Chettinad Prawn Masala

This is a proper south Indian Prawn masala. This masala is very flavourful and lot of spices are added to this masala.

Ingredients
500 gms Prawn
1 cup shallots
2 Big Tomatoes
10-12 Curry leaves
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Oil and salt
For Masala
8-10 Dry red Chilly
1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
6-8 Black Pepper corns
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 Cardamom
1/4 inch Cinnamon
10-12 Curry leaves
1/2 cup grated coconut

Method

• Devein the prawn and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan and dry roast all ingredients under the masala list except the coconut.
• When all the ingredients turns light brown in colour turn off the flame and add the coconut and mix.
• Allow it to dry and grind it into a fine paste.
• Chop the shallots and tomatoes. 
• In a heavy bottom add oil (I used Gingelly oil) and mustard seeds, when it splutters add the shallots and curry leaves.
• When the shallots turn golden colour add the ginger garlic paste, add the tomatoes when the raw smells goes off from the ginger garlic paste.
• Add the coriander, turmeric and the masala paste when the tomatoes start turn gooey.
• Add water and salt. Allow it to cook till the raw smell goes off.(it takes approx 10-15 mins)
• Add the prawn when the masala is ready, turn the flame to low and allow it cook for about 10 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice or any type of Roti.

Note

• If you feel there is lot of masala paste then first add a 3/4 of the grind paste and if required add the remaining, you can refrigerate and use it for any other curry.
• Adjust the spice level according to your taste, if you want more spiciness then add a tablespoon of red chilly powder.

Sunday Spl Chicken Curry

This is my mom's recipe. This is very very simple but tasty gravy, we always try to keep the cooking time short in Sundays so that we can have more time in the weekend, this is very time saving and if you keep the onions ready the day before you prepare, it becomes more simple. I won't have any other special side dish with this gravy, just one egg and onion-cucumber raitha will do.

Ingredients
1/2 kg Chicken
2 cups chopped Shallots
3/4 cup chopped Tomatoes
2 Slit Green chillies
1 1/2 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon Chicken masala powder (Optional)
1 tablespoon Chili powder
1 tablespoon Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/2 cup coconut milk(optional)
1 Bay leaf
2 Cloves
2 Cardamon
2 inch Cinnamon 
Handful Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Oil and Salt

Method

• Clean chicken, In a deep bottom pan, add chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, chicken powder, coriander, chili, turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups of water.
• Let it boil for some mins, wait until chicken and onions are well cooked(may take 15 mins), Stir occasionally.
• When all ingredients are well cooked, add the coconut milk.
• In a separate pan, add oil, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon. When it splutters, add the curry leaves and pour this tempering to the gravy. Let it boil for a couple of mins.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves, slit green chilies and Serve hot.

Note

• If you do not have shallots at home, you can use onions but definitely the taste differs.
• When you are adding onions in the pan, no need to add oil, oil is required only in tempering.
• When it is boiling you can finish your rest of the work.:p

Kadai Paneer Masala

One of the most creamy and spicy gravy, i just love this paneer gravy with any bread. This is restaurant kind of recipe. This recipe ingredients may look like it takes very long time to cook and bit tough, but that is not so. You can use the kadai masala which is available in all Indian stores, i prefer homemade powder which is so easy to prepare.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Paneer
1/2 cup Onions
6-8 Green Chilies(finely chopped)
2 cups Tomatoes(finely chopped)
1/4 cup Tomato Puree
2 tablespoon Garlic paste
1-2 tablespoon Chili powder
1 tablespoon Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Whipping Cream
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil and Salt

For Kadai masala powder
10-12 Dry red chili
2 tablespoon Coriander seeds

Method

• In a pan without adding oil, fry coriander seeds and dry chilies separately for about 2 mins in medium flame, let it cool and grind.
• In a deep bottom pan, add oil and fry the paneer for a couple of mins, drain the oil and keep it aside, now add the chopped onions and saute for 2 mins.
• Then add the garlic paste and saute for not more than a min, it shouldn't get burned.
• Add the chopped green chili, chopped tomatoes and salt, saute till the tomatoes are half cooked.
• Now add the tomato puree, chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala, kadai masala powder, kasoori methi, Green Bell pepper add 1/4 cup water(approx, to get gravy consistency).
• Add the whipping cream and Paneer when all raw smell goes off, let it cook for 2 mins, add Coriander leaves and Serve hot.

Note

• Every time when i fry Paneer, i won't leave it till it turns to golden brown, if you wish to get light brown color,you can do it.
• Don't over cook after adding cream.
• Tomato puree is nothing but, soak the tomato in hot water for a min and peel the skin, grind to fine paste.

Chicken Gravy (For parotta)

This is restaurant style gravy, mainly for parotta, can be used for rice and chappathi, but best side dish for parotta. Very simple and delicious too.

