Mango Malai Kalakand

It's summer's and king of fruits, Mango is our favorite to gorge on. Here is a delectable milk based indian sweet  kalakand that is infused with mango pulp and made into a delicious Sweet. It's just 3 ingredients that makes this sweet.

 Ingredients

2 cups - Mango pulp

2 cups - Freshly made crumbled Paneer

1 can -  400 g Condensed milk (Used AMUL mithai mate )

Garnish

4 cardamoms pods - Powdered

Few- Almonds (blanched and chopped finely

Few - Pistachio, chopped

Note - 1 cup =240 ml

Method

1) To a big kadai, add mango pulp and cook on low flame till it thickens a bit.

2)  Add condensed milk to the mango pulp and keep stirring, till it mixes well and thickens a bit.

3 ) Add finely crumbled paneer. you can crumble it to a fine texture by grinding in mixie for a few seconds.

4 ) Mix well and continue cooking on low to medium flame till it reaches a thick consistency. Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix in well.

5 ) Meanwhile grease a plate  with ghee, to spread the kalakand. Once done, evenly spread the kalakand  on the greased plate. Garnish with Almonds and pistachio.  Leave to cool for a while. Then cut to desired shape and serve.

To make Fresh paneer for this recipe

1liter full cream milk

2 -3 tbs - White vinegar

Method

1) Bring milk to a boil. Simmer and add vinegar, This will curdle the milk and whey will separate. Stir continuously. Take off the stove.

2 ) Pour the contents to a cheese cloth placed on a sieve. Squeeze & drain out all the whey.

3) Wash the panner well with water. You can run water into the drained paneer in the cheesecloth. This will remove vinegar taste.

4 ) Squeeze & drain all the water very well. Freshly homemade paneer is ready to use .

Other milk based sweet treats

Pal Khova - peda 

Ras Malai

Poo Ada with Tender Coconut

Poo ada is what this ada is called. A simple ada which is lightly sweetened and good to have as snack with evening tea or for a good breakfast.
Roasted rice flour is used for making this ada. The roasted rice flour should not be very finely powdered.It's good to have a little fine rice rawa in the rice flour.Tender coconut is used as filling which gives a delicious taste.If tender coconut is not available finely grated coconut can be used.
But go for tender coconut if you can. When choosing tender coconut, go for one which is not too mature nor too young but with good tender pulp.Scoop out the tender coconut from the shell and pulse in the blender/ mixie, two or three times to get it grated.

Ingredients

For dough

1 cup - Rice flour,lightly roasted ( idiyappam podi)
1.5 cup - water
1/2 cup - Grated tender coconut
1 tsp - oil (prefer coconut oil )
Salt to taste

Method

1 ) To make rice dough - In a bowl, mix rice flour and grated tender coconut well with hand.Bring water to a boil in a pan, add salt and oil.Carefully pour the boiled water,little by little into the bowl with rice flour. With a spoon keep stirring and mixing the ingredients well.Cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes.

2) When the dough cools, but still slightly warm, knead the dough well. The dough should not be hard as chapati dough. A bit loose or softer will be good.Make medium balls of the dough.

For filling

2 - pulp of Tender coconut, grated
1 or 2 tsp - Sugar
A pinch of salt

For wrapping

Banana leaves

Method

1 ) Mix the filling ingredients well.On a small piece of banana leaf, place one rice dough ball, press and spread out on the leaf.Dipping your fingers in water will make it easy to spread the rice dough on the leaf.

2 ) Spread the filling in the center, as shown in the picture below.

3 ) Fold the banana leaf in half, as in picture and press the seal the filling well.

4 ) Heat a Iron tawa or a non-stick pan. Make the tawa very hot, place the banana wrapped ada on the tawa. You will hear the sizzling sound as the banana leaf is placed on the hot tawa. Simmer the flame and cook for 6 to 7 minutes one side then flip with a spatula and cook the other side for another 6 to 7 minutes. Place a lid on top when cooking both sides.

5 ) In between press the ada with a flat spatula.

6 ) Now remove the banana leaf wrap from the ada and place ada direct on the tawa and cook each side again till it gets cooked and crisp. Press the ada in between from time to time. All the cooking should be done on low flame.

Now serve in a serving plate and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Also check out Ela Ada, that i have posted earlier. A sweeter version of ada that is steam cooked.

Roasted Vanpayar Curry

Roasted vanpayar / red gram curry makes a delicious curry to have along with rice. In conversation with my father, he recollected a vanpayar curry that his mother used to make. Along with my father i cooked this vanpayar curry and we enjoyed a good meal.

Ingredients

1 cup - Brown vanpayar

To grind

1/2 shell - Coconut, grated
6 - Shallots / small onion
1/2 tsp - Jeera / Cumin seeds
5 -  Dry red chilli Or 1 tsp -  Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
4 - shallots, sliced
4 - Dry red chili
2 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 to 4 sprigs - Curry leaves

Method

1 ) Wash the vanpayar well and drain off the water. In a big pan dry roast the payar, on low flame, till you get the roasted smell. Cool the payar. Then transfer the payar into a blender and pulse, two to three times to crush it. Do not powder it, just have to get it crushed and split.

2 ) In a pressure cooker, add two cups of water and make it warm. When warm, add the crushed payar to it. Close the lid and pressure cook. After the first whistle, simmer and cook for 3 more whistles. Turn off the cooker.

3 ) Grind in a blender the ingredients listed to be ground with enough water. Open the cooker and add ground paste. Add enough water to get a thick gravy. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer for two to three minutes and turn off the stove.

4 ) In a pan heat 2 to 3 tbsp coconut oil. Add mustard, then dry chili, then shallots and fry it to light brown color. Then add the grated coconut and fry it to a light brown color. Add curry leaves and pour this seasoning on top of the payar curry. Cover with lid.

Serve along with rice to make a delicious meal.

Kadala Pradhaman

Pradhaman made with brown kadala, with it's skin peeled off,  is a delicious combination of  jaggery and coconut milk. A good add to the onasadhya.

Ingredients

3 cup - Brown kadala / brown chickpea
400 gm - Jaggery
1 big - Coconut, grated
3 - Clove
5 - Cardamom, powdered
5 - Cashewnuts, slit in half
5 - Dry white raisins / Kishmish
1/4 cup - Thinly sliced coconut bits / Thengakothu
2 tsp - Rice powder Or Corn flour
2 to 3 tbsp - Ghee

 Method

1 ) Soak kadala overnight. Then peel off it's skin.

2 ) In a pressure cooker, cook the peeled kadala along with clove and enough water to cook it. After the first whistle, simmer and cook for 1/2 an hour. Cool and open Pressure cooker. Mash the kadala partially.

3 ) Meanwhile, place jaggery in a pan with little water, simmer and boil to dissolve the jaggery. Strain to remove any impurities and set aside. Extract coconut milk from coconut. First extracted thick milk - 1/2 cup, second extracted - 1 cup, third extracted milk -1.5 cup

4 ) Into the pressure cooker, pour the jaggery syrup, a pinch of salt and cook on medium flame till the kadala absorbs the jaggery taste and jaggery thickens. Taste test the kadala in between to check. Pour the third extracted coconut milk and cook till the contents thickens.

5 ) Mix and stir 2 tsp of rice powder or corn flour to the second extracted coconut milk.Add second extracted coconut milk, simmer and cook for five minutes. Add powdered cardamom powder. Then the first extracted thick coconut milk. Before the pradhaman comes to a boil, turn off the stove.

6 ) In another pan heat ghee, add coconut bits and lightly brown it. To this add cashew nuts and lightly brown it. Then add the raisins and fry it till it puffs. Pour this on top of the pradhaman and cover it.

Serve the kadala prahaman hot or cold.

Vishu Katta ~ Vishu ashamsakal

This year i tried my hands on making vishu katta that is very popular in thrissur. Vishu katta is a part of vishu in thrissur. This is served for breakfast  along with tender cashew nut curry  or jaggery syrup. Also can be served along with chicken / mutton curry or stew.

I started off getting unakkalari, which was labelled red raw rice on the packet. Now you have to soak this rice for half an hour or more before you start cooking. It's a rich coconut milk flavored rice preparation with a dash of cumin and dry ginger powder to enhance the taste.

 Now to make this, you need ample amount of coconut milk. So extract coconut milk from two medium size coconut in three extracts.  1 cup - first extract , 2 cups - second extract , 3 cups - third extract. Keep the extract ready before you start.

