Theeyal(Maami's Corner)

Theeyal is one category that can be made both veg or non veg. Examples are the “ulli theeyal”, bitter gourd theeyal & yam theeyal for the vegetarians or prawn theeyal, crab - yam theeyal & prawns - drumstick theeyal for the non vegetarians.

Combinations can vary also the consistency, to make a thick or thin gravy Theeyal.

It goes well not only with rice but also with dosas & idlis.

Here I'm giving you the recipe for "Ulli/shallots Theeyal".

INGREDIENTS:

Shallots/button onions: 250 g

Green chilli: 2 chopped

Coconut: 1 cup grated

Dry red chilli: 10

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Fenugreek: 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp 

turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves: a few

Ginger: a small piece

Tamarind paste: 2 tsps

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

dry red chilli: 2

Oil: 2 tbsps
Sugar: 1 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Chop the shallots into small pieces & keep aside.

Heat a kadai, add coconut, red chilli, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger & a few curry leaves.

Fry it brown, cool & grind, without adding water, to a fine paste.

In another pan, add oil, splutter mustard seeds, add red chilli & add the chopped shallots.

When transparent, add green chillies, the tamarind paste, turmeric powder & a cup of water, let it cook.

Once done, add the ground masala, simmer on low flame till oil clears on top of the curry.

Add salt. To balance the sourness of tamarind, add a teaspoon of sugar or jaggery.

Take off fire. It keeps for a few days even without refrigeration. 

Another way of doing this is- cook the onions, green chillies with tamarind pulp.

When done, add ground masala paste. Adjust salt & do the tempering last.   

Kolhapuri Mutton (Party Menu)

There is more to Kolhapur than just Kolhapuris(slippers).The food is spicy & authentic.

This is a "must try" recipe. Use whole coriander for that flavour!  

INGREDIENTS:

Mutton: 1 kg

White sesame/til seeds: 50 g

Copra/dry coconut: ½

Cumin: 2 tsps

Caraway seeds/shahi jeera: 2 tsps

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Cinnamon: 1’ piece

Cardamom: 4

Cloves: 6

Pepper: 2 tsps

Red chilli whole: 10 or 1 tbsp powder

Oil: 1 tbsp

 Dry roast sesame seeds & copra separately, do not brown it too much.

Heat oil & fry rest of the ingredients. Grind together with sesame & copra.

Onions: 3 sliced                                               

Ginger paste: 2 tsps

Garlic paste: 2 tsps

Tomatoes: 2 chopped

Coriander leaves

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil, sauté onions till brown, add ginger –garlic paste & fry well.

Add ground masala, chopped tomatoes & sauté well till oil clears on sides of pan.

Add meat, stir till dry.

Pour 2 cups of hot water (no need to add water if pressure cooking), cook till done.

Add coriander leaves & serve.

This is a semi gravy dish. Good accompaniment for Pulao or Rotis.   

You can use chicken instead of mutton. 

Soup Curry (Traditional Fare)

This is a very traditional fish curry from Kollam, Kerala. It’s a thin gravy preparation, I guess that's the reason its called SOUP CURRY!

Unlike the fish molee, this does not have any garam masala.

I’ve used fish head for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

 Fish: 500 g

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Fresh green chilli: 12 slit

Ginger: 1” piece

Shallots or onion: ½ cup sliced

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Coconut milk: 1 cup (thin)

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Curry leaves

METHOD:

In a “curry chatty” put in the coriander powder, turmeric, green chilli, ginger, shallots & coconut milk.

Add salt to taste & put in washed & cleaned fish.

Now, cook till fish is done.

Last, add the curry leaves & coconut oil.

Take off fire & add vinegar.

Swirl the “chatty”.

This is usually served with rice, good with bread too.

Beef Chilli Fry (Traditional Fare)

With plain roast beef you can make different preparations.

INGREDIENTS:

Roast beef: 500 g

Dry red chilli flakes: 1 tbsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Garlic: 2 tsps crushed

Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

Onion: 1 sliced fine

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

To make roast beef: cook big chunks of beef in a pressure cooker after marinating with ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, whole red chilli, salt & vinegar, for 45 minutes.

