Puli Inji

Puli Inji, a sweet and sour pickle or sauce in an essential finger-licking side dish served as part of Kerala Sadya.This is a sweet and sour ginger pickle from Kerala where ginger is cooked in a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce.Though there are many side dishes prepared for sadya like avialy, Kootu Curry, Kaalan, Olan, Saambhar,pickle,etc... no sadya is served without puliy inji.This is the first dish which i will prepare a week before Onam comes....The first lick on this tangy sauce makes your taste buds stand up and enjoy your meal.This is awesome.Each home it is prepared in differently fried ginger , tamarind and jaggery being the stars of this dish. This comes in the category of 'thodu curry's. So do prepare this to have a complete authentic meal from Kerala.

Ingredients

1. Ginger skin removed and sliced - 3/4 cup
2. Tamarind - 2 lime size balls soaked in 1 cup warm water
3. Green Chilli - 3 chopped
4. Curr Leaves - 2 Sprigs
5. Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
6. Dry Red Chilli - 3
7. Jaggery / Sharkara grated - 3/4 cup
8. Water - 1 cup
9. Turmeric powder - 1 Tsp
10. Red chilli powder - 1 Tbsp
11. Asafoetida/ Kaayam - 1/4 Tsp 
12. Fenugreek/ Uluva/Methi seeds - 1 Tsp
13. Salt - as needed
14. Coconut Oil - as required

Preparation

• Heat an earthen pot / non- stick sauce pan (not iron pan),  add coconut oil,splutter mustard seeds, then add dry red chilli and 1 sprig of curry leaves .
• Add green chilli and sliced ginger and fry nicely to golden brown. Keep aside.

• Squeeze the soaked tamarind,extract the juice and keep aside.
• In the same pot/pan add grated jaggery, tamarind extract, water, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida,1 sprig of curry leaves and salt. Mix well.
• Let it boil and cook on low flame,till the gravy thickens and reduce to pulpy texture.

• Now add the fried ginger mix, kept aside and mix well and remove from heat.
• Heat a pan, add fenugreek seeds and dry roast it. Immediately powder it using a mortar. Add this to the prepared tangy sauce. Mix well.

• Let it cool and reach room temperature before store it in air tight container. You can serve it after one hour of preparation. If stored properly will last for 3 weeks.

Cucumber (Kakkarikka) Pachadi | A Special Side Dish for Onam Sadya

  

Cucumber(Kakkarikka) Pachadi is an authentic Kerala festive recipe, made during the festive seasons of Onam,Vishu and even served for wedding sadya's in Kerala.
I love and like to make this pachadi as it has a very good flavour and very easy to make.Hope you too try this for Onam...

 

Ingredients

1. Cucumber(Kakkarikka) - 1 Big
2. Grated coconut - 3/4 Cup
3. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
4. Ginger chopped - 1/2 Tsp
5. Green chilli - 2
6. Yogurt -1/2 Cup
7. Jeera powder  / cumin powder - 1/4 Tsp
8. Curry Leaves - 4 to 5 leaves
9. Salt - as needed

To Temper

1. Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
3. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
4. Dry red chilli - 3

Preparation

• Wash  and peel the skin of cucumber.Grate it to fine shreds as shown in figure. Add some salt and mix well. Keep for 5 minutes.

• In a mixer grind to a smooth paste of coconut, green chilli, ginger,mustard seeds. Add in yogurt and mix well.

• Drain the salt water from shredded cucumber and add the coconut - yogurt paste. Mix well. Sprinkle jeera powder and curry leaves , mix properly. The pachadi should be quite thick and not watery. 

• Heat oil to temper, add in mustard seeds, let it crackle and dry red chillies, curry leaves. Pour this onto the pachadi.
• Serve as a side dish for rice at lunch.

Beetroot Pachadi | A Kerala Sadya Recipe | Kerala Onam Special Recipe

Pachadi is one of the special traditional side dishes that is served during festivals , especially )Onam ,Vishu and also during Hindu marriages.The use of vegetables and even fruits vary so much and also in their taste. The main ingredient being freshly grated coconut ground to smooth paste along with ginger, green chillies, and mustard seeds and yogurt and is mixed with variety of raw or cooked vegetables.  