Ingredients

1 cup - Unakkalari ( red raw rice )

2 medium size - coconut, to extract milk

1/2 tsp - Cumin /jeera, crushed

1/2 tsp - Dry ginger powder

Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Soak the rice in water for half an hour or more. Extract coconut milk, three times. First, second and third extract.

2 ) In a big kadai or uruli, pour 3 cups third extracted coconut milk and bring it to a slight boil. Stir occasionally. Add the washed and soaked rice, close with a lid, simmer and cook till all the coconut milk is used up.

3 ) Now pour in the second extract, stir and cook the rice on simmer. When the rice is half cooked add salt to taste. Now when all the second extract is used up and rice is 3/4 th cooked up add first extract with jeera powder and dry ginger powder. Stir and cook till the rice thickens and oil comes out.

4 ) Transfer and pour on to a plate or banana leave. Spread evenly with a spoon and cool. When fully cooled cut into pieces to serve.

Serve along with tender cashewnut curry / jaggery syrup or chicken/ mutton curry.

Wishing every one a Happy Vishu !

Hyderabadi Bagara Gosht

Hyderabadi Cuisine could be found in the kitchens of the former Hyderabad State that includes Telangana region, Marathwada region and Hyderabad Karanataka region.The cuisine emphasises the use of ingredients that are carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree and time. Utmost attention is given to picking the right kind of spices, meat, rice, etc. Therefore, an addition of a certain herb, spice, condiment, or combination of all these add a distinct taste and aroma. The key flavours are of coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds which are extensively used in many dishes.  - Source, Wikipedia

There is a preparation of meat with a combination of coconut, til, peanut and tamarind that brings out a distinct flavor.

Ingredients

800 grams - Mutton, wash and cut to pieces.
2 tbsp - Coriander powder
1.5 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Cumin seeds
5 sprigs - Curry leaves
2 to 4 - Whole dry red chili
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
Lemon size - Tamarind
1 medium - Onion, sliced
2 big flakes - Garlic , sliced

To fry

1 medium - Onion, chopped
2'' piece - Ginger
10 big - Garlic flakes

To dry roast

2 tbsp - White Til
2 tbsp - Ground nuts / peanuts
1/4 cup - Grated coconut

Method

1 ) Dry roast ingredients listed for roasting one by one separately, cool and then grind to a smooth paste with little water. Roast coconut to a light brown color. Can used roasted ground nut; if not then roast the groundnut.

2 ) Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, garlic and ginger to a light brown color. Grind this separately and set aside. Extract tamarind pulp / juice from tamarind by soaking it in little water and keep ready.

3 ) Heat oil in a cooker, add whole dry red chili, cumin, sliced garlic and curry leaves. Fry lightly then add sliced onion and fry to a light brown color.

4 ) Now add both the ground masala's ( til -coconut- groundnut, and onion-garlic-ginger ) the powders, coriander, red chili and turmeric powder and salt to taste. Fry all these well till oil separates or is well brown in color.

5 ) Add mutton and enough water, about 1.5 to 2 cups water and pressure cook for 8 to 10 minutes or 2 whistles. Open cooker when the pressure is released, then keep back on stove on low heat. Add tamarind pulp, simmer and cook. Sprinkle garam masala powder, simmer and fry till gravy is thick. Remove from stove transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Serve hot  with roti /naan.

Fish Masala Roast / Kerala Style Fish Roast

It's been a while since i blogged and getting back to it seemed hard. Happy to receive comments from you readers in the meanwhile. Some of you requested me to start blogging again. Here i am and i hope to get more inspired to keep on blogging. Thank you all for visiting and for the wonderful comments.

Coming to the post, this fish roast is a dry preparation, that you can cook fish wrapped in banana leaves /aluminum foil or else in a pan.

Ingredients

3 or 4 fleshy -  Fish (pomfret or king fish)

2 -  Large sliced onions

2 inches - Thinly julienne, ginger

4 large cloves -  Garlic, sliced very thin

2 sprigs - Curry leaves

1 large - Tomato, sliced

3 tsp - Coriander powder

1 tsp  - Kashmiri chili powder

1/2  tsp - Tikka lal mirch (very hot)

2  - Green chillies,  slit

1 tsp - Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp -  Methi powder

Fresh coriander leaves chopped

Coconut oil

Method

1 ) Wash, clean the fish and cut them as required.

