Chutney Podi/Chutney powder

Chutney podi using coconut is something I have never tried or I should say that Idli podi is the only one I have ever done. When Nagalakshmi said this recipe for cook along in Kerala Kitchen I was eager to try it out and glad that I could make it. We have been using it with rice, breakfast till now and it goes very well with the spicy and very slight(barely noticeable) tangy taste. If you are planning to try this you might want to reduce spice if planning to feed kids. I used store bought coconut powder to prepare it and it tasted real good. The time required to make it was less as the coconut powder was dry. Go ahead and try this.

Coconut-2 cups(grated/dry grated powder)
Dry red chilies-10 nos(add more or less according to preference)
Ginger-2" piece(sliced)
Curry leaves-3 strands
Urad dal-2 tsp
Black pepper-1 tsp
Shallots-1/2 cup(sliced)
Asafoetida-1/2 tsp
Tamarind- Small piece
Salt- 2 tsp

Method of preparation:
1. Heat a pan on low heat and fry the coconut,dry chili,ginger,curry leaves, urad dal, black pepper,shallots till coconut turns brown.

2. When done turn off heat and add asafoetida, salt and tamarind and give a stir. Set aside to cool.
3. When cooled, grind this to fine/coarse powder and store in a airtight container.
4. Serve as side for rice,dosas,idlis.

Notes:
1. See that you don't burn the coconut powder instead of browning.
2. Add dry chili as needed for heat.

Kerala Naranga Achaar/ Lemon/Lime Pickle

Pickle is a condiment that is very popular in Indian food culture. Naranga achaar is a spicy tangy pickle.

 Lemon/Lime-20 nos
Water -Enough for steaming the lemons
Sesame Oil/Gingely Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard Seed-1 tsp
Whole Dried Red Chili - 4 nos
Curry leaves-1 to 2 sprig
Salt as required
Garlic - 8 cloves
Green Chilies- 10 nos(cut to small rounds)
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder- 2 tbsp(add more if needed)
Fenugreek Powder- 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida Powder- 1/4 tsp
Vinegar- 1 tbsp

Method of Preparation :
1. Boil some water in a steamer and steam the lemons/limes for some time. Say 15 to 20 mins till it becomes soft. Remove and wipe the lemons dry. Let cool.
2. Cut the lemon into  halves/four/eight pieces. According to the size you need them.
3. Add salt to these lemon pieces, mix well and keep for 10 to 15 days in a clean dry airtight glass jar in room temperature. Shake the jar once everyday.
4. Slice the garlic pods lengthwise and set it aside.Wash,dry green chilies and then cut to small pieces.
5. Heat sesame oil in pan. Add the mustard seed, when  it starts spluttering, add the curry leaves and dry red chilies and saute for 30 second.
6. Add the garlic slices,green chilies into it and saute for few seconds. See that it doesn't turn brown.
7.Lower the flame. Add the red chili powder, asafoetida powder, fenugreek powder and saute for couple of  seconds then turn off the heat.
8. Allow the mix to cool down and then add the lemon slices,  mix well and adjust the salt.
9. Then add vinegar and combine well such that vinegar and pickle mixes well.
10. Transfer it in an airtight container and keep it in a room temperature for a week for the flavors to set and  then refrigerate it for further use.

Notes:
1. You can steam the lemons the previous night, wipe and keep for the water to dry. Same with the green chilies, wash and keep aside to dry.
2. You can cook the lemon till it is tender instead of steaming.
3. Adding green chilies is not compulsory. If making in large quantities adding green chilly may be a reason for reducing shelf life of pickle.
4. Add about 1/4 or less cup of water to make a gravy. Heat for some time and then turn off the heat.
5. Lower the flame while adding spices else you will burn them.
6. See the lemon/lime becomes just soft not mushy and break while steaming.
7. You ca use lemon,lime,combo of both for this pickle.

Carrot Beetroot Pickle

Time is so unpredictable, You need it..it runs and when you dont need it...each second waits for you...making you feel that the clock is struck..Isn't it right?
Everyone once in their life must have thought this..I have been thinking of this until now and sure will be thinking till end of my live...

I think I am not in good terms with time...Its running away from me...Each day morning starts...noon comes and then moon comes..;) I dont find time in between...Its all eaten up by my prince...why shouldn't he eat...after all he is the Prince..

Day starts with the breakfast 8:30... 2 to 3 bites of breakfast and then run fast behind him to feed the rest...
Little food goes in tummy.. then comes...amma njan swantham(Mom...I alone)..Then its miltary rule...plate has to be in front of him...Starts eating... 1 piece into tummy and 10 pieces flying around the table...Even if you run to catch it..you always miss..

