Masala Sauce

3/4 cup chopped onion
up to 1/4 cup ghee
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons ground red chile
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 1/2 tablespoons ginger paste
3 1/2 tablespoons garlic paste
2 teaspoons red chile paste
3 1/2 tablespoons cashew paste
3/4 cup tomato puree

Saute the onions in 2 tablespoons of the clarified butter over medium-low heat until light golden brown. Add cumin, ground red chile, and coriander and mix it thoroughly. At any point, you may add more clarified butter if the sauce becomes too thick, but be cautious, because this recipe can easily become extremely rich.

Add the ginger paste and garlic paste and cook for a few minutes. Add the red chile paste and cook for a few additional minutes, then the cashew paste and tomato puree. Cook over low heat, stirring, until thick. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to add chicken.

Grilled Marinated Chicken

1 cup plain yogurt
5/8 cup mustard oil
1/2 cup ginger-garlic paste
3 1/2 tablespoons red chile paste
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 1/2 tablespoons "black salt" (a pinkish salt with trace minerals
2 tablespoons garam masala powder
1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut in bite-size pieces (as near in shape to cubes as you can manage)
salt to taste
1/2 cup light cream
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek

Mix the first 7 ingredients plus 1 1/3 tablespoons of the garam masala powder, add chicken, and marinate for 6 to 8 hours.

Preheat a charcoal grill and cook the marinated chicken on skewers, turning periodically, until almost cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the heat of your grill.

Before serving, add the parcooked chicken, the remaining 2 teaspoons of garam masala powder, and salt to the masala sauce. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Just before removing from heat, stir in the cream and fenugreek. Present with the basmati rice pilau. Serves 4 to 5.

Source: Pasand

In Kerala, idlis are often served with this powder, which is mixed with coconut oil and used for dredging the idli to give it some flavor.

Ingredients

Gram dal - 1 Cup
Urad dal - 3/4 Cup
Red Chilies - 20
Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Dried curry leaves - few
Garlic - 3 cloves

Method

Heat a heavy bottomed pan toast the garlic till it turns golden brown. Add curry leaves and remove from the stove. Cool well. Toast all the other ingredients over low heat till they give out aroma. Grind everything to a coarse powder with salt.

Serve a teaspoon sized portion with idli, make a little cavity in the top as you would for mashed potato, and mix in another enough coconut oil to soak through but not run off.

Ingredients

2 cups Indian whole wheat flour
1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste

Method

Measure flour in bowl. Slowly add about 3/4 cup warm water, just enough to form a firm dough, and knead till smooth. Cover, let rest at least 1/2 hour, and knead again briefly. If resting more than 1 hour, punch and knead dough again before rolling out.

Divide into small balls about golf-ball size, and roll out into 6" rounds on an oiled board. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan. Add a little salt to the oil to keep it from smoking. Fry the puri one at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff. Turn and fry till light brown; drain.

Serve as soon as possible; these breads are not as good later.

Puri are traditionally served with any or all of the following: Chana, Black-eyed Pea Curry, Spinach Dal, Potato Curry, Brussels Sprouts, and anything with yogurt in it; Potato Curry is the best.

For spicy puris:
When making the dough, add to the dry ingredients pinches of:

turmeric
hot pepper
cumin/coriander powder
hing

Ingredients

Two pounds of cubed leg of lamb, trimmed of fat
Six teaspoons ground coriander, lightly toasted
Half teaspoon ground cumin
Half teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Half teaspoon ground black pepper
Quarter teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Half teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
One and half tablespoons white vinegar
Salt to taste
Two medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
Half cup thinly sliced onion
Five tablespoons vegetable oil
Two teaspoons minced garlic
Two teaspoons minced ginger
Half cup water
Half teaspoons mustard seeds
10 curry or two bay leaves
Quarter cup minced onion

Method

Marinate the lamb in the mixture of ground spices, fennel seeds, and vinegar for at least one hour.

