Cat fish curry

Njavara Rice Pal Payasam

Njavara is a medicinal rice consumed as a porridge by adding specific spices and eaten during their month of Karkkidagam / Aadi masam. ....If you don't like the porridge form. ....you can have sweet diet version .....


Step 1
Njavara Rice - 1 cup
Water - 4 cup
Milk - 1 cup

Step 2

Milk - 2 cup
Sugar - 5 to 6 tbsp
Cardamom - 6  (seed and skin)

Method

Cook the ingredients in step 1 in a pressure cooker for 5 whistle. When the pressure is gone, open the cooker and add milk and sugar and keep stirring until you get a consistency as seen in the second picture. Add powdered cardamom and serve hot, warm or cold. By the time i had finished taking the picture, the payasam was cold and jelly like and could be had in one go. Get back to me if you have any doubt.

For other payasam recipes the links are

Ambalapuzha Pal Payasam | Rice Pudding - Pressure Cooker Method

 

Parippu Payasam without Coconut Milk- Easy Sadya Recipe

 

Simple Flavourful Semiya Payasam (without condensed milk)

 

Saffron Sago Badami Kheer

 

Dates & Vermicelli Payasam

 

 

 

 

Gobi Musallam - easy everyday recipe

Gobi Musallam is Mughlai recipe with a rich gravy and an exotic taste. This could be served for special occasion or just on a very regular day...it would make your day brighter for sure. I have made a pot method instead of the baking method and can be done in just less than half an hour.

Ingredients

To blanch the cauliflower

1 cauliflower - around 700 gms
1 tbsp salt

For the gravy

Butter - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Green Cardamom - 3 whole
Black Cardamom - 1 whole (optional)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Bay leaf - 2 medium
Onions, very finely chopped - 2 large
Tomato paste from 2 medium tomatoes

Ginger - 3/4 inch
Garlic - 6 cloves
Green chillies - 2 medium

Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Kasuri Methi - a large pinch (forget it if you dont have)

Thick curd - 150 ml
Cream or Milk - 150 ml

Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp

Method

Boil water in a pan and add salt. Immerse the washed and cleaned cauliflower and let it blanch for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from water and place it in a plate.

Heat a heavy bottom wide pan or a wide pressure cooker. Add butter and ghee. When partially melted add cardamom, cumin seeds and bay leaf. Once the aroma comes out add the onion and saute till translucent. Make a paste using ginger,garlic and green chilies and add to the pan. Saute well and then add all the powders - red chilly to garam masala and then add salt (blanched cauliflower already has salt in it, so salt is required only for the gravy. Add the tomato paste and let everything cook well. Add few teaspoons of water if need be. Once the gravy is fully done, turn to high heat and add the curd and stir vigorously....this is to prevent the gravy from curdling. Once the gravy looks nice and smooth add the cream / milk. If you have kasuri methi add it to. Check salt. Now add the blanched cauliflower and pour gravy from sides over the cauliflower. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. The gravy will thicken as it sits. You can check whether the cauliflower is fully cooked by poking the flower in the middle using a knife. Serve hot with rice or roti or bread. You can serve by cutting into florets as in the second image.

It tasted really good....try it soon and let me know!!

Mampazha Pulissery

The season of Mangoes is coming to an end and Mampazha Pulissery is a kind of seasonal recipes which makes it a must in the Vishu Sadya.

The recipe is pretty much simple, and if you can prepare it without adding water, it would make it very tasty. It is said that it tastes better with 'Naattu Manga' , tiny mangoes packed with flavour. I prepared using regular store bought ones.

Ingredients

To boil the mango

3 medium sized ripe mangoes, cubed
Water separated from curd - 1/2 cup
Salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

To grind

Half of a medium sized coconut, grated
3 green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

......300 ml hung curd (the water from this can be used to boil the mango)

To Season

1 tbsp oil (Coconut oil would be best)
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 or 2 sprigs curry leaves
3 whole red chillies, split
1/6 tsp fenugreek seeds, dry roasted and powdered

Method

In Kerala, mampazha pulissery or any other curry made of curd is cooked in a clay pot. If you do not have one, you can use a thick bottomed steel vessel and make sure it is cooked in low flame or else the curry will stick to the pan.

