Avial

Avial is a popular traditional dish from Kerala. It is a mixed vegetable curry cooked with coconut and yogurt. The main ingredients in avial are typically a variety of vegetables like carrots, beans, drumsticks, raw banana, yam, and pumpkin.

To prepare avial, the vegetables are cut into long pieces and cooked with turmeric, green chilies, and curry leaves. A coconut paste is added and the dish is seasoned with coconut oil to enhance the flavor.

It is one of the main dishes in a Kerala sadya. A sadya is a traditional feast served on a banana leaf during special occasions, festivals and weddings. With Onam festival around the corner, try this easy to make and healthy mixed vegetable avial. 

Ingredients:

• Raw banana
• Yam
• Carrots
• Beans
• Drumsticks
• Winter melon
• Pumpkin 
• Coconut grated - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Green chilies - 3-4 
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the vegetables in 3 inches by 1 inch long slices. Take equal quantities of each of these vegetables mentioned in the ingredients list and make sure they come up to 3 cups in total. 
2. Add the cut vegetables in a large pot and add 1/2 cup of water, sliced green chilies, turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt. 
3. Cover and cook the vegetables until well done. Stir occasionally and sprinkle water if required. 
4. Grind the grated coconut along with a teaspoon of cumin seeds into a coarse paste.
5. Add this paste to the cooked vegetables and stir well. Cover and cook on low flame for another 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the stove and add a cup of yogurt. Finally add a tablespoon of coconut oil and few more curry leaves. Delicious avial is ready to serve. 

"Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme is "Sadya" and it was chosen by Priya Vijaykrishnan. She made a kichadi with okra. Check out the recipe for the same in her blog 'Sweet Spicy Tasty'. My partner for this month is Mayuri. She gave me cumin seeds and coconut oil as my secret ingredients. I gave her mustard seeds and curry leaves as her ingredients. She made a very refreshing cucumber raita - Vellirikka Kichadi.

Green Peas Egg Stir Fry

Green Peas Egg Stir Fry is a perfect side dish for chapathi. It is very easy to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes. This is one of the street-style dishes which you get in Kerala. 

Ingredients:

1. Green peas - frozen/fresh - 1 cup
2. Eggs - 3
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Tomato - 1
5. Green chilies - 2-3
6. Ginger minced - 1 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
11. Cilantro for garnishing
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Defrost green peas if you are using frozen ones. 
2. Heat oil in a pan and add minced ginger, slit green chilies, and curry leaves.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. 
5. Add finely chopped tomatoes and stir everything well. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy. 
6. Add the green peas and a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover and cook until the green peas are well done. 
7. If the water is still left in the pan, keep the cover off and let all the water evaporate.
8. At this stay, crack in eggs and keep stirring until eggs are cooked.
9. Garnish with cilantro and the dish is ready to serve. Serve it as a side dish for rice or chapathi. 

This month's theme of "Healthy Ideas" was suggested by our group admins Renu and Mayuri ji. My partner for this month's "Sshhh Challenge" is Priya Vijaykrishnan who blogs at Sweet, Spicy, Tasty. 

She gave me ginger and green chilies and I came up with this dish. I gave her cabbage and curry leaves and she prepared a very delicious cabbage kootu. Priya's blog has a variety of recipes that are a must-try. One among them is Thiruvadhirai Kali. I have seen so many photos of the Thiruvadhirai Kali dish in the month of December and I have been thinking of making it. Priya does have a detailed recipe for the same which I am planning to make. 

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients:

1. Chickpea flour/Besan - 1 cup
2. Fine rice powder - 1 cup
3. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - 1-2 sprig
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Use a pestle and mortar or a small mixie jar to powder the fennel seeds. You can alternatively use fennel powder if you have that in hand.
2. Take a large mixing bowl and mix together chickpea powder, rice powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder, asafoetida, and salt. 
3. Add water a little at a time and mix together to make a smooth dough(like a chapathi dough).
4. Grease the inside of the mold and use the ribbon pakkoda plate. See the picture below.
5. Fill the dough in the mold and squeeze it directly into the hot oil. 
6. Turn it a couple of times and remove it from the oil when it turns golden brown in color. 
7. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
8. Wash and dry the curry leaves. Fry them in the same oil and mix it with ribbon pakoda.
9. Break the ribbon pakoda into smaller pieces. 
10. Enjoy with a cup of hot tea.

Note:

1. These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for more than a week. 
2. I prefer to use coconut oil to get the authentic Kerala snack taste. But you can use any vegetable oil for deep frying.  

