Lady's Finger - Passion Fruit Curry

Lady's finger/bendekai/bendi/Okra is liked by many and disliked by many too. It has its own flavour and when cooked it leaves out the stick starch and people will dislike for this lady's finger's sticky content.

Lady's finger is very good vegetable and it is said that it helps in keeping your memory intact. It has very good fiber source and good for all age group. It has so much medicinal value and it helps to keep the diabetes away and control the blood sugar level in people who are already suffering from diabetes. It also helps people who suffer from constipation since it is rich in fiber.
Lady's finger brings me very good memory of Our Nigeria Life.
We lived in Nigeria during 1981 to 86. (My hubby spent almost 15 years in Africa). The state named Gangola. The capital city of Gangola is Yola. My hubby was a physics Lecturer there in one of the college. We had a nice two bedroom house in the College Compound. Most of the houses had boys quarters where the students family live and do house chores of the house they belonged to. The boys quarter which belong to teachers, was very close. I used to watch them cooking from our house. They normally cooked outside keeping three stones and put fire wood.
The food was normally cooked in the evening. They used to to cut Okra /Small size lady's finger,
put it to boiling water. Then pour semolina and mix it well. And also they used to add meat or fish straight into it. After some time the food is cooked and they do eat with their whole family. The food was so sticky we could see them pulling the food with their fingers.
That was indeed some good memory.
We Indians definitely won't like that sticky curry right? To remove the sticky content you need to fry bendi/lady's finger nicely, or cook them in tamarind pulp or microwave them with tomatoes. These steps really help to reduce or remove the stick content in the curry.
Coming back to my Lady's finger - Passion fruit curry it is simple and if you don't get passion fruit not to worry. Add some lemon instead of passion fruit. It taste almost the same.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Lady's Finger /Bendekai/ Bendi : 10 to 12 or more
Carrots : 2 (medium sized).
Curry Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Passion fruit : 1
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method ;

1. Wash and wipe out the moisture completely from Lady's finger. Cut and keep it aside.

2. Wash carrots, scrape out the outer layer slightly and cut them into long pieces.
3. Wash and cut tomatoes and keep it aside. Cut passion fruit and sieve the juice from it. Keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Put 2 to 3 seeds of methi seeds.
5. Add Lady's finger and fry till they turn soft.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and add little oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add ingh and curry leaves.
7. Add cut tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add carrots and stir. Add a glass of water and let carrots cook for 5 minutes.

8. Check that carrots are soft. Add fried lady's finger and stir slowly. Add salt
9. Add passion fruit juice to the curry and mix it slowly.
10. Add very little jaggery. (Optional) . Add sambar powder.

12. Let the curry boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift to the serving dish and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

If do not get passion fruit add lemon extract. / One lemon extract will serve the purpose.
Adding any brand of sambar powder is optional. I have added home prepared sambar powder.
Adding more tomatoes or carrots is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Brinjal & Chayote Squash Sambar

Brinjal / Egg plant /badane kai / Kattari kai is loved by most of the people in South India .
Here I have used Chayote Squash and Brinjal ( special brinjal from Udupi ) and prepared Sambar.

Brinjal and Chayote Squash / Seeme badane Sambar /Curry goes well with all the main dishes.
Let us see the recipe Now :
Home prepared Sambar Powder is used here and it is very easy to prepare Sambar Powder at home.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Sambar. /Curry.

Ingredients :

Brinjal : 2 ( Medium sized )
Chayote Squash : 1 ( Big Sized )
Toor dal : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Sambar Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon ( Optional )
Methi seeds /Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Green Chilly : 1
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon.
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch.

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjal in to small pieces. Soak in a big bowl of water. ( It helps to remove the bitterness in brinjal)
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of chayote squash and cut the squash into small pieces.

3. Cook chayote squash separately till soft and keep it aside. Wash and cook toor dal with little water. (Pressure cook for 5 minutes).

4. Soak a marble size tamarind in warm water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside.
5. Now cook cut brinjal with little water till they turn bit soft. Add tamarind and salt. Add little turmeric powder. Add cooked dal and mix it well. Let it cook for a minute.

