Category: Starters

snacks, Starters

Egg Puff – tasty bakery style

The HomeChef

Puff is a hot favourite for many for its delicious crispy outer and an amazing filling of either chicken masala, vegetables or egg. This video will show you how to make Egg Puff in a typical bakery style taste.

A great evening snack for kids and adults. Having it along with some chai is just the perfect combo.

Enjoy the recipe! Also do subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Ingredients ( Serves 4 puffs)

1. Egg -2

2. Puff pastry sheet- 1-2

3. Oil- 2-3 tbsps

4. Onion- 1 big

5. Curry leaves-few

6. Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tbsp

7. Coriander powder- 1 tsp

8. Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp

9. Garam Masala powder- 1/4 tsp

10. Salt to taste

11. Egg white- 1 egg

12. Turmeric powder- a pinch

Please watch video for recipe!

snacks, Starters

Chilli Chicken Wings

The HomeChef

Chilli chicken wings is one of the easiest recipe to make. It is also one of the most mouthwatering and delicious wings which you can ever have with just 3 simple ingredients. This will definitely be a show stealer, a great starter or snack. And it is hot! You are warned 😀.

Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients ( Serves ~ 4)

1. Chicken nibbles/wings – 12 pieces

2. Red Chilli powder- 1 tbsp ( reduce for less heat)

3. Sambal extra hot chilli sauce

(can use chilli sauce of your preference) – ~ 4 tbsps

4. Cooking oil: 2 tbsps

5. Coriander leaves (optional) – to garnish

Please watch video for recipe! Also don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Side dish, Starters

Chicken 65 fry- classic Chennai deep fried Chicken

The HomeChef

Chicken 65 is a very popular starter or sidedish which has its origins to Chennai, a city in Tamil Nadu, India. It was created by the hotelier A. M. Buhari in 1965 and now they have a huge chain of Buhari hotels.

The reason behind keeping the name with a 65 has many theories like it is made using 65 chillies, it is made using chicken which is 65 days old etc.

It is a classic dish where the chicken is deep fried after marinating with masalas.

Hope you enjoy this version and also don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Ingredients ( Serves 3-4)

1. Chicken ( boneless or with bone)- 500 gms

2. Ginger garlic paste- 2 tbsps

3. Chicken 65 mix- 3 tsp or Chilli powder- 3 tsp

4. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

5. Egg-1

6. Cornflour- 2 tbsp

7. Lemon juice- few drops

8. Salt to taste

9. Oil- as required for frying

10. To garnish (optional): onion-1/2, Curry leaves- few, chilli

powder-1/4 tsp, turmeric powder- a pinch

Please watch video for method!

Starters

Madras Filter Coffee

The HomeChef

Traditional Filter coffee is what starts the day for most of the people living in South India. The aroma and richness in this style of coffee is just unbeatable. It is one of the simplest way to make one of the best coffee around the world at your very own home.

A manual filter is used to make this coffee which has two compartments ( top and bottom) and a filter press. It is easy to handle, clean and maintain.

Leo coffee powder is one of the best and popular coffee powder available in Chennai.

This recipe uses that powder but feel free to use the coffee powder which is available to you. Don’t use the instant coffee powder for this method.

Do watch the video below and enjoy the recipe.

All you need is ground and roasted coffee powder, hot water, boiling milk, sugar. Enjoy!

And also subscribe to my youtube channel for more interesting recipes.

Mains, Starters

Tandoori Chicken- Restaurant style 

The HomeChef

Tandoori Chicken is a very delicious Roasted Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices. It gets its name as it is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven. But this recipe just has the best tip to get the similar tandoor effect and taste in the chicken. A very easy recipe to cook and enjoy at home.Try it as an appetiser or as a mains. It will be just great either way.
Please do not forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel for more such recipes and enable the bell icon for all the notifications of new uploads.

Ingredients: serves 2-3
1. Chicken pieces- 4 big pieces

2. Onion- 1/2

3. Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp

4. Curd/ Plain yogurt- 2-3 tbsp

5. Lemon juice- 1 tsp

6. Kashmiri chilli powder- 2 tbsp

7. Salt to taste

8. Oil- little 

9. Butter- 2 tsp

10. Small piece of coconut shell/ charcoal

Please watch video for the method.

snacks, Starters

Healthy Chicken Nuggets- crispy oven baked

The HomeChef

Chicken nuggets are a huge favourite to everyone. Why not turn it into a healthy snack through baking it in the oven instead of deep frying. This recipe shows just that and it is so good that you would want more and more. Adjust the spiciness and add any extra flavours to your liking. Very easy and simple to make. This has been inspired from one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes. Hope you like it.

Also do subscribe to my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7iMBtOPhutY-nKesd7a2jA for all updates on more recipes.