Breakfast done...confusion starts...Clean the Prince or the surrounding...Surrounding cleaning..Prince yelling, screaming...Prince cleaned and left near by surrounding is a mess...
A glance at the clock..its 10:30, Run to the gas....Clean, chop ,cook..Mama cooking...Prince busy grabbing stuffs from cupboards and counter tops..I had just cleaned and kept the tomato here..No Prince, No tomato...run to the couch..Oh God..Tomato smeared couch, carpet and Tomato juice bathed Prince..with smoke in the room because of the wok on the stove..and the perfect working fire alarm starting to sing..Again run!!!!!

Cooking done...completely tired...you sit on the couch and a cat mews...You feel like you are in a toy shop that has just been attacked by a gang of monkeys...every thing thrown every where...After few requests to the Prince I finally decide to clean the mess...Things back to the toy room...Couch cleaned..Drinks a cup of water sees again on the couch toys are here and a smile next to it.

Next is the lunch time...which goes pretty well as Prince gets involved too much in cartoon and books and then comes dad.Sleep wraps my Prince which sure prince fights and escapes faster..
The same process continues throughout the day...

Ya I know I can wait till night to clean the messiness...Those days there will be someone dropping in and I will be running grabbing the stuffs so that the guest can sit somewhere...
These are some of the stuffs that happens on a regular day including Prince bathing, Potty training, bicycle riding..etc ..etc...

Now if by any mistake I feel that I should photograph then its all done...I get my board, my food, props(edible) and the camera..and behind me comes the assistant, designer, food/prop tester and the ultimate photographer...
If you take a close look of my photographs...you will find that props and dry foods start missing or decreasing until finally I decide to run with my stuffs..I should say my Prince has an eye on our camera from the day it has come...Its surviving just b'coz I hide it...:)

Looks like I got little time today to scribble after a long long time...Ya but I seriously need some help from all the moms there...How?  How on earth they manage to do all the stuffs?

Now today's recipe has nothing to do with time..it is a simple pickled recipe my mom used to make as I used to run away from carrots and beets...yes I never liked sweet stuffs in my food, and the tongue was so perfect that the mild sweetness of these veggies looked like loads of sugar to me....So this was her way of feeding me...but lucky me my son is just the opposite...ya just like my hus...Perfect opposite..:)

This pickle is made without any perfect measurements..I added stuffs according to the taste...However I have given an almost measurement of ingredients.. This pickle goes well with rice, rotis, wraps...I love to eat just like that too...Not this alone any pickle..:)

Carrot-6 nos
Beetroot-3 no
Garlic-10 to 12 cloves
Ginger-2 inch piece
Green chilies- 8 nos
Chilly powder-3 tsp
Vinegar-4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Clean, wash and dry all the veggies.
2. Cut all the veggies including garlic and ginger to thin strips.Mix everything along with chilly powder, salt and vinegar.
3. Wait for a day and use the pickle.Refrigerate after use.

Notes:
1. You can easily adjust this pickle according to your taste buds.
2. The chilly powder here makes pickle spicier, add acordingly.
3. Vinegar can be replaced with lemon.Then cut two lemons to thin pieces and mix with the veggies.In this case the pickle would have to wait a little longer than a day as lemon peel takes time to get mixed.
4. Add garlic according to your taste.

Kadumanga/kannimanga Achar/Tender Mango Pickle

Laziness rules me these days...A vacation changes your whole routine..Staying with a crowd for 3 weeks and now almost alone throughout day makes me mad, sad and desp...I guess same is with my son...He pulls me from kitchen and makes me sit on the couch and plays in front of me...Looks like he too is missing the crowd who used to play with him, laugh at his pranks..
This recipe belongs to Mom...she did it...I just carried it to US..While going to India had plans of clicking some pics there...but to our horror our camera battery and charger was missing...We thought that it would safely be at home but No...its not...Now where is it? Anyways we bought a new set now..
Here is the recipe according to mom..

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash the tender mangoes, drain, pat them dry and keep aside. Take care that the mangoes are real dry with no trace of water.
2. Place the mangoes in a bharani and layer them with salt.Now close the lid and tie the mouth of bharani with a clean cloth.
3. Keep this for 2 weeks.By then the mangoes will shrink and there will be salt brine. These mangoes can be kept for years.

