Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Fit for the kings!

As Onam draws closer, here's some help to whip up a delicious `Sadya'

WHIP UP A FEAST Delicacies from Kerala for Onam

Kerala food is renowned for its robust use of spices. The traditional Kerala fare, called `Sadya,' comprises a mix of all the festive specialties. The traditional favourites include kai stew with appam, ishtoo, erachi biryani. Here are a few easy Kerala recipes.

Vazakka upperi

Ingredients

Raw bananas: 10
Butter milk: 200 ml
Rajulu chilli powder: 20 g
Ghee: 10 ml
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method: Cut thin slices of raw banana. Soak in buttermilk for an hour. Drain the buttermilk. Add the rajulu chilli powder, salt and ghee and keep aside. Add some flour for binding. Coat the banana slices thoroughly and fry in hot oil.

Paccha mulaku kozhi

Ingredients

Chicken: 1500 g
Tamarind: 30 g
Salt to taste
Sugar: 5 g
Dried curry leaves: 20
Shallots: 225 g
Ginger garlic paste: 30 g
Green chillies: 10
Tomatoes (ripe): 2
Turmeric: 5 g
Red chilli powder: 5 g
Method: Cut the chicken into medium size pieces. Extract the tamarind pulp. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the curry leaves, shallots and sauté till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook thoroughly. Add the chilli powder and the turmeric powder and stir. Add the chicken and cook till half done. Now stir in the slivers of green chilli and the tamarind extract and cook till the chicken is well done

Kai stew

Ingredients

Potatoes: 3
Peas: 1/2 cup
Carrots, cut into small cubes: 1/2 cup
Onions: 1
Large green chillies, cut into long slits: 5
Cloves: 5
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Whole black pepper: 5-6
Ginger, thinly chopped: 1tbsp
Fresh curry leaves: 7-8
Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
Thick coconut milk, fresh or canned: 1 cup
Salt to taste
Method: Cut the potatoes and carrots into cubes. Cut the onion into thin long slices. In a cooking vessel, put the potatoes, carrots, peas, onions along with the cut green chillies and ginger. Add the whole black pepper, cloves and the cinnamon. Add 3/4 cup water and salt.

Cover the vessel and keep it for boiling on a medium flame for around five minutes. Check if the potatoes are cooked and then take the lid off and continue cooking till there is very little liquid. Then add the coconut milk and mix and cook on slow flame for two minutes.

Then add curry leaves and the coconut oil and mix. Serve hot with vellappams.

Tips: Use thick coconut milk. If using fresh coconut, then blend grated coconut with little warm water and then strain.

Or you can use `Thai' brand canned coconut milk, which has a fresh taste

Alappuzha fish curry

Ingredients

Fish pieces: 500 gm
Small onion, chopped: 12
Green chillies: 5 or 6
Ginger, cut into long pieces: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves: required amount
Salt: to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder: 1 1/2 tbsp
Coconut milk (first): 1 cup
Coconut milk (second): 1 cup
Cocum (Kodumpuli): 4 flakes
Cashew nut paste: 25 g
Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
Method: Clean nicely the fish pieces with salt and lemon juice. Add a cup of water and boil it with cocum (kodumpuli), salt, curry leaves, green chilli and boil it. Add second coconut milk and cover it and cook for five minutes. Remove it from the flame and keep aside.

Heat the coconut oil in another pan. Sauté the small chopped onion till it becomes pink and add turmeric powder, chilli powder.

When it aroma emits mix with cooked fish and add first coconut milk and cashew nut paste. Round the pan. Don't stir the curry the fish pieces may break . Keep it in low flame till the gravy becomes thick. This curry can be served with rice/ chapatti or palappam.

(The chef is from ITC Hotel Kakatiya Sheraton and Towers)

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail