Sprout Masala

Ingredients:

2 cups green gram sprouts (takes about 1/4 cup of dried whole legumes to make around 2 cups)
1 medium sized onion chopped very fine
2 tomatoes chopped into small chunks
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon and clove spice mix
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 green chilies chopped fine
3 tbsp toasted chopped and crushed cashew nuts
2 tbsp of refined oil
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin and sauté por un minuto.
Add in the chopped onions, sauté hasta que se doren
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute
Add salt, chilies, turmeric, coriander, spice mix, powdered cashew nuts and tomato puree and sauté hasta que el aceite comes claro.
Add the sprouts, sauté durante unos minutos and reduce the flame.
Gather all the sprouts , junto to the center of the pan and cerrar la pan with a tight lid y deje que se cook.
Check in occasionally, stir and repeat el paso anterior until the sprouts are cooked a su gusto.
Take off the flame. Garnish with cilantro and lemon zest.
Serve hot with Indian Breads or rice.

Parava Fish Fry

Ingredients:

1 lb small fish like parava/false trevally (my favorite) or killi meen/threadfin bream cleaned and whole
1 tbsp of fresh ginger garlic paste ( ginger and garlic in a 1:1 ratio)
1/2 tsp shallot paste
1 tsp chili powder (base it on tolerable spice levels)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp black ground pepper
salt to taste
1 tsp of lime juice (optional)
2 sprigs of curry leaves
coconut oil/refined vegetable oil for roasting.

Method:

Make a couple of slits a cada lado de each fish and los adoba with a tsp of lime juice y reservar.
Mix all the spices with ginger-garlic, shallot and salt to make a thick smooth paste. The marinade debe ser un poco on the saltier side.
Apply the paste on all the fishes asegurándose de que all sides están completamente coated by a thin layer of marinade.
Set it aside for 30 mins or so.
Heat oil in a shallow non stick pan and slide in the fishes de uno en uno.
Roast on medium heat and flip the fishes to otro lado después de 2-3 min , o when you see the fish is 3/4 cooked from the bottom.
The time you vamos to roast a cada lado depends on the size de cada pieza y how crisp you would like it to be.
When done colocar las piezas en paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
Garnish with pimienta molida y fried curry leaves.

Chakka Puzhukku

Ingredients:

1 lb deseeded segments of raw jack fruit
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/3 -1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic
2 green chilies
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2 –3 finely sliced shallots
salt to taste

Method:

Chop the raw jack fruit segments julienne style and cook en media taza of water. (if using a pressure cooker allow it to cook for one whistle).
Grind juntos coconut, cumin,[],green chili, ajo,c, curry leav, la cebollats and turmeric powder into a smooth paste.
Add the ground mixture to the cooked raw jack fruit and mezclar bien.
Serve with pickles and Kerala chicken, beef or fish.

Pavakka Carrot Manga Achar – Kerala Style

Ingredients:


1 cup cut julienne style bitter melon
½ cup cut julienne style carrot
½ cup cut julienne style raw peeled mango
2 tsp cut julienne style garlic
2 tsp cut julienne style green chilies
1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
big pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp roasted cumin powder (dry roast cumin seeds and powder them)
½  tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp roasted fenugreek powder (dry roast fenugreek seeds and powder them)
2 –3 tbsp sesame or refined vegetable oil
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1/4 cup natural vinegar

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, sauté melons, carrots and mango, one at a time, durante unos minutos each hasta que are just tender. Make sure not to cook them.
Drain them out of the oil and set aside.
In the same oil add asafoetida and mustard and , cuando the mustard pops, add cumin, curry leaves, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, chiles verdes and sauté for un par de minutos.
Reduce the heat and add the sautéed veggies, salt and vinegar and mix thoroughly a fuego muy bajo.
Turn off the heat and let it cool.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in air tight containers.  

