Divyaa's Cuisine

Muttai Kolambu / Egg Curry

Muttai Kolambu or Egg curry is a popular dish. Usually in egg kolambu, Hard boiled eggs are cut into halves or slits are made in them and added to the kolambu. As a variation eggs can be poured directly into the boiling kolambu. This will add more flavor to the egg.

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 25 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Egg - 3
Oil - 2 tbsp
Small onion - 7
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Salt to taste

Masala Paste:

Coconut - 1/4 cup
Kuruma podi - 1 tablespoon

Procedure:

Using small onion for the curry adds extra taste and flavor. Add coconut and kuruma podi in a mixie, Grind them into smooth paste by adding water.
In a kadai heat oil and add chopped onion.Saute onion until it becomes soft. Adding salt while sauteing makes the onion to get cooked faster.
Then add turmeric powder and chili powder. Add tomato and sauté until it becomes mushy. Sprinkle little water if its too dry.
Add the mixie paste and give a good stir. Then add coriander and cumin powder, salt to taste and a cup of water.
Bring it to boil. Now reduce the flame and pour the eggs into the kolambu.
Close the lid and leave it in simmer flame until the eggs are cooked. It would take around 5 - 10 min. Then slowly turn the eggs to the other side and again cook for 3 min.

Yummy Egg curry can be served for rice.

Bread Masala

Bread is a very common food that we usually roast, toast or make sandwiches. This bread masala adds a spicy flavor to bread and makes it more tempting to eat.

Note:

Bread slices can also be fried for making these bread masala. Those who worry about extra calories can just roast them in a pan ;-)
While mixing the bread with the masala, do them slowly without losing the shape of bread pieces.

Try this and do post your comments :-)

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 20 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Bread - 5 or 6 slices
Onion - 1 medium sized - cut lengthwise
Tomato - 1 big sized - finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder -1 pinch
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Oil or butter - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - for garnishing

Procedure:

Roast bread slices in a pan. You can add oil or butter while roasting the bread. After roasting the bread slices, allow it to cool and cut them into small square shaped pieces.
Now heat a large pan and add a tbsp of oil. As the oil is hot, add cardamom cinnamon clove powder. If you do not have powder, it can be added in pieces. As the spices are roasted nice flavor comes out. Add onion and saute until it becomes translucent.
To the sauteed onion add ginger garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell leaves. Then mix them with turmeric powder and chili powder. keep in medium flame and add the tomato.
Saute them until it gets mushy. Sprinkle water if it gets too dry. Then add the remaining spices (Coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala) and mix well. When its completely cooked add the roasted bread slices and stir them slowly, otherwise the slices will shrink. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Easy Broccoli Cutlet

Experimenting in kitchen is always a fun and appreciation is always a boost to do more and more different tempting dishes. I prepared this broccoli cutlet when my friends came home for an evening. All loved this cutlet and 1 year old prani kutty even loved eating this cutlet :-) wow...!! I am so happy to see my friends and kids enjoying my preparation....!! A very simple and a quick recipe..!! Made everyone to eat more and more...!! Healthy one too...!!

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Serves: 10 - 15 cutlets

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1 crown (12 florets) - finely chopped
Onion - 1 big sized - finely chopped
Garlic - 3 or 4 pieces - chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cheese - 1/4 cup
Bread crumps - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Heat a pan with oil, add garlic and sauté it. Garlic gives lot of flavor when sauté in oil.
Add onion to the pan, sauté until it becomes translucent. To this add broccoli & salt for taste. Cook them until broccoli becomes tender.
Remove from heat and add cheese and mix it up with the broccoli. So that cheese is equally spread around the broccoli and onion. Allow it to cool a little, segregate the mixture into small balls. Balls, need not be too tight, make it easy, cheese helps in making broccoli & onion stick to each other. Smaller the balls, more tempting to eat :-)
Take bread crumbs in a plate, roll the broccoli ball over the bread crumb and make It flat like a cutlet pressing with fingers. Just use little energy while pressing.
The purpose the bread crumbs is just to give a little crunchy feel, make sure too much crumbs are not covering the broccoli. Lets roast them in a pan, Heat the pan (No oil required) to a medium level. Keep the flame mild.
When heat is medium, place the flattened broccoli cutlet in the pan, just add couple drops of oil over the cutlet. (Oil can also be avoided, if you are worried about the extra calories :-) ) Turn the cutlet, until it is evenly cooked on both the sides. The bread crumbs turn a little brownish. Remove the items from the pan and Hot Broccoli Cutlets are ready to serve.

