Meen Pollichathu (Kerala Fish Curry)

          For my 1601 post - I tried Meen Pollichathu, a yummy Kerala fish curry cooked in banana leaf. It is both spicy and tangy, but you can adjust the seasonings accordingly. I have used one of my favorite fish - Pomfret, but this recipe is generally done with Pearl Spot fish. 

          It is one of the most popular item in a Kerala non-veg. menu platter and is truly a connoisseurs delight. It is a must try recipe for all the fish lovers. Goes best with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

Ingredients - 

• 2 pomfret fish
• 3 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 banana leaf cut into half

Marination - 

• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil 

Curry - 

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 onions, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 

          Clean the fish and make few slits on both the sides. Keep aside. In a small bowl, mix all the above mentioned ingredients for the marination. 

          Apply the marination on both sides of the fish and keep aside for 25-30 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish on both sides till done. Keep aside.

          For the curry, add 1 tbsp. oil in another pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the tomatoes and sauté till it is nicely mashed. Now add all the dry spices and mix well. Then add the coconut and the tamarind juice. Give it a stir and sauté till dry. Keep aside. 

          Pass the banana leaf over the fire for a few seconds to make it soft and pliable. Grease the leaf with a few drops of oil and then spread some of the onion mix, followed by the fried fish. 

          Spread some more of the mix over the other side of the fish. (this way both the sides of the fish should be well coated with the masala.

          Wrap the fish with the banana leaf and tie with a string. Make a similar parcel with the other fish and the remaining masala.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and place the wrapped banana parcels on it. Cover and cook one side for 3-4 minutes, before flipping it over to cook the other side too. 

          Transfer to a serving plate. While serving, open the wrap and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for an exotic meal.





Note - 

1.  You can substitute banana leaf with aluminum foil if the former is unavailable.

2.  Besides Pomfret fish, you can try with any other fish and following the same method. 

                                  Mix the ingredients for the marination. 

                                  Clean the fish & make few slits on both the sides.

                      Apply marination on both sides of the fish & keep aside for 25-30 min.

                                 Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry marinated fish on both sides till done.

                                   Drain and keep aside. 

                   Add 1 tbsp. oil in another pan & temper with mustard seeds. Then add 
                   onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

                                  Add tomatoes & sauté till it is nicely mashed. 

                                 Add all dry spices & mix well. 

                                 Then add coconut & tamarind juice. Give it a stir.

                                Sauté till dry. Keep aside. 

                          Grease the leaf with a few drops of oil & spread some onion mix.

                       Place the fish over it. Spread some more of the mix over other side of 
                       the fish. (both sides of the fish should be well coated with the masala.

                                 Wrap the fish with banana leaf & tie with a string. 

                                Heat remaining oil & place wrapped banana parcels on it. 

                    Cover & cook one side for 3-4 minutes, before flipping it over to cook the
                     other side too. 

                               While serving, open the wrap & garnish with coriander leaves 

                               & enjoy with hot steamed rice.

Rajma Madra

         This is my 1600th post. Made this signature dish of Himachal Pradesh. It is a very nutritious dish where boiled kidney beans are cooked in a yoghurt based gravy. Very simple to prepare, it tastes absolutely yummy. 

          It is truly a vegetarian delight with no onion or garlic involved. Usually Madra is prepared with White chickpeas called Chana Madra, but Rajma Madra is equally delicious. You can enjoy it with any form of rice or Indian bread. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 cup Rajma (Kidney Beans), soaked overnight 
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 whole dry red chili
• 2-3 cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 1/2 mace
• 1/4 tsp. asafetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup yoghurt, well  beaten
• 1 tsp. ghee 
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander leave, chopped

            Boil the rajma in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 5 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.  Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, red chili, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and asafetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. Then add the boiled rajma along with the stock. Combine well and then add the yoghurt.

          Keep stirring continuously on medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till the gravy slightly thickens. Add ghee and green chilies. 

          Simmer for 1-2 minutes more and then switch off the flame. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao or any Indian bread.

                       Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, red chili, cumin seeds, cinnamon, 
                       cardamoms, cloves, mace & asafetida. 

                       Add all the dry spices & give it a stir. 

                       Add boiled rajma along with the stock. Combine well.

                       Add beaten yoghurt. Stir continuously on med. flame for 8-10 minutes 
                       or till the gravy slightly thickens. 

                       When done, add ghee & green chilies. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

                 Garnish with coriander leaves & relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao 
                 or any Indian bread.

