Hotel Saravana Bhavan Vegetable Kuruma in InstantPot

Hotel Saravana Bhavan is a classy Indian Vegetarian restaurant founded by a cooking genius and entrepreneur  from Tirunelveli district. That restaurant has many branches all over the world. It is known for it's classy vegetarian recipes and less spicy mouthwatering food prepared in a hygienic way. The original founder called as Annachi started this restaurant to provide good food for the newbies in Chennai, as getting hygienic good food was not easy those days. First they gave puliyotharai and variety rices, while he was running a grocery store as it is the family's main job. Then after seeing the enthusiasm shown by Chennai people and travelers, he started to give many special dishes of Tirunelveli by employing lot of chefs. Then it became very popular for it's good food. Even though  some people feel that it's prices are higher and the portion size is smaller (compared to others) ,  the prices are justifiable due to the hygiene and safer family friendly ambiance. I am ok with that portion size too. But opinions vary due to their serving quantity. My hubby thinks that they don't bring enough sambar like other restaurants in a big serving bowl. That's a valuable comment too. But my niece Shakthi showed me how to love that hotel's food and hence I am ok with that portion size.

All foods are delicious in the restaurant's menu card, while Saravana Bhavan's kuruma is a white  kuruma is my favorite.

It is made using unique masala and yogurt.

I have written about this kuruma decades ago and now posting this as a video too.

(Vegetable kuruma  / kurma is a kind of spicy curry with lot of vegetables (definitely the English vegetables not the native Indian vegetables). 

Today I am narrating how to prepare Saravana Bhavan style vegetable kuruma in Instant pot in this post. Hope you all love this !

Kindly show your support for my YouTube channel also. Thanks in advance.

Click to see my vegetable kuruma in InstantPot video . 

Vegetables needed:
Cauliflower - 100 gms (1/4 flower)
Beans - 10  
Carrot - 1
Potato - 1

Fresh peas - 1 cup

For Kuruma:

Red onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Green chili - 4
Coriander leaves - a handful.
Curry leaves - few

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tso
Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Curry masala powder - 1 tsp (optional)
salt - to taste
Oil  / ghee - 2 tbsp

Curd - 1/4 cup

To Grind 1:
Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 5 cloves

To Grind 2:

Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Fennel - 1 tsp

Poppy seed - 1 tsp

Cashew - 4

To Temper:

Fennel - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Kalpasi - 1 inch
bay leaf - 1

Preparation:
Grind ginger and garlic together.
Grind items under 2.
Prepare the tempering spices and keep them together.

Chop onion, tomato coarsely.

Cut cauliflower into big pieces.
Peel and cube the potato, carrot into 1 inch size cubes.

Cut beans into 1 inch long pieces.

Slit green chilies or chop finely.

Method:

Set the Instantpot to saute mode by pressing the 'SAUTE' button. We are not closing the lid.

We are going to use this as a regular pan during saute process.

Now it will stay hot for 30 mins by default setting.

Add 2 tbsp sesame oil or any cooking oil.

Add the items given under tempering.

As the fennel gets red, add the chopped onion. 

Saute onion till it is soft and golden brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste.

Saute for just 10 secs.

Immediately add chopped tomato, green chili.

Saute till tomato gets soft.

Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder , curry masala powder (optional).

Saute for 30 secs.

Add chopped vegetables.

Switch off by pressing 'cancel' button.

Then press 'Pressure cook' button.

Set time to 5 minutes by pressing plus or minus signs or as per the Instantpot (by rotating the knob in Ultra type InstantPot).

Add required salt.

Add the coconut masala , curd.

Add 2 cups of water.

Close the lid.

Put on the pressure valve. Keep it in seal position (away from display).

The pressure will build up automatically , then the cooker will be sealed . We can see the safety valve raising once enough pressure is build up.

This may take 5 - 10 mins.

Then the cooker will pressure cook for 5 minutes, and will switch off automatically.

After 10 minutes we can release the pressure manually by turning the pressure valve towards us (see my video).

Or we can wait for some time for the pressure to release by itself.

