Tamilnadu Thalappakatti Biriyani

My mom gave this recipe cut out that was published in a magazine years ago. She likes to save recipes from magazines that she finds interesting and keeps it for me. This is one such gem. She takes a lot of joy in sharing these things with me. She had brought this recipe with her on her trip to California when she had come for helping with my first pregnancy. This recipe comes from a chef called Nagendran of Thalapakattihotel in Dindigul. I had to try this recipe as the content looked authentic. I would say this recipe is the closest thing to the real one. I kind of adapted this recipe and scaled down the recipe a bit. It has a very nice flavor that is so different from all the other biriyani. Seeraga Samba biriyani has to be the pride of Tamilnadu. Seeraga samba is a very aromatic rice. The grain of the rice is very tiny and it gets its name for its resemblance to Cumin seeds, also called as Seeragam/Jeera in Tamil. It has a very distinct taste, fluffs up well when cooked and south Indian biriyani’s are made with this rice. Samba rice is grown for a longer duration than other types of rice. Here is how I do it. Heads up – There is a lot of peeling and grinding involved. So plan accordingly.

We need garlic. Like lots of garlic. Indian garlic is ridiculously small. Peel the garlic. Crush the garlic in a mixie without adding any water. Set aside.

Peel shallots. We call it as chinna vengayam – small onions. Crush the shallots in a mixie without adding any water. Set aside.

The Masala
I think this is what makes this biriyani very unique. The original recipe says to use 8 green chillies . I used only 2 as my little one loves this biriyani and I do not want him to scream for water while eating. You can use green chillies according to your taste. Grind all the below ingredients to a very fine smooth paste. Add 1/4 cup of water while grinding. Chop the ginger into small pieces and break the cinnamon into bits before grinding.

Soak the rice in water now. The rice needs to soak for half an hour.

Heat Oil and ghee in a heavy pan and add in the Masala paste, crushed garlic and crushed shallots-small onions. Fry on medium flame for a good 10 minutes until the oil separates from the mixture.

Add in the chicken. Add in the chilli powder. The ratio of rice to chicken should be 1 rice to 1.5 meat. Saute the chicken so the masala coats evenly. Reduce the flame to simmer and cover it with a lid and let it cook. Don’t add any water. The chicken will cook in its own juices. Just saute once in 5 minutes so the chicken doesn’t scorch in the bottom. After 15 minutes, the chicken should be done and there should be some gravy too.

Add in the yogurt/curd. Cook with the lid open for 5 minutes.

Remove the cooked meat to a bowl and roughly measure how much liquid is left behind. Mine had about 1.5 cups of liquid. Just measure roughly. It need not be accurate.

Measurements used – 1 cup rice = 250 ml
We are using 2 cups rice and 750 grams meat. We require 2 times water to the quantity of rice. So we need to add 4 cups water. There was already 1.5 cups gravy that we measured before. So I added 2.5 cups water to the mixture. Add salt. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and the mint leaves. Let the mixture come to a boil.

Add back the meat and let it come to a boil again. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan. Wait for it to boil. Add in the lemon juice.

Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame. Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame.

After that time, open the lid and see if the rice has been cooked. Cook for a couple of minutes more if necessary. Switch off the flame and close the pan with a lid. Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.

After the rest, Enjoy!

5.0 from 5 reviews

Thalappakatti Biriyani

 

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Dindigul Thalappakattu Biriyani Recipe. Authentic South Indian Tamilnadu Biryani. Adapted from Chef Nagendran of Thalapakatti Hotel. Measurements used – 1 cup rice = 250 ml

Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh

Recipe type: Main course

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Masala

• 5 Green Chillies
• 3 small two inch cinnamon sticks
• 3 cardamom
• 3 cloves
• ⅛th of a nutmeg (Jaadhikai)
• 1 small piece Mace (Jaadhi Pathiri)
• 50 grams ginger

Main Ingredients

• 500 ml Seeraga Samba Rice
• 750 grams Chicken with bone
• Meat to Rice Ratio - 1 Rice 1.5 Meat

Other Ingredients

• 25 grams Ghee
• 75 grams Sunflower Oil
• 50 grams crushed Garlic
• 50 grams crushed shallots (small onions)
• ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• ½ cup curd
• 11/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 hand full Mint Leaves
• 2 hand full Coriander Leaves
• Juice of half a lime