2 ) In a heavy bottom pan – add coconut oil, then curry leaves, sliced onion and fry till onion is lightly browned. Then add ginger, garlic and green chilies and fry lightly.

3 ) Mix coriander, turmeric and red chili powder in another container. Sprinkle little water and blend the flavors. Add this masala to the pan and stir on low heat. Add methi powder, saute' for 2 to 3 minutes.

4 )  Add fish slices, coat it with masala and cover and cook till fish is cooked. You can add little water if necessary.

5 ) Add sliced tomato and stir lightly. Coat the fish, cover & cook for 2 min. The tomatoes must not mash and still have some raw taste.

6 ) Sprinkle coriander leaves and decorate with tomato slices and curry leaves. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Alternately, you may sauté all the above masala and coat it on the fish and roast it by making a packet of aluminium foil or with banana leaves. Stuff the aluminium foil envelope with the fish + masala and cover from all sides roast on a tava – covered. You may drizzle some oil on to the fish before closing the packet.

- You can adopt the same recipe to cook paneer instead of the fish. Use 300 gms paneer sliced in cubes.

Paneer Malabari

This curry has the flavors and tastes of a naadan fish curry, where paneer replaces the fish. A friend who turned pure veg has come up with this yummy recipe, that was thoroughly enjoyed by my family.

Ingredients

250 gram - Paneer, cut to cubes or triangles

1 medium size - Raw sour mango, cut to small pieces

1 medium size - Tomato, chopped

2 to 4 - Green chili, slit in center

6 tbsp - Coconut milk powder

1 tsp - Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp - Fenugreek / methi / uluva seeds

3 sprigs - Curry leaves

Crush to paste

1'' piece - Ginger

6 flakes - Garlic

Grind to a paste

6 tbsp - Grated coconut

1.5 tsp - Red chili powder

3/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

1.5 tsp - Coriander powder

Seasoning

6 - Shallots/ small onion, sliced

Coconut oil

Method

1 )In a pan or manchatti, pour 2 to 3 table spoon coconut oil, then add mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once the mustard seeds pops, add curry leaves, ginger - garlic paste, green chili and saute for a few seconds.

2 ) Then add the ground coconut paste and enough water for the gravy and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the mango pieces and tomato. Cook on medium heat till mango gets cooked. Add salt to taste.

3 ) When mango is cooked add the paneer pieces cut into triangle pieces. When the paneer is soft and the flavors have seeped into it, add coconut milk ( add little water to coconut powder to make coconut milk ) to the gravy. Adjust gravy consistency and bring to a boil. Adjust salt to taste and take off the stove.

4 ) In a pan heat little coconut oil, add the sliced shallots to it and fry to a light brown color. Pour this seasoning on top of the gravy and close with a lid. Open after few minutes and serve.

Serve hot with rice and as my friend said it's - HEAVENLY.. !!

Soya Chunks Roast

For those who want to try soya chunks, this could be one recipe you could try. Thanks to a dear friend for this delicious soya chunks recipe. With a blend of masala, this roast has a nadan taste, that's more or less like a meat roast.

Ingredients

200 grams - Soya chunks
1 cup - Small onion / Shallots, sliced
2 medium - Onion, sliced
2'' piece - Ginger, crushed
6 to 8 big flakes - Garlic, crushed
4 - Green chili, slit in center
2 to 3 sprigs - Curry leaves

To roast and make a paste

2 tsp - Fennel seeds
1'' piece - Cinnamon stick
4 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 big sprigs - Curry leaves
2.5 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Turmeric powder
2.5 tsp - Chili powder
2 tsp - Garam masala powder

Seasoning / Tadka

2 tsp - Fennel seeds
3 to 4 sprigs - Curry leaves
3 tbsp - Coconut bits, Thenga kothu
Coconut oil

Method

1 ) Wash soya chunks in running water. Boil enough water to soak soya, add salt to taste. Add the soya chunks to the hot water and keep aside for 1/2 hour. Drain the water and squeeze all the water out of the soya chunks. Again in fresh water, wash soya chunks and squeeze out the water. Do one more time and squeeze out all the water very well.

