Kannur Fish Curry (Meen Mulakittathu)

Meen Mulakittathu is one of the famous and delicious fish curry prepared in Kannur (Kerala, Malabar side). This is a fish curry served in our houses and hotels when visited. There are different styles of preparing fish curry, with or with out coconut, just with tamarind pulp and so on. This is one of the fish curry prepared with tamarind pulp and red chilli powder. Without meen mulakittathu, lunch is never complete in any house. This is a special recipe from my mum, and no has this special taste as her delicious curry. Taste this fish curry this weekend and let me know your precious comments. Have a great weekend :)

Ingredients:

Mackerel Fish - 2 nos (sliced)

Onions - 1 large (cut to thin slices)

Green chilli - 4 nos (slit into half)

Ginger - a small piece (sliced)

Tomatoes - 1 large (sliced)

Curry leaves - 2 string

Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 3 tbsp

Tamarind Pulp - 1 cup (thick)

Coconut oil - 3 tbsp + 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Preparation:

- Heat oil in a chatti (earthen pot), when hot, add fenugreek seeds and let splutter.

- Add onions, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and saute till onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and saute well till mushy.

- Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fry well till oil shows out.

- Add the cut fish pieces, salt and mix well. Now pour the tamarind water, check for salt and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes till curry boils and fish is cooked.

- Once done, off flame and pour one tsp of coconut oil on top of the curry and cover lid till serving.

- Spicy and delicious Meen Mulakittathu is ready to serve with rice and fish fry.

Note:

- Any fish can be used to prepare this curry.

- This is a very spicy dish. Adjust salt and spice according to taste.

- I use thick tamarind pulp for the gravy,as i like this curry thick rather than watery. You can add water to the pulp to make the gravy watery.

Mutton Liver Curry

Its been a month I am on travel and enjoyed the rain and awesome climate in Kannur, Kerala. Today i am sharing with all is a tasty and authentic my home recipe of cooking Mutton Liver Curry. This is a recipe been passed from one generation to the other by my grandmum, mum and now its me. The taste and ingredients never changed and i still remember relishing the liver curry with chapathi. So here is this recipe from my family to all my friends. Love cooking and eating and enjoy life friends :) :)

Ingredients:

Mutton Liver - 250gms (cut to cube pieces)

Onions - 2 medium (sliced)

Tomato - 1 medium (sliced)

Green chillies - 2 nos (slit to half)

Ginger - 1 small piece (chopped)

Garlic - 5 pods (chopped)

Curry leaves - 2 string

Cloves - 3 nos

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Turmeric - ½ tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Meat masala - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Black pepper corns - 1 tsp (for garnishing)

Curry leaves - 1 string (for garnishing)

Water - ½ cup

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

- Cut, clean and keep the liver aside.

- Heat oil in a cooker, add cloves, cinnamon and heat for a sec. Now add onions, ginger, garlic, green chilli, curry leaves and saute till onions turn translucent.

- Now add the tomatoes and saute till soft and mushy.

- Add all the powders (turmeric, red chilli, coriander, meat masala, black pepper) and fry till raw smell goes.

- Now add the cut liver pieces, salt and mix well. Add water, let the liver cook for 3 whistles.

- Once done, open cooker and let the water reduce to a thick masala.

- Spicy and delicious Liver fry is ready to serve. Garnish with pepper corns and curry leaves.

- Serve hot with Poori, Chapathi and even a side dish for Rice.

Note:

- Liver should never be overcooked. If over cooked, they turn to be very rubbery.

- Liver should always be cooked with little water.

- Adjust spice and salt according to taste.

Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken

Crispy Crunchy fried chicken is a all time favourite dish for all at home. An easy recipe to be prepared every day at home. My son (Rylan) and I love this chicken recipe as it is sweet and and not too hot. We order this dish every time when visiting a Chinese restaurant and wanted to try at home. Received the recipe through a chinese cooking video and yes, it turned out great. Try and you will enjoy for sure :) :)

Ingredients:

Chicken (With bones) - 800 gms

Salt - 1 tsp

Ground black pepper - ¾ tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp

Corn starch - 1 cup

Garlic - 10 cloves (chopped)

Dry red chillies - 5 nos (cut to half)

Peanuts - ½ cup (optional)

Soy sauce - 3 tbsp

White vinegar - 1 tsp

Mustard sauce - 1 tsp (optional)

Honey - 3 tbsp

Brown sugar - 1 tsp (optional)

White sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - for frying

Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp (for cooking)

Marination of the chicken:

- Cut, clean and keep chicken pieces aside.

- In a bowl, add the chicken, salt, ground black pepper, ginger and mix well.

- Take cornstarch in another bowl. Coat each chicken pieces in the cornstarch and keep aside. Squeeze each chicken piece to press the coating to it tightly (Make sure to coat the chicken very well in the corn starch).

Frying the chicken : (Double frying method)

 - Heat oil in a pan for about 7 to 8 minutes on high flame. Once the oil bubbles, add the chicken pieces and fry for 12 to 15 minutes turning over a few times with the tongs till crunchy.

 - Turn off flame and let the fried chicken sit aside for few minutes.

 - Now reheat the oil and once again cook the chicken pieces for about 12 - 15 minutes turning over and till crunchy and keep aside.

Preparing the sauce: (sweet, spicy and sticky sauce)

- Heat a wok or nonstick pan and heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil, chopped garlic and dry red chillies.

- Stir well for about 30 sec, till you get a nice aroma.

- Add soy sauce, honey, vinegar, mustard sauce and stir well till it bubbles for few minutes.

- Now add the brown sugar and continuing stirring. Once done remove from heat and keep aside.

- Once the chicken is done, reheat the above sauce till bubbles.

- Add the chicken, peanuts and mix well till the chicken is coated well in the sauce.

- Remove the chicken from heat and serve to a large platter. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve hot.

Note:

- I recommend chicken with bones instead of boneless for this recipe.

- Adjust the honey and brown sugar as per taste.

- Chicken will still remain crispy for the next day.

Easy Mango Achar/Pickle

Mango Achar/Pickle is a traditional side dish recipe of Kerala. Mango achar is prepared in many ways in different parts of Kerala. This is a very easy and spicy recipe from my mum in law. Try on friends and i am sure you will love this spicy and delicious achar.

Ingredients:

Raw mango - 1 cup (cut to very small pieces)

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 3 tbsp

Asafoetida powder - ¼ tsp

Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Dry red chillies - 5 nos

Curry leaves - 2 string

Water - ½ cup (boiled and cooled)

Coconut oil - 4 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Preparation:

- In a large bowl, add raw mango, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida powder, fenugreek powder, salt and keep aside for 20 mts.

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

- Add the mango masala and mix well.

- Pour the boiled cooled water, mix well and bring to boil for a minute. Switch off flame and let cool.

- Serve with rice or parathas. Refrigerate for longer use.

Note:

- Spice and salt can be adjusted according to taste.

- This pickle is well served with rice and parathas.

Easy Carrot Achar/Pickle

Carrot Achar/Pickle is yet another dish which can be prepared with simple ingredients. This is a recipe which is very simple and can be consumed for about a month once refrigirated. Enjoy cooking and love eating :) :)

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 cup (sliced)

Ginger - 1 piece (sliced)

Garlic - 10 pods (cut into half)

Kashmiri chilli powder - 3 tbsp

Pickle powder - 3 - 4 tbsp (any brand)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chilli - 3 nos (slit into half)

Vinegar - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 string

Coconut oil - 4 tbsp

Water - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Preparation:

- Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilli and saute for a sec.

- Add ginger, garlic and fry for a minute.

- Now add the pickle powder and red chilli powder and fry on low flame for a minute (make sure the powders don’t burn while frying).

- Once done, add sliced carrot, salt, water and mix well.

- Cover and let the pickle cook for 4 - 5 minutes on medium flame.

- Once done, off flame, add vinegar and mix well. Let cool and you can refrigerate for later use.

- Spicy and easy carrot pickle is ready to consume.

Note:

- Spice and salt can be adjusted to taste.

- You can use any brand of pickle powder. Please make sure the pickle powder ingredients includes fenugreek powder and asafoetida powder.

Chakka (Jackfruit) Vevichathu

Chakka Vevichathu or Mashed Jackfruit is a dish from Kerala prepared towards Central Travancore. This is a tasty dish I personally like when compared to Kappa/Tapioca Vevichathu. I am sure all would love preparing and tasting this recipe. Enjoy cooking and eating. Have a great day :) :)

Ingredients:

Chakka (Jackfruit) Unripe - 1 small nos

Grated coconut - ¾ of one

Garlic - 6 pods (sliced)

Green chillies - 5 nos (sliced)

Jeera - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - 3 strings

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Salt - to taste

Water - ½ + ½ cup

Preparation:

- Peel and cut unripe jackfruit flesh to small pieces and keep aside.

- Cook unripe jackfruit with ½ cup water with lid on. Once done, add salt to taste and mix well.

- In a mixture, coarsely ground grated coconut, garlic, green chillies, jeera, curry leaves and keep aside.

- In a large pan, pour ½ cup water, add the cooked jackfruit and the ground paste. Keep lid on let cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Once done, mix and mash the mixture well.

- Serve hot and delicious Chakka Vevichathu.

Note:

- This dish is also called Chakka Puzhukku in certain parts of Kerala.

- You need to use unripe jackfruit. No seeds are used in this dish.

- The best combination with the dish is Fish curry.

Rava Ladoo

Rava Ladoo is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet dish made with roasted rava, coconut, sugar and dry fruits. This is a dish prepared during festival time and functions at home to complete with a simple dessert. I, myself love this ladoo, but nothing to compare with my sweet tooth husband, he loves this ladoo. Try on my friends, this is a quick and easy recipe from me to all... Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients:

Rava (sooji) - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup (powdered)

Coconut - ½ cup

Milk - ¼ cup (warm milk)

Ghee - 4 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp (crushed)

Cashew Nuts - 1 tbsp

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Preparation:

- Roast/fry cashew nuts and raisins in 1 tsp ghee and keep aside.

- In a kadai, pour 2 tsp ghee and roast the rava till you get a roasted aroma (approximate 3-4 mts). Once done off flame and let cool.

- Fry the grated coconut in 1 tsp ghee for 2 minutes and keep aside (the coconut should not be brown).

- In a large bowl, add the roasted coconut, rava, cashewnuts, raisins, cardamom powder, sugar and mix well.

- Pour milk little by little to the bowl, mix well and shape ladoos. Keep aside for few minutes for the ladoos to harden.

Note:

- Sugar can be added according to taste. I used 1 cup, i have sweet tooth hubby at home.

- Add milk little by little to the mix. Adding milk at one time can make the ladoo mix to be watery.

- I could make 22 ladoos with the above measurements.

- You can refrigerate ladoos for a weeks time and consume.