Sambaram Recipe | Moru Vellam | Kerala Style Spiced Buttermilk

Every year during Onam Sadya, I try to make Sadya at home. I have shared nearly 5 different Sadya menu and posted in my blog. Pleasec check the links below. Dishes like Puli inji, avial, ada pradhaman, pazham, papadam are mandatory in every Sadya be it simple or elaborate. Similarly sambaram i.e Kerala style spiced buttermilk should be in the Onam sadya menu for sure.

Onam sadya will be incomplete without this sambaram. Its fondly known as moru vellam in Malayalam language. Spices like ginger, green chilli (Kanthari / Bird’s eye chilli), curry leaves and small onions is crushed coarsely and added to churned buttermilk. It gives a super flavor to the buttermilk and makes it more healthy. Sambaram is served at the end of the meal as it helps to digest the sadya food. 

Lets see how to make this tasty Kerala special spiced buttermilk / Moru vellam / Sambaram at home easily in 3 steps with video.

Please check out my other Onam Sadya menu below :

• Simple Onam sadya 1

• Onam sadhya menu 2

• Onam sadya menu 3

• Onam sadya menu 4
• Onam sadya menu 5

Sambaram recipe | Moru vellam | Kerala buttermilk recipe

Sambaram recipe | Moru vellam | Kerala buttermilk recipe for Onam sadya

 

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Drink

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Curd - 1 cup Water - 2 cups (adjust) Salt - as needed To crush coarsely Bird's eye green chilli (Kanthari) or green chilli - 3 or 2 Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Curry leaves - 1 sprig Small onion - 6

HOW TO MAKE SAMBARAM

1. Take curd in a bowl. Add water, salt and churn it.
2. Grind chilli, onion, ginger and curry leaves coarsely.
3. Mix with buttermilk and serve it. Enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Take curd in a wide bowl. Add water and required salt. Churn well with a whisk. Check for taste and add more water if necessary. Grind green chilli, small onion, curry leaves and ginger coarsely using pulse option in your mixie. (Alternately, you can chop everything finely and add to buttermilk). Add to the churned buttermilk. Mix well and serve. Enjoy !

Note

Quantity of water differs based on the sourness of curd. You can add more green chilli if you like spicy taste. I made it less spicy. Instead of grinding in mixie, you can use mortar and pestle and crush it coarsely. Some people add the spices finely and add to buttermilk without grinding.

Healthy and tasty Kerala style spiced buttermilk Sambaram is ready !

 

Technorati Tags: sambaram recipe,sambaram,kerala sambaram,moru vellam,kerala moru vellam,how to make sambaram,kerala moru vellam recipe,kerala style spiced buttermilk,kerala spiced buttermilk

Continue Reading...

Beans Mezhukkupuratti - Kerala Style Beans Stir Fry Recipe

Beans mezhukupuratti is one of the easy and yummy Kerala style side dish for rice. Its a stir fry recipe without coconut. I have tried many side dish recipes for every Onam sadya menu. But I love this one as the onion garlic masala adds a nice flavor and taste to this mezhukupuratti. I have been following this recipe for the past few years. I have also tried with red chilli ans chilli powder. Both comes out well. But mezhukkupuratti with chilli powder is my personal favorite. You can follow the same recipe and use raw banana, potato or long beans instead of green beans. Friends, do try this yummy Kerala style beans mezhukupuratti / beans stir fry recipe following the step by step pictures and share your feedback.

Check out my other Kerala recipes too.

Kerala style beans stir fry - Beans mezhukkupuratti

Kerala special stir fry for rice - Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Side dish

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

French Beans - 2 cups (cut into 1cm length) Salt and water - as needed To grind to coarse paste Small onions- 8  Garlic cloves – 5  Chilli powder or red chilli – 1 tsp or 2 Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp To temper Coconut oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - few

HOW TO MAKE BEANS MEZHUKUPURATTI

1. Wash and chop beans to 1 inch length. Cook till soft and firm. Set aside.
2. Grind onion, garlic, chilli powder and turmeric powder to a coarse paste without adding water.
3. Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves.
4. Add the ground masala and saute for few minutes. Add cooked beans and mix gently.
5. Cook till it raw smell vanish, beans look dry and shiny.
6. Switch off the flame and serve with rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop the beans to 1 inch length. Pressure cook in high flame for 2 whistles adding less water or cook in a pot till its soft but firm in shape. Drain the excess water and set aside. In the mean time, grind onion, garlic cloves , red chilli powder or red chilli to a coarse paste without adding water. Wipe the sides of  mixie and grind again till you make a coarse paste. Set aside. Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add the ground masala, cooked beans and saute for few minutes. If its sticking to the pan and looks too dry, sprinkle few drops of oil or water. Add required salt, turmeric powder and mix well in low flame. Sprinkle little water if needed and cook till raw smell of onion garlic masala vanish. Saute till beans looks dry and shiny. It gives a nice smell too. Now switch off the flame. Rest for sometime and then serve with rice, sambar. Enjoy !

