Kerala Recipes – MariasMenu

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If you’ve noticed, I wasn't posting here regularly. Nothing intentional or planned, it just happened like that. I don't have any excuse for it other than maybe I was in a slump ;)

Anyways, I’ve been posting Diwali recipes for some years and I didn't want to break the tradition this year. So, here is a new post finally!

However there is a small change in the Diwali post this year. I usually post sweets recipes, but I’m going with savory this time. I’ve been wanting to make mixture at home for so long and finally got around to it.

I was always under the impression that making mixture at home is a herculean task. Trust me, it’s not. It’s way easier than you expect it to be and it tastes really good too. Also, the ingredients are readily available too. It’s a perfect fit in a homemade goodie bag, if you are planning to make one ;)

I’m sure I’ll be making this again and again, since we both love to snack on mixture, especially the kind that you get in Kerala bakeries. I hope I’ve convinced you to try this recipe..

Btw, if you want to make sweets for Diwali, here you go homemade diwali sweets

Wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Diwali! Stay Blessed!

Here is the recipe…

Kerala Mixture

2 cups Besan / Gram flour / Kadalamavu (separated)
2 tsp Oil (I used sunflower oil)
1/2 cup Cashew nuts
1/4 cup Peanuts (refer notes)
2 tbsp Roasted gram dal / Pottukadala (optional)
2 – 3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 – 1/2 tsp Asafoetida / Kayam
2 stalks Curry leaves
1 – 2 tsp Salt
Oil for deep frying (I used sunflower oil)

In a medium size bowl, combine together 1 cup besan, 1/2 tsp salt and add water gradually to make a smooth batter. I used around 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp water. The batter should be of pouring consistency. It should be medium thick, not too thin or too thick.
In another medium size bowl, combine together 1 cup besan, 1/4 cup water, 2 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Make a smooth dough. The dough may be a bit sticky initially but after kneading for a while, it becomes soft.
To make sev (noodle shapes): Heat oil in a deep and wide pan. Once the oil has the reached the desired temp (refer notes), press the dough through Idiayappam / seva mould into the hot oil in circular motion. Fry each side for 30 – 45 seconds (depending on the temp of oil) till it reaches a golden color. Keep in mind that the sev gets cooked very fast, so keep a close watch while frying the sev. Transfer it to paper towels and let it cool.
To make boondhi: In the same pan, pour the batter through a perforated spoon / ladle into hot oil. Fry for 45 seconds or so till the boondi becomes golden color. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan while frying. Transfer to paper towels and let it cool.
In the same pan, fry the cashew nuts, peanuts, roasted gram dal and curry leaves separately. Transfer to paper towel.
Take a large size bowl and add the sev. Break it into small pieces using your fingers. Add boondhi and other fired items. Add kashmiri chilli powder, asafoetida and salt (if required). Mix well. You can also add small pieces of banana chips at this stage. Once it's cooled completely, store in an airtight container.

Though I didn't sift besan, I think it's a good idea to sift it and use it.

For making the sev, I used the same disc which I use for Idiyappam. For Boondhi, the batter should flow through the pores of the ladle but make sure it's not too watery or too thick.

I used plain peanuts here, but you can also use roasted peanuts, in that case, no need to fry it.

The temp of oil is very important to ensure even frying. Make sure the oil is hot enough but not smoking. Heat the oil on med – high and once it has reached the correct temp, reduce it to medium and continue frying.

The post Kerala Mixture Recipe With Step By Step Pictures appeared first on MariasMenu -

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Thoran (Stir fry with coconut) is something that I make very often. I'm sure it's a staple in most Kerala homes. Can you imagine a Kerala lunch without thoran? I think it's kinda blasphemous thing to do, a kerala lunch without thoran ;)

Payar thoran is a comfort food for me. Though am not a rice person, I find it hard to resist rice with payar thoran (be it cherupayar or vanpayar) and kachimoru. Add some pickle also, it's soul food!

At my place we make Cherupayar (green gram) thoran more often, so I also tend to do that. However I love vanpayar, I think it has a meaty texture and more depth of flavour than cherupayar.

This goes well with rice and kanji too.

Here is the recipe…

Vanpayar Thoran

1 cup Vanpayar (Red Cowpeas)
1 cup Grated coconut
6 – 8 sliced Small / pearl onion
1 tsp Chopped garlic
1/4 tsp Whole black pepper
1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
2 Dry red chilli
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 – 1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt
Curry leaves
1 – 2 tbsp Coconut oil

Rinse the vanpayar under running water a few times. Pressure cook vanpayar with 3 cups water for 8 – 10 whistles on full flame. Switch off the gas and let the pressure drops. Open the cooker and strain the cooked vanpayar. Keep aside 1/4 cup of cooking water.
Crush together sliced small onions, chopped garlic, black pepper, fennel seeds and dry red chilli.
Add turmeric and chilli powder to grated coconut. Mix well using your finger tips (njeraduka).
Heat oil in a wide pan. Add crushed ingredients, curry leaves and cook till it browns and raw smell goes, around 4 – 5 mins.
Add coconut mixture and mix well. Cook for 3-4 mins.
Add cooked vanpayar and salt. Mix well. Add reserved cooking water (refer notes) and cover and cook for 6 – 8 mins. Remove from fire.

I dont soak the vanpayar, hence longer cooking time. If you soak it, adjust the cooking time accordingly.

I like a slightly mashed up texture for this thoran, so I add the cooking water. You can add or skip the cooking water depending on how you like the texture of payar.

The post Vanpayar Thoran (Red Cowpeas Coconut Stir Fry) appeared first on MariasMenu -

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This chicken curry is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. The old pic wasn't doing justice to the recipe and I wanted to give it a makeover for quite sometime. Finally I got around to it and took a decent pic, along with step by step pictures. If you've already tried this recipe, you know how good it is and if you haven't tried it yet, make sure you do! It's a good one.

So, here you go to the original post.

Let's just pretend that there wasnt a small break in between the posts. After all, without the game of the pretending, its kinda impossible to deal with the stuff around you, right? While we are still on the game of pretending… for the past few days, I was pretending that I didnt have a food blog at all! There's no MariasMenu, no dotcom, nothing…. I just wanted to cook, without worrying about teaspoons & tablespoons, without worrying about how to plate the dish, without worrying about whether I'll get the right color in the photos, without worrying about what to write as intro etc etc..you get the picture, right? I guess, now that phase is over and I'm slowly switching back to the blogging mode. There is a reason why I did that, but I'll tell you about it later ;)

About this recipe…somehow I've a soft corner towards recipes that have ‘roast' as its surname. Yeah, I do love their family. They usually have a thick bonding between the ingredients (read thick gravy) & some how I like that strong bonding thing ;) I'm referring to the Kerala style roasts here. One of my fav recipes here is the prawns roast, I just love it. So when I saw this chicken tomato roast, I was sold instantly & it didnt disappoint me. I do hope you will also like this.

(Btw, we had some issues with our comments section lately. Though we fixed it, I might have missed a few comments in between. So if you havent got a reply yet, please do buzz me again, ok?)