6. Add cooked chayote squash to brinjal and cook for 2 minutes. Add jaggery and mix it well.

7. Add methi seeds and mix it well. Wash and slit green chilly and add it.

8. Add 2 Tablespoons of sambar powder and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Shift the curry to a serving dish and add mustard seasoning on the top.
10. Brinjal - Chayote Squash Sambar is ready to serve.

Note :

Cooking chayote squash separately helps the pieces to cook soft and it does not get smashed. Adding jaggery is optional. Adding onions or garlic to the curry is optional. Taste differ. Adding moong dal instead of toor dal is optional. Toor dal taste better for sambar. Let the jaggery be very little if you are diabetic or cooking for diabetic patient.
 Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 

Home prepared Sambar powder :

Dry roast or fry with a tsp of oil.
Coriander seeds : 3 Tablespoons
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh /Asafoetida :  A little

Dry roast or fry methi seeds till it turns golden brown. Add urid dal and channa dal and fry nicely.
Add coriander seeds and red chilly and fry till they turn slightly golden colour. ( Or crisp).
Add jeera, curry leaves and jeera. Mix it well and put off the fire.
Let it turn cool. Dry grind and use the powder.
The above said measurement for Sambar is only one time. Do not use oil if you prepare more sambar powder at a time. The oil smells bad and the powder smells stale.

Huttari Genasu Curry

Huttari Genasu is a type of root vegetable You get in Coorg. It is like Suvarna Gedde / Elephant foot.

Huttari Genasu has a special quality that it does not itch while cutting where as Suvarna gedde has that itching nature.
Here I have tried simple curry using Huttari Genasu.
Huttari genasu is cooked during Huttari Habba and I think it is available only during that period. I got this vegetable from our very close friend Usha Suresh Cukkemane. They are from Bhaghamandala near Madikeri. Though they live in Mysore they get these special vegetables from their sisters house who live in Coorg.
I have used Huttari Genasu , moong dal, coconut and some simple spices.

No Onion Or Garlic is used in this Huttari Genasu Curry.

Things needed :

To Cook :
Huttari Genasu : 1 Bowl (1/4 piece of small Huttari Genasu).
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
To Grind :
Coconut :  4 to 5 Tablespoons
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

To Add :
Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : Small Marble size
Salt : As required

Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of Huttari Genasu. Wash it again.
2. Cut it into desired size. Big /Small. Pressure cook for  4 to 5 minutes. (Do not over cook).

3. Wash moong dal and cook it separately.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with 1/2 teaspoon of jeera. Soak tamarind and squeeze out the pulp.

5. Keep a pan and add cooked moong dal and huttari genasu. Add salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add tamarind pulp.
6. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add sambar /curry powder and mix it well.

7. Add ground coconut. Mix it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Shift the ready Huttari Genasu Curry to a serving dish.
9. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and ingh / asafoetida seasoning.

10. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Clean the vegetable nicely so that no mud will get into the curry. Cut the vegetable and then wash it again. Adding coconut to the curry is optional. You can cook this curry without coconut also.
Adding any spice powder is optional. I have used home prepared sambar powder.
Huttari Genasu is one of the vegetable you get during Huttari habba. It has a special quality that it does not itch while cutting or cooked. Adding onions or garlic is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4. 

Basale-Dil leaves &Tomato Curry

Basale/Malabar leaves, Dil/Sabbassige soppy and tomato curry is a side dish and it goes well with almost all the main dishes. It is an easy dish and I have not used any dal here. Try and enjoy this easy, quick and simple curry.

I have used dil leaves, malabar leaves/basale as it known as in Kannada, green tomatoes and MTR Rasam powder.
MTR rasam/sambar powder really has the touch of Udipi taste and I do use it some time. We do prepare rasam powder or sambar powder fresh and use it for that particular curry/rasam. The aroma you get from fresh rasam powder is excellent and the sambar/rasam taste yummy.
Let us see how to prepare Rasam Powder :
All you need it Byadagi chilly (In Udupi and Malanadu normally will use only Byadagi chilly).
Coriander seeds 2 to 3 three tablespoons, 1/4 Teaspoon of methi/fenugrik seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds. Little curry leaves and ingh/asafoetida. If sambar powder use 1 teaspoon of channa dal or urid dal.
Take a pan, add a teaspoon of coconut oil. Fry byadagi chilly ( 5 to 6 ) and remove it from pan. Add methi seeds let it turn slightly brown, add coriander seeds and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add jeera and put off the fire. Add curry leaves and ing/asafoetida. Let it cool and then dry grind or grind it with coconut.
The above quantity is enough for 1 bowl curry/Sambar/Saru/rasam. ( 2 to 3 people).
Let us see the recipe Now:
No Onion OR Garlic is used in this curry.
No Dals are used in this curry.
Ingredients :
To Cook :
Basale/Malabar leaves : 1 bowl. (mainly leaves)
Dil leaves /Sabbassige soppu : 1 Small bowl
Green tomatoes : 5 to 6 (Small size)
To Grind :
MTR rasam powder : 2 to 3 teaspoons
Coconut : 4 to 5 tablespoons
Tamarind : 1 small marble size
To Add :
Mustard Curry leaves seasoning : 1 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : To taste.

Method :

1. Wash and cut dil leaves, malabar leaves and tomatoes into small.
2. Cook with little water or pressure cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with tamarind and rasam powder.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked leaves and tomatoes.
5. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add ground coconut rasam powder mixture. Mix it nicely and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Shift the ready "Basale- Dil Leaves & Tomato curry to a serving dish.

8. Add seasoning done in coconut oil and serve.

Note :
You can use any brand of rasam powder of your choice. Taste differ. Use of coconut oil is optional.
Use little water to grind. Then add required water. If you want the curry to be more liquidy add little more water and little more rasam powder.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Sweet Potato - Basale (Malabar Spinach) Curry

Sweet Potato - Basale (Malabar Spinach) Curry is a gravy dish. Basale/Malabar Spinach is loaded with healthy properties and grow nicely even in pots. I have used one full bowl of leaves from our home garden.

I have used Basale, sweet potatoes, coconut and some spices.
Let us see some benefits of having Tamarind in our diet.
Tamarind contain chemincal compounds, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber. The dietary fiber in tamarind helps in preventing constipation. They also help in reducing the bad cholesterol level in our body. Tamarind is rich in tartaric acid. It gives sour taste to food and it is powerful antioxidant. It helps our body to protect from harmful free radicals. Tamarind has rich source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Potassium helps in controlling heart beat and blood pressure. Iron content in tamarind helps in production of red blood cells. Tamarind has good source of Vitamin A, folic acid, Vitamin C.
" Sweet Potato - Basale Curry " goes well with almost all the main dish.
Let us see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Basale  /Malabar Spinach 1 bundle
Sweet potatoes : 2
To Grind :
Coconut : 1/2 cup
Red byadagi chilly : 4 to 5
Coriander seeds : 1 1/2 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Tamarind : Small marble size
Seasoning ;
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds " 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : a pinch
To add :
Salt : To taste
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cut Malabar Spinach/Basale leaves and keep it aside.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of sweet potato and wash it again and cut it into desired size.

3. Cook Basale/Malabar Spinach and sweet potato till soft.
4. Grate coconut and grind it with tamarind (remove the seeds if any), raw coriander seeds and jeera.
5. Grind it nicely and remove from the mixi jar. ( Use only required water).

6. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked sweet potato and basale /malabar spinach.
7. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and required salt. Mix it well and let it boil for a minute.
8. Add ground coconut -spice mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Shift the ready Sweet Potato - Basale curry to a serving dish.
10. Add cut coriander leaves and mustard seasoning.

11. Add a spoon of ghee and mix it nicely.
12. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note:

You can use a pressure cooker to cook leaves and sweet potatoes. (Optional). This curry is called Hasi Huli (curry) since the spices are used raw. (Not roasted). Use of jaggery is optional. I have not used.
It has no dals in in it. (Toor /Moong). Use of dals are optional. You can also use very little (1 teaspoon of) soaked raw rice while grinding coconut and spices. It helps the curry to be thick but the taste differ.  I have not used. This is one of traditional raw spice curry in Dakshina Kannada/South Canara and Malenadu side. Use of onions and garlic is optional. I have not used.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4