Curry Recipes Online
British Indian Restaurant Recipe Requests => British Indian Restaurant Recipe Requests => Topic started by: spooner000 on January 13, 2008, 11:58 AM
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Hi All, I am desperate to find an authentic recipe for Chicken or Lamb KOVALAM. It is similar as you know to Keralean dishes but misses something. I had it quite often in a local take away that specialized in unusual Indian dishes and this was a winner everytime !! The key ingredients on the menu were; Coconut milk, mustard seeds and curry leaves. I would be most grateful if anybody could help or point me in the right direction.
This site is fantastic !!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Hi All, I am desperate to find an authentic recipe for Chicken or Lamb KOVALAM. It is similar as you know to Keralean dishes but misses something. I had it quite often in a local take away that specialized in unusual Indian dishes and this was a winner everytime !! The key ingredients on the menu were; Coconut milk, mustard seeds and curry leaves. I would be most grateful if anybody could help or point me in the right direction.
This site is fantastic !!!! ;D ;D ;D
Hi Spooner
Welcome to the forum.
Kovalam is a place in Kerala so the recipe you seek will be Karalean (my favourite restuarant in Lincoln is also Karalean).
Found this which may help. I guess you could adapt this recipe for chicken.
http://www.tarladalal.com/recipe.asp?id=209
Regards
SnS ;D
also, if you like Keralean food look here:- http://www.pachakam.com/
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Thanks for that SnS.
Although I dont see mustard seeds and green chilis I will certainly give it a go.
Cheers for the link.
Spooner
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Never heard of it in a BIR I'm afraid. Has anyone?
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What in the name of rogan josh and all thats spicy is a BIR ?? So to be such an Acronym newbie ;)
The review on the dish was here.
http://www.bestofbridgestone.com/mb/jl3/rr.html
It was one of the best dishes I have ever tasted, and ive yet to ever see it again !!!, Spicey, thick light brown creamy sauce, sweet with lots of heat. AMAZING STUFF.
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What in the name of rogan josh and all thats spicy is a BIR ?? So to be such an Acronym newbie ;)
Hiya Spooner,
This might help: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,776.0.html (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,776.0.html)
Cheers,
ast
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It's a traditional South Indian dish so you need to get a good south indian cookbook. There used to be people on here that had libraries of such books but they seem to have faded away.
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...I had it quite often in a local take away that specialized in unusual Indian dishes and this was a winner everytime !!
Hi Spooner,
I just followed the link you posted for the review. Do you live in Dublin too or were you just visiting? I've never been to many restaurants outside of the city centre except a couple in Ballsbridge and one in Booterstown.
I found this link that might help. It's for a Spicy Sauteed Lamb with Fresh Coconut (http://www.indias.com/RecipeMoreDetails-54/SPICY+SAUTED+LAMB+WITH+FRESH+COCONUT.html?id=57 (http://www.indias.com/RecipeMoreDetails-54/SPICY+SAUTED+LAMB+WITH+FRESH+COCONUT.html?id=57)). From the look of it, you could probably adapt it using some of the techniques on this site.
My suggestion would be to try the following:
1. pre-cook an amount of lamb as per this method: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1232.msg10662.html#msg10662 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1232.msg10662.html#msg10662) possibly adding a small amount of cinnamon or cassia bark to the water if you're using lamb
2. Sautee about 1/4 to 1/2 an onion as per the recipe (maybe using 2-3 tbsp of oil--depends on how much is in your base), but on med-high heat, and in about 2 tsp of garlic (freshly chopped or garlic puree)
3. I've no idea what this Meat Masala stuff is, but you might try the the Bruce Edwards spice mix from here instead (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1546.0.html (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1546.0.html)). Add it and stir fry until you get an onslaught of spice fumes, being careful not to burn them.
