AVARAKKAI THORAN

 AVARAKKAI THORAN

Ingredients:

1/4 kg avarakkai (green hyacinth beans)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
2 green chilies

For tempering:

1 1/2 tsp coconut oil (or sunflower oil)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp broken urad dal)
1 sprig curry leaf

Method of Preparation

Wash the beans and string them. Trim off both ends of each bean and then finely chop the beans.

In a pan, heat the oil (coconut oil gives an authentic flavor and taste) and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the broken urad gram and sauté till they brown. Now add the curry leaves, stir once and add the beans. Stir fry the beans for a couple of minutes. Add salt and turmeric powder. Turn down the heat and allow the beans to cook till they are done. Take the cooked beans off the heat.

Now run the grated coconut and the green chilies in the jar of your mixer grinder a couple of times, without adding any water. You will have crushed mixture of coconut and chilies, with flecks of the green chilies showing. Do not grind to a paste.These crushing releases the flavors/ juice in the coconut and the chilies. Add this to the beans and stir well to mix.

SWEET CORN SALAD

 SWEET CORN SALAD

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn
1 ripe avocado
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp olive oil

 half a lemon juice

Salt to taste

Pepper Powder – ½ tbsp

Method of Preparation

If using frozen sweet corn, thaw in boiling water.
Prepare the avocado and chop into bite size bits.
Wash the tomatoes and halve them.
Place them all in a bowl. Add the chopped coriander and mint, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Tips
Do toss your salad just when you're ready to serve.

Cucumber Kosumalli

 CUCUMBER KOSUMALLI

Ingredients:
Cucumber - 1, large
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Coconut - 2 tbsp., grated
Juice of 1 Lemon
Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp., chopped
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilies - 2
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Asafetida - a pinch

Method of Preparation
1. Wash and soak dal for 30 minutes. Strain and set aside.
2. Peel and chop cucumber, cut chili into 2 to 3 pieces each.
3. Mix soaked dal, cucumber, coriander leaves, coconut and salt.
4. Add lemon juice.

5. Season mustard seeds in oil and when done add asafetida, green chilies and curry leaves.
6. Add to cucumber, mix thoroughly, chill and serve.

Tips: To make kosumalli healthier you can add grated carrots

AUTHOR'S NOTE FROM MY BOOK PALGHAT IYER SAMAYAL

 

D E D I C A T I O N

To all the men and women who love to cook and eat authentic traditional Palghat Brahmins recipe which have come naturally to us for generations!!

 A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

Smt.K.V. SHANTHA My mother - who generously shared her best recipe and taught me the art of delicious cooking.

Shri. P. VENKATESWARAN My father - who motivated and inspired me to learn the art of cooking

A U T H O R’ S N O T E

 As time passes the tradition of cooking good food at home with simple ingredients which are readily available at home becomes a challenge for working women and men. When we lived in a joint family responsibilities were shared among mother, grandmother, sister. But in today’s life where we try to make both ends meet, the partners working from dawn to dusk and managing children is a balancing act. I rather say it is an ART. When we were young it was mandatory for Brahmins girls to learn cooking and music or dance as art of our rich traditional values. Mother will teach her young children the basic lessons in everyday life. Life skill learning is an essential part of our daily routine, it starts from selecting the best vegetables at reasonably price to wash, peel and cut the vegetables according to different curries and gravies. Now times have changed, neither parents nor the children have the time to teach and learn which require lots of patience and dedication. My book “Palghat Iyer sammayal” is an earnest effort to bring out the best from the different kinds of vegetables and simple ingredients and create delicious, nutritious dishes at home. I would share with my readers a few well kept secrets of traditional cooking which I as a young girl have observed and noted from many elders and guests who visit our home. My parents, brothers and sister being the source of my inspiration followed by my husband and two lovely children. Wishing you all good luck and happy cooking!!

Jayanthi Narayan.

                                                                                                 

Podlangai/snake gourd poduthuval/subzi

Snake Gourd Subzi

 Ingredients: 

2 medium-sized snake gourds, 

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 

1/2 teaspoon urad dal, 

2 dry red chilies broken, 

1 tablespoon coconut or peanut oil, 

2 tablespoons grated coconut, and 1 green chili. 

Method: 

Wash, trim the edges of the snake gourds, cut them in half and then into four lengthwise pieces. 

Remove seeds and slice into small pieces. Grind grated coconut and green chili in pulse mode using a mixer jar and set aside. 

Heat oil in a pan, add urad dal and mustard seeds, allowing it to splutter, then add broken red chilies. 

Add chopped snake gourd and salt, cooking over medium flame until fork-tender. Mix in ground coconut, adjust salt as needed, and serve with rice.

Mixed vegetable rice with leftover rice

The biggest concern many days we have is how to utilize the leftover rice. 

Here is a leftover ka makeover idea.

Mixed vegetables rice.

Ingredients 

1 cup leftover rice 

2 cups Mixed vegetables thinly sliced. 

Ginger,garlic and green chilies thinly sliced

1/2 tsp crushed peppercorns 

1 tsp coriander leaves chopped 

1 tsp mint leaves chopped. 

2 tbsp oil or ghee

A few Cashews and raisins 

Salt as required 

Method 

Crumble the leftover rice and separate the grains. Set aside

Thinly slice mixed vegetable like capsicum,  carrot,  beans, onion, 

Wash and peel thinly slice garlic,ginger and green chilies 

In a pan pour oil, add ginger,garlic and green chilies,  let the garlic turn into bit brownish. 

Add rest of the sliced vegetables,  mix well, add salt  and crushed peppercorns. Let it become fork tender.

Mix in leftover rice. 

Mix well,  coat the cooked vegetables into rice, add coriander and mint leaves. 

Off the stove.

In a smaller pan, pour ghee add Cashews and raisins.  Let it turn into golden. 

Pour on top of the prepared rice.

Serve hot with bhindi raita or raita of your choice.

Palakkad style kozhakkattai with a twist

Palakkad-Style Kozhakkattai with a Twist 

Kozhakkattai in Palakkad homes is a hearty mix of rice, dals, and red chillies — a breakfast that’s rich in both carbs and protein. It’s traditionally served with sambar and chutney.  

I’ve given the classic a small twist. This version is aromatic, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes.

*Ingredients*  

- 1 cup roasted rice rava  

- ½ cup urad dal  

- ½ cup tuvar dal — dry roast both dals and coarsely grind  

- 1 dry Bedagi red chilli, non-spicy  

- Salt to taste  

- ∼4 glasses hot water — use the same cup you used for rava and dals  

- Few curry leaves  

*For tadka*  

- 1 tbsp coconut oil  

- ½ tsp urad dal  

- ½ tsp chana dal  

- ½ tsp mustard seeds  

*Method*  

1. Dry roast rice rava and set aside.  

2. Dry roast urad and tuvar dal, cool, then pulse to a coarse powder. Set aside.  

3. Heat coconut oil in a deep kadai. Add urad dal and chana dal. Roast for a few seconds until golden.  

4. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Toss in curry leaves and the Bedagi chilli.  

5. Add the roasted rice rava and coarsely ground dals. Mix well.  

6. Pour in hot water and salt. Stir continuously to avoid lumps.  

7. Cook on medium-low heat until the water is absorbed and the kozhakkattai dough  comes together. 

8. Make small oval shaped kozhakkattai,  approximately about 25 numbers, steam it in idli steamer for 15 minutes. 

8. Serve hot with sambar and chutney.