Pumpkin Erisseri /Pumpkin Erissery /Mathanga Erisery

Ingredients

1.Pumpkin / Mathanga -250 gm
2.Vanpayar /Red beans -100 gm
3.Grated Coconut - 1/2 of a coconut
4.Green chillies - 4
5.Cumin seeds - 1tsp
6.Small onion - 6
7.Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
8.Coconut slices - 1 tsp (optional)
9.Oil -2 tsp
10.Mustard seeds,Curry leaves,salt - as required
11.Dry red chillies -4

Preparation

1.Soak the vanpayar/red beans in water for about 3 hours

2.Cut the pumpkin /mathanga in to cubes

3.Grind the grated coconut,green chilies,turmeric powder,cumin seeds,small onions to a very fine paste.Keep aside

4.Cook the vanpayar and mathanga together by adding 1/2 tsp turmeric powder,salt and enough water (water will be just below /on the level of vanpayar and mathanga ).You can also add chilly powder at this time.Then you don't want to grind green chilies with the coconut.
If you are cooking in a pressure cooker ,switch off the flame after the first whistle.Wait for steam inside the cooker to dissipate and remove the lid
5..The vanpayar will be soft but not mushy.The pumpkin must be mushy,or you may mash it with a spatula.
6.Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked vanpayar-pumpkin and cook in a low flame and boil
7.Heat oil in a pan ,splutter mustard seeds ,add dry red chilies,coconut slices(optional) and curry leaves
8.Add this to the curry. Your Pumpkin Erissery is ready

Soumya ,thanks for the tips !

Palak paneer

Palak paneer is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of spinach and paneer (Indian farmer's cheese) in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach. It is a popular vegetarian dish.

Ingredients


1.Spinach -three bunches of spinach
2.Chopped Onion -1
3.Red chilly powder -1/2 tsp
4.Ginger garlic paste -1tsp
5.Green chillies -2 piece chopped
6.Chopped tomato -1
7.Salt -as required
8.Coriander powder -1tsp
9.Cumin powder -1tsp
10.Turmeric powder -a  pinch
11.Whipping cream -(optional)
12.Paneer (Indian cheese )- 1 cup
13.Whole garam masala - 2 cardamom,3 cloves,2 cinnamon
14.Fenugreek leaves  /Kasoori methi- 2tsp
15.Oil - 3 tsp

Preparation 
1.Wash spinach under running water
2.Boil 1 cup of water and add add the spinach to it .Cook for 2 minutes,leave the lid open.
3.Switch off the flame and keep aside
4.When it cools down,add  the spinach to the blender and blend well.

5.Heat oil in a pan and add powdered cloves(I don't like whole cloves,so I used powdered cloves) ,crushed cardamom and cinnamon.
6.Add 1 tsp cumin seeds .When it starts to change color,add 4 pieces of chopped garlic
7.Add the chopped onions and 1/2 tsp salt
8.Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
9.Add 1tsp ginger garlic paste and stir well
10.Now add one chopped tomato.It should be fully cooked.Cook it in a medium flame for a long time till the tomatoes get mashed
11.Add 1 full tsp of cumin powder and coriander powder
12.Add 1/2 tsp chilly powder
13.Take kasoori methi and powder it between your palms and add it to the gravy.
14.Add chopped green chilies.

15.Add the blended spinach and when the gravy is almost thick ,add the paneer
16.(optional)If you want the curry richer,add little cream
17.Cook for 2 more minutes,keep the lid closed
18.Remove from fire and serve with chapati or Nan.

Kalan/Moru curry/Curd Curry

You can use raw bananas or slightly ripened bananas for making kalan.I like the sour-sweet combo very much.

Ingredients
Ethakka/Plantains/Banana - 2 nos
Oil -2 tsp
Turmeric powder -3/4 tsp
Green chilies-3 sliced vertically
Chilly powder -1/2 tsp
Coconut- 1 cup (1/2 of a grated coconut or less as required )
Fenugreek/cumin seeds/jeerakam-1tsp (or more as required)
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Red chilies-3-4
Curry leaves- 1 spring
Salt-as required

Preparation
1.Wash and peel the banana,cut in to cubes.
2.Cook the plantains in water by adding 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder ,salt and green chilies.

