Tangy Palakkadan Kaya Puli, a tamarind-based delight from Kerala.

"Palakkadan Kaya Puli – A Tangy Soupy Delight"

Kaya Puli - An all time Favourite

    When it comes to Kaya Puli, a true-blue Palakkadan speciality, it's a delightful tamarind-based soupy dish that resembles Rasam but carries its own unique charm. This simple yet flavourful dish features a tangy tamarind base tempered with an aromatic mix of mustard seeds, shallots, dry red chillies, and curry leaves.

Minimal Ingredients, Maximum Flavour

    What makes Kaya Puli so special? Its simplicity! With just a handful of ingredients and a cooking time of 2–3 minutes, you can whip up this concoction of tangy goodness—a culinary treasure passed down through generations in Palakkad homes.

    This recipe is a cherished part of my Amma and Achan’s repertoire, a humble yet iconic dish that holds a special place in our family’s heirloom collection. A taste of this dish is like taking a journey back to their roots, bringing alive the essence of Palakkadan cuisine.

 

Craving more Authentic Palakkadan Flavours? Discover more traditional recipes from Palakkad in our special collection—perfect for every home-cooked feast.

    

A Culinary Tribute to My Parents – Celebrating 50 Years of Love and Food

    I’ve been diving into a few cherished family recipes lately—specialities from my Achan and Amma’s repertoire—to commemorate their 50th Wedding Anniversary. These recipes are not grand delicacies but rather simple dishes that bring unparalleled comfort, warming your heart and satiating your mind and stomach all at once.

    There’s an indescribable nostalgia attached to these dishes, a feeling only those who’ve grown up with such food can truly understand. These recipes are history in their own right, a slice of our family’s culinary legacy filled with stories and fond reminiscences.

 

Explore More! For more recipes from our Family Repertoire, click here.

 

PLANTAIN FLOWER AND RED BEAN STIR FRY

    Vazhappoo Thoran/Upperi is a simple Kerala Style stir-fry prepared with finely chopped Plantain Flower, usually seasoned with mild spices and condiments and finally topped up with few spoons of grated coconut. This recipe, in addition to the Plantain Flower, has Red Bean in it. I have not seen anybody in the family cook this way and when I ate it at Shreedhareeyam Ayurvedic hospital, it was an all new combination for me.  They used to serve thorans like Vazhakoombu cooked along with Red Bean.  Raw Papaya cooked along with Green Gram etc.,
     If you have a lot of patience and all the more if you are health conscious, then Plantain Flower/Banana Blossom/Vazhaipoo would prove fruitful for your meticulous effort. Vazhaipoo - Plantain Flower is rather one item usually neglected in most of the kitchen. You literally need some time and patience to clean and prepare Plantain Flower.  But according to me, it is not a messy job, except that you may get your hands stained due to the black sap in Banana Blossoms.  Rub your hands with some oil or use a glove before handling the blossoms.   
     Thoran/Upperi is a predominant Sadhya Item served along with various other dishes in a Kerala Sadhya(Banquet). And we can find a combination of a Dhal/Bean & a vegetable cooked in the form of Thorans, Kootu, Erissery etc., in Kerala Cuisine. Vazhapoo when combined with Red Bean goes hand in hand in terms of colour, taste & texture.  It is a wonderful combination, equally nutritious and delicious.  Try this combo thoran in your Vishu Sadhya spread out this year.

For more SADHYA RECIPES, click here...


Cuisine - Kerala (South India)
Course - Side dish
Spice Level - Low - Moderate
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5 -10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 5 - 7 Minutes


 For more Recipes FROM GODS OWN COUNTRY, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE  VAZHAKOOMBU & VANPAYAR THORAN - PLANTAIN & RED BEAN STIR FRY

PLANTAIN FLOWER AND RED BEAN STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS:

For Vazhakoombu & Chuvanna/Van Payar Thoran:

Plantain Flower/Banana Blossom - 1 Flower 
Red Bean - 1/4 Cup
Shallots - 4-5 Nos.
Garlic - 1-2 Cloves
Green Chillies - 2 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon 
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Coconut - 2-3 Tablespoons
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - a Pinch

For Tempering :

Mustard Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Coconut oil - 1 Tablespoon.

