FRENCH BEANS WITH CHANA DHAL/ KADALAI PARUPU FRENCH BEANS KOTTUKARI

Hi, Welcome back readers to my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared.

Today, I am going to share a delicious vegetarian recipe with all of you. It is called French Beans Kottukari. This is the way how it is cooked in my family. Try out this dish and enjoy with your family.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 kg french beans (chopped)

1/2 cup Chana dhal /kadalai parupu (you can use toor dhal or mung dhal)(soak overnight)

11 halved garlic (for boiling the lentils)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds (for boiling the lentils)

1 teaspoon turmeric (for boiling the lentils)

2 big onions (sliced)

3 green chilies (roughly sliced)

5 cloves garlic (sliced)

1 tablespoon mix spices / talipu 

2 sprigs curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons oil 

PREPARATION METHOD

FIRST STEP - BOIL THE DHAL

1. In a pot / claypot, add in the rinsed overnight soaked dhal, garlic, cumin, turmeric powder, salt and enough water to cook the dhal.

2. Cook till the dhal is soft but not broken, as it will continue cooking when we add the beans later. Keep aside.

SECOND STEP - MAKING FRENCH BEANS KOTTUKARI

1. Heat up oil in a wok , add talipu / mix spices, onions, garlic, curry leaves and green chilies. Stir well till onions and green chilies are soften. Then add in the turmeric powder. We have also added turmeric when we boiled the dhal so add accordingly.

2. Then add in the chopped green beans and a bit of salt. Combined all ingredients and let it cooked for 10 minutes.

3. Now add in the boiled dhal. Mix all the ingredients evenly and add water to cook the beans. Cook for another 15 minutes till the beans are soft.

(Remember that we have added salt during the boiling the dhal and after we added the beans. Go easy on the salt. Taste before adding more.)  

4. Now the beans is ready to be served. Best eaten with rice or bread.

EGGS FRIED IN CHILI PASTE / VARA MILAGAI SANTHU MUTTAI PORIYAL (Part 2 - from plain biryani rice)

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to my blog where real food recipes are shared.

As I said in my plain biryani recipe that I will share how to make my family way of  fried eggs in chili paste. So here it goes. Enjoy making it at home for your family.

INGREDIENTS

5 eggs (boiled and halved)

3-4 tablespoons homemade plain chili powder (depends on the thickness needed)

Salt to taste

Water

Oil to fry

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Boiled the eggs and halved it. Keep aside.

2. Prepare the chili paste. Add the chili powder, salt to taste and water. Combine all ingredients well without lumps.

3. Spread the chili paste on each halved eggs and keep aside.

4. Heat up oil in a flat pan / dosa kallu / tawa. Shallow fry the halved eggs for 1 minute each sides in medium flame. Put in the yolk side first then slowly flip to the other side without breaking it.

5. Now the fried chili paste eggs are ready to be served.

PLAIN BIRYANI RICE AND FRIED EGGS IN CHILI PASTE / VARA MILAGAI MUTTAI PORIYAL (Part 1)

Hello my esteem readers, welcome back to my blog where real food recipes are shared. 

Today, I am going to share with you a plain biryani rice accompanied with fried chili paste eggs. The biryani rice is non-vegetarian version which I have added homemade chicken stock for flavor and the chili paste eggs are so simple to make and delicious.  If you are a vegetarian simply opt out the chili paste eggs and instead of chicken stock, add in vegetable stock. 

For the fried eggs in chili paste, I will share my family way of  making it in my next recipe. So please keep track of my blog to get the recipe. 

Using homemade biryani masala paste gives a different flavor to the dish. A special spice is used which I was told it would give a unique taste and fragrant to the biryani rice which is called black stone flower or kalpasi from India. It is a good treat for special occasions and festivals. Hope you would try making it and enjoy!

