Bhindi Vatha Muzhabu AKA வெண்டைக்காய் வத்தக் குழம்பு

Ingredients

1. Lady's finger or Bhindi - 300 gms - cut into medium size pieces
2. Lemon sized tamarind 
3. 1 tsp of jaggery powder, salt to taste
4. grated red chilies powder - 1/2 tsp
5. turmeric - a pinch

Dry-Roast Items

1. 2 tbsp turdhal, 1/2 tsp of chenna dhal & ud.hal mixture
2. Red chilies - 10-12 nos 
3. Kashmiri  Chilies - 3-4 for color
4. Coriander seeds - 3/4th cup

Seasoning Items

1. Seasame Oil - 1/3 cup
2. fenugreek seeds - 1/3 tsp
3. curry leaves - 10-15 leaflets
4. red chilies - 2-3 cut into small pieces
5. tuar dhal - 1 tsp
6. mustard - 1 tsp
7. asefotida - 1/2 tsp
8. Red Chili Powder - 1tsp

Garnishing Items

1. Green Coriander leaves - fist full, kasturi methi - 1 tsp

Procedure

1. Add turmeric juice, some water, salt and a pinch of turmeric to soaps tone vessel (kachatti in Tamil)
2. Place it on gas and let it boil.
3. In the mean time, in a pan, add sesame oil, and all other seasoning ingredients.
4. when the mustard seeds splutter and tuar dhal gives a nice aroma - add that mixture to tamarind water.
5. Now in the same pan, (with the remaining oil in the pan after tadka) fry ladys finger pieces.
6. Fry them until they get slightly roasted (for 5-7 mins) on med. flame.
7. Now add these Bhindi pieces to tamarind water.
8. Cover it up with a lid and let bhindi get cooked well.
9. Now dry roast all the grinding ingredients.
10. Allow them to cool and add to a mixer.
11. Grind everything to a finely coarse powder.
12. Now open the lid and make sure that bhindi is cooked well.
13. Add jaggery, and the ground powder .
14. In very low flame, mix everything well and make sure that there are no lumps.
15. Leave it n low flame as soapstone retains heat and will keep boiling.
16. Now add all the garnishing items and turn off the gas.

Note: Optionally you can add a tbsp of sambar powder and kalathuppodi to seasoning oil to enhance the sate. This is totally optional.

Note: If reheated , it lasts for upto 10 days outside and for upto a month in fridge. Very tasty and very healthy one!

Sweet smelling vatha kuzhambu is ready! Enjoy it with rice  and sesame oil! 

Cabbage Upperi AKA முட்டைக்கோசு உப்பேரி

Ingredients

1. Cabbage cut into thin slices. 2-3 cups
2. Curry Leaves 10-15 leaflets,Coconut 2 tbsp, green chilies - 2-3 (or more) 
3. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds, U. Dhal - 1tsp (for seasoning)

Procedure

1. Add water, salt and turmeric powder to a vessel and bring to a boil.
2. Add cut cabbage and bring to a boil.
3. After it starts boiling, make sure it's only 80% cooked.
4. Turn off the gas, cover the vessel with a lid and let it cool down for 10 mins.
5. Now filter the water and allow the cooked veggies to cool down.
6. That water may be used for rasam or cabbage soup.
7. In a pan add coconut oil, mustard, and u. dhal.
8. After mustard seeds splutter reduce the heat to medium flame.
9. Now add the cooked and cooled down cabbage.
10. Now add a little bit of salt.
11. Stir it well so that the oil, mustard etc. spreads well and extra water from cabbage is gone.
12. Now grate coconut, green chilies, & curry leaves to a coarse paste (without water).
13. Add it to cabbage, sir it well & turn off the gas.

Cabbage upperi is ready. Enjoy it with rice, chapatis etc..

Snake Gourd Curry (புடலங்காய்த் துவரம்)

This is another very traditional  TAMBRAHM recipe. Thuvaram - means a curry or vegetable mixed with a small quantity of tuar dhal or thuvaram paruppu as it's called in Tamil. Only certain Indian vegetables are suitable for this recipe (like Indian beans, snake gourd, beans, long beans etc)

Ingredients

1. Snake-gourd cut into small pieces  - 1-2 cups
2. Well cooked tuar dhal - 1-2 tbsps
3. grated coconut - 1tbsp
4. shredded coconut - tbsp 
5. coconut oil - 1 tsp
6. mustard seeds, u. dhal - 1 tsp
7. curry leaves - 5-10 leaf lets
8. dry red chilies - 2-3 (cut into pieces)

Procedure

1. Add water, salt and turmeric powder to a vessel and bring to a boil.
2. Add snake-gourd pieces and bring to a boil.
3. After it starts boiling, make sure it's only 80% cooked.
4. Turn off the gas, cover the vessel with a lid and let it cool down for 10 mins.
5. Now filter the water and allow the cooked veggies to cool down.
6. In a pan add coconut oil, mustard, red chilies and u. dhal.
7. After mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and reduce the heat to medium flame.
8. Now add the cooked and cooled down snake-gourd pieces. (if needed add a pinch of turmeric again).
9. Now add a little bit of salt, cooked tuar dhal and shredded coconut.
10. mix everything well.

Snake gourd thuvaram is ready. Enjoy it with rice, chapatti etc..

Since we have added tuar dhal it is very tasty..and can be had with plain rice also.

Raw Banana Curry (Puli kuthi Curry)

Raw Banana Curry (Puli kuthi Curry) AKA வாழைக்காய் புளி குத்திக் கறி 

Ingredients

1. Raw banana 2-3 nos.  (peeled, slit into 2 and cut into pieces) - 1-2 cups
2. Tamarind juice, salt, turmeric, hot water - to boil the bananas
3. Shredded Coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Coconut oil - 1tbsp
5. Mustard, U. Dhal- 1 tbsp, dry red chilies -2 nos (cut into small pieces) for seasoning
6. Asaefotida, coarse red chili powder - for garnishing
7. curry leaves - 10-20 leaf lets 

Procedure

1. Add water, turmeric juice, pinch of turmeric, and salt to a vessel and bring to a boil.
2. Now add raw banana pieces.
3. Allow banana a to cook 80%. (dont cook it fully as it will get sticky).
4. At this stage, remote the vessel from gas, cover up the vessel and  it cool down for 10 mins.
5. After that, using a sieve or some filter , remove all the water and let the banana pieces cool down.
6. Take a pan, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, mustard seeds, red chilies and u. dhal
7. After mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and 1/2 of shredded coconut.
8. Keeping the fire on low- medium heat fry the coconut until a sweet aroma arises .
9. Now add pinch of turmeric again, asaefotida and mix it well.
10. Add raw banana pieces.
11. Sprinkle some fresh grated coconut, salt, red chili powder.
12. mix everything well.
13. Turn off the gas.
14. Raw Banana curry AKA Puli Kuthi Curry is ready.

Note: Optionally you can squeeze a little lemon in the curry to add to the tanginess.

(Typical (TAMBRAHM) Full Meal Prep..

Typical TamBrahm  Full Meal Lunch today...vv

1. WhitePumpkin Mor koottu
2. Raw Banana Curry with Tamarind
3. SnakeGourd Thoran (Curry)
4. Cabbage Upperi (Curry)
5. Plain Dhal (Kalathukku Paruppu)
6. Raw mango Pesaral (pickle)
7. Bhindi Vatha Kulambu 
8. Plain Khadi 
9. Tomato (Kottil) Rasam
10. Curd
11. Ghee
12. Rice

1. பூசணிக்காய்  மோர்  கூட்டு 
2. வாழைக்காய் புளி குத்திக் கறி 
3. புடலங்காய்த் துவரம் 
4. முட்டைக்கோசு உப்பேரி 
5. கலத்துக்குப்  பருப்பு 
6. மாங்காய்ப்   பிசரல் 
7. வெண்டைக்காய்  வத்தக்   குழம்பு 
8. மோர்க்   கடி 
9. தக்காளி  (கொட்டில் ) ரசம் 
10. கட்டித் தயிர் 
11. புத்துருக்கு   நெய் 
12. பொன்னி அரிசி சாதம்!

Please click here for detailed recipes for the above items:

1. Raw Banana Curry with Tamarind AKA Puli Kuthi Curry
2. Snake-Gourd Thuvaram / Curry 
3. Cabbage Upperi
4. LadysFinger VathaKuzhambu

Carrot Pulikaichal..

Carrot Pulikaichal

Ingredients

1. Fresh / crunchy carrots peeled and cut into small cubes -1/2 cup
2. Green Chilies 3-4 - cut into small pieces
3. Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
4. Jaggery powder - 1tsp
5. Tamarind - a small lemon size
6. Dry roasted and powdered Fenugreek Powder - 1 pinch
7. Asafetida - 1 pinch
8. U. Dhal, C. Dhal, mustard seeds - 1 tsp for seasoning
9. Curry leaves - 1-2 for seasoning
10. sesame oil - 2 tbsps for seasoning
    

Procedure

1. Soak tamarind in water and extract juice and keep it aside.
2. Add sesame oil to pan .
3. Add the seasoning items (mustard etc.)
4. After mustard splutters add green chilies and curry leaves.
5. Then add turmeric, asaefotida, chili powder & carrots.
6. Now add salt and saute carrots for a min or two.
7. Now add tamarind juice and jaggery.
8. Allow this mixture to cook well and let the water reduce.
9. Now add a pinch of dry roasted fenugreek powder.
10. Switch off the stove and let it cool down.
11. Sweet & sour carrot pulikachal is ready.

Enjoy with curd rice or dosa idli etc..

Rava Idly

Rava Idly

Ingredients

1. Potatoes (peeled and cubed ) 1 cup
2. Rava 3/4th cup
3. Curd - 1/2 cup
4. salt - to taste
5. eno - 1tsp
6. turmeric - 1 tsp
7. mustard seeds, urad dhal,asaefotida - for seasoning
8. 
   

Procedure

1. Grind potatoes with sour curd, lemon juice
2. Then add it to the rava or semolina.
3. Let the batter sit for 10-15 mins.
4. If it looks very thin, add a little more rava.
5. Then add seasoning with mustard and urad dhal.
6. add a pinch of asaefotida
7. add turmeric tot he batter
8. Not heat an idly vessel with water.
9. add eno to the batter.
10. Make sure that the batter rises well.
11. Add the batter to idly pans and cook for 15-20 mins.

Ravaidlies are ready. Enjoy with any chutney!

Kaman Dokla

Kaman Dokla

Ingredients

1. Besan 1 cup
2. 1 tsp of sabodana powder (optional)
3. Curd - 1/2 cip
4. Lemon juice - 1tsp
5. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. green pepper, ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
7. Mustard, Seasame seeds, cumin -1/2 tsp each
8. Coconut, Green Pepper, Asaeforida, 
9. eno - 1tsp

Procedure:

1. Add Everything except (curd, besan, salt, lemon juice and turmeric) eno and mix well to a heavy paste.
2. Then heat water in a cooker or idly vessel.
3. Take Dokla stand / plate, grease the plate.
4. Now add eno and let the batter rise.
5. Add this batter nad cook for 15-25 mins.
6. Tkae the dokal, and et it cool down and cut the same into cubes.
7. Now heat oil in a pn and add jira, mustard, sesame seeds. 
8. After mustard splutters add curry leaves.
9. add this seasoning to dokla.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves, green chilies and coconut.
    

Kaman Dokla is ready. Enjoy with gun powder or chutney!

Kumbakonam Kadappa

KumaKonam Kadappa

Ingredients

1. Moong dhal 1/2 cup
2. Potatoes cut into cubes - 1.2 cup
3. Poppy seeds and Fennel seeds - 1tsp each - soaked in water
4. coconut - 2-3 tbsps.
5. green chilies - 3-4
6. Mustard, Cumin , oil - for seasoning
7. Coriander & Curry Leaves - for garnishing
8. Lemon or like juice - 1-2 tbsp.
9. salt to taste
10. Grated coconut  - 1/2 cup

Procedure

1. Cook Moong dhal and potatoes in pressure cooker with turmeric powder
2. After, it's all cooked and cooled up - keep it aside.
3. Grind coconut, green chillies, poppy seeds & fennel to a fine paste.
4. Now add the ground mixture to moongdhal combo and boil it again.
5. heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin and after mustard seeds splutter add it to kadappa.
6. Squeeze a lemon to it and add coriander and curry leaves
   

Kumbakonam kadappa is ready!

Enjoy it with Idly, dosa etc.

Akshaya Thriteeya Special - Yellow Themed Items

This Akashaya Triteeya, I made yellow themed items:

1. Rava Idly
2. Kesar Milk (with almonds)
3. Kaman Dokla
4. Fruit Platter with Oranges and banana!
5. KumbakonamKadappa

Kesar Milk:

1. Soak a pinch of saffron in hot water.
2. Boil milk and add saffron.
3. At the end add some sugar or honey.
4. Add a pinch of edible camphor.
5. Top the same with almonds.

Kesar Milk is ready.

Please click here for recipes:

1. Kumakonam Kadappa
2. Kaman Dokla
3. RavaIdly

பப்பட வடை - Pappada Vada & Palak Bhajji

Pappada Vada & Palak Bhajji

காரமான பொரியை கொஞ்சம் உண்டுவிட்டு, சுட சுட தேநீரை கொஞ்சம் குடித்தால் - பூலோகத்தில் சுவர்க்கத்தைக் காண முடியும்!

அதே போல தான் பப்பட வடை, பாலக்கீரை பக்கோடாவையும் சட்டினியுடன் சுவைத்து, தேநீரை அருந்தி வாயை மாற்றிக் கொள்ளலாம்! அப்பப்பா - மலை நேரம் என்றாலே நமக்கு அனைவருக்கும் கொண்டாட்டம் தான்! ஏலக்காய் , கிராம்பு, இஞ்சி மணக்கும் சுட சுட தீநீரும், இந்த சிற்றுண்டியும்! அடித்துக்கொள்ள வேறொன்றுமே இல்லை.

This is a very famous delicacy from Kerala. Common tea time snack!

Ingredients

1. Fresh chick pea flour or besan - 1.5 cups
2. (Kerala) Papad cut into 1/2- 3-4 
3. Seasame Seeds - 1 tsp
4. Tapioca or Sabodana flour - 1 tsp
5. Red pepper powder - 1 tsp
6. turmeric,Asaefotida - one pinch each
7. eno or fruit salt - 1/8th of a tsp
8. Water to mix
9. Oil for frying
10. Spinach 1/2 cup (Hibiscus leaves also can be used for this).

Procedure

1. Mix all the ingredients except eno well to a thick paste (dosa batter consistency)
2. Heat oil in a pan and let it reach it's boiling point.
3. Now keep the flame in low-medium.
4. Add eno to the batter and mix well.
5. Batter rises well.
6. Now dip papad pieces in the batter and put into the oil.
7. fry them well on both sides and keep it aside.
8. After all the papads are over, then mix spinach with remaining batter.
9. mix it well and add small chunks of batter/spinach to oil.
10. Fry it well and take it outside and keep it in a plate.
11. Repeat the process until all the batter is over.
12. Pappada Vada & Spinach Pakoda are ready to be served.

Enjoy spongy pappada vadas and crispy spinach pakodas with any chutney of your choice.




In the vessel , which had batter , wash your hands and keep that water aside. (I will post later on how to make bombay chutney with left over veggies etc..)

Korada Chutney

Korada chutney

This is packed with Iron, Vitamin A etc.. - if we have this regularly it helps in keeping our hair black, and we dont need to take special nutrition / vitamin supplements. Since it has ginger etc.. it also kills bad bacteria in our stomach! A very unique chutney with all essential ingredients!  In Tamil Koradu means a  hook- since this chutney has a very tangy taste  and kind of hits our taste buds like a koradu or hook it's called as korada chutney! Very Sathvik and very tasty! 

Note in Tamil:
மரங்களில் இருந்து காய், இலை ,பழம் பறிக்கும் ஒரு கொக்கியை கொரடு என்பார்கள். நம் நாவில் உள்ள சுவை மொட்டுக்களை சுண்டி இழுப்பதால் இந்த சட்டினிக்கு கொரடா என்ற பெயர்! அம்மிக்கல்லில் வைத்து துவைத்து எடுப்பதால் துவையல் என்ற பெயர்! செந்தமிழில் பேசுவதும் எழுதுவதும் மிக இனிமை! பாரதி சும்மாவா சொன்னான்? "செந்தமிழ் நாடென்ற போதினிலே இன்ப தென் வந்து பாயுது காதினிலியே" என்று! ஸ்ரீ வத்ச கோத்திரத்தை சேர்ந்த ஜமதக்கினியின் தமயன் திருணதூமாக்கினி என்பவர் தான் - தொல்காப்பியம் எழுதினார்! செந்தமிழ் ப்ராம்மணர்களையும் தமிழையும் பிரிக்கவே முடியாது!

A very famous TamBrahm delight.. Lets see how to make this:

Ingredients:

1. Coriander - 2 cups
2. Curry Leaf 1/2 cup
3. Green Chilies - 1 cu (increase or decrease depending on how spicy you need this).
4. Tamarind - one lemon size (Remove seeds and soak in hot water to ensure smooth grinding)
5. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp or more (Optional - to supplement the tanginess of tamarind).
6. Ginger - one piece peeled and cubed
7. Coconut - 1 cup (Fresh coconut is preferred. If using dry coconut soak in boiling water for 5 mins and throw the water and use that coconut).
8. Salt to taste
9. Asaefotida - 1/8 of tsp ( for flavor).
10. Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp, Coconut / sesame oil - 1 tbslp, urad dhal 1/2 tsp - for seasoning.

Procedure:

1. Add all the ingredients with no water and grind slowly in a mixer.
2. After coconut, green peppers etc.. have gotten mashed, add little water.
3. Grind again.
4. Repeat this process until everything has been ground to a nice paste.
5. Transfer the contents to a bowl.
6. Heat sesame or coconut oil, add mustard and urad dhall.
7. After mustard seeds splutter , add this seasoning on top of your chutney.

Tangy, Spicy korada chutney is ready!
Enjoy with Rice / ghee, dosas, curd rice, chappathi, pakodas etc..

Note: Coconut and seasoning oil (seasme oil) will help us prevent stomach problems caused by green pepper or tamarind. make sure that you use sumptuous amount of that.

Goat Cheese Dipping..

Goat Cheese Dipping..

Ingredients

1. Goat Cheese 2 tbsps
2. Salt - to taste
3. Lime juice - 2 tsps
4. Green (Jalapeno) pepper - 2-3 nos.
5. Coriander - a bunch
6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tsps
7. Mustard Seeds, Coconut oil - for seasoning
8. Little bit of water (for grinding)
   

Steps

1. Add all the ingredients to e blender.
2. If Goat cheese is too cold, add a little bit of hot water(or heat the goat cheese in microwave for 10-20 secs)
3. Grind it to a thick consistency.
4. If it's too think, add a little more goat cheese.
5. Depending on how tangy you need, add a little more lime juice.
6. Transfer the contents from blender to a dish .
7. Now heat up one tsp of E.V. (extra virgin) coconut oil in a pan.
8. Add a little bit of mustard seeds .
9. When mustard seeds splutter add the seasoning to your dipping or chutney.
   

Goat Cheese dipping is ready! Enjoy with Salad or pakodas or other items.!

Sathvik Mixed Vegetable Pakoda

Sathvik Mixed Vegetable Pakoda..

Ingredients

1. Finely chopped Veggies ( 1/2 potato, 4-5 florets of cauliflower, small peice of cabbage, 1/2 tbsp spinach, little coriander leaves, 1/4th of belle pepper) - 1 cup
2. Finely Chopped Green Chillies 2 & small piece of chopped ginger 
3. Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
4. Asaefotida - 1 pinch, Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp, red chillie powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Besan or chick pea flour 1 cup
6. ghee - 1 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Oil for frying

Steps

1. Mix all the veggies, ginger, green chilies, cumin, salt, turmeric, asafetida, red chilies powder, salt and mix everything well.
2. With slight pressure with hands, mix everything well & keep it aside for 2-3 mins.
3. Now add Besan or chick pea flour.
4. Optionally If the flour is too thin add some extra besan .
5. Without adding water, mix everything very well.
6. Sprinkle a little water and mix gain, and repeat this until it becomes a thick dough.
7. Now add 1 tsp of ghee and mix everything well.
8. Keep a frying pain on medium heat and add oil tot he same and heat until the oil comes of boiling point.
9. Drop a small piece of dough into oil and make sure that it gets cooked and rises above.
10. Now take the dough into hands, make into small pieces and drop into the oil.
11. Allow the pakodas to cook until sound of oil stops and bubbles reduce.
12. Repeat this until all the dough is over.
13. Keep it on a tissue paper so that extra oil gets absorbed.

Mix Veggie Pakora is ready! You can enjoy it with coffee, tea and side dishes like chutney..

Note: You can add a tsp of rice flour or corn flour to make it more crispy.
Note: Finely chopped onions can be added to the veggie mixture too.
Note: Slightly grated coriander seeds can be added to this. ( or caram seeds).
Note: If there's no chutney available sprinkle some chat masala powder on the pakodas.