Aviyal

Aviyal (updated picture)

Here is a Kerala specialty dish.Aviyal is traditional dish of Kerala which is a medley of lots of vegetables cooked in coconut and yogurt sauce flavored with cumin,garlic,coconut oil and curry leaves.It is less spicy and highly nutritious. Usually for the Sadhya it is prepared as a semi solid side dish for rice.You can add as many vegetables as you like. Traditionally we use raw plantains,yam, snake gourd,ash gourd,cluster beans,drumsticks,pumpkin,carrots, Chembu( taro) etc. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
To grind
Shredded Coconut- 1 cup
Yogurt- 3-4 tsp
Cumin- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Garlic pods-2
Shallots- 3-4


Vegetables
Plantain-1,
Potato- 1 small
Carrot- 1,
Yam sliced- 1/2 cup
Ash gourd- 1/2 cup
Snake gourd, Chembu( taro)- 1 cup
Yard Beans- 1/2 cup
Drumsticks- 5-6 pieces
Cluster  beans- 1/3 cup
Green chilly slitted- 4-5
Green mango- a few pieces.


Mustard seed- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Red chilly-2
Coconut oil- 2 tsp

Chop vegetables into long slices ( thickness and length-size 3/4 of your index finger).
(Note: You can cut all vegetables and keep then together except mango. If you are adding mango add it only when the vegetables is almost cooked and soft, especially check the plantain. Otherwise the vegetables will not get properly cooked. If you do not like mangoes you can add one tomato at this stage or 1/2 cup of yogurt along with the ground coconut later)

Add salt,one tsp of coconut oil and 1/2 cup of water cover and cook till vegetables are tender but not mashed up.Cover and cook and stir in between. Make sure it does not stick to the bottom. If necessary sprinkle little bit of water

Grind all the ingredients listed under to grind into a fine paste with very little water and add to the cooked vegetables. Gently stir in the coconut mixture and simmer for another two minutes.
(Note:If adding yogurt add at this stage)

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add red chilly and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Pour this over the curry and mix well. Aviyal is ready.Serve with rice.

( Traditionally for sadhya there will be no seasoning. After adding the coconut mixture simmer for two minutes. Add fresh curry leaves and drizzle a little coconut oil on top)

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy...

German Chocolate Cake

Delicious gooey chocolate cake filled with creamy  caramel flavored coconut pecan frosting will surely be something every chocolate cake lover would die for..and for a chocolate lover like me this was divine.When I first saw the German chocolate cake I was impressed by the beautiful stack of cakes with this gooey frosting and finally ended making one at home. I feel it is one of the most delicious chocolate cake.I have brought a little alterations but for the exact recipe check here.For the chocolate cake you can use either melted baking chocolate or a combination of baking chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Ingredients for the filling

Condensed milk- 8 ounce or 1/2 tin
Butter - 3 tsp
milk- 2 tsp
vanilla essence- 1tsp
Egg yolks 2
Chopped pecans- 3/4 cup
Sweet Coconut - 3/4 cup
Salt- a pinch

Ingredients for cake
1)Flour- 2 cup
Butter - 3/4 stick
Cocoa- 1/2 cup
Baking powder- 1 1/2tsp
Baking soda- a pinch
salt- a pinch

2)Semi sweet chocolate- 4 ounce
Egg- 3
Butter milk- 3/4 cup
Sugar- 3/4 cup
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

To make the frosting
Heat condensed milk, two tsp of milk and butter. When this comes to a boil beat egg yolks in a separate bowl and add two to three tsp of this hot liquid and whisk vigorously. Quickly add this egg mixture to the boiling condensed milk and stir continuously till thick like custard. Add in chopped pecan coconut and vanilla essence and allow this mixture to cool completely.
For the cake 
Heat oven to 350 degree F and prepare baking pan by greasing it and then dusting with flour.
In a double boiler melt chocolate and allow to cool. Combine the dry ingredients listed under one and keep aside.
Beat butter and sugar until it becomes creamy and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating.Add vanilla essence and melted chocolate and combine. Now add little by little flour mixture and butter milk and gently fold in. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or till the tooth pick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let it cool down completely before frosting.


Sending this to the following events ...
Priya's Now Serving- Crazy for Cakes Guest Event,Rumanas Treat To The Eye - Series 2 ,Akheela's Food Palette Series Brown,Akila's Dish Name Starts with G

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Hope you will all enjoy..

Chemmeen Pollichathu

Chemmeen Pollichathu is a delicious recipe in which prawns is slowly cooked in a tangy and spicy coconut sauce wrapped in banana leaf.The uniqueness of this recipe is due to the distinct aroma infused by banana leaf that is used to cover the fish or the prawns masala. I have used kodum puli as a souring agent. We can also use tomatoes or tamarind. In some regions tender tamarind leaves is used instead. If you are lucky to get tender tamarind leaves try it with this recipe. it tastes even better.Give this recipe a try, you will surely enjoy :)

Ingredients
Prawns- 1 lb
Crushed shallots- 1 cup
Ginger- 2 inch thick
Garlic- 6-7
Green chilly- 2
Kudampuli/ Gambooge- 2peice
( or use Kokum or Tamarind)
Thick coconut milk-1/3 cup
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/3 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Coconut oil- 2 tsp

Heat oil in a pan and add minced garlic,ginger and green chilly and fry for a minute followed by shallot /onion and fry till golden brown. Add turmeric powder followed by kukum, salt,coriander powder, chilly powder and garam masala. Add prawns and fry for a minute till it changes color. Now add the coconut milk and simmer till the masala is reduced. Keep this aside.
Take banana leaf and gently place on the gas stove flame turning each side quickly till it changes color. Place this leaf on a plate and layer the prawns masala. Fold in from all side wrap the leaf and tie it. (Have a look here ) . Heat a manchatti ( earthen ware) with lid or a tawa. Grease it with a little oil and place the wrap in and cover and cook for 2-3 minutes turning sides in between. Serve with rice or pathiri.

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy.

Karimeen Curry/Meen Palu Curry

Karimeen Curry/Meen Palu Curry (Cochin Fish Curry)

Delicious and spicy fish curry is a must for lunch in every Malayali home .This is nadan fish curry made with pearl spot or karimeen which is popular in Kerala. The fish is simmered with spices and coconut milk and is flavorful and delicious.Different regions have their own variations of fish curry ranging  from the fiery red curry or  mulaku curry to very mild curries like fish molee. Fish curry is made milder by adding shredded coconut either as a fine paste or as coconut milk. Try this curry. You will surely love this as it tastes wonderful with rice or appam.

Ingredients
Karimeen fish-5-6
(or any fish of your choice)
Thinly sliced onion- 1/2 onion
Crushed shallot- 1/3 cup
Tomato- 1 medium
Kudam puli- 3 pieces
Ginger sliced- 2 inch thick
Garlic - 2 (optional)
Green chilly- 2
Thick coconut milk- 1 cup
Thin coconut milk- 1 cup
Chilly powder- 11/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Coconut oil- 2 -3 tsp

Marinate fish with turmeric powder and salt for ten minutes. If you like you can lightly fry the fish before adding to the gravy.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and  curry leaves and wait till they splutter and curry leaves to fry. Next add sliced onions and crushed shallots along with ginger and saute till golden brown. Next add tomato and green chilly and saute till tomatoes are soft. Add turmeric, chilly powder and salt and saute for a minute. Now add thin coconut milk, water and kudampuli and allow to boil. Drop in the fish pieces cover add cook till the fish is cooked and tender. Finally add the coconut milk and allow to simmer for two more minutes. Serve with rice.

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy..

Yam/ Chena Podimas

Chena Podimas

Here is the famous south Indian favorite- podimas but not the classic potato podimas. Here I substituted yam for potato.Yam is a versatile vegetable and this podimas tastes delicious.This goes well with rice and rasam and is now one of our family favorites

Yam- 1/2 lb
shallots/onion chopped- 1/3 cup
green chilly-2
Chilly powder- 1/3 tsp
Turmeric- 1/3 tsp
Cumin- 1/3tsp
Ginger minced- 1 inch thick
Coconut- 1/3 cup
Urud dal- 1 tsp
Chana dal- 2 tsp
Mustard- 1/3 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Curry leaves- one spring
Red chilly- 2
Salt
oil

Cut yam into pieces and cook with salt and one tsp of oil and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and fry followed by red chilly,chana dal and urud dal. When it is golden brown add hing,onions,ginger and curry leaves.Saute till golden brown. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder and finally the cooked yam and shredded coconut. Mix well,check for salt and allow to fry in medium heat for a few minutes. Serve with rice

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy.

Kallumakaya/ Kadukka/Mussels Fry

This  spicy fried delicacy and is much favored in Kerala. It is one of the all time favorites next to lobster and crab.Mussels or kadukka is a good source of zinc and folic acid.It is more popular in Malabar regions and there are several traditional and exotic recipes and it can be either fried or stuffed( arikadukka- mussels stuffed with rice paste). As I searched the web I found another interesting recipe of the Malabar region Kadukka pickle!. Anyways I am yet to try arikadukka and pickle.
The whole process of cleaning mussels is tedious. It needs to be boiled to open the shells and removal of the wastes etc., will be time consuming. Here I tried with the cleaned and packed mussels. This is spicy and delicious and can be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

Ingredients
Mussels- 1 1/2 lb
Onion sliced-1 
Shallot - 8-10
Tomato- 1 medium
Ginger-2 inch thick
Garlic- 8-10 pods
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/3 tsp
Garam Masala-1 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Oil


Clean and marinate mussels with turmeric powder, salt  and chilly powder and cook with 1/2 cup of water and cook till done( 3-4 minutes). Heat  2 tsp of oil in a pan and add sliced onions, shallots and fry till it changes color. Add ginger and garlic and curry leaves and fry till golden brown. Add finely chopped tomato and cook till soft. Add coriander powder, pepper powder and garam masala and the cooked mussels and fry till the masala is well coated and the mussels gets a little crispy. Serve with rice or parotta.

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Hope you will all enjoy..

Pavakka Varuthathu/ Fried Bitter Gourd

Pavakka fry is quick and easy side dish and goes well with rice and sambar.I know it is one of the less loved vegetable because of its bitter taste..for some reason I have always loved them.Usually I make mezhukkuvaratti or pachadi but this fry is something I love to have occasionally. Try this crispy and spicy pavakka fry, you will surely love it and believe me,you will not feel the bitterness :)

Ingredients
Bitter Gourd/Pavakka- 2 medium
Onion sliced- 1 medium
Green chilly- 3
Coconut sliced- a few
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
salt to taste
Rice flour-1 tsp (optional)
Corn starch- 1 tsp( optional)
oil for frying

Cut bitter gourd into thin slices and mix in green chilly, coconut slices, chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. Set this aside for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Mix in corn starch and rice flour into the marinated bitter gourd just before frying. 
When the bitter gourd starts changing color to golden brown add in sliced onions and fry them all together till crispy. Use paper towels to drain off the excess oil.Serve with rice.

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy..