Zucchini Kootu/ Zucchini Indian Style/Zucchini Gravy

Ingredients

Zucchini - 2 nos
Green Gram/Green Dhal - 8 ts
Pearl Onion - 12 nos or 1 small onion
Tomato - 1 small size
Garlic pod - 3 nos
Ginger - a pea size
Green Chili - 1 no
Turmeric Pwd - 1/4 ts
Salt for taste
Oil - 1ts
Butter - 1 ts (Optional)
Shredded Coconut - 1 ts (Optional)
Milk - 2 ts (Optional )
Coriander leaves/Cilantro - 3 strands


Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Urad Dhal - 1/2 ts
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/4 ts
Asfoetida/Hing - 2 pinch
Curry Leaves - 2 strands


Method

1. Wash the Zucchini and finely chop it, also wash the Dhal and drain nicely. Finely chop the onion,garlic,Ginger, tomato and green chili.

2. In a pan add a bit of butter and cook the dhal with a cup of water and a pinch of turmeric and Asfoetida pwd. Once the Dhal is cooked keep it aside.

3. In a thick bottomed pan add the butter/Oil and when it is hot add the tempering items given in the list and when the mustard splutters add the chopped onion,garlic,ginger,green chili and fry it for 2mins.

4. Add the Zucchini and turmeric pwd and saute it for 5 to 6 mins in a medium heat, then add the cooked Dhal to it and mix it nicely.

5. Add the milk and adjust the seasoning.

6. Let it cook for 2mins then add the grated coconut and stir it.

7. Switch off the gas, garnish with Coriander leaves/Cilantro.

This kootu goes well with rice and chapati.

Paruppu Keerai Kootu

Ingredients

Paruppu Keerai/Greens - 2 bunch (Approximately 3 cups)
Green Gram/Green Dhal - 1/4 cup
Pearl Onion - 12 nos or 1 small onion
Tomato - 1 small size
Garlic pod - 3 nos
Ginger - a pea size Green Chili - 1 no Salt for taste
Oil - 1ts
Butter - 1 ts (Optional)
Shredded Coconut - 1 ts (Optional)
Milk - 2 ts (Optional )


Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Urad Dhal - 1/2 ts
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/4 ts
Asfoetida/Hing - 2 pinch


Method

1. Wash the Dhal, greens separately and drain nicely. Finely chop the Greens,onion,garlic,Ginger and tomato,slit the green chili.

2. In the thick bottomed pan add the butter then add chopped onion,garlic,ginger,green chili,tomato along with the Greens stir it for 5 to 6mins in a medium heat, add a cup of water let the dhal cook in the water.

3. Once the dhal,greens,veggies are cooked add the milk and adjust the seasoning.

4. Let it cook for 2mins then add the grated coconut and stir it.

5. Switch off the gas, tempering is optional if you feel like doing then in a pan add 1 ts oil/Butter and add the tempering items in the list once done add to the Keerai kootu.

This kootu goes well with rice and chapati.

Tanjore style Aaraithuvitta Sambar/ Thanjavur Style Sambar/Aaraithuvitta Sambar

Ingredients

Pearl Onion - 10 nos
Tamarind - 1 no medium size
Brinjal - 4 no medium size
Red Chili pwd - 1 1/2 ts
Coriander pwd - 1/4 ts
Turmeric pwd - 2 pinch
Salt for taste
Ghee/Oil - 1 ts
Tamarind Pulp - 1 ts
Coriander Leaves - 2 strands


Pressure Cook

Thoor Dhal - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 no medium size
Garlic - 1 pod
Turmeric Pwd - a pinch
Asfoetida/Hing - a pinch
Ghee/oil - a drop

Grind

Coconut - 1 ts
Pearl Onion - 2 nos
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 ts


Tempering

Mustard - 1/2 ts
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 ts
Urad Dhal - 1/4 ts
Asfoetida/Hing - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 1 twig
Green Chili - 1 no
Butter/Ghee/Oil - 1 ts

Method

1. Wash the thoor dhal and pressure cook with a cup of water along with the ingredients listed under the Pressure cook.

2. Once the dhal is cooked mash it with a Dhal masher and keep aside.

3. Grind the items under the GRIND list.

3. In a medium heat place a thick bottomed vessel, add butter/ghee/Oil once heated add the mustard and when it splutters add the cumin seeds,urad dhal,Asfoetida, curry leaves, green chili and add the pearl onion saute till it turns light golden brown color then add the tomatoes and sprinkle a pinch of salt and saute it till the tomatoes are tender, then add the brinjal and saute it for 3 mins.

4. Add the turmeric pwd,red chili pwd and coriander pwd stir it nicely for 2mins and add the dhal to it with one cup of water, stir it nicely and close the lid, let it boil for 5 to 8 mins till the raw smell goes off.

5. Add the tamarind pulp and adjust the seasoning,let it boil till the raw smell goes off then add the grounded paste and stir it check the seasoning and sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and turn off the gas after 2mins.

This Aaraithuvitta sambar goes well with rice and potato fry.

Quick Tempered Dhal / Thalitha Paruppu

Ingredients

Thoor Dhal - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 1 pod
Turmeric Pwd - a pinch
Asfoetida/Hing - a pinch
Salt for taste
Coriander Leaves - 2 strands

Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 ts
Urad Dhal - 1/4 ts
Asfoetida/Hing - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 1 twig
Pearl Onion/shallot - 5nos or Red Onion - 1 no small
Green Chili - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no small size
Butter/Ghee/Oil - 1 ts

Method

1. Wash the thoor dhal and pressure cook with a cup of water along with a pinch of turmeric,Asfoetida/hing,garlic and a drop of oil/ghee. Meanwhile finely chop the onion,tomato and slit the green chili.

2. Once the dhal is cooked mash it with a Dhal masher and keep aside.

3. In a medium heat place a pan, add butter/ghee/Oil once heated add the mustard and when it splutters add the cumin seeds,urad dhal,Asfoetida, curry leaves, green chili and add the pearl onion saute till it turns light golden brown color then add the tomatoes and saute it till the tomatoes are tender.

4. Add the dhal and adjust the seasoning, let it boil for a min then switch off the gas and garnish with some coriander leaves.

This is a simple Dhal which goes well with rice, if you dont have time to cook sambar this is the best option.

Brinjal-Potato Poricha Kuzhlambu/ EggPlant-Potato Poricha Kuzhlambu / Kathirikai-Urulaikizhlangu Poricha Kuzhlambu

Ingredients

Indian Eggplant/Brinjal - 3 nos small size
Potato - 2 nos small size
Big Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no
Garlic - 4 pods
Coriander leaves - 3 strands
salt for taste
Oil - 1 ts

Spice Powders

Turmeric pwd - a pinch
Chili Coriander pwd - 1 ts
Coriander pwd - 2 ts
Cumin pwd - 1/2 ts


Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Cumin Seeds - 2 pinch
Fenugreek Seeds - 10 nos
Curry Leaves - 1 twig

To Grind

Coconut - 4 ts
Fennel Seeds - 1/4 ts
Coriander leaves - 10 strands

Method

1. Finely chop the Onion,tomatoes,cursh the garlic and cut the potato and Eggplant/brinjal in 1/2 inch size.

2. Grind the items given in the To Grind List and keep aside.

3. In a thick bottomed pan add a ts of oil and temper the items given in the Tempering list, then add the crushed garlic,onion and saute it, wait till the onion are soft and turns translucent then add the brinjal/Eggplant and potato fry for 3mins in medium flame.

4. Then add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 2mins then add all the spice pwd given the list. saute it for 2mins, once the raw smell goes off,add 2 1/2 cup of water, and close the lid, turn the heat to high.

5. Cook for 5mins, once the water is reduced to half reduce the flame to medium and add the ground masala let it boil for 5mins then sprinkle some coriander leaves and switch off the gas.

This Poricha Kuzhlambu goes well with Rice.

Button Mushroom - Green Capsicum Peas Saute / Mushroom kodai millagai patani Gravy

Ingredients

Button Mushroom - 10 nos
Green Capsicum - 1 small
Snow Peas - 4 ts
Onion - 1 no small size
Clustered Tomato - 1 no medium size
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 ts
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 ts
Curry Leaves - 1 twig
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 ts
Coriander leaves - 2 strands
Salt for taste
Oil - 1 ts

Method

1. Chop the onion lengthwise and a mushroom into 4 pieces, capsicum and tomatoes into small pieces.

2. In a high heat place a wok, add a ts of oil once heated add fennel and cumin seeds once it splutters add the curry leaves.

3. Add the onion and saute it for min then add gingergarlic paste saute it for 2mins, then add the tomato and saute it nicely till they are tender.

4. Add Snow peas and mushroom saute for 3mins then add the capsicum saute till the veggie are tender adjust the seasoning and sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves.

Clustered Tomato and Brinjal with Pearl Onion Gravy / Thakkali Kathirikai Chinna Vengaya Thokku

Ingredients

Indian Brinjal - 3 nos Small
Clustered Tomatoes/ - 2 nos Medium size
Pearl Onion/Chinna Vengayam - 15 nos
Garlic pod - 2nos
Coriander Pwd /Dhaniya pwd - 1 ts
Cumin pwd/Jeeraga Thool - 1/4 ts
Red chilli pwd - 1/2 ts
Coriander leaves - 3 strands
Tamarind juice - 1 ts (optional)
Milk - 2 ts
Oil - 1 ts
Salt for taste

Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Urad dhal - 1/2 ts
Fenugreek Seeds/Vendhayam - 10 nos
Asfoetida/Hing - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 1 twig

Method

1. Finely chop the onion,coriander leaves,Garlic and tomatoes, brinjal cut into 1/4 inch length.

2. In a pan add a ts of oil and add the tempering items as per the order, then add the onion, saute for a min in medium heat.

3. Add the chopped garlic saute till the onion turns to golden brown color, then add the brinjal to it and saute for 3mins then add all the spice powders turmeric,chilli,cumin and coriander. saute for a min.

4. Add the Tomatoes and sprinkle some coriander leaves continue the sauteing process for a min and close the lid, wait till the raw smell goes off.

5. Adjust the seasoning (if you feel like your tomatoes are not sour enough then add the tamarind juice) and check whether the brinjal is fully cooked and wait till the oil comes out.

6. Now add the milk and stir it for a min and switch off the gas.

Spinach Kootu/ Palak kootu/ Keerai kootu

Ingredients

Organic baby Spinach - 2 cup packed
Thoor Dhal - 2 ts (or) Green Gram/Green Dhal - 2 ts
Pearl Onion - 8 nos or 1/2 small onion
Tomato - 1/2
Garlic pod - 2 nos
Salt for taste
Oil - 1ts
Shredded Coconut - 1 ts (Optional)


Tempering

Mustard - 1/4 ts
Urad Dhal - 1/2 ts
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/4 ts
Asfoetida/Hing - 2 pinch
Red chilli - 1 nos


Method

1. Wash the Dhal and cook with little water, meanwhile wash the spinach,drain nicely and finely chop the spinach,onion,garlic,tomato.

2. In the thick bottomed pan add the chopped onion,garlic,tomato,spinach and cook in a medium heat for 5 to 6 mins, no need to add water as the spinach will leave some.

3. Grind the items in the Grind list to a fine paste.

4. Now add the cooked dhal and grounded paste,adjust the seasoning.

5. Let it cook for 2mins and switch off the gas, tempering is optional if you feel like doing then in a pan add 1 ts oil/ghee and add the tempering items in the list once done add to the spinach kootu.

This kootu goes well with rice and chapati.

Quick n Yummy Brinjal Masala/Kathirikai Masala

Ingredients

Small Indian Brinjal - 5 no
Pearl Onions - 7 nos or small onion - 1/2
Red Chilli pwd - 1/2 ts
Turmeric pwd - 1/4 ts
Garam masala - 1/2 ts
Curry Leaves - 1 twig
Fennel/Anise pwd - 1/4 ts
Cumin Pwd - 1/4 ts
Salt for taste
Tomato - 1 medium size
Coconut - 1 ts (optional) or Milk - 1 ts
Oil - 2 ts
Coriander Leaves for garnish

Method

1. Grind all the above ingredients except Brinjal,milk and oil. Chop the brinjal lengthwise.

2. In a pan add 1 ts of oil first fry the brinjal till the raw smell goes by adding a pinch of salt then take it out.

3. In the same pan add the remaining oil and fry the masala items till its raw smell goes off then add the brinjal, mix it nicely so that the masala is well coated with the brinjal, cover and cook till the brinjal is fully cooked.

4. Before switching off the gas add the milk and give a good stir for 1min if you have included coconut then skip this step.

5. Garnish with coriander and serve with white rice or as a sidedish for a meal/mixed rice.

Tips

> You can even cook the brinjal in microwave and add to the masala it reduces the cooking time.

> Instead of Fennel and cumin powder you can replace it with the Fennel and cumin seeds.