Murgh Makhani

Required ingredients
1 medium chicken, weighing about 900 gms, washed and jointed
For the Marinade
4 tablespoons slightly sour curds, lightly beatenJuice of 1 small lime2 teaspoons ground garlic2 teaspoons grated or ground gingerRed chilli powder to taste1 teaspoon coriander powderSalt to taste4 tablspoons oil
For the Sauce
500 gms tomatoes, chopped2 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander1" piece of ginger, peeled and choppedGreen chillies to tasteA pinch of turmeric1 tablespoon tomato sauce (optional)1 teaspoon sugarA generous dash of black pepper3/4 cup cream or top-of-the-milk1/2 teaspoon garam masala1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
Method
Mix together the curds, lime juice, garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander and salt. This is the marinade. Make gashes or prick holes all over the pieces of chicken and rub in the curd mixture well. It is best to do this with your fingers. Keep aside for as many hours as you can or overnight if possible.
Heat the oil in the pan. Put in the chicken, cover the pan and let it cook till it is fully tenderised. The liquids should all evaporate and the chicken should get lightly fried in the oil remaining in the pan. While the chicken is cooking, you can make the sauce. Puree together all the ingredients for the sauce except the last three.
Lightly beat half the cream and stir it into the pureed mixture. Set it on a slow fire. Cook till the fat separates. Slip the pieces of chicken into the simmering sauce and let them heat through thoroughly. Just before it is ready to serve, gently stir in the rest of the cream and sprinkle over the cumin and garam masala.

Fish Coconut Currry

Fish Coconut Curry
Food Ingredients
Medium-size Mackerel or Pomfret fish (cut into 2 inch size pieces about 12)1 cup freshly grated coconut3 teaspoon chilli powder3 spoon coriander powder1 teaspoon turmeric2 cloves of garlic1 teaspoon of peanut oilSalt as required8 pieces of sour cocum1 table spoon freshly chopped coriander
Method:
To salt the fish: Wash the fish pieces thoroughly, three times with fresh water. Add about 1/2 cup of plain salt to the fish, mix and apply it all over the fish pieces. Leave aside for about 45 minutes.
For the curry: Take 1 cup of freshly grated coconut and add 3 teaspoons of red chilli powder, 3 spoons of coriander powder and 1 teaspoon of turmeric and grind it in a mixer to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Wash the salted fish thoroughly. In a pot heat 1 teaspoon of peanut oil, add the garlic; once it turns brown add the curry paste with 3 cups of water. Add all the pieces of fish to it; add 8 pieces of cocum and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook the curry for about 20 minutes on a medium to high flame. Add the freshly chopped coriander before serving.
Serve it in a bowl with curry and pieces of fish; garnish with fresh leaves of coriander. Goes well with hot basmati rice.

Coconut Milk Dosa

Ingredients
1 cup rice 1/3 cup udad dal 2 cups coconut milk 1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds 1/3 cup curds 1/2 tsp. soda bicarb Salt to tasteOil to shallow fry
Method:
Wash and soak the rice and dhal together. Add methi seeds and soak for 6-7 hours or overnight. To prepare coconut milk, put the grated coconut in a blender. Repeat with the same residue. Restrain. Add water and blend till smooth. Strain. Use this milk to grind the dosa batter. Add curds, soda, salt and mix well. Keep aside for 3-4 hours.
Heat the griddle, pour 1 spoon of batter. Proceed as for plain dosa. Even thick dosas may be made from the same batter, if desired. Serve hot with coconut or onion chutney.

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken
Food
Ingredients for the marinade1 small chicken, about ½ Kg 1 desp.lemon juice35 gms green papaya 6 cloves of garlic1 tsp. coriander seeds1 desp. vinegar½ tsp. salt¾ tsp. red pepper and a pinch of red colouring1 desp. salad oil (optional)½ tsp. salt10 gms ginger½ tsp. black cumin seeds1 desp. lemon juice30 gms or 6 tsps. curd
Ingredients for sprinkling½ tsp. grounded amchoor or mango powder½ tsp. grounded dried methi (fenugreek) leaves 1 tbsp. melted ghee (clarified butter)½ tsp. roasted and grounded black cumin seeds1 desp. lemon juice
MethodWash and dry the chicken with a piece of cloth. Make cuts over the breast and legs and rub ½ tsp. salt and 1 desp. lemon juice into them and over the surface of the cavity. Leave it for half an hour.
Grind all the ingredients of the marinade very fine along with lemon juice, vinegar and curd. Lastly, add salt and half of the red pepper. Rub this paste into the chicken. Also insert it into the cuts and sprinkle the remaining red pepper over it. Leave it in the marinade for at least 12 hours. Remove the excess paste and pass a pointed skewer through the chicken. Roast in the tandoor or in a hot oven for 15 mts, in 450 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
Remove it from the oven. Then rub lemon juice and sprinkle grounded masala and paste it with the melted ghee. Place it again in the tandoor or electric oven for about 10 mts. After it is done, remove the skewer.
Serve immediately with onions, green chillies, shredded ginger and mint leaves. Sprinkle lemon juice and seasoning on top. Relish with salad.

