Cababge Thoran

Very simple thoran, made of cabbage and perhaps the most familair of thorans! A must for all traditional sadyas!

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage, cut into thin parts- 1/2 cabage
2. Onion/ shallot sliced- 2 teaspoon
3. Green chillies- 2, slit
4. Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
5. Curry leaves- 8-10
6. Turmeric powder- a pinch
7. Salt- 1-2 teasoon as required
8. Mustardseeds- 1/2 teaspoon
9. Urad Dal- 1/2 teaspoon
10. Oil- 1/2 tablespoon
11. Water- to sprinkle

Method:

1. Clean and cut the cabbage and keep aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, add the urad dal
3. When the dal changes color, add the chopped onions and saute for a while
4. Add the cabbage, along with all remaining ingredients and  mix well
5. Cover and cook in low lame for 10-12 minutes or till cabbage is cooked up
6. Serve hot with rice as a thoran!

Coconut is optional here but it increases the taste for sure, I just love those flavour!

Kakkirikka Pachadi/ Cucumber Pachadi

Healthy, refreshing and simple.. wat more to say about kakkiri pachadi.

Ingredients:

1. Kakkiri/Cucumber- 1 large or 2-3 small
2. Coconut, grated- 1 cup
3. Mustard seeds- 1 1/2 teaspoon
4. Green chilly- 3
5. Dried Red chilly- 2
6. Curry leaves-8-10
7. Sour Curd- 3/4 cup
8. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon, as required
9. Oil- 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Peel the skin of the kakkiri and cut them into very small pieces(You can use it with skin too).
2. Grind together, curd,coconut,1 teaspoon mustard seeds,salt, green chillies to a fine paste.
3. Mix the ground ingredients with the cut kakkiri.
4. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, and add curry leaves, red chillies. 
5. Season with the kakkiri curd mix.
6. Serve with rice as a side dish

Kakkiri is very much refreshing especially during the summer season, But this dish is truly awesome at any time!

Pulisseri

Very much nadan dish, a lot loved by my family, easy to prepare and much healthier.

Ingredients:

1. Ash guard(kumbalanga/Vellarikka)- 2 cups, cut into small cubes
2. Green chillies- 3 slit
3. Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon
4. Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
5. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon
6. Grated coconut- 1 cup
7. Sour curd- 1/2 cup
8. Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
9. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
10. Dried red chilly- 2
11. Curry leaves- 10
12. Water

Method:

1. Cook the cut kumbalanga, with green chillies,turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt till tender,keep aside.
2. Grind together grated coconut,cumin seeds, with a little water to a very fine paste
3. Add the ground paste,red chilly powder to the cooked veggie and mix well
4. Add the sour curd along with 1/2 cup water and mix well.
5. Heat in low flame for 3-4 mins.
6. Heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds,add fenugreek seeds,curry leaves, dried red chillies.
7. Pour over the curd veggie mix and mix well.
8. Check for salt and spice requirements and add more if required
9. Serve hot with rice.

If the curd is not much sour, adding a little tamarind juice would help increase the sourness. Enjoy the traditional Kerala delicacy.

Tapioca Biriyani/ Kappa Biriyani

A different biriyani with tapioca and chicken. Can either have it as a main dish or snack item. We love it as our Sunday evening snack,though a bit heavy.


Ingredients:

1. Tapioca- 3/4 kg
2. Chicken- 1/2 kg, boneless and cut into small pieces
3. Onion-1,thinly sliced
4. Grated Coconut- 1 cup
5. Garlic- 4 pods,sliced
6. Mustard- 1/2 teaspoon
7. Red chilly powder- 2 1/2 teaspoon
8. Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
9. Turmeric powder- A pinch
10. Fennel powder- 1/2 teaspoon
11. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon,as required
12. Curry leaves- 10nos
13. Oil-2 tablespoon
14. Water- to boil tapioca

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon red chilly powder,coriander powder and 1 teaspoon salt,keep aside
2. Boil the tapioca with a little salt and pinch of turmeric,drain and keep aside
3. Heat oil in a pan, keeping aside 1 teaspoon oil and fry the marinated chicken pieces,remove from fire.
4. Meanwhile crush with hands, onions,garlic,grated coconut ,red chilly powder,fennel powder,salt.
5. Add the cooked tapioca to the pan with chicken pieces along with the crushed onion spice mix.
6. Mix thoroughly so that masala is spread all over the tapioca.
7. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in another pan and season mustard seeds and curry leaves,pour them to the tapioca.
8. Heat covered in low flame for 5 mins
9. Remove from fire,move onto serving dish.

