OLAN

Olan is an essential item on the Kerala sadya menu. It can be prepared with ash gourd (kumbalanga) alone or with ash gourd and red gram (van payar) or with ash gourd, pumpkin and string beans. Raw banana also is added to olan in some parts of North Kerala.

 INGREDIENTS

1. Ash gourd - 400 gm
2. Red gram - 1/4 cup
3. Grated coconut - 1 cup
4. Green chillis - 2
5. Salt
6. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
7. coconut oil - 2 tea sp

METHOD

1. Remove skin and seeds and cut ash gourd into 1"squares (2 mm thick). Add 1/4 cup water and split green chillis and cook.

2. Extract thick coconut (onnaam pal) milk by adding 1/2 cup water to the coconut and running in the mixie for 5 seconds. Repeat the process to get thin coconut milk (randaam pal).

3. Pressure cook red gram for 10 minutes.

4. When the ash gourd is almost done add thin coconut milk, cook for some time,  add red gram and cook again.

5. Add salt and thick coconut milk. Stir and remove from fire.

6. Add coconut oil and curry leaves. Keep covered for 10 minutes. Mix gently.

MADHURA PACHADI

I make 2 versions of this curry, one with pumpkin, banana, pineapple and grapes and the other with mango, banana, grapes and pineapple.

INGREDIENTS

1. Ethappazham (ripe banana) - 1(cubed)

2. Diced pineapple - 1/2 cup

3. Black grapes - 5-6

4. Ripe mango - 1(cubed)

5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon (optional)

6. Red chilli powder - 1/4 tea sp

7. Green chillis - 2

8. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

9. Beaten curd - 1/4 cup

10. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

11. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea sp

12. Jaggery - 1 table sp

13. Fenugreek - 1 pinch

14. Red chillis - 2

15. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

16. Coconut oil - 1 table sp

METHOD

1. Cook the pineapple, banana and mango with chilli powder, salt, jaggery, a little turmeric powder and 1/4 cup water.

2. Make a fine paste of coconut with the remaining turmeric powder and cumin seeds. Crush 1/4 tea sp mustard seeds in a mortar. 

3. When the fruits are cooked add coconut paste and crushed mustard seeds and cook on a low flame. Add grapes. When it starts frothing, add curd, stir and switch off the stove. Continue stirring for a minute.

4. Heat oil in a pan and splutter 1/4 tea sp mustard seeds. Fry fenugreek seeds, whole red chillis and curry leaves and pour into the curry.

AVIYAL

INGREDIENTS

1. Vellarikka (cucumber), raw banana, elephant yam (chena), carrot, brinjal(vazhuthinanga), drum stick (muringakka), string beans(achinga payar), snake gourd (padavalanga) - 2 cups when cut
2. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tea sp
3. Salt
4. Green chillis - 4
5. Red chilli - 1
6. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch
7. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
8. Thick tamarind extract - 1 table spoon
9. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon + 1/2 tea spoon
10. Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
11. Small onions - 2 (optional)

METHOD

1. Clean and cut the vegetables into thin 1" long pieces(muringakka should be cut into 2''long pieces)

2. Smear the inside of a pan with 1/2 tea spoon oil. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tea spoon turmeric and 1/2 tea spoon salt and mix. To this add the vegetables and cook till almost done .

3. Add tamarind extract and salt if needed and cook again.

4. Make a coarse paste of coconut, red chilly, 1/4 tea sp turmeric , a little salt and cumin seeds without adding water. Crush the onion and 4-5 curry leaves and mix in the paste. Add this to the vegetables and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes.

5. Switch off stove and add the remaining oil and curry leaves. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Mix well without mashing the vegetables.

ETHAKKA UPPERI (BANANA CHIPS)

Ethakka upperi or kaaya varuthathu is a snack item which has a place in the heart of every Malayali. In addition to this it forms an integral part of the traditional sadya menu. The preparation is simple and can be stored for even months if kept in an air tight container.

