Vaazhakka Upperi/Plantain Chips

Vaazhakka Upperi or Plantain chips is a popular snack from Kerala and is an important item in a traditional Sadya.The preparation is quite simple,raw green plantains cut into thin slices are deep fried in coconut oil until crispy,adding only salt and turmeric.

Here goes the detailed recipe..

Ingredients :-

Raw green plantains – 2
Turmeric powder (Optional)- 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Oil – as needed

Method :-

Peel the plantains,wash them and immerse in water for sometime.Now take a bowl with 1/2 cup of water and add turmeric powder and salt into it.Mix well and keep it aside.

Heat coconut oil in a medium heat.Please make sure that you fill only the half of the wok.

Take 1 plantain out of the water,pat them dry using a clean towel and then cut it into thin slices using a knife or a kitchen slicer.Gently seperate the slices and keep it aside.Alternatively you can slice it directly into hot oil with a slicer.

Throw one slice into the wok and see whether the oil is bubbling.If so ,then throw the rest of the slices into it.Do not overcrowd the pan, you can fry them in batches depending on the size of the wok you’re using. Gently stir them inside the oil using a slotted stainless steel spoon.

Alow it to cook for 2-3 minutes stirring in between.It will start to make a peculiar sound when it turns crisp.Now sprinkle the reserved turmeric water into the oil.It will make a bubbling noise and the oil might come up a little(this is why you should not fill the wok fully with oil),dont be scared,just move away from the stove.Also you can cover it with a lid if you want to.

When the bubbles are almost settled,you’ll hear that crispy sound again.Gently stir it and carefully remove them from oil onto a paper towel to drain the oil.Check for salt and yellow color ,and if needed you can add more to the turmeric water accordingly. Repeat the same procedure for other batches too.

When they are completely cooled,store them in an airtight container.

Chena-Vazhakkaya Erissery

Erissery is a popular dish in Kerala,a variety of erisseris can be prepared by substituting different vegetables,pulses or a combination of vegetables and pulses.In some parts of Kerala,Erisseri is even served in traditional Sadyas.Of all the erisseris Vazhakka- Chena Erissery is my favorite.

Ingredients:-

Fresh Plantains(Vazhakkaya) along with the skin cut into big pieces – 1 cup
Yam/Suran(Chena) cut into big pieces – 1 cup
Grated coconut -1 and 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) – 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red chillies whole – 2
Curry leaves – a sprig
Salt – to taste
Oil – as needed

Method:-

Mix together plantain pieces,yam pieces,chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt and cook them in a pan or a pressure cooker adding just enough water.When they are cooked well,mash it lightly with the back of a spoon.

Now grind together 1 cup coconut,cumin seeds and pepper powder into a coarse paste and add this paste into the vegetables and boil it until it reaches a thick consistency.Turn off the heat and let the erissery rest for a while.

Now heat oil in another pan and pop mustard seeds.Add whole red chillies,curry leaves and the rest of the grated coconut into it and fry until coconut reaches a golden brown color.Pour the seasoning over the erissery.Mix well and serve hot with rice.

The plantains i’ve used here were not fresh and thats why the color of erissery is brown.Erissery prepared with fresh green plantains will be in light greenish yellow color.

Note:-Instead of red chilly powder you can again use pepper powder and that’ll give a diiferent flavour.

Recipe Source :- Vanitha

See more Erissery Recipes here :

• Cherupayar-Kaaya Erissery
• Padavalanga -Parippu Erissery
• Squash,Banana&Yam Erissery
• Jackfruit Erissery
• Mathan-Dal Erissery
• Pumpkin Erissery

Onashamsakal & AdaPradhaman

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous Onam

AdaPradhaman is an indispensable factor in a Kerala Sadya.As per the name Ada is the main ingredient here,it is very similar to pasta in texture and is made of rice or maida.Ada when cooked in milk and sugar is called Palada and when cooked in coconut milk and jaggery is AdaPradhaman.The traditional method of preparing Ada is very laborious and time consuming.But Ada is now easily available to us,even in Indian grocery stores outside India.

Back home,my mother-in-law uses Maida Ada for preparing Adapradhaman,and rice ada is used only for making Palada.But here I’ve used Rice Ada in my Adapradhaman as I couldn’t find any Maida Ada here.

Ingredients:-

Ada(Maida Ada is the best) – 1/4 kg
Jaggery(Sharkkara) – 1/2 kg
Sabudhana(Chowari) cooked – 1 cup
Ghee (Neyyu)- 1/2 – 1 cup
Thin Coconut milk (Randaam Paalu)- 3 cups
Thick coconut milk(Onnam Paalu) – 1 cup
Cardamom powder (Elakka Podi)-1/2 tsp
Broken Cashewnuts (Andiparippu)- as needed
Raisins (Unakka munthiri)- as needed
Coc0nut pieces chopped (Thengakkothu)- as needed

Method:-

Cook Ada as per the directions on the packet,allow it to cool and drain.Melt jaggery adding 1/2 cup of water and strain it to remove any unwanted particles in the jaggery.Jaggery you get in U.S is very good and you might not want to do the straining part.Now heat a big vessel(preferrably Uruli if you have one),add the melted jaggery into it,stir well and add cooked ada into it.Continue stirring until you’ve attained a medium thick consistency,adding ghee in between to prevent it from sticking.Now add thin coconut milk,mix well and add cooked sabudhana into it.Allow it to simmer for 10- 15 minutes.Switch off the heat and add thick coconut milk,mix well and add cardamom powder into it.Stir again and keep it aside.

Heat ghee in a small pan and fry coconut pieces,cashewnuts and raisins.Now add these into the Payasam.Mix and serve hot or cold.

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

Vellarikka(Cucumber) Kichadi

Kichadi/Pachadi which is served in Sadyas,can be prepared with different vegetables.This dish is commonly known as Pachadi,but towards south Kerala this is called Kichadi.I still confuse about the terms Pachadi and Kichadi,but i’ve heard that in Pachadi, pounded mustard seeds are added along with coconut,while in Kichadi mustard seeds are used just for seasoning.If you have any other explanations,pls come forward and share..

Vellarikka

Kichadi

Anyway here’s the recipe …

Ingredients:-

Cucumber peeled,deseeded and cut into small dices – 2 cups
Green chillies slit – 3
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Beaten curd – 1 and 1/2 cups
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies – 2
Curry leaves – a sprig
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste

Method:-

Add salt,green chillies and very little water(about 1- 2tsp) to the cucumber pieces.Cover it and cook in medium heat till the mixture is dry .Grind together grated coconut and cumin seeds, and add this ground mixture to the cucumber.Add beaten curd and mix well.
Heat coconut oil in a pan,allow mustard seeds to splutter.Add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a while.Pour the seasoning over the kichadi.Mix well and serve with rice.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving !!!!