Instructions

1. Peel the garlic. Crush the garlic in a mixie without adding any water. Set aside. Crush the shallots in a mixie without adding any water. Set aside.
2. Grind all the masala ingredients to a very fine smooth paste. Add ¼ cup of water while grinding. Chop the ginger into small pieces and break the cinnamon into bits before grinding.
3. Soak the rice in water now. The rice needs to soak for half an hour.
4. Heat Oil and ghee in a heavy pan and add in the Masala paste, crushed garlic and crushed shallots-small onions. Fry on medium flame for a good 10 minutes until the oil separates from the mixture.
5. Add in the chicken. Add in the chilli powder. The ratio of rice to chicken should be 1 rice to 1.5 meat. Saute the chicken so the masala coats evenly. Reduce the flame to simmer and cover it with a lid and let it cook. Don’t add any water. The chicken will cook in its own juices. Just saute once in 5 minutes so the chicken doesn’t scorch in the bottom. After 15 minutes, the chicken should be done and there should be some gravy too.
6. Add in the yogurt/curd. Cook with the lid open for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the cooked meat to a bowl and roughly measure how much liquid is left behind. Mine had about 1.5 cups of liquid. Just measure roughly. It need not be accurate.
8. We are using 2 cups rice and 750 grams meat. We require 2 times water to the quantity of rice. So we need to add 4 cups water. There was already 1.5 cups gravy that we measured before. So I added 2.5 cups water to the mixture. Add salt. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and the mint leaves. Let the mixture come to a boil.
9. Add back the meat and let it come to a boil again. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
10. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan. Wait for it to boil. Add in the lemon juice.
11. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame. Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame.
12. After that time, open the lid and see if the rice has been cooked. Cook for a couple of minutes more if necessary. Switch off the flame and close the pan with a lid. Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.
13. After the rest, Enjoy!

Shallow Fried Fish Croquettes

If you like fried fish like me, you are in the right place. I adapted this recipe based on the classic croquettes recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the art of french cooking. Everyone in my family and friends love this recipe and I have made it countless number of times. The addition of white sauce (bechamel) gives it a nice rich creamy interior that’s velvety smooth. The advantage of bechamel is its creamy richness over other binders like potato or corn flour which can make the cutlet pretty dry and dense.

Come with me, lets make some awesome fish croquettes.

First pan fry or steam any fish fillet and shred it into small pieces. Keep aside. Add a tablespoon of oil to a pan and add in a teaspoon of dried Italian herb mixture. (Any store bought kind will do. Mine had oregano,thyme,dried garlic and basil). I learned a great tip from Chef Suvir Saran. He once told that waking up the spices and herbs in oil is the best method to bring them alive. Its the greatest indian technique of tempering spices called the tadka that not only works wonders on Indian cooking but to any cooking. It works every single time. I do it for all my cooking. Not just Indian. OK. Back to the pan. Add in the chopped onions,salt and fry till slightly brown.

Once the onions are slightly brown, add in the spring onions (scallions), minced green chillies (if using) and saute briefly until the spring onions wilt. Add it to the bowl along with the cooked shredded fish. Set aside.

Place 1/4 cup of flour in the same pan and gradually blend in 3/4 cup of milk with a whisk. Stir this mixture over low flame until mixture begins to lump.

Remove from heat and vigorously blend in one egg yolk. When smooth, beat over heat for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and add it to the fish mixture.

Add in a teaspoon of pepper flakes and mix well to combine. Add up to 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs (just pulse bread slices in a food processor until fine) and mix well to combine. Refrigerate the mixture at this stage for at-least 30 minutes. Make cutlets and dredge them with bread crumbs and shape into patties with fingers. Pat crumbs evenly on entire surface. Refrigerate the patties for 15 minutes (up to a day) before frying. If you wont be using the patties immediately, you can freeze them at this stage and use it for later use. Just thaw them and proceed.

Add a table spoon of oil to a pan and set on to medium flame. Add in the patties and fry for a minute on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Serve hot.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Shallow Fried Fish Croquettes / Fish Cutlets

 

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

Shallow fried Bechamel Fish croquettes / fish cutlets recipe that's crunchy and creamy adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the art of french cooking. Perfect appetizer for all occasions.