Navratan Korma

Ingredients:

10 oz of paneer/cottage cheese
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1 large onion chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp punjabi garam masala
1 1″ piece of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 pod of bruised cardamom
4 cloves
3-4 cups mixed veggies(he usado cubed potatoes, chopped French beans, diced carrots,green peas,cauliflower florets, diced bell pepper)
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
10-12 raisins
2-3 tbsp heavy cream
2-3 tbsp refined oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the paneer en planchas (not cubes) and tostarlas on both sides in a non stick pan in 1 cucharada de aceite. Make sure you don’t over do it. Both the sides deben tener just a slight hint of color marrón to bring out the nutty flavor of the paneer.
When all the slabs of paneer are toasted cortarlas en small cubes, sprinkle un poco de sal and set aside.
Grind 1/4th cup of the cashews junto con las cebollas.
Parboil with salt all the veggies individually (el tiempo de cocción for each varies) y reservar.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add turmeric and cumin powder and sautéfor 30 secs.
Add the remaining cashew nuts and the enteras spices.
When the spices puff up add the cashew onion paste and the ginger garlic paste and sauté hasta que el aceite separates.
Add the garam masala and pepper powder.
.Add one cup of water and bring to boil.
Add the the veggies, paneer, raisins and pine apple y se deja hervir until the veggies are cooked.
Garnish with heavy cream
Server hot with Indian breads

Pork Curry– Coorgi Style

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork cut into 1’’ cubes, like you would do for stew.
1  large onion finely sliced
5 –6 shallots finely sliced (replace with one cebolla roja if you no los tiene)
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp kanchampuli
3 – 4 tsp coorgi pork masala (ingredients and directions mentioned below)
11/2 tsp red chili powder (base this on tolerable spice levels)
1 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 –3 sprigs of curry leaves(optional)
salt to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil/ refined vegetable oil

Ingredients/Directions for coorgi masala powder

3 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp black pepper corns
4 cloves
1’’ of cinnamon bark
seeds of 1 pod of cardamom

Dry roast todos estos ingredientes separately to un color marrón oscuro and grind fino.

Method:

Mix turmeric,chili powder, coorgi pork masala with kanchampuli and salt and marinate the meat pieces with this mixture for una hora o dos.
Add 1/4 cup water, and pressure cook. After el pitido inicial reduce the flame y deje que se simmer for 10 a 15 minutos (slow cooking on a de baja fame es la clave to cook the meat tender).
If usted no tiene a pressure cooker, cook the marinated pieces in a tightly closed pan with 1 vaso de agua on high for 5 minutos y luego reduce the fuego a bajo and let it simmer for about 20 – 25 minutos on low heat, till it is just about cooked.
Heat oil in una sartén grande, add mustard and cuando pop add in the curry leaves.
Add the onions and sauté hasta que las cebollas are caramelized a un marrón oscuro.
Add ginger-garlic paste to the onions, sauté until the oil separates.
Add the cooked pork to the pan till all the gravy por completo dries out. If you desea it with gravy cook sólo hasta que the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
Serve as an appetizer or with rice or rotis.

Vegetable Biryani- Chettinad Style

Ingredients:

1 lb veggies de su elección. ((I used, cauliflower and broccoli florets, diced bell peppers and carrots, peas and potatoes cortadas en long strip like fries)
3 cups basmati rice
1 large  or 2 medium sized red onions finely sliced
3 large tomatoes, diced in chunks
2 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
11/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp chopped mint
5 cloves
4, 1/4 inch pieces of cinnamon
2 bruised whole cardamom
1/2 tsp red chili powder, alter this based on tolerable spice level
2 tsp paprika, for color
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
refined vegetable oil
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup curd
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Spices for Grinding

3 cloves
2,1/4 inch pieces of cinnamon
seeds from 1 cardamom
1 tsp of fennel seeds

Method:

Soak washed basmati rice with 4 cups of water and set aside for an hour.
Dry roast the spices mentioned for grinding and grind to a semi coarse powder
Heat refined oil in a wide bottomed pan that puede ser equipado con a tight lid and doesn't let steam escape and fry the veggies one a la vez hasta almost cooked y reserve.
In the same pan add ghee and  add more oil if necessary,
When hot, add the clavos de olor, cinnamon and cardamom y dejar que ellos puff up.
Add the chopped onions and sauté hasta que deep brown (the onions debe buscar fried).
When the oil llega clear, move the onions to the sides of the pan and add turmeric and the especias molidas to el aceite acumulado at the center of the pan and sauté for 30 secs.
Add remaining ginger-garlic and sauté for a minute.
Add in the diced tomatoes, chili powders and sauté until oil separates.
Reduce the flame a bajo y add the coconut milk, curd, lemon, salt, cilantro and mint y deje que se simmer.
Add 1 tbsp of ghee, salt and cook el arroz hasta the water boils and the rice is only 3/4 done.
Drop in the fried veggies into the masala mixture mix bien y flatten it at he bottom of the pan
Pour in the boiling rice into the pan haciendo que el rice forma a layer en la parte superior of the masala and veggie mixture and no tiene contacto directo to the bottom of the pan.
Close the pan un cierre hermético and let it sit on the fuego muy lento durante 15 – 20 min o hasta que the rice en la parte superior is done.
Remove from the stove and mix in the rice and masala
Serve with raitha and mango pickles.

