I am not into blogging for more than couple of weeks as I am busy with my uncle family. They came first time to Singapore and we are just showing the places in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. In two weeks time, we tried to cover, as many places as we can and finally they went back to India 2 days before. After taking rest for 2 days and now I am back again to my blogging world. Because of this, I could not update the recipe entries for the event also and today I sat and finished all the updating works. This recipe, i did 3 weeks before, but now only found time to post it.

Ingredients

• Mushrooms – 2 cups
• Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Star Anise – 2
• Bay leaves – 1
• Cardamom – 2
• Cinnamon Stick – 1
• Cloves – 3 to 4
• Onions – 2 (large) (chopped finely)
• Tomato – 2 (chopped finely)
• Ginger – 1 inch (cut lengthwise)
• Curry leaves – 8 to 10
• Green chillies – 2 to 3
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper – 1 tsp
• Garlic – 4 to 5 pods
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Butter – 1 tsp
• Oil – 3 tsp
• Salt – as per taste
• Water – as needed
• Lemon Juice / Rice vinegar – 1 tsp (optional)

Method

• In a kadai/wok, add oil.
• When it is hot, add the whole garam masala (fennel seeds, star anise, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves).

• Add the cumin seeds and onions and fry for few min or until the onion becomes translucent.

• Add salt and turmeric powder and ginger and saute, till the raw smell of the ginger goes off.
• Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 2 min.

• Add the Tomato and saute well.

• Add the mushrooms and if needed add little water, as the mushroom itself leaves water and cover it with a lid and allow to cook.

• Meanwhile, crush the garlic, cumin seeds and pepper corns and keep aside.

• In another pan, add 1 tsp butter, and add crushed garlic, cumin seeds and pepper corns and add coriander leaves, cumin powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and fry for a minute.

• Now transfer the mushroom gravy to this pan and mix well with the pepper and garlic mixture. (or vise versa)

• Allow to cook for another 5 min and add lemon juice and switch off.

• Serve hot with any roti, chappathi, or even any fried rice.

Note:

• I used Button Mushrooms. You can try with other varieties also.
• Cut the mushrooms, just before cooking, as the mushrooms turns dark fast.
• Adding lemon juice/vinegar is optional, but it enhances the taste

This goes to the following events
My event – Dish Name Starts with M
Spot light – Curries/Gravies

The post Mushroom Pepper Gravy appeared first on Learning-to-cook.

Ingredients

Marination

• Paneer – 1 cup (200gms)
• Bell pepper/capsicum – 1 (big)
• Curd/yogurt – 1/2 cup
• Tomato -1 (large)
• Onion – 1 (large)
• Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp
• Kasoori methi(fenugreek leaves powder) – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – 2 pinches
• Lemon juice/vinegar – 1 tsp
• Tikka masala – 1 tsp (optional)
• Oil – 1/2 tsp

Gravy

• Onion – 1 (large)
• Tomato – 1 (large)
• Cumin seeds – 1/5 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• All purpose flour/Maida – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves – few
• Salt – as needed
• Oil – 3 tsp

Method

• Cut the paneer into cubes.
• Mix all the ingredients under marination and leave it for 30 mts.

• While it is getting marinated, we can start preparing the gravy.
• Grind the tomato in a food processor and make a puree. Keep it aside.
• For gravy, take a big tawa, and add oil.
• When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, onion and salt.
• When the onion becomes transparent, add pinch of turmeric, ginger garlic paste and fry till the ginger smell goes off.
• Now add all purpose flour and the mixture will become thick.
• Now add the tomato puree and chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and keep on stirring, till the oil oozes out from the mixture.
• If the mixture has become thick, add more water at this stage and keep in low flame.

• Now in another flat bottomed, pan, add oil and start frying the marinated paneer and the vegetables on all sides.
• Add the fried paneer cubes to the gravy and add the garam masala.
• Check for the seasoning and let it cook for 5 to 7 mts or till the gravy becomes thick.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, nan or chappathi.

Notes

• Curd/yogurt should be thick.
• Adding All purpose flour is to give a silky texture to the gravy.
• If you want you can add the creamer at the last stage just 2 mts before you take out the gravy from the stove.

The post Paneer Tikka Masala appeared first on Learning-to-cook.

