Chana / Chole Masala

Ingredients

• Chana/White Chickpeas - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 
• Red Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala  - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Cloves - 2

To grind

• Tomatoes - 2
• Onion - 1 
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Preparation

1.Soak chickpeas for 8 hours.Pressure cook with enough water and salt until soft,Set aside.

2.In a pan heat oil; add onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and saute till mushy. Allow it to cool, then add fennel seeds and pepper corns along with this.Grind it to a fine paste

3.In a pan heat oil, add cinnamon,cloves and onion then fry till golden brown.

4.Add the tomato onion paste. Add the spice powders and mix well.Add chana along with the cooked water to this and cook in medium flame.Add required salt.

5.Once the gravy is thick and desired consistency is reached, Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.

Tomato Pulissery / Thakkali Pulissery

Pulissery is a curd based side dish for rice and it is a popular dish in Kerala. It can be prepared with pine apple, mango, ash gourd,papaya etc. Here i have used tomatoes, so it is called tomato pulissery.

Ingredients

• Tomatoes - 2 
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Green chillies - 2
• Shallots -  2 
• Cumin seeds - a pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Beaten Yoghurt - 1/2 cup 
• Dried red chillies - 2

Preparation

1.Grind coconut along with cumin seeds,green chillies,shallots,salt with enough water to make a fine paste.

2.Boil tomatoes with little water, salt,turmeric powder and chilli powder.

3.When the tomatos get cooked,add the coconut paste,mix and boil  until it gets little thick.

4.Add the beaten yoghurt to this and stir well in low flame.Do not let the yoghurt to boil.Stir well. Switch off the flame and keep it aside.

5.Season the mustard seeds with dried red chillies and curry leaves.Pour the seasoning to the curry.

Koottu Curry

Koottu curry is a prominent dish in the traditional Kerala Feast or 'Sadya'. It is a combination of some vegetables, chick peas and roasted coconut. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

• Raw plantain – 2, cubed
• Yam – 1/2 cup cubed
• Black chickpeas cooked – 1/2 cup
• Chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Jaggery – 3 – 4 tbsp
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper corns - 1tsp

For seasoning

• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chillies – 2 – 3
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Grated coconut – 1/4  cup
• Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Preparation

1. Soak the kadala / black chana in enough water for at least 4-8 hrs. Pressure cook it in enough water adding salt until it is fully done.

2. Add the raw plantain, elephant yam, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and enough water in a pan and cook till they are done. Add 3 – 4 tbsp jaggery and mix well.

3. Coarsely grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds and pepper corns in a mixer. Add this ground mixture to the cooked vegetables and mix well. Check for salt.

4.Cook until the raw taste of coconut is gone. Add the cooked chickpeas to the above mixture. Mix well. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Switch off.

5.In another pan add oil, pop mustard seeds, fry dry red chillies, curry leaves, grated coconut. Roast the grated coconut  till it is reddish-brown in color. Add the roasted coconut mixture to the curry and mix well.

Ulli Puli / Onion Curry

Ingredients

• Shallots  – 1 cup
• Tamarind – Lemon size (Soak it in 1/4 cup warm water and extract its juice.)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp 
• Chilly powder – 2 tbsp
• Fenugreek powder-  2 pinches

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan and saute sliced shallots adding little salt. Saute until onions turn light brown.

2. Bring down the heat. Add the turmeric, chilly and fenugreek  powder. Saute until the raw smell is gone.

3. Add the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. If the gravy is very thick, add little water. Check for salt. Switch off when it reaches a medium-thick consistency.

4. Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry curry leaves. Pour over the curry.

Yam Curry / Chena Asthram

Ingredients

• Yam – ¼ kg
• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Shallot – 1
• Garlic pods – 4
• Red chilli – 1
• Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt – to taste

For seasoning

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Grated coconut – 3 tbsp
• Shallot – 2 (sliced)
• Red chilli – 2 (broken)
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
• Coconut oil – 2 tbsp.

Preparation

1. Grind coconut, shallot, garlic, red chilli and cumin seeds into coarse paste.

2. Remove the skin and cut yam into pieces and wash well.  Cook yam with enough water, turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker.  When it cooked well then smashes it with a spoon.

3. Add the ground paste into it and cook for 2 -3 minutes and remove from heat.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it pop up adds grated coconut, when it becomes light brown colour add shallots, curry leaves and red chilli and sauté for few minute.

5. Pour this into the cooked curry.

Papad Curry

Ingredients

• Papad - 12
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Shallots - 3

Preparation

1.Fry the papad and keep it aside.

2.Grind coconut, cumin, shallots, turmeric and chilly powder.

3.Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard, add 2 shallots,2 dry red chilli, 1 sprig curry leaf and saute well.

4.Add the grinded mixture, 1 cup water and salt.(add less salt as the papad is already salty)

5.When starts to boil, break the papad to small pieces and add into this.

Green Gram / Cherupayar Parippu Curry

Ingredients

• Green gram / cherupayar – 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds –  1/4 tsp
• Green chilies – 2 
• Garlic – 2 
• Dried red chilly – 1
• Pearl onions – 4 
• Curry leaves – A few

Preparation

1. Grind grated coconut with cumin seeds, green chilies and garlic to a very fine paste.

2. Pressure cook the green gram adding turmeric powder,salt and enough water until done. The green gram should be slightly mashed up.  

3.Add the ground coconut paste, 1 cup hot water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes until the curry turns medium thick. The curry will thicken a lot over time so adjust the consistency accordingly. Switch off.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.When it splutters,add red chilly, pearl onions, curry leaves and saute until onion turns brown.Pour this over the curry.

Papad Sambar

Ingredients

• Plain Papad - 10
• Onion  - 1 chopped finely
• Tomato  - 1 chopped
• Ginger garlic paste  - 2 tsp
• Sambar powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves  - 2 strings
• Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Split roasted gram - 2 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 2 tsp

Preparation

1.Fry the papads and break it into 3 or 4 pieces and keep it aside.

2.Heat oil in a kadai and Add the onions and fry them till they become translucent.

3.Add the ginger garlic paste and toss it for 2 minutes.

4.Now add the tomatoes followed by the salt and sambar powder and saute for few minutes.

5.Pour some water and add the fried papads when it is about to boil.

6.In the meantime grind the masala to paste and add this paste to the mixture.

7.When it starts boiling remove the mixture from heat and garnish with the coriander leaves

Dal Makhani

 



Ingredients   

•  Whole black beans (urad saboot) - 1 cup
•  Red kidney beans/Rajma  - 2 tbsp
•  Ghee/oil - 1 tbsp
•  Salt - 1½ tsp
•  Whole red chilly - 2
•  Ginger - 1" piece
•  Garlic- 4 flakes
•  Tomatoes - 4, pureed in a grinder
•  Ghee/oil - 3 tbsp
•  Coriander powder - 2 tsp
•  Garam masala - ½ tsp
•  Butter - 2 tbsp
•  Fresh cream - ¼ cup
•  Milk - ¼ cup

Preparation

1.Soak dal and rajma together for 6 hours.

2.Grind ginger & garlic together to a paste.

3.Pressure cook the dals and rajmah with 1 tbsp ghee, salt, half of the ginger garlic paste and whole red chillies. Mash the hot dal a little. Keep aside.

4.Heat ghee. Add tomato puree. Cook until thick and dry. Add the remaining ginger garlic paste, garam masala and coriander powder. Cook until ghee separates. Cook further for 1-2 minutes. Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal.

5.Add butter, simmer on low flame for 20-25 mins, stirring & mashing the dal occasionally. Add beaten cream mixed with milk. Mix very well. Simmer for 15-20 mins more to get the right color & smoothness.

Yam-Moong beans /Chena Cherupayar Curry

Ingredients

• Yam  – 1 ½ cup (bit size square pieces)
• Moong beans  – ¼ cup
• Green chilly – 3
• Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds, crushed – 1 tsp
• Garlic clove, crushed – 1
• Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
• Whole Red chilly – 1
• Curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Wash and cook moong beans with enough Green chilly, water and salt. When it is half done add Yam.

2. Grind coconut with little water, garlic, turmeric and cumin seeds.

3. Once it cooked, add grind coconut mix to cooked yam along with curry leaves.

4. Boil it in medium-low flame for 5 minutes.

5. Heat little oil in a pan and splutter Mustard and put 1 red chilly. Switch off flame and put ¼ tsp chilly powder in that. Then  pour it over prepared yam curry.

Punjabi Rajma Masala

Ingredients 

• Onion - 2 (peel and wash and grind it and make fine paste)
• Rajma - 1 cup
• Tomato - 2(wash and roughly chop and grind it and make fine paste)
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¾ tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 ½ tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Cream - ½ cup
• Butter - 2 tbsp

Preparation

1.Rinse and soak the rajma/kidney seeds in enough water over night or 9-10 hour.

2.Strain the water and wash rajma again .In  a pressure cooker add rajma and 2 glass water and pressure cook on low flame for 35-45 mins.

3.Check the rajma cook or not by pressing a bean.

4.Heat the butter in a pan.Add onion paste  and sauté them till light golden color.

5.Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 mins .

6.Add cumin powder ,red chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder,salt and mix it well.

7.Add tomato paste and sauté them till tomato paste separates the oil.

8.Add garam masala and stir it.Add fresh cream and cook for 1 mins.

9.Add cooked rajma with water and mix it well and press few beans by spoons for thick gravy.

