Easy Recipe

Carrot Rice

2008-06-09T08:54:00.006-05:00

Carrot rice…one of the remarkable Indian delicacies unearthed by the contemporary cooking experts; a bit not compromising on the conventional fronts to boot. And I’m really happy to be back after another looooooong break with one of my first endeavors of a rather appealing dish…. And honestly, though it came out cent percent successful, I still believe there is unquestionably immense scope for perfection (modesty’s my middle name). ;-p But the ultimate euphoria and the resultant contentment upon attaining the final outcome really made me yearn to share this recipe with you all. And so here I am…back with a really alluring one this time, for kids in particular. :) Something to fill their lunch boxes and their tummies as well…. ;-p

Carrot rice is truly another one of its kind of the several multiplicities of rice dishes that goes before the table as the main course. And accdg to me, it can be basically defined as mildly spiced rice harmonizing itself with the yummy orang-ish carrots supplemented by dry masala powders; and not to mention the concluding inclusion of quintessential aromatic coriander leaves to polish off the garnishing task.

Apart from being one of the important “saviors” in certain unfortunate emergency circumstances, this whole meal dish is an absolute delight to relish. Also comes in very handy if you wanna use up those pounds of carrots staring at you for ?th day in your refrigerator. Infact, this venture of mine was stimulated as a result of the those staring carrots and especially my staring son; who with an “ominous” look in his eyes has been nagging me for the past couple of weeks for a small helping of his favourite homemade Ghee rice. And the good and caring Mom that I am (quite obvious), I conceded to surprise him with a new treat this time, sans any sort of justifiable excuses. :-)

Though not exactly a crowd-pleaser coz of its mild spiciness, this dish would definitely be an absolute favorite amongst the kids, especially if they love carrots. And my son, being an immense carrot-eater, simply loved the dish and did infact wiped off his plate within no time. And no points for guessing my menu for lunch for the next couple of days!!! ;-p

And so here’s how the basic recipe for Carrot rice goes….

You’d require,
2 cups of short/long grained Basmati rice
4 – 5 medium sized Carrots
A couple of medium sized Onions
An inch piece long Ginger
A cup of frozen Green peas (optional)
A tsp of Turmeric powder
2 tsp of Kashmiri chilly powder
1 ½ tsp of Coriander powder
2 - 3 tsp of Cumin powder
A tbsp of homemade Garam masala powder
Salt – As required
Ghee/Butter/Veg oil – ½ cup or more
Juice of a lime
Lots of Coriander leaves

Whole spices:
A tsp of Fennel seeds/Perumjeerakam
A couple of Cinnamon (Karuvapatta) sticks
4 – 5 Cloves (Karayampoo)
A couple of Bay leaves
A tsp of Peppercorns (optional)

Method:-
1) Soak the rice in water for at least 30 minutes.
2) Cook the rice separately. Drain and set aside.
3) Heat ghee/butter/oil in a pan.
4) Put in the whole spices and fry for a few seconds.
5) Add the thinly sliced onions and ginger and sauté, till the onions turn pink and translucent. Pls do not brown them.
6) Add the powders and sauté further.
7) Add the grated carrots and peas and mix well.
8) Add salt and mix well again.
9) Throw in the cooked rice and mix further.
10) Add in the lemon juice and finely chopped coriander leaves.
11) Mix everything well.
12) Serve warm with Raitha, Pappadums, Pickle and any spicy curry.

Variations:-
a) You can add a cup of grated coconut too to enrich the whole taste. Adding fried cashews and raisins wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. :-)
b) Pls add/lessen the spices and powders accdg to one’s own preferences. A couple of trials would definitely help to make the measurements perfect. Your patience really counts here. ;-p
c) Pls do not add tomatoes, as it is sure to spoil the mild taste of the carrots. For extra tartness and zing, add more lime juice.
d) You can also add green chillies instead of chilly powder.
e) Pls note that in my version, the usage of cumin powder is on a much higher side. I used so as it simply brings out a totally different aroma to the whole dish. You can lessen/avoid the cumin powder if you wish to use whole cumin seeds along with the spices.
f) I’ve seen the inclusion of roasted peanuts in some of the website recipes. But I haven’t included it owing to personal choice. So, those who like the flavour and taste of peanuts, pls make sure to add it along with the powders.

So, as you can see, another dish that’s absolutely simple to make as regards the time and the procedure involved. An easy recipe that comes handy if you got a cup of pre-cooked left over rice in your fridge along with a few carrots. The rest of the ingredients are sure to be in store. So, wait no more and make yourself a really yummy and appetizing lunch…. A platter of steaming hot Carrot rice along with the regular accompaniments…. With the upcoming incessant downpour, there’s no better way to give a ravishing treat to your family. :-)

So, on that cozy note, happy cooking!!!

Naadan Ulli Stew

2008-04-05T09:30:00.007-05:00

Phew!!! Finally, back to the blogsphere after an incredibly looooooooong break. Never expected to be such a long one, though. Anyways, my special thanks to each and everyone who had been checking on my blog for new posts…. Truly appreciate it…. :-)

Well, to talk about the new dish that I’m back with, it’s an absolutely innovative one…infact, delineated to me a couple of years ago by my all-time kitchen guru; Amma-in-law. A dish that was undoubtedly christened “Ulli Stew” by the creator herself. A dish that was never even heard of or seen until then…not atleast by me, frankly speaking. And then, as instantaneously as it could be, my brain started to pencil in the probable image of the new dish. Ulli stew, huh??? Maybe it’s a stew with only onions or maybe onions are an addition to something else but given more importance than the other? Well, maybe that would explain the name…. So, how does it look like? Forget it, how does it taste like? Does it bear any resemblance to our potato stew? Do we put in onions instead of potatoes? If so, wudn’t it taste too sweet and bland? Maybe I heard it wrong. Conventional ideologist I am, I believe…. :)

But no…. I was all wrong!!! Sigh!!! Wrong as always…. ;-p And so even while a whole lot of events were reverberating inside my small brain, I could hear Amma-in-law somehow trying to talk me into the fact that you can infact make a good-looking and tasty with Onions alone. But, me as usual, wasn’t totally convinced and wasn’t up with it. Being querulous ever since known, I even countered her (of course, in a very mild way) by finding all the possible theories to contradict the authenticity of such a dish. But little did I know that a few unlearnt lessons are always kept in store for you in the days to come to learn….:-) That’s Him…. And then you are left to learn the hard way!!! Like I did!!! :-(

So, one day, due to certain unanticipated circumstances (nothing but ran out of potatoes just before I was planning to make a Potato Stew), I was left with no choice other than to depend on a few staring onions and a derelict page (recipe for Ulli stew) in my recipe note book given to me by my Guru to be used under such emergency conditions. Not to mention a few long distance calls as well to the connoisseur herself to explicate certain obvious doubts…. And then the rest, of course, is sure a part of food history!!! Needless to say, at the moment, the regular potato/vegetable stew is out and the Naadan n spicy Ulli Stew is in…. ;-p

Talking about this rather recherché dish of Kerala cuisine, Ulli stew is truly another one of its kind in the all-famous stew category made all around the world. Unlike the first impression that you get of that of a bland and sweet stew (obviously expected for onions), the final upshot is something that is totally in contrast to what was expected, as quite evident in the picture above.

To put it in simple words, Ulli stew, can be defined as a spicy treat where both red and small onions are cooked in mild coconut milk along with ground whole spices and dry masala powders; finally, topped with fresh coconut milk and flavoured curry leaves to add that extra aroma to the whole dish. Something extremely mind-blowing when served with its perfect companion - hot, hot Appams. However, it has also been found in excellent rapport with other Indian breads like Rotis, Pooris, Plain bread and like. It goes extremely well with even our naadan Puttu too.

So, here’s how the recipe for an Ulli Stew goes….

You’d require,
2 – 3 Onions (thinly sliced)
1 cup of Small onions
A small Ginger knob
3 – 4 Garlic pods
4 – 5 Green chillies
½ a Coconut
Salt – As required

Spices:-
A big piece of Cinnamon (Karuvapatta)
4 – 5 Cloves (Karayamboo)
2 – 3 Cardamom pods (Elakka)
A tsp of Black Peppercorns (Kurumulaku)
½ tsp of Fennel seeds (Perumjeerakam)

Dry masala powders:-
4 – 5 tsp of Coriander powder
2 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly powder
1 tsp of Turmeric powder
1 tsp of Garam masala powder (optional)

For seasoning:-
Coconut oil – As required
A tsp of Mustard seeds
A couple of broken Dry red chillies
Lots of Curry leavesA tbsp of Coconut slivers (Thenga Kothu)

Method:-
1) Take out 1 cup of thick milk and 2 cups of thin coconut milk from the grated coconut.
2) Heat a tsp of oil in a pan.
3) Add all the spices followed by whole garlic pods and sauté for a while.
4) Switch off the flame; add all the masala powders and heat it through to get rid of the raw smell.
5) Allow it to cool and then, grind it to a smooth fine paste.
6) Heat a couple of tbsp of oil in the pan.
7) Splutter mustard seeds and sauté curry leaves in it.
8) Add the coconut pieces and sauté evenly.
9) Add the thinly sliced small onions, onion and ginger.
10) Add the slit green chillies followed by the curry leaves and sauté again on a low flame.
11) When the onions turn brown, add the masala paste and sauté further.
12) When done, add the thin coconut milk (Randam pal).
13) Add salt and cover it with a lid.
14) Cook, until it starts to boil and gets thickened.
15) Reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk (Onnam pal) and mix well. Pls do not boil after u add the thick coconut milk. Simply heat it through.
16) Remove from fire and garnish with curry leaves.

Pointers:- You can also add a few coriander leaves for garnishing, if desired. Pls adjust the quantity of whole spices and masala powders accdgly.

So, there you are. Appam - Ulli Stew…another perfect duo for a perfect Sunday morning. A must try on all accounts…. :) A spicy delight ready within minutes for your breakfast to spice up your whole day…. No fuss required as it’s extremely easy to follow and light on the ingredients too.

Off record – An ingenuous opinion for my “Ulli stew” caught quoted from my bro, after a couple of futile diggings into the bowl (probably searching for something). “Ithentha, Mutta illatha mutta curry yo?????”. Looks of exhilaration on our faces gave way to baffled ones, from one to another. :( No prizes for guessing the snag I faced to convince him about the authenticity in the name and make of the dish. Little did I know that he was infact pulling my leg. Or maybe he was simply pointing out the truth. ;-p It infact did look like a Mutta curry without Mutta (eggs) in it. So, I guess if we toss in a couple of boiled eggs in it, we’d really have a yummy Egg curry in hand. Just need to change the name.... Would try it next time for sure…. :) Anyways, coming back to the point, before any sort of further paroxysm broke out in the room; he conferred me with a favorable verdict and asked me to make it often with Appams and Chappathis. :) Bhagyam…. Attempt kolamayilla…. Another sigh of relief!!! ;-p

Lesson learnt - Before venturing into my next experiment and serving the same to my white rats, I’d make it damn sure that there’s a small placard with the name written, held onto the serving bowl so as to clarify all doubts that are likely to arise on the dining table. And to ward off all the consequent commotions to pursue too. ;-p

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!

Vegetable Pulao

2007-11-25T08:25:00.001-05:00

Pulao…another main contender in the “Comfort food” category scoring extremely high in Indian cooking; along with a few others to follow after, like Tomato rice, Ghee rice and other versions of spiced rice. A truly popular main course dish invariably finding its way in the façade of Indian cuisine…thx to the aromatic vibes it creates that tends to keep all profoundly fascinated. An absolutely alluring one that makes you strongly crave to devour only the “comforting foods” in the days to follow…. ;-)

Talking about pulao, though basically it’s recipe roots can be found strongly attached to the North Indian cuisine, this dish has in fact slowly crossed the threshold of South Indian cuisine too…leaving them too absolutely mesmerized and eventually mounting their vehemence to have pulaos at home or at restaurants. And so here I am, trying to please my cravings for aromatic home made pulaos too…. And honestly, much better than the restaurant made ones...which I found to be either too over cooked or lightly cooked…too oily or too insipid. And so, when I tried this simple version one day after a long research on internet and family experts’ advice plus my modest culinary skills, I was granted a verdict that was aptly favourable. So they say…. ;-p

Pursuing the basic trait of our Indian cooking, this too is no different at all and alike all the other Indian food, it too differs in colour, texture and procedures in almost all households in India thereby giving us lots of recipe options to choose from. :) Good for us…. Can try one everyday…. ;-) One of the remarkable aspect I noticed was that Pulaos could be made in two ways; one using the left over rice and the other one by pressure cooking the raw rice. And personally I don’t like to use left over rice as it doesn’t tend to absorb all the spice and masala flavours. So, I always opt to pressure cook the whole thing together to get a more flavoursome version.

Vegetable pulao served with Onion-Tomato Salad and Egg-Peas Masala Curry

So, here’s how the recipe goes….

You’d require,
A cup of all veggies like Onion, Carrot, Potato, Green peas, Beans, etc (all diced)
2 cups of short/long grained Basmati rice
A big Ginger knob (probably a two inch piece wud do)
5 – 6 medium sized Garlic pods
1 – 2 Green chillies
Few Coriander leaves
Few Mint leaves
2 tsp of Pulao masala or Biriyani masala to spice up the dish
Salt – As required
¼ cup Ghee

Spices - :
A couple of Cinnamon pieces
3 – 4 Cloves
A couple of Cardamom
A tsp of Peppercorns
½ tsp of Fennel seeds
A tsp of Cumin seeds (optional)
1 – 2 Bay leaves

For garnishing - :
A few coriander leaves
Raisins and cashews fried in a tsp of ghee
Fried onions (if you have patience and lots of time to spare)

Method:-
1) Soak rice in water for atleast 30 minutes. Drain and keep it aside.
2) Grind the ginger, whole garlic pods, green chilies, mint leaves and coriander leaves in a blender.
4) Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
5) Add the whole spices and stir until the whole things starts spluttering.
6) Add the ginger-garlic-chillies-coriander-mint paste and sauté until the raw smell leaves.
7) Add the veggies and mix well for some time.
8) Add the rice. Mix well and continue to stir for sometime.
9) Add 4 cups of water and mix well.
10) Add salt and mix again.
11) Pressure cook up to two whistles on high flame.
12) When done, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and fried cashews and raisins.
13) Fluff and serve warm with Onion-Tomato salad, pickle, a couple of pappadums along with a spiced curry.