INGREDIENTS

1. Raw bananas - 5 (Should not be sweet. Chips can be made using sweet bananas as well, but it is a different item.)
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon
3. Salt - 1/2 tea spoon
4. Oil - for frying
5. Water - 2 table spoon

METHOD

1. Wash and wipe the bananas. Cut both ends. Using the tip of the knife cut the skin vertically at 3-4 places. Remove 1 portion with the knife. The rest can easily be peeled with hand.

2. Cut the banana into thin round pieces. Thickness should be uniform. (my mother cuts the banana holding it above the hot oil letting the pieces fall directly , a trick I havent mastered yet. I need a cutting board)

3. Dissolve salt and turmeric powder in water.

4. Heat oil in a big frying pan or "uruli". The heat should be medium high. (chips will be oily if heat is low.Test check the temperature by putting 1 piece of banana.) Put the banana pieces in the hot oil and stir gently with a slotted spoon. Once they are half fried sprinkle a little turmeric water stirring well. (this step is optional. The chips are tasty even without salt) Continue stirring and once the sound of chips colliding with the side of the pan is heard and the colour is bright yellow transfer to a wide plate or "muram" lined with kitchen towel. Allow to cool.

MAMPAZHA KALAN

Kalan is an essential item on the Kerala sadya menu. For Vishu sadya I make mampazha kalan with the sweet mangoes kept for kani. For making mampazha kalan a special type of small mango called chandrakkaran/nattu manga is used. It is very sweet and the smell is just divine. The mangoes I have used had the same smell but not very sweet. I had to add more jaggery to make the curry sweet.

It is best to use a "mann chatti"(clay pan) or "kal (stone)chatti"for making kalan.

INGREDIENTS

1. Ripe mango - 6 (if chandrakkaran mango is not available use 3 big mangoes)

2. Turmeric powder - 1 tea sp

3.Pepper powder - 1/2 tea sp

4. Green chilli - 3-4

5. Salt

6. Jaggery - 1 table spoon

7. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

8. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

9. Chilli powder - 1/2 tea sp (optional)

10. Fenugreek - 1/2 tea sp

11. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon

12. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea sp

13. Dried red chilli - 2 or 3

14. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs 

15. Sour curd - 1 cup

METHOD

1. Wash mangoes and peel the skin. Squeeze juice from the skin into a pan. Discard the skin. To this add mango, 1 cup water, 1/2 tea sp turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and split green chillis and cook. Towards the end add a little salt and jaggery.

2. Grind the coconut to a fine paste with cumin seeds and 1/2 tea sp turmeric powder.

3. Heat oil in a small pan and fry the fenugreek seeds. Drain and grind this in a mortar.

4. Beat the curd

5. Add the coconut paste to the mango and cook on a low flame. When it starts frothing add the curd and heat again for a minute stirring continuously. Do not let it boil. Remove from fire, add fenugreek powder and stir again for 2-3 minutes. Check for salt and add more if needed.

6. Heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add whole red chillis and curry leaves and fry. Pour this into the curry.

IDICHAKKA THORAN

Idichakka is nothing but baby jackfruit. The thorny outer skin of the raw jack fruit is removed , cut into pieces and cooked before making the curry. It can be steamed, pressure cooked or cooked in a microwave oven.The taste is best if the jackfruit is fresh.

INGREDIENTS

1. Idichakka - 1
2. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tea spoon
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Green chilli - 1
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Red chilli - 1 (break into 3)
7. Coconut oil - 1 table sp
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea sp
9. Urad dal - 1 1/2 tea spoon
10. Salt

METHOD

1. Remove the outer skin of jack fruit (2-3 mm ) and cut into pieces. (Use a piece of cloth soaked in coconut oil to wipe your hands). Mix this with a little water, salt and 1/2 tea sp turmeric and cook in the MW oven for 5 minutes.

2. Mince the pieces in a mortar or mixie. If using a mixie run it for only 3-4 seconds

3. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Add urad dal, red chilli pieces and curry leaves and fry. To this add the minced jck fruit and stir.