Ingredients
1kg Chicken
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
3 Cardamon
3 Cloves
5 inch Cinnamon
1 Star anise
1 Bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
8-10 Curry leaves
Sesame Oil
Salt 
Red food color(optional)
Coriander leaves

1st Masala
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
8-10 Red Chilies
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
4 inch Ginger
6 Cloves Garlic
10-15 Curry leaves
1/2 Onion

2nd Masala
1/4 cup coconut
6 Cashews
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds(optional)
1 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 Cardamon

Method

• Chop the onions and tomatoes and keep it aside.
• Grind the 1st masala into fine paste, for the 2nd paste soak the cashew in water for 15 mins(if possible) and then grind into paste.
• Heat Sesame oil in a pan and saute onions and then the tomatoes.
• After it becomes gooey, add the 1st masala and fry until the raw smell goes off, it may take 10-12 mins.
• Then add the Chicken and saute for couple of mins and add 3 cups of water and salt, allow the chicken to cook.
• Keep it in low flame when the chicken is cooked,  add the 2nd masala and allow it to cook for 10 mins.
• Add red food coloring in 2 tablespoon of water and pour this into the gravy.
• Once the raw smell goes off, heat sesame oil in a small pan and add 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf and curry leaves and pour this tempering to the gravy.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Note

• If you do not have sesame oil, you can use the regular oil which you use for cooking.
• If the gravy is less spicy, you can add 2-3 chopped green chilies at the time you pour your tempering.
• Try to prepare this dish 3 or 4 hrs before hand, the taste will be very much better than preparing and having immediately.
• If you are not using food color, then add turmeric powder.
• Instead of Chicken, you can add Paneer.

Chicken Masala

Chicken masala has lots of version, this is a simple one, and if you have very less time, this will be the better option. This masala can be used as a side dish for chapati or any bread. I had with white rice. Boneless chicken won't taste good, try to get the regular one. I'm sure you will enjoy this simple recipe.

Ingredients
250 grams Chicken
1/2 cup Shallots
1 big Tomato
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
1 teaspoon Fennel powder
1 tablespoon Chili powder
1 tablespoon Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon yogurt
1 tablespoon Coconut paste
1 inch Cinnamon
1 Cardamon
1 Clove
6-8 Curry leaves
Coriander leaves for garnishing
1 Green chili
Oil and Salt

Method

• Clean chicken and marinate with 1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, yogurt, fennel, chili, coriander, turmeric powder, salt. Keep it in refrigerator for at least 15 mins.
• Finely chop shallots, tomato. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and saute the shallots till it turns transparent, then add the remaining ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
• Add chopped tomatoes and saute for a min, then add the marinated chicken and fry for 3-5 mins and add water as required. ( If you want a dry masala, keep the flame in low and add just 1/4 cup of water)
• If it is a gravy, add sufficient water and allow it to cook. Add the coconut paste and cook for a min.
• In a separate small pan, add 3 tablespoon of oil , add the cinnamon, cardamon, clove, when it splutters, add the curry leaves and pour the tempering in your masala.
• Stir well and garnish with coriander leaves and green chili cut into half.
• Serve hot

Note

• The more shallots you add, the more taste you get.
• If you do not have the coconut paste, no prob at all. You can skip it.
• Powder the fennel seeds and store it in a Air tight container, so that you can use in most of the non-veg dishes.
• If you do not have the time to marinate the Chicken, then add all the powder, yogurt and salt after you saute the tomatoes.

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala is a Popular Indian gravy with the main ingredient Panner (Indian cottage cheese).
It goes well with chapatti, paratha, or even any pulao. This Paneer masala is the restaurant type, which has a creamy and rich gravy. 

Ingredients
1 whole Paneer or approx 250gms
3 onions
4 tomatoes
1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp kasuri methi powder (Dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsp cashews
Salt as required
Butter and oil
Fresh cream 3 tbsp
Cinnamon 1 inch, cloves-3, cardamon - 2 (for seasoning)

Method

• Add 2 tbsp of oil in the pan and shallow fry paneer cubes till it turns golden brown and keep it aside.
• Soak cashew in water for 10 mins and grind it to paste.
• Roughly chop the onions and boil in the hot water for about 6-8 mins, add the whole tomatoes in the boiling water and allow it to boil for 6 mins.
• Drain water and grind the onions. For tomatoes, remove skin and make it puree.
• In a pan add oil and onion paste and fry till it turns light brown in color.
• Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
• Add the tomato puree and cook till the oil separates from the mix.
• Roughly powder the kasuri methi, just with your fingers, add the powdered kasuri methi, chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Add water and salt according to taste.
• Let it cook untill all the masala powders are well cooked, then add the cashew paste, cook for 10 mins and finally add the fried paneer cubes and fresh cream.
• Heat oil and butter in a separate small pan, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, when it splutters add it to the gravy and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Note

• If you are very health conscious, you can reduce the cashew paste amount and avoid fresh cream, instead you can add milk.
• If you want a bit more spicy, add extra chili powder or grind green chili with onion and fry.
• If you don't have paneer at home, you can use Tofu (bean curd).