Venad Paal Konju

A recipe by Chef Suresh Pillai. I am an ardent fan of Chef Suresh Pillai's most recipes. They are simple to make and taste just out of the world. Here I am sharing one of the simplest yet most delicious prawns recipes. Thank you Chef for introducing this beautiful authentic prawns recipe.

 Ingredients

500gm cleaned prawns 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp crushed pepper 1/4 tsp pepper powder 1 tbsp chilli flakes salt to taste 5-6 garlic cloves (with skin) few curry leaves 2 tbsp coconut milk + few curry leaves 1 inch ginger chopped 3-4 green chillies slit

1 tbsp + 1 tsp + 3 tbsp coconut oil

Method

Check out my video to see how this incredibly delicious dish is prepared👉👉 Venad Paal Konju

• Marinate the prawns with turmeric powder, crushed pepper, pepper powder, chilli flakes and salt.
• Crush the garlic cloves(with skin) and add them to the prawns. Add a few curry leaves and 1Tbsp coconut oil and mix everything well and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl take 2Tbsp coconut milk. Chop a few curry leaves and add them to the milk. Add 1tsp of coconut oil and mix everything well. Keep this aside.
• Chop the ginger and slit the green chillies and keep aside.
• In a pan heat 3Tbsp coconut oil and shallow fry the prawns along with the crushed garlic.
• Sprinkle the chopped ginger and green chillies over the prawns while frying.
• Fry the prawns on both sides for not more than 2 minutes. (If you cook for a longer time the prawns will turn rubbery)
• Drizzle the prepared coconut milk mix over the prawns and roast the prawns until the coconut milk is fully absorbed. (This will take just 2-3 minutes)
• Serve the delicious venad paal konju with piping hot steamed rice and a curry of your choice.

Paalada Payasam

 Ingredients 1/2 cup rice ada (palada - choose the smallest ada) 4 cups milk 3/4 cup sugar + 2 tbsp sugar 3 tsp water a dollop of butter

For the creamier version (optional): 1/2 cup milk 3 tbsp milk powder

Method

• Boil enough water(around 4 cups) of water and add the rice ada.
• Cook for three minutes and then strain it through a sieve. Run some cold water over the strained ada and keep aside so that the water drains out completely.
• Now into a pressure cooker (a three-litre pressure will be required for 4 cups of milk) pour the milk.
• Add 3/4 cup of sugar and the cooked strained ada.
• Heat for one to two minutes, mixing everything well and then keep aside.
• Meanwhile, in a pan add 2 Tbsp sugar and 3 tsp water. Bring this to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sugar to caramelize. (Please note: Do not stir in between as that will lead to the sugar crystallising on the spoon. You can lift the pan and rotate it gently to ensure an even caramelisation).
• Take care not to burn the sugar. The colour should be an amber colour. Remove from heat as soon as it attains an amber colour. Watch my video to get an idea about the caramelization process and the correct colour and consistency.
• Now very slowly and carefully add the caramelized and hot sugar syrup into the milk mixture.(Remember to do this step very carefully and slowly as it may splash out)
• Close the cooker and keep it on medium-high heat. Once the steam starts to show up through the vent of the cooker lid put on the weight and cook for 20 minutes on the lowest heat.
• After 20 minutes switch off the heat and let the cooker remain as such until the steam has settled on its own.
• Open the cooker once the steam has settled and mix well.
• Add a dollop of butter and our sadya style paalada payasam is ready. 

  For a creamier version, you can do this step as well👇

• To half a cup of warm milk add 3-4 Tbsp of milk powder and mix well so that there are no lumps.
• Pour this to the prepared payasam through a sieve(to remove any milk powder lumps).
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring continuously. 
• Add more butter if preferred and serve.

