Sharkara upperi / Kerala's own sweetened banana chips

Any Sadya (Daawat) or feast in Kerala is unfinished if they do not serve this sweetened banana chips.
It is very crunchy and has a sweet coating which is made with jaggery syrup. They also add some spices to it.
Making this is not easy and is a precision job.
I have made this once before and it was a disaster. Last weekend I was lucky to see a professional cook make this. I assisted her and my reward was watching her prepare it in close quarters.

Important points to note.
The chips need to be fried to the right amount of crispiness.
The jaggery syrup must be heated to the right consistency.

Ingredients:
Nenthirakkaya / Raw banana - 1 1/4 kgs
Sharkara / Jaggery - 3/4 kgs
Dried ginger / chukku - 150 gms
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 75 gms
Oil for frying (preferably Coconut oil)
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp

Method:
Remove the skin from the Nenthirakkaya and place in a large bowl filled with water.

Slit each kaya lenghtwise. Then cut into 1/2 inch size semi circles.

Heat oil to boiling point and remove the froth by frying a piece of tamarind in it.

Now add the cut Banana pieces and reduce flame.

Keep stirring often and cook on a low flame for 20 - 25 minutes......or until all frothing stops.

Then move this batch to a colander.

Look how it snaps and it is completely dry inside.

Fry the next batch the same way.

Boil the Jaggery with 2 cups of water and strain to remove all impurities.

After sieving, keep it for boiling in a heavy bottomed vessel and add 1 tbsp ghee.

Dry fry the chukku (dry ginger) and pound before getting it ground in the mixer.

Dry fry the Jeera.

 Add this to the powdered ginger powder and add 1 tbsp sugar.

The ginger + jeera powder will look like this.

Sieve this to remove the unpowdered bits. Keep aside in a closed container.

Continue cooking the jaggery till it passes the 'thakkali' or tomato stage.
This stage is when you drop a tsp of jaggery syrup into a vessel containing cold water, jaggery forms a soft ball.

Look how much the jaggery has reduced...

When it passes this 'tomato stage' and reaches the next stage (thickens further) add the fried chips and about 6 tbsp of the ginger + jeera powder.

Turn off flame and move from the stove top.
Mix well and stir continuously for 5 minutes till it cools a bit.

Stir occasionally until it cools completely.
After it cools down, the chips would be evenly coated with the jaggery mixture.
Store in an air tight container.

There will some powder in the bottom; a mix of jaggery and the spices. This can be used to make 'puli-inji'.

Baked sweet potato with salad

Indians bake. But mostly Cakes and breads. And I had not baked in days. Navrathri just got over and Diwali is in the offing. So, today I baked sweet potato and served with a simple salad and Mushrooms.

So easy to make. Just pop everything into the oven; mix your salad and serve!

Oven Temperature : 200C

Ingredients:
Sweet potato - 3 (250 gm each)
Mushroom - 200 gm (optional)
Garlic - 10 pods (optional)
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 3 medium
Green chilly - 2
Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp (garnish)
Spring onion - 1 tbsp (garnish)
Lemon - 1
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Salt
Pepper

Method:
Preheat oven for 10 minutes.
Wash and scrub the sweet potato to remove all grime and dirt.
Pat dry.
Brush olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle salt.

Lay on a tray covered with aluminium foil (shiny side up) and bake for 45 minutes. Turn each potato after 20 minutes.
If you want to add mushrooms and garlic do the same as you did for sweet potatoes and put them into the oven when there is still 20 minutes baking time left. (I have added 1 quartered onion too.)

Salad:
Cut the onion and tomato into strips. Add sliced green chilly.
Just before serving, add salt and lime juice. Mix well.

Serving:
Slit the sweet potato down the middle and top with the salad.
Serve with baked Mushroom (garnished with pepper), baked garlic, onion and a slice of lemon.
Garnish with Coriander leaf and spring onion.

Sabudana / Javvarisi Payasam

Sabudana / Javvarisi is had during vrat / fasting. And we usually make something savory - either Sabudana Khichdi or Sabudana Vada with it. This is a sweet preparation and my brother - Vinayak Parameswaran, loves it. He used to call it 'muthu payasam' (pearl payasam).

Ingredients:
Javvarisi / Sabudana / sago - 1/2 cup
Milk - 750 ml
Sugar - 1/2 cup or more
Almonds - 1/4 cup
Saffron - 1 pinch
Elaichi / Cardamom - 2

Method:
Soak the Sabudana in 1 cup water for 1/2 an hour.

It will have soaked in some water and expanded. Add 1 more cup water and keep for boiling.

After 10 minutes on low flame it would be cooked.
Add the milk and keep boiling on simmer for 6 - 10 minutes.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Once all the sugar has dissolved, add the saffron, cardamom and almonds.

Cook for 5 more minutes and serve. Once cold it will thicken further.

Basic Thoran / Dry Vegetable dish with coconut

Any Vegetable (Beans, Cabbage, Carrot, Snake gourd, spinach) and even pulses (green gram dal, soya bean) can be made into a Thoran.
Thoran is a dry accompaniment.
Thoran is cooked vegetables with coconut added for extra taste.
this is a tasty accompaniment for any curry - Sambar, rasam and Pulinkary.

Potato / Yam / Colacasia are all cooked without coconut.

Ingredients:
Vegetable - 500 gms, cut into small pieces
(or) Pulse - 1/2 cup, soaked over night and pressure cooked and water drained
Oil (preferably coconut , Vegetable is also fine) - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 1 or 2
Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Method:
Heat the oil ins thick kadai with a lid.
Splutter the mustard and add the urad dal.
Once the dal turns red, add the vegetable, slat and turmeric powder.
Mix well, reduce flame and cook covered for 6 - 10 minutes.
Keep an eye to see the vegetable has softened.
Grind the Coconut with the green chilly without any water.
Add this to the vegetable.
Mix well and turn off flame.
Serve hot.

Lime and green chilly pickle / Vadukapuli naranja achaar

Vadukapuli naranja is indigenous to India. It is a big lemon with a bumpy thick skin called Poderosa Lemon in English.

(Image source: google images)

The achaar / pickle made with this Lemon is very easy to make.

Ingredients:
Lemon, green chilly, salt and water.

How much salt to use? The water must taste like sea water.
How many Chillys to use? Depends on your family's taste.
How much water? Just enough to immerse the lime and chilly.

Recipe:
Slice up the giant wild lemons and green chilly.
Boil and cool the water.
Mix together the salt, chilly and lemon.
Add the water.
Mix the pickle well once a day for 2 - 3 days.
Serve only after 3 days.

Keep refrigerated for more shelf life.