Karimeen Varuthathu / Fried Pearlspot using Hudson Canola Oil

Last month I received an email request to review a product on my blog. I agreed . And so, last week, I received a 1 litre bottle of canola oil for a sampling program from Hudson Canola oil, a brand recently launched in India. As canola oil is a neutral flavored oil, it suits all cuisines including Indian cooking.

  

So this week I thought I'll use this oil and review the product and tell you guys what I think about it. The recipe I thought of for this trial round was a simple one . Karimeen fry . I used  the Canola oil as a medium for frying my karimeen or pearlspot.

 

The oil has a high smoke point and is ideal for frying and sauteing. Moreover, the neutral flavor of the oil helps the canola oil stay in the background of the dish rather than dominate in the forefront like most oils. This makes the oil a must-ingredient in the kitchens of those who are into global cuisine. Fortunately, I loved the outcome of cooking with this oil and my verdict would be that I really liked the product received.

 Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• Cleaned Pearlspot - 4
• Chili powder - 3 tspns
• Turmeric powder- 1/2 tspn.
• Salt - To taste
• Canola oil - 5 tbspns.
• Lemon, onions, cucumber and oranges- to garnish

Directions:

• Mix chili powder, turmeric powder and salt in a small bowl. Marinate the fish with the mixed spices and let rest for 30-45 mins.
•  Heat canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Fry the fish for about  8-9 mins. on each side.
• Serve hot with a spritz of lemon and sliced onions. (I served it with a slice of orange and cucumber too.)

Appam and Stew

Diwali came with much excitement and enthusiasm. The house was cleaned spic and span. There was a sprawling rangoli at my door step and all the diyas glimmering away.  And then, all of a sudden, diwali came to an end with a lot of noise and air pollution.

Right now, we have bright sunny days in Bangalore. But, there is a chill wind indicating the onset of winter.  November is ticking away with only a few days left for everyone to start updating their new year's resolution. Can't believe that 2012 too is coming to a close. Wow! That was fast.  But, I'm looking forward to all the excitement coming up in December with Christmas and New year's and can't wait to try out some new restaurants this the festive season.

Coming to my recipe for today.  Appam and stew is a breakfast dish served in Kerala. It is a high calorie meal, but I or in fact we love it. Some folks like serving appam with milk an d sugar. But, i think that appam is best served with stew.  Click here for stew recipe.

Ingredients:( Makes 16 appams)

• Rice flour - 1-1/2 cups
• Cooked rice - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Water - 3 cups
• Coconut milk - 1/4 cup (optional)
• Yeast - 1/2 tspn
• Sugar - 2 tspns
• Salt - to taste
• Milk - 1/4 cup (optional)

Directions:

•  In 1/2 cup of warm water, add yeast and sugar and set aside for 5 mins.
• Other than salt and milk, grind the rest of the ingredients together. Add proofed yeast mixture and let ferment for 5-6 hours. 
• Just before making the appams, add salt and milk to the batter.
• To make appam, pour one ladle of batter in a hot appam pan and rotate the pan so the batter coats the sides of the pan. Cover and let cook for 2-3 mins. And serve hot (Appams are cooked only on one side)
• I have demonstrated how to make appam with pics.
• Best served with stew. Click here for stew recipe.

Potato Stew

 HAPPY ONAM everyone.

Posting the recipe for a kerala-style potato stew. This stew is usually served with appam and it is also served as an item on the sadhya ela (authentic kerala lunch) . I make my stew in a pressure cooker and I feel it is the easiest way to go about, without consuming much time. Very easy recipe.

Ingredients: ( serves 4)

• Potatoes - 4 medium (each cut into 6 pieces)
• Onions - 2 (sliced)
• Ginger - 2 tbspns (chopped)
• Green chilies - 3 (slit)
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Pepper corns -  1 tspn
• Coconut milk - 200 ml
• Water - 2 cups
• Coconut oil - 1 tspn (optional)
• Salt - to taste

Directions:

• In the pressure cooker, take 100 ml of coconut milk and add the water

• Add the potatoes, onions, ginger, chilies, pepper corns and salt

• Cook for 3 whistles and turn off the heat.  

