Ada Pradhaman - Happy Onam !

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Wish you all a very happy Onam ! Hope you are celebrating the festival of togetherness wherever you are, with a grand sadya.

Chakkakkuru Manga Aviyal- A Guest Post By Honey

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Honey doesn't need an introduction from me. Most of you know her as Sarah Naveen. She is the author and all in all of "Vazhayila.com", the wonderful blog dedicated to Kerala recipes. Honey has an amazing collection of recipes from Kuttanadu,the backwater region in central Kerala. Kuttanadu has its own cuisine, which is quite popular among the foodies around the world.She has a collection of Kerala Syrian Christian specials as well. Check out her scrumptious Chicken olarthiyathu and lip-smacking Kuttanadan Fish Curry.

Honey is like a sister to me. When we started talking I told her that Sunitha and I think that she is one of our juniors from our degree college, where we had so many great juniors as friends.She is a wonderful person ,an amazing photographer and a great cook. I am so happy to have her here to share her grandma's recipe with the readers of Collaborative Curry.This is one of my favorite recipes. Welcome to Collaborative Curry, dear Honey. Thanks so much for doing this post, in spite of your busy schedule and a fever.I am so grateful to have great friends like you.



Rarely do I come across such people who leaves a profound impact on me ; who is so much fun to talk to ; who spreads joy and comfort around, and at times who acts like a sister . Namitha is one such person.
I don't know exactly when I started talking to her, creating a new bond, an "unseen" friendship from miles away. Unseen - I am yet to see her in person; Unseen - I never saw myself crafting a friendship with a person, I have known only through blogging.
We don't talk everyday or every week,but never less than an hour :)

Shrimp Masala -Kerala Style (Konchu Ulathiyathu)

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Finally Colorado got some much-wanted rain showers. As I have mentioned before this year March and April was so dry. Colorado is such a dry place and if it doesn't snow and rain much,the possibility of wild fires are high and there could be drought in some parts of the state. Hope we will get more rains and we get a wet Summer this year !

When it is almost the end of school year, I start to get extremely busy and this year is no exception. And add to that we will be going to India in June . So many things to be done before that ! It has been going so hectic for all of us and we needed a break so badly in between our activity-crammed schedules. If you know my family well, you might have already guessed what we would have done to relax ourselves. Yes, we went hiking !

Chakkayada (Jackfruit preseve Dumplings made on banana leaves) and Happy Vishu !

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Wish you all a very happy Vishu/New Year ! May this year be filled with fun, love,hope and happiness !Below is a picture of "vishukkani", the first view one should have on a Vishu morning. We believe that it brings us luck and prosperity.Elders cover the eyes of kids, and lead them to the room where this is kept. I will tell you about the traditional way of keeping all this ready some other time.

Vishu makes me nostalgic, just like any other big festival we celebrate in Kerala.I have told you a lot about Vishu and my stories here and here. But I can tell you even more stories ! A fresh morning after a rain the day before, or the anticipation of 'vishukkaineettam" ,or the big family get together and the 'sadya' and so on. As a child I used to relate Vishu to Summer vacation and also to mango/jackfruit season .Wonderful memories, down the lane !

Kerala Fish Curry- Meen Curry,Central Kerala Style

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To teach a Malayalee, how to cook fish curry, is like teaching a monkey, how to climb the trees ! It is such a basic recipe in any household, in the place where I come from. But it took a long time for me to post this here, even after so many repeated requests from the readers. If you blog, you know, the most common dishes you make might take the longest to get in your blog !

Tapioca Chips

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I wasn't quite sure about posting this while I was frying these chips. There is nothing much to be explained about this dish. Then I thought about the people who may not be familiar or comftorble with frying the chips and decided to post it here to teach all ! So the experts out there, please bear with me !

Dry-roasted Coconut Chutney (Thenga chuttaracha chammanthi)

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This is a recipe that has nostalgia as a main ingredient ! As a Malayalee, I love anything coconut and a chutney like this, is a part of everyday diet, back in Kerala.We have this with our breakfast, as a side for puzhukku (mashed yuca or jackfruit mostly),with our lunch (rice, thoran etc) and also with our dinner (if it is kanji aka rice porridge). I guess you got how much we, Keralaites, love these semi-dry chutneys,because they match with almost everything we eat.

Beef Cutlets

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This is a recipe that Sunitha had mentioned in her chicken cutlet post about a month ago. Which means today’s recipe has been in the drafts for quite a long time. I haven’t been cooking anything time consuming of late mainly because of laziness. But I continue to blame the weather for my lethargy !

Meat cutlets are a hot selling snack in Kerala bakeries. We have a couple of bakeries, near my parents ‘ home, where they sell the most delicious cutlets. Some days, the demand was so high the bakeries would run out of cutlets way before tea time, which is when we would have stopped by to buy some. Oh! the disappointment!
Another place and time from when cutlets got registered in my mind as a fantastic food was the hostel. Especially the one I stayed in while doing my pre-degree course. This hostel is in fact one of the best hostels where I stayed which served good food. I can say this with certainty because I have stayed in quite a few hostels during my college days. And beef cutlets in this place served was tremendous. Hm… I can almost taste it, writing about it.

