PACHA KAYA CURRY

Raw Banana Curry
(Kerala Style)

Ingredients

Raw Banana -1
Grated coconut -1 cup
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder -1/2 tsp
Pearl onions - 2
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Tomato(small) -1
Dried Red chilly -1
Salt o taste
Curry leaves
Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Wash and cut the raw banana into small pieces.
2. Mix the banana pieces with chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.
3. Cut tomato into small pieces.
4.Add the cut tomato into the mixture and cook the mixture with little water.
5.Grind the grated coconut finely with little water and keep aside.
6.When the raw banana pieces are cooked well, add the finely ground grated coconutinto the cooked banana and bring it to a boil.
7. Heat oil in a pan, add finely sliced pearl onions, dry chilly and curry leaves and saute for a few minutes till onions turn light brown in colour.
8. Put the seasoning into the curry.
9. Serve hot with rice.

BEETROOT PACHADI

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients

Grated Beetroot : 1 cup
Ginger : 1 tsp (minced)
Green chillies : 3 nos
Grated Coconut  : 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds  : 1 tsp
Plain Sour Yogurt /Curd : 1 cup
Curry leaves  : 1 sprig
Salt to taste
Coconut Oil : 1 tsp

Directions

1. Cook the grated beetroot with little water till it turn to soft.
2. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies, grated ginger and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds into a smooth paste with 1/4 cup curds.
3. Add the coconut paste to the cooked beetroots and cook for couple of mins. Remove from the fire.
4. Now add the rest of the curd, salt and combine well.
5. Heat oil for tempering in a small frying pan and add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and add to the beetroot mix.

VELLARIKKA PACHADI

Pachadi

Ingredients

Cucumber (small sized) -2
Ginger – ½ " piece
Green chillies – 1-2
Coconut (grated) – 2 tbsp
Yogurt – 1 ½ cups
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Red chillies(whole) – 2
Salt to taste
Curry leaves

Directions
1. Chop the cucumber into small pieces.
2. Peel, wash and finely chop ginger. Wash green chillies, remove stem and finely chop.
3. Grind together grated coconut, green chillies and ginger to a fine paste.
4. Mix together the grated cucumber, ground coconut masala and yogurt. Add salt to taste.
5. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add curry leaves, whole red chillies broken into two, stir for a moment.
6. Pour it on to the yogurt mixture. Stir it thoroughly.

Potato Stew

Ingredients

Potatoes - 3 (large)
Onion - 1 (large,sliced)
Tomato - 1
Green chillies – 3(slit)
Ginger – 10 gms(chopped)
Garlic cloves - 2(chopped)
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Cloves – 2
Coconut – 1(for extracting milk)
Vegetable oil
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Directions


1. Peel and quarter potatoes.
2. Make three extractions of coconut milk
3. Heat a pan , pour vegetable oil, add cinnamon stick, cloves, curry leaves, sliced onion, chopped ginger, garlic and chillies. Cook it on a medium flame till the onion turns glassy.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook it till it is totally mashed.
5. Add the potatoes and the third extraction of coconut milk and cook it till the potatoes are done. Add salt to taste.
6. Add the second extraction of coconut milk and bring to boil.
7. Add the first extraction of coconut milk. Bring to boil and remove from flame and serve hot.

Mattar Paneer Masala

Ingredients

Paneer – 1 cup
Green peas – 1 cup
Cardamom pods – 2
Cloves - 3
Cumin seeds – 1 ½ tsp
Black peppercorns – 8
Onion (medium sized, finely sliced) – 2
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Ginger – ½ ’’ piece (finely chopped & crushed)
Garlic cloves – 3 (finely chopped & crushed)
Green chillies (halved) – 3
Tomatoes – 2 (finely chopped)
Yogurt – ½ cup
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – ½ tsp
A pinch of sugar
Ghee
Vegetable oil
Cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Boil the green peas with a pinch of sugar in a cupful of water.
2. Cook till it is tender and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan and add a little ghee and oil. Deep fry the paneer pieces in it until it turns golden brown. Remove the paneer pieces from the pan and keep aside.
4. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds and onion into that pan. Sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
5. Add coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute. Remove the mixture from flame, allow it to cool and grind it into a smooth thick paste.
6. Heat little oil and ghee in the pan, add ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute for two minutes.
7. Add the ground onion paste, tomatoes and sauté until the oil separates from it.
8. Add the yoghurt, cooked peas, paneer pieces and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add garam masala and garnish with lemon juice and cilantro leaves.