• When the pressure has released from the cooker, open it and add the remaining coconut milk, curry leaves and coconut oil and simmer for 5 mins.

Here are some recipes which you might find useful this onam.

Sambar

Moru kootaan

Avial

Cabbage thoran

Chammandi 

Sambaaram

Paruppu payasam / paruppu pradhaman

Ela ada

Ela Ada

I know I'm way late once again in making a post. I'm leaving for India this weekend and when is a better time to shop than now. Have shopped till I dropped :).
Busy with all the packing and the excitement is driving me crazy. Will be visiting my sister, in Dubai, for 2 weeks and then, off I fly to India where family, weddings and good weather wait for me. Glad to leave winter behind. Looking forward to mom's food and loads of fun.

I'll be gone for a good 3 months, but, I think, I will pop-in here, once in a while to make new posts.

Before I bid adieu , I thought I'll post one more recipe. Mouth-watering Ela ada. It's a very popular snack from Kerala. Can be served for breakfast too.

I had searched the whole of Saint Louis for banana leaves and finally found some frozen banana leaves at an asian food market. I was so excited because I have been longing to make ela adas.

For those of you who can't find banana leaves, you can substitute it with parchment paper.
Ciao!

Ingredients: (Makes 5 adas)

• Rice flour - 1-1/2 cups
• Hot water - 1-1/2 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Banana leaves or parchment paper.

Ingredients for for filling:

• Grated coconut - 1-1/2 cups
• Jaggery - 1/2 cup ( or according to taste)
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tspn

Directions:

Clean banana leaves with a wet cloth. Then place them over low heat for about 10-20 secs to season the leaf. Set aside( If using parchment paper avoid this step)

Directions for making the rice dough:

• In a pan slightly roast rice flour.
• Then add hot water with salt and stir well.
• Take off heat. Cover and set aside to cool a while.
• When slightly cool, knead it to make a soft dough. Cover and let it rest.
  

Directions for the filling:

• In a skillet, over medium heat, melt the jaggery with a tablespoon of water.
• Strain this melted jaggery and get rid of the dirt left at the bottom.
• Return the strained jaggery to the pan and add the grated coconut. Cook for 5- 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts to thicken, remove from heat and cool till it reaches room temperature.

Directions to make Ela Ada:

• Cut the banana leaves or parchment paper into small, 20 cm squares.
• Divide the rice dough into 5 equal parts
• Spread one ball of rice dough evenly on the banana leaves/parchment paper; use your hands to spread the rice dough as thin as possible leaving a 1 cm margin on all sides. ( See pic)


• Place filling on one side of the spread dough. (see pic)

Fold the leaf/parchment paper in the middle and press the sides to seal the ada well.

• Take an idly steamer and add water to it and place on medium heat.


• Place the leaves / parchment paper flat on the idly mould trays and steam in the idly steamer for 15 to 20 minutes.


• 
  

Once the adas are steamed and cooked, peel of the leaf/parchemnt paper and serve with some hot tea or coffee. Ela ada can be served hot or at room temperature
Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

Cabbage Thoran

Have been so busy of late. Have not found time for anything, leave alone blogging. Had quite a few guests over the past week, that I've had time for nothing else since. (sigh!) Now, I resent going to the kitchen.

Here is a very simple recipe for thoran. Thoran is a dish from Kerala. A very simple, steamed and seasoned cabbage side dish .

Ingredients: ( serves 4-5 )

• Shredded cabbage - 4 cups
• Mustard - 1 tspn
• Green chilli - 2 ( slit)
• Chopped onions - 1/4 cup
• Urad dal - 2 tspns
• Curry leaves - 4-5
• Oil - 2 tspns
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tspn
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Directions:

• Heat Oil in a pan and add mustard. Once they splutter, add green chillies and urad dal. Saute ( abt. 2 mins)
• Add onions and curry leaves. Saute.
• Reduce heat to low. Add cabbage, salt, turmeric and 1/8 cup of water. Cover and let it steam for about 8-10 mins. Stir occasionally.
• Finally, add the grated coconut. Stir and cook for about 2-3 more mins.
• Thoran is ready.

