A fantastic and flavorful chicken curry that is a regular at our home. This favorite chicken curry recipe is usually prepared as a side with flavored rice like Tomato Pulao. Coconut milk and poppy seeds are essential in the preparation of the curry. The chicken simmers in a concoction of yogurt, coconut milk, poppy seeds and garam masala to yield a rich creamy textured curry. Tomato Pulao with Chicken curry made for a deliciously comforting meal.

I always have left over Idlis when I prepare Idlis for breakfast or dinner. When I am in need of snacks, Indian recipe style, all I do is saute the crumbled cold refrigerated idlis with a spiced base of onions and lots of fresh coriander leaves. I tend to play with the spices each time I go the crumbled idli upma way.

Recently, I prepared a version of Idli Upma with fresh coconut and carrot being the star players. It made for a visually appealing, filling, delicious and healthy evening snack for my son, Nehal. Use fresh coriander leaves which give a herb-y flavor to the dish.

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the curry leaves and saute till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen.
2 Add the green chilies and chopped onions and saute for 3-4 mts.
3 Add the turmeric pwd, red chili pwd, garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and half of the fresh coriander leaves and mix well. Add tomato sauce and mix. Saute for a mt.
4 Add the grated carrots and grated coconut and saute for 4 mts on low to medium flame. Add the crumbled idlis and mix. Saute for 2 mts. Turn off heat.
5 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve this quick left overs snack warm.

Picked a whole lot of almost ripe tomatoes at the farmer’s market a few days ago and my pantry looks very colorful as the tomatoes ripen to a brilliant red shade. I put a few to good use yesterday when I prepared tomato pepper rasam and today I used a few ripe ones to make a Chettinadu Style Thakkali Kulambu. Basic Kulambu is nothing but a tangy stew with endless variations based on the region its cooked.

I first tasted this Kulambu recipe at a Tamilian friend’s home. Her mother served us Thakkali Kulambu with Dosa and I fell in love with it. It makes for a delectable accompaniment with dosa, idli, chapati, pongal and rice. Spices like cinnamon, clove and cardamom bring a flavor and fragrance of their own while jaggery and coconut add a dose of sweetness that balance and complement the flavor of tangy tomatoes.

1 Heat oil in a vessel. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add cumin seeds and as they splutter, add garlic cloves, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and curry leaves and saute for 8-10 seconds.
2 Add the shallots and chopped onions and fry for 4 mts. Add the chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, black pepper pwd, coriander pwd, saunf pwd and salt. Mix well.
3 Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat uncovered for 4-5 mts. Reduce heat and cook covered for 7-8 mts.
4 Add 2 1/2 cups of water, jaggery, adjust salt and cook covered for 10-12 mts. Add the coconut paste and mix and cook till you get the desired gravy consistency.
5 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with hot chapatis, rice, pongal, khichidi, idli or dosas.

Katte Pongali is a traditional Andhra style rice and moong dal recipe that is often served in temples as Prasadam (Prashad). Nothing like a creamy, fragrant, warm bowl of Pongali especially during winters. There is something unique about the blending of earthy lentils with starchy creaminess of rice. Its pure comfort food.

Clarified butter aka ghee is essential for tempering and I never skimp on black pepper corns. Its super quick to bring together with few spices going into it. Here’s Katte Pongali recipe for you as Navratri special festival food. Enjoy!

1 Wash the rice and dal and keep aside.
2 Meanwhile in a heavy bottomed vessel or pot, heat ghee. Add the cumin seeds, let them splutter and turn slightly brown. Add the curry leaves, green chilies, black pepper corns, asafoetida and ginger and fry for a few seconds.
3 Add the drained rice and dal and mix with spices and fry for a few seconds.
4 Add water and salt and pressure cook till the rice and dal are cooked and soft. If cooking over stove top, bring water to a boil, reduce flame and place lid. Cook till the water is completely absorbed and the Pongal is cooked.
5 Garnish with fried cashwenuts and serve Pongali warm.

Guggillu aka Sundal is nothing but tempering chickpeas (kabuli chana or garbanzo beans). This recipe with chickpeas is made as an offering to Durga Ma as a Navratri special item.

Boiled chickpeas are lightly browned in a pan, but what makes it special is the toasted spices like mustard seeds and asafoetida combined with fresh curry leaves, plus a sprinkling of fresh grated coconut.

1 Pressure cook chick peas along with 3 cups of water, salt and baking soda till soft. The chickpeas should not get mushy.
2 Drizzle oil in a pan heat the oil for half a minute on medium flame. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, add the cumin and urad dal and as the dal turns lightly red, add the asafoetida, chopped green chillis and curry leaves. Saute for 10 secs. Add the cooked chick peas and Mix. Adjust salt and turn off heat.

Curd Rice is a comforting South Indian rice recipe that makes for a filling complete meal with pickle. During Navratri, Daddojanam (the name Yogurt rice goes by in Andhra) is prepared as a festival food and offered to Goddess Durga.

