Kerala Aviyal(Veg mix in Coconut sauce)

I feel that Avial is Kerala’s version of Ratatouille. It really is a bunch of random vegetables cut up to the same size and shape, layered and cooked. In this version, the vegetables are mixed with crushed coconut and spices and some kind of souring agent – mango, tamarind or yogurt. Most people I know use green mangoes in avial, but personally I hate mangoes in Avial. Yogurt is my preferred souring agent, I have never made it any other way! The vegetables used also vary depending on the availability and personal preferences, but I feel that drumstick is a must have vegetable in Avial. I found fresh drumsticks at the Indian store this time, I’ve always had to settle for the frozen variety before. If you can’t find drumsticks, don’t worry, it tastes pretty good even otherwise. I have listed the vegetables I used, but feel free to use anything else that you can find- like zucchini, squash, yard long beans, yam etc. 

Ingredients

• 1 drumstick
• 2 carrots
• 1 large white potato
• 1 green plantain
• 1 snake gourd
• a few green beans
• 1 eggplant
• 1/2 cup peas
• 6 green chilies, slit (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4th cup fresh/frozen grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• a few curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil (coconut oil is the best, I used olive oil)
• 1/2 cup thick yogurt

Method

Split the drumsticks in half  and cut into 1” pieces. Peel the carrots, potatoes and plantain and cut into thin 1” long pieces. Cut the snake gourd and eggplant also into the same size and shape. Break the edges of the green beans and cut into the same size. Split the green chilies in half.
Arrange all the vegetables in a large pan, add the chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and split the green chilies. Add 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp oil. Cover and cook on very low heat till the vegetables are tender. The vegetables should give out some liquid, but check the pan occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the veggies.
While the vegetables are getting cooked, place the grated coconut, shallots and cumin seeds in a food processor and process it for a few seconds to make a coarse mixture.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the coconut mixture, curry leaves and the remaining tbsp of oil to the pan, mix gently and cover and cook on low heat for 4 more minutes.
Stir in the yogurt and let it gently heat through for a minute or so. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Eggplant Bajji

Ingredients

Gram flour (Besan) 1 cup

Eggplant (thin sliced ) 1 medium size (10-12 slices)
Red chili powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Carom seeds (Ajwain) 1/4 tsp

Water 1/2 cup
Pinch of baking soda

Salt to taste

Oil fry frying

Method

First deep slices in bowl containing water and salt. Keep it for 1 hr. Meanwhile prepare batter
To make batter, mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. The consistency of the batter should be in such a way that if you hold it in spoon it should not fall so easily. It means it should not be very watery.
Keep batter for 4 -5 min aside.
Heat the oil in kadai. Then take one slice from bowl containing water, drain water then dip in the batter and then drop them in kadai, deep fry till golden brown. Remove from oil and soak in the tissue paper to remove excess oil.

Brinjal Thoku

 This is a tasty dish. I love this dish very much.Very easy and quick to do. It can be kept outside and used for 2 days.Excellent side dish for rotis, dosa and curd rice.Very yummy yummy.

Ingredients(serves for 2)
small brinjals-3 nos / big eggplant - 1
onion - 1
tomato - 1
garlic - 4 pods
chilly powder - 2tsp
tamarind - marble sized
fennel seeds - 1 tsp
oil- 2 tbsp
salt to taste

Preparation
cut vegetables into pieces

Heat oil in a pan and fry brinjal by adding 1 tsp of  chilly powder and little salt till golden brown and keep it
aside.

In the same oil season fennel seeds and saute onions, garlic.

 Then add tomatoes,remaining  chilly powder,fennel seeds powder(if not seasoned at the beginning) little salt  and tamarind to it.Grind the sauted masala.

Heat oil in another pan and saute the ground masala by adding little water.

When the gravy thickens, add the fried brinjal and saute till the oil oozes out.

Brinjal Poriyal(Fry)

 I know most of them like to use violet colour brinjal and my family really loves the green brinjal.This green is little crunchy and I like that fact.Violet are  very soft but both taste so good.Here I have made violet and green brinjal fry.I seem to have added more coconut paste, so do less them.I was in a mood to eat lots of coconut so I just added them without thinking,but do reduce the consistency.You will defenetely like the combination of grinding them in a blender instead of adding the powder.Do try it out and let me know how you liked it.

Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Yield : 2
Ingredients

Green Brinjals - 4
Violet Brinjals - 4
Salt to taste
Asofaetida(hing) - a pinch
Blend in mixie:
Grated cocont - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2
Dry red chillies - 3
Jeera - 1 tsp
For Seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal(ulandham paruppu) - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - as per requirement

Instructions


1.Chop the  brinjal to required pieces and leave them in water for 5 mins.

2.In a blender mix coconut,jeera,red chillies and garlic and blend them in pulse mode till they are nicely done.

3.In a kadai/pan add some oil and do the seasoning then add the green brinjals and fry them for 2 mins.Then sprinkle some water and close the lid and let it cook in steam.Keep stirring occasionally.


4.When brinjal is well cooked add the grounded masala and stir it well.Remove from fire and keep the lid closed.Serve this with any main dish like sambar,rasam,mochai kulambhu.

