Pepper Bitter Gourd (Kurumulaku Pavakka)

For the Veg Lovers :-)

Ingredients (Serves 2 People)

Chopped Bitter Gourd: 1 Cup
Chopped Onion: 1 Cup
Pepper Powder: 1 Table Spoon
Coconut Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Curry Leaves

Cooking time: 20 minutes
Method

Pour oil to a pan and add chopped bitter gourd and onion to it
To this add salt and turmeric powder and cook well in low flame keeping the lid closed

Open the lid and stir in between (Do not add water)
Once it cooks well add pepper powder and saute well
Keep in low flame with lid closed for 5 to 10 more minutes
Saute in between
Serve hot

10 Marinade Recipes (Fish)

Here are 10 Different types of Fish Marination. You can get more creative or more complex :)

10. Classic - Chilly Turmeric
Fish: 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water

Mix red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt
Add required water and make it a paste
Add fish to it and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

9. Shallots and Chilly
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Green chilly :3 - 4
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

8.Just Shallots
Fish: 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots and salt
Add required water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry fish and serve hot

7. Pepper green
Fish: 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 Tea Spoon
Green Pepper: 10 nos
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 8
Salt
Water


Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, green pepper, garlic, shallots and salt
Add required water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry fish and serve hot

6. Indian Masala
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Green chilly :3 - 4
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Curry Leaves
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

5.Lemony
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Green Chilly :3 - 4
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Lime juice / Vinegar: 1 Table Spoon
Salt

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger, lime juice/vinegar and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

4.Minty masala
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Chopped Coriander Leaves: 1/2 Table Spoon
Chopped Mint Leaves: 1/2 Table Spoon
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger, corriander leaves, mint leaves and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

3. Tangy tomato
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Green chilly :3 - 4
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Tomato Ketchup: 1 Table Spoon
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger, Ketchup and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

2. Cumin
Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, cumin seeds and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

1. Fenugreek

Fish : 250 gms
Red Chilly Powder: 1 1/2 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Shallots: 10
Garlic: 6 - 7
Green chilly :3 - 4
Chopped Ginger: 1/2 Table Spoon
Fenu greek seeds powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water

Grind together red chilly powder, turmeric powder, shallots, garlic, green chilly, ginger, fenugreek seeds and  salt
Add water and make it a paste
To this add fish and marinate well and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes
Fry the fish and serve hot

Note

For all marination you can add little corn flour too

Increase or decrease the quantity of chilly powder as per your wish

After marinating keep the fish in fridge

Sweet Banana Rolls

A Quick and easy Snack!!

Ingredients (Serves 3 to 4 people)

Banana: 2 - 3
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup

Cashew nuts + Raisins: 1/4 Cup
Sugar: 2 - 3 Table Spoon

Bread Crumbs: 1 Cup
Oil: For Frying

Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Method

Steam the banana for about 5 minutes

Peel off the skin and using a knife cut through the middle length wise and remove the black seeds

Mash it well preferably with hands without any lumps.(Do not add water.)

The mix should be like mashed potatoes
To this add grated coconut, cashew nuts, raisins and sugar and mix well

Roll this mixture in the desired shape and then roll  in bread crumbs
Pour oil to a pan and shallow fry the banana rolls till it becomes light brown in color.

Note

The banana should not be too ripe
If the mixture is  moist and you are not able to roll it add little bread crumbs to the mixture
Increase or decrease the sweetness as per your wish

Special Black Pomfret(Avoli) Curry

Yet another delicious fish curry :-)

Ingredients (Serves 3 to 4 People)

Black Pomfret (Avoli): 500gms
Shallots: 1 Cup
Green Chilly:4 - 5
Chopped Ginger: 1 Table Spoon
Chopped Garlic: 1 Table Spoon
Tomato: 1

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 2 Tea Spoon
Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Thin Coconut Milk: 1 Cup
Thick Coconut Milk: 1/2 Cup
Coconut Oil: 3 Table Spoon
Fenu Greek Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Method

Cut and clean the fish well

To a pan pour coconut oil and to this add fenugreek seeds
Then add chopped shallots, ginger and garlic and saute till it cooks well
Then add chopped tomato and stir well
To this add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, kashmiri red chilly powder and salt and saute till oil starts to leave.

To this add thin coconut milk and once it boils add fish and cook in low flame.
Once fish cooks well add green chilly and curry leaves

Let it boil once and then switch off the flame and pour thick coconut milk and give a good stir
Serve hot with rice.

Note:
Once the fish is cooked be careful while you stir the curry, because the fish might tear off.
Do not boil after adding thick coconut milk.
The fish curry gets a nice flavor when cooked in an earthen pot.

Kunhikalathappam / Vishu Appam

It is Vishu time again!!
For those readers who doesn't know what is vishu, here is a brief:

"Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in  Kerala and Mangalore & Udupi districts usually in the second week of April. It marks the new year as per Malayalam calendar. The most important event in Vishu is the Vishukkani, (the first thing seen on the day of Vishu after waking up). The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowers konna (Golden shower), and a holy text,A lighted bell metal lamp called nilavilakku and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli in the pujaroom of the house. On Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight in the new season."

