MATHANGA/PUMPKIN VANPAYAR ERISSERI

Ingredients

250 gms Pumpkin/Mathanga diced
1/2 cup vanpayar 
3-4 Green chilies, slit
1 cup Grated coconut
2 cloves Garlic 
5-6 nos Black pepper corns 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp Chilly powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 Dry red chilies
1 tsp Mustard seeds 
few Curry leaves 
2-3 tsp Oil 
Salt   to taste

Method

Pressure cook vanpayar till soft and done. Set aside.

In another vessel cook the pumpkin with salt,turmeric,chilly powder, slit green chilies and salt adding enough water to cook the pumpkin. (You can pressure cook it for 1-2 whistles).

 Meanwhile grind  1 cup coconut, 2 cloves of garlic, whole black pepper corns and cumin seeds into a fine paste adding water, if needed.

Add the ground coconut paste and the cooked vanpayar to the cooked pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt and add water if needed. If you prefer dry erissseri, you do not need to add water. Cook for a few minutes at medium-low heat.

In a frying pan heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry the dry red chilies, curry leaves and then add remaining 1/2 cup grated coconut. Roast the coconut till it turns brown (If you want, you can pour the seasoning over the curry and then roast the coconut in the same pan).

Add this roasted coconut to the pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt. Serve hot with rice and a thoran/mezhukkupuratti.

KERALA STYLE CHICKEN CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK

Ingredients to marinate

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt

To be crushed together

10 pearl onions peeled
5 cloves garlic peeled
2 inch piece ginger
1/2 tsp fennel seeds

Other ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
2 small red onion chopped
10 curry leaves
3-4 green chillies slit lenghtwise
1 medium potato cubed
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chillie powder
salt to taste
1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk

Method 

Marinate the chicken pieces in black pepper, turmeric powder, white vinegar ans salt for 30 minutes.

Crush together pearl onions, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds in mortar and pestle to coarse paste.

Heat coconut oil in kadhai. Add chopped onions , curry leaves, green chilli and saute until onion turns brown.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, garam masala. Saute for few seconds.

Add crushed paste of onion , and ginger garlic and saute till raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften. Now add marinate chicken pieces and cubed potatoes along with 1/3 cup water. 

add salt and cover and cook over medium high heat till chicken cooks through.

Remove lid and cook until curry becomes thick.

Heat coconut oil in small pan, ad pearl onions, curry leaves saute and pour this over chicken curry.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

NADAN CHICKEN ROAST

Ingredients

1/2 kg Chicken pieces 

3 nos onion 
2 tomatoes 
2green chillies 
few curry leaves 
coriander leaves few chopped
1 tsp garlic paste 
1 tsp ginger paste 
2 tsp lemon juice 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
2 tsp chilly powder  or as desired
1/2 tsp garam masala powder 
pepper powder as per taste
coconut oil
salt

Method

Marinate chicken with chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt, garlic and ginger paste,lemon juice and half of garam masala.

Shallow fry these chicken pieces after kept for half an hour.
Remove the chicken pieces from the pan when it turned red out side.
Saute finely chopped onion in the same oil used for frying chicken.
When onions are sauteed well and about red in color, add finely chopped tomatoes.
Saute until it is mashed well.
Add pepper powder and remaining garam masala powder.
Put chicken pieces in this and mix well.
Add enough salt too.
Reduce heat to a very low flame, place the lid and cook the chicken for some time.
You have to stirr this occasionally to prevent this from sticking to the pan.
After few minutes , the masala covers chicken pieces, the add green chilly slits,curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Stir well and remove from fire.
Serve hot!!