Options available:-
1) You can also sauté thinly sliced onions instead of adding diced ones for cooking. I usually add it along with the other veggies to save time and effort.
2) You can also add a couple of finely chopped tomatoes to add extra zest to the dish. But then, I guess it wud be mistaken for a biriyani. :D Apparently, people find pulao and biriyani too similar too make out the difference…. :)

3) Since the cooking time changes with each kind of rice used, you can change the quantity of water accdg to its quality and texture. Though the usual ratio followed is 1 measure of rice : 2 measures of water, using 2 cups of water may result in over cooking of some varieties of rice. So, do be careful on the same and use only 1½ cups of water in such cases. And anyways, you’ll get this rite only after a couple of trial and errors.
4) Pls make sure you switch off the stove immediately after the 2 whistles (to avoid burning it).
5) You can also move around with the quantity of the whole spices and accdg to your tastes and preferences.
6) You can also reduce or increase the quantity of ghee accdgly. You can also add equal ratios of oil and ghee to pin down the overpowering brunt and smell of ghee.
7) You can also make it all the more nutritious by adding fried Soya chunks, sprouted lentils, cooked beans, etc.
8) You can also avoid grinding coriander leaves and mint leaves while cooking. I did so to give it a greenish look instead of the usual whitish version. Changes are always well entertaining, once in a while of course…. ;-p

So, there you are…an easy pulao within no time ready to be served to your loved ones, especially for those kids who simply abhor veggies. Being an all-time favourite of my little one (next on the list after Tomato rice), I try to make it every other day to make him have all the veggies. And of course, if you have some left over rice too staring at you in the fridge and are not sure what to make of it, don't ponder any more as you can definitely rustle up an instant pulao with some frozen veggies. A definite savior on all occasions, I believe.... :) Something that’s tasty, filling, nutritious yet comforting…to keep your tummy busy for at least 3 hours till the next ingestion. ;-p

So, on that comfort note, happy cooking!!!

Gooseberry (Nellikka) Juice

2007-11-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

Ever since a youngster, I was always cajoled by my parents to have a nellikka everyday, either in its original form which you know is rather tough or in a comparatively much edible version like Brahmi or Chavanaprasham…or as a juice (easy to toss down your throats with closed eyes) or as pickled ones as a last resort…tempting sweet or spicy and ones…. But ney ney, like any other normal kid, I never listened to them and eventually was inured to see all the above versions ending up either in the garbage bin or stacked away somewhere in the store room (to be thrown away later on the cleaning day). ;-p But with the passage of time, I began to realize the significance of consumption of nellikkas. So now when I take a look back, I strongly feel maybe I shud have opened my ears to them and shud have eaten all those stuff. How healthy they are?? Maybe I’d have been much more healthier now…. If only…if only I had those nellikkas…. :( Well, who knows, maybe I’d also have had a towering IQ and rite now maybe wud have been busy cracking some dim-witted mathematical or scientific formulas and probably standing on the threshold of a new invention or discovery. :D Maybe wud have been titled the next Einstein, Raman, Gates (??), or who next…. Sigh… All lost just coz I dint have those “tasty” nellikkas…. ;-D But I can’t help wonder if they too had really listened to their parents and used to have gooseberries everyday.;-p C’mon on, I guess there’s no point in mourning over spilt milk. Anyways, can’t go back to the past and have all those nellikkas. :( But can atleast try compelling my little one to have all those nellikkas…and probably make him an Einstein of the future. Too much to ask for I guess…. Maybe my folks were woolgathering too about the same episode as I am now…. ;-p Assume all parents are like that…. And am no different at all. ;-)

Well, now I’m no Einstein or Raman for that matter…. But I’ve developed enough head through experiences, mine’s as well as others that there are certain things in life which should be definitely given ears to, especially if they come from elders. And among all those myriad instances is one such kind…a rather simple one…which is to have maximum possible consumption of nellikka or gooseberries in whatever form possible. If you are unaware of the importance of nellikka, check out the editorials in Wiki, Hindu and Indianfoodforever for a more authentic emphasis on the significance of Nellikkas in our daily diet. Too long (aka lazy) to reproduce the whole thing. ;-p

And here’s a simple juice version; perhaps concocted considering time and convenience factors by a very good cook, I guess. I stumbled upon this recipe in this site itself (thx to Arathy, the original mastermind behind this version). And ever since, I make it a point to have it everyday or every other day…trying to persuade my little one to have it too. Remember the upcoming little Einstein tale…. :) But like mom…like son. Am still trying my best though…. ;-)

So, here’s how the simple recipe for a gooseberry juice goes….

You’d require
10 Gooseberries (Nellikka/Amla)
A small ginger piece
Salt – As required
Water – As required for grinding

Method:-
1) Deseed the gooseberries. Cut them into small pieces for better grinding.
2) Blend all the ingredients in a blender.
3) Strain the whole thing.
4) Dilute it further accdg to servings and serve.

:- You can also add a couple of mint leaves for a better flavour.

Pls note that this quantity would suffice for approximately 5 – 6 persons. And a huge warning for those who’d want to amplify their IQs within quick time by gulping down the above pitcher alone especially before diluting, pls don’t do it as you’d be earning your one way ticket to the loo…. Apparently, nellikka is an excellent laxative and forms one of the main parts of the ayurvedic medicine Triphala. Hope you got the point. ;-p

Before wrapping up, a succinct note on an old Malayalam aphorism which goes like this. Moothavar chollum mudhunellikka adhyam kaikkum, pinneedu madhurikkum…. So true in our contemporary lives too…something that our rebellious minds do not even bother to acknowledge…the minds that want to believe that what it’s doing is right, even if it’s wrong. Maybe it’s not voguish to heed to others’ versions and comments, even if they are priceless ones. But knowledge is what counts and experience along with circumstances are the best teachers in life…to teach you that always listen to others too…so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes they made earlier. Listen and act wisely...which is the key to success in life…. Good luck!!!

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!

Tomato Rice

2007-11-05T04:35:00.000-05:00

Tomato rice…the sheer mentioning of this name brings back memories of the first n foremost time I had made a gutsy attempt to make an ‘authentic’ Tomato rice a few years back…. And I still remember its’ catastrophic results and its impact that left my family pleading to me not to endeavor into such clumsy experiments in future…especially with tomatoes and rice. :-) But then how’d I give up on my all-time favourite dish. :( To be honest with you, after my haunting first attempt, whenever I proceeded with this venture, it usually ended up as a big “kolam” (disaster), for reasons He alone knows. Especially once for a home function, when my reckless over-confidence gave way to a platter of over-cooked tomato rice…which was ultimately served meekly by me before the guests…. No prizes for guessing the edgy position I was in then…. But thx to their thoughtfulness, I was applauded for the efforts of a cooking novice…though it was quite embarrassing indeed!!! ;-) But then I never gave up coz the famous adage, “Try, try until u succeed” continued to drone in my mind, and I simply tried and tried and tried and finally it happened…to make something that looked and tasted like tomato rice (so to say). ;-p

Tomato rice, a main course dish, is absolutely one of the most highly relished dishes of whole of India. Evidently, due to the extensive differences in the cuisine styles in the four quarters of the country, we have around millions of individual expert recipes for this rather vibrant n aromatic dish. Probably one of the reasons all my attempts were failures (probably cudn’t get the mix-match right)…. Just kidding… :) Though must confess that my final attempt is a sort of assimilation of two main cooking styles, both North Indian and South Indian…of course also keeping in mind as usual the all-important convenience and time factors. :)

Now for cooking novices and non-Indians, tomato rice can be briefly defined as rice flavoured or rather cooked with whole spices, ripe n juicy tomatoes and dry masala powders. Sounds mouthwatering, rite? Spice freaks would infact give a thought or two before saying no to this wonderful dish…too hard to simply resist this absolutely gorgeous meal…especially when you r left mesmerized with that spicy aroma. Guess that explains why I never gave up and went straight ahead with my unproductive ventures. ;-p

Easy to make and light on the ingredients, this version too can be made instantaneously and that too without putting in much of an effort. Could easily settle on this one for a perfect Sunday afternoon…. :)

So, here’s how the recipe for this mesmerizing dish goes…

You’d require,
4 – 5 ripe Tomatoes
2 cups of short/long grained Basmati rice
A Ginger knob
5 – 6 medium sized Garlic pods
1 – 2 Green chillies
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
2 – 3 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Eastern biriyani masala powder
½ tsp Garam masala powder (optional)
Salt – As required
¼ cup Ghee

Spices - :
A couple of Cinnamon pieces
3 – 4 Cloves
A couple of Cardamoms
A Star anise
A tsp of Peppercorns
½ tsp of Fennel seeds
A tsp of Cumin seeds
1 – 2 Bay leaves

Method:-
1) Soak rice in water for atleast 30 minutes. Drain and keep it aside.
2) Chop/slice the tomatoes into fine pieces.
3) Grind the ginger, whole (unpeeled) garlic pods and green chilies in a blender.
4) Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
5) Add the whole spices and stir until the whole things starts spluttering.
6) Add the ginger-garlic-chillies paste and sauté until the raw smell leaves.
7) Add the tomatoes and sauté well until the whole mixture gets blends well.
8) Add all the powders and sauté further until the raw smell leaves.
9) Add the rice. Mix well and continue to stir for sometime.
10) Add 4 cups of water and mix well.
11) Add salt and mix again.
12) Pressure cook up to 2 whistles on high flame.
13) When done, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
14) Serve warm with Onion-Cucumber-Green chillies salad, pickle and a must pappadums.

Pointers to be considered:-
1) Since the cooking time changes with each kind of rice used, you can change the quantity of water accdg to its quality and texture. Though the usual ratio followed is 1 measure of rice : 2 measures of water, using 2 cups of water may result in over cooking for some varieties of rice. So, be careful on the same and use only 1½ cups of water in such cases. And anyways, you’ll get this rite only after a couple of trial and errors. Kindly bear!!! :)
2) Pls make sure you switch off the stove immediately after the 2 whistles (to avoid making it get burnt).
3) Add more chilly powder and reduce the quantity of green chillies to render that vivacious reddish hue to the dish.
4) Adding biriyani masala powder or any other branded pulav masala adds that extra punch or zing to the whole thing.
5) Add lots of finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing to bequeath that killing aroma on the dining table.
6) You can also even throw in veggies of your choice, say for instance, carrots, green peas, potatoes, cauliflower etc and make it all the more nutritious and colourful. Would make it definitely appealing to the kids…. ;-p
7) You can also move around with the quantity of the whole spices and the masala powders accdg to your tastes and preferences.
8) You can also reduce or increase the quantity of ghee accdgly.

So, thankfully, gone are those days when I used to scuttle to the nearby eatery to satisfy my cravings for such spicy delicacies. But homemade food r really special as it thoroughly infuses in it that special feeling and tenderly affection called Love (along with loads of efforts…;-)). And honestly, ‘am really happy n satisfied with the fact that I too can make a decent (being modest again as usual) tomato rice to satisfy my little one’s palettes too (has become his favourite now). :-)

Moral of the story, sorry…blog: – Try n try n try until you succeed. Never give up until you do so coz in this world, nothing comes easy. But remember, always do try the right way. Coz being right is always right…. ;-p

So, on that sanguine note, happy cooking!!!

Thoran – An add-on to make a healthy luncheon

2007-10-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

From left:- Carrot thoran, Cabbage thoran, Beetroot Thoran, Potato thoran and Beans thoran

Indian cooking world welcomes you back to the journey into its' engrossing and delectable food delicacies…. One of the main facets of our Indian cooking is the maximum inclusion of veggies in our diet menu. Be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Indians always make it a point to include a veg item in the daily diet thereby screening their genuine love for good food, which is devouring tasty food without compromising on the health aspects…. A notable feature of our Indian cooking indeed!! And our own Kerala cooking is by no means an exception to this and in tandem follows this rather unique feature of our renowned Indian cooking. In fact, most of the Keralites use vegetables mainly for lunch and occasionally for dinner and breakfast. (All pure non-vegans are exempted.) Of course, there are exceptions like me; for being a hard-core vegan, I try to make sole veg dishes thrice a day and one of them being an essential Thoran for lunch. :0)

Thoran or Poriyal, popularly termed stir-fry by a non-Keralite, in fact forms an imperative part of our Kerala cuisine. And indeed Kerala cuisine or cooking is considered rather incomplete without a thoran for lunch/dinner. Especially during those sumptuous Kerala sadhyas, when thoran forms one of the main side dishes to be served, right from the outset contributing to that aromatic ambience. Truly intriguing moments…or rather mouthwatering, must say?? :-p

One of the main features of Kerala thoran is that it can be made with almost all kinds of vegetables including green leafy ones…thus making your lunch all the more healthy and nutritious. A rather simple and easy dish with no too much of hassle…something that is all set in a few minutes. And another all-important pro is that a thoran is all handy for moms of picky-eating tots too. Coz I consider this as one of the easiest ways to feed veggies to my little one. Neither too hot nor too bland, this mildly spiced one with a little coconut and a healthy vegetable goes really well as an appetizing accompaniment with rice. And cud be precisely labeled as a true vegan’s delight. ;-P

Quite divergent to the usual Indian cooking or recipes format, which quintessentially takes in lots of oil and ghee, the Kerala thoran does really stand apart in this regard. With the usage of healthy fibrous veggies along with the nominal usage of oil and coconut, Kerala thoran is one dish you could draw on your daily menu to stay healthy and fit. Definitely not falling in the lip-smacking category, but truly being one of its kinds of our Kerala cuisine, these thorans can be made with almost all kinds of firm veggies, leafy ones or mixture of various veggies and even of a few lentils…thereby emanating a rather multicolored hue to the platters on the dining table. Really an overwhelming naadan treat for lunch!!!

