Kesu /Colocasia Chutney

Kesu /Colocasia leaves are used to prepare patrode/ Udupi special and the stems are used for preparing chutney. We have grown some kesu leaves in pots. They do yield small leaves. I use it for making a spicy type of roti and we have that roti as one of the side dish during our lunch.

The stems are used for chutney or gojju. I did prepare this kesu chutney and thought of sharing it here.
It is one of the traditional dish of South Canara. It is very helpful for easy digestion and helps to improve your taste bud.
These Kesu leaves grows well in South Canara, Malenadu area during rainy season and they are used for varieties of dishes.
Let us see the recipe Now :

I have used :

Kesu /Colocasia leaves and stems : 10 to 12 : Small ones
Green chilly : 2
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Tamarind : 1 Small marble size
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Coconut : 1 Cup.
To Season :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 2
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 3 to 4

Method :

1. Wash and clean Kesu leaves. Take away the over thread from stem and cut leaves and stems into small. Fry green chilly with 1/2 tsp of coconut oil.

2. Cook Kesu leaves with coriander seeds, tamarind, little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Use required water to cook. (You can pressure cook for 5 minutes).

3. Grate coconut.
4. Grind grates coconut with cooked leaves mixture and fried green chilly.
5. Shift the chutney to a serving dish.

6. Add mustard seeds, ingh, curry leaves and red chilly seasoning with coconut oil,  to chutney.
7. Kesu / Colocasia Chutney is ready to eat or serve.

Note :

Adding more chilly is optional. Tamarind should be used in proper quantity or the chutney might have itchy feeling.
Use of coconut oil is optional.
I have not used garlic or onion. It is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Kara Pongal /Huggi

Huggi/ Pongal is prepared during Dhanurmasa as I said earlier post. But this Kara /Spicy Pongal can be prepared at any time of the day. It is an easy and healthy dish that provide purpose of food.

It is prepared using moong dal and raw rice. I have learnt this recipe from one of my close friends daughter in Chennai. She has prepared this yummy dish and we all loved it.
We Udupians usually do not prepare kara /spicy pongal. It has become a practice these days and it is one of the stamped recipe of Tamailnadu. People do have this pongal mostly for breakfast in Tamilnadu.
Even Iyyers do prepare this Pongal in such a yummy way. Iyyers and Iyyangar's  Pongal is loaded with pepper and ghee. It has such a wonderful aroma, one should feel like eating it again and again.
Ok, coming back to this Kara Pongal is easy.
All you need is moong dal, rice, ghee, jeera /cumin seeds and pepper. They do not use any other spice. They do pour ghee on it...( As much it takes ).
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Pepper Pods : 8 to 10.( 3/4 Teaspoon ).
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1/2  Cup
Cashews : 6 to 8 or more
Salt : As required
Green chilly : 1 ( Optional )
Ginger : An inch

Method :

1. Wash and cook moong dal and raw rice separately.

2.Wash and slit green chilly., crush pepper pods and cashews cut into small pieces.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add cooked rice and moong dal.
5.Add little turmeric powder, 1/2 glass of water and required salt. Mix it well and cook on low flame.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee, slit green chilly and grated ginger.

7. Keep a pan on the fire and add a tablespoon of ghee. Add cut cashews and fry til they turn golden brown.

8. Add jeera /cumin seeds and pepper. Fry for 10 seconds and put half of the seasoning to this mixture to already done pongal.

Cook on low flame for a minute.

9. Shift the pongal  / Khara Huggi to a serving dish. Add remaining cashews mixture on the top. Add remaining ghee to Khara Pongal /Spicy Huggi .
10. Serve when it is piping hot. Hot huggi taste delicious.

Note :

Do not over cook rice or moong dal. Adding more / less ghee is optional. Adding green chilly is optional. Do not add any oil or vanaspathi except ghee.
Time : 20 Minutes.

Serves : 4 to 5.

Sweet Potato - Poppy Seeds Payasa / Kheer.

Sweet Potato Payasa is one of the traditional Payasa/kheer done during the harvest of sweet potatoes.  You get plenty of fresh sweet potatoes during winter season.
It is normally during winter and sweet potatoes helps the body to be warm and energetic.

 I normally prepare sweet potato payasa without poppy seeds and use coconut milk.
I thought of using poppy seeds and wanted to try and enjoy this payasa. Anyways it is an easy dish and it taste delicious.
Normally we do use coconut milk in payasa and this time I have used poppy seeds/gasgase with coconut and use the whole ground paste. Use of poppy seeds helps us to get rid of gas in food.

Let us see some benefits of eating Sweet Potatoes in our diet.
Sweet Potatoes help us to lose weight. Eating sweet potatoes helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure. It is high in fiber and helps to prevent constipation. Sweet potatoes helps to improve immunity. It helps to control diabetes.
Sweet Potato contain no fats and filled with antioxidants. It is rich in carbohydrates and proteins. It contain Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. It contain minerals like Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
Sweet Potatoes are good for diabetic people. It helps to improve the digestion and reduces the inflammation. It helps in reducing the stress and strengthens the body immunity.
I have used sweet potatoes, jaggery, coconut, cardamom and poppy seeds.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : 3 to 4 ( Small in size ).
Jaggery : 1 Small cup  ( Powdered jaggery 4 to 5 tablespoons ).
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Poppy Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Avalakki :2 Tablespoons ( Optional )
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1 cup of water. Let jaggery melt nicely. Let it boil for 2 minutes after it melts. Sieve this mixture and keep the clean jaggery aside.
2. Wash and peel off the skin of sweet potatoes and cut in to small. Wash it again and soak in clean water for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Now cook sweet potato pieces with required water till they turn soft. Wash and soak a tablespoon of avalakki / flattened rice.
4. Grate coconut and remove the seeds of cardamom. Grind it with 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds with required water till it turn as paste.

5. Add jaggery water to cooked sweet potato pieces and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to boiling mixture.

6. Now add ground coconut and poppy seeds - cardamom mixture. Mix it well.

7. Add soaked avalakki /flattened rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. It helps to bind the payasa nicely.

8. Shift Sweet Potato payasa to a serving dish. Add a cup of fresh milk just before serving.

9. Serve delicious Hot or cold " Sweet Potato Payasa /Kheer " and enjoy.

Note :

Cut sweet potato pieces into small to relish the taste. It helps to cook sweet potatoes fast. Adding flattened rice/Avalakki helps to bind the payasa well. You can use a teaspoon of soaked raw rice instead of avalakki. Wash and soak raw rice for at least for 5 minutes. Use of poppy seeds is optional. Use of coconut milk instead of coconut paste is optional. Adding more / less jaggery is optional. Use of sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Adding fresh milk adds to the taste. Add it once the payasa turns slightly cool.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves :  5 to 6.

Chutney Rava Rotti

Chutney Rava Rotti is prepared using Chutney and Rava/Semolina.

I prepared this chutney for afternoon lunch and used the left over chutney to prepare crispy, yummy rava rotti
Rava rotti turned yummy. It is easy, yummy, quick and simple. You can prepare this rotti very easily and quick. You can add the vegetables of your choice. All the ingredients are already mixed in the chutney and it adds taste to rotti.
I have used coconut, green chilly, ondelaga /Gotu kola leaves and little tamarind for chutney.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Rava /Semolina Medium sized : 2 Cups
Chutney /Any chutney : 1 Small cup
Carrots : 2
Salt : As required
Curd : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add curd, required salt, rava and mix it well.

2. Add chutney and required water.

3. Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots and grate it.
4. Put grated carrots to rava and mix it well. Add water if required.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put a teaspoon of oil on the top.
6. Spread the oil around the pan with the help of spatula.

7. Now take a handful of rava rotti mixture and spread it with your finger. ( As thin as you like ).
8. Add little oil on the top of rotti and let it cook on medium and low flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook for a minute.

10. Now Chutney Rava Rotti is ready to serve.

11. Serve with your choice of side dish like chutney powder, chutney or sambar/curry.

12. We had Chutney Rava Rotti with coriander - coconut chutney and chutney powder. Added a teaspoon of fresh home made ghee on the top while serving.

Note :

Do not use stale chutney. You might get sick. Use of any vegetable of your choice is optional.
Use of more /less oil is optional. Adding curd to rotti mixture adds to the taste. ( Optional ).
Adding onions to rotti is optional. Chutney is filled with all the ingredients. Adding extra coriander leaves, curry leaves and coconut is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Ondelaga / Gotu Kola leaves Chutney :

Wash and remove the stem from Ondelaga if they are very hard. Grate coconut. Grind coconut, cleaned and washed Ondelaga /Gotu Kola, tamarind pulp and coriander leaves. Add required salt and grind it with required water. Add mustard seasoning with curry leaves and ingh. Your Ondelaga chutney is ready to serve. I have used this chutney for preparing Rava Rotti.
Time :
Rotti Preparation : 20 Minutes
Coconut chuteny : 10

Kesu Palya / Colocasia Dry Curry

ಕೇಸು /Kesu/ Colocasia is one of the healthy leaf which grows well during rainy season and is good for health too. We got colocasia plants and we get fresh leaves once in two to three weeks. I do prepare varieties of dishes using Kesu. This time I tried Kesu Palya /Dry Curry. It has come out very nice and thought of sharing with you all.

I have used Kesu / Colocasia  leaves, home prepared curry powder, jaggery and tamarin. Seasoned with coconut oil which I brought from ooru when I went last time
Kesu leaves helps to keep our body warm and provides lots of minerals and vitamins. It has a good source of fiber and helps in easing the constipation problems
Let us see the recipe now "
No Onion OR No Garlic in this Kesu Palya. It is a dry curry with sweet and spicy taste. It is nice to eat with plain rice.

Things Needed :

Colocasia leaves : 10 to 12 ( Medium sized )
Tanarind  : 1 Marble size
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Curry Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut : 2 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Byadagi red chilly : 2 to 3
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little

Method :

1. Wash and cut kesu leaves into small pieces. Remove its stems outer layer before cutting its stems.

2. Put tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, jeera and ingh. Let mustard seeds splutter.
5. Add curry leaves and kesu leaves. Mix it well. Add tamarind pulp, salt and jaggery.

6. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and mix all the ingredients nicely. Cover and cook on medium flame till all water disappear.

7. Mix in between and add curry powder and mix it again.
8. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, leaves turns soft and all the moisture disappear.

9. Add fresh grated coconut and mix it nicely. Put off the fire and shift the ready Kesu Dry Palya to a serving dish.

10. Serve with your choice of main dish.

Note :

Do not use much water to cook. Adding more jaggery is optional. Use of curry powder is your choice. I have used home prepared curry powder. Kesu leaves should be tender. Use of tamarind is important.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 People.

Curry Powder :

 Dry roast channa dal, urid dal, coriander seeds, each 1 tablespoon,  red chilly/byadagi  ( 5 to 6 ), methi seeds 1/2 ts, jeera /cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon, sesame seeds  1 tablespoon and ingh.
Dry grind once it is cooled down. Use it for a time. ( 1 time )