Mangy Chicken Curry

This is one curry you will find in the menu of every Manglorean family during a special occasion. Traditionally this recipe is called “kunkdachi kadi” with “narlacho roce”. Kunkod = Chicken, Kadi = curry, Narl = coconut, Roce = milk/juice. My husband is a die hard fan of this dish! And so far where ever it has been served guests have not stopped licking their fingers. My mum has been an expert at cooking this and now her daughter has her own quick version which doesn't compromise on the taste even 1%. I taught my husband to cook it last Sunday and he now says that “this is the easiest and tastiest chicken curry' one can make. It can be served with idli, dosa, steamed rice, kori roti (crisp rice papad like sheets that one can buy from a manglore store), and just about anything.. If you are vegetarian substitute chicken with soya chunks &/or potatoes.

You will need (for 4 persons)...

(Tips when cooking chicken:

If you are using chicken which has been frozen, let it thaw in a bowl with room temperature water at least 2 to 3 hours before cooking.

Make small slits on the chicken pieces so the curry seeps into the meat while cooking)

1 kg chicken – deskinned, cleaned and cut into medium size pieces

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Ginger garlic paste – 2 teaspoons

4 medium size onions – finely chopped

Tomato puree – 4 tablespoons/ 3 medium size tomatoes - chopped

3 medium size potatoes – each cut into 4's

Masala's:

Red chilly powder – 1 to 2 teaspoons heaped, you may add as per your taste

Jeera/Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon heaped

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon heapeed

Turmeric – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Coconut milk powder – 3 tablespoons/ thick coconut milk – 2 cups

Process..

In a cooking pot heat oil and add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. Add a little bit of salt to help the onions cook faster. Ensure that the heat is on medium or it'll burn the onions. Once the onions are soft, add the tomato puree and mix well. After about 3 minutes add all the masala's except salt. Mix once and add the chicken and potatoes. Mix well, add about 2 cups of water and let the chicken cook covered for about 20 minutes. It may take more or less time depending on the quality of the chicken. For me it takes 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked add the coconut milk and salt (remember you had added a little salt when the onions were cooking) and stir well. After about 2 minutes turn off the heat.

I guarantee you will want to grab a bite that very minute! :D

Kaali Daal

Dal's that accompany rice are often so underrated although they are healthy and easy to cook.. Try this recipe which goes great with steamed rice or chapatis.. This recipe is specially for my friends who have just started their experiments in the kitchen and asked for quickies. For this recipe I use the cooker method just like I did for Chole.

This is what you need for 4 persons:

Green or brown lentils/ masoor dal (green/brown) – 2 cups (soaked for at least for 3 hours)

Oil – 2 teaspoons

Jeera/cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Garlic chopped – 3 pods

1&1/2 onion – sliced

Garam Masala powder – 1&1/2 teaspoon

Curd – 2 cups

Lime juice – 1 or 2 teaspoons

Salt to taste

The process..

Heat oil in a cooker, add garlic & cumin seeds, and saute till they turn slightly brown. Now add the lentils, garam masala powder and enough water to pressure cook the dal. This would take approximately 3 cups of water and 12 mintues of cooking time. However like I have mentioned in other recipes cooking time differs based on the types of stove, cooker and the quantity of ingredients. Once the dal is well done add lime juice, curd and salt and mix well. Dal is ready in mintues.. Ting ting!! :D

Chole

A simple yet mouth watering dish that goes well with chaptis, puri, bread and rice. Its a good accompaniment for any meal. At the same time its also one of those preparations that require a little extra preparation! The chick peas need to be soaked in advance overnight to ensure they boil well.

You will need (for 4 persons):

Chick peas – 2 cups (soaked overnight)

2 medium sized onions chopped

1 and half cup tomato puree/ 2 tomatoes finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

Chole masala (Everest) 2 teaspoons

Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Red chilly powder 1 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste 1&1/2 teaspoon

Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves 1 teaspoon crushed

Amchur powder 3/4teaspoon (limejuice/chaat masala powder will also do)

Honey 1 teaspoon

Let's cook...

I do the entire process in a pressure cooker. This way I don't need to cook the chana separately and the gravy blends really well and one can't tell onion from tomato! But remember place the lid and weight only when instructed!!

Pour some oil in a pressure cooker and let it heat up. Now saute the onions with a little salt till they are soft. Add ginger garlic paste, then the tomatoes. Mix well and add all the masalas (chilly, coriander, chole, amchur powders) and chole. Mix again and after about 2 minutes take some kasuri methi, crush it between your palms and add to the gravy. Finally the honey! Add enough water to cover the chana, approximately 3 cups. This is the time when we put the lid of the cooker and let it cook by itself on medium heat. The cooking time will differ depending on the type of cooker you are using and amount of chana. For this quantity it would take around 20 minutes.

Please take extra care to ensure that the lid and weight have been placed correctly. Open the lid only after all the steam has cooled.

All one needs to do now is check if the salt is enough and then... ATTACK!! :D

Some tips and references for cooking Indian...

I like 'fooding around'... And am sure many of us do.. Some like cooking and eating.. some enjoy just the latter! Do the second group of people stay away from cooking because you think that its too much work or that you might not do so well??? I started full fledged cooking only after I got married. And I can say now that successful cooking only comes about with experiments and love for food! Moreover the joy I experience when the aroma of good food fills the air, when loved ones appreciate and encourage, when I can give a regular recipe my own unique variation and when you know that you can eat fresh, healthy and alter the proportion of fats and spices to suit your needs.... all of this makes 'fooding around' more than just a routine!

This post is specially to say a big thank you....
to my darling husband who happily plays guinea pig all the time!
to friends and followers who have been encouraging me to blog through emails, facebook and otherwise!
to my favourite chef Sanjay Thumma who truly 'inspires to cook'! (Those of you who have been impressed with the kabab pics on my facebook account check Sanjay's videos on youtube.)

Some more blogs and sites for Indian cooking are...
www.showmethecurry.com
www.chakali.blogspot.com