Monday 25 April 2016

MODAKKATHAN KEERAI + PARUPPU KOOTU

Modakathan keerai is a perennial climber growing in river beds, village areas, fences. Its name in English is Baloon wine. Its name is Indiravalli in Sanskrit. 
It is famous for treating arthritis in Siddha medicinal space. It has a lot of medicinal values and used widely in  Tamilnadu for culinary purposes. Nowadays the usage of modakkathan keerai in kongu kitchen monthly thrice is considerably increased due to the awareness and health consciousness of the people.

Modaaakkathan keerai is a great support to the body to fight against the cold and cough. It is a very safe and secured greens that can be given to kids. It treats cold and cough amazingly. It gives great relief to the muscle spasm, nervous disorders, skin problems like eczema.

It removes dandruff and promotes the healthy hair. It has so many medicinal qualities that are highly appreciated by the people. It can be useful internally and externally.

People start growing this vine in their home gardens and pots by knowing the importance of this greens. We can consume this greens by cooking with toor dal, or making chutney for rice, idlies, dosai
soup or in variable versions. But the consumption of greens monthly thrice is having the best effects in our health. It is good not only for adults but also anybody can consume this greens without age bar. 

Today I prepared Modakathan keerai with Toor dal for morning breakfast. I am very happy to share with you the recipe because of its super taste.



I always use Mysore dal instead of Toor dal. The taste of dal is good and fast cooking one.
easily digestible. When combine with any greens, its taste is enhanced.

Let us check the method of cooking Modakkathan keerai paruppu kootu..... 
















Ingredients:

Modakathan keerai leaves two cups
Cooked dal two cups
Shallots peeled off and chopped half cup
Green chillies three 
Cooking oil (groundnut oil)
Cumin seeds one spoon
Turmeric one spoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Curry leaves one sprig
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

Chop the modakkathan keerai.
Heat the wok with cooking oil over a medium flame.
Add mustard seeds to splutter.
Add shallots, green chillies, curry leaves and saute for a while until the shallots get transparent.
Add turmeric.
Add the leaves and saute well until the leaves turn shrinkened.
Then Pour the cooked dal with water.
Add salt.
Allow to boil till the leaves cooked. Note: The cooking time of modakkathan keerai is very fast.
It can be cooked for a couple minutes. 
Check the taste of salt. 
Rub the cumin seeds and add with the boiling greens in dal mixture.

Note: Don't cook too much of time else,the green color of the leaves will be lost

Switch off the flame. Serve hot with hot rice and one spoon of ghee(optional). 

Sure, You will admire its super taste.

CABBAGE RICE/KOSE SAATHAM

Cabbage Rice is one of the easy travel packs or lunch food for kids. It goes very well with any side dish such as pickles, curd, chips or thuvaiyals and so on whatever you like to have.


How to make cabbage fried rice?

Ingredients:

Cabbage shredded one cup
Green chillies three or four cut into four longitudinal lobes.
Shallots peeled off and cut into halves half cup
Curry leaves one sprig
Coriander leaves finely chopped half cup
Salt to taste
Cooking oil (Ground nut oil I always used) one tablespoon
one spoon of gingelly oil.
Pressure cooked rice two cups.
Turmeric half spoon
Cumin seeds one spoon rubbed in palm
Shredded ginger one spoon
Urad  split dal one spoon


Procedure:

Pressure cook the boiled rice.
Heat the wok with cooking oil and add mustard seeds.
Let the flame is in medium level.
Wait for a while until the mustards crackle.
Add shallots, curry leaves and green chillies.
Add urad dal and saute for a couple of minutes in a medium flame.
Add half a spoon of turmeric.
Transfer the washed and shredded cabbage and salt.
Stir well to fry evenly.
Cover with a lid and allow to cook for a minute in low flame.
Remove the lid and stir again for a minute.
Transfer the pressure cooked rice into the wok and stir well to incorporate all the ingredients in a low flame.
Add rubbed cumin seeds and coriander leaves.
Mix well to get light yellow cabbage fried rice.

Serve hot with lemon pickles and curd. You can serve with any side dish. It will go with any side dish, you opt.

Sure, you will have a  great pleasure to have.












DELICIOUS PAPAYA SMOOTHEE

Papaya fruit is packed with rich vitamin A. Deliciously sweet with appealing orange tones, it is no wonder that  the papaya fruit is popularly named as the fruit of angels. (by CHRISTOBER COLUMBUS).
The fruits are available in the markets, fruit stalls, departmental stores throughout the year.

Nutritional profile of Papaya fruit:

They are rich in antioxidant nutrients i.e. flavanoids and carotenes, vitamin A, B, C,K,  folate, the minerals such as copper, potassium, magnesium and dietary fibers. These nutrients promote the health of cardiovascular system. They protect the body from colon cancer,

It helps and improve anti-inflammatory effects and build up the immune system. They give protection from Rheumatism and Arthritis and prostate cancer.

 I think that this is enough to introduce the Papaya fruit.

Now we are going to make Delicious papaya smoothee.










Ingredients:

Papaya fruit pulp cubes one cup
Cow milk one glass
Sugar one  tablespoon.
Cardamom two pods.
Ice cubes three

Procedure:

Peel off the papaya and remove the seeds.
Cut the fruit pulp into cubes.
Bring to blend with sugar and cardamom and little milk.




Add half a glass again and blend.
Pour the mixture in a glass.
Add more milk to fill the glass.
Mix with the help of a spoon.
Add ice cubes.

Serve chill. 
Wonderful taste.
Mind blowing flavor..!
Healthy and nutritional smoothee, you will enjoy..!
Guests will admire its super taste and its appealing orange tone color.
Children and adults will go crazy to drink more and more.




Friday 22 April 2016

BRINJAL STIR FRY

This is a yummy side dish to any fried rice and lunch. 

Ingredients:

Baby brinjals cut (longitudinally) 15 nos
Sesame oil one tablespoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Curry leaves one sprig
Bellary onion one finely chopped
Kashmiri chilly powder one spoon
Asafoetida a generous pinch
Sambar powder half spoon
Turmeric one spoon
Coriander leaves chopped half cup (Optional)
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Wash and cut the brinjals longitudinally and put them in water to avoid the change of colour.
Heat the wok with sesame oil.
Add mustard seeds.
Let them be spluttered.
Add onions, curry leaves, turmeric powder.
Add the brinjals and saute for a couple minutes.
Add Sambar powder and red chilly powder.
Add salt.
Sprinkle little water and cover the wok with lid.
Simmer the flame.
Wait until the brinjals get cooked.
Check the taste of salt.
Stir carefully without the burning of brinjals.
Garnish the brinjal stir fry with coriander leaves.

Serve with lime rice, curd rice or any fried rice.
It pairs well with any meals.

Do try....











Thursday 21 April 2016

MANATHAKKALI KEERAI STEW

Blacknight shade is a wonderful greens plant that grows about two meters height and its fruits are known as wonder cherry or sunberry. It spreads all around and the stem and leaves are very soft natured. In Tamil, it is known by the people as 'MANATHAKKALI KEERAI/KARUNJUKKUTTY KEERAI'. In Hindi, it is known as ' MAKOI. 

Its botanical name is 'Solanum Nigrum'.

The minerals present in black nightshade are niacin, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Vitamin C is the only mineral that is present in high quantity. 

With regard to the health benefits of Manathakkali greens, it is a healing herb. It reduces the heat of the body and prevent diseases caused by the sun heat. is is the best medicinal values for acne, eczema and psoriais
.
The fruits and leaves are the most excellent appetizers.

It treats peptic ulcers, colitis and flatulence. 

Weekly twice, it is recommended in regular meals.

Let us check the method of making Manathakkali keerai stew:















INGREDIENTS:

Manathakkali keerai/Blacknight shade greens  three cups finely chopped
Bellary onions finely chopped one spoon
Garlic pods three
Cumin seeds one spoon
Pepper coarse powder one spoon
Salt to taste
Sesame oil one spoon
Tomato thin slices (One)
Cooked dal mashed and diluted with water three cups

PROCEDURE;

Heat the wok with sesame oil over a medium flame.
Add cumin seeds to fry.
Add onions, tomato dices and saute until the tomato be cooked.
Followed by the greens and saute again.
Add Salt and the dal water.
Let the greens get cooked in Dal water.
Adjust the consistency with addition of water if needed.
Wait for a couple of minutes.
Add shredded garlic and pepper powder.

Now the healthy stew is ready. Serve hot.

So simple.. traditional...easy..highly nutritional and medicinal and healthy stew/soup from your kongutraditionalrecipes..

RAGI AVAL UPMA


Finger millet, is rich in calcium and iron. It has  considerable fiber contents. There are various versions in our kitchen. Out of them, Ragi aval upma is an easy one and super tasteful. Even though the Ragi aval upma is not much appealing, its nutrient quotient is high.

How to cook Ragi aval upma?





Ingredients:

Finger millet aval 200 gms ( available in departmental stores and any grocery stores)
Hot water one cup
Salt to taste
Half spoon of sesame oil
Cooking oil one tablespoon
Bellary onion one chopped 
Curry leaves one sprig
Green chillies three
Mustard seeds one spoon
Moong dal one spoon
Shredded ginger one spoon

Procedure:

Bring to boil one cup of water with salt and sesame oil.
Pour the boiled water into the finger millet aval.
Mix well. set aside.
Heat the wok with cooking oil.
Add mustard seeds. 
Let the seeds be spluttered.
Add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and shredded ginger.
Saute until the onions turn translucent.
Immediately transfer the finger millet aval into the tempering wok.
Saute well to incorporate all the ingredients together.
Switch off the flame.
Garnish cilantro leaves (Optional)

Serve hot with coarse jaggery powder. It goes very well with this spicy upma.
You can enjoy with a spoon of cow ghee. ( for ghee lovers like me)












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