Kadala Parippu Pradhaman / Chana Dal Payasam

          

Parippu Pradhaman

Ingredients:-
Chana dal – 13/4 cup
Sago pearls / Chowari – 3 rounded tbsp.
Jaggery – 600 grams ( Use the brown colored one. I used 450 g Royal & 150 g TDM brand)
Moonam paal – 1/4 cup (/use 1 rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Randaam paal – 3 tea mugs / 750 ml. (/ use 6 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup / 100 ml.(/ use 1heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry ginger powder – 1/4 tsp
Cashews – 2 tbsp.
Raisins – 1 tbsp.
Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp.
Coconut cuts – 2 tbsp.
Ghee as needed

Method:-
Soak the tapioca pearls in hot water for 1 hr. Put it in boling water and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Drain the water completely and reserve this cooked sago.

Heat 2 tsp. ghee and roast the chana dal till very hot for 2 minutes. Wash it several times under running water. Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker adding 1 rounded tbsp ghee  and 3.5 cups water. Simmer for 20 minutes after 1st whistle. Open the cooker when the pressure subsides and let the cooked dal cool slightly. Mash this dal to a paste ( I used my mixer/grinder). Mix the moonam paal with this paste and make it slightly loose.

Melt the jaggery adding 3/4 cup water. Strain it to remove any dirt. Add the cooked chana paste and 1 rounded tbsp ghee. Bring it to a boil. ( I used a non- stick pan). Lower heat to medium – low & cover cook for 25 minutes, stirring occassionally. When the mixture starts to get dry keep stirring for 10 more minutes, till the whole thing gets dry.






Now add the randaam paal and mix well. Let boil. Lower heat to medium- low and cook it till it becomes thick for 20 – 25 minutes.

Finally add the cooked tapioca pearls, the thick coconut milk, cardamom powder, cumin powder and dry ginger powder. Mix well, bring it to a very slow boil & remove immediately from heat.

Toast the cashews, raisins, coconut cuts & sesame seeds seperately and pour into the payasam. Keep the payasam covered for 3 – 4 hours till it reaches the PATHRAPAAKAM.

Soy Chunks Koottu Curry

             

Soak 11/2 cups of soy chunks in water for 2 hours, squeeze the excess water & cut each chunk into 2.

Heat 11/2 tbsps of coconut/canola oil & saute 2 medium onions cut into square pieces. Add 1 tsp of red chilly powder, 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder & 3/4 tsp of pepper powder; fry on low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add soy chunks & saute for a minute on medium high heat.. Add 1 cup of thin coconut milk (randaampaal) & enough salt; bring to a boil. Cover cook on low heat for 15-10 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk & 3/4 tsp of garam masala powder & remove from heat immediately.

Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a wok. Splutter 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds. Add 2 sprigs of curry leaf & 2 dry red chillies. Pour this seasoning over the curry.

This goes well with rice & roti.

Aval Pazhapradhaman

          

Aval Pazham Pradhaman

Ingredients:-
Kerala Banana – 5 numbers, very ripe ( around 1 kg.)
Red rice flakes – 1 cup
Ghee – 3 tbsp
Sago pearls / Chowari – 1/4 cup
Jaggery – 400 grams ( Use more if your bananas are less sweet)
Moonam paal – 1/4 cup (/use 1 rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Randaam paal – 3 tea mugs / 750 ml. (/ use 6 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Thick coconut milk – 1  cup / 200 ml.(/ use 3 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry ginger powder – 1/4 tsp
Cashews – 2 tbsp.
Raisins – 1 tbsp.
Coconut cuts – 2 tbsp.

Method:-
Heat 1 tbsp ghee & roast the rice flakes till crispy for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Transfer to a plate & keep aside.

Soak the tapioca pearls in hot water for 1 hr. Put it in boling water and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Drain the water completely and reserve this cooked sago.

Cook the sliced bananas in a pressure cooker adding 1 tbsp ghee  and 1.5 cups water. Simmer for 30 minutes after the 1st whistle. Open the cooker when the pressure subsides ( the banana will change it’s color to red) and let the cooked banana cool slightly. Grind this banana to a paste ( I used my mixer/grinder). Mix the moonam paal with this paste and make it slightly loose.

The cooked bananas

Melt the jaggery adding water. Strain it to remove any dirt. Add the cooked banana paste and 1 rounded tbsp ghee. Bring it to a boil. ( I used a non- stick pan). Lower heat to medium – low & cover cook for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. When the mixture starts to get dry keep stirring for 15 more minutes, till the whole thing gets dry.




Now add the randaam paal, the rice flakes and mix well. Let boil. Lower heat to medium- low and cook it till it becomes thick for 10-15 minutes.

Finally add the cooked tapioca pearls, the thick coconut milk, cardamom powder, cumin powder and dry ginger powder. Mix well, bring it to a very slow boil & remove immediately from heat.
Toast the cashews, raisins & coconut cuts seperately and pour into the payasam. Keep the payasam covered for 3 – 4 hours till it reaches the PATHRAPAAKAM.

Note:-
Never use milk for making this pradhaman. As the bananas are sour it will curdle, so use only coconut milk for making this.
To make thick coconut milk add 200 ml of lukewarm water to 3 cups of grated coconut & run it in your mixer for sometime. Squeeze & strain the extract. Repeat to make the randaampaal & moonampaal.

Kerala Sambar

          

Kerala Sambar

Kerala sambar is a mixed vegetable lentil soup served hot with rice, idli, dosa and vadas. It has many vegetables added to it .However, the basic process of making the sambar remains the same.

The process involves 4 steps:-
1.Cooking the toor dal and mashing it.
2.Preparing the sambar masala.
3.Cooking the vegetables with sambar masala and other spices.
4.Adding the mashed toor dal and asafoetida to the cooked veggies and boiling it for a couple of minutes more.

The following vegetables are usually added to the sambar
Ashguord
Brinjal
Pumpkin
Ladies finger
Carrot
Tindly
Beans
Guar beans
Snakeguord
Potato
Elephant yam / Suran
Taro
Plantain
Drumstick
You don’t need to have all these vegetables. Anything will do except bitterguord, beetroot etc.This is my favourite recipe for Sambar.

Ingredients:-
Toor Dal – 1/2 cup
Curry leaf – 1 sprig
Onion – 1 big (cut into 4)
Shallots – 8 big
Brinjal – 11/2 cup
Plantain – 1 cup
Carrot – ¼ cup
Red pumpkin – ¼ cup
Guar beans – ¼ cup
Snakeguord – ¼ cup
Drumstick – 1
Ashguord – ¼ cup
Ladiesfinger – ½ cup
( I have used 4 cups  of chopped vegetables)
Tomato – 1 big ( cut into half)
Green chillies slit – 4
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp +1/4 tsp
Tamarind – a small gooseberry sized ball
Oil as needed
Salt as needed
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida(Kaayam) – ¼ tsp
Jaggery – a small piece / as needed to balance all the flavours

For Sambar powder:-
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds – 2 tsp (heaped)
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Peepercorns- ½ tsp
Chana dal – 1 tsp
Methi seeds – ½ tsp
Urad dal split – ½ tsp
For Popping:-
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red chillies – 3
Curry Leaves – a sprig
Ghee – 1 tsp

Method:-
Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water, squeeze and strain the tamarind extract. Reserve.
Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker adding ¼ tsp turmeric powder, a sprig curry leaf and 2 tsp coconut oil. Simmer for 10 minutes after 1^st whistle. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.




Roast the grated coconut adding 1 tsp coconut oil till golden brown and keep aside. Roast together chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds and peppercorns in 1 tsp coconut oil for 2 minutes. Grind the roasted dal and spices along with the coconut adding little water to a smooth paste. This is the sambar masala.




Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add onion, shallots and greenchillies. Sauté for a minute. Add all the veggies (except ladies finger) and sauté for a minute.



Transfer to a pressure cooker. Add the sambar masala, 13/4 cups water, ¼ cup tamarind extract, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and 2 tsp salt. Simmer for 5 minutes after 1^st whistle .Let the pressures completely subside before opening.

The cooked veggies

Cook the ladies finger separately with salt and water for 15 minutes.
Add the mashed dal, asafoetida powder, cooked ladies finger, ½ cup water, enough salt and jaggery to the cooked veggies. Let boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and remove from heat.


 Heat ghee in a pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter. Add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Now add the seasoning to the sambar and serve hot with steamed rice.

Rasam

      

Ingredients:-
Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Curry leaf – 3 sprigs
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Tamarind – a gooseberry sized ball
Water - 3 3/4  cups
Tomato - 2 numbers, big, each cut into 4 pieces
Salt as needed
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder -  3/4 tbsp
Powdered methi – 1/4 tsp
Garlic – 4 big cloves
Peppercorns – 11/2 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Dry red chilly – 1 number + 2 numbers
Ginger – 1 tsp, grated
Jaggery – a small piece/ as needed to balance the flavours
Cilantro – 2 tbsp ( also use the stems as they contain more flavour)
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Method:-
Soak the tamarind ball in 1/4 cup of hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze & strain the tamarind extract.
Cook the dal adding 11/4 cups of water, 1 tsp of coconut oil, 1 sprig curry leaf & 1/4 tsp turmeric powder in your pressure cooker. Simmer for 15 minutes after the first whistle. Add the tamarind extract, tomato pieces, 1 sprig of curry leaf, powdered methi, asafoetida powder, 3 3/4 cups of water & salt to the cooked dal; bring to a boil. Cover cook for 5 -10 minutes.

Crush the garlic cloves, ginger, peppercorns, cumin seeds & 1 dry red chilly using your mortar & pestle. Add this to the boiling rasam, mash the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. Add the coriander powder, powdered jaggery & bring to a final boil.

Strain this rasam & discard the residue. Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil; splutter the mustard seeds, add 1 sprig of curry leaf & 2 dry red chillies. Pour this seasoning over the rasam. Garnish the rasam with the cilantro. Have this rasam hot.