Thursday lunch is when they served cutlets and Thursdays were always when the hostelites felt the hunger pangs the most. Well, hunger and a dying desire to eat the marvelous cutlets, of course. The hostel is about 5 minutes from the college campus but on Thursdays we would reach it in a minute. One cutlet per person, a dry dish with moru kachiyathu was the menu. Now, you will agree one cutlet for a person is never enough. For the first year, most of us savored every bite of this one piece we were doled out and remained sated. But the second year, we were bolder and demanding. With more friends, gangs had been formed and the human pack behavior was at it’s best. Some of us meat eaters had vegetarian friends and we plotted a plan. On Thursdays, we managed to get these poor souls to lunch at our table. I remember one girl a vegetarian by choice who sometimes enjoyed chicken but otherwise remained a vegetarian. We connived and pleaded with her to lunch at our table. She was a sweet heart and foregoing her special vegetarian food agreed to lunch with us. The lady who serve us, unaware of our antics would serve everyone at our table a cutlet each and as (The vegetarians and non vegetarians are encouraged to sit at their preferred place so that food can be served accordingly on each table). The unsuspecting served would serve this vegetarian friend a cutlet and the rest of us would hide our smile and wait for her to move on. As soon as the server was out of sight we would grab the cutlet from our friend’s plate. The ensuing fight for this one lone beef cutlet is too gory to let you in on the details. We never persuaded this friend to taste the cutlets ever , fearing she might turn over and be a fan herself. We were wicked!

But I have to tell you, the time in college and the hostels were the best times. I am still in touch with friends from that time but have lost contact with the sweet friend who let us rob her of the beef cutlet. I wonder how she is fairing without cutlets but as for me and most of my other friends we all still love cutlets! Whenever I make beef cutlets memories pour in from those days. Oh jeez! I am all nostalgic now, and I want some beef cutlets !




Ingredients:


Onions finely chopped- 1/2 cup
Ginger grated- 3 Tbsp
Garlic grated- 1 Tbsp
Garam masala- 2 tsp
Green chilies finely chopped- 4-5
Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves, chopped- 5-6leaves
Ground Beef- 1 lb
Boiled potatoes- 2
Oil- 2 Tbsp + for deep frying
Bread crumbs from 2-3 slices
Slightly beaten egg- 1

Method:

1.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide frying pan. Saute the onions till translucent.
2.Add the chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
3.Also add the garam masala and chopped curry leaves and saute.
4.Add the ground beef and mix everything well. Add a little bit (maybe 1/4 cup) water, cover and cook till the meat is done and all the water is absorbed.
5.Mash the boiled potatoes and mix with the beef mixture.
6.Heat the oil for frying the cutlets. When it is almost ready start shaping the cutlets.
7.Make small lemon size balls out of the mixture and press between the palms and make your preferred shapes, like oval, round,heart etc.
8.Dip them in the egg and roll in the bread crumbs and deep fry till both the sides are brown.
9.Serve warm with ketchup.

Notes:

1. You could use any meat of your choice.
2.If you don't have curry leaves, add some chopped coriander leaves instead.
3.Do not keep the shaped cutlets after dipping in egg for a long time. Fry them as soon as you can.
4.If you want to shape them and store for frying after a while, do not dip them in egg or roll in crumbs, do this step just before you fry them in oil.
5.The amount and flavor of ginger gives it the authentic taste. If you are using great quality ginger, use lesser than I mentioned in the recipe.(I never get ginger that has a flavor anywhere close to the ones we get in Kerala :(

I am sending these cutlets to this month's Kerala Kitchen hosted at Spoonful of Delight

Contributor: Namitha

Kurukku Kalan/Boiled and Thickened Yogurt gravy & Happy Vishu

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I have shared many stories about Vishu on this site and you can read about it here. For me, the best thing about Vishu, as a grown up, is the fresh morning after a rain because it always rains in Kerala during this time. The smell of fresh earth, the lush green scenery outside, and to wake up looking at a beautifully decorated room with pictures of my favorite gods, light from an oil lamp and oodles of yellow flowers. Tell you what - it’s a fantastic way to kick start a day!

  My experience here in US this year will be kind of similar because it's been raining here. The rain is setting the stage for me to experience all of the above. There may be less green, but overall I am feeling very good about it this year, and in some ways I will experience my hometown here in the US too. The daffodils, dandelions and tulips have already started showing off their vibrant colors. I will miss konnapoo, but these flowers in my yard are a great stand by. I will decorate a 'vishukkani" with some of these flowers and the "Krishnan" I got from Guruvayur. Here is a picture from last year, and the first look I will have tomorrow will be the same.

The recipe for today in celebration of this festival is Kurukku Kalan - a part of the ‘sadya.’ I promised to post it here long back, but couldn't do it until now. Kalan is often confused with "pulissery", because the basic ingredients are the same. However, kalan is made after boiling and thickening the yogurt, which is more delicate and time consuming when compared to pulissery. But I must tell you, all the efforts are worth it, if you like this dish. Here is a recipe from both my families, mine and my in-laws. The variations will be clear to you from my notes at the end.