In a saucepan of salted water, parboil cubed potatoes for 12 minutes, set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium- high heat, fry half cup sliced onion in oil until the edges are nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger and stir for two minutes, or until the onion turns medium brown.

Add marinated lamb and stir until the meat is no longer pink. Add salt and half cup water to keep the meat simmering. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the meat is tender and sauce is reduced to a very small amount.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick frying pan, over medium high-heat, fry the potatoes in 2 tablespoons oil until light brown, crusty and cooked through, for about 20 minutes. Add potatoes to lamb. Raise heat to medium-high and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce. Turn heat down to low.

In a small covered frying pan, heat mustard seeds and curry leaves in one tablespoon of oil over medium heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add a quarter cup of minced onion and fry until they turn light brown. Pour contents of frying pan over lamb and potatoes, stir well, and remove from heat. Taste for salt.

The whole effort takes about 80 minutes, apart from the marinating time. Serves six.

Source: Source: Curried Favors, Maya Kaimal

Ingredients

Five tablespoons vegetable oil (note: coconut preferred)
1 pound fresh okra, trimmed and cut into thin slices
2 green chilies, split lengthwise
Salt to taste
1 cup grated, unsweetened coconut
Half teaspoon mustard seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
Half teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
15 curry leaves
Water
One cup plain low-fat yogurt
Half-teaspoon mustard seeds
Two dried red peppers
One teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Method

In a wok or large frying pan heat three (note: or four) tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add sliced okra and one green chile and stir-fry until the okra softens and browns around the edges. Stir in salt. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In a food processor or blender combine coconut, coarsely ground mustard, cumin seeds, one green chile and five curry leaves with just enough water to make a fine paste. (note: if using desiccated coconut, re-constitute it in water or coconut milk for thirty minutes before blending.)

Wipe clean the wok, and combine in it coconut paste, yogurt, half-cup water and little salt. Bring mixture to a simmer -- do not allow it to boil -- and remove from heat immediately (or else yogurt will separate).

In a small covered frying pan over medium heat, heat mustard seeds, dried red peppers, and 10 curry leaves until the seeds begin to pop. Stir contents of pan into coconut-yogurt mixture.

Stir in fried okra, adding more water if necessary to form a thick but pourable mixture. Stir in lemon juice; taste for salt. Serve at room temperature.

It takes 40 minutes to prepare and serves six to eight people.

Note: Similar method can be used with eggplant or bitter melon instead of okra.

Source: Curried Favors, Maya Kaimal

(also spelled okra kichidi, okra kichedi)

The following may be useful in translating some of the terms used in the recipes. (note: Malayalam sound designated by letters 'zh' is a soft English 'r'.)

Aviyal I (vegetable curry)
Aviyal II
Coconut Chutney
Sambar and Idli (breakfast foods)
Sambar I (soupy dal curry)
Sambar II
Richard's All Continents Guaranteed Idli
Rasam (pepper soup)
Parippu (mung dal with coconut)
Theeyal (dark, rich vegetable curry)
Pulinkari (gourd and dal curry)
Olan (black-eyed peas and gourd curry)
Erissery (plantain and dal curry)
Cabbage Thoran (side dish)
Mizhukku puratti (Vegetable fry)
Fish moilly (fish stew)
Chile Chutney
Manga kari (Mango pickle I)
Mango Achar (Mango pickle II)
Kerala Coconut Dumplings
Pulisseri (yogurt curry)
Thoran (vegetables simmered in coconut milk)
Upperi (Mezhukkupuratti)
Pachadi (mango yogurt curry)
Katti parippu (mung beans with coconut)
Potato fry
Varutharachu (breadfruit curry)

Ingredients

1 lb. Potato or kadachakka (bread fruit), cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala
3 oz. coconut milk (optional)
1/3 onion, cut into small pieces
2 green chile (optional), cut long
oil, salt, mustard seeds
Curry leaves (optional)

Method

Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, add onion, green chile & curry leaves, stir until it turns light brown. Then add salt, all the powders and masala, stir until it turns brown, then add coconut milk and veg., stir well, cover it and cook until well cooked. (If not adding coconut milk, add a cup of water instead). It is ready to serve! (In fact, it should be made by roasting coconut and all the spices, and blending them very nicely, but it is not easy to do it here. So I made up this version.)

