BLACK GRAM DHAL RICE/ULUNDU SADAM WITH THOVIAL

Black gram dhal rice is famous in Tirunelveli District.It is rich in protein.As this dhal is rich in iron this is given to girls when they strain puberty also this strengthens the uterus and bones. This is especially good for teenaged girls.

Ingredients
Rice______1 cup
Split urad dhal_____1/2 cup
Garlic______________15 pods
Coconut scraping____1/4cup
Fenugreek  seeds_____1/4 TSP

Method:
1.Dry roast black gram dhal.
2.Wash rice and dhal together.Keep it either directly or in a vessel.
3.water should be three and half times..
4.To it add garlic pods coconut scrapings and  required amount of salt.
Keep it for 3 whistles.

ELLU THUVAIYAL
Ingredients:
Black sesame seeds  4 tbs
Red chillies 3 or 4
Coconut scrapings 1/2 cup
Tamarind  a small piece
Salt.
Oil 1 tbs

Method
1.Pour oil in a kadai .Add sesma seeds and red chillies.
2.Then add coconut scrapings fry a little.
3.When cool grind it with tamarind and salt.

RED CHILLIES CHUTNEY
Ingredients
Red chillies 2 or 3
Coconut scrapings 1/2 cup
Tamarin a piece
Salt
Oil 2 tbs.

Method
1.Pour  oil in a kadai.
2.Add red chillies fry a little then add coconut scrapings.
3. When cool add tamarind and salt and grind it.
Serve with Avial or Okra Pachadi and Papadam.
While mixing rice and thovaial add a dash of sesame oil.
I have used split black gram with skin but can use dhal without skin .

CHOW CHOW KOOTU/CHAYOTO KOOTU

Another South Indian style kootu to share with you all.This is a best  side dish for rice and it goes well with chappathi too.

Ingredients:

chow chow:2 cups chopped

Moong dhal: 1/4 cup

Turmeric Powder:1/4 tsp

curry leaves: a few

Milk: 3 tbs.

For seasoning:

Oil :1tbs

Mustard seeds and urad dhal

For grinding:

Coconut grated 3 to 4 tbs

cumin seeds:1tsp

garlic pods:3t0 4 pods

Redchillies:1 to 2.as desired

Method:

 

1.Peel the skin of chow chow and cut into small cubes.Keep aside

2.Grind all the ingredients

3.Cook dhal seperately and mash it well

4.Cook chow chow with turmeric powder when done add required salt add the cooked dhal  also  to it

5.add the grinded mixture to it and blend well.

6.heat oil add mustard seeds,urad and curry leaves fry and add to it.

7.Lastly add milk to it. Its ready for serving with rice or chappathi

This is a very traditional syle of kootu.Goes well with vathal kuzhambu/puli kulambu also for sambar rice.

 

 

TOMATO ONION CHUTNEY

We have many chutney varieties for dosai and idli. This is an easy recipie without coconut.According to ones taste you can alter the quantity of onion and tomato.

INGREDIENTS :

Big onion -2

Tomato-2

Capsicum:1

Red chillies: 2 or 3

Garlic few pods

coriander and mint and curry  leaves

Oil for frying

Method:

To a kadai  pour little oil.To it add red chillies, tomato,onion,garlic and coriander and curry leaves.If adding mint leaves add it also.

When cool put in a jar and grind it.

Can be kept in fridge ad can use for 2 to 3 days.to

PUDALANGAI PORIYAL/SNAKE GOURD STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS:

Pudalanga:2 cups

Onion:1(optional)

Turmeric powder1/4tsp

chilli powder as desired

curry leaves

oil

a few salt as needed

Method

1.Wash and cut the snake gourd length wise .Remove seeds also soft white portion.cut into thin slices.

2. Take pudalanga  in a colander add little chilly powder and salt to it.water will come out.

3.In a kadai add oil add mustard seeds and urad dhal when it fries add curry leaves then add the vegetable to it.

4.According to your taste add more chilly powder and salt.

keep on frying.When done remove from fire.

Best side dish for sambar rice and curd rice.

POTATO KOOTU

Potato fry is a common recipie.But today I thought of sharing with you all a very traditional recipie which I learnt from my mother. Simple and easy one.

