Mashed Moong dal & Thoor dal / Pachaipayaru & Paruppu Kadaisal

Ingredients

Thor dal/ Thuvaram paruppu -1/8 cup

Moong dal/ Pachai payaru - 1/8cup

Garlic - 4cloves

Onion, chopped-4tablespoons

Tomato, chopped -1

Green chilly, chopped - 2  

Few curry leaves and cilantro

Coriander seeds - 1teaspoon

Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon

Sambar powder -1/2teaspoon 

Turmeric powder - 1/8teaspoon

Salt 

Sugar - 1/4teaspoon

Oil 

Method

In a small pressure cooker, heat oil. 

Add the coriander and cumin seeds, let them splutter.

Now add the chopped onion, green chilly, garlic and curry leaves.

Saute for a minute, and add the chopped tomato. Give it a quick stir. 

Add the sambar powder, turmeric powder and the thor dal - moong dal.

 Add about 11/4cup of water with enough salt and sugar (if adding).

 Close the pressure cooker and cook for 5 whistles in medium flame. Open the cooker once the pressure subsides.

Add the chopped coriander leaves, and mash the dal nicely with a masher.

 Protein rich and flavorful dal is ready to serve. It tastes best with piping hot rice with some ghee.

You can accompany the rice and dal with any spicy stir-fried vegetable or Papad - mor milagi (curd chilly) or even with pickle. 

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Diwali Sweets & Snacks 2015

 Hope everyone had a nice Diwali. Here are the sweets and snacks I prepared this year.

 Maida cake/burfi

 Dry gulaab jamoon

Murukku

Mixture

Click on the names to get the recipes..Will post the sweet recipes soon. 

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Sweet Kohukkattai/ Inippu Kozhukkattai/ Vella Kozhukkattai

Ingredients

Boiled Rice - 2 cups (~1/2kg)

Jaggery/Vellam - 1/2cup to 3/4cup

Elaichi-2

Desiccated coconut -2tablespoons

Fresh Coconut(chopped into small pieces ) - 3tablespoons

Canola oil - 2tablespoons

Salt-a pinch

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours. 

Grind it coarsely with little water and the desiccated coconut.

Take the jaggery in a wide pan, cover it with water(add water just to cover the jaggaery, not a lot) and put the stove on low heat.

 Once the jaggery is melted, strain it and add it to the pan again. Add a pinch of salt and add the batter.

 Mix it well and keep stirring..

 The batter will start thickening, add the coconut pieces and powdered elaichi. Stir it well. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and mix it well.

Then the batter will becomes non-sticky. Remove it from the stove and let it cool a bit.

Meanwhile heat water in the idli pot/steaming pot. Take small amount of dough, press it with your palms. Arrange them in the steaming plate, steam it for 5-7 minutes.

 Soft and delicious kozhukkattai are ready to serve.

 Serve hot / warm.

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Murukku/Chakli - புழுங்கலரிசி முறுக்கு/பொட்டுக்கடலை முறுக்கு

Ingredients
Boiled rice - 1 cup
Pottukadalai/Daliya -little more than 1/2cup
Ajwain-/2 teaspoon
Black sesame seeds-1teaspoon
Butter-1tablespoon
Salt
Oil - to deep fry

Method
Wash and soak the rice for 4-5 hours. Grind it with little water to a smooth paste.
Powder the pottukadalai/daliya in a mixer and sieve it.

Combine all the ingredients, except oil, and knead it to a smooth ball.

Take some dough in the murukku press/chakli press and press it into spirals. Meanwhile heat the oil on medium heat.

Carefully drop 4-5 murukkus in hot oil, fry them until the sizzling sound of the oil settles down.

Remove and strain the excess oil in  a paper towel.

Crunchy and delicious snack is ready. 

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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! :)

~~~

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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Sweet Kozhukkattai/Inippu Kozhukkattai

There are lot of versions of sweet stuffings for kozhukkattai. For this year's Chathurthi, I prepared moong dal stuffing. Usually in our households fresh rice batter is mandatory for kozhukkattai, which makes the soft and tasty kozhukkattai.

Ingredients
Boiled rice/Idli rice - 1/2cup
Salt- 1/4teaspoon
Moong dal-1/4cup [I have used split moong dal with skin]
Jaggery- 1/4 cup [adjust]
Grated Coconut-2tablespoons
Elaichi-2
Oil-2 teaspoons

Method
Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours.
Grind the rice with one tablespoon of coconut and little water to a coarse batter.
Heat oil in a wide pan, (keep the flame very low) and add the rice batter to the pan and mix.
After a few minutes the batter will come together, without sticking to the pan. Take it out, cover it and let it cool.

Pressure cook the moong dal for just a whistle. Open the cooker after the pressure subsides, drain the excess water and keep it aside.
Melt the jaggery with little water, drain for any impurities.
Then add the cooked dal and coconut to the jaggery.
Cook till the stuffing becomes little thick, add the elaichi powder and put off the stove.

Apply little oil/ghee on your hands, and knead the rice dough in a smooth dough, make small balls out of it. 

Flatten each ball, keep a teaspoon of stuffing in the center and make the desire shape. 

Steam the kozhukkattai's in a steamer for 7 to 8 minutes.

Soft and delicious kozhukkattais are ready. Offer them to Lord Ganesha and enjoy it! :)

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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. 

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Bitter gourd Stir-fry/Pakarkai porial

Ingredients
Chopped bitter gourd/Pakarkai -1cup
Chopped onion-2tablespoons
Chopped tomato-1
Sambar powder-11/2teaspoon
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Urad dal-1/2 teaspoon
Channa dal-1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Oil

Method
Wash, take out the seeds of the bitter gourd and chop it into fine pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and let it splutter. Add in the channa dal-urad dal and fry till they become golden color.
Now add in the chopped bitter gourd, fry for 3-4 minutes.

Once the bitter gourd is half cooked, add in the onion and tomato with enough salt.

Cook till the veggies are done, now add in the sambar powder, grated carrots and sugar.

Mix everything well, reduce the heat to low and cook for few more minutes.

Tasty bitter gourd stir-fry is ready to serve. The bitterness will be low because of the tomato and sugar we are adding so this porial makes a good combo with any South Indian lunch.

In the plate: Beetroot stir-fry, Pavakkai porial, Poosanikkai rasavangi

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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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