Today i made Beetroot Pachadi , which is a bit sweet in taste. This was on my list from quite sometime.The final verdict from my family was "Delicious", i loved the rich colour that Pachadi had was truly amazing to have with rice.

Ingredients

1. Finely chopped or grated beetroot - 1 cup
2. Water - 1 cup
3. Grated coconut (grind o smooth paste) - 3/4 cup (I had previously made coconut paste was 1/2 cup)
4. Green Chilly - 2
5. Chopped ginger - 1/4 Tsp
6. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp 
7. Yogurt - 1/2 cup
8. Salt - as needed

To Temper

1. Coconut Oil/ Oil - 1 Tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
3. Dry Red Chilli - 2
4. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig

Preparation

• Cook grated beetroots in 1 cup of water till it turns soft. It takes just around 4-5 minutes to cook the beetroot. Cook until all the water get absorbed. Cook on medium flame. (Be careful not to get burnt beetroot.)

• Meanwhile grind the grated coconut, green chilli, mustard seeds and ginger to a smooth paste. 
• Add in yogurt and grind just once.
• Add this grind paste to the cooked beetroot, also add salt and cook for a couple of minutes.(i cooked for 1 minute on sim flame).Remove from flame.

• Heat oil for tempering, add curry leaves and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds starts to sizzle and pop add the dry red chilli halves into it.
• Pour this on to the pachadi and mix well.

 

Do check out my Special Pineapple Pachadi - Kerala Style  
and Pineapple Pachadi - Kerala Sadya Style

Thakkali Rasam ~ Tomato Rasam~South Indian Tangy Tomatao Soup

Tomato or Thakkali Rasam is one of the soothing and comforting dish that anybody can have during this rainy and chilling weather with some hot rice. This is one of the simple rasam recipe that one can make.There are different varieties of rasam, like pepper rasam, parippu rasam, puli rasam , etc. It is usually made with tomato and tamarind. The sour and a bit spicy taste of spices should be prominent in this dish.I don't like making rasam with instant rasam powder, though it taste's good, but not as we prepare with crushing and tempering.. It has a very unique tastes of its own.

This time tomatoes came to my house in different shapes and sizes, all we looking so cute, so i thought of clicking a photo of those cute little ones...

I love having tomato rasam with hot rice and daal curry with pappad. In this recipe i don't even mash the potatoes, as they well cooked and while adding the spices, i simply crush them with my mortar...Oh.. i cant explain the aroma that comes, when i crush them... the smell of the coriander seeds...wow!!!  

Serves (4-5)
Ingredients

1. Tomato   - 3 Large
2. Shallots big  - 5
3. Cumin Seeds      - 1/4 Tsp
4. Coriander seeds - 1/4 Tsp
5. Garlic      - 5 
6. Peppercorns  - 1/2 Tsp
7. Turmeric powder  - 1/4 Tsp
8. Tamarind / tamarind paste - 1 1/4 Tsp
9. Water - 2 1/2 cups (appx.)
10. Salt - as per taste
11. Coriander Leaves  - 1 Tbsp

Tempering :

1. Coconut Oil/ Ghee - 1 Tbsp
2. Shallots/ onion - 1/2 Tsp
3. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
4. Dry Red Chilly  - 2
5. Curry Leaves - 2 twigs
6. Asafoetida (Kaayam)- 2-3 pinches 

Preparation

• Coarsely grind/ or just one twist in a mixer shallots, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, garlic and peppercorns.
• In a bowl add the cut tomatoes, water and tamarind paste. Bring it to a nice boil(tomatoes should be a bit mushy).
• Once it starts boiling,add the coarsely ground ingredients and powders and salt.
• When it boils stir well for 2 minutes till the taste of all ingredients fuse together completely. Off the flame and add coriander leaves.
• In a separate small pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot enough, crackle mustard seeds, red chilly ,curry leaves and onion/shallots. Sauté for few seconds till it leaves the aroma. Off the flame and add asafoetida. Pour it to the prepared rasam. Serve hot.
• Enjoy hot Rasam with rice...

Chicken Balls Pepper Fry

Ingredients

1. For meat balls
2. Minced meat - 1/4 Kg (I used chicken)
3. Onion finely chopped - 3
4. Green chilly chopped - 4
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
6. Red chilly powder - 1 Tbsp
7. Pepper powder -  1 Tsp
8. Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
9. Garam Masala - 1/4 Tsp
10. Curry Leaves chopped - 1 sprig
11. Salt

For Masala

1. Onion chopped - 1/2 cup
2. Green chilli chopped - 3
3. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
4. Grated coconut - 2 Tbsp
5. Finely chopped ginger and garlic - 1 Tsp
6. Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
7. Turmeric powder - a pinch
8. Garam Masala - 1/2 Tsp
9. Pepper powder - 1/2 Tsp
10. Coconut Oil /Oil  - 2 Tbsp
11. Salt

Preparation

• Mix all the ingredients for  making the meat balls. Keep it for 15 minutes and make small balls. Keep for 10 minutes . (You can smear some oil/water on your hand and roll to balls without sticky).
• Boil water and cooked balls in it,until cooked.[U will be able to see the colour change. it will take just 5 - 8 minutes].
• Drain the balls and place on a tissue paper (to absorb moisture).
• Heat oil in a pan, add onion green chilli and curry leaves.
• When onion changes is colour , add the grated coconut and ginger-garlic chopped.
• Now add all the powders and mix well.
• Add the cooked meat balls and adjust salt.
• Serve hot.

Note

• You can also fry the meat balls instead of boiling / steaming.

Sending this entry to Ahlan Ramadan –The Healthy Way

Karimeen / Pearl Spot Fry - Kerala Style with kanthaari mulakku... Thani Naadan

Karimeen aka Pear Spot is the fish that is commonly found in the Kerala Backwaters around Alapuzha, Kollam and Kottayam . Nowadays with the boom of tourism this fish has become the most popular fish in North Kerala. This is served in every other resorts, home stays and house boats. One among the delicacy that is served,  is the Karimeen Pollichathu and Karimeen Moily. 

In my hometown Kannur , we don't used to get it much, but when we get i used to fry it in coconut oil after marinating the fish overnight with spicy crushed masalas. Now when i came to Bangalore, i have been seeing the fish in the market but never used to buy, thinking it is some other fish. But a few days back, one customer in the market overheard me and my husband talking in malayalam , he suddenly said..."buy that, it is our Karimeen, just fry it spicy with pepper masala".... My husband within seconds ordered for 1 Kg, before allowing him to complete his words....From then this fish has been a "King" in our fried seafood dishes...In Kerala , the fish and dish is quite expensive.. here in Karnataka , it is much cheaper.So we say, now that we have started buying it, it is sure gonna become expensive.. 

Over to the recipe , today i am sharing a yet spicy Karimeen Fry. The cleaned and slit fish is marinated with spicy masala. Instead of normal chilly, i have used Kaanthari Mulakku(a spicier version, though looks small,tiny and cute, but very spicy and healthy, i have heard it lessens cholesterol )

Ingredients

1. Karimeen / Pearl Spot (Clean and slit)  - 2
2. Pepper powder - 2 Tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
4. Red Chilly powder - 1 Tsp
5. Kaanthari mulakku (Bird's Eye Chilly) crushed- 6
6. Ginger crushed - 1" piece
7. Garlic crushed - 6
8. Salt - as per taste
9. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
10. Coconut Oil / Oil - 2 Tbsp
11. Coconut Oil/Oil -  for shallow frying

Preparation

• Mix all the ingredients and do not add water, if needed little more oil.

• Marinate the clean and slit fish with the prepared masala . Keep in for about 1 hour minimum.(If done overnight... delicious!!!)

• Heat coconut oil / oil in a pan,layer 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves and place the marinated fish on it.
• Fry both sides on a medium flame until golden brown.

Sending this entry to Ahlan Ramadan –The Healthy Way

Muringayila Thoran | Drumstick Leaves Stir Fry

Muringayila / Drumstick leaves are the leaves of the evergreen Drumstick Tree. These leaves are known for its unique nutritional qualities and is used as nutritional supplements such as protein, minerals, and vitamins.This wonder leaves are an excellent source of protein that can be rarely found in any other herbs and green leafy vegetables. Highly rich in vitamins like A, c and B6, rich in Thiamine. Minerals like calcium, iron which are very important for all age groups.

My husband is a die hard fan of these leaves  and he even helps me in separating the leaves from the stem. When my kids see this , they say Mummy , are you making pappa work in you territory???. Because he loves to have it, he helps me ... ahhaha . He gets it whenever he sees them in the market.It is a very time consuming process, though it tastes really awesome...We all love it at home. Hope you like it too.

Check out the recipe for Muringayila Parippu Curry 

 

Ingredients

1. Muringayila Leaves / Drumstick Leaves -  5 cups (removed from stem)
2. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
4. Red chilly powder - 1 Tsp
5. Onion sliced/ Shallots - 1 (if using shallots use 5- 6)
6. Salt - as needed

Tempering

1. Dry red chilly - 2
2. Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
3. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig (optional)
4. Coconut Oil /Oil - 1 Tbsp

Preparation

• Soak the leaves in water for 10 to 15 minutes and wash under running water to remove the dirt if any. 
• Drain all the excess water and spread it on a paper. Leave it for half an hour so that all the water id dried off. (I usually dry all the leafy veggies like this, spread on a paper and dry under fan if in a hurry, so that no lumps are formed in the stir fry).
• In a bowl mix gently with your hand muringayila/drumstick leaves , grated coconut, turmeric powder , red chilly powder, onion and salt. Keep  for 10 minutes.
• Heat coconut oil /oil a kadai or pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.
• Now add the muringayila mixture to it. Stir and mix well. Sprinkle little water. Close the lid and cook on a low flame for a couple of minutes. 
• After 5  minutes open the lid , you can see the leaves have reduced in quantity, so it is cooked.
• Now cook for a couple of minutes opened , so that the moisture gets evaporated and the leaves are not soggy, stir it between.
• Swtich off the flame. Serve with hot Kaalan,Pappada thoran and Fish Fry 

Linking this to Foodalulous Fest @ A Bowl Of Curry event by Simply Tadka, also to WTML June 2014 hosted By The Big Sweet Tooth event by Gayathri

Pappada Thoran - Kerala Style

I think the dish, Pappada Thoran is not a usual vegetarian side dish everybody would prepare. This makes me nostalgic and reminds me of my vallyamma(mother's mother), though she was not a great cook , but whatever few dishes she makes was phenomenal...I miss her badly..and this is her recipe which i am sharing here today. This dish has a unique taste of its own.Mostly we eat pappad as pappad itself, but this dish has a blend of spices and coconut with deep fried pappadam's in it.It is after a long time i am making this.. Just made a little as i was not sure whether my kids would like, but the dish just vanished, before each one could ask for a second time. So over to the recipe... 

Pottukadala Thenga Chutney

 

This is a really smooth chutney with goes well with crispy dosa . This has a unique taste...

Ingredients

1. Pottukadala / Roasted Gram Daal - 2 Tbsp
2. Grated Coconut - 1 cup
3. Green Chilly - 2
4. Yoghurt /Curd - 2 Tbsp
5. Salt - as needed

Tempering

1. Coconut Oil / Oil - 1 Tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
3. Dry Red Chilly - 2 -3
4. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig

Check out the recipes for Super Spongy Dosa ,DOSA 

Preparation

• In a mixer grind roasted gram daal, coconut, green chilly, yoghurt and salt to a nice smooth paste without any grains of daal. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

• Heat oil in a kadai and crakle mustrd, add dry red chilly and curry leaves. 
• Pour this onto the chutney. Mix and serve with dosa / idly or upma.

Notes

• If the chutney is a bit thick you can little water.

 

Linking this to Healthy Diet running at Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's . Also to Click Cook and Devour give away event, WTML June 2014 hosted By The Big Sweet Tooth event by Gayathri