Indian cuisine

Indian Veg Pulao

photo by recipe author

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

1 cup basmati rice
1 onion
10 french beans
1 carrot
1 cup peas
2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut or dried shredded coconut
1 green chili
1 inch raw fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon coriander
1 inch cinnamon
3 cloves
3 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon ghee
3 cups pure water
salt to taste

Wash the rice, drain the water and keep it aside.

Cut the vegetables into small pieces.

Grind coriander, coconut, green chili, garlic and ginger to a paste.

Melt coconut oil and ghee in a pan: add cardamom, clove, bay leaf, cumin and cinnamon. As it sizzles, add the onion and sauté for two minutes. Once the onion is translucent, add beans. After a minute, add carrot pieces, peas, and soaked rice then sauté.

Now add the ground paste to it. Sauté for two minutes. Add water and salt, stir. Close the lid and allow to cook until done. (You can also cook it in a pressure cooker for 10-15 minutes. Remove it once the pressure releases by itself.)

Jayashree from Bellary, India won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipes and photos here!

Chettinad Goat Curry

photo by recipe author

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 pounds goat meat, cut into small pieces
1 medium chopped onion
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
5-6 green chilis, slit vertically
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
10-12 curry leaves
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1-2 bay leaves
1 small cinnamon stick
10-12 cloves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 handful chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Spices:

2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
10-12 black pepper corns
2 black cardamom
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Wash goat meat pieces 3-4 times with water. Drain the water and keep meat aside.

Dry roast all the spices, except chili powder, on medium high heat till fragrant. It takes about 2 minutes. Grind the roasted spices with grated coconut using a cup of water to make a smooth paste.
Add a tablespoon of coconut oil in pressure cooker and once it is heated, fry bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and a teaspoon of fennel seeds on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add in chopped onions, slit green chilies and curry leaves. Saute till onion is nicely browned. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few more seconds. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add goat meat and mix well.

Cover the pressure cooker and cook for about 15 minutes. Let the pressure cooker release all the pressure before opening. Now add the prepared coconut paste. Mix and allow to simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add fresh cilantro, mix and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with roti, naan or rice.

Pooja from San Ramon, CA won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipe and photo here!

Dairy Free Thai Red Chicken Coconut Curry

photo by recipe author

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 cups coconut milk*
2-3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 onion, finely chopped
3-5 brocolli florets
1-2 carrots
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Thai Gravy:

In a medium bowl combine red curry paste and fish sauce with fresh coconut milk. Stir well, until smooth.

Chicken:

Heat a pan on medium high heat. Add oil and fry chicken pieces along with some black pepper for about 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove chicken to dish along with liquid released by chicken.

Curry:

Use the same pan. Wipe it clean with a paper towel then add a tablespoon of oil and sauté grated ginger and garlic for a minute. Add onions and sauté until onions become translucent. Add broccoli florets and sauté for a minute. Now add carrots and thinly sliced red and yellow bell pepper. Mix well and cook the vegetables covered for 2-3 minutes. Remove the cover and add cooked chicken. Mix well. Cover again and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the prepared Thai gravy. Sprinkle red chili powder and mix. Let it come to a boil. Keep the heat low and let it simmer for 5 more minutes. Add curry powder and mix well.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro, mix well and remove from heat. Serve with rice.

*For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Pooja from Fort Worth, TX won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your coconut recipes and photos here!

Gluten Free Garelu with Fresh Coconut Chutney

photo by recipe author

Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Garelu:

2 cups Black Gram (Urad Dal)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 green chilis
salt, to taste
coconut oil, for frying

Coconut Chutney:

1 cup raw grated coconut, or dried shredded coconut
3 green chilis
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 red chili

Garelu:

First, soak Urad dal for 4 hours. Rinse thoroughly using a strainer. Then add fresh water and soak Urad dal overnight.

Discard water from the soaked dal before grinding. (Grind dal using a wet grinder.) Add the soaked dal to the wet grinder and add salt. Add ginger and green chilies.Then add 2 teaspoons of water and grind. Continue adding 1 teaspoon of water at intervals depending upon the requirement while grinding. Grind the dal until soft to touch, then beat to fluff the batter. (To test the fluffiness of the batter add a small portion of batter to a bowl of water and observe that the batter floats on water. If the batter sinks in water then beat again, until batter is light enough to float.) Set prepared batter aside.

Heat a pan and add coconut oil to it, enough for frying. Bring heat to medium-high.

Wet your fingers and take a small portion of the batter and shape into a round ball. Flatten the ball with your hand. Dip thumb in water and make a hole in the flattened ball. Continue until you have used all of the batter.

Drop the prepared garelu carefully into the hot coconut oil. Using a slotted spoon, turn garelu in the oil until both sides are fried golden-brown. Remove fried garelu using slotted spoon and place on a paper napkin to soak up excess oil before serving. Serve garelu hot with coconut chutney.

Coconut Chutney:

In a blender, combine freshly grated (or dried) coconut, fried green chilis, salt, lemon and a little water. Blend until smooth.

Heat butter in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, and 1 red chili. When the mustard seeds crackle remove from heat and pour this over the coconut chutney. Mix well.

Enjoy with hot garelu.

Note: Add 1/4 bunch cilantro while grinding coconut, if desired.

Sowji from Frisco, TX won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your coconut recipes and photos here!