Ulli Theeyal for a heart warming sunday lunch

Happiness depends upon ourselves - Aristotle

Such a succinct yet profound thought ain't it ? We all work hard for being happy and yet it is the one thing that eludes us more often than not. The funny part is that we fail to recognise that we are our very own architects of happiness.

"If you want to be happy, be " - Leo Tolstoy

Being happy is in our hands and it is indeed as simple as that.  And in this regard we can learn a lot from children. Seldom do they nurse any regrets or mope on about what has already happened. And if they do have some grouse, it is all forgotten in minutes. They revel in the utmost simplest of things. Last week, 2 kids in my class indulged in a verbal spat and their bone of contention was an eraser which both asserted was theirs. Both of them had a few mates(minions?) vouching their claims. Even as I wondered how to resolve their dispute, the recess bell rang bringing in the much needed break.Post recess, the children had a PT period and what do I see ? The kids in question had happily latched their hands together and went out merrily to the playground. And when they came back after playing their hearts out, they told me in unison that they were going to cut the eraser in half and share it between themselves. Ain't that sweet ? It left me wondering as to when and where do we chuck this happy-go-lucky attitude and innocence. Of course  life is not that simple but one thing is for sure ~ We all have a lot to learn and unlearn from the kids !

Talking about happiness, good food keeps us all contended and satiated. Don't you agree ? And when the heart warming food is tucked in to on a sunday with the family banters adding the pep, then the happiness quotient is at an all time high. Point in case is this yummy Ulli Theeyal. Ulli is malayalam for shallots aka chinna vengayam. So this gravy is in essence fried shallots in a tangy gravy. It is our very own vatta kuzhambu dolled up with coconuts. Yum !

The theeyal rocks with piping hot rice. We savoured it with dosas too the next day.  

What's in it :-

• Shallots - a fistful
• Tamarind Paste - 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp
• Water - 2 to 3 cups
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt- to taste

To Dry Roast & Grind

• Coconut -thin slices of 1/2 a coconut
• Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black Pepper - 1 tsp
• Red Chillis - 4

Tempering :-

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - a few
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Here's How :-

Dissolve the tamarind paste in a cup of water and set aside.Dry roast the ingredients till golden brown for the spicy paste. Once it cools down grind them to a fine paste with little water as required. Peel and wash the shallots well and cut in to half . In a thick bottomed pan tip in the oil and and as it warms up let the mustard seeds crackle. Dump the curry leaves and asafoetida along with the shallots. Saute the shallots for 2-3 minutes.Add the tamarind water, turmeric powder ,curry leaves and bring to a boil. Add a cup or more of water and let it simmer for 5-8 minutes. Mix the ground paste in to the simmering shallot tamarind mix and bring to a boil. Simmer it for a few more minutes till you reach the desired consistency, before taking off flame.Serve hot. 

E.N.J.O.Y

Yam & Green Gram in Coconut Gravy - A Guest post for Kavita @ Edible Entertainment

The very bubbly and vivacious Kavita, star behind Edible Entertainment has a new series Cooking with Kin. While she is busy studying for the CA exams, her space is kept busy by us fellow bloggers who she very sweetly calls as kins. I was delighted when I saw her message asking me to grace her page. After much thought, I settled on this simple but tasty gravy with Yam & Green Gram

The gravy gets its oomph from shallots while coconut adds pep and it is a perfect accompaniment to rice.

Veggie & Lentils in a dish is something my hearth loves and this recipe from a keralite friend of mine was an instant winner. 

what are you waiting for ? - Hop on to Kavita's space and check out my post. enjoy !

Olan

Love it when Sundays are a breeze- no getting up early, no toiling in the kitchen and no running around for daughter's extra curricular activities - yesterday was all that & more - easy,hearty & comforting food,catching up with lots of books /magazines and loads of mindless TV. Guess who's the happy soul :D
While reading sunday's newspaper there was an interesting article about how today's kids are an important part of shopping discussions at home- whether it is phones or cars or any other electronics and even fashion, the opinion of kids are given prominence ; no longer are the kids just kids, their insights & inputs are increasingly appreciated and attached importance. While this is welcome, what was a little too much to digest was the fact that kids of very well-to-do families being given mobile phones at the age of 9 and car at the age of 14 !!!! Is it a healthy trend I wonder ??? Is it not too much exposure at a very young age ??? Yes, it goes without saying that kids are more adept in handling the gadgets and there age is just a number, but where should the limit be drawn ???


Olan, a hearty dish from God's very own country is an important part of Kerala Cuisine. A must in the feasts (sadhya) and wedding celebrations this mild tasting dish is very pleasing.While Kerala prides itself as the spice-coast of India and its cuisine boasts of a variety of spice-rich treats, olan the gentle dish,is most welcome for its clean and fuss-free flavours. Vegetables and (or) legumes is cooked and flavored with coconut milk, spiced with green chilli (s) and garnished with coconut oil & curry leaves. Ain't that hearty ?? 

The ingredients in the olan generally vary from region to region ;pumpkin & snake bean (long podded cowpea/yard long bean) makes a regular appearance. Fresh coconut milk makes the dish a treat to the senses, though with time constraints store bought coconut milk is preferred. I have used the white pumpkin (ash gourd) & the yellow pumpkin along with potatoes for the dish. I served it with Rice & Keerai Masiyal (Mashed Greens) and the lunch was a  delightful affair !!

What's in it :-

• White Pumpkin (Ash Gourd) - 1 cup - thinly sliced
• Yellow Pumpkin - 1/2 cup - thinly sliced
• Potato - 1 - thinly sliced
• Green Chilli - 1 or 2 - halved & slit lengthwise
• Coconut Milk - 1 1/4 cup
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves - a few
• Salt - to taste

Here's How :-

Take 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and thin it a little with water. Now add it to the cut vegetables and green chillis and let it cook on a low/medium flame for some time. The vegetables has to turn soft but not mushy.Add salt to taste and tip in the remaining (thick) coconut milk. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the coconut oil & curry leaves and take it off flame. Enjoy it with rice.

 

Pineapple Pachadi (Pineapple in Coconut & Curd)

Suvai 2011 was a raging success and the range of dishes featured in the event was amazing. I really felt that a very voracious appetite aka Kumbhakarna would have done justice to all the stalls that were featured. Nevertheless, the food carnival saw me tucking in some lip-smacking dishes. A few of them truly caught my eye and I am sure to bring them to the hearth too ! 
I often make a variety of pachadis with different fruits & veggies and this one with pine-apple remain my favourite. Also, it is one of the common fares of the Onam Sadya. Pineapple, the lovely tropical fruit is full of Vitamin C & is a good source of fibre & potassium. Also it is very tummy- friendly ! I guess it makes more sense to snack this spiky fruit as much as possible !

Pachadi is a traditional south Indian Side- Dish and refers to food that has been pounded. It is made differently among South Indian regions. While in kerala & Tamilnadu, pachadi is a side-dish curry similar to the north Indian raita, in Andhra Pradesh, pachadi is a fresh pickle and has very low shelf life, a maximum of two or three days. It is made of fresh vegetables and is served as an accompaniment for rice, snacks like idli, dosa, and pesarattu. Many kinds of vegetables are included. Sometimes the peel of the vegetable is also used, such as the peel of Ridged Gourd.  Finely chopped and boiled vegetables mix with ground coconut & red or green and tempered in oil with mustard and curry leaves. Curd/yogurt based pachadi also can be made of any vegetable or fruits. Pachadi is commonly eaten with rice and a lentil curry (Adapted from:WIKI).

With a delicious medley of flavours pineapple pachadi tingles your palate.

What's in it :-

• Pineapple -1/2
• Curd - 1/2 cup - beaten
• Green Chillis- 3 - slit vertically- to taste
• Turmeric Powder- a pinch or two
• Coconut - 1/2 cup grated
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Salt- to taste

For tempering :-

• Oil - 1 tbsp 
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli - 1 or 2
• Curry Leaves - a few

Useful Pointers

1.	While grinding the coconut-cumin-mustard mix, use the water in which pineapple is stewing for the blend, it adds to the taste
2.	Temper the mix with coconut oil for the power packed  flavour
3.	Adjust the consistency of pachadi by adjusting the quantity of curd/yogurt or the water used while grinding coconut

How :-

Peel & cut the pineapples in to small cubes. Boil it in a cup of water with green chillis & turmeric powder for a few minutes till it's soft & tender. Grind the coconut, cumin seeds & mustard seeds to a fine paste with water as required. Add this to the pineapples and cook well. Take off flame & once it cools a little, add the curd to the pineapple along with salt & mix well.In a small pan, heat the oil & let the mustard seeds crackle. Add the red chillis & curry leaves & let it sizzle for a few seconds. Pour this over the pineapple mix and serve.