Purple Yam Curry / Kachil Puzhukku

 

• Kachil/Greater Yam -1 small
• Chilly Powder-1/4tsp
• Turmeric Powder-1/4tsp
• Water-1 cup
• Grated coconut -1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds-1/4tsp
• Shallots-6
• Dry red chilly-2(slits)

1.Remove the skin and wash well. Cut into large cubes
2.Place in a pressure cooker and add chilly powder, turmeric powder, curry leaves,water and salt.
3.Pressure cook for 1 whistle and open the cooker after the pressure settle down
4.Mash the pieces with back of the ladle.
5.Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds and small onions together to a coarse  mixture
6.Add this ground paste to the mashed yam and mix well. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes in medium flame
7.Now do the seasoning . Add seasoning to the curry and close for 5 minutes and mix well
Note: In some places,instead of seasoning they add coconut oil curry leaves to the cooked yam and close for few minutes
 

Seasoned Buttermilk / Moru Kachiyathu

Ingredients 

• Buttermilk – 1/2 ltr
• Small onion – 4-5
• Ginger – 2 tsp, chopped
• Green chili – 3-4
• Red chili – 2
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Mustard – 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek – a pinch
• Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation 

1.Heat oil in a pan & splutter mustard & fenugreek seeds.

2. Add red chili, small onion, ginger, green chili, curry leaves. Fry it for 1-2 minutes.

3.Add turmeric powder,asafoetida & salt. Mix well.

4.Add buttermilk and stir. Stir continuously until the steam comes through the spatula. Dont let it boil.

Potato Tamarind Curry

 

Potatoes - 2 (peel the skin and cut into big chunks)
Red onion - 1 chopped very finely
Tomatoes - 2 chopped very finely
Garlic - 3 cloves
Tamarind - a small lemon sized
Butter - 2 tsp's

For Tempering:

Oil - 4 tbsp's
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red chilly - 3
Curry leaves - 10

List of Powder's:

Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Chilly Powder / Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp's
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp


1.Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water for about 10 mins. then squeeze the tamarind pulp out and get the tamarind water ready.

2.In a thick bottomed pan, heat 4 tbsp's of oil. add mustard. when it crack's add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, garlic, red chilly and asafoetida powder. fry them for few seconds till the garlic gets sauted.

3.Now add finely chopped onions, saute them till they turn translucent. add finely chopped tomatoes. saute the tomatoes along with onions, till they mix up along. You got to saute for at least 3-4 minutes, till they mix up.

4.Add salt to taste and all the powder's mentioned in the order. fry them well for 2 mins, till the oil comes out on the sides of the pan.

5.Now add chopped potatoes and mix them well with the masala's. Add tamarind water and mix well with the potatoes. close the pan with its lid. let the flame be low so that the potatoes get cooked in.

6.After 5 minutes, open the lid, add the butter mix the curry well. add little water, as per the consistency you require and mix well. close the lid.

7.After 5 minutes, the potatoes would have cooked. you can check that by inserting a knife into the potato. if the potatoes are not cooked, cook for another 5-10 minutes and remove from flame. Now the spicy potato curry is ready.

Black Chickpeas / Kadala Curry

Ingredients

• Black Chickpeas – 1 cup
• Onion – 1 large sliced and chopped
• Pearl onions – 4 sliced
• Green chilly – 3 slit
• Curry leaves – A sprig
• Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chilly -2

To grind 

• Grated coconut – ¾ cup
• Pearl onion – 2 sliced
• Coriander seeds – 1½ tbsp (You can use coriander powder instead, add it while making the gravy)
• Whole spices – (Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp, cardamom – 2, cloves – 3, Cinnamon stick – 1, Whole pepper corns – ½ tsp, star anise – 1 petal)

Preparation

1.Soak the chickpeas overnight and cook in a pressure cooker till soft adding ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt. Drain the water and save it for making gravy.

2.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the coriander seeds & whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced pearl onions. Saute for a minute and add the grated coconut. Roast until it turns reddish brown. Switch off and leave aside. Grind it to a paste when it cools down.

3.In a deep pan heat some coconut oil and splutter mustard and brown the dry red chillies. Add the sliced onion, pearl onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown.

4.Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute for a few seconds and add the reserved water from the cooked chickpeas. Bring to a boil and add the ground coconut paste and cooked chickpeas. Mix well and cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency.

Moong Dal /Nadan Parippu Curry

Ingredients 

• Moong dal – 1 cup
• Ghee – 2-3 tsp
• Shallots – 3
• Mustard seeds – a pinch
• Red chilli – 2
• Grated coconut - 1tbsp

To Grind

• Grated coconut – half of one coconut
• Jeera – 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli – 2-3
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1.Grind all the ingredients.

2.Roast the moong dal in a heavy bottomed pan (without oil).

3.Boil water and add the roasted dal to this. Cook till the dal is done. Mash it well.

