Onam Special: 5 Traditional Recipes | iFood (2024)

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The festival of Onam that falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam celebrates the return of their Mythological king Asura Mahabali. Also the rice harvest season, Onam is an occasion to go on a gastronomic ride with all the fancy delicacies prepared in the land of the Malayalis. For all those people who know nothing about Onam- special food, here are five unique recipes to cook up a delectable Malayali fare in the comfort of your home.

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20 gms yam
20 gms assgaurd
20 gms raw plaintan
10 gms drumsticks
20 gms potatoes
20 gms carrot
20 gms beans
½ tsp turmeric powder .
2 green chilies
½ tsp cummin seeds
1 inch piece ginger
80 gms grated coconut
½ cup curd
8 nos curry leaves
2 tbsp coconut oil

For tempering:

2 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp cummin seeds
6 curry leaves

Method:
1. Peel and cut all the vegetables into small 2 inches length pieces and boil them in water. Keep aside.
2. Grind together grated coconut, green chilies, ginger and cumin seeds to a fine paste by adding half cup of water and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan, add all boiled vegetables along with the vegetable stock, add ground coconut paste, turmeric powder and salt to taste and bring it to one boil.
4. Add curd and reduce the flame to minimum, curd should not cuddle. Remove it from flame.
5. Take a frying pan, add two tablespoon of coconut oil to it and give a tempering of cumin seeds, and curry leaves. When the seeds splutter add it to the cooked vegetables.
6. Serve hot.

Recipe & Image courtesy: Chef Deepa Suhas Awchat, Dakshin Culture Curry, Mumbai serving food from Karnataka, Coorg, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, Chettinad & Andhra Pradesh.

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Potato Kozhambu (Potato in Tamarind Sauce)

Ingredients:

2 big potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
3 Kashmiri chilly
1 tsp coriander seed
½ tsp cumin seeds
¾ cup grated coconut
½ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
6 Curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander leaves
3 tbsp oil
¼ cup water
Salt to taste

For tempering:

2 tbsp oil
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
6 curry leaves

Method:

1. Boil potatoes and cut it into one inch cubes. Keep aside.

2. Heat three tablespoon oil in a pan, stir fry coriander seeds, red chilies & grated coconut one by one till it changes colour. Make a fine paste of it by adding 1 cup of water and keep aside.
3. Add two tbsp of oil in a pan and give a tempering of curry leaves and fenugreek seeds and when seeds splutter, add onion and sauté till it changes colour. Add tomatoes and cook till soft. Add boiled potatoes, ground paste, tamarind pulp and half a cup of water. Bring it to one boil.
4. Add coconut milk and salt to taste and cook for two minutes till gravy thickens.
5. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with any Indian bread or rice.

Recipe & image courtesy: Chef Deepa Suhas Awchat, Dakshin Culture Curry, Mumbai serving food from Karnataka, Coorg, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, Chettinad & Andhra Pradesh.

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Achinga Payar Mezhukkupuratti (Long Beans Stir Fry)

Ingredients:

200 gms achinga (long beans) – 200 gms
5 small onion / shallots – 5
½ garlic, chopped
A pinch of mustard seeds
1 tsp chili powder
1/3 cup coconut bits (thengakothu, optional)
¼ water
Salt
Coconut oil
Curry leaves

Method:

1. Crush together the onion and garlic. Clean and trim the ends of achinga and cut into one inch long pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds and add curry leaves. Add crushed small onion and garlic. Fry it for two to three minutes, till the raw smell goes and onion starts browning. Add chili powder and salt. Fry for a min or so.
3. Add coconut bits (if using) and mix well. Add achinga and mix well.
4. Sprinkle water and cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, till it becomes soft.

Recipe courtesy: Master Chef Bala Subramanian, The Orchid
Image courtesy: ©Thinkstock photos/ Getty images

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1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 big lemon sized ball raw tamarind Raw
¼ cup seasame seeds
¼ cup coriander seeds
15 red chilies
½ cup raw peanuts
salt as per taste

Seasoning:

2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
Few curry leaves
2 tsp hing
3 tbsp oil

Additional Flavour :

1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp butter/ghee

Procedure:

For the Gravy
1. Soak Tamarind in water for an hour and extract the juice. Heat a pan with oil for the seasoning. Add the peanuts and fry for a minute.
2. Pour in the extract and let it boil till it leaves the raw smell. Dry fry the seasame, coriander seeds and grind to a powder.
3. Add the powder, along with salt and mix.
4. Cook till reaches the semi liquid consistency. Cool and set aside.
5. Fry the coriander and pepper in ghee and grind to powder.
6. Cook the rice with water and cool.

For mixing the rice:

1. Mix the additional flavour ingredients to rice.
2. Add enough gravy and mix gently with one tbsp of oil.
3. Adjust the seasoning. Preserve the gravy in the fridge, use as and when necessary.

Tips:
i. Substitute garbanzo beans instead of peanuts.
ii. Soak the channa overnight, pressure cook and add to the boiling tamarind.
iii. Also substitute tamarind extract instead of saoking procedure.

Recipes & image courtesy: Chef Amit Dash, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

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Recipe courtesy: Chef Harish Rao, Sheraton Park Hotel & Towers Chennai

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