Beetroot Kichadi/Beetroot in yogurt gravy

Ingredients
Beetroot - 2
Yogurt - 2 cups
Onion - 1 medium
Green chillies - 3-4
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2

Method
Grate beetroot and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds to crackle. Add dry red chillies. Now add ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves. Saute for 1 minute. Add chopped onions and saute them well. When it turns translucent, add beetroot and cook them well.

 Add yogurt to this along with some water. Allow heat to pass through the yogurt. Don't boil it. Switch off the stove.

Beetroot Kichadi is usually served as a Sadhya accompaniment.

Kerala Kadala curry/Kerala black chana curry/varutharacha kadala curry/Black chana in roasted coconut gravy

I like to call this curry a posh cousin to our everyday kadala curry. If you have friends like us who think Kerala cuisine is all about puttu, can talk endlessly about how tasty puttu is, and painstakingly learn the entire process of puttu making, pass on this recipe to them. Let them create Kerala heaven in their homes with smell of roasting coconut wafting through air. Don't forget to gift them a puttu maker.

Ingredients
Kadala/Black chana - 1 1/2 cups
Onion sliced - 1 medium
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 1-2
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Coconut oil
Salt

To Roast and grind

Grated coconut - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Method
Soak black chana overnight. Pressure cook chana along with salt and water. Keep it aside.

Heat a pan, dry roast grated coconut. In between the roasting process, add 1 tsp of coconut oil and fry till it turns brown in colour (don't burn it). Switch off the stove. Now add coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, and turmeric powder. Mix them well. Allow it to cool. Now grind them in a blender.

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds. Saute onion. When onion turns translucent, add garlic, ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves. Stir them well. When onion turns light brown in color, add ground mixture to this. Saute for 1 minute. Now add cooked black chana along with water and allow it to boil. When the gravy starts to thicken, switch off the stove. Transfer this to a bowl and serve hot with steaming puttu.

Pavakka varuthathu/bittergourd fry/karela fry

This is an Oh So Perfect Crunch for not so sunny days, when your house is shady and you a dazed and depressed one.  Of course, chewing on to coconut bits can make you a bit active and the wild combination of bitterness from gourdy gal and mild sweetness from coco guy – make you say, opposites do attract. When you bite into woody bits with oil oozing out with a turmeric tinge - wow! it is just so perfect. I have even seen fussy eaters going mad on this combo. Again, it is a nice way to introduce bittergourd to your kids diet. Try your luck ..........who knows next time you might end up loading your vegetable box with karela.

Ingredients
Pavakka/bittergourd/karela - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut pieces/Thengakothu/kopra- 1/2 cup
Pearl onion - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil
Salt

Method
Cut bittergourd into small pieces. Marinate bittergourd with turmeric powder and salt for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan, fry bittergourd and keep it aside. Now add coconut pieces to the remaining oil, fry and keep them aside. Fry pearl onions, curry leaves and green chillies. When pearl onions turn brown in color, add fried bittergourd and coconut pieces. Adjust salt according to your taste.

Thakkali curry/Thakkali char/Tomato curry

This is an easy go-to curry when you feel like your brain is not ready to run the show for the day. I prefer this curry for its simplicity, less ingredients, and the bright yellow color, not to forget the less work involved. Tomato being a favorite of my family - ever present in my kitchen in the hopes that anytime it can be reduced to a healthy soup.

Ingredients
Tomatoes - 2 big
Onion thinly sliced - 1 medium
Green chillies slit - 4
Ginger chopped - 1 inch piece
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Thin coconut milk - 1 1/2 - 2 cups
Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Oil
Salt

Method
Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds to crackle. Saute onion. When it turns translucent, add curry leaves, green chillies, and ginger. Fry for a minute. Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Fry for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and when it is partially mashed, add thin coconut milk and cook. When it starts to boil and thicken, lower the flame. Add thick coconut milk and before it starts to boil, switch off the stove. Thakkali curry is ready to be served.


