BITTER GOURD CURRY DRY / AAGALKAYI GOJJU

  

BITTER GOURD DRY FRY

Bitter gourd is  the vegetable that is intimidating to lots of people because of its bitter taste. Its as bitter as neem leaves. But also the other fact of it is the bitterness of these vegetables makes it very healthy for us. People eat it in the form of chips since it would have lost most of the bitter ness & others wont even give it a try. But this recipe shall sure change your mind set abt bitter gourds & you shall sure fall in love with it.

I have been eating lots of bitter gourds with chapatis  growing up. But was never a fan of it until I ate my mother in laws version. She has been doing it this way & I learned it from her & I have been doing it ever since. With very little ingredients & really quick to make its really delicious. The bright green once are best to eat but the seeds should be very small that makes it tender. You have to get rid of the seeds coz they are super bitter & not edible.

RECIPE

INGRIDIENTS:

250 gms of bitter gourd
1 small onion
2 round or long dry red chilies
1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
1/4 Tsp turmeric
1 Tsp of red chilli powder
1 sprig of curry leaves
3 Tbs oil
3 Tbs tamarind paste
4 Tbs of grated coconut
1/4 cup of water
salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Chop the bitter gourd by removing the seeds out of it. Take little oil & once its hot add the bitter gourd & roast it for 5 to 6 min till its light brown in color. Take it out on to a plate.

 

2. In same pan add remaining oil then add mustard seeds & let it pop. Then add red chilies stir & then add chopped onions. sauté until light brown.

 

3. Now add roasted bitter gourd & rest of the spices stir & add tamarind paste then add water. Now add grated coconut & cook for 5 min with lid onn.

 If you want it to be like curry then you need to add more coconut grinded in grinder with  water & cook without drying.  Its delicious with plain white rice. You can also have it with chapathis too.

BITTER GOURD CURRY DRY / AAGALKAYI GOJJU

  

BITTER GOURD DRY FRY

Bitter gourd is  the vegetable that is intimidating to lots of people because of its bitter taste. Its as bitter as neem leaves. But also the other fact of it is the bitterness of these vegetables makes it very healthy for us. People eat it in the form of chips since it would have lost most of the bitter ness & others wont even give it a try. But this recipe shall sure change your mind set abt bitter gourds & you shall sure fall in love with it.

I have been eating lots of bitter gourds with chapatis  growing up. But was never a fan of it until I ate my mother in laws version. She has been doing it this way & I learned it from her & I have been doing it ever since. With very little ingredients & really quick to make its really delicious. The bright green once are best to eat but the seeds should be very small that makes it tender. You have to get rid of the seeds coz they are super bitter & not edible.

RECIPE

INGRIDIENTS:

250 gms of bitter gourd
1 small onion
2 round or long dry red chilies
1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
1/4 Tsp turmeric
1 Tsp of red chilli powder
1 sprig of curry leaves
3 Tbs oil
3 Tbs tamarind paste
4 Tbs of grated coconut
1/4 cup of water
salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Chop the bitter gourd by removing the seeds out of it. Take little oil & once its hot add the bitter gourd & roast it for 5 to 6 min till its light brown in color. Take it out on to a plate.

 

2. In same pan add remaining oil then add mustard seeds & let it pop. Then add curry leaves & red chilies stir & then add chopped onions. sauté until light brown.

 

3. Now add roasted bitter gourd & rest of the spices stir & add tamarind paste then add water. Now add grated coconut & cook for 5 min with lid onn.

 If you want it to be like curry then you need to add more coconut grinded in grinder with  water & cook without drying.  Its delicious with plain white rice. You can also have it with chapathis too.

SOUTH INDIAN CHICKEN BIRYANI

Wow!!! The name Biryani itself makes your mouth water & my god what a smell. Its amazing that the smell of biryani can be identified specifically even though the varieties are different. There is Mughal biryani, dum biryani & simple varieties of chicken or mutton biryani too. I love them all but this south Indian style chicken biryani is the one I have eaten growing up & its my all time favorite. Very obviously I learned it from my mom & cant beat this one.

Biryanis are cooked in different ways. Every region in India have modified in their own way. The colors of it depend on the way its cooked. saffron makes it orange or yellow. Chili oil makes red. red curry in the biryani makes it brown & my version is with lots of mint hence its green. Its the authentic way to do the biryani & you can never forget the taste. Its spicy & delicious.


