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1)Chicken Varuval

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces
• Tomatoes 150g
• Onions 150 g
• Red chilies 4
• Peppercorns 10
• Turmeric Powder 1tsp
• Ghee 50 g
• Grated Coconut 1 cup
• Coriander leaves 1 tsp

Method:

Grind together the grated coconut and coriander leaves into a paste and keep it aside. Grind peppercorns, red chilies, onions and turmeric powder and keep it aside. Heat ghee in a pan and ad the onions paste and cook until raw smell goes off. Add the coconut paste and chicken pieces to the pan. Stir them ontinuously, close the pan and cook for 20 minutes on low flame. Add tomatoes, sprinkle water if required and mix the contents thoroughly and cook for another ten minutes. Cook until the chicken gets tender. Garnish with coriander leaves.

2)Chicken Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

For dry powder:

• Khuskhus 3/4 tsp
• Fennel 1/2 tsp
• Black peppercorns 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilies 3

For masala:

• Onion 1, medium size, chopped
• Tomato 1, medium size, chopped
• Garlic 3 pods
• Ginger 1/2 inch
• Green chilies 3
• Coconut grated 4 tbsp

For seasoning:

• Cinnamon 1 stick
• Cardamom 3 pods
• Salt 1 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves
• Oil

Method:

Clean chicken and marinate it with salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, meat masala and lime juice. In a kadai, dry roast the ingredients for powder and dry grind it finely. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the kadai and add the masala items and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer ingredients to a blender and grind it along with the already ground dry powder. Run the blender until all ingredients grind well and add coconut finally and run the blender until done into a smooth paste. Heat a pressure cooker and add oil, add onions, tomatoes and the ground masala and sauté for a few minutes until tomatoes are done. Add the chicken and blend it well with the masala. Add salt and pressure cook until done. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with parota, plain rice, or biriyani.


3)Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

• Chicken - One and half kgs
• Basmati Rice - One and half kgs
• Oil - 600 gms
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 300 gms
• Chilli Powder - 50 gms
• Green Chillies - 15 pieces (medium sized)
• Tomato - 500 gms
• (Ripe Nattu Thakkali)
• Mint - 1 small bunch
• Coriander - 2 small bunches
• Cloves - 8 pieces
• Cinnamon - 1 medium sized stick
• Cardamon - 5 pieces
• Onion - 250 gms
• Lemon - 2 nos.
• Curd - 1 ltr.
• Salt

Preparation

•      Cut onion lengthwise. Divide into halves.
•      Cut tomato into 4 pieces.
•      Extract lemon juice and keep aside.
•      Strip pudina leaves. Wash, cut and keep aside.
•      Strip coriander leaves. Wash, cut and keep aside. Optional to include tender coriander stems.
•      Wash chicken, drain water completely and keep aside.

Method:

•     Place the bigger vessel on the stove. Allow the bottom of the vessel to heated well.
•     Add oil. Put cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamon pieces. Wait for few seconds and as it splits add half the quantity     
•       of onions. Add full quantity of ginger, garlic paste.
•     Simmer and allow the onions, ginger and garlic paste to cook. This should take less than 10 minutes.
•     Add chicken. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt and mix well. Add the remaining onions pieces.
•     Close the vessel with an aluminum lid. Continue to cook in low flame. Using a ladle, stir the contents of the vessel.     
•       Allow it to cook for 15 minutes.
•     Remove the lid. Add chili powder, green chilies, tomatoes, coriander, pudina, lemon juice and curd.
•     Stir well, close the lid and allow the contents to cook well. Continue to cook on low flame.
•     Occasionally stir the contents slowly. After about 20 minutes you may notice the oil separate.
•     Wash the basmati rice and let it remain soaked in water for not more than 10 minutes.
•    At this juncture place the other vessel on the stove. Add water, 4 times the quantity of rice.
•    Allow the water to boil, add salt to taste. Remember you have added salt for the chicken gravy.
•    As the water starts to boil, transfer soaked rice. Close with a perfect lid. Cook on low flame.
•    When the rice is half cooked, without delaying quickly drain out water. Do not throw the drained water.
•    Immediately, transfer half cooked rice (sprinkle kesar powder over rice if required) to the chicken gravy. Slowly mix the  
•      contents. Ensure rice doesn`t get smashed.
•    Put a dosa tava on the stove and place the vessel. Take a neat newspaper and place it on top of the vessel and then keep   
•     the lid. On top of the lid, place the drained water. The vessel is now airtight.
•    Simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes. Wait for few minutes and open lid. The aroma of biryani would confirm that the cooking is
•       completed.
•    Serve hot with onion raitha or brinjal tamarind gravy.

