KADACHAKKA THORAN/BREAD FRUIT MASALA

Ingredients

1. Bread fruit- 3 cups
2. Grated coconut – 1 cup
3. Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
4. Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
5. Green chilly – 4 - 6
6. Shallots – 2 no
7. Garlic clove – 1 or 2
8. Salt – to taste
9. Water – 3/4 cup

For seasoning

Mustard – ½ tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Dried red chilly- 2 no

Curry leaves – 1 stalk

How to prepare

In a pressure cooker add bread fruits cut in to dices and add water and salt.  Wait for a whistle and allow to cool.

Take the ingredients from 2 -7 and crush it using a mixer with out adding water.

Open the pressure cooker.  If there is excess water, drain it.  

Add the crushed mixture and close the lid and cook for few minutes on a low flame.

Heat a kadai and add oil. 

Crackle mustard and add curry leaves and pieces of red chilies.

Fry for a minute and pour 

SHAHI PANEER(Microwave)

It is a north Indian dish which we people love to have with chapattis, porotas, nans etc.  We can make different types of dishes using paneer cubes.  Nowadays paneer cubes are easily available in the market.  Or you can prepare it fresh in your kitchen.  If you are using frozen paneer, then thaw it in light warm water for 30 minutes.

Here I’m sharing how to cook shahi paneer in microwave oven.

Ingredients

Paneer cubes – 100 gm

Onion chopped – 1

Tomato chopped – 1

Ginger chopped – ½ tsp

Garlic chopped – ½ tsp

Green chilly chopped – 1

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

White pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Cashew nut paste – 1 tsp

Milk – ¼ cup

Ghee – 1 and ½ tbsp

Salt – to taste

Sugar – ¼ tsp

Coriander leaves – to garnish

Method

Add 1 tbsp ghee, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilly and tomato to a microwave safe bowl. 

Mix well and microwave for 4 minutes.

Then add all powder except white pepper powder and microwave again for 3 minutes.

To it add cashew paste and microwave for 30 seconds.

Allow cooling.

Use a grinder to grind this masala to a very fine paste.

Use milk while grinding to make it loose.

Add paneer cubes in a bowl and add ½ tbsp ghee and microwave for 2 – 3 minutes or till it becomes slightly brown.

Add the masala paste and fresh cream, salt, white pepper powder and sugar to fried paneer.

Microwave for 3 or 4 minutes.

Garnish with fresh cream and coriander powder.

CHAKKAKKURU THORAN/JACK FRUIT SEED ROAST

Thinking about chakka, the next thing that came in to our mind would be chakkakkuru; and all that about jack fruit give a nostalgic feeling to malayalees.  Nowadays, jack fruit is becoming a rare thing even in the villages.  The changing climatic conditions also effect the availability of this wonderful fruit.  It is becoming precious in the super markets.  We have to pay almost 10 rupees or more for one bulb of ripe jack fruit and its seeds also becoming a valuable item.  I think it costs almost more than Rs. 50 per kg. 

We can make different types of dishes like thorans, mezhukkupurati, and varieties of curries with jack fruit seeds.  Some people use this to make even pickle.  I also tried it once long before and I remember that it came out well, but unfortunately I forgot the recipe.  If anybody know the recipe, please, inform me.

Here I am going to share one of the recipes that I use to make jack fruit thoran. 

 Ingredients

1. Jack fruit seeds - 15 nos
2. Salt – to taste
3. Water- ½ cup
4. Chilly powder – 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
6. Garam masala powder – ½ - ¾ tsp
7. Grated coconut– ¾ cup
8. Garlic – 4 – 6 pods
9. Curry leaves – 1 stalk
10. Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
11. Oil – 1 ½ tbsp

Method

Peel the jack fruits. 

First cut in to halves and then slice it length wise. 

Then wash it properly. 

Add 1 – 5 ingredients to the pressure cooker and cover the cooker and put it in the fire. 

When the pressure is on its high, slow down the fire for 2-3 minutes and turn off the stove.  Allow to cool.

Mean while crush garlic and grate coconut.

Heat a kadai and pour oil and add crushed garlic.

Fry till it becomes light brown.

Add curry leaves, garam masala, and pepper powder and sauté well.

Then add grated coconut and stir well and add cooked jackfruit.

Cook till it becomes dry.