Collaborative Curry wishes it's readers a very Happy Vishu/ Tamil New year to all.

Ingredients:

Coconut oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies,slit in the middle- 3-4
Raw Banana(Nendran)/Elephant foot yam(chena),cubed- 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder- a pinch
Salt- to taste
Sour Curd/yogurt- Half liter/~500g
Coconut grated- 3 Tbsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera- 1/4 tsp
Dry roasted and powdered Methi/Fenugreek seeds- a big pinch

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Dried red chilies, broken into halves- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Method:

1. Peel off the banana skin and chop into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Grind the coconut with the cumin seeds to a fine paste, without adding any or very little water and transfer it into a small pan/plate. (Keep this close at hand while cooking the vegetable in the following step.)
3. Beat the yogurt/curd well and do not add any water.
4. Heat 2tsp of coconut oil in a deep, thick bottom pan. Add the slit green chilies and sauté till it changes color, at medium-low-heat.
5. Reduce the heat or take out the pan from the stove and add the turmeric powder and chili powder and mix well. Care should be taken not to burn.
6. Bring the pan back over the stove or increase the heat and add a cup of water (enough water to cook the vegetable). Slide in the chopped banana/yam and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook. This took about 20 minutes for me.
7. When the vegetables are cooked and yield to a fork add salt and mix slowly without mashing the vegetables. Boil all the water dry.
8. Add beaten curd/yogurt and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring continuously.
9. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir.
10. Foam starts forming at this point. Spoon it out and pour over the ground-coconut mixture you should have handy at the side. This process helps the coconut to be lightly cooked. Set the coconut mixture aside and continue to stir the yogurt.
11. In about 20 – 30 minutes the yogurt will start to thicken. Now, add the coconut mixture with the foam you collected and mix well and heat through.
13. Switch off the heat. Be careful not to heat the mixture after adding the coconut mixture or else it will curdle.
14. Remove the pan from the stove, sprinkle the methi powder and mix well.
15. For seasoning; take a small pan and heat the oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add the red chilies. Switch off the heat and add the curry leaves. Pour this over the kalan.

Notes:

1. You can use yam or raw banana (nendran) for making this. If you don't have any of the vegetables it is fine. Avoid the cooking step for vegetables and start with cooking the yogurt.
2. My sis-in-law (fantastic cook) uses slightly ripened banana (nendran) for making kalan, especially if the curd is sour. The sour-sweet combo is good.
3. When the yogurt mixture starts thickening, you have to decide about the consistency of the end product. If you like a pouring consistency you can stop a little earlier than I have mentioned. Remember, adding the coconut mixture will thicken the curry and once it cools down it thickens further. Therefore decide on the consistency early on in the cooking. I like to make kalan thick and that is how I have timed and measured my recipe.
4. You may avoid adding coconut mixture for this curry. If so, the curry can be kept at room temperature for longer. For weeks! Alternatively, the coconut mixture can be added in small portions on the days you serve this. However, you may add coconut like I have given in the method and the curry will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
5. If you are not adding coconut mixture you can add cumin powder and mix into the beaten yogurt. This method is mostly preferred by cooks while making large quantities for sadya. Like I have already mentioned, the adding and deleting of coconut mixture is for more than the taste, is to prolong the shelf life of this curry.
6. If you think that your curd/yogurt is not sour enough (especially when you have store-bought yogurt) leave it on the counter top overnight. This will definitely make the yogurt sour. Obviously!


Contributor: Namitha

Breadfruit/Kadachakka Thoran

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   Collaborative curry was on a roll last weekend.  We were featured in the prestigious Hindu Newspaper. Huh! Can you imagine the thrill.  We are mighty pleased and want to thank you all for supporting and being there to cheer us on.If you haven't got a chance to take a peek, here is a link  A special thanks to Rachel of Tangerine's Kitchen, the lovely lady who brought the published feature to our attention.



  Mostly, the news paper highlighted our Kerala Cuisine and we are proud of it.  I decided there is no better way to concur with this sentiment than to give you one more of our favorite recipe from Kottayam.  This recipe is Namitha's, but since I got access to frozen breadfruit before her, I cooked it.  It is quite different from the regular thoran but very good by its own right.    



Ingredients:

Bread Fruit              - 1   Lb
Shallots                   -  2   nos
Coriander Powder   -  2   tspn or to taste
Chili Powder           -  1   tspn or to taste
Turmeric Powder    - 1/2 tspn
Coconut                  -  1/3 rd Cup

For tempering:
Mustard                  - 1/2 tspn
Shallots,finely chopped- 2
Curry Leaves          - 1    sprig
Dry red chilies         - 3   broken

Method:

1. Cook the breadfruit with water at par with the vegetables in the pot.
2. The cooking time for the breadfruit varies.  Check frequently to make sure it does not overcook.
3. Once the vegetable is almost cooked add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder and cover the vessel
4. Give the coconut and shallots a whirl in your mixer to lightly crush
5. Add this mixture and salt and stir
6. Temper in coconut oil or oil of preference.  (Heat oil, add mustard and wait till it splutter, follow up with shallots, curry leaves and dry red chilies and when they are fried and aromatic pour over the vegetable)
7. Serve it with rice and curry

Note:
1. Bread fruit like I mentioned earlier have varied cooking time and some time you might have to pressure cook it.

