Happy Vishu ~ Kerala Varutharacha Sambar / Sambar Made with Roasted and ground coconut

Hello Everyone. Wondering it had been a long break for Cook-Ezee Haa ?
Its been a while being active in blogging, I wouldn't want to be a blabbermouth on listing the reasons for myself missing in action. We had been too busy with too many activities going on.
I hope all of my fellow Keralites had a great Vishu this year. Though a bit late Wishing everyone a Very Happy Vishu and A beautiful Year ahead.

I'm going to do the post on Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar which had been pending in my draft from a very long time. I have grown up relishing this Varutharacha Sambar and always had Sambar this way till I left Kerala after marriage. Many of you might know I'm from Kannur and we always make sambar by roasting coconut along with roasted coriander powder and other ingredients. My grandma makes great Sambar and I never saw her using any Sambar powder for making this typical Kerala Sambar. Neither me used any kind of Sambar powder till I left my hometown Kannur. I remember one my college friend telling me 'Your Sambar exactly tastes like the Kalyana(Marriage) Sadya Sambar Whenever I make it and bring it to college. This Sambar which I make is very popular within my family and friend's. Onam/Vishu or any festival, whatever we celebrate with our friend's group here, I'm assigned for making Sambar and Pradaman and rest of the dishes is taken care by rest of the sweet ladies in the group. So by now you can understand this is a very trust worthy recipe for Varutharacha Sambar. So let's walk along the recipe. Try them and let me know the results :)

 

Ingredients:-

1. Toor Dal - 1 Cup
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Salt - 1 tsp + more as required
4. Winter Melon/Kumbalanga - 1 Cup cubed medium size
5. Mathanga/Yellow Pumpkin - 1 Cup cubed medium size
6. Yam - 1/2 cup cubed medium size
7. Carrot sliced - 2
8. Onion Sliced very thin - 1 Med Size
9. Drumstick - 2 cut lengthwise 
10. Potato cut into cubes - 1 Medium(optional, I use it only if I run out of other veggies)
11. Okra/Vendakka/Bhindi - 7 nos(cut lengthwise)
12. Tomato Sliced - 2 medium
13. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

 To Dry Roast: -

1. Freshly Grated Coconut - 1 Cup
2. Roasted coriander powder - 2 tbsp
3. Curry leaves - 2 Sprigs
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Dry Red Chilies - 3

For Tempering:-

1. Coocnut Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Dry Red Chilies - 3
3. Curry Leaves a sprig
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp(optional)
5. Asefoetida powder -1/4 tsp

Preparation Method:-

Dry roast and grind:-

• Heat up a Kadai/wok, keep in medium heat. Drizzle a tsp of coconut oil/oil, add curry leaves, dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds making sure they do not burn.
• Add grated coconut and saute till coconut turn brown color making sure they don't turn into deep brown/black color and burn.
• Add coriander powder and saute for a minute or two till it is well coated with roasted coconut. Take off the flame and let it cool down.
• When the Roasted coconut mix reaches room temperature, grind them to a very smooth paste by adding water little by little. Set aside till the Dal-Vegetable mix is cooked enough.

Preparing the Sambar

• Pressure cook the Toor Dal by adding salt and turmeric powder for two-three whistles. Take off the stove and let it cool down fully.
• When the heat subsides, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
• Add yam, drumstick, onion, carrot and potatoes to the cooked Dal. Stir well to mix in the Veggies and Dal.
• Cover and cook in medium heat for around seven-ten minutes till Veggies are half cooked. Make sure to open the lid and stir one or two time to make sure Dal-veggies do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Now add the second set of veggies(these veggies cook faster) - Okra/Venda/Lady's finger, Tomato, Pumpkin and winter melon. Stir gently to mix all the veggies together. Cover and cook for another five-seven minutes. Check for the salt and add if required.
• Once the veggies are cooked enough, add the ground coconut and stir well. Add water if required depending on the thickness of gravy required.
• Bring the gravy to boil. Simmer the heat to medium and let it boil for another two-three minutes so that the spices and veggies blend well. Check for the salt and adjust. Take off the stove
• Heat up a small pan, pour cocnout oil. When the oil gets hot, add the mustard seeds. As they start to splutter, add currry leaves, dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds & some Asefoetida powder.  Switch off the stove and pour over the Sambar. Add some more curry leaves. Keep the curry covered till ready to serve.
• Your Super delicious Sambar is ready to Serve with Boiled Rice or Idli or Dosa.

 

എല്ലാവർക്കും സ്നേഹം നിറഞ്ഞ ഓണാശംസകൾ / Wishing You All A Very Happy Onam

എല്ലാവർക്കും സ്നേഹം നിറഞ്ഞ ഓണാശംസകൾ !!!!!

I know all are busy prepping up for Uthradam and Thiruvonam on tomorrow and day after. Here are some recipes that can help make this Onam better. Once again Happy Onam Wishes to everyone !!!

1. Puli Inji
2. Lime Pickle/ നാരങ്ങ അച്ചാർ
3. Kootu Curry
4. Cucumber Pachadi
5. Beetroot Pachadi
6. Pineapple Pachadi
7. Vendakka Pachadi/Okra Pachadi
8. Cabbage Thoran With Green Peas and Carrot
9. Cabbage Thoran
10. Olan
11. Pacha Manga Perakku
12. Moru Kachiyathu/Spiced Up Buttermilk
13. Avial
14. Kaalan/Kurukku Kaalan
15. Mathanga Erissery/Yellow Pumpkin Red Moong Curry
16. Parippu Currry/Split Moong Dal Curry
17. Kerala Sambar
18. Gothambu Payasam
19. Dates Pradam/Dates Payasam
20. Aval Payasam
21. Parippu Pradaman/Parippu Payasam
22. Semiya Payasam
23. Semiya - Sabudana Payasam/Vermicelli Sago Payasam
24. Nei Payasam/Aravana Payasam
25. Carrot Sago Payasam/Carrot Sabudana Payasam
26. Sarkkara Upperi

ഗോതമ്പ് പായസം/Gothambu Payasam/Broken Wheat Payasam and Happy Vishu Wishes!!!

എന്നുമെന്നും ഐശ്വര്യവും സമ്പദ് സമൃദ്ധിയും നിറഞ്ഞതാവട്ടെ. എല്ലാവർക്കും വിഷു ആശംസകൾ!!!!

Wishing everyone a Very Happy Vishu!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Broken wheat/nurukku gothambu - ½ cup
2. Jaggery cubes - 10 pieces(or according to your sweet tolerence) 
3. Coconut milk thin- 1 ½ cup
4. Coconut milk thick - ½cup
5. Cardamon pods - 4 
6. Sugar - 1 tsp
7. Cashew & Raisins a handful
8. Coconut pieces - 2 tbsp(chopped into med size pieces)
9. Ghee- 2 tbsp
10. Water - 1½ + more if required 

Preparation Method:-

• Wash broken wheat two-three times. Pressure cook them by adding four cups of water for two whistles.
• Open the cooker after the pressure leaves, drain off the water. Pour another two-three cups of water and drain again to remove excess starch.
• Boil 1½ cup of water, add Jaggery cubes and stir till they melt. Filter the jaggery syrup to remove any impurities.
• Pour this jaggery syrup to the cooked broken wheat and put on this stove. Let it boil on medium heat for five-seven minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add in thin coconut milk and let it boil again for ten-twelve minutes or till jaggery combine well with broken wheat. Make sure to stir the payasam in between not to stick onto the bottom of the pan/cooker.
• Add in the thick coconut milk, let it boil again for another two-five minutes. If the payasam seems very thick, add some boiled water or little bit more thin coconut milk.
• Add cardamom pods and sugar to in the smallest mixer/grinder and grind/powder them. Add it to the payasam and stir well to mix. Take them off the stove. 
• Heat a small pan, pour ghee, saute the cashews till they turn the color, add to payasam. Add raisins to same ghee and saute till they pop up and add to the payasam. 
• Add Coconut pieces to the same ghee, add more ghee if needed and saute well till they turn light brown, pour over the payasam and stir well to mix. 
• The very delicious gothambu payasam is ready to serve. Enjoy with your family and friends!!!

Tips: 

1. Cooking with excess water and straining reduces the starch smell and reduces sticking to each other.

2. Grinding cardamom pods in a mixer help the cardamom to form a fine powder and imparts great smell and flavor

Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery/Yellow Pumpkin Red Moong Curry ~ A Kerala Sadya Recipe

Ingredients Used: -

1. Vanpayar/Red Chori/Red Moong - ½ cup
2. Mathanga/Yellow Pumpkin - 2 cups(Skin peeled and chopped into med size cubes)
3. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
4. Green Chilies - 4
5. Curry leaves
6. Water ~ 2 Cups + 1 Cup

To Grind:-

1. Grated Coconut - ¾ cup
2. Jeera/Cumin - ¾ tsp
3. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
4. Water - 4 tbsp + more if required

To Temper:-

1. Coconut Oil/Veg Oil - 2tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
3. Dry Red Chilies - 4
4. Curry leaves few
5. Grated coconut - 3tbsp(generous amount)

How I made It:-

• Wash Vanpayar/Red Moong for couple of times and soak in water for about four hours.
• Add red moong, salt, water and pressure cook it for two whistles. (If you didn't get a chance to soak Vanpayar/Red moong, pressure cook for some more time in medium heat for five-seven whistles)
• When the pressure subsides, open the cooker, stir well and mix the Vanpayar/Red Chori.
• Add pumpkin, turmeric powder, slit green chilies, curry leaves and cook on stove top till pumpkin is soft and cooked. Stir well to mix and mash some pumpkin/Mathanga. Check for the salt and adjust.
• Meanwhile grind the 'to grind' ingredients. Add the ground paste to Vanpayar-Pumpkin mix and stir well. Add salt and water if required(Erissery normally is not too thick but should not be runny as well) 
• Put on the stove and get it to boil. Simmer the heat to medium and let it boil for another five minutes. Take it off the  stove and set aside.
• Heat a small frying pan, pour coconut oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and saute for few seconds. Add grated coconut and saute till it is brown(make sure not to get it to dark brown and burn)
• Pour over the curry and give it a gentle mix. Serve warm with boiled rice and papads.

Aval Payasam and Thiruvonashamsakal!!!

എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും എന്‍റെ ഹൃദയം നിറഞ്ഞ  തിരുവോണാശംസകള്‍ !!!

I Wish All A Very Happy Onam!!!!! 

Today's recipe a simple and very ezee Payasam/Kheer made with Aval or Poha. I've used Red Flattened Poha/Rose Matta Aval for making this Payasam but you can also use White Aval/Poha but make sure you use thick flattened aval/poha not the thin one's. I normally use White Poha for making Aval Payasam which we absolutely love and tastes excellent. Since my parents bought these beautiful Kerala red aval flakes which was locally made and less processed I gave it a quick rinse in a colander before making payasam. If using the store bought white aval/poha you don't have to rinse it as I always see it being finely processed, clean and not much powdery stuff around. So check, if you feel the Poha is very fine go ahead and make the payasam directly by roasting them in ghee and without any rinse. Make it for Onam and Enjoy with Family and Friends!!! Happy Onam!!!!

Ingredients Used:-

1. Chemba Aval/Red Flattened Poha - 1 Cup(or white thick Poha/Aval)
2. Full Fat Milk - 6 Cups
3. Sugar - 1¼ Cup
4. Ghee - 2 tbsp
5. Cardamom pods - 1 (optional)

Preparation Method:-

• Put the Aval/Poha in a colander and give a quick rinse to the Poha, drain to a paper towel if required. Make sure aval/poha don't become soggy.
• Heat up a vessel preferably non-stick, pour the ghee. Add the poha and saute and roast for a minute or two till they absorb the aroma of ghee. Move it to plate and set aside.
• Pour Milk to the same vessel and bring to boil stirring couple of times just to make sure milk don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Drop the sauteed aval/poha to the boiling milk and let it boil again. Reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for another five-ten minutes till poha become very soft and cooked.

• Add the sugar now and stir well and let it cook and boil . Simmer the heat to low-medium and let it roll/boil for another 20-30 minutes stirring every now and then till the aval/poha absorbs the sweetness and the milk is reduced and thickened well to the payasam consistency.

• Crush the cardamom pod and add it to the Payasam, give it a stir(It tastes awesome even without cardamom and any raisins/cashews so cardamom is purely optional). Switch off the stove. Serve it warm or chilled!!!! 

Parippum Neyyum/Split Moong Dal Curry ~ A Kerala Sadya Recipe

Parippum Neyyum/Split Moong Dal Curry which is simply known as Parippu Curry is one of the simplest and  the modest Kerala Sadya dish. Now everyone has their own way of making this ethnic dish and may have regional differences. I normally make it in the simplest form by cooking Moong dal/Cherupayar Parippu with with two three green chilies, without ground coconut paste or tempering but just by seasoning them in the end with one or two tbsp of coconut oil and curry leaves. The flavor and aroma it imparts is really wonderful. Another reason of my love of it making this simple way is it is one of the best considered food for babies from 6 months to kids of any age, I used to make it a lot for my both kids and still make it this way. They love it with boiled rice and ghee which is really nutritious and so very simple, I hope you all agree with me.

