Avial , A kerala cuisine

1. Wash all the vegetables and slice them as said and keep aside.
2. Grind together coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds together by adding little water and make a fine paste and keep aside.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a deep bottom kadai or pan. Add the curry leaves,Asafoetida,  mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
4. Add the vegetables and little water . Close it with a lid and allow it to cook for few minutes.
5. Check it after 10- 12 minutes.The vegetables would almost cooked by now. ( another way to check is check out for steam, once steam is seen coming ..its indicator that vegetables are cooked)
6. Add the fine paste and curd and mix well. Add salt and mix well. 
7. Cook it further for some 5-6 minutes will the coconut is well cooked.
8. The avial is ready. Serve it hot with steam rice and Sambhar.

 


Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves : 5 -6 persons
Shelflife:1 day
Serving Suggestion: Serve hot with steam rice and Sambhar.

• Chop and slice all the vegetables into equal size.
• Grind the paste finely
• The variation of vegetables can be left to personal choice .
• Take fresh coconut for this cuisine
• Use only coconut oil for this particular dish.
  

Paanakam is a excellent summer drink and is healthy too. Since it is made of jaggery without using sugar , it makes it favorable to all the health conscious people.It tastes excellent when chilled and can be used as a summer drink to quench the thirst. Also it can be prepared and stored in Refrigerator for 2 -3 days.


Jaggery - 250 grams
Water - 10 cups
Sonth (Dried ginger / chukku) - 1 tablespoon
Peppercorns - 5-6 nos
Cardamom (Elaichi) - 6-8 nos
Lime juice - 2 tablespoon.

1. Get good quality jaggery for this recipe. I would recommend to use dark red/brown colour jaggery which is available in market.There are varieties of jaggery made in india but the dark coloured jaggery is high is iron content and is rich in sweetness and hence is considered good for both cooking and health benefits too. 
2. The above pic shows two variety of jaggery and i recommend using the darker one which is high in iron content and also sweetness.

Choose the second variety of jaggery for this sweet drink.

1.  Usually people dissolve jaggery in water and make this drink. But i prefer boiling the jaggery with 1 cup water over flame till it gets dissolved. This way a peculiar raw kind of taste of jaggery goes away.
2. Grate the jaggery and add a cup of water to it and heat it over flame till it gets dissolved. 
3. Remove from fire and add 10 cups of water to it. 
4. In a blender, take Sonth, Peppercorns and  Cardamom and blend it. Don't blend it into fine powder. 
5. Add this powder to the jaggery water and mix well.
6. Add the lime juice and mix well.
7. Refrigerate it for 3-4 hrs and serve chilled.

Preparation time: 20 mins.
Making time: 20 mins.
Shelflife: 3 days, if refrigerated.
Serves: 12 glasses approximately.
Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled.

•  Use dark coloured jaggery for Panakam.
• Don't blend the herbs into very fine powder.

Click the link here to know and learn more about Tamil Nadu Recipes and Cuisines -An Introduction To Tamil Nadu Recipes And Cuisines

Click the link here to know and learn more about Kerala Recipes and Cuisines - An Introduction To Kerala Recipes And Cuisines

Shakara Varatti is a special chips prepared in kerala. It is unique in taste and can be found in almost every Malayali household. This chips has the meaning and the description of its name in the name itself. Shakara varatti is a Malayalam word (language spoken by people of Kerala). Shakara means sweet and varatti means coated. Yeah right, this chips is sweet in taste and it is coated in jaggery which gives it this unique taste , hence it has this name.

I have few malayali family friends and also i have few malayali friends while i was in college and i had a good opportunity to taste and explore their food and recipes. Kerala recipes are quite simple and not much complicated to prepare. Kerala being a coastal state , malayalis use things which are commonly and easily available in abundance over there. Being a coastal area, it is abundant in coconut trees, banana tree , rice , fish and ground vegetables. That being a reason, you can see many keralities using coconut and coconut oil for cooking. Coconut oil is believed to have many health benefits and beauty benefits. Well let me come to the recipe. Its a delicious recipe which almost tastes like a traditional candy. It requires less ingredients but needs good concentration of mind and little patience for preparing this recipe. But the secret of making any recipe delicious is just prepare with love and affection and serve it much love and affection even the worst made food would taste delicious.

