Meen (Tilapia) peera pattichathu / മീന്‍ പീര പറ്റിച്ചത്‌

Ingredients:
Tilapia-3 fillets
Green chilly-6-8
Ginger-1/4" piece
Garlic-1 small
Turmeric powder-1/3 tsp
Shallots or onion-1/4 cup, chopped

Sun dried Gambooge/Kudampuli (കുടംപുളി)-2
Shredded coconut-1.5 cup
Curry leaves-a handful
Coconut Oil-2 tsp
salt

 Method:
Clean fish and cut into medium size pieces. Soak Kudampuli in 1/4 cup of water. Crush together green chilly, ginger, garlic and shallots/onions. Mix these with shredded coconut and turmeric powder and slightly crush it again. Layer fish pieces in a manchatti/ heavy bottomed pan and add the above crushed coconut mixture and salt. Pour in kudampuli along with water. Add curry leaves. If needed add more water (~1 cup) and combine everything together. Cook covered in medium heat for 20 min. Uncover and drizzle coconut oil.Serve with rice or kappa.

Bitter Gourd Pickle/Pavakka Achar/പാവക്ക അച്ചാര്‍

Ingredients
Bitter gourd-3
Green chilly-6, cut into 1" rounds
Ginger -1" piece, sliced lengthwise
Garlic-5-7, sliced lengthwise
Curry leaves- a handful
Asafoetida( കായം) -1 pinch
Fenugreek powder(ഉലുവ പൊടിച്ചത്)-1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Vinegar~ 1 tbsp
Oil for frying -gingelly oil (നല്ലെണ്ണ) preferred/ or any vegetable oil

Method
Wash bitter gourd, cut into 2" rounds, discard the seeds and slice into thin strips. Heat oil in a pan and stir in bitter gourd, add salt and stir fry for 15-20 min in medium heat until they become slightly brown and crispy. Keep it aside. Add more oil into the same pan and splutter mustards.  Add ginger, garlic and saute for 2-3 min, then add green chilly and curry leaves.  Finally add fenugreek powder and asafoitida. Turn off heat and pour in vinegar. Check for salt and combine everything well. Once its get cooled, pack the pickle tightly into an air-tight jar. It will be ready to use after few days.

Tips:
If you use fenugreek seeds splutter them after mustard seeds.

Beef Pickle/Irachi Achar/ഇറച്ചി അച്ചാര്‍

Ingredients:
 Beef-1 lb
Set1:
Red chilly powder-1tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Fennel powder (പെരുംജീരകം)-1/2 tsp(optional)
vinegar-1 tsp
Meat masala-1/2 tsp
set 2:
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (ഉലുവാ) -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-a handful  
set 3:
Ginger-2 tsp,minced
Garlic-2 tsp, minced
Green chilly- 3, sliced
Dry red chilly-3(optional)
set 4:

Red chilly powder-1 tsp
Garam masala-1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Vinegar-2-3 tbsp
Asafoetida (കായം)-1 small pinch
   
Oil for frying (gingelly oil preferred), or any veg oil

Method:
Clean and drain beef. Cut into very small pieces.
Rub the ingredients enlisted under set1 on beef. Cover and leave it in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Transfer the beef into a pan and cook it covered for 10-15 min (No need to add water). Open the lid and drain the excess water. Once it is half cooked, (if you see the gravy/ masala powder is sticking on the pan, add 1 tbsp of vinegar and try to dissolve all the gravy-we will use this at the end of the preparation) take out the beef pieces and fry them in oil until both sides are reddish brown. Keep it aside.
Add oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds followed by fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Stir in set 3 ingredients and saute until ginger/garlic is light brown. Add set 4 masala powders and stir for 2-3 min. Pour in  2 tbsp vinegar and the gravy dissolved in vinegar. Bring it to boil and turn off the flame. Add fried beef pieces, check for salt, add a small pinch of asafoetida and mix everything well.
 Transfer into a air-tight jar, the pickle will be ready to use within 1 week.