Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney is a tasty accompaniment with all traditional south Indian breakfast dishes. It takes only a few minutes to prepare this chutney if you have fresh grated coconuts already at hand. Idli, Dosa, Vada etc is not complete when it is not accompanied by this chutney.

Ingredients

1 cup grated coconut
2 small green chillies , chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp roasted chana dal
salt to taste

For The Tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli , broken into pieces
2 to 3 curry leaves
1 tsp oil

Method

Put the coconut, green chillies, ginger, roasted split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
Refrigerate and use as required.

Coconut Chicken Curry

This is a simple yet delicious Chicken curry recipe. It tastes absolutely great when served with rice or roti. Here a perfectly marinated chicken is cooked in a delicious coconut gravy to bring out all its flavours. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken
200 ml cream
100 ml coconut milk
200 gm onion, cut into small pieces
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp garam masala
100 gm butter/refined oil
1 tsp red chilli powder

Method

Add garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, salt and chilli powder. Coat it on chicken and mix well. Keep the marinated chicken for two hours.
Then place the pan on fire and put the oil/butter and fry the onion till golden brown.
Add the marinated chicken to the pan and fry on a low flame adding coconut milk slowly till the chicken is cooked properly.
Then mix the cream slowly.
Add 1/2 tsp of sugar. Mix. Garnish with Coriander leaves. Serve with roti/rice.

Vazhakka Thoran (Raw plantain)

This used to be a very common thoran dish in my home during my child hood days. When I bought a few vazhakkas last week to make some bajjis, I suddenly realized that its been too long since I've made it here for my family. So here it is, a truly yummy thoran recipe.

Vazhakka thoran

Ingredients

Raw plantain/ vazhakka – 3 – 4
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Green chilli – 1
Garlic – 2 cloves
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies – 2
Brown rice – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Salt – To taste
Method

Peel the plantains and chop them to small cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.  Splutter the mustard seeds and add the dry red chiliesand brown them.
Stir in the chopped plantain pieces, turmeric powder, chilly powder, curry leaves and salt.  Cover and cook till tender at low heat.
Crush the grated coconut with cumin seeds, garlic and green chilies.  Add it to the cooked raw banana.  Mix well and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off. Serve with rice.

Brinjal Coconut Milk Curry

This is a very tasty side dish with chappathis and Rotis. It is a common dish made in North India but the coconut gravy gives a kerala flavour to our taste buds. If you are fed up with all the common brinjal/ baingan recipes, try this variety, easy to make dish. Comeon, Is there anyone who doesnt like a change!

Ingredients

Brinjal - 3 nos(sliced)
Turmericpowder - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 no(chopped)
Greenchillies - 3 nos
Ginger - 1 piece(chopped)
Corianderpowder - 1 tsp
Garammasala - 1 tsp
Pepperpowder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Mustard – 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Directions

For preparing brinjal coconut milk curry, mix brinjal with salt and turmeric. Fry it with little oil.
Saute onion, ginger and green chillies in remaining oil. Add coriander powder and garam masala.
Add pepper powder and mix again. Add the fried brinjal pieces and coconut milk.
When gravy thickens, remove from flame.
Season with mustard seeds. Brinjal coconut milk curry is ready.

Avial

This is the most common of all onam sadya recipes. I've never in my life seen a sadya without Avial proudly spread on the banana leaf. It is an integral part of every onam sadya. Highly nutritious because of the presence of a wide variety of vegetables and very tasty too.

Ingredients

Brinjal-1/4 cup
Ash gourd -3/4 cup
Cucumber - 1 cup
Carrot -1
Drumstick -1
Beans -6-7
Potato -1
Raw plantain -1
Raw Mango - few pieces (5-6 medium size pieces)
Elephant foot yam -100 grams
Curd -2 tbsp

For the grinding

Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds /Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli -3

For the seasoning

Coconut oil - 2-3 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Preparation

Peel the skin and cut all the vegetables into 2 inch long piece.

Coarsely grind grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.

Since each vegetable needs different time for cooking, I cooked cucumber, plantain, brinjal and ash gourd together in a pan separately adding salt needed for that alone. When it is half cooked, add chopped raw mangoes.
Pressure cook the rest of the vegetables adding salt and turmeric powder for 2 whistles.You can cook in open pan also.The vegetables should be soft but not mushy.
Add the grounded coconut paste and cook for a few minutes. Remove from flame.
Add curd and mix well. Check for salt. Season with coconut oil and curry leaves.

Kadachakka Thoran/ Cheema chakka/ Bread fruit

Cheemachakka was one thing that is seldom available in the markets here. So i am very happy when i come across one somewhere. Last day i found one with the grocer and thats how this dish emerged. When properly prepared, a breadfruit is a delicious food. Ot becomes soft like potatoes when it is boiled or steamed.  Here I am preparing a breadfruit with coconut Thoran.

Ingredients

Bread Fruit/ Kada Chakka, finely chopped-1 medium sized
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Green chilli, cut- 2
Salt- to taste
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

To Temper:
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal/ Ulunnu- 1 teaspoon
Dried red chili, broken-1
Curry leaves- 1 stand

To Grind:
Coconut- 1/2 cup
Garlic- 1 clove
Pearl Onion-2
Cumin seeds- 1/4 teaspoon

Directions

Grind the coconut, garlic, pearl onion and jeera as a coarse paste/ powder without adding any water.
Peel the bread fruit and remove the midrib and chop them in to small pieces and keep inside the water.
In a pan add the chopped bread fruit, cut green chilllies, turmeric, salt and a cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook till it becomes soft to touch. Check the availability of water inside the pan in between if it is getting dry add some more water and cook till soft.
Heat oil in a shallow pan add the mustard seeds and urad dhal. when mustard seeds starts to crackle and the urad dhal strts to become golden colour add the broken dried red chilli and curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
Now add the cooked bread fruit, coconut mixture and red chilli powder and mix well and cook for a minute till the raw smell of garlic leaves and the masala coats well.
Check for salt and add if required.