INGREDIENTS (serves ~4)
1. Chicken breast- 350 gms 

2. Paprika or chilli powder- 1 tsp

3. Salt as required 

4. Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp

5. Lemon juice- few drops 

6. Pepper- 1/2 tsp

7. Wholemeal bread- 3 slices 

8. Cheddar or Parmesan cheese shredded- handful 

9. Olive oil- 1 tsp

10. Egg – 1/2

Please watch video for method:

snacks, Starters

Indian vegetable Samosa

The HomeChef

Samosa is a very tasty and delicious appetizer or starters which will be loved by all. It is known by different names in different countries. In India, it is the called the Samosa, also a very popular street food.
It is a fried dough pastry filled with savoury stuffings. In this video, it is the vegetable samosa with the filling made out of potatoes and peas.
Enjoy the recipe!
INGREDIENTS 

(makes ~9 medium samosas)

For outer covering:

1. Plain Flour- 1 cup

2. cooking oil- 4 tbsp

3. Carrom seeds/ajwain- 1/2 tsp

4. Salt- 1/4 tsp

5. Water- 1/4 cup and little extra in tbsp if needed

For filling:

1. Potato- 2 medium 

2. Peas – 25- 50 gms

3. Oil( used sunflower)- 6 tbsp

4. Green chilli- 1 

5. Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

6. Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp

7. Ginger chopped- 1/2 tsp

8. Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp

10. Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

11. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

12. Salt – little 

13. Cashew nuts- 6 (optional)

14. Oil- as required for deep frying
Please watch video for the method.

snacks, Starters

Murukku- crunchy and crispy savoury snack

The HomeChef

Murukku is one of my favourite savoury snacks from childhood. I got this recipe from my mom as I didn’t want to miss any ingredient. This crunchiness and taste cannot come in any store bought ones.

Murukku is generally made for any festival or poojas. It is also a great snack for kids and adults. The ones which my mom makes is usually in a round shape like a chakli. But here I have pressed it in a free form. Do try this simple, easy and yummy recipe.

Ingredients

1. Rice flour- 1 cup
2. Urid dal flour – 1/4 cup
3. Pepper- 1 tsp
4. Bicarbonate soda- small pinch
5. Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
6. Sesame seeds- ( black or white)- 1/2 tsp
7. Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
8. Ghee- 2 tbsp
9. Coconut milk(optional)- 1/2 cup
10. Oil, salt, water as required

 

Please watch the video for the method:

Mains, Starters

Meen Pollichathu- fish baked in a banana leaf

The HomeChef

Meen Pollichathu is a traditional Kerala dish which is packed with flavours and a very heart warming dish. The uniqueness of this dish is that the fish is cooked with lots of spices wrapped in a banana leaf. The banana leaf renders an additional taste which elevates the overall taste of the dish to the next level. It is guaranteed to transport you to God’s own country in every bite.

Meen Pollichathu is very popular around restaurants in Kerala. I first had it when I visited Munnar (Kerala) for my honeymoon. I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous melting in the mouth texture of the fish. As soon as I got my hand on some fresh banana leaves here, I just had to make this favourite of mine.

Hope you enjoy making this at your home as well.

Meen Pollichathu

  • Servings: 1-2
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Ingredients

  1. Fish (of your choice, used Barramundi here)- 250 gms
  2. For marinade:
    1. 1/2 tsp Chilli powder,
    2. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, salt
  3. For masala: Onion- 2 medium Tomato- 1 Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Oil- 2 tsp Curry leaves- few Ginger garlic paste – 1 – 2 tbsp Chilli powder- 1 tsp Coriander powder – 1 tbsp Turmeric powder- 1 tsp Desiccated coconut- 2 tbsp
  4. Big banana leaf- 1 half

Directions

1. Preparing the masala: In a pressure cooker or pan , add little oil.

2. Splutter mustard seeds, add onions , tomato, ginger garlic paste and all the spices for the masala in point 3 of Ingredients.

3. If using pressure cooker add 1 tsp water, cover and keep it on high for 1-2 whistles and remove. Release the pressure and mix the masala into a paste using the ladle.

4. If using pan, cook it all into a thick masala consistency.

5. Separately marinate the fish with little chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt for around 15 mins.

6. Pan fry with 1 tsp oil for around 2 mins on each side of the fish. Set aside.

7. Clean and wipe the banana leaf. Show the leaf over open low flame for few seconds. This will ensure that the leaf does not break or rip while folding.

8. Spread the banana leaf. Take some prepared masala paste and spread it. Place the fish on top of the masala. Again put the remaining masala paste over the top of the fish and spread it.

9. Fold in the leaf over the coated fish on all four sides.

10. Take a pan and place this wrapped banana leaf on to it. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 mins on each side.

11. The fish will get cooked well with the masala.

12. Remove the banana leaf from the pan and slowly open it.

13. Yummy and delicious Meen Pollichathu is ready to be served. Enjoy!

Also please watch the video recipe below :

Side dish, Starters

Phuket Fish – Indo Chinese restaurant style chilli fish

The HomeChef

After moving to Australia the cuisine I miss the most is the Indo Chinese food. It is so popular in India next to Indian food. It is quite different from the authentic Chinese food. Probably can say Chinese inspired but with the added Indian heat and spices to suit the Indian palate.

Every time I visit a Chinese restaurant in Chennai India, my hot favourite fish to order is the Phuket fish usually as a side or starter. It is a spicy fish coated with lots of finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic tossed up in soy sauce and chilli. Recreating this delicious dish at home was truly an ecstatic moment.

I am so happy to share with you all this restaurant style Phuket fish. A very tasty and yummy recipe not to be missed.

Ingredients ( serves 2)

1. Basa fish ( or any boneless fish of choice)- 1 big fillet (350 gms)

2. Onion- 1/2 if small 1 finely chopped 

3. Ginger- 2 tsp finely chopped 

4. Garlic- 10 cloves finely chopped 

5. Red chilli- 6 nos 

6. Soy sauce – 3 -4 tbsp

7. Spring onions- a little 

8. Coriander leaves: little to garnish (optional)

9. Pepper powder( ideally white but I used black) – a pinch

10. Oil and Salt as required 
For the method please see my video below: