Bitter melon (gourd) Coconut Curry - Pavakkai Kurma

Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, India, bitter gourd/melon (pavaakai/karela) is used to make Puli Kulambu ( a tangy tamarind based curry), but my husband is not a big fan it so I decided to make a Kurma out of it. I used Chinese bitter melon, which is softer and less bitter than the Indian variety. This Kurma tastes great with plain white rice, idly, dosai and chapathi

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd - 1 or 2, chopped into small pieces 
• Oil - 2 Tblspn
• Onion - 1, chopped
• Tomato - 1 Chopped
• Cinnamon stick - 2
• Cloves - 5
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Chili Powder - to taste
• Coriander powder - 2 Tblspn
• Tamarind extract - 1 tblspn (or more if you like it to be more tangy)
• Coconut milk - 1 cup 

Steps:

• Prepare the bitter gourd - Cut them length wise and scrape off the seeds in the middle. Discard the seeds and chop the bitter gourd into small pieces. Soak them in salted water until ready to cook. This step helps reduce the bitterness of the gourd.

• Heat oil in a wok or sauce pan.
• When hot, add the cinnamon stick, cloves, onions and half of the salt and sauté well.
• When the onion is slightly cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste is gone.
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and sauté well. 
• When the tomatoes are half cooked, add the bitter gourd and sauté well (Just the bitter gourd, not the salted water it was soaking in). 
• When the tomatoes are fully cooked, add the chili powder, coriander powder and rest of the salt and sauté well. Add in splash of water, if it starts sticking to the bottom or if the mixture is too dry and thick.
• Sauté till the raw smell of the spices are gone. 
• Now add the tamarind extract. Add half cup or more of water to cover all the bitter gourd. Let it boil well and then simmer for 10 mins or until the bitter gourd is fully cooked.
• Now add the coconut milk or ground coconut, stir well, and let it boil for 2 mins. At this point you can add more water, if the Kurma is too thick.
• Switch off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Quick Channa (Chickpeas) Masala

This is a quick take on the traditional Channa masala recipe. I always have 3 kinds of store bought spice powder/mix at home, biriyani masala, chicken masala and tandoori chicken masala. The one I mostly use is the chicken masala, any curry (gravy) I make and I toss a spoonful (or sometimes more) in it. On my son's birthday I was making so many things and  in a hurry instead of adding chicken masala I ended up adding tandoori chicken masala and it turned out better than usual :) and I have stuck with it ever since. You just need few ingredients and 1 pressure cooker for fast results.  

Ingredients:

• Channa / Chickpeas - 1 or 2 cups (Soak in water for couple of hours)
• Onion - 1 chopped
• Tomato purée / crushed tomato - 3/4 cup
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tblspn
• Tandoori chicken masala - 1 1/2 tblpsn
• Coriander powder - 2 tspn
• Water - 2 Cups
• Salt - To taste
• Lime - 1/2
• Oil - 2 tblspn
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tspn
• Cinnamon stick - 1

Steps:

 
• In a pressure cooker, heat oil, when hot add fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and onions and sauté.
• When the onion changes colour slightly add the ginger garlic paste and sauté. 
• Add the tandoori chicken masala, salt, Coriander powder and Tandori chicken masala and sauté, add the tomato purée and sauté for 3 mins.
• Drain the soaking channa and add to the mixture in the pressure cooker. Stir.
• Add water. (water should cover the channa and be 1 or 2 cms above it. Add more or less water depending on this measurement)
• Add more salt if needed. Close and put the weight on the pressure cooker. 
• Cook for 15- 20 mins. 
• Release pressure and open. Squeeze lime in. Randomly mash the channa with a potato masher to make a thick consistency of your choice, or take some channa out, blend it in a blender and add it back to the mixture. 

Kerala Chicken Stew

Kerala is a state in the Southern part of India known for their beautiful cities and aromatic cuisine with coconut. My introduction to Kerala's cuisine and culture was through my Uncle who was born and brought up in Kerala. My aunt used to make Syrian beef and Kola puttu often because of his influence. But my real experience in tasting authentic Kerala cuisine was when we visited my uncle's family in Allepey, Kerala. His mom and sister were amazing people and wonderful cooks. It was then I first tasted chicken and beef stews, Pariappu biriyani, beef stuffed parotha and lots more. 

Honestly I had forgotten about the stew until today. Luckily I remembered it when I was wondering what I could do different with chicken rather than the usual curries. Chicken stew is real simple and tasty, hope you enjoy making it. I have made slight changes to the traditional recipe, usually it is very thin (watery), I just made it a bit thicker and added a bit more flavour by adding ginger garlic paste and coriander powder.

Ingredients:

• Oil - 3 Tblspn
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 5 or 6
• Bay leaves - 2 (Fresh or dried)
• Cardamom - 3
• Whole pepper corns - 1 tspn
• Chicken -  1/2 kg or desired amount
• Onion - 2, chopped
• Green Chillies -  6 or more, slit
• Ginger Garlic paste -  1 tblspn
• Potato - 1 Large or 2 medium ones, chopped into big chunks
• Carrots - 2 or 3, chopped in semi-circles
• Coriander powder - 1 tspn
• Pepper powder - 1 tspn
• Salt - 2 tspn or more
• Curry leaves - 2 strands
• Coconut Oil - 1 tspn
• Thin Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cups (just milk, use canned or squeeze out the coconut and use milk alone mixed with a little water)
• Think Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
• All purpose flour - 1 tblspn
• Water - as required 

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pan, when hot, add the whole spices. Then add the onions and green chillies and sauté well. Add salt.
• When onion slightly change colour, add the ginger garlic paste.
• Then add the coriander powder and sauté well.
• Next add the chicken and stir well. Then add the potatoes and carrots.
  
• Add the thin coconut milk and 1 stand of curry leaves and let it boil. When the broth starts to boil, lower heat, cover and cook till the the chicken and veggies are done, maybe 10 to 12 mins.(Your kitchen will be filled with wonderful aroma from the boiling coconut milk :))
• Add this point, add more salt if needed and add the pepper powder. 
• Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, dissolve the all purpose flour in 1/4 cup of water and add to the stew. Let it boil well. Add more water if the stew is too thick.
• Now add the thick coconut milk, stir and bring to a boil for a min or 2. Turn off heat add the coconut oil and one strand of curry leaves. Let it rest for a couple of mins before you serve.