Pista Burfi (Pistachio Burfi)

WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2011

The image of pista burfi in my mind is the one with a nice even green color. But today I realized that without the colorant it won't look that green, although it tasted the same. Also, I realized that saffron (kesar) has such a strong flavor that only a few strands are needed for the aroma that you are longing for (I think I added a little too much today)!!! That was a big relief for me after the shock that I had seeing the grocery bill for a small box of saffron :)
Recipe Courtesy: Lakshmi's Taste of Mysore

Red Radish Greens Stir-fry (Poriyal / Thoran)

I never knew that radish greens are edible. There was some left over greens from the two bunches of red radish that I bought the other day. I was glad to know that the greens are edible and made this delicious stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: Padhus Kitchen

Red Radish Potato Stir-fry

This is a simple stir-fry with the small round red radish and potato. The bright red skin of the radish turns to pale red when cooked. Loved the yummy stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: Uma's Trendy Relish
Recently, I learned something very scary about potatoes. The sprouts that we see on potatoes that are stored for a long period of time are toxic and so are the green colored part (chlorophyll due to excessive exposure to sun) that we sometimes see on the inside of the skin of some potatoes. The flesh of such potatoes, if still firm, are edible, but care needs to be taken to completely remove the sprout or any green skin before cooking. Scary, huh, I never knew about it!!!

Kale Potato Stir-fry (Aloo Kale Sabzi)

This is the first time I'm trying kale (curly leaved Scots kale) and it tastes very similar to collard greens that I tried recently. This made me think, once wilted does all greens taste the same? Not really, huh! Potato and kale got together very nicely just like potato and spinach. The recipe that I followed calls for grinding roasted chana dal and coconut for gravy, but I left them as such because I wanted to make a crunchy dry curry.
Recipe Courtesy: Suganya's Tasty Palettes

Kerala Style Mussel Stir-fry (Nadan Kallummakkaya Stir-fry)

This is Kerala style mussel stir-fry which could be served as an appetizer or as a side dish. I used the New Zealand green shell mussel which is available in half shells in the frozen section of the grocery stores here. After defrosting, the flesh can be easily removed from the shell using a sharp knife.
Recipe Courtesy: Adukala Vishesham

Beef Ularthiyathu (Kerala Style Beef Stir-fry)

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

This is Kerala style beef ularthu where chopped marinated beef is cooked first and then stir fried with more spices. It could be served with both rice and chapathi.
Recipe Courtesy: Sarah's Vazhayila

Cabbage Egg Stir-fry (Thoran)

Cabbage and egg is a great combination for thoran. This can be served as a side dish with rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Lekshmi's Adukkala

Green Swiss Chard and Azuki Beans (Red Chori) Curry

I'm in love with swiss chard now which tastes very similar to amaranth. This time I bought the green swiss chard. It makes a good combination with azuki beans and the side dish could be served with rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Annarasa Essence of Food...

Mixed Sprouts Stir-fry (Thoran)

This is a nutritious dish which could be served as a snack or side dish with rice or roti. Sprouts of green gram (moong), azuki beans (red chori), black chick pea and fenugreek are used for making this stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: Yummy O Yummy

Also participating in The Well Seasoned Cook's MLLA # 30

Carrot Thoran (Carrot Coconut Stir-fry)

Carrot thoran is a very nutritious and mildly sweet side dish that goes with rice. Sweetness can be reduced by adding more green chilli or red chilli powder. The recipe that I followed calls for the addition of shredded bell pepper which is an interesting twist. I'll try that next time.
Recipe Courtesy: Live to Eat

Celery Egg Stir-fry (Poriyal)

Celery is one of the very few vegetables that my son likes and this stir-fry is one of his favorites. Celery has a strong flavor and it makes a perfect combination with egg for a stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: VahRehVah.com

Red Swiss Chard Sambar

A variation from the usual sambar that I make at home. I loved this leafy sambar too. Swiss chard gives a mild flavor to the sambar but it doesn't taste much different from the regular sambar since the taste of sambar mostly depends on the sambar powder that we add.
Recipe Courtesy: Daily Musings

Shrimp Korma (Prawn in Creamy Gravy)

This is a creamy shrimp korma in a yogurt-coconut-cashew gravy. This could be served as a side dish with idli, dosa, rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Speciality Recipes From My(e) Kitchen

Collard Greens Thoran (Stir-fry with Coconut)

Collard Greens is a very healthy leafy vegetable rich in nutrients with medicinal values. It tastes very similar to drumstick leaves. I couldn't resist to try this thoran since I'm a fan of drumstick leaves.
Recipe Courtesy: From My Home Kitchen

Payar Thoran (Yard Long Beans Stir-fry with Coconut)

There are different varieties of Yard long beans (payar) which differ in color, size and apperance.This is a typical Kerala thoran with the dark green payar that we get in the grocery stores here.
Recipe courtesy: Malabar Spices

Gajar Ki Sabzi (Carrot Stir-fry with Milk)

This is Andhra style carrot stir-fry modified with a dash of milk. I made the dish really spicy to reduce the sweetness of carrot and the addition of milk did magic to this  delicious stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: Honey, What's Cooking

Tomato Curry in Coconut Gravy

This is a simple tomato curry in coconut gravy. It could be served as a side dish with rice, idli or dosa.
Recipe Courtesy: Salt and Spice

Vazhuthananga Theeyal (Eggplant / Brinjal in roasted Coconut Gravy)

I found this pale green brinjal (like the one that we get in Kerala) in the grocery store here and grabbed one bagful for a theeyal. Just like any other theeyal, brinjals are cooked in tamarind juice along with ground roasted coconut and spices for making this delicious side dish.
Recipe Courtesy: Annita's My Treasure...My Pleasure

Red Swiss Chard Thoran (Stir-fry with Coconut)

Red Swiss Chard tastes very similar to Kerala's Red Cheera (Red Amaranth or Hopi Red Dye Amaranth or Chinese Spinach). I love greens and this stir fry forms a nutricious side dish with rice.
Recipe Courtesy: Sarah's Vazhayila

Ishtu (Potato Stew in Coconut Milk)

Ishtu or potato stew is another Kerala delight that is served with appam, chapathi etc. Potatoes are cooked in creamy coconut milk gravy along with a medley of spices. It's cousin is the vegetable stew where other vegetables are also added to the stew.
Recipe courtesy: Shn's Mishmash

One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks to Soumya of Soumya's kitchen for sharing the One Lovely Blog Award with me. Soumya is a very active blogger with lots of  variety recipes, both veg and non-veg.

I would like to pass this award to 15 fellow bloggers: Yummy team, Kairali sisters, Sarah, Priya, Nithu, Mharo Priya, Aipi, Akila, Sangeetha, Santoshji, Vasavi, Gulmohar, Deepa Deb, Nitha and Suja

Chettinad Onion Tomato Chutney

This awesome onion tomato chutney from Chettinad is served with idli or dosa. Onion and tomatoes are stir-fried along with other spices and then pureed into fine paste with coconut milk. It is spicy, sour and sweet at the same time.
Recipe Courtesy: Shoba's Anubhavati

Cherupayar Ularthiyathu (Whole Moong / Green Gram Stir-fry)

This is a Kerala style green gram stir fry. Green gram is cooked and then stir fried with onion and other spices. It forms a great combination with rice or kanji (plain rice porridge).
Recipe courtesy: My Treasure...My Pleasure

Mysore Sambar (Mysore Saaru)

Sambar is a popular side dish of South India. There are regional variations in the spices used and also in the method of preparation of Sambar. In Mysore sambar, a variety of spices and grated coconut are roasted and powdered to make the Sambar powder.
Recipe Courtesy: Foodie's Hope

Macaroni and Paneer (Indian Cheese) with Spinach

I was very curious and excited to try this macaroni dish where paneer (Indian cheese) is used instead of the usual cheddar cheese. This is a must try recipe for paneer lovers. Addition of spinach and parmesan cheese make the dish heavenly.
Recipe Courtesy: Lisa's Kitchen

Beetroot Kichadi / Pachadi (Beetroot in Coconut n Yogurt Gravy)

Beetroot is one of the varieties of beet rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. This kichadi is a traditional Kerala side dish served during sadya (feast). Beetroot is cooked in a coconut gravy and yogurt is added towards the end. To my surprise my four year old son also tried the dish as he was excited to change the color of his rice to pink!
 Recipe Courtesy: Suja's Kitchen Corner-Try It

Malabar Style Stuffed Chicken / Cornish Hen for Thanksgiving (Kozhi Nirachathu)

 

Hope you all had a great thanksgiving day! I found this twin pack of two small cornish hen at the grocery store and decided to go chicken instead of turkey this time for a Kerala style thanksgiving. Malabar is a coastal region of Southern India which forms the northern part of Kerala. It is in the Calicut district (now Kozhikode) of Malabar that Vasco da Gama once landed in his quest for spices, opening up a new spice trade route to India (rest is history!). It is fascinating to think that the same region was Christopher Columbus' original destination when he accidently discovered the Americas (and rest is history!). Oh yeah, I'm getting addicted to Wikipedia these days. :) Anyways, coming back to Malabar cuisine, the region has its own style of a rich culinary tradition. This stuffed chicken is one of their specialties where chicken is stuffed with hard boiled eggs and roasted onion masala. This was my first attempt and it was indeed a culinary delight.

Recipe Courtesy: My Treasure...My Pleasure

Konkani Ivy Gourd Cashew Nut Stir-fry (Tendli Bibbe Upkari)

Tendli Bibbe Upkari is a popular Konkani side dish served with rice for special occasions like weddings, pujas etc. Traditionally tender cashew nuts are used for the dish. Since tender cashew nuts are not available, I used cashew nuts soaked in warm water as explained in the recipe. I loved it. I'm sure tender cashew nuts must be giving a different flavor to this dish.
Recipe Courtesy: Arch's The Yum Factor

Broccoli Potato Sabzi / Stir-fry

Broccoli is a vegetable rich in nutritional and medicinal values. It makes a good combination with potato for stir-frying. This combo could be served as a side dish with rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: iCookiPost

Paneer Butter Masala (Paneer Makhani / Paneer Makhanwala)

 

This is a delicious paneer dish where paneer is cooked in a tomato-butter-cream gravy. I assume paneer butter masala, makhani and makhanwala are all the same dish. The word 'makhan' means butter or cream. Note that butter is made from cream of milk (raw, pasteurized or fermented). Whatever the name is, the dish goes well with any Indian bread. I used store bought low fat paneer this time and it started breaking up while cooking :(
Recipe Courtesy: Fun and Food Blog

Fish Curry in Tamarind Gravy (Andhra Chepala Pulusu)

There are innumerable ways for making fish curry. This is Andhra style fish curry where fish is cooked in tamarind gravy. This is somewhat similar to Kerala fish curry where gambooge (Malabar tamarind or kudampuli) is used as souring agent. If your taste buds are senstive enough you could feel the taste difference between the two curries.
Recipe Courtesy: Kalyani's Kitchen

Chicken Mappas (Chicken in Coconut Milk Gravy)

This is a Kerala style chicken curry where chicken is cooked in coconut milk gravy. It could be served as side dish with appam, chappathi or rice.
Recipe Courtesy: Marias Menu

Asparagus Thoran (Asparagus Coconut Stir-fry)

Asparagus is a vegetable with lots of nutritional and medicinal properties. As usual I started cooking with this vegetable with a thoran recipe. It turned out to be a delicious and nutritious side dish with rice.
Recipe Courtesy: Look Who's Cooking Too

Vanilla Bean Custard

My husband works in the food industry and he gets occasional treats from suppliers at work. The other day he brought home a bottle of pure vanilla extract and some vanilla beans. I have seen chefs cooking with vanilla beans on Food Network and used to wonder how it would taste like. I couldn't wait to try it out and  found this simple custard recipe on Martha Stewart's website. I could smell the fresh aroma of the beans while cooking and it was fun experience. One vanilla bean could be replaced with two teaspoons of vanilla extract in the recipe.
Recipe Courtesy: Marthastewart.com

Bihari Aloo Dum (Baby Potato in Yogurt n Masala Gravy)

Dum Aloo is popular dish in North India with regional variations in preparation. This time I tried the Bihari version. Here cooked baby potatoes are skinned and fried in oil/ghee and then cooked in a tomato-yogurt gravy along with spices. This could be served as side dish rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Aipi's US Masala

Varutharacha Kadala Curry (Chickpea Curry in Roasted Coconut Gravy)

This is Kerala style chick pea curry where the gravy consists of roasted coconut and other spices. Traditionally served with puttu (steamed rice flour), this versatile curry could be served with rice, appam, idiyappam or any type of Indian bread.
Recipe Courtesy: Yummy O Yummy

Pavakka Chammanthi (Bitter Gourd Coconut Chutney)

I don't want to miss any bitter gourd recipes that I see in the blogs and this chutney is one among them. This bitter gourd-coconut-tamarind chutney is only mildly bitter and is mildly sour at the same time. I loved the nuttiness of roasted chana dal and it was a hit at home. It could be served with rice, idli or dosa.
Recipe Courtesy: Kairali Sisters' Pazham Pappadam Payasam

Brussels Sprout Cherupayar Thoran (Brussels Sprout Moong Dal Stir-fry)

This is the first time I'm cooking with Brussels sprouts. I thought cooking them with moong dal is a safe way to start since I don't know how they taste. These mini cabbages taste very similar to cabbage and the combo with moong dal turned out to be great.
Recipe Courtesy: Sarah's Vazhayila

Muringakka Theeyal (Drumstick in Roasted Coconut Gravy)

This is another theeyal recipe from Kerala. Here drumstick is cooked in a roasted coconut-spices gravy. It is usually served as side dish with rice.
Recipe Courtesy: Ente Pachakasala

Goat Liver Fry (Mutton Liver Fry)

This is the first time I'm cooking with goat liver. This is the Kerala style liver fry preparation. Marinated liver is cooked at low heat and then shallow fried with onion and spices. Slow cooking at low heat is preferred to avoid the liver pieces from becoming rubbery. In India and some other Asian countries goat meat is also called as mutton. I learned something new here :) - a mature sheep's meat is usually called mutton while meat of young sheep (lamb) is called lamb.
Recipe Courtesy: Shn's Mishmash

Padavalanga Thoran (Snake Gourd Coconut Stir-fry)

This is an easy thoran recipe with snake gourd. Smaller the size of chopped snake gourd, better the taste.

Recipe Courtesy: Pachakam.com

Baingan Bharta (Roasted Mashed Eggplant / Brinjal)

Baingan Bharta is a Punjabi dish popular in North India. Eggplant is roasted, de-skinned, mashed and then cooked with tomato, onion and spices to make this delicious side dish. It could be served with both rice and roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Pavani's Cook's Hideout

Andhra Style Tindora / Ivy Gourd Stir-fry (Dondakaya Vepudu)

There are different variations of dondakaya vepudu recipes. This is a very simple recipe which uses chana dal and urad dal to make a crunchy stir-fry.
Recipe Courtesy: Akshayapaatram