PLAIN BIRYANI RICE AND MASALA EGGS

PLAIN BIRYANI RICE

 (serving 3-5 pax)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups basmathi rice (rinsed, soaked for 15 minutes and discard water)
4  big onions (sliced)
5 big onions (fried till golden brown for garnishing at the end)
2 big tomatoes (cubed)
1 cup coriander leaves (roughly chopped)
1 cup mint leaves (roughly chopped)
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
3 bay leafs
4 black stone flowers (kalpasi)
3 star anise
5 tablespoons Ghee
1 cup plain yogurt
5 tablespoons fresh milk (boiled)
4 strands saffron / yellow coloring
3 cups chicken stock / vegetable stock
Salt to taste

HOMEMADE BIRYANI MASALA
8 dry chilies ( boiled for 5 minutes and discard the water)
1 tablespoon  poppy seeds (kasakasa)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds 
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoons turmeric powder

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
Chicken carcass
1 big carrot (roughly cut)
Thumb size ginger (roughly cut)
5 cloves 
Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

1. First, prepare the chicken stock. Add in a pot water the chicken carcass, carrots, ginger, garlic and salt. Boil till the meat in the carcass falls out. 
2. In the meantime, blend the dry chilies, poppy (kasakasa), coriander, fennel, cumin seeds with a bit of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.
3. Heat ghee in a wok, add in the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leafs, black stone flowers (kalpasi) and star anise.
4. Add in the onions saute till the onions turn golden brown. Into this, add in the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell are gone.
5. Then add in the coriander and mint leaves mix well. 
6. Now the tomatoes goes in. Cook till tomatoes are soft. 
7. Pour in the homemade biryani masala paste and combine well in the ghee until fragrant and the oil separates. Cook in medium flame.
8. Into that, add in the yogurt and salt to taste. Let all the ingredients simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Now add in the basmathi rice and again combined all ingredients evenly. Cook for 3 minutes then switch of the stove.
10. Transfer all ingredients into the rice cooker.
11. Discard the bones from the chicken stock and leave the meat inside. Now pour the stock into the rice cooker and measure the level of the stock according to the rice.
12. Mix all well and taste again for salt and let it cook. Remember we have also added salt to the stock earlier so go easy on the salt.
13. Mix the rice once again in between to even all ingredients and close the lid and let it cook.
14. Once it is cooked take a fork and slowly fluff up the rice. 
15. In a cup, add in the boiled milk and strands of saffron or yellow coloring and mix well and pour on top of the rice. Leave the rice for another 5 minutes before switching it off the rice cooker.
16. Add oil in a wok, fry onions for garnishing till golden brown. Then spread on top of the rice.
17. Now the biryani rice is ready to be served.
18. Best eaten with raita, cucumber pineapple salad, chicken kurma, chicken fried.

ANCHOVIES IN THICK CHILI GRAVY (VERSION NO. 2)/ NETHILI KARUVADU SAMBAL & STIR FRIED LONG BEANS / PAITHANGAI PERATAL /

Hello there my esteem readers, welcome to my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared.

In my previous recipe, I have shared how to make my mom's Coconut Rice and Anchovies in Thick Chili Gravy (Version No. 1). Today, I am going to share my Version No. 2 of Anchovies in Thick Chili Gravy / Nethili Karuvadu Sambal which is slightly different from my mom's. The difference is that I blend the onions, my mom slices the onions and accompanied with a quick Stir Fried Long Beans. It is a best combo to be eaten with the coconut rice. 

You can add on other condiments to accompany the coconut rice and the gravy. A complete set of Nasi Lemak shown in picture below. Hope all of you try this at home and enjoy!

Anchovies in Thick Chili Gravy /Nethili Karuvadu Sambal

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup anchovies (small size, washed and soaked for 5 minutes to take out the excess salt)
2 big onions (roughly chopped)
5 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
thumb size ginger (roughly chopped)
8 dried chilies (washed and boiled for 5 minutes)
1 large tomatoes (cubed)
5-6 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Blend onions, garlic, ginger and chilies to a fine thick paste. Keep aside.

