March 04, 2009

Two Kerala delicacies: Nenthrakkaya/Plantain Kalan with paprika Poori, Shrimp/Chemmeen Moily and a bonus Spinach and Feta pockets to go!

It snowed 6" here NC in one night on the 2nd of March with temperature plunging down to 11F at night, can you believe it?!
But we loved it, it was a joy to look at the powdery snow when the sunlight hits it. Such glorious sight, it feels good to be alive! A short lived joy though, it's all went back to normal now, although it's still a bit cold!
Hopefully, weather gets warmer now that we had the snow storm. I am really looking forward to Spring after what seems to be a longest and coldest Winter this year!
(Click to enlarge the snow covered photos of our front and back yard.)

What else is going on over here?
Well... Siri
had a resolution not to shop for a week, to use up all the fridge and freezer food etc and she achieved that goal this week! Inspired by her, I have decided not to shop for 14days as well starting from last Saturday and I also want to try to detox myself by getting on a liquid only (Rasam/dal broth fast?!) plan one day per week! Can I do it? Time will tell, I will update you for sure! :D

As some of you know already, I am taking a short break from posting any dishes in my Aroma blog so I can have some time to read few books. I will be cooking as usual and posting here at FH once a week on Wednesdays though. If any of these dishes suits your events, I will gladly send it you. I have posted all the event logos on the bottom of the post, have linked to respective hosts and their posts as well.

Ever since I cooked for RCI Kerala, I have fallen in love with Kerala cuisine, always so simple, flavorful and delicious. I tried these Kalan and Shrimp Moily from a book called "The essential Kerala cookbook" by Vijayan Kannampilly. A very non-pretentious, soft bound book by Penguin Original with no pictures at all but recipes are so authentic, it feels like I am cooking from a grandmother's kitchen! :)

Nenthrakkaya/Plantain Kalan/Kaalan:
I love Plaintains. The kind I get here are from South America, so tough that I have to cook them in a pressure cooker to soften them unlike Indian Plantains which are lot tender and almost like cooking Potatoes. Anyway, here is a classic Kerala Kalan, delicious Palntains cooked in a spicy yogurt and coconut sauce.
I made some Paprika Pooris to serve with Kalan, which are a surprisingly perfect combo! Kalan tastes better the next day as the spices mingle overnight, just keep it in the fridge and reheat the next day to serve.

You need to cook these first in a pressure cooker:
3 Spanish style Plantains, 4 Shallots, chopped, 2 green chillies,sliced, 1/2 tsp black Peppercorns, crushed, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 1 1/2 cup water.
To grind to a very smooth paste:
Grind the first 4 ingredients with water to fine paste and add sour cream to get a smooth ground masala, keep aside)
1/2 cup fresh grated Coconut,
2 Shallots, sauteed until soft for 2 mins in 1 tsp oil,
2 tsp cumin seeds,
1/2 cup water.

1 1/2 cups Sour cream or Yogurt.
To temper/seasoning:
1 1/2 tbsp (use Coconut oil to be authentic) oil+ghee,
1 tsp Mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds,
few curry leaves,
1-2 red chillies,
2 Shallots, chopped.
Garnish:
Some chopped Cilantro, Optional.

To make Kalan:
1. Peel and cube Plantains to small pieces. Add all the "you need" ingredients up there in a pressure cooker along with Plantains and cook until soft.
2. In a pan, heat oil+ghee etc , add other ingredients as in the "temper" section one by one, stir until onion is slightly golden. Then add cooked Plantain into it and heat for 3 mins.
3. Turn down the heat, add ground masala to it and simmer gently for 1/2 an hour. Never let it boil, coconut paste might separate to make the gravy thin.
4. Once it thickens and smells good, add cilantro and adjust the salt. Take off the heat. You can reheat in the Microwave when you need it.

Plantain Kalan with Paprika Poori or Boori: (as Aparna told me to say, Malayalee style! :D)
Kalan with thinner gravy can be served with rice or as side dish. I made Pooris flavored and colored with some Paprika in the dough. Paprika gives them a great color without adding heat to the Pooris.

1. Add 1 1/2 cup wheat flour/atta, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Paprika (just for color, sweet Paprika is not spicy), mix well. Add enough milk or water to make a very stiff dough, cover and let it rest for 20mins or so.
Heat oil to deep fry to 365F.
2. Divide into Golf sized or smaller balls. Roll each out into 4-5" circles 1/8" thick (you can use a 4" cookie cutter to cut the shapes) , gently add to hot oil. Press the top a bit with a perforated spatula until it puffs and flip the Poori, let it get golden and remove on a paper towel.
3. Serve with Kalan.

Shrimp/Chemmeen Moily/Molee:
Usually, I don't buy or cook Seafood at home although I love to order Salmon or crab cakes in the restaurants. But after seeing so many delicious Seafood dishes cooked by other bloggers, I have decided to cook a few Seafood dishes too. I bought a pack of large Shrimps and chose a Moily/Molee recipe from that Kerala book. We loved the flavorful gravy with some plain rice and kids were happy to have a non-veg as well! :D

To marinade:
20 large Shrimps, deveined and cleaned with tails,
2 tbsp Lemon juice,
1 tsp peppercorn, coarsely crushed,
1 tsp Turmeric,
1 Tsp salt.

To temper:
2 tbsp oil,
Few Curry leaves,
1 Onion, finely chopped,
1-2 Green chillies,sliced
1/2 Cup Tomato sauce.

