Pothichor, lunch wrapped in banana leaf is truly a Kerala delicacy…
Keralites love any food wrapped in banana leaves, the wilted banana leaf enhances the taste of the food greatly. This is one such meal enjoyed by non-veg Keralites.
Pothichor means parcel/pack or wrapped rice, and the full meal is wrapped in banana leaves. There are a few versions, this one is with fried fish.
Instead of chammanthi or raw ground Coconut, I’ve made Dried Shrimp Coconut Masala. Tasted delicious. If you want gravy, add rasam or fish curry over the rice.
Dried Shrimp Chammanthi Recipe, click here
Cooking Video
Rosematta Rice
Kerala Style Matta Rice
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Author: Thasneen
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- Making Rosematta Rice
- Rosematta Rice- 2 cups
- Water- 5 cups
- Salt- ½ tsp
Instructions
- Cooking over stove top: Fill ¾ of a large pot with water, place ove rmedium heat. Let the water come to a slight boil.
- Season the water with salt.
- Add the rinsed rosematta rice.
- Cook for 30 minutes till the rice has turned soft, rosematta rice takes longer time to cook compared to white rice.
- Drain the rice water and keep aside the cooked rice.
Okra Thoran
Kerala Style Okra Thoran
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Author: Thasneen
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Okra Thoran
For grinding
- Grated coconut- 1 cup
- Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
- Garlic- 1, large clove
- Green chili- 1
- Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
- Water- ¼ to ½ cup
For Cooking
- Coconut Oil- 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Dried red chilies- 2
- Onion, chopped- 1
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Green chili, halved- 1 or 2
- Salt- ½ tsp + ½ tsp
- Okra, chopped small- 10 to 15 okras (or add any kind of veggies or mixed veggies)
- Water- ¼ to ½ cup
Instructions
- To a blender jar, add all the ingredients 'for grinding' and grind to a coarse paste.
- Place a pan over medium heat. Add oil let turn hot.
- Add mustard seeds, let splutter.
- Add dried red chilies.
- Add onion, season with ½ tsp salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add curry leaves and green chilies, saute for 2 minutes.
- Add okra, combine well.
- Instead of okra, any kind of veggies (carrort, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach or mixed veggies can be added.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add ¼ to ½ cup water and cook covered till okra turns soft.
- Open the lid, cook uncovered and stir fry till the sliminess of okra goes away.
- Add the ground coconut mixture. Combine well and cook for a few minutes.
- Add salt to taste. Combine well.
- Remove the pan from the heat and keep covered.
Fish Curry Recipe, Click Here
Coconut-Thenga Ozhichu Curry Recipe, Click Here
Pomfret Fish Fry
Kerala Pomfret Fish Fry
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Author: Thasneen
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- Pomfret fish slices- 4 to 6 (Or use king fish or Sardines)
- Oil- enough for frying
For making marinade
- Chili powder- 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
- Salt- 1½ tsp
- Lime or Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Water- 3 tbsp
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients 'for making marinade'.
- Use pomfret or king fish or sardines. Add lines over the fish slices.
- Spread the marinade over the fish.
- Let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat. Add oil, let oil turn hot.
- Place marinated fish over the oil.
- Deep fry till both sides turn golden brown.
- Transfer to a paper towel.
- Keep aside.
Dried Shrimp Masala
Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Masala
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Author: Thasneen
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- Oil- 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Whole red dry chilies- 2
- Curry leaves-1 sprig
- Small onions, sliced- 7
- Ginger, minced- 1 inch
- Garlic minced- 2 cloves
- Green chilies, chopped- 1
- Dried shrimp- 1 cup
- Chili powder- 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Water- ¼ cup
- Grated coconut- ½ cup
- Salt- ½ tsp
Instructions
- Place a saucepan over medium heat, add oil and let oil turn hot.
- Add mustard seeds, let splutter.
- Add whole dry red chilies and curry leaves, saute for a few seconds.
- Add small onions, season with salt and saute for a minute.
- Add ginger, garlic and green chilies, saute till onions turn golden brown.
- Add dried shrimp, combine well.
- Add chili powder, turmeric powder, combine well and cook for a minute.
- Add water, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add grated coconut and cook for a few minutes till water has dried off.
- Dry roast for 2 to 3 minutes till coconut and dried shrimp turns golden brown.
- Keep aside covered.
Kerala style Omelette
Easy Omelette Recipe
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Author: Thasneen
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- Eggs- 2
- Small onions, minced- 3
- Green chili, minced- 1
- Salt- ¼ tsp
- Ground pepper- ¼ tsp
- Coconut oil- ½ tbsp
Instructions
- To a bowl, crack 2 eggs.
- Add small onions, green chili, salt and ground pepper, combine well using a fork.
- Place a pan over medium heat.
- Add coconut oil.
- Pour the beaten egg mixture, swirl to spread the egg evenly.
- Cook till the bottom side cooks well.
- Flip over and cook the other side as well.
- Transfer to a plate. Keep it aside.
How to Assemble Pothichoru
- Wilt banana leaves over the flame, by wilting banana leaves wouldn’t tear off while wrapping.
- Use 2 banana leaves.
- Place rosematta rice in the center of the wilted banana leaves.
- For gravy, pour fish curry or moru-yogurt curry or coconut-thenga curry.
- On the sides, place okra thoran, dried shrimp masala, pickle, omelette & pickle.
- Place fried fish on top of the rice.
- Wrap the banana leaves well. Can be again wrapped with aluminum foil.
- I like to steam cook the pothichoru for a few minutes, that way the aroma of the banana leaves will infuse into the food.
- Enjoy this Kerala delicacy pothichoru, Yum.
