Vazzhakai Podimas/ Raw Banana Dry Curry

A traditional dry curry made down south of India called Vazzhakai Podimas. Simple ingredients to explore and healthier one too.

Ingredients
2  - Raw Bananas/ Vazzhakai
3 tbsp - Fresh Grated coconut
1 tbsp - Broken Urad Dal
1 tbsp - Mustard / Kadugu
1 tbsp - Coconut oil
1 tbsp - Asafetida
1          - Dry red chilly
1          - Green chilly chopped
1 Wedge - Lemon/lime
Curry leaves
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Steam cook the raw bananas.
2. Peal the skin off once they are cooked.
3. Grated the steamed bananas thru a carrot grater.
4. In a pan add oil. Once heated add in muatard,urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida.
5. Once they splutter add in green chillies.
6. To it add in grated raw bananas,salt and mix well.
7. Saute for 5 mins.
8. Remove from heat and squeeze 1 wedge of lemon.
Serve hot along with rice.

Mixed Pullipu Kootu

Pullipu or Tangy or Khatta gravy dish made during 3rd day of Pongal festival down south. It is one of the healthiest and yummy traditional dishes made during that season. It is served with mixed rices like coconut rice, lemon rice, tomato rice, puliyogare rice, curd rice etc.. on normal days too you can serve it along with dosa, chappati.

Serves - 4

Ingredients:
2                - Large Red/Orange Carrots
10             - French Beans
5               - Clustered Beans
100 gms - Fresh green peas
100 gms  - White pumpkin
100 gms  - Red pumpkin
50   gms  - Yam
2                - Medium Potato
1                - Large Capsicum
1/2            - Chayote/Cho-Cho/Chow-Chow
2                - Green chillies
1/2 inch  - Ginger
200 ml     - Tamarind pulp
1 tbs         - Turmeric powder
1 tbs         - Sambhar powder
3 tbs         - Home made kootu powder (check end of the page for the recipe)
1 tbs         - Oil
1/2 tbs     - Mustard seeds
2 arc          - Curry leaves
1/2 tbs     - Asafatida
1     tbs     - ghee
Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Roughly chop carrots, french beans, clustered beans, white pumpkin, red pumpkin, capsicum, potato, Yam(to be chopped and par boiled separately), chayote, green chilly, ginger finely chopped.
2. In a pressure cooker add oil and splutter the mustard seeds, curry leaves along with asafatida.
3. Add in the vegetables, turmeric powder, sambhar powder, tamarind pulp, salt amd if needed add in 1/2 cup water.
4. Pressure cook the vegetables until 3 whistles come.
5. Once the pressure cools add in the kootu powder.

Kootu Powder : Dry roast & Grind the below ingredients. You can use them in various other south Indian kootus and curries.

2 tbs   - Channa dal
1 tbs   - Corainder seeds
2          - Dry red chilly
1/2 tbs - Asafatida
1/4 tbs - Fenugreek seeds

6. Add in the kootu powder on the vegetables and boil them by stirring for 3 mins.
7. Temper some more curry leaves and mustard in ghee . Pour them over the vegetables.

Sootta Kathrikai Godssu / Burnt Aubergine Spicy Curry

Brinjal / Aubergine / Kathrikai / Baigan  what ever you name you call... it's one kind of vegetable affordable but, not liked by many. It contains low fat but, also low in minerals and proteins. The best smoky vegetable you can have. This dish is an very old one from our grandmothers book. It is generally served along with the hot hot pongal!!!!

Ingredients:

1             -  Big hallow Violet Aubergine
2             -  Red Tomatoes
2             -  Green Chilly
2             -  Curry Leaves Arc
1 inch   - Ginger
1 tbs     - Turmeric powder
1 tbs     - Red chilly powder
1/2 tbs - Sambhar powder
10 ml    - Tamarind Pulp
2 tbs     - Til oil
1 tbs     - Mustard seeds
1/2 tbs - Broken urad dal
1/2 tbs  - Asafatida
2              - Red Chilly
Salt to taste
100 ml - Water
Optional 1  -  Onion 


You can make a spice powder exclusively to add to the godssu
2 tbs - Channa Dal, 1 tbs - Coriander seeds, 1/4 tbs - Fenugreek seeds, 5 - Dry red chilly, 1/4 tbs - Asafatida
Dry roast them and grind them coarsely. Store the powder in a dry air tight container. 


Method / Vidhiee:

1. Wash the aubergine thoroughly and wipe it completely. 
2. Rub some oil over the aubergine.
3. Smoke it over a wood fire or a normal gas stove.