For a visually appealing curry, always go for ripe red tomatoes. This stew like curry is very mild, yet pleasing to the palate and has a warmth of its own.

Palak Paneer

Daddy’s b’day has come and gone. It was a quiet family affair. I am sure he must have missed his family and friends back home all the more, although wishes poured in the form of phone and google calls, and I heard even somebody mentioning how they already started missing his absence. It made perfect sense to me because as long as I can remember my Dad and Mom never failed to entertain guests and their doors were always wide open. As their friends circle expanded, so do entertaining at home. Through it all, I gained a real insight of different communities and of course through it all cuisines. So our kitchen was always a hotpot of cuisines and my palate, an acquired one.

I have often heard from our guests after years, how well they were received at home and of course the food Mom made. I must admit both entertaining and cooking an art in itself, which my parents were good at and I have not taken it entirely from them ....... I am striving for it doggedly.

Now back to the story, it is all about the real hero - my treacherous chocolate sponge - I thought to pile it up and make a black forest cake. 

So Daddy’s girl was busy perfecting chocolate sponge for 2 days. It was like this …..first day, I ended up with a deflated choco sponge that was too eggy. Second try, it was perfectly made, but as I shifted it from cake tin to a plate it collapsed. Roughly put it this way, I could not breathe life into my black forest cake.
My heart is looming with grief (okay!Signs that you are more involved in the work you are doing) even though the catastrophic sponge was turned into a black forest trifle.

But again, I believe there are some days, how much ever you try things won’t unfold the way you want it. After being the victim of bad baking days, hope I will perfect my skill for a good chocolate sponge soon. I never knew when people talked about the skills it take to make a perfect sponge. 

So with whatever josh I am left  …… I am taking you on a desi tadka.  I have always admired Sikh community for their so called josh. Ok, more on how they opened their doors to a mallu girl …... I will be writing it soon.

Ingredients
Spinach - 3 bunches
Paneer - 250 gm
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Tomato - 1 big
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 3 pinches
Cream - 1 tbsp

Method
Immerse paneer cubes in hot water. This will make it soft and ready to be thrown into the curry. Chop off the stems and wash the leaves thoroughly. Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes and immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice cold water (this will retain the green color of palak/spinach leaves). Now squeeze the spinach leaves well and transfer it to a blender and make a puree out of it. (You can totally skip the pureeing part and leave the spinach as such - this also gives fab results)

Heat oil in a kadai, allow cumin seeds to splutter. Now add ginger, garlic, and chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn slightly brown. Add tomatoes and cook them well to get a mash. Now add spinach puree, salt, and paneer cubes. Sprinkle kasuri methi and garam masala. Add cream before serving.

Enjoy with rotis.

Pacha Kaya ularthiyathu/kaya mezhukkupuratti/raw banana stir fry

Ingredients
Pacha kaya/raw banana - 3
Green chillies - 1-2
Shallots - 10-12
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli flakes - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 stalks
Salt
Oil

Method
Peel the bananas. Cut them into pieces and wash them in several changes of salt water. Cook bananas, green chillies, turmeric powder, and curry leaves along with little water (water should be at the level to barely cover the bananas). Cover and cook them. Once it is done, keep them aside.

If you are using pressure cooker, cook until 1 whistle.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Now add shallots and saute them. When they start to turn brown, add red chilli flakes. Saute them to remove the raw smell from red chilli flakes (don't burn the chilli flakes). Now, add the set aside cooked bananas and mix well.

Delicious kaya ularthiyathu can be enjoyed with kuthari choru or ponni ari.

Pacha kaya ularthiyathu goes well with rasam or kachiya moru.

Cheera thoran/Spinach stir fry

Ingredients
Spinach - 1 bunch
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chillies, chopped - 4 nos
Pearl onions, sliced - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Salt
Oil

Method
Chop spinach.

Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds and cumin seeds to crackle. Add dry red chillies. Saute pearl onions, curry leaves and green chillies till light brown in color. Add turmeric powder, spinach, and salt. Mix well. When spinach is cooked slightly, add grated coconut and cook in low flame till it is done. 

Poori Masala/Poori Bhaji

INGREDIENTS FOR POORI
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt
Water to knead the dough

Method
Mix wheat flour and salt with water and knead them to make soft dough. Shape the dough with hands to make balls. Roll them into rounds. Heat oil in a kadai, deep fry to get puffed light brown color pooris. Drain this onto a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Serve hot with poori masala/bhaji.

INGREDIENTS FOR POORI MASALA/POORI BHAJI
Potatoes - 2 big
Onion chopped - 1 medium
Green chillies - 4-6
Tomato - 1 medium
Curry leaves
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt

Method
Clean the potatoes to remove any dirt, don't peel them. Pressure cook potatoes cutting them into half till 3-4 whistles. Open the pressure cooker, peel and mash the potatoes.

Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds and urad dal to splutter. Saute onion, green chillies, and curry leaves. When onion turns transparent, add turmeric powder. Now add tomatoes chopped. When the tomatoes are sauteed (don't make them too mushy), add little water.  When the curry starts to boil, add mashed potatoes and salt. When the curry turns thick, switch off the stove. Serve hot with fluffy pooris.

Note:- The consistency of poori masala can be changed by the addition or reduction of water.

Brinjal Fry/Baingan Fry

Ingredients
1. Brinjal - 1 big (Use the big plump ones)
2. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
5. Garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
6. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt as required
8. Rice powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil for frying

Method
Wash and cut brinjal in rounds. Soak brinjal pieces in turmeric water for 5 minutes. Drain the water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Make a thick paste adding little water to the above ingredients from 2-8. Marinate the brinjal pieces with the thick paste. Keep them for an hour.

Heat oil in a kadai and shallow fry the brinjal pieces. Adding rice powder can result in a crispier brinjal rounds. Serve hot with rice.

Use big plump variety of brinjal with lots of flesh for frying.

Green rice with Brinjal Vindaloo

How about a vegan Christmas? Oh yes, I can see dull, long boring faces. We (myself included) cannot imagine a Christmas without our staples and  don't want to miss on it. If somebody out there is on a search for a  vegan rice and vindaloo recipe for this grand day, this is what I have to offer - Green rice with Brinjal Vindaloo. Rice with its subtle flavor and Vindaloo with its not so fiery taste fits the bill for a Vegan Christmas.

I got a taste of this rice first hand from Aunty Carol who often used to feed us. She is a big hearted lady who is very close to us and touched my heart in many ways. Her work for Theresian Sisters were notable.

GREEN RICE

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 3-31/2 cups
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 4
Ginger - 1 tsp
Garlic - 2 cloves
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium
Salt
Oil

Directions
Heat oil in a pan, saute onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, mint leaves, and coriander leaves. When the onion  turns translucent,  switch off the stove. Let it cool completely. Once cooled, grind the mixture. Keep it aside.
Grind the grated coconut and set them aside.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add basmati rice and saute for 2-3 minutes. Now add the ground mint-coriander mixture. Mix well. Allow the mixture to coat the rice. Now add the ground coconut mixture. Let them blend completely with the rice. Add 3-3 1/2 cups of hot water and salt. Close the lid and cook till 1 whistle. Switch off the stove and open after 10-15 minutes.

BRINJAL VINDALOO

Ingredients
Brinjal - 250 g (I used big plump variety)
Onion - 2 large, chopped finely
Tomatoes - 2 big
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Garlic chopped - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tbsp or according to your taste
Salt
Oil

Directions
Grind mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, kashmiri chilli powder, and vinegar. Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds, saute onion. It should be sauteed well to remove the raw taste. When the onion turns light brown in color (if the onion is not sauteed well, the curry will turn to be sweet), add chopped tomatoes. When the tomatoes are all mashed up, add the ground mixture from above. When oil starts to float on the surface, add brinjal and salt. Mix well. Let the masala coat the brinjal pieces well. Now close the lid and cook for 2 minutes without adding water. Open the lid, add hot water, and let the brinjal cook well. Now reduce water to get a thick consistency vindaloo.

