CARROT AND FENUGREEK CURRY

When we see carrot first thing we get in mind is to use it to make halwa--a sweet dish. And also feel like using it for salad or kosambari. It is also used as one of accompaniment while making fried rice or korma.We rarely use to make curry with it--though it tastes good and good for health, often it is disliked by children and even elders.Any vegetable when it is combined and done with other vegetable its taste differs and for that onion and potato go very well with all vegetables. I learnt this recipe from my friend when i was in UAE. It is simple

to make, with less effort,but tastes great and goes very well with rice and roti. An extra ingredient goes long way when used in a different way.Methi seeds in this recipe give taste and the seeds by itself taste yummy taking the sourness from tomatoes.I am sure everyone will like this.

INGREDIENTS

CARROT 500 GMS
ONION 1
TOMATOES 2
GREEN CHILLIES 3
METHI SEEDS 2TSP
OIL 3 TSP
HALDI 1/4 TSP
SALT

FOR TEMPERING:
MUSTARD 1/2 TSP
UDITH DAL 1/2 TSP
RED CHILLIES 2
CURRY LEAVES

METHOD
DICE CARROTS, CHOP ONION INTO FINE PIECES, CUT TOMATOES , SLIT GREEN
CHILLIES AND KEEP. SOAK MEETHI SEEDS IN 1/4 CUP OF WATER BEFORE HALF AN HOUR. HEAT OIL ADD MUSTARD THEN ADD UDITH DAL, RED CHILLIES CURRY LEAVES AND FRY. ADD GREEN CHILLIES, ONION AND SAUTE.
THEN ADD CARROTS, SOAKED METHI SEEDS, HALDI AND ADD LITTLE WATER
TO ALLOW THE CARROTS TO COOK. COVER AND COOK ON MEDIUM FLAME STIRING
IN BETWEEN. WHEN 3/4 DONE ADD SALT AND MIX. COOK TILL WATER IS OBSERVED
AND CARROTS ARE FULLY COOKED.

SEPANKIZANGU (COLACASIA) ROAST

This recipe of colacasia (SEPANKIZANGU) is unique. Usually colasia
requires pre cooking and it is sticky by nature. So it is cooked
peeled and cooled and even refrigerated for some time before making
the curry.I am sure no one says "NO" to it when it is roasted and
served spicy.

It is done in a different way in our house. I remember we used to
make this paste in the traditional 'AMMI' quickly with the best result.
Because we use raw ingredients to make this paste.

COLACASIA 500 GMS

OIL 3 TSP

HALDI 1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

FOR PASTE:

UDITH DAL 3 TSP

TAMARIND 1/2 LIME SIZE
OR
3TSP PASTE

RED CHILLIES 4


FOR TEMPERING:

MUSTARD 1TSP

UDITH DAL 1TSP

CHENADAL 1 TSP

BROKEN RED CHILLIES 2

CURRY LEAVES

LG 1/2 TSP


COOK COLACASIA, PEEL AND CUT TO REQUIRED SIZE AND COOL.

MAKE COARSE PASTE OF UDITHDAL,TAMARIND AND RED CHILLIES

ADDING VERY LITTLE WATER.ADD SALT AND MIX THIS WITH COOKED

VEGETABLE ENSURING IT IS COATED WELL ALL OVER.

HEAT OIL IN PAN MAKE TEMPERING ADD THE VEGETABLE,

AND SAUTE USING THE SPATULA FROM UNDER THE VEGETABLES,

TAKING CARE NOT TO BREAK THE PIECES. COOK ON LOW FLAME

TILL THEY ARE ROASTED.

THE SAME WAY YAM CAN BE MADE.USE 500 GMS YAM. CUT THE YAM

TO MEDIUM CUBES AND FOLLOW SAME PROCEDURE. TO GET BEST

RESULT YOU CAN SAUTE THE COATED PIECES FEW AT A TIME IN PAN AND

REPEAT WITH REMAINING PIECES, TO GET ALL THE PIECES EVENLY ROASTED.

RAW PLANTAIN CURRY

Vegetables are best source of vitamins and when eaten fresh they are
very beneficial.The best form is raw(not all vegetables)in salad form.
When we take different colours of vegetables in our daily consumption
nothing like that--since there are different sources of supply of vitamins
in each colour. In India we get greens in plenty and we need not
store them as we get daily. Apart from greens the vegetables bought
fresh can be used instead of storing them for long in fridge as the
freshness is not retained long. I feel it is better to keep them after
cooking, as it is the case in many houses because they go for work and
will not have time to cook daily.
Even while cooking, some vegetables can be steamed and cooked. Example
cabbage --since it has vitamin C in it--it is not advised to cook
long to retain the full benefit.It is also anti cancerous i heard.
And at the same time I have seen my elders cooking some vegetables
to remove either the bitterness or to make it soft. Also the oil
used to make the dish will be less after the par boil.

Such vegetables are colacasia, Yam and even raw plantain and brinjal
is cooked so. When done so really they taste better.

This recipe of raw plantain is commonly prepared in our house.The name
given for such type of cooking is "SAATAALLIPPU"

RAW PLANTAIN (VAZAIKAI) 2

TAMARIND 1/4 LIME SIZE

OR TAMARIND PASTE 1TSP

HALDI 1/4 TSP

SALT

GRATED COCONUT 2 TBLSP

GREEN CHILLIES 2

OIL 2TSP

FOR TEMPERING:

MUSTARD 1/2 TSP

UDITH DAL 1/2 TSP

CHENA DAL 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLIES 2

CURRY LEAVES FEW

LG 1/4 TSP

OR 1/2 TSP WATER OF SOLID LG


CUT PLANTAIN INTO FLAT PIECES. THICKER THAN THE WAY WE DO FOR CHIPS.

THE SIZE OF EACH PIECE IS LEFT TO YOUR DESIRE.

BOIL WATER ENOUGH TO IMMERSE THE CUT PLANTAINS, ADD HALDI, SALT AND

TAMARIND AND BRING TO BOIL TILL 3/4 DONE. REMOVE AND DRAIN.ALLOW TO

COOL. IF USING TAMARIND REMOVE THE COOKED PIECES OF TAMARIND.

HEAT OIL IN A PAN ADD MUSTARD, THEN DALS CHILLY PIECES CURRY LEAVES

AND CUT GREEN CHILLIES AND FRY. ADD LG AND THE COOKED PLANTAIN.

SAUTE, ADD SALT, GRATED COCONUT AND SAUTE FOR A WHILE AND REMOVE.

THIS TASTES GOOD WITH THE SOUR TINCH.

Brinjal can be done same way. You can use 500gms brinjal in place of
plantains.

PALAK RICE

 This spinach rice tastes yummy. The combination of kasuri methi with palak gives aroma and the paneer pieces add the taste to the whole dish. Since we get frozen palak paste here in Moscow the recipe came out
well with the green colour of palak retained.

Ingredients:

cooked basmathi rice 3 cups

palak paste 1 cup

paneer cubes 1 cup

grated paneer 2 tbls spn

kasurimethi 2 tsp

ginger garlic paste 2 tbls spn

big onions 3 nos

green chillies 4 nos

salt.

METHOD:
Heat oil in a pan,add cut onion , fry and then add slit green chillies.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute. Add palak paste fry and then add panerr cubes and fry.
Add salt, then the cooked rice and mix.
Add masuri methi (dried methi leaves) by powdering with palms.
Garnish with grated paneer.

To make palak paste:

Clean palak and cut only the edges, wash and keep.
To blanch this- take a big vessel and boil ample water in it.
Immerse the palak as a whole, boil for 5 min.
Put off stove drain n keep aside. when cool make paste in mixie/blender.
since you need 1 cup paste for three cups of cooked rice for this recipe-
check the quantity of green leaves you need depending on the size of greens kattu
you get in your place.

To make rice (basmathi):

Take one n half cups of rice to make 3 cups when cooked.
Cook rice direct and drain water.For this in a big vessel boil water.
Then when it boils add cleaned and soaked rice and cook till done.
Add juice of one lime while cooking rice so that the grains come seperate.
When done remove and drain.

HOTEL SAMBAR

Recently in an interview, in Europe channel, I heard Mrs.Mallika Badrinath telling  hotel sambar  tastes good
as they use masoor dhal. I tried this recipe today in my own way using masoor dal and it came out very well.
The preparation time for this sambar is 10min.Keep all the items ready and it takes very less time to cook.

Ingredients:

Any vegetable (for thaan)

onion 1 small

tomato 1 small

green chillies 2

curry leaves

haldi 1/4 tsp

sambar powder 4 tsp

masoor dhal 3/4 cup

salt

tamarind 1/2 lime size

For tempering:

rai 1/2 tsp

methi 1/4 tsp

red chilly 1

LG 1/4 tsp

jeera 1/2 tsp

ginger pieces 1/2 tsp

garlic pieces 2cloves


Method

Cut vegetables into big pieces. slit chillies and keep. soak tamarind
and extract essence in a cup of water. Use small cooker. Heat 2tsp
oil in cooker outer. Add tempering items, then vegetables, haldi
and then the masoor dhal and saute. Add sambar powder, little salt
and mix. Add 1 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistle.
meanwhile in a vessel bring the tamarind extract to boil. Open
cooker lid add tamarind extract and bring to boil adding little
more salt.
Adjust consistency and garnish with coriander leaves and
a spoon of ghee.A small piece
of jagree can be added.

The use of masoor dhal gives good flavour like hotel sambar. cooks fast,
and gives more quantity with little use of dhal and the consistency
is thick.When using very soft vegetables cook seperately with salt in
very little water or alternatively in M/v and add to sambar when
adding tamarind extract. follow same procedure with onion and tomatoes.

The measure of tamarind and green chillies can be adjusted as per your taste.

BRINJAL MENDIYAKEERAI CURRY

Ingredients

Brinjal 500gms

methi leaves 1 cup

haldi 1/4 tsp

salt

besan 3 tsp


Grind to paste:

green chillies 4

coriander leaves 1/2 cup

For Tempering:

mustard seeds 1tsp

udith dal 1 tsp

chena dal 1/2 tsp

red chillies 2

curry leaves little

Lg little

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, udith dal, chena dal, red chillies
curry leaves and lg powder then add cut (lengthwise) brinjal and saute.
Sprinkle water cover and cook. When half done add haldi and salt.
Add the methi leaves and the ground paste and mix well. Little water
can be added to make the methi leaves cook. Cover and cook. When
there is still water in it add the paste of besan (use just few spoons
of water to make paste) and mix well. Remove cover and cook on low
fire till besan paste absorbs and take care not to allow the curry
to stick to bottom.

SPINACH KOOTTU

In koottu variety here is one more recipe which tastes good with
certain vegetables.Most of the time we make with palak- also snake-gourd,
Ridge gourd (peerkangai) and bangalore katrikai tastes good.

Ingredients

Palak -- 3cups
(when cut)
moong dal 1/2 cup or 100gms

haldi

Lg

salt

grind to paste

grated coconut 1/4 cup

jeera 1 tsp

green chillies 2 to 3

Tempering:

mustard 1/2 tsp

red chilly 1


cut palak. clean moong dal. cook both palak and dal in enough water.

when half done add salt and haldi.

Make smooth paste of coconut,green chillies and jeera. Add this

to cooked dal and add few curry leaves and Lg.Allow to boil for

sometime. Do tempering in hot oil with mustard seeds, red chilly.

Coconut milk can be added in place of grated coconut at the end.