Vendakka Theeyal( Ladies Finger)

A Theeyal gets its name because of the main ingredient in it - roasted coconuts which is close to being burnt. It is a very popular dish in kerala. Ive heard my mom saying that if there is Theeyal with rice, then no other curry is needed. Such is its taste. Theeyal is usually made with Ladies finger and pearl onions. What to say more. Go ahead and try it.

Ingredients

Ladies Finger: 8- 10 (cut )
Grated Coconut: 1/4 cup
Green chillies: 2
Chilli powder: 1-2  teaspoons
Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder: 1 1/2 teaspoons
Jeera powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind pulp: 1 tablespoon
Water: 1/3 cup or less
Jaggery (optional): 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek powder: a pinch

Seasoning

Mustard  seeds: 1 teaspoon
Dried Red chillies: 2
Onions(finely chopped): 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves: few

In a pan, dry roast the grated coconut, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and jeera powder until brown and aromatic. Turn off the gas and keep aside.
Dissolve the tamarind pulp in 1/4 cup water and keep aside. Grind this roasted coconut with some of the tamarind water to make a smooth paste.
Chop the ladies finger. Heat little oil in a pan. Saute the ladies finger with a little salt. When 1/2 done, pour the ground paste and the remaining tamarind pulp and water. Cover and cook. Let everything come to good boil. Add the optional jaggery and fenugreek powder. Check for salt and spice.
In a small pan, heat little more oil for the seasoning. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add dried red chillies, curry leaves and the finely chopped onions. Fry until the onions turn golden brown and pour this seasoning over the gravy.
Give a final mix and its ready to serve with hot steaming rice.

Chocolate Coconut Hairpins

This is a healthy dish made with biscuits and coconut that we can make for our kids. The perfect blend of the outer biscuit layer with the sweet coconut filling, makes the dish an outstanding one.  It can also be made into rolls but for that the thickness of the filling as well as the outerlayer should be less. But you can try that as well. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

For Outer Layer:
Marie Biscuit or any Digestive Biscuits – 2 cups Powdered
Cocoa Powder – 2 to 3 tblspn
Powdered Sugar – 2 to 3 tblspn
Milk – 3- 4 tblspn or as needed

For  Inner Filling:
Butter – 50 gms
Cashews – 10 chopped finely
Desiccated Coconut – 1 cup
Vanilla Essence- 1tsp
Powdered Sugar – 2 tblspn

Method:

Start by making filling.. Take butter in a saucepan and melt it down on low heat.
Remove it from heat and add in cashews, coconut, vanilla and sugar and mix well.
Let it cool down to room temperature.

Now make outer layer. Take powdered biscuits, cocoa and sugar in a bowl and mix well.
Gradually sprinkle in the milk so that it forms a stiff dough. Don’t add too much of milk, else it will become sticky and won’t roll properly.
Now take a butter paper or foil.
Take the dough and spread it into rectangle shape about 1 inch thickness.

Put all the filling on top and press it firmly with back of spoon so that everything sticks. Take hold of one side and fold it firmly towards the other side and press.
Wrap it with foil or butter paper and put in fridge for 30 mins.
Now take a sharp knife and cut into equal portions.

Fish in Coconut sauce (Thenga aracha meen curry)

 This one is a highly nostalgic dish which reminds me of my mom. She used to make this atleast once in a fortnight and the taste still tickles my tongue. Instead of kudampulli we can also use Raw mangoes or raw tomatoes.  For all those who are not used to this dish, please try it out. The taste is irresistible.

Ingredients

Fish - 500gms
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Red chili powder - 1.5 - 2 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Kudampuli - 2 medium pieces
Shallots - 4-5 nos chopped or half of a small onion
Garlic sliced - 6 cloves
Ginger sliced - a small piece
Green chili sliced - 3
Curry leaves - a handful
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tea spoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 table spoon

Directions

Clean and cut fish
Clean and Soak Kudampuli in 1/2 cup warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Grind Grated coconut , red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste to a very fine paste by adding a little water. Set aside
Heat oil in a Pan - preferably a clay pot ( Manchatti) , or an ordinary cooking pan .
When the oil is hot add mustard seeds. When they pop add fenugreek seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
Add sliced shallots, ginger, garlic, green chiles and curry leaves. saute well for 3-4 minutes
Add the ground coconut paste and fry for a minute or two.
Add soaked kudampuli along with  water , salt to taste and combine well.
Add 1/4 -1/2 cup water more only if you need more gravy.
Add  fish pieces and cook covered for 15-20 minutes or till its cooked.
Uncover it, drizzle a little oil and a few more curry leaves over it and simmer for 5-8 minutes .

Coconut burfi

Ingredients

Coconut scraped 2 cups
Powdered Sugar - 2 tablespoon
Fresh cream 1/4 cup condensed milk- 3 tablespoon
Green cardamom powder a pinch
Ghee 1/2 tablespoon

Method

Heat a non stick pan on medium heat. Add the coconut, sugar, fresh cream and green cardamom powder and cook, stirring continuously, for fifteen minutes or till the mixtures turns a golden brown.

On low fire, add condensed milk and mix.  Remove from heat. Grease a plate with ghee and pour in the coconut mixture and spread evenly.

When it cools cut into desired shapes or make balls out of it and serve.

Garnish by rolling it in coconut scrapes with edible food colour mixed. (only if needed. it gives a bakery like appearance to the dish) and  decorate with dried nuts.