Here goes the recipe:

If you are interested in more Chicken recipes, check out our Chicken ebooklet

Recommended sides for this dish: Peas Pulao, Jeera Rice, Ghee Rice, Neer Dosa, Appam, Chapathi

Chicken Tomato Roast

1/2 kg Chicken (cut into medium size piecec)

For Marination

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Vinegar
Salt (to taste)

For Masala

3 medium Onion (sliced)
1 tbsp Ginger & garlic paste (each)
2.5 tsp Coriander Powder
1.5 – 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Fennel Powder
2 medium Tomato (sliced)
3/4 cup Thick coconut milk
Curry leaves
Salt
Coconut Oil

Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with ingredients listed under ‘for marination’ & keep in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces till it becomes golden brown & the chicken is half cooked. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan.
To the same pan, add sliced onions & salt. Cook till onions become golden brown in color.
Add ginger & garlic paste & cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add coriander, red chilli, garam masala & fennel powders. Fry for a minute or so or till the oil starts appearing.
Add sliced tomatoes & curry leaves. Mix well & cook till tomatoes become soft.
Add fried chicken pieces & give a good stir. Add thick coconut milk & cover & cook till the gravy is very thick. The chicken pieces should be cooked well & coated well with masala. This curry has a semi gravy consistency.Serve hot with rice/roti/appam.

I didn't fry the chicken pieces, I just cooked the marinated chicken pieces in a non stick pan with very little oil. I initially cooked the chicken on low – medium flame and once the chicken is half cooked, increase it to med – high ,to brown the chicken on both sides.

This curry has a semi dry consistency, the chicken pieces are coated well with thick masala (refer the main pic). I forgot to take the final version for the step by step, hence you see the curry with gravy in the last step ;)

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Christmas is almost here. I knew I wanted to share a Pork recipe for Christmas. Though I don't eat Pork, I do like cooking Pork ;)

The reason is, it's comparatively easy to cook and the end result looks so appetizing, that I almost feel like kicking myself for not eating pork. It happened this time also, by the time I finished cooking, the color, the texture and the cooking aroma was sooo tempting and I found it so hard to resist.

I used pork belly for this and in the end all the fat oozing out forming a glistening layer around the edges of the masala coated tender pork pieces was a treat to the eyes and it sure was a treat for the taste buds.

Since I don't eat it, I made sure to give it to a number of people to get proper feedback. Got raving reviews and so I'm sharing it with you.

Before you go busy with all the Christmas preps…let me wish you.

We, Jose and Maria, Wish You and Your Loved Ones a Very Merry Christmas! Let the season of Joy, Peace and Happiness stay with you!

You can see all Christmas special recipes here

Recipe adapted from Suriyani Pachakam

Kerala Style Pork Peralan Recipe

Author: Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

600 – 650 gms Cleaned Pork, cut into medium size pieces I used pork belly
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds (perumjeerakom)
1 long piece Cinnamon
3 Cloves
3 Cardamom
1/2 tsp Whole black pepper
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
3 medium Onion sliced
2 tsp Crushed ginger
2.5 tsp Crushed garlic
1.5 – 2 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 small – medium Tomato sliced
1.5 tbsp Vinegar
Salt to taste
2tbsp + 1 tsp Coconut oil

Instructions

Crush together cumin and fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and mustard seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep and wide pan. Add sliced onion and cook till it browns.
Add crushed ginger and garlic. Cook for 3-4 mins, till the raw smell goes.
Add 2 tsp of ground spices. Cook for 2-3 mins.
Mix together kashmiri chilli, coriander and turmeric powder with 1 tsp oil and 2 tbsp water. Add this to the masala. Cook for 4-5 mins, till the raw smell goes and oil starts appearing.
Add sliced tomato and salt. Cook till tomatoes soften.
Add cleaned pork pieces and mix well.
Add 3/4 cup hot water and vinegar to the curry. Bring to boil. Reduce the flame to lowest. Cover and cook for 35 – 45 mins, till the gravy is reduced and pork is tender. Let the curry rest for at least half an hr, before serving.

Recipe Notes

The remaining ground spices can be stored and used for other non veg recipes. It took almost 40 mins to cook the pork. The time may vary depending on the cut you use. I recommend using fresh pork belly for the maximum flavour and right texture. The color of the dish tends to darken as it rests. Also, if you like it extra spicy, you can add some pepper powder towards the end. The flavor tends to develop as it rests. You can make it advance and let the dish rest for a while.

The post Kerala Style Pork Peralan appeared first on MariasMenu -

Here is the recipe for one of my favorite Thoran (stir fry with coconut). Vazhachundu / Koombu (banana flower) thoran is a popular veg side dish. I guess the meaty texture of chundu makes it appealing to the non vegetarians ;)

Koombu and payar is the standard combination, however you can use it on it's own as well. I've used Cherupayar (green gram) here, but you can also use vanpayar (cowpeas). It's a tasty and healthy dish.

So, here you go…

Vazhachundu / Vazhakoombu Thoran (Banana Flower And Lentil Stir Fry With Coconut)

Traditional kerala veg recipe of vazhachundu payar / Vazhakoombu payar thoran. A healthy, easy and simple side dish for rice.

Cuisine Indian, Kerala Cuisine, Keralan, South Indian

Keyword Banana flower, Vazhachundu, Vazhachundu payar thoran, Vazhakoombu, Vazhakoombu payar thoran

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

550 – 600 gms Vazhachundu / Vazhakoombu / Banana Flower finely chopped (refer notes for details)
3/4 cup / 150 gms Cherupayar (Green gram) refer notes for cooking procedure
2.5 cups Grated coconut
8 – 10 Shallots / Small Onion sliced
3 – 4 Green chilli slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
Salt
1 tbsp Coconut oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
10 – 15 Curry leaves

Instructions

Combine together grated coconut, sliced shallots, green chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, salt and curry leaves.
Heat oil in a deep and wide pan. Crackle the mustard seeds. Add grated coconut mixture and fry for 1-2 mins.
Add chopped banana flower and mix well. Bring the entire mixture to the middle of the pan and pile it up (koonja kootuka). Cover and cook for 8 – 10 mins on lowest flame. Open and check whether it's done. If it needs more cooking, sprinkle some water and cover and cook for another 4-5 mins or till it's done.
Add cooked cherupayar and mix well. Cover and cook for another 5 mins.

Notes

Remove the few outer layers of banana flower and chop it finely by hand. You can also chop it in a food processor. Soak the chopped banana flower in turmeric water (1/2 tsp) for 15 mins. Rinse it under running water 3-4 times. Squeeze out the water completely from the chopped banana flower and keep it aside.

To cook cherupayar: Rinse the cherupayar under running water a few times. Pressure cook cherupayar with 2 – 2.5 cups of water for 5-6 whistles on full flame. Let the pressure drop naturally. Open the cooker and drain excess water.

You can also use Vanpayar (Red Cowpeas) instead of cherupayar. Check out here to see how to cook vanpayar.

The post Vazhachundu / Vazhakoombu Payar Thoran (Banana Flower And Lentil Stir Fry) appeared first on MariasMenu.

Revisiting an old recipe with updated picture and step by step pictures. This refreshing snack is perfect for the summer!

Here you go with the earlier post:

Usually when I call my friends, just after saying “hello”, the first thing I ask is “are you busy”? I like to talk to a person when he or she is relaxed and not in a rush. Are you also like that? So let me ask you, are you busy now? Because I’m in a mood to chat today. If you are busy… no probs, go finish your work and come back, I’ll wait for you.