My version of Biryani has 2 stages. First the Biryani & next the chicken fry or pieces for the biryani.
I cook them both separately coz some how I feel cooking chicken pieces along with rice doesn't give Biryani lots of flavor & also the chicken pieces seems dry & not so tasty to eat. So cooking them separately in 2 stages makes it really delicious.
First stage I make broth with the bone part of chicken & make Biryani with it
second I make nice chicken fry with the remaining pieces to go along with the biryani.

RECIPE:

INGRIDIENTS:
Biryani:

1.5 KG chicken
2 1/2 cups of basmati rice
5 cups of water
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 bay leaf
2 Tbs ginger garlic paste
2 cups of fresh mint
7 green chillies
1/4 Tsp turmeric
1/4 cup of curd/yogurt
1 large onion
1 small tomato
1 cup of coriander leaves
1 Tbs of garam masala
Juice of a whole lemon
salt to taste

Chicken fry:
Chicken pieces from the whole chicken
2 Tbs ginger garlic paste
3 tbs oil
1 small onion
1/2 Tsp turmeric
1 small tomato
1 Tbs red chilli powder
1 Tsp coriander powder
1 Tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste

METHOD:

1.Take the whole spinal cord & back bone of chicken completely to make chicken broth. Take all the pieces & put it in 5 cups of water. Add turmeric & salt & cook it for 40 min. Turmeric should always be added to any non vegetarian dish you make coz it kills if there are any germs & also gives good color. Later after 40 min strain the broth & set a side. There is very little flesh attached to the bone so you can discard that as it has no taste & all the taste is in the broth.
2. Take the mint leaves & grind it with green chilies just until its cores & not pureed. Set a side.
3. Now we r ready to make the biryani. Take a non stick vessel on a stove add oil  & bay leaf, once it sizzles add the whipped mint & green chili. Stir it for a while then add ginger garlic paste sauté for a min & add long chopped onions.

4. After the onions are cooked for 5 min add tomatoes & cook for 2 more min. Then add curd & garam masala.

5. Now after 2 min add the washed & drained basmati rice stir & cook for 2 min. This makes the rice really fluffy & the rice will soak all the flavor. Add very little salt since there is salt in the broth.

6. Now add the cooked hot chicken broth measuring properly. It should be total 5 cups. If its less you can add water to make it 5 cups. Then cook it for 15 min in medium low heat. At this stage u need to taste the seasoning & add salt if you want. Then add chopped coriander leaves & lemon juice & stir cook for 5 more min & switch off. The biryani is done.

7. Now for the chicken fry. You take another non stick pan, add oil  let it heat then add onion & cook for 3 min. Then ginger garlic paste sauté for a min.

 

8. Add tomatoes & cook for 3 min. Now add coriander powder & stir.

9. Add the chicken pieces & turmeric powder & cook for 10 min. It releases lots of water that's okie just cook it with lid on for 20 min & check if its tender.

10. Then add remaining spices & salt. now without the lid cook on high flame till all the water evaporates & the masala coats the chicken. Its done

Now assemble the Biryani & the pieces over each other & enjoy. The pieces are tender & juicy with all flavors  & the biryani is just amazing.

SOUTH INDIAN CHICKEN BIRYANI

Wow!!! The name Biryani itself makes your mouth water & my god what a smell. Its amazing that the smell of biryani can be identified specifically even though the varieties are different. There is Mughal biryani, dum biryani & simple varieties of chicken or mutton biryani too. I love them all but this south Indian style chicken biryani is the one I have eaten growing up & its my all time favorite. Very obviously I learned it from my mom & cant beat this one.

Biryanis are cooked in different ways. Every region in India have modified in their own way. The colors of it depend on the way its cooked. saffron makes it orange or yellow. Chili oil makes red. red curry in the biryani makes it brown & my version is with lots of mint hence its green. Its the authentic way to do the biryani & you can never forget the taste. Its spicy & delicious.


My version of Biryani has 2 stages. First the Biryani & next the chicken fry or pieces for the biryani.
I cook them both separately coz some how I feel cooking chicken pieces along with rice doesn't give Biryani lots of flavor & also the chicken pieces seems dry & not so tasty to eat. So cooking them separately in 2 stages makes it really delicious.
First stage I make broth with the bone part of chicken & make Biryani with it
second I make nice chicken fry with the remaining pieces to go along with the biryani.