MURINGAKKA CURRY

Drumstick Curry

(MURINGAKKA CURRY)


Ingredients

Drumstick(muringakka) -6
Onion – 1(chopped)
Tomato – 1(chopped)
Green chillies – 3 (slit)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Coconut milk – 1 cup (thick)
Mustards seeds – ¾ tsp
Dry red chilly -1 (broken to 2 pieces)
Curry leaves
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Peel, cut and clean the drumsticks.
2. In a cooking vessel, add the chopped onion, tomato, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and enough water. Allow it to cook till the onion is done.
3. Add the slit green chillies and drumstick pieces. Cook till the drumsticks are done.
4. Add coconut milk, boil it and switch off the flame.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter. Add curry leaves and broken red chilly pieces.
6. Stir fry for a minute and pour it into the curry. Serve hot

Mango Curry

(MANGA CURRY)


Ingredients

Raw mango - 1
Shallots - 2 Nos
OR
Onion(big) – ¼ of one(thinly sliced)
Green chillies – 2-3 Nos(sliced)
Fenugreek seeds (Uluva) - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - ¼ cup
OR
Coconut milk – ¼ cup
Red chilly powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Coriander powder - ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Slice the mango into thin pieces. Marinate the mango pieces with turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and salt for 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add curry leaves.
3. Add onion and green chillies and sauté till onion turns golden brown.
4. Add the marinated mango slices, little water and cook for few minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and boil it for 1 minute and remove from flame.
{If using grated coconut, extract milk from it after blending it with water in a blender and use it in the curry}

Mathanga Erissery

Ingredients

Pumpkin(diced) – 1 ½ cup
Grated coconut -1 cup
Grated coconut -2 tsp (for frying)
Red chillies – 2 or 3
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garlic cloves -2
Ginger (chopped) -1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1tsp
Shallots – 4 (chopped)
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Cooking oil
Curry leaves

Directions

1. Cook diced pumpkin with salt, adding a cup of water. When it is cooked, mash well using a wooden spoon.
2. Grind the coconut, dried red chillies, turmeric powder, garlic and cumin seeds.
3. Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds, allow to splutter. Add the shallots and curry leaves and sauté for a minute.
4. Stir in the mashed pumpkin. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
5. Heat oil in another pan, add chopped ginger and grated coconut. Fry till it becomes light brown.
6. Pour over the erissery and serve hot.

Ulli Theeyal

Ingredients

Pearl onions(Kunjulli) - 200 gm
(peeled, washed and thinly sliced)
Dry Red chillies – 6 Nos
OR
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
OR
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Coconut – ½ of one
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) - ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Coconut oil - 4 tbsp
Tamarind (Valan Puli) - A gooseberry sized ball
(soaked in water)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 - 3 Nos for seasoning
Curry leaves - A few
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat up a pan or a kadai.

2. Add fenugreek seeds and stir for a sec.

3. Add grated coconut, red chillies and coriander seeds and fry for a while, till they turn light brown in colour.

{If using powders, then add them only after the coconut has been roasted and before you switch off the flame}.

