Kabuli Chana Pulao (Kondakadalai Pulao) Recipe

Chana pulao is so comforting during winter and monsoon months. I like to pair this pulao with aloo raita and gobi 65. My aunty is an expert when it comes to chana pulao she used always make it on request.

Recipe Video is posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😉

Ingredients:

250 Grams White Chickpeas (kabuli chana)

250 Grams Basmati Rice

4 Green Chilies

Fist Full Mint and Coriander

1 Large Onion

1 Large Tomato

2 Tbsp Yogurt

1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste

1/4 Tsp Pepper Corns

4 Cloves

4 Green Cardamom

2 Inch Sticks Cinnamon

1 Black Cardamom

1 Bayleaf

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

1/4 Shahi Jeera or Cumin Seeds

2 Tbsp Oil

2 Tbsp Ghee

Salt as per taste

Prep: 

Wash and Soak chana over night.

Rinse chana twice next day then add it to a pressure cooker.

Add 2 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp asafoetida cover and place a whistle and cook for 3 to 4 whistles or until the chana is tender and mashes easily when pressed.

Peel and wash equal amounts ginger and garlic. Roughly chop and add it to a mixer jar grind to form a smooth paste.

Peel and wash onions. Finely chop the onions and reserve.

Wash the tomatoes and finely chop and reserve.

Separate coriander and mint leaves rinse well in water, reserve fist full of coriander and mint leaves for masala and finely chop approx 1 tbsp, and reserve.

In a mixer jar add yogurt, 2 chilies, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch stick cinnamon and pepper corns, grind to form a smooth paste.

Method:

Heat a pressure cooker on medium flame. Add oil and ghee allow it to reach smoking point.

Add the remaining whole spices and bayleaf allow it to splutter.

Add onion and fry till transparent, next add chopped tomato and fry till tender.

Add ginger and garlic paste followed by ground masala paste and fry all the ingredients for 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water to the masala and cook it till the oil surfaces.

Add the cooked chickpeas and salt to the masala, stir and fry for a minute.

Wash the basmati rice well and add it to the chana masala and stir well.

Add salt as per taste and water. For 1 measure rice I have added 2 cups water.

Once we add the water stir well and add salt stir once more, cover and place a whistle cook for 2 to 3 whistles.

Once the rice has cooked remove the cooker from flame allow the pressure to reduce then open the lid and mix the rice well.

Garnish the chana pulao with mint and coriander and serve hot with lime wedges...Enjoy!

Chicken Pani Puri Shawarma Recipe

Who said shawarma should be eaten only in roll form? I was inspired to create this recipe after seeing many youtubers tasting it at local shawarma shops. With lot of curiosity I tried tasting myself and enjoyed the flavors and different taste. Chicken Pani Puri Shawarma is a mash up of two recipes Indian and Middle eastern this fusion combo is packed with flavors and taste.

Chicken Pani Puri with Jeera Pani Recipe Video Uploaded on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😊

Chicken Shawarma Filling Ingredients:

To prepare grill chicken:

500 Grams Chicken

2 Tbsp Yogurt

1/2 Lime

1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste

1 1/2 Tbsp Spicy Chilly Powder

1 Tbsp Kitchen King Masala (MDH Brand)

1 Tbsp Curry Powder (Shakthi Masala Brand)

1 Tbsp Chicken Masala (Everest Masala)

1 Tsp Sumac (Order on Flipkart or Amazon)

1 Tbsp Zaatar (Order on Flipkart or Amazon)

1 Tbsp Salt or as per taste

Veggies:

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Carrot

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Cabbage

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Onion

Condiments To Prepare Ahead of Time:

Tahini

Garlic Toum

Creamy Mint Sauce

Mayonnaise

Pani Puri:

Ready to use Pani Puri Shells 

Chicken Shawarma Mix

Finely Chopped Coriander, Mint, Cabbage, Carrots, Onion 

Chat Masala

Creamy Mint Sauce

Garlic Toum

Mayonnaise 

Jeera Pani:

1 1/2 Cups Warm Water

2 Tbsp Tamarind Chutney

1 Tsp Chat Masala

1 Tsp Jeera Powder

Salt if needed

Prep:

Peel and wash 2 whole garlic cloves and 3 inch ginger.

Chop the ginger and garlic and add it to a mixer jar and grind to form a smooth paste.

Peel and wash 1 large onion and finely chop.

Peel and wash 2 medium carrots and finely chop.

Wash cabbage and finely chop 1/2 cup.

