Kerala Puttu and Kadala Curry

Vineela Siva,Sreevidya and EC have passed on the “Creative Blogger”award.This award is pretty unique as it has certain rules attached to it:)

1.You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2.Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3.Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4.Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5.Nominate 7 other Kreative Bloggers.
6.Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7.Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

I thank Vineela Siva,Sreevidya and EC for this lovely award.

I have been tagged earlier with similar rules and am jes copying what I had mentioned earlier.So here are few things about me……

1.Kitchen is my exclusive paradise, an area where I pursue my culinary endeavors , no one gets to cook..It’s MY SPACE!

2.I am a cleanliness freak, particularly Kitchen & Bathroom.Utensils lying in the sink is a good enough reason for me to lose my temper.P bares the brunt most times.

3.I drink gallons of water,so I use the loo a lot:-P My friends always take a dig at me for this!

4.I believe,am not only good in making friends but keeping them too,still in touch with folks I’ve known since I was 5yrs old.Touchwood!

5.As a kid I’ve been told” books are like god”,if your feet happens to touch it,take it immediately and hold it close to your eyes (actually its like saying sorry god).Just for fun,my Dad and bro torture me by actually taking a newspaper,touch it to my feet,hide it & make me run around the entire house,I would be relieved only when I find it. Its quite funny but I still believe in this.

6.I don’t claim to be a Master neither a geek,but certainly good at excel and numbers, after all that’s been my bread & butter for long.

7.I drool over Death by Chocolate & Tiramisu,the latter being my fav one.Am crazy to the extent of naming P’s number on my mobile phone as “Tiramisu”

I am passing this on to – Varsha,Prathiba,Vijitha,Supriya,Mahimaa,Vidya and Lubna.

Now coming to the post,of all the Kerala food that I’ve had,Puttu always remains close to my heart.This is one such food that I simple can’t resist.Typical Puttu is made using the Puttu Maker.I had picked one such during my India trip this year,however had to drop it due to weight constraints.So I am sticking to my own way of making it using a cooker.

Puttu

Prep Time – 10 mins
Start to Finish – 20mins
Servings – 2 to 3

Ingredients:

Store bought Puttu powder/Rice flour – 2 cups
Salt – a pinch
Fresh shredded Coconut – 1 cup

Method:

If using rice flour,heat a pan and sauté the flour until raw smell disappears.In a big bowl mix the flour,salt and li’l water until you end up with a crumbled texture.Do not add a lot of water,as we don’t need a dough like consistency.For best results,sprinkle water li’l by li’l and gently mix the flour.Add coconut and mix well.Place the mixture in a wide vessel and steam it for about 8-9mins in a pressure cooker.You may use an idly stand or jes a plain wide vessel.Serve hot along with Kadala curry(recipe follows).

Infact,if you have a sweet tooth,you may add sugar and cardamom powder to the steamed mixture and have it along with riped bananas,a typical way of relishing them.While sauting the flour,ensure not to burn them.I generally use a 2:1 ratio for the flour and the coconut,you may choose to lessen the quantity of coconut.These days Puttu powders are easily available in any Indian Grocers which comes very handy,I’ve used Ragi Puttu Powder, which is very high in proteins.I came across an interesting way of making them in Divya Vikram’s blog,you may check that out too.

Kadala Curry

Prep Time – 10min
Start to Finish – 45 min(excluding soaking time)
Serves – 2 to 3

Ingredients:

Black Chana/Konda Kadala/Black or Brown chickpeas – 2 cups (soaked overnight and cooked with salt until soft)
Tomato – 2 (pureed)
Onion – 1 small (finely chopped)

For the masala(to be grinded):

Coconut – ½ cup
Onion – 1 small (roughly chopped)
Ginger – an inch
Garlic pods – 3 nos
Coriander and Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp each dry roasted (optional)
Coriander cumin powder – 1 tbsp
Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
Green chillies – 2 nos
Red Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp

Seasoning –

Mustard seeds – 1/ tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Coconut Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1.In a wok/skillet,heat oil and add mustard and curry leaves.Add Onions and sauté until translucent.
2.Add the grinded masala paste,sauté for few minutes.Add the tomato puree and cook until the raw smell disappears.
3.Add salt(salt has been already added while cooking the chickpeas,hence be careful while adding it the second time).
4.Add the boiled/cooked chickpeas to this gravy.Add a cup of water and allow it to cook until it thickens.Serve hot with Puttu.

I mentioned that the coriander and cumin seeds is optional,I add them because it brings an extra flavor when grinded fresh and also brings in a nice aroma when blended with coconut.


Verdict:

Puttu and Kadala Curry is the best combo that I can think of.Though it tasted very well,i somehow feel that the ones made with rice flour tastes the BEST!