Mold with Ribbon Pakoda plate

Uluva Kanji | Karkidaka Kanji | Fenugreek seeds Congee

Uluva Kanji is a  traditional dish made in Kerala during the monsoon season. This dish made with rice and fenugreek and flavored with lots of coconut and jaggery. The bitterness of the fenugreek is hardly noticeable in this delicious dish. 

In Malayalam, the word "Uluva" means Fenugreek, and "Kanji" refers to congee, hence the name. This dish is also known as Karkidaka Kanji because it is usually made during "Karkidaka Masam".  Karkidaka Masam is a month in Malayalam Calendar while in the Gregorian Calendar it corresponds to the months of July to August. The nutrients in the fenugreek are believed to ward off any ailments that are typically seen during the rainy season. 

The fenugreek is believed to be rich in nutrients. It is good for controlling diabetics, menstrual cramps, high cholesterol, and many other conditions(Reference: WebMD) It is also known to increase milk production in lactating mothers. This dish is also taken during the "Post-delivery care" in Kerala.

Ingredients:

1. Fenugreek seeds/ Uluva/ Methi seeds - 3 tablespoon
2. Raw rice(see notes below) - 1/4 cup
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Grated jaggery - 1/2 cup
5. Salt - 1/8 teaspoon

Method:

1. Wash and soak fenugreek seeds in 2 cups of water for at least 5 hours. 
2. Wash the raw rice and pressure cook along with soaked fenugreek seeds for 4-5 whistles. Do not discard the water used for soaking fenugreek, use the same for pressure cooking.  
3. Once the pressure subsides, open the pressure cooker and add grated jaggery, grated coconut, and salt. 
4. Allow the mixture to boil for a couple of minutes and try off the stove.

Uluva Kanji is ready to serve.

Notes:

1. Typically red raw rice is used for making this dish. But it can be replaced with other varieties of raw rice like the sona masoori or jeera rice.
2. People with diabetes can omit jaggery altogether and make the savory version by adding salt. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Fear Not The Bitter" and it was chosen by Seema who blogs at MildlyIndian. I can't wait to try her Mulberry Breakfast Parfait and Black Rice Ladoos.

My partner for June 2021 is Preethi Prasad. She gave me jaggery and fenugreek as my secret ingredients. I gave her neem flower and amchur and she made a very unique and delicious curry - Neem flower and chickpea curry. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her Beetroot Corn Bites and Quinoa Beetroot patties. 

Kadala Mittai | Peanut Chikki

 

Ingredients:

1. Peanuts - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 3/4 cup
3. Ghee - 1 teaspoon
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

Dry roast the peanuts on medium flame until they are crisp.

Allow the peanuts to cool for a while and rub them against your palm to remove the skin. Separate the peanuts from the skin. 

Lightly break the peanuts into half by pressing the peanuts with the base of a steel bowl.

Grease the marble countertop or wooden chopping board with little ghee. Also, grease a rolling pin(chappati roller) and spatula with ghee and keep it ready.

In a heavy bottom pan, melt the jaggery along with 1/4 cup water. Boil it till the jaggery melts. At this stage, you can sieve the syrup to remove any impurities. 

Transfer the syrup back to the stove and keep boiling on low flame.

Drop few drops of syrup in a bowl of cold water and it should crystalize and become brittle immediately. This is the desired consistency. You should keep checking for the right consistency when the syrup starts to bubble. Initially, the syrup will be elastic and soft and if you keep boiling for some more time it becomes brittle. Getting this syrup consistency is very crucial in chikki making. 

Once the desired consistency is reached, add the cardamom powder, a teaspoon of ghee, and crushed peanuts.

Give it a quick mix and transfer it to the greased surface. Gently press the mixture with a rolling pin and give it a rectangular shape with a spatula.

Cut the chikki into the desired shape while it is still hot.

Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.

Vettu Cake | Kerala Tea Time Snack

Vettu cake is a delicious tea time snack of Kerala. This deep fried snack is made using maida, sugar and egg and flavored with cardamom. It is very crisp from outside and soft and crumbly inside. 

