Vodi

My gran n mom used to prepare this during summer. These had to dry in the sun for 7 days. They were then preserved and fried in oil. At my home, vodis were partially prepared for this purpose. They were mostly prepared as we all loved to eat it raw. More than half of the quantity was consumed by us raw. Raw or fried, they are too yummy to resist.

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Red chillies - 8-10

Salt - to taste

Onion or garlic (don't use both) - 1 cup finely chopped

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 4-5 hours in enough water.

2. Grind rice along with red chillies to a smooth paste with a little water.

3. Mix double the quantity of water, ground paste and rice.

4. Take it in a saucepan and place on medium flame.

5. Keep stirring till it starts boiling and lumps begin forming and becomes thick. 

6. Remove from heat. Keep it covered overnight.

7. In the morning, mix onions or garlic. 

8. Place the batter in the form of small round vodis on a plastic sheet in sun.

9. They should continously dried for 7 days in sun.

10. Store in air tight containers.

11. Deep fry them as and when required.

Crispy Indo-French Fry

This is my favourite tea-time snack. Why I called it Indo French fry is because its the Indian spicy version of French Fry.... It can be prepared in a jiffy and a delight to eat...

Potaoes - 3 medium sized, cut in French fry style

Rice flour - 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder - to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Mix all the infgredients together.

2. If the potatoes are moist, mix a little more rice flour.

3. Deep fry in oil.

4. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Kundapur Chicken

Chicken – 500 gms

Onions – 3 medium sized, finely chopped

Tomatoes – 3 small sized, finely chopped

Ginger paste – 3 tsp

Garlic paste – 3 tsp

Curry leaves – 15-20

Tejpatta – 2

Kundapur chicken masala powder – 2 tbsp

Coconut milk – 1 cup

Salt to taste

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. In a pan, heat oil.
2. Add tejpatta, curry leaves and onions.
3. When the onions turn golden brown, add ginger and garlic paste.
4. When the raw smell of ginger and garlic is no more there, add tomatoes.
5. When the oil starts separating, add the chicken pieces and salt.
6. Let the chicken cook on a medium flame.
7. Cover the pan with a plate that holds some amount of water in it. (One of my friend Vanitha’s mom had told me this. I forgot the reason why it had to be done. But there was some logic  to it, trust me)
8. Once the chicken is done, add the Kundapur Chicken powder. (I do not know the ingredients of this masala. Vanitha’s mom had given me this masala. I would try to get the recipe soon)
9. Add the coconut milk and salt. (I used to not prepare this dish earlier although I loved it, just at the thought of the pain in extracting coconut milk. Recently I bought Maggi’s Coconut milk powder which helped get instant coconut milk done in a jiffy and the taste was good too)
10. Do not boil for long.
11. The longer the gravy exists, the tastier it gets…
12. This is a delight to have with Kori Rotti or ghee rice (Famous Combination in south)

Methi Paneer

Paneer cubes – 250 gms

Tomatoes – 3 small

Ginger – 1” piece

Garlic paste – 3-4 cloves

Green chillies - 2

Honey – 1 tsp

Cream – 1 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

1. Fry the paneer cubes in a little oil in a frying pan and keep aside.
2. Grind together tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies and salt together.
3. Boil this mixture till it thickens.
4. Add cream and honey and sauté for 2mins. Adjust salt at this stage, if required.
5. Add kasuri methi and garam masala powder and sauté for a minute.
6. Now add the fried paneer pieces and mix well.
7. Serve with hot paranthas.

Ghee Rice

Rice – 2 cups

Onion – 1 medium sized

Coriander leaves – ½ bunch

Pudina leaves – ½ bunch

Tejpatta – 1

Whole garam masala – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tsp

Ghee – 2tsp
Vinegar – ½ tsp

Method:

1. Soak the rice in double the amount of water for atleast half an hour.
2. Boil water in a vessel.
3. When the water starts boiling, add the rice, vinegar, salt and 1 tsp of oil.
4. Keep checking the rice until it is almost done but not fully done.
5. Strain the water away.
6. Immediately spread the rice in 2-3 plates. This prevents the rice from being sticky or stops it from cooking further.
7. In a kadai, heat oil + ghee.
8. Add the whole garam masalas, tejpatta, sliced onions.
9. Once the onions turn golden brown, add finely chopped coriander and pudina leaves.
10. Add the rice and mix well.

Chicken / Mutton Biriyani

Ingredients:
Rice - 3 cups
Mutton or chicken – ½ kilo
Onions – 7-8 medium sized, finely chopped
Tomatoes – 3 medium sized, finely chopped
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Pudina leaves – 1 bunch (take the leaves only)
Coriander leaves – 1 bunch
Biriyani masala – 3 tsp
Rose water – 3 tsp
Kesar – 1 pinch
Milk – 2 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Potatoes – 4 medium sized, peeled and cut into halves
Kala jeera – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp

Whole garam masala for rice:
Tejpatta – 2-3
Cloves – 3-4
Cinnamon – 1”inch piece broken into small pieces
Cardamom – 3-4
Black pepper – 4-5
Jeera – 1 tsp
Red chilli – 1


For marination:
Curd – 1 cup
Ginger paste – 2 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 ½ tbsp
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp

Method:

The ‘to be done and kept aside’ tasks:

Marinate the chicken / mutton pieces with the marinade ingredients and refrigerate for atleast half an hour (the more time the better).
Soak the rice in double the quantity of water for half an hour.
Heat oil in a pan. Add kala jeera, potatoes, turmeric powder and salt. Fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown.
Fry ½ cup of sliced onions till they are brown.
Soak kesar in milk. (If kesar is not available, you may use food color to give the rice yellow colour)

To prepare Rice:

Boil water in a vessel along with the whole garam masalas.
When the water starts boiling, add the rice, vinegar, salt and 1 tsp of oil.
Keep checking the rice until it is almost done but not fully done.
Strain the water away.
Immediately spread the rice in 2-3 plates. This prevents the rice from being sticky or stops it from cooking further.


The main dish (masala):
In a pan, heat oil and add tejpatta.
Add rest of the onions. Saute till they are golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and sauté till the oil separates.
Now add the marinated chicken or mutton and finely chopped pudina and coriander leaves along.
Add biriyani masala, fried potatoes and adjust salt.
Add a little water if required. The meat and potatoes should cook in this masala itself. (In case of lack of time, the meat and potatoes can be pressure cooked together. Saves a lot of time but the former method gives extra taste)
If there is any gravy left, heat till the water gravy evaporates and meat is left with thick masala.

Final set-up:
Take a heavy bottomed utensil where you would be setting up the Biriyani.
Grease the utensil with a little oil.
Divide the rice into 3 parts and the masala into 2.
Arrange the first part of rice in the utensil first.
Next put half of the masala.
Repaeat the rice – masala – rice layer again.
Decorate the fried onions on top.
Pour the kesar milk so that it is evenly spread across the utensil.
Pour the rose water similarly.
Put ghee on top evenly.
Place the utensil on the lowest heat.
If the ghee on top melts, then you may know that the biriyani is ready to be served.