Contributor: Sunitha

Naadan Pork Vattichathu / Kerala-Style Pork Curry - Dry

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So what do you do when you have a considerable amount of fat deposited around your waist, and find yourself dancing to lady Ga Ga’s tune in a pub/club passé?  I would work on that waist again!  No, not to lose it but to get it all rounded up like a ‘muffin top’ as Elizabeth Gilbert says in her book ‘Eat Pray Love.’ And the best way to do it is enjoy your friend’s home cooked pork.  Deliciously pungent and nicely fatty, it is most appropriate for a Friday evening.  Let’s kick start this party with food, food and more food.

 

 It’s rare for me to look at weekends so happily in advance.  Most often, I feel the weekend only by Saturday afternoon.  And then I am whining“OMG! Weekend is over!" Once the words are out, that's it! It get’s all melancholy!  The remaining 1 ½ days are wasted.

Does this happen to you?  You have something in hand; don’t realize its worth until it is too late.  Of course! Everybody knows such things, it’s a cliché.   But then remember what I told you earlier, take this weekend head on and enjoy.  Don’t listen to me whatever age we are, we can still swing to the beats of Lady Ga Ga or Justin Timberlake.  Let’s get this thing rolling!



By the way, don’t cook this recipe by yourself.  Print it out on a nice card and gift it to your friend.  Remember what I said, it tastes best when another makes it for you. Have fun!

Pork shoulders - 2 lb
Coriander Powder - 5 Tbspn
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tspn
Chili Powder - 2 Tbspn
Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
Onions - 3 medium size
Ginger paste - 1 Tbspn
Garlic - 1 Tbspn
Coconut milk- 1 Tbspn
Green chilies - 5 nos
Curry Leaves
Oil
Salt

Method:
1. Chop pork shoulders into small cubes and set aside
2. Take coriander, turmeric, chili and garam masala in a small wok or skillet and heat it stirring to make sure it does not get burned but until the mixture give off its aroma.  Switch off stove transfer the mixture instantly onto any dish to avoid further cooking of the powder.
3. Chop onions and saute followed with slit green chilies
4. Follow up with ginger, garlic, curry leaves and once this express the cooked aroma add the toasted powder.  Once oil expresses add the coconut milk which will help to soothe the pungent masala and then add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft. 
5. Take your time with the above step, it's best when the masala is slowly cooked and oil clears the pan.
6. Slide in the pork and stir to coat the masala.  Cook on a low heat, the pork will cook in it's own water but if you find it difficult add some water about 1/2 cup and cook on low heat until pork is soft. 
7. After about 15 minutes make sure you stir the mixture well to avoid burning the masala.
8. Garnish with Curry leaves and serve.

Note:
1. The dish is pungent and have a concentrated flavor of coriander powder.  It pairs well with idiyappams, sannas, appam etc which have a sweet flavor.
2. This recipe is also my friend Jaya's.  Thank you!

Contributor: Sunitha
Recipe Courtesy: Jaya

Kappa/Tapioca Biryani-Ellu Kappa,Kanjirappally Style

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Can I say snow is falling like cats and dogs? Well, maybe it’s not the right usage of the phrase but you get the ideal. Therefore, am I wrong to be feeling lethargic? I think not, and I know you agree ;) It has been snowing and the mercury levels continue to drop.

I made this biryani a couple of weeks back, and was lucky enough to save a bowl full to take photographs. Once you taste this dish you will know why photographing it before the bowl is emptied is a challenge, believe me! It's so yum! My mouth is watering and running over just thinking about it. All this is if you like Tapioca. If you do, you will definitely fall in love.. This is a hot selling dish in "thattukada"/roadside dhabas these days. If you have seen the "No reservations"(featuring Kerala) by Anthony Bourdain, then you probably got to see this dish.



It is just wonderful even without any side dishes:-)





For Kappa/Tapioca:

Tapioca/kappa- 1 kg or 2 lbs
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
Salt- to Tatste
Grated coconut-1/2 cup
Green Chillies- 2-3
Shallots- 2
Curry Leaves- 1 sprig

For Chicken/Meat Gravy:

Chicken/Meat of your choice,with bones- 1/2 kg / 1 lbs
Onion chopped finely- ~3 cups
Ginger paste- 1 Tbsp
Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Turmeric- a big pinch
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 Tbsp
Meat Masala- 2 tsp(a mixture of 5-6 black pepper corns, a small cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves and one cardamom)
Curry Leaves- 1 sprig

Method:
For Tapioca/Kappa:

1.Peel off the skin from Tapioca and clean and cut it coarsely to get medium sized pieces.
2.Boil water, enough to cover the tapioca in a deep pan.Once it starts boil add the chopped tapioca pieces and cook with salt and a pinch of turmeric until it is done. The time varies from 5 minutes to 20 minutes once it starts boiling,depending on the variety of tapioca you use.So keep checking in between.
3.Meanwhile grind the coconut, chillies,turmeric and shallots coarsely.
4.Drain all the water once tapioca is cooked.
5.Throw in the ground ingredients and salt and mix well.Mash the tapioca pieces well while mixing.
6.Cover and cook on medium low heat for 3-4 minutes or until steam starts coming.