Onion and Garlic Chutney

Ingredients:

1 chopped red onions
1 tsp red chili powder (base it on taste)  
1tsp paprika (for color)  
2 tbsp sliced garlic  
1/2 cup tamarind pulp extracted from 1 lemon sized tamarind
3 green chilies slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
small pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp jaggery shavings
salt to taste
1 spring of curry leaves
2-3 tsp of sesame oil (cold pressed)

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard and curry leaves.
Add onions, green chilies and garlic y saltee hasta que the onions are translucent
Add chili powder and paprika and sauté durante unos minutos.
Pour in the tamarind pulp and bring to boil.
Add jaggery and salt to taste.
Serve with dosas or idlis.

Shallot Chutney / Ulli Chammanthi /Vengaya Chutney

Ingredients:

1 cup shallots chopped
4-5 dried red chilies
1tsp black gram dal/urad dal
1 tsp channa dal / bengal gram
1/4 tsp tamarind paste o de mármol sized pitted tamarind
small pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste
2-3 tsp of sesame oil (cold pressed)

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, dals, dried chilies and shallots y saltee hasta que the shallots estén dorados.
Add tamarind and sauté for a few more minutes.
Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool.
Grind to a smooth paste.
Serve with dosas or idlis.

Green Chili Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

1 cup grated fresh coconut
2 green chilies
2 tbsp chopped shallots
salt to taste
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
2 tsp of coconut oil or refined vegetable oil

Method:

Grind juntos coconut, shallots and chiles verdes with 1/2 taza de agua. Add más agua after grinding para obtener desired consistency.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves y dejar que el mustard pop.
Pour the seasoning over the ground mixture and mix well.
Add salt to taste.
Serve with dosas or idlis.

Meen Molee

 Ingredients:


1 lb skinless fillets of Halibut cut into one serving size pieces
1 medium red onion finely sliced
2 –3 green chilies slit into two
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 large tomato cut into large chunks
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp kerala garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
1 cup thick coconut milk from a can (if you are using fresh coconut milk, use all the milk extracted from 1 small coconut, keep the thick and the thin milk separate)
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp powdered roasted fenugreek seeds
1-2 sprigs of curry leaves
2- 3 shallots finely sliced
Salt – to taste

Method:

Marinate the fish fillets with lemon juice, salt, black pepper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add powdered fenugreek and sauté for 30 secs.
Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
Add green chilies,tomatoes, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, garam masala, salt and sauté well until the tomatoes form a mush.
Add one cup of water if you are using canned milk or one cup of thin coconut milk if you are using fresh milk.
When the coconut milk/water  comes to boil, add the fish fillets and cook covered on medium flame for 10 minutes or till the gravy starts to thicken.
Pour 1 cup of thick coconut milk and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan, add in mustard seeds, when they pop, add the curry leaves and shallots.
Sauté until the shallots are nicely fired.
Pour the seasoning over the curry, mix gently and switch off the flame.

Vendakka Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb lady’s finger/okra cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 – 3  green chilies, slit
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup  tomatoes cut into big chunks
1 –2 sprigs of curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Kerala Garam masala
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp sour curd
salt – to taste
2 tbsp coconut/ refined oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves and green chilies.
Add turmeric, garam masala and coriander powder and saute for 30 secs.
Add onions and sauté the until they begin to sweat.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and  sauté until it turns soft.
Now add okra pieces, mix well and allow it to cook on medium heat.
When it is completely cooked, stir in the curd and coconut milk ,mix well and let it simmer for 2-3 more minutes or until it all comes together.
Remove and serve with steamed rice.

