Pappada Boli/Vada

 

Ingredients

1. Idli rice - 1/2 cup (Soak it in water for around 15 mts and grind to a smooth batter along with dry red chillies.)
2. Dry red chillies - 6-7
3. Besan/ Chickpea flour/ Kadala mavu - 3 tsp
4. Black sesame seeds - 1 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Salt - A pinch or to taste
7. Water - To make a thick batter
8. Pappad - 15- 20

9. Oil - For deep-frying
 
Method

1. Grind the idli rice and the dry red chillies to a smooth batter adding enough water. Add the cumin seeds, black sesame seeds,  salt and kadalamavu. Mix well. Add more water if required.

2. Dip the pappads in this batter and deep fry in oil one at a time until golden brown turning them over, in between.

Ada Pradhaman

Ingredients

1. Rice ada / rice flakes - 200 - 250 gm
2. Jaggery - 400 - 500 gm or to taste
3. Coconut milk (thin, randam pal) - 2 - 21/2 cup (You need 3 coconuts for this recipe. Shred the coconuts and extract the thin and thick coconut milk)
4. Coconut milk (thick), onnam pal) - 1 cup
5. Cashews, raisins, fried coconut slices(thenga kothu) - 2 tbsp each or as desired
6. Dry ginger powder(chukku podi) - 1 tsp
7. Cardamom powder - 1tsp
8. Cumin powder -1 tsp
9. Ghee - 1 tbsp or as required

Method

1. Boil water in a pan. Wash ada and cook it in boiling water for around 20 mts or until it becomes soft. Strain and rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking. Meanwhile melt the jaggery in around 2 cups of water and strain it.

2. Heat ghee in an uruli or a deep pan. Fry the raisins, cashews and coconut slices one by one and drain on to a paper towel. Now add the ada and saute in ghee for 3-4 mts adding more ghee if required at medium heat. Add the melted jaggery, cook at medium heat stirring in between. When it thickens, add the thin coconut milk. Bring down the heat to medium-low and cook until it thickens, stirring in between. Now add the thick coconut milk. Mix well and add the dry ginger powder, cardamom and cumin powder. Mix well, cook for 1-2 mts at low heat and switch off. Garnish with the fried cashews, coconut slices and raisins. Close with a lid for at least 15 mts to lock the flavors. Serve hot or cold.

Chilly Fish

Ingredients

1. King fish  - 1/2 kg or around 3 fillets, cubed ( I used tilapia, you can use any fish of your choice)

2. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

3. Soy sauce - 1 tsp

4. Salt - To taste

Batter

5. Corn flour - 1/4 cup

6. All purpose flour / maida - 1/4 cup

7. Water - 2 tbsp - 4 tbsp ( For a thick batter)

8. Refined  oil - To deep fry

For the sauce

9. Onion - 2 medium, cubed

10. Garlic - 2 tsp

11. Green chillies - 2-3 chopped fine

12. Bell pepper - 1 medium, cubed

13. Celery - 1/4 cup, chopped fine

14. Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp

15. Chilly sauce - 3 tbsp (I didn’t have it so I added red chilly sauce)

16. Soy sauce - 1 tsp

17. Water or stock - 2 cup (I used vegetable stock)

18. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

19. Corn flour - 1 tsp mixed in 2-3 tbsp water

20. Salt - To taste

21. Oil - 2 tbsp

22. Spring onion chopped - To garnish

Method

1. Clean and cut the fish pieces to small cubes ( to 20 pieces or so). Marinate it with 1/2 tsp pepper powder, salt(soy sauce will be a little salty so adjust the salt accordingly) and 1 tsp soy sauce for at least 1 hr.

2. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup corn flour, 1/4 cup maida and a little salt. Add 1 beaten egg to it and then add water gradually. Mix well, remove any lumps and make a thick batter out of it.

3. Heat oil in a deep pan. Dip the fish pieces in the batter and deep fry until golden brown flipping  the fish pieces to the other side in between. It would not take more than 15 mts at medium heat. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry them in two batches or so. Drain the fish pieces on to a paper towel.

4. Heat 2 tbsp of the fried oil in a wide pan at medium high heat. Add chopped garlic, saute for a few seconds. Then add chopped celery. Again saute for a few seconds and add the chopped onion and a little salt. Saute until the onion turns translucent, then add the cubed bell pepper. Saute for a few seconds and add 1.5 tsp chilly powder. Mix well.

5. Add 2 cups chicken stock/vegetable stock or water. Bring it to a boil and add 3 tbsp chilly sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar. Taste check for salt. When the stock reduces to almost 1.5 cup,  add the fish pieces and mix well. Again bring it to a boil. To thicken the sauce add a few tea spoons of corn flour mixed in water. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes and switch off. Garnish with spring onion. This goes really well with fried rice and noodles.

