My Cooking Wonders

Yet another of mom's recipes. Egg drumstick curry is a spicy and tangy tomato gravy curry which mom used to make all the time while we were kids. Back then I am not a big fan of eggs and having drumsticks in the curry used to make my life easy. Now it is a different story - I love eggs and having drumsticks in the curry is a bonus :). This curry is like a party in your mouth with different flavors complementing each other..Give it a try.. Ingredients 6 hard boiled eggs 8 to 10 2 inch drumstick pieces 1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped tomato 1 tsp ginger garlic paste half lemon sized tamarind soaked in water 1 tsp red chilli powder Salt per taste 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder A sprig of curry leaves 2 tbsp oil 1/4 tsp Sugar couple pinches of turmeric Tempering 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds couple of pinches of asafoetida 1/4 tsp Chana dal Method Extract the juice from the tamarind adding 2 cups of water and set aside. Make sli...

Country chicken is not your ordinary chicken. This is either 'you die for it' or 'do not even want to touch it' kind of dish. I most definitely will fall into the first category.. I love love love this dish. Growing up mom used to make this dish during Sankranti(Pongal) season and BOY OH BOY, it use to taste divine with Garelu. The best part of this dish is that we cook the chicken with skin on and trust me, it tastes the best that way. Now a days country chicken is available throughout the year and I do not have to wait for a particular season to eat it :). Here is my version of this yummy yummy recipe(actually version of my mom's recipe little bit improvised by me).  Ingredients 2 lbs country chicken 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder(adjust per spice level) 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 tsp garam masala powder Salt per taste Water 2 cups(adjust per the tenderness of the chicken) 1 tsp Turmeric 3 tbsp oil 3 tbs...

Today's recipe is a spur of the moment recipe. I have some ingredients that are left over on hand from some other recipe. Half can of coconut milk, handfuls of mint and coriander leaves that need to be used or I have to throw them away which gave me an idea for this recipe. To my surprise this curry did turn out really rich, creamy and yummy!!! A really simple, nothing fancy, fast recipe which can be made in a jiffy. Give it a try and see for yourselves!! Ingredients 2 lbs boneless Chicken 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 cup onion paste 1 cup coconut milk Salt per taste 1 tsp red chili powder(adjust per spice level) 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1 tbsp ghee or oil 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric powder handful of mint leaves handful of coriander leaves + 1 tbsp for garnish Method Clean and cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add in cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add in mint and coriander leaves and let them splutter as wel...

During Summer months, ridge gourd cooked in milk gravy is an often made curry in our house. We tend to make it atleast once a week as this is pretty much one of my hubby dear's favorite curry. After eating the same curry for 3 to 4 months already, my taste buds started protesting and I have to think of a different recipe that can be made with ridge gourd.  This is one such recipe I tried and hubby dear is very reluctant to taste this at first. Once he tasted it, he went for second and third servings which made me super happy. Give it a try and I can say that you will not be disappointed.. Ingredients 1 Beerakaya/Ridge gourd 1/2 tomato finely chopped 1/2 cup onion finely chopped 1/4 tsp ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Grated coconut or dried coconut powder Red chilli pwd per taste 1 cup Water Couple of pinches Garam masala Juice of half lemon Salt per taste 2 tbsp  Ghee 1 tbsp Oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds For Paste 1 tbsp Sesame seeds 1/4 cu...

If you are looking for something healthy or lighter version, no offense...you can just stop here and look for other recipes(hey..the name says it all....it is Paneer, BUTTER and whole lot of other good creamy stuff). I have never came across a restaurant in USA that does not serve Paneer butter masala. This mouth watering gravy is like heaven to your taste buds with right amount of spiciness, creaminess and little sweetness. Here is my version of this awesome goodness..Give it a try :) Word of caution: This recipe looks little lengthy and takes time but trust me, it is all more than worth it at the end.. Ingredients 800 grams(around 2 lbs) Paneer sliced into bite sized cubes 2 big onions grind to paste(around 4 1/2 to 5 cups of onion paste) 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste 8 large tomatoes blanched(check notes below), skin removed and made to fine puree(around 4 cups of puree) 24 whole cashews 2 tsp poppy seeds/gasagasalu(optional) 4 bay leaves 2 cups milk(I highl...