Author: kannamma @kannammacooks.com

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: French

Serves: 20

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 250 grams Fish fillet (Like Basa,Tilapia)
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb mixture (any store bought variety)
• 1 medium red onion, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons chopped spring onion (scallions)
• 1 teaspoon minced green chilli (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper flakes
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs

For the bechamel

• ¼ cup All purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 egg yolk

Other ingredients

• ½ cup Bread crumbs for dredging
• ¼ cup Oil for shallow frying

Instructions

1. Pan fry or steam the fish fillet and shred it into small pieces. Keep aside.
2. Add Olive oil (sunflower, canola will work too) to a pan and add in a teaspoon of dried Italian herb mixture. Add in the chopped onions, salt and fry till slightly brown.
3. Once the onions are nice and brown, add in the spring onions (scallions), minced green chillies (if using) and saute briefly until the spring onions wilt. Add it to the bowl along with the shredded fish. Set aside.
4. Place ¼ cup of flour in the same pan and gradually blend in ¾ cup of milk with a whisk. Stir this mixture over low flame until mixture begins to lump.
5. Remove from heat and vigorously blend in one egg yolk. When smooth, beat over heat for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and add it to the fish mixture.
6. Add in a teaspoon of pepper flakes and mix well to combine.
7. Add up to 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs (just pulse bread slices in a food processor until fine) and mix well to combine. Refrigerate the mixture at this stage for at-least 30 minutes.
8. Make cutlets and dredge them with bread crumbs and shape into a round with fingers. Pat crumbs evenly on entire surface.
9. Refrigerate the patties for 15 minutes (up to a day) before frying.
10. Add a table spoon of oil to a pan and set on to medium flame. Add in the patties and fry for a minute on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 5 Calories: 405 Fat: 22g Saturated fat: 3g Unsaturated fat: 17g Trans fat: 0g Carbohydrates: 33gSugar: 5g Sodium: 761mg Fiber: 2g Protein: 19g Cholesterol: 79mg

Pondicherry Egg Curry – Muthaiy curry ( step by step )

                           This is a coconut based egg curry. Madam Lourdes uses freshly extracted milk from the coconut. Here is how I do it. Take half a coconut and grind it with 1.5 cups of water in a blender to a smooth paste. Pass the ground coconut through a colander/strainer and squeeze all the liquid. The liquid you get is the first thick milk. Set aside separately.
Add another 1.5 cups of water to the coconut dregs and run it again in the blender. Pass the ground mixture again through a colander/strainer and squeeze all the liquid. The liquid you get is the the second light milk. Set aside separately. Repeat the process one more time adding 1 cup water this time and you will have the third milk. Discard the coconut dregs after extracting the third milk.

Here it is. First milk , second and third milk.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the cloves, cinnamon, and onions. Fry till the onions are lightly golden brown.

In the mean time crush the garlic and ginger. Set aside.

Add in the crushed ginger and garlic. Fry till golden brown.

Now, make a paste of coriander seeds, green chillies, poppy seeds and fennel seeds. Add up-to 3/4 cup water while grinding.

Add the ground paste to the pan along with a teaspoon of turmeric. Fry till the spices are cooked and brown.

Add the tomatoes and the salt and fry till the tomatoes are soft.

Add the second and third coconut milk. Add in the potatoes. Let it simmer in low flame for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Switch off the flame. Remove the pan from heat. Add the thick coconut milk, hard boiled eggs, lemon juice and coriander leaves. You really want to add these ingredients after removing from heat else the coconut milk will curdle and the lemon juice turning bitter. So no more fire guys..

Serve hot with rice.

Pondicherry Egg Curry - Muthaiy curry

 

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

Recipe for South Indian Pondicherry style Egg Curry - Muthaiy curry. Adapted from the Pondicherry Kitchen. Measurements Used - 1 cup = 250 ml

Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh

Recipe type: Gravy

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Paste

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 4 green chillies
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
• 3 teaspoon fennel seeds

Other Ingredients

• ½ - ¾ of a big coconut
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 3 onions, sliced fine
• 1 inch ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 big tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• 3 potatoes cubed, optional
• 5-6 hard boiled eggs
• Juice of one lemon
• 3-4 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

1. Extract the thick and thin coconut milk from the coconut. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cloves, cinnamon, and onions. Fry till the onions are lightly golden brown.
3. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic. Fry till golden brown.
4. Now, make a paste of coriander seeds, green chillies, poppy seeds and fennel seeds. Add up-to ¾ cup water while grinding.
5. Add the ground paste to the pan along with a teaspoon of turmeric. Fry till the spices are cooked and brown.
6. Add the tomatoes and the salt and fry till the tomatoes are soft.
7. Add the second and third coconut milk. Add in the potatoes. Let it simmer in low flame for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
8. Switch off the flame. Remove the pan from heat. Add the thick coconut milk, hard boiled eggs, lemon juice and coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

The original recipe has prawns and cashew-nuts added to the gravy. You might include prawns while boiling potatoes if you wish.
You can substitute fresh pressed coconut milk for store bought coconut milk. Just use a can - 250 ml. Adjust the water while cooking. Add half for cooking and half at the end.
Add more green chillies if you like a spicy gravy.
Pierce the hard boiled eggs with a fork so the gravy gets marinated into the eggs.

