Cherupayar / Mung Bean Curry

This is the simplest curry you can make as a side dish for Puttu. It really very easy, all in one pot :- )
Needless to say, i got this recipe from my Mother In Law as usual

Ingredients Serves 2
Cherupayar /  Mung Bean - 3/4 cup

Water - 2 cup

Salt

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Green chilly - 3-4 nos slit lengthwise
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - few

Pressure cook the Mung Bean with Water, Salt, Turmeric and Green Chilly for 2-3 whistles
The Cherupayar should be cooked well but not mashed out
Now add the curry leaves and pour the oil on top of it.
Keep it closed for 5 - 10 mins.
Mix well and serve hot over Puttu :-)

Happy Eating!!!

Velarikka Moru Curry

Ingredients Serves 4
Velarikka - 150 gms
Red Chilly Pdr - 1 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin - 1 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Red Chilly - 4-5 nos
Curry Leaves - few
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp

Pressure cook Vellarika pieces with red chilly pdr, turmeric, salt and water for 2 whistles

Meanwhile grind coconut with Cumin into a fine paste by adding few tbsp of water and keep aside
Beat the curd well (add a tbsp of water if needed) and keep aside.

Once the vellarika is cooked, add the ground coconut paste into this and let it boil.
Now add the curd and mix well and take it off heat.
Do a taste test
Heat the oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by Fenugreek, Red Chilly and Curry Leaves.
Add this to the curry and mix well.

Note:
If the heat is too much, the curd will curdle, so take care (mine did curdle little)
If you dont like to bite the Fenugreek, then sprinkle powdered Fenugreek after adding the curd
You can also make this without adding the coconut paste, just reduce the amount of spices used.

Happy Eating Guys!!!

Dal Tadka

A Curry that goes well with Rotis and Rice. Its really very versatile, goes well with anything .
I know that this doesnt need much of an introduction, so lets directly go to the recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Toor Dal  - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Salt
Onion chopped- 75 gms
Tomato chopped - 100 gms (Tangy ones)
Green Chillies - 3-4 nos
Garlic - 3 cloves big sliced
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilly - 2
Hing - a big pinch
Cilantro - few chopped

Pressure cook the dal with salt, water and turmeric for 2-3 whistles and keep aside

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard followed by Cumin and Dry Red Chilly
Add garlic and fry them til a light brown color
Add the Onion, green chilly and saute them for 1-2 min followed by tomato
Now add the hing and then add the cooked dal
Let it boil for a minute.
Do a taste test and take it off heat
Add the chopped Cilantro and keep it closed for 5- 10 mins
Serve hot with Rice or Rotis

If you are having it with Rotis, you can adjust the gravy accordingly

Happy Eating Guys!!!

Mushroom Roast

When i was a kid, i remember my grandmother collecting Mushrooms to make a masala curry. It was really tasty and as we got them very rarely, it was a special for me always. Today mushrooms are available in stores but i dont know why i have never tried the masala curry.
Nowadays i make this more often, as they go very well with Chapatis

So here is the recipe

Ingredients (Serves 2)
Mushroom - 150 gms
Onion - 200 gms
Tomato - 200 gms
Curry Leaves - few
Coriander pdr - 1 1/2 tsp
Chilly Pdr - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil - 1 tbsp

Dice the onion lengthwise and tomato as cubes.
Dice the mushroom into quarters of each
You need only medium heat throughout this dish

Heat oil in a pan and add the curry leaves.
Now add the onion and salt and saute them well.
Now add the tomato pieces and saute them till they get mashed
Now add the coriander and chilly pdr and let it cook till the raw smell vanishes.
Now add the mushroom pieces and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
Do not close the pan with a lid as mushroom oozes out water.
Once the mushroom shrinks a bit, fold them well into the masala and let it cook for some more time.
When the mushroom is done completely, do a taste test and take it off heat.

Serve hot with Chapatis

Enjoy!!!

