NELLIKKAI THOKKU, how to make amla pickle/gooseberry pickle

Here's a very easy way to make Nellikkai thokku....
Indian gooseberry, also called amla helps in  digestion, controls diabetes, prevents heart diseases, helps as dierutic, and helps to keep the kidneys healthy, is an anti aging agent, boosts liver health, carotene and Vitamin A in amla is good for eye health, prevents Cancer, improves metabolic activity and aids in Calcium absorption.

Ingredients

Nellikkai - 10, chopped fine, leaving out the seeds

Green chillies - 2-3

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Dry roasted methi powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To season

Gingely oil - 4-5 tbsps

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Pickle/preserve

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 15 mts

Yields a small cup of pickle

Chopped amlas along with green chillies pulsed coarsely

Like this...

Seasonings done in gingely oil

Pulsed amlas added

Sauteed well for 10 minutes, till the mixture looks somewhat cooked. Since Nellikkai is supposed to give us lot of health benefits when eaten raw, it need not get fully cooked.

Switch off, then add chilli powder and dry roasted methi powder.

Mix well

An ideal side for chapathies and dosas. Is very good to apply on bread sandwiches too.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

BRINJAL RASAVANGI, how to make egg plant rasavangi

Rasavangi is a relative of Pitlai..this kuzhambu is very famous in south indian brahmin households, and is made for marriage as well as many functions.

Ingredients

Brinjal - 10-12, cut into cubes

Tur dhal - 3/4 cup, pressure cooked with turmeric powder

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

To roast in 1 tsp oil and grind

Coriander seeds - 3 tbsps

Solid hing - 1 piece

Channa dhal - 2 tbsps

Red chillies - 5-6

Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut - 3 tbsps

To season

Cooking/gingely oil - 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Channa dhal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 25 mts

Serves 3-4

Above mentioned ingredients for roasting, being roasted, and ground to a paste, after cooling down

Brinjals added to 3 cups water, and turmeric powder and tamarind paste added, and let to boil on medium flames

After half done, salt added. By now, tamarind has also reduced

Ground paste added

Pressure cooked tur dhal , mashed and kept ready

Cooked dhal too added

On slow flames, all mixed well, and let to boil for 3-4 minutes

Seasoning being done

Curry leaves put on top of the rasavangi, then the seasonings poured on top.

Serve hot with south indian curry and rice. Will go well with Dosa varieties also.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

*Some cooked channa and peanuts can be added too.

RADISH/MULLANGI PAPPU, how to make radish and lentil gravy

This recipe hails from Andhra, learnt from my friend. Almost like Peerkangai pappu, but I have made this an easier and quicker version, by using the pressure pan. We cannot do the same to Peerkangai/ridgegourd, since it is a very soft vegetable and will become mushy.
All pappus are very tasty gravies, go with rotis, rice or poories.

Ingredients

Tur dhal - 1/2 cup, soaked for 1/2 hour and pressure cooked

White radish - 4, chopped fine, after peeling the skin

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Sambar powder - 2 tsps

Onion - 1, chopped fine

Tomatoes - 2, chopped fine

Garlic - 4-5 pods

Green chilli - 1-2, slit

Salt to taste

To season

Cooking oil - 3 tsps

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Methi/fenugreek - 1 tsp

Jeera/cumin - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Coriander/cilantro leaves for garnishing

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 15-20 mts

Serves 3-4

Things kept ready

Pressure pan heated with oil, seasonings above mentioned added

Onions, green chilli, curry leaves and garlic added and sauteed for 2-3 minutes

Tomatoes added

Chopped radish added

Sambar powder and turmeric powder added

Mixed well

About 1 cup water added, salt to taste added, and cooked for 3 whistles

After opening

Pressure cooked tur dhal added, 

and mixed well

Serve this tasty Radish pappu with rotis, after garnishing some coriander leaves

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MALPATS THAALIS - 32 - GRandmaa thaalis - Dinner thaali

                                                          Menu
                                             1. Aloo-methi rotis
                                             2. Easy Punjabi subzi
                                             3. Veg kuzhi paniyarams
                                             4. Upma kozhukkattais
                                             5. Raw Coriander chutney
                                             6. Curd vadas
                                             7. Saffron basundhi

ROASTED OKRA/BHINDIS/VENDAKKAI CURRY, how to make roasted okra curry

In India, Okras are called Ladies fingers...what an amazing vegetable it is...
They are low in calories, contain no saturated fats, help stabilize blood sugar levels, contain lot of dietary fiber, and hence act as a natural laxative, rich in Vitamin A and other anti oxidants, rich source of Vitamin C and contain folates, which help prevent birth defects.
Please check my Glossary for any unknown terms.

Ingredients

Okra/bhindi/vendakkai - 350 gms, washed and cut(you must take care not to cut them into very thin rounds, otherwise, it will become slimy)

Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp

Salt to taste

To Season

Gingely/cooking oil - 4-5 tsps

Hing/asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Recipe Cuisine: South/north Indian; Category: Lunch/Dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; 

Pan heated with oil, above mentioned seasonings added

Now, the cut okras added, along with curry leaves

Chilli powder and salt also enter the pan

Mixed well, taking care to keep the flames on the lowest

Picture below shows the Okras getting roasted evenly, after 10 minutes

after 15 minutes

Serve this simple, yet tasty, crunchy Okras/Bhindis or Vendakkai...however you call them, with rice and sambar or with rotis and dhal.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

RAGI RAVA IDLI, how to make Finger millet-semolina-cracked wheat idlis

Ragi Rava Idli......a very healthy tiffin variety, with the nutrient-rich Finger millet aka ragi/nachni combined with the power house Cracked wheat & Semolina.
Please check my Ragi Rava dosa 
And the other dosa varieties and also tiffin varieties, wherein you can find the other idlis
A very healthy, soft idli, should be eaten hot.

Ingredients

Ragi flour - 1/2 cup

Samba rava - 1/4 cup

Semolina/sooji - 1/4 cup

 Carrot - 1, small, grated

Curds/yogurt - 3/4 cup

Fresh lemon juice - 1 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup, roughly

Eno's fruit salt - 1 tsp

Coriander, finely chopped - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

To season

Cooking oil - 2 tsps

Ghee - 1 tsp

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Broken urad dhal - 1 tsp

Channa dhal - 1 tsp

Ginger - a small piece, finely chopped

Green chillies - 2-3, finely chopped

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Breakfast/dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 25 mts

Yields 9 Idlis

A non stick pan heated, cooking oil and ghee heated up and the above mentioned seasonings done

Ginger and green chilli pieces added

Now, both the ravas added, flames on the lowest, and nicely roasted till a good aroma comes out

Now, ragi flour also added

Grated carrots and salt to taste added, all roasted well

Switched off now

Transferred to a bowl, fresh coriander leaves added

Curds whisked in a bowl

Curds added to the ragi rava mixture, which would have cooled down by now

Lemon juice also added

All mixed well, and let aside for 15 mts

It would have become thick by now, add enough water (roughly 1/2 cup) to bring the batter to the right consistency

Now, before adding Eno's fruit salt, keep the Pressure cooker with enough water and set it to boil, keep the idli plates greased and ready, then only fruit salt should be added.

Pour a teaspoon of water on the fruit salt, it will start frothing, and immediately mix it gently,and....

pour into the greased idli plates, and steam for 15 minutes

done!!

Remove and keep on a plate

Served here with sambar. You can serve with any chutney or Molagappodi too

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com