Onion flower stalk stir-fry with carrot and grated coconut

Onion flower stalk stir-fry with carrot and grated coconut

Onion flower stalks are not to be confused with spring onion, green onion or scallion. 

Onion flower stalk 

The flesh of the stalk is crunchy and fibrous. The stems are sturdy. As you will notice from the picture, flower stalks are round.

Onion flower stalk

 In the US and many other countries farmers do not like their onion to flower. Flowering will not affect the taste of the onion but it will affect the size and keeping quality of the onion.

In some Asian countries (India, Sri Lanka and China) the onions are cultivated for this valuable vegetable.

Onion flower stalk as sold in the market.

Onion stalks have a milder onion flavor.  They are very tasty. They are beautiful to look at.

Today I am going to make a stir-fry. Flower is edible do not discard it. But wash well.

                                    Recipe Summary
                                              For
  Onion flower stalk stir-fry with carrot and grated coconut

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

1. Wash and  cut away the bottom and the flower of the onion flower stalk (300 grams)  and cut the stalk into ¾" pieces.

Onion flower stalk stir-fry
 with carrot and grated coconut

2. In a medium sized skillet heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil. When the oil is hot add 90 grams of coarsely chopped onion and 1 dry red chili broken into small pieces.Reduce the heat to medium and fry for 4 minutes.

3. Add 10 curry leaves, 4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic, 5 grams finely chopped ginger and 1 finely chopped green chili.

4. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp fennel seeds and add onion stalks and fry for 3 minutes.

Ingredients

5. Add 1 tsp garam masala powder and ½  tsp chili powder and fry for 2 minutes.  These two condiments are optional.

6. Add 1 julienned carrot and fry for 3 minutes and add 1 cup of  water and cover.

7. When the water is about to dry add 50 grams of shredded coconut and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and fry for 3 minutes.

8. Add 1 tsp salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Onion flower stalk 

9. The stir fry is ready. It can be served with rice or any kind of bread  or as a side dish.

10. This can be done without adding carrot. Follow the same procedure avoiding carrot.You can even omit coconut. The real flavour comes out without any additional ingredients.

Onion flower stalk stir-fry with carrot and grated coconut is ready.
                                  

                              Recipe follows in detail with pictures.
                           

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
300 grams onion flower stalks (2 bunches) cut into ¾" slices
90 grams onion roughly chopped
1 carrot julienned

Ingredients for Onion flower stalk stir-fry with carrot and grated coconut

1 green chili chopped fine
4 cloves garlic sliced thin
5 grams ginger chopped fine
10 curry leaves
50 grams shredded coconut
Spices
1 dry red chili broken into small pieces
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin seed
½ teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Preparation
Wash and  cut away the bottom  and the flower of the onion flower stalk.

Cutting the flower from the stalk

Cut the stalk into small pieces

Cut pieces of onion flower stalk

Method
In a medium sized skillet heat the oil. When the oil is hot add the onion and dry red chili pieces.
Reduce the heat to medium and fry for 4 minutes.

Frying dry chili and onion

Add curry leaves, garlic, ginger, green chili pieces.

Adding green chili,curry leaves,garlic and ginger

Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

Adding cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

Add onion stalks and fry for 3 minutes.

Add onion stalks 

 Add garam masala powder and chili powder and fry for 2 minutes. You can omit these.

Add julienned carrot and fry for 3 minutes and add 1 cup of  water and cover.

Add grated carrot

When water is about to dry add shredded coconut and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and fry for 3 minutes.

 Adding coconut

Add salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

The stir fry is ready. 

The stir fry is ready. It can be served with rice or any kind of bread  or as a side dish.

This can be done without adding carrot. Follow the same procedure avoiding carrot.You can even omit coconut. The real flavour comes out without any additional ingredients.

Onion flower stalk 

Chicken curry with coconut milk

Chicken curry with coconut milk

This is a universal dish. There are as many variations as there are regions. It will be found in roadside coffee shops to 5 star restaurants. Two major versions of chicken curry are that made with dry ingredients and that made with wet ground spice paste.

Chicken curry is famous because it easily absorbs the entire range of flavors. It does not have the strong smell and taste of mutton or lamb or other red meats.

In South Asia it is served with rice, noodles and breads.

Today I am going to make the curry with dry ingredients. This is very simple and straight forward. In future I will show a chicken curry made with spice paste.

                                     Recipe summary
                                               For
                         Chicken curry with coconut milk
preparation time:30 minutes.
Cooking time:30 minutes

Serves: 6

1. Cut 1 kg boneless chicken into bite size pieces.

2. In a medium size bowl and put the chicken pieces and add 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon of pepper powder, 5 grams ginger and 3 cloves garlic ground into paste. Mix all the marinating ingredients and stir well so that all the pieces are well coated with marinates. Cover the bowl with cling foil and leave the bowl in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Chicken curry
with coconut milk

3. In a medium sized skillet heat 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil of your choice. I used a wok. When the oil is hot reduce the heat to medium and add in 1 whole dry red chili. Do not break the dry red chilies into smaller pieces as we want only the aroma and not the heat from it. Fry for one minute.