 

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup (plus few more tablespoons as required)
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Cardamom - 6 pods
4. Egg - 1 
5. Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Ghee - 2 tablespoon
7. Salt - 1/8 teaspoon 
8. Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon (for color)
9. Oil for deep frying

Method: 

1. In a chutney grinder of mixer, take sugar and cardamom seeds. Grind till cardamom seeds form fine powder. Take only seeds of cardamom and discard the skin.
2. Add one egg to this powder and pulse couple of times until egg is well combined with sugar powder.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Add 2 tablespoon of ghee and mix well to get a crumb consistency.
4. Add the egg-sugar mixture and knead well to make a dough. If the dough is very sticky, add couple of tablespoons of all purpose flour. 
5. Set the dough for resting for half an hour.
6. Divide the dough into two parts, make each part into a long log of 1.5 inch diameter. 
7. Using a knife, slice the dough into 1 inch thick pieces. Make a deep cut in the shape of a 'x' at the center of each piece.  
8. Heat oil and deep fry the pieces in low-medium flame until they turn golden brown color. 

Note: Never fry them on high heat as inside of the cake will not be cooked. 

For the month of October, the theme for "Shhhh Cooking Secretly" challenge is "Diwali Sweets and Savories". As part of this challenge a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are suppose to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.  October month challenge was suggested by Poonam Bachhav who blogs at Annapurna. Her Easy Motichoor Ladoo which is a No-Fry recipe is in my to-do list. Do visit her blog for a huge collection of traditional vegetarian dishes. 

My partner for this theme is Swaty Malik who blogs at Food Trails. She gave me cardamom and sugar as my secret ingredient and I gave her ghee and milk. She made these delicious soft melt in the mouth Kesar Pista Burfi. Meanwhile do check out her Crispy Masala Papdi and Custard Trifle recipes which caught my eyes. 

Easy Chicken Roast

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 kg
2. Onion - 2 large
3. Tomato - 2 medium
4. Ginger and Garlic paste - 2 tablespoon
5. Green chili - 2 or as per your spice level
6. Curry leaves - 2 sprig
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Black Pepper powder - 2 teaspoon
9. Coriander powder - 3 teaspoon
10. Chicken masala - 1 teaspoon
11. Coconut oil - 3 tablespoon
12. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean and wash the chicken pieces. Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, a teaspoon of black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan and add 3 tbsp of coconut oil. 

3. Add thinly sliced onions and saute till they start to turn light brown in color.

4. Add ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and green chilies  and saute till the raw smell disappears.

5. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder,  1tsp pepper powder, coriander powder and chicken masala. Mix well and fry for a minute.


6. Add sliced tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.
 


7. Add the cooked chicken along with the stock. Mix well and turn the heat on high and till all the liquid evaporates and the gravy becomes thick.




7. Garnish with more curry leaves and serve as a side dish for chapathi/rice.

Vattayappam - Kerala Style Steamed Rice Cakes

Vattayappam is a very soft and spongy steamed rice cake popular in Kerala. 

Vattam in Malayalam means "round" and appam translates to pancake. Hence the name 'Vattayappam' for these round spongy cakes.  This traditional snack is a oil free, vegan and gluten-free. It is made by grinding rice and coconut. The batter is fermented and then steamed. Sugar is added for sweetness and cardamom for flavoring. This sweet cake is usually eaten as an evening snack or dessert. It can be made savory by omitting the sugar and can be served with curries. 

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice/Sona Masoori - 1 cup
2. Coconut grated - 1 cup
3. Cooked rice - 1/4 cup
4. Instant Yeast - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Sugar - 3 tablespoon
6. Cardamom - 3
7. Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Oil for greasing

Method:

1. Wash and soak raw rice for at least 4 hours. 
2. Grind soaked rice, grated coconut, cooked rice and cardamom into smooth paste. The batter should be thick as that of idli batter.
3. Add salt, sugar and instant yeast to the batter and mix well until sugar dissolves.
4. Set aside the batter for fermentation for around 3 hours.
5. Use a round vessel for steaming the vattayappam. Grease it well with oil (preferably coconut oil).
6. Pour the batter in a round vessel and place it in a steamer. Steam for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
7. Cool for 15 mins and then invert the vessel to remove the vattayappam.
8. Cut into wedges and serve.

Note: 

1. The round vessel to steam can be either a deep steel plate, wide mouthed steel tiffin box, round pyrex box or even a cake pan. 
2. You can replace cooked rice with thin poha. Soak the thin poha for around 5 minutes before grinding.
3. With 3 tablespoon of sugar, this snack is mildly sweet. You can adjust the sweetness according to your preference. 
4. For the sweet version, you can sprinkle cashews and raisins to the batter before steaming. 

I made this recipe as part of the "Sshhh Cooking Secretly" event. This is an event started by Priya of Priya's Versatile Recipe. At the beginning of the month a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are suppose to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. 

