Mango season is a favorite time of the year where I get to try all my delicious mango recipes. Starting with a big batch of pickles while the mangoes are tender and raw, then onto mango chutney, fish mango curry, konjum manga, and all the way to the sweet mango lassi & mango jam with ripened juicy mangoes… the list goes on. Among all of them, Konjum Manga is my personal favorite!

This dish has a mythological significance associated to a temple in my hometown (Chettikulangara Devi Temple) and the recipe is same except for dried shrimp being used in it, while I have used fresh ones instead as dried shrimp is not available where I currently reside.

What kind of mangoes can you use?

The recipe calls for raw mangoes as its sourness balances the flavor of the dish. But sometimes the mangoes you buy can be semi-raw or have started to ripen, which you won’t know until you cut it open. If so, you can add a tiny bit of Tamarind aka Gamboojee (Kudampuli) to balance the sourness. But make sure your mangoes are still firm with a slight yellow tint. If they hit the sweet side, then it won’t be good for making this curry.

What are the other variations of this recipe?

You can follow the same recipe for fish as well, preferably small fishes like smelt, sardines, and mackerel. You can also use dried fish or shrimp if fresh ones are not available.

Interested in more Kerala style seafood recipes? Check these out:

1. Prawn Biriyani
2. Prawn Roast
3. Anchovy Fry/ നെത്തോലി നിറവ്
4. Fish Fry / മീൻ വറുത്തത്
5. Roasted Coconut Fish Curry / വറുത്തരച്ച മീൻ കറി
6. Fish Molly/ Kerala Style Fish Stew
7. Red Fish Curry/മീൻ മുളകിട്ടത്
8. Fish Biriyani

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Konjum Manga / Shrimp with Mango

Shrimp with Mango or Chemmeen Manga Curry! Made with Coconut, Pearl Onions and Sour Mangoes, this dish aka Konjum Manga is a local favorite in my hometown, and pairs well with steamed rice. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword kerala, shrimp

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 lb Shrimp / prawns (500gm, 15-20 shrimp) (cleaned and deveined)
• 1 large raw mango
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 3 pearl onions
• 3 green chilies
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2-3 green chilies
• ¼ tsp fenugreek powder
• 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
• Salt (as required)
• Water (as required)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

• Peel, wash and slice the mangoes into thin slices lengthwise.
• Grind together grated coconut, pearl onions, green chilies, chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
• Into a pan (preferably a manchatti / clay pot), add the grinded mix, mango slices, and curry leaves along with a little water and salt. Cover and cook on a medium flame.
• Once the curry starts to boil, add the prawns and simmer until the curry thickens and the prawns are cooked well.
• Add fenugreek powder and mix well, check for the seasoning.
• Top with coconut oil and more curry leaves. Switch off the flame and allow the curry to sit for 30 mins before serving. Enjoy!!

Notes

• If the mango is not sour enough, you can add some kudampuli / gambojee to balance the sourness and taste.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used to suit your spice levels.

The post Konjum Manga / Shrimp with Mango appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Beetroot is a house favorite! Everybody in my home including my little one loves this vibrant vegetable. In spite of it being healthy, I know that there are many beetroot haters out there. The earthy smell of the vegetable is a put off for many and so are the complaints that it tastes like mud. But from my experience, I’ve learned that properly cooking beetroot with the right ingredients help to eliminate the smell completely, thereby making it tasty and a healthy option to add to your daily menu.

Beetroot has so many health benefits; is high in fiber, packed with vitamins and minerals, and rich in folate and manganese thereby helping to strengthen the bones. It also helps to improve the digestive health, lowering the blood pressure, and has anti-cancer properties.

There are so many different ways you can include beetroot in your diet. One of our favorite recipes is the Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi which is a beetroot and yogurt combination.  A Mediterranean style Beetroot hummus is another colorful option you can add to your menu or even this Beetroot Power Smoothie with apple and pomegranate.

Now let’s talk about today’s recipe which is a simple stir-fried aka thoran version of beetroot, which makes a great pair with steamed rice. The recipe is easy, uses regular thoran ingredients like coconut, jeera/cumin seeds and green chilies, and in-addition too I have added carrot which complements perfectly with beetroot. You can include or skip carrot suiting your palate, either way it tastes delicious!!!

Interested in more thoran / Kerala stir fry dishes? Check these out:

1. Carrot Cabbage Thoran
2. Broccoli Vanpayar Thoran
3. Tender Jackfruit / Idichakka Thoran
4. Yam Stir fry / Chena Thoran 

Interested in other Beetroot recipes? Check these out:

1. Beetroot Power Smoothie
2. Beetroot Hummus
3. Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi / Beetroot with Yogurt

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Beetroot Carrot Thoran / Stir fry

BeetrootCarrot Thoran / Stir fry - A colorful and healthy side dish made with beetroot,carrot and coconut! A perfect accompaniment with rice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword beetroot thoran, cabbage thoran, kerala

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 large beetroot (finely cubed / grated)
• 2 medium sized carrots (finely chopped / grated)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required, pref. coconut oil)

Instructions

• Heat a little oil in a pan on a medium flame, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add beetroot, carrot and salt, mix well and close the lid. Reduce the flame and cook it for 5-7 mins.
• Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, green chilies, and turmeric powder to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Open the lid and stir everything together. Add the grinded coconut mix and stir well, allow it to cook for a few more minutes until it becomes soft and well cooked, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasoning.
• Switch off the flame and serve with steamed rice.

Notes

• You can skip carrot and use beetroot alone to make this recipe, which also tastes equally delicious.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Beetroot Carrot Thoran / Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Inji curry … an inevitable side dish of Sadya and a mouthwatering delicacy, is a popular recipe from Kerala cuisine. It’s an amalgamation of flavors; spicy n salty with the aroma of ginger in warm spices, all in a perfect balance! There is a saying in Malayalam about Inji curry; a dish equivalent to 101 curries (നൂറ്റൊന്ന് കറിക്ക് സമം).

This recipe is from my Amma’s cookbook which is more of a Travancore style and a spicier version. A variation of this dish is also very common with additional ingredients like grated coconut and small onions, but has a much lesser shelf life. This recipe is completely different in taste from that of Puli Inji which is a Malabari style dish having similar ingredients and cooking instructions but uses much more tamarind and jaggery, making the curry spicy, sweet and tangy.

Few things to consider while making Inji Curry:

1. Ensure to slice ginger thinly and proportionately, as it will help in frying them evenly without any burnt ends.
2. Ginger slices should be fried till they turn brown and crisp, that’s what makes the curry tasty.
3. Adding a pinch of jaggery at the end is optional, but it helps to balance the taste.
4. You can store ginger curry  at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.

Enjoy Inji curry as a side dish along with Sadya or with steamed rice.

Interested in other Kerala style pickle recipes? Check these out:

1. Mango Pickle
2. Lemon Dates Pickle

If you would like to check out my other Sadya recipes, click here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Inji Curry / Ginger Curry

Aromatic and Spicy Kerala Style Inji Curry, a must try Classic from Kerala Cuisine …!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword ginger curry, inji curry, kerala pickle

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 1 16 oz mason jar (approx)

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 300 gm inji/ginger
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 green chilies (sliced round)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kayam/asafoetida/hing
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (roasted & powdered)
• lime sized puli / tamarind (soaked in ½ cup warm water)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1.5 cup water
• Coconut oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Prepare ginger: Clean and scrape off the skin, cut ginger into thin slices and soak in water for 10 minutes.
• Fry ‘em up: Squeeze out the water from the ginger slices and fry in hot coconut oil until crispy and browned.
• Allow the fried ginger to cool completely, then transfer it to a blender and grind into fine powder. Keep aside.
• Prepare tamarind extract: Squeeze the tamarind in the soaked water, strain the juice and keep it aside.
• Prepare spice powder mix: In a separate bowl, mix water, chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and keep aside.
• Make curry: In a separate pan on medium flame, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
• Add the prepared spice powder mix, tamarind extract, and increase the heat to max allowing the curry to boil.
• Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to a low and add the fried ginger powder, mix well.
• Allow the curry to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring in between until it reaches a semi thick consistency.
• Check for the seasoning, add a pinch of jaggery to balance the taste.
• Once it reaches your desired consistency, switch off the flame.
• Storage: Transfer to a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store. You can keep it outside for 2 days and then refrigerate it.

Notes

• Small onions / shallots are an optional ingredient for this recipe.
• Coconut oil is recommended in this recipe, any neutral oils except for olive oil can also be used.
• Adjust the quantity of chili powder and green chilies to suit your spice levels.
• Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal jars as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
• You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.

The post Inji Curry / Ginger Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Another favorite from my mom’s collection, which I got to savor a lot recently during her stay with us. Yam / Elephant foot yam / Suran is a tuber plant with lots of health benefits and is pretty common in Kerala, in fact most of the households cultivate it in their backyard garden. The root as well as the stem of the plant is used for cooking, mostly to make stir fry. Yam root is also a main ingredient in Aviyal & Kootu Curry, the two popular Sadya side dishes. In today’s recipe, I have made a simple thoran / stir fry using the root of yam plant.

Thoran is a staple in every kitchen in Kerala because it makes the easiest side dish with steamed rice. You can make a thoran with pretty much any vegetable and also with fish or chicken. The main ingredients in a thoran are vegetables of course along with a grated coconut mix; includes coconut, jeera / cumin, turmeric powder, garlic, and a hot ingredient (green chilies or red chili powder).

The tastemaker of a yam thoran is the final addition of roasted fennel seeds powder. Since yam is considered as a hard vegetable, it needs something which gives the extra zing to lift the taste, and that’s where fennel comes in. This vegetarian side dish makes a quick and easy meal for your busy days and a perfect combination with steamed rice and tempered buttermilk (moru curry).

Interested in more thoran / Kerala stir fry dishes? Check these out:

• Idichakka Thoran / Tender Jackfruit Stir fry
• Carrot Cabbage Thoran / Stir Fry
• Broccoli Vanpayar Thoran / Red Cowpeas Stir Fry

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Chena Thoran / Yam Stir fry

Chena Thoran … A Simple & Mildly Spiced Yam Stir Fry with Coconut and Spices, served as a side with Steamed Rice!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword chena thoran, kerala, thoran

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 340 gm chena / elephant yam / suran
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp fennel seeds / പെരുംജീരകം (roasted & powdered)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• Water (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• Scrub, clean, and peel off the skin of yam. Cut the yam into small cubes.
• In a saucepan, cook the yam by boiling in enough water and salt until it is soft. Do not overcook, it should hold its shape.
• Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, chili powder and turmeric powder to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• In a kadai / pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add the cooked yam, along with grinded coconut paste, mix well and close the lid to cook for 2 minutes in low flame.
• Add fennel powder, toss well and check for the seasoning. Cook for another 2 minutes in low flame and switch it off.
• Serve with steamed rice and tempered buttermilk on side. Enjoy!

Notes

• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of chili powder used, suiting your spice levels.
• You can also use frozen yam (daily delight brand) for making this recipe.

The post Chena Thoran / Yam Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Christmas is around the corner and here I am gearing up my holiday recipes. Since my mom who has been staying with me for the last couple of months would be with us for a few more weeks, we are cooking up storm and shooting all traditional & homely Kerala recipes which I have been promising you guys for a long time.

Talking about today’s recipe “Stew”, it is a dish which resonates with Christmas for every Malayalee. The Christian families in Kerala are known for their stew recipes, and be it made with chicken, mutton, fish or vegetables, the dish is DELICIUOS… Pair it with a side of Appams or Idiyappams for breakfast, you have a match made in heaven!

The recipe is pretty simple and light on spices, but big on flavors. The preparation of the veg and non-veg versions are almost similar except for the protein or veggies used. The warmth from the whole spices and the blend with coconut milk gravy gives the dish its unique aroma which makes your whole house fragrant as it cooks.

Vegetable Stew is a perfect dish to add veggies to your Christmas menu if you plan to load it up otherwise with non-veg dishes. Not only does it introduce a pleasant palate shift, it’s light on your stomach and complements the rest of your feast.