Simple, Quick, Tasty & Healthy Broccoli Cutlets are ready.

Stuffed Baked Potato

Do you like potatoes?? I know this question would sound funny as its hard to find any one who do not like potatoes. Here is a great treat to the potato lover....!! Especially kids...!! These stuffed potatoes would definitely be a great appetizer or snack that you love to eat...!! A very tasty way to fill your tummy..!! :-)

Preparation Time: 15 min

Baking Time: 25 min + 10 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Potato - 4
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Chili paste - 1 tsp
Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Stuffing:

Onion - 1 scoop
Tomato - 1 scoop
Cilantro - 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Sour Cream - 1/2 tbsp
Pepper - 1 pinch
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F for 10 min. Meanwhile, Clean the potatoes and tap them dry using a kitchen tissue. Coat them with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Arrange the coated potatoes in a baking tray and pierce them with a fork on all side for uniform baking. Place them inside the heated oven. Bake them for 25 min.
After baking check with a fork or knife. It should be soft. Allow it to cool for 10 min and cut the potatoes into two halves, either horizontal or vertical. I cut them in horizontal style. Using a spoon, scoop inside of the potato leaving a small thick wall and transfer to a bowl.
Mash the scooped potato. Add chili paste and salt. Mix them well and set aside.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients given in "Stuffing" section except sour cream. Mix them well and allow it to rest to 5 min. Then add sour cream and give a stir.
In the potato shell, first add the mashed potato and give a light press. Then add the prepared stuffing. Arrange them on baking tray.
Top each stuffed potatoes with Parmesan cheese. Again bake them for 8 min and broil for 2 min. Keep an eye on your potatoes while in Broil.

Yummy baked potatoes..!! :-)

Ragi / Keppai Roti

Ragi Roti is a very healthy and tasty food. This can be prepared in minutes and can be served as breakfast or snack. Ragi roti can be made little thicker or thinner. If you make thick patty, make sure that the inside is also cooked well. More onion added to this roti will give more flavor. And also if you are preparing for kids, you can skip green chili.

You can also try ragi dosa with urad dhal, instant ragi dosa...!! ;-)

Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Ragi flour - 1 cup
Small Onion - 10-12
Green chili - 3 (for mild level of spicy)
Oil - as required
salt to taste

Procedure:

In a large mixing bowl add ragi flour, salt, onion, green chili. Mix them well. Add water and make it into a smooth dough. I used my food processor for preparing the dough. Them make small balls from the dough.
Heat a pan. Now take little oil in the palm / polythene sheet / banana leaf. Place the small ragi ball and tap them to form a small circle. Transfer it slowly in the heated pan. I usually tap them directly on the pan. keep in medium flame. When one side gets cooked, turn to other side. It usually takes little longer time to get cooked in the middle. If they turn white, just grease with little oil.

Easy Manathakkali Vathal Kulambu

Manathakkali known as "Black Nightshade" in English is always known for its wonderful health benefits. It is called as Kaachi Soppu in Karnataka. This plant is an important ingredients in Indian medicines and the fruits of these plant is used in the treatment of Asthma.

This vathal Kulambu is prepared from dried fruits of black nightshade. This is a very easy dish and it taste great with white rice and appalam. Try this tasty kulambu for a tasty lunch...!!

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 25 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Manathakkali Vathal - 1/4 cup
Small Onion - 7 to 10
Tamarind juice - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

To temper:

Mustard Seed - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seed - 1 tsp
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Red chili - 1 or 2

To roast and grind:

Raw rice - 1/2 tbsp
Red gram / Toor dhal / pigeon pea (lentils) - 1/2 tbsp
Red chili - 2 or 3
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Peppercorn - 1 tsp
Coriander seed - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin Seed - 2 tsp

Procedure:

Dry roast all the ingredients given in "to roast and grind" until a nice flavor comes out. Then allow the mixture to cool down for sometime. Grind it into a smooth powder using a blender. I added coriander cumin powder to the mixture instead of seeds. Extract juice from tamarind and set aside.
Heat a pan with oil. When oil becomes hot, pour the vathal and roast them for 30 sec. Transfer the fried vathal to a plate. This step is to remove bitterness from the vathal.
Now in the same oil, add the ingredients given in "to temper" section one by one and fry them for few sec. Then add chopped onion. Saute them until it turns soft. To this add pinch of turmeric and a dash of salt.
Pour the tamarind juice and bring it to boil. Add the prepared vathal kulambu powder and give a good stir. Bring the mixture to boil and add the roasted Manathakkali Vathal. Keep in low-medium flame for 15 min or until kolambu gets thickened and oil gets separated.

