Earthy flavours from Kuttanad

The inhabitants of Kuttanad in Alappuzha district of Kerala are known for their traditional way of cooking in earthenware, that gives special taste and flavour to their cuisine.

migrator|16 Nov 2015 12:38 AM IST

Chef Jay Prasad

Chennai

Kuttanad is the rice bowl of Kerala, and is resplendent with green paddy fields, coconut groves and water fowl. The place is also known for its unique cuisine featuring some of the best fresh water fish from the Vembanad Lake. You get to buy fresh sea food, sold to you directly by fishermen, who come in their snake boats with their catch for the day.

And then you get to enjoy the fish, prawns, duck and chicken cooked in the traditional Kuttanadan style. Kuttanadan tharavu (duck grown in waters of the lake) is famous among all the eateries. Fresh catch is traditionally cooked using time-honoured recipes and ingredients in earthenware, which gives a special flavour to the dishes. The first is that clay is somewhat porous. Heat and moisture circulate through the pot during cooking, unlike with metal or enamel-lined pots. As a result, the meat gets cooked uniformly and the dish is tender and full of flavours.

The restaurant Ente Keralam is showcasing different specialty dishes recreated to reflect the Kuttanad region’s cuisine at the ongoing ‘Fishes from the Lake & Curries in the Mudpot’ festival. It will feature dishes like chemeen unda (steamed rice dumplings stuffed with spiced prawn mixture), konju ullarthiyathu (prawns sautéed with onions, coconut and tamarind), chemballi pacha kurumulagittathu (chemballi a local fish of Kuttanad cooked in a ground green peppercorn and garlic paste), aattu vaala thenga varutharacha curry (fish Vaala cooked in roasted ground coconut gravy), vatta thenga varatharacha curry (vatta-fish, cooked in a roasted ground coconut gravy) and much more .

KALANCHI FISH CURRY

Sea bass fish – 5-6 fillets

Coconut oil – 1 ½ tsp

Mustard seed – ½ tsp

Fenugreek (whole) – ½ tsp

Sliced sambhar onion – 150gm

Sliced garlic – 25gm

Sliced ginger – 25gm

Curry leaves – 10nos

Green chilly – 2 nos

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Coconut milk – 350 ml

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Kokum powder- 35gm

Heat the coconut oil and add mustard and fenugreek.
Add sambhar onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and green chilly. Fry well to a golden brown.
Add chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt and mixed well. Add some water, kokum powder and cook for 10 min. Add the fish and cook it for 15 min.
Add the coconut milk and check for seasoning.
Remove from fire and serve the kalanchi curry

KARIMEEN POLLICHATHU

Pearl spot fish – 5-6 pieces

Small onions (sliced) – 100 gm

Ginger, chopped – 5 gm

Garlic, chopped – 5 gm

Coconut oil – 20 ml

Chilli powder – 5 gm

Coriander powder – 3 gm

Curry leaves – 5 nos

Coconut milk – 50 ml

Tamarind pulp – 10 ml

Salt To taste

Fish stock – 5 tbs

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Add ginger and garlic (chopped ) and fry till it becomes brownish. Add chopped small onion to it and saute well. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt.
Add tamarind pulp and coconut milk ,fish stock and sautee well till it becomes a mashy texture. Before removing from the range add the curry leaves.
Clean pearl spot, apply the prepared masala on both sides of the fish.Take the banana leaf and place the remaining masala on the centre on the leaf. Wrap the fish with the banana leaf.
Place it in tawa and cook on both sides on a slow fire turning the fish frequently.
Garnish with sliced cucumber, onion and tomato. Serve hot.

THARAVU MAPPAS

Onion – 350 gm

Coconut oil - 25 ml

Ginger – 25 ml

Green chilly – 3 nos

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Crush pepper – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 5 gm

Salt to taste

Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Coconut milk (first press) – 1 ½ nos

Coconut milk (second press) – 500 ml

Duck – 1 kg

Wash and clean the duck well
Heat the oil , add the sliced onion , ginger, green chilly and curry leaves and fry well to a golden brown
Add garam masala , coriannder powder, turmeric powder, salt , pepper powder, crush pepper and mix well
Add 750 ml of water , second milk and duck and cook till done.
After the duck is cooked well add thick coconut milk.
Remove from heat and check the seasoning.
Tharavu mappas is ready

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Earthy flavours from Kuttanad

The inhabitants of Kuttanad in Alappuzha district of Kerala are known for their traditional way of cooking in earthenware, that gives special taste and flavour to their cuisine.

migrator

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