KOOTU CURRY

Ingredients

1/2 cup Brown chickpeas cooked
1/2 cup Raw plantain peeld and cubed
1/2 cup Elephant yam cubed
1/4 cup Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/3 cup Grated coconut
Salt to taste
Water- as required

To grind
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 cloves garlic
1-2 nos green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder

For tempering

1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 nos Dried red chilli
few Curry leaves
Oil

Method

Grind together all the ingredients listed under ' to grid ' to form a coarse paste.Keep aside.
Dry roast 1/3 cup grated coconut over medium flame,stirring continuously until it turns brown.Keep aside.
In a pan,combine together cubed plantain, elephant yam ,chili powder,turmeric powder and  water.Cook until it is tender and water is almost absorbed.Add cooked chickpeas ,prepared coconut paste and salt .Mix well and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.Remove from heat.
Add the roasted coconut and mix well.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,let it splutter.Add red chilies and curry leaves,fry for few seconds and pour it over the curry.
Serve with rice.

PRAWN CURRY

This recipe was given to me from my mom. It's delicious. 

Ingredients

1/2 kg prawn , cleaned and deveined

Pinch turmeric powder

1 big onion sliced finely 

1 tomato finely chopped

1-2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1-2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp pepper powder

 1-2 small pieces kodampuli

1 tsp vinegar

1-2 tbsp coconut oil

Salt to taste

Method

Place cleaned prawn in a pan along kodampuli, turmeric powder and salt . Boil for 10 minutes and drain off water along with kodampuli.

Heat a nonstick frying pan , pour oil and add sliced onions , saute till light brown. 

Add chopped tomatoes , saute it until mushy.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes off. 

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, pepper powder, salt and saute well so that all spices mix well with onion mixture.

Add cooked prawns , add 1/2 cup water and cook on low flame until all spices get coated on prawns. 

Now add 1 tsp vinegar and check for salt. 

Cook for 1-2 minutes and yummy prawn curry is ready to eat with steamed rice.

CRAB APPLE PICKLE

This pickle is inspired by mango pickle which my mom makes. Her pickle is the best .

Ingredients

10-15 crab apples , slit into 4 pieces, remove the centre core with the seed 

1-2tsp fenugreek powder

1-2 tbsp chilli powder

 1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp asafoetida 

1 tbsp sesame oil

Method

Heat oil in a kadai , add mustard seed .

When it start to pop, lower the flame and add chilli powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and sauté well ( do not burn the spices)

Now add chopped crab apple into it alongwith salt and stir well on low flame for 3-5 minutes.( you can add 1/4 cup water too)

Transfer the pickle to a jar and taste it after 2 days . Since you share the apple pieces it becomes soft and is ready to eat. 

Hmmmmm.... yummy pickle

ETHAKAYA PULISERRY

Ingredients:

2 nos. Ripe Banana 
2 cups Curd 
1/4 cup Shallots 
3-4 nos Chilly
1/2 cup Coconut 
1 no. Garlic pods 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 nos. Dry red chilly 
1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Method

Peel the banana skin and cut into medium round pieces.
Cook it with little water, turmeric pdr, chilly, curry leaves, salt and sliced shallots. Keep it aside. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots, cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder along with curd. Add this paste into the banana. Mix well and keep stiring till it becomes warm. 
Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds and fenugreek powder. When it starts spluttering add sliced shallots, mustard, curry leaves and dry chilly. Saute well and add it into the curry.

SWISS CHARD AND KIDNEY BEANS IN COCONUT GRAVY

Ingredients

1 can -Dark Red Kidney beans (Drained and rinsed)1 can  
Light unsweetened coconut milk
1 large bunch  Swiss chard
1/4 cup  Onion chopped finely
4 cloves  Garlic finely chopped 
1/2 Tsp  Red chilly powder
1/8 Tsp  Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp coconut oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic, chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute.
Add chard stalks and cook for 5 mins, now stir in the leaves and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Add the beans and stir fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and cook for 2 mins 
You can substitute swiss chard with any greens like spinach, kale, collard greens.

VANPAYAR AND BROCCOLI THORAN

Ingredients

1/2 cup Vanpayar (Red lobia) 

2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
3-6 Garlic  cloves, crushed
Few Curry leaves
1/4 - 1/2 cup Grated coconut
1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
1 tsp Cumin seeds 
1 tsp Coconut Oil 

Method

Soak vanpayar for a few hours. I usually soak it overnight. Cook it with turmeric powde , salt and enough water. Do not overcook as it becomes mushy. If there is excess water, keep it on high flame till water is evaporated.
In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds,  curry leaves and saute for a minute. 

Add chopped broccoli along with stems amd add salt , combine well .

Meanwhile grind the grated coconut , cumin seeds, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric in a grinder . Add this to the pan and combine well. Now add the cooked vanpayar and stir fry for sometime till the ingredients are combined well , check for salt as vanpayar already has salt.

SOYA CHUNKS MASALA DRY

Ingredients

100 gms Soya chunks

1 1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp pepper powder

1-2 tbsp gingergarlic paste

2 tsp coriander powder

2 onions chopped finely

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 1 /2 tsp gram masala

1 tomato chopped

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

curry leaves

Method

Place the soya chunks in a bowl and fill it up with enough hot water so that the soya chunks are completely immersed. Leave it aside for 20 minutes.After soaking in water, the soya chunks would appear double in volume. Squeeze all the water from the soya chunks. I prefer to cut soya chunk pieces into smaller ones.

Marinate it with pepper powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in kadai. Add onions, curry leaves and some salt, salt absorbs moisture from onion and helps onion to get cooked fast. Saute it well until onions turn light brown.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Fry it well.

Add tomato and saute until it becomes soft.
Add marinated soya and 1 cup water. Adjust salt. Cover and cook it for 15 minutes.
Now open the lid and cook until the water evaporates.
To have a perfect dry, add 2 - 3 tsp oil. Saute it well until it turns dark in color.            
Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it with rice or Indian breads. Enjoy !!!!

WHEAT ELLA APPAM WITHOUT FILLING

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup wheat flour
2 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 cup jaggery grated
2 tbsp chaka varatti
water as needed
Banana leaf/Vazhanayila/wax paper

Method

In a large bowl add wheat flour, mashed bananas, jaggery and chaka varatti alongwith little water ,
Add water little by little till you get a chapati dough.
Then add little more water to make a dough like clay form but should not stick to hands for easy spreading.
Cut the banana leaf from midrib around 15-20 cm length and width.
Divide dough into small lemon sized balls.
Spread the balls into round shape on the banana leaves a sa think layer. Dip the fingers in water and spread if needed. Fold the banana leaf .
Heat water in a idli steamer and allow water to boil.
Spread the ela appam evenly over the steamer base plate.
Close the lid ad steam for 10-15 minutes till appam cooks properly.
If the appam cooks , you will be able to peel teh banana leaf form the appam easly from both the sides.

FISH FRY

Ingredients

1/2kg Fish , any fish 
1 inch piece Ginger
8 cloves garlic 
1 tbsp Black Pepper 
1 tsp Chilli powder
Pinch Turmeric powder 
Few Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard seed
1 tbsp Lemon juice 
3 tbsp Coconut Oil 
Salt to taste

Method

Whole steaks or cut the fish into equal size pieces. Clean and drain it well.

Grind ginger, garlic, pepper, chilli powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon juice and salt into a paste.

Marinate fish pieces with the ground paste and keep it aside for at-least 30 minutes.

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan and fry marinated fish pieces by turning both sides on a medium flame.

Kerala fish fry is ready for serving. Serve it hot with onion rings and lemon wedges.

Tips

Any fish of your choice can be used to make this easy kerala fish fry.
If the fish pieces are large, make shallow cut marks on it with a sharp knife, so that the marinade is absorbed easily.

