Spicy Squid Roast / Koonthal Varattu

           Being an Indian, I love everything spicy, especially the non-vegetarian foods. Non-vegetarian food, if cooked without spices tastes bland and uninteresting.. Though I prepare vegetarian food with out much spices, I like to have non-vegetarian dishes quite spicy.

            Spicy, doesn't always mean hot. Many people misunderstands spicy food to be hot food, with loads of red chilli powder in it, hot enough to pierce holes into the stomach wall. That is the reason why most of the non-Asians dread spicy food as if it is a dagger pointed at  their heart.. In fact you could prepare spicy and yummy food which is less hot. You could reduce the amount of red chilli powder or else use milder varieties like Kashmiri chillli powder. As my family is on the medium level of heat tolerance,I always use a mixture of Kashmiri and ordinary chilli powders in cooking which gives a brilliant red colour as well as exquisite taste to the food.

         This is a squid preparation, I love to cook spicy and is rich in flavours. You could also prepare shell fishes like mussels and prawns the same way. It can be served as a side dish for chappatis and parottas or with hot steaming rice.

Spicy Squid Roast / Koonthal varattu

Things you need:

Squid, cleaned and sliced circularly - 1 kg
Turmeric powder                            - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Onion, sliced                                  - 4
Ginger, finely sliced                        -  a 2 inch piece
Green chillies, slit                           - 2
Red chilli powder                          - 1 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder                        -  3 tbsp
Black pepper powder                   -  1 tsp
Garam masala powder                  - 1/2 tsp
Tomato, sliced                              - 1
Coconut oil                                  - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Cook the squid with turmeric powder and salt until the water dries out. Keep aside.
• Heat a frying pan and add coconut oil to it. Saute the onions,green chillies and ginger in it, until golden colour. Now add the spice powders and saute for a few minutes in low heat.
• Add tomato to it and saute.Finally add the cooked squid to it .Saute for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.
• Serve hot with chappatis or rice.