Taste of Kerala - Kalan

Kalan
Kalan, a yogurt based thick gravy preparation with vegetable like plantain and yam is a popular traditional dish in kerala.
Ingredients
1 - Plantain, cut with skin to 1/2 '' pieces
1 cup - Yam / Suran, cut to 3/4 '' pieces
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
salt to taste
Grind to a paste
3/4 cup - Grated coconut
3 to 4 - Green chili
1/2 tsp - Jeera / Cumin seeds
1.5 to 2 cups - Medium sour yogurt / Curds
Seasoning
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Fenugreek seeds / Uluva / Methi
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
2 - Whole dry red chili
Coconut oil
Method
1 ) Cook plantain and yam in enough water along with red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste, till vegetables are well cooked. You can pressure cook the veggie for faster cooking.
2 ) Grind to a smooth paste coconut, green chili and jeera with very little water. Beat yogurt well and set aside.
3 ) Add ground coconut paste to cooked vegetable and mix in with the stock in the vegetable. If there is no stock, add little water. Bring to a boil. Adjust salt to taste. Now add the beaten yogurt and just bring to a boil. Take off the stove immediately, so that the yogurt does not curdle.
4 ) Heat a pan with oil. Pop the mustard, then add fenugreek seeds and fry till brown on low heat. Add red chili and curry leaves. Season the cooked kalan with this and mix in.

Taste of Kerala - Spinach Pachadi

Spinach Pachadi
Ingredients
1 bunch - Spinach, washed well
1 to 2 - Green chili, chopped
Salt to taste
Grind to a smooth paste
1/2 cup - Coconut
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 cup - Medium sour creamy yogurt
Seasoning
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
2 - Dry whole red chili
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Method
1 ) In a pan cook spinach in very little water with green chili and salt to taste, covered with a lid. Once cooked, take off the stove and cool. Transfer to a blender / grinder and plus two times to get a coarse texture.
2 ) Transfer spinach to a pan. Grind coconut and mustard to a smooth paste, with little water. Add this coconut- mustard paste to the pan with spinach and mix. Heat the stove, place the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add beaten yogurt and adjust salt to taste. After adding yogurt, don't cook for long. Just before it comes to a boil, take off the stove.
3 ) Heat oil in another pan. Add mustard seeds and pop. Add dry red chili and curry leaves. Fry for a second and pour this seasoning on the pachadi. Stir and mix in.