IamGeetha: July 2019

Red Chilli Powder plays a vital role in Indian cuisine. It not only gives a red colour to the food, but also has best taste and aroma. Chilli powder making process always remind my childhood. But nowadays in the machine world nobody wants to prepare at home, all goes with instant pocket at grocery shop. I'm not complaining against for them, but still the aroma is not that fresh like homemade chilli powder. Our family health is in our hands. So, it is always a good idea to make your own red chilli power, so that you are assured of the quality. Here's how you can make it at home.

Choose the best dry red chili

Buy high quality red chili from the market. At my place, everything is export quality. Even you can go with organic chilies too.

Why I select Kashmiri Chili

Kashmiri Chili is less spicy in food and natural colorant of the food.

Cleaning and Drying is the necessary action

Wash the red chillies in running water and pat them dry with a towel. Now leave them in the sun for 2-3 days, till u touch and feel no moisture and crispy sounds you take at hand.

Method

Remove the stem from red chillies and put them in the grinder along with the curry leaves and salt(optional). Grind till a fine powder is obtained. Sieve it.
Let it cool completely. Do not store the red chilli powder when it is hot.
Store it in air-tight containers. Shelf life upto 3 months.

Fish fry is the delicious, hot, spicy and crispy. Its one of the simple and easy appetizer when compared to chicken or mutton. Indian spices do not only help to add flavors, it also helps to fight against bacteria in the fish. Turmeric is not only colorant agent, it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. In India, all the non-vegeterian recipes include spices like turmeric and coriander powder that helps to reduce the stinky smell from the fish and to add flavor and aroma to the dishes.

Ingredients

Fish - 2 lbs
Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Lemon - 1
Coconut Oil for frying
Salt as per taste

How to Marinate fish

In a bowl add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, salt and mix well. DON'T ADD WATER or OIL or LEMON.
Take one piece of fish, dip in the mix and cover it in all sides.
Repeat the step 2 for each piece separately so that the mix don't get wet and also it spreads evenly on each and every fish pieces.

Method

Cut the fish and clean it properly.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 mins or place in the sunlight for 20 mins.
Heat oil in a dosa pan, it consumes less oil only and healthy too with slow cooking.
Place the fish in the hot oil carefully.
Fry until the bottom side of the fish becomes crispy.
Flip gently and fry on the other side until crispy.
Remove the fried fish from the oil and place on the paper towel-lined plate (this helps to absorb the excess oil from fish).
Squeeze the lemon above the fish fry and serve.

Ready to marinate

Marinated all pieces

Place under hot sun for 20 mins

Fry both the sides in dosa pan

Squeezed lemon and Ready to serve

I like to check my Instant pot with variety of recipes. As a part of one pot meal, how do I miss briyani 😁😂😃 recipe. Most of my friends and relatives asked about post Instant pot briyani recipe. There are many variations of this recipe in Tamil Nadu itself. Today I want to try chicken briyani in Ambur style, deep spiced Chicken Biryani, with freshly ground spices, caramelized onions, marinated tender chicken cooked over long grain basmati rice. Its tempting right? Lets jump into recipe. You consider this recipe as another quick and easy dish which you’ll want to add to your weekly meal planner.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Onions - 3
Tomatoes - 1
Whole Cornish Hen - 1
Mint leaves - Small Handful
Bay Leaves - 3
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

To Grind

Cinnamon Stick - 2 large
Star Anise - 4
Bay leaves - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chill powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 4
Green Mirchi - 2
Black pepper - 4

Instructions

Grind all the ingredients under "To Grind", if need add few drops of water.
Marinate the chicken with the above paste.
Turn on the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and wait for 1 min.
Add Oil, once heat add bay leaves and few cumin seeds.
Once it splutter, add onions and fry until caramelized.
Add tomatoes and green mirchis.
Add the marinated chicken, turmeric powder and 1 cup water.
Hit CANCEL button on Instant Pot.
Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 5 minutes
Do a natural pressure release, that is wait until silver button on lid drops. BE CAREFUL OF HOT STEAM.
Hit CANCEL.
Open the lid. Add rice.
Water totally 2 cups for 2 cups rice. Already we added 1 cup for boil the chickenso now we add remaining 1 cup water.
Add ghee for the flavour.
Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 5 minutes
Do a natural pressure release, that is wait until silver button on lid drops. BE CAREFUL OF HOT STEAM
Hit CANCEL.
Garnish with coriander.
Serve and enjoy!

