SWEET - SOUR - SPICY PAVARKAI/BITTER GOURD PACHADI

As the name indicates, Bitter Gourd, tastes will be bitter. But it has a vast number of nutrients. Children often eat chocolates and sweets. Eating Bitter Gourd at least twice a week, helps to overcome stomach disorders. Bitter gourd benefits in controlling diabetes due to its hypoglycaemic activity. Moreover, it improves digestion and helps cure a number of ailments like colic, fever, anemia, piles, kidney stones, intestinal worms, herpes, ulcers, skin eruptions, etc.

I tried this recipe and it came out well. We can prepare this recipe and store in the refrigerator and use for  3 to 4 days. It tastes better with curd rice.

PAVARKAI  SWEET PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:-

Bitter gourd / Karela/ Pavarkai - 250 gms ( approx. 4 nos)

Tamarind - a  big lemon size

Grated Jaggery - 150 gms

Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

Water - to boil bitter gourd & 250 ml 

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

For Seasoning:- 

Green chilly - 4 nos., (cut in 1-inch size)

Curry leaves - 2 leaflet

Oil  - 70 ml

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urid dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Red Chillies - 4

METHOD:-

(1)  Boil 250 ml water in pan and add to the tamarind, to extract  tamarind juice. (In case, if Tamarind paste is used, take  70 gms of it and dissolve in 250ml of water).

(2) Cut bitter gourd in slices, not too thick, not too thin.

(3)  Boil water in a pan and add salt and turmeric powder. Add bitter gourd to it. Cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes in low flame. Switch off the flame and let it sit on the burner for 10 minutes with lid covered. Later strain the water and set aside the cooked bitter gourd in a bowl.

(4)  Heat oil in kadai, and add Mustard Seeds. Allow it to splutter. Add urid dal. curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies, asafoetida. Add the cooked  bitter gourd, sakt  and mix altogether. 

 

(5)  Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes in low flame. Mix in between. Add Red chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes.

(6)   Add the tamarind extract/juice to it and mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or till most of the tamarind extracts are absorbed.

(7)  Check for salt and spice, add Grated Jaggery to it. Mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

(8)  Sweet-Sour-Spicy Pavarkai Pachadi is ready to be served. Store it in an air tight container and can be used for 3 to 4 days.

தேங்காய் தயிர் பச்சடி | COCONUT CURD RAITHA | VEDAI CUISINE | INSTANT SAMAIYAL | Instant Thayir (Curd) Pachadi/Raitha

This is my all time favourite in my childhood days. I always ask my mother to prepare this recipe for my breakfast ( being meals every day), along with other side dishes.

THAYIR PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:-

Fresh Curd/Yogurt -  1 cup
Grated Coconut (fresh) - 4 tbsp

For Seasoning :-

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urid Dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Green chilly, chopped finely - 1 or  2
Oil - 1 tsp

METHOD:-

(1)  In a mixer jar, add the curd and whip it once. Remove it and replace it in a bowl.
(2)  Heat oil in pan, add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter. Add urid dal, when it turns to golden                colour, add green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
(3)  Add this seasoning / tampering to the curd.
(4)  Instant Thayir Pachadi / Raitha is ready.

Tastes better with Rice and Karakuzhambu, Chappati  etc.

Click the following for PACHADI varieties:-

NELLIKKAI SWEET & SPICY PACHADI 

COCONUT CURD RAITHA

MANGO PACHADI

BITTER-GOURD PACHADI

Dosa using Leftover Rice

Using minimum ingredients, and without neet for fermenting, this dosa can be prepared.

INGREDIENTS:-
Leftover Rice -  2 cups
Wheat flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Rava/Sooji - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups or as required

Oil for making dosas

METHOD:-
In a mixer jar, Grind all the ingredients except oil, together in a dosa batter consistency. Add water while grinding.

Now, batter is ready to make Dosas. Heat dosa tawa, (i used iron tawa), pour batter in the center and spread immediately using karandi. Add few drops of oil and cover it with lid. Let it cook, check in between. Now Flip the other side using spatula (dosa karandi), and cook for a minute.

Suitable side dish :- Coconut chutney, Onion chutney

RAJMA GRAVY

               

RAJMA GRAVY

 Rajma, also known as Kidney Beans ( shape being kidney shape), is loaded with wide number of health benefits viz., helps in functioning of cardiovascular problems, lowers blood sugar, reduces the risk of bone and hip fractures.
It contains Vitamin K, that is known to protect cells from oxidative stress and further reduce the risks of cancer. It also helps in functioning of brain and nervous system actively.
Kidney beans are rich in protein and can be the best substitute for meat or dairy products.

I prepared this gravy using pressure cooker.

INGREDIENTS:-

(A)

(B)

(C)

(A)  Big Onion - 2                            

       Tomato - 3

       Ginger - 1/2 inch

       Garlic - 7 tp 10

       Green chilly - 1

(B)  Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

       Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp

       Red Chilly powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

       Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

(C)  For Seasoning:-

      Bay Leaf - 1

      Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

      Kalpasu/Black Stone flower - 1

      Cinnamon - 1 inch
      Cloves - 4 to 5 nos.

Rajma - 100 gms

Salt to taste

Oil - 4 tbsp

Butter -  1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:-

Soak Rajma for 8 hours or overnight. 

Soaked Rajma

Grind Onions, Ginger, garlic to a fine paste and set aside.

Grind  Tomatoes to a fine paste and set aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the ingredients given under seasoning (C), saute till nice aroma arises. 

Now, Keep it in medium flame and add onion paste to it and saute till the moist content is fully absorbed. Stir continuously to avoid burnt. 

  

Now add all the powders given under Section (B). Saute for 2 minutes. 

Add tomato paste to it and mix well. Add salt. Saute till the raw smell goes. 

Add 2 cups of water,  allow it to boil. Check for salt and spice. Adjust the taste accordingly. 

When the water starts to boil, add the Rajma, mix well.

Cover with lid. Cook for 3 whistles in high and switch off the flame. 

Allow the pressure to release.

Uncover the lid, add sugar and mix well.

Transfer the contents to a serving bowl and add the butter.

Aromatic Rajma Gravy is ready to be served.

Tastes better with Chappati, Roti, Rice.

TOMATO GOTSU..... without Dal

GOTSU....is famous in southern parts of Tamilnadu. I tried  this GOTSU without using dal, but using pressure cooker. No Grinding is required.

TOMATO GOTSU

INGREDIENTS:-

Finely chopped Tomato - 2 nos.
Cubed Potato - 2 nos.
Finely Chopped Big Onion (Indian) - 2
Green Chillies - 2
Ginger, chopped - 1/2 inch
Salt - to taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp


For Seasoning:-
Oil - 4 tsp (teaspoon)
Urid Dal - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Coriander leaves - for garnishing - 1 tablespoon.


METHOD:-

Cut the green chillies in 1/2 inch size. Peel the potato skin and cut into  cubes.

Heat  3 teaspoon of oil  in a pressure cooker ( any cooker 2 ltr or 3 ltr).  Add green chillies and ginger, saute for 20 seconds. Add chopped Onions and saute till the onions turn transculent.  Add cubed potatoes and saute for a minute.

Add chopped tomato, salt and red chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes. Add 100 ml of water.

Cover with lid. Cook for 1 whitle in high flame and 15 minutes in low flame. Switch off the burner. Allow the pressure to release. Once the pressure is released, using  karandi/spatula, mash the cooked ingredients.

In a kadai, heat 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add urid dal and let it change into golden colour. Add curry leaves. Switch off the flame and add asafoetida.  Pour this seasoning into the cooker and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, mix well.

Simple and Tasty Tomato Gotsu is ready.

Instead of Potato, Chow chow, Knool-khool, Cauliflower can also be used.

BEANS PORIYAL

BEANS PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS:-
French Beans/ Beans - 150 gms
Roasted groundnuts - 3 tablespoon
Red Chillies - 2 nos.
Salt - as per taste


FOR SEASONING:-
Oil - 1 tsp
Urid Dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet


METHOD:-

Chop  the beans and set aside

In a blender or Mixer jar, grind roasted groundnuts and red chilles, to a coarse powder . Set aside.

Heat Oil in a Kadai, add mustard seed and let it splutter. Add urid dal and let it change to golden colour. Add Curry leaves and Asafoetida.

Add  chopped beans to it and saute for a minute. Now, add salt and mix well.
Sprinkle some water, cover with a lid. Keep it in low flame. And cook the beans.

Once the beans are cooked, mix the coarse powder to the beans.

Beans Poriyal is ready.

Click here for Beans Paruppu Usili.

GREEN CHUTNEY

This is my innovative recipe. And it tasted awesome with Idlis and Dosas.

GREEN CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:-

Coriander leaves  and Mint/Pudhina leaves -  One handful

Roasted Groundnuts - 2  tablespoon

Green Chillies - 2 

Salt - as required

Shallots/Sambhar Vengayam/Small Onion - 5 nos.,

Garlic pods - 2 nos.

For Seasoning:-

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Urid dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida/Perungayam  - 1/4 tsp

METHOD:-

Clean the coirander leaves and Mint leaves. 

In a blender or a mixer jar, add all the ingredients viz., coriander leaves, mint leaves, small onions, garlic, green chillies, roasted groundnuts and salt. 

Grind to a fine paste, by adding water.

Restore the grinded mixture in a bowl. 

Now, heat oil in a pan, add Mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add urid dal, when it turns golden colour switch off the flame and add asafoetida. Pour this seasoning over chutney

Green Chutney is ready.

Click here another variety of  Coriander Chutney.

TAMARIND AVAL/ புளி அவல் உப்புமா

Poha/Aval uppuma has been posted in this blog already. Here, I have done this recipe using tamarind. Instead of soaking in butter milk, we have to soak in tamarind water. Otherwise the recipe is same as Aval uppuma. But the taste will be different. Tamarind rice is a popular South Indian recipe, has also been posted in this blog. Here, we use Poha instead of rice.

INGREDIENTS:
Poha - 200g
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Jaggery - little
Salt

For Seasoning
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Red chilly - 2
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Small onion/ shallots-  6
Roasted peanut - little
Curry leaves - a leaflet
Oil - 2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Soak tamarind in half cup of warm water and make juice.
2. Wash Poha throughly, add required salt, turmeric, tamarind juice and soak for an hour.

3. If needed add water so that poha is soaked properly.
4. See that water is added according to the quality of Poha. Some require less water.
5. Heat oil in a tawa, add mustard, cumin.

6. After it splits, add urad dhal, broken red chilly, fenugreek, curry leaves, asafoetida.
7. Add chopped onions, roasted peanuts and stir until it becomes golden brown. 

8. Add jaggery and stir well.
9. Add soaked Poha and mix well on medium flame for few minutes.
10. Tasty Tamarind Poha is ready.

Note:

•  Adding onion and jaggery is optional.
• Big onions can be used instead of shallots.

CARROT KHEER/ CARROT PAYASAM

This is a Colourful and simple  dessert, very easy to prepare. A healthy kheer, done using carrot, badam and cashew, which everyone will like, especially Children. This can be served warm or chilled.

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 2 

Cashewnuts  - 10

Badam - 6

Saffron/Kesar - a pinch

Sugar - 5 to 6 tsp

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Cardamom - a pinch

Ghee - 2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Peel and grate carrot using a grater or grind coarsely in a mixer. Soak the badam for an hour before starting to prepare the recipe.

2. Heat ghee, add half of the cashews broken into pieces and fry till golden brown and keep aside.

3. In the same pan, add carrot and stir well until raw smell goes off.

4. Add milk, saffron/kesar and bring to boil in medium flame and allow the carrot to get half cooked in the milk.

5. Meanwhile, peel badam, add to a mixer along with remaining cashews and make a paste adding little water and add to the carrot, milk mixture.

6. After some time, the kheer will thicken and the carrot will be fully cooked.

7. Add sugar and cardamom and mix well. Taste for sugar and add more if needed.

8. After the sugar gets dissolved, add roasted cashews and switch off the flame.

9. Tasty and delicious Carrot Kheer is ready to be served.

See for Carrot Halwa in this blog

Note:

• Add sugar according to the need as some carrots might be very sweet.
• If the kheer becomes very sweet, add boiled and cooled milk so that the taste of sugar can be balanced.

PANEER MASALA DOSAI

Masala dosai is one of the popular South Indian breakfast recipe. Masala stuffing is usually prepared using potato. Here, I have done using Paneer, which is simple and easy to prepare. If we have paneer in our house, this recipe can be done in quick time. We always serve dosa with either chutney varieties or sambhar. For a change, this Paneer stuffing can be tried once in a while. This recipe is somewhat similar to Paneer Bhurji which has been already posted in this blog.

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer (crumbled) - 200g

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 2

Onion - 2

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Crushed Ginger and garlic - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - a handful

Salt

Oil - 3 tsp 

METHOD: 

PREPARING PANEER STUFFING:

1. In a tawa, heat oil and add cumin. 

2. Add chopped onion and cook for a while, add crushed ginger and garlic, cook well until raw smell goes off and add finely chopped tomato.

3. Stir well until the tomato turns juicy.

4. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, required salt and for a few minutes.

5. Sprinkle little water so that the raw smell goes off and becomes thick together.

6. At this stage, add crumbled paneer, chopped coriander leaves and stir for a minute and switch off the flame.

7. Paneer stuffing is ready now. 

 

PREPARING PANEER MASALA DOSAI:

1. Heat a dosa tawa, smear little oil.

2. If using idly batter, add little water and mix well so that the dosa can be easily spread.

3. Spread the dosa thin so that there is no need to turn to other side to get cooked.

4. Close with a lid and cook on medium flame.

5. Sprinkle some oil and wait until the dosa is well cooked with browning.

6. Spread the paneer and fold the dosa.

7. Paneer can be either spread in the centre and folded on both sides or spread at one side and folded with the other side as shown. 

8. Tasty and delicious Paneer Masala dosai is ready.

Note:

• Paneer should be brought to room temperature before cooking so that crumbling will be easy.
• Home made paneer will suit very well for this recipe since we don't need to crumble. Paneer can be prepared a day before and stored in fridge.
• Over cooking of paneer will result in rubbery texture. So, switch off the flame immediately after adding paneer.