Grind to a fine paste:
2 Garlic,
1" fresh ginger,
3 cloves,
1" Cinnamon,
1 tsp sweet Paprika,
1 tbsp coriander seeds,
1/4 tsp thick Tamarind paste,
2-3 tbsp water.

1 cup Coconut milk.

Some Cilantro to garnish

To make Shrimp Moily:
1. Marinade the Shrimps in lemon juice, salt, pepper and turmeric for 20 mins.
2. Heat oil, add curry leaves, finely chopped onion, green chillies, stir until soft.
3. Add ground paste and stir fry for 2 mins until oil shows up on top, do not burn the masala.
4. Add Tomato sauce, cook for 3 more minutes or until you get a thick sauce.
5. Turn down the heat, add 1/4 cup cold water and 1 cup coconut milk, simmer until the sauce is heated thru' on low heat.
6. Once the sauce hot enough, add Shrimp along with it's marinade, mix well. Cook gently until Shrimps turn pink, doesn't take much time to cook. Garnish with Cilantro.

Do not add Shrimps unless the coconut milk sauce is cooked thru' and smells good. Do not overcook the Shrimps once added to the sauce, they will be tough to eat.

Serve this Moily with plain rice, Aapams, Pathiri or Idiappam. Again, this Moliy tastes better the next day but equally delicious to serve right after it's made.

Spinach and Feta Pockets to grab and go/meals on wheels!
Last Sunday, we were lazing around watching movies when kids wanted some snacks. I had a can of Pilsbury Crescents in the fridge. Since I always have Spinach and Feta in the freezer (which are both kids' favorite), they wanted to make some quick Crescent pockets. These are very easy to make and delicious to eat. Spinach is fully cooked, so you can keep these on the kitchen counter for 1-2 days without a worry, ie if there are any left of course!! :D

You need:
1 can of Pillsbury Crescent, which has 8 triangles.
(Or you can use Puff pastry, Bread dough, Pizza dough,Phyllo dough sheets and or any crust of your choice. Oven temp vary depending on what crust you choose)

Filling:
2 cups Fresh or frozen Spinach, chopped,
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese,
pinch of salt,(Feta has salt, go easy on the salt)
enough Pepper,
1/2 tsp Garlic pd,
1 tsp dry Steak seasoning which has onion flakes, herbs and red chilli flakes,
To make:
1. Microwave Spinach with 1 tbsp water, witha pinch of salt or if frozen, without any water with salt for 5 mins or so covered until Spinach is cooked and almost dry. Cool it.
2. Add all the spices and Feta to cooled Spinach, mix gently. Do not break Feta too much. Adjust salt and spices to your taste. Divide the filling roughly to 8 portions.

Preheat the oven to 375F or as the Crescent can instructs you.

3. Open the can, lay the triangles on a cookie sheet. Take 1 portion of filling and place it on the widest part of the crescent ans wrap the dough around the filling lightly however you want and seal the edges.
4. Repeat the same with all others and bake for 15-20 mins or until they are golden. Excellent to eat right after baking and nutrius too! You can use Pizza dough or inbetween the Biscuit dough too instead of Crescents! :)


Here are the logos of each event I will be sending these dishes
to;

Kalan, a Kerala dish along with poori, goes to EC of "Simple Indian food", who is hosting "WYF-Cuisine" event.

Shrimp Moily, goes to Divya Vikram of "Dil Se" blog's event "Think Spice..Think Peppercorns". This event is started by Sunita.

Spinach and Feta Pockets, goes to LG of "Taste of Mysore" blog's event "Meals on Wheels" and to Pallavi of "All thingz yummy" blog, for her event "Sunday snacks-Grab and go" as well.

Both Kalan and Poori and Spinach-Feta Pockets, go to Trupti of "recipe Center" for her event "Recipes for the rest of us : Picnic Eats" and this event is started by Ramki.

Thanks to all the event hosts, enjoy! :)

******************************************************************************************************************************************

Tried and Tasted from other blogs, thank you for posting these my dear friends! :)
Click on the collage to enlarge. In addition to following the original recipes, I added a few other veggies or spices to these dishes.

Mulangi sambhar, from Krishnaveni. (added a bit more coriander seeds, rest is the same)

Sabbakki Idli, from Lakshmi G. (Used 2 cups Rava to 1 cup Sago/Sabbakki, steamed in Dhokla stand instead of Idli stand)

Cauliflower Kurma, from Madhumathi. (Added Potatoes, Peas and Lima beans with Gobi/Cauliflower)

Dill chapatis, from Ashwini. (I added some spices to the dough and improvised, will post my version of Parathas next week)

Movies I watched:

Frozen River (Oscar nominated, beautiful and heart wrenching)
Priceless (French movie with English subtitle, good love story to watch to pass time!)
Religulous (Documentary by Bill Maher, another must watch if you are open minded enough to question the existence of "God" and "God's people"!)

Thanks for all of you who passed on few award last week to me, they are in my sidebar with your names. Hugs to all of you!

Have a fun weekend, see you next week! Purnima let me know that March 8th is celebrated as a "International women's day", so enjoy that too! :)

154 comments:

Finla said...

You are going our way this tie Asha.
I love kaalan, i can eat heaps if rice if i just have kalan, hust the thought make me all drool. Accorfing to Hans if i had a bucket next to me when i am blog hopping the bucket will be full in seconds with my drool.
And that chemeen milly that is another dish i love love love.
Love your snowy pictures,

A_and_N said...

