Raitha with Mint Powder / Dry Mint -Cucumber -Onion Raitha

Tasty and aromatic raitha to go with Biriyani & Parathas... I added some dry mint leaves to the raitha and it turned out delicious. As I grow mint in my patio I don't buy them from stores. But once DH went to shopping and came home with a big bunch of mint leaves. I didn't wanna waste them so tried drying it up and preserved it. Got the idea from one of my North Indian friend here and tasted this raitha first at her place. :)  

Here are some pictures of the mint leaves I preserved..

Clean the mint, wash it well. Remove the leaves from the stalk.

Arrange them on a large baking tray and keep the tray on the kitchen counter. No need to dry them in sunlight. It dries up nicely in 4-5 days. Transfer the dried mint leaves carefully to a zip-lock bag and keep it. I keep it in the fridge, I dried up these mint leaves in last year July, still they are good! :) 

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Ingredients

Curd-1cup

Chopped onion -1 tablespoon

Chopped cucumber-1 (small)

Dried mint leaves/Mint powder- 1teaspoon [Crush the leaves between your palms. its that easy!:)]

Sugar-1/4teaspoon

Salt

Method

Mix all the above in a bowl and serve immediately as a side dish for Biriyani / Paratha. 

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Spinach & Egg Stir-fry / ஸ்பினாச்-முட்டை பொரியல்

Ingredients

Spinach - 1 bunch (Cleaned, washed and chopped)

Egg-1

Sliced onions-2tablespoons

Green chilly-2

Red chilly-1

Garlic-2 cloves

Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Sugar- a pinch

Salt

Oil

Method

Gather all the ingredinets.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add in the red chilly-onion-green chilly-chopped garlic and sauté for a while.

Add in the chopped spinach, sprinkle some water and sugar.

Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium low heat. Spinach gets cooked very fast, so don't over cook it. 

Add  enough salt and then the egg.

Mix it well and continue cooking for 2 more minutes on low heat. 

Quick and tasty stir-fry is ready. It goes well with all the rice dishes and roti.

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Cabbage & Wheat flour Adai

Ingredients

Wheat flour-1cup

Chopped onion-1/4cups

Chopped green chillies-3 (adjust to taste)

Chopped cilantro-2tablespoons

Grated coconut-1tablespoon

Salt

Water

Oil 

to saute 

Oil-1teaspoon

Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Chopped cabbage-1/4cup

Method

Heat a teaspoon of oil, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. 

Add the cabbage and sauté for 2-3minutes.

Let it cool down completely. 

Combine wheat flour-chopped onion-chopped green chillies-chopped cilantro-sauted cabbage-salt-grated coconut in a bowl. 

Add water to make a thick batter. The consistency should be thicker than the regular dosa batter.
Heat a griddle, make thick dosa with the mixed batter.
Drizzle oil and let it cook on one side, flip it and cook the other side as well.
Serve hot with your choice of side dish.

Any kind of pickle,  plain yogurt or coconut chutney will be a perfect side for this adai. Can have as such too..which is what obviously I did! ;) :). As I was in a hurry to make the dinner, I just sautéed the cabbage on the griddle itself! It makes the process faster. 

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Methi Leaves Stir-fry/Vendhaya Keerai Poriyal

You might wonder cooking methi leaves alone will result in a bitter dish. But try this recipe, I bet you will love it. Its healthy, quick..more than that its delicious! :)
Ingredients
Methi leaves -1small bunch
Chopped onion-2tablespoons
Red chilies-2 (or) 3
Tomato-1 (small)
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
Mustard seed-1/2teaspoon
Channa dal & Urad dal-1/2teaspoon each
Sugar-1/4teaspoon
Salt
Oil
Method
Keep the onions-tomatoes-redchilly and other tempering ingredients ready.

Clean and wash methi leaves.

Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them pop-up. Add the channa & urad dal and fry till they turn golden.

Now add the chopped onion-broken red chillies and sauté for a minute. 

Meanwhile chop the methi leaves. (If the green is fresh and tender, you can use the stems of the methi too. I have added the stems as well.)

Add the chopped tomato and cook until its soft. Then add the methi leaves, sprinkle some water. Add the sugar and let it cook. 

Methi leaves get cooked fast, so add the coconut and enough salt to the stir-fry and put off the stove. 

Mix everything well and let the pan be on the stove for 2-3 minutes. By then stir fry would be dry and  ready. Enjoy it with your choice of rice dish or roti. 

I had it with Jeera rice and dhal. It tastes great with plain white rice or sambar rice, rasam rice. It will be perfect side for the roti too. 

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Spinach-Garlic-Moong dal Stir-fry

Keerai-Poondu-Pasiparuppu Porial 

Ingredients

Spinach- one small bunch

Garlic - 4 to 5 fat cloves

Moong dal-11/2tablespoons

Shredded Coconut-1tablespoon 

Chopped onion-1tablespoon

Red chilly-2

Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Channa dal-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1/2teaspoon

Salt

Oil

Method

Wash and chop the spinach leaves. [If the stems are tender, include them as well]

Cook the moong dal in microwave for about 2 minutes and keep it ready.

Heat oil in a pan, once its hot, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the channa and urad dal, fry until they turn golden in color.

Now add chopped onion, chopped garlic, broken red chilly and sauté for a minute.

Add the chopped spinach..

Stir it gently..the leaves will wilt  and shrink in a minute. Add the cooked moong dal..

Add enough salt and combine them gently. Reduce the heat to low and cook for one more minute. Then add the grated coconut and put off the flame.

Mix it well and the stir-fry is ready to serve. 

Goes well with rice & roti..

Enjoy this quick and healthy stir fry with white rice-sambar and rasam.

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Spring Onion Stir-fry/Vengaayathaal Poriyal

Ingredients

Spring Onion/Green onion/Scallions/Vengaaya thaal - 2 small bunches

Chopped onion-1tablespoon

Green chilly-2 (adjust to taste)

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Channa dal-1/2teaspoon

Urad dal-1/2teaspoon

Grated coconut-2 teaspoons

Salt

Oil 

Method

Trim the edges of the spring onions and wash them. 

 Chop the spring onion into small pieces. Keep the onions-green chillies ready.

 Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the channa and urad dale, fry till they become golden in color. Add the chopped onions-green chillies, sauté until the onions become transparent. Add the chopped spring onions.

Continue sautéing for a few more minutes on medium heat. Spring onion wilt and shrink  very fast, then add enough salt..

 ..and grated coconut. Mix everything well and put off the stove.

Quick and yummy stir fry is ready to serve.

It goes well with white rice or with Sambar-rasam-curd rice as well as roti.

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Fresh Black NightShade & Tamarind Gravy/ Manathakkaali kai Pulikuzhambu

Ingredients

Fresh Black Nightshades -1/4cup

Tamarind Juice(thick)-1/4cup

Vathakuzhambu masala powder-1tablespoon[I have used "Sakthi masala Vatha kuzhambu powder". Can be replaced by Chilly and Coriander powders.]

Jaggery-a tiny piece

Gingelly oil-1tablespoon

Grated Coconut-2tablespoons

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Shallots -8 (or) Red onion-1

Green chilly-1

Tomato-2

Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Salt

Black Nightshade Plant/Manathakkali chedi which is fondly called as "Sukkutti Chedi" in Coimbatore area is a common plant back home.  We get these greens in big bunches from local markets/street vendors. The leaves, fruit, unripe fruit of this plant are edible and have great medicinal properties. 

But here in US, its difficult to find this plant(at least, I thought so! ;)).  Long back, I spotted a plant during our local hike and plucked a few fruits with the hope that I can grow a plant in my patio garden.  But first time was no charm. Next time I saw the plant growing in a friend's house, whenever I go to her house,  used to bring a few fruits and sow them in the pots. But, that also didn't work.  After a long time, all of a sudden one tiny plant started growing in one of the pots. I got a strong doubt and took care of the seedling, to my surprise, its a Black Nightshade plant! :))) 

I was on cloud 9 and eagerly waiting for the fruit. The plant gave me lot of fruits and one fine day I decided to pluck all the unripe fruits and made this lip smacking pulikuzhambu/vatha kuzhambu.

Method

Wash the black nightshade veggie well and keep it aside.

Grind the coconut with little water to a fine paste. 

Heat gingelly oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. 

Add the chopped onion, green chilly...fry till the onions become transparent. 

Now add the washed black nightshade veggie and fry till they shrink. (say 2-3 minutes on medium heat)

Add the chopped tomato, turmeric powder, enough salt and cook until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

Add the tamarind juice and let it boil nicely.
Now add the coconut paste, vatha kuzhambu powder and adjust the water according to the desired consistency of the kuzhambu.
Reduce the heat to medium low and let the gravy thicken for 5-6 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached and the oil oozes out from the kuzhambu.
Now add the jaggery and curry leaves, put off the flame.
Tangy and slightly bitter, delicious and healthy manathakkali kai kuzhambu is ready.

This kuzhambu is a perfect pair for white rice, idli and dosa. Personally we prefer to have it with wheat dosa or normal dosa! :)

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It will be difficult to get this fresh veggie even back in India! If you have a big Manathakkali plant(s) at home then you can think of this kuzhambu. But the dry vathals are always handy and you can keep the vathal in the freezer for long time. Before having the plant in my garden, I use to prepare the same kuzhambu, with dry Black Nightshades. 

Manathakkali Vatha Kuzhambu

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Spinach with Moong dal/Pachai payaru-Spinach Kadaisal

Ingredients
Moong dal-1/4cup
Cleaned and washed spinach-1/2cup[tightly packed]
Shallots-6 (or) Chopped red onion-3tablespoons
Tomato(big)-1
Red chilly-3
Coriander seeds-1teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Chilly powder-1/2teaspoon
Sambar powder-1/2teaspoon(optional)
Salt
Oil

Method
Pressure cook the moong dal with tomato and a pinch of turmeric powder.
Chop the onions and spinach.
Heat oil in a pan, add the coriander and cumin seeds, let them splutter.
Add the onions, broken red chillies and fry for couple of minutes.
Now add in the chilly powder, turmeric powder, sambar powder and fry for a minute.
Add in the spinach with 1/4 cup of water and cook for few minutes.
Add the pressure cooked moong bean and tomato with enough salt.
Give it a nice boil, put off the flame and let the content cool.
Mash it with a masher or a ladle, and the delicious moong dal spinach gravy is ready. It goes well with white rice. Serve it with hot rice and a dollop of ghee/coconut oil, along with curd chilly/mor milagai. This is the best combo! You can serve with your choice of dry vegetable curries.

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Mint Rice/Pudhina Sadham

I have already posted Mint Pulao recipe..this is a slight variation from that.
Ingredients
Cooked (Basmati) Rice-11/2 cups
Onion-1
Cashew-7
Cumin seeds-1teaspoon
Oil + Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Salt
To grind
Mint- a small bunch
Cilantro- a fist full
Green chilly-3 (adjust to your taste)
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch piece
Cloves-2
Elaichi -1
Salt

Method
Wash and soak the rice for half an  hour, and cook it to one whistle with perfect amount of water. The rice grains should be separate.

 

Let the rice cool completely.  

Grind the items, given under "to grind" table into a fine paste by adding little water.

Cut the onions into thin lengthwise pieces. Heat oil+ghee in a wide wok, add the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add in the cashews, fry till they turn golden in colour. 

Now add the onion, and sauté till it becomes slight brown in colour.
Add the mint paste with enough salt and continue cooking.

 Cook till the masala becomes dry and oil is oozing out.

 

 Now add in the rice, mix everything carefully, without breaking the rice grains.

  

Switch off the flame after a couple of minutes. Quick and delicious  mint rice is ready to serve.

 Enjoy it with your choice of chips/papad or plain curd.

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Carrot & Broccoli rabe stir fry /Carrot-broccoli keerai thoran

This recipe is a simple stir fry having 2 healthy ingredients. Carrot which is an excellent source of Vitamin A,  and broccoli rabe, rich in iron..thus the combo is sure good for health. :)

I got a fresh broccoli during our last visit to Farmers market here. The other day I was planning to make Broccoli paruppu usili, and didn't want to waste the greens. Saw the carrots, and the lovely colour combo of orange & green strike my mind. We had a nice meal consisting of rice - adzuki beans bottle gourd kuzhambu-broccoli usili and carrot-broccoli rabe thoran.

Ingredients
Chopped Carrot -1/2cup
Chopped broccoli rabe -1/4cup
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Urad dal-1teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Salt
Oil(Preferably coconut oil)
To grind
Grated coconut-2tablespoons
Green chilly-1
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon f

Method
Grind the coconut-green chilly-cumin seeds (with very little water) into a coarse mixture.

Heat some oil in a pan, make the tempering with mustard seeds-urad dal-curry leaves.

Then add in the carrot, sprinkle little water and cook it.
Add the broccoli rabe and the coconut mixture when the carrots are 3/4th done.

Add enough salt and mix everything well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Healthy n delicious stir fry is ready. It goes well with rice n roti. 

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