ಕೇಸು/ Kesu/ Colocasia Sasive/ Colocasia Mustard Curry

Kesu/ Colocasia leaves are good to eat during the rainy season and it helps us to keep our body warm.

I have prepared sasive/mustard based curry using Kesu leaves.  We do have some leaves grown in pots in our terrace garden.
It is an easy dish and one should remember to use proper amount of tamarind while cooking. Or it starts to itch and the food goes waste.
I have used some kesu leaves, mustard seeds, green chilly and seasoned in coconut oil.

Let us see some benefits of having Kesu Leaves in our diet. 

Kesu leaves are loaded with potassium, minerals, vitamins and healthy properties. It has vitamin C, vitamin A and C. They are rich in fiber and protein. It is gluten free and helps in lowering the blood pressure. It helps in building strong immune system in our body. It is rich in disease fighting antioxidants. It helps in good digestion. It is said that it is good for diabetes.
 Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients : 

To Cook :
Kesu /Colocasia Leaves : 10 to 15 (Small ones)
Tamarind : 1 lemon size (small lemon)
Salt : As required
Turmeric : A little
Jaggery : 2 Tbs
To Grind :
Coconut : 1 Cup : 5 to 6 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/ Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1 Wash and remove the hard part behind the leaves, cut it into small pieces.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh.

3. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.

4. Add cut Kesu leaves and fry for a minute. Add tamarind pulp. Add turmeric, salt and jaggery.
5. Let it cook till soft.

6. Grate coconut and grind it with 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds, 2 to 3 green chilly.

7. See that kesu leaves are soft. Add ground coconut mixture to kesu curry and mix it well.

8. Boil it for 2 to 3 minutes.

9 Shift it to a serving dish and serve as one of the side dish for lunch.

10. We had this Kesu Sasive for lunch.

Note : 

Use of tamarind should be proper. Adding less jaggery is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. I have used some home grown Palak/Spinach leaves with Kesu leaves. (Optional). Use of more or less chilly is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Cucumber Sasive Chapati

Cucumber Sasive Chapati is done with using the left over of Cucumber Sasive which is prepared for lunch. The remaining Sasive is used for preparing chapati. It is yummy and soft. You will really enjoy having mild spice Cucumber Sasive Chapati.

I have used little Cucumber Sasive, jeera, salt and wheat flour for Cucumber Sasive Chapati or You call it as Parata.
We had this Cucumber Sasive for lunch. And then the remaining Sasive is kept it in the fridge. I did make use of it while mixing the chapati dough and added some garam masala and jeera powder to it.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Cucumber Sasive : 2 to 3 Tablespoons. (The left over portion).
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Jeera powder : 1/2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder  : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tbs

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add Southekai sasive, wheat flour, salt, garam masala, and jeera powder.

2. Add a spoon of ghee and mix all the ingredients well.
3. Add required water and prepare chapati dough.
4. Kneed the dough well and and divide them in to small portions.

5. Take a small portion and dip in dry wheat flour and roll them as chapatis.
6. Sprinkle some oil/ghee on the top and fold it again.
7. Dip the done and roll in dry flour.
8. Now roll as chapati again and put it on hot tava and cook.

9. Add oil on both sides while cooking and remove the partata when it is done.

10. Repeat the same and prepare all the parata /chapati and serve.

11. Serve hot chapati / parata with a cup of curd and the curry you have prepared.

12. You can have them with curd and pickle also.

Note :

Strictly do not add spoiled Cucumber Sasive. You might get sick or have some problems of stomach upset. Use fresh and good Sasive.
Adding any spice is your choice. Adding oil instead of ghee is optional. Use of more spice and oil is optional.
Cook parats on medium and low flame. You can take these paratas for travelling. It is tasty and healthy too.
It is good for people who are dieting. Use of less oil while preparing is a must.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive

Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive/mustard curd curry is one of the side dish we relish in the beginning of the lunch. It is served /eaten first and then other side dishes arrive /served one by one.

In Kannada /Karnatka State Language, Sasive means Mustard seeds. Use of mustard seeds label the curry as Sasive. 
Curd gives coolness to our body and at the same time mustard used in the curd curry helps in taking care and protect us from catching cold.
I have used small cucumber, green chilly, fresh grated coconut, pepper pods, mustard and very little jeera/cumin seeds.
We Udupians do not add jeera or pepper to this Sasive. Its only cucumber, red or green chilly, coconut and little ingh. But the taste of Bangaloreans change a little. They do add little jeera and pepper. It might be because of the weather here. Jeera and peeper not only adds to the taste they do have medicinal value of their own. They try to avoid getting cold and helps in digestion.
Eating pepper in our daily life helps to avoid gas in the food and protect us from getting alzemere disease.
Cucumber Sasive is prepared even in some festivals and feast.

No onion or No Garlic is used here in this recipe.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Small variety Cucumber : 2
Coconut : 1/2 Cup / 2 to 3 Tbs
Green chilly : 1
Pepper Pods :  5 to 6
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera : 1/4 Tsp
Ingh : A little
Salt : As required
Curd : 1 Cup
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil /Any cooking oil : 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves

Method :

1. Wash nicely and cut cucumber into small pieces.
2. Grate fresh coconut and keep it aside.
3. Wash green chilly and curry leaves and keep it aside.
4. Now grind grated coconut, cut cucumber, green chilly, pepper pods, mustard seeds, jeera and little ingh with required water. Shift the ground mixture to a bowl.

5. Add salt and curd to the mixture and mix it well.

6. Add mustard seasoning with coconut oil, ingh and curry leaves.

7. Cucumber - Green chilly Sasive is ready to serve. Serve as one of the side dish for lunch. It goes well with plain rice. Eating this cucumber sasive helps to digest your food easily.

8. Serve as a dip to fried dishes. Serve as one of the side dish to chapati, poori palav and other masala rice dishes.

Note :

Do not make Sasive very watery. It does not taste well. Use minimum water while grinding. Cucumber provides water to grind. Adding any cooking oil to season is optional. Do not add much spice. It should be mild.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Southekai /Cucumber Curd Curry

Cucumber Curd Curry / Southekai Sasive is one of the traditional dish of South Canara and Malenadu region. Cucumber Curd Curry is very easy to prepare and cucumber helps to cool our body.

Cucumber is available most of the days in a year.
When you are in a hurry or tired you can prepare this curry and enjoy your meal. It is easy, quick and simple. All you need is cucumber, mustard and curd. It fits to all age group and helps to take care of your whole body.
I have used Small thin cucumber, mustard seeds and curd. To add spice I used 2 green chillies.
Some feel eating cucumber might cause cold to their body, so the mustard seeds act as avoiding cold. it helps to subside the cold and take care.
Let us see some benefits of eating Cucumber in our diet.
Cucumber is rich water content vegetable. They do have nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid. They are rich in magnesium, iron, sodium,  potassium B -Vitamins and Vitamin B 6. Cucumber is rich in fiber and helps in easy digestion. It is very good source for people who suffer with constipation. They are good for skin health. They do helps to control and lower the blood sugar in our body. They helps to control Blood pressure in our body. It is rich in antioxidants.
As I said it is easy, simple, yummy and quick.
Let us see the recipe :

Things Needed :

Small, thin Cucumbers : 2
Coconut : Fresh : 3 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 2
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Salt : As required
Curd : 1/2 Cup
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry leaves : 4 to 5

Method :

1 Wash cucumber nicely and cut into pieces.
2. Grate coconut.
3. Wash green chilly and curry leaves . Cut green chilly into 2 to 3 pieces.
4. Now Grind coconut, cut cucumber, mustard seeds and green chilly together.
5. Add curd, salt and churn for 2 minutes. Remove it from the mixi jar to a serving dish.
6. Prepare coconut oil seasoning with mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves.
7. Add this seasoning to Cucumber Sasive and serve.

Note : 

Shop bought cucumber should be washed nicely before you use it.
Do not peel off its skin. The peels are  more nutrients.
Do not use onions or garlic. The original taste vanishes.
You can use less chilly if you do not eat spicy curry.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Avarekai - Jolada Rotti

Avarekai /Hyacinth Bean /Field Bean is still available in the market. It is a seasonal pod and it is loaded with proteins, vitamins and minerals. Avarekai - Millet rotti is nice to have for breakfast or snack or for dinner.

In Avarekai season this bean is used in almost all the dishes. People do make use of this pod and it is loved by many many people.
I have used Avarekai, Millet /JOla flour, carrots, lots of coriander leaves and Cucumber Sasive.
You might wonder why to add cucumber sasive to rotti. You can try this and then you will really agree with me. It adds softness to rotti, the aroma of cucumber is really nice when you are eating this rotti.
I had this cucumber sasive which is made for lunch. We call this dish as sasive because mustard seeds are added while grinding coconut, chilly and cucumber. Then the ground mixture is mixed with thick curd. Seasoning with coconut oil and mustard seeds with ingh and curry leaves adds heavenly taste to this curry. This Cucumber - Sasive is normally served in the beginning of the lunch as one of the side dish.
No ONION OR NO GARLIC ADDED TO THIS AVAREKAI - JOLADA ROTTI.
Let us see the recipe.

Things needed :

Cooked Avarekai/ Hyacinth Bean : 1 Cup
Jola /Millet flour : 2 Cups
Medium size Rava / Sooji : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Cucumber Sasive : 1 Small Cup
Coriander leaves : 1/2 Bundle ( Small bundle ).
Carrots : 1 to 2
Fresh Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 1 Handful
Ginger : Grated : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add millet flour, rava, grated carrots, cut coriander leaves, salt and cooked avarekai. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger, wash it again and grate it.
2. Add cucumber sasive, grated ginger and required water to it. Mix it well and leave it for 5 minutes.

3. Keep the tava on the fire and put 1/2 tsp of oil on it. Spread it nicely.
4. Let the flame be very low. Take a handful of rotti batter and spread it on the tava slowly.

5. You can spread it as thin as you like. Sprinkle little oil on the top.
6. Spread the batter on the tava as thin as you want. ( With the help of Spatula /Mogocho kai).

7. Sprinkle little more oil and cover the rotti. Cook on medium and low flame.
8. Turn the other side slowly and cook for 1 to2 minutes.

9. Avarekai - Jola /Millet Rotti is ready to serve. Serve with the side dish you have prepared.

10 We had this rotti with chutney powder, ghee/butter, pickle on the top.

Note :

Wash carrots and remove the outer layer, before you grate carrots.
Wash green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves nicely before you cut it.
Wash and cut green chilly in to small.
Use of cucumber sasive is optional. You can use grated cucumber and curd instead of sasive.
Use of rava is optional. Adding rava helps the rotti to be crispy and tasty.
Adding cooked avarekai will be soft and crunchy. Do not add un cooked avarekai to the batter. It does not taste good and avare kai will not be cooked properly.
Time 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Quick - Ondelaga - Lady Finger Sasive

Ondelaga - Lady finger or Lady's finger sasive /mustard curry is delicious to eat with plain rice. Sasive mean Mustard seeds ( In Kannada Language ). Mustard seeds are used in the curry so that it is known as Sasive.

Minimum ingredients are used in this curry. It is easy, simple, quick and healthy. We have a practice of eating or serving these types of
I had brought some home grown bendekai/Lady finger from my sister's house. They were very few and thought of preparing simple sasive.
This is called as Ooru bendekai, normally grown in Udupi and South Canara Region. Since it is grown in housed like kitchen garden it got its name as ooru bende./ Lady Finger.

Ondelaga leaves are known as Gotu Kola / centella Asiatic pennywort.
I have used Ondealga Gotu Kola leaves, fresh coconut, mustard seeds and green chilly to grind and fried lady finger and added to sasive. you can try this and enjoy this healthy Sasive. Sasive means mustard seeds and here we use mustard seeds to prepare this curd curry and the curry get the name as Sasive.
Ondelaga leaves should be used as raw and cooking the leaves will lose its medicinal values. Ondelaga leaves are good to control cholesterol level in our body. They also helps to control blood sugar level and blood pressure level. They are filled with nutritious value. They help in good digestion, immunity and they do contain loads of anti oxidant properties.

It is very nice to note we do have lots of Ondelaga leaves in our house. We grow them in pots. They can be used for chutneys while grinding, fresh lime juice or even in butter milk.
Ondealga - Lady Finger Sasive can be eaten with plain rice, chapatis, rotis etc it is curd based curry and goes well with almost all main dishes.
Quick Ondelaga - Lady Finger Sasive is - No Onion or No garlic dish 

Things Needed :

To Fry :
Lady Finger : 8 to 10 ( Small size )

To grind :
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Ondelaga Leaves : 1 Handful
Green chilly : 2
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

For Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/4 teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asfoetida : A pinch for grinding and seasoning.

To Add :
Salt : As required
Curd /yogurt : 1 Cup
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and dry all water from bendikai/Lady's Finger. Cut Bendekai/Lady's finger into very small.
2. Wash curry leaves,coriander leaves and Ondelaga /Gotu Kola leaves and keep it aside. Cut coriander leaves into small pieces.
3. Grate coconut and grind it with, Ondelaga /Gotu Kola leaves, green chilly and 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds. Add required salt and  a pinch of ingh and churn for 1 minute.
4. Remove it from the mixi jar. Keep it aside.
5. Keep a small pan and put 1 tbs of oil. Add  1/2 tsp of mustard seeds, jeera/cumin seeds and a pinch of ingh/Asafoetida.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves, ingh /asafoetida  and add bendekai.
7. Fry the pieces till they turn crisp and turn golden brown.
8. Add this fried bendi/lady's finger to already grind sasive mix. Add curd and mix it well.

9. Shift the ready Ondelaga /Gotu Kola to a serving dish add cut coriander leaves  and serve as one of the side dish.

Note :

Use little mustard seeds ( 1/2 tsp for 1 cup of coconut approximately), so that mustard aroma is well mixed with coconut. Adding more chily is optional. Do not use very old curd. It might spoil the whole aroma of Sasive.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Hybreed Ondelaga leaves 

Home grown Ondelaga : Gotu Kola Leaves.