You can cook kadala too the same way. For kadala, you can use just the garam masala and chile powder only. Either way, it tastes good.

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1/2 cup (heaped) thur dal (papu)
2 Tbs. coconut gratings
1 Tbs. bengal gram dal
2 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp. mustard seeds
tamarind lump (the size of a marble)
2 tsp. (heaped) coriander seeds
2 Tbs. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 bunch coriander leaves
1/2 tsp. fenugreek
seeds salt to taste
8 pepper corns
chunks of vegetables (tomato, turmeric, onion, squash, potato, asafoetida (ingua) okra, raw banana, 6 red chilies (just about anything))

Method

Wash thur dal thoroughly. Boil 1 liter of water. Drop dal in boiling water. Cook until soft.

Take a little oil in a frying pan on another flame. Roast mustard, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, pepper, turmeric, red chilies, asafoetida, bengal gram dal, coconut gratings and 1 sprig of curry leaves - all in the same sequence, until brown.

Grind all the roasted ingredients with tamarind to a fairly smooth paste. To the cooked thur dal, add vegetable pieces and a few coriander leaves.

Cook until tender. Then add salt along with ground masala (paste made above) and some water.

Boil well. When done, remove from flame.

Garnish with bits of coriander leaves. This is usually served with idli.

Ingredients

half cup tuar dal or yellow split peas
2 onions
10 or 12 medium okra - (fresh or frozen)
3 large (or one can) tomatoes (optional)
quartered tamarind extract (available in Indian stores)
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon chili powder (more if manaassukhum illa)
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon methi powder
1/2 teaspoon hing powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon methi seeds
1/4 teaspoon veg. Oil
1 tablespoon salt to taste
4 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
a few curry leaves

Method

Cook the dal with chopped onions, turmeric powder, chili powder and sufficient water.

Cut the okra in two inch pieces and saute them in a frying pan with one teaspoon oil till dry and slightly browned.

Mash the cooked dal with a wooden spoon and add the salt, coriander powder, methi powder, hing and the tamarind extract.

Simmer for a few minutes and add the tomatoes and okra and half of the coriander leaves. When the vegetables are cooked, heat oil in a fry pan with a splatter screen or a lid and pop the mustard seeds.

Remove pan from the fire, add the curry leaves and methi seeds. Add this seasoning to the sambar and garnish with the rest of the coriander leaves.

Hint: Other vegetables that can be added to sambar are potatoes (which do not freeze well), shallots, pearl onions (available frozen), cucumber, Indian or oriental eggplant (baingan), beans, carrots, lima beans or squash.

Source: Maya Nair, enhanced.

Ingredients

1 cup black gram (urad) dal
1 teaspoon methi seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups idli rice (or plain white rice, not par-boiled)
spray oil or ghee for greasing cups

Method

Lightly wash urad, and cover with water. Grind methi and mix with urad, along with salt, and allow to soak for 3 to 4 hours. Wash the rice, cover with water, and allow to soak 3 to 4 hours as well.

Grind rice to to consistency of cream of rice in blender (or better, in Ultra Grinder).

Grind urad to a fine paste, and then and grind together until mixed well.
Place in ceramic bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place
until double in bulk. The amount of time this will take depends on the temperature. A good place is an oven heated with a 40 watt light bulb in an automotive trouble light. The batter will double in 8 hours if the temperature is over 85 degrees, and at lower temperatures it can take as long as 30 hours.
If the batter doesn't rise, don't despair, just find a warmer place.

Many silly people substitute rava (sooji, cream of wheat) for rice, especially in colder climates like the Frisco Bay Area, because their batter doesn't rise. This is an unnecessary compromise, and people so inclined may just has well go to Pasand and eat their idli bricks. The fermentation process depends on the presence of wild yeast, which appears to stick well to the urad and to the methi. Soaking the dal uncovered allows you to "catch" additional yeast from the air.

