Wednesday, January 11, 2012

chicken varuval (dry dish)... a spicy kerala cuisine


ingredients:
chicken-1kg
onion-4 sliced
tomato-4 chopped
curry leaves-10no
tamarind paste-2tsp
dry red chillies -2
turmeric powder-1tsp
chilly powder-1tsp
pepper powder1/2tsp
coriander leaves for garnishing.

For the masala mix:
  1. cloves-8-10
  2. cardamom-4
  3. coriander seeds-2tbsp
  4. cinnamon-3 small pieces
  5. cumin-2tsp
  6. fennel seeds- 2tsp
  7. dry coconut-3tbsp(grated)
  8. dry red chillies-5(kashmiri red chilles)
  9. giner-1inch piece
  10. garlic-1 big pod

Method;



  • Marinate the chicken with lemon,turmeric, pepper,red chilly powder and salt to taste for at least 1 hour.
  • Prepare masala mix by grinding all the ingredients from 1-10 to a fine paste without adding water.
  • Fry onions till light brown .Take half of  the fried onion for garnishing.











  • Now add  some curry leaves,whole red chillies and chopped tomatoes and marinated chicken
  • cover it with a lid and cook for about 15mins






  • Now add the masala mix and tamarind paste .cook till masala is dry and oil comes on top
  • Garnish with coriander and fried onions. 

Sannas( a goan dish)

Goan sannas are my all time  favorite.In Manglore normally Bunts or shettys and chirstians  used to eat this. They prepare this with toddy(sooru).In goa they serve  sannas with sorpotel or any other goan dishes like vindaloo or chicken xacuti.With both the dishes it tastes yum.The sannas  which u get in goa are sweet when compared to mangalore sannas .I use little less sugar for my sannas.

                         


Ingredients;
  1. Boiled rice(ookda tandul or cutsambar in konkani,kuchallkki in kannada , parboiled rice, dosa idli rice)-2 cups
  2. white rice(surai in konkani,belthigey akki in kannada )-1/2 cup
  3. Active dry yeast-1 heaped spoon
  4. surar-1tsp (for making yeast solution)
  5. sugar -2tsp(for the batter)
  6. coconut milk-1cup
Method:
  • Soak both the rice for about 12hours or overnight.
  • Next morning grind to smooth paste.Normally for idli batter we grind rice little coarse but for sannas the batter should be like dosa batter but thinner than that.
  • Now add coconut milk, sugar2tsp and salt .Mix it well till sugar dissolves.
  • Now take 1tbsp warm water for making yeast solution.Add a tsp salt and active dry yeast and mix it nicely till yeast dissoleves completley.
  • Keep it for 10mins or till you see the froth over the yeast solution that means its mixed and fermented.we use sugar because it helps yeast to dissolve faster.
  • Now mix the solution properly and add this to the batter,give it a nice stir .
  • keep the batter in a warm place to femenant.Normally it takes about 2hours to ferment.But in winter season it will take little longer so keep till the batter rise to top.
  • Always use bigger vessele because the batter rises 3times .
  • After 2hours keep the idli steamer filled with water over the fire.
  • Grease the gindals (gindals means idli moulds in konkani) or any small size bowls also will do.
  •  here i have used different  size bowls
    Fill the idli cups half full so when it steams it rises  and  becomes nice fluffy.Always remember not to stir the batter once its fermented.So take batter from the top and start filling the gindals without disturbing the rest of the idli batter.Carry this procedure very gently.
  • Now steam this for  about 15minutes .Open the lid and take out the idli bowls and let it cool before taking it out.If it is hot then sannas  will break up easily.
  • serve hot  with any curries.