I got the opportunity to choose this month's theme and I selected "Steamed Foods". 

My partner for this month is Archana Gunjikar Potdar and she shared me coconut and cardamom as my secret ingredients and I gave her flour and water as her ingredients. She made "Kankiche Dive". Do visit her blog to check out an amazing collection of recipes. She also has a wide variety of exotic desserts like Easy Mocha Semifreddo, Popcorn Rocky Road Dessert, Layered Angel Cake the British Version to name a few. 

Mushroom Thoran | Koon thoran

Ingredients:

1. Mushroom - 250 gms
2. Onion - 1 medium
3. Green chillies - 1 or as per your spice level
4. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
5. Coconut grated - 1 handful
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Dried red chillies - 1
8. Garlic cloves - 3
9. Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and cut mushrooms into small pieces.
2. Heat a pan with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add red chilly, green chillies, curry leaves and crushed garlic.
4. Add finely chopped onion and saute till onons turn translucent.
5. Add finely chopped mushrooms and salt to taste.
6. Cook until the water from the mushrooms evaporates.
7. Add grated coconut and mix well.

Mushroom stir fry with coconut is ready to serve. It can be served along with chapathi/rice.

Vegetable Stew - Kerala Style

Ingredients:

1. Potato - 2 medium sized
2. Carrots - 1 medium
3. Onion - 1 small
4. Beans - 10 count 
5. Ginger crushed - 1 teaspoon
6. Green chillies - 1 or 2
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Coconut milk - 1 cup
9. Coconut oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste 

Method: 

1. Take a pressure cooker and add the vegetables, curry leaves, salt to taste and 1 cup water. Pressure cook for 1 whistle.
2. Once the pressure comes down, add green chillies and crushed ginger. Turn on the stove on low flame.
3. Add a cup of coconut milk and turn off the stove when the stew starts to boil.
4. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil and stew is ready to serve.

Serve with appam.

There is a video with the recipe uploaded in youtube.

Kovakka thoran | Ivy Gourd Stir fry

Ingredients:

1. Ivy Gourd/Kovakka - 250 gms
2. Dried red chilies - 2-3
3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
4. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
5. Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
6. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and thinly slice ivy gourd and set aside.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. 
3. Add red chilies, curry leaves, ivy gourd and salt to taste.
4. Cover and cook on low flame. Ivy gourd cooks in steam itself and there is no need to add water while cooking.
5. Stir occasionally and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve as a side dish for steamed rice.

Long Beans Stir Fry | Pacha Payar thoran - Kerala style

Ingredients:

1. Long beans/Yard long beans - 250 gms
2. Onion - 1 small
3. Dried red chilies - 2-3
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Coconut oil - 2 teaspoon
8. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
9. Garlic cloves - 2
10. Salt to taste

Method:

1.  Wash and cut long beans into small pieces.
2. Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add dried red chilies, curry leaves and chopped onions. Saute for a minute.
4. Add cut long beans, turmeric powder, salt and 1/2 cup water.
5. Cover and cook for around 10 minutes until the beans are well done.
6. Meanwhile, take grated coconut and garlic in a mixer and just pulse it couple of times.
7. Add the coconut to the long beans and mix well. If there is any water left, leave it uncovered for the water to evaporate. Turn off heat once all the water has evaporated.

Serve as a side dish for steamed rice.

Kerala Matta Rice in Instant Pot

Kerala Matta Rice is an indigenous variety of rice grown in Palakkad district of Kerala, India. It is also known as Palakkadan Matta Rice or Kerala Red Rice or Kerala Kuthari.

Cooking matta rice in a saucepan will take nearly 45 minutes to 1 hour. The rice to water ratio is 1:5. Once the rice is cooked, excess water is drained using a colander.

If we are cooking this in pressure cooker, we need to cook on low flame for 3-4 whistles. Rice to water ratio is 1:5. With pressure cooker, we can always expect a spill over on stove top and always need to have a close watch till you stove off the stove. We can overcome these disadvantages by using an Instant top Pressure cooker. Put the rice and water in InstantPot, turn on, set the timer and completely forget about it. There is no worry of counting the number of whistles or spilling. The Instant Pot model which I used here is IP-DUO 60 6Qt.

Ingredients:
1. Red rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 5 cup

Method:

1. Wash the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear.
2. Transfer into Instant pot and add 5 cups of water.
3. Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in "Sealing" position.
4. Click on "Pressure Cook" option and set the timer to 10 minutes.
5. After cooking is finished, let the rice rest for 20 minutes and then release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release handle.
6. Drain the water in a colander and perfect red rice is ready to serve.

