This is a recipe from my friend Aruna. She asked me for this recipe about 1 year ago, but I had no luck finding it. At my native, chow chow means a kind of spicy crunchy mixture. So I was a bit surprised when she said it is made of vegetables. I think in Tamil, chow-chow means chayote squash. Do not confuse this dish with any of these.
Aruna finally got it from her MIL and passed on to me. She said it is a specialty from Honnavar . The dish is basically a beans-carrot-potatoes cooked with a spicy, tangy mixture which is similar to pickle masala . It tastes great as a side dish with rice and simple dal .
Ingredients: 1/2 cup carrots chopped into strips 1/2 cup green beans chopped into strips 1/2 cup potatoes chopped into strips 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds 1/4 tea spn fenugreek seeds 3-4 red chilies A pinch asafoetida 1/4 tea spn turmeric 1/8 tea spn pepper 1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or 2 pieces of tamarind Oil Salt
Method: Heat a little oil and fry mustard, fenugreek, asafoetida, pepper, red chilies. Make sure not to burn any. Grind it to a paste along with tamarind, turmeric. Heat oil and add veggies. Fry for few minutes. Close the lid and let it cook on medium heat (do not add water). When the veggies are almost cooked, add the paste, salt. Cover the lid and cook till done.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 20mins
Updated: According to original recipe, while making the paste, add a little water so that the dish gets a little gravy(like pickle with oil). I just changed a bit to make it very dry.
Chicken has become a very rare sight at my home. But whenever I cook it, I make sure to cook a new dish with it, so that I have enough recipes when I need them. This is one such dish I cooked a while ago.
Frying chicken in ghee /butter before adding it to a dish gives it a very unique taste, something I learnt very recently. I love the sweetness from onions, yogurt and spicy taste from chili powder in this. Fresh ginger and garlic gives it a strong taste. A very simple, yet tasty dish.
One thing I need to learn yet is, I can’t remember the measurements in weight. When I am buying chicken, I go for the smallest pack and make more than one dish with it :(.
Ingredients: 8-10 chicken pieces 1/2 tea spn garlic 1/2 tea spn ginger 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1/2 cup yogurt 1/2 tea spn coriander powder 1/2 tea spn cumin powder 1/2 tea spn chili powder Ghee 1/2 tea spn garam masala Salt
Method: Heat ghee and fry chicken pieces till they get slightly brownish. Take them out.
Heat remaining ghee and add garlic, ginger, onions and fry till onions turn slightly brownish. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder and fry for 30secs. Add the tomato pieces, salt and cook till tomato is slightly tender. Now add chicken pieces, yogurt and cook till the chicken is tender and all the water evaporates. Sprinkle garam masala , mix well for around 1mins. Serve hot.
Serves : 2-3 Preparation time : 20mins
