Showing posts with label chettinad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chettinad. Show all posts
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Chettinad Chicken Kuzhambu Authentic Chettinad Chicken Gravy
However much variety of chicken we cook, nothing can take the place of the traditional kuzhambu being made form the time old days. It is compatible with anything we have at home i.e., rice, dosa, idly, roti, chappathi or parotta.If you want the chicken recipe from a grand old lady of chettinad she will be well aware of this recipe only. This is the most favorite chicken item that I cook for all in my home. I too is very happy to cook this as I can escape without cooking anything else for the night and next day’s breakfast side dish. Moreover this is very easy to prepare also. So the younger people can have a go at this recipe. I am sure it won’t turn bad whatever mistake you make.I have already mentioned in my previous blogs on chicken that chicken was never marinated in chettinad before. It was because they used the regular chicken which took much time to cook and the there was time for the masala to get into the chicken pieces. Now we use broiler chicken which gets cooked very fast and if we do not marinate, the pieces will be blunt without any salt or hot taste. So we have to marinate the chicken for any kind of preparation. This Kuzhambu is very easy and tasty if prepared in the pressure cooker. So cooker can be used. Chicken will be cooked soft and the children and the old people will love it
Ingredients
Chicken-1/2 kg
Small onion-30 or big onion-2
Tomatoes-2 (small size)
Garlic-20 pods
Ginger garlic paste- 2 teaspoons (I have shown ginger and the garlic needed)
Chili powder-1 table spoon
Coriander powder-2 to 3 table spoons (depends on the qty of gravy you need)
lemon juice-2 teaspoons
For Marination
Curd-2 table spoons (if there is no curd a teaspoon of lemon juice can be used)
Turmeric powder-1 teaspoon
Chili powder-2 teaspoons
Salt-2 teaspoons
Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon
For seasoning
Cardomom-2
Cinnamon-2 small pieces
Clove-2
Birinji leaf-small piece
Star anise-a small piece
Mint leaf-little
Curry leaf little
Fennel seed-1 teaspoon
For grinding (Too much of coconut will spoil the taste and will make the gravy look like kurma)
Cocunut-2 table spoons
Cashewnut-5 (Kas Kas was used traditionally, since it is difficult to grind cashews are substituted)
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Method
Wash the chicken pieces nicely
Marinate with the items given in ‘To marinate’
Let it stay for 1 hour
Mince the onion, garlic and tomatoes
Grind the items in “to grind to a smooth paste
Keep the cooker in the stove
In 1 table spoon of oil season the kuzhambu with the items in ‘To season’
Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger garlic paste and tomatoes one by one nicely
Add the marinated chicken and sauté nicely for 3 minutes
Add the chili and coriander powder
Add 2 to 3 cups of water (if gravy is thick water can be added latter also)
Put the salt needed (Remember 2 teaspoons of salt was added while marinating)
Mix everything well
Close the cooker and put the weight
Once the steam starts coming reduce the flame to medium
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes
Wait for the pressure to get released
Open the cooker and add the grinded paste
Let the gravy boil for 5 minutes
Now if the gravy is very thick than the consistency you need, water can be added
Check for the salt and hot taste and if any correction has to be made it can be done now
If you find the gravy too watery even after 5 to 8 minutes of boiling little coriander powder can be added
For Marination
Curd-2 table spoons (if there is no curd a teaspoon of lemon juice can be used)
Turmeric powder-1 teaspoon
Chili powder-2 teaspoons
Salt-2 teaspoons
Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon
For seasoning
Cardomom-2
Cinnamon-2 small pieces
Clove-2
Birinji leaf-small piece
Star anise-a small piece
Mint leaf-little
Curry leaf little
Fennel seed-1 teaspoon
For grinding (Too much of coconut will spoil the taste and will make the gravy look like kurma)
Cocunut-2 table spoons
Cashewnut-5 (Kas Kas was used traditionally, since it is difficult to grind cashews are substituted)
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Method
Wash the chicken pieces nicely
Marinate with the items given in ‘To marinate’
Let it stay for 1 hour
Mince the onion, garlic and tomatoes
Grind the items in “to grind to a smooth paste
Keep the cooker in the stove
In 1 table spoon of oil season the kuzhambu with the items in ‘To season’
Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger garlic paste and tomatoes one by one nicely
Add the marinated chicken and sauté nicely for 3 minutes
Add the chili and coriander powder
Add 2 to 3 cups of water (if gravy is thick water can be added latter also)
Put the salt needed (Remember 2 teaspoons of salt was added while marinating)
Mix everything well
Close the cooker and put the weight
Once the steam starts coming reduce the flame to medium
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes
Wait for the pressure to get released
Open the cooker and add the grinded paste
Let the gravy boil for 5 minutes
Now if the gravy is very thick than the consistency you need, water can be added
Check for the salt and hot taste and if any correction has to be made it can be done now
If you find the gravy too watery even after 5 to 8 minutes of boiling little coriander powder can be added
Once everything is well mixed and the gravy looks perffect
Switch off the stove
Switch off the stove
Add the lemon juice and mix well (Note that lemon juice should be added after switching off the stove else the gravy will turn little bitter)
Your chettinad chicken gravy is ready
Garnish with coriander leaves while serving
Your chettinad chicken gravy is ready
