Garlic Pickle/Poondu Oorugai

Garlic Pickle/Poondu Oorugai

I simply love garlic. I love the smell of them frying. I put loads of them in my soups, in my momos. I always saute garlic before making chowmein or fried rice. And of all pickles garlic pickle is my favorite. I came across this recipe of garlic pickle made South Indian style and the combination of ingredients sounded very interesting. It was so different form the North Indian style of making pickles. I simply had to make it. And believe me it turned out awesome.

Ingredients

200 gms garlic, peeled

4 tbsp tamarind paste

Pinch of hing

2 tbsp mustard seeds

¼ cup mustard oil

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt ( adjust according to taste)

Heat the mustard oil to smoking point. Lower heat and add the garlic pods. Saute till they are lightly browned. 

Take of heat. Lightly crush half the garlic. 

You can do so by giving it one whirl in the mixer. 

In the same oil add the hing and mustard seeds. Mix the tamarind paste with ½ cup water and add to the hot oil. Cook till the oil separates. 

Add the whole garlic, crushed garlic, red chilli powder, salt and sugar. The sugar will balance out the sourness of the tamarind. 

Adjust the salt and sugar according to your taste. Cook for about 15 minutes. Store in an air tight jar once cooled.  

Garlic Bread Rolls

Garlic Bread Rolls

Well to begin with let me confess I have been liberal with my use of butter and garlic. The roasted garlicky buttery aroma permeated my house and I was walking on clouds. If you want you can scale down the garlic and butter. However for once, just once, I suggest you indulge and go overboard.

And another thing: “knead”. The more you knead the softer your rolls will be. I kneaded for about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 ½ cup flour

1 ½ tsp yeast

½ cup warm water (you might need a little more while kneading)

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp olive oil

For the garlic spread

100 gm butter, very soft

12 garlic pods, minced

Pinch of salt

Mix the sugar and warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and leave it for about 10 minutes for it to bloom. 

Meanwhile mix together the flour, salt and olive oil. If the yeast blooms successfully then use that water to make dough. If required add some more water.

It is better to use a flat surface to knead. You can work on the kitchen counter or on a large chopping board. Knead well for about 15 minutes.

To test whether the bread will be soft enough take a small ball of dough and pull it apart. If it tears easily it means you have to knead some more to activate the gluten. If it stretches smoothly then it means you are done.

Cover and keep it for at least an hour till it doubles in size.

Punch the dough knocking out the air, cover and keep for another 10 minutes.

Make two portions of the dough. Roll one out into a thin chapatti. Mix the butter and minced garlic. Spread the butter on the rolled out dough.

Remember the butter should be super soft but not melted as it will start running out when you roll the dough.

Now, starting from one end, roll up the dough into a thin tight cylinder.

 Cut even spaced roundels.

Repeat the procedure with the other portion of the dough.

Grease a baking dish. Place the roundels keeping some space between them because they will rise further. 

Once all the dough has been used up and the baking dish is full, cover and keep for half an hour. The roundels will now be big and plump and joined to each other.

If you have any garlic butter left drizzle it on top. And if you have used it all up, like I did, go make some more because you need those garlic bits on top. 

Preheat the open at 180 degrees Celsius. Bake for about 20-25 minutes till the top is golden brown.

Pssssstt…I used some egg wash too after the initial baking was done. Then I baked another 2 minutes.  You can skip this step if you are a vegetarian.

Hummus

Hummus

Seriously I had no idea Hummus taste so divine. Simple ingredients but when they come together...amazing!!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup boiled chick pea/ kabuli chana
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp til/sesame seeds
3 garlic pods
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly roast the sesame seeds. now mix all the ingredients and blend well. 

Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney

I had these soft white rice idlis for lunch and I wanted some quirky chutney to go along with it. I threw in random stuff from my kitchen to make this chutney. 

Ingredients

1 cup freshly grated coconut
4 garlic pods
4 curry leaves
1 small onion
1 tbsp chana dal roasted and soaked
1 tbsp peanuts
2 green chillies
4 tbsp dahi
salt to taste

Blend everything together. if the paste is too thick you can add a little more dahi.

Tahini Paste

Tahini paste

1 cup hung curd

2 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tbsp lime juice

3 pods garlic, crushed

 Grind together all ingredients to make a thick paste. 

Saufiyana Machli

Saufiyana Machli

Ingredients

 Dry masalas ground together

1 tsp black cardamom seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 tsp coriander seeds

1 ½ tsp cumin seeds

Some mace

Make a paste of

½ cup cashew nuts

4 tbsp desiccated coconut

4 tbsp poppy seeds

2 onions, finely chopped

5-6 cloves of garlic

2-3 green chilis

500 gm basa fish, cubed (you can use pomfret also)

First dry roast the dry masalas and grind them to fine powder. 

Dry roast the poppy seeds, cashews and desiccated coconut and grind them together.

 Now blend together the above two sets of ground masalas along with onion, garlic and chilli. 

The reason we are grinding them separately is that if you grind them all together then the smaller spices such as poppy seeds, cumin, fennel etc don’t get ground into a fine paste. They remain chunky and then later on you can feel them in your mouth while eating.

Heat some oil and then add the spice paste. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add about 1 ½ cups water, bring to a boil and then reduce flame. Now add the fish cubes and season with salt. 

Cover and simmer gently till the fish is done. It does not take more than 10 minutes.

Kadhai Chicken

Kadhai Chicken

Ingredients

500 gm boneless chicken

1 tbsp whole coriander seeds

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

3-4 whole red chillies

1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves

1 ½ tbsp ginger, chopped fine

1 ½ tbsp garlic, chopped fine

2 large onions, sliced fine

3 large tomatoes, sliced

½ cup tomato purée

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp amchoor powder/dry mango powder

½ cup chopped fresh green coriander leaves

¼ cup cream

Dry roast the whole coriander seeds and coarsely crush them.

Heat oil and add whole red chillies and fenugreek seeds.

 Once the seeds turn golden add the sliced onions and sauté on medium flame.

When the onions turn translucent add the ginger and garlic.

Add the crushed coriander seeds, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin powder and coriander powder.

 Fry for a minute or two.

Now add the chicken pieces and sauté on high flame for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cook for 45 minutes. Now add salt and amchoor powder. 

Cover and cook till the chicken is tender. 

Add the tomato purée and chopped coriander leaves. 

Cook for about 4 minutes. Add the cream. 

If you want some more gravy you can add ½ cup milk and cook another few minutes.

Garnish with slit green chillies and fresh coriander leaves.