THIRUNELVELI MAPPILLAI SODHI!!!

This sodhi is a light korma like gravy using mainly coconut milk. Adding only a very few spices make this dish very delicious. Suits well with idlies, aappam, dosai etc. I have prepared this sodhi as an accompanying dish  for jeera pulao.

There are so many varieties in this sodhi preparation. But this preparation is the tastiest, I think.

திருநெல்வேலி மாப்பிள்ளை சொதி:

Ingredients:

Carrot-1         [cut in to thin pieces lengthwise ]

Beans-20       [ cut in to thin pieces lengthwise ]

Big potato-1  [cut in to thin pieces lengthwise ]

Drumstick- 1 [ cut in to 2 inch pieces ]

Finely sliced onion-1

Slit green chillies-2

Small garlic pearls-10

Coconut-1 [ shredded ]

Lime-1

Split green gram- 2tbsp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Salt to taste

Finely shredded ginger- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- 2 arc

Coconut oil- 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds- half tsp

Grind these coarsely without adding water:

Small Garlic pearls-10, shredded ginger-1 /2 tbsp, green chillies-3, fennel seeds- 2 pinches

Procedure:

Extract thick milk and thin milk from the shredded coconut.

Boil the green gram until it is well cooked.

Grind the shredded ginger to a paste and mix with half a cup of water. 

Let it stand for an hour.

Then slowly drain the juice to a bowl without shaking it. There will be a white layer inside the bowl after draining all the clear juice. 

we should not use this. 

We should add this clear ginger juice at the last stage of the cooking.

Heat a pan and add the oil.

When it becomes hot, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.

Add the chopped onion with the coarsely ground mixture.

Fry them for a few minutes.

Then add all the vegetables with the garlic pearls.

Toss them for a few seconds.

Pour the thin coconut milk with enough salt.

Let the vegetable cook  slowly.

After the vegetables are cooked, add the thick milk with the cooked green gram dal.

Check the correct consistency of the korma.. It must not be either very thin or very thick.

When the gravy starts to simmer, put off the fire.

Pour the lime juice and the ginger juice.

Mix well.

Thirunelveli mappillai sodhi is ready now!

BROCOLI VEGETABLE SOUP!!

This is  a fine soup which can be served in dinner along with a few buttered bread slices. The dinner will be simple as well as delicious for a change. 

புரோக்கலி காய்கறி சூப்

BROCOLI VEG SOUP

Ingredients needed:

Broccoli florets- 1 cup, 

Carrot-half[ cut in to small pieces ] , 

Onion-1 [sliced ] , 

Tomato-1 [chopped ], 

Garlic flakes [small]-6, 

Beans-8 [cut in to small pieces ]

Almond-6, 

Butter-1 tbsp, 

Oil- 1 sp,

Plain flour- 1 tbsp, 

Pepper pr- ¼ sp, 

salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the almonds in hot water for 15 minutes. 

Then peel off the outer skin and chop them to small pieces. 

Heat a pan and pour the oil. 

Add the vegetables and fry them in a small flame.  

Add the almonds and fry them for a few seconds. 

Pour a cup of water and cook them until they are done. 

Take them away and let them cool down. 

Grind them to a fine paste.  

Again heat a pan and add the butter. 

Add the plain flour and fry them on a small flame to a slightly roasted colour. 

Add the ground paste, salt pepper powder and 2 cups of water or more water to form soup like consistency. 

Let the soup boil for a few seconds.

Variation: 

when the white sauce is prepared, you can add a half spoon of cumin seeds. 

கத்தரிக்காய் காரக்குழம்பு!!!

I have learned this recipe from a friend. As a  typical kuzhambu dish from south, it goes well with hot rice and a suitable poriyal or koottu. It is also a fine accompaniment for idli and dosai varieties. 

BRINGJAL KAARA KUZHAMBU:

Ingredients:

small onions- a handful
garlic flakes-8
ginger- 2 inches long
mashed tomato- 1 cup
turmeric powder- half spoon
tamarind- a lime size
curry powder- 2 tbsp
chilli powder-1 sp
gingelly oil- 1/4 cup
curry leaves- 2 arcs
salt to taste
small brinjals-5

CURRY POWDER:

Dry roast the following Ingredients to golden brown and grind to a powder when cooled.

long red chillies-15, coriander seeds- 2 tbsp, fennel seeds- 2 tsp, pepeprcorns- 1 sp, bengal gram- 2 tsp, curry leaves- 1 arc

Procedure:

Crush the garlic and the ginger.
Soak the tamarind in a cup of hot water for half an hour and then extract its juice.
Heat the gingelly oil.
when it is hot, add the finely chopped onion along with the crushed ginger and the garlic.
Cook them finely.
Then add the tomatoes with the turmeric powder and the curry leaves.
cook them on medium fire until the tomatoes are well cooked and the oil floats on the surface.
Now add the tamarind extract with the chilli powder, bringjal pieces and salt.
allow it to simmer for a few minutes.
Add the curry powder, mix well and let it simmer for another 10 minutes until the desired consistency.
Put off the fire.
The delicious brinjal kaara kuzhambu is ready now!!

POMEGRANATE RASAM!!!

Always rasam with fruits gives a different and special taste. we can make rasam varieties with arai Nellikkai, pineapple and also with vegetables like drumstick, mudakkathan keerai, beetroot, vazaippoo, suraikkai etc. These rasam varieties are healthy also.Pomegranate soup recipe can be viewed in the following link:
http://muthusidharal.blogspot.ae/2018/01/blog-post.html

Now the recipe for pomegranate rasam........

மாதுளை ரசம்

Ingredients needed:

ripe pomegranate-1
ripe tomato-[big]-1
slit green chillies-2
cummi seeds-1 sp
pepeprcorns- 1 sp
asafoetida- half sp
turmeric powder- half sp
lemon-1
cooked thur dal- half cup
finely chopped ginger- 1 sp
finely chopped coriander- 2 tbsp
curry leaves- 1 arc
salt to taste
ghee- 1 sp
oil-2 sp
sambar powder- half sp

Procedure:

squeeze the pomegranate with the fingers in a bowl and then strain the juice in  a cup. 
In a bowl, pour the dal with 4 or 5 cups of water.
To this add the ginger, greens, asafoetida, turmeric powder, crushed tomato and green chillies with enough salt. 
Grind coarsely the cummin and pepper and add to this rasam and mix well. 
Heat a pan and pour 1 sp of ghee and the oil. 
When they become hot add the mustards. 
When they start to splutter, add the rasam and allow it to boil. 
Let it boil for 3 minutes. 
Sprinkle the sambar powder and pour the remaining ghee. 
Pour the pomegranate juice. 
Put off the fire. 
After 5 minutes, mix well and pour the lemon juice. 
More lemon juice and little salt can be added according to the taste. 
Pomegranate rasam is ready to be served now!!

BANANA BLOSSOM SNAKEGOURD PORIYAL!!

Banana blossom [banana flower] has so many medicinal values. It helps to activate the pancreas. It strengthens the uterus. It clears the stomach troubles. If this is cooked with green gram and eaten with ghee, it reduces the heat of the body. It helps to decrease the problems related with kidneys.

Usually we make poriyal, vadai and kuzambu with this banana flower. We can make banana flower poriyal with radish, snake gourd also. By making this fusion, it helps to reduce the bitterness of banana flower and enhance the taste and richness of the poriyal. Though it gives a little trouble to clean the banana flower, the final result will be a fine and delicious one. Now the poriyal follows..!

 

 

 

 

 வாழைப்பூ புடலங்காய் பொரியல்

 Ingredients:

 Finely chopped Small onions-8

Finely chopped Green chilli-1

Finely chopped Small tomato-1

Finely chopped vazaippoo- 1 cup

Finely chopped snakegourd- 1 cup

Turmeric powder- half sp

Black gram- 1 tsp

Green gram- 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds- half sp

Asafoetida powder- half sp

Shredded coconut- ¼ cup

Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp

Curry leaves- a few

Oil- 2 tbsp

Salt to taste 

Procedure:

 Heat a pan and pour the oil.

When the oil becomes hot, add the mustard seeds.

When they splutters add the black gram and the green gram.

When they turn in to golden brown add the finely chopped onions along with the green chilli and fry then softly.

Now add the chopped banana flower with the turmeric powder and the asafoetida pr.

Cook for a few seconds and then add the chopped snake gourd with the chopped tomatoes.

Add enough salt, sprinkle a little water and cook on medium fire until they become soft.

Add the greens and mix well.

Put off the fire, add the coconut and mix well.

The delicious vazaippoo snake gourd poriyal is ready to eat now!

 

பேபி கார்ன் 65!!

This baby corn fry was very tasty when I tried it with a little chicken 65  masala.. Suits well as a side dish with sambar sadham and simple pulao varieties!!  

 

BABYCORN 65 

Ingredients needed: 

Baby corn – 2 pockets [ 20 pieces]

Chilli powder- 2 sp

Soya sauce- 1 tsp

Chilli sauce- 1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Orange colour powder- a pinch

Plain flour- 3 tbsp

Corn flour- 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste 

Procedure: 

Wash the babycorns.

Add all the ingredients and mix well.

Allow it to marinate for 30 minutes.

Deep fry the baby corns in hot oil to golden brown.

Tasty baby corn 65 is ready to serve!!

 

JEERAGA RASAM!!

Though this rasam is very different, It is  quite easy to prepare .  Red ripe tomatoes are needed for this rasam.  They must be juicy . Any kind of poriyal or kootu goes well with this rasam.

 

 

ஜீரக ரசம் 

Ingredients needed:

 Tomatoes [ medium size]-5

Tamarind- a gooseberry size

Curry leaves- 1 arc

Cummin seeds- half tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Asafoetida- a small piece

Turmeric powder0- half sp

Salt to taste

Tuar dal- 1 tbsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Red chilli- 1 

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water for 30 minutes and then extract its juice.

Soak the dal in a little water for half an hour.

Cut the tomatoes in to small pieces.

with this, add the soaked dal, curry leaves, cummin seeds, turmeric powder and the red chilli and grind them coarsely.

Add the tamarind juice and enough salt to the mixture and mix well.

The mixture should be 4 to 5 cups.

Heat a pan and pour the oil.

when the oil becomes hot, add the asafoetida and mustard seeds.

When they start to splutter, pour the rasam mixture.

Let it simmer for 3 minutes.

Now the delicious Jeeraga rasam is ready for serving!!

RAW BANANA FRY!!

This recipe is a traditional and old one in our family. Monthan variety is most suitable for this dish. Any how, this fry can be tried with Nendram vaazaikkai also!!

 

 

வாழைக்காய் வறுவல்!

Ingredients:

Raw banana-4

shredded coconut- a handful

small garlic flakes-10

shredded ginger- 1 tsp

fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Kashmir red chilli powder- 2 tbsp

turmeric powder- half sp

salt to taste

small onions-8

enough oil to fry

Procedure:

Peel the skins of the raw bananas.

Slice them thinly.

Grind the shredded coconut, ginger, garlic, onions and fennels seeds to a slightly coarse paste.

Add this paste with the powders and salt to the banana pieces.

Mix well and allow it to soak for half an hour.

Heat a pan and pour the oil.

Deep fry the marinated slices, a handful at a time.

Delicious raw banana fry is ready now!!

RADISH RASAM!!

There are so many rasam varieties we can see in South India.  Pepper rasam, Lime rasam, kottu rasam, mint rasam, Mysore rasam, Tomato rasam and Dal rasam are quite popular in Tamilnadu, even though their  tastes and recipes  vary from district to district. There are even different rasam varieties like onion rasam, marunthu rasam [ with  Naattu marunthukal like thippili, Sitharaththai, black cummin seeds etc], Pineapple rasam, chicken rasam, Mutton rasam etc.This Radish rasam will be very delicious to drink and taste with hot rice. This is a nutritious rasam also!  I hope you will enjoy it!!

முள்ளங்கி ரசம்! 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

young radish-2

Cooked dal- 1/4 cup

mashed tomatoes- 1 cup

Finely chopped sambar onions- half cup

 Shredded ginger- half sp

slit green chillies-3

Small garlic flakes-10

A few curry leaves

Chopped coriander- half cup

asafoetida- a pea size

small lime-1

fenugreek seeds- half sp

 Cummin seeds- half sp

Turmeric powder- half sp

ghee- 1 tsp

gingelly oil- 1 tbsp 

 Procedure: 

Heat a pan and pour the ghee and the oil.

when they become hot add the fenugreek and the cummin seeds.

when they splutter, add the onions and fry them well.

Then add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, greens and the green chillies with the turmeric powder and fry them well until they are cooked and become soft.

Now add the cooked dal with 3 to 4 cups of water and enough salt.

When the dal water starts simmering, add the sliced radish pieces.

when the radish slices are cooked well, put off the fire.

Pour the lime juice and mix well.

The delicious radish rasam is ready to serve!!

 

 

 

 

 

Curry Leaves Kuzhambu!!

There are so many varieties in curry leaves kuzhambu. These curry leaves kuzhambu can be eaten with hot rice as usual and also it is a very good side dish for hot dosa varieties. This one is very special as it has lots of garlic flakes in it. So it has an abundant medical value in it.

 

கறிவேப்பிலை பூண்டு குழம்பு 

Ingredients:

Sambar onions- a handful

Chopped tomato- 1 cup

Small garlic flakes- half cup

Turmeric powder- half sp

Fennel seeds- half sp

Chilli powder- 1 tbsp

Coriander powder- 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste

Tamarind- a small lime size

Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp+1 sp

 

Fry the following ingredients in a tsp of oil and then grind coarsely when cooled::

Sambar onions-4, small garlic flakes-5, shredded ginger- 1 tsp, curry leaves- a handful, fennel seeds- half sp

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in a cup of hot water for half an hour and then extract its thick juice.

Heat a pan and pour the gingelly oil.

Add the small onions with the garlic flakes.

Fry them on medium fire until they become tender.

Add the chopped tomato with the turmeric powder.

Cook for a few minutes until all the ingredients are combined well and mashed.

Pour the tamarind extract with enough water, the powders and salt.

Mix well and let it boil for a few minutes.

Add the ground paste and again let the kuzhambu boil for a few minutes until you get the desired consistency.

The hot and tasty curry leaves kuzhambu is ready now!!.

 

Note:

 

When frying the ingredients for the paste, take care not to fry too much. Just fry them for a few minutes and the colour of the curry leaves should not change.

 

 

 

 

POTATO COCONUT MILK KURUMA!!

This is the most favourite dish in my close friend’s household. She makes this kuruma as a side dish for idlies. For this purpose she makes the idly like small oothappam. She spreads the idly batter in a greased small hollow plate like oothappam and then steam it like idly. Then she pours this kuruma on the steamed idly and allows it to soak in the kurma for a few minutes.  The result is a delicious first-class break fast for the family. 

 

உருளைக்கிழங்கு தேங்காய்ப்பால் குருமா

 

Ingredients: 

Medium sized potato  – 2 [ one is amshed and another is nicely cubed]

Coconut- half

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder- half sp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Small onions halved – 8

Finely chopped onion- half

Slit green chillies-3

Chopped tomato- a small one

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Split black gram- 1 tsp

Chopped Curry leaves and coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Procedure:

Shred the coconut.

Take half of them and make a fine paste.

With the other half, extract thick milk and then thin milk also.

Heat a pan and pour the oil.

Add the mustards and when they splutter add the black gram.

Fry it nicely for a few seconds.

Then add the onions with the green chillies and the tomato.

Fry them well.

Pour the thin milk, add the mashed and cubed potatoes with the salt and the powders.

Add enough salt.

Let the kurma boil for a few minutes.

Then add the ground paste of coconut.

Again allow the kurma to boil for some minutes.

Lastly pour the thick milk and mix well.

When the kurma starts to boil, put off the fire.

The delicious kurma is ready now!!    

 

 

 

LIMA BEANS SNAKE GOURD KOOTTU.

This is a traditional koottu in Tamilnadu. In the month of January we can get fresh and young lima beans in the market. In my mother in law’s house, this lima beans is an important vegetable to add in the Pongal curry. These lima beans usually enhance the taste of the usual sambar varieties. They can be even added in non-veg curries.

பச்சை மொச்சைக்கொட்டை புடலங்காய் கூட்டு:

Ingredients:

Lima beans- 100gms

Chopped snake gourd- 1 cup

Split green gram- ¼ cup

Chopped tomato- half cup

Chopped onion- ½

Turmeric powder- half sp

Chopped coriander- ¼ cup

Cumin seeds- ¼ sp

Chilli powder- ¼ sp

Salt to taste

Oil- 2 tbsp

Asafoetida- a small piece

Grind the following o a fine paste:

Shredded coconut- ¼ cup, cumin seeds- ¼ sp, peppercorn-1/4 tsp 

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour the oil.

Add the cumin seeds and the asafoetida.

When the cummin seeds splutter add the onions.

Fry them well and then add the tomato with the turmeric powder and the coriander leaves.

Fry until the tomato is mashed well.

Add the vegetables with the salt as well as the chilli powder.

When the vegetables are almost cooked, add the ground paste with the coriander leaves and mix well.

After the vegetables are fully cooked in the coconut gravy, put off the fire.

The tasty kootu is ready now to serve!!

ALAPPUZHA VEGETABLE CURRY

When I was enjoying with my family in a five star resort at the back waters of Alappuzha a few years back, I happened to taste this delicious dish served in the buffet. I have appreciated and also requested the chef the recipe for this dish which he obliged magnanimously!  

Whenever I prepare this side dish in my home, the quantity of chapathies I make usually would always increase! The combination of the vegetables and the few different spices enhance the taste tremendously. The chef named it as ‘Mixed Vegetable curry’ and I have renamed as ‘Alappuzha vegetable curry!”

 

 

ஆலப்புழை காய்கறி மசாலா

Ingredients:

Green beans- a handful

Big carrot-1

Chopped spring onion- 1 cup

Diced capsicum-1 cup

Finely chopped cabbage- ½ cup

Sliced baby corn- 1 cup

Chopped coriander leaves- ¼ cup

Mushroom [sliced] - 2 cups

Finely chopped onion-1

Crushed tomatoes-4

Slit green chillies-4

Finely chopped ginger- 1 tsp

Finely chopped garlic- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- half sp

Salt to taste

Oil- 3 tbsp

Ajinamoto- ¼ sp

Soya sauce- 1 tbsp

Coarsely ground pepper powder- half sp

Milk- 2 cups

Thick coconut milk- 1 cup

Procedure:

Heat a big pan and pour the oil.

When the oil becomes hot, add the onion with the green chillies, ginger and the garlic.

Sauté well and then add the tomatoes with the turmeric powder.

Fry for a few minutes and then pour 3 cups of water.

Add all the vegetables one by one with enough salt.

When the vegetable are half cooked, pour the milk.

After a few minutes, add the ajinomoto, soya sauce and the pepper.

Let the gravy cook for a few seconds.

Lastly add the thick coconut milk.

When the gravy starts simmering, put off the fire and mix well.

The delicious Alappuzha curry is ready!!