Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

 

Ingredients

Ripe Mangoes - 10-12 (small/ nattu manga) or 3-4 (big)
Jaggery - 1.5 cups
Water - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Salt


To grind

Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
Grated Coconut  - 1.5 cup
Red Chilly - 6 or 7
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

To temper

Oil - 1.5 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilly - 2

Grated Coconut - 3-4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Cut the ripe mangoes into small pieces. Put these mango pieces along with the seed into a big vessel. Add one cup of water, turmeric powder and salt to it . Boil this in medium to low flame till the mangoes are soft and cooked.

 

2. Now add the jaggery to it and cook till the jaggery is fully dissolved. Cook till the water is almost fully absorbed.

3. Meanwhile grind the coconut,red chilly and cumin seeds under 'To grind' to a paste without adding too much water. Finally add the mustard seeds to this and give 2-3 pulses.

4. Next add the ground mixture to the mango and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the stove.

6. Heat a small kadai and add coconut oil to it. Once hot add mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and grated coconut. Fry this till the grated coconut turns slightly brown. Switch off the stove and add this to the pachadi and mix well.

Serve it along with rice!

Moru kachiyathu

Ingredients

Beaten curd - 1 cup
Shallots - 5-6 , sliced
Green chilly - 2, chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp, chopped
Garlic - 1 tsp, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

To temper

Onion - 2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 2, broken into 2 pieces
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp


Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter and the fenugreek seeds had lightly browned , add the shallots, ginger and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
2. Now add green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Turn the flames to low and add turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Saute for a minute .
3. Then add beaten curd and keep sauteing for a minute. Switch off the flame.

Serve hot with rice!

Mathanga Erissery

Ingredients:

Mathanga/Pumpkin - 1 1/2 cups , diced
Vanpayar - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 2 cups

To Grind
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Dried red chilly - 4-5
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

To temper
Coconut oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Grated coconut - 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak vanpayar over night or for 6-8 hrs. Then pressure cook it with just enough water for 3-4 whistles.
2. Cook mathanga/pumpkin with salt and turmeric powder in around 2 cups of water.
3. Grind the ingredients under 'To grind' to a smooth paste with just enough water.
4. Once the pumpkin is cooked, mash it slightly with the back of the laddle. Then add the cooked vanpayar and coconut paste to it. Cook it together for 2 minutes.
5. In a fry pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds  and dry red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and grated coconut.  Fry the coconut in medium flame till golden brown.
Add this tempering to the curry and mix well.

Serve hot with rice!

Olan

Ingredients:

Kumbalanga/Ash gourd/Winter melon - 1 cup, small cubes
Green chilly - 2 , slit lengthwise
Vanpayar/ Red gram - a handful
Thick coconut milk - 1 cup
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook ash gourd and green chillies with enough water till ash gourd is soft , yet retains its shape.
2. Pressure cook vanpayar for 1-2 whistles with enough water and salt.
3. Add the cooked vanpayar to the cooked ash gourd and mix well.cook for a minute or two.Now add coconut milk, coconut oil and curry leaves and switch of the flame.

Mix well and serve hot with rice.

Pazham pulissery

Ingredients:

Ripe Plantain/Ethapazham - 1
Green chilly - 2 , slit lengthwise
Cumin seeds -1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 3/4 -1 cup
Dry Red chilly - 3 - 4 (depending upon your taste)
Curd - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

To temper

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

Method:

1. Peel and cut the bananas into small pieces. Put these into a vessel and add enough water, green chilly, turmeric powder, and salt.
2. Cook it in medium flame until the banana are soft and mushy.
3. Meanwhile grind the red chilly,cumin seeds and coconut to a smooth paste, adding enough water.
4. When the bananas are fully cooked, add the ground coconut paste to it. Allow it to boil.
5. Beat the curd and add it to the mixture. If the mixture is very thick, you can add half a cup of water to it.  Switch off the stove when small bubbles starts appearing on the top of the curry. Donot boil the curry after adding curd.
6. In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and turn off the heat. Pour this into the curry.

Serve it with rice!

Cabbage thoran

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1/2 of 1 medium sized cabbage
Grated Coconut - 1/3 cup
Dried red chilly - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1.  Chop the cabbage finely using a chopper or food processor.
2. Heat oil in a pan, Add mustard seeds, 1 red  chilly cut into 2 and urad dal. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped cabbage, turmeric powder and salt. Sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp of water . Close the lid and cook in low flame for about 10- 15 minutes or until the water in the cabbage is fully absorbed.
3 Meanwhile coarsely grind the coconut and red chilly.
4. Once the cabbage is cooked, add the ground coconut and mix well. Stir for a minute and switch off the flame.

Serve it with rice!

Ada Pradhaman

Ingredients:

Ada - 1/2 cup
Grated Jaggery - 1 cup
Thin coconut milk - 2 cups
Thick coconut milk - 1 cup
Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Thin coconut slices - 2 tbsp
Raisins and cashews - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak ada in hot water for 30 minutes. Then wash it in cold water and again boil water and cook ada in it till it becomes soft. It will take another 15-20 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the coconut slices, cashews and raisins . Keep aside.
3. In a heavy bottom pan,melt jaggery in half a cup of water and strain it. Return the melted jaggery to the pan and boil it. Now add the cooked ada to it along with 2 tbsp of ghee.  Cook it in medium flame for about 15 minutes or till the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. Next add the thin coconut milk and cook till the mixture thicken, stirring occasionally.
5. Now add the ginger powder,cumin powder and cardamon powder. Mix well. Add the thick coconut milk , Mix well and switch off the stove.
6. Garnish with the fried coconut slices, cashews and raisins.

Carrot thoran/ poriyal

Ingredients:

Carrots - 3 medium
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Green chilly - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 1-2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig or 5-6 leaves
Salt to taste


Method:

1. Peel and cut the carrots into small pieces. Then chop these pieces finely. If you don't have a chopper, you can peel and grate the carrots.
2. Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds, urad dal and dry red chilly. When  the mustard seeds splutter add the curry leaves followed by the chopped/grated carrots.
3. Add turmeric powder, salt and around 1/3 cup water. Mix it well and close the kadai. Cook it for 10 -15 minutes on medium flame or till the water is fully absorbed.
4. Meanwhile crush the coconut and green chilly in the chopper or mixie.
5. Once the carrots are cooked completely, add these crushed coconut to it and mix well. Cook it for another 1-2 minutes and switch of the flame.

Serve it as a side dish for rice!

Sambar

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium , cubed
Potato - 1 medium , cubed
Carrot - 1 medium , cubed
Tomato - 2 small, cubed
Ladies finger (Vendakka) - 4 small, cut into 1" pieces
Drum stick - 4 -5 pieces
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized ball
Sambar powder - 3 tbsp ( I used Brahmins sambar powder)
Asafoetida(Kayam) - 1/8 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 2 sprig
Salt to taste


Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal along with onion, potato and carrot with enough water for about 3-4     whistles.
2. Meanwhile soak tamarind in some warm water and take the tamarind pulp.
3. Once the pressure is released , add the tomatoes, drum stick and ladies finger and cook for another     6-8 minutes. Then add the tamarind pulp and cook till all the veggies are fully cooked.
4.  In a small bowl, add the sambar powder and kayam . Add 2- 3 tablespoon of water and make a    thick paste. Add this to the veggies and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Heat oil in a small pan, add oil, mustard seeds and red chilly. When the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves. Add this to the sambar and  mix well.

Serve hot with rice!!

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.

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!