Green Tomato Curry / Pacha Thakkali curry

Ingredients:-
Green Tomato - 4 medium
Green chili slit lengthwise - 3
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Small onion chopped - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:-

Cut Green tomato into medium pieces. Cook it covered by adding 1/2 cup water, green chiles , salt to taste, till it is tender to fork.

Meanwhile grind grated coconut, garlic , green chiles and turmeric powder to a fine paste.

Pour this to the cooked green tomato and Bring to boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and remove.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. when they pop up add chopped small onions and curry leaves and fry it for 3-4 minutes. Pour this over the curry and serve warm

Cheers!!!

Sarah  

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Dates Payasam - Wish you all a very Happy Onam

I wish you all a very joyous, fun filled and yummy onam.
To celebrate this wonderful harvest festival of Kerala, i am here today with a payasam recipe. A dates payasam, which is the quickest and simplest payasam that i have ever seen. This is my Aunts recipe and I made it yesterday for our Onam sadhya at my place, we all loved it . Hope you all will enjoy it too.

Ingredients:-

Dates(eenthapazham) seedless - 1 cup

Boiled milk - 2 cup

Condensed milk - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Raisins - 2 tsp

Ghee/butter - 3 tsp
Crushed cardamom/cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1.5 - 2.5  cup

Method

Chop the seedless dates into small pieces.If you are using dates with seeds, remove the seeds and chop it.

Cook it by adding 1.5 cup water for 10 minutes, till it is mushy and the gravy/sauce is thick. Add more water if you think its is not cooked or if you want a bit more sauce.

Add boiled milk to this and simmer for another 5-7 minutes, stirring continously and add condensed milk  and mix it well. Add crushed cardamom and let it stand for another 2 minutes .

Heat butter or ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins till golden brown. Pour this over prepared payasam and serve ..

Cheers!!

Sarah  

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Inji curry aka Puli Inji - Onam Sadya Special

Fried Ginger In a tangy sauce
I am sure there would not be any malayali out there , Who doesn't like the very festival of Onam and the feast, Onam Sadya. Along with the unbeatable taste of all those traditional recipes served, it carries a lot of nostalgia for most of us. If someone says " I am from Kerala" there are a lot of inherent meanings in It." I love coconuts, I cherish "Onam holidays and Ona Sadya" and it is a nostalgic chapter in the book of my life [along with many other things :)].But sometimes I wonder why some people wouldn't admit it? 

We even had exmas in school named after Onam ;), which i used to write thinking about the days and the feast coming after that.The endless oonjalattom with neighborhood kids and cousins, one day -two day trips to some places and movies and the song  

"Onathappa kudavayara Onam unnan oodi vaa"...Times of endless and ineffable joy!!!! 

The family will gather in one siblings house every year on Thiruvonam day and make a huge yummy feast.the servants are given off that day, and Every single one in the family will be in the kitchen , chopping , cooking and we kids would be the one getting the banana leaves...there comes the sadya, everyone was looking forward too. I am never attracted to Payasams or anything sweet, as a kid and even now ;). but loved all the other stuffs. 

Avial, Sambar, koottu curry, Thoran, Pachadi,Kichadi , Pappadom( i need atleast 10) , Upperi, Olan, kaalan, Erissery, Parippu curry, and Inji curry is our fav....

 The kick of fried  ginger and chili along with the sweetness of jaggery is awesome!!!!!  There are lot of different variations in making this Inju curry in different parts of Kerala and even the name, For some this is Inji curry and for some it is Puli Inji. But my mom has made a dstinction between these two, when she makes  Inji curry it will have roasted coconut paste in it like Anita's and Puli inji doesnt have it , . I have both the recipes here today for you,!!!!

Recipe for Inji curry

Ginger - 100 gms

Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp

Brown Sugar - 2 tsp( or use ordinary sugar)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds 

Curry leaves 

Salt to taste

Oil

For roasting and Grinding 

Grated coconut -1/2 cup

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Peel and cut the ginger into round pieces. Fry it till brown and drain on a kitchen towel. 

Crush the fried ginger pieces in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Dissolve tamarind pulp in 2 cups of water and Bring to boil by adding Brown sugar. 

Simmer for 5-7 minutes and remove from fire.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry grated coconut, till it turns brown . 

Add all the powders in Roasting section and switch off the heat. Grind it to a very fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds. When they pop up add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. 

Add the coconut paste and tamarind water and bring to boil. 

Stir in fried and crushed ginger pieces and simmer till the gravy thickens. 

