Vendhaya keerai kuzhambhu:

 (Fenugreek or Methi leaves sambar) (V)
A typical south indian dish

Ingredients:
2 cups-Fenugreek leaves- Washed well, drained and chopped
1 medium- Red Onion-Finely choppped
3 or 4 Drumsticks pieces 
1/4 tsp- Methi or Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp-Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp-Asafoetida or hing
5- Curry leaves
1- Red chili broken
2 tsp- Sambar powder
A pinch of Jaggery
1/4 tsp- Turmeric
1 tblsp-Tamarind paste diluted in 2 cups of water
2 tblsp-Olive oil
Salt to taste.

Method
1) Take a Sauce pan, add some oil and add Methi seeds.  Once it starts to brown add mustard.  Let it splutter.  Now add curry leaves & B. Red chili.
2) Then add the turmeric, then the onions, saute them well adding some salt. Then add the Drumsticks.  Fry them for a little while.
3) Now add the Sambar powder and fry for a few more minutes.
4) Then add the Tamarind water,hing, salt and jaggery and let the mixture boil well for 10 min.
5) Make sure the sambar's consistency is to your liking. Taste and check for seasoning.
6) Then add the cut methi leaves. Simmer for few more min and take it out of the heat.
Serve with rice. 

Rava(Semolina) Upma

Ingredients required :

    * Rava (Semolina) - cup
    * 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
    * 1 tsp Urad Daal
    * 1 piece Ginger grated
    * 1 chopped Onion
    * 3 Green Chillies slit sideways
    * Salt to taste
    * 4-5 tablespoons Oil
    * Curry leaves and Coriander leaves to garnish

Cooking Method:

    * Roast the rava in a dry pan without the color changing, remove and cool.
    * Peel and chop onion and ginger fine.
    * Cut the green chillies.
    * Boil water.
    * Heat oil, fry the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
    * Add the green chillies , onion, ginger and fry for a few minutes.
    * Pour 4 cups water and bring to boil.
    * When the water starts boiling, add the rava in a flow.
    * Stir continuously to avoid lumps of rava.
    * Cook for a few more minutes stirring all the while.
    * Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chutney or sugar.

Note: Cashew nuts can be added if required. Fry them and add them to the upma and add some ghee for better taste if required.

akkaravadisal

Akkaravadisal is a typical Iyengar receipe. People often think that sakara pongal are the same. Read more and you will find the difference :-)

Ingredients Required:


    * Rice - 1 cup

    * Whole Milk - 5 cups

    * Moong dhal or greem gram dhal - 1/4 cup

    * Chana Dhal - 1 tbsp

    * 1 cup grated jaggery or you can use Sugar or Kalkandu

    * Ghee - 1/2 cup (Yes this is the full fat version :-)

    * cashew,raisins - A few

    * Saffron Strings - About 10

    * Cardamom pdr-1 tsp

Cooking Method:

    * Lightly roast moong dhal and rice.
    * Add saffron string to this.
    * Place the above in cooker for pressure cooking after adding 5 cups of milk.
    * Do not add water as milk will be used instead.
    * Remove from cooker and mash it up nicely.
    * Add jaggery and stir until the mixture solidifies.
    * Add cardamom powder.
    * Fry Cashews and raisins in all of the ghee and add to the above.
    * Serve hot with extra ghee.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients:

   

2 cups Basmati Rice
3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt (curd)
3 sliced onion
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
Saffron a pinch
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
7 tbsp Oil
Preparation:

     Mix tomato puree, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
     Marinate the chicken with this mixture and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
     Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions until golden brown.
     Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
     separately half cook the basmathi rice strain and add to the chicken gravy . Mix saffron in milk and sprinkle on top.add chopped mint and corriander to the rice.

    cook the rice in dum(seal the container and keep on top of a griddle on low heat so that the heat slowly cooks the rice and the aroma is infused to the rice.. Mix gently.
    Garnish with green coriander leaves, mint and fried cashew-nuts and serve hot.

Chicken tikka

Chicken tikka is one of my favorites and this is a very good recipe with a smooth, unctuous marinade. This version is typical for grilling or BBQ.They're perfect prepared as appetizers on a shorter skewer. For family meals, you can make them as entree accompanied by rice and a side dish.