3.Grind 1 cup of coconut and 1tsp cumin seeds well to get a fine paste.
4.When the bananas are almost done add the above ground paste .Close the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.
5.Beat one cup yogurt and add to the above mixture.Switch off the flame before the curd boils.
6.Finally,heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry chilly and curry leaves.Add this to the kalan.

Avial

This recipe is usually made with leftover vegetables.So even  if you don't have all the below vegetables available,still you can make this with the leftover vegetables in your refrigerator.

Ingredients
1.Yam(Chena)-1  cup
2.Plantains/Raw banana(Ethakka)-1 cup
3.Carrot -1 cup
4.String beans -1 cup
5.Drumstick(Muringakka)-1 cup
6.Cucumber(yellow) -1 cup
7.Brinjal(Vazhuthananga) -1 cup
8.Snake gourd(Padavalanga) -1 cup
9.Pumpkin -(1 cup)
9.Raw mango - as required for sourness
10.Green Chilies -6-7(cut in to half)

11.Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
12.Salt-as required

13.Grated coconut- 1/2 of one coconut
14.Cumin seeds-1 1/2 tsp
15.Kunjulli -6 nos
16.Coconut oil-4 tsp

Preparation

1.Slice the yam in to thin long pieces and place it in water
2.Slice all the other vegetables in to thin long pieces and place it all in water in another vessel.

3.Crush  together grated coconut and cumin seeds  and keep aside.Crush  it without adding water so that you will get a thick paste.Do not grind it.

3.Heat 2tsp coconut oil in a pan and add 2 stem curry leaves
4.Add the vegetables,green chilies, 3/4 turmeric powder ,1/4 tsp chilly powder salt and stir.

5.Close the vessel with a lid and cook in a low flame .
(Tip:If you cook the vegetables in a low -medium flame, you don't want to add water to the vegetables).
When the vegetables are half cooked add the raw mango and keep the vessel closed.

6.When it boils,add the crushed coconut and cumin seeds .Close the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.

7.When all the vegetables are cooked,open the lid and make a small hole in the centre of the vegetables.

8.The water that collects in this hole should be scooped out with a big spoon and poured over the vegetables.

9.Add curry leaves mix it all well together.
10.Now add 2tsp coconut oil to this and heat it all well and remove from the flame.
11.Serve warm with Chappathi/Rice

Tip:

Usually we are using raw mango to get sourness to the curry.
But some people prefer to skip raw mango or substitute it with curd or tamarind pulp.
So if you prefer to use  tamarind pulp or curd ,you can add it after step 5.

Kadala Curry /Channa Curry

Ingredients

Black Chickpeas/Channa/Kadala -1 cup
Dry Red chilies - 4 nos
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Coconut slices -1 handfull
Ginger paste-1tsp
Garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Thinly sliced Onions-1 and a half
Tomato- 1/2
curry leaves -1 spring
Salt -as required



















Ingredients To roast and grind to paste

Grated Cocunut - 1 cup
Coriander Powder -2 tsp full
Chilly powder -2 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Garam masala- a small tsp
Chicken masala/Meat masala - 1 1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt-as required
Channa - say ,10 nos (optional)


Roast and grind to paste

Heat oil in a pan
Add 1 cup grated cocunut saute well for 3 minutes
Add 2 tsp coriander powder,2 tsp chilli powder,1 1/2 tsp chicken masala or meat masala,1/4 tsp turmeric powder,a small tsp garam masala ,enough salt and stir well.

Saute and fry the cocunut very well until it become very crispy and dark brown colour.If the cocunut has fried well,you will get a very nice aroma and also you can see some oil on top of the coconut.

To thicken the gravy,finally add approx,7-10nos of chickpeas to the pan (optional) and fry together(1 or 2 minutes) with the coconut.

Keep the mix aside and allow it to cool.Grind the mixture in a blender adding enough water to make a paste and keep aside.


Preparation


Soak the black chickpeas overnight.
Heat oil in a pan
Splutter mustard seeds
Add dry Red chilies
Now add the cocunut slices and fry  till it changes color.
Add ginger(1tsp) and garlic(1/2tsp) paste
Add thinly sliced onions and fry well
Now add 1/2 of a tomato
Add curry leaves
Add channa/kadala and enough salt.