Spices

4. Add 1 piece cinnamon stick - 4” long, 4 cloves, 3 cardamom pods, 1 pandan leaf 5” long, 3 star anise, 3 cloves and 2 sprigs curry leaves and fry for one minute.I am using dry pandan leaves and curry leaves.

5. Add 2 lemon grass pieces 5” long each,  Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 green chili finely chopped, ½ tsp fennel seeds, ½  tsp fenugreek seeds and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.

6. Add 90 grams chopped coarsely onion and stir once. I am not frying the onion. I fried only the spices to get the aroma.

7. Add the chicken and fry for about 3 minutes. You will notice the color of the chicken turning to be white.

Adding the chicken

8. Now add 2 tbsp of curry powder, ½  tsp garam masala powder and  and stir well. Optionally you may also add 1 tsp briyani masala powder. 

9. Normally you will add 1 cup coconut milk towards the end.  Here I am adding early so that the chicken will absorb the coconut milk fully. and give a special taste. Add ½ tsp salt.

Adding  curry powder, garam 
masala and coconut milk

10. Add  2 cups water to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil in high heat and reduce the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Occasionally open the cover, stir and check for the amount of water in the pan. If the pan is dry add some water.

11.Check to see if the texture of the chicken is to your taste. If it is not tender enough add a little more water and cook for another 15 minutes.

12. Add juice from ½ a lime or lemon. Taste for seasoning and adjust. At this point chicken should be tender and delicious.

Chicken curry with coconut milk is ready.
                                  

                           Recipe follows in detail with pictures.        
                      
preparation time:30 minutes.
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Main
1 kg boneless chicken cut into bite size pieces
Others
90 grams onions chopped coarsely
1 green chili finely chopped
1 pandan leaf 5” long
2 lemon grass pieces 5” long each
2 sprigs curry leaves½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
Juice from ½ a lemon
3 tablespoon of vegetable oil of your choice
2 cups water
Spices

2 tablespoons of curry powder

1 dry chili, whole

3 star anise

½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek
1 piece cinnamon stick - 4” long
4 cloves
3 cardamoms

Onion,green chili and lemon grass

Spices

Marinate
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon of pepper powder
5 grams ginger and 3 cloves garlic ground into paste

Salt and turmeric powder protect the meat from harmful micro-organisms. They also delay the spoilage of the meat during cooking process. Garlic ginger paste tenderizes the meat.

Preparation
Mix all the marinating ingredients in a medium size bowl and put the chicken pieces and stir well so that all the pieces are well coated with marinates. Cover the bowl with cling foil and leave the bowl in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Marinated chicken

Method

In a medium sized skillet heat the oil. I used a wok. When the oil is hot reduce the heat to medium and add in the whole dry red chilies. Do not break the dry red chilies into smaller pieces as we want only the aroma and not the heat from it. Fry for one minute.

You will get some strong fumes from the frying dry chili. If it irritates your nose and throat, or if you don’t like the smell of the fumes add dry chili after adding onion. You may also omit it altogether.

 Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pandan leaf, star anise, cloves and curry leaves and fry for one minute.I am using dry pandan leaves and curry leaves.

Frying dry chili, cinnamon,cardamom,pandan leaf and clove 

Add lemon grass

Added lemon grass

 Add cumin seeds, green chili, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds.

 Adding cumin seeds, green chili, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds.

 Add green chili and stir.

 Adding green chili and stir.

Add onion and stir once. I am not frying the onion. I fried only the spices to get the aroma

Add onion

Add the chicken and fry for about 3 minutes. You will notice the color of the chicken turning to be white.

Adding the chicken

Now add curry powder, garam masala and  and stir well. If you have briyani masala you can add 1 teaspoon.

 Adding curry powder and garam masala 

Normally you will add the coconut milk towards the end.

Coconut milk

 Here I am adding early so that the chicken will absorb the coconut milk fully. and give a special taste. Add ½ tsp salt.

Adding  curry powder, garam masala and coconut milk

Add  water to cover the chicken.
Bring to the boil in high heat and reduce the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Occasionally open the cover, stir and check for the amount of water in the pan. If the pan is dry add some water.

Check to see if the texture of the chicken is to your taste. If it is not tender enough add a little more water and cook for another 15 minutes.

Curry being cooked

Add lime or lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust. At this point chicken should be tender and delicious.

