Kappa Mulakku Chamandhi(Cassava Root with Red Chilly Chutney)

Overview
Kappa( Cassava Root) with chutney is a very common dish in Kerala. These roots are boiled with salt and always served with some kind of chutney. This chutney is very simple to make. Garlic and red chilly are the main ingredients. Tamarind adds the sourness to this chutney. I have used frozen Cassava root here which is as delicious as the fresh root.

Kappa Mulakku Chamandhi

Chutney ingredients - Whole Red chilly, Garlic, Tamarind, Salt and Oil

Ingredients
Kappa(Cassava Root) Frozen or fresh one pound skin peeled and cut into big pieces
Whole red chillies - 8 - 10(Adjust the amount of Red chilly to your taste)
Garlic cloves from one bulb
Tamarind the size of lime
Oil - 4 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Boil enough water with salt to immerse the Kappa roots. The water should be salty so that the cooked roots get the salty taste.
2. When the water boils add the frozen Cassava roots to it. Bring the water to boil and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes till the roots are cooked well. Drain water and transfer the Kappa to a serving plate.
3. Immerse the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water and squeeze out the pulp
3. Heat about 2 tablespoon oil in pan, Fry the red chillies and take them out.
4. In the same oil add the peeled garlic cloves and saute till they are light brown. Saute the garlic to remove the raw garlic taste.Turn off heat.
5. In a blender add the fried red chillies, sauteed garlic, salt and prepared tamarind pulp. Grind to a smooth paste adding water if necessary. This should be a thick chutney. Add the remaining oil and mix well.

Serve the prepared Chutney with boiled Kappa

Stir Fried Calamari Rings ( Koondhal Varattiyathu)

Overview
Calamari(Squid) rings stir fried with simple spices and Kerala Tamarind(Kudampuli) is a real treat. Coconut chips added to this gives this dish a Kerala touch. This is a very traditional Kerala dish and shrimp can also be prepared this way. This is a dry dish which can be served with rice.

Stir Fried Calamari ( Koondhal Varattiyathu)

Ingredients
Calamari cleaned and cut into rings (I pound)
Red Onions thin sliced 3/4 cup
Ginger 1 inch pieces thin sliced
Green chilly 4 split at the center
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Chilly powder 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Kerala Tamarind(Kudampuli) - 4 thick slices
Coconut chips - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

To Saute and add at end
Oil 4 tablespoons
Shallots 1/2 cup
Ginger 1 inch thin sliced
Garlic 4 cloves thin sliced
Curry leaves - 2 sprig
Coriander powder 2 teaspoon
Chilly powder 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seed powder 1 teaspoon

Steps
1. Clean the Kerala tamarind and soak in half cup hot water and keep aside.
2. Clean and cut calamari(Squid) into rings.
3. Mix the sliced onions, ginger, green chilly, curry leaves, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and the Kerala tamarind along with the water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the calamari rings to this and cook for about 5 minutes till the calamari is just cooked add the coconut chips to this and bring it to a boil and turn off heat. Do not cook for long since if it gets overcooked the calamari will have a rubber like texture.
5. To saute and add at the end take another pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the sliced sliced shallots, ginger, garlic and saute till the shallots are light brown add the chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and fennel seed power. Add the curry leaves . Saute 1 -2 minutes.
6. Add the cooked calamari rings along with the gravy to this. Saute till all the liquid has evaporated and it is dry.

Serve hot with rice.

Beetroot Pickle

Overview
Beetroot pickled this way can be served as condiment for any rice or bread. Typical Indian pickle spices mixed with the sweet taste of pickle adds a unique flavor. A sweet and sour pickle that tastes better as it ages. Prepare the pickle at least a day in advance before serving so that all the flavors get absorbed into the beetroot pieces.

Beet root pickle Ingredients: Beetroot, ginger, curry leaves, garlic,
chilly powder, mustard seeds, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder,
asafoetida powder and vinegar

Beetroot Pickle

Ingredients
Beetroot  2 medium julienne into strips
Garlic  finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
Ginger finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Chilly powder 2 teaspoon
Green chillies finely chopped 3 - 4 optional
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Vinegar 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 3 - 4 teaspoon

Steps
1. Peel the beetroot and julienne into 2 inch pieces  and keep aside.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind to smooth powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies(if adding) and curry leaves to this and saute till it is light brown. Add the turmeric powder and chilly powder to this. Fry few minutes and add the sliced beetroot to this along with salt and mix, well cover lid and cook for about 5 minutes till the beetroots are just cooked.
5. Add the fenugreek and asafoetida powder to the beetroot and mix well. Add the vinegar to this and more salt if necessary and bring to boil. Turn off heat.
6. Let the pickle cool to room temperature and store in clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any rice or bread.

Butternut Squash Dry Curry

Overview
A quick and easy butternut squash recipe that can be served as a side dish. A very simple and delicious dish which requires very few ingredients. If you like butternut squash you are sure to like this. The spicy taste from the red pepper flakes compliments the sweet taste of butternut squash. This dish can be served as a side dish for rice, any Indian bread or any grilled meat.