Don't use baking soda, baking powder, yeast, or yogurt to "help" fermentation. I've conducted controlled experiments on these
agents, and methi outperforms them. Baking soda, baking powder, and yogurt retard fermentation, but a little baking powder added just before cooking makes for a fluffier idli.

After your batter has gone nuts, you are ready to make idlis. Stir (don't beat) the batter slightly, just enough to evenly distribute the bubbles and not enough to make it subside.

Grease idli cups (you can use egg poachers if you want) with spray-on oil or butter, and fill them (almost full) with the idli batter and steam in an idli vessel (a pressure cooker with the weight removed is ideal) for about 15-20 minutes.

The same idli batter can be use to make Sannan. Pour the batter in the container of a pressure cooker (previously greased with oil) about 3/4 full and steam for 15-20 minutes as above. Take out and cut into pieces with a spatula.

Fancy equipment for idli can be ordered from Inno Concepts.

Ingredients

tuar dal - 1/4 cup
masoor dal - 1/4 cup
tomatoes - 1 16 oz.can or 4 large tomatoes
tamarind extract - 1/2 teaspoon
black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
saunf - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
whole red pepper (dry red chili) - 2 or 3
chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
hing powder - 1/2 teaspoon
methi seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
garlic cloves - 3 cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
coriander and curry leaves - a bunch salt to taste

Method

Cook the dal well with sufficient water. Add the tomatoes,salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and tamarind extract.

Crush the cumin and garlic and add to the rasam with the black pepper.

Simmer for a few minutes and add the hing powder. Heat a little oil in a fry
pan and pop the mustard seeds.

Add the methi seeds, saunf, and curry leaves after removing from the heat source and add to the rasam. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

moong dal - 1 cup
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
cumin seeds, crushed - 1 teaspoon
garlic clove, crushed - 1 (optional)
desiccated coconut - 1/2 cup
(optional) curry leaves - a few
salt to taste

Method

Dry roast the moong dal on medium heat for ten minutes. Cook it with sufficient water and turmeric.

Grind the coconut with a little water and cumin seeds.

Add to the boiling dal along with the curry leaves and salt.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

Shallots or pearl onions - one cup
large onions - 2
garlic cloves - 2
grated coconut - 1 cup
coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
methi seeds - 1 teaspoon
tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon
chili powder - 1 tablespoon
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
oil - 2 teaspoons
salt to taste
curry leaves - a few

Method

Peel and chop the large onions fine. Heat one teaspoon of the oil in a frying pan and add 1/2 cup of the chopped onions. saute well and when browned, add the curry leaves, coriander seeds and methi seeds. Stir for a few more minutes and remove and keep aside. Wipe the pan and add the coconut. On a low heat, dry roast the coconut till brown (not burned).

When it is cool, blend the coconut with the onion mixture adding a half cup of water. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the curry leaves and remaining onions and shallots and stir till browned. Add the tamarind extract and 1/2 cup water and salt.

When it starts to simmer, add the blended paste and cook on a low fire for 20 - 30 minutes.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

pumpkin or squash or zucchini (cut into one inch cubes) - 2 cups
coconut - 2 tablespoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon
coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
methi seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
tuar dal - 1 tablespoon
urad dal - 1 tablespoon
tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon
hing powder - 1 teaspoon
curry leaves - a few
dry red chilies - 2
salt to taste
oil - 1 teaspoon

Method

In a frying pan, roast the coconut with the coriander, methi, urad dal and tuar dal until brown (use low heat).

Grind the mixture into a paste when cool. Cook the pumpkin with the
chili powder and turmeric powder and salt.

Add the tamarind extract and simmer for a few minutes.