Sending Kadala Curry to MLLA 13 hosted by Harini of Tongueticklers,which is the brainchild of Susan of Well Seasoned Cook

Pesarattu Dosa

I called home this morning and my Mom told me that she had made Pesarattu Dosa and my mouth started watering.God….its been really long…I miss Idly and Dosa.

When I went to New York, I enjoyed eating in Saravana Bhavan…I relished the south Indian breakfast there.We ended up eating only South Indian food, each n every day we were there.I remember few restaurants….Madras Cafe,Banana Leaf,Tamilnadu Bhavan etc.

Well coming to this…i quickly got the recipe from my mom and made this today.Here it is.

Ingredients:-

Moong Dal(Green Gram Split) – 1 1/2 cups
Raw Rice – 1/4 cup
Red Chillies – 5
Green Chillies – 2
Curry Leaves – few
Salt – as per taste

Method –

1.Soak Moong Dal and Rice for an hour.Grind it along with both the chillies to a fine batter.Add li’l water while grinding.
2.Add Salt and curry leaves.
3.Make Dosas using this batter.

Note – Some people add small onions while grinding it.I din’t have them hence made it plain. This one is really easy, unlike the regular Dosas the ingredients dont have to be soaked for long hours.

Thogayal

Thogayal’s are nothing but a spicy “chutney” kinda stuff which are often mixed with rice and eaten.My fav is the “Peerkangai” (Ridge guard) thogayal.

Ingredients:

Ridgeguard – 1 (peel the thick skin and chop it into cubes)
Tomatoes – 1 chopped
Red Chillies – 7-8(increase the number as per spice level)
Asafoetida – a pinch
Urad Dal – 2 tbsp
Tamarin water – 2 tsp
Oil – 1 tsp

Method –

1.In a kadai, heat 1/2 tsp oil and saute the Urad dal,red chillies and hing/asafoetida till the dal turns brown.
2.Once done keep it aside and in the same kadai add 1/2 tsp oil and saute the Ridge Guard.Once it gets tender, add the tomatoes and saute till it gets cooked.
3.Coarsely grind the Ridgeguard and the dal together along with salt and tamarin water

In the above recipe, tomatoes can be avoided.I like it to be tangy so I use tomatoes.

Similarly “Thengai Thogayal” ie. coconut thogayal can be made by using Coconut.(No tomatoes for this).The inside seeds of Snakeguard can be used to make thogayal too.The recipe is same as Ridgeguard thogayal’s recipe

For Parpu thogayal (Dal thogayal) use a handful of Toor Dal instead of the vegetables.No tomatoes or Urad dal for this.Jes saute the toor dal in oil along with red chillies and hing and coarsely grind it.

All the above thogayals shud be eaten with hot rice and ghee

Vathakozhumbu

Today I din’t feel like cooking anything complex.Wanted to make something easy and simple and what can be more simple than “Vathalkozhumbu”. I had few Okra’s/Lady’s finger and made this yummy dish.

The taste of this recipe completely depends on the Sambhar powder used.

Ingredients:

Tamarin – one big lemon size soaked in water and then extracted
Vegatable – (Okra/Onion is commonly used)- 1/2cup(chopped 1 inch)
Sesame Oil – 2tbsp
Mustard – 1/2 tsp for seasoning
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4tsp
Curry leaves – few
Sambhar Powder – 1tbsp
Asafoetida/hing – a pinch
Salt – as per taste

Method –

1.In a kadai,heat oil and do the seasoning using mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,curry leaves and asafoetida.
2.Add the chopped vegetable and saute it for a while.
3.Add the tamarin extract, sambhar powder,turmeric powder & salt
4.Allow it to boil till it gets thick.

Note – The key to this recipe is how well and how long the tamarin water is allowed to boil. Instead of vegetables, we can add “Appalams” (the ones which are fried).The raw appalams are broken into pieces and sauted jes like the way vegetables are done.A good amount of hing/asafoetida adds a great flavour to the dish.This is supposed to be spicy and to be eaten with hot rice.Instead of ghee try using sesame oil in the rice.Generally at home, this recipe is made oily which means add a lot of sesame oil, I try avoiding it.

Sambhar Powder

Sambhar is a very common dish in the South made using Toovar Dal, Tamarin and Sambhar powder along with few vegetables.

The very name brings in a lot of memories. My husband always compares the Sāmbhar that I make to what is made at his place in India. I believe there is a difference. My Mom makes very good “Vendakai (Lady’s Finger/Okra) Sambhar” .

I think in any place the taste of Sambhar is completely dependent on the key ingredient used which is the Sambhar powder. Let me share my aunt’s recipe here,who indeed is a great cook.Don’t get amused with the quantity mentioned below, Sambhar powders are always made in abundance and used as and when required.The round red chilies that we get is called the “Gundu Milagai” in tamil. The measurement varies if the long ones are used.

Ingredients :

Red Chillies(round) – 1kg
Dhaniya (Coriander Seeds)– 1/2 kg
Toovar Dal (Pigeon Peas)– 200gm
Methi (Fenugreek seeds)– 50gm
Channa Dal(Split chick peas) – 50gm
Black Pepper – 50gm
Turmeric – 50gm (This is the thick turmeric that we get in the Indian Stores, turmeric powder is obtained from this)

1.Saute each ingredient separately in a dry kadai. (Saute till the raw smell disappears)
2.Cool it and make a fine powder.

For best results, Grind the Red Chillies and the rest of the ingredients separately and add them as per the ratio below.

Mix 4 cups of red chili powder and 2 cups of the other mixture and store the rest. Keep mixing the remaining ingredients as and when required.

My Aunt uses this method and she says that this tastes better. However, it is easy to grind all the ingredients together.Ensure that it’s kept in a air tight container always.

If long Red Chillies are used :-

Red Chillies(long) – 1/2 kg
Dhaniya (Coriander Seeds)– 1/4 kg
Toovar Dal (Pigeon Peas)– 100gm
Methi (Fenugreek seeds)– 25gm
Channa Dal(Split chick peas) – 25gm
Black Pepper – 25gm
Turmeric – 25gm (This is the thick turmeric that we get in the Indian Stores, turmeric powder is obtained from this)

Note – The taste of this powder completely depends on how well the ingredients are sauted.

Pulikachal

My Grandmom has shared a lot of recipes with me which i have written and kept it carefully.I don’t think anyone can beat her cooking skills in my family.

Pulikachal or so called the Puliyogare Gojju in the south is what I have shared below.These days its not difficult to have “Puliyogare” thanks to the MTR and the other readymade powders which are easily available.However, the authentic Puliyogare is made by mixing rice with the home made “Pulikachal”

Here is my granny’s recipe!

Ingredients :

Dry Tamarin – 1 ball size(li’l smaller than cricket ball size)
Red Chillies – 8-10 (increase the number based on the spice level required)
Methi seeds – 1/2tsp
Dhania(coriander) seeds – 1tsp
Sesame Oil – 4-5 tbsp
Mustard – 1/2 tsp
Groundnuts(peanuts) – 1/4 cup
White Sesame seeds (Til) – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Turmeric – 1/4tsp
Salt – as per taste
Asafoetida powder(hing) – a pinch

1.Soak the tamarin in water for 2-3 hrs.Extract the water and keep it aside.
2.In a Kadai, add 1/2 tsp of oil and saute the Red chillies,Methi,til & Dhania till the time the seeds turns a li’l brown in color. Cool it and make a fine powder.
2.In the same kadai add the remaining oil.When hot, season it with mustard,hing,two red chillies,curry leaves.Add groundnuts, saute till it changes its color and then add the extracted tamarin water.To this add turmeric powder and salt.
3.When it starts boiling, add the powdered mixture and stir well.
4.Cook till the time the tamarin water gets drained and you end up with a thick gravy.

Mix as much as the gravy you want with Hot rice and “Puliyogare” is ready to eat.

You can keep the Pulikachal for long by refrigerating it and use it as and when needed.

In the South, Karnataka especially people do add jaggery to give it a sweetish tinge.Some add dry coconut powder so called the “copri”.

Note – The tamarin water which is extracted should be a li’l thick.Don’t add alot of water

Morvendha saar/ Kadi

My Granny is a great cook.She is 90yrs old now and still helps me with her ideas.When i was in school, she taught me this recipe which is a typical Tirunelveli( a small city in Tamilnadu) dish and I make this often.This one I could call a “boon to bachelors” too as its very simple to make (jes takes 5mins).Its actually very similar to the Kadi thats made in the North

Whenever I am in a hurry I end up making this and relish it!

Ingredients:

Curd – 1 cup
Besan – 1 tbsp
Red Chillies – 4
Curry leaves – a few
Mustard – 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida/hing – a pinch
Oil – 1 tsp
Methi seeds – very li’l (6-7 seeds approx)
Salt – as required

1.Beat the curd well and add Besan & Salt.
2.In a Kadai, heat oil.When its hot drop the mustard,methi,hing,Red chillies & curry leaves.
3.Add the Curd and stir well.
4.Switch of the gas as soon as you see it boil.

Hot Morvendhasaar is ready, you can have this with rice.

Note – The catch in this recipe to switch of the flame as soon as u see it boil a li’l.This would actually take only 3mins or so.The more you boil, it becomes watery.