Asha! Or should I say Amma! :D

LOL, tell me something, how do you cook so much and still have so much time to do everything else and visit everyone's blogs? :) Admire you for that.

I have a question for you. Shall email you later.

Priya Suresh said...

Woww wat a delicious platter Asha, love the fluffy paprika poori with plantain kalan, spinach n feta pockets looks gorgeous...Droolworthy dishes:)

Anonymous said...

Asha,hmmm the snow ridden pictures look beautiful than ever...yes,the climate get crazy attimes
Lol so,this was your suprise..nethrakkai kalan is one of my fav too..very easy to make and simply delicious..but you have surprised me again with paprika poori..thats a different combo..hmmm and the the chemmeen moily,hope everyone have enjoyed that one...
The spinach and feta pockets make me go crazy..get a cup of tea is my first wish now...torture..torture..

FH said...

LOL! F, Hans is a smart guy, did he get a bucket for you?

Old broom is flying your way N! ;D
Yes, you can email if it's personal. For a quicker answer, say "Do not publish" and leave a comment here, so I can answer immediately! :)

Priya and Ann, I never thought Poori would go nicely with Kalan but it was amazingly tasty! :)

sra said...

That paprika puri looks glorious!

Purnima said...

Asha..wow Kaalan looks wonderful, puri is one show stealer, fish moulee wt shrimps..absolutely new!I think the white creamy snow surely takes the cake! One part is snowing while the other is sand storm ;)
Loved the collages! I now have a feta recipe..trust can use this in puffs? Lovely ...the recipes r a treasure..so bookmd!

Lakshmi said...

Kalan and poori combo looks dashing Ashakka. Can we try these spinach feta pockets with puff/pastry sheets? Looks drool worthy!

Suparna said...

Hi Asha,

Fantastic recipes :) I've made fish moily, must try the shrimp version... kalan bagge gottirlilla, easy ide madbahudu :)
Feta pockets look superb! wow..ri yeshtu volle dishes madtiri...neevu really gifted!
BTW snowy snaps are cool ;)
God Bless!
TC

EC said...

Somehow I have not been exploring other cuisines except north indian parathas, side dishes and authentic tamilnadu food..Feels good to see all types of cuisines on your blog..thanks for that veg entry

FH said...

Thanks sra, Suparna, hope you try the Paprika pooris! :)

LG and Purnima, yes. You can use Puff pastry or Phyllo dough sheets or any crusts you have. I will add this info there! :)

You are welcome EC, we enjoyed both Kalan and pooris!:)

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Kannada Cuisine said...

So much of snow in the Carolinas is rather surprising! We had a snow blast over a foot here!!!Stay warm Ashakka...
Incidentally we too had some Kalan yesterday with some Theal that my friend has sent us :) Me too fallen in love with Malayali cuisine.

AnuSriram said...

Thats a nice spread! Kalan looks perfect and delicious! SF pockets looks lovely! Nice snowy pics...

Trupti said...

We also had 6" inch snow here in Virginia. Now sunshine is back but still cold here too. Kalan & poori what a combination. I loved those feta pockets. I think we can eat Poories & feta pockets for Picnic too...what do you think? If you also think same then I am waiting these recipes for Recipes for Rest of Us: Picnic Eats event .

Snow photo looks very nice. I love the backyard photo. Enjoy your break !!

Laavanya said...

I love kaalan.. and reminds me of the awesome onam sadya that we had at my mallu neighbour's home each year. would never have thought to pair it with puri - beautiful colour on the puri.

Your snow covered barn looks so pretty. We first got 2-3 inches sunday morning and I thought that was it and didn't expect the 8 inches later that night.

TBC said...

We got a lot of snow too on Monday, almost 6-8 inches... had to go to work- that was a pain.

You just reminded me that I have a kaalan post that has been sitting in my drafts for a long time now. Never thought it would make a good combination with pooris.:)

Sandhya said...

I wish I could move to NC, love the weather there. Boston is way too cold for my taste.
Poori is so attractive. I have never cooked with plantains but this looks like an easy recipe. Thank you!

indosungod said...

I am falling for that colorful poori Asha. And the shrimp moily, no way just delicious.

I know the snow days hopefully won't extend the school year. the kids had only monday off and they went back to school yesterday.

The spinach pockets kid friendly but shall we say healthy as well?

FH said...

Trupti, I thought of your event too, but rules of this event say I shouldn't list ingredient measurements, so I didn't send. If it's okay with you, I will surely edit and send them to you! :))

Chutneytales said...

How could you manage time?Apart from taking care of ur family and other household chores..You cook so much for events,take snaps and check out other blogs(n always the first to comment!!),watch movies,try and test other recipes..OH my god..you are super girl :)Wish I could have so much energy like you ;)
I'm glad you tried Cauliflower korma that's posted in my blog..Adding other veggies is a smart way to include other nutritional benefits..will keep that in mind,dear.
Haven't tried making kalan..Paprika poori and Kalan sounds like an interesting combo..And the spinach feta pockets look adorable :)Thanks for being around and posting such nice recipes..Keep rocking :)

Ashwini said...

Wow Love that poori with Kalan..Love plaintains..I should try this..Shrimp moily looks good too..Can have that Spinach and feta any time..Yumm..Hey Dill chapathi looks yumm with the spices..Thanks for trying..Stay Warm..

Deepa Hari said...

One more feather from your cap....paprika poori and kalan...wonderful combo Asha...never tasted it....Feta pockets look lovely....Chemmeen moily is new to me...Love the snow pics.

