Banana stem Curry

Banana stem curry is one of  the side dish. Banana stem is full of fiber and it should be eaten at least once a month or two.

Banana Stem has loads of benefits and people say that it takes away the dirt from intestine in a fine manner. It helps to flush out the stone from kidney. It eases the problem of indigestion.
I have used Banana Stem, little jeera and pepper. Added some grated coconut. Little jaggery is used to give a sweet taste.
The stem was given by our neighbour and they do have lots of place to grown banana plants. They do give us some banana and the stem most of the times. So it is easy for me to try many dishes out of banana stem.
Some time I do cut and put the raw pieces in curd and make  raw pachadi. (With out cooking). some time dal, some time curry so this time its dry curry with simple spices.
Let us see some benefits of eating banana stem in our diet.
Banana stem is good for taking out the kidney stone.
It is good for detoxifying our body. It is good for digestion.It helps to control the blood pressure and cholesterol. Healing acidity and gastric problems.
Banana Stem Curry simple, easy and healthy.
Lets see the recipe Now :

No Onion or Garlic is used in this Dish : Banana Stem Dry Curry.

Ingredients :

Banana stem : Small Piece
Butter milk : 1/2 Cup
To Add :
Dry ginger powder : 1/2 Tsp
Jaggery : 1 Tbs
Turmeric Powder : A little
Salt : As required
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tbs
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tbs
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera : 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.

Method : 

1. Add a cup of water to butter milk and soak banana stem pieces in it.
2. Wash and cut banana stem into small pieces.

3. Wash banana stem and drain out all the water from it.

4. Pressure cook banana stem for 6 to 8 minutes adding little water. Let it cool.

5, Prepare seasoning with coconut oil, mustard seeds, jeera, add green chilly and curry leaves.
6. Add cooked banana stem and let it boil.Add turmeric powder, jaagery and ginger powder.

7. Add salt and cook till all the water disappear.
8. Add grated coconut and mix it well. Shift it to a serving bowl.

9. Banana stem curry is ready to serve.

Note :

You can use 2 tbs of curd instead of butter milk. Add a cup of water and mix it well and dip the banana stem cut pieces in it.
Adding any other masala taste differ.  Adding red chilly powder instead of green chilly is optional.
Adding jaggery is optional. Use of any cooking oil instead of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 4 to 5.

Toor Dal - Ondelaga Chutney

Toor dal - Ondelaga Chutney is a side dish that goes well with most of the main dishes. We had this Toor Dal - Ondelaga chutney for lunch.

Ondelaga/Gotukola is used as culinary vegetable and it is a medicinal herb plant. 

I have used Toor dal, red byadagi chilly, ingh/Asafoetida, curry leaves, tamarind pulp and fresh coconut gratings.

Let us see some benefits of eating Ondelaga/Gotukola leaves in our diet.

The plant yield only one leaf in its stem so that it is called as Ondelaga. (One leaf). 

It is used as a culinary vegetable and as a medicinal herb. It is known a Mandukaparni In Sanskrit. It is in the shape of frog so that it got its name as Mandukaparni.
People call it as Brahmi also because it is loaded with medicinal values.
Its known as Ondelaga in Kannada/Karnataka.
Saraswathi Aku in Telugu/Andra pradesh.
Vallari Keerai in Tamil/Tamilnaadu
Karivan or Karivana in Marati /Maharasthtra
Kandha Brahmi in Gujrati /Gujarat
Thulkudi in Bengali /Bengal
Bengsag and Brahmi in Hindi

It helps in good relief for pains. It boost cognitive function.
 Ondelaga helps in reducing anxiety and stress. It helps in controlling the blood sugar level.
It also helps in reducing the swelling and improve the circulation of blood.
Gotukola is rich in anti inflammatory properties and helps to reduce the joint pains and arthritis.
It is good for memory power. It is good for our skin health and hair health.
Gotukola helps to detoxify our body and keeps us in good health
It is good for blood pressure since it helps in controlling the blood pressure level by decreasing the tension and anxiety in our body.
It is good for digestive disorders, helps in strengthening nervous function and memory power in us.
Let us see the recipe Now :
Do Not Fry the leaves when you cook. It looses its healthy benefits when it is cooked. It should be added at the end of the process of cooking.