Interested in other Stew recipes? Check these out;

• Kerala Style Chicken Stew
• Kerala Style Mutton Stew
• Kerala Style Fish Stew / Fish Molly / Fish Molee

Also, don’t forget to check out my Appam (Hoppers) recipe which goes perfectly with Stew.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Vegetable Stew

Kerala Style Vegetable Stew with Spices and Veggies simmered in a Coconut Milk based gravy. Perfect for a cozy breakfast with Appams or Idiyappams on the side!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword chicken stew, kerala, vegetable stew

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 3-4 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise

For the Stew

• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (finely chopped)
• 2 green chili (or more, slit)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• 1 carrot (cubed)
• ½ cup beans (chopped, lengthwise)
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ¾ cup thin coconut milk
• ½ cup thick coconut milk
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 2 sprig of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (pref. coconut oil) (as required)

Instructions

• Pressure cook potato, beans, and carrot with water and a little bit of salt, for 1 whistle. Keep aside, allow the pressure to release on its own.
• Heat oil in a pan, add spices; cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and star anise. Sauté until fragrant.
• Add 1 sprig of curry leaves, ginger and green chilies. Once the raw smell of the ginger subsides, add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Add the pressure-cooked vegetables, followed by adding thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow it to cook on a low flame. Once the stew starts boiling, add frozen peas.
• As the dish starts boiling again, check for the veggies to be cooked perfectly and once done, add thick coconut milk. Do not allow the stew to boil after this stage.
• Top the stew with pepper powder and check for salt. Swirl the pan once and cook for another 2 minutes on a low flame. Top with 1 sprig of curry leaves and coconut oil. Turn off the flame.
• Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Chapathi or bread.

Notes

• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Vegetable Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Duck curry is a popular dish from the hearts of Kuttanad, a region which is fondly referred to as the “Nellara” of Kerala (rice bowl of Kerala state) for its plenty paddy fields and backwaters. Kuttanand is indeed a beauty, the place is a famous tourist destination, particularly for its houseboats, boat races, and variety food.

This duck curry with coconut milk dish is rich and flavorful with the meat cooked to perfection. The major highlight of this recipe is the difference in the ingredients used. Unlike other Indian style curries, this one doesn’t use any chili powder. Instead it is spiced with lots of green chilies, ginger, garlic and freshly crushed black pepper. The addition of coconut milk makes the curry even better with a thick gravy consistency.

How to cook Duck?

Cooking duck is different from that of chicken and may be a challenge for first timers to nail it perfectly. The meat is mostly used with skin-on and has a longer cooking time. It can be cooked in an open vessel on a low flame for 30+ mins to achieve the right consistency, or else and easier alternate would be pressure cooking it like how I have detailed in my recipe today, which is a quicker and a safer bet.

Duck meat with or without skin?

The skin of the duck is the flavor factor for most duck recipes, and is ideal for roast and curry dishes. Also keep in mind that the meat differs from broiler to country side duck (നാടൻ താറാവ്) varieties. Usually the broiler ones come with a lot of meat whereas country style ducks (നാടൻ താറാവ്) have less meat and more bones. I personally prefer country style duck for my recipes, as they taste a lot better.

Is duck fat healthy?

Duck meat comes with a lot of fat, mostly from its skin. It’s always a question as to how much should you add to your curry and what to do with the rest? Now, duck fat is definitely healthy as it majorly contains monounsaturated fat which helps to lower LDL cholesterol and thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is a great substitute for cooking with instead of using other high saturated fats like butter, beef fat, and pork fat. Also duck fat has a distinct aroma and flavor which complements the dishes cooked in it; for e.g. roasting veggies n potatoes, frying fish, searing steak. Duck fat is key to this recipe and you may want to leave the skin on the meat so that at least half of the fat is used, complementing the flavors of this dish. The rest of the fat can be rendered into duck fat and stored separately for later cooking use. But if you are calorie conscious, feel free to omit the skin and fat altogether.

If your duck smells bad?

It is quite common for duck meat to have a weird smell even though fresh, especially if it’s a wild one caught from swamp waters. You can get rid of the smell by using vinegar and turmeric. Once the duck meat is cleaned, rub with a turmeric + vinegar mix and keep aside for 10-15 mins. A last-minute wash under running water, and your duck is ready for cooking. You can also substitute vinegar with lemon juice.

Pro tip: Use freshly crushed pepper and freshly squeezed coconut milk to enhance the taste.

This duck curry with coconut milk is a highlight of Easter & Christmas feasts and is served along with Appam (rice hoppers), Idiyappam (string hoppers), Roti, Naan or Steamed Rice.  So do try it out during these holidays and lemme know how it turns out in the comment section below.

Also don’t forget to check out my Appam recipe which makes a great combination with this Duck Curry.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kerala Style Duck Curry

Delicious Kerala Style Duck Curry spiced with Pepper & Green Chilies, smothered in a Creamy Coconut Milk gravy! This Kuttanadan Style Curry makes a lip-smacking side dish with Appam or Idiyappams, perfect for your Christmas feast …!!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword duck curry, kerala duck curry

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck (with skin-on)
• 5 garlic pods (crushed)
• 1 ½ - inch sized ginger (crushed)
• 5-6 green chilies (slit)
• 3 medium sized onions (sliced)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chicken masala / garam masala
• a small pinch of fennel powder (optional)
• 2 tsp pepper powder (plus more)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 cup hot water
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• ¼ cup coconut bites
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and cut duck (with skin-on) into curry sized pieces. You can omit its fat entirely or leave some, as duck fat is considered healthy.
• In a pressure cooker, heat a little coconut oil and add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilies. Sauté until fragrant.
• Add sliced onion along with a little salt, sauté until the onions turn translucent and golden, followed by the addition of sliced tomatoes and sauté until they are mushy.
• Lower the flame and add spice powders; turmeric, coriander, garam masala, fennel powder (optional), and pepper powder (1 tsp). Sauté for one minute.
• Add the duck pieces and mix with the masala once. Pour hot water, add salt as required, place the lid, and cook for 2 whistles (check notes for details).
• Once cooked, turn off the flame and allow it to rest until the pressure goes off. Then open the lid and taste for seasoning.
• Depending upon how much gravy you want, cook the duck on a medium flame.
• Once your preferred consistency has reached, lower the flame and add coconut milk, mix well and check for the seasoning. Add pepper powder (according to your spice level), then cook for another 2 minutes and switch off the flame.
• Prepare the tempering in a separate pan, by heating some oil. Add mustard seeds, and once it splutters add coconut bites and curry leaves. When the coconut bites turn lightly brown, pour it to the prepared duck curry and mix well. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve hot with Appam (rice hoppers), idiyappam (string hoppers), rice or roti.

Notes

• If you are in Saint Louis area, check out Pan Asia supermarket as that’s where we buy duck.
• The cooking times for duck vary according to the type used. Usually young ducks and നാടൻ താറാവ് cook within 2 whistles, rest may need 3 or more whistles in a pressure cooker. If the meat seems under after pressure cooking, place the lid and cook for two more whistles to get it right.
• Adjust green chilies and pepper powder to suit your spice level.
• The garam masala used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala) and meat masala used is MDH meat masala. You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable. If meat masala is unavailable, you can substitute it with equivalent amount of garam masala.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Kerala Style Duck Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s Onam next week and how better can it get to post my first payasam recipe? So here you go, my Sadya dessert for this season… Ada Pradhaman!  As a Malayalee, payasam resonates festivity & tradition. Be it our festivals like Onam, Vishu or celebrations like marriages and birthdays, it is served as the dessert of happiness. Payasam is served as the dessert course in Sadya,  and is also served as the prasadam in temples (I’d drool for it!).  Payasam a.k.a Kheer is a term which commonly refers to authentic, syrupy, milk-based Indian desserts. Every state in India has their own version of this dessert, which varies based on spices used, type of milk, cooking method, the core ingredient like ada, vermicelli, lentils, fruits, and so on. Among them, vermicelli a.k.a semiya payasam is popular throughout the country.

Ada pradhaman is a sweet delicacy of Kerala which is made out of rice flakes simmered in a jaggery n coconut milk sauce, flavored with cardamom and dry ginger powder. The use of three versions of coconut milk with varying thickness is the highlight of this recipe and is key to the perfection of this dish. The cooking process is tedious, but is worth the effort. Traditionally, freshly squeezed coconut milk is used and tastes way better, but to ease the cook you can use store bought coconut milk or coconut milk powder and adjust its thickness with water.

There are different types of ada available in the market, some are made with rice flour and some with maida (all-purpose flour). Both works equally good for this recipe, however ada made with rice flour is my personal choice. Also, ada comes in different shapes; long strands, bite sized, thin granules, etc. You can also make your own ada (preferred), although that in itself is a time taking process. Instead you can buy store bought ones, I’ve used Nirapara brand’s thin granule sized rice ada which I personally do not prefer, but had no other choice due to the unavailability of other options in my town.

Pro tip: Payasam is delicious on its own, but also elevates it a level  further when savored with banana and pappadam… Ask any Malayalee!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Ada Pradhaman

Rich n Luscious Kerala Style Ada Pradhaman Payasam …!! Made with Rice Flakes, Jaggery & Coconut Milk, the Perfect Festive Delicacy!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword ada pradhaman, kerala, payasam, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 200 g Ada (1 packet)
• Water (as required)
• 400 gm (15 oz appro. ) ശർക്കര / Jaggery
• 2½ cup മൂന്നാം പാൽ / thin coconut milk
• 1¾ cup രണ്ടാം പാൽ / semi-thick coconut milk
• 1 cup ഒന്നാം പാൽ / thick coconut milk
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp ghee or more
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp ചുക്ക് പൊടി / dry ginger powder (optional)
• 2 tbsp Cashews
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 2 tbsp തേങ്ങാ കൊത്ത് / coconut bites

Instructions

• To prepare ada: Wash the ada 2-3 times in water until its rinses off clear, then drain and keep aside. Fill half of a heavy bottomed pan with water and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the washed ada and cook until it turns soft (should be mashable between your fingers). Drain and rinse the cooked ada under cold water (to prevent over-cooking) and keep aside.
• Prepare jaggery syrup: Add jaggery to a pan with 2 cups of water and heat on a medium flame. When the jaggery is completely melted into a lightly syrupy texture, strain it (to remove impurities and keep aside.
• Prepare coconut milk: You can use store bought coconut milk, coconut milk powder, or grated coconut, to prepare thin (മൂന്നാം പാൽ), semi-thick (രണ്ടാം പാൽ) and thick coconut milk (ഒന്നാം പാൽ). Keep aside.
• Prepare garnishes: Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews, raisins and coconut bites separately, keep aside.
• For the payasam: Onto a heavy bottomed pan / ഉരുളി, add the melted jaggery, cooked ada, and heat on a medium flame. Allow the ada to cook in the jaggery syrup until it is reduced and thickened, constantly stirring it to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add ¼ cup ghee while stirring the ada.
• Reduce the flame to a low and add the thin coconut milk (മൂന്നാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Now add the semi-thick coconut milk (രണ്ടാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Add the thick coconut milk, stir well and cook till right before it reaches boil, then switch of the flame. Ensure not to allow the dish to boil at this stage, so keep your flame at low.
• Add the cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, fried cashews, raisins and coconut bites. Add an extra 1 tbsp ghee (or more, if you like it’s taste), and give the dish a final stir.
• If the payasam turns out to be thick, you can add boiled n cooled cow’s milk to thin it out.
• Serve hot! Banana and Pappadam are malayalee’s favorite sides which are served Ada Pradhaman.

Notes

• I have used Nirapara brand’s ada (rice based) in this recipe as I have none other available locally. These are thin rice flakes and not my personal favorite, I would recommend using bigger sized rice ada.
• You can also use maida ada (all-purpose flour based) which works fine.
• You may vary the quantity of ghee used in this recipe per your palette.