4. Add 5-10 curry leaves, your black mustard seeds and maybe just a touch of asafetida. Apparently, you want them golden brown, but they're likely to burn quickly. Just remember to keep stirring (maybe another minute or so). Info from here:
Used especially in South Indian kitchens, curry leaves are generally sauteed in oil with mustard seeds and asafetida and added to dals, fresh coconut chutney or vegetable dishes. I always strip the leaves from their stalk before frying, and sometimes tear and crush them between my fingers to release more of their essential oils. (http://www.kurma.net/essays/e8.html (http://www.kurma.net/essays/e8.html))
5. Add about 200ml of the curry base of your choice and stir in the spices
6. After about 1-2 min, add about 5-6 oz of the lamb and maybe about 1-2 tbsp of coconut (I'm guessing here)
6. Stir all together to coat and then turn the heat down slightly to medium. Reduce to whatever consistency you remember from the restaurant.
7. Add your fresh coriander and serve
Please note: I just made this up, and this is just a guess at a recipe/process that I'm suggesting having looked at the above, but trying to adapt it to how you'd make a BIR curry. I've never seen the dish you mention, nor have I made any of the above recipes before, but, except for perhaps tweaking the ingredient quantities some, I bet it'll be a reasonable starting point.
If you want to be a tad more cautious with the curry leaves, I'd fry them separately with the mustard seeds and set them aside. I don't know if a restaurant would do this or not. You could then more safely add them after you'd added the curry base to the pan as there'd be no chance that you could burn them.
If you do get it figured out, please post the recipe in the recipe section. It sounds like it would be pretty yummy. :)
Good luck,
ast
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Hi AST,
Thanks very much for the suggestions and taking the time also. To answer your first question I used to live in Dublin but relocated recently. That Ginwalla take away was in Kimmage and is closed now about 3 years. It was, and I mean the highest standard take away ever in my reckoning and would put it up to any restaurant. I have been to quite a few places in Dublin and could recommend if anyone is interested...
I will get cracking on this recipe, but it could be a while to achieve the same taste as it was very distinct. There are so many variations as you know but at least it can be bottle necked to Keralean/Kovalam.
What I'm enjoying about this thread is the fact nobody has yet said YES, here it is, so it os obviously a chefs take on that region etc etc .
And yes, if or WHEN i get it, I highly recommend all Masala Monsters to indulge.
Thanks again AST ! ;)
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I was looking through my ?library? of books and can?t find a single recipe. However one book did have a complete section on south Indian food and that was Prashad: Cooking With Indian Masters (?10 on Amazon) I will copy the recipes in the next day or so when I get a moment
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Two of the recipes from the Prashad book ..........
VENDAKKA MASALA PACHCHADI
Okra simmered in a thick, coconut-flavoured, yoghurt-based gravy,
INGREDIENTS
800g Okra
Groundnut Oil to deep fry 3g/1 tsp Cumin seeds 4g/1 tsp Mustard seeds
20g/2 Tbs Urad dal 3 Whole Red Chillies 10 Curry Leaves 125g Onions 250g Tomatoes 5g/1 tsp Red Chilli powder 3g Turmeric 15g/1 Tbs Coriander powder
Salt
75g/1 cup Coconut 15g/2 Tbs Cashew nuts 100g Yoghurt
PREPARATION
THE OKRA: Slice off the ends (without exposing the tubes), wash, pat dry and cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry over medium heat until crisp (approx 5-6 minutes). Drain and reserve the oil,
THE REMAINING VEGETABLES Wash curry leaves. Peel, wash and chop
onions. Wash and chop tomatoes.
THE LENTIL: Pick, wash in running water and pat dry.
THE COCONUT PASTE: Remove the brown skin and grate coconut. Split
cashew nuts. Put both in a blender, add 60ml/VA cup of coconut water
and make a fine paste.
THE YOGHURT: Whisk in a bowl.
COOKING
Heat 75ml of the reserved oil in a handi, add cumin and mustard seeds, urad dal, whole red chillies and curry leaves, saute over medium heat until the seeds begin to crackle. Add onions and saute until golden brown. Then add tomatoes, stir, add red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and salt, bhunno until the fat leaves the masala. Reduce to low heat, add the coconut paste and bhunno for 2 minutes. Remove the handi, add yoghurt, stir, add water (approx 400ml/1 2/i cups), return to heat and bring to a boil. Now add the deep fried okra and simmer until napped in the gravy. Adjust the seasoning.
KERALA NANDU MASALA
A coconut-flavoured crab curry. Extracting the meat from the shell is an easily acquired art and that is half the fun of eating this mild delicacy.
