Kerala Cuisine - Churuttu

Churuttu

(Rice cones with Avalos Podi)                                                  

                                                                                                

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                 

Ingredients

For making madaku

Rice flour                                     :    1 1/2cups

Salt                                               :    to taste                         

Water                                            :    1 cup

For making the filling

Avalos podi                                  :     2 cup

Sugar                                            :    1 1/4 cup

Water                                            :    1/2 cup

Lemon juice                                 :    1 1/2 tbsp

Method of preparation

For making madaku

1. Mix the rice flour and salt and make a smooth dough using water.
2. Keep aside for 10 minutes to   become soft and fluffy.
3. Form the dough into smooth round balls and roll into a wafer thin round 
4. Dust the rounds with flour on one side only ; so that  the pastry does not dry out.
5. Lightly cook the pastry rounds on a medium hot griddle for just 30 secs on one side.
6. Keep the cooked pastry rounds in a banana leaf as you prepare the filling to keep it soft and pliable.

For making the filling

1.  In a deep pan, bring water to a boil and add the sugar, stirring until it dissolves.
2. Cook the syrup until it reaches 1 thread consistency, then add lemon juice.

3. Keep aside  2 teaspoons of sugar syrup and add avalos podi to the rest of the syrup and mix well.
4. Cut each round of pastry in half and wet the edges of each half with the reserved sugar syrup.
5. Shape each semi-circle into a cone with dry side facing inside, laeving one end of the pastry free to close.
6. Stuff each cone with 1 tablespoon of filling. Cover the tops and seal the edges.
7. Keep aside for 2 hours until the syrup from the filling has moistened and seeped into the pastry.

* Note

It is easier to make the churuttu if the madaku and the  filling  are still warm. Lemon juice will prevent  the crystallization of sugar, which is important for this dish. Do not refrigerate the churuttu as it will destroy the texture of the snack.

Yield : 4 servings

Nutritional Information

1 serving of churuttu (3 nos.) give 703 Kcal of energy, 9g of protein, 9.8g of fat,16.01mg of calcium and 2.1mg of iron.

Kerala cuisine - Duck Roast

Duck roast

                             

                                                                                                   

Ingredients

Duck                                       :      500g

Onion                                      :      200g

Potato                                      :      250g

Tomato                                    :      60g

Garlic (ground to a paste)       :      25g

Ginger(ground to a paste)       :      20g

Chilly powder                         :      1 heaped tbsp

Turmeric powder                    :      1 1/2tsp

Pepper powder                        :      1 1/2 heaped tbsp

Garam masala                         :      3/4 tsp

For garam masala -I

Cinnamon : 50g

Clove : 25g

Cumin : 25g

Oil                                           :      3 tbsp

Salt                                          :      to taste

Method of preparation

      1. Marinate the duck with all the spices and keep aside for 15 minutes. 
         Then cook duck in a heavy   bottomed vessel over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes.

2. When the duck is tender and cooked well, the duck is shallow fried.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced potatoes for 10 minutes. Remove from fire and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large pan and add  finely sliced onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown.
5. Then add tomato and saute well.
6. Then add the duck gravy into this onion-tomato mix and cook till the oil starts appearing.
7. Finally, add the duck pieces, stir and cook for 5 minutes, until the meat is coated with the gravy.
8. Garnish with fried potatoes.

 Yield : 4 servings

Nutritional Information:
1 serving of duck roast gives 478.5 k cal of energy, 23 g of protein, 34.9 g of fat, 44 mg of calcium and 0.7 mg of iron. 

Kerala Cuisine - Traditional Koottu Curry Recipe

KOOTTU CURRY                                                                                   

Ingredients

1. Yam                            – 60g
2. Raw plantain               – 50g
3. Cumin seeds                – 2g
4. Coconut scrapings       – 110g
5. Curry leaves                 – ¼ tsp
6. Mustard seeds               – ½ tsp
7. Jaggery                          – 15g
8. Red chilli                       – 1 no.
9. Bengal gram dal            – 70g
10. Turmeric powder           – ¼ tsp
11. Chilli powder                 – ½ tsp
12. Coconut oil                     – 15g

Method of preparation

1. Dice yam and raw plantain.
2. Cook them along with Bengal gram dal, adding turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
3. Coarsely grind coconut and cumin seeds. Add this to the above mixture and boil for 1 minute. Add salt as required.

Heat coconut oil in a kadai and add some grated coconut. Heat till it turns golden brown. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds and red chilli and add this to the above mixture, stir and remove from fire.

 Yields 2 ¼ cups

Nutritional Information:

Every half cup gives 271.8 KCal of energy, 2.4g of protein, 19.8g of carbohydrate  20.3g of fat and 2.1mg of iron.

Kerala Cuisine -Traditional Kaalan Recipe

KAALAN                                                                                                  

Ingredients

1. Curd                      – 220ml
2. Yam                       – 70g
3. Coconut                - 100g
4. Green chilli           – 2 nos
5. Curry leaves          – 1 tsp
6. Cumin seeds          – ½ tsp
7. Fenugreek             – ½ tsp
8. Mustard seeds        - ½ tsp
9. Turmeric powder   – ¼ tsp
10.  Red chilli              – 1 no.
11. Cooking oil            – 1 tbsp
12. Raw plantain          – 60g
13. Pepper powder        – ¼ tsp
14. Salt                         – to taste.

1. Dice yam and raw plantain and cook adding turmeric powder.
2. Add salt and curd and boil for 1 min.
3. Grind coconut with green chillies, pepper powder and cumin seeds. Add this to the above mixture and boil for 1 min.
4. Heat coconut oil in a kadai, adding red chilli, mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek. Add this mixture to the curry and garnish with curry leaves.

   Yields 2 ¼ cup

Nutrititional Information: 

Every half cup gives 226.2 KCal of energy; 4.5g of protein, 13.8g Carbohydrates  17.1g of fat and 2.1mg of iron.