KOVAYKKA MEZHUKKUPURATTI/STIR FRIED IVY GOURD

Kovaykka mezhukkupurati is a common side dish for rice in South India.  In my home we have it once in a week, either in the form of mezhukkupurati or thoran.  I prepare kovaykka mezhukkupurati in different ways.  One method is adding only green chilies, in that preparation the slicing of the gourd is entirely different.  The slicing of vegetables plays a very important role in cooking as it gives the perfect taste to the dish.  In this recipe I used red chilly powder and crushed red chilies.

Ingredients

Ivy gourd – ½ kg

Onion sliced - 1 no

Dried red chilies – 4 nos

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 1 stalk

How to prepare

Wash and slice ivy gourds in length wise( first cut half in length wise and then cut each half into 4 slices). 

Heat oil in a kadai or pan and sputter mustard. 

Add onions and curry leaves.

Saute for a minute and add crushed red chilies, turmeric powder and red chili powder.  Mix well in a medium flame. 

When it sautés well add kovakka slices and salt.

Mix well and cook covered.

Stir occasionally.

When it is almost done, cook uncovered till it becomes dry fried.

MAMPAZHA PULISSERY/ RIPE MANGO CURRY

It is a traditional and classical Kerala dish.  The main ingredients are ripe mangoes and curd.  When the sweetness of mango blends with curd, it gives such a lovely taste that is really yummy.   

Ingredients

Ripe mango – 3 nos

Water – 1 cup

Grated coconut – ¾ cup

Shallots – 4 nos

Roasted cumin seeds – ¾ tsp

Green chilies - 4 nos

Bird eye chili – 6 nos

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Curd – 2 cups

Salt – to taste

For seasoning

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Feenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Dried red chili – 2 nos

Curry leaves – 2 stalks

How to prepare

Wash mangoes.  No need to peel.  Slice the large pieces from both sides and cut it into half.  Leave the edges with the seed.  Use the mango seed with the edge pieces.  To a thick bottomed vessel add mangoes, water, sliced green chilies, turmeric powder, and red chilly powder.  Cook till mango pieces become tender.

Mean while grind coconut, shallots, bird eye chili and cumin seeds in to a very fine paste.

Add this to the cooked mango and bring to boil in a medium flame.  You have to stir it occasionally.  Blend the curd in a mixie.  When the gravy boils bring the flame to low and add curd and stir continuously for 2 minutes (do not boil) and bring down from the fire and continue stirring for a minute.

Heat a kadai and add coconut oil and crackle mustard.  Then add fenugreek, curry leaves, and dried red chilies cut in to pieces.  Add this seasoning to the pulissery. 

Mampazha pulissery is ready.  Serve it with rice. 

KUMBILAPPAM/CHAKKAPPAM

Kumbilappam is a traditional Kerala food.  It is also a seasonal food as the main ingredient is the pulp of ripe jack fruit (especially with the pulp of 'kuzhachakka' ).  A typical kumbilappam is made in a 'kumbil' (cone) of a special leaf called 'vazhznayila' in malayalam; that is why it is called "kumbilappam".  This leaf has a special aroma which adds a fantastic flavour to the appam.  Here I made this using banana leaves as vazhanayila is not available.  To give it a special shape to attract kids I just put the appam mix at the center of the leaf and fold it up and tied a knot using ribbons of the banana leaves.  This gives a peculiar shape to the appam that is really appetizing.

Ingredients

Ripe jack fruit pulp:  2 and half  cup

Grated coconut:  1 and half cup

Jaggery:  300 gm or according to your taste

Roasted rice flour:  2 cups

Cardamom powder:  1 tsp

Dried ginger powder:  3/4 tsp

Banana leaves:  as required.  

How to prepare

Put jaggery in pan and make a syrup using two cups of water.  (You can increase or decrease the quantity of the jaggery as per your taste or depending up on the pulp you have taken.)   Keep it aside to cool, when it cools the impurities will settle at the bottom of the pan.  In a large bowl add the pulp, grated coconut, and roasted rice powder.  Pour the jaggery syrup to this (you must pour this syrup slowly to the mixture to avoid the impurities) and make a fine mixture without clumps.  Then add dried ginger powder and cardamom to this and again mix well.  

Take clean banana leaves and tire it to pieces.  Then show to the fire to make it tender; other wise it will tear when you tried to wrap the mixture.

