Tava Roasted Sweet Potato Snack

Sweet Potato is one of the healthy carbohydrate filled vegetable. It is said that eating sweet potato is good for our health. We do use sweet potato for many dishes. Here is a simple snack which fits to all aged group and good to have in the evening and believe me it is yummy. Try and enjoy this easy, quick, healthy and simple Sweet Potato Snack.

I have given the name as tava/pan roasted, because I did not use much oil. Only drizzled some oil and cooked on low flame to taste better. Try and Enjoy.
All You need is sweet potatoes, carrot, and if you are an onion lover, onion pieces and little chat masala to add some spice to the chat.

Let us see some benefits of Eating " Sweet Potato " in our diet.

Sweet Potatoes are filled with vitamins and minerals. They help to boost our immunity system. They are fiber rich. They are good for controlling diabetes and people who suffer from blood pressure. They are rich in potassium. Potatoes help to digest the food easily since they are rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. It is rich in iron and Vitamin A which is essential for hormones and fertility. Sweet Potato is filled with anti - inflammation and anti oxidant properties.
Sweet potatoes are good for eye health. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B3 Vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium and copper.
Let us see the recipe Now.
Tava Roasted Sweet Potatoes are good for kids and all the age group people. They are soft, turned crisp at the outer layer and taste yummy.

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : : 2 to 3 ( Medium sized )
Carrot : 1
Onion : 1 ( Optional )
Green chutney : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Chat Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required :
Curd : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly and coriander leaves. Crush them with little salt. Keep it aside.

3. Remove the outer layer of onion and cut into small pieces.
4. Wash and cook sweet potatoes and remove the outer layer and cut them into small ( according to your wish).
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil and place the small pieces of sweet potatoes on the pan. Roast them on low flame. Sprinkle some oil on the top.

6. Turn the other side and cook them till they turn golden brown. Sprinkle little salt, garam masala and chat masala and let it fry slowly.

7. Remove them to a plate. Repeat the same with remaining pieces.

Now Plating :

1. Without Onion :
   Take a serving plate and spread some carrots and place roasted sweet potatoes on it.
 Sprinkle some more carrots and crushed green chilly and coriander mixture. Serve.

2. With Onions :

Take a serving plate. Spread carrot gratings. Place sweet potatoes. Add carrot gratings and cut onions. Put crushed coriander - green chilly mixture.  Serve.

3. With Curd : Adding onion is optional. I have not added onions.

Take a plate and spread carrots and place roasted sweet potato pieces.
Add some carrot gratings and coriander leaves - green chilly mixture.
Add curd on the top and serve.

Note : 

Do not over cook sweet potatoes. It does not taste good. Adding more oil and shallow frying sweet potato pieces is optional.
Use of onion is optional. Sprinkle some salt on the top is optional.
Let the spice be minimum. Crushed green chilly and coriander leaves adds to the taste.
Time : 15 Minutes if you already cooked sweet potatoes. To cook sweet potatoes another 5 to 6 minutes and to cool 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Snake Gourd Dry Curry

Snake Gourd / Padavala Kai is one of the healthy vegetable and is full of nutritious. We should have these fiber rich vegetables in our diet regularly.

I have tried Snake Gourd Dry Curry, using jeera/cumin seeds/fennel seeds and little mustard seeds.
Added coconut to add the taste and good vitamins.
Udupi Taste Snake Gourd Dry Curry is one of the traditional dish prepared during any festival or feast. We do not use onions or garlic usually in our dishes.
Let us see this simple recipe.
NO ONION or NO GARLIC IS USED IN THIS DRY CURRY.

Ingredients : 

Snake Gourd : 1 ( Small one )
Coconut : 1/2 Cup /2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Sambar Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
 To Season : 
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut snake gourd into very small pieces. Wash curry leaves and coriander leaves.
2. Grate coconut and grind it with sambar powder, red chilly powder and mustard seeds. Remove the ground mixture from the jar and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
4. Add curry leaves. Add cut snake gourd pieces and mix it well.
5. Add required water and cook till they turn soft.

6. Add salt. Add little turmeric powder and stir nicely.
7. Add ground coconut mixture and let mix it well. Let it cook on low flame till all the moisture disappear.

9. Shift it to a serving dish, add cut coriander leaves and serve as one of the side dish.

Note :

You can use pressure cooker to cook snake gourd pieces.Do not over cook.
Adding more /less green chilly is optional. Use of jaggery is optional. Use of any cooking oil instead of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Kesu Spicy Curry /Karakali

Kesu Spicy Curry are simple and an easy dish.

In Facebook page there is one ladies group called " Pakashale/ಪಾಕಶಾಲೆ and me also the member of that group. I like that group because there are so many ladies who give good suggestions,tips and put up their recipes too. I read this recipe there and tried it. It is simple as we also do the same but something little different. Malini Guruprasad one of the Pakashale member has done this Karakali and she had put up the recipe in Pakashale Page.
We normally cook Kesu leaves with tamarind pulp and green chilly and then grind it as chutney. It can be done both the ways like adding the fresh grated coconut or without coconut. Both are yummy to have with plain rice and coconut oil. The chutney with out coconut is known as KARAKALI. Some people use garlic while seasoning and some add ingh/asafoetida since they do not eat garlic.
But this recipe is still simple. You just cook till it the leaves turn soft. Thats it. Karakali is ready to eat. Here too people who like garlic use garlic while seasoning and some ingh/ asafoetida.
Let us see the recipes now :

Kesu /Colocasia Spicy Gojju :

Things Needed :
Kesu leaves : 10 to 15 Leaves
Green chilly : 2 to 3 or 4
Tamarind Pulp : 2 To 3 tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A little
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 4 to 5

Method :

1. Wash and cut kesu leaves and its stems into small. ( Remove the outer thread if the stems are big and grown.
2. Soak half lemon size tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add washed and slit green chilly and fry for a minute. Add ingh and curry leaves.
5. Add cut Kesu /Colocasia leaves and stir a bit. Add turmeric powder, tamarind pulp and required salt.
6. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix all the ingredients nicely and let it cook till the leaves are soft.
7. Shift the curry to a serving dish once it is done.

Note :

Adding tamarind pulp will help to remove the itchyness in Kesu leaves. Do not add any jaggery to it. It should be spicy. We used ghee while eating instead of coconut oil. Coconut oil just got over. Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2. 

Cucumber Lassi / Chaas: Sweet & Salt

Lassi /Chaas /Butter Milk whatever you call it, it is one of the healthiest drink in Summer Season. 

The summer is here. Already screeching son shows his heat. The hot air blows through out the day. You need to keep your mind and body cool. So let us have some Cucumber Lassi /Chaas Sweet or Salt. Both are easy to preapre and good for health.
I think You like my idea of having this cucumber Lassi. It is yummy, delicious, quick and simple.
All I have used is curd / butter milk, salt and jaggery, cucumber and water.
Let us see some benefits of having Cucumber in our diet. 
We know that cucumber helps to keep our body cool. It is full of nutrients. It has a rich source of anti oxidants that is good for our health. Cucumber is low in calories and it is fiber rich. Good for dehydration and good for loosing weight. It helps in easy digestion. Control the blood sugar level. helps in controlling the blood pressure. It is good for bones. It is good for hair and skin. Cucumber contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B5 and minerals like protein and magnesium.
Cucumber Lassi is good for all aged people.  
Cucumber Lassi is diet friendly.
  It is diabetic friendly 

I have used pepper pods and salt for the Salted Lassi 
2. Jaggery for Sweetening the Lassi.

Things needed : 

Curd : 1/2 Cup
Cucumber : 2 ( Small Variety).
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4

For Salted Lassi / Butter milk 
Salt : As required
Ingh : A little

For Sweet Lassi 
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons : Powdered or liquid

Method :

1. Wash and peel off the skin of cucumber and cut into small pieces.

2. Grind cut cucumber and pepper pods with little water. Grind it in to paste.

3. Add curd and  2 glasses of water and churn for 2 minutes.
4. Remove the done butter milk to a bowl.
5. Divide cucumber lassi two bowls.

6. Add required salt and a pinch of ingh/ Asafoetida to salted lassi and mix it well.

7. Add a tablespoon of jaggery to sweet Lassi and mix it well.

8.Sweet and Salt Lassi / Chaas /butter milk is ready to serve.

9. Put the lassi to glasses and serve. ( Adding ice cubes are optional ).

Note : 

Adding more curd is optional. You can also add little green chilly and cut coriander leaves to salty lassi. I have not added because in summer it is good to use pepper pods instead of green chilly.
Adding sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Remember jaggery is good for health. It helps in keeping your body cool.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Rice Shavige Chitranna

https://nsomayaji.blogspot.com/2013/09/easy-ottu-shavige.htmlRice Ottu shavige /Home made Varmicelli is very famous in South Canara. We do prepare Shavige for breakfast or during festival time. Whole day Shavige is served with many side dishes and is made into varieties of chitranna. 

Here is a simple way that you can also prepare Shavige Chitranna in easy way.
This Easy Shavige is prepared using white rice flour.
Let us see the recipe Now :
This is simple Shavige Chitranna and used very little ingredients.
No Onion or no garlic is used here in this recipe.

Ingredients :

Ottu Shavige : 1 Bowl
Coconut : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 2
Lemon Extract : 2 Teaspoon /1 lemon juice
For seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Ground Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Green chilly : 2
Coconut Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
To Add :
Salt  : Required Salt.

Method :

1. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash and squeeze out lemon juice and keep it aside.

2. Wash and slit green chilly and cut curry leaves into small.
3. Keep a big pan on the fire and add Coconut Oil.
4. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let mustard seeds splutter.
5. Add green chilly and curry leaves. Fry for 10 Seconds. Add ground nut and fry till it turns crisp. ( 1 to 2 minutes).

6. Add Ottu Shavige which is prepared and kept. Let the flame be low.
7. Add turmeric powder, lemon,  jaggery and salt. Mix it slowly. Let jaggery mix with Shavige.

8. Add fresh grated coconut and mix it well. Put off the fire and shift Shavige Chitranna to a serving dish.  Add a tablespoon of ghee on the top.

 9. Serve Shavige Chitranna with a cup of curd.

Note : 

Shavige should be cooled and then mix it with the seasoning You have done. Do stir slowly or it turns as one ball. ( Mixes together to form a ball shape). Adding jaggery is optional. I have added because it helps the food digest easily and reduces the acidity in the food. Adding more oil /ghee is optional.
Adding more ghee is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Easy way of preparing Ottu Shavige :

https://nsomayaji.blogspot.com/2013/09/easy-ottu-shavige.html