Vishu Recipes

Vishu is an important Kerala festival celebrated in the month of "Medam" in the Indian state of Kerala and as Bisu in the Karnataka region usually in the second week of April. Vishu is celebrated with much fanfare and vigour in all parts of Kerala. The most important event in Vishu is the Vishukkani, which literally means "the first thing seen on the day of Vishu after waking up". Other elements of Vishu include buying of new clothes (Puthukodi) for the occasion, the tradition of giving money called Vishukkaineetam and the Vishu feast or Sadhya which consist of equal proportions of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items.

Vishu Sadhya  is a variety of vegetarian dishes traditionally served on a banana leaf in Kerala, India. A normal Sadhya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course. This is the same kind of dishes served in a Onam Sadhya. Towards the north side of Kerala, specially the malabar side there is a another main delicacy served at the starting of sadhya called Pappadam Pazham Kuzhachathu (ripe banana, papad, ghee and sugar is smashed together and eaten). The main dish is plain boiled rice, served along with other dishes collectively called Kootan which include curries, side dishes and sweet dishes. 

Today I am sharing 3 different dishes for all my friends for Vishu 2015. Try and prepare these dishes for this Vishu and have a Happy and Blessed Vishu.

Muringakka Thoran (Drumstick Thoran)

Ingredients:
Drumstick - 1 small bowl (cut into 1 inch pieces)

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp

Chicken Masala powder - ½ tsp (optional)

Grated coconut - 5 tbsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Jeerakam - ¼ tsp

Dry red chillies - 4 nos

Curry leaves - 2 strings

Oil - 2 tbsp

salt - to taste

Preparation:

- Boil cut drumstick in water with ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder and salt. Once down, drain water and keep aside.

- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, jeera, dry red chillies and curry leaves.

- Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, chicken masala powder and fry for a sec.

- Now add the cooked drumsticks, salt and mix well for a sec.

- Add grated coconut and mix well till drumsticks are coated well in the coconut mixture.

- Off flame and serve delicious drumsticks with Rice and Moru curry.

Note:

For More Sadhya Recipes Visit :

http://thengachamanthi.blogspot.in/2014/08/onam-recipes.html

Olan

Ingredients:

Kumbalanga (Ash Gourd) - 3 cups (cut to thin cube size pieces)

Black eyed beans (Vanpayar) - ¾ cup

Water - 4 cups

Green chillies - 5 nos (slit to half)

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - 2 string

Preparation:

- Pressure cook the vanpayar with 2 cups of water for 6-7 whistles. Once done drain the water and keep aside. (Make sure not to overcook the vanpayar.It should retain its shape).

- Cook the kumbalanga with 2 cups of water, green chillies, salt and keep aside (Make sure not to overcook the kumbalanga. It should retain its shape).

- Now add the cooked vanpayar to the kumbalanga and mix well. Add coconut milk, curry leaves and let cook on low flame for another 8 minutes.

- Once done off flame and pour coconut oil on top of the curry and serve.

Note:

For More Sadhya Recipes Visit :

http://thengachamanthi.blogspot.in/2014/08/onam-recipes.html

Pumpkin Erissery (Mathanga)

Ingredients:

Pumpkin/Mathanga - 4 cups (cut to small cube size)

Grated coconut  - ½ cup

Water - 3 cups

Jeera seeds - ¼ tsp

Green chillies - 3 nos (chopped)

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Shallots/small onions - 3 nos (sliced)

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - 2 string

Preparation:

- Cook cut pumpkin, salt in a vessel with 3 cups of water. Once done mash the pumpkin and keep aside.

- Grind coconut, green chillies, jeera seeds, turmeric powder to a semi thick paste.

- Now add the grinded coconut to the mashed pumpkin and mix well. Let cook on low flame for about 8 minutes.

- Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add sliced shallots, curry leaves and fry till brown.

- Now pour this to the cooked pumpkin and garnish with curry leaves and serve.

Note:

For More Sadhya Recipes Visit :

http://thengachamanthi.blogspot.in/2014/08/onam-recipes.html

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 cup (grated)

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Green chilli - 4 nos (chopped)

Curd - 1 cup

Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp (crushed)

Grated coconut - ¼ cup

Dry red chillies - 2 nos

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - 2 string

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Water - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Preparation:

- Grind coconut, two green chilli and cumin seeds to a smooth paste.

- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add the grated beetroot with two green chillies and let cook till soft.

- When the water gets dried, add the coconut paste, crushed mustard seeds and mix well. When this mixture turns to boil, add salt to taste.

- Simmer heat and add the curd to the pachadi and mix well. Off flame after a sec or two.

- In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves for a sec.

- Add the tempering to the pachadi and mix well.

- Beetroot pachadi is ready to serve. It tastes better the next day.

Note:

For More Sadhya Recipes Visit :

http://thengachamanthi.blogspot.in/2014/08/onam-recipes.html

Inji Curry/Inji Puli - Style 2

Ingredients:

Ginger - ½ cup (peeled and cut into thin slices)

Green chillies - 5-6 nos (chopped)

Dry red chillies - 3 nos

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp

Jaggery - ½ cup (4 tbsp)

Tamarind extract - 1 cup (valan puli)

Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Curry leaves - 2 strings

Oil - 2 tbsp

Oil - 5 tbsp (for frying the ginger)

Salt - ½ tsp (to taste)

Preparation:

- Peel ginger, cut into thin slices and keep aside.

- Chop green chillies and keep aside.

- Heat oil in a pan and fry the ginger slices till golden brown in color. Once done keep aside and crush in a motor or pedestal.

- Heat oil in a kadai, add asafoetida powder, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves for a minute.

- Now add green chillies and fry for a minute. Add the crushed ginger and fry for a minute or two.

- Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to the ginger mixture.

- Let this mixture boil till the gravy becomes thick and oil separates.

- Now add the fenugreek powder, mix well and off flame.

- Let cool, store in a dry barani or bottle.

Note:

- Puli inji thickens as it cools and can be refrigerated for at least a month.

- Check the salt and jaggery as per taste.

- Valan puli is used for the extract.

Note:

For More Sadhya Recipes Visit :

http://thengachamanthi.blogspot.in/2014/08/onam-recipes.html