Spinach & Mango Dal

Few days back, attended wedding function in my husband's colleague house and got a wonderful chance to learn lots of delicious authentic Telangana style cooking. His family members were so generous to share few recipes and also made me so comfortable to click pictures and videos. Among all the recipes, this delicious dal was on my cards to prepare first. While pressure cooking both the dals along with mango and other ingredients, my home filled with lovely aroma of mango and fresh coriander leaves. The addition of ginger garlic paste at the last stage of cooking enhanced the complete taste of the curry. This yummy dish goes delicious with hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients :

3 Bunches of Spinach leaves, chopped
Handful of Curry leaves
Handful of Coriander leaves
1 Raw Mango, peeled and chopped into pieces
1/2 Cup Toor dal
1/4 Cup Chana dal 
4 Green chillies
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
2 Cups Water 
2 Tsp Oil 
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Cumin / Jeera seeds
Less than 1/4 Tsp Hing powder 
2 -3 Dry red chillies

Method :

Grind green chillies into fine paste by adding little water and keep aside.

Wash and add both the dals in a pressure cooker along with spinach leaves, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli paste, raw mango pieces and 2 cups of water.

Pressure cook it for 5 whistles and switch off the flame.

Once the pressure gets released, open the cooker lid and mash it using hand masher.

Add ginger garlic paste and required amount of salt to the dal.

Cook it again for couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.

Once it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds followed by hing powder and dry red chillies.

Fry and add it to the spinach - mango dal.

Remove from the flame and serve.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice.

Tiffin Sambhar

When it comes to tiffin sambhar, adding moong dal along with toor dal gives a delicious taste and flavor. This sambhar is prepared using freshly prepared homemade sambhar powder. This is a simple sambhar without any veggies but brinjal, carrot, potato etc can also be included to make it more tasty. This is an excellent side dish to serve with Idly, Dosa and Pongal.

Ingredients :

1/2 Cup Toor dal
1/2 Cup Moong dal 
2 Onions, sliced
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped 
3 Green chillies, slitted
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
2 Tbsp Sambhar powder 
Salt to taste  
2 Springs of Curry leaves or Coriander leaves for garnishing
2 Tsp Oil 
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
2 Dry red chillies
A pinch of Hing powder

Method :

Wash and pressure cook both the dal for 4 - 5 whistles or till it turns soft by adding 1 1/2 cups of water.

Once done, mash it and keep aside.

Add the sliced onions along with chopped tomatoes and green chillies in a pan or kadai.

Add turmeric powder followed by sambhar powder and the required amount of salt.

Add 1 cup of water and let it cook for 5 minutes or till the masala smell goes off and onion gets cooked.
( Veggies can also be added at this stage ).

Now add the mashed dal along with a half of water and let it boil again for 3 - 5 minutes in a medium flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves or curry leaves and remove from the flame.

Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.

Once it starts spluttering, add jeera followed by dry red chillies and hing powder.

Add the thalimpu to the prepared sambhar and mix well.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Idly, Dosa or Pongal.

Kadhi Using punugulu

South meets North ! This recipe is a fusion version of punjabi pakora kadhi. Instead of pakora, I have included my leftover punugulu which tasted very delicious which is also similar to Tamilnadu style "Vadai pota Mor kuzhambu". Click HERE to get the recipe of a famous street food punugulu which I have used in this recipe. This flavorful curry goes well wit hot rice or Jeera rice.

Ingredients :

10 Punugulu ( Click HERE for recipe ) 
1 Cup Thick Curd / Yogurt
2 Tbsp Besan / Kadalai maavu 
3/4 Cup Water 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
1 Tbsp Oil 
1/4 Tsp Methi / Fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
2 Green chillies, finely chopped 
1 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped 
1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder
2 Springs of Curry leaves
A pinch of Hing powder 
Salt to taste

Method :

Add besan flour to the thick curd along with turmeric powder and beat well without any lumps.

Add the measured cup of water, mix well and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan / kadai and add methi seeds followed by jeera, hing, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.