Add the coconut paste, hing powder and the curry leaves.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and pop mustard seeds and dry red chilies and add to the mixture.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

Brown peas or black eyed peas (canned is O.K.) - 1 cup
white pumpkin - cubed - 1 cup
yellow pumpkin - cubed - 1 cup
green chilies - 2 or 3, sliced
coconut milk - 1 can (1 1/2 cups)
curry leaves - a few
salt to taste

Method

Cook the peas (if using dry variety). Add the pumpkins to the peas with some water and salt and simmer on a low fire. Add the green chilies. Finally add the coconut milk and curry leaves, heat for a minute and remove from fire.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

Green bananas or plantains (nenthrakkay) - cubed
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon
cummin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon
coconut, grated - 1/2 cup (may substitute des. coconut)
coconut for garnish - 1 tablespoon
black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
curry leaves - a few
salt to taste
oil - 1 teaspoon

Method

Soak the cut plantains in warm water mixed with half teaspoon turmeric for ten minutes.

Drain and cook the plantains with the remaining turmeric and salt. Grind the coconut well with cumin and add to the cooked plantains. Let it simmer.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. Add the urad dal and the coconut reserved for garnish and stir till browned. Add this mixture to the eriserry and mix in the curry leaves.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

chopped cabbage - 3 cups
turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
green chilies - 2 or 3
des. or fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
garlic cloves - 3
onion - 1 small (optional)
urad dal - 1 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
oil - 1 teaspoon
salt to taste

Method

Chop the onion. Heat the oil on medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal and curry leaves. Then add the onions and saute till browned. Now add the cabbage, turmeric powder and salt. Stir for a while, lower the heat and cook covered for five minutes. Crush the garlic and cumin seeds and add to the cabbage along with the green chilies and the coconut. Stir for a few more minutes and remove from heat.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

green beans - 1 inch lengths - 2 cups
plantains or green bananas - cubed - 1 cup
salt to taste

Method

Lots and Lots of oil (just kidding - 3 teaspoons oil)

Soak the plantains in warm water and turmeric. Drain well and cook with salt.

Cook the beans separately in a little water. ( Zap it to save time - add a half cup of water and salt, cover and mwave it at high for 4 to 6 minutes).

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the beans (drain off any water left), Stir for a minute and then add the plantains. Stir till nice and browned.

hint: This curry may be made with any cooked vegetable.
Source: Maya Nair

Madhur Jaffrey's Flavours of India: "Noted for its abundance of fish, Kerala cuisine is fragrant with coconut and spices. The recipe for Fish moilly is particularly delicious.

Kerala, which nestles along India's south-western coast, has a warm, sunny climate and rich tropical greenery. The name means "the land of the coconuts", and these are prized not only commercially, but also in the kitchen. They are an important ingredient in many Kerala dishes, like this delicious fish dish. Traditionally made with seer fish - kingfish steaks - it works as well with cod steaks or halibut or haddock fillets. In Kerala, this dish is served
with rice, but you may serve it with boiled potatoes and a salad."
Ingredients

About 1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 lb (450g) fish steaks or fillets, cut into 2 inch cubes
4 Tbs. coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 medium large red onion finely sliced
6 fresh hot green chilies finely sliced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely shredded
About 30 fresh curry leaves, if available
7 fl oz (1 cup) coconut milk, well stirred from a can or fresh
2 Tbs. lime juice

Method

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the turmeric together. Rub over the fish. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large wide, non-stick pan or wok over a medium heat. When hot
add the onion, chilies and ginger. Stir once or twice. Add the curry leaves. Stir and fry for three to four minutes until the onion is soft.

Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 5 fl oz (3/4 cup) water. Mix well. When the mixture boils add the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fish.

Add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Turn the heat down. Cover and simmer for four to five minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish and shaking the pan gently to prevent sticking.

Add the coconut milk, shake pan and add more salt if needed. Cover and simmer for a further three to four minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Add the lime juice.

Shake again and remove from the heat, then serve.