In a clay pot, place all the ingredients to boil and cook it on low flame for about 7 minutes. Meanwhile make a thick paste using all the ingredients under 'to grind', if required add leftover water from curd. Once the mangoes are cooked, add the ground mixture and when it is hot enough, add curd and check for salt. Turn off heat. The curd will cook in the residual heat of the pot.

Heat another pan and add oil. When the oil is hot add mustard seeds, and when the spluttering is over, add the curry leaves and chilies and saute till nicely fried. Add this to the mango mix. Stir and then add the fenugreek powder, stir again. Close with a lid immediately to prevent the aroma from escaping. Serve it with rice and a vegetable stir fry or use it for a Sadya.

Raw Papaya Salad

 

Shred half a papaya. Use a mortar and pestel and pound 2 red chillies 1 green chilly 2 cloves garlic 2 small onion 1/2 tsp salt and sugar. Add 1 tsp oil (any) and 1 tsp lime juice. Once this forms a coarse paste add it to the shredded papaya an mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and toasted sesame seeds or ground nuts. Tastes best when served after half an hour. You can add more chillies or less If you like so.

Kerala Banana Chips - Onam Special Recipe

I don't know whether a Malayali really requires a recipe for Banana Chips. It is like drinking milk or eating biscuit at a very young age and it is an inseparable part of the Onasadya. By the time the infinite number of curries are served to everyone, if you can munch on these chips and the sharkaravaratti as an appetizer.  Though we lived in Tamilnadu when we were young there were specific bakeries that sell banana chips. Now that i live in Kerala, it may sound crazy to make these chips at home. Because you can see these chips being made in every other corner shop in bulk quantities...and all you have to do is just go grab few packets....yeah...one pack is never enough.....

Since the season is also on, the quality conscious Malayali is a bit concerned about the oil being used and the health issues that can come with it....we cannot even buy coconut oil because many brands were banned a few weeks ago...so i took the safe bet and fried this in vegetable oil....

ingredients

Raw Banana (Kerala variety called Ethakka)  - as much as you want (I used 1 kg organic raw banana- 10 numbers - it was smaller than the usual ones available in the market)

Salt solution - Mix 10 tsp water with 2 tsp salt (Check the first batch of chips and adjust salt)

Vegetable Oil or Coconut Oil to fry



method

Place a wide pan with water enough to immerse the peeled fruit. Add salt and turmeric to it to removed the starch.

It is tricky to peel a raw banana. Run a knife on the banana lengthwise without touching the fruit. Repeat the same on the other side of the banana. Gently start peeling with your hands or knife. Place the peeled banana in the pan filled with salted water. Let the peeled banana stand in water for an hours. Then rinse it in running water and pat dry with a tea towel...it will not blacken.

Heat oil it a pan. What you see in this frying pan is 2 sliced bananas.

Use a slicer or a heavy knife and chop 2 bananas at a time. Add to the hot oil and keep stirring with a bamboo skewer or a knife to ensure the chips doesn't stick together. When the aggressive bubbling of the oil stops, turn to medium flame and add 2 tsp salt solution and keep stirring. At this stage stay a little away from the frying pan. When you hear a rustling sound or a hollow sound while gently tapping the chips, it is done. Use a slotted spoon and drain from oil. You can either place it in a paper towel or any other pan. Once cooled store it in an air tight container and don't forget to hide it....otherwise it will be gone in no time... :-)

Prawn Fry - Kochi style

Kochi style sea food preparation has not received much acclaim in the blog circle i believe...i have not seen much mention. However, the long coast and the backwaters of Kochi has its own simple and tasty preparation without many ingredients to go into it. Prawn fry is one such thing. Even now you can see some colleagues from Fort Kochi, Vypeen and Bolgatty bringing lunch with just rice and this spicy, yet mellow prawn....you don't need any other curry.

