Pork and Koorka

Overview
A typical pork dish made by Christians in Kerala especially in Trichur.  Koorka or Chinese potato cooked with pork becomes very flavorful and delicious.  More than the pork I like the koorka which gets all the flavors from being cooked with the pork.  This year when I went to India I got to make this dish with my mother. Fresh Koorka  does make a big difference is taste and texture for this recipe. Though cleaning fresh Koorka is a tedious job the end result is definitely worth it.

Pork with Koorka

Ingredients
Pork cut into pieces - 2 pounds
Cleaned fresh koorka about 1 1/2 pounds
Ginger cut into thin long slices - 2 inch piece
Green chilly - 6 - 7 split in center
Shallots thin sliced -  8
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoons
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

For Saute
Oil - 4  tablespoons
Shallots - 8 - 10 thin sliced
Garlic - 8 - 10 cloves thin sliced
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoons
Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tablespoons
Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1 tablespoon

Steps
1. Mix the clean cut pieces of pork in a pressure cooker with thin sliced shallots, ginger, green chilly, curry leaves, chilly powder, coriander powder , turmeric and salt. Cook till the pork is done one whistle.

2. Turn off the heat. Add the cleaned koorka to the pork and cook covered  till the koorka is cooked well.

3. In another pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced shallots and garlic and saute till the shallots become slight brown,

4. Add the Chilly powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder and garam masala and saute well. Add the Curry leaves. Saute few more minutes.

5. Add the cooked pork and koorka to this and mix well. Saute till almost all the liquid has evaporated.

Serve hot with plain rice and other curries.

Inri Appam and Paal(Unleavened Easter Bread)

Overview
Special Appam made on Maundy Thursday by Christians in Kerala. A very simple unleavened bread made during Easter time and served with a special sauce made with coconut milk and Molasses. The head of the family cuts the appam after prayers and distributes it to others in the family dipping it in paal according to age(eldest to youngest). Traditionally the palm leaf got on Palm Sunday is used to make a cross on the appam.

Inri Appam and Paal

Ingredients for Inri appam
Idly rice - 1 1/4 cup
Urdu Dal - 1/4 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Garlic - 1 clove
Shallots - 5 - 6
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Steps to make Inri Appam
1. Soak the rice and Urdu Dal in plenty of water for about 4 - 6 hours.
2. Grind the rice and Urdu Dal to a smooth paste with just enough water the batter should be thicker than idly batter.
3. Grind the coconut with shallots, cumin, garlic coarsely.
4. Mix all together to make a thick batter with salt to taste.
5. Pour batter to a oiled flat steaming vessel . Make a cross with the palm leaf and place at the center of the appam.
6. Steam for about 10 - 15 minutes till the Appam is cooked well. Makes about two 8 inch appams.

Let it cool to room temperature before cutting. Serve pieces of Appam dipped in the Pal.

Ingredients for Paal(Sauce for Bread)
Coconut  milk( canned coconut milk can be used but fresh coconut milk does make a big difference) - 2 cup
Molasses - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
Pinch of salt
Rice flour - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seed powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry ginger powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Steps to make Paal
1. Mix the coconut milk with   molasses and bring to boil.
2. Mix the rice flour with 1/6 cup water and add to the boiling coconut milk mixture.
3. Bring the heat to medium and keep stirring till the milk has thickened.
4. Mix  3 tablespoon of coconut milk with the cumin and dry ginger powder and pour to this mixture with a pinch of salt.
5. Keep stirring till it starts to thicken. Turn off the heat and continue to stir for few more minutes.

Serve with appam

Mint Mango Chutney

Overview
The refreshing taste of mint combined with the sour taste of green mango make this a perfect condiment for fried rice,  biriyani and all kinds of Indian breads. Fresh grated coconut is the base of this chutney. Mint leaves, green mangoes, ginger, green chilly ground with fresh grated coconut is an easy a delicious chutney to make.

Mint Mango Chutne

Ingredients
Fresh Mint leaves - 1 cup
Green mangoes cut into pieces - 1/2 cup
Ginger 1/2 inch piece
Green chilly - 4 - 5
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

Steps
1. Wash the mint leaves well and keep aside.
2. Peel the ginger and make to small pieces.
3. Mix the fresh grated coconut, mint leaves, ginger, green mango pieces and green chillies in the blender with about half cup water and make it into a smooth paste.

Transfer to serving dish and chutney is ready to serve.

Beetroot Pachadi

Overview
This is a typical Kerala Pachadi made with fresh diced beetroot. A very easy dish to make and can be served with rice or chapatti. Beetroot cooked this way with fresh grated coconut, mustard seeds and yogurt gives this dish a very unique and delicious taste.The ground mustard seeds gives this a dish a pungent and spicy taste. The very bright pink color of this dish makes it one of a kind.

