Showing posts with label Kerala sadya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kerala sadya. Show all posts

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Kerala Sadya- Easy delicious recipes.


Kerala Sadya is always special on Onam and Vishu, the traditional festivals celebrated by Keralites. People in Kerala are food lovers and they are not really worried about their diet since they are hard working people and how much ever they eat, they are easily burnt out. People carry out their festivals close to their hearts and love celebrating them with their kith and kins. They prepare a variety of dishes and put together to call it 'Sadya'. And however it is all vegetarian.

Sadya is also made on other special occasions like marriages, birthdays etc.

I need you people to know what Kerala Sadya is really about. And the easiest way to bestow it is through a video. Here is my friend who beautifully portrays what  Kerala Sadya is..


Now here i am with the Sadya recipes-

Sambaram-Appetizer drink

Main meal comprises of:-

Cooked rice of your choice-Matta, ponni, kuruva etc. Any par-boiled rice.
Ghee (can be clubbed with Lentils.)
Pachadi- Inji Pachadi or Pineapple pachadi or cucumber pachadi or kaipa pachadi.
Kichadi
Banana chips
Sharkara upperi
Pickles-small/big mango, lemon, dates
Mezhukkuporatti
Thayir

Water

And the feast ends up with something Sweet:-

Banana
Payasams- Pazha pradhaman, Paalada payasam, Idichu pizhinju payasam, Parippu payasam, Chakka pradhaman.


I hope this is splendidly plenty.. Make your feast with a happy mind and do not get exhausted seeing the list. Look out for the fruition and your family hogging it.:)



Monday, April 19, 2010

Cabbage thoran


Wash the cabbage after cutting. That is easier than washing leaves individually and then again arranging them properly between fingers to cut them.


Requisites:-


Oil-1 tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Curry leaves- a sprig
Cabbage-2 cups grated finely
Carrot-half cup grated finely
Green/ red chillies-2 long
Turmeric pwdr-1/4 tspn
Salt to taste


Directions:-



  • Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
  • Grate the cabbage and carrot using a grater or if possible grate very finely with knife.
  • Mix all the rest of the ingredients thoroughly with your fingers in a bowl. Add them to the Oil you have prepared early. 
  • Cook uncovered for 10 min. Do not add water. Stir occasionally.( cook at medium-low flame since we are not adding water)
  • Cooking uncovered means a lot to taste, color and texture of the fruition.
  • Serve hot with rice as a side dish.
ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)

Inchi Thayir




Requisites:-




Oil-1 tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn



Ginger chopped finely-2 tblespn
Green chillies chopped-2
Curry leaves-a sprig
Water to cook-1 cup
Curd/Yogurt-3/4 cup
Salt to taste


Directions:-


  • Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
  • Add the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Cook this with a cup of water till the ginger gets tender.
  • Now Switch off the stove and add the yogurt. Add salt too.
  • Done. DO NOT boil it since yogurt curdles up on heating.
  • Serve as a side dish for your Sadya rice.
ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)

Erissery 2

Requisites:-


Pumpkin-2 cups
Red Beans/Vanpayar-1/2 cup
Turmeric-1/4 tspn
Green chillies split open-3
Salt to taste


Coconut-1 cup
Shallots-4
Cumin seeds-1/4 tspn


Oil-1 tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Curry leaves-a sprig


Directions:-


  • Soak the red beans in water over night or at least for 3 hrs.
  • Pressure cook the beans, Pumpkin, turmeric, chillies, salt for two whistles.
  • Let the pumpkin get mashed.
  • Meanwhile grind the coconut with shallots and cumin coarsely.
  • Add this to the beans- pumpkin mixture and boil.
  • Take a small wok and splutter mustard seeds in hot oil. Add curry leaves.
  • Now pour this into the curry.
  • Done.
  • Serve hot with rice. And as a side dish for Kerala Sadya.
  • You can also add Roasted coconut to this curry which gives a different flavor. But the former is the authentic one.
Enjoy your meal:)

Oolan

Kerala Sadya special.


Requisites:-


Ash Gourd diced/Ilavan- 200 gms(around 2 cups) i take pumpkin at times
Black eyed beans-Half cup
Thick Coconut milk-1 cup
Green chillies split open- 3 long
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water to cook


Oil- 1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4tspn
Red whole chillies not open to garnish-2


Directions:-


  • Soak the beans overnight or for at least 3 hrs.
  • Pressure cook it with 1 1/2 cup water  for 2 whistles.  Keep aside.
  • Now cook the ash gourd with some water, curry leaves and chillies.
  • Add the coconut milk and cooked beans. Boil. 
  • Heat oil in small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add red chillies till they turn slightly dark.
  • Pour this over the curry.
  • Done.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)

Rasam


The main ingredient which would give Rasam its unique flavor is Garlic. Then the spiciness is given by the exotic hot pepper seeds.


