Pazhampori & beef roast, a trending combo in Kerala…
Pazhampori is a popular and delicious snack in Kerala, India. It’s essentially ripe plantains that are sliced lengthwise, dipped in a batter made of flour (usually all-purpose) mixed with turmeric, salt, and water, and then deep-fried until golden and crispy. It’s a delightful combination of sweet, crispy exterior and soft, ripe plantain inside. Pazhampori is often served as a tea-time snack or as a treat from street food vendors.
Beef roast, on the other hand, is a classic Kerala dish made with beef cubes that are marinated and then cooked with a mix of spices and aromatics. Beef is pressure cooked till fork-tender. The cooking process involves sautéing onions, tomatoes, and the pressure beef along with additional spices until the flavors have melded together. Beef roast is often served as a side dish with Kerala porotta (layered flatbread) or rice.
A few years ago, pazhampori & beef roast were served together in Northern Kerala & whoever tasted this combo loved it. I’ve seen many videos on social media, and since then I’d been thinking of trying this combo. Finally, I tried the trending combo & I was truly blown away by the taste.
Slightly sweet & crispy pazhampori along with the flavorful & succulent beef roast, is certainly a delectable combo.
If you haven’t tried this combo, I would highly recommend it, incredibly delish it is.
Kerala Pazhampori Recipe
- Plantains, ripe-2
- Coconut oil, enough for deep frying
- All-purpose flour- 1 cup
- Turmeric powder- ⅛ tsp
- Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
- Sugar- ½ tbsp
- Water- 1¼ cups
- Use ripe plantains for making this, should be medium ripe, don't use mushy plantains.
- Peel off the skin from the plantains, first cut it vertically, then cut it into halves.
- Cut the halved plantain vertically to get two thin slices out of it and keep them aside.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, turmeric powder, cardamom powder and sugar.
- If you want the fritters to be very crispy, add 1 tbsp rice flour.
- Add water gradually, I added 1¼ cups & make it into a smooth thick batter.
- Don't make the batter watery.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat, enough oil for frying.
- In Kerala, coconut oil is used for frying, it's very aromatic.
- Dip the plantain slices in the batter, coat it evenly with the batter.
- When the oil gets hot, add the plantain coated with batter into the oil one by one.
- Don't overcrowd the plantains.
- Fry till both sides turn golden in color & crispy.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the plantain fritters to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Enjoy while the fritters are warm that's when they will be crispy.
Kerala Beef Roast
- Beef, stew-cut pieces- 1 lb or ½ Kg
- Kashmiri chili powder- 2 tsp (for more spice also add 1 tsp regular chili powder)
- Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
- Garam Masala- 1 tsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tsp
- Cumin powder- ½ tsp (optional)
- Salt- 1½ tsp
- Coconut Oil- 2 tbsp
- Dried bay leaves- 2
- Onions, sliced thin- 5, medium-sized or 3 large sized
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Ginger, grated- ½ tbsp
- Garlic, grated- ½ tbsp
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Green chilies, halved- 2
- Tomatoes, chopped- 2
- Garam Masala- ½ tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tsp
- Salt- ½ to 1 tsp (if required)
- White Vinegar- 1 tbsp (or add lemon juice)
- Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
- Coconut oil- ½ tbsp
- Coconut oil- 1 tbsp
- Coconut slices- 2 tbsp
- Dried red chilies, halved- 2
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- I've taken ½ kg stew-cut beef pieces, that's the best cut for making this beef roast.
- To a bowl, add the beef along with the ingredients mentioned 'for marinating the beef'.
- If you want this beef roast to be very spicy, add 1 tsp regular hot chili powder & 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder.
- Combine well & let marinate for 30 minutes.
- I used my Instant Pot pressure cooker for cooking the beef. You can also use a regular pressure cooker.
- Add the marinated beef to the stainless steel pot, rinse the bowl with ¼ cup water & add that to the beef.
- Close with the lid.
- Select pressure cook setting, set the time to 25 minutes at high pressure.
- In regular pressure cooker, you might have to add ½ to 1 cup water and pressure cook until 3 to 4 whistles till the beef has turned fork-tender.
- Beef can also be slow-cooked in a saucepan along with water over stovetop, will take around 45 minutes to an hour.
- After 25 minutes of pressure cooking in the Instant Pot, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes & then do a quick pressure release.
- Open the lid, beef will be perfectly fork-tender, there will be ½ cup liquid in the pot (in the Instant Pot, steam will not release while pressure cooking so the liquid that oozed out of the beef will remain in the pot). Keep the cooked beef along with the liquid aside.
- For making this, thinly sliced onions have to be used.
- I used the food processor, slicer blade to slice the onions.
- I've taken 5 medium-sized yellow onions, or use 3 large-sized onions.
- Place a large saucepan or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add 2 tbsp coconut oil, and two dried bay leaves.
- Add the sliced onions, season with 1 tsp salt, combine well.
- Add grated ginger-garlic or ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves, green chilies; saute till onions turn golden in color.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, cook till the tomatoes have mashed up.
- Add the cooked beef along with the liquid.
- Increase the heat to high & cook till the liquid has dried off.
- At this point, add garam masala, coriander powder, fennel powder & ½ tsp more salt; combine well.
- Stir fry over high heat till brown spots form on the beef, keep stirring else onions will be stuck to the bottom & will burn.
- Add 1 tbsp white vinegar, or add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- I love the addition of vinegar, which imparts a nice taste to the beef roast.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.
- Finally, drizzle ½ tbsp coconut oil & stir fry for a minute.
- The aroma from this is just mesmerizing, you'll be seen taking deep breaths in.
- Take the pan off the heat & keep it covered.
- Making the garnish, this is optional. If you don't want to add coconut slices can be skipped.
- Place a small frying pan over medium heat, add coconut oil let turn hot.
- Add coconut slices, fry till golden brown.
- Add dried red chilies & curry leaves, saute for a few seconds.
- Immediately, pour the garnish over the beef roast & keep it covered for some time, let the aroma of the garnish infuse into the beef roast.
- Enjoy this beef roast with pazhampori or plantain fritters.
- This can also be enjoyed with poori, Kerala parotta, appam, idiyappam, pathiri or ghee rice.
- Absolutely finger-licking delish. Enjoy!
