Murungai keerai/drumstick greens powder (Repost)

When it comes to podis, there is nothing to beat Kandipodi in Andhra cuisine which is called Parruppu podi in tamil. Also in the list are Karivepilai podi (Curry leaves podi), Thengai podi (Coconut podi), Pudina podi (Mint Leaves Podi) and Murungai keerai podi ( Drumstick Leaves podi).

In the South Indian hotels especially in Andhra, we find these podis along with pachadis (gongura and avakai) on the table ready for our service. And in all Andhra house hold, no meal is complete without having hot rice with ghee mixed in podi. The recipe is known as "annamlo podi" (literally meaning powder with rice). Since we grew up in Hyderabad, we are used to start with dry type rice with podi and fried curries as the first dish in our lunch. It is easy to make children eat when there is podi at home. This can be preserved for 3 weeks or more once it is prepared.

Here is the recipe using drumstick leaves which we rarely use to make poriyal. The podi is simple

to prepare and when mixed with rice, it tastes good and the green color is attractive. I used black sesame seeds here. The powder appears brown.

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INGREDIENTS

Murungai/drumstick keerai      2 TBLSP

Sesame seeds                      1/4 CUP

Urad dal                                  1/4 cup

Red chillies                            15 TO 20

Garlic (without peeling the skin) 10 CLOVES

Tamarind                         gooseberry size

Salt                                  to taste

METHOD:

Clean drumstick/murungai leaves and wipe with cloth.

Dry in shade on a kitchen towel. 

Dry roast the dried leaves till crisp.

Make powder and use 2 tablespoon of the powder for preparing the podi.

Dry roast urad dal, sesame seeds separately. 

In little hot oil fry red chillies.

When it is cool, powder together urad dal, sesame seeds and red chillies.

.Finally add powder of leaves, salt and tamarind ( i used dried tender leaves of tamarind/chintha chiguru) and garlic and grind to powder..

Have it with hot rice with ghee or sesame oil.

Roasted leaves

powdered leaves

Roasted ingredients

Drumstick podi

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Vegetable salad with dip

As we all know vegetable salads are packed with nutrients and fibre and are a great way to get our daily serve of vegges.The dish may be served at any point during a meal. The recipe needs patience to cut vegetables and can be had with just salt and pepper. But to make it more appealing and interesting there are many ways to prepare and present it. It is tempting when viewed in  the TV cookery shows. To mention one such, is the daily programme telecasted in DD Podigai channel which are really worth watching. All the hosts give their best. These cannot be viewed on net. So I thought I should share those recipes which I noted down.
I am posting a salad to start with. The simple salad was prepared by Ramesh Ganapathy. I liked the accompaniment of a dip for this.
I regularly make salad  at home with a salad dressing. First I learnt this when I watched Mallika Badrinath
demonstrating it. She told to use a small bottle for this purpose and assemble the dressing ingredients and shake well. It should be refrigerated and used along with chilled cut raw vegetables for best result. Later to my surprise I saw Salad Dressing Mixer in a Supermarket in Arizona, and bought it. I was doubly happy to posses it as it had the recipes and a neutral millilitre scale printed on the bottle. Less I knew about Vinaigrette, French dressing, Russian dressing then.  After watching the Food network channel regularly,I started making different types at home.   There are many  salad dressing available in supermarkets too.

Ingredients for the Dip:

Paneer/Cottage cheese	100 gm
Curd/yoghurt	2 tablespoon
Green chilli	1
Lime juice	½ teaspoon
Tomato sauce	1 tablespoon
Mint leaves/Pudina	½ cup
Paste of sauted green bell pepper and onion	2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds	1 tsp
Salt	to taste

Vegetables for the salad

One each of Carrot, Bell pepper (3 colors), Beetroot and Cucumber.

Method

Cut vegetables for salad  in lengthwise and refrigerate them and use them just before serving.

Cut one small size onion and green bell pepper and saute in little oil and keep.

In a mixie jar take crumbled paneer, green chilli, salt, mustard seeds, mint leaves and the sauted onion and bell pepper and grind to smooth paste.

Add tomato sauce, curd and lime juice and blend again to mix well.

Remove and serve this dip with chilled vegetables.

It tastes yummy.

Boost your energy, immunity and vitality by eating raw vegetables that are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The TV host always concludes his show saying it is a (anbu kattalai) humble order rather than a request to his viewers to try this. I tried couple of times and am happy to share this too.

Chocolate cake

It has been almost a year now after I last posted summer special Vadams/fryums. I have good collection of rare recipes in my book. Most of them tried and tasted. I was a busy Grandma and also had a setback
 in my health. But nothing stopped me watching cookery shows and noting down many of them. I am a regular reader of all posts of the bloggers whom I follow.
To start with, I think it will be apt if I post a sweet item. This is the first sweet item which I am posting in my blog. There are couple of reasons for posting this. One marks the successful ONLINE learning of the
 famous PADUKA  SAHASRAM,  the great work of Swami Desikan comprising 1008 stanzas in sanskrit.
I dedicate this to my Guru Mrs. Chandra who taught me this. On completing this I made the sweet to offer to Lord.
The other memorable event was my 60th Birthday celebrations. It made it more special because my family members gifted me a cookbook. It had SIXTY  recipes from my blog which  each of my family members liked the best. I thank all relatives of my extended family who appreciated my cooking. The purpose with which I started this blog is served. They named  the book as  Family Cookbook.  I am happy to say my junior most niece is  trying her hand referring my recipe on traditional dishes. I consider the book as an AWARD for my efforts to post them in the blog.
I am happy I could share the recipes which I collected in dozen diaries since years. Each family will have a signature recipe. But none of our elders had the opportunity to write them and publish. The cook books came later and presently the internet. Thanks to the internet world.

This is for you Mrs.Chandra

Here is the recipe for Chocolate cake.

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour/Maida	1 cup
Sugar	3 cup
Condensed milk	½ tin
Clarified butter/Ghee	½ cup
Cocoa powder	¾ cup

METHOD

Mix cocoa powder in condensed  milk and keep ready.
Heat a pan and melt ghee. Add flour and fry continuously till you get good aroma and set aside.
Make sugar syrup with 1/2 cup water till  you get one string consistency.
Add roasted maida and mix well for few seconds.
Add cocoa powder mix and stir well.
Keep stirring till it begins to leave sides.
Remove and pour into a greased plate,
Cut to the desired shape.
Remove pieces when it is cool .

Thank you my dear

Thank you all

   

DEVI NAVARATHIRI - 2013

MAHADEVYAICHA VIDMAHE SARVA SAKTHYAICHA THEEMAHI THANNO DEVI PRACHODAYATH

Navarathiri is here again this year, starting on 5th October through 13th October followed by Vijayadasami on 14th October. We can celebrate by offering prayers on all nine days this year, making prasadams each day as per Day, Thithi, and Star without any overlapping of either star or thithi.
The day one  (5th Oct) is  prathamai , ( from 6.49AM IST) Saturday,and hastham star rules till the evening on that day. Accordingly  puja, on the following 8 days can be performed.
The Mahalaya Amavasya is on 4th October from 7.11 AM (IST). Arranging Dolls (Golu)  and Kalasa stapanam can be done on Friday,4th october as it is considered auspicious day.
The nine days celebration is all about worshiping Tridevi in nine different ways. I am posting the chart in the below link,  which is different from that of last year. The details of the Kolam and recipes for Kizhamai (day) prasadams are posted in my 2011September post in this blog.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1Pi-SCjGqUXc0RGT200Z3NmaGM

Apart from this, it is believed and emphasis is given in offering  the prayer to Goddess Durga on first three days as Devi/Annai takes the form of Durgai with a purpose to kill Madhukaidabar and Mahisasuran. Accordingly second three days prayers are for Devi who takes form of Goddess  Laxmi and accepts Devar thuthi , hears Asura's messenger Sukreeva's message and kills Thumralochana. Finally the third three days Devi prayers are offered to Goddess Saraswathi who takes this form with a purpose to kill Sandamunda, Rakthapejan and Sumbha Nisumbha.
 For those who are not able to perform elaborately following the chart ,I am posting the prasadam (kalanda saadam/mixed rice) to be offered each day so that nine varieties of rice prasadams can be offered during navrathiri.  Also gave the links for the recipes which are useful, for those making for first time. I thank Mrs. Shanthi Krishnakumar for her authentic easy method and for the rare recipes like kalkandu rice and ellu rice prasadams. These can be made in addition to the ones mentioned in chart. 

PRASADAM FOR  GODDESS DURGA

5TH OCT’OBER 2013	LIME RICE - http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/2009/04/lemon-rice.html
6TH OCTOBER 2013	ELLU/SESAME RICE- http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/2009/04/ellorai.html
7TH OCTOBER 2013	CURD RICE- http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/2009/05/bahala-bhath.html

PRASADAM FOR GODDESS LAXMI

8TH OCTOBER 2013	SARKARAI ANNAM/SUGAR RICE
9TH OCTOBER 2013	PAAL ANNAM/MILK RICE
10TH OCTOBER 2013	KALKANDU SAADAM http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/2013/01/kalkandu-sadham-iyengar-style.html

PRASADAM FOR GODDESS SARASWATHI

11TH OCTOBER 2013	VENPONGAL  http://hemakrish-beshanaindiansamayal.blogspot.com/2010/01/gama-gama-pongal.html
12TH OCTOBER 2013	COCONUT RICE http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/2009/08/coconut-rice.html
13TH OCTOBER 2013	PAAL SAADAM/MILK RICE

Let us pray Goddess Durga, Laxmi and Saraswathi on all the nine days and seek the blessings. Chant Durga Ashtotharam  and Laxmi Ashtotharam on all the days, and Saraswathi Ashtotharam and slokas from Sapthami to Navami. Also chant or listen to Lalitha Sahasranamam daily. Offer panakam daily. Inviting guests for thambolam is a practice and we should also visit friends to take thambolam. Kanyas are treated as Devi and offered gifts and eatables. All the nine days will have a festive feel with divine activities everywhere. I wish all a very happy Navrathiri and trust that the information collected and shared by me will be helpful.

Vengaya vadam/Onion fryums

This Rice flour and onion vatral is easy to make and tastes good. Can be used as snack as it  tastes like onion pakoda. My mother used to make "sadam vatral" with left over rice. She used to leave the cooked rice adding water overnight. Next morning after draining the water the rice will be ground adding chilli powder, salt, sesame seeds and chopped onion and dried in sun by making small balls. Grated Dosakaya/ melon cucumber can  also be added and made like flat vadam. Some people use the Aval/flat rice and do this.
We call it  "urundai vatral" because they are shaped round with fingers.
I took this recipe from my sister-in law.I am posting this vatral recipe after trying the same twice this season.
Once I tried using red chilli powder and next used green chilli paste. This simple quick vatral needs no preparation. One can make with store bought rice flour quickly.

INGREDIENTS

Rice flour	1/2 kg
Onion	3 big size
Red chilli powder	2 tsp
Salt	to taste

 

METHOD
Finely chop onion and keep.
Take rice flour in a bowl. ( 1/2 kg flour measured 3 glassful)
Add salt and red chilli powder.
Add water and dilute the flour to pouring consistency like that of dosa batter.
Measure water which was  used to dilute. ( I used 4 glassful of water)
In a big vessel or pressure coker outer heat  4 glassful water( the same measure used to dilute flour)
Bring to boil. 
Add the batter and keep stiring till it thickens like Kuzhu.
Put off flame and remove.
Now add chopped onion and mix well.
Allow to cool.
Take  a small quantity of the prepared mix in hand  at a time, and place a small lime size quantity on the sheet  using the tip of your fingers.
Repeat this till the rice mix is finished.
After it gets dried the whole day, turn and keep under sun for one more day for the other side of vatral to dry.
Deep fry in hot oil for crispy fryums.

Javvarisi vadam/sago/sabudaana/tapioca fryums

Vatral/vadam is a summer preparation and is stored for the whole year. Since  these are available in stores along with papad we don't venture at home. This year I tried this at home after a gap of 3 years. My mother used to prepare varieties of vatral and as school going children  during our final exams we used to enjoy Kuzhu prepared for kuzhuvatral or rice vatral.  Any type of vatral when fried  will serve the purpose of side dish for many rice items. Sago vatral is easy to make as it needs no particular "padam" or texture. And pouring it on sheet with karandi/spoon is easier than handling the press called Naazhi. All these sun dried preparations are worth the effort taken. It takes 2 days for the final product to be stored in shelf. Here is the recipe I followed for Sago vatral.

INGREDIENTS

Sago/sabudana	1 kg
Green chilli	100 gms
Salt	to taste
Water	5 times the measure of sago
Lime	2

The dried vatral on the first day evening

Next day when the vatral is peeled and turned the otherside

METHOD
Keep the sheet ready to sun dry the vatral.
Buy sago which is used for vatral.
Measure the sago before soaking. (1kg will be 5 cups)
Cut green chilli and grind to smooth paste adding salt.
Use water, dilute and strain the chilli paste and keep.
Wash sago and drain the water and leave for one hour before cooking.
Take a big vessel or cooker outer and measure  water 5 times the sago (when dry) and bring to boil
Add the green chili water to soaked sago and mix.(If you are using a glassful water, reduce the same measure of  water in cooker)
Add the soaked sago slowly into the boiling water and keep stiring continuously.
When done the sago will look transparent and pearls will increase in size.
Put off flame when the consistency is still liquid as it becomes thick when cool.
This can be prepared in the night and can be put for sun drying in the early morning.
Add lime juice and mix well before spreading in the sheet.
Use big spoon/karandi and pour on the sheet to the required size.
The dried vatral can be peeled in the evening and turned to the other side.
Sun dry the peeled vatral next day till it is dry.
Note:
The quantity of green chilli can be adjusted as per taste.
Salt should be less than the green chilli heat.
Try using less measure of sago when doing first time.

Dried vatral

Fried vatral

Manathakkal keerai poriyal/ Curry with leaves of black nightshade

This is a curry recipe, which is a part of everyday meal. I used Manathakkali keerai (leaves of black nightshade) combining moong dal and made dry curry instead of kootu. Some greens like ponnaganni, murungai keerai, agathi keerai and manathakkali keerai cannot be mashed after cooking in water. These can be cut and cooked along with moong dal and made as curry with simple tadka. They taste good and can be used as a side dish. Agathi keerai is normally made using tuwar dal. Moong dal when cooked direct till it is 3/4 done and combined with any green will taste good and give the curry consistency. We rarely get manathakali keerai here. I thought of following my mom's recipe and made this curry.

INGREDIENTS

Manathakkali keerai	2 bunches
Moong dal	3/4 cup
Mustard seeds	1 tsp
Urad dal	1 tsp
Dry red chilli and green chilli	2 each
Asafoetida	1/2 tsp
Grated coconut	4 tblsp
Sugar	1/2 tsp
Salt	to taste
Haldi`	1/4 tsp
Oil	2 tsp

METHOD
Take only the leaves from the manathakkali bunch.
Rinse and cut the leaves.
Wash moong dal and soak using  a glass of water for 1/2 hour.
In a vessel take  moong dal along with water and add cut greens and cook till dal is 3/4 done.
If necessary the extra water can be strained after dal and greens are cooked.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal,  red and cut green chilli, and asafoetida and fry.
Add dal and greens and saute.
Add haldi and salt and mix.
Finally add grated coconut stir well and add sugar (optional) and remove.
The bitter taste of manathakkali keerai will be reduced by adding coconut and sugar.