Pumpkin Curry (Without Dal ) / ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ)

Pumpkin is one of the handy vegetable and we do prepare varieties of dishes.

I have prepared different curries and the posted in my blog. Here is one more curry using Pumpkin. It has no dal and the spices are not roasted. Try this curry surely you all will like it I am sure.
I have used Pumpkin, coriander seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, red byadagi chilly, little coconut and little tamarind pulp.
Pumpkin can be kept for a long time and it can be used. People do bake this vegetable and have it. We Indians use in our cooking.
Let us the recipe Now :

No Onion - No Garlic Pumpkin Curry 

Ingredients :

Cooking :
Pumpkin : 1 Bowl (Half of one small pumpkin).

Grinding :
Coconut : 1 Small cup
Daniya /Coriander seeds : 1 Tbs
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Byadagi Chilly : 4 to 5

To Add :
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tbs
Salt : As required
Turmeric : A little

Seasoning :
Coconut Oil /Any cooking oil : 1 Tsp
Byadagi chilly : 1
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Methi Seeds : 3 to 4 Seeds
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

Method : 

1. Wash and peel off the skin and the pulp from Pumpkin and cut it into small pieces.

2. Cook pumpkin pieces with little water.

3. Soak a small marble size tamarind and take out the pulp and add it to cooked pumpkin.
4. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, jeera and byadagi chilly.

5. Add salt and turmeric to cooked pumpkin pieces and cook for a minute.

6. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between.

7. Now Pumpkin Curry is ready.

8. Shift it to a serving dish.

9. Prepare Seasoning with coconut oil (Optional), mustard seeds, ingh, 1 byadagi chilly and curry leaves. Add this to Pumpkin Curry and serve.

Note :

Do not over cook pumpkin pieces. Adding more or less byadagi chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. No Onion or garlic is added here.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Aloo Palya

Aloo/Potato Palya / Potato Dry Curry is an easy and yummy Palya. It is fantastic combination for Curd Rice or any other main dishes. Here is Aloo Palya with South Indian touch, try and enjoy.

I have used Potatoes/Aloo, seasoning with usual mustard seeds and jeera. Added some sambar powder to give South Indian taste. Added some coconut to give South Canara taste. The combination was super good and we enjoyed it as one of the side dish with our lunch.
I also prepared Parata/Parota with the same Aloo Palya. Give a try and enjoy parota also. You will definitely like the taste.
Aloo is full of carbs and it provides energy to our body. It is better to cook rather than frying. Frying potato is not that good.
Its a simple curry and easy to prepare it.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Potatoes /Aloo : 2 to 3 (Medium sized).
Seasoning : 
Cooking Oil : 2 Tb
Mustard Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
To Add :
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : A little
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Pepper Pods : 4 to 5
Sambar Powder : 1 Tbs
Fresh Grated Coconut :  2 to 3 Tbs
Green chilly : 1

  Method :

1. Wash and peel off the outer layer of potatoes.
2.Cut them as french fry shape. ( Long and thin).  Wash and slit a green chilly.

3. Wash it again and take out all the water and keep the potatoes aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add cooking oil, mustard seeds and jeera.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh, slit green chilly, crushed pepper and curry leaves.

6. Add cut potatoes and stir slowly. Let the flame be low and medium.
7. Sprinkle some water and cook. Stir in between. Crush pepper pods and keep it aside.

8. Add little turmeric powder and mix it well.

9. Let it cook till soft. Add required salt.
10. Add chilly powder and sambar powder.

11. Mix it nicely and add grated coconut. Cook on low flame for 2 minutes.

12. Put off the fire and shift Palya to a serving dish.

13 We had Aloo Palya for our lunch.

14. I used the palya to prepare Parota at night.

Note :
Adding more oil is optional. You need to add water little by little till Potato turns soft. (Do not add at once. Adding little by little is advisable).
Adding sambar powder adds to the taste.
No onions or garlic used.
Adding coconut is optional.
Time : 25 to 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Kesu /Colocasia Rava Rotti

Colocasia Rava Rotti is one of the side dish for lunch. Normally colocasia rotti is prepared using raw rice. I have used rava instead of rice and prepared this Rotti.

We from Udupi, normally use this rotti for lunch as one of the side dish. This colocasia rotti is eaten with coconut oil and the plain rice mixing together. The taste is lovely and you will surely enjoy the spicy taste.
Colocasia leaves are good for our body and it helps to protect our body from cold. The leaves are fiber rich.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Medium Size Rava/Semolina : 1 Cup
Colocasia leaves : 8 to 10
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Coriander seeds : 1 Tbs full
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Tamarind : 1/2 Lemon size
Byadagi Chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Jaggery : 1 Tbs
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cut out the stick on the top of Colocasia leaves.

