Vegetable Stew

This is a very simple dish .This delicately flavored vegetable stew that goes well with Appam or thick slices of bread, Idiappam and Puttu. 

Ingredients

Carrot                      – 1 no (Cubed)

Potato                           – 2 no (Cubed)

Green Peas                – ½ cup

Ginger Paste                – 1 tsp

Green Chilies            – 4 no (Sliced)

Curry leaves              – few

Coconut milk tin – 1 ½ tin

Coconut oil – 1tsp

Salt to taste

 Crushed  Spices:

Whole black pepper – 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon – 2 piece
Cloves – 3 no
Cardamom – 3 no

Method: 

• Take a ½ tin coconut milk and add ½ cup water and make a thin coconut milk. Keep aside.
• Heat a oil in a deep bottom pan & splutter the crushed spices. Add, ginger paste, and curry leaves & green chili and sauté for a few minutes.  
•  Add the cubed vegetables & combine well and add a thin coconut milk & salt bring to boil, reduce heat; simmer and cook till vegetables are tender.
• Add thick coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes & remove from fire. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with Appam, Puttu .

Tip:

•  If you want to make the gravy very thick and tastier, you can add cashew paste (soak the cashews and grind and make a cashew paste) to the coconut milk .

Vegetable Stew

Onam Festival.

Onam (Malayalam: ഓണം) is the largest festival in the Indian state of Kerala. It falls during the month of Chingam (August–September) and marks the homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. Story goes that during the reign of mighty asura (demon) king, Mahabali, Kerala witnessed its golden era. Every body in the state was happy and prosperous and king was highly regarded by his subjects. For all the good deed done by Mahabali, God granted him a boon that he could annually visit his people with whom he was so attached. People make all efforts to celebrate the festival in a grand way and impress upon their dear King that they are happy and wish him well.

Onam celebrations are marked in Trikkakara, (one of the 108 Divya Desam) a place 10 km from Kochi (Cochin) Trikkara is said to be the capital of the mighty King Mahabali. A temple with a deity of 'Trikkakara Appan' or 'Vamanamurthy' who is Lord Vishnu himself in disguise is also located at this place. Nowhere else in Kerala can one find a deity of 'Vamanamurthy'.  

There is also a tradition to play games, collectively called Onakalikal, on Onam. Men go in for rigorous sports like Talappanthukali (played with a ball), Ambeyyal (Archery), Kutukutu and combats called Kayyankali and Attakalam. Women indulge in cultural activities. They make intricately designed flower mats called, Pookalam in the front courtyard of the house to welcome King Mahabali. Kaikotti kali and Thumbi Thullal are two graceful dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations.

Mahabali's rule is considered the golden era of Kerala. The following song is often sung over Onam:

"maveli nadu vaneedum kalam,
manusharellarum onnupole
amodhathode vasikkum kalam
apathangarkkumottillathanum
kallavum illa chathiyumilla
ellolamilla polivachanam
kallapparayum cherunazhiyum
kallatharangal mattonnumilla
adhikal vyadhikalonnumilla
balamaranangal kelppanilla"......

(Translation)

When Maveli, our King, ruled the land,
All the people were equal.
And people were joyful and merry;
They were all free from harm.
There was neither anxiety nor sickness,
Deaths of children were unheard of,
There were no lies,
There was neither theft nor deceit,
And no one was false in speech either.
Measures and weights were right;
No one cheated or wronged his neighbor.
When Maveli, our King, ruled the land,
All the people formed one casteless races.

http://youtu.be/s6VfZ5Giqbo

Onam Sadya

Rich and the poor, everybody prepares Onasadya in a grand fashion as people of Kerala are extremely devotional and passionate when it comes to Onasadya. So much so that, it has lead to saying, 'Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam'. Meaning - men go to the extend of selling all their possessions  for one onam Sadya.

Rice is the essential ingredient of this Nine Course Strictly Vegetarian Meals. All together there are 11 essential dishes which have to prepared for Onasadya. Number of dishes may at times also go upto 13. Onasadya is so elaborate a meal that it is called meals, even though it is consumed in one sitting. Onasadya is consumed with hands, there is no concept of spoon or forks here.

Traditional Onam Sadya meal comprises of different varieties of curries, upperies - thigs fried in oil, pappadams which are round crisp flour paste cakes of peculiar make, uppilittathu - pickles of various kinds, chammanthi - the chutney, payasams and prathamans or puddings of various descriptions. Fruits and digestives are also part of the meal.

The food has to be served on a tender Banana leaf, laid with the end to the left. The meal is traditionally served on a mat laid on the floor. A strict order of serving the dishes one after the another is obeyed. Besides, there are clear directions as to what will be served in which part of the banana leaf.

These days Onadaya has toned down a little due to the urban and hectic living style. Earlier, Onasaya used to be even more elaborate. There were about 64 mandatory dishes - eight varieties each of the eight dishes. At that time three banana leaves were served one under the other to accommodate all the dishes. How exactly they were accommodated in the tummy..is a food for thought!.
This colourful arrangement on the lush green banana leaf makes the food look even more tempting and irresistible .

Hold on...Be a little patient....you need to wait a little before you start gorging the lip smacking meal. There are some rituals which need to be followed. First full course meal is served for Lord Guruvayoorappan i in front of a lighted oil lamp (Nila Vilakku). This is in accordance with the Malayalese trend of starting everything in the name and presence of God.(www.onamfestival.org)

Wishing all my dear friends, my dear readers and everyone out there a Happy and Prosperous Onam! 

On behalf of Onam I am reposting the recipes .Click on the recipe title to take you to the recipe.. (Please click the links)


Sadya dishes                                       Moru Kachiyathu                                                       
                                                          
                        

Sambhar

Ada pradhaman,                  Cabbage Carrot and Peas Thoran
                                   
A                           

Cherupayar Payasam                                kai-mezhukkupuratti-

                                                              
 
 Nei Payasam -Aravana Payasam                         Kottu Curry

                          

Inji Thayir                                                         Beetroot Pachadi

                                                                             

Banana Chips                                          Pavakkai Kichadi

                                  

Puli Inji / Tamarind Ginger Gravy

                                                 

Malabar Aviyal                               Gothuma Payasam(Cracked Wheat)

                                        

                                                 Chekka Pradhaman

Pal Ada Pradhaman

                                                                       

                                          

Naranga Curry

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