Mutton Kheema

Mutton/Lamb Minced Meat Curry

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Mutton Kheema/Kothukari/minced meat is a very famous TamilNadu recipe, esp. in the southern parts of TamilNadu. I have got this recipe from my mother in law and did a bit of improvisation to it. It is a spicy semi-gravy curry which tastes great with any Roti, Parotta or rice items.

Ingredients:	Quantity
Mutton/Lamb boneless finely minced*	1.5 lbs
Shallots/Small onions chopped	2 cups
Ginger Garlic paste	2 tbsp
Red Chili Powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder	1 tsp
Salt	To taste
Oil	2-3 tbsp
Tempering:
Cloves	2-3 nos
Cardamom	2 nos
Cinnamon Stick	1 inch piece
To Grind:
Grated Coconut	1/2 cup
Dry Red Chili**	8-10 nos
Coriander Seeds	2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds	1.5 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Poppy Seeds	1.5 tsp
Peppercorns	1 tsp

Preparation:
1) Heat 1 tbsp oil in a fry pan and fry all the ingredients listed to grind, except coconut. Add coconut and little water as required and grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
2) Meanwhile heat oil in the pressure cooker and add the whole garam masala listed for tempering and then add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until the onions caramelize and the raw smell of ginger garlic paste disappears.
3) Add the minced meat to it and add very little water and pressure cook upto 2-3 whistles or well cooked.
4) Wait and release the pressure and add the ground masala and let it cook until the raw smell of the masala disappears and the gravy thickens.
5) Serve with any Indian flat bread or rice item.

Note:* If you do not get minced meat, then you can finely chop the meat and process it in a food processor (Mixie).
** Add or reduce dry red chilies according to the heat of the chilies and your tolerance level.

Fish in Red Curry

Fish in Thai Red Curry Sauce

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Very tasty Thai red curry sauce which can be used as a base to cook several dishes. The dish is slightly modified using the ingredients available in the local market.

Ingredients:	Quantity
White Fish	1 lb
Large Onion	1 nos
Thai Red Curry Paste	3-4 tbsp
Coconut Milk	1 cup
Green Chili	1 nos
Fish Sauce/Soy Sauce	1 tsp
Brown/Palm Sugar	1 tsp
Kaffir Lime Leaves/Lemon Rind	1-2 nos/1 tsp
Oil*	2-3 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	1 tsp
Cayenne Pepper Powder(Optional)	1/4 tsp
Salt	To taste
Dried Basil	1/2 tsp
Fresh Basil	5-6 leaves
Chopped Parsley	To Garnish

Preparation:
1) Clean and cut fish into large cubes and marinate fish with salt and turmeric powder for few Min's.
2) Heat oil in a fry pan and fry a 2-3 Min's on each side and set aside.
3) Heat oil in a large sauté pan and sauté the onions for 1-2 Min's and then add the red curry paste sauté for few Min's until the raw smell disappears.
4) Add the lemon rind/lime leaves, green chili, fish sauce, sugar, Cayenne pepper powder and the coconut milk, water/stock and simmer for 8-10 Min's.
5) Add the fried fish to the curry and let it cook for another 10 Min's.
6) Add the dried basil, and then garnish with fresh basil and chopped parsley.
7) Serve hot with steamed rice or flavored rice.

Note:* Usually peanut oil is used for this dish. You can use olive oil or canola oil or vegetable oil.
You can also add vegetables like carrot, zucchini, mushroom to this curry.
You can replace fish with chicken or vegetables or shrimp.
You can make you own red curry paste using the recipe Red Curry Paste or use a readymade paste.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup cooked in microwave

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Ingredients:	Quantity
Chicken Stock*	2 Cups
Shredded Chicken pieces	A few
Usalted Butter	2 tbsp
Plain Flour	2 tbsp
Milk	1 Cup
Pepper powder	1 tsp
Salt	To Taste
Cream	3 tbsp

Preparation:
1) Microwave butter in a microproof dish for 30 seconds.
2) Add plain flour and microwave for 1 minute. Add milk and stir well and microwave for another 1 minute.
3) Add the chicken stock, shredded chicken, salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Microwave covered for 4 mins and remove the cover and microwave for another 2 mins.
4) Pour in the cream and sprinkle the remaining pepper and Serve hot.

Note:* For a homemade chicken stock, microwave covered 250 gms chicken with bones, 7 cups water, whole garam masala and salt, for 15 mins.

Lamb Curry

Sweet & Spicy Lamb Curry cooked in red wine

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Ingredients:	Quantity
Lamb/Mutton	750 gms
Plain Flour	5 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Corriander powder	1 tsp
Red chilly powder	1/2 tsp
Medium Sized Red Onion	3 nos
Tomatoes	2 nos
Ginger garlic paste	3 tsbp
Green Chilli	2 nos
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Tomato Paste	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Flakes	1 tsp
Red wine	1/4 cup
Brown Sugar	1 1/2 tbsp
Crushed black pepper	1/2 tsp
Salt	To taste
Oil	3-4 tbsp

Preparation:
1) Mix plain flour, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt. Add the lamb to it and toss it.
2) Add oil in a frying pan and fry the lamb until it turns brown and set aside.
3) Meanwhile add fry the onions in a saucepan and add the ginger & garlic paste and green chilli and saute until the onions are tender and caramelized.
4) Add the cumin seeds, tomato paste, garam masala and brown sugar for 3-4 mins.
5) Add the browned meat, salt, chilli flakes and red wine and mix.
6) Add the tomatoes and sprinkle the black pepper saute it for a minute and add enough water(Good enough to cover the meat and cook for 2 hours).
7) Cook on medium-low heat for about 2 hours or until the lamb is cooked well and the sauce becomes thick. Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao rice or roti.

Note: Indian meat(mutton) takes a lot longer to cook, you can leave upto 2 wistles before you start on the step 1 and remove the excess water from the meat.

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti

Loved the shrimp scampi at grand lux and def. wanted to try that. The try was good and Samyu loved it.

Ingredients:

Spaghetti
Shrimp 1 lb
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Butter 4 tbsp
Garlic finely minced 5
Shallots finely chopped 3
Black pepper powder 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilly flakes a pinch
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
White wine 4 tbsp(cooking wine)

Dry Basil 1/2 tsp
Dry parsley 1 tsp
Dry coriander 1/2 tsp
Dry oregano 1/4 tsp
Dry thyme a pinch
Crush all the dry herbs into fine powder


Preparation:

1) Marinate the shrimp with salt and pepper for 10 mins. Cook it in a microwave for 4 mins sauté it in between. Remove the excess water and keep aside.
2) Cook the spaghetti in water until it is 3/4th cooked. Drain the water having 1 cup of water.
3) In a pan add 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil and add the minced garlic and chopped shallot and sauté well.
4) Add the chilly flakes and the crushed dry herbs then add the water that has been set aside from cooking shrimp.
5) Add the lemon juice and white wine and let it cook for a few mins.
6) Add the remaining butter and one tbsp olive oil and when butter melts add salt and pepper and add the shrimp and pasta and mix together.
7) Add the pasta cooked water set aside and let it cook until the spaghetti and shrimp are cooked.
8) Finish it with olive oil and parsley and serve hot.