For Chicken/Meat:

1.Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions till they start to turn brown.
2.Throw in the ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell leaves.
3.Add the spice powders and saute for a couple of minutes.
4.Add the curry leaves and the chicken/meat pieces and mix well till the meat is coated with the masala.
5.Cook on low heat till the chicken/meat is done.The time depends on the meat you use.If you are using any meat other than chicken, you could do this process in a cooker and let 3 whistles come before you switch off the heat.

6.Mix this chicken/meat masala with the tapioca and serve warm.




Notes:

1.Traditionally we use the beef that is near to the bones for making this and the dish is called "Ellu kappa", which is literally translated to "bones n Tapioca".
2.To get that authentic taste, use the meat with bones and use coconut oil while cooking the meat.
3.You could add more chillies.I used less for the kids at home ;-)
4.You could serve a raita or mulaku chammanthi, if you need more spice.
5.You may want to start with cooking your meat first, since that takes longer time than tapioca.
6.Serves 3-4

Contributor: Namitha

Ripe Banana Fry - A quick snack for kids

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This is a quick and easy snack for kids and for adults who need some extra calories :-) I used to eat this a lot while I was pregnant, which was a very convenient option because it was easy to make.  And the 'icing on the cake,' so to speak,  is that it's delicious.



I love this and I have to admit that I eat more, than the kids :-)



Ingredients:

Ripe Bananas(nendran)- 1
Ghee/Clarified Butter- 2-3 Tbsp
Sugar- 1 Tbsp/to your taste
Grated coconut- 3-4 Tbsp

Method:

1.Peel off the skin from banana and slice it into 1/4 inch pieces.
2.Heat the ghee in a pan and throw in the slices.
3.Cook both the sides,turning the sides after a couple of minutes on medium low heat.
4.Sprinkle the sugar on both sides followed by coconut.
5.Turn the sides and let the sides turn golden brown.
6.If you add more sugar, the channelization will be more.
7.Serve warm.Recipe serves one

Contributor: Namitha

Varutharacha Pork Curry/ Pork in fried and ground coconut gravy

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  The spicy curry cooking on the stove and a cloudy weather outside is just what I need on a lazy day like today.

  With this kind of weather you can hardly blame me if spicy rich food invades my mind.  I know I talked about doing an Italian fare this week but I just couldn't help myself.  I am too Malayalee I suppose.  Rainy, cloudy weather is reminiscent of monsoon holidays and comfort food.  Therefore, will you forgive me? Shall we take a look at a spicy, tantalizing fare?

   The curry is cooked with pork shoulders.  The shoulder meat is lined with gooey fat (gooey when cooked) making the taste exquisite.   Now, here I am not blowing smoke about my culinary skills.  I am just saying pork shoulder meat has a lot of fat and it's very tasty.  Thanks to J my friend who suggested I buy pork shoulder for curry.

  Now to brag just a little about the curry.   The gravy has a nutty flavor exuding from the fried coconut.  This teamed with curry leaves and all the other spices makes it quite South Indian which means utterly tasty.  A 'hit your senses' kind of dish ironing smooth with coconut.  If you have not yet cooked with this gravy you should.  Agreed it's pungent and the dish bursts with a medley of flavor.  Even then the fried coconut, to repeat myself, adds dimension soothing the piquant spices.  For me, it recreate the smell and taste of Kerala.  I know I said I will just brag a lil but you see..Sigh! Couldn't help myself.

Anyways,  to get you down from the high of a host of spices bite into Brussels sprouts.  The wedges arev sauteed in butter to perfection(read a little crunchy yet cooked).  Heat oil in a pan add 'I can't believe it's not butter' wait till it melts and plop in the wedges.  Stir it around briskly till the white of the sprouts are mottled with brown.  You may be thinking "what the heck" well, I understand your sentiments.  Mixing Indian and a totally American recipe may sound ludicrous but believe me spicy curry served with hot jasmine rice and buttery sprouts are complementary.  

Now, without further ado.....   



