Koorka Mezhukkupuratti/Chinese Potato Fry

Ingredients

Chinese potato/Koorka - 300 gm, Peeled and Cleaned (I used cooked and frozen koorka bought from Indian store- Tulsi brand)

Long beans (optional ) - 100 gm , Cleaned and cut 

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2-3 

Red chillies -6-8

Shallots -10 nos

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Salt

Oil 

Method

1. Cook the cleaned koorka and long beans in enough water with turmeric powder and split green chillies .

2. When water dries and the koorka is done, remove from heat and keep aside

3.Crush the shallots and red chillies together in a mortar or just give a pulse in the mixer .

4. Heat oil in a pan and saute the the crushed shallot-red chilly mix until the raw smell goes .

5. Add the cooked koorka- payar to this and saute well. 

6. Add salt and chilli powder and mix well .You can avoid chilli powder if you don't want hot mezhukkupuratty .

7.Reduce the heat to low and keep the pan for 10 minutes or so, with occasional stirring .

8.When it is done remove from heat and serve hot with rice!!

Ethakkappam/Pazham pori /Banana fritters

Ingredients
Ripe Bananas (Ethappazham )- 2 
All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin- 1 tsp
Sugar-2 1/2 tbsp
Cooking oil - 1/2 cup


Method
1. Mix Flour , turmeric powder, cumin, and sugar together .Add water and make thick batter.Make sure there are no lumps in it by mixing with hand /spoon
2. Peel bananas and cut them into half and again make it into 2 or 3 pieces vertically
3. Dip and coat the banana pieces in batter 
4. Heat oil in deep pan and when it is hot , Drop  the coated bananas one by one to oil . Turn them in between and fry until its golden in color 
5. Remove with a slotted ladle and drain on a paper towel.

Kozhuval Peera /Meen Peera /Chooda peera pattichathu /Anchovy stir fry

Ingredients
Kozhuval/Chooda/Anchovy - 250 gm
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup 
Green chilies - 3 or 4
Shallots /Onion -  1/4 cup Sliced
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Powder  1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 Medium piece
Curry leaves - 1sprig
Salt - as required
Oil - 1tbsp(coconut oil preferred)
Kudampuli/Kokum- 1 or 2 pieces


Method
1. Clean and Wash the fish .Add 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder to water and keep the fish in this water for 15 minutes . Then wash the fish by changing water 3 or 4 times. This will help to remove the bad odor of fish
2. Crush/Grind the coconut, green chillies , shallots, all powders ,ginger together ,either in a mixer or by your hand .If it is in a mixer pulsing is enough.
3. Combine the fish pieces, coconut mixture ,and kudampuli in a manchatti /pan .Add around 1 cup of water.
Cook in medium heat with occasional gentle stirring Take care while stirring because the fish breaks easily .  It will take only 10 or 15 minutes to cook .
4. Add coconut oil and crushed curry leaves . 
OR
If you want tempering , to give a final touch , Splutter mustard seeds in coconut oil and add this to the fish mixture.(Optional)
Serve with rice 

Kappayum Meenum Mulaku Pottichathum

Kappa Puzhukku / Mashed tapioca 
Tapioca - 500 gms / 2 tubers 
Grated coconut -1 cup
Green chillies- 4-5 
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic - 1/2 cloves 
Shallots - 3 
Cumin- 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Coconut Oil
Method
1. Peel and clean tapioca tubers , Make them into medium sized cubes 
2. Boil water in a pot and add tapioca. After 5-8 minutes when the water becomes starchy, drain the water and add fresh water .(Repeat this if your tapioca is very starchy) . 
3. Add turmeric powder and salt to this and cook the tapioca till it is ready to mash . Drain if there is excess water
4. Meanwhile crush the grated coconut, green chillies , shallots,few curry leaves , cumin and garlic together 
5. Add the coconut mixture to the cooked tapioca and mix well .
6. Finally add 1 tbsp coconut oil and mix 

Serve with mulaku pottichathu or the famous Kerala fish curry  !!!
Kerala fish curry
Ingredients
Fish -1kg washed cut and cleaned 
Kashmiri Chilly Powder/Piriyan mulaku podi- 2 tbsp
Red chilly powder- 1/2 tbsp or 2 green chillies
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder- 1tbsp
Cumin Powder- a pinch
Shallots- 1/2 cup chopped
Ginger-1 tbsp,crushed
Garlic- 1tbsp crushed
Fenugreek -1/2 tsp
Kudampuli/Kokum/Garcinia- 3-4 numbers, washed and soaked in water
Mustard
Cooking Oil (coconut oil preferred)
Curry leaves

Directions

1. Make a paste with all the powders in a blender using enough water

2. Heat oil in a chatti/vessel and splutter mustard seeds, Add fenugreek ,when they turn brown add chopped shallots,ginger garlic,and green chillies(if using).Saute until the shallots turn brown

3. Reduce the heat and add the paste and stir until oil separates.

4. Add 2 cups water(more if required)soaked kudampuli and salt and allow it to boil.When boiling ,slide the fish pieces into the chatti /vessel.Throw in some curry leaves.

