A MALABAR EVENING

An ideal weekend dinner for me would be on a houseboat in Kumarakaom eating some of my favorite Kerala dishes. The surroundings would have to be imagined while the food needn’t be. The following recipes are my version of God’s own country.

CHICKEN STEW (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. Chicken(skinned and cut into medium size pieces) - 1 kg
2. Onions - 4 no.s cut lengthwise
3. Green chillies - 4 slit lengthwise
4. Ginger - 2 inch piece cut into strips
5. Coconut - 1 large grated
6. Cloves - 3, Cinnamon - 3
7. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8. Bay leaf - 1
9. Pepper - 2.5 tsp powdered coarsely
10. Curry leaf - 1 sprig
11. Oil - 2 tbsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Chicken stock powder - 1 tsp optional

Method:

1. Coconut milk extraction - take 5 cups of water and warm it to bearable heat. Extract 2 cups of thick milk and 3 cups of second milk.
2. Warm oil in a wok or kadai.
3. Add cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf and cumin seeds
4. When light brown and smell of spices escapes add onions,ginger and green chillies
5. Fry till onions are transparent.
6. Add chicken pieces, powdered pepper, chicken stock and salt and turn the chicken with all ingredients for 5 minutes.
7. Add the second extract of milk and let the chicken cook.
8. When cooked add the first milk and curry leaves and remove from flame.
9. Serve hot with aapam, bread or idi appam.


Ghee Rice or Nei Chor (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice – 4 measures or olaks
2. Onions – 4 big cut lengthwise
3. Ghee – 4 tbsp
4. Cardamom – 6, Cloves – 6, Cinnamon – 4, Bayleaf – 2, Star Anise – 2
5. Cashewnuts – 20 no.s(split), Ghee – 1 tbsp
6. Water – 600 ml(approx 6 tumblers)

Method:

1. Wash rice and keep aside
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add spices
3. When spice smell becomes strong add onions and fry till onion turns light brown.
4. Add rice, salt to taste and water.
5. Cook for 2 whistles on medium flame
6. Fry cashewnuts in ghee till golden brown and garnish rice with the same

Lamb Masala or Mutton Masala (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. Mutton – 1 kg
2. Red chilli long – 15 no.s
3. Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
4. Peppercorns – 20 no.s
5. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
6. Cloves – 4 no.s
7. Cinnamon – 2 inch piece
8. Cardamom – 4 no.s
9. Onion – 2 large
10. Ginger – 1inch piece cut into strips
11. Garlic – 2 cloves cut lengthwise
12. Curry leaves – 10 no.s
13. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
14. Salt to taste
15. Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut mutton into small pieces and clean well.
2. Fry red chillies,pepper, cardamom,cloves,cinnamon and coriander seeds without oil till brown. Powder till fine.
3. Add the above spice powder, turmeric powder, salt, ginger , garlic, mutton pieces and water and cook the meat.
4. Water must be twice the quantity of meat.
5. In a wok/kadai heat oil and add onions and curry leaves and cook till golden brown.
6. Add this to the cooked meat. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.

Avial(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. Carrot – 2 no.s
2. Beans – 4 no.s
3. Drumstick – 2 no.s
4. Ash gourd – quarter
5. Potato – 2 no.s
6. Brinjal – 3 no.s
7. Elephant foot yam or senai kizhangu – quarter
8. Coconut – 1 grated
9. Green chilli – 2(long firm variety)
10. Jeera or cumin seeds – 2 tsp
11. Turmeric – 1 pinch
12. Curd – 1 cup beaten or whipped
13. Salt to taste
14. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut all vegetables to 2 inch length.
2. Grind coconut with jeera and green chilli to a smooth paste
3. Boil vegetables with salt and turmeric till soft. Add water to just cover the vegetables.
4. Add coconut and cook till blended well.
5. Add curd and turn heat to sim.
6. After 2 minutes shut the stove and add the coconut oil.