Eating out in Chennai

Chennaiites have taken to eating out and as a result there are many new eateries cropping up all over town. If the food's good then the business is good. The restaurants, after sometime, become personal choices and are frequented by families, couples, friends, regularly. Take,' Karaikudi' on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, for instance. It is a hot favorite for the residents of Chennai. The food is typical Chettinad style - vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Most customers of Karaikudi are non-vegetarians. 'Kara kozhambu' and 'idiyappam with stew' and different types of varuval are popular choices. Cutlery and crockery are in Chettinad style, to go with the setting of the restaurant.
Just above 'Karaikudi' is 'Dhaba' with great Tandoori food. Whether it is paneer butter masala, palak mutter or just dal, the dishes are delicious. Rumali roti, Methi paratha, butter nan, aloo paratha are among the available Indian breads. There is also jeera pulao, vegetable pulao and peas pulao in rice varieties. The menu is regular tandoori and the fare mouth watering. This is just the place for people of the 50s and the 60s, as it brings back memories with huge B&W photographs of famous Hindi film stars. There is a Tandoori joint, on Pantheon road, called 'Sanjha Choolha'. The ambience is that of a dhaba. The furniture and the décor are in good taste. The menu is similar to that of the 'Dhaba' and equally good. Try the basundi or gajar ka halwa for dessert. This restaurant has regular customers from in and around Nungambakkam and Mount Road.
Just outside of Chennai, is 'Tanjore', a restaurant in Neelankarai. The food available is idli, dosai, vadai and other tiffin types that are favourites of South Indians. The ambience is authentic Tanjorean style, lots of 'choppu (toys)' as decoration. For Chennaiites getting away to the Mahabs or other resorts, a stop over at 'Tanjore' for a bite is becoming a routine.

Vegetarian Food - Ideal for health

Vegetarian Food - Ideal for health
Food Gallstones, Kidney Stones, and Osteoporosis
Vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce one’s chances of forming kidney stones and gallstones. Diets that are high in protein, especially animal protein, tend to cause the body to excrete more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. These three substances are the main components of urinary tract stones. British researchers have advised that persons with a tendency to form kidney stones should follow a vegetarian diet. Similarly, high-cholesterol, high-fat diets - the typical meat-based diet - are implicated in the formation of gallstones.
For many of the same reasons, vegetarians are at a lower risk for osteoporosis. Since animal products force calcium out of the body, eating meat can promote bone loss. In nations with mainly vegetable diets (and without dairy product consumption), osteoporosis is less common than in the U.S. - even when calcium intake is also less than in the U.S. Calcium is important, but there is no need to get it from dairy products. Calcium is easy to find in a vegetarian diet. Many dark green leafy vegetables and beans are loaded with calcium, and some orange juices and cereals are calcium-fortified. Iron is plentiful in whole grains, beans, and fruits.
Asthma
A 1985 Swedish study demonstrated that asthmatics who practice a vegan diet for a full year have a marked decrease in their need for medications, and in their frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Twenty-two of the 24 subjects reported improvement by the end of the year. Dairy allergies may be part of the reason.
Common Concerns
Some people still worry about the ease with which a vegetarian diet can provide all essential nutrients. The fact is, it is very easy to have a well-balanced diet with vegetarian foods. Vegetarian foods provide plenty of protein. Careful combining of foods is not necessary. Any normal variety of plant foods provide more than enough protein for the body’s needs. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet than a meat-eater’s diet, this is actually an advantage. Excess protein has been linked to kidney stones, osteoporosis, and possibly heart disease and some cancers. A diet focused on beans, whole grains, and vegetables contains adequate amounts of protein without the 'overdose' most meat-eaters get.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a genuine issue for vegans, although very easy to deal with. Traditionally, getting this vitamin has not been difficult. In cultures with plant-based diets, the microorganisms that produce B12 grow in the soil and cling to root vegetables, and traditional Asian miso and tempeh contain large amounts of the vitamin. But with industrialized production and improved hygiene, this source of B12 has been eliminated. Meat-eaters get B12 through microorganisms living in the animals they eat.
Although cases of B12 deficiency are very uncommon, it is important to make sure that one has a reliable source of the vitamin. Good sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, and fortified soyamilk. It is especially important for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers to get enough vitamin B12.
Special Concerns: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children
During pregnancy, nutritional needs increase. The American Dietetic Association has found vegan diets adequate for fulfilling nutritional needs during pregnancy, but pregnant women and nursing mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D. Most doctors also recommend that pregnant women supplement their diet with iron and folic acid, although vegetarians normally consume more folic acid than meat-eaters.
Vegetarian women have a lower incidence of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy, and significantly more pure breast milk. Analyses of vegetarians’ breast milk show that the levels of environmental contaminants in their milk are much lower than in non-vegetarians. Studies have also shown that in families with a history of food allergies, when women abstain from allergenic foods, including milk, meat, and fish, during pregnancy, they are less likely to pass allergies onto the infant. Mothers who drink milk pass cow antibodies along to their nursing infants through their breast milk. These antibodies can cause colic.
Vegetarian children also have high nutritional needs, but these, too, are met within a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian menu is life-extending. As young children, vegetarians may grow more gradually, reach puberty somewhat later, and live substantially longer than do meat-eaters. Do be sure to include a reliable source of vitamin B12.
(Based on net resources)

MTR FOOD MALL IN CHENNAI

No trip to Bangalore can be complete without a visit to the Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR). You don't have to go to Bangalore anymore. The delicious eats will now be available at the MTR outlet on G N Chetty Road in T Nagar, Chennai.
MTR Foods Ltd, a market leader in the packaged foods business, opened a first-of-its-kind 'Narnma MTR' outlet in Chennai on November 14. The outlet was inaugurated in the presence of key officials from MTR Foods and leading lights of Chennai.