ingredients to boil the prawns

whole prawns - 250 gms
ginger - 1/2 inch piece
green chilly - 1 or 2 medium sized (slit)
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

ingredients to stir fry

oil - 2 tbsp
small onions - 12 - 15
curry leaves - 1 sprig
chilly powder - 1 or 1 1/2 tbsp

method

Boil the prawns in a clay pot or a steel pan with the ingredients mentioned and 4 tbsp water in low flame. Stir in between to prevent the prawn from sticking to the pan. Turn off heat when prawns have changed to reddish white colour from pale white.





To stir fry, heat a heavy bottom pan and add oil. When the oil is hot, add chopped small onions (as in pic),  and let it turn translucent (don't brown it/ caramelize).

Turn to low heat and add the chilly powder and curry leaves and stir for 10 seconds. Add the boiled prawns and keep stirring till all the prawn is coated with the spice and the water is completely evaporated. Serve hot with rice.

Spicy Chilly Stand Up Kuzhalappam - Easy Recipe

Spicy Chilly Kuzhalappam is a slightly tweaked recipe with few strands of red chilly and a secret ingredient to make it reeaally crunchy. The snack is made to stand up to create a more impressive look....may be for a restaurant style snacking! Keep reading to know how....

ingredients for kuzhalappam

fine rice flour used for string hoppers (powedered and roasted) - 1 cup
boiling hot water - 1 cup
salt to taste or 1/4 tsp
sesame seeds - 2 tsp
grated coconut - 3 tbsp
small onion or shallots - 4
cumin - 1/6 tsp
dry red chilly (Kashmiri) - 5 (washed, deseeded and cut into thin strips)
Oil to fry
butter - 1 tsp

the method

Wash the sesame seeds twice and let it dry. Grind together coconut, shallots and cumin. Deseed the red chilly and cut it into thin strips as seen on the kuzhalappam in the image.

Measure 1 cup roasted rice flour into a bowl. Boil water with salt and pour it over the flour. Use a spoon to bring the flour and water together into a rough dough. Once the dough has cooled to medium heat, add the butter, sesame seeds, red chilly strips, ground coconut mix and knead it into a smooth dough. You can invert a steel plate and oil it to roll the dough. Pinch a good portion of dough and roll into a circle using an oiled rolling pin. Roll the circle onto the rolling pin to form a tube and then gently slide it out on the side. Now cut through the middle of the kuzhalappam to get 2 pieces. Deep fry in medium hot oil. Once it starts turning golden brown remove it from oil. Place the cut side down and the stand up kuzhalappam is ready to go. I did the rolling and frying simultaneously. You can do it the way you are comfortable with.

Royal Red Chilly Chicken Curry | a recipe adapted from Rajasthani 'Lal Maas'

This is a very easy recipe to make with the ultimate result being a succulent and delicious curry as you can see in the picture. The recipe uses whole spices and the heat from the spice is mellowed down by the addition of yoghurt / curd. The amount of heat in the curry can be adjusted to suit your taste by increasing or decreasing the amount of chilly powder while the quantity of other whole spices remain the same.

The dish is cooked with ghee and i did not use oil. It is good to pamper yourself with these traditional recipes and this would definitely make you feel lika a 'royal'. While cooking this chicken, the aroma was so exotic and i couldn't stop myself saying a wow. So, it is just to say that if you consume ghee once in a while it wont hurt or otherwise, indulge in this treat and you can merrily starve the next day ...he he he...

ingredients

1 medium sized chicken - 1200 to 1400 gms, cut into desired size pieces 

whole spices

i am writing the list of spices in the order which it has to go into the ghee

bay leaf - 2 small leaf, torn into 2

black cardamom - 3

green cardamom - 5

cinnamon stick - 1 inch stick, 2 pieces

cloves - 6

fennel seeds - 1 tsp

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

kashmiri red chilly - 20(split it into two lengthwise using scissors to remove seeds and dust & give a quick wash)

other ingredients

ghee - 2 to 3 tbsp

onion - 2 

garlic - 16 cloves

ginger - 1 inch piece

turmeric - 1/2 tsp

chilly powder - 2 tsp (add more after tasting the curry half way through the cooking)

curd - 300 ml

salt to taste

I have seen the addition of coriander leaves in this recipe in many tv shows and i have prepared this recipe with and without it. I prefer not to add coriander leaves.

