Yellow pumpkin jaggery koottu

Parangi kai ( yellow pumpkin )has its  own   good taste  and aroma , my mom used to prepare  vella koottu with this yellow  pumpkin  always.
Ingredients:
 Yellow pumpkin - 3 cups
 Salt - 1 pinch
 Jaggery  -  1 1/2 cups
 For tadka:
 Kadugu - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
 Red chillies  - 2
Grated coconut -   4 tsp

 Method:
           Cook the  pumpkin  cubes in a
vessel  with the water just to level of the vegetables  add  pinch of salt. After well cooked add the  jaggery, let it get  disslove and mix well cook to the right consistancy , add coconut and add tadka. Yummy  sweet  koottu is ready
 Alternatively:
In a   2 lt cooker  add  2 tsp of  oil,  4 tsp of water  and the arrange the pumpkins cubes  as  a layer ,  add the jaggery  and   above that add the grated coconut . cook for   1whistle, open the lid and   add the tadka  and  mix well  without mashing .

Idly fry

Usually  in our  houses, if  Idlies remain, alternatively  we  prepare idly upma  or  idly fry  with idly podi  or     by adding onion  .
 In   my   house   we  prepare idly freshly  to prepare idly fry  , which  yummy in  fresh and  yummy in taste too
 Ingredients :
 Idly - freshly prepared( option- you can  prepare with left over too) [ cut the idlies in cubes]
Idly milagai podi,
 oil - 2 to 3  tsp
 Kadugu   fot tadka
 Salt - no need ( already  idly & podi   has salt)

 Method:
 In a kadai add oil , do tadka  , then  add the diced  idly pieces  , idly podi  and saute  for  3 mins .Yummy  idly fry is  ready . I dont prefer to add more oil .  You can use  curd  as side  if  you want , no need for  side dish at all , This   you can use as  breakfast or  evening snacks  too . 

Manathakkali mor pickle

This  starting of  summer . from  February we  start to prepare the pickles. vadams, Vathals  before  the wind   starts Vadu mangai, avakkai pickle, lemon pickle, tomato pickle , the   line  will go.
I  bought  fresh manathakkal  kai from the vegetable  market ,  clean thoroughly   and   add fresh butter milk , salt  and  soak for  3 to 4  days  , then we can use  as  side dish  from sambar sadham to  thayir sadham ,  we can  sun dry  them  after it  got  completely after 3  to 4   ( after absorbs the  salt and  sourness from  buttermilk). as Vathal , Always  homemade  is better .

Fresh  manathakkali vathakuzhambu tastes  yummy

 Manathakkai   kai  -
 salt
 butter milk

Fresh turmeric pickle

We all know  we  get  fresh turmeric  during the  pongal season , it is  the harvest time.  It  is an   anti oxidant , we use  turmeric  powder in all our dishes , alsowe use turmeric powder in faces  also when we  take bath  too, it has  more medicinal  property .
 Pasu manjal thokku ( fresh turmeric thokku ):
fresh turmeric- 100 gms
gingely oil - 50 -75 ml
salt - to taste 
kadugu - 1 tsp 
red chilly powder - 4 to 5 tsp 
hing- 1 tsp
fenugreek - 1 tsp ( dry and powder)
lemon- 1 (extract the juice)
curry leaves - some 

Method : wash and remove the skin and grate the turmeric .In a kadai pour the gingely oil add kadugu, hing, curry leaves After kadugu crackled add the grated turmeric . Saute the grated turmeric for 5 min then add chilly powder , salt and allow to cook till done ( Turn in between) then add dry roasted methi powder , off the Gas. After gets cooled add the lemon juice. The smell of turmeric will settle down in a day or two . This turmeric is good for health, goes well with curd rice . Awesome pickle is ready .

Easy potato, onion, tomato subji #OPOS

 Easy subji   can do  at any time , this goes well with rotis, idly, dosa, upmas, even with curd rice , a delicious  side dish, Our al ltime  favourite ( our  option is  to add moong dal- we can  add/ not  )

 Ingredients :

Potato = 2 peeled and cut in  square pieces

Onion - 1  finely chopped

Tomato= 1 finely chopped

Sambar powder - 1  1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste 

Tadka

 kadugu./ jeera - 1/2 tsp

 oil - 2 tsp

 Moong dal  - 3 tsp ( optional) 

Method:

 In a Pressure cooker add  oil and layer  onion, then   potatoes.then tomates above that  add sambar powder, salt, turmeric powder (  garam masala - optional- i dont prefer), cook for 3  whistles , open the lid  and mash well , Garnish with fresh coriander leaves 

Tomato Kurma

A lovely dish  for Chapathi/ dosa  , tasty and  in no time we can prepare , only onion and tomato  are the main ingredient, we can prepare  without onion too , No compromise in taste.
In emergency ,  unexpected guests arrived , when we  couldnot use onion , we can prepare this kurma  without onion.
Ingredients :
Onion- 2 ( finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 4  (finely chopped)
 Sambar powder - 2 tsp( can use red chilly powder, dania powder  also , but I prefer  sambar powder only)
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
 Grind:
Soak 1 tsp of poppy seeds ( kasa kasa) and  5  cashew nuts for 15 mins and grind to nice paste  to give  rich texture

Method :
  In a  pressure cooker add 2 tsp of oil , add finely chopped onion and  finely chopped tomatoes in layer then add sambar powder, salt , ground paste , turmeric powder, then add  2 tsp of water sideways , close the lid and cook for 3 whistles, We get a   wellcooked  tomato kurma   with excellent aroma , Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Bittergourd sweet version curry

Bittergourd , Ofcourse all know   we advise the diabetic people. to take  bittergourd subji/ juice .
I prepare bittergourd chips which is a tasty one with crunchy  taste, my mom prepares in sweet version, which we relish with great admiration,I tried  this in#OPOS  method  to prepare easily.
 Ingredients :
 Bittergourd -  3 cups( chopped small pieces)
 Salt - little ( 1/2 tsp)
 Sambar powder -  2 tsp
Grated coconut -  1/2 cup
 Jaggery -  1/2 cup
 Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
 coconut oil - 3 tsp
for tadka
Kadugu - 1/ 2  tsp

 Method:
 In a cooker  add 2 tsp of oil, arrange  the ingredients  in layers - spread the bittergourd , then  add salt , sambar powder, jaggery , tamarind paste, grated coconut , add  3 tbsp of water in the sideways , close the lid and cook for   5 whistles / nearly 10 to 12 mins ., Open the lid  add the tadka , Abeautifully caramalised   curry ready. This curry  makes to eat  more  rice. 

Cabbage subji #OPOS

#OPOS , Cabbage subji for roti , What an infused aroma and taste !!!
  We  are familiar in preparing koottus , coconut  added  curry , Salads   with Cabbage , Some  may not like the  smell of cabbage , But if you prepare  inthis way  , this   infused aroma  makes  all to enjoy cabbage subji . I gave this  recipe  in my food group, nearly 1oo nearly 160 people    validated  the dish and enjoyed,they  make  this  dish as regular one .This goes well with Chapathi, all  rice   varieties ., podi sadham  etc.
Ingredients :
Cabbage -  3 cups (  I usually chop finely-  it will get cooked  well, so can chop roughly too)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Onion = 2 (finely chopped)
Tomato -  1  finely chopped
Tadka -  kadugu and curry leaves
Garnishing - curry leaves, fresh coriander leaves
Oil - 2 tsp

Method :::
L1-- Oil 2 tsp - water 2 tsp
L2 - Onion - 2 , tomato - 1 ( finely chopped)
L3- Cabbage - 3 cups ( finely chopped)
L4 - Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp , turmeric powder - 1./ 2 tsp , salt - to taste ( can use red chiily powder , coriander powder instead of sambar powder also )
Close the lid cook for 2 whistles , Allow the steam to settle, open and mix well , garnish with fresh coriander leaves , add the tadka kadugu and curry leaves too. yummy subji ready .

Murungaikai poricha kuzhambu

Drumstick has a good medicinal value,  All the parts of tree is used   for  medicines, a good resource for  iron too.. Its  a tasty vegetable too , We usually do sambar. vathakuzhambu.Also with keerai we can do poriyal, koottus etc, we can add  leaves  when we prepare ghee from butter , also we add   with adai batter .. the  recipes  goes.. My mom prepares  poricha kuzhambu using  drumstick, which  is  a unique recipe.  an excellent tasty  dish also , when she prepares,in one  big  vessel  that will be  over  in  a  single serve itself, that much tasty dish.
Ingredients:
 Drumstick - 4 to 5  cut   (  3inch size in length)
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Thur dal - 1/2 cup ( cooked)
Hing - 1/4 tsp
 To  dry roast and grind:
Cococnut - 1/2 cup
Dania  - 3 tsp
 Thur dal = 1 1/2 tsp
 Red chillies   - 2 to 3
Pepper  -  1/2    tsp
 After roasted , add jeeragam 1/2 tsp in hot kadai , after  getting cooled,  add them  in the mixie  grind  as powder
Tadka:
 Oil- 1 tsp
 Kadugu - 1/2 tsp,
 Jeeragam - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-  6 / 7 leaves

Method:
             In a  kadai  add the drumstick with enough water . salt , turmeric powder and allow to cook well .Then add the cooked , mashed  thur dal, ground masala  and allow  to cook for 5 mins, Adjust to required consistancy ( This should be semi solid  kuzhambu ) . Add the tadka. A aroma filled tasty poricha kuzhambu is ready.

Thani koottu as special dish

 We  prepare this "thani koottu " during the sumangali praarthanai "days , a special dish  , special taste  it  has .:
Thani koottu
One Gooseberry size Tamarind
Same amount of Jaggery
Scarped coconut from half Coconut
Two tbs Channa dal
Two Tbs of Dhania seeds
Ten Red Chillies
Salt to taste
To Temper
• Two tbs coconut oil 
 Two tbs  ghee
• One tsp Mustard seeds
• Few Curry Leaves
• One fourth tsp of Asafoetida
• One tbs Channa dal

How to
• Heat one tsp of coconut oil and roast channa dal,chillies and dhania seeds.
• When the dal gets brown add the scraped coconut and switch off the stove.
• Cool the ingredients and powder or grind to a coarse mixture. as paste
• Soak Tamarind in hot water for half an hour.Extract a thick pulp three times.
• Heat oil in a pan crackle mustard seeds,add channa dal,curry leaves and asafoetida.
• Add the tamarind water,turmeric powder and salt and boil till the raw smell goes.
• Add the ground paste and powdered jaggery allow  to cook , slowly add  ghee , coconut oil  and let it thicken.
• Boil any vegetable like i have mentioned in the (first paragraph) with turmeric powder and salt and take a portion of the kootu and mix well.
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