RECIPE:

INGRIDIENTS:
Biryani:

1.5 KG chicken
2 1/2 cups of basmati rice
5 cups of water
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 bay leaf
2 Tbs ginger garlic paste
2 cups of fresh mint
7 green chillies
1/4 Tsp turmeric
1/4 cup of curd/yogurt
1 large onion
1 small tomato
1 cup of coriander leaves
1 Tbs of garam masala
Juice of a whole lemon
salt to taste

Chicken fry:
Chicken pieces from the whole chicken
2 Tbs ginger garlic paste
3 tbs oil
1 small onion
1/2 Tsp turmeric
1 small tomato
1 Tbs red chilli powder
1 Tsp coriander powder
1 Tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste

METHOD:

1.Take the whole spinal cord & back bone of chicken completely to make chicken broth. Take all the pieces & put it in 5 cups of water. Add turmeric & salt & cook it for 40 min. Turmeric should always be added to any non vegetarian dish you make coz it kills if there are any germs & also gives good color. Later after 40 min strain the broth & set a side. There is very little flesh attached to the bone so you can discard that as it has no taste & all the taste is in the broth.
2. Take the mint leaves & grind it with green chilies just until its cores & not pureed. Set a side.
3. Now we r ready to make the biryani. Take a non stick vessel on a stove add oil  & bay leaf, once it sizzles add the whipped mint & green chili. Stir it for a while then add ginger garlic paste sauté for a min & add long chopped onions.

4. After the onions are cooked for 5 min add tomatoes & cook for 2 more min. Then add curd & garam masala.

5. Now after 2 min add the washed & drained basmati rice stir & cook for 2 min. This makes the rice really fluffy & the rice will soak all the flavor. Add very little salt since there is salt in the broth.

6. Now add the cooked hot chicken broth measuring properly. It should be total 5 cups. If its less you can add water to make it 5 cups. Then cook it for 15 min in medium low heat. At this stage u need to taste the seasoning & add salt if you want. Then add chopped coriander leaves & lemon juice & stir cook for 5 more min & switch off. The biryani is done.

7. Now for the chicken fry. You take another non stick pan, add oil  let it heat then add onion & cook for 3 min. Then ginger garlic paste sauté for a min.

 

8. Add tomatoes & cook for 3 min. Now add coriander powder & stir.

9. Add the chicken pieces & turmeric powder & cook for 10 min. It releases lots of water that's okie just cook it with lid on for 20 min & check if its tender.

10. Then add remaining spices & salt. now without the lid cook on high flame till all the water evaporates & the masala coats the chicken. Its done

Now assemble the Biryani & the pieces over each other & enjoy. The pieces are tender & juicy with all flavors  & the biryani is just amazing.

PALAK MUSHROOM

PALAK  MUSHROOM

This is a delicious combination of mushrooms with palak. Palak or spinach is a very well known greens that grows almost everywhere & well known to everyone. Goes so well with salads, gravy's dals appetizers etc.. It is so versatile & so good for you. I never miss any opportunity to cook with them & try to create new combinations also.

This combo worked out so well. Mushrooms are my another favorites that are again versatile & add meatiness to anything you eat without meat.

 

RECIPE:

INGRIDIENTS:

400 gms of mushroom
4-5 Cups of Palak / Spinach
1 small onion
1 medium tomato
1 Tsp coriander powder
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Bay leaf
2 Green chilies
1Tbs Ginger garlic paste
1Tsp Red chili powder
1/2 Tsp Garam masala
4 Tbs Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Wash & drain the spinach & keep it in a pan with stove on & let it wilt a bit. Do not over wilt your greens. Reserve the water it is wilted inn for later use. Then switch off & let it cool. pulse the spinach in the grinder 2 to 3 times & keep it a side.

 2. Switch on the stove with a pan & put oil in it. Add bay leaf & green chili. Then add onions & sauté for a bit.

 

 3. Add ginger garlic paste & stir then add coriander powder again stir for a min.

4. Now add tomatoes & cook for 4 min with lid on.

5. Now add the mushrooms stir well & let it cook for 5 min without the lid. Mushroom have lots of moisture in them so with lid onn it leaves lots of liquid & the gravy can be very runny. Add chili & cumin powder.

 

6. After the mushroom is cooked add the spinach with very little water that is left over after wilting it. Stir & add salt & garam masala

 

 

 

7. Cook for 2 min & switch off. This is served with chapatis or any kind of bread. Really delicious & full of health.