4. Make sure the vegetable turns fully black.
5. In between poke a knife inside the aubergine.
6. If the knife goes smoothly inside it means that the vegetable is cooked.
7. Keep it aside and cool it down.
8. De-skin the burnt aubergine. Chop the inside pulp of it or mash it with a masher.
9. Meanwhile finely chop tomatoes, green chilly, ginger.
10. In a pan add in til oil. Splutter mustard seeds, broken urad dal, asafatida, curry leaves, dry red chilly.
11. Add in the chopped tomatoes, green chilly, ginger.
12. Saute and add in all dry powders to it including salt.
13. Until the tomatoes turn soft saute it.
14. Now add in the mashed aubergine to it.
15. Mix well and add some water to it. Add in the tamarind pulp. Boil it for 3 mins.
16. If needed add in the home made masala powder.
17. Keep stirring occasionally.
18. Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves.

Serve hot along with Pongal!

Hot Rajma Aaloo / Kidney Beans Potato Sabzi

It's winter time and you start looking out for options to make your palate warm with yummy stuffs.
One  of the most sought after staple food for north Indians is Rajma & Chawal otherwise called as Red Kidney Beans with cooked white rice. Made it after a long time last month. Delayed to post.

Ingredients:

200 gms     - Red Kidney Beans / Rajma
3                 -  Big ripe tomatoes
4                 -  Red onions
4                 -  Garlic pods (Optional)
2 inch         -  Ginger
2                 - Cloves/Krambu/Loong
1 stick        - Cinnamon/ Pattai/Dalchini
1                 - Bay Leaf / Biriyani elai/Tez Paththa
1 tbs           - Jeera
1 tbs           - Saunf
1 1/2 tbs     - Dry mango powder / Aaamchoor
1 tbs           - Turmeric powder
2 tbs           - Dry Kashmiri chilly powder
1 tbs           - Dry coriander powder
1/2 tbs        - Dry roasted jeera powder
2 tbs           - Dry fenugreek leaves / kanja vendhaya elai/Kasoori Methi
50 ml          - Tamarind pulp/ Puli thanni/Imli ka pani
3 tbs           -  Channa Masala (Brand of your choice)
2-3             - Green Chillies
4                - Potatoes
700 ml       - Water
3 tbs          -  Oil
1/2 tbs      - Butter
Salt to taste 
Green coriander to garnish


Method/ Vidhiee:
1. Wash thoroughly and soak rajma in 300 ml of water for atleast 7-8 hours.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop 2 onions and keep aside.
3. Grind the rest of the onions with ginger and garlic.
4. Boil the tomatoes and de-skin them. Make them into a puree.
5. In a pressure cooker add in oil. Splutter jeera, saunf, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf.
6. Add in raw onions and saute for 1/2 minute.
7. Now add in the ground onion mixture.
8. Saute until the raw smell of the onion subsides.
9. Now add in the dry masala powders along with kasoori methi.
10. Add in the tomato puree and tamarind pulp.
11. Mix them well. To it add in the rajma, green chillies and medium diced potatoes.
12. Mix well. Add the remaining water and pressure cook them for 20 minutes.
13. 8-9 whistles minimum has to kept.
14. Once the pressure releases put them back on to the fire.
15. Mash half of the rajma sabzi. Add in green coriander.
16. To end add in bit of cream or butter on top.

Serve hot with white rice, chappati, roti, naan, bread etc..
You can chop onions and add on top as a topping before serving.

Crunchy Yummy Healthy Salad

One of the best options to keep your system functioning is to have salads. Recent times people give importance to healthy lifestyle which in turn calls for a healthy yet yummy diet. Check out this simple salad.

Ingredients:

• 1           - Medium Ice berg lettuce
• 1           - Big carrot
• 1/2        - Cucumber
• 1/2        - Green/Red/Yellow Capsicum
• 1           - Medium Pomegranate
• 200 ml  - Curd
• 1tbs       - Olive oil
• 2 tbs      - Dried mixed herbs
• Salt to taste. ( Put 1/2 tbs less than usual as vegetables itself contain salt in them)

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. In a cup beat the curd. Add in the mixed herbs, salt , olive oil. Mix well.
2. Keep it inside fridge.
3. Meanwhile finely chop carrot, cucumber, capsicum. De-seed pomogranate.
4. In a big bowl and in the chopped vegetables. Over it tare the lettuce into medium peices.
 5. Now add in the curd dressing over the vegetables.
6. Mix them well and cool it in fridge for 10-15 mins.

Serve chill. You can have it as a full meal during evenings.

 

Aachari Masala Chappathi with Hari Dahi Panneer

Bored of the regular chappathi's and oily red gravy's. Tried a different simple yet yummy tasting versions.

Aachari Masala Chappathi
Ingredients:

• 250 gms - Atta
• 1 tbs       - Dry coriander powder
• 1 tbs       - Dry red chilly powder
• 1 tbs       - Dry turmeric powder
• 1 tbs       - Dry jeera powder
• 1/2 tbs    - Aamchur / dry mango powder
• 2 tbs       - Any pickled gravy
• 2 tbs       - Chopped green coriander
• 1/2 tbs    - Salt
• 50 ml      - Water
• 
  

Method/Vidhiee:
1. In a bowl mix in atta, dry ingredients, salt and mix well.
2. Add in the aachar/pickle into it and knead well.
3. Sprinkle water as and when required and knead it tight.
4. Keep aside them for 1 hour.
5. After an hour make small balls of the dough and flatten them into chappati.
6. Cook them on tawa with til oil.

Serve hot with any subtle gravy dish.

Hari Dahi Panneer

Ingredients:

• 250 gms - Panneer / Cottage cheese
• 1 bunch  - Pudina / Mint
• 2 tbs       - Green coriander puree
• 1/2 cup   - Curd
• 1 tbs       - Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbs    - Jeera powder
• 2             - Green chilly
• 50 gms   - Blanched almond
• 1 tbs       - Garam Masala
• 1             - Onion
• 1 tbs       - Kasoori Methi / Dry fenugreek leaves
• 2 tbs       - Oil
• 1 tbs       - Whole jeera
• 1/2 tbs    - Saunf
• Salt to taste
• 100 ml Water

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. Cut the panneer into medium pieces.
2. Finely chop the onions and slit the green chillies.
3. In a pan add in the oil. when hot add in the jeera, saunf and green chilly.
4. To it add in the finely chopped onions.
5. Once they turn golden brown add in the dry masalas.
6. Meanwhile grind the almond into paste and add it to the onion.
7. Lower the flame. Add in salt and stir well.
8. Whisk the curd with coriander paste.
9. Boil the almond paste for 3 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally.
10. Add in the curd coriander mixture to it and stir well again.
11. Add in the panneer to the gravy. Close the pan and let it boil in low flame for 7-8 minutes.
12. Add water how much ever diluted you require.
13. At end garnish with green coriander and serve hot with chappathi or rice.

Aaloo Secret Sabzi (no onion or tomato)

Current prices of Onions in India makes a foodie to venture out for non onion recipes.
A day when you do not have onion, tomatoes in your refrigrator and no other veggies to go for other than potatoes. So the dish just happened and became a real hit!!!!

Serves 4
Ingredients:
6          - Potatoes
7          - Medium sized carrots
2          - Green chillies
3          - Garlic pods
1 tbs    - Kashmiri chilly powder
1 tbs    - Dry coriander powder
1 tbs    - Dry jeera powder
1/2 tbs - Turmeric powder
1 tbs    - Amchoor powder
1 tbs    - Jeera
1/2 tbs - Saunf
1 tbs    - Kasoori Methi/ Fenugreek leaves
Salt to taste
2 tbs    - Oil
500ml  - Water

Method or Vidhiee:
1. Wash carrots and dice them into chunks.
2. Grind the carrots with garlic.
3. Wash the potatoes dice them into medium chunks and soak them in water.
4. In a pressure cooker add in the oil.
5. Heat it and then add in Jeera, Saunf, green chillies.
6. To it add in the ground paste and lower the flame.
7. Saute them for 1 min.
8. Add in the dry masala powders and saute for 2 mins.
9. Now add in the potatoes and coat them with the paste.
10. Finally add salt and kasoori methi.
11. Add water and pressure cook till 3 whistles.
12. After they are done add in chopped green coriander.
Serve hot with rice/ Chappati/ Dosas.

Tip:
You can add in any other vegetables also. Most suitable would be green peas.
This dish might be bit sweet but you can balance with the chilly powder
Dish does not require Garam Masala powder.

Mysore Rasam

You can say this Indian soup is bit spicy filled with luxury. Different from a usual rasam option. It gets its name from one of the most historical places of India -- Mysore. It is certainly bit different from the usual ones and ought to be sorted into a occasional or festival dish.

Ingredients:

2             - Medium red tomatoes

3             - Dry red chilly

2 tbs        - Dry coriander seeds/Sabuth dhania/Kothamalli verrai

2 tbs        - Cumin seeds/Jeera/Jeeragam

1 tbs        - Pepper/Kali mirch/Millagu

1 tbs        - Asafatida

1 tbs        - Channa dal

4 tbs        - Dry coconut scraps or Koppra

2 tbs        - Jaggery/Gudd/Vellam

2 tbs        - Ghee

2 tbs        - Oil

1 tbs        - Mustard Seeds/Rai/Kadugu

75 gms     - Tamarind/Imli/Puli (4 tbs of tamrind paste)

500 ml      - Water

100 gms   - Boiled Thoor dal/Thovaram Parupu

1 tbs         - Rasam powder

1 tbs         - Turmeric powder

4 arcs       - Curry Leaves

1 slit          - Green Chilly

Generous amount of green coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Soak the tamarind in 250 ml water for half and hour.

2. Extract the pulp and keep aside.

3. Finely chop the tomatoes and slit the green chilly. Add them to the tamarind pulp.

4. Add turmeric powder to the pulp and keep it on flame to boil.

5. Meanwhile, add 1/2 tbs of oil in a pan and roast channa dal, dry coriander seeds,pepper, cumin seeds, 1/2 tbs Asafatida,dry coconut.

6. Roast them till they turn golden brown.

7. Cool them and grind them into a powder.

8. Alongside boil the toor dal and bring it to mashed state.

9. Once you feel the metallic taste of the tamarind has gone add in the salt,remaining water and boiled toor dal.

10. Boil it for another 10 mins. Add in the ground powder along with powdered jaggery.

11. Lower the flame add the remaining asafatida to it and chopped green coriander.

12. In a tempering pan add in ghee and remaining oil. Add in the mustard seeds,remaining jeera and 1 dry red chilly,curry leaves.

13. Once the spices have spluttered add them to the boiling rasam 

14. Close the rasam vessel with a lid to retain the flavors.

Serve hot rasam with white rice along with a gentleness of ghee over it. It would certainly would be a feast once you serve this rasam.

Kathrikai Podi Potta Karamedhu/Brinjal Fry south Indian Method

This is one of the typical south Indian Brahmin side dishes which is being carried on for generations.
It's easy, simple and tasty too.. Caution: Those who are allergic to Brinjal kindly avoid.

Ingredients:
1/2 Kg - Brinjal / Kathrikai / Beigan
1 tbs    -  Broken urad dal / Odacha ullatham paruppu
1 tbs    - Mustard
2 arc    - Curry leaves
2 tbs    - Oil
1 tbs    - Turmeric powder
1 tbs    - Kashmiri chilly powder
1/4 tbs - Asafatida
1         - Dry red chilly
 Salt to taste

To make curry powder/podi
4tbs        - Kadala parupu/Channa dal
2 tbs       - Dry coriander seeds
1/2 tbs    - Dry pepper cons
2             - Dry red chilly
1/4 tbs    - Asafatida/Perungayam/Hing

Method/Vidhiee:
TO MAKE PODI / SOUTH INDIAN CURRY POWDER

1. Dry roast the ingredients mentioned for making powder for the curry.
2. Cool them and grind them into dry powder. Can be used for all the vegetable curries.
3. Can be stored for minimum 6-8 weeks in an air tight container. 
4. It can also be roasted in oil to add a zing. You can also add curry leaves for aroma.

TO MAKE CURRY / KARAMEDHU

1. Clean the brinjal and cut them into small square pieces.
2. Here, i have used green brinjal. You can use any variety which you find in the market.
3. Add oil heat it. Add urad dal,mustard seeds. Once it splutters add in asafatida, curry leaves and dry red chilly.
4. Now, add in the brinjal. To it add the turmeric powder,kashmiri red chilly powder,salt.
5. Saute them until the brinjals turn soft and the oil leaves edges.
6. Add in 2 tbs of the powder made on the top of the brinjal.
7. Mix them well and saute for 3 mins.

Serve hot with rasam rice/sambhar rice or even with chappathi.

Manathakali Kerrai Perattal

Manathakali or Black Nightshade Spinach. It is one of the ancient medicinal spinach. They are more prevalent down south of India. Especially in Tamilnadu. Simple dish with no extra effort but to pluck the leaves wash them and chop. First few recipes which i learnt from my mom. She still insists in having this spinach when we have mouth ulcers.

Ingredients:
2 Bunches - Manathakali Keerai
100 gm     - Grated fresh coconut
1 to 2       - Dry red chilly
1 tbs        - Mustard seeds
1/4 tbs     - Asafatida
1/2 tbs     - Turmeric powder
50 gm     - Toor dal
500 ml    - Water
2 tbs       - Oil
Salt to taste
secret ingredient jaggery or sugar

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Always wash the spinach before chopping them.
2. Wash well and pluck the leaves and keep aside.
3. Chop them finely.
4. Meanwhile, boil the toor dal. Try keeping them whole instead of getting mashed.
5. In a pan add in oil. Once oil gets heated up add in the asafatida,mustard,dry red chilly and temper them.
6. Now add in the spinach and slowly mix them along with mustard.
7. Add in 200 ml of water and allow it to boil by adding salt.
8. Allow it to dry. Stir occasionally.
9. Now add in the jaggery and boiled dal.
10. Saute them well until the moist fades down.
11. At the end add in the grated coconut and mix well.
Serve hot with rice, chappati.
It is a bitter spinach that is the reason we are adding jagger or sugar.

Broccoli Fusion Stir Fry

Broccoli one of the enriched term used by present foodie world. The stir fry recipe also is one of the famous among all. I thought of why not a fusion in it.

Serves - 4
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg - Broccoli
• 1          - Large Onion
• 1          - Medium Tomato
• 2 pods - Garlic
• 2 tbs    - Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tbs - Red chilly powder
• 1/4 tbs - Garam masala powder
• 1/2 tbs - Kasoori Methi/Dried fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 tbs - Sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tbs - Olive oil

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Finely chop onion,tomato,garlic.

2. Cut the broccoli into medium florets.

3. In a pan add in the olive oil. Once it heats up add in the onions,garlic.

4. Saute them for 30 secs and add in tomato. Saute for 2 mins.

5. Add in the soy sauce,red chilly powder and brocolli.

6. Saute for 3 mins. Add in salt,garam masala and kasoori methi.

7. Add in sugar and saute again for 7 mins.

8. Let the liquid get reduced.

9. Toss well and serve while the broccoli's are crunchy.

Serve hot!!!!!

Deep Fried Okra Dry Curry

Try this crunchy yet tasty Okra treat for your taste buds.. bit different method and ingredients used.

• 1/2 Kg     - Okra/Lady's Finger/ Bhindi/Vendakai
• 1             - Medium Onion
• 1             - Medium Tomato
• 1             - Green Chilly
• 1 inch      - Ginger
• 1/4 tbs     - Turmeric powder
• 3/4 tbs     - Red chilly powder
• 1/4 tbs     - Aamchoor powder/Dry mango powder
• 1/2 tbs     - Garam Masala powder
• 1/4 tbs     - Roasted jeera powder
• 1/4 cup    - Curd
• 1/2 tbs     - Jeera
• Pinch       - Asafatida
• 2 arc        - Curry leaves
• 250 ml oil - To deep fry Okra
• Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Wash Okra well cut their both ends. Then cut them into 2- 3 pieces lengthwise.
2. In a deep frying heat oil to deep fry Okras.
3. Once oil gets heated up slowly drop in 3-4 pieces of Okra and fry them till they turn golden brown.
4. Beware, the seeds of Okra during this process may burst.
5. Once they are down drain excess oil and transfer them on to a plate.
6. Meanwhile, cut the onion,tomato,green chilly lengthwise.
7. In a pan add in 2 tbs of oil. Add in Jeera,curry leaves,asafatida.
8. Add in onions,green chilly and saute them till onions get soft.
9. Add in the tomato and saute.
10. Drop in the turmeric powder,red chilly powder,aamchoor powder,roasted jeera powder.
11. Add in salt and mix well.
12. Now drop in deep fried Okra into it.
13. Mix well the Okra with gravy. Pour in the curd and add garam masala powder.
14. Keep stirring till the gravy gets dry.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice,chappati,nan

Tomato Peanut Chutney

Chutney without coconut,gram dals, or greens.. here you go on the new spree of chutney for your taste buds.

• 3          - Medium sized tomatoes
• 100 gm - Peanuts (Boiled or roasted in oil)
• 3-4       - Dry red chilly
• 1 inch   - Ginger
• 1 glass  - Water
• 2 tbs     - Oil
• 1 tbs     - Mustard seeds
• 2 arc     - Curry leaves
• 1 tbs     - Broken urad dal
• 1/4 tbs  - Asafatida
• Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:

1. In a pan add 1 tbs of oil and roast peanuts.

2. Once they turn brown add in red chilly,chopped ginger and big chunks of toamtoes.

3. Saute them for 2 mins.

4. Cool them down and blend them in a blender.

5. If, you find too pasty add in some water and grind again.

6. Transfer the chutney into a bowl.

7. Again in the same pan add in oil. 

8. Once its hot add in the mustard seeds, broken urad dal,asafatida.

9. Splutter them and add 1 dry red chilly,curry leaves.

10. Now add in the chutney and mix with the spluttered mustard.

11. Keep mixing well and add salt.

Your Tomato Peanut chutney is ready.

Use as spread for breads, condiment for dosas,idlis.

Even goes well with ghee rice.

Tip: You can use boiled peanut if you don't prefer roasted peanuts. But, the shelf life of chutney would reduce if done so..Secret tip is you can use this chutney as gravy base too.

Koftha Badami

Kofthas - Are generally drenched in pulp of tomato puree and onion paste or in turn in yogurt.
Lots of Badam/Almonds where dumped inside my refrigerator  I decided why not try a gravy dish which would obviously be rich, creamy and tasty :)

• 150 gms - Badam/ Almonds
• 1           -  Medium size carrot
• 6 to 7    -  French beans
• 2           -  Medium sized potatoes
• 2           -  Medium sized onions
• 2           -  Green chilly
• 50 gms   -  Fresh green peas
• 2 tbs      -  Chilly flakes
• 1/4 tbs   -  Dry oregano
• 1 tbs      - Kashmiri chilly powder
• 1/4 tbs   - Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tbs   - Aamchoor or dry mango powder
• 2 tbs      - Gram flour/besan/kadala mav
• 1 tbs      - Rice flour/chawal ka atta/arici mav
• 1/2 tbs   -  Saunf
• 1 inch    - Cinnamon/dalchini/pattai
• 2           - Cloves
• 2 tbs      -  Dry kasoori methi / fenugreek leaves/vendhaya elai
• 1/2 inch -  Ginger
• 3 pods   -  Garlic
• 1 tbs      -  Garam masala powder
• 200 gms -  Oil to deep fry
• 4 tbs      -  Oil to make gravy
• 500 ml   -  Water
• Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Boil water and soak the almonds for half hour.
2. Drain water and remove the skin off from the almonds.
3. Grind them adding some water to fine smooth paste.
4. Meanwhile, finely chop carrot,de-skinned potatoes,beans,onions and slit green chilly.
5. Steam them and mash them when they are done.
6. Add in the red chilly powder,turmeric,salt-1/2 tbs, aamchoor powder,gram flour,rice flour.
7. Knead them into a tight dough. If, required sprinkle water.
8. Make small medium sized balls and rest them aside.
9. Heat oil in a deep fry pan for frying the vegetable balls.
10. Once oil is hot drop in slowly the balls and fry them till they turn golden brown.
11. Transfer them on to a absorbent paper.
12. In another pan add in oil. Once it turns hot add in cloves,cinnamon,sauf.
13. Do not burn them add in the onions and slit green chilly.
14. Fry onion till they turn golden brown.
15. Meanwhile grind the ginger and garlic into fine paste.
16. Once the onions turn golden brown add in the garlic ginger paste.
17. Saute them till the raw smell fades away.
18. Now add in the boiled green peas to it.
19. Lower the flame. Add some more water to almond paste.
20. Pour them on to the onion peas mixture.
21. Add in required salt,oregano(In order to give a Italian touch) and chilly flakes.
22. Drop the vegetable kofthas into the badam mixture.
23. Drench the kofthas into the almond gravy.
24. You can add more water if you want to make it a thin gravy.
23. As i made it as a thick dry one i avoided water a bit.
24. Add in kasoori methi at last and mix well.

Serve rich,tasty,less spicy hot Koftha Badami with phulkas, chappatis, butter nan.
The gravy version would be suitable for jeera rice.

Kothimbir Shakahaari

Green Coriander.. mostly we use for garnishing. Had about 3 bunch of coriander leaves lying into my fridge.. with at most greediness i got it from the market as they were so cheap and fresh. But, when i thought of using  them it stopped till the border of chutneys,garnish,salads..y not use in a gravy.

 Ingredients:
1 - Big bunch of green coriander leaves/ Kothimbir/Kothamalli
2 - Red onions
2 - Tomatoes
1 - Green chilly
2 - Medium sized carrots
5 to 6 - French Beans
1 cup - Cauliflower
1 cup  - Broccoli
1 cup - Green peas
1 tbs - Turmeric powder
1 tbs - Dry red chilly powder
1 tbs - Pav Bhaji Masala
500 ml - Water
2 tbs - Oil
1/2 tbs - Butter
1/2 tbs - Jeera
1/2 tbs - Saunf
1/4 tbs - Sugar
Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Wash carrot , french beans,potatoes and cut them into medium sized cubes or lengthwise.
2. Par boil them in water.
3. Finely chop onions,tomatoes. Slit the green chilly.
4. In a pan add butter and oil.
5. Once they get heated up add jeera and saunf.
6. Roast them for few secs. Do not burn them.
7. Now add onions and saute them for 2 mins.
8. Meanwhile, wash and finely chop coriander leaves and stem.
9. Keep some for garnishing and grind rest in a blender.
10. Add water if you feel coriander stems are not getting ground
11. Now add tomato and green chilly.
12. Saute till the tomatoes turn soft.
13. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilly powder,salt and sugar.
14. Now add in the par boiled vegetables carrots,beans, cauliflower,broccoli,peas.
15. Add 150 ml of water and allow them to cook.
16. Pour in the coriander paste over the vegetables.
17. Add in the Pav Bhaji masala.
18. Stir well. Simmer and allow it to boil for 5-7mins
19. At last add in the left over coriander.
Serve hot hot with Ghee rice, Jeera Rice, Chappati,Roti,Pav.

Tip: If you feel the green colour in the gravy is less. Blanch some Palak leaves grind them and add it to the gravy. This would enhance the colour and taste.

Beans Paruppu Usli

French beans lentil curry... Beans Paruppu Usli one of the traditional and heavy dry curry served during Tamil marriages. This is made mostly during festivals. But, indeed a regular one at least a month at many of the Tamil Brahmin homes. You can use the dal as base and do usli in cabbage,carrot,beetroot too..
There are 2 different procedures which people follow. You can have a look on both of them here.

• 1/4 kg - French Beans
• 200 gms - Channa dal/Kadalai parupu/Gram Dal
• 4-5 - Dry red chilly / Kanja segappu mellagai /Sookhi sabuth lal mirch
• 1/2 tbs - Hing/Perunkayam/Asafatida
• 1/2 tbs - Turmeric powder
• 250 ml - Water
• 4 tbs - Refined oil
• 1 tbs - Kadugu/Mustard seeds /Sarsoon
• 2 Arc - Curry leaves/Karvepillai/Curry pathe
• Salt to taste

Method /Vidhiee:
1. Wash and soak Channa dal in water for at least 2 hours. If, you are in a hurry soak them in lukewarm water for 1 hour.
2. Along with it soak 4 dry red chilly. Keep one aside for tempering.
3. Meanwhile, wash and finely chop the french beans after removing the strands from them.
4. After 2 hours take a dal and try to break it. If, it breaks then it means the dal is soaked well.
5. Drain excess water and grind them in a blender.
6. Do not add water. Grind them coarsely and not to paste.

As i mentioned before after this step there are 2 types of processes people do.

I st type:
1. In a frying pan add oil. Once its hot add hing, mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves.
2. After the mustard splutters add the beans over it.
3. Saute them for about 2 mins.
4. Fry them till they are half done.
5. Or you can also add 5 tbs of water and boil them.
6. Now when the beans are done add the ground paste.
7. It's better you use a non-stick pan or else this method requires more oil.
8. Mix beans and ground dal thoroughly.
9. Add salt and turmeric powder to it.
10. Add at least extra 2 tbs of and keep sauteing it until the dal and beans gets together.
11. A consistency you would get when the dal gets golden brown and crisp.
12. This indicates that the curry is done and the dal is cooked.

I Ind type:
1. Grease the idlli plate or any plate and make balls of the ground dal and steam them for at least 7-8 mins.

2. You can prick the dal balls with a knife and if they come out without any dal on them then its done.
3. Semi-cool them and take them out.
4. Break the dal balls and make it as a bread crumb.
5.In a frying pan add oil. Once its hot add hing, mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves.
6. After the mustard splutters add the beans over it.
7. Saute them for about 2 mins.
8. Fry them till they fully cooked in oil.
9. Add salt and turmeric to it and saute again.
10. Now add the crumbled steamed dal over the beans.
11. Saute them till the dal turns golden brown.
12. You can add oil to make them crisp.

Baby Corn Manchurian Dry

Well i know i know it's festive season and you may be wondering as to why am i posting something which is out of sync ;) This was a long time pending recipe which had stored in my folder.. thought why not post non traditional.

Serves 4

• 10        - Baby Corn
• 2 tbs    - Maidha
• 2 tbs    - Cornflour
• 3 tbs    - Soya Sauce
• 1 tbs    - Red chilly/Green chilly Sauce
• 5 tbs    - Tomato sauce
• 1 tbs    - Red chilly flakes
• 4 pods - Garlic
• 1 inch  - Ginger
• 1         - Green chilly
• 3         - Spring onion with strands
• 2         - Big red tomatoes
• 1         - Green capsicum
• 2tbs     - Oil to saute
• Oil to deep fry
• Salt ( for both the batter and gravy)
• 200 ml - Water

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Finely chop spring onion green separately and onions separately.
2. Also finely chop off tomatoes,garlic,ginger. green chilly, green capsicum.
3. Peel off the outer husks and hair of the baby corn.
4. Take the baby corn slit them into two halves and cut them into two to three parts.
5. Grind 1 tbs of garlic,ginger and green chilly sauce in a blender to make a paste.
6. In a bowl add maidha,cornflour, paste that was ground, salt needed for the batter, 1 tbs soya sauce.
7. Add enough water to make a thick consistency batter.
8. Meanwhile, heat oil in a fry pan so as to fry the corns.
9. Dip each portion of baby corn into batter slide in one by one into the hot oil.
10. Remember do not drop in the coated baby corn before the oil gets heated up well otherwise it would get soggy and oily.
11. Fry all the baby corns after coating into the batter. Drain them and put on a tissue paper.
12. For the gravy : Add the 2 tbs of hot oil in a pan.
13. Add in the remaining garlic chopped, only onions and saute well.
14. Once the onion turns transparent add in the green chilly, capsicum and tomato.
15. Saute well and add the remaining soya sauce.
16. Add in the tomato sauce and salt.
17. Add in the greens of spring onions and saute again for a minute.
18. Pour in sufficient amount water. remember this is a dry gravy and not liquid
19. If, you have the remaining batter add 1 tbs of it into the gravy.
20. Lower the flame and stir well and add in the deep fried baby corns.
21. Coat them well in the gravy.
Garnish with green coriander.
Serve hot as a starter or as an side dish for any bread variety.

Muranga Keerai Peratral / Drumstick Leaves Curry

Muranga Keerai / Drumstick leaves are the rare spinach that people have. Down south of Indian in interior Tamilnadu state its been an ancient practice to make curries/rasam or soups out of this spinach. I used get fed by my mom saying that this one has so much of iron. After many years got to eat my mom's same spinach.. thought would share it along.. so credit goes to my lovely mom. :)

• 4 cups - Drumstick leaves/Muranga Keerai
• 1/2 cup - Grated fresh coconut
• 1tbs - Oil
• 1tbs - Mustard Seeds
• 1/2tbs - Asafetida/Perengayam
• 1tbs - Split Urad dal
• 1/2 cup - Thoor dal/ Thuvaram parupu
• 1 - Red dry chilly
• 1 arc - Curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 1cup - Water

Vidhiee/Method:
1. Separate leaves from the nodes. Clean them well as they might have small insects on them.
2. Roughly chop them.
3. Meanwhile boil the thoor dal in water. Do not mash them.
3. In a pan add oil. Once it gets heated up add mustard seeds, split urad dal,dry red chilly, hing,curry leaves. Temper them.
4. Now add the drumstick leaves and saute for 1min.
5. Add 1/4 water to it and close the lid of the pan.
6. Allow the water to evaporate.
7. Once the water evaporates add salt to it and saute for a minute.
8. At end add boiled thoor dal to it and saute well.
9. At end add coconut and mix well the keerai.

Your Muranga keerai is ready to serve.

Panneer Aaloo Sabzi Dry Curry

As i have mentioned in the blog, i do touch on basic cooking. Have come across many who look for everyday make ups at the kitchen than fancy long procedural recipes. So here goes one from the pitara/petti :))

Serves 4

• 3 - Medium sized potatoes/asloos/urlakazangu
• 1 - Big red onion
• 2 - Medium sized tomato
• 1 - Green chilly
• 150gms - Panneer/Indian cottage cheese
• 1tbs - Jeera/Cumins seeds
• 1tbs - Turmeric powder
• 1tbs - Kashmiri chilly powder
 (I play a low key on red chilly powder these. Hence, substituted the kashmiri chilly powder instead of the normal red chilly powder. Choice is yours)

1/2tbs - Roasted Jeera powder

1tbs  - Garam Masala

2cups - Water

2tbs - Oil

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Wash thoroughly and peel the outer skin of potatoes. Dice them into cubes.

2. Put them into 1/2 cup of water

3. Meanwhile, chop off the onions, tomatoes and green chilly finely.

4. In a pan add oil heat it. To it add jeera/cumin splutter them. Do not turn them black.

5. Immediately add chopped onions, green chilly. Saute them for 1 min till onions turn transparent.

6. Add tomatoes to it and saute again.

7. Now drain water and add the potatoes that were diced.

8. Add on the turmeric powder,kashmiri chilly powder,jeera powder.

9. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of water.

10. Close the pan with a lid and leave it till the water evaporates.

11. Stir occasionally. 

12. Once the water evaporates add salt, garam masala powder.

13. Mix them well and coat well onto the potatoes.

14. Make dices of the panneer after draining excess water.

15. Add them to the sabzi mixture.

16. Now do not rough handle the sabzi.

17. Gently mix the panneer with aaloo mixture.

18. Sprinkle some water and close the lid of the pan and keep it for 2 mins.

19. Give gentle sitr at least 4 times in these 2 mins.

20. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice, chapatti,rotis, Nan,breads.

Tip: You can add on dry kasoori methi/fenugreek leaves for different aroma.

Vazzaipoo Thengai Pulippu Peratal

Vazzaipoo or Banana Flower as mentioned before in few of my recipes has so much of medicinal properties. It is a real good additive to a women's nutrition chart. Pealing them of and cleaning them might be a time consuming task but, the end result is a nutritious one. The dish which am going to open up is a quick, tasty, minimal spices. Can be eaten along with rice, any form of bread or instead can be eaten as such.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
Vazzaipoo/Banana flower - 1 medium
Coconut grated/Thengai thiruval - 3tbs
Mustard - 1tbs
Asafatida -1
Green chilly -1
Curry leaves - 1 arc
Lemon - small
Salt - 1 tbs
Water - 100ml
Oil - 1tbs
Water to soak - 250ml

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Rub hands with any oil to avoid grease of flower sticking your hand.
    Peel of the outer layer of banana flower pluck the long stretching flowers.
2. Put them in water or if you have buttermilk put them in. This is to avoid oxidation.
3. Take each flower pluck of the bulb structured string inside each flower and throw off. You may find one or two max.
4. Next you can find a transparent small feather like sheet down each flower. Pluck it  and throw it.
5. After doing the same process for each flower. Chop finely and put them back inside water.
6. Chop off green chillies and cut open the lemon into 2.
7. In a pan add asafatida, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies.
8. Saute them well. Now add the finely chopped Vazzaipoo or banana flower after squeezing of water.
9. Saute them well add water. Boil the chopped flower till it turns soft.
10. Let the water evaporate completely.
11. Add salt and mix well.
12. Add coconut over the vazzaipoo mix well.
13. Make sure water is completely evaporated. Squeeze the lemon.

Mix well and serve hot!!