Fishy fry

 

King fish- 250 gms (2 medium size steaks)

Marinade

Chilli powder- 3/4th tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Fennel seeds- 1/4 tsp

Peppercorns- 1 tsp

Coriander powder-2 tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tsp

Ginger- 1 inch piece, peeled and roughly chopped

Garlic- 4 medium pods, peeled

Indian shallots- 4, peeled and roughly chopped

Curry leaves- 6 to 8 leaves + enough to garnish

Salt- to taste

Oil- to shallow fry

Into a blender add all the marinade ingredients and blend to a fine paste, without adding any water.

Its ok if the garlic and ginger haven't been ground to bits, some pieces here and there are fine.

Check for salt, add if needed.

Generously rub both sides of the steak with the marinade and keep covered in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan, and fry the fish on medium heat, about 2 minutes on each side, or depending on the thickness of the steak. Don't over cook it, or else the fish becomes hard.

Towards the end of the frying time, add some curry leaves into the oil for added flavour.

Scoop them out and crumble on top of the fish before serving.

I served mine with a side of pickled onions and a squeeze of lime juice.

You can use this marinade for any fish, mackerel, anchovies, tuna steak, any oily fish.

Chettinad chicken biryani

Recipe adapted from here

 

Chicken- 1 kg, without skin, but with bone and cut into medium size pieces

To marinate

Greek yoghurt- 1/2 cup

Ginger garlic paste- 1 heaped tsp

Green chilli- 1, finely chopped

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Salt- to taste

For the rice

Basmati rice- 3 cups, washed till water runs clear (refer notes)

Coconut milk- 2 cups

Water- 3 cups

Lime juice- 1 tbsp

Salt- to taste

For the masala

Ghee- 3 tbsp

Cardamom- 4 pods

Cinnamon- 2 inch stick

Cloves- 4

Bay leaf- 1

Star anise- 1

Onions- 3 medium, finely chopped

Thai green chilly- 2, slit in half (add more if you want it spicy)

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Tomato- 2 medium, finely chopped

Chilli powder- 2 tsp

Coriander powder- 2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Mint leaves- 1/4 cup, roughly chopped

Coriander leaves- 1/2 cup, roughly chopped

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients in that section for a minimum of at least an hour. I marinated it the previous night.

Mix together the coconut milk and water and soak the washed rice in  it when you begin to start prepping the biryani.

For the gravy, heat a large pot over medium heat and melt the ghee

Into it add the whole spices and when they start smelling great, throw in the onions and green chilly.

Saute and cook till the onions turn a light golden brown at which point you add the ginger garlic paste.

Mix well and cook till the raw smell disappears.

Add the tomatoes, cover with a lid and cook till the oil starts appearing around the edges. 

In goes the chilli, coriander and turmeric powder. Add a dash of water if needed and cook for about 2 minutes.

Mix in the mint and coriander leaves and then tip in the marinated chicken. Mix well.

Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, till water starts coming out. Don't add any water.

Pour in the coconut milk mix from the rice into the pot (without the rice of course), mix well, increase heat to high and bring the mix to a boil.
After boiling for about 5 minutes, add the rice, lime juice and enough salt into the water. The salt should stand out a bit, as only then will your biryani have the right amount of salt once cooked.
Close with a tight lid, reduce heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes.
Make sure no steam escapes. If you don't have a tight lid, wrap the lid with foil so it fits tightly.
Once the time is up, and all the water has been absorbed, do a taste test from the rice right on top. If its cooked then remove from heat, if not, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Drizzle some ghee on top and cover with lid and keep aside for about 10 minutes and then serve hot with a side of raita, pickle and pappadom.

Notes: I use a variety of basmati rice called golden sella which is more resilient to cooking and doesn't break or become mushy as easily as basmati. I always end up with a mushy mess when i use basmati for biryani and so started using sella after i tasted a really good biryani using this rice at the famous Kadiris in London.
If using basmati, follow same method, but you would know the cooking time for your rice and amount of water, so adjust accordingly. I know this is pretty vague info, so ill try it with a normal basmati next time and update.
Use good quality coconut milk, the thick creamy one, as coconut milk powder will not bring out the taste that well.
I need to perfect this recipe a bit more, as the flavour hasn't come out the way i expected. I shall update it as and when i try it again.

Labneh dip with garlic and za'atar

Recipe adapted from here

 

Labneh- 1 cup (I used Greek yoghurt)

Salt- to taste

Mint leaves- 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Pistachios- 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Olives- 1 tbsp, pitted and finely chopped

Za'atar spice- 1 tbsp

Garlic powder/ granules- 1 tsp

Chilli flakes- 1 tsp

Extra virgin olive oil- 4 tbsp

Pomegranate arils- to sprinkle on top

If using Greek yoghurt, transfer it to a muslin cloth, squeeze out as much water possible and keep it hung for about an hour or so to grain the whey and get really thick curd. 

