Chicken Lo Mein with Vegetables

Overview
This is a Chinese stir fry dish made with chicken, noodles and vegetables. Lo Mein is usually made with wheat noodles but I have used thick spaghetti noodles for this dish  This dish is easy to make and full of flavor. The most time consuming part for this dish is getting all the vegetables ready and cut into thin strips. I do like to add boy choy ( Chinese cabbage) to this that adds  delicious flavor and texture to this Lo Mein.

Chicken Lo Mein with Vegetables

Chicken Lo Mein Ingredients

Ingredients
Chicken breast cut into thin strips 2 cups
Spaghetti thick noodle 14 oz
Green Pepper 1 large cut into strips
Bok Choy 2 cups cleaned and cut into strips
Carrots Julienned 1 cup
Green Beans French cut 1 cup
Garlic thin sliced 2 tablespoons
Ginger thin sliced 2 tablespoons
Red Onion one large thin sliced
Soy sauce 1/2 cup
Sesame oil 3 - 4 teaspoons
Crushed red pepper - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Fresh ground black pepper  - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil 4 tablesspoons
Corn starch 1 tablespoon

Steps
1. Marinate the cleaned cut chicken strips in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon fresh crushed black pepper and keep aside.
2. Cook the noodles drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a big wok or pan. When oil gets hot add the thin sliced ginger  and garlic. when the garlic starts to brown add the crushed red pepper and saute well. Add the marinated chicken to this and stir well. Keep stirring till the chicken is cooked well.
3. Add the thin sliced vegetables  and onions to this and mix well.  Stir fry till the vegetables are just cooked( do not overcook the vegetables). Add the cooked noodles and the remaining soya sauce and sesame oil to this and mix well.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 3 tablespoon of water and add to the stir fry mixture and mix well till the gravy has thickened and coated the noodles and vegetables. Turn of heat.

Serve hot.

Kozhuva Perra (Anchovies with Fresh Grated Coconut)

Overview
A traditional Kerala dish made with small anchovies. This dish is made with simple fresh ingredients. Anchovies(Kozhuva) are nutrient rich fish which we get fresh in Kerala. Here I have used the frozen anchovies that we get from Indian Store. Fresh red onions, ginger,  green chillies, curry leaves, fresh grated coconut mixed with Kerala tamarind makes these anchovies very flavorful and delicious. This dish goes very well with plain rice.

Kozhuva Perra (Anchovies with Fresh Grated Coconut)

Kozhuva Peera Ingredients

Ingredients
Cleaned anchovies - 2 pounds
Green chillies split in center length wise - 8 - 10
Red Onion One large thin sliced
Ginger  2 inch piece thin sliced
Curry leaves 3 sprigs
Kerala tamarind(Kodampulli) 4 - 5 slices
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Coconut oil 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Clean the Kerala tamarind and soak in hot water for 20 - 30 minutes.
2. Mix the thin sliced onions, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and Kerala tamarind with salt and about 1/2 cup water in a earthen pot or a heavy bottom pan and mix well. Mix the anchovies with this and cook on medium heat covered till it begins to boil.
3. Remove  lid and toss pan to  mix the ingredients do not use spoon to stir since all the fish will break into pieces.
4. Mix in the fresh grated coconut . Toss well and cook on high flame till all the liquid has evaporated. Keep tossing occasionally.
5. Pour 3 tablespoon of oil and toss well. Turn off heat.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Breadfruit with Roasted Coconut Gravy (Kadachakka Varuthu Aracha Curry)

Overview
Roasted coconut with spices gives this gravy a very nice aroma and flavor. Breadfruit curry made this way can be served with plain rice or any bread. Cooked breadfruit taste kind of like potatoes or if roasted tastes like bread and hence the name bread fruit. Breadfruit since a starchy vegetable absorbs the flavors from the gravy and becomes very delicious in this dish.

