Tapioca - A root rich in Carbohydrates and low in Fat is widely used in making different dishes right from a simple stir fry to a delectable dessert. Tapioca has a special place in Kerala Cuisine, it is a delicacy of every Malayalee. It is considered to be a staple food of Kerala. Kappa and Meen Curry, Kappa Puzhukku and Porridge, or just a simple Kappa puzhungiyathu (steamed) along with pounded Shallots & Chillies Chutney, or a simple Kappa Ularthiyathu, all taste heavenly. Kappa/Maracheeni/Poola Kizhangu / Maravalli has become a staple food of Keralites since early days.
Kappa/Maravalli Ularthiyathu is a simple stir fry with mild seasonings. Cooked Tapioca pieces are seasoned with mild spices and garnished with grated coconuts. Kappa Ularthiyathu goes well as a side dish for rice and curries of your choice.
Cuisine - Kerala (South India)
Course - Side Dish Spice Level - Low - Medium Difficulty - Easy Serves - 3- 4 Author - SM
Preparation Time - 5 - 10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tspn
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Shallots - 4-5 Nos.
Garlic - 1-2 Cloves
Green Chillies - 2 Nos.
Coconut - 2-3 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - a Pinch(Optional)
Coconut Oil - 1 Tbspn.
METHOD :
To Boil Tapioca :
Peel the tapioca and wash it.
Then cut it into pieces of the desired size.
Wash it well until the water is clear.
Boil tapioca in water by adding salt and turmeric powder.
Cook until the pieces are soft.
Drain and discard the water.
For Seasoning :
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 saute until shallots turn translucent.
Add cooked Tapioca pieces, mix well and cook on a low flame for about 2-3 minutes.
Add in grated coconut and mix well.
Cook for a while on a low flame.
Serve hot with Rice and Curry of your choice.
NOTES :
Cook Tapioca with enough water and discard the excess water.
Adding Turmeric is totally optional.
Adjust the number of chillies according to your level of preferred spiciness.
Important : Food Safety
Tapioca naturally produces cyanide*, which is poisonous to humans; however, the cyanide may be removed during processing.
So peel and wash it thoroughly with enough water.
Also, can soak them in water overnight and then discard the water and wash them again before cooking.
Cook Tapioca with enough water to cover them, and then discard the water once it is cooked.
These steps ensure that the little amount of toxin present in it are removed.
*Cyanogenic glycosides present in tapioca, releases hydrogen cyanide during enzymatic hydrolysis by beta-glucosidase. These are transformed within humans and animals after the plant tissue has been macerated
Palakkadan Aviyal - A Medley of Vegetables
Traditional Kerala Aviyal Recipe: Authentic Onam Sadhya Style
Authentic Kerala Aviyal and it is Onam season, and Onakkalam varavayi! A festive mood buzzes around in elation, with childhood memories popping up alongside the rich smells, colours, and tastes of traditional food. The air fills with the charm of Athapookalam, foretelling the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. Rooted in the heart of God's Own Country, this harvest festival is a celebration of rich culture, heritage, and timeless culinary traditions.
Singapore Fried Vermicelli Noodles is considered to be one of the signature dishes popular throughout the world. Almost all Asian eateries cater this dish. We can find this dish in every hawker centre and food courts in Singapore and Malaysia. Personally, I feel that the style of preparation and taste of this dish varies with every cook, keeping certain ingredients as default like the Curry Powder, Bihun (Rice Noodles) and Tauge(Bean Sprouts).
My husband like dishes prepared with Rice Noodles(Bihun) and this dish, in particular, has caught all our taste buds. Though I wouldn't say that, this recipe is authentic, I have recreated my own version to suit our taste preference. All the more this dish is Spicy, Delicious and a wonderful one pot meal which can be easily prepared.
Rice Noodles/Rice Vermicelli/Bee Hoon/Bihun are noodles made from rice flour and water along with other ingredients such as tapioca or corn starch which are added to improve the transparency and chewy texture of the noodles. Rice noodles are most commonly used in Southeast Asia Cuisine. They are available fresh, frozen, or dried, in various shapes and thickness. The are many varieties of Rice Noodle/ Rice Vermicelli used in a variety of dishes in Asian Cuisines.
Cuisine - Singapore, Malaysia (South East Asian)
Course - Main Course
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
Soaking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
HOW TO COOK SINGAPORE FRIED RICE NOODLES / BEE HOON
Spring Onions - Few
Calamansi (Limau Kasturi) - 2 Nos.
METHOD :
Soak Rice Vermicelli (Bihun) in cold water for 20-30 Minutes. Drain and discard the water.
Peel, devein and wash the Prawns and keep it aside.
Clean, wash and cut chicken breast into small pieces and keep it aside.
Cut Carrots into thin strips, shred the Cabbage into thin strips.
Grind the ingredients mentioned under 'To Grind' to a fine paste.
Mix the ingredients mentioned under 'For the Sauce' and keep it aside.
Heat 1 Tbspn of Oil in a wok and scramble the Eggs.
Remove the scrambled Eggs from the wok and keep it aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the same wok and saute finely chopped Onions, Garlic and Chillies until onions turn translucent.
Add the ground paste to the above and saute until fragrant and oil separates from the mix.
Add Prawns/Chicken Pieces to the above and fry for a while until colour changes.
Add Mushrooms, Carrots, Cabbage and give a quick stir on high flame.
Pour in the Sauce Mix and allow it to boil
Add soaked Rice Vermicelli to the sauce mix.
Stir Fry on high flame until the Rice Noodles are soft and well combined with the Sauces.
Add Scrambled Eggs, Bean Sprouts to the fried Noodles and give a quick stir.
Garnish it with Spring Onions and serve hot with a drizzle of Calamansi(Limau Kasturi).
Serve it immediately with Pickled Chillies(Chilli Jeruk), Stir Fried Vegetables/ Fried Eggs or any other side dish of your choice.
NOTES :
Can soak the Rice Noodles in Hot Water for about 5-10 Minutes.
Authentic recipe calls for Char Siu(Roasted Pork). I have not used it in this recipe.
Char Siu can be substituted with ham, bacon or any other minced meat.
Can add thin strips of Bell Peppers too.
Adjust the sauces to suit your taste preference.
EGG MASALA
Eggs are a great source of Protein and all the more Egg according to me is a versatile cooking ingredient ever. Equally, delicious and nutritious. It suits into anything from a basic egg preparation like scrambled, poached, omelette and fried eggs. I love Eggs in any form and it is one ingredient which comes to rescue. It would wonderfully fit into any dish it is added into.
Though cooking an egg needs perfection so that to retain the taste and nutrition. Once it is done, the rest of the job gets easier. Egg Masala is an easy dish prepared with Boiled Eggs in a spicy Masala. This is more or less my version of a recipe which popped in while packing lunch boxes for kids. This recipe goes well with Chapathis, Rotis, Parathas, Appam, Idiyappam etc., Suits well with rice dishes or steamed rice too.
Cuisine - Indian
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 25-30 Minutes
Perfectly boiled eggs retain taste and nutrition. Over-cooked eggs tend to lose the nutrition whereas under-cooked eggs can spoil the taste of the dish. If we consider some simple steps, it is easy to get perfectly boiled eggs every time.
Method :
Pour water into the pot and add eggs into it.
Switch on the flame and allow it to boil.
Once the water boils, cover the pot, lower the flame and let it cook for another 15 minutes.
Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
Peel the eggs, when it has completely cooled.
Alternatively can leave the eggs in a bowl of Ice Water for 5 minutes.
Allow it to cool down before slicing it with a sharp knife.
Notes :
It is easy to peel the eggs when it has cooled.
To ensure perfectly sliced eggs, slice them when they have cooled down.
