Basale & Dil Leaves Kootu /Curry

Basale leaves are known as Malabar leaves and Dil leaves are sabbassige soppu in Kannada.
This Kootu is goes well with almost all the main dishes.

Basale and dil leaves are from our garden. We do grow flowers and little vegetables in pots on our terrace. It gives so much pleasure when you use your homegrown vegetables.
I have used pepper, green chilly, beans, leaves, toor dal jeera and mustard seeds.
Let us see the benefits of black pepper in our diet.
Black pepper is used since ancient time in cooking and it rich source of medicinal values. It is good for cough, cold, fever and stomach upset. It helps to improve the digestion in our body. It is good remedy for intestinal gas. It has good antioxidant properties. It helps to improve our immune system.
It is loaded with magnesium, Vitamin K, Iron and fiber. It adds taste to the food we eat.
Black Pepper/Pepper Corn is also used in easing aches, muscle pains and inflammatory arthritis. It has antibacterial, antioxidant and immune boosting properties.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

To Cook:
Basale/Malabar leaves : 1 Bowl (1 Small bundle)
Dil /Sabbassige leaves : 1/2 bowl. ( 1 Small bundle)
French beans : 250 Grams
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
To Grind : 
Fresh grated coconut : 1/2 Cup
Pepper pods : 4 to 5
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
To add :
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ground coconut masala
Green chilly : 2 to 3 
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 Leaves
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

 Method :

1. Clean and wash the leaves, cut off the hard stem and cut the leaves into small. (Basale and Dil leaves). Wash and cut curry leaves, slit green chilly and cut coriander leaves into very small.

2.Wash and remove the edges of beans and cut into very small pieces.

3. Wash and cook moong dal in a pressure cooker.

4.Cook leaves and cut beans separately in a pan with required water. Add slit chilly to it.
5. Grate coconut and grind it with jeera, pepper pods and 1/2 teaspoon of mustard. Use required water to grind.

6. Keep a big bowl on the fire and put cooked leaves, beans and cooked moong dal.
7. Add a little turmeric powder, required salt and little water. Mix it nicely and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

 8. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

 9. Shift   Basale & Dil leaves Kootu to a serving dish.
10. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds, jeera, ingh and curry leaves seasoning to Hot Kootu.
11. Add cut coriander leaves on the top.
12. Serve with any choice of your main dish with Basale & Dil Leaves Kootu Curry.

Note : 

Cooking leaves and beans separately is always better or it will be over cooked in pressure cooker.
Adding more chilly is optional. Adding jeera /cumin seeds helps the curry to digest well. Adding a teaspoon of lemon juice is optional. ( I have not added). Adding a cup of thick curd is optional. It taste different.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5 
Purely South Indian Dish.

Quick Sambar Rice

Sambar Rice is a quick Rice dish with full of veggies. It is one of the Tamil Nadu people's favourite food that can be cooked quickly and easily.

Sambar Rice is filled with proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates. Veggies are full of fiber and vitamins. It is like a full meal and it surely fills our stomach.
Sambar rice can be cooked for one pot meal, lunch or even dinner. You can take this full meal for travelling or even to office. ( For lunch)
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Rice : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup or little less
Carrots : 2 ( Medium size)
Knolkol /Kohirabi/Navilu kosu : 2
Cluster beans /Gori kai/Chavali Kodu : 100 to 150 Gr.
To Dry Roast :
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Jeera /cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A little
To season :
Capsicum : 1
Cashew Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons. ( 6 to 8 nuts)
Oil : 2 Teaspoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves.
To Add : 
Tamarind Pulp : 2 to 3 Tablespoons pulp ( Small marble size tamarind)
Turmeric powder : A little
Salt : As required
Dry ground powder
Seasoning 
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cut scrape out carrots and cut into small pieces.
2. Wash and peel off the outer layer of knolkol and cut into desired size.
3. Wash and remove the edges of cluster beans and cut into desired size.

4. Put them in a pressure cooker. Add washed toor dal. Add 1/2 Cup of water.
5. Pressure cook all the above ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.
6. Wash and cook rice and keep it aside.

7. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep it aside.
8. Dry roast all the spices one by one on low flame and dry grind once it is cooled.

9. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked rice, vegetables with dal.
10. Add tamarind pulp and haldi/turmeric. Add salt and mix all the ingredients nicely.
11. Add water if required and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
12. Add dry ground fresh spice powder and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Wash capsicum and remove its seeds from inside. Cut it into thin pieces. keep it aside.

13. Keep a pan on the fire and add oil and ghee. Add cashew nuts and fry.
14. Add mustard seeds, ingh and let mustard seeds splutter.
15. Add ingh and curry leaves . Add cut capsicum and fry till the pieces turn golden brown.

16. Shift the ready Sambar Rice to a serving dish. Add fried capsicum and seasoning mixture to Sambar rice.

Mix it well and serve with papad.

Note :

Cooking vegetables separately helps to keep the veggies crunchy. Adding more chilly to Sambar rice is optional. Adding fresh spice is optional. You can use any brand of Sambar powder instead of home prepared sambar powder.
Time : 40 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Palak/Spinach - Jack Seeds Curry

Palak /spinach leaves are the healthiest leaves. They available plenty around the year. Here I have tried " Palak/spinach  - Jack Seeds Curry and it goes well with almost all the main dishes.

 I have used palak, jack seeds, toor dal, coconut and some simple spices which are available plenty in our kitchen store.
Let us see some benefits of using Methi seeds in our diet.
Fenugrik / Methi seeds are loaded with medicinal values. It is rich in fiber and helps to lower the blood sugar level. It helps to keep our body cool and good for digestion. Methi seeds are good for heart burn and diabetes. It is good for balancing cholesterol level in our body. It is good herbal remedy for menopause and the menstruation period. ( It helps to reduce the abdomen pain during periods). Methi seeds are good for loss of appetite. They are rich in antioxidant properties.
Normally the people in Dakshina Kannada, Malenadu and surrounding areas do not use much of onions in cooking. They prefer to use the particular vegetable ( choose any one vegetable) for a curry.
No Onion or No Garlic is added in this Palak/Spinach -Jack Seeds Curry.
Let us see the recipe now

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Palak/Spinach leaves : 1 Bundle ( Small )
Jack Seeds : 1 Handful
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup ( Two Handful )
Methi Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
To Grind :
Spice Powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons
Tamarind : 1 Small marble size
Coconut : Fresh : 1/2 Cup
To Season :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 leaves
To Add : 
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Jaggery : 1/2 Teaspoon ( Or very little ).

Method :

1. Remove the outer layer (hard cover) from jack seeds and cut them into small pieces.
2. Wash toor dal, jack seeds and pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes and keep it aside. (Let it cool).
3. Wash and cut palak leaves. Pressure cook palak/spinach leaves with methi seeds till the leaves turn soft.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with spice powder and tamarind. Add required water to grind.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked palak leaves. Add toor dal and jack seeds.
6. Add required salt,jaggery and a pinch of turmeric powder. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Now add ground coconut and spice mixture. Mix it well and let it boil for 2 to 3 Minutes.

8. Shift the ready Palak /Spinach - Jack Seeds Curry to a serving dish.

9. Add mustard seeds, urid dal, ingh and curry leaves seasoning to the ready curry and serve.
10. This curry goes well with almost all the main dishes like plain rice, idli, dosa, chapati or any type of rotis.

Note :

Using methi seeds to cook helps to reduce the cholesterol level in the food. It adds to the taste. Adding jaggery is optional.I have used clean tamarind. You can use tamarind pulp instead of tamarind. Soak tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the pulp. It is always better to use tamarind pulp. Use of home prepared spice powder is optional. You can use any type of sambar /rasam powder.
Use of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes 
Serves : 4 to 5.

Home prepared Spice Powder 

Things Needed :
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly (Only byadagi) : 5 to 6
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch

Method :

Dry roast or fry  all the ingredients one by one with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil and dry grind once it is cooled.
You can grind this spice powder with coconut or use it directly and prepare sambar. (with out coconut).
This proportion is good to use for 1 time..

Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice

Green Channa /Kadale kalu ( Kannada language/Karnataka/India) is available from December till February. I tried this channa with mango tokku which was prepared last year. It tasted yum.
You can try this dish with dried green channa too.

Lets see some benefits of eating Green Channa in our diet.
Green Channa is filled with fiber. They are good for controlling the blood sugar levels. It helps to keep you full for a long time. They are good for people who diet to loose weight.They are rich in protein and low in sodium. They  are rich in antioxidants. They contain vitamin B 9, vitamin A and C. They are rich in iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. These minerals helps to keep our blood and bones strong.
I have used Mango Tokku, Green Channa, cooker rice and simple spices which are available in the kitchen store.
Green Channa - Mango tokku Rice is good for one pot meal, lunch box, travelling, brunch or dinner.
 Let us see the recipe :
No Onion or No Garlic in this  " Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice ".

Things needed :

Cooked Rice : 2 Cups
Green Channa : Fresh /dried : 1 Cup
Mango Tokku : 2 Tablespoons
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Groundnuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : One Handful
Green chilly : 2
Salt : As required
Coconut :Fresh : 1 Cup ( 3 to 4 Tablespoons).
Coriander Leaves :  2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cook rice and let it be cool.
2. Remove the pods from channa plant and wash it once.
3. Cook till they turn soft.

4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and green chilly. Cut coriander leaves and green chilly.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard seeds splutter.
7. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly. Add ground nuts and fry till they turn crispy.
8. Add cooked green channa and mix it well. Add Mango tokku and mix all the ingredients nicely.

9. Add cooked rice and mix it well. Let the flame be very low while doing the whole process.

10.Add required salt, little turmeric and a tablespoon of ghee. Mix it well.
11. Add coconut, cut  coriander leaves and mix once again. Shift the ready " Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice to a serving dish.

12. Serve with a cup of curd and papad.

Note :

Use of any raw rice is optional. Water quantity should be
Basumathi Rice : 1 Cup : Water 2 Cups
Sona Masuri or any other kind of rice : 1 Cup Rice :Water : 3 Cups or little less.
Soak Green Channa if you are using dried ones.( Over night)
Drain water after cooking Green channa.
Use of more or less ghee is optional.
Use of fresh mangoes instead of Mango tokku is optional.
Use of chilly, more/less is optional.
Type : South Indian 
Time : 10 Minutes. (If cooked rice is done already) or Cooking rice : 20 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.
 Mango Tokku /Chutney

Spicy Brinjal Sasive.

Whenever  we travel to Udupi I make sure to buy some Mattu Gulla (Special type of brnjal of from a place called Mattu near Udupi). Mattu gulla taste different, tasty and soft. It does not take much time to cook either.

Sasive /Sasme..is a Kannada word, Sasive is  one of the side dish,
There are varieties of Sasive preparations one can do easily.  Preparing sasive is easy. We can cook vegetables and mix with mustard coconut mixture or you can cook vegetables and then add the ground spice (containing mustard seeds, coconut and little chilly).

Here is a recipe of " Brinjal Sasive ".  It is  done in just mixing the coconut - mustard seeds ground mixture to cooked brinjal.
This is one of the traditional dish of South Canara. My doddamma used to prepare this Brinjal Sasive very nicely. She used to cook brinjal on charcoal. Those days there were no gas stoves or gas supply to house. People had to cook with the help of wood which they get in their surroundings. We had lots of coconut , jack fruit trees, mango trees around our house. Doddamma used to use the dry sticks from the trees and coconut shells and other  things. It is a nice memory that I have.
 I have mentioned the speciality of this brinjal in my earlier post. Mattu Gulla is very famous and especially its grown in particular place called Mattu. The seeds of this Gulla is given to people by Yati. Vadhirajaru.
Any type of brinjal can be used. (Optional).
Sasive is one of the traditional dish of South Canara, Malenadu and Coastal areas.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Brinjal/Badanekai/Gulla : 1 (Big one).
Green chilly : 2
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves
Curd /Yogurt : 1 Cup
For Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh/ Asafoetida : A little

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjal and soak in water for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Remove from the water wash it again and cook with little water till it is soft.
3. Grate coconut and grind it with mustard seeds, green chilly.

4. Remove the ground paste and put it in a big bowl.
5. Now put cooked brinjal in a big bowl and smash it nicely.

6. Put  ground coconut mixture, required salt and mix it well.
7. Add a cup of thick curd and mix it. Shift the ready Brinjal Sasive to a serving dish.
8. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.

9. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh and curry leaves. Put off the fire. Put this seasoning to Sasive.
 10. Add cut coriander leaves and serve ready sasive with rice/chapati etc.
Note :
Brinjal should be cooked well. You can cook brinjal on gas burner  (Optional). Adding more /less chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. You can also prepare varieties of Sasive using different vegetables.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.