The post Ada Pradhaman / Rice Flakes Jaggery Pudding appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s here! The festival month of Kerala, and Onam is just around the corner! Did you guys start planning already? How are your Onam preparations coming along?

One of my goals this year was to have plenty of Sadya dishes on Pepper Delight and post a round up for you to try them all at once, right in time for your festival preparations. So, stay tuned as I have a killer Sadya dish coming up in the next few days followed by my Onam recipe round up in a week. And I am sure you’re going to definitely love it!

Coming back to the recipe of the day; Cabbage Carrot Thoran! This stir fry dish is pretty popular in Kerala, which you can cook in 15 minutes. Thoran aka Upperi is the generic Malayalam word for any stir fry dish made with grated coconut. The recipe is super simple and flavorful from the combination of ginger, garlic, green chilies, and cumin. To give the dish its own twist, I’ve modified the original recipe by adding grated carrot along with the cabbage (Thanks to my dear friend Ammu for the tip), making it visually appealing and enhancing the flavours. Unlike other thoran recipes, this one doesn’t require any grinding of the coconut. All you need is a good hand mix of the ingredients and then stir fry for 10-15 minutes, your Thoran is ready!

Pro tip: Use of cast iron pan is ideal for this cabbage carrot thoran recipe as it brings more flavor. Also do not add water while cooking cabbage, as it makes the stir fry soggy.

Interested in more thoran/Kerala stir fry recipes? Check out my Tender Jackfruit/Idichakka Thoran recipe here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Cabbage Carrot Thoran / Stir Fry

Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Cabbage Carrot Thoran … A Stir Fry Flavored with Ginger, Garlic, Chilies and Cumin, makes a Great Side Dish with Steamed Rice…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cabbage thoran, kerala, kerala sadya, sadya, thoran

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of one large cabbage (grated)
• 1 large carrot (grated / finely chopped)
• 5-6 pearl onions (sliced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp urad dal (skinned black gram) or rice
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl; using your hands or with a spoon, mix cabbage, carrot, pearl onions, green chilies, grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and a pinch of salt. Keep aside.
• Heat some oil in a pan, add urad dal and allow it to turn slightly golden. Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add ginger and garlic, saute until they are fragrant.
• Reduce the flame to low, add the cabbage mix and close the lid to cook for 2-3 minutes. Open the lid and mix everything together and allow it to cook for few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasoning. Serve with steamed rice.

Notes

• You can skip carrot and use cabbage alone to make this recipe, which also tastes equally delicious.
• Use of cast iron pan is ideal for this recipe as it brings more flavor.
• Do not add water while cooking cabbage, as it makes the stir fry soggy.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Cabbage Carrot Thoran / Stir Fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Pickles are a staple in every Indian kitchen! You will find not just one but many varieties; made with different types of fruits & vegetables, preserved in big jars for up to a year or the next season, and to cater to the household needs and festival/party servings. In my hometown Kerala, it is during the festival time of Onam and Vishu that we make different types of pickles all at once. They are served in Sadya (the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala) and among them, mango, lemon and ginger pickles are the highlight.

Lemon pickle is the favorite at my home and my amma makes it during the festival season or when I’m visiting home on vacation. While returning back, I carry big jars of homemade pickles with me as it’s something I can’t live without. Packaging the pickles in large airtight jars, vacuum sealing it to prevent leaks, and carefully packing in the suitcases is a day’s process in itself, but we happily do it like a ritual every time.

The type of lemon used to make pickle vary across India. In Kerala we use the Giant Bitter Lemon / Wild Lemon, locally known as karinaranga. It’s a bigger version of a regular lemon, has the size of a pomelo, and is quite bitter.  But the pickles made out of it just tastes out of this world! We also make different varieties of lemon pickles combining other fruits & vegetables. It takes the flavors to a whole new level, giving it hints of sweet, tangy, sour and balancing the overall bitterness of the lemons. Among them, the dates version stands out and makes a great combination with lemon. I have tasted lemon dates pickle so many times at marriage feasts, but never got a chance to try my hands on it in the kitchen. Last year when my friend’s mom visited the US, we had a lot of cooking moments together where she taught me so many recipes and tips. This lemon dates pickle recipe is from her cookbook, Thank You Aruna aunty for sharing this wonderful recipe which has indeed become my all-time favorite pickle.

You will also find a variation of this recipe with ginger in it which is common in other parts of Kerala, though not in my hometown. If you love the taste of ginger, give it a try. Just include it while adding garlic when following my instructions. Also do keep in mind that the thick outer skin of the lemon can add way too much bitterness to the pickle and may not be enjoyed by everyone. The overnight marination of the steamed lemons in this recipe helps in reducing the bitterness and balancing the taste along with the sweetness of the dates.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Also guys, don’t forget to check out my Kerala Style Mango Pickle recipe.

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Lemon Dates Pickle

Aromatic Sweet and Sour Kerala Style Lemon Dates Pickle … A Perfect Combination with Rice, Biriyani & Parathas ...!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword achar, kerala pickle, lemon dates pickle

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 2 jars of pickle

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 5 big or 10 small lemons
• 20 dates (chopped)
• 5-6 garlic pods (sliced)
• 3 green chilies (chopped)
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 4 tbsp kashmiri chili powder (or more)
• ½ tsp fenugreek powder
• 2 tsp asafoetida / hing / കായം
• Gingelly oil (നല്ലെണ്ണ)/ sesame oil (as required)
• Pinch of sugar
• ¼ cup vinegar (or more depending upon the sourness)
• Salt (as required)
• 1 cup hot water
• Water (for steaming lemons)

Instructions

• Steaming Lemons: Wash the lemons thoroughly. Steam for 10 -15 minutes, or until the lemons swell with the skin becoming soft and forming cracks.
• Allow it to cool completely and then cut into small pieces (½ inch sized). Discard the seeds at this time.
• In a glass bowl, mix the sliced lemons with salt, a pinch of sugar, and keep aside with the lid placed allowing it to rest for 1-2 hours at least, preferably overnight.
• Pickling lemon and dates: In a pan, heat sesame oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced garlic, green chilies, curry leaves and sauté.
• When the garlic turns aromatic and light brown in color, lower the heat and add chili powder, fenugreek powder and asafoetida. Sauté the masala for 1-2 mins, make sure not to burn it.
• Follow by adding chopped dates and saute for 3-4 minutes, then add 1 cup of hot water and bring the curry to a boil.
• When the curry starts boiling and thickening, add the marinated lemons to it. Mix well, add vinegar and check for salt and sourness. Combine everything well and give a good stir. Switch of the flame and allow it to cool.
• Storage: Once completely cooled, transfer the pickle to a clean dry glass or ceramic jar and close it with a tight lid. Keep it outside for 3-4 days (depending upon the weather at your placand then refrigerate it.
• Serve with steamed rice or biriyani.

Notes

1. Use of gingelly oil (നല്ലെണ്ണ) / sesame oil is ideal for all Kerala style pickle recipes, otherwise you can use any oil except for olive oil.
2. Discard the seeds of the lemons as they add a lot of bitterness.
3. Adjust the red chili powder and green chilies according to your spice level.
4. Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal containers as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
5. You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for a few days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.
6. Variations of this recipe with ginger is also very tasty, try it out if you like.

The post Lemon Dates Pickle appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Mutton stew is quite famous among the Christian families of Kerala, and is served for festivals like Christmas, Easter, and special occasions like weddings. Creamy and light on masala, this dish stands out for its unique & versatile flavors which you would not be expecting in Indian style mutton curry dishes.

The uniqueness of the recipe unlike other Indian dishes is, it does not use garam masala or chilly powder. Green chilies and freshly crushed peppercorns play a crucial role, giving the adequate spice (heat) and uplifting the flavors of the dish.

The recipe is quite similar to that of Kerala style Chicken Stew, with the only difference being its cooking time as mutton takes longer to cook. Tender goat meat with loads of whole hearted veggies, in a lightly spiced and absolutely creamy coconut milk gravy, a curry which is every Malayalee’s pride!

Straight from my Amma’s cookbook, this recipe is a family favorite and we love to savor it with Appam (rice hoppers). It also makes a great side dish with Idiyappam, Bread, Naan or Malabar Paratha.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my Fish Molly recipe, it is a variation of mutton stew with fish as the hero of the dish.

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Kerala Style Mutton Stew

Tender Goat Meat along with Veggies, simmered in a Mild n Creamy Coconut Milk based gravy, this Kerala Style Mutton Stew (Ishtu) makes a Lip-Smacking Side Dish with Appam that will blow you away…!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword christmas, kerala, mutton stew

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 3-4 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise

For the Stew

• ½ kg {1.2 lb} mutton (pref. soup cut)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (crushed)
• 3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 3-4 green chilies (slit)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1 cup water
• 1 carrot (cubed)
• 10-12 beans (sliced)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• ⅓ cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• ½ tsp fennel powder
• ½ cup thick coconut milk
• 1 tsp crushed peppercorns
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

For Tempering

• 1 tbsp ghee/butter
• 3-4 pearl onions (sliced)
• 1 sprigs of curry leaves
• 5-6 cashews

Instructions

• Prepare mutton: Clean and cut mutton into medium size pieces. For this dish I would prefer using mutton bone-in with fat on it. Equal portions of shoulder cut and soup cut would be ideal.
• Cook mutton: In a pressure cooker, heat some oil and add the spices; cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorn, bay leaf, and star anise. Sauté until fragrant. Add 1 sprig of curry leaves, crushed ginger, garlic and slit green chilies. Once the raw smell of ginger and garlic subsides, add sliced onions along with a pinch of salt, sauté until translucent.
• Follow by adding turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, sauté and mix well.
• Add mutton pieces along with water and salt, close the lid and cook for 4 whistles. Turn off the flame and allow the cooker to sit until all the pressure is released. Open the lid and you may continue the rest of the cooking either in the pressure cooker itself or after transferring it to a separate pan as per your convenience.
• Cook the veggies: Add potato, carrot and beans, along with thin coconut milk to the cooked mutton. Close the lid and allow it to cook on a low flame. Once the stew starts boiling, add the frozen green peas and fennel powder.
• As the dish starts boiling again, check for the veggies to be cooked perfectly and once done, reduce the flame to a low and add the thick coconut milk. Do not allow the stew to boil after this stage.
• Top the stew with freshly crushed peppercorns and check for salt. Swirl the pan once and cook for another 2 minutes on a low flame. Turn off the flame.
• Prepare the tempering: Heat ghee/butter in a separate pan, sauté pearl onions until they are lightly brown, then add cashews and curry leaves and sauté. Add this tempering to the prepared mutton stew, mix well. Close the lid and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with Appam, idiyappam, bread, naan or any roti.

Notes

1. Use of coconut oil is ideal for all Kerala recipes.
2. Adjust the quantity of green chilies and pepper you use for this recipe according to your choice of spice level.

The post Kerala Style Mutton Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, officially its “Chakka” season a.k.a. Jackfruit season in my hometown, one of the favorite phases in every Malayalee’s life. It indeed is… the whole process right from plucking the fruit to cooking it into a delicious dish, is a Celebration! Jackfruit reminds me of the extended family get-togethers during my childhood days. As kids, we used to gather around the trees to watch the tree climbers climb them, tie these heavy fruits with rope and slowly lower them after cutting their stem. From there on the jackfruit is handed over to the ladies in the kitchen, which was a different world altogether. They gathered and sat on the floor leisurely cutting and cleaning the fruits, separating the flowers from the seeds to be used in various dishes, while the elderly women moved onto preparing the dishes. And the whole time the air was filled with chit-chats, gossip talks (my favorite part) and the mouth-watering aroma of the dishes being prepared.

No wonder Jackfruit is also known as the official fruit of the Kerala state!

