Salem Chicken Biryani, Seeraga Samba Chicken Biryani

        Salem style Chicken Biryani has its unique specialty made with seeraga samba rice gives a special taste to it. Though it looks plain less textured, its taste cannot be beaten. Its goes very well with Salem chicken salna and raita. I usally love when served in plantain leaf  where the combination adds extra aroma to the recipe. 

Ingredients :

Chicken - 1/2 Kg                                                                      Cooking Time : 30 -45 Min

Seeraga Samba rice - 1 Cup

Onions - 1 Cup                                                                          Serves : 2 People

Tomato - 1

Green Chilly - 4

Bay leaf - 3

Cardamom - 3

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Marathi Mooku - 2

Ginger/ Garlic paste - 2 Tsp

Mint Leaf - 1 Bunch

Turmeric - A pinch

Ghee - 2 Tbsp

Oil - 4 Tbsp

Salt - 2 Tsp

Water - 2 Cups

Salem Chicken Biryani

Method :

              

Cut the onions, green chilly and tomato. Keep all the biryani ingredients aside. Heat the oil in pressure cooker. Add all the dry biryani masala's.

                              

Add Onions and stir it for few minutes, then add green chilly, ginger/garlic paste. Stir well for few more seconds. Then add tomato and cook until it turns soft. Finally add the mint leaf and curry leaf.

                              

Before you start everything pressure cook the chicken with turmeric and 2 drops of castor oil. Soak the Rice in water for 30 Minutes.

                                     

Add the cooked chicken pieces, measure the water quantity used to cook chicken(2 cups water wholly)if needed add extra water and add salt. Once the water gets to boil add the soaked rice. Add Ghee and stir it.(Note: You can even add half portion of coconut milk reducing the water)

                             

Once you note the water level has been reduced, simmer the stove to its very lowest and close the lid. Allow it to cook for 15 minutes. Open when the pressure is gone. Stir it and transfer it to a serving bowl.

                                      

Enjoy with Salem chicken salna and raita.

Thank You. See you in next post.

Plz post your comments below.

Coconut Thuvaiyal, Theyengai Thuvaiyal, Thenkkai Poruppu

Ingredients :

Coconut - 1/2 Cup 

Small Onions - 3 Shallots                                                    Preparation Time : 10 Minutes

Coriander Seeds - 1 Tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tsp                                                        Serves : 2 People

Channa Dal - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chilly - 1

Curry Leaf - few

Pepper - 4

Badaga(Dried Onions) - 1 Tsp

Tamarind - Small Piece

Salt - 1/2 Tsp

Oil - 1 Tsp

Coconut Thuvayal

 Method :

Take all the ingredients  before you start roasting it.

Heat a pan with 1 Tsp oil and add all the ingredients except coconut. Roast it well until golden brown and nice aroma. Finally add coconut and roast together. Roast for 5 Minutes.

Cool the ingredients before you grind. Transfer it to a mixer jar. Add little water while grinding. Grind to smooth paste.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Serve with hot rice and don't forget to add Ghee.

Thank You. See you in next post.

Sorakkai Kulambu, Bottle Gourd Curry

            Sorakkai Kulambu is one of  my family's authentic recipe. It has a combination of Spicy, Tangy and sweet flavor. I always prefer with extra ghee in it. Lets try it.

Ingredients :

Bottle Gourd or Sorakkai - 2 Cups                                   Preparation Time : 10 Min
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Urad/Channa dal - 1/2 Tsp                                               Cooking Time  : 15 Min
Onions - 1/2 Cup
Garlic - 3 Tbsp                                                                  Serves : 2 People
Red Chilly - 2
Curry Leaf
Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
Tamarind extract - 2 Tbsp
Jaggery - 1 Tsp
Salt - 2 Tsp
Oil - 3 Tbsp
Ghee - 1 Tsp

Sorakkai Kulambu

Method :

Wash the bottle gourd, peel the skin and chop well into small cubes.

Boil 1 cup water in a pan and add chopped Bottle Gourd. Cook until it turns soft. Smash it well using a laddle or grind it in a mixer grinder.

Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seeds, Urad/channa dal.

Once it crackles add chopped Onions, Red chilly, Curry leaves and Garlic.

Add Tamarind extract, smashed bottle gourd and salt.

Allow it to get thicker. Stir continously. Finally add jaggery.

Add a tsp ghee and stir it well.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Serve hot with rice, add extra ghee to enhance the taste.

Thank You. See you in next post.

Methi & Kothamali Thuvayal, Vendhaiyakeerai Kothamali Kadayal

                  This Kadayal is often prepared with Methi Leaf, Coriander Leaf, Kongura Leaf, Thumbai Keerai. Where the keerai varies but the method is same. This recipes holds Sweet, Sour and Spicy-ness which balances to get ultimate flavor to this recipe. Come lets try it today.

