Kunthi River, Silent Vally National Park, Palakkad.

 

The Kunthi River flows gracefully through the pristine wilderness of Silent Valley National Park in Kerala. 

Originating in the Nilgiri Hills, the river winds through dense evergreen forests, nourishing the rich flora and fauna of the region. 

Its clear, sparkling waters and peaceful surroundings add to the natural beauty of Silent Valley, making the Kunthi River an important part of this untouched ecosystem. 

The river eventually flows into the Bharathapuzha River system.

Flowing gently through the untouched forests of Silent Valley National Park, the Kunthi River is a beautiful symbol of nature’s purity and serenity. 

Its crystal-clear waters wind through the lush green wilderness, surrounded by towering trees, misty hills, and the sounds of the forest. 

Far from the bustle of modern life, the river creates a peaceful landscape where nature thrives in its pristine form. 

The tranquil Kunthi River is truly one of the precious treasures of Silent Valley.

White forest cake.

 

Ingredients;

Maida.                                      300 gm.

Sugar.                                        300 gm.

Eggs.                                           7

Vanilla essence.                         2 teaspoons.

Baking powder.                          2 teaspoons.

Baking soda.                                1 teaspoon.

Sunflower oil.                               150 ml.

Milk.                                               150 ml.

Vinegar.                                         2 teaspoons.

Beat eggs.Add sugar powder and beat again.Add vanilla essence,beat well.Add sunflower oil,milk and beat again.

Sieve maida and baking powder to the mix.Mix vinegar and baking soda and add to the batter,Mix all ingredients well.

Divide the batter into two.Bake two rectangular cakes.( 180° 40 minutes each)

Icing:

Whipping cream.                   250 ml.

Grated chocolate (white).      150 gm.

Sugar syrup.                              50 ml.

Cherry.                                          5-6

Sugar balls.                                  10-12

Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.

( Keep the bowl,blades etc ..to whip the cream in a refrigerator for one day to make it cool.Spread ice cubes in a bowl and put the cooled bowl over it to whip the cream.)

Layer  each  cake into three.Join two layers to make a square.Apply sugar syrup,spread cream,spread grated chocolate.Repeat the process.Finally cover the cake with cream and grated chocolate.Garnish with cherry and sugar balls. Refrigerate for two hours before use.

Fried Rice.

 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice.                                 750 gm 

Vegetables

(Beans, carrot, cabbage,

capsicum, spring onions)sliced.     350 gm 

Garlic.( sliced).                                3 teaspoon   

Oil.                                                   2 tablespoons

Sugar.                                              1 teaspoon

Salt.                                                   Accordingly.

Vinegar.                                            1 teaspoon

Soya sauce.                                       2 teaspoon

Pepper powder.                              1/2 teaspoon

Water.                                                Accordingly.

Wash the rice well.Soak for 30 minutes.

Boil water,cook rice and drain.

Heat a pan.Add oil.Add garlic and fry.Add sliced vegetables one by one.Stir well.Add sugar,salt.

Add vinegar.Add cooked rice.Add Soya sauce, stir well,add pepper powder.Mix all ingredients well.Cook for 2 minutes.Remove from heat.

Butter Chicken.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken.                                        400 gm 

Lemon juice.                                1 tablespoon 

Kashmiri red chili powder.      1 teaspoon 

Salt.                                                 A pinch

Sugar.                                             A pinch 

Butter.                                            4 tablespoons 

Ginger- garlic paste.                    2 tablespoons 

Garam masala.                              1 teaspoon

Yogurt/ curd.                                   1/2 cup 

Dried fenugreek leaves.                1 teaspoon 

Mustard oil.                                      2 teaspoon 

Chopped onion paste.                     1 cup 

Tomato puree.                                  1/2 cup 

Chopped coriander leaves.          1 tablespoon

Fresh cream.                                    1/2 cup 

Marinate chicken with yogurt,mustard oil, lemon juice and ginger garlic paste.Keep it for one hour.

Heat a pan,add butter, onion paste and chicken and cook.After ten minutes add all other ingredients,mix well ,cover with a lid and cook till the chicken becomes soft. Remove from heat.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Palakkad Fort.

 

An ancient fort,in Palakkad district, Kerala,India.

Recaptured and rebuilt by Sultan Hyder Ali in 1766 A D.

Currently under the preservation of the Archeological Survey of India.

Aviyal .

 

Aviyal

Ingredients:

1. Elephant Yam                       100gm

2. Kumbala Fruit                                 100gm

3. Pumpkin                               50 gm

4. Banana                                              1

5. Snake guard                                     1 piece

6. Drumstick                                         1

7. Green gram                           50 gm
8.Carrot                                      1

9. Tamarind juice                                 2 tablespoons

10. Grated coconut                               1 cup

11. Green chilly                                     5

12. Salt                                                    1 spoon 

13. Coconut oil                                      2 Teaspoons

14. Curry leaves                                     some

15. Cumin seed                                      1 teaspoon

16. Chilly powder                                  1 Teaspoon

17. Turmeric powder                            ½ Teaspoon

Method    

Cut vegetables into 2-3 inch pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add green chilly and cumin seed and fry. Add vegetable pieces, salt, chilly powder and turmeric powder. Stir well. After half cooked, add tamarind juice. Mash grated coconut with remaining cumin seed and add to the vegetables. Cook well. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and curry leaves. Mix well and serve.    

Sambar.

 

Ingredients:

1. Ladies’Finger                    100 gm

2. Potato                                  100 gm

3. Onion                                  100 gm

4. Green chilly                        20 gm

5. Brinjal                                  100 gm

6. Drumstick                           100 gm

7. Tomato                                 50 gm

8. Coriander leaves                some

9. Curry leaves                        some

10. Dhal                                    250 gm

11. Turmeric powder            1 teaspoon

12. Salt                                      some

13. Red chilly                           5

14. Chilly powder                   30 gm

15. Fenugreek powder           ½ teaspoon

16. Coconut oil                         50 ml

17. Tamarind                            50 gm

18. Mustard                               50 gm

19. Asafetida                             20 gm

20. Coriander powder             50 gm

Method

Cut ladies’ finger, brinjal and drumstick.Cook dhal. Add sliced onion and potato to cooked dhal and cook again. Add the other sliced vegetables and turmeric powder and cook. Boil adding tamarind juice, salt and asafetida. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, and fenugreek powder. Boil adding tomato pieces. Fry mustard and curry leaves in oil and add to the curry. Decorate with coriander leaves and serve.

Neelakurinji blooms in Idukki,Kerala,2021.

 

Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes Kunthiana)

A shrub found in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in Kerala,Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Blooms once every 12 years.

Blooms in Shalomkunnu, Santhanpara,Idukki  district, Kerala in July - August 2021.

Neelakurinji is a beautiful flowering plant native to the Western Ghats of southern India, particularly the high-altitude grasslands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

 It's scientific name is Strobilanthes kunthiana.

Commonly it is known as Neelakurinji / Kurinji.

It has an attractive colour of bluish-purple to violet.

It is seen in the high-altitude grasslands and shola ecosystems.

It is famous for its mass flowering, when large areas of hillsides become covered in blue-violet flowers.

Neelakurinji is generally described as a gregarious, long-interval flowering species, with the famous S. kunthiana populations flowering on a roughly 12-year cycle.

It has an ecological importance - Its flowering provides an important seasonal food resource for insects and contributes to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats.

The sight of Neelakurinji covering the hills is especially associated with Munnar and the surrounding high ranges of Kerala. It is one of the most spectacular natural floral displays of the Western Ghats.

Ginger curry.

 

GINGER CURRY

1. Ginger                     200gm

2. Green chilly           20 gm

3. Curry leaves           some

4. Coconut oil            50 ml

5. Turmeric                1 teaspoon

    powder

6. Chilly powder       3 teaspoon

7. Salt                                    some

8. Tamarind              100 gm

9. Jaggery                  50 gm

10. Mustard               50 gm

11. Fenugreek

      Powder                1 teaspoon  

12. Asafoetida

         powder.             1/2 teaspoon.

Method

Grate ginger. Slice green chilly into small pieces. Fry grated ginger in coconut oil until it becomes golden brown and grind. Mix salt and tamarind juice. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida,fenugreek powders and jaggery.Keep aside.Heat a pan, add coconut oil, fry mustard, onion,green chili, curry leaves,add fried ginger, tamarind mix and boil. Stir to make a slightly thick consistency.Remove from heat.

Kalan.

 

Ingredients:

Raw banana.             1

Curd                             ½  lr.

Grated coconut          2 desert spoons

Green chilly                2

Cumin seed                 ½ spoon

Turmeric powder       ¼ spoon

Chilly powder              ¼ spoon

Oil.                                  1 teaspoon.

Mustard                         ½ spoon

Red chilly                     2

Curry leaves                accordingly

Salt                                 accordingly

Slice banana into small pieces and cook with water and salt.

Beat curd. Grind grated coconut, green chilly, cumin seed, turmeric powder and chilly powder. Add this to cooked banana.Stir to boil.Add curd. Heat oil.Fry mustard, red chilly and curry leaves.Add this to the cooked banana.Remove from heat.

Erisseri.

 

ERISSERY

 Pumpkin,raw banana,elephant yam            2 cups

(sliced)

Turmeric powder                                              ¼ teaspoon

Chilly powder                                                    ½ teaspoon

Coriander powder                                           ½ teaspoon

Cumin seed                                                        ¼ teaspoon

Garlic                                                                  2 pieces

Grated coconut                                                  ½ cup

Oil                                                                  2 desert spoons

Mustard                                                        1 teaspoon

Onion                                                            1 teaspoon

Red chilly                                                   2 (cut each into 3 pieces)

Grated coconut                                          2 desert spoon

Curry leaves                                                        accordingly

Salt                                                                      accordingly

Cook sliced pumpkin,raw banana and elephant yam with salt & water. Grind turmeric powder, chilly powder,coriander powder, cumin seed, garlic & ½ cup grated coconut. Add this mixture to cooked vegetable and boil. Add some boiled water to make enough gravy. Heat oil. Fry mustard. Add red chilly, onion, grated coconut, curry leaves. Fry till it becomes golden brown. Add this to pumpkin mixture. Serve hot.

Papaya- carrot thoran.

 

Ingredients:

Papaya-Carrot Thoran

Grated papaya                     1 cup

Grated carrot                        ½ cup

Grated coconut                     ¼ cup

Sliced chilly                            1 teaspoon

Sliced onion                           1 spoon

Pepper powder                      ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder                  ¼ teaspoon

Oil                                           I spoon

Mustard                                 ¼ teaspoon

Curry leaves & salt               accordingly

Heat oil. Add mustard, when it sputters, add onion, chilly, curry leaves, stir well, add pepper and turmeric powder, stir, add coconut, papaya, carrot,  and salt one by one. Stir well for two minutes. Remove from heat.

Vegetable salad.

 

Ingredients:

Carrot.                       1

Cabbage.                    100gm.

Onion.                         Half.

Green chili.                1     

Capsicum.                   Half. 

Lemon juice.              1 teaspoon

Honey.                         1 teaspoon   

Salt.                               a pinch.  

Coriander leaves.       Accordingly.

Slice carrot,cabbage, onion, capsicum and chilli. Mix lemon juice and honey by shaking well.Mix all together.Add salt.Spread coriander leaves. Decorate with a tomato rose.

       

Rava vada.

 

Rava Vada

Rava                1 cup

Onion              1/2 cup

Green chilli      2

Ginger              1 teaspoon

Salt                    a pinch 

Water                 Accordingly

Oil                     1 cup

        Slice onion,chilly and ginger into small pieces.Mix them with rava,water,and salt.Knead to make small balls.Just spread  in the shape of vada and fry.

Sunset at Kuzhuppilly beach,Kochi.

 

Sunset at Kuzhuppilly Beach.

As the day gently comes to an end, Kuzhuppilly Beach is painted in warm shades of gold and orange. 

The sun slowly sinks into the Arabian Sea, while the waves roll softly onto the shore. 

The peaceful surroundings, cool sea breeze, and glowing evening sky create a beautiful moment of serenity - perfect for enjoying nature and watching the sunset.