Add enough salt to the labneh and keep aside.

In a bowl mix together the mint leaves, pistachio, olives, za'atar, garlic powder, chilli flakes and olive oil till well combined.

Spread the labneh on to a flat plate, so its about 1/2 inch thick and spoon the topping over as evenly as possible and letting the oil drip around the sides.

Garnish with pomegranate and some mint leaves if needed and dig into it with oven toasted pita bread or crisps.

Oats upma

Recipe adapted from here

 

Oats- 1 cup

Ghee- 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp to drizzle

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies- 2

Cashew nuts- 1 tbsp (optional)

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Onion- 1 medium, finely chopped

Green chilly- 1 large, roughly chopped or slit

Ginger- 1 tbsp, crushed and finely chopped

Green beans- 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Carrots-1/4 cup, grated or finely chopped

Green peas- 1/4 cup (I used frozen ones)

Desiccated coconut- 1/4 cup (optional)

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Water- 2 cups (refer notes)

Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup plus enough to garnish

Dry roast the oats in a pan for about 4 to 5 minutes, on medium heat and stirring continuously. The oats should be slightly crisp. Keep aside.

Into the same pan melt the ghee and splutter the mustard seeds.

Add the dried red chilly, cashews and curry leaves and saute till the cashews turn a light golden colour.

In goes the onions, ginger and green chillies. Cook till the onions become soft, they need not become brown.

Stir in the beans, carrot and green peas, add enough salt and cook covered. You don't need to add any water to cook it, just the steam would do. It wouldn't take more than 5 minutes, of course depending on how finely you have chopped the vegetables.

Open the lid and add the desiccated coconut (if using) followed by roasted oats and turmeric powder. Mix well.

Pour 1 cup water and mix the oats, wait for the oats to absorb all of the water and then add the second cup, give a good stir, check for salt and add if needed and cover and cook till most of the water is absorbed.

If you do find that there is still a bit of water, open lid and cook it off.

Add a generous dollop of ghee and sprinkle the coriander leaves and give one final mix.

Garnish with remaining coriander if needed and serve warm with pickle or chutney.

Notes: I actually hate oats with a vengeance but was pleasantly surprised at how nice this tasted.

You can of course skip the ghee and make it in any vegetable oil of choice.

The 2 cups of water i used gave me a mushy upma. We like it that way but if you prefer a drier version, then reduce the water to say 1 1/2 cups. 

Its best to eat it as soon as its cooked as it clumps up to a mass if not.

Pepper chicken

Recipe adapted from here

 

Chicken with bone- 700gms, skinless, cleaned and cut into medium pieces

Coconut oil- 3 tbsp

Coconut cuts/pieces- a handful

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Ginger garlic paste- 1 1/2 tbsp

Onions- 2 medium, finely chopped

Salt- to taste

Green chilly- 1, slit

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Meat masala- 1 1/2 tsp (any meat masala of choice)

Freshly ground pepper powder- 2 tsp

Tomato- 1 medium, roughly chopped + 1 tsp tomato paste

Coconut milk- 1/4 cup (thick)

Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves- a handful, finely chopped

Heat oil in a wok and add the coconut cuts and curry leaves.

Saute till the coconut turns light brown. Dont burn them.

Add the ginger garlic paste and cook on medium heat till the raw smell disappears.

Throw in the chopped onions, salt and green chilly and cook till they turn light brown. Keep stirring in between.

Stir in turmeric powder and meat masala, followed by freshly ground pepper. Add a splash of water if you feel the pan is too hot and the masalas will burn. I did add a splash of water here.

Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste along with a generous splash of water. Mix it all together and cover and cook till the tomatoes break down and turn mushy and oil starts resurfacing.

In goes the chicken, mix it into the masala, trying to coat the pieces as much possible.

Cover and cook, making sure to keep stirring in between. 

You do not need to add any water as the chicken would give out enough water. 

Add the coconut milk and keep cooking without the lid, till the gravy almost gets coated on the chicken pieces

Do a taste test for salt and add if needed.

Finally, sprinkle the garam masala and give a final mix.

Stir in half the coriander leaves, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with remaining coriander leaves.

Notes: We found that it was very spicy in spite of reducing the pepper powder. So reduce further if you cant handle the heat.

I have also made a curry version of this, by adding 1 1/2 cups of water once the chicken is partially cooked, as in after all the water from the chicken has already come out. Bring the curry to a boil and then add the coconut milk at the end.

Kerala fish curry with coconut milk

Recipe adapted from here

 

King fish/ seer fish- 500 gms cleaned and cut into small curry pieces. Its ok if they are slightly larger steak pieces as well.