Egg Paneer Tikki / Cutlet / Patty

          These yummy tikkis, made of boiled & mashed egg and paneer is so easy and simple to make. They are irresistible melt in the mouth appetizers. Do try them and include them in the menu of any in-house party. I have added few basic ingredients and seasonings to dish out these appetizers. It can be prepared and refrigerated well in advance. Serve them hot with any chutney of your choice or tomato ketchup.

• 2 eggs, boiled & mashed
• 100 gms. panner, mashed
• salt to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala
• 2-3 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. flax seed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2" ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander-mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted chickpea flour for coating
• 3-4 tbsp. oil 

          In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients (except last two ingredients) and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

          Divide into equal portions and shape them into round tikkis. Coat with the roasted chick pea flour and refrigerate again for 10 minutes. 

          Heat oil in a tawa and shallow fry them on both sides till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

          Serve them hot as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice or tomato ketchup.

Grilled Chicken Steak

          Grilled Chicken is an all time favourite with one and all and is perfect as an appetizer with any chutney or as a light and healthy meal, accompanied with some salad. So this is a simple and an easy grilled chicken recipe, marinated in some leftover green chutney, a bit of kasundi and few other ingredients. It is a complete wholesome meal which you can enjoy with family and friends.

           This homemade, tempting and delicious grilled chicken is not only easy to make but it is completely hassle free. This is a healthy variation to any fried chicken and is a one dish meal in itself for any weight watchers too. They are a perfect treat for any in-house party too and is a great accompaniment with cocktails and mocktails.

• 2 chicken breast
• 1/2 cup green chutney
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. kasundi (bottled mustard sauce)
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil

           Marinate the chicken breast with all the above mentioned ingredients for a minimum of 2-3 hours or preferably overnight. 

          Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and arrange the marinated chicken over it. Grill for 30-35 minutes or till done on both sides. 

          Halfway through turn the steak and baste with the leftover marinade. Serve these grilled delicacies with some salad as accompaniment for a healthy and wholesome meal.

Mutton Rista

          This is a traditional Kashmiri delicacy where mutton balls are cooked in an onion-yoghurt based gravy. This exotic dish forms an integral part of a Wazwan (Kashmiri platter) and is often served in weddings and special occasions. 

          Fennel powder and dry ginger powder are the dominant spices in this recipe. It is a great party recipe and best relished with Kashmiri pulao, plain steamed rice, some helping of Biryani or any Indian fried flat bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

Mutton Balls - 

• 250-300 gms. mutton mince
• 1/2 tsp. ginger powder (sonth)
• 1 tsp. fennel powder
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• salt to taste

Mutton Yakhni -

• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups water
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 2-3 cardamom 
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. fennel powder
• 1/2 tsp. ginger powder (sonth)
• pinch of salt

Gravy - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 cup yoghurt, well beaten
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Mutton Balls - Mix together the mince, salt to taste, fennel powder, cardamom powder and ginger powder. Shape into marble sized balls. Keep aside.

          Mutton Yakhni - Boil 2 cups of water along with a pinch of salt, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, dry red chilies, star anise, dry ginger powder and fennel powder. Drop prepared mutton balls and cook, covered on a low flame for 15 minutes.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan. Stir fry the onion, ginger and garlic till light brown. Set aside to cool and then blend into a smooth paste. 

         Heat remaining oil and ghee. Add the onion paste and sauté till the oil separates. Add all the dry spices mixed with some water. Continue to stir fry for a few seconds. 

          Now add the beaten yoghurt and mix well. Sauté for a minute. Then transfer the cooked mutton balls and the stock. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

          When done, add coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice, Kashmiri pulao or any Indian bread.

                  Heat 1 tbsp. oil & stir fry onion, ginger & garlic till light brown. Set aside
                  to cool & then blend into a smooth paste. 

                 Mix all mentioned ingredients under (Mutton Balls). Shape into equal sized
                 balls. Keep aside.

                  Boil 2 cups of water along with all mentioned ingredients under (Mutton                                            Yakhni). 

                               Drop prepared mutton balls & cook, covered for 15 minutes.

                   Heat remaining oil & ghee. Add onion paste & sauté till the oil separates. 

                      Add all dry spices mixed with some water. Stir fry for a few seconds. 

                                 Add beaten yoghurt & mix well. Sauté for a minute. 

                             Transfer cooked mutton balls & stock. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

                                  When done, add coriander leaves & switch off the flame.

                             Serve with hot steamed rice, Kashmiri pulao or any Indian bread.