Anonymous said...

wow..Nice color on the poori! hope you enjoyed the snow! :)

Ashwini said...

Hai

Lovely dishes..U can send the spinach snack entry to MBP:Snacks&Savouries...Check out my blog...

http://ashwini-spicycuisine.blogspot.com/2009/03/announcing-mbpsnacks.html

Vani said...

Both the kalan and moily sauces sound good. Havn't had either before. Looks great, Asha! And the color of the paprika pooris is so pretty! Gotta try that.
Can't believe the winter is still on in full swing. I can't wait for spring to arrive!

FH said...

Madhu, I had only half a head of Cauliflower, so I added more veggies to feed 4 people!:D
Kurma tasted fab, thanks for the recipe! :)

Ashwini,I love Dill in anything. Your recipe suited me fine, thanks for that too, great flavor.
For MBP, I have to cook from other blogs, these pockets are my creation. But I will be sending one for you too without a fail! :)

Priya said...

Shrimp is my favorite and love this recipe. I have few left over cauliflower and donno what to do. Just avoiding deep fry like bhajji. Any recipes Asha.

Archy said...

All dishes are so nice an traditionally prepared Asha.. I agree 'A_and_N', When an how do u have time for cooking and blogging, how do u manage it ?? :)!!

Ur a great cook Yaar !! Ur my inspiration.. thank you :)!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
beautiful pictures of the snow.must try the spinach and feta pockets.

Shalini

Deepthi Shankar said...

I love Kaalan .. loved that color of paprika poori must be really spicy & yum to taste

Anonymous said...

It's a torture for me to come here. :-) I have been sick & could not have a thing for the past few dys.. did not even feel like drinking water.. & here i am salivating now. That paprika puri is the best looking puri i have seen so far.

Love my shrimps, & this is very similar to what to make in Bengl.. all with coconut milk.. Those feta & spinach rolls are .... I am in loss of adjectives!

The snow filled scene is pristine. We really miss the snow after to moed from NJ to TX, except the shovelling & driving part.

FH said...

Priya, you can make Kurma as I have posted and linked at the end of the post in "Tried and tasted" list or can just stir fry Gobi in little oil, Garlic,cumin seeds, pepper, salt and cilantro, like dry bhaji for chapatis or rice. Try it! :)

Cham said...

Ah that is lot of snow and freezing level temp! Need definetely some puris ... Chemmeen molee is my favo! If u love seafood u will never go back!
14 days rasam, Did u decide any rasam diet? Not fair to be slim before spring :)

Unknown said...

That is a great array of dishes Ashaji. And thanks for sending your lovely recipes for the event. I am too tempted to try the colorful paprika poori!

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Kaalan and paprika pooris. What a contrast. Love the colour of that poori. But since you are serving it Kerala style, Asha, maybe you should call it "boori"! :D

Those spinach feta pockets look adorable. Why don't you send to Susan for at Wild Yeast for YeastSpotting?

Sunshinemom said...

Bravo! Asha. I love kaalan too though not having these delicacies any more. I saw the pic and thought so red....until I read through the post:) Come down here - we are already facing the summer heat:)

Smita said...

Hi Asha,
That is a great spread. I really wanted to refer one sambhar recipe that I use a lot and love http://lululoveslondon.blogspot.com/2006/03/spicy-delicious-sambhar.html
The sambhar tastes exactly like Saravana Bhavan if you make the pitlai podi as directed in her blog. Try it sometime. Its simply out of this world!!! :)
-Smita

FH said...

Deesha, paprika is sweet but gives a brilliant color without the heat! :)

Soma, hugs to you, get well soon. Trisha is very sick too, throat ache and can't swallow. Rest and make some Pepper-Garlic soup! :)

Cham, is it Molee or Moily? Book said Moily, probably both! :)
14 days of not shopping and just 1 day of liquid diet girl!I will die if I go on 14 days drinking Rasam! :D

DV, glad I could send it to you! :)

Aparna, do they really say Boori? That sounds funny but I will add it there. Fun if Bee comes around and see it! ;D
There is no yeast in Crescent rolls, so not suitable for that event.

Harini, Summer heat there? Lucky. They say it's going to be 75F here this weekend. YAY!

Anonymous said...

If i want to curb my hunger pangs and stop myself from indulging in whatever snacks i get to grab,i have to take a break from visiting your blog ;-)It makes me soooooo crazy!
This is simply mindblowing,no words in my lexicon fits to describe the platter...superb !

Ashwini said...

I apologise... saw the recipe got too excited.. forgot the rules of MBP...It was so yummy looking forgot everything hehehe

FH said...

Smitha, thank you very much. tried and tasted recipes are always yum.I will check it out! :)

Alka, Kalan and poori is a great combo. Even Parathas will do with Kalan, less oily than Poori of course.

Ash, that's okay. I have plans to send one for you too, just have make it when I have some time! :)

Dershana said...

Hi asha, love the way your feta pockets look. paprika poori is a nice twist! do take a peek at my kalan and fish molly recipes too.

http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2008/09/ona-sadya-part-5-kalan.html

http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2008/08/fish-molly-mildly-spiced-fish-in.html

FH said...

Dershana, thanks. Love to check out your recipes too, we are all loving the Shrimp dishes at home now! :D

Shivali said...

Wow plantain kalan with rice will make a great meal.Spinach n Feta pocket looks yum easy quick snack.

It snowed here too 4" and the best part was my DH had a day off from hi travel so it made a great week beginning :)

sunita said...

What a lovely array of dishes, each one looks so yummy :-)

Bong Mom said...