Ingredients:

Pork - 2.65 lbs
Turmeric - 1/2 Tspn
Salt - 1/2 Tspn

Saute:
Ginger - 2 Tbspn chopped
Garlic - 2 Tbspn
Onions - 1 Big
Tomato - 2 medium size (tomato on wine kind)
Oil - 1 Tbspn

For Dry Frying

Fennel Seeds - 1 1/2 Tbspn
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tspn
Star Aniseed - 1/2 of one
Cloves - 8 nos
Cardamom - 3 nos
Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch
Whole Pepper Corns - 1/2 Tbsp

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Chili Powder - 1 Tbspn
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbspn
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn



Method:

1. Take meat, 1/2 tspn turmeric and salt; pressure cook for 3 whistles set aside.

2. Dry fry all the whole spices and ground to a powder
2. Roast the grated coconut to a light brown color add chili powder, coriander and turmeric powder and saute. Keep stirring to avoid burning the coconut and the powders. Dry grind till you powder this and add some water and grind it to a fine paste
3. Heat oil in a pan, saute onions followed by ginger and garlic; two sprigs of curry leaves
3. Add tomato and saute add the ground spice mix
4. Add the meat and all its water to the above and cook off the water at least half of it.
5. Add the ground coconut mix



Contributor: Sunitha

Karimeen Vazhayilayil pollichathu/Pearlspot dry fried on Banana leaf

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When someone says "karimeen", this evergreen malayalam song reverberates in my mind.."ayala porichathundu, karimeen varuthathundu, kudampuli ittu vacha nalla chemmen kariyundu" The heroine is elaborating on the dishes for lunch.  To woo her hero and win his heart. She sure believed "Stomach is the way to a man's heart." The translation is something like this:fried mackerel and pearl spot fry, kokum added prawns curry. For most of us listeners the song became a paradigm for cooking fish. If it is pearl spot, it's best fried! Go ahead and dispute it if you dare I have a whole state backing me up. :)

We have posted a "meen pollichathu" earlier. That is fried and then smothered in a wet gravy. Today's is smeared with masala, wrapped and fried in banana leaf



Ingredients:

Karimeen/Pearlspot- 2-3
Black pepper powder-2 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Garlic paste- 1 Tbsp
Ginger paste- 1 Tbsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Salt
Curry Leaves-2 sprigs
Banana leaves- for wrapping the fish
Coconut Oil- enough to spray on the leaf

Method:

1.Clean the fish by taking out the head with the parts in the stomach of the fish. Keep the tail intact.Make some shallow slits on the fish.
2.Prepare the marinade by mixing together all the ingredients, add a little water to make it a thick paste and rub it on the fish.
3.Heat an earthen pot on medium heat.Spray the coconut oil on the banana leaf and wrap the marinated fish in it.
4.Keep it in the pot and cook on low heat, turning the sides after every 2-3 minutes.
5.Serve warm with rice and a gravy of your choice.



Notes:

1.If pearlspot is not available you could use Pomfret instaed.
2.You could reduce the amount of pepper if you would like it to be mild.
Contributor: Namitha

Boli with Paalpayasam to wish you all a Happy Onam !!

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Happy Onam to you!! This day brings back good old memories and my tongue tingles with the taste of good food.  It takes me to the fastest swing my late Grandfather made for us children.  It reminds me how we pestered him until the swing was made.  How, being the eldest amongst my cousins I decided who gets to swing the swing first.  Those were the days.

  Onam meant family reunion.  Cousins from all over the state and country made it to our little town where my grandparent lived.  I next door.  The time other than summer vacation I met my cousins.  We exchanged secrets, played hide and seek and hopping and skipping.   Onam morning we headed out at dawn to pick flowers and make "athappokkalam" the flower carpet  The front yard would be embellished so to speak.  I don't see those flowers anymore in our neighborhood.  Those days are past.  The days of "thumbapoovu"( white beautiful small flowers)"mukkutti"(yellow small ones) "onappovu"(lilac with big petals).  However, the memories are etched in me to never go away.

  It's a day of abundance, color, food and and merry making in my small town.  I hope to spread that cheer to you.



It has been ages since we had celebrated Onam with all the family members and I miss that a lot.But still I make sure that my small family gets a miniature version of it, every year.This time I decided to make this special dessert which goes perfectly well with paalpayasam, Boli, which is usually served in marriage feasts/sadya.

Boli/Holige/Obbattu/Bobatlu/Puran poli is all the same, Boli being the name of this dessert in Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Ingredients:

Channa dal/kadalapparippu- 1 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Ghee/clarified butter- 2-3 Tbsp
Nutmeg powder- 1/8 tsp
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
All purpose flour/Maida- 1 cup
Yellow food color- a few drops
Salt
Gingely Oil- 2 Tbsp
Rice flour- enough to roll the dough



Method:

1.Pressure cook the channa daal with a pinch of salt.
Knead the dough with salt and food color to a smooth dough. (the dough should be looser than the poori dough.)Bring together the dough to form a big disc, and pour the gingely oil on the top of it so that the dough is completely covered in the oil.Keep it aside for at lest half an hour.
2.Drain any excess water from the cooked daal.
3.Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a nonstick pan. Saute the cooked daal with sugar until all the water gets absorbed.
4.Now add the nutmeg and cardamom powders into this and mix well.Switch off the heat and let it cool.
5.Grind this mixture in a mixer grinder without adding any water to a smooth paste.
6.Make lime sized balls out of it.
7.Take a small portion of the dough, say gooseberry sized, and press it on the palm to get a small poori and keep the daal ball in it and cover it up.Just like you would do to make parathas.
8.Now roll it carefully on a floured surface. It's best to use rice flour for flouring.
9.Cook this on low heat on a tawa until both sides are cooked.
10. Do not overcook or let the sides brown.While turning the sides brush a little ghee on both sides.
11.Seve with paalpayasam or serve as it is.



