Happy Vishu!

Vishu Ashamsakal to all my readers and fellow bloggers. Vishu denotes the first day of the Malayalam month, Medam (Aries) and is celebrated with much fanfare throughout the state. Keralites place much importance to the Vishukkani, the first sight that strikes the eyes upon waking up on this day, believing it to influence the shaping up of the entire year.

According to the Kerala websites and wikepedia, the entire ritual has some unique facets; on the eve of Vishu, uncooked rice, a bolt of new cloth, a ripe cucumber, green mangoes, betel leaves, arecanut, jack fruit, a metal mirror, the yellow Konna (Cassia fistula) flowers etc. are arranged artistically in a shallow bell-metal vessel called an uruli which is placed in the prayer room. A lighted nilavilakku or traditional lamp is placed besides the uruli; each of the family members are roused from sleep by an elder and led with closed eyes to the prayer room, to open and view the auspicious uruli which symbolises prosperity throughout the year.

Vishu, is the Keralites’ way of wishing for prosperity that sticks throughout the year. The Keralites have an English(roman) as well as a parallel malayalam calender in each home, which mark out the months and star signs for each day.



Though I don't celebrate Vishu, I am too much of a Keralite to ignore it completely.
Traditonalists celebrate it with a sadya reminiscent of the Onam heavy duty sadya and payasams.

And today is a wet, gloomy Sunday with nothing much to look forward to. :(
Spring is still elusive and the we still can't get rid of our jackets.
So today after a hectic week long marathon in the office, it is time to celebrate the new year with a naadan lunch and a malayalam movie. So long to the frenzied slapdash dinners of the week. My spread is a rice meal with avial, olan, fish curry, fish fry and rice. The malayalam movie(or any other movie) is the equivalent of digestive tablet after a heavy meal on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Nothing like laughing to the slapstick comedy and double edged puns in the (mallu) movies to help digest the lunch. (I am not a die hard fan of the mallu movies, but I can appreciate some of them.;))
Mostly its lunch and a family movie on the holidays as one by one everybody drops off into blissful sleep.
So here we are with the whole deal. Most of you are already familiar with avial and olan and I hear groans.."not that recipe, it's what we make regularly"... but I am posting it anyway for anybody unfamiliar with it.

Avial/ Mixed vegetables in Yogurt.


Avial is a semi-dry preparation with mixed vegetables, held together in a yogurt-coconut base. Avial in my house is made with curd(yogurt) for sourness but there are versions (South-kerala)with mango or tamarind added instead of yogurt. The mix of vegetables is a combination of vegetables such as potato,yam, raw bananas and ashgourd, snake gourd etc.
Yam(Chena)-1 cup
Ash gourd(Kumbalanga)-1 cup
Raw Plantians/Bananas-2 nos
Drumsticks(Muringya)-2 nos
Potato-1 no
String or Yard long Beans- 1 cup
Carrot- 1cup
Green Chilies-4-5
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves -one srig
Coconut oil-2tbsp
Sour curds-1 cup
Salt to taste

Grind to a paste : Coconut-1 cup
Green chillies-2 nos.
Cumin (Jeera) seeds-1 tsp.

Preparation:
1. Grind together the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds to make a fine paste, adding very little water. Keep aside. Whip the curds into a smooth blend.
2. Peel and chop all the vegetables into similar sized 2-inch lengths.
3. Cook the vegetables separately with little water in a heavy-bottomed vessel.
You can cook the beans and carrots together, the soft gourds together and the potato and yam together. Keep an eye on the vegetables as they may need more water as they cook. Add the salt, green chilies and turmeric powder while cooking.
4. Mix all the cooked vegetables gently , taking care not to break up the softer vegetables.
5. Add the coconut paste and heat through, taking care to prevent curdling. Turn off the flame and add the curds/yogurt.
6. Add the coconut oil and curry leaves while the avial is still hot and mix well. Do not heat again. It stays well in the fridge for 2-3 days but does not take well to freezing.


Olan/ Black-Eyed Beans in Coconut Milk



Black-eyed beans-1 cup
Ash Gourd(Kumbalanga)-1 cup
Green chillies-3-4 nos vertically slit
Coconut milk-1 1/2 cups
Curry leaves-5-6 nos.
Coconut Oil-1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Preparation
Cut the ash gourd into cubes after removing the skin.
Soak the beans overnight. Pressure cook the next day for 2-3 minutes after the whistle. The cooking time will vary based on how long they have been soaked. SO adjust accordingly.
Add chopped ash gourd, salt and slit green chillies. Cook with a little water. When the pumpkin and the beans are completely cooked, pour hot oil tempered with curry leaves into it. Add the coconut milk and simmer(not boil) for 3–4 minutes. Serve with rice.