Meen Peerapattichathu (Traditional Fare, Sea food)

This is a very traditional, simple preparation using raw mango, bilimbi or kodampuli, according to the season. And generally, small fish or big fish cubed very small goes into this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Anchovies, sardines or prawns: 500 g

Coconut: 1 cup

Green chillies: 10

Shallots: 8

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Raw mango: 1, sliced or kodampuli: 3 pieces soaked in water

Ginger juliennes: 1 tbsp

Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Coarsely crush coconut, green chillies, shallots, turmeric powder & a few curry leaves.

In an earthen “curry chatty”, put in the ground paste, ginger, raw mango, fish, curry leaves & salt.

Mix well & add half a cup of water.

Cover & cook on slow fire till done & all the water has evaporated.

Pour coconut oil before taking off the fire.

I used raw star fruit for this preparation.

Pachadi (Traditional Fare)

With Onam round the corner, its occasion for two Pachadi recipes. No Sadya is complete without this. This is also known as Kichadi in some parts of Kerala.

Beet root Pachadi:

Courtesy: Thankam Madhavan

INGREDIENTS:

Beet root: 1

Curd: 1 cup (200 ml)

Onion: 1 chopped fine

Green chilli: 3 chopped

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp chopped

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Pressure cook the beet root whole. Cool, skin it & grate fine.

In a large bowl, mix the grated beet root with chopped onion, green chilli, coriander leaves & salt.

Before serving pour the curd.

It tastes better if served chilled.

Ash gourd Pachadi (Kumbalangha Pachadi)

Courtesy: Indrika Prakash

INGREDIENTS:

Ash gourd: 250 g chopped fine

Curd: 1 cup

Coconut: 1 cup grated

Green chilli: 4

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Salt to taste

For tempering:

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Fenugreek: 1/8 tsp

Dry red chilli: 2

Curry leaves: a few

Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

  METHOD:

Cook the ash gourd with half a cup of water & salt till done.

Meanwhile, grind coconut with green chilli & curd to a fine paste.

Add half a teaspoon mustard & crush it coarsely with the coconut paste.

Pour the paste into the cooked ash gourd, stir well till it heats through.

Add salt.

In a kadai, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds & fenugreek.

Add dry red chilli & curry leaves.

Pour into prepared pachadi.

Madras cucumber/vellari, fried ladies finger or bitter gourd are also used to make yummy pachadi.