Kaju Curry & Fruit Pulav

Rich Kaju curry:

Last month I had been to restaurant with my family after a long time. That restaurant is famous for its north Indian dishes. They had a speciall dish Kaju curry. We all tried it for the first time. Kaju Curry goes well with Pulao, but it can also be eaten with Naan .We thought it will be ok kind of. But after we tasted the dish you know what it made us drooling, it was a mouth watering dish, very yummy.So I decided to make this dish at home for my family! I surfed for this recipe. But there are different versions for preparing this curry. I prepared it on my own version.Last Saturday my friends came for lunch so I prepared kaju curry, ButterNan, Fruit Pulav for my family & friends.

So this is different version of mine..I tried it to make it up to that level.. But managed to do so.! :) garnished with the coriander leaves

Ingredients

Cashew nuts-15-20 soaked for 1/2 hour and ground to a paste

Poppy seeds-2 tbsp soaked 1/2 hour and ground to a paste

Ghee-1/4 cup

Cumin seeds-2 tsp

Grated onions-1 cup

Milk-1/4 cup

Coconut- ½ cup

Turmeric -1/2 tsp

chili powder-1/2 tsp

Garam masala-1/2 tsp

Green chillies-2or3

Mixed vegetables of your choice-1 1/2 cups

paneer-50 gms

Salt-as per taste

Chopped coriander-2 tbsp for garnish

Method:

1.Cut the cashew nuts in two halves and Soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds , coconut(separately) in water for about half an hour and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside

2.Cut vegetables into cubes boil them and keep aside.

3.Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and add the cumin. When the seeds splutter, add onions and sauté till it turns a light brown.

4.Now add the ground paste and saut till the fat separates.

5.In another pan heat oil and fry onion till transparent, add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, , salt and the green chillies then Add the vegetables and mix well and cook on low heat.

6.When it starts boiling, add all the sauted paste and Add 1 1/2 cups water and the milk, . and keep stirring bring to a boil, and then simmer, uncovered for 3-4 minutes.

7.Serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves.

Fruit Pulav:

Fruit Pulav is another kid friendlier version. We can take Fruit in any form; with few simple ingredients, this dish can be prepared in a matter of minutes because it doesn’t involve much chopping. It is a mildly flavored with Indian spices and is versatile because it can be served along with any kind of sidedish. Rice mixed with mild spices & fruits gives a whole new taste, fragrance Very healthy and tastes awesome. In my own version I prepared this dish.

Ingredients:

Rice-500 gm

Grapes-100 gm

Apple-2 big

Pomegranate seed- 4 Tbsp

Orange-2

Raisins-50 gm

Cashew nuts-50 gm

Paneer- 50 gms

Bay leaf-1

Cloves-4

Cardamoms-4

Cinnamon sticks-2

garam masala (whole)- 1 tablespoon

Milk-1 cup

ghee /butter-2tbsp

Ginger chilli paste-1/2 tsp

Salt -according to taste

Method:

1. Wash the rice properly and soak in cold water for an hour.

2. Drain the rice water and dry the rice in a broad and flat based utensil.

3. Boil the water and add rice and milk and half cook it.

4. Cut the apple in a medium cubes.

5. Heat the ghee in a pan, fry the raisins & cashew nuts and keep aside.

6. Heat the ghee in a pan, Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon bay leaf,chilli paste & garam masala for sauté.

7. Add pre-fried raisins, nuts, paneer salt and sugar according to taste and mix properly.

8. Add fruit of your choice (I added apple, , grapes, pomegranate seed,orange ) and mix it properly, cook it for 2-3 min in a low flame with cover.

9. Turn off the gas, but do not open the cover of Pulao.

10. After few minute open the cover and stir it properly.

11. Enjoy Fruit Pulao with your favorite curry.

Note : you can add saffron for colour& flavor .

Aviyal & Idichakka Thoran

Aviyal & Idichakka Thoran

I am not a keralite. But my village (read)is in south tamil nadu near kerala border. So In our home we prepares recipes mostly related to kerala & Tirunelveli combination. Aviyal & jackfruit thoran both are often prepared in my home.

Aviyal (Avial) which is a must in our Sadyas .The word ‘Aviyal’ means a mix of several. As a dish Aviyal (Avial) is a mixed vegetable recipe with thick gravy. . Avial is a semi-dry preparation with mixed vegetables, held together in a yogurt-coconut base. Avial in my house is made with curd(yogurt) for sourness but there are versions with tamarind added instead of yogurt. You can use many vegetables available to prepare this dish but the very common ones are Yam, Ash Gourd, Carrots, Beans, Drumsticks and Raw Plantain (Banana). You can also add Cucumber (vellarikka), Raw Papaya), Potatoes etc. This is a great combination with Rice and also as a side dish.

Ingredients:

Brinjals - 2

Raw banana -2

Potato -2

Carrot -2

Drumsticks - 3

French beans - 100 gms

Pumpkin - ½ cup

Tender Yam (Chena) - ½ cup

Curd (Medium sour) - ½ cup

Coconut - 1 ½ cups

Green chilies - 4 to 5No

Turmeric powder - ½ tablespoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Seasoning:

Curry Leaves - 1 bunch

Coconut Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

Clean the vegetables and cut them into 2 inch pieces and parboil them with turmeric powder and salt.

Add only a little water since the vegetables themselves will have enough juice to keep the curry thick gravy.

Grate the coconut and grind it with green chillies and cumin seeds to get a smooth paste.

Take the cooked vegetables and add the ground paste, salt and curd and Boil for a few minutes and once the vegetables are cooked.

Season it with coconut oil and curry leaves.Serve it with Rice.

Idichakka Thoran

Idichakka (Tender Jack fruit) thoran is a delicious dry dish served along with cooked rice.. Removing the skin and cleaning up the jack fruit is a tedious job but the taste matters. In season, people at kerala /sout tamil nadu make variety of dishes using jack fruit, jack fruit seeds and tender jack fruit. The thoran made up of tender jack fruit is a tasty traditional dish .Idichakka Thoran is a very tasty and is good to be served with Rice.

Ingredients:

Small Chakka (Raw Jackfruit) : 1 small

Coconut - 1 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 spring

Dry Red Chillies - 2 nos(cut into pieces)

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Black gram (Uzhunthu parippu) - 1 tsp

Coconut Oil - 2 tsp

Salt - as required

Method:

Slice the Jackfruit into small size pieces.

Add salt, turmeric powder and cook the jackfruit in a small quantity of water.

When cooked, mash the cooked vegetable either using the Ammikallu or in a mixer.

Heat Coconut Oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and black gram and allow them to splutter.

Add curry leaves and dry red chillies and fry them for a minute.

Add the crushed Chakka to this and mix well. Finally add the coconut and cook them.

For Chakka varatti Or Jack Fruit Halwa see here