MALTA LEMON / BADGAPULI / VADKAPULI PICKLE

A Kerala recipe, curry type pickle with malta lemon is a very important item on Onam Sadya. It has many names - Malta lemon, wild lemon, Big lemon, Kodu limbiyo . The lemon is basically very bitter in taste, to remove its bitterness some people remove its outer skin or the whole lemon is boiled with enough water and discard the water. But I did not peel its skin or I did not boil it in the water. I prepared the pickle at the time of Onam. And this pickle won't last for long, it should be refrigerated and consumed with in few days.

MALTA LEMON PICKLE

WHAT YOU NEED :

Malta lemon /Vadkapuli - 1 (it makes almost 2 cups pieces)

Chilli powder - 4 tsp

Green chilly - 1-2

Ginger - 1 inch, chopped

Jaggery - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seed / Methi seed powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - A big chana size piece or 1-2 tsp powder

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Refined oil  - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste 

BADGAPULI PICKLE- KERALA STYLE

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash the lemon first and wipe with dry cloth. Cut in bits and put a cup of water in it and boil till it is tender. Then keep aside.

Cut green chilly in rounds.

Heat oil in kadahi. When oil is hot add mustard seeds, when it splutters add curry leaves. 

Add ginger and green chilly, saute for few seconds. 

Then add red chilly powder, fenugreek seeds powder, jaggery powder and asafoetida. Stir well for few more seconds.

Now add boiled lemon pieces, salt along with 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly.

If needed add another cup water and boil over medium heat. 

Allow to cool down. When cool transfer in a jar, keep it outside for a day, after that you must store in refrigerator.

Serve Malta lemon / Badgapuli Pickle as a side dish.

BITTER GOURD CRISPY FRY / PAVAKA VATTAL

When I bought a bag full of bitter gourds from the market, I prepared almost all the GSB

Dishes. Still, I had many in the fridge. Once I saw a lovely dish in a food group, posted by my

dear friend Manju Rao who said this dish is prepared during Christian weddings, in Kerala.

Since then I was restless till I had prepared the dish. Here's the recipe.

BITTER-GOURD CRISPY FRY

WHAT YOU NEED:

Bittergourd - 2 , cut 3" length and sliced thin

Onion - 2, sliced thin

Green chilly - 5, slit

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, chopped finely

Red chilly flakes / red chilly powder -

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Salt

PAVAKA VATTAL...

HOW TO MAKE  :

Apply salt to the sliced bittergourd and keep for an hour.

After an hour squeeze the bittergourd to take out the salty water.

Now in a vessel put the squeezed bittergourd, chopped ginger and slit green chilies. Heat it and cook over a low flame for 5 minutes.

Then heat enough oil in a kadahi.

When hot add Curry leaves and fry till they are crispy. Remove .

Then put sliced onions, fry till they are brown and crisp. Remove.

Then add bittergourd along with chilli and ginger. Fry them till they are brown and crisp. Remove.

Now add all the fried items in a big bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle little chilly flakes / chilli powder and salt if needed.

When it is cool store in a air tight container. It will last for 2-3 days.

PUTTU AND KADALA CURRY

Puttu and kadala curry is a popular breakfast in Kerala. I, being Mangalorean, my breakfast style is completely Mangalore style; thus, never attempted to make puttu or appam. After tasting these two things in restaurant, I regularly make these for breakfast. Recently I bought puttu maker also. For puttu and appam i use local brand powders and it comes out so well. When i went to my friend Lakshmy's place she showed me how to make puttu. I must thank her for her kindness. Very long back she had given me hand written recipe, now it came to my use, that i got it from my recipe collection. I made some changes in the recipe and here it goes.....

PUTTU AND KADALA CURRY

WHAT YOU NEED:


FOR PUTTU:

To make Puttu I followed the instruction from the packet I bought.

FOR KADALA CURRY

Black small chickpeas/ Kadala - 3/4 cup

Coconut grated - 2 handfuls or 1/2 cup

Tomato  - 1 chopped

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, chopped

Onion - 1 big, finely chopped

Green chilly - 2 slit

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Salt - to taste

ORIGINATED FROM KERALA STATE, PUTTU KADALA

HOW TO MAKE:

Soak chickpeas in enough water overnight.

Pressure cook chickpeas with enough water.

Grind coconut grating to a fine paste adding some water.

Now heat 1 tbsp oil in kadahi.

Splutter mustard seeds, add ginger, green chilli and curry leaves.

Then add onion and fry till translucent.

Add tomato, fry till it becomes mushy.

Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Stir fry for few minutes.

Then add coconut paste and some water , stir well. Allow to boil.

Now add cooked chickpeas and mix well. Also add chickpeas water in it. For thickening the gravy, grind handful of cooked chickpeas to a fine paste and add to the masala. Add salt and stir well

Put 2-3 cups of water for the gravy.  Here we need enough gravy to dip puttu in it.

Serve Kadala curry along with Puttu for breakfast.

PULI INJI

Here in Kerala, in festivals or marriage feasts, Puli Inji takes the honor to get the place on the left side of the banana leaf which is served along with pickles and fried items. Vishu festival is nearing (on 15th April). Keralites prepare their traditional recipes on this particular day and one of them is Puli inji. Puli is tamarind and inji is ginger, it is tangy and sweet gojju.

PULI INJI

WHAT YOU NEED:

tamarind - one small orange size ball, almost 1 cup pulp

Ginger - finely chopped, 1 cup

Green chilli - 7-8, finely chopped

Jaggery - 2 cubes /same quantity of tamarind pulp.

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig, finely chopped

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

INGREDIENTS, READY FOR THE PREPARATION 

SWEET N SOUR TAMARIND AND GINGER GOJJU

HOW TO MAKE:

soak tamarind in hot water till it is soft. Then make pulp out of it. I pureed it in mixie. Keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in kadahi.

When the oil is hot add mustard seeds. When it splutters add chopped curry leaves.

Then add chopped ginger and chopped green chillies and fry till ginger turns dark brown.

Now add Jaggery powder, salt and some water. Stir well.

Cook the mixture on medium flame till it becomes thick and oil separates from the mass.

Puli inji is ready now, when cooled store it in refrigerator, which lasts for 3 weeks or more.

Serve Puli Inji as side dish.

APPAM /PALAPPAM

I got this recipe from my dear sister Teju.  Appams came out so beautifully and with stew these appams were yumm yumm yumm! Here the recipe goes like this...

PALAPPAM AND STEW

WHAT YOU NEED:

Raw rice - 2 cups

Coconut, grated - 1/2 od the coconut or 1 cup thick coconut milk

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Cooked rice - 3/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Yeast - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Warm water - a little

ON THE HOT TAWA...

READY TO EAT,, APPAM AND STEW!

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash rice and soak along with fenugreek seeds for atleast 2 hours.

(Do not discard the water, it can be used while grinding the rice)

Now grind soaked rice, grated coconut and cooked rice to a smooth batter. 

Transfer the batter in a big vessel.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, then mix in the batter.

Add salt and keep overnight to ferment.

Next day, Stir the batter with ladle.

Add water if needed.

Now heat greased Appam tawa. 

Pour a ladle full of batter over the tawa, do not spread with ladle. 

Reduce the heat and cover and cook.

Remove.

Check the Stew recipe in my blog.

Serve Appam /Palappam with stew for breakfast.

CASHEW CURRY

Got this recipe from the daily Malayala Manoroma. I just love cashews in any form, whether it is raw or fried, salted or spicy, in the ice creams or or in the payasam.. in any form I just love it!
When I found this recipe thought of trying  and really it came out so beautiful. An awesome curry with full of cashews!

CASHEW CURRY

WHAT YOU NEED: 

Cashews splits - 2 cups
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a little
Salt to taste

FOR THE GRAVY:

Red chilly - 10 
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom and clove - 3-4 each
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Star anise - 1
Coconut grated - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2, chopped 

LOVELY AROMA OF COCONUT MILK! 

HOW TO MAKE :

Heat a pan with little oil, when hot add red chilly and fry. 
Add the remaining ingredients one by one and fry.
Grind it to a paste and keep aside.

Now cook  cashew splits in one cup water till tender. Strain and keep aside.

Heat some oil in kadahi.  Splutter cumin seeds, then add asafoetida and fry for few minutes.
Now add cooked cashew, sugar, salt and coconut oil and fry again for few minutes with stirring constantly.
Now add masala and stir well.
Add coconut milk and keep stirring.

Serve hot Cashew curry with Rice or Chappati/ Naan

CUCUMBER AVIYAL

Aviyal is a very popular dish from Kerala State. This is one of the items in the Menu in Kerala's feast,  may it be a wedding, religious festival, birthday feast or any feast. Aviyal is made of many vegetables like Yam, green banana, chinese potatoes, beans, long beans etc...  If you go at weddings and you are served this delicious curry then you can find in it all the veggies which grow on the earth !!!
Today I prepared it with different veges with same masala. 

CUCUMBER AVIYAL... IT IS DIFFERENT !!!

WHAT YOU NEED :
Cucumber or Kakdi, well grown - 1
Snake gourd - 1 small
Vaali / Basale - 1 long stem
Coconut, grated - 2 handfulls
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Green chillies - 3
Curd - 1 tbsp or tamarind - a small piece.
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash cucumber and snake gourd and cut in big pieces.
Cut vaali/ basale 3" long pieces.

Grind coconut, green chillys, tamarind, 1 tsp cumin seeds and turmeric powder to a rough masala.

Now cook veggies in a vessel with enough water till tender.
Add masala and bring to boil.
Add salt and mix well.
Now add curd and mix well ( if the tamarind is not added).

Heat a small pan with a tsp of coconut oil.
Sputter 1 tsp jeera, add curry leaves.
 Pour this seasoning on the Cucumber aviyal.

Serve hot with rice.

SUN DRIED GREEN CHILLY / KONDATT MOLAGU

Without Kondatt molagu, the feast in Kerala is incomplete. Molagu, in Malayalam means Chilly. Here you get plenty of Green chillies of different varieties, some are thin and long, some are stout and short, some are white in color.... For this Kondatt molagu you need a particular variety of green chilly, little thick and short in size. This is my hubby's fav and without Molagu or any pickle his meals are incomplete. I bet it enhances the taste of your meals! My hubby used to buy this from the shop. Recently I learned how to make them from my maid servant Shantha. I found it very easy but you need very strong sunshine while drying the Chillies. Today, for lunch I fried 4 sun dried chillies. Wow!!! it is yummy, spicy.....oooo

DRIED AND FRIED CHILLIES!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Green chillies - 1 kg
Sour curd - 500 gms
Salt - 1 handful ( here I used crystal salt)

KONDATT MOLAGU! 

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash green chillies with enough water, then dry pat. 
Make a small holes or slit on the chillies with a pointed knife.
In a vessel mix curd and salt.
Now add the slit green chillies in the curd mix and combine well.

Now spread the curd chillies in a colander and keep it over a broad plate, under the sun for drying.
When the excess curd gets collected in the plate, it should be poured again over the chillies. 
Continue this process for 3-4 days.
When it is crisp and completely dried, store in a airtight jar.
When needed, fry them over a low heat till it is black in color.

Serve as a side dish.

TAPIOCA CURRY

WHAT YOU NEED:

Tapioca  1 medium size
Green chillies 3
Coconut grated 1 tbsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida  little
Salt
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash Tapioca, remove its skin and cut into cubes.
Boil these pieces in water. When the water starts boiling, throw away the water.
Heat a tsp of oil in kadahi. When it is hot, put mustard seeds.
Add green chillys and curry leaves.
Add tapioca pieces, turmeric powder, asafoetida, coconut gratings, salt  and enough water; and saute well.
Allow to cook tapioca pieces. Check the water in curry several times as water gets absorbed fast. If there isn't enough water, add some more.

AVIYAL

 Coconut 1/2 cup.,
Jeera 1 tsp.,
Green chillies 4.,
Haldi.,
Curd 2 tbsp.,
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.,
Curry patta 1 sprig.,
Salt. ,
Vegs like Sooran or yam, potato, green banana, mitki sang(, beans., drumsticks...pieces of 2 cups.

method: Boil the vegs with salt. Grind coconut, jeera, haldi and green chillies to a paste.
add this to the boiled vegs and heat it .
then add 2 sbspns of curd ..mix well and turn off the flame. season with mustard seeds and curry patta..

VEGETABLE STEW

THIS IS KERALA'S VERY POPULAR CURRY. MY HUSBAND'S FAVOURITE ALSO AND ON EVERY SUNDAY I MAKE APPAM AND STEW, I MUST THANK MY FRIEND LAKSHMY FOR THE RECIPE, WHICH SHE HAD GIVEN LONG BACK. SINCE THEN I AM PREPARING THIS STEW. TRULY IT IS VERY YUMMY.

Recipe:
Potato 1
Carrot 1
Green pease 1/4 cup( i used frozen)
Onion 1
Green chiily 4,5( cut lenghtwise)
Ginger 2"
Garlic cloves 6,7
Pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Cinnomon 1 piecee
Cloves 2
Cardomom 2
Coconut milk thick 1 1/2 cup, thin milk 1 1/2 cup
Curry leaves, salt
For thickening the gravy i added 4 tsp maida paste.

Method: Wash and cut the veges and boil them in the cooker adding salt and pepper powder (without adding water to the vegs) for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a vessel and add crushed cinnamon, cloves, and slightly opened cardamom.
Add the lengthy cut onions, crushed ginger and garlic, chillies and curry leaves.( Here you can add raw veggies and cook with thin coconut milk also. If you don't want to use cooker.)
Then add the boiled vegs ,thin cocnut milk, and salt ..Mix well and boil it for few minutes.
Add thick milk to the vegs..cook for few more mints.