Posts Tagged ‘Curry’

The month Margazhi is fast approaching.  After singing thirupavai it is usual to to do Venpongal as naivedyam to Aundal. Here I am giving you the method of doing the ven pongal.

Ingredients

Raw rice – 1 cup

Moong Dhal – 1/2 cup

For Seasoning

Black Pepper – 1 tsp

Jeera – 1 tsp

Fresh Curry leaves – 15-20 nos

Ginger – 1/2 inch (cut into small pieces)

Cashew nuts – 10 to 15 nos ( break it into half)

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Procedure

-Soak the rice and dhal for half an hour.

-Pressure cook them by adding 3 1/2 cups of water.  Allow 4 whistles in high flames and simmer  it for 10 minutes.

- In a thick bottomed pan apply 1 tsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts till they are golden brown.  To uniformly fry the cashew nuts break it into 2 halves and then fry.

-Again add 1 tsp of ghee and fry jeera and pepper one by one and atlast add curry leaves and  ginger and fry them too.

-Take 1/2 a cup of milk (hot) and add hing and allow it to dissolve.

-Soon after the cooker gets released add all the fried ingredients and then the milk with hing and the required amount of salt and mix it such a way that the rice – dhal mix is well smashed.

Tasty ven pongal is ready for serve.  For each and every serve you can add melted ghee to enhance the taste.

Chutney,  sambar,  gotsu, paringikai- mochaikottai pulikuzhambu and thalaga kuzhambu are the best side dishes for this ven pongal.

if you want the flavor of hing to be heavy, then add the hing to the rice -dhal mix and pressure cook it.

This is a very tasty and nutritious kuzhambu.

Ingredients

Tamarind – lemon size

Vegetables – 1 cup ( diced)

The vegetables usually used for this kuzhambu are chow-chow,  ash gourd (pooshanikai), parangikai or chakarai pooshinikai, or brinhal cut into small pieces.

Soaked Chenna dhal or peanuts – 1 cup

Salt – 1 tsp

Turmeric pdr – 1/4 tsp

To fry and grind

Urud dhal – 1 tsp

Chenna dhal – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 1 table spoon

Red chillies – 7-8

Black pepper – 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida(hing or perungayam) – 1/2 tsp

Fry all the above ingredients except coconut and asafoetida  in a pan with 1 tsp of oil, till they are golden brown.

Allow it to cool and make it into  a paste ( neither too coarse nor too smooth) and set aside.

Procedure

-Pressure cook the soaked chenna or peanuts by adding salt.

-Strain the tamarind by adding 2 cup of water.

-Now add the diced vegetable, salt and turmeric powder and cook the vegetables untill they are soft.

-Add the cooked chenna or peanuts , the prepared paste and allow it to froth.

-Season it with mustard and fresh curry leaves. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

It can be served with dosa, idili, pongal as well as hot white rice.

Hotel Sambar

Ingredients

Thoor Dhal – 1 cup
big Onion – 2 Nos
Sambar Vegetables – 1 cup
Tomato – 4 Nos Salt – 1tsp
Tamarind – small size lemon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 10 to 15 leaves
finely chopped coriander – 2tsp
Asfoetida (perungayam) – 1/2 tsp

To fry and grind

Red Chillies – 6 nos
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya) -1 1/2 Table spoon
Chenna dhal – 1Table spoon
Methi Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper – 1/2 tsp
Cumin’s seeds (jeera) – 1tsp
Curry leaves – 1 hand full

For seasoning

mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
oil – 2 table spoon

Sambar procedure

-Pressure cook thoor dhal with little turmeric powder
- Cut the sambar vegetables in small pieces. Also chop onion and tomato longitudinally .
- Apply some oil in the kadai and fry the things to be grounded. Let it cool and make it into a fine powder.
-Again apply some oil in the kadai season the mustard seeds , broken urud dhal and onion. When the onion gets fried little add the Sambar vegetables. Saute it and then add the chopped tomato and the required amount of salt. Saute for few about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In the mean time stain the tamarind with 1 1/2 cups of water. Add it to the seasoned vegetables
- Allow the mixture to boil till the raw smell vanishes and all the vegetables are well cooked
- Now add the well smashed thoor dhal and the prepared powder to the mixture. Mix it well and allow it to boil for another 5 minutes.
- Add few curry leaves and chopped coriander.

A very tasty hotel sambar is ready to be served with hot hot dosas.

Mysore Rasam

Ingredients

Tamarind – small lemon size
Tomato – 1 big in size
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Cooked Thoor Dhal – 1 tsp along with water

To fry and grind

Coriander seeds – 2 tsp, Thoordhal – 1 tsp, ChennaDhal – 1 tsp, Red Chilies – 4 (or 6, if u need a spicy rasam)Nos, Black pepper – 1/2 tsp, Methi seeds- 1/4 tsp, Asafoetida -1/4 tsp. Roast the above in a spoon of ghee or oil. Add 1/2 tsp of jeera and Coconut – 1 Tbl spoon, grind it to a smoot powder.

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For Seasoning

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Fresh Curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Procedure

-Strain the tamarind with 1 1/2 cups of water. Instead of putting the tomato as pieces you grind the tomato and add the puree. This will enhance the color of the rasam.

-Add turmeric powder and salt and allow it to boil for about 5 to seven minutes till the raw smell of tamarind vanishes. Now add the powder you prepared.

-Smash the cooked thoor dhal and add it along with its water & allow the rasam to boil just for a minute.

-Add coriander leaves, saute mustard seeds in ghee along with fresh curry leaves and add it to rasam.

Lime Mysore Rasam

Instead of adding the tamarind in the beginning add the lime juice at last, as you did for the lime rasam.

Brinjal Mysore Rasam

Slit the small brinjals into four without fully cutting them.

Cook the brinjal in tamarind water and repeat the same procedure.

This is a very simple variety of kootu made out of cucumber and  chenna dhal.

INGREDIENTS

Cucumber – 2 cups ( chopped into small pieces in the form of cubes)

Chenna Dhal – 2 tbl spoons

Grated coconut – 2 tbl spoons

Cumin(jeera) seeds – 1 tsp

Red chillies – 2 nos (to taste)

Salt – 1/2 tsp ( to taste)

Raw rice – 1/2 tsp

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PROCEDURE

-Pressure cook the chenna dhal and cucumber by adding 1/2 cup of water, salt and one pinch of turmeric powder.  Just allow three whistles and lower the flame for 2 minutes.

-Grind the coconut, jeera , raw rice and red chillies into a fine paste,  by adding little water.

- Add this paste to the cooked cucumber and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.

-Season it with 1/2 tsp mustard, 1/4 spoon asafoetida and fresh curry leaves.

This a very tasty kootu.  Because of its mild nature kids will like it.  It also serves as a side dish to chapathi.

( We all know that cucumber is a watery vegetable. When cooked by adding water it becomes all the more watery.  Don’t drain the excess water.  Instead use it for grinding the coconut paste.  Its nutritious value will be preserved. As far as possible never drain the water used for cooking the vegetables.  All the nutrients will be lost)

It is a famous kanidika preparation. I tasted this gojju in one of my friends house Mrs. Swarna who hails from Bangalore , but settled at Delhi. The taste was so good. I got the method of preparation from her which I am going to present it to you now. This brinjal – capsicum gojju.

Ingredients

Required Vegetables

Tender Brinjal – 100 gms

Capsicum -100 gms

Tomato – 100 gms

Chop all the vegetables into small square pieces.

To prepare the Gravy

Tamarind – small lemon size

Chutney Dhal (pottukadalai) – 1 teaspoon

Mustard – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut – 1 handful

Red chillies – 2-3 nos ( accoring to taste)

For seasoning

Oil -1 table spoon

Mustard -1 tsp

Methi – 1/2 tsp ( you can season it with whole  methi or if you use methi powder then make it to 1/4 spoon )

Red Chillies – 1 nos

Curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Asafoetida(Hing or perumkayam)  – 1/2 tsp

Procedure

– Strain the tamarind with 1 1/2 cup of water and add the chopped vegetables, one pinch of turmeric powder , salt  and cook them.

-In a dry pan allow the mustard to splutter.  Set asside.  Add one tsp of oil to the pan fry the chutney dhal ,red chillies  and coconut just for 2 minutes.  Allow it to cool and grind it along with mustard and turmeric powder into a fine paste.

- Add this paste to the tamarind – veg gravy and just allow it froth. If you prefer add one small bit  of jagarrey to enhance the taste.

- Season it with mustars , methi, red chillies, curry leaves and hing.

Mouth watering gojju is ready.  It can be served along with raw rice, venpongal, idli , dosa and chapathi.

BOMBAY CHUTNEY

Ingredients

Besan – 3 tsp
(Kadalai mavu)
Onion – 1 Nos
(finely chopped)
Tomato – 2 nos
Green chilies – 4 Nos (slit it length wise)
Oil – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 2 tsp

Procedure

-Mix the besan with 1 tumbler of water. Make it into a dilute batter.

-Apply oil in the pan and allow mustard & cumin’s seeds to splutter . Add finely chopped onion, tomato, curry leaves and the green chilies.along with turmeric powder. if needed add 1 ladle of water to cook the onion.

- Cook till the onion is soft and now add the besan batter and cook it for 5 minutes.

- The gravy will start thickening and will not stick to the pan . This is the consistency. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander.

You can also add 1/2 tsp lemon juice to increase the flavour and taste. This chutney goes well with chapati & poori . It is very easy to prepare. It will hardly take 10 minutes to prepare.

Ellu (TIL) Chutney,

It is a very healthy chutney. Always eat ellu occasionally. It will increase your weight but it is vary tasty.

Ingredients

White Til (Ellu)seeds – 2 tablespoon
Grated Coconut – ½ cup
Red Chillies – 3 to 4 Nos (depending on the size)
Tamarind – a small gooseberry size
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 1 tsp

Procedure

-Clean the til seeds and fry it in a dry kadai till it pops up. Allow it to cool.
- Grind the fried til, coconut, tamarind , chillies with salt into a fine paste
-Season it with mustard, urud dhal and curry leaves.

Ingredients

To Grind
Pure grated coconut – 1 cup
Fried gram (pottukadalai) – 1 Table spoon
green chillies – 2 Nos ( If you need little bit hot chutney increase the nos of chillies)

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 1 tsp

Procedure

- Season the mustard seed, urud dhal and the curry with oil.
- Fry the green chillies
- Now grind the coconut, fried gram and green chillies and make into a paste.
- Add the necessary quantity of water to dilute the paste and the seasoned things.
- Add a 1 pinch of perungayam and1/2 tsp lemon juice ( if you like then grind a small piece of tamarind. But adding lemon juice, we will get a new flavour).

Always add the seasoned things at the time of serving to retain the freshness.

You can make small changes to do different kind of chutneys

1 Coriander Chutney

The procedure is same as that of pure coconut chutney. While grinding you have to add finely chopped coriander.

2Pudhina Chutney

The only change you have to make is add pudhina (mint) leaves.

Remove the leaves form the stem. Wash it thoroughly. Apply some oil in the pan and saute the leaves for about 2 minutes.

Grind it with coconut, fried gram and green chilies.

Mint is full of iron . At least try to have it once a week. Seasoning and the other things remain the same.

3 Capsicum Chutney

The procedure is same as that of pudhina chutney. Instead of pudhina use capsicum.
Cut into small pieces and fry them in the kadai. You need not fry for a longer period. Just 2 minutes of cooking will do.

KEERAI KOOTU  - Many of us don’t prefer to eat keerai (greens)  when done as ordinary masial or keerai sundal.

Here is a very easy way to make even the greens( keerai)  more delicious.

Ingredients

Urud dhal – 1 tsp

Chenna dhal – 1 tsp

Red Chillies – 2 nos (to taste)

Coconut – 1 tbl spoon

Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Greens – 2 cups (finely chopped)

Mung dhal – 2 tbl spoon

Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1/2 tsp

Oil -1tsp ( for seasoning)

Procedure

-Cook the greens along with mung dhal by adding little amount of salt.

-Apply 1 tsp of oil in kadai and fry urud dhal, chenna dhal, red chillies till golden brown.   Allow it to cool and grind it along with fresh grated coconut, jeera  and a pinch of asafoetida to make a smooth paste.

-Add the paste to the cooked greens  and boil it for 2 minutes.  Season it with mustard, broken urud dhal and fresh curry leaves.

Very tasty keerai kootu is ready. This can be served with hot rice.  It is a also a perfect side dish for roti.

Preffered greens are arai keerai,   mulai keerai,  pasalai keerai, palak,  thoodhuvalai,  murangai keerai,  mani thakali keerai,  thandu keerai ( both red and green).