Chenai-Vazhai Erissery (Yam N Plantain in Roasted Coconut Gravy)

Simple but delightful- that's how I would love to brag about this hot looking dish ! Erissery, a traditional Kerala dish has a combination of veggies with or without pulses/ beans and float in a coconut based gravy and further have roasted coconut wafting their divine aroma. Yup it is one coconut(ty) affair but then most kerala cuisine boasts of the joyful pleasures of adding them in the dish !
A few combinations besides yam n plantain that rock are Red Pumpkin with Black eyed Beans, Yam & Red Beans & even Papaya !!
The dish has a thick gravy like consistency though you can water it down if it's too thick for comfort.

It sees a lot of variations in its preparation as regards to the ingredients that go for the paste & the tempering. The tempering done adds the OOMPH factor to the dish - the roasted coconuts as the final step transports the dish to finer levels. Some versions of the dish see roasted shallots & garlic along with coconut - go for it if your taste-buds so pleases !

What goes:-
Veggies 

• Yam - 1 cup (skin removed & cubed)
• Raw Plantain - 1 cup (skin removved & cubed)

For the Paste :-

• Coconuts - 1 cup - sliced/grated
• Black Pepper Corns - 1 to 2 tbsp - to taste
• Red Chillis - 2 to 3 - to taste
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp

Others:-

• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt- to tatse
• Water - as required

For Tempering :-

• Coconut Oil - as required
• Mustard , Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - a  few
• Grated Coconut /Finely Sliced Coconut - 1/2 cup 
• Shallots & Garlic - Chopped - to taste - optional

Here's How:-
Pressure cook the cut vegetables with turmeric powder & enough water till well done.

Lightly mash them but not to the point that the veggies lose their shape.I love my veggies to stand out so they are not overtly mushy ! In the meanwhile dry roast the peppercorns & red chillis till it turns a hotter shade of red and after it cools down grind them along with coconut & cumin to a fine paste.The roasted pepper in the dish gives it a smoky effect not to mention the strong flavour & heat !


In a pan add the cooked veggies with little water and bring them to a boil. Dunk in the ground paste along with salt and let it simmer for a while.


Prepare the tempering by allowing the mustard & urad dal to crackle in the hot oil. Add curry leaves and as it wilts , tip in the grated /finely sliced coconut. Saute till it turns golden n crispy. I prefer the coconuts to be very finely sliced for the tempering as it gives an extra crunch !

Spill the tempering to the dish, mix & serve hot with rice ! Enjoy !!


This goes to Kerala Kitchen - May guest hosted by Sarah, event announcement by Rose & Ria

Urlakazhangu Ishtuu (Potato Stew- Authentic Kerala Style)

A rich and creamy side-dish that is a traditional fare of Kerala cuisine, Potato stew is mildly spiced and gets the heat from ginger other than green chillis! It is served with idiyappam , pancakes (dosas),appams etc. Sadhya  or the grand feast (banquet) associated with special occasions have the stew as a big draw that generally does not have onions or garlic.The stew is also prepared with a base of onions and a few other spices where potatoes join the party later. I have tried to make it the authentic way without onions & garlic.Boiled & roughly mashed potatoes stew in thin coconut milk and later they are spiked with a dash of coconut oil. To this lightly fried green chillis and ginger are added along with  thick coconut milk.


My hubby's granny was reminiscing about the good old days where stew was subtle without the addition of any store bought spices. She also told me how they used to extract coconut milk and make batches of thick, thin & thinner milk. Of course nowadays with the availability of Coconut Milk in tetra-packs, the job is really easier. I used Hommade's Coconut milk , if you have time you are welcome to extract milk from coconuts .To accommodate my granny's eating sensibilities, i followed her easy and simple way of making the stew ! 

What Goes:-

• Boiled Potatoes - 5 to 6 (medium sized)
• Green Chillis - 2 - to taste (finely chopped)
• Ginger - 1/2'' piece (scrapped & chopped finely or grated)
• Thick Coconut Milk - 50-75 ml
• Thin Coconut Milk - 100 ml - 125 ml of thick milk diluted in enough water
• Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp

How:-

Roughly mash the potatoes and set aside. Keep the other ingredients ready. 

Dilute 125 ml of coconut milk with enough water and bring it to a boil. 

Add the mashed potatoes and let it stew & simmer for a while in low flame.

While it thickens and absorbs all the milky essence add 2 tablespoons of coocnut oil.

Once it attains a consistency that is neither thick nor watery add the thick coconut milk and let it cook for a few more minutes. Prepare the tempering separately-warm a tablespoon of  coconut oil and fry the chopped green chillis and ginger.Add it to the potatoes. You can also add curry leaves, mix well and switch off flame.

