Muthusaram

Ingredients:

• Raw rice powder - 3 cups
• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Chana dal - 1 cup
• Sesame seeds (white) - 50 gms
• Asafoetida - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Butter (if required) - 1 lemon sized ball
• Water as required
• Oil for deep frying
  

Method

• Dry roast Moong dal and chana dal separately until it gives off an aroma. Powder them together finely in a mixie.
• Add 1 cup of the moong and chana dal powder to 3 cups of rice powder.
• Add sesame seeds, salt and asafoetida powder. Heat 3 tbsp of oil or the butter and add to the powder.
• Add water little by little and knead until it reaches chapathi dough consistency.
• In a frying pan, heat oil on medium flame.
• Put a star shaped plate in the press, insert a little dough and press directly into the oil.
• Let cook for some time and turn over. When the bubbles in the oil subside remove and transfer into a plate covered with tissue / news paper.
• Cool and store in airtight container.
• Serve with tea / coffee.

Narthangai pickle

Ingredients:


Narthangai - 6 nos
Turmeric sticks - 2
Salt - 1 cup for every 4 cups of narthangai
Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 4 tsp

Method:

• Heat the turmeric sticks and grind them into a coarse powder.
• Roast methi seeds until deep red and grind into a coarse powder.
• Cut the Narthangai into 4 pieces and then cut into 1/2" triangles. Remove seeds.
• For every 4 cups of Narthangai pieces, add 1 cup salt, add the fenugreek and turmeric powder.
• Mix these well and keep aside.
• Stir every day for 2 - 3 days.
• Store in air tight containers.
• Serve with curd rice.

Variation - 4 tsp chilli powder and 2 tsp asafoetida can be added. After 2 days, it can be dried in the sun on a plastic sheet until dry and then stored in air tight containers. This can be used for a year.

Vadigapulli Narthanga pickle

Ingredients:

Vadugapulli Narthanga - 1

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 8

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Method

• Cut the narthangai into 1/2 " cubes.
• For 4 cups of cut narthangai, add 1 cup of salt.
• Pour oil in a deep bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add finely chopped green chillies, turmeric powder and asafoetida.
• Add this to the salted narthangai and keep aside for 2 - 3 days.
• When soft, store in the refrigerator.
• Serve with curd rice.

Mahani pickle

Ingredients

Tender Mahani roots - 1 kg

Red chilli powder (preferably Kashmiri or Byedige)

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 3 tbsp

Lemon - 6 big sized

Curd - 1/2 cup

Salt

Method:

• Peel the skin and remove the thick inner roots.
• Soak them in water for an hour.
• In a vessel, add water, curd and turmeric powder.
• Cut the roots into small cubes - 1 mm size and put them into the water to which curd and turmeric powder were added.
• Wash the mahani roots well.
• Take 1 cup chilli powder and 1 cup of salt for every 6 cups of cut mahani roots.
• Dry roast the mustard seeds lightly and grind to a fine powder.
• Mix mustard powder, chilli powder with a little boiled and cooled water and grind in the mixie. Add to the mahani roots. Add salt and mix well.
• Squeeze the lemon juice into the mahani.
• Keep aside for 2 - 3 days until little soft.
• Add a little boiled and cooled water if required.
• Store in refrigerator in air tight containers.
• Serve with dosa or curd rice.

Sambar powder

Ingredients:

• Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Toor dal - 3 tbsp

• Chana dal - 3 tbsp


• Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1 tbsp


• Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 2 tbsp


• Coriander seeds - 3 cups


• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp


• red chilli powder

• black pepper - 2 tbsp


• Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
  

Method

• Wash and dry the curry leaves.
• Dry roast all ingredients except red chilli powder until the dal turns deep red.
• Grind into a fine powder.
• Add 1 cup red chilli powder for 3 cups of the ground powder.
• Mix well and store in air tight container.

