Friday, January 22, 2010

Karimeen Polichathu

Ingredients:
Pearl Spot (karimeen) 4 medium
Banana leaves 4
Coconut, scraped 1/2 cup
Kodumpuli 4 pieces
Whole dry red chillies 8
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander seeds 2 tablespoons
Ginger 1 inch piece
Garlic 8 cloves
Green chillies 4
Lemon juice 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves 10-12
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry


directions:
Scale, clean and wash the fish thoroughly. Make deep slits on either side.
Wash, wipe and cut the plantain leaf into four and remove the center core. Singe over open flame to make it malleable.
Grind coconut, kodumpuli, red chilies, turmeric powder, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic and green chillies to a smooth paste. Add lemon juice and the curry leaves and mix well.
Apply this paste liberally on the fish and also stuff it into the slits.
Brush a little oil on each leaf and wrap each fish tightly in the leaf and tie with thread. Rest it for an hour in the fridge.
Heat a little oil in a pan and shallow fry the parcels on medium heat for about three to four minutes on each side or till the fish is completely cooked. Ensure that the leaves don’t burn during cooking.
Serve hot in the parcel itself.

Recipe Tip
Kodumpuli, also called Fish tamarind is used extensively in the Malabar region. Can be substituted with regular tamarind or dry mango powder also.

Jhinga Kalimirch

Ingredients:
Prawns (kolambi/jhinga), deveined 20 medium
Black peppercorns 20
Onions 3 medium
Ginger 3 inch piece
Garlic 10 cloves
Ghee 1/4 cup
Green cardamoms 5
Cloves 8
Tomatoes, chopped 4 medium
Cashewnuts 10
Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Whole dry red chillies 5
Curry leaves 10
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 2 teaspoons
Saffron (kesar) a few strands


Directions:
Wash prawns thoroughly under running water.
Slice two onions and chop one. Grind ginger and garlic to a paste.
Heat two tablespoons of ghee in pan. Add green cardamoms, cloves and half the crushed black peppercorns. When they change colour, add sliced onions and tomatoes. Sauté for three to four minutes.
Add one cup of water, cashewnuts and bring to a boil. Take off the heat, cool and puree in a blender.
Heat the remaining ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds and whole red chillies. When the seeds splutter add curry leaves and chopped onions and sauté till light brown. Add salt, remaining crushed black peppercorns, red chilli powder and sauté.
Add ginger-garlic paste and mix. Add prawns and sauté for two to three minutes.
Add the pureed gravy and check the seasoning. Add salt and simmer for two minutes.
Before serving add saffron dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water. Serve hot.

Chettinad Chicken

Ingredients
Chicken 8 pieces on the bone 1 medium
Oil 5 tablespoons
Coriander seeds 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons
Whole dry red chilli, seeded 4-6
Coconut, scraped 3/4 cup
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Curry leaves 10-12
Onions, chopped 2 medium
Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece
Garlic, chopped 4-6 cloves
Black peppercorns, crushed 20
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon


Directions:
Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds, one teaspoon cumin seeds, dry red chillies, coconut and sauté till the coconut turns golden. Set aside to cool.
Take chicken in a bowl, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and two tablespoons of oil. Mix and set aside to marinate for half an hour.
Grind the coconut mixture to a fine paste adding water as required.
Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add the remaining cumin seeds, curry leaves and onions and sauté till the onions turn golden.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for half a minute. Add the ground masala and continue to sauté for two minutes.
Add chicken and crushed black peppercorns. Mix well.
Add lemon juice, cover and cook on low heat for twenty to twenty five minutes or till the chicken is done.
Serve hot with neer dosa.

Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon or whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives or green onion greens
Salt
6 large chicken drumsticks, about 1 1/3 lbs
Olive oil

Directions:
Place rack on upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat the bottom of a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs and minced chives in a separate medium bowl.
Sprinkle each drumstick with salt. One by one, dip each drumstick in the mayonnaise mixture, turning to coat. Then dip the drumstick in the breadcrumbs mixture, turning to coat. Place the drumsticks on the prepared roasting pan.
Bake chicken for 20-25 minutes, until just cooked through, and juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife.