The photo goes to May 2008 edition of DMBLGIT (Does my blog look good in it) - a monthly food photography event - founded by
Andrew of Spittoon extra who has yummy desserts every week on his blog. The May '08 edition is being hosted by Dave and Danielle of
Habeas Brulee, where they cook food to make your mouth water!
Just like the North uses besan(bengal gram flour) and onion-tomato paste for its gravies, Kerala in the South thrive on curd. Many of the gravied dishes use curd as the base and coconut to add density. It's sometimes coconut with dry red chillies or coconut with green chillies or coconut with jeera/cumin seeds!! I make the dishes but am absolutely confused about their names. Is it kaalan, erisseri, pulicheri or pachadi - the nomenclature seem similar but the taste sets them apart.
I invite all of you to jump into the foray and offer your comments. Probably
Jayasree whom I came to know through
Arusuvai could clear my confusion? She is my link to Palakkad - the place from where I am told we hail and yet have never been there!! I would love to see the Malambuzha dam and verdant Kerala sometime in the near future!
'Aviyal' - a universal favourite with North Indians too (From my experience in office and friends) - is one such curd based gravied dish. Goes well with freshly cooked rice with a pat of home made ghee (Nai), and pappadams or appalams. My husband loves it with hot and spicy stuffed red chilli pickles Vandana gave me some time back! I stick to the traditional pappadaam.
Its easy to make and healthy too - here's my way to make it - Add more coconut to make it tastier, more green chillies if you like it hot! Mine is moderately spiced.
Ingredients:Mixed veggies - 3 cups (all cut into thick cuboids as for french fries)
