Crab Briyani / Nandu Briyani

Ingredients:-

• Crab, large size- 1 (Separate the legs with claws and body section)
• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Onion, big - 1 sliced
• Tomato - 2 nos
• Green chillies - 3 nos
• Coriander leaves , chopped - 1 cup
• Mint , chopped - 1 cup
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Yogurt- 2 tbsp
• Salt as needed
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

To Temper:-

• Cloves - 1
• Star anise - 1
• Javitri - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Bay leaves - 1
• Cinnamon stick- 1
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Preparation:-

1. To Clean and Cook the Crab:

• Clean the crab with turmeric powder.  

• Boil body section and some crab legs with 1 tbsp of salt for 10 mins.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Remove the shell parts and take out the flesh alone. Set aside. 

2. To Prepare Crab Briyani:-

• Soak basmati rice for 20 to 25 minutes.
• In a pan, heat ghee and oil, put all the ingredients under " To Temper" and saute for a minutes.

• Add green chillies and onion. when onions are soft, add tomato and ginger garlic paste and saute for a minutes. 

• Then add coriander leaves and mint. Fry them till the leaves wilt. 
• Add crab meat and cleaned legs. Mix well.

• Then add red chilli powder and curd. Saute for a few more minutes.  

• Add 4 cups of water. When water starts boiling, add basmati rice. Mix well and cook covered. 

• When rice is three fourth done,reduce the heat to low and cook covered for another 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. 

• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita.  

Mutton Lemon Soup

Ingredients:-

• Mutton with bone- 1 lb or 1/2 kg
• Small onions/ Pearl onions - 2 nos
• Tomato - 1
• Green chillies - 4 or 5 nos
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Fennel powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - few
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt as needed
• Water as required

For Tempering:-

• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
• Bay leaves - 1
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Curry leaves - few
• Crushed Ginger- 1 tbsp
• Crushed Garlic - 1 tbsp
• Oil

Preparation:-

• In a pressure cooker, add mutton pieces and all the ingredients except lemon juice.

  

• Cover with cooker lid and whistle and wait for 6 whistles or till the mutton is well cooked.
• Remove from flame and set aside until pressure drops.
• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
• When its splutter, then add curry leaves, crushed ginger and crushed garlic. Stir fry for a minute or until browned.

• Now add this to the mutton mixtures. Mix well and then bring the soup to a boil.
• Season with lemon juice and pepper powder. 
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Remove from fire and serve hot. 

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.