Drumstick Leaves/ Muringayila Curry

Needless to say that we have to try to include leafy vegetables in our diet due to the high nutrient content in them, but did anyone say the truth? I include them in my diet to their high taste content :-)
This one is made with Drumstick Leaves/ Muringayila.
It was almost a daily item back in Kerala, but here we try to include them alteast once in a  week

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Drumstick Leaves - 75 gms
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Water for cooking dal- 2 1/2 cups
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin - 1 tsp
Red Chilly Pdr - 1 tsp
Water for grinding - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Small Onion - 2 nos minced
Dry Red Chilly - 3 nos

Pressure cook the Dal with salt and water for 2 whistles.
Meanwhile grind the coconut with cumin and red chilly pdr and keep aside.
Once the pressure releases, add the ground coconut mixture and let it boil.
Once it boils, add the leaves and let it boil for 5 minutes or so.
Do a test taste and take it off heat
Heat oil in a pan and add the small onion pieces and fry them till they turn into light brown color.
Now add the red chilly and add the whole mixture to the curry and mix well.

Enjoy over Hot Rice!!!

Moru Kachiyathu

Well, i know that most of you might have had this atleast once in your life. Its so easy that you can make them whenever you need something to go along as a curry or as a special item for your lunch/dinner.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Yogurt - 1 cup
If using light yogurt, use 1 1/2 cups and add just little water
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt
Turmeric - a big pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Green chilly - 2 nos
Red chilly - 2 nos
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Small Onion - 2 nos minced finely
GInger - a smal piece minced finely
Garlic - a pod minced finely

Mix the yogurt with water and salt (blend if necessary)
Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard, add fenugreek, curry leaves, small onion, ginger, garlic, dry red chillies and green chillies.
Once the fenugreek browns, lower the heat and add the yogurt mixture and let it heat through.
Dont let it boil or curdle
The lowest heat and the lowest time on heat is the best

Serve it over hot rice and enjoy!!!

Ash Gourd / Kumbalanga Olan

Olan is a common dish in Sadya's in Kerala. There are different varieties and this one is made of Ash Gourd / Kumbalanga alone. Its a very simple curry to make and will take maybe 15 mins of your time.
The only trick in this is the way you cut the Vegetable. It should be very thin and due to this it gets cooked in 5-6 mins max.
It is not very spicy, so its best to have with rice and something spicy like Pickles or a spicy Upperi :-)

Ingredients (Serves 3)
Ash Gourd - 400 gms
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tspn

Chop ashguord in very thin slices
Cook the ashgourd pieces in water with the salt and green chilly. It took me 5 mins for it to get cooked.
Now increase the heat and let the water dry.
Switch off the heat and add the coconut milk and do a taste test
Add the curry leaves and drizzle the oil.

Serve over hot rice :-)

Happy Eating!!!

Parippum Neyyum / Dal with Ghee

Parippum Neeyum has an important place in Kerala Sadyas. It is not very spicy or anything but it really feels good in your mouth. I always keep thinking why they serve so little :-(
But now as i make it at my home, i can have it as much as i want Yay!!!!
Raj was not that much into this but yet he gave it a try and said it tastes like Baby Food. Well i dont know whether it was meant to be a compliment or comment, but i would love to take it as Compliment :-)

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Green Chilly - 1 small
Turmeric - a small pinch
Salt
Curry Leaves - few
Oil - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

Pressure cook the Dal with water, green chilly, turmeric and salt for 4-5 whistles
If you have soaked dal before, then you wouldn't require these many whistles
Now add the curry leaves and drizzle the oil on top of it.
Now add the ghee and serve over Hot Rice

Happy Eating!!!

Sambar

I have been thinking about making this type of Sambar for a long time. I always prepare sambar with just sambar powder without using Coconut  It started because I was lazy but as Raj liked that way, i sticked to it for almost 2 years now. So today i just did it and was amazed. I am happy that i tried this as it tasted very good and i was able to taste it with our every time favorite Idli itself.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup (Soak in water for minimum 30 mins)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Small Onion - 4-5
Potato - 2 medium cubed (300 gms)
Drumstick - 150 gms
Okra - 50 gms
Oil - 1/2 tspn
Tamarind pulp - 25 gms
Water - 4 cups
Tomato - 1 medium

For Dry Roasting
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Small Onion - 1
Curry Leaves - few
Sambar Masala - 3 tbsp (I use Brahmins Sambar Powder)

Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 tsp

For Seasoning
Dry Red Chilly - 4-5
Curry Leaves - few
Mustard - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Pressure cook the Dal, small onion, potato, drumstick with turmeric, salt and  water (should be just a bit above your veggies) for max 2 whistles
Fry Okra in a 1/2 tspn of oil till it changes the color and the stickiness is gone.
Dry roast the coconut, small onion and curry leaves in the same pan till the coconut browns little
Add the Sambar Masala and dry roast again till the raw smell is gone. Grind it with little water and keep aside.