4. Allow the above roasted mixture to cool.

5. Grind it in a mixer grinder along with enough water to make a smooth paste.

6. Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

7. Splutter mustard seeds and sauté dry red chillies and curry leaves.

8. Add sliced onions and sauté, till they turn golden brown in colour.

9. Add turmeric powder and sauté again.

10. Add tamarind extract and mix well.

11. Allow it to boil.

12. When the first boil comes up, add the coconut paste and salt.

13. When the required consistency is reached (which is neither too thick nor too thin), remove from the flame.

RAJMA

Rajma/Kidney beans

Curry

Ingredients

Red kidney beans – 200 gms
Medium sized onions – 2(chopped)
Ginger – 2’’ piece(chopped)
Garlic – 6 cloves(minced)
Tomatoes (large) – 2 (chopped to 1’’ cubes)
Chilly powder – 1 tsp OR 2 green chillies (chopped)
Coriander powder -2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
A pinch of asafetida
Salt to taste
Cooking oil
Coriander leaves

Directions

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and add the cumin seeds.Add onion and fry till it becomes soft and glassy.
2. Add ginger and garlic. Fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and tomato. Fry till oil separates from the masala.
4. Add the red kidney beans, 3 cups of warm water, asafetida, salt to taste and cook till the beans are done.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green peas) – 3 cups
Onion (big) – 1 (sliced)
Cinnamon stick – 1” piece
Cloves – 4
Cardamoms – 4
Green chillies (slit) – 2
Ginger (cut into small pieces) – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Coconut milk ( thick) – 2 cups
Cooking oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add the green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Fry for a few seconds.
2. Add the green chillies, ginger and sliced onions. Saute on medium flame till the onions are transparent and soft.
3. Add the mixed vegetables, salt and little water.
4. Cover and cook on low heat till the vegetables are done.
5. Add the coconut milk and simmer on very low flame so that the coconut milk does not curdle.

Aloo Matar

(POTATO & GREEN PEAS CURRY)


Ingredients

Potato – 8
Big onion – 2 (chopped finely)
Tomato – 2 (chopped finely)
Red chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Coriander powder – 1tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tbsp
Green peas – Handful
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves

Directions
1. Cut the potatoes in half and pressure cook it for 8 -10 minutes(or 2 whistles)
2. Take it out, allow it to cool and remove the skin.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes and fry well. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Sauté for a few minutes.
5. Add the cooked, peeled and diced potatoes to the pan and mix well.
6. Cook for few minutes till the potatoes are fully done and add the green peas (cooked or frozen)
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Parippu Curry

Ingredients

Toor Dal/Thomara Parippu-1 cup
Green Chillies-5-6 nos
Garlic-2 cloves
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Shallots - 6 nos
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Grated coconut- ¾ cup
Coconut Oil-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
Red chillies – 2 broken into 4 pieces
Curry leaves-1 sprig

Directions

1.Pressure cook dal till ¾ th done according to your pressure cooker methods.
2.Add the cut green chillies and boil.
3. Grind the garlic, shallots (half),grated coconut, cumin seeds and add that mixture to the dal, bring again to a boil to get rid of all the raw smell. Add salt to taste. Switch off the stove.
4.Heat coconut oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and fry the remaining cut shallots till it becomes golden brown. Throw in the curry leaves and the red chillies. Add this to the dal.

PALAK DAL

Spinach Dal/Palak Dal

Ingredients

Toor dal – 1 cup
Tomato – 1 (medium, chopped)
Onion -1 (medium, chopped)
Spinach – 1 bunch
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chopped ginger – 1tbsp
Green chillies – 2(slit)
Garlic cloves – 2 (chopped)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Fenugreek powder - a pinch
Red chilly powder to taste
Salt to taste
Cooking oil
Coriander leaves – a few

Directions

1.Soak the toor dal in water for about two hours. Grind the garlic, green chillies, ginger and onion to a fine paste. Add the turmeric and red chilly powder to the paste and mix. Heat oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds till they splutter. Add the paste and fry for a few minutes. Now add tomato and salt. Cook on medium flame for about 3 minutes.
2.Add the soaked dal and double the water. Cover and boil on medium / low flame till the dal is tender.
3.Add the spinach leaves and simmer for about 3 minutes or till the spinach is cooked.Add a pinch of fenugreek powder and asafoetida.
4.Garnish with coriander leaves.

