Lady finger Curry

Lady finger is one of the vegetable that we get in all seasons/around the year. It is also one of the favourite vegetable of many. I too like bendekai/bendi/lady finger/okra what ever we call it.
This is a side dish and goes well with idli, dosa, chapati,roti, plain rice and any type of rotti. (Ragi rotti, akki rotti etc).

I have used little moong dal, lady finger and some home prepared spice powder.
Lets see some benefits of having cinnemon in our diet.
Cinnemon may lower blood sugar in type One or type Two diabetes. It is rich in anti aging property. It helps to reduce blood pressure and it helps in raising the good cholesterol and reduces the bad cholesterol level. Cinnemon is rich in anti oxidants, antifungal, anti bacterial and antiviral properties. It helps in clearing up mucus and eases the breating circulation. It is also rich in anti inflammatory properties.
Lets see the recipe Now:
No Onion or No Garlic is used in Lady Finger curry. It is an easy and quick dish if you have this particular spice powder ready.

Things Needed :

Lady Finger/Bendekai : 8 to 10
Moong Dal : Handful ( 2 Tablespoons)
Spice powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons
Tamarind : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh /Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1 Wash and remove all the moisture from lady finger. Cut them in to small pieces.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add jeera and ingh. Add curry leaves. Add cut lady finger and fry till they turn golden brown.

5. Keep a big pan or bowl. Add a glass of water and washed moong dal. Let it boil and cook till soft.
6. Add tamarind pulp, required salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and jaggery. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
7. Add friend lady finger and mix it well. Let it boil for a minute. Stir once.
8. Add spice powder and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Shift the curry to a serving dish.

9. Add cut coriander leaves and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
Fry lady finger pieces nicely so that it does not get sticky. Adding any spice is optional. Ex: Rasam powder, Sambar powder, Garam Masala etc. I prefer using home made powder. It is always better to use home made spices. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding a spoon of ghee is optional.
Adding toor dal instead of moong dal is optional. Moong is known as healthy dal.
Time 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4

Recipe for Spice Powder ",

Things needed :
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Coriander Seeds : 2 Tablespoon.
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa /Kadale bele : 1/2 Teaspoon
Clove : 1
Cinnnemon  : A very small piece. (Just to add some aroma)
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida
Method :
Dry roast all the ingredients one by one til they get good aroma and turn slightly golden brown.
Keep a pan and dry roast methi till it turns brown (roasted brown), add channa dal and dry roast, add jeera and red chilly Roast it on low flame so that not get burnt. (Should be careful),
Add clove and cinnemon piece and roast it nicely. Remove it from the pan and let it cool.
Dry grind this masala and enjoy. Add only 2 to 3 teaspoons of the powder to the curry at a time. (one time).

Wheat - Rava Sweet Dosa

Wheat -Rava Sweet Dosa is a healthy dosa, It can be prepared for breakfast or as evening snack. It is easy to prepare. Just a twist and quick dish that can serve a purpose in a healthy way.
I Have used Wheat (Ashrivad) - Rava (Semolina ), Banana and a little jaggery.

Lets see some benefits of eating jaggery in our diet.
Jaggery is a rich source of iron and eating jaggery helps in healthy manner. It is filled with carbohydrates and provide energy in a quick manner to our body. You must have seen that people drink plain water with piece/little jaggery and water. It not only cools our body, it does provide energy quickly. It is good for people who suffer from anemia and constipation. It cleanses our liver, Eating jaggery helps to increase immunity. It is said that jaggery releases the happy hormones and helps moody people. (Changes the mood). It helps to relax the body and makes one feel good.
Lets see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Rava/Semolina : 1 Cup
Bananas : 2 (Elakki)
Milk : 1/2 Cup (Boiled milk)
Jaggery : 2 To 3 Tablespoons
Salt : A pinch
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Ghee Or Oil : As required

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add wheat flour, rava, salt and mix it well.
2. Mash banana, jaggery. with milk and put it to the wheat mixture. Mix it well.

