Mango Pulissery/Manga pulissery

Ingredients

Ripe mangoes - 4 Nos.

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 2 cups

Curd - 2 cups

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt 

Coconut oil

Curry leaves

To Grind

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 2 Nos.

For Tempering

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Curry leaves

Fenugreek seeds

Method

Peel the skin off mangoes, gently mash them with your fingers. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, water, and salt. Cook well. 

Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilli to a smooth paste.  

Add the smooth ground paste to the cooked mangoes, along with curd and 1/2 cup of water (if you think the curry is too thick, add enough water to get the desired consistency ). Stir occasionally. When it is about to boil, switch off the stove. 

Heat coconut oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, add red chillies, and curry leaves. Pour this above the prepared curry. 

Kaplanga Vellapayar Erissery/Raw papaya and Black eyed bean curry/Raw papaya and lobia curry

Ingredients

Raw Papaya - 1 medium

Vella Payar/lobia/black eyed beans - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

To Grind

Grated coconut - 3/4 cup

Garlic - 2 cloves

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Tempering

Coconut oil

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal -3/4 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Curry leaves

Pearl onions - 3 Nos.

Fried grated coconut - 1/4 cup



Method

Pressure cook vella payar until 2 whistles.

Pressure cook papaya, turmeric powder, chilli powder till 1 whistle.

Grind grated coconut, garlic, and cumin seeds to a coarse paste.

Add the coarse paste, cooked vellapayar, and salt to cooked papaya. Boil them. Switch off the stove, when curry thickens. Add little water if necessary.

Tempering

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds and urad dal. When urad dal starts to change color, add dry
red chillies, curry leaves, pearl onions, and grated coconut. When grated coconut is light brown in color, pour this mixture over curry.

Vazha Pindi Cherupayar Curry/Kerala Pindi Curry/Banana stem with whole moong dal

Ingredients
Vazha pindi/banana stem - 2 1/2 cups

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cherupayar/whole moong dal - 1/4 cup


To Grind
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Pearl onions - 5 Nos.

Garlic - 2 cloves

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies -2 Nos.


For tempering

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Curry leaves

Salt

Coconut oil

Method

Pressure cook whole moong dal with salt until 2-3 whistles.

Pressure cook banana stem along with turmeric powder and salt for one whistle.

Grind grated coconut, pearl onions, garlic, cumin seeds, chilli powder, and green chillies to a smooth paste.

Mix cooked banana stem and ground smooth paste. Continue cooking. Allow it to boil. When it starts to boil, add cooked moong dal. Check for salt. Add if needed. Now when the curry starts to thicken, switch off the stove. Proceed with tempering.

Tempering

Heat oil in a pain, add mustard seeds, dry red chillies, and curry leaves. Pour this over curry. 

Pavakka pitlai/Pavakka parippu curry/Bittergourd in dal gravy

Ingredients

Bittergourd/Pavakka - 1 medium

Toor dal - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - gooseberry sized (Soak tamarind in water)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Method

Cut bittergourd in roundels. Marinate bittergourd with salt for 1/2 hour. After 1/2 an hour, give bittergourd a nice squeeze.  Fry them in oil. Set aside.

Dry roast coriander powder, chilli powder, and asafoetida. Grind roasted powder with grated coconut to a fine paste. Set aside.

Pressure cook toor dal for 2-3 whistles. Open pressure cooker, add turmeric powder, salt, tamarind water. When it starts to boil, add fried bittergourd rounds, and jaggery. Add ground paste. When it starts to boil, switch off the stove. Proceed with tempering.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, followed by red chillies and curry leaves. Pour this over curry.

Carrot beans thoran

Ingredients
Carrot, medium - 2 Nos.
Beans - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Onion, small, chopped - 1 No.
Green chillies, chopped - 3 Nos.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method
Heat oil in a pan. Allow mustard seeds to splutter. Add onion, green chillies, and curry leaves. Saute them until the onion turns transparent. Now add turmeric powder and chilli powder (if using). Add carrot, beans,and salt. Lower the flame, close the lid.When the carrot and beans are half cooked, add grated coconut to this. If the veggies look too dry, sprinkle some water. Close the lid. Cook till it is done. Open the lid and cook for a minute. Mix well, but gently.