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator,will last for 3 weeks.

Recipe for Puli Inji

Ginger - 100 gms

Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp

Brown Sugar - 2 tsp( or use ordinary sugar)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida/Kaayam - 1 pinch (optional)

Mustard seeds 

Curry leaves 

Salt to taste

Oil

Method

Peel and cut the ginger into round pieces. Fry it till brown and drain on a kitchen towel. 

Crush the fried ginger pieces in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Dissolve tamarind pulp in 2 cups of water and Bring to boil by adding Brown sugar and chili and turmeric powders

Simmer for 3-4 minutes and remove from fire.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. 

Add ginger and tamarind water and bring to boil. Simmer till the gravy thickens and sprinkle asafoetida 

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator, will last for 3 weeks.

Cheers!!!

Sarah  

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Vazhakka Thoran / Ethakka Thoran/ Raw banana Stir fry

Vazha or Plantain plant is found in abundance in the backyard of most of the houses back home.Its an awesome sight to see the drooping Plantain leaves( vazhayila) after a rainy day especially in monsoon season. My predilection for this sight is known among all those who knows me well and hence i adapted the name for my blog "Vazhayila" Almost all parts of this plant is edible and we make a variety of dishes with it. Thoran with banana flower, green banana, The skin of banana, stir fries , Curry with green and  ripe plantains, the stem( Pindi) and even the seeds ( Kaa vithu). More plantain recipes here

Vazhayila is an integral part in all the Feast especially the Onam sadya in kerala and the aroma of the feast served on Vazhayila is  ineffable!!! A simple medley of raw banana, with grated coocnut and some add ons , this recipe made a regular presence in our onam sadya too.

Ingredients:-
Raw banana/ Green plantains - 4
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Crushed garlic - 3 cloves
Chopped green chiles - 2 nos
Shallots - 5
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

Peel and chop the raw banana into small pieces.

Cook it covered by adding a cup water and salt , till it is done.

Grind grated coconut, Turmeric powder, green chiles and crushed garlic and 3 shallots to a coarse paste.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

When the pop up add cumin seeds and curry leaves and chopped shallots and fry it for a minute.

Add cooked raw plantains and combine it with the coconut mix.saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Serve warm with Rice.

Cheers!!!

Sarah  

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Chicken Olarthiyathu- Kerala style Spicy Sautéed chicken

Though it is unsually hot and humid outside for the last two weeks, nothing has stopped me from craving for a hot and spicy  Irachi olarthiyathu. This is my mom's recipe, which she used to make to satisfy both of us.My brother loves beef and wants it all the time. So when it comes to buying meat, Amma always asks my brother( T) what he wants.Of course Beef Olarthiyathu or nadan beef fry.Though i wasnt a big meat eater then, once in a while i get really pissed at this and fight for my rights for chicken  and chicken Fry:).  So its a Beef olarthiyathu Vs Chicken Fry war.(not to mention about the Chicken leg wars) So then my father will tell, okie lets buy chicken today and  T will be really angry. 

In Picture Chicken ularthiyathu and Chicken fried rice

He is the one who goes to the butcher shop, and many times i know he had lied telling  " Avide kozhi theernnu poyayirunnu"- There is  no chicken left there. and when he is coming back with those black plastic bag - the usual meat cover in kerala, with chicken in it, my Mom makes this recipe,  Chicken Ularthiyathu, so that i will get my rights - chicken and my brother gets what he wants Irachi Olarthiyathu   in the form of chicken.Amma is very supportive of my brother , inspite of the fact that i m the lil girl and he is 7 years older to me,  even today when both of us are married , he is amma's boy!!!

The ingredients are more or less same as we make chicken curry , but the chicken is simmered some more time than usual , till it is dry and all the masala is absorbed by  the chicken pieces...This goes well with anything like Appam , chapati, Rice ...

Ingredients:-

Chicken - 1 kg ( i used thighs)

Onion chopped - 3

Coconut cuts - 1/2 cup

Green chiles - 3

Garlic chopped - 2 tsp

Ginger crushed - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1/2 or 1 tsp (optional)

Curry leaves

Oil

To Roast and Grind 

Dried Red chiles - 15  OR Chili powder - 2  1/2 tsp

Coriander Seeds - 3 tsp OR Coriander powder - 2 tsp

(Cinnamon - 2

Cloves - 6

Cardamom - 5

Bay leaves - 1

Star ANise - 1) OR Garam masala powder  - 1  tsp

Crushed pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

( Note :- You can always increase the level of spices here as per your taste.This recipe calls for medium spicy chicken)

Method

Heat a pan and add all the ingredients in the roast section and toss it for a minute or 2 in a low flame.( stir continously and be sure not to burn it) Remove and grind it to a fine powder. If you are using all powders then roast it in medium flame for a minute and remove. OR You can  use the spice powders without roasting it .

Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces and marinate with 1/2 of the roasted powder , turmeric powder and 1 tsp of crushed ginger and salt to taste. Pressure cook this by adding very little water, for 2 whistles.Set aside.If you are not using pressure cooker , cook this in a vessel by adding 1 1/2  cup of water for 25 -30 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped garlic, ginger, curry leaves, green chiles, coconut cuts and chopped onions.Saute until they turn golden brown. Add the remaining roasted powder , lemon juice and toss it well. Add the cooked chickenpieces and cooking liquid , if there is any and combine it well. Saute this mixture for another 15-20  minutes, until it is dry and brown.

Serve warm!!!!!!

Cheers
Sarah  

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Red Swiss Chard Thoran / Stir Fry

Red swiss chard is an excellent substitute for chomala cheera - Red spincah that we get in Kerala...I have already posted one yummy charu curry with its stem . This stir fry is a very simple preparation which goes well with rice . Swiss chard are at its best during june - August and is widely available in all super markets.Make use of this highly nutritious Greens at the right time...

Ingredients:-
Red swiss chard - 1 bunch
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Shallots / Onion - 3 tsp
Garlic - 2 clove
Ginger - a small piece
Green chiles  chopped- 2
Curry Leaves
Mustard seeds
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:-
Crush garlic, ginger and shallots in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.Add this to the grated coconut and combine well using hands by adding chopped green chiles,turmeric powder and salt.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add curry leaves and chopped red swiss chard and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add the coconut mixture and combine well. Bring everything to the centre of the pan and cook it covered on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes. Uncover it, saute again for 2 minutes and remove from fire.
Serve warm..

 Cheers
Sarah  

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Kozhuva Manga Peera pattichathu/ Anchovies with green mango

The wind is changing lately.Though the days are still fiery the occasional afternoon showers,are surprisingly  giving me a whiff of the monsoon rain back home. The heat of the day ,mixed with the later showers is doing a good deed to my Patio vegetable garden too. A feeling of bliss..thats what i experience now.I am sure if the plants could talk , they would say the same ...

Tomatoes from my lil garden

My mother makes excellent meen and manga koottan a heavenly combo, and so does my Grandma (check out meen manga curry and chemmen manga curry)..Todays recipe is inspired by those two kindred spirits,who i admire the most . Kozhuva or anchovies as they call it here is a small protein rich fish , which i have a craving for all the time; some other names are podimeen , chooda, netholi etc.In my grandma's  kitchen, a "manchatti"(claypot )full of this dish,will always be in the Aduppu (the traditional  stove), making it warm all the time like an ever warm oven. The claypot cooked food has a special taste to it, i love it so much that i brought one  Manchatti with me, last time when i came back from my vacation in Kerala...So here comes a traditional claypot cooked Fish and mango Stir fry with grated coconut and Green mango for y'all to njoy...

Ingredients:-

Kozhuva/Anchovy - 250 gm

Green mango - 1 medium

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Shallots/onion chopped - 1/2 cup

Green chili - 3

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 5 cloves

Crushed black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves

Mustard seeds

Salt to taste

Oil

Clean and cut the head off the fish, if you are using fresh anchovies. I used the frozen ones from Indian grocery store, so it was already cleaned.Wash it with some vinegar or lime juice and salt to get rid off that fishy smell.

Cut green mango into medium pieces. I peeled the skin off, but you can keep it if you like .

Crush onions, ginger, garlic and green chiles in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.

Mix grated coconut with turmeric powder and red chili powder and combine it well with your hands.( Or you can crush it along with the above mix)

Heat oil in a pan( i used manchatty- clay pot) and add mustard seeds. When the pop up add curry leaves and crushed masala.Saute for 2 minutes and add green mango and fry for 3-4 minutes and add grated coconut mix. combine it well and add fish, 1 cup water and salt to taste. 

Cook it covered till it is done and the water is evaporated, for about 20 minutes. Uncover it and simmer for another 6-7 minutes to make it dry.Sprinkle crushed pepper corns and mix well.Serve warm!

Cheers

Sarah

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