Try These Traditional Tidbits From My Dear Grandparent's Kitchen: You'll Love Them Too!

As a child, I relished some amazing traditional recipes that belonged to my grandfather and grandmother. With Onam around the corner, I dusted our heirloom cookbook to bring you some simple yet delicious family recipes, straight from a Kerala kitchen.

Poochapidi (Sweet Dumplings)

Serves 4

I love the taste of these sweet little rice balls soaked in flavorful coconut milk. Poochapidi remains a family favorite!

Ingredients

For the dumplings

• 1.5 cups rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cups water

To grind to a fine paste

• salt to taste
• 1 tumbler grated coconut
• 1 tsp jeera seeds

For the milk syrup

• 2 cups thin coconut milk
• 4 tbsp sugar (or per your taste)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup thick coconut milk (for final garnish)

Method

Making the dumplings

1. In a pan, combine the rice flour, salt, sugar and water. Make sure there are no lumps.
2. Heat the mixture on a medium flame and stir continuously till the water dries up.
3. Add the ground coconut-jeera mixture and remove the pan from the flame. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. Once the mixture cools down and is warm to the touch, shape it into little balls and keep it aside.

Making the milk syrup

1. Add the thin coconut milk, sugar and salt to a wide-bottomed pan and heat for 10 minutes. Let the mixture begin to boil.
2. Drop in the dumplings one by one.
3. Reduce the heat once it comes to a rolling boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.
4. Add the thick coconut milk and gently swirl the pan (avoid using a spoon to stir, as it will break the dumplings). Serve warm.

Pappada Koottaan (Poppadom Stir-Fry)

Serves 2

All children love poppadoms (papad). Remember the Indian rhyme Pada, Pada, Poppadom? Well, my grandmother gave us more reasons to love poppadoms as not just a side dish, but also as a great starter.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 poppadoms, cut into small strips with scissors
• 5 tbsp shallots (sliced thin)
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (or as per your taste)
• 1 sprig of curry leaf
• 2 tbsp coconut oil for shallow frying

Method

1. Heat the oil and deep-fry the poppadoms. Drain and set aside.
2. In another frying pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil.
3. Add the red chili flakes and shallots. Fry till the shallots turn a dark golden brown. Add the curry leaves and turn off the heat.
4. Gently mix in the fried poppadoms and set aside. Serve warm.

Kovakka Varuthathu (Ivy Gourd Fry)

Serves 2

This was my Ammamma's (grandmother) substitute for store-bought fried chips. The thinly sliced ivy gourd crisps with just enough spice and salt would fly off the shelf the minute my grandmother finished frying a batch!

Ingredients

• 1 cup kovakkai (tindora or ivy gourd) sliced into thin circles
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 split green chili
• 1 sprig of curry leaf
• 5 tbsp coconut oil (for shallow frying)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the green chili and curry leaf.
2. Add the kovakkai, chili powder and salt. Toss and fry till it becomes crisp.
3. Drain the excess oil and serve warm.

Chandni Ravi is a deputy director at Ernakulam Medical Centre, and mom to two kids. An avid foodie, she cooks and photographs food, besides painting and playing the piano. She also has a Facebook blog: https://www.facebook.com/craviblog