Kumbalanga Pulissery (Ash Gourd in Coconut Yogurt gravy)

Overview
Pullissery is  a very  traditional Kerala dish usually made with Ash Gourd. One of our friends over here gave me this fresh Ash gourd grown in his garden and I was excited to make pulliseery. Pullisery is a dish served in  all vegetarian banquets in Kerala. This dish usually goes well with plain rice.

Kumbalanga Pulissery 

Ingredients

Ingredients
Ash Gourd cleaned peeled and cut into cubes about 1 1/2 cups
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Thick plain yogurt - 1 cup
Garlic - 4 cloves
Black pepper cloves - 1 teaspoon
Red chilly powder 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Whole dried red chillies - 3 - 4 broken into pieces
curry leaves 2 - 3 sprigs
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Place the cleaned cut ash gourd pieces in 1/2 cup water 1/4 teaspoon turmeric,1 teaspoon chilly powder and salt in an earthen pot or a pan.  Mix well and cover and cook on low flame till the ash gourd pieces are cooked well.
2. In your blender with 1/4 cup water grind the fresh grated coconut along with garlic, cumin seeds, black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder to a smooth paste.
3. Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked ash gourd. Mix well and bring the mixture to boil. Lower flame and let the ash gourd pieces cook with the coconut mixture for 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and let this mixture come to room temperature. Beat the yogurt well with a whisk and add to the prepared ash gourd. Mix well.
5. Heat oil in a pan. When oil is in hot add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let the seeds splutter. Lower flame and add the Whole red chilly pieces and curry leaves. Turn off heat and pour this over the prepared pullisery dish.

Serve with plain rice.

Chicken with Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Overview
A very spicy chicken curry made with crushed red pepper flakes. The gravy in this dish is thick and coats the chicken pieces. This dish goes well with any Indian bread or plain rice. Fennel seed powder and Black pepper powder adds a unique aroma and taste to this dish.

Chicken with Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Ingredients

Ingredients
2 pound chicken cleaned and cut into small pieces
Red onions 2 large  - finely chopped
Plum tomatoes - 3 finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch piece finely chopped
Garlic 8- 10 cloves finely chopped
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Crushed red pepper - 3 - 4 tablespoons
Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoons
Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon.
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Marinate the clean cut chicken pieces with salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and one teaspoon chilly powder and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. When oil is hot add the  finely chopped red onions followed by finely chopped garlic and ginger. Saute well till the onions turn light brown.
3. Add the crushed red pepper flakes to this and saute few minutes and then add the pepper,fennel seed powder and turmeric powder to this and mix well.
4. Add curry leaves to this and fry few more minutes and add finely chopped tomatoes to this. Mix well and cover with lid and cook till tomatoes are cooked well.
5. Add the chicken pieces to this and mix well. Add salt as need and cover pan with lid and cook on low flame till the chicken is cooked well. Remove lid and mix well till the gravy is thickened and it coats the chicken. Turn off heat and serve hot