That shrimp moilee is fabulous. Your red barn looks cute in the snow

FH said...

That is one one advantage of snow, everybody stays home for a while, Ankita! :)

Thanks Sunita and Sandeepa, you must try this Shrimp Moliy, really tasty! :)

Paru ... said...

Asha, you are my hero :)..Loved all the dishes, especially that paprika poori and kalan..Delicious..

Your backyard and front looks picturesque..I havent dared to step into my backyard after all this snow :)..Detox is a great idea..Maybe I will try it too:)

Unknown said...

Paprika puri..i am going to try this has gorgeous color. Like the mini spinach and feta pocket as well.

Dershana said...

Yes dear, people spell Molly in so many different ways. But the authentic mallu pronunciation is 'Mo-li' however you wish to spell it.

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

wwowww.. i love your backyard filled with snow. looks tooo pretty. i have never experienced snow..should be fun and painful at the same time.

ur kerala thali looks great and the spinach feta pocket looks too cute.

Varsha Vipins said...

Ashakka,,The kalan n shrimp n feta pockets all look so fab..yum yum..
i made pineapple kalan yday..U knw,i add some chillies with the coconut while grinding for an extra kick..make sit lil spicy..:)
The molee looks so yum.A version of this I had made..as my mappas..but this looks way better..:)
Loved thos crisp pockets..i have puff pastry here..:)
Oh.the snow pics are superb..I love snow..hope its getting fine now..I too wish for spring now..:)

Vikis Kitchen said...

Pictures of snow looks delighting.
plantain kalan with red poori makes me stunning.
Fish moilly is very authentic. Yes dear, Some authors explain the recipes with great care and feel at home to read them. feta pockets for snacks is a good idea.
I am eager to try all ur dishes:)

Manju said...

now you have me craving for kalan with some nice hot rice, not fair.. :(:( and those spinach and feta pockets look amazingly cute. Loved the snow pics :)

Meera said...

I loved your Kerala delicacies but don't I love everything that you cook?

Pooja said...

Looking lovely asha..Your poori is making me tempting.......Delicious.....

bee said...

paprika puris? i see a sinister, but tasty plot somewhere. :-)

Cynthia said...

Hey Babe, I want to try the plantain recipe but need some clarification. Sorry if the questions seem dumb :)

Which section are you referring to as the "ground masala" The 'grind to a smooth paste' or 'the temper' section?

Secondly, am I stirring in the sour cream or yogurt into the coconut-shallot-cumin paste? I'm not sure how I would grind that with the other things?

Appreciate you help :)

Recipeswap said...

Major snow right?I was stuck at home coz of the snow kept myself warm with all the soups I made.
I havnt eaten too much of Kerala cuisine but these dishes look great especially the shrimp.What a celver way with the pooris.

Anonymous said...

Just love those beautiful red poori/boori with the kalan, Asha! And shrimp moily looks delish too. I am glad to hear your take on that cookbook as I've had my eye on it. Helps to know what others think before buying :)

Spinach and feta my fav... your pockets look a bit healthier than spanikopita (sp?) and just as tasty! Have a great evening -- glad you enjoyed the snowstorm. It's still very cold here so I guess we won't see the ground for awhile yet!

BTW I have been thinking about rasam tonight! Now I'll have to make it... :)

Mishmash ! said...

can i take that plate of chemmeen molee and a spinach and feta pocket? leaving ur page with mouth full of water:)

Pavithra Kodical said...

I agree with you,I too love kerala cuisine as they use coconut in most of them.Kalan and poori looks delicious.Guess what,I have pastry sheets at home,this weekend i will be treating my husband with spinach and feta pockets.They are looking so cute.Lovely pictures :)

suvi said...

Oh asha...those shrimps are absolutely mouthwatering. Actually, I am biased...if I see shrimps, I can't see anything else ;)

Aparna Inguva said...

Asha, amazing spread. Feta and spinach pockets, sign me up please!! Awesome food!!

Anonymous said...

Wow Asha....all the dishes look delicious! I specially liked the shrimp moilee. I have never cooked plantains...your recipe looks easy and interesting :) ANd I love your snowy pics. The small construction looks just like a gingerbread house!

Siri said...

those are some lovely pics Ashaji :) esp the second one! All the best for your detoxification. Kerala cuisine is so rich and delightful, so are your dishes too! I am getting Netflix cds from past 3 months and next in my queue is Frozen River, loved its preview.

take care :)

Siri

amna said...

kalan looks like and thick :) superb! and the feta spinach pockets look yummy!

Madhu's cooking gallery said...

Love the pooris Asha! what a scrumptious food! It really looks Super yum! Plantain Kalan with Paprika Poori..looks suer delicious!

Raaga said...

:-) Lovely as always. I like the colour of your paprika poories :)

Those spinach pockets look absolutely great. :)

Sujatha said...

I love kalan, I enjoyed it during our kerala visit this year! Will try your recipe sometime.. And that Shrimp moily looks divine!

Viji said...

Kerala Cuisine is soft and witha ll the coconut it is very delightful Asha. I am a big fan too. Spinach pockets are really inviting snack. Post your garden pictures too. Love to see them. Have a great time. Hope Trisha is getting ready for her college. Viji

Sum Raj said...

woo adipoli kerala dishes...love chemmeen the most...also the black sheet where the chemmen bowl is placed looks beautiful..

Lakshmi said...

okie Ashakka, will use pastry sheets to make feta pockets. Thanks for suggesting the alternative. I am happy to learn that you enjoyed Sago Idli.

jayasree said...