Kathirikai Masala

Ingredients:

2 lbs eggplant (I’ve used the small round/oval ones, but the long green ones work best)
1/2 tsp three Cs spice mix (cardamom-cinnamon-clove spice mix)
1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 large onion, chopped finely julienne style
1/2 tsp chili powder( base it on tolerable spice level)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
1-2 sprigs of  curry leaves
refined vegetable oil
salt to taste

Method:

If you are using the small egg plants like I’ve used -cut off only the green stalk of the eggplants letting the green ring on the top remain (this will help hold the individual eggplant together even after it is cooked), make four slits at the bottom keeping the eggplant still intact as a whole. If you are using the long green kind then cut them into big chunks
Heat about 2 to 3 tsp of refined oil in a wide flat bottomed pan
Place the eggplants in the pan so that every eggplant touches the floor of the pan. Set the flame high for about 3 –4 mins or until one side of the eggplant is caramelized, then turn them over to the other side repeat the procedure. If there isn’t enough space in the pan, do them in batches.
Sprinkle a little salt on top of the eggplant after the two sides are caramelized, close the pan and cook in low flame for 4 -5 mins or until the eggplants are almost (not completely) cooked.
Dry roast the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds (each separately)
Grind them into a semi coarse mixture along with the coconut.
Heat a table spoon refined oil, add mustard and curry leaves corns and sauté until the mustard pop.
Add in the chopped onions, sauté till golden brown
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another few minutes till the oil comes clear.
Add in the tamarind paste , the ground mixture, 3 Cs spice mix,turmeric & chili powder and 1 cup od water and stir till the they all come together.
Add in the almost cooked eggplants and cook for few more minutes till the eggplants are fully cooked, add in hot water if the consistency of the gravy is too thick.
Add salt to taste.
Serve with Indian breads or rice

Egg Dosa

Ingredients:

Oil- 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Dry red whole chilly- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig (optional)
Onion, chopped very small- 2
Green pepper, chopped very small- 2
Tomatoes, chopped small-2
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup- 3 tbsp
Eggs, beaten- 2
Cilantro, chopped- 2 handful
Salt- to taste

Method:

Place a wok or non-stick pan over medium heat.
Add oil, let it turn hot.
Add cumin seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves, saute for a second.
Add onion and little salt, saute till onions turn translucent.
Add green pepper, cook for a few minutes till it turns tender.
Now, add tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed up.
Add chilly powder and coriander powder, combine well.
Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl.
Add the beaten eggs to the veggies, scramble the eggs and cook the eggs.
Add tomato ketchup, combine well and cook for a few minutes.
Garnish with cilantro.
Taste and add salt if needed.

How to spread on Dosa:

Spread the dosa batter on the tawa or non-stick pan, let it cook.
Spread the egg masala evenly over the dosa, let cook for a few seconds.
Turn the heat to low.
Fold the dosa over and flip to the other side, cook for a minute.
Serve warm along with raita or yogurt.

Goat’s Leg Soup

Ingredients:

To grind

Cumin seeds- 2 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds- 2 tsp
Whole peppercorns- 1 1/2 tsp or according to your needs
Small onions or shallots, chopped- 10 small onions or 3 large shallots
For making soup:
Goat’s leg- 1 lb or 8 pieces
Small onions or shallots, cut long- 10 small onions or 3 large shallots
Water- 4 cups
Salt- to taste

Method:

In a blender or using a mortar and pestle coarsely grind the above mentioned ingredients “to grind”.
I made this in a pressure cooker, you could make it in a large soup pot instead.
Clean the goat legs under running water, remove any unwanted fat clinging to the bones.
Combine the ground mixture, goat legs, small onions chopped and water in the pressure cooker or a soup pot.
Add enough salt and close with the lid.
If you are cooking in a pressure cooker, cook for a little longer till 5 to 6 whistles if your pressure cooker gives out whistles or till it rocks hard.
While cooking in a large pot, you have to cook for a long time till the meat near to the bone has cooked well and water reduces to almost half the amount. Cover the pot and cook.
Open the pressure cooker after the pressure has subsided and cook at medium heat for some more time till the water has reduced to half.
Have a taste and add more salt and ground pepper if needed.
This soup should be salted well.

Tips:

Goat legs are available in most stores that sell halal meat.
Don’t add any oil while cooking as the goat legs will release all the fat while cooking.
I like to have this soup on the day it’s made, when refrigerated the fat layer will deposit on the top and the sight of thick yellowish fat layer literally freaks me out.