Garnish with coriander leaves while serving
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Verkadalai Kathirikai Poriyal Chettinad Peanut Brinjal Poriyal
.JPG) |
| Peanut Brinjal Curry |
Ingredients
Dried Peanuts- 1 cup
Purple brinjal- 250 gms
Onion small chopped- 1 no
Tomato small chopped- 1 no
Garlic cloves sliced- 2 nos
Curry leaves- few
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Water- 1/4 cup
Oil- 2 tbsp
Vadagam/ Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut- 4 tbsp
.JPG) |
| Kathrikai Kadalai Poriyal |
Method
Soak the peanuts overnight, boil until tender and set aside. Trim the stems of brinjal and chop. Heat oil in a pan, add vadagam, chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves, saute for few secs. Add chopped brinjals and saute for few secs. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Add water and bring mixture to boil, now add the cooked peanuts to the boiling gravy. Reduce heat and cook until the brinjals are tender and water is dried up. Finally add grated coconut to poriyal, mix well and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Chettinad Mutton Kuzhambu or Chettinad Attukkari kuzhambu Chettinad Mutton Curry
Any collection of Chettinad recipes will be incomplete without the simple and tasty mutton gravy prepared in chettinad. The chettiar ladies, as I have told before is known for making tasty dishes with very few and small quantity of ingredients. But now days we use everything in large quantity and hope that it will increase the taste. I have heard people telling chettinad mutton gravy will be very spicy. But the real fact is that in chettinad the ladies are very conscious not to make it very spicy. While seasoning though many items are used, a very small piece of each item will be used. Too much of ginger garlic paste will also be avoided.
The authentic Mutton masala is hand grinded. It also would have contributed much to taste. But these days we have to satisfy with the taste we get from the masala grinded in the mixie. These days in chettinad nobody grinds fresh masala even using mixie. They make excellent gravy using the kuzhambu milagai thool along with coriander powder. I have seen from my childhood, my mother using just the kuzhambu milagai Thool instead of grinded masala and make a wonderful mutton curry. So I cook both ways. If I have enough time,I will go for the freshly grinded masala else will use the kuzhambu milagai Thool itself. There will not be very much difference in taste. Another thing to be noted is very small amount of coconut only is to be used. Too much of coconut is supposed to spoil the real taste of mutton. We add coconut just to make the gravy thick
The authentic Mutton masala is hand grinded. It also would have contributed much to taste. But these days we have to satisfy with the taste we get from the masala grinded in the mixie. These days in chettinad nobody grinds fresh masala even using mixie. They make excellent gravy using the kuzhambu milagai thool along with coriander powder. I have seen from my childhood, my mother using just the kuzhambu milagai Thool instead of grinded masala and make a wonderful mutton curry. So I cook both ways. If I have enough time,I will go for the freshly grinded masala else will use the kuzhambu milagai Thool itself. There will not be very much difference in taste. Another thing to be noted is very small amount of coconut only is to be used. Too much of coconut is supposed to spoil the real taste of mutton. We add coconut just to make the gravy thick
Ingredients
Mutton-1/2 kg (with bones)
Small onion-30
Tomatoes-2
Garlic-10 pods
Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon
Coconut grated- 2 to 3 tablespoons
Kaskas-1 teaspoon or cashews-6
Kuzhambu Milagai Thool-2 tablespoon or (freshly grinded masala)
Coriander powder-1 tablespoon
Lime juice-2 teaspoon or tamarind paste-1 teaspoon
To grind (If you want fresh masala)
Coriander seeds-2 table spoons
Red chillies-8
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Cumin seed-1 teaspoon
Cinnamon-1 small piece
Cardamom-2
Clove-2
Dry roast all these items and dry grind them
Coconut paste
Grind the coconut,Kas kas and fennel seed 1 teaspoon to a smooth paste
To season
Cinamon-1/2 inch piece-2
Cardamom-2
Clove-2
Bay leaf-a small piece
Maruthani mokku-a small piece
curry leaf-little
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Procedure
Wash and cut the mutton into small pieces. Cut the onion, garlic and tomatoes also into small pieces. Keep the cooker in the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the items given in ‘To season’. Then add the ginger garlic paste and stir well. Now add the chopped onion, garlic and tomatoes one by one and sauté nicely. Add the mutton pieces along with turmeric powder now and sauté for 5 minutes. This sautéing is very impotant.In chettinad they call this as ‘Thirakkirathu’.I have heard my grannies instructing the servants to sauté nicely till water oozes out from mutton. Now add the kuzhambu milagai Thool and coriander powder. Mix that also well. Add 3 cups of water and the salt needed. Mix well and close the cooker. Once the steam starts coming, Put the weight . Keep the flame in medium. After the first whistle comes, reduce the flame and cook for 12 minutes. Wait for the pressure to release. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and add the grinded coconut paste. Check for the consistency and taste. If you find the gravy thick, a cup of water can be added. Salt or milagai thool can be added in this stage according to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes without closing the cooker. If found too watery even after adding cocunut paste,It can be made thick by adding a spoon of corriander powder. If you are adding tamarind extract, add it and bring the gravy to a boil else switch off the stove and add the lemon juice. The gravy can be garnished with coriander leaves.
