Kathrikkai Sadham/Vaangi Bhath

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice - 1 cup(Soak for 1/2 hr)
Ghee -1 tsp
Brinjal  -  8 sliced
Salt - to taste
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Oil

Dry roast and Grind:
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tsp
Dry red chilies 6
Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coconut grated - 3 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. Cook rice with 1 1/2 cups water along with salt and 1 tsp of oil. When it is done,spread the rice in a wide tray. Fluff the rice with fork
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Stir in brinjals, salt, turmeric and lemon juice. Fry them till the egg-plants are tender
3. Add the ground paste. Fry well till the raw smell goes off
4. Mix this spicy eggplants with rice
5. In a pan, heat ghee. Splutter mustard, cumin, 1 red chilly and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the rice and mix well

Serve hot with raita and papad

Spinach Egg Fry

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2
Spinach (palak) - 1 bunch chopped
Onion - 1/2 chopped
Red chillies - 3
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Pepper pdr - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard, cumin seeds and red chillies
2. Saute onion, add the chopped spinach. Add salt and few drops of water and fry well
3. Beat the eggs along with salt and pepper
4. Add the egg mixture to the spinach and saute well till it becomes dry

Era Thokku

Ingredients:

Prawns  -  1/2 kg (Deveined and tail removed)
Onion  - 1 chopped
Tomato - 2 chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard and cumin
2. Add chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, tomato and saute well for 5 minutes
3. Add coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and saute till oil oozes out
4. Add the prawns and little water
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame till it becomes dry

This goes well with Sambar Sadham

Vazhakkai Varuval

Ingredients:

Plantain (Vazhakkai) - 1 cut into thin slices

Rice flour - 2 tsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste
Lemon juice - few drops
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Mix rice flour, turmeric pdr, chilli powder, lemon juice and salt in a bowl
2. Marinate the slices in the mixture and set aside for 15-20 min
3. Heat oil in a pan. Shallow fry the slices on both sides
4. Remove from heat and drain them

Chettinadu Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/4 kg

Bay Leaves - 2
Cardamom - 2 pieces
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 2 pieces
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander pdr - 1 tsp
Cumin pdr - 1 tsp
Crushed pepper - 1 tsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

Oil

Red chilli pdr - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Onion - 1 Chopped
Tomato - 1 Chopped
Green chillies chopped - 2
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - chopped

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan
2. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
3. Add the onions, turmeric, salt, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and green chillis and saute for a while
4. Add tomatoes and saute till it becomes soft
5. Add the coriander pdr, cumin pdr, red chilli pdr and saute till the oil oozes out

6. Add the chicken to the frying pan and mix well,  cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. No need to add water
7. When the chicken is almost done, add the crushed pepper into the mixture and mix well
8. Garnish with coriander leaves

Poondu Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Garlic (Poondu) - 8 cloves cut into thin pieces

Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 1/2 chopped
Red chilly - 1
Coriander pdr - 1 tsp
Red chilly pdr - 1 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame Oil (Nallennai) - 2 tsp

Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek pdr (Vendaya podi) - a pinch

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard and cumin seeds. Add vendaya podi
2. Add the redchilly,onion, garlic and saute

3. Add tomato, redchilli pdr, coriander pdr, turmeric pdr, salt and saute well

4. Add the tamarind paste. Add little water
5. Cook till the oil oozes out

Serve with hot rice

Mushroom Biriyani

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 500 grams
Mushroom - 1 pack (cut in halves)
Ginger garlic paste  -1 tsp
Onion - 1 Chopped
Green Chillies - 4
Tomato - 1 Chopped
Mint Leaves - chopped

Coriander Leaves - chopped
Oil - 4 tsp
Curd - 3 tsp
Salt -  to taste
Whole garam masala (Cinnamon, cardomon & cloves)

Bay leaves
Chilli pdr - 1 tsp
Garam masala pdr -  1 tsp
Lemon juice - few drops

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for atleast ½ hour
2. In a kadai heat the oil. Add the whole garam masala and bay leaves
3. Add the onions, saute until they become golden brown and add ginger garlic paste, gr chillies, mint, coriander leaves ,chilli pdr, tomato,garam masala pdr, curd and saute well
4. Add the mushrooms, pour little water and cook until the mushroom if 75% done
5. Add the soaked rice and mix well, add 1 &1/2 cups of water and cook covered till rice is done
7. Add few drops of lemon juice

Serve with Raita