Olan - Onam Sadhya Recipe

The 3rd Onam recipe is Olan. Olan is prepared by adding coconut milk into the ash gourd & beans cooked soup. I used canned beans as it was easy to use & easily available in the supermarket. I used the small kidney beans, you can use any variety from pigeon, black eyes or pinto. This is how I made Olan. 

Serves: 8 people

Making time: 30 - 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• Black-eyed beans  (vanpayar) - ½ cup (I used 1 tin Canned beans)
• 2 cups Ash gourd  cut into cubes
• 4 Green Chili slit lengthwise
• Water - 2 cups
• 1 tin Thick coconut milk around 1 cup
• Salt
• Curry leaves
• 2 tbspn Coconut oil
• 1 tspn Mustard seeds & 3 red dried chili for tempering

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Method:

1. If you are using raw beans, then you will have to soak them for atleast 4 hours & pressure cook them until its soft. 
2. Cook together ash gourd, green chilli, salt and 2 cups water, till ash gourd becomes tender. Again, ash gourd also should not be overcooked and it should retain its shape.
3. Add the cooked beans/ washed canned beans to the ash gourd and mix well. Add coconut milk and curry leaves. Cook on low flame for 5-7 mins. 
4. In a small tempering pan, add 1 tbspn coconut oil , once its hot add mustard seeds, red chilis allow it to splutter. Turn off flame, Now add curry leaves into it & pour the tempering on the cooked Olan. 

Chicken Stew

This is my 3rd post under occasion for BM #27. Stew is one main dish that is made in every Keralites House. Its made on every occasion be it wedding, festivals, parties etc etc... Since I am a half Mallu I make sure I make this dish once in a while. Appam & Stew are like love birds:) You will always see them together always. They are actually well paired & this dish goes very very well with Appams. I also made Appams but Unfortunately forgot to take a pic of it. Traditionally Stew doesn't contain any masalas, It is made with whole spices & coconut milk. Well I added in very little garam masala powder in this recipe, but I generally don't add otherwise. You can skip this if you want. Well there are many people who add in chicken Masala in Stew. If you add Chicken Masala than it will not have the taste of stew but chicken curry:)

This is a very delicate & simple recipe. Stew can also be made with vegetables, eggs or any meat for that matter. This is how I made it...

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg Chicken small pieces with bones
• 2 medium onions thinly sliced long
• 1 large tomatoes
• 3 green chili's slit
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic coarse paste
• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
• 1.5 can coconut cream or thick coconut milk (I use Kara brand)
• 1/4 Tspn garam masala powder
• handful of fresh curry leaves
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 4 tbsp of fried Cashew nuts
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 Tspn sugar
• 2 cups of water

Dry garam masala

• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 5 cardamom
• 1 star aniz

Method:

1. In a pan add oil fry everything under dry garam masala for a minute.
2. Now add in ginger garlic, Onions, green chilis. Fry them until translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes
4. Now add in chicken into this & fry until the water from chicken is drained off .This will take about 5 to 8 minutes.  
5. Now add in 2- 3cups of water, salt, lemon juice, sugar, garam masala powder & cook this until rolling boil. Finally add in thick coconut cream & keep stirring for a minute. Turn off the flame just before it reaches rolling boil. Garnish this with curry leaves & fried cashew nuts