So, here am posting the shakarra varatti recipe, i cant post the preparation pics though since most of the pics turned out to be blurred and had bad quality of light. But i will surely make it a point to prepare this once again when i get time and post the pics on this blog. As of now, I am elaborately explaining the method of preparing this recipe. This was the first time i prepared this, but am satisfied with the outcome so hope it would help those who read it too.





Ingredients:
Unripe plantains(Raw Bananas) - 1 kg (it usually counts to 5 bananas)
Jaggery( - 300 gm
Cardamom( - 5 nos
Dry ginger and cumin seeds powder - 1 tbsp (add just 2-3 pinches of cumins to make powder)
Coconut oil - 250 gm
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sour curd - 1/2 glass .



Method:

1. Peel the skin of the plantains(Raw bananas).
2. Slit the banana lengthwise and cut it into 1/4" pieces.
3. Put them in warm water for few minutes , say some 10-15 mins.
4. Take enough water to cover the plantain pieces.
5. Pour sour curd into this water to get rid of the plantains’ serum. Usually raw plantains are sticky and this makes it uneasy to use . This white sticky thing which looks like serum makes the pieces cling to each other thus making it imperfect. Sour curd washes away those sticky serums thus giving you clean pieces of plantains for chip which stays seperated from each other.
6. Keep this aside like this for some 30-40 mins. So that the sour curd removes away those sticky serums completely. It won't change the taste anyhow nor would the chips would taste sour.
7. Now strain the excess water off.
8. Now take a clean piece of cloth (water absorbale cloth) and pat dry the plantains. So that oil won't throw some boiling sparks on you while frying them.
9. Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel . Let it heat for sometime and then lower the flame as this would make the chips crisper.
10. Put the plantains pieces in the oil . Put in batches so that it is fried nicely.
    
11. Keep a check on them continuously by stirring in between so that it doesn't get sticked to each other.
12. Cook in medium to low fire until the pieces start turning brown. Allow them to cook and fry them properly so that chips are crispy. It will take some time. (Here is a nice tip to know that the chips are fried. When the foams around the chips in hot oil are reduced, its a indication that its well friend and cooked but also be careful not the let them change the color to dark brown).
13. Once the chips are fried remove the pieces from the oil using a strainer and put them in a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
14. Dissolve jaggery in water and bring this to a boil.
15. When the boil settles down and the mixture becomes thick.
16. Add the plantains into the boiling jaggery one by one .
17. The consistency is right if you see thin jaggery threads forming while you stir the plantain pieces.
18. Add powdered cardamom and dry ginger-cumin powder and mix well. So that the spices gets coated on each chip pieces.Also add ghee and mix well.
19. Now the nicely coated coated jaggery pieces could be seen visibly seperated and turning dry. (In case, it doesn't look completely dry then add 2-3 tablespoons of fine sugar to this and stir well).
20. Shakara varatti is ready. Allow it to cool down and then store them in a air-tight container. It remains for 1 month if stored properly.

Preparation Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Shelflife: 1 -2 months if stored in air-tight container
Serves: Can be easily served to 20-15 persons
Serving Suggestions: Serve as a evening snack or serve it with lunch.


Note:

• Don't ever fry the chips directly in the oil. Do soak them in the sour curd for atleast 30 mins.
• For safety reasons especially beginners, do pat the chips in a dry clean cloth after removing from water and then fry them in oil so that boiling oil doesn't harm you.
• Keep stirring occasionally while frying, so that the chips doesn't stick to each other.
• When the foams around the chips in hot oil are reduced, its a indication that its well friend and cooked but also be careful not the let them change the color to dark brown.
• The jaggery is important part of this recipe. The consistency is right if you see thin jaggery threads forming while you stir the plantain pieces.
• In case, it doesn't look completely dry then add 2-3 tablespoons of fine sugar to this and stir well. This would let it dry and make perfect chips
  

Click here to know more about Kerala recipes and cuisines - An Introduction to Kerala Recipes and Cuisines.


Click here to know more about Indian sweets and desserts - An Introduction to Indian Sweets And Indian Desserts.

Idiyappam is a famous breakfast from Tamil Nadu. It is called Noolappam in Kerala and is served with either korma or coconut milk chutney. It is a delicious breakfast and healthier which not only tastes good but also keeps off the morning hunger at bay. All that is needed to make Idiyappams are Idiyappam maker and a Idiyappam vessel. Idiyappam maker is nothing but a chakli maker (murukku maker) , but a plate with small holes is used to press the dough into Idiyappams . Idiyappam Vessel can be substituted with a Chalni( a utensil used to pass the flour) or a idli maker.

I really love this Idiyappam which looks yummy and beautiful and has a unique taste. I prefer having it with Coconut milk chutney, but kadala curry, korma and simple coconut milk too goes well with this. If not anything then just sprinkle some sugar on the top and few scraps of fresh coconut and have it, it just tastes too good.

Normally in India, Idiyappam flour is available in most south Indian grocery stores. For those who cannot get it ,I would suggest to follow the method as suggested to get the flour for Idiyappam i.e., roast the rice flour and use it to make the Idiyappam.




Ingredients:
Rice flour - 2 cups
Water - 2 1/2 cups + for kneeding the dough
Salt - as per taste ( 1 tablespoon)

Utensils Needed:
Idiyappam maker and mould
Steamer




Method:

1. Take 2 cups of rice in a vessel and wash it with water. Drain the water and spread the rice over a sheet of cloth so that the excess water gets absorbed. Allow it to dry for sometime . When it is dried get to second step.
   
2. Grind the rice into flour and keep seive it through a seiver (pass it through a seiver to get fine rice flour).
3. Take a shallow frying vessel or a big shallow kadai. Heat it over flame and put the flour in it and fry the flour over low flame. Keep stirring constantly to avoid darking of flour. Keep stirring an frying the flour till the flour changes its colour from white to somewhat creamish white colour. Turn off the flame . (Frying the flour usually takes 2-4 minutes over low flame). Dont over fry the flour and turn it into brownish. Keep the colour same.
   
4. Remove it immediately from the kadai and transfer to another vessel. Allow it to cool for sometime.
   
5. For making the Idiyappams, You can either use Idli moulds or a steam plate . Steam plates are available in market, it usually has large holes at the bottom and looks like a plate. In case if you are using Idli moulds, just grease the moulds before preparing Idiyappams. The plate are not needed to be greased.
6. Another important utensil needed to make idiyappam is a Idiyappam maker or a chakali maker which has a Idiyappam mould plate inside it. It is nothing but a plate which has tiny holes over it (similar to the chakali holes). Most of the chakali moulds these days has a Idiyappam mould in it.
7. Kneed the rice flour with water and little salt . Kneed till it is soft and smooth. Add the water little by little since it might turn up to be too sticky. The correct consistency should be when it doesnt stick to the vessel in which you are kneeding the dough and it should neither stick in your hands. Use some amount of hot water while kneeding the dough. For good dough use hot water and warm water in the ratio of 1:2 , this gives smooth dough.
   
8. Place the idli maker or any deep bottom vessel over flame and pour 2 cups of water in it. Allow the water to boil. Lower the flame and place the idli moulds or the Idiyappam plates over it. Now fill the press maker with idiyappam dough and close the lid tighlty. Press them over the plate or moulds placed over steamer in circular motion, in a way as if it looks like a pancake.Squeeze the presser and keep threading the dough till the presser is empty.
9. Close the plate with a lid and let it steam for 4-5 minutes on low flame.
10. When the idiyappam is steamed, it wont stick in hands. Check it and transfer it to another plate and similar make other Idiyappams.
11. Idiyappam is ready. Serve it hot with Coconut milk chutney (the way I have shown in pic) or with kadala curry. You can also serve it with grated coconut and sugar. Just sprinkle some grated coconut and sugar over Idiyappam and serve it.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 persons
Shelflife: Best fresh and 1 day
Serving suggestion: Serve hot with coconut milk chutney, kadal curry or just sprinkle some grated coconut and sugar on top of it and serve .




