Crab curry (Roasted coconut gravy)

We decided to wrap up the year 2010 with our post of  this delicious crab curry.  Very popular in North Kerala, this is a must try for any seafood lover.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Crab Pieces: 10

Onions (sliced): 1 

Garlic (chopped): 2 teaspoon

Ginger (chopped): 2 teaspoon

Green Chili (chopped): 2-3

Tomatoes (chopped): 2

Chili Powder: 1 1/2 tablespoons

Turmeric Powder: 1 teaspoon

Coriander Powder: 2 tablespoons

Dried Red Chili: 2-3

Grated Coconut: 1/2 cup

Mustard Seeds: 1 teaspoon

Curry Leaves: handful

Oil

Salt to taste

* We used the cut crab pieces we got from Asian store

To make Roasted coconut, in a pan dry roast the grated coconut for 6-7 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 dried red chili and saute well. sprinkle some salt and saute until the coconut is golden brown (check the ingredient pic)

Heat some oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic, green chilies and onions. Sprinkle some salt and saute well for 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile grind the roasted coconut to a smooth paste. Add chopped tomatoes, crab pieces, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and saute. Once tomatoes are cooked add the ground paste and mix well. Add enough water and let crab simmer in this gravy on medium heat. Crab meat cooks very fast and can be recognized when it turns into a whitish color. Adjust salt and spice level according to you liking. 

For final seasoning, heat some oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves and pour it to the curry.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 A very popular side in any thanksgiving dinner brussels sprout which resembles a mini cabbage is known for its nutritional value. Here is a a simple yet delicious way of serving brussels sprout.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Ingredients

 Brussels sprouts: 1 cup

* You could cut them in halves for it to get a little more crispier on the inside.

Olive oil: about 3-4 tablespoons

Garlic powder: a tiny pinch
Dried red chillies flakes: 1 teaspoon

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a baking tray, roll these brussel sprouts in olive oil. Rub the salt, garlic powder, red chili flakes and salt. Bake until the edges start to a crispy golden brown. Keep tossing them once a while.

These dont taste half as good if eaten cold. So make sure you enjoy them while they are hot.

Naadan Chicken Masala

Holiday season means having more reasons for family n friends to come together and enjoy some delicious food. We'll introduce you to one of our favorites on the dinner plate for such ocassions Nadan chicken masala. Its again a very easy recipe that uses  everyday ingredients. So dont forget to add this one to your party menu coz its gonna be one big hit!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients

Chicken (cubed): 2 cups
Onions (sliced): 2
Tomatoes (chopped): 1
Green Chilies (slit): 3-4
Garlic (chopped): 1 tablespoon
Ginger (chopped): 1 tablespoon
Turmeric Powder: 1-2 teaspoons
Chili Powder: 2-3 teaspoons
Coriander Powder: 4 teaspoons
Chicken Masala: 2-3 teaspoons
Curry Leaves: handful
Coconut cuts (optional): handful
Oil
Salt to taste

* Marinate the chicken pieces with little bit of turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, lemon juice and salt for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat some oil in a deep pan. Saute the chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves. Add the sliced red onions and saute until it is pinkish. Now add the rest of  the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, chicken masala, chopped tomatoes and saute well until all the spices blend in. Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and let it cook on a slow fire for 6-7 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, keep sautéing until the water/gravy dries up. Spray/add some oil and fry for few more minutes. Add the coconut cuts and mix well.

Serve it hot with rice or roti. 

Chicken Hakka Noodles

Another Indo-Chinese favorite among many of us is the Hakka Noodles. Lots of veggies and sauces stirred up together makes this a colorful complete meal for any day of the week.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Ingredients

Hakka Noodles: 1 packet

Soy Sauce: 2-3 teaspoons

Vinegar: 2-3 teaspoons

Green Chili Sauce: 1 teaspoon

Chili Garlic Sauce: 1 teaspoon

Vegetables : 1/2 cup (we used a mix of  the following)

Beans (Cut lengthwise)

Carrots (Cut lengthwise)

Green & Red bell peppers(Cut lengthwise)

Cabbage (shredded)

Onions (sliced)

Green Chilies (slit): 2-3:

Ginger(sliced): 1 tablespoon

Garlic (sliced): 1/2 tablespoon

Spring Onion (Chopped): handful

Salt & Pepper to taste

Oil to fry (You could regular cooking oil or some sesame oil)

Egg: 1

Chicken (Shredded): 1 can

* For convenience we used store bought can of chicken breast in water.

* You could also add cooked shrimp to this if you like.

Boil water in a deep pan. Sprinkle some salt and a few drops of oil. Add the hakka noodles and let it cook. This should take about 5-7 mins. Turn off the heat and drain off the water in a colander and rinse the cooked noodles under cold water.

Meanwhile chop all the veggies and keep aside. In a wok, heat some oil. On medium to high flame, stir fry the cut ginger, garlic and green chillies, Add all the veggies and stir. Add the soy sauce, green chilli sauce, chilli garlic sauce and vinegar. Now add the shredded chicken.When the veggies are half done, add the noodles and stir well. Adjust the salt. Sprinkle some pepper too. In a another small frying pan, heat some oil and add beaten egg and  scramble it. Add this also to the noodles. Give a final stir and the noodles are read. Garnish with freshly chopped spring onions.

Enjoy!!

Beetroot Raita

Here's an easy  raita enriched with  beetroot's deep color and flavor that can made a great side for Biryanis, Pulav etc. So definitely put this one the must try list !

Prep Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Grated beetroot: 1/3 cup

Yogurt: 1/2 cup or more

Green chillies (chopped): 2

Ginger (chopped): 1/2 teaspoon

Garlic (chopped): 1 small pod- optional

Curryleaves: few

Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil for seasoning

Heat some oil in pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, chopped ginger, green chillies, garlic and saute. You could also add dried red chillies if you like. Add the grated beetroot. Add salt and saute till the beetroot is almost cooked. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Once is fully cooled add the yogurt and mix well. Adjust the salt.

The raita is ready to be served. 

Home made Paneer

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Milk: 1/2 gallon

Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons

* We used the regular 2% organic milk.

Bring the milk to boil in a pot. Squeeze in the lemon juice and allow it to fully curdle. Turn off the heat. You can see the light water separate form the milk fat. Strain this out and save the fat. Squeeze out all the water and set in a flat plate. Cover it with cling wrap and place some thing heavy (like another plate) over it and let it set in the refrigerator for about 3-4 hours. Cut into cubes and use as necessary.