Fish Curry With Coconut

This hot and tangy Fish Curry makes for a perfect lunch on a weekend;     light enough not to knock you out,   but spiced enough to prompt a  hearty appetite.   And trust me it is so very easy to make.

Ingredients :

Fish -  750 grams to 1 Kg.

¼ coconut grated or ½ cup of desiccated coconut

10 dry chillies

1.5 tablespoons of coriander seeds

3 garlic seeds

8 pepper corns

¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 onion

Ball sized tamarind

Grind above extra fine and keep aside.

For slicing : 1 or 2 green chillies slit,  1” ginger sliced thin,  1 small tomato, 1 small onion.

Clean and wash the fish.  Apply  salt and turmeric and wash after 10-15 minutes and keep aside.

Take a pan, add 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil and put the sliced masala and fry for 2 minutes,  then add the ground masala and fry for sometime.

 Add enough water to make a thick curry.  Add salt to taste.  Let the curry come to a rolling boil – say after 10-15 minutes.    Then add the fish and stir gently.  Let the fish boil in the curry for 10-12 minutes.   Keep down and garnish with cut coriander leaves.

Serve with boiled rice and a vegetable side-dish.

Liver Fry

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” -George Bernard Shaw. I agree.

Conventional dietary wisdom holds that the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements) we need from foods are most highly concentrated in fruits and vegetables. While it’s true that fresh fruits and veggies are full of vitamins and minerals, their micronutrient content pales in comparison to what is found in meats and organ meats – especially liver.

It is not uncommon to find people disliking liver, but after knowing about the nutrition facts of liver, you may have no option than to include it in your diet, just so you can reap the health benefits.

Liver is full with essential nutrients and is  a good source of protein, various vitamins and minerals. Protein from the liver strengthens your muscles and offers you strong nails, shiny hair and supple skin.

Am not too fond of liver but hubby is;  so when he came home with a big smile and carrying a big chunk of “Liver”,  I knew that it was high-time  to dish out a special of his “ Liver Fry”.  You can make it as spicy as you like by increasing/decreasing the chillies.

This is another special from the cook-book of Roseline;  so there you go.

Recipe :

Liver – 750 grams

15 dry red chillies

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon turmeric

30 pepper corns

4 large onions (sliced)

6-7 garlic cloves (sliced fine)

3 green chilles (slit)

Bay leaf – 1 or 2

Cinnamon -  2”

Vinegar – 1 tablespoon

Sugar -1/2 teaspoon

Potatoes – 2or 3  -cubed

For garnish – coriander leaves and green chillies chopped fine.

Oil or Ghee

Grind fine 15 dry chillies, turmeric, cumin seeds and pepper corns to a fine paste and keep aside.

Cut liver into large chunks, wash thoroughly and boil for 10-15 minutes with 2 bay leaves and 2” cinnamon and a little water.  When done cut into square cubes and keep aside.  Dont discard the water in which it was boiled.

In a non-stick vessel,  add ghee or oil and fry the onions till brown  flecs appear.  Then add the ground masala and fry well till the oil brims to the surface.  Add the cubed liver,  sliced green chillies,  sliced garlic, vinegar, salt and ½ tea spoon of sugar and enough water + water in which the liver was boiled (discard the bay leaf and the cinnamon)  and let it simmer in the gravy for 15-20 minutes.  Then add the cubed potatoes and let it simmer till the potatoes are done.

The gravy should be very thick and not runny by the time the potatoes are done.

When serving garnish with finely cut coriander leaves and green chillies.

Serve piping hot with Chappatis.    Goes well as a side dish for Peas Pulav as well.

Fowl Vindaloo

Vindaloo is a dish that needs no introduction.   A famous,  often fiery, red curry from Goa, Vindaloo has made a name for itself  and is even listed in the dictionary.  It looks serene and appealing on the surface but oozes with depths of flavor and spices.

There are many variations of a Vindaloo paste,   though the original was mostly a mix of  chillies and red wine.   When wine was not available it was substituted with vinegar.

