Bean Seed and Chayote Squash Curry

Beans curry is prepared using bean seeds which were just ripe and soft. We get these beans in the market most of the time. When the beans turns ripe, you get these soft pods. The seeds are full of proteins and the Bean seed curry is just yum yum.

I have used Bean seeds, moong dal and home made curry powder and coconut along with tamarind.
Just saw a pile of Dry beans in the vegetable shop and got some thinking of preparing curry. Legumes/Beans are filled with proteins and good to have them regularly.
Let us see some benefits of eating Bean Seeds in our diet.
Dried beans are rich in minerals and vitamins. They are good protein provide food for vegetarian diet. They are filled with potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. They rich in soluble fiber. They are rich in carbohydrates and provide energy to our body.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this curry. It is easy and yummy and goes with almost all the main dishes.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Chayote Squash : 2
Bean Seeds : 1 Bowl. (1/2 Kg)
Moong dal : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Methi Seeds/Fenugrik seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

To Grind :
Spice Powder/Sambar Powder/Rasam Powder : 1 Tablespoonful
Coconut grated : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Tamarind : Small marble size
Pepper Pods : 2 to 3

To Add :
Green chilly : 2
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon (Powdered)
Salt : As required

Seasoning : 
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method : 

1. Remove the bean pods from beans. Wash and keep it aside. Wash green chilly and slit and keep it aside.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of chayote squash and cut them into small pieces.

3. Wash moong dal and pressure cook with bean pods, methi seeds and chayote squash. (3 to 4 Whistles).

4. Grate coconut and grind it with home made spice powder and tamarind. (Use required water to grind).

5. Keep cooked bean pod, chayote squash and moong dal mixture on the fire.
6. Add turmeric powder. slit green chilly and required salt.  Add little water and mix it well and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Add jaggery and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Shift " Bean Seed and Chayote Squash Curry " to a serving bowl.

9. Add mustard seasoning to the curry and serve with the main dish you have prepared.
10. Add little ghee just before serving. (Optional).

Note :

Cooking vegetables and bean pod in pressure cooker is optional. You can use any brand of masala powder/rasam powder/sambar powder. I have used home made spice powder. Use of jaggery is optional. (Adding jaggery helps to reduce to gas in the curry). Adding more /less spice is optional.
Use of toor dal instead of moong dal is optional. (Or you can cook with out using the dal too).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5.

Preparation of Spice powder :

Dry roast 1/4 Teaspoon of methi seeds, a very small piece of cinnamon, 1/4 Teaspoon of urid dal, 2 tablespoon of coriander seeds, 5 to 6 byadagi chilly, 2 to 3 pods of pepper pods5 to 6 curry leaves, a pinch of ingh/asfoetida and 1/2 Teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds. Dry roast or fry with a teaspoon of coconut oil, one by one and dry grind it when it turns cool. The fresh spice powder is ready to use.
 1 Time Use .

Cabbage - Tomato Dal

Cabbage - Tomato Dal is a gravy dish. Dal is nice to have with almost all the main dishes. This is an easy and simple dish and all age group of people can njoy having this cabbage - tomato dal.

I have used tomatoes, cabbage and Moong dal.
Let us see some benefits of having " Garam Masala in our diet ".
Garam Masala is mixed spice powder. Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, clove, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, pepper pods, nutmeg and other spices are roasted slowly and then ground together to prepare home made garam masala powder.
Garam Masala helps to fight disease and build immunity. It helps to relieve pain and inflammation.
It slow down the aging process. It helps to lose weight. Garam Masala helps the food to digest easily and keep our body warm. It helps to lower the blood sugar level and detoxify the body. They also hep the bad breath away.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this "Cabbage - Tomato Dal".

Ingredients :

Moong dal/Toor dal  : 1/2 Cup
Cabbage : 2 Cups
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Dry ginger powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method 

1. Wash and cut cabbage into small pieces. Wash and remove the seeds and cut tomatoes.
2. Wash and cut green chilly.

3. Wash and cook moong/toor dal in a pressure cooker and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and jeera.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly.
6. Add cut cabbage and fry it for a minute. Now add cut tomatoes and mix it well.

7. Add turmeric powder and a glass of water. Let the cabbage and tomato cook nicely till soft.

8. Add cooked moong dal and mix it well. Add salt and let it boil for a minute.

9. Add garam masala and rasam powder and mix it well and water if required.

10. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

11.Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add ghee and coriander leaves.
12. Serve it with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Pressure cooking the dal mixes well with cabbage and tomatoes. Adding any spice of your choice is optional. Adding more/less spice and oil is optional. Adding ghee is optional. Adding onions and garlic to the curry is optional.
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Lady finger Curry

Lady finger is one of the vegetable that we get in all seasons/around the year. It is also one of the favourite vegetable of many. I too like bendekai/bendi/lady finger/okra what ever we call it.
This is a side dish and goes well with idli, dosa, chapati,roti, plain rice and any type of rotti. (Ragi rotti, akki rotti etc).

I have used little moong dal, lady finger and some home prepared spice powder.
Lets see some benefits of having cinnemon in our diet.
Cinnemon may lower blood sugar in type One or type Two diabetes. It is rich in anti aging property. It helps to reduce blood pressure and it helps in raising the good cholesterol and reduces the bad cholesterol level. Cinnemon is rich in anti oxidants, antifungal, anti bacterial and antiviral properties. It helps in clearing up mucus and eases the breating circulation. It is also rich in anti inflammatory properties.
Lets see the recipe Now:
No Onion or No Garlic is used in Lady Finger curry. It is an easy and quick dish if you have this particular spice powder ready.

Things Needed :

Lady Finger/Bendekai : 8 to 10
Moong Dal : Handful ( 2 Tablespoons)
Spice powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons
Tamarind : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh /Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1 Wash and remove all the moisture from lady finger. Cut them in to small pieces.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add jeera and ingh. Add curry leaves. Add cut lady finger and fry till they turn golden brown.

5. Keep a big pan or bowl. Add a glass of water and washed moong dal. Let it boil and cook till soft.
6. Add tamarind pulp, required salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and jaggery. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
7. Add friend lady finger and mix it well. Let it boil for a minute. Stir once.
8. Add spice powder and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Shift the curry to a serving dish.

9. Add cut coriander leaves and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
Fry lady finger pieces nicely so that it does not get sticky. Adding any spice is optional. Ex: Rasam powder, Sambar powder, Garam Masala etc. I prefer using home made powder. It is always better to use home made spices. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding a spoon of ghee is optional.
Adding toor dal instead of moong dal is optional. Moong is known as healthy dal.
Time 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4

Recipe for Spice Powder ",

Things needed :
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Coriander Seeds : 2 Tablespoon.
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa /Kadale bele : 1/2 Teaspoon
Clove : 1
Cinnnemon  : A very small piece. (Just to add some aroma)
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida
Method :
Dry roast all the ingredients one by one til they get good aroma and turn slightly golden brown.
Keep a pan and dry roast methi till it turns brown (roasted brown), add channa dal and dry roast, add jeera and red chilly Roast it on low flame so that not get burnt. (Should be careful),
Add clove and cinnemon piece and roast it nicely. Remove it from the pan and let it cool.
Dry grind this masala and enjoy. Add only 2 to 3 teaspoons of the powder to the curry at a time. (one time).

Quick Moong - Avalakki Kichidi...

Quick Moong -Avalakki kichidi can be done quickly and is very simple, not much of spices used.

I have used Thick Avalakki/Aval/Poha/flatter or beaten rice, moong dal and some mild spices.

Kichidi does mean mixture. Rice, dal, spices cooked together becomes a whole meal. It is always healthy when you don't use much of oil and spice. Kichidi can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner or it can eaten as brunch on a lazy sunday. (Breakfast and Lunch combined).

Moong dal contain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Moong dal is good for people who diet because consuming moong helps to stay full for a long time. It is also said it is one of the best legume for vegetarians because it provides needed minerals and vitamins to the body. 

Avalakki/poha/aval/ flattened rice also good for our body. It is good for people who wants to diet. There is no onion or garlic used in this dish. You can prepare prepare Moong -Avalakki Kichidi within a short time. 

