Category: South Indian Cuisine

Another delicacy from Kerala where Pumpkin and Cowpeas cooked in coconut gravy along with other condiments uses grated coconut in the seasoning to enhance the flavour of the Curry. Though one can use oil of one’s choice, authentic Kerala cuisine calls for the use of fragrant Coconut oil!

Ingredients :

• 300 gms Pumpkin
• 100 gms Cowpeas
• 2 green chillies
• 1/2 of a small coconut grated
• 1/2 tsp Chilly powder
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
• Salt
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 dried red chilly
• 1 tbsp grated coconut

Method :

Deskin the Pumpkin and remove the seeds. Wash and chop into one inch by one inch pieces. Boil in a glass of water with a little salt till soft, but firm to touch. Pressure cook the Cowpeas with salt in two glasses of water till done. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies, red chilly powder and Jeera to a smooth paste. Pour it into the cooked Pumpkin and Cowpeas mixture. Add the turmeric powder, adjust salt and boil well. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and after they splutter drop in the dry red chilly. Toss. Add the grated coconut and curry leaves and roast till the coconut changes colour. Drop the seasoning into the boiling Eriserry. Switch off and keep aside for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.

Olan is a traditional Keralite preparation. Kerala the Southern most state of India, known as God’s own Country with its beautiful back waters, beaches, swaying palms and a host of other tourist attractions uses coconuts in plenty in their cuisine. Olan is a must during auspicious ocassions. Vegetables cooked in coconut milk, flavoured with green chillies, curry leaves and ginger, drizzled with Coconut oil, make it so fragrant, that one can make a meal of it!

Ingredients :

• 200 gms Ashgourd
• 100 gms Cowpeas /Lobhia
• 1 small Coconut grated
• 4 green chillies
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• Salt
• 3 tsps Coconut oil

Method :

Deskin the Ashgourd, remove the seeds and chop it into bite sized pieces. Wash and pressure cook to one whistle in a glass of water with salt. Drain the water and keep it aside. Pressure cook the Cowpeas with a little salt in two glasses of water till done. Drain the water and keep this aside too. Chop the green chillies, grate the ginger and drop it into the cooked Ashgourd and Cowpeas mixture. Use the drained water to grind the coconut to a smooth paste. Strain the extract through a thin cloth. Keep it aside. Similarly, extract coconut milk twice, till the residue is devoid of any coconut milk. Pour the second and third extract into the Ashgourd and Cowpeas mixture. Adjust salt. Add the curry leaves and boil well for five minutes. Now add the first extract and after it has come to a boil allow it to simmer for a minute. Switch off and drizzle with coconut oil. Keep aside for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.