Kaalan

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz package) of Chena ( sold as frozen Suran)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
3 cups of yogurt (ideally use sour yogurt)
a few curry leaves
1/4 red chili powder or to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon clarified butter
1 cup water

Grind and Keep aside:  
1/2 cup of coconut
2 green chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

Grind coconut with green chili and cumin seeds and keep it aside.

Cook chena in 1 cup of water, add turmeric powder and ground black pepper.  When the chena is cooked and the water has evaporated takes about 15 to 20 minutes, add yogurt, curry leaves, red chili powder and the ground coconut mixture, cook until the water content in the yogurt has evaporated and a dry curry is formed.  Add salt mix thoroughly and season

Seasoning:  Heat clarified butter when hot add mustard seeds.  When mustard seeds pop add to the Kaalan.  Mix and serve.  

Serve with rice or adai.  Serves 4

Served as a side dish with rice.  This is a Keralite dish, popularly served during festivals and auspicious occasions.  This dish can also be prepared using green plantain (vazhaka).  My mother used to make this dish during summer when the yogurt used to get sour.  The cooked yogurt balanced with spices gives this dish a very delightful taste.

Note: If the yogurt is not sour add some fresh squeezed lemon juice at the end.

Vegetable Korma

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Ingredients For Grinding:
10 cashew nuts
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic
1" piece of ginger
green chili to taste
2" Cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1/4 cup water
Grind the above ingredients with a little water and keep aside after grinding.

Other Ingredients for Korma:
Some cilantro leaves
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups cubed potatoes
3/4 cup carrots
2 cups cauliflower
1/2 cup peas
6 tablespoon oil
3 cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoon of coconut milk powder or substitute with coconut milk from a carton or can
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
water as needed
   
Wash and cut potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and onions.

To a pan on medium heat add oil, onion and clove, saute for a few minutes until the onion is translucent, add turmeric powder, the ground ingredients saute for a few seconds and add cilantro leaves.  

After a minute and when the ground spices give an aroma, add vegetables mix cover and cook for 2 minutes.  After which add coconut milk powder, a cup of water cover and cook until the vegetables are done.  Takes about 12 to 15 minutes.  While cooking keep stirring now and then so that the bottom does not burn. 

When vegetables are cooked add salt mix and cook for a minute add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Serves 6

Serve with lacha paratha, chapati, puri or rice

A mixed vegetable specialty dish.  This dish is aromatic, flavorful and tasty.  Popularly served in South Indian restaurants with chapati.

Ridge gourd, Peerkangai, Turai or Jhinge curry

1 lbs ridge gourd
1/2 cup channa dal
3 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
2 green chili or to taste
curry or cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoon of dry coconut rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2  cups or enough water for preparation

Wash and cook the channa dal.  Keep it aside.

While the dal is cooking remove the skin from the ridge gourd and chop into into pieces.

Heat oil when hot add mustard seeds.  When the mustard seeds crack add green chilies, curry leaves, ridge gourd, turmeric powder, asafoetida and the cooked channa dal.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Check to see if the gourd is cooked, add coconut and salt cook till the curry is dry and the water has evaporated and lemon juice mix and turn the heat off.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Ridge gourd is available in Indian grocers it is called Turai or Turia.  It is eaten all over India.  It is called Peerkangai in Tamil and Jhinge in Bengali.

This vegetable is included in Ayurveda.  The mature vegetable is made into luffa which is used as a bath brush.  This is a versatile vegetable you can make soups or currys with it.  It is a slightly sweet vegetable.  Adding lemon juice balances the taste.

Almond Halwa or Badam Halwa recipe

1 cup almonds
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup or one stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of ghee or clarified butter
1 cup of water
optional coloring
a few strands of saffron
1/4 teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds

Soak the almonds hot water.  When cool and the skin comes out easily, remove the skin.

Grind the almonds with skin removed to a slightly coarse paste with about 1/2 cup of water

Heat sugar on medium heat with 1/2 of cup water.  When the sugar is dissolved add the ground almond paste stirring all the time.

Start adding small pieces of butter heating and stirring constantly.
When the butter is dissolved add some color (optional) and saffron strands.  Continue stirring until the mass starts pulling away from the sides of the pan and the butter is oozing out, add a teaspoon of clarified butter and stir for a few seconds.

Add the crushed cardamon and turn the heat off.

Cooking time 15 to 20 minutes.

Note:  If you are making large quantities, grind the soaked almonds a cup at a time.

Almonds cooked in sugar makes this dish a very tasty dessert.  Some recipes call for almonds to be ground in milk.  It is a matter of choice how you like it.  This is a popular sweet made for auspicious occasions.

Almonds are so versatile.  They are used all over the world to make sweet and salty dishes.  It is available through out the year.
Almonds are low hanging nuts everyone should enjoy.