Blend onions, garlic, ginger & chilies except tomatoes

Thick smooth paste

2. Heat up oil in a wok and add the anchovies and fry till half cooked.(Note: if you can find the small anchovies any other size will do. Clean, rinse and soak the anchovies for 5 minutes, use a pestle and motor / grinding stone / ammi kallu and mash / grind slightly. This will make it soften.)

small anchovies

fry till half cooked

3. Then add in the tomatoes and cook till it is soft. Then add in the chili paste and salt to taste. Taste before adding the salt. Cook till the oil separates.

4. The gravy is ready to be served.

STIR FRIED LONG BEANS

INGREDIENTS

10 long beans (washed and sliced diagonally)

2 tablespoons ground nuts

1 medium size onions (cubed)

4 cloves garlic (chopped) 

2 green chilies (sliced)

1/2 cup of thick coconut milk

3 tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Heat up oil in a wok. Add in the ground nuts and saute till slightly brown.

2. Then add in the onions, garlic and green chilies and saute till the raw smell are gone. Now add in the long beans and salt to taste. Cook till the long beans are half cooked.

3. Then add in the coconut milk and stir well. Let it cook till the milk evaporates.

4. The long beans ready to be served.

ANCHOVIES IN THICK CHILI GRAVY (VERSION NO. 1) & COCONUT RICE / NETHILI KARUVADU SAMBAL & COCONUT RICE / THENGAI SADHAM

Hey there, I am back with another exciting post on food and to my esteem readers thanks for following my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared. 

Today's recipe is a Malaysian National food which is called Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) accompanied with a gravy called Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies in thick chili gravy). This is a Malay dish and it is eaten commonly for breakfast. It is wrapped in banana leafs which gives an aromatic scent and gives a great flavor to the dish. I am going to share with you my mom's way of doing it (Version No. 1) and how I have wrapped it for my catering business.

Along the way, I will be sharing with you my style (Version No. 2) accompanied with different kind of condiments. Hope you would try it at home. Enjoy!

VERSION NO. 1

ANCHOVIES IN THICK CHILI GRAVY / NETHILI KARUVADU SAMBAL

INGREDIENTS

1 cup anchovies (cleaned,  washed and soak for few minutes in the water to take out the excess salt) 

5-7 dried chilies (washed, boiled for 5 minutes and throw away the water. Keep aside)

3 big onions (sliced) (This recipe requires more onions as it will give the gravy its  natural sweetness)

4 cloves garlic 

Thumb size ginger

1 big tomatoes (cubed)

1/3 cup thick coconut milk

5 tablespoons oil
Water for blending 

Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

1. First, in a blender add in boiled chilies, ginger,garlic and a bit of water. Make it a slightly watery paste.
2. Now heat up oil in a wok, add in the anchovies first and fry till half cook. 
3. Then add in the sliced onions and combine well in the anchovies till the onions are translucent.
4. Add in the tomatoes and cook till soften.
5. Now add in the blended chili paste. Mix well all ingredients and cook till the oil separates.
6. Taste the gravy for salt. (Please note that we soaked and took out the excess salt from the anchovies but there will be some salt retain so go easy on the salt).
7. Finally add in the coconut milk and combine well and let is simmer to 2 minutes. The gravy should not be dry it should be wet.
8. Best eaten with coconut rice with side condiments like fried groundnuts, fried eggs, boiled eggs, fried anchovies, fried chicken, cucumber and a simple stir fried long beans.

Note: Always remember to taste your food for salt before adding more.

COCONUT RICE / THENGAI SADHAM 

washed basmathi rice

1 cup thick coconut milk, 2 1/2 cups water, pandan leaves (knitted & a small piece of ginger)

Add all ingredients in rice cooker

Fluffy Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS

2 cups basmathi rice (washed till the water is clear)

3 pandan leaves (knitted)
1 small piece of ginger
1 cup thick coconut milk
2 1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

METHOD

1. In a rice cooker, add the washed basmathi rice, coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Add in the ginger and the pandan leaves.
3. Now switch on the rice cooker and let it cook.
4. When it is almost cooked,  mix again the rice and close the cover. cook till it cooks fully.
5. Now the fluffy coconut rice is ready to be served. 

Note: This dish contains coconut milk. Do not keep it out too long. Refrigerate it and re-heat when you want to consume.

