Monday Chit Chat With a HomeChef - Prem Kumar

There is a saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but when a man can cook delicious food I think the family must be really lucky :) I am really proud and happy to introduce my today's guest PREM KUMAR who is a big foodie and also who love to cook for his family & friends.  I am sure that by reading his chit chat everyone can understand the passion he has on food. Not only cooking, he also shares his other passion which also seem to be really interesting. I got to know this person through a foodie group and really amazed with his culinary skills. I always admire the way he encourage and motivate other foodies through his comments.

Thank you so much Prem for being my today's special guest and it is my pleasure to have your chit chat on my space.. Now over to Prem !

Priya : Love to hear few words about you and your passion. Who is your greatest support ?

Prem : I'm working as a business analyst in Coimbatore. My passion is cooking, photography, pet lover, bike racing and travelling. My sister is my greatest support.

Priya : Your favourite chef, favourite cookery show and favourite cookbook.

Prem : My favourite chef is my grandma. I never missed Chef Dhamu sir's cookery show. I had never reared any cookbooks but I am following two food blogs @priya's menu and @cooking at Mayflower.

Priya : Can you share us about your first cooking experience and the recipe which you tried first ?

Prem : Sure. My first cooking experience is the most funniest one. In my school days, I tried to cook rice for the first time but it turned out into pongal.

Priya : Please share some kitchen tips or secrets of yours..

Prem : Use Greek yogurt instead of fresh cream to get a soft and smoother texture. If you forgot to soak chickpeas earlier, soak it for just 1 hour in boiling water and it will be ready to cook.

Priya : When your house filled with sudden guests... What would be your quick menu ?

Prem : My quick menu will contain Kesari, Bajji, Variety dosa's and a tomato gravy.

Priya :  What is your family's most favourite recipe which you cook ?

Prem : I always love to cook non-vegetarian foods. Most favourite among them are Chettinad mutton gravy, Country chicken pepper fry and Capsicum omelette.

Priya : What do you like in my blog and please share your suggestions to improve mine.

Prem : I am impressed with your innovation in each and every dish. For example, your on going 100 types of chutney varieties. Rather than suggesting I request you to come up with more and more innovative recipes.

                                  Pepper Chicken 

Ingredients:

Chicken -1/2 kg

Onion -1

Oil-4 tablespoon 

Cinnamon -2

Clove -2

Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon 

Turmeric powder -1 teaspoon 

Chilli powder -1 tablespoon 

Garam masala -1/2 tablespoon 

Pepper -2 tablespoon 

Salt -as per your need 

⚪Clean the chicken. 

⚪Add little amount of salt and turmeric powder and mix well.

⚪Add sufficient amount of water to the marinated chicken and leave to boil till the chicken is half cooked.

⚪Heat a frying pan.add 4 tablespoons of oil.add 2 cinnamon and cloves,1 teaspoon cumin seeds,few curry leaves.

⚪Add 1 finely chopped onion and fry till it turns to golden brown.

⚪Add boiled chicken,1 tablespoon chilli powder, 1/2 tablespoon garam masala, 2 tablespoon pepper,salt as per your requirement and mix it well.

⚪Cook for few minutes and your pepper chicken is ready.

Note : Add pepper according to your taste 

Oh wow ! Thanks a lot Prem for your appreciation. I am overwhelmed. I will try for sure to post many more 100 series. I loved your chit chat and I hope the same from my readers too. Your pepper chicken sounds super delicious and tempting. Will try this soon. Thanks again for sharing your recipe with us. All the very best for your bright future and may all your dream comes true :)

Friends, Stay tuned till next Monday to meet another interesting Home chef who is also going to share a yummy dish with us. Have a great week ahead !

If you are interested to participate in my Chit Chat event, please do drop a mail at priyasmenu@gmail.com

                                         

Monday Chit Chat With A Home Chef - Priyadharshini Selvam

Hey ! It's Monday and Happy Rama Navami to all my readers !

Are you ready to meet my today's special guest ?