Idiyappam and Vegetable Istew

Idiyappam is also known as Noolu Puttu in Malayalam. These are string hoppers which are made of rice flour. This is a steamed dish and served as breakfast in Kerala. Traditionally in Malabar regions of Kerala, they are served with coconut milk and sugar. If you are looking for some savory side dishes then you should try with ishtew or mutta roast(egg roast).

Ishtew is basically Stew and made with a mix of vegetables in coconut milk.

Vegetable Ishtew:

Ingredients:

1. Mixed vegetables (carrots-1/4 cup , beans-1/2 cup, potato-1cup and green peas-1/4 cup)
2. Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 inch
3. Green chillies - 2-3
4. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
5. Coconut milk: thin - 1.5 cup, thick - 1/4 cup
6. Shallots - 5-6 thinly sliced
7. Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a deep vessel, add cut vegetables, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, shallots and thin coconut milk. Add required amount of salt and cook till vegetables are well done.
2. Turn off the stove and add thick coconut milk and coconut oil. 

How to extract coconut milk:

1. Take around 1.5 cup of freshly grated coconut. The milk we get by squeezing the grated coconut is called the thick extract.
2. Add around 1 cup of warm water to the squeezed grated coconut and give it a good mix. Squeeze out the thin coconut milk through a strainer.

Idiyappam:

Ingredients:

1. Idiyappam powder/Rice flour - 1 cup
2. Oil - 1 teaspoon
3. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil 1 cup water and add a teaspoon of oil and salt to taste.
2. Add the rice flour little by little and stir with a wooden spatula. Mix everything well together until a soft, smooth dough is formed.
3. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, knead it for couple of minutes.
4. Take a portion of dough in idiyappam press. Grease idli plate or any steamer with little oil. Press the idiyappam in idli plates and steam for 5-7 minutes. 
5. Let them cool for couple of minutes before you remove from the idli plate.

Serve these hot idiyappam with ishtew. 

I am linking this recipe for this month's "Shh Cooking Secretly" event. This month's theme is Kerala Cuisine. I am paired with Priya Mahesh who gave me rice flour and carrots as my secret ingredients. Here comes my idiyappam and stew with these secret ingredients. I gave Priya, plantain and coconut and she made vazhakka thoran. Check out her blog at200deg for a collection of delicious dishes.

Ulli Theeyal | Kerala style Pearl Onion curry

Ulli Theeyal is made of pearl onions/shallots in a tangy coconut based gravy. This is served with steamed rice.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1. Pearl Onions/Shallots - 1 cup
2. Coconut grated - 1 cup
3. Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoon
4. Whole dried red chillies - 2 or as per your spice level
5. Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Tamarind - one gooseberry sized
8. Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
9. Fenugreek Seeds - a pinch
10. Salt to taste
11. Coconut oil - 2 tablespoon

Method:

1.  Dry roast coconut, coriander seeds and dried red chillies until coconut turns dark brown in colour. Switch off the flame and add turmeric powder.

2. Grind the roast coconut mixture into a fine paste by adding a tablespoon of water and set aside.

3. Soak tamarind in a cup of water. Squeeze out the pulp and set aside.

4. Heat a vessel and add tablespoon of oil. Add sliced shallots and 1 sprig of curry leaves. Sauté until onions turn translucent.

5. Add tamarind pulp, coconut paste and salt to taste to it and cover and cook for 10 mins. Turn off the flame

6. Heat a small saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Splutter mustard seeds and add fenugreek seeds and 1 sprig of curry leaves. Add this seasoning into curry.

Curry is ready to serve with hot steaming rice.

Note: 

Dry roast coconut on medium flame with continuous stirring to avoid burning.

Cheera Thoran | Amaranth Leaves Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1. Amaranth Leaves(Avare Soppu in Kannada) - 2 bunches
2. Onion - 1 medium
3. Garlic cloves - 4-5
4. Dried red chilli - 2
5. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
6. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon
9. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Clean and wash amaranth leaves along with the stem. We just need to remove the stem just above the roots which will be very fibrous. Finely chop the leaves.

2. Heat oil in a wide vessel and splutter mustard seeds. Add finely chopped onion and dried red chillies and saute till onion turn translucent.

3. Add finely chopped leaves, salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes.

4. Add grated coconut, mix well and turn off the flame.

Serve as a side dish with rice.