Ingredients

• Chicken – 1/2 kg
• Onion – 2 
• Tomato – 2
• Coconut milk – 1/2 cup 
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Cloves – 3 to 4
• Cinnamon stick – 2 inch (crushed)
• Cardamom – 2
• Green Chillies – 4 (cut lengthwise – adjusted according to taste)
• Turmeric powder – 2 pinch
• Coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
• Coriander leaves – few for garnishing
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Salt – as per taste
• Water – 2 cups

Method

• Wash the chicken pieces nicely and keep aside.
• In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil, and when hot, add cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and cardamom.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till, its raw smell goes off.
• Add the onion and fry till they become translucent.
• Add the green chillies and tomato and saute well.
• Add the chicken pieces and cook well.   
• Now add water, salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder and cook it.
• When the chicken gets cooked and soft, add the coconut milk.
• Allow to boil for another 4 to 5 min.
• Switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti etc.

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Ingredients

• Nethili karuvadu / Anchovies (dry fish) – 1/2 kg
• Onion – 2 (cut lengthwise)
• Tomato – 1 (small)
• Belacan paste – 2 to 3 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies – 3
• Garlic – 4 flakes (chopped finely)
• Oil – 3 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp  (optional)
• Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Salt – as per taste
• Turmeric powder – 2 pinches (optional)
• Curry leaves – few
• Coriander leaves – few
• Water – if needed (optional)

Method

• Wash the anchovies nicely and allow to soak for 15 min at least.
• Soak the dry chillies in hot water.
• Filter the water completely, and mix the chilli powder, turmeric, little salt and coriander powder and allow the marination for another 10 min.
• In the mean time, make a paste with the dry chillies and tomato and keep ready.
• Now adding 1 tsp of oil, fry the anchovies nicely until crispy and keep aside.
• In a pan, add oil, onion and curry leaves and fry them until light brown color.

• Add the belacan paste and garlic and saute well, till the aroma comes.
• Now add the fried anchovies and chilli paste.
• If needed sprinkle little amount of water.
• Check for the seasoning and switch off the stove.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and server this famous malaysian dish with roti, chappathi or plain white rice.

Note:
The actual recipe, do not allow the marination of chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder (my mom mixed it without my knowledge)

The post Ikan Bilis Sambal / Nethili Sambal / Anchovies Semi Gravy appeared first on Learning-to-cook.

Ingredients

For Marination

• Fish – 1/2 kg (I used Vangiram Fish)
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Pepper powdr – 1/4 tsp

For Gravy

• Oil – 2 tsp
• Mustard – a pinch
• Curry leaves – few
• Green chillies – 3 (cut lengthwise)
• Ginger – 1/2 tsp
• Coconut milk – 1st extract – 1 cups
• Coconut milk – 2nd extract – 2 cups
• Onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Lemon juice/vinegar – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Recipe Source : Ranji’s Kitchen Corner

Method

• Wash the fish pieces with 1/2 tsp of salt (so that the fish smell goes off).
• Mix the fish pieces with the turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and pepper powder and marinate for 1 to 2 hr.
• In a Kadai, add oil and when it is hot, add mustard seeds.
• When they start spluttering, add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger and saurte till the raw smell of ginger goes off.
• Now add the onion and saute till it becomes transculent.
• Add the tomato, salt and cook till becomes soft.
• Now add the 1st extract coconut milk and put the marinated fish into this and allow to boil untill the fish gets cooked.
• When the fish is fully cooked, add the 2nd extract coconut milk and switch off the gas.
• Now add the Lemon juice and just mix only once.
• Serve hot with rice.

 This goes to my event Dish Name Starts with F

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Soya balls gravy or the meal maker gravy is a tempting and delicious side dish for the roti or chappathi. Soya balls or meal maker is rich in protein and good for health too. Those who do not eat non veg, go for this soya balls. Will update with step wise pictures soon.

How to make Soya balls gravy/Meal maker gravy

Ingredients

• Soya Balls – 2 cups
• Tomato – 2
• Onion – 2
• Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
• Green Chillies – 2
• Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Star anise -2 to 3
• Cinnamom stick – 1 (crushed)
• Cardamom – 2
• Cloves – few
• Red Chilli powder – .5 to 1 tsp (adjust for your spiciness)
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/6 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil – 3 to 4 tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

• Wash the soya balls and soak in water for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Squeeze out the water fully and keep aside.
• Now grind the tomato and onion to a paste in a mixie or food processor and make it to a coarse paste.
• In a pan, add oil and above mentioned spices and fry for a minute.
• Add the green chillies.
• Now add in the grinded paste, ginger garlic paste and saute well, till the raw smell of onion and ginger garlic goes off.
• After that add in all the powders except garam masala.
• Now add the soya balls, salt and garam masala and allow to cook.
• If gravy becomes very thick, add little amount of water.
• When the oil starts floating on the top, switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with any chappathi or roti or nan.

The post Soya Balls Gravy – How to make Soya balls gravy | Meal maker Gravy | Side Dishes appeared first on Learning-to-cook.