I am feeling great to introduce my third guest of the series and a wonderful Home chef Priyadharshini Selvam. I got to know about her through my another foodie friend Adaikkammai Annamalai who's Chit Chat also got published a couple of weeks back. Since I do not know much about Priya, thought of giving a small surprise by making her bestie to share few words about her..

Here is what her bestie Adaikkammai Annamalai shared with us about her friend...

"Priyadharshini is a very nice person. I admire all her recipes especially loaded sweet potatoes and casserole layer are my favourites. She works as a lecturer and at the same time, she follows her passion Cooking too.I personally feel, thats the great talent. And finally she is a wonderful Chef !"

Now let's hear from Priya...

Priya : Love to hear few word about you and your passion. Who is your greatest support ?

Priya : I would like to introduce as a foodie. I love to explore different cuisines and try new recipes. I started cooking after marriage only. Concentrated on healthier home made recipes after my son's arrival in my life. Definitely my husband is my greatest support since the day I got married as he encourages and supports me to do what I love. 

Priya : Your favourite chef, favourite cookery show and favourite cookbook. 

Priya : Venkatesh Bhat is my favourite chef as he doesn't repeat usual dishes in his show Samayal Samayal. I love watching Master Chef. I don't follow any cookbooks. I read blogs, watch videos online and learn. 

Priya : Can you share us about your first cooking experience and the recipe which you tried first ?

Though I cooked a little here and there, after marriage only my serious cooking experience started. Kongu special Arisimparuppu Sadham was the first recipe I made for my husband. 

Priya : Please share some kitchen tips or secrets of yours..

Priya : Working women can try to balance home cooking by preparing the veggies and necessary items the previous night itself. When it comes to your kid you always want to give the best and healthy homemade food. So try to cook at home with healthy ingredients and teach your kid to eat homemade food which will impact their lifestyle in future. 

Priya : When your house filled with sudden guests.. What would be your quick menu ?

Priya : I actually never get any sudden guests. I prepare well in advance when guests arrive. Still coconut milk rice with spicy baby potato roast and lime mint punch would be my quick menu. 

Priya : What's your family's most favourite recipe which you cook?

Priya : My husband likes Chicken biryani, Chicken 65 and Ennai Kathirikai Puli Kulambu. My son's favourite is Banana Appam and Sathumaavu cookies. 

Priya : What do you like in my blog and please share your suggestions to improve mine. 

Priya : I like your neat presentation and simple words used for the recipe. Suggest you to continue the interesting home chef Chit Chat which will encourage a lot of women and build up confidence in them. 

Sathumaavu cookies

Sathumaavu powder recipe: 

Finger millet (Ragi) -  200 gms

Pearl Millet (Kambu) - 200 gms

Red Rice - 100 gms

Wheat (Samba Godhumai) - 100 gms

Jowar (Cholam) - 100 gms

Green gram (Paasi Payaru) - 100 gms

Soya Beans - 100 gms

Corn (Makka Cholam) - 50 gms

Roasted gram (Pottukadalai) - 50 gms

Foxtail millet (Thinai) - 50 gms

Horse Gram (Kollu) -  50 grams

Sago (Sabudhana, Javarisi) - 50 gms

Barley - 50 gms

Almonds - 50 gms

Cashew - 50 gms 

Cardamom - 10 nos

Step 1 : Wash each ingredient separately ( except almonds,cashew,cardamom) , look for impurities , drain water completely and air dry/sun dry them.

Step 2 : Dry roast each ingredient separately in a pan.

Step 3 : Grind everything together.. 

Usually we give it to small mills for grinding.. You can grind using mixie too in two sets. This can be stored for 6 months! ( storing in airtight container in a Refrigerator works well)

Cookie making : 

Sathumaavu powder - 250 gms

Butter - 120 gms 

Cane sugar - 100 gms ( can increase if more sweetness needed)

Milk - 2 tbsp ( only to achieve desired dough consistency)

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp ( optional)

Salt - a pinch 

(This ratio gave me 40 cookies.. Adjust accordingly) 

Step 1: Cream butter and cane sugar together with vanilla essence.