Egg Mappas

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

4 hard boiled eggs

1 medium onion sliced

1 inch ginger piece, cut into sticks

3-4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 green chillies, slit

few curry leaves

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

3/4 cup hot water

1 cup thick coconut milk

2 Tbsp coconut oil

salt 

For the seasoning

 3 shallots,sliced into thin rounds

1 Tbsp coconut oil

 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

 few curry leaves 

1/4 tsp fennel seed powder 

*Don't skip the fennel powder as this ingredient gives a lovely taste to the dish

 Method

• Heat 2tbsp coconut oil and add the sliced onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies and a few curry leaves.
• Saute until the onions sweat. Add a pinch of salt so that the onion wilts quickly.
• As the onions begin to brown, reduce the heat and add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Fry on a medium low heat for one to two minutes.
• Make slits on the boiled eggs and add them to the sauteed masala.
• Cook for a few minutes and then add 3/4 cup of hot water. Mix well and cook for a few seconds. Add enough salt to taste.
• Add the coconut milk and mix everything well. As it begins to boil, remove from heat and keep aside.
• For the seasoning, heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil.   Add the mustard seeds and as they begin to crackle, add the sliced shallots and curry leaves.
• Fry until the shallots turn golden brown. As they start to turn golden brown add the fennel powder, fry for just 2-3 seconds and then pour this seasoning over the prepared egg curry.
• Cover immediately and leave it undisturbed for at least 10 minutes so that the flavor gets infused into the curry.
• Mix and serve after 10 minutes with appam, roti, rice ar any other bread.

*Don't skip the addition of the fennel powder while doing the seasoning as it's this fennel powder that gives an outstanding and unique flavor to this dish.

Dates Pulissery

 

Ingredients

10-15 dates, pitted and halved

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 1/2 cup water

salt to taste

a pinch of roasted fenugreek powder

few curry leaves

 

To grind

1/2 cup coconut grated

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli

4 Tbsp yoghurt(you can use more)

To season

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

few curry leaves

Method

• Cook the dates with turmeric powder and chili powder by adding water. Cook until the dates are well cooked and mashed.

         

• Meanwhile grind the coconut, green chilli, cumin seeds and yoghurt. You can add 1 Tbsp of yoghurt at first and then grind coarsely so that everything gets mixed, then add the remaining yoghurt and grind into a smooth paste.(If you add all of the yoghurt initially, there are chances of the coconut not get grinded properly). You can add more yoghurt if you don't prefer a thick gravy.

 

• Pour this into the cooked dates and mix well.
• Let this come to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then remove from heat.
• Sprinkle the roasted fenugreek powder and a few curry leaves on the curry and keep aside.
  
• To season, heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add the mustard and once the mustard starts to crackle, add the  curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the curry and mix well.
• Serve hot with rice drizzled with a little ghee on top and a pappad.
  

 

Spicy Potato Stir Fry

Cooking is really a stress buster many a times but sometimes the thought of what to cook for the day creates a lot of stress too..lol..There are certain days when you are in a full mood to do an elaborate cooking and those are the days you experiment on various cuisines and recipes that you have saved or kept aside to try out 'one day'. On the other hand there are days when you get really irritated at the thought of what to cook for the day, the days when you just don't feel like lagging around for a long time in the kitchen or rather days when just feel like ordering food from out and just laze out on your couch. During this covid struck period, when ordering food from out is also something we all feel a bit hesitant to do, you are left with no choices but to cook something for your family, then, on such days  make this spicy potato stir fry or potato mezhukupuratti. It's such an easy recipe and the aroma that spreads in the house while making this dish makes me really nostalgic. Potato cubes getting roasted in an onion and chili paste in the lovely coconut oil is just heavenly. My favorite combination to go with this potato stir fry is curd rice/thayir sadam. The spiciness of the stir fry goes well balanced with the cool curd rice..a really yummy combination. Though I thought of making curd rice with it as usual, later on I changed my mind and served it with some moru curry/ yogurt based curry, rice and pappad.

Check out how to make this potato roast that basically requires just three main ingredients- potatoes, onion and chili powder.