Vindaloo is mostly made with Pork,  though Chicken and Lamb are also used.  This Vindaloo has a touch of ‘Mangalorean’ to it because it also has a bit of coconut in it.  I was apprehensive of using coconut;   but then the result  was a well balanced, spicy and tangy flavour;  and I was happy with it and thought of  sharing it with our readers.

This is another special from the cook book of Roseline……. those who have tried her earlier recipes cant stop raving about them;   now its your turn.

So on your marks, get set…go…………..to the kitchen…………………. and experience it for yourself.

Recipe :

Chicken – (full cut into 12-16 pieces  – I used 4 chicken breasts cut into cubes)

Grind extra fine the following and keep aside  :-
½ coconut grated
12 red dry chillies
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 garlic flakes
3 onions
1 teaspoon cumin
10 pepper corns
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1” stick of cinnamon

Put  ghee in a large bottomed pan and add 2 bay leaves and then the chicken pieces and let all the pieces be coated with ghee.  Add garlic paste (1 tablespoon) and let the chicken brown well.  Remove and keep aside.
In the same vessel add the ground masala and fry for a long time till the colour of the masala changes from a deep red to a reddish brown.  Add the browned chicken and 2 slit green chillies,  few slices of ginger and 4-6 garlic cloves cut into thin slices.  Fry on a slow fire till you note the ghee brimming to the surface.  Then add a little water, vinegar, salt and 1 tablespoon (or less) sugar.  The gravy should  be very thick and not runny.  Let it simmer on a slow fire for 15-20 minutes,  stirring now and then.

Serve hot with chapattis or rice and have some fried potato wedges on the side.

Special Lamb Stew & Vegetable Fried Rice

We have just waved goodbye to the  Holiday Season and most of us have already had an overdose of sugar.  At least I have;   and it is high-time for something spicy for me.   While I just drool over desserts, chocolate, cookies and cakes,   Spicy Indian Food is something  that really has my taste-buds in a jolly mood J.

So here is a Spicy Lamb Stew from the Kitchen of Roseline from Mangalore.  I have made a separate folder just for her recipes;  which can all be rated as top-notch  and her ‘Story’  is already known to you,   so I wont bore you again with it.    Many of you have tried her earlier recipes and it has always been a WOW !!!!……so keep reading….

To go along with the Stew,  I made a Vegetable Fried Rice and some hot Chapattis.

May the coming year be overloaded with everything that you wanted;    including ‘Bringing  Out the Chef In You’…………………Cheers !!!!

Recipe for Lamb Stew :

Grind extra fine the following ingredients :

4-5 dry red chilies

24 whole pepper corns

½ teaspoon turmeric

Tamarind – marble sized

4-5 big onions

6-8 Green Chilies

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds/jeera

1” Cinnamon

Few Coriander  leaves

Grind the above very fine – {this is a must and keep aside).

Take about ½ – ¾ Kg of Lamb (bone in) wash and keep aside.

In a non-stick large bottomed, preferably non-stick vessel,  add 2 tablespoon of ghee and fry one onion till brown flecks appear.   Add the meat and brown it and fry till all the water released has evaporated.  Remove to another dish and keep covered.

To the same pan,  which has the remaining ghee/oil,  add a little more (if required) and add the ground masala and fry well till the colour of the masala changes and you can see the oil brimming to the surface.   It took me about 15-20 minutes to fry the masala on a slow flame (this ensures a nice tasting stew).  Take care not to burn the masala but just fry it till fragrant.   Add the sautéed lamb and all the juices left behind,  a cup and a half of water and simmer till the lamb is nearly done.  Add potatoes and salt to taste and keep on a slow simmer till the potatoes are tender.  Garnish with coriander leaves and some freshly powdered Garam Masala.  Serve with hot chapattis.

Vegetable Fried Rice :

2 Mugs of Long Grained Rice -   {Cooked in salted boiling water till ¾ done – drain in a large colander and keep aside)

Chop Vegetables into cubes (2 Carrots,  2 green Capsicums,  a small pack of baby corn, 1 bundle of Spring onions, 1 cup peas, 2 tomatoes)

In a large vessel,  add 2  tablespoons of butter and a little oil and first add carrots and sauté them, then add the vegetable one by one and sauté them).