Fry them for a minute in a medium flame and add the besan - yogurt mixture.

Add the required amount of salt along with red chilli powder.

Let it boil in a simmer flame till the raw smell of besan goes away.

Stir continuously after adding besan - yogurt mixture, else the yogurt will curdle.

Garnish with coriander leaves or curry leaves and switch off the flame.

Add the fried punugulu in the prepared kadhi and serve hot.  

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice. 

Basa Fish in Coconut Milk Curry

Flavorful and delicious curry prepared using coconut milk and basa fish fillets. Onions are sauteed along with ginger - garlic paste and tomato is further made into smooth paste to enhance the flavor of the curry. Simple recipe with finger licking taste goes well with hot rice. This can also be served with Idly, Dosa or Appam.

Ingredients :

2 Tbsp Oil
1 Basa Fish Fillet, Cut into pieces
2 Big Onions, chopped
2 Tsp Ginger - Garlic paste
1 Big Tomato, Chopped
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk ( Thick )
1 Cup Water ( Adjust accordingly )
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tsp Red chilli powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder
2 Springs of Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method :

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add the chopped onions.

Saute till it turns translucent and add the ginger - garlic paste followed by the chopped tomato.

Saute till the tomato turns soft and remove from the flame.

Cool and grind into smooth paste by adding little water.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add curry leaves followed by the ground paste.

Fry it for couple of minutes and add turmeric powder followed by chilli and coriander powder.

Saute till the raw smell goes off and add half cup of water along with the required amount of salt.

Cook it for 5 minutes in a medium flame or till the oil separates from curry.

Add coconut milk along with the remaining water and fish pieces.

Simmer the flame and cook till the fish gets cooked. ( max. 5 minutes ).

Once done, remove from the flame and serve hot. 

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice, Idly, Dosa or Appam.

Mutton Chops Kuzhambu

Mutton chops is nothing but ribs which is considered to be a flavorful part of the goat meat. Varieties of dishes can be prepared using this and click HERE to check out my old post using chops. I have used pressure cooker method in this recipe to speed up the process. Addition of pepper powder at the last stage of cooking enhances the taste and gives a spicy flavorful curry which goes yummy with hot rice, idly or dosa.

Ingredients :

12 Mutton Chops 
2 Big Onions, Chopped 
2 Tomatoes, chopped 
1 Tbsp Ginger - garlic paste 
1 1/2 Tbsp Oil 
1 inch Cinnamon stick 
1 Star anise
2 Elachi 
1/2 Tsp Saunf / Perunjeeragam 
2 Bay leaves
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
1 Tsp Red chilli powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder
1/2 Tsp Garam masala powder
1 1/2 - 2 Tsp Pepper powder 
Salt to taste 
1 1/2 Cups Water

Method :

Grind the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste together to a fine paste and keep aside.

Grind the chopped tomatoes to a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add bay leaves followed by saunf, star anise, cinnamon and elachi.

Fry it and add the onion paste.

Saute till the raw smell of onion and ginger - garlic goes off.

Add the tomato paste and cook it for a minute.

Now add the masala powders ( turmeric, chilli, garam masala and coriander ) along with the required amount of salt.

Mix well and cook it for couple of minutes.

Add the washed chops followed by the measured amount of water.

Close the cooker lid and pressure cook it for 1 whistle.

Then, completely simmer the flame and cook it for 15 minutes.

Once done, switch off the flame and wait till the pressure released from the cooker.

Now add the pepper powder and adjust salt.

Cook it again for 5 minutes or till the kuzhambu gets its thick consistency.

Switch off the flame, garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice, Idly and Dosa. 

Watermelon Rind & Lobia Kuzhambu

Hello friends,

Back to my regular recipe post after completing my 100 days of diet project. Today's recipe is using watermelon rind which is the white part of watermelon. So far, I had posted 5 recipes using watermelon rind and here are the links of those recipes.....