Hash Brown - Potato Fry

Hash brown is a easy quick potato recipe. Shredded potato are pan-fried. It is served during breakfast with bread roast and omelet. I prepared this in combination with bread roast and Egg Omelet Roll. Hash brown is crispy on the outer surface, they are soft and fluffy on the inside. You can also make them as separate circle shaped pieces. Flavor hash browns with salt and pepper while serving or can be added while frying.

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 big sized
Pepper - as required
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Clean the potatoes in water. Remove the skin of potatoes and grate them.
Heat a frying pan and grease them with cooking oil. When pan is hot, reduce to medium flame. Then spread the grated potatoes over the pan. You can make them into two or three small circular shapes. Temper with salt and pepper.
Color of potatoes will start changing to a darker color as it gets cooked. Check whether the other side is roasted to golden brown color. Then flip them to the other side and roast. Transfer it to plate with tissue to remove excess oil.

Serve with bread roast and Egg Omelet Roll...!!!

Hash Brown Potato Fry Egg Omelet Roll Bread Roast

Preparation Time : 10 min

Ingrdients:

To grind:

Coconut - 1 cup
Red chili or green chili - 2 (adjust to level of spicy needed)
Roasted Gram / Pottukadalai / Porikadalai - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

To temper:

Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

In a blender put all the ingredients given in "to grind". Make it into a smooth paste by adding little water. Transfer it to a bowl. In a small pan, heat oil and roast all ingredients given in "to temper" by adding them one by one in the mentioned order. Add it to the prepared chutney and serve.

Serve with idly, dosa, ragi dosa, rava dosa etc.

Chicken Biriyani - Easy Recipe

Sunday is incomplete with out Biryani....!! And here is a easy recipe for chicken biryani. Its a great combo with pepper chicken and raita. In this recipe, I combined and grind all the ingredients. So we can prepare this biryani quickly.

Note:

I used 1:1.5 ratio for rice:water, depending of the brand and quality of basmati rice. Sometime it needs 1:1 ratio or 1:2 ratio.
I did not soak the basmati rice. If you soak the rice, reduce quantity of water.

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 25 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Cinnamon, cloves, bayleaf, cardamom, star anise - As required (I used these as powder = 1 pinch)
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

To grind:

Onion - 1 small sized
Tomato - 1/4 medium sized
Garlic - 3 pieces
Ginger - small piece
Cilantro - 1/4 cup
Mint - 5-10 leaves
Green Chili - 2 or 3 (to your level of spicy)

To marinate:

Chicken - 200 gm - Cleaned and cut into small pieces
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Note: The amount of spices that I have specified is mild. Those who need more spicy Biryani can add little more.

Procedure:

In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients given in "to marinate" section and mix them well. Set aside for 20 min to marinate. You can also refrigerate for marination.
Now grind all the ingredients given in "to grind" section in a blender into a smooth paste without adding water.
Heat a pressure cooker/pan with ghee and oil. Then add Cinnamon, cloves, bayleaf, cardamom, star anise powder or as pieces. I used them as powder as i do not like them to see while eating ;-). Pour the grind paste into the pressure pan. Reduce the flame and saute for few minutes. If you are preparing for large group, you need not reduce the flame. Saute until it gets thickened and oil starts separating.
Put the marinated chicken into the pan, increase the flame and saute them until chicken pieces turns white. To this add coriander cumin powder, garam masala and mix well. Now pour 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Adjust salt.
As the water begins to boil, add the cleaned basmati rice into the pressure pan. Allow the rice to get half-cooked.
As it gets thickened into a semi-solid state, close pressure pan lid. Pressure cook for 1 whistle and quickly switch off the stove. Do not over-cook otherwise it will become mushy. Let pressure release naturally. Fluff with a fork.