Serve the tapioca chicken biriyani hot! Serve with pickle if required, I guess there wont be a need for pickles for this mouthwatering dish!. Give a try.

Squid Roast/Koonthal Roast

Spicy,juicy squid roast prepared in traditional Kerala method. Kids would love it,as its bones free! try it out if you haven’t ever tried out any squid recipes!

Ingredients:

1. Squid- 1/4 kg
2. Tomato-1 large,thinly sliced
3. Onion-1 large,very thinly sliced
4. Green chillies- 3,slit
5. Garlic- 4 pods,thinly sliced
6. Ginger- 1 inch piece, thinly chopped
7. Curry leaves- 10
8. Red Chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
9. Pepper powder-1 teaspoon
10. Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
11. Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
12. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon,as required
13. Coconut milk- 1/2 cup
14. Oil-1 tablespoon
15. Water- 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Clean the squid well, removing all those ink-jets,inks and light skins,if any .
2. Marinate with 1 teaspoon each of red chilly powder,1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder,1/2 teaspoon salt and keep aside while cutting vegetables.
3. Heat oil in a pan saute onions,ginger an garlic.
4. When they turn slight brown ,add tomatoes, green chillies, and all the remaining spice,salt and mix well
5. Cook covered for 5 mins.
6. Add the marinated squid pieces and mix well
7. Transfer all the ingredients to a pressure cooker and pressure cook with 1/2 cup water for 2-3 whistles
8. Transfer the cooked gravy to the previous pan,throw in curry leaves and coconut milk and cook them in high flame till the water content gets dried up.
9. Remove from fire when the gravy becomes thick.

Serve hot as a side dish with rice! Coconut milk is optional, can omit it if you wish it for next day.

Beef Kappa /Beef with Tapioca

A very tasty combination of kappa/tapioca and beef. A very much loved dish in southern Kerala. Have it as a snack/lunch/dinner/breakfast/or brunch! It suits all time!

Ingredients:

1. Tapioca- 1 kg,cut into small chunks
2. Beef- 1/2 kg,cut into small pieces
3. Salt- 1/2 teaspoon
4. Turmeric powder- a pinch
5. Water-1/2 cup

Marinate Beef with

1. Red chilly powder- 1tablespoon
2. Coriander powder- 1tablespoon
3. Pepper powder-1 teaspoon
4. Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
5. Salt-1-2 teaspoon

Dry roast

1. Grated coconut- 3/4 cup
2. Garlic- 4 pods,sliced
3. Coriander powder- 2 teaspoon
4. Chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder- a pinch
6. Salt-1/2 teaspoon
7. Onion-1/2large,thinly sliced
8. Curry leaves- 10

Method:

1. Marinate the cleaned beef with the marinating ingredients for 20-30 mins.
2. Cook the tapioca pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric,and keep aside.
3. Pressure cook the beef in the same water remaining(if any or add more water)
4. Meanwhile dry roast the ingredients and grind them to a very smooth paste with minimum water.
5. Take the cooked beef,tapioca in a wide pan,mix well
6. Add the ground paste and stir well. 
7. Cook on very low flame for 5 mins ,assuring the ground paste is spread all over the beef and tapioca.
8. Remove from fire,move to a serving dish and serve hot!

Take care not to overcook the tapioca,but if you love it that way, proceed! Adjust the salt and spice requirements according to desire. Enjoy the delicacy of beef with tapioca!

Chicken Capsicum Masala

I love capsicum a lot! Just gave a try of capsicum with ever favourite chicken, a very spicy and tickling side dish.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken- 1/4 kg,cut into small pieces
2. Capsicum- 2, thinly sliced
3. Onion-1 large,thinly sliced
4. Garlic- 3 pods,sliced
5. Ginger-1/2 inch,thinly chopped
6. Lemon Juice- 2 teaspoon
7. Red chilly powder-1 1/2 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
9. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon,as required
10. Chilly sauce- 2 teaspoon
11. Soya sauce-1 teaspoon
12. Oil- 1 1/2 tablespoon
13. Water- 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon red chilly powder,1/2 teaspoon salt, turmeric powder and keep aside
2. Heat oil in a pan, saute onion,capsicum till soft.
3. Add the sliced garlic,ginger and saute till raw smell fades away.
4. Add the marinated chicken pieces and stir till they turn brown on all sides.
5. Add the sauces along with all other spice, salt and lemon juice, stir well.
6. Cover and cook in low flame for 2 mins.
7. Add water,cover and cook in low flame for 5-10 minutes till the gravy becomes dry.
8. Serve hot with rice/Chapathis.

