ERACHI VARATTIYATHU

If you are a meat lover , this recipe is for you. Erachi Varattiyathu is a semi dry preparation of meat ; it can neither be called a curry nor a fry , lying somewhere in between them; with a very little thick gravy coating the meat pieces. The authentic dish calls for slow cooking the meat with spices in low heat . But i usually take shortcuts and choose simple methods to cook. Hence i pressure cook it first and then simmer for some time to let the flavours get locked in . My dish comes out just as delicious and tasty as the traditional one.

This is a very popular dish at most of the Malabar homes , for day to day meals as well as for parties. Its also one among the items they mostly send to relatives staying abroad. We always wait eagerly for this highly tempting delicacy when my mom or any close relative return from malabar, my home.

Beef /Mutton - 1/2 kg , boneless

Onion - 3 large, thinly sliced

Green chillies - 2 , slit into two

Tomato - 3 small , chopped

Ginger-garilc paste - 1 tbsp , freshly grinded

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Corriander powder - 2 heaped tbsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Fennel powder - 1 tsp

Meat Masala - 1 tsp ( I prefer Eastern Meat Masala)

Curry leaves - a handful

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Preparation :

1. Clean and cut meat into small spieces.

2. Mix well all the above ingredients , except curry leaves and coconut oil.

3. Add little water just enough to pressure cook the meat . Take care not to add too much water , as some water will come out of the meat while being cooked. Pressure cook for about 25 minutes.

4. Open the cooker and if there is any excess liquid, let it dry on low heat.

5. Heat coconut oil in another pan and put in the curry leaves. Then pour in the above meat with remaining gravy. Mix well and cook till semi-dry ( for about 5 minutes) , stirring in between to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Serve it with Neichoru (Ghee rice) or Pathiri (A kind of bread made with rice ).

PANINEER PETTI

Strange the name sounds rite ??.. its one of my all time favourite Malabar snack, made of ripe Kerala Banana(Nenthrappazham).. As the name sounds, its shape ressembles a "PETTI"(box) with banana filling stuffed inside..But am still wondering why the name "Panineer" (Rose)? ..may be it symbolizes the sweet filling inside ... This is one among the snacks Malabar muslims prepare to treat their "Puyyaplas"(New Bridegroom) . Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients for the Filling:

Kerala Banana (ripe)- 2

Cocunut grated - 4 tbsp

Sugar - 4 tbsp

Cashewnuts/raisins - a few

Cardamom (powdered) - 3 pods

Ghee -1 tbsp

Ingredients for the Pancake:

Eggs - 4

To prepare the filling:

Cut banana into small square pieces.Heat ghee in a pan. Once the ghee is hot, add cashews n raisins n saute till they turn golden. Add the banana pieces n saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add in sugar n mix well. Finally add coconut n powdered cardamom and fry for a couple of minutes more. Remove n let it cool

To prepare the pancakes:

Beat the eggs very well .Grease a pan with little ghee n heat it. Once the pan is very hot, pour a laddle of egg batter , rotate the pan n spread it out as thin as possible to make pancakes. U need to cook only one side of the pancake for a minute or less. Invert the pan onto to a flat plate ; the uncooked side has to be at the bottom. Keep 2 tbspn filling into the pancake n spread it into square shape. Then fold the pancake inwards, from two opposite sides first n then the the other pair of opposite sides to get a square shaped parcel. Make similar panineer pettis with remaining batter n filling n serve it on a plate with the folded side at the bottom.

Welcome to Malabar Cuisine of Kerala! In this blog, I present to you the rich and delectable cuisine of the Malabar Muslims of Kerala. The Malabar cuisine , with its distinct taste has a great deal in common with food in other parts of Kerala ; boiled rice eaten as a staple, along with a large variety of rice based dishes and the excessive use of coconut and coconut oil are a few of them. The Malabar muslims excel in the preparation of ‘Malabar Biriyanis’, a rich rice preparation, cooked with meat, onions, chilies and other spices. Seafood is very popular in Malabar and is served with almost every meal. Mussels are an all time favourite in seafood. ‘Arikkadukka’ is one among the delicacies made with mussels. Everyday meals of Malabar homes consist of wholesome preparations. A typical Malabar breakfast may comprise ‘Puttu’ (a dish of steamed rice powder garnished with coconut) and banana or hot fish curry, ‘pathiris’ or ‘dosas’ eaten with egg curry or egg masala .The main course of lunch consist of plain rice with some form of fish mostly , alternated by meat and chicken with dal and vegetables. Pathiris or Chapatis are served for dinner. Welcoming the bridegroom is a great festive occasion still at majority of Malabar homes, with a large variety of traditional malabar delicacies prepared. The night on the wedding day , the groom and his relatives n friends are treated with an extravagant feast at bride’s place ; Irachippathiri, Meenpathiri, Unnakkaya,Pazham nirachthu, Muttamala and Pinhanathappam, Alisa etc are some of the mouth watering dishes . On the next morning after wedding, stuffed chicken , Mutton stew, Mutton head curry and ‘Pathiris’ would array the tables to make a fabulous breakfast. Sending snacks and sweets to bridegroom’s residance is one among the other customs associated with a Malabar wedding. ‘Panjaarappaatta’ is a main item that would be sent, which is a snack fried in oil and it is kept for about 5-7 days just to drain the oil ! Many other snacks and halwas filled in big vessels would reach the grooms’s place. The malabar muslims also prepare many specialities during the holy month of Ramadan, to break the religious fast from dawn to sunset , as well as for the light meal before the Fajr prayer. The Malabar cuisine is impressive not only in its abundance and variety, but the care that went into the preparation and the delicate flavors it showcases. Come lets explore through the cuisine!