Culinary Delights of Kerala

Kappa Varattiyathu is an authentic kerala dish.. Combination is Fish curry ... I love it ...
I was in Kannur for 4 years of my life and there its a very famous dish.. I had tasted many versions of this dish..
In our hostel at least once in a week we get kappa and fish curry ... Yummy !!
For vegetarians this dish goes very well with ulli chammanthi too ... Or by its own... Thinking about it makes my mouth watery....

Turmeric powder should be added while cooking the kappa. It will help to intoxicate the HCN which is found on tapioca roots.


Ingredients :
Kappa (Tapioca) Peeled and cut into small pieces
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 6-7 diced
Green Chilli - 2-3
Curry leaves
Cumin - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli - 1-2
Curry leaves
Mustuard Seeds
salt to taste


Wash kappa nicely and then add water and turmeric powder and salt and cook it nicely.
Grind the coconut, cumin and chilli together to a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
In a pan add some coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and then add red chilli. Then add the diced shallots and saute till brown color. Then add the grinded coconut and kappa and mix it well. Add the curry leaves and add 1 tsp of coconut oil and mix well.

Sambar is a most common dish in Kerala. I hope my amma makes sambar almost every alternate day. But i make it very less here... as i am not a veggie lover. Sambar in Kerala differs a lot from Sambar we see in our neighbouring states.. Last time when i was in Banglore during my vacation, I happened to be in a newly opened Indian restuarant there. It was very beautiful place, i dont remeber the name now though... There i saw a menu item as National Soup and i tried that ... Surprisingly it was just Sambar!!!!

For Sambar u can add a variety of vegetables. The most commonly added ones are Brinjal, Potato, Bitter Gourd, DrumSticks, Ash gourd ( Kumblanga) , Lady's Finger, Carrot, Yam ( Chembu) ..

Adding 2-3 pieces of bitter gourd ( kaypakka) to sambar really enhances the taste of the dish.

This is a recipe where coconut is not added. Sambar can also be made with grated coconut. i will post another recipe for that...




Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables cut into medium pieces - 2 cup
Tamarind - Gooseberry sized ball - put it in water ahead of time.
Toor daal - 1/2 cup
Onion - If big onion - 1 diced / Small red onions - 9-10 diced
Tomato - 1 medium sized or 2 small
Green Chilli - 2-3
lady's Finger - diced 3-4
Cilantro leaves plenty
Curry leaves plenty
Mustard Seeds
Red chilli - 1-2


Sambar Masala
- If using Sambar Masala, use a good one and add some more spices to it. I dont like using just the store bought ones

Red Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Corriander Powder - 2-3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Fenu Greek - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida(Kaayam) - < 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder - a pinch


In a pot bring the dal to boil adding a pinch of turmeric and salt. When cooked keep it aside

In a small bowl either add some hot water to tamarind or add some water to tamarind and microwave for 30 seconds to make it soft and when cooled down squeeze the water out and keep aside.

In a pan add some coconut oil ( or any other oil) and then add diced onion, tomato, green chilli, bitter gourd, and lady's finger and saute it for 3-4 mnts. The veggie's should not loose their green color. Keep veggies aside and then in the same pan add a little oil and put all the masala and saute for 1-2 mnts. The masala should not get burned. Add one or 2 tsp of water to this masala and make a fine thick paste. So that masala wont get clotted when added to sambar.

When daal is done add the tamarind water and when boiled add the veggies to it and add salt to taste. When veggies are done add the paste of masala and let it boil for 3-4 mnts. Then add the chopped cilantro leaves and a few curry leaves. Then cover the cooking pot and keep aside. This will lock the flavors of cilantro to the dish .

In a small pan add few oil and then add mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and when all mustard seeds are spluttered, add that to curry and close it.

Mix the curry well before serving .

