Black Chana Kurma

This Black Chickpeas curry is a popular dish from Kerala. It gets it flavour from the spice bundle used when boiling the chana. It is a healthy dish as it is packed with vegetable protien. Using coconut oil for tempering brings out the flavours of the curry. It is a traditional breakfast dish alongwith puttu in Kerala, but can be had for lunch alogwith steamed rice or appam.

Black Chana Kurma

Author: Bhagya Suvarna

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 200 grams Black Chana
  • 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 2 nos Onions Thinly sliced
  • 4 nos Tomatoes Finely chopped
  • 3 tsps Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Chilly Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 10-15 nos Curry Leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups Coconut water

Potli (Spice Bundle)

  • 3 nos Green Cardamom
  • 6 nos Cloves
  • 2 sticks (1") Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Fennel Seeds

Paste

  • 1 cup Cononut Freshly grated
  • 1 inch Ginger Roughly chopped
  • 4-5 nos Green Chillies chopped
  • 1/2 cup Coconut water

Instructions

Preparation

  • Soak the chana in a pan overnight. Next day drain the water and replenish with fresh water.
  • Add salt and the spice bundle and cook it in a pressure cooker until cooked.
  • Drain the water and discard the spice bundle

Potli (Spice Bundle)

  • Put the ingredients in a piece of muslin cloth fold in and secure the cloth with a knot or you can even tie it with a string and cook it along with the chana.

The Paste

  • Add all the ingredients of the paste in a blender, add coconut water and grind to a coarse paste. Remove and keep aside.

Cooking Procedure

  • Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and curry leaves and saute over a medium heat until light golden in colour.
  • Next add in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until it becomes mushy.
  • Add in the red chilly, coriander and turmeric powders and fry until the moisture evaporates.
  • Add the paste and stir fry for about 2 – 3 minutes
  • Add the boiled chana and stir, then add the coconut water and bring to boil. Add the salt.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy thickens to a medium consistency. Adjust seasoning.
  • Serve the kurma with steamed rice or appams.

Mutton Masala (Mangalorean Style)

A Mangalore recipe of mutton in a traditional coconut-based curry. One of the recipes I learnt from my grandmother.

Mutton Masala (Mangalorean Style)

Course: Main Course
Author: Bhagya Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Mutton
  • 22 nos Red Chillies
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tsp Poppy Seeds (Khus Khus)
  • 5 nos Cloves
  • 4 nos Green Cardamom
  • 4 sticks Cinnamon
  • 1 no Star Anise
  • 1/2 Mace
  • 2 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 3-4 nos Onions
  • 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
  • 2 nos Potato
  • 4 nos Tomato
  • 2 cups Coconut Grated
  • 2-3 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 no Lemon
  • 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

Instructions

  • Take a pan and dry roast the coconut on a medium to low flame. Keep aside.
  • Heat a pan with little coconut oil. Add half of the curry leaves and onion. Once the onion becomes pink add poppy seeds along with red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, mace and coriander seeds. Roast all the ingredients.
  • Grind the roasted ingredients to a fine paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat coconut oil in another pan or pressure cooker and add curry leaves, ginger and garlic and for a few seconds.
  • Add the onions and fry it till it becomes brown in colour.
  • Add in turmeric powder and the chopped tomatoes and cook it till the tomatoes have turned soft.
  • Add the mutton pieces and stir, and cook until the mutton is almost 3/4th done.
  • Add in the potatoes and cook till the mutton and potatoes are completely cooked
  • Add the ground masala and cook it for a few minutes.
  • Add in the roasted coconut. Mix well and add the lime juice and coriander leaves.
  • Mix well and serve hot with parathas or steamed rice.

Chicken Curry with Crispy Rice Roti

A specialty of Mangalorean cuisine, it finds its place on special occasions.

