Vendakka puli/Okra in tamarind pulp

Learnt to make Vendakka puli from my mummy. This is sort of sweet, tangy and hot thick consistency curry. Supposedly I've covered most flavours :) Yes, it is indeed a wonderful combination.

I get this feeling whenever I taste it; at first a sudden hit of the sweetness from jaggery, then the tangy taste of tamarind and the hotness from the chillies. Oh la la !!!

We mostly have Kerala recipes at home; rice, curry, upperi etc. But haven't posted much veggie recipes on my blog. That's mainly because veggie recipes doesn't appeal much to my husband and I don't try new veggie invention. He's a non-veg crazy chap. If it's only veg items served, then the food intake would be much less. So I prefer making non-veg for my family. Not to mention my little one, Dyuti's got strange preferences. Whatever be the dish, she sniffs it at first. Only once it passes the sniff test, she does allow to try it out. Well, Dyuti is not that into meat like her dad; still a bit fussy. Here goes the recipe.

Recipe Source: Mummy

Ingredients:

Okra/Ladies finger - 6-7, cut in rounds medium thick
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Onions - 1, chopped (Best to use eshallots or kunjulli)
Green chilli - 1, chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
Tamarind - a disc shaped
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red hot chilli powder - ½ tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp, for the colour
Jaggery - a small piece
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water - 1 cup
Salt
Oil - I used a comb of olive oil and a dash of gingelly oil

Instructions:

• Soak tamarind in hot water.
• Pour oil on a hot pan.
• Add mustard seeds when oil is hot and let it splutter. Then add fenugreek seeds and fry for few seconds.
• Add chopped onion, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves. Fry till onion turns translucent.
• Now add the cut okra's and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add turmeric, red chilli and kashmiri chilli powder and let the spices turn fragrant.
• Crush the tamarind that is immersed in hot water using your fingers and strain the tamarind pulp.
• Pour tamarind pulp to the fried okra's. Add the jaggery, salt and allow to cook.
• Allow the gravy to thicken. Check for the salt and the hotness of chillies. Add chilli powder if required.
• Add asafoetida when the gravy has thickened and switch off the flame.

Slow cooked Spicy Chicken

As the name suggests, this was cooked in a low flame and results in a very delicious spicy curry.

My mom does all her cooking in a low flame. She says that enhances the flavour and yes it is absolutely right. Mummy is a pakka vegetarian; not even egg/milk & milk products. However her one and only daughter doesn't come in that category at all. I should say she has no problem in cleaning, cooking meat/fish and is a gifted cook. Though she doesn't check for taste in non-veg recipes, she gets to know what's missing in a recipe by it's aroma. I don't think much folks have got that talent :) Hats off to Mummy !!!

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 whole, cut in small pieces
Onions - 3 nos, finely sliced
Green chilly - 1 no, slit lenghtwise
Ginger - 1 tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 5 cloves, finley grated
Tomato - 1 no, finely sliced
Curry leaf - a sprig
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Hot chilli powder - ½ tbsp
Coriander powder - 1½ tbsp
Cumin powder - ½ tbsp
Fennel powder - ½ tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Oil - I've used olive oil
Salt
Water
Coriander leaves - to garnish

Instructions:

• For chicken marination, dry roast the spices. Heat a pan in low flame. Add the mentioned powders including garam masala. Stir the spices until the spices get fragrant. Make sure not to burn the powders. Add a tablespoon of oil, salt  to the roasted powders and mix well. Apply this marinade to the cleaned chicken pieces and marinate for 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan in a low flame. Add sliced onions slit green chilli and sauté till it turns slightly brown.
• Then add grated ginger, garlic and sauté till raw smell is gone.
• Add sliced tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces, curry leaf and roast for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir in between.
• Add half a cup of water to the chicken and cover with a lid. 
• When the chicken is cooked, let the gravy thicken. Do not cover with lid at this stage.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

• The slow you cook, the better will it taste. If in a hurry, carry on to cook in a medium flame :)
• Adjust the spiciness to your taste. This recipe is slightly hot to our palette.
• Make sure to stir in between so that the pieces doesn't get burnt.
• This recipe pairs well with chappathi, rice, appam, pathiri etc

Kappa Biriyani

Kappa/Tapioca./Cassava is one of  malayalee's comfort food. It can be prepared in several ways like Kappa vevichathu, Kappa puzhukku with/without mathi, Kappa curry etc. Kappa vevichathu is one of my favourite tea time snack :)

I've never had Kappa Biriyani before, heard about this from Sathya. He used to have it from a mess in Bangalore. I've not had the chance to taste it. This is not much famous in North Malabar. I got the recipe from our friends Benny & Treesa.

Kappa Biriyani is combination of any meat along with Kappa instead of rice. I've used Beef, can be replaced with chicken, lamb or pork. I think the best combo would be beef :)

This was indeed finger licking good and I would definitely include it in my menu once in a month.

Recipe Source: Treesa

Ingredients:

Tapioca - 1 kg, cut in chunks
Beef - 500 g
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Small onions/Shallots - 5-6 nos
Garlic - 5  nos
Green chilli - 5 nos, adjust to your taste
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt
Water
Mustard seeds - ½ tbsp, to temper
Whole dry red chilli - 3 nos, to temper

For Beef Marination:

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Ginger - ½ tsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1 tsp, finely grated
Lemon juice
Salt

Marinate the cleaned beef pieces with the above mentioned powders for an hour.

Instructions:

To prepare beef:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add finely sliced onion (1 no) and sauté till it's golden brown.
• Add the marinated beef and fry till the beef turns brown colour.
• Pressure cook the beef until it is cooked well.

To prepare Kappa:

• Take enough water and put the kappa pieces.
• Add salt and turmeric powder.
• Let the water boil and then close the lid for the pieces to get cooked. Stir in intervals.
• When the kappa gets soft and cooked, discard the water.
• Grind coconut, green chillies, garlic, a sprig of curry leaves,small onions, cumin seeds to a coarse paste.
• Add the grounded coconut mixture paste to the cooked kappa and sauté for few minutes.
• Add in the cooked beef as well.
• Let the mixture gets thoroughly combined and cooked all together. Check for salt.
• Sauté till the beef aroma spreads to the kappa pieces :) Kappa biriyani should have a thick consistency.

To Temper:

• Heat coconut oil. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Wait till the mustard gets cracked.
• Split the whole dry red chillies, curry leaves and stir for a minute until it changes color.
• Add this to the Kappa Biriyani and stir well.

Notes:

• Using a kilo of tapioca will lasts definitely for 2 days :)
• Use coconut oil to temper the biriyani.

Pepper Chicken

This is the way my mother-in law prepares Pepper chicken and is really yummy. I've added a dash of soya sauce to the dish to give a smooth rich flavour and is optional.

To get the authentic taste, use coconut oil, few more sprigs of curry leaves and no need of soya sauce :)

The cute bowl in this pic was gifted by our friend and batch-mate Rachana. Thanks Rachs !!

Recipe Source - Mom-in law

Ingredients:

Chicken - ½ kg
Onions -  2 nos, finely sliced
Ginger - 1½ tbsp, finely sliced
Green chilli - 3 nos, slit lengthwise
Tomato - 1 no, sliced
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Pepper powder - 2 tbsp, as per taste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt
Water
Oil - Use coconut oil, I've used Olive oil.

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan.Add sliced onions, slit green chillies, sliced ginger, curry leaves and sauté till golden brown.
• Add turmeric and pepper powder and fry till the spices are fragrant.
• Add sliced tomatoes and chicken pieces. Sauté till the masala coats on the pieces well.
• Add enough salt, water and close with a lid for the chicken to get cooked.
• When chicken is cooked, add pepper powder in case needed as per your taste.
• Let the chicken turn to a semi-dry consistency and pour soya sauce. Cook for few more minutes and switch off the flame.

Beef Fry

I learnt to make Beef fry from my Mootha(aunt) and she had learnt this from our neighbour, Rahmath aunty. The Beef fry that aunty makes is just awesome. Her secret ingredient is paste made from whole dry Kashmiri chilli. Now to simplify it, I've just used the powder. Here is my slight variation of Rahmath aunty's Beef fry.

Sathya loves it to be semi-dry consistency; this can be made either gravy or a very dry consistency like beef varattiyathu.

Recipe Source : Rahmath aunty

Ingredients:

Beef - 750 grams
Onions - 2, finely sliced
Ginger - ½ tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1½ tbsp, finely grated
Tomatoes - 2, sliced
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2  nos, 1 inch stick
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1½ tbsp
Red hot chilli powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon and sliced onions.
• Fry the onions until it changes to golden brown.
• Add grated ginger, garlic and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add the turmeric, kashmiri chilli, red hot chilli, coriander powders and roast till it is fragrant.
• Add in sliced tomatoes and let it turn soft.
• Add the cleaned beef pieces and fry till the mixture gets coated well with beef.
• Pressure cook the beef.
• When the beef is cooked, transfer the contents to a non-stick pan and roast it till your required consistency.
• I've made my beef to semi-dry consistency.

Notes:

No need to add water while pressure cooking the beef as water will come from onions and tomatoes.
No need for adding oil while roasting the beef after it is cooked.