 

Ingredients

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch cubes

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2-3 tsp kashmiri chili powder(adjust the chili powder as per your taste)

3-4 Tbsp coconut oil

salt to taste

Method

• In a saucepan , bring plenty of water to a rolling boil.
• Add the potato cubes, and allow them to boil for just two minutes on high heat. Remove the potato cubes and keep aside.
• Coarsely grind the roughly chopped onion and chilli powder and keep aside.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add the coarsely ground  onion paste. Fry for two minutes on medium low heat.
• Now toss in the potato cubes and mix well.
• Cover and cook on a low heat until the potatoes get cooked.(Keep mixing in between)
• Once the potatoes are soft and cooked, add salt to taste and mix well.
• Cover and cook again for two minutes more.
• Open, mix well and fry for a few seconds more.
• Serve hot with rice / curd rice / bread

Easy Cooker Sambar

 

Ingredients

half cup cooked toor/tuvar dal

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1 tomato chopped

1/2 cup shallots

few curry leaves

2 green chillis slit

a pinch of asafoetida

1/4 cup tamarind extract

1 tsp red chilli powder

salt to taste 

For the seasoning

2 Tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 red chillies

2 Tbsp sambar powder

 

Method

• All the above ingredients into a pressure cooker. 
• Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook on a medium low flame for one whistle.
• Allow the steam to settle on its own.
• Heat a pan. Add 2 Tbsp of oil
• Add mustard seeds and as they crackle and the whole red chillies and asafoetida.
• Tip in 2 Tbsp of sambar powder and fry on a low heat for a few seconds.
• Add this to the prepared sambar in the pressure cooker. Heat this again mixing everything well.
• Allow the sambar to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and serve.

Tomato Coconut Chammanthi

This a spicy as well as tangy condiment that pairs very well with your dosas or idlis. Feel free to decrease or increase the spice level as per your taste. The below measurement will yield you a moderately spicy chammanthy. The flavour imparted from the roasted red chillies, combined with the sour taste of the tomatoes and then mixed with the natural sweetness the coconut, makes this chammanthy really delicious. A perfect combination of flavours!

Ingredients

1 medium tomato chopped

3-4 whole red chilies (as per your spice level)

1 cup grated coconut

salt to taste

1.5 Tbsp oil
 

Method

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Toss the red chilies and fry for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped tomato and fry on high heat until the tomato turns soft and starts getting charred slightly.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add the grated coconut and mix everything well and remove from heat. Allow it to cool.
• Once cooled, grind coarsely without adding water.
• Serve with piping hot crispy dosas or soft idlis.

Kadala Uperi / Black Chickpeas stir fry

Happened to try out this recipe from Vini's kitchen- the Palakkad style kadala uperi. The recipe was quite easy and very tasty too. I am a great fan of most of her recipes especially the naadan traditional dishes. This recipe is a favorite at home now, something that I make often when I am running short of vegetables to cook as side dish for our everyday lunch.

Just some rice, yoghurt and this kadala uperi is a perfect and simple lunch for me:) 

 

 

Ingredients

Kadala/ Black chick peas - soaked for 6 to 8 hours or overnight

salt to taste

a pinch of baking soda(optional)

3 Tbsp coconut oil 

To be ground to a paste

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

salt

 Method

• Add the soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker. Add enough water so that the water level is just above the chickpeas.
• Add enough salt and a pinch of baking soda.(Adding the baking soda quickens the process of cooking the chickpeas. It is optional, you can skip if you don't wish to use it.)
• Pressure cook the chickpeas until cooked(approximately 4-5 whistles or more if you have not added the baking soda)
• In the meantime, grind onion, garlic, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt into a fine paste and keep aside.
• In a pan,heat coconut oil and add the ground paste. Fry the paste for 1-2 minutes.
• Then add the cooked chickpeas along with the water it was cooked in. Stir fry contionously on high flame until the water is totally absorbed and the chickpeas is dry.
• Serve hot as a side dish with rice and a curry of your choice.

Mathanga Pappadam Erissery

 Erissery, a traditional Kerala dish, an unavoidable member of the Kerala sadya is usually made by adding ground coconut paste to cooked vegetables like pumpkin, yam etc and then finally seasoned with roasted coconut along with the regular seasoning of mustard, curry leaves etc. This erissery is somehow a little different and in a way a more easier version of the traditional erissery. Another dish which I learnt from Jayasri Chechi. Here instead of coconut paste, coconut milk is being added and along with the seasoning of roasted coconut, we are adding fried pappad bits too which gives such a delectable taste to the dish. Over to the recipe of Mathanga(pumpkin) pappadam erissery.