Wash the chicken and add it to a colander and allow the moisture to drain.

Prepare kuboos bread ahead of time (Recipe Link)

Prepare garlic toum one day ahead of time ( Recipe Link )

Prepare tahini one day ahead of time ( Recipe Link) 

Prepare mayonnaise one day ahead of time (Recipe Link)

Prepare creamy mint sauce one day ahead of time  (Recipe Link)

Veggie Mix:

Take 2 tbsp finely chopped cabbage, 2 tbsp finely chopped onion and 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander in a bowl.

Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chat masala and mix well...Reserve.

Jeera Pani:

Bring 1 cup water to rapid boil.

Add tamarind chutney, chat masala and mint powder if needed add salt and stir well.

Once the water starts to boil remove from flame.

We can serve jeera pani warm or cold.

Strain the jeera pani directly into serving glasses and garnish with mint and coriander.

Serve the jeera pani warm...Enjoy with shawarma pooris!

Marination and Grilling:

Add the boneless chicken to a mixing bowl, add yogurt, zaatar, sumac, plain chilli powder, chicken masala, curry powder, kitchen king masala, lime juice and salt to the chicken and massage the chicken well. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes, for best results allow the chicken to marinate over night.

Using skewers metal or bamboo start to skew the chicken pieces.

Heat a pan on medium flame add 2 tbsp oil and place the skewers in the pan. Dilute the marination and add it to the chicken cover and cook the chicken on medium flame until tender.

Gently flip and cook the chicken every 2 minutes until tender.

Heat a grill rack on medium flame. Place the skewers on the grill rack and apply oil on the chicken gently flip and grill the chicken every 2 minutes until grill marks appear.

Remove the chicken from the grill rack and reserve on a plate.

Finely chop the chicken into tiny pieces and reserve.

Shawarma Filling:

Add the finely chopped chicken pieces to a mixing bowl.

Add 1 1/2 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp garlic toum, 2 tbsp mayo, finely chopped cabbage, finely chopped carrots, finely chopped onion to the chicken and mix well. Add salt if needed and mix well.

This filling can be used in shawarma.

Method:

Create a cavity in the pani pooris.

Fill the pooris with the chicken shawarma mix.

Then fill the pooris with finely chopped onion mix.

Next top with creamy mint sauce and garlic toum.

Serve the shawarma with jeera pani ...Enjoy! 

Southindian Dessert Athika Palagaram Recipe

Athika meaning fig in Tamil,  which is normally prepared on festivals. Blackgram dal (urad dal) is soaked for this dish then ground to form a smooth paste and deep fried in ghee then soaked in coconut milk spiked with cardamom and served chilled. Traditionally Tamil families prepare this dish on special occasions and festivals.

Recipe video uploaded on Youtube English and Tamil Channel 😊

Ingredients:

250 Grams Black Gram Dal (Urad Dal)

2 Cups Thick Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup Sugar 

3 Pods Cardamom

1/4 Tsp Salt

Oil and Ghee For Frying

Garnish: Chopped Almonds, Pista, Cashews 

Prep: Wash the black gram dal thrice, then add enough water to soak the black gram dal, cover and allow the dal to soak for an hour. Once the dal has doubled in volume, drain the dal in a colander. Allow the dal to drain for 15 minutes. Add the dal to a mixer jar in batches with just 2 to 3 tsp water grind the dal to a smooth batter. Add the ground batter to a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 tsp salt and beat the dal batter to form air and reserve. Using a coconut grater start to grate the fresh white part of the coconut. Add the grated coconut to a mixer jar and grind to form a paste we can add warm water and grind it further. Place a sieve on a mixing bowl then pour the ground coconut paste in the sieve and squeeze the pulp to extract coconut milk. For this recipe we will require only first extract coconut milk. The ground coconut can be used in curries or in chutney. In a mixer jar add sugar and cardamom and grind to form a smooth powder and reserve. Place a wok with oil for frying on medium flame. Chop the almonds, pista, and cashew for garnish.

Method:

Add the ground sugar and cardamom powder to the coconut milk an stir well allow it to rest in the fridge until use.

Once the oil has reached temperature, take small portions of the dal batter, forming even size ball gently drop in hot oil. Try to fry a batch of 5 to 6 vadas.

Flip the vadas every 2 minutes and fry till golden. Once the vadas are fried drain from excess oil and place it on a tissue or rack.

Add the fried vada to the coconut milk and garnish with chopped nuts and serve chilled ... Enjoy!