Though the recipe guidelines for a thoran followed in all households are almost the same, I found a couple of slight variations especially that arouse subject to the type of the veggie used. While some parts of Kerala use garlic in all thorans, there are others who use it occasionally or avoid it fully and use red or small onions instead; leaving you confused to a great deal. But now, thx to my Amma-in-law’s cooking lessons, that I’ve been able to make good authentic thorans without any ambiguity. Not too much to brag about, I guess…:) After all, it’s only a simple thoran. Probably a second or third chapter of early cooking lessons…. ;-p

Enlisting below a few popular thorans I often make.

a) Cabbage thoran – An extremely popular one in households and sadhyas. Very light on the ingredients and can be made instantaneously. Use red onions instead of garlic.
b) Carrot thoran – To begin with, a very tasty one indeed. Is also very useful to make kids have carrots. Try adding an egg in the final stages and scramble it along with the carrots. Its’ simply fantastic!!! Cud use either garlic or red onions.
c) Beans thoran – Another popular and simple one. Works for those who are “allergic” to the sight of beans. Use red onions instead of garlic.

d) Beetroot thoran – Healthy crimson coloured thoran that would be highly relished by kids. An easy way to make them eat beetroot…. Again use garlic for best results.

e) Potato thoran – A deviation from the usual thorans. Cud use both red onions n garlic.
f) Achinga (Runner beans) thoran – A tasty one…easy to make too. Use red onions instead of garlic.
g) Cherupayar thoran – A highly nutritious one with Whole Green gram or Moong dhal. Goes really well with rice gruel (kanji). Use garlic for best results.

h) Van payar thoran – Tastes best when stir-fried with red chilly powder and coriander powder.

i) Spinach (Cheera) thoran – Highly nutrient and healthy one. Use garlic instead of onions.

j) Kappanga (Papaya) thoran – Do try out a thoran with a raw papaya as it is extremely beneficial for your health. Again, use garlic instead of onions.

k) Vazhapindi thoran - Extremely healthy intake and simply tastes divine when coupled with Van payar.

l) Vazhapoo thoran – Another one that is extremely beneficial for your body. Tastes best again when coupled with Van payar.

m) Idinchakka thoran – Seasonal by nature. But a highly popular one in all households when in season. Use garlic for best results.

n) Cabbage–Carrot-Beans thoran – A mixture of these three is sure to enhance the taste, flavour and the appearance. Use red onions instead of garlic.
o) Achinga-Chena-Ethakkai thoran – Another popular one with long runner beans, yam and raw plantains. Use red onions instead of garlic. Here, you need to pre-cook the finely chopped veggies before you start off to make the thoran.
p) Vendakka (Lady’s finger) thoran – Try out a thoran with vendakka instead of the usual mezhukkupuratti (sautéed vendakka). Use red onions instead of garlic.
q) Pavakka (Bittergourd) thoran – A different treat to pavakka in the form of thoran for all pavakka lovers. Use red onions instead of garlic.

As said before, these are only a few of the innumerable kinds of thorans that can be concocted accdg to our Kerala cuisine. Check out the rest of those kinds in this site or here. For carrot, beetroot, cherupayar(whole Moong dhal) and potato thoran, pls follow the same procedure of that of Kappanga or Cheera thoran.

Options available:-
1) Usage of garlic is purely optional. But using it gives a totally different flavor and taste to the whole dish. If using garlic, do add a tsp of plain rice while tempering. And if not using garlic, use finely chopped red onions instead.
2) You can also use cumin seeds powder instead of whole cumin seeds.
3) After cooking for a few minutes with a closed lid, cook it further for around 10 minutes on low flame until the thoran becomes somewhat crispier. Or else, you could also reduce the sautéing time if you are a keen fitness freak. :)
4) Again, for the weight watchers, though using lots of coconut enhances the taste, use minimal quantity of coconut and oil for healthy cooking.
5) And finally, for best results, chop the veggies using your hands instead of grating it or using a processor (except for beetroot).

So, there you are…. A naadan thoran ready to be served with a bowl of Sambhar/Pulissery, a blob of Manga chammandhi, a small serve (or a generous one rather) of your favourite pickle and a couple of pappadums.... Absolutely perfect for a occasional naadan lunch. A few items in number though…but they really go a long way. And am sure all naadan food lovers wud agree with me on that…. :-)

And so all cooking novices, making thoran isn’t that intricate kinda job. So, tie on your apron and get ready with your fastest and sharpest knife to start chopping the first veggie that stares at you in your refrigerator. Go rite ahead, cook up a wonderful thoran with it, and enjoy a perfect and healthy lunch with your family…. ;-)

So, on that note, happy cooking thorans!!!

Pavakka Puli Inji

2007-10-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

“Pavakka puli inji…huh? Did I hear it rite?” “ Pavakka kondu puliyinjiyo.” “ Sounds really weird…. Never heard before…. How do u make it or rather how does it taste?” These are some of the excerpts of audient feedback whenever I tried to share the intriguing taste of this rather unfamiliar dish with others; leaving me quite mortified as if I’d made something forbidden. Even though all Keralites would be familiar with the beguiling dish called Puli inji (also known as Inji curry in certain areas though I still believe both are not one and the same), there are many who raise an eyebrow to this rather pioneering dish called Pavakka puli inji. Guess it’d really take some mettle to convince those tough conservative minds!!! ;-)

Talking about Puli inji, as you all would know, is really a breath taker, especially when served on your plates as an accompaniment with rice and curd. It also goes really well with spiced rice like biriyanis or pulaos as a side dish along with salad and pappadum. A must in Kerala sadhyas (feasts) as a thottu kootan, it indeed is served in “microscopic” amounts as the name suggests…that too without a second round of helping…literally conveying that thottu koottiyal mathi…adhikam kazhikkanda. :( But the fact remains that its’ luscious taste tempts you to have it in immensity especially if it is homemade. At least it doesn’t necessarily call for a special occasion to have generous helpings. ;) So when made in bulk at home, I usually have it thrice a day, for breakfast with dosas/idlis, for lunch as a side dish and for dinner as well… often finding my Amma (an ardent puli inji lover) murmuring behind me with a frown, “Nee athu muzhuvanum theerkkum” followed by a shout “Kurachu enikku koodi vaikkane”. ;-p Kya kare? Can’t simply resist that gorgeous taste…. A taste that takes you a long way, in fact leaving you yearn for more and more till the whole container is emptied!!! :D

Now though the title suggests the usage of Pavakka, tamarind and ginger, the irony in the recipe is that this dish is infact made without actually using ginger. Basically, this dish follows the same procedure of that of the authentic puli inji. Hence the resultant name with that tag. And a striking feature of this dish is that it in fact blends or assimilates all the taste flavours in it like bitterness thru pavakka, sweetness thru jaggery and the spiciness thru green chillies…all the three in the tangy sauce of tamarind. A classic example of integration of all flavours in one dish thereby making it one of the most outstanding dishes or rather thottu kootan of Kerala cuisine.

Though I’m not too sure about the original mastermind behind this dish, probably a result of some sort of serendipity by my ancestors, I would like to credit this recipe source to my Amma, who makes this pavakka puli inji with utmost poise and precision.

So, this is how this simple and delicious dish goes….

You’d require
A medium sized Pavakka (Bittergourd)
5 – 6 medium sized Green chillies
A lemon sized ball of Tamarind (Puli)
A medium sized ball of Jaggery (Sharkkara)
A pinch of Turmeric powder
Salt – As required

For tempering:-
A tbsp of Coconut oil
A tsp of Mustard seeds
2 – 3 broken Dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves

PS – Do adjust the quantities for green chillies and jaggery accdgly. You can also add a tsp of finely chopped ginger.

Method:-
1) Wash the pavakka well and deseed it.
2) Cut it into thin slices of around 1 cm length.
3) Soak the tamarind in warm water.
4) Heat a tsp of oil in a pan.
5) Sauté the above pavakka pieces and finely chopped or slit green chillies in it along with turmeric powder until the pavakka turns soft and cooked. Do not fry it. Keep it aside when done.
6) Heat a spoon of oil in the same pan.
7) Splutter the mustard seeds and sauté the dry red chillies and curry leaves.
8) Add the sautéed pavakka into it.
9) Squeeze the tamarind well and add that extract along with the water into the pan and mix well.
10) Add the grated jaggery and mix well again.
11) Add salt and let it simmer for sometime until the gravy becomes thick.
12) Check for salt and sweetness and adjust accdgly.

Though I’m sure that even the pavakka haters would highly relish this dish, for all those hard-core pavakka haters, you can follow the same procedure to make Puli inji instead; in which case, simply substitute the pavakka with around 100 gm of finely chopped ginger and sauté it along with 10 odd green chillies.

Absolutely easy to make and light on the ingredients, you can make puli inji with or without pavakka in bulk or in small quantities, refrigerate in a container and take it for use when required.

So, there, you have another absolutely rocking dish from the exotic world of Kerala cuisine, which is sure to slake the tastebuds of those who are looking to have something naadan for lunch. Believe me, this is a must try at all costs…something that’s sure to bring a few navarasas on your face. ;-p

So, on that arty note, happy cooking!!!

Spicy Soya Curry

2007-10-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

Spicy soya curry…yet another commendable and trendy prototype of South-North cuisine styles’ fusion, combined with moi mediocre culinary skills; well innovated in my humble and safe cooking workplace and effectively tried out on my forever all-supportive family. Thankfully not disappointing them by any means this time round. ;-p

Even though my family has been truly considerate and supportive as regards my frequent “experiments” and the results thereof, the truth is that I’ve always been apprehensive when it comes to revolutionary cooking as I’ve always been taught to adhere to the conventional ways of Kerala cooking. And so, on those days of experimentation and listening of verdicts, there have been a few occasional triumphant smiles on my face when I see my little one devour it with much appreciation; and the frequent contorted looks when it easily finds its way to the garbage. Anyways, this so-called “experiment” quite worked well this time literally forcing me to make it on a frequent basis. Something spicy and healthy to go with a couple of rotis for dinner… Family onto a health spree after recovering from bad health, I guess…. :-)

Coming back to this soya curry, the basic guidelines or the procedure is quite different from my earlier version of soya curry. Unlike the then usage of dry masala powders, I opted to use whole spices to make this curry all the more spicy and aromatic. Moreover, to make the whole process a lot easier, I have used pulverization process instead of sautéing, which definitely saves lots of time and energy. Thanks to the borrowed tips from the cooking web world.

So, here’s how the recipe for a simple and spicy soya curry goes….

You’d require
A cup of Soya chunks
A couple of medium sized Onion
A couple or more of ripe and juicy Tomatoes
A Ginger knob
A few Garlic pods
A couple of Cinnamon sticks (of 1-inch length)
A couple of Cloves
A couple of Cardamoms
A generous pinch of Fennel seeds (Perumjeerakam)
A tbsp of Kashmiri chilly powder
½ tsp of Turmeric powder
2 leveled spoons of Eastern Chicken Masala
½ tsp of Garam masala powder (optional)
Salt – As required
1 - 2 tbsp of Oil
Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:-
1) Soak the soya chunks in hot water for around 30 minutes or so.
2) Discard the water and squeeze the excess water off the soya chunks and keep it aside. You can also cut it into halves.
3) Grind together onion, ginger, garlic and the whole spices into a fine paste.
4) Heat oil in a pan and sauté the above paste in it.
5) Grind or rather blend the tomatoes in the same grinder.
6) When the onion mixture is sautéed well and the raw smell is gone, add the blend tomatoes into the pan and continue to sauté.
7) When the oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan, add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, chicken masala powder and sauté well further.
8) Add soya chunks followed by salt and enough water and mix well. You can also add a little chopped coriander leaves at this stage.
9) Simmer on low flame until the gravy thickens and the soya chunks are cooked well.
10) Add the garam masala powder and mix well.
11) Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
12) Serve warm with rotis or pulao.

Options available –:

You can also start the process with a tempering of Cumin seeds to make it more aromatic.
You can also reduce the quantity of the spices and masala powders accdgly.
You can also use green chillies while grinding. However, do make sure to reduce the quantity of chilly powder accdgly. But since this would reduce the colour and texture of the dish, I strongly suggest to use chilly powder for best results. And so, though the whole dish has a substantial reddish hue to it, I’m sorry my picture didn’t do total justice at all and lacks that spicy and hot colour. :(
You can also add in a couple of baby potatoes or hard-boiled eggs and make it all the more wholesome.
You can even use the base recipe for the gravy to make spicy Egg curry or spicy Mushroom curry.
You can also add cashew paste to make it more thick and rich.

So, finally you have an effortless and healthy dish that can be prepared in a jiffy and that too devoid of loads of ingredients; infact making it a very good bachelor dish.

Cooking food, I mean tasty food, as they say is a helluva job coz you are never satisfied until you get it right. You are satisfied only when your loved ones’ appetites are satisfied. And when finally you are happy with the final verdict or the outcome of you efforts, you have this urge to go further to persist your quench to be satisfied again. Nothing wrong with that as we only want to make others happy thereby eventually attaining happiness for ourselves too.

But I guess same is not the case with the contemporary human lives. Man seems to be never satisfied with anything; infact anything at all. He’s always on the lookout for superfluous contentment; even if he is cent per cent content with his existing normal life. He goes on to make his life happy even if it brings about unhappiness to others. So, this so-called contentment…is it really worth his efforts if it has been achieved at other’s costs?? Pls do think about it. Hopefully, everyone will.

