TANDALACHE VADE

(RICE POORIS)

Rice is called ‘Tandul’ in Marathi language……. Poori (Fried Indian flatbread) is called ‘Vade’……. Being crisp on the outside and softer inside, Tandalache Vade go very well with curries…… Generally spices are added to rice flours……… Here boiled onions are added to make simple Vade…….. Can be had as main course with curries…… Can also be had as snacks with pickles.

INGREDIENTS : 1 cup rice flour, 1-2 onions, salt to taste, water as required, oil for frying.

DIRECTIONS : Slice the onions…….. Boil the sliced onions in water till soft…….. Add salt according to taste……… Mix rice flour, boiled onions, 1 tsp oil, enough warm water (from boiled onions) thoroughly to form a smooth dough……. Cover…… Let the dough rest for at least half an hour…….. Heat oil……. Make balls from the dough…….. Apply a little oil to the palms…….Take a dough ball…….. Press between two palms……. Vade should not be too thick nor too thin…… Deep fry the pressed Vade till golden……… Take out and keep it on tissue to soak excess oil……. Serve hot.

NOTE : One can make vade by mixing flours of lentils, corn, etc. with rice flour…….. If pressing between palms becomes difficult, one can take a plastic sheet…… Grease it lightly with oil…… Place the dough ball on it…… Flatten it with finger tips……. Alternatively, lightly press with the back of a plate.

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SARANGYA CHE BHUJANE

Pathare Prabhu community ‘s comfort food is Bhujane…….. This simple tasty recipe can be made from ingredients generally available in Indian homes and is ready in a very short time…… Bhujane can be also made with eggs, prawns, Ravas fish, Ghol fish as also vegetables like potatoes……… Pomfret is called Saranga in Marathi language.

INGREDIENTS : 3 small pomfrets, 2 onions, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp red chilli powder, a pinch of asafoetida, few sprigs coriander, 2 green chillies, salt to taste, 2 tbsp oil.

DIRECTIONS : Clean pomfrets thoroughly and cut into two pieces…… Chop the onions, green chillies and coriander finely……. Except the fish, mix all the ingredients in the cooking pan……. Crush all the ingredients with hand for at least 8-10 minutes till a homogenous paste is obtained…….. Add as much water as is required to wash the hand crushing the ingredients……. Now add in the pomfret pieces and coat with the masala…… Cook on high flame and bring me his to a boil…….. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down…….. Cover the pan with lid……. Cook on slow flame till the fish is done…….. Remove the lid, tilt and turn the pan so that the whole thing comes together……. Don’t stir with ladle……. Switch off the flame….. Cover with lid and let the curry cool down a bit…….Serve with steaming hot rice.

NOTE : Instead of small pomfrets, a big pomfret can be used…….. Chillies can be increased/ decreased according to taste…….. Crushing of the mixture with hand is a must otherwise the resultant curry will be runny……… Don’t stir with ladle as it could break the fish.

KŌLAMBĪ PIE

(PRAWN PIE)

As many members of the Pathare Prabhu community were employed with the British, baking and other cooking techniques became a part of their cuisine…….Pies, savoury puddings, shortcrust crescent pastries, fritters, sour dough breads, etc. evolved during the era of the British Raj…… Kōlambī Pie is the robustly spiced version of the traditional Shepherd’s Pie of the British…… It can be served as main course with garlic bread and salad……..Can also be served as a snack.

INGREDIENTS : For Filling – 350 gms prawns, 4 onions, 6-8 garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Prabhi Sambhar Masala, mango powder to taste, salt to taste, coriander leaves, oil.
For Pie Crust : 4 potatoes, 1/2 – 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, salt to taste, egg yolk.

DIRECTIONS : Clean the prawns…… Finely chop onions & coriander leaves…… Crush the garlic…… Boil and mash the potatoes……. Lightly beat the egg yolk……

Filling : Heat oil…… Add crushed garlic…… Sauté…… Add chopped onions…… Sauté till translucent……. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, Prabhi Sambhar Masala, a pinch of mango powder……. Sauté till fragrant…….. Add prawns & salt…… Mix till prawns are well coated…….Sauté on high flame……. When it is almost done add the chopped coriander leaves…… Mix….. Take off the heat…… The filling is done…..Keep aside to cool.
Pie crust : Add cumin powder, chilli powder & salt to the mashed potatoes……. Mix thoroughly……. Divide the mashed potatoes into two parts.
Assembling the pie : Grease the pie dish well…….. Press one part of the mashed potatoes to cover the base…….. Spread the prawn filling evenly……… Cover the filling with the rest of the mashed potatoes…….. Seal from all ends…… Make pattern with a fork…….. Brush the top with oil……. Bake, in a preheated oven, at 180 degree Centigrade for about 20-25 mins or till browned…….. Take out the pie from the oven……. Liberally brush with lightly beaten egg yolk…….. Bake for another 5-7 mins till it turns golden brown…… Serve hot.

NOTES : This pie can be also be made with tiny white prawn called Karandi in Marathi…….. Then it becomes Karandi Pie……. One can add a handful of boiled peas to the filling…… Chilli powder and other spices can be adjusted according to taste.

ARROZ FUGATH (WEDDING PULAO)

Portuguese call the rice Arroz……. East Indian Community call their rice dishes Arroz too…… Arroz Fugath, or as the East Indians call it, Wedding Rice/Pulao, is a sweetish pulao mixed with dry fruits….. Goes very well with spicy side dishes.

INGREDIENTS : 2 cups Basmati Rice, 400-500 gms onion, 8-10 cloves, 2″-3″cinnamon, few cashew nuts, few raisins, few cranberries (dried), salt to taste, oil, 4 cups water, boiled eggs.

DIRECTION : Wash the rice thoroughly…… Soak in water for 1/2 an hour….. Drain….. Keep aside……. Slice the onions……. Heat oil…… Fry the onions till golden brown…… Remove and keep aside…… Fry the dry fruits and keep aside.
Heat oil……. Add rice and half of the fried onions…… Stir fry……. Add cloves, cinnamon and salt…… Stir fry….. Add water….. Let the water come to a boil……. Cover….. Cook till done……. Garnish with Fried onions, dry fruits, boiled eggs….. Serve hot.

NOTE : Can use ghee (clarified butter) instead of oil……. Any dry fruits available at home can be used….. Can sprinkle coriander leaves as garnish too.

FUGIYAS

A big favourite of the East Indian Community, Fugiyas is a sort of fried bread…… Fugiyas is a must at weddings and festivities…… Slightly sweet, they are soft & spongy melt in the mouth round balls…… Fugiyas are delicious and can be had any time of the day….. Can be had with tea….. Also goes very well with meat curries like Indyal (vindaloo), sarpotel, etc.

INGREDIENTS : 1/2 kg Maida (white flour), 1 egg, 1tsp yeast, 2tbsp sugar, salt to taste, 1/4 cup oil, water, oil to fry.

DIRECTIONS : Mix yeast & sugar with lukewarm water and keep aside to let it rise……. In the meantime, sift maida…… Warm the oil….. Now mix maida, egg, salt, risen yeast, warm oil and lukewarm water to form a smooth pliant dough…… Cover the dough and keep aside in a warm place for at least least 2-3 hours so that the dough rises. 

Heat oil…… Wet the palms …… Hold the dough with the left hand……. Firmly press out through forefinger and thumb…… With wet right hand lift the ball….. Drop the balls carefully in the hot oil…… Fry till light golden over medium heat…. With slotted spoon remove the Fugiyas from oil…… Transfer to a tissue paper lined bowl….. Serve hot.

NOTE : While frying, don’t overcrowd….. Sugar can be increased or decreased according to taste.

MUTTON INDYAL

East Indian Community popularly call Vindaloo dish Indyal or Indad…… Indyal can me made with pork, chicken or fish too…. Weddings or feasts of this community must have this dish…… Best combination with Indyal is Fugiyas.

Ingredients : 1 kg mutton, 2″ginger, 20-25 garlic cloves, 15-20 red dry Kashmiri chillies, 2 tbsp cumin, 1/4 cup sugarcane vinegar, oil, salt to taste.

Directions : Wash the mutton, apply salt and keep aside…… Roast the cumin seeds……. Soak the Kashmiri red chillies in hot water for at least 15 mins……. Grind the ginger, garlic, red Kashmiri chillies (If one wants the dish to be less hot, slit the chillies and remove the seeds) and cumin with sugarcane vinegar to make a very fine paste…… Marinate the salted mutton with the ground paste and enough oil….. Add more salt if required….. Keep aside for at least an hour……. Place the marinated meat in pressure cooker……. Add water according to the gravy required and place on medium heat for about half an hour……. Serve hot with Fugiyas……. Goes well with bread and steamed rice too.

NOTE : Marinated meat kept overnight tastes even better……. Increase or decrease chillies according to taste…… Quality & sourness of vinegar is very important, so increase or decrease it accordingly…… This dish tastes even better the next day or the day after.

CHITTAPS

Chittaps are rich, soft, porous, delicious pancakes….. These are perfect accompaniment to any gravy items….. The East Indian community prepare Chittaps either with a mixture of rice flour & maida OR rice flour & wheat flour, coconut milk, egg and yeast.

INGREDIENTS : 2 1/2 cups rice flour, 1 1/4 cups maida (white flour), 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup sugar, salt to taste, 2tsp yeast, 1 egg, oil.

DIRECTIONS : In about 1 tbsp lukewarm water stir in yeast with a pinch of sugar…… Set aside for some time….. Mix rice flour, maida, coconut milk, sugar, salt, yeast mix and egg well….. A little water can be added, if required……Set aside to ferment for at least 2-3 hours….. Stir batter again…. If required, add little more coconut milk to get pouring consistency.
Heat a nonstick pan….. Lightly grease with oil…. Pour batter with a ladle on the pan, softly spread it to form a pancake…… Cover (to retain the heat) and cook on slow fire for a minute or two….. Flip….. Cook uncovered for a few seconds till done….. One side will be light brown and the other side whitish…… Serve hot….. Continue this procedure till all the batter is used…… Goes very well with veg / non veg gravies.

NOTE : Sugar can be adjusted according to taste….. Increase coconut milk, if required, to get pouring consistency…….East Indian community use cast iron chittap pan.

APRICOT CHICKEN

This unique East Indian community chicken dish is really worth trying….. Portuguese influence can be seen in apricots being soaked in brown palm vinegar…… Arab influence in the use of saffron….. Apricot chicken is an all out winner.

INGREDIENTS : 1 kg Chicken, 3/4 onions, 3 tomatoes, 15-20 dried apricots, brown palm vinegar as required, water as needed, 1-2 tbsp oil.
Masala paste : 1″ginger, 10-12 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 2tbsp coriander, 1/2 tsp poppy seeds, 5-6 whole black pepper, 6-8 dried Kashmiri chillies, 5-6 cloves, 1″cinnamon, 4-5 green cardamoms, salt to taste, a pinch of saffron.

DIRECTIONS : Soak the dried apricots in the brown palm vinegar…… Keep aside…… Wash the chicken pieces….. Make a paste of onions…… Chop the tomatoes….. Grind the masala ingredients with enough water to form a paste….. Heat oil…… Fry onion paste till it browns….. Add the masala paste and tomatoes…… Sauté till oil separates…… Add the chicken pieces and stir fry well……. Add water….. Stir…. Cover and simmer till chicken is almost done…… Mix in the apricot and vinegar….. Cook for few more minutes……. Serve hot…… Goes very well with Chittaps.

NOTE : Brown Palm Vinegar can be increased/decreased according to taste…… Instead of water, one can use chicken stock…… If saffron is not available, one can add a pinch of turmeric powder.

COCONUT RICE

This delicious rice dish of Cochini Jews is very interesting.

INGREDIENTS : 2 cups Basmati rice, 1/2 cup grated coconut, 2 cups coconut milk, 3-4 onions, 1″ ginger, 1-2 cloves garlic, 3-4 cardamoms, 5-7 cloves, 1 2″ cinnamon stick, few black pepper corns, salt to taste, coconut oil, 2 cups water.

DIRECTIONS : Wash the rice thoroughly…….. Soak for at least half as hour….. Heat oil…… Finely chop onions and stir fry till golden brown……Grate the garlic cloves & ginger and add to fried onions….. Sauté…… Drain the rice and add to the above mixture…… Add salt….. Sauté……. Add cardamom, cloves, black pepper corns & cinnamon……. Sauté……. Mix in grated coconut and coconut milk…..

Stir well….. When the rice mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat…… Cover….. Simmer for at least 10- 12 minutes……. Add water as required….. When done, remove from heat….. Keep aside covered for at least 10 minutes……. Serve hot.

NOTE : Normally for each cup of Basmati rice, one requires 2 cups of water….. Here, as one is adding 2 cups of coconut milk, one should add 2 cups of water.

NEY CHORU

(GHEE RICE)

This dish is a very popular & simple dish…… Very easy to prepare and is normally cooked for special occasions…… Goes very well with spicy chicken/mutton/vegetable dishes.

INGREDIENTS : 2 cups Basmati/Jeerakasala rice, 2-3tbsp ghee, 2-3 onions, 4 cups water, salt to taste.
Whole spices : 2-3  1″cinnamon, 1 star anise, 4-6 cloves, 4-6 cardamoms, few black pepper corns, 2 bay leaves.
For garnishing : Few cashew nuts, few raisins, 1-2 onions.

DIRECTIONS : Wash the rice thoroughly & soak for at least half an hour……. Heat ghee….. Stir fry cashewnuts & raisins separately and keep aside…… Stir fry sliced onions in the same ghee with little salt till golden brown……. Keep aside.

Drain rice…… Heat ghee…….. Add whole spices….. Sauté….. Add sliced onions & stir fry till slightly pink….. Now add the drained rice & salt…..Sauté till rice becomes translucent……. Mix in half of fried cashewnuts, raisins……. Add water……. Cook till rice is done & water is completely absorbed…… Garnish with fried onions and remaining fried cashewnuts & raisins……… Serve hot.

NOTE : One can add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste & lemon juice to spice up the dish.

KOZHI PERALAN

( CHICKEN WITH THICK GRAVY)

This is a traditional chicken recipe with a thick gravy of roasted aromatic spices……. It goes very well with chapati/ rice/ ghee rice/ appam……. This dish has an unusual & distinct flavour due to it’s main ingredient being coriander powder.

INGREDIENTS : 500gms Chicken, 4 tbsp coriander seeds, 1tsp fennel seeds, 4-6 pepper corns, 2 dry whole red chillies, 2″cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 4 cardamoms, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1″ginger, 8-10 garlic cloves, 1 tsp vinegar, few pearl onions, 2 large onions, 1tsp rye(black mustard seeds), 2-3 sprigs curry leaves, coconut oil as required, salt to taste.

DIRECTIONS : Dry roast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, pepper corns, red chillies, cinnamon sticks, cloves, & cardamoms……… Cool the spices & grind them finely…… Grind the ginger & garlic to make paste…… In a pan mix chicken with ground spices, pearl onions, ginger & garlic pastes, vinegar, turmeric powder and salt……. Add enough water to cook the chicken till almost done & very little gravy remains…….

Take out the chicken pieces from the gravy & keep the gravy aside……. In the meantime, heat oil….. Add rye, curry leaves & stir…… When the rye splutters, add sliced onions & fry till golden brown……

Stir in the cooked chicken & fry till the chicken pieces are lightly browned…… Now add in the reserved gravy & cook till it becomes thick…….

Serve hot.

Note : Increase or decrease black pepper & red chillies according to taste……. Coconut oil gives authentic flavour……. But one can also use groundnut oil…… If pearl onions are unavailable, one can use shallots.Pearl onions.

 

MEEN CURRY

(FISH CURRY)

INGREDIENTS : Fish, vegetables(brinjal, potatoes, drumsticks, etc.), prepared masala, curry leaves, water as required.

PREPARED MASALA : Red/green chillies, turmeric powder, onion, ginger, tomatoes/raw mangoes/tamarind/curd.

PREPARATIONS : Make prepared masala by grinding chillies, turmeric powder, onion, ginger & tomatoes/raw mango/tamarind/curd. Tanginess is a must in Kerala preparations.

Keep water to boil according to consistency. Once it starts boiling add fish, vegetables, prepared masala & curry leaves. Keep boiling till cooked. Serve hot with Kappa Udachath (Mashed Tapioca).

MEEN Curry made with thakkali (tomatoes)……. 

Meen Curry made with manga (raw mango)……..

NOTE : Curd with shark is also a variation of fish curry which is normally made in North Kerala. According to Ayurveda, fish & curd is not considered good. So this combination is less popular & less used.
Turmeric is added to all preparations as it is germicidal.