Ingredients:-


Tomato sliced-2


Garlic sliced-6 big pods or 10 small pods
Ginger sliced- 1inch long 
Coriander leaves-2tblespns
Curry leaves 1 sprig


Chilly pwdr-2 tspn
Coriander pwdr- 2tspn
Whole pepper-10 seeds.
Turmeric pwdr-1/2 tspn
Asafoetida- 1/4tspn(5pinches)
Tamarind juice made out of 1 tblespn pulp-1 cup
Water-2 cups
Salt to taste


Oil-1 tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Whole Red chillies-2
Fenugreek seeds-7 seeds


Directions:-
  • Mix in the first set of ingredients and boil for 10min with the lid on.
  • Then take a small pan and heat oil to splutter mustard seeds.
  • Add in red chillies and fenugreek seeds to turn lightly dark.
  • Add this over the rasam.
  • Done.
A mandatory of Kerala Sadya.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL..

Sambar


We have a misconception that this curry is the toughest one to prepare.  Well, considering that this curry goes through 3 stages, and just wanna go through 4 whistles in a pressure cooker its all easy.


Requisites:-


Onion sliced long-1
Potato cubed- 1
Red gram(thuvara parippu)-1/2 cup
Turmeric-1/2 tspn
Green chillies- 3 split open
Ginger sliced into thin 1 inch strips-2tblspn
Garlic cloves big sliced-3(small 6)
Water-2cups


Ladies finger cut 2 inch long-6 pieces
Drumstick cut 2 inch long- 6pieces
Carrot cut 2 inch long- 6 pieces
Brinjal same 6 pieces
Coriander pwdr-3 tspn
Chilli pwdr- 2tspn
Curry leaves-15 leaves
Coriander leaves-4 strings
Tamarind juice made out of 2 tblspn pulp-1 cup
Salt to taste


Roasted and ground coconut-4 tblspn.
Asafoetida- 1/4 tspn


For garnishing:


Coconut oil-2 tblspn
Mustard seeds-1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds-10seeds
Whole red chillies-3


Directions:-


  • Cook the 1st set of ingredients in pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Then let it cool so that you can open the whistle.
  • Then add the 2nd set of ingredients to this and let 2 more whistles.
  • Finally add the 3rd set and boil for 5 min.
  • Garnish by spluttering mustard seeds in oil and adding the fenugreek seeds and red chillies. Let them slightly turn brown.
  • Done. 
For roasting coconut ..




ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Kootu curry


This curry's basic ingredient is black chickpeas and the aromatic roasted coconut. Here in this recipe i have used yam vegetable. Pumpkin is another choice for substituting yam, but it will be slightly sweet. 

Ingredients:-


Black chickpeas/ Kadala- 1cup
Yam/ Chena chopped- 1 1/2 cups
Turmeric-1/4 tspn
Ginger chopped-1tspn
Salt to taste
Water-2cups
Roasted coconut-1 cup


For roasting the coconut you need:-


Coconut Oil-1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Curry leaves a sprig
Garlic-2 pods sliced
Red chillies crushed-4


Shallots sliced-5


1 cup Coconut


Directions:-
  • Soak the chickpeas overnight. Or at least for 3-4 hrs.
  • Now cook the chickpeas with water in pressure-cooker for 2 whistles. The chickpeas should be half cooked.
  • Then add yam cubes to this half cooked peas.
  • Add turmeric , ginger and salt. Cook the yam with no lid on it. This helps the water to evaporate and simultaneously yam gets cooked.
  • When the yam-chickpea mixture is semi dry  and well cooked add in the roasted coconut. Give a stir.
  • DONE.
For roasting coconut-
  • Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. 
  • Add garlic,shallots and red chillies. Fry for 3-4 min at medium low flame till the shallots have shrinked.
  • Add coconut and fry in it till brown at medium flame. Do not burn them. Keep Stirring. Do not step off from the stove.
If you do not have a pressure cooker cook the chickpeas for 10-15 min with a lid over the pan till it is semi cooked and add in yam. Then let both cook together. When you cook with the lid on, the time consumption for cooking reduces since the steam doesn't escape. 


