Banana Flower Stir Fry ( வாழைப்பூ பொரியல் )

Banana Flower Stir Fry 

( வாழைப்பூ பொரியல் )

Ingredients:

Banana Flower ( வாழைப்பூ )  - 1 

Buttermilk/ diluted yogurt ( மோர் ) -  1 cup

Grated Coconut ( துருவிய தேங்காய் ) - 2 tbsp

Boiled Split ChickPeas / Toor Daal ( வேக வைத்த துவரம் பருப்பு )  - 1tbsp

To temper - garlic 4 or 5 cloves, cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp. ( தாளிக்க - தட்டிய பூண்டு 4 பல், சீரகம் - 1/4 தேக்கரண்டி )

Curry Leaves (கறிவேப்பிலை ) - 1 twig

Coconut oil (தேங்காய் எண்ணெய் )  - 1 tbsp

Steps:

Pull the outer leaves one by one to get the bunch of flowers, florets, each.

In each flower pull out the plastic like petal and look for the matchstick like stem and remove it.

Cut the flowers into small size and soak in buttermilk to avoid discoloration
Remove and squeeze out excess buttermilk. Boil with sufficent water until tender. Remove from fire and keep aside.

Combine cumin seeds and garlic.

Coarse pound using a grinding stone or in an electric blender.

In a skillet, add a tablespoon of coconut oil. When it is hot enough, add the pounded cumin and garlic and few curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds. Add in boiled  banana flower. Mix well. Finally add in grated coconut and boiled  split beans. Mix well.
The dish is ready to be served as a side dish for rice and sambar.

My Notes:
Banana flower is not favored by many, not because of its taste but the laborious task of cleaning and slicing it.But it is worth the effort if we look at its varied health benefits. 
An useful tip to clean with  less stain on hand.
 First grease your palm with oil before handling the flower as your hands will turn black without oil.Oil can be substituted with lemon juice. Alternatively can use gloves if you are comfortable in handling vegetable wearing gloves.

Ragi flour protein & veggie Adai / Spicy Finger Millet Pancake ( ராகி காய்கறி அடை )

Ragi flour protein & veggie  Adai / Spicy Finger Millet Pancake 

( ராகி காய்கறி அடை )

Ingredients:

Ragi / Finger Millet Flour ( ராகி மாவு )  -  1 cup

Toor Dhal / Split Pigeon Peas ( துவரம் பருப்பு )  - 1/4cup

Channa Dhal ( Split Yellow Peas ( கடலை பருப்பு )  -  1/4 cup

Dry Red Chili ( காய்ந்த மிளகாய் )  -  1 or 2 depending on your spice level.

Cabbage ( முட்டைகோஸ் )  -  a small portion

Carrot ( காரட் )  -  1 medium size 

Coriander Leaves ( கொத்தமல்லி தளை )  - a handful

For Tempering : Mustard seeds, urad dhal and Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp each.

A twig of Curry leaves.

(தாளிக்க - கடுகு, உளுந்தம்பருப்பு, பெருங்காயம் , கறிவேப்பிலை. )

Steps:

Thin slice the cabbage and carrot. Fine chop the coriander leaves.

Take a cup of Ragi flour.

Soak both the lentils for 30 minutes.

Grind the soaked lentils together with the red chili to a coarse paste.

Mix the ragi flour to the paste.

                       

                                          Add a tsp of salt and a cup of water to bring to a batter consistency.

Add the vegetables. Mix well. Temper with the spices. Give a standing time of 15 minutes.

Heat a griddle/ skillet / thosai tava .

Take a ladle full of batter, spread to a uniform thickness. Add a tsp of oil surrounding the adai/ pancake.Cook on both sides until crisp on outer surface. 

Serve hot with coconut chutney. Idli podi is a preferred combination. Sweet tooth guys can relish with jaggery and ghee.

My Notes:

Finger millet, or Ragi , is rich in calcium and its health benefits is widely spoken of. 

Plain finger millet flour is usually used to pancake. This wonder millet dish goes dry is the only con. 

My Mother in law used to include the lentils to make the dish more tasty and less dry.Soft and crisp outside.

I have followed her recipe with a twist by adding the veggies. It gives a colorful delight to eyes as well as to the taste buds.

There is another version of sweet pancake for young kids. 

Red Rice mini snack balls ( சிகப்பு அரிசி நீர் உருண்டை / பிடி கொழுக்கட்டை )

Red Rice Mini Snack Balls / Pidi Kozhukattai 

(சிகப்பு அரிசி நீர் உருண்டை / பிடி கொழுக்கட்டை  )

Main Ingredient:

Red Rice ( சிகப்பு அரிசி )  -  1 cup

For Sweet Version , Ingredients  ( இனிப்பு )

Jaggery / Cane Sugar or Palm Sugar ( வெல்லம் அல்லது கருப்பட்டி ) - 1/4 cup

Fresh Coconut Pieces ( தேங்காய் துண்டுகள் ) - a few pieces

For Savory Version - Ingredients: ( காரம் )

Coconut Pieces ( தேங்காய் துண்டுகள் )  - a few pieces 

Black Pepper ( கருப்பு மிளகு )  - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை ) - a twig 

Coconut oil ( தேங்காய் எண்ணெய்  )  -  1 tsp

Steps:

Wash and soak the rice for an hour. Drain the water. 

Transfer the soaked rice to a blender and blend to a fine paste.

       
 







                                                  

You can add little water to a get a smooth consistency. 

Transfer the rice paste to a heavy bottom pan. Separate the required portion for the sweet dish and keep aside.
To the other portion add a cup of water to cook.

Cook on a medium flame until it cooks to a solid dough

Transfer to a bowl,let it cool. 
Add few finely chopped coconut pieces, salt and knead well to form a smooth dough.

                     

Grease your palm and finger tips and roll out the dough into small balls.

Add water to your steamer vessel / idli vessel.

Transfer the balls/ neer urundai to the steamer plate

Steam for 5 to 8 minutes.

When it does not stick to your skewer, it is time to switch off the flame.

In a skillet, add a teaspoon of coconut oil. When it is hot, add the crushed black peppers and a few curry leaves.
Toss in the seamed  rice balls. Mix well.Switch off the flame.

An evening snack is ready to eat :)

The Sweet version of the steamed mini balls.

Cook the rice paste with required amount of water. In a separate pan, melt and make a syrup of the palm sugar. strain and add it to the cooked rice. stir well to mix uniformly. 

Transfer to a bowl, knead to a smooth dough , add in tiny bits of fresh coconut.
Make oblong shaped pressing with folded fingers or roll into mini balls.
Steam and once tdone, grease with clarified butter / ghee. serve hot. 

My Notes:

This is tradionally made with  normal ponni rice ( white color rice used for meals ). I have given it a twist by using red rice. 

Dry roasted rice powder can also be used. Add boiling water to the rice powder , stir well. Let it stand for a minute. Add a teaspoon of oil and knead well. The dough is ready to be rolled and steamed.

The soft steamed balls with crunchy coconut bits in every bite with the pounded fresh pepper giving a punch is a yummy treat. Simple ingredients yet a great taste. 

You can make the dough before hand, store in a airtight box, thaw and roll the balls in the morning and steam for a quick breakfast or snack box item for kids. 

My Mom used to prepared this as an evening snack when we were kids. Easy for digestion, no oil and so healthy is here belief. A regular snack one can expect after a nap on a Sunday evening. She would alternate this with boiled peanuts or sometimes onion bhaji / வெங்காய தூள் பஜ்ஜி, which was my father' favourite. 

Finger Millet / Ragi Flour Porridge ( ராகி கூழ் )

Finger Millet  Flour Porridge 
( ராகி கூழ் )

Ingredients:

Ragi Flour ( ராகி மாவு )  - 2 tbsp

Butter Milk / Yogurt ( மோர் )  -  1 to 1 1/2 cups

Lemon JUice ( எலுமிச்சை சாறு )  - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை )  -  from 1 twig finely chopped

Coriander Leaves ( கொத்தமல்லி தளை ) - a handful finely chopped

Salt to taste ( உப்பு தேவையான அளவு ) 

Steps:

Mix  2 tbsp of ragi flour with 2 cups of water to make a smooth paste. Bring it to boil. Cook on medium flame by stirring continuously. 

Remove from fire when it is cooked and has thickened.  Allow it to cool.

Now add in the rest of the ingredients - buttermilk, salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves and finally a dash of lemon.

Stir well. Consume immediately or chilled. 

My Notes:

Ragi flour porridge is a staple diet across tamilnadu since ages one can not remember but given a back stage in modern world. 

A simple yet healthy millet, rich in calcium, is considered to aide weight loss.

Ragi flour is cooked in mud pots to a  thick consistency. The dough  is rolled into balls and used as a substitute for rice. 

I use to make  ragi spicy veggie pancake once a fortnight , the recipe of which shall post shortly. 

Ragi milk porridge or plain porridge where salt and water are used, is one of the best home made semi solid diet introduced to toddlers before they start solid food. Young mothers can take note and introduce to your child to strengthen your child' bones in their growing years.

Sprouted ragi seeds are dried and grind to flour.A tablespoon of the flour is boiled with a cup of milk, to which jaggery or sugar is added. Yummy mid day food for your baby. While feeding my boys I have tasted this quite often. ;) 

On some days I have substituted milk and sugar with a pinch of salt and water, which is good if you consider to feed not so sweet meal for your child.  

Ragi may be considered as a heaty food ( which gives the reason that it is consumed mostly with buttermilk ). Do not miss lemon in the recipe as not only it gives a cooling effect but also it takes the dish to a new level of deliciousness.  I'm sure my friend, Srimathi, will agree on this as she doesn't prepare this porridge without lemon for that tangy twist. 

Buttermilk provides you with good bacteria. Don't worry if your buttermilk is a bit sour as cooked ragi will balance the sourness.

Some people drink this as a beverage from glass by adding more buttermilk while some prefer a porridge consistency to eat with a spoon. 

You can make this and refrigerate for a few hours for a chilled version. 

As ever, for a complete meal,  I have had boiled peanuts/ groundnuts and Ivy gourd / kovakkai stir fry as side dishes. This will keep you full until your next meal.

Do not forget the protein portion in every meal of yours. 

Enjoy the refreshing ragi and buttermilk porridge for breakfast or lunch. 

க

Paal Kozhukattai / Milk & Rice Pudding ( பால் கொழுக்கட்டை )

Paal Kozhukattai / Milk & Rice Pudding 

( பால் கொழுக்கட்டை )

                                   

Ingredients:
Raw Rice ( பச்சரிசி )  - 1 cup
Milk  ( பால் )  -  1 liter
Jaggery ( வெல்லம் )  - 1 1/2 cups ( pounded to fine crumble )
Cardamom Powder ( ஏலக்காய்பொடி )  - 1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut ( துருவிய தேங்காய் )  -  3 tbsp

Steps:

Clean and soak rice for minimum an hour.

In a blender add soaked rice and sufficient water to make it a fine paste.

Transfer to a clean white cotton cloth to absorb excess water from the rice paste.

Roll it on and you can see that it will form a soft dough. 

Remove from the cloth before it becomes too dry.

Knead well to form a smooth dough.

Grease your palm , pinch a small portion of the dough.
Make tiny, tiny balls and roll into thin strips / thin cylindrical shapes using your palm.

Alternatively you can use a hand press mould to get thin strips and cut into desirable lengths using a knife.

In a  wide heavy bottomskillet / wok , add milk and let it boil

To the boiling milk, slowly add in the rice flour strips / kozhukattai.
Do not stir for the first few minutes. This will let it to cook with the shape in tact and not form clumps 

Turn flame to medium to low heat. Stir well so as the rice kozhukattai does not settle at the bottom.

When the rice strips float and looks glossy it is time to add the powdered jaggery.
Mix well and allow it to cook for 3 more minutes.

Now add powdered cardamom and switch off the flame. 

Add the grated coconut, mix well. The dessert is ready to serve.

My Notes:

I have followed the traditional way of soaking and grinding the rice. This gives a soft texture of the dessert and also the milk and sweetness is well absorbed in the cooking.

 You can also use the dry rice flour for a quick fix. Dry roast the flour until fragrant,make sure the colour of the rice flour does not change to light brown. Keep the flame low and stir continuously. Let it cool. Boil 2 cups of water, add a pinch of salt. Slowly add in the rice flour stirring vigorously in one direction. Cook for a few minutes. When the dough does not stick to your fingers switch off the flame. When it is warm, grease yr palm and knead well. After few minutes, prepare the kozhukattai. 

My Mother and Mom-in law prepare soaking rice. My in law prepare this for kozhatheiva vazhipadu every year at home once on the last friday of thai month( mid Jan ) and aadi ( mid July) month of tamil calendar. She also prepares during special occasions like prayers before wedding with bride and groom dresses and Mangalyam- the nupital string. Not to mention an all time favorite of all in the extended family.

Rice cooked fully in milk sweetened with jaggery and spiced with cardamom gives a different level of taste..;)) A simple dish with great taste especially after it has been offered to God. 

I had prepared this dish 2 months back on thai velli and was on draft for posting. So finally done.

Enjoy one of the traditional South Indian dessert. 

Green bean Sprout Salad.( முளைவிட்ட பச்சை பயறு கலவை )

Green bean Sprout Salad.

( முளைவிட்ட பச்சை பயறு  கலவை )

Ingredients:

Sprouted Green Bean (முளை விட்ட பச்சை பயறு)  -  1/2 cup

Green Capsicum (பச்சை குடமிளகாய் )  -  1/4 

Red Capsicum (சிவப்பு குடமிளகாய் )  -  1/4

Rock Melon (கிர்ணி பழம் )  -  3 or 4 slices

Lemon Juice ( எழுமிச்சம் பழ சாறு ) -  1/2 tsp

Walnut (வாதாம் பருப்பு / வாதுமை கொட்டை )  - 4 or 5 

Salt  (உப்பு )  -  to taste

Black Pepper Powder ( optional ) (மிளகு தூள் )  -  1/2 tsp

Steps:

Soak green bean for 4 hours. Drain water and tie the beans in a clean cloth or place it in a closed container for it to sprout. Leave it a day or 2 days for further growth.

Deseed the capsicums and dice them.

Peel and dice rock melon fruit.

In a bowl swirl all the ingredients including the lemon juice, salt and pepper powder.

Enjoy the crunchy healthy yummy breakfast bowl.

My Notes:
Green beans sprout is easily and best made at home. You can also buy over the counter at supermarkets. Or from a friend as in the case today. My friend Uma passed me a box of green bean sprout. Was able to quickly fix this colorful breakfast as I had the bell peppers and melon at home.
Among the beans, green beans sprout with ease and quickly. Boiled green bean is soft and buttery. The raw ones are crunchy and mildly sweet.
Any sprout tastes well when eaten fresh. If refrigerated for few days, it tend to become dry and slightly bitter. So refrigerate not more than a day or two to enjoy its sweet crunch flavor.

Green pepper is spicy and slightly bitter while the red ones are sweeter yet crunchy. The yellow is a bit soft. I prefer the first two for their color and taste.
From what I learnt, they all come from the same species but harvested in different times. Red pepper needs more ground time to ripen from green and this explains the cost difference from the green pepper.
It is quite interesting to note that each has a unique color as well as unique nutritional benefits.
Green pepper, as the color would naturally convey, is abundant in chlorophyll. Red has more lycopene and other carotenoids.
I prefer not to add salt to my salads. In this recipe I have not used black pepper powder as well as I preferred to taste the bell peppers as such. It is all individual choice to add or not. :)

Papaya can be replaced for rock melon. Or any solid fibrous fruit like apple.

Sweet bitter crunchy mix with a touch of tangy lemon juice and walnut bites is not only a healthy way to kick start your day but also makes a perfect anytime snack to ward you off from cheat food indulge.

Small Onion Pickle (சின்ன வெங்காய ஊறுகாய் )

Small Onion Pickle 

(சின்ன வெங்காய ஊறுகாய் )

Ingredient:

Small Onion ( சின்ன வெங்காயம் ) - 250g 

Tamarind (புளி) - a big lemon size 

Dry Red Chili (மிளகாய் வற்றல்) - 6 to 8 

Fenugreek Seeds (வெந்தயம்) - 1 tbsp

Asafoetida (பெருங்காயம்) - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder ( மஞ்சள் தூள் )  - 1 tsp

Sesame Oil (நல்லெண்ணெய்) - 5 to 6 tbsp

Salt (உப்பு) - to taste

Steps:

Clean tamarind from  seeds and dirt and soak it with minimum water for 15 minutes. 

Peel and slice the small onions lengthwise.

In a heavy bottom pan, dry roast red chillies, fenugreek and asafoetida.

Cool and fine powder the above 3 ingredients using a blender. 

To that powder add turmeric powder and the soaked tamarind without the water and blend to make a paste.

In a pan, add sesame oil. When it is hot, add the onions and saute until soft.
 Add the chilli paste and continue on a medium flame.

Cook until the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Cool and serve.

My Notes:

The word pickle makes any person drool ;)) It is a taste bud tantalizer. Included in an Indian meal spread  without fail. Whether it is "oorukai" as it is called in tamil or " aachar " in Hindi, everyone likes to include in their plate, as an accomplishment for  rice or  chapathi / roti. 

One of my Maharastrian friend loves to have any type of pickle with her snack - murukku / pappads etc..

In south Indian version, tamarind is used as a preservative and also to offset the spiciness of chili. Lavish amount of sesame oil also extends the shelf life. 

Mango takes the major percentage in the preferred pickle followed by lemon. Not to forget the quite popular ones like the ginger , garlic, mango ginger, mixed vegetable etc..

In the North Indian  Aachar, instead of tamarind , lime or  vinegar is used. Commonly prepared types are the mixed vegetable aachar, mango and lemon. 

My mom-in-law uses only home cooked pickles till now. I have seldom seen her use the commercially bottled ones.

Her tomato pickle is the most favourite for her son and grand sons. I had learnt that and this onion pickle from her. Free of chemical based preservatives and food colours and artificial flavoring. :) 

Care should be taken to store in a sterilized dry glass jar. Also refrain from handling the jar with wet hands. 

Oil and chili level can be adjusted based on individual choice

My suggestion is to prepare less quantity with average amount of spiciness  to finish off in a month or two. 

The above mentioned recipe can be used for 5 to 6 months if refrigerated.