Jackfruit being the largest tree-borne fruit is a quite complex one, the ability to use pretty much every portion of it and make a wide variety of dishes is quite astounding. Except for its outer skin of green thorns which we discard (not wasted though as it is an excellent feed for cows & they love it), the rest of the fruit is used completely in dishes, for e.g. crispy chips (ചക്ക ഉപ്പേരി), jam (ചക്ക വരട്ടിയത്), steamed dumplings (കുമ്പിളപ്പം) , dessert (ചക്ക പായസം), curries (ചക്ക അവിയൽ), stir fry (ഇടിച്ചക്ക തോരൻ), brazil nuts stir fry (ചക്കക്കുരു മെഴുക്കുപുരട്ടി )… and the list goes on!

This tender jackfruit stir fry recipe is one of my favorites here in the US, and brings back sweet old home memories each time I cook. Since the fresh ones are very difficult to find, I use frozen or canned versions bought from Indian/Asian grocery stores. And you don’t need to doubt their quality, they taste equally good as their fresh counterparts.

The flavors of tender jackfruit are quite different than their ripe ones and make a delicious stir fry with spices, chilies and coconut. Bird’s eye chilies (കാന്താരി മുളക്) are preferred to give this dish the right amount of heat but you can also substitute with green chilies to suit your spice levels.

Happy Cooking…!

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Idichakka Thoran/Tender Jackfruit Stir fry

Tender Jackfruit a.k.a. Idichakka, Cooked and Stir Fried with Coconut, Chilies and Spices… Pairs Perfectly with Steamed Rice. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword idichakka thoran, jackfruit, tender jackfruit stir fry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

To make the coconut mix

• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic pods
• 2-3 bird’s eye chilies / green chilies
• 3-4 fresh curry leaves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds

To make the thoran

• 1 small fresh Idichakka / tender jackfruit OR 1 frozen packet (semi-cooked)
• Water (as required)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 pearl onions
• 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram lentils) / rice
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• Using fresh tender jackfruit: Cut the whole tender jackfruit into large chunks using a well-oiled knife. Peel of the green thorny skin from the outer chunks until no-green is visible, discard the peeled off skin. Cut the chunks into smaller pieces.
• To cook the jackfruit, you can can either pressure cook or pan cook along with water (enough to cover the jackfruit), turmeric powder and salt. If pressure cooking, cook for one whistle and allow it cool down until the pressure is released, strain and keep aside.

OR

• Using frozen semi-cooked tender jackfruit: Transfer the jackfruit from the packet to a skillet along with water (just enough to cover the jackfruit), and boil with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes on a medium flame. Strain it and keep aside.
• Shred: Shred the cooked jackfruit by either mashing it with a masher or using a blender, but make sure not to grind it into a paste.
• Grind coconut mix: Grind all the coconut mix ingredients listed above to make a coarse mix.
• Mix’em up: Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix well the grinded coconut mix and the shredded jackfruit.
• Cook’em up: In a pan, heat a little oil and add urad dal. When the dal turns light brown, add mustard seeds, dry red chilies and curry leaves.
• As the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the jackfruit-coconut mix, sauté and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasonings. Switch off the flame and serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes

1. You can use any brand of frozen tender jackfruit, I generally use Daily Delight’s Tender Jackfruit and at times also buy the canned ones - Green Young Jackfruit from the brand Chaokoh. 

2. Use of coconut oil is ideal for all Kerala recipes.

3. If available, you can use birds eye chilies (കാന്താരി മുളക്) instead of green chilies for making this recipe.

The post Idichakka Thoran / Tender Jackfruit Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Onam – the Harvest Festival of Kerala is right around the corner. And, how are your preparations coming along? All set for the Sadya preps? did you pickle mangoes yet? prepared banana chips…? I was lucky this year to find some fresh green mangoes in the market. They were perfect, right on time, and I have pickled them already. And for the chips, no worries at all as I’m already sitting on my couch, relaxing, and munching on some homemade ones which my Amma sent me all the way from India.

Talking about my recipe today…unlike the usual Sadya dishes of which many I have already posted recipes in the past, I thought of sharing a Special Curry which is enjoyed predominantly in a Sadya. I had tasted this dish initially at marriage Sadya feasts and later my Amma started preparing it too for our Onam Sadya. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my dish of the day, Madhura Curry…!!

Madhuram means sweetness. As the name implies, it’s a sweet dish made with fruits like pineapple, ripe plantain and grapes. People often mistake this curry to a pachadi, but it is not… the key difference being this recipe uses very little quantities of yogurt. In some versions of this recipe, sugar/jaggery is added to this dish for more sweetness, but not everybody likes that and so we add yogurt in little portions to balance the flavours.

This is a great side dish for a Sadya, perfect to balance your palate along with the other curries. And if you are preparing it for any regular meal, I suggest you have it with alongside a spicy curry, it just blends well.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Madhura Curry/Pineapple Grapes Curry

A Kerala style Sweet n Sour Curry made with Pineapple, Banana, Grapes and Yogurt. Not a Pachadi, but this mildly spiced Madhura Curry makes a great side for any Sadya feast…!! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword madhura curry, onam, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup pineapple (finely chopped)
• ½ of a ripe plantain / ethapazham (finely chopped)
• 10-12 red / black grapes
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp water
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• A pinch of mustard seeds
• 2 tsp sugar / jaggery
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• Curry leaves
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required

Instructions

• In a pan on medium heat, cook pineapple and plantain by adding turmeric powder, red chili powder and a little salt with ½ cup water. Close the lid and cook well until it turns mushy.
• In the meantime, grind coconut, mustard seeds, and green chilies with 2 tbsp of water, into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Once the pan ingredients are cooked, mash with the back of a wooden spoon or a masher for a thicker consistency.
• Add the grinded paste to the pan, mix well and allow it to cook for 2-3 mins until the raw smell of the paste subsides.
• Add sugar / jaggery to the curry for more sweetness per your choice and check for the seasoning.
• Finally, add grapes and toss well within the curry. Do not let the grapes to cook as it should maintain its crunchiness.
• Turn off the flame and allow it to cool for some time. Once slightly cooled, add yogurt and mix well.
• In a separate pan, prepare the tempering by heating a little oil and adding mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add curry leaves and dry red chilies. Top it over the curry and Enjoy...!!

Notes

1. Coconut oil is ideal for all traditional Kerala recipes. However, you many use any other regular cooking oil except for olive oil.

The post Madhura Curry / Pineapple Grapes Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

With Easter being around the corner, it’s time to share my recipe for one of the most popular Easter dishes of my hometown Kerala; Fish Molee…!

So, what’s this dish all about? It’s a mildly spiced fish stew made with coconut milk, usually served along with Appam (pancake made with fermented rice batter and coconut) or bread. I’m still not convinced on what it’s actual name is, I hear Fish Molly / Molee / Moilee (duh, people pronounce it differently) and in Malayalam we call it Meen Molly; meen meaning fish, likewise.

Spicy Hot is a major highlight of all the fish recipes in Kerala, and that’s where fish molee stands out for its versatility & being mild on the spiciness. The use of green chilies and black pepper keeps the heat subtle while the coconut milk makes it creamy and rich, and of course the aroma from the fresh curry leaves takes the whole dish to the next level… No wonder it’s a tourist favorite!!!

The story of the dish Fish Molee goes all the way back a few centuries when Portuguese were colonizing India, and Kerala was one of their major trading ports then. Their influence gave a major impact to Indian culture, trade and food. They introduced many vegetables including potatoes, pineapple, watermelon, guava as well as some of their signature dishes like Pork Vindaloo, Portuguese Beef stew and Barbeque, to the Indian food palate. Since Kerala was abundant with spices, coconuts, and seafood, the local people who worked for them cooked some of their traditional Kerala dishes, but they couldn’t handle the heat. So, the dish was later modified by getting rid of the red chili powder and adding coconut milk, to make it mild. The Portuguese very much enjoyed the dish and named it after the lady Molly who cooked it, and that’s how Fish Molee was born!

Fish Molee is quite similar to Kerala Chicken Stew in its preparation. Both are mildly spiced and flavored with coconut milk, however they differ in the spices used.  Here the fried fish pieces are simmered in a coconut milk gravy along with black pepper and tomatoes. The dish is best served with Appam or bread, but chapathis, rotis & rice also go well.

Interested in more Kerala style fish recipes, check this out:

• Anchovy Fry/ നെത്തോലി നിറവ്
• Fish Fry / മീൻ വറുത്തത്
• Roasted Coconut Fish Curry / വറുത്തരച്ച മീൻ കറി
• Fish Curry with Coconut Milk /തേങ്ങാപാൽ ഒഴിച്ച മീൻ കറി
• Red Fish Curry/മീൻ മുളകിട്ടത് 
• Fish Biriyani 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in a Gluten-Free version with Greek flavours? Check out this healthy Greek Fish Soup with potatoes & vegetables (Psarosoupa) from The Hungry Bites.

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Fish Molly / Molee / Kerala Style Fish Stew

Creamy and Rich, Mildly Spiced Fish Stew made with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes, Green chilies and Pepper... A Traditional Kerala Easter Dish...! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword fish curry, fish molee, fish molly, kerala easter

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the marinade

• ½ kg fish (see notes, I have used pompano here)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• Salt (as required)

For the fish molee

• ½ inch sized ginger piece (finely minced)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 3-4 green chilies (slit)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 to mato (sliced to rounds)
• Salt (as required)
• Coconut oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and cut fish into pieces. Marinate with lemon juice, pepper, salt and turmeric powder for 15-20 minutes.
• In a kadai/pan, add little oil and shallow fry fish on both sides. Keep it aside.
• In a separate pan, add oil and heat on a medium flame. Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies, sauté for a minute until its raw smell subsides.
• Add the sliced onions and sauté until it turns translucent, ensure not to brown the onions.
• Follow by adding turmeric powder, pepper powder and thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow the curry to boil for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame. When the oil starts separating, reduce the flame to a low and add lemon juice, mix well.
• Now add the fried fish, cover it with the gravy, and allow the curry to blend well with the fish, bring to a boil. Do not stir once the fish is added, instead rotate the pan to mix the gravy.
• Add the thick coconut milk and cook on a low flame for another 2 minutes, make sure not to allow the dish to boil beyond this stage. Check for the seasoning.
• Add sliced round tomatoes and more curry leaves, close the lid and switch off the flame. Let the tomato cook in the remaining steam.
• Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Chapati/Roti, Rice or Bread.

Notes

• Addition of lemon juice is optional, but I highly recommend it. You can skip it and add a half of a chopped tomato for the extra tanginess.

• Fishes like tilapia, pompano, salmon, king fish, pomfret, red snapper, pearl spot can be used.

• Adjust the spiciness of the curry according to your taste by reducing green chilies.

• Coconut oil is ideal for all authentic Kerala recipes, but any neutral oil except for olive oil would do.

The post Fish Molly / Molee / Kerala Style Fish Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Biriyani – it’s that one dish which every Indian will unanimously say YES if offered! A scrumptious pot of a zillion ingredients put together; the pre-preps, marinades, layers, garnishes, and all the hard work will surely pay off when you savour your first bite. It’s quite interesting to read about the origin and history of biriyani, check out my earlier Prawn Biriyani post to know more.

The preparations and the core ingredients of this dish remain the same as that of my Prawn Biriyani recipe, with the only difference being the protein used. And today the hero of my recipe is Pompano; a firm, non-expensive, and tasty fish perfect for any biriyani! You can use any firm fish; back in my hometown we commonly used King fish, but after coming to the US the one thing I miss is fresh fishes and the varieties we used to get back home. Finding Golden Pompano or the Yellow Pompano in the US markets was a life saver for me; be it a curry, fry, or a biriyani, this fish is awesome.

Always use a basmati rice, a good quality one for making biriyani, unless you plan to cook a Thalaseery Style Biriyani (North Malabar) which uses Kaima rice or Jeerakasala rice.

Unlike the popular dum style preparation, this is another simple n easy, flavor packed, traditional means of cooking without any loss to the authentic taste of biriyani. But if you still prefer a dum version, you can seal the lid and follow either an oven or tawa method, after the layering process. This authentic Kerala style biriyani recipe is straight from my mom’s cookbook, I love it and have prepared it many times whenever I crave for biriyani.

