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.

Nadan Chicken Thoran

This is a classic chicken preparation from Kerala. The boneless chicken pieces cooked  in an earthenware pot or man chatty along with spiced grated coconut. The interesting part of this dish is the slow mixing procedure along with the perfect blend of  spices, coconut oil, and curry leaves; which gives the dish rich and aromatic flavor. It is simple to prepare and tastes so delicious. It pairs well with almost anything you can think of – Flavored rice, Ghee rice, Kerala parotta, any Roti /Indian bread varities, biryani's etc.


If you love Nadan style /Country style spicy recipes,  this dish will definitely tingle your senses!

Nadan Kozhi Thoran Recipe - Chicken Thoran Recipe - Kerala Style Stir Fried Chicken with Coconut Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4

Ingredients :
Nadan Kozhi /Boneless Chicken : 1 lb / 1/2 kg (cut into very small pieces)
Shallots /Small : 25-30 nos /2 cups
Onion : 2 medium / 2 cups (thinly sliced)
Ginger : 1" piece /1 tbsp (crushed)
Garlic : 4 pods /1 tbsp (crushed)
Green Chilly : 4-5 (slit lengthwise)
Curry Leaves : 4 springs
Coconut Grated : 1 cup
Red Chilly Powder : 2 tsp or to your tolerance level
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Freshly Grounded Black Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp or to your spice level
Homemade Garam Masala or Store Bought Garam Masala : 1 1/2 tsp (To Make Fresh Homemade Garam Masala : Fennel Seeds /Perum Jeerakam : 1 tsp, Cinnamon Stick/karugapatta : 2 inch pieces, Cloves/Grambu : 2, Star anise / Takkolam : 2, Green Cardamom /elakka : 2 pods)
Mustard Seeds : 1 tbsp
Coconut Oil : 3 tbsp
Salt to taste 


How to make Nadan Kozhi Thoran - Chicken Thoran : 

1. Clean and wash the chicken with little turmeric powder; drain and cut chicken into very small pieces.
2. Crush and blend  shallots /red small onion using ammikkal (mortal and pestel set made out of stone) or in a food processor or blender; pluse them 2-3 times to coarse paste.
(Note : This recipe calls for coarse paste, so care should be taken not to be ground to smooth paste; If you have ammikkal it's best to use to ground the mixture; that will enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients).
3. Using your hands mix grated coconut with 3 sprig curry leaves, green chillies, red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder well and keep it aside.
4. Pour 2 tbsp of coconut oil in earthenware pot or man chatty or in a heavy bottomed pan and tilt the manchatty or pan in such a way that oil gets spread evenly.

5. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add the crushed shallot and saute till golden brown.
6. Add the crushed ginger, crushed garlic and saute for couple of minutes.
7. Add 1 cup of thinly sliced onions and saute till it turns to light brown color.
8. Add the cleaned chicken pieces and now add the remaining 1 cup of thinly sliced onion and mix well. Close and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is 3/4 th cooked and start to ooze out water .
9. Now add reaming 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, salt, homemade garam masala, black pepper powder; mix well and cook for 5 more minutes.
10. Now add the spiced grated coconut mixture and combine well. Add the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil and dry roast it in medium heat till browned up (Note : Stir in between to avoid burning and it takes 10 to15 minutes approximately. Do not close the lid after adding oil.) Once the chicken mixtures have attained the dark brown color and completely dried then remove from the fire.

Notes:

• You may adjust the spiciness by increasing or cutting down amount of chilli powder, pepper powder, green chillies according to your spice level.
• Adding lots of curry leaves boosts the flavour of this dish.

Murungakai Pitlai ( Drumstick Brown chickpeas Curry)

Murungakai Pitlai ( Drumstick Brown chickpeas Curry)

Ingredients

                                                                         Serves 2 - 3

1.       Drumstick – 3 big

2.       Tamarind – Lemon sized ball

3.       Brown Chickpeas – 1 cup(cooked)

4.       Jaggery – 1 tblsp

 .      Turmeric  Powder – ½ tsp

To be roasted and ground

1.       Asfoetida – small piece

2.       Channa Dal – 1 tsp

3.       Black pepper – ¼ tsp

4.       Dried Red Chillies – 3- 4

5.       Grated Coconut – ½ cup

For Seasoning

1.       Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

2.       Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

3.       Curry leaves – a few

Method

Soak tamarind in hot water for about 10 mins. Squeeze and extract tamarind juice. Keep aside.  Pressure cook chickpeas . Once well cooked and keep aside. Cut drumstick into small pieces. In a pan, add a tsp of oil and fry the drumstick pieces with a little salt for about 5 – 7 mins. .  In a vessel pour the tamarind extract; add the fried drumstick pieces, turmeric powder, salt and jaggery. Allow this to boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes and the vegetable is cooked.

For the spice paste:

Murungakai Pitlai ( Drumstick Brown chickpeas Curry)

Heat a tsp of oil, add asfoetida, allow it to fry, then add channa dal fry for a minute then add the pepper and finally add the chillies. Fry this till the Channa dal turns a nice golden color. Take this out in a plate. Fry the grated coconut for a few mins. Grind the spices with coconut to a smooth paste by adding little water.

Once the vegetable is cooked add the cooked brown chickpeas and stir well. Bring to boil. Then add the spice paste and allow to boil for about 2 mins. Add water by checking for consistency. Remove from heat.