2 ) In a pan heat little coconut oil. Add all the ingredients listed to roast to the pan and roast on low heat, till the aroma of the spices are released and spices are slightly roasted. Take off the stove and cool. Then grind to a smooth paste with little water.

3 ) Now mix and coat the masala paste on the soya chunks. Squeeze out all the water from soya chunks well, so that the chunks sucks the masala very well.

4 ) Then add small onion, big onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, curry leaves and with fingers nicely mix the soya chunks with these ingredients. Keep aside to marinate. Minimum time to marinate is 1/2 an hour. The more the better.

5 ) In a large kadai /wok, heat coconut oil, add fennel seeds fry for a second, then add marinated soya chunks and coconut bits. Stir and roast the soya chunks on medium heat for 1/2 an hour. In between add coconut oil and keep stirring in between. Once the chunks have roasted to a slight brown color add curry leaves and stir in. Take off the stove and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve as a side dish with rice or roti.

Note - 1 ) Now if you want this recipe in a gravy / curry form, do all the preparations as said above, then add 1/2 to 1 cup water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.

2 ) You can dry out the gravy and roll the soya chunks in roti with shredded mozzarella cheese, some veggies like tomato, onion and toast it for a snack.

Punjabi Chole

Punjabi chole cooked with tea leaves, gives a dark color to the chole. Usually it's served along with poori or batura or roti. I have used mustard oil to cook chole, but if one doesn't prefer mustard oil, then use ghee or any other vegetable oil.

Ingredients

To cook Chana

500 gram - Kabuli chana, soaked overnight

2 tsp - Tea leaves

Salt to taste

Other ingredients

1/2 tsp - red chili powder

1 tsp - Coriander powder

1/2 tsp - Black salt

2 - Bay leaves

1/2 tsp - Jeera/ cumin seeds

Masala -1 { grind to a paste }

2 big - Onion, chopped

2 big - Tomato, chopped

6 to 8 flakes - Garlic

1.5'' - Ginger

2 to 3 - Green chili

4 to 5 sprigs - Coriander leaves

Garam masala - Roast & powder

1.5 tsp - Jeera /cumin seeds

4 - Cloves

2 to 3 sticks - Cinnamon

2 - Black cardamom

1/2 tsp - Black peppercorns

Masala -2 { to powder }

1 tbsp to 1.5 tbsp -Powdered pomegranate seeds

1 big pinch - Kasoori methi leaves

Method

1 ) Soak chana over night in enough water. Wash and drain well. Then transfer the chana to a pressure cooker. Pour enough water to cover the chana, tea leaves wrapped and tied in muslin cloth and salt to taste. Pressure cook for 20 minutes or till the chana is soft. Open the cooker, once cool and discard the muslin cloth.

2 ) Prepare the masala's - First prepare the dry masala's. In a pan dry roast the ingredients listed for garam masala on low heat till the spices release a good aroma and the jeera is well roasted. Powder the spices in a blender and set aside. Then powder the second masala mix and set aside. Then grind to a smooth paste all the ingredients listed for masala -1 and set as side.

3 ) In a big kadai, heat 2 to 3 tbsp mustard oil to a smoking greenish color. Once the mustard oil is smoking hot, turn off the stove and cool the oil a bit. Once cool add jeera, bay leaves and fry for a second. Keep the heat low, then add masala -1 mixture to the oil, stir and cook the masala till oil separates. To prevent splashing of the masala all over when frying, cover with a lid and cook. Stir in between.

4 ) Once the oil separates, add, red chili powder, coriander powder, black salt, and the prepared garam masala powder. Stir and fry for a few seconds. Then add the cooked chana and water. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Adjust salt to taste.

5 ) Now open the lid and add powdered masala -2 mix, stir and cook for few more minutes. Turn off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with onion rings, green chili, lemon wedges.

Serve hot with batura/ poori or roti.

Kadachakka Varutharacha Curry - Breadfruit Masala Curry

There is one fine kadachakka tree in the backyard of the tharavadu veedu in kerala. Playing around the trees and climbing it was a favorite thing to do as a kid. I am not sure if the tree still remains, but then the dishes made with the kadachakka were delicious. Varuthu aracha masala curry made with kadachakka tastes like a meat curry and goes so well with rice.

