Try these traditional dishes from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa this Easter

Easter in India | Photo Credit: T.Singaravelu

Chicken Roast with Borma Bread

Cooking Time: Marination Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Cuisine: Kerala

Chicken Roast with Borma Bread

Chicken Roast with Borma Bread

Component

  • Chicken with bone (60 – 80g pcs each) – 500g

  • Potato (quartered) – 100 grams

  • Coconut oil – 1 liter

  • Onion chopped – 3 cups

  • Tomato – 1 cup

  • Ginger – 1 tbsp

  • Garlic – 1 tbsp

  • Green chili – 1 tbsp

  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig

  • salt to taste

  • Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

  • Kashmiri chili powder – 1 tbsp

  • Black pepper powder – 1 tsp

  • Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp

  • Garam masala – 1 tsp

  • Coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Preparation

  1. Marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric for 30 minutes.

  2. Deep fry the chicken till half cooked and fry the potatoes in the same oil. Keep it aside.

  3. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.

  4. Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes transparent and add all the spices.

  5. Cook for five minutes.

  6. Add chopped tomatoes and cook well.

  7. Add half the fried chicken and cook for 15 minutes and add fried potatoes. Finally add coconut milk and finish.

  8. Serve hot with traditional sweet borma bread.

Recipe by Chef Reggie Mathew, Chef and Co-Founder, Kappa Chakka Kandhari, Chennai and Bengaluru

Chicken Cafereal

Cooking Time: Prep Time: 12 hours Salting + 1 hour Prep | Cook Time: 40 minutes

Cuisine: Portuguese-Goan

Chicken Cafereal

Chicken Cafereal

Component

  • Bone-in mixture of chicken thighs and drumsticks (skin on) – 750 g

  • Fresh coriander with stalks – 1 bunch

  • Green chilies (depending on how spicy you like it) – 4-5

  • Garlic – 3-4 cloves

  • Ginger root – 1.5 inch

  • Black pepper – 8-10

  • Cloves – 3-4

  • Cinnamon – 1 inch

  • Cumin – 1/2 tsp

  • Cone Vinegar (amber colored gounti/homemade is better) – 2-3 tbsp

  • fresh squeeze of lemon juice

  • dark rum – 60 ml

  • Pork fat (for frying on the grill) – 2-3 tbsp

for salty

  • water – 3 liters

  • Salt – 1 cup

  • Sugar – 1/2 cup

  • Black pepper – 8 – 10

  • Bay leaf – 2-3

  • Cinnamon – 1 inch

  • Fresh orange slices – 1 inch

Preparation

  1. For best results, it is recommended to brine the chicken overnight, 12 hours prior to marination

  2. Once the brine is done, remove the chicken pieces and pat them dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel to ensure that the marinade penetrates the meat.

  3. Score your chicken pieces and set them aside in a bowl. Then in a blender, blend all the ingredients together till it becomes a smooth paste.

  4. Adjust the seasoning of the marinade with salt and lemon juice to taste and add the chicken to marinate for at least 1-6 hours.

  5. Once marinated, place on a charcoal grill or heat a heavy bottomed wok / cast iron pan and cook on medium heat from all sides. Cook on each side for two to three minutes.

  6. Optional: Finish cooking the meat in the oven for six to seven minutes after roasting.

  7. Burn marks go a long way! Serve with homemade roasted potatoes and lemon wedges

Note: We’ve found that brining chicken, although unconventional, produces a moist and tender chicken. In addition, the use of dark rum and pork fat in this recipe both add great flavor, although they are optional.

Recipe by Chef Avinash Martins, Cavatina, Goa

Mutton Thanni Kuzhambu

Cooking Time: Marination Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Cuisine: Tamil Nadu

Mutton Thanni Kuzhambu

Mutton Thanni Kuzhambu

Component

for marination

  • Mutton – 1/2 kg

  • Salt – ½ tsp

  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

  • Chilli powder – ½ tsp

  • Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp

  • Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp

to Kuzhambu

  • Groundnut oil – 2 tbsp

  • Bay leaf – 1

  • Cinnamon – 2 inch

  • Cove – 5

  • Fennel – ½ tsp

  • Green chili – 1

  • shallots – 15

  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

  • Tomato – 2

  • Chilli powder – ¾ tsp

  • Coriander powder – 1 tsp

  • salt to taste

  • Water – 2 cups (approx)

  • coriander leaves

Preparation

  1. Wash and clean the mutton pieces thoroughly.

  2. Take mutton in a bowl.

  3. Add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and black pepper powder.

  4. Mix all the things with the pieces and keep this marination aside for 20 to 30 minutes.

  5. Heat oil, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and aniseed.

  6. Add green chillies, onions and fry well till the onions turn light brown in colour.

  7. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes away.

  8. Put the mutton pieces along with the marinade.

  9. Now add tomatoes and mix well.

  10. Also add spice powder, chili powder and coriander powder along with salt.

  11. Cover the mutton with water.

  12. Cook the mutton with spices in a pressure cooker till six whistles.

  13. After the pressure is over, open the lid and garnish with coriander leaves.

  14. Serve hot with idli or dosa.

Chef Jesu.S. Recipe by Lambert, Executive Chef, Savera Hotel, Chennai