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August 30, 2018

PALAK PANEER

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This spinach dish is popular throughout the world but originated in Punjab (Northern India). It is basically soft paneer cubes cooked in a smooth spinach curry. This recipe is very easy to cook and can be made for dinner parties as well. Best if served with Chapathi/parata/Naan.





INGREDIENTS:

Spinach - 1 bundle
Paneer - 200 gm
Green chili - 3
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic cloves - 3
Onion - 1 
Tomato - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Fresh cream - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste


METHOD:

1. Boil 2 to 3 cup water in a pan turn off the flame and add spinach leaves. Cover and keep it aside for 5 mins.

2. Take them out and put them in cold water so that the leaves retain their green color.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, fry it for few seconds then add green chili, ginger, garlic.

4. Add onions and fry it on medium flame till it turns light brown.

5. Add chopped tomato, cook on medium flame till it turns little soft.

6. Turn off the flame and let it cool down.

7. Puree the spinach leaves in a blender along with this fried mixture.

8. Heat oil in same pan, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder.

9. Fry it for few seconds, add the puree, garam masala and salt.

10. Mix well and cook it for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

11. Add fresh cream and paneer cubes, mix it well in gravy.

12. Cover the pan and cook it for 2 minutes on low flame, turn off the flame.

13. Garnish with some fresh cream and serve hot with Chapathi/Parata/Naan.

























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August 29, 2018

PORIKADALA MURUKKU

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Pottukdalai murukku or roasted gram flour murukku is a very quick and easy recipe. The addition of pottukadalai makes this murukku very crispy and light even without any butter. 



INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 1 & 1/4 cup
Pottukadalai powder - 1/4 cup
Ajwain/ omam - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - pinch
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Powder the roasted gram dal in a mixie and sieve.

2. In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Add water gradually to make a smooth dough.
          


3. Take your murukku mould and fit in the star shaped disc.
               

4. Fill it up with the dough.Now slowly press on a ziplock cover.
                  


5. Carefully drop it in hot oil. 

6. Drop 4-5 murukku in the same batch as per the width of your pan. Once sizzling reduces slightly, turn to the other side.

7. Fry till golden brown. Drain in a tissue paper.

8. Cool down before transferring to the airtight container.


              

























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August 27, 2018

RIDGE GOURD CHUTNEY

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Ridge gourd is called as peechinga in Malayalam, peerkankai in tamil and torai in Hindi. Here I am sharing one of my favorite chutney - peechinga chutney. Try this chutney and it goes well with hot rice with little ghee/oil, dosa, idli, mudda…




INGREDIENTS:

Ridge gourd/ Peechinga - 1
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind small lemon sized
Salt to taste
Water
Byadgi/Red chilli - 5
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 1


METHOD:

1. Wash and peel the ridges of the ridge gourd (not the whole skin) and cut it into small cubes.

2. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, add urad dal and red chili. Fry it until the dal turns golden brown then add coriander seeds, fry it and switch off the flame. Also add grated coconut and mix well.

3. Transfer this to a plate.

4. Heat oil and fry the ridge gourd until it becomes tender. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.

5. Grind the cooked ridge gourd along with fried masala, salt, tamarind, jaggery and water( as required) to a coarse paste.

6. Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

7. In another pan, prepare the seasoning.

8. Pour the seasoning to the chutney.





















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August 26, 2018

VEG KURMA (KERALA STYLE)

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Kerala style Vegetable Kurma is a delicious and popular curry which is mainly cooked in coconut milk. It has many versions and today I am sharing a nadan kurma in which I used thick coconut milk. Coconut milk will give the curry an extra ordinary flavour and aroma.




INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 1
Potato - 1
Peas - 1/4 cup
Beans - 5 to 6
Beetroot - 1/8 cup
Cauliflower florets - 1/4 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger - 1 inch piece 
Garlic - 2 cloves 
Fennel seeds - 1/8 tsp
Green chilly - 1
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves


METHOD:

1. Pressure cook all the vegetables for 1 whistle.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds.

3. Add finely chopped onion, finely chopped green chili, curry leaves, crushed fennel seeds and ginger garlic paste.

4. Saute well until the onion become light brown in color.

5. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala.