Tomato chutney (thokku)

Ingredients:

• Ripe tomatoes - 1 kg
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry sized ball
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 3 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Jaggery - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
• Red chillies - 3
• Asafoetida - 2 tsp
• Oil - 4 tsp

Method:

• Wash the tomatoes and put them in boiling water. Peel and deseed the tomatoes. Grind the pulp into a fine paste.
• Extract the tamarind pulp and add to the tomato paste.
• Heat 2 tsp oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds and red chillies broken into halves. When the seeds splutter add turmeric powder and the tomato and tamarind extract.
• Cook on low flame in a covered vessel for 30 - 45 mins until it becomes a thick paste and the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• Add salt, chilli powder, jaggery, asafoetida and the remaining oil.
• Simmer on low flame for another 5 - 10 mins.
• Cool and store in air tight container. This can be used for a month if refrigerated.
• Serve with dosa, rice, idli or chapatti

Variation:

1. One tsp of fenugreek (methi) powder can also be added along with chilli powder.
2. Finely chopped onions can also be fried until translucent and added to the tomato paste.

Rice and Chana dal payasam

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups

• Chana dal - 1 tbsp
• Black Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Milk - 2 cups
• Cashew pieces - a few
• Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

• Dry roast the chana dal until red.
• Mix the chana dal with washed rice, 1 cup milk and 1 1/2 cups water and cook in a pressure cooker until 1 whistle. Lower the flame and let cook for another 10 minutes.
• In a pan add jaggery and 1 cup water. Strain the syrup to remove dust / dirt.
• Boil the jaggery syrup and add the cooked rice and chana dal.
• Once it boils and becomes thick, add the remaining milk.
• Roast the cashews in ghee and add.
• Add cardamom powder and serve hot or cold.

Thengai mangai Chammandi (Mango / Coconut chutney)

Ingredients:

• Raw mango (preferably Totapuri / Kilimooku) - 1 peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Green chillies - 4 - 5
• Salt - to taste
• Jaggery - to taste
• Curry leaves - 4 - 5
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cooking oil - 1 tsp

Method:

• Grind mango pieces, coconut, green chillies, salt and jaggery into a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds and urad dal. When the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns red add curry leaves and asafoetida powder.
• Pour this onto the ground chutney and stir.
• Serve with plain rice / rice and molagootal.
  

Keerai Thandu (Spinach stem) Puzhukku

This is again a delicacy from God's own Country "Kerala". A traditional meal is considered incomplete without this delectable.


Ingredients:

• Spinach stem (washed and cut into 1/2 cm pieces) - 1 cup
• Whole green moong - 1/2 cup
• Red Chilli - 1
• Grated coconut - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - a few
• Salt - to taste
• Jaggery - to taste
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp

Method:

• Dry roast the moong in a thick bottomed pan until it turns a deep red. Then soak this in water for 1/2 hour. Pressure cook the roasted, soaked moong.
• Cook the spinach stems with a little water in an open vessel until tender.
• Add salt, jaggery, cooked moong to the spinach stems and bring to a boil.
• Add the red chilli, curry leaves, grated coconut and turn off the stove.
• Add coconut oil and mix well.
• Serve hot with rice and rasam.

Variations:

1. Red chick peas or horse gram can be used instead of whole moong.

2. Spinach stems could be substituted with raw jackfruit, banana stem or raw bananas.

Coconut Powder / Thengai podi

Ingredients:

1 coconut - grated
Urad dal - 50 gms
Channa dal - 25 gms
Red chillies - 15 (vary as per taste)
Asafoetida - 2 tsp
Sesame seeds / Til (white) - 50 gms
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method

• Dry roast the coconut in a deep bottomed pan until it turns a deep red. Set aside.
• Pour oil in the deep bottomed pan and add urad dal, channa dal and red chillies. Roast until it turns a deep red. Set aside.
• Roast sesame seeds separately until deep red and set aside.
• In a mixie, first grind roasted coconut into a coarse powder.
• Next grind roasted urad dal, channa dal and red chillies.
• Then add roasted sesame seeds, salt, asafoetida and grind coarsely.
• Mix and store the powder in airtight container in the refrigerator. This can be stored for more than a month.
• Serve with hot rice. Add oil to the rice if required.

Curry leaves (Karugapallai) powder

Ingredients:

Curry leaves (washed and dried in microwave) - 1 vessel of 1 ltr quantity

• Peppercorns - 4 tsp
• Cumin seeds / Jeera - 3 tsp
• Red Chillies - 2
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Powder the curry leaves finely in a mixie.
• Dry roast all the other ingredients until the dal turns deep brown and grind into a coarse powder.
• Mix this powder with the curry leaves.
• Store in air tight containers. This can be stored for a couple of months without refrigeration.
• Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Idiappam

This is a traditional Keralite breakfast recipe.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
• Coconut oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required

Method:

• Dry roast the rice flour in a thick bottomed pan until it starts changing colour. If you are able to make rangoli / kolam designs with the powder, it is done.
• Add salt and boiling water and mix with a ladle until it becomes a thick dough (chapatti dough consistency). Add coconut oil and stir.
• Put this dough in a idiappam press and make small rounds in an idli plate.
• Steam for 5 - 7 mins until the idiappam is cooked.
• Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with grated coconut and serve hot with vegetable stew.

Water apple (Chambakkai) pickle

Ingredients:

• Water apples - 20 - 25
• Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Clean and cut the water apples into 1/2 cm pieces.
• Pour oil in a thick bottomed pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add asafoetida, chilli and methi powder. Pour this onto the cut water apples.
• Add salt and stir.
• This can be served with curd rice / roti.

Puli Ingi

Ingredients:

• 1 ball tamarind (size of a sweet lime)
• Ginger - 25 gms
• Green Chillies - 10
• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
• Chana dal - 2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds / til - 1 tbsp
• Jaggery - as per taste
• Sesame seed oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Extract pulp from tamarind.
• Pour oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. When the seeds splutter and the dal turns brown add finely chopped ginger and green chillies.
• Fry for a minute. Add tamarind extract.
• When it boils add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
• Let boil for 5 - 10 minutes.
• Dry roast sesame seeds and powder it.
• Add Jaggery to the tamarind extract and let boil for a few more minutes until the jaggery has blended well.
• Add sesame powder and immediately take the extract off the stove.
• Cool and store in airtight containers for 10 - 15 days.
• This can be served with rice / dosa.

Mixed vegetable Paneer subzi

Ingredients:

• Carrots - 2
• Potato - 1 big or 8 small round ones
• Peas - 100 gms
• Sweet corn kernels - 100 gms
• Tomatoes - 2 (deseeded)
• Capsicum - 1
• Onions - 2 small
• Paneer - 100 gms (crumbled)
• Sambar powder - 1 tsp
• Dania powder - 2 tsp
• Jeera powder - 1 tsp
• Kasuri methi - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
• Cumin / Jeera seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

• Clean and chop all vegetables into 1" cubes.
• Cook carrots, potatoes, peas and corn kernels in the microwave for 8 minutes.
• Pour oil in a thick bottomed pan and when hot add jeera. Add onions and fry till they become translucent.
• Add capsicum and fry till they are slightly tender. Add tomatoes pieces. Cover and cook on low flame for 2 minutes. If required add a little water.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder, salt and the remaining boiled vegetables. Cover and cook for 3 minutes on low flame.
• Add dania powder, jeera powder, kasuri methi and crumbled paneer. Stir well on medium flame for a minute.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapattis.

Pulikuthi upperi - 1

This is a simple delicious recipe handed over to me by my mother. The main ingredient is raw bananas.

Ingredients:

Raw Bananas - 3

• Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized ball
• Raw Rice - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Red Chillies - 4 - 5
• Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Buttermilk - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida powder - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - a few
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method

• Wash the bananas, peel the skin, cut them into 2" long pieces with around 1/2 cm thickness.
• Take water in a vessel, add buttermilk and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Soak the raw banana pieces in this mixture.
• Dry roast raw rice, red chillies and methi seeds in a pan until the rice turns a deep brown.
• Cool and coarsely powder in a mixie.
• Extract the pulp from the tamarind and set aside.
• Strain and put the banana pieces into a thick bottomed pan. Pour tamarind extract and enough water to cover the bananas. Add turmeric powder and the prepared rice powder. Stir. Cook on a low flame.
• When the bananas are tender, pour oil in another pan, add mustard seeds and urad dal. when the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns brown, add curry leaves. Pour this on the cooked banana and mix well.
• Serve hot with rasam / keerai molagootal.

There are different versions of pulikuthi upperi. Keep watching this space for the other versions.

Baingan Bharta

Ingredients:
1 large purple brinjal
2 large tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 tbsp curd
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
1 tbsp chopped coriander
Salt to taste
2 tsp oil

Method:

• Clean and dry the brinjal. Smear some oil on the skin of the brinjal and roast on a gas stove until the skin is charred. If you do not like the charred smell, put in the microwave for 3 - 4 mins.
• When the skin is charred and the brinjal cooked from the inside remove and set it aside to cool.
• In the meantime, puree the tomatoes and finely chop the onions.
• In a thick bottomed pan, pour some oil and when hot add the onions. Fry till light brown, add ginger paste, turmeric powder and the tomato puree.
• Bring to a boil. Remove the skin of the brinjal and mash the insides. Add to the pan. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste.
• Beat the curd to remove lumps and add this to the cooked mixture. Let it simmer for a minute and remove from heat. Add chopped coriander and serve hot with chapatti or rice.

Venkazha (Onion) Karuvadam

Ingredients:

• Raw rice - 3 cups
• Sago rice - 1 cup
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida - 3 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Onion - 1/2 kg finely chopped
• Water - as required

Method:

• Soak sago rice overnight or for 8 - 10 hours.
• Clean and soak raw rice for 4 - 5 hours.
• Once the rice is soaked, grind into a fine paste in mixie / grinder. Add salt, chilli powder and asafoetida. Keep aside for 2 - 3 hours.
• Boil some water in a thick bottomed pan and add sago rice to it.
• Cook until it becomes transparent.
• When done, add the ground rice mixture little by little while stirring continuously. This needs to be done carefully to ensure that lumps are not formed.
• Continue stirring continuously for some time, adding more water if the mixture is too thick.
• Remove from the stove when the mixture acquires a shiny look and a thick paste like consistency.
• When cool add the finely cut onions and mix well.
• Lay this mixture on plastic sheets / mats in the shape of irregular balls (size of a gooseberry) and let it dry in the sun. It may take 2 - 3 days to dry completely.
• Store in airtight containers. This can be stored for a couple of years.
• When required, deep fry in oil and serve as starters or with rice and sambar / rasam.

Tip: Plan a day in advance. Soak sago and raw rice in the morning. Grind rice by noon. At night cook the mixture and set aside to cool over night. Add onions in the morning and dry in the sun.

Moru molagai

Ingredients:

• Green chillies (small bell shaped variety that are not very pungent) - 500 gms
• Curd
• Urad dal - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt

Method

• Wash the chillies thoroughly, trim their stalks (do not remove them completely, just cut the extra long ones) and slit them in the middle.
• Measure the chillies with a bowl. For every 3 bowls of chillies add 1 bowl of salt.
• Add curd until the chillies are completely soaked.
• Soak urad dal and methi seeds for 2 - 3 hours or until they are soft. Coarsely grind them and add to the chillies and curd.
• Stir the mixture and keep aside for 2 - 3 days stirring once or twice a day.
• Once they are soaked and the green colour changes to a light brown, dry them in the sun throughout the day.
• In the evening put them back into the remaining curd.
• Repeat this daily until the curd is completely soaked in by the chillies.
• Dry them nicely and store in airtight containers.
• When required, deep fry them in oil and serve with curd rice or dosa. They can also be added to coconut avil (poha), kara appam or kozhakattai instead of red chillies.

