Kakadi Poha

Yet another Cook-along with my soul sisters. This time we learnt to make Flattened Rice with Cucumber, which is a very popular dish from Maharashtra. This from the kitchen of Preeti. 

Ingredients

• Thick White Poha - 1 1/4 cup 
• Cucumber - 1 medium 
• Oil - 1 tablespoon 
• Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida, to taste 
• Chana Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
• Urd Dal - 1/2 teaspoon 
• Green Chilies - 3 or 5, slit 
• Ginger - 1/2 inch, finely chopped 
• Curry Leaves - 10 
• Coriander Leaves 1/4 cup, finely chopped  
• Salt, to taste 

Preparation 

• Grate the cucumber (with the peel) 
• Wash the flattened rice and drain. 
• Mix the flattened rice and cucumber, and leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Method

Heat the oil in a kadai. When the oil is hot, sputter the mustard, and add the asafoetida. Add the chana dal and urd dal, stir for about 15-30 seconds till the dals are a light brown. Add the ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. Stir for 15-30 seconds. Add the flattened rice and cucumber mix, stir till it is mixed well with the tempering. Add the salt, and coriander leaves. Mix well, and switch off the heat. 

Serving suggestions: 

Serve with cucumber slices, and garnished with sev or bhujia for extra crunch. You may also sprinkle with lime juice for added tang. 

Birakaya Thoku Pachadi

Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney 

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon of Sesame oil 

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 tablespoon of Jeera

5 - 10 green chilies (depending on your spice tolerance) 

1 medium onion sliced

1 tablespoon of Garlic pods 

1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder

1.5 cups of Ridge Gourd Peel 

1 tablespoon of Tamarind 

Salt, to taste 

Method

Heat the oil in a kadai, and sputter the jeera in it. Add the chilies, onion, garlic, and turmeric. Fry till the onions are translucent. Add the ridge gourd peel and tamarind, and fry for 3 minutes on high heat. Lower the heat, cover the kadai, and cook till done. 

Once the mixture is completely cooled, grind with salt and a little water to achieve the desired consistency. 

Serving suggestion: 

This chutney is usually eaten mixed with rice and a little bit of sesame oil. We also eat it with dosa. 

Parippu Pradhaman

Parippu Pradhaman is made from Split Yellow Gram, Coconut Milk, and Jaggery. This recipe, as with most of my recipes from Kerala, came from the kitchen of my soul sister - Anupa. 

Ingredients 

Split Yellow Gram - 250 g 

Coconut Milk - 1 cup of thick milk (first extract) 

Coconut Milk - 4 cups of medium extract 

Jaggery - 500 g or less (as per taste) 

Ghee - 1 tablespoon 

Cashew nuts - 2 tablespoons (split) 

Raisins - 1 tablespoon (optional) 

Coconut pieces - 2 tablespoons 

Cardamom - 7 pods 

Preparation: 

• Dry fry the split yellow gram in a thick bottomed pan till it is golden brown. Then pressure cook with 1.5 cups of water (2 whistles). 
• If you are using fresh coconut milk, extract the coconut milk from the coconut. Do not mix the first extract with the rest. 
• Dissolve the jaggery in 1/2 a cup of water by boiling, so that it forms a liquid with the consistency of honey. 
• In the ghee, fry the cashew nuts, raisins, and coconut pieces (golden brown). 
• Remove the cardamom seeds and grind it to a fine powder. 

Method 

Mix the split yellow gram and 4 cups of coconut milk in a thick bottomed saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or till the gram is soft without turning mushy, Then add the melted jaggery and cook on low till it reduces to a thick porridge-like consistency. Turn off the heat. Add the thick coconut milk, the fried cashew nuts, raisins, and coconut, and the cardamom powder - mix it well.

Serving Suggestion: 

This parippu pradhaman is traditionally eaten with a Yelaki Banana and Kerala Pappadam, which brings out the flavours of the dish. It can be eaten as is too. 

Biryani - Sunder Uncle's Recipe

Sunder Uncle is - my sister from another mother - Hema's Dad. He was one of the sweetest people I knew, and he always treated me like one of his own. He was a total foodie, and an amazing cook. 

From as long as I've known Hema's family, I've celebrated Christmas with them, and Sunder Uncle would usually make the yummiest biryani among other yummy dishes. I'd eat several helpings, and it is to me both comfort food and celebration food all rolled into one. 

This is his recipe, or as close to it as we can remember... when I cooked it today for the first time on a video cook-along with my soul sisters (that includes Hema), it was a load of fun, and an ode to Sunder Uncle and his cooking legacy. I missed him, and also felt so close to him. 

Ingredients 

Oil 1/2 cup or Ghee 1/4 cup + Oil 1/4 cup 

Bay leaves - 3

Star anise - 2

Cinnamon bark - 4 inch sticks

Cloves - 4 

Garlic Ginger paste - 3 tablespoons 

Green chilies - 12 or as per taste 

Onions - 3 sliced 

Basmati / Jeera rice* - 1/2 kg 

Water or Chicken stock - 1 1/2 times volume of rice 

Salt - to taste 

Lime juice - 1/2 

Curds - 2 tablespoons 

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup 

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup 

Tomatoes - 3 medium sliced 

Chicken/Mutton/Beef* - 1/2 kilo or Vegetables 

*Preparation

• Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the rice. Heat some oil in a kadai and 'fry' the rice in the hot oil till there is no water left and the rice is evenly coated with oil.  
• Cook the meat with salt and water. The mutton or beef will need to be cooked in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles. 

Method 

Take a cooker and add oil (and ghee). After heating add cinnamon,cloves, and star anise. Then add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies, stir. Add the sliced onions and fry it until the onions are golden yellow in color. (For the vegetable biryani, add the vegetables at this point and cook till half done.) 

Add the rice, water, bay leaves, and salt to the cooker. Add the lime juice, curds, and coriander and mint leaves; add the tomato. Now add the pre-cooked meat, close the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. 

Kozhi Varutharachathu

Ingredients for the Masala Paste

 1 cup of grated coconut 

10 shallots 

7 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons of black pepper

2 teaspoons of coriander seeds

3 dried red chilies 

5 Kanthari Mulaku 

1 stick of cinnamon

1 star anise

 3 cardamon pods 

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

10 curry leaves

2 tablespoons of coconut oil 

 Dry roast all the ingredients for the masala paste, except for the oil, till it turns a golden colour. Then add the coconut oil and continue roasting for 5 minutes. Cool completely, then make a thick paste with it in a mixie. 

 Ingredients for the Chicken Curry 

 1/2 kilo chicken 

2 tablespoons of coconut oil 

3 chopped onions 

3 chopped tomatoes 

5 green chilies 

2 tablespoons of ginger / garlic paste 

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 

1 teaspoon of chili powder 

Salt, to taste 

 Method 

 In a kadai pour the coconut oil and saute the onions. Add the ginger and garlic paste, and green chilies, saute for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes.Saute till tomatoes start leaving the oil. Add the masala paste along with turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt. Add the chicken to this. Mix well, making sure that the chicken is coated well with all of the masala and spices. You may pour a cup of water, then cover the pan to cook the chicken. Once cooked you can alter the thickness of the gravy as needed. Serve garnished with a few curry leaves. 

This authentic recipe came from the kitchens of my soul sister Anupa, who is an expert in Kerala Cuisine. 

Sabudana Kichdi Recipe

our Book Club is more than a book club... we are soul sisters, a girl gang, each other's cheering squad... and this morning we also became a Cook-along club... with my Friend Ramya walking us through the steps on how to make the perfect Sabudana Kichidi... as always it was loads of fun... and we all got to eat a yummy breakfast after... totally worth setting up an alarm to wake up at 7:30 am for this... and what a lovely way to start the day...

Ingredients 

1 cup of sago

2-3 medium potatoes 

1/2 cup of peanuts

3-5 green chilies

coriander leaves

grated fresh coconut

lemon 

1 tablespoon of ghee

1 teaspoon of jeera 

a few curry leaves
salt, to taste

Preparation

6 - 12 hours in advance: 

- Take 1 cup of sago and rinse 3 - 4 times or under running water till the excess starch is washed away. Place the sago in a bowl and add water so that the water level is about 1 inch above the level of the sago. Let the sago soak for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes of soaking, drain the excess water from the sago, place the soaked sago in the bowl, cover and leave it for 6 - 12 hours. 
- Boil 2-3 medium potatoes. Once they have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate them for 6 - 12 hours. 

Just before cooking: 

 - Peel the potatoes,  and dice
 - Roast 1/2 a cup of peanuts, cool, and grind them coarsely. (Expert Tip: Do not grind the peanuts too much, that may release the oil from them and make it sticky.) 
 - Slit 3 - 5 Green Chilies 
 - Finely chop Coriander Leaves 
 - Grate 1 - 3 tablespoons of fresh Coconut
 - squeeze the juice of a small lemon 

Cooking method: 

- Add about 1 tablespoon of Ghee in a kadai. (Expert Tip: Adding a very small quantity of cooking oil to the ghee will prevent it from burning.) 
 - When it is hot, sputter about 1 teaspoon of Jeera in the hot ghee. 
 - Add the potatoes. (Expert Tip: Add a pinch of sugar so that the potatoes brown well.) Stir till golden brown. 
 - Add the Green Chilies, and Curry Leaves, then stir.
 - Add the peanut powder and stir. 
 - Add the sago and salt. Mix well, then cover the kadai and cook on low heat till the sago turns translucent. 
 - Add the Coconut, Coriander, and Lemon Juice. Turn off heat. 


Serve hot with a dash of coconut on the top, and a wedge of lime.

Bitter-gourd Stir-fry

Thoran (തോരൻ) is a coconut-based dry dish traditionally made of finely chopped stir fried vegetables in Kerala. I added raw mango, and tomatoes to this dish.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
a large pinch of asafoetida
2 medium sized bitter-gourds, diced
a large piece of raw mango, diced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
3 green chilies, slit
salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
3 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut

Method

Heat oil and add mustard to it. When the mustard starts sputtering, add the asafoetida.

Add the bitter-gourd and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Add the raw mango, the tomatoes, and the green chilies and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric powder, and cumin powder. Close and cook low heat.

When the bitter-gourd is half cooked, add the coconut. Close and cook on low heat till done.

Mushroom Fry

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon of fresh chopped ginger

200 g of sliced mushroom

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black peppercorns

1 small onion, sliced and fried till brown

1/2 teaspoon of masala powder

salt, to taste

2 tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

Heat the oil in a kadai on medium heat and add the mustard seeds to it. Once the mustard seeds start sputtering, add the ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Then add the mushroom and cook covered for 2-3 minutes till the oil starts to separate. 

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and freshly ground pepper. stir on high heat for 30 seconds. 

Add the browned onions, masala powder, and salt to taste. Cover and cook for about 1-2 minutes, then serve garnished with fresh, chopped coriander leaves. 

Bitter Gourd curry

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon of mustard
a pinch of asafoetida
a cup of finely chopped bitter gourd
1-2 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 large tomato finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder
salt to taste

Method
Heat the oil in a kadai. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds sputter, add the asafoetida. Stir, then add the bittergourd. Saute on high heat for a minute. Add the green chilles, turmeric, and salt. Lower flame, cover and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato. Cook on medium flame till done. Garnish with the cumin powder and saute on high heat for a minute. 

Goan Pork Sausages

Ingredients
250 grams of Goan Pork Sausages
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
2 medium onions sliced
1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste
2 potatoes cooked and diced
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
2 teaspoons of coriander powder
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
Salt to taste
Vinegar (optional)

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Method
Heat the oil in the pan. Add the onions and fry on high flame till it starts turning pink. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears. Add the meat from the sausages with the turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powders. Stir for about a minute, then add a cup of water. Simmer and cook till the meat is tender. ( Add water if required and stir occasionally. Add extra salt and vinegar if desired.) Add the potato and allow it to cook for a few minutes till the grease starts separating.  