Green Amaranth Leaves

Idichakka Thoran | Tender Jackfruit Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1. Idichakka/ Tender Jackfruit - 1 small size
2. Coconut grated - 1 cup
3. Shallots - 1/2 cup
4. Garlic - 2 cloves
5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 teaspoon
6. Curry leaves - few
7. Green chilly - 1 or as per your spice level
8. Dried red chillies - 2
9. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Salt to taste
12. Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:
1. Remove the skin of Jackfruit and cut into 2 inch pieces. Wash the cut pieces and pressure cook with 1 cup water, turmeric powder and salt to taste for 2 whistles.

2. Meanwhile grind grated coconut, garlic, green chillies and cumin seeds without adding water.

3. Drain any water left in cooked Jackfruit and mash with potato masher. You can also pulse it in blender for 2-3 seconds. We don't need to grind the jackfruit instead just need to shred them.

4. Heat coconut oil in a large pan. Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and red chillies.

5. Add sliced shallots and fry till they turn translucent. Then add ground coconut mixture and saute for couple of minutes.

6. Finally add jackfruit and give it a good mix. Check for seasoning and add salt if required. Cover and cook on low flame for 5 more minutes.

Kerala style Idichakka thoran is ready to serve and it is best served as a side dish for rice.

Pacha Manga Kichadi | Mango Kichadi

Kichadi is a Kerala dish made with one kind of vegetable in a yogurt based gravy. Vegetables that can be used include cucumber, mango, winter melon, okra/lady's finger and even pineapple.

Unlike kichadi, pachadi is made in a coconut-yogurt based gravy.  Some of the pachadi recipes in my blog:
Kumbalanga Pachadi 

Cucumber Pachadi

Vellirikka Pachadi

Kichadi and Pachadi are often served as part of Kerala Sadya.

Ingredients:
1. Raw Mango - 1 medium
2. Yogurt - 1 cup
3. Ginger grated - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Green chillies - 1 or 2
5. Curry leaves - few
6. Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Dried red chillies - 2
9. Oil - 1 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and cut mango into small pieces.

2. Take a saucepan and add cut mangoes,  grated ginger, slit green chillies, salt to taste and 1 cup of water. Cook until mangoes are soft and well cooked.

3. Once the mango is well done, turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Add a cup of yogurt and mix well.

4. Heat oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red  chillies, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Add this seasoning to cooked mango mixture and mango kichadi is ready to serve.

Linking this recipe to "Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge", a monthly event started by Priya and now being managed by Mayuri.

The theme for the month of May is Mango along with 2 ingredients. I am paired with Rafeeda of The Big Sweet Tooth  who gave me Yogurt and ginger as secret ingredients and I decided to make this mango kichadi.

Cucumber Pachadi

Ingredients:
1. Cucumber- 1 small sized
2. Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Green chilli - 1
5. Dried red chilli - 1
6. Curry leaves - few
7. Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup
8. Oil - 1 teaspoon
9. Salt to taste

Method:
1, Wash the cucumber, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Transfer cucumber in a mixing bowl.

2. Grind coconut and green chilli into a fine paste. Roughly crush 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds. Add this coconut paste, crushed mustard, yogurt and salt to cucumber and mix thoroughly.

3. For seasoning, heat oil in a pan and splutter 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. Add dried red chilli and curry leaves. Transfer this seasoning to pachadi and serve.

Kayappam | Undampori | Bonda

Kayappam is easy-to-make and one of the popular snacks in Kerala tea shops. It tastes best when  served with tea.

Ingredients:
1. Wheat flour - 2 cup
2. Banana - 1 medium or 3 small bananas
3. Jaggery - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5, Salt - 1 pinch
6. Baking soda - 1 pinch
7. Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Melt jaggery with 1 cup of water. Strain the syrup to remove any impurities and allow to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, take wheat flour, cardamom powder, salt and baking soda and mix well.

3.  Peel and mash the bananas with a fork. Add the mashed banana to dry ingredients along with jaggery syrup. Combine well to form a very thick batter. It more or less should be like a sticky dough.

4. Allow the batter to ferment for 4-6 hours.

5. Heat oil in a frying pan on low-medium heat. Wet your hands by dipping in a bowl of water, take a lemon sized batter, roughly shape into rounds and drop in hot oil. Fry on low-medium heat until the outside turns dark golden color.

6. Drain excess oil in a tissue and serve with tea.

This can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days.

Check out the video of how to make kayappam in youtube.