Serve with rice, a watery curry, or pickle for a simple yet satisfying meal.

Soya Chunks Kootu curry

lo and behold!

Nowadays I can't stop but think about how much this kootu curry resembles kudal curry aka botti curry in taste. If you don't know what a botti curry is - this is exactly what is served the night before the weddings in Catholic houses. This is a stolen recipe from Mommy and can be called Vegetarian botti curry.

If you are a person who gets occasional cravings for kudal curry, don't forget to try this. You will be amazed by the result.

Ingredients
Soya chunks - 1 cup

Boiled black chana/kadala - 1 cup

Raw banana/Pachakaya - 2 No. (medium sized)

Chena/Elephants yam - 1 1/4 cups

Coconut cuts/thengakothu - 2 tbsp

Pearl onions  - 1/4 cup

Garlic chopped - 1 tsp

Green chillies, chopped - 2 Nos.

Ginger chopped - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (optional)

To Grind
Grated coconut - 1 cup

Cinnamon - 2 small pieces

Cloves - 6 Nos.

Peppercorns - 8 Nos.

Cardamom - 3 Nos.

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For tempering
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves

Dry red chillies - 3 Nos.

Method
Soak soya chunks for 1 hour. Cut soya chunk into two pieces. Keep this aside.

Soak black chana overnight and pressure cook till it is done. Keep this aside.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add grated coconut. Fry for sometime. As the coconut starts to turn color, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Now fry till the grated coconut achieves a brown color. Now switch off the stove and add coriander powder, chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Keep this aside to cool. Now grind this to get a smooth paste. Keep this aside.

Cook soya chunks, raw banana, and yam together.  Once cooked, add cooked chana to this. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, fry the coconut cuts. Now add pearl onions, garlic, green chillies, and ginger. Saute them well. Once sauteed, add the ground coconut paste and slightly saute in low heat.  Now add the cooked vegetables along with water if any. When the curry becomes thick, add coconut milk. Switch off the stove. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, then dried chillies, and curry leaves. Pour this over the curry.

Mathanga Pachadi/Pumpkin pachadi

Ingredients
Pumpkin - 1/4 kg
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds  - 1 pinch
Dry red chillies - 3 Nos.
Onion chopped - 1 tbsp
 Salt as required
Green chillies, slit - 6 Nos.
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard crushed - 1 tsp
Yoghurt - 1 cup

Method
Pressure cook pumpkin pieces with salt till one whistle. Once pressure cooker is opened, keep some chunks of cooked pumpkin aside, and mash rest of the pumpkin with a spoon. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds followed by fenugreek seeds, and dried red chillies. Saute them. Now add onion, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and saute them. Once it is sauteed well, switch off the stove and transfer it to a bowl. Pour whisked yogurt over it. Now add crushed mustard and cooked pumpkin. Mix them well. Now add cooked pumpkin chunks, which was kept aside to it. Stir gently. Mathanga pachadi  is ready to be served.

Mathanga Aviyal/Pumpkin in ground coconut paste

A decade ago, I could relate pumpkin only to Halloween for that was the day we friends look forward to make an escape from the daily routine of work. A year of preparation and planning might go into it, but at the end of the trip, we know we are there for each other. That feeling is amazing, wanting us to be midst our friends right now whom we both miss here.  Always our Halloweens were devoid of pumpkins. Instead we will be in faraway places tasting momos, reshmi kebabs or even kappa puzhukku. Never we fancied eating pumpkin cakes or muffins. I can become a little crafty at times, but I have never carved a Jack-o-lantern or bought a whole pumpkin for that matter.

A year ago, in the name of Abbey's baby appetite, I did pumpkin mash. She used to love it. Pumpkin made a reentry into our house with Abbey's new found love and it has seen its glorious days in the form of payasam, mousse, Sambhar, and very rarely mathanga erissery.

