Amaranth stem sambar (keerai thandu sambar).

If you are a person insisting on a 'no waste kitchen', then here is a recipe. Amaranth is a tasty green included in most of the Asian cuisines. In my home town, the keerai (greens) vendor, generally  the local farmer's wife, would bring many kinds of fresh greens early morning in a big basket. If we want to buy amaranth, then she would give it like a whole plant only, as they harvest that greens like that. Also we can get very young and tender amaranths by the name 'MuLai keerai' (முளை கீரை ) in cute little bunches . MuLai keerai can be used completely without rejecting the stems, but the stem of the normal amaranth are thicker. While buying the bigger amaranth plants, mom would make a stir fry using the leaves one day and save the stems for the sambar or any curry the next day. The stems can be refrigerated for a week and used in many dishes. I like the way we utilize everything from that beautiful amaranth plant.

other names: Chinese spinach stem sambar/ red spinach stem dhal/ Keerai thandu sambar

Amaranth (thandu keerai / thandankeerai - Tamil). Amaranth is a kind of greens like spinach, but with more medicinal value. Some tribes claim that it increases the life span , if consumed regularly. Click to read more from Wikipedia.

keerai thandu sambar

Ingredients:

Amaranth stem (chopped) - 1 cup
tamarind - small gooseberry size
tomato - 1
sambar powder - 2 tsp
oil / ghee - 1 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
shallot - 2
cilantro - few
mustard - 1/2 tsp
fenugreek / methi seed - 1/2 tsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp

To pressure cook:

thuvaram paruppu (thoor dhal/red gram)- 1/2 cup
water - 2 cup
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
onion - 1/2
garlic - 4 cloves

Method:

Wash and soak the dhal for 30 minutes. Discard the water.
Pressure cook the dhal with 2 cups of water, hing, turmeric powder, garlic, onion for 3 whistles. Switch off and wait for the pressure to reduce. Take out and mash the dhal with 1/2 tsp cumin.

Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup water and extract juice (thrice).

Peel the skin of Amaranth stem, if any. Chop the stem into 1 inch pieces and keep aside. Heat a tsp oil in a wok and slide in mustard, fenugreek. After the mustard crackles, put the curry leaves and chopped shallot. Then goes  the finely chopped tomato and cook till it gets mushy.
Add the chopped amaranth stem and stir for 10 seconds.
Then add the tamarind extract and let it come to a boil. Heat till the raw smell vanishes (5 minutes). Add the mashed dhal to boiling tamarind. Put the sambar powder and bring it to a boil again.
Add required salt, finely chopped cilantro and switch off.
Amaranth stem sambar is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Makes 4 generous servings.
Serve over hot rice or as side dish with idly, dosa, venn pongal etc.

Potato spicy curry (Urulai kilangu kara curry)

It is an extremely spicy hot curry popular among Indians. Potato curry won't need much of an intro to any Indian. Every mom would have a recipe of their own for this simple dish. It is a Tamil tradition to make this curry along with sambar rice for vegetarian guests. Also the urulai kilangu kara curry is a must during festive days and weddings. Almost an year back, I read an interview with a Tirunelveli chef in a Tamil magazine about his proficiency in this curry. Though I too do the same way, I like the way the chef explained it.  Hope you all enjoy it.

Potato spicy curry / Urulai kizhangu kaara curry.

Ingredients:

Potato -  4 (big)
(Red potato in USA tastes more like Indian potatoes)
tomato - 2 (optional)
Red Onion - 1 (100 gm)
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
cinnamon - 1 inch
curry leaf - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves to garnish - as required

Method:

Wash the potatoes and put them in enough water. Bring to boil and cook covered till the potatoes are soft.
Peel and chop the potatoes into big chunks. Mash a few pieces. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds, cinnamon. As the fennel turns red , add the chopped onion, curry leaf and fry till it becomes golden.
Then add the ginger garlic paste and stir for 5 seconds.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and saute till oil starts showing up.

Add required salt, chilly powder, coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Garam masala powder with handful of water and cook for 1 minute.

Then add the cubed potatoes and mix well till the masala gets absorbed by the potato and the curry becomes semi-dry. Sprinkle more chilli powder if needed, as this curry should be very hot and spicy.

Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Spicy Potato curry is ready!

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 4 people.
Serve as side dish for chapathi, Sambar rice, rasam rice,coconut rice, curd rice etc.

Note:

If you are not using tomato here, then sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice after switching off.