Today's special is Mom's mutton curry with few of my additions. I have tasted so many mutton recipes but hands down, by far my mom's curry is the best.. This specific curry is finger licking good and lip smacking tasty..The paste made out of nuts add that extra richness and taste to this curry. YUM YUM YUM!!!! The make or break for a perfect Andhra mutton curry is to cook the mutton till it is tender but the pieces should stay in tact without falling off...If you can figure out that exact balance you are a pro at making mutton curry andhra style!!  Ingredients Oil 3 tbsp Ghee 2 tbsp Onion chopped 1/4 cup(Do not need much because gravy comes from nuts powder) Gg paste 1/2 tbsp Salt 2 tsp(Per taste) Red Chilli powder 1 to 1 1/2 heaped tsp depending on spice level 1 cup water 1 tsp garam masala Coriander leaves for garnish Marination Mutton 1kg Salt 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder 1 heaped tsp Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp Garam masala 1/2 tsp Lemon juice 1/2 l...

Guthivankaya koora - The one recipe that will make mouth water for people from Southern part of India....well, atleast for people from my home state - Andhra pradesh :) .. Stuffed eggplant with hot steamed rice and a touch of ghee...ummm..ummmm....ummmmm. In my opinion, even non-veg dishes will not be able to compete with this one dish. That is how tasty this curry will be.. There are 101 ways to make the stuffing for egg plants. Here is one of my favorite stuffing I wanted to share today. It is spicy, tangy, nutty, rich, with a hint of sweetness and last but not least--Yummy!!! Give it a try and from my own experience, I promise you will be asked to make this dish more often :). Good Luck... Ingredients 10 to 12 small round eggplants 2 green chillies slit lengthwise 1 tsp sugar(Optional) 3 to 4 tbsp oil For Paste(Masala) 1/2 cup peanuts 1/4 cup dry coconut 2 tbsp sesame seeds 3/4 tbsp tamarind paste(or extract from small lemon sized tamarind) 8 to 10 dried red chillie...

Craving for something spicy and rich? Here is one dish which satisfies that craving especially on a cold winter day - Chicken gassi. This is a traditional manglorean dish and of course one of my few early culinary adventures after I started cooking. I really do not remember where or from whom I got this dish but it ended in my kitchen and in my recipe diary. Today I wanted to share this recipe with all the spice food lovers out there..Give this recipe a try for sure..I promise you will not be disappointed at all :) Ingredients For Marinade 2 lb chicken 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp turmeric  Salt per taste For Paste 1/4 cup dry coconut powder or 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut 1 medium onion 1 tsp black pepper 10 dried red chillies (increase or decrease per spice level) 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds(menthulu) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp oil For curry 2 medium onions chopped finely(around 2 cups chopped) 2 tsp tamari...

If You are looking for a side dish to pair up with Biryani or Pulao dishes I have one dish for you - Chicken Chalna. Chicken Chalna is a famous dish in Tamilnadu and I came across this dish online while browsing for something else. I added my own little twists to make it match my taste buds but in a good way though :).. This dish is not too spicy yet not too mild...not too thick yet not too thin but carry perfect consistency and taste to go well with Biryani or any spicy rice dishes. Give it a try.... Ingredients 1 lb Chicken (with bones) 1 big Onion chopped fine(around 1 1/2 to 2 cups of chopped onion) 1 Tomato chopped fine(around 3/4 cup chopped tomato) 2 Green chilies slit lengthwise 1 1/2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp Red chilli powder(per spice level) 2 tbsp thick Yogurt 1 tsp Garam masala 1 tbsp Oil Salt per taste For Paste 6 Cashew nuts 4 tbsp grated coconut powder 2 tbsp peanuts(Verusenaga gullu) dry roasted and peeled 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 1/2 tbsp...