Now since my ladybird self promoted herself to banana breads and shawaamas (Shawarma), it is difficult to sell pumpkin mash to her. Mostly I keep pumpkin as a last option to cook, then obviously it starts to crinkle. Thinking a  little pumpkin won't hurt, I start throwing it left and right  into a pot of sambhar, aviyal, or  whatever curry is getting cooked and  it quietly does its job of sweetening a dish.

When Mommie was here, she cooked this aviyal for us and it appealed to us Kerala Aviyal lovers.

Given any day, my vote goes for Kerala Aviyal. Again, there are days, where we look for simplicity of one vegetable being chopped and cooked. This aviyal for me exactly is for those days, when I don't have to deal with tons of chopping and loads of veggies, yet extravagant looking curry and taste is always a welcome in my house.

Ingredients
Mathanga/Pumpkin - 1/2 kg
Green chillies - 3 Nos.
Tamarind - 1 gooseberry sized
Salt
Curry leaves
Coconut oil.

To Grind
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Pearl onions - 6 Nos.
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method
Cut pumpkin into square pieces.

Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the tamarind water.

Grind coarsely grated coconut, cumin seeds, pearl onions, chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Keep this aside.

In a kadai, add pumpkin, ground coarse paste, green chillies, tamarind water, salt and water needed to cook it. (Don't mash pumpkin). Once pumpkin is cooked, swivel around the kadai with your hands, instead of using a spoon. Towards the end, add curry leaves, pour little amount of coconut oil.  It is good to go with a steaming bowl of rice.

Bottlegourd with capsicum/Lauki Simla Mirch subzi/Chorakkai curry/Sorakkai Curry

If you read my blog you can easily make out, I lean towards vegetarian. But it's not always hugs and kisses for veggies like bottlegourd, capsicum, etc. I was introduced early on in my childhood with lauki dal, which I used to hate, apparently my hubby loves it. Lately, I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of lauki and was determined to cook it in more ways. I was very sure that somewhere it will click. I tried this recipe from vahrevahchef and everyone loved how lauki just tasted better with simla mirch and tangy tomatoes.

If you are a lady who starts pulling your hair at the tick of 6 p.m., thinking what should go with chapathis today, then this is it. You will be madly in love with the amazing combo - lauki and simla mirch spiked with tomatoey goodness. In one shot, how many veggies and a fruit are you tucking in ......... 2 veggies and a fruit. Isn't that good for you?

Ingredients
Bottlegourd/Lauki/chorakkai/sorakkai - 500 gm

Green bell pepper/Capsicum - 250 gm

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chopped coriander - 1 bunch

Chopped tomatoes - 2 No.

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Asafoetida/Hing - 1 pinch

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - tbsp

Salt as required

• Cut bottlegourd and capsicum in equal sizes. 
• Don't overcook lauki or capsicum. The whole beauty and taste of the dish is in the cooked yet crunchy vegetables (bottlegourd and peppers).
• If you are not sure about pressure cooking times, open the pressure cooker before 1 whistle and check. May be you will need some extra mins, say 2 or 3 after that. 
• Don't wait for 1 whistle to open your pressure cooker, chances are that you end up with lauki mash. Now you can't revert the process. Always it is safe to go by above method.

Method
Pressure cook lauki near to one whistle. Open the pressure cooker immediately. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Add cooked lauki, capsicum, salt, chilli powder, and cook till capsicum is tender. Now add chopped tomatoes and let it cook for 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Lauki ki subzi is ready. Enjoy with chapathis.

Paneer Mutter Curry/Paneer and Peas Curry/Cottage cheese and peas curry

Ingredients

To saute and grind
Onion, chopped  - 150 gm
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder soaked in little water - 1/4 tsp
Tomato, chopped - 150 gm

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Yogurt - 100 mL
Cashewnut paste - 100 gm
Paneer - 150 gm
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
Cream - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt as required

Method
Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek seeds and fry them till they give a black color. Now pick out the fenugreek seeds from the oil. Reheat the oil, saute onions. When it turns translucent, add ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, and turmeric powder. When oil starts to appear on the surface, add tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes. Once it is cooked, grind them to a paste. Return it to the pan, add yogurt and cashewnut paste. Saute them. Now add paneer, green peas, coriander leaves, and cream. Mix well. Add cumin powder, garam masala powder, fennel powder, and salt. Cook in low heat. Once done, sprinkle little chilli powder on top of the curry.

