Vazhaikkai Podimas / Raw Plantain curry

Ingredients

Raw plantain / Vazhaikkai - 2 

Chopped onion -1/4cup

Green chilly - 4 (adjust to taste)

Few curry leaves

Desiccated coconut - 2tablespoons

Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon

Ural dal -1 teaspoon

Channa dal -1 teaspoon 

Hing/Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Coconut oil -1 teaspoon

Oil - 1tablespoon

Salt 

Method

Boil the raw plantain/vazhaikkai in pressure cooker. Once it cools down, peel the skin and grate it. 

Heat cooking oil + coconut oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.

Add the channa dal & urad dal, fry until they turn golden in color. Then add hing powder, let it sizzle then add the chopped onion, green chillies and curry leaves. 

Add enough salt and saute for few minutes. 

Add the grated plantain and mix it with the onion.

Once the plantain mixes up with the onion, add the grated coconut, give it a quick stir and put off the flame. 

Serve as an accompaniment as rice varieties. 

Note
You can use only coconut oil for tempering. :)

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Vegetable Sagu / Mixed vegetable sagu

"Sagu" is a new name to me..hailing from coimbatore, this Karnataka dish was totally new! I was looking forward to make this one day. Sometime back, I accidentally stopped into a Karnataka blog and browsed the recipes. This sagu - recipe caught my attention and tried it. Unfortunately I forgot the blog's URL! Fortunately I have clicked the stepwise pictures, so here comes the recipe. Slight variations to the regular mixed vegetable kurma, there you go..yet another new dish tried!! ;) :) 

Ingredients

Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas & potato), chopped - 3/4cup

Onion -1

Tomato (big) -1

Green chilly-1

Few curry leaves & Cilantro

Turmeric powder -1/4teaspoon 

Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon

Salt

Oil 

To Roast and grind

Cloves -2

Small piece of cinnamon stick

Elaichi -1

Star anise -1

Coriander seeds -1teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1teaspoon

Fresh coconut - 1/4cup  

Method

Dry roast the spices until you get nice aroma. Add fresh coconut and let it cool. Then make it into a fine paste by grinding it with little water. 

Slice the onion, green chilly and tomato.

Wash and cut the vegetables, keep them ready.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, let them pop. Then add sliced onions, green chilly and curry leaves. Sauté the onion for a minute or two, then add the chopped tomato.

Cook until the tomatoes become soft and mushy. 

Add the chopped vegetables, give it a quick stir.

Add about a cup of water, enough salt and cook. Add the masala paste after the veggies are cooked, adjust the water, let it boil on medium heat. 

After 6-8 minutes, the masala will get cooked with the vegetables and the oil will ooze out. 

Switch off the stove and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Mildly spicy and delicious mixed vegetable sagu is ready. It goes well with idli/dosa/poori and roti. Goes well with plain rice and pulao/biriyani too. 

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Rava Upma / Uppuma

I have already posted Vegetable rava kichadi, long back. This one is the simple version with out any veggies and tastes good for a quick and simple breakfast or dinner. 

Ingredients

Rava - 1 cup

Water  -21/2 cups

Onion - 1/2 of an onion

Green chilly - 4 (adjust according to ur taste) 

Few curry leaves and cilantro

Desiccated coconut - 2teaspoons

Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon 

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Hing/Asafoetida - a very generous pinch 

Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Salt

Oil 

Method 

Dry roast the rava until you get a nice aroma and keep it aside.  

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, let it pop up. Then add hing and cumin seeds. [Be careful, don't burn the hing or cumin seeds, if burnt, they give a bitter taste]

Add chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves. 

Saute the onions for few minutes, until they slightly change in color. Then add 2 and 1/2 cups of water. Add the coconut, salt and sugar. Let it boil nicely. 

Slowly add the rava, and keep mixing vigorously, with out any lumps. You may lower the flame while doing this. 

The upma will become slightly thick, at that point keep the flame low and close the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Open the pan, add chopped cilantro mix it well and put off the flame. 

Quick and tasty uppuma is ready to serve. Enjoy it with pickle and sugar or with coconut chutney/sambar. Tastes good as such!! :) 

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