Ari Pathiri | Malabar Pathiri | Rice flour-flat bread

Ari Pathiri

Malabar style, thin rice flour flat bread.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3
Ingredients:

1. Roasted rice flour /Pathiri podi - 1 cup(+ extra for dusting)
2. Water -1 cup
3. Salt - to taste
4. Oil- 1 tsp

Instructions:

Boil water with salt and oil .

Add flour to the boiling water and give it a quick stir.

Immediately cover with a lid.Reduce the flame to the lowest and cook for 1 or 2 minutes and switch off the stove. Uncover and stir well using a wooden spatula.

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and keep covered for about 10 minutes or till it is cool enough to touch.Knead well for about 5 minutes or until the dough turns smooth.Dust the working surface with rice flour ,take a small portion ( lemon sized)of the dough and roll it out to form a thin disc. 

Cut to a perfect round shape using a round lid /cutter.

Heat a non stick pan  over medium flame,place the pathiri on it and cook on both the sides for about 1 minute.When it puffs up ,remove from the pan.( Do not over cook,if you do so it may turn out dry.).Serve with chicken or mutton curry.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of green chilies according to your taste.
• Here are some side dish recipes for pathiri.

Varutharacha Mutton Curry

Nadan Kozhi Curry

Kerala Mutton Curry

Mutton Curry

Pepper Chicken Masala

Kerala Vegetable Stew

Kerala Style Chicken Kurma | Step by step recipe

Kerala Style Chicken Kurma

Kerala style, chicken kurma with cashewnut and coconut gravy.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 to 45 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients:

1. Chicken,medium size pieces - 350 to 400 gms
2. Cashew nuts - 15 to 18
3. Onion,sliced - 1 cup( 1 large)
4. Ginger,chopped - 1 tsp
5. Garlic ,chopped - 1 tsp
6. Green chili,sliced - 2 ( or according to taste)
7. Cardamom - 2
8. Cloves - 2
9. Cinnamon- 1/2" piece
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
12. Black pepper powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
13. Thin coconut milk - 1 cup
14. Water - as required
15. Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
16. Garma masala powder - 1/2 tsp
17. Coconut oil - as required
18. Salt - to taste

To garnish:

1. Cashew nuts-5 to 8
2. Curry leaves,sliced - 1
3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
4. Ghee or oil - as required

Instructions:

Soak cashew nuts in warm water for about 15 minutes.In a blender ,grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside until required.

Heat oil in a pan,add onion,ginger,garlic and green chilies.Saute until onion turns golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly and grind to form a smooth paste,adding 2 or 3 tbsp of water as required. 

Heat oil in a pan,add cardamon,cloves and cinnamon.Saute until fragrant.Reduce the flame to low,add turmeric powder , coriander powder and black pepper powder.Saute for few seconds.(Stir continuously to avoid burning.)

Next add the prepared onion paste and mix well.

Add thin coconut milk,water and salt to taste.Mix well until combined.

Now add the chicken ,mix well.Cover and cook until chicken is done.

Next add the cashew nut paste and garam masala.Mix well until combined. cook for about 5 minutes or until the gravy turns thick.

Add  thick coconut milk and bring it to just under a boil.

Heat oil in a pan add the cashew nuts and fry until it turns golden brown.Drain and keep aside.

In the same pan add green chilies  and curry leaves.Saute for about few seconds and add this to the curry along with the fried cashewnuts.Add chopped coriander leaves ,if desired.Serve with palappam,vellayappam or idiappam.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of green chilies according to your taste.

Thenga Aracha Njandu Curry | Kerala Style Crab Curry With Coconut

Thenga Aracha Njandu Curry

Kerala style, crab cooked in coconut sauce.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients:

1. Crab,cleaned - 400 gms
2. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Onion,sliced - 1/4 cup
4. Curry leaves - 1 or 2 sprigs
5. Green chili,sliced - 1 ( or according to taste)
6. Tomato,sliced - 1 medium( 1/2 cup)
7. Kudampuli /fish tamarind /kokum( soaked in water for 10 min) - 2 or 3 small pieces
8. Water - as required
9. Coconut oil - as required
10. Salt - to taste

For Coconut paste:

1. Grated coconut-3/4 cup
2. Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
3. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tbsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Ginger - 1 " piece
6. Shallots - 5 to 6 small
7. Water- as required

Instructions:

In a blender,add all the ingredients listed under ' For coconut paste' and grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside until required.