Step 2 : Add sathumaavu and salt to it and make a cookie dough (add milk if needed).

Step 3: Cover the dough with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins. 

Step 4 : After 30 mins ,Preheat oven to 180°C. Press the dough flat with the rolling pin ( cling wrap helps in even rolling) to 0.5 mm thickness.

Step 5 : Cut to desired shape with a cookie cutter and carefully line them on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake for 10 mins at 180°C . Watch carefully as it turns from dark brown to black within seconds.

Step 6 : Remove from oven, cool for 10 mins and serve.

                                 I really enjoyed today's Priya meets Priya chit chat ;)

Thank you so much Priyadharshini for being my special guest and for sharing your signature healthy recipe with us. I am sure that my readers will love it for sure. Cookies look so perfect and sounds super healthy too. I wish you all the success in your life and may all your dreams come true ! Happy Cooking !

And also, Thanking her friend Adaikkammai Annamalai for sharing few words about her bestie with us.

Click the below link to view the so far posted Monday Chit Chat with a Home Chef..

Monday Chit Chat with a HomeChef - Adaikammai Annamalai 

Monday Chit Chat with a HomeChef - Karuna Pooja 

Stay tuned till next week to meet a another interesting Home chef along with an interesting recipe. Have a great week ahead !

If you are interested to participate in my Chit Chat series, please do drop a mail at priyasmenu@gmail.com

Monday Chit Chat With a HomeChef - Adaikkammai Annamalai

Hey! It's Monday and I am here again with an interesting chit chat with a lovely Homechef Adikkammai Annamalai. Recently got a chance to know about her and her passion in cooking through one of the Facebook food group. And thats where our journey of friendship started. She is such a friendly person and also won prizes in online cooking competitions. You can also check her Facebook page where she posts all her mouth watering recipes. Thanks Adikkammai for being my today's guest and it is my pleasure to have your signature recipe on my page.

With no more delay... let's see what Adaikkammai shares with us !


Priya : Love to hear few words about you and your passion and who is your greatest support?

Adaikkammai : I am a homemaker, having 2 cute daughters. We are living in Malaysia and my native is Karaikudi. So our traditional Chettinad cuisine is our favourite one. My passion is Food photography, uploading recipes on my fb page and other food groups. And also, I like to do Mehandi work. My greatest support is my Husband.

Priya : Your favourite Chef, favourite Cookery show and favourite Cookbook.

Adaikkammai : My mother in law is my favourite cook and all time favourite.

Priya : Can you share us about your first cooking experience and the recipe which you trie first ?

Adaikkammai : Ya Why not ! I don't have any cooking experience in the begining. After marriage, I learned cooking from my Mother in law and very first time I tried Chettinad chicken curry which got me a very bad experience. And later I started to learn.

Priya : Please share some kitchen tips or secret of yours..

Adaikkammai : We do not prefer to buy any store bought masala powders and instant mix. We always like to use our homemade powders in all our cooking. Like homemade dry chilli paste or a special masala paste which has coriander seeds, cashews, fennel seeds and dry chilli in it. All these ingredients are blended together and made into thick paste. We usually store this masala paste in a refrigerator and use it in gravies in the quantity of 2 or 3 Tsp. It gives a nice taste compared to regular red chilli and coriander powder.

Priya : When your house filled with sudden guests.. What would be your quick menu ?

Adaikkammai : Always my quick menu would be Halwa, Uluntha vada and Masala tea. These are our favourite and fastest dish.

Priya : What is your family's favourite recipe which you cook ?

Adaikkammai : My hubby loves my Egg kothu biryani, he always ask me to do that. My mother in law likes my most of the food but sometimes she will tell bad comments. ( Just kidding )

Priya : What do you like in my blog and please share your suggestions to improve mine.

Adaikkammai : Yes I like your blog. Actually I am a beginner, so I am not in the place to suggest you. But of course, I am taking tips from your blog.

Fried Brinjal Sweet & Sour Curry

This is a Chinese curry which has a different taste because of the addition of Jaggery and Tamarind pulp. It has a blend of sweet and sour taste and since the brinjals are deep fried, it gives a crunchy texture.

Preparing Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Serves - 3 People

Ingredients :

500 gm Brinjal
2 Tsp Jaggery
2 Tsp Tamarind Pulp
2 Large Tomatoes, Puree
2 Tsp Chilli paste / Chilli powder
Salt to taste
5 - 6 Cloves Finely chopped Garlic

Method :

Collect all ingredients, jaggery, tomato puree, tamarind pulp, brinjal, chilli paste and chopped garlic.

Heat oil in a pan and fry 500gms of brinjal.

Fry until it turns little glossy, remove in a plate and keep them aside.

In the same pan, add 2 Tsp of fine chopped garlic and fry until golden brown and ass 2 tsp of jaggery.

Mix well, stir fry for 2 - 3 mins, add 2 large tomato puree mix well cook for 5 mins on a medium flame.

Add 3 Tsp of chilli paste and add salt to taste.

Add 2 Tsp of Tamarind pulp mix well cook for 2 to 3 mins.

Add fried brinjals mix well nicely, so that the gravy cored the brinjal properly. cook for 20 mins.

Now the fried brinjal sweet and sour curry is ready to eat with biryani or rice or chapatti.

Thanks again for participating in my event. I really enjoyed your chit chat and I hope the same from my readers too. Brinjal curry looks so delicious and sounds flavourful. Will try this recipe soon.

Friends, Stay tuned till next week to meet another amazing Homechef who is going to share a healthy recipe with us! Have a great week ahead !

If you are interested to participate in my Chit Chat event , please do drop a mail at priyasmenu@gmail.com !

Monday Chit Chat With a HomeChef - Karuna Pooja

I am so excited to restart my "Friday Chit Chat With Bloggers" event after 4 years and this time with Homechefs. It was my first event which happened in 2013 and also, it was a great privilege for me to have a chit chat and guest post of many talented bloggers on my space. Click HERE to view all my old Chit Chat posts. Trust me, it will be really interesting!

Now coming to the Season 2 event, instead of Friday, all my chit chat and guest posts will be published on every Monday. This idea is basically to encourage the Home chefs and introduce them to the culinary world. This might even help them to start a blog soon.

Let me introduce my first guest of this season, Karuna Pooja. She used to post her recipes in our food group and that's where our journey of friendship started. Since I am a great non veg food lover, I love all her recipes and also love the way she serves her food in Banana leaf.  It looks so authentic. Sometimes, I used to wonder by seeing the varieties of recipes she posts on Sunday. Its a complete feast for our eyes. I am feeling great and proud to introduce such a talented foodie and Home chef to all my readers. She was so generous to share her couple of recipes along with an interesting chit chat.  Thanks pooja for accepting my request and wishing you a great success in future.


Priya :  Love to hear few words about you, your passion and who is your greatest support ?

Pooja : I am an orthodox family girl. Good at creativity. My passion is to be become a successful business women to help the poor and needy. God Jesus is my greatest support and strength.

Priya : Your favourite Chef, Favourite Cookery show and Favourite Cookbook ?

Pooja : Chef Damodaren is my favourite Chef. I love watching all shows of Village food factory in Youtube.

Priya : Can you share us your first cooking experience and the recipe which you tried first ?

Pooja : Prepared Omelette when I was in my 6th class. It came out well and my family appreciated me for that.

Priya : Please share some Kitchen tips or secrets of yours...

Pooja : Cook with concern and love. It will add more bonding and nutritions than you expect.

Priya : When your house is filled with sudden guests.. What would be your quick menu ?

Pooja : Spicy crispy corner bread omelet and Mint lemon Sarbath.

Priya : What is your family's favourite recipe which you cook ?