2. Cut the leaves into small.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, tamarind, turmeric powder,  jeera and byadagi chilly. Use required water. At last put jaggery and grind it for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Put 1 cup of Rava/Semolina in a big bowl. Add salt. Add ground mixture. Add cut colocasia leaves.
5. Mix all the ingredients nicely.

6. Keep a tava on fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil on the tava.

7. Spread a handful batter on hot tava like dosa. (Better use fingers to spread the batter on tava).
8. Add some oil on top and cook on medium and low flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook till it turns golden brown.
10. Take out from tava  and serve Kesu /Colocasia Rava Rotti .

Note :

Use of tamarind is a must. Adding more jaggery is optional.
Use of rice flour instead of rava is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes. 
Serves : 3 to 4 Thin Rotti.

Kashaya Coffee

Kashaya is nothing but some healthy drink. It is helpful to take care of your body. Kashaya is prepared using some home available spices.

This Kashaya powder is very useful to protect you from all type of ill health.
It is good for cough, keeps your body warm and controls blood pressure and diabetes.
Kashaya can be used as coffee, means every day you can drink. Morning coffee time or after breakfast you can have this drink.
Kashaya powder is very easy to prepare and this kashaya recipe I got from my co sister. Her father and brother used to advice people and give home prepared medicines, pain relief oils and they served the local people.
I have used methi/fenugrik seeds, poppy seeds, Jeera/cumin seeds and little pepper.
The four ingredients are dry roasted and dry ground it. The Kashaya powder should be stored well and use it whenever you prepare Kashaya Coffee.
It is good for digestion, controlling your blood pressure, blood sugar and it helps in taking care of your health by protecting the whole system.
Let us see some benefits of Methi seeds in our diet.

Methi /Fenugrik seeds helps to balance the cholesterol level in our body. It helps in reducing the fat.
It is good for stomach upset and digestive problems : When you have stomach upset do take a glass of butter milk and 1/4 teaspoons of methi seeds soaked in it. No need to rest the seeds. Just drink it and you will feel very comfortable after drinking methi - butter milk drink. Methi seeds helps during the menstrual period cramps in ladies. It helps in reducing the fever and soothe muscle pain. It also helps in maintaining liver and kidney health. Methi seeds are rich in fiber and helps in easy bowel movements. They contain good anti oxidant properties and helps in removing the toxins in our body.
This is simple Kashaya Coffee . You can double the amount of methi seeds. My sister in law Leela Somayaji has given this recipe and whenever  we go to Our Birthi Mane in Ooru I too join them drinking Kashaya Coffee after my breakfast.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 50 Grams.
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 50 Grams
Poppy seeds /Gasgase : 50 Grams
Pepper Pods : 1 Tablespoon ( Or little less you can use).

Method :

Clean the ingredients and keep it in a tray.

1. Dry fry Methi seeds till it turn golden brown. Take it out from the pan

2. Dry fry jeera/cumin seeds on low flame and take it out to a big bowl.

3. Dry fry pepper pods and add poppy seeds.

4. Now put off the fire and shift the ingredients to a big bowl. So that it can cool fast.

5. Dry grind the ingredients and put the mixture to a bowl.

6. Shift the Kashaya Powder to a bowl. Let it cool completely.

. Store in a glass jar bottle and use it whenever you want.

7. It can be eaten with honey when you have cold, cough and throat pain.

8. Take a quarter tsp of the powder mix it with 1 or 1/2 tsp of honey mix it well and eat it.
9. You can use this powder for daily Kashaya Coffee after food.
10 You can also make kashaya coffee and drink it.

Note :

Use of methi seeds more /less is optional. Dry roast on low flame. Use glass jar to fill the Kashaya powder. Do not add any sugar. Add little jaggery whenever you prepare Kashaya coffee.
Kashaya Coffee is one of the best herb coffee to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar level in our body. Drinking Kashaya Coffee keeps away the cough, throat pain and even fever.
Try and enjoy.
Time : 20 to 30 Minutes.
Serves : As you use. 

How to make Kashaya Coffee.

Boil a glass of water. Add 1/2 tsp of Kashaya powder and let it boil nicely for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of jaggery and boil for a minute. Sieve this Kashaya coffee to a big glass. Add 1/2 cup of milk. Serve or drink.
1/2 Tsp of Kashaya Coffee powder is enough for 1 glass of water.

Boil the mixture till it reduces to 3/4  glass. Add milk after you shift the kashaya to a bowl.

Let the mixture cool a little or when you add milk it might curdle. So let the Kashaya cool down for 1 to 2 minutes.