Now add tamarind extracted water into the cooked dal- veggies.
Add the fried Okra and sliced Tomato and let it boil
Now add the ground Masala, Chilly Powder and Hing.  Do a taste test. Take it off from heat when the tomato is cooked and you get the desired consistency.

Heat Oil in a pan and splutter the Mustard, add curry leaves and dried chilly and pour this seasoning into the prepared curry. Mix well

Enjoy Over Hot Rice, Idli or Dosa :-)

Happy Eating!!!

Chembu Moru Curry

Chembu / Taro is a root which is widely used in Kerala. Even the stem and leaves of Taro are used for making various types of curries. They are very nutritious and tasty too.
This is a Moru /Curd curry along with coconut.
As usual i got this recipe from my Mother in Law whom we all call "Pappa". I was amazed to see even small kids to the oldest person she knows call her the same. Its a short for her name "Padmavathy" :-)

Ok so to the recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Chembu/ Taro Root - 400 gms (peeled and cut into cubes)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Salt
Curd - 1/2 cup (whisk the curd well)
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Cumin - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard  - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilly - 3 nos
Fenugreek / Uluva - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few

Pressure cook the taro root along with the water, turmeric, chilly pdr and salt for max 2 whistles. Take care not to mash the taro pieces while cooking ahead
Meanwhile grind the coconut along with cumin seeds adding little water to a smooth paste and keep aside.
Add the whisked curd to the cooked taro and let it boil in medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Now add the coconut-cumin paste to this and let it get cooked for 4-5 mins more.
Do a taste test and take it off from heat
Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the fenugreek and let it brown a little.
Now add the dry red chillies and curry leaves.
Add the seasoning to the curry and mix well.

Serve with Hot rice

Happy Eating!!!

Dry Prawns Curry / Unakka Chemeen Curry

I didnt know that we can make it till i made it today.
2 days back when in called my mother in law, she gave me this quick recipe telling that "He will like it". I was a bit hesitant to make it because i didnt get any measurements for the ingredients. It was just what all to use. And she starts laughing when i ask her something twice. And to boost her, from here Raj will start telling "Tell it properly, she doesnt know anything" :-)
Jokes apart, most of my recipes did come from her :-)

As it doesnt have any heavy pieces of fish in it, its better to have the gravy thick.

Ingredients (Serves 3)
Dry Prawns - 15 gms
Dry Red Chilly - 2
Curry Leaves - few
Tamarind - 10 gms
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Turmeric - a pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Pearl Onion - 2
Salt

Dry roast the prawns, red chilly and curry leaves for 5 minutes in medium heat
Now give it a quick pulse in a grinder  Do not grind it
Soak the tamarind in water and extract it.
Boil the tamarind water, add salt, turmeric and chilly powder. Add the dry prawns mixture and let it boil for 5-6 minutes
Meanwhile grind the coconut and crush the onions.
Now add this mixture into the curry and let it get cooked for another 5 minutes.
Do a test taste and take it off from heat

Serve with Hot rice or Dosa

Happy Eating!!!

Rasam

Rasam is a main item in Sadya in Kerala. Its really tasty and has many health benefits. Its also said that it helps in digestion. Maybe that is the reason its given nearing the end of any feast. Oh Yeah, after a feast we will really need it :-)
Even though you can have it with Rice, in our family and my place, i have seen that more people are interested in drinking it.
Here we like to drink it, so i take out the tomato at the end

Ingredients
Tamarind - 25 gms
Water - 3 1/2 cup
Hing powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garlic crushed - 4 pods
Tomato - 1 medium (150 gms)
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Dry Red Chilly - 3 nos


Extract the tamarind to the 3.5 cups of water and boil it along with hing,turmeric,coriander and pepper powder.
Crush the garlic pods and add into the tamarind and spices mixture and let it boil for sometime.
Now add the tomato into this and let it get cooked completely.
(I cut the tomato lengthwise because i dont like tomato pieces in Rasam, so lengthwise cut helps me to take them out when its done)
When its cooked and starts smelling good, add the corriander leaves chopped and let it simmer for 5 more minutes and stop.

Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and dry red chillies and pour the tempering to the rasam and mix well.

Happy Eating!!!

Dal Palak

Dal Palak

Even though its a North Indian dish, its welcome in most of the Indian homes :-)
I am from South India and i love allmost all varieties of Dal. I have been trying to recreate a dal that i have had in my childhood. I have still not reached to that recipe but in the way, i stumbled across this and thought to stick with it till i get the other one
As i was trying to increase the spinach content in our food, i added it in this Dal and Vola, there came my 'Dal Palak' to this wonderful world

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup (soak for at least 1 hour)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic Minced - 3 pods (3 gms)
Onion chopped - 100 gms
Green chilly - 2 medium ones (3 gms)
Salt
Tomato chopped - 150 gms
Red Chilly Pdr - 1/4 tsp

Spinach - 100 gm chopped

Pressure cook the Toor dal in the water and a pinch salt for max 2 whistles and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds, add the minced garlic and fry for a minute.
Now add the onions and salt and saute them well.
Add the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are done, add the red chilly pdr and mix till the raw smell vanishes.
Now add the chopped spinach and let it get cooked.
Add the cooked dal including the water in it. Let it boil
Do a taste test and stop the heat once it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve hot with Rice or Chapati

Try and let me know :-)

Happy Eating!!!

Potato Masala

Ok so i know we dont need any kind of introduction to this. Its really that one thing that goes with many other dishes. Yes i proudly present to you the One and Only 'Potato Masala'. Yes yeah its the same that you have with Poori, Chapati or even with Dosa :-)
Its mainly famous as the Masala in Poori Masala. I dont think anyone has Poori with anything else. One or the other form, always Potato Masala makes it with Poori. I had it with Chapati today and am still wondering why it isn't paired with Chapati too. They were awesome
So here i go to the recipe

Ingredients (Serves 3)
Potato - 3 medium (around 400 gms)
Onion chopped - 50 gms
Tomato chopped - 1 medium (around 70 gms)
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - few
Turmeric pdr - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 3-4 (adjust to your heat level)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp (adjust to your taste level)

Pressure cook the potato with 1 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt for 2 whistles
Peel off the skin when it cools down and mash it with a fork. Take care not to mash it like a paste. It should be just semi mashed with little bites of potato.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds, add the curry leaves, urad dal and green chilly. Fry till the urad dal turns light brown.
Add the onion and saute till transparent
Add the tomato and saute well. Add the turmeric,salt and saute till the raw smell goes. Now add 1 cup of water and when it boils, add the mashed potato and mix in well with the water. When it starts boiling, its done. You can stop the heat when it reaches your desired consistency.
It will thick a little bit even after stopping the heat, so take care about that

We like to have it with little gravy and not too thick.

Serve hot with Poori, Chapati or even Dosa

Happy Eating!!!

Payar Mathanga Erissery

Often found in Kerala Sadya (Feast), Erissery is a common member in Kerala households. It can be made of various combination of vegetable + lentils. This one is Payar (Lentils) with Mathanga (Pumpkin).
Its not at all spicy and always accompanies with some spicy item like pickle when served with Rice.
Its easy to make and really tasty too. It has a thick gravy consistency.


Ingredients (Serves 4)

For Cooking
Vanpayar - 3/4 cup (soak overnight)
Water - 2 cups
Mathanga (Pumpkin) - 400 gms cubed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilly Pdr - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

For Grinding
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Green Chilly  - 3-4
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Dry Red Chilly - 4
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2 1/2 tbsp

Pressure cook soaked payar with water, salt, red chilly pdr and turmeric for just 1 whistle. Now add the mathanga pieces and cook just for 1 whistle. (Do not overcook the payar or it will get mashed completely)

Meanwhile grind all the items mentioned in 'For Grinding' and keep aside.

