Chef Saji Alex of Kochi Marriott Hotel shares his special Onam recipes
Onam is one of those rare festivals that binds every Malayali to his roots. It’s a festival that celebrates history, tradition, culture, cuisine and the unity of Kerala. Although the arrival of King Mahabali, the exotic ‘Pookalams’, the vibrant Vallamkali (boat race), the magical Pulikali and the elegant thiruvathirakali (dances) are some of its enchanting traditions, the Onasadya is definitely an indispensable part of this gala festival. As Kerala prepares to celebrate yet another Thiruvonam, RITZ catches up with the top Chefs in Kochi who share some of the traditional Onam recipes!
Compiled By: Riya Sonny Datson
Chef Saji Alex of Kochi Marriott Hotel
Chef Saji Alex, who hails from Elamgulam near Pala in Kerala, has 25 years of experience in culinary field. He is a true MasterChef in Kerala cuisine and has been with the Kochi Marriott hotel since its inception.
AVIAL
Ingredients:
Curry Cucumber 150gm
Yam 75gm
Snake gourd 75gm
Carrot 25ram
Raw banana 50gram
Drumstick 75gram
Long beans 50gram
Green chilly 20 gm slit
Turmeric powder 3gm
Chilli powder 4gm
Coconut oil 60 ml (20ml plus 40ml)
Curd 75 ml (25ml plus 50ml)
Salt to taste
For coconut Mixture:
Grated Coconut of 1 big coconut
Green Chilly 15gm
Curry leaf 30gram
Cumin seed 3 gm
Shallots 15gram (optional)
Garlic 2 pods (optional)
Method:
Wash and cut all the vegetables into long strips. Place them in an Uruli or large bowl (Each piece needs to be about two inches long). Add turmeric, red chilli powder, 25ml of curd, 20ml of coconut oil, salt, curry leaf and slit green chilly to the vegetable and mix gently. Next move this mixture to a pan (add a little water if required), cover and cook till vegetables are tender. Ensure that you stir contents in between. In the meanwhile, take grated coconut, curry leaf, cumin seed and green chilli and crush it together. Once the vegetables are tender, using a spoon, spread the vegetables to the sides of the pan, making sure that there is an empty space at the centre of the pan. Add the ground coconut mixture into this centre space and cover the coconut mixture with the vegetables again so that the steam remains inside. Close the lid and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Stir well. Switch off flame. Next add curd, check seasoning. Finish with crushed curry leaf and coconut oil.
MADHURA PACHADI
Ingredients:
Pineapple 150gram
Banana (nentran) 75gram
Mango 75gm
Apple 50gram (optional)
Sugar 15gm
Salt to taste
Water 200ml
Curry leaf 5gram
Green chilli 5gram
Red Chilli powder 4gram
Turmeric powder 1.5gram
Yoghurt 150ml
Black grapes 30gram
Coconut oil 10ml
For Coconut Paste:
Grated Coconut 100gram
Mustard seeds 3gram
Cumin seeds 2gram
For Tempering:
Coconut oil 15ml
Mustard 2gm
Red Chilli powder 2gm
Whole dried red chilli 5gram
Curry leaves 5gm
Method:
In a non-stick pan, cook the chopped pineapple, bananas, ripe mango and apple along with turmeric powder, red chilli powder (2gm), green chilli, curry leaf, coconut oil, salt and water. Add sugar and sauté well till all the moisture is lost. Add ground coconut paste (first grind coconut with Jeera till it becomes a smooth paste, next add mustard to the paste and crush it) to the cooked fruits and mix on low flame till it becomes hot. Add yogurt and grapes, stir well (once this is added, do not let it boil).
Take a small pan, heat the coconut oil add remaining mustard seeds, when it splutters, add the remaining red chilli powder, dry red chilli and curry leaves sauté well, turn off the flame and add this seasoning to curry.
SAMBHAR
Ingredients:
Toor dal 150 grams
Drum sticks 100gram
Potato 50gm
Snake guard 50gm
Curry cucumber 50gram
Colocasia 50gram (optional)
Carrot 50gram (optional)
Ladies finger 75gram
Eggplant 50gram
Tomato diced 2
Shallots 75gram
Turmeric powder 3gm
Green chilli slit optional
Jaggery 10gram
Tamarind pulp 50gram
Oil 50ml
Sambar powder 75gm
For tempering:
Oil 25ml
Mustard seed 5gram
Fenugreek powder 03gram
Whole red chilli 5gram
Asafoetida powder 2tsp
Curry leaf 15gram
For finishing
Asafoetida powder 3tsp
Chopped coriander leaf 100gm
Method:
Wash and boil the Toor dal with turmeric powder and water. When dal begins to crack, add tamarind pulp and boil for10 min. Add all the vegetables (except tomato, eggplant and ladies finger) cook it till the potato begins to crack, add asafoetida (2 tsp) and keep aside. Take another thick bottomed vessel for making the masala. Heat oil, add shallots and sauté well. Add the eggplant and ladies finger and sauté for a minute. Lower flame, add sambar powder, sauté well for a minute. Add this mixture to the dal mixture. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring well. Add jaggery and stir. Check for consistency. If too thick, add a bit of hot water. Now add diced tomato and keep aside.
For tempering, in another pan, heat coconut oil, add fenugreek seed, mustard seed, and dried red chilli, curry leaf, 1 tsp Asafoetida powder and red chilli powder (optional) and sauté. Add this mixture to the sambar mixture. Finish by adding chopped coriander leaves.
PAZHAM PRADHAMAN
Ingredients:
Banana (nentran) 500gram
Marayur Jagerry 350gm
Coconut milk 1st 80ml
Coconut milk 2nd 160ml
Coconut milk 3rd 320ml
Cumin powder 3gram
Dry ginger powder 10gram
Cardamom 5gram
Ghee 20ml
Small Coconut Strips As required
Cashewnut 5gram (optional)
Raisins 5gram (optional)
Method:
Making Coconut Milk: Use grated coconut of 2 coconuts to make the Onnampal, Randampal and Moonampal. Sprinkle a bit of hot water on the grated coconut and squeeze out the liquid over a strainer. The strained liquid is the Onnampal. Keep aside. Add 160ml of hot water to the strained mixture and repeat the process to get the Randampal. Keep aside separately. Next add 320ml of hot water to the strained mixture and repeat the procedure to get Munnampal. Keep aside.
Peel, cut and deseed banana. Add 750 ml water to the banana pieces and cook well on a low flame till no moisture remains. To this, add 2 tsp ghee, saute well. In another pan, heat jaggery, in half litre water till it melts and starts to boils. Strain the liquid and add this to the banana mixture. Sauté well, till the banana begins to roll around in the pan. Now add Munnampal to the banana mixture and stir well till all of the water evaporates. Next add Randampal and continue to stir till the liquid reduces to half the content. Reduce flame and add the Onnampal finally, stir well and switch off flame, making sure that it does not boil. In a separate pan, heat ghee and add coconut strips (Thengakothu), sauté till it turns red and add this to the payasam. Next mix the ginger powder, cumin powder and cardamom and stir well. Add cashew and raisins if required.