Ingredients
1 onion chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
250 gms pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
1-2 whole red chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cup thick coconut milk(can use fresh, canned or coconut milk powder diluted in 1 cup water)
salt to taste

For the seasoning
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
2-3 pappad- torn into bits
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli
few curry leaves
2 Tbsp grated coconut

Method

•  Heat a kadai/pan and add the coconut oil. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent.
• Break the red chillies and add them to the onion. Fry for a few seconds.
• Toss in the pumpkin pieces and mix well.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder. Reduce the heat and fry for a few seconds.
•  Pour in the coconut milk. Mix well.
• Add salt to taste and mix again.
• Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked. Switch off the heat and keep aside.

For seasoning

• Tear the pappad into small bits and keep aside.
• Heat the coconut oil in another pan. Add the mustard seeds and as they start to crackle, add the red chilli broken into pieces and curry leaves.
• Add the grated coconut and fry until the coconut turns golden brown. Add this to the prepared pumpkin curry.
• To the same pan add 1 tbsp oil and the pappad pieces. Fry until the pappad pieces puffs up. Add this also to the curry and cover immediately so as to lock in the flavours.
• Open after 2-3 minutes, mix and serve with steamed rice.

Parippu Kuthikaachiyathu

Some dishes are like that...they don't need a description. I am sure many of my Keralite friends out there must be familiar with this simple dal/parippu curry. Something that can be had and made anytime and in no time. For my non- Keralite friends who are wondering what this dish is and means is, well, it's nothing but dal seasoned with crushed shallots, red chilies, and curry leaves fried in coconut oil. A nostalgic feel comes when this is poured over hot matta rice with some stir fry/mezhukupuratti, a kadumanga /tender mango pickle and if you can get a pappad also then it's nothing but pure bliss!. Today as I made this curry I decided to replenish those memories by serving it in a steel tiffin box with all the accompaniments I mentioned above, dumped and stuffed into it. Sometimes do try having like that...it gives a different feel:))

Ingredients

1 cup toor/tuvar dal

1 tomato chopped

salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

8-10 shallots

3-4 whole red chillies

2 Tbsp coconut oil

few curry leaves

Method

• Into a pressure cooker add the toor dal. Wash it well, draining the water and washing again 2-3 times.
• Now add water(as much required to cook the dal. Basically the water level should be just one inch above the dal. I added approximately 1 1/2 glass of water).
• Add the tomato, turmeric powder and salt to the cooker. Mix everything well and close the cooker. Put on the weight.
• Cook until the cooker gives off 2 to 3 whistles. Remove from heat and keep aside. Allow the steam to settle on its own.
• In the meantime crush the shallots and the red chilies in a mortar and keep aside.
• Once the steam has settled, open the cooker and mix everything well. 
• In a pan heat the coconut oil and fry the crushed shallots and red chilies along with a few curry leaves until the shallots turn golden brown.
• Add this to the prepared dal and mix everything well.
• Serve hot with rice, a stir fry, pickle, and pappad. A typical lunch menu of a home in Kerala.

Cheera Masiyal

I had long before shared a post on Palak Masiyal. Now, this recipe is the same as that, the only difference being that here red spinach/ cheera is being used in place of palak. I happened to taste this dish long before from our family friend Jaysree chechi's place. I fell in love with it and immediately asked her how this was done. She told me it was one dish that her mom, grandmom and all used to make. So it was a recipe passed on from one generation to the next and somehow these kinds of recipes passed on from the older generations have always tasted the best for me. I deeply believe that such inherited recipes should be captured and the baton should be passed on to the coming generations too. So this has to be recorded somewhere and that's why I try to treasure such recipes and keep them. Now this recipe too like many other recipes may have different versions in different places, but as for me, this was how I tasted it and this was how I liked it! Something which I frequently make. So over to the recipe of  Cheera Masiyal

Watch how to make it 

Ingredients

2 cups chopped red spinach

1 onion chopped

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 whole red chilies

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp chili powder

3-4 pappads

salt to taste

Method

• Heat the coconut oil in a pan.
• Add the chopped onion and saute well.
• Break the chilies and add them to the onion. Fry for a few seconds.
• Add turmeric powder and chili powder. Fry until the raw smell goes.
• Tear the pappads into small bits and add. Fry until the pappad pieces get roasted slightly.
• Now add the spinach and salt. Mix well.
• Reduce the heat and cook covered for 2-3 minutes. The spinach will shrink and release water.
• Open and saute until the water is almost absorbed. 
• Serve with rice and any curry of your choice.