STIR FRIED MASALA FRENCH BEANS / MASALA FRENCH BEANS PERATAL

Hello! welcome to my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared. Today, I am going to share with you a different way of cooking french beans. It is called Stir Fried Masala French Beans. A very simple method and quick to make. Hope you will try my recipe at home. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
500g of french beans (slice diagonally)
1 big onions (sliced)
2 fresh green chilies (sliced it roughly)
4 gloves of garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon plain chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 sprig of curry leaves
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Heat up a wok, add in oil, then add in the onions, curry leaves, garlic and red chilies. Stir well till the onions are translucent.
2. Now add in the french beans, chili powder, cumin powder, fennel powder and turmeric powder. Combine all well in the oil till the raw smell of spices are gone and the beans are almost half cooked.
3. Add salt and coconut milk. Mix well and let it cook till the oil separates.
4. Off the stove and serve.
5. Best eaten with rice.

MOCHAIKOTTAI BEANS WITH DRY SALTED THREADFIN CURRY / KODUVA MEEN KARUVADU MOCHAIKOTTAI KOLUMBU

A big hello to all my valued readers. Thanks for keep following with my blog Ruku's Authentic Kitchen Flavors where real food recipes are shared. Today, I am glad to share with you a very delicious and aromatic dish. It is called Mochaikottai Beans with Dry Salted Thread-fin Curry / Mochaikottai with Koduva Meen Karuvadu Kolumbu. For those who have not seen dry salted Thread-fin fish / Koduva Meen, I have added a picture of the dry fish and mochaikottai beans. This is my family way of doing it. 

All spices used in my recipes are homemade which gives the curry a different taste and amazing aroma. I use either powdered form or straight away use the full spices and blend them to a paste. You can do that too.  Hope you would try it at home. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups of mochaikottai beans (soaked over night) 

6-7 pieces dry thread-fin fish / koduva meen karuvadu (including bones and meat)

2 big onions

2 big tomatoes

4 drumsticks / murangaikai (scrap the skin off and cut into 2 cm sticks and pull out the skin)

1 tablespoon of garlic paste

1 tablespoon of ginger paste

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

7 - 8 dry chilies (blend to paste) (depends on the level of heat you want) 

2 tablespoons cumin seeds (make it to a paste)

2 tablespoons coriander seeds (make it to a paste)

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 cups of thin coconut milk

1 cup of thick coconut milk

2 tablespoons tamarind juice

2 sprigs curry leaves

Oil

PREPARATION METHOD

FIRST, PREPARE THE BEANS

Wash and boil the over night soaked mochakottai beans. Add in a bit of turmeric and salt. Cook till beans are soft. Keep aside.

cooked Mochaikottai Beans

SECOND, PREPARE THE DRY SALTED FISH / KARUVADU 

In a pot, add water and bring it to a boil. Then add in the salted fish to take out the excess salt. Boil for about 10 minutes. Then pour out the water. Keep aside.

Dry Thread-fin/Koduva Meen

THIRD, TO PREPARE THE CURRY

1. Heat oil in a pot, add mustard seed, fenugreek seeds, onions, ginger garlic paste and curry leaves. Saute the onions till a bit brown and ginger garlic paste raw smell goes away. 
2. Now add in the cumin, coriander paste and turmeric powder. Mix well in the oil till it raw smell of the spices are gone. 
3. Into that, add in the washed drumstick / murangaikai and tomatoes. Combine all ingredients well.
4. Then add the chili paste. Cook till the oil breaks.
5. Now pour in the thin coconut milk and let it boil. Cook till the drumstick is half cooked.
6. Then add in the dry salted fish and cook till it is tender. At this point, taste the curry to check on the salt and add in the tamarind water. (Note: In the beginning, the salted fish was boiled and the excess salt was taken out but there will be some salt remain in the fish and also salt was added to the beans during boiling process, so go easy on the salt and the tamarind water. Always remember to taste your food before adding salt) 
7. Now add in the beans and pour in the thick coconut milk. Cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Ready to be served. Best eaten with rice.