INGREDIENTS:

Potato cut into pieces :1 t0 2 cups

Peas:1/3rd cup

Coconut scrapings: 3 to 4 Tbs

Green chillies:2 or 3 accdg to taste

Mustard seeds :urad dhal for seasoning

cumin seeds :1/2 tsp

garlic:2 to 3 pods

Curry leaves a few

Salt as desired

oil :1 tbs

Method

1. Cook and Peel potatoes then cut into cubes.
2. Boil peas  seperately.
3. Grind coconut scrapings, cumin seeds ,green chillies and garlic pod into a fine paste.
4. In a kadai put oil add mustard seeds urad dhal then curry leaves.
5. Add potatoes and peas with required salt and little water.
6. Then add the grinded masala to it.
7. when it gets thickened remove from fire.

 

Side dish for rice.

 

 

GHEE RICE AND VEGETABLE KURMA

Ghee rice is a rice variety which has to be eaten with veg. kurma or those who take non-veg can eat with chicken or egg curry.My whole family likes to eat with vegetable kurma and salad.

There are different versions of ghee rice and veg. kurma.Here I am sharing my way of cooking ghee rice and veg. kurma.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice:2 cups
• Coconut milk:2 cups
• Water:2 cups
• Bay leaf:1
• Cardomom:3 to 4
• cloves:3
• Cinnamon 1″ piece 2
• Big onion :1
• Mint leaves a few
• Coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbs
• chilly sauce:1 to 2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste:1 tsp
• ghee :3 to 4 tbs
• Turmeric powder a pinch

Extract milk from coconut  it should be 2 cups

• wash and drain the water from rice and keep  it aside

1.In a pressure cooker first pour  2 tbs. ghee.when ghee gets heated add bat leaves, cardomom,cloves and cinnamon fry a little and then add onions ginger ,garlic paste,chilly paste and mint leaves.

2.Add rice and fry for few minutes

3. To it add water and coconut  milk

4.Add salt and chopped coriander leaves and  cover it.Keep it for 2 whistles.

Garnish with onions fried in ghee.

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients:

Mixed veg.:1 cup

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp

onion:1

Tomato 1

For grinding masala:

• Coconut scrapings1/3rd cup
• fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
• cinnamon 1 small piece.
• cloves 2
• green chillies 2
• coriander leaves chopped 1 tbs

Method:

1.Heat a pressure pan add oil when heated add onion and tomato fry till tomato becomes mushy.

2.Add the vegetables enough water and turmeric powder and allow it to  cook for 1 whistle.

3.Now when pressure releases  open and add the grinded paste if u need it to be morer spicy add chilly powder and garam masala powder accdg to your taste.

4. allow to boil and finally add coriander leaves.

Onion cucumber raitha

• Curd : 1 cup
• Onion finely chopped 1/2 cup
• cucumber 1/3 rd cup
• salt
• Increase or decrease  the  quantity of onion and cucumber accdg. to your taste

Serve ghee rice with veg. kurma and salad.

 

POTTUKADALAI URUNDAI/MAA LADOO

Maa Ladoo is  one of the popular and easiest recipie in South India.It is a healthy one and also kids friendly.It is very rich in iron.

INGREDIENTS;

• Roasted gram /pottukadalai : 1/2 cup
• sugar :1/4 to 1/2 cup
• Cardomom powder:1/4 tsp
• Cashew:1  tbsp(optional)
• Ghee Approximately 1/3rd cup

METHOD:

1.Dry roast potukadalai on  medium heat. Till we get the  aroma.See that the color does’nt change.Cool and powder it finely in mixie. Sieve the flour  and keep aside.

2.Powder sugar finely.Sieve sugar also .

3.In a plate or bowl  add both the flour and sugar  and  mix well.

4. If adding cashews  fry in ghee and add to it.

5.Heat ghee and add little by little to the mixture mixing with a spoon.when  we are able to touch we should be able to shape into balls.

 

Allow it to  set. Store in air tight container.

BLACK GRAM DOSAI/KURUNAI DOSA

Among the dosa varieties this black gram dhal dosa is famous in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts in TamilNadu India.Some call it mulu uzhundu dosa.

For ordinary dosa we use dehusked urad dhal. But for this dosa we use blackgram dhal that is with its skin.

Urad dhal itself is very good for women and this with skin is rich in proteins especially for teenage girls.

only three ingredients are needed for this batter.

Ingredients:

• Rawrice/Parboiled rice-4cups
• Blackgram dhal- 1 1/4cup
• Fenugreek seeds 1 to 2 tbsp
• salt as required.We can prepare batter both with raw rice and parboiled that is with idli rice.My mom prepares with raw rice and I too follow the same.If we use parboiled rice we should soak it for 2 hrs.If it is raw rice can grind it after washing no need of soaking.Same for black gram dhal no need for soaking because if we soak the skin will bcome off. we need the skin too so can wash and grind with fenugreek seeds.

Method:

1.Grind rice into smooth fine paste.

2.While grinding black gram dhal add fenugreekalso and grind it to a soft batter.

3.Add salt and mix well

Allow the batter to ferment for 12 hrs.Next day when prearing mix well the batter. Keep dosa tawa and when it is ready take batter in a ladle por it in a tawa  in a circular motion.Sprinkle oil  when cooked flip it.Tastes good with sesame/gingelly oil.

Points to remember:

1.The batter will be black in color.

2.One can make crispy or thick dosa as per the taste.

3.Batter must be frothy and foamy.

4. Serve hot with onion chutney (kara chutney) and red chilli coconut chutney with a dash of sesame oil.

Onion Chutney (Kara chutney)

Ingredients:

1.Sambar onion (Shallot)-15 Nos remove skin.Easysoak for 10 mts in water it will be easy to remove skin.

2.Redchillies -4or5 accdg to taste.

3.Tamarind alittle

4. Garlic 5-pods.

5.Salt as reqd.

Put everything together in a blender and grind it for few seconds.If one does’nt like the raw smell of 0nion can saute the onion for few minutes and then grind it.

Red chillies coconut chutney

Ingredients:

1.Coconut scrapings -1/2 to 3/4 cup

2.Red chillies-3to5

3.Tamarind – a little

4.Salt as required

5.Garlic- 3 pod

6.Onion (shallot)-3

Grind  ingredients 1 to 4 first.when almost ready add garlic and small onion lastly and run for few seconds.

You may have a doubt that whether we can grind rice and dhal without soaking.yes we can.I do this way only.My husband and children likes to eat with dosa podi (Milagai podi,idli podi) with gingelly oil.This dosa is flavourful,soft and tasty.

Do try it and let me know.

 

 

CUCUMBER DHAL CURRY /VELARIKA PARUPPU CURRY

My native place is in Tamilnadu after marriage only came to Kerala and now settled here.Initially when I see  cucumber( not which is used for salads) I used to wonder how people use this in their cooking.In due course I learnt this from my friend.Keralites use this cucumber in sambar and in few other recipies also.

Today when I was talking with my cousin Latu about  our lunch I mentioned that I had prepared  cucumber kootu. Immediately she told that I should post this recipie in my blog.So I decided to post this recipie this week as per her request.Simple and easy recipie.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber :1cup or 250 gms.
• Moong dhal:1/3rd
• Turmeric powder1/2 tsp

For grinding:

• Coconut scrapings 1/3rd cup
• small onion:3
• Jeera:1/4 tsp
• garlic:3pods
• Grind all these ingredients into a paste
• green chillies or red chillies  as desired (2or3)

Seasoning

• Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
• urad dhal :1/4tst
• curry leaves:a few
• Oil for frying

METHOD

1. Cook dhal with turmeric powder in pressure cooker and keep aside
2. Cucumber should be peeled deseed and cut into cubes
3. In a thick bottomed vessel put cucumber pieces add water and cook till it becomes transparent with little salt.
4. When done add cooked dhal to it then grinded paste should also be added.
5. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal then curry leaves after frying add thi to the gravy.

Cucumber kootu is ready.Serve with rice.This can be prepared without adding  dhal  too.Rest of the preparation  the same.

 

DHAL VADAI

Dhal vada also known as parupu vada is  a popular South Indian snack. It will be crispy outside and soft inside.We need to soak the dhal for 3  hrs so  that we can grind the dhal without water.keep 1 tbsp. dhal without grinding

Ingredients:

Channa dhal:1/2 cup

Toor dhal :1/2 cup

Dry chillies:3 or4

Onion:1 or 2 finely chopped

Curry leaves

coriander leaves

Salt as needed

OIl for frying

Method:

1. To the coarsely grinded batter add dhal, chopped onions,curry leaves coriander leaves and salt.Add 1 tsp of hot oil to it.
2. Make balls . Take one ball iand gently flatten it on the hands.Gather the edges to smoothen it.The more flatter the more crispier it will be.
3. Heat oil and fry vadas by turning both sidestill golden color.

Some use shallots for this kind of vada.

Can use vada parupu alone.too.

For masala vada can add ginger and fennel seeds too.

Do not cover the vadas while it is hot it makes it soft and soggy.

make small balls and fry it will be crispy pakoras