Heat oil in a pan/ manchatti ,add fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds.Add onion,curry leaves and green chilies.Saute until onion turns translucent.

Now add tomato and saute for about 30 seconds.Add the prepared coconut paste,fish tamarind (drained),water and salt to taste. 

Mix well until combined.Now add the cleaned crab and mix gently.

Cover and cook until crab is cooked and the gravy turns slightly thick.Switch off the stove and add 1 tsp coconut oil on top.Serve with rice.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of kashmiri chili powder and green chilies according to your taste.
• Adjust the quantity of water according to the gravy consistency required.
  
  

Gothambu Puttu | Wheat Puttu

Gathambu Puttu

Healthy Steamed wheat flour cake.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Wheat Flour- 1 cup
2. Salt - to taste
3. Grated coconut - as required
4. Water - as required

Instructions:

Dry roast the wheat flour over medium low heat ,stirring continuously for about 5 minutes or until the colour changes slightly.Set aside to cool.

Transfer the wheat flour to a mixing bowl ,add salt and  mix well.Sprinkle water little at a time and mix well using your fingers until you get a crumbly texture with tiny lumps.(The mixture should  not be dry and should be just wet enough for steaming.)

Transfer this mixture into a mixer /food processor ,pulse for few seconds.

This is done to remove the lumps and to make it soft.

Add 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut  into the puttu mould.Spoon in the wheat mixture until the mould is halfway filled.Next add 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut and fill the remaining half with the wheat mixture.Finish off with 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut ,if desired.

Steam it for about 5 to 8 minutes.Transfer the cooked puttu to a serving tray.Serve with banana and pappadam or kadala curry.

NOTES

• Make sure you add water little at a time.If there is too much water in the wheat flour mixture,puttu will turn out hard.
  

Kerala Chemmeen Achar | Kerala Style Prawns Pickle

Kerala Chemmeen Achar

Kerala style spicy Prawn pickle.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 1 cup
Recipe source:Amma
Ingredients:

1. Chemmeen/Prawns- 500 gms
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Ginger,juliennes - 1.5 tbsp
5. Garlic,sliced - 1.5 tbsp
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tbsp( or according to taste)
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Vinegar- 1/4 cup
10. Boiled and cooled water - 1/4 cup or as required
11. Salt - to taste
12. Oil - as required(gingelly oil or coconut oil,see notes)

For Marination:

1. Red chili powder- 1 tsp
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Salt- to taste

For masala paste:

1. Ginger- 2" piece
2. Garlic- 7 to 8 large cloves
3. Green chilies - 4 to 6( or according to taste)

Instructions:

Coarsely grind together all the ingredients listed under ' For masala paste'.Keep aside until required.

Wash and clean the prawns.Marinate the prawns with the ingredients listed under ' for marination'.Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the prawns,turning once in between.

Once it is done,drain and keep aside until required.

Add more oil ( if required) to the same pan,add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Next add fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds.

Add ginger,garlic and curry leaves , saute until  raw smell disappears.

Now add the prepared ginger-garlic-green chili paste , saute until raw smell leaves completely.

Cook over medium low flame for few more minutes until oil starts to separate.In a bowl ,mix together kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder and vinegar to form a smooth paste.Add this masala paste to the pan. Add salt to taste.

Cook over medium low flame for few minutes ,until oil starts to separate.Next add the fried prawns and mix well.

Add boiled and cooled water as required.Bring this to a boil .Cook for 1 or 2 minutes.Switch off the stove and allow this to cool completely before transferring to an airtight-glass jar.

NOTES

• I used coconut oil to fry the prawns and gingelly oil to prepare the gravy.
• Always use clean and dry spoon to take the pickle.
• You can store the pickle at room temperature for upto 1 week.Refrigerate if you want to keep it for long.
• For best results,keep the pickle undisturbed for 1 or 2 days for the flavor to develop.
• To avoid  spoilage,you may pour 1 or 2 tbsp boiled and cooled gingelly oil over the pickle.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies and  chili powder , according to your taste.