So, on that contented note, happy cooking!!!

Naadan Rasam

2007-09-30T05:28:00.000-05:00

Rasam…an aromatic ingestion usually given as a second course serving especially in Sadhyas (feasts) undoubtedly making it another featured and inseparable part of Kerala cuisine. A truly enticing dish served to lighten those crammed tummies after those heavy sumptuous meals…. Popularly tagged as “South Indian soup” around the globe, rasam marks its way as another sparkling example of the South Indian cuisine….

Rasam, in layman’s terms, can be described as a watery or thinned soup like drink spiced with lots of mild spices backed by a few herbs and a few tomatoes or tamarind to add zing to it…. And needless to say about the final garnishing of the coriander leaves that leaves the whole vicinity absolutely aromatic and captivated for a while. Though the basic guiding principles to make a rasam are almost the same universally, the usage of the ingredients and some of the steps varies in each household leaving their own imprint in the world of Rasam recipes.

As cited before, one of the notable features of rasam is that it incorporates lots of spices and herbs…and thereby making it primarily eminent in medicinal values…. A bare intake of plain rasam is highly healthy as it aids in digestion especially after a heavy meal…quite reminding me of the Rasam powder ad shown on TV. :) And not to mention about the Pepper rasam (made with lots of pepper) which is extremely useful to get quick relief from common cold and congestion. Cheapest way to recuperate!!!! :-P

So, here’s my amma-in-law’s version of a simple and naadan rasam made with home made rasam powder.

You’d require
3 – 4 large ripe Tomatoes
A very small cube of Jaggery (Sharkkara)
A piece of Asafoetida/Hing
½ tsp of Turmeric powder
Lots of Curry leaves
Lots of Coriander leaves

To grind:-
A tbsp of Red gram/Toor dhal/Thuvaraparippu
2 tbsp of Coriander seeds
1 tsp of Peppercorns
4 – 5 Dry red chillies
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
5 – 6 Garlic pods

For tempering:-
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
2 – 3 broken Dry chillies
4 - 5 Small onions
A tbsp of Oil

Method:-
1)Chop the tomatoes into fine pieces.
2)Lightly dry roast or heat the ingredients for grinding in a small pan. Pls make sure you don’t roast it too much.
3)Allow it to cool a bit and then grind it to a fine powder.
4)Heat oil in a pan.
5)Splutter the mustard seeds and sauté the broken dry chillies, finely chopped small onions and curry leaves.
6)Add the tomatoes and mix well.
7)Sauté the tomatoes a bit. Pls do not reduce it to pulp. The tomatoes should only be lightly mashed and the chunks should remain as such.
8)Add the turmeric powder and mix well again.
9)Add the required amount of water followed by the crushed powder.
10)Add salt and mix well.
11)Add chopped coriander leaves and asafoetida and simmer it for some time.
12)Add the jaggery piece to it and stir well.
13)When it starts to bubble, switch off the flame.
14)Cover it so as to lock the flavour.
15)Serve warm with rice.

Alternatives available:-
1)You can also add another chopped lot of fresh coriander leaves before serving.
2)You can substitute the tomatoes with a lemon sized tamarind.
3)You can cook the dhal separately and add it instead of grinding to a powder. But grinding is much easier as it saves a lot of time.
4)You can also alter the quantity of garlic, red chillies and pepper accdgly.
5)You can also substitute the ingredients for grinding with their respective powders and give more of a reddish hue to it. However, I suggest this method for best results.
6)Inclusion of jaggery or a tsp of sugar is a must as it tends to stabilize the taste factor.
7)Though I’ve started off the cooking procedure with the tempering, you can skip it if preferred, and start out with sautéing the tomatoes and save the tempering part to the end.

Anyways, at the end of it all, you’ll have a pot of fresh n spicy rasam to be guzzled down for lunch with rice and other trimmings. An absolutely naadan treat for a change!! A must try delicacy which’d definitely leave you all with something to cheer about for lunch.

And a final word to those down with flu, look no further. Have a glass of piping hot rasam and I’m sure you’ll definitely do away with your illness and would be on your way to reinstate your health before long.

So, on that get well note, happy cooking!!!

PS Inspiration for this Blog recipe - My Flu hit family since past one week :-(

Naadan Kappa Puzhukku

2007-09-16T04:48:00.000-05:00

Kappa puzhukku…God’s own country’s gift to all the foodies out there and thus leaving its very own mark in the world cuisine overall. Equally appreciated by all, Kappa Puzhukku needs absolutely no intro to those familiar with Kerala cuisine. An extremely popular name in Kerala households, it is one of my personal favourites too. And it seems that this dish has in fact been formulated to suit all palates; irrespective of all ages and class. And so rightly it does!!!

Puzhukku, to a layman, can be basically described as cooked mushy veggies or tubers or fruits in a mildly spiced coconut base. Though the most common puzhukku are the ones made with Kappa (Tapioca) and Jackfruit (Chakka), there’s also a third naadan version of puzhukku made with all the mushy tubers on the special occasion of Thiruvathira popularly known as “Thiruvathira puzhukku”. Kappa puzhukku is relished at its best when served with its finest accompaniment…yes of course…our own naadan fish curry. And for vegans, I believe we have to settle on a small or rather a liberal helping of simple Ulli chammanthi or Kanthari mulaku chammanthi. But no complaints as long as it continues to be heavenly….:-P

So, here’s how the simple recipe for this great dish goes….

You’d require
500 gm Kappa(Tapioca)
3 – 4 nos green chillies
½ cup grated coconut
½ tsp Cumin seeds
½ tsp Turmeric powder
4 – 5 garlic pods
A few curry leaves
Salt – As required
A tbsp of Coconut oil

Method:-
1)Chop kappa into pieces.
2)Cook it along with salt in a pressure cooker, till done.

3)When done, drain off the excess water using a colander/strainer.

4)Grind together grated coconut, cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves and turmeric powder along with a little water into a coarse form.
5)Heat up a pan or a kadai.
6)Add the cooked and mashed kappa pieces along with the coconut mixture and allow it to cook.
7)Stir well.
8)Check for salt and adjust accdgly.
9)Simmer till all the water gets evaporated and it becomes dry.
10)Top it with coconut oil and a few fresh curry leaves.

Pls note that you can also make it in gravy like consistency, in which case, you need to add a little more water and stir, making sure you don’t make it too dry. And since I don’t like it in a gravy form, I’ve made it quite dry as shown in the pic.

You can also alter the quantity of coconut and garlic accdgly. The procedure for Chakka Puzhukku is almost the same except that you need to cook the jackfruit’s fleshy pieces (Chakka chola) in a pan (not pressure cooker) along with a little turmeric powder and salt; then add the coconut mixture and when done, top it with coconut oil. Your puzhukku is ready within no time to be served with your favourite side dish.

Before wrapping up, I’d like to share with you a small personal episode this dish brought along while penning this recipe. I was taken to the distant past and was reminiscing down those lanes of childhood; in due course was found mirrored with a few vague images of a small incident. A rather poignant scene of my mother serving a generous portion of kappa puzhukku into my plate and looking at me with her affectionate eyes; hoping to see me finishing off the whole thing. And me on the contrary looking at her as she serves that sticky and mushy thing; with a plea in my eyes and hoping that she won’t make me eat the whole thing. And before I cud say anything, she’d say, “Mole, ithu muzhuvanum kazhikkanam, ithu nallathanu” (Dear, you must eat it fully, it’s good for your health). And I wud coy around for a while and then would come a rather stuttering answer, “ Amma…enikku venda. Enikku ithu ishta…malla” (Mom, I don’t want this as I don’t like it). This so-called dialogue cum performance would go on for a while when it’d ultimately reach its optimum…. And then the scenes wud become more dramatic and ferocious; with lots of emotional blackmailing and threatening to tag on and then I'd sheepishly succumb to her desires; quickly gulp down the whole thing, wipe off the plate clean and try hard to hide the utter despair and frown on my face. :P

Since then, around two decades have elapsed. The backdrop still remains the same; but there has been a tiny change in the characters played. Today, it was me who was serving a small portion onto my little one’s plate with love and tender, with a hope and plea in my eyes that he’d have at least a bite of it. And not surprisingly enough, it was now his turn to glare at me with those tiny and meek eyes, which says it all; followed by a threatening look for giving him something he detests... :-( And honestly, I stand there dumbstruck contemplating on my next move; shud I go for blackmail or counter threats or rather replace the dish?? Guess the last one wud be the best choice…. Will definitely save lots of time and energy for both of us…. :D

And the ironical fact is that in both the situations, I was at the receiving end of threats. And strangely enough, my amma who was witnessing the whole episode, had infact come to his rescue immediately, offering him a substitute food. And now it was my turn to glare at her; trying hard to find the reasons for such contradictory actions on her part. And there…she was simply walking off with a chuckle to the kitchen to get something else that’d satisfy her grandson’s appetite…leaving me infact quite perplexed all along. :(

Life can be so funny at times. The attitudes of the people have become so vulnerable to emotions and circumstances. You change as you grow or you grow as you change…. Too confusing? :) Well, I guess all grandparents are like that…. You can never understand them…. Moms are after all moms and can never be like grandmas and grandmas can never be like moms. Rather confusing again…. Maybe, I’ll get the point when I become a grandma myself…. But too long a way to go…. :-)

So, on that elongated note, happy cooking!!!

Soya Chunks Curry Masala

2007-09-06T02:53:00.000-05:00

Soya chunks…a synonym for vegetable meat that seems to be gaining immense popularity off late in Indian cuisine. And gone is the past when I just used to abhor this highly nutritious source; quite reminding me and making me feel like biting into those fibrous n chewy chicken n meat pieces…something definitely not too digestible by a hard-core vegan like me. :-) But times have changed literally making me too fall for this highly nutritious meal maker…thx to the innumerable number of fascinating recipes posted in the web world that infact tempted me to try it out for a starter and eventually ended up building a strong liking for it. This strong liking also finally encouraged me to work on them to come up with my own versions of a couple of tasty Soya dishes; of course, keeping in mind a couple of factors like it shud be less laborious and shud take in only a few ingredients without compromising on the taste aspect. And fortunately enough, it worked and has now quite become a frequent accompaniment with rotis for dinner!!!

Soya…as you all know is a high resource of proteins and is considered highly beneficial for health…apparently making it one of the core factors to have it included in your daily diet. However, I’ve seen a few in my family turning their faces off to soya dishes coz of its pungent smell though I feel it could be offset by spicing up the curry more…which finally made me opt for a couple of tbsp of Chicken masala powder instead of the usual dry masala powders. And hey, pls do not misconstrue me for a brand ambassador of Eastern chicken masala (as you’d see it being one of the key ingredients in most of my recipes as a close substitute for dry masala)…. :) And frankly enough, it has quite become a permanent part of my pantry shelf now. The reason why I chose it is coz I simply hate to have to ponder over the kitchen stove on the amount of coriander powder or chilly powder or garam masala powder that “shud” go into the curry…get confused and finally end up putting more of one of those. So, guys out there like me, the best option is to toss in a couple of tbsp of Chicken masala powder and if you wanna make it more spicy, you can add in a tsp of garam masala too.

So, here’s how the simple soya curry masala recipe goes.

You’d require

A cup of Soya chunks
A couple of medium sized Onions
A couple of medium sized Tomatoes
2 – 3 Green chillies
A few garlic pods
A ginger knob
A few Curry leaves
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp or as reqd of Eastern Chicken masala powder
Salt – As required
Oil – As required

Method:-
1)Soak the soya chunks in hot water for around 30 minutes or so.
2)Discard the water and squeeze the excess water off the soya chunks and keep it aside. You can also cut it into halves.
3)Thinly slice the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
4)Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, ginger, green chillies, garlic and curry leaves.
5)Sauté till the onions turn brown.
6)Add tomatoes and sauté till it blends well.
7)Add the chicken masala powder and mix well.
8)Stir fry very well for a couple of minutes, till the raw smell leaves.
9)Add the drained soya chunks and mix well.
10)Add sufficient water along with salt and mix well.
11)Add a little chopped coriander leaves (optional).
12)Simmer till the soya chunks are cooked well and the gravy becomes thick.
12)Garnish with coriander leaves.

This is one of the easiest versions to stir up a spicy soya curry with dry masala. An attempt to give a naadan touch to the modern-day cuisine style trend. :) You can also try out variations by throwing in a couple of cooked baby potatoes or other veggies of your choice and making it all the more wholesome. Eat healthy and live healthy!!!

So, again on that healthy note, happy cooking!!!

