THE GEESE AND THE STORM

The Geese and the Storm !

There was once a man who did not believe in God or thespiritual meaning behind it, and was sceptical evenabout God. He and his family lived in a farmcommunity. His wife was a devout believer anddiligently raised her children in the faith. Hesometimes gave her a hard time about her belief andmocked her religious observances."It's all nonsense -- why would God lower himself andbecome a human like us? It's such a ridiculous story,"he said. One snowy day, she and the children left for templewhile he stayed home. After they had departed, thewinds grew stronger and the snow turned intoa blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before thefire for the evening.Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window... And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese.They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles. He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely theycould spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them.He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention,but they just moved away from him out of fear. He went into the house and came back with some bread,broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on. Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried toshoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed "Why don't they follow me? Can't they see this is the only place where they cansurvive the storm? How can I possibly get them intothe one place to save them?"He thought for a moment and realized that they justwould not follow a human. He said to himself, "How canI possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety."At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them.Then, at last, he understood God's heart towards mankind...and he fell on his knees in the snow.
-Author Unknown

PULIYA KUTHI CURRY(UPPERI)

PULIYA KUTHI CURRY(UPPERI)
This is a peculiar dish prepared only in iyer homes. In some homes , it is directly mixed with rice and in some others it is used as a side dish for Mulagootal. The method of preparation is as follows:-
Puliya Kuthi Curry(Upperi)
Ingredients
Raw banana(Vazhakkai) / brinjal, White Pumpkin(Elavan)/Bangalore Kathrikkai(Chow-chow) or Any other similar vegetable (cut into one inch cubes)- 2 cups
Dry Red Chillies - 2

Fenugreek(Methi) seeds - 1 teaspoon

Raw Rice – 1 tbsp
Tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Udad dal - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Method:
Cut Raw Bananas, into thin long pieces as for aviyal. Boil it in tamarind with turmeric and salt. Till well cooked.

The tamarind water should be just sufficient to soak the cut pieces. And after boiling, very little watery portion should be there.
Dry roast in a kadhai rice, red chilies and fenugreek

Grind it into a powder in the mixie.

Add this powder to the cooked vegetable, Stir till it becomes semi solid.
Take some oil and splutter Mustard and Udad dal.

There is one more method of preparing this.
Method
Cut Raw Bananas, into thin long pieces as for aviyal. Boil it in tamarind with turmeric and salt. Till well cooked.

The tamarind water should be just sufficient to soak the cut pieces. And after boiling, very little watery portion should be there.
You add only salt and one green chilly. Try this. Very easy to prepare.

This dish goes well with Molaghutal.

Traditionally bundled Colacasia(Chepankazhangu, Chembu, Arbi ) leaves used to be added in Kerala.

PODAVALANGAI CURRY (Snake Gourd Curry)

PODAVALANGAI CURRY (Snake Gourd Curry)
Podavalangai (Snake Gourd) is also known as Podalangai in South and Padval in some western parts of India.
Snake gourd is good for abdominal disorders like constipation and dysentery. It is good for fevers, liver and spleen disorders.

Ingredients
Podavalangai (Snake Gourd) - 250 grams
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Udad dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies – 1-2 broken into 2 halves
Turmeric -1/4 tsp
Asafetida (Hing) - a small pinch
Freshly grated Coconut – 1-2 tbsps
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste.

Method
Cut the tips of the Snake gourd, cut them into halves, slit them vertically into 2 halves and deseed them. Cut them into French fries like strips and then chop the strips into smaller cubes. Wash the chopped vegetable.

In a Kadhai (wok), Add oil, when it is hot, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, Add the red chillies and the udad dal, wait till udad dal is light pink in colour, add the chopped snake gourd. Mix well. Now add turmeric, asafetida and salt. Mix well and cover the kadhai with a lid. Don’t add water, let it cook in its own juices. Snake gourd has a tendency to cook very fast. Once the crunchiness is gone and it is soft and all the water has been absorbed, Stir well and Add freshly grated coconut, mix well and serve hot with Chappati or Rice.

VEGETABLE PIE

VEGETABLE PIE
This is a good way to make your children eat their vegetables and enjoy eating them without the fuss they usually create, this is also a nutritious dish for the young ones.
Ingredients
2 cups plain flour (maida)
100 gms. chilled butter
1/2 tsp. salt
Chilled water

For Filling
2 cups Chopped vegetables of choice (eg. potatoes, peas, beans, carrot, spinach, cauliflower etc, All or any)
2 onions
1 tomato
2 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. red chilly powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. cream
Salt to taste

Method
For Filling
Chop and boil the vegetables. Chop the tomato into fine pieces, Chop the onion into small pieces, grate the ginger, Finely chop green chillies. Heat oil in a skillet, add the grated ginger and the chopped chillies, Add the onions, stir fry till transparent. Add the tomatoes. Add the boiled vegetables. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red chilly powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Mix well.

Cook till the water evaporates and curry is thick. Pour this into a large ovenproof dish. Pour the cream all over.

For Pastry
Sieve together flour and salt. Add chilled butter. Mix with fork till mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle chilled water over it. Quickly, with light hand mix the dough into a lump. Do not over knead. Chill dough for 15 mins. in a plastic bag. Roll out the pastry to a round or any other shape that is 1 inch (2.5cm) larger than the diameter of the dish. With the trimmings make a long thin strip of pastry. Moisten the rim of the dish and place this strip on it like a border. Moisten the strips, then place the rolled out pastry like a lid on top and press down with a fork to seal the edge.

Bake at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden.

Slice and serve warm.

When you remove from the oven, you will see a crispy golden crust and when you cut it into a slice the vegetables can be seen.

CORIANDER - TOMATO CHUTNEY

Coriander-tomato chutney

Ingredients
Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro/parsley) - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 large
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2
Tamarind - a pinch /1 tsp-Tamarind paste
Salt - to taste
Mustard seeds – 1tsp
Udad dal – 1tsp (optional)
Oil – 3 spoons
Method
Cut the tomato into medium sized pieces. Add the fresh coriander leaves, tamarind paste, Grated Coconut, green chillies and salt and grind it in the blender into a thick paste.
Heat 3 spoons oil in a fry pan, add mustard seeds, when it splatters, add udad dal(optional). Add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell (tomato if not cooked tends to give a raw smell) disappears.
Your tangy Coriander-tomato chutney is ready.

TOMATO CHUTNEY

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients
2 medium- tomatoes, choppped
1/2 tsp asoefetida (hing)
1 tsp-mustard seeds
1/2 tsp-methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tablespoon coconut, shredded
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 very small ball of tamarind , de-seeded
1 small onion, minced finely
2 cloves of garlic, minced finely (optional)
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil for frying
Method
Heat 1/2 the amount of oil and add the methi. Fry for a minute and then add the tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes turn soft. Blend this into a smooth paste, along with the tamarind and the coconut.
Set aside. Heat the rest of the oil and add the chopped garlic and onion. Fry till the onion turns translucent and the garlic browns. Now add the spices (red chilli, turmeric and dhania) and fry for half a minute.
Add the blended paste, salt and asafoetida and heat through. Goes very well with plain rice or chapati.

CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Coriander Chutney

Ingredients
1 bunch Coriander leaves
2-3 tbsp Coconut
1 small onion
2 Green chillies
2-3 dry red chillies, roasted (optional) (gives the extra punch and spice)
A small piece ginger
2-3 garlic flakes (optional)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon or 2 teaspoons of chat masala
Salt to taste
Method
Blend all the above to a smooth paste adding a little water. Can be refrigerated for about 1-2 days.

MINT CHUTNEY

Mint Chutney

Ingredients
1 bunch mint leaves, washed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
1 small piece ginger, sliced
2-3 green chillies, chopped (as per spice required)
1 tsp coconut shredded (optional)
2-3 tsp lemon juice or can also add 2 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp cumin seeds or powder
1 tsp udad dhal
1 tsp channa dal
Salt to taste
Method
Fry the udad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds little oil, keep aside, fry the coconut until pink in colour (incase u r using coconut), in the end fry the onion, sliced ginger and mint in the oil (this removes the raw smell given by the mint). Blend all the ingredients in a mixie to a smooth paste using a little water. Your mint chutney is ready.

GREEN ALL-PURPOSE CHUTNEY

Green All-Purpose Chutney

Ingredients:
15 Green chillies
1/2 cup Coriander leaves.
1 clovette garlic (optional)
1 tsp – Jeera Powder(Cumin powder)
1 tbsp - Sev or potato wafers crushed (this gives the extra punch to this chutney)
Lemon Juice of 1/2 a lemon.
1/2 tsp. jaggery
Salt to taste
1 tsp. oil
Method:
Heat the oil and add the asafoetida. Blend all the ingredients including the asafoetida heated in the oil in your mixie jar. Run the mixie till a smooth chutney is obtained. Make a thick paste. Try using no water or as little as possible to make the chutney keep longer. Add water as and when required. Store in a clean glass bottle.
Note: Sev is a fried Indian snack made of gramflour.
Makes 1/2 cup chutney
Making time: 5 minutes
Shelf life: 1 week (refrigerated)

PULI VITTA KOZHAMBU

PULI VITTA KOZHAMBU
Ingredients
Raw banana(Vazhakkai) / Brinjals (Kathrikkai)or Any other similar vegetable (cut into 3 and a half inch cubes)- 2 cups
1 cup Black-eyed beans (Lobia or Van Payaru)
Coconut – 1 tablespoon (optional)
Fresh Coconut oil.- A teaspoon
Tamarind extract - 1 tablespoon
Curry Leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Method:
Soak the Black eyed beans overnight. Pressure cook it the next day till it is completely done but mind you it shouldn’t get mashed completely. Only if u keep in between your thumb and forefinger and press hard should it mash.
Cook the Raw banana(Vazhakkai) or Brinjals (Kathrikkai) or whatever vegetable u r using with the curry leaves in tamarind water and when the vegetables are cooked well, add the boiled lobia. Cook together for a while. Add salt.
Dry roast the grated coconut and add it to the Kozhambu, this step is optional.
In the end add a teaspoon of fresh coconut oil.
Hope you enjoy this authentic Kerala Iyer dish.