Lemon Rice

Ingredients

 

1. Basmati rice - 1.5 cup cooked and cooled   
2. 0nion - 1 small, chopped fine
3. Green chillies - 4 chopped fine
4. Finely chopped ginger - 2 tsp
5. Lemon juice - 1.5 tbsp or to taste
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Hing/asafoetida - 2-3 pinch
8. Peanuts - 1/4 cup
9. Chana dal/Split Bengal gram - 1 tbsp
10. Urad dal/Split black gram - 2 tsp
11. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
12. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
13. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp finely chopped
14. Curry leaves - 2 sprig chopped
15. Dry red chillies - 2
16. Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp
17. Salt - to taste

 

Method

 

1. In a wide or deep nonstick pan, heat oil ,splutter the mustard and cumin seeds, add the dry red chillies, urad dal, chana dal and the peanuts. When they turn light brown add onion, green chillies, curry leaves and salt.

 

2. When the onion turns transparent and soft add hing and turmeric powder.  Now add the cooked rice, lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well. Check for salt.  Saute well for a few more minutes and remove from heat.

 

 

3. Serve hot with yogurt and any pickle.

Chuttaracha Chammanthi

 

 

 

  This is one of the tastiest chammanthi that I have ever had.   The combination is rice, this chammanthi, bittergourd or potato mezhukkupuratti, yoghurt and pappad. You can even use shredded coconut instead of sliced coconut.  Try using a  stainless steel pan instead of nonstick pan to roast the coconut since the coconut might stick to the nonstick and spoil it.

 

Ingredients

1. Coconut slices – 1 cup (I use the frozen coconut slices)
2. Pearl onion – 5
3. Ginger – 1 inch piece
4. Curry leaves – 1 sprig
5. Dry red chilli – 5 (You can also use 1/2 tsp chilli powder but dry red chillies will be more tasty)
6. Tamarind – gooseberry size
7. salt

 

Method

1. In a pan add the coconut slices and sauté until light brown at medium heat. Now add the dry red chillies. Sauté until the coconut slices turn brown and the dry red chillies are crispy. Take care not to burn them.

2. When it cools down grind it together with pearl onion, ginger, curry leaves, tamarind and salt. Add water only if needed.  Your chammanthi is ready. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Stew

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Fish – Around 250 gm ( I used 2 salmon fillets)

2. Onion – 1/2 medium sized

3. Ginger – 1 inch piece chopped

4. Garlic – 3-4 chopped

5. Tomato – 1 small sliced

6. Green Chillies – 3 sliced

7. Kudampuli/fish tamarind – 2-3  soaked in water for 15 mts or so (You can also use lemon juice  instead of kudampuli)

8. Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

9. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

10. Coriander powder – 3/4 tsp

11. Thin coconut milk – 1/2 cup

12. Thick coconut milk – 1/4 cup

13. Curry leaves – 1 sprig

14. Salt – To taste

Method

1. Clean and slice the fish fillets.

2. Heat oil in a claypot/meenchatti or in a pan and add the sliced onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic.

3.  When the onion becomes transparent, add the sliced tomato, curry leaves and saute for 1-2 mts.

4. Now add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.  Mix well.

5. Add the thin coconut milk.

6. Bring it to a boil and add the fish pieces and kudampuli. Cover and cook.

7.  When the fish pieces are done add the thick coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes. Check the salt and switch off.  Serve hot with rice/chappathi/appams.

 

Chicken Stew

  .

Ingredients

1. Chicken with bones – Around ½ kg  or 1 cornish game hen, cut to small pieces
2. Onion - 1 sliced
3. Ginger – 1 inch piece chopped fine
4. Garlic – 6-7 chopped fine
5. Green Chillies - 4-5 sliced
6. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
7. Whole spices crushed - cardamom – 2, cloves – 8, bay leaves – 2, cinnamon stick – 2, whole pepper – 8, fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp, star anise -1
8. Potato – 2 small, cubed
9. Carrot – 1 med-sized, cubed
10. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
11. Thin coconut milk – ½ cup
12. Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
13. Garam masala – ¼ tsp (optional)
14. Salt – As required

Method

1.  Clean and cut the chicken to small pieces.  Crush the whole spices in a mortar and pestle.

2.  In a deep pan heat some coconut oil, add crushed  whole spices and sauté for a minute. Now add sliced onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.

3.  When the onion becomes transparent, add the chicken pieces and mix well. Stir in the thin coconut milk. You just need to add half cup thin coconut milk since water will ooze out from the chicken. Add the potatoes, carrots, few curry leaves and mix well. Cover with the lid and cook at low flame. 

4.  When it is done, add thick coconut milk, sprinkle garam masala(optional) and mix well. Check for salt. Serve with appam/chappathi.

