Enjoy Onam with these easy recipes at home. (Source: Photo by Chef Manish Kusumwal)
“Kaanam vittum onam unnanam” – this Malayali proverb translates to – “One must feast during Onam, even if it means selling one’s land”. This is how important the feast of Onam is to the people of Kerala. Many would agree, more than a feast, Onam Sadya, which is eaten together and in good company, is a feeling. Even if the state has been hit with floods this year, Onam may be a good way to bring everyone together in an effort to rebuild people’s lives and spread some much needed cheer.
Here are some easy and tasty recipes that you can whip up in no time for your festive day celebrations.
Avial
By Chef Manish Kusumwal
Avial prepared by Chef Manish Kusumwal.
Ingredients:
For Coconut Paste
⅓ cup – Fresh shredded coconut
2 – Green chillies
½ tsp – Cumin seeds
For Steaming Veggies
3 Cups – Mixed veggies (Carrots, beans, potatoes, raw mango, drum stick, raw banana, cucumber and potatoes)
½ tsp – turmeric
1 tsp – salt
For Tempering
1 tsp – Coconut oil
½ tsp – Mustard seeds
2 – Green chillies, slit
2 sprigs – Curry leaves
Method:
*Grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin with half a cup of water to a smooth paste. Set it aside.
*Take a bowl and add in the veggies, salt and turmeric. Mix well to coat the veggies evenly.
*Add half a cup of water to the pressure cooker. Place the bowl of veggies inside the cooker. Cook for three whistles on medium flame.
*Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to release naturally. The veggies cooked for three whistles are firm. If you want soft veggies, then cook for four whistles.
*Take a pan and add in coconut oil.
*When the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
*Add in the steamed veggies and saute for a minute so the oil coats evenly.
*Add in the coconut paste and toss well to coat. Cook for a minute.
*Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.
Kappa
By Chef Manish Kusumwal
Kappa prepared by Chef Manish Kusumwal.
Ingredients:
2 – Tapioca, cubed
To cook tapioca – Water
As per taste – Salt
1 cup – Coconut, grated
1 tsp – Cumin seeds
2 cloves – Garlic, chopped
1 or 2 – Green chili
¼ to ½ tsp – Turmeric powder
As per taste – Salt
For tempering
2 tbsp – Coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp – Mustard seeds
3 – Small onions, chopped small
4 – Red dry whole chillies
1 sprig – Curry leaves
Method:
*Peel off the skin from the tapiocas, cut into cubes, wash under running water.
*Boil the tapiocas along with water and little salt until it turns tender and well cooked.
*Drain the water and keep aside.
*In a blender, grind the above mentioned “to grind ingredients” to a coarse paste.
*In a large saucepan, add the cooked tapiocas and the ground paste.
*Cook for about five to ten minutes, until the gravy starts to thicken and is combined well.
*If you want you could slightly mash the tapiocas using a wooden spoon.
*Remove from the heat and keep aside covered.
*Heat a small pan over medium heat, add oil.
*When the oil gets hot, add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
*Add the chopped small onions and saute for a few minutes.
*Add dry red chilies and curry leaves, saute till onions have turned brown.
*Pour this tempering onto the cooked tapioca.
*Keep the tapioca covered for sometime so that the flavors from the tempering will get into the dish.
*Serve warm along with your favorite fish curry.
Karimeen Polichattu
By Chef Manish Kusumwal
Karimeen Polichattu prepared by Chef Manish Kusumwal.
Ingredients:
2 – Karimeen / Pearl Spot Fish
For Marination
1/2 tsp – Chilli powder
1/2 tsp – Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp – Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi
As per taste – Salt
2 tsp – Lemon juice
3 tbsp – Coconut oil
For Masala
1/2 tsp – Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp – Cumin seeds
1 – Onion
1 tsp – Ginger
1 tsp – Garlic
1 – Green chilli
1 sprig – Curry leaves
1 – Tomatoes
1 tsp – Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
1 tsp – Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
1/2 tsp – Turmeric Powder
As per taste – salt
3 tbsp – Coriander leaves
1/4 cup – Thick coconut milk
2 tsp – Lemon juice
Method:
*Take fish in a bowl and add in all the marination ingredients and mix well. Let it marinate for ten minutes.
*Now heat oil in a kadai. Fry the fish pieces in hot oil for three minutes on each side and remove it on to a plate.
*In the remaining oil, add in mustard and cumin seeds and let it sizzle for 30 seconds.
*Add in finely chopped onions, ginger, garlic, green chilli and curry leaves. Fry this for three to four minutes till it is light golden.
*Add in all the spice powders and salt. Mix well.
*To it, add in finely chopped tomatoes and cook for five minutes till it turns mushy.
*Now add in coriander leaves and coconut milk. Mix well and simmer it till it is reduced and thickened.
*Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix well. The masala is done.
*Take a banana leaf and place over the foil. Now place a spoonful of masala on the banana leaf. Place the fried fish on top of the masala. Spoon some more masala over the fish and fold the leaf.
*Now heat a tawa on medium heat. Place the parcel over the tawa and cook for 12 minutess on each side.
*Remove it from the tawa, open the parcel and serve hot.
Neymeen Curry
Kingfish curry prepared by Chef Manish Kusumwal.
By Chef Manish Kusumwal
Ingredients:
8 pieces – King fish, medium sized
2 tbsp – Coconut oil
1 tsp – Mustard seeds
½ tsp – Fenugreek seeds
1 sprig – Curry leaves
2 tsp – ginger
3 cloves – Garlic
2 or 3 – Green chillies
12 – Small onions
¼ tsp – Turmeric powder
1½ tsp – Kashmiri red chili powder
1½ tsp – Coriander powder
½ tsp – Ground pepper
2 inch – Kadampuli (Kerala Tamarind), fresh, soaked in ⅛ cup warm water and strained
1¼ cups – Water
As per taste – Salt
Method:
*While cleaning the fish add salt and rinse under running water, salt will help to remove any smell in the fish.
*Soak the fresh tamarind in warm water, strain the juice, keep aside.
*Place a clay or non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
*Add coconut oil, let it turn hot.
*Add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
*Add fenugreek seeds, saute till it turns light brown in colour.
*Add curry leaves, saute for a second.
*Add minced ginger, garlic and green chilies, saute till they turn golden in color.
*Add small onions, and a few pinches of salt, saute till translucent.
*Add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder and ground pepper to the onions, saute for a few seconds. Don’t burn the spices.
*Add tamarind juice, combine well.
*Add water and salt to taste, let the water come to a boil.
*Add the king fish into the boiling water, cover the pan with its lid.
*Cook over medium heat for five minutes.
*After that simmer the heat and cook for a few more minutes till the gravy has slightly thickened.
*Have a taste, add more salt or ground pepper if needed.
*Garnish with more curry leaves if you want.
*Serve this fish curry along with Kappa (tapioca) or rice.
Cheera Aviyal
By Chef Vaibhav Bhargava
Cheera Aviyal by Chef Vaibhav Bhargava
Ingredients:
500 gms – Amaranth stems
500 gms – Amaranth leaves roughly chopped
250 gms – Coconut
500 gms – Mango, raw slices
10 gms – Green chillies
200 gms – Shallots, chopped
3 gms – Cumin powder
3 gms – Turmeric powder
5 gms – Curry leaves
As per taste – Salt
5 ml – Coconut oil
Method:
*Coarsely grind the coconut along with cumin, chillies and shallots for a few seconds and keep
aside.
*Put the stems in a pan along with turmeric and salt and just enough water to barely cover the
stems.
*Cover and cook on low heat till the stems are almost done.
*Add the mango slices and let it cook till they are done but firm.
*Do not let the mangoes turn mushy or you will end up getting a mushy dish.
*Add the chopped leaves and cover and cook for a couple of minutes till the leaves are wilted.
*Add the ground coconut mixture and curry leaves and stir well.
*Let it cook for a minute or two.
*Switch off the heat and pour the coconut oil and mix well.
*Serve with rice.
Let us know how they turned out in the comments section below.