Chakka Elayappam

Ingredients:

For making the jackfruit filling or preserve:

Ripe Jackfruit, canned- 2 cans or 14 fresh ripe jackfruit
Jaggery- 2 large cubes as shown in picture below (or use brown sugar according to your sweet level)
Cardamom, whole smashed- 4
Water, to cook jackfruit- 3/4 cup
Grated coconut- 3/4 cup
Ghee- 1 to 2 tbsp
Water to cook coconut- 1/4 cup
Sugar- 1/4 cup

For making rice dough:

Rice flour- 1 1/2 cups
Water- 1 1/2 cups
Salt- 2 pinches
Other ingredients

Banana leaves, cut into medium sized squares- 8
Oil- to grease the leaves and hand
Preparation:

For making jackfruit filling:

First have the coconut ready:

Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small pan and heat it till the sugar dissolves.
Add grated coconut to the sugar syrup and cook till the water has dried off. Don’t brown the coconut. Keep aside.
Jaggery that I used, it comes in different size and shape so please add according to your needs. Don’t add too much as the coconut is cooked in sugar syrup too.

Jackfruit preserve:

I used canned jackfruit in sugar syrup. If using canned, rinse the jackfruit under running water and chop it into small.
Place a saucepan over medium heat, add chopped jackfruit, jaggery, cardamom smashed and 3/4 cup water into the pan.
Cook covered till the jaggery dissolves and jackfruit has cooked well.
Remove from the heat, let cool down a bit.
Puree the jackfruit in a blender to a smooth paste.
Return the pureed jackfruit to the pan, add 1 tbsp ghee to it and cook while stirring it. ( I first used only 1 can of jackfruit, this picture has only 1 can of jackfruit that’s why there is only small quantity. I couldn’t stop tasting it so later decided to use the second can too)
Add cooked coconut to the pureed jackfruit and combine well.
Let cook for some more time, if you want you could add 1 tbsp more of ghee.
Remove the jackfruit preserve from the heat and let cool down.
At this point, I was taking deep breaths in and in and in and couldn’t stop tasting…Gosh, the aroma from this preserve is just amazing.
You could serve the preserve just like this. The preserve is so delicious that you might even change your mind and skip the rest of the process

Making rice dough:

Place a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 1/2 cups water to it.
Let the water come to a rolling boil, add salt to it.
Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add rice flour to the water.
Using a wooden spoon, combine it to the water.
Let cool down a bit, knead the dough when it’s still warm so that it will become soft.
Knead well and make medium sized balls out of it, around 8 dough balls.

How to wilt banana leaves:

I used frozen banana leaves, if using frozen thaw it for a few minutes and wash it under running water.
Cut into square shapes, about 8 no’s.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, place the banana leaf over it for a second and turn it to the other side.
By slightly heating the banana leaves it will wilt and this prevents it from breaking apart while wrapping.
You could even place the leaf over the stove flame for a second.
Assembling:
Place the wilted banana leaf over a cutting board.
Grease the leaf with little oil.
Place the dough ball on the middle of the leaf.
Grease your right palm with little oil too, to prevent the dough from sticking.
Using your palm gently press and spread the dough into the leaf and make a thin round kinda shape.
Spread 1 to 2 tbsp of prepared jackfruit over the dough.
Fold over the dough into semi circle shape.
Seal the sides of the dough by pressing it to each other.
Fold the banana leaf over it, fold the sides of the banana leaf and tuck it in. Place the folded side down. If you want you could tie with a kitchen twine.
How to steam cook:
You could steam cook this in a steamer or in an Idiyappam maker or pressure cooker.
In an Idiyappam maker, you can place all of them on the bottom plate, just stack up.
Add some water to the cooker, place the plate with the elayappam into the cooker. Make sure water is not getting into the plate.
Cover and steam cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Steam cooking in pressure cooker: Add some water into the cooker, place a small plate stand and on top of that place the plate that has the elayappams.
Make sure water is not getting into the plate.
Cover with the lid and steam cook without placing the whistle on the cooker for about 15- 20 minutes.
Once it’s cooked, remove the cooker from the stove.
Let cool down for sometime as it will be very hot.
Open the lid and take the cooked elayappams out.
Don’t unwrap the elayappams, it should be served wrapped up in the banana leaf.
The aroma of the jackfruit filling and the wilted banana leaf is just seducing and you’ll enjoy not 1 or 2 but many.
Leftovers can be refrigerated.