So the other day I told you I was in Kerala, right? The thing is… after our India trip in March, we didnt even put back our suitcases. Yep, we were planning another trip, but not to India. It’s been sometime we had a proper travel holiday. For the past 2-3 years, whenever we plan a trip, it gets jinxed! So this time, we wanted to make it happen so badly and planned ahead for a three week long holiday, everything was almost ready. But…. ten days before our trip, Jose got a flu. We slowed down our trip planning a bit, so that he could take rest and recover fast. Hhmmm… but the flu had more determination than our desire to go for holiday. Anyways, it was good that our suitcases were still outside, because within a day’s notice, we traveled to India. The day we landed (just before Easter), I was down with fever! There you go… So that’s the story about being in India again so soon.

Now this brings me back to the very question that Jose and myself always discuss about. Whether we should plan things or not? Since, nothing in my life has happened as per plans, I thought “planning” is not somebody I can trust completely and so I decided to part ways. But Jose is a believer in planning and gives more chances to him and they continue to be friends. So are you a friend of “planning” or not?

Btw, did I tell you… I’m back in Bahrain now. Reached here yesterday night. I’m happy to be back mainly for one reason… it’s sooooo hot back home. (Sounds silly when say you are going back to the Middle East, because its hotter in India!) Oh, and don't forget the official and unofficial power cuts! So here's something that helps you to stay cool.

I used to have “thayir idli” regularly during my college days. After my classes, I used to go straight to Tesschechy’s (my aunt’s) house and she used to make this for me, whenever they had Idli for breakfast. I remember being fascinated with mini idlis during my childhood days and I should say the fascination still continues.

So next time you make idlis at home, try this one. It’s healthy, refreshing, tasty and super easy! We made it once for a tea party at home along with some cookies and cakes, but this turned out to be the star attraction!

Here is the recipe…

Thayir Idli (Dahi Idli)

18 Mini Idlis (refer notes)
2 cups Yogurt (preferably non sour)
2 tbsp Grated Coconut
2 Green chilli
1/2 – 1 tsp Ginger (chopped)
1-2 tsp Sugar
1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
1/4 – 1/2 cup Kara boondi / sev (refer notes)
2 tbsp Small / pearl onion (sliced)
1-2 Dried red chilli
Curry leaves
2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup Milk (optional)
Salt
Oil

Grind together coconut, green chilli and ginger to a smooth paste with 1/2 -1 tbsp water.
Whisk the yoghurt well. Add the coconut paste to the whisked yogurt and combine.
Add finely chopped onion, salt and sugar to this mix.
Add chopped coriander leaves to this and mix well.
Add mini idlis to this and combine everything together.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced small onion, dry red chilli, ginger and curry leaves till the onion turns golden brown. Add this to the idli mix. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve chilled
Just before serving, garnish with kara boondi/sev and chopped coriander leaves. If you add the kara boondi and sev and refrigerate, it might turn soggy.

You can also use regular size idlis to make this. Just cut it into small pieces and follow the recipe.
If you dont have mini idli tins, but still want to make it, here you go… steam idli batter in a cake tin. Once it is done, cool it and cut out mini idli's using a round cookie cutter or bottle cap.
You can also use grated carrots to make it extra healthy. Just add it along with chopped onion.
If you feel that the idli's have become hard, add around 1/4 cup of milk and keep for 5 mins, before serving. It will soften the idlis.
You can use Kara Boondi or Kerala Mixture or any fried savory snack as a garnish.

The post Thayir Idli (Dahi Idli) appeared first on MariasMenu.

Charu Curry (gravy) aka Ozhichu Curry / Kootan is an integral part of Kerala lunch. There has to be some sort of gravy and usually, it’s a coconut-based gravy. Well, no surprises there, right?

That reminds me… the other day I was watching a stand-up comedy on Youtube by a Malayali comedian, Kenny Sebastian. It’s called Chai time with Kenny. So, he was having a live demo of how to make tea and what really got me was what happened in the end, a particular reaction from the crowd.

Towards the end of chai making, Kenny said, since he is a Malayali, he needs to do something particular with his Chai to which one person in the audience responded… “yeah, you need to add coconut!”

Though it kinda sounds absurd, I won't fault the guy for blurting that ;)

The way we tend to use coconut in almost anything and everything, I won't be surprised if we find a way to add coconut to tea as well, maybe coconut milk instead of regular milk? Actually, I remember having some coconut tea when we went to Thailand, so maybe that’s already there and we haven't discovered it yet? Where are all the Malayalees…??!!

Anyways, back to our recipe, this is a pretty basic gravy dish. Ok, let me come clean here. I’ve used my Vellarikka Manga recipe here and just swapped Vellarikka & Manga with Tomato & Drumstick ;)

Thakkali Charu was something that we used to have regularly at my Ammachi’s place. Adding drumstick gives another flavor and it’s a good way to sneak in those drumsticks in your diet.

Like me, if you are getting too comfortable with Kachimoru and wants to widen your horizons a bit, this is a good recipe. Do try and let me know, ok?

Ok, here’s a list of other gravy recipes that goes well with rice.

Vellarikka Manga Curry

JUMP TO RECIPE Print Recipe

Vellarikka Moru Curry

JUMP TO RECIPE Print Recipe

Muringayila Parippu Curry (Dal and Drumstick Leave Curry)

JUMP TO RECIPE Print Recipe

Parippu Chaaru (Curry)

JUMP TO RECIPE Print Recipe

Kerala Style Dal Fry – Parippu Thalichathu

JUMP TO RECIPE Print Recipe

Here is the recipe…

Thakkali Muringakka Curry (Tomato Drumstick Curry)

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

2 big Tomatoes sliced
1 large Drumstick cut lengthwise
2-3 Green chilli Slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
3/4 – 1 cup Grated coconut
1/4 tsp Jeera (cumin)
1/4 tsp Chopped garlic
2 Small / pearl onion sliced
1/2 – 1 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
4-5 Small / Pearl Onion sliced
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Dry red chillies
A pinch Turmeric and chilli powder
Curry leaves
Salt
2 tsp Coconut oil

Instructions

Cook together sliced tomatoes, drumsticks, green chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt with 2.5 cups water. Bring it to a boil and cook on lowest flame, till tomatoes and drumstick becomes tender. Around 12 – 15 mins.
Grind together grated coconut, cumin, 2 small onion, chopped garlic, coriander powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder with 1/2 cup water for 3-4 mins. Add another 1/2 cup water and grind for 3-4 mins till it becomes a smooth paste.
Add 1/4 cup water to the coconut paste and mix well using a spatula. Add this to the cooked tomato and drumstick. Mix well. Cook on low flame for 7 – 10 mins. Do not let it boil.
Heat oil in a small pan and crackle the mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Fry it till the onion becomes golden brown. Add a pinch of turmeric and chilli powder. Mix well and add to the curry. Let the curry rest for 15 minutes and serve with rice.

The post Thakkali Muringakka (Tomato Drumstick ) Curry appeared first on MariasMenu.

Why did I ever stop making this? That's the first thing that came to my mind after I made this Biryani recently. I don't know why and when I stopped…but it's been ages since I made Chicken Biryani. Well, these days I make Biryani itself rarely, and whenever I make, it's Mutton Biryani. It's been on my mind that I need to update the pic here and add step by step pics as well, so I finally got around to it the other day.

