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.
  
  

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.

Kerala style Egg and Potato Curry

Kerala Style Egg and Potato Curry

Kerala style egg and potato curry.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 5
Recipe source : Suriani Pachakam by Bava.R.Lukose
Ingredients:

1. Hard boiled eggs- 5 to 6
2. Onion,sliced - 2 medium( appr 1 cup)
3. Ginger,finely chopped - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic,finely chopped - 1 tbsp
5. Green chilies,cut vertically - 4( or according to taste)
6. Thin coconut milk - 2 cups
7. Potato ,cubed - 2 small(appr 1 cup)
8. Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
9. Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
10. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
11. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
12. Shallots,sliced - 1 tbsp
13. Salt - to taste
14. Oil - as required

For Masala paste:

1. Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tsp
2. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cinnamon - 1" piece
6. Cloves - 4
7. Water - as required

Instructions:

In a blender,combine together all the ingredients listed under ' For masala paste' ,grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside until required.

Heat oil in a pan,add onion and saute until it turns golden.

Add ginger,garlic and green chilies.Saute  until raw smell leaves.Now reduce the flame to low and add the prepared masala paste.

Cook ,stirring continuously ,until the masala starts to leave the sides of the pan.Next add thin coconut milk,potato and vinegar.

Mix well ,cover and cook over medium flame until the potatoes are soft.

Once the gravy turns thick,add thick coconut milk and salt to taste.Add the boiled eggs.

Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Now add curry leaves and shallots.Saute until it turns golden brown. 

Pour this over the curry and switch off the stove..Cover and keep aside for about 10 minutes before serving.Serve with appam,idiappam,chapathi or pathiri. 

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of green chilies and  chili powder , according to your taste.
• I halved the recipe ,as you can see in the pics.

Kerala Squid-Coconut Roast (Kanava/Calamari/Koonthal - Coconut Roast)

Kerala Squid-Coconut Roast

Kerala style spicy squid roast with coconut.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients:

1. Squid,cleaned and sliced- 500 gms
2. Onion,chopped - 1 cup
3. Shallots ,sliced - 1/4 cup
4. Ginger,finely chopped - 1" piece
5. Green chilies,cut into two - 4( or according to taste)
6. Kashmiri chili powder - 2 tsp( or according to taste)
7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Garam masala - 1.5 tsp
10. Water - as required
11. Salt - to taste
12. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
13. Dry red chilies ,cut into two -1 or 2
14. Curry leaves - 1 or 2 sprigs
15. Coconut oil - as required

For Coconut paste:

1. Grated coconut- 1 cup
2. Garlic - 1 large clove

Instructions:

Coarsely grind together grated coconut and garlic.Keep aside until required.

Heat oil in a non- stick pan or a heavy bottomed pan .Add onion,shallots,ginger and green chilies.Saute until onion turns golden brown.

Reduce flame to low,add kashmiri chili powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder and garam masla and saute for about 30 seconds.

Add squid ,sufficient quantity of water and salt to taste.Cover and cook over medium flame until done and gravy turns thick.

Once the gravy turns thick,move the squid masala over to one side of the pan.( Use another pan if desired).Pour 2 tsp oil .

Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Now add curry leaves and red chilies,saute for few seconds.Add the coconut - garlic mixture .

Saute the coconut mixture for few seconds.Mix this along with the squid masala and cook for about a minute. 

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of green chilies and  chili powder , according to your taste.