Ada Pradhaman

Ada Pradhaman is known as the king of Payasam at Kerala, a prestigious addition to festivities such as Onam and marriage ceremonies. Payasam is a desert which is a must for every sadhya (Feast) in Kerala. The combination of coconut milk and jaggery is very delicious. 

In the olden days in Kerala they make these rice flakes days before the festival and let them dry in sunlight. But now a day the instant Ada packets are available at market, so it’s quite easy to make Pradhaman. On the day of the festival whole coconuts are grated and coconut milk is extracted from it. The first time it is extracted without adding any water, next time with little water and the third time again with little more water. The pure extract is called the First milk, Second milk and third milk consecutively. It is a great process which starts from morning till mid-noon. The ada Pradhaman is made in a big Uruli, which also adds up taste. One of my friend Santhanam loves this Pradhaman.

Here I used instant adas and tinned coconut milk. It helps you to make Pradhaman, fast and easier. 

Ingredients

Uruli

Ada                             250 gms

Jaggery                      500 gms

Water                         1 cup

Cardamom               10 no

Coconut pieces        ¼ cup

Dry ginger powder – ¼ tsp.

Cashews –                10no

Raisins                       5 no

Ghee                        4 tbsp.

Readymade Ada

Coconut milk            2-1/2 tin

Coconut milk

Ist milk:    Keep aside of 1 tin of coconut milk. That is called onnam paal .Mix crushed cardamom, dry ginger powder in it.

2^nd milk:   Add 1/2 cup of water in 1 tin of coconut milk. That is called 2^nd paal. Keep aside

3^rd milk:  Add 1 cup of water in the left of coconut milk. That is called 3^rd paal. Keep aside.

Method

• Soak Ada for an hour. Wash 2 to 3 times and drain  it and keep it aside.
• Cook with double the quantity water. It should be soft when you press it. It will take approx. 20- 25 minutes. When cooked, drain away water and keep aside.
• In meantime, add water to jaggery and melt it. When the jaggery is melted and filtered to eliminate any impurities in it.
• Mix the melted jaggery with the cooked ada and stir for ten minutes in low fire.Add 3 tbsp of ghee in it.
• In meantime, heat  1 tbsp of ghee in a small Kadai. Add coconut pieces and fry till light brown. Then add cashews and fry till brown and last add the raisins. Keep it aside.
• When Ada is cooked, add the 3^rd milk in it , cook it for 5 minutes in low flame. The payasam has to reach a thick consistency, add the 2^nd milk in it. Keep on simmer and let it thicken again.
• When the payasam reaches a thick consistency, add the first extract of milk. Mix well and just cook for 30 seconds and switch of the stove.
• Now add fried coconuts, cashews, kishmish in it.

Yummy tasty Ada Payasam is ready!! Enjoy

For Low-fat version:

• substitute half the quantity of low fat coconut milk with low fat ordinary milk.
• Use less ghee .

Kai Mezhukkupuratti or sautéed banana

 This is a Kerala dish. Kaaya Mezhukkupuratti (sautéed banana) is a side dish for rice meal or kanji (rice gruel).

Ingredients

Kerala Raw Banana          – 3 no  (Ethangkai)(cut into thin square pieces)

Coconut dried -                 1/4 cup

Green chilies                  - 6 (sliced lengthwise)

Chili powder                  – ¼ tsp.

Turmeric powder             - ½ tsp.

Hing                             – ¼ tsp.

Grated Ginger                   1 tsp.

Salt                               - to taste

Coconut oil or Cooking oil – 2 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                - 1 tsp.

Jeera –                            ½ tsp.

Curry leaves                         - few

Method of preparation

• Remove the skin and cut the banana into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, Jeera, curry leaves, Ginger and Hing and fry it for few seconds.
• Now add Turmeric powder and chili powder, Green chilies and banana pieces. Now add 2 tbsp. of water and salt and stir well.  Cover the pan and cook it.
• When all of the water is absorbed, lower the flame and add curry leaves.
• Mix the pieces well. Now add grated coconut.
• Serve hot with rice. Enjoy your lunch with this Mezhukkupuratti. 

 

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Manga Chammanthi (Mango Chutney)

It is very simple and easy to make.

 Ingredients:

Raw mango                                1 no

Grated Coconut                           1/2 cup 

Green chilly-                               5 no

Grated Ginger -                           1 tbsp

Chopped Coriander leaves -           2 tbsp

Salt                                            to taste

 Method:

• Wash and grate the Mango.
•  Grind the grated mango, and then add the coconut, chilly, salt, coriander leaves and ginger. Grind it well.
• Serve with Rice, Idli, Dosa.