Palak Paneer is a rich and creamy curry that goes best with Naan, roti or even rice. Its very delicious and nutritious. Its a combination of spinach, paneer (Cottage cheese) and heavy cream. Spinach is high in Iron and Cottage cheese is high on proteins. Its easy to prepare.... For a healthy version of the recipe replace cottage cheese with Tofu ... And instead of heavy cream add fat free milk.


Ingredients:

Set 1:
Spinach - 1 pkt or frozen Spinach - 1 pkt
Onion - 1
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Green Chilli - 2-3
Tomato - 1

Set 2:
Paneer - 1 pkt - diced into small square pieces
Onion - 1 diced to small pieces
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Oil for frying paneer
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro leaves a bunch chopped
Chilli powder - to taste if not spicy enough

Kovakkai is a vegetable, well most of them dont like to try .. But i like it very much. It has many medicinal values. Kovakkai can be eaten fresh or fried. There are different ways to make it some like to really deep fry it .. But i like it without loosing its green color and crispiness. My 2 yr old likes it a lot .. really good for kids too. This vegetable is rich in Vitamin A & C and helps to regulate blood glucose level.


Cut about 250gms of washed kovakkai vertically, cutting one kovakkai to 4 slices. In a pan add some oil and splutter mustard seeds and red chilli . Then add the kovakkai to that add salt and then curry leaves and toss it over medium heat for about 5 mnts. The veggie should be green and crispy. Should not loose the green color. Its a kid's friendly dish .

1 cup of frozen peas

500 gms paneer cubed

2 medium onions

2 medium tomatoes

1/2 tsp ginger paste

½ tsp garlic paste

2 tsps coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsps garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 green chillies chopped fine

3 tsp ghee

1 cup water

¼ cup yoghurt

Salt to taste

3 tbsps cream

2 Bay Leaves

1 medium size Cinnamon stick

Coriander leaves chopped fine to garnish

1. Cut the onions into four and boil them in sufficient water for about 5 minutes. Grind it in a mixie.

2. Heat 1tsp of ghee/oil in a frying pan, add the paneer (cheese cubes) and fry for 4-5 minutes, until they gently turn to golden brown on all sides.

3. Remove the paneer and dip it in cold water, squeeze the water and keep it aside.

4. Now pour 2 tsp of ghee in pan, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, sauté and add ground onion, fry it until light golden brown, now add ginger garlic paste and sauté well.

5. Add Chilli powder , turmeric ,cumin, green chilies and coriander powder, stir it and add chopped tomatoes, cook until the tomatoes juices ooze out and oil leaves masala.

6. Add the peas to the masala and fry for 2-3 minutes.

7. Pour in ¼ cup yogurt add garam masala, mix it well and cook it for 2 minutes.

8. Now add the fried paneer (cheese cubes) and one cup of water and salt.

9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and cook till the gravy thickens.

10. When the gravy is as thick as you would like, turn off the flame and stir in the cream.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Mutter paneer tastes great with parathas, naans and even jeera rice.

Hint : If health conscious substitute Paneer with Tofu.. Tastes Great…

Ripe Tomato – 2 nos

Green Chili – 3 nos

Curd – 1cup

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Cumin seeds (Jeera) – ¼ tsp

Mustard (kaduku) – ½ tsp

Curry Leaves – a few

Oil – 2 tsp

Salt – As required

Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Add some water and salt and cook well. (Or microwave for 3-4 mnts). Grind Green chili, grated coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste. Mix this paste with curd. When the tomato is cooked well and almost all the water is gone, pour the curd mix to the boiled tomato. Heat it for 2 mnts. Should not boil too much….. Have to take the curry when it’s about to start boiling. Add salt if required. Immerse the curry leaves to the curry. In a pan heat the oil and when hot put the mustards in and pour that over the curry…..

HINT : CAN BE MADE WITH BITTER GOURD, VELLERIKA OR PINEAPPLE.

IF USING BITTERGOURD INSTEAD OF COOKING IT, FRY IN OIL AND THEN ADD TO THE PASTE. IF USING VELLARIKA OR PINE APPLE CUT IN TO SMALL PIECES AND COOK WITH SALT.