Cutlets in Tomato Sauce

We had a simple dinner last night, Home-made buns with Cutlets in Tomato sauce. Though it seems to be a simple dinner, but indeed a time consuming one. Still everyone loves cutlets.

Well, just thought of inventing something out of cutlets and it was a success. Instead of having plain cutlets, I prepared this simple tomato sauce and immersed the shallow fried cutlets in the sauce. This can be said my version of Meatballs in sauce. We all loved this preparation.

This time haven't used neither breadcrumbs nor egg for making these cutlets. Just make sure there shouldn't be any water in potatoes. I had leftovers of cooked mutton and made my job a bit easier.

To prepare cutlet balls:

Ingredients:

Bone-less Cooked Mutton - 1 cup, dry consistency
Onions - 3 nos, finely chopped
Green chilli - 2 nos, finely chopped
Ginger - ½ tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1 tbsp, finely grated
Potatoes - 3 nos, cut in cubes
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - handful, finely chopped
Oil
Salt

Instructions:

• Place the potatoes and salt cut in cubes in a microwave safe bowl and cook without adding water until the potatoes turns soft. Once cooked, mash it well.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onions, green chillies and sauté till it turns transparent.
• Add grated ginger and garlic and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala and sauté till the spices are fragrant.
• Now add the dry cooked mutton and fry for few minutes. Let the flavours infuse. Check for salt.
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.
• When the mixture has cooled down, roll and shape into small balls. Refrigerate the rolled cutlet balls for 30 minutes.
• Pour oil in a pan and shallow fry the cutlet balls on all sides. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.

To prepare Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients:

Egg Tomatoes - 3 nos, blanch the tomatoes
Onion - 1 no, finely chopped
Garlic - 2 nos, finely chopped
Cumin powder - ½ tbsp
Salt
Sugar - 1 tsp

Instructions:

• To blanch the tomatoes, slit the tomatoes on the base. Boil water in a sauce pan and place the tomatoes.Take it out after 2 minutes when the skin would be able to pull apart. Blend the skinless tomatoes into a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped garlic and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add chopped onion and sauté till it turns transparent.
• Add tomato purée  salt, sugar and cumin powder. Cover with a lid and let it reduce to pouring consistency.
• Place the shallow fried cutlet balls in the tomato sauce and keep it in flame for 5 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Goan-style Chicken Moelho

This recipe has very similarity to Chicken Vindaloo, both originates from Goa. I've adapted this from a book "Curry Easy"written by Madhur Jaffrey. Not that I've a habit of collecting recipe books, I happen to get good culinary books from the library.

Now I'm not sure whether all of your palettes like the Goan dishes. Back home, Mummy makes Vindaloo and I loved it. Both of this recipe has garlic, vinegar and chillies in common and gives the dish a slightly 'pickled' feel. Well it's good to try out something different rather than following the routine recipes.

I like to try all varieties and modifications of Chicken recipes and would definitely post the good dishes which my family feels in this blog.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "Curry Easy" by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1 full (medium)
Cumin powder: 1 and 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp (crushed and coarse powder)
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1/2 tsp(hot)
Red Wine Vinegar: 1 and 1/2 tbsp(plus little more as needed). I used White vinegar.
Garlic cloves: 4 (crushed)
Onions: 2 nos (sliced)
Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt

Instructions:

• In a non-reactive (ceramic, glass or stainless-steel) bowl, combine the chicken pieces with cumin powder, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, kashmiri & red hot chilli powders, white vinegar, crushed garlic cloves and salt.
• Mix well, marinate for 1-2 hours and refrigerate.

• Pour oil in a hot frying pan, put in onions and fry it until the onions brown a bit.
• Add in the marinated chicken and sir and fry until the chicken gets opaque.

• Add half cup water, 2 teaspoons of vinegar, bring it to boil, cover with lid and cook the chicken.

• Once cooked, heat in high heat and reduce the gravy to semi-dry consistency.
• Serve hot as a side-dish with rice or chappathi.

Mexican Rice with Raita

This is an easy peasy lunch-box menu. It doesn't need onions,ginger, garlic & tomato :) and so less chopping. It can't be rated as an authentic Mexican rice; but still has that Mexican flavour when you add capsicum. This pairs well with Raita. Also try adding pomegranates to Raita which gives an extra crunchiness.

I learnt this recipe from my Maami. She makes yummy vegan dishes. She came across this recipe from Hindu newspaper. I've slightly modified the recipe. You may use any vegetable(shredded cabbage) of your choice. The good part is no need of gravy with this rice combo. Best to use Kashmiri chilli powder to get the nice red color. Please make sure you heat it in microwave before you serve.

Recipe Source: Lalitha Maami

Ingredients:

Carrots : 2 nos (cut in julienne)
Capsicums: 1 no (cut in julienne)
Beans : handful
Kashmiri Chilli powder: 1 and half tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: To taste
Rice

Method:

1) Pour oil into the hot kadai.
2) Add carrots, beans, salt and fry till it is half-cooked.
3) Add capsicum and fry all the veggies until it is cooked.
4) Add Kashmiri Chilli powder and sauté till the raw smell is gone. Adjust the chilli powder according to your taste.
5) Fry for 2 minutes more so that the spice gets coated well with the veggies.
6) Combine the masala with the cooked rice and mix well.

7) Serve immediately.