Coconut oil- 2tbsp (use any refined oil, but coconut oil makes a world of a difference)

Shallots- 10 to 12, peeled and halved

Ginger- 1 inch piece, peeled

Garlic- 6 to 7 medium size pods, peeled

Green chilli- 1, add more if you would like the curry to be spicy

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tbsp

Fenugreek powder- a little less than 1/2 tsp

Tomato- 1 medium, finely chopped

Malabar tamarind (kudampuli)- 3 medium

Thinned out coconut milk- 2 cups (refer notes)

Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup

To temper

Coconut oil- 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Shallots- 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder- a generous pinch (optional, but imparts a nice flavour)

Soak the tamarind pieces in 1/2 cup warm water.

Coarsely grind together the shallots, garlic, ginger and green chilli or crush them all together using a pestle and mortar. Dont make it into a paste.

Heat oil in a kadai and throw in the ground shallot mix along with a curry leaf sprig.

Cook on medium heat till they dont smell raw anymore and the onions have caramelised slightly. They dont need to brown.

Add the turmeric, coriander, kashmiri chilli and fenugreek powder. Add a dash of water and cook for about a minute or so.

Throw in the diced tomato and cook till they turn mushy and the oil begins to surface around the sides.

Pour in the tamarind along with its water, the thinned out coconut milk, enough salt, and bring to a boil, covered.

Once it boils, add the fish slices, give a gentle mix and cover and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or till they are cooked through.

Open lid and add the thick coconut milk. Swirl the pan. Dont mix with a ladle as the fish slices may break. 

Boil for a few minutes on medium heat and then turn off the heat. Dont heat the curry a lot after you've added the thick coconut milk, as it could change the taste of the curry, or split.

In another small pan, heat the coconut oil to temper/

Add mustard seeds, let it crackle, followed by cumin seeds and curry leaves.

Stir for a few seconds and add the shallots and turmeric powder. Saute till they turn slightly brown.

Immediately pour over the fish curry. Swirl the pan, and keep covered till ready to eat.

Best had with steamed rice.

Notes: If using coconut milk from a can or coconut cream, remove 1/2 cup of thick milk/cream and to the rest add enough water to make it 2 cups. Stir well and then add to the curry. This is the thin coconut milk. The 1/2 cup kept aside is to be used at the end.

I gently nudge the tamarind between my fingers before pouring it into the curry so that the juices get released a bit. I also pass this through a sieve to catch any mud or sediment from the tamarind.

I also remove 2 of the tamarind pieces from the curry after its done, as i find they end up being too sour if left in there. You can of course leave them in there if you prefer it that way.

Curry is not spicy, add green chilli accordingly.

The curry can be left at room temperature for a day or so. Reheat on low heat before using.

Needless to say, the curry tastes best the next day or even the day after.

Ethiopian Berbere chicken wings

Recipe adapted from here (serves 4 as part of starter, serves 2 as part of mains)

 

Chicken wings- 1kg, I used niblets without any skin

Runny honey- 2 to 3 tbsp
Lemon wedges- to serve (optional)

Berbere spice mix
Cardamom- 8,. Discard the pods and keep the seeds, around 1/4 tsp of seeds (read notes)

Coriander powder- 1 tsp,

Chilli powder- 2 tbsp (I used Kashmiri chilli powder, if you dont have that, use mild paprika)

Garlic granules/ powder- 2 tsp

Fenugreek powder- 1 tsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Ginger powder- ½ tsp

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp, to brush on tray (I used oil spray)

Dip

Mayonnaise- 2 tbsp

double cream- 2 tbsp

Yoghurt- 1/4 cup

Lemon juice- 1/2 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Into a spice jar throw in all the ingredients for the berbere spice mix and grind to a fine powder.

Marinate the chicken wings as evenly as possible, with the spice mix and keep covered in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1hr. Can also be kept overnight in the fridge.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 170C and line a baking tray with aluminium foil.

Spray/brush the foil with oil and tip the chicken wings on to the tray.

Cover with another piece of foil and cook for about 20 minutes.

Take it out of oven, turn the wings over and cook for another 20 minutes.

While the wings are cooking make the dip by whisking together all the ingredients. Do a taste test and adjust salt accordingly.

Remove the tray from the oven and change the setting to broil/grill mode.

Brush the wings with half the honey, or you can even toss the wings in a bowl with the honey. I found that brushing it was easier.

Place the tray back in the oven, but without the foil covering and grill for about 6 to 8 minutes.

When the time is up, turn the wings over and brush with remaining honey.

Watch the wings carefully while grilling as some grills can be really powerful and may burn the chicken, in which case, reduce the cooking time.

Check that the wings are cooked, caramelised and slightly sticky

Remove from oven and serve hot with the dip and lemon wedges.

Notes: The cardamom flavour stood out a little too much for me, so maybe ill reduce it a bit next time.

The original recipe called for chilli flakes, but since i was using a slightly spicy version of Kashmiri chilli, i didnt add the flakes. 

The reason my wings are more red is because of the Kashmiri chilli.

The honey here doesnt lend an overpowering sweet flavour, but just enough to know its there. If you refer it more sweet, brush with more honey.