When I served this to Jose, he also asked me the same thing “why are you not making it anymore.” The funny thing was, he wanted me to make it one more time before it even got over ;)

Anyways, the timing is kinda perfect now for updating and resharing it again with the new pictures. If you are planning to make Biryani for Eid, please do try this. I really enjoyed making this after a long time, and it tasted great if I say so myself ;)

So, here you go to the first version…

If you are wondering why the word “finally” is there in the title, here it goes. There are 2 reasons. First, if I make a list of recipe requests I get from readers of MariasMenu, Chicken Biriyani easily tops that list. You might ask, what took me so long to post the recipe then. Usually, whenever I get a request for Chicken Biriyani recipe, I reply to them with my mutton biriyani link.

Download This Recipe ($1)

Because that's originally a chicken biriyani recipe and I happened to make it with mutton sometimes. We were & are perfectly happy with the recipe & I never wanted to try another one.

So I never bothered collecting or going through any other biriyani recipe. Since the number of emails & comments asking for a chicken biriyani kept on increasing, I gave a second thought and “Finally” I'm posting a Chicken Biriyani recipe :)

Second, this is my 200th post. Let me make something clear here, I don't think this is my 200th food post because there are some nonfoodie posts also. However, WordPress is telling me that I have 199 posts now and when this post gets published it will be 200. Now, I'm a peace-loving person and didn't want to disagree with WordPress ;). I thought ok, let's go ahead with 200! I know…it took me almost 4 years to hit double century, the run rate is really sad :(. When I've seen other bloggers celebrating 200 or 300, I used to wonder “mera number kab ayega”? Here it is “Finally” :) Thank you for helping me to hit the double century, I owe it to YOU big time :)

About the recipe… when I made this biriyani, I had a feeling that I was standing in the mix n match section of Shoppers Stop :). Because I've picked the recipe from here and there. This recipe won't fit under the “authentic” or “traditional” Biriyani recipe. In this, I have fried the chicken pieces and I have also used chilly & coriander powder etc which I normally don't use in the biriyani. I've seen some of my friends doing it, so I thought I will try it. I've got the masala part from some other friends, so its a total mix n match stuff. I've made it 2-3 times and it came out well every time. Hope you will also like it.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Biriyani

Kerala Style Chicken Biryani. Chicken marinated in spices and shallow fried and cooked in flavor packed masala, layered with Basmati Rice.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine India, Kerala, South Indian

Keyword Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Kerala Chicken Biryani

Servings people

Author Maria Jose

Ingredients

900 gms Chicken measured after cleaning (refer notes)

For Marination:

1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
1.5 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Lemon juice
Salt

For Masala

5 large Onion finely sliced
2.5 tbsp each Crushed Ginger & Garlic
5 Green chilly crushed
2 big Tomato sliced
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2-3 tbsp Yogurt
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 cup Water
2 tbsp Cashew nuts
Oil / Ghee
Salt

For Rice

3 cups Basmati rice
5 1/4 cups Water refer notes
6 Cardamom
6 Cloves
2 medium – big pieces Cinnamon
2 small – medium Bay leaves
1 large Onion chopped
1.5 tbsp each Crushed ginger & garlic
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 Green chilli, crushed
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2 tbsp Chopped Mint leaves
3 tbsp Ghee
Salt

For garnishing:

2 tbsp each Cashews & raisins
1 large Onion sliced finely
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2 tbsp Ghee
3 tbsp Chopped Mint leaves
Boiled eggs, for garnishing optional

Instructions

Masala Preparation
Clean the chicken pieces and make small gashes. Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with the marination ingredients and keep for half an hour.
Grind tomato & coriander leaves to a smooth paste.
Soak the cashew nuts in hot water (2 tbsp) for 5-10 mins and grind it to a smooth paste.
Shallow fry the chicken pieces in oil/ghee till it turns golden brown & half cooked.
Add the finely sliced onion to the same oil/ghee (in which chicken is fried) and cook till it becomes brown.
Add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add the tomato coriander paste and cook till the oil separates. Add garam masala and cook for a minute.
Add yogurt, salt and mix well.
Add the fried chicken pieces and combine well. Make sure that the chicken pieces are coated well with the masala. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook the chicken.
When the chicken is almost done and the gravy has dried, add the cashew paste. Cook till the chicken is done.
Rice Preparation
Clean, wash and drain the rice. Heat ghee and add spices(cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf). Fry for a min and add chopped onion, crushed ginger, garlic and green chilli. Stir well till it gives out an aroma, for 4-5 mins.
Add rice and stir for five mins.
Add salt, lemon juice and 5 1/4 cups of water. Bring the water to boil, reduce flame to lowest and cook till rice is done, around 7 mins. (refer notes)
Layering the Biriyani
Preheat the oven to 180 degree 10 minutes before baking the biriyani. Apply some ghee to a baking dish. Put one layer of rice in the dish. Sprinkle some chopped coriander & mint leaves, fried onion, cashew and raisins (if using) and drizzle some ghee. On top of that spread some chicken masala. Repeat the process until the masala and rice is finished. The top layer should be of rice. Cover the dish with a wet cloth. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins.(refer notes for alternative method)
Garnishing:
Heat ghee/oil in a pan and fry the cashews & raisins. Remove them from the pan & in the remaining ghee/oil fry the onions till it becomes golden brown. Drain the excess ghee in a paper towel & keep it aside.
Garnish the baked biriyani with fried cashew, raisins, onions, boiled eggs, chopped mint and coriander leaves. Serve hot with pickle, raita & pappad.

Notes

I used 10 skinless thigh pieces of chicken for the biriyani. Also I’ve used only 5 1/4 cups of water for cooking the rice. Usually the water is double the amount of rice. But I prefer the rice not to be mushy, hence lesser qty of water. My rice was ready in 7 mins. The timing may vary depending on the brand.

I skipped raisins.

If you dont have an oven to bake the biriyani, do the following method. 1. Layer the rice and masala in a greased heavy bottomed vessel/non stick pan & cover it with a tight lid. 2. Heat a thava/dosa kallu, when it is really hot, place the biriyani vessel on top of that. Reduce the heat to the lowest flame & cook for 20-25 mins. Keep the heat at the lowest flame throughout, otherwise it might get burnt. 3. Also place a pan of boiling water on top of the biriyani vessel at the same time.

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Check out other biriyani recipes here:

The post Chicken Biryani…Finally! appeared first on MariasMenu.

I fell in love with this recipe even before I made it. It has two of my fav ingredients – Prawns and Vazhakka (Raw Banana). If you follow my FB and Insta pages, you might have seen my lunch posts. Vazhakka Upperi is a popular item on my lunch menu ;)

Now, coming to this recipe… it’s a typical Kerala style dish, packed with the flavors of kokum, spices and coconut milk. I love the combination of kokum and coconut milk, the tanginess from the kokum finds a perfect balance with the sweetness of the coconut milk.

This is a very good side dish for Rice or even Chapathis. I’m sure, you will also love it. Do try it and let me know.

Btw, if you are interested in seeing my regular cooking pics, please check out the FB and Insta page, just saying ;)

Prawns Vazhakka Roast

Kerala Style Prawns Vazhakka Roast – A flavor-packed dish made with Prawns and Raw Banana, cooked in spices, kokum, and coconut milk.

