IRRESISTIBLE CARROT MASAL STIR FRY

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Serves: 2 

Ingredients:

Carrots 8nos 

Peanut oil one tablespoon

Mustard seeds one spoon

Saunf powder one spoon

Karam masal powder one spoon

Turmeric powder one spoon

Red chilly powder one spoon

Green chilly one or two

Curry leaves 10 nos

Cilantro leaves optional half cup

Bellary onion pieces one tablespoon

Ginger grates one spoon

Garlic grates one spoon

Salt to taste

Lemon half

Procedure:

Wash the carrots and peel off.

Trim both the edges.

Chop them into discs.

Heat the oil over a medium flame.

Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Add onion, curry leaves and green chilly.

Saute them until the onion turns transparent.

Add saunf powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and karam masal powder.

Add ginger and garlic gratings. Saute them over a low flame until the fine aroma emanates.

Transfer the carrot discs to the pan.

Saute them so as to stick all the ingredients over the discs.

Sprinkle salt and add required water.

Allow cooking for 6 minutes over low flame until the entire water exhausts.

Squeeze lemon over the carrot discs.

Add cilantro leaves. 

Remove from flame and transfer the cooked carrot discs to the serving bowl.

Serve hot or warm with any meal!

CHAYOTE GRAVY/CHOWCHOW CURRY KUZHAMBU

A Short introduction of chayote:

Chayote, being a low-calorie and fiber rich vegetable, it is highly recommended as the vegetable which supports cholesterol controlling and weight reduction in diet programs.

They are the excellent source of vitamin C, Vitamin B complex and folates. It is a good source of potassium and contains an adequate source of manganese and copper.

How to make Chayote gravy/chowchow curry kuzhambu for hot steamed rice/chappatis?

Preparation Time 15 minutes
Serves For four
Cooking time 10minutes
Cuisine : South Indian

Ingredients: 

Chayote one medium size

Shallots or bellary onion half

Curry leaves 10 nos

Mustard seeds one tsp

Saunf one tsp

Cinnamon sticks four

Cloves four

Star anise one

Bay leaf one

Red chilly powder one tsp

Turmeric one tsp

Curry masal powder one tablespoon

Ginger and garlic gratings one tablespoon

Tomato one

Sesame oil half cup

To grind:

coconut gratings two cups

Bengal gram one tablespoon

Coriander powder one tablespoon

Water one cup

ginger and garlic gratings one tablespoon

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Grind above contents with required water to a fine paste.

Peel off the chayote and chop into cubes.

Every ingredient above mentioned should be kept ready on the cooktop. 

Heat the pressure pan with sesame oil over a medium flame.

Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Once it starts to crackle, add onion, curry leaves, ginger and garlic gratings, turmeric, Masal powder, Red chilly powder, Saunf powder, Cloves, Cinnamon, Stara anise.

Switch off the flame to avoid burning.

Add tomato, chayote cubes and saute well.

Transfer the coconut paste and saute on low flame.

Once all the ingredients incorporated together, raise the flame.

Add salt.

Adjust the consistency by adding two cups of water.and salt to taste.

Allow boiling for seven minutes.

Check the gravy reaches the thick consistency.

Add coriander leaves chopped to enrich the taste of the gravy.

Chayote curry kuzhambu is ready to have with hot steamed rice.

GARLIC RASAM/POONDU RASAM

A Special South Indian Rasa m imbibing the aroma of garlic, that is consumed for digestive disorders as well as good for healthy living. The unique flavor of the Garlic pulses is the Main theme of this Rasam.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4 members

Ingredients:

Cooked Toor dal with water two cups (pressure cooked dal with half spoon of turmeric and castor oil 2 drops allowing three whistles)
Tamarind goose berry size
Garlic pulses 7 nos(Malai poondu variety)
Sesame oil one tablespoon
Roasted cumin seeds one spoon
Pepper powder one spoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Asafoetida one pinch
Curry leaves 14 nos
Red chilly one
Coriander leaves chopped (optional)
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak Tamarind  (goose berry size) in one cup of water for15 minutes

Pressure cook Toor dal with water, turmeric one spoon and two drops of castor oil for three whistles. 
Set aside.
Boil two cups of water and put one red tomato and allow boiling until the tomato cooked.
Take the Tomato and add with tamarind that is soaked in water.
Mash tamarind and tomato and get the extract from it.

Peel off the garlic and grate them into tiny pieces.
Heat the oil in a pan over the medium flame.
Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Once it starts to crackle, Add red chilly split and curry leaves.
Switch off the flame to avoid burning.
Raise the flame and saute the garlic gratings for a minute.
Now add the tamarind tomato extract.

Add asafoetida, cumin powder, and pepper powder.
Add salt and one piece of jaggery.
Allow boiling for five minutes and finally add toor dal extract and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Allow boiling for a second and remove from the flame.

Garlic Rasam is ready to have with hot steamed rice.

COWPEAS BEANS PULIKUZHAMBU/KARAMANI PULIKUZHAMBU/THATTAIPYIRU KUZHAMBU

This is a typical south Indian curry loved by everyone in Tamilnadu. It goes well with hot steamed rice topped with one spoon of Sesame oil.

How to make this highly nutritional Thattaipayiru kuzhambu?

Ingredients:

Cowpea beans/Balck eyed beans/Karamani Payiru/Thattai payiru one cup

Tamarind one gooseberry size

Shallots six

Curry leaves 10nos

Mustard seeds one tsp

Turmeric one tsp

Sambar powder one tsp

Coriander powder one tsp

Fenugreek powder half tsp

Asafoetida one pinch

Water as required

Red chilly powder one tsp

Sesame oil one tablespoon

Peanut oil one tablespoon

Tomato optional

Jaggery one piece

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the cow peas for two hours.

Wash the cow peas and pressure cook for three whistles.

Heat the pan with peanut oil over a medium flame.

Add mustard seeds to pop up.

Once the mustard seeds start to crackle, add shallots and curry leaves.

Saute for a minute until the shallots turn transparent.

Add asafoetida, fenugreek powder, sambar powder, turmeric, red chilly powder and coriander powder.

Saute for a while over a medium flame.

Add tamarind extract.

Add salt and jaggery.

Allow boiling for a few minutes until the gravy texture reached.

Add cooked cowpea beans and allow boiling for a while.

Add coriander leaves (optional)

Pour one tablespoon of sesame oil over the gravy and serve hot with hot steamed rice.

The combination of this cowpea beans gravy makes the hot steamed rice, a delicious meal.

VENDAI CURRY KUZHAMBU

Lady's finger curry kuzhambu is a family favourite for every Kongu folks. 


Ingredients:

Okra or lady's finger veggie 250 gms.
Coconut gratings half cup
Bengal gram one tablespoon
Garlic pod one 
Red chilly powder one spoon
Turmeric powder one spoon
Coriander powder one tablespoon
Curry leaves six nos
Pearl onion or bellary onion (optional)
Sesame oil one tablespoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Cinnoman sticks two nos
Cloves three
Brinji leaf one
Cumin powder one spoon
Pepper powder one spoon
Red chilly one
Tomato large one
Star anise two

Procedure:

Rinse the okra/lady's finger well and wipe them with a towel.
Chop them into finger shaped.
Chop the tomato.
Blend the coriander powder, turmeric powder, fried onion, coconut gratings, garlic. Bengal gram and required water, fennel seeds powder, poppy seeds one spoon into a fine paste.
Heat the frying pan with oil over a medium flame.
Saute the ladyfinger pieces until they turn shrunken.
Heat another pan with one tablespoon of oil and add mustard eds.
Once they start to crackle, add onion, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, brinji leaf and turmeric.
Add red chilly powder and turmeric.
Transfer the paste we blended and allow frying in the oil for a while.
Then add tomato and saute them again.
Transfer the okra or lady's finger and allow boiling.
Add water as required
Add salt as required.et the contents are boiled for five minted until the consistency of gravy texture reached.
Check the salt.

