Vegetarian

Moru Curry

| Rekha Vengalil
 
And so yet another Onam has gone by and the last week has been a lazy one after all the celebration. I haven’t been cooking much and recovering from an eye infection. I am feeling much better today. 
 
This is one of those curry that I make quite often at home and this is my quick fix for those busy/lazy days. I absolutely love this and all I need is some mango pickle to go with it. Please add water as required for the consistency you need. 
 

You need –

  • Yogurt (sour curd) – 3/4 cup
  • Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
  • Green chilly- 1,slit
  • Dried red chili – 1-2-
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
  • Oil – 2 teaspoons
  • Water – 1 cup or as required
  • Salt to taste

How to –

In blender, blend the grated coconut, yogurt, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, green chili, to a fine paste.

Heat oil in pan. Tip the mustard, fenugreek seeds and allow to splatter. Add the dried chili, curry leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Turn the heat to very low and add the yogurt-coconut mixture, water (as required), salt and heat through gently. Do not boil. 

Turn off the heat and serve with rice.

Puli Inji

| Rekha Vengalil
 
Cooking up and preparing for Onam is fun but missing home terribly and so is the case at home too. Said that, can’t wait to be home soon in a couple of months and really looking forward to that now.  
 
And today’s recipe is a very essential part of the sadhya. Call it a sweet and sour ginger pickle of Kerala where ginger is cooked in a tangy-sweet sauce.  Just recently did I know that inji puli and puli inji are two different recipes (of course a slight difference not huge).  One has little more chili while the other has more Puli.  
 
There are many variation of this in different part of Kerala and here’s how my Mom makes it. You may alter the addition of chili or Jaggery to suit your taste. 
You need –
  • Fresh ginger – finely chopped, 1 cup
  • Tamarind – a lemon size ball, soaked in 3/4 cup of hot water.
  • Jaggery – grated, 2 tablespoons
  • chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon or as per taste
  • Green chili – 2, finely chopped
  • Asafetida – a pinch
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Coconut oil – as required
  • Salt to taste
 
How to –
 
Squeeze the soaked tamarind; extract the juice and set aside.
 
Heat oil and fry the ginger till golden brown. remove and set aside. In the same pan add oil if required; once heated add the mustard seeds and allow to splatter. Tip the green chili, curry leaves and fry briefly for a couple of seconds.
 
Add the chili powder, asafetida and saute for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the fried ginger and mix well.
 
Add the tamarind water, jaggery, salt to taste and mix well and cook till mixture is thick and pulpy.
 
Turn off the heat and let it rest for an hour before you serve. cool completely before you jar it.
 
 

Ishtu / Kerala potato stew

| Rekha Vengalil
 
Kerala’s potato stew is a creamy and mildly spiced, which is pretty easy to make.  It is served with Appam and is also a must during festivals and special occasions.  
 
Appam and Ishtu/stew is yet another favorite at home. This makes to our dinner table at least once in a week.  We like our ishtu a bit thick (not too runny). So please adjust the consistency of the gravy to your choice. 
 
 

You need –

  • Potatoes – 2, large boiled, peeled and roughly mashed
  • Thick coconut milk – 3/4 cup
  • Onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced
  • Green Chilies – 1 or as per taste
  • Ginger – I small piece, finely sliced
  • Salt – to taste
  • Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
  • Coconut Oil – 2 teaspoons
  • Water – 3/4 cup

How to –

In a pan add the water, sliced onion, green chili, curry leaves, ginger and bring to a rolling boil.

Add the potatoes and mix well. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.


Add the coconut milk, salt and bring to a gentle simmer but do not boil.

Drizzle the coconut oil and cover and let it sit for a few minutes before you serve.

 

 

Brussels sprouts and pink radish stir fry

| Rekha Vengalil
 Here goes one more from a stir-fried veggie lover.
 
 Try and keep it as crunchy as possible and not over cooking your veggies.  You may alter the spices to suit your taste. 
 
Sending the above pictures for Colour Me Pink of The Colour Me Photography Challenge Series by The Humpty Dumpty Kitchen
You need –
  • Brussels sprouts – 6-7, quartered
  • Pink radish – 1 cup, thinly sliced
  • Bell pepper – 1, cut into strips
  • Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
  • Garlic – 1 clove, minced
  • Cumin seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Ground Cumin – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt – to taste
  • Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons
  • Coriander leaves to garnish
How to-

Heat oil in pan. Add the cumin seeds; soon they start to sizzle add the garlic and stir briefly. Tip the onions in cook till golden. Add the Brussels sprout and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the spice powders, salt; saute for another 5 minutes or till they are cooked through but crispy, making sure not over cook. Add the bell pepper, radish and lemon juice and saute for a minute. 

Turn off the heat and serve as a filling for Tacos or serve them with rice and curry.

 

Cherupayar curry

| Rekha Vengalil
Kerala’s mung dal/ green gram curry  is preferred with Puttu (steamed ground rice breakfast dish of Kerala , a combo made in heaven according to my hubby. Well for me the two are sure my favorites but not the combo. I like my puttu with banana and sugar and the later with rice. But being true to my roots, I do like to savor puttu with the curry once in a while.
 

You need –

  • Mung bean – 1/3 cups
  • grated coconut – 1/3 cup
  • Coconut milk – 1/4 cup
  • cumin seed – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • green chilies – 1-2, slit length-wise
  • Shallots – 3-4, finely sliced
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • dried chili – 1
  • curry leaves – 1 stwig
  • coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
  • salt to taste
 

How to –

In a blender, put the grated coconut, cumin seeds and whiz to a fine paste; adding just enough water. Set aside.


In pressure cooker, cook the payar/mung been with green chili, turmeric powder and add water a required. Once done, uncover and keep the heat over medium heat.Stir the coconut paste, salt and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, (add water to adjust the consistency of the curry if need be) few curry leaves; bring to a gentle simmer and turn off the heat. 

In a small pan, heat the oil. add the mustards seed and once they start to pop add the curry leaves and dried chili. Sauté briefly. Add the chopped shallots and cook till golden brown. Turn off the heat and add this to the curry and mix well.

Serve hot with Puttu , rice or roti.

 

 

Butternut squash and carrot soup

| Rekha Vengalil
My daughter has become a soupaholic these days and wants it most days for dinner. Pumpkin seems to be her favorite and I am making the most of this new like.  
 
Combining different veggies which seem to have worked as well. So the other day I made this delicious soup with squash and carrots. This is an easy to prepare recipe. I have used coconut cream and it tasted great but you can use heavy cream instead.
 


You need –

  • Butternut squash – 250 grams, skin off and cubed
  • Carrot – 1, cubed
  • Onion – 1, sliced
  • Garlic – 2 cloves
  • Vegetable stock – 500 mls
  • Butter – 1 tablespoon
  • Coconut cream – 1/4 cup
  • salt and pepper

How to-

Heat oil in large sauce pan and add the onions, garlic. Cook till soft. Add in the squash and carrots. Cook for a minute.

Add the vegetable stock and cook for about 30-35 minutes or until carrots and squash are soft. Just before turning off the heat add the coconut cream. stir well and turn off the heat.

In a blender or food processor, blend the soup until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a bit of hot water to adjust the consistency.

Season with salt, pepper and serve.

 

Shallot and broccoli thoran

| Rekha Vengalil
You need –
  • Broccoli – 1, cut into really small florets
  • Shallots – finely sliced, 1/2 cup
  • Green chili – 1
  • Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
  • Turmeric power – ¼ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 springs
  • Dry red chili- 1
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil – 2 teaspoons (I used coconut oil)
  • Salt to taste
 How to –

Heat oil in a skillet, add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle add the red chili, green chili and curry leaves.

Add the Turmeric powder and stir briefly for few seconds. Now add the Shallots, Broccoli, salt and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 4-5  minutes done making sure not to over cook. Add the grated coconut and stir fry for a minute.

Turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice and curry.


 

Sakkarai Pongal

| Rekha Vengalil
A famous South Indian delicacy and yet another favorite of mine.  Made during the harvest festival in the State of Tamilnadu, South of India.   Traditionally made with newly harvested rice and cooked with milk. This is also served in most temples during the auspicious days /festivals. 


You need –

  • Raw white rice – 1/2 cup
  • Yellow moong dal – 1 tablespoon
  • Jaggery/palm sugar – grated, 1 cup
  • cardamon powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Cashew nuts – 10-12 nos
  • Raisins – 10-12 nos
  • Ghee/ clarified butter – 2 tablespoon

How to –

Slightly dry roast the rice and dal together in pan making sure not to brown the rice and dal. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook till the rice and dal cooked through and mushy.

In a sauce pan, melt the jaggery with 2 tablespoon water,  and bring to a boil. Now add the cardamom powder. Add this mixture to the rice and stir well.


Heat the ghee in a small frying pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins. Add fried nuts with the ghee to the rice and mix well.On a low flame continue to cook for a couple of minutes stirring continuously till everything is well combined.

Serve hot.

 

Dal Palak

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –

  • Mung dal/split pigeon peas – 1/2 cup
  • Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Water – 1 – 1.5 cups or as required
  • Spinach – 1 bunch, chopped
  • Black mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
  • Garlic – 2-3 cloves, minces
  • Ginger – Minced, 2 teaspoons
  • Tomatoes – 1 small, finely chopped
  • Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste
 How to –

In a pressure cooker, add the lentils, chili powder, turmeric powder, water and cook till done. set aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and once they start to sizzle, add the onion, ginger and garlic. Stirring continuously till the onions turn translucent. Now tip the garam masala and cook till fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir from a few seconds.

Add the cooked dal, salt to taste and water too adjust the constancy as required. Stir in the spinach, cover and cook till the spinach is cooked through about 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with rice or roti.