PETITCHEF

Tomato Corn Bharta

The Tomato Corn Bharta was imitated from the same dish we had at Hotel Moti Mahal, Thrissur. It came close to it. Corn is plenty in the shops in Thrissur and it is very healthy. Baby corn is another veggies that can be made as Chili Corn just like Chili Gobi etc.

Kottamara or Gaur Beans grown at home at Ollur

Both these veggies from my home at Ollur. Gaur Beans was so fresh, I could actually feel the soft and tender beans from my lunch unlike the hard stuff we get from Tamilnadu. Green  Chilies also was hot and spicy and had a special flavour.

Pork Liver Fry Kerala Style

Strawberry Plant at my Home in Ollur

Some new leaves have sprung up. Signs of hope.... At least I will get some sour Strawberries.

Punjabi Dhaba at Home in Kerala

These Dishes are Home made and easy to make and healthy too. Above all it was tasty. Chana Masala, Chappathi and salad made by Reeja my wife.

Turkish Dishes at Kerala Home

The Red one is Dry red chili (Vattal mulagu) Pickled Garlic, Lemon juice, salt and Virgin Olive Oil. The Cream one is Green Chili, Pickled Garlic, Lemon juice, Salt, Butter and Olive oil. Very healthy and great combo for Chappathi/Roti etc.

Papaya Planted on World Environment Day

Strawberry Plant at my Home in Ollur

I was really excited to add the King of Berries "Strawberry" plant to my front garden at Ollur. My sister brought me a plant from Nelliyampathy AVT Horticultural Garden. I actually need a Polyhouse for Climate control since Strawberries are Cold climate fruits. But I am hoping to see it bloom in my Garden in the shade of a Mango Tree. It will get a reasonable amount of Sunlight in the morning and that will help it grow. So I now have Custard Apple, Pommegranate, Grapes, Mango, Strawberry, Lemon and Rambutan in front of my House at Ollur.

Fooduel

 
 Comidas rapidas
                         

Grape Leaves Curry Kerala recipe

Grapes are not so much cultivated in Kerala. But now with the climate change, it is showing encouraging results. I got a flowering Grape Vine in my front garden in Ollur, Kerala within 2 years of planting. But since Grapes need pruning for the 1st 3 years, I cut off all the leaves and the flowers. Here is a recipe I made out of the Grape leaves in Mediterranean style. The Greek Dolmade made of Grape Leaves, Basmati Rice and Minced meat was my inspiration. But I changed the recipe into a pure Veggie Italian Turkish style dish

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Preparation:

Select Grape Leaves not so tender and not so old. Boil water and dip leaves in it (Blanch) for 3-5 minutes.
I had pickled Red chilis and garlic at home. (Red long Chilis and Garlic in Vinegar, water with little salt kept for 1 month). Saute some ripened sliced tomatoes. Grind the Tomatoes and pickled Garlic and Red chilis to make a coarse paste. Chop the Grape leaves into thin strands. Mix well with the above ingredients. Add Salt to taste and generous helping of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Lemon from the Garden at Ollur

Yes indeed. I am waiting eagerly to pluck this lemon to garnish my salads. I will have to prune and get some fast action manures to get more yield.

One Month old Veggies

These veggies were planted on Feb 14th in Kumbha Masam. Just one month old. The Ash gourds and Cucumbers have started to grow vigorously. Expecting the harvest season by April.

Spinach for the Kitchen

Grow Bags from Kerala Krishi Bahavan

What is remaining of the 25 grow bags by the Krishi Bhavan Ollur are the 5 bags Green Chilli and the 3 Bags of Brinjal. I had to cut off  90 % the Brinjal plant to keep it from dying away. No one from the Krishi Bhavan or Agri Dept. was bothered to follow up on the project. What I gained is a Plastic bag with soil for my future Terrace garden. 

Aloe Vera or Kattar Vazha at home in Ollur

Aloe Vera is the undisputed magical medicinal plant on the planet. It is good for several ailments...silly and terrible. It is a thorny plant and the smell of a cut off leaf will make you puke sometimes.... and if you ever taste it, that will be the last. But it is well worth to take a glass of  Aloe Vera juice every morning in empty stomach. Just type in Aloe Vera in your browser and see the benefits.
You may want to try it then....

Chakka or Jackfruit at home in Ollur

Another Nadan fruit...Chakka. It is hard to find in the shops. Even if it is available, you have to shell out Rs. 100 - 200 to buy one. Imagine Keralites buying Chakka for that kind of price tag. That is the reality in Towns and Cities in Kerala. Hey when you are happy with a 4-5 cent home and no soil in your plot but concealing the poor earth with Interlock tiles, this will be your choice. What more, a new trend among the rich class is to plant the Arabian Date Palms in their highly fortified Compounds like the Gulf. It is very reasonable, because the Climate is now same like the Gulf and temp soaring to the 40's and beyond. They have pure logic right ? Date palms are more suitable than our own Coconut Trees here in Kerala in the future. They are businessmen who are always a step ahead. I have seen leading Jewellers from Thrissur planting Date Palms in their homes in and around Thrissur.

Meantime.......

A lot of Jack fruit just decay in the Countryside on the contrary or get shipped to other states. Coconut trees are cut down or just die from diseases. No one to care for...!!

Njaval or Jamun at home in Ollur

This is the Blue Berry of the Tropics. Yes, indeed the Violet/Purple/Black fruit is called Njaval Pazham in Kerala and Jamun in the North. It is wonderful fruit but is not usually not available in the Fruit stalls. It is said to have magical medicinal properties to fight off Diabetes. But it is rare to see around.

Karimbu at home in Ollur

It is like running an Orphanage. I picked up this Karimbu shoot from Ollur Pallinada. It was the cut off root section from last January St. Sebastian's Perunnal. I planted two pcs one the root and the one the header with leaves. This one picked up and you can see the new shoots popping out. So guys, we have something to chew on for next Perunnal.

Loovikka or Lovololikka Fruit

What we call this pink red fruit in Thrissur is Loovikka. It is excellent for Pickles. This plant here is a Loovikka I guess from the type of leaves. I have to replant it to the backyard. It just popped up from the garbage.... and is growing up very healthy. 

Lemon Plant at home in Ollur

This is only a one year old Lemon plant and it already has one fruit growing. A cute green Lemon the size of a Gooseberry. It had several tiny Lemon but it all fell off after some weeks. Now I have to prune the plant in Thiruvathira to get it more healthy.

Pommegranate plant at home in Ollur

A lush Green Pommeranate plant after pruning in December. Waiting for the flowers to Bloom..!! 

Grape Vine set to Flower at home in Ollur

Bitter Gourd on Terrace in Ollur

Apple Custard Fruit or Sita Phal

Blogs Own Kitchen

Some people landing on my Blog might think that why this photo of fruits or vegetables...farming....and posts that are out of the subject. But hey there are hundreds of Blogs and Websites giving the recipes of say a Chicken Tikka or Dal Makhani. I am not a pro Chef. I am trying and experimenting things in the Kitchen. I also like tending to plants both bearing fruits and Vegetables. I have recipes on my Blog where I have used ingredients straight away plucked or harvested from my backyard. I would like to share with anyone how I do the Veggie cultivation, how I prepare my dishes and things like that.... 

Kumbha Masathile Krishi

First of all, there has to be fruit and vegetable to bring a Kitchen alive..!! So I am doing some farming in my back yard.. and that too organic. As I wrote in my last post, this is the small strip of land I had sown the seeds on 14th Feb and that was in Kumbha Masam. I am expecting a bumper crop as the elders say; Kumbhathil Nattal Kudatholam.....
I will keep posting the latest photos with the growth of the veggies. 

Vegetables on Terrace in Ollur

Seen here is Bitter gourd which was actually two plants that sprouted out of the Kitchen Waste thrown in the pit where we have a Robust Banana Plantain. I transferred them to a grow bag on the Terrace. Now it has several Bitter gourds. Good for the Lent season. Vegan all month and upto Easter.