Allepey Fish Curry

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Ingredients:
Fish(any kind)  - 500 gm.(cut in bite size pieces)
Raw Mango - 400 gm.(cut in small pieces)
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp.
Shallots - 50 gm.(sliced finely)
Ginger - 3 inch piece(finely sliced)
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Green Chilli - 4 nos(slit lengthwise)
Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp.
Chilli Powder - 1½ tbsp.
Coconut Milk - 300 ml
Water just enough to cover  all the pieces
Salt  to taste

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a  pan. Saute shallots, ginger, curry leaves(a sprig) and green chillies until shallots are slightly brown in color.
2. Add the mangoes and cook for  5 minutes on medium heat.Add Turmeric, Chilli Powder and Salt cook for another 2-3 mins.
3. Add Water and allow it to boil. Remove from flame.
4. Take an Earthen pot(preferably) or a deep pan, spread Curry Leaves and arrange the fish pieces on it. Pour the prepared gravy over this, cover and bring to boil. 
5. Once boiled, reduce the flame to medium and cook for a another 20 mins(Swirl the earthen pot in between).
6. Remove from flame and add the Coconut Milk slowly(Take care as the coconut milk might curdle, do not close until cool)
7. Serve with rice, chapathi or appams.

Achari Murg

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             Pickle is one of the ingredients in the curry hence the name. 
Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken          -     500 g(Cut in bite size)
Mustard seeds                -    ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds                  -     ½ tsp.
Fennel seeds                  -     ½ tsp.
Fenugreek seeds            -     ½ tsp.
Dried red chillies           -      6
Onion, finely sliced       -      1 large
Garlic, left whole          -       6 cloves
Ginger, grated                -      1 inch
Garlic, crushed               -      4
Tomato purée                 -      2 tbsp.
Sugar                              -      1 tsp.
Water                             -       200 ml
Lime juice                      -       3 tbsp.
Lime Pickle                    -      1 tsp., heaped
Natural Yoghurt             -       200g
Oil                                  -      4 tbsp.
Salt as required
Coriander leaves, chopped for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan and cook whole garlic cloves until they turn golden brown on all sides.
2. Splutter the whole spices and add the sliced onions until they soften. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute or two.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and  water. Bring to boil and reduce flame and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken in the above gravy and cook for 50 minutes(until cooked) on low flame.
5. Combine the sugar, lime juice, lime pickle and salt. 
6. Lightly whisk the yoghurt and add it to the gravy keep stirring. Make sure it doesn't split when adding to the gravy. Cook on low flame(not boil) for a few more minutes, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with ghee rice, mutton biryani, dum biryani or any kind of rice.

Ghee Rice

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                This is a perfect dish when your pressed for time and you also have a  side dish to go with it like a meat based curry like achari chicken or paneer curries.

Ingredients:
Basmati or any long grained rice - 2 cups, washed and drained
Ghee - 4 tbsp.
Cashew nuts - 12 broken in small pieces
Raisins - 15
Onion - 1, large, finely sliced
Green chillies - 3, slit length wise
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon stick - 2" stick 
Bay leaf - 2
Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp.
Coriander leaves - a few, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a heavy bottom vessel and saute the cashew nuts and raisins in 3tbsp. of ghee   until golden brown and keep aside.
2. Caramelize the sliced onions in the same vessel and keep aside.
3.  Add another tablespoon of ghee and splutter cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Add the green chillies and saute for a minute or two.
4. Now add the drained rice and saute for 4 to 5 mins.(Take care not to break the rice)(Do not omit this step)
5. Add 3¾ cup of hot water, garam masala and required salt to the rice.
6. Once it starts boiling reduce the flame to low setting and cover and cook till the rice is cooked.
7. Switch of flame and mix well.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves, fried nut and raisins and the caramelized onions and serve.
9. Goes well with any meat based curries.

Vegetable Stew

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                    This is a Kerala style dish which is a combination of vegetables cooked in coconut milk  and spices served as a side dish for various appams.
Ingredients:
Combination of your choice of vegies cubed (small)   -   2  cups
( I used potatoes,peas,corn, green beans,carrot and cauliflower florets)
Ginger Garlic paste     -      1 heaped tablespoon
Onion finely sliced      -     1 medium sized
Green Chilli                 -     4 to 5 no.
Cardamom                   -     3 pods
Cinnamon                    -     3 or 4 inch piece
Cloves                          -     3 
Black Pepper               -     5
Thin Coconut Milk      -   1½ cup  
Thick Coconut Milk    -    ¾  cup
Curry leaves                 - a few sprigs
Oil (Pref. coconut)       -  2 tbsp.
Salt as required


Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and splutter the spices and sauté for 3 minutes or so.
2. Add the curry leaves, sliced onion, ginger garlic paste and green chillies and sauté till onions turns transparent.
3. Combine the mixed vegetables and mix well and add salt to it.
4. Add the thin coconut milk and bring to boil. 
5. Lower the flame and allow to simmer until all the veggies are cooked.
6. Once all the vegetables are cooked add the thick coconut milk and simmer for few more minutes(say 4 to 5 min.).
7. Remove from flame and serve. Goes well with palappam and vellayappam.