Course Lunch

Cuisine Indian, Kerala Cuisine, South Indian

Keyword Kerala Style Prawns Roast, Prawns, Prawns Roast

Servings

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

250 gms Prawns measured after cleaning
1 small Pacha Kaya (raw banana) cubed
15 sliced Small / Pearl onion
1/2 – 1 tsp, each Chopped ginger & garlic
1 tbsp, each Crushed ginger & garlic
1 medium – big Tomato sliced
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2.5 – 3 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 big Kudam puli (kokum) soaked in 2 tbsp hot water for 10-15 mins
1/2 cup Medium-thick coconut milk
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
A pinch Fenugreek seeds (4-5)
Salt
1/2 – 1 tbsp Coconut oil
Curry leaves

Instructions

Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add chopped ginger & garlic. Cook for 1-2 mins. Add sliced pearl onions and cook till it browns.
Add crushed ginger & garlic, cook for 3-4 mins.
Add spice powders (turmeric, chilli, and coriander). Cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes. Check out Prawns Pollichathu
Add sliced tomato and salt. Cook till tomato becomes soft.
Add cubed raw banana, kokum along with the soaked water and 1/2 – 3/4 cup water. Bring to boil. Reduce flame. Cook till raw banana is cooked and water is dried. Check out Prawns Biryani
Add cleaned prawns, curry leaves and coconut milk. Cook till the prawns are done and the gravy is dried and the prawns and banana are coated well with the masala.
Check to season and let the curry rest for 10-15 mins, before serving.

Notes

I used medium size prawns for this recipe. Though it goes well with rice, you can also have it with chapathi.

The post Prawns Vazhakka Roast appeared first on MariasMenu.

Looks like am in favor of “egg recipes” these days ;) After sharing Egg Fried Rice recipe last, I wanna share with you this “Motta/Mutta (Egg) Puttu” recipe.

This is an old post and I updated it with step by step pictures and a new main picture as well. These days I've been updating old posts with new pics and sharing them on Insta and FB. However, I thought this recipe deserved a new post.

Honestly, it's been ages I made Puttu and I didnt even have Puttu Podi with me. I checked with my friend Sheena and she came over with Podi and this turned into a cookout session. It's always fun to cook with friends, right?

So, here you go… if you like Puttu, please do try this one, am sure you'll love it.

For me, I don't need any sides for this but if you want, you can have it with any side that you normally have for Puttu. Check out Erachi Puttu recipe here.

To the old post….

Malayalees' love for puttu ( steamed rice cake) is well known. This is one of the most preferred breakfast items in Kerala. Though this is a common item in any Kerala household, for us it wasn't. It's been 4 years since I've started my cooking experiments, but puttu made a very late entry into my menu and the reason…Jose doesn't fancy puttu and he has his reasons too.

He says he had enough puttu to last for a lifetime during his hostel days :). I guess they served him some rock hard puttu with banana in hostel hhmm…. Ever since, he's declared his non alignment movement with puttu and I was too lazy to make it for myself.

Then a miracle happened recently…last time when we went to Kerala, during one of our visits to friend's /relatives place, he didn't have a choice but to eat puttu and after having that he had 1/4th of a mind to have it again! I was so happy and excited!!

Thus puttu made a grand entrance to our menu :). Few days back, my cousin sis passed me Tesschechy's (my aunt) recipe for motta puttu. I was sure that motta puttu will improve the rating of puttu (in general) in Jose's preferred dish chart and yes it did :)

Here is the recipe:

Motta (Egg) Puttu

A healthy, tasty and filling breakfast recipe. Traditional Kerala Breakfast – Puttu, made with rice flour, coconut and egg masala filling.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine Indian, Kerala, South Indian

Keyword Puttu, breakfast, kerala breakfast, healthy breakfast, Indian breakfast, south indian breakfast, mutta puttu, variety puttu,

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

For Puttu
2 cups Puttu Podi
3/4 – 1 cup Grated Coconut refer notes
1/2 – 3/4 cup Water
Salt
For Egg Masala
4 Eggs
1 medium – big Onion sliced
1 medium Tomato chopped
1/2 tsp each crushed Ginger & garlic
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp heaped Coriander powder
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

For Egg Masala
Add salt & pepper to eggs & beat well. Heat oil in a pan and make scrambled eggs. Keep it aside.
In the same pan, add some more oil and add sliced onion. Cook till it becomes golden brown.
Add crushed ginger & garlic. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until the raw smell goes.
Add the masala powders & fry for 2-3 minutes, until the oil starts appearing.
Add chopped tomato and salt. Mix well. Add a little water (around 2-3 tbsp) to make it a bit pasty. Cook till tomato becomes soft.
Add scrambled eggs & mix well. Cook for one more minute and remove from fire. Note that it should not be too watery or too dry.
For Puttu
Add salt to the puttu podi and mix well. Add water little by little till the powder becomes moist/wet. Add half of the grated coconut to this & mix well. If too much of lumps is formed just run it in your blender/food processor for a few seconds. Keep aside the puttu mix for 10 minutes.
Filling the puttu kutti (mould/maker)
Put one tbsp of coconut as the first layer. Add 2 tbsp of egg masala as the second layer. The third layer should be 4-5 tbsp of puttu mix. Repeat the process, till the mould is filled. Make sure that the mould is not tightly packed. Cover the mould with the lid. Fill water in puttu kudam (pot). Place the puttu kutti on puttu kudam. Cook it on medium flame for around 5-7 minutes, or until the steam comes through. Serve hot/warm with banana or curry of your choice.

Notes

To check the wetness/moistness of the puttu mix, just press the moistened/wet flour and see if they hold together (this is a tip given by tesschechy, my aunt).

You can use more or less coconut as you like. Use the measurement given as a guideline.

If you like, you can add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to the egg masala in the end.

Update: If you've some leftover bread and dont know what to do..check out Vidya's comment for this post!!

This is chicken puttu, made by Shruti, one of MariasMenu reader's, based on the above recipe. It looks great, right? Thanks dear :)

The post Mutta (Egg) Puttu appeared first on MariasMenu.

Revisiting an old recipe with updated picture and step by step pictures. This refreshing snack is perfect for the summer!

Here you go with the earlier post:

Here is the recipe…

Thayir Idli (Dahi Idli)

18 Mini Idlis (refer notes)
2 cups Yogurt (preferably non sour)
2 tbsp Grated Coconut
2 Green chilli
1/2 – 1 tsp Ginger (chopped)
1-2 tsp Sugar
1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
1/4 – 1/2 cup Kara boondi / sev (refer notes)
2 tbsp Small / pearl onion (sliced)
1-2 Dried red chilli
Curry leaves
2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup Milk (optional)
Salt
Oil

Grind together coconut, green chilli and ginger to a smooth paste with 1/2 -1 tbsp water.
Whisk the yoghurt well. Add the coconut paste to the whisked yogurt and combine.
Add finely chopped onion, salt and sugar to this mix.
Add chopped coriander leaves to this and mix well.
Add mini idlis to this and combine everything together.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced small onion, dry red chilli, ginger and curry leaves till the onion turns golden brown. Add this to the idli mix. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve chilled
Just before serving, garnish with kara boondi/sev and chopped coriander leaves. If you add the kara boondi and sev and refrigerate, it might turn soggy.

