Mathanga Puli Curry / Pumpkin Curry

Matha Puli Curry / Pumpkin Curry is a very simple curry which can be a quick side dish for rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Diced Pumpkin / Mathanga - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Chilly powder - 1½ Tbsp
• Corriander Powder -2 tbsp
• Asefodia Powder-pinch
• Fenugreek Powder - a pinch
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and take the extract from it.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add chilly powder, corriander powder and Saute till raw smell goes.
• Add Pumpkin / Mathanga piece with Turmeric powder and little water, let it cook.
• When Pumpkin is cooked, add Tamarind juice and allow to boil.
• Add Asefodia Powder and mix well.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Mathanga Pulincurry can be served hot with Rice and Curd.

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry is rich in protien and tasty side dish for rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Beans / Van payar - 1 cup 
• Turmeric Powder -  ¼ tsp
• Sliced Pearl Onion - 3 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Beans / Vanpayar in a Pressure cooker with Turmeric Powder , Salt and  2 cups of Water for 3-4 whistle. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add Pearl Onion and fry it.
• Add Beans / vanpayar and Curry leaves and fry for 2 - 3 mins.

Recommended Combination:Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry can be served hot with rice.

Chammandi

Chammandi can be prepared easily and can serve as a tasty side dish for several breakfast and lunch items including Dosa, Idly, Rice etc.

INGREDIENTS:

• Grated coconut - 1 ½ cup
• Red chilly - 4 nos
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry ball size
• Pearl Onion - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Roast Red Chillies in a pan(with out oil) till it becomes crisp.
• Grind all the ingredients together without using water.

Recommended Combination: Chammandi can be served with Rice / Dosa / Idli.

Aval Upma / Rice Flakes Upma

Aval / Rice Flakes can be used to prepare variety of snack items.
One amoungst them is Upma.

INGREDIENTS:

• Aval / Rice Flakes - 3 cups
• Grated Cocount - 3/4 cup
• Green Chillies - 3-4 nos
• Sliced Pearl Onion -5 nos
• Channa Daal - 2 tbsp
• Urad Daal - 2 tbsp
• Cashew nut -20 nos
• Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
• Red Chillies- 2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Peanut / Groundnut -20 nos
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in the pan .
• Add mustard seeds, red chillies and wait for them to sputter. 
• Fry channa daal, urad daal, peanut and cashew nut, curry leaves and keep aside.
• Add green chilies and pearl onion and saute till translucent. 
• Wash the aval / rice flakes and drain the water from it.
• Add aval / rice flakes, salt, water and mix well. 
• Add grated coconut and mix well.
• Stir for 2 minutes and cook the aval.
• Turn off the stove and fried seasoning into it and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Aval Upma can be served hot with Tea or Coffee.

Cherupayar Mezhukkupuratti / Moong Daal Stir Fry /Green Gram Stir fry

Cherupayar Mezhukkupuratti / Moong Daal Stir Fry is rich in protien and a very tasty dish, served together with rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Cherupayar / Moong Daal - 1 cup 
• Turmeric Powder -  ¼ tsp
• Sliced Pearl Onion - 3 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Moong Daal / Cherupayar in a Pressure cooker with  Turmeric Powder , Salt Water for 2 -3 whistle. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add Pearl Onion and fry it.
• Add Daal / Cherupayar  and Curry leaves and fry it.

Recommended Combination: served hot with Rice.

Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi

Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi (also called Pachadi) is a side dish served with rice.
Kichadi is prepared using fried vegetable mixed with curd or yogurt.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Pavakka / Bitter Gourd - ½ cup 
• Curd - 1 cup 
• Roundly cut Green Chilly -4 nos 
• Curry leaves 
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil - for frying 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Fry the Pavakka / Bittergourd, Green Chilly and Curry leaves till it is brown and crisp. 
• Add Fried items into curd. 
• Add salt and mix it well.

Recommended Combination: Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi can be served with rice.