Ingredients

3 cups - Breadfruit/ kadachakka, chopped
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 medium - Tomato, chopped
2 - Green chili, slit in center
1'' piece - ginger, finely chopped
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Salt to taste

To roast & grind

3/4 cup - Freshly grated coconut
2 big - shallots, chopped
4 big flake - Garlic
2 small - Cinnamon sticks
2 to 3 - Cloves
1 - Star anise
1/2 tsp - Perumjeera/Fennel seeds
2 tbsp - Coriander powder
3/4 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
4 to 5 big - Shallots, chopped
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Coconut oil

Method

1 ) Cook kadachakka pieces in a pressure cooker along with, turmeric powder, tomato, green chili, ginger, curry leaves and salt taste. Add 2 cups of water to cook the vegetable. Bring the pressure cooker to full pressure and cook for one whistle. Turn off the stove and open the cooker when the pressure is fully released.

2 ) Mean while in a pan roast - Coconut, cinnamon, clove, star anise, fennel seeds, shallots and garlic on low heat. Add little coconut oil when roasting. When the coconut turns golden in color, add coriander powder, turmeric power, red chili powder and lightly roast for few for seconds. Turn off the stove and cool.

3 ) Grind the roasted ingredients to a smooth paste with enough water in a blender/ grinder. Add this ground paste to the cooked kadachakka. Add enough water for the gravy. Bring to a boil, simmer. Adjust salt to taste.

4 ) To a pan add coconut oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add shallots and curry leaves. Fry till the shallots are light brown in color. Pour this seasoning on top of the kadachakka curry.

Serve with rice. Makes a yummy meal with rice and pappad.

Drumstick Leaves Adai

Adai with drumstick leaves is nutritious and filling. Makes a good breakfast or a snack.

Ingredients

2 cups - Raw rice

3/4 cup - Toor dal

1 tsp - Cumin seeds

1 medium - Onion

6 to 8 - Dry red chili, as to taste

1/2 tsp - Asafotida

2 springs - Curry leaves

1/2 cup - Drumstick leaves

Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Soak rice for 3 to 4 hours and toor dal for one hour separately.

2 ) Grind rice and dal with cumin, chili, curry leaves and onion to a rawa consistency. Transfer to a utensil.

3 ) Add drum stick leaves and salt to taste to the batter.

4 ) Heat a non-stick tawa. Pour batter with a big ladle on the tawa and spread in a circular motion like for dosa. Drizzle sesame oil and cook on both sides till done. Transfer to a plate. Use up rest of the batter to make more adai.

Serve hot with chutney..

Manthanga/ Pumpkin Curry

Usually pumpkin is not in my grocery list, since it imparts a sweet taste to the curry. But when the grocery shopping was done by my better half, there comes the pumpkin to my kitchen. I had this recipe with me, which i had not tried. So tried it and it was not so bad.

Ingredients

2 cups - Pumpkin, chopped to small pieces
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

To grind

1/2 cup - Freshly grated coconut
3 to 4 - Big shallots/ small onion

To crush & powder

4 to 5 - Big garlic flakes, crushed
1/4 tsp - Perumjeerakam / Fennel seeds, powdered

Season

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
3 to 4 - Big shallots, chopped
2 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 - Dry red chili
Coconut oil

Method

1 ) Cook chopped pumpkin in enough water ( 1 to 1.5 cup ) along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, curry leaves and salt to taste. Cook till pumpkin is well cooked.

2 ) Grind the coconut and shallot without adding any water. If needed add 1 or 2 tbsp water and grind - but not to very smooth paste. It can be slightly coarse.

3 ) Add the ground paste to the pumpkin pan and bring to a boil. Add little water, if only it is necessary. The gravy should not be watery. When it is starting to boil, add crushed garlic and perumjeerakam powder. Adjust salt to taste and bring to a boil. Take off the stove.

4 ) Heat a pan with coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and pop it, then add shallots, red chili and coconut. Fry till the shallot and coconut turns lightly brown. Pour this seasoning over the pumpkin curry and cover with a lid.

Serve as a side dish with steamed white rice and to complete the menu have something spicy like a fried fish and pappad.