Paal Payasam

2007-08-26T07:32:00.000-05:00

Kerala carnival is just a day away…. Wasn’t it only a few days ago that we celebrated our previous Onam?? I found asking myself and I know it sounds rather stupid…. But I really can’t help myself asking how fast time flees…how fast days go by?? Infact bringing quickly before us yet another Onam…another season of ecstasy, joviality and celebrations; fortunately something to spread the ultimate spirit of love and brother hood by making them unite in such gaiety and thereby setting an example to the “evils of humanity” existing in this contemporary society. Well, now let’s not talk about those nuisances on this occasion; occasion which calls for only happiness and festivity…. Let’s just forget all our grief and discontent and celebrate this Onam with max’m pomp and splendor, making it something to be cherished even after years to come…. :-)

Onam, as u know, is the season of happiness and celebrations…an occasion welcoming the forthcoming days of opulence and biding farewell to the hard times gone by. The season actually generates a nostalgic touch during the whole period making you go back to your childhood days. A few scenes from those days; for instance, plucking flowers from the garden with your cousins in the early mornings, setting an amateurish pookkalam to be later rearranged and made beautiful by amma and aunts, trying to play out and enjoy the short-lived ten days vacation to the maximum with your cousins and friends, trying to consume maximum qty of crispy upperi and sharkkaravaratti (seasonal savouries) freshly made by grandma, visualizing yourself in your new dress to be worn on Thiruvonam and showing it off to your cousins on the big day; and finally on the big day, setting the pookkalam along with Onathappan and finishing off the day with an absolutely filling yummy meal with umpteen curries set on a banana leaf. Sigh!!! How much I miss those days…. And frankly, I feel in today’s scenario, Onam celebration is just confined to secluded apartment rooms, getting a few new dresses from leading textile shops (nothing unusual about it), ordering a readymade take away sadhya from a leading catering service and in the meantime, idling away to the latest blockbusters aired simultaneously…forcing you enough to surf channels and fight for the remote…and finally, not to mention the happy looks on the working class faces to enjoy a few days off from the bugging bosses…. :-)

I guess I’m deviating from the topic. So, coming to the topic, as I said earlier, Onam is almost round the corner and I was sitting there pondering about blogging about an exclusive sadhya dish recipe; when it dawned upon me that I have actually posted quite a few sadhya recipes in my blog. And furthermore, my obstinate wish to really share something unique with you all for this Onam made me finally settle on something extraordinary and relishing…something that’d give you that “kick” after having that rather scrumptious heavy ona sadhya…. Yes…the one and only Ona payasam…. Something that would make even your crammed tummies to adjust itself and leave that little extra space for the King of all desserts. ;-)

Talking about payasams, no kerala sadhya is complete without serving atleast one payasam. Be it paal payasam or sharkkara payasam or both, Keralites’, irrespective of age bar, are in fact die-hard fans of payasams. However, making payasam is not easy as it sounds and tastes. As a child, I never cared about the efforts my amma and grandma took to make yummy payasams for us. And even now on occasions, I subtly hand over the payasam making job to amma, who does it gracefully and with patience. Something we lack nowadays…. :) Yes, honestly, payasam making was indeed a tedious task for me…. But not till I stumbled upon this easy version of Payasam in this site. I simply gave it a try and was really worth it. A million thanx to the author from me and my amma (a great payasam lover) who now makes it every other day. And frankly, this payasam really reminds me of the famous Ambalapuzha paal payasam.

So, here’s how u get a very simple and tasty paal payasam within no time at all….

You’d require
½ cup of Chemba rice (Onakkalari)
1½ ltrs (3 packets) of Milk
1 cup or more of Sugar
A few Cardamom pods
Cashews and Raisins for garnishing
1 tbsp of Ghee

Method:-

1)Wash the rice well a couple of times.
2)Take a pressure cooker and clean it well.
3)Throw in the washed rice into it followed by the fresh milk and sugar.
5)Close the cooker and keep it on flame.
6)Cook till you hear the first whistle.
7)Then, immediately, reduce the flame to minimum and allow it to cook for 20 minutes.
8)After that, switch off the flame.
9)Open the cooker when the pressure is all gone.
10)If you find it more diluted than expected, you can keep it on flame again and boil, till you get the desired consistency. Anyway, do not reduce it much as it tends to become thick as it sits.
11)Powder the cardamom seeds in a mixer grinder along with a few tbsp of sugar.
12)Add it to the payasam.
13)Garnish with cashews and raisins fried in ghee.

Note:- I suggest you to go for a trial before you make it on the big day. Click here for the palada version. And pls do not use semiya as a substitute, coz you’d rather end up with a semiya pudding instead. Been there and done that…. And that was the result….:(

Listing out a few plus points on this recipe:-
a) It is absolutely easy to make with minimal efforts and ingredients. It requires no long standings over the kitchen-stove stirring continuously, aching and sweating all over…
b) The only thing you’d require would be a timer or a stop watch to check the reqd time.
c) You can leave the pressure cooker on and carry on cooking other dishes in the meantime…. You can also sneak a quick look into the living room to watch your favourite movie on TV. :)
d) You don’t get that pink hue in the conventional method; however hard you may stir it and condense it. But on the other hand, upon pressure cooking, you’d get that pinkish creamy texture even without adding a drop of readymade condensed milk.
e) This one definitely saves a quite a lot of time and energy thereby making your sadhya absolutely magnificent.
f) I suggest you refrigerate it and serve chilled for better tastes.

So, there you are!!! An easy and tasty payasam ready within minutes to be served onto the banana leaf on the grand occasion. A must try for all payasam lovers…

So, start singing to our old Onapattu and enjoy this Onam with an absolutely delicious payasam….

“Maveli naduvanidum kaalam
Manushyarellavarum onnu pole
Amodhathode vasikkum kaalam
Apathengarkkumotilla thanum
Kallavum illa chathiyum illa
Ellolamilla poli vachanam
Kallam parayum cherunazhiyum
Kallatharangal mattonnumilla”

Hope we get to see an era in future, which depicts the above lines…. Something really too much to long for?? Have a faint ray of hope, though!! :)

So, on that note, happy cooking for Onam!!!

And a word to all the serene readers…. I’d like to thank you for the patience shown to read this rather loooooong n dragging write up. :-)

“Wising you all a very Happy Onam”

Indian chutneys – A quick dip into a bowl of colourful “dips”

2007-08-24T09:21:00.000-05:00

After an earnest tribute to our beloved Indian cuisine and Indian recipes, I suppose its time to move on with our big ride. So, before we get started, plz fasten those seat belts tight, as you’d need really something to keep you taut from falling off as you scroll down…. Why?? Coz your first stop is gonna be into the amazing world of absolutely luscious dips… yes… u guessed it rite…chutneys it is… or rather chammandhi as per Malayalee vocab…. :)

Chutneys…a vibrant n alluring medley of dips…something that truly exemplifies the beauty and diversity of our Indian cuisine. Be it north or south, east or west, Indian cooking households are no new to this rather mouthwatering name. Be it a morning breakfast, or a scrumptious lunch, or savoring evening snacks with hot tea, or a light dinner, chutney or chammandhi is more or less an habitual side dish on all dining tables on all or any one of these occasions…almost tagging itself as an inevitable part of our Indian cuisine.

Following the basic trait of our Indian cuisine, these chutneys too come in all sorts of shades depending upon the ingredients used and in various textures as well depending upon the cooking process followed. As for the tastes, it too differs accdg to the ingredients and cud be hot n spicy, sweet, sour and even tangy thereby leaving all your taste buds hankering for more…. A remarkable facet of our Indian cooking, so to say!!!

Chutneys popularly nicknamed as “Thottu kootan” in Kerala cuisine, can be made in a curry base for which you need to cook the ingredients and then blend it; or you can also blend the fresh ingredients directly and top it with oil or seasoning. In either case, it’s usually either the coconut or the onions used to get that creamy mixture base.

Recollecting a point from one of my previous blog article on my favourite onion chutney recipe, I believe chutneys often educe a nostalgic touch in the making process as it’s often considered the first lessons of cooking by Malayalee cooking novices…apart from tea/coffee…. And being a true Keralite, even I was taught the first chapter of cooking in the form of “Thenga Chammandhi” of all the Indian recipes at hand…which thankfully, wasn’t adjudged as a total disaster…. :)

And during this transition phase from being a cooking novice to an almost above average cook (being very modest), I learnt to make various types of Indian recipes making me quite obsessed to Indian cooking, especially naadan kind. And in due course, I have quite mastered myself in making different types of chutneys too…or at least I hope so…. (being modest again) ;-)

Enlisting below a few among them; falling under South Indian chutney recipes.

From clockwise direction: Coriander chutney, Manga chammandhi, Small onion chutney topped with coconut oil, A trio chutney with onions, tomato and coriander and finally the Dates chutney

Coconut chutney – A highly popular accompaniment with Dosas, Ghee roast or Idlis, one of the most easiest to make. You can even change the colour by adding green chillies or chilly powder accdgly.

Onion chutney – Another easiest and highly preferred one which goes well with Dosas, Idlis and Kappa. Red onions can be substituted with small onions too. Can be blended either fresh or sautéed as desired. Check out my favourite version.

Thenga chuttha chammandhi – An extremely popular one made using sautéed coconut blend with sautéed dry chillies and tamarind. You can also add fresh coriander leaves to add flavour. You can even store it for a couple of days…. But just make sure that you don’t add water while grinding.

Mango chutney – A common side dish with hot rice or hot rice gruel making your dinner light and appetizing. Try blending a ripening one (not fully ripened) with a few dry red chillies, a piece of ginger and a few small onions finally topped with pure coconut oil. Am sure you’d be left speechless. And not too sure if it’d make your dinner light or heavy…. :)

Tamarind chutney – A dip popularly used in North India while serving samosas or bhel or chat. Another one that’s absolutely irresistible!!!

Tomato chutney – A tangy one to go with a couple of hot dosas or steaming idlis. No words to express the tanginess!!!

Dates chutney – Another one extensively used as a side dish for hot n spicy Biriyanis…. Also used as a dip for samosas, bhel pooris, chat etc.

Coriander chutney – Something refreshingly green and easy to make; to go with a couple of dosas, idlis and even as a spread on rotis and sandwiches. A very popular one indeed!!!

Mint chutney – How about waking up to the mint flavor with a generous dollop of mint chutney spread ready in your sandwiches. Absolutely yummy, isn’t it!!!

Small green chillies (Kanthari) chutney – The only fitting or rather the ultimate side dish paired with a couple of cooked yummy kappas (tapiocas) to make your day. Absolutely divine!!!

A combo of onion, tomato and coriander chutney – And finally, saving the best to last… A personal favourite of mine, this combo of a few of the above makes it all the more worthwhile. Check out the recipe here.

And so, the never ending list cud go on and on and on…. For more of these and the recipe guidelines, you can surf here…includes those too which ain’t there in the list above. For any of the above recipe details, pls do feel free to ask me too and I shall try my best to help you out, hopefully with an authentic one…. :)

And yes, these are just pure guidelines, no hard-fastened rules to follow…. It’s something even a beginner could work on with some slender changes, and finally churn out something that’d leave you all sizzling too.

So, go rite ahead and start nippin’ with a dippin’ into the bowl of dip-ins. :-)

Happy dippin’…oops…happy cooking or shud I say happy grinding!!! :-)

Indian cooking – To start off with an accolade

2007-08-22T01:31:00.000-05:00

Indian cooking...mere words are not sufficient to express or rather draw out the diversity and the ethnicity rendered by all Indian regional cuisines to get our Indian cooking well acknowledged in the global arena. And I consider myself absolutely privileged to be relishing on this wonderful Indian cooking menu daily…cooking, experimenting and innovating on our old traditional Indian recipes and finally concocting something, hopefully palatable…not only for me but for my family as a whole…. Primarily influenced by our old conventional traditions, religion, socio-eco-cultural aspects and availability of resources, Indian cuisine has scores of tantalizing delicacies to offer…in fact to each Indian household to suit all individual palates. Such is the greatness of our Indian cuisine and thx to all those wonderful people who have used their imagination and creativity to provide us with a variety of lip-smacking Indian recipes for us to devour.

And here I’d like to take you all for a petite rollercoaster ride to the amazing world of Indian cuisine, with a peep into the exotic Indian dishes, in general…. A diffident yet candid attempt from my part to introduce to you the vast range of delicacies Indian cuisine offers and its’ various perspectives…. A virtual look into the mass variety of Indian cooking, both North Indian and South Indian cuisine, from a hard-core foodie but an extremely simple and average cook (yes, an honest confession indeed)…. :-) A mild attempt to parse the various tastes and aromatic cuisine styles of our country that evidently is subject to change with respect to region, culture and customs…. To be precise, this is infact a truly modest attempt to recreate the magic of “Unity in diversity” in the backdrop of Indian cuisine.

As known, our Indian cooking has loads of recipes to offer for every single dish. And since I’d only be sketching out the dishes and a few personal favourite recipes thereof, I might not be able to provide you with the exact recipe you’d be looking for. In such an instance, if you indeed would want me to share recipes with you that have not been described, do let me know and I shall only be happy to post it consequently (and of course, they’d be authentic or at least I’d try to make them so) and share our thoughts on the same.

And at this juncture, I’d really like to thank pachakam.com and the crew behind it for having given me an opening to share my recipe experiments and experiences from my small kitchen to the world at large. And at this point, I’d also like to mention that it’s really saddening to see me as the only blogger blogging away in this massive recipe site. I’d really appreciate if more and more readers and recipe authors would come forward, pen their thoughts on their secret and favourite recipes, and give me company, as there’s nothing worse than utter solitude in this world. It really hurts!!! :-( After all, recipes are for sharing; sharing not only food and tastes…but love and thoughts…love not only to food but also to humanity as well…. So, what better place to start sharing your love than a complete cookery site…. And of course, not before giving another full kudos to our own Indian cooking as well.

So, on that note, welcome to the world of Indian cooking and mouthwatering naadan delicacies!!!!

Spicy Masoor Dhal Curry

2007-08-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

Dhal-Roti….a combo you’re sure to hear anywhere in India; be it the small clumsy dwellings to affluent classy bungalows or the innumerable petite street hotels to the multi-starred restaurants…a commonly used phrase in Indian cuisine symbolizing its’ sheer simplicity and ethnicity worldwide…. A perfect duo too, holding a very prominent place in Indian cooking menu, soaring high quite invincible at the topmost position on the list and still going sturdy. A fully satisfying dish, showing its eminence especially at lunch/dinner would in fact induce you to a good night sleep after having something simple yet the one that tastes simply great and out of this world…. Something that’d even draw out the native ness in you by bringing out your homeland’s feel, touch and smell in your dreams as well…even if you’re miles apart from it. A rather elongated thinking…isn’t it??? :D

Coming to the topic, Dhal or Lentil curries can be made in fact in quite a different form of varieties…thx to its extreme popularity all over the country and regional cuisines playing an important role in exhibiting an array for us to choose from; the basic procedure remains the same though…. And if you’d ask me to put it in a single line, dhal curry is simply cooked dhal seasoned with salt and chilly powder finally garnished with a tempering and coriander leaves…quite reminding me of those taunting days of being a “struggling cook”, when I too was taught the same conventional recipe to make this simple curry for dinner…. Honestly, the persistent formula that I had been gulping all these days became really monotonous and obviously made me quite averted to it. And thx to the “spice syndrome” too that has inculcated me off late so much so as to urge me again to concoct this rather spicy dish…. And believe me, the results were absolutely not disappointing at all…. :-)

So, here’s how the simple recipe for this really spicy dish goes….

You’d require
A cup of Masoor dhal (Red lentils)
A medium sized Onion
A medium sized Tomato
A couple of Green chillies
Ginger – A small piece (optional)
3 – 4 Garlic pods
1 tsp or more of Kashmiri chilly powder
1 tsp of Sambhar powder (optional)
A pinch of turmeric powder
½ tsp or more of Garam masala powder
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
Whole spices - A Cardamom pod, a Cinnamon stick broken into two, a couple of Cloves, a pinch of fennel seeds and a few black peppercorns
Salt – As required
Ghee/Butter/Oil – 1 - 2 tbsp

Method:-
1)Wash the dhal well and cook it in a vessel till soft and done. You can also pressure cook it upto 1 - 2 whistles as I often do.
2)Chop the onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chillies into fine pieces.
3)Heat ghee/butter/oil in a kadai.
4)Crackle cumin seeds followed by the whole spices and stir for a while.
5)Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies and sauté till they turn light brown.
6)Add chopped tomato and sauté till it gets blend well.

7)Add the powders and stir, till the whole thing gets mixed well and you get rid of the raw smell of the powders.
8)Add the cooked dhal along with enough water and salt. Mix well.
9)Add chopped coriander leaves and simmer for a few minutes till you get the desired consistency.

10)When done, remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

So, there you are!!! A spicy dish to spice up your dinner is ready in 10 easy steps and that too, within minutes before your table is all set for dinner. However, a word for mild taste buds…. “You can omit the inclusion of the whole spices or reduce it accdgly…” And as for the spice freaks, “Plz ignore the above suggestion and go right ahead with emptying your spice box…” :)

You can make this curry with any type of lentils available like Moong dhal or Sambar dhal etc. But when made with Masoor dhal, it tastes simply heaven. On nutritional aspect too, dhal curries do not disappoint us as they provide us with good and valuable source of protein. Low in fat, high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, inclusion of lentils in daily diet is extremely good for your body. And therefore has been undoubtedly recognized as one of the five healthiest foods.

So, do make yourself a spicy dinner with a really highly spiced curry and be prepared to plunge yourselves into the reminiscent world of your native land and breathe in that fragrance and feel of your native soil and spices. Bon Voyage!!! :-)

And on that farewell note, happy cooking!!!

Naadan Vegetable Curry

2007-07-31T20:48:00.000-05:00

Ever googled for a vegetable curry recipe?? If it’s “no” for an answer, then pls don’t as you wud be in a world of zillions of recipes leaving you wonder as to which one to choose amongst them. And so, as per one of my friend’s request who was a novice in cooking and had found herself in a dilemma in the above sphere, I decided to help her out and benevolently passed on my simple version of an easy vegetable curry to her. And luckily enough, it was later commented upon as an highly appreciated dish by her better half. Phew!!! Thank God…for saving both of us...especially me…from a most likely embarrassment…. :-)

So, wondering what’s so special about this curry…. Well honestly…absolutely nothing!! :) Except for the fact that this comes very handy on those days when you are too wearied out to cook something very special for dinner and find yourself swearing and finally succumbing to the usual dhal curry…. And what better to make when those taste buds of yours wud be yearning for something very tasty and healthy yet something that can be made in a hurry…to go along with a couple of hot hot rotis…. A perfect duo to complete an appetizing meal!!!

And that’s what gave me the inspiration to make or rather modulate this popular curry accdg to my family tastes and needs. Though the basic guidelines for this recipe follows the one of that of a simple Potato curry, I worked on it and tried to make it more tastier and nutritious by adding other mushy veggies like carrots, peas and beetroots as well…making it quite colorful and appealing to my little one…who as u know like all kids, is quite “allergic” to beetroot and kind. :)

So, here’s how the recipe for this simple curry goes…

You’d require
2 large Potatoes
1 medium sized Beetroot
1 medium sized Carrot
A handful of Green peas
2 small Tomatoes
1 large Onion
1 tsp of chopped Ginger
1 tsp of finely chopped Green chillies
A few Curry leaves
½ tsp of Turmeric powder
1 tsp of Kashmiri chilly powder
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
½ tsp of Cumin seeds (optional)
Oil – As required
Salt – As required

1)Clean well and cut the veggies into halves.
2)Pressure cook the halved potatoes, beetroot and carrot. Peel off the skin and keep it aside.
2)Thaw and cook peas separately. Keep it aside too.
3)Thinly slice onion and tomatoes.
4)Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds ad cumin seeds.
5)Add curry leaves, onion, green chillies and ginger and sauté, till onions turn soft and pink.
6)Add tomatoes and sauté, till it blends well.
7)Add turmeric powder and chilly powder and sauté for a while.
8)Add mashed veggies along with cooked peas and mix well.
9)Add water followed by salt and mix well.
10)Simmer for a few minutes till it’s consistency gets thick.

Easy to cook and light on the ingredients, this dish goes very well with chappathis, pooris, and even appams…. And usually it’s the leftover from the fridge which is in great demand the very next day as it tastes better the next day….:) Another good thing is that it can even be used as a masala stuffing while making dosas….. The crimson colored masala stuffing inside the Ghee roast…quite reminding me of the Masala Dosa you get in “Indian Coffee House”, a very popular restaurant in India. Well, if you are making masala dosas at home, at least you don’t have to peek thru the layers of the dosa trying desperately to find the masala inside as you’d be doing in the hotels….:) Honestly, I have come across such situations many a times before eventually making me go for something else that is hot, spicy and filling. :)

Coming back to the recipe, you can emit any of the above listed veggies or include others of your choice accdg to the availability, your tastes and moods. And again, let me tell you that this is not an authentic recipe for vegetable curry as this dish is one of a kind in Indian cuisine which has undergone different kinds of experimentation since ages. Consequently, people improvised on the same based on their cuisine style to get good outcomes to suit their palates. So, guys, let your imaginations run wild, play around with the spices and cook up something exceptional to contribute to the veg curry recipe world thereby leaving a mark of the magic touch of your hands. Or rather popularly known as “Kaippunyam” in Malayalam…. :) Good luck!!!

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!

Chakka Varattiyathu

2007-07-22T04:58:00.000-05:00

Think I made you nostalgic, didn’t I?? An evoking journey to the good old days of childhood at your paternal-maternal residence on vacation with your grandparents…and you, swiftly, yet meticulously chomping through a good helping of chakka varattiyathu after completing that appetizing naadan lunch/dinner; tenderly being served in your plates by your grandma….Well, this is exactly the scene that flashes through my mind whenever this exotic dish is talked about even in mere conversations. And even now as I write this, for a moment, I too am being taken back to that absolutely wonderful and carefree era…. Really makes me go back to those days and relive those moments…don’t u feel the same too??

Well, lemme come back to the present…:) To talk about Chakka varattiyathu, it is an extremely popular name in Kerala households…indeed an exclusive Kerala delicacy thereby exhibiting the class and style of Kerala cuisine universally too….As who would have ever thought about churning out a lip-smacking jam with the fleshy jackfruits?? Though the only problem seems to be the fact that we can’t make this jam accdg to our time and moods mainly coz of the seasonal availability of jackfruits. So, if you are indeed a great fan of this dish and would like to make it on your own instead of going for readymade ones, get some good fleshy jackfruits when in season and make up a yummy jackfruit jam to store it for a very very long time.

So, here’s how the authentic recipe for Chakka Varattiyathu goes…. A must try for at least once…

You’d require
A kg of Ripe jackfruit fleshy pieces popularly known as Chakka chola in Malayalam
500 gm or more/less of Jaggery(Sharkkara)
1 tsp powdered Dry ginger(Chukku)
5 – 6 nos of Cardamom
1 tsp powdered Cumin seeds (optional)
5 tbsp Ghee

Method:-
1)Cook the jackfruit pieces in a pressure cooker along with around 2 glasses of water up to 2 - 3 whistles.
2)Allow it to cool and grind it in a mixer grinder making sure that there are no lumps or pieces in it.
3)Place sharkkara along with 2 glasses of water on medium flame and stir well to dissolve it. Filter using a strainer. Keep aside.
4)Heat a thick bottomed vessel. Usually big Uralis are used for this.
5)Stir in the mashed jackfruit and the jaggery solution into it.
6)Mix well on a low flame.
7)Add ghee occasionally, stirring continuously as well.
8)Stir well till the water content gets evaporated completely.
9)When it thickens well, add the powdered dry ginger, powdered cumin seeds and powdered cardamom and mix well.
10)Allow it to cool thoroughly.
11)Store in airtight containers or bharanis for long life shelves. If you are making in small quantities, you can store it in small airtight containers and refrigerate it.

And beware “workaholic housewives” and “make a curry in a hurry guys” as this dish is definitely not meant for you…coz it is not that easy to make as the name and the procedure implies. You’d definitely require long standings in the kitchen and so, do try this only if you have ample time to spare. Hey…don’t scowl and get disappointed…. :( Cheer up coz after considering the bright side of it, your face is gonna be something like this….:D And so, don't worry as after all that sweating and bustling in the kitchen, I’m sure the luscious jackfruit jam you have in your hands wud be definitely worth all those efforts…. Coz the good thing is that we can store this jam in airtight utensils, which can be used later in cooking for multi-uses.

To begin with, just try imagining the yummy jackfruit jam you’d be having as a light dessert after a heavy meal….:) You can even stuff your kids’ snack boxes with breads or chappathis rolled up with a generous spread of this jam and light up their faces too….:) And you can also make Chakka ada as an evening snack or even as a light breakfast…. Or you can even have it as a light accompaniment with Puttu…hard to believe??? Well, I’ve come across a few who do so…and it tastes good too…. :) And of course, you can also add a small portion of this chakka jam in Sharkkara Payasams and Unnippams to enhance its’ taste and flavor. A small secret shared by cooking experts themselves…. :)

So, there you are…. The time and energy you are just gonna spend on this is not going to be futile as they shall definitely come handy in the long run. And I believe there are a few things or efforts in our lives which epitomizes this simple point. I always believe we shud constantly think about the fruitfulness or productivity of a particular effort before you leap into it…just to make sure your efforts don’t go in vain and you are not left thwarted at the end of it….Do I sound like a pessimist?? I hope not…. :)

So, on that optimistic note, happy cooking!!!

Kappa Ularthu

2007-07-15T05:16:00.000-05:00

Kappa…malayalee’s much favored food item…something that’s gonna make your mouths water for sure for a few minutes to come….So, proceed only if you have enough kappa in your kitchen store or is only a call away from your grocer….:)

Explicitly forming an inseparable part of Kerala cuisine, Kappa is known to be one of the exotic tubers to be available for cooking and not to mention the fact that it is considered to be the secondary staple food of Kerala…. A close substitute to rice on nutritional fronts too as it is high in starch and low in proteins. So, health watchers and diabetic patients, keep yourself as far-off as possible from all the enticing dishes made with this rather unique food item…. Sorry for the intimidating warning to start off with…. :)

I was in fact introduced to the world of the exotic taste of kappa as a child when I was given this rather exceptional combo of cooked kappa and Ulli (onion) chutney which is quite popular in all Kerala households…though I’ve now substituted the usual onion chutney with garlic chutney, an incredible recipe input passed on to me by my amma-in-law…. Just perfect for all garlic lovers leaving your tummies feeling good as well after all the kappa and chillies being overstuffed into it. This quite reminds me of the ad, which goes, “No one can eat just one”….Well, honestly, one piece of kappa does not suffice me at all…. Yeah, it could be the last piece on my plate…though the chances are remote for those odds too….:)

Do you think a true Malayalee can say no to a plate of scrumptious kappa delicacies? Especially if he is served kappa along with Onion chutney or Green chillies chutney or even garlic chutney…. And another big no if served as a Puzhukku with fish curry…truly implausible!!! All just goes to show how much Keralites just take pleasure in devouring naadan food…. Me definitely being one amongst them.... :)

And kappa ularthu is one such naadan dish which I’m absolutely sure would leave you all completely spellbound for a while…. It is a dry fry dish made with cooked kappa seasoned with lots of chilly powder and garlic and sautéed until dry and crispy. Simple to make with a fewer number of ingredients would definitely make it all the more popular among housewives….

So, for all Kappa lovers, here’s how the recipe goes…

You’d require
500 gm Tapioca (Kappa)
10 nos or more of Small onions or Cheriya ulli
10 nos or more of Garlic pods
Kashmiri chilly powder – I leave this to you as the more you add, the more tastier it wud be
½ tsp Turmeric powder
A few Curry leaves
½ tsp Mustard seeds (optional)
Salt – As reqd
Coconut Oil – 1 – 2 tbsp

Method:-
1)Cook tapioca pieces along with salt in a pressure cooker, till done.
2)Cut them into small or medium sized pieces. Keep it aside.
3)Crush (do not chop or slice) the small onions and the unpeeled garlic pods.
4)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.
5)Splutter mustard seeds.
6)Add crushed small onions and crushed garlic and sauté for a while.
7)Reduce the flame and add turmeric powder followed by chilly powder and fry. See to it that it doesn’t get burnt.
8)Add curry leaves and sauté again.
9)Add a little salt, if necessary.
10)Add the chopped tapioca pieces.
11)Stir well for a few minutes till the whole mixture gets mixed well. You can pour in a couple of tsp of oil too if the whole thing gets too dry.

