Chettinad Lamb Head Curry (Thalakari Kulambu)

Ingredients

Lamb head chopped ½ kg

Onion chopped 1

Tomatoes chopped 2

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric extract ½ cup

Pepper corns ½ tsp

Fennel seeds ½ tsp

Salt and oil as required

Preparations

1.      clean the lamb head pieces and keep aside

2.      In a pan add oil, pepper corns, fennel seeds.

3.      Then add chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and lamb head pieces. Allow it to cook till it oozes out its water

4.      Add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.

5.      Allow it cook till the meat is done

            Serve hot with rice

Chettinad mutton balls curry (kola urundai kulambu)

Ingredients

Minced mutton ½ kg

Small onions 10

Tomato 3

Garlic 5 pods

Ginger 1 inch

Coconut grated ½ cup

Fennel seeds 1 tsp

Pepper corns 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Egg 1

Roasted Bengal gram powder 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Chilli powder 1 tbsp

Cinnamon 1

Bay leaf 1

Salt and oil as required

Preparations

1.      In pan add oil, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, pepper corns, grated coconut, ginger, garlic and fry well. Make a smooth paste of this mixture

2.      Blend the minced mutton in the blender. To it add chopped small onions, roasted Bengal gram powder, egg, turmeric powder and salt. Make small balls of this dough and fry it in oil

3.      In a pan add oil,cinnamon,bay leaf,tomatoes,ground paste and sauté them well

4.      To it add required water,salt,chilli powder and allow it to boil

5.      Now add the fried mutton balls. When the curry starts boiling turn off the flame

             Serve with rice

Keelakarai Dry Fish Curry (Karuvattu Kulambu)

Ingredients

Dry fish 100 Gms

Field beans (mochai) 3/4 cup

Brinjal 2

Drumstick 1

Onion 1

Tomato 1

Green chilli 1

Tamarind extract 1 cup

Garlic 5 pods

Chilli powder 2 tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Fennel seeds ½ tsp

Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp

Oil and salt as required

Preparations

1.      clean the dry fish and wash it

2.      In pan add oil, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds,onions,garlic,green chilli, tomatoes and sauté them well

3.      Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and toss them. Add required water.

4.      once the veggies are done add tamarind extract and salt(add a little since dry fish too had salt)

5.      When the curry starts boiling add the dry fish pieces.

6.      Allow it to boil

Serve after 2 -3 hours with rice

Chettinad chicken gravy (kozhi ketti kulambu)

Ingredients

Chicken ½ kg

Onion chopped 1 cup

Tomato 1

Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

Coconut grated ½ cup

Poppy seeds 1 tsp

Cinnamon 1

Bay leaf 1

Pepper corns ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds ¼ tsp

Fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp

Fennel seeds ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Chilli powder 2 tsp

Oil and salt as required

Preparations

1.      Soak poppy seeds in hot water for 10 min.make paste of it with grated coconut

2.      In a pan add oil, cinnamon, bay leaf, pepper corns, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and chopped onions. sauté it

3.      Then add ginger garlic paste, tomato and the cleaned chicken pieces. sauté it till it oozes out its water

4.      Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to it.

5.      Add required water and allow the chicken to cook

6.      Once the chicken is done add the coconut paste and allow the gravy to get the desired thickness

       Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis, rice or briyani

Chettinad fish gravy

Ingredients

Fish pieces- 250 Gms

Lemon juice-1tsp

Ginger 1 inch

Garlic-10 pods

Tomato-2

Tamarind extract 2 cup

Mustard seeds-1/4tsp

Small onion chopped 1 cup

Coriander powder- 3 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp

Roasted jeera powder- ¼ tsp

Roasted fenugreek powder- ¼ tsp

 preparations

1.      Clean the fish pieces and marinate it with 1tsp chilli powder, lemon juice, salt and turmeric powder for 1- 2 hour

2.      in a pan add oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, chopped onion,ginger,garlic and sauté them well

3.      then add chilli powder, coriander powder and tomatoes, sauté  them well

4.      now add the tamarind extract ,salt and allow it to boil

5.      add the fish pieces and cook till the fish is done

6.      turn off the flame and sprinkle the jeera ,fenugreek powder

serve with rice after 2-3 hours for better taste.

Chettinad Crab Rasam

Ingredients

Crab ¼ kg

Onion 1

Tomato 2

Garlic 6 pods

Peppercorns ¼ tsp

Fennel seeds ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Salt and oil as required

Preparations

1.      Clean the crab pieces

2.      sauté the chopped onions in oil and grind it to paste

3.      separately  sauté the chopped tomatoes in oil and grind it to a separate paste

4.      In a pan add oil, pepper corns, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and the crab pieces.fry till it oozes out the water in it

5.      Then add the onion paste, tomato paste, crushed garlic, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well

6.      Add required water and allow it to boil

   The essence of the crab gives the rasam an excellent taste. Garnish with coriander leaves     and Serve with rice.

Kongu Spicy Chicken Fry

kongu cuisine is one of  the regional cuisines of  Tamilnadu which still preserves the traditional aroma of  Kongunadu.Spices  used here are roasted and ground contributes for its unique taste. I was there for a year and had the opportunity of tasting and learning the original recipes of kongu cuisine. So I am much relished to share those kongu recipes here.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken with bones 5oogms

Small onions (sambar onions) ¼ kg

Peppercorns 4

Red chillies 3

For making kongu special curry powder:

Coriander seeds-100gms

Red chillies-20gms

Cuminseeds-1tbsp

Peppercorns-1tsp

Cinnamon, cloves, fennelseeds-1tsp each

For seasoning

Mustard seeds 1tsp

Red chillies 2

Curry leaves

Oil and salt as required

Preparations

1. Clean the chicken and cut into desired pieces, keep aside

2. Dry roast all the ingredients given for making curry powder except cinnamon cloves and fennel seeds and grind all the ingredients together to powder

3. In a pan add little oil then add pepper corns, red chilli and half of the small onions. Once

they become translucent turn off the heat and add 2-3 tbsp curry powder.(remaining powder u can store it for later use)mix them well and allow it to cool

4. Once it cools down grind it to a fine paste

5. In a pan add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies

6. Then add the remaining small onions left and sauté it well

7. Now add the ground paste as required and sauté it again

8. Add the cleaned chicken pieces and cook it well

9. Once the water in the chicken oozes out add little water till the chicken cooks well n softens

10. Once the water dries and chicken blends well with the masalas, turn of the heat

Garnish it n serve it

Chicken Curry-Trichy Special

Ingredients

Chicken 500gms

Onion 1

Tomato 1

Green Chilli 3

Garlic 4

Ginger Chopped 1 Tbsp

Coconut Grated 3 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder ½ Tsp

Chilli Powder 1 Tbsp

Garam Masala 1 Tsp

Lemon 1

Poppy Seeds ½ Tsp

Fennel Seeds 1 Tsp

Pepper Corns 1 Tsp

Red Chilli 2

Cinnamon 1

Cardamom 2

Salt and oil as required

Preparations

1.      Clean the chicken pieces and marinate it with chilli powder, turmeric powder,garam masala, salt and lemon juice

2.      In a pan dry roast fennel seeds, poppy seeds, pepper corns and red chilli

3.      In a separate pan add oil, onions, garlic, ginger, green chilli and tomato and sauté it well

4.      In a blender, add grated coconut, roasted spices and sauted mixture .grind it to a fine paste

5.      In a pan add oil, cinnamon, cardamom, ground paste and sauté it.

6.      Add the marinated chicken to it and sauté till it oozes out its water

7.      Add required salt and water

8.      Cook till the chicken is done

9.      Garnish it. goes well with plain rice, idly, briyani and so on

Kongunaatu Special Chicken Curry

Chicken is almost there in the diet of kongu cuisine. Kongu cuisine is not that much spicy or oily .this chicken dish popularly called milagu araitha kozhi kulambu, which is ground pepper chicken gravy. As early said the masalas are roasted and grinded yields the typical taste

.Ingredients

Chicken 1 kg

Small onions 15

Tomato 1

Garlic 5

Ginger 1 inch

Coconut grated ½ cup

Dried red chillies 5 no

Pepper corns 10nos

Cloves 5 no

Cinnamon 1

Fennel seeds 1 tsp

Poppy seeds 1tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Coriander powder 3 tsp