Watermelon Rind Salna - http://www.priyasmenu.com/2015/06/watermelon-rind-salna.html

Watermelon Rind Kurma - http://www.priyasmenu.com/2015/04/watermelon-rind-kurma-no-coconut.html

Watermelon Mor / Curd Kuzhambu - http://www.priyasmenu.com/2014/11/watermelon-rind-mor-kuzhambu-watermelon.html

Watermelon Rind Puli Kuzhambu - http://www.priyasmenu.com/2014/10/watermelon-rind-puli-kuzhambu.html

Watermelon Rind Kheer - http://www.priyasmenu.com/2014/09/watermelon-rind-kheer-5-ingredients-fix.html

Here comes an another interesting flavorful kuzhambu prepared using freshly ground masala. This delicious kuzhambu goes yummy with hot rice, Idly and dosa. I have prepared this recipe using lobia but the same can also be prepared using black chickpeas / karupu kondakadalai

Ingredients :

2 Cups Watermelon Rind, Cut into small cubes
1/2 Cup Lobia / Black eyed pea 
1/2 Tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
1/4 Tsp Methi / Fenugreek seeds
2 Tsp Gingelly oil  
Salt to taste
Lemon sized Tamarind
1 1/2 Cups water ( Adjust accordingly )
Curry leaves for garnishing

To Saute and Grind :

2 Tsp  Gingelly oil / cooking oil
4 Garlic pods 
2 Onions, chopped 
1 Tomato, chopped 
7 - 8 Dry red chillies 
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
1/2 Tsp Jeera 
1 Tbsp Chana dal / Kadalai parupu 
2 Tbsp Coconut, finely chopped pieces
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
 
 Method :

Wash and soak lobia for 5 - 6 hours or over night.

Drain the water, add little water and salt to it.

Mix well and pressure cook it for 4 - 5 whistles.

Once done, switch off the flame and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in one cup of water before starting the cooking process.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add dry red chillies followed by coriander seeds, jeera and chana dal.

Saute for a minute in a medium flame and add chopped onions followed by tomato, coconut, turmeric powder and garlic pods.

Saute till the tomatoes turns soft and remove from the flame.

Cool the mixture and grind into fine paste by adding water. Keep aside.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan / kadai and add jeera followed by methi seeds and curry leaves.

Saute and add the ground masala.

Cook it for 5 minutes or till the color of masala changes.

Add the chopped watermelon rind and mix well.

Meanwhile, extract juice from the soaked tamarind and add it to the kuzhambu along with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Add salt and let it boil for 10 - 15 minutes in a medium flame or till the rind gets cooked.

Add the cooked lobia along with water and let it boil for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with stir fry / poriyal and papad.

Corn & Mixed Millet Baked Pakoda Kuzhambu / Diet Friendly Recipe - 97 / #100dietrecipes

Pakoda kuzhambu is one of our family's favorite kuzhambu which is prepared using fried pakoda. To make this kuzhambu healthy, I prepared it with the baked corn and mixed millet pakoda and served it with hot brown rice.Personally, we don't prefer any side dish as it contains pakoda, but any veggie stir fry or microwave papad can be served along with this kuzhambu.

Ingredients :

15 pieces Corn & Mixed Millet Baked Pakoda 
1 Tbsp Olive oil / Gingelly oil
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick 
1 Tsp Saunf 
2 Bay leaves
2 Spring Curry leaves
5 Garlic pods, sliced
1 Cup Onion, Finely chopped 
1/2 Cup Tomato, finely chopped 
2 Green chillies, slitted 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
2 Tsp Red chilli powder 
3 Tsp Coriander powder 
1/4 Tsp Garam Masala powder 
Salt to taste 
Lemon sized Tamarind 
2 Cups of Water

Method :

Soak tamarind in one cup of water before starting the cooking process.
 
Crush cinnamon stick and saunf. keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan / kadai and add bay leaves followed by crushed cinnamon stick and saunf.

Add the sliced garlic pods followed by curry leaves, green chillies and finely chopped onion.

Saute till the color of onion changes and add the chopped tomatoes.

Saute and cook till the tomatoes turns soft.