Add this ground paste to the cooked mixture and let it boil. Do a salt taste test and add more if required.
Once it starts boiling and everything is mixed well, mash the mathanga gently. Dont mash it completely. Remove from heat

Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter the mustard, then add the curry leaves and dry red chillies and pour it into the curry.
Now heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the grated coconut. You will notice that it soaks up almost all the oil. Increase the heat and keep stirring or else it can get burnt.
Once it browns, add the same to the curry and mix well
Let it stand for 10 mins and serve with hot rice.

Note: I always do the seasoning in 2 batches, in that way i dont burn the coconut or the red chilly. So i do the second batch for the coconut alone

You will love this :-)

Happy Cooking!!!

Salmon Fish Curry - Homestyle

Meen Curry is always a favorite and everyday item at our home in Kerala. But when i tried it with the frozen salmon pieces it never came out good and i had to throw it away. Yesterday i got this recipe from Ettan's Amma and thought of trying it.
The Salmon pieces in the curry usually didnt look good, so i shallow fried it first and then used in the curry instead of using the raw pieces.
It uses the basic ingredients that will be available in kitchen at any time.

In our home, fish curry use to be thick and its used very little that you just dip the rice 'Urula' in it and eat rather than mixing it with the rice like other curries. I remember them telling 'Oppi Kazhicha Mathi'   ;-)

Ingredients (Serves 3)

For shallow fry Marinate and keep for 20 mins
Fish - 200 gms
Chilly Pdr - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - a pinch
Water - 4 tbsp

For Frying
Oil - 3 tbsps

For Curry
Tamarind - a small gooseberry size - 10 gms
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Curry Leaves - few
Coriander pdr - 3 tsp
Chilly pdr - 11/4 tsp (adjust to your heat level)
Green Chilly - 2 small cut lengthwise
Salt - 1 tsp (adjust to your taste level)

For Tempering
Oil - 1 tbsp
Pearl Onion - 3
Ginger minced finely - 5 gms

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water and strain the water and keep aside.
Mix the coriander, chilly pdr with 2 tbspns of water into a paste and keep aside
Shallow fry the fish pieces and keep aside (around 1 min on each side)

Heat the oil (used to fry the fish) in a 'chatti' (pan) and add the curry leaves, green chilly. Pour the tamarind water and boil it. Once it starts to boil, add the spice paste and let it boil. Now add the fish pieces in it and let it boil till you get the desired consistency (will take around 15-20 mins).
Now heat oil in a pan and fry the onion and ginger till the onion browns a little. Add this to the  curry and let it sit for 5-10 mins and serve with hot rice

Happy Dipping!!!!

Kadala Curry

Kadala Curry

She is always sad that Puttu is always behind other girls. She has been with us for such a long time, that we cant leave her alone at such a moment. So when she came to me for help, i said dont worry, i will teach you to dress fast, so you can go out with him. Please join me in helping our dear friend Kadala Curry to get back to her hubby Puttu
This is what we will have to do

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Soaked Kadala - 2 cup ( soaked overnight )
Salt - 1 tsp
Water - 2 1/2 cup

For dry roasting
Pearl onion - 4
Garlic - 3-4 pods
Curry leaves - 4
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander pdr - 11/2 tsp

For Tempering
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Pearl onion - 3-4
Dry Red Chilly - 4
Curry Leaves - 5-6

Boil kadala with salt and water for 3-4 whistles

Dry roast the pearl onion, garlic, curry leaves and coconut for some time.
( I use frozen grated coconut because they are almost the same size so they brown evenly)

Once they brown, add chilly pdr and coriander pdr and roast for 5-6 mins and grind it to a paste with little water.
Add this paste to the boiled kadala and cook till you get the desired consistency for the gravy
Do a taste test for salt.
Keep it aside and now go for tempering
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, pearl onion ( it should brown), dry red chilly and curry leaves one by one and add this to the cooked curry.

See she was ready so fast ryt?
Now enjoy your trip with Puttu ;-)

Serve with Puttu/Roti/Rice

Happy Helping!!!!