6. Saute for few minutes.

7. Then add chopped tomato and cook till the tomato becomes soft.

8. Add cooked vegetables, water as per your consistency and salt.

9. Mix well and cook it for 5 minutes in medium - low flame.

10. Add coconut milk and switch off the flame.

11. Garnish with some coriander leaves.

12. The tasty vegetable kurma is ready to serve. 
















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August 25, 2018

ADA PRATHAMAN

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Desserts are indeed the most favorite part of a meal and are therefore a delight to relish! One such sweet-dish recipe is the rich traditional Ada Prathaman popular in Kerala. This is a sweet treat of coconut milk, jaggery and rice ada....Perfect to be served on the auspicious occasion of Onam. Here I am prepared ada in the traditional way.





INGREDIENTS:

Unnakalari - 1 cup
Jaggery - 2 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Thin coconut milk (3rd pal) - 1 & 1/2 cup
Semi thick coconut milk (2nd pal) - 1 cup
Thick coconut milk ( 1st pal) - 1/2 cup
Cashews - 10
Rasins - 10
Coconut pieces - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)



METHOD:

Preparing Ada:

1. Soak rice for 1 hour.

2. Grind it to a fine paste by adding little water. The batter should be in idly batter consistency.

3. Spread it in a banana leaf (Vazhai Ilai) and roll it up gently and tie.


4. Drop slowly in boiling water or simply steam it for 10 mins.

5. Cook it for about 10 mins.


6. Run cold water over it or drop it in a bowl of cold water.

7. Unroll the leaf.

8. Now the rice batter turns to spring roll structure.

9. Drain it and keep aside. This is called ada.


Preparing Payasam:

10. Add jaggery to a heavy bottomed pan/uruli and add the water to it. 

11. Melt the jaggery over medium low heat.

12. Add the drained ada pieces to this and let it cook in it.

13. Once the mixture thickens a little, add ghee.

14. When it thickens, add the thin coconut milk(3rd milk). Bring down the heat to medium-low and cook until it thickens, stirring in between. 

15. Now add the semi thick coconut milk(2nd milk). Mix well and add cardamom powder.

16. When the ada mixture thickens, add thick coconut milk.

17. Cook for 1 to 2 mins at low heat and switch off the flame.

18. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp ghee, fry coconut pieces till golden brown , then add cashews and raisins. Fry till golden.

19. Add this to the payasam.

20. The flavour of coconut milk with the rice ada tastes divine. Enjoy the yummy payasam!!!!!!





























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August 24, 2018

ONAM SADYA

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Onam is the most popular festival in Kerala and is celebrated with great pomp and show. Onam is celebrated each year in the month of August-September which according to the Malayalam calendar is the first month of the year called Chingam. Carnival of Onam lasts for ten days and brings out the best of Kerala culture and tradition. Pookalam, Onasadya, breathtaking Snake Boat Race and exotic Kaikottikali dance, Pulikali etc are some of the most remarkable features of Onam - the harvest festival in Kerala. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

The Onam sadya(feast) is another very indispensable part of Thiruvonam, and almost every Keralite attempts to either make or attend one. The Onasadya reflects the spirit of the season and is traditionally made with seasonal vegetables such as yam, cucumber, ash gourd and so on. 


The feast is served on plantain leaves and consists of nine courses, but may include over two dozen dishes, including: 



  • Ghee               
  • Salt 
              

  • Injicurry - A sweet pickle made of ginger, tamarind, greenchilli and jaggery, also called Puli-inji.

            

  • Kaya Varuthathu - Banana chips       

  • Sharkara upperi - Prepared by chopping bananas into thick piece, deep fried and then mixed into melted jaggery.

                          

  • Aviyal - Thick mixture of various vegetables, and coconut. It is seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves.

                  


  • Thoran - dry vegetable dish with grated coconut.
                
Cabbage thoran

  • Mezhukuvaratti
              
Kaya Payar Mezhukuvaratti


    • Kootukari - Vegetables like banana or yam cooked with chickpeas, coconut and black pepper.                 