Never thought of pairing Kaalan with pooris.. Next time I around I make Kaalan, am sure I will fry some pooris too.Spinach feta pockets looks lovely.. Yummy.
What to say abt the snow pics when we are reeling under summer heat!

Chitra said...

u r marveleous asha,how come u find time to do all these and try from other blogs too?its really amazing dear...fantastic job,,keep it up dear.do visit my food blod at ur free time and leave ur suggestion..i'll feel great:)thanks in advance..

lubnakarim06 said...

This post is warm, comforting, spicy and tempting.....Love the spicy paprika poori. Plantain kalan is something new to me..... Pics make me hungry....

Swati Raman Garg said...

i was wondering if you have come back ... and wohaaa... am late as usual.... how have you been doing.... and i am off to catch up with all the posts i have missed... phir will get back to writing to you...

FH said...

Cynthia, thanks sweetie.
"Ground masala" is spices you grind with coconut. Tempering or seasoning is just whole mustard etc to add to the oil in the beginning of the cooking. I know they are common Indian terms which Indians catch on quickly. I am glad you asked, don't hesitate at all if you have any q's!! :)

To grind: add all the spices and coconut first with little water in the blender, grind to a smooth paste. Then add yogurt or sour cream into the same blender and give it a whirl, so masala and yogurt are well mixed and thickish. Add this to slightly cooled pan with seasoning.

Hope it's clear now, ask me again if you need anything, glad to help you. Hugs! :)

Rekha said...

Asha, the dishes look yumm...will give it a try sometime.

Anonymous said...

ooooo all my favs are here! yes boori is how we say it!hehehehe

Swapna said...

Lovely.. I love the Kaalan.. and it keeps for days.. If you have a bit of inji curry ..nothing like it...

FH said...

Mom2mom, thanks girl. When Aparna said "Boori", I thought she was joking! Nice to know new way of calling it! :D

Swapna, that's what the book says too. If you make Kalan properly, it can last for days!! It didn't last a day in my house, ate it all up! :D

Usha said...

Nenthrakkaya kalan and poori sounds like a yum combination, loved both of them. We had about 3 inches of snow and thought it did not seem like much it sure looked pretty and did not close down the roads as much as last time !

Srivalli said...

Asha..thats another lovely set of dishes...really I have to land here to know what all events are running around!...:))..

ChrisB said...

Shrimp Moily looks really good. It is also lovely to see the snow pictures it does look very pretty. Have a good week.

Recipeswap said...

Howz the detox goin?

FH said...

Neema, going very well so far. I have a headache, may be it's a good sign. Body is protesting!! Oh well...take that body! ;D

Manasi said...

Kalan ... this is something i shud try! There is a marathi kalan too, i believe....
everything looks grand , as usual!

FH said...

There is a Maratha Kalan too? Sounds great manasi, try and find out the recipe from your mom to post girl. I would love to know, I surely love this Kalan! :))

Madhu Taneja, Ameeta Atul & Ashima Taneja said...

I love the paprika poori .... beautiful color ....... haven't had poori since a long time .... should make it this weekend :)

-Ashima

Anu said...

Asha, lovely recipes and pics!

KonkaniBlogger said...

Kalan and Moily look so delish. So true wht you say abt the plantains, first few times,I thgt I was doing something wrong in cooking or buying them, but then slowly came to knw, they are tougher here. I too made the spinach-feta (swirls) yest with puff pastry, sneaked in some asparagus and brocolli, love it. Thanx to you, I now knw that Crecent rolls can be used to,I knew only abt pastry n phyllo. The crescents are looking perfect!

Indian Khana said...

Snow does looks wonderful...it's my long time wish to see snowfall...so silly of me ;)...the pics are beautiful ...as everyone said wow so many things and you still do something other things....should really share a tip a two with us about time management too:p.... have a gud weekend

Lavanya Raj said...

Asha..Paprika poori is new to me!!
it should have tasted so Good.

Can you please update your upcoming events with RCI-Lucknow that ends on April 2'nd. and you know, iam expecting a Rich Thali from your part!!

starry said...

Lovely recipes ,making me hungry.I have to try the cresent rolls with spinach and feta cheese.I am sure it tastes good.

BTW Anoop is in.I am so happy !

Jaya M said...

asha,
gorgeous pics of snow(here people are sweating out feels like in the month of May!!)...and the curries looks so delicious ...
hugs and smiles

Daily Meals said...

Plantain kalan looks yummy Asha! Spinach and feta pockets look beautiful...

FH said...

Lavi, I reminded Vanamala about RCI Lucknow last week, she said she would announce soon. I don't think she has yet, I have to check today and update! :))

Pallavi said...

Thanks for the yummy entry Asha. My son loves spinach too. I'll probably make these soon...

Thanks for your comments and encouragement !!

FH said...

You are welcome Pallavi, glad I could send this you! Enjoy your weekend!:)

Malar Gandhi said...

Like the feta-pinach pockets...nice way to make spinach edible(for me). Chemmeen moily looks perfect. Paprika poori is my favourite too. Plantain recipe sounds new to me, a must try one...

Divya Kudua said...

Kaalan looks delicious..just the way I like it..thick and coated with masala..yum..great idea of pairing it with poori,that too fiery red paprika poori..I agree with Aparna..you can call it boori;-).Love the spinach and feta pockets too and love the way you have folded it..I have some puff pastry and phyllo sheets..shall try these out!!

vidhas said...