Lets see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Moong dal : 1 Cup

Avalakki/Flattened Rice (Thick variety) : 2 Cups

Green Chilly : 2 

Ginger : 1 Teaspoon (an inch)

Pepper pods : 6 to 8

Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch

Salt : Required Salt/

Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Cashew Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons (cut into small pieces)
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons .(Optional)

Method :
1. Wash and soak thick variety of flattened rice/Avalakki/Aval/Poha/Pova in 1/2 Cup of water. (For 10 minutes).
2. Wash and cook moong dal and keep it aside.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
4. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and grate it. Keep it asdie.
5. Crush pepper pods and keep it aside.
6. Keep a big pan on the fire. Put ghee and fry cashew nuts and take out cashews.
7. Add jeera and crushed pods. Add ingh/Asafoetida and curry leaves.
8. Add cut green chilly and fry for 10 seconds.
9. Add cooked moong dal, turmeric powder and salt. Add 2 glasses of water.

10. Let it mix well and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Add soaked Avalakki/flattened rice and mix it well. Cook for 5 minutes.
12. Stir in between so that it does not burnt at the bottom. Add a tablespoon of ghee. Mix it well.
13. Shift the cooked kichidi to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves.

14. Add grated coconut and fried cashew nuts.
15. Serve with papad, pickle and curd.

Note :
You can use raw rice/broken wheat instead of Avalakki. (Optional).
Use of onions and garlic is optional.
Use of more/less ghee is optional.
Use of cashew nuts and coconut is optional.
You can cook moong dal in a big pan instead of pressure cooking the dal. (Dal cooked in pressure cooker get smashed). (Optional).
Use of spices is also optional. You can use garam masala/cloves/cinnemon along with green chilly adds to the taste. But it is not that healthy.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Moong Dal -Millet Dosa (Plain Dosa).

Moong dal is always does wonder with its healthy properties. We do use Moong dal in our cooking in many ways. Like wise dals, curry, vadas, (fried fritters), Payasas/Kheer, Dosas, Doklas (famous Gujarati dish), etc etc.
I have tried Moong Dal and Millet dosa here. It has turned out just beautiful. You can prepare it immediately or after fermantation. I have tried it with both the ways.
I have used Moong dal, millet flour and some spices.

Millet is known as Jola in Kannada, (Karnataka), Sorghum/Jowar - Hindi, Cholam - Tamil (Tamilnadu), Jonna - Telugu (Andra Pradesh), Cholum - Malayalam (Kerala).
Let us know the benefits of eating Millets in our diet.
Millets are gluten free. They are highly nutritious. They are very good for our body and easy to digest. They are full of fiber. They do contain less amount of glucose. They are very good food for diabetic people.  Millets are rich in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium.
It is an easy recipe and anyone can prepare this. Very healthy dish to have in the morning for breakfast or as snack or for dinner.

Things Needed :

Moong Dal : 1  Cup
Millet flour : 1 Cup
Dry ginger : 1 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 6 to 8
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : Required
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Soak moong dal for an hour or 2 and grind it with pepper pods, jeera and ginger.
2. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.

3. Add millet flower, salt and mix it well. Allow it to ferment for 5 to 6 hours. (Or over night).

4. Keep a dosa tava on the fire. Heat and sprinkle oil. Clean it with a kitchen tissue.
5.Mix the dosa dough and take a ladleful of dough and spread it on the hot tava.

6. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover. Cook for 1 minute.
7.Turn the other side and cook. Hot Moong dal and millet dosa is ready to serve.

8. Serve with any chutney or side of your wish. Add a spoon of ghee on the top.

9. Repeat the same with remaining dough.

 Note :

No need to soak moong dal for a long time. Use of ghee instead of oil while preparing is optional.
Use fresh millet flour to get good taste. Adding any other spice while grinding is optional. (Garam masala, chat masala etc). You can also use cut onions and spread it on the dosa.
Time : Soaking time : 1 Hour, Grinding 5 minutes. Fermentation : 5 to 6 hours.
Preparation of dosa : 10 to 15 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 
You can also prepare dosa with out fermenting the dough.