Notes:

1.This recipe gives you around 15 boli.
2.You could also add 1 tablespoon of gingely oil in the ghee and knead it all together and cover up the dough before you roll them out. But I have found that this method is more easier.
3.Check here for the paalpayasam recipe, which I posted a couple of weeks back.

Here is the picture of an "athappokkalam" which was taken during the Onam celebrations in Hyderabad a few years back, to wish you all a Happy and Proseperous Onam !!!



Contributor: Namitha

Thaalu Thoran/Taro Stem Sauteed with coconut and spices

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  Thaalu thoran is made out of Colocasia stem.  Have you heard of this one before?  I am asking because my friend from Kottayam (my home town) says she has never had this before. You should, if you haven't.  The thaalu and deep friend rice grains together gives this thoran a nice crunchy texture.  I hope I could explain the taste better.

  Everyone at home know how much I like this one.  Not so easily available in the US my sweetest granny made sure I had enough.  She made up for all the missed times.  Oh! she is quite old now and she spoils me.

  Back to the recipe.  It is quite simple.  Though rare you can buy the stems in Chinese super markets in the US.  Exorbitantly priced when the urge hits I indulge.   This used to happen especially when I was carrying my son.  Now, you will agree those are times when you can just let go. I have to say this in closing you need no  excuses to spend on this one.  Once you taste it I guarantee you will go back for more thaalu.



Ingredients:

Stem of colocasia/Taro/thaalu- 4
Cocnut grated- 1/3 cup
Green Chillies- 2-3
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Salt

For seasoning:

Raw rice- 3 Tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil/Any cooking oil- 1 Tbsp
Shallots- 2-3,chopped finely
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Dried red chillies- 2



Method:

1.Chop the stem finely into slender pieces.Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water and salt over it and squeeze out this completely to remove the juices from the stem that cause itching.This also keeps the thoran dry and crisp rather than mushy.(You could apply some cooking oil on both your palms,or wear some disposable gloves so that it will not make you itchy !)
2.Heat the oil in a pan and do the seasoning starting with mustard seeds.Once they splutter add the rice into it and let it brown slightly. Trow in the shallots and red chillies and saute for a couple of minutes or until the shallots turn brown.Now saute the curry leaves too
3.Meanwhile grind the coconut and green chillies coarsely.
4.Throw in the chopped stem and coconut mixture along with turmeric and salt into the seasoning and cover to cook on low heat. Stir every 2-3 minutes until it is cooked. This won't take more than 5-6 minutes.
5.Keep the pan open and let all the moisture get absorbed.Serve warm with pulissery or sambar .



These pictures of Taro is from my father's vegetable garden.As a child (and also now) I love to see the water droplets on a taro leaf :-)

Contributor: Namitha

Pork Ularthiyathu

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    How are you ladies?  I am settling in well with the help of a lot of hookie activity (crochet).  It's been quite therapeutic, crocheting.  All the counting helps to take my mind off of everything else.  It is a much calmer me sitting and talking to you now about all the foodie indulgences of the past weekend. I made some pork ularthiyathu with a lot of other favorites of mine.

  We had a guest over.  He was craving Indian home style food and ever ready for some myself I went all the way and fixed a fare of rice and moru kachiyathu, thoran, meen curry and ularthirachi.  This is a typical lunch at my home in Kerala.  Oh.. it was all very good.  Eating and reminiscing about holidays in Kerala.  We puttered around home eating, chatting,  watching mal flick etc recreating a true holiday.  It felt close to being home on a summer vacation.  Blissful.

  So, about this pork I made.  It came out well.  Not very dry, coated in a generous gravy which was not dripping leaving the meat succulent I was quite pleased with the way it turned out.  We talked away into the night forking up pieces clean off the bowl without dripping or dirtying the carpet.  It's ideal to have with rice and a wet gravy or just as a snack.  It's pungent so adjust the chili powder if you are going to eat it as a snack.    You can do the same with any meat of your preference.  The shallots and curry leaves gives the dish the perk it needs to stand out as a Mal dish.  



Ingredients:

Pork Ularthiyathu

Pork - 2 lbs
Shallots - 2 - 3 cups sliced (I added 3 cups sliced)
Ginger - 3 tbspn coarsely chopped
Garlic - 3 tbspn coarsely chopped
Garam Masala - 2 tspn
Chili Powder - 2 Tbspn (bring it to 1 tbspn if you don't want it it hot; you adjust at the end if you prefer by sprinkling ground pepper)
Coriander - 1 Tbspn
Turmeric - 1/2 to 1 tspn
Curry Leaves - 3 - 4 sprigs
Vinegar - 1 tspn
Oil - 2-3 Tbspn
Salt - to taste



You could pressure cook all of this with 1/2 cup of water until two whistles and then simmer and slow cook till dry. Or you can saute shallots, ginger and garlic followed with the powder masala. Once done add pork stir till the flesh turns white and then add 1 cup of water and slow cook for an hour. Once it has cooked for an hour stir fry until water dries and oil expresses.