Ingredients

10 fresh red New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded & stemmed
10-12 almonds or cashews
1 lump tamarind pulp about the size of a small lime
1 1/2 Tbs. raisins
1 tsp salt
1 small onion, minced

Method

Grind the first five ingredients together, preferably to a fine paste, and store in a jar for a week. When about to use, add the minced onion and mix well. Yield: 1-2 cups. Delicious with rice dishes.

Note: This chutney, from one of India's southernmost states, taste better once it has been stored a week.

Ingredients

green mango - 1
medium chili powder - 2 tablespoon (Ayyo!)
mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
methi seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
hing powder - 1 teaspoon
curry leaves (fresh - yummm!)

Method

Cut the mango into small pieces. In a pan, add the oil and pop the mustard seeds.

Add the mangos and saute for a few minutes. Roast the methi seeds and grind to a powder (this acts as a preservative).

Add this to the manga and also add the the rest of the stuff.

hint: Mix the chopped mango with salt and store it in a glass jar for a couple of days before this curry is made.

Source: Maya Nair

Ingredients

Mangoes - 2 Cut into small square pieces
chili pwd - 4 T
salt - 3T
Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric pwd - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil -1 T

Method

Heat oil in a pan. To that add mustard seeds. When it pops reduce heat to low and add chili pwd, salt, asafoetida, turmeric and stir fry about 3 min. Turn off the heat. Let it cool for a while.

Add this mixture to the cut mangoes and mix thoroughly. Keep this for 7-8 days for the flavour to seep into mangoes. You can add a little bit of distilled vinegar if you like. It will help to keep the freshness.
Source: Hem Ramachandran

Ingredients

Mix together:
4 Tbs. shredded unsweetened coconut
1 Tbs. sugar or jaggery (brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. water
In separate bowl, mix:
1 c. rice flour

Method

Enough water to form a dough (about 3/4 c.)

Form a dough from the rice flour and water. When formed, coat your hand with extra flour to prevent sticking, and take a ping-pong sized ball of dough and flatten.

Place about a marble-sized amount of the coconut mixture in the middle of the dough. Close the dough around the coconut to form a ball. Roll in hand until well formed. Repeat the above until all of the rice flour dough is used. Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes.

Delicious for breakfast or with afternoon tea. It is a specialty of Kerala, and in Malayalam it is called "kazhikutta."

Ingredients

1/2 Onion, cut into small pieces
2 or 3 Green chile, cut long
1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. methi (uluva/fenugreek) powder
1/4 tsp. cumin (jeerakam) powder
oil
salt
mustard seeds
curry leaves
1 or 2 zuchini squash/chayote squash/green apple (grannysmith), cut into pieces
2 c. Yogurt (wholemilk one is better), whipped well.

Method

Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, then add onion, green chile and stir for a while.

Then add curry leaves (optional), and then all the powders and salt. Stir for a few seconds, then add the veg. pieces, and a cup of water. Cover it and cook. When cooked, take it off the stove, and after a while (when cooled down a bit) add the yogurt to it, stir well.

And it is ready!

Note: (You can use ripe mango instead of squash/apple if you like. Also, you can add coriander leaves if you like.)

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1/2 lb. Beans/Carrot/Yellow or Mexican Squash/Beetroot
note: If using Carrot or Beetroot, grate them. If others, cut them into small pieces (cubes). You can also use carrot and beans together; then cut carrots too into small cubes.
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 c. dessicated/shredded coconut
1/3 onion cut into small pieces
oil
salt
mustard seeds
curry leaves (optional).

Method

Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, then add onion, and stir until it turns light brown. Then add
salt, then chile and turmeric, and stir well. Add coconut, stir well for while, and then add
the veg. Cover it and cook on a low flame. Give a stir once a while between a couple of
minutes, until it is cooked. Thoran ready! (You can add cumin powder [a pinch] too if you
like.)
Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

3/4 lb. Beans/Carrot/Snow peas/Asparagus/potato/etc
note: Cut them into small pieces (grate carrot/beetroot - optional)
1/3 onion cut into small pieces
3/4 tsp. crushed red chile

oil
salt
mustard seeds
curry leaves (optional)
garlic (if you like; crush them)