Dry out excess stock.

Cut cooked beef into very thin strips or pinch out thin strips, like I have done.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add onions, when brown add crushed garlic & chilli flakes.

When fragrant, put in beef, soy sauce & more salt, if required.

Stir fry on low flame till dry & slightly crisp.

Sprinkle pepper powder & serve not only with rice but also in sandwiches.

Meen Vevichathu-3 (Traditional Fare)

The red coloured fish curry is made differently in every household in Kerala & this is the much favoured preparation too. I have given two versions already, now, another one.

INGREDIENTS:

Any fish: 500 g preferably big fish, cubed

Red chilli powder: 2 tbsps

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Fenugreek powder: ¼ tsp

Whole fenugreek/methi: ¼ tsp

Shallots: 6 crushed

Ginger: 1” piece chopped

Kodampuli: 3 to 4 pieces

Green chilli: 2 slit

Curry leaves: a few

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut the kodampuli into pieces & soak in half a cup of water.

Heat oil in a curry “chatty”, add fenugreek, when it browns put in crushed shallots & slit green chillies.

Fry till it turns pink & then add the powders, except the fenugreek powder.

Sauté till fragrant or I would say, till you sneeze. (That’s a sure sign of the chilli powder being well sautéed.)

Now, pour 1 cup of water & the kodampuli (along with the water).

Bring it to a boil & add the chopped ginger, fish & curry leaves.

Add salt.

Cook for about 15 minutes on low flame till oil clears on top.

Sprinkle the fenugreek powder & swirl the vessel.

Take off fire & keep covered for sometime before serving.

NOTE: when raw mango is in season you can use it instead of kodampuli.   

Chicken Wings (Party Menu)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken wings: 500 g

Onion: 2 chopped fine

Ginger: 1 tbsp chopped

Garlic: 1 tbsp chopped

Green chilli: 2 chopped

Tomato sauce: 1 tbsp

Green chilli sauce: 1 tbsp

Sweet chilli sauce: 1 tbsp

Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

Jam: ½ tbsp

Oil: 1 tbsp + for frying

Marinade:

Pepper powder: half tbsp

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Sugar: 1 tsp

Salt to taste   

Marinate chicken wings with this for 4 to 6 hours.

METHOD:

Fry the marinated chicken wings & remove.

In another pan, heat 1 tbsp oil & fry chopped onions, ginger, garlic & green chilli.

When onions are transparent, add the sauces, jam & fried chicken wings.

Cook on low flame for about 10 minutes or till the wings are well coated with the sauce.

Serve with a salad, a good starter at a party!

Corn & Paneer Pakoras (Maami's Corner)

A simple pakora that can be served as a tea time snack or dropped into a “KADHI” to make the famous PUNJABI KADHI with PAKORAS.

INGREDIENTS:

Corn kernels: 1/2cup

Paneer/cottage cheese: 100 g

Besan/chick pea flour: 6 tbsps

Rice flour: 2 tbsps

Onion: 1 chopped

Green chilli: 2 chopped

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp chopped fine

Ginger: 1” chopped fine

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Ajwain/ carom: 1/4tsp

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

METHOD:

Crush the corn kernels & grate the paneer.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the oil.

Add a little water to make a thick batter, (about quarter cup).

Heat oil, put a tablespoon full of the batter to make small pakoras.

Turn over to brown evenly.

Serve with tamarind chutney or tomato sauce.

To get a spongy texture, you can add 1/4 tsp of baking/cooking soda.(don't over do the soda because the pakoras will absorb more oil.) 

Poha (Maami's Corner)

This is a traditional breakfast item in Maharashtra. Very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flakes/beaten rice/Aval: 1 cup

Onion: 2 chopped

Green chilli: 2 chopped
Potato: 1 cubed small & parboiled

Ground nuts: 3 tbsps

Green peas: half cup cooked

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Curry leaves: few

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp chopped

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Coconut gratings: 2 tbsps (optional)

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash the rice flakes & strain immediately.

