Spicy Brinjal Curry

As I already mentioned about my brinjal plant here, now with a few pictures of the plant n the produce, let's move on to the spicy brinjal fry recipe.

So, this is my Brinjal plant, which had a beautiful start and having a bumpy ride ever since. Some insects attacked the plant all of a sudden! Fortunately I noticed it in right time, so the plant survived and I got a few eggplants. :) 

Ingredients

Egg plants-3 

Onion-1

Garlic-2cloves

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon

Oil

Salt

To grind

Fennel seeds-1/2teaspoon

Peppercorns-3

Coriander seeds-1teaspoon

Bay leaf-1

Clove-1

Red chillies-3

Coconut-2tablespoons

Method

Wash and cube the eggplants, keep them submerged in water till use. 

Heat oil in a kadai, make the tempering with mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.

Now add the chopped garlic and onion, fry till the onion becomes transparent.

Add the cubed brinjals along with salt and turmeric powder. Toss it well, close the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes. 

Keep stirring in between and take care the veggie is not getting burnt. 

Meanwhile, grind the items into a coarse powder(without adding any water)

By now the brinjals would have been 3/4th done.

Add the spice powder, and continue cooking on low heat for 3-4 minutes. 

Once the raw smell of the masala has gone and its nicely coated with the brinjals, put off the flame. 

Spicy and delicious brinjal curry is ready to serve.

We had it as  a side dish for rice, it tasted great with plain rice as well as sambar rice-rasam rice and curd rice. I hope it will be a perfect side dish for roti's as well! :)

Oats Sambar Sadham/Oats cooked with veggies and dal

Tried making sambar sadham, but instead of rice I used rolled oats. It tasted great. If you are a fan of South Indian Sambar Sadham ,then this is a must try  healthy and delicious recipe. This is a Tamilnadu style sambar sadham, slightly different from Karnataka Bisi Bele Bath, if you want that recipe, click here.
Ingredients
Thoor dal/Thuvaram paruppu-1/4cup
Rolled oats-1cup
Your choice of veggies-1cup
Tamarind juice-1/4cup
Shallots/Sambar onion-8
Red chilly-1
Tomato-2
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Gingelly oil-1tablespoon
Ghee-2teaspoons(optional)
Salt

To roast and grind
Oil-1teaspoon
Channa dal-11/2 teaspoon
Red chillies-3 (adjust to ur taste)
Coriander seeds-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Grated coconut-2tablespoons
Hing/Asafoetida-1/4teaspoon

Method
Pressure cook 1/4cup of dal with a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil.
Cube the veggies. [I have used a carrot, few beans, frozen green peas, frozen jackfruit seeds, and yellow squash]
Add the veggies with the cooked dal, add the tamarind juice, enough salt and the rolled oats.
Add about 2 cups of water, close the pressure cooker and cook for just 1 whistle.

Meanwhile, roast all the items given under "to roast and grind". Let it cool completely, then grind it into coarse powder.

Heat nallennai/gingelly oil in a separate pan,  add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add the broken red chilly, chopped shallots and fry for a few minutes.
Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they become soft.
Add the turmeric powder, masala powder, and about 1/4cup of water. Let it boil nicely until the masala smell has gone.

Open the pressure cooker, add in the onion-tomato-masala into the cooker, mix it well.
Reduce the heat to low, cook for 5 more minutes.
Delicious and aromatic oats sambar sadham is ready to serve. You can add little ghee while serving. Serve hot with your choice of vadaam/chips or varuval.
Recipe Inspiration: Here

Healthy Channa Salad

Ingredients
Black channa/Karuppu kondai kadalai-1/2cup [Soak it over night and cook it with enough salt]
Chopped red onion-1tablespoon
Chopped tomato-1tablespoon
Chopped green chilly-1
Chopped cilantro-2teaspoons
Lemon juice-1 or 2 teaspoons
Olive oil-1/2teaspoon
Salt-a generous pinch

Method
Take all the ingredients in a bowl.

Toss them well and serve immediately.

Healthy and delicious filling snack!
~~~

Linking this post to "Dish it out-Onions and Chillies" event hosted at Krithi's kitchen, and started by "Cooks Joy"

Punjabi Kadi Pakodi/Pakoda Mor Kuzhambu

Ingredients for Pakaodi/Pakoda
Besan/Kadalai mavu-1/2cup
Onion-1
Green chilly-1
Boiled and chopped potato(small)-1
Chilly powder-1/2teaspoon
Crushed coriander seeds-1teaspoon
Chopped cilantro-2tablespoons
Salt
Oil - to deep fry
For the Kadi/Mor kuzhambu
Thick sour curd-1/2 cup to 3/4cup
Besan/Kadalai mavu-11/2tablespoons
Chilly powder-11/2teaspoon
Coriander powder-11/2teaspoon
Garam masala-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Sugar-1teaspoon
CIlantro - to garnish
Salt
To temper
Methi seeds- 7
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Red chilly-1
Few curry leaves
Oil
Final tempering(optional)
Ghee-1teaspoon
Chilly powder-1/4teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Method
1.Combine the besan/Kadalai mavu, chopped onion, g.chilly, chopped cilantro, crushed coriander seeds, chilly powder, salt in a bowl. Add water little by little and make it as a thick batter as we do for pakodas.
2.Heat enough oil to deep fry. Drop a spoon full of batter into the oil carefully and fry the pakodi's until they turn nice golden color.
3.Drain them in a paper towel and keep it aside.

4.In a separate bowl take besan, chilly-coriander-garam masala-turmeric powders, sugar and salt. Add little water  and make it as a paste.
5.Mean while blend the thick curd with a cup of water [I whipped the curd and water in a mixie jar, which made the work faster and easier].  Add the beaten curd to the besan paste and mix it without lumps with the help of a whisk.
6.Heat some oil  in a pan, and add the mustard seeds, let them pop-up. Now add in the methi, red chilly and curry leaves. Let them splutter.

7.Add the curd and bring the content to a nice rolling boil.
8.Reduce the heat to low and add the deep fried pakodi's, let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
9.Garnish with chopped cilantro and put off the flame.

10.Heat little ghee in a small tempering pan, make the tempering with cumin seeds, curry leaves and chilly powder. Pour it over the kadi pakodi just before serving.

Delicious kadi pakodi is ready to serve. It goes well with roti and pulkha. Tastes grate with steaming hot rice too! 

Tangy Okra Curry/Vendaikkai Puli Curry

Ingredients

Ladies finger/Okra/Vendaikkai-15

Onion(big)-1

Green chilly-1

Tomato-2

Thick tamarind juice-1/4cup

Chilli powder-2 teaspoons

Oil-2tablespoons

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon 

Urad dal-1/2teaspoon

Channa dal-1/2teaspoon

Sugar-1teaspoon

Salt

Method

1.Wash and pat dry the okras. 

2.Trim the edges and chop them into small pieces. [Keep a tissue and wipe the knife after cutting each okra, this reduces the slimness of the okra while cooking]

3. Heat a tablespoon of oil and add the mustard seeds, let them pop. 

Then add the urad and channa dal, fry till they turn golden brown. 

Now add the okra, and continue cooking on medium low heat till the okra's are half cooked. say 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Chop the onion, green chilly and tomato. 

 

5. Add in the onion-green chilly-tomato-chilly powder-turmeric powder and salt to the okra. Sauté till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
6. Now add the tamarind extract. Let it boil nicely.
7. Cook the okra curry till the tamarind water dries out. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning.
Finally add in the sugar and another tablespoon of oil, sauté the curry for few more minutes. 

8. Add in the grated coconut, mix everything well and put off the flame. [ adding coconut is optional. If you wanna keep the curry for few days, then take the required amount separately and add coconut to the immediate use.]

This curry[without coconut] keeps well for 2-3 days in room temperature and you can keep it up to a week or 10 days in refrigerator, always use dry spoons to serve the curry from fridge. It goes well with hot steamed rice, variety rices as well as roti. 

Creamy Agar-agar pudding with Coconut & Half and Half Milk

Ingredients
Agar-agar Strands-12 (~~12grams)
Water-1/2cup
Sugar-1/2cup
Coconut milk powder-21/2tablespoons
Half & Half milk -1/2cup
Food color-few drops (optional)

Method
Cut the agar-agar into small pieces and soak them in half cup of water for 2-3 hours. ( or you can soak it overnight as I do).

Take the soaked agar-agar with the soaked water in a pan and start heating it.

Agar-agar will dissolve in water completely after 5-6 minutes on low heat.
Once the agar agar melts completely, add in the sugar and let it dissolve.

 Meanwhile, combine coconut milk powder, food color with half & half milk without any lumps.

Now reduce the heat, add the half & half, coconut milk mixture.
Heat it for couple of minutes, and switch off the flame.
Strain the mixture in a bowl. Pour it into desired shape containers and let it cool completely.

 Refrigerate it for couple of hours, creamy and delicious pudding is ready.

Take them out from the fridge, loosen the edges of the moulds using a small knife, squeeze the pudding out onto a tray and enjoy! :)

Note
Make sure that the agar-agar dissolves completely before adding it with any other taste enhancers.

Instead of using ice cube trays, you can use your choice of trays/bowl, let the pudding set & cut it into desired shapes.

Thavalai vadai / Rice and Dals Fritters

Ingredients

To soak 

Raw rice-1/4cup

Boiled rice-1/4cup

Thoor dal-1/4 cup

Channa dal-1/4 cup

Urad dal-1/4 cup

To grind initially

Red chillies-3

Green chillies-2

Hing/Asafoetida-1/4teaspoon

Salt

To temper

Coconut oil-1tabelespoon

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1teaspoon

To add in the batter  

Few curry leaves

Chopped ginger-1/2teaspoon

Coconut bits-2 tablespoon

Chopped green chilly-1

Soaked split moong dal-1/8cup

Oil to deep fry

Method

Wash and soak the rices together for 2 hours.

Wash and soak thoor dal and channa dal together for 2 hours.

Wash and soak urad dal separately for 2 hours.

Wash and soak split moong dal separately for 2 hours.

Take the red chilies, green chillies, hing and salt in a mixer or food processor and grind it coarsely.

Then add soaked rice (without water), grind it coarsely.

Add the soaked thoor dal-channa dal, grind everything to a coarse paste, and keep it aside.

Grind the urad dal separately to a nice smooth bateer (with little water) as we do for urad vada batter. 

Take the rice-dal batter, urad dal batter, chopped coconut-ginger-green chillies-curry leaves in a bowl.
Make the tempering with given ingredients and pour it in the bowl.
Add the soaked split moong dal as well.

Mix everything well, close the bowl and keep it aside for 10 minutes. 

Heat enough oil to deep fry the vadas.

Take a spoon full of batter, and deep fry it until golden brown.

Crispy and spicy thavala vadai is ready to serve. Serve hot with coconut chutney as a tea time snack.

Recipe Source : here

Coriander leaves Chutney/Kothumalli Chutney

Chutney being a regular dish in our house holds, this coriander chutney makes it appearance often, but somehow I didn't post it. Usually I add onion and channa dal to this chutney, but this time tried a different combination and it tasted great. 

Ingredients

Coriander leaves-1 small bunch(cleaned and washed)

Grated coconut-2tablespoons

Green chillies-2 (adjust to your taste)

A tiny piece of ginger

A tiny piece of tamarind

Roasted gram/Dalia/Pottu kadalai-1tablespoon

Oil

Salt

To temper

Oil

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1/4teaspoon

Channa dal-1/4teaspoon

Curry leaves-few

Method

Clean-wash and chop the coriander leaves and keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan, add the green chillies. [be careful, chillies might pop-out!! ;)]

Now add the coriander leaves, tamarind and ginger. Cook for a minute or two. 

Reduce the heat, add the coconut and dali a/pottu kadalai. Sauté for a minute and put off the flame. 

Let it cool and then grind it with little amount of water to a nice paste. 

Make the tempering and pour it over the chutney. Enjoy it with idli/dosa.

Onion Chutney & Coriander leaves Chutney goes well with Barley-Brown rice dosa. 

Bread Uppuma

Ingredients
Wheat bread slices-4
Chopped onion-2tablespoons
Green chilly- 2 (adjust to your spice level)
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Urad dal-1/2teaspoon
Channa dal-1/2teaspoon
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
Oil-1tablespoon
Salt-1/4teaspoon

Method
Grind the bread slices in a mixie jar (or) a food processor into a coarse powder.
Heat oil in a pan, make the tempering with mustard seeds, let them pop-up. Then add in the channa and urad dal, fry till they become golden color.

Add the chopped onion, green chillies and salt. 

Saute the onions till they become transparent say 2-3 minutes.

Now reduce the heat to low and add the bread crumbs. Stir it for a minute so that it will get combined with the onion. 

Add the coconut, mix it and put off the stove. 

Healthy and delicious bread uppuma is ready to serve. 

Serve it hot as evening tiffin or morning breakfast.

Note

Don't cook the uppuma long time after adding the bread. It will make the uppuma dry.
As bread already has salt, go easy on salt..just for cooking onions. 

Recipe Source : HERE