Winter melon Mor Kuzhambu வெண்பூசணி / தடியங்காய் மோர் குழம்பு

In India vegetarian foods are less expensive and more common. Also the hot weather of India requires people to consume more vegetables. And hence there are a lot of curries in India.

Hubby and myself hail from the non vegetarian family groups, but our stomach loves vegetarian foods often. So does many people from there, wherever we live.

 One yummy curry among them is the more kulambu (buttermilk or yogurt based curd curry). It is a great alternative for the regular dal based sambars and tamarind based curries. 

In most houses we prepare only one curry each day, a vegetable or two along with rice and curd would be omnipresent.  But in economically forward families, it is a practice to prepare a variety of curries like sambar, dal, tamarind based vatral kulambu, more kulambu, curd, along with some vegetables, fries and of course rice too. This vast spread has to be prepared almost everyday for every lunch by the Indian women.  This practice is prevalent even now. Those curries should be prepared in smaller quantities , so that the family could finish it up within a day. Keeping leftovers in fridge is not well received in many Indian houses until today. (But I believe in meal preps, cooking some curries extra for next day lunch etc. But that's me. LOL ). Most hours of an Indian woman would be spent inside the kitchen, even if she is a working woman. That is the hardest part of the Indian culture in my view. But that is kind of changing nowadays, thanks to the education, refrigerator, microwave and empathy towards women.

In India , in most houses the men won't enter the kitchen. If lucky the woman would get help from a maid or some family ladies. Otherwise it is a one woman show and Indian women excel in this. I often tell my sister in law to have meal at her office canteen along with my brother, as I think she is working too much every day. 

Here is a more kulambu recipe I learned from my amma. This is a very easy curry which can be prepared effortlessly. I do this more kulambu more often:)  as my hubby always loves this more :) The traditional vegetable to go inside this curry is white pumpkin. I remember telling my mom , wow what a glossy mirror looking vegetable inside more kulambu ! Amma would say ' it is kannadi kaai ' ' the thadiyangai or the ven pooshani'

Mor or more in Tamil is buttermilk.  Kuzhambu / Kulambu - is generally a curry poured over rice or a sidedish for idli dosa.

Here is my youtube video on 'how to do more kulambu'? If you enjoy watching the the video kindly give it a thumbs-up and that will definitely make me feel happy. Also remember to click the subscribe button and all notification button. Thanks a million in advance !

 Ingredients:

Thick curd (Desi Yogurt) - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
white pumpkin / winter melon - 200 gms
Ginger - 2 inch
green chilli - 2
Bengal gram / channa dhal - 1 tbsp
rice - 1 tbsp
salt - to taste
oil - 2 tsp
mustard - 1  tsp

Urid dal - 1 tsp
Dry red chilli - 2
curry leaves - 1 sprig

'

Method:
Start with Soaking dal and rice.

Soak channa dhal and rice for 30 minutes.

Remove skin off white pumpkin. Cut it into big chunks of 2 inch cubes.

Heat 2 cups of water in a cooking pan and add the white pumpkin pieces .Add turmeric and salt to it.

Close the lid and cook at medium heat for 10 mins.  Cook until it is transparent looking but stays in shape.

While the vegetable is cooking,

Grind ginger , green chillies , rice and channa dhal to a fine paste and keep aside.

 Add the masala paste to the cooked winter-melon and stir continuously at low heat for 5 mins or till the raw smell disappears. SWITCH OFF THE STOVE.

Beat the curd and add it to the cooked curry.

Add 2 cups of water (the curry should not be thick as curd. It is a buttermilk curry).

Heat oil in a pan.
Crackle some mustard seeds , add urid dal. As urid turns red , add chopped dry red chillies with curry leaves.  Add this tempering to the above.Garnish with chopped cilantro. 
Yummy Buttermilk curry is ready.

Serving Suggestions:
Serves 4 people. Serve over steamed rice.
Potato fry is a good side dish for More Kulambu. Senaikilangu or seppan kilangu  fries are also very good combo.

More Kulambu with potato varuval

 

Note:

In the grinding masala, adding coconut is a tradition in Tirunelveli and South of that area (definitely Kerala). 

If we have left over coconut chutney (1 cup),  we can easily prepare this curry without grinding the masala.

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தயிர்  - 1 கப் 

மஞ்சள் தூள்  - 1/2 தேக்கரண்டி 

வெண்பூசணி / தடியங்காய்  - 200 gms

இஞ்சி - 2  இன்ச் 

பச்சை மிளகாய்  - 2

கடலைப்பருப்பு - 1 மேஜைக்கரண்டி 

அரிசி - 1 மேஜைக்கரண்டி 

உப்பு  - to taste

எண்ணெய்  - 2 தேக்கரண்டி 

கடுகு - 1 தேக்கரண்டி 

உளுந்து - 1 தேக்கரண்டி 

காய்ந்த மிளகாய்  - 2

கறிவேப்பிலை - 1 கொத்து 

தண்ணீர்  - 2 கப் 

Vengaya bajji

A handy tea time snack recipe from my collection to you all.

Vengayam - Onion ; Bajji - usually some vegetable sliced , dipped in a besan batter and deep fried.

Varieties of Bajji as far as I know LOL 

Veg bajji  - Onion bajji, Vazhaikai plantain bajji, eggplant bajji, capsicum bajji, Cauliflower bajji, Potato bajji

Non veg bajji - Egg bajji, Fish bajji.

New varieties of  bajji - Paneer bajji, Bread bajji, Sweet bajji (?)

Kindly subscribe to my youtube channel for more yummy videos. Thank you ,

Ingredients (for 12 pieces) :

Red Onion - 2

Besan flour (kadalai mavu) - 3/4 cup

dosa batter - 2 tbsp

Rice flour - 2 tsp

salt - to taste (2 tsp)

red chilly powder - to taste (1 tsp)

hing (asafoetida)- 1/8 tsp

baking soda - 1/2 tsp

garlic - 2 pieces 

ajwain (omam) - 1/4 tsp

oil - to deep fry (200 ml)

Method:

Peel the onion. Slice it into thin (1/4 inch thick approx) round pieces, using a knife and cutting board. Carefully cut the onion, so that the concentric pieces remain intact.

Or we can slice it lengthwise too.

Grind the garlic and omam to a fine paste with 1 tsp water. Mix all the above (except oil) along with 1 cup water to a thick batter. Add more water if needed, but keep the batter like thick idly batter ,otherwise the bajjis will absorb more oil.

Heat oil in a wok. As it gets smoky hot, reduce flame and keep in medium flame.

Dip the onion slices in the batter and put it on the hot oil.  Do not clutter. Flip and fry both sides. Drain oil and take out.

Onion bajji / fritter is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot as snack along with hot coffee or tea during rainy / winter season.
Coconut chutney or tomato ketchup are good side dishes for these fries.

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வெங்காய பஜ்ஜி (12) :

வெங்காயம்  - 2
கடலை மாவு  - 3/4 cup
தோசை மாவு  - 2 tbsp
அரிசி மாவு  - 2 tsp
உப்பு  - தேவைக்கு  (2 tsp)
மிளகாய் தூள்  -தேவைக்கு  (1 tsp)
பெருங்காய தூள் - 1/8 tsp
பேக்கிங் சோடா - 1/2 tsp
பூண்டு - 2 pieces 
ஓமம்  - 1/4 tsp
கடலை எண்ணெய் -  பொறிக்க (200 ml)

Secrets of making soft Idli at any weather !

Step by step recipe 

Ingredients: (using grinder )

Idli rice - 5 cups

Pacharisi (raw rice or Basmati) - 1/2 cup

Aval (Poha) - 1/2 cup

Methi seed (venthayam) - 1.5 tbsp

Urid dal - 1 1/4 cup
Sea salt - 5 tsp

Method:
Soak idli rice, raw rice, methi together for 2-3 hours in normal weather. (over night soaking can be done for subzero winters).
Soak  urid dal for 1 1/2  hour (definitely not more than that).
First grind the urid dal using cold water to a fluffy fine texture.

While urid dal is soaking add aval (10 mins of soaking is enough for aval).
Grind the rice along with salt to a fine texture (or medium coarse texture).
In a large mixing bowl, mix all the batters together. Mix vigorously with hand , so that both mixes very well. Keep on mixing for at least 2 minutes.
Divide it into two or three portions and store separately. Fill the containers to 1/4 or 1/2 only, as the batter will rise during fermentation.
Keep in a warm place  and let it ferment for 8 hours or overnight.

In colder countries, heat oven to 200 F for 10 mins. SWITCH OFF. Then keep the batter inside for 12 hrs to ferment. Then take out the containers, heat again. SWITCH OFF and keep them again for another 12 hrs. This is the best way I am following to ferment idli batter in USA.
Then take one container and keep all others in fridge.
Before pouring for idli, mix very very gently twice using a mixing spoon. Don't mix too much.
Grease an idli plate, with very little drop of ghee or sesame oil.
Scoop idli batter and fill each dent up to 3/4 full.
Keep the idli stand inside pressure cooker and steam cook for 8-10 minutes without putting weight valve.
Take out and scoop out the steamed idlie, when they are still hot.
Soft idli is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve with any chutney or vengaya sambar or idli podi.

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இட்லி  அரிசி   - 5 கப் 

பச்சரிசி (பாஸ்மதி) - 1/2 கப் 

அவல்  - 1/2 கப் 

வெந்தயம் - 1.5 tbsp 

வெள்ளை உருட்டு உளுந்து  - 1 1/4 கப் 

கல் உப்பு - 5 tsp

Hawaii Plantain and Indian fry, Vazhaikkai varuval

 Vazhaikkai varuval - Unripe banana roast

Ingredients:

Unripe Banana - 2

Oil - 2 tbsp

Fennel - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Cilantro (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Method:

Peel the banana.

Cube it.

Start cooking immediately to retain the white color.

Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil (any cooking oil) in a wok.

Add 1 tsp fennel.

As fennel gets red, add the chopped banana along with curry leaf.

Add turmeric , salt. Stir well.

Reduce flame.

Cook covered for 10 minutes.

Open and check if it is almost cooked.

Then add the red chili powder, cumin powder, hing. Mix well.

Cook covered in low heat for 5 minutes.

If it is Nenthrankai (Kerala plantain), then add 2 tbsp water to cook. Other bananas won't require water to cook.

Open the lid. Switch off.

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and stir well.

Vazhaikkai varuval is ready !

Serving suggestion:

Serve as side dish with sambar rice or any less spicy rice like lemon rice.

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தேவையான பொருட்கள் :

வாழைக்காய் - 2

எண்ணெய்  - 2 tbsp

சோம்பு  - 1 tsp

கறிவேப்பிலை - 1 sprig

மஞ்சள் தூள் - 1/2 tsp

தூள் உப்பு  - 1 tsp

மிளகாய் தூள்  - 1/2 tsp

பெருங்காயத்தூள்  - சிறிதளவு 

சீரக தூள்  - 1/4 ட்ஸ்ப்

கொத்தமல்லி இலை- 2 tbsp

Gujarati Pav Bhaji

Pav means 'a soft variety of Indian bread roll' , Bhaji means 'Vegetarian side dish' 

Maharashtrian Pav bhaji is the most famous of all.

Since it has been given enough attention in the internet, I am narrating how Pav bhaji is done in some of parts of Gujarat.

This Gujarat Pav Bhaji doesn't require tomato. Also this is comparatively easier. But tastes as  good as any other version. This is my favorite because of it's simplicity.

Vegetables:

Potato - 2
Cauliflower - 1/4
Carrot - 1
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Capsicum - 1/2

Green Beans - 10
Onion - 1
Cilantro - handful

To Grind:

Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 3 cloves
Green chillies - 2

Masala Powders:

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Pav Masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Others:

Salt - 2 tsp 
Lemon  - 1/2

Ghee / Butter - 3 tbsp

Method:

Rinse the veggies. Chop them all to cubes.

Add all the vegetables to pressure cooker. 

Add water to cover veggies.

Add salt, 

Bring to 1 whistle, reduce flame and cook for 10 minutes.

In Instant pot electric cooker - press pressure cook button. set time to 7 mins.

Then open after it is done.

Add lemon juice, Pav masala 1 tsp.

Mash with spatula again coarsely, so that all vegetables get mixed very well.
Switch off.

Add melted butter. Serve hot.

Serve with bread or buns.

Pav bhaji is ready !

Serving suggestion:
It is traditional to add little ghee on top of the pav bhaji while it is served hot.
Serve with toasted pav buns or any roti.
Raw sliced onion and lemon are kept along with this bhaji.
Tastes good with dosa too.

Valaikkai Puttu

Vazhaikkai - unripe banana; puttu - anything steam cooked and loose as sand .

Vazhaikkai puttu is a spicy scrambled plantain fry served as side dish with rice.

Click to see how I prepare Nenthrankai puttu (long green plantain) in my YouTube channel. Kindly subscribe. Thanks for subscribing and liking as this will encourage me to create more videos. Thanks and blessings !

Ingredients:

Unripe Plantain Nenthran kaaai - 2
onion (finely chopped) - 1
dry red chilly - 2
curry leaf - 1 sprig
coconut oil - 1 tbsp

mustard - 1 tsp

urid dal - 1 tsp
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
cumin - 1/2 tsp
turmeric - 1/2 tsp

hing - a pinch
salt - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the green plantains / bananas. Steam cook them using an Idly cooker or in a normal cooker without adding the pressure valve for 10 minutes. Check it by piercing a fork and it should pass through without difficulty but firm in shape.

Take out and let them cool. Remove the skin and grate the unripe banana in a carrot shredder. 

In a wok, heat the coconut oil and add mustard seeds followed by the black gram lentil. As soon as the mustard crackles add the dry red chillies, curry leaves , onion and stir till the onion wilts. Immediately add the shredded plantain, salt, turmeric, hing and mix well. Check for salt.  Fry till it becomes loose. If using nentharankaai (plantain variety) add 1/4 cup water and cook closed for 5 mins if needed. If using shorter banana (Tamilnadu variety), no need to cook in water after steaming.

Then mix the freshly shredded coconut and switch off.

Vazhaikkai puttu is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as side dish with rice and sambar or vatral kulambu or kara kulambu or rasam.

Note:

Some people add turmeric to the puttu , while others make it white. Both tastes good.

வாழைக்காய் புட்டு :

வாழைக்காய் புட்டு 

நேந்திரங்காய் / நாட்டு வாழைக்காய்  - 2

வெங்காயம்  - 1

காய்ந்த மிளகாய் - 2

கறிவேப்பிலை - 1 sprig

தேங்காய்  எண்ணெய் - 1 tbsp

கடுகு - 1 tsp 

உளுந்து - 1 tsp 

தேங்காய் துருவல் - 1/4 cup

சீரகம்  - 1/2 tsp

மஞ்சள்  - 1/2 tsp

பெருங்காயத்தூள்  - a pinch

உப்பு  - 1 tsp 

 

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