Madras curry is is a hot spicy curry which originated in Madras (now callled Chennai) in South India. This south Indian curry can be made with vegetables or meats and is very popular in the United Kingdom, Middle East and many other countries. The piquant and Spicy Madras curry became a big hit with British colonists in India, who took the curry recipe back to Britain. Madras Curry Powder in dry form or paste form is readily available in grocery stores all over the world. It contains spices like chili pepper,  turmeric, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, fenugreek, bay leaves, and curry leaves.  Madras Lamb Curry, Madras Chicken Curry and Madras Prawn Curry are very popular dishes in the UK.

Basic Madras curry sauce is prepared with a base of garlic, ginder,  fried onions and tomatoes.  Blending with coconut milk makes Madras curry more thicker and milder.  Ingredients like lemon juice or tamarind can be added to the curry to make it more sour and tart. Here we give a simple recipe for Prawn Madras Curry which you can try at home.

Ingredients

750 gms  small  peeled prawns
8 tbsp coconut cream
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp  coriander seeds
5-6 fenugreek seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 dried red chilies
5 cloves
1 tsp turmeric
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large thinly sliced onion
½ spoon garlic paste
½ spoon ginger paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves 
salt
3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

• Mix turmeric powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and lemon juice well and apply to the prawns, keep aside the prawns for 15 to 20 minutes for marinating.
• Grind the coconut cream along with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds to a paste.
  Prepare tamarind concentrate by adding 4 to 5 tbsp of water to it.
• Pour the oil into a large saucepan bring up to a high heat. Add the mustard seeds when they sizzle and crackle stir in the cloves and dried red chilies.
• Then add the chopped onions, gingler-garlic paste and reduce the heat to low and cook until the onion is browned. Add tomato puree and 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for few minutes till the onion becomes soft.
• Add the coconut paste, tamarind concentrate  and cook this  until the mixture bubbles.  Stir in the prawns and simmer for 10 minutes or until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve the prawn curry with naan or steamed rice.

To make the recipe simpler, you can use the readymade Madras curry powder or paste.

Technorati Tags: South India, Indian curry, Madras Curry Powder, Prawn Madras Curry

Recipe for Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani (Chicken Biryani)

Biryani or Biriyani is a rice based dish made usually with basmati rice, aromatic spices and meat. It was brought to India by Persian merchants, travellers, and Mughal rulers. There are many popular variants of Biryani such as Awadhi or Lucknow Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Lahori Biryani and Kerala Biryani – each one of them is influenced by the local style of cooking. 

Hyderabadi Biryani is a popular dish from Hyderabad in India. This delicious dish originated in the royal kitchens of Nizam,  a Mughal ruler of Hyderabad in the 18th century.  This dish is influenced by Mughal as well as Telagana style of cooking.  Goat meat or mutton is the natural choice for Hyderabadi Biryani recipe, but it can be substituted by other meats such as chicken or beef.  Making Biryani is an art which has been trasferred from generations to generations. In many famous restaurants serving Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani, their recipe is a top secret.  Here you will find instructions to make a delicious Biryani at home, with easy to follow steps.

Ingredients
500 gms Basmati Rice (pre-soaked in water for 1 hour).
1kg. of Mutton (lamb) chopped in 1 inch chunks
2 tsp Garam Masala.
5 nos  Red chilies
3 tbsp of  Turmeric powder
6 nos. Green chilies
A handful of cashew nuts
5 nos fine sliced Onions
3 nos. Cardamoms
2 nos. Cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks
4 tsp. Ginger Garlic paste
1 small bunch of chopped Coriander leaves
1 small bunch of chopped Pudina (Mint) Leaves
2 pinches Saffron (dissolved in ¾ cup milk)
1 cup beaten Yoghurt
8 tbsp of Lime juice
4 nos boiled Eggs
6 tbsp. Ghee (clarified butter)/Butter /Oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a large bowl mix the mutton chunks with yoghurt, one tbsp garam masala, turmeric, garlic- ginger paste and salt.  Marinate this mixture for at least 3-4 hours in refrigerator.
2. Make a fine paste of red chilies and cashew nuts.
3. Heat 3 tb.sp. of ghee and pour it on the red chili masala, fry it for 3 minutes and keep aside.
4. Fry ¼ of the  onion slices to golden brown and add the marinated mutton to it.
5. Fry this mixture on medium flame till ghee separates. Then add 1½ cups of warm water to it and cook on a low flame till tender.
6. Fry the remaining onion to golden brown and keep aside.
7. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a wok and immediately add Cardamoms, Cloves, Cinnamon sticks to it, fry for a while and add the pre-soaked rice to it.
8. Fry the rice a little then add the fried green chilies  masala and some salt to it.
   Add enough boiled water in wok and cook till the rice is half done.
9. Drain any excess water and Sspread the rice on a plate.
10. In a small bowl, mix  1 tbsp. garam masala , fried onion the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and keep this mixture aside.
11. Take a heavy wok and add 3 tb.sp. ghee .Make  a layer of rice at bottom and above that ¼ of the mutton. Sprinkle half of mixture of coriander leaves and 1 tb.sp. lime juice.
12. Make such 2-3 layers of  rice followed by a mutton mixture. Top layer should be of  a rice .
    Sprinkle saffron milk on the top of it.
13. Cover the wok  tightly and cook on a low flame it for 20 to 30 minutes tll the rice is done.
14. Garnish  the Hydrabadi mutton biryani with boiled egg cuts, fried onions and serve it hot.

Technorati Tags: India, Hyderabadi Biryani, Hydrabadi mutton biryani