Sunday, July 27, 2008

Cilantro chutney


To grind:
  • cilantro / coriander leaves - 1 bunch
  • green chillies- 3
  • tamarind - 1 inch length
  • salt- 1/2 tsp
  • cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp
  • garlic - 1 pearl
for tempering:
  • sesame oil - 2 tbsp
  • mustard - 1/2 tsp
  • split black gram- 1/2 tsp
Method:
Heat a frying pan . Fry the cleaned , washed cilantro in 1 tbsp oil for 2 minutes.
Add all the items given to grind and stir for a minute.
Put off fire and let it cool.
In a mixer or blender add those fried items.
Grind them into a fine paste.
Add 1 tbsp of oil in the frying pan and put mustard seeds, urid dhal.
After the mustard crackles, add the cilantro paste and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Serving suggestions:
Serve with curd rice , chapathi, Idly, dosa or even as a sandwich layer.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Thattampayaru Kara Kulambu

Small red beans (karamani / thatta payir / thattai payaru / thattam payiru in Tamil), is known as the world's best source of antioxidant. (reference: click to see)


Ingredients:
Red Cow peas (Thattam payaru/chowri)- 1 cup.
(You can substitute black eyed cow peas too.)
Tamarind- 1 gooseberry size
drumstick (vegetable)- 1.
tomato - 1
onion (chopped)- 1 cup
chilli powder - 1tsp
coriander powder - 2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
feugreek (methi seed)-1 tsp
mustard seeds- 1tsp
curry leaves - 1 brig
sesame oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Step 1:
Soak the cow peas for an hour and pressure cook it till it gets soft.
After the whistle , simmer the stove and switch off the stove after 5 minutes.

Step 2:
Extract the juice from tamarind. Keep it in a bowl.
Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and turmeric powder to the tamarind extract.

Step 3:
In a pan add the oil then put mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
After the mustard gets cracked add curry leaves and chopped tomatoes.
Then add the tamarind extract mixture.
Cut the drumstick into 2 inch length pieces and put it in the mixture.
Let it boil for 10 minutes.
Now add the cooked beans along with the remaining water , if any.

Step4:
Grind the coconut , cumin seeds and onion into a fine paste.
Put this paste into the boiling tamarind extract.
Check for salt and put off fire immediately after the curry starts boiling.

Serving suggestions:
Serves for 4 to 5 people.
Serve hot with rice after dhal rice and before Rasam rice.
Plantain flower Paruppu usili stands a good combo with thattam payaru curry.

Tomato rice in Briyani Flavor

Tomato rice in home style was the first tomato rice we all used to take to school (in my childhood). Then afterwards it was jazzed up by our...