Thengai Sadam || Coconut Rice || தேங்காய் சாதம்

What else can you do with rice that is simple and quick besides fried rice.  Today I made Thengai Sadam, ie loosely translated Coconut Rice @ தேங்காய் சாதம்.

This is one of the many rice varieties that you can prepare.  It is simple and quick.  The sweetness from the freshly grated coconut, the crunchiness that you get from the cashew nuts and channa dhal (split bengal gram) and the little heat of the green chillies is awesome.  I pair the rice with some homemade beetroot chips and onion raita.  Honestly it is good as it is, no side dish is required.

Tips

Try using freshly grated coconut to get the best of this dish.

I also used coconut oil for tempering though you may use any vegetable oil if you wish.  

I used left over parboiled rice.  You can also use long grain rice.  Be sure to cool down and loosen the grains so that it does not clump together.  

Dont skip the ginger as they give a nice aroma.  Try those young ginger.  

Thengai Sadam||Coconut Rice ||தேங்காய் சாதம்.

Servings : 2 -3 persons

Ingredients

1 cup of freshly grated coconut

1.5 bowl of  cooked rice

3/4tsp of mustard seeeds

2 tsp of channa dhal (split bengal gram)

1 tsp of urad dhall

1 sprig of curry leaves

2 green chilly - adjust to your heat requirement

10-12 cashew nuts - halved - adjust to your requirement

1 tsp of sliced ginger

3 tbs of coconut oil

Method

 

1.  Heat a wok or pan and coconut oil on a medium fire.

2.  Once the coconut oil and add mustard seeds,channa dhal and urad dhall.  

3.  Mix for a few minutes. Add in curry leaves, ginger, cashew and chilly.

4.  Keep stirring for about 3-4 mins ensuring not to burnt the any.

5.  Add in fresh coconut, mix well and stir every now.  Dont let the coconut turn colour or burnt.

6.  Add in the rice, mix well and salt to taste.

7.  Coconut rice is ready to be served with raita or chips.  Serve warm.

Thengai Sadam with onion raita

Chettinad Pepper Chicken

Chettinad is part of Tamil Nadu - southern part of India. They are well known for their cuisine, with variety of spices and freshly ground spices.

Today I made Chettinad style Pepper chicken (Milagu Kozhi Varuval).  Varuval is dry fry where all the spices are coated to the meat leaving very little gravy.   I prefer to use chicken pieces with bones.  However, if you prefer boneless try the thigh part of a chicken instead of the breast part.  Also I prefer a wok or a flat pan instead of a pressure cooker.  You want the spices to simmer slowly into the chicken.  Remember to use slow fire.  Best eaten with rice, jeera rice, pulao or even bread.

My favourite combo will be rasam, pepper chicken and hot steaming rice.

Lets look at the recipe

Chettinad Style Pepper Chicken || Millagu Kozli Varuval Chettinad Style

Ingredients
900gm of chicken - cut into bite size (bones in)
1 big onions - slice finely
1 medium size tomato - chopped finely
1 sprig of curry leaves
1.5 tbs of ginger garlic paste
1 tbs of chilly powder
1 tbs of coriander powder
1tsp of turmeric powser
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
2/3 small stick of cinnamon
2 clove
2 cardamon
salt to taste
1 tbs of lemon juice


method
1.  Marinate the chicken with 1 tbs of ginger garlic paste, chilly and turmeric powders.  Also some salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 30mins.

2.  In a hot pan, saute onions till soft and brown.  Next followed by the cinnamon, bay leaf, clove, cardamon and fennel seeds. fry for a few more minutes and add in remainder ginger garlic with turmeric powder and stir well.

3. Next add in the tomatoes ensuring that they are well mashed up.  Mix well for a few minutes and add in the coriander powders so that the coat well and stir for a few more minutes.  After which you add in 1/4 cup to the spices, again mix well and stir till the oil starts to separate.

