Ground Nut Chutney

Ground nuts have many health benefits. Some of them are

• Peanuts are rich in energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
  
• They are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acids that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol". Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
  
• These nuts are good source of dietary protein compose fine quality amino acids that are essential for growth and development.
  

Here is a chutney that can be used as a side dish for your breakfast.

What we need

• First we would require quarter a cup of roasted ground nuts.
• A cup of grated coconut.
• 3 to 5 sambar (small) onions.
• 5 to 7 red chillies depending on how spicy you want it to be.
• A small piece of tamarind.
• Quarter cup of curry leaves.
• Quarter tea spoon of mustard seeds.
• Quarter tea spoon of urad dhal. This is optional.
• 1 to 2 table spoons of oil.
• And some salt to taste.

Method

1. We need roasted ground nuts for this. But if you  are not able to find some you can get some dry ground nuts and roast them yourselves. Then remove its outer skin.
2. Slightly fry the red chillies without oil.
3. In a mixer first blend the roasted ground nuts. 
4. To this, add  grated coconut, onions, red chillies, tamarind,  sufficient water and blend well.
5. Heat oil in a pan and season it with mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves.
6. Add the mixture (step 4) and salt to the stuff in the pan and mix well and heat it a little.
7. The ground nut chutney is ready.   

Chicken 65

This is one of the most popular dish in India and many other countries. This will be one side dish that you will find in almost any non-vegetarian restaurants. You will find this dish in almost any party you go to. It is very tasty and that explains why this dish such a favorite. Let us see how they prepare it.

What We Need

• About a kilo of chicken, cut into medium or small pieces according to your preference. 
• 2 to 3 table spoons of chilli powder, depending on how much spicy you want it to be.
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• Half a teaspoon of coriander powder.
• One teaspoon pepper powder.
• 6 to 8 green chillies, again depending on how spicy you want it to be.
• Half a cup of coriander leaves.
• Quarter or half a cup of mint leaves.
• 3 table spoons of ginger-garlic paste.
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of gharam masala powder.
• Oil depending on weather you want it shallow fried or deep fried.
• Salt to taste.
• This is optional, but if you want you can add half a teaspoon of Chicken masala that is available in shops.

Method

1. Grind green chillies, mint leaves and coriander leaves into to a paste. 
2. In a vessel place the chicken pieces, the above paste and the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 
3. Allow it to marinate for half an hour.
4. Heat oil in a pan and start frying the chicken pieces. Deep or shallow fry it according to your preference. 
5. Your chicken 65 is now ready.   

Veg Chicken Curry

Vegetables are very essential for our body and should be consumed everyday. But some people have a great love for chicken and other non-vegetarian dishes. Also it has become increasingly difficult to make children take vegetables. So I tried a recipe that compromises the two. The result was a vegetable chicken curry. This worked for me, as I succeeded in making my kids eat vegetables with this dish.

    

What We Need 

• Chicken - one kg
• Capsicum - half a cup
• Green peas - half a cup
• Beans - half a cup
• Carrot - half a cup
• Potato - half a cup
• Cauliflower(optional) - half a cup
• Long beans(optional) - half a cup
• Big Onions (chopped) - 1cup
• Tomato paste or pieces - half a cup
• Ginger garlic paste - 3 tablespoon
• Green chilli (paste) - 8-10 (depends)
• Pepper powder - 2 teaspoons
• Garam masala powder - 1 - 2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1 to one and a half teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - half a teaspoon
• Curry leaves - quarter a cup
• Coriander leaves - quarter a cup
• Bay leaf - 2 numbers
• Mustard seeds - half a teaspoon
• Fennel seeds - quarter teaspoon
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 5-7 tablespoon

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, bay leaf and fennel seeds.
2. Add curry leaves and chopped onions and saute well.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste and saute well.
4. Add tomato pieces or paste and saute well.
5. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and saute it.
6. Add vegetables and saute it for a few minutes.
7. Now add chicken pieces, gharam masala powder, pepper powder, and salt and mix well.
8. Add a little water and close the lid of the pan.
9. Allow it to cook for around 30 to 40 minutes.
10. Vegetable chicken curry is ready.
11. Finally add coriander leaves and serve hot.

Try it.  Let me know your success.