Baingan ka bhartha/Roasted mashed eggplant

Ingredients
Brinjal - 1 kg
Frozen green peas - 1/2 cup
Onion chopped - 3 medium
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic chopped - 1 tbsp
Ginger chopped - 1 tbsp
Green chillies chopped - 1
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Tomatoes chopped - 2 large
Amchoor pdr/lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves

Method
Spread little oil on the skin of brinjal. Roast brinjal in oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Allow it to cool, then peel the skin of brinjal. Now mash it completely. Keep mashed brinjal aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. Now add garlic, ginger and green chillies. Add onion and saute them well. When onion turns translucent, add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Add tomatoes. Once it is cooked well, add mashed brinjal and green peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Check for the sourness. If it lacks sourness, add amchoor powder or else omit this. Just before switching off the stove, add garam masala. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Coconut chutney

Ingredients

To Grind
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Green chillies - 3 Nos.
Pearl onions - 3 Nos.
Pottukadalai/roasted chana dal - 2 tbsp

For tempering
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Method
In a blender, grind grated coconut, ginger, curry leaves, green chillies, pearl onions, and pottukadalai. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Now add curry leaves and dry red chillies. Pour the paste which is set aside into this. Add water and salt if necessary. When the curry is about to boil, switch off the stove and serve hot with idlis, dosas.

Avial/Aviyal/Cochin Ke Aviyal/Kerala Style Mixed vegetables

Few years back, my husband had an utmost desire to live long as his weighing scale could not force itself to work.  So we were thinking about every other option that came our way. At last, we consulted a naturopath and started on a naturopathic regime. Now you see, if you are a binge eater, it is a real sacrifice you are making to keep your body running. They will put you on a drastic diet, which according to me is fair, given the person who is on it is 100% willing. Happy news is that it worked for my husband and some of our dear friends, and all of them reduced some pounds. Anyways, story altogether is different now and best left unspoken.

Avial ….nah….Cochin ke aviyal as my out-of-state friends say were served along with a kind of red jaw breaking rice. To make our life easier, I too joined this red rice and Avial lunch for a month. If you believe 21 days is a habit forming period, it is so true. I am a great advocate of the same since the love of Avial stayed with both of us. 

For avial you can use any assortment of veggies. Some people even use bitter gourd. The real success is when you know your vegetables are thoroughly cooked, but not mashed, the mild sourness, which is not overpowering (either use yogurt/sour mangoes/tomatoes for sourness) and the rich adornment of grated coconut, curry leaves, and a small pour of coconut oil towards the end in correct portions. Now see how it is cooked in my kitchen .........   

Ingredients
Elephant yam/Chena - 1 cup
Snakegourd/Padavalanga - 1/4 cup
Runner beans/Achinga - 1/4 cup
Carrot - 1 No.
Drumsticks/Muringakka - 2 Nos.
Cucumber/Vellarikka/kani vellari - 1 cup
Raw green plantain/Pachakaya/kaya - 1/2 of one (if very small use 1 No.)
Sour mango - Half of one (check for sourness before adding) (Alternatively you can add yogurt, tomatoes to  get sourness to the dish)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Coconut oil - 3-4 tsp (to pour towards the end)

To Grind coarsely
Grated coconut - 1/2 of a coconut
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp (if you prefer taste of cumin, add more)
Green chillies - 2 Nos.


Method
Using a blender, grind coarsely grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chillies.

Cut the vegetables in equal sizes.

Use 3 bowls to soak the cut veggies.

