Quick and easy Aviyal

Ingredients:

Raw plantain (Pachakaya) - 1
Snake gourd (Padavalanga ) - 1/2 cup
Cucumber (Vellarikka) - 1
Drumstick (Muringakka ) - 4-5 pieces
Elephant yam (Chena ) - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1
Beans/ Payar/ Ivy gourd(Kovakka) - 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 2, slit length wise
Beaten Curd - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt to taste

To grind:

Shredded Coconut - 1.5 cups
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 2
Green chilly - 3

Method:

1. Cut all the vegetables length wise into about 2" long pieces. In a pressure cooker, add all these vegetables along with green chilly, curd, salt and turmeric powder. Cook in a medium -high heat for 1 whistle. Quickly switch of the stove.
2. Meanwhile, coarsely grind all the ingredients under 'To grind' with no water. If required, add just a tablespoon of water.
3. Once the pressure is released, bring the pressure cooker back on medium - high heat and cook till the little water oozed out from vegetables is evaporated. Then simmer the heat and add the ground coconut paste to this. Mix well and cook for a minute.
4. Add the coconut oil and curry leaves and switch of the flame.

Kerala Appam

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 3 cups
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Shredded coconut - 1 cup
Sugar - 7  tbsp
Yeast - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 5-6 hours and grind it in a blender for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Now add cooked rice and shredded coconut and grind it to a smooth paste adding 2-3 cups of water.
3. Now add sugar and yeast and again grind for another 1 - 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Cover and allow it to ferment for about 6 - 8 hours or overnight till the volume doubles. Keep it in a warm place. I usually keep the batter inside the oven .
5. After about 6-8 hrs, when the batter has almost doubled, add the salt  and mix well. Leave it undisturbed for about 30 minutes.
6. Heat the appachatti over medium -high heat. Pour a ladle of the batter into the pan. Immediately swirl the pan in circular motion to spread the batter . Cover and cook till the sides of the appam turns golden brown.

Enjoy hot appams along with Egg roast or Vegetable stew!!

Notes:

1. You can add all the ingredients together and grind. But I found grinding it in stages as easier.
2. Adding more sugar will help in making the edges crisp.

Mathanga theeyal/ Pumpkin theeyal

Ingredients:

Pearl onion - 2 cups
Pumpkin - 1 cup, diced
Shredded coconut - 2 cups
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized
Red chilly - 8
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder -1 tsp
Salt to taste

Tempering

Oil -1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilly - 1-2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Slice the pearl onions length wise.
2. In a pan, roast the shredded coconut till it changes to light brown stirring continuously. Now add the red chilly and coriander and roast for another 1 or 2 minutes. Allow it to cool and then grind it to a smooth thick paste adding little water (max 1/2 cup).
3. Meanwhile soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 minutes and extract the juice.
4. Return the pan to heat, add oil and the onions. Saute the onion for 2 minutes. Then add pumpkin and about 1 and half cups of water ( or enough water to cook the onion and pumpkin). Add salt and turmeric powder, give a stir and allow it to cook for about 10- 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is fully cooked. Then lightly mash the pumpkin pieces.
5.  Now add the tamarind extract and boil it for 1 minute. Then add roasted coconut paste and little water(if the curry is very thick). Check for salt. Bring it to boil for a minute and switch off the heat.
6. In another pan, heat oil . Add mustard seeds and  red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and turn of the heat. Add this to the curry.

Serve hot with rice!!


Note:

1. If you don't have coriander seeds, you can replace it with coriander powder as well.
2. You can also make different versions of this theeyal, by adding pavakka or egg plant(vazhuthananga) instead of pumpkin.
3. You can also make theeyal, with big onion as well.

Kerala Parippu curry

Parippu curry is a very nutritious , specially for kids. In different parts of Kerala, this dish is made differently. Some add garlic while some doesnt add coconut. Below is how my mom makes it and so does me :)

Ingredients:

Parippu / Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Shredded Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast moong dal for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat. Pressure cook it for 2 - 3 whistles with enough water.
2. Meanwhile grind coconut and cumin seeds to a smooth paste.
3. Open the pressure cooker once the pressure is released. Add salt and the grinded coconut to this. Cook this for 3-4 minutes. Add coconut oil and curry leaves to this and turn off the heat.

Serve hot with rice, ghee and pappadam.

Kootu curry

Ingredients:

Kadala/ Black Chana - 1 cup
Raw banana - 1 medium , diced
Chena/ Elephant yam - 1 , diced
Shredded coconut - 1 cup ( fried)
Red chilly - 5-6
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To temper 

Red Chilly - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Soak kadala overnight or for atleast 8- 10 hrs. Pressure cook kadala with enough water , salt and turmeric powder for 3-4 whistles.
2. To this add chena and raw plantain and cook till they are done or you can also pressure cook then for another 1 or 2  whistles. Cook till the water almost evaporates.
3. Meanwhile roast the coconut till they are golden brown . Add the red chilly and roast for another 1 minute. Allow it to cool down and grind these to a coarse paste with very little water.
4. Add these to the cooked kadala and vegetable mixture. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. In another pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and red chilly.Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves. Pour it over the curry.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Paneer tikka masala

Source - kurryleaves.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gm , cubed
Onion (medium) - 2 , chopped
Tomato ( small) - 2 ,  chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi  ( Dried fenugreek leaves) - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp , chopped
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Cream - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil


Marinade

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1/4 tsp
Curd -3 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients under the marinade . Add paneer and mix well. Keep aside for 30 minutes.  Shallow fry these paneer pieces on a non-stick tawa till the pieces are golden brown , turning sides in between.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in  pan, add the onion and fry for few minutes, say 3-4 minutes. Then add chopped tomatoes and fry for another 3 minutes. Allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste .
3. Bring the same pan over to the flame, and add 1 tbsp oil. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Once the cumin seeds  splutter, add the onion-tomato paste and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes or until oil separates.
4. Then add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Pour water to this mixture and allow it to boil .
6. Then add the fried paneer cubes and kasuri methi and cook on low flames for 3-4 minutes.
7. Add cream and cook for another 1 minute. Turn off the heat and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chapatti or naan!!Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Addition of kasuri methi is a must. It bring the sweet smell of tikka masala

Cherupayar curry

Ingredients:

Cherupayar/ Green gram - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 1 or 2 , slit lengthwise
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dried Red chilly - 1
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Shallots - 2-3 , cut into small pieces
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Pressure cook cherupayar with water , salt , green chilly, turmeric and red chilly powder for 2-3 whistles.
2. Grind coconut and cumin seeds .
3. Once the pressure is released, add the ground coconut paste to the green gram mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. Add water if the curry is very thick.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and red chilly. Once the mustard seeds startd to splutter, add the curry leaves and shallots. Fry it for 1-2 minutes and add it to the cherupayar curry.

 Serve  hot with kerala puttu!!