Pepper chicken curry

Kozhi milagu kulambu - A chicken curry prepared with vibrant Indian black pepper masala. Pepper based curries called as milagu kulambu in Tamil may be one of the traditional masalas used in India before the arrival of chillies. Interestingly enough chillies made their route to India through Spanish and colonization, just 500 years ago only. Before reading this history, I had a different imagination because of the strong usage of chile peppers in India:)

Using black peppers in non vegetarian foods is highly recommended by elders in my town, as they believe that it can cure any food related allergies and a great cold remedy. Won't that be convincing enough to make a curry with black pepper:)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb
plain curd - 4 tbsp
dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
fennel - 1 tsp
cinnamon - 2 inch
bay leaf - 1
Sesame oil - 1/4 cup (must)
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Paste 1:

tomato - 3
onion - 1
garlic - 1 (full)
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry the chopped onion,peeled garlic till it wilts. Then add the chopped tomato and cook till it gets mushy. Let cool and grind to a fine paste.

To dry roast and grind:

Whole black Pepper - 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
cumin - 1 tsp
cardamom - 5
cloves - 4
cinnamon - 2 inch
fennel - 1 tsp
black cumin - 1/4 tsp
mace - a thin strip
nutmeg - a tiny scrapping

Method:

Choose red meat with some bones from chicken.
Wash and pat dry. Add a tsp of salt, curd, turmeric and let it marinate for an hour or two.

Dry roast the items mentioned (just a minute is enough...don't let any of them char, otherwise the taste will change). First powder them without water.

Heat oil in a wok and put fennel, cinnamon, bay leaf and curry leaves. Then add the marinated chicken pieces without the liquid. Fry till the color changes to white and chicken shrinks a little.

Then add the onion tomato paste, remaining marinated liquid and cook covered with required salt. Check if it is done. Now put the prepared masala powder, dry ginger powder and mix well. Cook covered in medium heat till oil separates.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot over rice along with a drop of ghee.
Also a very good side dish for chapati or rasam rice.

Note:

If tomato is not available, 1 cup of thick plain Indian yogurt can be added instead.
Traditionally dry red chillies are not added in this curry. But can be included if we want it more spicy..

Simple Beans poriyal (stir fry)

Flat beans is called as 'nattu beans' (Tamil) or 'country style beans' in India. It has more fiber than the French green beans (popularly known as 'Ooty beans'). The flavorful Flat beans are suitable for South Indian poriyals (stir fry) and easy to cook French beans for North Indian curries and baking.

Here is the most common way to prepare an Indian stir fry. Almost any vegetable can be made as poriyal by this method. Sure it is a basic Indian recipe for starters.

Flat beans.

Beans poriyal

Ingredients:

Flat or French beans - 1/2 lb (200 gm)
Red onion (chopped) - 1
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
urid dhal - 1 tsp
coconut oil - 2 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
cumin - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 3

Method:

Wash and clean the beans in large amounts of water multiple times to remove all the dirt / sand. Drain water and chop it finely.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds, urid dhal and let mustard splutter.
Finely chop the onion, chillies, curry leaf (optional) and add to the wok.
Stir till onion turns soft.

Add the finely chopped beans and stir fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle a handful of water and cook covered for 10 more minute in medium heat. (Ooty beans / French green beans takes lesser time to get cooked). Open the lid. Let all the moisture dries up. Check if the beans is cooked but firm.

Add salt, cumin and fry a bit. After the poriyal looks very loose without any moisture put the freshly shredded coconut and stir for few seconds. Switch off.

Simple beans poriyal is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Beans poriyal can be served as side dish with sambar rice , curd rice or rasam rice, chapati.