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Oil and salt as required

Preparations

1. Clean the chicken pieces and keep aside

2. In a pan heat oil and add onions,2 red chillies,peppercorns,curry leaves and sauté them well

3. Then turn off the heat and add cinnamon, cloves, fennelseeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and grated coconut to it

4. Make a fine paste of this mixture

5. In a pan add oil, 2 red chillies and chicken pieces

6. Sauté them well. Once it oozes out the water in it add the ground paste and fry them well

7. Add required water and salt

8. cook until the chicken is done

Garnish with coriander and serve hot

Thanjavur Spicy Mutton Liver Masala

Ingredients

Liver 250 gms
Onion 2
Ginger 1 inch
Garlic 5
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
 Chilli Powder 1 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Green Chilli 1
Peppercorns 5
Tomato 1
Cardamom 3
Cinnamon 1
Cloves 3

Oil and salt as required

PREPARATIONS

1.      Cut the liver into small pieces, clean it well.

2.      Make a fine paste of one onion, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, green chilli, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt

3.      Marinate the liver pieces with the ground paste for 30 minutes

4.      In a pan heat oil and add chopped onion,tomato,sauté it well

5.      To it add marinated liver pieces and cook till it is done

6.      Serve hot with rotis, briyani

Chettinad mutton curry

This is a simple but tastier mutton curry from chettinad cuisine. Popularly called aatukari ilamkulambu.there is no grinding of masalas which makes it a simpler version

Ingredients

Mutton pieces probably without bones 250gms

Ginger garlic paste 1tbsp

Onion chopped 1

Tomato 1

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Sambar powder 2 tbsp

Cinnamon 1

Bay leaf 1

Peppercorns ½ tsp

Fennel seeds ½ tsp

Fenugreek ½ tsp

Salt and oil as required

preparations

1. In a pressure cooker add oil, bay leaf, cinnamom, fenugreek, fennel seeds, peppercorns

2. To it add onions, tomato, ginger garlic paste and sauté it well

3. Now add mutton pieces, salt and turmeric powder and sauté it till it oozes out the water in it

4. Add required water and pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles

5. To a pan add the cooked contents, sambar powder and adjust the salt and consistency by adding water

6. Once it boils turn off the heat

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice

Chettinad Prawn Curry (Era Kulambu)

Ingredients

Prawns 250gms

Small onions 15

Garlic 3 pods

Green chillies 2

Tomato1

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Tamarinds extract 4 tbsp

 Sambar powder 2 tsp

Fennel seeds ½ tsp

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Oil and salt as required

Preparations

1.      As I said in my earlier post,deshell and devein the prawns

2.      In a pan add oil fennelseeds, green chillies, chopped garlic, chopped onions, curry leaves. sauté them

3.      Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, sambar powder, tamarind extract ,salt and about 3 cups of water. Allow it to boil

4.      Then add cleaned prawns and cook it for another 5 minutes

Prawns become rubbery if over cooked.

Serve with rice

Mutton Uppu Kari (Madurai method)

 This is a simple version of my earlier post. But each of the recipes has unique flavour of its own. Both of these posts depict the typical taste of its own regional cuisine.

Ingredients

Mutton boneless 250 Gms

Onion chopped 1 cup

Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp

Tomatoes 2

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

Garam masala ½ tbsp

Dry red chillies 3

Bay leaf 1

Fennel seeds 1 tbsp

Cinnamon 1

Cloves 2

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Oil and salt as required

Preparation

1.      clean the mutton pieces and cut it into small cubes

2.      in a pressure cooker add oil,cinnamon,cloves,fennelseeds,bay leaves, curry leaves, split dry red chillies, chopped onions, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and sauté them well

3.      add the mutton pieces and sauté them till it oozes out its water

4.      then add turmeric powder,garam masala, salt and a cup of water

5.      pressure cook it for about 5 whistles

6.      once  the pressure settles down transfer the contents to a pan and stir fry it

Serve with sambar rice /curd rice