Nadan Fish Curry (Kerala style)

Fish is a high in protein but low in fat. They are very good source of omega 3 fatty acids and one of the few natural food sources of Vitamin D.

For a person from Kerala the the picture of basic fish curry is the red fish curry which is simple; yet very tasty. This preparation does need Kashmiri chilli powder and kudampuli. Substituting these wont give you the same taste. Kashmiri chilli powder is milder than regular chilli powder but with a rich colour. Kudampuli or fish tamarind or Gambooge is an essential ingredient in fish loving kerala kitchens which has many medicinal values. Traditionally this curry is made in earthen pots.

Ingredients:

Fish - 1 lb (any fish with thick flesh preferred, here i have used salmon)

Shallots or small onion - 6 or 7

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 5 or 6 big cloves

kudampuli - 2 or 3 pieces

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tbsp

salt to taste

curry leaves - 1 sprig

mustard - 1/2 tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Clean and cut fish into preferred size pieces. Finely chop small onions, ginger and garlic. Soak tamarind in some water.

Heat a pan add oil, followed by mustard, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

Add small onions and ginger and garlic and saute well.

Then add turmeric powder and kashmiri chilli powder and saute until the raw smell leaves.

Now add the soaked tamarind along with the water.

Add salt and 1 to 2 cups of water.

Let it boil well for 5 minutes.

Now add the fish pieces gently and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Dont stir after this point.

Just take the pan and swirl it around if you want to.

Simmer the last 5 minutes.

Enjoy with rice or tapioca or any of your favourite combo.

( You can add 2tsp coriander powder to make it a bit more thicker)

Chicken Ziti Pasta

This dish includes a combination of pasta and ground chicken. In this recipe i have used ziti pasta, penne also works well.

And again you can use any ground meat.Both are done separately and then mixed and baked. Add more or less cheese as you wish.

Pasta (ziti or penne) - 1/2 lb or 2 cups

ground chicken - 1 lb

fennel seeds - 1 tsp

onion - 1 chopped

yellow or red pepper - 1 chopped

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

tomato - 3 medium crushed in a blender

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

coriander powder - 1 tsp

garam masala - 1/4 tsp

mozzarella cheese - 1 cup grated

cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup grated

oil - 2 tsp

salt to taste

Boil water in a large pot for pasta.

In another pan add oil, add fennel seeds , followed by onion,pepper and saute.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.

Then add turmeric, chilli, coriander and garam masala powders and saute.

Now add the ground meat and keep stirring until browned.

Add crushed tomatoes and salt and about 1 cup pasta water.

In the mean while when water boils, add some salt and add pasta and give it a stir .

Let it cook al dente or cook until how much u like it to be.

Drain and add it to the meat sauce and stir well.

Take a baking dish and add half of it into it.

Sprinkle half of the cheeses on top of it.

Repeat with the rest.

You can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top if you wish to.

Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Done.

Idiyappam

Idiyappam is a steamed rice flour dish. This is the way its done in kerala homes. There will be a topping of coconut for each of them. I just omit it because in my home the accompaniment is always a stew or kurma which already has coconut in it. In a above picture its just a potato pal curry and idiyappam.

Ingredients:

Fine rice flour - 1 cup

water -about  1 and 1/2 cup

salt to taste

Method:

Boil water and add salt to it.

Take rice flour in a bowl, add hot water slowly stir until all the flour forms dough.

Depending on the flour use water. You may not need the full measure.(some flour might take only 1 cup )

Dough should not be too tight or too loose.

Close and keep for 5 minutes.

Once it cools down a bit but still warm,knead with hand to a smooth ball of dough.

Take the idli steamer and lightly oil the plates.

Take the seva nazhi or murukku achu with the small holes.

Place some dough and press into the idli plates.

Repeat until all the dough.

Steam them for 10 minutes.

Goes well with veg or non veg stew or kurma or egg roast or any of your favourite.

Moong Dal Squash Curry

Dals are good sources of protien and when paired with a vegetable; more good.

In the below recipe I have used grey squash, you can use any of the grey or yellow or mexican squash in this.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

grey squash - 2

coconut grated - 1/2 cup

green chilli -1

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

asafoetida - a pinch

mustard - 1/2 tsp

oil - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

salt - to taste

Method:

Clean and cut squash into cubes.