Chemmeen Thengapaal Curry / Shrimp Curry in Coconut milk

Chemmeen Thengapaal Curry / Shrimp Curry in Coconut Milk is a delicious curry for shrimp lovers.
It can be prepared to accompany Rice, Appam or Chappathi as a rich gravy curry.

INGREDIENTS:

• Cheemeen / Shrimp - 1 lb / 500g
• Finely sliced Onion - 1 no
• Green chillies(slit) - 3 nos
• Sliced Tomato -1 no
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 2 tsp
• Corriander powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - pinch
• Thin coconut milk - ½ cup
• Thick coconut milk - ½ cup
• Kudampuli - 2 pieces
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix 1 tsp Chilly Powder, 1 tsp Coriander powder, 1 tsp Turmeric Powder , ½ tsp Garam Masala, Pepper Powder and Salt.
• Marinate the Shrimp / Chemmeen with Masala mix and keep it in the fridge for an hour.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add Mustrard seeds and allow to Splutter.
• Add Onion and Green Chilly and saute well till the Onion turns transparent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
• Add the remaining Chilli powder, corrainder powder, gram masala powder and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add sliced Tomato and staute well till the tomatoes are mashed.
• Add the marinated Shrimp / Chemmeen to the pan.
• Add the thin coconut milk along with kudampuli and salt and mix well
• Cover the Pan and allow to cook the shrimp in medium heat.
• When Shrimp is cooked, add thick coconut milk and cook for another 2 mins.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Chemmen Thengapaal Curry can be served hot with Rice / Appam / Chappathi

Manga Thayiru / Mango with Curd

Manga Thyairu / Mango in Curd is a variety side dish served together with rice. An easy and simple recipe to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw Mango - ½ mango
• Finely chopped Onion - ½ cup
• Green Chilly(roundly cut) - 2 nos
• Corriander Powder - ½ tbsp
• Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Powder - a pinch
• Curd - 1 cup
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel the Skin of the Mango and chop it nicely.
• Mix all the ingredients together with curd.

Recommended Combination: Manga Thayir can be served with Rice.

Pavakka Theeyal / Bittergourd Theeyal

Theeyal is a delicious dish in Kerala. It has a rich distinct taste which makes it a distinct curry.
This recipe uses Pavakka or Bittergourd as the main ingredient.

INGREDIENTS:

• Sliced shallots(Pearl Onion) - 15 nos
• Slit Green Chilly- 4 nos
• BitterGourd / Pavakka- 1 Medium Size
• Grated Coconut- ½ cup
• Red Chilly Powder - 1½ tsp
• Coriander Powder- 1½ tsp
• Turmeric Powder-¼ tsp
• Fenugreek Powder- a pinch
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Curry Leaves - a few
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan add Grated coconut and saute till brown.
• Add chilly powder and coriander powder and stir for a few minutes.
• Remove from fire and allow to cool.
• Grind it to a fine paste.
• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and take the extract from it.
• Cut Bittergourd / Pavakka into small pieces.
• Heat remaining oil in a pan.
• Add sliced onions, Green Chilly and saute, till they turn golden brown colour.
• Add Pavakka and saute for another 3 minutes.
• Add turmeric Powder,salt and water,allow to cook.
• Add tamarind juice and allow to boil.
• Add coconut paste and let it to boil till the gravy thickens and oil seperates.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Pavakka / Bittergourd Theeyal can be served hot with Rice.

Vanpayar Thoran / Red Beans Thoran

Vanpayar Thoran / Red Bean Thoran is a delicious dry dish rich in protein often served with rice or kanji.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Beans/ Van payar - 1 cup 
• Grated coconut - 3/4 cup 
• Cumin seeds- pinch
• Garlic pods - 2 nos 
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp 
• Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp 
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Beans / Vanpayar in a Pressure cooker with Turmeric Powder and Water for 3 -4 whistle. 
• Crush Coconut, Cumin seed, Chilly Powder, Pepper Powder and Garlic. 
• Add the Coconut Mix to the cooked Beans and mix well. 
• Add Curry leaves and Coconut Oil and stir for a minute and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: Vanpayar Thoran / Red Bean Thoran can be served hot with Rice / Kanji.