Ingredients :
Ondelaga Leaves : 1 Handful
Toor Dal : 1 Tbs
Oil : 1/2  Tsps
Tamarind : Small marble size
Byadagi chilly : 4 to 5
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Salt : As required
Coconut : 1 Cup
To Season :
Oil : 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method : 

1. Keep a small frying pan on the fire and heat. Add half tsp of oil, 1 tablespoon of toor dal.
2. Add 4 to 5 byadagi chilly and fry nicely till toor daal turns as golden red.
3. Add little ingh and put off the fire.

4. Add a handful of ONDELAGA leaves and mix it well. Keep it aside.

5. Soak little tamarind in warm water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside.

6. Grate coconut and grind it with fried mixture, tamarind pulp, salt. Add water if required while grinding.
7. Take it out from the mixi jar and put it to a serving dish.

8. Add mustard seeds seasoning with little ingh and curry leaves.

9. Toor dal - Ondelaga Chutney is ready to serve.

10. Enjoy Toor Dal - Ondelaga Chutney with your food.

Note :

Fry dal till it turns golden brown. You should be careful while adding water if required.
Adding more chilly is optional.
Use or more coconut is optional.
Time : 15 to 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Long Brinjal Palya

Long Brinjal is a dry palya is a yummy side dish that you can even prepare brinjal rice as one pot meal.

These brinjals are from the garden of Dhatrivana  a beautiful resort near Tumkoor. Anthapura ladies group from Face book page has arranged a trip to Dhatrivana as picnic. Mrs. Gheetha Upendra Bangalore has organised this picnic and I joined the group as one of the member.
There were lots of events which were really fun to group and lots of prizes we got vegetables as compliments to the winners. It was indeed a very memorial trip and I enjoyed it thoroughly with other sakhis of Anthapura.

Let us see the recipe now :

No Onion or No Garlic is used in this dry curry/Palya.

Ingredients :

Long Brinjals : 5 to 6
Capsicum : 1
Coconut Chutney Powder : 2 Tbs
Rasam Powder : 1 Tbs
Tamarind Tokku : 1 Tbs / Tamarind Pulp.
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Jaggery : 1 Tbs
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8.leaves
Coriander leaves : 2 Tbs

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjal into small pieces and put it in a bowl of water for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Wash capsicum and remove seeds. Cut capsicum into small pieces.

3. Wash a green chilly and slit, coriander and curry leaves into small.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and ingh.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves. Add brinjal pieces. (Remove water completely before adding).

6.Fry nicely and add cut capsicum. Stir slowly. Add little turmeric powder and 1/2 cup of water.
7. Let it cook till soft on medium flame.
8. Add tamarind Tokku, required salt and 1 tbs of jaggery and mix it well. Reduce the flame to low.

9. Add Coconut chutney powder and rasam powder. Stir slowly and let it cook for 2 minutes. (Low Flame).

10. Shift it to a serving dish and serve when all the moisture disappear. Add cut coriander leaves just before serving.

Note :

Soaking cut brinjal helps to remove the bitterness in brinjal. Take out the water from soaked brinjal and then add it to the seasoning. Adding tamarind tokku is optional. You can add Tamarind pulp instead of tokku. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding any cooking oil is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.
Coconut Chutney powder :
Dry grind dry coconut pieces 1 Bowl, roasted urid dal 1 tb, dry fry chilly  and tamarind , required salt. Mix it well and fill in the glass bottle.

Quick Lady Finger Gojju

Quick Lady finger gojju is a finger licking dish. I have tried this gojju with adding puliyogre gojju instead of using tamarind pulp.


The puliyogre gojju adds to Lady finger gojju and goes well with chapatis, rotis, poori, idli and dosa.

Lady fingers should be tender and it cooks faster when you fry with little oil, or it gets hard and it will not taste good when you use it for gojju.

Lets see some benefits of Lady finger in our diet.

Lady finger is good for eye sight and healthy skin. It is filled with Vitamin B9 and Vitamin C. It helps to improve our immunity system. Lady finger helps to reduce the weight. It is good for diabetes. 

It is filled with fiber and good for controlling the cholesterol.
It is an easy recipe and yummy taste to have it with many main dishes.

NO ONION OR NO GARLIC RECIPE.

Ingredients :

Lady finger :10 to 15.
Rasam Powder : 2 Tbs
Puliyogre Gojju : 1 Tbs
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tbs
Salt : As required

For Seasoning :

Cooking Oil : 2 Tbs
Methi Seeds : 3 to 4
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Green chilly : 1

Method :

1. Wash and wipe out the moisture completely and cut into small pieces.

2. Keep a big pan on the fire and add oil. Heat it.
3. Add methi seeds, mustard seeds and ingh. Let mustard seeds splutter.
4. Add curry leaves and cut lady finger pieces. Fry till they turn soft.

5. Add salt and puliyogre gojju, little turmeric powder and jaggery.
Mix it well. Let it Cook for a while.

6. Add little water and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add rasam powder and and mix it nicely.

8. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Shift it to a serving bowl.

9. Add coriander leaves and serve with main dish of your choice.

Note :

You must wipe out the moisture in Lady finger completely or the gojju might turn sticky.
You can add tamarind pulp, jaggery, sesame powder instead of using puliyogre mix.
Adding more jaggery is optional. Fry lady finger nicely so that it does not get sticky.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serve : 2 to 3.

Mango - Ginger Chutney

Now the season of mangoes are started. You can get good raw mangoes in the market. Here I have tried This Udupi style Mango  Chutney which is spicy and definitely You will love it.

Kota a small town on the way to Kundapura near Brahmavar. The people here are well known for their typical rural kannada speaking. Kota Brahmins are famous for spicy food.
The very famous MT.R and Maiyas group of hotel owners in Bangalore are from Kota and they do serve yummy, healthy food to the public.
I said all these about Kota and Kota brahmin, their spicy food because I have prepared Mango Chutney in the same traditional way.

Coming back to the subject of Mangoes or any vegetable in that matter, using the seasonal fruits and vegetables are very good habit and they are filled with natural nutritious properties in them.
I have used Raw Mango, very little dry ginger and byadagi chilly fried in coconut oil.
Use of coconut oil is very good for health. It keeps your body and mind safe.
In this chutney we remove the outer layer of raw mango and fry red chilly in coconut oil. (Only chilly).
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Mango : 1 Small one
Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Dry Ginger : 1/4 Tsp (Optional).
Salt : As required
Cooking Oil : 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A little
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of mango and cut them into small pieces.
2. Fry byadagi chilly in 1 tsp of coconut oil. Let it cool.

3. Grate or cut coconut into small pieces and  Grind it with mango pieces, fried chilly, salt, ginger and required water. (Chutney should be thick, so use limited water only).

4. Remove the chutney to a serving bowl.
5. Season with mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves and add it to Mango - Ginger Chutney.

6. Serve it with hot rice and little ghee on top.

Note :

Fry chilly nicely on low flame. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding ginger is optional. Ginger adds to the taste and is healthy. Removing the outer layer is a must to get good taste of the chutney.
Use of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 People.

Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal

Bottle gourd - Gongura/Kenaf leaves Dal is very easy and handy if you have Gongura leaves. It is quick and yummy dal that is healthy also.

I have used Gongura leaves which I bought from Pyramid Valley when we went last week.
I had half bottle gourd piece left in the fridge. So I put every thing together and cooked, seasoned with mustard seeds, ingh, jeera and curry leaves. Yummy dal was ready with in 20 minutes.
NO ONION or NO GARLIC used here in this Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal.
Let us see the recipe now :
Gongura leaves are savoury and no need to use any lemon extract or tamarind pulp;
As I said it is very easy to prepare and good to have with almost all the main dishes. Good nutritious dal for all age group.

Things Needed :

To Pressure Cook :
Bottle Gourd pieces : 1 Bowl.
Gongura /Kenaf Leaves : 1 bundle. (only the leaves)
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : Grated : 1 Teaspoon
To add :
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Pepper Pods : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.

Method :

1. Wash and remove gongura leaves from its sticks. Cut into small or put as it is in a pressure cooker.
2. Wash green chilly slit and put it with gongura leaves.

3. Wash ginger and scrape out the outer layer and grate it . Add it to gongura leaves.
4. Wash moong dal and add it to leaves.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water and little turmeric powder.
6. Wash bottle gourd and remove the outer layed of 1/2 bottle gourd. Cut it into small and put it with gongura leaves in pressure cooker.
7. Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

8. Keep a pan and put cooked mixture of gongura leaves, moong dal, grated ginger, slit green chilly.
9. Add required salt and a glass of water. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. mustard seeds, and jeera. Add crushed pepper pods.
11. Add ingh and curry leaves once the mustard seeds splutter. Add this to cooked dal .
12. Shift the ready Bottle Gourd - Gongura Dal to a serving dish and serve.

Note :

You can use toor dal instead of moong dal. Moong dal is packed with nutritious value.
Adding more chilly is optional. We like mild spice taste and do not use much spicy.
Adding more ghee is optional.
Time : 20 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.