Now add the ground paste and stir well.
Add enough water and pressure cook  in medium flame and turn off the flame in  the first whizzle.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Pineapple Pachadi/Madhura curry

Kerala Sambar

Sambar is a vegetable stew made with tamarind and vegetables, and is very popular in the cooking of southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Each state in South India prepares it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.

Ingredients

1.Sambar parippu(dal)- 1 cup

2.Chembu(Taro) -2 or 3

3.Potato-2

4.Payar(Long beans)-10-12 nos

5.Beans -10-12 nos

6.Green chilly-5-7

7.Carrot-1

8.Snake gourd(padavalanga)-1

9.Pumpkin(mathanga)-1 piece

10.Tindora(Kovakkai)-15

11.Onion-1 small

12.plantain(Ethakka)-1

13.Tomato-1 small

14.Lady's finger(Vendakka)

15.Drumsticks(Muringakka)

16.Turmeric powder(1/4tsp)

17-Sambar powder-4-5 tsp

18.Asafoetida(Kayam)-2 pinch

19.Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

20.Coriander powder-1tsp

You can add cauliflower,Yam(chena) etc to the sambar.If you don't have all these vegetables available,don't worry.You can also make sambar with only one veggie.

Preparation

1.Soak 1 cup dal for 30 minutes

2.Soak 1tsp tamarind in hot water

3.Cut all the vegetables.

4.Put the items from 1-12 in to a pressure cooker.
5.Heat up 2 tsp sambar powder ,1 tsp coriander powder,1 tsp uluva powder, a pinch of turmeric
   powder,2 or 3 pinch of kayam and put it in to the pressure cooker along with the vegetables.

6.Add salt stir well. The water level should be slightly less than the level of the vegetables.

7.Close the lid and cook it in medium flame

8.Turn off the heat as soon as the first whistle blows.

9.open the pressure cooker when all the steam inside gets released.

10.Add the tomato,lady's finger(Vendakka) and drumsticks to the cooker.

11.Add 1/2 glass water ,close the lid and cook it in high flame ,till all the vegetables become soft.

12.Now pour the tamarind juice ,salt and stir well.(Oru nellikka valuppathinte thazhe puli eduthu water l ettu vekkuka.puli neeru strain cheythu ozhikkuka.water eduthittu ,discard the tamarind)

13. Add enough water close the lid and boil for 5 more minutes.

14.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Cauliflower-Potato curry/Aloo Gobhi

Ingredients

Oil -2-3 tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Onion -2 onions - 1 big and 1 small-very finely chopped

Tomato-1

Green chillies-2-3 - chopped

Capsicum- 1 chopped

Ginger-1 big piece-very finely chopped

Garlic-3-4 pods-very finely chopped

Cauliflower-1/2 of a large head cauliflower

Potatoes-2

Green peas-1 handfull of peas

Carrot -1 handful

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Chilly powder -3/4 tsp

Coriander powder -1/2 tsp

Garam masala- 1 pinch

Salt-to taste

Kasoori methi-1 pinch(optional)

Curry leaves-1-2 stems

Coriander leaves-3-4 stems

Coconut milk -1/2 glass(optional)

Preparation

1.Heat Oil

2.Add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds.When it starts changes the color

3.Add very finely chopped ginger and garlic.Stir until it turns to a golden color.

4.Add Onion,tomato ,green chilli and capsicum and saute till the tomato get mashed.

5.Add 3/4 tsp of chilly powder,1/4 tsp of turmeric powder ,1/2 tsp of coriander powder and saute well.

6.Add a pinch of kasoori methi.

7.Add enough salt

8.Now add potatoes.Saute well and cover the pan with a lid .Cook it on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. To get a thicker gravy, the potatoes should be well cooked and mashed.

9.Put the Cauliflower.Sprinkle little water and cook for 3-4 minutes.

10.Add the carrots and green peas.

11.Sprinkle Garam Masala and close the lid, for flavours to infuse.

12.Add cocunut milk to taste(optional).Cook for 2-3 minutes

13.Finally add some coriander leaves .

Serve hot.