Breadfruit with Roasted Coconut Gravy

Ingredients for Breadfruit Curry

Ingredients
Breadfruit pieces cleaned and cut into bite size pieces - 1 pound
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Thin sliced ginger - 1 inch pieces
Garlic thin sliced - 4 cloves
Shallots thin sliced  - 5
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Whole red chilly 4 - 6
Whole coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds -  tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt o taste

To Garnish
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Thin slices shallots 3
Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Steps
1. Cook the cleaned breadfruit pieces with 1 cup water , 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and enough salt till it is soft and cooked well. Keep aside.
2. Heat  3 tablespoon oil in a thick bottom pan. When the oil gets hot fry the whole red chillies followed by the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and black pepper. Add the fresh grated coconut, thin sliced shallots, garlic, ginger and curry leaves and mix well.
3. Roast the coconut mixture on a low flame till the coconut turns golden brown. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric to this and  roast for 2 for minutes. Turn off heat.
4. When the roasted coconut mixture comes to room temperature grind it in a blender by adding 1/2 cup water to make a smooth paste.
5. Mix the ground coconut paste with 1/2 cup water and pour over the cooked breadfruit. Mix well and bring this mixture to a boil. Turn heat to low  and cook for few more minutes till all the flavors mingle. Turn off heat.
6. In another pan heat  the oil. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced shallots for garnish to this. Fry till the shallots turn golden brown. Add curry leaves and mix well. Turn off heat and pour the fried shallots over the prepared breadfruit curry.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Raw Mango Curry with Coconut Milk (Pacha Manga Thenga Paal Curry)

Overview
A very classic dish from Kerala made with coconut milk. The sweet taste from the coconut milk compliments the sour taste of raw mangoes to make a very unique and delicious flavor. If possible use fresh coconut milk from fresh grated coconut`which makes a big difference in flavor for this curry. A simple mango curry with simple fresh ingredients and easy to make.

Raw Mango Curry with Coconut Milk

Raw Mango Curry Ingredients

Ingredients
Raw green mango slices from one large mango
2 inch piece ginger - thin sliced
Green chilly - 6 - 8 split in center
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
1 Medium Red Onion thin sliced
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder  - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder 1 tablespoon
Fresh grated coconut 1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

To Garnish
3 tablespoons
Red onion thin sliced 1/2 medium
Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Steps
1. Mix the fresh coconut with warm water and grind in a blender and squeeze out the coconut milk.  Take 1/2 cup first milk and 1 cup second milk and keep aside.
2. Mix the sliced mangoes, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, red onions, turmeric, chilly powder, coriander powder and salt  with 1 cup water. Bring to boil. reduce heat  and cook covered till the mangoes are cooked.
3. Add second milk to the cooked mangoes mix well and bring to boil. Finally add the thick first milk. As soon a the curry brings to boil turn off heat.
4. Heat oil in a separate pan. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced onions to it and saute till the onions turn golden brown. Add curry leaves and mix well. Turn off heat. Pour over prepared dish.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Raw Jackfruit Mash (Chakka Puzhukku)

Overview
There is plenty of Jackfruit in Kerala so it is very common to see jackfruit is various dishes in Kerala. Chakka Puzhukku is a very traditional Kerala dish. Raw jackfruit cooked, mashed and mixed with ground coconut and cumin makes a delicious dish that goes very well with red fish curry. Raw jack fruit is very good for diabetic patients since this is high in fiber and low in carbs so this can be used in place of any starch.

Chakka Puzhukku with Kerala red fish curry

Ingredients
Raw Jackfruit pieces with out seeds - 2 pounds
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garlic 3 cloves
Green chillies 4 - 6
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste.

