Category: Side dish

Mains, Side dish

Prawns Thokku- masala curry

The HomeChef

Prawns Thokku (இறால் தொக்கு)  is a very tasty side which is very popular in South India. In this style, the prawns are cooked into a thick masala consistency hence the name thokku. This has minimal spices but the onions and tomatoes consistency makes this dish very delicious.

Prawns Thokku

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  1. Prawns – 500 gms
  2. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp: marinade + 1 tsp
  3. Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp(marinade) + 2 tbsp
  4. Fennel seeds- 1 big tsp
  5. Onions- 4 medium
  6. Tomatoes- 2 big
  7. Curry leaves- 3 springs
  8. Kashmiri chilli powder- 2 tsp
  9. Coriander powder- 2 tbsp
  10. Green chillies- 2
  11. Pepper powder- 1 tbsp
  12. Salt and oil as required
  13. Coriander leaves to garnish

    14.  

Please watch the video for the recipe

Mains, Side dish

Pepper chicken masala – restaurant style

The HomeChef

My first chicken recipe to share with all of you. It is the hot Pepper Chicken Masala. I am addicted to spicy food and I am sure you will love this too.
A great restaurant style recipe, you don’t have to go to any Anjappar or chettinad restaurant hereafter to have this. Make it at home and enjoy!

Pepper chicken masala

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  1. Chicken – 750 gms
  2. Red Onions – 4-5
  3. Toamtoes – 2
  4. Green chilli- 1
  5. Curry leaves – few
  6. Cinnamon stick – 1
  7. Coriander leaves – to garnish
  8. Oil – 1/2 cup. Add more if required
  9. Salt to taste
  10. Turmeric powder – 1 tsbp
  11. Ginger garlic paste – 4 tbsp

Ingredients to grind into Pepper masala powder:

  1. Peppercorns – 2 tbsp
  2. Coriander seeds- 3tbsp
  3. Fennel seeds – 1 tsbp
  4. Dry red chillies – 2
  5. Cloves – 2
  6. Cardamom – 4

Please watch video for the method:

Mains, Side dish

Egg Kurma- curry with coconut

The HomeChef

Egg kurma is a popular Indian curry dish with a coconut base. In this dish I have used boiled eggs which will taste amazing in the thick curry. Adding coconut to the curry always adds the rich flavour and also gives a denser consistency to the gravy which I love.

It goes well with rice or any Indian bread. Hope you like it!

Things you need:

  1. Eggs boiled – 4 nos
  2. Onions – 3 medium
  3. Tomatoes – 2 small
  4.  To grind:
    1. Dry red chillies – 3
    2. Coriander seeds – 1.5 tbsp
    3. Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
    4. Cardamom – 3
    5. Coconut fresh – 1/2 cup or dry coconut – 3 tbsp
  5. Ginger garlic paste- 2 tbsp
  6. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  7. Curry leaves – few
  8. Cardamom – 3
  9. Cinnamon stick – 1 crushed
  10. Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
  11. Salt to taste
  12.  Oil – 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup as required
  13. Coriander leaves – to garnish

Please watch the video below for the method:

 

Mains, Side dish

Malai Kofta curry

The HomeChef

Malai Kofta has its origins from the Mughlai cuisine. In India, it is one of the most popular side dishes and every Indian restaurant will have this included in the menu.

The kofta is made out of fried potato and paneer balls. It is the vegetarian equivalent for meatballs. The base gravy is very rich and creamy. It goes very well with any Indian bread like roti, naan and also can be had with rice.

This is a must try recipe and will fill you up quickly due to its richness. Make it at home and impress with the beautiful colour and taste it brings to the plate.

Please find the video recipe below:

Mains, Side dish

Vegetable Kurma- restaurant style

The HomeChef

The vegetable kurma is a very delicious Indian curry which has coconut added along with mixed vegetables and spices. It goes well with rice, roti, idiyappam, dosa or poori.

This version is irresistibly great in taste. The goodness of the softly cooked vegetables will just melt in your mouth. Roasting the coconut and then making it into a paste has the added aroma and flavour. Hope you enjoy making it as well.

Please find the video recipe below:

 

Mains, Side dish

Spinach Dal – Keerai kootu

The HomeChef

The Spinach dal is a very healthy protein rich curry which is loaded with nutrients due to the super food, spinach. This is another popular dish of South India, easy to cook with simple ingredients. Keerai means greens and kootu means dal based curry (usually thick in consistency) in Tamil.

It is a dietary requirement that we include lot of green vegetables and this is a great recipe for just that. It goes well with both steamed rice or roti.

Please find the video recipe below:

 

Mains, Side dish

Potato Peas Masala- Chettinad style

The HomeChef

Potato peas masala also called as Aloo Mattar is a very popular dish in India. It is a curry which goes well with any Indian bread or rice.

The style I have chosen to cook this recipe is a well renowned cuisine of Tamil Nadu called Chettinad cuisine. In this cuisine, all the spices are freshly ground which adds amazing flavour and aroma to the dish. Hope you enjoy it as well.

Please find the video recipe below:

 

Mains, Side dish

Dal Tadka

The HomeChef

A super easy and nutritious side for rice or roti made with Indian pulses. Tadka means ‘tempering’. The Dal which I am using in my recipe is the Toor dal which goes by many names including Pigeon Pea.

Things you need:

1. Toor dal – 1/2 cup
2. Turmeric powder -1 tsp
3. Onion – 1
4. Tomato -1
5. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves – 1 spring
7. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
8. Dried red chilli – 2 or 3
9. Oil – 3 tblsp
10. Coriander for garnishing – optional

Please watch the video for the method:

Mains, Side dish

Cauliflower (Gobi) Manchurian

The HomeChef

This is a hot favourite in the Indo-Chinese cuisine and every Chinese restaurant in India will have this as part of their menu.The recipe below is sure to be a big hit at your home and it compliments well as a side dish to any fried rice or noodles. A little extra effort when it comes to frying the cauliflower but it will be well worth it in the end. Do try and let me know how it went.

Things you need:
1. Cauliflower – 1 medium
2. Onion – 2 medium
3. Green capsicum – 1
4. Tomato sauce – 3 tblsp
5. Soy sauce- 2 tblsp
6. Chilli powder- 2 tsp
7.Ginger garlic paste – 2 tblsp
8. Spring onion 1 – for garnishing, Red chilli – 1 – Optional

For batter:
1. Plain flour – 1/2 cup
2. Corn flour – 1/4 cup
3. Ginger garlic paste -1.5 tblsp
4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
5.Chilli powder – 1 to 2 tsp
6. Salt and water as required

For the method please watch the video.