The word Tikka means bits, piecces or chunks. Chicken Tikka is an easy-to-cook dish in which chicken chunks are marinated in special spices and then grilled on skewers. This is one of India's most popular dishes. Chicken Tikka can also be made into Chicken Tikka Masala, a tasty gravy dish.
Ingredients:

    * 1 cup fresh yoghurt (should not be sour)
    * 1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
    * 2 tbsps ginger paste
    * 3 tbsps garlic paste
    * 3-4 tbsps garam masala
    * 6 peppercorns/ 2 dry red chillies
    * 3 tbsps lime/ lemon juice
    * 1/2 tsp orange food coloring
    * 1 kg chicken (breast or thigh) skinless and cut into 2" chunks
    * 1 large onion cut into very thin rings
    * Lime/ Lemon wedges to garnish
    * 1 tsp Chaat Masala (available at most Indian groceries)

Preparation:

    * Grind the chopped coriander (keep some aside for garnishing) and all other marinade ingredients (except yogurt) to a smooth paste in a food processor.
    * Pour the above mix into a large bowl and add yogurt. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Allow to marinate overnight.
    * Thread the chicken onto skewers and keep ready.
    * Preheat your oven or grill to a medium high temperature (200 C/ 400F/ Gas Mark 6).
    * Place the skewers on the grill racks in your oven with a tray underneath to catch drippings. Roast open till the chicken is browned on all sides and tender.
    * Remove from skewers and put the chicken in a plate.
    * Put the onion rings in a separate bowl and squeeze lime juice over them. Now sprinkle the chaat masala over them and mix well so the onions are fully coated.
    * Garnish the Chicken Tikka with these onion rings and serve.

SEARED SALMON CUTLETS WITH A LOBSTER AND PASSION FRUIT HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

8-9 oz piece of salmon fillet divided into 2-3 thick “cutlets”, skinned
Flour to dust
3-4 turned new potatoes gently poached in salted water per portion
Hollandaise sauce
Reduced passion fruit puree (300 ml reduced down to 100 ml) –always by ⅔
Passion fruit seeds reserved
40 – 50 gm cooked lobster portioned and diced
Chive stick
Beurre blanc sauce
Served on blanched spinach

Method:
•    Season the salmon.
•    Lightly flour the skinned side only, pan frying gently in a little olive oil over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until a light golden brown.  Add a knob of butter before turning the fish in the pan
•    Baste the salmon with the butter, adding a squeeze of lemon juice and remove the pan from the stove
•    The residual heat in the pan will continue the cooking process.
•    Meanwhile mix together 2½- 3 tablespoons of the reduced passion fruit puree to 300 ml of hollandaise sauce
•    Warm the lobster meat very gently in a little stock or microwave, before draining and folding into the passion hollandaise, adding 1 teaspoon of seeds per portion
•    Serve the turned new potatoes on the warmed, buttered spinach drizzled with a little beurre blanc sauce and topped with a single chive stick.
•    Finish as shown in the photograph, offering the lobster and sauce apart.
BEURRE BLANC
Makes about 600ml (1 pint)
200ml dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 shallots, finely chopped
100ml double cream
400g cold unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and pepper

Method:
•    Put the wine, vinegar and shallots in a thick based saucepan.  Bring to the boil and reduce by half.
•    Add the cream and boil for 1 minute.  Lower the heat and gradually whisk in the cubes of cold butter
•    For a smooth finish, pass the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the shallots.
•    Season with salt and pepper

RISOTTO RICE AND GOLDEN SULTANA PUDDING WITH CARAMELISED RUM BANANAS

RISOTTO RICE AND GOLDEN SULTANA PUDDING WITH CARAMELISED RUM BANANAS



Serves 4
100g Arborio risotto rice
100 gm golden sultanas
3-4 tablespoons of cognac
700ml milk
300ml double cream
Finely grated zest form 1 small orange
50g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
Large knob of butter
•    Put the sultanas and brandy in a small saucepan and gently bring to the simmer.  Remove the pan from the heat and keep to one side.
•    Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan, adding the grated orange zest and vanilla pod, if using.  Bring to the boil, before adding the rice and sugar.  Simmer gently over a low heat, stirring slowly for 30-35 minutes and the rice is completely cooked through and creamy.
•    Remove the vanilla pod from the rice, and stir in the soaked sultanas.  Add the knob of butter and the ‘risotto’ is ready to serve.
•    NOTE – loosen each portion of rice pudding with a little milk before re-warming. A little finely grated nutmeg can be sprinkled on the pudding when away
CARAMELISED BANANAS
4 ripe bananas cut into 1 cm thick slices (approx. 1 banana per portion)
Groundnut oil

•    Peel the bananas and cut into shape
•    Heat a non-stick frying pan add the groundnut oil, add the bananas and fry them until golden brown
•    Spoon into a tear drop shaped bowl and drizzle liberally with rum syrup
RUM SYRUP

250 ml stock syrup
5-6 tablespoons dark rum
Mix together, boiling and reducing by approx. ⅓ until a syrup consistency is achieved