4)Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

• Boneless Chicken -250 gms (medium pieces)
• Onion - 2 nos.
• Tomatoes - 2 nos.
• Green chilli - 3-4 nos.
• Coriander - medium bunch
• Coconut - 3 pieces.
• Oil - 150 gms.
• Salt to taste

Method:

•      Make gravy of onion, tomatoes, green chilli, coriander and coconut.
•      Use a medium size pressure cooker and heat it.
•      Pour oil. Wait for 2 minutes
•      Add chicken pieces.
•      Allow the chicken pieces to shrink in size slightly.
•      Add gravy, if required add ½ glass of water.
•      Wait for 3 whistles.
•      Open to check if water is well absorbed.
•      If required, transfer to a kadai and cook in low flame till dry.

5)Fish Kuzhumbu

Ingredients:

• Fish -250 gms.
• Onion -3 nos.
• Garlic - 3 pods.
• Tomato -1 nos.
• Tamarind - size of a small lemon
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder -1 tsp
• Green chilli -3 nos.
• Coconut -3 pieces (medium size)
• Oil -150 gms.
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

•      Grind garlic, coconut and tomato and set aside.
•      Add water to tamarind pulp measuring 2 glasses.
•      To this, add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and keep aside.
•      Pour oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Fry finely cut onion and green chilli pieces.
•      Add tamarind water and then garlic, coconut and tomato masala.
•      As it starts to boil, add fish.
•      Do not cover. Let the contents cook on low flame.
•      In 10 minutes fish kuzhumbu will be ready to serve.
•      Check if it has reached the desired consistency

6)Liver Fry

Ingredients:

• Mutton liver -300 gms
• Onion - 2 nos.
• Tomatoes - 1 nos.
• Ginger, Garlic paste- 2 tsp.
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp.
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste.

Method:

•      Heat a kadai / pan and pour oil
•      Fry finely chopped onion.
•      Add ginger, garlic paste.
•      Add finely cut tomato.
•      Let it turn soft.
•      Add turmeric and chilli powder.
•      Stir-fry well.
•      Add liver pieces.
•      Pour enough water to cover the contents (1/4 glass of water)
•      Occasionally stir-fry. Cook in low flame.
•      In less than 15 minutes, liver fry will be ready.
•      Serve with nan, rotis, dhal rice, parathas etc.

7)Mutton Chops

Ingredients:

• Mutton chops -250 grams
• Onion -300 gms.
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp (optional)
• Green chillies - 8 pieces (medium size)
• Coriander - 1 bunch (big)
• Black pepper - two spoons
• Salt to taste.

Preparation

•      Finely cut onions and keep aside.
•      Slit green chilies.
•      Coarse grind pepper.
•      Wash coriander. Chop leaves and stems and keep aside.
•      Wash mutton chops. Drain well and keep aside.

Method:

•      Place a 4-litre pressure cooker on the stove. Add oil.
•      Add finely chopped onions.
•      Stir-fry. Add ginger garlic paste.
•      Allow the onion to turn brown. Add slit green chilies.
•      Fry for two minutes. Transfer mutton chops.
•      Stir the contents well. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
•      Add the chopped coriander leaves.
•      Add salt and pour water enough to cover the contents of the cooker.
•      Cook on low flame.
•      Wait for 5 whistles and then switch off.
•      A good side dish for roti, plain rice, fried rice, dhal rice etc.

