Ladies finger pachadi

Pachadi / kichadi is always a bone of contention in Kerala.
Pachadi, according to me and many others is the sweet + savory dish served in a sadya while Kichadi is the one containing curd.
Ladies finger pachadi is an awesome tasty dish and very easy to make. This recipe is from the new entrant to my family - Mrs. Deepthi Ajay. She shared her maternal grandmother's recipe with me and the way she described it and seeing her want to eat it, I had to make it. Her maternal grandmother is from Palakkad, so this is a palakkadan pachadi.
Serve with spicy sambar.

Ingredients:
Ladies finger / okra - 10, cut into 1 inch pieces
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp , preferably coconut oil
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - 1 inch ball soaked in 1 cup warm water
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Red chilly -2, broken
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:
Saute the ladies finger on a low flame in 1 tbsp oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the tamarind juice, salt and turmeric powder.
Boil on high flame till almost all the water evaporates, but cooks the ladies finger.
Grind the coconut, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and green chilly to a fine paste.

Add this paste to the nearly dry ladies finger.
Reduce flame and add in the jaggery.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Splutter 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, red chilly, methi seeds (optional) and curry leaf in the remaining 1 tbsp oil.
Add this to the curry.
Serve at room temperature.

 

Paal Payasam

How can any function be complete without a sweet dish / dessert?

Paal payasam is the dish made most commonly in every household in South India (as rice is the staple here.)

It is different from the Kheer available in North India. Kheer is also made with rice, milk and sugar, but the quantity of rice used is much higher thus making it almost 'custardy'.  Payasam is more dilute, 'flowy'.

We use a special type of rice - kaikuthu ari. But this payasam can be made with any variety of rice, basmati included. I have used broken brown rice (kanji / podi ari) here. Adding brown rice, gives the payasam a different hue and not white.

The most famous Paal Payasam is made in Ambalapuzha, a temple in Alappuzha dedicated to Lord Krishna. 

(image source: google images)

(Tanjore painting by God's in Gold)

The following is a video (as shown on Amritha TV) of the process involved in making it.

If you know malayalam, please watch it or else read on.

They make nearly 42 liters of Payasam everyday!!

The preparation for the payasam starts at 7 am with the measuring of milk. For 4 liters of water, 1 liter of milk is added. After boiling this mixture in a 'varpu' till 11 am over the traditional wood fire, a variety of rice indigenous to Kerala is added and cooked for 45 minutes. 

Before the sugar is brought to the kitchen the cook calls out - VASUDEVA (must watch this part!!) and by 12-12.30 pm the payasam is finished.

Minimum time taken : 5 hours!

When the Payasam is being taken to the Lord, 'krishna parindu' (Eagles with white head?) fly over the temple. 

Even though people have taken the cooks from the temple, even the stove from the temple to different locations, they have not been able to replicate the delicate flavor of this milky dessert. 

Must be because it was not made for Ambalapuzha Unni Kannan!

Even though the following recipe is a modern version of this recipe, and the writer is aware that the taste of unnikanna's payasam cannot be replicated, she writes down this recipe with utmost love for the Lord.

May the Lord be with you while you make this payasam and please don't forget to present the same to HIM before you taste it yourself!

Who knows? HE just might bless you with a payasam on par with the temple's!

Important Points:

1. Make Payasam in a thick bottomed vessel.
2. Keep the flame low especially when you move away from the vessel.
3. Stir often.
4. Do not hurry the process.
5. Be alert, as the milk can stick to the bottom of the vessel and burn.
6. If you want to give your payasam a light brown color and a smoky flavor, caramalise some sugar and add the golden dark brown liquid to the prepared payasam. 

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 liter, 1000 ml (full fat milk, preferred)

Sweetened condensed milk (Nestle Milkmaid / Amul MithaiMate) - 200 ml

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Rice - 1/4 cup

Saffron - 1 pinch

Almonds / cashews / raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp (optional)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:

Take a heavy bottomed vessel and pour in 1/2 liter (500 ml) of milk.
Once it boils, add in the washed rice.
Reduce flame.
Stir every now and then and scrap the sides of the vessel to move the malai back into the payasam.
By the time the milk reduces to almost 1/3rd the original quantity, the rice must have cooked.
Now add in the rest of the milk and bring to a boil.
Add the saffron, condensed milk and sugar.
Mix well.
Boil milk again and simmer for 10 minutes on a very low flame.
Keep stirring.
Add the chopped almonds or fry the cashew in ghee till golden and add to the payasam.
Add in the powdered cardamom, if using and mix well.
Serve hot, warm or chilled.