When I served this to Jose, he also asked me the same thing “why are you not making it anymore.” The funny thing was, he wanted me to make it one more time before it even got over ;)

So, here you go to the first version…

Download This Recipe ($1)

Because that's originally a chicken biriyani recipe and I happened to make it with mutton sometimes. We were & are perfectly happy with the recipe & I never wanted to try another one.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Biriyani

Kerala Style Chicken Biryani. Chicken marinated in spices and shallow fried and cooked in flavor packed masala, layered with Basmati Rice.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine India, Kerala, South Indian

Keyword Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Kerala Chicken Biryani

Servings people

Author Maria Jose

Ingredients

900 gms Chicken measured after cleaning (refer notes)

For Marination:

1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
1.5 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Lemon juice
Salt

For Masala

5 large Onion finely sliced
2.5 tbsp each Crushed Ginger & Garlic
5 Green chilly crushed
2 big Tomato sliced
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2-3 tbsp Yogurt
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 cup Water
2 tbsp Cashew nuts
Oil / Ghee
Salt

For Rice

3 cups Basmati rice
5 1/4 cups Water refer notes
6 Cardamom
6 Cloves
2 medium – big pieces Cinnamon
2 small – medium Bay leaves
1 large Onion chopped
1.5 tbsp each Crushed ginger & garlic
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 Green chilli, crushed
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2 tbsp Chopped Mint leaves
3 tbsp Ghee
Salt

For garnishing:

2 tbsp each Cashews & raisins
1 large Onion sliced finely
3 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2 tbsp Ghee
3 tbsp Chopped Mint leaves
Boiled eggs, for garnishing optional

Instructions

Masala Preparation
Clean the chicken pieces and make small gashes. Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with the marination ingredients and keep for half an hour.
Grind tomato & coriander leaves to a smooth paste. Check out Pepper Chicken
Soak the cashew nuts in hot water (2 tbsp) for 5-10 mins and grind it to a smooth paste.
Shallow fry the chicken pieces in oil/ghee till it turns golden brown & half cooked.
Add the finely sliced onion to the same oil/ghee (in which chicken is fried) and cook till it becomes brown. Check out Green Chicken Curry
Add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add the tomato coriander paste and cook till the oil separates. Add garam masala and cook for a minute.
Add yogurt, salt and mix well.
Add the fried chicken pieces and combine well. Make sure that the chicken pieces are coated well with the masala. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook the chicken.
When the chicken is almost done and the gravy has dried, add the cashew paste. Cook till the chicken is done.
Rice Preparation
Clean, wash and drain the rice. Heat ghee and add spices(cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf). Fry for a min and add chopped onion, crushed ginger, garlic and green chilli. Stir well till it gives out an aroma, for 4-5 mins.
Add rice and stir for five mins. Check out Chicken Ghee Roast
Add salt, lemon juice and 5 1/4 cups of water. Bring the water to boil, reduce flame to lowest and cook till rice is done, around 7 mins. (refer notes)
Layering the Biriyani
Preheat the oven to 180 degree 10 minutes before baking the biriyani. Apply some ghee to a baking dish. Put one layer of rice in the dish. Sprinkle some chopped coriander & mint leaves, fried onion, cashew and raisins (if using) and drizzle some ghee. On top of that spread some chicken masala. Repeat the process until the masala and rice is finished. The top layer should be of rice. Cover the dish with a wet cloth. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins.(refer notes for alternative method)
Garnishing:
Heat ghee/oil in a pan and fry the cashews & raisins. Remove them from the pan & in the remaining ghee/oil fry the onions till it becomes golden brown. Drain the excess ghee in a paper towel & keep it aside.
Garnish the baked biriyani with fried cashew, raisins, onions, boiled eggs, chopped mint and coriander leaves. Serve hot with pickle, raita & pappad.

Notes

I skipped raisins.

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Looks like am in favor of “egg recipes” these days ;) After sharing Egg Fried Rice recipe last, I wanna share with you this “Motta/Mutta (Egg) Puttu” recipe.

So, here you go… if you like Puttu, please do try this one, am sure you'll love it.

For me, I don't need any sides for this but if you want, you can have it with any side that you normally have for Puttu. Check out Erachi Puttu recipe here.

To the old post….

Here is the recipe:

Motta (Egg) Puttu

A healthy, tasty and filling breakfast recipe. Traditional Kerala Breakfast – Puttu, made with rice flour, coconut and egg masala filling.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine Indian, Kerala, South Indian

Keyword Puttu, breakfast, kerala breakfast, healthy breakfast, Indian breakfast, south indian breakfast, mutta puttu, variety puttu,

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

For Puttu
2 cups Puttu Podi
3/4 – 1 cup Grated Coconut refer notes
1/2 – 3/4 cup Water
Salt
For Egg Masala
4 Eggs
1 medium – big Onion sliced
1 medium Tomato chopped
1/2 tsp each crushed Ginger & garlic
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp heaped Coriander powder
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

For Egg Masala
Add salt & pepper to eggs & beat well. Heat oil in a pan and make scrambled eggs. Keep it aside.
In the same pan, add some more oil and add sliced onion. Cook till it becomes golden brown.
Add crushed ginger & garlic. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until the raw smell goes.
Add the masala powders & fry for 2-3 minutes, until the oil starts appearing.
Add chopped tomato and salt. Mix well. Add a little water (around 2-3 tbsp) to make it a bit pasty. Cook till tomato becomes soft.
Add scrambled eggs & mix well. Cook for one more minute and remove from fire. Note that it should not be too watery or too dry.
For Puttu
Add salt to the puttu podi and mix well. Add water little by little till the powder becomes moist/wet. Add half of the grated coconut to this & mix well. If too much of lumps is formed just run it in your blender/food processor for a few seconds. Keep aside the puttu mix for 10 minutes.
Filling the puttu kutti (mould/maker)
Put one tbsp of coconut as the first layer. Add 2 tbsp of egg masala as the second layer. The third layer should be 4-5 tbsp of puttu mix. Repeat the process, till the mould is filled. Make sure that the mould is not tightly packed. Cover the mould with the lid. Fill water in puttu kudam (pot). Place the puttu kutti on puttu kudam. Cook it on medium flame for around 5-7 minutes, or until the steam comes through. Serve hot/warm with banana or curry of your choice.

Notes

To check the wetness/moistness of the puttu mix, just press the moistened/wet flour and see if they hold together (this is a tip given by tesschechy, my aunt).

You can use more or less coconut as you like. Use the measurement given as a guideline.

If you like, you can add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to the egg masala in the end.

Update: If you've some leftover bread and dont know what to do..check out Vidya's comment for this post!!

This is chicken puttu, made by Shruti, one of MariasMenu reader's, based on the above recipe. It looks great, right? Thanks dear :)

Have you set your holiday menu yet? Do you have a process for it? How does it work?

Well, if you are anything like me, the menu will not be fixed even after the party is over and the guests are long gone ;)

That doesn’t mean, you are clueless right? You’ve got a vague idea about the whole thing. For me, I tend to fix on the dessert and the main somehow or the other. But when it comes to appetizers, I’m always on the fence.

Maybe because it’s the first thing you serve and also it’s one of my fav food group ;) I like to have a good mix of appetizers… like some fried, some non-fried and some dips. How about you, do you have a preferred mix or anything goes?

Anyways, since it’s party season and also the busiest season, I don’t want you to spend too much time on one single thing. I’ve got you covered.

These Meat Rolls are super simple and easy and tasty. There are no complicated steps and you can make it in advance.

So, here you go with one of the simplest appetizers that I’ve ever made and I’ll be making it again n again n….

Though this is a nonveg recipe, you can use any veg filling of your choice and follow the rest of the recipe.

Btw, have you soaked your fruits for the Christmas Cake? Just reminding…

Here is the recipe…

Meat Rolls

A super easy and tasty party snack. Your choice of chicken or meat filling rolled in bread slices and deep-fried.