Contributor: Sunitha

Parippu Vada aka Masala Vada

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  Vada and Indian Railways are synonymous in my mind. You must be thinking WHAT? Well, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of travelling by train is all the food vendors, acres of pastures, the deafening noise when crossing a bridge, water bodies going on for ever, rural life, children half naked waving cheerfully at you and true the list goes on.  However, I am sure you will agree all the vendors screaming names of food which you can never follow, unless you are looking out the window and observing what he is carrying, flashes through our minds when we talk about trains in India.  You will also agree that the dabba walas have made their niche for themselves by producing 6 sigma work.  Today I present to you, vadas made quite popular by the Indian Railway vendors and I dedicate this lovingly to all of them.  Anyways, here is an unadulterated homemade version for you to enjoy and try saying vada vada vadaiiiiiiiiii before serving, taking the third vadaiiiii on a high pitch and dramatically ending the way you have heard on your favorite journeys by Indian Railways.  Have a fun day guys! Kuchu kuchu kuchu!

Ingredients:

1. Tuar Dal - 1/2 cup

2. Chana Dal - 1/2 cup

3. Asafoetida - a little less than 1/4th tspn

4. Onions - chopped 1/2 cup (in case you dont like a lot of onions take off about 1 tbspn)

5. green chilies - 6 small ones

6. ginger - 1 tbspn

7. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Soak the dal together for two hours

2. Strain the water and grind the dal to a coarse mixture (add a little 1/4 or 1/2 of the ginger, onions and green chilies when grinding to enhance the flavor)

3. Once the dal is ground add the rest of the ingredients from 3-7

4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and when the oil is hot (when a drop of the vada mix rises to the top instantly you know the oil is hot enough) make small disk shaped vadas and slide it into the oil

5. Remove them from oil into a bowl or basket lined with tissue paper

This yields about 15 crispy vadas

Note: I have tried making this with only Chana dal and I like that too.  So if you only have either of the dals mentioned go ahead and use 1 cup of any of the dals.

Contributor: Sunitha

Aviyal

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Even the thought of Aviyal makes me nostalgic.It reminds me of my vallyammachi's (grandma's)cooking .I learned this recipe from her, an excellent cook. Though she is a vegetarian she cooks non veg dishes and makes sure they are perfect paying attention to the smell :-) She is the one who brought up my sis and me,when we were kids, since my mom was employed.  While preparing the vegetables she would tell us many stories about cooking. She says the taste of the curry starts right from the way you cut the veggies :-) According to her carrots and French beans are all foreign veggies, and adds that her mother never used them in aviyal and other authentic dishes.



Here is the recipe for aviyal ,which is an important item in the Hindu marriage feasts in Kerala. I know that from place to place the recipe varies, though it is such a popular dish. Here is my version, rather Central Travancore version :-)

Ingredients

Raw banana-1
Ivy gourds(kovakka)-4
Snake gourd- 2 pieces that are 2 inches long
Carrot-1(medium)
French beans-7-8
Long beans(pachappayar)-4
Brinjal(vazhuthananga)- 1/2
Winter Melon(kumbalanga)- A 4inch long piece
Yam (chena)- A 2 inch long piece
Drumsticks- 5-6 two inch long pieces (1 drumstick)
Green chillies- 4-5

Coconut oil -1 +2 Tbsp
Shallots-3-4
Curry leaves-2 Sprigs
Tamarind Juice
Salt
Turmeric powder-1 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Cocnut-grated and half ground- 1/2 cup
Cumin powder/ cumin seeds-1/2 tsp (If you are using powder , a little less)



Method

1.Cut all the veggies into slender pieces
2.Pour 1Tbsp coconut oil in a pan and add all the vegetable pieces along with the green chillies, turmeric and red chilli powder
3.Mix in everything for a couple of minutes.
4. Throw in a sprig of curry leaves and salt.
5.Pour water ,enough to cook the veggies (Don't add too much water, remember that some of the vegetables like winter melon leaves out lot of water) and cover the pan
6. Cook till it is almost done
7.Pour the tamarind juice and cover and cook for a few minutes (If you pour tamarind juice early, the dish will turn dark in color)
8.Add the coconut and cumin to this, mix well, cover and cook for a couple of minutes.
9. Switch off the heat and add smashed shallots and curry leaves along with the 2 Tbsp coconut oil.
10. Mix well and transfer into the serving bowl.
11. Enjoy with rice , sambar and pappad :-)


You could use any vegetable of your choice. Also you could replace the tamarind juice with sour curd or raw mango.



Contributor : Namitha