Indian style deep fried okra lady's finger

My daughter will eat okra in no other way!!
My aunt used to make these deep fried lady's finger with a mixture of chickpea flour /besan and different other flours like maida, cornflour. But rice flour gives the right amount of crispiness / crunch while besan gives a 'bhajji' taste.

I use only chilly powder, salt and asafoetida in my mixture. Turmeric powder is avoided as the oil (while deep frying) changes color and my neighbor (who gave me this recipe) is a Gowda Saraswath Brahmin, who seem to avoid Turmeric!
Look up other GSB recipes like their dal - thoy, if you don't believe me!

Recipe courtesy: Mrs. Vidya Sundaresh Kamath

Ingredients:
Lady's finger / okra / vendakkai - 250 gms
Rice flour - 3 tbsp
salt
Chilli powder - 1 tsp (or more)
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat powder (optional)
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix the rice flour with salt, chilli powder and asafoetida powder.

Cut each okra lenght-wise into 4 and then into 1 inch long pieces or into 1 cm rounds.
Mix this into the dry powders.

No need to add any water.
Keep aside for minimum 30 minutes.
The powders will stick to the vegetable.

Deep fry in hot oil and serve hot.

You can dust with chaat masala if you wish.

Pasta from a big heart - Kosta's Bigouli

Some stories really touch your soul. 

The ongoing Syrian crisis, where many immigrants land on the European shores, more dead than alive is not a beautiful story. But in between all these negativities, a ray of hope usually shines through which restores your trust in humanity.

Greece is going through a crisis of it's own, but the people there still have a heart.

When I read an article on a Greek man with a big heart - Konstantinos Polychronopoulos or Kostos in short, of the Greece island of Lesbos, is using his "Social Kitchen" -O Allos Anthropos - to feed the Syrian refugees and immigrants, my heart sang a happy tune. 

It is not that he himself has a strong backing, he makes do with what is available. He does not hand out his food in charity. Everyone cooks together and eats together. That way, no one loses their dignity. What a beautiful concept.

photo by Annia Ciezadlo

The following recipe is a Greek pasta dish called - Bigouli.

Just onions, tomatoes, whole spices, ground spices and pasta. It is a 'refugee/charity' dish, so it is all cooked in a single pot and nothing fancy like cheese is added.

Since this recipe is what Kosta makes, it is called Kosta's Bigouli. He has cooked this simple wholesome dish for 1000 people. But here I will show you how to make the dish for 2 people. Make a portion for yourself and share the other with an unfortunate soul.

Ingredients:

Pasta - 2 cups

Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon stick - 1 stick of 2 inch lenght

Rosemary - 1 tsp

Allspice - 5

Onion -1 medium, chopped fine

Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped fine (optional)

Tomato - 5 medium, chopped fine

Salt to taste

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Jeera powder / cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp

Thyme - 1 pinch

Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp

Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat the olive oil on medium flame.

Add the cinnamon, rosemary and allspice.

When the allspice starts popping, add the onion and garlic.

Fry till onion turns transparent.

Add the chopped tomatoes. Fry on high flame for 1 minute.

Cook covered on low flame till the tomato becomes pulpy.

Add the salt, pepper, jeera powder, thyme, red chilli flakes and ginger powder.

Mix well and add the tomato ketchup.

Fry for 1 minute and add in 2 cups of water.

When the water starts boiling, add the pasta.

Cook till the pasta evaporates. Add more water to cook pasta, if necessary.

Once the pasta cooks, serve.

I have copy -pasted Kosta's original recipe for a 1000  people below.

You will notice that I have changed the recipe a bit and have used only fresh tomato and not tomato paste or canned tomatoes.