Note:

• Wash the rice in 2 waters, i mean 2 times and then drain it completely and spread over cloth and allow it to dry.
• Dont roast the flour for more than 3 minutes. Dont roast enough that the flour changes its colour to brown. Keep it white.
• You can use a steamer or a deep bottom vessel for steaming the idiyappams.
• Steam it for just 4-5 minutes.

Click here to know all about Tamil Nadu cuisines- Introduction To Tamil Nadu Cuisines And Recipes.

This (above pic) is called Neyyappam Chetti. This vessel is used to prepare this well know sweet from Tamil nadu and Kerala. These days Neyyam Chettis are available in non stick range from well known brands. This vessel is round shaped with seven small bowl like hallows in them. In this bowls oil is poured and heated for some time. Then the Neyyappam batter is poured into this bowls with hot oil and cooked till it turns brown or reddish and is easily pluckable.

Click here to know more about of Indian Sweets and Desserts- An Introduction To Indian Sweets And Desserts.

Puttu Maker:
The pic seen above is of puttu maker. This mould is used to prepare puttu. Its avaiable is various forms and shapes and varieties like charaatai puttu maker, cooker putter maker, and the traditional age old bamboo puttu maker. But this one is available all over these days and can be easily found in leading stores, along with that it is easy to use.

Puttu is steamed in a special utensil called "Puttu Kutti" (Puttu maker). It consists of two sections. The lower bulkier portion is where the water for steaming is stored. The upper detachable leaner portion which is separated from lower portion with peforated lids so as to allow the steam to pass through and bake the rice powder which has been filled. The upper portion of the leaner section is covered with a peforated cup shaped lid once it is filled with rice powder.

Many people use idly moulds also to make puttu. One can use a coconut shell also to make puttu. It is called as "Chiratta Puttu". "Chiratta" means coconut shell.



Puttu:



Puttu is a culinary specialty in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Kerala. It is a steamed rice cake which is a favourite breakfast of most Tamils and Malayalees. In Kerala, Puttu is a favorite item served with Kadala (Chenna) Curry or Banana or Papadams. Puttu is normally made of rice powder, but other variations with wheat flour, flour made from tapioca and even maida are also used. Puttu is also served with spicy egg curry, and chicken stew.


Ingredients:
4 cups roasted rice flour (white or red rice flour)
2 tsp salt
4 cups boiling water
1 cup freshly grated coconut.


Method:

1. Take a puttu vessel add sufficient water in it and heat it for some 10-12 minutes.
2. In the meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix flour and salt with boiling water with a wooden spoon. As mixture cools mix flour with your hands to form a pebble-like texture.
3. In a kulal or puttu steamer, layer the flour mixture with a handful of grated coconut.
4. spread it at the bottom of the cylindrical portion of the puttu vessel.
5. Then fill this container to half its capacity with wet rice powder which is kneeded in the large vessel.
6. Again spread some cocunut grating and add wet rice powder.
7. Repeat the process till the kulal is almost filled. Finish with a layer of coconut.
8. Finally steam cook this mixture with a covered lid for 5 to 8 minutes.
9. Remove the contents to a plate.
10. Serve it with bananas and papad as a complete meal for breakfast.

Making Time : 30 minutes.

Serves: 4 persons.

Shelflife: Best fresh.

Note:

• Make the sure the kneeded mixture is like pebble like mixture , so dont make plenty of water while preparing it.
• Just sprinkle some water n kneed it into pebble like rough type preparation. This Puttu is served along with Bananas.
• Sugar can be sprinkled on the top of it to make it taste different.

Click here to know all about Tamil Nadu cuisines- Introduction To Tamil Nadu Cuisines And Recipes.