| Chicken Curry
from Andhra Pradesh
Ingredients - Serves 6
2 lbs Chicken (1 inch pieces on the bone)
1/4 cup Almonds toasted in a pan, 1 tbsp. Poppy seeds (khuskhus) ground into a paste
1/2 cup Oil
2 medium sized Onions (sliced)
3 tsp.s Ginger paste
1 tsp. Garlic paste
2 tsp.s Red chilli powder
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 cup Yogurt
3 cups Chicken stock
1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder
a pinch of saffron
Method
Heat oil a pan and sauté sliced onions to golden brown colour. Add ginger paste, garlic
paste and sauté for two minutes. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add chicken
pieces and stir-fry for five minutes. Add salt. Add yogurt and warm for a minute. Add
almond-khuskhus paste and simmer while stirring. Pour in three cups of chicken stock and
bring to a boil. Once the mixture boils cover and simmer for twenty minutes. Once the
chicken is cooked, add garam masala powder and saffron, stir and remove from heat. Serve
with flat bread
Nizami or Royal Hydrabadi Whole Chicken
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 medium sized Chicken (whole, skinned)
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
5 Cloves
5 Green cardamom
2 inch stick Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Saffron (soaked in warm milk)
1 tbsp. Coconut (scraped)
10 Almonds (blanched, peeled, ground)
2 cups Yogurt
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
1 tbsp. Ginger-garlic paste
1 cup Ghee
3 medium sized Onions (finely sliced)
1 bunch Fresh coriander leaves
1 bunch Fresh mint leaves
5 Green chillies
Method
Mix yogurt, salt, red chilli powder and ginger-garlic paste. Marinate the chicken in this
mixture. Prick with fork all over the marinated chicken and stand it overnight in
refrigerator.Heat ghee in a kadai, deep fry onions till brown. Drain and keep on an
absorbent paper. Crush the onions and set aside.Pre-heat the oven at 180°C.Grind fresh
coriander leaves, fresh mint leaves, green chillies and lemon juice to a fine paste to
make green masala.Dry roast cloves, green cardamom and cinnamon and grind to a fine
powder. Mix crushed onions, saffron, coconut, ground almonds, green masala, spice powder
and salt (to adjust the seasoning) to make the second marinade.Rub the second marinade
over the chicken and prick again. Roast the marinated chicken in the pre-heated oven
basting with ghee at regular intervals. Remove the chicken from the oven once done and
serve hot.
Lamb or Goat (mutton) Curry from Andhra Pradesh
Ingredients
Serves 6
1.5 lbs. Mutton (1/2 inch cubes)
8 Green chillies
1 inch piece Ginger
5-6 cloves Garlic
1 cup thin coconut milk
1/4 cup Oil
4 medium sized Onions (chopped)
3 medium sized Tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp. Pepper powder
2 tsp.s Coriander powder
2 tsp.s Cumin powder
1/4 cup Bengal gram split (chana dal, soaked)
Slit four green chillies and grind the rest to a fine paste with ginger and garlic. Heat
oil in a pan, add onions and fry till transparent. Add the tomatoes, ginger- garlic-green
chilli paste, turmeric powder, salt and mutton. Stir and cook till well browned. Add a cup
of water and pressure cook for two whistles and switch off the heat. Open cooker and add
garam masala powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and chana dal. Continue
to cook for three to four minutes. Add coconut milk and cook, covered, till mutton is
tender. Garnish with slit green chillies. Serve hot.
Fish Biryani
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lb.Fish fillets in cubes
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice washed and soaked in water
3 tbsp. Oil
2 Bay leaves
2 Cloves
2 Green cardamoms
1 inch stick Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
1 medium sized Onion (finely sliced)
1/2 tbsp. Ginger paste
1/2 tbsp. Garlic paste
2 Green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder
For marination
1 medium sized Onion (finely sliced)
Oil to deep fry
1 tbsp. Yogurt
1/4 cup Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 tbsp. Ginger paste
1/2 tbsp. Garlic paste
1 tsp. Green chilli paste
1/2 tsp. Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Method
To prepare the marinade, heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the onion till golden
brown. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Cool and grind to a fine paste with yogurt.