Kosta's bigouli* (for a thousand people)

Ingredients

• 2 kilograms olive oil


• 10 onions coarsely chopped
 
• 3 cinnamon sticks
 
• 10 allspice berries
 
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
 
• 2 tablespoons basil
• 2 tablespoons thyme
 
• 1/2 cup smoked paprika
 
• 1/2 cup powdered ginger
 
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 5-6 tablespoons ground pepper
 
• ground cinnamon to taste
 
• 1½–2 kilograms tomato paste
• 6 cans (4500 grams/158 ounces each) of tomato sauce
 
• 50–60 liters water, plus more as needed
• 20 kilograms pasta: bigoåli, fettuccine, penne, or whatever good-hearted people have donated
• 1/2 kilogram salt, or more, to taste

Directions

1. Chop the onions. Break up the pasta. (This is an ideal job for kids.) Open the cans of tomato paste and pulp so they're ready to go when you need them.
2. Heat the olive oil until warm.
3. Add the cinnamon, allspice, and rosemary, and sauté until fragrant.
4. Add the onions and sauté lightly, without letting them brown. When they become translucent, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, ground spices, basil, thyme, and salt.
5. Stir until the sauce becomes velvety.
6. Add the pasta and cook until finished. Add more water if needed.
7. Serve to a thousand people.

Chammandi podi / Kerala style coconut powder

Keralites love anything made with Coconut. Keralam means land of coconuts!!

This recipe is made using dry coconut or kopra. Coconut oil is extracted from this kopra.
The difference between Dosa podi and chammandi podi is the latter has tamarind and coconut in it.

From this recipe on-wards (keeping my fingers crossed, as it is a tough chore!), I plan to provide the weight of each ingredient. My friend (who is going to publish a cook book) said that measuring cups can change from house to house, but weight measurements are same the world over.

Important note:
Kopra oozes coconut oil at the slightest pressure. so cut the kopra into small pieces instead of using the chopper / mixer.
Do not over run the mixer while powdering, as again the oil might start oozing.

Enjoy this chammandi podi with hot rice and ghee or with dosa / idly.

Ingredients:
Dry coconut / Kopra - 1 cup - 80 gms
Urad dal / Uzhundu parippu - 1/4 cup - 40 gms
Kadala parippu / channa dal - 1/2 cup - 80 gms
Red chilli - 16 numbers or more - 10 gms
Salt to taste
Tamarind - small as lime -10 gms
Asafoetida - 1 cm square -2 gms

Method:
Cut the kopra into small pieces.
Fry the dals and red chilly separately without oil. Keep aside.
Fry the asafoetida in 1 tsp oil. Keep aside.
In the same kadai, fry the kopra till it gets deep red.
Cool all the ingredients.

First powder the dals, red chilly, asafoetida and salt. Remove and keep aside.
Now powder the fried coconut.
Once powdered, add the tamarind and the dal powder.
Run the mixer again.
Do not over run the mixer as the coconut oil will start seeping from the kopra!
Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
Store in a dry airtight container.

Sabudana vada / Javvarisi vada

My neighbor invited us to her house on karva chauth and she gave us this vada to eat. Usually here in South india we make payasam with chowari ( my brother's favorite muthu payasam) and I have heard from my grandmother that kumkum or tikka worn on forehead is also made using this. How can I forget the colourful pappadams made using chowari!

Chowari / sabu dana - 4 tbsp

Potato - 3 large or 4 medium

Green chilli - 2 chopped fine

Salt - use lesser than you think is needed

Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp 

Pepper - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala (opt) - 1 pinch

Dry mango powder / aamchoor (opt) - 1/2 tsp

Oil for deep frying 

Soak the sabudana / chowari in water for 2 hrs. Drain well.

Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash.

Add salt, pepper, chilli powder, green chilli and coriander leaf to this. Add the garam masala and aamchoor now, if using.

At last add the soaked chowari and knead well.

If you feel the mixture is wet, add some bread crumbs / rice flour.

Make small patties and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.

If the patties are not holding shape, place the prepared mix in the freezer for 15 minutes or fridge for 1 hour and try again.

Bharva Baingan masala / stuffed brinjal in gravy

They say never watch food shows, go shopping to a supermarket or order food while you are really hungry.
I watched a movie the other day before lunch called - Lunch Box. The story-line is this. The heroine tries to rekindle the romance in her marriage by sending tasty food to her husband's office.
Thank God I had made lunch that day!
There was one curry the heroine makes with small brinjals / eggplant / aubergine, which I really wanted to eat.

