Recipes

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NON VEG RECIPES
butter chicken

Butter Chicken

This creamy North Indian curry features tender chicken in a rich tomato-butter sauce.

Ingredients

  • Chicken: 500g boneless thighs, cubed
  • Marinade: 1 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp each garam masala, chili powder, turmeric; salt
  • Sauce: 4 tomatoes (pureed), ½ cup butter, 1 cup cream, 2 tbsp cashew paste, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp sugar, salt, chili powder
  • Others: 1 onion (finely chopped), 1 tsp cumin seeds

Steps

  1. Marinate chicken 2-4 hours (or overnight); grill or pan-fry until 80% cooked.
  2. Melt 2 tbsp butter, sauté cumin, onion until golden; add ginger-garlic, cook 2 min.
  3. Add tomato puree, cook until thick (10 min); stir in cashew paste, spices, cream, butter. Simmer grilled chicken 10 min until tender. Crush kasuri methi on top. Serve with naan. 
pepper chicken south indian

Pepper Chicken (South Indian Chettinad Style)

A spicy, aromatic dry or semi-dry curry with bold black pepper and curry leaves, typical of Tamil Nadu.

Ingredients

  • Chicken: 500g bone-in pieces
  • Spice paste: 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel, 5 garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, 4 red chilies
  • Others: 2 onions (sliced), 2 tomatoes (chopped), 1 tsp turmeric, curry leaves handful, ½ cup coconut (optional, roasted), salt, oil

Steps

  1. Dry-roast pepper, coriander, fennel, chilies; grind with ginger-garlic to paste. Marinate chicken with half paste, turmeric, salt (1 hour).
  2. Heat oil, splutter mustard/curry leaves; sauté onions golden, add tomatoes, remaining paste; cook 5 min.
  3. Add chicken, ½ cup water; simmer covered 20 min until done and thick. Garnish with curry leaves. Pairs with rice or parotta.
thalasery biriyani 5-6 serving

Thalassery Biriyani

Kerala's dum-cooked biriyani uses Jeerakasala/Kaima rice, chicken masala, and layered ghee rice for subtle flavors (no red chili powder).

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • Chicken masala: 1 kg chicken, 500g onions (sliced), 15 green chilies (ground), 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 tomatoes, ½ cup yogurt, handful mint/coriander, garam masala (roast 2 cinnamon, 5 cloves, 4 cardamom, 1 tsp fennel, grind), salt, ghee
  • Rice: 750g Jeerakasala/basmati rice, whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom), fried onions/cashews/raisins for garnish
  • Others: Rose water/saffron, lemon juice

Steps

  1. Fry onions golden for garnish; reserve half. Grind green chilies-ginger-garlic. Sauté onions, add paste, tomatoes; cook mushy. Add chicken, yogurt, garam masala, herbs; simmer 15-20 min until 80% cooked.
  2. Parboil soaked rice with whole spices, ghee, salt until 70% done; drain.
  3. Layer: chicken masala base, rice, fried garnishes, mint/coriander, ghee, saffron water. Dum cook sealed pot on low 20-25 min. Rest 10 min; fluff gently. Serve with raita, pickle.

VEG RECIPES
milagu kuzhambu veg southern dish

Milagu Kuzhambu

A tangy, peppery gravy from Chettinad, often served with rice and poriyal.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 4 dried red chilies (roast and grind to paste)
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste (or golf-ball-sized tamarind soaked), ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp jaggery, salt
  • 2 tbsp sesame/toor dal oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 sprigs curry leaves, ¼ tsp asafoetida
  • 1 cup thin tamarind water

Steps

  1. Heat oil, splutter mustard, add asafoetida, curry leaves; stir in spice paste, fry 2 min.
  2. Add turmeric, thick tamarind water, jaggery; boil until oil separates (10 min).
  3. Dilute with thin water, simmer 5-7 min to thick gravy. Pairs with steamed rice and appalam.​
pepper rasam dish

Pepper Rasam

A fiery, digestive soup packed with pepper, jeera, and garlic, common across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 garlic cloves (crush), 1 tomato (chopped), 1 tsp rasam powder
  • 1 tbsp tamarind juice, handful coriander leaves, salt, ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ghee, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 2 dried chilies, curry leaves

Steps

  1. Grind pepper-cumin coarsely; boil with 3 cups water, tomato, tamarind, turmeric, salt (10 min).
  2. Mash tomato, add rasam powder; simmer until frothy. Temper ghee with mustard, chilies, garlic, curry leaves; pour over.
  3. Garnish coriander. Serve hot as soup or rice mixer.
mushroom pepper fry south indian dish

Mushroom Pepper Fry

Kerala Chettinad-inspired dry stir-fry with mushrooms, cracked pepper, and coconut oil aromatics.

Ingredients

  • 400g mushrooms (button or cremini), quartered
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard or cumin seeds
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or 4-5 garlic cloves + 1 tsp ginger, minced)
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 1-2 green chilies, slit (optional)
  • 1½ tbsp black pepper, coarsely crushed
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds (crushed)
  • ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste
  • Handful coriander leaves

Steps

  1. Heat oil in a wok; splutter mustard/cumin, add curry leaves, chilies, ginger-garlic; sauté 30 sec.
  2. Add onions; fry golden (3-4 min). Stir in turmeric, coriander powder.
  3. Toss in mushrooms; cook high heat 5-7 min until water evaporates and they brown. Add pepper, fennel, salt; fry 2 min more.
  4. Garnish coriander. Serve hot with rice, dosa, or parotta.

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