Enjoy chicken masala with a flavour of capsicum! Add more chilly sauce if you would love it to be more spicy!

Beef Roast Kerala Style

Very much nadan Kerala Beef Roast. Best combination with kappa(tapioca), chapathis as well as rice.

Ingredients:

1. Beef- 1/4 kg,cut into small pieces
2. Onion- 1 1/2large,thinly sliced
3. Green chillies- 3 slit
4. Garlic- 4 pods, sliced
5. Ginger- 1 inch piece,thinly chopped
6. Coconut,sliced(Thenga Kothu)- 1/2 cup
7. Cinnamon- 1 inch piece
8. Cloves-2 pods
9. Lemon juice- 1 teaspoon
10. Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
11. Pepper powder-2 teaspoon
12. Red chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
13. Coriander powder-2 teaspoon
14. Cumin seeds- a pinch
15. Dried red chilly flakes-1 teaspoon
16. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon, as required,more may be required
17. Oil- 1 tablespoon
18. Curry leaves- A handful
19. Water

Method:

1. Pressure cook the cut beef pieces with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder,1 teaspoon each of red chilly powder and coriander powder ,keep aside
2. Meanwhile powder together the remaining chilly powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,pepper powder,cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves till smooth.
3. Heat oil in a pan, saute the sliced coconut till light brown.
4. Add onion, ginger,garlic and saute well till soft.
5. To this add the powdered ingredients and mix well.
6. Add lime juice,green chillies,cover and cook for 2 mins.
7. To the above gravy add the pressure cooked beef, throw in the curry leaves, mix well.
8. Cover and cook in low flame till all the water content gets dried up.
9. Sprinkle the red chilly flakes and mix up.
10. Test for the spice requirements and add more pepper or salt if required
    

Well now just try it out and enjoy the flavour! Serve hot with rice/rotis.Garnish with some fresh onion slices!

Chicken Stew/ Ishtu

Chicken stew or Ishtu as its commonly called serves the best combination for Appam and Idiappam. The spicy aroma  and gravy with chicken flavour adds extra taste.

Serves-4

Ingredients:

1. Chicken- 1/2 kg, cut into small pieces
2. Potato-3 large,cut into cubes
3. Onion-2 large, thinly sliced
4. Green chillies- 3 slit into half
5. Ginger-1 inch piece,cut fine
6. Garlic- 4 pods,halved
7. Cinnamon-3 stick
8. Cardamom- 3
9. Cloves-3
10. Fennel seeds- 1 pinch
11. Pepper whole- 4-5 
12. Pepper powder-4 teaspoon
13. mustard-1 teaspoon
14. Salt-2 teaspoon
15. Curry leaves- a few
16. Coconut Milk- 1 Cup( Use coconut milk powder)
17. Water
18. Ghee- 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Pressure cook the chicken,potatoes with 1 teaspoon each of salt , pepper powder with 1/2 cup water for 1 whistle.
2. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan
3. Add Cloves, cardamom,cinnamon,fennel seeds,mustard, heat till they splutter.
4. Add the sliced onions and saute them till light colour.
5. Add the cut ginger garlic and chillies and saute for a while
6. Add turmeric powder, salt,1 teaspoon pepper powder.
7. To the above add the cooked chicken and potato,add 1/2 cup water,stir well.
8. Cover and cook for 10 mins.
9. Add coconut milk and cook in low flame for 1 min.
10. Alternatively can use coconut milk powder dissolved in hot water.
11. Add the remaining pepepr powder, mix well
12. Garnish with curry leaves.

Ishtu is ready. Please check with the salt requirements, some may find it tasty with more salt and pepper. Serve them hot with appam or idiappam, also it makes a combination with porottas and rotis. Can use with rice too! Its simple. Instead of coconut milk, cow milk can also be substituted, but it's more tasty with coconut milk.Try it out, you are gonna love it!