Chicken Curry with Crispy Rice Roti

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhagya Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 750 g Chicken Cleaned and cut into medium pieces
  • 1/2 Medium Coconut Grated
  • 5-6 Medium Dry Red Chilli -Madras
  • 9-10 Medium Dry Red Chilli -Bedgi
  • 2 tbsp Corriander Seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/4 tbsp Methi Seeds
  • 1 tsp Pepper Corns
  • 2 Medium Onions Sliced
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 5-6 cloves Garlic
  • 1 piece Cinnamon
  • 3-4 nos Cloves
  • 1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
  • 1/4 cup Ghee
  • 1 knob Tamrind Lemon size Knob
  • 2 tbsp Green Masala Refer Green Masala recipe
  • 2 Medium Tomatoes Chopped

Instructions

  • Roast Grated Coconut until light brown in color.
    Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, red chilies and keep aside
    Take a little ghee and fry half of the sliced onions and garlic.
  • Grind all the roasted ingredients along with the fried onion and garlic, turmeric, tamarind to a smooth paste adding water if required.
  • Heat the remaining ghee in a pan and saute the remaining sliced onions until light brown. Add tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes on a slow flame. Add chicken and mix well. Add the green masala, salt and a little water. Cover and cook on a slow flame.
  • When the chicken is half cooked, add the ground paste and half of the coconut milk and stir well. Cook till the chicken is done.
  • Add the remaining coconut milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Serve with crispy rice roti.

Notes

This chicken curry can also be served with neer dosa, appam or rice.

Sambhar

Sambhar is a necessary accompaniment to south Indian dishes. Be it Idlis, Medu Vada or even Steamed Rice.  This is the recipe I have often watched my grandmother make.

Sambhar

Author: Bhagya Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 300 grams White Pumpkin
  • 1 Medium Onion Chopped
  • 2-3 Medium Green Chillies
  • 2 Medium Tomatoes Chopped
  • 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste
  • 2 tbsp Sambhar Powder *
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp Jaggery Can be adjusted according to your preference
  • 1/4 cup Tur Dal Split red gram also called split pigeon peas.
  • 1 handful Coriander Leaves for garnish
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Rai Mustard seeds
  • 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
  • 2 Medium Dry Red Chillies
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic Crushed

Instructions

  • Cook the Tur Dal in one cup of water in the pressure cooker. Keep aside.
  • In a heavy bottomed vessel cook the White Pumpkin with 1 cup of water.
    When 3/4th cooked, add Onions, Tomatoes and Green Chillies.
  • Once the vegetables are cooked add Tamarind Paste, Sambhar Powder, Turmeric Powder, Jaggery and Salt to taste. Mix well.
  • Add the cooked Tur Dal and 2 cups of water and bring to boil.
    Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep aside.

Seasoning

  • For the tempering, heat the oil is a small pan. And add Mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, add Curry Leaves and crushed Garlic and saute for a few seconds.
  • Pour the tempering over the Sambhar and mix well.
  • Serve hot with Rice, Medu Vada or Idli

Notes

  • Check out the recipe to make Sambhar Powder.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

There is an abundance of coconut in the coastal regions of India where coconut is an essential ingredient for many preparations.  This recipe uses coconut milk to deliver a delicious tasting curry.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhagya Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Chicken Cleaned and cut into medium size pieces
  • 3 Medium Onions Finely chopped.
  • 1/2 tsp Jeera Cumin Seeds (For tempering)
  • 1/2 tbsp Fresh Ginger Grated
  • 1 Pod Garlic Grated
  • 3-4 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 Salt to taste
  • 300 ml Thick Coconut Milk
  • 2 Medium Cloves
  • 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1 nos Medium Elaichi Cardomom
  • 2 sticks Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Jeera Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tsp Saunf Fennel Seeds
  • 1 handful Coriander Leaves finely chopped.

Instructions

  • Dry roast the Cloves, Coriander Seeds, Cardamom, Cinnamon sticks, Cumin Seeds and Fennel Seeds. Let it cool and then grind it to a fine powder and keep aside.
  • Heat Oil in a vessel. Add the Jeera (for tempering) and fry it till brown. Add the grated ginger and garlic and fry till the raw smell goes off. Add the chopped onions and fry evenly till golden brown. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and the ground spices. Stir it well. Add the chicken pieces and mix thoroughly so that the spices are well coated. Cover and cook till the chicken is done.
  • Add salt to taste. Mix well. Pour the coconut milk. Mix well. When the curry begins to bubble, cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Check salt and adjust if needed. Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve with steamed rice, appam or parathas.