Asha, it is a nice spread of food. The plantain kalan ann paprika poori is very new to me , looks delcious. Spinach and feta pockets looks yummclicious. locley clicks. Snomwy pictures are awesome. I have seen only in movies. Thanks for dropping by and for your lovley comments in janani's blog. She felt great.

Anonymous said...

Asha,
superb pics of snow..
kalan is my favourite and it tastes great with kuthari(brown) rice..try that combo also:)
poori with kalan sounds new to me:)
chemeen molly and feta pockets looks yummy.

Shivapriya said...

Looks great!! I make Ajwain puri's, paprika puri's look lovely.

Have a good weekend.

Beyond Curries said...

That's one colorful boori Asha. This time winter looks never ending. Here in PA it's not as bad as NC but still I feel so gloomy.

What a twist in AI? I felt so bad for Anoop when the other guy's name was mentioned. When Simon told that it was Top 13, my husband was whistling.

I too have to watch Religilous. Have been thinking of renting it for sometime now.

FH said...

Me too Madhu, so happy for Anoop and double happy to see the end of Tatiana! :D
You know when Anoop turned to camera and said "I just want to say I am with you guys. Chapel hill is going thru' tough time today!".
It was his classmate's one year death memorial that day and she was killed by a teenager who robbed her, took her SUV and shot her dead just outside the college last year. All for money!
She was about to go to Medical school after few months. Same teenager killed a Indian student from Andhra at DUKE U too, a year before but never got caught until this girl was killed.
I was so sad for Anoop and all the kids in Chapel Hill. Trisha is moving in there to Chapel Hill this August.

Savi-Ruchi said...

wow!!, backyard pictures are too good, I have never seen snow till now, hope to see it once in my lifetime :)
I am really jealous of you ;), how do you manage to cook so many things? I get tired easily.
Good luck for your liquid diet

Yasmeen said...

Pretty shots of snow,my big bro lives in NC too,my bhabhi always enjoys such once in a year heavy snowfall. As for me I live in a snow wonderful,it could even snow in spring.
Awesome food with authentic kerala flavors.The SF pockets looks like a great lunch box food.Good luck with detox diet:)

Rico said...

I am so delighted with all the food here really am the crescendo especially. fantastic..also the paprika poori oh wow!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Asha,
You have a very good blog going and I am one of your regular visitors. I have tried many of your dishes and they have turned out great.

Just FYI, typically when you make kalan, shallots or onions are totally omitted from the dish. Ground masala usually comprises of coconut-cumin and green chillies or black pepper.
Hope to see more yummy dishes.

FH said...

Thanks Anon. I followed exactly what the book said as the ingredients should be added, Kalan turned out so so delicious. For Avial, I don't add shallots! :))

Gita Jaishankar said...

Everything looks so delicious Asha... I love the paprika poori...should definitely try that one...keep rocking....

FH said...

Good to see you back Gita, thank you for visiting me! :)

MR said...

loved the kalan
also the combo with boori ;)

Beyond Curries said...

Now I got the story! We just heard Chapel Hill and my son was screaming, so didn't get what he was trying to tell. That's sounds very bad/scary Asha. Take care of your little one. Situations like these only make me doubt about the presence of God.

Gattina Cheung said...

Asha my sweet, hope you enjoy all the books! And that 14 days?!?! Salud to you... but I believe you can make it!!!
yesterday I made three of your dishes (pulao, fried potato bread and coconut chicken... the last was your tried dish from other blogger). They're all superb, thanks millions again Asha!

when I first blogged, I tried on quite a few of Kerala dishes, love them all! And I won't miss this one you recommended!
Weather in March is so crazy, please take care! hug!

FH said...

MR, Boori was so good with Kalan. Boori even sounds better than Poori!! :D

Madhu, I know! My heart goes out to that girl's parents and all her classmates. With our children being away, what can you do but hold on your husband and God if there is one. It's hard but have to deal with it somehow!

Gattina, it's 81F today, March madness indeed. Glad you tried some Indian food, enjoy! :)

Beyond Curries said...

Happy women's day to you too Asha. Why should He take you? That's very bad. Don't even tell it for fun once again.

It's such a miserable state right! Even schools and colleges are not safe these days.

Anonymous said...

I tried the shrimp curry I guess the day it was posted.Guests dropped in unexpectedly and I was worried how it would turn out at I was trying for the first time.Also I didnt have many ingredients in my pantry too - skipped the paprika pwd(i dont know what it is)
But it was too good.We all loved it.It's very much like what my mom prepares.I used masala powders instead of grinding the masala and used 2 ripe tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce.It's a very flavourful curry as you have mentioned.
This is a keeper for me.Thanks for sharing!

FH said...

Madhu, most of the time schools and colleges are safe but stuff happens sometimes, can't help it! :)

Swarna, Paprika is just for color, it's like Kashmiri chilli pd, you can skip it without changing the taste. Glad you tried it, I loved the taste too, very authentic! :)

kamala said...

The bonus pockets are really delicious Ashaji..couldnt visit blogs as we have decided suddenly to mave back to India..So lots of shopping and cleaning works..Going thru ur posts in Aroma too!! I too have the same Ultra Grinder

Manju said...

glad you tried the keerai molagutal and even more glad that you liked it :) Addition of tamarind will be good..a nice tangy feel..maybe i should try it once :)

Rachel said...

Kaalan and poori...yet to try that combo inspite of being a mallu all these years :)

love them all

Madhu Taneja, Ameeta Atul & Ashima Taneja said...

lovely shrimp curry .... since I am trying shrimp these days I will definitely give this a try ......