Take each piece and put two teaspoon full mixture to the centre and tie it.  Repeat the process.

Put the steamer in the fire and steam it for 35 to 45 minutes or till it is done.

STIR FRIED YARD LONG BEANS/ PAYAR MEZHUKKUPURATTI

This is a kottayam style stir fry recipe so called 'mezhukkupurati".  We can make mezhukupuraties with varieties of vegetables I think, almost all vegetables that are available in Kerala.  It doesn't matter which vegetable is used, its a really delicious side dish for rice.  Among them payar mezhukkupurati is the most popular one.  These mezhukupuraties are made regularly in almost all malayalees houses.  It is a very common preparation, but the taste varies in different areas; that is the difference.

Ingredients

Yard long beans - 2 cups

(cut in to 1-1and 1/2 inch pieces) 

Onion - 1 small size

Green chilly - 1 no

Crushed dried chili - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Coconut pieces - 3 or 4 tbsp

Method

Wash and cut yard long beans in to 1 inch pieces.  Slice onion.  Slit green chilly and cut into halves.  Heat a kadai and add oil.  saute onion and green chilly till its colour changes and add crushed red chili, chopped coconut pieces and curry leaves.  Stir well and add turmeric and saute well again.  Then add beans and salt,  stir well and cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes in a slow fire.  Every now and then open the lid and stir it well.  When it is cooked well leave it open for some time to become dry and roasted.

MASHROOM MASALA

Ingredients

Mushroom (boiled and cut in quarters) - 200 grm

Garlic chopped -1  1/2 tsp

Ginger chopped - 1/2 tsp

Chopped onion - 2 nos

Green chilly chopped - 1 no

Tomato chopped - 3 big size

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seed - 2 tsp

Kasoori methi (dry feenu greek leaves) - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Refined oil - 1 tbs

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Fresh cream - 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp

Water/ milk - as required

Method

Heat a pan and add oil and add cumin seeds.  Then add cnions, green chilly, ginger, garlic and tomato to it.  Saute well till it is done and add chilly powder, turmeric, and kasoori methi.  Saute again till the oil comes out.  Change this masala in to another bowl and make a fine paste when it is cooled.  In the pan add butter and saute mushroom for one minute and add grinded masala, cream, salt, and sugar.  Mix well and add 1/4 cup of water/ milk to loosen the gravy.  In a low flame allow it to boil.  when it starts boiling add lime juice and garam masala powder and stir very well and turn off the stove.  Change it to serving bowl and add coriander leaves and some cream to garnish your mushroom masala.

CHAKKAPUZHUKKU/RAW JACKFRUIT SMASHED (CHAKKA VEVICHATHU)

Chakkapuzhukku is a traditional dish of Kerala.  I think the majority of the malayalees like this dish.  It is a seasonal dish as it can be prepared only when there is the availability of fresh raw jackfruits.  It is prepared in various methods in different parts of Kerala. I like to make the chakkapuzhukku in the following method and my kids and husband like this so much.

Chakkapuzhukku  with mulakku chathachathu

Ingredients

Raw jack fruit cleaned and finely sliced - 500 gm
Water - as required (it depends on the variety of jack fruit you had taken)

For masala

Grated fresh coconut - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as per the taste 

Shallots (chuvannulli) - 3 nos

Bird's eye chili (Kanthari mulaku) - 8 nos or as per your taste

Curry leaves - 2 springs
Grind coarsely all the ingredients for masala in a mixer ( it is better to grind with out adding water or add a little)

For seasoning

Mustard - 1 tsp

Dried red chili - 2 nos (cut in to pieces)

Chopped shallots - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Coconut oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

Take a vessel and add horizontally sliced jack fruit and required amount (almost 1-2 cups) of water and close it tightly.  Cook until fine steam comes out.  Then open the lid and add the coarsely grinded masala to the center (don't mix) and cover it again and cook for 4 - 5 minutes in a low flame.  When it is done switch off the stove.  Mix/smash it very well with a large wooden spoon or spatula until all the jack fruit is very well blended with the masala.

Seasoning  

Heat a kadai and add coconut oil.  Add mustard and wait to crack. Then add chopped shallots, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.  Saute till it becomes brown and add this to the puzhukku and mix well.