Keralan vegetable stew | Syrian Christian Stew | Kukskitchen

Stew in a Syrian Christian home in Kerala means a soup like curry rich with coconut milk used as a side dish for breakfast mains like appam, idiyappam, vattayappam or even bread.

Vendakka stir fried with coconut and spices | Okra stir fry | Ladies finger thoran | Kukskitchen

Hi folks

I recently started contributing to a website: Archana's kitchen. It is a fantastic website featuring a variety of cuisines from all over the world with special sections on Indian cuisine. What is special about Archana's website is that it is all vegetarian.  I know! How amazing isn't it. Thank you so much Archana for accepting me as a guest writer in your fabulous website. My first recipe is up on the website and I invite you all to visit the website here and leave your valuable comments.

I chose venkakka ( Okra / ladies finger) thoran to be my first since that is my dear Son’s favourite vegetarian dish. Hope you enjoy the recipe.

Kerala Vendakkai Thoran is a simple and delicious preparation of Okra or Bhindi flavored with pearl onions, green chilies, and coconut. This style of making vegetable is very typical to South India especially Kerala.

Did you know: Okra or Vendakkai is a low-calorie vegetable and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. They are rich sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins; often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Serve the Kerala Vendakkai Thoran along with Steamed Rice and sambar for a wholesome lunch.

Note: There is no need to add water to the dish while cooking. Okra normally releases a bit of water which is enough to be cooked. In case the okra appears slimy, add a sprinkle of rice powder or gram flour to make it dry.

Kovakka podi curry | Ivy gourd dry stir fry with a special traditional south indian spice mix | Kuks kitchen

India is so diverse in its culture and so is the variety in its food. Here is another one of my discoveries during my culinary journey through web pages in search for new and exciting tongue tingling flavours. Hope you luv this as much as I like it.

100th post | Green peas kachori and spicy dum aloo | SNC challenge 5 | Kukskitchen

Hello dearies, its that time of the month again. I can't believe SNC challenge has reached its 5th month. I was so gutted last month as due to work-related reasons I couldn't participate in the Jan challenge. I am so glad I finally made it to this months challenge. Better late than never eh? And what better time to post this recipe than my 100th post :-)

Also, a special thanks to Divya for understanding my circumstances and not kicking my humble-self  out even though I couldn't complete last months challenge. :-)

You guys who follow my blog knows exactly what this challenge is about. Just in case some of you are visiting my blog for the first time, here is a snap shot of what has happened in the SNC family till now.

As you can see, the recurring theme is that the south team wins hands down. he he. What say north team????????

 :P

Kadha ithu vare/ The story so far

Challenge	Year	Month	Northern team		Southern team		Winner
			Recipe	Challenger	Recipe	Challenger
SNC-1	2012	October	Mysore pak	Divya Prakash	Bhel Puri Chat	Shruti Dhingra	Northern team
SNC-2	2012	November	Adhirasam	Yashodha	Gulab Jamun	Pallavi	Southern team
SNC-3	2012	December	Medu Vada	Sherin	Misal Pav	Meena Bhatia	Southern team
SNC-4	2013	January	Vadakari	Ramya	Ghewar	Manjula Bharath	Southern team
SNC-5	2013	February	Green Peas Kachori &Spicy Dum Aloo	Sanoli	Paal Kozhukattai	Tamil	Wait and see

Sanoli, thank you for challenging us southerners with such a yummy combo.  Here is how I made it.

Kovakka ( Ivy gourd) fry | I am back in full oomph | Kukskitchen

It has been an eventful few weeks (months) in my life and I have come out a happy bunny. I certainly have many to thank for. :-) Now, I am back in the blogging world with full oomph.

I have recently also started to contribute to a food column in my college newsletter UK alumni edition. Please check them out here folks.

Now,back to business!

Does deep-fried veggie count towards your five-a-day? May be not, but who cares! They taste so yummy that way.

Deep-fried veggies was something I was introduced to when I got married. My MIL is, and more so her mum was, an expert in that field, says my FIL :-) My dear D is not surprisingly a fan of deep fried veggies especially the likes of kovakka ( ivy gourd), vendakka (okra, lady's finger) and pavakka (bitter gourd). A simple marinade is all that is needed to lift these humble veggies to worthy of centre stage. I very rarely deep fry them as even the thought of deep frying gives me chest pains :-)

Here is how I ( actually my MIL) makes them

soya chunks pilav: what is the difference between pilav, fried rice and biriyani? Kukskitchen

As promised here is my soya chunks pilav made using left over stir fried soya chunks recipe.

What is pilav / fried rice / biriyani?

Pilaf or pilav or pulav, is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth.The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from Turkish, palov, which in turn comes from Persian polow (پلو), and ultimately derives from Sanskrit pulāka- (पुलाक), "lump of boiled rice". We know it, everything gains their origin from india :-).

In India pilav is mostly prepared in a coconut milk broth.

Fried rice, on the other hand is a popular component of Southeast Asian cuisine, where it is staple as Southeast Asian foods. It is made from steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often with other ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables, and meat.

Biryani or biriyani ( Malayalam: ബിരിയാണി, Kannada: ಬಿರಿಯಾನಿ, Tamil: பிரியாணி, Hindi: बिरयानी, Telugu: బిర్యాని, Urdu: بریانی) is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted".

