Traditional Kerala Recipe for Vishu - Kalan

It is a preparation of buttermilk with thick gravy. Sliced plantains known as nenthra-kaya and yams (chena) are boiled in water with salt and chillies. Buttermilk mixed with ground coconut pulp is poured in proper time and the preparation is flavored by the addition of mustard, fried in coconut oil.

Ingredients: (Serves 10)
1. Yam sliced into small pieces 100gm
2. Small raw banana 1no
3. Green chillies (slit the edge) 3nos
4. Mashed yogurt (without water) 1/2litre
5. Grated coconut 1/2quantity
6. Cumin seeds 1/2tsp
7. Pepper powder 1tsp
8. Water 1cup
9. Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Fried and powdered fenugreek 1/2tsp
12. Ghee 3tsp
13. Dried chilli (split into 2) 2nos
14. Mustard 1tsp
15. Ghee 1tsp
16. Curry leaves 1sprig

Method:

1.Remove the skin of the plantain and slice it into small pieces.
2.Grind the coconut and cumin to a smooth paste without adding water. Keep it aside.
3.Dissolve the pepper powder in 1/2cup of water and strain it through a clean cloth. Cook the vegetables in this water. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Stir well. When the water dries, add 1tsp ghee. Pour the yogurt and mix well. Lower the flame. When the curd boils and becomes dry and thick, add the grinded coconut mixture and fenugreek powder into it. Stir well. Brings to a boil and remove from fire. Season with mustard, dried chillies and curry leaves.

Kerala Avial Recipe for Vishu

Ingredients:1. Elephant yam (Chena) 500 gm
Cucumber (Vellarika) 500 gm
Carrot 100 gm
Raw banana 1
Drumstick 2
Snake gourd (Padavalanga) 50 gm

2. Salt As required

3. Coconut 1 cup
Shallot 4
Green chilly 2
Chilly powder 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
Cumin powder ¼ teaspoon

4. Curd 2 tablespoon

5. Curry leaves 2 stem

6. Coconut oil 1 tablespoon

Wash all the vegetables and cut into 2 inch long pieces.

Add required water and salt and cook.

Grind ingredients Coconut 1 cup , Shallot 4 , Green chilly 2 , Chilly powder 1 teaspoon , Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon, Cumin powder ¼ teaspoon coarsely.

Add this to the cooked vegetables. When cooked properly add curd and curry leaves and mix well.
Add coconut oil and remove from fire.

Vishu Kanji/Vishu Katta Kerala style

Vishu is celebrated on a grand way by malayalis in Kerala and across the globe. Most of these traditions are based on a belief that Vishu must be celebrated well as the good things of the first day of the New Year determines the fortune of the year. Vishu becomes all the more important for the Malayalees regardless of their religion or sect. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac - Mesha Raasi (first zodiac sign) as per Indian astrological calculations. Vishu is also considered as the harvest festival of Kerala and thus the importance of this day to all Malayalees. In Assam this day is called Bihu, in Punjab Baisakhi (originally Vaishakhi) and in Tamil Nadu Tamil Puthandu or Vishu punyakalam.The word "Vishu" in Sanskrit means "equal". Therefore Vishu is more probably denoting one of the equinox days.
Vishu Kanji/Vishu Katta Kerala Traditional style

Here i am sharing the recipe of our traditional Vishu kanji …Some people call it as Vishu kanji and some parts of Kerala as Vishu katta…Malayalee can’t celebrate vishu without vishu kanji and vishu kani…In the day of vishu after seeing the vishu kani early in the morning we used to have vishu katta as breakfast ….So Enjoy a great vishu
Ingredients
Raw Rice -2 1/2cup( unakkalari,the rice which we used to make palpayasam) if u don’t get unakkalari u can use raw rice (pacha ari which we used to make idly)
Grated Coconut-4
Salt-to taste
cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Cooking Time-1/2hour