This is a side dish usually made for Kerala Sadya.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL..

Puli Inji



Ingredients-


Ginger/inji finely chopped-4 tblspn
Coconut Oil-1tblespn
Mustard seeds-1/4 tspn
Curry leaves
Turmeric-1/4tspn
Fenugreek seeds-5 seeds
Green chillies-3 finely chopped
Tamarind juice-1 cup made out of 1 heaped tblespn tamarind pulp.
Jaggeri grated/ brown sugar- 2tspn
1 tblspn rice plainly fried and ground.
Salt to taste


Soak 1 spoon of tamarind pulp in one cup of hot water before cooking. By the time your ginger is cooked this will become soggy and rub the tamarind with your fingers to remove the juice out to the water.


Directions:-




  • Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Remove the curry leaves once it fully diffuses its flavor and dries out of moisture.
  • Add turmeric and fennel seeds to this oil. Let  the fennel seeds turn light brown. Do check the heat and do not let the fennel seeds and curry leaves burn. It happens to me. If it happens, throw off the oil and do not let your whole curry to be spoiled.
  • Add ginger. 
  • Add green chillies.
  • Let the ginger cook in this oil for 10 min in medium low. You will know that the ginger is sufficiently cooked for this recipe if it appears dry out of moisture and lightly amber.
  • Now add in the rest of the ingredients and boil.
  • Done.
If you want a thick Puli Inji boil this for a couple of minutes to get your desired texture. If you do not like biting ginger chops you can grind the whole recipe. But please do the first step finally. And start with cooking the ginger in another spoon of oil. This is because we do not want to grind the mustard seeds.


Also remember that when the Puli Inji cools it thickens up. 


This is used as a side dish for rice. And very special in Kerala Sadya.


ENJOY YOUR MEAL :)

Friday, April 16, 2010

Aviyal - Kerala special curry


Ingredients-


Drumstick/muringakkaya-5 pieces 
Ladies finger/venda-5 pieces
Brinjal/vazhuthananga-5 pieces
Yam/chena -5 pieces
Pumpkin/mathan-5 pieces
Potato/urulakizhangu-5 pieces
Half a big onion sliced thickly-ulli
Raw banana/ pachakkaya-5pieces
Carrot-5pieces
Yard Long beans/ achinga payar-5-8pieces


You can use any left over vegetable you have in your fridge. Just see that you cut every vegetables atleast 2 inches lengthwise as you can see in my picture. Pieces i have mentioned here is not the count of whole vegetables but the cut piece numbers of each vegetable. Slight variations doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter if you do not have all the vegetables i have told.


Water-1 cup
Curry leaves a sprig(5)
Green chillies-5 split open length wise
Turmeric- 1/4th tspn
Salt to taste
Freshly grated Coconut- one cup
Curd-3/4 cup


Coconut oil-2tablespn


Directions:-





You can use any left over vegetable you have in your fridge. Just see that you cut every vegetables atleast 2 inches lengthwise as you can see in my picture.

  • Now cook every vegetables in one cup of water with lid on the pan. This may take 15 min approximately.
  • Add Salt, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric while cooking this.
  • If you are using yam cook it first for 5 min and then add rest of the vegetables. This is because yam require more time to get cooked
Check in-between if there is enough water to cook. If not, add a little. Do not let it stick at the bottom and get a burnt taste because this is one among the best dishes you can have from Kerala.
  • Meanwhile grind coconut with curd coarsely.
  • Add this to the cooked vegetables. Make sure that  before adding the coconut, water has completely evaporated from the cooked vegetables.
  • Give a stir and cook for another 5 min with the lid on, at medium flame.
  • Finally add the coconut oil over this and give a quick stir. 
Note that you are not heating the oil. The oil goes straight from your bottle to the Aviyal.

  • Done. Serve hot with rice as a side dish.
I would like to disclose one tip. And that is- if you can get thick coconut milk from stores you can just add 1/2 cup of it, instead of grinding coconut. DO this only if it is thick because we do not want our Aviyal watery and with gravy. Then use only 1/2 cup of curd.
This is usually a side dish for Kerala Sadya..