Spicy indian rice noodles | Kukskitchen

Spicy Egg biriyani | Mutta biriyani | Malabar style | Kukskitchen

Source: Adapted from 'The Epicure Cookbook' by Ms. Ummi Abdulla

Serves: 4 adults

Keralan chicken biriyani | A treat for the soul | Kukskitchen

This is one of the best chicken biriyani recipes I've ever owned. Tastes superb each time. Takes a bit of work and hence get made in my kitchen on occasion. This recipe is sourced from my dear S I L. This one she inherited from her mom. A few changes ( very few) were made by yours truly :-)

Bhelpuri | Spicy and tangy healthy and balanced Indian salad | Kukskitchen

Guess our dinner today! Bhelpuri - And God was it yummy.

How did it taste?

It was so scrumptous and filling, I wasn't expecting that. The tamarind chutney was the star. The crunchy vegetables soaked in spicy green chutney give u a hit. But the tamarind chutney doesn't wait any longer than u need to cool ur palate down with its tangy yet sweet taste. The papri and sev adds to ur pleasure. We had two empty plates and two full tumms. :)

If u haven't had bhelpuri yet, this is the time to try.

Keralan mixed vegetable spicy soup with lentils - nammude sambar | Kukskitchen

My dad's first line when mum starts cooking sambar is ' sambar inge ukkarungo' :) He is the biggest sambar fan in the planet. He appreciates me trying new versions of the classic like palakkadan, kozhikkodan etc etc. My son has taken to his appappan's palate and luvs sambar esp if it's with dosa. I can virtually eat it with anything at all - rice, dosa, idli, upma, idiyappam and chapati.


A variety of vegetables can be used in an avial, which includes drumsticks, yam, raw banana, ash gourd (kumbalanga), aubergine (vazhuthananga) and more recently carrots, potato and cucumber.


Ideally sambar needs to be cooked in an open pot which takes a lot of time. I go for the quick pressure cooker version when I have less time. I know daddy this version is not ur favourite. :(

Kaya ularthu - Plantain stir fry | Kukskitchen

Syrian Christian cuisine is gaining a lot of popularity these days. I was so surprised to see a uk celebrity chef do a syrian christian beef curry. I will post that in here soon. Watch this space.

Cabbage stir fry and a tip to dieting ;) | Kukskitchen

A quick and easy healthy veggie side dish in Keralan style. It tastes lovely with rice or even roti. Ever since I heard about and tried the cabbage soup diet, I try to include cabbage in my weekly menu in one way or other.

Carrot stir fry | Keralan style & a tip for weight loss :) | Kukskitchen

Eating carrots will not make you fat. This a fact. It contains beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, is especially important for eye health. It’s also of great benefit to the skin, and the immune and digestive systems. Carrots are also loaded with fibre and water, which cleanse the liver, boost oxidation and plump out skin to stave off wrinkles.

Avial - Keralan mixed vegetable l Kukskitchen

When ever I go to Kerala, avial is top in the list of things I ask my mum to cook for me. Her avial is 'world-famous' and she makes it with such precision.

Avial being the king dish of vegetables takes its place quite high up in an onasadya. Avial is a perfect accompaniment in a sadya, but in my house avial gets made especially during good friday for lunch which is the only meal that day and it has to be vegetarian.

Pulisseri without coconut - featuring marrow - Ammachi's pulissery

"Oru nalla pulisseri undengil pinne kari onnum venda". I have heard  ammachi say that a million times. Her speciality was kaya (plaintain) pulisseri though. I didnt get the raw plantain, instead I thought of making use of an English vegetable - Marrow. I tastes superb and eating it u feel like marrow should have been a keralan vegetable.

There are many varieties of pulisseri each with its own recipe. Presented is the easiest and quickest of them all. 

Vegetable kurma l kukskitchen

Ingredients:


1 - Vegetables - 250 g (Carrot, beans, potato, cauliflower, green peas)
     Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
     Salt to taste
2 - Ghee – 1 tbsp
3 - Cinnamon stick – 2 pieces
     Green cardamom – 4

     Cloves -4
     Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4 - Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
     Green chilly - 5 slit
5 - Cashew nuts – 10, soak and grind to a smooth paste
6 - Coconut milk - 200ml

Kovakka thoran featuring Ivy gourd | Kukskitchen

Thoran and me? Everybody knows a syrian christian from mid kerala CANNOT make a good thoran. It is a fact. That is unless she gets help from her south kerala thoran specialist friend. In my case it was my dear friend Surya. Sorry dear if over time my modifications have spoiled ur gorgeous recipe.


Presented is a recipe for kovakka thoran.

Theeyal - a spicy aubergine curry with onions, tamarind and coconut | Kukskitchen

Ingredients:

1. Aubergine - 300g / 2-3 cups
    Shallots/ onions - 1/2 cup
    Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
    Green chilli - 2
    Curry leaves - 2- 3 sprigs
    salt
2. Grated coconut - 1 cup
    shallots/onion - 1/2 cup
    curry leaves - 2- 3 sprigs
3. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
    Coriander powder - 2 tsp
    Chilly powder - 2 tsp
4. Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
5. Red chilli - 2
    Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
    Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

- Cook aubergine cut in to medium chunks in enough water and rest of ingredients of (1) till soft.
- Meanwhile dry roast (2) till coconut turns brown shaking the pan constantly to get an even colour. 
- Dessicated coconut is faster to get roasted. :)
- Mix (3) in to the pan and stir for another minute over low heat. 
- Grind this coconut mix to a coarse paste with as little water as permitted by ur blender.
- Once your aubergine is cooked add the coconut paste together with tamarind to it and let it boil.
- Add final tadka by adding dried chilli and mustard seeds to hot oil. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, remove from heat and tip it over to ur theeyal.

Enjoy this spicy veg curry with par boiled rice. Yummmm!

Cheers
Sherin