CUCUMBER KICHADI/PACHADI


cucumber or vellarikai(in tamil) is a well known veggie that most of us like and we usually make salads and raiths with them, but this is the cucumber which is cooked in coconut gravy with curd is called pachadi and with traditional kerala twist it is called kichadi. though very easy to prepare its more delicious to have, and is the prime side dish in almost all kerala "sadya". the preparation is as just as easy as it involves only 3 steps






Ingredients
1.cucumber - medium sizes ( chopped into small pieces)
2.salt
3.turmeric (optional)

for masala to be ground
1.curd - 1 1/2cups
2.ginger- 1/2 inch
3.green chilli - 2-3
4.mustard - 1tsp
5. coconut - 1/2cup

Seasoning:
coconut oil
mustard
curry leaves
red chilli

Method:
1.cook the cucmber till it is done 3/4th with salt and turmeric, (those who prefer the kichadi to be white in colour can avoid turmeric)
2.Now ground the ingerdients for masla into a coarse form and mix it with the vegetable and allow to cook them in small flame for about 5 - 7mts.
3.Finally prepare the seasoning seperately with the ingredients mentioned and add to the kichadi.
4.Kichadi is ready to be served.

KERALA KADALAI CURRY (PUTTU AND KADALAI)



Puttu and kadalai are the well known authentic breakfast combos in majority of kerala cuisines. commonly the side dish for puttu is kadala curry what usually is known as channa masala which is served for poori and battura. But this kadala curry is yet different from the usual chole masala with its unique taste and the unique ingredients.This is considered to be the most helathiest brekfast menu in kerala.
so here goes the easy recipe for this...




Ingredients:
kabuli Channa(chickpea)- 250gms
Onions (big) - 2 nos (Cut length wise)
tomato - 1
corainder powder - 2 tbsp
chilli powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
chicken masala- 1tsp
feneugreek seeds - very few
salt - to taste

For seasoning:
chopped ginger - 1tbsp
chopped garlic- 1tbsp
g.chilli - 2
curry leaf
mustard (optional)

Method:
1.Soak the chick pea ovenright and pressure cook and keep aside.
2.In a pan add cooking oil and saute onion till golden brown and add fenugreek seeds,coriander, chilli and chicken masala powders and give a mix.
3. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste.
4. Add the ground paste to the the cooked kabuli channa and again cook for about 5 minutes,Now add salt and little more chilli powder and corainder powder if required.
5.In another pan prepare tadka with 2tbsp oil,and add all the ingredients for seasoning.
6. Again add this seasoning mixture to the chickpea and cook until the masala smell goes.Its done!!!
7.serve hot with rice or wheat puttu.

PUMPKIN ERISSERY:
Erissery...!! a popular dish in kerala households is a curry which can be served with rice. Erissery is prepared with pumpkin and black eyed bean- vanpayar in malayalam (optionally you can use green gram also) a mixture of coconut and veggies is a tasty yet nutricious cuisine in kerala preferred by almost everyone for their noon meal.The flavour it leaves is really fantastic and hope you will also like this.
So let's go to the prepartion, here i have used white pumkin and green gram. INGREDIENTS:
1.Yellow or white pumkin - 1 cup(cut into cubes)
2.Green gram - 1 cup
3. Garlic pods - 3
4. Cumin seeds(Zeera) - 1/2 tsp
5. Turmeric - 1/3 tsp
6.Chilli powder - 1 tsp
7. salt - to taste
8.Grated coconut - 1 cup
To grind:
Grind coconut, cumin seeds and garlic to paste adding little water (It should be neither smooth nor coarse)
For seasoning :
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4Dry Redchilli
1/2 tspUrad dal
A few curry leaves
1 tbsp Grated coconut

PREPARATION:
1. In a cooking vessel add pumpkin, green gram with turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Add water till veggies immerse and cook till soft.
2. keep the coconut paste ready.
3.when the veggies are nearly cooked, add the cocnut paste and stir well.
4.Allow them to cook for a while till the water evaporates to bring them to a semi-solid consistency.
5.Now in another pan add cocounut oil and add all seasoning ingerdients and allow them to splutter, fry the coconut seperately till golden brown.
6.Add the seassoning mixture to the curry and mix well.
7.Erissery is ready to serve.

KERALA FISH CURRY: INGREDIENTS:
1.Sea Fish -250gms
2. Big onion sliced - 3nos
2.Tomato chopped -2 nos
3. Garlic - chopped - 1tbsp
4. Ginger - chopped - 1 tbsp
5. Green chilli - chopped- 2tbsp
6. Fenugrreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
8. Corainader Powder - 4 tbsp
9. Chilli powder - 3 tbsp
10.Fish masala powder - 1 tbsp
11.Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
12.Kudampulli - 3 nos
13.Salt - to taste
14. Curry leaves - to garnish
To Grind:
In a pan put 1 tbsp coconut oil and saute onions till golden brown, add coriander powder, few fenugreek seeds, 1/2tsp chillipowder, 1/2 tsp fish masala. Saute for 2 mts.Grind to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
METHOD:
1.Remove skin of the fish and cut into medium pieces or can use small fish fully.
2.In an earthern pot heat 2 tbsp coconut oil, add chopped garlic, ginger, green chilli, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, curry leaves,onion and saute nicely.
3.Soak kudampulli in hot water.
4.once the onions are cooked add chopped tomatoes, remaining chilli powder, corainder powder, fish masala and turmeric. Add salt to taste.
5. Then add the ground masala paste to it and saute again till the oil comes out.
6. Add the kudampulli with water and allow it to boil.
7.Then put the fish slices into it and close with a lid.
8.Keep the flame low and allow it to cook.
9.Once the fish is cooked add curry leaves and give a gentle mix.

This Fish curry can be served with Rice or Kappa (Tapioca)

PAYARU THORAN (Green Gram Poriyal):

INGREDIENTS:

Soaked green gram -250 gms

Chilli powder - 1tbsp

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - to garnish

To grind:

Cocunut- 50gms

Zeera- 1 tbsp

Garlic - 3-4pods

Coconut oil - 3 tbsp

(Make a corase paste without adding water)

METHOD:

1. Wash the overnight soaked green gram and put in a pan with 3/4 cup water.

2. Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt and allow it to half cook.

3. Grind the ingrdients mentioned for paste which should be coarse.

4. Add the coarse paste to the green gram and mix thoroughly.

5. Later add plain coconut oil on to the sides and stir well.

6.Finally add fresh curry leaves and give a mix and keep it low flame for 2-3 mts

7.Ready to serve.