#87 A Simple Kerala Meal with Chicken curry

Nothing feels more "homy" than a simple Kerala style meal for lunch on a Saturday. I must share this  meal that R and I indulged in this Saturday and that too it did not take much time to stir up…  some plain rice served with a thoran, kitchedi, bitter melon pachadi and simple chicken curry on the side. A couple of non-Kerala diakon radish slices in chili, sugar and vinegar for a cooling relish and I have a completely satisfying meal on the table.

Here's how I put it all together........................

Diakon Radish and Green Pepper Thoran

Ingredients:

Diakon radish- 1

Green Pepper-2

Garlic paste- ½ tspn

Freshly grated coconut- ½ cup

Cumin seeds- ½ tspn

Chilli Powder- ¼ tspn

Haldi- ¼ tspn

Seasoning spices- mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.

Oil and salt as needed.

Method:

1. Scrape off the skin of the Diakon Radish to remove any extra roots and dirt.
2. Wash the radish and peppers and dry.
3. Chop both vegetables into small cubes and keep in separate bowls.
4. Place a frying pan on the stove add oil and on a medium flame add seasoning spices
5. When the mustard splutters, add the diakon radish, salt, chilli and haldi powders.
6. Add ½ cup water and keep closed until the radish is cooked.
7. Now, in a blender coarsely grind the coconut, cumin seeds and garlic.
8. Add the coconut paste to the diakon radish along with the green pepper.
9. Stir fry for a few minutes until the green pepper is just cooked and no water is left in the pan.

Tomato and Onion Kitchedi

Ingredients:

Tomato- 2 Plum tomatoes

Red Onion- 1

Coconut-1/4 cup

Chilli powder- ½ tspn

Cumin seeds- ¼ tspn

Yogurt-1 ½ cups

Mustard seeds-1/8 tspn

Seasoning spices: cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves

Oil and salt as needed

Method:

1. Chop the red onion finely and keep aside.
2. Chop the tomatoes finely and keep aside.
3. Grind to a smooth paste the coconut, cumin seeds and keep aside.
4. Crush the mustard seeds coarsely keep aside.
5. Place a pan on low to medium heat, add 1 tblspn oil.
6. Add onions and sauté. When the onions are almost light brown in color, add the tomatoes.
7. Add the ground paste and cook for a minute. Add yogurt and stir well and remove from fire.
8. Add  1 tspn oil to another pan and the seasoning spices, when they sizzle and pop, remove from fire and pour over the curry.