Final stage

The curry is ready

Chicken curry with coconut milk

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE SOME RELATED RECIPES

Mild chicken curry

Very spicy boneless chicken curry

Stuffed snake gourd

Stuffed snake gourd

Snake gourd has a barrel form which is ideal for filling with many kinds of foodstuff, Today I am going to make a filling with split chick peas (garbanzo beans), green peas and potato. Time consuming work but worth it.

Snake gourd

                                        Recipe Summary
                                                  For
                                       Stuffed snake gourd 
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

1. Peel the snake 500 grams gourd and cut into 1½ inch cylinders.

Snake gourd

2. Soak the 50 grams split chickpeas for 1 hour and then boil it for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Microwave 150 grams potatoes for 6 minutes or boil it until it becomes soft. On an average boiling in a pan will take about 40 minutes. Allow it to cool. When cool peel the skin off and cut into thick chunks.

4. Microwave 50 grams green peas for 2 minutes or blanch them for 3 minutes.

5. Soak 4 dry chilies in hot water. grind with 1/2 cup water

6. In a medium frying pan or a wok, heat 2 tbsp  vegetable oil. When it is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Add 90 grams coarsely chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds, 5 cloves thinly sliced garlic, 50 grams finely chopped scallion, 5 grams finely chopped green chili, ½ teaspoon salt  and 75 grams finely chopped leek. Fry for 10 minutes.


7. Add potatoes, 1 tomato and soaked dry chili masala, boiled chickpeas and green peas and fry for five minutes.

8. Add garam 1 tsp masala powder, ½ tsp chili powder mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

9. Take the ingredients of the heat and let the mixture  cool down for a short while.

10. Fill the snake gourd pieces with the filling. Compact the filling with a spoon.

Stuffed snake gourd

11. Steam the stuffed gourd for 20 minutes. Let it cool.

12  Mix 1 cup all purpose flour with 1.3 cup  water.and set aside.Coat the steamed pieces of the snake gourd  in the flour mixture and roll in bread crumbs. After you have coated  all the pieces do another round of coating in flour batter and bread crumbs. Second coating makes the stuffed pieces look big.

Stuffed snake gourd

13. Heat the remaining oil in a medium sized frying pan. Fry the stuffed snake gourd on all sided for about 6 minutes.

14. The stuffed snake gourd is ready. It can be served with curry sauce as a snack or with rice or bread.

Stuffed snake gourd is ready.
                                  

                  Recipe follows in detail with pictures.
                                 

             
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients
500 grams snake gourd

Filling:
50 grams split chick peas (garbanzo beans)
50 grams green peas.
150 grams potato
1 tomato
90 grams onion coarsely chopped
5 grams green chili finely chopped
50 grams scallion finely chopped
75 grams leek finely chopped
5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil


For the batter
1 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/3 cup water

1 cup bread crumbs to coat finally.
Spices
4 dry chili soaked in hot water.
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
½ teaspoon chili powder

Ingredients

Preparation
Peel the snake gourd as shown in this recipe.
Cut into 1½ inch cylinders.We got 13 pieces.
Soak 4 dry chilies in hot water. Grind with 1/2 cup  water to become a paste.

Snake gourd cylinders.

Soak the split chickpeas for 1 hour and then boil it for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Microwave the potatoes for 6 minutes or boil it until it becomes soft. On an average boiling in a pan will take about 40 minutes. Allow it to cool. When cool peel the skin off. Cut into thick chunks.
Microwave green peas for 2 minutes or blanch them for 3 minutes.

Split chickpea,green peas,and boiled potato

Method
In a medium frying pan or a wok, heat the vegetable oil. When it is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
Add onion and fry till translucent.

Onion is frying

Add cumin seeds, garlic, scallion, green chili, salt and leek. Fry for 10 minutes.

Adding  cumin seeds, garlic, ginger scallion and leek.

Add potatoes and mix.

Adding potatoes

Add the tomato and soaked dry chili masala.

Adding masala

Potato mixture

Add boiled chickpeas and mix.

Adding boiled chickpeas 

Add green peas and fry for five minutes.

Adding cooked green peas

 Add garam masala powder, chili powder mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

Final mixture

Take the ingredients of the heat and let it cool down for a short while.

Fill the snake gourd pieces with the filling. Compact the filling with a spoon.

Stuffed snake gourd

Steam the stuffed gourd for 20 minutes. Let it cool.

Steamed stuffed snake gourd

 Mix all purpose flour with water.and set aside.Coat the steamed pieces of the snake gourd  in the flour mixture and roll in bread crumbs. After you have coated  all the pieces do another round of coating in flour mixture and bread crumbs

Bread crumbs

Second coating makes the stuffed pieces look big.

Stuffed snake gourd with breadcrumbs

Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan. Fry the stuffed snake gourd on all sided for about 6 minutes.
The stuffed snake gourd is ready. It can be served with curry sauce as a snack or with rice or bread.

Stuffed snake gourd and curry sauce

Related recipes

Fried Snake gourd spicy curry

Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry