Vazhakka Pulissery/Moru Curry(Raw plantain in Yogurt gravy)

Growing up, there were only a few handful dishes I knew to make...and I were only good at those ones...unlike my sis, who was ready to take risks and tried (and always succeeded) new recipes and dishes...jotting down recipes from every cookery shows we watched together...this pulissery is something I were good at making.....time after time...something I used to be very proud of in those days :)

This curry is something we make in our place at least once a week...like daal curry...very simple one, if you have enough yogurt and coconut handy, which is always found in our fridge....has got good shelf life too

You'll need:

Raw plantain: 2 no:s (peeled and diced into small pieces)
Yogurt: 1 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

For grinding:

Green chilli: 2-3 nos
Jeera: 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut: 1/2 cup

For tempering:
Oil: 2tsps
Mustard seed: 1/2 tsp
Dry red chili: 2-3 nos
Asafetida: a pinch
Curry leaves: a few sprigs

How to make:
Cook the plantain pieces with turmeric powder, salt and 1/2 cup water in a pressure cooker.
Grind the ingredients mentioned above into a very fine paste, adding just enough water.
Now this is a very important tip to prevent the pulissery from curdling...Cook the ground paste on low flame for about 3-4 min, stirring it in between. Now add the cooked plantain pieces to it.
Beat the yogurt well with a spoon or give it a stir in the blender for a min to make it thin.
Add the beaten curd to the already cooking mixture and let it boil on medium-low flame.
For tempering, add 2 tsps of oil in a pan and let the mustard seeds splutter.
Add red chillies, curry leaves and at last add a pinch of asafetida.
Yummy pulissery is ready...a sour curry to go with rice and subzi(vegetable)

Note: You can use any kind of vegetable you like instead of raw plantain. Winter melon is the best alternative if you are planning to keep this for a couple of days in the fridge.Plantain gets hard on day two, where as winter melon stays soft. Can use cucumber too...

There is another sweet n sour version of this called Mampazha pulissery which uses ripe mangoes...which is the ultimate pulisseri on earth...that too the one my grandma makes with the farm fresh mangoes from her backyard....finger licking good :)

Kaya Erachi (Beef with plantain)

Though the name of the dish sounds a bit weird, this one is a real spicy, tounge tickling, yummilicious dish. 
This is one of my all time favorites. I'm sure people from Kerala know what i'm talking about. 
Its nothing but beef curried in lots of Indian spices and plantain. In my home, we have more plantain and less beef in it( just enough to get the flavor of it). But for meat lovers like my hubby I add lots and lots of beef :)
My dad makes it at times, he says in the house, only he knows the right blend of it ...and he gives us all some to taste before the meal time right out of the stove top...steaming spicy kaya erachi....yummmmmm


I can go on n on about this curry n the tales about it...let's get the ball rolling with the recipe...


You'll need:
To cook beef:
Beef: 1 lb (cut into small pieces)
Ginger Garlic paste: 1tbsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Chili powder: 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder: 1/2 tbsp

Salt: as required

For the dish:  
Plantain: 2 nos
Tomato:1 no (chopped)
Cilantro: A few sprigs for garnish
Onion: 1 no (medium size, thinly sliced)
Green Chili: 2-3 nos
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Chili powder: 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: as required


How to make:
Cook beef along with all the ingredients mentioned above.
Cut the plantain to small pieces and cook it with enough salt.
Heat oil in a pan and add oil. Saute onion and green chili till onion gets translucent.
Add chopped tomato and saute for some more time. When tomato gets mushy, add all the spice powders mentioned above. Cook this for 2-3 min and then add the beef and plantain to it.
Mix it all together and let it cook for 2-3 min, stirring in between.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Ta da...Gobble it down as such or have it with steaming hot white rice..enjoy!!