To garnish on top
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Whole red chilly broken into pieces - 2 - 4

Steps
1. Cook the cleaned jackfruit pieces in 2 cups water , 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and salt. Once it boils reduce flame, cook on low flame covered with lid for about 10  - 15 minutes. Mix well till the jack fruit is cooked well and can be mashed.
2. Coarsely Grind the fresh grated coconut with green chilly, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, garlic, cumin and curry leaves with warm water.
3. Mix the ground coconut with the cooked jackfruit. Mix well and bring to  boil. Turn off heat.
4. In another pan heat oil. Wen oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. When seeds splutter add the curry leaves ad red chilly pieces. Mix well. Turn off heat and pour over prepared jack fruit mash.

Serve hot with Kerala style red fish curry

Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Overview
Bitter gourd or Bitter melon stuffed with sauteed onions, mango powder and spices makes a delicious combination of all different flavors - sour , spicy and bitter. This is a north Indian dish and served as a side with any Indian bread( Chapati, Naan or Parotta). Whole tender small bitter melons are used for this dish.

Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Stuffed Bitter Gourd Ingredients

Ingredients
Whole small bitter melons 4
Lemon juice - Juice of 1 large lemon
Onions - 1 large finely chopped
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Chilly powder 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Dry Mango powder 1 teaspoon
Fennel seed powder 1 teaspoon
Chick pea flour 1 tablespoon
Cumins seeds 1 teaspoon
Oil 6 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Wash the bitter gourd in water and pat dry. Scrap the outer ridges of the bitter melon and keep aside. We will use the scrapped ridges and the inside of the bitter mellon for the stuffing
2. Slit open the bitter melon on one side and scope out the inside. If the seeds are tender this can be used for the stuffing.
3. In a bowl mix lemon juice and salt and marinate the slit bitter gourd along with the scrapped ridges and inside seeds of bitter mellon. Let this marinate for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes squeeze out the water from each bitter melon and then the scrapping and seeds and keep aside.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds. After the seeds splutter add the finely chopped onions.
6. Saute the onions till they are light brown. Add the all the spice powders - chilly, coriander, turmeric, fennel powder, mango powder and mix well. Add salt to taste.
7. When the spices are brown add the chick pea flour and mix well and fry few minutes. Mix the bittter melon seeds and ridge scrapping and mix well.
8. Cook covered on slow flame  for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and bring this stuffing to room tempearture.
9. Stuff the bitter melons with the stuffing once it is at room temperature. Tie with string to keep the stuffing intact.
10. Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pan and shallow fry these stuffed bitter melons in a covered pan on low flame. Keep rotating  the bitter gourd to get each side browned.

Serve hot with any Indian Bread.

White Lemon Pickle (Vella Naranga Achar)

Overview
Even though this pickle is named white lemon pickle its actual color is the color of lemon yellow. The main difference from other pickles is that we do not use any red chilly powder. The spiciness for this pickle comes from finely chopped hot green chillies. A very good condiment to have with any rice or Indian bread.

White Lemon Pickle

Ingredients: Pickled lemons, finely chopped garlic, ginger,
green chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds mustard seeds
and not shown in picture asafoetida powder.

Ingredients
Lemons cleaned 8
Ginger 2 inch piece - finely chopped
Garlic -  One whole bulb finely chopped
Green chillies 10 - 15 finely chopped
Curry leaves 0 4 sprigs
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 tablespoons
Asafoetida powder - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric - 1 teaspoon
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 - 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Immerse lemons in water for about 30 minutes. Pat dry and cut into chunks as shown in picture. Mix with turmeric and salt and keep in cleaned jar for about four weeks. Shake jar ever day to make sure juices mix well. After about 4 weeks the lemons become pickled and soft.
2. In a pan dry roast fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds.
4. After the mustard seeds splutter add the finely chopped ginger, garlic green chillies and curry leaves. Saute on medium heat till the garlic and ginger are light brown.
5. Add the prepared lemons to this along with sugar. Check salt and add if necessary. Mix well and bring to boil.
6. Add the fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder to this and mix well and bring to boil gain. Turn off heat.

Bring this pickle to room temperature and  store in a clean jar.