Remove from the flame and transfer the gravy to a serving bowl.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

😊😍

THATTAI PAYIRU KUHAMBU/KARAMANI KUZHAMBU/COW PEAS KUZHAMBU

This kuzhambu is a must once in a week in every home of kongu folks.

It tastes yummy when paired with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients :

Cow peas one cup
Turmeric one spoon
Asafoetida one pinch
Tamarind extract one cup
Sesame oil one tablespoon
Pearl onion 10 nos
Red chillies  two
Curry leaves 10 nos
Fenugreek powder half a spoon
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds one spoon
Tomato one
Coriander powder one spoon

Procedure:

Wash the cow peas and pressure cook up to five whistles.
Simmer for five minutes.
Set aside to release the entire pressure.
Heat the pan with oil.
Add mustard seeds to splutter.
Add shallots, curry leaves,  red chillies.
Saute for a minute over a medium flame.
Add tamarind extract, one tomato. Asafoetida, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Allow boiling.
Once it gets thickened, add the cooked cow peas contents. Mix well and allow to boil for few minutes. Remove from the fire.

PIRANDAI THUVAYAL

Adamant creeper/Devil's back-bone is called as Pirandai in Tamil and Hadjot in Hindi. Its scientific name is  Cissus quadrangularis belonging to the family Vitaceae. It is grown abundantly in the fences of village gardens and it can be grown in pots of the kitchen garden fora  frequent use because it is not available in the city market.

JUST COLLECT THE PIRANDAI NODES FROM ANY NEARBY VILLAGES AND GROW IN A POT. YOU WILL HAVE A FRESH SUPPLY OF THIS HERB, WHENEVER YOU NEED.

It has miraculous medicinal benefits. It is called as the herbal bone setter. It treats indigestion, lack of appetite and gastritis. It helps to treat the fractures and sprains. It is used for treating piles, menstrual cramps and related disorders and is also the best home remedy for ear pain. It is used externally and internally by adding some spices.

 First, you should be aware that  pirandai is of itchy nature. But it can be handled with sesame oil to get rid of itchiness. 

Smear your hands with a bit of sesame oil before handling pirandai. Choose tender pirandai always to use for food. There are multiple ways to consume this pirandai, to attain its medicinal benefits.

Pirandai thuvayal or chutney is popular in our villages. we used to consume pirandai chutney weekly once and it is one of the simplest recipes.

Poultice made of pirandai is used widely for treating sprains in my native place. Our great grand parents were aware that prevention is better than cure. They advised us if we include the medicinal greens and pirandai weekly once or twice in our regular diet, we can lead a healthy life. They practically experienced the method of making the dishes delicious by using the medicinal herbs like pirandai etc and introduced about the wonders of the herbs, so that  their beloved will consume them as food and enjoy the life healthily.

I follow the same method of our elders to the best of my knowledge and dedicate this medicinal and chutney recipe to our respected ancestors.

Hope you will be benefited with this pirandai chutney in your regular diet.

  

Ingredients:

Pirandai one bundle

Coconut grates three tablespoons

Fried Bengal gram two tablespoons ( try the fried Bengal gram to enhance the taste, I always use for thuvayal and chutney)

garlic pod two

peeled shallots one tablespoon

Red chillies three

jaggery a marble size

Tamarind one marble size

Asafoetida half pinch

Salt required

Procedure:

Rinse the pirandai stems and remove the angular ridges and nodes using a peeler.

Cut the stem into small pieces.

Heat the pan with sesame oil.

Saute the pirandai pieces until the colour changes into pale and shrink.

Set aside.

Saute all the ingredients in the same.

Set aside.

Blend all the cooled ingredients with a half cup of water into a coarse paste.

Pirandai chutney or thuvaiyal is ready to taste with hot steamed rice topped with  a spoon of cow ghee.

Eat the meals that heal..! Stay fit...
:-)