8)Mutton Keema

Ingredients:

• Minced meat - 150 gms
• Onion - 2 nos.
• Tomatoes - 2 nos.
• Green chilli - 2 nos.
• Coriander - 1 bunch
• Coriander seeds (whole) - 2 tsp
• Mint - 1 bunch
• Garlic - 10 pods
• Lemon - 1 no.(big)
• Bajra (flour) - 1 cup.
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Preparation

•      Cut onions, tomatoes, green chillies and garlic pods finely into small pieces.
•      Wash minced meat, drain water and keep aside.
•      Wash coriander and mint leaves. Drain water and keep aside.
•      Squeeze lemon. Keep aside lemon juice.

Method:

•      Mix minced mutton, onions, tomatoes, green chilli, garlic pods, coriander and mint leaves, lemon juice, salt and        
• refrigerate for ½ hour to 1 hour.
•      Just before frying add bajra flour and mix well.
•      Heat oil for frying kebabs.
•      Make the mixed mixture into round shaped balls (lemon size) and slowly drop in the oil.
•      Fry in low flame.
•      Wait for the kebabs to turn light brown.
•      Serve hot with tomato sauce or mint chutney or as a side dish for biryani, fried rice.

9)Mutton Paaya

Ingredients:

• Paya -6 nos.
• Onions -4 nos.
• Tomato - 2 nos.
• Ginger garlic paste - 50 gms
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 3 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 4 tsp.
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste.

Preparation

•      Wash paya. Drain water and keep aside
•      Cut onions and tomatoes into small pieces
•      Wash coriander. Cut and keep aside.

Method:

•      Heat a 4-litre pressure cooker.
•      Add oil and heat.
•      Put onions, ginger garlic paste and fry well.
•      Add finely cut tomatoes.
•      Add turmeric, chili, dhania powder and salt.
•      Allow the mixture to cook on low flame for 5-10 minutes.
•      Transfer paya and coriander leaves. Cook for 5 minutes. Mix well.
•      Pour water enough to cover the contents in the cooker.
•      Continue to cook on low flame.
•      Wait for 5-6 whistles and then switch off.
•      Serve hot with idly, roti, iddiyappam, plain rice, dhal rice, fried rice, plain paratha.

10)Mutton Sukka

Ingredients:

• Mutton - 250 gms (small pieces)
• Onion - 4 nos.
• Tomatoes - 2 nos.
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 4 tsp.
• Mint leaves - 1 bunch.
• Oil - 150 grms.
• Roasted gram - 2 tsp
• Aniseed - 1 tsp
• Cumin seed - 2 tsp
• Black Pepper - 2 tsp.

Preperation

•      Cut onions, tomatoes
•      Strip mint leaves. Wash, drain water and keep aside.
•      Wash mutton. Drain water and keep aside.
•      Make coarse powder of aniseed, cumin seed and black pepper.
•      Separately powder roasted gram.

Method:

•      Use a pressure cooker. Add oil and heat
•      Add onions and tomatoes.
•      When it turns soft, add mutton pieces
•      Stir-fry. Add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
•      Add a spoonful of salt and mint leaves too.
•      Add enough water to cover contents.
•      Wait for 3 whistles.
•      Take a pan. Heat 3 tbsp oil.
•      Add gravy and let it turn dry.
•      When water is totally absorbed, add green chilli, powdered aniseed, cumin seeds and black pepper powder. Then add       
• powdered chutney dhal.
•      Mutton sukka is ready. Serve hot with sambar rice, rasam rice or nan and rotis.

11)Chettinad Chicken Masala

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1 kg
• Onion 200 g, finely chopped
• Tomatoes 200 g, finely chopped
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste 50 g
• Curry Leaves 40 g
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For Chettinad masala

• Dry red chilies 4 or 5
• Cloves 2
• Javatri 4
• Green Cardamoms 2
• Bay Leaves 2 small sticks
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Kalpasi (Sea weed)
• Fennel seed 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seed 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder 4 tsp
• Black Pepper corns 1 tsp
• Fry all these items and grind into a fine powder

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves (with the stem) along with onions and green chilies. When the onions become soft add ginger-garlic paste. The mixture will leave out an aroma, now add tomatoes. Add turmeric powder and the chicken. Sprinkle little water and cook until the chicken gets tender. Now add the Chettinad Masala and add salt to taste. Fry until the masala gives out a good aroma.