Tondekai Palya

Tondekai / Ivy Gourd is loved by most of us. Tondekai as we call in Kannada Langurage.  I have tried some dry palya /dry curry and it taste Yummy.

Tondekai/tindli, Tindoora, Kowai por Kowekai as it is called in different Indian Language.

I have used Tondekai, rasam powder, jaggery and dry ground coconut mixture.

Let us see some benefits of Tondekai/Tendli/Kowekai in our diet.
Ivy gourd /Tondekai helps to regulate the blood sugar level. it helps in preventing obesity because it is rich in anti obesity properties. It helps in improving digestion. It cures diseases because it is rich in anti oxidant properties. It protects against allergies. Tondekai helps to cure infections. It helps in increasing metabolism in our body. It prevents kidney stones.it helps in curing anemia since it is filled with iron. It is rich in minerals and vitamins. It has minerals like iron,potassium and calcium, It is rich in vitamin B 1, and B 2.
The fruits of Ivy gourd are used as traditional medicine in Ayurveda for several diseases and infections. The leaves are used for treating fever, bronchitis, jaundice and osteoarthritis.
No Onion - No Garlic  Tondekai Palya/Dry Curry.
It is simple, quick, yummy and healthy.

You must use tender Tondekai . 

Ingredients :

Tondekai : 1250 Gr.
To Add :
Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons full.
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 1
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tbs
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut tondekai and keep it aside.

2. Grate cocontu and dry grind it. Keep it aside.
3. Wash green chilly and slit, wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and cut into small pieces.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal. Let mustard seeds splutter.
5. Add curry leaves and slit green chilly.
6. Add cut tondekai and mix it nicely. Add little water and cook till it turns soft.

7. Tondekai should be cooked till soft. Then you add salt and little turmeric powder.
8. Add rasam powder, jaggery and mix all the ingredients nicely.

9. Add dry ground coconut and mix it well. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes.
10. Mix it and check all the moisture is disappear. Shift the Tondekai Palya to a serving dish.

11. Add cut coriander leaves.

12. Serve as one of the side dish  and enjoy.

Note :

You can cook tondekai in pressure cooker for 2  minutes and then add it to seasoning done.
Use of Onions and garlic is optional.
Use of jaggery is optional.
Tondekai has little bit of tangy taste. So no need to use any lemon, tamarind, or any other tangy extract.
Use of coconut is optional. It adds to the taste.
I have used MTR Rasam Powder.  Use of any brand of spice is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4

Mango - Carrot Gojju

Mango Carrot Gojju is one of the side dish and can be done with in a few minutes. It is simple and easy. It is delicious and goes well with all the main dishes.

We some time like to have some tangy, some sweet, some spice in our dishes. It taste yummy and the taste linger on your tongue for a long timw.
This is an easy dish and probably you can try during the mango season. But now a days you get mangoes most of the time in the year.
I have used half ripen Totapuri mango and some carrots. Adding some rasam powder and methi powder brings out the excellent aroma and taste to the curry.
I got this mango from a vendor when we went to Chamaraj Pete area in Bangalore. We normally by from a person who keeps vegetables in the cart to sell. He seems to be good and very paapa/kind I feel. When ever we go that side he invites us with his smile and we do buy Alsande, these mangoes and sweet potatoes from him. We do not bargain with him and he does not say more price too.
The vegetables are very fresh and it does not spoil.
As I said it is very Easy and Yummy.

Let us see the recipe Now :

NO ONION  and NO GARLIC CURRY.

Ingredients :

Half Ripe Mango : 1
Carrots : 2 (Big size)
Home Made Curry Powder : 2 Tb
Methi Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tb
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tb
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1.Wash mango and wipe out the moisture with a clean towel.

2. Grate mango and keep it aside.
3. Wash and scrape out the carrot outer layer. Grate it and keep it aside.
4. Wash a green chilly and slit it. Wash curry leaves and keep it aside.
5. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds and ingh.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add a green chilly and curry leaves.
7. Add grated mango and fry nicely. Add grated carrots and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add jaggery, salt and stir continuously. Add little turmeric powder.
9. Mango and carrots turn soft. Now add curry powder and mix it well.
10. Add 1/2 tsp of methi powder and mix it nicely.
11. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes. Mix it nicely and shift the Mango - Carrot Gojju to a serving dish.
12. Serve as one of the side dish with any main dish. It goes well with plain rice, idli, dosa, chapati and rotti. You can use raw mango instead of half ripe mango.