Stir the pot occasionally, while boiling the eggs, this is to ensure that the yolk remains intact at the centre.
SEMIYA /VERMICELLI PAYASAM
Semiya Payasam is one of the Classical Indian Dessert/Pudding prepared with roasted Vermicelli, Milk and Sugar. Semiya Payasam as it is called in South India and as Seviyan Kheer in North India and Sheer Khurma in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Arabian countries, are the same versions of Vermicelli pudding with slight variations in texture and consistency along with varied garnishes used. Though the base ingredients remain the same, it can be converted into a rich dessert with its variations in garnishing and flavourings.
If there is one quickest dessert, then Semiya/Vermicelli Payasam comes into mind. This is most frequented Payasam at home. This recipe is from the Milkmaid cook book, which comes as a freebie, I got during my school days. Since then, I have made this Vermicelli Payasam innumerable times and this is a foolproof recipe. I have not tried any other variation whatsoever.
Heat 1 Tablespoons of Ghee in a pan and roast the Cashew nuts on a low flame until they turn into a slight golden brown colour.
Remove it with slotted spoons and keep it aside.
Fry the Raisins in the remaining Ghee on a low flame until they fluff-up. Remove it and keep it aside.
Break the Vermicelli strands into small Pieces.
Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Ghee in a non-stick/heavy bottomed pan.
Roast the small strands of Vermicelli pieces on a low flame until it becomes golden colour.
Pour the milk to the roasted vermicelli and allow it to boil, stirring frequently.
Once the Vermicelli is cooked, pour in the Condensed Milk and mix well.
Grind the Cardamom Pods along Sugar into a fine powder and add it to the above Vermicelli mix.
Allow it to boil on a very low flame for about 5–10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Switch off the flame once it reaches the desired consistency.
Garnish it with Cashew nuts and Raisins or any dry fruits and nuts of your choice.
Serve hot or cold.
NOTES:
Care should be taken not to burn or brown the Vermicelli strands.
Stir continuously while roasting the vermicelli to get an even colour.
Roast Vermicelli on a low flame.
Adjust the amount of Condensed Milk & Sugar to suit your sweet level.
Stir the Payasam mix frequently while cooking.
Can garnish the Payasam with your choice of Nuts and Dry Fruits.
Grinding Cardamoms along with sugar, helps you to get a finely ground powder.
This Payasam tends to become thicker once cooled down, pour some milk and adjust accordingly.
Can refrigerate the Payasam and serve it chilled too.
KUNG PAO CHICKEN
This is a dish which was bought into our home by my daughter. She always frets that I never allow her to cook, i.e cook all on her own from the scratch without any help or advice. My daughter tried this recipe for the first time with Mushrooms. She had prepared Singapore Mee and Kung Pao Mushrooms as a side dish, all on her own. She doesn't like Peanuts and so she used Cashews instead of Peanuts in the recipe. For a first timer, I should say it was really good.
I said we will try this out with Chicken and since then I should say that I have made this dish quite a number of times at home. Simple and quick fix recipes are always a hit with me. Small cubes of boneless chicken pieces are seared to perfection in hot oil, which develops an intense flavour and also gives a crunchy texture to the chicken pieces.
The best reason for this dish to be popular is that it has a perfect balance of flavours - it is equally sweet and tangy and all the more slightly underlined with a note of spiciness. To get the right taste is to come up with the right combination, to suit your taste preference.
Cuisine : Chinese, Southeast Asian
Course : Side Dish
Spice Level : Low - Medium
Difficulty : Easy
Serves : 2-3
Author : SM
Preparation Time :
Marination Time : 20 - 30 Minutes
Cooking Time :
INGREDIENTS :
For the Marinade :
Boneless Chicken - 250 Gms
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 1 Tspn
Shaoxing Wine - 1 Tspn
White Pepper - A Pinch
Cornstarch - 1 Tspn
Marinate the Chicken pieces with the ingredients mentioned under 'To Marinate'.
