Pepper Chicken

PEPPER CHICKEN:

Ingredients:

1/2 kg chicken
1 medium sized onion (thinly sliced)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp pepper powder (coarsely powdered)
a pinch of turmeric
3 tbsp oil


For paste:

1 medium sized onion (thinly sliced and browned) (To brown onions, fry onion, on medium flame, in oil)
4-5 chillies
1/2 cup coriander
Blend all the above ingredients to a smooth paste and keep aside.
Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai and add the onions. Fry the onions till they turn translucent.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
3. Add chicken pieces and stir fry for a minute. Add turmeric, mix well.
4. Add the paste, mix well and close with a tight lid. Keep stirring every 5 mins. Once the chicken is cooked, add the pepper powder, mix and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander and a wedge of lime.

I have added potato to this recipe, which is optional.

Serve with chapathi, as a side dish with rice and dal or just enjoy it as an appetizer.

Uddin Vade

My daughter's absolute favorite. If only for her, i usually get it from a sagar hotel near my place and prepare at home only on special occasions. This time i prepared when i did hanuman pooja at home.

UDDIN VADE:

Ingredients:

2 cups urad dal
1 inch piece ginger (chopped fine)
3-4 green chillies (chopped fine)
1 tsp peppercorn (kept whole)
1 big onion (optional, i don't use onions when i keep the vadas as offering to god)
coriander leaves (chopped fine)
curry leaves (chopped fine)
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying.


Method of preparation:

1. Soak the urad dal for 2-3 hours.
2. Grind this to a fine paste without adding much water. The batter should be very thick, not of pouring consistency. (If you made the vadas immediately after grinding, it will be very crisp)
3. Take the batter in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, except oil.
4. Now head the oil in a kadai, Now wet a plastic sheet/betel leaf/banana leaf on your left palm and take a lemon sized ball of this batter.
5. Flatten this slightly on the leaf and make a hole in the middle. Slide this gently into the oil.
6. Deep fry till golden brown on both sides.

Once you get the hang of this, you can make the vadas in your one hand itself without the use of the leaf, as mentioned in step 4.

Brinjal and Potato fry

This dish is so simple and easy and yet tastes very good. It requires minimal energy and ingredients to prepare and tastes very good with phulkas, chapathis and as a side dish with rice and dal. The potato is this dish is optional.

BRINJAL AND POTATO FRY:




Ingredients:

1/2 kg brinjals (preferably the long green ones)
1 medium sized potato
1 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tbsp dhania powder
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp mustard
3 tbsp oil

Method of preparation:

1. Cut the vegetables evenly and wash well.
2. Heat oil in the kadai and splutter the mustard.
3. Add the vegetables and stir fry for a minute.
4. Add the spice powders and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook.

Goes very well with phulkas/chapathis.

Kumbalakayi palya (Yellow pumpkin side dish)

Very easy dish to make which goes well with chapathis. I usually make it in the nights when chapathis are a must for everyone at home. This dish goes excellent with plain akki roti as well.

KUMBALAKAYI PALYA (YELLOW PUMPKIN SIDE DISH):

Ingredients:

1/2 kg yellow pumpkin
3 large onions
6-7 green chillies (use according to taste)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
Method of Preparation:

1. Cut the pumpkin evenly, keeping the skin on and wash it well.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, add the curry leaves.
3. Add onions and fry till it turns translucent, now add the vegetable and salt.
4. Mix well and close a lid. Cook on medium flame. Add water only if you feel the vegetable is st
icking to the bottom of the pan. Closing the kadai with a tight lid usually helps cook without water, using the vegetables moisture itself.

Serve this hot with chapathis.