Oyster Mushroom Curry....

Oyster Mushroom has been a regular at my mom's place during my growing years. Most of the population at home - ( btw 12 of us from two families - how else can i refer!!) converted to vegetarians at one stage. So this was the only thing that resembled and tasted like meat for the converts. I was always loyal to my chicken and fish. So this mushroom would take many forms and tastes and would be prepared only on Sundays as special treats for them. What a pity!!. All said and done it sure tasted good.

Its been a while since i made this at home. Honestly it had gone out of my memory until i saw the call for 'Cooking with seeds - Fennel' event hosted by Priya's easy and tasty recipes. I use fennel in almost everything i make , so i was wondering about something different and interesting. So here it is...


Oyster Mushroom Curry :

Oyster mushrooms 250 gms

Onion - 2 small ones

Tomato - 1

Garlic - 5 finely chopped

Fennel Seeds - 1 Tbsp

Curry Leaves - few

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coconut milk - 1/4 cup

Oil as required

salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat the oil and add the fennel seeds Curry leaves and wait for few seconds.

2. Now add the onions and curry leaves and fry till the onions begins to brown slightly.

3. Add the coriander powder, Chilli powder , salt and a dash of turmeric powder cook for about two Min's.

4. Now add the chopped tomato and continue to cook for few Mins

5. Add the coconut milk and reduce heat. Cook for five to seven mins till the oil begins to float on top of the curry.

6. Now add the mushroom and cook it covered till done.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves

Tastes good with rice and can be served with rotis as well.

Enjoy!.

Crab curry...

This morning i decided to catch up with my backlog and took refuge in my room and was trying to make progress with my work. Just when i was settling i heard Prahlad my second twin run up the stairs screeching at his best all excited and calling out for me.... sounds familiar doesn't it..
I wanted to find out what it was all about. But before i could ask him he had me by my hands and walked me down the steps to the gate... Then i knew the reason for his excitement. I saw the 'meenkaran' the fish seller standing with his bounty of catch in a basket ......

There are no markets here where i can go to buy fishes . My supply is only from this weekly visitor. He is the most looked forward visitor especially for Nandan & Prahlad . He brings a good variety of fresh water fish as there is no coast nearby. Sometimes it is soles, catfish,trouts and sardines , mackerels and many more whose names, i am not familiar with.. Most often they are alive and jumping... But today it was special .. he brought fresh water crabs... they looked gorgeous with round black spots and they were just the right size to make a good spicy crab curry.

So off goes work and in comes the crab...

This is a typical chettinad red coloured crab gravy. It is very spicy and tastes terrific with hot rice. I generally dont like to serve anything else when i make crab. It is just rice with crab and some vegetables and buttermilk.. iam all set to devour it.

Ingredients :

Crab 1 kg
Onion 3 big
Tomatoes 3
Ginger & garlic paste 2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Chilli powder 2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 3 sticks
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Aniseeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Grind to paste:

Coconut 3 tbsp
Aniseeds 1 tsp
Poppy seeds 1 tsp

Method:

1.Clean the crab and cut them into two halves...
2. Heat oil in a broad dish and add cinnamon, cloves, curry leaves , cumin and aniseeds and wait till it crackles.
3. Now add the onion and fry till it turns pink. Followed it up with tomatoes.. and fry for a while.
4. Now mix up all the powders with little bit of water and make a paste.
5. Add this to the onion and tomato and cook well till the oil begins to seperate from the gravy
6. Now add the crabs and mix it well...
7. It will generaly start oozing out water ..
8. Let it cook in its own water and season it with salt.
9. Remove it from fire when done and garnish with coriander.

Enjoy it with steaming hot rice....

egg curry...

Agreed, egg curry is one of the commonly done dish at most homes... but the versatility of this dish is quite amazing... I have had egg curries in many houses and each one is different and better than the other...

The simplicity of the process, minimal and at home ingredients and the quickness with which one can make this is what attracts me to this simple recipe. The consistency can be varied depending on what you are going to serve it with... It tastes good with roties also with rice.

Ingredients:
7 boiled eggs

3 onions

3 chopped chillies
1tsp chili powder

1tbsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1tsp fenugreek seeds

1tsp mustard seeds

3 sprigs of curry leaves

1tsp cumin

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

100 ml tamarind juice

3 tbsp of oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a broad dish and add mustard, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and let it crackle.

2. Now add finely cut onions and green chillies and fry till brown.
3. Add ginger garlic paste

4. mix all the powders with little water and make a paste...

5. Add this paste to the onion mix and cook till the raw smell goes

6. Add tamarind juice and 2 cups of hot water and give it a stir..

7. When it begins to boil add salt and a dash of sugar and let it simmer for a while

8. Make mild slits on the boiled eggs and add it to the curry and cook till it gets to gravy consistency
9. Add a tbsp or two of thick coconut milk for a creamier curry.