Note:- Add vinegar according to your taste.

Vendakka pepper roast/Okra pepper roast/Bhindi pepper roast

Ingredients
Vendakka/okra - 250 g
Onion sliced - 1 medium
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Pepper powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Directions
Wash okra. Use kitchen towel and dry them.
Heat oil in pan, saute onion and green chillies. Now add pepper powder, turmeric powder, and curry leaves. Saute them for a minute. Lower the flame, add okra, close the lid and let it cook. Don't forget to open the lid and stir occasionally. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Pavakka theeyal/Pavakka varutharachathu (Bittergourd in roasted coconut gravy)

Ingredients
Pavakka/Bittergourd - 1 no
Pearl onions - 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 1 no
Tamarind - 1 small gooseberry sized or as required
Jaggery (optional) - as required
Salt
Oil

To Grind
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Pearl onions - 2
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

Coriander pdr - 2-3 tsp
Chilli pdr - 1 tsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

For tempering
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2-3
Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Directions
Cut bittergourd in thin rounds removing the seeds. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add grated coconut, garlic, pearl onions, curry leaves, and cumin seeds. Roast them till they become brown in color (don't burn them). Add coriander pdr, chilli pdr, and turmeric pdr. Switch off the stove immediately and stir them continuously (so that it doesn't burn). When it is cold, grind them. Keep the ground mixture aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, saute bittergourd, pearl onions, and green chilly. When the color starts to change, add tamarind water and allow it to boil. When the bittergourd is half cooked, add ground mixture from above. When it starts to boil, lower the flame, and let it cook well. When the gravy thickens and bittergourd is cooked, add little jaggery if you like it (It counteracts the bitterness and sourness ),

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds. Add dry red chillies and curry leaves. Pour this over the above prepared curry.

Note:-  If the bittergourd turns out too bitter, Sprinkle some salt above the bittergourd  and let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, rub it well and remove the water. This is to take away some bitterness.

roasted coconut

Bok Choy in coconut gravy

I was addicted to Bok choy for sometime. She used to find her way to our dining table in stews, soups, stir fries, you name it, and you can find traces of bok choy in some dish or other. My husband doesn't share the same love, but he makes it a point to pick a bunch or two whenever he sees it fresh.  So we were on a mission - "finish off bok choy" as we hoarded some. This recipe was completely swapped from Mom as it was her idea to use it Kerala style and boy! I was surprised to see how well bok choy mingled with coconut. Try and see .... you will love it.

Ingredients

Bok Choy - 1 bunch

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Tomato - 1 big

Onion - 1 medium

Green chillies - 3 nos

To grind

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Pearl onions - 3 nos

Garlic - 2 cloves

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

For tempering

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pearl onions - 5 nos

Dry red chillies - 2 nos

Curry leaves

Directions

Pressure cook toor dal, tomato, onion, green chillies, and turmeric powder for 2-3 whistles. When the pressure releases, open the cooker. Chop off the firm stalks of bok choy. Add bok choy and allow the steam to pass through it. Immediately add the ground paste shown above (To grind). When it starts to boil, switch off the stove. 

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, pearl onions, and dry chillies. Pour this to the above curry cooked in the pressure cooker. 

Pavakka thoran/bittergourd coconut stir fry

Ingredients
Bittergourd - 1 big
Onion - 1/2 of a medium onion
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Directions
Mix all the ingredients with your hand. Keep this in a kadai in which you are going to cook. Close the lid and cook. Sprinkle water as needed. When water is evaporated and bittergourd pieces are cooked. Switch off the stove. Serve hot with rice.

Koorka mezhukkupuratti (Chinese potato stir fry)

Of late, I was bitten by a health bug and was eating wise, when Loyd's b'day hit me off. Considering he likes all jaw breaking things to eat, we have been continuously feasting on some serious eats. Kozhiyum pidiyum (you can see the recipe in Mom's blog), koorka mezhukkupuratti, and definitely nammude parippu payasam were the highlights. Shocked!!!! Yeah, he likes all carb laden foods. The making of a chocolate cake was blown away at the request of b'day boy to make parippu payasam. Hey, sometimes  best of our intentions and plans go haywire. Give me a pat. I am ready to move on. So at the request of b'day boy tons of naadan cooking was done followed by loads of eating. So here goes the recipe for humble koorka mezhukkupurati.

Ingredients
Koorka - 1/2 kg
Green chillies - 2 nos
Pearl onions - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 3 cloves
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt
Coconut oil































Directions

Wash and clean koorka. Pressure cook koorka along with salt and turmeric powder till one whistle. Release the pressure and keep the koorka aside.

Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds. Saute garlic, pearl onions, green chillies, and curry leaves. Add   chilli powder. Fry for a minute. Pour in the cooked koorka. Serve hot with rice.

Thengaracha Padavalanga parippu curry (Snake gourd/masoor dal in ground coconut base)

Ingredients
Snake gourd - 1- 1 1/2 cups
Masoor dal   - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 small
Shallots - 5 nos
Green chillies - 2
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 cloves
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Salt
Oil

Directions
Pressure cook masoor dal, snake gourd, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, onion, green chillies, and salt till one whistle. Grind coconut, 2 shallots, garlic, and cumin seeds. Add the ground mixture to the pressure cooked padavalanga dal. When it starts to boil, switch off the stove.

Do the tadka with mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies, and 3 shallots.

Pour this over to the above prepared curry. Serve hot with rice.      

Cheera parippu thoran/Spinach stir fry with dal

How many of you love all things organic? Do you believe that we should embrace nature more to lead a simple life? Do you love a return to Mother Nature?

The world is moving at a shockingly fast pace. People have started to realize the dangers associated with it. How much ever maddening life you are leading, the utmost urge to be one with nature exists in every human being. We all crave for simplicity, back to nature days, and to hum along with nature like a child. 

Now more than ever the need to conserve our planet has risen. Have you done your bit? If not yet, a wake up call for you to conserve and preserve some for our future generations to come. Start at home. Educate your child when they are young. Old habits die hard. So it will stick with them for years. Encourage them to use little water to bathe. Let no more plastics and planting a home garden be on your top agenda.

Your kids will thank you for inculcating these habits in later years. Start feeding your soil with good things.

I know a complete go back to nature will be difficult for most of us, but we can do our bit to make world a better place.

I was browsing through channels the other day, when I came to know about Daya Bhai aka Mercy Mathew.  She hails from a wealthy family in Kerala. She lives like a tribal to be one among them and is a classic example of adaptation. If you believe you have adapted well to your environment, helllooo take a break, read the links toward the end of the post. You will be completely moved by her acts of kindness towards nature and its inhabitants. Please watch the youtube video (Malayalam) and an article about her (English).  I am sure it will inspire you to do more for our own earth.

Should I believe you have decided to SAY YES to Earth Hours?

BTW, don’t forget to feed your kids Popeye style with my spinach thoran.

Ingredients
Spinach - 1 small bunch, chopped finely
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 2 nos
Pearl onions - 6 nos
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil

Directions
Cook toor dal along with water till half done. Water should not remain. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Saute pearl onions, green chillies, and garlic. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder to this. Now add chopped spinach and salt to this. Cover the lid and cook in low flame. When spinach is half cooked, add toor dal and grated coconut to this. Cover the lid and cook again, stirring occasionally. When spinach is cooked well, switch off the stove and transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve spinach thoran with rice, rasam, and fish fry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wk5aqCm9Ys

http://www.yentha.com/news/view/features/interview-of-the-week-merciful-dayabhai