Cherupayar Stew

Finally … here i’m with my posts after a long break..thank you guys again for not losing the patience.

I’m almost settled in my new place,but haven’t started much cooking.Anyways I’ve found some recipes in my draft which i dont want to miss.These are the recipes which i’ve tried from my dear fellow bloggers.

This cherupayar stew is adapted from RP’s workshop and i must say it tasted great with puttu.Thanks RP.

Ingredients :-

Whole Moong Dal(Cherupayar) – 1/2 cup
Grated coconut -3/4 cup (You can use unsweetened coconut powder available in Indian stores)
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeerakam) – 1/2 tsp
Green chillies – 4 (Use it according to your spice level)
Shallots(Ulli) – 2 or 3
Oil – as needed
Salt – to taste

For popping :
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Red Chillies – 2 or 3

Method:-

Cook moong dal in a pressure cooker adding salt and just enough water, until it turns soft.Now grind together coconut,cumin seeds,green chillies and shallotsto a smooth paste.Add one cup of water and grind it again.Now extract the coconut milk using a sieve.Add this extracted coconut milk into the cooked moong dal and let it boil in a medium flame.Simmer for 2 more minutes and switch off the stove.

Now heat oil in another pan and pop mustard seeds,curry leaves and red chillies.Pour the seasonings into the curry.Mix and serve hot.

Olan

Olan, a traditional Kerala Sadya dish is a typical Malayalee preparation which is enriched with coconut milk.This is again a simple dish where red grams,ash gourd and pumpkin are cooked together in a thin coconut milk gravy and seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. And it has a unique, pleasing and inviting aroma which itself make you crave for the dish.

Here’s my favorite recipe for Olan…

Ingredients:-

Red Gram dal(Vanpayar) – 2- 3 tbsp
Ash gourd (Kumbalanga) diced – 1 cup
Pumpkin (Mathanga/Mathan) diced – 1 cup
Green chillies slit – 3 or 4
Thin coconut milk – 1 cup
Thick coconut milk – 1/4 cup
Curry leaves (Kariveppila)- a sprig
Salt – to taste
Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Method:-

Pressure cook red gram dal until it is soft ,but not losing its shape.Keep it aside.Into a deep pan add ashgourd dices,pumpkin dices,slit green chillies,salt and 1/4 cup of water.Cover it and cook until the vegetables turn soft.Add more water if needed.When it is done,add in the cooked red gram dal,stir and add thin coconut milk.Allow it to boil,and when the gravy thickens ,add thick coconut milk.Again bring it to a boil,stirring occasionally.Remove it from the stove,season with coconut oil and a sprig of curry leaves.Mix well,cover it with a lid and allow it to stand for 1/2 an hour before serving.This will help the dish to absorb the flavour of curry leaves and coconut oil.Serve with rice.

Check out Olan recipes from fellow bloggers:

Ginger and Mango

Sugar and Spices

ChaiPani

Jugalbandi

Malabar Spices

Indian Potpourri

Uzhunnu Vada

Uzhunnu Vada,a popular South Indian snack is very perfect for this cold and dull weather.Its been long since I’ve prepared this snack and was craving for this .

Uzhunnu Vada served with coconut Chutney

Finally I made it and here’s the recipe for you..

Ingredients:-

Urad dal soaked in water for 2 hours – 2 cups
Finely chopped shallots – 10
(I used Onion as I didn’t have shallots)
Green chillies – 3
Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped curry leaves – 2 tsp
Crushed pepper – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – to taste

Method:-

Grind urad dal and salt together adding very little water,into a coarse paste.It would be better if you don’t add water at all.But if you think,your grinder won’t coperate,just add necessary water little by little.
Now add shallots,ginger,curry leaves,pepper and baking soda into the ground paste and mix them together.

Pat your hands with water and make a ball with the paste.Flatten it and make a hole in the center like a doughnut.Wet your hands with water,when ever needed.

Drop the vadas into hot oil and deep fry till golden brown in color.Serve with chutney or Sambar.
(If you’ve accidently added more water while grinding,you can always use Urad dal powder to compensate it.I had even tried Uzhunnu vada with urad dal powder itself,and it came out good ,of course not as perfect as with soaked dal,but you could satisfy your taste buds,with much less effort.And its perfect for other bye products of Uzhunnu Vada,like Dahi Vada,Sambar Vada,Vada Koottu curry etc. )

Kerala Sambar

As Onam is approaching,I would like to share some recipes that can be used for Sadya.So thought to start with Sambar itself.Kerala Sambar is very much different from that of its neighbouring states.For us,sambar is also a mixed vegetable dish just like aviyal.My amma usually makes Sambar to finish off the leftover vegetables.

Kerala Sambar

The vegetables mostly added to Sambar are the following :

• Potato
• Plantain
• Yam
• Snake gourd
• Carrot
• DrumSticks
• Okra/Lady’s Finger
• Beans
• Cucumber
• Bottle gourd
• Ash Gourd
• Ivy Gourd(Kovakka)
• Tomato
• Pumpkin
• Brinjal etc

You don’t have to get all these vegetables to prepare Sambar.The combination and choice of vegetables is purely according to the chef’s taste.And here’s how i make my Sambar…

Ingredients:-

Mixed Veggies cut into bite sized pieces – 3-4 cups
(I’ve added 1 potato,1 carrot,1 drumstick,1/2 plantain,1 small brinjal,4 okra,1 tomato ,some ivy gourd,snake gourd ,and a few bottlegourd pieces)
Toor Dal – 1 cup
Sliced Onion – 1/2
Green chillies slit – 2
Tamarind – gooseberry sized ball
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tsp(Optional)
Asafoetida(Kaayam) – a pinch
Ghee/Oil to add with dal – 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Sambar Masala:-
I don’t use any Sambar Masala.Instead i mix all the following powders and prepare my own sambar masala.

Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander POwder – 2 tsp
Cumin powder -1/4 tsp(Optional)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder – a pinch

For Popping:-

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 3
Curry Leaves – a sprig
Oil – as needed

Method:-

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for sometime,squeeze and take the extract from it.Keep aside.Cook the dal in a pressure cooker,adding required water,salt,1/2 tsp of ghee/oil,sliced onion and green chillies.When the dal is done ,remove the lid and add in the tamarind juice and asafoetida ,stir and simmer for some more time ,so that the dal is mashed well.Now throw in the cut veggies and cook till they are done adding water if needed.(No need to pressure cook the veggies as it can be over cooked sometimes).Mix in the sambar powder and simmer for 5-10 mts.Check for salt and add if needed.Add chopped coriander leaves and simmer for 2 more mts.Switch off the stove and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter.Add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute.Now add the seasoning to the sambar,mix well and serve hot with Idli,Dosa,vada or steamed rice.

Sambar served with Idli and Coconut Chutney

See Indira’s three-step process of making Sambar here.

Cherupayar Olathiyathu(Moong dal fry)

Keralites are very familiar with ‘Kanjiyum Payarum’ which means RicePorridge-Moong dal combo.And this is one dish which i never get bored with.A very simple dish which goes with rice.

Cherupayar Olathiyathu

Ingredients:-

Cherupayar/Moong dal whole -1 cup
Dried red chillies – 5
Shallots -8
Garlic pod -1
Curry leaves – a few
Salt -to taste
Water- to cook dal
Oil – as needed

Method:-

Pressure cook dal adding necessary water and salt,till dal becomes soft.(The more it becomes soft,the more tastier it will be,atleast thats what i feel.)Drain excess water and keep aside.Now mash shallots,red chillies and garlic together using mortar pestle or mix it well in a blender for 1 second.It should not be made into a paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves,mashed shallots and turmeric powder .Saute for 3-4 minutes,stirring in between.Add cooked dal and mix well.Simmer and cook for 2 more minutes .