Pooja : Spicy Mutton Biryani, Mutton chukka and Coconut brinjal Gravy.

Priya : And finally, what do you like in my blog and please share your suggestions to improve mine.

Pooja : You prepare unique dishes and thats nice, your photography is spectacular and all your content are in English which can't reach many. So as a suggestion, I would like you to post videos and others in Tamil.

Guest Post Recipe 1 - Fish Fry

Ingredients :

1/2 Kg Fish
2 Spoon Red chilli powder
1 Spoon Cumin powder / Jeera powder
1 Spoon Pepper powder
Salt to taste
1/2 Spoon Turmeric powder
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 Spoon Ginger - garlic paste

Method :

Clean the fish and add lemon juice. Keep it aside for 5 minutes.

Now add the remaining ingredients and marinate it for half an hour.

Now deep fry the marinated fish and serve.

மீன் வறுவல்
~~~~~~~

தேவையான பொருட்கள்

மீன் 1/2கிலோ
மிளகாய்த்தூள் 2 ஸ்பூன்
சீரகப் பொடி 1 ஸ்பூன்
மிளகு பொடி 1 ஸ்பூன்
உப்பு தேவையான அளவு
மஞ்சள்தூள் 1/2 ஸ்பூன்
சிறிது ஒரு எழுமிச்சை சாறு
இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது 1 ஸ்பூன்
செய்முறை
*"*"""""""""""
சுத்தம் மீனில் செய்த எழுமிச்சை சாறு உப்பு சேர்த்து கலந்து
சிறிது நேரம் கழித்து மற்ற பொடிகளை சேர்த்து 1/2 மணி நேரம் வரை ஊறவிடவும்...
பின்னர் பொரித்து எடுக்கவும்...

Guest Post Recipe 2 - County Chicken Pepper Fry

Ingredients :

1/2 Kg Country Chicken pieces, cooked
100 gms Shallots
2 Spoon Gingelly oil
1 Spoon Cumin / Jeera powder
2 Spoon Pepper powder
1/2 Spoon Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
1/2 Spoon Red chilli powder
1/2 Spoon Turmeric powder
1 Green chilli
Few Curry leaves

Method :

Heat oil in a pan and add green chilli followed by curry leaves and shallots.

Saute well until the shallots turn golden brown colour.

Now add all the masala powders and saute it for a minute.

Add ginger garlic paste and add cooked chicken pieces.

Add the required quantity of salt to the chicken and add little water.

Cook it for few minutes and remove from the flame.


நாட்டு கோழி மிளகு வறுவல் தேவையான பொருட்கள் நாட்டு கோழி 1/2 கிலோ சின்ன வெங்காயம் 100 கிராம் நல்லெண்ணெய் 2 ஸ்பூன் சீரக தூள் 1 ஸ்பூன் மிளகு பொடி 2 ஸ்பூன் கரமசாலா 1/2 ஸ்பூன் உப்பு தேவையான அளவு மிளகாய்த்தூள்1/2 மஞ்சள்தூள் பச்சை மிளகாய் 1 கருவேப்பிலை சிறிது செய்முறை : நல்லெண்ணெய் விட்டு நறுக்கிய பச்சைமிளகாய், கருவேப்பிலை சேர்த்து நன்கு பொரிய விட்டு , சின்ன வெங்காயம் சேர்த்து நன்கு வதக்கவும் . வெங்காயம் பொன்னிறமாக வறுத்து பொடி வகைகள் சேர்த்து ஒருநிமிடம் வதக்கி பின்னர் இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது சேர்த்து வேகவைத்த கோழி சோர்த்து வதக்கவும். உப்பு தேவையான அளவு, தண்ணீர் சிறிது சேர்த்து நன்கு வறுத்து இறக்கவும்.....


Thank you Pooja for being my first guest and also, thanks a lot for sharing your feedback.

Friends, Hope you all enjoyed this lovely chit chat. Next week, same day.. Interesting chat and mouth-watering recipe is waiting from a wonderful Homechef. Stay Tuned!