Vada Kootu Curry

Busy cooking. But yet couldn't let this day pass without the Trivandrum-style Vada Kootu Curry...

Vendakka Theengapaal Curry/ Okra in Coconut Milk

Time to break my silence!

The last few months have not been very good for me. I was trying to find myself, which I guess is hard. Especially when you have forgotten what you are! There were changes happening to me - physically and mentally. It was hard for me to compose and collect myself. So I decided to let go of myself! Let go of my singing and dancing, but most of all my cooking. Cooking turned out to be a necessity for me rather than passion.

Kerala Style Mutton Stew

I went to the midnight Mass on Christmas Day; not that I was too enthusiastic about it. I literally slept at church for the 2 hour Mass, especially through the sermon - could barely keep my eyes open for that. But soon after the Holy Communion I was wide awake - fresh as a daisy! And then, hastily walk to my close relatives' house in the area for a quick bite of Christmas cake and wash it down with some home-made wine. I didn't want to go to bed after that. I wanted to continue to play with crackers and sparklers with my cousins for longer. But my Mum and Aunt chides and gets us all into bed around 4.30 in the morning.

Pshhhhhhhhhhhhh!..........................................Pshhhhhhhhhhhhh!..........................................
Pshhhhhhhhhhhhh!..........................................Pshhhhhhhhhhhhh!..........................................

Fish Mole and a Belated Birthday Wish

The Portuguese word "Mollo", derived from the Nahuatl word 'molli' refers to traditional sauces or stews that is prepared by grinding together different ingredients and then cooking it, to make a thick sauce or stew. In Kerala, the "Fish Mole" is prepared by boiling several crushed spices in a light coconut milk and then finished off with thick coconut milk. Shallow fried fish immersed in inconspicuously spiced coconut milk with green chilly, ginger, garlic, pepper and vinegar is a speciality of Central Kerala and has its own mark of Portuguese influence on it.

Coconut Milk using Coconut Milk Powder

In olden times, our parents, grand parents and their ancestors spent hours in the kitchen to extract fresh coconut milk from fresh coconuts. While the taste of fresh coconut milk is unsurpassable, it is completely impossible to ignore the convenience of ready-made, easily available packets of coconut milk powder. Coconut milk prepared from coconut milk powder can easily be substituted for fresh coconut milk in curries and gravies. But it is advisable to use a good quality canned coconut milk for desserts and puddings

To prepare thin coconut milk
Dissolve 1 tbsp coconut milk powder (I use Maggi Coconut Milk Powder) in 1 cup of lukewarm water and stir well until dissolved.

To prepare thick coconut milk'
Dissolve 6 tbsp coconut milk powder (I use Maggi Coconut Milk Powder) in 1 cup of lukewarm water and stir well until dissolved.

Ada Pradaman

This post is part of Onam and Sadya. The recipe below will make enough to serve 6 - 8 people for a Sadya. Measurements are only approximate.

Those who know me are well aware that I do not make payasam or pradhaman. GC, my husband, is the King of payasam/ pradhaman at home. So if ever I am alloted a payasam or pradhaman for a potluck, GC is

Kaeng Khiao Wan Pla Thot/ Sweet Green Fried Fish Curry

It is Thai today!

A marriage of Eastern and Western influences, harmoniously combined with the traditional Thai style of cooking has led to what is now known internationally as the Thai Cuisine. It is a balance of spicy, sweet, salty and sour. The food is loaded with fresh herbs like coriander leaves, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, basil and mint and what awaits your palate is simply dazzling and delightful.

My first experience of Thai cuisine was Kaeng Khiao Wan Pla Thot served at Okra Restaurant, Hawthorn in 2006. I was carrying my second child at the time and my friend from work (who had seen and experienced my love for seafood), ordered this for me.
Man! Did I fall in love? With the dish I mean; not the Chef!
Unfortunately, this was not the case with my husband, when I took him to the restaurant later. While he did like the dish, he kept complaining about the aroma of lemon grass which was a reminiscence of a bitter medicine he had as a child. But he grew out of it and now loves anything that is Thai.

Kaeng Khiao Wan is sweet green curry and Pla Thot is deep-fried fish. So this is deep-fried fish in a sweet green curry, with pak choy, okra, eggplant, water chestnuts and bean sprouts to make it a complete meal served with Jasmine Rice. I guess they call it sweet only because it is not as hot and spicy as the other Thai curries like Massaman.