Today my mutton gravy turned awesome as I was little careful in adding the ingredients. I always make sure that my preparation is perfect using the ingredients mentioned before writing a blog on that.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Chettinad Mutton Fry Aatu kari varuval
 |
| Chettinad Mutton Fry Ingredients |
Mutton pieces- 1 kg
Onion large( sliced)- 3 nos
Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water- 1 cup.
For Tempering
Oil- 5 tbsp
Fennel seeds/ Sombu- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- few sprigs
Whole Dry Red Chilli- 6 nos
Whole small Garlic Cloves- 6 nos
For Masala Powder
( Dry roast and grind below ingredients to fine powder)
Cinnamon- 1"
Cloves- 2 nos
Cardamom- 1 no
Corriander Seeds- 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds/ Sombu- 1tbsp
Cumin seeds/ Jeera seeds- 1 tsp
Pepper Corns- 1 tsp
Whole Dry Red Chilli- 6 nos
 |
| Chettinad Aatu kari Varuval Method |
Clean and wash the mutton pieces. Marinaded mutton pieces with turmeric powder, ginger and garlic paste and lemon juice for 20 mins.
In a pressure pan or pressure cooker add the marinated mutton pieces, onions, freshly ground masala powder and water.
Cover pan with lid and pressure cook the mutton pieces for 20 mins until soft and tender.
Heat oil in a small pan, when oil is hot add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, whole red chillis and whole garlic clove, saute until garlic turns light brown.
Once the pressure is released from the cooker, remove the lid, there will be some amount of gravy along with mutton pieces.
Add the sauteed tempering to the cooked mutton pieces.
Season the mutton with required salt and return the cooker to heat.
Fry the mutton pieces until the gravy of the mutton are fully absorbed and mutton pieces are semi dry.
Serve hot Chettinad Mutton Fry with steamed rice, Chapati or with Idli, Dosa.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Chettinad Chicken The Authentic Chettinad Chicken Recipe
It is needless to mention the specialty of this item in chettinad cusine.The mouth watering taste of this dish is known all over the world .All non vegetarians in Asia for sure would have tasted this at least once. There are hundreds of recipes for chettinad chicken on the net written by almost all food bloggers. Though many of them are similar to the original one. I have tried to find out the original recipe from my mother and grand mother and has presented the authentic chettinad recipe. For the authentic taste, the masala has to be grinded in the hand grinder. But these days it is rather impossible and hence has to be satisfied with the taste of the masala made in the mixie
Ingredients
Chicken-750 gms
Small onion 30 or big onion 2
Tomatoes-2
Garlic 20 pods
To grind No1
Ginger ½ inch piece
Small onion-10
Garlic-10 pods
Green chillies-2
Chillie powder-1 table spoons
Coriander powder-2 table spoons
To grind No2
Coconut grated-5 table spoons
Cashew nut-5 or kasa kasa-2 teaspoons
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
To season
Cinnamon-2 pieces
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Clove-2
Cardamom-2
Birinji leaf-little
Mint leaf-handful
Curry leaf little
Traditionally chicken is not marinated before cooking in Chettinad chicken.As they used to cook in low fire for a long time in olden days the chicken will get the salt and hot taste once it gets cooked. These days the chicken we use is tender and gets cooked fast in gas stove. So I feel it is better to marinate the chicken for an hour before cooking. If you do not find time to marinate, then no problem.
To marinate
1 teaspoon kuzhambu milagai thool(the powder used for sambar)
Salt-1 teaspoon
Curd little
Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon
Procedure
Mince the onion, garlic and tomatoes.
Keep the kadai in the stove. Season the curry with the items given in ‘to season’ in 2 tablespoons of oil.
Add the onions and saute with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes.
When the onions turn transparent add the garlic, sauté for some time
Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté till the whole thing gets smashed.
Add the grinded paste of items given in No 1. Sauté it for a while.
Now add the chicken pieces and nicely mix all the masala over the chicken pieces.
You can see lot of water coming out of the chicken. Reduce the flame and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once you find that the chicken pieces are almost cooked increase the flame so that the gravy becomes thick.
Once the curry gets thick add the masala grinded with the items given in No2 and mix nicely
Cook for another 5 minutes.
If you need the curry to be little watery add the masala little earlier and switch off when the curry is in the desired consistency.
The curry should be cooked till the oil seperates
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