Grind coriander leaves to a fine paste.Mix together the ground fried onions, coriander
paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,
garam masala powder and salt.Add the fish cubes and marinate for two hours preferably in a
refrigerator.Heat three tablespoons of oil in a deep pan, add bay leaves, cloves, green
cardamom, cinnamon and caraway seeds and sauté for a minute. Add onion and fry till
golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic paste and green chillies and sauté till the raw
flavours disappear.Add fish, sauté for a minute on high heat. Add lemon juice and reduce
heat. Cover and cook for five minutes stirring occasionally.Heat five cups of water in a
separate deep pan. When water boils, add salt, add the rice and cook till rice is three
fourth cooked. Remove rice with a perforated spoon and spread evenly on the fish. Sprinkle
garam masala powder on top. Cover and seal the pan with flour dough. Cook on low heat for
about twenty minutes.Alternatively you can cook in a preheated oven at 180°C for fifteen
minutes.Serve hot.
Mutton/Lamb Biryani from the Nizams kitchen
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 kg Mutton or lamb (cut into 1˝ inch pieces)
1˝ cups Basmati rice washed and soaked for half an hour in five to six cups of water.
Drain
1 tsp.. ginger paste
7-8 strands Saffron soaked in 1/2 cup Warm milk
2 cups Yogurt
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
1˝ tbsp. Garlic paste
Oil to deep fry
4-5 large sized Onions (thinly sliced)
4-5 Cloves
1 inch stick Cinnamon
4-5 Green cardamoms
1-2 Black cardamoms
6-8 Peppercorns
5 tbsp. Ghee
2 Green chillies (chopped)
2 tbsp. Coriander powder
1 tbsp. Cumin powder
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
4 large sized Tomatoes (chopped)
2 tsp.s Garam masala powder
1/2 medium bunch Fresh coriander leaves (coarsely chopped)
1/2 medium bunch Fresh mint leaves (coarsely chopped)
3 tbsp. Butter
Method
Marinate mutton in yogurt, salt, turmeric powder and one tablespoon each of ginger and
garlic pastes. Marinate for about four hours in a refrigerator.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and fry half of the sliced
onions till brown and crisp. Drain
Cook rice in salted five cups of boiling water along with
aromatic garam masala spices of cloves, cinnamon, green and black cardamoms and
peppercorns till rice is almost cooked. Strain and keep rice warm.
Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan or pressure cooker. Add
remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook, stirring continuously, till onions are
light golden brown. Add remaining ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well. Add
marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes. Add coriander powder,
cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly. Stir in three cups of water, bring it
to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till mutton is almost cooked. Add tomatoes, salt,
half the garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves. Cook for fifteen minutes on
medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ensure that the cooked mutton does not have a
thin gravy. If that is the case cook on high heat to reduce. Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange
half the quantity of cooked mutton in an ovenproof dish and spread half the quantity of
cooked rice on top of the mutton. Sprinkle a little of the remaining garam masala powder,
half each of ginger julienne, saffron dissolved in warm milk and mint leaves. Dot the rice
with half the quantity of butter. Spread the remaining mutton on top of the rice, followed
by cooked rice and repeat the earlier process with the remaining quantities of ginger
julienne, saffron milk, garam masala powder, mint leaves and butter. Cover it with
aluminium foil and cook in the preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes at 350F.
Garnish with fried sliced onions and serve with mixed vegetable raita as accompaniment.
