Okra Curry

A delicious South Indian-style okra curry made with freshly ground coconut, spices, and curry leaves. It pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, dosa, or chapati.

Total time: 35 min

Servings: 4

Difficulty: Easy

For the curry

• Okra (ladies' finger) – 500 g, chopped

• Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped

• Tomato – 1 medium, chopped

• Green chilies – 2

• Tamarind – small lemon-sized piece, optional

• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

• Red chili powder – ½–1 tsp

• Coriander powder – 1 tsp

• Oil – 2 tbsp

• Salt – to taste

• Water – 1–1½ cups

For the ground coconut paste

• Fresh grated coconut – ½ cup

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 1–2

• Garlic – 2 cloves, optional

• Water – ¼–½ cup, as needed

Instructions:

Wash the okra and dry it completely before chopping. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the okra for 6–8 minutes until slightly tender and less sticky. Remove and set aside.

Blend the grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, garlic, and water into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, and onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add green chilies, tomato, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Cook until the tomato softens.

Add the sautéed okra and ground coconut paste. Pour in 1 cup water and mix gently. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the okra is cooked and the gravy thickens. Add more water if needed.

Taste and adjust salt. If you prefer a tangy curry, add a little tamarind extract and simmer for another 2–3 minutes.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Chicken Biriyani

A flavorful Indian-style chicken biryani made with aromatic basmati rice, juicy marinated chicken, fresh herbs, and warm spices.

For the chicken marinade

• 2 lb chicken, bone-in or boneless (about 900 g)

• 2 cup plain yogurt

• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (about 30 ml)

• 2 tsp turmeric powder

• 4 tsp red chili powder

• 2 tsp garam masala

• 2 tsp biryani masala

• Salt to taste, juice of 2 lemon

For the rice and biryani

• 2 lb basmati rice (about 450 g)

• 2 large onion, thinly sliced

• 2 medium tomato, chopped

• 4 green chilies, slit

• 1 cup chopped mint and cilantro combined

• 4 tbsp oil or ghee

• Whole spices: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf

• Saffron soaked in 60 ml warm milk (optional)

• Salt and water as needed

  
  

Instructions:

Mix chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, biryani masala, lemon juice, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours.

Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot. Fry sliced onions until golden brown. Remove about half for layering later.

Add whole spices and green chilies to the remaining onions. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is partially cooked and the masala is thick.

Rinse basmati rice and soak for 20–30 minutes. Boil plenty of salted water with a bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Add rice and cook until about 70% done. Drain immediately.

Spread the parboiled rice over the chicken masala. Top with fried onions, mint, cilantro, and saffron milk if using. Drizzle a little ghee over the rice.

Cover the pot tightly. Cook on low heat for 20–25 minutes, using a heat diffuser if needed to prevent burning. Turn off the heat and rest for 10 minutes before gently mixing and serving. Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Serve with Cucumber raita, Onion salad or salan.

Idly

These traditional South Indian idlis are soft, fluffy, and light, made with fermented urad dal and idli rice batter. The secret to perfect idlis is grinding the urad dal until fluffy, fermenting the batter well, and steaming just until cooked.

Ingredients

• Urad dal (whole or split, skinned) – 1 cup

• Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp

• Idli rice – 4 cups

• Salt – to taste

• Water – as needed for soaking and grinding

• Oil – for greasing the idli plates

Instructions

Wash the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together and soak them in plenty of water for at least 4 hours. In a separate bowl, wash the idli rice thoroughly and soak for at least 4 hours.

Drain the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Grind them in a wet grinder, adding water gradually as needed, until the batter becomes smooth, light, and fluffy. Transfer it to a large bowl.

Drain the rice and grind it with water as needed until smooth, with a very slight grainy texture if you prefer traditional idlis. Pour the rice batter into the bowl with the urad dal batter.

Mix both batters thoroughly using your clean hand or a sturdy spoon until evenly combined. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place overnight, usually 8–12 hours, or until the batter rises noticeably and looks airy. Fermentation time depends on room temperature.

Once fermented, gently stir the batter. Add salt to taste and mix without deflating it too much. Grease the idli molds lightly with oil and fill each mold about three-quarters full, leaving room for the idlis to rise.

Add water to the idli cooker and bring it to a steady boil. Place the filled idli plates inside, cover, and steam for about 10–12 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into an idli; it should come out clean.

Turn off the heat and let the idlis rest for 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle a little water on the back of the plates if needed, then gently loosen the edges with a spoon and remove the idlis. Transfer them to an insulated container to keep warm.

Serving suggestions: Coconut chutney, Hot sambar, Medu vadai, Idli podi with sesame oil.