Chowchow Carrot Kootu

Chowchow is also called Seemakathrika in tamil and Chayote in Spanish is been a routine vegetable in my house. So thought of this kootu with carrot. This combination learnt from my mother in law. Its apopular in Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Ingredients
Chowchow (medium size) - 1no
Carrot - 1 no
Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 3 nos(as per ur taste)
Jeeragam(Cumin) - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 1o nos
Salt
For seasoning
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Coconut oil - 1 tspn
Preparation Method
Cook toor dal in pressure cooker and keep aside.
Wash and cut chowchow and carrot into small cubes.
In a vessel add this vegetables with little water, salt and turmeric allow it to cook.
Grind coconut, green chilli and jeeragam to a fine paste
Once chowchow and carrot is cooked add this mixture and allow it to boil.
Add curry leaves and salt.
Then add toor dal and mix well.
Season it with oil, mustard and urad dal.
Add coconut oil and mix well.


Delicious Chowchow kootu is ready to eat. This can be had with rice or chapathis.

Cabbage with Jackfruit seed Kootu

A different style of cabbage kootu with Jackfruit seeds tastes very delicious.

Ingredients
Cabbage - 1 no(medium)
Jackfruit seeds - 10 nos
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Dry red chilli - 4 nos
Cumin (Jeera) - 2 tspns
Curry leaves - 15nos
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Salt


Preparation Method
Cook toor dal in pressure cooker and keep separately.
Chop cabbage into small pieces.
Wash jackfruit seeds remove skin and cut into 2 pieces.
In a thick bottom vessel, add cabbage and jackfruit seeds add little water, turmeric and salt. Allow it to cook in low flame.
Grind grated coconut, dry red chilli and jeera.
Once cabbage is cooked add this grinded mixture and boil.
Then add toor dal,and curry leaves and boil
Season it with oil, mustard and urad dal.

Cabbage Kootu is ready. It can be served with rice or chapathi.

Red Chutney | Sidedish for Idlis and Dosas!

Today we are learning about Red Chutney/Dip usually eaten at Restuarant with Idlis or Dosa.

Red Chutney is very delicious chutney/dip for idlis and dosas. Also one of my blog reader had asked me for this recipe. Here you go.

Ingredients
Onion - 1no
Tomatoes - 1no(small Red n Ripe)
Uzhatham Paruppu/Urad Dal - 1 tspn
Kadalai Paruppu/Channa Dal- 1 tablespoon
Long Dry red chilli - 5nos (As per your taste)I used Byadagi Menasinakayi.
Any cooking Oil/Olive Oil - 1 tspn
Pudina/Mint leaves - 4 to 5 nos(Optional)
Garlic - 4 nos(As per your taste)
Salt

Preparation Method
Heat a wok or kadai, add oil, channa dal, urad dal,red chilli, onion, garlic, tomato and saute till the dal is brown. Add pudina if you are adding in the late. Allow it to cool.
Add salt and grind to coarse paste in mixie/blender when cool. Add just little water it should be thick.

Red chutney is ready to serve. I served it with hot Dosa. You can also spread it on dosa and stuff Potato Masala for Masala Dosa. Click here for Dosa varieties. You can have it with Idlis/Adai too.

Notes - You can prepare without onion, garlic and pudnia also, it will taste good.
Store it air tight container and refridgerate for later use.

Carrot Paasi Paruppu Curry and Award

This participation award has been given by Mrs Shanthi for participating in her State Special Event. Thank you.

Sanghi has passed me this Gold Friends Award. Thanks dear.

Carrot Paasi Paruppu is very tasty curry. Its simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients
Carrot - 4 nos
Paasi Paruppu (Siru Paruppu/Split green gram/Moong Dal)- 1 cup
Cooking oil - 2 tspns
Kadag(Mustard/Rai) - 1/2 tspn
Uzhatam Paruppu/Kadalai Paruppu(Urad dal and Channa dal )- 1 tspn
Peringayam(Asafotida/Hing) - 2pinches
Karuvepillai(Curry leaves/Kari Patha) - few
Salt

Preparation Method
Soak Paasi Paruppu for half n hour and pressure cook for 1 or 2whistles in cooker or cook directly in vessel. (If cooked in vessel keep an eye it will overflow so keep stirring)
Wash, remove skin and chop carrots into small pieces.

In a Kadai, put oil mustard Kadagu wait till it splutters. Then add Peringayam, Uzhatam Paruppu/Kadalai Paruppu, Karuvepillai wait till its brown. Now add carrots, manjal with little water and cook. When its half cooked add salt stir occasionally.

Add paasi paruppu and mix well. Cook for few minutes till all mixes well.

Carrot Passi Paruppu Curry is ready to serve. This is a good side dish for chapathi or to mix with rice.

Note - If you want gravy type you can add little water and cook.

This recipe is going for Sidedish for chapathi event hosted by Viki.

My other entries for this event are

Gravy

Palak Paneer

Channa Masala

Keerai Kootu

Kadai Mixed Vegetable

Dal Fry

Dal with Cabbage

Erulli Gojju

Potato Sagu

Poriyal/Curry

Cabbage Green Peas Curry

Pavakkai(Bitter Gourd Potato) Uralai Fry

Beans Curry

Chutneys

Pudina Chutney

Coconut Chutney

Upma Kozhakattai with Moong Dal!!!

Upma is a popular South Indian Breakfast/Tiffin prepared with Sooji/Rava. I am posting  Upma Kozhakattai recipe. Its very filling.

Ingredients
Rice Rava/Sooji/Semolina - 2 cups(see notes)
Paasi Paruppu/Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Jeera - 1 tspn
Water - 4  to 5 cups
Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos(as per your taste)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - few
Nalla Yennai/Gingelly Oil/Sesame Oil - 2-3 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Hing - a pinch
Salt

Preparation Method

Soak Passi Paruppu in water.
Grind 2cups rice in mixie to fine powder.

Boil water and keep aside.

In a wide kadai/wok, add oil, mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, dry red chilli and saute till dal is brown. Add hing.

Add water and paasi paruppu. Allow it to boil.
Once its cooked and boiled. Reduce flame. check on salt.
Add rava and mix without allowing to form lumps.
Once its cooked like upma, transfer it to a wide plate and allow it to cool.

Grease idli plates with little oil.

Wet your hands in water and take lemon size of upma. shape it up by hand to fist shape, and keep aside. Beware its too hot.
Steam for about 12-15mins.

Upma Kozhakattai is ready. Serve as it is or with Sambar, Chutney or Rasam.

Notes - You can also add Mor Molaga.

This recipe is going for Breakfast Mela by Srivalli.

DAL WITH CABBAGE

MOONG DHAL WITH CABBAGE

INGREDIENTS

MOONG DAL - 1 CUP
CABBAGE - 4 CUPS
TOMATO - 1 NO
GRATED COCONUT - 4 TSPNS
CURRY LEAVES - 1 TSPN
JEERA - 1 TSPN
HING - 1 PINCH
GREEN CHILLI - 2 NOS
CORIANDER LEAVES (CILANTRO)
SALT AS REQD

PREPARATION METHOD

SOAK DAL 1/2 AN HOUR BEFORE IN WATER
THEN COOK THE DAL IN MEDIUM FLAME AS IT BOILS
CUT THE CABBAGE INTO SMALL PIECES
WASH AND RINSE THOROUGHLY
ONCE THE DAL IS 80% COOKED THEN ADD CABBAGE AND CHOPPED TOMATO
AFTER ITS COOKED WELL NOW ADD GREEN CHILLIES, CURRY LEAVES AND GRATED COCONUT
ADD SALT
ALLOW IT TO BOIL KEEP STIRRING

NOW FOR SEASONING

OIL - 2 TSPN
MUSTARD - 1/2 TSPN
HING - 1 PINCH
JEERA - 1 TSPN


SEASON WITH THE ABOVE AND GARNISH WITH CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES(CILANTRO)
This can be made in pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistles also.


SERVE HOT WITH CHAPATI.

MOONG DHAL HAS VERY COOLING EFFECT AND GOOD FOR HEALTH.

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you. 

Paruppu (Dal) Rasam

Rasam is a very tasty dish prepared with tamarind water, paruppu(dal) and rasam powder. Rasam is famous in South India. This is prepared in Karnataka style. Its sweet and spicy mixture tastes yummy. This is my brother's favourite:-)


Ingredients
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Rasam or sambar powder - 2 tspns(As per your taste)
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 2 or 3 tspns
Jaggery - 1/2 lemon size
Tomato - 2nos(Optional)
Ghee - 1 /2tspn(Optional) If we use ghee it will be very tasty.
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Asafotida(Hing) -1 pinch

Coriander(cilantro) - 1 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method

Cook toor dal in pressure cooker.
In a vessel, add tamarind water, plain water, tomato(optional) and rasam powder.
Allow it to boil till raw smell goes .
Now take toor dal add little water to it and blend well.
Add it to tamarind water and boil well.
Add salt, grated coconut and jaggery.
Season it with ghee, oil, mustard once it splutters add asafotida.
Garnish with 1 tspn grated coconut and chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves

Rasam is ready. Serve hot with rice along with any curry or fried papads/chips.

Note - Check on salt once you season with ghee salt will reduce.

Grocery and Essentials List at Pandemic times | Covid 19!

The sudden lockdown has caused this situation where we never expected Covid 19 can be so long and very serious issue. I have managed to put few essentials here. You can also add in your own priorities and availability. 

List of Groceries to stock during pandemic lockdown. This can be done in bulk quantity. These are dry ingredients and can be stored in refrigerator too.  

Food

Rice - Raw/Ponni/Basmati/Jeeraga samba, matta etc	Rice flour
Atta	Kadalai Maav/Besan flour
Toor dal	Ragi flour
Urad dal	Millet flour
Masoor dal	Oats
Channa Dal	Broken wheat
Split Moong dal	All millets
Green gram	Salt
Black channa	Red chilli powder
White channa	Dhaniya
Whole Dhaniya	Red chilli
Jeera	Maggi
Black pepper	Biscuits
Turmeric	Noodles
Mustard	Tamarind/puli
Fenugreek seeds	Garam Masala
Dry Rice Vermicilli	Pav Bhaji Masala
Aval/Poha	Biryani Masala
Rava/Semolina	Coffee powder
	Tea powder

Essentials

Bath Soap, Body Wash

Shampoo, Shikakai

Washing soap, Liquid detergent, dish washing liquid

Vinegar, baking soda

Tablets

PS :Do not go out if incase your area is affected with many cases, you can manage without vegetables for some days. You can do many recipes without vegetables.

Hope it is useful for everyone.

Keerai Thandu and Karamani Arachuvitta Sambar Type 1

Keerai Thandu (Greens Stem) is going to be wasted mostly but if its tender its good to use it. I have mixed this with Karamani(Black eyed beans) and prepared Sambar. This recipe is going straight to Nithu's Best out of waste Event.

Ingredients

Keerai Thandu - Chopped to 2 inch piece(Got out of 1 bunch of Greens)

Karamani (Brown or white) - 1 cup(Soaked and pressure cooked)
Toor dal - 1/4 cup ( pressure cooked)
Tamarind water - 1 cup

Salt

For grinding
Dhaniya seeds - 2 tspns
Channa dal - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Dry Red Chilli - 3 nos(As per your taste)
Grated Fresh coconut - 1/2 cup

For Seasoning
Oil - 1 tspn

Mustard - 1/2 tspn

Hing/Asafotida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves - few

Preparation Method

Wash and Cook tender Keerai thandu (Greens stem) in tamarind water with turmeric and salt.

Add cooked karamani and boil it.

In a kadai, add 1/2 tspn oil and add for grinding ingredients stated above except coconut and saute till brown. Cool it and grind it to fine paste with coconut in a mixer/blender.

Now add this mixture and boil.

Finally add toor dal with salt and water.(See notes). Keep in low flame and stir occasionally.

Season it with oil, ghee(optional)mustard,(wait till it splutters) hing and curry leaves.

Keerai Thandu and Karamani Sambar is ready to serve with hot rice or chapathis.

Notes - * It can be semi-watery as sambar will become thick after sometime.

* People who have cholestrol and cannot use coconut can exclude it and prepare.

* Can pressure cook Karamani and toor dal at the same time in different vessels to save gas and time.

Also sending off Podalangai Seeds Thogayal and Cabbage with Jacfruit seeds Kootu to the event.

Karuvepilai Podi | Curry Leaves Powder!

Karuvepilai Podi | Curry leaves powder is very good for health and keeps hair black as well as growing. Curry leaves powder is very tasty. It will also help when anyone gets cold, mix this powder with rice and ghee it as warms up the body. This is also a post pregnancy food.

Ingredients
Curry leaves – 4 cups
Urad dal – ½ cup
Bengal gram – ½ cup
Black pepper – 1 tspns(As per your taste)
Dry red chilli – 2 nos( As per your taste)
Dry coconut(copra) – 1 no (small)
Oil – 4 tspns
Asafoetida(Hing) – ¼ tspn or a small piece
Salt

Preparation Method

Split curry leaves from the stem

In a Kadai, put 2 tspns of oil add Urad dal, Bengal gram, pepper fry till dal is brown and now add red chill, asafoetida fry for a minute.

Now transfer this to a plate to cool.

You can always add or reduce pepper and red chilli as per your requirement.
Add in kadai 2 tspns of oil and add curry leaves. Fry this till curry leaves are hot and remove from fire.
Leave it for sometime till it becomes dry and crisp.
Cut or grate the dry coconut and mix to the dal.
When the dal is cool grind it coarsely.
Add curry leaves, salt and grind.

Once cool, store it in air tight container. This can be used upto 10days.

Curry leaves powder is ready. This can be mixed with rice or had with chapathi.

Notes - Dry coconut can be avoided for people with cholestrol.
If you love to add more curry leaves, feel free to add.

Capsicum Rice

I usually make Capsicum Rice often as its liked by my family members. Its my favourite Variety Rice too. This time I have tried a different one which is simple and easy. Checkout my Capsicum Bath and Capsicum Corn Rice previously posted.

Sending this recipe to Create n Carve guest hosted by Helen and started by Nayna.

Ingredients
Steamed Rice - 4 cups
Capsicum - 2 nos
Onion - 1 no
Ginger garlic - 2 tspns
Tomato - 1/2 no
Oil - 2 tspns
Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu - 1/4 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Dry Red Chilli  1 no slit
Salt
For Masala Powder
Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu - 1/2 cup 
Dhaniya - 2 tspns
Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos(As per your taste)

Preparation Method
Chop all ingredients and keep aside.
In a kadai, add a drop of oil and roast channa dal, dhaniya and dry red chilli till brown. Cool it and make fine powder.
In the same kadai, add oil, channa dal wait till its brown, dry red chilli, onion, ginger garlic, curry leaves, a pinch of salt and saute till transparant.
Add tomato and cook till soft.
Add capsicum and cook till soft.
Add the masala powder and mix well. Saute for 2mins. Off the stove.
Add steamed rice and salt. Mix well.

Enjoy hot Capsicum Rice with Papad/Vadams.

BBB | Spinach Soya Bisibelebath and Oats Onion Pakoda - Ver 2!

Bisibelebath(Hot Dal Rice) is a healthy dish, its also very filling. My previous post on this recipe Ver 1 click here. I mostly prepare on every weekend or fornightly and for get togethers. This is a most popular recipe and food liked in my house. 

Ingredients

Rice - 2 cups

Tuvar Dal – 1 cup
Tomato - 1 no
Potato - 1 no

Soya Beans - 1/2 cup

Capsicum - 1 no
Carrot -  few pieces

Brinjal - 4 nos

Beans - 10 nos
Brocolli - few florets
Spinach/Palak - 1 cup chopped

Broad Beans/Avarekkai - 5 nos

Tamarind Water - 2 cups(from a LEMON SIZE)

Spices Cinamon/Pattai – 2 small pieces/ Cardamom/Elakka - 2nos/ Clove/Lavang - 2 nos

Bisibelebath powder - 4 tablespoons (Adjust accordingly)
Curry leaves few

Jaggery a small piece

Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and cut all vegetables.
Soak soya beans overnite in water.
Cook rice, soya bean and dal separately in a pressure cooker.
Steam the veggies for about 15 to 20 mins with little salt and turmeric or 1 whistle.

Heat a deep vessel or a pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoons oil, add a pinch of mustard, add hing, curry leaves, spices, dry red chillies, and saute for 2mins.
Add chopped tomatoes, spinach and saute for few mins.
Add tamarind water and allow it to boil for sometime.
Then add steamed vegetables, bisibelebath powder and allow it to boil.
When pressure is up, mash or whisk the dal, and add this.
Let it boil, slowly keep stirring without mashing the veggies.
Then mash the rice, and slowly add required rice and keep mixing.
Check on salt and add jaggery. Let it boil, keep stirring.
It should be little watery so by the time you eat, it will be just right and soft.
Off the stove.

Garnish with cashews - optional

Serve Hot Bisibelebath with any vegetable curry/Potato chips/Karaboondi or enjoy as it is.

I served it with Crispy Onion Oats Pakoda. Recipe below 

Notes - I usually make it without onion and if you wish please add.

Oats Onion Pakoda

Ingredients
Onion - 4 nos(Sliced lenghtwise)
Rolled Oats - 1/2 cup 
Kadalai Maav/Chickpea flour/Besan -  3 to 4 tablesppons
Rava/Semolina - 2 tablespoons
Red chlli powder -  1/4 tspn (As per your taste)
Curry leaves - few
Salt
Water to sprinkle
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method
In a wide bowl, put onion, oats, salt and slight mix.
Add all other ingredients and sprinkle little water and mix well. It should be thick. Leave it for few mins.
Heat oil in a kadai/wok, when its hot. slowly spread and drop the batter in oil. Deep fry till brown both sides and take out on tissue to remove excess oil. Allow it to cool and store it in air tight container.

Enjoy it with Bisibelebath/Coffee/Tea time too.

Notes - Do not store, when its warm or hot it will become soggy.

I had previously posted Cabbage Oats Pakoda check here for recipe. This recipe is going to Fast Food not Fat Food by Priya and Uma.

Write to me if you have queries at simplysara07@gmail.com