Marinate chicken

Marinate Chicken

Hit SAUTE

Add Bay leaves and Cumin seeds

Fry Onion

Add Tomatoes and green mirchi

Add marinated chicken

Stir thoroughly

Hit PRESSURE COOKER and adjust time for 5 mins

Release the pressure and open lid

Add rice

Add 1 tbsp ghee

Check the salt taste

Hit PRESSURE COOKER and adjust time for 5 mins

Briyani ready :)

Ready to serve

Happy Sunday 😍

All time favorite is Sambar Rice for my family, we love to have weekly once. That too after solids to my baby, this become compulsory dish for us. Its protein rich food with vitamins. Now it time to test our new instant pot. I want to try today with one pot recipe, Bisibelabath is the only dish immediately strike on my mind. Today our recipe is Sambr rice / Bisibelabath.

Ingredients

Onion - 1
Vegetables - whatever you like, try to add more
Coconut Oil / Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Rice - 1 cup
Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup
Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Cumin - 1tsp
Asafoetida - pinch

Method

Chop all the vegetables and onion.Keep aside.
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil and once its hot add mustard seeds, cumin, Asafoetida & let it splutter.
Add onions, Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color – stir regularly.
Add mix vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Then addsambar powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, tamarind extract, salt.
Stir occassionally or may get burnt.
Add washed toor dal(lentils), rice, water and give a stir .
Hit CANCEL button on Instant Pot.
Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 5 minutes
Do a natural pressure release, that is wait until silver button on lid drops. BE CAREFUL OF HOT STEAM
Remove lid, Add ghee and mix well.
Serve with papad.I prefer with sutta appalam.

Seasoning

Fry the Onions

Add Tomatoes and Salt

Add all the veggies

Add the soaked toor dhal

Add 4 garlic pods

Add all masala including asafoetida

Add soaked rice


Take Tamarind paste

Homemade Tamarind Paste - http://iamgeetha.blogspot.com/2019/07/basics-for-indian-cooking-homemade.html

Add Tamarind Paste

Add green chilli for flavour

Add ghee for flavour


Close the lid and set to pressure cooker mode for 5 mins

Turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position

Do a natural pressure release, that is wait until silver button on lid drops. BE CAREFUL OF HOT STEAM

Ready to Serve

I love to have samba rice with papad and more milagai.

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One of my ever favorite dish for lunch is Ennai Kathirikkai Kulambhu which i already uploaded. But that recipe, you cannot prepare if u less time for cooking. Like morning cook for lunch box and unexpected guests comes to home. This is my life savour recipe which i found my own shortcut. Today i decided to make this for my husband lunch box because i woke up at 7 am today (as i snooze my alarm more than an hour 😆😉 Laziness overloaded), he suppose to leave by 8 am to catch his train. I checked my fridge and i have brinjals, no second thoughts just started to cook. Captured photos to share with you guys. Hope you like my recipe. Total Cooking time 30 mins.

Click below for the other versions of Puli kuzhambhus

Pulikulambu with Brinjal, Drumstick and Onions

Kathirikkai Puli Kulambhu Recipe

Ennai kathrikkai kulambhu

Manathakali Vathal Kulambhu

Mochai Kulambhu Recipe using manpanai

~ I use coconut oil for this recipe so no need of coconut paste to grind. It saves ~ time.
Onions i grind and fry here so that it fry quickly compared to cut and fry.

Ingredients

Brinjals - 10
Coconut oil - as required
Onions - 2
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Green Chilli - 3
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method

Cut and Grind 2 onions. Clean and cut Brinjals
Heat 2 to 3 tbsp coconut oil and add onion paste. Fry it till the color changes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry it. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Fry until it turns oil to separate.
Take that paste in bowl and stuff in brinjal.
Heat 3 to 4 tbsp oil and fry the stuffed brinjal in pan for 7 mins at simmer mode.
Add the remaining masala to the pan and close the lid for 5 mins. Check salt here. Stir oftenly so that it dont burnt.
After boil, we see the oil separates in pan. Thats it, the time to switch off flame.