Now add all the masala powders ( chilli, coriander, turmeric and garam masala ) along with the required amount of salt.

Add one cup of water and let it boil in a medium flame.

Meanwhile, extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind.

Add the tamarind juice to the boiling kuzhambu along with one cup of water.

Cover and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the baked pakodas and switch off the flame.

Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice. 

Steamed Egg Omlette Kurma / Diet Friendly Recipe - 93 / #100dietrecipes

Steamed egg omelette kurma is a creamy and tasty kurma prepared using steamed omelette cubes. This curry is completely healthy as melon seeds and roasted gram are used instead of coconut, which also enhances the flavor and creamy texture to kurma. This delicious kurma can be serve with Idly, Dosa, Roti, Phulka or Brown rice.

Ingredients :

For Steamed Eggs :

3 Eggs 
1 Medium sized Onion, Finely chopped 
2 Green chillies, finely chopped 
A pinch of Turmeric powder
Salt to taste 

For Kurma :

2 Onions, chopped 
4 - 5 Green chillies, chopped
3 Tsp Olive oil / Cooking oil 
2 Bay leaves
1 Elachi
1/2 Tsp Saunf
1/4 Tsp Garam Masala 
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste 
Salt to taste  
1 Tomato, chopped 

To Grind :

1 Tbsp Watermelon seeds
1 Tbsp Muskmelon seeds
2 Tbsp Roasted gram / Pottukadalai

Method :

Break eggs in a bowl and add chopped onion followed by green chillies, turmeric powder and salt.

Beat well with a fork and steam it for 10 minutes in a medium flame.

Once it gets cooked, remove from the flame and cool it completely.

Cut the steamed eggs into cubes and keep aside.

To Grind :

Wash and soak the melon seeds for 15 - 20 minutes.

Drain the water and grind into fine paste by adding roasted gram and water.

Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.

To prepare kurma :

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onions along with green chillies.

Saute till it turns light brown color and remove from the flame.

Cool and grind into fine paste by adding little water.

Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add bay leaves followed by elachi and saunf.

Add the ground onion paste followed by ginger garlic paste and garam masala.

Saute till the raw smell goes off and add the chopped tomato.

Cook it for a minute and add half cup of water.

Cook it again for 5 minutes in a medium flame and add the ground melon paste followed by a cup of water.

Simmer the flame and cook it for another 5 minutes or till the gravy thickens.

Add the cubed steamed omelette and cook it for a minute.

Switch off the flame, cover the pan and keep aside for 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Idly, Dosa, Roti, Phulka or Brown rice.

Drumstick Horsegram Kuzhambu / Diet Friendly Recipe - 89 / #100dietrecipes

Ingredients :


1/2 cup Horsegram 
1 Tsp Olive oil 
10 Onions, small onion ( Chinna vengayam ) 
2 Springs of Curry leaves 
2 Drumsticks, cut into small pieces
Lemon sized Tamarind, soaked in water
Salt to taste 

To Grind :

2 Tsp Olive oil / Gingelly oil
1 Tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
10 Onions, small onion
6  Dry red chillies 
2 Tsp Pepper corns 
5 Garlic pods 

Method :

Wash and soak horsegram over night or 6 - 7 hours.

Drain the water and pressure cook it for 6 - 7 whistles by adding 1 cup of water.

Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add jeera followed by dry red chillies, garlic pods, pepper corns and onions.

Saute for couple of minutes and remove from the flame.

Cool and grind into fine paste by adding little water.

Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.

Now strain the cooked horsegram and reserve the water.

Grind the cooked horsegram into fine paste by adding little water.

Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.

Now heat the same pan and add the sliced onions followed by curry leaves and drumstick pieces.

Saute it for couple of minutes in a medium flame and add the ground masala.

Mix well, add salt and the reserved horsegram water.

Let it boil for 5 minutes or till the drumstick gets half cooked.

Meanwhile, extract the juice from soaked tamarind and add it to the kuzhambu.