I had spinach feta pockets in a party few months back .... had thought of making them but it just slipped my mind .... your crescents reminded me of them :) ..... the pockets look tempting .....

-Ashima

lubnakarim06 said...

Congratulations on winning Made For Each Other. Iam very happy for you...

FH said...

Thanks KF, never won anything in my whole life! What a great surprise for me, thrilled! :))

kamala said...

Ashaji I remember last year in one of the older posts Trisha's and Tushar's Bday is in March..Convey my Bday wishes to them..Infact I remember it ..I too a march girl

Vikis Kitchen said...

Oh! dear, u are so sweet a blogger. Thanks for accepting my award buddy.

Unknown said...

Paprika Poori is very new for me, it looks fiery red and I love it :) I hope it tastes that way too ? coz I like my food spicy :) Never made Kalan, its come out so well for you, I sometimes read K M Mathews cookbook, she is very popular in Kerala with her cookbooks and recipes , i think they are even available online. Spinach and Feta Pockets are perfect appetizers to serve and impress guests too.

FH said...

Thanks Kamal, they can't wait until next weekend, will be busy for us too. Kids grow up so fast, don't they? :))

You are welcome Viki. Thank you,glad to receive it! :)

Roopa, There are 2 kinds of Paprika, sweet and hot. I used sweet one for kids, but both kinds give a vibrant color! :)
I don't have Matthews books, I think they are available but very expensive here, will try to get one.

Sharmi said...

Dear Asha, you manage to post so many delicious recipes and lengthy posts:) Hats off to you! I loved the cresent rolls, very handy thing when you need to snack:)

FH said...

Hi Sharmi, how are you doing in the new city? Hope it's not too cold there. Once the kids move out, I don't think I can cook all these, no one to eat except 2 of us! :D

Deepa Hari said...

An award is waiting for u here Asha...Check it out:
http://deepaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/03/award.html

How did u manage with ur liquid diet?....i am sure i can't do it.

Mandira said...

Asha, everything looks delicious. I am waiting to get some shrimps to make the moily!

FH said...

Will be there Deepa, thanks!:)

Mandira, Moily tastes better and better if you you keep it in the fridge for a day or so, enjoy! :)

Red Chillies said...

Ohhh my, I somehow missed this lovely post. We have a Mallu neighbor and she sends over Kalan etc. WE love it too but I cannot make it the good way. Now I have your recipe.:-)

The spinach and feta crescents look yummy.

The temp here in our neck of the woods is 75 F :-) -)

FH said...

RC, I post a new one every Wednesday to make it easy for everybody, no need to check the blog aggregators! :D

Yes, Kalan is easy and yummy with Poories, I make it thicker than the usual, hope you try.

We are having 80F+ for 4 days now,beautiful but allergy time for me! ;D

Yasmeen said...

80F! sure sounds like summer .
Congrats on the delish MEO win!

FH said...

YUP! Hot and humid like Summer!:D
Thanks Yasmeen, you too girl. Enjoy the surprise win as well! :)

Lavanya said...

your blog is really awesome..i can't say in words yaar...oh my gosh many recipes..all are different n new to me.Mind blowing blog!!From now onwards i will follow your recipes!!

Madhavi said...

Delicious platter, mouthwatering entry!!!

Gita Jaishankar said...

Wow, I was posting just now..thanks a lot for the fast comment dear :)

FH said...

Thanks Madhavi, Lavanya and Gita, enjoy! :)

Gita Jaishankar said...

Please trail back to my blog. I have something waiting for you :)

Shionge said...

I think I'll try the shrimp dish someday. I usually cook assam shrimp or fish by additing pineapples and lady fingers.

Can you buy curry leaves easily in the US?

You have a nice day :D

FH said...

Thanks Gita, will do! :)

Hi Shi, do try Moliy, it's yum. Yes, we usually get curry leaves here in a pack, fresh. But recently curry leaves are hard to get for some reason. Whenever I do, I freeze them to use later and last year I bought a curry leaf plant which is growing very well indoors in the kitchen! :)

Sig said...

Isn't Kerala cuisine the best ? LOL!
I am glad to see that you've started cooking seafood at home Asha! Looking forward to more yummy recipes!

FH said...

Yes it is Sig! Coconut and simple but flavorful ingredients, what more could you want? :)

Loving the Shrimp, I will cook more with it. We had Butterflied breaded crisp Shrimps for Super Bowl, loved them!

Sumy Sunil said...

Asha Chechi,

Once again enjoyed your display of food. Anything to do with Nedharanghya would definitely turn out to be delicious only. Be it chips or thoran or kalan or whatever...

Salviating here.
Sumy

Glad that you visited my blog. Thanks. Please do check it out once in a while.

FH said...

Thanks sweetie, I will visit you whenever I can of course. Enjoy and keep visiting. Hugs! :))

Purnima said...

Asha! The spinach-feta filling, was something to die for! My hubby n 5 yr old just cdnt stop asking for more, plus I exhausted my stock of squares of puff-pastries! This filling was enough for 12 puffs, a Tbspn each, plus today for noon daughter had the leftover 2 tbspn wt chapatis, plus licked the bowl clean! (Amazing..isn't that what each mom wishes for?? Tks for posting a recipe which fulfilled my wish! :) Hugs..Happy Mahashivaratri!)

FH said...

Hi Purni, great to see you back again. Snacks are so yummy to have, enjoy.