Serve Hot

Sending it to AWED-Indian Cuisine hosted by Umm Mymoonah event announcement by DK

This goes to Magpie's Kerala Kitchen- March

Also to Rumana's Treat to Eyes- Series 1

Puli Inji (Tamarind-Ginger Mix)

Puli inji is a traditional fare of Kerala Cuisine. Literally translated puli inji is Tamarind-Ginger concoction that is a perfect accompaniment to rice or tiffin varieties. It is also called as pulikachal in some parts.


Puli Inji packs a fusion of flavours ranging from the heat of the ginger and spiciness of chillis to the sharp kick of the tamarind and the sweetness from jaggery. To make it really authentic and dishful sesame oil is used.Stored in an air-tight container and refrigerated, it can stay fresh up to 6 months.And the taste gets better as it ages !!

This recipe is from my hubby's maternal grandmother who also prepared it with little help from me. She is here for some time and spending quality time with her great-grand children. I plan to learn  a few traditional dishes while she is around !!


What goes:-

• Tamarind - 100  to 125 gm
• Ginger - 50 to 60 gm (washed, scraped & cut in to small pieces)
• Green Chillis - 8 to 9 - to taste (4 of them cut in half and sliced, 4 chopped)
• Jaggery - 25 gm - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Curry leaves - leaves of a sprig
• Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp

To Dry Roast & Grind :-

• Sesame Seeds - 2 tbsp
• Raw Rice - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
• Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
• Red Chillis - 2 - to taste
• Curry leaves - a few

For the tempering :-

• Sesame Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
• Bengal Gram - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - a few

How:-

A look at the star ingredients; divide the ginger & green chillis in to two parts, one is added while the tamarind mix is simmering, the other is lightly fried in little oil to be added after the mix thickens !

Dry roast sesame separately and the rest separately as my grandma did and grind (if you are short of time you can combine all the ingredients & dry roast).Keep it little coarse for the earthy texture. 

Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract pulp ; dilute it with 2 cups of water.

In a heavy bottomed pan pour the pulpy mix and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and let it simmer for a while. 

Add turmeric powder and the sliced green chillis and let it continue thickening.

Add ginger and curry leaves. By this time the mix would have thickened considerably , add jaggery to taste.

Mix in the ground sesame powder and also add the prepared tempering along with required salt.

Now add the lightly fried green chilli-ginger to the mix and finally the rice-lentil powder . Let it remain for a little time and as it attains the desired consistency take it off heat.

Enjoy !

Sending this tangy dish to Magpie's Kerala Kitchen -March

Kappa Puzhukku (Tapioca Curry )

Kappa Puzhukku needs no introduction to people familiar with kerala cuisine. It is an absolutely delightful preparation of Tapioca blended in a very flavourful mix of coconut and other spices. This dish is a traditional style of making Tapioca in Kerala. My Mother- in law's signature dish, i learnt making this from her. 

Here goes the recipe:-


 A look in to the ingredients ---

• Tapioca - 500gms
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Green Chillis - 2 to 3
• Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - a few
• Coconut Oil - 1tbsp
• Salt - to taste

For tempering:-

• Mustard seeds, Urad Dal - 1tsp
• Curry leaves - a few
• oil -little

Here's how :-


The Tapioca Tuber looks like this . Cleaning and chopping it in to small chunks is a process in itself--

Chop it in to 2 to 3 pieces and remove the outer brown skin

Cut vertically and remove any thick skinned tissue

Cut in to thin slices

Chop in to small cubes

Wash the chopped pieces well and in a heavy bottomed pan add enough water along with 2-3 slit green chillis and turmeric powder and cook till it is soft and tender.

Add pepper powder and salt to the cooked tuber and mix well.

In the meanwhile grind grated coconuts, cumin seeds and curry leaves to a coarse powder.

In a separate pan prepare the tempering by allowing mustard seeds and urad dal to splutter along with a few curry leaves.


Now comes the final mixing part --


Add the coarse coconut powder, tempering to the cooked tubers and mix well. Let the mixed curry simmer for a while . To give it a more authentic taste add little coconut oil to this curry. Mix well and serve hot !

This mushy curry tastes heavenly  -----

The puzhukku was served with rice and other accompaniments and the lunch was a total culinary delight !

I am sending this to Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes - Tuesday Event event announcement by Priya



Also linking this to Sujana's Celebrating Regional cuisine



Linking this to Girlichef's Hearth n Soul :Vol 27