Methi paneer

Ingredients:

• Oil as needed
• 1 tsp ginger chopped or ½ tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic chopped or ½ tsp garlic paste
• 1 cup oinons
• ¾ cup tomatoes (do not choose very sour tomatoes)
• Salt as needed
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¾ tsp garam masala (adjust as needed)
• 1 heaped cup methi / fenugreek leaves (comes up to ¾ cup chopped)
• 2 heaped cups paneer
• ½ tsp cumin
• 2 green cardamoms / elaichi
• 8 Cashews

Method:

1. Pluck methi leaves and soak them in a large utensil filled with water. Drain off and set aside.
   
2. Add oil to a hot pan, fry ginger garlic till they smell good. Add onions and fry till lightly golden.
   
3. Add tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy.Add red chili powder and garam masala. If using cashews they can be added now. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the masala smells good. Switch off the stove. Cool this and blend with little water to a smooth puree.
   
4. In the same pan, saute methi leaves for 2 minutes. Add paneer and saute for another 2 minutes. Set this aside.
   
5. Add little more oil to the same pan, add cumin and cardamom. When they sizzle, add the onion tomato puree. Add more water as needed to bring it to a gravy consistency.
   
6. Bring it a boil and allow to cook well for about 3 minutes.Add the paneer that was set aside.Cook for about 3 minutes on a medium flame. Do not over cook otherwise paneer turns rubbery.
   
7. Transfer it to a serving bowl.
   

Simple chicken curry

Ingredients:

• ½ kg chicken
• 2 to 3 tbsp. Oil
• 1 small bay leaf
• 4 cloves
• 2 inch thin cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp. cumin/jeera 
• 2 green chilies slit
• 1 cup finely chopped onions 
• 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
• ½ cup finely chopped ripe tomatoes 
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• salt as needed
• ¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder 
• 1tsp chicken masala
• Fistful of chopped coriander leaves or mint/pudina
• ½ cup hot water

• 2 tbsp. yogurt/Curd or 2 tbsp poppy seeds to smooth paste

Method:

1. Wash chicken thoroughly and drain off the water completely.
   
2. Heat oil in a deep pan, add all the dry spices and fry till you get an aroma, just for a min.
   
3. Add onions, chilies and fry evenly till golden. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.Add mashed tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
   
4. Add curd  or poppy seeds paste and mint leaves.. On a low heat cook until the mixture smells good and the raw smell goes away.Add chicken,red chili powder and chicken masala. Fry till the meat turns white .Takes around 3 mins.
   
5. Cover and cook on a low flame for 3 to 5 mins. In a separate pot, heat up 1 cup water. Sometimes chicken lets out lot of moisture. Pour hot water just enough to make a thick gravy. Do not add too much water, curry will become runny. Cover and cook on a medium flame till it is cooked soft. Check and adjust the salt.
   
6. Add coriander leaves, cover and off the heat.Serve chicken gravy with rice, chapathi or pulao.
   

Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onions
• ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste or grated
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes 
• salt as needed
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• ¼ tsp. red chili powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• ½ tsp cumin 
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp. oil 

marination

• 500 grams chicken ( bone or boneless)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• salt little

How to make the recipe

1. Wash chicken and drain off the water. marinate with ingredients under marination. Keep it aside until needed.
   
2. Add oil to a hot pan, add cumin, and  cinnamon  allow them to sizzle.Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off.Add onions and fry till they turn golden.
   
3. Add tomatoes and salt. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and soft.
   
4. Add red chili powder and pepper powder.Fry everything well till the mixture looses all the moisture.
   
5. Add chicken and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.cover and cook on a low flame till the chicken turns tender, then add little water. cover and cook. If you want to have gravy, switch off the stove.
   
6. Serve pepper chicken hot with rice and rasam.
   

Chicken kurma

Ingredients:

to grind to smooth paste

• 1½ tbsp. poppy seeds 
• ¼ cup grated coconut

for the curry

• one and half tbsp. oil
• one star anise
• ½ tsp cumin
• four cloves
• small cinnamon stick
• one cup finely chopped onions
• 1 green chili slit
• generous pinch of turmeric
• salt as needed
• 1½ tsp. ginger garlic paste
• ½ kg chicken 
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• ¼ tsp chicken masala
• 8 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. thick yogurt
• few coriander leaves

Method:

1. Powder poppy seeds first. Add coconut and blend to a smooth paste with little water. Set this aside.
   
2. Fry dry spices in oil till they begin to sizzle.Add onions, chili and salt. Fry until golden.
   
3. Fry ginger garlic paste with the onions till the raw smell disappears.Add chicken, turmeric and little more salt.
   
4. Fry till the chicken turns white in color. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in between if needed to prevent burning.
   
5. Add mashed tomatoes. Fry till they turn soft. Cover and cook if needed.
   
6. Time to add in chili powder, garam masala. Stir and fry for 2 minutes.Add mint and coconut paste. Stir and fry until the mixture begins to leave the sides.
   
7. Stir in yogurt and fry until it leaves the sides again.
   
8. Pour water just enough to make a medium consistency gravy.Cook covered till the chicken turns tender and soft. Towards the end add ¼ tsp chicken masala. Switch off the stove.
9. Transfer chicken kurma to a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves.
   

Matar Mushroom

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¾ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 green chili slit (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• ¾ cup tomatoes, deseeded or pureed
• Salt as needed
• ½ cup peas
• 1 ¼ cup mushrooms
• Turmeric a pinch
• ¾ tsp garam masala
• ¾ tsp red chili powder

• Coriander leaves 

Method:

1. Fry cumin in hot oil until they splutter just for a min.
   
2. Fry onions and chili until golden.
   
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw flavors go away.
   
4. Fry tomatoes with salt until mushy.
   
5. Add garam masala and chili powder. Saute for 1 min.
   
6. Add peas and mushrooms along with a dash of turmeric. Fry for 2 to 3 mins on a medium heat.Cover and cook on a low flame until done. Stir in between if needed.
   
7. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve mushroom curry with  chapathi.
   

chettinad chicken curry

Ingredients:

• 500 grams chicken
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 to 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 2 medium tomatoes (pureed)

Marination

• ⅛ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp yogurt 
• 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
• Salt as needed

Chettinad masala (roast and grind)

• 8 cashews
• ¼ cup of grated coconut
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp pepper corn
• 3 to 5 red chilies 
• 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken with marination ingredients. Set aside for 30 min.
   
2. Dry roast all the ingredients lightly one after the other, listed under roast and grind for chettinad masala except cashews. Set aside to cool.
   
3. Now add cashews to above chettinad masala.
   
4. Grind tomatoes to smooth.
   
5. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry till they turn translucent.
   
6. Add chicken, fry for at least 4 to 5 mins.
   
7. Add tomatoes puree to the pan,turmeric, salt and chili powder. Mix well & fry till the oil begins to separate.
   
8. Add the ground paste and curry leaves. Fry for 2 to 3 mins.
   
9. Add 1 ¼ cup water. Cover and cook till it is fully done, soft and tender. The gravy becomes thick by then. cook till the chicken gravy thickens.Serve chettinad chicken curry with rice or naan.