Shrimp and Egg Fried rice

Ingredients:-

• Cooked rice - 2 cups
• Scrambled egg - 4 nos
• Shrimp  - 10 or 15 nos
• Red chilli flakes - 1 tbsp
• Capsicum , chopped - 1 cup
• Cabbage, shredded - 1 cup
• Purple cabbage, shredded - 1 cup  

• Carrots, chopped - 1/2 cup
• Peas - 1/4 cup
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic, finely chopped - 1 tbsp
• Green chillies, finely chopped - 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomato sauce -1 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Olive oil 
• Salt as needed
• Spring onion , chopped - for garnish

Preparation:-

• Heat oil in a skillet, add shrimp, red chilli flakes, garlic paste and salt. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. 

• Heat oil in a wok. add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute for 1–2 minutes.  

• Add peas, cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots and capsicum and sauté until soft.

• Then add cooked rice, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato sauce, pepper powder and salt.  stirring constantly, until rice is warmed through, 1–2 minutes.

• Now add scrambled egg and fried shrimp. Mix well and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

• Finely add chopped spring onion and remove from heat.

• Serve hot.

Jalapeno's Poppers

Ingredients:-

• Whole Jalapeno's with stem - 6 or 8 nos
• Cream cheese - 8 ounces
• Egg - 1
• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Milk - 1 cup
• Flour (All purpose flour/Rice flour/Corn flour) - 1 cup
• Oil for deep fry

Preparation:-

• Take a peppers and cut a slit down the length of each pepper.
• Remove seeds and spoon the cream cheese into each of the jalapeno pepper halves.   

• First dip in whisked eggs.
• Then  roll the pepper in flour.
• Finally roll in breadcrumbs.

• Heat oil in a pan and deep fry peppers until golden brown.   

• Transfer to a paper towel and season with salt.
• Serve hot with any dip.

Raw Onion Chutney

My aunty(mom's sister) used to make this chutney on the Ammi Kallu ( rectangular-shaped stone with cylindrical stone pestle) in my childhood days. When we grind it in on ammi kallu ( on the stone), it becomes so tasty compared to blender. But I make this chutney in blender. Me and my brother loves it. Its our all time favourite chutney. Its a very tasty side dish for idli and dosa.

Ingredients:-

• Small onion/ shallots - 8 to 10 nos
• Red chillies -  5 to 6 nos
• Gingerly oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Preparation:-

• Blend the red chilies and salt in a blender. Grind it to a smooth paste adding required water.   

• Add shallots/small onion and blend  until it turns to a fine paste.   

• Transfer it to a bowl.
• Add gingerly oil on the top of the chutney.
• Serve with dosa or idli.

Uppu Kari / Chettinad Salted Mutton Fry

I was not aware of this Chettinadu "Uppukari" delicacy until few weeks, learned it from one of my friend who is from that region and the way he explained the taste of the item and want to try it immediately :). Uppu kari (Salted Meat) is simple but very very tasty dish. Highlight of this item is not using any spicy powder separately and bringing out the taste using just red chilies and shallots/small onion.I tried it for the first time and it came out very good.We loved it :) :) :)

Ingredients:-

• Mutton - 1 lb
• Pearl onion/ Shallots, sliced - 25 nos
• Garlic pods - 20 nos
• Ginger , crushed - 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1
• Dry Red chillies - 10 - 12 nos
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - handfull
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt as needed
• Oil 

Method:-

1. To Cook the mutton in pressure cooker:-

• Wash the mutton pieces and keep it aside. 

•  In a pressure cooker add oil, when the oil is hot, add fennel seeds and Stir for a few seconds till fragrant. 
• Now add crushed ginger,crushed garlic and broken red chillies. Saute it well. 

• Add sliced shallots and tomato and fry until they are soft.

• Now add the mutton pieces, turmeric powder and salt. Stir fry for a minute. 

•  Add 2 cups of water and close lid cook it for 4 to 5 whistle. 

2. To Make Salted mutton fry:-

• Heat oil in a kadai/wok, add remaining broken red chillies, curry leaves, chopped garlic and sliced shallots. Stir fry for 3 ot 4 minutes.

• Transfer the mutton mixtures into a kadai. Mix gently and cook over low heat, till water is absorbed.
• Remove from heat and serve hot.

Chickpeas Pulao / Kondakadalai Pulao

Ingredients:-

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Chickpeas - 1 cup
• Onion, sliced - 1 big
• Tomato, chopped - 1  big
• Green chillies - 2-3 nos
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Mint leaves , chopped - 1 cup
• Coriander leaves, chopped - 1 cup
• Bay leaves - 1
• Cloves - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Star anise - 1
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Salt as needed
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Oil

Preparation:-

1. Wash basmati rice and soak in water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Soak Chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook till it turn soft, drain and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee and oil in a kadai/wok. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, cardamom and bay leaf. 
4. Then add onions and green chillies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
5. Next add tomatoes, coriander leaves and mint leaves, saute until the tomatoes are mushy.
6. Now add cooked chickpeas, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and saute for a minute.
7. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to boil, now add drained basmati rice,  cover and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. 
8. Turn off the flame and add ghee, mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with Raita. 

Ammini Kozhukattai / Steamed Rice Dumplings

Ingredients:-

• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt as needed

For Tempering:-

• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
• Boiled Moong dal - 1/4 cup
• Curry leaves - few
• Broken red chilli - 3 nos
• Hing - 1/4 tbsp

Preparation:-

• In a pan, add water, salt and oil and let it come to a boil. 

• Add rice flour and mix it well until it forms a dough.
• Remove from flame and let it cool down.
• Make small balls from the dough and arrange in a streamer. 

• Steam this balls for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, boiled moong dal, curry leaves, hing and broken red chillies.

• Now add steamed balls and mix well.
• Serve warm.  

Masala Peanut Chaat

Ingredients:-

• Raw peanuts - 1 cup
• Onion, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves , finely chopped - few
• Carrots, grated - 1/4 cup
• Cucumber, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
• Green chillies, finely chopped - 1
• Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Chaat masala powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Sev/Omapodi - 3 tbsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Preparation:-

1. Pressure cook the peanuts with little salt and required water for 2 to 3 whistles or until well cooked.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, chaat masala powder,boiled peanuts and toss well.
3. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add chopped onion, grated carrots, chopped cucumber, freshly chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and salt.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice and toss again.
5. Sprinkle sev/omapodi on top of it and serve immediately. 

Lemon Pickle

Ingredients:-

• Lemon - 4 nos
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Asafodita powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Gingelly oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt as needed

To Roast and Grind:-

• Fenugreek seeds -1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 4 to 5 nos

Preparation:-

1. Heat a pan, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and red chillies and dry roast till the color starts changing to brown. Remove from fire and Let it cool down. Powder the roasted mixtures to a slightly coarse texture. Set aside.

2. Cut the lemons into small bite size pieces and remove the seeds.

3. In a pan, boil 1 cup of water and put the lemon pieces in to it and add salt and turmeric powder. Cover the lid and allow to boil for 5 to 10 minutes or until it's soft.

4. Now add ground powder and red chilli powder and mix everything well. 

5. Heat oil in a kadai and when it is hot add mustard. Once the seeds crackle, add curry leaves, asafoetida and broken red chilli. Remove from fire and pour it over the lemon mixture. Mix well and transfer it to a glass jar/ bottle.

6. Serve with sambar rice or Curd rice.