So I asked my friend , Mrs. Shefali Arvind, a good cook, if she had a recipe. She passed me a dry, stuffed brinjal recipe.
But my dish had a gravy. Oil floated on top and the brinjal was cooked till soft, but still held shape.

The search continued and today the push became a shove.
Craving started. (No, I am not pregnant!)
Online search led me to a curry which 'looked' like the fleeting image I had seen in the movie. But the taste buds in my mind did not agree.
Further searched and a you-tube video recipe forcefully said it was THE curry. But I thought it looked too messy and would taste like "Baigan ka salaan".

I decided I will go to the market, get some eggplants and probably the fresh air would ignite my brain cells and if necessary, I would just invent a curry.
After I came back, a thought struck me. This movie was on a Maharastrian house-wife. So probably the dish is a marathi dish?
Eureka!! Found the dish - Bharli Vangi!!
I made the curry and my husband enjoyed it as much as I did. It is simply amazing. The smell in the house while preparing the dish and afterwards is mouth watering.
I loved the fact that it had no garam masala.

Ingredients:

Baby brinjal / eggplant / aubergine / baingan - 6
Onion -2, medium - finely chopped
Tomato - 1, medium - finely chopped
Jeera / cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
salt
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp as solid (If it is syrup - 1 tbsp)
Oil - 1 tbsp + 3 tbsp

To be ground:

Dry coconut / copra -  2 tbsp (preferred)

(or) Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup
Til seeds / ellu - 1 tbsp
Jeera / Cumin seed - 1 tbsp
Ground nuts - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 4 cloves
Green chilly -2
Coriander leaf - 1 handful or 1/4 cup packed tight

Method:
Wash and dry the brinjals.
Make a deep cross slit in each at the bottom, but be careful to not break it's shape.

Powder the coconut with til seed, jeera and ground nuts.
Now add in the coriander leaf, garlic and green chillies.
Grind into a coarse paste with as less water as possible.

Heat 1 tbsp oil and splutter the jeera.
Add the onions and fry till translucent.
Then add all the powders - salt, turmeric, chilly and asafoetida - and jaggery.

Fry on medium flame for 30 seconds and add the chopped tomato.
Fry till the tomato softens and add the ground paste.

Mix well and cook for 30 seconds.
Allow to cool.

Stuff the brinjals liberally with the prepared masala. There will be some left over masala.

Heat 3 tbsp oil and fry the stuffed brinjals for 2 minutes on high flame, stirring often.

Tip in the rest of the masala and add about 1 cup of water.

(I cleaned out my masala-prepared-vessel and mixer with good water and used it in the curry. No need to waste flavor!)

Bring to a boil, reduce flame and cook covered. Cook till the brinjals soften (7 -10 minutes).

When the brinjal softens, open vessel and continue cooking till oil floats on top and gravy thickens (10 - 12 minutes).

Serve hot with Chappathy.

Moringa / drum stick leaf thoran

Moringa is high in nutritional value. The fruit - drumstick, is used abundantly in many south indian curries like sambar and avial. But the leaf is something amazing. Read more about it here.

Moringa leaf can be used to make a delicious moringa dosa and to make mulakoottal.

Important note:
1. Moringa leaf is a laxative and might not suit some people.
2. Do try this recipe with fenugreek leaves.

Ingredients:
Moringa leaf - 3 cups
Moong dal / paasi parippu / split green gram dal - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1 or more
Onion - 3 tbsp finely chopped
Garlic - 1 clove (optional)
Coconut -1 tbsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Jeera / cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Clean and soak the dal in warm water for 1/2 an hour.
Heat the oil and splutter the jeera in it.
Add the onion, garlic and green chillies.
Saute till onions become translucent.
Tip in the dal and 1/2 cup water.
Add salt and turmeric powder.
Cook covered.
When the water evaporates, check to see if the dal is cooked, or else add more water and cook for some more time.We need the dal to hold shape but soften.
Add in the leaf after all the water evaporates and mix well.

Reduce flame and cook covered for 5 minutes.
Now open the lid and roast for 2 minutes on high flame.
Garnish with coconut and serve hot.