Mutton Biryani

Marinate half a kilogram of mutton (with bones) for a few hours with:
Salt (to taste)
half a teaspoon of turmeric
one teaspoon of chilli powder
two teaspoons of coriander powder
one teaspoon of garam or biryani or mutton masala
3-5 tablespoons of curd

soak 2 cups of basmati rice in warm water for about an hour and drain.

in a small cooker, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and add cinnamon bark, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns and roast. add the marinated mutton to this and saute on high heat. add 2 medium sized chopped tomatoes and 5-10 slit green chillies, close the cooker and switch off after one whistle.

(note: you can also use a mixture of your regular cooking oil and ghee is required)

in a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and add cinnamon bark, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns and roast. add the soaked and drained basmati rice to this and saute. add half the quantity of water required to cook the rice and cook on medium flame till all the water evaporates.

in a kadai, fry 2 large onions in ghee till they are a deep brown.

mince mint and coriander leaves (to taste)

in a large pan, spread half the rice at the bottom. layer half the browned onions and half the mint over the rice. spread the mutton and gravy over this. spread half the coriander leaves and the remaining rice over the mutton, followed by the remaining browned onions and mint.

(note: at this point adjust salt and water quantities)

place a fitted lid on the large pan and weigh it down. steam the biryani till the bubbling boise stops and all the water is absorbed.

serve garnished with the remaining coriander and the juice of a lemon.

easy chicken biryani in a pressure cooker

marinate half a kilo of chicken with the following for about an hour:

salt - to taste
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 tablespoon of chilli podwer
1 tablespoon of coriander powder
1 tablespoon of chicken or biryani or garam masala

soak a quarter kilo of basmati rice in warm water for an hour.

heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee is a thick bottomed pressure cooker. Add cinnamon bark, cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom, stir once, then add 1 large or 2 medium chopped onions to this. Fry till golden brown, then add 1 tablespoon of ginger and 1 tablespoon of garlic paste. Once cooked, add the marinated chicken and 3-5 slit green chillies. Close cooker and steam till one whistle, then switch off. once the cooker can be opened, add 3-4 chopped tomatoes and the soaked rice to the cooker, adjust water, stir well, then close and steam till one whistle again.

garnish with coriander and mint leaves, and lemon juice.

Chicken in Green Mango

Ingredients:

450 gms Chicken, skinned, boned and cubed
2 tbsp Corn Oil
4-5 Curry leaves
1 tsp Ginger Pulp
300 ml Water
2 Green Chillies, cut
2 Medium Onions, sliced
1 Medium Green Mango, peeled and sliced
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Pulp
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tbsp cut Coriander
2 Medium Tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds


How to make chicken in green mango:

• Place the chicken cubes in a round dish and add the fenugreek seeds, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and coriander powder.
• Mix the spices into the chicken and add half the mango slices to this mixture as well.
• In a medium saucepan, heat up the oil and fry the sliced onions until golden brown.
• Add the curry leaves.
• Gradually add the chicken pieces, stirring all the time.
• Pour in the water, lower the heat up and prepare for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the water has been absorbed.
• Add the remaining mango slices, tomatoes, green chillies and fresh coriander and serve hot.

andhra chilli chicken

marinate half a kilo of chicken with the following for about 45 minutes:

7-10 slit green chillies
1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon of coriander powder
1 teaspoon of cooking oil/ghee
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida powder

finely mince 1 big onion
dry roast a few curry leaves till dry

heat cooking oil in a kadai, add the onion and fry till light brown. add the marinated chicken and stir fry till it starts turning brown. reduce flame and let it cook. when almost done add 1/2 teaspoon of chicken/garam masala, a pinch of fenugreek powder, 1/2 teaspoon of jeera powder and cook the chicken till its done. squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and add the curry leaves, stir and turn off the heat.