Kottayam Tharavu Curry / Duck Curry (Kutanadan Style)

Kottayam Tharavu Curry / Duck Curry (Kutanadan Style)

Duck is a staple in the backwaters,a region of intricate canals and lakes in the Indian state of Kerala.Kuttanadan Duck curry is a traditional dish and it is an inevitable dish during the special occasions like Easter,Christmas and marriages.Duck recipes are a specialty of Syrian Christian families in Kerala and is part of their cuisine on all special occasions.There are different variations in making duck curry.In regions like Kuttanadu it is made with the skin, without adding water and is cooked in its own fat.

Here is the Recipe:

Ingredients:

For Marinate: 

1. Duck/Tharavu -1kg(skinned and cut into medium pieces)
2. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
3. Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
4. Ginger-a small piece,crushed
5. Garlic-3 cloves,crushed
6. Pepper-1/2 tsp,crushed
7. Fennelseeds-1/2tsp
8. Vinegar-2 tbsp  
9. Salt to taste

For Gravy:

1. Shallots/small onion-1/2 cup,thinly sliced
2. Ginger-1' piece,crushed
3. Garlic-8-10,crushed
4. Green chilies-3-5,slit lengthwise(As per tolerance)
5. Curry leaves-2 sprigs
6. Coriander powder-1-2 tsp
7. Chilly powder-1 tsp
8. Pepper powder-1tsp (As per your tolerance) 
9. Garam masala-1tsp 
10. Coconut milk-half cup(optional)
11. Oil- as required 

Method:

1. Clean and wash well.Soak them in a water and lemon juice for couple of minutes.Drain it.Cut into medium sized pieces with skin.
2. Marinate the cleaned duck pieces with the ingredients given in under marination for at least 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes,pressure cook the marinated meat in a pressure cooker until cooked and soft.Duck usually takes more time to get cooked compared to chicken.
4. Heat oil in a large kadai or a Mun Chatti/clay pot,saute thinly sliced small onion till they begin to turn soft,add crushed ginger,garlic and green chilies and cook until it turns lightly golden brown color.At this stage,add all the powders except pepper powder and garam masala and stir in low-medium heat until a nice aroma comes.
5. Now add cooked meat to this masala mixture and bring to a boil in medium heat.Adjust the salt.
6. Add half cup freshly extracted medium consistency coconut milk to this(optional).(I didn't use this time)
7. Add curry leaves and garam masala powder and the remaining pepper powder to this and cook in a low flame for 10-20 minutes till the gravy thickens,and the oil coating floats on top.
8. Switch off the flame and let it sit for 30 minutes before serving. 

 

  

                       Notes:

• You can prepare this dish without coconut milk also. 
• Marination is must.Cooking time is more than that of chicken and mutton.

                                     

Kappa + Kanthari

Kappa (Tapioca) is very popular and common preparation in Kerala. It is very typical food of Keralite. Thinking of this delicious starch filled food varieties is nostalgic. There are wide varieties of food prepared with Maracheeni-Kappa. The most popular  combinations are Kappayum meenum,Mulaku chammanthy,,kappa biriryani,kappa beef varatiyathu,kappa vevichath etc

Chendamuriyan kappa puzhungiyathu and mulaku ulli chammanthy ready to eat less than 15 minutes.  Try this and enjoy
Boiled Tapioca with Onion Chutney

Ingredients

• 5 or 6 pcs of of tapioca/kappa/maracheeni
• Salt
• Tturmeric powder (optional)
• Water – as required to cook

Peel an cut kappa into three to four pieces.Wash  and cook with  sufficient water by  adding turmeric  powder, salt Remove from the fire and drain excess  water

Kanthari Mulaku

• Kanthari Mulaku -10
• Kunulli/Pearl Onion -15
• Salt
• Coconut Oil – 3 table spoon
• Curry leaves – few

Crush Kanthari Mulaku,Kunulli/Pearl Onion and Curry leaves in mixer or ammikallau.And tranfer this mixture in a bowl and add coconut oil ,salt,and curry leaves. Mix everything well and serve with boiled kappa with black tea…………… You and your family is sure to enjoy this

Kottaym Chicken Roast

Kottaym Chicken Roast

Ingredients:-

1. chicken     – 1 1/4kg
2 .Lime juice-11/2tbsp
    Pepper powder-/2tsp
    Salt-to taste
    Oil-1/2cup
3.Onion-3 nos(medium sized)
    Ginger paste-2tbsp
    Garlic paste-2tbsp
4.Cinnamon -2 sticks of 1 inch size
    Cardamom-2
    Cloves-5
   Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
5.Chilli  powder-2tbsp
   Coriander poder-1tsp
   Tomato-2
   Green Curry leaves-2 sprigs
   To garnish:-
6.Onion-1
  Garlic-2tbsp
  Curry leaves-2 sprigs
  Red chilli-6
  Fried potato-2

Preparation:-

Clean and drain chicken
Marinate chicken with lime juice,powdered pepper and salt for half an hour
Heat  a thick-bottomed pan,pour oil and saute chicken
Grind and keep aside ingredients mentioned in no.4

The taste capital of Kerala.....its kottayam

MULAKU POTTICHATHU

Mulaku pottichathu is  an excellent chutney to go with tapioca or rice and a quickie dish when you fall short of curries.


Cooking time : 5mts  
To serve 6 
Ingredients:
1.Dried red chillies(vattal mulaku)     –  10 nos. (remove the stalk)
2.Small onion(chuvannulli)             –  10 nos.
3.Tamarind(valan puli) de-seeded – 1 gooseberry(nellikka) size ball
4. Coconut oil        – 3 tsp
5. Salt                    – to taste
6.Water                 –  2-3 tbsp
Method:
Mash  tamarind thoroughly adding  water and  salt to make a paste.Keep it aside .Saute vattal mulaku in 2 tsp of coconut oil while stirring continuously until it turns brown(approx 3 mts) and crispy.Immediately crush the sauteed chilly  and then grind onions using the grinding stone(preferably) or  in a mixie.Mix it with the tamarind paste and add the remaining coconut oil.
Variants: 

• Substitute water with curd to make tamarind paste.
• Vinegar may be used instead of tamarind.
• If dried red chilli is not available, use red chilli powder.
• If coconut oil is not available,use any other cooking oil.But the taste may vary considerably.

Note:  This may not be given to children as it is  hot.Reduce the number  of chillies  used or try the curd variant mentioned above.

Kottayam Margamkali..

Margamkali is a very ancient and the most popular art dance performance prevalent among the Syrian Christians of Kottayam ,Kerala. The word ‘margam’ means ‘path’ and it was meant for the propagation of Christian religious ideas. The form of the art was the result of direct inspiration from the indigenous culture. The real source of inspiration for Margamkali was Kalaripayattu and Sangamkali which was very popular when the Christian community had developed the form in later centuries of pre-Portuguese era. The Christian soldiers used to pass free time performing Margamkali and the subject usually was/is the arrival of Mar Thoma and his proselytization activity in Kerala.

                    Margamkali was performed mainly by men on festive occasions, especially during the time of marriage. But later it came to be performed by women as in Thiruvathirakali style. The dance is performed by 12 members moving in a circle around a lighted oil lamp. The oil lamp denotes Christ and the dancers symbolize his apostles.

The songs of the Margamkali are composed in modern Malayalam. The dancers sing themselves while performing the dance. Unlike other dance forms of Kerala, Margamkali lacks musical accompaniment. The traditional text of the song is an elaboration of the activities and martyrdom of St. Thomas in Kerala. Later many other songs were also added to the original test.

Margamkali is often presented as a stage item today and also for Art competitions at the school and college levels.

Traditional Dressing style Christian Ladies in Kottayam (Achayathi)

Traditional Dressing style  Christian Ladies in Kottayam (Achayathi)

The traditional dress of Christians Achayathi is more or less similar to the local Keralite style which includes Mundu or loincloth with or without Kasavu, and Jubba or Kurta for men. Similarly another piece of small cloth called may be used called ‘rendaam-mundu’ or ‘thollmundu’ which is put on the shoulder. Christian women have a peculiar traditional dress in white called ‘Chatta-Mundu’. The Chatta or jacket is used to cover the upper part of the body with full or half sleeved white blouse. The Mundu is a white, seven yards long, one and a quarter yard broad garment for the lower body. The mundu has a number of fringes, forming a fan-like appendage called ‘Njori’ at the back ( hip portion) rendering their dress highly modest as well as artistically elegant. While going out, they throw over their shoulders and bosom another piece of cloth called ‘Kavani’. However this traditional dress is today only used by the elderly women.

customs- Kottayam-Knanaya Achayans..

Wedding customs:-Knanaya Achayans..

Wedding customs include Kaipidutham or Clasping of hands by the parental relatives of both groom and bride showing the agreement for marriage, beautification of the bride by smearing of henna (a special yellow ointment called mylanchi) in her palms and feet, Chantham Charthal which means the beautification of the groom by a ceremonial shaving by the barber, importance given to people of other communities like panan who sings the story of Knayi Thoma, goldsmith who makes and presents the golden thali (a gold medal in the form of a baniyan leaf on which a cross is embossed with 21 minute buds) to the sister of the bridegroom on the eve of the marriage, etc. Ichappad or offering sweet pudding to the boy in the pandal by the elders, venpachor, white rice cooked in coconut milk at the wedding banquet, which is a reminder of the dietary habit of the Mesopotamian ancestors, using of a thread made up of seven yarns taken from the bridal veil, for the tying of thali, Nadavili or shouting nata, nata at the wedding procession.
Reception given to the bride and groom with koluvilakku, a special lamp for that purpose by the mother of the groom and making sign of the cross on their foreheads with blessed palm leaf piece of Palm Sunday dipped in a bowl with grains of paddy and water, seating the couple on an elevated seat (Manarkolam) under a canopy, just like the Jewish huppa spreading on it a white linen and woolen sheet (Vellayum Karimpadavum) which is a privilege of royalty, offering milk and fruit (Palum Pazhavum) to both the couple who drink it from one and the same cup as a symbol of unity, the mother of the groom blessing the couple in a special way placing her hands crosswise over their heads (Vazhupidutham), similar to the gesture of the celebrant at the offertory prayer in the Syro-Malabar Liturgy. The resemblance in wording, content and style of the wedding songs of the Knanaya Christians to those of the Cochin Jews is strking. Two songs, Vazhvenna Vazhu and Ponnanintheedum, in the two versions are quite similar though in both there are minor variations. Instead of the Jewish crown the Knanites place Venthanmudy (Royal crown) on the heads of the couple.
This indicates a close affinity between Knanaya and Jewish traditions. Most interesting and attractive factor in all these ceremonies is that all of them have special songs to be sung by men or women at appropriate time. Another most important note is that the women are given eminent roles in these ceremonies. Moreover, those who have the main role in the ceremonies have to ask thrice permission from the assembled before they start the ceremony.


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Kottayam Town - Basic Knowledge.

Kottayam

City in India

Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala covering an area of 55.40 square kilometres. It is the administrative capital of Kottayam district and is located in south-central Kerala with a city.

 

Kottayam Municipality.

Area: 2,208 km²

Elevation: 3 m

Weather: 25°C, Wind NW at 5 km/h, 92% Humidity

Local time: Friday 11:23 PM

Population: 1,974,551(Female-1,006,262,  Male-968,289

 Area Sq. Km:-2,206.

Average Literacy:-97.21.

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Cultural & Literal Importance of Kottayam:-

Most of the reputed dailies in Kerala like Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Deshabhimani,Deepika, Rashtra Deepika (Evening daily),Kerala Kaumudi, Mangalam and most of the weeklies andotherpublication are published from Kottayam. Thefamous writers and poets like RamapurathWarrier, Kottarathil Sankunny, Kandathil Varghese Mappila, Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, KaroorNeelakanda Pillai, Muttathu Varkey, Ponkunnam Varkey, Pala Narayanan Nair, Abhayadev, VaikomChandrasekharan Nair, Lalithambika Antharjanam, Thrikkodithanam Gopinathan Nair, VeloorKrishnankutty, Smt.Arundhary Roy etc. are the natives of this district. The famous cine artists Thilakan, Mammootty,Janardhanan, Manoj K. Jayan, Vijayaraghavan, Jayaraj, John Abraham and Cine/drama artists N.N. Pillai, Joseph Chacko, K.K.Jacob, Chachappan etc. are also natives of thisdistrict. The famous musicians L.P.R. Varma, Jaya-Vijaya brothers and Kumarakom Rajan the naivesof this district. This district is also the nativeplace of famous Kathakali Artists, Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, Karoor Vasudevan Nampoothiri, Kurichy Kunjan Panicker, Muthoor Govindankutty, Pallom Madhavan etc.

            Kottayam has much important in cultural and literal fields from the ancient times. In 1821, SriBenchamin Bailey has started the 1st printing pressin Kerala at Kottayam. The author of the first‘Yathra Vivaranam’ which was published in 1948 andnamed as “Varthamana Pusthakam” was writtenby Paremakkal Thomas Kathanar who belonging to thisDistrict. The first Malayalam-EnglishDictionary and Malayalam Dictionary were publishedfrom Kottayam in the year 1846 and 1865 respectively. The first Malayalam Bible was also published from Kottayam.The Sahithya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham, whichhas been originated in Kottayam, is thefirst co-operative Enterprises of writers, Novelists and Poets. The firstcollege started in Kerala is theCMS College at Kottayam. The first school in Kerala, Bakers Memorial was started in Kottayam.

           It can be seen that Kottayam has much importance in cultural, literal, political fields in ancient times as well as in present times.

HISTORY-KOTTAYAM

HISTORY-KOTTAYAM

Kottayam District is known as the Land of Lake, Latex and Letter. Kottayam is the leading district in Literacy in Kerala as well as in India has made much contribution in the cultural and literal renaissance of the State and Country. Late Hon’bleK.R. Narayanan, the former President of India(10th) belongs to Uzhavoor Panchayath in this District.The Headquarters of this district ie. Kottayam Municipality is the 1stown/Municipality in India to be declared as 100%literate.

                       The resent Kottayam District consists of a portion of the former princely state of Travancore and includes princely states in the 12thCentury A.D., named as Vadakkancore, Thekkancore,Poonjar and Meenachil even though certain territorial changes have occurred. The first administrative wing under the name of“Kottayam” has started in 1878 A.D. during the rule of Sri T. Rama Rao, Diwan Peshkar who is also known as the founder of ModernKottayam.Kottayam Districtisdivided into 2 Revenue Divisions, (Kottayam and Pala) 5 Taluks, 13Revenue Farkas and 95 Revenue Villages. Area – 2208 Sq. Kms. (as per 2001Census). There are 11Block Panchayaths, 4 Municipalities and 75 Grama Panchayaths in the District (the 75thGramaPanchayath “Koruthodu” was formed recently by dividing Mundakayam Grama Panchayath. It maybe noted that the Panchayath level details for thenewly formed Panchayath is not given separately inthe publication but the details under Koruthodu Grama Panchayath includes both Mundakayam andKoruthodu). The District Panchayath consists of 21divisions.

        The District lies between North Latitude 9.480and 9.90and East Longitude 76.40and 770.The boundaries of the District are Pathanamthitta District on the South,Alappuzha District on theWest, Ernakulam and Idukki districts on the Northand Idukki District on the East. Of the 5 TaluksKottayam, Changanacherry,Vaikom, Meenachil and Kanjirappally western portions of the 1stthreetaluks comes under low land. Remaining portions ofthe above three taluksand the major portions ofMeenachil and Kanjirappally Taluks comes under thenatural division “Mid Land” which is veryfertile.
                           
                     In the central and eastern region of the District,rubber is the main crop and coconut, tapioca,pepper, banana, pineapple are also cultivated. Inthe western region paddy and coconut are the maincrops. Plantain and banana are also cultivated in this region