Method
Take a blender and grind the grated coconut along with water …. Extract coconut milk(thick onnam palu) and filter it (3 cup).
Take the cumin seeds in hand and just rub the seeds with the fingers and add this to the coconut milk d keep it aside …Now add some more water and grind again and extract thin coconut milk(6 1/2cup).
Wash the rice properly and keep it aside..Heat the uruli or big thick bottomed vessel(if u have nonstick kadai its best) ….Then add the 2nd coconut milk and bring it to boil.Stir occasionally for not to curdling the milk .
When it began to boil, pour the rice into it,close the vessel with a lid and cook well.
When its 1/2 cooked add the salt …Don`t forget to stir occasionally. ..So when the rice is 3/4th cooked then add the 1st extract of milk with cumin seeds.
..Stir continuously till the rice is cooked and become a thick gravy .Stir carefully coz the water in the milk began to crackle .By this time the oil is begin to come out from vishu katta So when its done take it from the kadai or uruli and pour into steel plate or banana leaves and fill it fully (if u have banana leaves use that only ..(the vishu katta will be more tastier )…With a banana leaf or a spatula wipe the top portion and make it even...When cool cut into pieces..Serve with jaggery syrup(sharkara paani)By Veena

Dry Ckicken curry Keral style

Ingrediants:

1.Chicken - 1 Kg

2.Coconut,grated - 2 tsp

3.Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp

4.Cinnamon - 4

5.Cloves - 6 Nos.

6.Onion (Big) - 3 Nos.

7.Garlic - 12 Flakes

8.Ginger - 1 Inch Piece

9.Red Chillies - 10 Nos.

10.Coriander Leaves - A handful

11.Onions, cut finely - 2 Nos.

12.Tomatoes,Chopped - 2-3 Nos.

13.Ghee (For Frying) - as required

14.Salt - To Taste
Procedure:

1.Fry the grated coconut till brown in colour in a little ghee.
2.Grind together fried grated coconut,Coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, ginger, red chillies, coriander leaves to a fine paste without water.
3.Remove the masala,pass water in the mixer jar and keep water aside.
4.In a vessel heat 2 tsps ghee and fry onions till brown.
5.Then add the chicken pieces, chopped tomatoes, salt and stir on low fire for 10 minutes.
6.Then add the ground masala and masala water.
7.Cook the chicken curry until quite dry

Kerala Sarkkara Ada

Ingrediants:

Rice flour (Unboiled) - 2 cups
Shred coconut - 1/2
Jaggery (Sarkkara) - 200g
Cardamom (made to powder) - 2 seeds
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 4 cups
Banana leaf - with out central stip

Procedure:

Roast the rice flour for few minutes.
Mix it with 2 cups of warm water. While mixing add ghee, cardamom powder and salt to taste.
Make little large size balls and keep it aside.
Then make ‘Sarkkarapavu’, by boiling 2 cups of water with Jaggery. When it turns to semi liquid, filter and removes the solid particles. Then mix with shred coconut.
The rice balls flatten on the banana leaf with hand and on the top spread coconut mix.
Fold the banana leaf with content and steam cook in an oven.
Serve with warm

Yogurt Indian dessert - Srikhand or Shrikhand

This dish is delicious, cooling and simple to make. It makes a great sweet yogurt snack, dessert or fruit topping.
Ingredients
4 cups thick natural yoghurt, drained.
10-12 tbsp. of Ajika Almond, Cardamom, Saffron Sugar
A few strands of saffron, soaked in 1 tbs. of warm milk or water (optional)
A few pistachio's crushed
Method:
If using home made yoghurt, hang it in a muslin cloth for 2 hours, allow the whey to drain.
Mix the yogurt and all the rest of te ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Serve chilled garnished with pistachio and rose petals.

Vegetables curry

Ingredients:
Choose from fresh green beans cut into 1 inch lengths or any other vegetable like 1 cup cauliflower florets or c arrots and peas.4 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. black mustard seed4 curry leaves 1 cloves garlic (peeled & finely chopped)1 inch ginger paste1 hot red dried chili (crushed) 1 tsp. turmeric1 tsp. salt ½ tbsp. coconut flakes
lime juice to taste
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot put in the curry leaves and mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop add the garlic/ginger and stir until lightly brown. Add the crushed red chili and stir for a few seconds. Add the green beans, salt and jaggery and coconut. Stir to mix.
2. Turn heat to medium/low. Add 1/4 cup water. Stir and cover the beans for 7-8 mins until they have absorbed the spiced flavors. Pay attention to the water there should be enough for a good steaming.
3. Add lemon juice, mix and serve