Tips:

Meet the other fillings you can use instead of jackfruit preserve:

You could use store bought pumpkin preserve that is used for making pumpkin pie instead of jackfruit preserve. It tastes very close to that of jackfruit elayappam. You can skip making the filling, how exciting!
Mung bean filling: Cook mung bean in water, drain the water. Combine the cooked mung bean with jaggery, cardamom and grated coconut, cook till mung bean has slightly mashed up. Use this as the filling.
Coconut filling: Just combine grated coconut with jaggery and cardamom till the raw flavor of coconut is gone. This makes an easy filling.
You could use brown sugar instead of jaggery, just add brown sugar according to your sugar level.
Traditional way of making filling: Traditionally, jaggery is melted in water and made into a thick syrup. Ripe Jackfruit is pureed into a coarse paste which is then combined with the jaggery syrup and coconut. I made in a much easier way. I know grandma’s in Kerala are not going to be happy with my method, boohoo

Thengacurry

Ingredients:

To grind:

Coconut, grated- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Green chillies- 2 or 3
Cumin seeds- 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves- 4 leaves
Water- 1/2 cup or enough to make a smooth paste

Other ingredients

Oil- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Red dry chilly- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Water- to thin down the curry
Salt- to taste

Method:

In a blender, grind the above mentioned ingredients ‘to grind’ to a smooth paste.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat or if you have earthen ware use that.
Add oil, when it turns hot, add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
Add dry red chillies and curry leaves, saute for a second.
Lower the flame and pour the ground coconut paste to the pan.
Add water to thin down the gravy.
Add salt for taste and combine well.
Heat the coconut curry on low heat for a few minutes, but don’t allow it to boil.
Once it is about to boil, remove from the heat and keep covered.
Serve with rice and pickle or combine with spicy fish curry and rice.

Tips:
If you have earthen ware, make this in that.

Full Chicken Curry Roast

Ingredients:

Whole chicken, de skinned- 1.5 kg or 3 lbs

To marinate whole chicken

Ginger-Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Kashmiri red curry powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder- 2 tsp
Salt- to taste
Water- 2 tbsp

To Grind:

Garlic, chopped- 3 cloves
Ginger, chopped- 2 inch slice
Green chillies- 3 (or use more if you want it spicy)
While cooking chicken:

Oil- 2 tbsp
Shallots or red onions, cut thin and long- 10 large shallots or 4 large red onions
Tomatoes, chopped- 2, large
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Cilantro, chopped- 1/4 cup
Salt- to tast

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients mentioned above “to marinate whole chicken” to a smooth paste.
Spread it over the cleaned whole chicken, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
In a blender, grind the above mentioned ingredients to a smooth paste.
Heat a large pressure cooker over medium heat, add oil.
Add shallots or onions to oil, add little salt to it and saute till it turns translucent.
Add curry leaves to the onion.
Add the ground ginger/garlic/green chilly mixture to the onions and cook for sometime.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.
Place the marinated whole chicken into the pressure cooker.
Rinse the bowl used for marinating the chicken with 1/4 cup water and add it to the pressure cooker.
Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and place the whistle on it.
Let cook for 30 minutes or until whole chicken has cooked well.
Open the cooker after the pressure has subsided, garnish the cooked chicken with chopped cilantro.
Taste and add more salt or chilly powder if needed.
If the gravy is watery, cook uncovered till the gravy thickens.
Make sure you don’t over cook the chicken as it will fall apart.
Serve the whole chicken over basmati rice and spread the gravy over the chicken.

Tips:
You could use chicken pieces instead of whole chicken.

Chowari payasam

Ingredients:

Tapioca pearls or sabudana or sago or Chowari – 1 cup (available at Indian stores)
Water- 2 cups to soak tapioca pearls

For making payasam:

Condensed milk- 3/4 th of 300mL can or 1 1/4 cups (add according to your needs)
Milk, whole or skim- 1 cup
Water- 1 cup
Saffron- 2 tsp soaked in 1 tbsp milk
Almonds roasted in ghee- 1/3 cup to garnish

Method:

In a large bowl, soak tapioca pearls in 2 cups of water and keep aside overnight or for 3 to 4 hours till it swells up and turns soft.
Drain the water and keep aside.
Soak saffron in 1 tbsp milk and keep aside for a couple of minutes.
Place a non-stick sauce pan over medium heat.
Add water, milk and condensed milk to the sauce, combine well.
Add saffron soaked in 1 tbsp milk.
Add soaked tapioca pearls and cook at medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes till the mixture starts to thicken.
Taste and add more condensed milk if you need it to be more sweet.
Roast 1/3 cup blanched almonds in 3 tbsp ghee till it turns golden in color.
Garnish the payasam with roasted almonds.
Cover the saucepan with its lid and remove from the heat.
Let cool down for sometime on the counter top or chill it in the refrigerator and serve.