Chicken Curry - A Kerala touch

We started this weekend with a dinner party at our home, invited few of our friends gang staying near Ashfield. This wasn't much a planned party; was all in hurry-burry. I started cooking preparations a bit late; but managed to finish in time.

As a true Malayalee, I preferred to make Kerala cuisines. I prepared Puttu, Vellappam, Rice, Parippu curry, Mutton Pepper fry, Chicken curry. But there was a twist when it came to desserts. Due to time constraint, I decided not to make anything sweet this time. We both had earlier came to an agreement that whenever we have a party, I wasn't supposed to make the routine payasam; but instead to serve our guests with western cuisine desserts. Even before starting this blog, I've made few good desserts and got a thumps up to go for those ones. Then thought about the simplest Pannacotta  and called up Sathya to bring me thickened cream.

I made Rosewater Pannacotta for dessert just 2 hours before the guests arrived. Poured in individual ramekins for that to set & placed in refrigerator. Dyuti was busy playing and didn't come to the kitchen for the usual rounds. She was not aware what I was doing in there. When I gave her the Pannacotta, she asked me "Amma, who made it?". She was very much surprised when I told her and was telling me "Oh, you made this Amma.. Wow !!" Now isn't that sweet of her. So much innocence in our kids !!

This chicken curry is almost similar to the way all our Mom's make back in Kerala :) I've made slight variations and made it in my style.

Here goes the Kerala Chicken curry recipe. Adding coconut milk is not mandatory as the gravy would get thicken with the onion tomato paste. For the Kerala touch, I would recommend adding coconut milk or just the plain ground coconut paste. Have to say the mutton pepper fry and chicken curry was loved by all by seeing the empty bowls :)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 no (large)
Onions - 4 finely sliced (medium)
Tomatoes - 3 sliced
Oil - I used coconut oil
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red hot chilli powder - 1 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup

Chicken Marinade:

Chicken - cut into pieces
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 3 (slit lengthwise)
Pepper Powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Chopped Curry leaves - a sprig

Marinate chicken pieces for at least an hour.

Spices to grind to a smooth paste:

Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2 (1 inch stick)
Cardamom seeds- 2 pods
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Lemon juice - half of a lemon

Grind the spices along with ginger, garlic and lemon juice to a smooth paste.

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
• Add sliced tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Grind the sautéed onions and tomatoes mixture to a very fine paste.

• In the same pan, pour some oil and when hot, add the spice, ginger, garlic mixture  paste.
• Let the raw smell goes off from the mixture and the spice aroma spreads around.
• Add the onions tomato paste and fry for few minutes.
• Add half teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 tsp red hot chilli powder and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add the chicken marinade and fry for 5 minutes.
• Pour a cup of water and close with a lid. Make sure to stir in between.
• When chicken is almost cooked, add the thin coconut milk. I made it by grinding half cup frozen grated coconut with water.
• Let it boil for few minutes and switch off the flame.
• Temper the gravy by frying chopped onions in coconut oil and then add it in to the gravy.

Mutton Pepper Fry

This one is for the mutton lovers, Dyuti & Sathya. This mutton fry is really delicious.

Dyuti & me went in the morning to buy a kilo of mutton. But after removing the fat and taking out the bones that these butchers hid along with the meat, I think I may have only 750 gms of meat left.. very pity..

Recipe Source: My own :)

Ingredients:

Mutton - 750g 

Onions - 3 nos (medium)

Tomato - 2 nos

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Fennel Powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coconut Oil

Water

Salt

For Marinating Mutton:

Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp (chopped)

Green chillies - 3 nos

Ginger - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Garlic - 1 and 1/2 tbsp (chopped)

Lemon juice - half of a lemon

Salt

• Combine chopped coriander, green chillies, ginger & garlic in a mixer and grind to a fine paste using water.
• Marinate mutton with the paste, lemon juice and salt and refrigerate for a minimum 1-2 hours or overnight.

Instructions:

• Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker.
• When oil is really hot, add the sliced onions and sauté till golden brown in color.
• Add turmeric powder, fennel powder & 1 tbsp of pepper powder. Roast the powders for a minute.

• Add sliced tomatoes & sauté till it's mushy.

• Now add the marinated meat and fry till the masala coats well.
• Add half a cup of water, check for salt and pressure cook the meat.

• Once cooked, in case there is a lot gravy, heat the pan in high flame and thicken up the gravy.
• Before switching off the flame, add the remaining half tbsp of pepper powder and 1 tsp garam masala. This gives additional flavour.

Note:

Best to serve this in a semi dry consistency and pairs well with chappathi.

Adjust the spices & gravy according to your taste.