A
Taste
of
Malabar
A
Keralan
Cookbook
with
Team
LandBarge
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Menu
(From
left
to
right)
Top
row:
Coconut
Rice,
Green
Banana
Bajji,
Kootu
Curry
Bottom
row:
Fish
Mollee,
Fish
Pollichathu,
Malabar
Paratha
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Green
Banana
Bajji
1. Mix
with
hands,
making
paste:
- 2
spoons
chick
pea
powder
- 3
spoons
rice
powder
- 3
spoons
wheat
flour
- 2
spoons
chili
powder
- 1
tsp
turmeric
- 2
tsp
garam
masala
- 20
curry
leaves,
julienned
- 1
tsp
cumin
- 1
tsp
cumin
seeds
- 1
tsp
salt
- 1
tsp
fennel
seeds
- 1
pinch
of
fenugreek
- 1
tsp
chaat
masala
- 1
tbs
ginger
- 1
tbs
garlic
- 1
tsp
Asafoetida
powder
- 1
glass
water
2. Add
one
more
glass
of
water
and
20
julienned
coriander
leaves
3. Bathe
long
slices
of
peeled
green
banana
4. Let
sit
in
bowl
with
batter
for
20
minutes
5. Fry
in
coconut
oil.
This
batter
is
the
same
as
is
used
for
pakora.
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Malabar
Paratha
1. Mix
200
grams
white
wheat
flour,
1
tsp
salt,
1
tbs
sugar,
glass
cow
milk
and
water
until
doughy
2. Push
dough
in
outward
motion,
off
main
dough
ball,
until
it
rips.
Repeat
over
and
over
and
over.
3. Roll
into
ball
and
drizzle
with
veg.
oil.
Let
sit
for
20-30
minutes
4. Finger
into
small
balls
by
folding
corners
into
a
ball,
pushing
through
index
and
thumb,
pinch
of
into
tennis-sized
balls
5. Roll
into
2mm
think
rounds
6. With
chameleon-esque
hands,
grab
edges
of
flattened
dough.
Right
hand
has
thumb
up,
left
hand
has
thumb
down.
7. In
smooth
motion,
lift,
flip,
and
slam
down
onto
table.
Dough
will
get
thinner
and
thinner.
8. Once
it
tears,
stretch
it
into
half-meter
length.
9. Drizzle
a
little
flour
on
the
length
of
the
dough,
and
rub
a
few
drops
of
vegetable
oil
into
the
length.
10. Roll
the
length
in
a
croissant
or
cinnamon-roll
fashion.
Tuck
tail
of
dough
under
and
into
the
center
of
the
dough
roll.
11. Flatten
with
rolling
pin
into
paratha
shape.
12. Place
onto
hot
griddle
with
a
few
drops
of
vegetable
oil.
13. Paratha
is
finished
once
both
sides
are
golden
brown.
14. Take
hot
paratha
off
griddle,
and
slide
hands
across
table,
vigorously
crushing
paratha,
giving
it
characteristic
flakey
paratha
appearance.
15. Rub
butter
in
between
hot
parathas
before
serving,
to
taste.
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Kootu
Curry
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Crack
1
coconut,
grate
out
meat
(or
just
buy
1
coconut
worth
of
meat)
Heat
wok
on
range
with
cup
coconut
oil
and
1
tsp
mustard
seeds
Add
2
tbs
ginger,
1
chopped
red
onion
(Indian
size),
3
whole
dried
red
chilies,
and
chosen
vegetables
(we
used
potato,
green
banana,
carrots,
eggplant,
pumpkin,
okra,
yellow
cucumber,
and
green
beans)
After
stirring
for
2
minutes,
add
1
tsp
turmeric,
1
tsp
red
chili
powder,
1
tsp
cumin,
1
tsp
salt.
Blend
the
grated
coconut,
big
pinch
of
chopped
garlic,
and
2
whole
green
chilies.
Add
this
to
the
wok
with
cup
of
water.
Let
simmer
for
5
minutes
Add
20
curry
leaves,
a
dash
of
coconut
oil,
and
a
cup
of
curd.
Continue
to
simmer
and
cook.
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Fish
Pollichathu
1. Make
2-3
inch
long
hash-mark
incisions
on
outside
of
filet
of
white
fish
2. Mix
with
hands
into
paste:
2
tbs
chopped
onion
1
tbs
chopped
garlic
1
tbs
chopped
ginger
2
tsp
red
chili
powder
1
tsp
turmeric
1
tsp
salt
1.5
tsp
garam
masala
20
coriander
leaves,
julienned
1
large
pinch
wheat
flour
2
tsp
white
vinegar
1-2
tbs
coconut
oil
3. Rub
into
both
sides
of
fish.
Let
sit
for
5
minutes.
4. Put
fish
in
hot
frying
pan
with
rest
of
rub,
fry
both
sides
for
10
minutes
5. Toss
fish
into
wok
of
spices
(see
below)
for
4
minutes
6. Soften
banana
leaf
directly
over
fire
(aluminum
foil
can
be
used
instead)
7. Tie
fish
into
banana
leaf
(or
foil)
with
all
sauce
and
sprig
of
curry
leaves
8. Place
onto
cast
iron
flat
griddle.
Cover
and
steam
for
2.5
minutes
each
side.
9. Directions
for
number
8.
Cook
for
5
minutes,
before
adding
fish.
1
large
squirt
of
coconut
oil
1
tsp
fennel
seeds
1
tsp
turmeric
1
tsp
chopped
garlic
and
ginger
2
chopped
onions
1
cinnamon
stick
(broken)
2
tsp
garam
masala
2
chopped,
peeled
tomatoes
3
tsp
coriander
seed
2
tsp
chili
powder
4
masala
leaves
1
tsp
salt
grated
coconut
1/3
cup
water
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Coconut
Rice
1. Mix
in
pan
on
range:
cup
coconut
oil,
tsp
cumin
seeds,
1
tsp
mustard
seeds
2. Add:
a. 1
chopped
onion
b. 5
curry
leaves
c. 5
masala
leaves
d. 2
dried
red
chilies
e.
grated
coconut
3. Add
precooked
(steamed)
50
grams
basmati
rice
with
2
tsp
salt,
1
tsp
sugar,
and
1
tsp
garam
masala
A
Taste
of
Malabar
Fish
Mollee
Add
sequentially
to
hot
wok
on
range:
-
cup
coconut
oil
- 1
tsp
mustard
seed
- 1
tsp
fenugreek
seeds
- 2
dried
red
chilies
- 20
whole
curry
leaves
-
chopped
onion
- 1
tsp
ginger
in
long,
thin
slices
- 3
cloves
sliced
garlic
-
carrot
julienned
-
green
pepper
julienned
- 3
green
chilies
sliced
length-wise
-
coconut,
grated
and
blended
with
a
little
water
and
then
strained
(leaving
just
coconut
milk).
Could
use
cup
of
canned
coconut
milk
instead.
- 2/3
glass
cow
milk
- 1/3
glass
water
-
tsp
turmeric
powder
-
tsp
red
chili
powder
- 1
tsp
salt
- 1
large
fillet
of
white
fish
(butterfish)
sliced
into
chunks
A
Taste
of
Malabar
A
Kolkata
garnish:
Bengali
Tomato/Date
Chutney
Ingredients:
3-4
medium
ripe
tomatoes
5-6
dates
(chopped)
1
dry
red
chili
tsp
mustard
seeds
tsp
grated
ginger
2/3
tsp
cooking
oil
cup
jaggery
or
so
to
suit
your
taste
(brown
sugar
or
sugar
can
also
be
used)
Directions:
1. Heat
oil
in
a
pan
and
temper
it
with
mustard
seeds
and
red
chili
2. Add
the
tomatoes
and
cook
it
with
closed
lid
on
medium-low
heat
till
the
water
from
the
tomatoes
disappear
3. Add
jaggery,
ginger,
and
dates
and
cook
for
another
2-3
minutes.
It
will
become
a
think
mix
and
everything
will
blend
together.
4. Serve
warm
or
cold.