Also, Don’t forget to check out my Lemon Dates Pickle, which is a great side dish with biriyani !!!

Interested in more Kerala style fish recipes, check this out:

• Anchovy Fry/ നെത്തോലി നിറവ്
• Fish Fry / മീൻ വറുത്തത്
• Roasted Coconut Fish Curry / വറുത്തരച്ച മീൻ കറി
• Fish Curry with Coconut Milk /തേങ്ങാപാൽ ഒഴിച്ച മീൻ കറി
• Red Fish Curry/മീൻ മുളകിട്ടത് 
• Fish Molly / Kerala Style Fish stew 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Fish Biriyani

Aromatic and Flavorful… An Authentic Kerala Style Fish Biriyani with Spices, Fresh Herbs & Coconut milk…!  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword fish biriyani, kerala, meen biriyani

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the fish marinade

• 1 lb fish (pompano, king fish, or any firm fish can be used)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp water
• Salt (as required)

For the fish masala

• 2 medium sized onions (finely sliced)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chilly
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ cup thick coconut milk
• ¼ cup water
• Handful of cilantro leaves (chopped)
• Handful of mint leaves (chopped)
• Oil/ghee/butter (as required)
• Salt (as required)

For preparing rice

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter/ghee
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 star anise
• Salt (as required)

For garnish

• 2-3 tbsp ghee/butter
• ½ of a medium sized onion (thinly sliced)
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• Cilantro leaves (chopped, garnish)
• Mint leaves (chopped, garnish)

Instructions

For the fish marinade

• Clean and cut the fish into pieces.
• Mix the ingredients to prepare the marinade; chili powder, turmeric powder, black pepper, lemon juice, and water.
• Marinate the fish and keep aside for 30 minutes.

For preparing rice

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes and drain the water completely.
• Heat ghee in a skillet; add cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, bay leaf, and sauté until fragrant.
• Add the drained rice with a little salt and stir continuously for 1 minute. When the rice starts crackling, pour water, lemon juice and cook till water is completely absorbed. Fluff it up using a fork and keep aside.

For the fish masala

• Heat oil in a pan, shallow fry fish on both sides until they are cooked and golden. Transfer to a paper towel and keep aside.
• Into the same pan, add oil if necessary, sliced onions, and sauté until they are translucent.
• Meanwhile, grind ginger, garlic and green chilies to a paste.
• Add the paste to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomato and place the lid, cook for 2 minutes until the tomatoes turns mushy.
• Add chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and sauté for 2 minutes until the raw smell of spices are gone.
• Add coconut milk and water, followed by adding chopped mint and cilantro leaves. Mix everything together, check the seasoning and allow the masala to slightly boil.
• Add the fried fish and coat them with the masala. Lower the flame, place the lid and cook the fish in the masala for another 5-7 minutes until the gravy becomes very thick.

Garnish and layering

• Heat ghee/butter in a pan. Fry the sliced onions until they are golden brown, keep aside.
• Into the same pan, fry cashews and raisins until they turn golden. Keep aside.
• For layering, into a heavy bottomed pan add a half of all the prepared ingredients as detailed below. The remaining half is to be repeated later as instructed.
• Start with spreading the prepared masala first, evenly covering the bottom of the pan.
• Follow by spreading rice on top of it. Sprinkle cashews, raisins, fried onions, and cilantro mint leaves.
• Repeat the process of steps 4 & 5 with the second half of the ingredients.
• Close the lid tightly and cook the biriyani on a low flame for 5-7 minutes. Allow it to rest for 10 -15 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm with boiled egg, pappad, salad and pickles.

Tips

• To prepare beautiful golden brown evenly fried onions for the garnish, first marinate the onions in salt and keep aside for an hour. The salt makes the onions relieve all its moisture; squeeze the onions tightly with your hand for any left over water to ooze out and then fry in the heated pan with ghee/butter.

Notes

1. Any firm fish like tilapia, king fish, pomfret or pompano can be used for this dish.
2. If you are using thin coconut milk, skip water and add ¾ cup thin coconut milk to reach the same consistency.
3. Coconut oil can be used as a healthy replacement for ghee/butter.
4. You can vary the amount of chili and pepper powders to suit your spice level.

The post Fish Biriyani appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Among the popular Indian recipes like Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala, Pepper Chicken also stands tall with its prime attraction being the spice & heat it delivers to its fans … And I love it too…!! This is one of our favorite family dishes which I cook quite often, and serve with rice or roti!

The ingredients and instructions of this recipe are quite similar to other Indian chicken curry recipes, with the main difference being the omission of chili powder and instead spiced with green chilies & crushed pepper corns. The Lemon-Pepper marination is the key to this recipe; the black pepper does the magic with its unique aroma n taste and elevates the flavor of the chicken, and together with the lemon juice it brings the dish together. After all, Black Pepper is the King of Spices!

I recommend marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking. You can reduce the amount of pepper added if you do not want too much heat in your dish. This is a dry roast recipe which is the best version, but you can also prepare it in a semi gravy form by adding some water while the chicken cooks.

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Pepper Chicken

Treat your Palate to this Roasted Pepper Chicken, spiced with the Goodness of Freshly crushed Black Pepper Corns and Curry Leaves…!! 

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chicken dry roast, chicken roast, pepper chicken

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For marination

• 2 lb chicken (bone-in preferred)
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

For chicken masala

• 2 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 3 green chilies (slit)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp crushed pepper corns
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• Oil as required
• Salt as required

Instructions

• Clean and cut chicken into medium sized pieces.
• Marinate the chicken with lemon juice, salt and pepper for half an hour.
• Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame and add curry leaves, sliced onions, along with a little salt. Saute until the onions become translucent and golden brown.
• Add the green chilies and ginger garlic paste to the onions and saute for another 2 minutes until its raw smell subsides.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed pepper (2 tbsp), and saute for a minute. Follow by adding the marinated chicken and mix well with the masala. Place the lid of the pan and allow it to cook on a low flame for 10-15 mins.
• During the cook, the water from the chicken oozes out forming a gravy in which it gets cooked, and so you do not need to add extra water. This recipe is a dry version of the dish, but if you prefer it to be wet or with gravy, you can add water as needed.
• Once the chicken is cooked and the water is dried out, roast it on a low flame for 4-6 mins by adding a little oil, crushed pepper corns (1 tbsp), and curry leaves.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to sit with a closed lid for few minutes before serving.
• Serve with rice, naan, malabar paratha or roti.

Notes

• You can vary the amount of pepper powder and green chilies to suit your spice level.
• The garam masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.
• Using of coconut oil is the best for all authentic Kerala recipes. 

The post Pepper Chicken appeared first on Pepper Delight.

As promised in my previous post, here is my Sambar recipe prepared in a typical Kerala style, which I know you all have been eagerly waiting for since my last post on how to make a Sambar powder. So before I deep dive into the recipe, let’s talk about Sambar! It’s a South Indian vegetable stew which is flavorful, spicy n tangy, & relished as a side with any meal of the day. Sambar is a favorite all over the country but is more of a staple food in South India, and is best savored with Dosa, Idli, or Rice.

Sambar is prepared with Yellow lentils, tamarind, spices and mixed vegetables. The tanginess which comes from the tamarind is one of the highlights of the dish, but in many versions tomato is preferred, or sometimes a mix of both. Just like any other popular dish, Sambar has been widely adapted to suit the local palate in terms of flavour, spice levels, and the available local ingredients. Within Kerala itself there are a few varieties, and this recipe is a traditional version without the use of coconut, which is how my family cooks at home. Take a look at the North Kerala version and you will sometimes find ground roasted coconut among its ingredients. Keralites prefer the non-sweet versions with a balance of spice and tanginess, whereas in other states like Karnataka & Andhra a sweeter version with sugar or jaggery is popular too.

So what are the ingredients?

1. Spice mix: You can use my Homemade Sambar powder in this recipe, or prepare it then & there from scratch with a set of spices/ingredients (See Notes).
2. Vegetables: Your options are endless and need not worry if some of them are not available locally, refer my notes.

Sambar is also one of the key dishes in a Sadya; which is Kerala’s biggest vegetarian feast served on auspicious occasions. In short, it is a one-stop shop powerhouse of healthy nutrients and proteins, perfect for a craving hungry belly. Enjoy this delicious feast, Happy Cooking!!!

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Kerala Sambar/Mixed Vegetable Lentil Stew

Spicy & Tangy Stew with Yellow lentils, Tamarind and Mixed Vegetables! Sambar - A Hearty South Indian Delicacy…!! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword mix vegetable curry, sambar, sambar powder

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup toor dal (split pigeon pea / tuvara parippu)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced into cubes)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 2 cups of mixed vegetables (see notes)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp sambar powder
• tamarind extract (squeezed from a lemon sized ball)

For tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2-3 dry red chillies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 pearl onions (sliced)
• 1 tsp asafetida (hing / kayam)

Instructions

• Wash and slice the mixed vegetables and onion into medium sized chunks.
• Into the pressure cooker, add toor dal, mixed vegetables, onions, green chilies, salt, turmeric powder, sambar powder, along with water enough to cover the vegetables, and cook for 2 whistles.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool until all the pressure had been released.
• In the meantime, soak tamarind in ½ cup warm water for 5-7 minutes. Squeeze out the extract from the tamarind and keep the juice aside.
• Remove the lid from the cooker and turn on the heat to a medium flame. Add the tamarind juice and mix well, adjust the salt level as needed. Simmer on a low flame until the sambar thickens to the right consistency.
• While the sambar cooks, prepare the tempering in a separate pan. Add oil to the pan on a low/medium flame and splutter mustard seeds. Add pearl onions, curry leaves and dry red chilies, fry for a minute. Turn off the flame and add asafetida, stir to mix. Now pour the tempering into the cooker and mix the sambar well.
• Serve hot with dosa, idli or as a side dish along with rice.

Notes

1. Vegetable options : Potato, Yam, Carrot, Drumsticks, Yellow Cucumber, Snake gourd, Bottle gourd, Ivy gourd, Okra, Onions/Pearl onions.
2. The tanginess of the sambar can be adjusted by adding tamarind or tomato, or even a mix of both.
3.  If the asafetida you are using is grainy and not the powdered one, saute it for a few seconds along with the tempering ingredients.
4.  Even if you do not have sambar powder, you can still make a good sambar. In addition to the ingredients listed in the recipe, add the following to the cooker before pressure cooking:

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1-2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp asafetida (hing/kayam)
• Fenugreek powder (small pinch)

The post Kerala Sambar / Mixed Vegetable Lentil Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Many of you know what Sambar is and would have either prepared it at home or cherished it at your favorite Indian restaurant. While cooking at home, most of us would have used a store bought Sambar powder, but have you ever given a thought of its ingredients or how it was made? So for all the sambar lovers out there, get ready to say goodbye to the store bought packets and let’s grind some fresh homemade Sambar Powder. And believe me, its sooo simple to prepare…!

Before I jump into our recipe of the day, let me explain what Sambar is to those who do not know. Sambar is a mixed vegetable stew made with yellow lentils, spices & vegetables, and is a quintessential dish in Indian cuisine. The preparation and flavors slightly differ across the length and breadth of the country, ranging from light and sweet versions to thick and savory ones. It is mainly consumed as a side dish with any meal of a day. In Kerala, sambar is also served as one of the main curries for Sadya; which is the biggest vegetarian feast on all auspicious occasions.

Sambar can be made with a readymade powder mix (store bought or homemade) or just by adding the spices directly while cooking. But homemade sambar powder always make a huge difference in terms of flavor and aroma and elevates the dish overall. Thanks to my mother-in-law for sharing this recipe, it has made my sambar cooking much easier and flavorful since then.

Coming to the recipe, this DIY Sambar powder is very easy to prepare. The key to its preparation is the slow roasting of spices and lentils, make sure to roast them individually as their burning points differs and you might otherwise end up burning it. Grind the roasted ingredients to a fine powder, and your sambar powder is ready… all set to be stored and used for months together.