Heat a tsp of coconut oil. Add mustard seeds. Once the seed start spluttering pour it on top of the Pitlai and garnish with curry leaves.

Nutritious drumstick Pitalai is ready. Goes well with steaming hot rice and some vegetable curry. Also try it as an accompaniment with Idly, Dosa or even Adai.

Vendakai Poricha kuzhambu/ Ladies Finger(Bhindi/Okra) curry in tamarind sauce

Poricha Kuzhambu better known as Porichozhambu in the Palakkad circles is a tangy tamarind and vegetables based dish served with steamed white rice. It is another variation of the Pitlai. Naadan vegetables like brinjals, raw bananas, yam, ash gourd broad beans (Avarakkai) are generally used. You can also used carrots, potatoes and peas in addition to the above mentioned vegetables. So if you are bored of having Sambar every other day for lunch, try is variation. I used here Ladies finger. 

Vendakai Poricha kuzhambu/ Ladies Finger(Bhindi/Okra) curry in tamarind sauce

Ingredients

1. Vendakai - 1 cup
2. Tamarind – gooseberry sized ball
3.  Karamani(Rajma) – a fistful
4. Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch
5. Salt – to taste

For the spice paste

Vendakai Poricha kuzhambu/ Ladies Finger(Bhindi/Okra) curry in tamarind sauce

1. Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp
2. Channa dal – 1 tsp
3. Black Pepper – a few
4.  Dried Red Chillies – 4
5.  Asfoetida – a small piece
6. Fresh Grated Coconut – 1/4 to 1/2 cup
7. Coconut oil – 1 tsp

For the seasoning

1. Coconut oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Curry leaves a few

Method

1. Cut the veggie. Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 mins. Squeeze and extract tamarind juice in a vessel. 
2. Pressure cook the vegetables with turmeric and salt and 1 cup of water. 
3. Also pressure cook the Karamani.
4. Heat a tsp of oil in a Kadai, add a piece of asafoetida, after its bloats, add the dals and fry finally add the peppercorns and red chillies. Once all these are fried, grind them with the coconut into a smooth paste adding a little water.
5. Take the tamarind extract in a vessel, add turmeric powder and salt and boil it for 5 to 8 minutes.
6. Add the cooked vegetables, and karamani(Rajma) to the tamarind water.
7. Bring to boil and simmer for about 2 -3 mins. Finally add the ground paste. Check for salt and consistency. If the curry is too thick add a little water and adjust the consistency. Simmer for a 3 – 4 mins.
8. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan; add mustard seeds, once they crackle pour over the kuzhambu. Garnish with curry leaves.

Tasty Porichozhambu is ready to serve.

A good accompaniment for this would be the not so spicy Paruppu Thogayal.

Karimeen Pollichathu / Kerala-Style Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaves

So all of us were craving for some karimeen pollichathu, a toddy shop specialty which is basically pomfret or pearl fish cooked wrapped in banana leaves. The monsoons have been acting up this year  Considering we are around 3 members in the house, we decided to cut the costs by preparing this at home. Huby immediately turned to me since i was not very comfy with making it on my own. I have experimented with Sardines/Mathi when I was in college, but with karimeen, one couldn't afford to experiment and mess up since it's an expensive fish. Anyway, I decided to give it a shot and at the end of it all, we were all pretty happy :) Ingredients: Karimeen Pollichathu / Kerala-Style Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaves 1. Karimeen (Pearl Spot Fish) - 1 kg 2. Red Chilly Powder - 2 tsp 3. Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp 4. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp 5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 6. Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilly crushed - 2 tbsp 7. Shallots - 1/2 cup     Big Onion sliced - 1     Tomato - 1 8. Salt - as required

 
Method:
Clean Karimeen and marinate the fish with chilly powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Keep some of this masala seperately.
Fry the fish in oil. Do not fry more.
Grind together the seventh set of ingredients.
Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add green chilly, ginger and garlic and saute for a while.
Add rest of the masala used for marinating the fish and fry for some more time.
Add the fried fish to this. Masala should cover the fish.
Heat oil in another pan in a flat vessel and cover the fish and masala together in plantain leaves, each one seperately. Place each piece in the pan.
Cover the pan with a lid. Turn the sides of the fish packet in between until done.
You can even bake the fish instead of frying

Kerala Chicken Curry

Kerala Chicken Curry

This is the most basic chicken curry is made in Kerala and I bet that you love it. The gravy has a base of  coconut with some flavorful spices making it a terrific combination.

 

Preparation Time: 15min

Cooking Time: 15min  
Serves: 2    
Shelf life:-
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Rice

Nadan chicken curry with Kerala Pathiri

                               

Nadan chicken curry

Nadan chicken curry

Kerala Pathiri

 This Kerala-style chicken curry is special. I love any gravy with  coconut milk. There are tons of different variations to how chicken curry is prepared in Kerala but this is type of chicken masala is probably the most common and loved by all.  
  Pathiri or Ari Pathiri is a kind of thin pancake made from rice flour. There are varieties of pathiri recipes.I made just plain pathiri.

Preparation Time: 15min

Cooking Time: 15min

Serves: 2 

Shelf life:1day

Serving Suggestion :With Rice variety but I made Pathiri,you knw it was fabulous!!!!