Add the ground horsegram and cook it again till the drumsticks gets cooked and kuzhambu / gravy turns silky.

Once done, switch off the flame and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Brown rice.

5 Dal Urundai Kuzhambu / Diet Friendly Recipe - 81 / #100dietrecipes

Urundai kuzhambu is one of our family's favorite kuzhambu which is generally prepared using chana dal / kadalai parupu or sometimes with toor dal. The dal is soaked, made into dumplings and poached in a tangy tamarind base kuzhambu. My today's post is a healthy and diet friendly version of our regular urundai kuzhambu by including more dals and without coconut. In this recipe, I have included 5 dals - Toor, Chana, Horse gram, Moong and Green gram, which are are soaked, made into dumplings and steamed in a idly cooker before adding it to the kuzhambu. Personally, I don't prefer side dish for urundai kuzhambu but microwave papad or veggie stir fry / poriyal goes perfect along with hot rice.

Ingredients :

For Urundai :

1/4 Cup Toor dal
1/4 Cup Horsegram
2 Tbsp Green gram
2 Tbsp Moong dal
2 Tbsp Channa dal
2 Onions, medium sized, finely chopped
1/4 Tsp Saunf
Few curry leaves
5 Garlic pods, finely chopped

For Kuzhambu :

2 Tsp Olive oil / Gingelly oil
1 Bay leaf
1/2 Tsp Saunf / Perujeeragam
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
2 Springs Curry leaves
1 Cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, finely copped
2 Green chillies, slitted
2 Garlic pods, finely chopped
Lemon sized Tamarind ball, soaked in 1 cup of water
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tsp Red chilli powder
3 Tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 1/2 Cups Water 

Method :

Soak all the dals for 4 hours.

Drain and grind it coarsely without adding water.

Transfer the ground paste to a bowl and add chopped onions, saunf, garlic, curry leaves and salt.

Combine together and make small equal sized balls.

Steam the balls for 10 to 15 minutes in a steamer or Idly cooker and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add bay leaf followed by cinnamon and saunf.

Add the slitted green chillies and garlic along with chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns soft and mushy.

Add turmeric powder followed by chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.

Saute till the raw smell of masala powder goes off.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water and let it boil for couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, extract the tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind and add it to the boiling kuzhambu.

Cover and cook it for 5 minutes in a medium flame.

Now add the steamed balls and cook it again till the kuzhambu becomes thick.

Garnish with curry leaves and switch off the flame.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Rice and microwave papad.

Mixed Greens - Mixed Dals Kootu / Diet Friendly recipe - 62 / #100dietrecipes

This protein packed nutritious kootu is prepared using 6 varieties of dals and 3 varieties of green leafy vegetable. I have used panchratna dal in this recipe which is nowadays easily available in super markets but if it is not available, just mix green gram, channa dal, toor dal, masoor dal and black gram along with moong dal to prepare this delicious curry. This serves tasty with hot brown rice and also, can be served with phulka or roti.

Ingredients :

1 Cup Panchratna dal ( Black urad dal, Toor dal, Channa dal, Masoor dal and Green gram )
1/4 Cup Moong dal 
1 Onion, Finely chopped
1 Tomato, Finely chopped
3 Green chillies, sliced
1/2 Cup Methi leaves, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Sirukeerai or Araikeerai / Amarnath, finely chopped
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste 
2 1/2 Cups Water 

Method :

Wash and add both the dals ( panchratna and moong ) in a pressure cooker.

Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 4 -5 whistles.

Once done, switch off the flame and keep aside.

Once the pressure gets released, open the lid and mash the dal coarsely.

Switch on the flame and add chopped onion followed by tomato, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Add the remaining water and cook till the onions gets cooked.

Now add the chopped mixed greens and cook it for 5 minutes.

Once the leaves gets cooked, switch off the flame and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with brown rice. 