    • Erissery - A thick curry made from pumpkin, vanpayar and coconut.
                         

    • Kaalan - It is very thick and more sour, made of yogurt, coconut, vegetables like nendrakaya and yam
                         

    • Olan - A light dish, prepared of ash gourd, black peas, coconut milk, and seasoned with coconut oil.
                         

    • Kichadi - Curry made of yogurt and usually made cucumber or okra.
                          
    Vendakkya kichadi
    • Pachadi - A sweet form of Kichadi, made with pineapple and grapes in yogurt.   

    Pineapple pachadi

    • Pappadam
                      

    • Banana - A ripe banana is often served with the Sadhya to be eaten with the dessert, Payasam.
                       

    • Rice - It is the main item in a sadhya. It is always the Kerala red rice/ matta rice.
                    

    • Paprippu
                

    • Sambar - A thick gravy made of lentils, tamarind, vegetables and spices.
                            

    • Pulisseri - A sour, yellow-colored thin curry made with slightly soured yogurt.
                 

    • Rasam - A side dish made of tamarind, tomatoes, and spices like pepper, asafetida, coriander etc.
                          



    • Payasam - A sweet kheer made by boiling rice, vermicelli or ada with milk and sugar; it is flavoured with cardamom, cashews and raisins.
           
    Paalada payasam

    • Prathaman -  A sweet dish in the form of a thick liquid and is made with jaggery and coconut milk.
               
    Ethapazham Prathaman       


    • Sambaram - A drink made from salted buttermilk with green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Drunk to improve digestion.
                        
    Sambaram



      The importance of the feast to the Kerala's Onam celebration culture is captured in the famous Malayalam proverb "Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam" or “ കാണം  വിറ്റും  ഓണം  ഉണ്ണണം” which means "One must have the Onam lunch even selling his property, to have so".



                                       HAPPY ONAM!!!!!!!!




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    August 23, 2018

    AVIYAL

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    Avial is a dish which is believed to have been originated from South India and is common in Kerala and Udupi cuisine. It is a thick mixture of vegetables and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Avial is considered an essential part of the Sadya, the Keralite vegetarian feast.

    It is supposed to have been invented by Bhima (one of the Pandava brothers) during their exile. According to the legend, when Ballav (Bhima's name during this time) assumed his duties as the cook in the kitchen of Virata, he did not know how to cook. One of the first things he did was to chop up many different vegetables, boil them together and top the dish with grated coconut. There are mythological variations. Bheema is said to have prepared Avial, when there were unexpected guests for King Virata and he needed to serve meals for them. There were no sufficient vegetables to cook any single recipe for a side dish, so Bheema used whatever available vegetables to make a new dish, which came to be known as Avial.



    INGREDIENTS:

    Raw Banana /Pachakaya - 1
    Yam /Chena - 1/2 cup,
    Drumstick /Muringakkaya - 1
    Long beans/ payer - 5 to 6 
    Snake gourd /Padavalanga - 1
    Carrot - 1 
    Brinjal - 2
    Cucumber - 1 (small)
    Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
    Grated Coconut - 1 cup
    Green chilly - 5
    Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
    Curd - 3 to 4 tbsp
    Curry leaves
    Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
    Salt to taste

    METHOD:


    1. Peel and cut vegetables lengthwise.

    2. Grind coconut, green chilly and cumin seeds into a coarsely paste without adding water.

    3. In a heavy bottom pan/uruli heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil.

    4. Add all veg and sauté for 10 minutes in medium flame.

    5. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt along with some curry leaves.

    6. Mix well.

    7. Close the pan with banana leaf/plate. Lower the flame and cook until done stir occasionally.

    8. Add curd and mix well.

    9. Now add coconut mix in our cooked vegetables and slowly mix until the coconut and vegetables saute well. 

    10. Close it for few minutes in medium flame.

    11. Finally add curry leaves and pour coconut oil and turn off the flame.

    12. Allow it to sit for few minutes before serving.

    13. Enjoy the tasty aviyal…….























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