3. Add water and prepare dough. It should be bit thicker than dosa dough.
4. Let all the ingredients mix it well.  Leave it for 5 minutes. Add coconut
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add little oil on the tava/Dosa pan.

6. Clean it with a tissure/clean towel or with spatula . (mogache kai - Tool to remove dosa).
7. Take a ladleful of wheat banana dosa mixture and put it on the hot tava. Spread it slowly.

8. Sprinkle oil on the top of dosa. Cover and cook for a minute.
9. Turn the other side and cook for  10 seconds.

10. Wheat -Rava  sweet dosa is ready to serve. Serve with ghee and pickle or any side dish you have prepared.

Note :

Mix all the ingredients well. Add required water. No need to add any cooking soda or bakeing powder. Spread it slowly and let the flame be low while spreading the dough. (or it might stick to the spoon you are using).  Use of oil or ghee is optional. Adding coconut is optional. Do not spread it much. It might tare...
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4  

Green Grapes Chutney

Grapes and chutney you must be just thinking  Hmmmmm .Yes it is chutney from green fruity grapes. It was just a try and it turned out be Wow,,,and tasty.

I have used green grapes, fresh coconut and green chilly. Green Grapes chutney is a side dish and it goes well with almost all the main dishes.

Got these greapes from the form while coming back from Chikka Ballapura after a visit to Avala Betta. 

Avala Betta is a small hill, where the cows used to go up and have their green grass. On the top it is very nice. There are edges which looks scary and people go and take pictures standing on the sharp
edge.
. 

Even now cows come to graze. Avala means Cows in Telugu language and because of this the Gudda (what we call for a small hilltop) is called Avala betta.  

Lets see some benefits of eating Grapes in our diet.

It is well known that eating fresh fruits and vegetables always keeps us healthy and strong. Grapes are well known as queen of fruits. They are filled with antioxidants. They are rich in anti-inflammatory properties and good for bone health and good for balancing the blood pressure level in our body. Grapes are filled with fiber and Vitamin C and a good help for people who suffer from constipation. They are rich source of micro nutrients like copper, iron and manganese. They help to strengthen the bones. They are good for indegestion, kidney disorders. Grapes are filled with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium.

No Onion or Garlic used in this dish.

Things Needed :

Green Grapes : 1 Bunch (20 to 25 fruits)
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh/Asafotida : A pinch
Coconut : 1 Cup ( 3 to 4 Tablespoons).
Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 2 to 3
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon.
Ingh : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash and remove the seeds from grapes. Keep it aside.
2. Wash green chilly and curry leaves. Grate coconut.

3. Keep a small pan on the fire. Put little oil and a tablespoon of urid dal and fry nicely. Add green chilly to it.
4. Add curry leaves and ingh to the fried mixture. Let it cool.

5. Now grind green grapes, grated coconut, fried dal mixture and salt with very little water.

6. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a serving dish. .
5. Season with mustard and urid dal. Serve with one of the side dish.

Note : 

Frying urid dal in a very little oil is optional. ( I have used little oil). You can dry roast too. Taste differ. No need to add any tamarind pulp of lemon extract sinch grapes are bit sour . Adding mustard seasoning is also an option.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 

Cabbage Spicy Idli

Cabbage Spicy Idli is one of the special dish of Udupi people. It can be eaten/served for breakfast/snack or even for dinner.

We (being an Udupian) do prepare and stick to most of the traditional dishes very often. It does not mean we do not eat chats or North Indian dishes. But it is minimum I can say. Garam masala does not suit that hot weather and it dries out your body moisture. Garam Masala spices are strong and it dries out all the moisture in the body. You should either drink lots of water or use Kasori/Kachcha methi in your cooking to to retain the body moisture. May be people of yesteryears knew and ate what suits to their body according to that place they belong to.
What ever it is it has become a fashion and habit to have all the fast food eatables, even the kid fall as prey to this habit.
Coming back to "Cabbage Spicy Idli", it is prepared using Patrode dough". Patrode is one of the traditonal famous and lovable dish of South Canara and Malenadu people. Naturally it helps to keep our body warm during the rainy season. I had some patrode dough remaining in my fridge and made use of preparing " Cabbage Spicy Idli".
Patrode dough is a mixture of raw rice, coriander seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, red byadagi chilly, ingh/asafoetida, jaggey and tamarind.
Lets see some benefits of eating Tamarind in our diet.
Tamarind contain essential and beneficial chemical compounds, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber.
It helps to reduce the bad cholesterol. It contain tartaric acid which gives sour taste to food and it contain antioxidant property which helps and protect our body away from harmful radicals. Tamarind is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Potassium helps to control the heart rate and blood pressure and iron is essential for red blood cell production. It is rich in Vitamins like Vitamin A, folic acid, Vitamin C. It also help to reduce inflammation in the body and improve eye health. Tamarind helps to boost respiratory health and good skin conditions. Improve the digestive system and relieve pain. It helps to improve our immune system.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Patrode dough : 2 Cups
Cabbage : 2 Cups
Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Method :
1. Wash and cut cabbage into very thin pieces.

2. Put Patode Dough in a big bowl. Add cut cabbage and mix it well.

3. Greece idli plates with a spoon of oil.
4. Keep pressure cooker/idli cooker on the stove and put some water at the bottom. Let it heat.
5. Put a spoon of cabbage dough mixture in each place of a idli plate.
6. Arrange them and keep it in the idli/pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Open the lid and check whether Cabbage Spicy idli is well cooked by inserting a spoon edge.
8. Shift the idli to a serving bowl and serve with butter/Ghee and jaggery/chutney.

 Note : 

The mixture will not stick to the spoon edge if it is well cooked. (or you need to cook again).
 Adjust the sweet and chilly according to your wish.
Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Cut cabbage into small/very tiny pieces so that it cooks faster.
Do not put weight if you are using pressure cooker.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5  

Patrode Dough Recipe : ( for cabbage spicy idli).

Things Needed :
Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Red chilly : 4 to 5
Tamarind : 1 Marble size
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Method :
Wash and soak rice, urid dal and methi seeds together for at least 2 hours. Grate coconut and grind rice, spices(coriander seeds, jeera, ingh, turmeric powder and tamarind all together), till a paste. Add jaggery and salt. Add only riqured water. (Idly dough consistency). Remove from the mixi jar. Your Cabbage Spicy Idli dough is ready to prepare cabbage idli. You can also use this dough to prepare big brinjal roast, capsicum rotti etc.
Note : You can use medium size rava instead of using raw rice. (Roast rava nicely and add it to the ground mixture. (Need to grind all the spices and coconut). You can also use Rice Rava instead of grinding rice.

Ash Gourd Curry ( Bolu Huli )

Bolu Huli is prepared with out dal and with out usual sambar powder/spices. Bolu means nothing. No spice, No coconut - Spice grinding mixture. This is one of the traditional dish. We can prepare this curry with brinjals/gulla, Mangalore Southe kai/Sambar Cucumber, Ash Gourd etc. This curry goes well with plain rice, chapatis, dosas and idli.

I have used Ash gourd, a very little quantity of coconut and green chilly.

Let us see some benefits of eating Ash Gourd in our diet.
Ash Gourd is one of the healthiest vegetable which contain loads of medicinal values. It is good for diabetic patients and people who suffer from obesity. It has a cooling property and give relief to people who suffer from acidity and peptic ulcers. It is good for stabilizing nerve cells. It is good for people who are suffering from constipation. It does contain many minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, niacin and Vitamin C. It contain very low amounts of fat, firber, carbohydrates and protein. Ash Gourd is good for common cold.

Ash Gourd Curry  has  " No Onion or No Garlic " in it. It is easy to prepare and you will really enjoy eating this curry.

Things Needed : 

Ash Gourd pieces : 2 Bowls ( 1/4 Kg)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Coconut : Fresh : 1 Tablespoon (Optional)
Salt : As Required
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 2 Teaspoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoons
Urid dal " 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of thick skin, inner pulp of Ash gourd and cut the vegetable into small pieces.
2. Wash the pieces again and cook till they turn soft. (Use required water to cook).
3. Wash and cut green chilly (slit) and coriander leaves.
4. Soak tamarind and squeeze out the pulp. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Now Keep a pan and put well cooked Ash gourd pieces. Add jaggery and salt.
6. Add turmeric powder and mix it well. Add cut green chilly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Mix it well. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add grated coconut.
8. Keep a small pan and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and put mustard seeds and urid dal.
9. Let it splutter. Add jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add a spoon of coconut oil on the top.
10. Add mustard seasoning to the Ash Gourd Curry and serve with plain rice.

Note : 

Ash gourd pieces should be cooked till they turn very soft. Adding jaggery helps the pieces to abosorb sweet taste. Adding any type of dal is optional. (It helps the curry to be thick). Adding any other spice is optional. You can add crushed pepper and grated ginger. Taste differ.  Adding Onions or Garlic to the curry is optional. Adding coconut on the top is optional. Adds aroma to the curry. Adding lemon instead of tamarind is optional. ( Use half lemon extract)
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

Drinking Ash Gourd Juice helps to cleance your body. It helps to detoxify the body.  

Green Chakkuli

Chakkuli/Chakli/Muruku or Rice crispy crunchy fritters are favourite of many. It is nice to have with cup of coffee/tea/fresh juice. It can be munched any time of the day. It can be put it in kids snack box. It is good munch for ladies party, picnics, travelleing etc.

Green Chakkuli is prepared using coriander leaves, roasted urid dal and rice flour with little spices.

Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Fine Rice flour : 2 Cups

Urid Dal : 1/2 Cup

Butter : 1 Tablespoon

Coriander Leaves : 1 Handful : (1 Small bundle)
Green chilly : 2
Sesame Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 Cup (To Fry)

Method :

1. Clean and wash coriander leaves and green chilly. Let all the water drain from coriander leaves.

2. Keep a pan dry roast urid dal till they turn golden brown. Dry grind when it is cooled.

3. Dry grind green chilly and coriander leaves. Remove from the mixi jar. (Do not add any water while grinding).

4.Now take a big bowl and put rice powder, dry ground urid dal, Mix it well.
5. Add sesame seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, ground coriander and green chilly mixture. Add butter.
6. Add salt and mix all the ingredients well. Add required water and mix it nicely and prepare chukli dough.

7. Divide the dough into smaller portion. Take a chukkli maker and wash it nicely. Place chakkuli plate inside.
8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat the pan. Add oil to fry and let it get hot. (Medium flame)
9. Take a portion of chakkuli dough and put it inside the chakkuli mould.

10. Close the lid of the chakkuli mould and press it straight into the hot oil.
11. Turn the chakkuli other side with the help of frying Spoon.
12. Remove cooked chakkulis and put it on the kitchen tissue. Hot chakkulis are ready to taste.

13. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
14. Serve Hot chakkuli with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Note :

Adding more chilly is optional. Take care while roasting urid dal. (I have used whole white Urid) Optional. The measurement is like 2 cups of rice flour : 1/2 cup of urid dal. (The same cup which you used for measuring rice.Adding sesame and jeera gives a good aroma. Adding more chilly is optional. You can also add little ing/Asafotida ) while preparing the dough.Do not put lots of water to the flour.
If the dough turns more watery add little  fresh rice flour and mix it well.
You can add any spice that you like. (Optional).
Time : 30 Minutes.