Tamilnadu Style Muslim Chicken Biriyani – தமிழ் பாய் வீட்டு கோழி பிரியாணி

Tamilnadu Style Muslim Chicken Biriyani – தமிழ் பாய் வீட்டு கோழி பிரியாணி

Heat Oil in a pan and add in the spices. Cinnamon, Cloves and Cardamom. Add in the onions and saute until the onions are soft.

When the onions are sauteing, make a paste of ginger and garlic in a blender. Add up to 1/4 cup of water and grind it into a very smooth paste.

Once the onions are soft, Add in the tomatoes and the ginger garlic paste.

Saute the mixture until streaks of oil appear on the top. Then, add in the green chillies and the chicken.

Add in the salt, red chilli powder and the coriander powder. Add in the yogurt. Briefly saute for a minute to coat the chicken.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium flame for 7-8 minutes. Do not add any additional water. When the chicken is cooking, soak the rice in cold water.

After 8 minutes, the chicken should be almost cooked. Remove the cooked meat to a bowl and roughly measure how much liquid is left behind. Mine had about 1.5 cups of liquid. Just measure roughly. It need not be accurate. Measurements used – 1 cup rice = 250 ml We are using 2 cups rice and 750 grams meat. We require 2 times water to the quantity of rice. So we need to add 4 cups water. There was already 1.5 cups gravy that we measured before. So I added 2.5 cups water to the mixture. Add back the meat. Let the mixture come to a boil.

Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Add in the coriander leaves, mint leaves and juice of a lemon.

I cooked the biriyani in the pressure cooker. If using pressure cooker, cover the lid and cook for exactly two whistles. Approximately 4-5 minutes. If cooking directly on the pan, then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame. Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.

Wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally. If cooking in a pan, Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.

Serve hot! Enjoy your biriyani.

If I was with Thahira, she would say Bismillah!

Thahira's Tamilnadu Style Chicken Biriyani

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Tamilnadu Style Muslim Chicken Biriyani – தமிழ் பாய் வீட்டு கோழி பிரியாணிMeasurements used - 1 Cup = 250 ml.

Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh

Recipe type: Biriyani

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice
• 750 grams chicken with bone
• 4 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 stick cinnamon
• 2 cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 pod garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 15-20 mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 6-7 sprigs coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
• Juice of a small lemon

Instructions

1. Heat Oil in a pan and add in the spices. Cinnamon, Cloves and Cardamom. Add in the onions and saute until the onions are soft.
2. Once the onions are soft, Add in the tomatoes and the ginger garlic paste.
3. Saute the mixture until streaks of oil appear on the top. Then, add in the green chillies and the chicken. Briefly saute for a minute to coat the chicken.
4. Add in the salt, red chilli powder and the coriander powder. Add in the yogurt.
5. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium flame for 7-8 minutes. When the chicken is cooking, soak the rice in cold water.
6. After 8 minutes, the chicken should be almost cooked. Remove the cooked meat to a bowl and roughly measure how much liquid is left behind. Mine had about 1.5 cup of liquid. Just measure roughly. It need not be accurate. Measurements used – 1 cup rice = 250 ml. We are using 2 cups rice and 750 grams meat. We require 2 times water to the quantity of rice. So we need to add 4 cups water. There was already 1.5 cups gravy that we measured before. So I added 2.5 cups water to the mixture. Let the mixture come to a boil.
7. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Add in the coriander leaves, mint leaves and juice of a lemon.
8. I cooked the biriyani in the pressure cooker. If using pressure cooker, cover the lid and cook for exactly two whistles. Approximately 4-5 minutes. If cooking directly on the pan, then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame. Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame.
9. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
10. Wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally. If cooking in a pan, Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.
11. Serve hot!

Notes

Add or reduce green chillies and red chilli powder according to your taste preference. If you do not want it spicy, omit the green chillies.

Always use chicken with the bone. Bone has a lot of flavour. We use skinless chicken for the biriyani.