Prawn & Chicken Paella - A great alternative to Biryani

Paella is a Spanish rice preparation home to Valencia. The original recipe includes chicken and rabbit meat and other goodies available in the region, such snails. This recipe has been customized to use locally available ingredients such as pork, chicken, fresh prawns and few other veggies. As regards the herbs, you can use either fresh rosemary or dried rosemary. Since Paella rice is not available in Kochi, i have used good quality raw rice. Please avoid using Basmati rice, because the aroma can sometimes remind you of biryani.

ingredients

Fresh unpeeled prawns - 500 gms
Chicken Breast - 2 or 3 (the more the merrier), diced into small pieces as seen in the picture

Pork bits with fat, thinly sliced  - a handful (you can use bacon or pancetta)
Chilly powder or paprika - 2 tsp
White wine - 6 tbsp or Synthetic Vinegar - 1 1/2 tbsp
Carrots, diced - 2
Potato, diced - 1 small (optional)
Roughly chopped tomatoes - 2
Onion - 2 large, roughly chopped
Garlic - 15 small cloves (organic) or 10 plump cloves
Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil - 4 tbsp or more
Saffron - 1 generous pinch

Paella rice or raw rice - 4 cups (400 gms approximately)
Water - 8 cups

Salt to taste

ingredients to marinate the prawn and chicken

salt to taste
chilly powder - 2 tsp (if you want mild heat use paprika)

Vessel to be used - A wide pan (Uruli) or a Paella pan

Salt: Since the marinated meat and prawn has salt, add salt to the rice cautiously

method

Clean the prawns and marinate it with 3/4 tsp chilly powder and salt. Marinate the chicken pieces separately with the remaining chilly powder and salt.

Rice: If you are using Paella rice, you can add it directly to the preparations. I always like to wash and dry the rice for sometime. In case you are using raw rice, wash it 3 times and then put in a flat plate, to get rid of the moisture.

Heat oil in a pan and sear the chicken (in medium heat). When it is almost done remove it from oil. Make sure the chicken is coated with the marinade ( as seen in the picture). Similarly, fry the prawns , for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil. At this point, drain all the caramelised bits of chicken and prawns. Let only the oil remain in the pan. Add the thinly sliced pork and turn the heat to low. Allow the pork to cook slowly and release all the fat. Once the pork has caramelised, gently move it to the side of the pan and add the onion and garlic and saute it in medium heat. When the sides of the onion and garlic start browning move it to the side of the pan and add the carrots and potato. Saute it for a minute. Now bring all the ingredients to the centre of the pan and add the cleaned rice. Fry it gently along with the veggies and meat for about 2 minutes using a wooden spatula (Take care not to break the rice). Add the wine or vinegar and the red chilly powder or paprika and salt. Give a mix and then spread it across the pan. Pour half of the water (4 cup), alongside the side of the pan. Do not stir. Place the rosemary sprigs in 4 different directions: NSWE :).

When the rice has absorbed the water, add 4 more cups of the water in the same fashion.
Sprinkle the saffron strands. When the rice is almost done, add the fried prawn and chicken and give a gently mix. Taste it. The rice will be done in few more minutes.

Please note , the consistency of the rice is 'just to the right bite'. It will have one bite when you chew it, but it will be done with a little bit of moisture (as you see above in the pic). If you want a more soft consistency just cover the pan, after turning of the heat. But the rice will bloat a little bit, it wont be thin as you see in the image.

Get in touch with me for any doubts.