12)Remove from flame when done.
13)Garnish with sautéed curry leaves.
14)Serve it piping hot.

And so there you are… a spicy kappa delicacy on your table within no time waiting for you to dig in. A perfect tea time snack too in case you have a couple of cooked kappa left over. And not too sure if it would be appreciated by kids as my little one always turns his face off to the sight of kappa….:(

As a matter of fact, Kappa is one of a kind that is extremely popular globally too and holds a rather predominant place in Kerala households particularly among the poor…though nowadays highly preferred by rich too….Thankfully, taste buds do not have class and discrimination as many of the human minds do….

Speaking of such discrimination, actually, it is extremely disheartening to see the existence of such hard-core racial and class discrimination even today in the 21st century and I think its’ high time we eradicated the word “Inequality” from this planet. So guys, as a first step, look around, reach out for the downtrodden, treat them as equals, help them in every possible way and bring big smiles to their faces… just like the ones this kappa ularthu is gonna bring to yours!!! and that shud be something like this....:)

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!!

Kappanga Pulincurry

2007-07-08T07:40:00.000-05:00

Pulincurry…another exclusive yet extremely popular dish prevalent even today in Kerala households…. A must try for those getting bored stiff with the habitual taste of Sambhar or Pulissery as the first course with rice…. This is in fact a rather unique dish that u can churn out within minutes and that too with any type of veggies u have in hand…just like I got myself a yummy and absolutely lip-smacking pulincurry for lunch from a leftover papaya…and thankfully didn’t turn out to be a nightmare as expected....:)

For those rather oblivious to this particular dish, Pulincurry can be briefly described as a combination of cooked veggies and puli (tamarind) in a coconut base with a final tempering of spluttered mustard, fenugreek and curry leaves…. And believe me, it’s indeed the aromatic tempering which is the genuine secret behind the palatability exuded by this dish…that wud really leave your taste buds yearning for more…especially to those who love pure naadan food!!!

Since childhood, sambhar has been my first love with rice…in fact I cud have it three times a day…thereby making me quite averted to the variant curries like pulincurries or theeyals n other stuff…. And now, when I’ve started to explore the world of cookery and begun to relish that special taste and feel of other curries that I realized how much I had missed in those days when my Amma used to literally force me to have a taste of these yummy curries. Anyway, fortunately enough, I’ve slowly started to shift gears to include those curries as well for lunch…and thus sambhar slowly getting itself into the backseat…a sporadic change maybe for a day or so…and then it’s back to the good old sambhar… :)

And here’s how the recipe goes…..

You’d require
A medium sized Kappanga(Papaya)
A handful of Red gram (Thuvaraparippu)
A couple of Tomatoes
½ of one Coconut
1 tsp Cumin seeds
A couple of Small Onions (Cheriya ulli) (optional)
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
Salt – As required

For seasoning:-
A tbsp of Coconut Oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
A couple of broken Dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves

Method:-
1)Cut kappanga into medium sized chunks.

2)Cook dhal separately and keep it aside.
3)Place kappanga in a vessel along with turmeric powder, chilly powder, a little salt and water and cook till half done.
4)Meanwhile, grind together coconut, cumin seeds and small onions into a fine paste.
5)Add sliced tomatoes along with the coconut paste and cooked dhal into the vessel and mix well.
6)Simmer for sometime till cooked well.

7)Remove from flame.
8)Splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and sauté red chillies and curry leaves in oil in a frying pan. You can also fry chopped small onions at this stage.
9)Add the above tempering into the vessel and mix well.
10)Cover the vessel to lock that ravishing flavour.

Though I’ve used tomatoes here, you can also substitute it with pure black tamarind (Puli) or mangoes accdg to your liking... and accdgly, the colour and the texture of this curry is subject to change. On a personal view, use black tamarind for optimum results.

And here, as the title suggests, I’ve used Kappanga as the main ingredient…something which tops on nutritional fronts too along with adding a sweet factor to the fairly sour curry…. However, you can use other mushy veggies like Vellarikka or Kumbalanga too along with Drumsticks to work up another version….

After all, as u know, recipes are just guidelines that you can improvise upon or simply do a mishmash accdg to your tastes and moods and you'd definitely come up with something…probably something very spectacular and pioneering… something, you can eventually pass on to your offspring to relish on…. All these, if it turns successful of course…:)

So, on that optimistic note, happy cooking!!!!

Simple n Spicy Egg Curry

2007-06-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

Meri jaan…meri jaan….
Murghi ke ande….
Sunday ho ya phir Monday….
Roz khaayeein ande….

Sorry if I missed out the lines in between or after as I’ve been able to recall it only to this extent…. Anyways, these are the lines or rather the made-up lines I often find myself humming around to my son whenever I’m in the kitchen cooking eggs…. Maybe can’t just get it off my mind as I’ve been listening to this tune since my childhood….thereby eliciting a nostalgic touch to the whole episode…. Though launched as a minute jingle to promote egg-consumption among people, this particular ad became so popular that in fact it is still found to be loved and appreciated by all. And I hope you guys too wud be remembering these lines and tune you used to wake up to, in your childhood days…the ad, which was literally played every Sunday just before our favorite cartoons were aired. And irrespective of the vague phrases in this jingle, I believe I’ve put across the message it tried to convey and is still trying to do so…:) though can’t get to hear it much often nowadays!!!!

So, as the ad goes, simply have an egg everyday and energize your body with all the reqd proteins, vitamins and minerals. Why so??? Coz eggs provide a significant amount of protein to one’s diet along with a wide range of various nutrients. And believe me, it is in fact the least expensive food source of complete protein. While the white portion is a rich source of proteins, the yellow yolk is that of fat. And though recommended that people on low-chol diet shud take only the white portion and discard the yolk, it is also argued that both are extremely essential for our body. Hence, intake of eggs’ whites and yolks shud be adjusted accdg to your health including the C factor as well.

Basically falling under the Non-veg category, one of the notable features of eggs is that it can be cooked in any form unlike other non-veg items like meat, chicken, fish etc. And the most popular ones being scrambled, hard boiled, even half boiled, omelettes, hardboiled ones in spicy gravies, and not to mention it’s highly customary usage in cakes and desserts. Another good thing about it is that it’s the only one of it’s kind, which offers more scope for variations for food innovators…though I have to usually settle on scrambled one with veggies or plain hardboiled ones…highly preferred by my son who is too little to try out the other tasty versions…. :)

Talking about the various variations, one such popular kind is the inclusion of hardboiled eggs in spiced curries which is infact extremely relished by all Kerala households alike especially for breakfasts or dinner as a favorite accompaniment with appams or rotis or chappathis. So, contributing to the innumerable number of egg curry recipes in the cyber world, here’s my simplest version of the same.

Easy to make and with the short list of ingredients always on hand in your pantry and fridge, here’s how it goes….

You’d require
Eggs – Depending upon the number of family members
4 – 5 large Onions
2 medium sized ripe Tomatoes
2-inch piece of Ginger
A few Garlic pods
A couple of slit Green chillies
A few Curry leaves
½ tsp of Turmeric powder
1 tbsp of Kashmiri Chilly powder
2 heaped spoons of Coriander powder
1 tsp of Garam masala powder (Use home-made garam masala powder for better results)
Salt – As required
Oil – As required

You can change the proportions accdg to your tastes and moods for the day… :)

Method:-
1)Boil the eggs and keep it aside.
2)Thinly slice the onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes.
3)Heat 2 – 3 tbsp of oil in a pan.
4)Add onions, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and sauté really well till the onions turn almost golden brown in colour. The more you sauté, the tastier the curry will be and this obviously requires lots of time and patience….:)
5)Add the tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes gets blend well with the onions.
:- You can also stir in a little oil if the whole thing gets dried up.

6)Add the powders along with the salt and mix well.
7)Add sufficient water and mix well again.
8)Make slits all over the boiled eggs and toss them into the gravy.
9)Simmer for sometime till the gravy gets a thick consistency.

10)Check the level of salt and garam masala and adjust accdgly.
11)Garnish with coriander leaves which is optional.

You can also add a cup of thick coconut milk towards the end when all the water content has been evaporated. In that case, do not boil after adding the milk…just heat it through for some time. You can also substitute the powders with a couple of heaped tbsps of Eastern Chicken Masala powder if not too sure with the quantity part of the powders.

This is one of the easiest versions to whip up a spicy egg curry and I’m sure you can try all sorts of variations with this to make it taste better…. And if you do, do let me know too since I’m always skeptical when it comes to trying out recipe experiments…the reason obviously being that in case of letdowns, it wud either end up in the garbage or I’d have to gobble up the whole thing considering the effort and pain that went into the process…which as u know, is a rather tough thing to do….:)

So, guys, start singing to the old tunes of Meri jaan… and include eggs in your diet daily…get healthy and feel healthy…:-)

On that note, happy cooking!!!!

Vazhappoo Thoran

2007-06-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

It’s generally believed that “Man” is God’s greatest creation. And hence he can be rightly named as the supreme blessing to the whole planet. And if you take into consideration all that our Mother Nature has to offer us, we can definitely call her as His best blessing to mankind. Can u ever imagine a planet without nature taking its' various forms like water, air, trees, fruits, rivers, oceans etc… too difficult to swallow up, rite?? So, let’s give a very big thx to the Almighty and Mother Nature for all their handouts without which, as we know, man wudn’t have existed nor survived…and maybe I wudn’t have been here writing this article….:)

Wondering why this rather unusual intro to a simple recipe…well, coz… amongst all the nature’s wonderful gifts, one such gift to humanity is the Banana tree or a plant rather. Wondering why??? Well, it’s coz a banana plant by itself is a complete medicinal treasure. One of it’s distinguished feature being the fact that each and every part of it is edible except for the leaves which of course serves various other purposes.

The banana flower, blossom, or bud popularly known as Vazhappoo or Kodappan with a deep crimson colour, is infact highly rich in Vitamins and is highly good for women. Similarly, the Vazhathandu popularly known as Pindi when taken as a juice extract, is extremely beneficial for diabetic patients. And of course, the final fruit known as bananas needs no intro and can be taken as itself when ripe or can be had cooked when raw. It simply boosts your energy level apart from aiding in various other health aspects too. High in vitamins and other nutrients, intake of these would do just justice to your body in all respects. Talking about the leaves of the plantain trees, though they are not edible, they are infact used as a serving plate for sadhyas…apart from being used as umbrellas years back….:) They are even used for folding purposes to cover the luscious ela adas (my personal favorite) to initiate that magnificent aroma. Honestly, truly spectacular indeed!!!

Coming back to the consumption of these banana parts, there have been various concoctions tried and experimented by our ancestors…and one of the most commonly used one is in the form of thorans. And believe me, this seems to be the only edible way….mainly coz of the texture and the bitter taste it possesses…. :) So, do try out variations and make thorans with the flower or the stem or the raw plantains along with a suitable coupling like Red oriental beans (Van payar) or Whole green gram (Cherupayar) or Red gram (Thuvaraparippu).

Though the most popular one in the duo is the Green gram or Red gram, I like it with Van payar…though you can change accdg to your tastes, moods and ingredients’ availability….

So, here’s how the recipe goes….

You’d require
1 no Banana flower (Vazhappoo/Kodappan)
½ cup Red oriental beans (Van payar)
1 tsp Cumin seeds
½ of one Coconut
A little Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilly powder or a few Green chillies
Salt – As required
1 tbsp of Oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
2 – 3 broken Dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves

1)Clean the van payar well and get rid of the unwanted stuff from it.
2)Cook it separately with water in a pressure cooker and make sure u don’t overcook it.
3)Remove the first 3 – 4 outer covering of the vazhappoo and chop the rest very finely as u do for thoran.
4)Add coconut oil and turmeric powder into the above chopped kodappan and mix well the whole thing using your hands to remove the kodappan’s serum.
5)Place together the grated coconut, green chillies, cumin seeds and curry leaves in a mixer bowl and run it once to make it into a coarse form.
6)Mix it along with the chopped kodappan mixture.
7)Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and sauté dry red chillies and curry leaves.
8)Add the kodappan mixture and mix well.
9)Cover and cook on a low flame.
10)After sometime, remove the cover and add the cooked van payar into this and mix well.
11)Continue cooking without the lid on, till done, making sure that it doesn’t get mashed.

And your thoran is ready within no time…. Not equally appreciated by all, this recipe infact brings mixed emotions on the dining table…. A frown on the face to show the disappointment for those foodies who like aromatic dishes for lunch/dinner and a big smile for those on a diet and like to have good, healthy food…. :-) An honest confession at this point....I used to be in the first category during my childhood days and now considering the nutritional and medicinal values it offers, a slow transition has occurred to the latter one. No regrets though!!!! As said, eat healthy….be healthy!!!

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!

Mathanga - Van payar Olan

2007-06-10T08:18:00.000-05:00

A personal favorite of mine aging since childhood days, this unique and deadly dish holds a very prominent place in Kerala households. Featuring as an inevitable side dish in Kerala sadhyas, this dish is equally cherished by all irrespective of the age groups…mainly coz of it’s mild sweet taste. And I guess that’s the beauty of Kerala cuisine as most of the dishes are mildly spiced to suit all palettes…

Since the time I started to make this dish, I was always been under this fallacy that olan can be made only with ash gourd or yellow pumpkin and that too the conventional way. Then, unexpectedly, upon googling for a recipe, I bumped into an Olan recipe and found myself with lots of types or versions of it that actually left me quite bemused. Of course, thx to the innovative variations in the dish recipe and the appearance from the north end to the south end of the little State. Little did I realize that Olan comes in all looks and forms you can think of… though basically I was taught that olan is prepared with Ash gourd (Kumbalanga) and Long runner beans (Achinga/Payar) or Black eyed beans (Van payar) cooked along with a few green chillies with coconut milk giving it a thick curry base.

Easy to make and requiring only a limited number of ingredients for preparation, I guess you cannot ask for more from a Kerala recipe.