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

Achamma's sambar - the ultimate homemade sambar

I would like to thank all my readers for wishing me well when I was ill. I've recovered now. Thank you so much.
Most of you may think that it's a good day for me today. But, no. It's quite the opposite. A very sad day for me. Why? Read on.

I love my grandma. She was a small statured, plump woman and the cutest, sweetest and the most warm-hearted little person I have ever known. I loved her cooking. She was a great cook and I don't know how she really did it. It was like as if she had some magic potion which she used in all her dishes to create those wonderful, aromatic and delightful dishes. Anything she cooked tasted like heaven.

She never had recipe books nor did she ever have to measure ingredients. Everything was in her little silver-haired head and the magic at her finger-tips.

Today, sadly, is her first death anniversary and the following recipe,I, fondly, share in memory of the sweetest and most lovable grandma in the world.

This sambar recipe is a bombshell and it comes from her and She didn't forget to hand it down. So, today my mom still makes it for all at home and when we (my siblings and me) got engaged to be married, my mom handed it down to us. It's always been compliments galore for me, when I make this sambar.

I wish my gramma were here today.I miss her ever-so-much.
"Achamma this post is in memory of you. Sure, you are looking down on me now."

I have made this sambar using Okra( Ladies finger). Some alternatives for okra are drumsticks, white pumpkin( winter melon), brinjal( aubergine) or shallots. My favorite is shallot sambar but could not find any this time.

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)

• Toor dal - 1/2 cup
• Tomato - 2 (cut into quaters)
• Ladies finger (cut into 1 inch long pieces)
• Tamarind - size of a bing cherry
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tspn
• Asafoetida( Hing) - 2 pinches
• Fenugreek seeds - 1 tspn
• Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
• Curry leaves - 7-8 large leaves ( plus more for tempering)
• Chopped onions - 1/4 cup
• Coriander powder- 4 tbspns
• Chilli powder - 1 tspn( or to taste)
• Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
• Dried red chillies- 2
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbspns

Method:

• Wash the dal. Pressure cook it with tomatoes and 1-1/2 cups of water. ( 2 whistles will be sufficient)
• In the mean time, take 1/2 tbspn of oil in a pan and saute the okra till the slime disappears. Set aside (If using drumsticks or the other alternatives, avoid this step)
• Add 1/2 cup of water to the tamarind and extract tamarind juice from it and discard the pulp. Set aside.
• In another pan, add another 1/2 tbspn of oil and add Hing.
• Then add fenugreek seeds. When it turns light brown and splutters, add coconut, curry leaves and onions and fry.When the coconut turns a golden brown and a wonderful aroma arises, add coriander powder and chilli powder. Toast well. Stir constantly. ( abt 5-6 mins on medium-low flame) . Then grind this to a fine paste and set aside.
• When the dal is cooked, add the vegetable to the dal and cook along with salt, turmeric powder, tamarind extract and the ground coconut mixture. cook for about 5-6 mins.
• If the sambar is too thick, add as much water as required to make a consistency that satisfies you.
• Finally, temper mustard, curry leaves and red chillies in 1 tbspn of oil and add it to the sambar.
• Serve with rice, idly, dosa or methu vadas.

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

Paruppu pradhaman/ Paruppu payasam

I just recovered from an ankle injury and fever. That's my reasonable excuse for not being able to post any news recipes or check out your posts. I'm sure all of you understand and I don't have to apologize. It's good to be back :)

Onam is coming up, on September 2nd this year, which is on wednesday. For those of you who want to know the significance of Onam, click here. Onam too, like Vishu, is celebrated with pomp and splendour in Kerala. Onam is the time of harvest and prosperity. Onam sadhya is similar to what we have for Vishu . I have mentioned about Vishu in one of my previous posts. To read about it, click here .