Gooseberry Pickle

Ingredients:

Gooseberry, whole- 15

To marinate gooseberry:

Chilly powder (spicy)- 1 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste

Other ingredients:

Sesame oil or Vegetable oil- 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Red dry chilly whole, halved- 3
Garlic, chopped small- 4 cloves
Dried fenugreek leaves or Kasuri methi- 1 1/2 tbsp
White vinegar- 3 tbsp

Method:

Steam cook the whole gooseberries till it turns tender. I steam cooked it in an idli maker, if you have steamer use that.
After it cools down, chop them small, discard the seed.
In a large bowl, combine chopped gooseberries along with the above mentioned ingredients ‘to marinate gooseberry’. Keep aside for 1 hour.
Place a wok or non-stick pan over medium heat, add oil, let it turn hot.
Add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
Add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, red dry chilly and chopped garlic to the oil.
Saute till garlic starts to turn light golden in color.
If it’s turning brown, lower the heat and saute.
Add the marinated gooseberries, combine well.
Cook for a few minutes.
Add dried fenugreek leaves and combine well.
If it’s too dry you could add some more oil.
Finally, add vinegar and combine well for a couple of minutes.
Taste and add more salt if needed.
Remove from heat and let cool down completely.
Store in glass jars, pickles taste better after 1 or 2 days.
Only use dry spoons to scoop out the pickle.
Keep refrigerated for longer shelf life.
Tips:

You could use raw green mango (steam cooked or not) or lemon (steam cooked) instead of gooseberries.
Adjust the spice and salt level according to your needs.

Egg - Cheera Thoran

Ingredients:

1 lb choy sum chopped fine
3 eggs
1 medium sized onion chopped fine
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp powdered roasted cumin
1 tbsp oil
1 sprig of curry leaves
3 –4 green chilies finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a wide pan
Add mustard seeds and when they pop add curry leaves and green chilies and sauté for 30 secs.
Add onions and sauté, till onions turn translucent and pale brown.
Add choy sum, turmeric powder and salt.
Sauté till the choy sum is cooked (unlike spinach and amaranth, choy sum cooks fairly quick).
Once the greens are cooked move it to the sides of the pan to form a well.
Add the eggs to the center of the pan and scramble it well.
When the eggs are done mix it into the greens and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with rice and dal.

Jeera Pulao

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice
3 ½ cups hot water
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp salt
4 tsp ghee or vegetable oil

Method:

Wash the rice in a colander over a running stream of water, soak the rice in any utensil with enough water to cover it and allow to rest for anywhere between 15 minutes to half an hour.

In a medium sized heavy bottomed dish with a tight fitting lid, heat the ghee or vegetable oil over a medium flame. Toss in the cumin seeds and stir until they change colour, about a couple of minutes.Stir in the soaked and strained rice and toss carefully until the rice grains are coated with the cooking fat. Pour in the hot water and salt, lower the flame to medium, cover and cook till done, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For a quicker version using the rice cooker, just place all the ingredients in the rice cooker, mix and cook till done.

*For a variation try using other whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and pepper along with the cumin seeds.

*Disclaimer: The information on the usage of cumin seeds is not meant to replace the advice of a medical practitioner.

Cabbage Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

For Koftas (dumpling):

2 cup shredded cabbage (patha gobhi)
3/4 cup gram flour or as needed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
2 teaspoon chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
1 teaspoon shredded ginger
1 chopped green chili
1 teaspoon salt
Oil to fry


Gravy:

3 medium tomatoes
1/2 inch ginger (adrak)
1 green chili
2 tablespoon yogurt
2 tablespoon oil
Pinch asafetida (hing)
1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
1 tablespoon gram flour (basen)
1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
2 tablespoon finally chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
1 teaspoon sugar
Method:

Koftas (dumpling):

Mix together all the kofta (dumpling) ingredients. Adjust gram flour (besen) as needed to make a texture of very soft dough. Note: make this mix just before you are ready to fry the kofta otherwise it will become watery.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.
The frying pan should have at least 1½ inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, just put one small piece of the mix in the oil, it should sizzle and come up right away.
Slowly drop about 1 tablespoon of the dumpling mixture into the frying pan one at a time.
Fry the koftas (dumpling mix) in small batches, avoid overcrowding the frying pan.
Turn the koftas occasionally. Fry the koftas until they turn golden-brown all around.