Enjoy your meal :)


Inchi pachadi




Our body is most of the time in love with ginger because :-


The intake of ginger helps stimulatethe secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any scratchiness in your throat.
Ginger has been proven to treatfeelings of nausea, particularly in the form of seasickness, morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy.
Due to its promotion of mucus secretion, ginger protects against the development of ulcers, unwanted holes in the lining of your stomach.
Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.
Ginger can help knock out a fever.
It is used in curries as well as special foods for pregnant and feeding mothers. It is the main
ingredient in a candy called Inji-murappa.
One particularly tasty application is to combine ginger with garlic in any type of stir fry. Coupled in this way with garlic it is guaranteed to delight your taste buds and
quite possibly improve your health!



Ingredients-


Ginger-50 gms
Water-one cup
Coconut freshly grated -1cup or thick coconut milk-1/2cup
Curd-1/2cup
Green chilli-2 big
Shallots-2
Mustard seeds-1/4+1/4 tspn
Coconut oil-1tblspn
Curry leaves-4
Fenugreek seeds-6
Red whole chilli-1 or 2 for garnishing
Salt to taste


Directions:-


  • Chop ginger very finely.
  • Cook the ginger with water for 10 min till they ooze out the entire flavor to the water and becomes tender and cooked. Cook with the lid on so that it doesn't loose the aroma and gets cooked within the steam produced inside and this helps to retain its flavor. Check after 5 min if you have enough water remaining. If not add half a cup.
  • Now grind the coconut with curd, shallots, green chillies, 1/4tspn mustard seeds.
  • If you are using coconut milk also do the same. Take all into the blender & a give a blitz for 1min.
  • Now pour this to the cooked ginger. 
  • Add salt and give a stir.
  • Let boil and take off from stove top. 
  • Heat coconut oil in a wok.
  • Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil. Add fenugreek seeds and red chilly and switch off the stove.They would slightly turn dark. Let this stand for a min so that curry leaves and fenugreek seeds fuses with oil.
  • Add on top of the curry in serving dish. 
  • Can be taken with rice as a main curry or side dish.
Enjoy your food:)

Friday, April 2, 2010

Erissery




This is one among the side dishes served in Kerala Sadya. And often made as main curry for rice daily. Erissery is a curry with the main ingredient Red gram and a numerous variation of other vegetables. You can use bottle gourd/ash gourd/yam/pumpkin/raw banana. Here i am using ash gourd. And you can follow the same recipe for variety of vegetables.
Red grams are good sources of protein.


Ingredients:-serves 4


Red gram/tur dal/thuvara parippu- half a cup
Ash gourd cubed-200gm
Tomato-1
Chilly powder-1tblspn/or green chillies-3 big
Turmeric pwdr-1/2tspn
Coconut-1 cup
Cumin-1/4tspn
Shallots-3
Salt to taste
Oil-1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/2 tspn
Curry leaves-a sprig
Red chilli-2


Directions:-




If you have a pressure cooker take dal/gram/parippu, chilly pwdr, turmeric, salt in it and wait for 1 whistle and switch off. Then follow from the step 3. If you do not have a cooker, soak the dal for one hour then,


  • Cook the gram/parippu/dal with the tomato and water for 10 min with the lid on. Add in chilly pwdr, turmeric and salt.
  • Meanwhile grind the coconut,cumin and shallots with some water.
  • When the gram is half cooked add  the ash gourd cubes. Boil it for another 10 min so that gram and gourd gets appropriately cooked.
  • Now pour in the coconut paste.
  • Boil it for 2min.
  • For garnishing heat oil in a pan at medium heat. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Switch off the stove. Add red chilly as a whole and you can see it slightly changes its color. 
  • Pour this over your curry in the serving dish.
  • Done. Serve hot with rice.
BON APPETITE:)

Moru curry/ Moru Kachiyathu




It's burning hot in Kerala. Global warming is reaching its peak. So future is in our hands and we have to be concerned of our diet to fight against the health after effects due to this unhealthy weather. Yogurt is always a good intake in hot weather. It also imbibes good immune system. Peek into yogurt health benefits here.


Moru curry is often called Moru Kaachiyathu. This is a South Indian favorite.


Ingredients:-Serves 4


Curd/Yogurt-2cups
Gingersliced-1 inch small piece
Water-1/2 to 1 cup
Oil-1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/2tspn
Curry leaves-1sprig
Red chillies split open-2
Fenugreek seeds-4
Garlic sliced-1big/2small
Onion chopped-1 small or 1/2 of a big
Turmeric-half tspn
Cumin seeds-1/4tspn
Salt to taste
Add green chillies for extra spiciness.