Ingredients :

Coriander Leaf - 1 Bunch                                                      Preparation Time : 10 Minutes
Methi Leaf - 1 Bunch                  
Onions - 1 Cup                                                                      Cooking Time : 20 Minutes
Garlic - 3 Tbsp Chopped
Red Chilly - 2                                                                        Serves : 4 People
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Channa Dal - 1/2 Tsp
Sesame Oil - 3 Tbsp
Tamarind extract - 3 Tbsp
Turmeric  - Pinch
Salt - 1 Tsp
Jaggery/Sugar - 1 Tsp

Methi/Kothamali Thuvayal

Method : 

Soak Tamarind in water and extract juice from it. Clean Coriander leaf and Methi leaf and wash it well. Add 1 Cup water in a pressure cooker and add both the leaves. Pressure cook for 1 whistle.
Cool the leaves well.

                          

Add the cooked leaves and grind it to smooth paste. Heat a pan with oil and add mustard seeds, channa dal. Add onions, red chilly and garlic and saute it well.

                         

Add tamarind extract, turmeric and toss it until it gets thick.

                          

Finally add the grinded paste, salt and mix it well. Allow it to get thicker. Stir it. Add jaggery.

                        

Transfer it to a serving bowl. Serve with hot rice.

Note :
You can make this thuvayal with whole coriander leaf or methi leaf.
Or you can mix both the leaves.

Coconut Milk Vegetable Gravy

Ingredients :

Coconut Milk - 1 cup( Thick Consistency)                           Preparation Time : 10 Min
Peas - 1/2 Cup
Potato - 1/2 Cup                                                                     Cooking Time : 20 Min
Tomato - 1
Onions - 1/2 Cup                                                                    Serves : 2 People
Coriander leaf/ Curry leaf
Chilly powder - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Curry Masala Powder/ Garam masala - 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 Tbsp

Coconut Milk Vegetable Gravy

Method :

         Heat a pan and add oil. Once it gets hot, add mustard seeds & Urad dal. Then add onions, curry leaf and tomato. Stir it until it gets cooked. Add Turmeric, chilly  and curry masala powder. Stir it well.

                               

Finally add peas and potato with some salt. Stir well. Have coconut milk ready to be added.

                              

Add coconut milk to the vegetables. Stir well. Simmer the stove. The coconut milk will start getting thick.

                              

Once the curry turns semi-thick consistency. Switch off the stove. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

                            

Garnish with coriander leaf. Have hot with rice or roti.

Thank You. See you in next post.

Garlic Podi, Poondu Podi

          A typical South Indian meal is incomplete without podi specially when combined with Ghee or sesame oil. There are various varieties of podi's used with breakfast and rice. It's always helpful when you are lazy to prepare curry or sambar. I love Garlic podi which we buy from Homefoods at my home town. I always think to prepare such kind of podi by my own. Here is the similar kind which i prepared.    

Ingredients :

Garlic - 1 Cup( More garlic more the flavor)                    Preparation Time : 15 Minutes

(You can even increase Garlic quantity as much as you want)

Toor Dal - 1/2 Cup

Fried Channa Dal - 1/2 Cup                                              Approx Quantity : 1 1/2 Cup

Red Chilly - 6-8

Curry Leaves - 2 Strands                                                  Best For : 2-3 Months

Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp

Salt - 1 Tsp

Sesame Oil - 1 Tsp

Poondu Podi

Method :

Remove the skin and clean the Garlic. Chop it well.

Measure the toor dal and keep it in a separate bowl.

Measure the Fried channa dal and keep it in a separate bowl.

Heat a pan and dry roast the toor dal for 10 minutes until you get nice aroma.

Once you get nice aroma from the toor dal, add fried channa dal. Keep stirring until both turns nice golden color. Watch carefully so that it doesn't burn. Add Red chilly and curry leaf and fry together.
Add it in a large bowl.

Add 1 Tsp sesame oil to the same pan and add garlic, keep stirring it until it turns golden brown. Turn off the stove. Cool the garlic well. Finally add it to the dal left in the large bowl.

Let all the ingredients cool well before grinding. Add salt and asafoetida powder to it.

Make sure the mixer jar is well dry. Add it in the mixer jar and grind it to smooth powder. It may take sometime to blend it smooth. For Idly's you can grind to coarse powder and for rice you can grind to nice fine powder.

Once done, transfer it to a good air tight container. It is best for 2-3 months or for longer refrigerate it.

Serve with Hot idly's, Dosa or Rice. Add oil or Ghee to mix. Enjoy your breakfast.

Thank You. See you in next post.