5.Close with a lid and allow it to cook (around 15-20 minutes)with occasional swirling of the chatti

6. When the fish is cooked,remove the lid and keep until gravy thickens or until the desired thickness is obatined.

7. Switch off the stove.Crush some curry leaves with hands and pour 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil along with the crushed curry leaves.Close and allow to cool.Check salt and adjust.

Note : Keeping the curry for atleast 6-8 hours undisturbed before serving will increase the taste.

Mulaku pottichathu /Onion -red chilly chutney
Shallots -10 ,chopped
Red chillies - 6-8
Curry leaves 
Tamarind - a pinch 
Oil - 1-2 tbsp
Method
1. Heat oil in a pan, Saute red chillies and remove it from oil 
2. Now to the same oil add the shallots and curry leaves 
Saute till it is soft and brown in color.Remove from oil
3. When it is cool, grind /pulse in a mixer along with salt and tamarind
4. Add oil (coconut oil adds taste) to the  mix and serve with Kappa 

This is good for Idli and Dosa also

Olan / Ashgourd stew

Ingredients
Ash gourd chopped - 1 cup
Chembu(Taro/Arvi/Colocasia ) or Potato diced -1/2 cup(optional)
Red chori/Vanpayar - 1/2 cup cooked
Green chillies - 2 or 3 split lengthwise
Thin coconut milk - 1 cup
Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt
Coconut Oil - 1tbsp


Method
1. Remove the rind and seeds from ash gourd ,clean and cut it into small square pieces 
2. Peel and clean the taro/potato and cut it into small square pieces
3. Cook these two along with green chillies ,cooked payar and salt in water . 
4. When water evaporates add thin coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add thick coconut milk and switch off the stove .
6. Add 1 tbsp pf coconut oil along with hand crushed curry leaves
Serve with rice 

Vazhachundu Thoran /Banana flower stir fry

Ingredients 
Banana Flower /Vazhachundu - 1
Cooked red chori/moong dal /toor dal - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Garlic /Shallots -1 or 2 (optional)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Red chillies -2 or 3
Mustard- 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil (coconut oil prefered)
Salt - as required 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Method
To remove the stain -:
1. Mix water with salt, turmeric powder and half tsp oil in a bowl .
2. Clean and remove the 3 /4 outer layers of vazhachundu .Chop it finely .or You can use a food processor. Put the chopped flower in the above water for about 15 minutes .
3. After 15 minutes , take them out and squeeze the water out. 


To cook -:
1. Crush grated coconut ,green chillies, cumin and garlic /shallots together 
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds .Then add curry leaves and split red chillies 
3.Add the chopped vazhachundu and salt along with half cup of water .
4. When it is half done , add the crushed coconut mix and cooked  red chori/moong dal /toor dal. 
5.Close with a lid and cook till the water gets completely dried.
Serve hot with rice 

Chemmeen Muringakka Curry /Shrimp Drumstick curry

Ingredients
Shrimp - 10 , cleaned
Drumstick- 1 cut into 3-4 pieces of 5cm length
Onion - 1/2 sliced   
Tomato - 1/ 2 diced
Kudampuli/Kokum - 1 piece soaked in water for 15 min
Salt as required
For Grinding
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel- 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Shallots - 1 or 2
Green chillies- 2
Tempering
Oil - 1tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Shallots - 2 sliced round
Red chillies- 2-3
Curry leaves - 1sprig
Method 
1. Cook the Shrimp, drumstick , onion, tomato kudampuli and salt in a pan with half cup of water for 5-8 minutes.
2. Grind the ingredients under For Grinding  together to a smooth paste 
3. Add this paste to the cooked shrimp and close the pan with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes and turn off heat 
4. Heat oil in another pan and splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies , sliced shallots and curry leaves  When shallots turn golden yellow color , pour this into the cooked curry 
Serve hot with rice