KAPPA ULARTHIYATHU

Ingredients  1 Kg Tapioca(Kappa) 1 cup Shallots, sliced thinly 4-6 Green Chillies, slit  1 -2 tsp turmeric powder1 tsp Mustard seeds  4 Dry Red Chillies,  2 sprigs Curry Leaves 2 tbsp Coconut oil  Salt to taste Method Clean and cut kappa into 1/2 " cubes and wash well.  Boil kappa in salt water until it becomes soft . Strain in colander and keep aside. Heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds , let it splutter..  Add dry chili, curry leaves.  Add shallots and green chillies and fry till brown. Add boiled kappa and mix well. Serve with fish curry or chicken curry.

KADALA CURRY

Ingredients

1 cup Black Chana

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 large Onion sliced and chopped

3 nos Green chillies  slit

1 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2  Dry red chillies

Coconut oil – As required

Salt as per taste
few Curry leaves

To roast and grind to a paste

1/4 cup Grated coconut

2 tbsp Coriander powder

Whole spices – (Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp, cardamom – 2, cloves – 3, Cinnamon stick – 1, Whole pepper corns – ½ tsp, star anise (thakolam) – 1 petal)

Method

Soak the kadala overnight and cook in a pressure cooker till soft alongwith salt. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 more whistles. Keep it closed for 20 mins. Drain the water and save it for making gravy.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the coriander seeds & whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced pearl onions. Saute for a minute and add the grated coconut. Roast until it turns reddish brown. Switch off and leave aside. Grind it to a paste when it cools down.
In a deep pan heat some coconut oil and splutter mustard and brown the dry red chillies.
Now add the sliced coconut pieces. Saute until they turn brown.
Add the sliced onion, pearl onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute for a few seconds and add the reserved water from the cooked kadala. Bring to a boil and add the ground coconut paste and cooked kadala.
Mix well and cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency.  Switch off and serve hot with puttu.

Notes

N.P. -The gravy tends to thicken a bit after sometime, so adjust the gravy accordingly. If you are using coriander powder instead of coriander seeds, add it along with chilly powder & turmeric powder while making the gravy. Add around 2-3 tsp of coriander powder. I added a little salt while making the gravy too. Do a taste test after adding the cooked kadala to the gravy and add salt, if required

EGG CURRY

Ingredients

8 nos eggs
1 onion finely chopped
2 nos tomato chopped or1 tbsp tomato puree
4 nos green chilli slit
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
2 tbsp coconut milk
salt as per taste
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves

Method

Hard boil the eggs, remove shell and keep aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves.
Add the chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and the green chillies. Saute well for a couple of minutes till the onions turn slight golden brown in colour.
Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder , saute till raw smell disappear..
Now add the tomatoes or tomato puree , saute for few minutes.
Add the salt and crushed black pepper and stir well.
Lower the heat and add coconut milk. Once it starts to simmer, add the eggs to the curry. If you want you can make small slits in the eggs or cut them in half before you add them.
Remove from heat and serve hot.

PUTTU

Ingredients
2 cups Double Horse Puttu Podi
1 tsp Salt
Coconut as needed
1 1/4 cup Water

Method 
Take the rice flour in a bowl.
Add salt. Mix well. Add water little at a time kneading all the time. (We are trying to make a powdery wet flour. The end result should be wet to touch, should be able to roll into a ball with the fist, but should powder back when crumbled. But incase you do not get the right stage, don't worry. If you add less water, it will come out a little powdered out of the kuzhal after steaming. If you add more, it will stick to kuzhal. Other than that taste does not vary much.)
Let it sit for 30 minutes. Time to fill the kuzhal. There is a chip at the base of the kuzhal. Put that in. It acts as stopper. Heat and bring to boil water in the bottom pot.
Add a small layer of coconut about 1 tbsp. Add a handful and some more of rice flour. Fill to half the kuzhal. Add another layer of coconut. Add another handful of rice flour and top with a layer of coconut. Close the lid. Put it on the top of the boiling pot of water.
Steam for about 10-12 minutes. Steam will come out of the top of the kuzhal. If you did everything perfectly, you may even see the puttu pushing out of the lid.
Remove from the pot and push the puttu out by using a stick or a knife. Serve with Kadala Curry .