Sweet Vada Recipe

Sweet vadas are prepared for festivals or to celebrate any occasions at home. We can prepare sweet vadas with jaggery or sugar syrup.

 

Recipe video is uploaded on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😉

Ingredients:

250 Grams Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal)

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Water

3 Cardamoms

1 Clove

1/4  Tsp Salt

Oil and Ghee for frying

Garnish: Dried Coconut, Chopped Nuts (Pista, Almonds, Cashews)

Prep:

Wash the blackgram dal thrice, then add enough water to soak the blackgramdal, cover and allow the dal to soak for an hour.

Once the dal has doubled in volume, drain the dal in a colander. Allow the dal to drain for 15 minutes.

Add the dal to a mixer jar in batches with just 2 to 3 tsp water grind the dal to a smooth batter.

Add the ground batter to a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 tsp salt and beat the dal batter to form air and reserve.

In a wok or pot bring a glass of water to rapid boil. Add clove, cardamom and sugar stir and allow to boil and reduce. Prepare a semi thick sugar syrup. If we rub tiny amount of sugar syrup between two fingers the syrup must be sticky, that should be the consistency. Remove the sugar syrup from flame and set aside.

Place a wok with oil for frying on medium flame.

Chop the almonds, pista, and cashew for garnish.

Method:

Once the oil has reached temperature, take small portions of the dal batter, forming even size ball gently drop in hot oil. Try to fry a batch of 5 to 6 vadas.

Flip the vadas every 2 minutes and fry till golden. Once the vadas are fried drain from excess oil and place it on a tissue or rack.

Once the vadas are done add it to the sugar syrup gently flip and allow to absorb the syrup for 10 minutes.

Serve the vadas in a serving plate, garnish with coconut powder and chopped nuts...Enjoy! 

Restaurant Style Chicken Shawarma Recipe

To achieve restaurant style chicken shawarma I had to taste it at different locations and finally after many trails and experiments I have nailed this recipe.

Chicken Shawarma Recipe Posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😊😉

Chicken Shawarma Ingredients:

500 Grams Chicken

2 Tbsp Yogurt

1/2 Lime

1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste

1 1/2 Tbsp Spicy Chilly Powder

1 Tbsp Kitchen King Masala (MDH Brand)

1 Tbsp Curry Powder (Shakthi Masala Brand)

1 Tbsp Chicken Masala (Everest Masala)

1 Tsp Sumac (Order on Flipkart or Amazon)

1 Tbsp Zaatar (Order on Flipkart or Amazon)

1 Tbsp Salt or as per taste.

Condiments To Prepare Ahead of Time:

Tahini

Garlic Toum

Creamy Mint Sauce

Mayonnise

Veggies:

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Carrot

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Cabbage

Finely Chopped 1/2 Cup Onion

Bread:

Kubus

Silver Foil

Prep:

Peel and wash 2 whole garlic cloves and 3 inch ginger.

Chop the ginger and garlic and add it to a mixer jar and grind to form a smooth paste.

Peel and wash 1 large onion and finely chop.

Peel and wash 2 medium carrots and finely chop.

Wash cabbage and finely chop 1/2 cup.

Wash the chicken and add it to a colander and allow the moisture to drain.

Prepare kuboos bread ahead of time (Recipe Link)

Prepare garlic toum one day ahead of time ( Recipe Link )

Prepare tahini one day ahead of time ( Recipe Link) 

Prepare mayonnaise one day ahead of time (Recipe Link)

Prepare creamy mint sauce one day ahead of time  (Recipe Link)

Marination and Grilling:

Add the boneless chicken to a mixing bowl, add yogurt, zaatar, sumac, plain chilli powder, chicken masala, curry powder, kitchen king masala, lime juice and salt to the chicken and massage the chicken well. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes, for best results allow the chicken to marinate over night.

Using skewers metal or bamboo start to skew the chicken pieces.

Heat a pan on medium flame add 2 tbsp oil and place the skewers in the pan. Dilute the marination and add it to the chicken cover and cook the chicken on medium flame until tender.

Gently flip and cook the chicken every 2 minutes until tender.

Heat a grill rack on medium flame. Place the skewers on the grill rack and apply oil on the chicken gently flip and grill the chicken every 2 minutes until grill marks appear.

Remove the chicken from the grill rack and reserve on a plate.

Finely chop the chicken into tiny pieces and reserve.

To Prepare Shawarma:

Heat oil for frying in a wok and fry the French fries till golden, drain from excess oil and reserve.