Tomato Theeyal

I always do small twist to recipes and make a new recipe. That’s my habit. Sometimes it will come out very well. Sometimes it comes out a big flop.  Thanks to Paddy for being my guinea pig. But this tomato Theeyal came out very well.

Theeyal means “burnt dish” (Burnt coconut).  It is one of the traditional dishes from Kerala. Most preferred Theeyal is suran & onion.  I already showed you how to make zucchini Theeyal in my old recipes. Here I tried  to make tomatoes Theeyal. I skipped tamarind and I used  only  tomatoes. It came out very well. . But the procedure remains same for all.

Ingredients:

Big Tomatoes 4 no (cut into small pieces)

Green chili - 3 no

Grated Coconut ¾ cup

Red chilies – 3 no

Chili powder 1 Tsp

Coriander powder – 1tsp

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves for decoration

 Coconut Oil  - 2tsp

Salt to taste

Method: 

• Heat oil in a kadai and add the chopped ¾ of tomato pieces, and chilly. Sauté it well.  Keep it aside.
• Roast the grated coconut, and curry leaves in a kadai (roast it in low flame) till it turns brown colour. Then  lower the heat then add chili powder and coriander powder and fry for 1 minute.
• Remove it from fire, allow it to cool. Add the above tomato mixture in it
• Grind it all together well without adding water.
•  Heat oil in a kadai and sauté the left over tomatoes Fry for few minutes
• Now add this paste into the sautéed tomato mix and add water and salt.
• Boil it till the raw smell goes and ooze out the oil in top.
• Serve hot and garnish with coriander leaves.

Beetroot Pachadi

Beet greens are a very good source of calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic acid. They are a very good source of fiber, manganese and potassium. Beet greens and beetroot are a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, iron and vitamin B6. Betacaine is the pigment that gives beetroot its color, and has powerful antioxidant. Beet fiber has been shown to have cholesterol lowering capabilities properties. Beetroot contains the bioactive agent betaine, which supports healthy liver function.

 This is one of my favorite dish from Kerala Cuisine.I love this colorful pachadi.

Ingredients: 

Beetroot                       – 1 no (finely chopped or grated)

Ginger grated                 – 1 tbsp

Green chillies                 - 5 no (finely chopped)

Curd                                – 1 cup

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil                       – 1tsp

Mustard seeds                   – ½ tsp

Red chillies                         – 2 no

Curry leaves                      – 1 stem

Salt                                   – to taste

Method:

• Wash and remove the skin of beetroot and chop it finely. Put it in the microwave bowl and cook it for 4 minutes. (If you don’t have microwave , you can sauté it in frying pan for 3 minutes.)
• Heat oil in a pan and sauté finely chopped ginger, green chillies and cooked beetroot for 2 minutes. Add salt and mix well.
• When it is cooked remove from fire. Let the mixture cool… and then add thick curd to it and mix it well.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies. When it splutters pour this over the beetroot and combine it well.

Kerala Banana Fritters ( Pazham Pori )

 Pazham pori /Plantain fritters is made out of a special variety of plantain called "Nendrapazham" which is highly nutritious and  good source of  potassium and vitamins A & C. Ethakappam has been the popular and the favorite snack of keralites. The plantain slices dipped in sweetened flour and then deep fried in oil.This snack is common street item in Kerala and one of the fastest and hot selling snacks in trains.This snack is often fried in most of the homes and relished by all along with a cup of steaming tea or coffee. It's also a very tasty, fast and easy to make. 

Ingredients

Ripe Nendran bananas                          -2 (peeled)

Water                                                – ½ cup

Maida (all-purpose flour)                      – 3/4cup

Rice Flour                                            – ¼ cup

Sugar                                                  – 2tbsp

Cardamom powder                                – ½ tsp

Yellow color                                         – 1 drop

bicarbonate of soda                               A pinch of   

 Refined vegetable oil                           – for Deep fry

Method

•  Cut each banana into 3 pieces, lengthwise.
• Make a thick batter with both the flours and ½ cup water. Add sugar, yellow color and bicarbonate of soda.
•  Dip the banana slices in the batter and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.
•  Drain off the excess oil and serve hot. 

SAMBHAR 2 (KERALA SAMBHAR)

This delicious sambhar from my Madappalli.

 Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal                               1 cup

Mixed vegetables chopped        1 cup (potato, carrot, okra, Ash gourd)

Tomatoes                              2no

Tamarind                             – A small lemon size ball (soaked in hot water)

Green Chilies                          - 3 no
Ginger grated                          – 1tsp–
For Grinding:

Red Chili Powder                       – 1tsp

Coriander powder                      – 2 tsp

Hing                                       – ¼ tsp

Fenugreek powder                    – 1/8 tsp

Coconut                                   – 3 tbsp

Turmeric Powder                        – ½ tsp

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil                                – 3tsp

Mustard seeds                               – 1tsp

Dry Red chillies                            – 1 no

Curry Leaves                                – 2 stem

Method

• Cook the dal in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles. Keep aside.
• Make a tamarind extract from soaked tamarind water.
• Fry the grated coconut, using little oil in an even heat till it`s color turns golden brown. Reduce the flame. Add chili powder, coriander, and fenugreek powder. Stir for 1 minute till the raw smell of the powders goes. Grind it to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Wash the vegetables. Sauté, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves in oil.
• Add the vegetables to it along with tamarind water, and turmeric powder. Cook till all the vegetables become tender.
• Next, add the grounded coconut paste and tomatoes and stir it well. Allow it to boil for few minutes.
• Add the cooked dhal mixture and salt and mix again. Simmer the heat and allow it to boil.
• It should neither be too watery nor too thick when you get the desired consistency, remove from flame.
• Fry the mustard seeds, chillies, curry leaves in 2 tsp of oil and pour it over the Sambhar.
• Garnish with Coriander Leaves.
• Serve  hot with rice,Dosai,Idli,Vadai

Nandran Banana Skin Thoran

In Kerala, both banana and coconut plant is used at its maximum. Whether fruit, leaves, root, anything from both plants is used. After I made Banana chips, I kept the banana skin in my refrigerator. The next day I made this thoran for lunch.

Ingredients:

Nendran Banana skin (finely chopped)         4 cups

Moong dal                                               ¼ cup

Grated coconut                                        ¼ cup

Grated ginger                                          1 tsp

Green chillies                                          5 nos

Cumin seeds (Jeerakam)                          ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder                                     ½ tsp

Dry red chillies                                       2 nos (broken into pieces)

Coconut oil                                            3 tbsp

Mustard seeds                                       1 tsp

Curry leaves                                          A few

Salt                                                     to taste

Method: 

• Wash the chopped banana skin and keep aside.
•  Wash the Moong dal well and cook it separately in a pressure cooker. Make sure you don’t overcook it. Drain the extra water from the dal. We need a thick dal only. 
• Place together the grated coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder, ginger, curry leaves and cumin seeds in a mixer bowl and run it once to make it into a coarse form. 
• Mix together the finely chopped plantain skin, the coconut mixture, turmeric powder and salt. 
• Heat a oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and sauté dry red chillies, and curry leaves. 
• Add the plantain skin-coconut mixture and mix well. Cover and cook for about five minutes on a low flame. 
• Remove the lid and add the cooked moong dal and mix well. Continue cooking, till done. 

Kerala Sadya

Sadya means feast in Malayalam. It is also known Virundhu Sappadu in Tamil.

A Sadya is traditionally a vegetarian meal served on a plantain or banana leaf; people eat sitting cross-legged on the floor. After the habit of table meals creeped into our midst, we are compelled to remind ourselves that we sit on the floor cross-legged. The Sadya is usually served as lunch.

The dishes are plain rice, many curries, pappadum, plain yogurt or buttermilk, banana or plantain chips, and two or more sweet dishes. The curries are made of different vegetables and have different flavorings. They can be made of yogurt, bitter gourd, mango, Jaggery, etc. Coconut, being staple food in Kerala, is used in almost all dishes. Coconut milk also finds various uses in cooking. Coconut oil is used for frying. Onion and garlic are not typically used in the Sadya.

Click on the recipe title to take you to the recipe..

 Recipes

 Paruppu,                                                                    Mango Pulissery,
                                                  
                                         

Sambhar                                                                           Avial,

                                        

Olan                                                                    Zucchini Theeyal, 

                                      

                                                             
Puli Inji                                                              Kumbalanga Kuttan, 

                                         


Erisseri,                                                                Pineapple Pachadi,

                                       


Beetroot Pachadi                                          Tomato rasam

                                                             

Cabbage Tuvaran,                                               Chips, 

                               

 Mango curry,                                                  Jeera Vellam,

                                


Nei Payasam                                                Ada Pradhaman,

                                


Milk Payasam,                                                 Cherupyar Payasam

                                             

Pineapple Pachadi

Pineapples are rich in vitamins, proteins and essential minerals. At the same time, they are extremely low in terms of fat content. That makes this fruit an ideal low-calorie, yet filling food. It is a perfect choice for a midday snack for weight watchers and the calorie conscious community. Pineapple is very good for overall dental health. Since it has a high content of Vitamin C, it can reduce the chances of gum inflammation and other gum diseases.