METHOD:

To soak & cook Red Bean:

• Clean, wash and soak Red Bean with ample of water overnight.
• Discard the water used for soaking.
• Pour about 3/4 - 1 cup of water to the soaked Red Bean.
• Pressure-cook the soaked Red Bean on a high flame for 3 Whistles and for 3-4 Whistles on a low flame.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.      

For more details on How to cook Beans Lentils and Pulses, click here ...

To clean & cut Plantain Flower/Banana Bloassom:

• Meanwhile, clean the Banana Blossoms, finely chop them and soak it in acidic water. 
• Drain and squeeze out the excess water from finely chopped Banana Blossoms

For How to clean Plantain Flower/Banana Blossoms, Click here...

 

PLANTAIN FLOWER AND RED BEAN STIR FRY

For Plantain Flower & Red Bean Thoran: 

• Finely chop Shallots, Green Chillies & Garlic.
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves.
• Add finely chopped Shallots, Green Chillies, Garlic and sauté until Shallots turn translucent.
• Add in the Turmeric  Powder, Cumin Seeds and give a quick stir, fry this on a very low flame for few minutes.
• Now add chopped Plantain Flower/Banana Blossom along with a dash of Salt & a pinch of Sugar.
• Cover and cook briefly.
• Once, the  Plantain Flower/Banana Blossom turns soft & cooked, add the cooked Red Bean along with grated Coconut and mix well.
• Cook for a while on a low flame.
• Vazhakoombu & Chuvanna Payar(Vanpayar) Thoran can be served as a side dish for Rice.

NOTES:

• Some do not add Onions & Garlic while cooking for a Sadhya.
• Adding Garlic is truly optional.
• I have used Coconut Oil in the recipe, can use any other vegetable oil.  
• Can substitute Red Bean with Green Grams too.  Cook accordingly.
  

CHAKKA KURU CHEERA THORAN

      Recently my Husband was speaking to his Mother, she was saying that she had cooked Chakka Kuru and Cheera Thoran.  She was selling off the recipe to him saying that it is one popular recipe in Kerala and how you need to slice the Jackfruit seeds for it etc., And as usual I knew my hubby is going to ask me for this recipe.  Luckily I had both the ingredients and the next day I went along to make this Thoran for the very first time.  Combination Thorans are quite prevalent in Kerala, and I was even amused by the combination of Red Bean & Plantain Flower Thoran, Green bean & Plantain Stem Thorans they used to serve at Shreedhareeyam Ayurvedic hospital. 

      This Thoran recipe is a simple Kerala Style stir-fry prepared with finely chopped Amaranth Leaves or Spinach & along with it goes thinly sliced Jackfruit Seeds alias Chakka Kuru.  This thoran is seasoned with mild spices and condiments and finally topped up with few spoons of grated coconut. Chakka Kuru and Cheera Thoran required two types of cooking, one for the Jackfruit Seeds, which has to be peeled, washed and cut into thin slices.  Jackfruit seeds need some extra cooking time whereas Amaranth Leaves can be cooked within minutes.  So I pre-cooked the Jackfruit seeds in a Pressure cooker for a whistle and then did the tempering, added the seasoning and cooked finely chopped Amaranth Leaves, finally I toss it up with pre-cooked Jackfruit seeds and finished cooking the Thoran with a few teaspoons of freshly grated coconuts.

     Though Onam seasons are not for Jackfruits, if you have some leftoverJackfruit seeds from last summer, then this Thoran is a wonderful add-on to your Sadhya Vattom.  Thoran/Upperi is a predominant Sadhya Item served along with various other dishes in a Kerala Sadhya(Banquet). This quick & easy Chakka Kuru and Cheera Thoran can easily be squeezed into your long list of Sadhya items.

Few other Thoran/Upperi which can be served in a Sadhya or a simple Lunch Menu:

• Cabbage Thoran
• Cabbage, Carrot & Beans Thoran
• Achinga Payar/Long Beans Thoran 
• Cheera/Spinach Thoran 
• Beetroot Thoran/Poriyal 
• Vendakka/Okra Thoran
• Pavakka/Bitter Gourd Thoran
• Cheru Payar Parippu/Yellow Moong Thoran
• Cheru Payar/Green Moong Thoran
• Kovakka/Ivy Gourd Thoran
• Padavalanga/Snake Gourd Thoran 
• Mathanga/Yellow Pumpkin Thoran 
• Vazhakoombu/Plantain Flower Thoran 
• Chena Thoran/Chena Upperi 
• Raw Papaya Thoran/Pappanga Thoran
  

For more  SADHYA Recipes, click here...


Cuisine - Kerala(South India)
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Low - Moderate
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 25 -30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 15 - 20 Minutes

HOW TO COOK CHAKKA KURU CHEERA THORAN

 

CHAKKA KURU CHEERA THORAN

INGREDIENTS:

To Cook the Jackfruit Seeds:

Jackfruit Seeds(Chakka Kuru) - 1 Cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tspn
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - a Pinch

For Chakka Kuru Cheera Thoran:

Amaranth Leaves - 2 Cups
Shallots - 4-5 Nos.
Garlic - 1-2 Cloves
Green Chillies - 2 Nos.
Coconut - 2-3 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - a Pinch

For Tempering:

Mustard Seeds - 1 Tspn
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Cumin Seeds - a Pinch.
Coconut Oil - 1 Tbspn.

 

METHOD:

To Cook the Jackfruit Seeds:

• Peel off the white shell from the Jackfruit Seeds.
• Soak the Jackfruit Seeds in Water for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
• Scrape out the brown skin from the Seeds(Soaking helps you to scrape out the skin easily)
• Cut the Seeds into small pieces, wash and keep it aside.
• Add Turmeric Powder to the Jackfruit Seeds, along with a dash of Salt and a pinch of Sugar.
• Cook this along with 1/2 Cup of Water until the Seeds turn soft.
• Alternatively, can cook the above ingredients in a Pressure Cooker for a whistle.
• Do not overcook the Jack fruit Seeds. 
  

For Chakka Kuru Cheera Thoran: 

CHAKKA KURU CHEERA THORAN

• Chop off the Roots from the Stalks.
• Clean and wash the Amaranth Leaves through running water for at least 3-4 times
• Drain the washed Amaranth Leaves in a colander and keep it aside.
• Finely chop the Amaranth Leaves and keep it aside.
• Finely chop Shallots, Green Chillies & Garlic.
• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds and Curry leaves.
• Add finely chopped Shallots, Green Chillies, Garlic and sauté until shallots turn translucent.
• Now add a pinch of Cumin seeds, followed with finely chopped Amaranth Leaves.
• Sprinkle Salt & Sugar and give a quick stir.
• Cover and cook briefly.
• Add in grated coconut and mix well.
• Cook Cheera Thoran/Spinach Stir Fry a while on a low flame.
• Finally, add pre-cooked Jackfruit seeds and give a quick stir. 
• Serve Chakka Kuru Cheera Thoran hot with steamed White Rice/Kerala Rose Matta Rice.
• Can be served along with any Curry and Rice, it goes well as a side dish with Moru Curry/Moru Kachiyathu.
• Can serve this Raw Papaya Thoran as one side dish in the long list of Sadhya Items or along with Kanji(Rice Porridge)/Paal Kanji.
  

For more RECIPES WITH JACK FRUIT, Click here... 