Coconut Milk Chicken Roast

Now, this is a super quick and easy recipe. A recipe that just calls for three basic ingredients- chicken, coconut milk and chili powder. No onions, ginger, garlic or anything of that sort.  A very very very easy recipe and really yummy too. Don't hesitate in trying out this assuming that it might not taste good without many ingredients because this was the doubt that I had when Tessa told me about this recipe. She assured me that her friend Irshad made this in front of her and it tasted awesome!! So that's how this chicken dish was tried and it was truly lip-smacking. Since then I have made this umpteen number of times as it is a favorite at home now.

I have made it with boneless chicken here(as that was what I had with me in stock) but you can make this with chicken with bones too, it tastes equally good or maybe even better!

And as for the coconut milk, you can very well use the canned coconut milk or coconut milk powder(approximately 7-8 spoons in 1 1/2 cup of water), if you can't get hold of fresh coconut milk.
This is a spicy dish, the amount of chili powder can be altered according to your spice level interest but though the amount of chili powder appears to be more, it gets totally balanced with the sweetness of coconut milk.

Watch how to make this dish in our youtube channel - Droolsss by clicking here

Ingredients
250 gms chicken cut into small pieces(boneless or with bone)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder(adjust amount as per your taste)
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
salt to taste
few curry leaves sliced(for garnish)

Method

• Heat a pan. Add the oil followed by the chili powder. Fry the chili powder for a few seconds(take care not to burn it).
• Pour the coconut milk to the roasted chili and as it begins to boil, add the chicken pieces. 
• Add salt to taste and mix well.
• Cover and cook on a medium-low flame for approximately 5-7 minutes(If you are using chicken with bones cook for a few minutes more. Here I have used tender boneless chicken, which takes very little time to get cooked.)
• Open and keep cooking stirring every now and then until the coconut milk is totally absorbed into the chicken pieces and the dish turns into a reddish-brown color.
• Serve hot garnished with sliced curry leaves.

You can modify this dish by adding finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger etc. after adding the chili powder for a different taste. If you have time in hand you can try experimenting!!But if you are a busy person who has no time for all the cutting and chopping, then go ahead and give this a try as such:)

Quail Egg Biriyani/Kada mutta Biriyani

Cute little eggs, lying in aromatic basmati rice cooked in coconut milk and all the exotic Indian spices makes this biriyani a total crowd pleaser. Staying quite apart from the traditional biriyani cooking methods, this biriyani is quite on the easier side as it doesn't involve the 'dum' process and moreover can be said to be a dish that can be made at a short notice too.

Quail eggs or kada mutta though small and cute can never be underestimated with regard to its size. These little eggs are power packed in every sense. As these eggs are small in size, there comes a tendency to consume more of them. But the nutritional value of these eggs is 3-4 times higher than the normal chicken eggs. So though you wish to have more, it is advised not to have more though.

So when you make a normal egg roast or egg curry with these eggs, it is quite natural to feel the discontentment of not having as much as the heart desires to have. So then this is the way that I felt is better to have these eggs. Make a biriyani with them!

