Erissery

Ingredients

Raw Banana (Vazhaikkai) : 1
Yam (Senaikizhangu) : 1 bowl
Red Chillies : 10
Pepper corns : 1 tbsp
Fresh Coconut : 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp, grated
Coconut oil : 2 tbsp
Curry leaves : a few
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Pressure cook raw banana and yam for 2 whistles in separate containers.
2. Meanwhile, grind peppercorns and red chillies to a fine paste with a little water. Keep aside.
3. Grind 2 tbsp coconut with a little water and keep aside.
4. Once raw banana and yam are cooked, put both in a vessel (if there is too much water, take out some and keep aside. You can add later if necessary), add turmeric powder, salt and chilli paste and bring to a boil.
5. Now add the ground coconut and boil well.
6. In a separate pan, add coconut oil and mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and 1/3 cup coconut and saute well.
7. Add roasted coconut to the boiling mixture and mix well.
8. Serve hot with rice or as an accompaniment. The consistency should be like thick dosa batter.

Banana Flower Vada

Ingredients

Banana Flower (Vazhaipoo) : 1
Chana Dal (Kadalai Paruppu) : 1 cup, soaked in water for 1 hr
Cinnamon : 1" piece
Clove : 2
Fennel seeds : 1 tsp
Ginger : 2" piece
Garlic : 1
Red chillies : 8
Onion : 1 small
Curry leaves : 4-5
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Method

1. Chop onions and curry leaves very fine and keep aside. Chop banana florets very fine and soak in water (this is to avoid it turning black due to oxidation).
2. Drain the water from the chana dal and keep half a handful aside.
3. Take the rest of the chana dal, cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, salt and red chillies and grind to a paste with very little water.
4. Add the rest of the chana dal, chopped onion, curry leaves and banana florets and mix well with your hand.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Make small flattened rounds of the mixture and deep fry till golden brown. You can even make them bite size. Make sure the oil is hot enough else the vada will turn out soggy and oily. To check if the oil is ready drop a small piece of the batter in it. If it rises immediately, the oil is ready.
6. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or coconut chutney.

Paruppu Payasam

Ingredients

Moong Dal (payatham paruppu) : 1 cup
Coconut Milk : 2 cups
Jaggery : 2 cups
Cashew : 2 tbsp
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1 tsp

Method

1. Dry roast saute moong dal very well in a kadai till slightly brown. Pressure cook in medium for 3 whistles.
2. Mash the dal and add jaggery and allow to boil till the raw smell goes.
3. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil and turn off heat.
4. In a small pan heat the ghee and roast cashew till golden brown. (If you like you can also roast thinly sliced coconut bits along with cashew). Add to the payasam.
5. Add cardamom powder and give it a good mix. Serve hot.