I will be uploading my Sambar recipe using this sambar powder in my next post. So stay tuned…!!

Happy Cooking!!!

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Homemade Sambar Powder

Homemade Sambar Powder… A Grounded Blend of Roasted Spices and Lentils…!! Fresh & Aromatic. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword sambar, sambar powder

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ¼ cup chana dal (split bengal gram / kadala parippu)
• 2 tbsp urad dal (split black gram / uzunnu parippu)
• ¼ cup coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp black pepper corns
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp asafetida (hing / kayam)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi / uluva)
• 18-20 dry red chilies
• 8-10 curry leaves

Instructions

• Heat a pan on a low flame and start roasting the following individually one after the other; chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, black pepper corns, & fenugreek seeds. Roast them until they turn golden and aromatic, keep aside to cool.
• Add oil to the pan and roast dry red chilies and curry leaves for 1-2 minutes, then allow it to cool.
• Grind all the above roasted ingredients along with turmeric powder and asafetida, into a fine powder.
• Your sambar powder is ready, store in an airtight container at room temperature so that it lasts for 6 months.

Notes

• Make sure you roast all the ingredients on a low flame separately to avoid burning.
• If you are using the powdered form of turmeric and asafetida, no need to roast them. You can add them while grinding the other roasted ingredients.

The post Homemade Sambar Powder appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Like every Malayalee, this is one of my all-time favorite Kerala delicacies! I prepare it often for friends & family, and have been wanting to write a recipe post. That’s when the news of the beef ban in India started to spread around; with media going crazy on how the Kerala state will survive, facebook posts, videos, trolls, beef fests, and what not… Can’t ask for a better time to publish an authentic beef recipe…!! Ok, so I’m not going to get into the political side of the beef ban, all that I am here is to show my affection to the beef lovers around the world with this mouthwatering recipe from Kerala!!

Kerala, my hometown is quite famous for its natural beauty, greenery, backwaters… and also for its food!! As mentioned in my previous posts, its culinary is known for its vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alike, but the sea food and beef recipes stand out, both among the natives and the tourists who visit the state. Perhaps, Kerala is among the very few places in India where you can eat beef without any fear or inhibition, in many delicious varieties, and available everywhere, be it a roadside stall or a luxury hotel!!

Unlike the usual curry form, beef is best savored among Malayalees in a fry or roast (ularthiyathu) preparation. The country style beef roast, cooked in iron pans with a lot of curry leaves bring out a unique flavour and aroma which tastes beyond words! The best combination with beef roast is a side of Kerala Porottas; a layered flat bread made with flour. Beef dishes with porotta are very popular among the street foods of Kerala; it is such an exquisite dish that, be it a road side stall or a star hotel, you will find the same love and authenticity given to its preparation. And not to mention, I’ve heard that the Toddy shops serve yummilicious beef dishes that taste from out of this world!!

The highlight of this recipe is the slow cooking of the meat; it is first pressure cooked to tender and then roasted in coconut oil with ginger, garlic and spices. When properly blended and turns aromatic, it is topped with fried curry leaves and browned coconut bites. The recipe is quite similar to the beef curry recipe in its preparation and use of spices, but for the longer roasting time.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!!!

Interested in a similar recipe from a different cuisine? Check out this amazing Greek Beef Stew with Orzo Pasta (Youvetsi) from The Hungry Bites.

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Beef Dry Roast/Beef Ularthiyathu

Slow Roasted Beef in a Spicy Aromatic Masala with Coconut bites and Curry leaves… Malayalee’s favorite Nadan Beef Ularthiyathu…!! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beef roast, beef ularthiyathu, kerala beef fry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2½ lb beef
• 25 shallots (thinly sliced)
• 2-3 green chilies (slit)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1½ tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp meat masala
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 4-6 sprigs curry leaves
• ¼ cup coconut bites
• a pinch of mustard seeds
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and cut beef into cube shaped pieces (preferably soup cut).
• Cook the beef in a pressure cooker with salt, pepper powder, meat masala, and a little water just enough to cover the meat. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and then remove the cooker from the flame. Allow it to rest until the pressure goes off. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, sliced shallots, green chilies, and a little salt. Saute until the onions turn translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute until the smell resides.
• Add spice powders; chili, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and mix well. Make sure to turn the heat to a low while adding the spice powders, so that it does not burn.
• Remove the lid from the pressure cooker and transfer the cooked beef with the remaining water to the pan, mix well with the masala and cook on a medium flame until the gravy dries out. Stir the gravy occasionally while cooking, to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add salt as needed.
• Meanwhile, heat a little oil in another pan and fry the coconut bites. As it starts to brown, add curry leaves and fry it along with the coconut bites until browned. Keep aside.
• When the gravy dries out, reduce the flame to a low and saute the beef in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Add the fried curry leaves and coconut bites, and mix well together. Scrape the sides of the pan, toss until the meat is brown -black and dried out completely.
• Serve hot with Rice, Porotta, Appam, Naan, or any other bread.

Notes

• I have used Top Blade and Top Loin cut beef steak here, cleaned and cut into small cubes (or soup cut). You can also use Chuck Roast for this recipe.
• The garam masala used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala) and meat masala used is MDH meat masala. You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable. If meat masala is unavailable, you can substitute it with equivalent amount of garam masala.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Beef Ularthiyathu/Beef Dry Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

How are your Vishu preparations coming along? Only three more days left and I’ve kicked off mine by preparing pickles to start with.  This year I am celebrating Vishu at my place with a few friends and family, and we are also preparing Sadya; our traditional vegetarian feast.  Vishu is a Hindu New Year festival, celebrated in the Southern State of India, my hometown; Kerala.  Just like Onam (our biggest festival), Vishu is also a grant festival with family and friends getting together, all dressed in new attires, preparing Vishu Kani, Vishu Sadya, offering Vishu Kyineetham, attending special Poojas at temples, and many more.

So coming back to our recipe today, pickles and condiments are an integral part of Indian cuisine. The taste, color, preparation, and the spices used vary from place to place. Pickles made with mango, lemon and ginger are very popular in Kerala and a must have for Sadya. Among those, mangoes are my favourite …! The sourness of the fruit, the heat from the red chili powder, and the aroma of fenugreek and asafetida, together make a tongue tickling combination.

During my childhood, whenever my ammumma (grandma) opened one of those big bharanis (storage jars) of mango pickle, the aroma was so strong that I would stop whatever I was doing and run to her to get a sample to taste. During the mango season, she used to prepare pickles in large quantities and store them in the bharanis for usage throughout the year. At times when you are short of any side dishes at home, a spoon of the achar (pickle) along with rice and plain yogurt is enough to satisfy your appetite. And now when the mangoes are in season, I too have my stock of two big jars of pickle, ready to savour!

This Kerala Style Mango Pickle recipe is purely my mother’s creation and straight from her kitchen. Variations of it with the addition of ginger and garlic are also good. Feel free to customize it according to your style, coz it’s all about the balance of heat, spice, sour and salt.

Also guys, don’t forget to check out my Lemon Dates Pickle recipe.

Enjoy, Vishu Aashamsakal…!!!

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Kerala Style Mango Pickle

Spicy, Aromatic and Sinfully Addictive!! Green Mango Pickle made with Gingelly oil and Spices… A Perfect side with any rice dish…! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword achar, kadumanga, kerala, mango pickle, pickle

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 green mangoes
• 4 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp kaayam / hing / asafetida
• ¼ tsp uluva / fenugreek powder
• 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 4-5 tbsp nallenna / gingelly oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Peel the mangoes, then cut into half and remove the seeds.
• Slice the mango thinly into small pieces. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan or a kadai, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add curry leaves.
• Reduce the flame to a low and add fenugreek powder & asafetida, saute for few seconds. Add red chili powder and saute well. Ensure not to burn the powders. You can remove the pan from the flame and add spices, stir, and place back on a low flame to avoid burning.
• Add mangoes and salt, mix well and stir on the low flame for 1 minute. Adjust salt and red chili powder according to your spice level.
• Turn off the flame and allow the mango pickle to cool down in the pan for a few hours. Later transfer it to a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar and close it with a tight lid.
• Serve with steamed rice.

Notes

1. Adjust the red chili powder according to your spice level.
2. For an authentic taste, use gingelly oil when making pickles, otherwise you can use any oil of your choice.
3. Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal jars as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
4. You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for a few days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.
5. Variations of this recipe with ginger, garlic or vinegar are also very tasty, try them if you prefer.

The post Kerala Style Mango Pickle appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s been a while since I have posted a Prawn recipe, and I humbly dedicate this dish to our stormy weekend. There are a few Prawn recipes from my hometown which I was planning to post but kept on delaying as they were simple and didn’t require a lot of effort. Finally it was during this last weekend that I found a lot of time due to a freezing rain storm, having nothing to do but sit at home. How better an opportunity to clear out a few easy recipes from my cookbook? Also my dear readers stay tuned for a delicious Prawn Biriyani recipe which I’ll be posting next week.

Talking about any Indian recipe, the first thing which comes to your mind is the Masala! We use quite many different varieties of masala in pretty much every dish, and it’s the spices and curry powders which make our life eternal. Though there are a handful popular Indian dishes which have crossed the borders making a mark for themselves globally and even adapted into local variations, still a lot of amazing authentic recipes stay intact within the thatched roofs and the heart of India maintaining their authenticity, flavour and sanctity.

This prawn recipe is quite easy and very popular across India, but the only difference if cooked by a malayalee (native of Kerala) is, the inclusion of coconut. Right from the oil which of course would be coconut oil, we add sliced coconut bites to complement the crunchiness. This dish is spicy, stir fried with onions, ginger, garlic and crunchy coconut bites, and finally topped with some fresh curry leaves. You may skip coconut bites, but I love it..!!!

And did you see that picture below. That’s how to eat like a Malayalee!!! Yes, you eat with your hands, mixing the different curries with rice and at the end you of your meal you lick down your fingers to savor every last bit of the taste. Trust me, that feeling is amazing. (Wohoo, somehow I managed to convince my husband to pose his hands for this click).

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Prawn Roast

Spicy Prawn Roast in an Aromatic Masala with Coconut Bites… Spoiler Alert - it’s Delicious…!!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kerala prawn roast, prawn roast

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups of prawns (peeled & deveined)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Fenugreek powder (small pinch)
• Mustard seeds (small pinch)
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• ½ cup pearl onion / 1 medium onion (sliced)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 green chili (slit)
• 1/3 cup coconut (sliced bits)
• Salt (as required)
• Coconut oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean the prawns and keep aside. Prepare the marinade by mixing chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Marinate the prawns and allow it to rest for 15 mins.
• Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame, fry the sliced coconut pieces until it starts turning brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the marinated prawns, cook by pan roasting on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Into the same pan, add some mustard seeds to splutter (add oil if necessary). Add curry leaves, green chilies, salt and onions. Saute on a medium flame until they are translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, saute for one minute.
• Add the roasted prawns into the pan, mix well, and close the lid to cook for 2 minutes on a low flame.
• Open the lid and stir properly, check the salt, and add more curry leaves. Switch off the flame, close the lid and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm with Naan, Bread, Chapatti or Rice.

Notes

Coconut oil goes well with this recipe, it's an authentic Kerala style.

The post Prawn Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Happy New Year…! It’s snowing outside and the cold weather is calling for something warm n cozy. I’m all excited to open the account with a fresh start… so here I am with my first post of the Year!  With an authentic recipe in hand from my mother’s cookbook for a traditional spicy clear soup, what more can I ask for? A perfectly balanced pack of flavours in one bowl, my Malayalee style Rasam!!