4.  Add in the marinated chicken.  Coat well the spices and cover.  Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the pan.

5. Cover and keep stirring. Let it cook over medium fire.  Check if the chicken is cooked, if needed at some water to cook thoroughly the chicken.  Salt to taste if needed.

6.  Once the chicken is cook, remove from fire and add in the crush pepper and the lemon juice.

7.  Serve with some coriander leaves.

Enjoy

Kerala Egg Roast

Recipe credit from @www.yummyoyummy.com

This is a Keralite speciality that is best eaten with appam, idiyappam or even ghee rice.  I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.

Ingredients

5 eggs - boiled, cooled and remove the shells

2 large onions - sliced thinly

1 large tomato - chopped finely

1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies - 1 slit halved way, 2 sliced thinly

3 red chillies - 2 slit halved way, 1 sliced thinly (this I add to give added heat)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1.5tsp Kashmiri chilly powder - I added another tsp for a little kick

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 sprig of curry leaves

1/2tsp of mustard seeds

salt to taste

oil - I used coconut oil

2 tbs chopped coriander leaves - for garnish.  I used some while sauteing onions.

Method

1. Preboiled the eggs, cool down and also remove the shells, half it if your prefer otherwise if whole slit around the eggs so that the spice absorbs into the eggs.
2. Heat coconut oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. (dont let it burnt)  
3. Add onions and toss a little, saute till it turns soft and transparent.  Add half 
4. Add in ginger garlic paste, chillies and curry leaves and stir.
5. Continue till the onions turn golden brown.
6. Add in the powders, stir well a bit, till the raw smell is off and it starts to split oil.
7. Add in the tomato and mix well and salt to taste. Mesh the tomato to let it mix well with the gravy.
8. Cook further it splits oil.  Add this juncture add some water to your preferred consistency. I prefer not too thick neither too thin.
9. Add in carefully the halved eggs, coat well with the gravy. let it simmer for a few more minutes.
10. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy

Egg Roast - Keralite Style

Indian Style Black Pepper Chicken

At a recent party, I tasted Black Pepper Chicken, cooked by a friend and had to ask her for the recipe as it was awesome.  It goes well with any rice, vegetable briyanis or even indian breads.

I had tried this with chicken wings.  Ideally best with whole chicken parts cut into small pieces.  It uses a good amount of onions and tomatoes.  Lets look at the recipe

Ingredients
1 kg chicken - cut into small pieces
4-5 big onions - sliced finely
4-5 big tomatoes- chopped.
4-5 green chillies - finely chopped
3-4 sprigs of curry leaves - sliced into half
2tbs of ginger garlic paste
2tsp of fennel seeds
1tsp of cumin seeds
2tsp of turmeric powder
3tsp of black pepper powder
2tsp of fennel powder
2tsp of coriander powder
1tsp of cumin powder
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
coriander stalks - chopped coarsely

Method

1.  In a bowl, add the chicken with some salt, turmeric and 1tsp of black pepper powder and lime juice.  Mix well and marinate for about 10-15mins while preparing the rest.
2.  Heat oil in a wok.
3.  Once heat, add in both fennel and cumin seeds. Once splutter, add in onions and sauté till soft.
4.  Once soft add in green chillies, curry leaves and stir well for a few seconds.
5.  Add in chopped tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and mix well.  Cover wok for a few minutes.
6.  Add in the rest of powders with tomato and onion mixture. mix well and let it cover till the oil separates.  Add in little water if they mixture tend to stick.  Keep stirring.
7.  Add in the chicken pieces, a bit of water, if require, stir to mix and cover the wok.  Keep stirring till well mix and add salt to taste, if required.
8.  Remove from fire once chicken is done.  Add lime juice and chopped coriander leaves.  If desired you can also top it with some light crushed black pepper.
9.  Enjoy with warm rice or bread.

 

 

 

Enjoy

 

Sathiarani