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

For the filling
1 cup Cooked beef/chicken refer notes
1 medium – big Onion, chopped
1 tsp, each Crushed ginger & garlic
1-1.5 tsp Chicken / Meat masala
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
Curry leaves
Salt
1 tbsp Oil I used coconut oil
12-14 slices Bread You can use any sliced bread
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Mince the cooked meat and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onion. Cook till it becomes golden.
Add crushed ginger and garlic, curry leaves. Cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes.
Add chicken/meat masala. Cook for 2-3 mins.
Add ketchup, mix well. Add 2 tbsp hot water to bring everything together.
Add minced chicken/beef and mix everything well. Check for seasoning and remove from fire.
Remove the crusts from bread slices. Roll each slice very thinly using a rolling pin. Sprinkle some water, if required.
Apply water on all four sides of the bread. Place the filling in the middle. Roll the bread and seal the edges tightly. Repeat the process until the filling is used completely.
Heat oil in a deep pan for frying. I usually heat the oil on medium-high, once it's hot enough (not smoking) I reduce it to low -medium. Fry the rolls in batches. Make sure you flip the rolls, to ensure even browning all over.

Notes

I used beef. I cooked the beef with salt, pepper and turmeric powder. You can use any filling of your choice.

You can make the rolls one day in advance and store in fridge. Fry them before serving.

I served it with tomato ketchup and spicy mayo.

If you see a new Pork recipe here, then you can rest assured it’s either Christmas or Easter time ;)

As you may or may not know, I do not eat pork. I started cooking Pork only after getting so many requests for pork recipes. Now, it has kinda become a tradition to share a new pork recipe for Christmas / Easter.

So, to keep up with the tradition here’s a new pork recipe. This is yet another Kerala style pork recipe. Similar to how there are different recipes for beef fry, which looks more or less the same, but a few additions and changes in the ingredients make for a different taste, there are different pork fry recipes too.

Today, am sharing with you one such recipe.

The recipe is very easy and straightforward. I think the taste and flavor of the pork actually depend on the meat itself. The ingredients are there just to highlight the flavor. So make sure you get good quality and a good cut of pork to make the most of it.

This is a flavor-packed dish and it goes well with rice, appam or chapathi.

Check out other Christmas recipes here.

Here is the recipe…

Pork Masala Fry

Quick, simple and easy Kerala style Pork Fry recipe. Pork pieces marinated in ground spices and slow-cooked. Goes well with rice, appam, chapathi.

Course Appetiser, Main, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala, Keralan, South Indian

Keyword Pork Fry, Kerala Style Pork Fry, Indian Style Pork Fry recipe, Easy Pork Fry recipe

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

650 gms Pork cut into bite-size pieces (refer notes)
1.5 tbsp Coriander powder
1 -1.5 tbsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 – 1 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp each Chopped ginger & garlic
4 Cloves
1 medium Cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Vinegar
15 Small / pearl onion (shallots) sliced
Salt
1-2 tbsp Coconut oil
Curry leaves

Instructions

Grind together ingredients from coriander powder to fennel seeds with 2 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
Marinate cleaned pork pieces with ground paste, salt, and vinegar.
Add 3/4 – 1 cup hot water to pork. Bring it to boil. Reduce to lowest flame and cook till pork becomes tender around 40-45 mins.
Heat oil in a wide pan. Add sliced shallots and curry leaves. Cook till it browns.
Add cooked pork along with gravy, if there is any. Mix well. Roast it on low flame for 8-10 mins, till the gravy is dried and the pieces are coated well with the masala. Add oil in between, if required.

Notes

I used pork belly for this. I recommend using any cut which has a good amount of fat in it. It adds more flavor and keeps the meat juicy. Let the dish rest for sometime for the flavor to settle in.

The cooking time may vary depending on the cut of the pork and also whether you are using fresh or frozen pork.

I’ve decided to go traditional or rather “retro” for this year’s Christmas dessert. I was craving some bread pudding which I used to have during my childhood days.

I remember Amma making it at times and me waiting impatiently to get my hands on it :) As soon as the pudding comes out of appachembu (Amma used to steam it) I’ll get hold of a spoon and dig into it. The burnt tongue was a casualty I was willing to take for this good old dessert!

So, I’ve tried something similar to that, but it’s still very much the traditional style bread pudding.

I’m a fan of Pineapple based desserts, so I tried to add this to it. This is a good old homely dessert. It makes you feel all warm and cozy and happy. That’s the kind of dessert I love during this time of the year.

I hope you get to try this and like it too.

We, Jose and Maria, wish you and your loved ones a Very Merry Christmas! May this Christmas season be filled with Joy, Happiness, and Peace!

If you wanna check out more Christmas recipes, have a look here.

Here is the recipe…

Please read the notes section before you proceed with the recipe.

Pineapple Upside Down Bread Pudding

Course Bake, Dessert, Desserts

Keyword Bread Pudding, Pineapple Bread Pudding, Dessert Recipes

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

10 slices Bread I used regular white bread
3-4 tbsp Butter
4 Eggs
3 Cups Milk I used full fat
1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Grated nutmeg optional
8 Pineapple rings I used canned (refer notes
1 tbsp Rum optional
For Caramel
1/2 cup Sugar divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 C, 10 mins before baking.
Take two 7 inch cake tins. Caramelise 1/4 cup of sugar (in each tin) with 1-2 tbsp water. Let it cool down. Divide the pineapple rings between the two tins.
Spread butter on one side of the bread (refer notes). Cut the buttered bread slices into bite size pieces.
Beat together eggs, milk, sugar (3/4 cup), vanilla extract and nutmeg (if using).
Add Rum to this. Pour this over the bread cubes and let it soak for 15 – 20 mins.
Divide the soaked bread between the two tins. Place baking tins into large baking pan. Pour hot water into the baking pan (being careful not to get any in baking tins) and fill water level to about halfway up the sides of the baking tins. Bake in preheated oven 35 – 40 minutes, until set but centers still jiggle slightly (bake time will vary based on the size of the tins used). Cool at room temperature and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill 3 hours (refer notes)

Notes

I didnt remove the crusts from the bread. You can remove it, if you wish.

You can use fresh pineapple instead of canned ones. Also, if you like you can stew the pineapple. Instead of using the pineapple rings, you can use stewed pineapple as the base or you can distribute it between the bread pieces.

You can either serve it warm or cold. Serve with some whipped cream or with this Vanilla sauce.

If you are not using aluminium tins for baking the pudding, caramelise sugar in another pan and coat the baking tin accordingly.

I'm not quite sure why but I've started cooking Padavalnaga (snake gourd) kinda recently.

I have a set of veggies that I cook on a regular basis and I rotated it and managed my veg sides for lunch. I guess it worked out because we don't have rice for lunch on a daily basis.

However, off late, we are having rice kinda frequently and I had to introduce some new sides to my veg sides roster. That's how I started buying this veggie. I like that it pairs well with other things like carrot or dal. Also, you can make it as a simple stir fry or add coconut or you can also make a gravy dish out of it.

So, here you go with this basic everyday veg recipe that is healthy and tasty. Though it pairs well with rice, I found that I like it with chapathi too. Is that weird? What do you think?