Mangai curry

A popular summer special that celebrates the beginning of the mango season!

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango - 1 (this can be made with any variety but the totapuri (also known as kilimooku) variety would taste best)
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Fenugreek powder / menthya powder - 1/2 tsp (dry roast methi seeds till brown and powder)
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

• Cut the mango into small long pieces (as shown above).
• Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.
• When they splutter, add asafoetida, chilli powder, methi powder.
• Add this to the mango pieces.
• Add salt and stir.
• This can be stored in the refrigerator for about 10 days. Serve with rice, chapatti or dosa.

Maida Vdam

This is a simpler version of the traditional arisi vdam, easy to make with a great taste. These are especially handy on festive occasions or when unexpected guests drop in.

Ingredients:

• Maida - 1/2 kg
• Chilli powder - 3 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• White til (sesame seeds) - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Water

Vessels required: Pressure cooker or a closed vessel with lid; vdam stand and vdam plates (easily available in south Indian stores that deal with steel utensils)

Method:

• Mix Maida, chilli powder, asafoetida, salt and sesame seeds. Add water until it is of dosa batter consistency and without any lumps. If you are not able to mix it properly by hand, you could use the mixie or grinder to mix (for larger quantities) and add the sesame seeds later.
• Add 1 tsp oil to a bowl of water and wipe the vdam plates with a small piece of cotton cloth dipped in this mixture. Spread the prepared batter like a dosa on the vdam plate (refer picture shown above).
• Arrange the plates in the Vdam stand. Pour a little water in the pressure cooker and place a small bowl filled with water in the centre. Heat. Once the water starts boiling, place the vdam stand in the water and cover with lid (do not use whistle).
• Wait for 5 mins and check if the vdams are done. They are done if they appear shiny.
• Take the vdam plates out and leave them to cool for a minute. Once cool, you can peel off the vdams from the plate and arrange one on top of the other.
• Spread out a plastic sheet on the ground and dry the vdams in the sheet. Place one next to the other on the sheet. When half dry, turn them over. If you want them to remain flat, place them one on top of the other when half dry and place a heavy weight over it. Next day, dry them in the sun.
• Store them in airtight containers. They can be stored for a couple of years or at least until the next summer.
• When required, deep fry in oil and serve. They can be served plain as starters with soup or with rice and sambar / rasam, etc.

Tip: Cover the kitchen work table with newspapers before commencing. Beginners may find this quite messy.

Aam ras

This is a simple and common recipe but am including this in my diaries as it is an all time favourite in my family across all generations.

Ingredients: Ripe sweet Mangoes (preferably of the alphonso variety) - 4 big; sugar - 2 tbsp (will vary according to the sweetness of the mangoes); dry ginger powder - 2 tsp; black cardamom powder - 1 1/2 tsp; kewra essence (if reqd) - 2 -3 drops

Method:

• Extract pulp from the mangoes, add sugar and beat it into a smooth paste.
• Add dry ginger powder, black cardamom powder and kewra essence.
• Cool in the refrigerator before serving.
• Aam ras is excellent when served on its own - either as desert or separately. They also make a great combination with puris.

Tinned mango pulp can also be used if fresh mangoes are not available.

vazhakkai poduthuval

This is a simple quick recipe very popular in south indian households. However am penning it for the benefit of other readers.

Ingredients: Raw Bananas - 3 medium sized (chopped into 1/2 " cubes); turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; grated coconut - 1 tbsp; green chillies - 3; mustard seeds - 2 tsp; urad dal - 2 tsp; oil - 1 tsp; curry leaves - a few; salt - to taste.
Method:

• Boil the bananas in a pan / microwave with a little water and turmeric powder until tender.
• In a thick bottomed pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal and when they splutter add the curry leaves. To this, add the boiled raw bananas and salt.
• Grind coconut and green chillies and add to the bananas.
• Serve hot with rice and rasam / sambar / moru kootan.