So here is a very traditional recipe of a very rich payasam called paruppu pradhaman. This is a thunderbolt recipe. Will definitely create an everlasting impression. Extremely scrumptious. The wonderful warm taste of jaggery and the bite from the dal is what makes for it's unbeatable flavor. The creaminess that the coconut milk renders to the payasam ................Unbelievable.

Actually, words cannot do justice to the taste of this payasam. You have to try it to believe me.

Usually, my mother adds ghee-roasted coconut pieces as well, to garnish the pradhaman. I forgot to set aside some coconut for garnish, so, I have not used any.

• Ingredients: (Serves 3-4)
  
  Moong dal - 1/2 cup
  Water- 1-1/2 cups + 1 cup
  Coconut milk - 400 ml
  Jaggery - 9 small peices ( Abt 3/4 cup)
  Cardamom powder - 1/4 tspn
  Ghee - 1 tbspn
  Cashews and raisins - 3 tspns each.

Directions:

• Dry roast the moong dal in a pan, on medium heat, till a nice aroma arises and the yellow dal turns golden color. (Takes about 6-8 mins)
• Take a pressure cooker and add the dal and 1-1/2 cups of water. Cook for 2 whistles.( or till just done. The dal should not be mushy)
• In another pan, melt the jaggery with 1 cup of water and strain the jaggery to remove the dust at the bottom.
• Add the cooked dal to this melted jaggery and let it simmer on low heat for about 20 mins.
• Add the coconut milk to the above mixture, cook on medium heat for 10-15 more minutes. Stir constantly. ( Add more water to the payasam if it is too thick)
• Add cardamom powder.
• Heat ghee and roast the cashews and raisins separately add to payasam.( If u have small, sliced coconut pieces, you can fry that and add it too)
• Serve warm or at room temperature. ( I like it at room temperature)

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

Spiced Buttermilk/ Sambaaram

There is no better way to beat the heat than with some cool buttermilk. Why would anyone want coke and pepsi with all the artificial stuff in it when there is simething all natural which can reduce your body tempreature as well as good for you. I like my buttermilk spiced with just ginger,salt and some bruised curry leaves. My husband likes it with some chopped green chillies as well. Do it any way you like. Stay healthy and happy.

Ingredients:

ButterMilk - 2 cups

Water - 2 cups

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - scant 20-25 leaves (bruised with your hand)

Coursely mashed ginger - 1 inch piece

Chopped green chilli - 1 (optional)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let it rest for 30-45 mins in the refrigerator.

Serve cold.

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

MORU KOOTAAN(BUTTERMILK CURRY)

Hope all of you had a great weekend. I did:)
We went to the Shaw Nature reserve to see thousands of daffodils in bloom. ( That was how it was advertised- Come see 1000's in bloom). But, I think it was the over expectation which led us to be disappointed. There were thousands. True. But all in small patches here and there spread across a large, large area. So, it's beauty did not come through. But, still, the flowers were beautiful and we enjoyed the stroll.
About this week - We are leaving for the grand canyon on Thursday and will be back only on Monday. So, see you guys sometime next week. I'm disappearing from the blogging scene for a week.
My post for today is another speciality from kerala. Moru kootaan( buttermilk curry)
My friend, Viji, who now lives in Texas, says that she has not made any other style of moru kootan ever since I handed her this recipe. She has nothing less than "awesome" and "great" to say about this curry.