Here is the recipe…

Padavalanga Parippu Thoran

Course Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine Indian, South Indian, Kerala, Keralan

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

450 gms Padavalanga measured before cleaning, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup Toor dal (sambar parippu)
1/2 – 3/4 cup Grated coconut
1 Small / pearl onion sliced
1/2 tsp Chopped garlic
1-2 Green chilli chopped
1/8 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
6-8 Small / pearl onion
2 Dry red chilli
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Coconut oil

Instructions

Pressure cook cleaned dal with 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles on high flame. switch off the gas and let the pressure drop naturally. Open the cooker and drain the cooked dal. Keep it aside.
Combine coconut, 1 small onion, green chilli, cumin, garlic, and turmeric powder. Pulse it in the mixer for a few seconds with 1/2 tbsp water. It should be a coarse mixture.
Cook diced padavalanga with 1/4 – 1/3 cup water and salt for 15 – 20 mins. Cover and cook till it's done and water is dried completely.
Heat oil in a wide pan. Crackle mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion (6-8), dry red chilli and curry leaves. Fry for 2-3 mins.
Add coconut mixture and cook for 3-4 mins, till the raw smell goes.
Add cooked dal and padavalanga. Gently combine everything. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Here's a quick, easy and tasty recipe that you can make for Vishu.

I loved this recipe for it's simplicity and also for it's flavor combination. It has the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and sour flavors. Since we are using dates here, it hardly takes any time to put this together.

This recipe is special to me since I got it from a paper cutting which my Appa gave to me. Appa collects paper cuttings on different topics that are of interest to me. He arranges it and keeps it safe to give to me when I go home.

I've a whole file of paper cuttings that Appa saved for me!

Anyways, I do hope you give this recipe a try and like it too and hey, I've got a video of this recipe for you.

Happy Vishu to you and your loved ones!

Here is the recipe…

Dates Kalan

A simple, quick and tasty veg side dish made with dates, yogurt and coconut. It has a perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy flavor combinations.

Course Lunch

Cuisine Indian, South Indian, Kerala, Keralan

Keyword Dates Kalan, Onam recipes, Onasadya recipes, Onasadya, Sadya recipes, Kerala sadya recipes, vishu sadya recipes

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

6 big (50 gms) Dates remove the seeds
250 ml Yoghurt, whisked at room temp
1 tsp Julienned ginger
1 Green chilli
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 – 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Dry red chilli
1/2 cup + 3tbsp Grated coconut
10 Whole black peppercorns
A pinch Cumin seeds
Salt
2 tsp Coconut oil
1 sprig Curry leaves

Instructions

Grind together coconut, black peppercorns and cumin seeds with 2-3 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Keep it side.
Cook together dates, ginger, green chilli, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt with 1 cup water till dates softens.
Add the ground paste to cooked dates. Mix it well and let it simmer for 3-4 mins, till the raw smell goes.
Add the whisked yogurt gradually to the dish, stirring all the time. Once it's incororated, remove from fire.
Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek and mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add dry red chilli and curry leaves. Pour it over the uogurt curry. Let it rest for 15 mins before serving with rice.

I'm super excited to share this recipe with you! I've been getting requests for garam masala recipe for a long time.

Though I make garam masala at home, I never had a proper measurement. The reason being I had no idea about the correct proportion of different spices.

Finally, I got a proper recipe and I should say I hit the jackpot with it.

Recently Jose's mom came across a handwritten garam masala recipe by his late Grandfather, who was an English teacher-cum-spice trader.

I was kinda overjoyed because I really really wanted a proper garam masala recipe. The thing with the spices is.. you've to be very careful with it, even a minor change in qty can highlight the flavor of your dish or ruin it completely.

Btw, this is a Kerala garam masala recipe and it's super simple and easy. It has a very enticing scent and adds a distinct flavor to the dishes.

I do hope you give this a try and let me know how you like it.

Please read the “notes” before proceeding with the recipe.

Here is the recipe…

Kerala Garam Masala

Quick, easy and simple Kerala Style Homemade Garam Masala recipe. It has an enticing scent and adds more flavor to the dish.

Cuisine Kerala, South Indian, Indian

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

50 gms Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam)
20 gms Green cardamom
20 gms Cloves
20 gms Cinnamon
1 Star Anise (full flower) optional
1/2 inch Nutmeg optional
Mace – 1/4 th of a flower optional

Instructions

Heat a claypot (manchatti)/iron pan/nonstick pan. Dry roast the spices for 3-4 mins, till the roasted smell comes on the lowest flame. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
Grind in the smallest jar of the mixie to an almost fine powder (refer notes)

Notes

Though you can make the entire qty, I recommend you make only half at a time, so that the freshness will be retained.

I made only half the above qty.

Measuring out the ingredients accurately is very important for the perfect balance.

I added all the spices except mace since I didn't have it with me.

Make sure you don't roast the spices more than the specified time otherwise it will give a charred taste to the garam masala.

I like a bit of texture for the garam masala, so I didn't grind it completely to a fine powder.

Store it in an airtight container. You can store it for 1-2 months.

So, this recipe has been in my folder for a couple of years! I guess, the time has come now to share this with you…

Honestly, I made this on a whim and never thought I'll get it right. But surprise, surprise, I did get it quite right, if I may say so myself :)

Usually, when I make Kerala snacks at home, Jose will taste for the sake of it and it's me who finishes it. But this time, surprisingly, Jose was the one who finished this and kept asking for more!

If you haven't tried making it at home, please do give it a try. Though it's a bit time consuming, it's definitely worth it. Homemade does taste better :)

Btw, if you are looking to make plain chips, you can see the recipe here.

Here is the recipe…

Recipe adapted from Flavours of Spice Coast by Mrs.K.M.Mathew

Sharkara Varatti

Kerala Style Banana Candy served as a part of Onasadya. Deep fried raw bananas are coated in jaggery syrup and flavored with cardamom, cumin and dry ginger.

Course Appetiser, Snacks

Cuisine Indian, South Indian, Kerala, Keralan

Keyword Onam recipes, Banana candy, sharkara puratti, how to make sharkara puratti at home

Author Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

500 gms Plantains
250 gms Jaggery refer notes
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Dried ginger powder (chukku) I didnt use since I didnt have it
3 Crushed cardamom
2 tsp Rice flour I used only 1 tsp
1 tsp Sugar
Oil for deep frying you can use sunflower or coconut oil

Instructions

Pat dry the washed and peeled bananas with a kitchen tissue. Slice into thin half moon shapes of even thickness.
Deep fry in hot oil till crisp.
Sprinkle a little salt water in the oil (be careful while doing this, it may splash). Stir again so that the salt is evenly absorbed by the chips. When the spluttering subsides, remove the chips from the oil, place in a tissue paper. Let the chips cool completely.
Dissolve the jaggery in 1 cup water.
Strain and heat to make a syrup of one thread consistency. To know whether the jaggery syrup has reached one thread consistency, add a drop of the syrup to cold water if it doesn't dissolve in water, it has reached the right consistency.
Lower the flame and stir the banana chips into the syrup. Mix well to coat the chips uniformly with the syrup.
Sprinkle the cumin, chukku (if using) and cardamom powders. Stir gently, taking care not to break the chips.
Remove from fire and sprinkle over with a mixture of rice flour and sugar. Stir till separated and dry. Cool and store in airtight containers.

Notes

Use firm but unripe bananas to make this.

The “frying” part of bananas may take some time, but you will get there, have a bit of patience ;)

Melt the jaggery first, strain, and then make the syrup.