Garlic Tamarind Curry ( பூண்டு குழம்பு )

Garlic Tamarind Curry

 ( பூண்டு குழம்பு )

Ingredients:

Tamarind  (  புளி  )  - 1 big  lemon size

Garlic (   பூண்டு  )  - 15 to 20 cloves.
Sesame oil ( நல்லெண்ணெய் )  - 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder  - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For Curry Powder:

Dry red chilli ( மிளகாய் வற்றல்) -  8

Coriander seeds  (தனியா )-  3 tbsp
Black pepper  ( மிளகு )  -  1 tsp
Cumin seeds ( சீரகம் ) -  1 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek  ( வெந்தயம் )  -   1/2 tsp
Raw rice  ( பச்சரிசி )  -  1 tsp
Channa dal (கடலைபருப்பு)  1/2 tsp
Toor dal ( துவரம்பருப்பு )  - 1 tsp


Steps:
Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 min. Squeeze out to get the extract by using water 2 or 3 times.
Peel the garlic. If the size is big, slit it lengthwise into two.
Dry roast individually the above eight ingredients for the curry powder, cool and powder into a very fine texture.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel ( குழம்பு சட்டி), saute the garlic for a minute.
Add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder and salt. When it boils, add the powdered ingredients ( குழம்புத் தூள் ).
Turn the flame to medium and allow it to boil for 10 more minutes.
As the curry thickens, oil starts to leave the sides indicating that the curry is ready.
Serve with hot steamed rice. A spoon of sesame oil is added to the rice for enhanced flavor.

My Notes:

 I learnt this recipe from my Mother in law. The freshly roasted spices give a wonderful aroma to the dish. No seasoning is added, nor curry leaves. The original taste of garlic in tamarind base with the fresh spices is relished. She always prepares the garlic curry - potato kurma combination. 

It goes well with potato kurma. The recipe of which I will post separately.

I made potato kurma, beans carrot stir fry to complete the meal.

My personal choice is paruppu podi and vathal - home made rice crackers. 

For any tamarind based spicy curry, paruppu podi is an excellent choice.

Apple - Strawberry, Vegetable Salad ( பச்சை காய்கறி, பழ கலவை )

Apple - Strawberry, Vegetable Salad  பச்சை காய்கறி, பழ கலவை

Ingredients:

Cabbage  - 1/2 cup ( thin sliced )
Carrot  -  1/2 cup  ( thin sliced )
Japanese Cucumber  -  ( thin sliced )
Boiled Green bean  -  1/4 cup
Strawberries  - 1/2 cup  ( thin sliced )
Apple  -  1/2 cup  ( thin sliced )
Lemon juice  - 1 tsp
Honey - 1 tsp
Walnuts  - 4 to 6
Raisins  -  1 tbsp

Steps:

Wash the vegetables and fruits. Slice into thin strips. Slice each strawberries into sixths.
After slicing the apples, rub in the lemon juice to prevent oxidization.
Add in the boiled green bean ( soaked for 3 hrs and boiled )
Mix well. Add the dressing and mix well Top up with chopped Walnuts and Raisins.

 My Notes:

The raw and a bit of bitterness taste cabbage makes it the least preferred vegetable. But it is a commonly available, cheap vegetable but with plentiful of benefits. It can be eaten raw or cooked.
To balance the cabbage flavour, I have spiced it up with tangy strawberries and crunchy sweet apples.
Japanese cucumber blends well with the other ingredients and make this salad nutritious and yummy.
The green bean contributes the protein part and makes it a complete meal for dieters.

For those who do not prefer Cabbage, there are plenty of leafy alternatives. They include Rocket leaves, different types of lettuce or even salad greens such as Chicory and spinach. The different greens add different flavour combinations and so you may add your preferred ones or mix and match to form multiple permutations.

Radish Paratha and Shiitake Mushroom Gravy ( முள்ளங்கி பராத்தா & காளான் கறி )

Radish Paratha and Shiitake Mushroom Gravy 

( முள்ளங்கி பராத்தா & காளான் கறி )

To make Radish Paratha  ( முள்ளங்கி பராத்தா )

Ingredients:

Wheat flour  ( கோதுமை மாவு) - 2 cups

Radish ( முள்ளங்கி )  -   2 (small or medium in size )

Oregano seeds ( ஓமம் ) -  1/2 tsp ( crushed )

Turmeric powder ( மஞ்சள் தூள் )  - 1/4 tsp

Salt ( உப்பு )  - to taste.