Bisi Bele Huliyanna
Ingredients
Serves 4
1˝ cups Rice
3/4 cup toor dal
1˝ lemon sized balls Tamarind
5 tbsp. Oil
1 medium sized Onion (sliced finely)
3-4 Green chillies (slit)
8-10 small sized Sambhar onions (peeled)
10-12 Curry leaves
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
3 medium sized Tomatoes (quartered)
Asafoetida a pinch
1/2 tsp. Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. Mustard seeds
2 Red chillies whole
4 tbsp. Pure ghee
10-12 Cashewnuts
Huliyana masala
1/4 cup Bengal gram split (chana dal)
2 tbsp. Black gram split (urad dal)
4 Green cardamoms
4 Cloves
1 inch stick Cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
4 Red chillies whole
Method
Soak the rice and dals separately for twenty minutes and drain. Soak the tamarind in one
cup of warm water for half an hour, remove the pulp, strain and keep aside. Dry roast
huliyana masala ingredients individually on a tawa. Cool, mix and grind to a coarse
powder. Heat three tablespoons oil in a pressure cooker and sauté the onion till it turns
transluscent. Add slit green chillies, sambhar onions and stir-fry briefly. Add curry
leaves and turmeric powder. Add soaked rice and dals along with five cups of water. Bring
to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, asafoetida powder, red chilli powder,
tamarind pulp and salt. Stir well and add the powdered huliyana masala. Cover and
pressure-cook for five minutes. Open the lid carefully and stir well. Check consistency.
If it is too dry, moisten with a little warm water. Heat remaining oil and temper it with
mustard seeds and whole red chillies. Add this to the rice. Heat pure ghee and fry the
cashewnuts to light brown and add to the rice, along with the ghee. Mix well and serve
hot.
Lemon Rice
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
1 tbsp. Oil
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
Asafoetida a pinch
6 Curry leaves
1/2 tsp. Ginger paste
4 Whole dry red chillies
4-5 Cashewnuts pieces
1 tsp. Split black gram
1 tsp. chana dal
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. cilantro leaves finely sliced
Method
Soak rice in four to five cups of water for about thirty minutes. Drain and then cook in
four cups of boiling salted water until almost done. Drain and keep aside.Heat oil in a
shallow pan or a kadai. Add mustard seeds and when they being to crackle add asafoetida,
curry leaves, ginger paste, dry red chilles, cashewnuts, urad dal, chana dal and turmeric
powder. Sauté for a few seconds till the dals change colour.Add one tablespoon of water,
lemon juice and salt. Simmer for two minutes and then add rice. Toss to mix well.Garnish
with cilantro leaves and serve hot.
Fish Curry from Andhra Pradesh
Ingredients
Serves 4
1.5 Lbs. fish pieces
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Ginger paste
2 tsp.s Garlic paste
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
Turmeric powder a pinch
2 tbsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. Mustard seeds
5 Curry leaves
1 medium sized Onion (finely sliced)
3 Green chillies (chopped)
1 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
2 tbsp. Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
Method
Wash the fish pieces and drain. Marinate fish pieces for half an hour with salt, ginger
paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.Heat oil in a pan, add cumin
seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds crackle add onions and sauté
till light brown.Add fish pieces, green chillies. Cook for a minute, add tamarind pulp and
half a cup of water. Simmer on a slow heat till the fish is cooked. Remove from heat,
garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot with chapatti, or paratha.