Add salt and pepper,  1 tablespoon of soya sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce,  little turmeric,  1 tablespoon of vinegar,  1 tablespoon of lemon juice,  2 green chilies and 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Mix and fry for sometime.

Add the cooked rice,   in two three batches and stir gently till everything is well mixed.   Check the taste and add any other seasoning that is required at this stage.  Cut coriander leaves and a few  spring onion greens and garnish on top.

Fish Jeere-Meere

This is another dish from Roseline’s Kitchen.  Enjoy.

Jeere (is cumin seeds/Jeera)  and Meere (is black pepper corns/kali mirch)…… .

Cut fish, apply salt and turmeric and keep aside for some time.   Wash the fish again to remove the salt and turmeric and keep aside till needed.  Grind fine 8-10 dry red chillies, 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 3-4 flakes of garlic, 8-10 pepper corns, 3 big onions and a marble sized ball of tamarind.  

Season 1/2 onion in ghee and when the onion gets brown flecs,  add the masala and fry well till the ghee brims to the surface.  Add enough water to make a thickish curry; (not too watery but the curry should coat the spoon when mixing).    Add salt to taste and let the curry come to a rolling boil.  Add the fish and boil for approx. 5 minutes.  Do not stir after fish is added.

Serve with boiled rice and a vegetable side-dish.

Chicken Jeere-Meere (Cummin/Pepper Chicken)

From the kitchen of Roseline;  a recipe which not only looks good, but tastes good as well.  it’s a blend of Indian spices without coconut. It is an excellent accompaniment with neer dosa, appam, sanna or pulao.

 Preparation: Grind together 15 dry red chillies, 1 teaspoon jeera, 15-20 pepper corns, turmeric 1/2 teaspoon, onion 4 big, tamarind – marble sized.

Cut chicken into pieces, fry in two tablespoons ghee and remove aside. In the same pan, fry one sliced onion till golden. Then add the ground masala and fry for 15-20 minutes till the oil separates from the masala. Add the chicken pieces, salt and just a 1/4 cup of water and keep stir frying on a slow fire till the chicken is done.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Chicken Sukka (Kori Katchpu)

Owe this recipe to Mrs. Roseline Tauro;  or rather to her son Brendon Tauro.  When we were on a short holiday in Bangalore this year,  we were invited to lunch and I noted a much used, hand-written recipe book in the kitchen.  After enquiring,  I learned that it was a hand-written book by his mother.  Brendon kindly agreed to give me a copy and its a real treasure trove of lovely recipes and am going to share them with you, with all credit given to Mrs. Roseline Tauro.   Have made a separate folder titled ‘From Roseline’s Kitchen’ and after testing and trying them, they will find a place in this folder. 

So here is the first one…. specially for our readers.  I tried it at home and I have to steal KFC’s line and say… “It was finger licking good” !!!!!

Recipe :

1 Chicken – cut into small pieces (boil with 1 teaspoon of salt and keep aside)

 {Note :  this is what the recipe says – but I just sauteed the chicken pieces in a little oil – choice is yours}.

Grated coconut scrapings – 1-1/2 – 2 cups.

Grind fine  the following :

-8  red chillies

-1 tablespoon  coriander seeds

-1 teaspoon cumin seeds

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

-2-3 seeds of garlic

-8 pepper corns

-lime (small) sized ball of tamarind

-1” cinnamon

Take a wide bottommed non-stick vessel,  add a little oil and brown the chicken pieces in small batches.  Remove and keep aside, covered.   In the same pan add one sliced onion and fry till golden then add the finely ground masala and fry well. 

Then add the lightly browned chicken pieces, salt and saute for sometime.  Add little water –and grated coconut and simmer till the chicken is done and the dish is dryish. 

Serve  alongwith rice,   dal/rasam and a vegetable.