4.Add ground paste, salt and 1/2 cup water to the mashed dal and let it boil. Remove from heat.

5.Heat ghee in another pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add small onion, curry leaves and red chilli. Fry till small onion becomes golden brown. Add grated coconut. Pour over cooked dal.

Green Peas Curry

Ingredients

• Dried green peas – 1 cup
• Onion – 2 big, chopped
• Ginger & garlic – 2 tsp each, chopped
• Green chilli – 2-3, slit lengthwise
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Fennel powder – 1 tsp
• Tomato – 1 chopped
• Med thick coconut milk – 1½  cup

Preparation

1.Wash the dried green peas and soak them in water overnight. Drain the water and pressure cook them with 2 cups of water and salt. Separate the cooked green peas and stock.

2.Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Add chopped ginger and garlic and green chilli. Let it cook for 2-3 mins.

3.Add all the masala powders. Stir well and cook till the oil starts appearing, 3-4 mins. Add a tbsp or two of stock, just to bring the masala together. Switch off the gas and let the masala cool slightly.

4.Grind the masala to a smooth paste, add more stock, if required, for grinding.

5.In the same pan (add more oil if required), cook the ground masala for a minute or two. Add curry leaves, salt and chopped tomato. Mix well. Add the remaining stock. Let it boil, add cooked green peas. Mix well.

6.Add medium thick coconut milk, let it boil. Cover and cook for 5-7mins. Add chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Taro / Chembu Curry

Ingredients

• Taro root / Colocasia – 6 , small
• Green chillies – 2, slit
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Cocum – 2, soaked in warm water and torn to pieces (You can replace it with tamarind or 1/2 – 3/4  cup curd if you want)
• Grated coconut – 1.5 cup
• Pearl onions – 3
• Cumin seeds – 1/4  tsp

Preparation

1. Grind the grated coconut along with pearl onions and cumin seeds to a very fine paste.

 2. Peel the taro roots and wash them. Cut them into slightly large cubes. Cook them covered, at medium-low heat, along with green chilly,turmeric powder,chilly powder, cocum, curry leaves and salt adding enough water.

3. When the taro root pieces are done (do not overcook them), add the ground coconut paste. Mix well. (If you are adding yoghurt instead of cocum, add it now). Cook for  2 minutes at low heat until the raw taste of coconut is gone. Taste check for salt. Switch off.

4. Heat 2-3 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Fry 4 pearl onions until light brown. Now add curry leaves. Fry until the pearl onions turn brown. Pour on top of the curry. Close with a lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.

White Chick Peas / Vella Kadala Curry

Ingredients

•   Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
•   Onion - 1 medium sliced fine
•   Garlic cloves - 5 nos
•   Mustard - 1/4 tsp
•   Red chilies - 3
•   Curry leaves - 1 sprig

For Cooking

•   Kadala - 250 grms (soaked well 5-6 hours)
•   Onion - 1 medium chopped
•   Ginger - 1 inch piece crushed fine.
•   Garlic - 5  chopped
•   Chilies - 2 or 3 slit
•   Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
•   Curry leaves - few
•   Salt

For Roasting

•   Coriander - 2 tbsp
•   Chili (kashmiri) - 1 tbsp
•   Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
•   Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1)Put ingredients for cooking in pressure cooker and cook well. Take a ladle from the cooked gram and mash it well for your gravy.

2)Warm masala powder in a pan, putting coriander powder first, then turmeric and then chili and then garam masala. Turn off fire, and stir and toss further so that the hot pan doesnt burn the powders.

3)Open the pressure cooker when pressure is down, add the roasted powders and bring to a boil. check salt at this stage.

4)Add the mashed kadala to the gravy and boil the gravy down to the consistency you like.Turn off fire.

5)In a deep pan pour in oil, pop mustard and add the dry red chilies,curry leaves and fry well. Add the sliced onions and start frying them. when they start to brown, add the garlic cloves and fry further. Add this to the curry and mix well.

Rajma Curry

Ingredients 

• Rajma / Red Kidney Beans - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 
• Tomato - 2 
• Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
• Amchur powder(Dried Mango powder) - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera/Cumin seeds  - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/4" piece
• Cloves - 2
• Green Chilli - 1, finely chopped
• Coriander Leaves 

Preparation

1.Soak rajma in water for 6-8 hrs. Drain and discard the water. Pressure cook with enough water.Puree the tomatoes without adding water.

2.Heat a pan with oil, add jeera,cinnamon,cloves and green chilly. let it splutter then add ginger saute for a second then add onions and fry till translucent.

3.Add tomato puree along with the spice powders and required salt.Let it boil till raw smell leaves.It will start thickening after few mins, simmer and cook.

4.Add rajma along with cooked water and cook on medium high flame for some time.Give a quick stir then garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.