Brinjal Chutney(Vankaya pachadi)

 Brinjal Chutney(Vankaya pachadi)

Ingredients:
250 gms brinjals
2 tomatoes(optional, you can even prepare without tomatoes too)
5 to 6 green chillies
2 to 3 red chillies
1 tea spoon each rai, jeera and urad dal

2 tea spoons chana dal
few curry leaves
a lemon size tamarind ball
4 to 5 garlic flakes (optional)
1 tea spoon salt (as per taste)
coriander leaves and finely chopped onions for garnishing
2 table spoons of oil

 Brinjal Chutney(Vankaya pachadi)

Method:
Heat 1 table spoon  of oil in a pan.  Add rai, jeera, urad dal and chana dal.  Fry until they turn to golden color in a medium flame.  Remove from the pan and let the ingredients cool.  In the same pan (add some oil if needed) add green chillies, chopped brinjal pieces, tomatoes and tamarind.  Add a tea spoon of salt (as per taste) and mix well.  Close the lid and cook in a medium flame until the brinjal pieces are cooked.
Switch off the flame and let cool.  First grind the fried and cooled dals, rai and jeera finely. Add garlic pods and grind again for a sec.  Now add the cooked brinjal pieces and grind coarsely (gently).   Take the chutney into a bowl.  
Heat 2 tea spoons of oil in  a pan.  Add rai, red chillies and curry  leaves.  When rai starts spluttering, switch off the flame and add the thadka to the chutney.  Brinjal Chutney (Vankaya Pachadi) is ready...........Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and finely chopped Onions.  

Adding finely chopped onions is optional......But it tastes good if onions are added....You can have this chutney with rice or rotis...........try once.......

Kathrika Gothsu(Brinjal Curry in Tamarind Coco Sauce)

Kathrika Gothsu(Brinjal Curry in Tamarind Coco Sauce)

 Most restaurants serve a  free side gravy as accompaniment for biryani which taste  ridiculously amazing.. We usually get these in small portions packed in tiny cartons and enjoy licking every last bit of it.  I was trying to replicate something similar and ended up with this recipe which I can guarantee  restaurant quality. This gravied curry shared here is  all -purpose, can be made with or without meat, goes very well with any kind of biryani / pulao / paratha / idli / dosai or even with plain basmati rice.  My version shared here is very very spicy, you can literally feel your tastebuds jerking!!

Ingredients- 1
2 nos	Dry red chili
1 tbsp	Corainder seeds
1/2 tsp	Cumin seeds
1 tsp	Black peppercorns
1/2 tsp	Fennel seeds
1/2 ” inch	Cinnamon stick
2 nos	Cloves
1 no	Green cardamom
1 petal	Star anise

Ingredients-2
15 nos	Small onion
2 nos	Green Chili
5 cloves	Garlic
1 inch	Ginger

Ingredients-3
2 nos	Bay leaves
1/2 tsp	kasuri methi (Dry fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp	Kashmiri Chili powder
1 tsp	Coriander powder
1/4 tsp	Turmeric powder
5 nos	Curry leaves
2 tbsp	Coriander leaves (chopped)
3 tbsp	Oil
2 nos	Tomato
1 tsp	Fresh ground coconut paste
1 1/2 tsp	salt
1/2 cup	Water (only if necessary)

Instruction:

First step is to make a spice powder. Combine all ingredients in table-1 and dry grind to fine powder. (Dry roasting is not required)

Second step is to finely mince all the wet ingredients. This is really the key…. make sure you mince the onion, green chili ginger and garlic. If that’s a hard task then put them in the mixie along with ground spice powder and just use the pulse setting twice. (Do not add water, just run the mixie to mince them)

Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaves, dry fenugreek and curry leaves. Let them sizzle, then add the ground paste and keep frying over medium flame for about 1o minutes. You have fry till the onion mixture gets rid of the raw smell. Now add the chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for another 10 minutes. The gravy will look slightly watery at this stage.

Keep sauteing until the oil separates. Once the gravy looks dark brown as shown, you are ready to add any kind of meat or veggie.
Veggie options: Mushroom / Potato  or  Long Green Peppers suits well for this gravy.
Non- Veg options: Bony parts of Chicken or Mutton, Prawn/Shrimp, Boiled Eggs.
After adding any one of the options above make sure you include little water to cook them thoroughly.

Last part is to add the teaspoon of ground coconut paste which gives good consistency. Simmer for few minutes and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Gravy consistency can be either adjusted with water or coconut paste.
1. For thick dark brown gravy – No coconut paste.  Just add 1/4 cup water and simmer.
2. For  light brown gravy – 1 tsp of coconut paste + 1/2 cup water.
3. For thin yellowish gravy – 4 tbsp coconut paste + 1 cup of water.

Serve with biryani, boiled eggs and raita. I made Mughal Biryani and Tomato Cucumber Raitha.  Bookmark this for your Special Sunday Meals.

Kathirikai Podi Saadham:Vangi Bath/Egg plant(Aubergine/Brinjal) Rice

 Kathirikai Podi Saadham:Vangi Bath

I'm not a huge fan of eggplant, and so have been putting off making this for a long time. I got this recipe from my granny who swore that it comes out perfect every time. I kept thinking, yeah, but eggplant flavored rice? Hmm, I'll wait!

Well, I happened to get some great eggplant in the market, and so decided to just go ahead and try it. It really is wonderful! Another no-fail recipe!

Ennai kathrika kuzhambu/Spicy Stuffed Brinjal with gravy

Ennai kathrika kuzhambu/Spicy Stuffed Brinjal with gravy

Gutti Vankaya or stuffed brinjal(we call eggplant as brinjal in India) is an authentic south Indian dish. Different spices are stuffed into brinjal and then cooked slowly on a low heat. Again when it comes to stuffing brinjal there are different combinations of spices you can stuff that leads to different varieties of stuffed brinjal.
If you ask my mom for a recipe of stuffed brinjal, right away she can give you some 5-6 varieties you can do it.

Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Makes: For 2
Shelf Life: 1 Day
Serving Suggestion: Rice or Roti is a classic choice