Seppankizhangu Fry / Arbi Fry

Ingredients

Seppankizhangu / Arbi - 6  

Garlic - 8cloves

Few curry leaves

Mustard seeds - 1/2teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/8teaspoon

Chilly powder - 11/2teaspoons

Salt

Oil 

Method

Wash and cook the seppankizhangu / arbi root in a steamer or pressure cooker. Take care not to cook it mushy. The root should be soft but should not be mushy. 

Let it cool, peel the skin and chop them into big chunks. 

 Heat oil in a wide pan, add the mustard seeds. Let them pop up, then add the cooked and chopped seppankizhangu/ arbi.

Toss it well and cook for 4-5 minutes. Don't use any spoon to mix, just gently toss the pan so that the kizhangu gets roasted on all sides evenly.

Meanwhile, take your garlic and crush them with mortar and pestle.

Once the arbi is nicely roasted, add the turmeric - chilly powders, enough salt, curry leaves and crushed garlic.

 Reduce the heat and toss it nicely so that the raw smell of the spices and garlic are gone. Sprinkle little more oil during the process if you like. :)

 Quick and spicy arbi fry is ready to serve...goes well as a side dish with rice varieties.

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Vendaikkai Morkuzhambu / Okra in Yogurt gravy

Ingredients
Vendaikkai/ Okra / Ladies finger - 6
Sour Buttermilk - 1 cup
Turmeric powder -1/8teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon
To grind
Coconut - 1/4cup
Cumin seeds -1teaspoon
Coriander seeds-  1/2teaspoon
Ginger - small piece
Green chillies -2 (adjust to spice level)

Method
Wash, pat dry and cut the vendaikkai/okra into 2 inch pieces.
Heat little oil in a pan, sauté the vendaikkai until the sliminess is gone and its half cooked, keep it aside.

Take the items given under "To grind" in a small mixie jar, add little water and make it into a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, let them pop-up. Then add the curry leaves, the ground paste.. add 1/4 cup of water, turmeric powder and enough salt. let it boil.

In the mean time, keep the buttermilk ready. As I have used yogurt here, I added little water to the yogurt and pulsed it in mixie. 

Now, reduce the heat to low, add the beaten buttermilk to the coconut gravy. Mix it gently until you see nice froth forming up. 

Add the sautéed  vendaikkai/ okra and switch off the flame. Let the kuzhambu sit for 10-15 minutes and serve as an accompaniment of white rice and some spicy vegetable curry. I had it with seppankizhangu / Arbi fry. 

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Paruppu Podi

I always keep idli pedi / Gun powder ready..though chutneys are prepared, my better half loves these podi's. This podi is little different from the one I usually make. This one tastes good with hot rice and ghee as well as idli-dosa too. 

Ingredients 

Thoor Dal / Thuvaram paruppu - 1/4cup

Channa Dal / Kadalai paruppu - 1/4cup

Urad Dal / Ulunthu paruppu - 1/2 tablespoon

White Sesame seeds / Ellu - 1/2 tablespoon 

Pepper corn -1/2 teaspoon 

Red chilly -2

Hing/ Perungayam - 1/4teaspoon 

Method 

Dry roast the dals one by one until they turn golden in color and nice aroma comes. Do it patiently on low medium heat, taking care not to burn the dals. 

Similarly roast the sesame seeds, pepper corns-red chili and let everything cool down.

Grind them coarsely adding enough salt, hing and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Store it in airtight container. Serve as a side dish with gingelly oil or ghee to idli-dosa-rice.

Recipe Source : HERE

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