MAKING OF KARIMEEN POLLICHATHU : Clean the fish and then marinate the fish with excess salt and half lime juice as required. Leave it for 10 minutes. The salt and lime will remove the dark skin colour and the salt will keep the fish firm. Marinate the fish with the marinate ingredients mentioned. Keep aside for 10-15 min.

* Step 2

Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil for shallow fry, add few curry leaves and sear each side of the fish for a minute each. Remove the fish from the pan and keep aside in a closed container to retain the warmth and fragrance. Slice the onions, and tomatoes, finely slice or grate ginger and tomatoes. Use the same pan of fish fry and add 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (if required only).

* Step 3

Drop in the onions and saute it for approximate 1 minute, add in the salt, ginger, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Saute it till the spices get roasted and finally add in 1 1/2 of the sliced tomatoes. Add 1/2 tbsp lime juice, give it a quick toss, and off the flame. I like the tomatoes to be just coated with the species and not to cook at the moment. Divide the mixture into 4 portions.

* Step 4

Wash the banana leaf carefully or wipe the leaf with wet cloth. Pat dry the water droplets from the leaf and very lightly heat the leaf on medium flame (to make the leaf flexible and unbreakable while folding). Cut the leaves more than double the size of the fish. Assemble the fish by placing 1 portion of the masala in flat layer on the leaf, place the fish on top, again place 1 portion of the masala on the fish. Top with one sprig of curry leaf and ginger julienne.

* Step 5

Fold the leaf from all the sides, making it as a parcel, if required can tie a string.

* Step 6

Heat a pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil and place the parcel in the pan, cover the pan and let it cook on flow flame for approximate 5 to 6 minutes on each side. If needed drizzle little oil to avoid the burning of the leaf. When cooking on low flame the fish will amalgamate the fragrance of the banana leaf. Serve hot with Rice, Chapathi or Kerala Parotha.

* Step 7

MAKING OF CHEMMEEN MASALA (Prawns Masala): Mix together the marinade ingredients and coat the prawns well. Set aside for 15 minutes.

* Step 8

In a pan, roast the whole garam masala and grated coconut. Roast until the spice turn aromat and grind to fine powder. Use only 3/4 tbsp of the spice. In the same pan roast the coconut until it becomes brown in colour, giving out the nutty fragrance. Upon cooling, combine the ground garam masala, coconut and add ½ cup water and find grind it to smooth paste.

* Step 9

Soak the tamarind in ½ cup warm water. Slice the shallots, chop or crush the ginger and garlic. In a clay pot, heat oil, add in the ginger and garlic. Then add the sliced shallots and curry leaves, saute until the shallots turn golden brown. Now add the dry spices chilli powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder and roast for a minute.

* Step 10

Add to it the ground wet mixture and saute well. Add the tamarind with water, add ½ cup more water, add salt and allow it to boil for 3 - 4 minutes, until the gravy starts to become thick. Drop in the prawns and a sprig of curry leaves, stir well. Cover and cook on low flame for approximate 8 minutes. Prawns will release water. So you need to adjust the gravy consistency. If adding coconut pieces, thinly slice them and saute in 1 tbsp of oil on medium flame, until light golden brown.

* Step 11

Finally stir it in the prepared prawns masala and cover with lid.

* Step 12

MAKING OF CONGEE (Rice Porridge): Wash the rice 3 to 4 times in running water. In a pressure cooker put the washed rice along with water, curry leaves, sliced ginger, sliced garlic and slit chilli. Close the lid and allow for 3 whistles. Off the flame and allow the pressure to release, it may take another 10 minutes.

* Step 13

Open the cooker and transfer the rice to a heavy bottom vessel, add in buttermilk and rock salt. Depending on the quality of rice, you may require to add in hot water. Do not cover the Rice, allow the rice to cook for another 10 - 15 minutes. Your favoured Rice Porridge is ready to be served hot with mango pickles and Papadums.

* Step 14

MAKING OF CABBAGE THORAN (Cabbage with coconut): Mix together coconut, half of the shallots, cumin, garlic and 2 green chillies and some curry leaves. Coarsely grind everything together. Mix together cabbage and carrot with some salt by hand. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an iron pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add the remaining shallots, curry leaves, slit green chillies and turmeric powder and saute until the shallots become translucent.

* Step 15

Add the chopped cabbage-carrot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Next add the coconut mixture and combine everything together. Check for salt. Cover the pan and cook on low flame for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Open the lid and cook on medium flame for a minute to remove any excess water. Your crunchy Cabbage thoran is ready to be served.

* Step 16

MAKING OF CHERUPAYAR MEZHUKKUPURATTI (Green grams stir fry)

* Step 17

Cook payar in enough water (at least 3 cups or as required) and little salt, until it is soft and fully cooked. To taste press softly the grams between your figures and it should smash. If you soak the payar for long hours then no need to cook in pressure cook as it will turn out to be mushy. If not able to do prior soaking, then you can cook in pressure cooker until you hear 2 to 3 whistles. Drain the water completely and set aside.

* Step 18

Heat oil in an iron pan at medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add sliced shallots and garlic, saute until it turns light brown. Add dry chilli, turmeric, chilli, coriander powder, curry leaves and saute them. If the spices are getting burnt or dry just add a tbsp of water. Add the cooked payar and crushed pepper. Check for salt. Stir fry for a few minutes and switch off. Serve with Rice, Congee or Puttu.

* Step 19

MAKING OF ULLI THEEYAL (Baby shallots in coconut gravy): Cut Shallots into half or if they are very tiny prefer to keep them whole. Soak the tamarind in half cup of warm water.

* Step 20

Heat a pan on a low flame, add in the coconut, saute for few seconds. Add in the dry spices chilli, coriander, fenugreek and asafoetida powder. Saute until the mix becomes dark brown in colour and a nutty aroma comes from the coconut. Leave aside to cool down. Fine grind to smooth paste by adding few drops of water.

* Step 21

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add a pinch of turmeric, shallots, green chilli, little salt and saute. Add in curry leaves. Saute until the onions turn light brown in colour. Add tamarind water and allow it to boil. Now add the ground paste to it, mix well. When it boils again add 21/2 cups water. Now add salt and keep stirring occasionally stir well.

* Step 22

Check for sour, salt and add in jaggery. Let the gravy boil until the oil starts coming up and you reach thick gravy consistency. The gravy turns to dark brown in colour, add a dash of coconut on top to enhance and bring in the authenticity of Keralian delicacy. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve it with Kerala brown rice or Chapathi.

* Step 23

MAKING OF TAPIOCA STIR FRY with chilli chutney: Clean the tapioca and leave it in water for 5 - 10 minutes. In a vessel take water, add salt to taste, leave it to boil. When water starts boiling add tapioca. Cook until it is tender, drain the water and keep the tapioca covered, so as not to lose the moisture.

* Step 24

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add shallots, when the shallots are translucent, add dry red chilies and curry leaves. Saute until shallots turn light golden. Add turmeric powder, saute for few seconds. Now add grated coconut and mix well. Add the cooked tapioca and mix well until the tapioca is coated with the coconut.

* Step 25

Add a spoon of water and check for salt. Cover the pan and cook on low flame for another 2 - 3 minutes to let the flavours get into the tapioca and the water evaporates. Open the lid of the pan and add a 1/2 tsp of coconut oil and close back the lid so that the freshness of the coconut oil fragrance retains in the food. Your Tapioca Stir fry is ready.

* Step 26

Green Chilli Chutney: Roughly chop the green chilli and shallots, put it in the mortar pestle and crush it. Add salt as required. Add coconut oil and water to the crushed mixture and slightly crush with the pestle. Remove the crushed mixture to the serving dish and add 2 tsp of water and mix well. Your Chutney is ready.

* Step 27

MAKING OF SEMIYA PAYASAM: Heat 1 tbsp Ghee in a pan. Fry the cashews when it starts to turn until light golden brown, add in the raisins and fry until they bulge. Drain the nuts and raisins and keep aside. Even though the vermicelli is roasted, I would still like to roast them again in the ghee. In a deep bottom vessel boil the milk, constantly stirring so that it does not stick at the bottom.

* Step 28

Reduce the milk to ¾ quantity. Add the roasted vermicelli and residues of the nuts and ghee from the pan into the milk and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and add sugar / jaggery and condensed milk. Keep stirring to avoid sticking at the bottom. Add a tbsp of ghee and powdered cardamom. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, until the milk starts to thicken. Adjust the sweetness as required.

* Step 29

Remove from the flame and garnish with some more cardamom powder, fried raisins and cashews. You can serve it either warm or cold. If serving it cold, please note that the Payasam will become thicker. Hence you need to dilute it by adding milk or water.

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