Tomato Coconut Chutney

1 tomato, chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped
¼ cup coconut, grated
½ tsp chana dal
½ tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Garlic pods chopped
2 red chillies
5 to 6 curry leaves
salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves. When they start to splutter add garlic and onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Now add tomatoes and cook for few minutes. When they are mushy, add shredded coconut and mix.

Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat and grind the contents until smooth consistency. There is usually no need to add water, but add a little if needed. When done pour into a bowl and check for the salt. Add more if needed.

Mint Chutney

This is a three part post to this Friday's dinner. I am planning to make Akki Rotti with Mint Chutney and Tomato Coconut Chutney.

I already have a small bunch of mint growing in a little pot on my patio and I never have to go out to buy mint. Looks like my little champion mint plant has survived the winter and is all set for spring and summer.

Mom always said that the more you take the leaves from a mint plant the more it grows. How true!!

Heres how to make the mint chutney:

Ingredients:

1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 small fresh green chilli, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Heat very little oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, mint, coriander, onion, chilli, garlic and saute for a minute. Then put this in a mixer with little water and grind it to make a paste.  Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Tip: If you do not want the chutney to be hot, remove the green chilli or add just one.

Thakkali Milagu Rasam

Thakkali Milagu Rasam

This is one hit recipe with my family and friends.  Have been meaning to post this for a long time now and here it is finally.

Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes (Chopped)
1 Onion (Chopped)
2 tsp Rasam Powder(store bought)
1/2 bunch Coriander leaves (keep some stalk for the coriander)
5-6 Garlic cloves
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
1 cup tamarind juice(made from 1/4 cup Tamarind pulp 3/4 cup water)
Salt to taste

Heat 3 cups of water in a pan and add chopped onion, chopped tomato. Add smashed garlic. Also add rasam powder, and salt to taste.

Tip : Smash the garlic cloves a little with either a mortar/pastel or using the flat side of a heavy knife smash down.

Bring this to boil (yes, contrary to usual way of making rasam where we remove from heat before the rasam comes to a boil, bring this mixture to boil) and cook until tomatoes are cooked and soft.

Now in a mortar/pastel take remaining 3 garlic, coriander leaves and peppercorns and smash well. Now in a different pan heat some oil and add mustard seeds. 

When the mustard seeds splutter, add the garlic/coriander/peppercorn mixture fry for a minute. 

Add the pinch of Asafoetida and tamarind juice. Pour this into the tomato/onion/garlic/rasam powder mix.

Check the salt and add more if required. Serve with rice.

Venthaya Keerai Kilangu Poriyal

Methi Aloo/Venthaya Keerai Kilangu Poriyal

 

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh Methi (Vendaya Keerai)
2-3 Potatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 medium Tomato finely chopped.
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp mustard seed
½ tsp urad dal
Salt to taste
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Cook the potatoes with a little salt and 2-3 cups of water. Once done, cut into bite size pieces.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add urad dal, onion and garlic and fry onion turns translucent. Add chopped Tomato. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt to taste and cook covered until the tomato is slightly mashed. Add salt to taste.

Now add Methi Leaves and Potato. Cook until the methi leaves are done(remember this is a dry poriyal and there is no need to add water. Add very little water only if the poriyal  starts sticking to the pan.)

Remove from heat and enjoy the hot Venthaya Keerai Kilangu Poriyal

Peerkankai Paruppu/Ridge Gourd Dhal

Ridge Gourd Dhal

Ingredients:

1 Medium Ridge Gourd
2 cup Moong Dhal(Paasi Paruppu)
1 medium onion(chopped)
1 small tomato(chopped)
2 cloves garlic(slightly smashed)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 green chillies(split in the middle)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
pinch of hing/asafoetida

Remove the sharp edges of the ridge gourd(peerkangai) and seeds. Cut the ridge gourd into bite sized pieces.

Add moong dhal, ridge gourd, chopped onion, chopped tomato, smashed garlic, turmeric and add 3 cups water.  Also add a little salt( so that the peerkankai has salt in it when cooked). Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Remove from heat.

Now in another vessel heat some oil and add mustard. When the mustard starts to splutter, add curry leaves, green chilli, hing. Add the ridge gourd and dhal. Check the salt and add more if required.

Kaalan Kodai Mizhaga Kozhambu/Mushroom-Capsicum Curry

Mushroom-Capsicum Curry
Its lent season now and I am planning to make a lot of vegetarian dishes. This dish is a slight variation of the Paneer Simla Mirch curry. Here I've added some yogurt to give a rich and creamy texture/taste to the curry.
15 white button mushroom
1/2 green bell pepper(Capsicum), chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp yogurt(do not use yogurt or curd that is very sour)
salt, to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry a little until onions start to brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender and start to pulp up.

Add in coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a minute or two till spices blend in. Add salt, water and cook for a few minutes till sauce thickens slightly.

Add Mushroom and bell pepper(Capsicum) and cover cook for 6-7 minutes till Mushroom and Pepper is cooked. Mix in the finely beaten yogurt.. Cook for a couple of minutes and remove from heat and serve hot.

Friday Food: Semiya/Vermicelli Upma

Its Friday again and a day for me to try something new to resist eating outside. This is mom's favorite and she always made this with wheat vermicelli. On my recent trip to India, I got some vermicelli and was eager to try this out as soon as possible.

Heres a quick recipe before I head out for the day.

Ingredients:

2 Cup Vermicelli
1/4 Cup Beans
1/4 Cup Carrot
Handful of Peas
1/4 Cup Tomato
2 cloves garlic (Chopped finely)
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 medium Onion
1/2 tsp Ghee
Oil
Salt to taste

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp Musturd seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dhal
1/2 tsp Channa Dhal
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
3 Green Chili (split lengthwise)

Heat the half tsp ghee and roast vermicelli until it turns light brown. Now add 4 cups of water, 1/4 tsp salt and a little oil and boil. Remove from heat when the vermicelli is 3/4 cooked. Drain the water and keep aside.

Cook the carrot, peas and beans with a little salt and 1 cup water. Remove from heat and drain water when the vegetables are cooked. Alternatively you can microwave the vegetables with salt and water for 4 minutes on high.

Now in a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutters add urad dhal, channa dhal, green chili and curry leaves. Add the finely chopped garlic and the chopped onion and saute until the Onion turns translucent and light brown.

Add the tomatoes, cooked vegetables and saute for a minute. Now add cumin, turmeric and red chilli powder. Add salt to if you need more. Remember that the vegetables and the vermicelli already have salt.

Now add the vermicelli and mix everything up. Saute for a few minutes and remove from heat. Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.