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Tag: south indian food

South Indian Style Quinoa

This one is genius- if I do say so myself… the flavors are yum and the whole things is super healthy!

 

I made this dish with the chicken curry and the whole meal was delicious!

  • 1 cup white quinoa
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Bring the coconut milk, lemon juice and salt to a boil in a small pan. Add the quinoa and cook according to package directions.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • ½ cup raw peanuts, rough chop
  • 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 7 to 8 curry leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt to taste

Heat a wok like pan with the oil. Add the peanuts, green onions, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves to the pan. Saute on medium heat for a minute or two, until the spices become aromatic. Add the frozen peas and the quinoa. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt. Taste for seasonings and serve.

Hyderabadi Style Chicken

We are all guilty of being stuck in a rut- especially when it comes to cooking. I realized, I had not cooked Indian food in a while- not sure what my rut was but it certainly wasn’t Indian food. I decided to change that and come up with a delicious chicken curry!

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in or out, without skin
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped fine
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Transfer to a medium bowl with the chicken. Marinate over night or at least 2 to 3 hours.

Spice Mix

  • ½ cup grated coconut (I use frozen)
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 dried red chilies
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup chopped almonds

Process all the ingredients in a spice grinder (coffee grinder) and keep aside.

  • 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • ½ cup water
  • Salt

Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the onion and sauté on medium high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add the spice mix and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato puree and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken and water. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid for 35 to 40 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take lid off and cook on high heat to cook off the excess liquid. Add salt if necessary. Serve warm with rice or quinoa.

 

 

Curd (Yogurt) Rice

Curd Rice

I have never made curd rice before- but have eaten it in South Indian restaurants. I realized it was not very hard to make when I put it together the other night in 15 minutes- the key is to have all the ingredients on hand. I even happen to have frozen rice, which was ready in three minutes in the freezer. It is a great side dish or a quick snack…

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 8 to 9 curry leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon channa dal
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal
  • ¼ cup grated coconut
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup yogurt

Heat a medium frying pan with coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, channa and urad dal. Saute on medium heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the coconut and cilantro. Saute for a minute. Add the rice and salt and mix well. Take off the heat and add the yogurt. Mix well and check for seasonings before serving at room temperature.

Chicken Chettinad- South Indian Style Spiced Chicken

Chicken Chettinad1

This is one of my favorite dishes to eat. I usually order the chicken curry at restaurants and always thought it would be too complicated to make it at home.

I finally got super curious and decided to make this on my own. I did a lot of research online and finally came up with this recipe- plus I think I made it simple as well.

To start with I marinated chicken thighs in lime juice and salt. While the chicken sat, I roasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. Dried red chilies, cinnamon, cloves and dried coconut were added as well and ground into a coarse powder. The next step was to saute onions, ginger and garlic with tomato sauce. Of course before I added the aromatics, I added my favorite ingredient- curry leaves. I like everything with curry leaves..

This dish does have a few steps but the end result is definitely worth all the work. Everyone loved it- especially my husband who loves South Indian food. You should definitely make this one- it is a winner…
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Sauteed Spinach with Yellow Lentils

Sauteed Spinach with Lentils This is a delicious lentil dish. I tried something similar at a South Indian restaurant we were eating at the other day. Since my husband grew up in the South of India- he loves the cuisine and we end up going out for it once in a while. Actually, he would like to go out for it more often than we do- but my daughter refuses to go every time we suggest a restaurant. She does not care of South Indian food as much- which really disappoints my husband.

Anyway, I really enjoy the food and do try to replicate it at home as much as possible.

This particular dish is different than the regular lentil dishes I normally make. The lentils are dry instead of in a soupy consistency. I cooked them till they were just soft and not mushy. I then mixed the lentils with a cooked mixture of spinach, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onions and ginger. Once all the ingredients were mixed together- I added coriander powder and dried fenugreek leaves.

The dish was full of flavor and was perfect with some homemade rotis. We all enjoyed this well-balanced meal. It was simple, healthy and delicious.
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South Indian Style Chicken- Hyderabadi Chicken

Hyderabadi Chicken1 This recipe is inspired from my favorite Indian cookbook- Prasad. I have been cooking from this book for over ten years. When I first bought it and looked through i, I was quite intimidated. The recipes are very complicated the  instructions are not very clear.

Over the years I have learned to simplify the recipes and still capture the essence.

This dish is extremely flavorful and delicious. Chicken thighs are marinated in ginger, garlic and salt for a few hours. They are then sauteed with onions, ginger and garlic with lots of curry leaves. Curry leaves have a very distinctive flavor and if you are not able to find them- just eliminate out of the recipe. There is really no substitution.

The chicken was a big hit. I cooked it for a dinner party. Everyone loved it.
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A Delectable Vegetarian Recipe: Green Beans and Potatoes

Green Beans and Potatoes

We made this dish for a cooking class I just taught last night. It was a birthday celebration and the ladies wanted to learn some South Indian style dishes. We cooked the coconut chicken curry and the potatoes and green beans. 

I am from North India and anything cooked in mustard seeds and curry leaves reminds me of a South Indian dish- so when I was trying to come up with a menu I thought of the potatoes and green beans simply cooked in mustard seeds and curry leaves. The dominant flavors come from these spices and the lemon juice enhanced it even more.

The dish took all of half an hour to make and results were wonderful. Everyone enjoyed the dinner. This vegetable dish complemented the chicken really well. They both have similar flavors but yet tasted very different. 

This dish is perfect to cook with a roast chicken or even for Thanksgiving. It’s that time of year and the big feast is already on my mind. This would be ideal for the big dinner, especially since it is so easy to make. It is very versatile and will go with any kind of cuisine. Definitely a keeper.

Well, I think the ladies really enjoyed all the dishes including the carrot pudding… it was a successful class and a fun evening.

  • 2 cups green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 large red potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch squares
  • 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
  • 7-8 curry leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ cayenne pepper
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

 

In a wide frying pan, add the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute on medium high heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the green beans and potatoes- mix well and sauté high heat. Add the coriander powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well and lower the heat and cover with the lid. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or till the potatoes are tender. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, mix well and serve.