Note :

Use of 1/2 ripe mango gives out the good taste. Adding more jaggery is optional. Use of any cooking oil is optional. Use of any curry powder is optional. Ex : MTR< Mayyas etc It is simple and quick so you can try and enjoy. We like the curry as bit more sweet.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

Home Made Curry Powder :

Dry roast, channa dal, urid dal, (each 1 tsp)
 coriander seeds, 2 Tbs
Jeera : 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Clove : 1
Red chilly /Byadagi Chilly : 5 to 6
Dry coconut : 2 Tbs (Grated)
Dry roast all the above one by one and dry grind it once it is cooled.
This amount of powder is enough for 1 Time only for the above said curry.
Note :
Dry roast methi/ fenugreek seeds separately and store it. Use it whenever you prepare  puliyogre, mavina kai chitranna, and gojju dishes. It adds to aroma and good for health.

Haraka/Araka /Kodo Millet Dosa

Araka or Harka or Kodo Millet is one of the millet family good grain. Millet grains are used and is becoming more and more popular these days. I prepared Dosa using Araka millet and it is crispy, tasty and healthy. Try and Enjoy.

They do have full of healthy properties in them. They do have the ability to regulate our blood pressure level and blood sugar level. They are gluten free and rich in fiber. They are slow in digestion and keeps you full for a long time. They are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Let us see the recipe Now :
I have used Grinder to grind this dosa batter.

Ingredients :

Harka /Arka / Kodo Millet : 4 Cups
Urid whole ( white)  : 1 Cup
Methi seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Avalakki /Poha /Aval : 1/2 Cup  (Any Variety).
Salt : As required

Method :

1. Clean, wash and soak Haraka Millet for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Wash and soak urid and methi seeds separately.

3. Soak Avalakki/Poha separately.
4. Grind it all together for 20 to 25 minutes and take it out in a big bowl.

5. Add required salt and mix it well. Leave the batter to ferment for over night or 6 to 8 hours.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and clean it with a tissue or a kitchen towel.
7. Mix the ground batter nicely.

8. Take a ladle of dosa batter and spread it.
9. Add/ Sprinkle oil on the top. Cook on medium heat. Let it turn golden brown.

10. Turn the other side and cook for 10 seconds.

11. Take out the ready dosa and serve with the side dish of your choice.

12. Repeat the same and prepare rest of the dosas.

Note :

You can reduce the amount of millet and urid dal to half.  You can also use mixi instead of grinder to grind. Use very little water while grinding and then add required water if it needs.
Time = Soaking time - 3 hours minimum + grinding time 25 minutes + fermentation - over night or 6 to 7 hours + Dosa preparing 20 Minutes.
Serves : As you Use.

Watch : 

Spring Onion Pepper - Jeera Dry Curry

Spring Onions are one of the healthy vegetable and  we do make use of it in our curries, dals and so many varieties of food items.
Here I have tried Simple Onion Leaves Pepper - Jeera Dry Curry which is very easy and yummy to have them with almost all the main dishes.

I have used Spring Onions, pepper, jeera and some salt.
It is very easy to do it and goes well with almost all the main dishes as I said earlier.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Spring Onions : 1 Bundle ( Big bundle).
Green chilly : 1 to 2
Coconut : 1 Cup
Crushed pepper : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustad Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and clean spring onion sticks nicely and check it out thoroughtly.

2.Crush pepper pods, jeera and keep aside.

3.Wash and slit green chilly.
4.Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5.Wash green chilly and cut into very small.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
7. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves.

8. Add cut green chilly and cut spring onion leaves. Mix it nicely.
9. Cook on low flame. Sprinkle some water and cover it.

10. It turns soft. Add crushed pepper - jeera mixture, salt and a little turmeric powder.

11. Mix it well and cook for 2 minutes. See that all the moisture disappear.

12. Add grated coconut and shift the ready spring onion dry curry to a serving bowl.

Note :

Do not add much spices. Do not add water. Only sprinkle some drops on the top.
 Adding little more oil is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Pepper pods adds to spicy taste and is good for health. Adding coconut adds to the taste to curry. Do not cook after adding coconut. It adds aroma to the curry and coconut is good for health. (Without cooking).
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 
You can also prepare Uttappa with this Spring Onion Curry. ( Stuffing on the top of Set Dosa)

You can use Spring Onion Curry as stuffing in between the Ghee roast dosa.

Watch the video

Traditional Haalubai

Haalubai/ಹಾಲುಬಾಯಿ is one of the traditional yummy sweet dish From South Canara.
It is quick, simple and delicious.

Once upon a time people of South Canara People used to grow lots of paddy those days. Even jaggery used to stored in Big Tins. Coconut groves used to taken care and coconuts were used in plenty. People knew to make use of the ingredients available at home. So the Halubai came into existence I feel.
Since I grew up with my doddamma still remember that the paddy fields, people sing while they planting paddy plants  in field. Doddamma used to make this sweet for coffee time in the afternoon and the people were happy to get a piece of it. The rains pour, cold weather, hot coffee, sweet haalubai its all memories now.
Even in this part of Karnataka people do prepare Halubai. It is mouth watering sweet dish and they do use more coconut milk. The slice of halubai dances in our hand. (Means its soft and smooth and yummy to have).
There are varieties of halubai, prepared using different grains like ragi, millet, rava wheat etc.
Here is a traditional Halubai which is prepared using raw rice, coconut, jaggery, cardamom and ghee.
It is always better to use dosa rice. The Halubai turns lovely and the experience speaks here. Use of ghee can be limited and added while eating. But I love to pour ghee while preparing it self. It is super delicious and just melts in the mouth.
Eating jaggery helps to boost our energy, helps in easy digestion.
Let us see the recipe now :
It is very simple, easy, delicious traditional dish and you can make it quickly.

Ingredients : 

Raw rice : 1 Cup
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : Powdered : 1/2 Cup
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tbs
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods.

Method :

1. Soak raw rice for an hour and grind it with 1/2 cup of coconut. Use little water to grind. The consistency should be bit thicker than neeru dosa.

2. Powder jaggery and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan and put ground rice and coconut mixture. Add a pinch of salt to it.
4. Add powdered jaggery and stir on low flame.

5. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.
6. Stir continuously till the batter thickens.

7. Add a tbs of ghee and keep stirring till the whole rice mixture turn as one ball and it starts to leave the edges and comes to middle.

8. Add remaining ghee and cardamom to it and keep stirring for another 5 minutes.
9.Check with by touching the halubai. It does not stick. So it is done. You can also see that shiny texture.

10. Greece the plate or banana leaf with ghee and spread the mixture evenly.

11. Cut it when it is little cool.

12. Serve for lunch or snack time.

Note :

You can add more ghee. It adds to the taste. Adding more jaggery is optional.Do not make the mixture very thin or very thick. It should be thicker than neer dosa. 1 glass rice, 1 glass of water.
Time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 25 Small pieces.

Alasande / Cow pea Dal

Fresh Alsande / Cow Peas are rich in minerals and vitamins. In winter you get really good cow peas and other pods.

Recently I got these cow peas/ Alasande and prepared yummy curry. It is delicious to have with all most all the main dishes.
Alasande Dal is simple dish and it is quick also.
I have used Fresh cow peas pods, little toor dal, home made sambar powder/huli pudi,
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Cow Peas : 1 Bowl
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup

To Add :
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Methi /G=Fenugrik Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut grating : 2 Tablespoons

Seasoning
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cook toor dal and Cow peas in a pressure cooker. Leave it for cooling.

2. Wash and cut coriander leaves, slit green chilly
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and put cooked cow peas, toor dal and 1/4 tsp methi seeds.
4. Add turmeric powder, slit green chilly and salt. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add home made sambar powder and mix it well. Let it cook on low flame.
6. Shift the Alsande Dal to a serving dish.

7. Add mustard seasoning and grated coconut on the top. Mix it well and serve.

Note :

Use of moong dal instead of toor dal is optional.
Use of coconut is optional. It adds to the taste.
Cooking on the pressure cooker helps the food to quick fast.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Home Made Sambar Powder/ಹುಳಿ ಪುಡಿ  For 1 Time only.

Dry roast , 2 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of urid dal and 1 tsp of channa dal, 4 to 5 byadagi chilly, 1/2 tsp of jeera, 1/4 tsp of methi seeds, a small piece of cinnamon. Add 2 tbs of kobbari
Dry grind it once it is cooled.