ORANGE PEEL CURRY

Just like we prepared mango curry or ambe umman in konkani style, my motherinlaw prepared using orange skin which turns really good. Infact its peel is very helpful in reducing the chances of constipation, reduces heartburn, and mainly high in fiber content which helps in weight loss. Now coming back with recipe, in this curry, you can feel the taste of slight bitterness of the peel, its sweet, sour and spicy due to the addition of crushed pepper. Not most of the people would love this but if possible do give it a try :)

INGREDIENTS.

2 Orange skin

1 Cup Jaggery.

2 tbsp Raw Rice.

3 Dried Red chillies.

1 tbsp Crushed Black peppercorns.

1 tsp Mustard seeds.

1 tbsp Urad dal

1 tsp Jeera.

Few Curry leaves.

1 tbsp Coconut oil.

Salt a pinch.

Water nearly 2 cups or plus.

METHOD.

Firstly soak rice nearly for 40 min. In a pan dry fry dried red chilli and peppercorns separately. Make sure it does not burnt. Now blend the soaked rice with dried fried red chilly. Add water as per needed. Finally add the peppercorns and give a quick grind so that its not finely powdered but like a crushed process. Keep it aside.
Meanwhile wash orange skin thoroughly and cut them into medium size. Place them into cooking vessel with adequate water. Put Jaggery piece and allow it to sit for about half an hour. This will make jaggery melts soon.Later bring them to boil and Sim until the orange peel are well cooked. Then add the blended mixture and stir adding a pinch of salt according to taste. Remove from flame.
Last but not the least. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds followed by jeera, urad dal and curry leaves. Fry them and pour it on to the orange skin curry.

Serve hot hot.

Enjoy!!

KOZHI VARUTHA CURRY

This is one of the delicious and flavoursome chicken curry enhanced with roasted coconut, cashews with whole Indian spices. This is relatively mild curry that it goes with everything - rice, chappati, pulav appam etc etc.

INGREDIENTS FOR FRYING MASALA

3/4 Cup Grated Coconut.

1/2 Cup Pearl Onion.

50 grams of Cashews.

1/2 stick of Cinnamon

2 Elachi

4 Cloves.

1 tsp Fennel seeds.

3 tsp Red chilly pd

3 tsp Coriander pd.

1/2 tsp Turmeric pd

1 tsp Jeera pd

1 tbsp Coconut oil

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY

1 Kg Chicken.

1/2 Inch Cinnamon

2 Cloves

2 Onion

2 Tomato

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

Salt to taste.

Water as required.

Coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD

Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Fry fennel seeds, cinnamon, elachi, cloves. Once its fried up add onions, cashews and coconut. Fry till it becomes slight  roasted and in brown colour. Switch off the flame and add red chilly, coriander pd jeera pd and turmeric powder. Mix well and allow to cool. Grind into fine paste adding adequate amount of water.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cinnamon, cloves followed by chopped onions. Saute till it turns brown. Then add  ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Add chicken and little water and mix well. Close with a lid and allow to cook for 15 min. Add the grounded masala and mix well. Again close with a lid and cook for another 10 min. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

ENJOY!!

POHA HALWA

I wanted to give a try making poha halwa which ended up super delicious and yummy. Its very simple to make and needs little ghee unlike other halwas. Its perfect to prepare on special occasions ;)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup Thick Poha.

1/2 Cup Sugar.

1/2 Cup plus 2 tbsp Water.

3 tbsp Ghee.

Pinch of food colour

1 tsp Cardamom pd.

Ghee Fried dry fruits.

METHOD.

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a kadai and roast poha. Roast until the colour changes and you get a nice aroma. Remove from flame and let it cool. Grind them in a blender.

Bring water to boil and add the grind ed poha. Stir continuously. Add sugar, cardamom and food colour and stir. Once sugar dissolves add ghee and keep stirring till the consistency becomes thick or until ghee leaves its side. Transfer them on a greased plate.

Enjoy!!