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From grandma's kitchen

Try masala vettai curry and beetroot salad to get a taste of the good old flavours

Most of the delicious dishes that we cook today have been passed down by our grandmothers. Cooking techniques might have changed but the traditional food items taste good and authentic only when prepared in the old world method. Check out one such non-vegetarian recipe.

Masala Vettai curry

Serve 6

Time 1 hour

This is again an old recipe that I got from my grand aunt. This unique curry does not involve frying, is easy to cook and time saving. Those days, when games such as wild ducks, stocks, venison, wild rabbits, and wild boars were freely available and when men as a hobby would go hunting in the forests near Milan in the suburbs of Pondicherry and bring the booty home, this curry would be cooked. It is said that some times this curry would be made on the spot for the tired and hungry hunters, who would enjoy a hearty meal. Wine and champagne were a must during the meal. Incidentally, all ingredients are mixed with coconut milk and cooked. This is a curry to remind us of the good old days. These days games are forbidden, chicken is used instead. The flavour is unique; serve it with plain white rice or bread with beetroot egg salad.

Ingredients

Chicken - one and a half kg, cut in small pieces
Onions - 2, cut fine
Garlic - 1 peeled and smashed
Tomatoes - 2 big, cut in small pieces
Green chillies - 6 slit
Pepper - 1 tsp*
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp*
Anis seeds (saunf) - 1 tsp**
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Bay leaf - half a leaf
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Thick curd - 250 ml
Coconut - half scrapped to extract milk
Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp
Lemon - juice of one
Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt

* Grind together to a fine powder ** grind to a fine powder separately

Method

In a deep frying pan mix chicken pieces with anis seeds powder**, add curd, mix, add tomatoes, onions, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves, oil, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, pepper and coriander powder**, second and third coconut milk, salt. Cover pan and cook till chicken is ready. Add first coconut milk and lemon juice. Serve hot with plain white rice or bread.

LINGERING TASTES Masala vettai curry and beetroot salad PHOTO T. SINGARAVELOU

Beetroot egg salad
Serve 6
Time 30 minutes
This easy to make and simple salad is made of beetroot, eggs, onion, oil and lemon juice. This salad is light and wholesome. It goes well with Masala Vettai curry. Try it, you will enjoy it. It is eaten best cold.

Ingredients

Beet root - half kg, small and firm
Onion - 1, cut fine lengthwise
Eggs - 2 boiled
Lemon - juice of one
Oil - 2 tbsp
Pepper - half tsp

Salt

Pressure cook (3 pressures) beetroot, let pressure drop, cool, peel and cut in slices.

In a big bowl add lime juice, salt, pepper, oil, beet root and eggs. Mix well and refrigerate and serve cold.

KETHARI SRIVANJIAM

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