At our restaurant that focuses on Kerala cuisine, we are forever on the lookout for innovative dishes. It was two years ago that we had this brainwave of someone travelling across the state to dig out forgotten culinary gems. The idea was to collect these dishes, give it our own twist and present it through a food fest called ‘Culinary Yathra’.
Homemakers with an extraordinary flair for cooking and popular small eateries suggested by friends were our targets. My journey was not done at a stretch. I would pack up one day, visit one region, sometimes a home in a village in Kollam, and return to resume my duties. The next time maybe in Kottayam or a restaurant tucked away in the heart of Kannur. I would learn about the dish, its history and importance, watch it being prepared, get the recipe and head back to my kitchen to test it.
There were many unforgettable experiences. Like this time when I landed up at Chandran Pillai’s family-run hotel in Thiruvananthapuram. I was there at the crack of dawn. It’s a tiny place, they do not use a gas stove but cook entirely on the kiln. Hugely popular in the area, the crowd starts building up from 11 am. I wore a mundu (dhoti) in order to merge with the crowd. The fun began when the chief supplier walked in and took me to be a new staff and started ordering me around. I complied and went along till the crowd started thinning. He was aghast when I finally told him that I was leaving and even reminded me that the duty was till seven in the evening!
Last year, I travelled from the North to the South of Kerala and this year I started from the South and travelled up. Kozhi Muzamman, Meen Thappuvekkal and Aattirachi Vendaka are three of the most interesting dishes that I came across during these travels.
Kozhi Muzamman, prepared with a full chicken, was originally called Kozhi Muzhuvan which means a full chicken. This is a grand celebratory dish prepared by the mother-in-law to welcome the puyyapla (bridegroom) on his first visit to the bride’s home. The chicken is stuffed with masalas, fried onion, a boiled egg and served in thick gravy. I got this recipe from Sabhitha Arif from Tirur, Malappuram.
Aattirachi Vendaka is a typical Thrissur dish which reflects the region’s penchant for mixing vegetables with non-vegetarian curries. It is a dish that north Indians love in our restaurant and I got it from Laly Mookan in Thrissur. A brilliant dish with soft cooked mutton pieces and ladies finger, this is traditionally served on the wedding eve.
Meen Thappuvekkal is an ancient dish from Kannur and nearly extinct as no one takes the pain to cook it anymore. I learnt the recipe and techniques from Thesneem Azeez, Perinthalmanna.
Kozhi Muzamman
Chicken whole clean 900 gm
Chicken mince 100 gm
Boiled egg 1
Onion slice 150 gm
Chana dal (soaked) 50 gm
Ginger, Garlic
(julienned) each 25 gm
Green chilli sliced 20 gm
Tomato sliced 25 gm
Coriander leaves,
mint leaves, each 20 gm
Coconut oil 35 ml
Ghee 15 ml
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric ¼ tsp
Coriander powder 2½ tsp
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
First coconut
milk 25 ml Second coconut
milk 50 ml
Fried onion 50 gm
Fried cashewnut,
raisins (each) 25 gm
Lemon juice 1
Method
Heat oil (15 ml any oil) in a frying pan, add chopped ginger, garlic, onion, green chilli and sauté till it turns brown. Add the minced chicken, sauté it well, add turmeric, red chilli, coriander, pepper, fennel, garam masala powder and mix well.
Then add fried onion, fried cashewnut and raisins, few mint leaves, coriander leaves and lime juice, mix it and check the seasoning.
Cool this mix, then fill this along with one boiled egg into a cleaned whole chicken. Plug the hole with toothpick or string. Keep aside.
Take another pan, heat the remaining oil, add ginger, garlic, onion slice, green chilli and sauté till it changes to brown colour. Add ginger garlic paste, remaining masalas and tomato slice. Mix it well, add some water, bring to boil. Then put the whole chicken and chana dal. Add 2nd coconut milk, then cover it and cook.
When the chicken is cooked, add some fried onion, mint leaves, coriander leaves, garam masala powder, ghee and 1st coconut milk. Cook this slowly to reduce gravy.
Check the seasoning and serve with appam, pathiri or paratha.
Recipe from Sabhitha Arif, Tirur, Malappuram
Meen Thappu Vekkal
Sardine, cleaned 200 gm
Shallots 50 gm
Garlic 25 gm
Pepper corn 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp 25 ml
Coconut oil 25 ml
Salt to taste
Method
Make a paste out of the ingredients from nos. 2 to 7 above, then mix it well with cleaned sardine. Add salt and coconut oil and keep it for 10 mints.
The next step is to wrap it in a banana leaf, place it in a claypot and cook in a slow flame.
Recipe from Thesneem Azeez, Perinthalmanna
Attirachi vendakka (Mutton with Bhindi)
Mutton 200 gm
Onion chopped 100 gm,
Tomato chopped 50 gm,
Vendakka (Bhindi) 50 gm (Chopped to 2 inch length)
Ginger chopped 25 gm
Garlic chopped 25 gm
Green chilli chopped 20 gm
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Shallots sliced 6
Coconut oil (or any oil) 50 ml
Coconut milk 1 cup
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Red chilli powder -2tsp
Coriander powder 1 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Whole red chillies 4
Fennel seed 1/4 tsp
Method
Heat coconut oil, add fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, green chilli and sauté till they change to golden brown. To this add turmeric, red chilli and coriander powder, saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomato and sauté well. Put mutton cubes and mix it well, add water, pepper and fennel powder and cook it.
When the mutton is tender, add fried ladies finger (bhindi) and coconut milk. Mix it well, reduce the gravy, check the seasoning. Finally put tempering and mix together
For tempering: Heat coconut oil, crackle mustard seeds, red chillies, sliced shallots, sauté till brown, add curry leaves.
Recipe from Laly Mookan, Thrissur