Leave this aside for about 20-30 Minutes.
Mix all the ingredients mentioned under ' For the Sauce' and keep it aside. Make sure there are no lumps,
Heat 3 Tspns of Oil in a wok and Shallow fry the Cashew nuts/Peanuts until they turn golden brown in colour.
Remove them from oil and drain them on a Paper towel.
In the same wok add 2 Tbspns of Oil, Sear the marinated chicken in hot oil for few minutes until the colour changes.
Remove it from oil and keep it aside.
In the remaining Oil, saute finely chopped Garlic, Ginger and Bird's Eye Chillies along with Dry Red Chillies until they turn aromatic.
Add the seared Chicken to the above and stir-fry on high flame for a minute or two.
Stir the Sauce Mix thoroughly before pouring it over the Chicken.
Stir-fry until the sauce mix is well combined with the Chicken Pieces on high flame for few minutes.
Finally, add shallow fried Cashew nuts/Peanuts and give a quick stir.
Garnish with Spring Onions.
Serve hot with any dish of your choice.
Goes well with Fried Rice, Noodles or just pair it up with fragrant Jasmine Rice/White Rice.
NOTES :
Can also prepare the same recipe with Mushrooms, Chicken Wings etc.,
Adjust the spice level to your taste preference.
A Quick Tip :
SEARING A CHICKEN:
Searing a Chicken/Meat is a simple cooking technique where the meat is tossed in hot oil(a little amount just to coat the pan) until the colour changes or for some recipes Brown/caramelize them. This method changes the chemical composition in the meat and create an intense flavour and develop a perfect texture. The main point is that they are not deep fried.
To sear a Chicken/Meat :
Clean, wash and cut the Chicken/Meat into pieces.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat a pan in high flame, add oil into the pan and spread it, so that the pan is well coated with oil.
Toss in the Chicken/Meat pieces to the pan.
If the oil is hot you can hear a sizzling sound.
Allow the meat pieces for 2-3 minutes, then toss it up so that the other side of the pieces are also well seared.
Let the pieces turn into slight brown colour.
If you are searing big pieces, adjust the timing accordingly.
Searing the meat/chicken pieces yields crispy and flavourful meat.
CHILLI JERUK / PICKLED GREEN CHILLIES
If a recipe calls for fewer ingredients, less cooking time and above all if it is a Pickle, which could be eaten within 3-4 hours of preparation then I am sure to try it. All the more if it catches my tastes, I am sure to stock up a readily available batch of it in my Pantry. Chilli Jeruk or Pickled Green Chillies is one pickle which goes well with Soupy/Fried Noodles, Fried Rice or Barbequed Meats.
Whenever you buy food from any hawker centre in Malaysia, most of the dishes would be accompanied with finely minced Chilli Padi/Garlic in Light Soy Sauce or Green Chillies in White Vinegar which is colloquially called Chilli Jeruk/Chilli Hijau in Malaysia. If you are a spice person then, you would surely need these condiments to spice up the dish.
Big variety of Green/Red Chillies is used for the recipe which is less spicy compared to Bird's-Eye Chilli (Chilli Padi). You can opt to remove the seeds for a less spicy version. A good quality Rice Wine Vinegar or any other white vinegar without any flavours suits best for the recipe. The best thing about this pickle is that it can be served within 3-4 hours of preparation.
Preparation Time -
Maturing Time - 3-4 Hours or 1 Day
Cooking Time -:
HOW TO MAKE CHILLI JERUK / PICKLED GREEN CHILLIES
into the Chilli slices
Big Variety of Green/Red Chillies which are less spicy, suits well for the Pickle.
If you prefer a spicy version do not discard the seeds.
Avoid using steel/aluminium/copper containers for storing the pickles, as they tend to react with the acidic nature of salt and vinegar
Store them in clean and dry Porcelain/Glass/Ceramic Jars.
Always use clean & dry spoons(preferably wooden spoons) for the pickle.
Wet Jars/spoons can spoil the pickles as the moisture in them helps in the growth of Fungus.
Allow it to cool completely before storing it into sterilized bottles.
Refrigerate the pickle.
CRISPY BITTER GOURD FRY
Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon/ Bitter Squash is one of the vegetables which regulates blood sugar, so it is highly diabetic friendly food. All the more it has many health benefits loaded in it. The irony is that it is one vegetable mostly avoided due to its bitterness. But, this Bitter Gourd recipe can really cheat your taste buds. Thinly sliced Bitter gourds are marinated with spices and flours. Then they are deep fried.
These Crispy Bitter Gourd Fries are great with any type of rice dish, especially it is compatible with Curd Rice, Sambar or Rasam. It even goes well with variety rice like Coconut Rice, Lemon Rice, Tomato Rice, Puliyodharai, Moong Dhal Khichdi or Arisi Paruppu Sadham, these Crispy and Spicy Bitter Gourd Fries goes hand in hand to spice up the menu.
Cuisine : South Indian
Course : Side dish
Spice Level : Moderate
Difficulty : Easy
Serves : 4
Author : SM
Preparation Time - 5 - 10 Minutes
Marination Time - 20 - 30 MInutes
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS :
Bitter Gourd - 4-5 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 2-3 Tspn Garam Masala - 1/2 Tspn
Rice Flour - 3 Tbspn
Corn Flour/Rice Flour - 1 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste.
Oil - To Deep Fry
METHOD :
Wash and trim the ends of the Bitter Gourd.
Slice them into thin Pieces and remove the seeds.
Mix the Flours and Spices along with a dash of salt.
Add Bitter Gourd slices to the above and mix well.
Leave it aside for about 5 -10 minutes, the mix would have become slightly moist now.
If not sprinkle few drops of water and mix it well until each slice is well coated with the flour-spice mix.
Again leave it aside for about 10-20 Minutes.
Heat Oil in a Pan on a high flame.
Carefully drop the Bitter Gourd slices to the oil and deep fry them on a medium flame.
Make sure that the slices do not get stuck to each other.
Carefully toss them up in oil once.
Deep fry them until the sizzling sound stops and it turns into golden brown colour.
Once done remove from oil and allow it to drain on a paper towel.
Serve hot.
NOTES :
Sprinkle water to the flour and spice mix only if necessary.
The moistness from the vegetable would do the job.
Fry them in medium flame until golden brown colour.
Above method helps in getting crispy fries.
Remove the seeds from the slices.
Adjust the amount of spiciness to your preference.
Important : Food Safety
Though this vegetable is loaded with health benefits. Use this vegetable in moderation.
Bitter gourd can regulate blood sugar so it can be helpful for diabetic people. Otherwise, it can lower the blood sugar in a normal person.
It is better to avoid this vegetable during pregnancy.
Bitter gourd seeds are said to be toxic, so remove them before cooking.
Nendhra Pazha Pradhaman, simmered slow in a brass uruli and finished with roasted coconut
Nendhra Pazha Pradhaman: Kerala's Banana Payasam for Onam, Vishu and Every Sadhya
Nendhra Pazha Pradhaman is Kerala's Banana Payasam, made by simmering ripe Nendhra bananas (plantains) with jaggery, coconut milk and a whisper of cardamom until it turns rich, dark and utterly spoonworthy. This traditional Onam and Vishu Sadhya dessert sits proudly alongside Chakka Pradhaman and Palada Pradhaman on the festive banana leaf, but it's easy enough to make on any ordinary weekday too. Ripe Nendhra Bananas, patience and a good uruli are really all you need.
Essence of Life - Food is all about daily cooking with a simple sense of taste and health. It is all about food. Not a day goes by without eating for most of us, so what we eat matters on the whole. Food in the mode of goodness increases the duration of life, purifies one's existence, and gives strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. Above all ingredients, the most vital one in my kitchen is love.