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients
One large beetroot finely chopped
Green chilly split at center 2 - 3
Curry leaves  - 1 sprig
Fresh grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Plain thick yogurt -1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

To Garnish
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Whole red chilly 2 -3  cut into pieces
Curry leaf  - 2 sprig

Steps
1. Cook the finely chopped beetroot with the green chilly, salt, curry leaves in 1/4 cup water. Cook till the beetroot is cooked well about 7 - 9 minutes.

2. Grind the Fresh grated coconut with the mustard seeds to a smooth paste.

3. Add the ground coconut with mustard to the cooked beetroot and bring to  a boil. Turn off the heat and let this cool to room temperature.

4. Whisk the yogurt well and mix to the cooled dish. Add salt if needed.

5. In another pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add the broken red chilly pieces and curry leaves. Turn off heat and add this to the prepared beetroot pachadi.

Serve with rice or chapathi.

Ridge Gourd Chutney

Overview
A delicious and unique chutney made with ridge gourd. This chutney can be served with Idily, Dosa or any kind of rice or chapati. This chutney is packed with nutrients and is good for you. You can use the whole ridge gourd, ridges peeled or the center portion of the ridge gourd. I used only the center portion since I used the outer part to make ridge gourd with Channa Dal.

Ridge Gourd Chutney

Ingredients
Center portion of ridge gourd  - 1 cup
Green chilly 2 - 3
Red onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Tamarind - the size of marble
Asafoetida(Hing or Kayam) powder a pinch
Olive oil
Salt to taste

To Garnish
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red whole chilly  - 1 broken to pieces
Urdu Dal - (optional)
Curry leaves 3 or 4

Steps
1. Chop the ridge gourd center portion. Mix it with chopped green chilly and onions and curry leaves.

2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil and saute the chopped ridge gourd along with onions, green chilly and curry leaves. Add salt. saute till the ridge gourd is cooked well. About 5 minutes.

3. Grind this sauteed mixture with tamarind and a pinch of asafoetida to make a smooth paste. Add water as needed.

4. In another pan heat one tablespoon of oil. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds when the seeds splutter add the broken pieces of red chilly and curry leaves and Urdu Dal if using. Saute  few minutes and add to the chutney.

Ridge Gourd with Channa Dal

Overview
Ridge gourd as the name indicates in a green vegetable just a zucchini only that it is covered with ridges. The skin is a bit tough but is tasty and while cooking only the ridges are peeled out. In this dish I have mixed ridge gourd with Channa Dal( split chick pea) This is a dry dish which can be served with plain rice or Chapati.

Ridge Gourd with Channa Dal

Ingredients
Ridge gourd- 2 medium size ones
Channa Dal - 1/4 cup
Garlic 4 cloves - crushed
Shallot - 2 crushed
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Crushed red pepper flakes - 1 - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric  - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Olive oil 3 - 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Wash and soak the Channa Dal is water for about 4 hours. Cook with water and keep aside.

2. Wash the ridge gourd well in water. Peel of the ridges

3. Remove the center seed section of the ridge gourd( this can be used to make chutney).

4. Make strips of the cleaned ridge gourd and then to small cubes. add to the cooked Channa Dal. Mix with salt and turmeric cover and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes till the ridge gourd is cooked well. Turn off the heat

5. In another pan heat the olive oil. When the oil gets hot add the crushed garlic and shallots to it. saute till it is light brown, Add the crushed red pepper flakes saute few more minutes. add the curry leaves fry few for minutes.

6. Add the  cooked Channa Dal and ridge gourd to the oil and mix well till all the liquid has evaporated.

Serve hot with plain rice or chapati.

Ridge Gourd

Tilapia Baked in Foil Packets

Overview
Fish fillet baked this way makes a very easy and healthy dinner when accompanied by any vegetable of your choice. Any fish fillet can be baked this way especially Tilapia or Flounder. I made this with Tilapia fillet. Chopped cherry tomatoes mixed with garlic, red onions, green chilly, cilantro salt and olive oil are placed on top of the fillet and baked in a foil packet. The packets should be made air tight and the steam cooks the fish.

Making Tilapia Foil packets

Baked Tilapia

Ingredients
Tilapia Fillet - 4
Garlic finely minced - 3 cloves
Red Onion - 1/2 of one large finely chopped
Cherry tomatoes - 1 cup finely chopped
Olive oil  - 2 -3 tablespoons
Cilantro - 2 tablespoons
Green chilly  -1 finely chopped(optional)
Salt to taste

Steps
1.   Heat oven to 450 F

2. Wash and dry your fish fillet. If using frozen make sure the fish is thawed.

3. Mix all the finely chopped ingredients  - cherry tomatoes, red onions, green chilly, garlic, cilantro with olive oil and salt.

4. Place each fillet at the center on the foil Place the topping length wise on each fillet close the foil air tight and make a packet.

5. Place all the packets on a aluminium tray and bake in the 450 F oven for about 20 minutes.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes remove from foil and serve with any vegetables of your choice.