In some parts of the  Malabar region Kunhikalathappam / Vishu appam  is made and kept for Vishukkani. Some make Neyyappam and Unniappam too.
To see the recipe for Neyyappam please click here
To see the recipe for Unniappam please click here

Another important part of Vishu is Sadya..To see the various dishes for Sadya please click here

Kunhikalathappam / Vishu Appam

Ingredients (Makes 60 to 65 pieces)

Raw Rice: 1 kg
Boiled Rice: 1 kg
Jaggery: 1 kg
Cardamom Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Egg: 2 (Optional)
Baking Powder: 1 Table Spoon
All Purpose flour/ Maida: 200gms

Sa jeerakam(Shia Jeera/Sheema Jeerakam/Caraway seeds/ Persian Cumin/ Meridian Fennel ): 1 Table Spoon
Sugar: If Required
Cashew Nuts: 1/4 Cup
Raisins: 1/4 Cup
Ghee: 3 Table Soon
Coconut Oil/ Sunflower Oil: For Frying
Water

Preparation time: 3 Hours
Cooking Time: 1 Hour
Method

Soak boiled rice and raw rice in water separately for 2 hours
Pour little water to jaggery and melt it and strain it and keep aside
Clean the sa jeerakam and keep aside

Roast the cashew and raisins in ghee and keep aside
Clean well and strain off the water and dry grind the rice to a fine powder.
If you are not able to grind the boiled rice to a fine powder add very little water and grind it to a fine paste
Now mix the raw rice powder and the boiled rice paste well

Separate egg white and yolk.  Whip the egg white well and add it to the batter (Usually while we make this appam for Vishukkani we don`t add eggs)
Now add the liquid jaggery, cleaned sa jeerakam, cardamom powder, roasted cashew nuts and raisins. Mix well.
Make sure that there are no lumps in the batter and it should be the consistency of dosa batter
If you feel the water is more add little maida to the batter
If sweetness is less add little sugar

Dissolve baking powder in little water.Add it to the batter and mix well.Keep the batter closed for an hour
Preheat the oil well and reduce the flame to medium (Not too low)

Pour small portions of the batter to the oil and cook
Once you pour the batter to the oil, Keep on pouring hot oil from the sides to the center of the appam using a spoon till the appam cooks well.
Do not turn the appam because this appam is made by pouring hot oil on top.

Note:
If you feel the sweetness is less add little sugar or increase the quantity of jaggery.
Once you grind the rice you have to make the batter immediately.

Egg Curry in Coconut Milk

For the Egg Lovers!!! ....Best combination with Appam/Idiappam....

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 People)

Egg: 5
Onion: 2
Green Chilly: 4 - 5
Ginger: 1 inch piece
Tomato: 1
Garlic: 4 to 5
Cardamom: 2
Cloves: 4
Cinnamon Stick: 1 inch piece

Turmeric powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coriander powder: 1 Table Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Thick Coconut Milk: 1/2 Cup
Thin Coconut Milk: 1 Cup
Coconut Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Method

Hard Boil the eggs.
Remove the shell and cut into 2 pieces and keep aside.
Crush cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick and keep aside
To a pan pour 1 table spoon of coconut oil and add chopped ginger and garlic
Saute for 2 to 3 minutes and then add chopped onion
Saute until onion cooks well and then add chopped tomato to it

Once tomato cooks well add turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt
Once the raw smell goes add thin coconut milk and let it boil
Once it boils reduce the flame and add boiled eggs and  curry leaves.
Split the green chilly and add that too.
Reduce the flame and cook for 5 to 6 more minutes in low flame
Then add thick coconut milk and add the crushed spices and pepper powder
Give a stir and switch off the flame
Pour 1 table spoon of oil to a pan and add mustard seeds to it
Once the mustard seeds finishes popping pour it to the curry.
Serve hot with Appam or Idiappam

Note:
Do not boil after adding thick coconut milk.
While boiling the eggs add little salt to the water, this helps to remove the outer shell easily..
After adding the eggs be careful while stirring, else the yolk may get dissolved in the gravy.

Mathan and Vanpayar Erissery (Pumpkin and Black eyed beans with roasted coconut)

Erissery - An integral part of any Kerala feast. Be it onam or vishu, this dish is a must.

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5 people)

Vanpayar (Cow Peas): 1/2 Cup
Chopped Pumpkin: 1 Cup

Grated Coconut: 1 Cup + 1/4 Cup
Green Chilly: 2 - 3

Cumin Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Red Chilly powder: 3/4 Tea Spoon
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Oil: 2 Table Spoon

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 3 - 4
Salt

Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Method

Soak vanpayar (Cow Peas) over night
Grind together 1 cup of grated coconut, green chilly and cumin seeds (Do not make a smooth paste)
Cook vanpayar adding required water turmeric powder and red chilly powder

Once cooked add pumpkin and required salt and cook
Now add crushed coconut, curry leaves and stir well and allow it to boil
Once it boils well switch off the flame
To a pan pour oil and add mustard seeds, once it finishes popping add dried red chilly and 1/4 cup of coconut and saute till coconut becomes light brown in color
Add this to the curry
Serve hot with rice