Panchratna Mixed Veggies Sambhar / Diet - Friendly Recipe - 59 / #100dietrecipes

Panchratna dal is nothing but a mixture of 5 lentils ( Black urad dal, Toor dal, Masoor dal, Green gram and Channa dal ), which is easily available in supermarkets or else, just take equal ratio of the above mentioned dals and soak it before pressure cooking. In this sambhar, I have included almost 10 varieties of veggies like capsicum, pumpkin, ash gourd, bottle gourd, beans, carrot, raddish etc and absolutely, this is a zero oil kuzhambu. Very flavorful and delicious sambhar which goes perfect with cooked brown rice, idly or dosa. Sprouts can also be included to make it more nutritious.

Ingredients :

1 1/4 Cup Panchratna dal 
1 Tomato, Finely chopped
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
2 Garlic pods
1 Big Onion, Finely chopped
2 1/2 Cups Mixed Veggies 
1/2 Tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder 
1 - 1/2 Tsp Sambhar powder 
Salt to taste
Small piece of Tamarind ( Gooseberry size ) 
3 Springs of Curry leaves

Method :

Soak tamarind in a half cup of water and keep aside.

Wash and add panchratna dal along with turmeric powder, garlic and tomato in a pressure cooker.

Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 4 - 5 whistles.

Once done, switch off the flame and keep aside.

Meanwhile, add chopped onion along with the mixed veggies in a pan or vessel.

Add chilli powder followed by coriander powder, sambhar powder and salt.

Mix well and add 1 1/2 cups of water.

Cover it wit a lid and cook till the veggies gets cooked in a medium flame.

Once the pressure gets released in a cooker, mash the dal and keep aside.

Extract the juice from the soaked tamarind and keep aside.

Once the veggies gets cooked, add tamarind extract followed by the mashed dal.

Mix well and adjust water if necessary.

Let it boil for another 5 minutes or till the tamarind smell goes off.

Garnish with curry leaves and remove from the flame.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with  Brown rice, Idly or Dosa.

Healthy Chicken Kurma ( No Coconut ) / Diet Friendly Recipe - 42 / #100dietrecipes

Do you miss your favorite chicken kurma during dieting days because of the addition of coconut paste ? No worries, this is my version of healthy chicken kurma in which I have used only less quantity of boneless chicken and substituted coconut with melon seeds to get the richness of the gravy. The addition of capsicum along with tomatoes is to increase the flavor of the kurma and also, to include one veggie indirectly in our diet. This creamy and flavorful kurma goes well without any guilt with phulka, plain brown rice, brown rice kuska, idly or dosa.

Ingredients :

200 Gms Chicken, Boneless, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive oil 
2 Bay leaves
2 Elachi 
1 inch Cinnamon 
1 Star anise
2 Tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 Cup Onions, chopped
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Capsicum / Bell pepper, chopped
1 Tsp Chilli powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
3/4 Tsp Cumin / Jeera powder 
1 Tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 Cups Water  
Few Mint leaves, for garnishing
1 Tsp Lemon Juice

To grind :

1 Tbsp Watermelon seeds
1 Tbsp Muskmelon seeds
2 Tsp khus - khus / Poppy seeds
2 Tbsp Roasted gram / Pottukadalai 

Method :

Soak all the ingredients in the "To grind" list except Roasted gram / Pottukadalai  before starting the cooking process.

Grind tomatoes and capsicum into smooth paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a cooker and add bay leaves followed by elachi, cinnamon and star anise.

Add the chopped onions and saute for a minute.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off.

Add the ground tomato - capsicum paste and saute for couple of minutes in a low flame.

Now add all masalas ( Turmeric, chilli and coriander ), mix well and add the boneless chicken pieces.

Mix well, add salt and cook for couple of minutes.

Add 1 Cup of water and pressure cook it for 3 - 4 whistles.
 
Once done, switch off the flame and keep aside.

Meanwhile, grind all the soaked ingredients along with Roasted gram to fine paste by adding little water.

Once the pressure gets released in the cooker, remove the lid and add the remaining water along with the ground paste.

Boil it for 5 minutes and switch off the flame.

Add lemon juice followed by mint leaves and mix well.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Phulka, Idly, Dosa or Brown rice kuska.