Heat a tawa on medium flame reheat the kuboos bread on medium flame and place it on a plate.

Add the finely chopped chicken pieces to a mixing bowl.

Add 1 1/2 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp garlic toum, 2 tbsp mayo, finely chopped cabbage, finely chopped carrots, finely chopped onion to the chicken and mix well. Add salt if needed and mix well.

Apply tiny amount of cream mint sauce, garlic toum, tahini and mayo on the kuboos and spread the sauces evenly.

Start layering the kuboos with filling, pickled cucumber and carrot, french fries and roll the kuboos to form a shawarma.

To Assemble the Shawarma Platter:

Chop the kuboos into 4 equal portions.

Place the chicken shawarma filling in a serving dish, garnish with cabbage and carrots.

Place garlic toum and mint sauce in a dipping bowl.

In a large serving plate place the shawarma filling, kuboos on the side topped with french fries and serve with sauces...Enjoy!

Creamy Mint Sauce Recipe For Shawarma

Creamy Mint Sauce is normally served with grilled chicken and shawarma at restaurants.

Creamy Mint Sauce Recipe Posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😊

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Mint

2 Tbsp Garlic Toum

2 Tbsp Tahini

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Tbsp Fresh Cream

Salt as per taste.

Prep:

Separate the mint leaves and rinse it in water twice or thrice.

Drain the mint in a colander and spread it on a towel to drain excess moisture.

Prepare the garlic toum, mayonnaise, and tahini ahead of time.

Method:

In a mixerjar add cleaned mint, tahini, garlic toum, mayo, oil and fresh cream grind to form a smooth paste. 

Check for salt add if needed.

Transfer the mint sauce to a airtight container and refrigerate until use.

Creamy and tasty mint sauce can be serve for kababs, grilled chicken, and shawarma.

Carrot and Cucumber Pickle for Shawarma

This pickle is perfect for shawarma or grilled chicken and we can store it upto 2 weeks in the fridge.

Carrot and Cucumber Pickle Recipe is Posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😊😊

Ingredients:
1 Cup Carrots
1 Cup Cucumber
1/2 Cup Green Chilies
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
3 Tbsp Powder Salt
1 Tsp Pepper corns
1 Tsp Fennel 
1 1/2 Cups Water
Glass or Ceramic Container

Prep:
Peel the carrots wash and pat dry.

Chop the carrots into finger length sticks.

Wash and chop the cucumber into ginger length sticks, we can remove the seeds or pickle it with seeds as per choice.

Was the chilies and drain it on a towel and reserve.

Method:
In a sauce pan add water, sugar, salt, fennel and pepper place on medium flame and bring to rapid boil.

Once the salt and sugar melts, remove the pickle juice from flame allow it to cool down.

Transfer the chopped veggies in a glass jar.

Measure and add vinegar to the pickle juice and stir well.

Add the pickle juice to the veggies and seal the glass jar with lid.

Allow the veggies to pickle for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and use.

We can store this pickle in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Tahini Recipe for Shawarma

Tahini is mainly used in Middle eastern dish and main condiment in shawarma.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup White Sesame Seeds

1/4 Cup Sunflower Oil

1/4 Tsp Salt

Tahini Recipe Posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channels 😉

Method:

Heat a wok on medium flame until it reaches temp.

Add the sesame seeds and constantly stir until it starts to splutter.

Once the sesame seeds splutter transfer to a plate allow it to cool down.

Transfer the sesame seeds to a mixer jar and grind to form a smooth powder.

Add salt and oil and grind further to form a smooth paste.

Transfer the tahini to a airtight bottle or box and refrigerate until use.

Garlic Toum / Garlic Chutney for Shawarma

Garlic toum is a main condiment in shawarma. For that authentic restaurant style taste prepare this condiment, we can store this toum upto 2 weeks refrigerated. 

Garlic Toum Recipe Posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channel 😊😊

Ingredients:

150 Grams or 1 Cup Peeled Garlic

150 ML Oil or 3/4 Cup Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Prep:

Peel and Wash the garlic cloves. Place it on a towel and drain excess moisture and reserve it in a bowl.

Wash the lime, chop in half remove seeds and extract juice, reserve the lime juice in a bowl.

Method:

In a mixer jar add the garlic and grind to form a smooth paste.

Add salt and sugar and grind for two more minutes.

In small batches add oil and grind to form a creamy paste.

Lastly add lime juice and little oil grind to form a mayo like consistency.

Transfer the garlic toum in a air tight container and refrigerated until use.