4. Mix the coconut, 1/4 tea sp turmeric and a little salt. Grind this in the mixie for just 1 second. Add this into  the jack fruit with 1 tab sp water. Cover and cook on alow flame for 4-5 minutes. Stir well for a minute

VELLARIKKA PACHADI

Pachadi and kichadi are 2 essential items on the Kerala sadya menu. What is the difference between the two? There are so many varieties of pachadi and I have seen people referring to the same dish as pachadi and kichadi As far as I know pachadi is made using vegetables or fruits either raw or cooked in water or stir fried. It can be made with or without coconut or using curd or tamarind. Kichadi is made with deep fried vegetables/vathals and curd, mostly with coconut paste and crushed mustard seeds.

My mom sometimes makes pachadi as an "ozhichu koottaan" by using butter milk instead of curd.

INGREDIENTS

1. Vellarikka (cucumber) cut into small pieces - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch
4. Mustard seeds - 1 pinch, 1/2 tea spoon
5. Green chilli - 1
6. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
8. Curry leaves - 1sprig
9. Red chillis - 3-4
10. Salt
11. Beaten curd - 1 cup

METHOD

1. Grind coconut with cumin seeds and green chilli to a fine paste. Crush a pinch of mustard and add to it.

2. Cook vellarikka with 1 cup of water Wait till all the water is gone.

3. Reduce heat to minimum and add the coconut paste. Mix and remove from fire .

4. Add curd and mix

5. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Fry fenugreek, red chillis and curry leaves. Pour into the pachadi.

PAZHAM PRATHAMAN

Prathaman means number 1. Before starting this post I did a google search to see whether there is any explanation as to why many of the payasams with milk or coconut milk are called prathamans. None of the results gave a satisfactory answer. They just said ada prathaman is called so because it is the number 1 among payasams. Then how come there are so many prathamans? We are familiar with  "palada prathaman, pazham prathaman, parippu prathaman" etc.

My husband is from a Palakkad Iyer family and as per their custom payasam is to be served first in a sadya . Rice is served only after the payasam is finished. I simply follow the custom and never bothered to do much research as to why it is so when in all other parts of Kerala prathaman is not served in the "prathama" place. It is served towards the end of a sadya. ( next time I visit India I am going to ask my husband's uncle about this. May be he has an explanation for this) May be this custom was prevalent all over Kerala in ancient times and if so that explains how a number of payasams got the name "prathaman"

Let me come back to Pazham Prathaman. It is made with extra ripe kadalippazham (with dark spots on the skin) , nenthran pazham, poovan pazham or njaalippoovan pazham. In this recipe I have used njalippoovan pazham.

INGREDIENTS

1. Njalippoovan (rasakadali) pazham - 6

2. Jaggery - 700 gm

3. Ghee - 1/2 cup

4. Chukku-jeerakam-elakka podi - 1 table spoon (dried ginger, cumin seeds and cardamom taken in equal quantities and powdered)

5. Eastern coconut milk - 2 cans (800 ml)

6. coconut chopped (thengaakkothu ) - 2 table spoon

7. Cashew nut - 10-12

8. Kismis - 2 table spoon

PREPARATION

1. Skin and cut the plantains into 2 or 3. Cook in a wide pan with 1 1/2 water. Flip the pieces in between.

2. Take jaggery in another pan. Add 1 1/2 cup  water and boil. When it is completely dissolved and the solution thickened switch off stove

3. When the plantains are cooked and there is no water left, mash it well. Add the sharkkara paani (jaggery solution) and 2 table spoons of ghee  and cook on low heat stirring continuously. When the water is almost gone add a little more ghee and cook again.

4. Switch off the stove and continue stirring. Add coconut milk little by little (never stop stirring). When the whole coconut milk is added and mixed well heat on low flame till the raw smell of coconut is gone and the prathaman is reasonably hot. Add "chukku- jeerakam-elakka" podi and mix well.

5. Heat the remaining ghee and fry chopped coconut, cashewnut and kismis. Pour into the prathaman.