Ingredients

15 quail eggs
2 cups basmati rice
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp ginger paste
5-6 Tbsp ghee or oil
2 onions sliced thin
2 green chilies chopped
4 Tbsp mint leaves, chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
3-4 cardamom
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 cups thin coconut milk
1 chicken stock cube

Method

• Hard boil the eggs, shell them and keep aside.
• Soak the basmati rice in water for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan. Add star anise, bay leaves, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick.  Saute until a nice aroma comes.
• Add the onions and green chilly and fry until the onions start turning golden brown.
• Add the ginger paste and garlic paste. Fry until the raw smell goes.
• Then add the tomato puree and cook until the oil starts leaving from the sides of the pan.
• Add the chopped mint leaves, chili powder, turmeric powder, crushed black pepper, garam masala powder and the chicken stock cube. Mix everything well and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes.
• Toss in the boiled eggs and mix everything well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Now add the soaked basmati rice. Mix well and saute for 1 minute.
• Add the thin coconut milk. Mix well. Check salt and add just as much required(As the chicken stock has salt, adjust the salt accordingly). The water must taste salty so that when the rice gets cooked the salt taste will be balanced.
• Allow this to boil, add the lemon juice. Cover and cook on a low flame until the water is absorbed by the rice and the rice is cooked to perfection. Switch off the heat and allow the biriyani to remain covered in the pan for 5 minutes. Then open and fluff up the rice with a fork.
• Serve the quail egg biriyani with yogurt based salads.

Chemeen Roast/Prawns Roast

Ingredients
 For marination
500 gms chemeen/prawns(cleaned and deveined)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp roasted fennel powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
salt

For roasting
1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi/uluva seeds
2 onions sliced
1 tomato chopped
2 green chillies slit
a few curry leaves
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 whole red chilli
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp fennel powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
a few curry leaves
salt to taste
3-4 Tbsp coconut oil

Method

• Marinate the prawns with the ingredients mentioned under marination and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
• Shallow fry the marinated prawns in coconut oil, until slightly browned on both sides and keep aside.
• Into the same oil add the fenugreek/uluva seeds, whole red chilli broken, curry leaves and the grated coconut. Fry for sometime and then add the slit green chillies. Fry until coconut starts to turn into light golden colour.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry again for a few seconds. Toss in the sliced onions and add salt. Fry until onion turns translucent. Then add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, fennel powder and garam masala powder. Mix and fry for a few seconds
• Add the tomatoes, mix and cover and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Now toss in the fried prawns and mix everything well and roast well.
• Serve hot with garnished with curry leaves.

Pineapple Pachadi

 Pachadi is another regular dish in a traditional Kerala sadya. An authentic dish that can be made using various fruits and vegetables. Pineapple pachadi  is my favourite pachadi, the sweet and sour taste it imparts is really drool worthy. Regarding the method of making the pachadi, again the recipe varies in different parts of Kerala. The recipe I am sharing is how my mom makes it. The addition of ghee and jaggery is her variation while making this pachadi, as usually ghee and jaggery are not added in the traditional way of  making pachadi. But I personally love the taste it imparts to the dish and hence this is my favourite recipe. You can skip adding ghee and jaggery and proceed with the remaining recipe for the authentic way of making the dish, but I recommend to give this a try...it's really yummy.

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped ripe pineapple

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeerakam

2 green chillies(adjust according to spice level)

a pinch of turmeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 cup yoghurt

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp ghee(optional)

1/2 to 1 tsp grated jaggery(optional)

salt to taste

For seasoning

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

few curry leaves

1/4 tsp fenugreek powder

Method

•  Take a heavy bottomed pan and cook the pineapple with little salt and turmeric in half a cup of water on a medium low flame.
• Cook covered  until the pineapple is cooked well. Once cooked cook without lid until the water is absorbed.
• Add the ghee and jaggery(if the pineapple is not very sweet, then only jaggery should be added. Or else, you can skip adding the jaggery) and saute well until the water is totally absorbed and the mixture is somewhat dry.
• Grind the coconut, cumin, green chilli and mustard in yoghurt into a smooth paste.
• Add the grinded paste and salt (check and add, as we have already added little salt to the pineapple before) to the pineapple mixture and mix everything well.
• Cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• For seasoning, heat coconut oil in a small kadai. Add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the curry leaves and fenugreek powder. 
• Remove from heat and pour this on the prepared pineapple pachadi. Cover immediately with a tight lid.
• Leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then mix and serve.

Mathanga Erisseri

An unavoidable dish in  the Kerala menu, let it be for the festival sadyas of Onam, Vishu etc or the birthday sadyas of family members. It is said that erisseri is a must for a piranaal( star birthday- as per the Malayalam calendar) sadya.

