Contents

KERALA

Appam and Potato Stew Rice Kalan/Kurukku Kalan Erissery Ulli Theeyal Koorkka Mezhukkupuratti (Chinese Potato Stir Fry) Unniyappam

TAMIL NADU

Adai/Ada Dosai Puliodarai Venpongal Ennai Kathirikka (Stuffed Aubergines) Vazhappoo Sirupayar (Banana FlowerBOOKS and Moong Bean Stir Fry) Vatral Pavakkai Pitlai (Bitter Gourd in Spicy Coconut Gravy) Pinapple DC Maa Ladoo

ANDHRA PRADESH

Romaali with Ginger Hyderabadi Mirch ka Salan Yerra Gummadikai Kura (Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Curry) French Beans Patoli Gongura Chutney Poornam Boorelu

KARNATAKA

Akki Roti Rava Bisi Bele Bhaat Halasinakai Huli (Raw Jackfruit Stir Fry) Kamb Karie (Plantain Cortex Dry Curry) Bharda Playa Udupi

GOA AND KONKANI

Ginger Soup Goan Broccoli Surnoli (Watermelon Pancake) Khuntakanga Polo (Tapioca Dosa) BOOKS Goan Curry Potato and Tofu Ambat DC Popashpalache Amshi Kocchholu (Raw Papaya in Coconut Gravy) Kokum Kuwale Halwa (Ash Gourd Halwa) KERALA

The lush greens, the backwaters and the boats that bob gently up and down on the water, the ports and the harbours; they really do forgive the cliché God’s own country that has been (re) used umpteen times! And there are times when it seems just right! A Portland that used to be known for shrewd rulers and tribal artillery, with expert disciples of martial arts, Kerala has always been at the receiving end of nature’s bounty; green fertile fields, water in plenty and a hardworking lot as its inhabitants. The food culture of Kerala, as one of the southern states of , is so different from its northern counterparts that there is no way a serious comparison can be drawn where taste is concerned. Avial is not just a rock band from Kerala, it’s a dish! And yes, banana chips are deep fried in coconut oil; the phenomenal taste-maker for all the foods prepared in the state. It would be hard for the untrained taste buds to get acquainted with coconut oil, but to Keralites, nothing is right without this magic oil! The bifurcation in the cuisine can be noted owing to regions and their proximity to other lands. In southern Kerala there are more of vegetarians than in the north (Malabar), where notorious meat eating can be witnessed! The Malabar way of cooking includes either sea food or meat during all their meal times. The used in Kerala are quite uncommon outside the southern states; yam, raw banana, jackfruit, ash gourd, ChineseBOOKS potato, drumstick and enter—coconut! Coconut is the uncrowned King of , be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Sweet coconut milk is also widely used for a lot of dishes. The abundance of coconut and the above mentioned vegetables are mainly becauseDC of the regular monsoons that bless the land. The staple food of Kerala is rice—the special red rice or Kerala rice as it is known— and fresh sea food. Keralites also savour their meat dishes and consider them invaluable for their sustenance. Tapioca is a common food found here. Though it is often spoken of as the poor man’s health food, its exquisite taste has made it quite a rage among the people here. Never leave the land without subjecting your taste buds to boiled tapioca, paired with crushed green chillies, shallots and tamarind mixed together! A vegetarian feast in Kerala is spread on a plantain leaf, with rice, sambar and a whole host of delicious and rich native dishes. Kerala is renowned for its payasams, pradhamans and other sweet delicacies like unniappam and ilayada. AND POTATO STEW Appam is that white pancake-like delicacy that is fluffy at its centre and crusty towards the ends! Made with coconut milk, and in some places with toddy, it is a pleasure to indulge in, especially accompanied by stew or brown chickpea curry!

Ingredients • 2 cups rice flour • 2 tablespoon semolina • 2 cups medium coconut milk • 1 cup thick coconut milk • ½ teaspoon yeast • ½ teaspoon sugar • 2 cups water To Make Appam 1. Add 2 glasses of water to semolina and start cooking. 2. Cook until it becomes loose. Keep aside to cool. 3. Add ¼ cup lukewarm water to BOOKS½ teaspoon yeast and sugar and mix well, and wait for it to rise or fill out the vessel. 4. Take 2 cups of rice flour in a deep-bottomed vessel. 5. Add the cooked semolinaDC and mix well. 6. Add the yeast and sugar mix, and blend them well. 7. Add the medium thick coconut milk little by little. Mix well. Keep it overnight. Do not refrigerate. 8. The next day, first mix the batter well and add the thick coconut milk little by little. 9. Add salt and sugar to taste. 10. Heat the skillet (there are exclusive ones for making ; if that isn’t available, go for the one with enough dent) 11. Pour 5–6 tbsp of batter into it and simply rotate the skillet. Make sure the batter 4. Heat oil in a pan. When it smokes, add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the red chillies broken into halves and curry leaves to the gravy. (Kurukku kalan is usually prepared up to this stage and stored. It will keep good up to one month. Whenever needed, ground coconut and green chillies are mixed with it .) 5. For using it up immediately, grind the coconut and green chillies to a thick paste, adding yogurt, if necessary. Do not add water while grinding. Mix to the thickened gravy. Kurukku kalan is ready to be enjoyed with boiled rice, roti or .

ERISSERY The charm of erissery is such that there is no way one can resist its advances. Once fallen, let’s read–forever in! The curry is flavoured with chosen with a tinge of sweetness imbibed from the pumpkin. Erissery, again is not fussy about its taste or the main ingredient. It will be a smash hit recipe even if you substitute the pumpkin with yam, ash gourd, or raw banana retaining the red beans of course! Combinations are worth a shot too! Ingredients • 2 cups ripe pumpkin, cubed • 2 dried chillies BOOKS • ½ cup red oriental beans To be Ground to a Paste • 1 cup coconut milk • 2 sprigs curry leavesDC • 2 tsp oil • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds • 2 garlic pods • Water • Salt, to taste • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ADA DOSAI/ADAI There’s a happening dosa fest in every home; every home in Tamil Nadu, that is! And that too everyday! The ada dosai is a wonder to people outside the southern province as it is a solid blend of lentils, chillies and essential greens that in all, tastes superb.

Ingredients • 1 cup raw rice • ½ cup parboiled rice • ½ cup Bengal gram • ½ cup black gram • 3 red chillies • 2 green chillies • 1 inch piece ginger • 1 small sprig of curry leaves • Salt, to taste • ½ tsp asafoetida To Make Adai 1. Wash and soak rice, Bengal gramBOOKS and black gram for 3 hours. 2. Grind the soaked mix along with green chillies, red chillies, ginger, curry leaves and salt to a coarse batter. (A coarse batter is best for crisp pancakes). 3. Add asafoetida andDC mix well. 4. Heat a cast iron griddle. Sprinkle a few drops of oil in it. 5. Take a ladle of batter and spread to a thick dosa/pancake. 6. Make a hole in the centre. Drizzle oil on the sides and in the hole made in the centre. 7. When one side of the pancake is cooked fine, flip and cook the other side. You will note that this has to turn out thicker than . 8. Traditionally adai is served with powdered unrefined sugar with butter and/or pickle. Adai and avial (check Kerala cuisine) is a popular combination. This multi-favoured dosa goes very well with sweet and hot tomato chutney as well. Try out the varied combos and make the best of it!

PULIODARAI Yes of course, tamarind rice! That which stands sentinel at the south Indian (read Tamil, Andhra and Karnataka) food gazebo! Tamarind rice is an integral part of the cuisine and it can either be prepared on the spot, or using a mixture called pulikachal that could be prepared first. It lasts for many days together, and whenever necessary this mixture just needs to be blended well with rice.

Ingredients • 2 large cups cooked rice • 2 lemon-sized balls tamarind • 5– 6 tbsp sesame oil • ½ tsp mustard seeds • 1 sprig curry leaves • 1 tsp Bengal gram • 1 tsp black gram BOOKS • ½ tsp turmeric powder • ¼ cup ground nuts • A pinch of asafoetidaDC • 5–6 red chillies, made halves • 4 cups water • Salt, to taste For the Powder • 3 tbsp seeds • 2 tsp Bengal gram • 1–2 red chillies • 1 tbsp sesame seeds • 3–4 fenugreek seeds To Make Puliodarai 1. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet and put the mustard seeds in. 2. Once they splutter, add red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves, Bengal gram, black gram, ground nuts and fry until they turn golden brown. 3. Make sure the ground nuts are well roasted. Keep pressing the chillies in the oil, so they mix well. 4. Make a paste out of the tamarind balls and pour it into the skillet with some water, salt and turmeric powder. Add more oil if needed. 5. Let the mixture cook well until the water shrinks up into a thick paste and the oil separates. This is called pulikachal. 6. Roast the powder ingredients except the sesame seeds and grind to make a powder. Add the rice and powder to the pulikachal and mix thoroughly. 7. Make a separate powder out of the sesame seeds and sprinkle over the puliodarai. Mix well just before serving. 8. Savour the renowned puliodarai withBOOKS yogurt. VENPONGAL The simple yet exceedingly tasty rice mixed with oodles of , black whole peppers, minimum spices, curry leaves and very little lentils. It is so simple that there aren’t many ways to describe it, exceptDC that it tastes divine!

Ingredients • 1 cup rice • ½ cup split/yellow green gram • 10–12 cashew nuts, made halves • 1tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp black pepper