Summer is almost over and I am trying to enjoy all the summer dishes as much as I can. One dish my mom used to make during summer is bottle gourd in milk sauce. I could not get the right word to express in english but my mom used to say 'chalava chesthundhi'. This dish to me is same as soups to me in Winter. During hot summers this dish will help cool your body and acts a cooling agent which is very simple to make in no time. It tastes best when it is hot and when accompanied by a touch of ghee..Enjoy!!! Ingredients 1 medium sized bottle gourd chopped bite size(around 3 to 4 cups chopped pieces) 1 medium onion 4 green chillies minced 1 big clove garlic minced 1 cup milk Salt per taste Red chilli powder per taste 2 tbsp oil For Tempering 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp urad dal 1/2 tsp chana dal couple of pinches of Asfoedia 5 or 6 curry leaves 1 dried red chilli broken into two 1/2 tsp turmeric Method Heat oil in a pan. Add in the...

Today I prepared another dish that always will make me feel like I am home - my mom version of mutton curry. This dish is really easy and quick to make with very less number of ingredients on hand. Try out this lip smacking, spicy Mutton curry... Enjoy!!! Ingredients 1 1/2 lb Mutton or Lamb(around 75o grams) 2 medium onions chopped real fine 2 green chillies slit length wise 1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 to 1 tbsp red chilli powder depending on your spice level 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp butter Salt per taste 1 tbsp oil For Tempering 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp shai jeera 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 or 2 small pieces of cinnamon 4 or 5 cloves 6 or 7 curry leaves For Garnish Handful of coriander leaves Method Clean the mutton pieces and place them in a bowl. Add ginger garlic paste, salt, chilli powder and lemon juice to the mutton pieces, mix well and keep aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add in the tempe...

Kodi guddu pulusu is a classic dish in Andhra region where eggs are cooked in tangy tamarind sauce and blend of spices. Adding sugar will cut the acidity of tamarind and enhances the flavor. This dish on a whole is party in the mouth with different notes of tastes dancing on your tongue - spicy, tangy, little hint of sweet...This is very easy to prepare with a very few ingredients yet packed with lots of flavor. Enjoy!! Ingredients 6 to 8 hard boiled eggs 2 big onions chopped real fine 4 green chillies 1 big lemon sized tamarind or 3 tbsp tamarind paste (use more if you want more gravy) 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder (optional) 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (per spice level) 3/4 tsp sugar Salt per taste 3 tbsp oil For tempering 2 dried red chillies 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds 1 tsp turmeric powder couple of pinches of hing(Inguva) 5 to 6 curry leaves ...

 I was bit busy this weekend and did not grocery shop. All I had on hand was a bag of spinach leaves and canned chickpeas sitting on my counter. Well I thought of incorporating both the ingredients into one dish and it turned out really well. And all it took me is good 30 minutes to finish this dish without breaking a sweat :).. This might not be a traditional chole dish, No offense but it tasted even better than the original chole masala itself. I served this dish with chapathi today and it was a instant hit with hubby dear.  Give it a try and make sure you serve this curry with a side of sliced raw onions as raw onions made it taste even better. Enjoy!!

Today I prepared a dish that made me feel like I am home - my mom version of chicken curry. This dish is really easy and quick to make. And trust me, no matter how much of the curry you make it won't be enough for sure. Give it a try!!

Today I made aloo kurma to go with Poori. I usually use cream in my kurma curries but today I ran out of cream and used nuts and coconut powder instead. It tasted a bit different but in a good way though. This recipe I am posting below can be made with ingredients from your pantry and really easy to make. Give it a try :)

In the place I grew up, during the festival times one dish is a must in the menu - Muddha pappu(Toor Dal) with some kind of Pulusu. I prefer egg plant but bottle gourd pulusu which is called as Dappalam is more traditional. As for my hubby's request, today I made Dappalam to go with muddha pappu and the recipe goes like this.. Ingredients 1 medium sized bottle gourd chopped into medium chunks(sorakaya)(around 3 to 4 cups) 1 medium onion chopped into same size pieces as bottle gourd Big lemon sized tamarind or 1 1/2tbsp thick tamarind paste 2 tbsp ghee +2 tbsp oil 2 big tomatoes chopped 2 cloves of garlic handful of coriander leaves 1 small piece of ginger 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 2 tsp sugar or jaggery 1 green chilli 1 tbsp red chilli powder 3 to 4 tbsp cooked toor dal(muddha pappu) Salt per taste Tempering 3 or 4 dried red chillies 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds 1 tsp chana dal 1 tsp urad dal 1 tsp turmeric powder coup...