Ingredients
250 gms ripe pumpkin, cut into cubes
1/4 cup vanpayar/red cow peas
1/2 cup grated coconut + 2 Tbsp
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste

Method

• Soak the red cow peas/vanpayar for 2-3 hours.
• Pressure cook the peas adding enough water  and a pinch of salt ,such that the peas lie submerged on a medium low flame for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle by itself. The peas should be soft and tender but not mashed.(If you have not soaked the peas, more number of whistles will be required)
• In the meantime, in another pot add the pumpkin, turmeric powder, chilli powder and add 2-3 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer and cook until the pumpkin turns soft and cooked.
• Add the cooked vanpayar to the pumpkin and mix well. Add salt and cook until everything is mixed well and turns thick.
• Grind half cup coconut with the cumin seeds into a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the pumpkin and vanpayar mixture and mix well. Cook for a few minutes and then remove from heat.
• Heat the coconut oil in a small pan. Oncce hot add the mustard seeds. As the the mustard starts to pop add the curry leaves and 2 Tbsp shredded coconut . Roast well until the coconut turns light brown in colour. Add this to the prepared pumpkin dish. Cover immediately with a lid so that the aroma of the fried coconut gets infused in the dish. Keep undisturbed for a few minutes.
• Mix well and serve.

Pulinji

The dark brown coloured sweet and sour dish that finds its place in a corner of a plaintain leaf in a Kerala sadya is an unavoidable dish in any festival of Kerala let it be Onam or Vishu. It is a make ahead dish , so make this today itself as Onam is just around the corner.
Ingredients

tamarind pulp- one lemon sized ball
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
salt as required
3tsp coconut oil
6 green chillies, chopped fine
2" ginger- chopped fine
1 small cube jaggery
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 whole red chillies
one sprig curry leaves

Method

• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water and extract the juice. Pour this into a wide bottomed pan. add one more cup of water to this and keep it to boil.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to this. 
• In a separate pan heat 2 tsp coconut oil. Saute the chopped green chillies and ginger well. Add this to the boiling tamarind mixture.
• Add the jaggery also to the tamarind mix. Cook everything well until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat. Heat the remaining 1 tsp coconut oil. Add the mustard. Break the whole red chillies and add . Once the mustard starts spluttering add the curry leaves and pour this over the prepared pulinji. Mix well and serve. 

Neychoru/Ghee Rice

A delectable rice which though is a speciality of the Malabar cuisine is now spread across everywhere with the variation mostly being in the type of rice used. Malabar neychoru uses the tiny cumin shaped rice grains known as the jeerkasala rice. The aromatic rice is roasted in ghee along with other spices ,cooked to perfection and finally garnished with fried onions and ghee roasted dry fruits. This neychoru also serves as base for most of the biriyani recipes from Kerala

Ingredients

2 cups jeerakasala rice
4 Tbsp ghee
2-3 cardamons
3-4 cloves
2"cinnamon stick
few peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ginger paste
1 medium onion sliced
few curry leaves
3 1/2 cups water
salt to taste
1tsp lemon juice

Method

• Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the ghee. Once the ghee is hot add the whole spices i.e. the cardomons, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Saute for a few seconds.
• Now add the curry leaves, ginger paste and sliced onion. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
• Add the soaked and drained rice. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice grains turn dry and is covered with the ghee.
• Meanwhile boil the mentioned amount of water separately.
• Pour this hot water(3.5 cups) into the rice and stir well oh high heat.
• Add enough salt(the water should taste salty to ensure that the ghee rice has the adequate amount of salt).

• Drizzle the lemon juice.
• Once the water and rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to minimum. Close with a tight lid and leave the rice to cook for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, open and fluff the rice with a fork.(if you feel that the rice is not cooked leave on low heat covered for 5 minute more. If there is no moisture at all in the rice and the rice looks as if it needs more cooking you can add 1/2 cup of hot water and cover and cook for 5 minutes but take care not to overcook)
• Garnish with with fried onion, ghee fried cashews and raisins.
• Serve hot with a spicy chicken curry, mutton curry, egg curry,  etc