten curd-2 tbsp

Turmeric-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Any curry powder-1 1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander-1/2 cup

METHOD

Take oil in a wok, and put the cumin seeds, the garam masala and the bayleaf as tempering. Fry for few second. Then put the chopped onion, followed by ginger garlic paste. After frying the masala a little while, add the vegetables (fry the brinjal separately, smearing salt, turmeric and sugar) and fry well. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tomato puree and the curry powder. Add the seasonings as well. Now when the vegetables are nicely done, add the beaten curd. Put little water and lid-cook for sometimes. Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot with roti or parantha.

CHICKEN SPRING ONION

INGREDIENTS

Chicken-750 gm

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Chopped onion-3

Chopped tomato-1

Tomato puree-1 cup

Cumin powder-2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Mustard oil- 1 tsp

Salt and sugar as per taste

Spring onion-1 bunch  

Refined oil for cooking

METHOD

Marinate chicken pieces with lemon juice and little salt, and keep aside for 20 mins. Then discard the juices that the marinated chicken leaves. Now add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, mustard oil and cumin powder. Keep it aside for 20 mins. more. Take refined oil in a pan, put mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped onion, and fry well adding little sugar, salt and red chilli powder. Then add the marinated chicken. Cook till the chicken becomes white in color. Now add chopped tomato and the tomato puree as well. Fry well and add adequate amount of water. Lid-cook for sometime. Put lots of chopped spring onion. Mix well and cook for few more minutes. Serve hot with roti or any tempered rice.

DRY VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN

INGREDIENTS

Grated Cabbage-2 cups

Grated Carrot-1 cup

Chopped Capsicum- 1/2

Chopped Onion-1

Chopped Garlic-2 tsp

Ginger paste-1 tsp

Salt and sugar as per taste

Pepper powder-1 tsp

Chopped green chilli-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Cornflour-1 tbsp

Refined flour-2 tbsp

For Sauce:

Chopped ginger-1 tsp

Chopped garlic-1 tsp

Chopped onion-1 tbsp

Vinegar-1 tsp

Chopped Green chilli-1 tsp

Soya sauce-1 tsp

Green chilli sauce-1 tsp

Tomato sauce-2 tsp

Salt and sugar as per taste

Chopped spring onion-1 tbsp

Sesame/ Refined oil as per requirement

METHOD

Smear little salt to the grated cabbage and keep aside for 1/2 hr. Then take out the cabbage in other bowl, squeezing all the water, and then mix all other ingredients together to make medium sized balls. Deep fry the balls and keep aside. Now make the sauce in another pan. Take little oil, put the chopped ginger followed by the garlic, and fry well for sometime. Add onion and green chilli. Then, go on adding, soya sauce, green chilli sauce, vinegar and tomato sauce to complete the gravy. Add seasonings according to the taste. Now put the balls in the sauce and cover it with a lid. Lid- cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped spring onion or coriander leaves.

FRIED CRACKED WHEAT (Dalia)

This is a recipe of broken wheat with some veggies of your choice. In this health conscious world, I am sure the benefits of broken wheat are not any more unknown to us. This is versatile, rich in fiber, low in calories and loaded with nutrients. Broken/ cracked wheat preparation serves good as breakfast or even as lunch. Or have it whenever you want to.

INGREDIENTS

Cracked wheat-200 gmm (boil till 2-3 whistle in a pressure cooker, adding little salt, turmeric and water)

Parboiled veggies-1 1/2 cup (beans, carrot, capsicum, green peas, cauliflower, potato etc.)

Onion-1 small, chopped

Ginger-1 tsp, chopped

Green chilli-1

Bayleaf-1

Clarified butter-1 tsp

Refined oil-1 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric-1/4 tsp

Salt and sugar- as per taste

Cashew nuts and Raisins-8-10 each

METHOD

Parboiled all the vegetables except the capsicum, and keep aside. Take refined oil in a frying pan, put the chopped ginger into it and fry till this emanates a nice flavor. Then add the chopped onion, fry for sometime and then put the boiled veggies along with the nuts, capsicum and chopped green chilli. Fry well. Now add the boiled cracked wheat to the fried veggies. Add the seasonings and sprinkle clarified butter from above. Now the dish is ready to be served.

MASALA DAHI MURG (Yogurt Chicken)

This is a very simple recipe made with very common ingredients. Only a home-made dry roasted and grounded masala creates the magic of flavor and taste. Let's have a look.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken-500 gm

Curd-200 gm

Onion-2+1, sliced

Garlic-8-10 cloves, chopped

Ginger-2 inch, chopped

Masala powder-Roasted and grounded [2 tsp Cumin seeds, 2 tsp Coriander seeds, 2 tsp (Cinnamon, Cardamon and Cloves)]

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Bayleaf-2

Salt and sugar- as per taste

Green chilli-2

Mustard oil/ Refined oil-as per requirement

METHOD

Marinate chicken pieces with curd for 2 hrs and keep aside. Take oil in a pan, and fry 1 sliced onion with little sugar and salt; when then onion turns golden brown, keep aside. Again, in the same pan, take some more oil and put all the chopped garlic, ginger and onion (2). Fry well till golden brown and make a paste in a blender. Keep aside the paste. In another pan, take oil and put bayleaf in it as tempering. Then put the marinated chicken and continue frying till the color of the chicken turns white. Add the blended paste now, followed by grounded masala, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and add slited green chilli and little water. Lid cook till the chicken becomes soft and cooked nicely. Serve with Cumin Rice or parantha.