Note

For variations, you can use raw banana, potato, long beans and follow the same procedure. You can use red chilli powder or red chilli while grinding.

Easy, yummy Kerala style beans stir fry is ready to enjoy with rice.

 

Technorati Tags: Beans mezhukupuratti,beans mezhukupuratti recipe,beans stir fry recipe,Kerala beans stir fry,Kerala style beans poriyal,Beans stir fry recipe,Kerala style beans mezhukupuratti

Continue Reading...

Cabbage Thoran - Kerala Style Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe

Kerala style cabbage stir fry / cabbage thoran with coconut is our family favorite side dish for rice. This sadya style cabbage thoran is a very easy recipe that is prepared with simple ingredients like coconut, cumin, ginger, small onion and green chilli ground to a coarse paste, mixed to the finely shredded cabbage and stir fried to cook it. It tastes so good and tastes much better than my regular cabbage poriyal. Even cabbage haters would love this  Kerala thoran recipe.

Usually cabbage thoran can be prepared without onion too. But some people use onion, carrot for variations. Some also make it without coconut. I will try to post that version too. Here is the most popular, Onam sadya style cabbage thoran recipe with step by step pictures.

Cabbage Thoran Recipe

Kerala Onam Sadya style cabbage thoran recipe / Cabbage stir fry for rice.

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Onam recipes

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Shredded or finely chopped cabbage - 3 cups (I used half of medium sized cabbage) Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - as needed Water - Few tbsp ( optional, use only if needed) To Grind Grated coconut - 1 /2 cup Green chilli - 2 to 3 Small onion - 6 or big onion - 1 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Ginger - 1 inch piece To Temper Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dal - 2 tsp Red chilli - 1 Curry leaves - Few

HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE THORAN RECIPE

1. Wash and shred/ chop the cabbage finely or slice it thinly.
2. Grind coconut, green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse paste without adding water.
3. Take the chopped cabbage, ground coconut paste, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
4. Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves.
5. Add the cabbage mixture and saute in low to medium flame.
6. Cover and cook in low flame till cabbage turns soft. Remove and serve hot with rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and remove the thick white, central part of cabbage. Shred / finely chop the cabbage or chop into thin slices by cutting in the corners.  Collect in a big plate or bowl. Grind coconut, green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse paste without adding water. Add this coarse paste to the finely chopped cabbage, turmeric powder and required salt. Mix well and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and when it gets heated, splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Add the cabbage mixture and saute in medium flame for few minutes. Cover it with a lid and cook in low flame till its soft and well cooked. (If necessary you can sprinkle little water and cover cook it).   Switch off the flame and serve with rice, sambar. Enjoy !

Note

For variations, you can crush onion, cumin seeds and green chilli and add to cabbage. In that case, you can add grated coconut at the end and mix it. You can also try sauting onion, green chilli and then add shredded cabbage to make this thoran. To make it more colorful, you can add some finely chopped carrot along with cabbage.

Try this easy, yummy Kerala style cabbage thoran recipe and share your feedback with me.

Continue Reading...

Pink Palada Payasam Recipe In Pressure Cooker

 Palada Payasam is one of the traditional payasam recipes of Kerala. It is prepared for Onam and Vishu festivals. Authentic palada payasam is prepared by boiling and simmering the milk, sugar, ada for hours together. Sugar caramelizes and milk turns pale pink (rose) in color naturally. But nowadays people follow this short cut and easy method to achieve this pink color in palada payasam. Every year during Onam, I try to make a new recipe as Onam special.

This year I tried pink colored palada payasam for a change. I used small sized store bought ada (Double horse brand). It helped to cook quickly. As usual I did in a cooker. In a pressure cooker, we need to boil milk, sugar and ada.  In the mean time, a portion of sugar is caramelized in another pan and added to the cooker. Cook everything for 20 minutes in low flame. Ada will be well cooked and color of the milk turns to pale rose in color. It tastes great with a mild caramel flavor. You will love it for sure. Do try it friends. Lets see how to make pink colored palada payasam recipe with step by step pictures.

Pink Palada Payasam Recipe

Pink colored Palada Payasam Recipe with store bought ada in a pressure cooker

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 30 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 50 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Store bought ada - 1/4 cup Milk - 1/2 liter (use full fat milk) Sugar - 1/4 cup Sugar - 2 tbsp (to caramelize) Water - 1 tbsp (to caramelize sugar) Roasted cashew nuts - 5 (optional, roast in 2 tsp ghee)

HOW TO MAKE PINK PALADA PAYASAM

1. Wash the ada and soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
2. Wash the soaked ada in cold water and set aside.
3. In a pressure cooker, take milk and sugar. Let it start to roll boil.
4. Keep boiling the milk in low to medium flame.
5. In the mean time, add sugar and water to caramelize it. Mix well till sugar turns golden brown in color. Do not burn it.
6. Add to the boiling milk in pressure cooker. Add soaked ada. Put a small plate or spoon.
7. Mix well and cover cook in low flame for 4 whistles.
8. Open the cooker after steam is released. You will see a pale pink colored , flavorful palada payasam. You can add cardamom powder & ghee roasted cashew nuts if you like.

PINK PALADA PAYASAM RECIPE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the ada and soak in hot water for 30 minutes. Quantity doubles after soaking. Wash the ada in cold water and strain it completely. Set aside. In a pressure cooker base add 1/2 liter milk, 1/4 cup sugar and mix well. Boil in medium flame. Take 2 tbsp sugar and 3 tsp water in a kadai. Mix well in low to medium flame till sugar dissolves. Keep mixing till sugar turns golden brown in color. Do not burn it. Keep the flame low to medium and do it patiently. Add the caramelized sugar to the boiling milk in low flame. Mix well and add soaked,drained ada.  Check for taste. Add more sugar if needed. Add a small plate or a teaspoon to the cooker. This helps to avoid spilling of milk from the cooker nozzle. Pressure cook in low flame for 4 whistles. It takes nearly 20 minutes. Switch off the flame. Open the cooker after the steam is released. You will see a nice, rose / pale pink colored payasam. Remove the spoon. Mix well and check the consistency. If its too thin, boil for some more time to become thick. If the payasam is thick, add some boiled milk.  Adding roasted cashew nuts is optional. I don’t add usually. Cardamom powder is not needed. Mix well & serve hot. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sugar based on your taste. Adding roasted cashew nuts is optional.

Enjoy this yummy, pink colored palada payasam at home for this Onam festival !

Technorati Tags: pink palada payasam,palada payasam rose colour in cooker,palada payasam,how to make pink palada payasam,palada payasam recipe,palada payasam with readymade ada,pink palada payasam recipe

Continue Reading...

How To Cook Kerala Matta Rice In Pressure Cooker

Kerala matta rice also known as rosematta rice, vadi matta rice, palakadan matta rice, red rice, Kerala red rice, Kerala parboiled rice (Malayalam: കേരള മട്ട)is a healthy grain that is grown in Kerala and Karnataka regions. It is mainly consumed by people all over Kerala, Srilanka and coastal areas of Karnataka like Mangalore. As we all know, Kerala matta rice is a magnesium rich grain with immense health benefits. This rice can be cooked in a pressure cooker, microwave, electric rice cooker and in an open pot without cooker.

One cup of Matta rice contains 84 grams of magnesium, one gram of calcium, one gram of fiber with 160 calories. It also contains vitamins. Though this red rice is different from brown rice, it has equal health benefits. Just like the usual polished white rice, this red rice can be used to make idli, dosa, appam, murukku and snacks. It can be consumed mixing with kuzhambu, sambar, rasam and non-veg curries. More than all these recipes, matta rice porridge is a most popular and healthy baby food.

Apart from this, Kerala matta rice is good for people having Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and osteoporosis. It makes you feel full for long time. Rice gruel is given to babies. Every year during Onam festival, I used to make Sadya at home for our lunch. I cook Kerala Matta rice easily in a pressure cooker. Washing the rice & soaking for minimum one hour is essential for cooking this rice perfectly. Ok friends, lets see how to cook Kerala red rice with step by step pictures.

Check out all my Kerala Recipes

How to cook Kerala Matta Rice in a pressure cooker

How to cook Kerala Matta Rice in a pressure cooker / How to cook red rice in a cooker

Cuisine: Kerala

Category: How to

Serves: Serves 4

Prep time: 120 Minutes

Cook time: 30 Minutes

Total time: 150 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Kerala matta rice / Kerala red rice - 1/2 cup Water - 2.5 to 3 cups

HOW TO COOK KERALA MATTA RICE

1. Wash the matta rice thrice in water.
2. Soak in enough water for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
3. Color of the rice turns pale white after soaking.
4. Drain the water and take the rice in a pressure cooker.
5. Add 2.5 to 3 cups of water. Keep the flame high till vapor comes off through nozzle.
6. Put the weight valve and lower the flame completely.
7. Cook for 5 whistles in low flame. Switch off the flame.
8. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
9. Strain the excess water through a colander.
10. Fluff the rice and serve. You can drink the rice cooked water (gruel).
11. Serve the hot rice with sambar, theeyal or any non-veg curry.

KERALA MATTA RICE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the Kerala matta rice/ red rice twice or thrice till the water color changes from red to pale white. Soak in enough water for minimum one hour to maximum over night. Color of the rice changes to pale white after soaking. Drain the excess soaked water and take the rice in a pressure cooker. Add 2.5 cups of water (Rice : water = 1: 5). Mix well and close the cooker. Keep the flame high till vapor starts to come off through the nozzle. Put the weight valve and lower the flame completely. Cook in low flame for 5 whistles. It takes 15 to 20 minutes. Switch off the flame. Open the cooker after steam is released. Take a vessel and place a colander / sieve over it. Strain the cooked water. Its known as rice gruel. You can drink it adding a pinch of salt. Its very healthy. Take the cooked rice and press it with your fingers. If it becomes mushy, rice is cooked well. Remove the rice from colander and transfer to a bowl. Serve hot with sambar, theeyal, rasam etc. Enjoy !

Note

Wash the rice thrice to remove the starch. Color of rice changes to pale white after soaking for few hours Soaking is mandatory. Minimum one hour is necessary.

Enjoy this flavorful, healthy Kerala matta rice for your lunch & stay fit !

Technorati Tags: how to cook kerala rice,how to cook matta rice,how to cook vadi matta,matta rice,how to cook kerala matta rice in pressure cooker,matta rice in electric cooker,kerala matta rice,matta rice cooking,how to cook red rice,how to cook red rice in cooker matta rice

Continue Reading...

Kerala Sambar Recipe Without Coconut – Easy Onam Sadya Sambar in Pressure Cooker

Last year I shared traditional Kerala Varutharacha sambar recipe during Onam. Recently I came across this easy Onam sadya sambar without coconut using a pressure cooker in Anu’s kitchen YouTube Video. Its the simplified version of varutharacha sambar using Kerala sambar powder. I loved the idea and tried it with some modifications to make it even more easy. As I don’t have Kerala sambar powder, I used my homemade sambar powder, red chilli powder and coriander seeds powder. Still it tasted great with a nice flavor.

For Onam sadya, you may need to cook so many recipes for the feast. I am sure this easy sambar recipe will help you save lots of time when compared with varutharacha sambar with spices and coconut. Of course taste may not be equal to the traditional Kerala sambar still you can give a try. This sambar would be useful especially for bachelors and working women to make a quick & healthy recipe with the goodness of all the vegetables. You don’t need to make any side dish like thoran or mezhukupuratti if you add lots of vegetables. Friends, do try this easy Kerala style Onam sadya sambar and share your feedback with me. Lets see how to make Onam sadya sambar recipe without coconut easily in a pressure cooker with step by step pictures and video !

Do check out my Kerala Ulli Sambar For Idli, Dosa.

Kerala Sambar Recipe - Onam Sadya Sambar recipe

How to make Kerala style sambar recipe

Author: Chitra Ganapathy

Cuisine:South Indian
Category: Kerala recipes
Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients (1 cup - 250ml)

To Pressure Cook

• Toor dal - 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Cooking oil - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 2 cups
• Small onions/Big onion - 12 nos/1 no
• Green chilli - 1 no(slit)
• **Mixed vegetables - 1 cup (Refer method)
• Ripe tomato - 1 no (chop finely)

To Boil With Dal

• Tamarind - Big gooseberry size
• Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few

To Temper

• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli - 1 no(pinched into two)
• Curry leaves - few
• Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp(I used Kashmiri chilli pwd)
• Dhania powder/coriander seeds powder - 1/2 tsp
• Methi seeds powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (to garnish)

How to make Kerala sambar

1. Wash and chop all the veggies into small cubes.Keep in a small box.
2. In a cooker base, take dal,small onion and chilli. Keep the veggies box inside cooker.
3. Pressure cook in low flame for 2 whistles. Remove the veggies bowl. Mash the dal.
4. Add tamarind extract, cooked vegetables, sambar powder, salt.
5. Boil for 5 minutes till nice smell arises.
6. Temper mustard, red chilli, spice powders in low flame.
7. Add to sambar, boil for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kerala sambar recipe - Step by step photos

• Soak tamarind in 1 cup water and take the extract. Take 1/2 cup of toor dal, small onion and slit green chilli in a cooker base. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp cooking oil in water.

  

• Wash and chop the vegetables( I used yam, raw banana, carrot, ash gourd, broad beans, cluster beans, beans, lady's finger, drumstick - 5 pieces each). Chop tomato finely. Transfer the vegetables and tomato to a small bowl that fit inside the cooker. Add 1/4 cup water to it.

  

• Place the bowl with vegetables inside the pressure cooker. Close and cook for 2 whistles in low flame.
  

  

• Open the lid after the steam is released. Dal and vegetables would be cooked soft. Remove the veggies bowl and mash the dal nicely.
• Add the cooked vegetables, tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt. Check for thickness and add 1/2 to 1 cup water if needed. Boil well for 5 minutes till nice aroma arises.

  

• Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a kadai. Temper mustard seeds, red chilli, curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, lower the flame completely. Add sambar powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder, methi powder and hing. Mix quickly without burning. Add to the boiling sambar. Boil for a minute and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice adding ghee. You can also have with idli,dosa if you like.

  

Notes

• Adjust the quantity of chillies as per your taste.
• For variations, you can saute finely chopped onion, tomato and add to vegetables inside the cooker.
• Sambar powder gives nice aroma to this sambar. To replace it, you should use 1 tbsp dhania powder, 1/4 tsp methi powder and 1.5 tbsp red chilli powder.
• You can use any number of vegetables or you can make this sambar only with onions.

Easy Onam Sadya Sambar is ready ! I had with nendran chips !

Technorati Tags: Easy onam sadya sambar,Easy kerala sambar recipe,Kerala sambar in pressure cooker,sambar without coconut,kerala sambar recipe,kerala sambar recipe without coconut,sambar kerala style,kerala sadya sambar recipe,kerala sambar,Onam sadya sambar,kerala style sambar

Very good recipes Tags: Easy onam sadya sambar, Easy kerala sambar recipe, Kerala sambar in pressure cooker, sambar without coconut, kerala sambar recipe, kerala sambar recipe without coconut, sambar kerala style, kerala sadya sambar recipe, kerala sambar, Onam sadya sambar, kerala style sambar with coconut

Continue Reading...

Kerala Moru Curry Recipe With Kumbalanga, Coconut

Kerala style Kumbalanga moru curry recipe also known as Kachiya moru/ moru kachiyathu/moru kootan is nothing but buttermilk seasoned and cooked with vegetables and ground coconut paste. It is commonly prepared in most of the Kerala houses. Many people include this moru curry in Vishu and Onam sadya menu as it helps in digestion. In Tamil nadu, we call it as Mor kuzhambu. This Kerala moru curry can be prepared in various ways. I found recipes with & without coconut, recipes with onion and without vegetables too.

Today I have shared a version of kachiya moru tastes with vegetable. I used Kumbalanga ( ash gourd). We can also use veggies like Cucumber(Vellarika), Winter melon, Lady’s finger(Vendakka) or green papaya. Today I have shared this moru curry recipe with kumbalanga(Vellai poosanikai in Tamil) and coconut. I referred Kothiyavunu for the recipe.  It came out really well. Basically we all love mor kzuhambu so this Kerala moru kachiyathu is no exception to that. Try this easy and yummy moru curry for this Onam festival menu and enjoy ! Lets see how to make Kerala moru curry with step by step pictures.

You can also check my other Onam recipes like Sadya sambar, Tomato rasam, 

Simple Onam sadya menu 1

Onam sadya recipes 2

Onam sadya recipes 3

Onam sadya lunch menu 4

Onam sadya menu 5  and more Onam Sadya recipes !

Continue Reading...