Gravy:

Blend the tomatoes, green chilies and ginger to make a puree. If you prefer a milder version, take the seeds out of the green chili before blending.
Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-high. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
Add the asafetida, cumin seeds and gram flour (basen). Stir-fry for a minutes.
Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, paprika, and cook on medium heat until the tomato mixture starts leaving the oil and reduces to about half in quantity.
Next add yogurt and cook for another minute.
Add about 1½ cups of water and the salt. As it comes to boil reduce the heat to medium-low and let the gravy cook for few minutes.
Note: adjust the thickness of the gravy to your taste by adjusting the water.
Add the prepared koftas and let it simmer for another 7 to 8 minutes.
Turn of the heat and add the cilantro and cover the pot.
Variations:
Using the same recipe you can make these koftas replacing cabbage with laucki (bottle guard) or zucchini.

Tips:
Koftas can be refrigerated for 5 days or freeze for a month.

Duck Istu

Ingredients: 

Duck - 1 kg
(skinned, cut, rubbed with salt and drained)
Shallots(Kunjulli) - 50 gm
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies(slit) - 5 nos
Onion(large) - 2 nos
(chopped)
Garlic pods - 6 nos
(finely chopped)
Ginger - 2" piece
(finely chopped)
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
White vinegar - 1 tbsp
*Coconuts - 2 nos

Method:

1)Pour oil into a vessel.
2)Add 5 chopped shallots, mustard seeds, curry leaves and stir, till the shallots turn red and the mustards pop.
3)Add the green chillies, onions, ginger and garlic.
4)Add salt and fry well.
5)Add the duck pieces.
6)Add the second coconut milk. Stir well and let it cook.
7)Dry roast lightly the garam masala powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and add to the pot.
8)Stir well and add the third coconut milk.
9)Once the duck is cooked, reduce the heat and add the first coconut milk. Stir well.
10)Add the vinegar and stir well.
11)Garnish with a sprig of curry leaves.
12)Keep the dish closed and warm until serving.

*Fresh coconut milk extracted from 2 coconuts. There are three kinds of coconut milk – the first, the second and the third. To get the first milk, grind the grated coconut with 1 cup of warm water and strain to get the thick first milk. Keep it aside. Then add 2 cups water to the coconut residue, grind and strain, to get weaker milk. This is the second coconut milk. Keep that aside. Then add 1 cup water to the dry coconut residue and strain again to get the third coconut milk, which is the thinnest milk.

Meen Peera Pattichathu

Ingredients:

Fish(Small sardines)
Kukum star(Kudampuli) – 3 – 4 nos or as reqd
Small onions(Kunjulli) – 6 nos
Ginger – 1” piece
Garlic pods – 4 nos
Green chillies – 6 nos or as reqd
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – Plenty
Grated coconut – 1 cup or as reqd
Cococnut oil – 1 tbsp
Salt – As reqd

Method:

1)Wash kudampuli properly and soak it in a little water for sometime.

2)Mix the fish with pounded(crushed) small onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and grated coconut.

3)Add kudampuli to the mixture.

4)Add water, just necessary for the fish to be cooked.

5)Pour coconut oil on top and cover the pan.

:- Use an earthern pot to get that traditional taste and smell.

6)Put the pot on flame and allow it to cook.

7)After 5 mins, remove from the flame.

It will take only 5 minutes for the fish to be cooked.
There shouldn’t be any water left, by the time the fish is finally cooked and ready.
The ingredients taste better when they are pounded, don’t cut them using knife.

Pesaha Appam (INRI Appam) and Milk

Pesaha Appam

Ingredients:

Rice flour-4cups
Uzhunnu-1 cup
Grated coconut-2cups
Chuvannulli – 6 nos
Velluthulli – 1

Method:

Grind soaked uzhunnu in a blender. Add to rice flour. Also grind coconut,chuvannulli&velluthulli in the blender with enough salt.
Add to the mixture. Mix well with the consistency of Vattayappam. Keep covered for an hour.
Cook in a steamer or “appachempu” like vattayappam.


Pesaha Milk

Ingredients:

Coconut milk from a 1 coconut.

Jaggery(Sharkara)- as needed.

Method:

Melt Jaggery with 2 cups of water on the burner. Strain the mixture into big pot.
Mix jeera powder and ginger powder-half teaspoon each.
Make thin consistency of coconut milk.
Mix jaggery and coconut milk and let it boil, keep on medium for 10 minutes
Mix the mixture occasionally. Add rice powder mix and let it cook for 3 minutes.
Add jeera-ginger mix to the boiling mixture and remove from burner.