So, here’s how the recipe goes….

You’d require
A medium sized Yellow pumpkin or Mathanga
(not too ripened)
1 glass Black eyed beans popularly known as Van payar
A couple of carrots (absolutely optional)
1 - 2 cups Thick coconut milk
A few green chillies
Salt - As required
A few curry leaves
A tsp of coconut oil

Method:-
1)Peel the skin off the pumpkin. Slice it into medium sized pieces. Cut carrot into roundels.
2)Cook black eyed beans in a pressure cooker till done.
3)Place the sliced pumpkin along with carrot, chillies, curry leaves, a little salt and 1 - 1½ glass of water in a vessel.
4)Cover the vessel and cook for sometime.
5)When it starts to boil well and the water content starts to reduce, add the cooked van payar along with its retained water.
6)Mix well and cook till the water content is almost reduced.
7)Reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk.
8)Stir well the whole thing. Do not boil after adding the coconut milk.
9)Check for salt and adjust accdgly.
10)If done, add a few curry leaves and pour a tsp of plain coconut oil onto it.
11)Close the vessel to lock the flavor.

It is ok if the contents get mashed while stirring as pumpkin and carrots are kinda mushy veggies. This tends to make the dish get a thick consistency. So, do keep that in mind while adding coconut milk. Another option is you can also cook the veggies in thin coconut milk or the 2nd extract of coconut milk instead of water which would make it more tastier and sweeter.

Coming back to the diverse variations these dishes are subject to, believe me, I also learnt that olan is prepared without adding coconut milk too in some parts of Kerala…. In which case, the cooked veggies are given a final topping of pure coconut oil and a few curry leaves for flavor. Maybe wud try that one if I run out of coconut milk while making my olan… :)

So, I deduce from this simple example that life has too many options to offer… If you run out of one and if you think that’s the end of it, well then, u r wrong…. When encountered with such a situation, open our eyes and find those alternatives that are available instead of waiting for opportunities to come to us…. And select the best among them and I’m sure you wont be disappointed….:)

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!!

Kappanga Erissery

2007-05-24T04:33:00.000-05:00

Erissery…another regular dish and yet extremely admired one in Kerala households. Distinctively said, it is in fact a combination of any mushy vegetable cooked in a mild coconut mixture with a final deco of a tempering topped with a handful of roasted coconut. And wud u believe the mesmerizing effect it leaves when this dish starts to emanate the extravagant flavor on the dining table…hmmm…absolutely delicious…Well, to be honest, mere words r not sufficient to explain that…and I believe u guys too wud agree with me on that, rite??

Coming to the recipe, basically, erissery can be prepared with any sort of veg though the most popular one is the one with Yellow Pumpkin or Mathanga. Here I have used Papaya or Kappalanga, which simply can’t be taken by me and my little one as raw coz of sheer aversion. And since as you all know that papaya is good for your health for a zillions of reasons, I usually include it in our diet in the form of erissery or thoran depending upon its ripeness or maturity.

So, here’s how the recipe goes….

You’d require
A medium ripened Papaya(Kappanga)

1 cup of Black eyed beans/Red Oriental beans popularly known as Van payar in Malayalam
½ a coconut
1 – 2 small Garlic pods
½ tsp of Cumin seeds
5 – 6 nos Whole black pepper
¼ tsp of Turmeric powder
Salt – As required
A handful of grated coconut for garnishing

For seasoning:-
1 tbsp of Oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
A couple of broken dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves

You can also vary the amount of garlic and pepper accdg to ur likes…as well as that of coconut too if you are too health-conscious...:)

Method:-
1)Cook van payar separately in a cooker. Retain the water. Do not drain.
2)Cut the papaya into medium sized pieces. Discard the seeds.
3)Place the papaya along with turmeric powder, a little chilly powder (optional), a few curry leaves and salt in a vessel and keep it on fire.
4)When nearly cooked, add the cooked van payar along with the retained water.

5)Meanwhile, grind together coconut, garlic pods, cumin seeds and black peppercorns into a not so smooth paste. Just make sure it is neither too coarse or too smooth.

6)When the papaya and van payar are nearly done, add the coconut paste and mix well.

7)Allow it to cook for some time, till the excess water is evaporated and it gets semi-thick consistency.
8)Check salt and add accdgly.
9)Heat oil in another pan and splutter mustard seeds and sauté curry leaves and broken red chilies.
10)Add it to the curry and mix well.
11)Add a handful of grated coconut into the same pan and roast till golden brown.
12)Add it too to the curry and mix well.

And there you are…. Erissery is ready to be served as a yummy side dish for your lunch along with curd and pickle. Easy to make and at the same time, delivering luscious results, this dish would definitely leave you all longing for more. And though the basic recipe remains the same, you can try out other variations too by substituting the main veg with any one of the following like Yellow Pumpkin (Mathanga), Kai, a combo of Chena-Kai along with the must coupling with red oriental beans (Van payar)….

Equally appreciated by kids and adults coz of its mild taste, this erissery can be made without too many hassles as evident in the recipe…. though the name suggests otherwise. Yup.. it happened to me when I was busy taking cooking classes before the big day in my life.. yes, u r rite.. marriage of course… And I really considered this as a very tough job while browsing thru the ingredients list and the procedure… But believe me, it hardly took much time to prepare; though the results were quite varying from the authentic erissery I had tasted in sadhyas.….:) Of course, you can understand the countless number of trial and errors undergone by cooking novices… Nevertheless, by now, I’ve relatively mastered myself in making erissery, thx to my amma-in-law who gave me the exact or the authentic recipe… So, maybe all those cooking classes and efforts I took before my marriage have become rather worthless as regards time, energy and money I put into it…. :)

So said, I believe that maybe when you give a look into your past life, you’d end up with lots of things you regret about like this one for instance… But then, I feel that we have this motivating force or rather the stimulating force inside you, which is called the “faith” or “hope”, that really shoves you to probe into what life has to offer in future….Your expectations might turn true or not…but with no regrets, you move on…. And I believe that’s what makes our lives beautiful….to discover the uncertainties of future and just go on and on and on…..no matter what has happened in the past, what is happening in the present and what might happen in the future…. You regret once, you regret all your life…. So, just explore the beauty of life without any regrets or complaints…and make your life joyful and beautiful as ever….thereby making this world a wonderful place to live in as well…. :o)

So, on that note, happy cooking!!!

Pavakka/Kaippakka Theeyal

2007-05-16T04:49:00.000-05:00

A rather exceptional dish, traditional in nature, a theeyal by no means needs an intro to a true Malayalee… It’s just another sample culinary treat from the cosmic and elegant Kerala cuisine, which wud leave you all licking your fingers for sure…. And what more, being under the gravy segment, your lunch is just perfect when it’s served with rice, a simple pickle and curd….and of course, along with a couple of pappadums on the side… Absolutely lip smacking, isn’t it…. ?? And I’m sure your mouths must be watering too just even thinking about it….. :)

Well, to talk about theeyal, it is infact a combo of a few assorted veggies of your choice in a base of fried coconut and dry masala supplemented with the usage of tamarind for the sourness aspect… thereby giving equal credence to sourness and chilly aspects…. And if u r making it with pavakka, u have another facet of bitterness as well. And I’m sure that lots of people who turn their faces off to pavakka would definitely yearn for more of this particular theeyal coz of its marvelous taste…. not highly preferred by kids though.

As for the different combos of theeyal, in fact you can make it with all sorts of veggies. And the most popular being the one with Shallots or Small onions popularly known as Ulli Theeyal…. Another one is with Chena (Elephant yam) and Small onions….my favorite! Another one is a mixed one with chena, muringakka, payar, carrots (optional) and long eggplants (vazhuthananga). So, as you can see, you can add veggies of your choice and availability and make a yummy theeyal for your lunch…

Moving onto the recipe, here’s the authentic way to make a naadan Pavakka theeyal… the original recipe source, of course, credited to my amma-in-law…. :)

You’d require
1 big Bittergourd
A couple of medium sized Onions or around 150 gm Small onions popularly known as Cheriya ulli
¼ tsp of Turmeric powder
1 ½ tbsp of Coriander powder
1 tbsp of Chilly powder
2 – 3 slit Green chillies
A lemon-sized tamarind soaked in a little hot water
½ of one whole coconut
Salt – As required

For seasoning:-
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
2 – 3 broken Dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves
Coconut oil – As required

You can reduce the amount of chilly powder accdg to your tastes though I like it to be hot… And as per the conventional way of making theeyal, u can use the coriander seeds and dry red chillies as whole too… in which case, you’d need only a tbsp of coriander seeds and 2 – 3 nos of dry red chillies. Dry roast them along with coconut and grind it to a very fine and smooth paste. And do use black tamarind to get that dark blackish color for your theeyal. Here, I have used fresh tamarind (the light brown ones) as I had ran out of the old ones, which of course explains the lack of the so called blackish colour quite evident in the image above… :)

Method:-
1)Cut the pavakka into thin, 1 inch pieces.
2)Peel and chop the small onions too into thin slices.
3)Heat oil in a pan.
4)Splutter mustard seeds and sauté broken red chillies and curry leaves.
5)Add the sliced small onions and green chillies and sauté, till the onions turn soft and pink.
6)Add the pavakka pieces and sauté again on a low flame.

7)Meanwhile, dry roast the coconut in a hot pan.
8)When it turns dark brown, switch off the flame and add the powders.
9)Stir well and see to it that it doesn’t get burnt.
10)Allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth fine paste adding sufficient water.
11)Extract the tamarind pulp/juice.
12)When the pavakka is sautéed as well, add the tamarind juice followed by the coconut paste.
13)Add salt and mix well.

14)Simmer till you get the thick gravy consistency.

Pls do note that if you are using Chena and Small onions instead, then you need to cook the chopped chena and onions in water along with a pinch of turmeric and salt until soft instead of sautéing like pavakka. Then follow the rest of the procedure from Step 7 onwards. And finally, add the tempering of spluttered mustard seeds, dry chillies and curry leaves.

So, there you are…just got yourself a yummy theeyal in your hands…. though I too agree that the process is a bit time consuming and probably tedious….but at the end of it, after all, is worth it, rite?? And I always make this only when I have lots of time to spare for cooking. So, for busy cooks, save this one for the weekends and make ur weekend lunch absolutely yummy and wonderful with a naadan curry like Theeyal…. :)

So, on a holiday note, happy cooking!!!

Idinchakka Thoran

2007-05-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

Thoran or to put it in a non-Keralite’s vocab… vegetable stir-fries with coconut can be named as another inseparable “side dish” from the Kerala cuisine… To give it a definition, any finely chopped vegetable mixed with coconut and stir fried until crispier, is branded as a “thoran”. In fact, Kerala’s common lunches simply confine to sambhar, any thoran or mezhukkupuratti, pickle, curd and pappadum…..and mine is no different at all.

The most notable feature about thorans is that it can be made with any veg of your choice, be it cabbage which of course is the most popular….or beans or carrot or snake gourd (padavalanga) or bittergourd(pavakka) and the list just goes on and on….. You can even make a thoran using all your left-over veggies in ur fridge too…I learnt it from my amma-in-law who makes it quite often…and I just help her out by finishing it off…:)

At this point, I would like to share with you a special thoran with Idinchakka otherwise known as Tender Jackfruit. I just love this thoran but coz of its seasonal nature, we do not get to have Idinchakka whenever we want to. So, this time, when I got hold of this one idinchakka, I just cudn’t control myself making this thoran…..and frankly, this is the only dish which I know to make with Idinchakka.

So, here’s how the recipe goes for Idinchakka thoran…..

You’d require
A small Tender Jackfruit (Idinchakka)
½ of one Coconut
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
4 - 5 Garlic pods (unpeeled)
1 - 2 Green chillies (optional)
1 tsp of Turmeric powder
Salt – As required
1 tbsp of Coconut oil
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
1 tbsp of Plain rice
2 – 3 broken Dry red chillies
A few Curry leaves

Method:-
1)Remove the skin off the jackfruit.
2)Cut the fleshy part into chunks.
3)Place it in a vessel along with turmeric powder, salt and a little water and allow it to cook. Pls do make sure that it doesn’t get overcooked or mashed as we need to cook it further. So, keep tht in mind while adding water.

4)When all the water content has evaporated, remove it from fire and allow it to cool.
5)Meanwhile, grind into a coarse form the grated coconut, garlic, green chillies and cumin.
6)When the jackfruit has come down to room temp, place it in a mixer grinder in turns and run it once to get it minced. You can also use a heavy object to crush the cooked fruit….though I prefer using a mixer.
7)Keep the minced jackfruit in a plate.
8)Add the coconut mixture and mix the whole thing with your hands.
9)Heat oil in a pan and fry the plain rice.
10)Splutter mustard seeds followed by dry red chillies and curry leaves.
11)Add the jackfruit-coconut mixture and mix well.

12)Add salt if required and mix well again.
13)Lower the flame and let it remain there for around 10 - 15 minutes.
14)When it gets crispy-like, remove from the flame. Make sure you don’t make it too crispy if you want to retain its nutrients.
15)Serve with rice.

So, coming back to thoran aspect, it is supposed to be the most easiest to prepare of all the Kerala side dishes….the only time you’d need would be for chopping the veg finely…which of course can be made much easier using a food processor…:)

You can follow the same recipe with beetroot too in which case, grate the beetroot and add the same coconut mixture to it. Mix well and stir-fry until crispy. You can use this recipe for Padavalanga (Snake gourd) as well. However, if you want to make Cabbage or Beans or Carrot or Pavakka or Vendakka or Payar or Kovakka thorans, you can omit the inclusion of garlic and substitute it with a couple of finely chopped big onions. And the rest of the procedure is the same.

So, do make yourself a scrumptious lunch with sambhar and a naadan thoran as a side dish….

On that note, happy cooking!!!!