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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Paarikkai / Pavvakka ulli theeyal ~ Tribute to my Palakkad roots

I generally dont click pics of regular/traditional dishes made at home. Wanted to change that this year and start documenting usual, day to day recipes as well (thanks to that special someone who pestered me to do so :)) Ulli (onion) and Parikkai (Bitter gourd) theeyal is a definite favourite of mine. (I am known for my love for bitter gourd :P). And as usual, this is a low fat recipe.

I decided to post this recipe to join a Kerala Kitchen event at Palakkad Chamayal :) This being my first such participation in the food blogging circle. I hope to have fun!!

Etymology:
Theeyal, a must have in most onam lunches (sadhya) literally means - burnt dish. This name is derived from the colour of the dish as we use well roasted coconut and tamarind.


This is exactly how its made in our kitchen.
You need: Serves 2-3
Water - 2 1/2 to 3 cups
Bitter gourd - 2-3 small /medium (de-seeded and diced)
Onion - 1 (diced)
coconut - shredded- 1/4 cup
curry leaves - 3 tsps (I use dried leaves)
Coconut (or til/ sunflower / olive) oil - 1 tsp

Flavoring / spices
Tamarind - two strips or a size of small lime / 3 tsps (if using paste)
Red chillies- 3
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Jeera / cumin- 1/2 tsp
Methi /fenugreek seeds - 1/2 or 1/4 tsp
pepper corns - 1/4 tsp
coriander seeds - 2 1/2 tbsp
Jaggery (optional) - 1 tsp


Use (Set aside) for Tempering
oil, mustard seeds (1/4tsp), a little cumin seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds(optional), one red chilli

Procedure:
  • Soak Tamarind in a cup of water and microwave it for two minutes. 
  • Let it cool , add some water, mash the pulp to prepare two cups of tamarind water
  • Wash bitter gourd thoroughly and chop into small pieces; Soak them in salt water for ten minutes 
  • Chop onions and grate/shred coconut
  • In a pan, Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns, two red chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds,  (with a little set aside for tempering) and coconut. you could add 1 tsp of onions (optional) 
  • Transfer well roasted ingredients onto a plate to cool
  • Grind the roasted ingredients into a smooth paste
  • In the same pan, pour a 1 tsp coconut or any oil of your choice
  • (you can avoid using oil because roasting of coconut leaves a thin film of oil in the pan)
  • Put in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli, curry leaves and saute for a minute
  • Add onions and saute for another minute before adding thoroughly washed bitter gourd 
  • Stir well and cover for a minute and pour in the tamarind water
  • Add salt, turmeric powder, and fine fine ground theeyal paste
  • cook until vegetables are all done and you get the yummy aroma of cooked theeyal


Serve with steamed rice, cracked wheat or roti/ bread of your choice


And off I go to join the fun at Palakkad Chamayal :)

Monday, January 30, 2012

Anniversary special ~ Vegan Lauki Chocolate Whole Wheat Quick Bread /cake

As mentioned in my earlier post about zucchini quick bread, I love veggies in cakes and breads. I use whole wheat King Arthur flour for my baking and love the wholesome and a slightly dense texture it lends to my cakes and loaves.
You need: for 1 small loaf
whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Bottle gourd - (grated) - 1 cup
Olive oil /sunflower oil - 1/3 cup
vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp ( upto 1 tsp is fine)
Cane Sugar - 1 cup (if using light brown sugar - 3/4 cup)
baking powder- 1/2 tsp
baking soda - 3/4 - 1 tsp
milk  or warm water - 3/4 cup
raisins - 1/4 cup (optional)
unsweetened chocolate powder - 3 tbsp

Procedure:
Mix in all the ingredients, grease a loaf pan
pour in the mixture and bake at 365 F for 35-40 minutes in the middle rack
Do the fork / tooth pick test and if it comes out clear take the pan out
cool for an hour before trying to take the loaf out of the pan
Serve with vanilla ice cream or as is!!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Heart(h) n Home : Kamini's Eclectic Kitchen

Kaminia well known name in the design and travel blogger circles, is a major source of inspiration for me. She is a wonderful artist, great DIYer, and a beautiful human being. :-). I spoke about her entryway on the Design Enthusiast and wanted to share a kitchen tour on the food blog :) (dint want my food blogging friends to miss out on a wonderful home tour ..:-)

Kamini was gracious to take us on tour...so over to K :)
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I wanted the Kitchen to be modern in terms of conveniences, but traditional in the things I use. The flooring is simple ceramic tile.



Friday, January 27, 2012

Oven roasted Arbi / cheppankazhangu / Taro root / chama dhumpa

I never get to click pics of this dish. Reason being, my DH who cant resist eating them right out of the oven. Traditionally, taro root or colocasia fry is a popular dish in south indian cuisines. As much as I love it, i cant get myself to deep frying anything. So here is my equally yummy oven roasted version.


You need: Serves 3 or 4  (in our case- 2)
arbi/ Taro root - 12 small /medium (root chunks)
Water - just enough to pressure cook them
salt - to taste
turmeric powder - 2-3 pinches
hing /asafoetida - 2 pinches
curry leaves - a string (5-6)
lemon rind or tamarind - 1 small strip (for use while pressure cooking the root)
Kuzhambu powder - 3 tsps or less
oil (olive or sunflower) - 2 - 3 tsps
water - 1 tbsp to sprinkle

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Guest Post ~ Saravana's wood apple chutney


My Soul bro is back :). I had featured Saravana's Arati poovu fry / vepudu earlier. And now he is back with a yummy chutney. I have fond memories associated with this chutney ..Amma made them when these fruits were in season...i also love the juice she made...all organic and naturally sweet!!!!:). 


Over to Saravana
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Wood Apple Chutney:  VELAGAPANDU CHUTNEY
Wood Apple, also called as Velaga Pandu (వెలగ పండు) in Telugu and Vilam Palam (விளாம் பழம்) in Tamil.   We know this fruit as it forms a part of ornamentation in vinayaka chavithi, to tie fruits for palavelli.
Both ripened and unripe wood apple is used in savories. For the current purpose, we use a ripened wood apple. Wood apple has a thick shell and has to be broken. A ripened wood apple can be spotted from long from its ripe, sweet and a woody smell.  Take a wood apple (200 gm), break it and scoop the inside paste from it.  Add 3 green chilies, sufficient salt and tamarind and blend the paste so that the ingredients mix well.
Place a pan on the stove and add 1 tsp of oil / ghee.  Add the wood apple paste in it and fry it with a lid covered for 5 min on a low flame.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Happy Pongal :)

Happy pongal and thank you to all who shower their love through their visits and comments :)...wishing everyone a great 2012



shared beautiful muggus/kolams from our neighbourhood in hyderabad

creativity: neighbours
pictures: Mother in law :)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Brinjal and potato podi poriyal

This is a very common and traditional brinjal dish. My DH likes this brinjal dish a lot among other variations. We can make this dish without the potato as well. I clicked pics of this dish so sharing it :)

You need: serves two
Brinjal -  1 large / 8 small - (Chopped 2 cups)
potato - optional - 1 large - (chopped 1 cup)
curry leaves - 4-5
cilantro / coriander leaves - for garnish

for the masala /podi
coriander leaves - 1 1/2 tbsp
peanuts- 1 tbsp
cumin/jeera - 1/2 tsp
garlic- 2 cloves (optional)
red chillies - 3
chana dal- 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
dry coconut /copra - 3 tsps
clove - 2 (optional)
elaichi / cardamom- 1 (optional)
dalchini / cinnamon - 1/2 " strip (optional)

Tempering
mustard - 1/4 tsp
jeera - 1/4 tsp
red chilli - 1
hing - a pinch
salt - to taste
cooking oil (sun flower / olive)- 1 tsp

Procedure
Masala / podi
Dry roast all the ingredients in a kadai / pan
let them cool and grind them into a coarse powder...keep aside
Veggies
wash and chop the veggies into 1" cubes or long 1/2" slits (the veggies need to hold up to being cooked and then being sauted with the podi)
microwave or steam the veggies separately until they are half done


The dish

  1. Pour oil into the kadai and add tempering ingredients - mustard (let them crackle) and then add dals cumin red chillies, curry leaves in that order and saute
  2. add the steamed potato cubes and saute for a minute, and then add bringjal 
  3. Add salt, turmeric powder, hing/asafoetida and stir lightly
  4. Sprinkle water (1 tbsp or so) and cover the kadai for a 2 minutes 
  5. when the veggies look almost done, add the podi ( 1 spoon at a time) and keep stirring lightly
  6. Once all the masala/ podi is mixed with the temered veggies, turn down the flame and simmer for a minute or so
  7. If you like the poriyal well done and crispy, transfer it to a baking tray and put it in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 350 on the top rack (include the preheat time as well)
  8. garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve with roti varieties or rice and accompanied with khadi/moru kuzhambu, rasam and dal...yum!!!!


Trivia
Jeera rice and methi dal go very well on the menu with this dish :)..try and enjoy

This podi poriyal is very similar to vangi bath masala

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