Kootu Curry

Kootu curry is a traditional vegetarian dish from Kerala.It is a combination of raw plantain(pacha kaya),elephant yam(Chena) and black chickpeas(kadala).Kootu curry is a part of Kerala Onam and Vishu sadya.

Ingredients

Chickpeas(Kadala)-1/2 cup

Elephant yam(Chena)-1 cup(diced)

Raw plantain(Pacha kaya)-1 cup(diced)

Salt-As needed
Water

For Grinding

Grated coconut-1 cup

Shallots(cheriyulli)-3 nos

Green chilli-2

Chopped ginger-1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp

Cumin seeds(Jeerakam)-a pinch

For Seasoning

Grated coconut-3 tbsp

Mustard-1/4 tsp

Dry red chilli-2

Coconut oil
Curry leaves

Method

1) Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas,yam and raw plantain with enough water.
2) Grind all together in grinding section.Add it to the cooked chickpeas and vegetable mixture.Cover and cook on low flame for 8 mins.Mix it well.Adjust salt.
3) Heat oil in a pan and fry the coconut till it turns golden brown.Add it to the chickpeas-vegetable mixture.
4)Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds.Add dry red chilli and curry leaves.Add this into chickpeas-vegetable mixture.

Step by step picture.....

Vellayappam/Appam

Vellayappam is a traditional breakfast from Kerala.It is made with rice,coconut and with or without yeast.It is healthy and easy to prepare.Vellayappam is usually served with mutton stew/vegetable stew/kadala curry.

Ingredients

Raw rice- 2 cups
Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Cooked rice - one handful
Salt- as required
Sugar- 1 tsp
Dry Yeast- 1 tsp
Warm water-1/4 cup
Water/Coconut water- as required
Oil

Method

1) Mix dry yeast with warm water and keep aside for 15 minutes.
2) Wash and soak raw rice for 4-5 hours.
3) Grind the  rice along with the grated coconut,cooked rice,sugar and enough water.
4) Then add dissolved yeast and salt.Leave the mixture for fermentation for overnight.

5) Grease the appachatty(pan) with oil. Pour some batter into a heated appachatty and spread.Close it with a lid and cook on low heat.

Serve hot

Pachadi / Cucumber Pachadi-Kerala Onam Sadya Recipe

 Pachadi is a traditional Kerala sadya recipe.Pachadi can be made with a variety of              vegetables.It is a very simple dish.In this recipe I used cucumber with coconut and yogurt.

Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1small(chop into small pieces)

Yogurt/curd - 1/2 - 3/4 cup

Salt

Water

For Grinding:

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Green chillies -2-3 nos. 

Ginger - 1 piece

Crushed Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

For the seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chiilies-2

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Method:

1) Grind together grated coconut,green chillies and ginger to a fine paste.Mix crushed mustard with coconut paste. Cook cucumber with salt and enough water.Add the coconut paste to the cooked cucumber.Mix well.Cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes and remove.

2) Add yogurt and adjust salt.Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,when they start to crackle,add curry leaves and dry red chillies.Add it to the pachadi.

 Pazham Nirachathu / Stuffed Banana

Pazham nirachathu/stuffed banana is a very popular Malabar snack.It is a part of Iftar party.Ripe banana is used for this recipe.In this recipe banana's stuffed with grated coconut,sugar and nuts.It is a very tasty snacks.

Ingredients:

Ripe banana / Nenthrapazham - 3 nos.

For stuffing:

Grated coconut - 6 tbsp

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Cashew nuts - few

Raisins(onakamunthiri) - few

Ghee - 1-2 tbsp

For dipping batter:

Maida / All purpose flour - 25 gm

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)

Salt a pinch

Water

Oil for frying

For cover the fillings:

Maida / All purpose flour - 6 tsp

Salt a pinch

Water - to make thick paste

Method

For filling:

1) Heat ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts and raisins.Then add coconut,sugar and cardamom powder.Saute it for 2-3 minuts.Remove from the stove and keep it aside.

For cover the fillings:

2) Mix maida with salt,add enough water to make a thick paste.

For making dipping batter:

3) Mix together maida,sugar,salt and turmeric powder.Add enough water to make thick batter.

To stuff the banana:

4) Peel the banana and make a slit length wise and make another slit between 1 or 2 inch width.Separate the piece from banana and thickly fill the fried coconut-nuts stuffing mixture into the slit.Cover it with same piece,then seal the gap with thick maida paste.

5)  Heat oil in another pan and dip the stuffed banana's in the batter and deep fry it.

Ariyunda/Sweet Rice Balls/Rice Laddu

Ariyunda is a traditional Kerala snack.Rice,jaggery and grated coconut is used to make ariyunda.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Jaggery(powdered) - 1/2 cup

Grated Coconut-1 cup

Method

1) Wash the rice and roast till golden brown.Remove from fire and allow to cool.

2) Grind well the roasted rice with jaggery powder and grated coconut.Then take the mixture in to a bowl and makes balls out of it.

Wheat Ela Ada With Coconut & Jaggery filling

Wheat Ela ada is a traditional Kerala dish made with wheat flour,coconut & jaggery filling and wrapped in banana leaves then steamed.It is usually served as an evening snack or as breakfast.

Ingredients

Wheat flour-1 cup

Grated coconut-1/2 cup

Grated jaggery-1/2 cup

Cardomem powder-1/4 tsp

Salt-to taste

Water-as required

Banana leaves

Method

1) Mix the grated coconut,jaggery and cardamom powder.Keep it aside.Mix water,wheat flour and salt to make a dough.

2) Take a banana leaf,keep a ball of wheat flour dough and spread it.Place some filling all over the dough and fold the leaf.Steam them in an idly cooker or cook lightly on both sides on a tava.

Sambar(Malabar special Varutharacha Sambar)

Sambar is a very famous South Indian dish.It is a vegetarian dish and healthy.Sambar is served with rice,idli and dosa.It is an unavoidable part of the Kerala sadya.Malabar style sambar is very tasty.Fried coconut is used in Malabar style sambar.

Ingredients

1)Toor dal-1 cup

2)Vegetables

  Tomato-2 no. 

  Onion-1

  Drumstick-1 or 2

  Lady's finger-6 no.

  Carrot-2

  Potato-1

  Raw plantain-1

  Elephant foot yam-small piece

  Brinjal-1

  Green chilli-3 no.

3)For grinding

  Greated coconut-2 cups

  Cumin seeds(jeerakam)-1 pinch

  methi seeds(Uluva)-1 pinch

  Shallots(Cherya ulli)-2 no.

  Garlic-4 no.

  Curry leaves-1 sprig

  Asafoetida(Kayam)-1 pinch

  Oil-as needed

4)Tamarind(puli)-gooseberry sized

5)Chilli Powder-11/2 tsp

6)Turmeric powder-1 tsp

7)Coriander powder-3 tsp

8)Salt-to taste

9)Water- as needed

10)For seasoning

  Oil-1 tsp

  Dry red chilli-2 or 3 no.

  Mustard-1 tsp

  Curry leaves-2 sprig

Method

1)Soak tamarind in half a cup of water for 8 minutes.

2)Wash and cut all vegetables.

3)Fry coconut with all ingredients listed for grinding section.

  

4)Then grind this to a fine paste adding enough water.

5)Wash toor dal and pressure cook with enough water until half cooked.

6)Add vegetables one bye one according to their cooking time into the dal.

7)When the vegetables are cooked and mixed well with dal,add chilli powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,salt and tamarind juice.Then boil it.

8)When vegetables starts boiling,add the coconut mixture and cook it in a medium flame.

9)Heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chillies and curry leaves.Add it to the sambar.

Aviyal

Aviyal is a traditional Kerala dish.It is a tasty vegetarian recipe.Aviyal is a part of Kerala onam sadya.

Ingredients

(1) Drumstick-1

     Carrot-2

     Cucumber-1 piece

     Beans-5 nos.

     Elephant foot yam-1 piece

     Raw plantain-2

(2)  Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
       Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp
       Salt-To taste

For the grinding

(3) Green Chilli-5
     Cumin Seeds(jeeraka)-1 tsp
     Greated coconut-11/2 cups
(4) Yogurt-1/2 cup
(5)  Curry leaves-3 sprigs
       Coconut oil-3tsp

Method

1) Wash all vegetables and cut in to 2 inch long piece.Cook all the vegetables with turmeric ,red chilli powder and salt.
2)Coarsely grind coconut,green chillies and cumin seeds.Mix it with cooked vegetables and cook for a few minutes.Remove from flame.
3)Add yogurt and mix well.Finally add coconut oil and curry leaves.Serve with  rice.

Puttu Recipe-Kerala traditional dish 

Puttu is a traditional breakfast from Kerala.Puttu is usually served with  small banana,kadala curry,fish curry,chicken curry.Some variations of puttu use other grains such as wheat flour,tapioca,ragi and corn flour.The layered filling of coconut can be replaced by other foods,such as chicken,prawn,fish,banana.

Ingredients

Puttu flour-1/2 kg

Grated coconut-as needed

Water

Salt

Method

1) Take puttu flour in a bowl add a little salt.

2)Sprinkle water on the flour and mix it throughly with hand(it is not form a dough).The flour should be crumbly and moist.Blend it in a mixer for 1 second.

Puttu Maker

3) In a puttu making vessel(puttu kutty) , add 2 cups water to the bottom vessel of the puttu maker and allow to boil.

4)Layer the puttu kutty (top part) first with a little grated coconut,then add 1 1/2 fistful of puttu flour.Then again add greated coconut followed by puttu flour.Repeat the same process until it full and place the top part over the bottom vessel.

5)Steam it for 8-9 minutes.

6)Serve it with banana,kadala curry,fish curry,chicken curry etc.

Puttu With Fish Curry