MTR company's CEO and Executive Director J Suresh said 'Namma MTR' is MTR's food parlour-cum-store and serves as a one-stop shop for the entire range of MTR food products. The 'Namma MTR' outlet is a unique amalgamation of three parts: The retail outlet, food court and concept kitchen.
The retail outlet stores the entire range of MTR products. It has a food court where the menu comprises of exciting, innovative snack items, that are hygienic and nutritious. These items include the Dosa Wrap, a dosa with all the accompaniments that people can eat on the go, Suresh pointed out.
Other examples of the innovative snacks are the Paneer and Mushroom Wrap, Funda Vada (a self-contained vada with a tasty filling), low-fat snacks and desserts. And located prominently in the centre of the store, the concept kitchen is unique in its function. Two chefs create dishes with MTR products, offering customers a taste. Consumers are encouraged to try out as many products as they want before purchasing anything. So, if a housewife wants to learn the art of making the perfect rasam, all she needs to do is ask the chef at 'Namma MTR.'
'Namma MTR' is also stocked with complete meal solutions, with which a modem woman can satisfy the most demanding needs of the family from breakfast to dinner. Secure in the knowledge that MTR products will be of top quality, taste and purity, she can choose from a range of MTR's packaged foods in 11 categories - spices, instant mixes, ready-to-eat foods, vermicelli, ready-to-cook gravies, frozen foods, papads, pickles, chips, snacks and ice cream. In the true spirit of MTR's 80-year-old heritage and its commitment to innovation, the decor at the outlet is a blend of the old and new.
Also available at 'Namma MTR' is MTR's latest range - ready-to-eat rice meals. This includes favourites like jeera rice, sambar rice, rasam rice, masala rice, lemon rice, pulao and several other variants. Each product is a meal in itself, capturing the nutrition and taste of Indian cuisine.
All a consumer has to do is dip the packet in boiling water for five minutes, open the pack and sit down to enjoy a delicious, healthy meal. This is a boon for working professionals looking for affordable healthy food options and housewives seeking to add variety to their children's tiffin box. This range is economically priced below Rs 20.
Suresh pointed out that the turnover of the company which was Rs 40 crore three years ago, had touched Rs 103 crore last year and this was expected to further go up to Rs 130 crore by March 2004.
Nearly eight per cent of the turnover came from exports, he said adding that MTR poducts continued to have a good demand abroad.
The Ready-To-Eat Meals would be available from Rs 15 onwards, Suresh said. This concept had been introduced after considerable research and studies. There was a demand for meals of this kind at as low rates as possible. He was sure it would be popular in Chennai.
The market for the Ready Food category, which was in the region of Rs 25 crore now, would touch Rs 300 crore in another three years, he felt.
The Chennai outlet had been given out on franchise. It would be run by Kuppuraj and his son, Srilesh.

MTR's first outlet outside Bangalore was in Chennai, he said pointing out that Chennai was a huge market and represented a very important segment in the country.
The history of MTR Foods dates back to 1924, when the Maiya family started a small restaurant in Bangalore. In 1951 the restaurant came to be known as the Mavalli Tiffin Room. It was by then famous for the owner's passion for perfection and the superb quality of its south Indian cuisine. The Mavalli Tiffin Room is and will always remain a symbol of pure and perfect south Indian food. The legacy of purity and perfection continues with the MTR ready- to-eat range of rice meals.

PRATA PANCAKE

This is a sort of fried croissant, originating from south India. The wheat flour that is used makes for a dough that can be tossed and stretched till it is paper thin. Then it is folded over a few times, to create separate layers. The result is a many-layered partly-crispy-partly-soft pancake that resembles filo pastry.
The pancake is fried on a hot, oily griddle until it's cooked, and marked with brown spots, then served with a curry gravy. For some who do not like it spicy, instead of eating their prata with curry, they can sprinkle sugar over it and turn it into a savoury-sweet pancake.

Prata is a popular choice for breakfast and supper, although, to be honest, locals eat it any time they feel like it! It is no coincidence that many of Singapore's 24-hour food outlets are those that sell roti prata. And the favourite complement to a plate of the prata is a cup of steaming hot tea or coffee!
It may have originated in India, but it was here that flavoured dough and the very visual stretching and twirling were introduced, to create this delicious dish. Choose from an array of flavours - plain, onion, egg, tissue (with super-thin layers) and so on. There is also ice cream prata and cheese prata - possibly a world first!