INGREDIENTS
8 Crab (medium size) 100ml/ 7 llis Groundnut Oil 2g/ V2 tsp Mustard seeds 2 Whole Red Chillies 120g/2/3 cup Onions 50g/ 3 Tbs Ginger paste 50g/ 3 Tbs Garlic paste 3g/ V2 tsp Red Chilli powder 3g/ V2 tsp Turmeric Salt
400g/1 Vn cups Tomatoes 75g/1 cup Coconut 2 Green Chillies 10 Curry Leaves 20g/ Vi cup Coriander
PREPARATION
THE CRAB: Rinse in running water, remove and retain claws, cut each into 2 pieces.
THE VEGETABLES: Peel, wash and chop onions. Wash and chop tomatoes, dean and wash curry leaves. Clean, wash and chop coriander.
THE COCONUT PASTE: Remove the brown skin and grate coconut. Remove stems, wash, slit, deseed and chop green chillies. Put both ingredients in a blender, add 75ml/!4 cup of coconut water and make a fine paste.
COOKING
Heat oil in a handi, add mustard seeds, saute over medium heat until they begin to crackle, add whole red chillies and stir for 5 seconds. Add onions, saute until light golden, add the ginger and garlic pastes, stir until the liquid has evaporated. Then add red chilli powder, turmeric and salt, stir for 30 seconds, add tomatoes and bhunno, until the fat leaves the masala. Now add the paste, reduce to low heat, stir for 2 minutes, add crab, curry leaves and water (approx 300ml/1!4 cups), bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.
TO SERVE
Remove to a bowl, garnish with coriander and serve with boiled rice and emon wedges.
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VENDAKKA MASALA PACHCHADI
Okra simmered in a thick, coconut-flavoured, yoghurt-based gravy,
INGREDIENTS
800g/P/4 lb Okra
Groundnut Oil to deep fry 3g/1 tsp Cumin seeds 4g/1 tsp Mustard seeds
20g/2 Tbs Urad dal 3 Whole Red Chillies 10 Curry Leaves 125g/% cup Onions 250g/ll cup Tomatoes 5g/1 tsp Red Chilli powder 3g/ xk tsp Turmeric ljSg'/1 Tbs Coriander powder Salt
75g/1 cup Coconut 15g/2 Tbs Cashew nuts 100g/'/2 cup Yoghurt
I don't often cook authentic recipes any more but I rather fancied trying this one as I love okra. There seems to be some errors in the quantities though, for example, 20g/2 Tbs Urad dal and 15g/2 Tbs Cashew nuts, the tbs and gram measures are different. Can you just confirm that these are right? Cheers.
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Sorry about that I scanned the book and used an ocr to paste it in to word hence all the typos I have now altered it !
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THanks for that and the effore put in. I think im getting somewhere as 9 out of ten recipes that I'm narrowing it down to seem to have the cashew nut paste and youghurt, so this is more convincing now.
Im not so sure about tomatoes though. Not to worry I think I will defo try the okra recipe and see where it gets me.
Cheers
8)
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For those that are wondering what Bhunao is ?this is the text form the book !
Bhunao is a combination of light stewing, sauteing and stir frying. It is the process of cooking over medium to high heat, adding small quantities of liquid water or yoghurt to prevent the ingredients from sticking, which also makes it necessary to stir constantly. Almost every recipe needs bhunao at some stage, very often at more than one stage.
At the outset it may be the spices and/or ingredients like onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, etc:, which require bhunao. The process would not only extract the flavour of each of the spices and/Or ingredients, but also ensure that they do not get burnt or remain raw. In fact, the masala must be fully cooked.
Subsequently, the main ingredient may also require bhunao. This ensures that the initial cooking is done in the ingredients' own juices. The process is complete only when the fat leaves the masala or the sides.
Bhunao is not a complete process in itself but a part of the process that helps to prepare a dish. It usually requires the addition of substantial quantities of liquid to complete the cooking process.
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also called bhonoing, bhunoing and bhunaoing!..It's transliterated from hindi (i think) so there are many versions... but it's what we know as bhuna or bhoona.