ERISSERY (Maami's Corner)

Another dish that is a must at a KERALA SADYA!

Combinations can vary, though, the most common one is the pumpkin & red beans (vanpayar). Raw jackfruit can be used when in season.Yam, raw papaya & banana too can be used in this preparation.

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin: 250 g

Red beans: ½ cup

Coconut grating: 1cup

Green chilli: 3

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder: ½ tsp

Shallots: 6 sliced

Curry leaves

Mustard seeds: ¼ tsp

Dry red chilli: 2

Coconut oil: 2 tsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Soak beans for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Pressure cook with 1 cup water for 10 minutes.

In another vessel, cook cubed pumpkin with turmeric, chilli powder & ½ a cup of water.

When half done, add the cooked beans & salt.

Grind half the coconut with cumin, green chilli & a few curry leaves to a coarse paste.

Add the paste to beans-pumpkin & boil for 3 minutes.

Check for salt & take off.

Heat oil in a kadai, crackle mustard seeds, add shallots, red chilli cut in two, curry leaves & remaining coconut. Fry till they brown.

Pour into the prepared ERISSERY & serve. 

Olathirachi/Erachi Olarthiyathu (Traditional Fare)

Beef is prepared in many different ways in Kerala, as fries, curries, cutlets, pickles & biryani.

But the traditional “Olathirachi” is the winner.

This can be kept for a few days even without refrigeration, only remember to warm it up every day.

I have used whole red chillies & coriander seeds in this recipe, but you can use the powders instead.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Beef: 1 kg

Shallots: 200 g sliced

Garlic: 2 tbsps sliced

Ginger: 1 tbsp julliened

Green chilli: 3 slit

Curry leaves: a few

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Coconut slivers: half a cup

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps

Vinegar: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

For the masala

Dry red chilli: 12

Coriander seeds: 2 tsps

Black pepper: 1 tsp

Cardamom: 2

Cloves: 6

Cinnamon: 1 piece

Aniseed/fennel: 2 tsps

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Fenugreek/methi: 1/2tsp

Curry leaves: a few

METHOD:

Cut beef into small pieces.

Dry roast all ingredients under MASALA & powder.

In a pressure cooker, put in the meat, masala powder, turmeric powder, ginger slices, green chillies, half the garlic slices, coconut slivers, salt & vinegar. Mix well.

Cover cooker & cook for 10 minutes (time will depend on the beef, for veal meat cook for 10 minutes, regular beef- about15 to 20 minutes.)

In the meantime, heat oil in a frying pan, fry the shallots brown, remove half & add the garlic, curry leaves.

Put in cooked beef with the gravy & simmer till all the gravy dries up.

Brown the meat well & put the remaining fried shallots.

Beef “ olathiyathu” is ready for the table.

Chicken Pulao (Party Menu)

This is a North Indian style pulao, very mildy flavoured, white in colour unlike the Malabar counterpart.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken: 1 cut into 8 pieces (about 800 g)

Rice: 3 cups (basmati or jeera rice)

Onion: 3 sliced fine

Green chilli: 6 crushed

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Cinnamon: 1” piece

Cardamom: 2

Cloves: 2

Whole black pepper: ½ tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Mint leaves: 1 small cup

Coriander leaves: half a cup

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Hot water: 6 cups

Ghee: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash rice, soak for 10 minutes & drain.

 Chop mint & coriander leaves fine & set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan/handi with lid & fry the cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom & black pepper.

Now, add onions & sauté till golden brown. (Remove some for garnishing, if you need.)

Put in crushed green chilli, ginger-garlic paste, mint & coriander leaves.

When a very tempting aroma of the fried masala fills the air, add the chicken.

Stir it around in the masala till it changes colour, (about 10 minutes).

Add rice now, also, a little salt.

Sprinkle garam masala powder & give a quick stir.

Pour 6 cups of hot water, cover & cook till rice is done.

Check for salt, in between, because it will be difficult to stir in after the rice is fully cooked.

Rest the pulao for half an hour before serving.

Serve with a pickle & raita.

Fish Curry Trichur Style (Traditional Fare)

Fish curry down south in Kerala uses coconut paste for the gravy while up north in Kerala, its coconut milk that is largely used.

Here’s such a preparation.

INGREDIENTS:

Fish: 500g as per your choice

Coconut milk: 1 cup thick

Red chilli powder: 2 tbsps (Kashmiri)

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Fenugreek powder: ¼ tsp

Mustard: ½ tsp

Whole fenugreek: ¼ tsp

Shallots: ½ cup sliced

Ginger: 1 tsp sliced

Garlic: 1 tsp optional

Slit green chilli: 2

Curry leaves: a few

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps

Tamarind paste: 1 tsp or 1 small mango sliced

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil, add mustard & fenugreek, after they crackle, add shallots, ginger, green chilli & garlic.

Sauté till brown & add the powders soaked in a little water. Fry till raw smell leaves.

Pour a cup of water & tamarind, (or mango).

When it boils, add fish & salt to taste.

Cover & cook till fish is done.

Sprinkle curry leaves & pour the coconut milk.

Let it simmer on a low flame for a few minutes.

Done! Fish curry is ready to be served with rice/puttu/tapioca.

Dry Prawns with Mango (Traditional Fare)

 Known as "Kongum Maangayum" in Malayalam.
A very traditional preparation of the high ranges of kerala, where fresh fish was not available so freely as it is now.
Courtesy: Bindhu Nair

INGREDIENTS:

Dry prawns: half a cup

Raw mango: 1 sliced

Coconut: 1 cup grated

Green chilli: 6 crushed

Ginger: 1 tsp grated

Shallots: 1 cup sliced

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder: ½ tsp

Curry leaves: a few

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Dry roast the prawns after removing the head. Wash & keep aside.

In an eathern vessel, add the other ingredients, except oil, one by one.

Last, add the prawns. Mix well with your hands.

Now, pour coconut oil.

Keep on stove to cook, on a slow flame. Stir occasionally.

Add more curry leaves & take off fire.

Good with rice, kanji & boiled tapioca.