Fish Curry Andhra Style
Ingredients
1 lb. Fish or 4 pieces
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp. Garlic paste
2 tbsp. Coriander seeds
2 tsp. Cumin seeds
2 tbsp. Sesame seeds
3 tbsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. Mustard seeds
5 Whole dry red chillies
3 medium sized Onions (finely sliced)
8 Curry leaves
1 1/2 cups Coconut milk
2 medium sized Tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 cup Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
Method
Mix turmeric powder, salt and half the garlic paste with fish and set aside for twenty
minutes.Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds and grind along with the
rest of the garlic paste to a coarse paste.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and
whole dry red chillies. When mustard seeds start crackling add onions and sauté till
brown.Add masala paste, curry leaves and salt. Cook for a minute.Add half the coconut
milk. Cook for five to six minutes than add fish and rest of the coconut milk, tomatoes
and half cup of water. Simmer till the fish is cooked. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves
and serve hot with steamed rice. Fish cooked with coconut milk and roasted and ground
spices
Shrimp in Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Serves 4
1/2 cup Coconut (scraped)
2 tsp.s Coriander powder
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. Black pepper powder
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
1 tsp. Tamarind pulp
3 Green chillies (chopped)
2 tbsp. Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
1 lb. large shrimp
1/2 cup Oil
10 Curry leaves
4 medium sized Onions (finely sliced)
2 tsp.s Ginger-garlic paste
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves and onions. Once the onions are light brown add
ginger-garlic paste and cook for two minutes.Add scraped coconut and sauté till the
masala and oil separates. Add coriander powder and turmeric powder and cook on low for
half a minute.Add shrimp, salt, black pepper powder and red chilli powder and sauté
lightly. Add tamarind pulp and half a cup of water.Cook on very low heat covering the pan
for ten to twelve minutes. Then uncover and simmer to reduce the liquid. Add green
chillies and cilantro leaves.Serve hot with rotis.
Zucchini Curry Andhra Style
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 lb. zucchini or any other squash or pumpkin
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
3 tsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
1 tsp. Split black gram (urad dal)
1 tsp. Bengal gram split (chana dal)
Asafoetida a pinch
10-12 Curry leaves
2 Green chillies (slit)
2 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
1 tsp. Jaggery
1/2 tbsp. Red chilli powder
2 tbsp. Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup Coconut (scraped)
Method
Heat oil in a kadhai/wok, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and sauté
for a minute or until seeds crackle.Add asafoetida, curry leaves, green chillies and
sauté for half a minute.Stir in tamarind pulp, jaggery, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric
and zucchini. Steam, covered over medium heat until zucchini is soft. Serve garnished with
cilantro leaves and fresh coconut.
Bitter gourd Fried and Seasoned
Ingredients
1 lb. Bitter gourd (karela)
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. + to deep fry Oil
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
1 tsp. Split black gram (urad dal)
2 Whole dry red chillies
6 cloves Garlic (chopped)
10-12 Curry leaves
2 medium sized Onion (chopped)
2 tsp.s Red chilli powder
3 tbsp. Roasted peanuts (crushed)
1/4 cup Coconut (scraped)
Method
Scrape and cut karela in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and thinly slice. Apply salt and
leave aside for ten to fifteen minutes. Wash with plenty of water. Drain and squeeze out
excess water.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the slices of kerela until crisp.
Drain and place on an absorbent paper.Heat three tablespoons of oil in a pan, add mustard
seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal. Whole dry red chillies and sauté till the seeds crackle.
Add garlic and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.Add onion and sauté till golden brown.
Add red chilli powder, salt and fried karela, stir fry for two to three minutes.Mix in
roasted peanuts and serve garnished with coconut.
Potato Curry
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 medium sized Potatoes (boiled)
2 tbsp. Oil
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
8-10 Curry leaves
1 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp. Jaggery (grated)
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. Split black gram (dhuli urad dal) powder
2 tsp. Sambhar masala
2 tbsp. Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
Method
Peel potatoes and cut them into one inch cubes.Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add curry leaves. Sauté for half a minute, add tamarind pulp and
jaggery.Add potato cubes, red chilli powder, salt, urad dal powder and sambhar masala.
Sprinkle one tablespoon of water and mix.Cook on medium heat till the masala coats the
potato cubes. Serve hot garnished with cilantro leaves.
Savory Rice Sesame Snack
2 cups Rice flour
1 tsp. Sesame seeds
2 tbsp. Butter
2 tsp.s Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 cup Coconut (scraped)
1 cup Ghee
Method
Mix rice flour, sesame seeds, butter, red chilli powder, salt and a little water to
moisten.Add coconut and mix well. Divide the mixture into twenty portions and make small
flat rounds like tikki’s by patting them on palm of the hand.Heat ghee in a kadai and
fry the tikki’s till golden brown. Drain onto an absorbent paper. Serve. |