The remove the pressure valve and open the cooker. If needed add some more water and bring to a boil by pressing cancel and then saute . Or serve as thick kuruma (my preference).

Delicious vegetable kuruma is done !

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot with parathas or roti or naan .
Makes 5 cups of vegetable kuruma and serves 8 people.

Note:

We can do the same in the normal pressure cooker (in gas stove) too. Just cook until we get 1 whistle, then reduce pressure and cook for 5 mins in low heat.

If done in open pot, then cook the kuruma until all vegetables are 100% cooked.

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வெஜிடபிள் குருமா செய்ய தேவையான காய்கறிகள்:

காலிப்ளார்  - 100 gms (1/4 flower)

பீன்ஸ்  - 10  

கேரட்  - 1

உருளைகிழங்கு  - 1

பச்சைபட்டாணி  - 1 cup

தாளிக்க :

சோம்பு  - 1 tsp

பட்டை - 1 inch

கடல்பாசி  - 1 inch

பிரிஞ்சி இலை  - 1

தாளிக்க :

வெங்காயம் - 1

தக்காளி  - 1

மிளகாய் - 4

கொத்தமல்லி இலை - கைப்பிடியளவு 

கறிவேப்பிலை  - சிறிதளவு 

மிளகாய்த்தூள் - 1 tsp

மஞ்சள்தூள்  -1/2 tsp 

மல்லி தூள்  - 2 tsp

கறிமசாலா தூள்  - 1 tsp (optional)

உப்பு  - 2 tsp 

நல்லெண்ணெய் / நெய்  - 2 tbsp

தயிர் - 1/4 கப் 

அரைக்க  1:

இஞ்சி  - 1 இன்ச் 

பூண்டு - 5 

அரைக்க 2:

துருவிய தேங்காய் - 1/4 கப் 

சீரகம்  - 1 /2 tsp

சோம்பு - 1 tsp

கசகசா  - 1 tsp

முந்திரி - 4

Tirunelveli Chicken Dum Biriyani

Chicken Dum Briyani of Tirunelveli. This quantity if for 6 adults (or) 8 people (if served with curd rice). I have written about a wedding special chicken dum briyani in many years ago, in this blog. Time taken : 2.30 hours (approx if completely done by one person)

Preparing the ingredients: 1 hour

Cooking time 45 minutes.

Dum cooking time : 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 3  cups (600 gm)
Chicken (thigh, leg) - 1 1/4 kg (twice the rice)

thick curd - 1/2  cup
salt - To taste

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Tempering:

Green chilly - 5 
Red onion - 3 (400 gm)
Tomato - 5 (400 gm)
Lemon - 1/2
Ghee - 3 tbsp

Peanut oil - 1/4 cup
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Rose essence - 1 drop

Cilantro - handful
Mint leaf - handful

Cashew - 10

Raisin - 10

Paste 1:

Ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 10 pearls

Green chili - 5

Paste 2:

cilantro - 10 plants (leaves only)
mint leaf - 10 sticks (leaves only)

Spices:
Fennel - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 3 inch long

Bay leaf - 2
Star aniseed - 1
Sea weed (kalpaasi) - 2 curls
Nutmeg (jathikkai) - a tiny bit
Mace - 1/4 of  a flower
Cardamom - 6
Cloves - 10

Marathi Mokku - 1

Garam masala powder

To dry roast and powder:

Fennel - 1 tbsp

Cinnamon - 3 inch long

Bay leaf - 2
Star aniseed - 1
Sea weed (kalpaasi) - 2 curls
Nutmeg (jathikkai) - a tiny bit
Mace - 1/4 of  a flower
Cardamom - 6
Cloves - 10

Marathi Mokku - 1

Black pepper - 1 tbsp

Dry rose bud -1

Preparation:
Clean the chicken and cut it in to big pieces. Rinse and keep aside.
Add  a tsp of salt, curd, turmeric powder  and marinate for 1 hour.

(overnight marination inside fridge is also good. But add 1 tbsp vinegar if doing so).
Chop the onion, green chily in lengthwise.
Chop Tomato,  few cilantro, mint into small pieces.
Grind green chili, ginger and garlic together to a fine paste.
Separately grind cilantro, mint to a very fine paste.

Green chili can be ground with either ginger garlic or mint cilantro. Doesn't matter.

Allocate 1 tbsp of each paste for 1 cup rice. Therefore 3 tbsp GG paste and 3 Tbsp green paste are needed.

Keep everything in the ingredient list handy before starting the cooking procees.

Within that time the chicken would have marinated for an hour.

Soaking the rice:
While we start tempering,  rinse and clean the rice. Soak it in water for 10 minutes , drain water and let it remain for 10 to 15 minutes only (while we saute and cook the meat). Don't soak for more time. 

Method:
Heat oil + ghee in a  broad bottom vessel.
Soak the rice in room temp water for only 10 to 15  minutes.
Add all the items given under spices.
Immediately add the chopped onion + little salt and fry.

Add cashew , raisin.

The sugar in the raisin will speeden up the process.

Fry till onion becomes golden brown. This takes nearly 5 minutes.
Add the ginger garlic paste and stir for 30 secs .
Now add the finely chopped tomato and cilantro paste. Saute till the tomato gets mashed and oil starts showing off. 
Now put the chicken pieces along with some more salt, powdered masala and cook it covered for 10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Cooking the rice:

Bring 1.5 liter of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt.

While water is boiling , add soaked rice and cook for 5 minutes only or until the rice is 50 % cooked. The rice would have gotten bigger in size but not cooked. If we press the rice it should not be soft, but it should break into two. Immediately drain the water and keep aside.

Dhum process:

Into the cooked chicken add the semi cooked rice. Squeeze 1/2 or 1 lemon.

Add some chopped cilantro mint , green chily (if needed), a drop of rose essence.

Mix gently without breaking the rice grains.

Now add water just enough to immerse the rice and meat completely.  

We can add coconut milk also to make it more tasty.

Mix and check salt.

It should taste a tiny bit salty.

If not add required fine salt (not coarse salt) and mix once.

As soon as the water starts boiling, we can see some holes start appearing on rice. close the vessel with a tight lid.

Reduce flame to minimum.

Keep a pan filled with hot water over the lid.

keep this setup for 30 minutes.

Then open it.

Garnish with minced cilantro, mint.

Spread 1 or 2 tbsp ghee over the biriyani.

Mix well once carefully.

Tirunelveli Muslim style chicken Dum Biriyani is ready !

Serving suggestions:
In Tirunelveli Muslim marriages they Serve it with Thakkali jam(a kind of Tomato jam) , onion - carrot raitha , any spicy non veg curry , of course a semiya javvarisi payasam and a special dish called dhalsa (a thick dhal curry made with some mutton).

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Ingredients in Tamil:

6 பேருக்கு சிக்கன் பிரியாணி 

பாசுமதி அரிசி  - 3  கப் (600 gm)

கோழி   - 1 1/4 kg 

தயிர்  - 1/2  cup

உப்பு  - 4 tsp to சுவைக்கு 

மஞ்சள்  - 1 tsp

தாளிக்க :

பச்சை மிளகாய்  - 5 

வெங்காயம்  - 3 (400 gm)

தக்காளி  - 5 (400 gm)

எலுமிச்சை  - 1/2

நெய் - 3 tbsp

கடலைஎண்ணெய் - 1/4 cup

மிளகாய் தூள் - 1 tsp

கரம்மசாலா தூள் - 1 tsp

ரோஸ் எசென்ஸ்  - 1 துளி 

மல்லி இலை  - 1 சின்ன கட்டு 

புதினா  - 1 சின்ன கட்டு 

முந்திரி  - 10

கிஸ்மிஸ் - 10

அரைக்க 1:

இஞ்சி  - 2 inch (50 gm )

பூண்டு - 1 (50 gm)

பச்சை மிளகாய்  - 5

அரைக்க 2:

மல்லி இலை  - 1 சின்ன கட்டு 

புதினா  - 1 சின்ன கட்டு 

வாசனை பொருட்கள்:

சோம்பு  - 1 tsp

பட்டை  - 3 inch long

பிரிஞ்சி இலை - 2

அன்னாசி பூ  - 1

கல்பாசி - 2 சுருள் 

ஜாதிக்காய்  - சிறிய துண்டு 

ஜாதிபத்திரி  - 1/4 பூ 

ஏலக்காய்  - 6

கிராம்பு  - 10

மராத்தி மொக்கு  - 1

கரம் மசாலா பொடி :

(வறுத்து பொடிக்க)

சோம்பு  - 1 tbsp

பட்டை  - 3 inch long

பிரிஞ்சி இலை - 2

அன்னாசி பூ  - 1

கல்பாசி - 2 சுருள் 

ஜாதிக்காய்  - சிறிய துண்டு 

ஜாதிபத்திரி  - 1/4 பூ 

ஏலக்காய்  - 6

கிராம்பு  - 10

மராத்தி மொக்கு  - 1

மிளகு - 1 tbsp 

ரோஜா மொட்டு - 1

Pasta Marinara (Homemade Marinara sauce)

Pasta Marinara (Homemade Marinara sauce)

Ingredients:

Pasta - 1.5  handful / person
Crushed Tomato - 1 can 

EVOO - 2  tbsp
Garlic - 1

Red onion - 1 

Shredded Carrot - 2

Red chili flakes - 1 tsp
salt - as per need

Brown sugar - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1tsp
Basil leaves -10

Oregano powder - 1 tsp

Basil Powder - 1 tsp
water - 1/2 cup

Broccoli / zucchini  - 200  gm (optional)

மரினாரா பாஸ்தா 

பாஸ்தா  - 1.5 கைப்பிடியளவு 1 நபருக்கு 

தக்காளி சாறு  -  1 கேன் (800 gm)

பூண்டு - 1 

உப்பு - 1 tsp 

வெங்காயம் -  1

மிளகாய் சீவல் - 1 tsp 

மிளகு தூள் - 1tsp

பெசில் தூள் - 1 tsp 

அரிகானோ தூள் (கற்பூரவல்லி)- 1 tsp 

திருநீற்று பச்சிலை (பெசில்) -10

ஒலிவ் எண்ணெய் - 2 tbsp

தண்ணீர்  - 1/2 cup

சர்க்கரை  - 1 tsp

கேரட் - 2

ப்ரோக்கோலி / சுக்கினி - 200 gm 

Method:
Bring water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt.

Add  the pasta and cook as per direction (little firm - Al dente).

Cook for 5 minutes only (for whole wheat pasta). (2 min for regular flour pasta). We are going to cook it in sauce later.
Drain and add cold water. Drain again and keep aside.
 
In a separate wok, heat oil.

Put the minced garlic+onion and fry for a few seconds. 

Then add shredded carrot. Fry few seconds till raw smell goes. 

Now add the tomato puree, red chili flakes , organo powder, basil powder, pepper powder, salt, 1/2 cup water, chopped basil leaves, brown sugar (sugar) and cook for 10 minutes.

Add chopped broccoli or zucchini or carrot for a healthy version. 

Mix this with pasta or serve over it.

Marinara Pasta is ready !

Note:
Serve this pasta as main course meal.
This sauce can be stored in freezer for a month or in fridge up to 5 days.
I use this basic sauce in making pasta, pizza, enchilada etc.
If needed add dried Italian seasoning powder along with other ingredients to get a more fragrant version.

Chennai Kara Kulambu சென்னை காரக்குழம்பு

Chennai Kara Kulambu சென்னை காரக்குழம்பு is a unique spicy tangy curry prepared in Chennai. This Kaara kulambu is made without coconut and that is one of the distinguishing difference between the Chennai version and Tirunelveli Puli kulambu. My hubby loves this kulambu very much, as it reminds him of his bachelor day lunch. He always says that this is one curry his friends would bring to work almost every day. This curry is usually prepared at night by the busy Chennai women and would be gladly enjoyed by their family for dinner and the left over curry (prepared intentionally in large quantity) would be conveniently packed as lunch the next day.

I too love this Chennai Kara kuzhambu very much and I make it often. 

It is always served with some protein rich side dishes like egg omelet, dal based curries. I made this with cabbage dal fry, green gram sundal and it tastes more amazing with appalam too.

Here goes the recipe, which I learned from my friend Sandhya Amma long back. She loves my videos very much and I hope you all too.

Kindly subscribe to my YouTube channel and support. Thanks !

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
Red onion - 3
Garlic - 1
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 3 tsp
Curry leaf - 2 sprigs
Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seed Methi - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Sea salt - 2 tsp (as per taste)

Hing - a pinch

சென்னை காரக்குழம்பு 

தேவையான பொருட்கள் :

புளி - 1 எலுமிச்சை அளவு 

வெங்காயம் - 3

பூண்டு  - 1

மிளகாய் தூள்  - 1 tsp 

மஞ்சள் - 1/2 tsp

மல்லி தூள் - 3 tsp

கறிவேப்பிலை - 2 இணுக்கு 

எண்ணெய் - 3 tbsp

கடுகு  - 1 tsp

வெந்தயம்  - 1 tsp

சீரகம் - 1 tsp

கடல் உப்பு - 2 tsp 

பெருங்காயத்தூள் - 1 சிட்டிகை 

Method:
Soak tamarind in warm water along with salt. Extract juice using 2 cups of water.
Chop onion finely. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin. 

As soon as mustard starts crackling, add curry leaves, hing, very finely chopped onion and saute till onion turns soft.
Put the peeled garlic and saute for a few seconds.

Add the red chili powder, corinader powder, turmeric powder.
Then pour the tamarind extract prepared.
Bring it to a boil.
Cook covered in low heat till curry gets little thick (10 minutes).
Madras kara kulambu is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as curry over rice. 

Vegetable Dum Biriyani

An exciting and a crowd pleasing vegetable briyani, from my kitchen to yours !

The Dum process in this recipe takes this regular yummy Veg briyani to next level,

Hope you all like this recipe dear friends !

Welcome to Viki's Kitchen,

Kindly subscribe and show your support for our YouTube channel 1Viki'sKitchen too,

Thanks,

Viki Xavier !

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 400 gm  (or 2 cups)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 3 tsp + to taste

Peanut oil - 1/2 cup

Vegetables:

Cauliflower - 1/4 flower (chopped 1 cup) ,

Green beans - 10 

Carrot -1 , 

Green peas - 1/2 cup .
Tomato - 3

Onion - 1 

To temper:
Fennel - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Star aniseed - 1,
Cinnamon stick - 2 inch
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4

Sea weed - 1 inch

Nutmeg - tiny bit
Cashew nuts -10
Raisins- 10.
Masala 1:
Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic - 5 cloves (2 tbsp)

Masala 2:
cilantro- 10 stems
mint leaf -1 handful.
green chilly - 5

தேவையான பொருட்கள் :

பாசுமதி அரிசி  - 400 gm  (or 2 கப் )

மஞ்சள்  - 1/2 tsp

கடலெண்ணெய் - 1/2 cup

மிளகாய் தூள் - 1/2 tsp

கரம் மசாலா தூள் - 1 tsp

உப்பு - 3 tsp + தேவைக்கு 

காய்கறி :

காலிஃளார் - 1/4 பூ (1 கப் ) ,

பீன்ஸ்  - 10 

கேரட் -1 , 

பச்சை பட்டாணி  - 1/2 கப் .

தக்காளி  - 3

வெங்காயம்  - 1 

மல்லி இலை - கைப்பிடியளவு 

புதினா  -1 கைப்பிடியளவு 

தாளிக்க :

சோம்பு  - 1 tsp

பிரிஞ்சி இலை  - 2

அன்னாசிப்பூ - 1,

பட்டை  - 2 inch

ஏலக்காய் - 2

கிராம்பு  - 4

முந்திரி பருப்பு  -10

கிஸ் மிஸ் - 10.

கடல் பாசி - சிறிதளவு 

ஜாதிக்காய் - மிக சிறிய துண்டு 

மசாலா  1:

இஞ்சி  - 2 inch

பூண்டு  - 5 துண்டு  (2 tbsp)

மசாலா  2:

மல்லி இலை - கைப்பிடியளவு 

புதினா  -1 கைப்பிடியளவு 

பச்சை மிளகாய் - 5 

Preparation:
Wash and clean the vegetables. Peel the skin of carrot and cut into long thin slices.
Cut the green beans in to long pieces.
Pluck 5 -6 florets from the cauliflower.
Defreeze the green peas.

Wash the rice and soak it for 1/2 an hour.

Grind all the pastes separately.

Chop onion and keep aside.

Method:
Heat 1/2 cup peanut oil or ghee  in a  broad vessel.
Add fennel ,star aniseed , cinnamon , cardamom ,cloves, bay leaf , cashew, raisin.

Then goes the chopped onion .

Fry it till golden brown and add the ginger garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell goes.

Then add the cilantro , mint paste and cook till the oil start oozing out. Now put the vegetables and add salt. Just stir well. Don't cook them now.

Now add the tomato paste and cook till the oil oozes out of it. Add all the powders given.

Now add the soaked rice and uncut green chillies. Squeeze some 1 tbsp lime juice over.

Pour water to immerse the rice and let the water stand 1 inch above rice.

Mix well now and check for salt in this stage.Let it come to a boil.

Close with a tight lid .

Keep a heavy tawa on top. or Keep a vessel with hot water.

Reduce the flame to minimum.

After 20 minutes the biryani will be ready!

Serving suggestions:
Garnish with 2 tbsp ghee , chopped cilantro , mint leaves.
Serve vegetable biryani hot with onion raitha .
Serves 4 people.

Broccoli Usili

Usili is a side dish made with dal, which can be compared to a dry form of dal fry.  It is one of the traditional foods that can be seen in many households of Tamilnadu. Any fibrous vegetable like carrot, beans, cabbage can be turned into usili. It is a great recipe to enrich the simple vegetables with proteins.

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The top 6 healthiest vegetables for everyday are : BroccoliKaleSpinachCarrotBell pepperBeetroot.
Today we are going to make a delicious protein rich side dish using broccoli and dal. I have used channa dal in this recipe, but we can use any combo of dal like 'toor dal, moong dal and channa dal'. This tastes good as an evening tea time snack too.

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1 lb
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp (any oil)
mustard - 1 tsp

Urid dal - 1 tsp

curry leaf - 1 sprig
To grind:
Channa dal  - 1/2 cup
dry red chilly - 3
sea salt - 1 tsp, to taste
hing - 1/8 tsp

தேவையான பொருட்கள்:

ப்ரோக்கலி - 1/4 kg 

நல்லெண்ணெய்  - 2 tbsp

கடுகு  - 1 tsp

உளுந்து  - 1 tsp

கறிவேப்பிலை - 1 sprig

அரைக்க :

கடலைப்பருப்பு  - 1/2 cup

வரமிளகாய் - 3

தூள் உப்பு - 1 tsp, to taste

பெருங்காயத்தூள் - 1/8 tsp

Method:
Soak dal for 1 hour and grind without water along with the other items to a fine paste.
Scoop the dal into idly plates and steam cook for 10 minutes.
Let it get cool completely.
Put it in the mixie again and pulse gently for a few times, so that the cooked dal looks loose.
In the mean time wash the broccoli and peel the carrot. cut them into small pieces.
Heat oil in a wok and let mustard splutter.
Then add the curry leaves, chopped broccoli and stir fry it.
Cook covered along with little salt for 5 minutes.
Then add the prepared dal mixture and stir fry it in high flame for few minutes.
Switch off.
Broccoli usili is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve with kara kulambu + rice or rasam + rice.
Tastes good with chapati also.
I like it as snack too:)