BEETROOT PACHADI

Ingredients

2 nos Beetroot finely grated

2 nos green chillies finely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped

Yoghurt as required

1 tsp mustard seeds

6-8 curry leaves

SALT as per taste

1 tbsp coconut oil

Method

Heat oil in a nonstick pan.

Add mustard seeds,and curry leaves.

Now add grated beetroot. green chillies, and ginger and saute well.

Cover and simmer for few minutes.

Remove from flame.

Allow it to cool.

Now add this to yogurt and mix well.

Beetroot pachadi is ready.

PAALAPPAM

Ingredients

2 cups Idli rice 

1/4 cup sugar

tender coconut water

Salt – To taste

Method

Soak the idli rice in water for at least  4 -  5 hrs.

In a bowl mix the tender coconut water with 1/4 cup sugar. Keep aside to ferment.

Grind the idli rice to a fine paste adding sufficient water. Reserve 3 tbsp of this sugar-coconut water mixture and grind again to a very fine paste.

Heat a pan and add the 3 tbsp reserved batter and stir it for a few minutes (pavu kachuka or kappi kachuka) until you get a thick paste. This is done to make extra soft appams. Leave aside to cool. 

When it is completely cooled, mix it well with the batter. Allow it to ferment in a warm place ( You can keep it inside your oven after heating it for 20 – 30  seconds or leave the oven light on) for at least 6 – 8 hrs. Remember to transfer the batter to a large container otherwise it may overflow. When fermented, the batter will almost rise double.  If the yeast is of good quality, fermentation might take place in lesser time.

 Before making appams, add little salt and check for sugar. If it is thick, dilute it by adding milk or coconut milk. We need a loose batter .

Heat the appachatti at medium flame and pour a ladle full of appam batter into it. Remember to smear the appachatti lightly with oil if its not nonstick. Hold both the handles of the appam chatti, lift from the stove and gently swirl it to spread the batter around, in one direction. You need to swirl it only once for a thin lace on the edges. Now bring down the flame and cover with its lid. Cook until done on one side only. It will take around 2 – 3 mts at low flame. Remove and repeat until the batter is finished. Serve warm with any stew/kadala curry/vegetable korma/ egg curry/ fish moli or any curry of your choice. 

P.S.  You can use the normal frying pan too and make appam as you would make dosa. 

CABBAGE THORAN

 

Ingredients

1 small Cabbage
1 Carrot

2 nos Green chilli (depending on the hotness of the chilli)
5-7 nos Curry leaves
1 small piece Ginger
5-6 nos Small onion
Salt to taste
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Grated coconut
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coconut oil

Method

Wash and grate or cut  both cabbage and carrot finely.
Then crush ginger, green chilli, curry leaves and small onions coarsely .
In a bowl add grated coconut, salt, turmeric powder, cabbage and carrot and thoroughly mix with hand.
Check the salt.
Let it rest for 10 minutes ..
Then squeeze the water with your hand and keep aside.
Now heat oil in a kadai and mustard seeds, let it splutter ,then add our cabbage -carrot mix and stir well .
No need to close the kadai .
Cook  in low flame , stirring occasionally.
With in 10 minutes  thoran will be ready .

TOMATO RASAM

Ingredients

1/2 cup tomato purée

4 cloves garlic

3-5 curry leaves

1/2 shallot finely chopped

1 tbsp coconut oil

1tsp mustard seeds

1-2tsp Shakti rasam powder

Salt to taste

Method

Take a bowl , add tomato purée along with 2 cups water and mix well. 

Take a kadai and add the above tomato purée mixture , rasam powder, salt and boil it for 15-20 minutes. 

Take a small frying pan , add oil .

Once it is hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped garlic and shallots.  

Fry for a minute and pour this onto the boiled tomato mixture. 

Cover it with a lid and enjoy this rasam with rice.