But then these days when I've more than twenty-five to thirty guests for Onam/Vishu Sadya festivals here I go for this way of preparing Parippu Curry with Ground Coconut and Tempering. As I mentioned in the recipe the tempering is purely optional for this way of preparation also, instead you can just add few drops or two tbsp of coconut oil and some generous amount of curry leaves which will impart a lovely aroma and flavor. I sometimes add a clove of garlic while grinding the coconut paste as I have heard my granny and many elderly people saying its helps for digestion but its full on you as to how you want to make it.(I personally like to avoid using garlic but at the end of the festive days we tend to eat a lot and feel so heavy I believe its better to add some garlic in your sadya meals). Make sure for Sadya you serve it topped with a spoon of ghee and Pappadams which is the best combo. So make your parippu curry this way for this Onam and Enjoy with your loved ones :-)

Ingredients Used:- 

1. Split Moong Dal - 1½ cup
2. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
3. Split green chilies -3 to 4 split lengthwise 
4. Salt to taste
5. Water - 3 cups(more if required)

To Grind:-

1. Grated Coconut - 1½ cup
2. Jeera/Cumin - 1 tsp
3. Garlic - 1 clove(optional)
4. Water - 3tbsp(or just enough to grind)

Tempering:-(Tempering is purely optional)

1. Coconut oil/Ghee - 2 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Jeera/Cumin - ½ tsp(optional)
4. Shallots chopped - 1tbsp
5. Curry leaves few
6. Dry red chilies - 4

How I made It:-

• Wash Moong Dal two-three times, put them in the pressure cooker, pour water, add turmeric and salt. Pressure cook it for just one whistle and take it off the stove.
• Meanwhile grind the 'To Grind' ingredients into smooth paste and keep aside.
• When the pressure releases fully, open the pressure cooker lid and stir well to mash the cooked dal. Add the slit green chilies and ground coconut paste to the dal stir well again. 
• Put on the stove and cook the dal coconut mix again, stir for couple of times to make sure dal don't stick on to the botoom and get burned.
• When it starts to boil reduce the heat to medium and let it boil again for another five minutes. Take them off the stove. 
• For tempering-heat up a small pan, pour coconut oil or ghee, add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter add jeera/cumin. When they sizzle add chopped shallots, curry leaves, dry red chilies and saute till shallots turn golden brown color.
• Pour over the Parippu Curry and give it a gentle mix. Serve with rice topped with a tsp of ghee/clarified butter and Pappadam.

Puli Inji - Ginger In Sweet and Sour Sauce

Wishing all my friends and readers A Very Happy Vishu in Advance. May you all be blessed with peace and prosperity :-) 

Try out this Puli Inji recipe for this Vishu and Enjoy the festive with your family and friends. Its quite simple, healthy and extremely good in taste. If you like sour, sweet and spicy, its for you. 

Ingredients:-

1. Tamarind ~ A large lemon size
2. Broken/grated Jaggery ~  2 tbsp (adjust according to your taste, I don't like it too sweet though) 
3. Green chilies chopped - 4
4. Chilly powder -  ½ tsp
5. Water ~ 2 cups
6. Asafoetida powder ~  ½ tsp
7. Salt

Seasoning 

1. Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds ~ ½ tsp
4. Split Urad Dal ~   ½ tsp
5. Dry red chilies - 3
6. Curry leaves few
7. Finely chopped Ginger ~ ½ Cup

Preparation Method:-

1. Crush the urad daal and Fenugreek seeds using a mortar and a pestle, or grinding stone(don't need to powder them, just break them into smaller pieces. Set aside.
2. Pour coconut oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they start to crackle add curry leaves, dry red chilies, crushed urad dal, fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds(till urad dal turns light brown-always keep in medium heat)
3. Add chopped ginger and saute well for a while say 5 to 7 minutes till they turn light golden color. Set this aside.
4. Extract the tamarind water by pressing and squeezing the soaked tamarind, pour bit more water and extract the full tamarind sauce out of it. Pour them to a cooking vessel/pot and put on the stove. Add chili powder, chopped green chilly, few curry leaves, asafoetida, jaggery, salt and let it boil. (No need to cover the vessel, let it cook lid open)
5. You can simmer the stove to medium heat when they start to boil. Now add the sauteed ginger mix and stir and let it boil/cook till the gravy start to thicken. It takes around 45 mins to 1 hour to  thicken the sauce.
6. Switch off the stove, let it cool down completely. Puli Inji tend to thicken even after you take them off the stove, so you don't have to wait till the gravy is very thick.
7. Though it is a Sadya dish, you can make it anytime, any occasion or include in daily menu. It lasts for at-least three-five days if kept at a cool, dry space at room temperature and longer when refrigerated. 

Sending this to Kerlala Kitchen @ Ramya's Recipe