Rasam is a typical South Indian tomato soup made with curry powders, lentils, tamarind, spices and other vegetables, served with rice or as soup. There are different variations of Rasam across South India, out of which the Kerala version (from my home state) is spicier. Kerala tomato rasam is tangy, sour, hot, spicy, and lightly sweet; a feel good soup which soothes your stomach anytime of the day. Though instant rasam powders are available in stores, I love cooking it fresh with the original ingredients. It’s a very simple preparation and all you need to tackle is the skill of balancing the spices. Rasam is served in the third course of Kerala‘s biggest feast, Sadya; typically after Sambar and before the last course of curd.

I love Rasam and my husband loves it too; fiery hot. For us, some of the highlights of the dish are; Firstly, the strong aroma of asafoetida which hits you when you lift the lid of your pan, followed by the fragrance of the spices which tickles your senses, a fusion of flavours as you sip your first mouthful, the heat of the soup as it goes all the way down your throat, and finally the chill n soothing relaxation it gives to your stomach. Rasam is also known to have medicinal properties and provides a good relief when consumed hot during a fever, cold, and also helps in digestion and is appetizing.

Enjoy this cozy rasam as a hot n spicy soup, or with steamed rice.

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Kerala Style Tomato Rasam / Soup

Cozy, Fiery, and Spicy… Tomato Soup made with Garlic & versatile Spices, balanced in a Tamarind based Aromatic Flavour.

Course Soup

Cuisine Indian

Keyword rasam, soup, tomato rasam

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 medium size tomatoes (chopped)
• 4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp asafoetida (hing / kayam)
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• a pinch of fenugreek powder
• lemon sized tamarind (soaked in water, squeezed pulp)
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• small pinch of mustard seeds
• 1½ cup water
• oil (as required)
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Heat oil in a pan/kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies, curry leaves, and saute.
• Add garlic and saute until it turns fragrant. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cover the pan with its lid, cook for a minute. Remove the lid and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Bring the flame to low and add the spices; turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, fenugreek powder, & asafoetida. Mix well and then add squeezed tamarind pulp. Place the lid and allow it to boil.
• Now add water, stir and check salt. Close the lid and simmer for another 4 minutes.
• Turn off the flame, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve hot as a soup, or with rice.

Notes

This recipe is a spicier version, so you may want to adjust the amount of chilly powder and pepper powder used to meet your spice level.

The post Kerala Style Tomato Rasam / Soup appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love pumpkin and the dishes made with it, to which I was brought up in my hometown. But all of them had been savoury! It was after moving to the US that I realized how popular pumpkin is here, in fact way popular than in India. It is a key element to the Halloween celebrations and has a variety of dishes that too for the sweet tooth. I keep getting surprised even nowadays seeing the different sweet pumpkin dishes & desserts … pumpkin pies, tarts, smoothies, pancakes, soups, cakes… is there anything more you can ask for?

So coming back to the savoury side of pumpkin, Erissery is one of the most popular side dishes of Kerala, India; served mainly for our biggest & our traditional feast; Sadya. The preparation and the ingredients used vary in different parts of the state, with pumpkin sometimes being replaced with yam, banana, or butternut squash.

Pumpkin when combined with legumes makes a very healthy diet. Red cowpeas also known as Lobhia or Vanpayar, are an excellent source of protein and this legume has different variations, like the black, brown, and white creamy peas.

Tadka, or tempering of spices in oil, is one of the key steps in this recipe’s preparation, where both fresh and roasted coconut is used; fresh for the base in a grinded paste form, and the roasted as a garnish along with spices. The beautiful aroma from the roasting of coconut itself makes your mouth watering, pair this dish with steamed rice and enjoy…!

Happy Cooking..!!!

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Prep time: 40-45 mins
Serves: 4 – 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pumpkin (sliced)
• ¾ cup red cowpeas / vanpayar
• ½ + ½ cup coconut (grated)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cumin / jeera
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 pearl onions (chopped)
• mustard seeds (a pinch)
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)
• 2 cups water (for pressure cooking)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak red cowpeas overnight OR Pressure cook red cowpeas with a little salt and 2 cups of water, on a medium flame for up to 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off.
2. Drain the cowpeas.
3. Clean the pumpkin by peeling off its skin and removing its seeds. Slice it into small pieces.
4. Add a little water to a pan and cook the pumpkin slices with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder, until it turns mushy. Mash well with a wooden spoon.
5. In the meantime, make a paste of coconut, cumin, green chilies, garlic and turmeric powder.
6. Turn down the heat of the pan to low and add the cooked cowpeas and coconut paste, mix well.
7. Adjust the salt and boil the curry until it thickens. Turn off the flame.
8. In another pan, heat some oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and pearl onions. Saute for a minute on a low flame, and add the other half of the grated coconut.
9. Roast the coconut by stirring frequently till it brownish and aromatic.
10. Garnish the pumpkin curry with the roasted coconut paste.

Serve warm with steamed rice.

Interested in more Pumpkin recipes, check this out:

Pumpkin with Yogurt (Mathanga Pachadi)

Interested in more side dish recipes with Red cowpeas, check this out:

Broccoli with Red Cowpeas

The post Pumpkin with Red Cowpeas / Mathanga Erissery appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s the month of Celebration; Onam..!!! The harvest festival of Kerala! Welcoming of King Mahabali; the legendary king who reigned the state during its Golden Era! and Celebrating his mythical homecoming…!!!

It’s the festival of love, trust, togetherness, with families getting together, gifting and wearing new dresses, decorating pookalams (floral designs), singing, dancing, and having fun throughout with a lot of beautiful memories… This is the time we non-residents miss our hometown a lot.

Onam is not complete without the Sadya; the traditional vegetarian feast plated on a banana leaf, a spread of 10 to 15 different curries/dishes served over 5 courses.

Green Gram Curry is served as the first course of a Sadya, along with rice, pappad and a drizzle of ghee. The crumbling sound of the pappad as you crush it and mix it with the curry n rice… the flavour overload which hits you on your first mouthful… all these emotions signal the arrival of Onam, and your mind n body prepares itself for the delicious feast to come…!!!

Green gram is considered to be one of the healthiest foods; it is called as the lean protein, plays a great role in weight loss and is also referred to as a non-meat source of iron.  Green gram provides 14 grams of protein per 1-cup serving, and easily fits the bill as an alternative nutrient-rich source of protein to your usual chicken or steak.

Other than sprout salad which is the most commonly consumed form of green gram worldwide, Indian dishes offer a variety of recipes to make these lentils tastier in mild or spicier versions so that it can be included in our daily meal.

This recipe is popular in Kerala and is a non-spicy curry made by dry roasted split green gram blended in a coconut mix, served with the wonderful combination of steamed rice and ghee/clarified butter.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking and a Prosperous Onam…!!!

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Prep time : 30 -45 minutes
Serves : 4-5

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup green gram / cherupayar / moong dal / mung bean
• 1 cup coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 green chilies (optional)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• cumin seeds (a pinch)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves
• salt (as required)
• ghee / clarified butter (serving)

For tadka / tempering (optional)

• mustard seeds (a pinch)
• 1 pearl onion chopped (optional)
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the green gram till it turns slightly brownish and exudes a roasted aroma. Bite a sample to check its consistency; it should crackle in your mouth if properly roasted.
2. Allow it to cool down. If you are using split green gram, then you can skip Step 3 and move on to step 4.
3. Once cooled, grind it in a blender/grinder at split second intervals until the grams splits. Be careful not to powder.
4. Pressure cook the green gram with a little salt and water for 1-2 whistles till it is properly cooked. Mash it with a wooden spoon to make it slightly thick in its consistency.
5. In the meantime, grind coconut, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder, and cumin seeds to a smooth paste.
6. Add the paste to cooked green gram, mix it properly and boil the curry. Taste and add salt as needed.
7. Garnish with coconut oil & curry leaves, turn off the heat.

For tadka / tempering (optional)

8. Prepare the tempering by heating oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds, followed by adding sliced pearl onions and frying till its turns light brown. Add dry red chilies, curry leaves, and saute.
9. Mix this tempering to the curry.

Serve warm with steamed rice, topped with ghee and pappad.

The post Green Gram / Parippu Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I would like to unwind my memories of the first time I tasted this dish. The recipe credits go to my mother-in-law who prepared this yummy dish for me after she came to know of my cravings for chicken. It was the first time I ate such a deadly delicious chicken dish with so tempting flavours… A perfect balance of spices and curry powders blended with chicken, and dry roasted, soo delicious that you can still remember the smell and taste as you lick the last bit of it from your fingers. I’ve tried cooking this dish many times and pretty much ended up calling my husband to finish the preparation, of course he knows to replicate the exact taste of his mother’s recipe.

The word “Ularthiyathu” is a Malayalam word, which means slow cooked and then dry roasted. Ularthiyathu style recipes are quite common in Kerala with pork, beef, chicken, and clam meat dishes.

The key pointers while preparing this recipe are, the initial dry cooking of the chicken so that the water from it oozes out and it cooks within, and the last step of dry roasting by turning down the heat to low and sautéing in between until it turns brown entirely.

Enjoy this lip smacking dish… Happy Cooking..!!!

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Dry Roasted Chicken / Nadan Chicken Ularthiyathu

Treat yourself with the aromatics from the Indian spices and curry powders on a slow dry roasted chicken – an authentic Kerala Style Spicy Dry Roasted Chicken / Naadan Chicken Ularthiyathu.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chicken roast, chicken ularthiyathu, kerala chicken roast

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken
• 3 big onions (thinly sliced)
• 3 green chilies (slit)
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp red chili powder
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 3+1 sprigs of curry leaves
• cilantro leaves (chopped)
• a pinch of mustard seeds
• salt (as required)
• oil - I prefer to use coconut oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and cut chicken into medium size pieces.
• Prepare the marinade by mixing chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and 2 tbsp water.
• Marinade the chicken properly with the above mix and keep aside for 20 – 30 minutes.
• In a pan, cook the chicken on a medium flame with its lid on. It will help the water to drain out from the chicken and cook in it. Keep aside after cooking.
• Meanwhile in another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, sliced onions, green chilies and a little salt. Saute until onions become translucent and golden brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste to the onions and saute for 2 minutes until its raw smell subsides.
• Add chopped tomatoes, pepper powder, and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Now transfer the cooked chicken to the pan, add a few sprigs of fresh curry leaves, saute well to mix the chicken and the onions properly, and cook for another 2 minutes with the lid on.
• Lower the flame, remove the lid, and dry roast the chicken for another 15 minutes until it completely dries out and start browning.
• 1Garnish with coriander leaves and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
• Goes well with rice, malabar paratha, or roti.

Notes

1. You can vary the amount of chili and pepper powders to suit your spice level.
2. The garam masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.
3. Using of coconut oil is the best for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Dry Roasted Chicken / Nadan Chicken Ularthiyathu appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So here is my second dish from my recent California trip; a new combination of broccoli and red cowpeas with my coconut mix, and trust me… it tastes delicious and hearty.

We had a weeklong trip to California to meet our family, and it was fun roaming around, visiting places, trying out new food/ cuisines/ restaurants, and cooking with my sister. Cooking was special as it was a break from my usual lonely kitchen time to sharing the kitchen with someone who also loves to cook and explore. My sister being a vegetarian also gave me an opportunity to try some new veggie dishes. Thanks to her for this recipe.

A healthy diet includes food loaded with vitamins, proteins and other minerals. Cowpeas are an excellent source of protein and have different varieties like the black, brown, and white creamy peas.  Red cowpeas also known as Lobhia or Vanpayar, is one of my favorite legumes and goes well with a combination of vegetables.

I love broccoli but most of the time end up cooking its easiest recipe; steamed broccoli. Never thought broccoli would taste so delicious with a coconut mix, this dish is perfect with steamed rice.

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out. Enjoy…!!!

