Chettinad Crab Masala / செட்டிநாடு நண்டு மசாலா

First time i am posting a seafood. Learnt this recipe from my mom. The way seafoods are being cooked in chettinad are very spicy and different. I would suggest this as a side dish for a bowl full of creamy curd rice.

Ingredients:

Crab - 1/2 kg
Cooking oil - 8 tbs
Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1 tbs
Fennel seeds / Saunf - 1/2 tbs
Curry leaves - few nos
Chopped onion - 3 nos
Chopped tomato - 3 nos
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chicken masala (or) red chilli powder (or) garam masala - 1/2 tbs (choose the masala powder according to ur taste)
Salt
Chopped cilantro - 1 handful

To grind:

Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Pepper corns - 4 tbs
Fennel seeds - 1 tbs

Method:

• Clean the crab as u like. Some like to have the whole crab, some people like to broke crab into small portions. Wash well the crab in water 2 - 3 times.
• Grind into fine paste the ingredients mentioned under to grind and keep aside. Grind into fine paste the 3/4th  portion of chopped onion + all the tomato seperately.
• Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal + mustard seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves @ 30 sec interval.
• Add remaining 1/4th portion of chopped onion and saute for a min.
• Add onion-tomato paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. Now add the crab and mix well.
• After 2 mins add pepper-coconut paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt + 3 cups of water.
• Cook in medium flame till u get a tight gravy consistency.
• Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Paal payasam / Vermicelli milk gheer / பால் பாயாசம்

தமிழ் நண்பர்கள் அனைவருக்கும் இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

Today is Thamizh new year. The 'Vikruthi' year ends and 'Kara' year starts. I wish all the thamizh readers a very happy new year ahead.  Here comes the special recipes of new year. From the menu shown above the one is steel tumbler is new year chutney, then vermicelli milk gheer and the bottom one is urad dhal vadai.

1. New year chutney

Learnt this recipe from my ugadhi (ughadi is telugu new year) celebrating friends. This chutney is made from ingredients of 5 prime taste (sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami). An indication that life is filled with diff experiences (tastes).

Ingredients:

Jaggery or sugar - 2 tbs (Sweet taste)

Tamarind extract - 1 tbs (Sour taste)

Finely chopped raw mango - 1 tbs (the skin of raw mango gives umami taste)

Crushed neem flower - 1/2 tbs (Bitter taste)

Salt - a pinch

Mix all the above ingredients in 1 cup of water. Stir till jaggery dissolves.

2. Vermicelli milk Gheer 

Ingredients:

Vermicelli - 2 cups

Milk - 4 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup (we eat less sugar. adjust for ur taste)

Cashew nuts - 10 nos

Dry graphes - 10 nos

Ghee - 1 tbs

Method: 

1. Boil milk in a thick bottom vessel .
2. In the meantime, heat 3 cups of water in a vessel. Add vermicelli and bring them to boil & vermicelli gets cooked well. Drain water completly. We can cook vermicelli in milk also, but milk may curdle sometimes. Better cook them separately.
3. By this time milk may came to boil and reduced its quantity. Now add cooked vermicelli and cook for 5 mins in medium flame.
4. Add sugar and mix well. Do not cook for long after adding sugar.
5. Roast cashew nuts n dry graphes in 1 tbs of ghee and garnish. Serve hot / cold. 

3. Urad dhal vada.

Please refer my previous post Urad dhal vada.

Vendakka pulikari / Okra sour sauce (semi gravy)

This is a karaikudi special recipe. Will be of good combination with paruppu soup.

Ingredients:

Vendakka / Ladies finger - 1/4 kg (chopped into small pieces)

Cooking oil - 3 tbs

Big red onion - 1 (chopped)

Big tomato - 1 (chopped)

Tamarind juice / paste - 3 tbs

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbs

Coriander powder - 1 tbs

Red chilli powder - 2 tbs

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro - 4 tbs

For seasoning:

Sesame oil - 3 tbs

Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1 tbs

Vendhayam / Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tbs

Curry leaves - 5 nos

Method:

• Heat cooking oil in a pan and stir fry the okra till the sticky liquid goes off. Keep it aside.
• Heat sesame oil in pan and add the ingredients mentioned under for seasoning @ 30 sec interval.
• Add chopped onion & saute till tranparent. Now add chopped tomato and saute till the juices oozes off.
• Add tamarind paste & all powders + salt + 3 cups of water. Bring them to boil and add sauted vendakka/ okra.
• Close the pan with lid and cook in medium flame. Stir consiously at regular intervals.
• Once the veggie is cooked and gravy turns to semi solid, sprinkle chopped cilantro & serve hot. 



Butter beans dry curry

One of my favorite veggie. Easy to cook and yummy to eat. My mom used to prepare an “avial” with this chunky lentil along with few soft vegetables. Yet to learn that recipe from my mom.

Learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law. She used bag me kgs of butter beans while we go back after our vacation as I like this veggie very much, thanks Athai.


Ingredients:

Butter beans (fresh) – 2 cups
Cooking oil – 4 tbs
Turmeric powder – ¼ tbs
Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tbs
Coriander powder – ½ tbs
Salt to taste
Fresh coconut paste – 2 tbs (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Wash and add the butter beans and stir fry for a min. Add all powders, salt, coconut paste + 1 cup of water (or water till the beans level). Cook for 3 whistles. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Hurray !! Lets celebrate..........

India won the world cup after 28 years !!!!!