Jeera Rasam

This is a different variety of the Jeera Rasam. My mother in law used to grind together certain ingredients to make this rasam which is low in calories and rich in taste. This is especially recommended for people suffering from cold or an upset tummy.

Ingredients: Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball; Toor Dal - 2 tsp; jeera - 3 tsp; coriander / dania seeds - 2 tsp; curry leaves - a few; pepper balls - 1 tsp; red chilli - 1; turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; sambar powder - 1/2 tsp; asafoetida - 1/2 tsp; mustard seeds - 1 tsp; ghee - 1/2 tsp; salt - to taste

Method:

• Pour hot water on the tamarind and set aside for 5 mins. Make a paste of tamarind. Pour this extract into a thick bottomed pan.
• Soak 5 - 6 curry leaves, 1 red chilli, 2 tsp toor dal, 2 tsp jeera, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tsp coriander seeds in a little hot water and let soak for 15 mins. Grind into a paste and add to the tamarind extract.
• Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp asafoetida, 1/2 tsp sambar powder to the extract and let boil for 5 minutes. Add salt.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves and pour this into the tamarind extract.
• Serve hot with rice and roasted pappad.

Variation: If you need a quick rasam and do not have the time to grind, just use pepper, jeera, chilli and coriander powder. That would taste slightly different from the above version.

Pumpkin Erissery

Ingredients: Raw Pumpkin - 1/2 kg (washed and cut into 1/4 " cubes); Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cups; curry leaves - a few; Red chilli - 1; mustard seeds - 1 tsp; jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tsp; urad dal - 1 tsp; oil - 1 tsp; turmeric powder - a pinch; salt - to taste

Method:

• Boil the pumpkin until tender with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt
• Grind 1 cup coconut, cumin seeds and red chilli into a fine paste and add to the boiled pumpkin. Add little water if required and bring to a boil.
• In a thick bottomed pan, add a little oil, mustard seeds and urad dal. When the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns red, add curry leaves and remaining coconut. Fry till golden brown and add to the pumpkin.
• Serve hot with rice. This goes well with Menthya puli / puli ingi.

Variation: If you are health conscious and do not want to use so much coconut, you can add 1/2 cup of cooked bengal gram dal to the pumpkin and grind 1/4 cup coconut instead of 1 cup mentioned above. The coconut to be fried can also be reduced to 1/4 cup.

You can substitute raw pumpkin with broad beans (Avarakkai), drumsticks or small onions. The method remains the same.

Menthya Puli

This is traditional keralite recipe handed down to my mother in law from earlier generations.

Ingredients: Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball; Raw rice - 2 tablespoons; Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoon; Red chillies - 4 - 5; Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp; turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; green chillies - 2 - 3 (slit in the middle); mustard seeds - 1 tsp; urad dhal - 1 tsp; channa dal - 1/2 tsp; jaggery - 1 lemon sized ball; oil - 1 tsp; salt - to taste

• Method:


• Pour some hot water on the tamarind and soak for 5 minutes. Extract paste from the tamarind and keep aside.


• In a thick bottomed pan, fry together rice, methi seeds and red chillies till golden brown. Cool and grind into a coarse powder. Keep aside.


• Pour oil in the thick bottomed pan and when hot add mustard seeds, urad dhal and channa dhal. When the seeds splutter and the dhal turns red, add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Add tamarind paste and green chillies. Add a little water if required.


• When the paste comes to a boil, add the prepared powder, jaggery and salt. Let it cook for 7 - 8 minutes.


• Cool. This can be stored in the fridge for about 10 days. This goes well with Dosa, idli or rice (especially molagootal / erissery).