Steps:

Wash the radish well to remove any sand residues on the skin. You can soak in salt water for 15 min before cooking. Shred the radish, rub in a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.

Microwave shredded radish for a min. By doing so, the raw earthy smell of radish, disliked by many, will not be felt while eating. You can add a dash of olive oil to enhance the flavour. 

Crush the oregano between your palms and add to the wheat flour followed by the radish. Make this into a dough using warm water. Set aside for minimum 30 min.

Knead the dough again with a greased palm. Portion the dough into balls. Roll out and cook on a hot plate. Remove from fire, spread a bit of of ghee while it is hot and serve the parathas with a curry.

 Shiitake Mushroom Gravy 

Ingredients:

Dried Shiitake Mushroom (  ஷிடகே வகை காளான் )     -  100g
Cottage Cheese  (பன்னீர் ) - 100g
White onions  -  2
Tomatoes  -  2
Ginger  - 1"
Garlic  - 5 cloves
Chili powder  - 1tsp
All spice powder/ Garam Masala  - 1tsp
Cinamon   - two 1"sticks
Cloves  -  2
Shajeera ( a type of cumin seeds)  - 1/2 tsp
Butter  - 1 tbsp

Soak the Shiitake mushrooms in boiling hot water for 30 min. (Cover with a lid). The mushroom will almost double.

Dice the  tomatoes. peel and slice onions, ginger and garlic.
Cube the the cottage cheese, if you have bought it as a slab.

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Fry the onions, ginger garlic and tomatoes. Cool and grind it to a paste.

Drain the water, rinse the mushrooms  to remove any grit. Discard the hard stem, slice the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a wok. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves and shajeera. Fry on medium flame until the whole spices are fragrant

    

Add in the sliced mushrooms, fry for 2 min.

Add  the onion tomato paste. Stir until it coats the mushroom uniformly. Add in the cottage cheese cubes and chilli powder. Cook in medium flame.

As the Gravy boils, add in a tsp of Garam masala powder. Cook for a min.

Serve the rich chewy mushroom - soft cheese combination curry with rice or parathas.

My notes:

To balance the meaty texture and smoky flavour of the mushroom, I have used a handful of cottage cheese (paneer )
Chinese and Japanese eat shiitake mushrooms raw, cooked making them a versatile food you can incorporate into a wide array meals. There are fresh and dried version available in the market.

Try cooking your mushrooms along with other vegetables in your soup, or top your pizza with sauteed mushrooms or include in your mushrooms in your baked rice.

A few subtle things can make or break a deal goes for a dish too. Especially the shiitake mushroom. Soak with hot water and drain well. Remove the stems as they are often tough.


These meaty and flavorful mushrooms contain a substance called eritadenine, which encourages body tissues to absorb cholesterol and lower the amount circulating in the blood. Shiitakes also have antiviral and anticancer effects. Dried shiitakes, available at Asian grocery stores, are also effective. 

Foxtail Millet Dessert - Thinai arisi payasam (தினை அரிசி பாயாசம் )

Foxtail Millet Dessert (Payasam) (தினை அரிசி பாயாசம் )

Ingredients:

(4 Servings )

Fox tail Millet (தினைஅரிசி)   -  1/2 cup

Jaggery (வெல்லம் ) -  1 cup

Milk (பால்) - 1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder( ஏலக்காய் தூள் )- 1/2 tsp

Cashew nuts  (முந்திரி பருப்பு)  -  6 

Ghee (நெய் ) -  1 tbsp

Grated Coconut (துருவிய தேங்காய் ) -  2tbsp ( optional )

Steps:

Dry roast the millet in a pan until you get the flavour.

Transfer to a vessel, add 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup of water.

Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Mash the cooked millet with a ladle when it is hot and keep it aside.

Melt the powdered jaggery with 1/2 cup water and let it boil well. Strain to remove the impurities.

Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked millet. Bring it boil. After 2 min add the remaining milk and switch off the flame. Add grated coconut and mix well.

Fry the cashew nuts in ghee and serve the tasty payasam.

My Notes:

Recently, I am cooking millets regularly, almost 2 or 3 times  a week. Trying to incorporate in my daily cooking in either one of the meals for the day. As a substitute for rice or as dosai / upma dishes.

It is simple to cook and great to taste, not to forget the health benefits.
This payasam is a quick fix. Easy to make but yummy in taste.
I love grated coconut flavour in payasams in which jaggery or palm sugar is used.

Vegetable Briyani ( காய்கறி பிரியாணி )

Vegetable Briyani ( காய்கறி பிரியாணி )

Ingredients:

( 4 Servings )
South Indian Fragrant Rice  -  1 1/2 cups ( soak for 15 to 20 min )

Seeraga Samba Rice- சீரகசம்பா அரிசி

diced  vegetables : Carrot, french beans, potato, cauliflower, turnip, kohlrabi ( நூல்கோல்)   - 1/4 cup each

pearl bean, green peas  -  handful each

Red & Green capsicum  - 1/4 each

Small onions  - 8

Tomatoes  - 3

Garlic  -  6 cloves

Ginger  -  1"

Turmeric powder  - 1 tbsp

Olive oil  -  3tbsp

Ghee  -  2tbsp

For Seasoning:
Bay leaves ( பிரிஞ்சி இலை ) -  2
Star anise   -  2
Cinnamon sticks ( பட்டை)  - 3
Cardamom  - 3 pods
Parmotrema perlatum  - 2 or 3
( கடல் பாசி )
Cloves  - ( கிராம்பு ) - 4
To grind :
Dry red chilli  - 2
Coriander seeds  - 2 tsp
Cinnamon stick  -  1
Fennel seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves  -  a handful
Fry the above ingredients separately one by one  in a pan , cool and grind to a paste in a mixie.

For Garnishing:
Bread pieces  - 10 ( cut into cubes )
Cashew nuts  -  8
Coriander leaves

Steps:

Deep fry the diced bread in oil, drain excess oil. Keep aside.

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry the cashew nuts. Keep aside. In the same pan add 1tbsp olive oil. Fry finely chopped ginger, garlic followed by onions and capsicum. Lastly cauliflower and green peas.Saute for a minute, keep aside.

In a pressure cooker, add 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the ingredients under seasoning and saute. As you smell the fragrance of whole spices, add pearl bean, potato, turnip and kohlrabi. Stir. 

Add the french beans, carrots, tomatoes and mix well. Add the spicy paste, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Add the washed rice and 3 cups of water.
When the water is boiling, finally add in the stir fried onion, garlic, cauliflower etc.
Close the pressure cooker. Cook for 2 whistles and switch off the flame.

Open the cooker, fluff the briyani after adding the fried bread pieces and cashew nuts.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve the flavorful delicious Briyani with onion-yogurt salad, pappad.

My Notes:
Briyani is an all time favourite for all ages. Though the basic ingredients are the same - whole spices, vegetables or the meat if non-vegetarian briyani is cooked, the flavour varies with just a few twist and change in one or two ingredients.
Can reduce the tomato by half and substitute with curd for the tangy taste.
Curd and lime is used to marinate the ingredients in some methods.

I have used the South Indian fragrant rice, Seeraga samba ( சீரகசம்பா அரிசி ).

My Mother in law always use this for briyani and the basmati rice for pulav. This rice is smaller than the Basmati rice, flavour is different but both have low GI than the regular ponni rice.
My mother would never miss the pearl beans and the bread pieces for briyani. These 2 ingredients will always remind her preparation.
By adding the soft vegetables like cauliflower in the last step, it will be wholesome once cooked. If added together with potato and carrot, they will be over cooked.
Be on the spot judgemental with the amount of water. If u think the ingredients may need some more, add another 1/4 cup of water or as required.
Dum is a famous way of preparation.
Some may use hot coal to infuse the unique flavour in the briyani.
Parmotrema perlatum is commonly known as black stone flower or kalpasi. It is known to have  health benefits, though yet to be proven.

We had briyani as May day special with a dessert of " Thinnai arisi payasam".
Please click the link for its recipe.

Vegetable Briyani for Narayana Sevah. For our foreign workers at dormitories. 

Black gram rice and Sesame Chutney ( உளுந்தஞ்சாதம் & எள்ளு துவையல் )

Black gram rice and Sesame Chutney 

உளுந்தஞ்சாதம் & எள்ளு துவையல் 

                              

Ingredients:


Black gram  -  1/3 cup ( split or whole)
Parboiled rice or Brown rice  -  1 cup
Garlic  -  5 cloves







Steps:
In a pan, dry roast the black gram until hot to touch / until you get the  flavour.
Wash and soak rice and black gram together for 10 to 15min.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pressure cooker, fry the garlic cloves until light brown.
Remove and in the same pot, add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil.
Add salt and the rice mixture.
Pressure cook for 4 whistles and further on a low flame for 5 min.
When steam is released, open the cooker add the fried garlic and fluff the rice well. Adjust for salt if needed. Close again and give a standing time of 5 to 10 min before serving.


















Sesame Chutney (எள்ளு துவையல் )
Ingredients:


Black or white sesame ( எள்ளு)-  3 tbsp
Dry red chilli  - 1
Tamarind ( புளி )  - a small piece
Asafoetida ( பெருங்காயம்) - a pinch
Salt  -  to taste

Wash and clean the sesame seeds as it tends to have impurities. You can drain using a tea filter and dry in a white cloth before frying.
In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Fry the dry red chilli and remove. In the same pan fry the sesame seeds.  Sesame will be easily burnt, so take note to fry in a medium flame and with constant stirring, As it splatters, remove from fire. Add asafoetida.
Grind the above ingredients into a fine paste. 
Serve the Black gram rice with the above sesame chutney. 

Do try this authentic lunch menu for your family.Everybody will love it .

I made cauliflower non-spicy curry (kootu) to fulfill the veggie part in the  meal.
Click the link for cauliflower kootu.

My Notes:

Black gram / black lentil, or Urad dal as it is commonly called, has an earthy flavour and an unusual texture when compared with the other dals like toor dal or moong dal. 
The split bean is called the dal and in this recipe we can use either the whole ( lentil) or split bean but with the skin.
Same Urad dal is white when the skin is removed and it is used as main ingredient for Idli batter and to make papads.
Par boiled rice is normally used in this recipe. Brown rice can also be used. Both enhance the  texture and flavor of the lentil.
Garlic can also be cooked with the rice  for the flavour to be completely infused.
I preferred to have garlic as a whole and not soft cooked, so didn't pressure cook it and added after cooking rice. It is a personal choice.
Cumin seeds and curry leaves are optional. But I preferred to keep this dish simple to have the original authentic taste of black gram.
Same way, sambar or any other curry is not preferred. (Again its a personal choice)
Just the rice and sesame chutney duo will be excellent.

Mushroom Egg Omelette ( காளான் முட்டை ஆம்லெட் )

Mushroom Egg Omelette ( காளான் முட்டை ஆம்லெட் )

Ingredients: 

Egg  - 1

Egg whites  - from 2 eggs

Button mushroom  -  5

Baby corn  - 2

Carrot  -  1 (medium size)

White onion  -  1

Green chilli  -  1

Ginger  -  1/2 inch piece

Salt & pepper  - to taste

Steps:

Thin slice the mushrooms, carrots, baby corn, onions, chilli & ginger
Saute the vegetables in a pan for a min 

Transfer 2 egg whites & a whole egg into a bowl

Whisk the eggs to a fluffy high peaks

Add in the sauted vegetables, pepper &salt to the beaten eggs.

Grease a pan with olive oil or butter. Pour half of the above mixture and cook on a medium flame.
Turn to the other side, cook till light brown. Make another omelette with the remaining mixture.
Enjoy the healthy, nutritious yummy omelette while it is hot.

Cucumber Yogurt Salad.

Grate cucumber and mix with a cup of plain yogurt.Add salt and mix well.
 For a spicy touch you can add a pinch of Chat Masala.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Omelette with a slice of herb toast and yogurt salad.

My Notes:

For a healthier version, I have used 2 egg whites and a whole egg instead of 3 eggs.

The whipped egg shouldn't be left to stand for long.

I have deseeded the green chilli before fine chopping. It is a personal preference. 

The thin sliced vegetables is slightly cooked so that it is uniformly cooked with the fast cooking eggs.

This can be done by  sauteing in a pan with a few drops of olive oil added to it, or microwave for a min.

This portion of ingredients can make a good omelette for two. 

To spice up the regular egg omelette, the addition of mushrooms and carrots is a delight. It becomes a complete meal. A healthy breakfast for all ages.

 I had it with a cup of fresh yogurt salad. It is a refreshing finish on a hot summer morning.