NOTES:

• Can add a pinch of Turmeric to the Cheera Thoran, if preferred.
• Some do not add Onions & Garlic while cooking for a Sadhya.
• Adding Garlic & Cumin Seeds are truly optional.
• I have used Coconut Oil in the recipe, can use any other vegetable oil. 
  

 

KERALA STYLE FISH CURRY MEALS

    Yet another set of recipes for a simple SUNDAY LUNCH MENU.  As special as it is - a Weekend, a day of rest... turns out to be a day of work for women folk.  A good rest & a relaxed mode asks for good food, & the women folk has to get busy planning the meal, cooking & cleaning.  Kudos to all Working Women out there... I am always at awe with their effortless multitasking between work & home.  

    Though most of the Sundays goes by with a default Lunch with Meat, Fish or Seafood also takes over the show on some Sundays.  And when the craving for a typical Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals hits to the core, I plan ahead, buy fish & prawns, clean them and store it in the freezer.  Then it goes along with the typical Menu I cook while I make a Fish Curry Meals, which always comprises Fish Curry, Fish Fry, Prawns, a Vegetable Thoran, Chammanthi or Chammanthi Podi and will finish off the Lunch with Curd.  When it comes to Fish Curry Meals I always make Kerala Matta Rice & Steamed Tapiocas to go along with it.

    A complete meal without Fish, Rice and/or Tapioca is quite rare in Kerala.  One main reason behind this is the long coastline of the State, and availability of fresh catch.  Kerala Cuisine has a tradition of its own, with an extreme combination of a cultural mix of locals and tradesmen from Portugal.  Dishes made out of Fish are relished by Keralites, that it has become a speciality in the dynamic culture of ’God’s Own Country'.  On the long run, it took some twists and turns to suit the palate of Kerala culture enhancing and enriching the tastes and flavours of the fish curry.     

    Fish Curry Meals would be devoured heads down by a Keralite. My husband says that he has seen working women(in Cochin) buy a few fish on their way back home.  He would say, maybe they would make a simple Curry or a fry for dinner. The fact is he loves this idea, buying a fresh catch and cooking it up immediately.

     I had never been a fan of Fish Curry Menu when I was a kid. Least to mention, I used to hate eating Tapiocas & Matta Rice.  I never felt a Fish Curry meals special until I was living in India. One good reason behind that was we never got fresh catch in our area.  Whatever kind of fish we got in Coimbatore, all came from coastal areas of Kerala & Tamil Nadu.  But when we started living in Malaysia & as the place is so close to the coastal line, there was no lack of fresh catch. There we invented the taste & flavour of fresh seafood.  I & my husband recreated our love for seafood since then. And whenever I travel to Cochin, I never miss a chance of eating a Fish Curry meals.  During few of our visits, we have travelled around to have an elaborate Seafood spread at Kallu Shappu(Toddy Shop)served along with the local hooch.

    So whenever a craving for Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals hits, I prepare a combination of dishes like how they serve in a restaurant or go ahead making Kerala Style Pothi Choru(packaged Lunch) which is our another favourite.  So here goes a combination of dishes which can be easily prepared if you are planning for a Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals. 

For more recipes from GODS OWN COUNTRY - KERALA  click here...


Cuisine - Kerala
Menu - Lunch Menu
Difficulty - Medium
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 45 Minutes - 1 Hour.
Cooking Time - 2 Hours -21/2 Hours

For more SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENU RECIPES, Click here...

 

This Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals consists of:

• Kerala Matta Rice
• Kappa Puzhungiyathu/Boiled Tapioca
  
• Fish Curry with Raw Mangoes
  
• Kerala Style Nadan Fish Fry
• Prawns/Chemmeen Ularthiyathu
  
• Cheera Thoran(Stir-fried Spinach)
• Unakka Chemmeen Podi

*Can serve Pacha Manga Chammanthi/Mulagu Chalichathu or your choice of Condiment/Nadan Chammanthi in Fish Curry Meals.