Fresh Turmeric Pachidi

Pachidi is nothing but Rayita or Rayta, a curd based curry.

We got some fresh turmeric from out pot. Last year during the Nagara Panchami, I bought some turmeric leaves to prepare Kadubu. Turmeric leaf Kadubu is very traditional and on that day of Nagara Panchami we have a custom that, nothing is fried, seasoned or even chapatis, dosas are prepared on Dosa / Chapati Pan. So mostly steamed food or cooked food is eaten on that day.
Coming back to turmeric it was a good yield in the pot. I was so happy to pick them.
I gave fresh turmeric to my relations and our friends too.
I did use this fresh Turmeric for Pachidi and Turmeric Milk which is very good for health these days.

Let us see some benefits of Turmeric.

Turmeric is the most effective nutritional supplement  and  benefits to our body and brain. Turmeric contain bio active properties with medicinal values. It is rich in anti - inflammatory sources and good antioxidant content. Turmeric is good for brain health. It is good for skin health. Turmeric is good for Turmeric can help for preventing and treating Alzheimer disease. It is good for treating depression. It is good for treating age related diseases.
Lets see the simple and healthy recipe of Fresh Turmeric Pachidi.

Ingredients :

Fresh Turmeric : An inch
Curd : 1 Cup
Salt : As required
Green chilly : Just a small piece. (1/2).
Seasoning : 
Ghee : 1 Tsp
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves : 4 to 5

Method :

1. Slightly scrape out the outer layer of turmeric and wash it nicely.
2. Grate or cut into very small pieces.

3.Wash and cut green chilly into very small.
4. Now add a  small cup of curd, little salt to grated turmeric.

5. Mix it well and add seasoning done with Jeera/Cumin seeds, curry leaves and very little ingh.

6. Serve a tablespoon of Turmeric Pachidi in the beginning of the lunch.

Note :

This Fresh Turmeric Pachidi should be eaten at the beginning of the lunch. It is a healthy pachidi.  It should be served maximum One Tablespoon. Adding more chilly is optional. Mild spice is always better. Turmeric keeps the body warm and is better to use less chilly. (Heat for the body). No Onion or no garlic recipe.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 Serves.

Pumpkin Mosaru Bajji

Mosaru bajji is a type of curry prepared using Curd or butter milk. Here I have prepared Mosaru bajji using pumpkin. It is an easy recipe and not much of preparation is needed. Try and enjoy.

I have used cooked pumpkin pieces, curd, seasoned with mustard seeds, ingh, green chilly and curry leaves.

Let us see some benefits of eating PUMPKIN in our diet.

Pumpkin is a type of winter squash, is filled with vitamins and minerals.
It is rich in antioxidant properties and helps to strengthen our immunity in our body. It is good for our eye health.It is low in calorie and good for people who are in diet. It is good for our heart health. It is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E. It is full of fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation.Pumpkin is filled with minerals like potassium, iron, copper and manganese. It is also rich in protein and good for our skin health.
NO ONION or NO GARLIC DISH.
Good to prepare during festival, feast, fasting or family get together.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Cooked Pumpkin pieces : 1 Bowl
Curd /Yogurt : 1 Cup
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Green chilly : 2
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and peel off the hard layer of the pumpkin and cut into pieces.

2. Cook and keep it aside. Let it cool. Wash and cut green chilly. Cut in to small pieces.
3. Now smash cooked pumpkin pieces nicely.
4. Add salt and a cup of curd.

5. Mix it well and shift it to a serving dish.

6. Add seasoning done in coconut oil, using mustard seeds, jeera/cumin seeds,  cut green chilly, ingh and curry leaves.

7. Mix it and serve as one of the side dish.

Note :

Pumpkin cooks quickly so no need to use the pressure cooker. (Optional).
Use of red chilly instead of green chilly is optional.
Use of any cooking oil is optional.
Use of savoury curd makes Mosaru bajji tastier.
Time : 10 minutes. (Pumpkin pieces should be cooked already).
Serves : 2 to 3 . 

Palak - Paumkin Fry

Palak - Pumpkin Fry is a quick and yummy side dish. Palak - Pumpkin fry is a mild spicy dish that fits to all age group.

I have used home grown palak which I got from my pot and used a carrot and a cup of pumpkin gratings. I also used coconut to make the fry more tasty.
Let us see some benefits of eating Palak /Spinach leaves in our diet.
Palak /Spinach is loaded with vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants. Palak is rich in insoluble fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. Palak leaves contain potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6, B9 and Vitamin E. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, floic acid, iron and calcium. Palak is good for good skin health and our immune system.
 Palak - Pumpkin Fry is mild spicy curry and it has No garlic or No onion.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
To Fry :
Palak/Spinach : 1 Bundle
Carrot grating : 1 Carrot
Pumpkin Gratings : 1 Cup (1/4 of 1 small pumpkin)
To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Chilly powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Grating : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves and green chilly : 1

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak leaves and keep it aside.

2. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
3. Peel off the pumpkin hard layer and grate the vegetable and keep it aside.

4. Grate coconut and Wash and slit green chilly and cut curry leaves.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add 1 slit green chilly. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
7. Add curry leaves and cut palak leaves. Stir slowly and let it get soft. ( Fry on low flame).

8. Add grated carrot and stir slowly.

9. Add pumpkin gratings and stir for 5 to 6 minutes. ( On low flame).

10. Add salt and red chilly powder and mix it nicely.
11. Add coconut gratings and put off the fire.

12. Shift the Palak - Pumpkin Fry to a serving dish and enjoy as one of the side dish.

Note. 

You can add more carrots. (Optional). You can add more chilly. Do not add any water. Fry on low flame. Adding coconut is optional.
You can have this fry with chapati as chapati roll. You can also keep this fry in the middle of the bun and place some cucumber and have it. Adding any other spices is optional. I always like to have mild khara so that I use very little chilly in my cooking.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 To 3.

Fresh Turmeric Milk

Turmeric milk is one of the healthy drink. It is good to have turmeric drink, since it helps to keep away the cold, cough and take care of your health in good way.

These turmeric roots are from our pot plants. Some time back/its almost a year back I have planted this plant and made use of the leaves for making Kadubu. (Traditional dish from Udupi). The new leaves grew and the plant started to dry up. I never thought so much it spreads and gives out the best roots.

Let us see some benefits of Turmeric.

Turmeric is said to be natural antibiotic and is used in our cooking. It is also used to heel the wounds as I know. It is anti inflammatory agent, good for treating arthritis, helps to decrease inflammation of joints and reduces the pain. Turmeric helps to promote the heart health. It regulates the blood pressure and reduces the heart diseases. The curcumin in turmeric boosts the brain health. It helps in to boost protein. It helps to increase the good cholesterol level in our body. Good for our skin and helps in removing dark circles.

Let us see the recipe now :
It is an easy recipe and helps to boost our health.
Use of jaggery is optional. 

Things Needed :

Turmeric Root : An Inch
Fresh Milk : 2 Cups.

Method : 

1. Boil milk and let it be hot.
2. Wash turmeric root and scratch out the outer layer. (Thin layer).

3.Grate the turmeric root and put it in 1/2 cup of hot water. Do not boil. (For 2 minutes).

4. Now add this to boiled milk and mix it well.

5. No need to sieve the milk. You can eat the last remained pieces as it is. (Optional).

6. Fresh turmeric milk is ready to drink or serve.

7. Adding jaggery is optional. (Little jaggery can be added at the end). Do not add when milk is boiling.

8. Hot Turmeric Milk is ready to serve.

Note : 

You can use organic turmeric powder instead of turmeric roots. Do not drink daily. It might heat up your body. This milk is good for cold, cough,throat pain and even fever.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2

You can grow turmeric in pots. 

Carrot - Tamarind Tokku Chutney

Carrot - Tamarind Tokku Chutney is an quick and easy side dish. Tamarind Tokku  makes the chutney bit spicy and it goes well with plain rice and a spoon of ghee. I know When you read the above line your mouth starts watering. Thats the taste of this Carrot - Tamarind Tokku Chutney.

I got this Tamarind Tokku from Dharwad, our daughter in law Vidya's native is Dharwad and her Aunt Mala Aunty sends all the yummy pickles, chutneys and chutney pudis from Dharwad to vidya. 

I too get some portion of it and enjoy eating preparing these yummy preparations.

You must be knowing how the Tamarind Tokku is done.

Tamarind/Hunise hannu/puli / when it is still raw and green, it is plucked and removed the hard outer layer and then pounded with green chilly, salt, ingh. No moisture or water is added here. So the Tokku turns spicy and yummy. This spicy chutney goes well with curd rice or any other main dishes.

Since there is no water in it, chutney stays for long time.

I have used carrots, green chilly, tamarind tokku and coconut.

Let us see this simple Carrot - Tamarind Tokku Chutney recipe now :

Ingredients :

Carrots : 2 

Green chilly : 2

Tamarind Tokku : 1 Tablespoon

Coconut : 1 Cup

Salt : As required

Ingh /Asafoetida : A little 

Methi Seeds /Fenugrik seeds : 3 to 4 

Seasoning :

Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp

Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch

Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 

Method :

1. Wash and grate carrots and grate coconut.

2. Wash green chilly, Curry leaves and keep it aside.

3. Now keep a pan and put 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Add methi /fenugrik seeds and fry till it turn golden brown. 

4. Add curry leaves and green chilly and fry. Add grated carrots and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. 

5. Put off the fire and add grated coconut.

6.. Let it cool. Add tamarind tokku and grind all the fried ingredients together. (Carrots, green chilly, grated coconut mixture).

7. Add salt and churn for a minute. Shift the ready chutney to a serving bowl.

8. Season with coconut oil, mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves. 

9. Add the seasoning to ready chutney and serve as one of the side dish.

Note : 

Frying green chilly adds to the taste and aroma. Use of green chilly is otpitonal. You can use any brand of cooking oil. Tamarind tokku adds to the taste.

Time : 10 Minutes

Serves : 2 to 3 .

Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive

Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive/mustard curd curry is one of the side dish we relish in the beginning of the lunch. It is served /eaten first and then other side dishes arrive /served one by one.

In Kannada /Karnatka State Language, Sasive means Mustard seeds. Use of mustard seeds label the curry as Sasive. 
Curd gives coolness to our body and at the same time mustard used in the curd curry helps in taking care and protect us from catching cold.
I have used small cucumber, green chilly, fresh grated coconut, pepper pods, mustard and very little jeera/cumin seeds.
We Udupians do not add jeera or pepper to this Sasive. Its only cucumber, red or green chilly, coconut and little ingh. But the taste of Bangaloreans change a little. They do add little jeera and pepper. It might be because of the weather here. Jeera and peeper not only adds to the taste they do have medicinal value of their own. They try to avoid getting cold and helps in digestion.
Eating pepper in our daily life helps to avoid gas in the food and protect us from getting alzemere disease.
Cucumber Sasive is prepared even in some festivals and feast.

No onion or No Garlic is used here in this recipe.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Small variety Cucumber : 2
Coconut : 1/2 Cup / 2 to 3 Tbs
Green chilly : 1
Pepper Pods :  5 to 6
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera : 1/4 Tsp
Ingh : A little
Salt : As required
Curd : 1 Cup
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil /Any cooking oil : 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves

Method :

1. Wash nicely and cut cucumber into small pieces.
2. Grate fresh coconut and keep it aside.
3. Wash green chilly and curry leaves and keep it aside.
4. Now grind grated coconut, cut cucumber, green chilly, pepper pods, mustard seeds, jeera and little ingh with required water. Shift the ground mixture to a bowl.

5. Add salt and curd to the mixture and mix it well.

6. Add mustard seasoning with coconut oil, ingh and curry leaves.

7. Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive is ready to serve. Serve as one of the side dish for lunch. It goes well with plain rice. Eating this cucumber sasive helps to digest your food easily.

8. Serve as a dip to fried dishes. Serve as one of the side dish to chapati, poori palav and other masala rice dishes.

Note :

Do not make Sasive very watery. It does not taste well. Use minimum water while grinding. Cucumber provides water to grind. Adding any cooking oil to season is optional. Do not add much spice. It should be mild.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.