Dosa Kai Curry (Yellow Cucumber Curry)

I am turning into a big fan of vegetarian dishes, and I am into trying out all the veggies I am able to find in the Indian grocery store. I am basically from Bangalore and did not try much of cooking before my marriage. When I found Dosa Kai (Yellow cucumber) I was intrigued and wanted to try it. This below recipe is a north Karnataka dish.

Ingredients:
1 Dosa kai(yellow cucumber) small size - chopped (you can remove the seeds if you want, but I preferred to keep it)
1 Tamarind small ball, soaked in water
1/2 cup Coconut grated
4 Dry chillies roasted (add more if required according to your taste)
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Jaggery - Grated or Powdered
Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Mustard-1 tsp
Garlic - 5 finely chopped
Curry leaves -5-6 leaves

Method:

Take the cut yellow cucumber, a little salt, turmeric and water(about 1 cup) in a pan and cook until the Dosakaya is well cooked. Grind Tamarind, coconut, dry chillies into a fine paste. Once the dosa kai is completely cooked, add the ground paste and add little more turmeric and Jagerry. Cook for 5-10 mins.
Now take a little oil in a separte pan and add mustard. Once the mustard starts to splutter add chopped garlic, curry leaves. Pour the seasoning over the cooked dosakai curry.

Goes well with steamed white rice.

Vendakkai Puli Kozhambu

Ingredients:

1 lb or 1/2 kg Ladies finger or Okra(Vendakkai)
2 Tomatoes
1/2 cup think tamarind juice(or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
1/2 onion(finely chopped)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp thick coconut milk
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(Vendayam)

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds. Let it fry for a few seconds and then add chopped onion until they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-10 mins until they are soft and mushy. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and cook for a minute. Add Okra and tamarind juice, 1 1/2 cups of water and cook on medium heat until the vendakkai is cooked. Now add thick coconut milk and cook for 5 mins.

Serve with steamed white rice or roti.

Poondu Kozhambu

Ingredients:

10-15 peeled garlic(Smash it a little to bring out the flavour)
1/2 large onion finely chopped
2 Medium Tomato finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup tamarind(If using paste, then 1 tbsp in 1/4 cup water)
1 tbsp Sambar Powder
Salt to taste

Seasoning:

1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp urad dal
Little curry leaves.

Take oil in a vessel and tamper with seasoning. Now add onion and fry for a little time. Add garlic and fry till the raw smell goes away. Add Sambar powder, tomato and stir. Cook until the tomotoes are soft and can be smashed finely. Add Tamarind water and 1 cup of water. Cook until the garlic is cooked.

Goes well with hot steaming white rice.

Radish Puli Kozhambu

I got these red baby radish and wanted to try Puli Kozhambu with it. This simple curry is yummy and easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 lb Baby Radish chopped(normal white radish is also fine)
1/2 cup think tamarind juice(or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
1 tomato
1/2 onion(finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves(finely chopped)
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp rice flour
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Urad dhal
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves
Pinch of Asafoetida
Oil

Heat a little oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and fry till the raw smell goes off. Now add onion and fry a little more until the onion turns golden brown. Now add chopped tomato and fry until they are soft and mushy. Now add turmeric, chili and rice flour and mix well so that they blend in. Add salt to taste. Now add radish and fry until they are tender.

Add the tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Cook this until the radish is completely cooked and the gravy thickens.

In a separte pan heat oil and add musturd seeds. When the musturd splutters add cumin, urad dhal, curry leaves and asafotida. Pour this seasoning over the prepared curry.

Yummy Puli Kozahmbu is ready to eat. This goes well with steamed white rice.