The key to a tasty curd rice lies in mashing the cooked rice lightly, fresh yogurt and the use of asafoetida in the tempering. Fresh curry leaves, coriander leaves (cilantro) and pomegranate seeds not only bring color to the Yogurt rice but also alleviate the flavor profile of this humble rice dish.

Not much of a recipe really. Even a 10 year old can whip it up in a five minutes provided there is cooked rice on hand

1 Mix the yogurt and salt with the cooled cooked rice. Mix well.
2 Add chopped ginger and green chilies. Mix with the curd rice.
3 Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the black gram dal, red chilies and curry leaves. Allow the dal to turn lightly red, approx a mt. Add asafoetida and turn off heat and immediately add to the curd rice. Stir the tempering into the rice and mix. Adjust salt if required. If the curd rice consistency is too thick, add a few tbsps of water or boiled milk and mix.
4 Garnish with coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve chilled or at room temperature with pickle or papad.

Vadas – light and fluffy on the inside with a crisp exterior, packed with flavor, make for a perfect offering to Goddess Durga. This Navratri special Vada recipe is basically a classic South Indian breakfast fare served with sambar and chutney.

Make sure the Vadas are cooked to crispy perfection till a beautiful golden shade is achieved and always serve them warm. Its the crisp exterior that makes the Vadas unique and delightful to savor with hot sambar.

Don’t skimp on the pepper corns because there’s something irresistibly delightful about the role they play in these savory Vadas. You will love the pepper-y flavor in each bite of the crispy Vada.

1 Soak whole black gram dal in water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2 Strain the water, and grind the dal to a paste sprinkling very little water. Use small portions of dal to grind batch wise as its easier to grind into a soft paste. Add salt, crushed cumin seeds and pepper corns and beat till fluffy.
3 Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel and heat till piping hot. Reduce flame to medium.
4 Wet your hands with water, take a lemon-sized ball of batter and flatten it into a vada on a greased sheet or banana leaf. Make a hole in the centre of the vada so that it cooks evenly all over.
5 Slowly drop the vada into the hot oil and fry it on both sides on medium flame to a golden brown color. Deep fry 4-5 vadas per batch depending on the size of the vessel.
6 Remove the vadas onto a serving plate. Serve warm while the crust is still crisp and serve warm with chutney and sambar.

A classic South Indian style vegetable stir fry that adorns a traditional thali is Carrot beans vepudu aka poriyal aka thoran aka stir fry. Healthy, easy to make with perfect combination of flavors. Curry leaves, hing and fresh coconut are my top most ‘essential’ ingredients whenever I venture out to make this vegetable fry recipe. Goes well with rice and sambar.

1 Par boil beans and carrot in a cup of salted water and pinch of turmeric for 7-8 mts. Turn off heat and drain any left over water. (Use this water as stock for soup or use along with water to knead chapati dough)
2 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the cumin seeds and split gram dal and once they turn slightly red, add fresh curry leaves, dry chilies and saute for a few secs. Add hing and saute for a few secs.
3 Add the green chili, par-boiled french beans and carrots and mix. Cook for 7-8 mts on low flame.
4 Adjust salt if required and add grated coconut. Mix and cook for 2 mts and turn off heat. Serve with rice and sambar.

I’m a podi freak. I have mentioned that in one of my earlier posts as well. I keep trying various podi recipes that have their origins in different regions of South India. One such podi that is aromatic with a unique flavor is Milagai Podi. The secret ingredient here is roasted sesame seeds. Sprinkle some of this magic spice powder over dosas or idlis along with a generous drizzle of gingelly oil or ghee and you are assured of a trip to heaven.

1 Drizzle oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and roast the channa dal on low to medium heat for 4 mts. Add split gram dal, pepper corns and dry red chilies and continue to roast till the dals release their flavor and turn golden. Finally, add asafoetida and lightly roast for few seconds and turn off heat. Remove onto a plate and cool.
2 Place the cooled dals and spices along with salt, dry roasted sesame seeds and peanuts in a blender and grind to make a coarse powder.
3 Store in an air tight container and serve with South Indian tiffins like dosas and idlis with a generous helping of ghee or oil.

Any dish I prepare with left over idlis makes my stomach happy. Masala Idli is a favorite and takes me less than 15 minutes to prepare. Usually prepared as a breakfast fare with a good dose of lemon juice and fresh coriander as garnish. Lively, invigorating flavors!

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves and saute till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen.
2 Add the green chilies and ginger and saute for few secs.
3 Add the chopped onions and saute on medium heat for 3-4 mts. Add turmeric pwd, red chili pwd, coriander pwd, saunf pwd and garam masala pwd. Mix well.
4 Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 5 mts till oil separates. Add the crumbled idlis and mix. Saute for 2 mts. Add lemon juice and mix. Turn off heat.
5 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve warm.