Masala Idli

Ingredients

To make Idli batter 

Idli rice - 2 Cup
Urad Dhal - 1/2 Cup

To make masala

Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Garlic - 2 pods
Green Chilly - 1 or 2
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bengal gram/Chenna dhal - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup                                                                                                        Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


Method

To make Idli batter 

  Soak idli rice and urad  dhal separately for 4 hours. Grind them separately. Add required salt and mix them both together. Allow it to ferment over night or for 10 hours.
 If you don't want to go through the process of making the batter, easy way is to buy the batter from super market. :)

  Prepare idlies using the batter. Once the idlies are cool, cut the idlies into four each.

To make masala

  Chop onion,tomatoes,garlic and green chilli.
 
   Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add chenna dhal, curry leaves and onion.Saute onions until golden brown. Add tomatoes,garlic and green chillies. Saute until tomatoes are soft. Add red chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt. Sprinkle some water.Saute them.When the gravy is thick,add the chopped idlies and mix well. Mixture should blend well on all the idli pieces. Garnish with coriander leaves.

  Serve hot.

  This dish can be prepared with left over idlies also.This can be served for break fast or evening snack.

Mutton Vindaloo

Ingredients 


Mutton/Lamb Meat - 2 lb
Minced Onion - 2

Shallots - 10
Garlic - 10
Ginger - 1 inch
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole black pepper  - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Corainder leaves - handful
Salt to taste
Oil  - 3tbsp

Method

  Pressure cook mutton/lamb meat with a small piece of ginger,salt and turmeric.Cook for 3 whistles.
  Grind shallots separately. Grind mustard seeds,cumin seeds, whole black pepper, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,vinegar,ginger and garlic.
  In a separate pan,  heat oil.Add minced onion and saute until golden brown.Add ground shallots and saute until raw smell vanishes.Now add the ground spice mixture,saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Add the partially cooked mutton/lamb meat.Cook until meat is perfectly done and the gravy becomes thick.Garnish with coriander leaves when done.Serve hot.
  Goes well with chapathi, paratha.
 

Chettinad Mutton Briyani

Ingredients 

Mutton/lamb meat - 2 lb
Shallots - 10
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Curd - 2 tsp
Garlic - 10
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chilli - 3
Red chilli - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 2
Saunf - 1tsp
Bay leaf - 2
Curry leaves - handful
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - handful
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Oil -3 tbsp

Method 

 In a pressure cooker,cook mutton/lamb meat with turmeric,a small piece of ginger,curry leaves,salt and required quantity of water.Cook for of 3 or 4whistle Soak rice in water for 10 minutes. Grind shallot,garlic,ginger,red chilli,green chilli,one cinnamon,two cloves,one cardamom,half of mint leaves,half teaspoon of saunf.set it aside. Mince onions and tomatoes. In a sauce pan,heat oil.Add the left over spices( cinnamon,cardamom,cloves,saunf,bay leaf),curry leaves and remaining mint leaves.Add minced onion and sauté until golden brown.Add the ground mixture and sauté until raw smell vanishes.Add minced tomato and sauté until it becomes soft.Add red chilli powder and curd.Saute for a minute. In the mean time,release the pressure from the pressure cooker.Remove the mutton pieces and add it to the sauce pan.Saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Measure the mutton stock.For one cup of rice,there should be two cups of mutton stock.If you are running short of stock compensate it with water.Add the stock to the sauce pan.Add salt to taste.When the mixture boils,add rice.Cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until rice is cooked and dry.When done,garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Serve hot with raita and boiled egg.