Posts Tagged ‘Grated Coconut’

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.

Here I am giving another sundal  made out of green peas ( both dry and fresh)

If you are going to use dry peas then soak the peas for 7 to 8 hours.  If fresh peas is used then it can be directly cooked.

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Green Peas / Dry Green Peas / Pachai Pattani – 1 cup (If dry soaked overnight)

Grated coconut – 1 table spoon

Oil – 1 table spoon

Green chillies – 3-4 nos (To taste)

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp (perungayam / hing)

PROCEDURE

- Soak the peas for about 7 to 8 hours.

- Pressure cook ( just leave 1 whistle and switch off the stove) adding enough salt and water .  As I already mentioned in kondaikadalai sundal for cooking any pulses and legumes it should be fully immersed in water.  Drain the excess water. Now the cooked peas  is ready.

For Neivedyam purpose

- Add 1 table spoon of oil to the pan.  Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.  Add the green chillies, grated ginger  and curry leaves and 1/2 tsp of  hing.

-Then add the cooked peas and season it for 5 minutes then add the freshly grated coconut.  Season it for 2 more minutes.

Neivedyam sundal is ready.

If the sundal has to be stored for more than 5 hours,  then  after the mustard seeds splutter,  add the coconut along with green chillies and curry leaves.  Season it for 2 to 3 minutes so that water in the coconut dries up , then add the cookded peas.

Thengai Mangai Pattai Sundal

As I mentioned above cook the green peas and strain the excess water

Cooked  green peas – 1 cup

Onion – 1 (finely chopped)

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies – 1 tsp

Finely chopped green mango – 2 table spoon.

Finely chopped corainder – 1table spoon

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp (optional)

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Cooking Oil – 1 table spoon

Procedure

-Add the cooking oil to the pan and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.

- Add the finely chopped chillies, onion, ginger and the curry leaves and cook till the onion is soft.   Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and the cooked peas and season it for 2 to 3 minutes.

- At last add the coconut,  season it for a minute.  Switch off the stove and then add the chopped mangoes. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander.

Delicious tengai , mangai pattani sundal is ready. This again is a mini snack

If you want to make it little more spicy then add a pinch of garam masala or a pinch of chat masala.

Ver kadalai sundal is not only nutritious, but it is also very filling and I am sure kids will relish it if done in a different manner.

INGREDIENTS

Ver Kadalai – 1 cup (200 gms)

Grated coconut – 1 table spoon

Oil – 1 table spoon

Green chillies – 3-4 nos (To taste)

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp (perungayam / hing)

PROCEDURE

- Soak the kadalai for about 3 to 4 hours.

- Pressure cook adding enough salt and water .  As I already mentioned in kondaikadalai sundal for cooking any pulses and legumes it should be fully immersed in water.  Drain the excess water. Now the cooked groundnut is ready.

For Neivedyam purpose

- Add 1 table spoon of oil to the pan.  Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.  Add the green chillies and curry leaves and 1/2 tsp of  hing.

-Then add the cooked peanuts and season it for 5 minutes then add the freshly grated coconut.  Season it for 2 more minutes.

Neivedyam sundal is ready.

If the sundal has to be stored for more than 5 hours,  then  after the mustard seeds splutter,  add the coconut along with green chillies and curry leaves.  Season it for 2 to 3 minutes so that water in the coconut dries up , then add the cookded groundnut.

Mini Chat

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely grated carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped tomato

1 table spoon finely chopped coriander

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup cooked peanuts

1/2- 1  tsp chat masala (to taste)

Mix all the above mentioned ingredients,  garnish it with sliced onion, tomato, radish and cilantro leaves (should not be chopped finely) .  I am sure children will defenitely prefer this.  It is very nutritious mini snack without a drop of oil.

If your going to serve the same for navarathri purpose then just remove onion and chat masala.  Instead add 1/2 tsp red chilly powder.  Garnish it with slices of tomato , cucumber and  cilantro before serving.

Navarathri is fast approaching and I am sure every one will will offer different variety of sundal to Goddess Lalithadevi on all 9 days. To start with let me tell you how to make kondaikadalai sundal in different ways.

You can use both variety of Kondai kadalai – both white and black.

- Soak the chenna dhal over night or atleast for 8 hours.

- Pressure cook the soaked CHENNA adding the required amount of salt and water . Let two whistles come and simmer it for 5 minutes.

( Say for 1 cup (200 gms) of dhal , 1/2 heap of salt and the chenna should submerge in water) You can also add 1 pinch of turmeric powder to give an appealing color.

-After the pressure cooker releases, drain the excess water and allow it to cool.

- In a pan add 1 table spoon of oil . Add mustard , let it splutter add 4 split green chillies and a red chilly along with fresh curry leaves, and add 1/4 tsp of hing (perungayam) and then add the cooked chenna.

- Season for 5 minutes till the water in the chenna dries up and add 1 table spoon of freshly grated coconut. Season it for another 2 to 3 minutes.

This is the basic procedure for doing the kondaikadalai sundal.

We can also modify this a little bit. The first three steps remains the same. Those who don’t prefer to use much coconut do it this way.

-After draining water from chenna just add 2 tsp of oil to the pan. Add 2 red chillies, 2 green chillies, one teaspoon of grated ginger & add the chenna and season it for 5 minutes. Then add small pieces of coconut amount to 1 tsp. Season for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool down little, then add 1/2 tsp of lime juice and garnish it with coriander.

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.

It is a mixture of vegetables and a variety of legumes  like chenna(konda kadalai) , whole mung dhal( pachai payaru) and  lobia (karamani).

INGREDIENTS

Chopped  Vegetables – 1 cup

Soaked legumes – 1 cup

Small lemon size tamarind

Vegetables used for this preparation are ash gourd (pooshanikai), red pumpkin (parangikari) carrot,  bringal, plantain, mochai parrupu.   Cut all these vegetables into small square pieces.

Soak the legumes overnight.

TO FRY AND GRIND

Chenna dhal – 1 tsp

Urud dhal – 1 tsp

Pepper – 1/4 tsp

Red Chillies – 6 nos

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Edible oil – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 2 tbl spoon

FOR SEASONING

Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Broken urud dhal -1/2 tps

Fresh curry leaves – 10 – 15 nos

Grated coconut – 1 tsp

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PROCEDURE

-Strain the tamarind with a cup of water.  Cook the vegetables in the tamarind water.  Pressure cook the legumes by adding salt to it.

-Add 1 tsp of  of oil to the pan and fry all the ingredients to be ground except coconut, till they are golden brown. Allow it to cool and grind into  a smooth paste along with coconut.

-Add this paste to the tamarind – vegetable mixture and bring it to boil.  Let it boil for about 2 minutes.  Keep stirring  it continuously to avoid burning at the bottom.  Season it with mustard, urud dhal, curry leaves.  Dry fry the coconut and sprinkle over it.

Very tasty and spicy kadalai kootu  is ready.  It can be had with plain rice.  It is also an excellent side dish for chapathi and dosa.

RAVA IDLI an ideal morning breakfast, very nutritious but easy  to make.

INGREDIENTS

Rava/ sooji – 1 cup (small once preferred)

Curd / Yogurt – 1 cup (If it is little sour in taste it will enhance the taste of the idli)

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Grated ginger -  1/2 tsp

Finely chopped chillies – 2 or 3 ( to taste )

Chopped coriander – 2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 strand

Chenna dhal, Urud dhal, Jeera – 1/2 tsp each

finely grated carrot – 1/2  cup

Cashew – 10-15 (optional)

Ghee – 2 tsp

Oil – 2tbl spoon

baking salt – 1/4 tsp (Soda)

Salt – 1 tsp ( to taste)

Water – 1/4 cup

PROCEDURE

- Apply 2 tbl spoon of  oil in a pan . Add the mustard seeds , once it starts popping add Chenna dhal, Urud dhal, Jeera and fry till they are golden brown, then add the finely grated ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves and season them.

-Add the rava and fry it for about 5 minutes, so that the sooji is fried.  Now add fried things to the curd.  Also add  the baking salt,  a pinch of asafoetida, chopped carrot, coriander and mix well. The batter should be of idli consistency.  Set aside for 30 minutes.

-In the mean time add 2 tsp of ghee to the pan and fry the cashews till they are golden brown.  (Make the cashews into half and then fry).

-Greece the idli stand .  Fill the molds with the batter and then place the cashews on the top of the batter so that when idlis are cooked the cashews can be seen on the top. Pressure cook without placing weight, for about 12 to 15 minutes. Switch of the stove and give a standing time for about 2 minutes before removing the idlis form the plate.

Spicy and tasty rava idlis  are ready to be served. Serve it with chutney and sambar.

Apart from adding carrot , you can also add 2 tbl spoons of grated coconut, finely chopped beans , beetroot , fresh green peas, capsicum, cabbage and even cauliflower. If you are going to add many vegetables,  then let the cut vegetable amount to 3/ 4 cup.

I try to add as many vegetables as possible , so that the vegetable idli becomes quite nutritive.

If don’ t prefer to add baking salt,  then increase the oil to 3 tbl spoon while seasoning the sooji  and increase the quantity of curd to 1 1/4 cup.

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).