Firstly, soak the cut elephant yam in a bowl with some water. Secondly, in a separate bowl with water, soak drumsticks, runner beans, snake gourd, and carrots. Thirdly, place raw green plantain in water in a different bowl.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add drumsticks, runner beans, snake gourd, and carrots. On top of that add elephant yam. On top of that add kani vellari. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Close the lid and when it starts to boil mix well. When elephant yam is  half cooked, dig a well in the curry, add raw green plaintain  and sour mango to it and close the lid. Open the lid to see if green plaintain  is cooked. When water is no more, add coarsely ground masala along with curry leaves. Mix gently without mashing the veggies. Now pour some coconut oil on top and heat for a minute. Switch off the stove.

Your pan Kerala Avial is ready to be served with rice.

Chakkakuru Manga Muringakka Curry/Jackfruit seeds, sour mango, drumsticks curry/thengaracha chakkakuru manga curry

Ingredients
Jackfruit seeds/Chakkakuru - 2 cups
Drumsticks/Muringakka - 2 cups
Sour mango/Pachamanga - 1 No.
Green chillies - 5 Nos.

To Grind
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic  - 4 cloves
Shallots - 3 Nos.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For tempering
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Shallots - 1 tbsp

Method
Peel jackfruit seeds. Pressure cook jackfruit seeds till 2 whistles. Keep this aside.

Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, garlic, shallots, chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder to get a fine paste.

In a munchatti/earthernware, cook drumsticks, sour mangoes, green chillies, salt and turmeric with little water. When it is half cooked, add pressure cooked jackfruit seeds. Now allow everything to cook. When it is all cooked,  add ground fine paste. Add water as required. Allow it to boil. Switch off the stove.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, shallots, and curry leaves. Pour over the curry.

Pudina Aloo/Minty Potatoes

Easter was totally a blessed one with our entire family here that called for a massive cooking. Now Kitchen is undoubtedly the most busiest part of the house with clinging pots and pans, kitchen drawers opening and shutting down, and lots of food on the kitchen counter. Every corner of the kitchen is being used and Moms are on a mission to give a clean sweep to my overstocked pantry. I am currently playing the role of a taste tester and less of a chef. Even Abbey is into full fledged cooking with frying pans and wooden spatula in the living room.

Coming back to minty potatoes, this was a fabulous side dish. The looks were quite deceiving like Easter eggs. We paired it with  Jeera rice, Shahi paneer, and was absolutely tasty. I believe it will go well with beef chops/lamb chops with the minty texture. The measurements were so accurate by the author and everyone in the family loved it. Try this for your next potluck ......

Recipe: Vidhu Mittal's Pure and Simple

Ingredients

Baby potatoes, boiled, peeled - 400 gm

Vegetable oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Asafoetida/hing - a pinch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 1/2 tsp

Green chilli paste - 1/2 tbsp

Mint paste - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp

Amchur/Mango powder - 1/2 tsp

Mint powder - 1 tsp

Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Mint, chopped - 3 tbsp

Coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method
Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan for 30 seconds. Add asafoetida, cumin seeds, ginger paste, green chilli paste, and mint paste. Cook for 10 seconds. Add potatoes and mix well. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, mango powder, mint powder, chaat masala, and garam masala. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Add mint, coriander leaves, and salt to taste. Mix and cook for a minute. Serve hot.

Ulli Curry/Ulli theeyal/Varutharacha ulli curry/Pearl onion curry

Seasonal fruits ..... oh, yes, it is budget-friendly, sweet, and then starts the hunt for an array of recipes to make use of that final bit of fruit stuck in your bowl. 

What about seasonal curries? Do they make their way to your dining table only that particular season. Of course, it happens in my family and with nostalgia intertwined this curry is so delicious, will make you cry, drool, and often a reminder of Lent season.

As a Kochiite, I love a good portion of it. I always associate Ulli curry to this season as we make it only during Lent. 

I believe once your brain is wired to the first delicious authentic bite of anything you ever tasted, you always want to recreate that particular taste in your kitchen, and when it does not happen.....hmmm..... a sunken feeling. Happily this time with 2 Mom chefs around, my job was just to lick teeny weeny last bits of coconut gravy fencing the bowl. 

Do peeling onions make you cry? Why not do it once a year ..... for when your bowl of Ulli curry is born, you know it is worth the effort.