Here is my version of chicken chatpat - A spicy chicken curry with a zing. I have amchur powder sitting on my kitchen counter. I want to use that ingredient and this dish came to my mind. The amchur powder and the lemon juice gives a distinct tangy flavor to the dish. This dish on a whole is party in the mouth with different notes of tastes dancing on your tongue. Well the best way to know the taste is to try it yourself :)..What are you waiting for?? Ingredients For Marinade 2 pounds medium sized chicken pieces(around 900gms) 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1 1/2 tsp amchur powder(dried mango powder) Salt per taste 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder For the curry Marinated chicken 1 1/2 medium sized onion roughly chopped 4 tbsp well beaten yogurt or curd 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder(adjust per spice level) 1 tsp coriander powder 2 tsp garam masala 3 tbsp oil 2 tbsp dry coconut powder(optional) Salt per taste For tempering 1 tsp black cumin s...

Today I am making Chole or Chana Masala which is a popular dish in Punjab region of India. Chole masala is a spicy gravy dish with a citrus note which comes from the amchur powder. This dish goes well with any kind of Indian bread items. It is fairly easy to make and does not take much time to prepare. Ingredients 2 15oz cans Garbanzo beans/Chicken Peas(Kabuli senagalu) 1 medium sized onion ground to fine paste 2 large tomatoes + 1 green chilli + 2 tsp ginger garlic paste - made to a fine paste 2 tsp red chilli powder 4 tbsp oil Salt for taste Spice Mixture 1 tbsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp amchur powder(dried mango powder) Tempering 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp turmeric pinch of Hing/Astefodia(inguva) 4 to 5 curry leaves Garnish Hand full of coriander leaves Method  Chop the onions roughly and grind to a smooth paste and keep aside. Take the tomatoes, green chilli and ginger garlic paste in a blender/mixer jar ...

Today I made lip smacking, spicy Mutton curry, Kolhapuri style. By spicy I am no kidding. It is as hot as the color of the gravy. People who cannot or do not eat spicy food do not try this one as there is nothing like skimping on the spice for this particular curry. Even though the curry is super spicy, the rich flavors of dish will still come through. I served this dish with coconut rice (Kobbari annam) which I will be updating shortly. Meat and hot food lovers, give it a try and I can guarantee that this dish is worth trying.. Ingredients 2 lbs Mutton 4 tbsp oil 1 onion chopped 2 tomatoes pureed salt per taste 1/2 cup chopped cilantro  1 tsp of turmeric 6 cups water 1/4 tsp garam masala (Optional) For Masala 2 tsp cumin seeds 4 tsp coriander seeds 12 red chillies 4 tbsp dry coconut powder 2 tsp sesame seeds 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder or Paprika (for color. Do not use hot chilli powder instead) 1/2 tsp cloves 2 inch...

This is a simple potato gravy curry that goes well with poori or chapathi or Naan. Really simple to make and tastes really good. This dish I learned from my mother-in-law. She is a pure vegetarian and she cooks some awfully good vegetarian dishes and sweet delicacies. Of all I love her mysore pak even though I am not a big fan of sweets. That is how good she makes mysore pak. Well I think I am going off track here .. Back to this recipe, the first time I ate this curry with poori I was surprised how tasty it was from very minimal ingredients. From then this is/was my side dish whenever I make poori at home :). Ingredients 2 big potatoes peeled and cubed to small pieces 2 green chillies 1 medium onion 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder (as for your spice level) 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder 1 tbsp besan flour 2 to 3 tbsp milk or water 2 tbsp oil For Tempering 1 tbsp oil 1 red chilli 1 tsp mustard seeds ...