Kerala Cuisine is blessed with many Pineapple dishes, and this Pineapple Pachadi is one of my favorite. And in southern Kerala, this sweet dish is used as an accompaniment for Sadya.

The cleaning and cutting part of the pineapple is quite difficult and time consuming. This is a tedious job, which I always hate to do. In this recipe instead of fresh pineapple I used tinned pineapples.

Here’s my version of Pineapple Pachadi…

Ingredients:

Pineapple                                1 tin

Turmeric Powder                      a pinch

Mustard seeds crushed             1 teaspoon.

Water                                      1/4 cup

Salt                                         To taste

Well beaten Yogurt                    2 cups

For grinding:-

Jeera/cumin seeds                    1/2 teaspoon.

Grated coconut                         1/2 cup

Green chillies                            3 Nos.

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds                           1/2 teaspoon.

Dried Whole Red Chilies              3 no.

Curry leaves                               a sprig

Coconut Oil                                 2 Tablespoon

Method:

• Chop the pineapple into small pieces. Mix together chopped pineapple, turmeric powder , crushed mustard seeds, salt and water in a pan and cook till pineapple are soft and well  cooked.
• Grind coconut with Jeera and green chillies. Add the ground mixture into the cooked pineapple.
• Lower the heat and be cook for 10 minutes till it becomes thick.
• Remove from the fire and add the yogurt and mix well. Not to boil it after adding yogurt.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan, add mustard seeds when its starts to pop, add dry red chilli, and curry leaves and sauté it for few minutes.
• Pour this into the cooked pineapple mixture.
• Serve with hot rice.

Pineapple Pachadi

Olan

Olan is a  Kerala cuisine of South India. It is prepared from pumpkin, coconut milk and ginger seasoned with coconut oil. Olan is usually served as part of a Sadya(Feast), along with Kaalan.

Ingredients:

Chopped White Pumpkin          – 1 cup

Chopped Red pumpkin             – ¼ cup

Black eyed beans                    – ½ cup

Low fat coconut milk                – 1 tin

Green chillies                          – 3 -4 nos

Grated ginger                           - 1 tsp

Curry leaves                             – 2 stem

Coconut oil                               – 1 tbsp

Salt                                         – to taste

Method:

• Soak the beans overnight.
• Pressure cook the next day till 3/4th done.
• Add chopped pumpkins,ginger, salt and slit green chillies. Cook with a little water.
• When the pumpkin and the beans are completely cooked, pour hot oil tempered with curry leaves into it.
• Add the coconut milk and reduce the heat and cook for three more minutes.
• Serve hot with rice and Sambhar.

OLAN

Kalan

This is one of the traditional Kerala dish.  Kalan is a main dish in all Kerala Sadya. There is lot of regional difference to make this dish. Here I am showing you Thirusur based Kalan dish. Here I used raw banana and yam to make this recipe. You can make this with white pumpkin, Snakegourd.

Ingredients:

Yam –                                                   1 cup (Sliced into small pieces)

Raw banana (prefer Nendran)                 1 no.

Thick slightly sour yogurt                        2 cups

Green chillies                                        5 no (slit)
Pepper powder                                      1 tsp

Turmeric powder                                  1/3 tsp

Water                                                    1cup

Fried and powdered Fenugreek               ½ tsp
Salt                                                         to taste
To Be Grind:
Grated Coconut                                       ½ cup

Cumin seed                                              ½ tsp

Seasoning:
Coconut oil                                         – 2 tbsp

Mustard seed                                      – 1 tsp

Jeera                                                – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves                                        – 2 stem

Whole red chillies                            – (broken into 2 pieces)

Method

•  Remove the skin of the plantain and slice into small pieces.
• Heat the water in a pan, add pepper powder and cook the vegetables in this water.
• Add turmeric powder and salt .Stir well.
• Grind the coconut and cumin to a smooth paste without adding water. Keep aside.
• When water dries add silted green chillies in it. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil in it. Simmer the stove heat.
• Pour the yogurt and mix well. Lower the flame.
• When the curd boils and become dry and thick, add the grounded coconut mixture and fenugreek pour into it. Stir well.
• Bring to boil for three to four minutes and remove from the fire.
• Season with mustard seed, chillies, curry leaves.