To make pickle:
1. Heat the mustard seeds slightly and then give a quick pulse to remove the seeds from the outer black cover.Now dust the black cover and keep the yellow colored seeds alone.
2. Separate the salt brine and mangoes in two clean dry vessels.Add the mustard seeds, chili powder and asafoetida powder to the salt brine and mix well.
3. Add the mangoes to this and mix well.
4. Heat the sesame oil and cool it.
5. Add half ot the cooled oil to the mango pickle and mix well.Transfer it to dry bharani and add the remaining oil on top of it.
6. Close the lid and tie with the white cloth. Keep it for a month or two before using.

Notes
1. Water should not be there in the whole process.The presence of water reduces the shelf life.
2. When I refer to salt brine I mean salt and the water oozed out of mango.
3. Use the salt brine as needed while making pickle.Too much of it in the pickle makes it watery.
4. Nattumanga(Sour variety of tender mango) is the best to make this pickle.
5.while heating the mustard take care that it doesn't crack.
6. The mangoes can be left in the salt brine for years, if every procedure is followed properly.These mangoes are called uppu manga(salted mangoes)
7.The chili powder can be adjusted to the spice level,usually these pickles are spicy.
8. Bharani can be replaced with glass jars.
9. The mangoes are put with a small part of their stem(kanni).This enhances the taste.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen hosted by Ramya at Ramya's Recipe

Mango Pickle

Mango is a fav fruit of many...I too am in that group...like them in any form..:) When I was a kid...dad would bring nice green mangoes that would be extremely sour....me and my sis would cut them to small cubes, mix with salt and bit of chilly powder,drizzle some coconut oil mix and finish off the whole bowl...Mom would be scolding us from one side.."you gals will get stomach ache and vomiting"...we will be acting as deaf to that...anyways we give two to three small pieces to dad as he is the one who brought us that and he is the one who is going to get scoldings from mom...Those golden days are all gone...now its just a sweet memory....which costs me some lonely smiles and sometimes which turns to huge laughter...hmmm if you think its true right ' Todays actions are tomorrows memories-some sweet...and some bitter...'.
Ok lets move on to the recipe...This is something that I can eat just like that.....

Raw mango-1 no(big)
Garlic-6 cloves(cut to bits)
Red chilli powder-1 tbsp
Asafoetida/ Hing-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard-1 tsp
Dry red chillies-2 no(break to halves)
Curry leaves-4 to 5 leaves
Sesame oil-1 tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash the mango and wipe it with a dry cloth.
2. Cut it to small pieces and mix it with garlic, chilli powder, salt and keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok and add mustard, curry leaves and dry red chillies. Once its done add asafoetida and fenugreek powder and turn off the heat and mix well.See that you do this process on low flame,else it gets burnt easily.
4.Once the oil mixture cools add that to the mango mixture and mix well.Check for salt.
5. keep in an air tight bottle and refrigerate after a day.

Notes:
1. See that there is no water in anything that you use,like cutting plate, bowls, curry leaves etc, else the pickle gets spoiled fast.
2. While using it see that you dont use spoons that is wet.
3. Garlic can be avoided if you dont like it. Either way it tastes good.
4. Add chilly powder according to your spice level.
5. If you mango is not sour you can add very little of vinegar to the pickle.I dont use this unless really neaded.

Beetroot pickle

A very simple but really delicious pickle. I have always loved it when I eat it with biryanni from restaurents in calicut.

Beetroot-1 no(Grated)
Garlic-1 tbsp(minced)
Green Chilly-3 no(minced)
Pickle powder-2 tsp. (or)
        Chilly powder-2 tsp.
        Hing/Asafoetida-3/4 tsp
Salt to taste.
Vinegar-2 tsp


1. Mix all the ingredients nicely.Then add vinegar.Pickle is ready.
2. Great combination for biryani.     
                                                  

                                  

Apple Pickle

Apples-1 large(little tart apples would be good/cooking apples)
Lemon juice-1/2 tsp(optional)
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Fenugreek powder-1/8 tsp
Asafoetida/hing-1/4 tsp
Green chillies-1no
chili powder-1/2 tsp
Dry Red chilly-2 no
salt to taste
vegetable oil-2 tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash,dry then core the apples and dice them into tiny cubes.
2. Toss with lemon juice and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add dry red chilly, fenugreek powder, asafoetida, green chilies. Stir on medium high heat for about 1 minute. Add chili powder, and salt  and heat the mixture for a seccond.
4. Take from heat wait for some time and mix it with the apple.
5. Once cool, store the pickle in an air-tight container in the fridge. Pickle will last about a week.

Tips:
1. Pickles taste good when apples are crisp.So when you add the hot mixture wait for sometime so that it cools.
2. If the apple is not tart use lemon to reduce the sweetness, else it can be omitted.