Directions:-(medium heat throughout)


  • Note: medium flame till you add yogurt.
  • Heat oil in your pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
  • When the curry leaves are dried out of moisture it has diffused all its flavor into the oil. Now you can remove it.
  • Now add in the red chillies, fenugreek seeds and garlic. Let them cook for a minute. 
  • When they turn darker add in the onion chopped.
  • Now dont let them turn brown. Adjust the flame and cook them till soft.
  • Meanwhile blitz the curd with ginger and water for 1min in the mixer.
  • Now the curd turns into buttermilk(moru).
  • Add this into the cooked onions.
  • Add turmeric, cumin and salt. Give a stir.
  • Simmer it for 2min. 
  • DO NOT BOIL SINCE CURD CURDLES TOWARDS BOILING POINT.
  • Done. Serve hot with rice.
BON APPETITE:)

Kaalan / Kerala special




A gracious sunshine yellow appearance made after a marvelous blending of fresh grated coconut and creamy yogurt finally adorned with coconut oil and some seeds. This is malayalies special and my home favorite.

Yogurt and its health facts here.


Ingredients:-


White gourd-500 gm/1lb
Turmeric pwdr- half tspn
Cumin seeds-1/4 tspn
Coconut grated-8tblspn
Shallots-3
Yogurt(curd)-1cup
Green chillies-3 medium sized
Ginger-one inch long
Pepper pwdr-half tspn
Salt to taste.
Oil-1tblspn
Mustard seeds-1/2 tspn
Fenugreek seeds-5 seeds
Whole Red chillies-2
Curry leaves- 5(1 sprig)


Directions:-


  • Wash the white gourd and cube them. 
  • Cook them with 2 cups water, turmeric and cumin (10 min) at medium flame.
  • Grind the coconut into paste using the yogurt, shallots(peeled), ginger(peeled) and chillies.
  • When the white gourd is cooked and tender add the coconut paste.
  • Add salt.
  • Stir and boil for another 5 min at medium-high.
  • Swtich off.
  • Now heat oil in a wok and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves .
  • Add red chillies to it and turn them darker while switching off the stove.
  • Move the curry into a serving dish and pour the oil on the top.
  • Serve hot with rice.
How to prepare home made yogurt ?Click here .

BON APPETITE:)

Paal payasam


Requisites:-(serves 4)


Milk-5 cups(8oz=1cup)
Sugar-1/2cup
Cardamom-8 pods
Payasam rice-1/2 cup(can use basmati also)
Water-1 cup


Ghee-1 tblspn
Raisins-12
Cashew halves-8


Directions:-
  • Soak rice in water for half an hr. Then crush them with hands to break into halves or tiny. 
  • Now cook them with 1 cup of water. They should be cooked enough so that they are ready to eat. If you are using more water to cook drain them out when they a done cooking. Keep this aside.
  • Now boil the milk with sugar and cardamom split open. I use the shell as such since it too adds flavor. And traditionally  it is done so.
  • Once the milk boils simmer it for 20 min or more until it thickens up like a custard and when u bring them in between fingers they are found sticky. By now the milk would have reduced by quantity. Keep stirring at this stage to prevent sticking from the bottom of the pan.
  • Now take off from stove and add rice to this.
  • Now for garnishing heat ghee in a pan and fry raisins and cashews till amber.
  • Pour them on top of payasam while serving.
  • Done.
ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)

Pazhapradhaman

Requisites:-(serves 4)


Ripe plantain(nenthrapazham)-3
Thick Coconut milk-from 2 coconut or 1 1/2can
And thin coconut milk-1 cup or half can with 1/2cup water
Jaggeri-1/2kg
Ghee-3tblspn
Coconut pieces-3tblspns
Cashews-10
Raisins- 15


Directions:-


  • Steam the plantain till tender and well cooked.
  • Smash them with hands with no lumps remaining or grind them in a blender.
  • Add thin coconut milk to this and combine well with hands or use a blender to give a blitz and get a smooth consistency. The smashed banana and coconut milk should not lie in separate layers. Both should be of same viscosity. 
  • Now melt jaggeri in 1spn ghee over a heated pan. Add the above prepare mixture into this and combine well. Once boiled simmer for 20min till they thicken up. Keep stirring.
  • Add thick coconut milk.
  • Finally for garnishing heat ghee in a pan and pop up raisins and roast cashews. Pour over the serving payasam.
  • DONE.
ENJOY YOUR MEAL:)