KEERAI PULI KOZHAMBOO (SPINACH TAMARIND GRAVY)

This dish is one of the very traditional dish of Tamilnadu. It's one kind of village recipe which is common in tamil households. Contains full fibre, iron, vitamins. Flavour full :)

Ingredients:
Keerai / Spinach - 1 bunch
Tamarind - 25 gms
Lentils / thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Asefetida - 1 tsp
Methi seeds / Fenugreek - 5
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Sambhar powder - 1tsp
Salt - To taste
Green chillies- 2
Curry leaves - 2 strings
Refined oil - 2tbs
Water - 3 cups

Method / Vidhie :
1. Take the spinach bunch (In tamilnadu various kinds of spinach is grown) for this the spinach called MOLAI kerai is used. If you dont get this you may use any kind of spinach.
2.Cut the roots of and wash the leaves with stem well without any mud in it.
3. Now finely chop the spinach.
4. Slit the green chillies and deseed them.
5. Soak the tamarind in water to get a thick pulp. If you have ready made pulp use 3 tbs in water.
6. In a heavy bottom pan / pressure cooker put oil.
7. To it add spinach and the lentils. Stir well.
8. Add turmeric powder, salt, sambhar powder (if not there its ok).
9.Stir well and add tamarind water. Cook well till the lentils and spinach mix well.
10.Add more water if required.
11.In pressure cooker it takes 3-4 whistles
12. When its done keep in low flame and mash them well add water to liquefy them and boil it again.
13. In another small pan oil gets heated up add the mustard , fenugreek seeds, asefetida, curry leaves,
green chillies and saute them.
14.Add the above to the spinach.

Serve hot with white boiled rice. It's tasty even more when kept for 6-7 hrs outside.

RED PUMPKIN THERATIPAL

Ingredients:

Red pumpkin - 1/2 the ball
Jaggery - 250 gms
Milk - 1 glass
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - 100 gms
Heavy Bottom non stick pan

Method / Vidhie :
1. Remove the skin of the pumpkin and grate the inner part into very thin strings.
2. In a heavy bottom pan add 2 tsp ghee and melt well.
3. To it add the pumpkin after squeezing excess water.
4. One the water totally vanishes add jaggery to it and melt well.
5. Once the jaggery mixes well with pumpkin add milk and mix well.
6. Keep stirring well till it turns brown but not solified.
7. You can see the milk bursting and forming milk lumps.
8. Now add still more ghee and keep mixing.
9. Add Cardamom powder. Once the mixture starts leaving the pan it means its done.
10. Fry cashews and dry grapes / kismis in ghee and pout the same to mixture.
10.Pour into a bowl to it to cool.

Your yummy grand ma's  red pumpkin theratipal is ready to eat.

You can serve it hot/cold.

MANGAI THOOKU (RAW MANGO GRATED PICKLE )

The below is for making 1/2kg thooku.
Ingredients:
Raw mangoes - 3 big
Ginger - 3 inches
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 4-5 strings
Red chillies - 3
Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Sesame oil - 1/4 ltr
Red chilli powder - 3-4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 small pc
Asefetida - 3 tsp
Rock Salt - 2-3 tsp
Heavy bottom vessel / non stick pan.

Method / Vidhie:
1. Grate mangoes in a grater to get thin strings.
2. Peel of the skin of ginger and grate them too.
3. Coarsely chop the green chillies.
4. In a pan dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Once they cool make a powder.
4. In a pan add the sesame oil and heat well.
5. Once the oil gets heated up add mustard splutter them well.
6. Add curry leaves, asefetida, red chillies, green chillies and fry for 30 secs.
7.Now add the grated mango and ginger to it slowly.
8. Keep stirring and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook well.
9. Now add for 2-3 spoons. If u don't have rock salt add normal powder salt.
10. Keep Stirring well till the oil leaves the mixer.
11. Now add the fenugreek powder and mix well for 2 mins.
12. Once its done and a good aroma fills the house cool it down in a bowl.

13. After it cools down pour in a air tight container. Be carefull that it is moisture free.

This pickle of 1/2kg costs more than hundred rupees in Indian market.
Whereas, now you have the recipe which saves cost, hygienically done at home, can be kept at least for 2-3 months.Every fifteen days take out the mixture and saute in a pan, cool it and store again.
This makes the shelf life of pickle more.

PUDINA (MINT) GUN POWDER

Ingredients:
Pudina / Mint leaves - 1 whole bunch
Channa Dall / Gram Dhal - 2 cups
Urad Dall - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 6-7 (depending upon how much hot u require)

Asefetida -1/4 tsp

Method / Vidhie:

1. Wash completely the Pudina / Mint leaves to take out mud & other dust from it.

2. Pluck the leaves from each stem and keep aside.
3. Dry these leaves under sun. If you do not get direct sunlight dry them under fan.
4. Make sure the leaves turn a bit brown and not a single amount of water is present.
5. It is advisable to wash and dry the leaves atleast three days before you make the powder.
6. Heat a pan. On to it add channa dall, urad dall and dry roast till they turn light brown in colour.
7. Do not over heat them so that they turn into black colour.
8. Now dry roast the red chillies which the stem on it.
9. Pluck the stem once u have roasted them.
10. Add asefetida and salt separately and roast them in the pan after turning off the heat.
11. Add the pudina / mint leaves to the pan and just saute them in the heat that is present in the pan.

12. In a mixer add the dalls, chillies, asfetida, salt, pudina and grind them.

13. Grind them till they become a good soft powder.
14. Take the powder from the mixer put them on to a plate and cool them down.
15. Store them in an air tight container. You can keep the container even in deep freezer.

16. Keeping the container outside also stays for 1 month.

Keep hot white rice. On it add sesame oil or ghee and mix well.
Add the Pudina / Mint gun powder mix well and its ready to eat.

Few interesting facts:
Pudina has a unique medicinal quality to make the stomach ache vanish.
Its aroma brings a unique sense of freshness even after it is dried.
This gun powder is originated from southern part of India and it is eaten before the sambhar /rasam.
It can also be taken as a condiment by mixing sesame oil / ghee for puffed idllies & dosas.
Enjoy being a foodie.