Interested in more thoran/Kerala stir fry recipes? Check these out;

• Tender Jackfruit/Idichakka Thoran
• Cabbage Carrot Thoran / Stir Fry

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Broccoli Thoran/ Broccoli with Red Cowpeas

Healthy Kerala Style Broccoli Thoran / Stir fry made with red cowpeas, coconut and chilies. The perfect side dish with steamed rice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword broccoli, cabbage thoran, kerala

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized broccoli (grated)
• 1 cup red cowpeas/vanpayar (soaked overnight)
• ¾ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon jeera
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and grate broccoli florets after discarding stems and set aside.
• Pressure cook red cowpeas with a little salt and 2 cups of water on a medium flame for up to 2-3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off. Drain the cowpeas.
• In a pan, add some oil and splutter mustard seeds, then add dry red chilies and curry leaves.
• Add grated broccoli and a little salt, saute for 5 minutes on a low flame till its rawness subsides. Try not to close the lid to retain the green color.
• In the meantime grind grated coconut, jeera, turmeric powder, garlic and green chilies to a fine paste.
• Add the grinded paste to the pan, saute to mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the cooked cowpeas, miix everything together and cook for another 2 minutes. Check for the seasoning. Switch off the flame and serve with steamed rice.

The post Broccoli Thoran / Broccoli with Red Cowpeas appeared first on Pepper Delight.

A Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Mixed Vegetable Curry… Cooked in a Coconut Cumin Green Chili mix! Avial… the inevitable element of a Sadya…!!

Avial is one of the most popular traditional vegetarian dishes of my hometown Kerala, and as well in Udupi cuisine. It is favored for its simplicity, use of locally available vegetables, and ease of preparation. Avial is also one of the main dishes served during a Sadya; the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala. It being a South Indian delicacy, is also served for celebrations, special occasions, and as a regional specialty in many international restaurants.

The origin of this dish has various mythological stories behind it. One among them goes back to the Virata Parva of Mahabharat, when Prince Bhima was living in disguise as a cook named Ballava. Bhima did not like to waste vegetables and to ensure all leftovers were used, he created a recipe by boiling all the vegetables into a single dish with spices and lots of coconut. The word Avial inherently means boiling everything in water. Whoever tasted his dish loved it so much and that’s how this recipe named Avial thereafter became popular.

Avial can be prepared in different ways with the variations ranging from the type of vegetables used, the sour agent, and the pot in which it is cooked. The lengthwise cut of the vegetables is signature to the recipe. You might have noticed in my ingredients photo that the yam is square shaped. That’s due to the unavailability of fresh yam where I live and I’m forced to use frozen yam which comes in packets as small cubes. Traditional cooking in earthern pot / manchatti is preferred for all Kerala recipes including avial, as it enhances the flavor of the dish. The sour agent used varies in different regions of Kerala; tamarind, tomato, yogurt or green mango are the common ones. You may use just one or multiple types of sour agents together in your recipe, although I prefer a combination of tomato and a little tamarind.

The choice of vegetables in an Avial recipe are endless, so I highly recommend you read the Notes section below. While cooking, ensure not to overcook the vegetables. Some of them like yellow cucumber contain a lot of water and cook pretty fast ending up losing it crunchiness, so I would recommend cooking the dish on a low flame to get it right. And don’t forget to finally top the avial with coconut oil and curry leaves, it elevates the taste all together…!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Avial / Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Gravy

A Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Mixed Vegetable Curry… Cooked in a Coconut Cumin Green Chili mix! Avial… the inevitable element of a Sadya…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword avial, aviyal, kerala

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup elephant-foot yam / chena
• 1 cup snake gourd / padavalanga
• 1 small raw banana / pacha kaya
• 1 small yellow cucumber / vellarikka
• 1 carrot (sliced lengthwise)
• 4-5 drumsticks (slit)
• 1 small tomato (sliced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 shallots
• 3 green chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 small piece of gooseberry sized tamarind
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Peel / scrape the skin off of the yam, cucumber, carrot, drumsticks and raw banana. Pit the cucumber and the snake gourd.
• Clean and rinse all the above vegetables properly in water, and then slice them lengthwise. Keep aside.
• Make a paste of coconut, cumin seeds, shallots, and green chilies. Keep aside.
• Soak tamarind in a bowl with 4 tbsp of water and keep aside.
• In a pan / manchatti, cook the vegetables along with one strand of curry leaves, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover the lid and cook on a medium flame until the vegetables are half cooked.
• Squeeze the soaked tamarind to extract its juice, add it to the pan. Cook for another minute.
• Now add the grinded coconut paste and mix all the contents of the pan well. Allow the curry to boil for another 2-3 minutes on a low flame. At this stage, check for the seasoning. Ensure not to overcook the vegetables.
• Top with coconut oil and curry leaves, give it a final stir. Turn off the flame, cover the lid and allow it to rest for another 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes

1. Vegetable options: Yellow Cucumber, Snake Gourd, Ash Gourd, Bottle Gourd, Elephant Foot Yam, Carrot, Potato, Drumsticks, Beans, Okra, Bitter Gourd, Raw Banana, Pumpkin, Egg Plant.
2. Sour agent options: Tamarind / Green Mango / Yogurt / Tomato
3. Ensure not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain the shape and the curry should neither be too watery nor dry.
4. Using of Coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Avial / Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Gravy appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So Josna, on your request…!

Mathanga (Pumpkin) Pachadi is a very common dish made with coconut and yogurt, here Pachadi is a common reference to any side dish made with yogurt and usually on a sweeter note. I had earlier uploaded a Beetroot Pachadi recipe, and yes you guessed it right; I love recipes with yogurt. The one big difference with this recipe when compared to any other Pachadi recipes is the use of mustard seeds. Normally we use mustard seeds to temper by spluttering it in oil, but here we also crush it and add to the dish. That’s my mom’s secret tip, and it tastes good too.

I love the thick squishy pumpkin yogurt combo, this little sweet and sour curry will make a delicious accompaniment with rice and any spicy curry, I would recommend a fish curry to go along with.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 – 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup Pumpkin (chopped)
• 2 green chilies
•  1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup Grated coconut
• ¼ tbsp Cumin seeds
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• Small pinch of Mustard seeds
• ½ cup yogurt
• Dry red chilies (garnish)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the pumpkin into half, and clean and remove seeds from the inside. Peel of its skin.
2. Slice pumpkin into small pieces.
3. In a pan cook the pumpkin with a little water and salt, till it turns mushy.
4. Meanwhile make a coconut paste by grinding grated coconut, green chilies, turmeric powder, and cumin seeds.
5. Mash the cooked pumpkin properly with a wooden spoon or a masher. Add the coconut paste with 2 tbsp of water and mix well. Cook the mix for another 3 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
6. Beat yogurt and add it to the pan and mix well, taste and add salt as needed.
7. Take another small pan for tempering a little oil, curry leaves and dry red chilies, on a low flame. Add the tempering to the pumpkin curry and mix well.
8. Pound mustard seeds in mortar and pestle until crushed, and add that to the curry.

Serve with rice.

The post Pumpkin with Yogurt (Mathanga Pachadi) appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Beetroot pachadi is a South Indian dish, from the state of Kerala. Pachadi in Malayalam (the state language) is a generic reference to any side dish made with curd and is usually on a sweeter note. Different varieties of pachadis made with fruits or vegetables are quite favored in Kerala, and are a must on the menu for festivals like Onam & Vishu, and auspicious occasions like weddings.

Beetroot pachadi stands out among other dishes for its vibrant color, and the refreshing taste which is generally unexpected from a recipe out of beetroot. Lots of people do not enjoy beetroot in general, but this dish is an exception and I would surely like you all to try this out.

Interested in more pachadi recipes: Check this out Pumpkin with Yogurt/Mathanga Pachadi

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Beetroot Pachadi/Beetroot with Yogurt

Beetroot cooked in a mildly spiced coconut gravy and mixed with creamy yogurt. One among the popular sadya recipes, best served with steamed rice...!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beetroot pachadi, kerala, sadya

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 small beetroot (grated finely or finely minced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ cup - 1 cup Yogurt (beaten)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)
• 1 or 2 sprigs Curry leaves

Instructions

• Peel and grate the beetroots, and keep them aside.
• Grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chilies. Set aside.
• Add a little oil to a pan and saute the grated beetroots for 2 minutes with a little salt, on a low flame. Add 1/2 cup water and cook it with a closed lid on medium flame.
• As the water evaporates and the beetroot gets cooked, add the grinded paste and mix well, cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Beat yogurt in a separate bowl and mix it evenly with the cooked beetroot, taste and add salt as needed.
• Tempering: Heat oil in a separate pan. Splutter mustard seeds, and add dry red chilies and curry leaves. Transfer it to the prepared pachadi and mix well.
• Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!

The post Beetroot Pachadi (Beetroot with Yogurt) appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Spicy, Tangy and Flavorful Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk!

Fish… an integral comfort food of our diet and an inevitable part of the lives of the people of my hometown and the coastal regions of Kerala! Going back not too far in my memories, I still remember those days where we never had a day without a fish curry for lunch. I wish I could still have that… but times change, places change, and eventually my crazy craving too. Or I must say, being in a different country with limited varieties of good fish, and the new cuisines to explore and keep your taste buds busy, has made me control my cravings and be creative with the local produce available.

This fish curry with coconut milk is a spicier version when compared to a Fish Molee recipe, but lighter than a Red Fish Curry or maybe pretty close to it with an extra addition of coconut milk. Lots of ginger, garlic, and the tanginess from gamboge/kudampuli along with the coconut milk makes it a rich flavorful Fish Curry. The use of gamboge/kudampuli or Malabar tamarind is unique to all fish recipes from Kerala. Its tanginess is entirely different from the common tamarind and is difficult to find in other places… a Malayalee’s pride!

As you would have guessed, coconut milk is the highlight of this recipe. You can either use canned coconut milk or prepare it yourself by grinding grated coconut with a little water and then squeezing out the milk. I would recommend the freshly made milk as it gives a better flavor, color and aroma to your curry. And just like any other fish curries, a day after tastes excellent for this recipe too. It makes a wonderful combination with a bowl of steamed rice / roti / naan.

Interested in more Kerala style fish recipes, check this out:

• Anchovy Fry/ നെത്തോലി നിറവ്
• Fish Fry / മീൻ വറുത്തത്
• Roasted Coconut Fish Curry / വറുത്തരച്ച മീൻ കറി
• Fish Molly/ Kerala Style Fish Stew
• Red Fish Curry/മീൻ മുളകിട്ടത് 
• Fish Biriyani 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Print

Kerala Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Spicy, Tangy and Flavorful Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword fish curry, kerala

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3.5 lb/1.5 kg fish (check notes)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 1 inch sized ginger (crushed)
• 3-4 pods of garlic (crushed)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 2-3 kudampuli / gamboge / tamarind
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp fenugreek powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1½ cup water +more (if needed)
• ¾ cup / 5.6 oz coconut milk
• coconut oil (as required)
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Clean the fish and cut it into medium sized pieces. Keep it aside.
• Soak tamarind in a small bowl of hot water for 10 mins.
• To a pan (preferably a claypot / manchatti) add little oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute on a medium flame until its raw smell subsides.
• Add sliced onion with a little salt and saute until it becomes golden, do not let the onions to brown.
• Add red chili, coriander, turmeric powder and fenugreek powder to the pan and mix well. Add the soaked tamarind and saute for another 2- 3 minutes.
• Add water, salt, close the lid and set the flame at high. When the water starts to boil add the fish pieces and bring the flame to a medium. Place the lid and allow the fish to cook for another 5-10 mins.
• Add coconut milk and gently swirl the pan to mix it properly without breaking the fish. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• Allow the curry to cook for another 5mins on a low flame, top with some coconut oil and curry leaves. Switch off the flame and let it covered and rest for 15-20 minutes.
• Serve warm with steamed rice / naan / roti / mashed tapioca.

Notes

1. Any firm or fleshy fishes like king fish, mackerel, sardines, golden pompano, pomfret, salmon, pearl spot, red snapper, tilapia, rohu, or catla can be used.

2. Adjust the amount of chili powder used according to your spice level.

3. Coconut oil is ideal for all authentic Kerala recipes, but any neutral oil except for olive oil would do.

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