Aviyal - Mixed Vegetables in a Coconut and Yoghurt gravy

Credit: Kairali Sisters' e-book pg.20 These precautions you must follow in preparing Aviyal: 1. All vegetables are cut only lengthwise (2inch by 1/2inch) 2. Do not overcook or you'll end up in a soup. 3. The following vegetables are never used: · Beetroot - as it discolours the entire Aviyal as red · Tomato, Cabbage and Ladies Finger(Okra) makes Aviyal watery · Sweet Potato, Radish, Turnip, Cauliflower & Mushroom are best avoided ·...

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Koottu curry - Chick peas and mixed vegetables

The Kairali sisters' e-book contains two types of koottu curry - one spicy version and the other sweet version. I actually liked ingredients from both and kind of combined it into my own version. I loved it the way it turned out. I intended to add chena(yam) into this as per the recipe, but I realized that I ran out of it by using it in the other dishes. So I replaced it with Chembu(taro) and it still tasted divine! Ingredients: · 1 cup Black...

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Chena Vanpayar Erissery - Cow peas and Elephant Yam in a spiced coconut gravy

Credit: Edible Garden Note: You can also make another version with Pumpkin instead of Elephant yam which is also quite popular. Ingredients: 3 cups cubed elephant yam / chena 1 cup cow peas / vanpayar - preferable soaked for at least 2-4 hours Salt to taste Grate together: 1/2 cup grated coconut (frozen will work but not dessicated) 1 tsp minced fresh garlic 1/4 tsp pepper powder A large pinch of turmeric powder 1/4 tsp chilli powder For...

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Kaalan - Plantain and Elephant Yam in a spiced Coconut-Yoghurt sauce

Credit: Pazham Pappadam Payasam e-book pg.33  Prep. Time: 55 mins. Ingredients: Yam ¼ cup, cut to chunks Plantain 1 small, Skin peeled off and cut to diagonal chunks Yoghurt 4 cups Turmeric powder ½ tsp Black Pepper powder 1 ½ tsp Green Chilly 2 nos Cumin seeds ¼ tsp Grated Coconut 1 cup Fenugreek powder a pinch, roasted Salt as needed Curry leaves Mustard seeds ½ tsp Dry red chilly 2 nos Oil 1 tbsp Ghee 1 tsp Method: 1. Heat a wide...

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Puli Inji / Injicurry - Ginger Jaggery sauce

I simply love this curry coz its sweet and spicy and gives a lovely kick to any boring bland dinner. If I have rice with just moru, pappadam and puli inji, I'll be happy. I also recently learned that its a good side with Chicken biryani. As the main ingredient of this dish is ginger, it helps with digestion of a heavy meal such as Onasadya or Biryani. I'll post a better picture the next time I prepare it. Credit: Mishmash Ingredients: 1 cup...

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Parippu Curry / Kerala style dal

Credit: Sankeerthanam  Ingredients: 1/2 cup daal 1/2 tsp turmeric powder  2 green chilies To Grind:  1/2 to 3/4 cup grated coconut 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric powder  To Temper:  1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/8 tsp fennel seeds 1 dry red chilli 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tbs ghee (clarified butter) 2 to 3 shallots, chopped few curry leaves Method: Pressure cook daal up to 2 whistles adding turmeric powder,...

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My First Onasadya

I had intended to post this immediately after Onam. But I guess its better late than never. I was super-excited to prepare my first Onasadya. So I called up my sis over and we had a fun day purchasing veggies at the supermarket, cutting, chopping, grinding, cooking and finally serving it to Bee who waited patiently for the sadya to be prepared. Apart from the items displayed in the photo above, I also had moru kachiyathu and two types of payasams....

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Fresh start

So I've been away from my blog for way too long. And it filled me with guilt coz I've enjoyed it so much. Also I've been cooking quite a lot, taking pictures and have not bothered to post any of them. Its just that there was so much going on in my life, that I was sort of banned from blogging until I finished all that work. First came Onam, and I prepared my first ever Onasadya!! And it just made me feel so proud that I was able to make so many dishes in one day like a cook-off or a race. And I was surprised that most of the recipes were quite...

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