Dry roast moong dal for a few minutes until it starts to slightly change color.

Cook dal and squash with sufficient water along with a little turmeric powder and asafoetida powder.

Grind together coconut,cumin seeds and green chilli.

Add the cooked dal and squash to the same blender and just give a quick turn just to roughly puree them.

Put in back the cooking vessel and add a little water if desired.

Add salt and simmer for a few minutes.

In another small pan, heat oil, splutter mustard and curry leaves and pour over the cooked dal.

Done. Goes well with white rice.

Liver Fry

Liver is a good source of protein, iron and vitamin A. In fact liver provides the most concentrated amount of Vitamin A of all food source. 1 oz provides 75% of the daily value.

But beware its high in cholesterol.

Below recipe I have used chicken livers.

Ingredients:

Liver - 1 lb

onion - 1

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 3 cloves

tomato - 1 small

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

garam masala - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

lemon juice - 1/2 of a lemon's

Oil - 1 tbsp

mustard - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

Method:

Wash and cut liver into bite size pieces.

Chop onion, ginger and garlic finely.

Heat pan, add oil, splutter mustard.

Saute onion, ginger and garlic, followed by tomato.

Add turmeric, chilli, garam masala and saute.

Then add liver and 1/2 cup water and close and cook for 10 minutes.

Now add pepper powder and lemon juice and let it dry up. keep it open.

Done when desired consistency is reached.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb

onion - 2 big

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 3 cloves

tomato - 2 small

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp(according to the heat you prefer)

coriander powder - 2 tsp

garam masala - 1 tsp

cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.

oil - 1 tbsp

mustard seeds - 1tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

cilantro - a few sprigs.

Method:

Wash and cut chicken into preferred size.

Roughly chop onion,ginger,garlic,tomato and cilantro leaves.

Heat a cooking ware and add oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves.

Add onion, ginger, garlic and saute until slighly browned.

Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, garam masala and cumin powders and saute.

Add tomato and cilantro and saute a couple more minutes.

Take it off the fire and cool and grind to a smooth paste adding just enough water.

Heat the pan add chicken and keep stirring in high flame for a minute until the outer turns white.

This will seal in the juices.

Then reduce flame to medium and add the ground paste and salt and mix well.

If you need more gravy add some more water, but remember some water will come out of chicken.

Cover and cook it for 15 to 20 minutes until done.

Cutting up a whole chicken

Some may not be familiar with how to cut up a whole chicken.

Hope this helps.

Pavakka Theeyal

Bitter gourd has excellent medicinal values. It has got lot of vitamins and minerals. It purifies blood and prevent many diseases. Theeyal, a kerala recipe is an excellent recipe to calm down its bitterness and enjoy this awesome vegetable.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd or pavakka - 1 big

small onion - 5 or 6

tamarind - a small lemon size(soak in water and extract the pulp)

coconut grated - 1 cup

fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

corainder powder - 2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

oil - as required

salt - to taste

mustards seeds - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

dry red chilli - 2

Method :

Dry roast coconut until well browned.

To this add fenu greek seeds, turmeric, chilli, coriander and pepper powders and fry a couple of minutes and remove and grind.

Split and cut bitter gourd and onions.

In a pan add 1 tbsp oil and fry them until browned.

Add tamarind pulp and some water and let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add salt to taste.

Then add the ground coconut paste and simmer for 5 minutes.

Check for taste.

Take another small pan for seasoning. Heat oil, splutter mustard and add curry leaves and dry red chilli and pour over the curry

Theeyal is ready.

Chappathi

Chappathi is India's most popular flat bread. Its healthy and my version doesn't need any oil and is almost like a north Indian phulka.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour or Atta - 2 cups

salt -1/2 tsp

water - 1 cup(luke warm)

Take atta in a convenient bowl for kneading.

Add salt and mix.

Add water little by little and form a smooth dough. You will use almost 3/4th and lil more of a cup of water.

Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then take it and knead it for a minute and make small balls. This quantity makes around 10 chappathies.

Heat a thava or a flat pan. Roll out a ball dusting it in dry flour.

Put it in pan and once slight brown spot appear, turn and do the same with the other side.

Then pick it up with a kitchen forceps and keep it directly on the flame. It will puff up in a few seconds, remove immediately and keep in a closed serving dish.

Repeat with all the other chappathi balls.