Method

This is a stir-fry. Heat oil, add mustard seeds (if you are using it), then add onion (and garlic if you are using it), stir until it turns light brown, add salt, and then crushed chile; stir well for a while until the chile is well fried (mookkunnathuvare). Then add veg., stir well, cover it and cook in a low flame, and it is ready! (You can cook parippu, cherupayar, vanpayar, kadala, etc. too the same way. First you have to cook (boil) them, and add salt to
it when cooked. Also to the split peas and cherupayar, you can add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, after frying crushed chile, if you like. When cooking kadala, you can add a teaspoon of garam masala too if you like, after adding crushed chile.)

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1 or 2 Raw mango, cucumber, chayote squash, cut into small cubical pieces
1/2 onion, cut into small pieces
2/ or 3 green chile, cut round, 1cm thick
2 tsp. Dessicated or shredded coconut, or 7 oz. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. fenugreek powder
1 shallots, cut into round, thin slices
1 red whole chile, cut into round pieces, 2cm thick (optional)
oil
salt
mustard seeds
Curry leaves (optional)
Yogurt - you need to add only if you are using cucumber or squash; if using
mango, don't add yogurt.

Method

Put veg., onion, green chile, coconut, coconut milk, fenugreek powder, and salt
in a vessel, add a cup of water, stir well, cover it and cook in a medium flame,
until it is well cooked. Heat oil in a pan, fry mustard seeds, then add shallots
and red whole chile & curry leaves, and add to the above mixture when shallots
turn brown and chile is well fried. Whip the yogurt well and add that too. Stir
well, and pachadi is ready!

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1 - 2 c. yellow mung dal or yellow split peas
1 potato (optional), cut into cubes
1/4 onion, cut long
2 or 3 green chile, cut long
1 shallot, cut into small thin pieces
oil
salt
crushed chile or red whole chile
Mustard seeds and curry leaves are optional.

Method

Cook parippu with onion, green chile, potato, and a few drops of oil. When
cooked, add salt, stir well. Smash the potato pieces well. Heat oil, fry mustard
seeds, add shallots, then red chile and curry leaves, add it to the parippu when
the shallots turn brown. Stir well, and it is ready!

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

2 or 3 Potato, cut into round slices, 5mm thick
1 tsp. Chile powder
1/4 tsp. plain flour
oil, salt

Method

Mix the potato slices with chile powder, plain flour, and salt. And then heat
the oil and fry them (like you fry fish) in low flame. That is it! It is so
yummy!!

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1 lb. Potato or kadachakka (bread fruit), cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala
3 oz. coconut milk (optional)
1/3 onion, cut into small pieces
2 green chile (optional), cut long
oil, salt, mustard seeds
Curry leaves (optional)

Method

Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, add onion, green chile & curry leaves, stir until
it turns light brown. Then add salt, all the powders and masala, stir until it
turns brown, then add coconut milk and veg., stir well, cover it and cook until
well cooked. (If not adding coconut milk, add a cup of water instead). It is
ready to serve! (In fact, it should be made by roasting coconut and all the
spices, and blending them very nicely, but it is not easy to do it here. So I
made up this version.) (You can cook kadala too the same way. For kadala,
you can use just the garam masala and chile powder only. Either way, it tastes
good.)

Source: Mareena Yesudas

Ingredients

1 1/2 fresh shredded coconut (not sweetened)
1 tsp. channa dhal (roast until golden brown)
2-3 green chillies, split and seeded
1 inch fresh, peeled ginger
2-3 tsps cumin powder
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate (or lemon juice)
salt to taste

Method

Grind above in a blender. Season with asafoetida, fried mustard seeds, and curry
leaves.

Chutney variant #1.. grind 2 bunches coriander leaves for lip-smacking
'coriander chutney'
NOTES: Experiment with the proportions. Me thinks that's the best way to learn.
corrections welcome...

source: Prabhu Balaraman balarama@cae.wisc.edu