CHANA MASALA

Chole/Chana Masala

Ingredients

Chick Peas – 1 cup
Onion – 1 (medium)
Garlic cloves – 3
Ginger – 3 cm
Cumin powder – 1½ tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Tomatoes – 2 ( medium)
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves

Directions

1.Soak the chick peas overnight and pressure cook it with salt till it is done.
2. Chop the tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and tomatoes and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Stir constantly.
5. Add the cooked chick peas, add a little water and boil well.
6. Add salt to taste and garnish with coriander leaves.

Potato Masala

(POORI MASALA)



Ingredients

Boiled potatoes – 4 (medium size)
Onion – 1 (medium sliced)
Tomato – 1 (medium, chopped)
Chopped ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped garlic – 1 tsp
Chopped green chillies – 5
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves
Salt

Directions
1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds.
2. Add onions, chillies, ginger,garlic, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
3. Add tomatoes and cook till it becomes soft.
4. Add mashed potatoes, salt and little water. Boil to boil.
5. Serve with hot poori.

Rasam

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 4
Garlic cloves -3
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
Coriander seeds – 1 ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Peppercorns – 8 -10
Tamarind water – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 2 pinches
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves

Directions

1.Roast the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds for a minute.
2. Grind them into a masala powder.
3. Cut the tomatoes into pieces and put them into 8 glasses of boiling water.
4. Crush the garlic cloves and add that along with the other ingredients.
5. Boil again for 10 minutes.
6. Sqeeze the tomato pieces with a spoon. Boil for another 5 minutes.
7.Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Paneer Makhani

Ingredients
Paneer cubes – 2 cups/ 250 grams ready paneer packet
Freshly pureed tomatoes -2 cups
Thick cream (can substitute with low fat milk)- ¼ cup
Chopped onion – 1 cup
Chopped ginger -1 tbsp
Garlic cloves -3
Cardamom powder – 1
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Fenugreek powder – 1 tbsp
Honey -2 tsp
Vegetable oil – 1tbsp
Salt to taste

Directions

1. If it is store bought paneer; soak in hot salt water for about 10 minutes. This process makes the paneer soft and tasty.
2. Grind the onions, garlic and ginger into a fine paste.
3.Heat oil in a pan; sauté the onion paste. Once they turn mild golden color, add turmeric powder, cumin powder, cardamom powder and sauté for a few seconds.
4. Add the tomato puree and simmer until the tomato puree thickens.
5. Add cream, honey and salt and simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. Drain the water from the paneer and add it to the above makhani. Add fenugreek powder(kasuri methi) and simmer for few minutes.

Pavaikka Theeyal

Ingredients

Bitter gourd (Pavakka) - 2 Nos
(cut into thin pieces)
Sliced Shallots - 2 cups
Shredded coconut - 2 cups
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp
Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Coconut - 6 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 - 3 sprig
Red chillies (Kollamulaku) - 3 Nos
Tamarind juice - A lemon sized ball
(soaked in water)

Directions
1. Heat oil in a pan, add half of the sliced shallots and bitter gourd.
2. Add salt and cook on a low flame till the shallots and the bitter gourd pieces are cooked well. Do not add water.
3. Heat another pan and add the shredded coconut. Fry it till it turns brown.
4. Add chilly powder, coriander powder,fenugreek powder and turmeric powder. Fry for a few more seconds.
5. Grind the above into a fine paste.
6. Add the ground paste into the pan containing the shallots – bitter gourd pieces and mix well.
7. Cook on a low flame.
8. Add tamarind juice and cook for a few more minutes. Add salt to taste.
9. Heat a little oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies and curry leaves.
10. Add the seasoning into the curry and mix well.

Tomato Curry

Ingredients

Tomato – 3 Nos
Shallots – 4 Nos
Green chillies – 3-4 Nos
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Directions



1. Boil the cut tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt in a 1 cup of water till the tomatoes are mashed well.
2. Grind the coconut and shallots well. Add it to the tomato gravy. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a small pan, splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and sauté for a while.
4. Pour it into the tomato gravy and mix well.