 

 

 

Recipe Courtesy - Lakshmi Nair (Magic Oven)

KERALA SADYA VIBHAVANGAL

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS ONAM

 

Click on the picture to go to the recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaduku Manga Achar / Mango Pickle

Ingredients

1. Raw mango – 1
2. Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
3. Fenugreek powder – ½ tsp
4. Hing – ¼ tsp
5. Salt – To taste
6. Sesame oil – 1 tbsp
7. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
8. Dry red chillies – 1
9. Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

Chop the mango into small pieces. Mix the chopped mango pieces with chilly powder, fenugreek powder, hing and salt in a bowl. Keep it aside for a few hours. In a pan heat sesame oil, splutter mustards, fry dry red chillies and add curry leaves. Add the mango pieces and mix well. Alternatively, you can pour this tadka over the pickle that’s kept aside and mix well. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Tips:

You could add around 2 tbsp yoghurt to 3 tbsp or so of this pickle for an extra taste but consume it within 1-2 days. Add extra salt if needed.

Chenathandu - Cherrupayar Thoran

We, Keralites make thoran with all possible veggie combinations. This is one thoran that is especially made on the day of Onam in our Central Travancore region. Chenathandu (yam stem ) and cherrupayar (green gram)make an awesome combination. Do give it a try.

 

• Ingredients
   
  1. Chopped chenathandu (elephant yam stem) - 1 cup
  2. Cherrupayar (green gram) - 1/4 cup, cooked
  3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
  4. Green chillies – 1-2
  5. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  6. Garlic - 1-2
  7. Cumin seeds- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp
  8. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  9. Dry red chillies – 1-2
  10. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
  11. Oil - 2 tsp
  12. Salt - To taste
  

Method

1. Peel off the skin of the elephant yam stem. Clean and chop finely.

 

 

 

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,  dry red chillies and curry leaves.
3. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the chopped chena thandu, turmeric powder and salt. Stir well.
4. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Crush the grated coconut with green chillies, cumin seeds and garlic. Add it to the thoran. Cover the vessel and cook for some more time in low flame. Remove the lid and  add the cooked cherrupayar.

 

6. Stir-fry until dry. Serve hot with rice.

 

 

Sharkkara Varatti / Sharkkara Upperi

 

 

Here’s the recipe for the sweet jaggery-coated version of banana chips called sharkkara upperi, yet another inevitable part of an Onam sadya.

 

Ingredients

1. Raw banana - 1 kg (Around 4-5 bananas)
2. Jaggery -1 cup
3. Dry ginger/ chukku and cumin seeds, powdered - 2 tbsp
4. Cardamom powdered - 1/2 tbsp
5. Rice flour - 1-2 tbsp (optional)
6. Sugar - 1 tbsp or to taste (optional)
7. Coconut Oil - To deep fry

Method

1. Peel off the plantain skin and immerse in turmeric water (mix 1/2 tsp turmeric powder in enough water)  for around 20 minutes. Strain off the excess water and leave to dry or pat dry.
2. Cut each banana into half, lengthwise and then into pieces, of quarter inch thickness. 3. Heat oil in a wide deep pan or an uruli at medium high flame. Be sure not to fill oil more than half - 3/4th of the pan you are using. The oil should  be really hot.( You can test the oil by adding a slice of banana, it would immediately come to the surface bubbling.) When the oil is really hot, bring down the flame and slowly add the banana pieces.  Now increase the flame to medium-high. Stir occasionally with a slotted spoon flipping them to the other side so that the chips wont stick to each other. It will take at least 30 - 45 mts to fry them. When they are done, you can hear a crisp sound and the oil will stop foaming. You can also taste check whether its done or not. Strain them on to a colander, with a plate or any dish underneath to catch any oil drippings. Spread them on paper towels or newspaper to cool.  Let them cool completely.

 

4. Melt the jaggery in  2 - 3 cups of water and strain it.

5. Heat the jaggery in a deep pan or uruli. Bring this to a boil stirring in between. To check the consistency, put one drop of the boiling jaggery in cold water. If it is of the right consistency, it won't dissolve. You can also see thin threads of jaggery syrup when you stir it (nool paruvam). Bring down the heat and add the fried banana pieces. Mix well and stir continuously. It will be really difficult  to stir them. Once the chips are covered with jaggery, add the cumin, cardamom and dry ginger powder. Switch off the flame. Mix and stir well in order to prevent the chips from sticking to each other. Transfer to a wide plate, allow it to cool down completely and then store in an airtight container.

 

Tips: If the jaggery is not properly coating the raw banana pieces, add rice flour to thicken the syrup (around 1-2 tbsp depending on the consistency of the syrup) and mix well. You could also add sugar ( around 1 tbsp) for thickening the jaggery syrup or if the chips are not sweet enough. You wont need to add either of them if the jaggery syrup has the right consistency.