Heat oil, fry ground nuts & remove, now add mustard seeds, add onion, green chilli & curry leaves.

When transparent, add turmeric,potato & green peas & salt.

Now, add the rice flakes. Stir till heated through.

Add the fried nuts, coriander leaves & coconut (optional).

Take off fire & sprinkle lime juice.

 

Beef Crumb Fry (Party Menu)

INGREDIENTS:

Beef: 500 g

Egg whites: 2

Bread crumbs: 1 cup

Oil to fry

1. Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

2. Sugar: ½ tbsp

3. Ginger- garlic paste: 1 tbsp

4. Vinegar: 1 tbsp

5. Salt: to taste

METHOD:

Cut beef into thin strips against the grain.

Marinate with ingredients 1 to 6. Keep for 2 hours.

Dip each piece in egg white & coat with bread crumbs.

Deep fry till golden brown.

Serve with sauce.

Meen Pollichathu-2 (Traditional Fare)

This is another way of making meen pollichathu. Generally, banana leaves are used to wrap the fish. Here I’ve used foil.

The  idea of doing this preparation on a leaf is to use minimum oil, but I find most hotels & eateries using fried fish coated with masala. 

INGREDIENTS:

Any fish fillet: 500 g

Onions: 2 sliced

Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Pepper powder: 1/2tsp

Garlic: 1/2tsp ground

Ginger: 1/2tsp ground

Green chilli: 2 chopped

Coconut milk: 1/2cup thick

Vinegar: 2 tbsps

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Oil: 1 tbsp

Banana leaves/foil: as required

METHOD:

Smear fish slices with a little red chilli powder, turmeric & salt. Keep aside.

In a pan, add oil, fry the onions, green chilli, curry leaves, garlic & ginger.

Sauté well, add remaining chilli powder, pepper, turmeric & salt.

Now, pour thick coconut milk. Remove from fire & add vinegar.

Tear the banana leaf into pieces enough to wrap the fish.

Smear the leaf with a little oil, place 2 tablespoons of the masala on it.

Keep a slice of marinated fish on it, top with more masala & wrap it well & tie with a twine.

Cook on a hot tawa, turning occasionally.

You can also bake it.

Any fish can be used for this preparation. Sardines are good too.You can pack about 10 fish together.  

   

Arbi Roast (Maami's Corner)

Arbi or colocassia or chembu is a very tasteless tuber, which is generally boiled & served with some spicy chutney. I’ve tried to combine the 2 to get this lovely roast.

With very little oil & lots of patience, you can do this in a non stick pan.

INGREDIENTS:

Arbi: 250 g

Red chilli powder: 2 tsps

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Pepper powder: 1/2tsp

Garlic: 1tsp ground fine

Lime juice: 2 tsps

Oil: 2 tsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Choose small arbi, wash & boil them with skin.

When done, peel & crush between your palms slightly, to enable the masala to soak in.

Mix all spices with lime juice & salt. Apply all over the arbi. Keep for a while.

In a non stick pan, heat oil, place the masala coated arbis, cook on slow flame till well browned. Serve with rice.

Vajra Meen Podi Varuval (Traditional Fare)

This recipe is from Southern Tamil Nadu. As the name suggests, King fish is used here but you can make this with any fish or prawns.

INGREDIENTS:

Slices of king fish: 4

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Tamarind pulp: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to shallow fry

 For the masala “PODI”:

Channa dhal/split chick peas: 1 tbsp

Black gram dhal: 1 tbsp

Whole black pepper: 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel/aniseed: 1 tbsp

Dry red chilli: 6

Curry leaves: a few

 METHOD:

Marinate the fish slices with salt, turmeric, lime juice & tamarind pulp for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, dry roast the ingredients for “PODI” & powder it coarsely.

Heat oil, about 2 tbsps. Coat each piece of fish in the powdered masala & fry.

Turn over & brown both sides evenly.