Butternut Squash Dry Curry

Ingredients : Butternut squash, red onions, garlic, curry leaves,
red pepper flakes, turmeric

Ingredients
Butternut squash cleaned and cut into small bite size cubes  - 2 cups
Garlic - 6 cloves finely chopped
Red Onion half finely chopped
Turmeric 1/4 teaspoon
Red Pepper flakes 2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Grated fresh coconut - 4 tablespoons (optional)
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Peel the thick skins of the butternut squash clean and cut into small cubes and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot add the finely chopped garlic and red onions to this. Saute well till the onions are ligth brown.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and turmeric powder to this and saute few minutes. Add the curry leaves are fry  one  more minute and then add the cubed butternut squash and salt, mix well lower heat and cover lid and cook till the butternut squash in soft and cooked.
4. Add fresh grated coconut if using and mix well. Make sure all liquid is evaporated. Make sure the squash is not overcooked or mashed.

Serve hot as a side dish.

Sardine Fry (with Green Masala)

Overview
Sardine marinated in fresh green masala and fried adds layers of flavor to the fish. Use fresh fish and marinate the fish in this spicy and sour masala for a minimum of four hours in refrigerator so that all the flavors get into the flesh of the fish. The green chilly and black peppers adds the spiciness and the vinegar and lemon juice adds the sourness to the masala. The marinated fish can be shallow or deep fried.

Sardine Fry

Sardines marinated in green masala

Ingredients
10 fresh sardines cleaned and scored on sides
Curry leaves 4 sprigs
Green chilly - 4
Garlic - 2 - 3 cloves
Ginger 1 inch piece
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons
White Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Oil to fry the fish

Steps
1. Clean the sardines and score the sides and keep aside
2. Grind the curry leaves, green chilly, garlic, ginger, whole black pepper, vinegar, lemon juice and salt to make a smooth paste.
3. Marinate each fish with this paste and keep in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oil in  pan to fry the sardines. Fry the sardines in medium heat till one side is brown. Flip over and fry the other side too. Drain oil and serve hot.

Serve hot with simple onion salad.

Raw Papaya Stir Fry ( Papaya Thoran)

Overview
Raw Papaya is high in fibre and nutrients so is very good for you. This dish is very easy to prepare, has simple few ingredients and can be made quickly. Serve this as a side vegetable dish. Shredded raw papaya is used for this dish. I have used a designer peeler to shred the papaya flesh into thin strips. Make sure you just steam the papaya and do not over cook it.

Raw Papaya Stir Fry ( Papaya Thoran)

Raw Papaya shredded to fine strips using designer peeler

Fresh Green Raw Papaya

Ingredients
Shredded or grated raw Papaya - 2 cups
Fresh grated coconut - 3 tablespoons
Green chilly 3 - 4 split in center length wise
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Red onion half thin sliced
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoons

Steps
1. Peel the raw Papaya, remove seeds and shred to fine strips or grate it.
2.  Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustrad seeds. After the seeds splutter add the thin sliced onions, green chilly and curry leaves to this and saute few minutes.
3. Add the turmeric powder to this and saute well. Add the shredded raw papaya to this and mix well. Cover pan with lid and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Add the fresh grated coconut to this mix well cook for about 2 -3  more minutes. Make sure all liquid is evaporated.

Serve hot as a side dish

King Fish Curry (Neymeem Thengapal Curry)

Overview
This is my favorite fish curry that my mom use to make. King fish curry made with coconut milk is a very common dish in Kerala especially in Trichur. Fresh coconut milk and the Kerala tamarind adds a very special flavor to this dish. This fish curry goes very well with Appam or plain rice. I was happy to get fresh king fish at an Asian store here. Making fresh fish in the traditional Kerala clay pot does add an autehntic taste to this dish.

King Fish Curry (Neymeen Thengapal Curry)

Ingredients
King fish cleaned cut into pieces - about 2 pounds
Ginger - 2 inch piece cut into long thin slices
Green chilly - 6 - 8 split into center
Red onion half thin sliced
Curry leaves - 1 sprigs
Chilly powder 2 teaspoon
Coriander powder  - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Kerala Tamarind 3 - 4 slices
Fresh coconut milk first milk - 1/2 cup
Fresh coconut milk second milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste

To garnish
Oil 3 tablespoon
Half red onions thin sliced
Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Steps
1. In a pan or clay pot mix the sliced onions, ginger, green chilly, 1 sprig curry leaves, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, Kerala tamarind along with 1  1/2 cup water. Mix well and bring this to a boil. Simmer and cook 1 - 2 minutes
2. Add the clean fish pieces to the prepared gravy. Bring this to a boil simmer and cook covered for about 6 - 8 minutes till the fish is cooked well.
3. Uncover pan and add the second coconut milk to this and bring to boil. Then add the first coconut milk and turn off heat.
4. In another pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add the sliced onions to this and fry till the onion is golden brown. Add the curry leaves to this and turn off heat and pour this on top of the prepared fish curry.

Serve hot with appam or plain rice