Zucchini Theeyal

Theeyal means “burnt dish” (Burnt coconut).  It is one of the traditional dishes from Kerala. It gets its color from browning of coconut and tamarind. You can make this dish with baby shallots, drumstick, sankegourd, suran, Brinjal and zucchini.. You can make this recipe with one vegetable or mix match with other vegetable. But the procedure remains same for all. Most preferred theeyal is suran.

Here I am showing the zucchini Theeyal

Ingredients

Zucchini                              – 2 nos (chopped big pieces)

Tamarind                            – 1 small lemon size

Red chili                             – 2 tsp

Green chillies                      – 4 nos

Coriander powder                   2 tsp

Grated coconut                    – 2 cups

Turmeric powder                  – ½ tsp

Curry leaves                       – 3 stems (chopped)

Red chillies                         – 2 no (broke into pieces)

Fenugreek seeds                 – ¼ tsp ( dry fry and powdered it)

Hing                                  – 2 pinch

 Coconut Oil                        as needed

Salt                                       to taste

Method

• Wash and clean the zucchini. Cut into big pieces. Do not remove the skin.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water for ½ hour. Extract the pulp from tamarind. Keep aside.
• Heat the pan add ½ tsp of oil; fry the coconut till golden brown. Simmer and add all masalas powders and stir and fry till it gives you a good aroma.  Keep aside for cooling
• Now dry grind the masalas to a very smooth paste.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, whole red chillies and allow to splutter. Add zucchini, fenugreek powder, Hing and fry for one minute .Now add tamarind pulp , salt in it. Cook  it for 2  more minutes.
• Now add grind coconut paste in it. Simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice.

Aviyal

Aviyal is a dish that has a unique place in a typical Kerala Cuisine. It is also one of the traditional dishes in Kerala Sadya, a vegetarian feast presented on banana leaves at family celebrations. It is a thick mixture of a lot vegetables, and coconut, and seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Normally, Avial is a choice when I see I have a lot of leftover vegetables at the end of the week. The traditional Aviyal generally uses common vegetables in Kerala like Plantain (Ethakka), Elephant Yam (Chena), Long string beans, Snake gourd, Cucumber, Raw Mango, Drumstick and Carrots. When Avial is made in our house, it is a signal that one of us need to go to store to get fresh supplies.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

Elephant yam (Chena)                    ½ cup

Chopped Zucchini                            1 no

Chopped Carrot                               ½ cup

Raw banana                                      1no

Nendran Banana                               1 no

Chopped White Pumpkin                   1 cup

Chopped Red Pumpkin                     1 cup

Potato                                              4 no

Capsicum                                         1 no

Chopped raw mango                        ½ cup

Curry leaves                                     3 stems

Salt                                                  As required

Coconut oil                                        3 tablespoon

 To be Grind:

Coconut                                            3/4 cup

Green chilly                                       6 no

Turmeric powder                               ½ teaspoon

Cumin seed                                       ¼ teaspoon

 Method:

• Wash all the vegetables and cut into 2 inch long pieces. 
• Put all vegetables in a microwave bowl and cook for four minutes.
• Heat the heavy bottom pan, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and curry leaves. When curry leaves start spluttering add all vegetables and mix it well. Add required water, turmeric powder and salt and cook till vegetables are soften.(Do not add too much water)
• Grind the coconut, Jeera, and chillies coarsely. Add this to the cooked vegetables. Gently mix them and cook it for few more minutes at low heat.
• When cooked properly add curry leaves and coconut oil and mix well.  And remove from the stove.

Aval Thirukannaamuthu (Aval Payasam)

This is a traditional dish from Kerala state,India. This is one of the Neivedya prasadam for Unni Kannan. Usually I make this payasam on Krishna Jeyanthy day.  For Unni Kannan he loves Aval and Milk. This dish gives both. This payasam does not require nuts for decoration.

Ingredients:

Chemba Aval (Brown Aval)                    – ¼ cup

2% milk                                                – 1 cup

Evaporated milk                                    – 1 tin

Cardamoms                                          – 6 no

Ghee                                                     – 2 tbsp

Sugar                                                    – ¾ cup to 1 cup

Saffron                                                   - a pinch

Method: 

• Wash and clean the Aval. Fry the Aval in  1 tbsp  ghee.
• Add milk and saffron into the Aval. Cook it in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles
• Take out the Aval from cooker and transfer into the sauce pan.
•  Mash the Aval slightly. Add sugar, 1 tbsp of ghee, evaporated milk and crushed cardamoms. Stir well until Sugar dissolve into milk. Reduce the heat and cook it for 20 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of payasam.