Now let's move on to palate watering Kunjulli curry.....  

Serves 15 people

Ingredients
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 2 Nos.
Green chillies - 2 Nos.
Curry leaves
Shallots/pearl onions/Madras onions, peeled and sliced - 3 cups
Coconut oil
Salt to taste
Tamarind - lemon sized ball(to make 1/2 cup of tamarind water) 

To roast and grind
Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cups
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method

In a nonstick pan and low flame, dry roast grated coconut until brown (it should be exceedingly brown, but you should not burn it). Once it has achieved the brown color, which we are looking for, switch off the stove, add cumin seeds, coriander powder, chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Now fry for 1 minute (this is a very important step).

Grind them to make a paste without adding water. 

Soak tamarind in warm water. When tamarind is soft, squeeze well and collect the tamarind water. Keep this aside.

Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds to crackle. Add dry red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, and pearl onions. Saute them well (Onions should not be browned. Please have a look at the first picture, it tells you how onion should be cooked). Add tamarind water, which we have squeezed and kept aside. Add salt to this. Let it boil. Now add the ground paste and allow it to boil until the gravy thickens.  Once the gravy is thickened, switch off the stove, and serve hot with steaming rice.  

Notes   

• It tastes best the second day. So if you are planning to serve for your guests, cook ahead, and let the flavors blend. 
• You can add little bit of jaggery if you prefer. This gives a delicious undertone to ulli theeyal.
• If you are making Kunjulli curry for a small family, reduce ingredients by half. 
• This quantity of curry was for 15 people.

  

Navaratna Kuruma/Navaratan Korma

That was an explosion of vegetables in a bowl – or even better,  a Hollywood meets Bollywood type of curry. It has everything to keep you entertained while cooking as well as feeding just like a Bolly movie - colorful, eye catchy with a string of colors, but the ghora factor is so evident.  The vegetables, nuts, and fruits you choose can be tailored to fit one’s own visual palate that make this curry interesting. The major ghora content can lull you along with its lovely specks of colors. This is something I loved, in fact my Mom was very good at it. Then came a phase she called it quits and moved on to simpler things life has to offer. (She is a great preacher of simple is the best). When I decided to cook my hotchpotch dish, I turned to her for the recipe. Now she can’t remember it exactly and she doesn't feel there is any need to as recipes are floating all over www. So this recipe is adapted from her broken memory.

Ingredients

Carrots - 1- 1 1/2 cups

Beans - 6

Cauliflower - 8 big florets, cut into slices 

Potato - 1 1/2 cups

Frozen peas - 1/2 cup

Paneer/cottage cheese - 3/4 cup 

Bottlegourd - 1/2 cup

Mushrooms - 5

Apple - 1/2 of a small apple

Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Green cardamoms - 4

Peppercorns - 4

Cloves - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp

For garnishing

Fried Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup 

Fried raisins - 1 tbsp

Method
Immerse paneer pieces in warm water to soften it. Soak cashewnuts in warm water, drain, and grind them into a paste. Pressure cook carrots, beans, potatoes, and bottle gourd till one whistle. Meantime, microwave cauliflower, apple, and mushrooms for 6-7 minutes.Saute onions in minimum oil and when they wilt, transfer to a blender and make onion paste out of it.   Heat oil in a kadai, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamoms, and peppercorns. When they start to crackle, add ginger garlic paste. Add ground onion paste. Saute the onion paste to remove the raw flavor if any. Add green chillies, cashew paste, and yogurt. Cook on low heat for 5 mins. Add boiled vegetables. Add green peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and water according to your requirements. Add paneer pieces immersed in warm water. Bring to a boil. Garnish with cream, cashewnuts, and raisins.

Notes:-

You can use red cherries for garnish.

If you are using organic apples, leave the peel on as it gives a nice crunch to the dish.

Pineapple is a nice alternative to apple, but if you can't get really sweet ones, your dish might turn sour.

Basically you are trying to balance the flavors (sweet, sour, crunch, creaminess), so keep your family's preference in mind.