Karuvepilai Kuzhambu/ Curry Leaves Gravy

 

This one is another recipe from the Aval Vikatan supplement. Its a very healthy gravy and it is mentioned that this gravy is healthy for eyes and stomach. It is also suited for new moms. See more benefits of curry leaves in this post. Lets get on to the recipe.

 

Ingredients:

1. Curry leaves – 1 cup
2. Toor Dal – 2tsp
3. Urad dal – 2tsp
4. Peppercorns – 2tsp
5. Ginger – 1small piece
6. Red chilli (I used long variety) – 2
7. Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
8. Tamarind – 1 lemon sized
9. Salt – as needed
10. Gingelly oil – 1 & 1/2tsp

To temper:

1. Gingelly oil – 2tbsp
2. Mustard – 1/2 tsp
3. Asafoetida – 2 pinches

Method:

1. Heat kadai, add 1&1/2tsp of gingelly oil and add the dals, ginger, chilli, pepper and curry leaves ( wash the leaves beforehand). Saute till the dals turn slightly brown. Cool and grind to a coarse paste with little water.

2. Heat kadai, add the items under ‘To temper’ column. Once mustard splutters, add the paste and saute for a while in low flame. Make sure it does not get stuck to the kadai. You can add little water.

3. Extract tamarind juice from the tamarind (you can soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 mins) and add it to the kadai.

4. Add salt, turmeric and wait till the gravy comes to boil well and switch off. Serve hot with rice!. Tastes and smells heavenly!

Keeri Muttai/Slit and Stuffed Egg Masala

Do you love egg? Craving for new egg recipes? Then, this one is just for you. A new recipe I got from my cookbook. It was so tasty and we loved it to the core!. And to add to the beauty the recipe is very simple!

Ingredients:

1. Egg – 3
2. Big onion –1 finely chopped
3. Red chilli (long variety) – 5
4. Jeera – 1tsp
5. Urad dal –2tsp
6. Curry leaves – few
7. Turmeric powder – 2pinches
8. Salt – as needed
9. Gingelly oil – 5tbsp

Method:

1. Boil the 3 eggs in medium flame for 8 to 10 mins or till cooked. Peel the shell and set aside.

2. Dry roast jeera,urad dal, curry leaves, chilli till urad dal turns golden brown. Cool and grind to coarse powder. Mix this powder with turmeric and salt.

3. Make 4 or 5 slits in the eggs vertically as shown. Stuff the powder inside the slits.
4. Heat pan with oil and add onion and sauté till translucent. Add the eggs and the remaining ground masala powder (if any) and just give 2 or 3 stirs and switch off.

Serve with rice and any gravy!

Aval /Poha/Beaten Rice Cutlet

 

I saw this recipe sometime back in a supplement from Aval Vikatan. I think the name of the supplement was ‘Gramiya Samayal’ (Village Cooking). From then, I have been making this if I have Aval at home and it is also a guilt free snack idea. But, sadly I lost the book.

I have used Red Aval in this recipe as my Mother in law says it is healthier than its white counterpart. However, you can use white too.

Ingredients:

1. Aval/Poha (thick) – 1 cup
2. Kadalai Maavu/Besan flour – 2tbsp
3. Rice flour – 3/4tbsp
4. Carrot – 1
5. Beans – few
6. Asafoetida – 2 pinches
7. Chilli powder – 1/2tsp
8. Pepper powder – 1/2tsp
9. Salt – as needed
10. Bread crumbs – as needed
11. Oil – as needed

Method:

1. Soak poha in water for 15 mins. Drain and squeeze out the water and grind in mixie with salt to a paste as shown below. Do not add water while grinding.

2. Chop the veggies roughly and pressure cook for 1 whistle and chop them finely after cooling.

3. In a wide bowl, take the poha paste, veggies and all the other ingredients except bread crumbs and oil and form a dough as shown below. Sprinkle little water as needed for binding the dough. Dont let it become too watery.

4. Make small balls and pat it flat it with your hand. Coat it with bread crumbs.

5. Heat dosa pan, keep the cutlets and drizzle oil on sides. After half a minute on medium flame, flip and cook. Flip and cook till both sides are evenly browned.

Serve hot with favourite sauce!!

Notes:

• Instead of bread crumbs, you can use rava or powdered rusk. I used homemade bread crumbs made from multigrain bread. I referred this link to make it http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/12/homemade-breadcrumbs-how-to-make.html.
• You can increase the spice level if you wish. You can also grind green chillies.
• The original recipe was with greens instead of vegetables. You can try that too.

Nelikai Rasam/ Amla Rasam

This recipe is from a magazine ‘Aval Kitchen’. It is given by the late Chef Jacob and is sure to be a hit at home. It was a very different and healthy rasam recipe. It is said to be resistant to piles disease and is appetizing. Also, the amla is very good for health. You can find the health benefits of amla here http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-amazing-benefits-of-amla.html.

Ingredients:

1. Amla (big) – 2
2. Cooked yellow moong dal – 1 tbsp
3. Big onion chopped – 1/2 tbsp
4. Tomato chopped – 1/2tbsp
5. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
6. Fenugreek powder – 1/4tsp
7. Pepper powder – 1/4tsp
8. Coriander powder – 1/4tsp
9. Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp
10. Oil – 1tsp
11. salt – as needed

Method:

1. Mash the cooked moong dal well.
2. Cut the amla into small pieces after removing the seed.
3. Heat pan with oil, add onion and tomato and saute for a while, then add the turmeric powder,fenugreek powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and coriander powder.
4. Add salt and add the cut amla pieces and add water (say 3/4 cup) and let it boil in medium flame for around 2 to 3 mins. Add the mashed dal and switch off after 1min.

You can have this rasam with rice or drink it as such!

Notes:

1. In the original recipe, green moong dal is used. As I didnt have it in hand I used yellow.
2. Be sure to eat the amla in the rasam!

Vazhaipoo/Banana Flower Thogayal

 

Vazhaipoo is one of the most healthiest food especially for women.

• It has high iron content
• It has high fiber
• It helps in reducing the pain during menstrual cycles.

Source: Google and also many elders .

This thogayal was present in the parambariya samayal(traditional cooking) supplement from Aval Vikatan (recipe given by Ms. Malathi Padmbhanaban). I must really thank these magazines for giving such wonderful and healthy recipes. This one is very easy to make once you are done with the cleaning and peeling of the flower. So here goes.

Ingredients:

1. Vazhaipoo/Banana flower – 1
2. Urad dal/Uluntham parupu – 2tsp
3. Toor Dal/ Thuvaram Parupu – 2tsp
4. Peppercorns-4
5. Red chilli – 4
6. Asafoetida – 2 pinches
7. Tamarind – 1 tiny ball
8. Jaggery – 1 tiny piece
9. Oil – 1 tsp
10. Salt – as needed

Method:

1. Clean the vazhaipoo. This link might be handy if you do not know how to do it http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/10/how-to-clean-vazhaipoo-banana-flower.html. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and set aside.

2. In a pan, heat the oil, and saute the dals, pepper,chilli and asafoetida till the dals emit a nutty aroma and turn slightly brown. Take care not to burn them. Set aside to cool.

3. In mixie, take the vazhaipoo, the sautéed items from previous step, jaggery, tamarind and salt and grind to smooth paste with little water (say 1 tbsp). Thogayal is ready to eat.

This is apt for girls during menstrual time.

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Notes:

1. Make sure to immerse the florets in buttermilk after peeling to prevent colour change and smear your hands with sesame oil before you start cleaning it. It is given in the link I have provided also.