Recipe contributed by Heney

Tips :

1. You can also prepare this stew by pressure cooking the chicken and vegetables together at medium heat for 1 whistle.  But slow cooking is always more tasty.

2.  You can prepare mutton stew the same way.

Whole Chicken Baked

 

   I baked a whole chicken for the first time today and it turned out really well.  I saw this yummy recipe in kerala kitchen and decided to give it a try. The recipe is very simple even though the baking time is around 1.5 hrs.  I used the same ingredients except I added vegetable oil instead of butter.  Thanks Maneka for this simple and lovely recipe. I will be making it again soon :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1. Cornish game hen or whole chicken – 1
2. Fresh ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp ( grind 1 inch piece ginger and 4-5 cloves of garlic)
3. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
6. Garam masala – 1 tsp
7. Meat masala – 1 tsp
8. Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
9. Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
10. Onion - 1 small sliced
11. Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
12. Salt – to taste

 

Method

 

 

 

 

1. Clean the whole chicken after removing the giblets and skin. Pat dry.
2. Marinate the chicken with the other ingredients for atleast 5 hrs. Make a few gashes in the chicken so that the all the masala can penetrate inside. Since we are adding oil to the marinade it will easily stick to the chicken.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 

 

 

 

 

 

      4. Place the marinated chicken inside the baking tray or any oven safe dish. Cover it with an aluminum foil and bake for around 30 mts. After 30 mts take the chicken out and turn it to the other side. Cover it again with the aluminium foil and return back to the oven after drizzling some oil on top of the chicken.

      5. After another 30 mts take out the baking tray and put the sliced onion in the baking  dish. Baste the chicken with the juice that oozed out of it. Place it back in the oven, bake for another 30 mts and it will be done.

Chicken Biriyani

 

Ingredients

 

1) Chicken - Around 10-12 medium pieces or 2 cornish game hen

Marinate the chicken pieces with the items under marinade for at least 4-5 hrs.

Marinade

2) Chilly powder - 2 tsp

3) Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

4) Fresh ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp

5) Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp

6) Pepper powder – half tsp

7) Garam masala – 1 tsp ( If your garam masala does not have fennel powder as an ingredient you can also add 1 tsp fennel powder since it gives a nice aroma and flavor to meat preparations. Find the recipe for home-made garam masala below.)

8) Biriyani masala powder – 2 tsp (Find its recipe below)

9) Yoghurt – 1 tbsp

10) Salt - As required

11) Rice - Around 2.5 cups of basmati rice

Cooking Rice

  To cook rice I usually follow the draining method. Soak the basmati rice for around 30 mts. Boil water in a deep vessel. To the boiling water add ghee – 2 tsp, whole spices (peppercorns- 10, cloves – 6, cardamoms - 2, bay leaves-2, cinnamon - 2, fennel seeds – half tsp, star anise- 2 and mace - 3). I usually add lots of whole spices. Add enough salt. The water should be slightly salty. Now add the soaked rice and cook it to the perfect consistency. Drain the water and allow the rice to cool.

Chicken preparation

Ingredients

12) Onion – 2 red onion medium sized, sliced lengthwise and thin

13) Tomato – 1 medium sized, seeded and chopped

14) Ginger – 1 inch piece

15) Garlic – 6-7

16) Thai green chillies – 10 (Adjust the chillies and spices according to your spice tolerance)

17) Curry leaves – 1 sprig

18) Pearl onion – 5-6 (optional)

19) Whole spices – cardamom – 2, Cloves – 5-6, cinnamon stick – 1-2, bay leaves – 1-2 , pepper corns – 5-6, mace -1, star anise -1

Method

1)Coarsely grind the ginger, garlic, pearl onion, green chillies and the whole spices in a mixer.

2)Heat around 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan and add the sliced onions to it. When the onion becomes light brown, add the coarsely ground mixture, curry leaves and sauté well for a few minutes.

 

 

3) Add the chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes.

 

4) Now add the marinated chicken, mix everything well and cover it with a lid and cook the it in low flame. It will take at least 45 mts - 1 hour for the chicken to be properly cooked. When the chicken is done, check for salt and masala. You can add 1/2 tsp fennel powder or garam masala if you wish. Mix well. Switch off the flame.

 

 

 

Garnish

I usually fry the cashews, raisins, onion, coriander leaves and then prepare the chicken in the same pan with just enough oil.

1. Fried onion – 1 onion sliced lengthwise. Fry it in hot oil stirring occasionally, until browned.

2. Cilantro – 1 bunch chopped and fried till crispy (It will take only around 5-10 mts and it will be crispy and deep green in color). You can use fresh chopped cilantro if you wish.

3. Mint leaves – Half bunch, chopped fine

4. Grated carrot – 1 (Optional)

5. Cashews , Raisins – Around 1/4 - 1/2 cup each, fried in oil

6. Julienned ginger – 1 inch cut lengthwise and very thin

7. Pineapple – Around 1/4 cup (I usually use canned pineapple tidbits)

8. Tomato - 1, Seeded, sliced lengthwise and then fried until cooked and lightly browned. Its also optional. We didn’t use it.

 

Layering

For layering you need a cookware which can be put on stove or which is oven-safe. I usually use a stainless steel stock pot to layer the rice and chicken since it can be used for both purposes. The biriyani can also be served in it.

Smear the base of the cookware with ghee. Then add the fried onions, fried cilantro, cashews, raisins, mint leaves, grated carrot, pineapple, julienned ginger, fried tomato and chicken. You can pour a little gravy over the chicken pieces. Now add the rice and repeat the process. You can sprinkle some fennel powder or biriyani masala and ghee on each layer. The top-most layer should be that of rice with the items under garnish.  You can pour the chicken gravy over it. Now seal the cookware with an aluminium foil (so that moisture won’t escape), cover with its lid and bake it at 350 F for around 15-20 mts (depending on the cookware you use). If you are planning to keep it for long, cook the rice only till it is 95% done or so. If you are using stovetop keep it at low flame for around 10-15 mts. Serve hot with boiled eggs, raita, papad and lemon pickle. You will never go wrong with this recipe :-) This recipe serves around 6-8 people.

 

 

Recipe for biriyani masala (Yield - 1.5 - 2 tbsp)

1.  Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp

2.  Cloves - 4-5

3.  Cardamom - 1-2

4.  Cinnamon stick- 2 inch

5.  Star anise - 1/2 flower

6.  Whole pepper corns - 10

7.  Poppy seeds (Kus Kus) - 1/2 tsp

8.  Bay leaves - 1 leaf

9.  Mace (javithri) - 2

Dry roast all these spices lightly, cool down and grind to a fine powder. Dry roasting is optional.

 

Tips:

1. You can sprinkle some saffron in coconut milk while layering. It gives an extra taste and color.
2. Cooking the chicken in ghee instead of oil will give an extra taste though it isn’t recommended health-wise.
3. If you deep/shallow fry the chicken after it is cooked, the chicken will remain firm and more tasty.
4. Adding cashew paste ( of around 10 whole cashews soaked in water for 10 mts or so) and/or coconut milk (around 1 -2tbsp) also gives an extra taste to the chicken gravy.
5. You can use store-bought fried onion for garnishing.
6. Use pearl onion (Around 15-20) instead of onion to make the chicken gravy more tasty.  You can crush it along with the green chillies, garlic, ginger and whole spices.

Technorati Tags: Kerala Dishes

Koottu Curry

  This is one of my favorite dishes although it is not very popular in my place. It is usually served in a traditional Kerala feast (sadya). Adding fried coconut in the end gives it a very nice flavor and aroma.

 

 

 

 

 

   

Ingredients

1. Raw plantain – 2 diced

2. Elephant Yam – 1.5 cup diced (I used frozen yam)

3. Carrot, pumpkin – 1 cup (optional)

4. Black chickpeas/kadala/chana cooked – 1 cup

5. Chilly powder – 1 tsp

6. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

7. Salt - To taste

For grinding

8. Grated coconut – ½ cup

9. Pearl onion – 4

10. Whole pepper corns – 10-12

11. Cumin seeds - ½ tsp

 

For tempering

12. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

13. Dry red chilli – 2

14. Curry leaves – 1 sprig

15. Coconut slices – ¼ cup

16. Grated coconut – ½ cup

17. Hing - A pinch

18. Whole pepper corns - 5 crushed

19. Ghee / coconut oil – 1 tbsp

20. Coconut oil - 2 tsp

 

Method

1. Pressure cook the black chickpeas (soaked overnight) in water adding enough salt till 4 whistles or till it is cooked well.

2. Add the raw plantain, elephant yam, carrot , chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and enough water in a pan and cook till they are done.

4. Coarsely grind the grated coconut, pearl onion, cumin seeds and pepper corns. Add this ground mixture to the cooked vegetables and mix well. Cook for a few minutes and switch off.

5. Add the cooked chickpeas to the above mixture.  In another pan add oil, pop mustard seeds, add dry red chillies, curry leaves, crushed whole pepper corns, grated coconut and coconut slices. Roast the grated coconut and coconut slices(I forgot to add them here) till they are reddish-brown in color. Add a pinch of hing to it.

 

6. Now add the roasted coconut mixture to the curry and mix well. Finally add 1 tbsp of ghee / coconut oil for that extra taste. Serve hot with rice.