Ingredients :( serves 3-4)

• White pumpkin - 25o gms
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
• Water - 1 cup
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
• Salt - to taste
• Buttermilk - 1 cup
• Curry leaves - 5-6 leaves
• Oil - 2 tspns
• Red chilli - 1
• Mustard - 1/2 tspn
• Fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)- 1/2 tspn(optional)

Ingredients (To grind to a fine paste):

• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Green chillies - 2 (small)
• Cumin seeds - 1-1/2 tspn

Directions:

• Wash and peel the pumpkin.Discard the seeds and the mushy centre.Cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Heat a pan and add 1 cup water to it.Add the white pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and boil till the pumpkin is cooked.(takes about 6-7 mins).
• Pour buttermilk into the ground-coconut mixture and stir well.
• Pour this into the curry and cook for another 2 mins on a medium flame.
• Take the curry off the heat.
• Finally, heat oil in a small saute pan. Splutter mustard. Season red chilli and fenugreek seeds along with it.Add fresh curry leaves.
• Add this seasoning to the hot moru kootan .
• Stir and serve with rice.

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

Avial

Vishu is round the corner. Vishu is new year's day in the Malayalam calender and falls on the 14th of April in the Gregorian calendar . It is celebrated with much pomp and splendor in Kerala.

There are 3 awesome things about Vishu which I love.

One, I love the custom followed at dawn, on the day of Vishu.

The lady of the house sets up a large platter in the Pooja room( room of worship) on the night before Vishu. The platter is arranged with fruits, money, jewels, flowers, a new piece of cloth, paddy and a very special mirror called the "valkannadi". The unique feature of this mirror is that it is not made of glass, like most mirrors, but bronze metal. The significance of the mirror on this arranged tray is to reflect prosperity, wealth and welbeing. This arranged platter is called Vishu Kani.The ritual followed at dawn is that every individual is brought blindfolded straight from bed to the Pooja room, so that the first sight seen on the new year's day is this tray signifying prosperity. This is called Kani kaanal. It is believed that seeing the Kani will carry forward prosperity throughout the year.
Secondly, I love the tradition of all the elders in the family offering money to the younger members( Great way to get a fat pocket)

Finally, I love the sadhya( famous vegetarian meal of kerala) with lots and lots of sides.

Usually, sadhya is served on banana leafs and it's difficult to number the various side dishes. The sides for rice are avial, sambar, moru kootan, kaalan, thoran, erisseri, papadam, pickle, kaaya varthathu( plaintain chips), chena varthathu( yam chips), sarkkara upperi, ghee, inji puli, parippu(dal), olan, moru, stew.........and believe me when I say that I have named just a few :) Then, there's dessert too. Mostly palpradhman( kheer made of milk) and sarkkara pradhaman( and one made of jaggery). Mmmm! (I guess just by reading that, everyone's stomach is filled:)

I wonder why I write all this...........it only makes me yearn to go home...
Anyway, I'm shelling out some recipes for some kerala specialities. I'll start with avial. Avial is a mixture if various vegetables in a yogurt-coconut gravy. I personally think that an avial requires a minimum of 5 veggies to be included in it. In this recipe, I have added 6 varieties of veggies. This dish is a powerhouse packed with nutrition. And it's pretty simple too.

Note: The vegetables are required to be cut into long peices. This cutting style is called julienne . For avial, the veggies need to be cut into 1-1/2 inch long and thin pieces.

Preparation time - 20 mins

Ingredients:( serves 5-6)

• Julienned yam- 3/4 cup
• Julienned carrots - 1 cup
• Beans (cut into 1 inch pieces) - 1 cup
• Drumsticks ( cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces) - about 12-15 pieces
• Julienned white pumpkin - 1 cup
• Julienned raw plantains - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
• Salt - to taste
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 4
• Cumin seeds - 2 tspns
• Sour yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1 tspn
• Curry leaves - 7-8

Method:

• Make a coarse paste of the coconut, green chillis and cumin seeds with about 3-4 tbspns of water.
• Transfer the paste to a small bowl and add yoghurt. Mix well. Set aside.
• In a large pot, pour 2 cups water and add turmeric and salt. Boil beans and drumsticks in it for 3 mins. ( If you need avial with lots of gravy, add more water)
• When they are half-cooked add the rest of the vegetables in the same pot and cook
  When the vegetables are nearly done, add the coconut- yoghurt mix to the vegetables. Stir well and bring to a boil.
• Add the curry leaves and the oil and turn off the heat.
• Serve hot with rice.

Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha